Part 4/4 John the Baptizer had a difficult time with the transition. Like the disciples, John expected Jesus to fulfill his Messianic prophecy to take over the government and set up His Messianic kingdom. They all overlooked the suffering that was also prophesied for The Messiah. John began accusing a top government leader of breaking Jewish law and expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to back him and come to his rescue. Jesus did not rescue John. But Jesus did recognize John's disappointment and han...
Apr 13, 2023•21 min•Ep. 98
Part 3/4 John the Baptist was making a big splash. People were coming to him in droves. He was leading the greatest revival in the history of Israel. People were repenting and being baptized. John's ministry was going well, and Jesus said John was the greatest person who had ever lived. Then Jesus said, "the least in the kingdom was greater than John." What did it mean? This was not a salvation issue. I have no doubt John the Baptist will be in Heaven. It was a choice to live in the kingdom of G...
Mar 19, 2023•15 min•Ep. 97
Part 2/4 Why did Jesus say John the Baptist was the greatest man who had ever lived? How can we be great in the eyes of God? John was greater than every prophet, every priest, and every king who had ever lived. What was so special about John? What did John say about himself? How did he define his role in God's Kingdom? How do you define your role in the Kingdom? Photo by pixabay at pexels.com
Feb 24, 2023•13 min•Ep. 96
Part 1/4 Jesus' disciples argue about who is the greatest, but Jesus makes an incredible statement about the greatest man who ever lived. Jesus said it was John the Baptist. What made John greater than Moses, Elijah, Abraham, Daniel, and King David? Jesus said John was greater than every prophet, every priest, and every king who had ever lived. What was so special about John? How did you get your sins forgiven if you sinned in John's day? They asked John, "What do you say about yourself?" Ask yo...
Feb 13, 2023•22 min•Ep. 95
Jesus has high expectations. While waiting four days for Jesus to arrive after the death of their brother, Jesus expected the sisters to stay positive. How could they? How can you? Jesus requires a profound level of faith from Mary and Martha. They did not know when he was coming. They were expected to use the information they had. This would be for the glory of God. He had raised others from the dead...just not after four days. Engaging in faith is more difficult when those around you don't hav...
Jan 17, 2023•11 min•Ep. 92
Jesus raised Lazarus after his death and after he spent four days in the tomb, creating a stir. Some "mourners" were not happy Jesus raised Lazarus. They wanted him dead. They were pretending to be "friends" of the family. What wisdom do you need to deal with people who believe good is evil? Why does Mary anoint Jesus' feet with costly ointment? When Jesus arrived in town, he corrected Martha but didn't speak to Mary. Mary wailed loudly at Jesus' feet, drawing the crowd's attention to Jesus' fai...
Jan 03, 2023•15 min•Ep. 91
Zachariah and Elizabeth had a long-standing disappointment to overcome. In the process of waiting, Zachariah picked up a negative attitude. While understandable, the angel was not amused at his unbelief. What can you do to keep from being negative when your prayers are not yet answered? Why was the priest "muted" by the angel? How might your speech affect those around you who need encouragement in this season? Photo by dzenina lukac on Pexels
Dec 24, 2022•25 min•Ep. 94
What makes Jesus cry? Jesus walks many hours uphill from Jericho, and nobody says a kind word to him when he arrives. He is not treated as a friend of the family but shamed as a late-comer. Jesus gently corrects Martha, but he does not or cannot even speak to Mary, who is wailing at his feet. The crowd is also wailing, although it is now four days after Lazarus has died, which makes the wailing suspect. Is it grief or drama? Some in the crowd are not Lazarus' friends and are delighted that Lazar...
Dec 20, 2022•25 min•Ep. 93
Part 3/6 He could have come with the messenger, but didn't. Jesus arrives 4 days after Lazarus dies. The sisters are angry. To get to Lazarus, Jesus must take the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, which includes a 14 mile climb of 3300 feet which averages a 5% grade. Jesus makes the 8 hour climb and arrives looking like...a normal 33 year old man who just walked 14 miles uphill...and is 4 days late. Martha shares her pain and disappointment. Jesus is not angry with her but he gently but firmly cor...
Dec 12, 2022•12 min•Ep. 90
In John 10 we read Jesus was in danger of being killed and he left Jerusalem and went away. In John 11, this is where he is when the messenger finds him, a 2 days journey from Lazarus. Strangely we read, "He loved Lazarus...so he waited two more days," then starts the long uphill journey from Jericho to Jerusalem. Doesn't preventing a death take priority? If you could heal, wouldn't you have gone back with the messenger? Jesus' disciples are free to speak their mind. They are free to correct Jes...
