Truth Be Told

Micah Gunn
  • 5.0 (21)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

A theology and apologetics podcast born out of a love of God‘s word, a hope to find common ground with those who study it, and a desire to outline truth as the Bible tells it.

  1. 2d ago

    Jean Valjean the Devil

    What does Jean Valjean from Les Misérables have to do with Satan? It sounds like a ridiculous question—but the connection hit me while I was thinking about one of my favorite scenes in the story: the priest giving Jean Valjean the candlesticks. Valjean steals from him. The priest responds with mercy. Not because Valjean deserves it, but because the priest is willing to suffer loss for the sake of someone who has wronged him. And that made me wonder: What does it mean to overcome evil with good when the enemy is truly evil? We’re commanded to love our enemies, forgive those who wrong us, refuse vengeance, and even do good to those who hurt us. Romans 12 says that by doing this, we “overcome evil with good.” But does that principle have anything to teach us about how we think about Satan himself? I’ve sometimes felt anger toward Satan. But, strangely, I’ve also felt something like pity. Not because I excuse his evil, but because I know what it’s like to desire something that ultimately leads to your own destruction. So is pity toward Satan ever appropriate? What would it mean to desire repentance even for an enemy who seems completely opposed to God? And if repentance is impossible for Satan, what does our refusal to become evil in response to evil accomplish? This episode is an exploration of mercy, judgment, repentance, spiritual warfare, and what it really means to overcome evil with good. Jean Valjean the Devil. It’s a strange title. But I think there’s a strange connection worth exploring.   #Christianity #ChristianPodcast #ChristianYouTube #Faith #JesusChrist #Bible #BiblicalTeaching #ChristianLiving #Theology #ChristianTheology #SpiritualWarfare #GoodVsEvil #OvercomingEvil #LoveYourEnemies #Forgiveness #Mercy #Repentance #Satan #TheDevil #Romans12 #LesMiserables #JeanValjean #VictorHugo #Gospel #ChristianFaith #FaithAndCulture #BibleStudy #ChristianThought #GodsMercy #jesus   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

  2. Sep 25

    The Paradox of Desire: Why Ecclesiastes Says It's Better to Never Be Born

    What if the Bible actually says that being dead—or even never being born—is better than being alive? In this episode, we dive into some of the most shocking words in Ecclesiastes, including Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 and 6:1–6, where Solomon describes the futility of life, human dissatisfaction, and even calls a stillborn child “better” than a person who cannot enjoy the blessings they’ve received. But is Solomon really saying that life itself is a curse? Or is he exposing something deeper about the human condition: our endless desire for more and our inability to find lasting satisfaction in the things of this world? We explore the paradox of Christian desire, surrender, prosperity, sacrifice, and faith through the story of Abraham and Isaac—and a powerful insight from Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling: by faith, Abraham didn’t merely give up Isaac. He received him back. What happens when we stop making success, wealth, comfort, safety, or even our deepest desires the things we seek first—and instead pursue God above everything else? Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly #Ecclesiastes #BibleStudy #Christianity #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Kierkegaard #FearAndTrembling #BiblicalWisdom #Jesus #God #faithful #desire #christianparadox #Christian #JesusChrist #bible #biblical #biblestudy #Solomon #Quoheleth #theology #apologetics #ChristianLiving

  3. Sep 18

    Dinner Parties At the End of the World

    The end of the world is near. So what does Peter tell the church to do? Prepare for disaster? Get ready for persecution? Focus on doctrine? Brace yourself for martyrdom? No. Peter says, “Be hospitable.” In 1 Peter 4:9, Peter makes a striking connection between the nearness of “the end of all things” and something that can initially seem remarkably ordinary: loving one another and showing hospitality without grumbling. Why hospitality? The Greek word Peter uses carries the idea of being fond of guests. And in this passage, hospitality is clearly more than simply being polite, welcoming people into your home, or being a good host. Peter places it among the things the church must prioritize as it faces difficult times. Even if hospitality isn't your particular spiritual gift, you're not off the hook. Christians are still called to grow in love, generosity, welcome, and care for one another. Because when difficult times come, the bonds we build within Christian community matter. We need people who will bear with us, encourage us, provide for us when we're in need, and walk with us through suffering. The church isn't simply a gathering of individuals who share beliefs—it's a community whose relationships can help sustain and strengthen us when life gets hard. Peter's instruction forces us to rethink what biblical hospitality actually is. Maybe hospitality isn't merely a pleasant way of living. Maybe it's part of how God prepares His people to endure difficulty. If the end is near, Peter's answer isn't simply to prepare for what's coming. It's to prepare by loving the people around you. 📖 Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8–11 In this episode, we explore: -Why Peter connects “the end of all things” with hospitality -What 1 Peter 4:9 means by biblical hospitality -Why Christian hospitality is more than good manners -Whether hospitality has to be your spiritual gift -How strong church communities help us endure difficult seasons -Why loving, welcoming, and caring for one another may be spiritually significant preparation for hard times If this episode challenges or encourages you, subscribe, share it with someone in your church community, and let me know: What does genuine Christian hospitality look like in your life?   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #1Peter #EndTimes #ChristianHospitality #BiblicalHospitality #ChristianCommunity #ChurchCommunity #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #SpiritualGifts #ChristianPodcast #faith #hospitality #1peter4 #theology #apologetics #christian #christianity #biblestudy #bible #biblical #JesusChrist #Jesus #God #fyp #fypyoutube

