Live the Bible with Wayne Stiles

One event, more than any other, reminds us that personal failure does not remove us from God's plan. In fact, this event shows us that the success of God's plan does not depend on our performance. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 15–16 and the essence of what makes Christianity true. Remove this, and we’re just another naive religion putting our hopes in wishful thinking. But with this event, our faith is rooted in reality—and true hope! Episode Scripture: Mark 15:40-16:8 Support the Show.

How can we live our lives well to the end? Especially when we have been rejected or even betrayed? How did Jesus do it? God's Word shows us how as well. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 15 and Jesus’ example of living well to the end. Jesus committed Himself to the Father—even when following His leading was hard. We can do the same—even when it's difficult. Support the Show.

At times, we remember our failures. Something triggers a memory—and wham! We have a flashback of a failure we did years ago. Now what? In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Peter's failure in Mark 14, and Jesus' reminder that our memories don’t have to haunt us. Instead they can become a memory of something far, far better. This is an episode so essential for us to hear again and again. Support the Show.

How can we be faithful to God when we’re not strong enough to do it? This episode of Live the Bible is where the rubber meets the road in our Christian lives. Jesus takes us to Gethsemane in Mark 14, and He models how to rely on God for strength in moments of vulnerability. The peace we long for in life lies on the other side of one decision we can make today. Support the Show.

We want to be faithful and follow God, but there's one problem. We’re not strong enough to do it. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 14 where Jesus reminds us we have a traitor we have to watch out for. This intensely practical two-part episode shows us Jesus’ example of what to do when our want-to is willing but our can-do is weak. Support the Show.

Jesus held up a special woman as an example to follow. In fact, more Scripture is devoted to her than to ten of the twelve disciples! In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 14 and meet a disciple of Jesus who didn't write any scripture, didn't preach any messages, wasn't one of the twelve disciples, and she never performed any miracles. Why is she so significant for us to know? Support the Show.

What’s next in biblical prophecy? In this episode of Live the Bible, we get a peek at the end of the story from Jesus’ own lips in Mark 13. The Lord not only tells us what’s coming next in biblical prophecy, but He tells us what to do until then. By the way, there’s nothing like learning biblical prophecy while looking at the places where it will occur. I invite you to come with me and experience the land of Israel for yourself. Just go to waynestiles.com/toursto see all upcoming tours! Support the Show.

If someone asked Jesus what the most important thing in life is, wouldn't it be great to know to know His answer? They did, in fact—and His answer was crystal clear. In this episode of Live the Bible, we will hear Jesus' words from Mark chapter 12. His refreshing answer is a great way for us to hit reset on our lives and our priorities—and get clarity on what matters most. In fact, I’ll end the podcast with 3 essential questions of application for you directly related to Jesus’ words. Support the Show.

You will likely be misunderstood, misquoted, labeled a misfit, and shunned by others—just like Jesus. How will you deal with it? In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 11–12 and see Jesus as our model of how we can have a mindset that pushes through the fog when other people treat us unjustly. God sees it all. One day, all we’ve been waiting for will occur. Until then, Jesus shows us how. Support the Show.

Jesus is looking for fruit. I don't mean apples and oranges—but fruit in our lives. In fact, He wants to find three kinds of fruit in your life. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at Mark 11 see the Triumphal Entry of Jesus as He begins the Passion Week. As Christians, bearing fruit for God is essential. Thankfully, Jesus shows us how. Support the Show.

If Jesus were to ask you what you’d like Him to do for you, how would you answer What an opportunity! Actually, Jesus did ask that question twice—and got two totally different responses. In this episode of Live the Bible, we’ll learn from Mark 10 which response Jesus applauded. What exactly should we want from God? The answer is challenging—and so encouraging. Support the Show.

Have you ever heard someone answer a question before they answer the question Jesus was a Master at that. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Christ’s answer to that question may surprise you! It shocked His disciples. In this episode of Live the Bible from Mark chapter 10, we look at what Jesus says about the surprising requirement for eternal life. It's the best bad news you'll ever hear. Support the Show.

Ask 10 different people on the street (or in the church) what God’s view on marriage is, we’ll likely get 11 different answers. Thankfully, the Word of God gives us an anchor that keeps us from groping in a sea of opinions. In this episode of Live the Bible, Jesus tells us in Mark 10:1–12 what God says about marriage and divorce. Once we know what God’s Word says, the true challenge becomes following it. Support the Show.

This week we've reached the #1-most-popular episode from 2023. Drum roll... Many of us grew up with a mixed bag of experiences that hurt a whole lot. And while our upbringing certainly shaped our lives, it doesn't define us. Only God defines us. (Please read that again.) This episode of Live the Bible takes us to 2 Kings 22 and shows us how Josiah walked with God in spite of his terrible upbringing. We also see how we can break free from our generational curse and allow the Lord to make us into who He wants us to be. Support the Show.

The second-most popular podcast from 2023 grabs a hammer and nails to help us build a fence. Here's why. Your property probably has a fence—and for good reason. A fence acts mostly as a boundary, letting someone know to stay in or to stay out. God's Word is like a fence too—and for good reason. In this episode of Live the Bible, we see a man who didn't just ignore the fences of God's law, he tore them down! King Manasseh was the worst king that Judah ever had. And yet, in spite of how terrible Manasseh was, God never gave up on him—and He won't give up on us (or our loved ones) either. Episode Scripture: 2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33 Support the Show.

God is love. But so much more... As we count down the top 5 podcasts from 2023, we find #3 answering a VERY important question. How does God choose which attribute to act on—love or wrath? And how can we know if God accepts us—for sure? To discover the answer, this episode of Live the Bible takes us to the rich book of Leviticus to discover the timeless truths that help us know without a doubt that God accepts us—and why He does. Episode Scripture: Leviticus 1 Support the Show.

Last year, 106 countries downloaded 142,000 podcasts from Live the Bible. The Word of God is powerful! This week we're looking at #4 in the top 5 countdown from 2023, and it's no surprise that this episode on facing your fears ranked so high. After all, the most common command in the Bible is... drum roll... "Fear not." Easy to say, right? But tough work to do. Truthfully, some of us don't know how we'll react to fear until fear hits us hard. King Hezekiah had plenty to fear. He faced a situation where fear was the most natural response, and yet—he found strength in God. How? Well that's the million dollar question, and we'll discover the answer right in 2 Chronicles 32. Support the Show.

It's been a great year for hearing God's Word. In fact, the Live the Bible podcast ranked in the top 5% of more than 100,000 podcasts in 106 countries. Amazing! We're starting 2024 by highlighting the top 5 podcasts of 2023. This episode of Live the Bible ranked #5 and teaches us how to respond to the overwhelming favor God has lavished on us. We learn from the book of Leviticus how to express our dedication and gratitude to Jesus Christ. Support the Show.

What’s your motive? That simple question can help reboot your mind each day. Here’s why. In this episode of Live the Bible, we listen to Jesus' words in Mark 9 as He challenges us to preview our actions through the filter of our motives. This one question—more than any—can help reframe our thinking and set us on a path of success each morning. Support the Show.

We sing the same carols over and over. We hear the same Christmas story again and again. Our "Ho, ho, ho," becomes, "Ho hum"—if we're not careful. Christmas can become sort of boring. In this special episode of Live the Bible, we're taking a look at Christmas from the apostle Paul's perspective in the book of Philippians. Repeated exposure to truth is one of the beautiful things about Christmas. And our practical application of God becoming a man is anything but boring! Support the Show.