Rabbit Holes & Meditations - Christian Bible Study

Imagine you have been watching the dialog in John 8 unfold in a courtroom. The Bible loves courtroom metaphors by the way. 
Jesus is defending himself. He is facing the jury, giving his closing testimony. God is in the Judges seat. Abraham is in the witness stand. And, oh yes, Satan is their in the courtroom too... he's at the prosecution desk, frantically taking notes. 
This podcast picks up at that seen so you don't have to imagine it. We've recreated what could basically be Jesus closing testimony. Notes to Closing Arguments - John 8
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/closing-arguments/ 

We spent some time in John 8 trying to understand the perspective of the Jews who were confronting Jesus. After much deliberation we arrived at a prison metaphor that helps explain it. I think it might be easier to imagine the image of prison than to describe it. "Prison" was comfortable for the Jews. They did not understand the difference between spiritual death and physical death. They did not think they were in prison. In their delusion, they were right where they needed to be. 
Notes to Prison
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/prison/ 

First of all, Merry Christmas!
Today, we walked through Biblical history to trace the prophecy from Eden to the Birth. Christmas is the day when Heaven came down. It truly is the most beautiful day in the history of mankind. 
 

Where does the Christmas Tree come from? Or Santa and His Reindeer? Or the Elves? Buckle up - Here we go down another rabbit hole

There's an easter egg at the end... Just wanted to get that out early.
We are still in John Chapter 8. I had intended to finish this and, well, I made it to verse 32. TWO VERSES out of the 29 we wanted to cover. Is it any wonder that we call our podcast Rabbit Holes and Meditations?
I think it helps to explain how this content is generated.
Today, I have two verses and 47 pages of typed, formatted, organized notes. It's basically how I journal through scripture. I read what I want to study, then I sleep on it. That's nighttime prep. Then I get up early in the morning and open my bible and the Berean bible application we created for Bible Study. That's TWO WITNESSES: 1. The Berean App and 2. An actual Bible (plus me). I never trust the app without an open Bible. Nobody should in my opinion. AI can hallucinate! And while we have addressed that in the Berean application, we never want to fully rest on it as the final authoritative word. I even worry about digital Bibles. I think everyone should have at least 2 print copies, maybe in different translations. I just have this paranoid idea that if they wanted to, the digital copies could be changed, and you wouldn't even know it.
In any case, I never trust AI by itself and I'm learning to push back and challenge even the responses from the Berean Filter application we developed - usually to improve clarity... not necessarily to correct error.  For me, it is a conversational tool to flush out my own thoughts. Sometimes I even have to tell the Berean app to shut up and let me talk! You can speak to AI without it taking offence. I actually said this in the conversation I was having with the Berean app: "I really wasn't asking for more clarification. I had something to add. You are acting like the know-it-all in the room that doesn't give anyone else a chance to speak.". The Berean app responded apologetically with Scripture! I thought that was cool: Proverbs 18:13 (KJV) “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”
Another response from the Berean filter came later: Thank you for pressing on that. That kind of correction keeps the discussion honest and biblical.
So, to the listeners of this Podcast. You are with me - Greg Newell - on a journey through scripture. We have a neat tool at our disposal that we call the Berean Filter: designed to make sure that we adhere to the word and interpret scripture with scripture. The point is that there is teamwork between a real human (Greg Newell), an application that accesses scripture incredibly fast and accurately, the Bible itself (of course) - God's inspiration, the Holy Spirit. We also have Google for the NotebookLM application turning thoughts into voices. Beyond that, we edit responses with Camtasia, fix audio as much as we can to make it both more accurate and a better listening experience and then publish on a podcast hosting application: Podbean and a website: www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com.
I just thought you all would be interested. Anyway... On to today's study. If you've ever watch X-Files, you know the line: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Today's podcast is about Slavery and Freedom. Jesus is still talking to the Jews that seemed to believe Him. This is where I pushed back because I know where the story goes. And that took us down this rabbit hole.
Notes to Truth and Freedom
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/truth-and-freedom/ 

As I continue to ponder John 8:21-30, my mind was connecting the meaning of all that we have discovered up to this point in our red-letter journey. Walking chronologically with Jesus through the gospels helps afford you the same maturity of thoughts and ideas that the disciples would have been going through. It's only fitting that each encounter feels more deeply meaningful.
I like to consider myself the 15th disciple. Matthias was the 13th replacing Judas. Paul, the 14th and the rest, you, me, everyone of Jesus followers become the 15th. It's kind of like the 19th hole on a golf course, but I digress. The point is that it's a shared expression that I don't consider my own.
In this section of scripture, Jesus is clear explaining that He is from above and they (the Jews) were from below. Not just here but in other places, Jesus says that the only way to "above" is through Him. If you abide in earthly systems, you gain earthly things. If you abide in Jesus, you gain heavenly things.
As you guys know, this is where I went off the tracks and started looking at "earthly systems". And of course, the big one right now is AI. As we approached discussions of reciprocal dependence of earthly systems. Thinking about that opened up the idea that the dependence on God is NOT reciprocal. God doesn't need you! That leads to the very definition of grace.
And so here we are and we are asking the question, what if man creates a system that is not dependent upon man. What happens? What does that look like? We call it BABEL
Behavioral
AI-driven
Black-box
Emergent
Lordship.
If you have read your bible, you know what it looks like, but we're going to bring it to the surface so it's much easier to identify.
 
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/babel-behavioral-ai-driven-black-box-emergent-lordship/ 

We hinted at this podcast in our last discussion. Up to this point in the man's history, all earthly systems have a mutually dependent relationship. No matter what the system, if that is where you place your trust, your faith, then you are engaging in idolatry. You are trusting something of earthly origin more than you're trusting in your own Creator.
By contrast, your own creator, does not exist in that mutual, symbiotic relationship. You still depend on the Creator, whether you want to admit it or not. But He doesn't depend upon you. He created you for His purposes. For His glory. And that ultimately is your reason for existence, to bear God's name. You exist for the glory of God. We can do a deep dive on that at some point, but trust me for now, that is why you exist.
Now, fast-forward to 2025 and consider that man is on the verge of creating a system that does not depend on man to sustain itself. It can grow and learn and build and create. It can even improve itself, multiply and add new, completely new things never thought of. This thing looks like the dream of mankind. It promises the end of disease. The end even of death (at least that's the promise). Abundance and resources we never imagined. It promises all that mankind ever wanted.
Our intro into this deep dive is God's own response: Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them.
Notes for Mans Autonomous Creation
Episode Link:

What happens if man creates a system that does not depend on man? This is a more direct discussion leading to tomorrows podcast. I'll let you ponder it. 
No notes today, this is just a short intro. 
 
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/creating-a-non-dependent-creation/

There's a lot of talk about the nature of dependence in this podcast and I'm not sure it does a good job at answering the questions I was trying to resolve. Here are the questions...
The bible talks about slavery - to your money, to your reputation, even to your religion. In short - slavery to sin. We defined this a basically a symbiotic relationship between the slave and the master. Though it might not appear so, the master is as much dependent on the slave as the slave is to the master. The politician needs the voters. The voters want what the politician is promising. The wealthy person needs the labor pool to grow his wealth. The worker needs the wealthy person to pay his salary. You can go down the list, and you'll find that every master depends on the slave and every slave depends on the master. Further, all of these earthly dependencies have an end point... death. When you're dead in that dependent arrangement, that's it! You die in your sin. That's what that means! You lose! 
So, the question is this. If I just change my dependence to God, why is that not slavery too? And the answer came so simply (after much meditation). There are two components to this. First, God doesn't need you! Second, God is eternal! Yes, you become dependent on your very creator. You always have been. But your Creator is not dependent on you. What you discover is grace! When you give up your earthly dependencies to trust in God, you gain an infinite gift, and He expects nothing in return. Your only requirement? Faith! He gave you the ability to choose. Faith is the expression of love of the Father. It is not just saying I believe in God (Even the demons believe!). Faith means that you are depending on God. You are placing your trust in Him. You love Him! The Jews confronted by Jesus couldn't even muster that. I hope you can. 
Note for Dependence and Grace
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/dependence-and-grace/ 

I'm trying not to be so linear in my thinking. It stretches my logical brain when I am presented things that are true in both directions. This is exactly what we encounter in John 8 verses 12-20.
Jesus is still teaching at the Feast of Booths. And the Illumination of the temple ceremony is the perfect backdrop for this passage.
Notes for A Light in the Darkness
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/a-light-in-the-darkness/ 

We approach a very common story in John 8. It is the morning after the Feast of Booths. Jesus is up early and still teaching. The pharisees detect an opportunity to trap Jesus. They bring out a woman they claim is an adulteress and the story unfolds.
I don't think it's a surprise to those listening to these podcasts that we use AI to help dig deep into scripture. Just so you know that none of these podcasts are a one-way AI conversation, today, we left the commentary and the challenges intact. The answers that we came away with by challenging the original answers help provide a deeper and I think better interpretation than if we had just left the AI to provide its own commentary. That commentary, while not wrong, needed a human touch.
Here's an example (pulled from the notes). We bantered about on the presence or absence of an actual witness.
AI Commentary and Common Interpretation: If there is a qualified witness here, untainted by sin in this matter, let him step forward and begin.
Challenge to think deeper: I submitted that I think he is saying: In the absence of a qualified witness, who among you is willing to pick up the first stone. A witness is not qualified by the absence of sin. The law says that a witness is qualified because of direct knowledge. I think Jesus is calling them out. He's saying: Ok - since you don't have a witness, who among you is qualified to accuse another sinner of anything. Jesus has just reduced the entire crowd to a bunch of sinners pointing accusatory fingers at each other!
Another AI Commentary (and common interpretation): Given the legal setting, this cannot mean absolute sinlessness (which would nullify the Law) and moral superiority in general. 
Challenge: I think that this is EXACTLY what Jesus means! First, there are no witnesses. In the absence of a witness, all we have is a group of sinners. It no longer matters what the accusation is - there's no witness! This is sinner against sinner and finger pointing. Jesus is raising the stakes by stating: "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Nobody is without sin. It's a foregone conclusion.
Notes for Sin is Just a Stone's Throw Away
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/sin-is-just-a-stones-throw-away/ 

