Explore every episode of the podcast Nothin' But Fine: Bible Talk with Emily
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don't Grieve Your Kids | Episode 14 | 04 déc. 2024 | 00:29:19 | |
Unsolicited parenting advice. Wait! Don’t turn me off! Noone asked me how I parent, but I am giving you my opinion anyway. After some digging in Bible I actually am pretty convicted about how I’ve done the past 21 years. We all know the Old Testament says to honor your father and mother. It’s in the Ten Commandments, the BIG rules Israel were given right off the bat. Upon further study however, us parents have an even heavier load than we thought. Are you encouraged yet? The long and the short of it is this: we are our kids first models. And who should we be modeling? Jesus. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Shane Green On Grief | Episode 13 | 27 nov. 2024 | 01:00:22 | |
The holidays are a time of happiness. Right? What if you aren’t happy? What if you are grieving? Grief is tricky. It sneaks up on you sometimes and can roll over you like waves. It is possible to hold bother grief and joy at the same time. How do you cope? What do you do? My pastor, the Reverand Dr. Shane Green speaks so eloquently on this subject. It seemed like a good time to have this conversation. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| NT Broads | Episode 12 | 20 nov. 2024 | 00:26:31 | |
Women are found all throughout the Bible. Not only are they present, but they have purpose. Even in this day and age it’s hard for women to feel valued and appreciated and understood. Sure, we have made great strides as humanity, but there is still work to do. The great thing about looking at the women of the gospels, is that it takes all kinds. God did not just use a certain type... --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Mary Mag | Episode 11 | 13 nov. 2024 | 00:29:52 | |
Mary Magdalene is one of those people that is a lot is said about, but not necessarily a lot is known about. That’s part of the problem of studying things of ancient history. They did not write everything down. Mary and the female followers of Jesus did not have blogs or social media accounts to take us with them. (Wouldn’t that have been great if they had? I would be a subscriber to all their offerings if I could.) Therefore, there is a lot of room for details to be made up... --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Well Water | Episode 10 | 06 nov. 2024 | 00:29:11 | |
You know why the story of the woman at the well in John 4 is so good? It’s because Jesus knew exactly who this woman was before he ever met her. He knew all the things she had done. All the husbands (and not husbands) this woman had had. And he talked to her anyway. I argue that he passed through Samaria just to speak to this woman. This might even be more significant than all the other morally questionable people he associated with. Why? Because she was not a Jew. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Do You Believe? | Episode 9 | 30 oct. 2024 | 00:30:18 | |
John 11 tells about Jesus raising a man, Lazarus, from the dead. He was dead, dead. Been in the tomb for four days. Definitely a miracle. Definitely a great story. However, it’s not my favorite part of the story. Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary. Everyone may know that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but they also know about these two women. See Martha was the one that was distracted and worried about serving Jesus and his friends at her home while Mary sat at Jesus’s feet. And Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the better thing. Being at Jesus’s feet was Mary’s thing. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Martha Martha | Episode 8 | 23 oct. 2024 | 00:30:30 | |
It’s exhausting to have people over. There is so much work to be done. It’s like once you get started the list just grows and grows. Kind of like “if you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass a milk” and so forth and so on. Things like clean the baseboards all of a sudden seem very important to your guests’ comfort and enjoyment while in your home. And I am likely to get really irritated if someone comes through and disturbs the cleanliness of the room. How dare they leave their shoes in the den?!?! I imagine this is how Martha felt when Jesus and his disciples were coming in. Jesus knew this family well. They are mentioned three different times in the gospels. She is busy making sure everything is just so and her sister should be helping her. But where is she? Sitting at the feet of Jesus. Now, you and I know that is where we all should be. However, Martha is sure that Jesus is going to back her up and tell Mary to get to work. He does not. “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Small Town Girl | Episode 7 | 16 oct. 2024 | 00:29:56 | |
Mary was so young and so wise. She was chosen by God to be….his own mother. The rest of us do not get to choose that. (If I was given the choice, I would stick with the mama I have if you are wondering.) Man does this say a lot about the kind of human Mary was. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Prophetess Anna | Episode 6 | 09 oct. 2024 | 00:21:15 | |
Can you imagine getting to see baby Jesus? Like for real. What if you were in the church like you always were and as you came around the corner there stood a young couple with a new baby. Suddenly something deep inside of you jumped, and you felt filled with joy and light like you were going to burst. Feeling a strong desire to nurture and protect yet at the same time being comforted that this tiny child was here to bring salvation. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Noble Women | Episode 5 | 02 oct. 2024 | 00:32:11 | |
