The Bible is famous for speaking in parables and metaphor. One of the most famous is found in one of Paul’s letters, in which he tells us the benefits of a life in Christ. The “Fruit of the Spirit” is a list of nine attributes that a person filled with the Holy Spirit will model for the world. It’s probably no coincidence that Paul starts with…Love. Galatians 5:22–23 says, “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and sel...
Sep 20, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 861
From earliest times, God has commanded His people to see their national home through His holy eyes. In other words, countries around the world are to follow the Lord. Of course, many don’t. Jeremiah 30:22 says, “So you will be my people, and I will be your God.” Many great civilizations have risen, but few last beyond a couple hundred years. Although history is debated, the foundations of America see a people who wanted to live holy unto the Lord. Modern America is still an ongoing experiment, b...
Sep 17, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 860
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of the original settlers in America? As a person leaving the safety of England to come to the New World and start over? Those people came here for religious freedom and risked it all. And when they landed in New England, they literally put down roots as they built and planted the beginnings of an amazing experiment that is still ongoing. Colossians 2:6–7 says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your ...
Sep 16, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 859
Do you sometimes feel your job is just too much for one person to handle? Then let me introduce you to Franklin Roosevelt. “FDR” was the 32nd president of the United States. By a quirk of history, he found himself leading the free world during a crippling economic meltdown…and a world war! His story is important, as we explore faith in God and country this week. No one understood more than Roosevelt the sacrifice needed to defeat evil on the battlefield. He said, “Those who have long enjoyed suc...
Sep 15, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 858
We as Americans relish our history…famous eras and the glory of battle and all that. Americans love the beautiful land that we’ve been blessed with, as well. But the Bible tells us the true source of our blessings. It points us to the One who made all things possible. Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” We are incredibly blessed in America for a lot of reasons. From sufficient food to freedom to make our own ch...
Sep 14, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 857
Do you ever stop and think about the routine things you do every day? Buying detergent so that you can wash your family’s clothes. Fixing a couple of boards on your deck. We even grind through staff meetings at work. All this of course mixed with life, laughter, and love. But do you think about why you can do these things in our country? Primarily it’s because of the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers—those men and women who have defended the homeland since Colonial times. Joshua 1:9 commands us,...
Sep 13, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 856
Who do you put your faith in? In the 1930s, as war approached in Europe, the British loved their monarchs. The royal family has been beloved for generations, and King Edward the 8th was ready to take his place on the throne after the death of his father. The people loved the dashing young king, and he seemed to enjoy his role. Then he fell in love. Falling in love isn’t a bad thing, even for kings, but Edward loved an American woman who was divorced. In royal society, that just wasn’t done. So i...
Sep 10, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 855
If Genesis describes the beginnings of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the book of Revelation finishes the story. Revelation 19 tells us that a descendent of Judah, Jacob’s son, will one day come and rule the whole world. And He will be unlike any other king in history. 1 Timothy 1:17 - All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. This verse tells us that the role of the greatest of all kings belongs to Christ alone. T...
Sep 09, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 854
In the Bible, we read of family records that were the original genealogy sources! People knew where they came from, 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 the family. 1 Timothy 1:17 - All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the et...
Sep 08, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 853
Have you ever heard of the legendary English king, Arthur? An iconic figure in history, he led a defense of his country against Saxon invaders around 1,500 years ago. He has also been immortalized in literature. Only one problem: We don’t know if he actually existed. We certainly don’t know where he’s buried. And it’s a sure thing that King Arthur, if he lived, wasn’t history’s greatest ruler. 1 Timothy 1:17 - “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one w...
Sep 07, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 852
Do you know Who Jesus is? Do you really understand His identity? We know from the Bible that He is many things: a child, a carpenter, a leader of men. We know that He is our Savior, the One who went to the cross to take on our sin. He is also our King. 1 Timothy 1:17 - “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.” In this letter to his young friend, Paul emphasized to Timothy that Jesus has dominion over everything an...
Sep 06, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 851
Have you ever had a power outage and pulled out your favorite flashlight, only to discover the batteries are dead? Bummer, am I right? How about light bulbs? For some reason, they all seem to go at the same time, leaving you in the shadows and looking for that flashlight — you know, the one with the dead batteries! Light bulbs burn out, tires go flat, umbrellas turn inside out on a windy day, and batteries die. Many of the things we use on a frequent basis are designed to be temporary — and some...
Sep 03, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 850
Noah was far from perfect, but he was a humble man, and protective of his family. He stands out among fathers in the Bible as a man who remained loyal to God, in spite of the wickedness of the world around him. Doesn’t that sound a lot like life today? Fathers who choose to follow a life of faith are surrounded by temptation and downright evil in this world, but God is pleased by our devotion, and He has a plan for each of us — even when circumstances are frustrating or difficult. Genesis 6 vers...
Sep 02, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 849
One of the biggest criticisms of those who follow Jesus Christ is that such a model is very exclusive. In other words, it seems on the surface that Jesus leaves some people out of the salvation plan, because He says that He is the only way to God. But what is He really telling us? John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Jesus is actually showing us the way. He gives us the path to being reconciled with God the Fat...
Sep 01, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 848
Who is the most loyal person you’ve ever known? A parent? Spouse? Friend? Truthfully, we all crave loyalty. It gives us a sense of safety. We feel that if there is some loyalty in our world, it’s like a warm blanket on a cold night. Life seems less scary. As we discuss the role of Jesus in our personal stories, it is good to remind ourselves often of ultimate loyalty. In turn, it encourages us to be loyal to that One person we can always count on. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way a...
