Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
1,571 episodes - English - Latest episode: 23 days ago -Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
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Episodes
Getting the PERSON OF LIGHT John 8:12 (Episode #216)
October 18, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.36 MBSend us a Text Message. Once again we circle back to the TITLE of this podcast. Be With Me. Whoever follows me Will not Walk in darkness But will have THE LIGHT OF LIFE. Jesus just got done saying that HE was and is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Therefore, I think He is saying, "you (can) get ME". Yes I am the inventor, and maker and producer of light. I am the guy that can give you and does give you the STUFF of light. But more so, you get the PERSON OF LIGHT. You get ME. You have a...
EATING the LIGHT and other LIGHT Considerations John 8:12 (Episode #215)
October 17, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.27 MBSend us a Text Message. Jesus says I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Join me in considering that today. First, we have got to just stand in awe that He invented it. The third verse in the whole Bible says so. We'll skip some of the science, but what a feat to design it, to implement it, and then to sustain it for all these years. I am amazed at the thought of it. Then Light separates days and seasons and years. (Gen 1:14-18) Essentially, it gives us our way to understand TIME. Then it pr...
SEX Rights, Authority, & Agency 1 Corinthians 7:1 (Episode #214)
October 16, 2020 06:00 - 8 minutes - 5.57 MBSend us a Text Message. God has designed all of us with sexual engines. Fortunately, God has also a fantastic provision for the care, feeding, and enjoyment of that sexual engine. It is called marriage. In that design we first stand under He who designed it as Author. We are not our own. Then, we freely give the authority we did have to the other citizen in our kingdom of marriage. There is some very heavy duty rights transfer upon marriage. Yup. Big problem here. The two citize...
WHO is the BOSS of SEX? John 8:2 (Episode #213)
October 15, 2020 09:00 - 7 minutes - 5.5 MBSend us a Text Message. Who exactly is the Boss of SEX? Who invented it? Who designed it? Who is the AUTHOR of it? Who holds the authority? What duties do I owe and to whom? Who is the boss of my ZIPPER? Today we will consider the sovereignty of sexuality. The Woman caught in adultery will focus our attention on this topic, whether or not these 11 verses are authoritative scripture. Adultery is giving the benefits INSIDE the marriage to one OUTSIDE the marriage. Adultery is failin...
It WORKED! (The Gospel in Nicodemus) John 19:39 (Episode #212)
October 14, 2020 06:00 - 7 minutes - 5.27 MBSend us a Text Message. Nicodemus gets the best Gospel Good News/Bad News presentation of all time in John 3. Just like reality, we don't really find out if he BELIEVES until later. We get our first hint in John 7 when Nicodemus DEFENDS Jesus at some peril to himself. But the real evidence is in John 19: 39. Quick quiz: Who buried Jesus? Joseph of Arimethea. Right? Jesus was buried in his tomb. Essential Oil of Myrrh. 75 pounds of it, if you buy it today at Walmart, you'd pay $139...
The BEST/WORST News in HISTORY John 3:18 (Episode #211)
October 13, 2020 04:00 - 7 minutes - 4.99 MBSend us a Text Message. The Best "Gospel presentation" of all time is in today's podcast. But before we get there just a word about the only guy in the audience, Nicodemus. You can't BELIEVE what Jesus SAYS to Nicodemus (John 3:16) You can't BELIEVE what Nicodemus SAYS for Jesus (John 7:50 ) You can't BELIEVE what Nicodemus DOES for Jesus (John 19:39) Good News: For God so loved. God gave. Believe Mr. Nicodemus. Don't Perish. Bad News: You are condemned already. Already on a highw...
For God So Loved the World & Nicodemus John 3:16 (Episode #210)
October 12, 2020 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MBSend us a Text Message. Just when you thought this couldn't get any better... No, not the podcast, but what Jesus says to our real friend, Nicodemus. Yesterday we got the first half of Jesus undoing Nicodemus to his very core. "You must be born again". Nicodemus is confused but curious. We start with Nicodemus very early in the ministry of Jesus. Only the calling of the disciples and the wedding at Cana are earlier. What Jesus tells this ONE MAN, changes the WHOLE WORLD, One man at...
