The Bible Unplugged Podcast

J. Brent Eaton
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

The deepest and most profound insights in The Bible are hidden under centuries of dogma, doctrine, glitz, and glamor that hide what scripture actually says. We take a deep dive into language and culture of The Bible to find what God wants us to know and how we should live. www.powerloveandmiracles.com

  1. 2d ago

    The Peace That Guards the Mind – Have This Mind

    Anxiety pulls us apart. That may be one of the most honest ways to describe what anxiety does inside the soul. It does not only make us nervous. It divides our attention. Part of us is here, trying to live the day in front of us. Another part is somewhere in the future, trying to manage a problem that has not happened yet. Part of us wants to trust God. Another part is rehearsing every reason we might not be safe. That is why anxiety can be so exhausting. It scatters the inner life. And into that experience, Paul writes: “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”— Philippians 4:6–7 In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we continue the Have This Mind series by turning to Philippians 4:6–9. Paul is not giving us a slogan. He is giving us a pattern. Anxiety pulls the soul apart.Prayer brings the divided self before God.Thanksgiving reorients the heart toward the Giver.Peace guards the heart and mind in Christ.Attention is retrained toward what is true and life-giving. In this episode We explore: * why anxiety scatters the inner life * how prayer gathers the divided self before God * why thanksgiving is reorientation, not denial * what it means for God’s peace to guard the heart and mind * why peace surpasses understanding without being irrational * how Paul teaches us to retrain attention toward what gives life Key thought Anxiety scatters. Prayer gathers. Peace guards. Attention is renewed. Paul does not say every circumstance will immediately change. He does not say every request will be answered the way we imagined. He does not say we will always understand what God is doing. He says the peace of God will guard us. Peace is not merely a calm feeling. It is wholeness. It is the reassembling of the divided self in the presence of God. Anxiety pulls apart. Peace makes whole. Bible by Design Moment Practice for the week When anxiety rises, turn it into prayer before it becomes a throne. Do not attack yourself for feeling anxious. Do not pretend the concern is not real. Do not shame yourself for being human. Pause and pray: Lord, this is what is pulling me apart. Then name the request honestly. Add thanksgiving — not because the painful thing is good, but because God is still God in the middle of it. Then ask: What is true here?What deserves my attention now?What would it mean to let peace guard my heart and mind in Christ? This is not a technique to force calm. It is a way of returning the divided self to God. Series connection This episode continues the Have This Mind series, a teaching companion to the written devotional journey. The rhythm of this season is simple: See the pattern. Hear the teaching. Live the prayer. Bible by Design helps us see the pattern.The Bible Unplugged helps us hear the teaching.Have This Mind and Still, Here help us live the prayer. And if you have not yet read Steady: Living Between Grace and Covenant, it lays the foundation for this whole season — a life held by grace, strengthened by covenant, and renewed from the inside out. Listen Listen to TBU 95 — The Peace That Guards the Mind: When Prayer Reassembles the Soul wherever you follow The Bible Unplugged. May you bring your whole self before God and receive the peace that guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Series connection This episode continues the Have This Mind series, a teaching companion to the written devotional journey. The rhythm of this season is simple: See the pattern. Hear the teaching. Live the prayer. Bible by Design helps us see the pattern.The Bible Unplugged helps us hear the teaching.Have This Mind and Still, Here help us live the prayer. And if you have not yet read Steady: Living Between Grace and Covenant, it lays the foundation for this whole season — a life held by grace, strengthened by covenant, and renewed from the inside out. Listen Listen to Taking Every Thought Captive: Not Every Thought Deserves a Throne wherever you follow The Bible Unplugged. May you notice the thoughts that have been trying to rule you, bring them gently and honestly before Christ, and discover the freedom of a mind being renewed by truth and mercy. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    25 min

