What is God’s Plan For Me? Archives - Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Every professed Christian acknowledges that they have been saved as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice. The big questions come after that acknowledgment. How is someone saved, is there a cost for this salvation, or is it a free gift? What are we saved from? Is there a way to lose this salvation or is it an unbreakable and permanent protection no matter what we do? If we go to various denominations with these questions we will receive a wide variety of answers. The challenge is, all these answers do have somewhat of a basis in Scripture. What do we do now? We look at scripture as a whole and find the recurring themes that explain how all of these moving parts come together.

Part I builds a clear foundation for understanding salvation by examining what it is, how it works and who receives it. We walk through key scriptures to explain the difference between salvation by invitation for true followers of Jesus now and salvation by just and merciful inclusion for the world in the future. It also highlights the cost of discipleship, the role of free will and why only spirit-begotten Christians are on trial for eternal life in the present age. This groundwork prepares listeners for Part II, where the warning passages and the question of losing salvation will be explored in depth.

Beyond just a moment of belief or feelings of strong emotion, salvation is a process rooted in God’s calling. Those drawn to Christ now are justified and invited to present their lives as a living sacrifice, walking a narrow path of growth and faithfulness. Non-Christians can’t lose salvation because they have not yet received it; their opportunity comes later in Christ’s kingdom when accurate knowledge of God is provided and evil influences are removed. Only those who are spirit begotten and in covenant relationship with God can turn away from their calling in this age. Understanding these distinctions is essential before approaching the more challenging scriptures addressed in Part II.

The post Can Christians Lose Their Salvation? (Part I) appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

God is watching over me. God’s got this. The Lord will take care of it. These are all expressions of faith in God’s overruling care for us. While this kind of faith is something we should all strive for, the question remains as to what makes these statements true. Just because I say, “God will take care of it,” does that mean it is absolutely going to happen? Are there things that I personally need to have in place for God’s providence to be reality, or does saying this with conviction qualify as having enough faith? Is there a difference between our believing in God’s attentive care and His actual giving of His attentive care?

The episode explores these questions by reminding us that God’s providence (His holy and wise supervision of all things) is not something we activate with confident phrases. His care unfolds within His character, His timing and His purposes—not our expectations. Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness becomes a vivid example. God fed them, sustained them and disciplined them, but none of it happened on their preferred schedule. Much of His care was quiet, even unnoticed, until they looked back and realized how thoroughly He had carried them. Providence, in other words, often feels ordinary while it is happening and only becomes obvious in hindsight.

Jesus’ preparation follows the same pattern. Before his ministry began, he faced hunger, misapplied Scripture and the lure of an easier path. None of these experiences looked like “providence” in the moment, yet each one shaped him for the work ahead. The episode emphasizes that God’s providence sometimes arrives as difficulty rather than relief—not because God is distant, but because He is forming something deeper in us than comfort. Jesus refused shortcuts, refused to manipulate God’s promises and refused to step outside his Father’s will. Only after the testing did the angels come to minister to him. That order matters.

Christians do not command providence; we receive it. We don’t decree outcomes or speak miracles into existence. Instead, we place ourselves where God’s guidance can reach us—by obeying what we already know, by waiting when the way is unclear and by trusting that God’s care is active even when it feels hidden.

The post How Does God’s Providence Work in Our Lives? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

To claim the name of Christ and call ourselves Christians means we are claiming ourselves to be separate from the world. This sounds like a noble claim – and it is – though sometimes you’d never know it. Think about how many people make this claim and bear the Christian label but seem to be just like everyone else. This is a sad testimony to how, over time, Christian practices have been severely diluted. In many cases, this watered-down approach is to the point of not even being able to recognize true Christian principles. For someone who has just come to Christ, this can be a serious challenge. Are these new Christians being guided into the process of following Jesus’ footsteps, or to some other examples? What should any and every new Christian be focused on learning and growing towards?

To be a Christian is work, and this work actually begins even before we claim the name of Jesus. The seemingly little-known fact of the matter is, we don’t simply choose to be Christians; rather, we are called to be Christians. We know this because it was a plain statement of Jesus that he gave as a response to some who were grumbling at his teachings. He said, “No one comes to me except the Father draw him.” So, where is the work? It begins with being open to God’s call. Because this call is NOT an audible voice, those who are called need to be attuned to the change God is drawing them to.

Once we are aware of this drawing, our next task is to respond. Jesus informed us throughs parables that responding to the call of discipleship requires an investment of thought and consideration. For many of us, our experience in coming to Christ was energized and emotional. We realized that we were sinners, and we ran towards Jesus for the forgiveness of those sins. While this certainly is a good beginning, it is not what true discipleship is all about. You don’t simply get emotional and then essentially sign a contract that requires you deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus!

Hearing this approach to being a Christian can come across as depressing. All we have talked about is work, thinking, sacrifice and dying for Jesus. Is it really all just work and effort? Of course not! There is MUCH more to this call. Check out our September 25, 2023 podcast, “I’m a New Christian! Now What?” for more. Along with the work, we also examine the blessings. After all, Jesus said that his true followers would be with him in heaven. He said that God’s spirit would dwell within them and guide them. He said that he would give them rest, that his “yoke is easy” and his “burden is light.” Join us as we look at the whole of the journey that true Christians are called to take. It is so worth it!

The post I’m a New Christian! Now What? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

To live a life as a disciple of Christ is to live a life of discipline and focus. We are walking in Jesus’ footsteps, and that means there are many things we need to do. After all, by his teachings and examples, Jesus wrote the book of our faith. So, what did Jesus expect from his followers regarding his gospel and a world full of unbelievers? When he ascended to heaven and gave us what is known as the Great Commission, what was he instructing? Are we responsible to get the good news of the gospel message out? Or are we responsible to get all the unbelievers in? If we are not sure of what he was instructing, how can we know if we are doing a good job?

