Live the Bible with Wayne Stiles

How can you have hope for the future when literally everything seems hopeless? In this episode of Live the Bible, we peek inside the book of Lamentations. In this great little book, the prophet Jeremiah describes in graphic terms what he witnessed—the destruction of his country. The devastation caused a feeling of overwhelm. Of hopelessness.The good news for us? Our hope is based on the faithfulness of God—not on us. Support the show

Some days in life feel, well...Empty. In this episode of Live the Bible, we pause and look at the only true source of life and meaning of life. In fact, when our lives feel empty, we should see it as a sign that we're trying to find satisfaction in something other than its source—and that is God.This episode from the book of Jeremiah will be a great encouragement to you—especially on those “empty” days. Support the show

How do you deal with shame and guilt? In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at what the Bible says about a topic we all have struggled with on some level. And even after we have placed our faith in Christ, how do we as Christians deal with shame and guilt?It's good news. The great book of Isaiah gives us some powerful principles for practical application in this area. Support the show

What does a marriage need every day? This one thing. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at a topic essential for all of us. (And if you're single, don't worry, the principles apply to you very directly as well.) The Song of Solomon isn't just poetry in the Bible, it's very practical.In fact, no matter who you are or at what station of life, you will be able to apply the principles of this message—immediately. Support the show

How do you listen to a sermon? Honestly, it isn't always easy. There's nothing more frustrating than listening to somebody talk for 30 to 45 minutes and to walk away with nothing. The truth is, there are some specific tactics you can apply to every sermon you hear that will help you get so much more out of it.In this episode of Live the Bible, we find those principles from one who called himself the “Preacher” – King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. Support the show

There's a secret to living intentionally every day. In this episode of Live the Bible, we can learn a valuable lesson from the book of Proverbs from an individual, surprisingly, who never intended to teach us a lesson. But God uses his life for our benefit. Support the show

What are you searching for? I don't mean your car keys or your eyeglasses. I'm talking about LIFE. In this episode of Live the Bible, we get practical on an emotional level— and if we're honest, that's where we tend to live most of life. The world is desperately searching for happiness, and in their search they often miss joy.Where do we find it? Psalm 126 tells us. Support the show

Where is God in our painful moments? That's a fair question, but the book of Job asks it from a totally different perspective. In this episode of Live the Bible, we fasten our seatbelts and take a look at the most miserable man in the Bible—Job.The message of the book offers so much for us to ponder and apply.  Support the show

How do you find the courage to face a fearful situation? In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the life of one of the most courageous women in the Bible—Esther. Don't think that just because she was a queen that she didn't struggle just like us. She did!Esther shows us the confidence we can have in God's sovereignty becomes the reason for our courage to do what's right. Support the show

How do we keep from going back to the old life? In this episode of Live the Bible, we journey to Jerusalem with Nehemiah where he rebuilds the wall. But more importantly, Nehemiah continued what Ezra had done to rebuild the people and help them keep the changes they had made in their lives.How do we keep the change we want in our lives? Nehemiah shows us. Support the show

How well do you guard your source of truth?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at God's "Water Gate” in Jerusalem. That's not a political term, but a gate that walled off and protected the water source. At this gate, Ezra gave a challenging message to God's people that we need to hear as well. We also need to guard our time with the source of our sustenance—God's Word. Support the show

What do you do when trusting God is all you have?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at a king we don't often hear much about. Asa had faith, but he struggled to put that faith into his life. Our Christian life requires we walk by faith and not by sight. This podcast will show us how. Support the show

If you have ever felt like a failure, you are not alone.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the great King David, a man after God's own heart—and a man who failed. How in the world did he get restored after such awful failure? It's an important question, because the answer tells us how we can restore our close walk with the Lord after we fail in our Christian lives. Support the show

Sometimes it feels like God has us fenced in. He surrounds us with rules or hard circumstances, and the only way to move forward, it seems, is to hop the fence.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the lives of Manasseh and Josiah. They remind us that the Bible isn't a museum piece or decoration for our home coffee tables. God gave us His Word and preserved it throughout the centuries so that His truth can help our lives. This episode tells us how.Episode Scripture: 2 Kings 21-22 Support the show