Perhaps this passage is where the insane standard for a woman having it all comes from. Seriously, this woman in these verses is phenomenal…but really daunting to try to live up to. It even starts out by saying, “A wife of noble character who can find?” Now, don’t get me wrong. Scripture exists to teach us and draw us into a closer relationship with God. There are things we should strive to do. I wish I was all the things this woman is. But I am not. I have to admit that I was frustrated with Proverbs 31:10-31. It was not really what I had always thought it was before I really dug into it. I was feeling disappointed that the writer had put this on paper and that God thought it pertinent to humanity to include it in His Word. I had texted my pastor, Dr Shane Green, and I was about to dive into a google search. I had read several commentaries and had gotten two schools of thought. Luckily, Shane’s response dinged before I plunged into the internet. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| This Time | Esther: Episode 4 | 25 sept. 2024 | 00:22:38 | |
Esther is one of only two books in the Bible titled by the female main character. (Ruth is the other one.) It also does not really reference God. So why do I think it is important? First of all, a verse that you have probably heard before is in it. “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” 4:14 I have referenced it many times in my life. It means that maybe God put you wherever you are for a very specific reason. In Esther’s case, to save the Jewish people in the Persian kingdom from execution. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| I'm Going With You | Season 2 Ep.3 | 18 sept. 2024 | 00:35:04 | |
During the time of the Judges an Israelite family from Bethlehem went across the Jordan into Moab because of famine. Should they have gone? Who knows? Moab was not a place Israelites should be. The Moabites were a constant problem to the Israelites. I’m sure Elimelech did what he thought was best for his wife and children. His two sons were not the healthiest. They were sickly kids. As it turns out Elimelech dies in Moab. His sons take Moabitesses as wives. And then they die. Now the family consists of a widow (Naomi) and her two widowed daughters-in-law (Ruth and Orpah). Three women left to fend for themselves. This was a nightmare scenario for them. Naomi gives the opportunity to Ruth and Orpah to return to their families. She knows she has no means to support them. What would become of them? She knows the young women can remarry and secure better futures without her. They insist that they will stay with her. There is clearly such a bond there. Even in their short time together they have been through so much. Eventually, Naomi determines to go back home. She figures she must have some family that will take pity on her. Again, she insists that Ruth and Orpah return to their families. Orpah does decide to go home, but Ruth says the words that we are all familiar with, ”Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people. Your God, my God.” --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| We Need a Hero | Season 2 Ep.2 | 11 sept. 2024 | 00:30:20 | |
Deborah is a nominally well-known bible character. And rightfully so. She led the Israelites to victory over an army of 900 iron chariots that had been plaguing them for like twenty years. (By the way, iron chariots at that time would be like a tank.) This was no small feat. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| God Made Women | Season 2 | 04 sept. 2024 | 00:29:04 | |
What is a woman? This question has come up more than probably necessary. Or at least been answered in ways…that make you scratch your head. While I have many opinions on the subject of what makes a biological woman, this isn’t about that. I am a woman, born and raised. I have never questioned that fact, but I have wondered about purpose and place. All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. See? I am just told to submit. The husbands are given way more direction. It is pretty specific to say love your wife as Christ loved the church. I mean, Christ DIED for the church. That is a lot more responsibility than submission. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Vacancy | Matthew 28 | 12 juin 2024 | 00:23:06 | |
He is not here. Case. Closed. It is finished to just as he said. Wow. Just wow. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Hurts So Good | Matthew 27 | 05 juin 2024 | 00:18:26 | |
The crucifixion is terrible to read. The whole thing actually, from beginning to end. All the events that took place…unsettling. I don’t want Jesus to have suffered. The anger I feel when I think of those priests and teachers and elders. The lies they told. Their blood lust. They were supposed to be the ones you could trust. Goodness and morality were key parts of their job. Yet they were the crowd that shouted to crucify. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| The Plot Thickens | Matthew 26 | 29 mai 2024 | 00:35:35 | |
