Podcasts about god psalm

In this message, we continue our series on faith through the life of Abram, focusing on Genesis 15:1–6 and the “crisis of comprehension”—those moments when we believe God's promise but cannot understand how He will fulfill it.Abram is 85, still childless, and wrestling with the gap between God's word and his present reality. Yet Genesis 15:6 tells us, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” This sermon reminds us that faith is not the absence of questions; faith is choosing to trust God's character and word even when the “how” is unclear.Key Scriptures:Genesis 15:1–6 — Abram believes God's promise2 Corinthians 5:7 — “We walk by faith, not by sight”Hebrews 11:6 — Faith that pleases GodPsalm 103:13–14 — God remembers we are dustLuke 1:18–20, 34–38 — Mary's faith vs. Zechariah's doubtGenesis 16:1–4 — Sarai, Hagar, and taking matters into human handsHebrews 12:6 — The Lord disciplines those He lovesPsalm 37:4 — Delight in the Lord and the desires of the heartMatthew 19:16–22 — The rich young ruler and surrendered devotionThis message explores how to ask honest questions without demanding proof, how to avoid “Plan B” compromises, how to receive God's “no” as love, and how to stand on the assurance of His word when circumstances do not yet make sense.Faith rests not on what we see, not on our desires, and not on our ability to force outcomes—but on what God has said.

The Theology of Work: How Sin Distorts the Glory of Work Mark Hockley (Lead Pastor) Sermon Date: September 27, 2026Sermon Series: The Theology of WorkBiblical Reference: Various textsSpeaker: Mark Hockley (Lead Pastor) Sermon Video Sermon Slides Bulletin Worship Songs: 10000 ReasonsHere I Am to WorshipGoodness of GodPsalm 23 (Surely Goodness Surely Mercy)Praise to the Lord the AlmightyBe Thou My Vision Bible Reading Plan:Robert Murray M'Cheyne 2-year Bible Reading Plan (Carson version) - resources available on Calvary's website

We welcome Mr. Roy Kim to fill our pulpit. Psalm 43 gives voice to the weary soul that cries out to God in the midst of suffering, injustice, and apparent abandonment. David pleads for God to vindicate him, defend his cause, and deliver him from his enemies. Yet beneath the circumstances lies a deeper spiritual struggle: “Why have you rejected me?” Even while David feels distant from God, he continues to turn toward him as his refuge. His prayer reveals a faith that has been deepened through suffering—a faith that clings to God even when God's presence seems hidden.David asks God to send out his light and truth and lead him back to God's presence, where he can worship the God who is his “exceeding joy.” The psalm ultimately calls God's people to hope in God, not because suffering is easy or because Christians simply need to try harder, but because God himself is faithful. Psalm 43 is not a call to Christian stoicism; it is a comfort for weary and wounded souls.The psalm finds its deepest fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Jesus was the truly righteous sufferer who could rightly plead his cause before God, yet unlike David, he actually was rejected and forsaken as he bore the wrath of God for the sins of his people. Christ is the light and truth David prayed for, the one who brings us into God's presence, saves us from eternal wrath, and gives us unshakable hope. Because of Christ, God's people can hope in God today as they wait for the day when Christ returns, wipes away every tear, restores all things, and brings his people into his presence forever.

[Workshop notice below in footnotes…] ~ Every day we are surrounded with physical things that can remind us about spiritual realities.  For example, the sun can remind us about the light of Christ. An evening breeze can remind us to “be still” and know that only God is God (Psalm 46:1). A loud horn can […]

//Kyle Chamberlain

Wie op God vertrouwt, wordt een licht in het donker voor anderen. Maar hoe doe je dat als het leven tegenzit? Ontdek wat deze psalm zegt over echte houvast.

