The Yellow Balloons Podcast
by Tim Dunn
The Yellow Balloons Podcast takes a deep dive into what the Bible says, with particular attention toward how Scripture shapes perspective. The Biblical narrative is a guidepost for daily living. It invites us to adopt a true perspective, to be transformed by the choices we make and the God we serve. Full transcripts of each episode can be found on our website at yellowballoons.net
Episodes
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S 14 Ep 20: Should I Vote as a Christian if I don’t agree with any of the Candidates?
Modern politics are full of many traps, landmines, historical abuses, and confusion. It sometimes seems best to avoid politics altogether. The Bible does not advocate for apathy in the world’s political process. It encourages us to discern, influence, and learn from the imperfect institutions…
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S 14 Ep 19: How do I Navigate Politics now that I am a Christian?
People often say the two topics we should avoid at the dinner table are religion and politics. In this episode, we talk about both. How should a new Christian, or an established one, think about politics? What does the Bible say about politics, human institutions, and governance? Although…
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S 14 Ep 18: How do I Navigate My Non-Christian Relationships?
Most Christians struggle with how to answer the questions and skepticism from their non-believing friends. Sharing life with non-Christians is a delicate balance. In this episode, we talk about how to be a witness without using words. We will also discuss how to adjust to a new life in Christ,...
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S 14 Ep 17: What are Spiritual Gifts?
The Bible reveals that every person created in the image of God has certain spiritual gifts or talents. These can be used to help further The Kingdom of God and build up The Body of Christ. In this episode, we talk through the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture. How do we apply these gifts to…
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S 14 Ep 14: What’s the Deal With Church Leadership?
Too often, church leaders are either held on a pedestal or unfairly judged. Church should be a place where good leaders serve the people around them, shepherding others toward the gospel of Jesus. God has put wisdom in each of us. You have the power to discern if church leaders and church...
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S 14 Ep 12: What is church? Do I Need to Join One?
Meeting with a community of believers is an important aspect to Christian life. We often talk about these meeting spaces as “churches”. In this episode, we talk about the purpose of church and how to go about finding the right community. Daily Christian community happens in our local groups. But...
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S 14 Ep 11: Why are There Different Translations of the Bible?
New Christians are often surprised and confused to discover there are several different Biblical translations. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek. For centuries, it has needed to be translated in order for the global community to understand its message. Even experienced…
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S 14 Ep 10: What is The Bible About?
Why was The Bible written? Is there a main point to it? What is The Bible about? In this episode, we discuss these questions by addressing both the metaphysical and rudimentary value of Scripture. The Bible helps us discover who God is, who we are, and how we ought to interact with God…
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S 14 Ep 9: What Does Flesh vs Spirit Mean?
The Bible often talks about two different paths. One is the path God suggests and it leads to goodness. The other is the path of destruction. One framework Scripture uses to describe these two paths is flesh versus spirit. People sometimes think that being a Chrsitian means the voice of the…
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S 14 Ep 8: How is the Bible Relevant to My Life?
Whether you are a new Christian, an experienced one, or not a believer at all, you likely have some questions about the authenticity of The Bible. How can something written so long ago be applicable today? Has it changed throughout the thousands of years it has existed? Can Scripture really help...
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S 14 Ep 7: Do I Have to Follow All the Rules in the Bible?
What about “the rules”? Every Christian knows there are rules: things you are not supposed to do and things you have to do. In this episode, we talk about the nature of those rules. They are not arbitrary requirements to prove obedience; the rules are essentially God’s description of how the…
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S 14 Ep 6: What Does it Mean to be Born Again?
What does it mean to be “born again”, cause that’s a confusing thing to consider?. What is baptism and why does it matter? In this episode, we address questions about what it means to enter and participate in The Kingdom of God. We will help you unravel some of the confusions and distractions,...
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S 14 Ep 5: How is the Bible Organized
If you’re new to Christianity, you may notice the Bible is full of a lot of different kinds of books and that the Christian religion has some really unique and sometimes confusing terms. In this episode, we talk through different sections of the Bible, including the Law (or Torah), the Gospels…
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S 14 Ep 4: Where Do I Start Reading The Bible?
If you are new to Christianity, you might find it overwhelming to open up your bible. There are so many books in the Bible, so many questions, and so many ideas. Where is the best place to begin? The key is just to start. There is no definitive right place to begin, just about anywhere will do.…
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S 14 Ep 3: What is Evangelism?
In this episode, we dive into the question: what is evangelism? The best way to express the gospel to others is to live it out in one’s own life. This is the message of Scripture, from the Shema in Deuteronomy 6 to 1 Peter 3 and The Book of Hebrews. This kind of witness speaks volumes and is much...
