Some of the most important conversations we have can be the most uncomfortable. And when it comes to faith, doubt is near the top of that list. Today, we're launching a five-part series on the topic of doubt. Many Christians wrestle with doubt, but who wants to admit that their foundational beliefs are not so firm? Not long ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, openly admitted that he's questioned if God is real. When the head of the Church of England says something like that, it make...
Oct 03, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1131
As we wrap up our series on overcoming fear, we bring it all to a close by discussing finding freedom from fear. In episode one of this series, we looked at some Bible verses that tell us what God says about fear. And there are dozens that speak to our specific needs, but one in particular stands out as comprehensive. First Peter 5:6–7 says, “Humble yourselves then under God's mighty hand so that he will lift you up in his own good time. Leave all your worries with him because he cares for you.”...
Sep 30, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1130
Today we're continuing our series on overcoming fear. And as we get started, ask yourself a question: Is your fear real or imagined? Dr. James Dobson has decades of experience coaching people to overcome fear and doubt, and put their trust in Christ. He relates a fascinating experience he once had when he learned that sometimes our fear is all in our head. It seems that he was preparing to graduate from Southern Cal with a PhD in psychology, and as he got ready at home that day, anticipating the...
Sep 29, 2022•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1129
As we continue our series on fear, today we wanted to give you some practical tips for overcoming the fear in your life. 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, ...
Sep 28, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1128
Today we're continuing our series on overcoming fear. Nikki couldn't leave her apartment, sometimes for days, her anxiety about everything from health issues to the weather had hijacked her life. She needed help. One morning after she had talked with a friend on the phone, she heard someone outside her door, and it was her friend. The woman simply announced herself and then pushed a piece of paper under Nikki's door. And the only thing written on the paper was Psalm 94:19, which says, “When anxi...
Sep 27, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1127
This week, we are focused on overcoming fear. And of all the human emotions, fear is perhaps the most paralyzing. And there are what we call internal and external fears. While many people stress about relationships, depression, and self-doubt, there are also big issues affecting the world: natural disasters, political upheaval, wars, are just a few of the things that create fear. Sometimes it can feel like everything is unraveling, but our field guide for finding our way through life, the Bible,...
Sep 26, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1126
We think of her as a genteel Southern lady, and she was that, for sure. But Ruth Bell Graham was so much more. While her husband was away so much, preaching to the masses, she was preaching to her own little flock. The result was children who became adults, and in turn, shared the Good News of Jesus with others. Anne Graham Lotz and Franklin Graham didn’t just fall out of the sky! Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” In their little home in the mountains of No...
Sep 23, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1125
Some of the greatest stories of believers down through time have involved those who really studied God’s Word. These people have gone before us to show us the way. From Charles Spurgeon to a missionary mother in China, daily study of the Word, and prayer, prepared them to mentor entire generations. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” We also read in Romans 10 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We have to do it, so that others know ho...
Sep 22, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1124
Have you had an experience in your life that has prepared you for helping others? Has life dealt you circumstances that speak to a situation in a younger person’s life? If so, you might be ready to help in such a way that will bring honor and glory to God. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” The apostle Paul suffered much for his faith in Christ. Beyond a dramatic shipwreck, prison, beatings, and hunger were part of his daily routine. Then, God set Timothy in...
Sep 21, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1123
Do you struggle with being humble, and yielding to God’s will? Most of us do. This extends to accepting an iron-sharpening-iron relationship He has set in our path. Yet the benefits are so good for us. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Make no mistake, God sets people in our path for a reason. That Bible teacher in your church might have words of wisdom for you from her rich and varied life. Be open to that. If you are in fellowship with a mature, older bel...
Sep 20, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1122
The Bible is full of wonderful analogies. One of the best is found in Proverbs, which paints a picture of godly mentoring and accountability. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” The idea is that as pieces of iron are drawn against the other, each piece becomes sharper. A further application is made in Hebrews 4:12, which talks about Scripture as being a double-edged sword, and it is with His Word that we are to sharpen each other. The goal is mutual accountab...
Sep 19, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1121
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...
Sep 16, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1120
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...
Sep 15, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1119
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...
Sep 14, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1118
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 of 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, ...
Sep 13, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1117
Would it surprise you to know that God has always been interested in you? Did you know He knew you before you were born? He has a vested interest in how your life turns out. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He isn’t some remote deity. God doesn’t pay attention only most of the time. He doesn’t form His plans here and there. He is there for us all the time. The question is, where are we? Before you were born, it was God’s will that you would have a relationship wit...
Sep 12, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1116
What is true love? The question has been asked forever. Not everyone agrees. There's a startling answer found in the Bible. The prophet Hosea marries a prostitute named Gomer. She's predictably unfaithful to him, but God tells him something that's strange to us. He told Hosea to take his wife back and restore her. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It doesn't envy, it doesn't boast, it's not proud. It doesn't dishonor others, it's not self-seeking, it's not easily angered...