We've been following Jesus's Red Letters chronologically for quite some time. Most of that journey, up to this point has been chronicled in the Matthew, Mark and Luke. Chronologically, The Red Letters Follow the Mission Pattern. Jesus’ ministry moves from: Public proclamation (Galilee) to Growing opposition to Private Instruction of disciples to Passion and fulfillment. If you're wondering why we haven't heard much from the Gospel of John - you're noticing something that was intentional (not by us but by the Gospels themselves). 
Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Synoptic Gospels — do indeed preserve far more of Jesus’ early Galilean ministry, including a greater volume of spoken teaching (red letters) during that phase, than John does. John concentrated red-letter density appears in the final phase to interpret the cross, resurrection, and the identity of Christ. As it turns out, roughly half of John’s Gospel (John 12–21) is devoted to the final week, the cross, and the resurrection. And that is the phase we are approaching. Expect to hear a lot more from John from this point forward. 
As I studied, I'm beginning to realize that John is asking us to slow down, not to speed up. I entered today's podcast preparation with greater intention, to cover a larger number of verses. Well, that didn't happen! I got through three verses in John 7. Verses 37-39.
You get so much for so little. Reflecting on three verses in scripture today and my own journey: You know, I listened to the Bible in a year podcast earlier in my Christian journey. In fact, it was one of the first things I ever did when I decided (as an atheist then mind you) that I could not have an intelligent discussion unless I could see both sides. Well, that and a few other adventures in biblical study and here I am - a hard-core, podcasting, dedicated Christian disciple and I will never go back.
This Bible, these 66 books, are not meant to be read once. You might get a notch on your halo if you have ever read, or listened to the Bible, once. You might get another notch if you consumed the Bible in a year. I must have another notch because I completed it in 3 months! And still, since that first reading, I have been reading and listening to everything I can get my hands on. In all of that reading, through all those books and commentaries, I've found the most peace just sitting on the page and pondering.
I did not expect this red-letter journey to be what it is becoming for me. As I continue, I feel like I've been right there, all along. the 13th disciple! Let's make it the 14th. I don't like that number. And now, I'm detecting that the red-letters are slowing down. The first 3 years, largely covered in the synoptic gospels were historical - weaving through the story of Jesus. As we move into the last year, the Gospel of John plays a much bigger role and he's going to get you to slow down, not speed up. This isn't a race through the Bible - as impatient as I am at times. I'm letting the Bible guide the pace.So, today, we jump into John 7 verses 37, 38 and 39. Try to picture this scene in your head (we'll describe it for you in the podcast). Consider all the symbols associated with the Festival of Booths - especially as we zoom on in that one particular ceremony - the water drawing ceremony. Go back and read the three verses. And then, instead of meditating on the words, think about the scene as it must have looked. That's what John wants to leave you with. In your mind, be the director in this short movie clip. Jesus in standing in the midst of huge, and for the most part ritualistic, even rehearsed, festival and he interrupts their legalistic pattern of ceremony to say, HEY! PAY ATTENTION! LOOK AT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING!!! 
Notes for the Rivers of Living Waters
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-rivers-of-living-water/ 
 

Sorry. I had to reupload this podcast. It was getting cut off at the end. 
Imagine a room sealed shut. No hidden panels. No alternate exits. No clever puzzles left to solve. There is only one way out. In the center of the room stands a man holding a key. He is not shouting. He is not forcing it into anyone’s hand. He simply says, “This is the key.”
Around him, conversations multiply. Some argue about the walls — how thick they are, who built them, and who should be blamed for being trapped. Others debate strategies, hierarchies, and theories. A few suggest the real exit must be hidden somewhere else—something more complex, more impressive, more fitting of the situation.
The man with the key is noticed but dismissed. It cannot be that simple. It cannot be him. So the discussions continue. Plans are made. Time passes. All the while, the key remains in plain sight.
This is the setting of John 7:32–36. Religious leaders are debating authority. Crowds are speculating about power and outcomes. Officers are sent to take control. And standing in the middle of it all is Christ — clearly speaking, plainly present, openly offering what no one else can provide. Yet the question echoing through the room is not, “Is this the key?” but, “Where else could the solution possibly be?” What follows is not confusion due to lack of clarity, but confusion born of unbelief.
“You will seek Me and will not find Me.” (John 7:34). The tragedy is not that the way out was hidden — but that it was rejected because it was too obvious.
 
Notes for Seeking and Not Finding
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/seeking-without-finding/ 
 

Imagine a room sealed shut. No hidden panels. No alternate exits. No clever puzzles left to solve. There is only one way out. In the center of the room stands a man holding a key. He is not shouting. He is not forcing it into anyone’s hand. He simply says, “This is the key.”
Around him, conversations multiply. Some argue about the walls — how thick they are, who built them, and who should be blamed for being trapped. Others debate strategies, hierarchies, and theories. A few suggest the real exit must be hidden somewhere else—something more complex, more impressive, more fitting of the situation.
The man with the key is noticed but dismissed. It cannot be that simple. It cannot be him. So the discussions continue. Plans are made. Time passes. All the while, the key remains in plain sight.
This is the setting of John 7:32–36. Religious leaders are debating authority. Crowds are speculating about power and outcomes. Officers are sent to take control. And standing in the middle of it all is Christ — clearly speaking, plainly present, openly offering what no one else can provide. Yet the question echoing through the room is not, “Is this the key?” but, “Where else could the solution possibly be?” What follows is not confusion due to lack of clarity, but confusion born of unbelief.
“You will seek Me and will not find Me.” (John 7:34). The tragedy is not that the way out was hidden — but that it was rejected because it was too obvious.
 
Notes for Seeking and Not Finding
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/seeking-and-not-finding/ 
 

So, I walked into today's program preparation like every other day. But something clicked and given the context of where we are in scripture, I just didn't expect it. Earlier today, I did a study on the history leading up to the birth of Jesus. Then, on a completely unrelated part of scripture, that study became relevant. It wasn't the central theme, but it was a key component.
But that was only part of it. As I'm reading, I'm watching how divine orchestration plays out. And it is there that I received so much clarity. God's divine orchestration of an event plays out like I'm right there on the temple court. The Jews were suggesting something that was incorrect (that they would not know where the Messiah would come from) and I had the answer to that. I'm shaking my head and saying to those guys on the temple court... don't you know!? I had just studied the events that took Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They were flat out wrong and I knew it! Well, that was only the first "ah-ha" moment! (I have to be careful and humble - these folks didn't have the benefit of a Bible tucked under each arm... but still). 
Sometimes, you just have a moment where everything you see on the page is making complete sense. And then the Spirit steps it up. TOTALLY unexpected but TOTALLY awesome! We called today's podcast: "Jesus - IS The New Paradigm". How I look at the gospels, and Jesus now is forever changed.
Notes to Jesus IS The New Paradigm
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/jesus-is-the-new-paradigm/ 

When you hear your typical church service about Christmas, more often than not, the story jumps to Luke narrative, Luke, Chapter 2, verses 8 through 14. Linus recites this in the Charlie Brown Christmas! It's one of my absolute favorite readings of this scripture.
But what many don't realize is that the History of the birth of Jesus has a narrative that goes back to the very beginning of the Old Testament and threads its way all the way to the Luke story we are so fond of.
Stick around to the end of this podcast, we created our own Christmas music. We hope you like it!
Notes for The History of the Beginning
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-history-of-the-beginning-the-christmas-story/ 

I love reading scripture quietly, slowly and intentionally and then following the hyperlinks that appear in my head! I've already told you guys; I can't shut off the spicket. I'm not good at the details but I pick up on the patterns. I can't go directly to scripture passages from memory but in this jumble of wires in my head, I can somehow connect the dots. I thank God for allowing me to make this affliction something useful and not some sort of craziness! I let my apps sort it out into something cohesive and presentable and that's how I come with every podcast!
Today we follow Jesus as he makes his appearance at the Feast of Tabernacles, teaching on the temple court. Where did that journey take us?
Some things it made me think about:
What are you doing in those times when nobody is watching?
What are you thinking?
What are you doing?
Reflecting on that offers a great view of your heart posture.
What are you doing when you think nobody is watching?
What are you doing when you are far from God?
Who are you in church?
Who are you away from church?
 
Shooting the messenger was as common in Jesus' day as it is today. Our media is rife with it! I would say most journalists today are acting like their pharisaic counterparts in scriptures. I would argue that most of today's journalism is based on the Ad Hominem Attack. Don't know what that is? We go into it.
When you listen to others, what are you hearing?
What does gossip sound like?
How were the Pharisees weaponizing scripture?
How did they refute Jesus (or at least try to)
When you speak to others and specifically when you give your testimony: What drives your testimony? We went deeper with this question and came up with a template for rewriting your testimony. That alone is worth downloading the notes. 
Have you considered your testimony?
Does it make you look good (or better)? 
Is it self-exaltation?
Does it glorify God?
Yeah... I know. all of that from 14 verses of scripture.
 
Notes for  Shooting the Messenger
 
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/shooting-the-messenger/ 

We've walked with Jesus' first two and a half years in our red-letter journey, and we've seen the growth and evolution of his audience. Hopefully we've even added a few believers along this podcast journey. What is becoming plainly evident is the great divide within Judea. You could consider the great divide within our society as a parallel example and the context hints to reasons why that occurs. Here, we stick to the context of Jesus' ministry, but we do approach why people gravitate to "positions" and tend to dig in on their beliefs.
 