How could Solomon have been so wise and yet mess up so badly?In this episode of Live the Bible, we talk about how wisdom isn't enough. Wisdom requires one more action. Solomon offers a great reminder in our lives to do more than simply read the Bible for knowledge and instruction. We should also read it with a mind to apply it in our lives.Episode Scripture: Selections from 1 Kings Support the show

What can you do when you are unfairly criticized?In this episode of Live the Bible, we talk about finding a place of shelter when the critics show up in your life. King David's example in a time of unfair criticism is a model for us in our days of discouragement. If you're in a season of injustice, you can ease the burden of unjust criticism by knowing that God knows the truth and He will make things right in His time. Support the show

Ever wonder how to make it through the blah days of the week?God gives us a great example. In this episode of Live the Bible, we head to the Elah Valley in Israel, the scene of David's fight with Goliath. It's much more than an exciting story. Why? It shows us what to do with the blah days. (And it doesn't include throwing rocks.) I love how practical God's Word is. This message has quick takeaways we can apply right away—today.  Support the show

What one thing in your past tends to hinder your future?When life hurts us deeply, it's easy to settle into a bitter spirit. The book of Ruth gives us a jolt of hope, because Ruth's story is our story.In this episode of Live the Bible, we see God's grace working in our daily lives for surprisingly good results.  Support the show

What are you afraid of most?Whatever it is, you're not alone. In the book of Judges, Gideon wanted to believe what God said, but Gideon's fear kept him from doing so. God graciously helped him past his fear just like He does us.In this episode of Live the Bible, we tackle one of the most practical issues we struggle with every day—fear. Whatever it is you're afraid of, God is with you and He will show Himself to be a God far bigger than you ever imagined. Support the show

Do you ever wish you could upgrade your relationship with God? In this episode of Live the Bible, we take a virtual tour to one of the most significant sites in the Holy Land. We'll hear what Joshua told Israel.His words do more than review history; they give us principles that help us renew our dedication to God. Support the show

Ever needed a second chance with God? Yep, me too. In this episode of Live the Bible, we see God's people needing a second chance hardly before they had begun as a nation! Camped on the edge of the Promised Land, they heard Moses speak encouraging words that would take them across the Jordan River—all the way home.We need to hear those words as well.Episode Scripture: Selections from Deuteronomy 6, 8, 11, 32 Support the show

Sometimes the most direct path for God's will in our lives is the long way.This episode of Live the Bible deals with something we struggle with almost on a daily basis—struggling with a complaining spirit. We often think we know the shortcut to the Promised Land, just like the Hebrews did.Turns out, they struggled with what we struggle with—and the solution is the same. Support the show

Every time we read the Bible, it reveals how practical it is. But what about the book of Leviticus? This episode of Live the Bible takes us to a book few Christians look at.The book of Leviticus seems irrelevant and out of touch until we look closer at its timeless truths. Suddenly, it opens up a whole world of practical insights for our daily walks with Jesus Christ.A closer walk with God comes because He has made a way possible for us to be forgiven, and then when we blow it, for us to regain our fellowship with Him. Support the show

You are precious in the sight of God. How do you know that?This episode of Live the Bible takes us to the book of Exodus where we'll see that God redeemed us. He bought us, just like He did the with Hebrews of old.This has huge implications for our lives, and it is so, so practical. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and we have the amazing privilege of living each day for Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Support the show

If the Bible tells us anything, it tells us that the evil you've experienced in your life—from family, friends, even from your own doing—God can spin that on its head to bring about a wonderful result if you'll just trust Him.This episode of Live the Bible takes us into a new year with a new series where we'll take one message from each book of the Bible. First up? Genesis, of course, where we look at more than creation, the fall, and the flood, etc. We'll look at how Genesis relates to your life today. Support the show

