Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:37 {Tips for Consistent Bible Reading} I’ve been pretty terrible with reading my Bible in past years, and I really want to stay in God’s Word this year (and always). Can you please give me some advice on how to read my Bible consistently? I always start reading plans, fall behind, then just stop reading altogether. 2. 7:48 {Were OT Sacrifices Purely Symbolic?} Did Levitical sacrifices really do anything beyond point people to Jesus? Hebrews 10:4 and Romans 3: 25 tell us that Jesus' atonement was applied retroactively to Old Testament saints, so were their sacrifices only symbolic? 3. 12:36 {Do Pastors Have Authority over Believers?} A lot of people in my circle talk about being under the "covering" and authority of their pastor and elders. Is this a thing? 4. 16:31 {Tips for Reading Scripture w/Children} It seems like the more I try and teach my kids the Word (ages 8,12 yrs.) the more they say the Bible is boring and groan every time I want to read with them. I’m getting discouraged. Suggestions? 5. 19:22 {When to be Re-Baptized} If I lacked repentance at the time of my baptism years ago as a teen, should I be rebaptized now as an adult? This past year I've experienced true, heart-felt repentance and now I just want to obey. 6. 23:32 {Does the P. of Talents demand Physical Work?} My preacher uses the Parable of Talents to say we must go out to do work for the Lord. I have chronic illness and I don't have energy for stuff outside of my family. Does this mean I waste my talents? 7. 30:47 {Why Didn’t Adam Stop Eve?} Since Adam was sinless before the fall, why didn't he fulfill his role as a husband when Eve was tempted by the serpent (it seems like he was nearby)? 8. 37:40 {Legal, but Is It Moral / Biblical?} In bodybuilding, the usage of performance enhancing drugs are not illegal and are used by higher level competitors. As a Christian, would those drugs be considered sinful to utilize as a tool to be competitive in the pro league? 9. 42:32 {How is the Bible Perfect, Written by Humans?} According to Scripture, all humans are flawed. There are no examples of humans being perfect, apart from Christ. Therefore, how can anyone deem the Bible 100% perfect when its authors were imperfect? 10. 44:27 {A Prayer Request from Pastor Mike} Today I want to know how we can all pray for YOU and your ministry. 11. 46:03 {Who are the Watchers in Daniel 4?} Who are the “watchers” of Daniel 4: 17? Do they play an end times role? 12. 51:23 {Advice for a Transgender Situation} My baby’s kindergarten has hired a transgender person who advocates. If kids ask, they will say that he is a trans. My baby is just 1 yr. old. Is it even safe for her to be with this confused person? Any advice? 13. 55:52 {Comfort from Scripture after a Breakup} My girlfriend (devout Catholic) and I (devout "protestant") broke up recently after dating for a year. We wanted to get married, but we broke up due to our faiths. Where can I read for comfort? 14. 57:27 {Will we be Judged for our Words or Intentions?} Will God judge us for what we said, or for what we meant by those words? 15. 59:43 {Understanding the Trinity} How should we understand the "power dynamic" within the Trinity specifically as it applies to "sending" (filioque clause in mind)? Does the Father have a sort of "sending" authority over the Son & the Spirit? 16. 1:02:33 {About the “Little gods” Theory} Can you explain a biblical view of the "little gods" theory (Psalm 82:6 and John 10: 34)? 17. 1:12:34 {About Jacob’s “Wrestle” with God} Did Jacob really "wrestle" with God? Why does Genesis make it sound as though he "won" this fight? 18. 1:15:04 {About the “Tongues of Angels”} 1Corinthians 13:1 refers to "speaking in the tongues of men and of angels." The tongues of men are just different languages, but what are tongues of angels? 19. 1:19:20 {Why We Should Go to Church} My aunt tells me to go to church because that's when the Holy Spirit "descends" and is with us. Is this true? I'm abroad for school and I don't understand the language that well. Should I still go? 20. 1:22:35 {How to Grow in Christ} What's the best way to get closest to Christ?
I'm so happy to see your name and picture Sarah!! We've been praying for you! I'm so glad you are well enough to be helping Mike minister the Word to us. God bless you!
Thank you all so much for your encouragement in the live chat today! It's so, SO good to be back. Praise the Lord! He graciously answered all of your prayers for me and I'm so thankful for them. 💖
I am certainly not the guy who quotes chapter and verse but I wake up 2 hours before I need , crab a coffee and read The Bible almost every day because I know I will get too busy during the day . Of course it takes time to get used to it but it's worth it . I'm literally on my 3rd read through the whole Word in a little more than a year . I have a study Bible and I Google or Blue Letter every word or idea that I don't understand . Waking up to read is a habit now and the more I learn the more I want to study and the more I fall in love with Jesus !
Amen!!!! I love the Bible now! It has historical, stories, heros, giants, villainss, philosophy, poetry, and songs, as well as good versus evil and a great happy ending!
I just want to say Mike, you have been such a blessing to me. I was raised in a mormon family here in Utah. I left my parents religion at 18 and started down the New Age path as a homosexual. Then somehow I began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. They had found me when I was so lost and broken from drug abuse and my immoral lifestyle. I was pregnant and had no idea what to do with my life and the Witnesses seemed to have the answers. 8 years of thinking that was the truth and trying so hard to earn Gods love through all my service hours, I never felt like it was enough. Anxiety and depression ruled my life but finally I stumbled across your videos and was saved. I have never truly understood the meaning of grace and who Jesus' true identity is but your teachings have been a lamp to my feet in helping me really understand my Bible. I was just disfellowshipped in Dec 2021 and now am starting 2022 as a born again Christian. I just celebrated my first Christ centered Christmas. I cannot express my gratitude towards you for pointing me to the true and Biblical Christ. My relationship with Jesus has blossomed and I can now honestly say I walk with the Lord. I didn't know what that really meant before. There is true freedom in Christ and I am experiencing that first hand! So thank you so much for your ministry. You are really helping bring in lost sheep. I will continue to pray for you and your family. I know it is not easy to put that many hours in but continue to pour yourself out because you are doing so much good work! Praise God!
Praying for deep, restful, regular REM sleep for you, Pastor Mike. You are a very good teacher who is careful to give biblically based responses. I will pray for God to continue to bless you with wisdom and knowledge. God bless you always.
This year I have been in the word extremely consistently. The most important thing i have done is set my heart and mind on reading the word no matter how much it cuts, forms, disciples and shapes me. The best thing to understand is that the word is meant to war on my flesh and the old man so the spirit can reign in me instead of sin. I read so that i can work out my own salvation with fear and trembling and to know the Holy Scriptures for my own salvation. be humble and submit to the word inside you for it has the power to save your soul. last and definitely the most important reason is to deepen bond with my heavenly Father and to know Jesus Christ because i count everything as garbage compared to the infinite value of knowing Him. ✨️ ❤
To the number 4 question about kids DON'T STOP! as a kid of about the same age I hated my dad reading the Bible every night but now I am so glad he read it to me and to be honest he was not good with it at all but I have not forgotten it! So please keep it up! teach it when you set down, when you walk, when talk, bind it up on them they will thank you for it later. Bless you!
@@Dcm193 indoctrination is what you get in the secular schools and colleges. I don't say tell them it is the only way for them but it is the only way for me. The gospel is personal relationship their choice. Open-minded is the key.
@@dentonhahn2907 brother say you were the kid and your dad said something like “ I must do 200 push ups every week or I will be sent to a bad place”. Would that not scare them into joining. How are secular schools indoctrination?
@@Dcm193 joining what? The bible is a book of a revelation of who God is my dad never said you must believe it not once. I don't know about all school but the ones I do teach evolution as a fact and God as fiction with no room for evidence. God leaves it open for each one choose relationship with him or as the old song says "I did it my way." He will honor your will.
The first question reallly sat with me. I was like why don’t I have that sense/feeling every time I read. You described it perfectly I’ve been focusing on that devotional feeling.
I used to teach Sunday school. The one thing I found that everyone loves, is trivia. So I would find interesting facts in the Bible and we would discuss that.
Thank you for modeling God's wisdom that is "pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
Bible reading plans can put a lot of pressure on you to hurry up or not fall behind. I lean that way. It's not a race. It should be making you better. Think of it as spiritual food. What I find helpful is picking a book, reading it at my pace and finding good resources to understand it better. There are 66 to choose from and God isn't going anywhere. (He loves you and is working on you every day whether or not you're good at this.) You can do this. The audiobible option is good too.