We are familiar with all those stories. We are getting to the part of the Bible that we know. Here is what I notice. So much of this chapter is about us getting completely off track. Religious leaders that have gone completely awry, disciples that miss the beauty of the anointing, the meal, the prayer time, and betrayal. I got stuck on Caiaphas and Judas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest for goodness sake. But he likely had a good relationship with Rome and Herod which would mean he didn’t have a good relationship with the Jews. He enjoyed a long tenure of being chief priest. He gained a lot while in the position. He had a lot to lose by what Jesus was trying to set straight. He took everything Jesus did personally. He was out for Jesus’s blood. He didn’t just want him to be taught a lesson, he wanted him dead. Money, prestige, power. All things that would inspire the anger needed to plot death to a known innocent man. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| The End is Near? | Matthew 24 & 25 | 22 mai 2024 | 00:19:28 | |
Ya’ll this is end times stuff. When you read what Jesus said and the conditions surrounding his return, it’s like check, check, check. Then look out your window to see if you see him. H says no one knows the hour or even the day. But it feels soon, right? It’s going to get worse? Yikes. The Old Testament prophets are all up in this: Daniel, Ezekiel, Joel Isaiah, Zechariah. Jesus quotes them. There are also parallels to Revelation. I have clearly read this passage a lot over the years. I know because I have made lots of notes in the margins. But I must not have paid real close attention to it. Or at least it didn’t stick in my brain. Reading it all together, Matthew twenty-four and twenty-five as one piece…I’m shocked. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Desperate Man | Matthew Part 3 | 15 mai 2024 | 00:23:29 | |
As Jesus’s public ministry/life on earth was drawing to a close there seems to be desperation…or a sense of urgency in Jesus. He had made a dent in meeting people and getting his message out there. But there were so many more souls to reach. Jesus never wavered. He remained steadfast. He never went off brand despite being constantly questioned by the religious leaders who were set on catching him in a lie or at least getting him to answer them in a way that could be misconstrued or taken out of context. Continue reading the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Give it Up | Matthew 19 Part 2 | 08 mai 2024 | 00:25:57 | |
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” Which ones?” the man inquired. Matthew 19:16-18Why didn’t Jesus say obey all the commandments when the guy asked which ones? Doesn’t that seem like a dumb question with an obvious answer? But Jesus doesn’t list all the commandments. He leaves out: no other gods before me, no idols, do not misuse the name of the Lord, and remember the sabbath and keep it holy. What do these have in common? God. This guy was keeping all the commandments concerning people, man to man (murder, steal, covet, false testimony, respect). He was being a good person. Doing what was right. Jesus sums up these four by saying to him that all he needed to do now was to sell all his stuff and follow Me. Meaning if you love me, prove it. Verse 22 shows us how the young man felt about this. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (emphasis mine). This guy had been feeling really good about himself. Oh, I keep all those commandments. He just knew Jesus was going to congratulate him on a job well done. That he had met all the requirements. I mean he was a great guy. But his heart wasn’t right. Read the rest of our show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Who Gets the Dog? | Matthew 19 | 01 mai 2024 | 00:22:08 | |
I am a product of divorce. I don’t think it created that many issues in my life. I had a fantastic, happy childhood. Sure, the older I get I become aware of emotional scars, but we all have them. I was the only one in my elementary classes whose parents were divorced and a mother that had a career that required travel and long hours. Brentwood, TN in the 80s was pretty conservative. However, the divorce was warranted. The reason was the only one the Bible flat out says is allowed…adultery. Mama put up with so much. Let’s just say I won’t be doing a 23 & Me test. No telling how many siblings I might have out there. (I think I know of four, but Mama and I think it could be 7. Yikes.) Divorce has always been a touchy subject for me when it comes up in church settings. I always felt so attacked by the “God hates divorce” reference of Malachi 2:16. That was the statement made in a Bible study I was a part of in my early thirties. I was the youngest attendee by about twenty years. Mama was also a member. Half of the women in it were divorced. I was so upset that they referred to mama’s situation as being something God did not approve of. I argued with them. I was in tears. They were unrelenting as I made my case that Mama’s decision was made with God’s permission and that it had been redeemed in all the good and blessings that had come since. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| No, I'm the Best! | Matthew 18 | 24 avr. 2024 | 00:23:38 | |
