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Episodes
Following Jesus by Learning and Living the Bible
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
What's the Measure of Spiritual Maturity?
Is it how involved you are at church?
Is it how much you volunteer and serve?
Is it bible knowledge? Prayer?
What is the goal we should be aiming for in our own spiritual growth and when helping others grow too?
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
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Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.
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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
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Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 27, 2021
Monday Sep 27, 2021
In Psalm 43:4, God is described as our "exceeding joy." The Holy Spirit grow joy in us (Galatians 5:22). Jesus wants us to have overflowing joy, and told us the secret to it (John 15:11).
So it's not surprising that the apostles assume that we go through life with incredibly great joy (1 Peter 1:6-9) and called us to live lives of joy (James 1:2 and Philippians 4:4).
When we know Jesus, we have joy!
I hope this episode encourages you as it did me. May we fix our joy on the unshakeable foundation of Jesus and his promises!
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 20, 2021
Monday Sep 20, 2021
Habakkuk 2:4 is a key verse for walking with God, and it's quoted several times in the New Testament in this regard.
Habakkuk may be my favorite Old Testament prophet. If I'm honest, the prophets can be hard to understand at times, but I get Habakkuk. And I love the message of trust in God, even when He doesn't make sense. In this way, Habakkuk shows us what God wants most from us: loyal, trusting love for God.
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Monday Sep 13, 2021
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. - Romans 8:24-25
Hope is a one of the major engines that drives our life as followers of Jesus. So in the final episode in this series, I want to look our perspective and our approach to life as we live during the overlap of the ages. What perspective shapes our life? What’s our approach to life in view of the tension between joys and sorrows, blessings and hardships that’s normal right now?
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
One of the ways the already and not yet shapes our life is that we are citizens of heaven living in the present evil age. This means we are to live out the life of heaven in the cities and countries where we live ... to be a colony of heaven on earth.
The apostle Paul calls us to this when he says, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" - Philippians 3:20.
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Flesh vs. Spirit is often talked about as if Christians have two natures that are battling within them, the flesh (the so-called "sinful nature") and the Spirit. But this fails to pay close enough attention to Paul’s language … and how it’s shaped by the already, not yet overlap we’ve been talking about. Paul speaks of either being of the flesh or of the Spirit - both/and.
So in this episode we'll explore:
- two key texts - Romans 8:1-9 and Galatians 5:16-24.
- what Paul means by flesh
- how to walk by the Spirit
So that, here in the meantime, we can follow Jesus more fully. Because you can’t follow Jesus unless you walk with the Spirit!
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 23, 2021
Monday Aug 23, 2021
Temptation…who doesn’t experience it? And who doesn't at times yield to it?
We are all confronted by temptation and sin.
So here’s the question:
How can Paul say we’ve died to sin?
But that's what he says in Romans 6:1-2:
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
In this episode we explore the tension we experience between Paul's statement that we're dead to sin and the ongoing reality of sin in our life.
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 16, 2021
Monday Aug 16, 2021
Redeemed.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, you are redeemed - correct?
Well yes, of course.
We sing songs celebrating it.
We praise Jesus for being our redeemer.
We have verses like 1 Peter 1:18-19
8 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
So yes, we are redeemed.
But saying yes, we have redemption doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s only partially true. There's more to the story of redemption than that.
Yes we have redemption, but we’re also looking forward to the day of redemption.
This is the tension we live with in the meantime.
Sign up for the "Bible in Life" monthly and get a free guide: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 09, 2021
Monday Aug 09, 2021
Have you ever felt this tension?
On the one hand, the New Testament says we a more than conquerors.
On the other hand, it says through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Victory now.
Suffering, weakness, and hardship now.
This tension shapes everything the New Testament says about following Jesus. And if we overemphasize either one we will not only distort everything the New Testament say but we'll have a distorted experience of following Jesus.
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 02, 2021
Monday Aug 02, 2021
Leviticus 10 records a shocking and surprising story... God puts to death two priests, Nadab and Abihu, two sons of Aaron. Moses explains why God did this: approaching God is serious business. His holiness must be honored. He must not be treated as ordinary, profane. As priests, these two were supposed to model for Israel the consecration necessary for being a “kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:6), but instead they showed flagrant disregard for God’s command. God needed to drive home the point: “I will be treated as holy.”
This happened on other occasions too. When the priests ignored God’s instructions for how to transport the ark and Uzzah touched the ark to stabilize it, God put him to death (1 Chron 13:9-10). When Ananias and Sapphira lied before the church about their offering, God put them to death too (Acts 5:1-11).
Each of these incidents occur at key moments in the history of God’s people and make the same point: God is not someone to be trifled with. He is holy and his holiness must be taken seriously.
We need to remember that although God has redeemed us by his grace, he calls us to be holy and to honor him as holy. Our Father, hallowed be your name.
Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways
Support this ministry:
Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Connect with me:
Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram
Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.