Nov 18, 2022•19 min•Ep. 89
Jesus, who is a celebrity, visits the home of Martha and Mary and brings 12 men with him. Martha is understandably distracted, anxious and troubled and angrily accuses Jesus of not caring. She feels free to give him a piece of her mind and instruct him about what he should say to her sister Mary. What does her freedom to instruct Jesus say about her? What does it say about Jesus that he allows us to accuse him? Luke 10:38-42 Photo by Anastasia Kalinkina on Unsplash.
Nov 09, 2022•17 min•Ep. 88
How do you move past a big mistake? Remember that you are part of the human race. There are people before you who have made similar mistakes, and people coming after you who will make similar mistakes. Having compassion on yourself for making a mistake will help you to have compassion on others who make similar mistakes. Humility brings compassion. Be kind to yourself and speak to yourself as if you were speaking to your best friend. Instead of harsh angry words, speak to yourself as if you were...
Sep 23, 2022•11 min•Ep. 87
Do you make mistakes? Have you ever made a BIG mistake? Have you hurt people when you did not intend to? How do you handle your sins, mistakes or errors? Do you beat yourself up attempting to pay for your own sin? Do you engage in harsh self-criticism to try to prevent yourself from ever making another mistake? Is your self-condemnation a form of punishment which you think will help avoid another error? Recognizing God is not angry with us is an important first step. If your parents were critica...
Sep 10, 2022•17 min•Ep. 86
Part 1 of 3. What increases or decreases self-control? How can you know if your self-control is depleted? Psychology research on self-control often involves tempting people with chocolate. How do you respond to your failures? Self-condemnation weakens self-control while self-compassion increases self-control. People with self-compassion are happier, kinder and more compassionate. Do you love yourself with compassion? Are you able to be alone with yourself? Do you have time in your week without y...
Aug 23, 2022•15 min•Ep. 85
Part 4 of 4. Forgiveness is more difficult during seasons of suffering. Under what circumstances did Jesus forgive? Who was Jesus forgiving and why was Jesus forgiving? Did Jesus simply absolve everyone involved in his death for everything they ever did? Will Judas and all those who crucified Jesus be spending eternity together with Jesus? The information is useful as we work with Jesus to forgive. Photo by Vaishakh Pillai on Unsplash Further resources on DrDLevy.com and Dr. David Levy App. Dr. ...
Jun 10, 2022•12 min•Ep. 84
Part 3 of 4. Why do the sins of others bother us much more than our own? We typically see our sin as much less significant than the sin against us because it feels much less significant. We believe our feelings indicate the debt of our sin but we are greatly mistaken. How does God see your sin compared to sin against you? Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 18 to answer this question. Jesus uses economic terms of debt owed and we are off by a factor of 200,000. This is how our sin looks from God's ...
May 27, 2022•17 min•Ep. 83
Part 2 of 4. What would you do if someone borrowed your power tools and left town without returning them? Why do we often feel angry at ourselves when we feel anger at someone else? What is bad debt and what does it have to do with forgiveness? Photo by Marissa Daeger on Unsplash Further resources on DrDLevy.com and Dr. David Levy App. Dr. David Levy Podcasts created on Podbean: (Photo for each episode)https://davidilevy.podbean.com/ iTunes Podcasthttps://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-david-lev...
May 15, 2022•12 min•Ep. 82
Part 1 of 4. In this parable, forgiveness is presented in a new way. You are an accident victim and have some choices to make regarding pursuit of those who hurt you. Photo by Michael Jin on Unsplash Further resources on DrDLevy.com and Dr. David Levy App. Dr. David Levy Podcasts created on Podbean: (Photo for each episode)https://davidilevy.podbean.com/ iTunes Podcasthttps://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-david-levy-gods-wisdom-freshly-revealed/id1403541244?mt=2 Google Play Podcasthttps://play....
Apr 29, 2022•22 min•Ep. 81
Part 2 of 2. Abigail is an amazing woman. She has more dialogue than any other woman in scripture. In 1 Samuel 25 She speaks positive words of life over David before he becomes King. She prophesies wonderful things about him. Then, her husband dies and she marries him. She marries him before he becomes King. Her prophesy doesn't exactly come true in David's life. And she's never heard from again. What happened? Why is she not the Queen? Why was she downgraded? What was God's intention for her an...
Mar 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 80
Part 1 of 2. David is on the run from Saul and betrayed repeatedly by his own tribe, the tribe of Judah. David and his men are treated with disrespect by Nabal, a wealthy fool from the tribe of Judah. David has had enough! He is murderously angry. When David comes to settle the score, he gets a surprise. Nabal's wife Abigail comes to meet him to prevent him from making a massacre mistake that would haunt him the rest of his life. She prevents him from killing innocent people (along with her husb...
