Ironic Boasts of the Bible - Weakness  And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9 Why would anyone choose to boast about what makes them seem unimpressive or like a loser? That doesn't make any sense. And yet that's what Paul means when he says that he will boast in his weaknesses.  Tune in to this episode of the Bible in Life podcast to think through what it means to boast in our weaknesses.    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

Ironic Boasts of the Bible - The Cross But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. - Galatians 6:14 What does it mean to boast in the cross? And why is boasting in the cross so shocking?   Revelation Study Guide - https://listenerscommentary.com/revelation/   Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

A Basic Theology of Spiritual Growth   Using Aristotle's four causes as a tool to think through the nature of spiritual growth, John provides a basic spiritual theology: what is the "material" spiritual growth works with and on? What is the essence of spiritual growth? What is the key thing that brings about spiritual growth? And what is the aim or goal of spiritual growth in our lives?  Key passages mentioned in this episode: Galatians 2:20 Luke 6:40 Galatians 5:16-24 John 15:1-11     Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

Does Grace Mean God Lowers the Standard? | 1 John   In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, John and Steven explore this question: Does grace mean God lowers the bar of his expectations for his children? Does it mean since he knows they'll never actually measure up that he just lowers the standard? Should we are Christians act like sin is no big deal because God is gracious?    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

Those Born of God Do Not Sin??? | 1 John 3 In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, John and Steven reflect on the nature of sin. Is sin merely breaking God's rules or some religious laws? If we're forgiven, does God no longer see our sin? And what does John mean by saying the person who is born of God does not sin?  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

If our sins are forgiven, why do we need to confess them? First John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." But if our sins are already forgiven, why do need to confess them?  That's the question Steven and John explore in this episode of the Bible in Life podcast.    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

How Does the Faith Get Passed on From Generation to Generation?  In the episode of the Bible in Life podcast, John explores 1 Timothy 1:1-2 and reflects on how the faith gets passed down from one generation to the next.    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

Honesty with God - What Can God Hear?  In this part of my conversation with Kyle Strobel we explore what it looks like to be honest with God, the very theme of the book Where Prayer Becomes Real. As Kyle says, "Prayer is the place we draw near in the truth to offer ourselves to the Lord." Being honest with God depends our view of God and one way to think about who God is, is to think about what God can hear.  Kyle Strobel is a systematic theologian who teaches spiritual theology for Talbot’s Institute for Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Formation Focus programs. His areas of interest include systematic theology, Jonathan Edwards, spiritual formation and prayer. He writes both popular and academic books and articles, and is on the preaching team at Redeemer Church, La Mirada. Book: Where Prayer Becomes Real https://amzn.to/3Wd2uOo    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.   *Book link is an affiliate link

Church Life that Supports Spiritual Formation In this part of my conversation with Kyle Strobel, we consider the longing for depth of meaning and belonging. Many people are coming to recognize the thinness of their busy lives, which lack any real sense of transcendence, any space for self-examination and reflection, and any deep experience of belonging. We need a way of life that creates space for real connection with God and with others. Kyle Strobel is a systematic theologian who teaches spiritual theology for Talbot’s Institute for Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Formation Focus programs. His areas of interest include systematic theology, Jonathan Edwards, spiritual formation and prayer. He writes both popular and academic books and articles, and is on the preaching team at Redeemer Church, La Mirada. Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.

The Messiness of Spiritual Formation This is part 1 of my conversation with Kyle Strobel. One of the major themes of this episode is the messiness of prayer and the messiness of spiritual formation. We explore why this is and that the remedy is NOT just adding spiritual disciplines to your life.  Kyle Strobel is a systematic theologian who teaches spiritual theology for Talbot’s Institute for Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Formation Focus programs. His areas of interest include systematic theology, Jonathan Edwards, spiritual formation and prayer. He writes both popular and academic books and articles, and is on the preaching team at Redeemer Church, La Mirada. Book: Where Prayer Becomes Real https://amzn.to/3Wd2uOo    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time 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 John: 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.   *Book link is an affiliate link