STFI Podcast

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

The book of Proverbs tells us that its purpose is for “attaining wisdom and discipline,” which it does by showing people what is “right, just, and fair.” One of the principle ways it does this is by showing us the ways of the wise and comparing them to the fool and the wicked. In this teaching, Dan Gallagher shows some of the richness of Proverbs by teaching about the five Hebrew words used to describe fools and their behaviors. This teaching will help the listener clarify foolish behavior in themselves and others, and also provide the corresponding antidote God instructs us to take in order to get back on the path of the wise.

Teacher: John Schoenheit

The Bible says God is holy, righteous, and loving. However, there are Scriptures that make God seem unloving and unlovable, and Romans chapter 9 is one such section of Scripture. For example, Romans 9:11-13 seems to say that God loved Jacob and hated Esau before the two boys were even born. Then verse 18 says God hardens those people whom He wants to harden, and verses 21 and 22 seem to say God is a potter who makes people like He wants them, but then pours His wrath out on those who are “prepared for destruction.” Some Christians have no problem with this, believing that it is God’s right as Creator to do whatever He wants. To many others, however, Romans 9 has been confusing at best and has even turned some people away from God. In this 90 minute teaching, John Schoenheit employs his more than forty years of researching the Bible to interpret Romans 9. He shows that if we properly understand the Old Testament examples and quotations, and the use of Semitic idioms, and we translate the Greek text correctly, Romans 9 really teaches that God is loving, merciful, and patient in accomplishing His purposes. We can also see that God works with people according to the freewill choices they make, responding and adjusting as people choose to obey or disobey Him.

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

Not only God has informed us that there is a spiritual battle raging between Him and His archenemy, He has also given us many insights into the nature of this enemy. In this teaching Dan Gallagher demonstrates how we can glean a great amount of information on the nature of our enemy from seven fundamental titles God applies to this spiritual enemy; the god of this Age, the Adversary, the Tempter, the Deceiver, the Accuser, the Slanderer, and the Destroyer. This teaching helps provide many practical insights in an effort to help God’s people so we are not “ignorant of Satan and his devices.” We consider this teaching to be a necessary lesson for those desiring to be effective in their stand in the spiritual battle.

Teacher: John Schoenheit

God is love. However, there are things God is said to do in the Bible that seem to be clearly unloving. For example, even though God wanted the Israelites to go free from Egypt, the Bible says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he would not let Israel go (Exod. 9:12). The answer to many difficult verses in the Bible in which God is said to do something that seems against His nature is that the Semitic languages, such as the Hebrew of the Old Testament, often use an active verb (like “hardened”) idiomatically. When God does something that elicits a response from people, God is often idiomatically said to actually produce the response. In the case of Pharaoh, God righteously asked Pharaoh to let Israel go, and in response Pharaoh hardened his heart, but idiomatically in the Semitic languages God is said to be the one to do the hardening. In this teaching, John Schoenheit explains the “Idiom of Permission” simply but thoroughly, revealing that God is the righteous and loving God we know Him to be.

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

Most Christians know they should pray, and many even pray frequently. Despite our knowing the importance of prayer, most of us have, at times, questioned the effectiveness of our prayers. Many times we are frustrated because we don’t seem to get answers to our prayers. Although it is easy to put the blame on God for not answering our prayers, in this teaching Dan Gallagher demonstrates three clear possibilities, all of which are our responsibility, for why our prayers go unanswered. After reviewing six common “prayer blockers,” Dan identifies five keys that you can practice to make your prayers more effective. We believe you will both enjoy and be inspired by this practical and encouraging teaching.

Teacher: John Schoenheit

The Bible is the source of Christian doctrine and practice, and because of that it is vital that Christians are able to read it and understand what it is saying. Yet the Bible uses language that can be confusing to Christians. The language was not confusing to the Greeks, who spoke the language of the New Testament and knew its idioms. One of the idioms of the Greek New Testament that confuses Christians is the use of the word "in" (sometimes translated "into" in our English Bibles) to describe relationships. For example, 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." We might expand that for clarity in English to say, "In connection with Adam we all die, and in connection with Christ we will all be made alive." Some contexts are easier for us to grasp than others, for example, for us to be "baptized into (in) Christ" or "baptized into (in) his death" (Rom. 6:3) are more difficult to understand than "in Adam," but we need to know what those verses are saying. Since the relationship described by the word "in" can vary from a loose relation to a very tight one, even a union, we must discover the exact nature of the relationship by reading the context. In this teaching, John Schoenheit covers the meaning of New Testament phrases that use "in" (or "into"), and gives very helpful explanations and translations of what some of the important verses that use these phrases mean.

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

It has never been really too difficult to put a teaching together from the Bible that confronts a variety of sinful actions and attitudes. In this teaching, rather than confront sin, Dan Gallagher goes directly to the root of the sin problem and examines what it means to “commit our way to the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). Dan demonstrates that being committed to God is, in the Hebraic mindset, being “rolled up” with the Father, which is well illustrated by the way that the red and white parts of the candy cane are twisted together to become one. We become committed to God when our words and actions demonstrate obedience to Him. We must be honest about our sin, calling it truthfully what it is, then confessing it, repenting of it, and once again moving forward. In this teaching you will also see how increasing in our commitment to God happens when we obey the leadings of the gift of holy spirit in each of us as it nudges us to do His will. We believe you will enjoy the fresh perspectives that this teaching gives as you learn to “roll yourself up in God.”

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

Most Christians gladly accept that Christ died for their sins, and through him they can now have everlasting life. At the time of the new birth a person’s sins are charged to Christ, and in return Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer. This is what we commonly refer to as the Great Exchange. One of the most important aspects of the Great Exchange is that the believer is now supposed to live the Exchanged Life. In this teaching Dan Gallagher demonstrates how the Exchanged Life is really the power base of Christian living, because when we live the Exchanged Life we allow Christ to live through us. The essence of the Exchanged life is summed up this way, “His life for mine, now my life for his.” We believe this teaching will inspire and encourage you greatly in your journey to be more like Christ.

Teacher: Cara Hanson

God is a loving Father and He wants us to spend time with Him. The Bible tells us that God knit us together in our mother’s wombs, and knows our every thought. Yet we often leave Him on the back burner. We tend to make time in our daily lives for people and other things, but how often do we make room in our lives for God? In this teaching, Cara Hanson identifies an 8-step plan to remove the clutter from our hearts so that we will minimize distractions and be able to focus on God. Cara encourages us to order our thoughts on God, so we will be better equipped in the spiritual battle. This is an inspirational, thought-provoking teaching that will leave you cleaning out your own clutter to “Make Room in Your Heart for God.”

Teacher: Dan Gallagher

God is light and one of the first of His creative works was to speak light into existence. Not only was Jesus a light to the world, he indicated that his followers were lights too, and they were not to do anything that would block their light. In this teaching Dan Gallagher encourages us to look at four major areas common to us all that block our light. Far too often Christians blend into the world around them rather than being clearly seen by all as the radiant light they are called to be. As lights, and as children of The Light, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to put on the armor of light. This is an inspirational teaching that will help you to “Let Your Light Shine.”