Biblical Talks with Elder Michael Tolliver Podcast
When the term Reformed theology is used, it often refers to something less historical. Often it refers to a theology that acknowledges the doctrine of predestination and holds to a high view of the Bible as God’s inerrant Word. Sometimes it is also identified with the so-called five points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. These are all important teachings of the Reformed tradition, but they do not fully encapsulate or describe Reformed theology.A better starting place is five statements that have been called the five solas of th...
A Spotlight on the Scriptures: Psalms 123:3: God’s Favor Outlasts Every Hater And Every Storm
Send us Fan Mail
This is a Spotlight on the Scriptures: Psalms 123:3 show us favor, LORD, show us favor, for we’ve had more than enough contempt.
Favor in the Face of Contempt
Though their enemies mocked them, though the nations looked down on them, God's people stood with confidence. Why? Because they knew something their enemies didn’t: God can flip the script. The psalmist didn’t beg for revenge—he cried out for favor. Over and over again, he prayed, “Lord, show us favor!”
Because when God lays His hand...
Deep Dive: The God of Grace: Why Grace Offends The “Good” And Saves the Desperate
Send us Fan Mail
Elder Michael Tolliver characterizes divine grace as God’s limitless and unmerited favor toward humanity, distinguishing it from general mercy. The text defines grace as an eternal, free, and sovereign attribute that operates independently of human effort or worthiness. Through the life of Jacob, the author illustrates how grace often begins at the point of human brokenness and surrender. Conversely, the story of Jonah serves as a warning against self-righteousness and the tendency to resent favor shown to others. Ultimately, the source presents grace as a...
Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, with Rachel Tolliver: God’s Truth, Not Ours
Send us Fan Mail
Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, I am Rachel Tolliver,
The Bible ain’t a scavenger hunt for truth—it’s a summons to hear it. Not your truth. Not my truth. God’s truth. From Genesis to Revelation, it’s one holy declaration: that the God who knows Himself, knows us, and knows the mess we’re in, has crafted a plan—not a patch job, not a suggestion, but a divine strategy—to snatch men and women out of failure, out of sin, and make them citizens of the Ki...
Sermon of the Week: Pastor Billy McKillop: Set Apart by Grace
Send us Fan Mail
Paul’s conversion story in Galatians 1:11–24 teaches us something powerful about identity—you’ve got to know the Source you’re drawing from. Paul declares that the gospel he preached didn’t come from human classrooms, human approval, or human imagination. It came straight from Jesus Christ Himself.
Before Christ arrested his life, Paul was caught in the grind of religious performance—climbing ladders, chasing titles, measuring his worth by his résumé. His identity was built on achievement, comparison, and competition. But Jesus lived another way. Jesus walked in perfect union...
A Spotlight on the Scriptures: Psalms 107:1-3: Redemption Today, Coronation Tomorrow
Send us Fan Mail
This is a Spotlight on the Scriptures: Psalms 107:1-3 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
A Psalm of Redemption and a Promise Yet to Come
This psalm is a holy summons—a call to the redeemed to lift their voices in thanksgiving. Why? Bec...
Deep Dive Philippians: You Can Master Religion And Still Miss Jesus
Send us Fan Mail
Philippians 3:10-11: that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his
sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the
resurrection from the dead.
Someone once said, “One of the most dangerous forms of human error is forgetting what one is
trying to achieve.” And saints, that danger is real in the Christian life. It is easy—far too easy—to
get distracted, to get busy, to get reli...
Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, with Rachel Tolliver: Grace, Not Grind
Send us Fan Mail
Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, I am Rachel Tolliver,
“The problem ain’t just sin—it’s that sin demands a solution man can’t supply. You can’t work it off, pray it away, or dress it up. Sin is a debt too deep, a stain too strong, a chain too tight. And that’s why grace had to step in! Ephesians 2:8-9 declares it loud and clear: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God—not of works...
Sermon of the Week, Adrian Rogers: Vanishing Values
Send us Fan Mail
Our nation is caught in a struggle over its values—a battle over who is right and who is wrong, over what is righteous and what is reckless. The very morals and ethics that once served as the backbone of this land are being chipped away right before our eyes. What used to be celebrated is now questioned, and what used to be questioned is now celebrated. The ground beneath us is shifting, and the soul of the nation is crying out for clarity, conviction, and courage.
But whenever a people lo...
A Spotlight on the Scriptures: Job 1:20-21: When Everything Falls Apart, Turn to Worship
Send us Fan Mail
This is a Spotlight on the Scriptures: Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Praise in the Dark: A Word from Job’s Ashes
Don’t miss this, saints—Job didn’t just cry, he didn’t just complain, he didn’t just collapse. The Bi...
Deep Dive: Radical Love
Send us Fan Mail
Pastor Kevin Smith explores the profound nature of divine love as presented in the Gospel of John. He argues that true Christian love is not mere sentimentality but a transformative power that requires consistent obedience and produces lasting joy. By abiding in Christ, believers are empowered to mirror the Father’s perfect affection through self-sacrifice and a commitment to communal unity across diverse backgrounds. Smith emphasizes that this relationship is initiated by divine sovereignty, meaning individuals are chosen by grace rather th...
Deep Dive: Psalm 23; What If “The Lord Is My Shepherd” Is A Legal Defense Against Despair
Send us Fan Mail
Elder Michael Tolliver explores Psalm 23 by framing God’s promises as landmark legal and spiritual precedents. The author parallels historical civil rights victories with the crucifixion of Jesus, suggesting both provide a foundation of authority for believers to claim their rights and protection. By analyzing the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep, the text emphasizes a transition from collective faith to a deeply personal connection with the Divine. The imagery of the rod and staff illustrates how God pr...
Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, with Rachel Tolliver: Grace
Send us Fan Mail
Welcome to Biblical Talks Encouraging Word for the Week, I am Rachel Tolliver,
“Grace ain’t just a concept—it’s a current! It’s that holy wind at your back, pushing you when you’re tired, lifting you when you stumble, and driving you straight into the heart of God’s will. You don’t earn it, you don’t control it—but when it blows, you better move with it!”
For more encouraging, words please go to biblicaltalks.com or listen to biblical talks podcast...
