Why are we (in the United States) struggling with marriage? Is it possible that our culture doesn't support the ideas and principles needed to maintain a healthy marriage?

Verses discussed: Ephesians 5:22-33

Book discussed: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien

Show Notes: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2025/08/marriage-is-sacrifice.html

Website: https://www.psalmstogod.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/psalmstogod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

I started a series on literary devices back in 2022 but I never finished it--I'm picking it back up. So this is sort of episode 1 and sort of episode 4 in this series... We're easing back with into the series with something most people are familiar with.

IMPORTANT: in the episode I misspeak about who remembers Joseph; it is the cupbearer not the baker!!!

Check out the blog post: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2025/07/climax-literary-devices.html

Get the page from the video: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:d00e3109-524d-433d-9658-ee516d726181

Website: http://www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/psalmstogod

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/psalmstogod

"3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well!"

📚 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NASB

This episode discusses a complex, evolving spiritual question that stems from three specific conversations. These conversations touch on themes of legalism, the role of scholarly study versus the guidance of the Holy Spirit in understanding the Bible, and the spread of Christianity throughout history, particularly in regions where the message of Jesus hasn't reached. We will reflect on how people who have never heard of Jesus might still be able to experience His teachings through the Holy Spirit, even if they don't know the full gospel.

The episode also delves into the debate on whether it's legalistic to follow God's commandments, comparing obedience out of love to attempting to earn salvation. I struggle with whether studying the Bible in depth is required for salvation or if the Holy Spirit can lead people without such extensive knowledge even in a time of deception. There are many questions raised about the nature of legalism, salvation, and the need for deep scholarly study of scripture, especially considering how difficult it can be for some people to access or understand these resources.

This episode explores various Bible verses that relate to these themes, such as Deuteronomy 32:4, Proverbs 3:5, John 14:6, and Acts 17:30, which suggest that faith is a matter of trust in God, discernment through the Holy Spirit, and obedience to commandments, but not necessarily through scholarly study alone. I question whether deep historical and cultural context is required for proper worship and understanding, and wonders if God expects everyone to engage in such study or if He overlooks ignorance, as suggested in Acts 17.

I admit I don't have all the answers and still have many unresolved questions, however I believe God meets people where they are. Ultimately, I plan to wait for further spiritual insight from the Holy Spirit to resolve these questions.

References:

1. Legalism definition taken from Oxford English Dictionary

2. The podcast episode in question is Season 3 Episode 35: Legalism (feat. San) -> https://www.psalmstogod.com/2020/10/legalism-feat-san.html

3. Important Bible Verses:

- Genesis 26:5

- Exodus 12

- Exodus 24:12

- Exodus 34

- Leviticus 23:5

- Numbers 9

- Deuteronomy 32:4

- Proverbs 3:5

- Jeremiah 31:33

- Isaiah 1:18-20

- Isaiah 34

- Hosea 4:6

- John 3:16

- John 14:6

- Acts 17:30

- 1 Corinthians 5:7

- 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

- Hebrews 8:10

- 1 John 4

- Revelation 14:12

- Revelation 22:14

Show Notes: www.psalmstogod.com/2025/03/why-is-religion-so-complicated.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shiree.hughes

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstogod

"15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.”"

📚 Esther 4:15-16 NASB

I've been doing a Woman of God themed series on YouTube and it's about time I start talking to other women about what it means to them. So my first interview is with one of my aunts who definitely embodies the phrase Woman of God.

About my aunt:

My aunt has been actively involved in the AME Church my whole life (and probably for most of hers too). I'm not going to reveal her age, but she's my eldest aunt so there's definitely a lot of wisdom to be learned from her.

References:

1. In this discussion I mentioned a verse that confirms Adam was *not* deceived and was fully aware of what was happening. This verse is 1 Timothy 2:14; it is not in Romans.

2. My dad and my aunt's son walked in right at that point making us all laugh.

3. Huldah is discussed in 2 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 34

4. The story of Deborah is in Judges 4

5. Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? -> https://www.gotquestions.org/high-priest-rope.html -> GotQuestions.org

6. Discover the Shocking Truth about the Rope Tied to the High Priest's Ankle pt 1 -> https://www.thetabernacleman.com/post/rope-around-high-priest-s-ankle -> Terry Harman, D.Min, PhD.

Show Notes: www.psalmstogod.com/2025/01/woman-of-god-

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shiree.hughes

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstogod

"“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.”"

📚 Jeremiah 31:33-34 NASB

Other Verses of Importance

📚 Jeremiah 10:1-5

📚 Hebrews 8:10

📚 Hebrews 10:16

📚 2 Timothy 2:15

📚 Hosea 4:6

📚 Acts 17:29-30

This time of year, you'll be inundated with people arguing for and against Christmas. That's not what we're doing in this episode--if you want to see research I've done on the origin of Christmas, checkout the blog (www.psalmstogod.com/search/labels/Christmas). Today, we're talking about other aspects of the debate that are important to consider. If you get nothing else from this conversation remember this: It's not about being right or wrong, it's about worshipping God the way He wants to be worshipped.

** This episode also serves to correct a statement I'm sure I've made earlier on Jeremiah 10:1-5--while I still think we should be cautious and mindful of Christmas trees, upon closer reading I do agree that this verse is about idol statues and graven images. Many say this is a warning about Christmas trees, but I don't think the text actually supports that claim. I will do a post on the history of Christmas Trees specifically to address this when I have time. **

Show Notes: www.psalmstogod.com/2024/12/the-christmas-debate.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod

"But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment."

📚 Matthew 12:36 NASB

"“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.”"

📚 Jeremiah 31:33-34 NASB

"12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant."