Someone always has to be the favorite. Right? Why do we do this to ourselves? My children ask me all the time who my favorite is. Like I would tell them. I’m kidding. I really don’t have a favorite because they all take turns being the golden child. I know my brother is the favorite of my parents. It’s fine. It’s not like there is a prize. You would think that this is a concept that the twelve disciples would have grasped. Yet, they argued about it. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18:1 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “what were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Mark 9:33-34 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Luke 9:46-47 The thing is, Jesus loved them all the same. He loves us all the same. There is no greatest. There is not favorite. This is so hard to understand. How could God not have favorites? I mean Peter and John were clearly the leaders of the group. I mean Jesus said that Peter would be the rock on which the church would be built. Or Moses? God talked to him face to face. Abraham? He was chosen to be the father of nations. David? A man after God’s own heart. Mary? The angel actually says she is highly favored. I mean she bore and birthed the Messiah. God chose her for that. Or the martyrs? Or Billy Graham? Bill Gaither? How could God love me as much as these folks…to just name a few. But he does. God loves you. So much so that he sent a part of himself to die on a cross so that you could spend eternity with him. How much more proof do you need? We are all his favorite. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Jesus as JESUS | Matthew 17 Part 2 | 17 avr. 2024 | 00:16:42 | |
Oh to be on the mountain as Jesus becomes JESUS! Peter, James and John get this opportunity. He changed before their eyes. He became his full self. What a moment. I mean. We know Jesus as fully divine. This is the opposite of what we know about Jesus. We know he was God in a bod. We know that he came to earth to live a perfect life, to be the unblemished lamb sacrificed for our sin. Yet, we didn’t get to see him in the flesh. To Peter, James, and John he was the teacher they were following. Yes, they saw his power in the miraculous things he did and heard the authority with which he spoke. They believed he was the Son of God, but they had no idea what that looked like. So we know JESUS and not necessarily Jesus. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Destroying the Drapery | Matthew 17 | 10 avr. 2024 | 00:28:28 | |
Do you know what transfiguration is? Now, if you are a fan of Harry Potter (I am, don’t argue with me about it.) you will think of changing things into other things. Like beetles into buttons. This is not what Jesus does on the mountain with Peter, James, and John. I mean I knew that, but I decided to look at what the Greek word used in Matthew 17:2 to clarify exactly what happened. Transfigure: Metamorphoó – changing form in keeping with inner reality; Christ was resplendent with a divine brightness That word looks familiar, doesn’t it? And knowing that metamorphosis is the word that is used made all the difference to me. I have seen this passage in an entirely new way. Jesus didn’t change into something new. Jesus simply became ALL he was. He changed into his true self. The caterpillar is a butterfly all along, but it has to be a caterpillar first. This got me thinking. In order for Jesus to come to earth he had to dim who he was. He turned down the divine. Otherwise humans would not have been able to look at him. Let’s take a little journey to the Old Testament. In Exodus 19, 24, 33, and 34 we see how God appeared to the Israelites. He was a column of fire by night and pillar of smoke by day. A cloud would cover the mountain when he spoke to Moses and the Israelites couldn’t even touch the mountain or they would die. However, he appeared to Moses face to face (The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Exodus 33:11). This resulted in Moses shining so brightly that it scared the people to look at him. So Moses wore a veil when he was before them.
Exodus 35-40 is all about setting up the tabernacle. God gave very specific instructions how to build it. The materials to be used and the exact measurements. Moses begins to set it up in chapter 40. The first thing he does is the Ark (chapter 37 gives specifications). The Ark goes in the Holy of Holies. The Ark is the presence of God amongst the Israelites. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Who Am I? | Matthew 16 | 03 avr. 2024 | 00:20:52 | |
Jesus was pestered by the Pharisees over and over again to prove who he was. Were they completely missing what all he had done? Clearly, they had. Every miraculous thing he did they just weren’t satisfied by. They often said it was evil, blasphemous. They were a distraction and Jesus warned his disciples about their teaching. He likened it to yeast. Yeast spread in the b read, eating up the sweet and grows. It’s obvious when it works…the bread rises, and it only takes a little to get the job done. It's interesting that Matthew tells of this next interaction after this warning. They had made their way near Caesarea-Philippi (in the territory ruled by Philip, Herod Antipas’s brother, nice but decidedly not Jewish letting the pagan temples abound in this city). The temple of Pan was located here. I’ve seen the remnants. It is impressive and quite beautiful. It sits at the base of Mt. Hermon and hosts the largest spring that feeds he Jordan River. Perhaps that is why Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying he was. They answered John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus asks who they say he is. Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Crumbs | Matthew 15 | 27 mars 2024 | 00:26:35 | |
There is a woman in the Bible that you probably don’t know. I know that I had never heard of, or at least never paid attention to her story until a few years ago. Do you know the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15? (If any of you say absolutely, I’m going to feel a little dumb.).
