Bible Geeks Podcast

This week's theme is — wait for it — patience! We notice all the ways we shorten our fuse and short-circuit our brains, inventing villains and moving too fast. Four Proverbs on patience get us thinking about inner warfare and training like Mr. Miyagi. And as Christ bears with Peter, he shows us that sometimes the best way to help is to pray and wait. From a "spoiler alert" on your ending to a head start on your day, we hope this week's episode gives some perspective and helps you grow in Christlike patience!

The Big Idea: Patience means bearing with each other’s shortcomings in humility and love.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "TNT" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 28
• Like the Teacher: Luke 22:31-34 (VERSE)
• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer (BOOK)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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In this week’s edition of “Hello, My Name Is ...” four Bible women inspire us to greater mercy, as we admire the power of small deeds and imagine attending our own funeral. And as we learn morality from Blockbuster and State Farm (but mostly from Jesus and his “Good Samaritan”), this discussion of merciful deeds takes us back to some important basics. We close the episode by challenging ourselves to become kindness artists — becoming proficient in unusual, covert, creative kindness.

The Big Idea: We reflect God’s goodness when we seek out creative ways to bless others without expectation of any earthly reward.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Pay It Forward" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 27
• Like the Teacher: Luke 10:25-37 (VERSE)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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This week we learn how pushing the envelope is like pressing your nose and discover some lessons about mercy from Harry Potter and Ford v. Ferrari. Plus we count down our Top Four Proverbs about forgiveness, learning to kill with kindness, cover with love, and let the Lord judge between us and others. And one of Jesus’ parables shows us a path to Christlike mercy, from a “ba-jillion” sins to three little words.

The Big Idea: We find grace to forgive when we choose compassion and leave our justice in God’s hands.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Number 491" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 26
• Like the Teacher: Matt. 18:21-35 (VERSE)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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This week we happily dive into the subject of grace, learning that while we’re undeserving, that doesn’t mean we’re worthless — far from it! So how is grace like a spoonful of peanut butter but unlike free Costco samples? Why does grace overcome our timidity before God? And what one thing can I do today to love Jesus more? We talk about rationing grace, settling into grace, and growing in grace. The story of Simon and the “sinful woman” who loved Jesus teaches us how grace leads to action, and some Deep Thoughts about God’s “amazing grace” reminds us why the Lord’s Supper is such a fitting way to begin our week.

The Big Idea: Recognizing the greatness of our sins and the extravagance of the gift takes us from entitlement to gratitude and from timidity to confidence.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Unpayable Debts" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 24
• Like the Teacher: Luke 7:36-50 (VERSE)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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Why is it so hard to live in the world without becoming the same as everyone around us? We’re all about holy living this week, as we finish our Cross Training on reverence. On a Psalm 19 edition of Poetry in Motion, we consider the sky’s song, the happiness of God, and the starting point for spiritual growth. We take lessons from the Lion King and Toy Story about our identity in Christ. And we’re back to candy and dessert again, as we seek to understand a life set apart for God.

The Big Idea: *God has changed our identity in Christ. Our task is to live today as the new person he has created. *

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Prized Possessions" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 24
• Like the Teacher: John 17:6-19 (VERSE)
• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 19 (VERSE)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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What’s the difference between flat, thoughtless worship versus knowing God Almighty is in your midst? This week we looked at two Heavy Words for worship, learning to serve as priests and bow down as true worshipers. We talked about chalkboard psalms, idols in our hearts, and Paul’s picture of an unbeliever entering an assembly and falling down in worship. We notice how morning “sugar-highs” of empty spiritual calories keep us from the soul satisfaction of worship. And we nearly end the podcast forever in a debate over the best licorice!

The Big Idea: Worship requires the humility to revere, serve, and surrender ourselves before God.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "You’re Worth It" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)

• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 23

• Like the Teacher: John 4:20-24 (VERSE)

• Spatial Audio From Apple Music (YOUTUBE)

• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode.

This week we’re setting Poetry in Motion again, as David gets some bad advice most of us can relate to in Psalm 11. Unity and humility come up again in the Scripture du Jour. And as we go looking for Jesus in this week’s reading, Bryan finds him in flaming fire, and Ryan notices where we WON’T find Jesus.

The Big Idea: Recognizing the Lord’s coming judgment gives us comfort for our trials, compassion for the lost, and reverent awe for the great Judge of all.

Weekly Challenge: Be a voice for unity this week.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 21
• Into the Book Preview - “2 Thessalonians 1-3, 1 Corinthians 1-2” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)

Do you know God? This week we talked about finding secret pockets of time and having God on speed-dial. In a Psalm 18 edition of Poetry in Motion, God makes David a Superhero, while he "walks softly but carries a big stick." We ask questions like: how is knowing God like being married? What does it mean that God is transcendent and immanent? And how can seeing God's wrath and power give us the security to say "God is my rock"? Plus, a look at the "model prayer" highlights the difference between performing and talking to God. It's a great way to kick off a series of Cross Training conversations on REVERENCE – hope you'll join us!

The Big Idea: The true God is exalted far above us, yet near us.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Unrecognized" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)

• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 21

• Like the Teacher: Matthew 6:5-15 (VERSE)

• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 18 (VERSE)

• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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What do bumper stickers and take-out have to do with the good news? This week we complete our conversations about joy by talking about evangelism. We go Flying Through the Book of Acts, tracking how the gospel’s gladness spread across the world. It’s a close look at how we talk to people about Jesus that takes us from shotguns to laser beams, from contagions to vaccines, and from MiracleGro to the gifts of spring. In it all, we find encouragement to keep praying and keep speaking the word. (All that, plus Bryan shows Ryan his new personalized license plate!) Hope you’ll join us!

The Big Idea: The gospel is a living seed, filled with God’s power. Drop it into people’s hearts and watch it grow.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "Authentic Ambassadors" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 20
• Like the Teacher: Mark 6:7-13 (VERSE)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

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Most people know that gratitude impacts our walk with God, our joy, even our health! But how do we actually make it a regular part of our lives? This week we talked about losing our joy, weaponizing our gratitude, and carrying Jesus' side of the load. We ask questions like: can we give thanks for everything? Am I grateful for God's discipline? And how can loss increase my thanksgiving? It's amazing what this simple activity — giving regular thanks to God — can do. We hope the reminder helps you as much as it did us!

The Big Idea: When we look at the world through a lens of gratitude, we see God’s gifts everywhere.

Weekly Challenges: Find this week’s Through the Week challenges here.

Show Notes

• Cross Training - "All Year Round" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Cross Training - Through the Week Challenges - Week 19
• Like the Teacher: Luke 17:11-19 (VERSE)
• Pareto Principle (WIKIPEDIA)
• The Bible Geeks Facebook Group (FACEBOOK)

Support the Show