Michael Scott once famously said that there’s such a thing as good grief, and it’s a funny line. But could there be some truth behind it? Christians today celebrate “Good Friday” every year, but what does it mean? The date marks the day 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ willingly died on a gruesome Roman cross for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The truth is, Jesus died after suffering sustained tort...
Apr 19, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 230
A really cool thing about God is that He has a solution for literally every situation. That includes mental health. We see this especially in the ministry of Jesus, who walked the land healing people of all sorts of terrible things. One day He encountered a man driven insane by demons. Mark 5:15 says, “They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the ‘legion’; and they became frightened.” The “Legion,” ...
Apr 18, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 229
For some reason, people sometimes tell big lies when it comes to fishing. You know, what was really a small fry becomes a man-eating shark in the re-telling of the story. But that’s nothing compared to a really incredible story in the Old Testament book of Jonah. It seems the prophet didn’t want to preach in the pagan city of Nineveh, so he sailed away on a ship. He forgot that God controls the sea and everything in it, and Jonah found himself overboard and then swallowed by a huge fish. Jonah 1...
Apr 17, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 228
One of the extraordinary stories in the Bible involves a young woman named Rahab. This story beautifully expresses God’s love for all people. Rahab lived in the Canaanite town of Jericho, which was near the border of the Promised land God had promised to His people, who had been wandering for years in search of a home after slavery in Egypt. Because the Canaanites were powerful, Joshua sent a scouting party into the land, to see what they were up against. Then men sent ahead were hidden from har...
Apr 16, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 227
The Bible is full of stories of God doing amazing things for those He calls. One of the most famous seems to be good to be true, but it is! Daniel, God’s man in exile in Babylon, insisted on worshipping the Lord, and not a human king. This was against the law. When those who were jealous of him urged the king to punish Daniel, the prophet was thrown into a lion’s den overnight. And that was that. Or was it? Next morning, the king was so anxious about Daniel, that he ran to the den and called out...
Apr 15, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 226
Have you ever gotten so tired of life that you wished you could disappear and start over somewhere else? Ever wish that fantasy would just pull you out of your circumstances? They make movies about things like that, but it’s not real. John 14:2,3 says, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also...
Apr 12, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 225
When Richard Winters stood in the doorway of a huge glider in the pre-dawn over Normandy, France, he thought about a lot of things. The young Army captain was preparing for the invasion of Europe, to free the continent from the Nazis. He know one thing first: he couldn’t survive on his own skill. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” A very disciplined soldier, Winter...
Apr 11, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 224
Have you ever tried to follow God in a half-hearted way? You know what that means. You like the idea of God, but His perfect will for our lives also can feel restrictive. That’s the moment you are walking along the highway of life completely alone. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Notice the precise language in these beautiful verses. We are to trust Him with all...
Apr 10, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 223
Life stories are full of redemption. Usually after the worst sins have been committed. When he wrote a book about his past rebellions, Franklin Graham became known as the Rebel With a Cause. His story is about a prodigal that chased after the world and his own desires, but the son of Billy Graham is a modern parable. He was lost, then he was found. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall d...
Apr 09, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 222
The Bible tells us that King Solomon was a very wise man. He ruled over his kingdom from Jerusalem, and built the famous Temple there. He was also very human. This son of King David eventually let his wealth and power go to his head, and he began to follow other religions and almost seemed to enjoy sinning. Yet God loved him. In his later years, Solomon realized how wrong he had been to rely on his own spiritual strength. And so what we have today as the Book of Proverbs was born. They come from...
Apr 08, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 221
Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens. The will is read by an attorney and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting. The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you die and can’t take it with you. That’s why the Bible’s revelations about eternal riches are so much more ...
Apr 05, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 220
Are you the kind of person everyone looks at and assumes you are strong and together? You too, huh? Many of us look fine on the outside, but the human condition is often much different on the inside. Proverbs 31:25 says this of a godly woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” But the thing is, God did not make us to have a spirit of fear. He never planned for us to suffer from depression or anxiety. Look, life happens. Sometimes we just are rocked by ...
Apr 04, 2019•3 min•Season 1Ep. 219
China in the 19th century was as remote and mysterious a place as has ever existed. Its countless villages, mountains, and hidden places were a challenge for inhabitants. Imagine what it was like for a small Christian woman from Virginia! Charlotte Moon, who went by the name that would become famous, “Lottie,” was a missionary to the Asian country for 40 years. Proverbs 31:25 says this of a godly woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Walking here a...
Apr 03, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 218
Do you remember the last time you laughed? Do you remember the last time you laughed from sheer joy? Many of us don’t. The weight of life presses down on us. It weakens us. Proverbs 31:25 says this of a godly woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Did you know that God means for you to be strong? He wants you to have dignity. You are a child of the King. You are a woman of faith. You are a man who seeks Him. That beautiful proverb reminds us that it...
Apr 02, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 217
With the tech boom has come concerns that we are being surveilled. That’s not conspiracy; it’s actually fact. But no one in this world knows everything about us. There is still some privacy, some place we can go away from prying eyes. Except. Psalm 69:5 says, "O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you." We know that we serve the one true God, the One that made everything we see. Part of His infinite knowledge is every single thing about each person. That’s a mind-b...