  2. Jun 23

    Taking Every Thought Captive

    Not every thought deserves a throne. A thought can enter the mind without being true. A fear can feel powerful without being prophetic. An accusation can sound convincing without coming from God. A memory can be real and still not be allowed to define the future. Some thoughts need attention. Some need compassion. Some need prayer. Some need wise examination. But not every thought deserves authority. That is why Paul writes: “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”— 2 Corinthians 10:5 In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we continue the Have This Mind series by turning to 2 Corinthians 10:3–5. Paul uses strong language: warfare, weapons, strongholds, imaginations, captivity, and obedience. But this passage should not be used as a weapon against ourselves. Taking thoughts captive does not mean attacking ourselves for having anxious, painful, intrusive, or difficult thoughts. It means refusing to let every thought rule us without being brought before Christ. In this episode We explore: * what Paul means by strongholds * why some thoughts become fortified ways of seeing * how false thoughts can rise against the knowledge of God * why taking thoughts captive is not thought suppression * how Christ’s truth exposes false claims * why the inner battle is not against our own humanity Key thought Not every thought deserves a throne. A stronghold is not merely a passing thought. It is a fortified way of seeing. It is a belief, assumption, argument, or inner structure that has taken up residence and now defends itself against truth. A person may not simply have the thought, “I failed.” Over time, the deeper stronghold may become, “I am a failure.” A person may not simply feel afraid in a difficult moment. Over time, the stronghold may become, “I am only safe when I am in control.” Those are no longer passing thoughts. They have become fortified interpretations of reality. And Paul says the gospel has power to bring them down. Not by shame. Not by panic. Not by self-condemnation. But by the truth of Christ. Bible by Design Moment The Stronghold Map 2 Corinthians 10 gives us a map of the inner battle. Practice for the week When a thought feels especially powerful, pause before you enthrone it. Do not attack yourself. Do not panic. Do not pretend it is not there. Simply ask: Does this thought agree with Christ? That one question can create space. If the thought accuses, bring it to the One who says there is no condemnation. If the thought terrifies, bring it to the One who says, “Peace be to you.” If the thought shames, bring it to the One who restores Peter beside a charcoal fire. If the thought says your story is over, bring it to the One who walked out of the tomb. Then take the next faithful step. Not the step fear demands. Not the step shame demands. The step Christ invites. Series connection This episode continues the Have This Mind series, a teaching companion to the written devotional journey. The rhythm of this season is simple: See the pattern. Hear the teaching. Live the prayer. Bible by Design helps us see the pattern.The Bible Unplugged helps us hear the teaching.Have This Mind and Still, Here help us live the prayer. And if you have not yet read Steady: Living Between Grace and Covenant, it lays the foundation for this whole season — a life held by grace, strengthened by covenant, and renewed from the inside out. Listen Listen to Taking Every Thought Captive: Not Every Thought Deserves a Throne wherever you follow The Bible Unplugged. May you notice the thoughts that have been trying to rule you, bring them gently and honestly before Christ, and discover the freedom of a mind being renewed by truth and mercy. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    23 min

