In the Bible we read of family records that were the original genealogy sources. People knew where they came from, they knew their kin. The 12 tribes of Israel were first outlined in Genesis, and from these 12 came an entire nation. Even Jesus came from somewhere! One of the Bible’s patriarchs, Jacob, had a son named Judah. The father calls the son a lion’s cub, and blesses him. Judah is told he will have favor in his family. 1 Timothy 1:17 says, “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He ...
Sep 04, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1376
When Isaiah the prophet wrote, the birth of Jesus was still almost 800 years away. Yet there is good reason to believe key parts of the book of Isaiah are pointing to the coming Savior. Near the end of the book, we see this clearly. Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” It’s reasonable to believe that this has dual meanings. One, the prophecy speaks of the wise men from the East seeing the star in the sky. And then, traveled to see t...
Sep 01, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1375
Diamonds. The very word calls to mind something so beautiful and rare, people everywhere immediately form a sharp mental image. Many people dream of handfuls of these sparkling, valuable gemstones running through their hands. Nothing speaks of high value more than a diamond solitaire. Such a piece of jewelry signals to the world that a couple considers their relationship to be both priceless and eternal. Proverbs 31:10 says, “She is far more precious than jewels.” This is it. A Proverbs 31 woman...
Aug 31, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1374
As followers of Jesus, we are meant to be witnesses. And Christ’s majesty and power are meant to blanket our world. He is intimately aware of you and where you are in life. Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” When we trust Christ—when we believe the Gospel—we’re called to get in the game. If you’ve been changed, and if you believe that, sitting on such Good News doesn’t make much sense, does it? Are you guilty of failing to shine a...
Aug 30, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1373
Don’t you love the nuances and uniqueness 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 of us 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.” Embrace your un...
Aug 29, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1372
One of the best benefits about flying at night is to look out the window and see all those lights against the black backdrop. The lights signal that a city or town is down there—a place where families live. Our spiritual lives are the same way. This world has its share of darkness, but God looks down and sees His lights. He sees the good that says, “Love lives here.” Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” We are told in Scripture that as bel...
Aug 28, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1371
It’s been said that grace is simply favor from God, and we didn’t do anything to earn it. Often, grace comes when we need it the most. The word grace is used about 170 times in the Bible. Most of those occur in the New Testament as the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ unfolds. His sacrifice for all of us, dying on the cross for our sins, was the backdrop for a lot of other moments in grace He gave to those He came in contact with. Jesus perfectly understood that there’s a lot of suffering in the...
Aug 25, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1370
Jane was the last child to receive a handmade blanket from her great grandmother. Pink and blue, festooned with angels and sprinkled with stars that sparkled in the light, the much-loved blanket was the little girl’s constant companion. This childhood treasure became even more important when Gramma Ann passed away — a reminder of her love for her family, and her faith in God. Jane’s blanket kept her warm in sickness and in health, but the washing machine proved its eventual undoing. One day, the...
Aug 24, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1369
Theresa Rosenthal had a rough start in life. She watched her father abuse her mother, and then when she was six, a family friend sexually abused her. Like so many that suffered at the hands of a predator, Theresa pushed the pain down into a secret place, and for decades, she battled with depression and substance abuse. Finally, one day she was sitting in front of her house and just blurted out to God, “What am I supposed to do?” Within 24 hours, she had a Bible from a new friend who reached out ...
Aug 23, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1368
“Mom—I broke something! I’m so sorry!” Benjamin had slipped on the wet bathroom floor and managed to take down the shower curtain and curtain rod in one fell swoop. His mom’s concern wasn’t the state of the shower curtain, but whether the broken something was an arm or leg. Thankfully, her son wasn’t hurt, and fixing the curtain was a lot easier than mending a broken bone. A reassuring hug from Mom was all the boy needed to mend his hurt pride. None of us are perfect, whether we’re 8 years old o...
Aug 22, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1367
Have you ever thought much about grace? We hear the word, but the concept itself might be a little elusive. That might be because it’s hard for humans to understand and embrace. Grace means simply that someone gives you something with no strings attached. Just for your good. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” The Bible tells a simple story, really. Mankind sinned and brought evil into the world. God ...
Aug 21, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1366
Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, and mom. She knows something of how fear can derail a person’s entire life. You see, Debbie wrestled with fear and anxiety for years. And her recovery didn’t happen overnight, but she did come to think about it all in a different way. She turned to the Lord, and He showed her practical things she could do to alleviate her fear. Now, for one thing, she began to notice something. When she thought about her fear and she studied her own patterns related to...
Aug 18, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1365
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 so powerful, Joshua sent a scouting party into the land to see what they were up against. The men sent ahead were hidden from ha...
Aug 17, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1364
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...
