It’s all in how you see it. The world we live in has plenty of problems, and they are huge. Don’t need to list them all here, but it’s fair to say we even suffer from some existential threats. And yet, God’s Word tells us that this present life can have, and does have, peace. That’s our connection this week. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” Remember the story of Jim Elliot and his band of missionaries? They were killed in a jungle by the ve...
Sep 07, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 591
Ah, wanderlust. There is nothing quite like ambling along in your car, on a bicycle, or on foot along an unfamiliar country lane. No agenda, no rush to arrive anywhere on time, just letting your wheels spin and enjoying the scenery. What are we really searching for, when we set off on a sunny day with no particular destination in mind? What are we hoping to find, when we leave behind maps and clocks and venture forth into the great wide open? Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and hi...
Sep 04, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 590
Truett burst through the front door with exciting news one afternoon, anxious to share his latest find. “Mom! I found a praying mantis. Can you believe it! They’re pretty rare around here.” It was certainly one of the biggest bugs they’d seen in the fields around their home. The beautiful emerald green insect crawled from hand to hand, curious about its new environment. Considered a symbol of peace, contemplation, and prayer, the word “mantis” in Greek literally means prophet or seer. The prayer...
Sep 03, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 589
You’ve probably heard of the Ingalls family, or even met some of the clan through the Little House on the Prairie television series, or the beloved children’s books about pioneer life in the 1860s by author Laura Ingalls Wilder. The story of the Ingalls family is inspiring, whether you watch it or read it. The fun and camaraderie shared by Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura, and little Carrie is heartwarming, and makes many of us yearn for simpler times, before technology and the hurried expectation...
Sep 02, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 588
A farmer, perhaps more than most, knows something about faith. Harvest time captures much of our attention and all the good press, but the farmer’s careful planning, toil, and belief in the outcome are all necessary to reach that moment of glory. First, the farmer must decide what to plant in his fields. What do history and the Farmer’s Almanac say about likely weather patterns in a given year? What will various seeds cost right now? Is it a cyclical year for grasshoppers, or other pests? Soil i...
Sep 01, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 587
Have you ever spent time in the country? If you’re used to the noise of city life — neighbors coming and going, traffic, dogs barking...then spending a few nights in the country can feel almost too quiet. A brilliant sunrise without buildings to block the view, the most stars you’ve ever seen shining across the night sky, and a unique feeling of peace can all be found in the country, if you get the chance to enjoy these simple pleasures. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his rig...
Aug 31, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 586
The metaphor of life as a road is a common one, and with good reason. We are in essence walking a path in life, from beginning to end. For each person, the journey is at different times joyous, grueling, and full of wonder. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” This week we’re talking about Walking by Faith, something that humans find difficult to do when times get tough. Yet that is exactly the moment God uses to ignite our faith, and show us things we couldn’t have seen...
Aug 28, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 585
Have you ever been fooled by someone? Doesn’t feel good, does it? But the absolute worst is when we fool ourselves. We try to manage some problem on our own, or analyze why our boss is so mean. But the Bible has a better way of thinking about it. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” We have to do two things here: give total control to God, and de-emphasize our own judgment. Sometimes our gut is wrong. “Following our heart” often ends ...
Aug 27, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 584
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 tossed overboard, and then swallowed by a huge fis...
Aug 26, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 583
Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly around the world in 1964. Landing for a short stop in Saudi Arabia, she watched as a man approached her plane. When he saw her, he shouted to his friends that this was no man. They applauded! Jerrie Mock’s steadiness at the wheel, and in her encounters on the ground, were the very picture of self-control. Her journey was wildly successful. Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiet...
Aug 25, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 582
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 straight 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 ca...
Aug 24, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 581
When Hurricane Katrina destroyed the church and home where E.J. Scott had pastored for 20 years, he and his wife found themselves living a bit like refugees in Dallas, Texas. After years of being strong for his flock, Pastor Scott needed something to strengthen his own faith. He was devastated. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” When we walk with God through a storm, we are ...
Aug 21, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 580
When we walk with God, we want to see that our relationships are healthy. It’s part of the command to love one another. Few things are more heartbreaking than damaged relationships. When those linger, the Body of Christ is weakened. Churches split because of it. Families suffer for it. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Notice that we are to walk in all His ways. And what di...
Aug 20, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 579
How many times do we make a plan to boost our health and we’re sailing along for a while…then everything crashes? Athletes train year-round. That way, there’s no letdown or drop-off from peak performance. As believers, we have to have the same mindset. A champion figure skater doesn’t skate for six weeks, then take a few months off. NFL cornerbacks don’t stop watching films and keeping their bodies in peak shape after the season is over. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his...
Aug 19, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 578
Janet remembered how alive she had felt when she was disciplined in her prayer life and Bible study. She surprised herself one day when she blurted out, “I could think clearer, before I got mentally lazy!” Just saying it out loud kicked her out of the fog she’d been in since forever. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” The enemy wants to distract us from our God-given mission...
