Living in a Changing World — Episode 4: A Furnace of Fire

Living in a Changing World — Episode 4: A Furnace of Fire

How many times has your faith really been put to the test? Your faith is tested every day, but there are times in the life of a Christian when our faith seems to be pressed to the limit. It's not that we're unclear about what we should do. The problem is that it also seems very clear what could happen if we do. That stress causes fear, and that fear clouds our judgment. We must choose between faith and fear.  Three godly, successful young men in the Old Testament found themselves in a life or death situation that revolved around their religion. They were given a choice—disobey God in order to obey the government or obey God and die. Their story is a tremendous example of faith and the courage it gives. That Bible story is known as the fiery furnace, and it is a powerful lesson for Christians today. Read about this subject * Scripture: Daniel 3 * “A President’s Mind and the Hand of God” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/a-presidents-mind-and-the-hand-of-god/] Listen to more on this subject  * Bible Commentary, Track #32 in Ephesians study [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/resources/audio/bible-commentary/]

Living in a Changing World — Episode 3: Governments Change, But God Doesn’t

Nations rise and nations fall. Politicians come and go. The world of politics is unstable and unpredictable. It’s no wonder that elections make us nervous. We work hard to secure our lives and set things in place for our families, and the government with a single decision can change everything we’ve built. We sometimes fear what the future will bring in our nation.  Daniel lived in a foreign land. He had already been ripped away from his home in Judah and was taken to live and work in a country he did not choose—the strange land of Babylon. But in chapter two he learned that he would see another great change. The nation of Babylon seemed secure, but that would eventually change. Another nation would conquer Babylon and Daniel would find himself under a new government. But that was not all that God revealed. The nation that conquered Babylon would be conquered by another kingdom, and then that kingdom would be defeated by another empire.  The cycle of changing administrations of power is the same. But God showed Daniel that He would establish a kingdom that is the exception to the rule. That kingdom will not fall and be replaced by another. It will stand forever. Read about this subject * Scripture: Daniel 2 * What is “Church?” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/bookstore/What-is-Church-p374607013] Listen to more on this subject  * Bible Doctrine, “The Church”, “The Kingdom” [http://tn-biblecollege.edu/thechurch]

Living in a Changing World — Episode 2: His World Changed Overnight

Americans disagree with each other on many points, but there is one thing we agree on: things are changing and they’re changing fast. People are moving from one state to another and from one country to another. The world is a smaller place. Everything seems to be challenged: our government, our education, our families, our values and our way of life.  The book of Daniel is about adjusting to change—not compromising, but standing for what is right and against the wrong while learning how to get along with others with different customs and opinions. Daniel did both. He stood for truth and refused to budge. But he accepted changes that were inconsequential to his faith.  Daniel was a young man whose life changed overnight. He was taken to the strange land of Babylon where everything was different. He saw quickly that he had to choose his battles. There was no point in resisting everything in the Babylonian way of life. But there were some lines he would not cross because the law of God had drawn those lines.  We are living in a spiritual and moral Babylon today. Our world has changed and we are forced to deal with it. Daniel is noted for his wisdom in dealing with difficult matters. We need that wisdom today. This is the perfect book for our time and situation, and this first episode will teach us an important truth about living in a changing world. Read about this subject * Scripture: Daniel 1 * “Thoughts on the Passing of Time” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/thoughts-on-the-passing-of-time/] Listen to more on this subject  * Bible Commentary, I Corinthians [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/resources/audio/bible-commentary/]

Living in a Changing World — Episode 1

We may not like change, but it’s part of life. And there are times when the world around us changes suddenly, drastically and permanently. Life can be so fast and different that our heads swim and it’s hard to think clearly. Today is one of those times. Everything in this country is changing quickly—our neighbors, our government, our schools, our values, our families and even our religion.  How can we as Christians keep our focus in an ever-changing society? This episode is the beginning of a series on this pressing question. In this first episode, we’ll look at a book in the Old Testament that talks about how things change, how they don’t, and how to hold on to our faith when our hectic lives leave us feeling dizzy. Read about this subject * Scripture: Ecclesiastes * “Perilous Times” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/perilous-times/] Listen to more on this subject  * RENEW 2024 – “Understanding the Times” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/resources/audio/tbc-lectureships/]

Gog and Magog: Is Russia a Sign of the End?

An old but still popular view is that Gog and Magog in the Bible refers to Russia, and toward the end of time Russia and its allies will join forces to fight against the nation of Israel. And with all the wars going on, it’s no wonder that people are talking about Gog and Magog. Israel is at war with the Palestinians. Russia is at war with the Ukrainians. The United States is it war with Iran. All this conflict is drawing attention to the Middle East. Preachers and podcasters are speculating about the end of time, and they’re looking for prophecies in the Old Testament and clues from the book of Revelation. They think those prophecies predict what’s going on today in the Middle East, and that’s why we’re hearing the words Gog and Magog more than usual. Most people, even many Bible readers, have never heard of these strange words. Who or what is “Gog and Magog,” and what does this Bible prophecy mean? This episode goes back to the book of Ezekiel where these words were first written and looks at what they mean in their biblical and historical context. Read about this subject * Scripture: Ezekiel 38-39; Daniel 8; Revelation 20:7-9 Listen to more on this subject  * “Gog and Magog” [https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/beyond-the-basics/]