Podcasts about Niv

Have you ever felt anxious without knowing why? In today's Crosswalk Devotional, we explore Psalm 139:23-24 and discover that God knows our hearts more deeply than we know ourselves. When hidden fears, unprocessed pain, or subconscious burdens fuel our anxiety, the Lord gently invites us to bring everything into His healing presence. God never searches our hearts to condemn us but to restore us. Through His grace, He reveals the places where fear, lies, or unresolved wounds keep us from experiencing His peace. As we invite Him to search our hearts, He faithfully leads us toward greater freedom, deeper trust, and the abundant life He desires for His children. Highlights: Discover how Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows every thought, fear, and hidden burden we carry. Learn why inviting God to search your heart is a powerful step toward healing and lasting peace. Be encouraged that God reveals our struggles to restore us—not to shame or condemn us. Understand how unresolved pain and hidden beliefs can contribute to anxiety beneath the surface. Find hope in God's promise to lead you away from fear and into His everlasting peace. Rest in the assurance that God's grace is greater than every anxious thought you face. Join the Conversation Have you ever experienced anxiety that seemed difficult to explain? How has inviting God to search your heart helped you find peace or healing? We'd love to hear your story in the comments. Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: When You Don’t Know Why You’re Anxious By Jennifer Slattery Bible Reading:Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV). I’ve experienced chronic anxiety for as long as I can remember. Until about five years ago, I assumed this was mostly biological, with a few uncomfortable scenarios sprinkled in. And while there may have been some truth to that, I’ve since learned a lot more occurred beneath the surface than I realized. That was a problem, because it’s hard to manage something with roots below conscious awareness. But one day, as I read Psalm 139, a thought hit. The lord knows me better than I know myself. He sees things in my soul that I don’t, and He lovingly shines His healing light into all those spaces where lies and unprocessed hurts reside. From that day on, I began praying today’s passage, asking God to reveal everything within me that weakened my relationship with Him and hindered my peace. David, ancient Israel’s second king who penned Psalm 139, began with a declaration of a truth I find comforting. “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me” (v.1). Not because God needed increased information. The Lord knew everything about him, since before he took his first breath. He then expanded on this in verses 2-4, saying, “You know when I sit and when I rise;you perceive my thoughts from afar.You discern my going out and my lying down;you are familiar with all my ways.Before a word is on my tongueyou, Lord, know it completely.” David was saying, “You know every thought, concern and motive.” The same is true for us. The Lord knows every task weighing heavily on our hearts, every frustration we’ll encounter, and each moment that might challenge our peace and self-control. He sees the pits ahead of us and the detours we’ll feel tempted to take. Some find this depth of knowledge intimidating, maybe because they don’t understand God’s heart. The One who probes the deepest places within us is the same God who gave us His Son, that we might live. David understood this grace. In 1 Samuel 25, he became enraged and nearly annihilated an entire household because of one man’s offense. But the Lord used a wise woman named