Erin Pacheco, Director of Worship

What Happens When God Removes What You Trust? Could the thing making you feel secure actually be pulling you away from God? Micah 5 asks an uncomfortable question. God tells His own people He will cut off their horses, destroy their chariots, and throw down their strongholds. Why would God remove the very things Israel believed were keeping them safe? Because those things had begun taking a place in their lives that belonged to God alone. We may not trust in horses and chariots today. But we have our own versions — money, careers, relationships, political leaders, influence, health, intelligence, technology, even ministry. None of these are automatically bad. Any good thing becomes dangerous when we ask it for the identity, security, power, or hope that should come from God. Sometimes the thing we are begging God to preserve is the very thing He knows we have begun trusting instead of Him. That is the conversation on this week's RIOT Podcast — Real Issues. One Truth. — Episode 306: What Happens When God Removes What You Trust? Micah 5. Listen on YouTube or Rumble. Do not settle for a summary when the conversation is waiting for you. Bethlehem's Shepherd-King This week we return to Micah with one of the most important Messianic chapters in the Old Testament. Micah 5 takes us to Bethlehem — where centuries before Jesus was born, Scripture points toward the coming Shepherd-King. The King who would become His people's peace. The King no empire could control. The King who would confront false sources of security. And the King who is coming again. Pastor Pete, Pastor Bill, and Bob walk that line: false security then and now, why God dismantles idols dressed as safety, and what it means to trust the name of the Lord when the props fall away. What are you actually depending on? Maybe the question is not simply: “Do I believe in Jesus?” Maybe we need to ask: “What am I actually depending on to feel secure?” “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7). Trust is not a slogan. It is where your heart runs when the horses are gone. How to listen this week Open the live episode page: https://riotpodcast.co/what-happens-when-god-removes-what-you-trust-micah-5-riot-podcast/ Press play on YouTube or Rumble Share the episode with someone leaning on a false security Ask out loud: What am I actually depending on to feel secure? RIOT Podcast is hosted by Pastor Pete, Pastor Bill, and Bob. New episodes drop on Thursdays. Know Jesus. Love His people. Live it out.

What if the places where trust feels hardest are the very places Jesus longs to meet us? Stasi welcomes Susie Larson to talk about her new book, “More Than You Can Imagine”, and how God meets us in disappointment, suffering, and fear. With compassion and hard-won wisdom, Susie invites us to know God more deeply, trust his goodness, and open our hearts to the healing and freedom he offers.…..SHOW NOTES:…..SUSIE LARSONBook: More Than You Can Imagine: What God Does When You Trust Him (August 11, 2026); order here: ⁠https://wahe.art/3SO1r9f⁠Website:⁠https://www.susielarson.com/⁠Radio – Susie Larson Live:⁠https://www.myfaithradio.com/programs/susie-larson-live/⁠Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/susielarsonauthor/⁠Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/susielarsonauthor⁠SUSIE'S BIOSusie Larson is a talk radio host and podcaster with over 17 million downloads; a national speaker, and bestselling author known for her passion for helping people live in the fullness of God's promises. Through her writing and broadcast ministry, she encourages audiences to walk in freedom, faith, courage, and spiritual authority. Larson's work is marked by biblical depth, personal honesty, and a strong belief in God's power to heal, restore, and redeem. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Kevin.Susie's photo credit: Tammy Brice Creative…..VERSES: Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) – Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GodEphesians 3:19 (NIV) – And to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of GodPsalm 34:18 (NIV) – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spiritEphesians 3:20 (NIV) – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within usActs 26:28 (NIV) – Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”1 Kings 18:21 (NIV) – Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothingMatthew 11:3 (NIV) – To ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”Matthew 11:4–6 (NIV) – Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”Matthew 11:11 (NIV) – Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than heJohn 15:5 (NIV) – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”Psalm 18:19 (NIV) – He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in meRomans 9:13 (NIV) – Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”Ephesians 2:6 (NIV) – And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) – But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from usPsalm 40:3 (NIV) – He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube – ⁠https://wahe.art/4h8DelL⁠Spotify Podcasts – ⁠https://wahe.art/496zdfn⁠Apple Podcasts – ⁠https://apple.co/42E0oZ1⁠ Amazon Music & Audible – ⁠https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ⁠

Having & Being In The Mind Of God - Psalm 144:3 ESV, John Hempstead, Pastor/Elder

Learning to be honest with ourselves and with God Psalm 32:1-11 ESV Recognize your tendency to hide Psalm 139:23-24 Psalm 19:12-13 Pay attention when God gets your attention Hebrews 12:5-6,11 Be quick to repent I John 1:8-9 Proverbs 28:13 Become easier for God to lead II Timothy 3:16-17

Alle landen hadden vroeger hun eigen god met beperkte macht. Maar de God van Israël regeert overal. Juist die God kun jij vertrouwen, waar je ook bent.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 22 Preacher: Jacob Greatbatch  Support the show

