The Christian Inquiry

Many people are baffled by the idea of why does God allow suffering. The question is posed, "If God is sovereign and in control of everything, then why does He allow bad things to happen?" This episode seeks to provide several biblical answers of why suffering is a reality of the human experience.

This episode unpacks Proverbs 3:5-6. It deals with the concept of trust. In life trust is a concept that we engage with daily. We operate in the sphere of trust with the mundane things of life as well as major life events. However, when it comes to trust, are we trusting in our own capabilities, intellect, or resources. If so, we have begun to operate from the seat of self-sufficiency which often leads to the exclusion of God in every respect of life. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) informs every reader to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Trust God as opposed to trusting in our human logic and resources.

Do you currently feel that you are drowning in sorrow, grief, agony, and pain by the daunting trials of life? If so, Psalm 121:1-2 provides encouraging enlightenment on how to handle life's issues from a vertical perspective as opposed to a horizontal perspective. This podcast presents the sentiment to "Look Up" when life gets rough and to rely on your help in the midst of trying times.

This episode seeks to address a highly debated and contested topic of conversation about women serving in the pastoral role as well as engaging in the act of preaching. Scriptural insight has been given in this podcast to lay forth the framework and groundwork as it relates to who God has called into the preaching and pastoral ministry. The aim of this episode is to shed light on God’s design as it relates to who should stand and declare the Word of God as His chosen instruments for the proclamation of the gosepl through sermonic dialogue.

This episode is a continuation of Let’s Do What We Were Designed To Do Part 1. God created everything with a creative design for the purpose of functioning in a certain capacity. This episode highlights the purpose by which believers are saved to be God’s workmanship created for good works as opposed to works of the flesh. The focal point of this episode focuses on the theme "Operate According To Our Spiritual DNA" by walking in the creative order that God has designed for believers. The biblical emphasis of this podcast is drawn from Ephesians 2:1-10.

This episode focuses on the aspect of not compromising drawn from Daniel Chapter 1. As we go through life, there will always be times when we are going to have to make decisions to do the right thing. When these times come, and they most certainly will, we will either decide to go with God despite the cost or, we will choose to compromise. The truths contained in this passage will help us as we face the serious crossroads of life. As we share with you on the thought, Don’t Compromise, my prayer is that you can glean the strength that you need to always make your stand for the Lord.

God created everything with a creative design for the purpose of functioning in a certain capacity. This episode highlights the purpose by which believers are saved to be God’s workmanship created for good works as opposed to works of the flesh. The focal point of this episode focuses on the theme "Refraining From Spiritual Malfunction" by walking in the creative order that God has designed for believers. The biblical emphasis of this podcast is drawn from Ephesians 2:1-10.

This episode is a continuation of Known By Their Fruits Part 1 that aims at highlighting the writings of Matthew Ch. 7, as it relates to the stark contrast or difference between knowing those who are Christians and knowing those that are hypocritical in nature. Matthew 7:15-20 deals with the regularity of those among God’s people that pretend to be a part of the Christian faith but are wolves in sheep's clothing. They practice hypocrisy in their pretense to portray themselves as an heir of the kingdom of God and children of light but they are really the children of disobedience and the children of darkness. This episode helps to shed light on false prophets by expounding upon the nature of false prophets, the difference in the good tree and bad tree, and the end demise of the bad tree.

The writings of Matthew Ch. 7 presents the stark contrast or difference between knowing those who are Christians and knowing those that are hypocritical in nature. Matthew 7:15-20 deals with the regularity of those among God’s people that pretend to be a part of the Christian faith but are wolves in sheep's clothing. They practice hypocrisy in their pretense to portray themselves as an heir of the kingdom of God and children of light but they are really the children of disobedience and the children of darkness. This episode helps to shed light on false prophets by giving a warning against them and revealing the nature of their disguise.