  3. Jun 16

    The Mind Set on the Spirit

    What You Pay Attention To Becomes Your Direction Attention is never neutral. What we set our minds on slowly sets our direction. A fear we keep rehearsing begins to shape the way we see the future.A wound we keep replaying begins to shape the way we see other people.A truth we keep returning to begins to form a new center within us. That is why Scripture takes the mind so seriously. Not because thoughts are magical. Not because we can control everything by thinking the right way. But because what occupies the mind eventually orients the life. Paul says it this way: “For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.”— Romans 8:6 In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we continue the Have This Mind series by turning to Romans 8:5–11. This passage must be heard under the banner of Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” Paul is not shaming people for being human. He is announcing that in Christ, we are no longer abandoned to human capacity alone. In this episode We explore: * why Romans 8 begins with no condemnation * what Paul means by “flesh” and “Spirit” * why “flesh” does not mean the body is bad * how the Spirit reorients perception, desire, and direction * why the mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace * how attention becomes part of spiritual formation Key thought The mind set on the Spirit is not a mind trying harder to be religious. It is a life whose center of gravity has shifted toward God. Paul’s contrast between flesh and Spirit is not body versus soul. It is not physical life versus spiritual life. It is not emotions versus thoughts. The body is good. Jesus took on flesh. The resurrection is bodily. In Romans 8, “flesh” refers to life organized apart from God — the self turned inward, trying to secure life through mere human capacity. The Spirit is the presence of God dwelling in us, reorienting the whole person toward life and peace. Bible by Design Moment Two Centers: Flesh and Spirit Practice for the week When you notice your mind being pulled toward fear, resentment, shame, or control, do not attack yourself. Pause. Name the pull. Then ask: What would life and peace look like in this moment? Not what would be easiest.Not what would help you regain control.Not what would protect your pride. What would life and peace look like here? Then take one faithful step. Because what occupies the mind eventually orients the life. Series connection This episode continues the Have This Mind series, a teaching companion to the written devotional journey. The rhythm of this season is simple: See the pattern. Hear the teaching. Live the prayer. Bible by Design helps us see the pattern.The Bible Unplugged helps us hear the teaching.Have This Mind and Still, Here help us live the prayer. And if you have not yet read Steady: Living Between Grace and Covenant, it lays the foundation for this whole season — a life held by grace, strengthened by covenant, and renewed from the inside out. Listen Listen to TBU 93 — The Mind Set on the Spirit: What You Pay Attention To Becomes Your Direction wherever you follow The Bible Unplugged. May you turn toward the Spirit, receive the life and peace of God, and take the next faithful step with a renewed mind. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    24 min

  4. Jun 9

    When the World Tries to Name You – Have This Mind

    Most of us are being shaped more than we realize. We like to think our thoughts are entirely our own. We like to think our fears, reactions, desires, and assumptions simply rise up from inside us. But all of us are being formed. We are formed by the culture around us, by the families we came from, by the stories we have believed, and by the pressures we have learned to call normal. The world is always trying to name us. It tells us what success looks like.It tells us what we should fear.It tells us who matters, who gets noticed, and who gets forgotten. And if we are not careful, we begin answering to names God never gave us. That is why Paul writes: “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”— Romans 12:2 In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we continue the Have This Mind series by turning to Romans 12:1–2. Paul does not begin with pressure. He begins with mercy. “Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God…” That order matters. Christian transformation does not begin with panic. It begins with mercy. We do not present ourselves to God so He might finally become merciful. We present ourselves because He has already shown mercy. Mercy comes first. Offering follows. In this episode We explore: * why Romans 12 begins with the mercies of God * what it means to present our bodies as a living sacrifice * how the age presses us into false patterns * why conformity often feels normal while it is happening * how God renews the mind from the inside out * why a renewed mind becomes able to discern the will of God Key thought The renewed mind begins when we stop answering to names God never gave. The world may call us successful or forgotten, useful or irrelevant, impressive or behind. But God has already spoken over us in Christ: Beloved.Forgiven.Adopted.Called.Held. Those are not motivational words. They are gospel realities. And the renewed mind learns to live from what God has spoken rather than what the age has repeated. Bible by Design Moment Pressure vs. Transformation Romans 12 gives us two competing patterns of formation. The age presses from the outside in. It pushes its assumptions, fears, values, and false names onto the soul. It teaches us how to measure ourselves and who we must become in order to matter. That is formation by pressure. But God works another way. Transformation begins with mercy. Mercy calls us to the altar.We present our whole selves to God.God renews the mind.The renewed mind reshapes the life.The transformed life becomes able to discern the will of God. The pattern is simple: The age presses from the outside in.God transforms from the inside out. Practice for the week When you feel pressure rising, pause and ask: Who is naming me right now? When you feel the old pressure to prove yourself, ask: Is this the voice of God, or the voice of the age? When shame starts telling you who you are, ask: Is this truth, or is this an old script? Then return to mercy. Do not begin with self-accusation. Begin where Paul begins: “By the mercies of God…” Mercy comes first. Then offering. Then renewal. Then transformation. Series connection This episode continues the Have This Mind series, a teaching companion to the written devotional journey. The rhythm of this season is simple: See the pattern. Hear the teaching. Live the prayer. Bible by Design helps us see the pattern.The Bible Unplugged helps us hear the teaching.Have This Mind and Still, Here help us live the prayer. And if you have not yet read Steady: Living Between Grace and Covenant, it lays the foundation for this whole season — a life held by grace, strengthened by covenant, and renewed from the inside out. Listen Listen to Do Not Be Conformed: When the World Tries to Name You wherever you follow The Bible Unplugged. May you recognize the pressure that has been shaping you, return to the mercy of God, and discover the freedom of a mind being renewed from the inside out. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    24 min