Share a commentShame makes smart people act like fugitives. Sometimes the hiding is obvious, like a new name and a new city. Sometimes it's quieter, like a carefully managed story, a tight smile, and a private fear that the truth will catch up. We start with the real account of Katherine Power, who lived for decades under an assumed identity after a bank robbery went wrong and a police officer was killed. When she finally turned herself in, she explained why: she was tired of living with shame, hiddenness, and guilt. That one sentence opens a bigger conversation about what it really takes to come clean.From there, we walk straight into Psalm 51 and listen to David do the hardest thing a sinner can do: stop defending and start confessing. We organize the psalm around five simple words that map the journey back to God: petition, admission, origin, restoration, and resolution. You'll hear why David appeals to mercy and steadfast love instead of “a fair shake,” why blot out, wash, and cleanse describe different depths of forgiveness, and why real confession refuses excuses that subtly blame family, circumstances, or even God.We also talk about the roots beneath the actions. David goes beyond “I sinned” to “I am a sinner,” naming the deeper problem of a corrupted nature. That honesty sets up real hope: restoration is not self-improvement, it's a miracle of renewal, a clean conscience, and a new heart. We close with David's resolve to turn forgiveness outward, teaching others the way back and turning grace into a song the whole community can sing.If you want language for true repentance, a clearer picture of mercy, and a practical way to stop hiding, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a fresh start, and leave a review telling us what line stayed with you.Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentShame makes smart people act like fugitives. Sometimes the hiding is obvious, like a new name and a new city. Sometimes it's quieter, like a carefully managed story, a tight smile, and a private fear that the truth will catch up. We start with the real account of Katherine Power, who lived for decades under an assumed identity after a bank robbery went wrong and a police officer was killed. When she finally turned herself in, she explained why: she was tired of living with shame, hiddenness, and guilt. That one sentence opens a bigger conversation about what it really takes to come clean.From there, we walk straight into Psalm 51 and listen to David do the hardest thing a sinner can do: stop defending and start confessing. We organize the psalm around five simple words that map the journey back to God: petition, admission, origin, restoration, and resolution. You'll hear why David appeals to mercy and steadfast love instead of “a fair shake,” why blot out, wash, and cleanse describe different depths of forgiveness, and why real confession refuses excuses that subtly blame family, circumstances, or even God.We also talk about the roots beneath the actions. David goes beyond “I sinned” to “I am a sinner,” naming the deeper problem of a corrupted nature. That honesty sets up real hope: restoration is not self-improvement, it's a miracle of renewal, a clean conscience, and a new heart. We close with David's resolve to turn forgiveness outward, teaching others the way back and turning grace into a song the whole community can sing.If you want language for true repentance, a clearer picture of mercy, and a practical way to stop hiding, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a fresh start, and leave a review telling us what line stayed with you.Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Door Johan Visser

House of Praise, Life of Power September 6, 2026 Elwyn N. Johnston Psalm 100 Verse of the Week: “Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3 1. Worship God for His worth, not just His works “Know that the Lord Himself is God” Psalm 100:3 “For the Lord is good” Psalm 100:5 “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:3 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God” Isaiah 45:5 “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:6 “I am the Lord, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:18 “there is no other God besides Me” Isaiah 45:21 “magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” Luke 1:46 & 47 “those who know Your name put their trust in You” Psalm 9:10 “Trust in Him at all times…God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8 “we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 2. Worship is a weapon “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.” Acts 16:25 & 26 “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me….I cry by day, but You do not answer” Psalm 22: 1 & 2 “enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3 “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” Job 13:15 “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death], yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God” Job 19:25 & 26 “when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha.” 2 Kings 3:15 “Make this valley full of ditches…You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water” 2 Kings 3:16 & 17 “It happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.” 2 Kings 3:20

Here is a great message about nations who know God!  Have a blessed week!

Preacher: Russell Horner

Everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. In this message from Romans 11:33–36, we are reminded that we are not owners, but managers—called to live with gratitude, purpose, generosity, and accountability.Scripture: Romans 11:33–36+ All we have is from GodPsalm 24:1–2 NIVJames 1:17 NIVPsalm 50:12 NIVEphesians 2:8–10 NIVPhilippians 2:13 NIV+ From Pride to Praise1 Corinthians 4:7 NIVDeuteronomy 8:17–18 NIV1 Chronicles 29:10–14 NIV+ From Possessiveness to Purposefulness+ From Consumerism to CommunityEphesians 4:28 NIV+ From Autonomy to Accountability

You Can Outrun the Goodness of God | Psalm 23:6You've been praying. You've been showing up. And somewhere in the back of your head there's a sentence you don't say out loud: I haven't felt God's goodness in a long time.Most of us assume that means He stopped. Psalm 23:6 says something harder — and stranger."Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me" is the polite translation. The Hebrew is a hunting word: pursue, chase, hunt down. David wrote it as a man who spent most of his life being chased for real — by Saul, by foreign armies, eventually by his own son.So if it's chasing you, why hasn't it caught you?In the finale of our four-week walk through Psalm 23, Pastor Johnny and Pastor Tim Grandstaff sit in one verse and land on the uncomfortable answer: you can outrun it. Not because God is slow — because we've built lives too busy to be caught, and faith too departmentalized to be led.In this episode: — Why "surely" is a verdict, not a hope — Tov — the goodness chasing you is the same word God spoke over creation in Genesis 1 — "Follow" is a mistranslation. It means hunted — Luke 15 and the rich young ruler: He left the 99 to find the one — and He let another man walk away — "God is good on Sunday, but He's not with me on Monday" — the faith problem we create ourselves — Chris the sheep: 90 pounds of wool, and how nobody drifts overnight — The three positions of the shepherd — front, middle, behind — and where all three show up in the psalm — "I shall dwell in the house of the LORD" isn't about a building. It's about presence — John 10: the sheep don't move for strangers. They only move for the voice they knowThis week's challenge: read John 10 alongside all of Psalm 23. And slow down enough to get caught.