Sep 09, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1115
Kyle hurt Jenny emotionally many times, and then he left her because he said he wanted to have fun in life. His young wife could barely function at first, but as she got her bearings, she decided to wait before making a final decision about her marriage. Then the day came. A series of circumstances left Kyle broken in spirit, and in body. He had burned so many bridges, no one was coming to help him. Except Jenny. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it doe...
Sep 08, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1114
Have you ever congratulated someone for a huge win in life, and then silently envied them? We all do it. But the problem is that kind of thing can grow into a monster if we're not careful. All of a sudden, we're so focused on what the other person has we lose sight of the wins in our own life. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 says, "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, doesn't boast, it's not proud. It doesn't dishonor others. It's not self-seeking, it's not easily angered, and it keeps no recor...
Sep 07, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1113
We’ve all known kindness. It might have been a Sunday school teacher, or maybe it was Mom listening to our bad day. But how often do you actually think about the importance of kindness? Is it an active part of your day? If not, you’re missing the point. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self- seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” Real love compels us t...
Sep 06, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1112
Having the “patience of Job” is a common saying, even if people don’t really know its origins. Job of course was the biblical character that suffered greatly before God restored him. But if you read the book of Job, it’s not at all clear that he really had much patience! Because being patient is really, really hard. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily ange...
Sep 05, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1111
Welcome to prayer 101, the big question for today is: How do you develop a prayer life? The answer to how we develop a healthy prayer life is really not that complicated. It's all about choice. We can learn to pray first by reading scripture and taking notice of the hundreds of prayers offered by believers just like us. We can also talk with veterans of prayer in our own life, those who are older and deeper in their faith. But notice something about the prayers recorded in the Bible, they aren't...
Sep 02, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1110
Jenna stopped in her tracks, sighing in frustration as she bent down to pick yet another rock out of her shoe. “Why on earth am I suddenly picking up rocks every time I walk the dog,” she wondered. They finished their usual route, and at home, Jenna slipped off her shoes and discovered the problem: she’d worn those old slip-ons for so long that she wore a hole right through the soles of both shoes! Philippians 4:6 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer a...
Sep 01, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1109
Communism kept half of Europe locked up for much of the 20th century. For 75 years, the oppressive system took most freedoms away from its ordinary citizens. The political system, responsible for tens of millions of deaths, seemed almost indestructible. Then, almost suddenly, the system built on restricting freedom just collapsed. The end came so quickly, that all the most experienced analysts and diplomats were caught off guard. How did that amazing turnaround happen? It didn't happen with guns...
Aug 31, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1108
When you're having a bad day, a run-in with an immensely cheerful person doesn't always turn that frown upside down, does it? Commiserating with someone else though, a word literally defined by two or more people wallowing in misery together, that can be a balm to an anxious and worried mind, sometimes. The relief though is temporary. Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” The Apostle Paul was talking about more than mere cheerfulness in his letter to ...
Aug 30, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1107
Have you ever felt like you’ve just plain run out of juice? The book you’ve been reading seems pointless halfway through. That new sofa or lawnmower or set of wheels was pretty exciting last month, but now you’re not sure what the big deal was. Even your relationships feel lackluster. Human beings aren’t like cell phones or toy robots. We can’t rev up with a fresh set of batteries...we need other, more meaningful fuel to refill our tanks, and the energy we seek can’t be found at any store. 1 The...
Aug 29, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1106
Many modern phrases have their origins in the Bible. A couple that come to mind are, “She’s worth her salt,” or, “He is the salt of the earth.” They remind us of what Scripture says when using salt as an analogy. Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Tasting our favorite salty foods is a great sensory experience. Think of French fri...
Aug 26, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1105
If a product or idea is worth promoting, it must be seen by the “end-user,” to borrow a marketing term. There is so much competition in business today…it is pointless to have a store unless people know you’re open for business. Thousands of businesses open and close every year. It’s a shame, but too often practical planning isn’t a big enough part of the picture. The Lord understands the importance of planning, and the need to plan ahead applies to how we share Him with others, too. Matthew 5 ve...
Aug 25, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1104
During the Civil War, Southern states relied on salt perhaps even more than their Northern counterparts. The commodity preserved various foods—such as fish—and allowed more people to eat and even keep food supplied for a rainy day. As the Union troops began capturing Confederate saltworks, the food supplies there literally began drying up. It was one of the things that led to the end of the war, as food supplies literally not only lost their taste, but their preservative qualities. Things got so...
Aug 24, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1103
The Dead Sea, bordering the countries of Israel and Jordan, is also located at the lowest point on Earth. The landscape is so barren, it looks like a moonscape. Not exactly a place for a vacation or rest stop. And yet…did you know that one of the valuable things from that area is the vast amount of salt that rings this body of water? Besides the salt content, the minerals in the Dead Sea are valuable for everything from medicines to cosmetics. What initially looks like a terrible place is actual...
Aug 23, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1102