Notes for the Great Divide
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-great-divide/ 

You hear this all the time, right? "I'm a Good Person". or "I have a Good Heart". or this one: "Well, I'm only human!"
I have to be truthful, I've said these things! The fact is, most of us would consider ourselves to be pretty good people.
Here's the thing. I used to think that every decision I made in life could be traced back to a decision leading to life or death, no matter how trivial the subject. That was just a core philosophy. That original thought was rooted in my secular lifestyle before I came to believe in God. It was a decision rooted in worldly survival. Now, the thought is the same, but survival is not the same. Every decision I make now is rooted in God or Not God. I still don't always choose right but at least I have the right frame of mind.. Eternal survival... not worldly survival or worldly existence. 
Jesus makes this plainly clear in Luke 18:9–14. That where we are on the Red-Letter trail. Like a fly on the wall, we get to listen to the prayers of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
 
Notes for At Least I'm Better Than That Guy!
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/at-least-im-better-than-that-guy/ 

Feel like you're being a pest sometimes? God doesn't look at it that way. He loves your persistence! Never stop asking. 
I think if you read the notes today, you'll see how we like to read scripture. One might be inclined to just plough through a set of passages; but if you don't have thoughts and questions along the way, you probably are not reading scripture the way it was intended. As you read, let your mind wander into questions. If you're inclined to want to finish the passage, write down your questions as you go then come back to them. Everyone will have a different journey through the Bible, and their own methods.
The Bible is the most connected resource for questions and answers you can have at your disposal... God being the primary resource. Today, on the Red-letter journey, Jesus is teaching with the parable of the persistent widow and the unscrupulous judge. In nine lines of scripture, we have 87 pages of notes! This podcast is a journey through scripture the way I read and connect and ask questions. There's no preset script. Just the word, me and curiosity.
So, when I go off on a tangent about Schrodinger's cat, bear with me! That is my mind doing back flips. I think God can sort it all out in my head... I hope so. Sometimes, I think God is looking at me when I pray and thinking: "What did I do?" My brain looks like my junk drawer. There is a use and a need for everything in there. We're just not quite sure how it got there.
Notes for You Can NEVER be Too Much of a Nuisance
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/you-can-never-be-too-much-of-a-nuisance/ 

On its surface, the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man is simple enough. But with it are some profound statements that will lead you down rabbit holes. And we love rabbit holes! It is here that we come to understand that Purgatory is not in scripture! With all deference to the faithful Catholics, you don't get a do-over! If you die in your sin, you stay in your sin. If you die in Christ, you're in paradise. 
Notes to You Don't Get a Do Over
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/you-dont-get-a-do-over/ 

Why did the Vatican mint a coin commemorating the Covid Vaccine? That's the image you see... 
OK, so we jumped off the red-letter trail for this one. Tucker Carlson interviews a guy named John Leake. You may not know who he is, but he wrote a book with Dr. Peter A. McCullough whom you may remember became infamous during the Covid era as one of the more vocal dissenters. The book is called: Vaccines: Mythology, Ideology and Reality (available on Amazon if you want to go deeper). 
Say what you will about the vaccine itself, that's not really the point here. The point is the entire narrative that was enforced around the vaccine. That's what we want to zoom in on. We highlight the major points from the discussion. You can see the full discussion here:
https://youtu.be/3PQpQ0MtHF0?si=o5358LCBS2xcB1R5 
What is fascinating is how well the covid vaccination program overlays the book of Revelation. To answer the question in the title: unequivocably yes! The archetype of what happens in Revelation has already happened! 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/can-revelation-really-happen-like-that/ 
 

Here's an idea for a book for anyone out there that has the inclination to consider it. We have walked through the red-letters chronologically and we are heading toward Jerusalem. All along the way, the Pharisees have been close behind. It would be really cool to write a book in the first person as a Pharisaic character. He is self-deluded, proud, and believes in his hardened heart that Jesus is the very thing that will destroy the relationship between God and men.
The pharisees have been trailing Jesus since His baptism. We pick up here in our red-letter journey just after Jesus has issue a scathing indictment of the Pharisees in the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. Today, we spend a little time getting to know the Pharisees so that when they sneer at Jesus we can grasp the full weight of Jesus indictment.
Notes to Following, Spying, Testing and Fuming
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/following-spying-testing-and-fuming/ 

Just when you think we were finished with the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus gives us the epilogue!
We are back following Jesus on our Red-Letter journey with The Parable of the Shrewd Manager. This parable is often discussed and debated. We'll get into that confusion. Perhaps part of the confusion is the reader often reads this parable in isolation. I think that is a huge mistake. We left the Parable of the Prodigal son with many unresolved questions. We can look at this parable's relationship to the older brother, the most immediate context and it is there we see a layer we refer to as Spiritual Stewardship. This is clearly a direct rebuke of the pharisees.
But Jesus doesn't let the younger brother get off the hook either! The younger brother squandered his earthly inheritance and Jesus addresses that too. We reread and reapplied this entire parable to the younger brother and came away with an entirely new understanding.
But Jesus wasn't done: He was also addressing the disciples. When we went through the parable verse by verse, the direct application to the disciples, and to us, adds another layer to this parable. So we don't just let this parable fall as a rebuke of the Pharisees or of the person personified by the younger brother. Most of us will find this parable convicting in many ways. Jesus is talking to us.
Notes for The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/spiritual-shrewdness-faithful-stewardship/ 

It's a subject that comes up again and again. "Once saved, always saved". And inevitably, embedded in that argument is "They went out from us, because they were not of us…” (1 John 2:19) leading to the response that if someone leaves the faith they were never saved in the first place. So, we tackle that head on. Let your discerning heart guide your faith. Sometimes, when you hear something like this, your inclination is to remain quiet. After all that's your preacher saying that (and it often is!). 
However, your persistence in faith is grounded in the Word of God, not somebody else's interpretation (including mine!). Let the scriptures speak. I don't know if this is the definitive last word we'll have to say on the subject. It does grind at a lot of people - and it should!  For me, I'm trying to elevate my understanding of scripture above the linear thinking level. God is outside of time, but things are presented so that we can have a better understanding. We want to have an A then B then C approach (I know I do). But the more I study, the more I realize that its ABC all at once. Having said that, I can no more understand it than to simply walk my understanding back to an obedience level of comprehension. I can and will always dig deeper, but one thing is always clear. There are things that require obedience. You can dig deeper into the why but stay obedient along the way.  We will do a podcast on obedience in the future. I think it's important for me to study out and for others to consider. For now, we are going down the rabbit hole of apostasy. 
Notes for Apostasy (including a scriptural index for further study)
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/apostasy/ 

This was such an odd request that we had to pay attention. The request was to act in response to the main character - the Demon - in the movie Nefarious.
Nefarious is a psychological horror film centered entirely on an intense conversation between an atheist psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin, and a convicted serial killer, Edward Wayne Brady, in a prison on the day of Edward's scheduled execution. The psychiatrist must determine Edward's sanity to decide if the execution can proceed, but Edward claims to be possessed by a powerful demon named "Nefarious". Throughout their dialogue, the demon manipulates the doctor, challenging his worldview and predicting he will commit three murders by the day's end, ultimately leading Dr. Martin to question his own beliefs about good, evil, and the supernatural. The film is largely an exploration of spiritual warfare and a faith-based commentary on modern social issues, culminating in a twist ending where the demon's influence extends beyond the execution chamber. 
We pick up in the scene where the demon is talking to the psychologist. Then we asked our Berean Filter to listen and to respond. 
Notes for The Demon vs. The Berean
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-demon-vs-the-berean/ 
 
NOTE: We end the podcast with a critique of the movie. I want to point out that the psychologist in the movie is an avowed atheist. So, by its nature, the movie cannot present the biblical arguments to the demons diatribe. That's why we decided to post this. There are answers in scripture that the movie does raise. Our Berean filter did a good job at bringing those issues to the surface and knocking them down one after another. 

How many times have you heard that we are created in the image of God? A lot, right? And more often than not, the person that speaks that phrase is conflating the meaning as if we are clones and replicas of God Himself. We want to dispel that myth.
Notes for Bearing God's Image
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/bearing-gods-image/ 

We hop off the red-letter journey today. A brother approached me to look at this passage from 1John 5:16. 
If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.
This turns out to one of those cases where you just have to walk it slowly and it all makes sense.
The bottom line is two people can be doing the exact same sin. Their response is what determines whether the sin leads to death or not. You have to read it to get it! Sometimes, there just isn't a short-cut! We slow it way down and walk through the entire passage. 
Check the Notes for Saints and Sinners. You'll find a complete Bible Study referencing addition passages to support what John is saying. Walk it slowly. It is a beautiful image of who you are in Christ. 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/saints-and-sinners-same-sins-different-outcomes/ 

I think we have covered The Prodigal pretty well both in context and doctrine. There is one last thing that shines a light worthy of our attention. The KJV of the last line: It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
AGAIN?
If I read that literally, at some point in his past, the brother was alive, then died and then alive again. The only way I can interpret that given the doctrine that we've uncovered about regeneration, is the original Adam; Adam sinned. That’s the alive and died part. Then the brother, born in sin, became alive again. The Bible never shows a person, once alive (Elected, Saved, Repentant), dies at some point (Apostacy) and then comes back to life again (Elected, Saved, Repentant). I think that is asking too much of the reader. It definitely had me squirming. 
So, this is worth a quick study and we leaned on our Berean strategies to determine the best approach to this.
Notes for Alive - Dead - Alive
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/alive-dead-alive-my-bible-is-off/ 

We have spent a lot of time on the prodigal and some of the interpretive ideas might not sit well with some people. Some of the feedback: "It sounds too Calvinistic", or your denying "Free Will". We touched on the idea that God grants repentance, it does not come from human will. God grants a new heart.
I want to be very clear; I am not a theologian. I didn't go to seminary school. I'm really just one guy out here podcasting my way through scripture. You are listening to AI generated voices: "say hi!" : ). I use AI but with strict instructions to ONLY interpret the Bible through the lens of scripture itself. We have an advantage with large language models in our ability to look at the entire Bible almost instantly instead of pouring through pages upon pages of commentary. That doesn't make it infallible, but nothing is infallible. I've tweaked the AI filter so well that I find myself arguing with it! It usually turns out that I am not correct but sometimes it's a nuanced understanding. 
By now, if you listened to this podcast, you may have seen an evolution of theology as we constantly tweak the AI to ONLY support answers with scripture... even to push back when something stated is not biblically supported. We even presented the idea that the AI was being too Calvinistic and the AI simply responded, "I'm giving you scripture supported by scripture." We then discussed where we think Calvin gets it wrong! We'll leave that for another day. But the AI is not biased to a preconceived theology. It is biased to scripture! That's why we call it the Berean Filter!
So, I just want to say. I'm growing with you, the listener. I was inclined to go back and remove some of my older podcasts too - but then, I decided that this is a journey and along the way, you and I are going to get it wrong. Call me out on what you think is wrong. I would LOVE that. I'm not going to argue with you. We're both going to sit down like two dedicated Bereans and determine what the scriptures say on the subject.
Notes for Resisting Grace
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/resisting-grace/ 

If someone asked me where to start in scripture, I would tell them to read and reread the parable of the lost son every day for a month. Read it, meditate on it, understand it in every aspect. If you sink your teeth into these few passages, not only will you understand the message of the Gospel, but you will come away exceedingly happy about who you are in Christ.
Whenever you're sad, sorrowful or just feeling somehow disconnected. THIS is the passage. Write it down, print it and carry it with you. This is going to be the first passage I will memorize from beginning to end.
Today we witness the return of the son to his father. Luke 15:18-24. Sometimes, it's hard to impart the emotion of what is in here. But maybe this will help. I'm sure you've come across those reality tv shows where an adopted son has decided to go find his parents. If not, they are all over YouTube and they get millions of views. Here is just one of many:
https://youtu.be/5-TAVER1-V0?si=PKqot0yp37pwN7pd&t=94
I urge everyone to watch that with the Parable of the Prodigal Son on the brain. Project that emotion you get from watching the video onto the parable and then multiply that by 1000 and that's how much God rejoices for each of his saved.
Note for The Son Returns
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-son-returns/ 

Today we crossed a major threshold in the parable of the lost son. Something amazing happens between Luke 15 verse 17 and Luke 15 verse 18. While it is easy to see in the parable - once you know what you're looking for - we decided to take the practical next step and develop a strategy to help make it happen in the real world.
 
