Loving the people we know and appreciate can be hard work in general, never mind loving our enemies. There is so much emotion involved in loving others, and let’s face it, sometimes even those we appreciate can act in ways that cause us aggravation! When it comes to how we are to treat ALL of those around us – whether we like them or not – Jesus taught us a very high standard to live by. Luke’s account of Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount clearly lays out the way we should be striving to live, especially in relation to those who stand against us. If we give it a chance, focusing on what Jesus said and working at practically, applying it to our everyday lives, can fundamentally change the way we see and treat everyone around us.

If I’m a Christian and I proclaim to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, then there is no way I can take that teaching and somehow twist it around so as not to apply to me. He said it, he did it and I need to follow. Ok, so how do I do that? What does loving my enemies even mean? Am I supposed to cozy up to them and try to be their best friend? What if they have hurt me or my family? What if they do evil things to others? Does loving them mean that I overlook these things? Does it mean that there are no consequences for the wrongs and hurt they have done?

However, that “no” comes with an important list of things that need to be understood. The fundamental truth we need to grasp is what it actually means to “love” an enemy. Jesus was not only specific in how he described what this love is, he was also specific in showing us how to live it. We have his words and his actions to examine and learn from.

By the way, Jesus didn’t just tell us to “love your enemies” as a stand-alone statement. Right after saying this, he expanded his teaching by adding several applications including, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,” and then he added, “pray for those who mistreat you.” So, now we have a list of specific responses we are given to apply to those who stand against us. Once again, the question arises – how do we do that?

Check out our March 10, 2025 podcast, “Do I Really Have to Love My Enemies?” for more. We open up the meaning of Jesus words by clearly tracking how he himself fulfilled them in the treatment of Judas his betrayer. By detailing what Jesus did and how he did it, we open the door to understanding what loving our enemies truly means. Join us for this challenging and important discussion as we learn to apply what every Christian should know.

The post Do I Really Have to Love My Enemies? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

We have all heard the saying, “Life is what you make it!” It is usually at the approach of a new year or a birthday or some landmark life event when we turn our focus inward. We think about changes we would like to make. Normally, these changes are aimed at finding a greater measure of happiness, health or fulfillment in our daily lives. So, what should we decide needs changing? Even more importantly, how will we decide to implement those changes? On the surface this may sound easy, but for the vast majority of us, it is not. Life tends to get in the way, along with old habits and second thoughts. Then there is our old friend, our comfort zone! Why would we want to leave that, as it is so, well…comfortable? What can we learn from the Scriptures to help us actually implement God-honoring life changes?

The first big question to ask about making life changes is why. Why do I think I want to take this or that part of my life and alter it to fit some other mold or objective? What do I see as the real benefit? Answering this question honestly will give us insight as to what level of value the proposed changes truly hold for our future. Think about it. As a professed Christian, our whole lives are supposed to be about serving God, about doing His will. If the changes I seek are primarily focused on me and not Christlikeness, then what am I really pursuing?

There’s a big difference between trying to make myself look better compared to others and trying to live up to my calling in Christ. Obviously, one way brings me into the center of everyone’s thinking and perception. Do I want to be more acceptable, more respected or more admired in relation to those around me? Or do I want others to more fully notice Christ in me? While this may seem like an odd way to look at making significant life changes, it certainly is a credible approach. Even if the life changes we seek are focused on our physical wellbeing or rethinking old habits, our motivation should always gravitate toward letting Christ shine through us.

Ok, so we may need to do some rethinking when it comes to our motivation. As we work on this reexamination, we also need to consider our comfort zones of old habits. Wait a minute – does changing for the sake of Christ mean that all of my comfort zones are now obsolete? Check out our December 30, 2024 podcast, “How Will I Choose to Live the Life That is Ahead of Me?” for answers. We look at the dynamics of making life changes as well as how to leave old comfort zones and find new ones. All of this brings us to being positioned to make truly valuable God-honoring life changes. Walk this path with us; it is well worth the effort!

