Wisdom from Above

Most people are not asking, "Is Jesus Real?" Obviously He is real. There are thousands of documents verifying his historicity. The question people are asking is this: "Is Jesus relevant?" What difference does a man who lived 2,000 years ago make in our lives?

In order to answer that question we will dig into the seven "I AM" claims that Jesus made that are recorded in the Gospel of John.

No one is exempt from trials. Hurts and heartaches, disease and death, troubles and trials... are all part of this sin-cursed world. The curse on sin has impacted our planet with destructive storms, our ground with thorns and thistles, our work with pressure and problems, our relationships with difficulties and divisions, and our bodies with diseases and death. 

How can we endure such heartaches? This episode of Wisdom from Above will examine three truths we must cling to in times of trouble.

God loves a cheerful giver! Who should give? How much should they give? Why should they give? This episode of Wisdom from Above will reveal four characteristics of giving that should be true in our lives. It will also reveal four truths about giving that should be evident in our giving.

The resurrection Jesus Christ is one of the most critical events in the history of mankind. It serves as a foundational proof for the deity of Jesus Christ and for the veracity of Christianity!  Consequently, many skeptics, many agnostics, many post-moderns, and many unbelievers jump at anything that sounds like it could possibly serve to undermine the reality of the resurrection! There are two paths from the tomb of Christ. We will examine those two paths and you will take one or the other!

Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

I want to help you understand the amazing love of Christ, the rugged courage of Christ, and the incredible suffering of Christ.

Even more I want you to know why Christ died and how it can be the best thing that ever happened.

One of the most difficult assignments that God gives to us is the assignment to wait!  Waiting can be discouraging. Waiting can be exhausting.  Waiting on a broken relationship to be restored. Waiting for relief from pain or the diagnosis of a problem or healing of a disease. Waiting for wrongs to be righted, lies to be admitted, truth to prevail. Waiting for a loved one to trust in Christ. Waiting for a wayward believer to turn back to Christ. sin us as we look at the call to wait and the examples of people who waited.

This episode of Wisdom from Above will reveal the greatest love in history, the greatest gift in history, and the greatest opportunity in history!

In this episode of Wisdom form Above we are going to look at something dramatic, cataclysmic, life-changing. We are going to look at the lives of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. We are going to discover how it was that God used these 12 ordinary men to literally change the world!

Do you know the most important aspect of leadership?

To reveal the importance of the leader’s life, let me quote from two of the most important leaders in the New Testament… Jesus and Paul. Jesus said, “Follow me!”  The Bible says, Jesus “left us an example that we should walk in his footsteps.”   Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me!” Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Follow my example.” 

The most important aspect of leadership is the leader's life. A godly leader not only talks the talk, he also walks the walk... and his walk gives weight to his words. Join me as we discover ten traits of a godly leader in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

People come to church hurting and find no hope. They come confused and find no direction. They come in weakness and find no power. They come with guilt and find no forgiveness. They come spiritually hungry and are not fed. Why? Because there is no hope, no peace, no power, and no forgiveness in man’s wisdom, man’s philosophy, and man’s religion! So what is the answer? Where can we find pardon, peace, and power? Where can we find hope and truth and meaning and purpose? The Bible gives us the answer and the answer is clear. The answer, as it is given in 2 Timothy 4, is to “Preach the Word!” We need to preach the Word... the Scripture the Holy Bible, the Written Word, the inspired and authoritative Word of God.

What lights your fire? What are you passionate about? Our passions impact our priorities and our activities. Are you passionate about God and His Word and serving Him? Jesus once said He wishes we were either hot or cold, and not lukewarm. God deserves far more than our half-hearted efforts and our left-over time.

Today we are going to see three life-impacting commitments that we as a believer should be passionate about. They are found in 2 Timothy 2:15.

Some people are as confused as a termite in a yo-yo! Their world seems to be spinning out of control. They are confused, uncertain, anxious, and afraid. They are struggling to determine what direction to go and what decision to make. In this episode of Wisdom from Above we will discover how to know the will of God.

"God has a marvelous plan of using ordinary people in extraordinary ways and bringing all the glory to Himself!" 

I love that quote from Adrian Rogers. Join me as we explore six verses of Scripture that highlight that truth in this episode of Wisdom from Above. This is an incredibly encouraging passage of Scripture, and it closes with three very practical challenges: a rebuke to our pride, a reckoning of our power, and a response of our praise!

