BeachCast.TV: Bible Exploration, Apologetics and Church History with Dr. Chase A. Thompson:

Paul says that Christians smell like death to some people - turning them off and smell like the fragrance of beautiful life to others - pointing them to Jesus. How can this be? How can we smell one way to some, and a different way to others?

David is on the run from a powerful enemy who desires to murder him. This enemy, Saul, has almost killed David several times before, and his determination seems to be growing. Further, David finds himself in the territory of his greatest enemy, the Philistines, and they are holding him captive. With great reason to fear, David writes, "When i am afraid, I will trust in God." HOW DO WE DO THIS OURSELVES? Doesn't fear make it harder to trust God?

Fascinating story in 2 Samuel 6: David dances with all his might before the Lord in a way that utterly embarrassed his wife, and she criticizes him sharply, and hates him for it. Was David right to worship God with such exuberance, or was his wife Michal right to try and rein his passion in?

1st Corinthians 15 details the most important event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus. In recent years, scholars believe they have discovered a hidden creedal message buried in the text of this chapter - one that gives great evidence to the resurrection of Jesus and the earliest church's belief in that event. + A Weet-Bix cereal review for you Aussies and Kiwis.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul commands believers to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Is this command still active and relevant for today? Should Christians still seek to prophesy? If so - what does the gift of prophecy indicate - is it the prediction of the future, or something deeper than that? Today we hear from Wayne Grudem's book on Prophecy and his excellent Systematic Theology textbook.

Today we talk about one of the most well known passages in the Bible: 1st Corinthians 13 - is it underrated, overrated, or properly rated? We will find that love is critical, central and indispensable for the Christian life. We will also hear some wonderful stories of love from John Newton, The Apostle John and writer Greg Lucas.

The Body of Christ - The Church - is not meant to be a one man show, nor an organization where a few stars rise to the top and do all of the public ministry, and the rest sit back and spectate. The church is to be a body where every person - every member - has a supernatural empowerment for ministry and a crucial role to play. Today we talk about the importance of spiritual gifts and hear a selection from Sam Storms' excellent Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Gifts.

How should the Lord's Supper/Communion be taken? Is this merely a meal to be had in church? A fancy ritual to be done in an exact order? When we actually read what Jesus and Paul taught about communion, we see that it isn't a ritual but a proclamation of the good news and an opportunity for the church to love one another in an obvious and powerful way.

Today we discuss the dangers of shallow Bible reading, and also the appearance of God and other spiritual beings in the Old Testament. Our focus is in a wonderful promise from the Psalms that God is our refuge and strength. Charles Spurgeon helps us to see how that beautiful truth applies to our lives.

Two big topic today, one spiritual and important, and the other a little more X-Filesish. Paul states that his evangelism strategy to reach the world with the good news of Jesus was to 'become all things to all people.' What does this mean, and what does it look like for us to emulate? Also - today we read 1 Samuel 28 where a medium called the Witch of Endor supposedly raises the 'ghost' of Samuel - could such a thing be possible? Was it really Samuel whom she raised?

Does God promise to completely protect and prosper all of the really, really good people that follow Him? No, He doesn't, and today we look at a seemingly hopeless Psalm and see how the apostle Paul found great hope and encouragement in it.

1 Corinthians 7 contains lots of practical and intimate advice for those married and those who are single. Paul urgest married people not to deprive each other sexually, and gives some surprising reasons to avoid doing that. He also discusses singleness and gives several reasons why it is better to be single...while also saying that it is good to be married. How can this be - and why?!

Many think all sins are the same, but Paul dispels that myth utterly and completely in 1st Corinthians 6, noting that some sins have eternal consequences, and that sexual sins are quite different than others. What is it that makes sexual immorality different, and why is this important for us to consider?

Excommunication is a word that almost sends a chill down your spine. Kicking people out of the church sounds so severe, when so many churches try so hard to get people IN the church! Is there ever a time for church discipline or excommunication?

So many denominations and division! Why are churches so divided? Is the Catholic church the one original and true (and only!) church on the earth right now? Are all Protestants guilty of dividing the Body of Christ? How important are denominations, and how dangerous are they?

Jesus prays for His disciples to be one, and Paul commands the church to seek unity, as do many other Bible passages. Why then do we see disunity in the church sometimes? Why are there so many denominations? Is this a sign that Catholics are correct and Protestants are breaking away from the one true church?

Many times in the Bible, Paul speaks of the long hidden mystery of God. In fact, he says that his whole ministry is focused on proclaiming that mystery. What is the mystery of God, and why is it such a central part of the message and teaching of Paul? Also are there cuss/swear words in the Bible?

The Psalms are wonderful books of the Bible that contain incredible worship, prayers that make the heart soar, and the most genuine of gut-wrenching cries to the Father for deliverance. Some Psalms - called the imprecatory Psalms - contain prayers asking God for violence and judgment against the Psalmist's enemies. Should Christians pray such prayers against OUR enemies, or has Jesus taught us a different way?