This is long, but if you’re struggling with the Bible please read it. The Lord just gave me this clarity a couple weeks ago and then the timing of this video I felt lead to comment with my experience bc the Lord doesn’t just answer our prayers and give us clarity for ourselves, but to share with others as well 🥰 I’m on the spectrum and I have ADHD. Reading anything is hard for me. I am intellectually gifted, so it’s not that I can’t do it. It’s that I struggle to stay focused so my reading comprehension is not good when I’m not focused. So, I tend to watch your videos and other videos on in depth studies and follow along. And forever, I beat myself up, but we all learn differently. It’s scientifically/psychologically documented different people learn different ways. For some that might be reading, others it might be listening over audiobook, and some it might be interactive studies with people. Yes, I do read in my Bible independently, but my often need help understanding because of my poor focus and comprehension. This made me have anxiety anytime I thought about the Bible, bc I was afraid I wouldn’t understand it. That made it hard to pick up at all. So, I prayed and the Lord gave me insight that I was putting too much pressure on myself to do it and it was causing me to have a hard time picking up the Bible. There’s so much more to Christian life than just reading the Bible. And if I’m reading the Bible because it’s what a “good” Christian does then I’m not doing it for the right reasons. I’m doing it for myself, to feel good about myself-like I’m somehow earning my salvation. That’s a selfish reason to come to the Bible. The reason should be to come to know God, His promises, His love, and His Word. Reading the Bible won’t get me into heaven and I can’t earn it if I read the Bible enough in my lifetime. That takes value from what Christ did on the cross. So, I need to be doing it for the pure reasons. So, I got good clarity. I’m still too anxious to pick up my Bible right now, I’m unlearning that mentality. But, I’m easing my way back in with Bible Study videos. So, be careful about putting too much pressure to read it, it can really be damaging in the long run! If we feel we aren’t “good enough” to be a Christian it can make us give up entirely. But, none of us will ever be “good enough” that’s why salvation is so beautiful. It was a gift we did and can do nothing to deserve. I’m an avid researcher, I can read and comprehend large quantities of info IF I’m interested in it. I’ve even done it with the Bible. But, when I started applying pressure to myself and I started reading because it was what I was “supposed to do” I stopped getting anything from it. Your heart has to be in the right place. When it is, you will devour it and you will learn so much from it. I hope this gives someone else perspective like it did me ❤️ The Lord had been answering my prayers left and right and I haven’t read my Bible much over the last year. But, even when I’m not in my Bible, I don’t give up. I’m always praying and doing my best to take up my cross daily based on what I have read. I actually just found out about my ADHD and Autism this year, at age 30, after diligent, consistent prayer trying to get to the bottom of my problematic functioning, reading of the Bible, and my consistency in my life. And I ran across info on both of them at random. The Lord guides you, you just have to be watching and mindful. He meets you where you are. We hear it all the time, but I think we fail to realize what that means. He meets you where you are, in your sin, in your confusion, in your dysfunction, and He guides you out of it. HE does that. He is the perfector of our faith, and our guiding light. Remember, there’s so much more to being a Christian than just the Bible. Although, the Bible is so important, approach it without the expectation to walk alway with clarity or epiphany. Because sometimes the clarity and epiphany comes over time or when specific circumstances pop up in life. The Holy Spirit uses the verses you have read. And the Lord puts things in my face when I need to see them. Like this video, other videos, posts, etc.
Thanks for your thoughts! I have a similar problem. Whenever I read the Bible, I will be thinking of something else at the same time. I try to pay complete attention, but I don’t beat myself up about it because every now and then I will read something that stands out to me and helps me in my life. So even if you aren’t the best at focusing, that’s ok because God can still speak to you and you can pray that He will point out what you need. God bless! 💗
Thank you so much for this! I memorized a ton of verses as a kid in AWANA, etc, but I never was able to get into a regular reading habit. Now, at 40 and after brain damage, reading is more difficult than it used to be. I have been gobbling up Mike's videos and a few others I've found, but still continuously beating myself up for not actually sitting down and reading the Bible itself. I think this is the first time I've heard someone address it this way and it was really encouraging.
Thanks for sharing your struggles, I have a very intelligent 15 year old son that seems to be having a hard time with comprehension, you e encouraged me to really focus on finding his learning style, and now to help him not beat himself up!
I have found audio Bible helps me. I need my hands busy to focus best…. So I found that listening allows me to do something mindless with my hands like paint a wall, fold laundry, do dishes and can focus more on what I’m hearing.
Reading the Bible can be an extremely difficult, especially if you aren't doing it consistently. I feel like once you miss one day it is so easy to allow that to continue day by day. It requires self discipline and a desire for the Lord.
Q1, how to consistently read the Bible: four things have helped me. 1: Realizing that the best thing I can do for those around me, both Christian and my witness to non Christians is to be in rich relationship with God for myself. Thinking about your influence for others can be a more powerful motivator than just thinking "I should". 2: Put yourself in relationships where your beliefs are challenged. Welcome that Jehovah's witness that knocks on your door to come back again. Talk to your agnostic relative and ask them their spiritual opinions. 3: Find a group or person in your church that is passionate about the Bible and befriend them. Passion is contagious. (Maybe move this up to slot 1) 4: Think of things you believe based on what you've been taught and (with humility that you might get things wrong) see if you can find them in the Bible for yourself. When you run into tough questions take them to people you trust, search for commentaries and sermons on the subject. It's easy to feel like you already know most of what there is to know about the Bible until you learn enough to know how much you don't know.
“Whoever searches must continue to search until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed; and being disturbed, they will marvel and will reign over All.” - Yeshua
Mike, ive had chronic back pain for well over a decade, so i understand how you feel when you cant sleep and I will be lifting you up in prayer! Heavenly Father your word says "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet." in Proverbs 3:24. In Jesus name I repeat your promise in your word for Mike that his sleep would be sweet. You have given us authority over the enemy and with that authority I pray protection over his home from any evil spirt that may come against him. We are your children Lord, please direct our paths and lead us to do your will for your glory! Amen
I love it when God answers my heart cry! I too this year am deeply desiring to find my hunger and thirst for the word again and just today I was led to multiple resources that are such an answer to this longing. Including this specific question being answered today. It truly has helped bring peace to my heart and mind. God is soooooo good!!
Last year I realized that my ridiculously undisciplined approach to reading my Bible had to stop. So, I got a nice notebook, and decided to first read through the Psalms. I give myself one page of the notebook a day. At the top I write the date, then I write the chapters I'm reading for the day. When I'm done reading, I copy down some of the verses that stood out to me; this helps me focus on what I'm reading, because I'm actively looking for verses that are an encouragement, a warning, a prayer, etc. I am also reading a few pages a day from a good book. I started with The Loveliness of Christ by Samuel Rutherford. I write down the page numbers that I read, and then copy out a passage or a few sentences that stood out to me. In this way, I have now read Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations, and I'm a good way through Ezekiel. I've also gone through Romans and am now in 1 Corinthians. I am now into The Love of Christ by Richard Sibbes, a very deep and beautiful Puritan work on Song of Solomon. My entire devotion time takes about 30 minutes. I don't set how many chapters of the Bible I'm going to read, it just depends on how long they are and my energy level. But so far this year I haven't missed a day, and it is so extremely good to be really consistent for the first time in my life. I have tried the One Year Bible and other reading plans, but felt like I was just trying to keep up and I hated it.
Dear Ps Mike, re sleep: get a blood test, check your vitamin B12 levels, if they are low take a vitamin B supplement at bedtime. For me, this has really helped.
To the person who asked Q4 about the children and the Bible, I became saved at nine and I would say that the best thing my parents did was give me resources which made me love the Lord for myself. They never forced me to read the Bible. I was given two Young Adult Bibles , (one which was aimed for 8-12 one for 13-20 though I didn’t get them both simultaneously) which had small stories and explanatory notes in. It included things like getting on with people at school, bullying, peer pressure things like that it showed how the Bible was relevant in my daily life. It also included things like side notes explaining things about life in biblical times. Reading the Bible was something that became and was my choice rather than something I was forced to do and that’s partly because the Bible I had felt very relevant to me. You can still get it (updated though lol) it’s NCV Youth Bible and for a starter Bible it was extremely good. I just wanted to mention it in case it helps anyone. I am truly grateful God brought it into my life at that time, He used it to change my life May He help your children too.
Why didn’t they read you the good book outright. It shows all the loving things god did . The killing innocent people, drowning kids, tempting people. Let us not forget his love for people to burn cows and have people stoned to death.
Thank you Pastor Mike, this ministry is a huge blessing. Praise the Lord for Sarah’s healing and prayers for deep, restorative, peaceful sleep for you.
