The Bible Speaks to You: Think, Pray, Love like Jesus

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288 – Jesus's death on the cross cannot by itself save you from your sins

I know, this is a pretty bold statement. But have you ever noticed how lots of Christians focus on the crucifixion as the basis for t...

287 – Have you ever been a stranger in a foreign country?

You didn't speak the language. You couldn’t read any of the signs, you couldn’t understand what people are saying. You don’t understand the customs.  

And you felt lost or confused by what was going on around you.

Or maybe you've been in a strange location and felt out of place.

Then, all of a sudden, someone helps you get where you're going or explains what'...

Need a church mentor? Contact James 

286 – Do you have a broken relationship in need of healing?

Maybe you’re having trouble with someone at work, either your boss or an employee. Maybe it’s someone at church. Or could it be someone in your family? Or maybe you’re completely estranged from someone.

Whatever the situation is, there’s always a possibility of healing and restoring these broken relationships, even though it may not be eas...

285 – What do you do when you need healing and justice?

Is there something in your life, at work, or at church right now that needs healing? 

What about justice? Have you or anyone you know experienced any injustice lately?  

And if you look at what’s going on in the world as a whole, it almost seems everyone is crying out for healing and justice.

What on earth is the remedy to all this? 

Well, the solution is never going to come from s...

284 – Do you ever get judged by your age?

Have you ever felt pigeonholed by someone as to what you're capable of doing based on how  young or old you are?

Have you ever judged your own capabilities based on you age.

The world is always stereotyping what you can and can't do based on how old or young you are.

This week's episode looks at some of the people in the Bible who broke those age stereotypes and how they did it.

283 – How is your church doing these days?

A lot of churches, in many different denominations are struggling. 

Is your church growing? Are you holding steady? Are you barely treading water?

Does your church have a vision for where you're going?

In today’s episode, we’re going to look at some ideas that will hopefully give you a few fresh ways to pray for and be active in your church.

• What to do if your church members are hesita...

282 – Could you use a blessing from God right now?

Have you ever felt like you needed a little extra blessing from God in your life? 

Maybe things are a bit challenging at the moment or you’ve just come through some rough waters and are on the other side of things, but you need to find some peace of mind?

It’s at times like this that we need to feel God’s presence and the blessings that come with it.

There are lots of ways to ask for a...

281 – How would your life be different if you trusted God completely for everything?

Sometimes it's almost easier to trust God when something terrible happens because there's no where else to turn.

Or when you're afraid and don't know what to do.

But what about your everyday life when there are just the normal challenges and obligations? Do you trust God then? 

It's so easy to just let things work out and not b...

280 – What if there was a simple solution to every problem you ever had?

The good news is that Jesus has given us a solution that will solve every problem, whether it's in your personal life or a collective problem.

But just like any solution, you have to do what is required of you.

Jesus offered this solution to lots of people who came from 

• A wide variety of education levels
• Differing job skill sets
• Different socioeconomic bac...

279 – What would you say to someone like Zacchaeus?

Zacchaeus was notorious for cheating people by making them pay more taxes than they owed. He was in cahoots with the Romans, which was basically a betrayal of the Jewish people.

What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus that caused him to have such a radical moral and spiritual transformation? 

In this week's episode, I talk about:

• Why did Zacchaeus want to see Jesus?
• Why did he climb a...

278 – What do you do when you're overwhelmed with discouragement?

I've been talking to a lot of folks who are VERY discouraged by everything that's going on in the world right now.

Is there a way to overcome this feeling of despair and discouragement?

Yes, of course. And it's encouraging to see all the folks in the Bible who were face with all sorts of discouraging situations and how they overcame them.

That's ...

277 – How do you deal with all that's going on in the world today?

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with gloom and despair with all that's going on these days?

Or have you ever been in a threatening situation, either because of people or circumstances?

Whether it's on personal or global level, sometimes it seems like evil influences are wreaking havoc on our lives or in society.

How d...

276 – Do you have trouble letting go of things to follow Christ?

When Jesus asked Peter and Andrew to leave their nets to follow him, it was a pretty big deal. Fishing was their livelihood.

If Jesus walked up to you and asked you to leave your job, your profession, the way you earned money for your family, would you leave it all to follow him?

Peter and Andrew immediately left their nets to follow Jesus....

275 – Jesus says you are the salt of the earth. What are you doing about it?

Recently, my friend Terese said: It's time to take your salt out of the salt shaker.

I took that to mean: quit hiding yourself, your God-given gifts and talents, and what you have to contribute to society. Be who God made you to be and share it with the world.

Being the salt of the earth can mean lots of things. In the Bible...

274 – Putting God first in 2025

First of all, Happy New Year!

I wish you all the best in 2025 and that you'll discover more of who God made you to be and live this out in your daily life.

A new year is a wonderful time to think about your priorities, to let go of things and thoughts you've outgrown. It's a time to embrace more fully where God is calling you.

In this first episode ...

273 – Year in Review for The Bible Speaks to You Podcast

2024 has completed it's designated rounds!

I hope your year has been full of spiritual growth and progress. And I hope you'll take some time to reflect on the the things you have to be grateful for and the lessons you've learned this year.

This week's episode shares some of the highlights from the podcast this past year.

272 – When was the last time you read the story of Jesus's birth?

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. How well do you know the story?

When was the last time you read the whole thing?

In this week's episode, I read the entire Christmas story.

That's it.
No commentary.
No explanations.
No historical context or data.

Just the story, all...

271 – How do you celebrate the spiritual meaning of Christmas?

The world tries to make us forget about the real reason we celebrate Christmas with its focus on the excess materialism of the day.

To keep a spiritual approach to Christmas, the best place to start is focusing on Jesus and all he taught and did.

This week I talk about ways to discover the deeper spiritual meaning of Christmas.

• Start with g...

270 – Have you ever put yourself into the Christmas story as one of the Bible characters?

If you're like me, you've probably read the Christmas story so many times, and seen so many Christmas pageants that it seems like the same story over and over, with nothing new or fresh.

But what if you were one of those characters? Which one would you be? Who do you relate to most in the Christmas story?

H...