Pastor Patrick Carmichael & occasional guest speakers deliver God's Word at Christ Bible Church's weekly Sunday services. Mission Hills, California.

Sermon from Pastor Gary Collins on August 30, 2026

Praising God is a continuous choice.  God has given us free will, and when we choose to praise Him continually, it puts us in a position to receive His blessings.  In this episode Rabbi shares how to praise God continually. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner  **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/gkd   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

God is the Creator of the Heavens and creation responds to Him (Psalm 96:5, 96:11-12) God is great and to be glorified–The primary Hebrew word for glory is kavod, which literally means "heavy" or "weighty"– it's real, and substantive, carries true worth and importance (Psalm 96:3-6, 96:7-8) Psalm 19 says that the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1) Nature declares Him to be God (Psalm 96:11-12) He is unique and separate (holy) and the only true God (Psalm 96:4-6, 96:9) God will come as judge, and all nature rejoices that He comes to judge the world (Psalm 96:11-13)

Sunday AM sermon.

God staat naast je, ook als het leven onzeker voelt. De dichter van Psalm 16 ontdekte dat vertrouwen op God echte vreugde geeft. Benieuwd hoe dat voor jou kan klinken?

August 23, 2026

The Bible clearly describes foolish behavior and warns us about it. Some people behave foolishly on a sporadic basis; others are consistently foolish. As we talk about foolish people, we need to be aware that we could be talking about ourselves as well. None of us is exempt from any of these foolish characteristics. I spent ten years doing my own thing, walking away from my commitment to Jesus Christ, and I shake my head as I think of how foolishly I behaved in those years. We will look to God's Word to define foolish behavior for ourselves and look again to tell us what our responsibility is when we deal with that kind of person. Not all foolish people have all these characteristics. You may know foolish people with only one of these traits, but it is so pronounced that it consumes them. What is foolish behavior? Denying, disregarding, or rebelling against God The fool says in his heart “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). It is very foolish to ignore the living God. In fact, nothing could be more foolish. And this applies not only to those who are outright atheists or agnostics but also to those who live as though there is no God. If you asked them, many would say, “I believe there is a God.” But nothing in their life or lifestyle shows any acknowledgement of God. They live as though God does not exist. The Bible says they are fools. Slandering, lying, deceiving He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool (Proverbs 10:18). Foolish people don't hesitate to lie. They are big on running other people down. Their mouths often get them into trouble. Just think of the foolish people you know. Isn't their mouth one of their biggest problems? When our mouths are out of control, we, too, are foolish.

https://anchorbaptist1611.com/

What am I to God? (Psalm 8) by Harvest Church

In today's episode I will be praying over us, reading Psalm 86, and saying whatever the Holy Spirit prompts me to say after I read the scripture. This is day 86 of a series where I will be reading a Psalm everyday on here for 150 days. I challenge you to come to join me everyday as we use scripture to fight off the enemy and grow us in ways that we can't even imagine.   My First Christian Children's book, "You Are Loved" is now available for purchase on Amazon!! Thank you to everyone that has purchased, been praying, supporting, and sharing. All glory goes to God!! Here is the link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZKSPJNB   Link to partner with me and give towards my future mission projects: https://pushpay.com/g/globalventurescatoosa?fnd=missionary&fndv=hide&ru=prod&sr=58535&ad=%7b+%22PledgeID%22%3a%22Y01TRFR1VlklMmJMYkY5NmRNJTJiU2dHU21oWVBXQjN2OXRVNkdsNWpjMUFzamRkRkNBUmN2Z2R0MjdmdTZ2eGduc1U%3d%22%7d&nt=Partner%3aMs+Lorena+Espy+   If you want to receive newsletters: submit your info here: www.postable.com/lorenaespy If you want to check out previous Bible studies, click here To Purchase my "Christ Transforms Me" Journal, click here   Email me: faithfuelsmyfire@gmail.com Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486483515603028/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmBsSKktGU_8WHVNIxhFuzg The Bible App that I use: http://bible.com/app Instagram: @_lorenacamille_ Never Forget to Choose Faith Over Fear, -Lorena Espy

All your ways are known to God. Does that comfort you, or terrify you? The answer to that question depends on whether you know and treasure God's precepts and testimonies.