In this episode of Wisdom from Above we will discover the reason why we can rub shoulders with people who are hurting and not even realize how much they are hurting. Next we will see the results of this failure. Then, we will see Jesus plan to correct this problem and to enable us to make an eternal impact in the lives of others.

We wrap up this episode with three stirring challenges for those who know Jesus and then a sweet invitation for those who do not yet know Jesus as their own personal Savior.

Throughout the ages, certain men and women have stood out as spiritual giants. Have you ever wondered what it is that enabled them to move towards such dynamic spiritual maturity? Some men and women seem to find such clear direction and find such great satisfaction and make such a dramatic impact on the world. Why is it that some people seem to be radically changed by the Bible and become real difference makers while others seem completely unaffected? Why is it that some people seem to learn and grow and bear so much fruit while others seem to just wither away or give up or drop out? What makes the difference? I believe the answer is found in the marble of the soils. Join me as we discover how to get the most out of the Bible.

Satan prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is highly experienced and incredibly cunning and wickedly deceitful. He has a time-worn strategy for our defeat. His method is deceit and his target is our mind. We are prone to wander and we can be easily misled, swayed, deceived and lured away from our commitment to follow Christ. In this episode of Wisdom from Above we are going to investigate three common lures Satan uses to draw us away from intimacy and fellowship with Christ.

Season 10 of Wisdom from Above is a series of episodes with special emphasis on practical Christianity… a series of how to’s and life-changing truths. Today’s podcast reveals the critical importance of the decisions we make and it challenges us to make the right decision about the path we take. Join us as we discover how to start the new year out right! 

Joshua 24:15 declares, "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." We are going to discover two practical truths from each word or phrase in this verse.

This challenge will set us on track for 2024.

Merry Christmas podcast friends!

The real meaning of Christmas has become fuzzy, if not completely lost, to most people.  What is Christmas all about? Granted... most people think about gifts and love and Santa... but is there more? Is there something more central ? Is there something more important? How can we get Christmas into focus? Join me for this episode of Wisdom from Above as we explore three common focuses of Christmas, and one rare but crucial focus for Christmas.

In this first episode of the tenth season of Wisdom from Above, a virgin receives incrediblible news! She is going to become pregnant and give birth to the Son of God. This is the heart of the Christmas story.

Is the virgin birth real? Is the virgin birth important? How could it happen? What is its significance? Join me as we investigate the virgin birth in this episode of Wisdom from Above! We are going to discover how to understand the virgin birth.

This is a cup turning episode. It is a call to praise the Lord. How can we adequately express out praise to such an awesomely powerful, tenderly loving, and infinitely wise God? The answer found in Psalm 146 has three components: shouting and shining and singing. Fasten your seat belt because this Psalm could blow your complacency clean out of the cockpit!

Parenting is a monumental task and it is especially difficult to finds a balance as a parent in today's world. Schools and colleges, pop stars and sports stars, television and media are almost all pushing a leftist Marxist philosophy. Critical Race Theory has invaded our government, our schools, our military, and our culture. The political and medical elite seem to be governed by cash instead of a code. Churches are failing to stand for the Scripture. Judges are failing to follow the constitution. Schools are failing to teach “reading, science and math.” Students are being deceived. Rights are being infringed. Truth is being canceled. Facts are being silenced. Morality is being twisted. Good is being called evil. Evil is being called good.

How in the world can we parent wisely in these last days? Psalm 127 suggests that we can be a good parent by our good looks! Now I know that has caught your attention. Listen to this podcast of Wisdom from Above and discover what God's Word has to say about being a good parent.

How to make every day a God-honoring day. Some folks are plagued by yesterday and others are paralyzed by tomorrow. How should we start each day? How should we live each day? How can we find joy? Psalm 118:24 is packed with four practical truths that can help us make the most of every day.

This Wisdom from Above podcast explores Psalm 100... which is a call to an attitude of gratitude. The Bible declares that one of the characteristics of the last days is ingratitude. Pslam 100 is a much beloved psalm that leads us into worshiping the Lord because He is God and because He is good!

We are just a few days away from the fall holiday of Thanksgiving. I thought it would be good to turn our attention to a Psalm that encourages us to intentionally reflect on the blessings of God and intentionally express our thanks to God. 

This episode of Wisdom from Above will zero in on the first five verses of Psalm 103. Join me and set your heart right for this Thanksgiving and for every day of the year.