  4. Sep 11

    Abraham's Mistake That We All Make

    What if one of Abraham’s biggest mistakes reveals something about the way we treat other people? In Genesis 20, Abraham lies to Abimelech about Sarah because he assumes there is “no fear of God” in the place—and that assumption changes everything. At first glance, it’s easy to point the finger at Abraham. But when we look closer, his mistake may expose a tendency that many of us share: deciding what someone’s relationship with God looks like before we actually take the time to know them. Abimelech recognizes God as Lord. He understands that sin is wrong. God speaks to him in a dream. Does that make Abimelech a believer? A follower of God? No. But it does challenge Abraham’s assumption that he could simply write Abimelech off as someone who had no relationship with God whatsoever. In this episode, we explore Abraham’s lie, the fear of God, evangelism, judging someone’s spiritual condition, and the danger of assuming who will or won’t be receptive to the Gospel. We also tackle a difficult ethical question Christians have debated for centuries: Is it ever right to withhold or conceal the truth in order to protect someone's life? What about the classic example of hiding Jews from Nazis during the Holocaust? If someone comes to your door asking whether you are hiding people they intend to kill, are you obligated to tell them the truth? We’ll look at why that question is different from what Abraham did—and why the distinction matters. Abraham was trying to preserve his life, but he acted on an assumption. He never investigated Abimelech’s motives or relationship with God. He simply decided what kind of person Abimelech was and acted accordingly. And perhaps that is the part of Abraham’s mistake that we all make. How often do we assume someone won't listen to the Gospel? How often do we decide that someone is too far from God, too hostile, too uninterested, or too unlikely to respond—before we've even shared the truth with them? We are not called to be the judges of who is worthy of hearing the Gospel. We are called to preach the Gospel to every creature and make disciples of every nation. This episode challenges us to stop making assumptions about people's hearts and start trusting God with the results.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #Abraham #Abimelech #Genesis20 #fearofGod #evangelism #Christianethics #thegreatcommission #God #Christian #Christianity #Jesus #Christ #JesusChrist #AbrahamandAbimelech #faith #hope #love #theology #apologetics #fyp #fypyoutube

  5. Sep 4

    Bible Study: Learning to Swim

    A lot of Christians struggle to study the Bible—not because they don't care about Scripture, but because Bible study can feel intimidating. We compare ourselves to the people around us. We wonder how often we're supposed to read, how much we're supposed to get out of it, or how deeply we're supposed to understand it. Maybe we've heard a pastor unpack a passage in a way that seems impossible to replicate. Maybe we've watched theologians explain biblical languages and complicated theology. Maybe we've looked at a friend's Bible covered in notes while ours is still practically empty. It can leave us feeling like we're standing at the edge of a massive ocean, convinced that if we're going to enter the water, we need to be ready for a deep dive. But before we learn to deep dive, we have to learn how to swim. In this episode, we talk about approaching the Bible as a place of exploration and discovery rather than something intimidating that we're afraid we won't understand. Scripture has been studied for thousands of years, but that doesn't mean we have nothing left to discover as we personally encounter God's Word. We'll walk through three questions designed to help us approach any passage of Scripture with greater confidence: 1. What do you notice, wonder about, or find interesting? Your questions, observations, and reactions matter. We all come to Scripture with different experiences and perspectives, and noticing what catches your attention can help you recognize that you have a valuable lens through which to read the Bible. 2. What does this teach you about God? Scripture tells us something about God's character, nature, work, desires, and relationship with humanity. Once we understand a passage in its proper context, we can ask why this is something God wants us to know. 3. What should change because of this Scripture? Bible study isn't meant to stay theoretical. How should this passage change the way we think, live, pray, interact with others, participate in our churches, or respond to the world around us? I originally developed these questions for a teen camp to help young people become more confident approaching their Bibles. But I've found that they're not just helpful for teenagers—they're helpful for all of us. To put them into practice, we'll finish the episode by opening to a random passage in Psalm 136 and working through these questions together, using a section of Scripture I've never explored before. You don't have to be a theologian to study the Bible. You don't need a Bible covered in notes. And you don't need to understand everything before you begin. You just need to get in the water.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #BibleStudy #BibleStudyTips #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Faith #ChristianFaith #GodsWord #Scripture #StudyTheBible #BibleReading #ReadingTheBible #ChristianDiscipleship #GrowingInFaith #FaithJourney #KnowingGod #BiblicalTruth #ChristianPodcast #BiblePodcast #PodcastForChristians #Jesus #FollowingJesus #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianEncouragement #DailyBible #BibleTips #fyp #fypyoutube