Almost 5.5 nfl stadiums are subscribed to your channel....God bless you and may He grant you whatever you need to fulfill your purpose to His glory! Thanks man
Great stream today! I love knowing how we can be praying for you. Thank you (and your wonderful team!) for all you do. I cannot understate how impactful this ministry has been for getting me out of Mormonism and into the truth of God's word. One of the biggest anxieties I had coming out of Mormonism was "oh no. what if I am deceived again?" Finding a church was hard because I just didn't know if what the pastor(s) were saying was good teaching or if I was being misled again. The principles you teach here on how to think biblically, and watching how you go about interpreting and applying the Bible, have been invaluable to me. I follow along with a lot of what you teach and find that I often agree with your conclusions, so I feel I have learned a lot about good theology. But more importantly, I feel like I've begun to learn how to think through things and apply scripture for myself in various areas of theology and in various areas of my life. That's a big deal for someone who has always been told what to do and what to believe, and who has settled for accepting, carte blanche, the theology of bad teachers- leading to the messiness and hurt that comes from bad teachings. Although I still approach religious teachers, books, ect with caution and I don't have a great deal of confidence in my ability to "get things right", the crippling anxiety and fear I felt coming out of Mormonism has healed in large part because of the principles and habits I've learned from this channel. The Lord has used this channel to bless me, and heal me, and teach me and I'm so grateful for it.
I’m not even through the full answer for #1 and a light bulb already went off! PRAISE GOD! I struggle with staying in the word too and I just realized it’s because I’m expecting that “devotional moment” every single time I open the Bible… as if God is my horoscope for the day! Ughhhhhhh! Thanks Pastor Mike for helping me to see that!!!! 🙌🏻♥️
I concure 1000%!!! I'm learning so much and being inspired to study and go deeper by watching, listening to Mike. Here's to 2022 being amazing in our growth in Christ regardless of what the world rolls out for us all🙏🙌🤗
I appreciate your balanced answer for Psalm 82. I just wanted to say that Dr. Heiser's videos on this and Angels and the unseen realm in general have been super helpful for me truly getting a grasp on the purposes of God (to draw everyone back to him). I know it's the theme all throughout the Bible (go to all nations and make disciples, etc.) but the way he describes it gives it more weight in my life, practically. I think the reason people shy away from the first explanation you gave is because it's hard for us to say "gods" without thinking about the attributes of Yahweh. But, as you said, they are just created, disembodied beings that do have SOME power (rule over nations) but are not anything like the one true God.
Not sleeping well is an attack from the darkest of sides … keeps us from being able to do what helps others in the best ways possible… Father send angels of comfort each night for the deepest rest ever AMEN 🙏
The end of question 14 was very encouraging, all glory be to God. Lord bless you brother Mike. Because I am very aware of all my past sins and failings, at least all the things I can remember. And to know I’m in Jesus, is the greatest gift to have received Him and Him having received me. God bless you all.
For the person asking about teaching their children the Bible we have gone to using a Christian catechism for kids. It has many questions and we only do two a night at the dinner table. We look up all the Bible verses for each question. It has work really well for us.
Q4: I think pastor Mike is talking about his interview with Natasha crain. She has a few books. One they talked about was "how to talk to your kids about Jesus." I think presenting the bible as relevant to the child's own life is important in maintaining interest. Allowing others who are good teachers to teach your kids is a great tip. I had a youth pastor that I loved and made the bible exciting.
So happy to have you back. Praying for some rejuvenated sleep in the near future. So blessed that Sarah is well and will continue to pray for her. God bless Pastor Mike
Pastor Mike, it troubled me to hear that you have such trouble sleeping. As a school teacher in Alabama, I also have that problem. My doctor prescribed Elavil (generic is Amitriptyline) and this has really helped me. It is non-addictive and doesn't make you feel sleepy or "hung over" the next day. All it does is help your brain stop talking to you and revolving so that you can go to sleep and stay asleep until the alarm for the next morning. I believe in prayer! However, God also asks us to use wisdom. Pray you get some relief!!!!!
Very excited for the women in ministry and Hebrews studies, but so grateful that Mike is taking his time. Mike is definitely my favourite TH-camr. Such valuable and God-glorifying content!
For the (or any) person struggling with reading God's word; I've been meditating alot on "confess your sins and He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness" and, through doing that, the Lord has definetly deepened my repentance and faith. I've been confessing alot lately to the Lord that I don't want to follow Him and I don't want to read the word and I don't want to delight in His commands even though I do. I know He is faithful to cleanse me from this unrighteousness and that a good work in me He began He will complete. The grasping of the depths of God's grace are something that come in the understanding of infinite layers that He must reveal to you.
I do have a suggestion for those who are going to read the Bible for the first time, start with the New Testament with the book of John. And once you finished John, go back and read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Reading John the second time can't hurt. The Bible are all names of books rolled into one book so you don't have to start from the beginning like a regular book novel. Just imagine living in a time before the Bible was written and translated by Scholars and before printers.
Re: watchers and divine counsel, I'm glad you referenced Michael Heiser's work. His yt videos on the subject are helpful. The word 'elohim' refers to beings in the spiritual world. It's a state of being (spiritual) and a 'where' they exist primarily. Humans are both physical and spiritual, at the same time, and our 'where' is primarily on earth. Elohim with a capital 'E' refers to God. This explains the small case 'gods' who are elohim, beings who are spiritual and exist in the spiritual realm, and who are different than God, or Elohim. All beings who exist in the spiritual realm; angels, watchers, cherubim, seraphim, etc, are elohim. Then there's the holy God, Elohim, who is different and separate than all the other spiritual beings. The problem the translators have is language and culture. The words are different in other languages, and cultural practices stem from non Israeli beliefs, so the meaning of all this is obscure.
Response to Q #4: Homeschooling mom, of soon to be 7 kids here! I recommend Nathsha Crain's books for equipping yourself with thoughtful questions while reading from the Bible to engage your kids.
7 kids! 😵 Actually, since you seem like a mom with a lot of experience, I'm hoping I can ask for your perspective on a struggle of mine. I'm 21, and although I certainly want to be married, I'm not sure I should have kids. I'm curious why you decided to have kids, and so many, if that's even polite to ask, lol. Do you have personal or biblical reasons? Maybe both? I'm asking because they few reasons I can think of for anyone having kids are generally deemed selfish by others. I'm worried about what that might mean about my mindset and capacity as a mother. My own mom says "The bible says to go out and multiply". Do you consider that a valid, applicable reason for people in our time? I don't mean to pry or annoy. 😅 I'm just eager for another insight, especially from a fellow Christian woman.
@@dummybear6772 I struggled with this. I really wanted children, but I think life on earth is already very painful for a lot of people and seems it is not getting easier. But I considered there must be a reason why God wanted to populate the earth even though he knew there would be so much suffering. So I just felt like I should trust that there is some reason I don’t understand. In the end I asked God please to only let me have a child if that child belong to him.
I’ve followed you for sometime now and always come away with a better understanding. Miss having you close with a prayer 🙏 Keep healing Sarah prayers for continued recovery. Mike, as a fellow problematic sleeper, I pray for you to have peaceful rest by the grace of God in Jesus name, Amen
Natasha Crain is the person who has developed the resources that Mike is referring to for question 5. I watched her on TH-cam and was so impressed! She has three books on the theme: 1. Keeping Your Kids on God's Side. 2. Talking to Your Kids about God. 3. Talking to Your Kids about Jesus. I haven't used them myself, but I'm planning on buying them for use with my grandchildren.
I find that when I listen to the Bible on an app on my phone while reading in my physical Bible at the same time this helps me to stay focused. And I read more. I’m pretty sure I have heard you mention this before, but reading the same books of the Bible in sections over and over again over a period of a month really does help With understanding and retention.
It was difficult for me to truly value scripture until I picked a chronological plan. If you’ve never read through the Bible in a chronological order, I highly recommend it. It was a game changer for me. It’s helped me understand the overarching narrative of Scripture from beginning to end. It also taught me to read scripture from a God-centered perspective instead of a me-centered perspective. Too often we read scripture with a selfish agenda instead of trying to understand who God is and what He does before applying the text to our lives. The plan I chose was The Bible Recap from Tara-Leigh Cobble.
I thank our heavenly father for you and your wisdom in bible teaching. I like your style a whole lot more because you don't need to shout to speak the word of God and you're doing an amazing job at it.
Question #11 - Dr Michael Heiser has written a book, "The Unseen Realm" which touches on "The Watchers". Dr Heiser is also on TH-cam and has done, in my opinion, extensive studies on the Book of Enoch.
Great advice regarding the reading the Bible daily/regularly. I found that using a reading plan without dictating how much to read each day. I’m reading the Bible as it occurred historically. I am still reading that plan, even though I didn’t do it in a year, or two years. The Chronological plan on the Bible app checks off passage as I read it, and though I may not get a whole day’s recommended reading done at a time, I may end up doing more than a day’s recommendation. One thing I do is keep a journal of passages that I read where God speaks something directly to my life during that reading. I “read” the Bible very differently than I “study” the Bible. My goal in reading the entirety of the Scripture is to familiarize myself with all of the writings. My goal in studying Scripture is to learn what God teaches me through His Word.
