Bible Bytes
Bible Bytes

Bible Bytes

Randy Black & Johns Creek Studios

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Bible Bytes is your virtual Sunday School, inspiring faith one byte at a time. Each episode breaks down the timeless wisdom of the Bible into digestible insights, perfect for those unable to attend services in person. Whether you're seeking spiritual growth or encouragement, Bible Bytes offers fresh, engaging perspectives that fit into your busy schedule. Join us as we explore scripture, uncover hidden gems, and apply biblical principles to your faith journey. Each episode is crafted to enrich your spiritual journey from anywhere you happen to be. Tune in to Bible Bytes and let your faith be inspired, one byte at a time.

Recent Episodes

Jesus Feeds 5,000 Plus Women and Children
NOV 9, 2024
Jesus Feeds 5,000 Plus Women and Children
<p><strong>Scriptures:</strong><br /><strong>Matthew 14:13-21 (NASB)</strong><br />Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard about this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat!” They said to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” And ordering the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces: twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.<br /> <br /><strong>Mark 6:30-44 (NASB)</strong><br />The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) And they went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. But the people saw them leaving, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, “This place is secluded and it is already late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?” But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” And He ordered them all to recline by groups on the green grass. They reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves, and He gave them to the disciples again and again to set before them; and He divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied; and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and of the fish. There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.<br /> <br /><strong>Luke 9:10-17 (NASB)</strong><br />When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. And taking them with Him, He withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and He welcomed them, and began speaking to them about the kingdom of God, and curing those who had need of healing. Now the day was ending, and the twelve came up and said to Him, “Dismiss the crowd, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; because here we are in a secluded place.” But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” But they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” (For there were about five thousand men.) But He said to His disciples, “Have them recline to eat in groups of about fifty each.” And they did so, and had them all recline. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up: twelve baskets full.<br /> <br /><strong>John 6:1-15 (NASB)</strong><br />After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. But Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. So Jesus, after raising His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?” But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what He intended to do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, for each to receive just a little!” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong><ul><li><strong>God’s Provision is Sufficient, Even When Resources Appear Limited</strong></li><li><strong>Jesus Shows Compassion for Both Physical and Spiritual Needs</strong></li><li><strong>God Multiplies Small Offerings for Greater Impact</strong></li><li><strong>Stewardship is Essential, Even in Abundance</strong></li><li><strong>God’s Kingdom is Spiritual, Not Earthly</strong></li></ul></p> <p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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29 MIN
Jesus Heals an Invalid at Bethesda
NOV 2, 2024
Jesus Heals an Invalid at Bethesda
<p><strong>John 5:1-15 (NASB)</strong><br />After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, there is a pool which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed. Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there, and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, said to him, "Do you want to get well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was a Sabbath on that day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is a Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Pick it up and walk'?" But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you." The man went away, and informed the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways&nbsp;</strong></p><ul><li><strong>God's grace is not limited by time or circumstances—He meets us in our brokenness.</strong></li><li><strong>Healing often requires a response—Jesus invites us to embrace the changes He brings.</strong></li><li><strong>Legalism can blind us to God’s work—we must focus on His mercy and grace over rigid rules.</strong></li><li><strong>True healing includes spiritual renewal—Jesus calls us to live differently after receiving His touch.</strong></li><li><strong>Jesus takes the initiative in our lives—He seeks us out even when we do not seek Him.</strong></li></ul><p></p> <p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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21 MIN
Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Unable to Speak
OCT 26, 2024
Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Unable to Speak
<p><strong>Matthew 9:32-34 (NASB):</strong><br />32 And as they were going out, behold, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him. 33 And after the demon was cast out, the man who was <em>previously</em> unable to speak talked; and the crowds were amazed, <em>and were</em> saying, “Nothing like this has ever [fn]been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways&nbsp;</strong><ul><li><strong>Jesus has complete authority over both spiritual forces and physical infirmities.</strong></li><li><strong>Miracles require faith—either from the individual in need or from those around them.</strong></li><li><strong>God’s power often surprises and amazes, but not everyone will respond with faith.</strong></li><li><strong>Spiritual pride and skepticism can prevent people from recognizing God's work.</strong></li><li><strong>We are called to bring others to Jesus, especially those who are spiritually or physically bound.</strong></li></ul></p> <p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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20 MIN
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
OCT 19, 2024
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