FIRST GOSPEL! Nik at Night John 3:2 (Episode #209)
October 11, 2020 07:00 - 8 minutes - 5.82 MBSend us a Text Message. Nicodemus DEFENDS Jesus at great peril in John 7:51. But the story doesn't START there. Nicodemus has met Jesus before, probably years before. Jesus did not live in Jerusalem, but went there multiple times to go to the feasts. During one of the Passovers that Jesus attended in Jerusalem Nicodemus comes to Jesus at NIGHT. He comes with some observations, (which are wrong, listen to podcast episode #196)), and something even more important: WONDERING. (see subti...
Arresters ARRESTED at the Arrest John 7:44 (Episode #208)
October 10, 2020 07:00 - 7 minutes - 5.41 MBSend us a Text Message. The hilarious part of today's passage is that those who were tasked with arresting Jesus failed miserably. They get gobsmacked spiritually by Jesus teaching. "No-one ever spoke like this man". No kidding. Jesus is the Christ and Messiah and Prophet. Or He isn't. That is what people are trying to figure out in the passage. Some are really trying: Considering. Asking questions and going to the good source of the Scriptures to answer their wonders. Some aren...
My THIRST is my FRIEND. My Thirst is YOUR Friend too. John 7:37 (Episode # 207)
October 09, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.14 MBSend us a Text Message. Thirst is essential to life it show us that we are in NEED it acts as an ALARM it needs to be satisfied outside of yourself Here, Jesus blows our mind and tells us that we can be a "bubbling brook" for others (Proverbs 18:4). A couple of things have to happen first: we have to be thirsty we have to turn our toes and feet and hearts toward Jesus in coming and believing He has to generously give us the Holy Spirit We have to abide there at the source to be abl...
If I Could Ask Jesus ONE QUESTION. John 7:35 (Episode #206)
October 08, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.43 MBSend us a Text Message. If I Could Ask Jesus ONE QUESTION. John 7:35 (Episode #206) Jesus is at the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. Some of the people there charm me. In Episode #205 they are asking, "Could this be the Christ?" Today, they are trying to sincerely understand some mysterious things that Jesus says. I am an admirer of GENUINE INQUIRY. God is an admirer of Genuine Inquiry. This really seems to be what is happening here. One of my convictions is that GOD CAN TAKE IT. M...
BELIEVE What you KNOW. Limited as it is. John 7:31 (Episode #205)
October 07, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.54 MBSend us a Text Message. We all have limited knowledge. There are some choice things here that the people of Jerusalem do that commend themselves to us: they come to belief they believe the miracles and activities of Jesus they listened to Jesus they listened to Jesus say some big things they didn't quite get their arms all the way around they wrestle with their (LIMITED) knowledge of scripture they don't hate Jesus and try to kill Him like the authorities do. So, if you have some li...
The PLACE where SINS DISAPPEAR 2 Chron 3:1 (Episode #204)
October 06, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.5 MBSend us a Text Message. The PLACE where SINS DISAPPEAR 2 Chron 3:1 (Episode #204) This is the key verse. We DISCOVER that the place where the hand of the avenging angel of the Lord is STAYED, and where David builds and altar of thanks (at the Lord's location direction) is not a random place at all. It is on MOUNT MORIAH. Wowser! This is the same place that Abraham encountered the Lord in the non-sacrifice of Isaac. The LOCATIONS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE: the TEMPLE that Jesus is p...
I HOPE this WORKS. The SPECIALNESS of PLACE. 1 Chronicles 21:18 (Episode #203)
October 05, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.51 MBSend us a Text Message. David does an excellent job of sinning. He also does and excellent job of repenting. Then he builds an ALTAR to the LORD at the Lord's DIRECTION and at the Lord's LOCATION. Will it work? Will the Lord be satisfied? Will there be an atonement in this location? Will the hand of the Lord's WRATH be STAYED? Is this where the Lord now wants to AUTHORIZE as His special place on earth? I'm titling this "I HOPE this WORKS" (in this special place), because that is ba...