The post How Will I Choose to Live the Life That’s Ahead of Me? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

When Jesus came to earth 2,000 years ago, he came to pay the price for Adam’s sin by willingly offering himself as a just and equal ransom price to redeem Adam – and therefore the entire human race – from sin and death. To prepare for his coming as a man, God sent the angel Gabriel to deliver preparatory messages to John the Baptist’s father Zacharias, and to Jesus’ mother Mary. Joseph would be guided by spiritually driven dreams. When Jesus was born, a whole host of angels made the announcement to some lowly shepherds who were in the fields with their flocks. When this angelic announcement came, it was prefaced with some beautiful words of assurance, “Fear not!” This reassuring “fear not” sentiment would echo repeatedly throughout Jesus’ entire ministry!

To be able to tell someone who is afraid to “fear not” and actually have a reassuring effect on them is powerful. Think about the strength those two words can have when someone is in a situation that for whatever reason, has overwhelmed them. To say “fear not” is to say that whatever is scaring you doesn’t have to. It is to say that you can be equipped to handle whatever it is that is coming your way. It is to replace fear with peace and assurance.

It’s eye-opening to think about how often the words “fear not” were proclaimed before, during and after Jesus’ ministry. What is even more impressive is who uttered these words and the authority with which they were spoken. Angels spoke these words several times before Jesus was born. Because these angels were sent from God, their messages were delivered with divine authority. When angels told Zacharias, Mary and a group of shepherds to “fear not,” they were relaying God’s personal assurances.

Looking into the ministry of Jesus, we see this pattern of assurance continue. There were several instances where Jesus told his followers to “fear not.” When we begin looking into these varied accounts several significant observations begin to emerge. First of all, the life Jesus brought to his followers was like nothing they had ever previously seen or experienced. The magnitude of wisdom, miracles, teaching and challenges to their normal lives proved to be beyond their expectations. “Fear not” would not only become a common phrase they would hear from Jesus, but it would also be a necessary one as well.

Check out our December 23, 2024 podcast, “Why Did the Angel Say “Fear Not”? for more. We touch on the angel’s messages of assurance that prepared the key players and the world for the birth of Jesus. Then we focus one at a time on the several “fear not” messages Jesus spoke. We find a thrilling pattern of care and guidance for his followers at every level of their newfound discipleship. Join us and see how the lessons of their “fear not” experiences can bring us strength and comfort as we walk with Jesus today.

The post Why Did the Angel Say “Fear Not”? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

Jesus was here 2,000 years ago. His message was clear, as he had come to pay the price for Adam’s sin. He preached, he healed, he called some to follow him, and he gave people hope. Jesus called himself “the way, the truth and the life” and announced that the “kingdom of God was at hand.” Fast forward 2,000 years, and we have to ask, where are we? It’s plainly obvious that the world has not come around to follow Jesus. And to be blunt, it is also obvious that much of the history of Christianity does not reflect well on the principles Jesus lived by and taught. So, what conclusions should we draw from all of this? Has the gospel message failed? Has the redemption Jesus promised the world just gone by the wayside, or is the gospel message doing precisely what God had always intended it to do?

Let’s face it, God is pretty smart. When He has a plan, it is a sure thing that His plan will not only work, but it will work flawlessly, gloriously and comprehensively. After all, He IS the all-powerful and all-wise Creator of all things! With these observations in mind, let’s consider the whole idea of the gospel. The word for “gospel” in the New Testament means “a good message.” When we look at how the Bible is laid out, the New Testament begins with four books we call the Gospels. Because these books are about the life of Jesus, it is easy to conclude that his life IS the good news. His life IS the essence of the gospel.

It’s logical to focus on the life of Jesus, as his mission was the good news. Now let’s go further. When Jesus was born there was an angelic announcement to shepherds, and it was very specific. The message – the proclamation of good news – stated in Luke 2:10 (KJV) said, “…behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” So, what do we know so far? We know Jesus IS the “good news.” We also know this good news would be for ALL people. All people. Not just believers, and not just special people. The angel said “ALL,” and that angel had been sent by God to deliver that specific message.

All will receive the good news, this gospel of Jesus. But how is this possible as so many have never even heard of him? Check out our December 16, 2024 podcast, “Is the Gospel as Success or a Failure?” for more. We dig into scriptures that give clear and abundant proof of how God’s plan does in fact include every man woman and child ever born. Even more thrilling is the fact that the message of the gospel being for all is all over the Bible! Join us for this incredible journey down the road of biblical truth and hope. It really is good news!