This episode is a continuation of How Can We Falll Asleep Part 1 that addresses the crucial aspect of the alertness of every Christian. When we look at the world around us and all that is unfolding before our eyes, as Christians we need to be aware of the times in which we live and have a sense of urgency in advancing the kingdom of God by declaring His truth. It is imperative that believers be vigilant and attentive as to not be lured into spiritual sleep due to the indulgences of the world. Romans 13:11-14 addresses the dangers of spiritual lethargy and how it prevents us from being operative in the kingdom of God. It is our duty to be watchful and to be engaged in carrying out the will of God as we have been redeemed to bring glory to God as a result of our salvation. Let us do the will of God urgently as the final culmination of our salvation draws near.

The command to love is essential to the believer’s life. Love is the lifeblood of our faith. Without such a command, our faith would be no different from any other religion. It is the extended love of God through Christ dying on the cross that allows believers to experience such freedom. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the greatest and most intense demonstration of love ever shown towards humanity. Without such an example, man’s inferior acts of love will fall short of God’s standards, but because of it, mankind will not only experience this love but is able to extend this love to others. What great depths Christ went through to extend this love to the world.

One of the most important decisions a person or a family can make is the selection of a good life insurance policy. Life insurance is an essential part of any family financial plan. It safeguards the family’s security in the event of the death of the person who provides the income by which that family is supported. Life insurance is also important because it is one way by which the present generation can pass wealth on to the next. There are very few decisions we will ever make in life that are as important as the decision we make about life insurance. While Jesus may well have died without a life insurance policy, He was reminding us of some coverage that we should all have that is far more important before we die. That is why we need to be sure that we have a life assurance policy.

This episode addresses the crucial aspect of the alertness of every Christian. When we look at the world around us and all that is unfolding before our eyes, as Christians we need to be aware of the times in which we live. It is imperative that believers be vigilant and attentive as to not be lured into spiritual sleep due to the indulgences of the world. Romans 13:11-14 addresses the dangers of spiritual lethargy and how it prevents us from being operative in the kingdom of God. It is our duty to be watchful and to be engaged in carrying out the will of God as we have been redeemed to bring glory to God as a result of our salvation. 

Look at the world’s current state with the war in Ukraine, rumors of wars, Covid-19, and much more, it seems that there would be a push for unity. Look at the United States, a line has been drawn in the sand, party lines are divided, democrats versus republicans, the vaxxed versus the unvaxxed, parents against parents, children against parents, etc. There seems to be a lack of love, and that lack of love has spilled over into the church. The same issues that plague our world are the same problems that burden the church today. John MacArthur wrote, “Every problem that our church has ever faced can be traced back to a lack of love.” The church should operate by a different standard, and that stand is built around “A Commanding Love.” Love is the central theme of the believer’s life, and for there to be unity amongst believers, there must be love. “The Command to Love” that Christ prescribed for professing believers can remedy any problem facing the church today.

A precept is defined as “a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.” You will notice that the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 speak of the attitudes and actions Christians are to have. This means that Christians must maintain control of their attitudes and their actions. The Thessalonians needed to stay on top of their behavior at all times. You will notice that Paul was commanding constant attitudes and actions that should come from believers. They were not to display the things mentioned in this text in good times only. They are not things that should be demonstrated as the result of some satisfying experience that occurs every now and then. They are to be a permanent part of the attitude and actions of Christians. Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are to occur regardless of our circumstances.

This podcast outlines biblical inserts pertaining to Matthew 6:33 that gives spiritual and practical insight on how to invest in one's future. Many people seek to invest in their future through various means outside of the will of God and ultimately the path to which they seek leads to emptiness, vanity, and even destruction. Such a path is chosen when people engage life from a secular worldview or horizontal perspective and pursue tangible things that are constantly fading away. An effort to pursue life from a horizontal perspective consumed with the systematic ways of the world causes people to overlook pursing life as God intended from a vertical perspective in alignment with a biblical worldview. God has prescribed how life should be lived in a particular fashion and order; therefore, in this podcast, Matthew 6:33 provides a snapshot of how God envisions for us to live.