Sometimes the darkness doesn't lift fast enough, the trial doesn't end soon enough, and it seems like we are utterly abandoned and hopeless. Jeremiah was facing such a situation in Lamentations - probably a trial worse than any most of us have faced. He had been unjustly imprisoned, his house lost, his city burning, his King blinded and in captivity, and himself kidnapped and forced to go where he didn't want to go. How did Jeremiah find comfort and hope going through such terrible hardship?

David and Goliath is one of the most famous Bible stories out there, and with that popularity has come lots of myths about the story that are not consistent with what the Bible account says. How did Goliath die? Was David just a child? And, perhaps most importantly, does this story mean that you and I should go out and defeat our own personal Goliaths - or is there a deeper meaning?

Brave, tall and mighty King Saul has been rejected for disobeying God repeatedly, so God sends Samuel to anoint a new king - one of Jesse's sons. Samuel, upon seeing the striking Eliab, assumes that this kingly looking young man is the one to succeed Saul - but that assumption, based on outward appearance, is false. God teaches Samuel (and us!) a valuable lesson...He doesn't care about outward appearance, but the inner person.

We know how to put on clothes, or gloves, or a hat, but Paul tells Christians in Romans 13 to 'put on Christ.' What does this mean - is it a reference to salvation, or to something that a Christian should do in their relationship with Christ. Charles Spurgeon gives reasons that Paul is talking about the latter option on today's podcast.

Have you noticed how divisive things are lately? Republicans vs. Democrats, maskies vs. non-maskies, tp on the outside vs. on the inside, etc. It seems rhetoric has really ramped up. In the midst of all of the hatred and attack, how are Christians supposed to act towards their enemies and political opponents? The answer might just challenge you!

King Saul was amazing to behold - he was several inches taller than any other Israelite, and was also brave, strong and bold. In addition - at least at the beginning of his reign - he seemed to be winsome, humble, self-effacing, and an admirer of Samuel, the righteous man of God. Unfortunately, very early in his reign, Saul did something that on the surface might seem like a minor transgression, but it ultimately cost him his throne. What did Saul do, and why was it a big deal?

Samuel was mighty in the Lord, even from early childhood. When it was time for him to 'retire' from leading the Israelites, he left his post with a challenging speech that closed with an amazing and underrated exhortation to the people of God. We would do well to hear Samuel's counsel and follow it even today!

In the wonderful Psalms 25, the psalmist declares that God guides His people into truth. Today we discuss HOW God guides us into truth, and we discover that there are two major ways that He leads us and guides us to His truth and in His truth.

Paul offers powerful hope in his letter to the Romans, telling them (and us!) that, though we are going through suffering, we are 'more than conquerors' through Jesus. How does this work? Most Christians don't feel or act like more than conquerors, so how can we walk into this already existing reality of overcoming?

Jesus is a great and mighty savior, and the apostle Paul was transformed and powerfully used by Him in the Bible. How then is it that Paul calls himself a wretched man still struggling mightily with sin AFTER salvation? Was Paul exaggerating, or should Christians expect to struggle against sin their whole lives?

So many times in the Old Testament, we see the people of God turn away from His commands and His worship and then some sort of defeat, trouble or disaster strikes. How can we be on the Lord's side? How can the repeated cycle of sin, judgment, punishment, tears and rescue be broken? Today we discuss the rescue of the Lord and the dangers of spurning Him!

Romans 5 is one of the most underrated chapters of the Bible and it is absolutely stuffed with powerful gospel-goodness. What is the good news of Jesus? Paul repeats it several times and in several ways in Romans 5: While we were sinners, Christ died for us! Today we talk about the good news and how it has brought us to peace with God.

Everybody knows that the Ark of the Covenant is super-powerful and invincible, right? It actually melted Nazis in the Raiders of the Lost Ark! It caused the walls of Jericho to fall down! It killed Uzzah when he touched it! It even blessed the household of a Philistine when King David left it there and fled back to his palace. Since the Ark of the Covenant was so powerful, and seemingly undefeatable, how did the Israelites get destroyed by the Philistines in battle, and have the Ark taken? What could have happened??

Is salvation through Jesus by grace through faith the only way to get to Heaven? Theoretically, it is also possible to 'earn' one's way into Heaven by living a sinless and perfect life. (In the same way that it is also theoretically possible to hit 100,000 hole in ones in a row.) Romans 3, however tells us that ALL have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, and are therefore disqualified from Heaven. How does Jesus then justify His people so that they are able to qualify for eternal life?

Paul in Romans 2 says that certain behaviors among those who believe in God can actually be so severe that they lead to blasphemy among those who don't know God. We learn that hypocritical judgmentalism is near the top of that list. How do we avoid being hypocrites and ungodly judges?