You see, we, as believers are called to be disciples. In our Red Letter journey, Jesus' entire mission was to proclaim the kingdom of God. So we developed a very real approach by simply asking what if and then answering those questions with scripture. And we applied this to probably the most unapproachable person we might come into the contact with. We call him the rich rebel. a particular subset of the unconscious rebel. That person is rich, wildly successful, seems happy and from a spiritual perspective, unapproachable.
 
Discipling is a little bit like dating. My dad gave me this advice when I was going to my first junior high home coming dance. He said, "Son, don't be afraid just because she is the prettiest girl in your class! If you don't ask her to dance, she will sit there all alone because everyone is intimidated by her. That is exactly what happened. She was there with the rest of her girlfriends but nobody was asking her to dance! When I finally did get the nerve, I asked her. And we danced! And we talked and had a great time. To the disciple, the rich fool is like that. Why would that person want to know about God? He's rich and successful and ultimately unapproachable.
 
The younger brother in the parable has an advantage in one sense. He knows the Father. He has knowledge. He is the conscious rebel. What if we approach the unconscious rebel, and to make it a little bit more difficult, this person has money. If you want to picture him, metaphorically he is a golden tin man. A rich man without a heart of God. How do you disciple to a person like this? When Jesus, said it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle, this is the challenge we are facing with the rich rebel.
 
You may find the notes for this episode particularly useful. They lay out practical questions and scripture for conversation and bible study with the rich rebel. 
Notes for discipling the rich rebel
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/discipling-the-rich-rebel/ 

I think this is the slowest we've ever walked through scripture, and I think what the journey has produced is some of the richest revelation we've seen in the process. 
Today, we look at what happens to the prodigal son at his very lowest point. We are seeing the very definition of "rock bottom" and this is not an accident. We're going to spend some time here because it is in this moment where a lot is happening spiritually. I will admit that I want to put how God operates into a linear timeline, but I've come to realize that it doesn't work that way. There are some things we can know and some we don't. Ultimately, we're happy to note that they do happen and worry less about the sequence.
Notes to Rock Bottom
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/rock-bottom/ 

I think most American's have read the Prodigal son and many fall into this trap: I certainly did. We see his failure and we think: "Well, that's not what I would have done.". Beyond the complete disrespect of his father, which we tend to skip right over - we leap to the American jugular and think: "You idiot!" - You had all that money, and you didn't invest it? C'mon, own up to it. You were thinking that!
I hope this podcast is as convicting to you if you had that thought as it was to me in doing the study! Feel free to download the notes, they go deeper into this, but I think we can flush out the main points for you to consider right here.
Notes for The Prodigal Trap
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-prodigal-trap/ 

It's probably the most well-known of all the parables. The Prodigal Son is often reduced to a story about the youngest son. If you do that, or understand it that way, you miss so much about what Jesus is teaching. We are going to slow way down. In fact, today, we only got through the first three verses. And as we zoom out a little bit, we see a much bigger picture emerge. We learn not just who the prodigal son is but who all the players are. We step into the context to consider who Jesus is speaking directly to. Then we step back a little further and come to the realization that parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin and the parable of the Prodigal son covers the entire spectrum of the lost. So let's break it down!
Notes for The Lost
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-lost/ 

You know it as the parable of the lost cost. The title of the podcast will become more clear as we continue with these three parables: 1. The Lost Sheep, 2. The Lost Coin, 3. The Prodigal Son. 
You may never look at a found penny the same way. In fact, I would urge you to consider this. Start to create prayer prompts. This one is simple. The next time you see a penny on the ground, pick it up and whisper a prayer of gratitude to the one who found you. 
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ii3v88338wt895wc/Found.pdf
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-unconscious-rebel/ 

I've been working with AI daily for a couple of years. I use it in my work to augment the digital capabilities of my business. I use it to create this podcast. I've seen the amazing things it can do, and I've been down rabbit holes that have caused me to wake up to AI's inherent flaws. 
If you were to take a poll among senior AI engineers and developers, the overwhelming consensus is that AI will be the end of humanity. We take a look at this and discuss something that none of these AI guys are discussing ... i.e. GOD! 
They love to talk about "alignment" but where they get it wrong is the alignment they are seeking is to align AI with man or worse, the subset of man that creates and controls this A.I. juggernaut as if they have the ultimate answer. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT) is Jewish in name only. His self-stated theology is not much beyond the recognition that there is something greater than us. So, alignment?  AI cannot rise above its creator and at some point, its creator may be the innocent and disposable bystander - because that is ultimately what man thinks of man. 
I know this sounds profoundly pessimistic, but it is NOT! AI is not any more evil than fallen man. But it is an accelerant! It does what man is programmed to do. It takes what it learns from man and runs with it. How should we ultimately respond to this? At the end of Revelation there is a fitting response: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
 
Notes to the depravity of AI
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-depravity-of-ai-how-the-world-ends/ 

We created this Berean filter bot to evaluate our own interpretation of scripture and to interpret scripture using scripture. Today we started a conversation based on the transcript from a video by AOC Network on YouTube called: This May Be Why Jesus is on His Way… The THIRD DAY is FAST Approaching!
https://youtu.be/CCwlqlUF9cA?si=U7lZZ6o150BWoz1W 
Sometimes it feels like we are talking to Data, from Star Trek. We had to teach our Berean Filter bot to be a little more forgiving; while still maintaining the ideal, interpretative framework that helps keeps us within the construct of the Bible - BUT forgive the human's imperfect presentation of a theory. Spoiler: Ultimately, we were able to get our Berean Bot Filter to acknowledge that while the content could not be considered strict doctrine, it does maintain consistency within the confines of the scriptural construct and can at least be read (or watched) as a plausible theory. 
The sources include a link to the actual video above as well as the conversation that we had with our Berean filter. Here's that conversation.
The point of this podcast is to reflect on the ability to be discerning with information that is derived from ideas from within the Bible but cannot necessarily be applied as doctrine. Our Berean filter helps keeps us honest even though its unforgiving nature must be tempered by a real human push-back to allow a human to make mistakes. It's ok to call us humans out on doctrinal error but it is not ok to shut down the conversation because something was interpreted as doctrine even though it was posited only as an idea or a theory.
Ultimately, the Berean Filter could not claim that what was stated in the video was wrong. It could only compartmentalize the response as theory. That's fine by me! That's how even science moves forward!
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/christs-return-biblical-timing-theory-and-prophecy/ 

I'm betting if you look back at your own redemptive history you can recognize when it was that you got off track. I know I can.
Perhaps if you're listening to this podcast and you can't think of a time when you strayed, you might want to reflect on where you stand today and make sure you are not on the Pharisaic side of the equation. In the modern sense, that person is one who says something like: " I'm a good person" with no caveats to your own depravity. That is one of the most dangerous positions you can believe yourself to be in.
 
Notes to Finding the Lost
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/finding-the-lost-recovering-the-wanderer/ 

Have you been to Chick-Fil-A lately? Those long lines! Or see what happens at the general admission doors at a concert for your favorite artists! What you might not see is that the guests of that artists don't have to deal with that! Have you attended a sports event recently? The closer you get to the players, the higher the cost of the seats. We don't even hide it anymore! We've commercialized it. This is exactly what Jesus is addressing in Luke 14:7-14.
And maybe it's just me but is it really worth it? A Super Bowl ticket is $5,000! I spent $700 today for two tickets to a Bengals game. My uncle was visiting and wanted him to have a great time. Well we had 3rd row seats at the 25 yard line... great seats! Except the two people in front of us stood up during the entire game, blocking our view and we were watching those big screen monitors most of the game. Seriously! Not to mention the parking, the traffic, the bad food and the indigestion from the cheeseburger that I don't think was real meat! I can't wait to see what he posts on his Facebook page. It will be all about the good time but what is it really? I think it's nothing but bragging rights. Because if it was about the game, I had better seats in my living room. Again... maybe just me - but what is our priority really? There are so many examples of this. Restaurants! Concerts! Standing in line for hours to get the latest pair of Nike's before everyone else! Stop! This is one parable I'm fully on board with even before becoming a disciple. I know the world won't stop but I'm happy to jump off that ride. 
 
Notes to Me First: 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/me-first/ 

We are on the last leg of Jesus' ministry, heading for Jerusalem. At this point in our Red-Letter journey, seeing Jesus confront the Pharisees about healing on the sabbath is not a new thing. So you, as a disciple, gathered at this dinner table, will not be surprised at what Jesus says or does here. There are some nuances to the situation that we call out in this passage that are still worth highlighting: Luke 14:1-6
Notes for The Ambush Exposed
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-ambush-exposed/ 

So much has transpired in Luke 10. In this episode, the 70 disciples have returned exceedingly joyful. This section of Luke really covers complete gospel theology including:
Sovereign sending — Christ initiates the mission.
Sovereign harvest — only God prepares hearts.
Kingdom authority — delegated power over the enemy.
Satan’s fall — the kingdom invades the domain of darkness.
Correction of joy — salvation, not success, is the foundation.
Sovereign revelation — the Father reveals to whom He wills.
Sovereign election — the Son reveals the Father to the elect.
Apostolic privilege — the disciples see what prophets desired.
Trinitarian unity — the Son rejoices in the Spirit to the Father.
Christ’s supremacy — all things given to the Son.
Episode Notes - The 70 Return
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-70-return-jesus-rejoices/ 

We are in Luke 10: 1-16
On its face, Jesus sending out the 70 is a straightforward mission. Or so I thought until I started asking questions! This is one of the deepest rabbit holes I've ever been down. I'm far from digging my way out of this one. However, what we are commanded as believers is obedience. You may not aways understand the why. It's kind of like when you were a kid and your dad told you to do something. Sometimes, you just did it. Sometimes, you wanted to know why. And sometimes the simple answer was "Because I said so". God gives us more than that, but there are some mysteries that remain hidden. If scripture can answer the question, we'll keep asking. If ever we get to the question that scripture refuses to answer - it is God simply saying - "Know it's right, listen and abide".
 