  5. Jun 2

    The Shape of a Renewed Life – Have This Mind

    What Grace Looks Like in Real Life What does a life shaped by grace actually look like? Not in theory. Not in a sermon. Not in moments of spiritual intensity. But in ordinary life. Many people imagine strength as loud certainty, constant productivity, or the ability to push through pressure without slowing down. But the strongest people often look different. They remain peaceful under pressure.Kind in difficult moments.Faithful in ordinary responsibilities.Gentle without becoming weak. In this final episode of our Held in Grace series, we explore what spiritual strength looks like when grace begins shaping a person from the inside out. In This Episode • Why the fruit of the Spirit describes formation more than performance • The difference between pressure-driven spirituality and rooted spiritual growth • Why gentleness and self-control are forms of strength • What Jesus reveals about true strength through humility and rest • How steady lives are formed through ordinary faithfulness Bible by Design Roots and Fruit: The Pattern of Spiritual Formation Throughout Scripture, spiritual life is repeatedly described using images of: * roots * trees * water * fruit * growth Psalm 1 says: “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water…” Jesus says: “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit.” Paul says: “The fruit of the Spirit is…” The pattern becomes visible: Rooted LifeFormed LifeDeep connection with GodLasting spiritual strengthNourishmentGrowthStabilityFaithfulnessHealthy rootsHealthy fruit The emphasis is not merely outward behavior. It is rootedness. Fruit grows naturally from connection to life. 👉 See the full Bible by Design graphic: “Roots and Fruit: The Pattern of Spiritual Formation” on Substack and PowerLoveandMiracles.com. The Big Idea Grace does not merely forgive us. Grace creates the environment where healthy life can grow. Grace creates the space in which life can grow.Covenant provides the structure that keeps that life steady. Steady strength is not usually dramatic. It grows quietly through connection with God and faithfulness in ordinary life. A Question to Reflect On Where in your life are you trying to force fruit without tending the roots? What would change if you focused less on performance and more on remaining connected to the source of life? A Practice for This Week Spend a few quiet moments each day asking: “How is God shaping my roots?” Pay attention to: • daily faithfulness• small acts of kindness• quiet moments of prayer• movements toward peace• opportunities to remain grounded under pressure Healthy roots sustain life. Continue the Journey This episode concludes our Held in Grace series. Over these weeks we have explored: • where we stand in grace• adoption into God’s family• hope in the groaning• assurance in God’s love• transformation through the Spirit• and now the steady life grace produces Through all of it, one truth has remained: You are held by grace. Closing Thought The strongest lives are not always the loudest. Sometimes the strongest people are simply the most rooted. Steady. Gentle. Faithful. Quietly shaped by grace. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    25 min
  6. The Shape of Steady Strength