A CENSUS(Bad). A SWORD(Even Worse). A RELENTING God(VERY GOOD!) 1 Chron 21:15 (Episode #202)
October 04, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.83 MBSend us a Text Message. In John 7 the citizens are confused that the authorities LET JESUS TEACH in the TEMPLE. They were concerned about PLACE. Why? Because it is such a special place. Does the TEMPLE MAKE IT a special place? or, does the Temple just RECOGNIZE that it already WAS a special place?Let's find out how it got to be such a special place. We have searched to 2000BC to Mt. Moriah with Abraham and the NON-sacrifice of Isaac. The Lord picks this spot of substitutionary sacri...
David: I'll build you a House (temple). God: No, I'll build you a HOUSE (heritage) 2 Sam 7 (Episode #201)
October 03, 2020 09:00 - 7 minutes - 5.47 MBSend us a Text Message. David: I'll build you a House (temple). God: No, I'll build you a HOUSE (heritage) 2 Sam 7 (Episode #201) We are wondering why Jesus teaching in the Jerusalem TEMPLE was such a big deal. Place is important. Here, we find out something that is even MORE important. We will look at the "foundations" of the Temple that Jesus is speaking in physically. It involves a decision to build a nice HOUSE for God in 2 Samuel 7:2. But the Lord says:, "You think you are goin...
God CHOOSES the most important place on Earth Genesis 22:3 (Episode #200)
October 02, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.57 MBSend us a Text Message. Why Is there an Israel? Why is there a Jerusalem? Why is there a City of David? Why did the Temple stand in a specific PLACE What did God do there BEFORE any of that? We will be centering today on the importance of PLACE. The reason the Temple in Jerusalem stood there was because of the Lord's Choice. Good stuff happened there. First-Resurrection-Faith happened there with Abraham after the Non-Sacrifice of Isaac. The Lord picked the place. Listen and find o...
The MOST IMPORTANT PLACE on Earth John 7:28 (Episode #199)
October 01, 2020 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.39 MBSend us a Text Message. The folks of Jerusalem are confused in 33AD why the authorities let Jesus teach in the TEMPLE, in JERUSALEM. It WAS the most important place on earth. We have the (only and) Most Important God. That is why they built a temple THERE. In that exact place. It is a very important place on our planet. Before they built a temple there, one could argue it was the most important place on the earth. The Temple did not make the place important, it was important BEFORE th...
I CAN'T DO all these Commandments! John 7:19 (Episode #198)
September 30, 2020 08:00 - 6 minutes - 4.85 MBSend us a Text Message. Perhaps you are frustrated because you "cannot keep the law"; you cannot be as good of a person as you might envision yourself to be. You may have an understanding of yourself that is not exactly the image that you portray to the world. It might be a little less pretty on the insides. If so, you are in good company. If you are one who is FRUSTRATED with being one "who is obligated to uphold the law" (Bat Mitzvah), take a number. We all sit with this situation. ...
This is a MARVELOUS Podcast. Or it ISN'T. John 7:17 (Episode #197)
September 26, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.55 MBSend us a Text Message. This is a MARVELOUS Podcast. Or it ISN'T. John 7:17 (Episode #197) This is a MARVEL-OUS Podcast. Or it isn't. How might we know? What is its' SOURCE? Is is WORTHY of MARVELING at? What are the DISCERNMENT criteria that make it worth listening to or not? On whose AUTHORITY is it given? Whose GLORY does it seek? All these are great questions that those at the Feast of Booths were being asked and answered by Jesus. Funny thing, we ask exactly the same questions to...
Jesus is NOT a GOOD MAN John 7:12 (Episode #196)
September 25, 2020 07:00 - 8 minutes - 5.63 MBSend us a Text Message. With hats off today to C.S. Lewis, we conclude that Jesus is NOT a GOOD MAN. Even some of the participants in today's account get that message. A good man does not say He is LORD. If you say you are Lord, there are three logical conclusions. One of them is NOT "Jesus is a Good Man". We are past that already. You are a LUNATIC (you are NOT the Lord, and you THINK you are). this person deserves our pity You are a LIAR (you are NOT the Lord and you KNOW you ar...
