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’re 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 for...
Nov 27, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1436
Living life as though your cup is brimming over isn’t a matter of circumstance. It’s a matter of choice. Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.” God promises bountiful blessings when we follow him, but what about when times are tough? Nowhere does the Bible suggest we should wallow in misery when things don’t go our way. Instead, we should slow down enough to count and savor every blessing, even when goodness ...
Nov 24, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1435
Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us that a grateful heart and a positive outlook will do wonders for health and relationships. A person with a heart of gratitude will be seen by others who will want to follow, and see what he has going for him. Such a person is a magnet for sharing the Gospel, and the greatest source of wisdom has much to say on the subject. Dozens of times in the Bible, we read about the value of gratitude. Paul mentions it several times, including in the account...
Nov 23, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1434
Humans tend to see the world from a me-me-me perspective: What can we get out of this situation? How can I benefit from this? It’s the same with being thankful. Not that we shouldn’t focus on all that God does for us. That’s important — even critical. But when you think about it, who should benefit most from our gratitude? The answer is: others. When we thank others and recognize the effort they took to do something for us, we should train ourselves to understand how it impacts them, not us. Tha...
Nov 22, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1433
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. And this perspective is a downward spiral—not a place you want to dwell. Author John Kralik was there, once. A long hike one day led him to an emotional crossroads; and 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 t...
Nov 21, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1432
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...
Nov 20, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1431
Have you ever watched a war movie and realized that the actors didn’t know how the conflict would turn out? World War 2 movies are like that. When they filmed “Casablanca,” Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman weren’t sure whether the Germans would win or lose. Life can be like that. Matthew 28:20 says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In your own life, you might be facing some really serious stuff. And it’s not unusual to be staring at several problems at once. That’...
Nov 17, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1430
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 a situation gone awry. 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 in heart...
Nov 16, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1429
The Bible is full of what many would call difficult stories. Some of them don’t make a lot of sense at first. Others seem contrary to what we think should happen. One such story is breathtaking if we follow it through. It involves a father trusting God more than his own instincts. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, and not by sight.” In Genesis, we read about Abraham being instructed by the Lord to offer his young son Isaac as a sacrifice. As a sacrifice?! Nothing could be more repul...
Nov 15, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1428
Of all the gifts God gives His children, joy is perhaps the one closest to heaven on earth. Who isn’t aware just how wonderful it feels to experience true joy? It is as if the Lord has freed a prisoner. When American POWs returned from captivity in Vietnam, the looks on their faces as they emerged from the planes carrying them to freedom…well, no one will ever forget that! Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.” Scripture tells us ...
Nov 14, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1427
When trouble is on the horizon, it can be hard to trust in God’s promises, and to believe He has a plan for us. The book of Judges in the Old Testament gives us an awesome example of trusting God in the story of Gideon. God called Gideon to lead Israel into battle with the Midianites, who had a sizable army of 135,000 men. Gideon gathered an army of 32,000 men to battle with the Midianites, but despite odds in favor of the enemy, God told Gideon there were too many men in his army. Through a sel...
Nov 13, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1426
In an age of technology booms and information-sharing, it’s amazing how lonely we’ve become. Everything and everyone is connected, but does all that connection ever leave you feeling disconnected in real life? Do you feel alone? If you do, you are listening at the right time this week as we are reminded that God’s timing is always perfect. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done fr...
Nov 10, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1425
This week we’ve been talking about loneliness. We've discussed the difference between being alone and feeling lonely, ideas for getting rid of the feelings of loneliness, and how even the greatest leaders in the Bible experienced loneliness. You may be thinking, “Well, this is great, but I’m a bit of an introvert, I like to be alone. But why do I feel this lonely feeling sometimes? How can I be wired to want to be alone but also have this strange feeling inside?” Emily Dickinson, one of the grea...
Nov 09, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1424
When the Apostle Paul was under house arrest in Rome, he wrote to the church at Philippi, a wealthy city on an important trade route. The citizens there had little need of any outside help, but Paul’s wisdom alerted them that trouble comes to every life. He had suffered many hardships as he preached the Gospel through the Roman Empire. Paul knew very well what poverty and loneliness were. Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Je...
Nov 08, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1423
It’s been said that being alone and being lonely are two different things. Being alone is not necessarily bad, and can often be a blessing. The Bible says Jesus would withdraw to desolate places to pray from time to time. Feeling lonely, though, especially for extended periods of time, is usually not good. Not good for the soul. To spot the difference, be intentional about self-awareness. Ask yourself, do I feel like this all the time? If the answer is yes, you should take a look at your surroun...
Nov 07, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1422
This week, we’re talking about loneliness. That song, Are You Lonesome Tonight by Elvis was a mega hit. And it’s been around a long time. Why? Because it’s a universal story. Everyone gets lonely sometimes. God knew we’d battle loneliness. He knew our world would present a crazy number of challenges, and that’s why He spends so much time in His Word reassuring us of His love and commitment to us. The Psalms are largely about David’s loneliness and God’s provision for him in that season. Leaders ...