  6. Aug 28

    Lessons From the Hrossa

    What do you do when you believe God’s promises—but they don’t feel true in your circumstances? What does it actually mean when Scripture tells us that “all things are possible” with God? I’ve grown up hearing verses like Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13, and 1 Corinthians 10:13—promises that God provides strength, makes a way of escape, and enables us to endure what we face. And yet, sometimes life doesn’t feel very possible. Sometimes we pray for deliverance, ask for strength, search for a way out—and still find ourselves standing in the middle of something we desperately wish we could escape. I have believed verses like these for my whole life. But there have been plenty of moments when I’ve prayed for strength, asked God for a way out, and genuinely wondered: What if I can’t do this? In this episode, we’ll wrestle with that tension and with the questions these verses have raised for me over the years. The turning point came unexpectedly through C.S. Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet. As the book’s protagonist, Ransom, faces a terrifying situation he cannot escape, he comes to a simple realization: “It was necessary. And the necessary was always possible.” That sentence stopped me. Maybe part of the comfort of God’s promises isn’t that everything we want to be possible will suddenly become possible. Maybe it’s that everything God has determined is necessary can ultimately be endured, accomplished, or overcome—even when we cannot yet see how. Sometimes the way forward isn’t the way we wanted. Sometimes the “way of escape” isn’t escape from the situation at all, but the strength to walk through it. And sometimes what feels absolutely necessary to us may not actually be what God is asking of us. So what does it mean to trust that if something truly must be done, God will provide what is necessary to do it? This episode is less an answer than an honest wrestling—with Scripture, with suffering, with fear, and with the possibility that God’s promises may be deeper than the way we sometimes interpret them. If you’ve ever looked at “I can do all things through Christ” and thought, I know that’s true… but I don’t feel like I can do this, this conversation is for you.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #ChristianPodcast #Christianity #Faith #CSLewis #Bible #ChristianLiving #God #TrustGod #Perseverance #FaithInGod #outofthesilentplanet #hrossa #ransom #Christian #JesusChrist #Jesus #Christ #Messiah #suffering #1corinthians1013 #philippians413 #matthew1926 #fear #overcoming #theology #apologetics

  7. Aug 21

    If Moses Failed, What Hope Is There For Us? A Lot.

