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The Wilderness E11 — After his death and resurrection, Jesus sends his disciples out into the world to share the good news of the Kingdom and make disciples. These disciples, also known as apostles, plant churches across the Roman Empire and write letters to congregations made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. And their letters often wrestle with the tension of living in the new age of Jesus’ reign while also living in the old age of idolatry, corruption, and injustice. To talk about the overlap of these two ages, the apostles use a familiar metaphor: the wilderness. In this final episode of the series, Jon and Tim discuss how the New Testament authors use wilderness imagery to encourage and warn followers of Jesus to stay close to their good shepherd through the danger and deception of this present age.

View all of our resources for The Wilderness →

CHAPTERS

1. The Wilderness Pattern in 1 Corinthians 10 (0:00-27:00)
2. The Wilderness Warnings in 1 Corinthians 3 and 5  (27:00-37:08)
3. More Wilderness Warnings in Hebrews 3-4 (37:08-52:43)
4. Concluding Thoughts on the Wilderness (52:43-1:00:21)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• First Corinthians: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching by Richard B. Hays
• Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul by Richard B. Hays
• The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis 
• In chapter 1, Tim mentions our video Eternal Life, which you watch here.
• You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
• Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

• “familydinner” by Lofi Sunday, Cassidy Godwin
• “Cruise” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick
• “Silver N Gold” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis
• BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. 

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Blending a family takes grace—and so does blending your finances.

When couples merge families, they’re also merging priorities, habits, and sometimes, financial baggage. Ron Deal joins us today to show us that with honesty and a shared vision, what begins as a challenge can become a source of strength for blended families navigating both money and marriage.

Ron Deal is a bestselling author, licensed marriage & family therapist, podcaster, and popular conference speaker who specializes in marriage enrichment and stepfamily education and is the co-author of The Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning: Money Management Before and After You Blend a Family. 

There once was a man who, when his girlfriend thought he was about to propose, surprised her by asking for her credit report instead. It’s a funny story—but one that reveals a serious truth. Beneath money conversations are usually heart conversations.

For couples forming blended families, this truth runs even deeper. Life has already taught them that marriage isn’t guaranteed, whether because of death or a divorce. That experience creates an understandable sense of caution: How deeply do I invest again? Can I trust this new relationship?

Money becomes the testing ground for those questions. That’s why avoiding financial conversations doesn’t protect your relationship—it weakens it. Only about one in four dating or engaged couples forming a blended family ever have a serious talk about finances before they marry. The rest often underestimate what needs to be uncovered.

Finances are never just about dollars and cents. They’re about values, power, and security. Beneath a discussion about budgets might be an unspoken fear: Will your children be treated equally with mine? Beneath a talk about wills might be a hidden worry: Will you care for my kids if I’m gone?

There was once a woman who had been remarried for 25 years—two and a half decades of life together—and she still wondered whether her husband would provide equally for her children after she passed away. The question had never been resolved. It lingered from the past, quietly shaping their relationship.

When those unspoken fears remain unaddressed, they create invisible walls. Healthy couples have the courage to name them and work through them together.

Consider the story of Sandra and Dave, a couple who married later in life. Sandra, a divorced mother of two adult children, was asked by her new husband, Dave, to change her will and make him her sole beneficiary. To Dave, who had no children of his own, the request seemed simple and loving: We’re one now—just leave everything to me, and I’ll take care of your family.

But Sandra hesitated. Her adult children hadn’t had time to form a close bond with Dave. For her, the request stirred deep questions: How do I know that what she's set aside for her children will be honored after she's gone?

This is where trust, loyalty, and belonging intersect. Financial peace in a blended family isn’t achieved through documents—it’s achieved through relational clarity. You can’t solve financial questions until you’ve addressed the relational ones.

So what’s the alternative? In the book, The Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning: Money Management Before and After You Blend a Family, Ron Deal, Greg Pettis, and David Edwards, introduce what they call a “Togetherness Agreement.”