Jesus is NOT a GOOD MAN John 7:12 (Episode #196)
September 25, 2020 07:00 - 8 minutes - 5.63 MBWith hats off today to C.S. Lewis, we conclude that Jesus is NOT a GOOD MAN. Even some of the participants in today's account get that message. A good man does not say He is LORD. If you say you are Lord, there are three logical conclusions. One of them is NOT "Jesus is a Good Man". We are past that already. You are a LUNATIC (you are NOT the Lord, and you THINK you are). this person deserves our pity You are a LIAR (you are NOT the Lord and you KNOW you are NOT) this person deser...
HATING Jesus (with good reason) John 7:7 (Episode #195)
September 24, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.53 MBSend us a Text Message. Why might someone HATE JESUS? Psalm 25:19 prophesies that Jesus will be HATED WITHOUT cause, but let me here make an argument why it does make a certain amount of sense. If Jesus comes and tells me that my works are evil, and that "I am NOT OK", I have two choices: 1. Bow down. Agree. Repent. Reconsider. Reassess. 2. Disagree. Here is what that might look like: I LOVE my pride, my thinking, the way I do conflict, my world-view, my man-view, my economic view,...
Verbally Acknowledging a DEBT WE CANNOT PAY Matthew 18:35 (Episode #194)
September 23, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.34 MBSend us a Text Message. Walk with me in prayer today as we: Identify the wrongs done to me by men and women on earth and my desire to pursue, choke, seize, demand, refuse to have mercy, and imprison Assess my tolerance for stepping on the toes of God and others in carelessness, anger, sexual wrongness, decisions, misusing liberties, taking liberties when there are none, entertainment choices, taking what is not mine, work failure to do the earlier Matthew 18 principles of discretion, o...
What if God is 833,000X HOLIER than I think He is? Matthew 18:33 (episode #193)
September 22, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.63 MBSend us a Text Message. What if God is 833,000x HOLIER than I think He is? Matthew 18:33 (episode #193) ACTIONS of the Heart towards PEOPLE, regarding their "indebtedness" to me is based on My UNDERSTANDING of the holiness of God and my incalculable inbebtedness to Him Our semi-knucklehead in the story of the unforgiving servant gets one thing RIGHT and two things WRONG. What he gets RIGHT is that we sin against each other here on earth. Those sins are real and in light of the story, quit...
My Sin is 833,000X WORSE than that. Yikes! Matthew 18:28 (Episode #192)
September 21, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.4 MBSend us a Text Message. Math here helps illustrate spiritual truth. Here is how I figure this about an ungrateful servant. he owes his King $10 BILLION debt he doesn't realize the extent of his debt and thinks it is in the realm of repaying the first servant also has a servant that owes him $12,000 (not an insignificant amount) the first servant's debt to the King is 833,000X bigger than the debt the second servant owes to the first servant Even if the first servant forgives the secon...
$10 BILLION of Monetary/SPIRITUAL WEIGHT Matthew 18:26 (Episode #191)
September 20, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.47 MBSend us a Text Message. Peter inquires about how much FORGIVING a Christian has to do. Jesus' answer is A LOT. Darn, we still have to live amongst a bunch of knuckleheads who will wrong us. Darn, a response from me is going to be required and I could do this wrong. To help with understanding, Jesus tells the story of a King and a Servant who meet to "settle accounts". The problem here is the servant owes a unit of monetary reckoning SO BIG it is best understood in WEIGHT. They don't m...
100% Participation in Church Discernment/Discipline Matthew 18:20 (episode #190)
September 19, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.62 MBSend us a Text Message. 100% Participation in Church Discernment/Discipline Matthew 18:20 (episode #190) What are we then Loosing? We are loosing our hold on his sin if he repents. We are loosing our hold on HIM if he does not repent. We are binding him to the consequences of his sin. We are binding him to his decisions. We are binding him to life OUTSIDE the protections of the Body of Christ. We are binding him to the PROCESS of trying to get him back. We are binding ourselves to the borr...