Jesus and the disciples have travelled out of the Jewish area, probably seeking peace and quiet. They come to the region of Tyre and Sidon thinking that no one would know Jesus here. This would be in current day Lebanon, one of the oldest continually inhabited areas in the world. The woman that approaches them is of Canaanite descent, a native of Phoenician seaboard. She spoke Greek. Most likely a pagan woman who had grown up worshipping many gods. She has no connection to Jewish heritage. But she has heard about Jesus and she needs a miracle. in --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Can You Walk on Water? | Matthew 14:22-36 | 20 mars 2024 | 00:23:21 | |
Imagine you are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. You know that this body of water is prone to storms popping up without warning, you’ve lived and worked around it all your life. It’s the middle of the night and the wind has picked up. Soon it is howling and there are waves crashing into the sides of the boat. You are not afraid, but you are wary and certainly not able to sleep or relax. As you watch the water you think your eyes must be playing tricks on you because there appears to be a man walking towards the boat. This can’t be possible. You are miles from shore. One of your friends shouts that it’s a ghost. The “ghost” answers, “It’s Me. Don’t be afraid.” So, if you were on that boat, how would you have responded? I often agree with Peter in biblical stories. I can see a lot of myself in him. However, I am pretty sure I would never have said, “oh yeah? Call me out to you.” Listen, I do not like being in or even on water. I prefer to be water adjacent. I love to look at it, but that’s about it unless I need to cool off. When we visited Israel in February of 2019, I was nervous about getting on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. It was a calm day and I tried to picture what it would have been like to look out and see Jesus standing there. It is a very moving experience. It is heavy with significance. But I still wouldn’t have climbed over the side of the boat. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| How Will We Eat? Jesus Feeds The 5000 | Matthew 14:13-21 | 13 mars 2024 | 00:24:53 | |
It’s a Bible story we know so well. We’ve all heard it numerous times. Jesus feeds 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. This miracle is in all four gospels. Honestly, you can’t help but be amazed by it. It’s pretty dramatic. Jesus takes a loaf, holds it up, asks the Lord to bless it and begins to break it. Voila. Everyone is fed. Everyone is satisfied. There are twelve baskets left over. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Off With His Head! | Matthew 14:1-12 | 06 mars 2024 | 00:27:58 | |
John the Baptist has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas. We don’t know when exactly this happened, but it is mentioned in Matthew 11. We do know why he was imprisoned. You see John the Baptist had a problem with the “Jewish” ruler being married to Herodias because she was first the wife of his brother, Philip. Now that sounds bad enough on its own, but it gets worse if you dig a little deeper. I was curious so of course I did. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. We know him because he was king when Jesus was born. He’s the one that talked with the Magi back in Matthew 2. Although he was crazy and sometimes brutal, he is a fascinating character. An Edomite by birth. That means not Jewish. But who were the Edomites? I’m glad you asked. Edom is from the line of Esau. Remember him? Esau was the twin brother of Jacob…Jacob became Israel. Father Isaac, Grandfather Abraham. (Genesis 25:19-34) However, Herod’s father converted to Judaism. His father was also granted Roman citizenship by Julius Caesar. So that makes Herod half Jewish and a Roman citizen. He started his political career as governor of Galilee and then a tetrarch of Galilee and finally became King of Judea. He ruled for 32 years. He did some great things while king. He rebuilt the Temple and endowed his territory with fortresses and palaces and new cities. Herod the Great had at least 10 wives and 14 children. He divorced his first wife (Doris) and banished her and his son from court. He did this because he fell in love with Mariamne, a Hasmonean princess. It is believed that he truly did love her even though he kept taking more wives. But then he got jealous and suspicious and had her murdered along with her two sons, her brother, her father, and her mother. This left some orphans and instead of just kicking them out, Herod espoused them to another member of his family. Keep this in mind. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Just Mary's Son | Matthew 13:45-58 | 28 févr. 2024 | 00:18:18 | |
The last verse of Matthew 13 does not mean that Jesus’s power has anything to do with us. It wasn’t that Jesus couldn’t act in Nazareth. He does not need us at all to be who he is or do what he can do. It’s not like in the movie Elf when Santa’s sleigh can’t fly because there aren’t enough people that believe in him. The belief is what makes the sleigh’s magic. The people of Nazareth didn’t see miracles because they weren’t seeking them. I’m saying that again. They did not get the miracles because they weren’t seeking them. They let what they thought they knew about who Jesus was keep them from experiencing who he actually was. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Among Us | Matthew 13:24-43 | 21 févr. 2024 | 00:16:11 | |
