Character Archives - Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Prayer is an incalculably awesome privilege, and yet it is massively misunderstood. Prayer can easily become a ritual, an almost automatic activity like brushing our teeth. We know we need to do it because we know it’s really good for us. So, we do it at what we think are the appropriate times and in the appropriate ways. Prayer can also become a time of wishful thinking, a time when we essentially tell God how our lives could and should look. It can also become a complaining session, a finger pointing session and even a pity party. Wait, let’s take a breath! Prayer is the opportunity and privilege to talk to the God of all things through His son Jesus. If we are going to use this amazing tool, we want to be absolutely clear as to how it works and why it works!

Let’s look at a few important and fundamental questions.

Going even deeper, does God answer every prayer spoken? There are several scriptures in the Old and New Testaments that give us guidance on this.

The basic answer is no, God does not hear and answer every prayer.Why not? The Bible describes prayers that are not heeded as from those who are wicked, following idolatry and not following God’s Law. We might look at this and think, I’m safe, none of that applies to me! While this may be true, there is another scriptural piece to this equation. How focused am I on seeking God’s will and God’s way over my own? God answers those who truly seek Him.

Does this mean we are praying for the wrong things or praying with the wrong attitude? That may be true, and it may not. There are several scriptural examples of very faithful ones receiving “no” answers from God. This can only mean that there are several very good reasons for a no answer.

While our immediate response to this might seem obvious, there is a much larger and deeper purpose we may be missing. Again, scriptural examples help us understand this.

Check out our August 14, 2023 podcast, “How Can I Transform My Prayer Life? (Part I)” for more. We walk through a detailed explanation of these three fundamental points and set the groundwork for how a vital prayer life actually works. Understanding the attitude of our approach to God and the likelihood of getting strong “no” answers from Him is critical. Our prayers are for the purpose of aligning ourselves with God’s will and way. They should keep us open to hearing Him as we ask, seek and find what He wants us to do. Join us for this journey into the amazing power of prayer. All of this sets the stage for Part II of this series which asks the everyday practical questions of how prayer fits into our busy and emotional lives.

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It is a natural human response to want to be recognized for who we are and for what we contribute. This is easy to observe. Just look at a small child who does something to be helpful or obedient. When their parent recognizes and praises their behavior, their face beams with delight! While it is positive and nurturing to praise growth and maturity, we also need to be wary. As with anything else that provokes goodness in our sinful world, the simplicity of building another up can be misrepresented and funneled into the ever-growing competition for status among our peers. Now it’s no longer about building up, it is all about establishing our place in the pecking order and fighting our way to be higher up on that ladder. This is NOT a new phenomenon as the Bible has MUCH to say about avoiding it!

It is about being someone who stands out in a crowd. It’s about being seen through a different filter than everyone else. It’s about people looking up to you and following your perspective on issues and subjects that are important to them. The higher your status in the eyes of others, the more powerful and far-reaching your influence becomes. Strong influence means you have the capacity to change other’s perspectives, and that leads to bending social agendas towards your preferred direction. No wonder we fight over our social status rankings! Power and influence go to those at the top!

Let’s settle this whole social status thing once and for all because it all boils down to influence. He or she with the greatest influence is he or she with the greatest standing. So, who would that be? It is Jesus! Why? Social status and influence are inevitably determined through the eyes of the beholder. Whose eyes are most important to be in front of? Is it the eyes of this or that generation? No! Simply stated, status and influence are established in the eyes of God. He is the Creator of all things, the Originator of all life and the Designer of humanity’s destiny. In God’s eyes, Jesus is THE greatest influencer that the world has ever seen or will ever see. Jesus changed the destiny of every man woman and child who ever lived, and there is no greater influence.

This being the case, what do we do with social media and the status seeking that surrounds us daily? Check out our August 7, 2023 podcast, “Am I Playing the Social Status Game?” for some insight. We talk about being influencers, but not being status seekers. We talk about using the social media environment to represent, to truly represent what a Christian should be standing for. Having influence is a good and necessary aspect of being a disciple of Jesus and he taught us how to do it! Don’t miss this opportunity to understand the world of influencers and how we can use our influence to bring glory to God!!

