Today is our 12th and final biblical pearl for Season 1 of our Pearls Podcast. How in the world do we finish this season? What is the biblical pearl to leave you with for now? How do we end such a rich and generous season in the Word of God together? How do we get up from the biblical table and live forward into our lives today? I spent quite a bit of time in prayer thinking through what the 12th pearl would be. What is ONE more thing in the “better than” Story of the Bible that I would want imp...
Apr 18, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In the Bible, the Living God repeats what He cares about. If I spend time with you, I will quickly learn what and who you care about by your words. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth will speak. There is a command, an instruction unto shalom that the Living God repeats over and over throughout the Story of the Bible. It is summed up in one simple yet powerful word – remember. Sometimes its given in the reverse – do not forget. Zakhar is the Hebrew word for “to remember”. When we think of...
Apr 11, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Today’s biblical pearl is one of those deeply beautiful truths that calms, soothes, and raises a sabbathed rest in my heart. It makes me slow down, worry less and breathe deeper. It makes me trust more, longer and wider in the person of Jesus. It stirs faith within me. It tells me that I am going to make it through this life because of who Jesus is. You are going to make it through this life because of who Jesus is. John 10 is one of the most well known passages in the New Testament. Jesus says ...
Apr 04, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 10
One of the most well known psalms in the entire Bible is Psalm 23. It is affectionately referred to as the “Shepherd’s Psalm”. The Scriptures often use the metaphor of shepherd/sheep to describe our relationship with the Living God. He is the Good Shepherd, faithfully tending to His flock. Interestingly, even in modern-day Israel you see shepherds with their sheep. The Living God was using imagery that they would regularly see to remind them often of His faithful presence in their lives. For yea...
Mar 28, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Today’s episode is another example of the ancient and ever Story of the Bible meeting us in our current, modern, right now stories and lives. Our central pearl today is found in James 1:1-2. Some scholars believe that the book of the James was the FIRST book of the New Testament ever penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If this is the case, the first author of the New Testament writings was none other than Jesus’ half-brother James. If the first two verses of the New Testament are in...
Mar 21, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 8
I’m so excited to share today’s episode and historical pearl with you. It is one of my favorite things to talk and teach about. We are getting ready to learn the history and wonder of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is NOT Jewish Christmas. Hanukkah is a deeply historical, meaningful and powerful story that encourages me every single day. It is a holiday within the Jewish calendar, but it’s story speaks to me year-round. The Hebrew word “hanukkah” means “dedication”. Hanukkah is known as the “Festival of Lig...
Mar 14, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In today’s episode, we are going to find gospel gorgeous encouragement in a strange biblical place. A passage of Scripture that can feel rather benign will light up powerfully when we see it anchored in its historical, cultural context. Matthew 10:1-4 is our biblical pearl and it is GOOD news for you and me. This passage courages me forward. This passage causes me to take heart. Today we will look at a brief historical and cultural sketch of some of the 12 disciples listed in Matthew 10. Practic...
Mar 07, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Today’s episode is both deeply meaningful to me and deeply personal. I’m amazed at all the ways the ancient and ever Story of the Bible meets us in our modern, current, right now stories and lives. We are absolutely getting ready to see that Jesus is BETTER than we ever knew! Our biblical pearl today is another well-known and often-taught passage from the New Testament but we are getting ready to look at it through the Middle Eastern lens. It’s the story of Jesus healing the lame man at the Pool...
Feb 28, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Today’s episode is loaded with goodness and I’m so excited to string biblical pearls together with you yet again. We will learn about Jewish discipleship in Jesus’ world 2,000 years ago. What did it mean to follow a rabbi? What did discipleship look like in that ancient Jewish world? Discipleship was less about simply knowing your rabbi and much more about walking so closely to your rabbi that the dust of his feet got all over you. We will look at the Hebraic meaning of “shalom” which is much de...
Feb 21, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Today we are going to learn about Sabbath through Middle Eastern eyes and through the historic cultural context of the Bible. Sabbath is other than, more than and better than the ways we usually think of Sabbath here in the West. The world has a way of knocking rest right out of us. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of Sabbath as running so much deeper, wider and more than merely resting after working, catching our breath in the rat race of life. There are 2 systems at play in the world. Ther...
Feb 14, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Many of us have grown up with some sense of daily Bible reading. Some call it a “quiet time,” while others think of it as daily Bible study or Bible reading. The Scriptures are a feast. They are meant to be experienced, taken into our hearts and lives, trusting they will do their work in us. The Jewish people refer to their daily ready of Scripture as the daily parashah. Parashah carries the idea of “portion.” Daily Bible reading is like eating our daily parashah or portion of biblical food. Tod...
Feb 07, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In 2007 the Lord opened the door for me to go study the Bible in Egypt and Israel. I went and learned that the Living God is BETTER than I ever knew. When the Lord gave us the Bible, He gave us a Story. It’s the best and truest Story ever told. Each story is like a pearl, beautiful and of great price on its own. But what’s more beautiful is stringing the biblical pearls together. Through the Bible, we know who the Living God is, what He’s like and what it is to walk with Him. In this teaching po...
Jan 31, 2022•23 min
When the Lord gave us the Bible, He gave us a Story. It’s the best and truest Story ever told. Each story is like a pearl, beautiful and of great price on its own. But what’s more beautiful is stringing the biblical pearls together. Through the Bible, we know who the Living God is, what He’s like and what it is to walk with Him. In this teaching podcast, we are going to string 12 of my most favorite biblical pearls together starting January 31, subscribe now so you don't miss it!
Jan 21, 2022•53 sec
