Bible for Newbies

In this short update, Russ shares a preview of an upcoming Bible for Newbies episode on expressing gratitude through action, reflecting on Hebrews 13:15–16. He also encourages listeners to keep a daily gratitude journal and notice the people and small moments they’re thankful for.

• The next episode will explore expressing gratitude in tangible ways, drawing on Hebrews 13:15-16.
• Russ connects the passage’s “sacrifice of praise” to Old Testament thanksgiving offerings.
• He encourages listeners to keep a gratitude journal, even if they’re starting late, and notice the people who bless their lives.
• Practicing gratitude can help turn everyday moments into reasons to thank God, like a stranger helping Russ recover his lost hat.

Russ takes on a problem God warned ancient Israel about: forgetting God's goodness once life gets comfortable. Working from Deuteronomy 8 and Psalm 103, he asks what he has forgotten and why gratitude matters. This is a solo episode of about 11 minutes, part of a November gratitude series.

In this episode

• Russ admits he is forgetful (keys, wallet, a favorite Stetson wool cap he misplaced) and puts AirTags on everything. This month he wants to grow in gratitude.
• Deuteronomy 8:10-18: God tells Israel to praise him after eating their fill, and warns that in plenty they may forget him and say, "I've achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy."
• God's reminders to Israel: rescue from slavery in Egypt, the wilderness, water from the rock, and manna. Manna is Russ's favorite part.
• Enjoying blessings is fine, such as his overstuffed leather prayer chair. God asks us to praise the giver.
• Bottom line: when we forget what God has done, we can start living as though we don't need him.
• Russ's story: while pursuing a music career, he couldn't pay rent one February and moved back to his parents' basement in Montana. He was tempted to go it alone, and he is thankful it did not become a long season of shaking his fist at God.
• Psalm 103: Russ asks "What have I forgotten about?" and names forgiveness (which tempers his judgmental impatience) and healing (eyes, knee, an elbow bone spur after his small group prayed, influenza, COVID).
• Even while he is impatient about his blood pressure medicine and hip aches, he chooses to be grateful that he has been sustained.
• The November gratitude journal: choose a few things each day to write down. Russ's entries today are forgiveness, healing, and being crowned with love and tender mercy.

Russ opens the November gratitude series on Bible for Newbies with a story about a mission trip to Mexico that changed how he saw his own wealth. He then turns to King David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 29 as a model of a grateful heart, and he closes with a journaling challenge.

In this episode

• Russ shares how visiting his in-laws, who became missionaries and planted three churches in Mexico, exposed him to deep poverty in indigenous villages. He was struck by the villagers' thankfulness and worship.
• Returning to the U.S. through Tucson, he saw American wealth for the first time as wealth by global standards.
• 1 Chronicles 29: David gives more than 112 tons of gold from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver toward the temple that his son Solomon will build.
• The leaders of Israel also give willingly: about 188 tons of gold, 10,000 gold coins, 375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze and 3,750 tons of iron.
• Russ explains where David's wealth came from: a 40-year reign, conquered kingdoms, tribute, military victories and gifts from other kings.
• David's prayer (verses 10-16) gives no credit to himself: "Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us."
• Russ applies this to his own life. He has worked hard and pastors a generous church, and his wife's career helps fund his ministry. He still sees his skills, leadership and influence as coming from the Lord.
• James 1:17: every good and perfect gift comes from the Father, who created the lights in the heavens.

Russ kicks off a November series on growing in gratitude. He remembers his dad's heartfelt Thanksgiving prayers, then looks at the story of ten men healed of leprosy in Luke 17. Only one came back to say thank you. Russ asks how we can remember to thank God as often as we ask him for things. He invites listeners to keep a daily Thanksgiving journal this month.