This Wisdom from Above podcast reveals 10 Traits of a Godly Man that are found in Psalm 112. This psalm provides a clear challenge to all of us men.

Today, in this Wisdom from Above podcast we are going to discover seven things God wants us to teach our children. This podcast is especially dedicated to bringing hope and help and honor to mothers.

What is the bone of contention between the Arabs and the Jews? Who is the rightful owner of what the Jews call the land of Israel and the Arabs call Palestine? What is the goal of Hamas and Hezbollah? Is Israel an evil occupier of Palestinian Arab land? Join us for this episode of Wisdom from Above and find some answers to the questions so many are asking.

Most people fail to consider the brevity of life. Psalm 90 tells us that we should number our days. What does that mean? What are the benefits of numbering our days? Join us for this study of this fascinating Psalm written by Moses!

How can a good God let wicked people prosper and godly people suffer? This was the problem that was plaguing Asaph, the author of Psalm 73. It is a problem that plagues many people today. Asaph is trying to get the facts of faith to measure up to the facts of life. In Psalm 73, Asaph walks us through the process of dealing with envy. He tells us what he acknowledged, what he expected, what he saw, what he felt, what he did, what he discovered, and what he decided. This psalm is incredibly practical and it will give you insight into how to deal with envy, self-pity, and bitterness.

Guilt is often revealed by having a knot in our stomachs and turmoil in our minds. Guilt is often the result of having acted wrongly.

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then David murdered her husband. David thought he might be able to cover up his sin and get away with it; but he could not escape the guilt. Now, at last, he confesses his sin and seeks to find forgiveness from God and freedom from guilt.

We all sin. We all go our own way at times. Do you have a guilty conscience. How do you deal with guilt? I welcome you to listen in as we deiscover how to deal with guilt in this episode of Wisdom from Above.

None of us is immune to stress. People pressure us, adversaries attack us, criticism hurts us, conflict drains us, business overwhelms us, disease scares us, sin binds us, anxiety frazzles us, and death haunts us.  Your chest is hurting. Your stomach is in knots. Your mind is working overtime both day and night. Stress often becomes distress!

         Is there hope in a world of stress?  Before you consume another bottle of Mylanta, or chew up another handful of Tums, or take another dose of Prozak, let me encourage you with three keys to handling stress from Psalm 46.  

         Charles Garrigus made the following insightful observation: “While three-fifths of the world’s population worries about hunger and survival, we anxiously wrestle with overweight and boredom. ...yet, in personal relationships and inner peace, we are revealing that we do not know how to live. We are artists at having and failures at being.”

Psalm 33 makes this declaration: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." This psalm goes on to list five characteristics that each nation must exhibit if they want God's blessing.

In Psalm 22, we saw Jesus past sacrifice as our Savior.

In Psalm 23, we saw Jesus present care as our Shepherd.

In Psalm 24, we see Jesus future coming as our King!

Join us as we examine this final song in this trilogy of songs by David.

Pslam 24 will remind us of God's desire for those who would worship Him. Psalm 24 will also remind us of our great hope in the return of Jesu as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Today, in this episode of the Wisdom from Above podcast, we are looking at Psalm 23… which talks about Jesus as the Great Shepherd of the sheep! Psalm 23 is known and loved by people all over the world. This is the first Psalm I ever memorized as a kid. It gives such a great picture of Jesus as the tender and compassionate Shepherd of His sheep. 

Psalm 23 was written by David… who himself served as a shepherd.  It is an honor for me to draw your attention to this kind tender-hearted Shepherd. I hope and pray that this episode of Wisdom from Above will be very encouraging to you.

Psalm 22, 23, & 24 form a beautiful trilogy… called the Shepherd Psalms:

In Psalm 22 Jesus is The Great Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (Hebrews 13:20). In Psalm 23 Jesus is The Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep (John 10:14). In Psalm 24, Jesus is The Chief Shepherd who is coming back to be with His sheep (1 Peter 5:1-4).

We are going to examine these Psalms one episode at a time. This episode is focued on Psalm 22. In this Psalm David opens his heart about his experience in suffering from adversaries that actually predict Jesus experience of suffering on the cross. This psalm actually has some very good news for us!