For Teaching the Littles: Foundation Worldview has AMAZING curriculum! It’s interesting and challenging: I find it facilitates great conversations. Elizabeth Urbanowicz is the creator of the curriculum.
I started posting the Bible study on FB withe the commentary from David Guzik from Enduring word. That gave me the accountability and depth. Then reading with my daughter, which gave us bonding and discussion time. Then recording it because I struggle having time to read and would like to listen while I work, although I would not get the depth this way, I thought it might help others. These things are what helped me soooooooooooo much!!! and I pray it helps you, I l ove reading the Bible know that its the most important time of my day.
Literally what I planned on doing this year; to read the whole Bible. And I missed a day, than missed another day. It stressed me out and I was disappointed in myself for failing. Than, the other day, I realised... Instead of trying to read the whole Bible in one year; I am just going to read the whole Bible and if that takes me 2-3 year's instead. So be it. I work better when I can do things at my own pace. And honestly, I really hate reading anything no matter what it is. But, I truly love God's Word ❤️.
Because I’m super geeky about stuff like sleep I would gently suggest you have more vitamin d. This is going outside for several hours a day or just taking some. But… you should see doctor to get blood tested for levels. Also you can reset your internal circadian rhythm’s by spending a few minutes a day at sunrise and sunset directly in the sun. The cones in your eyes take this and give the message to your brain to reset. I love this topic it’s so so interesting. I am a nurse and a mom and a lover of the true God. I love your show and watch/listen almost every day (I’m not caught up). Thank you so so much for your commitment to the word of God! What a huge help it has been.
Q4 person: I was saved at age 7, Good News Club. My parents bought a Bible picture book (Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes) for me when I was 2. Which they read from constantly. My mom read stories to us from "More Little Visits With God" every night through much of my childhood. By the time I was saved at 7 I was ready to read a Bible of my own. Also, we were in a Bible believing church/Sunday School every Sunday. I was surrounded with Bible precepts and love the word, but my parents did not sit down and read the Bible to us. They tried a few times, but did not work. The methods they found on their own did work.
At 13 minutes the question of covering by authority came up. This stirred me as I had a pastor of a large evangelical body where we (had) membership use Hebrews 13:17 as proof that we as members need to obey, not question and generally fall in line. He then went on to add that he has had many a sleepless night over this…. Honestly in the leadership meeting he said this I was stunned silent as I felt this was wrong but couldn’t put words to it at that time. I did feel as though I could no longer sit under his leadership the way he dictated. All this to say - watch out for the 9 marks movement in the evangelical church.
That sounds like a cult mentality… unquestioning adherence to the leader rather than the Bible. I like my pastor. He always says tells us to measure what he says against the Bible and to not believe him but rather believe God.
Thank you so much for your obedience and loving wisdom. I really appreciate your ministry. I, too have always had problems with sleep. As I get older, even more so. I’ve always taken something to sleep, either Tylenol PM or melatonin. Sometimes it works but most times it doesn’t. I work in the mental health field and found the doctors always look at the patient’s sleeping patterns because, sleep is dire for our mental, physical and spiritual health. My small suggestion, please get checked out by your doctor. Ask for work up and maybe you are deficient in something or maybe he can suggest something you may take. As a Christian we sometimes don’t want to be dependent on anything but the Lord but I believe the Lord provides us with options. I don’t believe it is harmful to take something that will promote sleep. Sleep is needed and required. It also helps our immunity especially during this time. Just my thoughts. However, I will be praying for restful and peaceful sleep. God is good and He will supply your need. Peace from Buffalo, NY.
Praying that the Lord would give you lots of rest and that he'd lavish upon you his wisdom and discernment in all things. God bless you and your ministry! You've been a great blessing to me and many.
Really struggling to get back into the Word for the last couple of years. I will read it on and off for a few days or even a couple weeks here and there. Distractions, family life, work, health, etc. Just difficult to find the time right now, I am always tired after work and then coming home to kids and wife. I have to switch gears instantly, with no time for rest to reset or prepare for the evening. I have to start cooking, figure out laundry, trash, and help the kids with what they need.
I think the best way to tackle reading your Bible is to not make it a chore but to make it as fun as possible for you. For example, I am super into history and culture and so I end up reading about the historicity of the Bible, ancient books related to it, etc. Find the subject that interests you and find out what the Bible says about it...if you're a mom check all the verses that talk about motherhood, if you're a musician or poet read the Psalms and other poetry books and learn about the way they structured them. The Bible, I believe, has something for everyone and I know that as soon as you start to search for that with fervor and joy reading the Bible and studying it will become a joyous experience, something that you'll look forward to. It'll be more than just a hobbie, you'll center your life around it!
I will pray for you to be able to rest, you do seem really tired. I myself have always since my earliest memories been unable to sleep soundly or enough and feel in a perpetual state of exhaustion. Love your content and presentation. God bless you!
Thank you for helping Mike ! Listening to your messages have been a true blessing. Exegesis critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture. "the task of biblical exegesis"
With regard to the first question, I'm glad you touched on that b/c I've been having dry experiences while studying the word. I'm glad you said that sometimes it's like that b/c I've found myself getting offended with God when feeling like He is avoiding giving me any revelation as I sit in His word. I do agree with reading it all the way through too, but sometimes I'll only turn to what I need to hear. For instance if I'm discouraged, I look at scriptures about that.
Thank you so much Mike! I have had this video in my “to watch” list for a while, and I think God may have lead me to it at this particular moment. I have been thinking ( and stressing) about the parable of the talents and what it means for people who have certain limitations (like me). 💜
Aaaah Mike. The portion on bible reading really hit home. Thank you! Words of wisdom indeed. Read it even though you don't feel like it because it is the "adult" thing to do. Loosely paraphrased of course. 😏 Simple and yet profound. Needed to hear this. God bless! ☺️
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:37 {Tips for Consistent Bible Reading} I’ve been pretty terrible with reading my Bible in past years, and I really want to stay in God’s Word this year (and always). Can you please give me some advice on how to read my Bible consistently? I always start reading plans, fall behind, then just stop reading altogether.
2. 7:48 {Were OT Sacrifices Purely Symbolic?} Did Levitical sacrifices really do anything beyond point people to Jesus? Hebrews 10:4 and Romans 3: 25 tell us that Jesus' atonement was applied retroactively to Old Testament saints, so were their sacrifices only symbolic?
3. 12:36 {Do Pastors Have Authority over Believers?} A lot of people in my circle talk about being under the "covering" and authority of their pastor and elders. Is this a thing?
4. 16:31 {Tips for Reading Scripture w/Children} It seems like the more I try and teach my kids the Word (ages 8,12 yrs.) the more they say the Bible is boring and groan every time I want to read with them. I’m getting discouraged. Suggestions?
5. 19:22 {When to be Re-Baptized} If I lacked repentance at the time of my baptism years ago as a teen, should I be rebaptized now as an adult? This past year I've experienced true, heart-felt repentance and now I just want to obey.
6. 23:32 {Does the P. of Talents demand Physical Work?} My preacher uses the Parable of Talents to say we must go out to do work for the Lord. I have chronic illness and I don't have energy for stuff outside of my family. Does this mean I waste my talents?
7. 30:47 {Why Didn’t Adam Stop Eve?} Since Adam was sinless before the fall, why didn't he fulfill his role as a husband when Eve was tempted by the serpent (it seems like he was nearby)?
8. 37:40 {Legal, but Is It Moral / Biblical?} In bodybuilding, the usage of performance enhancing drugs are not illegal and are used by higher level competitors. As a Christian, would those drugs be considered sinful to utilize as a tool to be competitive in the pro league?
9. 42:32 {How is the Bible Perfect, Written by Humans?} According to Scripture, all humans are flawed. There are no examples of humans being perfect, apart from Christ. Therefore, how can anyone deem the Bible 100% perfect when its authors were imperfect?
10. 44:27 {A Prayer Request from Pastor Mike} Today I want to know how we can all pray for YOU and your ministry.
11. 46:03 {Who are the Watchers in Daniel 4?} Who are the “watchers” of Daniel 4: 17? Do they play an end times role?
12. 51:23 {Advice for a Transgender Situation} My baby’s kindergarten has hired a transgender person who advocates. If kids ask, they will say that he is a trans. My baby is just 1 yr. old. Is it even safe for her to be with this confused person? Any advice?
13. 55:52 {Comfort from Scripture after a Breakup} My girlfriend (devout Catholic) and I (devout "protestant") broke up recently after dating for a year. We wanted to get married, but we broke up due to our faiths. Where can I read for comfort?
14. 57:27 {Will we be Judged for our Words or Intentions?} Will God judge us for what we said, or for what we meant by those words?
