Have you ever been in a good dilemma—one where both alternatives were good, and it was hard to say which one was best? That’s how Paul looked at living or dying! Most people would say that’s an easy call because living is good and dying is bad. But Paul said both are good to a Christian. Either way, the future is bright. The one thing that tips the scales is what is needed, not what we want. In this passage of Philippians, Paul teaches us again to think unselfishly.

Are you ready to die? It’s only when you can honestly say yes to that question that you can be ready to live. In this episode we’ll look at the only true philosophy of life and death, and our teacher will be a man who faced the danger of death on more than one occasion and finally departed from this life. 

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Philippians 1:19-30
• “Living for Jesus”

Listen to more on this subject:

• II Corinthians Bible Commentary

Paul was a prisoner. He was under house arrest in Rome. The Jews had tried to kill him but they failed. What could the great apostle to the Gentiles do? Why would God allow him to be kept from traveling so that he could convert lost souls and build up churches?

We see so little. We look at troubles through thick lenses of pessimism and doubt that distort our thinking. Paul teaches us in this episode that the things we might think are for the worst are actually for the better. 

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Philippians 1:12-18; Genesis 50:19-20; Romans 8:28
• “Bright Expectations”

Listen to more on this subject:

• America Through the Eyes of Isaiah - “The Furnace of Affliction”

What does the word fellowship in the Bible mean? Most people think of getting together at a meal and maybe in worship. But it means much more. It comes from a Greek word which means sharing. What is shared depends on the verse you’re reading. 

In the book of Philippians, Paul says the Christians in Philippi shared with him in some very important ways we need to imitate. And, one reward of this fellowship—again, not simply associating, even though that is priceless—is the joy and peace and fulfillment it gives us.

Paul, a prisoner under house arrest in Rome, writes to these Christians. And as you read it, you’ll see that the troubles he had couldn’t sever the bond between him and these saints. In this episode, we will learn how to truly connect with other Christians and have joy that is beyond anything the things of this world can give.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Philippians 1:1-11
• “Peace”

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• 10 N 10 "Ten Proverbs in 10 Minutes" Devotional Series

It only takes a few minutes to read it. You probably know by heart some of the verses in it. But when you read it as a whole and take time to absorb it, you’ll be amazed at how helpful it is. It’s a short book in the Bible that is packed with meaningful direction for our lives. 

In this episode, we’ll look at three areas of our life we often struggle with. Then in the next episode we’ll begin to look at this short little book of the Bible. See if you can guess what it is as you listen to today’s podcast.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Hebrews 10, 11, 12; II Corinthians 7:4; Romans 8:28
• “Too Tired?”

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• Bible Commentary - Hebrews

When things go awry, it’s time to go back to the basics. This is true in education, in business, in sports or any other area of life. It is certainly true in morals. 

Our world is very mixed up. The only way to have clarity in a world or confusion is to begin at the beginning. In the study of right and wring, that means going back to the first book of the Bible—the book of Genesis. There we find the true foundation of morality: God. 

This episode shows that the only way for a nation or an individual to change is to put God in their lives, and that begins by putting Him in our hearts.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Genesis 1; Romans 1:20-32; Psalm 8:3-5
• Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong
• "This Nation Under God"

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• What Happened to America? TBC Free Course

Ask anyone today how life is going and soon you’ll hear about money. It is a big part of life. No wonder the Bible says so much about it, Sometimes we can sympathize with Agur the son of Jakeh. He prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” 

A verse that has puzzled Bible readers for centuries is what Jesus said to the rich young ruler. We may not be as wealthy as he was, but we can learn a great deal about money and the distractions and temptations it can bring. This episode will use other passages in the Bible to illuminate this interesting discussion.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Matthew 19:16-24; Deuteronomy 8:1-18; Luke 12:13-21
• "Here to Make Money"

Listen to more on this subject:

• America Through the Eyes of Isaiah
• 10 n 10—10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

There are few topics where religion and politics come together like they do in the case of Israel. Should they? Does the Bible have anything special to say about the nation of Israel that it doesn’t say about every other country?

In this episode we will look at the highly controversial issue of the nation of Israel today and its relationship, if any, to prophecies in the Old Testament.

This is also one of the most common biblical subjects of our time. Millions of churchgoing people all over the world look at the Jewish people as heirs of a future empire on earth that will surpass any civilization in history. 

What does the Bible say about this question?

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 2:1-4; Matthew 21:43
• Unfulfilled Prophecy a Discussion on Prophetic Themes by H. Leo Boles and R.H. Boll

Listen to more on this subject:

• Bible Doctrine - The Old Testament, “Israel in the Bible”

When Covid turned the world upside down in 2020, we lost a lot of trust in what we’d been told—by the government, by the medical profession, and by all types of media and “experts.” Who can we trust anymore?

The dilemma is not all that complicated in regard to our spiritual life. There are only two choices: we can either trust God or trust man. Most people make the mistake of trusting in human beings. We all need encouragement and reassurance and teaching, so it’s understandable that we have confidence in people who help us. But we must keep that respect in perspective. It’s not a matter of being prideful or independent. It’s a matter of being honest with ourselves. No man is right all the time, but God is always right.

This episode challenges us to “test all things” (I Thess. 5:21) by the Word of God that never fails.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Psalm 118:8; Daniel 4; Matthew 10:34-37
• Perilous Times

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• RENEW 2019 “…stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding…” (1 Cor. 15:58)

News of the assassination of Charlie Kirk sent another shock wave throughout the country. Now that the reality of the crime has sunk in, attention has shifted to what should be done with the alleged shooter. The tragedy occurred in Utah, and Utah is one of 27 states that have the death penalty. 

President Trump is calling for it. 

Anti-capital punishment groups on the other side are complaining that killing the killer is absurd and counterproductive. 

Where do Christians stand in this controversy? We must know what the Bible says about it. This episode will explore the subject from the Old Testament to the New and apply relevant verses to this burning issue of today.

Read about this subject:

• Scriptures: Genesis 9:6; Acts 25:11; Romans 13:1-4 
• Right From the Beginning, chapter 10: “The Death Penalty”

Listen to more on this subject:

• Bible Doctrine, Government: Capital Punishment

There is a strong, clear message in the Bible from beginning to end: we are responsible for what we do. Our society is bent on denying this simple fact. Other people make us act the way we do. Conditions in our body determine how we behave. We are just products of heredity and environment.

God cuts through all of these rationalizations. He gives us free will and we decide what we do with it. It’s strange that we agree yet disagree with this. If we do something great, we want to be recognized. We say, “I did it.” But when we do something wrong, we blame someone or something else. 

The question in this episode is a hotly debated issue. Instead of asking people what they think, we will ask what God says about it.

Read about this subject 

• Scripture: I Corinthians 6:9-11; 10:13
• Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong, chapter four: “Gender.”

Listen to more on this subject

• "Things No Man Can Destroy" RENEW 2022