Well, I'll just go ahead and say it: “Happy New Year!” And Because God's Word is eternal, the Bible speaks to us about the year ahead of us. Psalm 119 says, "Your Word is like a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." But how does God's Word shine a light onto our next steps? This week's episode of Live the Bible tells us. Support the show

Christmas—it's the most wonderful time of the year! Or...Maybe it's more accurate to call it the most stressful time of the year. If you're struggling this Christmas season, believe me—you're not alone. Meaning, of course, you're not the only one who struggles. (I share my story in this episode of Live the Bible.) But you're also not alone because God is with you. In fact, that's what “Immanuel” means—“God with us.”Christ is God's gift for us. And if we can keep that in mind, Christmas really can become a wonderful time, because it reminds us to have hope in His coming for the second time. Support the show

Most of us are familiar with Charles Dickens,' A Christmas Carol.It's the story in which old Ebenezer Scrooge gets a visit from the “Spirit of Christmas Past” as well as two other “spirits.”  In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the HOLY Spirit of Christmas past. Why? The Spirit of God worked in the life of a young couple, and their amazing response offers us rich insights when we look at our future. Think about the year you just came through! What will next year hold? Whatever 2025 brings, this episode gives us what we need to know to face the future with confidence. Support the show

You want to grow deep in your walk with God. But how? So often when we think about growing, we think about some huge hurdle or goal to achieve. In this episode of Live the Bible, we see the simple formula for true growth in the spiritual life.The book of Proverbs spoon-feeds us with wisdom easy to swallow. Support the show

It's tempting to see your life full of holes—and missing what you need to move forward. In this episode of Live the Bible, we tackle the thinking that our current season of life lacks what we need for fulfillment, love, or whatever else we see ourselves without.We tend to look at yesterday or tomorrow as the ideal—when in reality, the Apostle Paul tells us we have so much opportunity in our laps right now. Support the show

Why does a good, loving God allow such evil? And since God is all-powerful, how come He doesn't deal with evil once and for all by this evening?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at these often-asked questions—so relevant to our day. The answer from God's Word is simple and profound. Support the show

Sure, the Bible is the Word of God.But how can we know that it is? And how can we explain it to those not convinced? In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at these essential questions.And thankfully, God's Word (and other evidence) gives us some great answers.Episode Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-16 Support the show

Have you ever asked, “Is Jesus Really the Only Way to Heaven?" And if He is, what about the person who has never heard of Jesus? Thankfully, we are not left to ourselves to figure out these questions. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the Bible's answer to these questions. Frankly, they have greater application in our lives than any other question we could ask.The Bible's answer is crystal clear, and—it's good news. Support the show

If you knew you would die tomorrow, how would that affect today?That's the mindset we need to carry with us all the time. In this episode of Live the Bible, we complete the book of 2 Peter with some great insights from the apostle on how to keep growing in our walk with God the rest of our lives. Support the show

Why doesn't Jesus just hurry up and show up? Great question.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at what is taking so long in God's program. (If He came before April 15, that would be really great.)We wait on God for a lot of things, don't we? Today the Apostle Peter reminds us that, in truth, we are not waiting on God as much as God is waiting on us. Support the show

Memorize these three words: Direction—not speed. We need to remember these words when we get discouraged about how slowly we seem to progress in our spiritual lives.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at our culture (and ourselves) right in the face. Sometimes looking at bad examples makes us feel better about our lives in comparison, but sometimes these bad examples look a lot like our lives. When that occurs, we shouldn't be discouraged. We should let the conviction help us turn a corner.The Apostle Peter shows us that the goal of our spiritual lives is direction—not speed. Support the show

It's the best bad news you'll ever hear. That's because the bad news is only the first step to the good news.And it's really good!In this episode of Live the Bible, we learn surprising truths from 2 Peter 2 as we look our culture (and ourselves) right in the face. We see what the Bible has to say about three people: the good, the bad, and the Almighty.Did I mention it's good news?  Support the show