15. 59:43 {Understanding the Trinity} How should we understand the "power dynamic" within the Trinity specifically as it applies to "sending" (filioque clause in mind)? Does the Father have a sort of "sending" authority over the Son & the Spirit?
16. 1:02:33 {About the “Little gods” Theory} Can you explain a biblical view of the "little gods" theory (Psalm 82:6 and John 10: 34)?
17. 1:12:34 {About Jacob’s “Wrestle” with God} Did Jacob really "wrestle" with God? Why does Genesis make it sound as though he "won" this fight?
18. 1:15:04 {About the “Tongues of Angels”} 1Corinthians 13:1 refers to "speaking in the tongues of men and of angels." The tongues of men are just different languages, but what are tongues of angels?
19. 1:19:20 {Why We Should Go to Church} My aunt tells me to go to church because that's when the Holy Spirit "descends" and is with us. Is this true? I'm abroad for school and I don't understand the language that well. Should I still go?
20. 1:22:35 {How to Grow in Christ} What's the best way to get closest to Christ?
There should be time stamps of Moxie appearances! 😁 🐱 💛 love the 20 questions! Hope you are feeling better Sarah. 🙏🏻💜😊
Thank you Sarah!! I hope you’re doing well! We’ve all been praying for your recovery❤️🩹
Thank you…
Welcome back!
I'm so happy to see your name and picture Sarah!! We've been praying for you! I'm so glad you are well enough to be helping Mike minister the Word to us. God bless you!
Thank you all so much for your encouragement in the live chat today! It's so, SO good to be back. Praise the Lord! He graciously answered all of your prayers for me and I'm so thankful for them. 💖
Good to have you back Sarah. 😊
Great to have you back! Hope you are feeling much better!
So glad your back! God bless! 💛💛💛
Praise God♥️welcome back!
Glad you are better and back 🙌🏼
I am certainly not the guy who quotes chapter and verse but I wake up 2 hours before I need , crab a coffee and read The Bible almost every day because I know I will get too busy during the day . Of course it takes time to get used to it but it's worth it . I'm literally on my 3rd read through the whole Word in a little more than a year . I have a study Bible and I Google or Blue Letter every word or idea that I don't understand . Waking up to read is a habit now and the more I learn the more I want to study and the more I fall in love with Jesus !
Amen!!!! I love the Bible now! It has historical, stories, heros, giants, villainss, philosophy, poetry, and songs, as well as good versus evil and a great happy ending!
Good for you!! Well done! 👏👏👏👏
I think you'll find God really honours your discipline towards him and blesses your investment in your relationship 👍🙏🙏
Wow this is so inspiring and encouraging! Good for you and thank you for sharing :)
I have to do the same as well. If I don’t do it in the morning, I’ll do it in the night (and be too tired to understand).
You are living out being disciplined. What an example of growing maturity in your faith. Thank you for sharing what has helped you.
I just want to say Mike, you have been such a blessing to me. I was raised in a mormon family here in Utah. I left my parents religion at 18 and started down the New Age path as a homosexual. Then somehow I began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. They had found me when I was so lost and broken from drug abuse and my immoral lifestyle. I was pregnant and had no idea what to do with my life and the Witnesses seemed to have the answers. 8 years of thinking that was the truth and trying so hard to earn Gods love through all my service hours, I never felt like it was enough. Anxiety and depression ruled my life but finally I stumbled across your videos and was saved. I have never truly understood the meaning of grace and who Jesus' true identity is but your teachings have been a lamp to my feet in helping me really understand my Bible. I was just disfellowshipped in Dec 2021 and now am starting 2022 as a born again Christian. I just celebrated my first Christ centered Christmas.
I cannot express my gratitude towards you for pointing me to the true and Biblical Christ. My relationship with Jesus has blossomed and I can now honestly say I walk with the Lord. I didn't know what that really meant before. There is true freedom in Christ and I am experiencing that first hand! So thank you so much for your ministry. You are really helping bring in lost sheep. I will continue to pray for you and your family. I know it is not easy to put that many hours in but continue to pour yourself out because you are doing so much good work! Praise God!
This is a lovely story. Praise the Lord for His redemptive work in those of us who were really far off
Beautiful testimony, thank you for sharing 💗
Keep seeking though.
I hope you are still walking strong in the faith. I just wanted to wish you a belated, "Welcome to the family!"
🙏🏼❤️
Ministry starts at home and it is our first ministry. I appreciate that word Mike. Gives a lot of moms the encouragement they need.
Just paused the video to pray for you that you receive godly dreams and amazing sleep!
To sleep better up your Magnesium intake. It helped me. Thanks for all you do. Praying for you
Praying for deep, restful, regular REM sleep for you, Pastor Mike. You are a very good teacher who is careful to give biblically based responses. I will pray for God to continue to bless you with wisdom and knowledge. God bless you always.
@@edithst-hilaire3824 Hello 👋Beautiful Lady 🌹..How are you and the weather condition today ?
This year I have been in the word extremely consistently. The most important thing i have done is set my heart and mind on reading the word no matter how much it cuts, forms, disciples and shapes me. The best thing to understand is that the word is meant to war on my flesh and the old man so the spirit can reign in me instead of sin. I read so that i can work out my own salvation with fear and trembling and to know the Holy Scriptures for my own salvation. be humble and submit to the word inside you for it has the power to save your soul. last and definitely the most important reason is to deepen bond with my heavenly Father and to know Jesus Christ because i count everything as garbage compared to the infinite value of knowing Him. ✨️ ❤
To the number 4 question about kids DON'T STOP! as a kid of about the same age I hated my dad reading the Bible every night but now I am so glad he read it to me and to be honest he was not good with it at all but I have not forgotten it! So please keep it up! teach it when you set down, when you walk, when talk, bind it up on them they will thank you for it later. Bless you!
Indoctrination is a great apologist tool .
@@Dcm193 indoctrination is what you get in the secular schools and colleges. I don't say tell them it is the only way for them but it is the only way for me. The gospel is personal relationship their choice. Open-minded is the key.
@@dentonhahn2907 brother say you were the kid and your dad said something like “ I must do 200 push ups every week or I will be sent to a bad place”. Would that not scare them into joining. How are secular schools indoctrination?
@@Dcm193 joining what? The bible is a book of a revelation of who God is my dad never said you must believe it not once. I don't know about all school but the ones I do teach evolution as a fact and God as fiction with no room for evidence. God leaves it open for each one choose relationship with him or as the old song says "I did it my way." He will honor your will.
@@dentonhahn2907 unless you only follow evidence and don’t believe in him because then he will have you sent to hell.
The first question reallly sat with me. I was like why don’t I have that sense/feeling every time I read. You described it perfectly I’ve been focusing on that devotional feeling.
I listen and read Bible daily 💯🙏
I used to teach Sunday school. The one thing I found that everyone loves, is trivia. So I would find interesting facts in the Bible and we would discuss that.
Thank you for modeling God's wisdom that is "pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
Bible reading plans can put a lot of pressure on you to hurry up or not fall behind. I lean that way. It's not a race. It should be making you better. Think of it as spiritual food.
What I find helpful is picking a book, reading it at my pace and finding good resources to understand it better. There are 66 to choose from and God isn't going anywhere. (He loves you and is working on you every day whether or not you're good at this.) You can do this. The audiobible option is good too.
This is long, but if you’re struggling with the Bible please read it. The Lord just gave me this clarity a couple weeks ago and then the timing of this video I felt lead to comment with my experience bc the Lord doesn’t just answer our prayers and give us clarity for ourselves, but to share with others as well 🥰
I’m on the spectrum and I have ADHD. Reading anything is hard for me. I am intellectually gifted, so it’s not that I can’t do it. It’s that I struggle to stay focused so my reading comprehension is not good when I’m not focused.
So, I tend to watch your videos and other videos on in depth studies and follow along. And forever, I beat myself up, but we all learn differently. It’s scientifically/psychologically documented different people learn different ways. For some that might be reading, others it might be listening over audiobook, and some it might be interactive studies with people.
Yes, I do read in my Bible independently, but my often need help understanding because of my poor focus and comprehension. This made me have anxiety anytime I thought about the Bible, bc I was afraid I wouldn’t understand it. That made it hard to pick up at all.
So, I prayed and the Lord gave me insight that I was putting too much pressure on myself to do it and it was causing me to have a hard time picking up the Bible. There’s so much more to Christian life than just reading the Bible.
And if I’m reading the Bible because it’s what a “good” Christian does then I’m not doing it for the right reasons. I’m doing it for myself, to feel good about myself-like I’m somehow earning my salvation. That’s a selfish reason to come to the Bible. The reason should be to come to know God, His promises, His love, and His Word. Reading the Bible won’t get me into heaven and I can’t earn it if I read the Bible enough in my lifetime. That takes value from what Christ did on the cross. So, I need to be doing it for the pure reasons. So, I got good clarity.