A Revelation Demands A Response. God has revealed Himself in the world He created and in the Word He communicated. Psalm 19 speaks about these two forms of revelation. One of my professors, Dr Toussaint used to say, "If God speaks there is nothing more important that to listen to what He has to say." All God has spoken... in the sky and in the Scripture. Join me as we dig into this fascinating Psalm and learn with me how we should respond to the revelation of God.

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Some say Biblical faith is too impersonal... it is trying to believe in a distant force that you can't see or hear or touch. It’s all high ceilings, stained glass, wood pews, and cold facts.

Some say Biblical faith is too impractical... it’s some kind of crazy leap into the dark. It doesn't speak to life where the rubber meets the road. It’s all pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye.

Some say Biblical faith is too limiting...  its teachings are too harsh and rigorous. The lifestyle promoted by the Bible takes all the fun out of life. It's all discipline and no delight.

In Psalm 16, David gives us an entirely different picture of Biblical faith. I urge you to check it out!

David faced misunderstanding, jealousy, and shattered hopes. David faced rebellion, heartache, and broken dreams. David faced cruelty, injustice and physical attacks. In a time like this, David took pen in hand and composed Psalm 13.

This Psalm gives us insight and help for how to respond in times of trial and days of discouragement. If you are anything like me, you will see yourself in this psalm and you will discover several very practical steps you can take to get through trials victoriously.

Psalm 8 is a fabulous Psalm that highlights the majesty and glory of God. It reminds us that God is the Creator of the universe. It also reveals the amazing truth that this God who created the universe cares about you and me. The Psalmist challenges us to consider the greatness and grace of our Lord. If you are anything like me, you will find yourself singing and praising God before we finish this episode of Wisdom from Above.

We all have times when we feel like the life God wants us to have is being ripped away from us by unkind people or unfortunate circumstances. Our world is being manipulated and deceived and pushed to the brink. Diseases are being manufactured in labs. Corruption is being covered up. Speech is being censored. Science is being perverted. Pornography is being pushed on our children. Sexual immorality is being promoted in our schools. Marriage is being undermined. Christianity is being mocked. How should we respond? David reveals the answer in Psalm 5. Join us as we explore Psalm 5 in this episode of Wisdom from Above.

Many have no rest in the midst of troubles. Many have no refuge in the midst of troubles. Many have no joy in the midst of troubles. In Psalm 4, David reveals the keys to joy in the midst of troubles. Join me for this episode of Wisdom from Above to discover how to experience joy in the midst of troubles.

Every one of us faces battles in our everyday life. Your battles may be with your finances, they may be with your parents, they may be with your marriage partner, they may be with your children. Your battles may be at your school, at your work, or at your social gatherings. Your battles may be with friends who have betrayed you or enemies who want to destroy you. Your battles may be with Marxist politicians, liberal theologians, Hollywood leftists, global elitists, gender bending activists, or satanic forces. We all face tough battles! We all have troubles and trials in this life.

David... shepherd boy turned King of Israel face his share of troubles and trials. Psalm 3 tells about the time his own son led a revolt against him. This Psalm, in which David describes his troubles, will give us some practical steps to take when we face troubles and trials.

Think of the foolishness of the clay pot trying to get rid of the potter. That is what we are seeing in our world today. The creature (man) trying to get rid of the Creator (God). Global elitists, Hollywood leftists, liberal professors, and left-wing media all seem to be trying to censor and forbid any mention of God, any prayer to God, and any reference to His commands. They reject the idea of Biblical morality and absolute truths. God is being pushed out of our institutions and nations. Believers in Christ are being pushed to the fringe of society. What is God's response? What is God's plan? Psalm 2 reveals God's perspective on man's rebellion against Him. This Psalm also reveals God's plan to squash the rebellion. And we will see, as Isaac Watts correctly wrote, Jesus shall reign where're the sun does its successive journeys run; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moon shall wax and wane no more. noted. Join us as we investigate Psalm 2

I am thrilled to report that this episode of Wisdom from Above is the beginning of our 9th season. All 126 episodes that precede this episode are available to everyone everywhere that has WiFi connections. 

Our world is becoming increasingly secular. We live in a world of lawlessness and license. We live in a day of spiritual ignorance and moral ambivalence. Godly men and godly women are looked upon with disfavor as politically incorrect and as dangerously subversive.  Believers in Christ are being attacked as though they are the enemy. Looting and stealing, raving and pillaging, lying and deceiving are going unjudged and even praised. Values are twisted, bodies are degraded, and minds are depraved. There is an increasing sense of fear and frustration and futility in our world. 