The post Is the Gospel a Success or a Failure? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

This may sound like an oversimplification, but we’re going to say it anyway: God is intentional. He always knows what He is doing and what it will eventually lead to. While this knowledge should serve as a great comfort to us, it can, because of our limited and imperfect minds, have the exact opposite effect. We may see things in the Bible that on the surface just don’t seem to click. We start wondering, why would God do it THAT way? That doesn’t make any sense! Take the two trees mentioned in the creation account. Both the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil were placed in close proximity to each other. They were both in the center of the Garden of Eden. Why two trees? Why have one for eating and the other just to avoid?

Understanding the role the Tree of Life played in the Garden of Eden is relatively simple. God’s creation of Adam and Eve was the absolute high point of His whole Planet Earth project. They were created in His image, which meant they were created to be reasoning beings who would have authority over earth. Along with these wonderful gifts also came the ability to live eternally on earth. God made this ability real by giving them the Tree of Life, which had been placed in the middle of the garden. Eating the fruit of this tree regularly would apparently keep their physical health at the perfect level God had originally given them.

Comprehending the role the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil played is a bit harder to grasp. This tree was also placed in the middle of the garden with strict instructions to NOT partake of its fruit. The uniqueness of this command made this tree stand out from the rest of the entire garden environment. Everything else in that garden, including the animals, was there as perfect contributors to a perfectly designed ecosystem. So, how then did this Tree of Knowledge fit in? It too would be part of the ecosystem, but on a very different level.

In God’s wisdom, He specifically placed this Tree of Knowledge near the Tree of Life as a teaching tool. After all, to live for eternity would require wisdom, experience and maturity, all of which needed to be learned. We all know what happened, as Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The result was they lost their right to eternal life. At face value, this Tree of Knowledge experience can easily look like a complete failure. However, the exact opposite is true. Check out our December 2, 2024 podcast, “Why the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge?” for more. We dig below the surface and discover many lessons from both these trees not only for Adam and Eve, but for us as well. There is much more to learn here than meets the eye!

The post Why the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

Life is forever busy. Whether it’s a holiday season or tax season or baseball season or following this, that and the other influencers on social media, we always have too much to do and not enough time or energy to do it. With all of this being said, how often do we stop and think about being generous? You know – just giving of our time or resources because we see a need. Built on the question of giving generously is the matter of how to go about it. How do we know what to give, how much to give and when to stop? Is generosity always appropriate? What if there is no appreciation for a gift? Is that an indication that we should focus our giving elsewhere? So many questions! It looks like the subject of freely giving needs some “generous” consideration!

Many people are moved to be generous because something touches their heart, provoking them to contribute. While this is certainly good and to be encouraged, we need to be clear that Christian generosity is even bigger. Ideally, we want our giving to be modeled after God’s own principles of generosity. There is much written in the Bible that describes the kinds of gifts God gives here and now in this age. One basic principle of how He gives is that His gifts are always given for the ultimate good of the recipients. Understanding this single point helps us to glimpse just how important our generosity can be.

Now comes the question regarding how to apply this. How do we in a practical sense, give to others in need while keeping everyone’s ultimate good in mind? A good place to start is with the simple phrase, “Don’t just give to bail someone out of a problem, give to build them up.” This kind of giving stretches us to an entirely different level of thinking and action. Instead of just giving a handout and hoping we helped, we are now engaging in the activity. While this obviously takes greater effort and a measure of spiritual wisdom, it can also yield much greater blessings for all involved.

Giving can also be done in many different ways. We can support others financially. Perhaps we can assist with ongoing physical needs be they food, shelter or physical aid. We can also contribute to others through the generous gift of our time.

Check out our November 25, 2024 podcast, “How Generous Should We Be?” for more. We base our generosity conversation on God’s own principles while looking at the practicality of those three ways to give. We share several true stories of giving in these areas. Some of these experiences ended up working out well and resulted in great blessings. Others of these experiences ended up not quite the way we had planned. That brings us to another question. If our giving in a certain way ends up not working out, what do we do then? Join us on this wonderful journey of generosity and find out!