How do you usually remind yourself of something important? God reminds us of essential truths He wants us to remember by repeating them—truths we often forget! In this episode of Live the Bible, the Apostle Peter writes in 2 Peter 1 about three reminders that matter. These reminders are critical for our walk with God even today. Support the show

Healthy eating and exercise often find their way to our list of goals.But what your about spiritual eating and exercise?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at 2 Peter 1 and seven qualities the Lord tells us we need in order to succeed. In fact, all 7 are found in one passage.Right now is a wonderful time to re-dedicate our lives to growing in our spiritual walk with Christ. Support the show

There's a lion out to get you.No, not a large feline. I'm talking about your greatest enemy—a spiritual foe whom the Apostle Peter likes to a ferocious beast who lurks and looks for a chance to lunge.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look in 1 Peter 5 at a subject so few people talk about today—and that includes so few Christians—the subject of Satan. The Bible clearly teaches he exists, that he is bent on our destruction, and most importantly, that we can stand strong against him.Peter tells us how. Support the show

What's your motive?That simple question can help reboot our minds each day. Here's why. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at 1 Peter 5 as it challenges us to preview our actions through the filter of our motives.This one question, more than any, can help reframe our thinking and set us on a path of success for the day. Support the show

You are struggling. In fact, you struggle often, don't you?Me too. Struggle is baked into our Christian lives.In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at 1 Peter 4 and the best way to struggle. (Hint: Jesus modeled it perfectly.) If we're going to struggle, we might as well do it the best way. Jesus shows us how. Support the show

The Bible serves as our portal through time.It not only tells us about the past (which isn't that hard), but it also tells us about the future—all the way to the end. Even better? It tells us why it matters. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at 1 Peter 4 where Peter tells us that the end is near—and what we can do before Jesus comes. Support the Show.

You want a victorious Christian life.But it ain't easy. In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at the tools God has provided us to have a victorious Christian life. It begins in a very personal place: your mind.The Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4 how to arm ourselves with a mindset of victory—and then how to use that weapon for victory. Support the Show.

The good life. What is it?The world looks at external stuff like money, fun, and health as the good life. But what about the inside stuff—what about our purpose?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look in 1 Peter 3 about what makes life truly good—in spite of the bad all around us.Mind a spoiler? It's actually a focus on hope. Support the Show.

When life seems unfair, it's tough.When marriage seems unfair, it's unbearable.In this episode of Live the Bible, we see one of the best examples of what to do when trying to live the Bible cuts against the grain of our culture. The Apostle Peter gets close to home (literally) in 1 Peter 3.If your marriage feels unfair, God has not left you alone. Support the Show.

You have situations this week that feel unfair. You're not alone.Jesus felt it too.In this episode of Live the Bible, we'll see in 1 Peter 2 the encouraging example of Jesus. How can we deal with unfairness—including bad authority, unfair decisions, and even harsh words and actions?Jesus' example and Peter's words give us practical steps for this much-needed challenge. Support the Show.

Cotton candy compares to most loves these days. Sweet but short.But how wonderful to love what lasts! (And is far sweeter.)In this episode of Live the Bible, we discover the only two things that last forever. The Apostle Peter gives us some practical encouragement in 1 Peter 1–2 to look beyond loving the temporary things—and to love what lasts.Better still, he shows us how to do it. Support the Show.

We could sum up most sermons in two words: “Be good.”But why should we be good?In this episode of Live the Bible, we get the good-news answer to that question. The Apostle Peter knew firsthand the struggle of walking faithfully with Christ, and he shares God's strategy to help us to have victory each day.It begins with our why—our motive.  Support the Show.

God offers us genuine joy in the midst of our struggles. How do we find that joy? In this episode of Live the Bible, we begin a study in 1 Peter with some wonderful insights from Peter how we can laugh through our tears. Joy is part of the Christian life. Don't miss God's gift to you.  Support the Show.

God can work through you.In fact, He already is.We know how God's grace affects us as individuals—both for salvation and for daily life. But in this episode of Live the Bible, the practical chapter of Titus 3 teaches us how we as individuals can affect others for God. Support the Show.