Apr 01, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 216
Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form in religion? We become so good at it, so obsessed with it, that we lose sight of the essence of what it means to be a Christian. To know God. That is the purpose of our journey, and it will be the end of our journey. It is so foundational to who we are as humans that even the great Moses basically begged God to let him see Him. So close were they that according to Jewish tradition, when Moses died, God drew his spirit from him with a kiss. I...
Mar 29, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 215
If you wonder what is the best way to share your faith and defend it in the modern world, it might help to look at past examples. In the Bible, the husband-and-wife team of Priscilla and Aquila shared Christ with Apollos, who would become a famous early evangelist. In colonial England, the abolitionist William Wilberforce shamed his own government into freeing slaves. Jude 1:3 says, “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I...
Mar 28, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 214
Defending the faith can sometimes be a subjective thing. As examples of extremes, we have seen the Crusades, and the modern form is perhaps an aggressive “pitch” to someone who isn’t a believer. The thing is, it’s great to be zealous for our faith, but let’s also be disciplined. We don’t want to alienate a person who might otherwise listen. To put it simply: an angry Christian is usually a lonely Christian. Jude 1:3 says, “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salva...
Mar 27, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 213
In every generation, it falls to believers to spend some time in defending our worldview as Christians. Honestly, it’s not the nicest part of the gig, but it’s necessary. Usually, it involves simply explaining what your faith is all about. Followers of other religions do the same thing, but for us, we are sharing the person of Christ with those who don’t know Him. That makes it a big deal. Jude 1:3 says, “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share....
Mar 26, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 212
Ever have the pleasure of waking up in a cozy cabin…after you’ve let the fire go out from the night before? If you don’t get out of bed and put more wood in, the squirrels or raccoons aren’t going to do it for you! Much more serious is the tendency to get lazy about the fire inside us to share the love of Christ. After so many years of being a Christian—especially living in a free country—sharing the Gospel can be put on the backburner. Romans 12:11-12 says, "Never let the fire in your heart go ...
Mar 25, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 211
Don’t you just love the diversity God put into the world? He created harmony and balance everywhere, including our individual “best time of the day” to be creative and productive. Some are “up with the chickens,” as they used to say. Others burn a candle late into the night. Whatever time is your time to connect in positive ways, God made you to shine for His purposes. Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” And we are to embrace our u...
Mar 22, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 210
No matter who you are, there has been some time in your life that loneliness closed you in like dark curtains in a cold house. Being alone can be healing, and it can be depressing. If you are experiencing the latter right now, we have good news for you. Your “alone” feeling is an illusion. Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.” God’s Word tells us that t...
Mar 21, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 209
Jesus spent a lot of time giving out wisdom in the form of stories. Once, he told His disciples a story that illustrated the importance of understanding that God never quits us, and we should not quit Him. Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” The story was about a woman who didn’t give up in her pursuit of justice. Jesus then said that God hears our pleas for what we need, and He acts accordingly. He doesn’t forget, or...
Mar 20, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 208
One of the things that mark a healthy society is the consistency between generations. In other words, adults who care about the future for their children will invest the time to make sure tomorrow is bright. God the Father is the ultimate parent, and we would do well to model His love for us. Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Passing the torch, or training up the next generation, involves taking the time to do it pr...
Mar 19, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 207
Today, just stop and consider that we are talking one-on-one. We’re just talking over coffee. You seem like something is really getting to you. Are you about to give up on something important? If so, please listen, just for a couple minutes. Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Let’s think boldly for a second. Whatever your problem is, God can fix it. He can. The Bible is full of these fixes. So is our present day, whe...
Mar 18, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 206
Usually, when we’re looking for some kind of emotional lifeline to get us through the day, we only want to know what God can do for us. How do we get that peace of mind we desperately need? One component is simple obedience. At first, this sounds like a test that’s too hard. We need relief right now! Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and p...
Mar 15, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 205
Jill felt like she couldn’t keep up anymore. Four years out of college, she was doing well in her chosen career. But it had not only taken her far from home, it took her away from the values she had known. This new place she lived in pressed-in on her mind and heart. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Burdened by her stresses, Jill realized something had to change. But in that unique way He has, God showed her that she didn’t necessarily have to m...
Mar 14, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 204
Carl loved working on his farm. He loved the solitude and sense of accomplishment. One day though, working alone, he was injured severely. In fact, if he didn’t get to the hospital, he would likely die. So he banged the door of his old pickup shut and took off. He pulled into the hospital parking lot and lost what little consciousness he had. Waking up 24 hours later after surgery, he realized he remembered nothing of his injury or even getting to the hospital. In effect, the God he loved and tr...
Mar 13, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 203
Does your life feel out of control? Are you experiencing that common feeling of weaving down a busy highway, about to crash? It’s a metaphor for life that most internalize at some point. All of a sudden, what you were sure of isn’t there anymore. You might as well be behind the wheel of a fast car that’s heading into oncoming traffic. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” This isn’t some nice little bit of wisdom someone put on a greeting card. This ...
Mar 12, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 202
Standing in the door of the plane, with a fierce wind whipping his whole body, Curtis wondered why he’d volunteered for the paratroopers. It was glamorous, they said. It’ll make a man out of you, they said. Shutting his eyes, Curtis prayed the most honest prayer of his life. He stretched out his hands and took a step… Lamentations 3:25-26: "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Rolling on the ground wr...
Mar 11, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 201
