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Episode 180: Lessons from 2020

***Due to technical issues, this episode utilizes backup audio. We’ll be back to normal quality soon!***

Episode highlights:

  • The devil will not miss an opportunity to cause division in homes, churches, and societies.
  • Extra time does not automatically translate to more time with the Lord.
  • Intimacy with the Lord requires vigorous intentionality.
  • Journaling can be a valuable link between bible reading and prayer.
  • Both boredom and stress present a choice: false refuges or the one True God.

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Episode 179: Why don’t we cast lots anymore?

Episode Highlights:

  • Casting lots was an OT and early NT method for discerning the will of God, similar to rolling dice. It was regarded as communication from God. Exo 28:30; Lev 16:8-10; Num 26:55-56; Acts 1:26
  • The confidence in the method was based upon the conviction that God is in control of all things, even the “roll of the dice.” Prov 16:33
  • We don’t cast lots post-Pentecost because direction in non-moral decisions – when direction comes – comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Acts 8:29ff; 9:10ff; 10:19ff; 16:6,7,9-10; 20:22
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Episode 178: How do we prevent secular festivities from overtaking Christmas?

Episode Highlights:

  • The Scriptures don’t give us instruction on how, when to celebrate the Lord’s birth, making it largely an area of freedom. Romans 14
  • Distinctions between the secular and spiritual in Christmas celebrations may depend upon a particular person’s history. 1 Cor 8-10
  • The best way to keep Christ central during Christmas is to keep Christ central all year.
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Episode 177: God’s sovereignty and government over-reach

Episode Highlights:

  • God’s control and our responsibility can be thought of as concentric circles with God’s control being an all-encompassing circle, our responsibility being a smaller circle within it. Eph 1:11; Acts 17:24-27
  • Our priority as believers (the main emphasis of our circle of responsibility) is the spread of the kingdom. Matt 28:19-20
  • Paul’s example is helpful: working within existing governmental structures to maximize gospel spread and minimize persecution…while submitting to the governing authorities. Acts 22-28; Rom 13
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Episode 176: Reversal of gender roles in the home?

Episode Highlights:

  • There are clear biblical roles for husbands and wives regarding leadership, love, and submission in the home (Eph 5:22-31).
  • It is not clear that women should work exclusively in the home and men should work exclusively outside the home (Prov 31:16, 24; Gen 29:9; Exo 2:16-17; Song 1:6, 7-8; Ruth 2:1-3; Acts 18:2-3)
  • The typical passages used to argue for traditional occupational roles don’t actually support the weight of the arguments. (Titus 2:3-5; 1 Tim 5:4-8).
  • The are dangers inherent to a sinful heart that must be combatted whether in a traditional or non-traditional occupational arrangement.
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Episode 175: Dealing with besetting sexual sin

Episode Highlights:

  • If not already, engage in the typical mechanics of fighting sin: radical amputation (Matt 5:29-30), putting off/putting on (Eph 4:22-24), mind renewal (Rom 12:2), accountability (2 Tim 2:22), and prayer.
  • It is crucial to have a clear view of the compassion of Christ for sinners. He is drawn to us, pities us in our sin, rather than repulsed. (Mark 10:21; Heb 4:15-16)
  • Book recommendations: Gentle and Lowly (Dane Ortlund); The Heart of Christ (Thomas Goodwin); The Bruised Reed (Richard Sibbes)

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Episode 174: Should Christians “prep”?

Episode Highlights:

  • It’s appropriate to prepare for the future. Pro 6:6-11; Matt 24:42
  • It’s sinful to fret about the future. Matt 6:25-34
  • We should understand ourselves to be stewards of God. 1 Cor 6:19-20; Psa 24:1-2
  • We should be generous. Acts 4:34-35; Matt 5:42; 1 John 3:17
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Episode 173: Is surrogacy always wrong?

Episode Highlights:

  • The main moral difficulty with gestational surrogacy is the element of in-vitro fertilization.
  • In-vitro usually results in the death of embryos, which violates the Bibles teaching on the sanctity of life. Psa 51:5; Exo 20:13
  • We can celebrate the life of this child and admire the self-less motive of the surrogate in this case without necessarily condoning the process.

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Episode 172: What should I do about inappropriate dreams?