WHAT Exactly do "2 or 3 GATHER and AGREE" ABOUT? Matthew 18:19 (Episode #189)
September 18, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.76 MBSend us a Text Message. WHAT do "2 or 3 GATHER and AGREE" ABOUT? Matthew 18:19 (Episode #189) You have heard this passage before. That is always a danger. A fun rule of Bible study is to "whatever you do, DON'T READ AHEAD" and let YOUR surprise of the account parallel the surprise of the person IN the account. Its' corollary today: "Whatever you do DO READ BEHIND." ie: what is the context of the verse you are studying? In what Soup does it lie? The famous "wherever 2 or 3 are gather...
"Woman troubles" Luke 8: 43 (Episode #76-77 is out of order)
September 17, 2020 14:00 - 7 minutes - 5 MB"Woman troubles" Luke 8: 43 Jesus breaks into some very personal health issues here. He breaks the "guy code". He breaks the "purity law" code. He breaks the illness code. Once again Jesus rattles the known world. Listen. You'll see.
Beg to Be with Jesus Luke 8:38 (Episode #75)
September 17, 2020 13:00 - 7 minutes - 5.1 MBBeg to Be with Jesus Today we see some responses to the day Jesus comes to visit. We see the herdsmen Fleeing We see the townspeople coming, seeing, then being afraid and asking Jesus to leave We see the demons being TOLD to leave and then my favorite: the healed man BEGGING that he might BE WITH JESUS. If you read this, and if you LISTEN, you are doing the same thing...
BORROWING AUTHORITY from Heaven Matthew 18:18 (Episode #188)
September 17, 2020 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.54 MBSend us a Text Message. In heaven, all authority will be given to its rightful source and owner. In the meantime, He allows us to participate in this godly responsibility and duty. Think of the "offices" of this world: Parent, Husband, Wife, Captain of the football team, Policeman, Pastor, Elder, CEO, Foreman, or even "line-leader" of the second graders on their way to the cafeteria. Who is the Boss of me? What are my duties and to whom are they owed? If I am the authority: then be s...
DEFCON 4: GAIN a brother by LOSING HIM Matthew 18:17 (Episode #187)
September 16, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.49 MBSend us a Text Message. An individual soul is VALUABLE. So valuable that the full resources of the Church can and should be brought to bear when that individual soul is in peril. When the church gathers and says to the individual and his sin, "I am coming at you" in a special way, that sinner would do best to listen. As we all know, they often don't. So then, we get to DEFCON 4. Here the decisions of the sinner become reality. The world is full of sinners. The Church is full of sinner...
DEFCON 3 of Church Discipline/Membership Matthew 18:16 (Episode #186)
September 15, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 5.52 MBSend us a Text Message. The VALUE of GAINING a BROTHER back into fellowship is so great that extraordinary effort is made to go get him. Today we ratchet up the effort beyond going individually (DEFCON 1), and discretely to him. Because SIN HAS POROUS borders, others are (probably easily) recruited to bring evidence and testimony to the charges. I suppose many people know you have a sin problem in an area before you do if your heart is hard. This is DEFCON 2. DEFCON 3 is when the autho...
The MOST DIFFICULT thing in the World Matt 18:16 (Episode #185)
September 14, 2020 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.47 MBSend us a Text Message. Three MOST DIFFICULT things in the world: 1. To be WRONG 2. To have a good enough FRIEND to tell us the truth 3. To be RESTORED to that person Forgiveness is hard enough. But there is a guy in today's passage who makes it even MORE DIFFICULT by refusing to listen; refusing to be wrong. I'm glad I don't know anyone like that. Just kidding. We are all like that. Here we have though a call NOT TO BE THAT GUY. Don't be THAT GIRL. Listen and be WRONG.
I HOPE you have CONFLICT Matthew 18:15 (Episode # 184)
September 13, 2020 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.42 MBSend us a Text Message. IF my brother sins against me? You must mean WHEN my brother sins against me. For this is a normal, regular, expected part of the Christian walk. Wouldn't it be great if God gave us a mechanism, a pathway to FIX this problem when it occurs. And so He does. We have all heard situations where this mechanism was NOT used: " I was HURT in the Body of Christ...I was wounded when...That person who identified with Christ did..." and now, many years later, there is ST...
