Raised to Walk Podcast

There are two things that you aren't supposed to discuss in polite company: religion and politics. I talk about both today. How do we make responsible voting choices in today's political climate? For reference links, visit the episode article at http://raisedtowalk.org/p50 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

Since the day of the resurrection, personal testimonies have always been a powerful form of witness in the Christian faith. Carla Alvarez reviews "By Faith," the autobiographical testimony of Nancy Gavilanes. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p49 Book Link: http://raisedtowalk.org/a/gavilanes-by-faith More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

Many of us are familiar with the beautiful words of the 23rd Psalm. It is a soothing reminder of God's faithfulness. However, when David wrote the song, he was not testifying, but prophesying. Carla Alvarez discusses how Psalm 23 is a form of spiritual warfare. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p48 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

There are many people who want to find God, but they often want to leave "religion" behind in order to do so. Carla Alvarez discusses what we mean when we use the word "religion" who exactly we are referring to when we refer to "God," and if we can really find God without religion. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p47 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

It is often said that a dog is man's best friend. Many could take example from the loyalty of a dog. Carla Alvarez discusses how the devotion of a dog can prime us for a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p46 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

Everyone knows the verse, "The Lord loves a cheerful giver," but sometimes it is hard to actually "freely give." Carla Alvarez discusses the importance of giving, giving to control versus freely giving, and tips for giving with the right mindset. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p45 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalkTV Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

All of us know someone who is not a believer in Christ.  Many of us likely know someone who is not only an unbeliever, but one who is aggressive in their unbelief.   If the subject of religion or faith comes up, they bring up an area in which they think Christians or Christianity itself reflects poorly and hammer relentlessly against your faith.  At times, religion doesn’t even have to come up at all, knowing you are a Christian, they will bring it up using you as a target for their bully pulpit. If you have experienced anything along these lines, or someone you care about is an unbeliever, Atheist Delusions by David Bentley Hart is for you . . . it is not for your unbelieving friend . . . it is for you.  Not that an unbelieving friend couldn’t benefit from reading this book.  However, in Peter’s exhortation to “always be ready” to give an answer for the “hope that is within you,” the qualification is to do so “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15) and Hart provides very strong answers in this book. Hart is a theologian, a visiting professor, and is referred to as a “polemicist.”  Atheist Delusions is an overview of how frequently and consistently full historical context is ignored in order to serve a humanist agenda.  Hart sets the record straight on a number of distorted narratives and he begins with this note: Perfect detachment is impossible for even the soberest of historians, since the writing of history necessarily demands some sort of narrative of causes and effects, and is thus necessarily an act of interpretation, which by its nature can never be wholly free of prejudice.[1] This is important to remember as often information is presented as an unbiased and clear view of history, when in fact, the presentation is a result of a very distorted lens.  Everyone, even historians, bring preconceptions and a particular worldview to the table.  Beware  of those who are not honest about it. Hart’s intention with the book is to present a more even handed history of the church for the first five centuries,[2] or if one does not believe a Christian can do that objectively, a reader will at least have to consider the case Hart makes as it is much more fully sourced and comprehensive than the standard church detractors. Specifically, he states: My chief ambition in writing is to call attention to the peculiar and radical nature of the new faith in that setting: how enormous a transformation of thought, sensibility, culture, morality, and spiritual imagination Christianity constituted in the age of pagan Rome; the liberation it offered from fatalism, cosmic despair, and the terror of the occult agencies; the immense dignity it conferred upon the human person; its subversion of the cruelest aspects of pagan society; its (alas, only partial) demystification of political power; its ability to create moral community where none had existed before; and its elevation of active charity above all other virtues. Stated in its most elementary and most buoyantly positive form, my argument is, first of all, that among all the many great transitions that have sparked the evolution of Western civilization, whether convulsive or gradual, political or philosophical, social or scientific, material or spiritual, there has been only one — the triumph of Christianity—that can be called in the fullest sense a “revolution”: a truly massive and epochal revision of humanity’s prevailing vision of reality, so pervasive in its influence and so vast in its consequences as actually to have created a new conception of the world, of history, of human nature, of time, and of the moral good. To my mind, I should add, it was an event immeasurably more impressive in its cultural creativity and more ennobling in its moral power than any other movement of spirit, will, imagination, aspiration,