<p><strong>Matthew 9:27-31 (NASB):</strong><br />27 As Jesus went on from there, two men who were blind followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 And after He entered the house, the men who were blind came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows about this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that land.<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Faith is essential in receiving God’s healing and blessings:</strong> Throughout Scripture, we see that God often responds to faith. In this passage, the blind men’s healing is directly tied to their belief in Jesus' power. Faith is not just about acknowledging God’s existence but trusting in His ability to intervene in our lives. Without faith, it’s difficult to receive the fullness of what God wants to give us. Our faith invites God to work in ways that go beyond what we can see or understand.</li><li><strong>Recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, is key to understanding His authority and power: </strong>The blind men’s cry of “Son of David” shows their recognition of Jesus as the promised Savior. This title acknowledges that He is not just a teacher or prophet, but the one with divine authority to heal and restore. Understanding Jesus' true identity shapes how we approach Him in prayer and faith. When we know who Jesus truly is, we are more likely to trust in His ability to meet our needs. Recognizing Jesus as the Messiah unlocks the power of His promises in our lives.</li><li><strong>Jesus responds to sincere and persistent faith:</strong> The blind men did not just call out once but followed Jesus persistently until He responded. Their persistence was a demonstration of their faith, even when it seemed Jesus was not immediately answering. Jesus honors those who continue to seek Him with faith, even in the face of delays or challenges. Our persistence shows God that we trust Him regardless of circumstances. This story encourages us to never give up in our pursuit of Christ’s help and intervention.</li><li><strong>Healing often comes in response to our faith, but in God's timing and way:</strong> Jesus could have healed the blind men as soon as they called out, but He waited until they entered the house and affirmed their belief. This reminds us that God’s timing in responding to our faith may not always align with our expectations. Sometimes, our faith is tested through waiting, which strengthens our reliance on God. Healing can take many forms—physical, emotional, or spiritual—and may come in ways we don’t anticipate. Yet, when we trust God’s plan, we can be assured that His response will always be for our good.</li><li><strong>Testimonies of God’s work in our lives naturally overflow, even when instructed to remain silent: </strong>After being healed, the men couldn’t contain their joy and shared the news of Jesus with everyone, despite His instruction to stay quiet. This reflects the power of personal testimony; when we experience God’s grace, it’s natural to want to tell others. Testimonies of healing and transformation can inspire others to seek Jesus for themselves. Even when circumstances call for discretion, the impact of God’s work in our lives often speaks for itself. Sharing what God has done encourages faith in others and brings glory to His name.</li></ul><p></p> <p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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21 MIN
Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter Back to Life
OCT 12, 2024
Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter Back to Life
<p><strong>Matthew 9: 18, 23-26&nbsp; </strong><br />18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.&nbsp; <br /><br />23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Mark 5: 21-24, 35-43</strong><br />21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.<br />&nbsp; <br />35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.<br /> <br /><strong>Luke 8: 40-42, 49-56&nbsp; </strong><br />40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.&nbsp; <br /><br />49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. 51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. 56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways</strong><ul><li><strong>Faith in Jesus' power:</strong> Jairus' belief that Jesus could heal and even raise his daughter from death was an essential component of the miracle. His willingness to seek out Jesus in desperation showed his trust in Christ's authority over life. This faith sets an example for us to come to Jesus with our needs, knowing He is able to do far more than we can imagine. The miracle demonstrates that even in the most dire circumstances, faith in Jesus opens the door for God’s power to work. Faith is not merely belief in what we can see but in the unseen power of God.</li><li><strong>Jesus’ authority over death:</strong> The raising of Jairus' daughter clearly shows that Jesus has power not just over sickness, but over death itself. This miracle serves as a foreshadowing of His own resurrection and the ultimate victory over death that He would achieve. For believers, it offers reassurance that physical death is not the final word because Jesus holds the keys to eternal life. His command, "Talitha cumi," proves that death, for Jesus, is only a temporary state, one that can be reversed. We are reminded that in Jesus, there is no situation too far gone for Him to restore life.</li><li><strong>The importance of believing in the impossible:</strong> When Jairus heard that his daughter had died, it would have been easy for him to lose hope. Yet Jesus called him to continue believing even when the situation seemed impossible. This teaches us to maintain faith even when everything around us suggests otherwise. Our faith must extend beyond what we see and embrace the reality that with God, all things are possible. Believing in the impossible opens the door for God's miraculous intervention.</li><li><strong>Compassion in the midst of sorrow:</strong> Jesus did not simply perform the miracle and leave. He was deeply moved by the grief of the parents and the situation at hand. His actions in taking the girl by the hand and raising her with care show that His miracles come from a place of deep compassion. This reminds us that Jesus is not indifferent to our suffering; He sees and cares about the emotional and physical struggles we face. His compassionate nature is central to His ministry and should encourage us to turn to Him in our own times of need.</li><li><strong>Overcoming doubt and ridicule:</strong> The crowd mocked Jesus when He said the girl was merely sleeping, showing their disbelief in His ability to raise her. However, their doubt did not prevent the miracle from happening. Jesus often works beyond the limits of human understanding, and our faith should not be shaken by the skepticism of others. This teaches us to remain steadfast in our faith, trusting in Jesus’ power even when others do not believe. The scorn of others is irrelevant when it comes to the power of God, which operates beyond human comprehension.</li></ul></p> <p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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25 MIN