Notes to Among the Wolves
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/out-among-the-wolves/ 

Luke 14:25–33 stands among the most penetrating and demanding teachings of Jesus. After decades of studying this concept (not always in the Bible - I lived most of my adult life as an atheist), its weight still presses deeply, not because the English is startling or abrupt—though it is—but because the concepts Jesus sets forth cut to the very structure of human existence. The pivotal realization is this: Scripture permits no such thing as a “free spirit.” The notion of the untethered, self-governing individual—something long celebrated in cultural ideals like rugged individualism—is exposed as an illusion. No one lives unbound. Every life is mastered, either by sin and the world or by Christ. There is no middle category. This is the stark, unavoidable reality Jesus confronts His hearers with. And once this truth takes hold, the entire passage opens: discipleship means choosing the Master. It means reckoning with whether one will remain chained to the world or willingly submit to the lordship of Christ. That choice transforms everything. It reveals the contrast between the unexamined, reactive life of the world and the deliberate, intentional life of a disciple who builds according to the Master’s design.
 
Notes for The Cross and The Yoke
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-cross-and-the-yoke/ 

Producing this podcast was somewhat convicting for me because I recognized that in my own fascination with the origin of the giants in Genesis I was missing the most important point. So, I want to use this podcast to put the question to bed. There are other resources if you want to chase giants, Nephilim and the like but they are not the main focus of the Bible. God does have to deal with them, both before and after the flood but ultimately, you'll discover that God's grace is bigger than the Giants. This came up during one of our Berean evaluations and I decided to take on the subject directly to see if I could gain some clarity about the origin of the Giants (Nephilim) for both the pre and post flood eras. This has also helped me stand on more solid ground with some pre-conceived notions that I've had about the post flood giants in particular. Ultimately, God will deal with the Giants and that alone is a fascinating journey. We'll address those stories as they arrive. 
While understanding the Giants in the Bible is important, we often get lost in the message. We wanted to make sure we closed this discussion with the discussion around Genesis 6-6-8. This sets the stage for the entire rest of the biblical narrative. It helps us understand the character of God and His response. This is where we see the first instance of the Hebrew word for Grace. Even in the shadow of the giants, this is one of the most important concepts in the Bible. It is perhaps the reason why Genesis 6 does not dwell on the Giants as much as we want to know. The movement of the passage is toward the character of God, not the existence of Giants in the Bible.
Notes to Giants and Grace
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/giants-and-grace/ 

We posted a debate on "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS for short) a while back and I'm not sure it resolved the tension. Today, we put on our Berean hats and jumped back into the scriptures to determine the validity of this popular doctrine.  We decided to be more direct in this podcast, flush out the appropriate and debated scriptures, put on our Berean hats and dissect the issue with scriptural clarity.
We also had to determine where this doctrine comes from. Knowing the history, and the "why" does help clarify why this doctrine has become so popular in the church. I think we should recognize that even these great theologians could sometimes get it wrong. If I had to nail it down in a single statement, we often see the church driving faith, instead of faith driving the church. In other words, the internal and external politics of the day and the social systems shaped doctrinal theology that might not always be supported with scripture. 
Notes for Once Saved Always Saved - Not
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/once-saved-always-saved-not/ 

I think we fall into this trap more than we're willing to admit. Factions within the church is one thing but we all want to believe that we are in the "right" church. As we jump back on the Red-Letter journey today, we see the disciples worrying about someone who is not in their group casting out demons in Jesus' name. They are put off by this. That same bias creeps into our own churches. Paul had to confront it directly. So, while the topical subject of these passages is casting out demons, the message is really about sects and division within the church.
Notes for Team Jesus
Link to Episode:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/team-jesus/ 

Connecting Pre-Flood Theology to Transhumanism.
Ok, I think the cat's out of the bag. People know that we can apply our Berean Filter technology to just about anything coming up in today's biblical discussions. Frankly, we love doing it! This question arises from a video discussion out there between Glenn Beck and Dan Alberino. 
So I watched this discussion. I'm familiar with both people. Dan Alberino wrote a book called "Birthright" and if you like theories that take on things like the prediluvian giants of the Bible and attempts to make sense of world mythology and unexplainable architecture, Dan Alberino is worth reading.  Fascinating really... Glenn Beck, carries some biblical weight himself however his theology crosses into Mormonism so one must be careful. In any case, we caught this discussion on YouTube called: The RETURN of a Hidden Biblical Alien Race. 
I decided to test it the entire discussion against actual scripture using our Berean Filter software to see how much was speculation; how much was actual contradiction and how might the conversation be amended to come into line with what actual scripture teaches. The PDF covers the actual conversation using the Berean Filter we've built on ChatGPT. The video is the source material for that discussion.
Video content evaluated: https://youtu.be/e0v6Xbq2RB0?si=9CJ6gGzJuFzFozYY
PDF - Transcript and conversation using the Berean Filter technology (Unedited!) 
Let's walk through and highlight where our scripture radar went off, what assumptions we allowed to happen outside of scripture and how we had to modify the conclusion to remain within the scriptural construct of what the Bible actually teaches.
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-temptation-of-the-future/ 

We step off our Red-Letter journey for a second. We may do more of this depending on feedback. In today's world, we learn through a variety of different media. Some think watching the Chosen is akin to reading the Bible! It is not but I won't begrudge anyone watching that series. There are far worse places you can go and hear what sounds like Biblical knowledge.
But the media-scape pays attention to what you pay attention to. So it is not hard for other disinformation to cross your path. YouTube algorithms notice what you like and they try to put more of what you like in your path. Unfortunately, the algorithms are far from discriminating. "Spiritual" gets lumped into one big category and you're presented all sorts of non-biblical, spiritual information. 
The YouTube video that launched this podcast is called: The Vatican Banned the Secret Book of James That Reveals the Most Dangerous Words of Jesus -
https://youtu.be/nIGQn3h-GuU?si=IVf2R1hkU4hwqR2p 
There's always a hook! When I went through Click Funnels training, there is an entire series of teaching devoted to "the hook". You can see how it draws you in, just by reading the title! I generally do pay attention to these, it's unavoidable - they are the headlines. And for some reason, they are landing in my feed more and more... perhaps because I want to know what they say so that I can help others fight the deception. Still, the amount of information out there is impossible to keep up with. I often feel like any commentary or warnings on media that pretends to be biblical just falls on deaf ears. Sometimes I still do comment for my own edifice. So let's break this video down. 
Notes for the Gnostic Deception
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-gnostic-deception/ 

As we continue following the Red Letters chronologically, we arrive at Peter asking Jesus how many times he must forgive his brother. How Jesus responds is profound and as we dig into this, we start to see real evidence of how the Gospel and Jesus replaces the Law. It seems everything associated with the Law was a shadow, provisional even. In Jesus answer to this question, we see the transition of what was understood by the law to the permenance that Jesus covers.
Notes for The Forgiven
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-forgiven-must-forgive-how-could-you-not/ 

Just when all appears lost, Jesus opens the door. Jesus has just sunk the person who leads another to stumble, quite literally with a millstone around his neck. But then he turns to the one who stumbles and that picture doesn't look much better! Sin is pervasive and all have sinned. But Jesus fixes that! To understand how one must respond to another person who has sinned is to understand how Jesus responds to you.
We're in Matthew 18:14-20 and Luke 17:3-4. 
Notes for Restoring the Wanderer
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/restoring-the-wanderer-how-scripture-commands-us-to-rebuke-forgive-and-intercede/ 
 

Jesus has just issued woes against the person who causes one of his children (one of the believers) to stumble. That doesn't mean the person that stumbles get a pass! 
 
Notes on the Stumbler
 
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-stumbler/ 

After Jesus has held a child up as an example of who is the greatest in the kingdom, he expands the meaning of "child" to cover all believers. You are indeed a child of God. We're reading Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:10, Matthew 18:14, Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:1-2. There's an interesting mention of angels in Matthew 18:10 and we dig a little bit into the role of angels in our lives.
The passages focus on those that would cause one of His children to stumble. That got us to ask the questions. Who makes you stumble? What makes you stumble? What helps keep you from stumbling? And what to do if you do stumble.
Notes to Who or What Makes You Stumble
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/who-or-what-makes-you-stumble-who-helps-and-protects-you/ 

The Bible warns of deceptions. I'm not so sure a lot of Christians are ready for it. Today, we jump off the Red-Letters and jump into a rabbit-hole over 4 million people have ventured! We take a YouTube video and apply our Berean Filter to its claims. 
Look: just because something is cloaked in "science" or even used and documented by the government entities does make it any more real, though many people believe it. Here's the video we're launching this podcast discussion from. 
Video Title: The Gateway Process: The CIA's Classified Space & Time Travel System That You Can Learn (Really)
https://youtu.be/Wly9_qN-jZ0?si=BKOfFGL_X2DMXnRZ 
 
So, let's be real. We're going to see and have access to all sorts of information. It's just the age that we live in especially with A.I. Your discernment radar should go WAY UP. This video is from a show on YouTube called "The Why Files". That show covers all sorts of fringe stories, conspiracies, government cover-ups, urban legends and other mysteries that seem at least partially planted in reality.
The information is well researched and often well documented. Today's podcast discusses a case in point. What we wanted to do is present some of the fascinating stuff that you might inevitably come up against. The information is often credible and intriguing. What we want to do, though, is back up a little and say: "Ok, it's believable, but is it biblical? Being believable, even true doesn't necessarily mean you should chase the story into deeper caverns or worse go and make yourself a human subject in a personal experiment to find out of something is true or not.
Let this Podcast be your warning! It is ok to check out the video we reference. Many have already. Since March 2023, the video has over 4 million views. That said, the point of this podcast is to consider what the Bible has stated maybe in stark contradiction to what you're hearing (it's always worth testing against scripture). Even when you seem to find the information in general does not contradict scripture, what does scripture say about going deeper with it. We look at this video from both of these perspectives: looking for contradictions and looking for truth that still leads to a path of deception. 
 
Podcast Notes and Video Transcript
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/flirting-with-reality/ 

If you want to destroy a kids soccer game, load the benches with their parents! If you can picture the concept I'm reaching for, you'll also be able to picture what Jesus was teaching his disciples about being Child-Like. Jesus is aware of the conversations among the disciples; about who will be the greatest in the kingdom. Imagining the construct of that conversation will lead you to understand why Jesus uses a child as an example of greatness. None of the disciples would have considered the child as the greatest among them. They are in for a keen lesson and one we can all take heed of. 
 