    May 26

    The Shape of Steady Strength

    What Grace Looks Like in Real Life What does a life shaped by grace actually look like? Not in theory. Not in a sermon. Not in moments of spiritual intensity. But in ordinary life. Many people imagine strength as loud certainty, constant productivity, or the ability to push through pressure without slowing down. But the strongest people often look different. They remain peaceful under pressure.Kind in difficult moments.Faithful in ordinary responsibilities.Gentle without becoming weak. In this final episode of our Held in Grace series, we explore what spiritual strength looks like when grace begins shaping a person from the inside out. In This Episode • Why the fruit of the Spirit describes formation more than performance • The difference between pressure-driven spirituality and rooted spiritual growth • Why gentleness and self-control are forms of strength • What Jesus reveals about true strength through humility and rest • How steady lives are formed through ordinary faithfulness Bible by Design Roots and Fruit: The Pattern of Spiritual Formation Throughout Scripture, spiritual life is repeatedly described using images of: * roots * trees * water * fruit * growth Psalm 1 says: “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water…” Jesus says: “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit.” Paul says: “The fruit of the Spirit is…” The pattern becomes visible: Rooted LifeFormed LifeDeep connection with GodLasting spiritual strengthNourishmentGrowthStabilityFaithfulnessHealthy rootsHealthy fruit The emphasis is not merely outward behavior. It is rootedness. Fruit grows naturally from connection to life. 👉 See the full Bible by Design graphic: “Roots and Fruit: The Pattern of Spiritual Formation” on Substack and PowerLoveandMiracles.com. The Big Idea Grace does not merely forgive us. Grace creates the environment where healthy life can grow. Grace creates the space in which life can grow.Covenant provides the structure that keeps that life steady. Steady strength is not usually dramatic. It grows quietly through connection with God and faithfulness in ordinary life. A Question to Reflect On Where in your life are you trying to force fruit without tending the roots? What would change if you focused less on performance and more on remaining connected to the source of life? A Practice for This Week Spend a few quiet moments each day asking: “How is God shaping my roots?” Pay attention to: • daily faithfulness• small acts of kindness• quiet moments of prayer• movements toward peace• opportunities to remain grounded under pressure Healthy roots sustain life. Continue the Journey This episode concludes our Held in Grace series. Over these weeks we have explored: • where we stand in grace• adoption into God’s family• hope in the groaning• assurance in God’s love• transformation through the Spirit• and now the steady life grace produces Through all of it, one truth has remained: You are held by grace. Closing Thought The strongest lives are not always the loudest. Sometimes the strongest people are simply the most rooted. Steady. Gentle. Faithful. Quietly shaped by grace. Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    11 min

  7. May 19

    The Law Written Within

    When God Writes on the Human Heart Most people think spiritual growth happens mainly through effort. Try harder.Do better.Follow the rules more consistently. But through the prophet Jeremiah, God makes a startling promise: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”—Jeremiah 31:33 In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we explore one of the most important covenant promises in all of Scripture—the promise that God would someday transform His people from the inside out through the presence of the Holy Spirit. In This Episode • The meaning of the “new covenant” in Jeremiah 31• Why the Old Testament Law was written on stone tablets• The difference between external command and internal transformation• How Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Jesus, and Paul all connect through the “stone and heart” motif• The role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual formation Bible by Design Stone and Heart One of the great patterns running through Scripture is the movement from: stone… to heart. At Sinai, God gives the covenant on stone tablets. But the prophets begin pointing toward something deeper: “I will remove the heart of stone…”—Ezekiel 36:26 “I will write my law on their hearts.”—Jeremiah 31:33 Then Paul says believers are: “A letter of Christ… written not on stone tablets, but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.”—2 Corinthians 3:3 The pattern becomes clear: This is not the removal of holiness. It is holiness becoming alive within God’s people through the Spirit. 👉 See the full Bible by Design graphic: “Stone and Heart: The Movement of Covenant Through Scripture” on Substack and PowerLoveandMiracles.com. The Big Idea God’s ultimate goal was never merely to place His truth in front of us. It was to write His life within us. The Christian life is not merely behavior management. It is inward transformation shaped by the presence of God. A Question to Reflect On Where in your life are you still trying to force spiritual growth through pressure alone? What would change if you trusted God’s work within you more deeply? A Practice for This Week Pay attention to the quiet inner work of the Spirit. Notice: * convictions * desires * nudges toward peace * invitations toward honesty * movements toward compassion The Spirit often works quietly before He works dramatically. Continue the Journey This episode is part of the Held in Grace series. We’ve moved from grace and assurance in Romans 8 into the promise of inward transformation through the new covenant. Next, we conclude the series with: TBU 90 — The Shape of Steady Strength A look at what grace-filled spiritual formation actually looks like in everyday life. Closing Thought The story of Scripture moves from stone tablets… to transformed hearts. From external command… to inward formation. The covenant is no longer merely written before us. Through Christ and the Spirit… it is being written within us. Share This Episode If this episode encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who feels exhausted trying to “perform” spirituality instead of living from the transforming presence of God. Listen to The Bible Unplugged Available on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio More resources and show notes at: PowerLoveandMiracles.com Between Episodes For daily encouragement during the week, listen to Still, Here — short reflections and prayer to help you begin the day grounded in God’s presence. Available wherever you listen to podcasts and at PowerLoveandMiracles.com Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    13 min

