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I’m actually on the road this week; apologies in advance for any sound issues I may have being away from my normal microphone. We’ll be talking about one road God has prepared for us and the challenges we find walking in it; two roads that converge in the woods and why Robert Frost doesn’t care which one you take; another road the devil wants you to take and the rock band that’s urging you along; and the road leading back home  -- a home that, God willing, I will have arrived at by now.

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

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“All the blessings in the heavenly places” sounds like the greatest gift of all – and it is. But what exactly are the “heavenly places” to which Paul refers in Ephesians 1:3? And why does the devil seem to be there too? Thankfully we have the Bible Geeks, Ryan Joy and Bryan Schiele, here to answer the tough questions in the last part of our conversation. Links are provided in the show notes; make sure you check them out.

Check out the Bible Geeks Podcast at https://biblegeeks.fm/podcast

Check out Bryan's blog at https://www.fieldready.faith/

Check out the North church of Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at fortwaynechristians.org and https://www.facebook.com/northchurchofchrist

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

My conversation with Ryan Joy and Bryan Schiele, the Bible Geeks, turns to Psalm 127 and the blessing of children. As each of us is a father, we each have a perspective on the subject. Hopefully we didn’t brag on our own children very much. However full or not full your own quiver may be at the moment, or may become in the future, I think you’ll be benefitted by what they have to say.

Check out the Bible Geeks Podcast at https://biblegeeks.fm/podcast

Check out Bryan's blog at https://www.fieldready.faith/

Check out the North church of Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at fortwaynechristians.org and https://www.facebook.com/northchurchofchrist

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

This month we welcome in, for the first time as a pair on the podcast, Ryan Joy and Bryan Schiele, the Bible Geeks, a couple of the best podcasters I know. Links to the show and to Ryan’s work with the North church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, are included in the show notes. We start the blessed ball rolling by talking about the nature of daily bread – what it is, what it isn’t, and whether praying for something beyond that is good initiative or just plain rudeness.

Check out the Bible Geeks Podcast at https://biblegeeks.fm/podcast

Check out Bryan's blog at https://www.fieldready.faith/

Check out the North church of Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at fortwaynechristians.org and https://www.facebook.com/northchurchofchrist

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

We finish our world tour in a land considered a fertile field for the gospel until godless Communists took over. We’ll discuss the apostle who may have first brought Jesus to China and why; a radical new theory about world exploration (embrace or discard at your pleasure); the super-fancy products China used to be famous for making in earlier centuries; and the wall you and your fellow game players must defend at all costs, even the cost of your own ego.

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

This is one of the last two stops in our trip around the world; I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am. This week we’ll talk about one of the best men Germany ever gave the world; one of the worst, and how his biggest opponent was more like him than he realized; a city determined to make Germany well known for unity instead of starting wars; and a legacy you can build for yourself with nothing more than some plastic blocks and a vision of the future.

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

Egypt is the nation mentioned most in the Bible other than Israel and Judah. So naturally our trip around the world had to make a stop here. We’ll discuss the irresistible urge in God’s people to embrace the life God’s trying to get us out of; an alleged murder mystery and the dangers of presuppositions; a cultural phenomenon and what it doesn’t mean with regard to genuine interest; and the best way to secure your place in the afterlife with a simple deck of cards.

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

The greatest wrestling match in history is described in Genesis 32. It speaks to the struggles Jacob faced throughout his life in his walk with God, but also to the struggles of the nation that descended from him. Even more so, though, it prefigures the “wrestlings” of all servants of God, trying to find the blessing He has for us and sometimes seems to be hiding from us. My talk with Jacob Hudgins and Mark Russell concludes with this topic – and it turned out to be one of the best discusssions I’ve had on this podcast. Enjoy.

Jacob Hudgins is the author of "The School of Christ" and various other books. Check out the work of the Twin City church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/twincitychurchofchrist

Mark Russell works with the Vale church of Christ in Valparaiso, Indiana. Check out the work of the Vale church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8V7pJ_StxFBd3-WSt4Qcw/videos

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

Jacob Hudgins and Mark Russell are back to continue our discussion about Israel. But what do we really mean when we use the term “Israel” today? Is the nation on modern maps equivalent to the chosen people of God? Do we have an obligation as Christians to support the nation of Israel? And is Israel still God’s chosen people? As always, we’re going to try to stay away from taking specific political positions here. But whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or a None of the Above, I think you’ll find some valuable insights here.

Jacob Hudgins is the author of "The School of Christ" and various other books. Check out the work of the Twin City church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/twincitychurchofchrist

Mark Russell works with the Vale church of Christ in Valparaiso, Indiana. Check out the work of the Vale church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8V7pJ_StxFBd3-WSt4Qcw/videos

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

I had so much fun going around the world with you last month that we’re going to do another lap this month, starting with a long-overdue look at the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Here to help are Jacob Hudgins from the Twin City church of Christ in College Station, Texas, and Mark Russell of the Vale church of Christ in Valparaiso, Indiana. Links to their great work is included in the show notes. We start with something simple: What does it mean to be the foreknown people of God, and does that imply a lack of free will on our end? 

Jacob Hudgins is the author of "The School of Christ" and various other books. Check out the work of the Twin City church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/twincitychurchofchrist

Mark Russell works with the Vale church of Christ in Valparaiso, Indiana. Check out the work of the Vale church on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8V7pJ_StxFBd3-WSt4Qcw/videos

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook. 

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!

If you say you knew we’d be traveling to Mongolia in our trip around the world this month, I will straight-out call you a liar. And yet here we are. We’ll cover the so-called heretics who brought Jesus to this distant corner of the world and whether their efforts count at all; the greatest Mongolian of all time and whether he was really “great” at all; the part of Mongolia that scarred me for life, and how I’m better off for it; and the best way to convert confused cattle into victory points, both in games and in life.

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.