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We have all been wronged by someone. Sometimes the wrong is especially deep and hurtful, and we are debilitated by it. We have all also heard the saying “forgive and forget.” The forgiving part sounds like a really magnanimous Christian thing to do. However, it can be deeply challenging, depending upon the hurt we have suffered. The “forgetting” part? Well, that can be overwhelmingly difficult – and in many cases may not even be possible. So, what is a Christian to do? How do we know who and when to forgive? Are the biblical “rules” for forgiving others always the same? What if I forgive and really mean it but then begin to feel like I want to change my mind?

As Christians, we know we should work to develop an instinctively forgiving attitude. After all, that’s what Jesus lived. The whole reason he came was to forgive sin and create the opportunity for resurrection and future judgment and reconciliation for all. While he preached the message of the kingdom, he was tolerant and forgiving of people because he understood their sinful nature. The question is, can we do what Jesus did? Can we be forgiving like he was?

In the New Testament, there are different words that define different kinds of forgiveness. One specific word is only used to describe a pardon for sins that is exclusive to God and to Jesus. This word carries the thought of the actual removal of sins from someone. It is about giving them an opportunity for life without any recollection of or reference to their previous sinful nature. This pardon can only come once the blood of Jesus has been applied to them.

The other kind of forgiveness is a very different story. The word here essentially means “to send away.” It is also used in the New Testament regarding a man divorcing, as in “sending away” his wife. Great! What does this mean for us? How is it possible to send someone’s sins away from us but not actually remove them? Does this mean that we treat them as though nothing happened and just wipe the slate clean? What about the natural consequences of doing wrong to others and hurting them? What if they never say they are sorry for what they did?

So many questions, and every one of them needs a clear and direct response. Check out our July 10, 2023 podcast, “How Do I Know if I Have Really Forgiven Someone?” for more. We establish the kind of forgiveness that the blood of Jesus gives and compare it with the “sending away” concept. We look at the psychology of forgiveness and follow the four phases suggested by some studies. What we find in all of this is a deeper understanding of the healing power that true and appropriate forgiveness can bring. Join us and learn more. This biblical approach might be just what you need to be freed from the pain you’ve been carrying from someone hurting you.

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If we make promises, we should keep them. This statement seems simple enough, and yet when we look around, how much confidence do we have in it? Do we see an unequivocal keeping of promises in our political leadership? Do we see it in the business world? The world of advertising or education? Do we even see it in our family and social interactions? In our last episode, we spoke extensively about the fact that God is absolutely a God of promise – what He says, He always does. We as Christians are bound to His promise-keeping standard of excellence as the model for our own words and actions. So, how do we go about raising the bar with our own commitments? What instructions can we find in God’s word that will focus us on keeping our word?

When it comes to promises we are to make one to another, the New Testament is nearly silent about the matter. The Bible – especially the Old Testament – is full of instructions about covenants, which were solemn agreements between people or between God and humanity. The Old Testament also was very verbal about the sober reverence regarding vows, which are promises made to God. All of this gives us a solid basis for commitment to the big things in life. So, what happened to the simple promises we may make in our day-to-day experiences?

Jesus never spoke about those simple everyday promises, not even once. Instead, he taught us a simple and honorable statement to live by. This statement was given as part of the Sermon on the Mount. As with everything in that teaching, it is profound, direct and to the point. Jesus simply said, “Let your Yes be yes and your No, no.” That’s it! No flowery language, no swearing on someone’s grave or on some respected symbol. Jesus simply reminded us to say what we mean and mean what we say.

Of course not! What it does mean is that we as disciples of Christ are bound to a clearly-defined standard of excellence. Our capacity to keep our word is modeled not only after Jesus, but after God Himself. Our challenge is to grow daily and steadily into a person who can be recognized as trustworthy, simply because of who we are.

