Finding Clarity

There is a harshness to the words of Jesus concerning those who were doing great things for the Lord. Even in spite of all that they did, Jesus abruptly declares that he never knew them and called them workers of lawlessness. What does this passage mean and what are the implications for those who call themselves “Christians "” Here is the 155th episode, " What is the Meaning of Matthew 7:21-23 "

One of the enduring marks of the Christian life is hope. The basis for our hope is the promises that Scriptures make concerning God, Jesus and ourselves. Yet, these same promises can be a source of defeat when we don’t see them being fulfilled in our lives. Here is the 154th episode, " How can I understand God’s promises as conditional and unconditional "

It is not unusual to find someone who was once a part of the church. But because of hurt, disappointment, anger and even indifference they no longer are a part. So, what is the next step? Here is the 153rd episode, " I Gave Up On Church, I Am Done! What’s Next "

There is a comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit prays for us as we endure difficulty in our lives. But how exactly does he do that? Here is the 152nd episode, " How Does The Spirit Intercede For Us? "

It is common to hear various terms used to describe the eternal state of mankind. What do these terms mean and do some of them describe the same thing? Here is the 149th episode, " What Is The Difference Between Heaven, Paradise, Hell, Hades and Purgatory? Part 2 "

Because we are human, we continue to sin. This fact is obviously concerning to us, especially since we are warned that there is a sin that leads to death. Here is the 150th episode, " What Is The Sin That Leads To Death? "

It is evident from reading the New Testament that fasting was a part of the early Christians’ walk with Christ. How do we know the importance of fasting for believers today? Here is the 151st episode, " What Is The Purpose Of Fasting? "

It is common to hear various terms used to describe the eternal state of mankind. What do these terms mean and do some of them describe the same thing? Here is the 148th episode, " What Is The Difference Between Heaven, Paradise, Hell, Hades and Purgatory? "

When we come to Christ in Salvation, we have been forgiven of our sin. If that is true, why must we confess our sins to God in prayer? Here is the 147th episode, " Why Ask For Forgiveness If We have Been Forgiven? "

Jesus stresses that those who refuse to forgive others, will not be forgiven as well. What does this mean for believers who have experienced the forgiveness of Christ? Here is the 146th episode, " What Does No Forgiveness for Unforgiveness Mean For A Believer? "

We understand that Jesus died on the cross and was buried. What happened to Jesus between his death and resurrection? Here is the 145th episode, " Where Was Jesus Between His Death And Resurrection? "

Cremation has become popular in our culture as a means of burial for our loved ones. Does the Bible forbid or allow cremation? Here is the 144th episode, " Where Is The Line Between Doing What We Can And Being Still And Knowing He Is God?"

There are principles that show that we have responsibilities to act, but we are also called to wait on God and trust him. Here is the 143rd episode, " Where Is The Line Between Doing What We Can And Being Still And Knowing He Is God?"

A pastor on T.V. recently said that if you were not giving your full tithe, you were not tithing at all. What if your circumstances don’t allow you to give your full tithe, is that acceptable to God? Here is the 142nd episode, " What If I Can’t Give My Full Tithe?"

God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one yet distinct as persons of the Trinity. Does that mean we can/should pray to any of them? Or are we to pray to God in Jesus name? Here is the 141st episode, "How Do We Pray To The Trinity? "

Sometimes as believers we find ourselves desiring to have nice things. Is that wrong? There are mixed messages out there in the church world. How do we approach this as believers? Here is the 140th episode, "Is It Okay To Want Nice Things?"

As believers, we face situations where we have to trust in the Lord to help. While that seems simple, it is exactly quite difficult. Here is the 139th episode, "How Can I Learn To Trust In God?"

As believers, we have been set free from the bondage of sin. Yet, we continue to give in to the temptations to sin. Here is the 138th episode, "What Are The Keys To Resisting Temptation?"

It is easy to say that you love God. But sometimes the expression of the that love has to be more than just words. Here is the 137th episode, "What Does It Mean To Love The Lord With All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength?"

Sometimes we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We want to be freed from it. We want to know that we are forgiven. But is that possible, when we continue to commit the same sin over and over again? Here is the 135th episode, "Will God Continue To Forgive You If You Commit The Same Sin Over And Over Again?"

When people experience salvation through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, the focus for their lives should change. They find that their priorities in life change. Here is the 134th episode, "What Does It Mean To Seek First The Kingdom Of God?"

Sometimes being told to "Simply Believe" is not enough. The reality of lacking faith is real to many people. Here is the 133rd episode, "Why Do So Many People Struggle With A Lack Of Faith?"

The Scriptures tell believers that they have been empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yet, most are not sure what that means and how that is evident in their everyday lives. Here is the 132nd episode, "How Can We Rely On The Power Of God?"

There are times when a follower of Jesus goes astray. At some point, the follower comes to his or her senses and wants to rededicate their life to Jesus. Here is the 131st episode, "What Does It Mean To Rededicate Your Life To Christ?"

As a follower of Jesus, you are called to abide in Jesus Christ or you will not be able to do anything. Here is the 130th episode, "What Does It Mean To Abide In Christ?"