Inside the episode:

• Starting a November series on gratitude Russ's dad and his
• Thanksgiving prayers Luke 17:11–19: the ten men with leprosy and the one who returned
• All ten acted in faith, but only one gave thanks, and giving thanks matters to God
• Why the Samaritan, an outsider, may have been the most grateful (with Luke 7: those forgiven much love much)
• Russ's gratitude list: food, a home, his work, and his dog Sammy, whom he said goodbye to last week after 15½ years
• Familiarity with God's goodness can make us take it for granted

Russ shares a study insight from preparing his message on Hebrews 9 and 10 for Connect Church. He follows the warning in Hebrews 10:26-31 back to Numbers 15 and forward to 1 John. The result is a clear distinction between stumbling into sin and practicing it. This is a solo episode and it is a heavy topic.

In this episode:

• Why Hebrews reads more like a sermon than a letter, and why Russ encouraged his church to read or listen to the whole book in one sitting
• How Hebrews 9 presents Jesus as the final offering for sin, using tabernacle imagery: the holy place, the most holy place, and the veil
• The pivot at Hebrews 10:19, where the book moves from theology to exhortation
• The sobering warning in Hebrews 10:26-31 about deliberately continuing to sin after receiving knowledge of the truth
• Numbers 15: the old covenant made provision for unintentional sin but drew a sharp line at brazen, deliberate defiance
• How 1 John holds together two ideas: forgiveness when we stumble, and the call to obey
• Russ's own practice of self-examination and of reorienting to Jesus each day, even after a bad day

Russ explains how Christians can think about voting without making politics their ultimate allegiance. The episode centers on three questions: who is my king, what matters to my king, and how do I represent my king? It’s a practical guide to civic engagement shaped by Scripture, humility, and the reign of Jesus.

Inside the episode:

• In this episode, Russ defines the kingdom of God as the reign of Jesus, not merely heaven or the church.
• He emphasizes that Christ followers are kingdom citizens before they are American citizens.
• He argues that Christians should vote with a kingdom mindset, not as loyalists to a political party.
• He uses Jeremiah 29 to show that God’s people should seek the welfare of the place where they live.
• He urges listeners to think beyond self-interest and consider the common good, including schools, housing, economic opportunity, public safety, vulnerable people, and the unborn.
• He points to Micah’s call to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
• He encourages believers to pray for wisdom, study candidates and issues carefully, and discern in an AI-saturated media environment.
• He warns against using Scripture to justify preexisting political convictions instead of letting Scripture shape them.
• He says Christians should be known by love, not by political agreement, and should reject contempt toward people made in God’s image.
• He closes by urging prayer for leaders in authority and reminding listeners that election results do not determine whether Jesus reigns.

Russ walks through the Filament Study Bible app, shows how the print Bible and app work together, and then uses the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 to model a simple Bible study. The episode matters because it shows how a study Bible can help you read more carefully, compare translations, and follow cross references into deeper interpretation.In this episode, Russ explains the app’s main features, reads the Lord’s Prayer aloud, and then follows study notes into Matthew 4, Matthew 26, James 1, and 1 Chronicles 29 to explore temptation, testing, and the doxology tradition. It’s a practical, beginner friendly look at how to let Bible study tools shape your reading.

Inside the episode:

• Russ introduces the Filament Study Bible, which combines a print Bible with the Filament app.
• He gives a quick tour of the app’s main tabs, including Home, Reading Plans, Scan, Audio Bible, and More.
• The Reading Plans section includes options like a one year Bible plan and a seven day plan on anxiety and God’s peace.
• The Scan feature is used to pull up Matthew 6 through 8 from the printed page.
• The Audio Bible feature offers multiple voices, and Russ chooses the one he finds most listenable.
• The More tab includes settings for Bible translation, reminders, audio speed, text size, theme, tutorials, and support.
• Russ reads Matthew 6:8 to 13 and compares the NLT wording with more traditional renderings of the Lord’s Prayer.
• He notices footnotes on phrases like “Give us today the food we need” and “Don’t let us yield to temptation.”
• A study note links the temptation line to Matthew 4:1 to 11, showing how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.
• Russ reflects on the difference between temptation and testing, and how the Spirit may lead into a wilderness place without God being the source of temptation.
• Another cross reference sends him to Matthew 26:41, where Jesus tells the disciples to watch and pray so they do not give in to temptation.
• James 1:13 reinforces the point that God does not tempt anyone.
• The final study note explains that the doxology in some manuscripts may have been added later, possibly influenced by 1 Chronicles 29:11 to 13.
• Russ reads David’s praise in 1 Chronicles 29 and connects it to the familiar ending of the Lord’s Prayer.
• He closes by encouraging listeners to read the Bible with the intention of hearing God speak.