Is there anything worse than having to practice what you preach? Of course, there is, but when you have been encouraging folks to just trust God and his timing, to keep the faith, pray about it then you actually have to follow your own advice? Man that is tough. Periodically I have to remind myself of what God has promised. And that his definitions are not necessarily the same as mine. When I fuss at him that he said it would be fine, he usually answers, “It is fine.” He’s right of course. It is. I just want it to be better and he didn’t promise that. He also did not give me a timeline or a due date. So, I have to practice what I preach. I have to have faith and wait for God to do what he is going to do. Matthew 13 has a parable about the tares and the wheat. The story goes that a man sowed good seed in his field, but his enemy came in at night and sowed some tares amongst the wheat. As it grew it looked just like the wheat until the wheat sprouted and bore grain. At this point it was obvious that there had been some bad seed sown. The man knew his seed was good. He knew that an enemy must have come behind him and sown the bad. This late in the growing season there was nothing that could be done. If he had attempted to pull up the tares he would run the risk of also pulling up the wheat. The only option was to leave it and hope for the best. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Seeds and Soil | Matthew 13 | 14 févr. 2024 | 00:21:01 | |
Confession: I used to hate the parables. Well, maybe not hate. I would skip over them with an eye roll. I mean they are kind of hard to understand. I could never figure out how they pertained to my life. Jesus was so much smarter than I am and wasn’t the point of reading his words to learn? Why did he have to make it so difficult? Even the disciples struggled with them. They even asked him why he taught in parables. (Matthew 13:10) Jesus answers by saying, in a nutshell, and I am paraphrasing here, that some people just don’t get it. They have ears, yet they do not hear and eyes and do not see. He goes on to quote Isaiah 6:9-10. That’s not an uplifting passage, by the way. God was taking the Israelites to task, unhearing ears and unseeing eyes etc. I think Deuteronomy 29:1-6 gives a more direct explanation. These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had make with them at Horeb. And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders. Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, not ears to hear. I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. You have not eaten bread, not have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the LORD your God. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Heart Speak | Matthew 12 | 07 févr. 2024 | 00:26:45 | |
Convicting things ahead. Goodness. I think the key verse of Matthew 12 is the second part of verse 34, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Jesus spends this chapter talking to the Pharisees, but my oh my how this applies to us. What we are seeing over and over is the Pharisees inability to see who Jesus was and what his mission was about. They missed the point. Really for a long time. In an effort to help people keep God’s laws, all these extra rules were added over the years. I get the point and appreciate what they were trying to do. The priests just wanted to help the people stay or be holy. It wasn’t these particular Pharisees that had made the list. They were just following protocol. Right? Maybe that was the entire problem. Maybe that’s why they never could see who Jesus truly was. Maybe that’s why they were not moved by his presence or his power. They were stuck, mired down in the rules. The formality and rigidity of their religion. They couldn’t explain the authority Jesus spoke and acted with. It confused them that anyone sent by God would not follow the rules that had been set. It scared them and made them a little angry. Instead of letting those doubts lead to questions and revelation they let them turn into bitter opinions hidden in their hearts. Jesus knew their thoughts and their hearts. He knew the malice that was growing there. Out of those feelings they spoke against him. Plotted against him. Crucified him. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Reveal to Infants | Matthew 11 | 31 janv. 2024 | 00:35:10 | |
This chapter of Matthew is hard. I had to get out ALL the translations, commentaries, and text all my pastors and smart friends. Each avenue taught me something new. I love a productive rabbit hole. John the Baptist makes a reappearance. I missed the reassuring nugget here. Glad for commentaries that pointed it out. John is in prison and he has some doubts and he wants some affirmation about who Jesus is. If John the Baptist had some questions then I should feel perfectly okay about having my own. Look, even prophets have doubts! He asks his followers to go ask Jesus if he is who John thought he was. Remember, he was convinced when he was baptizing him. He saw the dove and heard God’s voice from heaven. Clearly, things weren’t as John was expecting them to be. Doesn’t it feel good to know that it isn’t just us when things get tough or don’t go as planned or imagined-especially if we are trusting God- that thinks maybe I heard wrong or have gotten confused along the way. Keep learning with the full show notes on Nothin' But Fine website. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Prince of Peace | Matthew 10 | 24 janv. 2024 | 00:36:25 | |