The notion that grace is just grace is vague and does not have the power to save. Many believe in grace and they believe in a god but not the God of all grace. The grace and gods of their hope do not have the gracious saving power to vindicate, forgive, nor bring victory and salvation to the lives of their followers. There is even a form of the “Christian God” that some “professing believers” put their faith in but do not believe all that the Holy Scriptures say about Him. Well, true grace is God’s merciful kindness towards us as He extends His Holy Spirit upon our hearts as He turns us to His Son.  It saves us, keeps us, it strengthens us, and increases in us as we continue to put our hope in Christ, which shows the sufficiency of God’s grace. It is special, beneficial, and it governs one's spiritual condition. Grace is a divine influence upon the heart and is reflected by faith in the life of the believer as he or she trusts in God. Grace saves—through faith. Faith is the avenue by which grace is imputed upon us which produces salvation. We are redeemed by faith, justified by faith, and being sacrificed by it.  Grace and faith are both gifts from God, and since they are gifts, then salvation absolutely belongs to God.

We have all heard the familiar idiom, “friend or foe”. It is a cultural expression that implies that a person is either an ally to another person or military force; whereas a foe is an opponent or enemy that stands in opposition to another. In this spotlight, the words of James 4:4 will provide enlightenment on whether a person is a friend or foe of God.

We are living during some strange times. More and more cities are taking drastic steps to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. Even the church has taken some steps as well. Some have suspended in person worship services temporarily, mask have to be worn, temperatures have to be checked, hands washed and sanitized, and many churches have moved many of their ministries online. That’s what it takes to contain a global pandemic like the Coronavirus. But, something we must remember, even if every Christian was quarantined to their homes in the worst possible scenario, you can’t quarantine the Gospel.

Look, let’s be honest, there will always be men and women who equate our victory that we have as believers in God through Jesus Christ as a life that is winning. This equity comes in the form of superficiality and emotionalism. They speak of winning, overcoming, or victory as if it is a lifestyle of vanity built around financial and material favor from God. The more we mature in Christ through the Word of Christ the less we look at God as a geni in a bottle, and come to set our affections on the things in heaven and less on the things of earth. 1 John 5:4-5 plainly lets us know that our victory over the world lies in our faith in God, and not in ourselves.

It seems that we live in a society that is growing more and more anti-Christian by the day. A society, which declares right wrong and wrong right. America is no longer a Christian nation, but has become a pagan nation where men live as if God is dead or irrelevant. As a result, we need to know how to live for God in a pagan world. Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, deals with one area where we can all impact America. An area of Christian activity that has the power to change the society and demonstrate Christ to a lost world. I am talking about the area of prayer.

The world that we live in is connected in numerous ways. As inhabitants of earth we desire to be connected as we live in a connected world. Many of the things that we desire to feel connected to in society include social platforms, social circles, social media outlets, economic platforms, and economic circles. The world is driven by such things that seek to capture our attention. However, despite the connections that we may have in the greater society, there is no connection that is more important and vital than having a connection with Jesus Christ. This episode based on John 15:1-6 outlines the details and importance of our lives being linked with the life-giving source of Christ as the True Vine as well as highlighting the impending destruction for those who are disconnected from the True Vine. Therefore it behooves everyone to analyze their lives to see if they are truly connected with Christ or disconnected from Him because their connectivity or lack of connectivity is a matter of life and death.

Have you ever wanted to "get even" with those in whom you feel have wronged you? Like many others, you are not alone. Revenge is an act of emotional incapacitation which causes the offended to become no better than the offender. It is also sinful and must not be a part of the believer's life as God is the avenger of wrongs that are done to His children. In other words, vengeance belongs to Him. God's vindication is divine, righteous, and just as wrongdoers will receive the repayment they are due. So, leave the retaliation to God because he can do a better job at it since vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay.