Russ reviews his new NLT Filament Enabled Bible and explains why it stands out as a practical, newbie-friendly print Bible. He also reflects on the 500th anniversary of English Bible translation, connecting the Bible’s design and purpose to William Tyndale’s legacy and the goal of making Scripture understandable in everyday language.In this episode, Russ walks through the Bible’s physical features, front matter, and back matter, then previews how the companion app will work alongside the print edition. If you’re curious about Bible bindings, translation philosophy, or how to choose a print Bible that’s easy to use, this episode is packed with useful observations.

Inside the episode:

• Why Russ bought a print NLT Bible after primarily teaching from the NLT without owning a substantial print copy
• The 500th anniversary of English Bible translation and William Tyndale’s translation work
• How the Filament Enabled Bible connects print reading with digital resources through its companion app
• The difference between genuine leather and bonded leather bindings
• The Bible’s readable text—and the challenge of its very small reference print
• The NLT’s translation philosophy, publication history, and ongoing updates
• The Tyndale Verse Finder, a newbie-friendly tool for locating verses by topic
• Visual overviews and infographics about Israel’s calendar, the Psalms, the prophets, Jesus’ ministry, and more
• Why Russ expects to use his print Bible and the Filament app together

Russ walks through a practical example from Matthew 6 to show how study Bible tools can deepen personal Bible reading. He focuses on the Lord’s Prayer, using notes, footnotes, and cross references to unpack prayer, temptation, and translation details.

Inside the episode:

• In this episode, Russ explains how notes, footnotes, and cross references each serve a different purpose in a study Bible.
• He uses Matthew 6:9 to show how a study Bible note frames the Lord’s Prayer as a model for prayer, not just a memorized passage.
• Russ breaks the prayer into categories: adoration, God’s kingdom and will, daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
• He distinguishes footnotes from commentary notes, showing how footnotes often give alternate translations or clarify difficult wording.
• He uses a footnote on “daily bread” to demonstrate how translation choices can reveal meaning and why he reads footnotes carefully.
• Russ explains cross references as a way to trace themes across Scripture, comparing Matthew 6:13 with John 17:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and James 1:13.
• He highlights John 17 as Jesus’ prayer for believers, connecting the Lord’s Prayer to Christ’s intercession.
• He uses 2 Thessalonians 3:3 to emphasize God’s faithfulness to strengthen and guard believers from evil.
• He uses James 1:13 to stress that temptation does not come from God and should not be blamed on Him.
• Russ closes by discussing a footnote about the doxology, explaining why some newer translations omit it while older manuscripts and traditional versions include it in the notes.

Russ gives a practical walkthrough of the study helps found in a print Bible, using his Harper Study Bible as the example. This episode shows how much useful material is often sitting in the front and back of a Bible that many readers never open.This solo episode focuses on educational guidance. Russ explains the purpose of the front matter, study notes, concordance, and maps, then previews a follow-up episode on cross-references.

Inside the episode:

• Why Russ returned to print Bibles and paper journals after being challenged to revisit older spiritual practices
• What makes a study Bible different from a regular Bible, and why these helps exist
• Front matter, including the title page, copyright details, preface, table of contents, abbreviations, pronunciation guides, and alphabetical book listing
• Why the RSV was revised from the King James tradition and how translation choices affect clarity
• How book introductions help readers understand authorship, purpose, and outline before reading a biblical book
• How the index to annotations helps readers find commentary on themes like blood, covenant, and faith
• How a concordance works, using “shepherd” and Psalm 23:1 as an example
• How Bible maps help readers visualize Exodus, the patriarchs, the 12 tribes, David and Solomon, divided Israel and Judah, exile routes, Jesus’ time, Paul’s missionary journeys, and the Roman Empire
• Why listeners should explore the tools in their own study Bible
• A preview of the next episode on cross-references