Aug 18, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 577
When we look at the amazing diversity all around us in nature, we see that no detail escaped God’s attention. He created all things to live in harmony. That includes our individual physical bodies. He intends for us to be healthy and whole—mind, body, and soul. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” In order to fully serve God, we can’t neglect anything. So that we can be a fait...
Aug 17, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 576
Have you ever hunted and hunted for something, maybe your car keys, and you finally find them? The old saying goes that you found them in the last place you looked. There’s a lot of truth to that. It also is very relevant to our walk with Jesus. Often, we work really hard to solve our own problems, then we give in and ask Jesus for help. Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” As with every other promise in the Bible, the ...
Aug 14, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 575
Are you angry at God today? Has something happened that has damaged your faith? If we live in the world long enough, it can happen to any of us. How you respond is really important. If you’ve listened previously, you know we are talking about how to live by faith. Having perseverance when we’re miserable is really, really hard. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re the only one. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” Listen to the words again: “For we live by faith, no...
Aug 13, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 574
Isn’t it funny how we come to certain conclusions in life fairly late? In other words, sometimes the obvious things aren’t obvious until we’ve stumbled around on our own, trying to find a solution. Take the simple act of asking for help. It isn’t uncommon for a person to be reluctant to ask for help. Then he finds he wasted a lot of time! That’s what we’re talking about this week. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will ...
Aug 12, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 573
Have you ever wondered what your place in this world is? Of course, you have. That’s the human experience. Alone with our thoughts, we wonder who we even are, and what we are meant to do. It’s a mysterious journey, but the fog lifts and the way becomes clear when we get to know King Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." You were made for something! You were made to do things fo...
Aug 11, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 572
As humans, we compartmentalize things. It’s in our nature to make lists, and rank priorities, and really box certain things in. We’ve got our work-life over here, and our family life over there, and our faith...somewhere else. And this can often lead us to confusion about which direction we’re supposed to go. This confusion even extends to our faith. We wonder: When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to take action on my faith? Psalm 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his...
Aug 10, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 571
Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday – it’s an attitude we can choose to fill our hearts with every day. The Bible shares many examples of gratitude in the midst of challenging circumstances. Imagine Mary, a young Galilean girl given the news that she was to be the mother of the Messiah? She didn’t panic or protest. Instead, she embraced the news and nurtured the One who would bring healing to the whole world. The story in Luke 17 tells us that of the 10 lepers who were healed, only one returned to...
Aug 07, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 570
The lack of gratitude in society can be contagious. Kind of like a negative “Pay it forward.” How did we get to this place? Are we too prideful to thank each other, or even to thank God? Too busy? Too self-absorbed? As believers, we know life is a rich blessing from God. The clearest path to becoming a person of gratitude is to choose it . If we don’t choose gratitude, we choose ingratitude. Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Y...
Aug 06, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 569
You’ve heard that every good thing comes from God, right? Of course it’s true. He is our example, both of how to live and how to react to others. This week we’re talking about practicing gratitude, and as usual, God shows us the way. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Often we can become disappointed if we don’t get everything we think we should have. But that’s a dead end when it comes to true happiness and peace. And those are things we all r...
Aug 05, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 568
If you’re just starting your day, on your way to work, think about something that will pay off for you down the road. Are you thankful today? All week, we’ll talk about what it means to be grateful and thankful for all God has given you and done for you. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." A lot of us are thankful from time to time. Then we get into a pattern of thinking mostly about what we don’t have. That’s a trap. The enemy wants you to focu...
Aug 04, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 567
Do you ever feel like life is passing you by, or worse – running right over the top of you? When we focus on unpleasant circumstances or people, life can really bring us down. This perspective is a downward spiral, and not a place we want to dwell. Author John Kralik was there, once. A long hike one day led him to an emotional crossroads; there he decided to devote the rest of his life to being thankful. His life changed dramatically. John began to write thank you notes to everyone he could thin...
Aug 03, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 566
When you think of ships, whether you’re thinking of the Titanic, pirate ships of yore, or trading vessels crossing the vast ocean to bring goods and services from one country to another, you probably picture them with an anchor — a heavy metal hook designed to catch on the ocean floor and keep a boat or ship in place. Wikipedia says this about anchors: There are two main types of anchors: temporary and permanent. A permanent anchor is called a mooring block and is not easily moved. A temporary a...
Jul 31, 2020•3 min•Season 1Ep. 565
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...
Jul 30, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 564
No one is immune from burnout. It comes in our jobs, friendships, and even our church life. Sometimes our hobbies become dry and tedious! But in Scripture, God gives us hope for the future. John 7:38 — "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'" Jesus is telling us that in Him alone is true life. He is always pointing us to the future, to a time when that dry creek bed will be filled forever. In Revelation 22, He showed John a river flowin...
Jul 29, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 563
Sandra was a single mom with little family support. Her ex was not exactly helping repair a tough situation. Her days slowed down only late at night when everyone else was asleep. That’s when fear got into bed with her and wouldn’t budge. Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Every human being in history is faced with trouble at some point. But how we handle the roug...
Jul 28, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 562