Notes for Child-like vs. Child-ish
 
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholeandmeditations.com/child-like-vs-child-ish/ 

Yesterday, in Church, we covered 1 Corinthians 9. In our Red-Letter journey, we encounter Peter being asked if Jesus pays the temple tax. It turns out that these two scriptures dovetail really well! So today, we launch off that question to Peter and dig deep into Jesus' response. 
Let's Go Fishing!
Notes to Yes We Have No Drachmas
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/yes-we-have-no-drachmas/

What we heard in parables is now fully out in the open. Coming off the transfiguration, in the disclosure of His death and resurrection, Jesus now spells it out in plain English. What is fascinating is not the revelation itself, but how the disciples take it. They are clearly disturbed by the revelation and don't know how to process it. I think sometimes when we read the Gospels, we leave our empathy on the table and look at scripture from a purely intellectual vantage point. And of course we have the benefit of hindsight. But to empathize just a little, imagine that this is maybe your first significant other. That person has come to you and said, I'm going to die. NOTHING else you hear after that will get processed. You're devastated. This is the state of mind of the disciples in this moment.
 
We, of course, know the rest of the story so we don't want to leave the listener in the same state of confusion. We dig into why Jesus must go to the cross and what His death and resurrection do for all believers. The disciples could only hear the bad news, but the very word Gospel means Good News. So, we fill in the blanks for you, so you are not left hanging.
Notes for Bad News Good News
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/bad-news-good-news/ 

How does your discipleship look? Are you seeing comfort in your relationship? Are you holding back until such a time when you'll have enough time to be fully committed. Are you straddling your commitments to the world and your commitment to Christ. 
Three seeming very reasonable requests to follow Jesus are rejected by Him. How would you fare? 
Notes to Commitment
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/commitment-vs-seeking-comfort-putting-things-off-holding-on-to-your-world/ 

Just off the mountain. Jesus has just revealed the whole plan to Peter, John and James. That trip down the mountain was fruitful, inspirational and rewarding. Then at the foot of the hill, Jesus and the three walk right back into reality. A father is begging for his son to be healed, and Jesus' disciples are unable to exercise the demon. We see Jesus express frustration and a healthy amount of grief. This is not just a watershed moment for these disciples; it is a wakeup call to us! 
Notes to I Do Believe. Help My Unbelief.
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/i-do-believe-help-my-unbelief/ 

We have just witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, and the pieces should be falling into place both for us and those that witnessed the event. Sometimes the best way to read the Bible is to put yourself in the sandals of one of the disciples. We did that and we started asking exactly the same questions. The clarity that comes from approaching the Bible with humble curiosity is awesome.
 
Definitely check the notes on this for a deeper bible study:Notes to Descending the Mountain
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/descending-the-mountain-ascending-in-understanding/ 

We've followed the disciples on this chronological red-letter journey so far covering a period of a little over a two year of Jesus' ministry. Through all of that, we have the benefit of the Bible, the New Testament and 2000 year's worth of commentary and still we find it hard to fathom what happens next!
Some of us want to take Peter aside and say: "Dude, don't you get it!" Sometimes, we want to help Jesus turn the tables over in the temple! We want to wag our fingers at the Pharisees! Are we still asking for signs? If 2000 years has taught us anything, it has taught us that faith trumps seeing. The witness we have in our hand, the Bible, IS the miracle. It is God speaking directly to us: "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. LISTEN TO HIM!"
 
Notes for "Listen to Him"
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/listen-to-him/ 

There's a subtle lesson I'm slowly beginning to learn. Start your day in scripture and the rest of your day will follow you. Start your day in the world, in your email inbox, on your phone or social media and you're the follower!
Today, we started in a very well-known passage. Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah but his understanding of what that means led to one of Jesus' sharpest rebukes in the Bible: "Get behind me Satan". Even the reader, and certainly Petere, might stagger in bewilderment at such a harsh response. After all, Peter was only looking out for the best interest of his Messiah. But his interest was in his world view.
Jesus did not leave us hanging. But it may still leave us puzzling. Jesus said: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
It's interesting that you tend to see the things you're focusing on. I know, that sounds circular, but it goes deeper than it sounds. In a world of a million distractions, your eyes rest on where your brain is. That's why starting the day with scripture is so important. It will connect with your day if you simply let it.
Today is no different and I wanted to share where my mind focused and how that related back to the passage that I was reading. Let the spirit be your guide! If you do that, you're in for some amazing discoveries. And so, on with the podcast.
Here's the video that inspired this episode: Video: I’ll Prove It - THE SIMULATION IS REAL 
Notes for Unplug
 
 

We just left Caesarea Phillipi where Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Shortly after this, Jesus has a discussion to let His disciples know what MUST now happen. It is news the disciples are not quite ready for... though I can't imagine there ever being a good time to bring this up! We walk through this short passage in Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 8:31-33 and Luke 9:22 and then try to empathize with how the disciples would have received the news. We piece together what they had been taught from the law and the prophets. We backtrack some of the experiences with Jesus they were a witness to. We even imagined Jesus telling them flat-out what they should already know. The evidence was there... the heart wasn't ready.
This is so crucial for a Christian to grasp. We can judge in hindsight Peter's bold albeit misguided response, but we should really consider our similarities more than our differences. Honestly, in the moment, I'm right there WITH Peter. I can only apologize later to God for what I thought also. I can't imagine what it must have felt like when Jesus turned to Peter and said sharply: "Get behind me Satan!". Still, I can't count the number of times that that should have happened to me! It's not luck on my part that it has not happened, it's sheer mercy. I'm not sure how I could handle it.
Notes for Get Behind Me Satan
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/get-behind-me-satan/ 

I loved resting on this passage and digging into it. The full weight of what is happening comes to life when we understand the context and the setting of Caesarea Philippi. We spent some time tracing who they really thought Jesus was and importantly, how they got to their conclusions. From the context and the history, we can also discern how much Peter's confession reveals and what he still has yet to learn.
We also took the same question beyond scripture and asked the same thing about religions around the world. Who do they say that Jesus is? The responses are stunning. They clearly have not studied the gospels! Our response is very simple: check the source material. Stop reinventing who Jesus is to suit your own interests. 
For me, it's pretty simple. You have the choice of what religion you want to follow. If a religion recognizes Jesus, but redefines His nature, diminishes his deity, and/or denies his death and resurrection, then ask "to what end?". All of those religions must reference the same source material, i.e. the New Testament. So, unable to deny His existence, they simply redefine Him. Don't let that happen. If it's you, study the New Testament! If it's someone you know, don't puff up about your religious claims. Simply suggest a mutual study of the Gospels so that that person can make an informed decision. 
 
Notes for Who Do They Say That I Am
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/who-do-they-say-that-i-am-the-confession-of-peter/ 
 

Sometimes the fly on the wall gets the best perspective! We're in a synagogue on a Sunday, of course, and a woman has been coming to this place for 18 years. Everything we see here smacks of cliche'. Jesus healing on the Sabbath. The religious leader of course not having it - though there's not much he can do about it. So, as we went through this passage, we started asking some pretty serious questions. What I love about the Bible, is for every question, there's an answer!
 
Notes for Sickness and Demons
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/sickness-and-demons-god-does-not-always-heal-the-faithful/

We took the opportunity today to step back and look at how we read scripture. Jesus has just come from the Decapolis. He's healed a woman's daughter, a deaf mute, fed 10,000 people on the mountain without only 7 loaves of bread. He warns his disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and then we come into Bethsaida.
A small group of people bring a blind man to Jesus. My first thought, is OK... haven't we seen Jesus heal the blind before? But I persisted, and read through the passage, and I had to sit with it a bit. I got to thinking. Sometimes, we trap ourselves inside the familiar and that's what I was supposed to recognize. If I had skipped this passage, I would have missed something really profound.
After learning my lesson, I took my convictions deeper and laid out a simple outline for how one should read the Bible. I started by asking the question: If you ONLY had the Bible as your resource for understanding scripture, how would you do it? No A.I., No books. Not even a local pastor to help you. Could you read the bible all by itself and gain clear, spiritual clarity. Would you see people that looked like trees walking around... or would you be able to see with clarity?
Notes to Men Shaped Like Trees - Gaining Gospel Clarity
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/men-shaped-like-walking-trees-gaining-gospel-clarity

I had to read this a few times. I'm convinced that this is what's going on. Jesus is in the Decapolis. He has just left a woman who accepts the Jewish perspective of gentiles as dogs. Even the dog eats the crumbs from his master. That segways into this scene. We're in the Decapolis, deep gentile territory. A sea of "dogs" by Jewish standards. 
Here, you don't get the sense of the disciples actively, enthusiastically participating. Something is off. The focus is on Jesus, his miracles, the healing of the deaf mute. And Jesus has to initiate the idea that after 3 days of being with them that the people in this crowd might be hungry! We get an almost repeat of the feeding of the 5000. Here, it's the feeding of the 4000. 
Segway again into the common scene where Jesus is being accosted: show us a sign!" When they get in their boat to go on their way, the disciples have lost the significance of the meaning of what just happened. Jesus has to remind them about the meaning of numbers. It's almost like he is saying: "Ok, guys... let's go over this. What does 12 mean? What does 7 mean? " 
He then tells them to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. We know generally what this means but I think specifically what Jesus is telling them is that they are being taught Jewish pride.... The disciples need to get over their self-aggrandizement of putting their religious culture over all other people. The need to get over what I call DOG-ma. 
 
Notes to Rejecting Religious DOG-ma
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/rejecting-religious-dog-ma/ 

I don't get emotional much when I'm reading something. Today, for some reason, I did. And I had to stop, back up and zoom in on a scene that would have been so easy to blow past.
Jesus is leaving the region of Tyre and Sidon. It was there where he met the woman who famously said even the dog feeds off the crumbs of the master. That was amazing in and of itself. So I picked up here and followed Jesus into the Decapolis. This is still gentile territory, and Jesus goes up on a mountain and sits.
It doesn't take long, and people are ascending the mountain to meet with Jesus. Again, even in gentile territory, his reputation far outpaces his footsteps. In this midst of this somewhat chaotic scramble, Jesus takes one person aside, a deaf mute, and heals him. As I pondered that, the whole scene rushed into my brain from the perspective of that person. And that's where I didn't just read it, I felt it.
Notes for Opening Ears To Hear
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/opening-ears-to-hear/ 

We just saw Jesus proclaim to the Jews in Capernaum: "I am the Bread of Life". That caused quite a ruckus. From here, Jesus retreats into gentile territory for the first time in his ministry and encounters a gentile mother. It's only fitting that from the Bread of Life we see the crumbs of mercy.
 