I’m still too anxious to pick up my Bible right now, I’m unlearning that mentality. But, I’m easing my way back in with Bible Study videos. So, be careful about putting too much pressure to read it, it can really be damaging in the long run! If we feel we aren’t “good enough” to be a Christian it can make us give up entirely. But, none of us will ever be “good enough” that’s why salvation is so beautiful. It was a gift we did and can do nothing to deserve.
I’m an avid researcher, I can read and comprehend large quantities of info IF I’m interested in it. I’ve even done it with the Bible. But, when I started applying pressure to myself and I started reading because it was what I was “supposed to do” I stopped getting anything from it. Your heart has to be in the right place. When it is, you will devour it and you will learn so much from it. I hope this gives someone else perspective like it did me ❤️
The Lord had been answering my prayers left and right and I haven’t read my Bible much over the last year. But, even when I’m not in my Bible, I don’t give up. I’m always praying and doing my best to take up my cross daily based on what I have read.
I actually just found out about my ADHD and Autism this year, at age 30, after diligent, consistent prayer trying to get to the bottom of my problematic functioning, reading of the Bible, and my consistency in my life. And I ran across info on both of them at random. The Lord guides you, you just have to be watching and mindful.
He meets you where you are. We hear it all the time, but I think we fail to realize what that means. He meets you where you are, in your sin, in your confusion, in your dysfunction, and He guides you out of it. HE does that. He is the perfector of our faith, and our guiding light.
Remember, there’s so much more to being a Christian than just the Bible. Although, the Bible is so important, approach it without the expectation to walk alway with clarity or epiphany. Because sometimes the clarity and epiphany comes over time or when specific circumstances pop up in life. The Holy Spirit uses the verses you have read. And the Lord puts things in my face when I need to see them. Like this video, other videos, posts, etc.
Thanks for your thoughts! I have a similar problem. Whenever I read the Bible, I will be thinking of something else at the same time. I try to pay complete attention, but I don’t beat myself up about it because every now and then I will read something that stands out to me and helps me in my life. So even if you aren’t the best at focusing, that’s ok because God can still speak to you and you can pray that He will point out what you need. God bless! 💗
Thank you so much for this! I memorized a ton of verses as a kid in AWANA, etc, but I never was able to get into a regular reading habit. Now, at 40 and after brain damage, reading is more difficult than it used to be. I have been gobbling up Mike's videos and a few others I've found, but still continuously beating myself up for not actually sitting down and reading the Bible itself.
I think this is the first time I've heard someone address it this way and it was really encouraging.
Thanks for sharing your struggles, I have a very intelligent 15 year old son that seems to be having a hard time with comprehension, you e encouraged me to really focus on finding his learning style, and now to help him not beat himself up!
Wow I don’t know how you typed this. But God bless you !
I have found audio Bible helps me. I need my hands busy to focus best…. So I found that listening allows me to do something mindless with my hands like paint a wall, fold laundry, do dishes and can focus more on what I’m hearing.
Hello 👋Beautiful Lady 🌹..How are you and the weather condition like ?
Reading the Bible can be an extremely difficult, especially if you aren't doing it consistently. I feel like once you miss one day it is so easy to allow that to continue day by day. It requires self discipline and a desire for the Lord.
Q1, how to consistently read the Bible: four things have helped me. 1: Realizing that the best thing I can do for those around me, both Christian and my witness to non Christians is to be in rich relationship with God for myself. Thinking about your influence for others can be a more powerful motivator than just thinking "I should". 2: Put yourself in relationships where your beliefs are challenged. Welcome that Jehovah's witness that knocks on your door to come back again. Talk to your agnostic relative and ask them their spiritual opinions. 3: Find a group or person in your church that is passionate about the Bible and befriend them. Passion is contagious. (Maybe move this up to slot 1) 4: Think of things you believe based on what you've been taught and (with humility that you might get things wrong) see if you can find them in the Bible for yourself. When you run into tough questions take them to people you trust, search for commentaries and sermons on the subject. It's easy to feel like you already know most of what there is to know about the Bible until you learn enough to know how much you don't know.
So cool to see you here! Also your first point stands out as something I need to remember more in my life, thank you for sharing it.
So good!
“Whoever searches must continue to search until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed; and being disturbed, they will marvel and will reign over All.” - Yeshua
@@slicktrickyes Chapter and verse please?
@@braydynniewiadomski5454 Gospel of Thomas, Logia #2; Translation by Jean-Yves Leloup 👍🏻
Mike, ive had chronic back pain for well over a decade, so i understand how you feel when you cant sleep and I will be lifting you up in prayer!
Heavenly Father your word says "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet." in Proverbs 3:24. In Jesus name I repeat your promise in your word for Mike that his sleep would be sweet. You have given us authority over the enemy and with that authority I pray protection over his home from any evil spirt that may come against him. We are your children Lord, please direct our paths and lead us to do your will for your glory! Amen
I love it when God answers my heart cry! I too this year am deeply desiring to find my hunger and thirst for the word again and just today I was led to multiple resources that are such an answer to this longing. Including this specific question being answered today. It truly has helped bring peace to my heart and mind. God is soooooo good!!
Last year I realized that my ridiculously undisciplined approach to reading my Bible had to stop.
So, I got a nice notebook, and decided to first read through the Psalms.
I give myself one page of the notebook a day.
At the top I write the date, then I write the chapters I'm reading for the day.
When I'm done reading, I copy down some of the verses that stood out to me; this helps me focus on what I'm reading, because I'm actively looking for verses that are an encouragement, a warning, a prayer, etc.
I am also reading a few pages a day from a good book. I started with The Loveliness of Christ by Samuel Rutherford. I write down the page numbers that I read, and then copy out a passage or a few sentences that stood out to me.
In this way, I have now read Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations, and I'm a good way through Ezekiel. I've also gone through Romans and am now in 1 Corinthians.
I am now into The Love of Christ by Richard Sibbes, a very deep and beautiful Puritan work on Song of Solomon.
My entire devotion time takes about 30 minutes. I don't set how many chapters of the Bible I'm going to read, it just depends on how long they are and my energy level. But so far this year I haven't missed a day, and it is so extremely good to be really consistent for the first time in my life.
I have tried the One Year Bible and other reading plans, but felt like I was just trying to keep up and I hated it.
I love this!
Dear Ps Mike, re sleep: get a blood test, check your vitamin B12 levels, if they are low take a vitamin B supplement at bedtime. For me, this has really helped.
To the person who asked Q4 about the children and the Bible, I became saved at nine and I would say that the best thing my parents did was give me resources which made me love the Lord for myself. They never forced me to read the Bible. I was given two Young Adult Bibles , (one which was aimed for 8-12 one for 13-20 though I didn’t get them both simultaneously) which had small stories and explanatory notes in. It included things like getting on with people at school, bullying, peer pressure things like that it showed how the Bible was relevant in my daily life. It also included things like side notes explaining things about life in biblical times. Reading the Bible was something that became and was my choice rather than something I was forced to do and that’s partly because the Bible I had felt very relevant to me. You can still get it (updated though lol) it’s NCV Youth Bible and for a starter Bible it was extremely good. I just wanted to mention it in case it helps anyone. I am truly grateful God brought it into my life at that time, He used it to change my life May He help your children too.
Thank you!
Thanks so much!!
Why didn’t they read you the good book outright. It shows all the loving things god did . The killing innocent people, drowning kids, tempting people. Let us not forget his love for people to burn cows and have people stoned to death.
Love your analogies! Reading the bible on your own is more like home cooking! Thank you for that!
Thank you Pastor Mike, this ministry is a huge blessing. Praise the Lord for Sarah’s healing and prayers for deep, restorative, peaceful sleep for you.
Thank you so much for praying for us both! 💕
what a great way of putting it..not fast food.....HOME COOKING
Almost 5.5 nfl stadiums are subscribed to your channel....God bless you and may He grant you whatever you need to fulfill your purpose to His glory! Thanks man
@Mike Winger 🙏🏼for your sleep. 🚫☕😉
Thank you to you for your ministry and to your wife, the staff, mods, volunteers, your church. 🙌🏼 💕
Pastor Mike is back! Hooray!!
Great stream today! I love knowing how we can be praying for you. Thank you (and your wonderful team!) for all you do. I cannot understate how impactful this ministry has been for getting me out of Mormonism and into the truth of God's word.