This week, we study Matthew chapter 10. Let's dig in! --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Just the Hem | Matthew 9 | 17 janv. 2024 | 00:30:36 | |
Matthew arranged stories of common themes together. And here I am thinking I am so smart for seeing the connection amongst them. Matthew Chapter 9 is full of miracles. The testimonies these folks walked away with…
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| Keep the Faith | Matthew 8 | 20 déc. 2023 | 00:24:35 | |
This week, we delve into Matthew 8 with stories showcasing faith's transformative power. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Narrow Gate, Firm Foundation | Matthew 7 | 13 déc. 2023 | 00:23:36 | |
There is some really great stuff in Matthew 7. Lots of good advice and convicting notes. Here is a quick rundown… 1. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Verse 3 In other words, you better watch how you judge others. The point here is just don’t because you have your own stuff going on. 2. Do not cast your pearls before swine. Verse 6 Don’t cheapen what you have, meaning your holy knowledge. Not everyone wants to hear the good news that is Jesus. Learn when to not waste your time. Some attempts to share will be futile…some people really don’t care. 3. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Verses 7-11 Especially of God and not in just a material way. 4. Narrow is the gate. Verse 13 This does not mean that the gate will be hard to miss. It means the wider, broader way will look like a better choice with more space and easier, but it will be worse in the long run. Jesus is through the narrow gate and will help you along the path. 5. Good trees bear good fruit. Verse 17 Just because a tree or plant looks good doesn’t mean it is. I have repeatedly planted tomato plants that grow so tall and smell like tomato, but never actually produce any tomatoes. Why would I keep it around? It does nothing. 6. Build on the rock. Verses 24 & 25 Have a firm foundation that is only found in God.
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| Like This | Matthew 6 | 06 déc. 2023 | 00:34:04 | |
Jesus had just spent time telling what thou shalt not do. Now we see him advising on how to do things that they were already doing; giving, praying, fasting…even worrying. Remember that every time Jesus says hypocrites, he means Pharisees. Jesus is showing them how they can be better, more righteous that the Pharisees. I find this comforting. For me this is a statement made to our hearts. It's Jesus feeling our inadequacy in righteousness and whispering “they don’t even do it right. I don’t want you to do it like them. I want you to do it like me.” --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| The Shalt Nots | Matthew 5:21-48 | 29 nov. 2023 | 00:36:09 | |
This week, we wrap up the rest of Matthew chapter 5. So, Jesus goes into the thou shalt nots the people had heard. He was not altering them. He was teaching them with the correct intent behind them. He was telling what they really meant without the “rabbinical understanding” attached. He gets rid of the Pharisee slant. Guys, it’s all about the intent of your heart. All of it. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Law Fulfilled | Matthew 5:17-20 | 22 nov. 2023 | 00:27:31 | |
“To purposefully reject any commandment was tantamount to rejecting God’s right to rule one’s life.” Chronological Bible Jesus had just given the beatitudes and said that they would be the things, the attitudes, that set them apart. In verses 17-20 he gives a broad view of righteousness that he will break down through chapter 7. (Chapters 5, 6, and 7 are the complete Sermon on the Mount.) Jesus is about to blow the folks minds. He makes the statement that he is not abolishing the law but fulfilling it. The Law was the Ten Commandments…or actually the entire collection of the sacred books of the Old Testament. In Greek, law, nomos, in the New Testament is “of divine laws; of a force or influence impelling to action; of the Mosaic Law; of the books which contain the law, the Pentateuch, the Old Testament scripture in general. The law with emphasis on the first five books of the Old Testament.” (nomos Bible Hub) --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Salty Like Jesus | Matthew 5:13-16 | 15 nov. 2023 | 00:27:23 | |
Jesus has just given a good list of what kind of people his followers are supposed to be like. Or at least the standard they are to work toward. He was describing people and now he is beginning to share the impact those kind of people can have. People who are poor in spirit, humble, meek, mourn what God mourns, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, make peace are sure to be a little different than the crowd. If you are living into those beatitudes, you will definitely stand out. That is being salty and bright. It is being set apart. The cool thing about being set apart is that it is a lifelong process. Salvation takes but a moment, but sanctification lasts a lifetime. It is a daily practice of being washed by the Word of God and letting Holy Spirit work in us to progressively mature in our faith.