Aug 31, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 847
Do you tend to be a fair-weather friend? Do you stay strong when times are good, but run away if things are difficult? Nothing will ruin a relationship more than that. Let’s be honest here: There is someone in your life who needs your help and strength. Maybe you need to step it up in that area. Jesus is a perfect example of loyalty to others; by following His lead, we can learn what genuine loyalty looks like. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one com...
Aug 30, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 846
Modern society lives in a constant state of discontentment, and the messaging we hear on a daily basis constantly entices us to buy into that state of being. Our home or mobile phone or television is too small, too basic, too old. Our hair is the wrong color, cut, or texture, our faces are too plain, and the shape of our bodies...imperfect, obviously. We don’t drive the right car, wear the right designer labels, or attend the right schools. But what if the best way to be “right,” has nothing to ...
Aug 27, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 845
Abby was in a funk. She was on the outs with her two best friends, her part-time job at a local restaurant needed her for way more hours than she wanted to give, and her beloved childhood dog was on his last summer, according to the vet. When she headed back home after her freshman year of college, Abby was looking forward to reconnecting with friends from high school and taking it easy, but it turned out adulting was a little more complicated than she bargained for. She had a list of complaints...
Aug 26, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 844
Have you ever been downright stuck in a difficult situation? Maybe you’ve held a job with a colleague or supervisor you didn’t see eye to eye with, and other career opportunities were scarce. Maybe you’ve been halfway through the semester and realized you’re headed for a poor grade, but it’s too late to drop the class. Maybe you’ve struggled in a relationship with a spouse or close family member, and you are wading through heartbreak with every interaction. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the peo...
Aug 25, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 843
David, the giant-slaying boy who would eventually become king of Israel, is mentioned over 1,000 times in the Bible. The youngest of eight children, David grew to become a powerful king, and some say he was also the original pop star, penning most of the 150 psalms included in the Bible. These songs were the hymnbook for Old Testament Jews, and continue to inspire well-known musical works today, including Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” The 62nd Psalm was written by King David with a goal of remin...
Aug 24, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 842
When someone asks how you’re doing, what is your typical response? Many of us give a quick, “I’m fine, thank you,” or, “Doing great!” Even if we’re actually struggling. It’s easier not to dive into a verbal rundown of our discontent if we aren’t really fine, and things aren’t so great, after all. As followers of Jesus, we are called to curate contentment in our lives. That doesn’t mean we have to pretend everything is awesome if life feels like it’s falling apart, but it does mean our trust in t...
Aug 23, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 841
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 ...
Aug 20, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 840
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 says, "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 flo...
Aug 19, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 839
Jesus has great compassion for everyone. Especially for those society considers unlovable or worth nothing. One day he stopped by a well and had a conversation with a woman who had been married five times. When He spoke to her, He knew she was now living with another man. Yet Jesus spoke to her in a way that let her know He valued her as a person. He told her that people could drink the water from that well, but again they would eventually be thirsty. He said to her that the water He gives is a ...
Aug 18, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 838
Researchers have long known that even when exploring new worlds, water is the key to life. Without it, nothing can live. Water is an image used often in Scripture. When Jesus emerged from the River Jordan having been baptized by his cousin, John, He used the imagery to help people understand that by trusting in Him, they would live forever. John 7:38 says, "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'" Did you catch that? You must believe tha...
Aug 17, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 837
It’s no accident that Jesus chose as some of His apostles a group of fishermen from Galilee. These were men who could understand Him when Jesus told them He would make them “fishers of men.” He meant, of course, that they would share the Good News about Him with everyone they came in contact with. That’s exactly what each of them did, for the rest of their lives! John 7:38 says, "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'" Fishing requires ...
Aug 16, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 836
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three young men from Judah who found themselves in a heated situation. They were brought into the court of King Nebuchadnezzar II, and ordered to bow before the king’s golden image. The alternative was a one-way ticket to the fiery furnace. The king’s command would have been easy for these guys to follow, but their own King of Kings had already commanded them to place no other gods before Him and to stay away from the evil of graven images. They may have been...
Aug 13, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 835
Have you ever pondered what it means to be ‘born again’ as a Christian believer? When we give our hearts to the Lord, asking Him to forgive our sins and guide our lives, we are making God a promise: we no longer claim the right to follow our own paths, or to focus on our own agendas. We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross on our behalf so that we can be forgiven and live with the Lord for all eternity, when our temporary earthly lives are over. In Romans 14:8, the Apostl...
Aug 12, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 834
Are you the enviable sort of person who was born with an innate sense of direction? Some of us know instinctively whether we are traveling North, South, East, or West. And some of us...would be lucky to find our way out of a paper bag, even with a map in hand. If you’ve ever been lost on a country road at dusk, no road signs, no one to ask for help, and no idea which way to turn — you know how very useful it is to have directions. You’re burning daylight, and you aren’t sure how to get back to c...
Aug 11, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 833
It was late at night and Kelly’s family was on the way to visit family out of state. It was raining, and they had just entered a construction zone. Narrow two-lane traffic became even narrower as they entered a bridge. Suddenly, a deer materialized in the headlights. Orange cones and flashing lights indicated there was nowhere to go other than right off the side of the bridge, and at 55 miles per hour, they were headed right for the animal. Romans 14:8 says, “If we live, we live for the Lord; an...
Aug 10, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 832