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S 14 Ep 2: One Man’s Faith Journey (Part Two)
In this episode, we explore the origins of Christianity and its relationship to Judaism. We talk with Mark Meckler about his faith journey, including the search that got him to Jesus, the questions he had in the beginning, and some of the practices he developed to help him along the way.…
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S 14 Ep 1: One Man’s Faith Journey (Part One)
In this episode, we explore the origins of Christianity and its relationship to Judaism. We talk with Mark Meckler about his faith journey, including the search that got him to Jesus, the questions he had in the beginning, and some of the practices he developed to help him along the way.…
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S 13 Ep 3: Fighting The Same Battle
In this episode, we conclude our series on The Book of Philippians with a discussion on the power of perspective. The way we choose to see things fuels how we act and what we think. Christians are all fighting the same battles. Similar to Paul’s companions, we are called to be of the same mind…
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S 13 Ep 2: The Right Mindset
In this episode, we talk about the right perspective of worldly temptations. Every day, we struggle to give up worldly pride and desires. The appetite for these things is as strong as it is dangerous. The paradox is that seeing these things truly invites us to lay them aside, which actually leads...
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S 13 Ep 1: Don’t Coast In Your Faith
In this episode, we begin our brief series on The Book of Philippians. The beginning of Philippians is all about developing the right mindset. In order to live well, we must have a true perspective and consistent faith. Paul calls the Philippians to task for being too lazy, too apathetic. It is…
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S 12 Ep 1: Character and Courage
The story of Ruth is one of the most beautiful and inspiring narratives of Scripture. Ruth is an example of character, courage, and faith. She takes big risks and embodies what it means to be faithful. This little story packs a punch, showing us all manner of mercy, kindness, and adventure. As a...
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S 11 Ep 7: Paradoxical
Throughout The Book of Romans, Paul addresses the great paradox of faith. Belief requires a certain element of uncertainty. It is all about trusting in God. And trusting in Him leads to certain attitudes and behaviors. Obedience is a work of perspective and a work of action. In this episode, we...
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S 11 Ep 6: Dikaiosune
In this episode, we discuss Paul’s approach to righteousness. Paul’s main thesis is that righteousness is not achieved by man’s ability to uphold the law, but by Jesus’ fulfillment of the law through his life, death, and resurrection. The law is not adequate for salvation. Neither is our ability…
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S 11 Ep 4: The Unrighteous Road
Throughout The Book of Romans, Paul argues that trying to do right all the time is an exercise in futility. Not that we should give up on good behavior, but we should not consider it necessary for acceptance into the Kingdom of God. When our own action is the central hero of our lives, we will…
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S 11 Ep 5: The Definition of Salvation
The Book of Romans centers around the question of whether faith is enough on its own? A key element to Paul’s discussion is the issue of salvation. In this episode, we examine, both in Romans and other books, the many different kinds of salvation the Bible suggests. Perhaps the major flaw in…
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S 11 Ep 3: We’re All Condemners
In this episode, we dive into the weeds of the central question of Romans - are works required or is faith enough on its own? The problem with works as a standard is that it creates a false sense of control. We become dependent and proud of our own capabilities. And it leaves room to judge…
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S 11 Ep 2: The Good Guys and The Bad Guys
The Book of Romans is designed with all the elements of a great narrative. In episode one, we talked about the tension of the plot. In this episode, we look at the heroes and the villains of the story. Paul and his friends are on one side and the Jewish leaders on another. The Jewish leaders are...
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S 11 Ep 1: Believe vs Believe and...
Paul writes The Book of Romans to the believers in the most prominent and influential city of the age - Rome. These believers, like many Christians, are struggling with a specific theological tension. Is belief enough? Or are certain works required as well? There are Jewish believers on both…
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S 10 Ep 12: Contentment
In this episode, we try to answer the question: “what is contentment?” Putting our trust in people, circumstances, and things will never satisfy us. To be satisfied, we must put our trust in the things that man cannot touch. Peace, joy, and purpose come through eternal things. They are not...
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S 10 Ep 11: Being Rich
In this episode, we continue our series on success in the Kingdom of God. We are not talking about how to get rich, but how to be rich. The wealth of God’s Kingdom is not an external marker of achievement but an internal consistency of character. To help us see this, we will unpack 1 Timothy 6:6...