How do we do that? Check out our July 4, 2023 podcast, “Are My Promises Reliable?” for details. We examine what promises were made in the New Testament, who made them and for what reasons. What we find is surprising to say the least, as several of these examples are powerful lessons in what NOT to do. We observed that promises made based on outward and sometimes dramatic commitments can be a cover for devious activity. Join us as we delve into applying the simple words of Jesus as life-changing guidance for our daily lives. These are lessons you don’t want to miss!

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Patience is one of the most understated yet powerful characteristics any human being can have. Most of us think of patience as simply waiting things out – it’s raining and we can’t start the game until it stops, so let’s be patient. While this is one true facet, biblical patience goes much further. The Bible teaches us the kind of patience one needs when going through a hard and perhaps painful experience. This kind of patience adds a factor of endurance to the necessary waiting, as one needs to bear a burden or discomfort for a time. Interestingly, the New Testament adds yet another dimension to the kind of patience we as Christians are supposed to have. As we shall soon see, this kind is all about self-restraint. The question is, am I personally and truly living a life of Christlike patience?

1 Corinthians 13 is commonly called the Love Chapter. It is the Apostle Paul’s very complete and inspiring treatise on what selfless love is and how it works. The very first description of selfless love in verse 4 begins with “Love is patient…” It’s easy to look at this “patient” description and think it means that love is willing to quietly wait for things. While this is a nice thought, it does not nearly capture what this particular word means.

We encounter the same issue when we read about the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. The fourth characteristic on this list of God’s spirit affecting our lives is also “patience.” Here we can easily think that God’s spirit is expressed in us when we learn to quietly wait. Again, nice thought, but it simply doesn’t capture the depth of the word.

This word means to forbear, to have self-restraint, and goes way beyond quietly waiting. It is also different from the kind of biblical patience described as perseverance, which means bearing up under a heavy or hurtful burden for a long time. When we simply wait or bear up under stress, we are usually responding to the circumstances that surround us. These responses are important and necessary qualities of our Christian character. However, forbearance is a response to our own reactions and not to what is happening around us. It is the disciplined restraining of me – my thoughts words and deeds – even when I have a right to react.

Check out our June 19, 2023 podcast, “Does Patience Really Matter?” for more. We dig into several examples of how forbearance works. What we find are powerful examples of the role self-restraint should play in each and every Christian life. This particular aspect of patience is not something most of us practice naturally or even gracefully. Yet, it is spoken of as a central part of our Christian lives. Join us as we uncover this Christlike character attribute and learn how to rely on it in every part of our Christian experience!!!

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As a Christian, taking the time to understand what we think about is a worthy and necessary investment of our time and effort. When you look at anyone who is truly successful at any endeavor, you will always find that one of the common denominators of their success is controlling their minds. In Part I of this two-part series, we spent considerable time piecing together the groundwork the Apostle Paul laid out in Philippians 4 as a basis for productive Christian thinking. He understood the demands of Christianity and cared enough about his fellow disciples to teach us not only what he knew, but how to apply that knowledge. One major result of his spiritual wisdom was the letter he wrote to the Philippians.

The Apostle Paul’s “dwell on these things” list was and is much more than a gathering up of nice and inspiring things to focus on. It was actually a specific and dynamic grouping of necessary characteristics that every true Christian must understand and internalize. Paul himself made this clear when he told us to “dwell on these things.” The Greek word here used for “dwell” is very pointed. It is a precise word for taking inventory of something. It focuses us on giving these featured characteristics a highly calculated and proven value in our Christian walk.

In Part I, we saw how dwelling on what is true, honorable, right and pure, presents a broad-based foundation for our thinking. Without these characteristics, what follows can easily go off track. The next two characteristics Paul gives us to dwell on are things that are “beautiful” and “of good report.” It is easy to see how we can pick and choose what we apply this list to, and end up focused on worldly things instead of spiritual things. With such an easy detour, how do we keep our minds firmly entrenched in godliness?