  8. May 12

    The Courtroom of Assurance

    The Love That Will Not Let You Go There are questions many believers carry quietly. What if I fail again?What if I’m not strong enough?What if something separates me from God? In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul answers those fears with one of the most powerful declarations in all of Scripture: “Nothing… will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In this episode of The Bible Unplugged, we reach the crescendo of Romans 8—a chapter that began with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation.” In This Episode • Why Romans 8 unfolds like a courtroom scene• What Paul means by “Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen?”• The difference between condemnation and conviction• Why many believers keep putting themselves back on trial• How Romans 8 resolves in assurance rather than fear Bible by Design The Courtroom of Assurance Romans 8 follows a remarkable courtroom pattern. This courtroom is different from the ones we are used to imagining. The Judge Himself is the one who justifies. The accuser has no case left to make. And the final word is not fear… but assurance. The Big Idea Some believers spend years trying to appeal a verdict God has already settled in Christ. Romans 8 reminds us that the grace of God is not fragile. The same God who justified us…adopted us…walked with us through the groaning…and sustained us by His Spirit… is the God who will not let us go. A Question to Reflect On Where in your life do you keep putting yourself back on trial? What would change if you truly believed the case was already settled in Christ? A Practice for This Week When fear, shame, or self-accusation rises, pause and remember: God is for me.God has justified me.God is with me.God will not let me go. Let those truths reshape how you move through your ordinary life. Continue the Journey This episode concludes the Romans 8 symphony within our Held in Grace series. The chapter began with freedom from condemnation and ends with unshakable assurance. Next, we turn to Jeremiah 31 and the promise of a covenant no longer written on stone tablets—but on the human heart itself. Closing Thought You are not held in place by your strength. You are held by grace. And grace holds. Through failure.Through doubt.Through suffering.Through uncertainty. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Share This Episode If this episode encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who may need the reminder that God’s grace is stronger than their fear, failure, or shame. Listen to The Bible Unplugged Available on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio More resources and show notes at: PowerLoveandMiracles.com Between Episodes For daily encouragement during the week, listen to Still, Here — short reflections and prayer to help you begin the day grounded in God’s presence. Available wherever you listen to podcasts and at PowerLoveandMiracles.com Get full access to Power Love & Miracles at www.powerloveandmiracles.com/subscribe

    13 min
See All (96)

About

The deepest and most profound insights in The Bible are hidden under centuries of dogma, doctrine, glitz, and glamor that hide what scripture actually says. We take a deep dive into language and culture of The Bible to find what God wants us to know and how we should live. www.powerloveandmiracles.com

Information