Jesus told a wealthy, young ruler that he needed to give away his vast wealth to follow Him. So, does this requirement apply to all believers? In this podcast, we look at those verses from Luke 18:18-24 to understand why Christ gave those directions in that case and how we apply what we read in this account to our lives today.

Though Christians often have a strong opinion about certain laws and certain politicians, the guide for our voting behavior in a democracy should rest on the foundational pillars of a biblical worldview. The Bible provides a comprehensive worldview designed to direct every aspect of our lives. In this podcast, we look at the four worldview principles most relevant to determining how and why we cast our votes. These biblical foundations involve a look at human nature, how the Bible tells us to measure those with influence and authority and concludes with one of our responsibilities as those belonging to Christ.

Does God still speak to His people in the 21st century? If so, how should we expect to hear to from Him? What types of issues does God address when He communicates to us and how can we be sure it is really Him we are hearing from? In this podcast, we examine all those questions and provide clear, concise answers.

Some unbelievers say they are not interested in a religion where they are forced to live a certain way based on a fear of dreadful punishment by God. The good news for them is that this is not what God is calling them to do. Christians are called to respond to the overwhelming love, mercy, kindness and patience of God. In much the same way, mothers and babies don't respond to each other in mutually beneficial ways out of fear of government punishment but out of a true love for one another. Will mothers be punished if they criminally neglect their child? Yes. Is that what motivates them? Absolutely not! In this podcast, we look at the Bible verses which teach us about responding to love rather than fear.

The Bible says that God is gracious to us and that He shows us mercy. But what do those terms mean biblically? Grace and mercy are not the same thing but they are closely related. And God's steadfast, biblical love is deeply intertwined with these actions as well. In this podcast, we allow scripture to define what is meant by grace and mercy and seek out a life application for ourselves in those meanings.

What did Jesus mean when He challenged us to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect? How does a Christian go about living up to that standard? To understand this statement and answer those questions we need to look at the meaning of the word 'perfect' as it is used in this scripture. But more importantly we need to examine the context in which the statement is made. Once we have digested the meaning and context, this teaching of Jesus, though still incredibly challenging, provides us with a very specific life application we can all understand and strive for.

What is the main point of the Beatitudes? What did Jesus mean when He said "blessed are the meek"? Why did Jesus begin His famous Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes? And how are we to understand the words Christ spoke 2000 years ago in terms of today's culture? In this sermon, we cover the what, why and life application aspects of the beautiful words with which Jesus framed His most comprehensive lesson.

Is Christianity just a crutch for those who are weak? Is it just another coping mechanism for those who are not emotionally strong enough to face the chaos of the world we live in? As we discuss in this podcast, the answer is 'NO'. In fact, Jesus warned His followers about those who would respond to the Gospel in such a way, essentially calling them shallow and saying they would not persist in their faith for the long haul. Join me as I discuss that verse and other scriptures relevant to this topic.