Aug 16, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1363
God does things on a big scale, but He’s also in the details. He knows our thoughts, hopes, dreams, and every detail of our lives. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In Ecclesiastes, God spends considerable time speaking to our innermost needs. Through the stories of Paul and the apostles, we see that He cares about our physical needs, and comforts us in times of danger. The diversit...
Aug 15, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1362
Have you ever gotten tired of treading water? Martha is a 20-something-old lifeguard in Los Angeles. Besides dealing with deck chairs purposely thrown into the water and parents asking her to babysit poolside, she’s noticed another aspect of the job that really tugs at your heart. “Kids pretend to drown in the pool so that I will pay attention to them.” Wow. Think about that. At a young age, humans need to be nurtured and cared for. They want to be loved. So a young lifeguard becomes their emoti...
Aug 14, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1361
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 11, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1360
Who likes to wait for what we need or want? Basically—nobody. Of those nine elements that make up the Fruit of the Spirit, patience may be the hardest. Romans 8:25 says, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” And patience is learned, which makes it one of the sweetest fruits the Spirit gives us. Waiting for a payoff of some kind makes the end result that much more rewarding, and life teaches us that. A childless Hannah endured mocking and ridicule, but the Bible t...
Aug 10, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1359
Fighting one day in the tough Iraqi city of Fallujah, a Marine sergeant decided to put himself at risk in order to get a frightened family to safety. He stepped into a courtyard and spoke quietly for a few minutes with the father. He took time to make sure the kids had water, and the toys his men gave them. Then it was back to the war. Gentleness can be misunderstood. Too often we think, for example, that a man is not masculine if he’s gentle. Not true. This Fruit of the Spirit is a real strengt...
Aug 09, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1358
Giving kindness is healing for the soul. A viral video made the national news: a police officer cut the hair of a prisoner being released so that he could go on a job interview. It was one of those inspiring “random acts of kindness” we love to hear about. Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” The thing that made Jesus stand out to people in Israel was His incredible kindness. He stopped to heal someone physically, or offered kindn...
Aug 08, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1357
It's been said that in the Fruit of the Spirit list, all of them collectively practically define the nature of Christ. Even David the shepherd knew his Messiah was coming. Remember what he said about his loving God? He said, “Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” We instinctively know what goodness is. It’s a kind touch, a gentle word, a gift that was unexpected. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do ...
Aug 07, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1356
Of all the themes of the Bible, God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, is the greatest example. It's the most critical element in a person’s life, and the choice to receive it is ours. The Bible tells us that before the world was created, God already had a plan to redeem mankind from sin. And because He knows all, He already knew what would take place in the Garden of Eden. Acts 15:11 says, “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved just as they are.” The greates...
Aug 04, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1355
Have you ever felt a surge of pride because you had it all together? As if your brains and talent and charm was just dazzling to the whole world? It sounds funny, but let’s be honest. We’ve all at some point thought quite a lot of our own abilities. Pride—something God hates—trips us up. We are flying high… And then the crash comes. Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Are you hurting today because you didn’t anticipate...
Aug 03, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1354
The lack of gratitude in our world can be contagious. It’s 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, maybe? 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 endure...
Aug 02, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1353
As humans, we tend to have a problem asking for help. We can chalk that up to our proud hearts. Often, when we are really up against it, that’s when we resist seeking help. The God of the universe does away with all that. 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.” Ask yourself: is my pride keeping me from asking for help? If so, mull that over. And then, take a step toward the Lord and ask for what you need. God opens doors w...
Aug 01, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1352
What would you think is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for us as we try to live our lives with integrity? If you said “pride,” you win! The Bible tells us that the sin of pride can lead to a whole range of bad outcomes. Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Walk humbly? Wow, that can be the most difficult part of living out this verse. We must constantly check our spirits to make sure our motives are pure and c...
Jul 31, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1351
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...
Jul 28, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1350
Sometimes life can be overwhelming. I think we can all agree about that. A huge wave of despair can seemingly come out of nowhere, and push us toward disaster. Anita’s life was like that, growing up in Hong Kong where revolutionary movements brought violence and loss of hope. She couldn’t see how the pieces of her life could be put together. She would ask herself, “How do you make peace with a potential that is frustrated?” Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according...
Jul 27, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1349
Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form as part of 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 primary 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 hi...
Jul 26, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1348
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is widely looked upon as the most famous painting in the world. By some historical estimates, the Mona Lisa took as many as 16 years to finish! Capturing Mona Lisa’s famous smile on a poplar plank was no hack job; Leonardo accepted a commission for the work in the year 1503, and completed his masterpiece supposedly around the time of his death in 1519. Clearly, this level of artistic achievement takes time. When you hear the word “masterpiece,” what do you thin...
Jul 25, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1347