Hannah was an amazing woman, but she was childless and that devastated her. Her rival taunted her, her husband was an oaf who couldn't comfort her, and her pastor/priest thought she was drunk. How did she handle such difficulty in the midst of heartbreak? With great grace and trust in the Lord. Hannah demonstrates to us how to live our lives when we are full of despair and anxiety AND are suffering from the barbs and insults of others. She also shows us the joy of full surrender to the plans and hand of God.

Ruth is, on its surface, a sad book set in a dark time. It tells the story of Naomi - a good Hebrew woman married to a Jewish man who has two sons married to two Moabite daughters. Sadly, Naomi's husband dies early, and then both of her sons also die, forcing Naomi to return to her home country embittered and grieving, with her daughter in law Ruth following her. It is here that hope begins to shine, and God's plan begins to unfold in the darkness. Even in the darkest times, God is working His sovereign plan for the good of those who love Him and for His glory!

It sure feels like God sometimes turns His back to His and stops listening to our prayers. We pray and pray, but don't sense that we've been heard, and our current crisis just seems to get worse and worse. Most Christians would say that God never abandons His children, but Psalms 10 might seem to indicate that He does...could such a thing be possible? We turn to Charles Spurgeon for some wisdom on today's question.

Most people know that Saul/Paul started out as an enemy of Jesus, but most don't know how bad it was. Saul/Paul imprisoned men and women, signed off on their death in an official capacity, tried to get Christians to blaspheme God, and threatened to murder them. Why in the world did Jesus choose to save such an enemy, and what does that say about the grace of God?

Why is the ending of the book of Judges so shocking and hopeless? It is because all of the people were ignoring the Word of God and simply doing what seemed or felt right in their own eyes. How dangerous is it to go with out gut and do what we 'feel' is best? Is there absolute truth, or is it all subjective?

We can learn to pray and worship in a better and deeper way by reading and learning the Psalms. Sometimes, however, we are not able to form words, or come up with the right words. Can it be possible to effectively pray without using words?

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament warn about the dangers of anger, but also suggest that it is possible to be angry without sin. How dangerous is anger? What does sinless anger look like? Is there such a thing as righteous anger? How must Christians handle their anger?

Anxious, negative and depressing thought patterns might just be at an all time high right now among people, as the pandemic rages on, and the world is shook by various trials and troubles. Meditation on God's Word is a powerful supernatural gift and discipline from God that can help us win the war of our mind and walk in greater joy and hope, rather than despair and anxiety.

Most Christians consider 'compromise' to be a bad and dangerous thing - and it is! when it comes to clear teachings, doctrines and commands of the Bible. On the other hand, compromising our personal opinions and convictions (those that aren't based on clear Bible teachings) might sometimes need to be done. Today we examine a couple of instances in Acts 21 where Paul and his friends might have compromised their opinions. Was this a good thing?

The most unjust thing in history happened when the perfectly innocent Jesus was nailed to a cross by sinful human hands. While on the cross, paying the price for all of the sins of humanity, Jesus was completely forsaken by His Father. Why did this horrible thing happen, and why is it wonderful for you and me?

in 167 BC a ruler named Antiochus IV Epiphanes intentionally set up a horrible thing in God's Temple in order to defile it. This was the first abomination of desolation. Jesus also looks forward to the future in Mark 13 and Matthew 24, predicting that another, even worse, abomination of desolation would come in the future. What might this be?

When teaching about the last days, Jesus mentions that a most mysterious sign of the end times: The Abomination of Desolation, which will apparently be set up in the temple of God. Join us for a two part episode that explores what this abomination might be and what it signifies.

There is a fascinating clue in Judges 13 which *might* indicate that the Angel of the Lord is a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus.

Episode #215 is delayed due to a vacation related equipment issue. Lord willing, it will be out tonight. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Right before His crucifixion, Jesus was praying with great drops of blood and seemingly shook to His very core by the 'cup' He was about to drink. We learn in Jeremiah that this cup is the cup of the wrath of God. What does this mean exactly, and how is it the best news in history that Jesus drank this cup, when it is actually you and I that were supposed to drink the cup?

Controversy erupted in the church, as recorded in Acts 15. Some former Pharisees believed that all non-Jewish Christians were obligated to be circumcised and follow the Old Testament Law. Paul and Barnabas were opposed to that, and a great convention of the disciples, apostles and elders happened, where they prayerfully discussed this issue. Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit it was concluded that non-Jews were NOT under the law, with four exceptions.

A desperate father comes to the disciples of Jesus for help. His precious son is tormented by an unclean spirit that seeks to throw him down, and cause him to injure himself. Try as they might, Jesus' disciples cannot heal the boy or cast out the unclean spirit. When Jesus is able to do so with relative ease, the disciples ask Him later the reason for their failure. Mark gives one answer of Jesus, Matthew another. Which is the proper answer: prayer or faith, or is something deeper going on here?