Think of it as a redeemed version of a prenuptial agreement. A traditional prenup is something you do to your spouse—it outlines what they won’t receive if the marriage f

In this unforgettable episode of Club Random, Bill Maher sits down with Cheryl Hines for a funny and unpredictable chat about politics, marriage, sex, science, and self-awareness. Cheryl opens up about life with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — from their late-night TV habits to living under scrutiny in a world gone click-crazy. They trade sharp takes on pandemic policy, natural immunity, Big Pharma, and D.C. politics, before veering into lighter territory with Bill’s dislike of red, Cheryl’s leather pants, Priscilla Presley hair, and that persistent “sock” rumor.

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ABOUT CLUB RANDOM

Bill Maher rewrites the rules of podcasting the way he did in television in this series of one on one, hour long conversations with a wide variety of unexpected guests in the undisclosed location called Club Random. There’s a whole big world out there that isn’t about politics and Bill and his guests—from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Jordan Peterson, Quentin Tarantino and Neil DeGrasse Tyson—talk about all of it. 

For advertising opportunities please email: [email protected]

ABOUT BILL MAHER

Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last fourteen years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 40 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.”

Maher has written five bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” and most recently, “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass.”

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Condemnation. Doubt. Guilt. Is the enemy using these emotions to keep you from God’s love and power? How do you get rid of them? Chip explains how you can prepare yourself for spiritual battle and win!

Introduction: The South Pacific after WWII was won

• The victory had been won, but battles continued and lives were lost; the bullets were real.
• The same is true spiritually:

1. Satan was defeated at the Cross.
2. Sin’s penalty was paid for all people for all time.
3. Sin’s power was broken.
4. Yet, Satan and his host of fallen angels engage in guerilla warfare to discourage, deceive, divide, and destroy God’s people and God’s program.
5. Believers are commanded to equip and prepare themselves in the strength of the Lord and in His mighty power to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes, repel his multi-faceted attacks, and engage and defeat him in specific battles.

Four keys to spiritual victory

1. We must become AWARE of the Invisible War.
2. We must learn to APPROPRIATE God’s protection for daily living.
3. We must learn to ENGAGE the enemy with supernatural weapons.
4. We must utilize God’s means of deliverance when spiritually attacked.

How can you prepare yourself for satanic attack?

1. Having girded your loins with TRUTH
2. Having put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS
3. Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of PEACE

Application

1. Know and understand the content of the Gospel. -1 Cor. 15:1–5; Eph. 2:1–9
2. Know the basis for your eternal security and the assurance of your salvation. Security – Rom. 8:38–39; Eph. 1:13–14. Assurance – 1 Jn. 5:11-13
3. Faith is based on facts, not feelings.
4. Sharing your faith is one of the most powerful faith-builders available, often “the best defense is a good offense.”

Broadcast Resource

• The Invisible War Resources
• Message Notes

Additional Resource Mentions

• The Invisible War Small Group Offer

Connect

• 888-333-6003
• Website
• Chip Ingram App
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

Partner With Us

• Donate Online
• 888-333-6003

Your outward appearance doesn’t always reveal your heart’s condition.  Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe unpacks a fascinating encounter between Jesus, a Pharisee, and a prostitute.  Grasp the critical difference between religion and relationship, and why Jesus’ presence exposes our real spiritual condition.  Find authentic faith on Bold Steps!

Bold Step Gift: A JOURNEY TO VICTORIOUS PRAYING: FINDING DISCIPLINE AND DELIGHT IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE by Dr. Bill Thrasher

Become a Bold Partner: https://www.moodyradio.org/donateto/boldsteps

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If you feel you're emotionally unstable, it may be due to living in a loveless and dysfunctional family. As an adult, seek out a counselor that is trained to provide help in this area.

Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/lovelanguageminute

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There’s a dramatic increase in autism in children in the last 20 years. Constitutional expert, lawyer, author, pastor, and founder of Liberty Counsel Mat Staver discusses the important topics of the day with co-hosts and guests that impact life, liberty, and family. To stay informed and get involved, visit LC.org.

Dr. Stanley unpacks Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well to explain what it means to worship “in spirit and in truth.”

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Psalm 86:11

Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth!

Question

Prayer