The post How Generous Should We Be? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

Doing God’s will should be a given for any and every Christian. After all, the mere fact that we are called “Christians” implies that we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and are therefore obliged to do God’s will as Jesus did God’s will. While this all sounds pretty straightforward, the big question has to do with knowing. How do we know what the will of God is? Answering this question may be harder than we would like to think. It would be easy to assume that because we love and worship God, He will in turn show us His love by giving us the good things we want. After all, that IS what it says in Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Sounds exciting and almost easy, but as you might have guessed, it’s not. So, how do we know what God wants for us?

There are many factors we need to put in order to understand God’s will for us in our daily lives. The first thing we need to grasp is more or less an introductory statement: God will NOT whisper His will to you into your ear. He will not send an e-mail or text; He will not post or message. He will not speak. Why? Wouldn’t these kinds of things make it easier to follow Him? On the contrary, these simple things would be counterproductive, as finding His will for us means we need to be looking for it.

We search in the Bible of course, after all, it is His holy word! The Bible gives us two very broad categories of what doing God’s will looks like. The first category is full of things NOT to do. One very blunt scripture plainly makes this point: 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification – that you abstain from sexual immorality.” The point is simple. If you want to do God’s will, then you completely avoid immoral behavior. Several other scriptures give us specifics on the many kinds of thoughts and behaviors we need to avoid.

The good news is that there are many more scriptures that tell us about the second broad category of things we SHOULD do. These are things like rejoicing, praying, being thankful and doing good.

With all of this said, there is so much more! Check out our November 18, 2024 podcast, “What is God’s Will, and How Do I Make It My will? For more. We outline how Jesus daily went about doing God’s will in every area of life. We take his example and overlay it onto our lives, and we suddenly have a clear guide. No texts or posts, just God’s holy word showing us His holy will. Don’t miss this wonderful journey towards living a much fuller Christian life!

The post What Is God’s Will, and How Do I Make It My Will? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

The Old Testament Law given to Moses after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt was filled with rituals and sacrifices. All of this was designed to teach God’s people two very basic principles. These principles are fundamental for any civilization that seeks to perpetuate itself. The first principle is to comply with righteous and just rules that transcend human desires. For Israel, this meant they could have the favor, protection and leadings of God if they remained in harmony with His commands. This required sacrifices. The second principle is to live with humble gratitude for the freedoms that righteousness and justice provide. Israel was to learn this power of thankfulness by practicing heart gratitude towards God for all of His mercies. All of this required animal sacrifices. Why?

In the Old Testament, it is hard to avoid animal sacrifices. They first appear in Genesis after Adam and Eve sinned. The Bible tells us God provided them with animal skins as clothing. This would be an obvious reference to the fact that covering humanity’s sins could only be done through a sacrifice. This one example lays out how God would illustrate the need for justice to be satisfied up until Jesus came.

When Israel was wandering in the wilderness, God instructed them to build the Tabernacle. This would be their portable place of worship. It would be the place where God’s presence could be felt, and His favor would be evident. It was within this structure that many different kinds of sacrifices took place. There were sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings and wave offerings just to name a few. As we look at this from our 21st century perspective, we wonder why.

This is a really good question. Though detailed, the answer is even better. Let’s start with the sin offering made on the annual Day of Atonement. These were the very basis of all the rest of the sacrifices, as they were in place to satisfy justice, to cover the people’s sins. The sin offering made annually was a specific requirement to maintain God’s favor. Without them, any and all other offerings could not have been acceptable to God. Comprehending the importance of this piece helps us grasp how the other pieces fit into the puzzle.

Check out our November 04, 2024 podcast, “What’s the Difference Between Burnt Offerings and Sin Offerings?” for more. We clearly define the how and why of the sin offerings, including what they represented for Christians. We then look into how the burnt offerings are different and what they represent for us as well. Further, we examine what a peace offering is and how it’s given based on these other sacrifices. What we find is a startling explanation that unfolds how God’s plan unfolds through Jesus. The connections are amazing! Join us as we make what sound like complex ancient rituals simple and meaningful!

The post What’s the Difference Between Burnt Offerings and Sin Offerings? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

Demons are scary. Not only are they mysterious, but they are also powerful beyond our human capacity. In our last episode, we mentioned scriptures that assure us they are restrained in “chains of darkness.” While this condition does limit them, they can still exert great influence on our world – and on individuals as well. We know Jesus cast many demons out of many people and some of his followers were able to do the same. The big question here has to do with whether or not such power and authority is still present within Christianity. Are we supposed to be casting out demons today? If so, who is supposed to be doing this and what scriptural instruction have we been given to follow?