After revealing that the restoration of Israel as a nation under God was some time in the future, he listed them:

Many Christians look at this as a command to go out and convert the world, but that is not what it says. Jesus is telling his followers to find disciples from within all those nations in which they are preaching the gospel. There is a significant difference between these two interpretations. The first essentially says you need to convert the world, while the second says you need to preach throughout the world and convert as you go. We are saying it is NOT Christianity’s responsibility to convert the world to Christ now.

While this conclusion may seem radical, it does have wide scriptural support. Notwithstanding, it also creates many large-scale questions as well. Do people not need to hear the gospel in order to be saved? What about the teaching of an eternal hell? Check out our August 16, 2021 podcast, “Are Christians Supposed to Convert the World?” for more. We further examine the details of this Great Commission. We also delve into several other New Testament teachings that support the concept of not having to convert the world now. The sound biblical evidence we find directs us to a broader and inspiring understanding of the power of Jesus and the gospel. Join us for this unforgettable journey!

The post Are Christians Supposed to Convert the World? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

People believe in the Bible to varying degrees. Some of us see it as the unerring word of God while others see it as an account of history, wisdom and standards. Still others see it as sprinkled with both wisdom and folly. Then we have those who see no value in it at all. For the most part, one of the common threads that all who know something about the Bible seem to share is the belief that it speaks of God’s wrath and apocalyptic events. While these are true perceptions of the Bible, they are by no means a complete picture. How can we know what the “End Times” are and when they start? What kinds of things happen during these times? Is there any tangible proof of the End Times that can establish the credibility of Bible prophecy to the skeptic? Where do we start with all of this?

We know this because of prophecies from the Bible. Now, many would say that Bible prophecy can be easily misinterpreted. It does often speak in symbolic terms about some nebulous future time and proclaims some event that is hard to understand. So, we can see where such skepticism comes from.  Yet, we know that Bible prophecy is sound. What if there were some prophecies that were able to be understood because the facts of our day support them? What if these prophecies could be accepted not because they are from the Bible, but because they are obvious and in plain sight?

In the 12th chapter of Daniel, he is prophesying about the End Times.  We all know that according to the Bible, the End Times are a time of significant change. Daniel’s prophecy includes the statement that humanity will be “running to and fro and knowledge will be increased.”

These ideas can be perceived as over-generalized conjecture until we look at the facts. In his book Critical Path, (1982) Buckminster Fuller coined the phrase “Knowledge Doubling Curve.” He reported that worldwide knowledge was thought to have doubled once every century until 1900. By the end of World War II, it was thought to be doubling every 25 years. Now it is thought to double every 13 months! Surely, anyone viewing these facts must admit we live in a unique time of increasing knowledge never before experienced!

As dramatic as this factual confirmation of prophecy is, there is even stronger and more compelling evidence that biblically proves where we are in the stream of time. Check out our July 12, 2021 podcast, “Are We Living in the ‘End Times’?” for more. We lay out numerous details of the Daniel 12 prophecy already mentioned. We carefully examine another crystal clear and often-repeated biblical prophecy that points to the present time as well. Ours is a remarkable time in history as we witness Bible prophecy unfolding. Join us and see for yourself what historical specifics we should know about and what current events we should be watching.

The post Are We Living in the “End Times”? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

Life is often measured by time. Our society is hyperfocused on immediate gratification, which means we don’t want to have to wait. We don’t want to have any interval pass before we get what we want.  We have scheduled events, appointments, work hours, lunch breaks and periods for sleep. All of these things are time-driven. We celebrate birthdays, holidays and vacations – all of which are driven by the calendar – a tool for measuring time. With such a complete dependency on the clock, what would make us think God’s plan for humanity is any different? How often do we hear people complain that if God exists and is all powerful, why doesn’t He….? Let’s look at time, seasons and ages and what parts they play in God’s master plan!

While Solomon’s wisdom seems to be leaning towards an “It doesn’t really matter what we do” kind of thinking, let’s consider another approach. In verses 16 and 17, he reveals that wickedness is rampant in its dominance of righteousness but God is going to judge both. This is significant for two reasons. First, it adds a measure of responsibility to each of our actions. Second, it gives us an assurance of God’s awareness. The world is barreling down the road of self-destructive and egotistical thinking and actions. Solomon is saying, in spite of this, it is all within the power and permission of God Himself.

Now, if we go back and look at all of the things Solomon said had their time, we can see them with different eyes. What if we began this review with the conclusion that God has everything in control? We could then read there is “a time to kill and a time to heal” in the context of God’s timing and not our own. It is so easy to see things like killing, hatred, weeping and mourning and become exasperated…and even hopeless. After all, we look back over our own lives and the lives of those before us, and it’s always the same and never gets better!

Check out our January 6, 2020 podcast, “Why Does Time Matter in God’s Plan?” for more. We break down each comparison Solomon makes. Then we put them all into the context of prophecy and God’s plan. A coherent story is told. It is not only a story of the unfolding of God’s plan, it is also a reminder of God’s time clock. Death, dismay and destruction all look different through the eyes of eternity!

The post Why Does Time Matter in God’s Plan? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.

We all know that Jesus came to save the world from sin and death. We all know that Jesus opened the way to heaven for his truest followers. We all also know that Jesus taught frequently about the “kingdom of heaven.” What we may not know is what he meant by that phrase, because it is used in a variety of ways that seem to contradict one another. So, how do we figure out what Jesus was really talking about when he spoke of the kingdom of heaven?

The post How Did Jesus Describe the Kingdom of Heaven? appeared first on Christian Questions Bible Podcast.