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| Persecuted | Matthew 5:10-12 | 08 nov. 2023 | 00:34:30 | |
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. I have never been persecuted because of righteousness or for my love of Jesus. Matthew 5:10 is not written about me…at least thus far in my life. The same can probably be said for most people that read this. The Greek word used here is diókó. It means to put to flight, pursue, by implication to persecute. To aggressively chase, like a hunter pursuing a catch. To pursue with all haste, earnestly desiring to overtake. See, you probably haven’t experienced that. This does not sound like they are chasing you down to simply shove you to the ground or trip you up. This sounds scary and dangerous. I think we get suffering some trials and going through tough times with being persecuted. Matthew 5:11 gets a little more inclusive. Keep learning with the full show notes on the website. References & Mentions --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| For the Love of Peace | Matthew 5:9 | 01 nov. 2023 | 00:29:37 | |
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 "We become peacemakers in a troubled world and channels for God’s mercy, purity and peace." Warren Wiersbe What if believers were known for their peace? Yikes. I don’t think that is the first thing that comes to mind about the church these days. Generally speaking, we are not very good at making peace or even keeping peace. How do we do a better job? Kay Arthur gave the best answer to this question. She says that you have to be at peace with God to be at peace. So, are you at peace with the Lord? This is where you start. This is how you begin to be a peacemaker…be at peace with the peacemaker. And we can really just go back to the other beatitudes to check our standing with the other things we should be merciful, poor in spirit, mourning what God mourns, chasing righteousness, meek, pure in heart. Of course, I have looked up some Greek words from Bible Hub.
God wants to call us his sons and daughters. He wants to see us resemble him in character and life. I want to be claimed as such. Don’t’ you? The praise is in the name. He loves me anyway, but does he call me daughter? This is a lot to think about. I could ask you a bunch of questions now. I could give you some really good illustrations and biblical comparisons. But what I really want you to spend time thinking about is, are you at peace with God? Does he call you son/daughter? Keep learning with the full show notes on the website. --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Pure Heart | Matthew 5:8 | 25 oct. 2023 | 00:25:17 | |
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 I really love and appreciate that these beatitudes really line up with each other. It’s a continuation of a theme. Layer upon layer of actions to shape us into the kind of human beings we were meant to be. They type of people we have the potential to be.
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| Have Mercy! | Matthew 5:7 | 18 oct. 2023 | 00:32:07 | |
Blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Matthew 5:7 We want to make Jesus and what he came to do more exclusive than God intended, I think. We like to think that His mercy is just reserved for those who have similar mindsets that we do. We want it to be the ultimate flex of, see, we got it right and you have been wrong all along. Before I go on let’s look at the Greek definitions of merciful and mercy.
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| Hungry and Thirsty | Matthew 5:6 | 11 oct. 2023 | 00:34:04 | |
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6 There are so many references to bread and water in the Bible. I think that being hungry and thirsty is something that we can all identify with. Right? But what does Jesus mean here? How do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? What in the world could that mean? --- Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter! | |||
| Meek is Might | Matthew 5:5 | 04 oct. 2023 | 00:25:53 | |
Blessed are the meek; for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Meek is not a word that we use very often. At least I don’t. In Psalm 37:11 David has this to say, “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” The meek are getting that because they have submitted to the Lord.
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| Happy to Mourn | Mathew 5:4 | 27 sept. 2023 | 00:34:39 | |
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Another beatitude that, if you are like me, you have not understood. We know what mourning is. Most of us have experienced grief. But Jesus is talking about something a little different than what we are thinking and identifying as grief. That is not to say that God does not comfort those who are mourning. The Bible tells us that he will dry every tear of grief and that he is near to the brokenhearted (Revelation 21:4 and Psalm 34:18 respectively). This mourning challenges us to look at the cause of our grief in a new way. Expand it, even.
References & Mentions:
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| What Even is “Poor in Spirit?” | Matthew 5:3 | 20 sept. 2023 | 00:29:49 | |
This week we start with the Beatitudes. When I was younger, I wrongly thought that the Beatitudes in Matthew didn’t apply to me. All those blessed rewards were not things that I was or could do. I had a pink Precious Moments Bible that had an illustration about “Blessed are the Peacemakers” and I didn’t know if I was a peacemaker. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I found out what all the characteristics of the blessed ones were.
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