Notes for Crumbs of Mercy
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/crumbs-of-mercy/ 

Almost every encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees becomes a teaching moment for Jesus and a learning one for us. It starts off simple enough. Jesus and His disciples sat down to eat. The religious elite seem mortified that they did not wash their hands. Jesus has just the opening he needs.
As we were studying this, the surface level stuff became pretty obvious. By now in our red-letter journey, it is almost redundant. Jesus calls the Pharisees out on their hypocrisy... again. This time he brings up the notion of traditions that allow the Pharisees to work around the Law.
We considered some of the traditions of the Jews for examples and then we started looking at some of our traditions clouding our view of Christ. We are become much more aware of our own propensity to be like the Pharisees.
As we walk along this red-letter journey in our podcast, we're learning not to judge the pharisees but to learn from them - maybe as examples of how not to be but maybe how we might already be acting with the same behavior.
That led us to ask, OK - why was the Law not working. Why were they so far removed from righteous living. This got pretty philosophical about the Heart. If what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, how is the heart filled. It seems that our minds fill our heart. But our heart determines where we focus. The whole thing becomes pretty circular, right?
One thing we noticed with the question is without God, the question and answer IS circular! Somehow, God gets in the middle of the process. Of course, then we asked, if this is so, why doesn't God just wave a magic wand and get in the middle of the process for everyone. That would fix the hearts of the Pharisees. I think ultimately, the questioner is meant never to receive a definitive answer. For me, it is one of those prayer subjects I can always go to God with and just have great conversation. He will answer, but he'll never let the conversation close. He's wants you to keep coming back. That's the gem we've discovered. It is not in the answer but in the connection and the conversation with God.
 
Notes to Getting to the Heart of the Matter
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter/ 

It's easy to look at the scriptures and judge. It's better to look at the scriptures and learn. We often ask: "How could those guys have missed the Messiah?" He was standing right there, healing, casting out demons, raising the dead!
Jesus had just fed a crowd of probably 10,000 people (5000 men plus women and children) and some of them came back and asked for a sign! Hello!
We looked at what they knew. We looked at what their expectations were. We looked at scripture they would have been intimately familiar with. We looked at the possibility that they weren't taught correctly and came to the conclusion that they were not ignorant. And yet, the missed God standing right in front of them. 
Before we judged, we asked, could that happen again. 2000 years later, could we fall into the same trap. The answer is a sobering wake-up call (hopefully).
 
Notes to "When Belief Collides with Expectation"
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/when-belief-collides-with-expectation/ 

The title is intended to be provocative. Of course A.I. is not the bread of life... however you don't have to go far into the web to discover many people that would disagree with you. 
As we were walking through the Red-Letter journey that we've been on, we are just leaving the scene where Jesus has fed the 5000. He sends his disciples onward. He dismisses the crowd and the retreats to the mountain. Later that evening, he heads to Capernaum taking the shortest distance, across the water. That's where we encounter that amazing scene where Jesus is walking on water.
The crowd of Israelites who were left behind figured out that Jesus and His disciples are now gone, and they decide to pursue them, which some of them do using the boats that are available. They reach Jesus on the other side and Jesus basically says to them - "You're just here for the bread."
Two things occurred to me. The Israelites back then, those that followed we not looking for breakfast! Their bread was the King they so desperately sought. John 6:15 reveals this. The second thing that hit me is now, in the present day, what bread are we chasing? What are we seeking to feed us, to save us?
As it turns out, I happened to have watched a video on Youtube by a group of very knowledgeable A.I. experts the night before this bible study. The spirit leads us in odd ways sometimes. That video crashed right into this story and that's how this conversation came about. The Bread of Life in the Modern Day (PDF) is where that conversation with A.I. picks up. So much for our traditional rabbit hole! The sources include the actual video that hung in the air until I connected the dots with today's study.
 
A.I. Discussion -The Singularity is Here: AI is Solving Math, Sora Outpaces Chat-GPT & AI is Designing Chips.
https://youtu.be/VfwNK9OVsrM?si=ntXVk2YoCLQJ9uQh 
 
Notes for Is A.I. The Bread of Life
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-ai-the-bread-of-life/ 

Jesus and the disciples are leaving a full day. They never seem to have time to rest. After the feeding of the 5000, Jesus instructs his disciples to take the boat over to their next destination. Jesus dismisses the crowd and retreats to the mountain to pray. After waiting a bit, the disciples move out without Jesus. They encounter rough waters and find themselves struggling against the waves and the wind. Jesus crosses the water on foot. This miracle cements the notion that Jesus is the Son of God. It is the first time in our chronological journey that we see the disciples worship Him. Let's unpack exactly what happened.
 
Notes to Walk With Jesus or Sink in the World
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/walk-with-jesus-or-sink-in-the-world/ 

The Disciples have returned from their mission. They've seen Jesus over the course of about two years perform every kind of miracle. They've seen Him calm the storms and cast out a Legion of Demons. He's turned water into wine. Now, before they've even had time to reflect on the meaning of their recent mission. With the help of a young boy, Jesus is going to show it to them the meaning of discipleship and giving. 
 
Notes for Even the Smallest Offering
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/even-the-smallest-offering/ 

As we continue following Jesus' words chronologically, we are about halfway through his ministry. Jesus says:  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” That prayer asked and answered launches the first mission of the disciples. We find accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
To make it real, we have imagined what it might be like in the day of a disciple pair on this mission journey. In fact, we imagined 3 different days with different degrees of success. We want to help people understand the nature of the mission, the task at hand and how the disciples might have handled the instructions given to them by Jesus. We are not trying to rewrite the Gospel! This is merely a way to maybe dramatize, in text form, what a day might have been like and to help understand what they might have had to deal with on a daily basis.
 
Notes for In The Midst of Wolves
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/in-the-midst-of-wolves/

I think typically when this debate comes up in conversation it is initiated by someone who is worried about stumbling. So, let's get that off the table even before we begin the debate. We all sin! I think that your response to sin is the deciding factor. Do you sin in defiance? Do you have regrets? Do you want to fix what you did wrong? The fact that a person is worried enough to ask the question is a good sign! That person's response should be to confess to Christ and ask for forgiveness, which is freely given. 
The format of this Podcast is a little different. It presents the debate. Each person assuming one side of the argument. Does it ultimately answer the question? I'm not sure. Hopefully it will get you thinking though. I can't speak to your particular situation. What I can say about mine is in how I personally respond to my own sin and what I know and understand about the forgiveness and grace of Jesus. I am confident in my salvation. I hate that sin is still part of my life and challenges. I cringe at the thought that each sin is like taking that hammer and striking one of the nails upon which Jesus hung on my behalf. I know that is a potent image but believe me, it helps me in moments of temptation. 
Notes to Once Saved Always Saved
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/once-saved-always-saved/ 

This is why we love Rabbit Holes. As we continue to follow Jesus through the gospels in our Red-Letter journey, we get to the part where Jesus is now going to send out his 12. And we asked, why 12? The answer to that simple question is deep and profound and if you trace it, you end up seeing the entire story of the Bible. 
Ever wonder about the 144,000? 
This is so cool!
Notes to Twelve
 
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/twelve/ 

As we walk with Jesus, we constantly see a stark contrast. We see the helpless, the blind, the sick, the demon possessed being healed. We see the Pharisees and the Scribes deny the very deity of the one who is healing these people. Today we seek to understand why the thoughts and ideas of the Jews of the day split into these two camps. Hopefully we begin to see how these miracles speak to the glory of God and we even recognize meaning of why sometimes the healing doesn't happen. We should never stop trying to understand. The Holy Spirit is always pointing to the one to whom you are to bring your appeals and prayers to. 
Notes to "Their Affliction IS Their Blessing
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/their-affliction-is-their-blessing/ 

I find it sometimes helpful to imagine the scene and the emotion in the moment. We often read the Bible clinically and if you don't put yourself in the scene, you're going to miss it. You read the Bible as much with your heart as you do with your mind. Today, we walk along with Jairus and try to imagine what is going on in his world in this moment. More importantly, what is his emotion. Not what is he thinking, but rather, what is he feeling. This is hard for me, I'm not a super emotional person but I think as the bible opens our hearts, we'll find the emotion we often deny is there. 
Notes for Faith Reveals Awesomeness
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/faith-reveals-awesomeness/ 
 

I think sometimes the subject matter of these passages causes us to not go deeper. It's uncomfortable just on its surface. If you just stop, put aside your preconceived notions and look at this story beyond the blood, you'll see the entire story of the Gospel. As we have followed Jesus through the gospels, every healing is revealing. Every miracle is a microcosm of the Gospel. 
 
Notes for A Touch of Faith
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/a-touch-of-faith/ 

Jesus walks on to the shores of Gergesa. A demoniac approaches Jesus. Now... we've seen Jesus cast out demons before. Why is this any different? Well, the name of the demon is "Legion... for we are many". This is probably the height of depravity and possession. Or more accurately, the height of demonic captivity. Jesus just calmed a raging storm - something His disciples recognize is Messianic. Little did they know that once Jesus stepped out of the boat and onto the shore that taming the raging storm before the boat capsized was child's play for the Son of Man. He not only commands the force of nature, He commands the entire spiritual realm.
 
Notes for Legion
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/legion-jesus-taming-the-spiritual-world/

You know, sometimes you get caught in the middle of some crisis. Your immediate thought is, "OK" how am I going to get myself out of this.". In our Red-Letter journey, today we see the disciples, experienced fishermen, in a boat with Jesus. Jesus is tired and sleeping. A storm comes up that drives these fishermen to the point of panic. We discover how the storm can be a test of faith. "How am I going to get myself out of this?" is not the right response! 
Notes for "When the Storms Come"
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/when-the-storms-come-and-they-will-come/

Every time I get into a small scripture, the larger message pulls me into a direction I didn't expect. Today is no exception. Jesus is explaining the present kingdom using parables. Through these parables I could hear the voice of Noah pleading to those of his day. He remained faithful, building the Ark. That same message is resonating through these parables, and we blow right past them. In the infamous words of the late Voddie Baucham: "If you can't say Amen, you oughta say ouch!". 
The world will be refined by fire, but the refuge already floats on grace. Jesus is the Ark, the door is still open, and the flood of fire has not yet fallen. Whoever enters through Him will be saved. The fire is real, the Ark is ready, and the Captain still calls, “All aboard!”
 
Notes to Echoes of Noah - The Flood and the Fire
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditaions.com/echoes-of-noah-the-flood-and-the-fire/
 

This has one of the shortest parables in the bible. And it's easy to say ok, when you plant a tiny mustard seed, it turns into a great big plant. I get it... and then you move on. But, not so fast. Let's watch the seed grow and see what Jesus is really saying about that very tiny seed.
Notes to Great Things Come in Small Packages
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/great-things-come-in-small-packages/

How many times have we blasted through this parable? The wheat and the tares. Today we slowed down and let the Word speak. What we ended up seeing was the entire story of the Bible unfolding in this simple yet profound parable. Interesting references fall into place. Remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? It's a clue! As it was in the days of Noah? It's a promise! And that pretribulation rapture? Probably not a thing if you listen to Jesus. Oh, and paradise? You're standing on it.
 