Nov 06, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1421
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 civ...
Nov 03, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1420
The story of the Prodigal Son is one we can all relate to. The Bible tells the story of a brash young man who leaves his home after asking for his inheritance. His loving father complies, and let’s just say the son learns some valuable lessons on his travels. Eventually, he humbles himself and comes home; he needs his father and his family. It’s really a story of Jesus and us. 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.” We scr...
Nov 02, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1419
Have you ever been lost? For the directionally challenged among us, being lost is terrible. Imagine a time before Google Maps, before cell phones, and even before boxy little GPS devices for the car. Now imagine a time, way, way back—before every square inch of our world had been mapped. And those who journeyed far weren’t sure what they’d encounter, or whether they’d even make it home again. Have you ever felt lost? That’s when a life of faith makes a difference. When you’re feeling like you do...
Nov 01, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1418
Roaming, travel, wandering…all have been part of the human psyche since the beginning. Because we all have that God-shaped hole in us, needing to be filled with Him, we search. Some find God, and some don’t. The sense of aimlessness and lack of purpose haunts some. We think of the classic novel “On the Road,” which is the story of two characters traveling the country. At first, the lure of freedom is fun to think about, but the truth is, if people don’t fill that God-shaped hole with God, despai...
Oct 31, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1417
Where are you headed, friend? Psalm 25:4 says, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.” Whether you’ve lived in the same place your entire life, or you’ve been blessed to travel the world, each and every life is a journey. An opportunity to learn, grow, and impact others as we follow the path God has planned for us. Moses and the Israelites must have been expert travelers by the time they finally reached the Promised Land, and their journey was no pleasure trip. God sent 10 devastating pl...
Oct 30, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1416
Today friends, we conclude our series all about the Bible, covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and to our time. The Bible stands alone in historical literature. The internal evidence is that it’s really the Word of God run all through scripture. Here’s one. Out of the many kings who ruled various nations from 2000 to 400 BC, the Bible lists 40 of them in the correct time and place that they ruled. This means that the biblical writers had reliable kno...
Oct 27, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1415
It’s part four in our series All About the Bible, covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and our time. Even though the Bible is world famous, we sometimes hear people say that it was really written for ancient people and that it isn’t relevant for us today. And in a lot of cases, this is totally wrong. It’s true that ancient people compiled the Bible, but God intended it to be for all people in all times and places. Psalm 102:18 says, “Let this be writt...
Oct 26, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1414
Today we continue our series all about the Bible covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and our time. Some believe that the Bible was written and compiled over a very long period of time and was sometimes shared orally, but this would mean that the likelihood of mistakes and inconsistencies could be greater. Exodus 34:27 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write down these words for in accordance with these words, I have made a covenant with you and wi...
Oct 25, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1413
We’re in a series all about the Bible covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and our time. One of the most interesting features of the Bible is that it wasn’t written or compiled by the most impressive people. If we think a person who recorded God’s Word had to be Shakespeare, we’re misunderstanding how God works through ordinary people. Many of those who compiled the books of the Bible were more ordinary than you can imagine. 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “...
Oct 24, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1412
Today, we begin a series all about the Bible, covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and our time. It seems that even today, even in the United States, a country some folks consider a traditionally Christian nation, there’s a severe lack of knowledge about the Bible. Now some would say otherwise, but the Bible is really a pretty straightforward account of how God has worked in the world from the beginning. In fact, in Genesis, which literally means begi...
Oct 23, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1411
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, goodwill toward men!” Remember the story of Jim Elliot and his band of missionaries? They were killed in a jungle by the ver...
Oct 20, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1410
When the last artillery rounds were heard on the Western Front and World War I ended, good men of conscience tried to create a global body that would bring lasting peace to the earth. Their hearts were in the right place. History teaches us though that real peace is elusive and rare. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” We see in Christ that there is no fixing the human...
Oct 19, 2023•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1409
In our humanness, we struggle at times to achieve peace. World War 1 ended 100 years ago, and all sides joined together as a League of Nations to make that conflict the “War to end all wars.” Then World War 2 happened. Our history is littered with noble attempts to make things right, but only God can bring peace to nations, and to individuals. He has promised both! One day, He will make everything new, forever. While we wait for that great day, He also grants us peace in our daily lives. 2 Thess...
Oct 18, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1408
Identifying where our problems originate is one thing, but locating the Divine Healer is key in getting clear of obstacles in our lives. At each mile marker in our life journeys, God is standing alongside the road, smiling at us, and holding out his strong hand to guide us. And from the indispensable wisdom of scripture to stories of human triumphs over tragedies, He is always there reminding us we’re never truly alone. His grace and mercies begin to overshadow and overwhelm those forces that wa...
Oct 17, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1407