One of the biggest anxieties I had coming out of Mormonism was "oh no. what if I am deceived again?" Finding a church was hard because I just didn't know if what the pastor(s) were saying was good teaching or if I was being misled again. The principles you teach here on how to think biblically, and watching how you go about interpreting and applying the Bible, have been invaluable to me. I follow along with a lot of what you teach and find that I often agree with your conclusions, so I feel I have learned a lot about good theology. But more importantly, I feel like I've begun to learn how to think through things and apply scripture for myself in various areas of theology and in various areas of my life. That's a big deal for someone who has always been told what to do and what to believe, and who has settled for accepting, carte blanche, the theology of bad teachers- leading to the messiness and hurt that comes from bad teachings. Although I still approach religious teachers, books, ect with caution and I don't have a great deal of confidence in my ability to "get things right", the crippling anxiety and fear I felt coming out of Mormonism has healed in large part because of the principles and habits I've learned from this channel. The Lord has used this channel to bless me, and heal me, and teach me and I'm so grateful for it.
💜💜💜 God bless you sister! May God continue to speak to you and may he use your testimony to help others! 🥳🙌
I’m not even through the full answer for #1 and a light bulb already went off! PRAISE GOD! I struggle with staying in the word too and I just realized it’s because I’m expecting that “devotional moment” every single time I open the Bible… as if God is my horoscope for the day! Ughhhhhhh! Thanks Pastor Mike for helping me to see that!!!! 🙌🏻♥️
I'm looking forward to all the 2022 content coming🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾.. especially the study on Hebrews & women in ministry 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
I concure 1000%!!! I'm learning so much and being inspired to study and go deeper by watching, listening to Mike. Here's to 2022 being amazing in our growth in Christ regardless of what the world rolls out for us all🙏🙌🤗
IKR! super excited for Hebrews. One of of the more intriguing books.
@@IanDrenes Same! Hebrews is so complex. I’ve read it but never deeply. I’m so excited to hear it in depth.
Totally, same here!!
I’m glad you had time to do some work and time off. Thank you for coming back! Thank you Lord Mike is back with us!!!
I appreciate your balanced answer for Psalm 82. I just wanted to say that Dr. Heiser's videos on this and Angels and the unseen realm in general have been super helpful for me truly getting a grasp on the purposes of God (to draw everyone back to him). I know it's the theme all throughout the Bible (go to all nations and make disciples, etc.) but the way he describes it gives it more weight in my life, practically. I think the reason people shy away from the first explanation you gave is because it's hard for us to say "gods" without thinking about the attributes of Yahweh. But, as you said, they are just created, disembodied beings that do have SOME power (rule over nations) but are not anything like the one true God.
Not sleeping well is an attack from the darkest of sides … keeps us from being able to do what helps others in the best ways possible… Father send angels of comfort each night for the deepest rest ever AMEN 🙏
Thank you for coming back Pastor Mike. 😁😍🙏
The end of question 14 was very encouraging, all glory be to God. Lord bless you brother Mike. Because I am very aware of all my past sins and failings, at least all the things I can remember. And to know I’m in Jesus, is the greatest gift to have received Him and Him having received me. God bless you all.
For the person asking about teaching their children the Bible we have gone to using a Christian catechism for kids. It has many questions and we only do two a night at the dinner table. We look up all the Bible verses for each question. It has work really well for us.
So happy you're back and to hear Sarah is recovering! Thank you for all your hard work.
I agree about reading the whole book! I sometimes listen to a book in the Old Testament audibly to help me pronounce the names and places.
Q4: I think pastor Mike is talking about his interview with Natasha crain. She has a few books. One they talked about was "how to talk to your kids about Jesus." I think presenting the bible as relevant to the child's own life is important in maintaining interest. Allowing others who are good teachers to teach your kids is a great tip. I had a youth pastor that I loved and made the bible exciting.
I think he’s remembering his interview with Elizabeth Urbanowicz of Foundation Worldview.
So happy to have you back. Praying for some rejuvenated sleep in the near future. So blessed that Sarah is well and will continue to pray for her. God bless Pastor Mike
SO excited for the verse by verse through Hebrews. woot woot!
Pastor Mike, it troubled me to hear that you have such trouble sleeping. As a school teacher in Alabama, I also have that problem. My doctor prescribed Elavil (generic is Amitriptyline) and this has really helped me. It is non-addictive and doesn't make you feel sleepy or "hung over" the next day. All it does is help your brain stop talking to you and revolving so that you can go to sleep and stay asleep until the alarm for the next morning. I believe in prayer! However, God also asks us to use wisdom. Pray you get some relief!!!!!
I always get so much knowledge and encouragement when I listen to your videos, Mike. I should be binge-watching them.
Hello 👋Beautiful Lady 🌹..How are you and the weather condition like ?
Very excited for the women in ministry and Hebrews studies, but so grateful that Mike is taking his time. Mike is definitely my favourite TH-camr. Such valuable and God-glorifying content!
For the (or any) person struggling with reading God's word;
I've been meditating alot on "confess your sins and He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness" and, through doing that, the Lord has definetly deepened my repentance and faith.
I've been confessing alot lately to the Lord that I don't want to follow Him and I don't want to read the word and I don't want to delight in His commands even though I do. I know He is faithful to cleanse me from this unrighteousness and that a good work in me He began He will complete.
The grasping of the depths of God's grace are something that come in the understanding of infinite layers that He must reveal to you.
I do have a suggestion for those who are going to read the Bible for the first time, start with the New Testament with the book of John.
And once you finished John, go back and read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Reading John the second time can't hurt.
The Bible are all names of books rolled into one book so you don't have to start from the beginning like a regular book novel. Just imagine living in a time before the Bible was written and translated by Scholars and before printers.
I love the way you explain the Bible!
I appreciate your deep thought into the Bible and theology.
Re: watchers and divine counsel, I'm glad you referenced Michael Heiser's work. His yt videos on the subject are helpful. The word 'elohim' refers to beings in the spiritual world. It's a state of being (spiritual) and a 'where' they exist primarily. Humans are both physical and spiritual, at the same time, and our 'where' is primarily on earth. Elohim with a capital 'E' refers to God. This explains the small case 'gods' who are elohim, beings who are spiritual and exist in the spiritual realm, and who are different than God, or Elohim. All beings who exist in the spiritual realm; angels, watchers, cherubim, seraphim, etc, are elohim. Then there's the holy God, Elohim, who is different and separate than all the other spiritual beings. The problem the translators have is language and culture. The words are different in other languages, and cultural practices stem from non Israeli beliefs, so the meaning of all this is obscure.
I also like how you raise one eyebrow in these thumbnails. I love that humor!
Read Psalm 119 everyday for a month and you will have a great love for the Word.
Response to Q #4: Homeschooling mom, of soon to be 7 kids here! I recommend Nathsha Crain's books for equipping yourself with thoughtful questions while reading from the Bible to engage your kids.
7 kids! 😵
Actually, since you seem like a mom with a lot of experience, I'm hoping I can ask for your perspective on a struggle of mine.
I'm 21, and although I certainly want to be married, I'm not sure I should have kids.
I'm curious why you decided to have kids, and so many, if that's even polite to ask, lol.
Do you have personal or biblical reasons? Maybe both?
I'm asking because they few reasons I can think of for anyone having kids are generally deemed selfish by others.
I'm worried about what that might mean about my mindset and capacity as a mother.
My own mom says "The bible says to go out and multiply". Do you consider that a valid, applicable reason for people in our time?
I don't mean to pry or annoy. 😅 I'm just eager for another insight, especially from a fellow Christian woman.
@@dummybear6772 I struggled with this. I really wanted children, but I think life on earth is already very painful for a lot of people and seems it is not getting easier. But I considered there must be a reason why God wanted to populate the earth even though he knew there would be so much suffering. So I just felt like I should trust that there is some reason I don’t understand. In the end I asked God please to only let me have a child if that child belong to him.
Thankyou for your commitment Sarah, and hope you feel better and back to full strength soon. Love from Scotland 🏴
I’ve followed you for sometime now and always come away with a better understanding. Miss having you close with a prayer 🙏
Keep healing Sarah prayers for continued recovery. Mike, as a fellow problematic sleeper, I pray for you to have peaceful rest by the grace of God in Jesus name, Amen
Natasha Crain is the person who has developed the resources that Mike is referring to for question 5.
I watched her on TH-cam and was so impressed!
She has three books on the theme:
1. Keeping Your Kids on God's Side.
2. Talking to Your Kids about God.
3. Talking to Your Kids about Jesus.
I haven't used them myself, but I'm planning on buying them for use with my grandchildren.
I find that when I listen to the Bible on an app on my phone while reading in my physical Bible at the same time this helps me to stay focused. And I read more.
I’m pretty sure I have heard you mention this before, but reading the same books of the Bible in sections over and over again over a period of a month really does help With understanding and retention.
Thanks for the nourishment Mike. And praise the LORD 🕊🙌 that Sarah is improving. Love you Sisters and Brothers. :)
It was difficult for me to truly value scripture until I picked a chronological plan. If you’ve never read through the Bible in a chronological order, I highly recommend it. It was a game changer for me. It’s helped me understand the overarching narrative of Scripture from beginning to end. It also taught me to read scripture from a God-centered perspective instead of a me-centered perspective. Too often we read scripture with a selfish agenda instead of trying to understand who God is and what He does before applying the text to our lives.
