Citizen of Heaven

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We’re touring the United States this month, starting with the biggest state of all. This week we’ll discuss the pros and cons of chasing gold (turns out there may be more of the latter than the former); the crazy scheme that saved America, and then saved it again, and again; the easiest way to wealth you’ve ever heard of – but which still requires some effort; and perhaps th...

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In years past I’ve tried to supply four lists of books around this time of year — my best books, the books that made me think the most, the most surprising books I’ve read, and the most disappointing books I’ve read. Unless I hear a barrage of protests, I’m going to cull that to two lists  this year. I may or may not talk about surprising and disappointing books in December....

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I hope you’ve enjoyed my discussion with Steve and BJ as much as I have. As we celebrate another birthday in the United States this week, we often find ourselves in a position to brag on ourselves a bit. Or maybe more than that. What’s good for America is good for Americans, basically — including American Christians. But is that really so? Is “America First” compatible with ...

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There’s a lot of talk in recent years about how great America is, or was, or might be in the future if we vote for the right people. But instead of America’s greatness, I’d like to talk about its goodness. Steve Wolfgang and BJ Sipe are here to help me cover the topic in the second part of our recent discussion. Whatever your political affiliation, I think you’ll find a lot ...

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Steve Wolfgang is a historian of the first order, as well as being the preacher for the Downers Grove church in the Chicagoland area. BJ Sipe preaches for the church in Danville, KY, and hosts the Set Your Mind Above podcast. They join me this week to talk about America, beginning with the balance we strike between the unofficial national motto, E Pluribus unum, and the real...

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The last few years I've been detailing the books that have impacted me the most while putting the podcast together. Here's the "thinkiest" books I've read of late.

Here's the list:

10. The Land Between, by Jeff Manion
9. Saving Monticello, by Mark Leepson
8. The Dragon and the George, by George R. Dickson
7. Greenlights, by Matthew McC...

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As an admitted control freak, I must say – I hate chaos. And I think you should hate it too. Bad things happen in the absence of order. This week we’ll discuss chaos as the antithesis to God – the un-God, if you will; a president who defined himself by a set of rules instead of a set of circumstances; the reasons rioters riot and why you should care; and a chaotic evening’s ...

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They say there are no guarantees in life. That’s not quite true. God offers us guarantees, both in this life and in the next. This week we’ll discuss the assurances God has given His people and whether they come with strings attached; the guaranteed financial results God either does or does not offer His investors; the commitment I make to you, my loyal listener, and the len...

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OK, I haven’t had any death threats lately, so what do you say I push the envelope a bit? This week we’ll discuss Biblical teaching on what a woman is, what a woman’s role should be, what happens when women push back against that, and who you should be listening to on the subject. Please keep in mind, there’s nothing on God’s green earth I love more than women. It’s the best...

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 Scott Beyer preaches for the Eastland church in Louisville, KY. Check out his great work at biblegrad.com and the Love Better podcast. Links are in the show notes. In the last part of our talk, we discuss the role rest and relaxation play in the life of the Christian. Can more work be a bad thing? Can work actually be restful? And what does the Bible’s teaching on the Sabba...

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Scott Beyer is a frequent contributor to the podcast; links to the good work he does are included in the show notes. When I thought of busy people in the Lord’s vineyard, I immediately thought of Scott. In the second part of our conversation, we discuss the difference (if any) between being busy for the Lord and just being busy — and how just being busy can be more of a prob...

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In 1 Kings 20, an unnamed prophet tells King Ahab that he, the prophet, had been required to guard a captive from the battle, but that he was busy here and there and the prisoner wound up escaping. Ahab saw that as a dereliction of duty, which of course made the prophet’s point. Ahab’s duty had been to defeat Israel’s enemies, not make alliances with them. Scott and I use th...

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As promised last week on the “Defense” episode, we’re back to discuss the other side of the argument – or the line of scrimmage. We’ll discuss four different ways of looking at offense: Jesus’s alleged offensiveness and how He responded; the offensiveness of the greatest hero of the South; the offended ones who just need to toughen up a bit; and the offensive approach we sho...

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The most basic instinct we have is self-defense. It’s a pity we leave ourselves so open to attacks on spiritual fronts. This week we’ll discuss how my least favorite kind of apology is sometimes the best kind; how a president secured the nation by taking custody of an entire continent; how the best defense in the history of football disappeared, never to be seen again; and h...

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It’s not that I’m cynical; really I’m not. But sometimes I just need a little extra testimony to convince me that things are as they present themselves. And that’s not a bad thing. Today we’ll discuss how to get confirmation of our eternal destiny; how God’s claims are even more outrageous than those of a professional athlete – and that’s saying something; how God speaks to ...

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I can’t believe I haven’t done a “Construction” episode already. The Bible is full of metaphors about builders and building, and lessons for us abound. Today we’ll discuss the biggest construction project of your life and whether you should even start it; the blame that gets shifted, even toward Jesus, when the project goes wrong; the woes of dealing with poorly conceived an...

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After five years of waiting, working and praying, the Hammons family is actually living in a place worthy of the name Casa Hammons. Since I’ve been unable to think of anything else for the last two weeks, I thought I’d give in to the urge and just talk about what’s been going on with us – how we’re settling in, the challenges that lie in front of us, the pain the move is cau...

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Last week was “needs”; this week it’s all about “needs’s” sexy cousin. If “needs” are critical, “desires” are not; in fact, they’re often destructive. We’ll cover what the devil desires and how we can keep him from getting it; a vision of heaven on earth that I consider blasphemous; a rationalization for adultery, or at least hypothetical adultery, that’s all the rage these ...

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“Need” is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. It’s a fine word; but in the words of Inigo Montoya, “I do not think it means what you think it means.” We’ll discuss how the Hammons family told God what we needed and He gave us what we wanted; the “needs” we ought to be praying that God not fulfill; the biggest need our physical body has and how we’ve turned it in...