What message would God give to people who are living in such savage times? Does God’s Word have anything to say about how to find contentment, satisfaction, fulfillment, meaning, purpose, life, joy, and happiness? Yes it does... and therefore, this 9th season of Wisdom from Above will focus on the Psalms and will seek to find personal help, practical guidance, and divine insight for the difficult issues of life. Join us as we embark on this new venture into the Psalms. Today we will investigate Psalm 1 - "How to be Truly Happy."

In this episode of Wisdom from Above, we conclude our investigation of the Book of Revelation by examining

The Faithful Word of God the Father, The Finished Work of God the Son, and The Final Witness of God the Spirit.

Three times Jesus says, "I am coming." 

We join the beloved Apostle John in saying, "Even so, come Lord Jesus!"

Three times those who have not yet placed their fight in Christ are urged to "Come" to Christ in faith...

believing that Jesus died in their place, paid for their sins, rose from the grave, and offers them eternal life as a free gift. 

Join me as we wrap up this exciting study of Revelation!

Our eyes have not seen, our ears have not heard and our mind has not imagined the incredible blessings God has in store for us throughout eternity.

In this episode of Wisdom from Above we will discover five fantastic blessings that will be available to the believer. Each of these blessings is accompanied by a practical challenge for us that impacts how we think and speak and act in this life. How we live in this life sets the stage for joys we will experience in eternity.

This episode is loaded with songs that naturally flow from a heart that is passionate about pleasing the Lord. I hope you find this episode very encouraging and I hope that is stipulates an eager anticipation for things to come!

Where do you go if you want to find out about the place Jesus is preparing for us? Do you go to the library, to the internet, to the book store, to a protestant preacher, to a catholic priest, to a muslim cleric, to a buddhist monk, to an eastern mystic, to a religious guru, to a palm reader, to a crystal ball gazer, to a visionary dreamer, to a returned-from-the-dead book writer? All of these may be more than happy to tell you what heaven or purgatory or nirvana or whatever they call the future is like; but are they right? Are they trustworthy? Is their description of heaven inspired? No! Who can you trust? Who has the authority to really declare the truth about our future?

The Apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven, and he said he was not allowed to speak about it (2 Corinthians 12:1-10). Yet we have people today claiming to have been caught up to the third heaven for a brief period of time... and they are more than happy to sell you book in which they speak about it. And for some unexplainable reason, people are more willing to hear from them than they are to hear from God! How is it that some Christians put more confidence in someone's claimed experience than they put in God's inspired Word? It boggles my mind!

If you want to know about the place God is preparing for us, then I would suggest you look in the book that God wrote for us... the Holy Bible. The Bible has the only divinely authoritative and truly accurate revelation of our future home. And in this episode of Wisdom from Above, we go to the Bible to find out what God's Word says about our eternal home. I'd be honored if you listened in to this Wisdom from Above podcast.

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Revelation 22:1-5 reveals seven new things that will be experienced throughout eternity by those whose names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.

1) New Haven and Earth, 2) New Jerusalem, 3) New abode of God, 4) New peace, 5) New paradise, 6) New Inheritance, 7) New Contrast. We have so much to look forward to: This eternal state... this New Heaven and New Earth Heaven is beyond our comprehension. It is beyond our imagination! It is beyond our wildest dreams! It will be a place of phenomenal beauty, incredible joy, and great adventure! 

Join Dr Harlan Betz for this episode of Wisdom from Above as we take a look onto the future!

What is the Great White Throne judgment? Who is the Judge at the Great White Throne? Who is judged at the Great white Throne?

What is the Lake of Fire? Would a loving God send anyone to Hell? What should be our response?

Join me for this episode of Wisdom from Above as we consider the eternal lot of these who refuse to place their faith in Jesus.

Isaac Watts tries to capture the breadth and length of Christ’s reign with these words:

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun... Does its successive journeys run,

His kingdom spread from shore to shore,  Till moon shall wax and wane no more!

George Frederick Handel picked up on the joy of Christ reign with these words:

Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, and He shall reign forever and ever. King of kings and Lord of lords!

What are they talking about. Is Jesus really literally physically coming back to the earth? Is Jesus really literally physically going to reign on the earth?

Join us, in this episode of Wisdom from Above, as we determine the real meaning of the 1,000 year reign of Christ!