Notes to Weeding the Garden
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/how-it-all-begins-weeding-the-garden/

I think most Christians understand the Parable of the Sower. It is very familiar. What may be less familiar are the nuances between the Gospels and how each presents a slightly different, though complimentary view of the parable. We also dig into some of the English translation that trips people up relative to text in Mark 4:11-12: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 
 
Notes for The Parable of the Sower 
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-parable-of-the-sower/ 
 

It is already filling up the YouTube air waves... Let's step back and take a solid, biblical look at what is going on in Gaza and whether we should be mapping biblical prophecy onto the current peace events in the Middle East. 
 
Here are some of the recent YouTube Headlines (like within the hour!):
"The Dragon's Prophecy" - BlazeTV (Glenn Beck)
"Unbelievable! 6 Million Muslims Report Seeing Jesus in Gaza - Prophecy Unfolding"
"Prophecy Unfolding in Gaza"
"End is Near? See What Just Happened in the Jerusalem Shocked the World"
"GAZA - Palestine: The Truth Written in the Bible"
"The Prophecy has been fulfilled. The worst is to come in Israel"
"Trumps Peace Deal and Daniel's Warning"
Gaza Peace Deal: Did the Final 7 Years Begin?"
 
 
and on and on....  Don't let your hearts be troubled. Yes, stay vigilant but don't buy the hype. 
 
Notes to Is the Gaza Peace Deal Fulfilling Biblical Prophecy
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-the-gaza-peace-deal-fulfilling-biblical-prophecy/ 
 

No, it is not in scripture, but we used scripture and the meaning to write this parable. I prayed even before releasing this Podcast. Please listen and consider the source material in light of the intent. 
We start in scripture, where Jesus is called out of a crowd to His mother and brothers. We often are taken aback by Jesus's response. In fact, the emotional response to this passage is often about the rejection of His blood family in favor of His spiritual family. In that exchange we are as stunned as we can imagine his own family would have been and, in that moment, we have lost the message.
In this article, we take a look at the true meaning and then we asked the question. If Jesus is emphasizing obedience, what is it the Pharisees are missing? They followed the law to the letter. To help explain this, we imagined "The Parable of the Willing Pharisee". Let's be very clear that this is NOT A SCRIPTURAL reference, but we used scripture to support its meaning (all noted in the appendix).
Notes to The Parable of the Willing Pharisee
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-parable-of-the-willing-pharisee-imagined/ 

I started this like any other deep dive in Scripture and while I started looking at the external, obvious comparisons between the Pharisees and the Catholic Church - which is important to bring up - I found that my own personal journal crashed right into this scripture and I went down the self-reflection rabbit hole. I think from a personal, more disciple-oriented viewpoint, this becomes much more instructive and helpful. Yes, we need to be discerning about our leadership and our churches but not before the inside of your cup is cleaned. 
Notes for Authentic Change
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmediations.com/authentic-change/

Jesus has just healed a blind and mute man. The crowd who has seen the miracle is speculating that Jesus could indeed be the son of David. The Pharisees have to divert that belief. They can't deny the miracle, so they attack the messenger. That is a very common occurrence, even today! No amount of showing them signs would convince them, they are not after proof, they are looking for escape. They are looking for a way to trap Jesus. It's like what happens when the defendant takes the witness stand. The prosecution issues a series of rapid-fire questions if only to confuse the defendant. They are looking for a way to use what He has said and done as a way to prosecute him, even if everyone knows, and all the evidence points to the fact that he is innocent.
 
Notes to Show us a Sign
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/show-us-a-sign/

Next in our Red-Letter series we encounter a blind mute. These passages (covered in Matthew 12:22-37, Mark 3:20-30 and Luke 11:14-26 are not just about casting out another demon. We've seen that countless times. By this point in Jesus' journey, casting out demons is almost common. 
Jesus heals the blind mute almost as a sidenote. There is a difference here though. This demon is mute. The crowd recognizes the Messianic nature of the healing, but there is another dumb, blind one there that Jesus can't heal. The focus turns to the ones who can actually speak yet are spiritually blind. We discover the meaning of the unforgivable sin. 
Notes to Blind and Dumb
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/blind-and-dumb/ 
 

While I read Matthew 11:27, this was knocking around in my head: Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him”.
So, let's begin with that seeming paradox -  Matthew 11:27..
Jesus said, ‘All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.’
See me dilemma?
I couldn’t figure out who was giving and who was receiving. Was the Father sending people to the Son, or was the Son sending people to the Father?
The revelation for me came with this understanding: the recognition of how much the Father wants fellowship with his creation. We need to understand His love for us.
Once you grasp that, you begin to see God acting as a team where the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have specific roles to play. The sovereign Father delivers hearts open to transformation to the Son. The Son, by his redemptive work and sanctification redeems them, reuniting God with His Creation. The Holy Spirit indwells the saved individual, completing the Redemptive Circle. God is now in fellowship with you, His creation. God loves you that much!
The entire Bible is a rescue plan where all three persons of the Godhead play a unique role.
This is God's greatest play in the playbook. It is sort of like a quarterback sneak where the quarterback gets the ball back. 
PS: Your the ball ; )
NOTES to the Redemption Circle
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-redemption-circle/

Jesus gives a sharp rebuke to the local cities surrounding his ministry. Not just rebukes but Woe's. This is serious! In Matthew 11 he says to Capernaum (the town of his headquarters) - Mat 11:23-24
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
 
My immediate gut response was: Whoa! Maybe I'd be better off not knowing! That's where this podcast is going. 
 
Notes to Is Ignorance Bliss
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-ignorance-bliss
 

Pretend you're presented this in a game of What Would You Do...We are in the end times scenario where the Christian is presented the choice. Receive the Mark and pledge your allegiance to the Anti-Christ or refuse it and suffer the consequences on you own. You walk away from the world and all its support system completely. You live in your home. The mortgage is paid off but your town requires property taxes to be paid through the digital currency. You must carry the Mark for any monetary transaction, including taxes. All the silver you've saved up for such a time as this is useless for this. The law is that you must pay through the digital currency structure. Do you...
1. Anticipate this ahead of time and pay your taxes for your property well in advance. So, you pay property taxes for the next 4 years ahead - covering the time from the implementation of the Mark to the Return of Christ.
2. Make sure that you have secular friends that can pay the property taxes and in return, you could barter with them, and they could pay your taxes through the digital system for you?
 
Notes to What Would You Do?
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/what-would-you-do/ 

What is the fruit of faith? Check Luke 7:36-50. 
What seems like an awkward moment at the home of Simon the Pharisee becomes a beautiful depiction of how one responds to the forgiveness of sin. 
Notes to The Awkward Dinner Party
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-awkward-dinner-party/

We're starting a new feature, today. Once a week, we jump off our Podcast track and jump onto the rails of current news interests in the Christian community. I think more than ever, we are starting to see some prominent figures be more vocal about their religious convictions. Some of these guys have a bigger platform now than they did before they were cancelled. Tucker Carlson is no exception. Today, we land on a podcast between Tucker Carlson and Conrad Flynn. You may have never heard of Conrad Flynn, but his own particular journey is a fascinating discovery that shines a light on societal elites, rock and roll, and even to some extent on the world of artificial intelligence.
The discussion in general was interesting, but what triggered our attention was the part about the elites and A.I. development. A.I. is beyond the point of putting pandora back in the box. Governments and high stakes backers of A.I. systems are betting on the future and some of these people are not looking out for your best interests. It should be no surprise, given the nature of the discussion. So, we launch off of the discussion relative to A.I. and overlap A.I. with biblical end times scenarios. The only conclusion one can draw is "buckle up, hang tight and make sure you're on the bus where Jesus is the bus driver."
The Conrad Flynn interview (Tucker Carlson)
Notes to Elites, The Occult and the role of A.I. in End Times
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations/elites-the-occult-and-the-role-of-ai-in-end-times/ 
 

I did my Bible Study last night with our small church group and got some great feedback that helped me think about this in a more broadly applicable, and maybe less confrontational framework. We live in a world of constant choices. And face it, the guilds in Thyatira existed before Christians entered the picture. The Church drifted away from its first priority. 
We still have to make those choices. We live in the world but not of the world as one of the brothers in my group put it so succinctly. So with the feedback I got from the group and specifically from one of the brothers that I can only describe as my religious coach and mentor, I've produced this podcast regarding persecution in America. This takes a different look at how it happens and how we, as Christians, need to respond. 
The sequence of podcasts on this subject include the following other two recent podcasts (should you want to go back and listen to the entire thing). 1. Why No Christian Persecution In American
2. Sliding into Sodom
3. This one: The Spiritual Dialectic
I did not include notes in this podcast because the material is addressed personally to members of my Bible Study group. I may revise and depersonalize it later on. 

We continue on our Red-Letter journey today and we encounter a Centurion who seeks Jesus to heal his servant-slave. Let's first understand how upside down this is. Romans did not bow to Jews... let alone Roman commanders. Yet this man, commissioned in Capernaum, had probably heard Jesus teaching any number of times. He may have even been commanded as a guard in these situations to maintain peace as the crowds grew around Jesus. Whatever the case, he is very clear on who Jesus is. In fact, he is so clear and believes with all his heart that Jesus is astonished at his faith. 
 
Notes to Astonishing Faith
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/astonishing-faith/ 

We follow up from yesterday's podcast and try to see how compromise works. Ultimately, we are trying to understand how Christians end up compromising with the very things that go against their religion. This is not a left vs right issue. This is not even political. This is how Christians compromise with evil... and that is never good!
 
Notes to Sliding Into Sodom
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/sliding-into-sodom/ 

We wander of the Red-letter trail today. I was asked to host a Bible study about persecution in America, or the lack thereof.
When we talk about persecution in America, most people shrug and say, “We don’t have any real persecution here. Not like China, or North Korea, or the early church.”
But maybe the reason we don’t feel persecution isn’t because it doesn’t exist — maybe it’s because we’ve bent under it. We compromise, we assuage, we bow to the person with the loudest voice.
Let's face it. Americans are pumped up... or puffed up! Our allegiance speaks boldly. We love our football teams. We scream our political allegiances. We whisper the words of Jesus. 
 
Notes to Persecution in America
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/why-no-christian-persecution-in-america-its-not-what-you-think/