Episode Highlights:

  • We are not in control of our dreams and so should not feel guilt about the dreams themselves.
  • There may be issues/desires in our waking hours which are contributing to the dreams that need to be dealt with. Isa 29:7-8
  • The dreams could be a warning, temptation, or testing. Job 33:14-18; Deut 13:1-4; 1 Kings 22
  • There could be a non-spiritual, physiological/hormonal explanation.

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Episode 171: Questions about prayer and fasting

Episode Highlights

  • The NT assumes that we will fast, but doesn’t give clear direction about when or how. (Matt 6:16-17; 9:14-15)
  • A fast will be most beneficial when we have a clear spiritual purpose in mind.
  • Helpful insights on fasting can be found in Donald Whitney’s book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.
  • We shouldn’t expect our family/friends to make our fast easier, but we should courteous to them and tell them what to expect from us on our fasting days.

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Episode 170: How should a couple handle tithing when they don’t agree? Part 2

Episode Highlights

  • The couple who disagrees about giving should discuss all biblical/wisdom principles about giving.
  • They should pray that the Lord would give them generous hearts and unify them on the issue.
  • In the absence of an agreement, the husband should make a wise decision (to give as much as they can both joyfully give) and the wife should joyfully submit.
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Episode 169: How should a couple handle tithing when they don’t agree? Part 1

Episode Highlights:

  • To truly tithe, one would need to give 23.3% of their income. Deut 12:6-7, 14:22-29, 26:12-13.
  • Tithing is not the standard of giving for the New Covenant believer.
  • The NT models joyful generosity that far exceeds a “God owns 10%” mentality. Acts 2:43-47, 4:32-37, 11:27-30.
  • Believers should give as much as they can give with a cheerful heart, understanding that greater generosity will enjoy greater blessing. 2 Cor 9:6-7
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Episode 168: Should Christians petition to cancel Cuties?

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Episode Highlights:

  • This is not merely an issue of contending for a higher moral standard in society, but of protecting the weak.
  • The Bible calls the strong to protect the weak. Acts 20:35; Psa 82
  • There are multiple levels of victimization involved in the airing of this show.
  • Christians cannot allow the victimization/sexualization of children to be normalized.

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Episode 167: Counseling a child regarding assurance?

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Episode Highlights

  • The Bible doesn’t point to our conversion experience as a source of assurance.
  • The Bible does point to spiritual growth as a source of assurance. (2 Peter 1:5-10)
  • We can help our children by making sure they understand the distinctions between justification and sanctification.
  • We can help our children by helping them to focus on intimacy with Christ and not their own fruit.

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Episode 166: Another trial after the 1,000 year reign?

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Episode Highlights:

  • A premillennialist might say that it depends upon who “we” is. Glorified believers reigning with Christ likely will not have to endure. Unglorified believers who survived the tribulation likely will. Believers born during the millennium definitely will.
  • A problem with a premillennial understanding of Rev 20 is that it requires death to exist for 1,000 years after the coming of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15 teaches that death will be defeated at the coming of Christ. (1 Cor 15:24-26; 50-58)

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Episode 165: How do I answer my kids’ questions about my past?

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Episode Highlights:

  • Tell the truth. Our authority comes from the Lord, not from our perfectly navigating life.
  • Sordid details may not be helpful. We don’t want to put a stumbling block in front of someone by getting into such detail that we are introducing them to things they aren’t even aware of.
  • If a parent has already lied about their past, confess the lie and ask for forgiveness. Then share about the original question regarding the past.

We’re taking a short break!

Our podcast team is taking a short break from recording and posting new episodes so that we can do some important things like having babies, nursing loved ones to health, etc. We’ll plan to post our next episode on Tuesday, September 1. Until then, please find one below you haven’t heard and share it with friends. Also, please keep your great questions coming!!

Episode 164: Can a seared conscience be re-sensitized?

Episode Highlights:
– The conscience is our God-given capacity to make moral judgments about ourselves. (Rom 2:14-15)
– A seared conscience is one that has become desensitized due to an individual repeatedly ignoring its voice. (1 Tim 4:1-2)
– A seared conscience is dangerous because it makes us more vulnerable to the harmfulness of sin.
– Repentance is the mechanism God uses to re-sensitize the conscience (2 Cor 7:11)

Episode 163: How far should I pursue an estranged family member?

Highlights:
– Such strained relationships with unbelieving relatives should not surprise us as Jesus came to “bring a sword” (Matt 10:32-38)
– In all such situations, “as far as it depends upon you, be at peace with all men” (Rom 12:18).
– Pray for the heart of Christ toward the estranged relative.