In today's episode I will be praying over us, reading Psalm 84, and saying whatever the Holy Spirit prompts me to say after I read the scripture. This is day 84 of a series where I will be reading a Psalm everyday on here for 150 days. I challenge you to come to join me everyday as we use scripture to fight off the enemy and grow us in ways that we can't even imagine.   My First Christian Children's book, "You Are Loved" is now available for purchase on Amazon!! Thank you to everyone that has purchased, been praying, supporting, and sharing. All glory goes to God!! Here is the link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZKSPJNB   Link to partner with me and give towards my future mission projects: https://pushpay.com/g/globalventurescatoosa?fnd=missionary&fndv=hide&ru=prod&sr=58535&ad=%7b+%22PledgeID%22%3a%22Y01TRFR1VlklMmJMYkY5NmRNJTJiU2dHU21oWVBXQjN2OXRVNkdsNWpjMUFzamRkRkNBUmN2Z2R0MjdmdTZ2eGduc1U%3d%22%7d&nt=Partner%3aMs+Lorena+Espy+   If you want to receive newsletters: submit your info here: www.postable.com/lorenaespy If you want to check out previous Bible studies, click here To Purchase my "Christ Transforms Me" Journal, click here   Email me: faithfuelsmyfire@gmail.com Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486483515603028/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmBsSKktGU_8WHVNIxhFuzg The Bible App that I use: http://bible.com/app Instagram: @_lorenacamille_ Never Forget to Choose Faith Over Fear, -Lorena Espy

Message 10 “Overcoming Pride” ● Daniel 4:2 1. The Prosperity That Fed His Pride (Daniel 4:4–18) ● Daniel 4:10–12 ● Daniel 4:17 2. The Prophecy That Warned His Pride (Daniel 4:19–27) ● Daniel 4:22 ● Daniel 4:26 ● Daniel 4:27 3. The Pronouns That Revealed His Pride (Daniel 4:28–30) ● Daniel 4:30 ● Include six to eight pictures displaying the greatness of Babylon, blanks for each Proud People Versus Humble People 4. The Punishment That Humbled His Pride Daniel 4:31–33 ● Daniel 4:33 5. The Perspective That Healed His Pride Daniel 4:34–37 ● Daniel 4:34 ● Daniel 4:36 Four Practical Steps for Battling Pride 1. Remember That Every Blessing Comes from God 1 Corinthians 4:7 2. Redirect the Glory to God Psalm 115:1 3. Regularly Serve Others Philippians 2:3–5; Philippians 2:7 4. Rehearse the Gospel Daily Galatians 6:14 ● Abraham lying on his face as God speaks to him. ● Moses and Aaron on their faces before God. ● Joshua falling on his face before God—Joshua 5:14. ● Ezekiel falling on his face before God—Ezekiel 1:28. ● Jesus falling on His face in prayer—Matthew 26:39. ● James 4:6

Passing on the Wonderful Works of God | Jeff White | July 26, 2026https://www.newcityep.com