Laid upon Jesus' Shoulders Luke 15:5 (episode #183)
September 12, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 4.98 MBSend us a Text Message. If you are a believer, then today's wonder is about how good God has been to you and is a story about what He did for you. If you are a not-yet-believer, then today's wonder is about how good God is being to you and is a story about what He is doing for you now. God is doing some heavy lifting here. He is DRAWING, He is CONVICTING, He is GOING AFTER, and He is going after UNTIL FOUND. That's not even my favorite part! Then, He LAYS YOU UPON HIS SHOULDERS. What a...
The BUTCH CASSIDY of PURSUIT Matthew 18:13 (Episode #182)
September 11, 2020 12:00 - 8 minutes - 5.55 MBSend us a Text Message. Because of the Passion & Pleasure & Purpose of God believers receive the Protection & Preservation & PURSUIT of God. We talked about the Powerfully enabled Angels doing some of the protecting yesterday. Today, we are going to major on the relentless, until satisfied pursuit of the wayward believer. The tracker in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid movie comes to mind. Today we will be amazed at the Lost Sheep (that is a believer). Tomorrow we will look at th...
Care of the UNLOST Sheep by ANGEL(S)! Matt 18:10 (Episode #181)
September 10, 2020 12:00 - 7 minutes - 5.47 MBSend us a Text Message. Angels go to a location that you cannot go enjoy a frequency with God you cannot enjoy have an access that you are not allowed and are granted a face-to-face intimacy you cannot have AND YET they are assigned, tasked, charged with enacting the Lords CARE for the BELIEVER. At least one of the things they do is to serve the believer. Other passages tell us they encamp around, and deliver those who fear the Lord. Apparently, they use all the above bullet points to...
Who is the FITTEST Christian? Matt 18:1 (Episode #180)
September 09, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 4.99 MBSend us a Text Message. Crossfit proclaims, "World's Fittest Man" and "World's Fittest Woman" after some brutal criteria. Well, so does Jesus. He proclaims the "World's Fittest Christian". The World's best follower of Him is .... Like a Child. One who turns to be like a child. One of humility. One who protects the child and the childlike. We want greatness. The Disciples keep asking about it. They have asked before. They ask again when Jesus has less than 24 hours to live! Of cours...
Be SALTY (& the Lord will Help you There) Mark 9:50 (Episode #179)
September 08, 2020 11:00 - 7 minutes - 4.85 MBSend us a Text Message. Salt is always associated with Sacrifice. (There's that OT shedding light on the NT again). The Lord says Salt is good. Don't be Unsalty. I think He is saying in the context of this passage about self assessment and radical self surgery that this is normal. We are supposed to be regularly assessing, regularly repenting, and regularly resolving to walk the hard road of sanctification. It sure beats the even harder road of judgment. Remember, the Lord meets us ...
Journey to the Itaska State Park of Sin Mark 9:43 (Episode #178)
September 07, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 5.48 MBSend us a Text Message. Today we will follow the Mighty Mississippi all the way back to the headwaters; the source. We will find ourselves at the spiritual Itaska State Park in northern Minnesota. There you can hop over the "mighty" Mississippi and deal with it. We are looking at what might CAUSE US TO SIN. The scripture asks us to do so. Unpleasant yes, but ultimately for our benefit. "My _______________ causes me to sin." We'll use the body parts to help us: eyes, ears, hands, fe...
(how not to) Go To Hell Mark 9:42 (Episode #177)
September 06, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 5.25 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's passage is very clear. It is also terrifying. We find out almost everything we need to know about h-e-l-l. Its' comparisons. Its' control. Its' permanence. Its' unpleasantness. Its' presence. The good news is that there is a way to avoid it. There is a path to assessing ourselves and doing some self-surgery: excision, tearing out and amputating. That is all pretty horrible but it is nothing in comparison with the above. Listen and let's learn how we ...