+It’s been an eventful week. Barbara Bush, the wife of our 41st president went home on April 17th and her funeral was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston on April 21st.[1]  First families from the Clintons on attended to show their respect and demonstrate that a person is not defined solely by their political affiliation.  Across the pond, two other momentous occasions occurred.  Prince William and Kate welcomed their third child and second son, Prince Louis.[2]  In contrast to this joyous occasion, a battle was being waged over the life of another little one, Alfie Evans.[3] Before we discuss baby Alfie, let’s return to Barbara Bush.  Millenials will not remember her time as First Lady, but she was known as gracious and welcoming.  A friend of public education, she made literacy her cause while in the White House.  After leaving the White House, she and Bush Sr. spent much of their time in Houston and after she passed, many local residents shared fond memories of interacting with her.  She was friendly to everyone and loved kids. Sixty-Five Years Ago in Midland, Texas The part of her life that wasn’t often discussed in the many years she was in her public eye was not her famous sons, but the daughter that they lost.   When their daughter, Robin, was only three years old . . . Not much older than Alfie Evans . . . She began feeling tired and did not want to go out and play.[4]  Concerned, Barbara took her to the doctor and the diagnosis came back.  It was a strange disease called Leukemia, one that not was much known about and for which there was no cure.  The doctor told the Bushes, “There is nothing that can be done, just take her home to die quietly.” Today in Liverpool, England Today in England, there is a battle waging over a little one named Alfie Evans.  Alfie’s parents took him to the doctor sixteen months ago after suffering seizures.  The doctors have not been able to diagnose the cause.[5]  He had been in the care of Alder Hey Hospital during that time and the issue is the doctors have told the parents that there is nothing more that they can do for him; however, they refused to allow the parents to take Alfie to any other provider. Alder Hey told the Evans the same thing doctors told the Bushes about their daughter, Robin, “There is nothing more we can do, make her comfortable, and take her home to die.” The Fighting Spirit Like the Evans, Ms. Barbara did not accept the doctors’ decree.  She was not just going to lay down and passively accept losing her daughter.  If there was any way, any solution, she would find it. She took Robin to Memorial-Sloan Kettering cancer center for experimental treatments and for eight long months, she watched her daughter go through the treatments and hoped for a cure.[6] Because that is what love does.  It never gives up.  It always believes.  It always hopes. The stress and strain of those months turned Ms. Barbara’s hair prematurely white.   This time hope died.  There was no cure for Robin on this side of heaven. It changed the Bushes as a family and it changed them individually.   Friends of the family, and Barbara herself, have said they believe this event was formational in shaping George W...

How many times have you heard someone say, "The Jews had no concept of the Trinity and it is an idea from pagan religions that came into the church after Constantine?" Most people have. Carla Alvarez gives a review of "Two Powers in Heaven," which explores the beliefs of "two powers," two persons of God, in Second Temple Judaism. Episode Article: http://raisedtowwalk.org/p42 Book link: https://raisedtowalk.org/a/two-powers More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

Every year when Easter rolls around, a slew of pseudo-scholars trot out claims that Easter is actually a pagan holiday that have nothing to do with Jesus or the early church. Carla Alvarez discusses the true origins of Easter and the significance of the Passover observance. http://raisedtowalk.org/p41 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

A huge controversy was stirred when Jerry Falwell, Jr. excused the affair and payoff to Stormy Daniels by President Trump. Falwell does not believe that the Bible has anything to say about the matter. Carla Alvarez discusses what the Bible actually says about each of the issues Falwell mentions. Episode article: http://raisedtowalk.org/p40 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

We often say, "Well, they meant well." However, good intentions can still lead to bad endings. Carla Alvarez discusses two well known villians in the Bible who began with good intentions: Balaam and Herod the tetrach. Episode article: http://raisedtowalk.org/p39 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

The Bible can be confusing at times, especially to one new to it. How does someone know what the Bible actually means? Carla Alvarez discusses what the Bible is, how it should be approached, and some insights on the influences on the New Testament wrters. Episode article: http://raisedtowalk.org/p38 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

As followers of Christ, we are to live a life of integrity. What does that look like? In David's Psalm 101, he lays out an action plan to live a life a character and integrity Episode article: http://raisedtowalk.org/p37 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news

Who was Solomon and what lessons can we learn from his life? Learn a few facts about King Solomon and the warning we can take from his story. Episode article: http://raisedtowalk.org/p36 More from Raised to Walk: http://raisedtowalk.org/ On Facebook: @RaisedtoWalk On Twitter: @RaisedtoWalk On Instagram: @RaisedtoWalk On Youtube: @RaisedtoWalk Get updates in your Inbox! http://raisedtowalk.org/news