As a follower of Jesus, you are called to be different in the midst of our world. Here is the 129th episode, "What Does It Mean That Christians Are Not Of This World?"

When someone has hurt us, scars run deep. We know that Jesus calls us to forgive, but it is easier to hold unto to the anger and the hurt. Here is the 128th episode, "What Does The Bible Say About Unforgiveness?"

Whenever there is a crisis, our tendency is to look for someone or something to blame. Recently, some Christian leaders have been saying that the current crisis is God’s judgment for certain sins. Here is the 127th episode, "Is COVID-19 A Judgment From God?"

Jesus told his followers that he came that they may have life and have it more abundantly. If that is true, why does it seem like I am missing out. Here is the 126th episode, "What Did Jesus Mean When He Promised An Abundant Life?"

The scriptures call believers to have the same mind as Christ. Yet, many followers of Jesus don’t know what that means. Here is the 125th episode, "How Can I Have The Mind Of Christ?"

There is nothing more deafening than silence from God when we pray. This is especially true when we are seeking God in the midst of our difficult struggles. Here is the 124th episode, "Why Are There Times When Finding God Is So Difficult?"

The Lord’s Prayer was given to believers by Jesus as a model of prayer. But some believers frown on praying the prayer as part of our daily lives as Christians. Here is the 123rd episode, "Should We Pray The Lord's Prayer?"

Sin is a part of our everyday lives. We sin without even knowing it. Sin is real to us and it causes apprehension concerning the status of our salvation. Here is the 122ndt episode, "Is There Any Way To Lose Your Salvation?"

Everyone has to choose what who they are living for. That choice determines the direction of your life. Here is the 121st episode, "What Does It Mean To Die Daily To Myself?"

The impact of fear is real in our lives. It is also very real when it comes to the issue of our faith. Fear causes us to question God. Here is the 120th episode, "Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen To Good People?"

Our culture ingrains the desire to be successful into hearts and minds of people. This however presents a dilemma for most believers concerning the issue of acquiring wealth and status. Here is the 119th episode, "Is It Wrong For A Christian To Want To Be Rich And Famous?"

Satan is very active in his opposition to humanity in this world. In some instances, his demons possess people. The question is whether that can be true for a believer. Here is the 118th episode, "Can A Christian Be Possessed By Demons?"

Since we understand that only God can know our thoughts and that not every thought we have comes from ourselves, it is difficult to understand how Satan can put thoughts into our minds. Here is the 117th episode, "How Does Satan Put Thoughts Into My Mind?"

It is amazing to realize that believers live in fear, especially when it concerns their sin. It is not unusual to find someone who struggles with the possibility that they have committed the blasphemy against the Spirit. Here is the 116th episode, "What Is The Blasphemy Against The Spirit?"

It is very popular in our culture to believe that everyone has a guardian angel. In fact, there is a whole cultural mindset that seeks to define the in's and out of getting to know your guardian angel. Here is the 115th episode, "Do We Have Guardian Angels?"

Satan’s attack on believers usually occurs in three areas: temptation, accusation, and lies. Often it seems like Satan knows what we are thinking. Here is the 114th episode, "Can Satan Read Our Minds?"

Culture is constantly shifting and the church often struggles to adapt to the change. The tendency is to make our preferences on par with the scriptures. A good example of this concerns the issue of tattoos. Here is the 113th episode, "What Does The Bible Say About Tattoos?"

Jesus commanded his followers to take the gospel and his teachings to the ends of the earth. How can we fulfill that commission if we don’t have the opportunity to go. Here is the 112th episode, "How Can I Be Involved In World Missions Without Going?"

Sometimes our questions reveal the internal struggle we have God. For example. we wrestle with the fairness of God in dealing with those who have never heard the gospel. Here is the 111th episode, "What About People Who Never Hear The Gospel?"

We are bombarded daily with so many voices that seek to direct our thoughts and actions. The issue for a believer is knowing whether the voice you are hearing is God. Here is the 110th episode, "How Can We Recognize The Voice Of God?"

The first miracle that took place in Jesus’ life was his virgin birth. But some versions don’t use the word "virgin" in Isaiah’s prophecy. What is the deal? Here is the 109th episode, "Does Isaiah 7:14 Say "woman" or "virgin"?"

It is hard to believe that Jesus is working on our behalf right now. In fact, many believers are shocked to find out that our Lord is praying for us. Here is the 108th episode, "Does Jesus Pray For Us?"

It is really easy to read someone. All you need is your ears to truly understand the heart of a person. Here is the 107th episode, "How Is The Condition Of My Heart Reflected In My Speech?"

Every human being is by nature a sinner. As followers of Jesus Christ, we struggle against the sin that so easily ensnares us. Yet we do not have to struggle alone. Here is the 105th episode, "Why Should We Confess Our Sins To One Another?"

We live in a world where it has become normal to openly mock and curse the God whom you love and follow. The struggle is knowing how to react. Here is the 104th episode, " How Should Christians React When People Use God’s Name As A Curse Word"