📚 Hebrews 5:12-13 NASB

Faith is a journey. Our relationship with God is a journey. And journeys have highs and lows, twists and turns, detours, and everything in between. Sometimes our journey takes us through scenic paths and paved roads, other times we're in the wilderness traversing rocky terrain. What's more, we're not all on the same journey. So let's talk about some different aspects of this journey and how they affect us and those around us.

** Correction: in the video I said mass means death, it actually means dismissal (still bad), see the etymology of the name of the holiday here: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2015/12/day-1-etymology-of-christmas.html **

Show Notes: www.psalmstogod.com/2024/12/the-faith-journey.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod

"1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord, and disavows the rightful claim of his neighbor regarding a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or regarding robbery, or he has extorted from his neighbor, 3 or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins regarding any of the things that people do; 4 then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or acquired by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him, or the lost property which he found, 5 or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it a fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering."

📚 Leviticus 6:1-5 NASB

How we treat our neighbor is of the utmost importance. It's something we don't often focus on in church but today we're going to stop and remember 2 important things: Perspective and Accountability.

Show Notes: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2024/11/do-unto-to-others-as-you-would-have.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod

Daniel 11 covers a lot of history! This time we're covering Daniel 11:5-16; it discusses a war that begins between the King of the South and the King of the North. If we trace this throughout history, it looks like the Diadochi wars...

Different sources list different generals as the 4 Generals who took over for Alexander the Great, but at the end of the day the important part is that the kingdom was split in to 4 regions, of which the Ptolemaic South and the Seleucid North became the most prominent, waging war against each other in the Diadochi wars until Rome took over.

People Discussed:

👤 Ptolemy I - one of the 4 Generals and begins the Ptolemaic Empire (323 BC - 285 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-I-Soter)

👤 Arsinoe II - daughter of Ptolemy I who marries Lysimachus then flees back to Egypt where she marries her brother Ptolemy II (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arsinoe-II)

👤 Ptolemy II - second king of Egypt in Ptolemaic empire (285 BC - 246 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-II-Philadelphus)

👤 Berenice - daughter of Ptolemy II who marries Antiochus II (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Berenice-daughter-of-Ptolemy-II)

👤Ptolemy III - son of Ptolemy II (245 BC - 221 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-III-Euergetes)

👤 Ptolemy IV - son of Ptolemy III (221 -205) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-IV-Philopator)

👤 Ptolemy V - son of Ptolemy IV (205 BC -180 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-V-Epiphanes)

👤 Seleucus I - defeats Lysimachus and begins Seleucid Empire (305 BC - 281 BC)

👤 Laodice, wife of Antiochus II (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Seleucus-I-Nicator)

👤 Antiochus II - grandson of Seleucus I and king of Seleucid Empire (261 BC - 246 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antiochus-II-Theos)

👤 Seleucus II - son of Laodice and Antiochus II (246 BC - 225 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Seleucus-II-Callinicus)

👤 Antiochus III - son of Seleucus II (223 BC - 187 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antiochus-III-the-Great)

👤 Antiochus IV - son of Antiochus III and king during the Jewish war of the Maccabees (175 BC - 164 BC) (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antiochus-IV-Epiphanes)

Show Notes: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2024/11/history-prophecy-from-daniel-11-pt-2.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod

"2 And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will stir up the entire empire against the realm of Greece."

📚 Daniel 11:2 NASB

Daniel 11 covers a lot of history! In this episode we're talking about the time between Darius the Mede and Alexander the Great (the shift from Persia to Greece as the major power in the Middle East).

In this episode I mention Cyaxeres II: Check out my previous episodes on this topic...

--> www.psalmstogod.com/2024/09/the-first-fall-of-babylon.html

References:

* Who is Darius the Mede? - https://www.evidenceunseen.com/bible-difficulties-2/ot-difficulties/daniel-amos/dan-531-who-is-darius-the-mede/ - Evidence Unseen

* Darius the Mede - https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Darius-Mede - Bible Gateway.com

* Darius the Mede - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_the_Mede - Wikipedia

* Darius the Mede: A solution to his identity - https://truthonlybible.com/2016/01/08/darius-the-mede-a-solution-to-his-identity/ - Truth Only Bible

* Cambyses II - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cambyses-II - Encyclopedia Britannica

* Bardiya - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bardiya - Encyclopedia Britannica

* Darius I - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Darius-I - Encyclopedia Britannica

* Xerxes I - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xerxes-I - Encyclopedia Britannica

* Greco-Persian Wars - https://www.britannica.com/event/Greco-Persian-Wars - Encyclopedia Britannica

* Alexander the Great - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great - Encyclopedia Britannica

Show Notes: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2024/11/history-prophecy-from-daniel-11-pt-1.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod

"32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord."

📚 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 NASB

Dating is hard; I think everyone can agree with that statement. Most of us (women, atleast) assumed we would be married well before our 30s, but alot of us aren't. There's a lot of negativity out there in the discussion on why dating is hard and why people are single, but that doesn't really help anyone. This episode isn't about what anyone is doing wrong or even about what people are doing right, it's just a summary of experiences and nuances that seem to get left out in this conversation.

In this episode I mention the difficulty of defining who is Christian: Check out my previous episodes on this topic...

--> https://www.psalmstogod.com/2023/01/who-can-rightfully-call-themselves.html

--> https://www.psalmstogod.com/2022/02/are-you-christian.html

Show Notes: https://www.psalmstogod.com/2024/10/unmarried-at-36-what-no-one-tells-you.html

Website: www.psalmstogod.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/psalms_to_god

SoundCloud: @psalmstogod

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/psalmstodgod