    What if one of the Bible’s most sobering stories about failure is actually a deeply encouraging story about God? Moses struck the rock twice and was barred entrance to the Promised Land. At first glance, this can feel discouraging: if Moses—God’s chosen servant, the man who spoke with God and led Israel out of Egypt—could fail so seriously, what hope do the rest of us have? But when we slow down and read the account carefully, we discover something remarkably encouraging. What was God actually angry with? Moses’ anger was certainly wrong. Striking the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded was presumptuous and disobedient. But the central issue God identifies is that Moses failed to hallow His name before the congregation. In front of Israel, Moses and Aaron effectively placed themselves in God’s position: “Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” The miracle was God’s work, yet Moses took the glory for himself. And that is something God will not tolerate. No one—not even Moses—is to take God’s place. Yet the story does not end there. In Deuteronomy 3, we learn that Moses pleaded with God, asking to enter the Promised Land. God did not remove the consequence of Moses’ sin, but He did show mercy. He took Moses to a high mountain and allowed him to see the land, graciously granting him part of what he had asked for. From this one event, we can learn three profoundly encouraging truths about God: **1. God is merciful, even when our failures are serious.** Moses knew God as a God who would listen to his petition. Even when Moses’ actions were severely wrong, God still made room for mercy. **2. Our ultimate purpose is bigger than the tasks God gives us.** Moses spent his entire life leading Israel toward the Promised Land, only to fall short of entering it himself. That failure was devastating—but it did not separate Moses from God or prevent God from accomplishing His ultimate purpose for him. The responsibilities God gives us matter deeply, but they ultimately serve a greater purpose: leading us and others toward becoming part of His family. **3. God holds leaders accountable.** If we put ourselves in Israel’s place rather than Moses’ place, there is another source of comfort. Moses was a leader God loved and personally chose, but that did not give him permission to sin or lead others astray. He was not granted special privilege simply because of his position. God still held him accountable. When we feel powerless to change what our leaders do, we can trust that God sees, God cares, and God can hold even the most influential leaders to account. The story of Moses striking the rock is not ultimately a story about how easily we can lose God’s favor. It is a story about the holiness of God, the danger of taking His glory for ourselves, the accountability of leadership, and—perhaps most encouragingly—the extraordinary mercy of a God who remains faithful even when His servants fail.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #BibleStudy #Moses #Christianity #OldTestament #Faith #GodsMercy #Deuteronomy #Numbers #failure #success #encouragement #hope #purpose #mercy #JesusChrist #Christian #Christianity #theology #apologetics #OldTestament #church #scripture #bible #biblestudy #speaktotherock #striketherock

  8. Aug 14

    "Safe" Prayers Can Hide Dangerous Things

    Sometimes the most revealing problems in our prayer life are the ones that don’t look like problems. In this episode, I talk about something I’ve noticed in my own prayers: I say the word “help” constantly. “Help me with this.” “Help me through that.” “Help Your Kingdom come.” On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with asking God for help. But when I looked beneath the surface, I realized that some of the seemingly harmless elements of my prayers were actually revealing something deeper—a lack of trust, complacency, and a tendency to keep God at arm’s length. I realized that sometimes I was being vague in prayer because it felt safer. If I didn’t clearly ask God to do something, I couldn’t be disappointed if He didn’t do it. I trusted that God could intervene, but did I really trust that He would intervene for me? That realization became especially clear when I found myself praying about a conflict where my instinct was to defend myself. I wanted God to be my defender, but I struggled to even articulate what I wanted Him to do. Did I want vindication? Reconciliation? A change in circumstances? A change in someone’s heart? And what if I was wrong? This led me to a much bigger question: What do the seemingly harmless habits in our prayers reveal about what we actually believe about God? In this episode, I explore the difference between praying according to God’s will and simply being afraid to ask for what we really want. We’ll talk about trust, specificity in prayer, surrendering our desires to God, and the danger of unconsciously keeping God at a comfortable distance. And ultimately, I come back to Romans 8:31–35 and the question of how deeply we really believe that God is for us. If He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us, what does that tell us about His willingness to care for us now? This isn’t a formula for getting God to answer our prayers the way we want. God is not obligated to give us the outcomes we ask for, and sometimes He is quiet. But I think there is tremendous value in examining what we’re really asking for, confronting the things beneath the surface of our prayers, seeking to understand God’s will, and remembering that nothing—not difficult circumstances, not time, and not our uncertainty—can separate us from the love of Christ. Maybe the problem with some of our prayers isn’t what we’re saying. Maybe it’s what those words are quietly revealing about what we believe.   Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube Logo: Matt Hernandez Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly   #Prayer #ChristianPrayer #PrayerLife #PrayerJourney #TrustGod #TrustingGod #FaithInGod #ChristianFaith #ChristianLiving #GrowingInFaith #RelationshipWithGod #HearingGod #GodsWill #GodsPlan #BiblicalTruth #BibleStudy #BibleReflection #Romans8 #ChristianEncouragement #ChristianPodcast #ChristianYouTube #FaithJourney #SpiritualGrowth #FollowingJesus #JesusChrist #GodIsGood #ChristianContent #PrayerLife #FaithOverFear #WalkWithGod

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About

A theology and apologetics podcast born out of a love of God‘s word, a hope to find common ground with those who study it, and a desire to outline truth as the Bible tells it.

Information

  • Creator
    Micah Gunn
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    230
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Truth Be Told

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