Looking through denominational Christian history over the last 1,900 year or so, we can observe a wide range of exorcism practices. From rituals, to prayers, to incense to relics, crosses and commands, these varied practices have widely been in use. The tragedy here is that until recently, there was not a deep understanding of mental health issues. Many of the “exorcisms” performed over the centuries ended up further harming those afflicted people instead of helping them. Looking at this in the most positive way, we see well-meaning efforts creating damage due to medical science ignorance.

This brings us to the fundamental question about what Jesus’ actual instructions were regarding casting out demons. It is important to note that when he himself cast demons out, it was basic. His command simply brought them out. Every time. Interestingly, all of the other recorded examples of demons being cast out by his followers seem to follow that same pattern of simplicity. We have no record of any rituals, lengthy prayers or ceremony.

An amazing fact is the Greek word for “exorcist” is only used once in the New Testament. It may be surprising that this word actually means “one who binds by an oath (or spell) i.e. by implication an exorcist (conjurer).” This definition of the practice of exorcisms gives us a very different perspective on casting demons out than what Jesus did and taught. The sole use of this word was to describe some Jewish individuals in the Apostle Paul’s day who were in Ephesus. These men were posing as authorities regarding the casting out of demons and had their fraudulence dramatically exposed.

Check out our October 28, 2024 podcast, “Should Christians Be Involved in Exorcisms?” for more. We examine what Jesus instructed his followers to do and thoroughly look into one of the more dramatic examples of Jesus casting out demons. Through this example, we are able to glean an understanding of the powerful principles that cast demons away from their personal manipulation of individuals. We then directly address the question of what our role is and is not regarding demon possession today. Join us for this sobering and enlightening conversation. We follow the biblical path to knowing and handling our current-day Christian responsibilities.

The post Should Christians Be Involved in Exorcisms? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

The world is such a confused place. For many, discussing evil spirits is fascinating, as looking into dark mysteries beyond our world can be a thrilling and adrenaline-packed ride. For Christians, such conversations are entered into with a fear and respect, as we are speaking of dark and evil things beyond our realm and understanding. It is therefore with caution that we approach this subject. The Bible clearly teaches us that demons do exist, and they are opposed to God and His righteousness. Further, we know this topic is far too easily glorified and dramatized. The specific focus of our present conversation will be to better understand how the Bible defines and separates demonic possession and influence from the serious mental health challenges that are so prevalent today.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he came across several demon-possessed individuals. In each and every case, the afflicted individual’s life was filled with pain, sadness and hopelessness. In each and every case, Jesus was able to bring relief to their traumatic circumstances by casting the offending demons out of them. Throughout the last 2,000 years of Christian history, Jesus’ followers have countlessly revisited these accounts as faith-strengthening examples of hope. The bottom line here is simple: Demons are real, but the power of God’s spirit through Jesus can always overcome them.

This is all well and good for those who are demon possessed, but what about those who have mental health challenges? In many cases, the “symptoms” of mental health issues are similar to demon possession. This can be confusing. Throughout history many mental health cases have gone undiagnosed and untreated because they were thought to be demon-possessed individuals. This at the very least is tragic. How many people, even today, end up without appropriate treatment because we incorrectly jump to a demon possession conclusion?

Fortunately, the Bible shows us that there is a difference between demon possession and mental health issues. Even better, Jesus shows us his compassion and clarity when dealing with such an issue. Many of us have never heard of this aspect of the gospel, but it is right there in black and white. It all has to do with the mental health of a young man whose father begged Jesus for help.

Check out our October 21, 2024 podcast, “Are There Different Kinds of Evil Spirits?” for more. We break down how the Scriptures differentiate between the internal challenges of mental health and the external issues of demons. We examine how Jesus went about healing this suffering person and all of the lessons he left for us to learn as a result. Mental health issues are very serious and are on the rise in our present day. They can be triggered by a wide variety of circumstances. As Christians, we need to understand what to do when confronted with them. Join us as we walk through this often mysterious and sometimes scary world. Learn with us about how to respond with appropriate Christian wisdom and compassion!

The post Are There Different Kinds of Evil Spirits? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.