IntroductionStephen's trial draws to a conclusion. We are confronted with the hardship of living in a sin-cursed world. Stephen is doing everything right. He is faithful to the Lord. He speaks the truth. He boldly proclaims Christ. The apostles' faithfulness has been rewarded with thousands of converts. One would think that this is going to be the trend. Stephen tells us otherwise. Stephen is faithful, and his reward is rejection, being dragged outside the city, and killed.We are moved to a question: What do we do with a gospel like this? We might second-guess and ask, should Stephen have backed off? Should he have softened his message? Should he have simply swept Christ under the carpet so that he could preserve his life?This narrative forces us to question: Is Jesus really essential to the Christian life, or is he something we can make optional when following him becomes difficult? We see in Acts 7 that Christ is not optional. We need Christ because our own righteousness will never be enough. And what we discover in Stephen's death is that earthly suffering does not mean Christ has abandoned his people. In fact, Christ is standing in heaven. He is not taking a passive stance, but an active stance in advancing his gospel despite this setback.The Contrasted Perspectives: Stephen and the MobThe first thing we see is the contrast between Stephen and the crowd. Stephen has just laid out the history of God's covenant interaction with Israel. His summary is that God is faithful and his people have been unfaithful. The crowd is furious. They are shouting, grinding their teeth, covering their ears, and eventually rushing him as a group. Stephen has called them "uncircumcised in heart and ears." The crowd only confirms his indictment. They cover their ears, they refuse to listen, and they refuse to evaluate their own history. They are physically demonstrating fruits that prove Stephen's accusation. They have decided that they know the truth, they know their theology, they know their system, and they are not going to listen to anything that challenges it. We are reminded to be careful when we are so certain.How do we know when to be certain and when to repent? The real issue is Christ. Stephen is not saying that Moses was unimportant or that God's covenant dealings with Israel were meaningless. He is showing that all of these things were pointing beyond themselves to Christ. The law reveals the holiness of God, and it exposes our inability to meet that holiness by our own efforts. The administration given through Moses points us toward the greater reality that comes in Jesus Christ. If we think we can stand before God on the basis of our own accomplishments, we will end up aligned with the crowd. We need Christ. Christ is not optional. We need to take his yoke upon us because there is no other way to life. He is the proper successor to Moses.The ultimate contrast is that as the crowd accuses Stephen, he receives vindication. Luke tells us, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looks up and sees heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. The very Christ whom they rejected, the Christ whom they killed, is standing in glory. Stephen sees the risen and vindicated messiah advocating on his behalf.A Contradictory Profession of FaithThis leads us to the second thing we see: Stephen's profession of faith stands in direct contradiction to the profession of the mob. Political wisdom might have told Stephen to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes silence is golden. They are already angry, and Stephen has every reason to know that saying more is not going to make things better. But Stephen is overwhelmed by the Spirit, and he says, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."Stephen's testimony is very important. Stephen is identifying Jesus as the Son of Man, the Messiah, the one Daniel 7 points us toward. The very man whom they had rejected and killed is now standing in the glory of heaven. And notice that Christ is standing. Normally we think of Christ seated at the right hand of God (Psalm 110), enthroned in glory. But here he stands. The picture is not of a passive Savior who has gone to heaven and simply watches what happens to his people. Christ is active. He is ruling. He sees Stephen. He knows what is happening. Stephen may look abandoned from an earthly perspective, but heaven tells us that Christ is active in his rule.The crowd thinks they are judging Stephen, but Stephen has already been vindicated by Christ. They want to put down a dangerous heretic, but Stephen bears witness to the reality that they did kill the messiah. This communicates the complexity of a fallen world. We might think that our current circumstances mean we are bearing the weight of our sin. However, we might be part of the bigger picture. We need to see that our hope is not found in our circumstances, our reputation, or our earthly success. Our hope is found in the risen Christ who stands at the right hand of God. We might not always understand why history unravels the way it does, but we know that Christ is standing as our shepherd-king.The Contrasted VictoriesThe world will view Stephen's death as an absolute failure. Stephen is dragged outside the city and executed. The crowd gets what it wants. The Sanhedrin does not stop them. A man who faithfully preached Christ is dead. If we were simply looking at the circumstances, we might ask, "Where is the victory?"But Luke is showing us something much bigger. Stephen's death identifies him with Christ. Stephen is now experiencing exactly what Christ said would happen. He is cast outside the city, just as Christ was rejected and cast out (Luke 4:29). And even in his death, Stephen echoes the posture of his Savior. He asks the Lord not to hold this sin against them, and he entrusts his spirit to Christ (Acts 7:59-60; cf. Luke 23:34, 46). There is no bitterness here. There is confidence. Stephen knows that death does not have the final word. He is passing from this life into the presence of the Lord who is standing at the right hand of God.And then Luke gives us another remarkable detail: Saul is there. Stephen's outer garment is laid at Saul's feet. This tells us that Saul has authority and could stop it. He might not give the order, but he approves of this execution. This is the man who goes to ravage the church.The Lord's victory still shines through. The persecution drives the gospel to Samaria. Saul will become one of the most aggressive missionaries in the early church. Ironically, this man will have a passion to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. We see that Christ is still ruling in the midst of what appears to be a setback.That is the irony of the Christian life. The Lord does not promise that faithfulness will always produce earthly comfort. Sometimes obedience hurts. Sometimes faithfulness costs us something. Sometimes the church appears to be losing. But Christ is not passive. He is standing and ruling over history. The gospel advances despite what appears to be a huge setback.ConclusionShould Stephen have watered down Christ's significance? Should he have made Christ less central? Should he have treated Jesus as something optional?No. Because Christ is Lord. Stephen sees him standing in heaven. And that is what gives Stephen confidence in the middle of suffering. The world may say that Stephen is the loser, that he was a fool for being so committed to Christ, that he should have kept his mouth shut. But Stephen knows something the mob does not know. His life is not ultimately defined by what happens to him in this age. His life is defined by Jesus Christ, and his certainty is guaranteed in Christ.And that is our hope as well. We live in a sinful world, and God's redemptive purposes often work themselves out in ways that are not pretty or comfortable. But Christ is not passive. He is standing in the glory of heaven. He is ruling, defending, protecting, and advancing his church. And even when we cannot see how he is doing it, Christ is still at work.Stephen's confidence was not in Stephen. It was in Christ. His hope was not that this life would turn out in victory. His hope was that Christ would shepherd him through this life and into the life to come. And so when we find ourselves facing suffering, opposition, disappointment, or things that simply do not make sense, we remember where our hope is. It is not in ourselves. It is in Jesus Christ. We are assured that taking the yoke of Christ is not tyranny. It is life. And because Christ has made us his own, we can press forward with confidence in his power.Our life is found in Christ. Therefore, let us press forward, trusting him, even when faithfulness is costly, because Christ Jesus has made us his own.