The plan I chose was The Bible Recap from Tara-Leigh Cobble.
I love the home cooking vs fast food analogy! Thank you so much I’ve been trying to find the words to describe this to some friends
There is wisdom in sleep my dear friend Mike. I pray for you and your staff often… I’m happy to pray for peaceful sleep for you
I thank our heavenly father for you and your wisdom in bible teaching. I like your style a whole lot more because you don't need to shout to speak the word of God and you're doing an amazing job at it.
Thank you! Glad you are getting better, Sarah!
Romans 8:37 🛡
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Question #11 - Dr Michael Heiser has written a book, "The Unseen Realm" which touches on "The Watchers". Dr Heiser is also on TH-cam and has done, in my opinion, extensive studies on the Book of Enoch.
Great advice regarding the reading the Bible daily/regularly. I found that using a reading plan without dictating how much to read each day. I’m reading the Bible as it occurred historically. I am still reading that plan, even though I didn’t do it in a year, or two years. The Chronological plan on the Bible app checks off passage as I read it, and though I may not get a whole day’s recommended reading done at a time, I may end up doing more than a day’s recommendation. One thing I do is keep a journal of passages that I read where God speaks something directly to my life during that reading. I “read” the Bible very differently than I “study” the Bible. My goal in reading the entirety of the Scripture is to familiarize myself with all of the writings. My goal in studying Scripture is to learn what God teaches me through His Word.
very appreciative for your thoughtful answers.
For Teaching the Littles: Foundation Worldview has AMAZING curriculum! It’s interesting and challenging: I find it facilitates great conversations. Elizabeth Urbanowicz is the creator of the curriculum.
Such an encouraging way to think about reading the bible, thanks Mike. Mmm, home cooking
Thank you for Question #20 and Thank you Mike for (confirming) the answer.
I started posting the Bible study on FB withe the commentary from David Guzik from Enduring word. That gave me the accountability and depth. Then reading with my daughter, which gave us bonding and discussion time. Then recording it because I struggle having time to read and would like to listen while I work, although I would not get the depth this way, I thought it might help others. These things are what helped me soooooooooooo much!!! and I pray it helps you, I l
ove reading the Bible know that its the most important time of my day.
Literally what I planned on doing this year; to read the whole Bible. And I missed a day, than missed another day. It stressed me out and I was disappointed in myself for failing. Than, the other day, I realised... Instead of trying to read the whole Bible in one year; I am just going to read the whole Bible and if that takes me 2-3 year's instead. So be it. I work better when I can do things at my own pace. And honestly, I really hate reading anything no matter what it is. But, I truly love God's Word ❤️.
mr winger is a guy who one would love to have as a friend ....and especially a brother in the LORD.
Praying for your sleep Mike
Because I’m super geeky about stuff like sleep I would gently suggest you have more vitamin d. This is going outside for several hours a day or just taking some. But… you should see doctor to get blood tested for levels. Also you can reset your internal circadian rhythm’s by spending a few minutes a day at sunrise and sunset directly in the sun. The cones in your eyes take this and give the message to your brain to reset. I love this topic it’s so so interesting.
I am a nurse and a mom and a lover of the true God. I love your show and watch/listen almost every day (I’m not caught up). Thank you so so much for your commitment to the word of God! What a huge help it has been.
Q4 person: I was saved at age 7, Good News Club.
My parents bought a Bible picture book (Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes) for me when I was 2. Which they read from constantly. My mom read stories to us from "More Little Visits With God" every night through much of my childhood. By the time I was saved at 7 I was ready to read a Bible of my own. Also, we were in a Bible believing church/Sunday School every Sunday.
I was surrounded with Bible precepts and love the word, but my parents did not sit down and read the Bible to us. They tried a few times, but did not work. The methods they found on their own did work.
I was saved at 7 too!
@@gigahorse1475 that is cool!
At 13 minutes the question of covering by authority came up. This stirred me as I had a pastor of a large evangelical body where we (had) membership use Hebrews 13:17 as proof that we as members need to obey, not question and generally fall in line. He then went on to add that he has had many a sleepless night over this….
Honestly in the leadership meeting he said this I was stunned silent as I felt this was wrong but couldn’t put words to it at that time. I did feel as though I could no longer sit under his leadership the way he dictated.
All this to say - watch out for the 9 marks movement in the evangelical church.
That sounds like a cult mentality… unquestioning adherence to the leader rather than the Bible. I like my pastor. He always says tells us to measure what he says against the Bible and to not believe him but rather believe God.
How I needed to hear this again today!
Thank you so much for your obedience and loving wisdom. I really appreciate your ministry.
I, too have always had problems with sleep. As I get older, even more so. I’ve always taken something to sleep, either Tylenol PM or melatonin. Sometimes it works but most times it doesn’t.
I work in the mental health field and found the doctors always look at the patient’s sleeping patterns because, sleep is dire for our mental, physical and spiritual health.
My small suggestion, please get checked out by your doctor. Ask for work up and maybe you are deficient in something or maybe he can suggest something you may take.
As a Christian we sometimes don’t want to be dependent on anything but the Lord but I believe the Lord provides us with options. I don’t believe it is harmful to take something that will promote sleep. Sleep is needed and required. It also helps our immunity especially during this time.
Just my thoughts. However, I will be praying for restful and peaceful sleep. God is good and He will supply your need. Peace from Buffalo, NY.
Thank you pastor Mike. You've been such an inspiration to listen to Q &A and other teaching videos. May God bless you as you continue researching.
Praying that the Lord would give you lots of rest and that he'd lavish upon you his wisdom and discernment in all things. God bless you and your ministry! You've been a great blessing to me and many.
I didn't want to watch the video until Sarah came up with the timestamps 😂😂😂😂 I've gotten used to them so thanks Pastor Mike and Sarah 😊
😁❤️ I'm glad you find them helpful! God bless you!
@@sarahfaith316 glad to have you back Sis 😊🙏
@@sarahfaith316 I’m so thankful you are feeling better!
Really struggling to get back into the Word for the last couple of years. I will read it on and off for a few days or even a couple weeks here and there. Distractions, family life, work, health, etc. Just difficult to find the time right now, I am always tired after work and then coming home to kids and wife. I have to switch gears instantly, with no time for rest to reset or prepare for the evening. I have to start cooking, figure out laundry, trash, and help the kids with what they need.
It’s a blessing to see you back
I think the best way to tackle reading your Bible is to not make it a chore but to make it as fun as possible for you. For example, I am super into history and culture and so I end up reading about the historicity of the Bible, ancient books related to it, etc. Find the subject that interests you and find out what the Bible says about it...if you're a mom check all the verses that talk about motherhood, if you're a musician or poet read the Psalms and other poetry books and learn about the way they structured them. The Bible, I believe, has something for everyone and I know that as soon as you start to search for that with fervor and joy reading the Bible and studying it will become a joyous experience, something that you'll look forward to. It'll be more than just a hobbie, you'll center your life around it!
What an incredible analysis my friend!! What a great job. It moved me deeply!! And it's all true, praise Jesus! Thank you!
I will pray for you to be able to rest, you do seem really tired. I myself have always since my earliest memories been unable to sleep soundly or enough and feel in a perpetual state of exhaustion. Love your content and presentation. God bless you!
Thank you for helping Mike ! Listening to your messages have been a true blessing. Exegesis critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture.
"the task of biblical exegesis"
The analogy of home cooking definitely helps to keep reading the word in perspective.
With regard to the first question, I'm glad you touched on that b/c I've been having dry experiences while studying the word. I'm glad you said that sometimes it's like that b/c I've found myself getting offended with God when feeling like He is avoiding giving me any revelation as I sit in His word.
I do agree with reading it all the way through too, but sometimes I'll only turn to what I need to hear. For instance if I'm discouraged, I look at scriptures about that.
There is life. Life in Jesus.
Thank you so much Mike! I have had this video in my “to watch” list for a while, and I think God may have lead me to it at this particular moment. I have been thinking ( and stressing) about the parable of the talents and what it means for people who have certain limitations (like me). 💜
Welcome back Mike!
I don't know why but I understand and remember Scripture better when I listen to someone else read.
Thanks Mike. Maranatha!
Your ministry has been a huge blessing to me, so thank you, and keep it up!
Seriously welcome back brother!!
Aaaah Mike. The portion on bible reading really hit home. Thank you! Words of wisdom indeed. Read it even though you don't feel like it because it is the "adult" thing to do. Loosely paraphrased of course. 😏
Simple and yet profound. Needed to hear this. God bless! ☺️