The Bible Matters Podcast

Have you ever wondered whether following God is really worth the cost when life seems to be falling apart?

 
In this episode, we begin our journey through the book of Ruth by exploring one of the Bible's most honest accounts of grief, loss, faith, and hope. Naomi returns from Moab convinced that God is against her, while Ruth makes the remarkable decision to leave everything behind and cast her lot in with God's people. Through their story, we discover that turning to the Lord is not a turn towards emptiness, but a turn towards hope, even when we cannot yet see how God is working for our good.
 
Questions answered in this episode:

Why does the book of Ruth begin with so much tragedy and loss?

What does Naomi's story teach us about suffering and God's sovereignty?

Why does Ruth choose to follow Naomi and the God of Israel?

What is the connection between Ruth's decision and biblical faith and repentance?

How can we have hope when God seems distant or even against us?

The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters

To contact us, email office@biblematters.org

What does the Book of Ruth really teach? Is it simply a love story, or is it asking a much bigger question: is it worth returning to the Lord when life is hard? In this episode, we were joined by Tim Sheppard to explore the first book in our series on the Megilloth, the Five Scrolls. We examined Ruth as a carefully crafted narrative that points beyond itself to God's sovereign purposes, his hidden work in ordinary circumstances, and his commitment to establishing his kingdom.

Along the way they discuss Naomi's bitterness, Ruth's remarkable faithfulness, Boaz's generosity, the significance of David at the end of the book, and why "finding your Boaz" may not be the main point of Ruth after all.

Questions answered in this episode

- Why is the Book of Ruth so important in the storyline of the Bible?

- Is Ruth really a book about romance and finding a spouse?

- Why does Naomi describe herself as bitter, and is she right to do so?

- How does God work through ordinary events to accomplish extraordinary purposes?

- What does Ruth teach us about trusting God's promises when they seem far from fulfilment?

The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters 

To contact us, email office@biblematters.org

Have you ever wondered whether following God is really worth the cost when life seems to be falling apart?
 
In this episode, we begin our journey through the book of Ruth by exploring one of the Bible's most honest accounts of grief, loss, faith, and hope. Naomi returns from Moab convinced that God is against her, while Ruth makes the remarkable decision to leave everything behind and cast her lot in with God's people. Through their story, we discover that turning to the Lord is not a turn towards emptiness, but a turn towards hope, even when we cannot yet see how God is working for our good.
 
As we wrestle with suffering, disappointment, and the cost of discipleship, Ruth 1 asks a question that remains deeply relevant today: Is it really worth turning to the Lord?
Questions answered in this episode:

Why does the book of Ruth begin with so much tragedy and loss?

What does Naomi's story teach us about suffering and God's sovereignty?

Why does Ruth choose to follow Naomi and the God of Israel?

What is the connection between Ruth's decision and biblical faith and repentance?

How can we have hope when God seems distant or even against us?

The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters

To contact us, email office@biblematters.org

What if five seemingly unrelated books of the Bible were actually part of a forgotten collection?

In this introductory episode to our new series on the Megilloth (the Five Scrolls), Leo is joined by Molly to explore one of the Bible's most overlooked groupings: Ruth, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and Lamentations.

Why were these books collected together? What can we learn from reading them as a collection rather than simply as individual books? And what happens if the category of "wisdom literature" isn't quite as straightforward as we've often assumed?

Together, Leo and Molly discuss the Jewish ordering of the Old Testament, the origins of the Five Scrolls, the dangers of over-reading connections between books, and some surprising themes that appear to unite this remarkable collection. Most importantly, they ask whether all five books might be wrestling with the same question:

When God's promises seem distant, is he still worth trusting?

Questions answered in this episode

What are the Megilloth, or Five Scrolls?

Why are the Five Scrolls grouped together in the Jewish Scriptures?

Does "wisdom literature" really exist as a biblical category?

Are there common themes running through Ruth, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and Lamentations?

How do these books help God's people trust him when life seems confusing or disappointing?

The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters

To contact us, email office@biblematters.org

What does it take to finish the race of faith well?

Drawing on Paul's images of the athlete, the soldier and the hardworking farmer, we consider the dangers, pressures and disappointments that can cause Christians to lose heart.

Yet alongside the warnings comes a powerful encouragement: faithful perseverance is possible through spiritual discipline, dependence on God and a fixed hope in the reward Christ promises. Whether you are serving in formal ministry or seeking to follow Christ faithfully in everyday life, this episode is a timely call to spiritual fitness, perseverance and finishing the race well.

Questions answered in this episode:

-What did Paul mean when he said, "I have finished the race"?

-Why does the Bible compare the Christian life to athletic training?

-What challenges do Christian leaders face as they seek to remain faithful?

-How can believers maintain their spiritual fitness over the long term? What encouragement does 2 Timothy offer to Christians facing opposition, discouragement or suffering?

The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters

To contact us, email office@biblematters.org