BeachCast.TV: Bible Exploration, Apologetics and Church History with Dr. Chase A. Thompson:

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as we read the last chapter of Matthew. Most skeptics of Christianity believe that the resurrection of Jesus couldn't possibly have happened, because people don't just come back from the dead. A careful analysis of the historical record, however, shows that belief in the resurrection is both rational and reasonable and likely the best explanation for the spread of Christianity.

The government of the US and most nations are right now issuing many new and inconvenient and controversial laws and commands. Are Christians obligated to obey governing authorities and commands, or can they simply 'go with their conscience.' Are there any cases in Scripture where civil disobedience is allowed? What is a Christian to do when he or she is commanded to do something that makes them uncomfortable, or seems unfair?

When faced with a difficult decision, most Christians endeavor to 'hear from God' so that they can know which direction to go. While it is true that God sometimes spoke to His people in the Bible, it appears that He usually guided them in far more mundane and normal ways. Today we discuss how Christians should make decisions, and whether or not they need to 'hear from God' before deciding what to do.

Many Christians believe that the right way to make a decision is to pray until you "feel peace" about a certain direction. The net result is that some are led by their feelings. As we look at how people made decisions in the Bible, we find that they employed a vastly different decision making process than most Christians do today.

The traditional view of Christian decision-making basically boils down to attempting to discern God's secret will on a particular matter, and then going that direction. Is that the way that people in the Bible made decisions? Today we discuss decision making from a biblical context, and also whether or not it is a sin to cast lots, as the disciples did in Acts 1.