Cornerstone Message Podcast

Ever heard something from that Bible that was confusing, or even offensive? There's an approach to issues like these that will build rather than erode your faith. Enter into the different world of the Bible and come out with a stronger, more resilient faith.

How can you read and understand the Bible? Since the Bible is Messianic meditation wisdom literature, examining the words of Jesus in depth is a great way to gain insight into God's thoughts and ways. The bulk of this message is a straightforward recitation of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew. It also includes an introduction to the Sermon, and a discussion of its meaning.

Are you more focused on what God wants from you or for you? In part nine of the Paradigm series, we see that the Bible is wisdom literature, revealing God's wisdom and providing for human flourishing, because that's what he wants for you!

How can I get God’s wisdom for my circumstances? The Bible addresses many situations, but everyone's context is different. Part of the Bible's design is that it yields its treasures through repeated exposure and reflection. That's the heart of the next pillar of the paradigm.

We want confidence that we can have God's direction for our life. Is it found in the Bible? If so, where? How does God direct his people? The second pillar of our framework for reading and understanding the Bible can lead us to that confidence. When you want God's counsel, consider the whole counsel of the Word of God, because what the Bible teaches is true is true!

We want confidence that we can hear from God and trust what we're hearing. We're presented with a Bible claiming to be God's words but clearly written by and influenced by its human authors. So was the Bible inspired by God or written by men? If humans were involved, how can the Bible be divine and authoritative? These are the kinds of questions that people have wrestled with through the centuries. The good news is that understanding the nature of the Bible can give us confidence in what we believe and insight into what the Bible means.

Does your faith stand or fail based on a book? On a church? On your understanding? An experience? What is the foundation of your faith? If you want rock-solid faith, you may need something more. Discover the foundation of Christian faith in Paradigm Part Three.

Is "because the Bible tells me so" enough reason to believe? Jesus' followers don't believe something just because it's in the Bible; it's in the Bible because people throughout the ages have found something worth believing in—testified to in the writings that are compiled in our Bible. Explore the evidence and discover the event that sparked the creation of our Bible in part two of Paradigm.

Do you find the Bible confusing, unreliable, or even unbelievable at times? If so, you're not alone! So why do people around the world and throughout history keep reading it, and find it worthy to be described as God's Word? In this new series that presents the Bible's paradigm for understanding the Bible, you'll find *you* can read and understand the Bible!

How do you know whether or not you're on track? You're busy, but are you purposeful? In the third and final Team Edition message of How to Church, we'll explore what it means to be truly successful in the things that matter most.