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S 10 Ep 9: A Foundation
In this episode, we continue to explore the key to being rich: listening to God. There is nothing more important than a willingness to listen to God. It is the only thing that leads to a prosperous life and the true riches of The Kingdom of Heaven. Diving deeper into three ways to listen…
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S 10 Ep 10: According to Proverbs
In this episode, we discuss a fourth way to listen to God: through godly people. Like the three from the previous episode, this is also rooted in Proverbs. Solomon’s teaching on the wise and the foolish serves as a sort of blueprint to show us the way to meaningful success in our lives. What…
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S 10 Ep 8: Ways to Hear
In this episode, we continue discussing how to listen to God as a method to experience the riches of the Kingdom of God. There are myriad ways to listen to God. Today we focus on hearing God in nature, listening to godly people as image-bearers of Christ, and listening to the Holy Spirit in...
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S 10 Ep 7: Buying Gold
In this episode, our series on how to be rich continues with a discussion about the opportunity we have to listen to God. Scripture promises we can buy all the gold we want by listening to God. Not physical gold, but spiritual riches. Reading scripture invites us to hear the voice of God, bear...
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S 10 Ep 6: The Voice of The Lord
In this episode, we continue to discuss ways to hear from God. We focus on two powerful ways to observe who God is and what He is doing. The first is by noticing Him in nature and throughout all of our circumstances. The second is by listening to the Holy Spirit within. Listening to the spirit is...
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S 10 Ep 5: Listening for Riches
In this episode, we continue our series on how to be rich. Our society is preoccupied with control and taking charge. The great sin of humanity is when we think we are god rather than vessels to serve God. To become truly rich requires listening to the Lord. There are two ways to improve our...
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S 10 Ep 4: Parables of Gratification
In this episode, we explore two more New Testament parables about money: the unjust steward and the rich man and Lazarus. Much of these parables deal with the issue of time, immediate gratification versus delayed gratification. Giving without expectation does not pay now, but it will pay later....
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S 10 Ep 3: Money Parables
In this episode, we take a look at the way Scripture talks about money. We start by discussing the spiritual truth that money cannot buy happiness. Three parables about money help us see the way God thinks about money is distinct from the world’s view. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost...
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S 10 Ep 2: Self-Governance
In this episode, we continue our discussion on American history and how it affects Western psychology and modern institutions. Then we turn to the origins and value of self-governance, in particular, how Israel qualified as a self-governing nation. That is, until they found it too challenging and...
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S 10 Ep 1: American Prosperity
In this episode, we begin our series on what it means to be rich. Our starting point is a distinction between getting rich and being rich. As a case study, we look at the wealth of America - how did this British outpost become the richest country in the world? At the founding of America as we…
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S 9 Ep 16: In The End
In this episode, we discuss the imminent return of Christ, the antichrist, the final battle, the millennial kingdom, the beast and his number, and the events that surround the end of the old earth. The history of prophecy is meant to help us see where we are and where we are going. Ultimately it...
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S 9 Ep 15: Seventy Weeks
In this episode, we explore one of the most talked about prophecies in Scripture: the “seventy weeks” described in the ninth chapter of Daniel. Examining this important prophecy, we seek to answer three questions: When will the seventy weeks begin and end? What are the signs this prophecy is…
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S 9 Ep 14: History, Past and Present
We continue exploring human history through the Biblical depiction of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the book of Daniel 2. Prophecy, in its many forms, has impacted human history at every turn. We start with the Holy Roman empire and explore how it grew and changed through the centuries. Then we turn…
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S 9 Ep 13: Time After Time
In this episode, we begin to journey through the course of human history, from the Old Testament origins of our faith to our modern world. Using the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream as a backdrop and a sort of metaphor, we explore how our perception shapes not just individual human behavior…
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S 9 Ep 12: Heaven and Earth
In this episode, we continue to discuss the new heavens and the new earth. What does prophecy suggest they will look like? What does this mean for us now? We begin with the bride of Christ as she is presented in the book of Revelation. Then we turn to the glory of the city which comes from the...
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S 9 Ep 11: All Things New
In this episode, we begin to explore what The Bible says about the coming of the New Jerusalem. What does it mean for heaven and earth to pass away and what will come in its place? As we answer this question, we will unpack how the New Jerusalem relates to the bride of Christ. We will examine, to...
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S 9 Ep 10: Overcome
In this episode, we continue to explore future events as revealed through the pages of Scripture, focusing on what we can be sure about. We discuss the rejuvenation of Jerusalem, the keeping of God’s promises to the Jewish people, and the millennial kingdom. If we read, hear, and do we shall...
About this show
The Yellow Balloons Podcast takes a deep dive into what the Bible says, with particular attention toward how Scripture shapes perspective. The Biblical narrative is a guidepost for daily living. It invites us to adopt a true perspective, to be transformed by the choices we make and the God we serve. Full transcripts of each episode can be found on our website at yellowballoons.net
Hosted by
Tim Dunn
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