Are you struggling with pain, issues in your life, coming to terms with past events where you have inflicted physical or emotion pain or hurt upon another, or maybe you are trying to deal with past sins? Maybe guilt and shame has beat you down and you are in need of forgiveness. The idea of forgiving one's self is becoming all too common, but the truth is, only God can forgive you of your sins or anything else that ails you. The Apostle John in 1 John 1:9 helps us to come to terms with this fact as he tells us that true confession to God about one's sins and shortcomings initiates God forgiveness. Forgiving one's self requires active participation solely on the part of the offender. It suggests that one is in it alone but this is far from the truth because we can do nothing of spiritual or eternal value apart from God. God forgives, anything else is to err.

You have heard the phrase, "Give the gift of life by being a blood donor." That is true "blood is life." Your body needs a certain amount of blood in it to live. The body needs blood in order to fully function. Blood is life. Jesus donated His blood so that we could have everlasting life and receive forgiveness of our sins. Jesus was a blood donor. Jesus was the ultimate blood donor. This episode is drawn from Ephesians 1:7-9 to emphasis this great truth. 

We live in a world whereby people look to be accepted in all aspects of life. People have a desire to be accepted into into Ivy League schools, prestigious universities, reputable social clubs, prominent organizations and career fields, be among the elite of society, and even be accepted among their peers. The truth is that many individuals long to be accepted in the greater society because they simply want to fit in and not be labeled a misfit. In anything in life people want to feel accepted as opposed to feeling like a misfit or someone that is not suitable for any organization or group. The reality that humans face at times in life include being excluded, ousted, ostracized, or rejected in the eyes of mankind. However, there is great news for us today, that no matter how much you may fail at fitting in within society, God always stands ready to accept you into His royal family and kingdom. Ephesians 1:4-7 speaks to the reality of finding acceptance in God based on three facts: 1. We have acceptance because He chose us 2. We have acceptance as a result of His immeasurable grace and 3. We have acceptance because of His redemptive love.

Reckless love? Some would dare to say, and have even said that God's love for humanity is reckless. What an incorrect and blasphemous statement if there ever was one. Recklessness denotes the idea of one who has not thought or does not care about the consequences of their decisions or actions, and the effect they will have on others. Rather than being thoughtless and impulsive, God was clear in conscienceness and methodical in His plans for humanity. God extended His love in such a way that the gift He gave cost Him everything for the salvation of humanity (John 3:15, ESV). It was agape love that He had for humanity that caused Him to give the world such a great gift. The gift, His Son, can be seen throughout human history dating back to the day God placed punishment upon Adam, Eve, and the serpent (Genesis 3:15, ESV). God's love is responsible, full of compassion, and care, so it therefore cannot be considered reckless. Those who would consider God's love in such a manner could have not possibly opened the gift that He gave to the world. Instead of calling it reckless, it should be called planned love, unconditional love, or responsible love.

"Follow your heart", is the worst advice one can give his or her peer. This statement is especially true for believers as it is erroneous advise that can lead to dangerous consequences if one decides to adhere to it. The heart is deceitful and hopelessly sinful, therefore, it is quite hard to understand it. It is filled with affections, it is emotional, and can and will be led astray by these passions (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV). When one is led adrift, there will be danger lurking around every corner. The consequences can be life-changing or life-threatening in the most negative sense imaginable. The Good News is today that we can be kept on the straight and narrow path by leading our hearts and following God through His Spirit. God is the only One who can understand our hearts and therefore we must seek His guidance and allow Him to answer our situations, problems, issues, and circumstances through prayer and His Word (Jeremiah 17:10, ESV). So, lead your heart, and do not be led by your passions.

Many people think that God has given them a tough life, while others are living the smooth easy life. We all have times where we feel that we suffer more than others. It is in these times, we begin to utter to ourselves, Lord I’m feeling some type of way. Psalm 34:17-19 gives us details concerning a time in David’s life where he encourages his men and those of us who are the children of God, to seek comfort in the Lord when we are feeling some type of way.