Send us a message!We take a break from Paul's letters to celebrate a milestone week by reading “the Bible's greatest hits” that have strengthened believers for generations. We focus on David's greatest Psalms and let wisdom, comfort, confession, and praise shape our hearts.• why certain Bible passages feel universal and timeless• Psalm 1 on resisting corrupt counsel and meditating on God's commands• Psalm 23 on God's guidance through the darkest valley• Psalm 46 on God as refuge and the call to stop striving and know him• Psalm 51 on confession, mercy, and asking God for a pure heart• Psalm 139 on being fully known, guided, and searched by God• Psalm 103 on remembering God's kindness, compassion, and justiceSend me a message. I'd love to hear what your favorite psalm is. At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

Today's Bible Verse: "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves." — Psalm 127:1–2 Planning is a wise and necessary part of life, but Psalm 127:1–2 reminds us that our plans are never meant to replace our dependence on God. We can work hard, set goals, and prepare for the future, but lasting success comes when our efforts are built on the foundation of God's wisdom and guidance. It's easy to believe that if we just work a little harder or stay a little busier, we'll finally gain the security we're looking for. Yet these verses challenge that mindset. God doesn't call us to a life of endless striving or anxious self-reliance. Instead, He invites us to trust that He is the One who establishes our work, protects our lives, and provides for our needs. Want to listen without ads? Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Membertoday: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribeLooking for a peaceful way to end your day? Listen to "Your Nightly Scripture" to end your day with God's word Meet Today’s Host: Carol Ogle McCracken Carol Ogle McCracken is a dynamic Christian speaker, author, and Bible teacher known for her warmth, humor, and transparency. She brings biblical truths to life through real-world stories and relatable experiences—whether navigating alcohol recovery, parenting a child with special needs, or walking through divorce. Today, she serves as Minister of Discipleship at her local church and shares God’s Word through women's retreats, conferences, and online devotionals. Her book, Wisdom: Where to Find It if You’ve Lost, Forgotten, or Never Had It, was released in 2020 and continues to encourage readers in their pursuit of godly wisdom. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today's episode I will be praying over us, reading Psalm 76, and saying whatever the Holy Spirit prompts me to say after I read the scripture. This is day 76 of a series where I will be reading a Psalm everyday on here for 150 days. I challenge you to come to join me everyday as we use scripture to fight off the enemy and grow us in ways that we can't even imagine.   My First Christian Children's book, "You Are Loved" is now available for purchase on Amazon!! Thank you to everyone that has purchased, been praying, supporting, and sharing. All glory goes to God!! Here is the link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZKSPJNB   Link to partner with me and give towards my future mission projects: https://pushpay.com/g/globalventurescatoosa?fnd=missionary&fndv=hide&ru=prod&sr=58535&ad=%7b+%22PledgeID%22%3a%22Y01TRFR1VlklMmJMYkY5NmRNJTJiU2dHU21oWVBXQjN2OXRVNkdsNWpjMUFzamRkRkNBUmN2Z2R0MjdmdTZ2eGduc1U%3d%22%7d&nt=Partner%3aMs+Lorena+Espy+   If you want to receive newsletters: submit your info here: www.postable.com/lorenaespy If you want to check out previous Bible studies, click here To Purchase my "Christ Transforms Me" Journal, click here   Email me: faithfuelsmyfire@gmail.com Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486483515603028/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmBsSKktGU_8WHVNIxhFuzg The Bible App that I use: http://bible.com/app Instagram: @_lorenacamille_ Never Forget to Choose Faith Over Fear, -Lorena Espy

[1 Samuel 16:1, 7, 13 NIV] The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." [7] But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." [13] So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.David received God's promise ______________ before he received the ______________.[Acts 13:22 NIV] After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'An obedient heart ______________ Gods ______________ over you.[Psalm 27:10 NIV] Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.[Psalm 69:8 NIV] I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother's children;Leadership ______________ long before the ______________.David's primary ______________ was in his ______________ to God[Psalm 27:13 NIV] I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.[Psalm 143:8 NIV] Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.[1 Samuel 16:19, 21 NIV] Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." [21] David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.[1 Samuel 17:32-37 NIV] David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." [33] Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth." [34] But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, [35] I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. [36] Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. [37] The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."It doesn't matter what you ______________, it matters what God ______________.[2 Samuel 7:22 NIV] "How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

