Bible in Life

Following Jesus is Not Complicated 

The Lord has been reminding me again of late that following Jesus isn’t really complicated. It’s not easy... that's true. But it’s also not confusing and complicated. I think part of the reason this has struck me of late is because of all the books and all the podcasts and all the content I encounter that it seems like we’re muddying the waters and making following Jesus seem really complicated and confusing. 

But it’s ultimately not.

So sometimes I think it's helpful to step back and boil things down to the essence of the thing. So in this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, I offer a simple summary of what following Jesus actually entails. It comes down to devotion and obedience. Cultivate devotion. Practice obedience.

Jesus brings these two together in John 14 and 15.

 

John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

 

John 14:21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” 

 

John 14:24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

 

John 15: 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 

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, X, via email.

Giving People a Chance to Love the Bible, with special guest Matt Whitman 

This episode of the Bible in Life podcast features special guest Matt Whitman of the Ten Minute Bible Hour. In a free wheeling conversation, Matt and I talk about the church and ministry and teaching people the Bible. 

And Matt's new book The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible (which you can find here). 

All of this deals with taking the time and making the effort to teach the Bible in such that helps people love the Bible. 

You can find Matt on YouTube at youtube.com/@MattWhitmanTMBH and youtube.com/@TenMinuteBibleHour

 

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, X, via email.

What was it like to be a Jew in Jesus' day? | Real World of the Gospels, pt. 

In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, we wrap up our series on the real world of the gospels by exploring a few key features of Jewish belief and practice in Jesus' day. Their religious identity gave them a strong social identity. Things like circumcision, clean and unclean foods, and ritual purity marked them out as distinct. 

Not only that, but Jews in the first century knew their story was incomplete. They were longing and waiting for God to act and restore the fortunes of Israel. 

And in that context, along comes a young, upstart rabbi saying, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 

 

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, X, via email.

Money, Finance, and Making a Living in Jesus' Day | Real World of the Gospels, pt. 5

What's a denarius? What's a drachma? What's a talent? How did people people make a living and what was the local economy like in Jesus' day?

In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast we look at the world of money, finance, and making a living the gospels. This episode was inspired by a question emailed in from a listener. 

 

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, X, via email.

Where in the world was Jesus? - Geography | World of the Gospels, pt. 4  

Reading the Bible is like taking a trip to a foreign country in a time machine. And one of the things that means is that, whether we like it or not, we're going to have to learn some geography. 

So in this episode of the Bible in Life podcast we consider the basic geography for the life and ministry of Jesus. 

 

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, X, via email.