Have you ever felt inadequate or limited to accomplish certain goals in your life and for the Lord? We often feel like our lives are limited on what we can accomplish for God. Matthew 14:14-21 gives us details concerning how God can take our little and accomplish a lot. This weekly spotlight focuses on knowing that anything that is placed in God’s hands, no matter how great or small, will be used of Him in a mighty and remarkable way.

Many people claim to know Jesus, often the assertion is made based only on knowing about Jesus. The reality of knowing someone and knowing about someone is very different in its approach and nature. 1 John 2:2-6 outlines the true means, whereby, individuals can know Him. This weekly spotlight focuses on knowing Jesus as the propitiation for our sins, knowing Him by keeping His commandments, and knowing Him by walking as He walked. 

As Christians, we are often the object of spiritual attacks. Satan is namely the cause of many attacks that we face in life. He is depicted as a roaring lion that is always on the prowl seeking whom he may devour. With this reality in mind, how do we withstand the vicious hostility and assaults of the Evil One. Today's weekly spotlight provides insightful truths on how we can face the ploys of Satan. 1 Peter 5:8-9 gives us insight as to how we can withstand Satan, by being sober, vigilant, and standing firm in the faith. 

We are excited to announce that we are in the process of adding a new segment to our podcast. This new segment will be entitled Weekly Spotlight. It will focus on bringing you brief encouraging and disciple driven messages to help you through your week. In life we know that there are many various trials and tribulations that we face. There are times of uncertainty, times of despair, times of hopelessness, and times of mental unrest. Life is often like a roller coaster where you have ups and downs, highs and lows, mountain top experiences as well as valley experiences. No matter where you may find yourself in this season of life, we can be reassured to find comfort, hope, encouragement, and strength to help us be better renewed in God's Word. We pray that these weekly segments will be beneficial to you as we offer practical insights from God's Word to help strengthen your walk with the Lord.

People are often intrigued about understanding the person, being, nature, and character of God. This episode helps to unfold the layers or the multiple dimensions of God as the triune God operating in the personality as God the Son and His respective work in the Godhead. The Bible highlights many passages that explain the narrative of what biblical scholars as well as theologians refer to God as the Trinity or Godhead; thus, it is the aim of this platform to shed light on who God is as it relates to the work of God in His unifying roles within the doctrine of the Trinity. This episode lays forth the reality of God the Father as the source of salvation, the Author of Christianity, the Head of the Church, and the Mediator between God and mankind.

People are often inquisitive about understanding the person, being, nature, and character of God. This episode helps to peel back the layers or the multiple dimensions of God as the triune God operating in the personalities as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  The Bible highlights many passages that explain the narrative of what biblical scholars as well as theologians refer to God as the Trinity or Godhead; thus, it is the aim of this platform to shed light on who God is as it relates to the work of God in His unifying roles within the doctrine of the Trinity. This episode lays forth the reality of God the Father as: God the Creator, God the Sustainer, God the Orchestrator of All Things, and God the Author and Giver of Salvation.

Many people are puzzled by the existence of God. Therefore, they seek to come to grips with the reality if God is real, how can we prove that God is real, and so many other thought provoking questions that come to mind. This episode outlines the fundamental and biblical truths as to how we can know for certain that God indeed exists. The burden of proof is found within the eternality of God, the general revelation of nature, God's divine revelation of Scripture, His existence personified in Christ, and His existence as displayed through the life of every believer. God has chosen these means to declare His existence within the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. 

Have you ever been fascinated with the probing questions pertaining to life? Questions that cause you to wonder: Does God exist? Who is God? Why do we exist? What is my purpose in life? Who created the world? Why does evil exist? What happens when we die? And so many other thought provoking questions that come to mind. If you find yourself trying to connect the dots to these questions, join us by subscribing to The Christian Inquiry Podcast, a platform geared toward providing concrete answers as we search for the truth in God's Word.