Mar 01, 2022•16 min•Ep. 79
Validation is vital when caught in a toxic shame spiral. Cindy has shut herself in the upstairs bedroom and is prepared to boycott Thanksgiving. Jesus experienced abuse and toxic shame. Jesus experienced attempts to control from family and friends. He is able to validate and guide us through these difficult situations but it is not easy to connect when full of anger and adrenaline. How can you connect with God when you are stressed? Breathing is one of the best ways to get your physiology back f...
Dec 20, 2021•26 min•Ep. 78
Based on a true story. Tom and Cindy are having Thanksgiving at their house this year. Tom's mother wants to control the event and pulls a stunt that leaves Cindy angry and hurt. Tom wants to please his mother and doesn't validate Cindy's hurt. How do we deal with emotionally immature people during the holidays? What are the signs of an emotionally immature, abusive or narcissistic person? What do you do with the negative feelings you have? If you were a guest, what might you offer Cindy to help...
Dec 17, 2021•26 min•Ep. 77
Have you miscalculated when change would occur? Have you ever thought someone was following God but they were not? Have you ever been angry with God about what is happening in your country? Do you feel God isn't helping you? If so, you are in good company. Elijah is one of God's favorites yet suffers greatly from disillusionment and fatigue. Some of his suffering is caused by his own choices and some by others. Ultimately, God redeems all of Elijah's mistakes and ministers to his broken heart. W...
Dec 03, 2021•43 min•Ep. 75
How are you at interpreting data? How do you assess danger? What does God call a "bad report?" Have you been given a "bad report" that you are repeating? We are overloaded with data and it is always interpreted by a person with a bias–which includes every one of us. Bible text: Numbers 13-14 finds the Children of Israel at the border of the Promised Land. Twelve spies are sent to spy out the land and 10 return with a "Bad Report" according to God. The 10 spies saw the same sights but interpreted...
Nov 19, 2021•35 min•Ep. 76
Did King Saul really believe David could beat Goliath? Your thoughts have substance in your brain. Thoughts change the physical structure of your brain. David's imagination was trained by meditating on God's mission. Even his family could not dissuade him. Unless you become like a child you cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. A child has a good imagination and childlike faith. Can you imagine good things happening to you? What has God deposited in you for the battle this season? Betrayals have h...
Nov 05, 2021•22 min•Ep. 74
Bible stories require imagination. The story of David and Goliath is no exception. You don't go up against a giant without a healthy imagination. In 1 Samuel 16, at great danger to himself, Samuel anoints David in front of his brothers, who are jealous of him. Goliath is described as an imposing human - like a tank. David wants to know what he will gain if he kills Goliath. Does David imagine he will get into the palace by marrying the king's daughter? How did David kill the lion and the bear? D...
Oct 28, 2021•24 min•Ep. 73
Surgery failure and my father forgiveness story. I displayed the character of an orphan. In John 14:18 Jesus calls his disciples orphans. Why does Jesus use this term? Are you acting like a spiritual orphan? How fast do you eat? How are you sleeping? How are you with trusting people? Do you trust God? Do you act like you are on your own? Are you in survival mode? Do you believe in a God of scarcity or abundance? If your faith isn't growing, you are going backwards. Hope is the Bible's word for i...
Oct 21, 2021•21 min•Ep. 72
Imagination Series Part 1 of 4. Are you speaking life? What words are you speaking over your life and over the lives of those you love? Prov. 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue... To read the Bible you must have a good imagination. God requires a vivid imagination to understand His Kingdom. You won't grow spiritually without being able to imagine good things happening in your life. Photo by Ümit Yıldırım on Unsplash...
Oct 12, 2021•19 min•Ep. 71
Part 3 of 3. Story of a difficult relationship with George and Barb. George had been a pastor and had multiple health issues as well as repressed anger. He and his wife requested medical advice but did not want any spiritual or emotional advice. Is anger like murder? Why was Jesus angry if he told us never to be? Why did Jesus instruct us to turn the other cheek? Are Jesus' disciples to be doormats inviting and even encouraging exploitation? Where does forgiveness fit into the anger scenario? Wh...
Sep 03, 2021•18 min•Ep. 70
Part 2 of 3. Story of a difficult relationship with George and Barb. George had been a pastor and had multiple health issues as well as repressed anger. He and his wife requested medical advice but did not want any spiritual or emotional advice. Is anger like murder? Why was Jesus angry if he told us never to be? Why did Jesus instruct us to turn the other cheek? Are Jesus' disciples to be doormats inviting and even encouraging exploitation? Where does forgiveness fit into the anger scenario? Wh...
Aug 27, 2021•18 min•Ep. 69