Have you been reading the Word, praying, showing up at church, and still walking away feeling flat and far from God?Kathy Lindberg, founder of Watered by the Word, named something on the Treasured Wellness Show that I have watched play out in the lives of so many women I work with. Women come to her and say, “Kathy, I'm doing all the things. I'm going to church. I'm reading my Bible. I'm praying. I have my quiet time.” And they still feel empty. Still dissatisfied. Still stuck.I told Kathy something I believe with my whole heart. Spiritual fatigue is the most dangerous form of fatigue there is. When your body is tired, you feel it. When your mind is foggy, you notice it. But when your spirit runs dry while you keep performing the motions of faith, you can go a long time before anyone, including you, recognizes what is happening.The Trap of the Full ChecklistKathy calls it being a box checker, and she is honest that she has been there herself. The quiet time gets crossed off the list right alongside the emails, the school pickups, and the meetings. The heart posture underneath quietly slips away while the activity keeps going.Here is what most women never get told. A full checklist can sit right on top of an empty tank. You can be faithful in every observable way and still feel disconnected, because the doing was never the point. The relationship was. And that gap carries a real cost, one that often has a physical layer nobody is examining.When Your Faith Feels Flat, Look at Your Whole PersonI want to address something to the woman who has been praying harder, serving more, and secretly wondering whether her dryness means her faith is failing.Sometimes the spiritual flatness you feel has a root that reaches all the way into your body. When you have been running on chronic stress for years, your cortisol rhythm flattens, inflammation builds quietly, and your nervous system stays locked in a state of powering through. In that state, your capacity to feel almost anything, including the presence of God you know is there, gets muffled or muted.Here is the part most midlife women do not realize yet. What you are feeling is common, and it is a signal.The exhaustion, the flatness, the sense that something is off long before any lab test reading confirms it. In my experience most women are already roughly two-thirds of the way toward a diagnosis by the time their bloodwork flags it through a conventional reading.That means the tiredness you have been powering through sits inside a window where things are still very changeable. Common has quietly convinced a lot of women it is normal. It is common, and it is not normal, and this is exactly the moment where taking the reins changes the outcome.This is part of what I call High-Functioning Fatigue™, the invisible depletion of a woman whose drive has outpaced her body's current capacity. She looks capable on the outside because she is. Underneath, the tank is running dangerously low, and it touches every part of her, spirit included. The woman in that place is asking for answers, for language to understand what her body has been trying to tell her, so her spirit has room to breathe again.The Invitation Is Smaller Than You ThinkHave you been believing that reconnecting with God requires an hour you do not have?Kathy shared something freeing. Jesus is offering an invitation, and it holds whether you have five minutes or five hours. There is life to be given through the Word, through silence, through prayer, in whatever measure of time you can plug in today. It is never too late, and there is no expectation of perfection.This is the same principle I build into the lives of the women I guide. We create daily restore times, small intentional pauses to be with the Lord and to let the body settle out of emergency mode. Some days that looks like a cozy chair and a full cup of coffee.Most days it looks like five minutes before you open your laptop, listening to a Psalm, breathing slow, letting your nervous system come down. Scripture calls us to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Stillness is a practice you can steward, one small choice at a time.Kathy keeps Scripture note cards where she will see them, on the mirror, on the refrigerator, in the car during her commute. During her own fiery season, filling her mind with the things of God was literally life giving. That is stewardship of the mind, and it is a spiritual practice and a physiological one at the same time.What you feed your mind, your body listens to.You Were Made to Prosper as Your Soul ProspersThe verse that anchors everything I do is 3 John 1:2. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”Read it slowly. Your health and your soul were designed to rise together. To be united. When one is depleted for long enough, the other feels the drought.So here is the question I want to leave with you. What if that emptiness you have been carrying is your whole person asking to be understood and cared for, while there is still time to respond well?You do not have to figure this out alone. Kathy said it plainly, and Scripture said it first in Genesis. We were made for community, not to walk this out in isolation. The same is true of your health. This is the season to take control and steward it with intention, before the window narrows.Ready to begin stewarding your health with specific intention?Subscribe to Treasured Wellness!Treasure your wellness!XO, Michelle.This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your physician before making changes to your diet, exercise, or supplement routine. Michelle McCoy is not a licensed physician or dietitian. Get full access to Treasured Wellness at treasuredwellness.substack.com/subscribe

The Inescapable God - Psalm 138-139 & Proverbs 9 by Shawn Ozbun

The same skies that scientists refer to as a cosmic accident are telling a different story. On today's edition of Family Talk, science educator David Rives shares how the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). From a fossil discovery in his backyard as a young boy to founding the Wonders Center and Science Museum, he reveals how astronomy, biology, and geology all point back to God, the ultimate designer. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29?v=20251111