It all comes down to the straightforward comparison between what we acknowledge and what we allow our minds to dwelling upon. There are many things in our world that are worthy of our notice and support. There are wonderful causes, just and righteous actions, things of beauty and experiences of victory and success that we can and should stand up for. However, this acknowledgment is entirely than dwelling upon things spiritually true, noble, just, pure, beautiful and of good report. These feed our lives in ways that things of the world simply cannot.

Check out our recent podcast “We Are What We Think About, So What Are We Thinking About? (Part II)” for more. As we establish our approach to thought priority, we also look into the last two items on Paul’s list – things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Paul is teaching us a comprehensive way to think and leaves no stone unturned. He lifts our minds above that which is natural to that which is spiritual. Join us for this awakening journey of learning, application and change!

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Most of us don’t realize just much of our lives come down to our own personal choices. We have far more power over how we handle our everyday experiences than we give ourselves credit for. Why wouldn’t we claim this power so we can better influence our path? Because we subtly and regularly fall into habits of thinking that lull us into a lukewarm and compliant attitude of submission. The Apostle Paul was all about helping us, as his fellow disciples of Christ, challenge the status quo and reset our minds so we can daily think and choose with spiritual clarity. Much of the letter he wrote to the Philippian Christians focused in on the adverse conditions in life and how to think through them. Examining this letter is the first step to better focusing our Christian thinking!

The Apostle Paul really loved his fellow Christians at Philippi. While on house arrest under Roman guard, he wrote them a comprehensive letter concerning their Christian growth and development. One of his conclusionary teachings in this letter is found in the commonly read verse of Philippians 4:8. Paraphrased it says, “Finally, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure lovely or of good report, if there is anything excellent or praiseworthy, dwell on these things.”

This letter to the Philippians is a tutorial on several of the high standards that true discipleship requires. Paul showed us how to handle limiting circumstances by talking about his own imprisonment. He implored all of his brethren to work through their issues in a unified fashion. He focused us on the importance of leaving our old standards of success behind and instead seeking success in a life of sacrifice. These and many other teachings were all in place to address the building up of a mature Christian mind.

Paul then gave us the list of things he pointed us to and what we should dwell upon. This was no mere listing of nice things to preoccupied us. This was a list of solid, connected, sequential and spiritually-sound priorities. Dwelling on them meant we were to use them as solid foundation stones of our Christian lives.

First on this list was the instruction to dwell on what is true. As we dig more deeply into his teaching, we realize the apostle was pointing us not to general worldly truth, but to godly eternal truth. All of the rest of his “think about this” list had its foundation in this solid beginning. Check out our May 15, 2023 podcast, “We Are What We Think About, So What Are We Thinking About? (Part I)” for more. After comprehensively summarizing the letter to the Philippians, we delve into the meaning of what is true, what is honorable, what is right and what is pure. What we find is the beginnings of a profound and life-altering approach to setting our minds up for true Christian thinking. Join us as we begin to learn what to think about and how to think about it!

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We all know someone who has been in some kind of altercation that didn’t end well. When we go back and look at the events, we always want to know who started it. What we are looking for is who initially provoked the other party to cause the chain of events that led to someone on some level being hurt. The point is, provoking one another is not usually looked at as a good thing as we think of things like sibling rivalries or having someone “push your buttons.” However, with an appropriate approach, provoking others can be a powerful tool, as it can stimulate them to positive action and conflict resolution. So, how do we do that? How do we provoke others towards everything good and avoid provoking them towards anything bad?

The book of Hebrews is a very deep treatise that emphatically teaches the value of Jesus as the singular centerpiece of God’s plan. It was written (we believe by the Apostle Paul) to help the Jewish Christians of his time put their long-held belief in and reliance on the Mosaic Law to rest. This was no simple task, as keeping the Law was the only way many generations of God’s chosen people could remain in God’s favor. To abandon it and cling solely to Jesus was a quantum leap that many were not easily convinced they should make.

