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Following Jesus by Learning and Living the Bible
Episodes
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
How to Live in Exile?
Since the New Testament, describes those of us who follow Jesus as foreigners and exiles, how does God want people to live in exile? In this episode, we look at Jeremiah 29 and 1 Peter 2-3 to answer that question.
Jeremiah 29:4-7
4 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and father sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may give birth to sons and daughters; and grow in numbers there and do not decrease. 7 Seek the prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord in its behalf; for in its prosperity will be your prosperity.’
1 Peter 2:11-12
11 Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
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Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
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Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Reflections on Healthy Detachment and Civil Disobedience
In this episode, I offer some reflections on two questions:
1. With all the anxiety, fear, and emotion around the political season, what should the disposition of disciples of Jesus be?
2. When should we disobey the governing authorities?
At the heart of this episode is this: as disciples of Jesus our deepest allegiance is to Jesus and His kingdom and hope lies with Him. So our investment of energy and emotion is with that kingdom, and our prayer is "Your kingdom come, Your will be done."
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
The Values of God's Kingdom are Good for the World
Christianity emerged in a world vastly different from the values espoused by followers of Christ. Slavery was assumed a necessary part of a functioning society and slaves could be thought of as living property and tools. An adulterous wife was a disgrace to be dealt with harshly, but men were free (even expected!) to have numerous sexual partners. Infants were routinely abandoned, left in the wild to die. Care for the poor, weak, and marginalized was laughable, contrary to all good sense. And a god who would sacrifice himself for others by dying the most shameful death of all could be pictured as a jackass on a cross!
But as Christianity spread, the values of Christ - values now taken for granted as good and right - transformed the Roman Empire and the world.
To be fair, the Church has not always lived up to the values she espouses. Nevertheless, over the course of history the values of the Christian faith have brought great good to the world and our society needs Christians to bring these values into the world today.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
A Foreigner in Your Own Land
Here’s a question for you: are you an American who happens to be a Christian or are you a Christian who happens to live in America?
In other words, what is your core identity that shapes your beliefs, values, and practices? Is it being citizen of the USA (or whatever country you live in)? Or is it your allegiance to King Jesus?
Philippians 3:20 says that followers of Jesus are citizens of heaven, regardless of what city or nation they live in.
And 1 Peter says we are exiles and foreigners.
What does all of this mean for how we engage with our society and the politics of our country?
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com.
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
What is the Purpose of Government?
The Bible is a bit conflicted about human government.
In an ideal world, God would be king and his will would be done on earth as in heaven. Humans would live in loyal partnership with him and serve a viceroys of his rule, extending his aims and agendas on earth. That was the plan when God created the world and human beings.
The problem? We don’t live in an ideal world.
We live after the fall in Genesis 3 and outside of Eden. So now it’s fair to say that most people don’t submit to God’s kingship. Many who claim actually don’t. And even those who do, do so incompletely and imperfectly.
This is where government comes in. Human government is necessary to manage and mitigate that chaos that ensues when humans are left to their own devices.
This episode explores how it's supposed to do that.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Friday Feb 16, 2024
Friday Feb 16, 2024
In this episode, I give a short update on life and ministry and then explore this question: How does our discipleship to Jesus affect our political engagement?
The fact is that since the beginning proclaiming Jesus as Lord has been a political statement with huge implications. For example, in Thessalonica, the accusation agains the apostle Paul was that he acted "contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus" (Acts 17:7).
So our loyalty to King Jesus has to shape our political engagement.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
In all of life, a certain status carries with it specific responsibilities.
- You make the sports team, so now you have to go to practices and train.
- You get your driver's license, so now you have to follow the rules of the road.
- You become a pet owner, so now you have to feed and care for the animal.
And the same is true in God's kingdom. Being "saved" brings specific responsibilities. In other words, you're saved; now live like it!
This episode of the Bible in Life explores that theme from 1 Peter 1:10-21.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
On this episode, we explore two more questions sent in by a listener.
Question 1 - How can I deal with doubts and uncertainties that arise along the journey of life?
The key thing here is honesty. You’ll probably never have 100% absolute certainty on everything (I don’t) and but loyal trust is key. And keep your eyes focused on Jesus, confident that he rose from the dead.
Question 2 - What are some important life lessons or advice you would give to a young person like me, seeking to make a positive impact in the world?
The most important advice I could give you is “you give away who you are.”
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Questions about Living for Jesus
Listener Questions:
1. How can I discover and pursue my true calling or purpose in life?
2. What principles and values should I prioritize to live a life in accordance with my Christian beliefs?
3. Are there any practical steps or habits I can incorporate into my daily routine that would help me stay on the right path?
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Learning to Receive Feedback
Feedback can be hard. It can sting. But...
We can't grow and change without it.
Receiving feedback is essential if we want to grow as a person and as a disciple.
In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, I explore how we can learn to receive feedback well.
Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:
Support this ministry:
Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with John:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.