Belonging to Christ = Belonging to His People Mark 9:38 (Episode #176)
September 05, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 5.66 MBSend us a Text Message. Belonging to Christ = Belonging to His People Mark 9:38 (Episode #176) Like many good passages, this one starts with a COMPLAINT: Hey! these guys don't belong to US! Which of course isn't the point. The big point is whether they belong to JESUS. They are tribal, short-sighted and petty. At the end, Jesus says that eventually, you may actually NEED these guys. The Christian walk is going to be full of NEEDS, and you are going to have them. Christians are almost ...
Ransom REMBERED FOREVER Revelation 5:9 (Episode #175)
September 04, 2020 11:00 - 8 minutes - 5.58 MBSend us a Text Message. We've stumbled upon an important concept with the "RANSOM tax" of Exodus 30. We are going to sit there for a minute (7 actually) and wonder about what are we: Ransomed FOR Ransomed FROM Ransomed WHEN Ransomed HOW Ransomed from BEING RANSOMED (permanence) Ransomed TO and finally we'll glimpse into heaven and hear that right now they are doing Ransomed REMEMBERED Sounds important. Listen and get started now!
Taxes FROM Jesus or TO Jesus? Matthew 17:26 (Episode #174)
September 03, 2020 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.45 MBSend us a Text Message. The Jews called it a "Temple Tax" that everybody paid, every year. Nice and tidy. However, this is a bit of a misnomer because Exodus 30: 11-16 tells us that it is an ATONEMENT tax, a JUDGMENT tax, an anti-PLAGUE tax, a LIFE tax or my favorite: a RANSOM tax. With that weight, I guess we'll just call it a 'temple tax'. Without the RANSOM though, there would be no people and no need for a temple, so primarily it is a RANSOM tax. Secondarily, it is a temple tax. ...
Ransom Your Life but only for a YEAR Matt 17:24 (Episode #173)
September 02, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 5.73 MBSend us a Text Message. Ransom Your Life but only for a YEAR Matt 17:24 What is a life worth? What is a YEAR of life worth? How can I stand before a Holy God? What will I do about my sin for a year? What might happen if I don't do something about my sin? All these questions are addressed with the so called, "TEMPLE TAX." Get this, it is a tax that has been around and collected for 1300+ YEARS!!!!!! Why? Because it is still addressing a 'need': to atone for sin, to give a RANSOM for my...
Do You See Anything? Mark 8:22 (Episode #172)
September 01, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 5.48 MBSend us a Text Message. Do You See Anything? Mark 8:22 Jesus "double-clutches" on the healing of a blind man for the benefit of the disciples and of course, us. Is Jesus unable? insufficient? Powerless? No. These are not good conclusions. He wants to have a middle part: a plateau that He can ask a question He already knows the answer to. That is, "Do you see anything?" Therefore, we today will assess our spiritual sight, our love for spiritual seeing, our friends that we see with, ou...
Not TASTING DEATH because of our DEATH TASTER Matt 16:28 (Episode #171)
August 31, 2020 11:00 - 6 minutes - 4.82 MBSend us a Text Message. Not TASTING DEATH because of our DEATH TASTER Matt 16:28 We'll swim in the deepest of pools this morning. We find out today why Christians never "TASTE DEATH". It is one of the greatest advertisements to being a Christian that there is. I wonder what Death tastes like. It can't be very good. So there has to be a catch. If believers don't taste death, then WHO DOES? Listen and find out.
DO by being UNDONE Matthew 16:25 (Episode #170)
August 30, 2020 21:00 - 7 minutes - 5.53 MBSend us a Text Message. DO by being UNDONE Matthew 16:25 Our ACTIONS aren't in the front of the train. They aren't the "engine" Our ACTIONS are in the back of the train. They are the Caboose. They follow everything. What I VALUE...Determines and sets in motion...my DECISIONS...which determines my ACTIONS and my DOING...Which then at the end, God determines whether I made the right choice and the right action and I get rewards or not. He gives us the WRONG answer first: SAVE my life. ...