The Apostle Paul crafted the book of Hebrews as a tool to fully and finally break this reliance on the old Law. In its place he would show them the more spiritual, more powerful and eternal power of Jesus. To do this, Paul used a masterful communication approach. If we examine the book of Hebrews by focusing on how he wrote, we can begin to see this amazing and incredibly practical process unfold.

Check out our May 1, 2023 podcast, “How Do We Positively Provoke Others Without Offending Them?” for the details. We break down the first 10 chapters of Hebrews and home in on how he communicated his message. We sum up each chapter with a summary of what he taught. What we find is a specific, step-by-step process that would open the door for his naturally skeptical audience to be able to hear his message.

This whole process began with the brilliance of not even mentioning his own name. By doing so, he took away any preconceived ideas about hearing from the former Pharisee who now spent so much time with former Gentiles. He next began to craft a common base of credibility that all of those Jewish Christians would be comfortable with. He then focused in on the Old Testament Scriptures as the primary source for his teaching. Paul continued to build his message with subtle power and with outright logic: Jesus was, is and always will be the most important part of God’s plan. Join us as we absorb this process and learn how to communicate with those we love but may disagree with.

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Christian faith is a big deal. The Bible tells us that faith is a gift from God. It tells us the just live by faith. It tells us that faith without works is dead, and that without faith, it is impossible to please God. It tells us that we can be of little faith needing more and then it tells us that if we have faith like the grain of a tiny mustard seed, we can move mountains. With all of these varied and important applications of faith it is surprising that defining faith and how it really works can be difficult tasks. Faith is far too often described as a feeling or a pathway to believing in something that has no substance. When it comes to biblically defined faith, nothing could be further from the truth!

Skeptics seem to love to challenge us to “prove” that there is a God. Their standards of proof require us to show God to them, which is simply not possible. Interestingly, biblical faith is defined as “a conviction of the reality of something unseen, based on credible evidence.” We believe in God because we see unmistakable evidence pointing to Him.

Let’s use a cell phone as an example. Think of all the planning, engineering, manufacturing and testing that goes into it. We all use them, and we all credit their manufacturers and the genius minds that created such incredible devices. Now, what would it take for nature to duplicate that creation? Seriously. Would any of us EVER believe that the wind, the sea, the land and elements, on their own by just the forces of nature could create one? Of course not. That would not fit the biblical definition of faith, because believing in such a thing would be foolishness.

While this may be obvious, many critics of Christian faith seem to do this very thing. They credit the forces of nature with creating DNA, which is so complex that it took a decade for our best and brightest to simply map it out so we can begin to understand it. And what about massively complex things like functional eyes, ears and noses? We credit nature, which incidentally does not have a conscious mind, with creating humans who because of their intelligence, can create little things like cell phones. Now who believes in ridiculous things, and who believes in that which is sensible?

Check out our April 24, 2023 podcast, “What Does It Feel Like to Have Real Faith?” for more. We examine biblical faith on several levels. We find that it begins by the grace of God. It is then put into our hands so we can develop it and live according to its direction. True biblical faith is no small thing, and it certainly does not fit the definition that so many label it with. Join us as we unravel the confusion surrounding what faith is and what it is not.

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It is a given that life is stressful. We all know that the sheer quantity of input that we are each exposed to from the various parts of our lives is overwhelming. Now come the decisions. Do I watch, do I listen, do I click, do I respond, do I message, do I like? Now comes what is supposed to be the main part of our day, our work, or schooling or caregiving and attempting to do a good job. Next comes our down time, which for many is laughable. It is now in our downtime that we watch, listen, click, respond, message and like, so downtime easily becomes stress time. As Christians, we are supposed to have God’s peace covering our lives. I say “supposed to” because many of us have a really hard time finding that peace in the midst of our daily chaos. Where are we going wrong, and how do we correct it?

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