Abigail to stop him. Later, when David should have been out commanding his army (2 Samuel 11:1), he instead remained home, casually ambling upon the palace rooftop, which was designed to allow kings a bird’s eye view of their land, including the people they ruled. While there, he happened to see a married woman in the land below performing her post-menstrual ritual, per Jewish law. David lusted after and used his authority and royal officials to take her. In modern days, this would’ve fallen well within the #me too movement, because I highly doubt, in this patriarchal society where men often treated women as property, that Bathsheba had the ability, not to mention courage, to refuse the “request” of royal officials or the advances of a king. Then, as if that wasn’t atrocious enough, upon learning his victim was pregnant, he had her husband killed—to hide his sin. Yet, although he did experience consequences, he also received grace (Ps. 51), considering the extent of his sin, extreme grace. Because that’s the promise God made. When we confess our sins, every and any sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). He never searches our souls to condemn us. Rather, He probes and illuminates to cover our biggest faults with mercy and undeserved favor. Everything He does and allows flows from these two motives: One is to bring us flourishing life characterized by love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22-23). His second is to reveal His glory, which is another way of saying who He is in all His attributes. His goal? To awaken our awareness of His greatness so that we would turn to and depend more fully on Him, which is the only way to experience the thriving life Jesus promised in John 10:10. Intersecting Life & Faith: The more we grasp Christ’s heart and ways, the more we want him to reveal those things that are keeping us stuck—in anxiety, fear, anger, bitterness, rage. Whatever distorts our perspective and causes us to behave in ways contrary to who we truly are. Let me read today’s passage again, and perhaps make this your prayer: Search me, God, and know my heart. To the ancient Hebrews, the heart was the source of our motivations, thoughts, and will, including our subconscious. “Test me, Lord.” Look beyond our external behavior to examine those thoughts, motives, and patterns, conscious or not, triggering our anxiety. But here’s the beautiful part. God reveals what’s harmful within us in order to lead us one step further on His path to thriving, everlasting life. The fact that the Lord preserved this prayer in Scripture indicates He intends for us to actively pursue this level of transformation. To invite Him to reveal whatever is keeping us from full, thriving life. That’s a powerful step toward living free. Further Reading: Jeremiah 17:9-10 Hebrews 4:12-13 Isaiah 26:3 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260721dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.” Matthew 13:24-26 Weeds If you have ever planted a garden, you know that there is one kind of plant that will always grow. The green beans may not germinate, the corn might get scorched and produce little, and the bugs might eat up your cucumbers. But weeds are guaranteed. I have never once planted them in my garden. And yet every year they are my most “successful” crop. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus puts on his farmer’s hat for us and teaches us some lessons from the fields. The farmer will work the soil, remove the stones, add fertilizer as needed, and carefully plant his crops. But the weeds will always grow. So, it is in our lives. Our gracious God has carefully planted the seed of the good news of Jesus in our hearts. He seeks to grow us by raining down his Word onto the field of our hearts. He watches in eager anticipation for the seed to sprout and grow, and our lives to show the fruits of that planted faith. And yet, there are weeds. They can sprout up in a moment and overwhelm the good seed that has been planted. Sin will always be a struggle for the child of God as long as the Lord allows us to keep growing in his field. So, what should you do? Ignore them? Allow them? Give up? Of course not! To do so could choke out your faith entirely. Instead, kill the weeds of sin by exposing them to the light of God’s Son. Trust the forgiveness that Jesus has won for you. Live as a forgiven child of God. And never tolerate the weeds. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for planting your Word in my heart. When weeds start to grow, bring me back to the light of Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

คอลัมน์ “สดแต่เช้า”ปีที่6(ตอนที่112)จงชนะความชั่วด้วยความดี!“อย่าให้ความชั่วชนะเราได้ แต่จงชนะความชั่วด้วยความดี”‭‭ ~โรม‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬ ‭THSV11‬‬“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”‭‭ ~Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬มีคำกล่าวว่า“ความชั่วสูญเสียอำนาจของมันเมื่อใครบางคนเลือกความดี!(Evil loses its powerwhen someone chooses goodness.)อ.เปาโลกำชับให้เราเลือกความดีเหนือความชั่ว ไว้ดังนี้​“อย่าให้ความชั่วชนะเราได้”(Do not be overcome by evil)ความชั่วชนะเรา 1).เมื่อมันทำร้ายเรา และ2).เมื่อมันเปลี่ยนเราให้กลายเป็นเหมือนมัน ก.เมื่อมีคนโกหกเรา ~แล้วเราโกหกตอบข.เมื่อมีคนเกลียดเรา ~แล้วเราเกลียดกลับค.เมื่อมีคนโกรธเรา~แล้วเราโกรธตอบง.เมื่อมีคนทำร้ายเรา ~แล้วเราแก้แค้นทำร้ายกลับจ.เมื่อมีคนโกงเรา~แล้วเราโกงกลับ ฯลฯในนาทีที่เราจะคิดว่า “เราเอาคืนได้สำเร็จ” ความชั่วได้ชนะใจเราในนาทีนั้นแล้ว!เวลาที่มารซาตานใช้ความชั่วชนะเรามันไม่ได้เพียงต้องการแค่ทำให้เราเจ็บปวด แต่มันยังต้องการทำให้เรา สูญเสียพระลักษณะของพระคริสต์ในชีวิตของเราไปดังนั้นทความชั่วที่อันตรายที่สุด ไม่ใช่ความชั่วที่อยู่รอบตัวเรา แต่คือความชั่วที่เริ่มเติบโตขึ้นภายในใจของเรา!​“แต่จงชนะความชั่วด้วยความดี”( but overcome evil with good.)พระเจ้ามิได้สอนให้เรายอมแพ้ต่อความชั่วแต่ทรงสอนให้ เอาชนะด้วยอาวุธที่สูงล้ำกว่าแล้วอะไร คือ อาวุธที่เลิศล้ำกว่า?เปาโลเรียกอาวุธทรงพลังนั้นว่า “ความดี!”“ความดี”1).ในความหมายทั่วไป คือ“การกระทำ คำพูด หรือความคิดที่ถูกต้อง ดีงาม เป็นประโยชน์ และไม่เบียดเบียนผู้อื่น” 2).ตามคัมภีร์ไบเบิล หมายถึง ผลของพระวิญญาณบริสุทธิ์ ที่สำแดงพระลักษณะของพระคริสต์ ได้แก่ก.รักแทนความเกลียดข.ให้อภัยแทนการแก้แค้นค.อวยพรแทนการสาปแช่งง.เมตตาแทนความโกรธจ.พูดความจริงด้วยความรักฉ.ทำสิ่งถูกต้อง ดีงาม แม้ไม่มีใครเห็น“ความดี”เช่นนี้มีพลัง เพราะพระวิญญาณบริสุทธิ์ทรงเป็นผู้สร้างขึ้นในชีวิตเราพระเยซูคริสต์เองทรงเป็นแบบอย่างให้เห็นในยามที่ความดีอยู่กับพระองค์ ดังนี้ 1).เมื่อถูกดูหมิ่น พระองค์ไม่ทรงด่าตอบ2).เมื่อถูกทำร้าย พระองค์ทรงอธิษฐานเผื่อผู้ที่ตรึงพระองค์3).เมื่อถูกเกลียดชัง พระองค์กลับยังทรงรักเหมือนเดิมดูเหมือนที่ไม้กางเขน พระเยซูพ่ายแพ้ แต่~ความรักของพระเจ้า ชนะความเกลียดชัง~การให้อภัยชนะการแก้แค้น~ชีวิตใหม่ชนะความตายนี่คือชัยชนะโดยความดีที่พระเจ้าทรงประทานให้!และความดีที่กระทำด้วยความรักสามารถหยุดวงจรแห่งความชั่วได้!สรุปขอให้เราชนะความชั่วร้ายด้วยความดีอยู่เสมอ ดังนี้​เมื่อเราถูกนินทา…จงรับมือด้วยความจริง​เมื่อเราถูกทำร้าย…จงเมตตาให้อภัย​เมื่อเราถูกปฏิเสธ…จงตอบสนองด้วยความรัก4.เมื่อเราถูกเข้าใจผิด…จงยังคงรักษาหัวใจให้สะอาดเพราะชัยชนะของเรานั้นไม่ใช่การทำให้อีกฝ่ายหนึ่งแพ้แต่คือการไม่ยอมให้ความบาปชั่วเข้าครอบครองหัวใจของเราเป็นอันขาด!…เห็นด้วยไหมครับ?……………………………………ธงชัย ประดับชนานุรัตน์ 21กรกฎาคม2026(ตอนที่112ปีที่6) #YoutubeCJCONNECT#คริสตจักรแห่งความรัก#Churchoflove #ShareTheLoveForward #ChurchOfJoy #คริสตจักรแห่งความสุข#NimitmaiChristianChurch #คริสตจักรนิมิตใหม่#ฮักกัยประเทศไทย #อัลฟ่า#หนึ่งล้านความดี

Dr. Jeannine Brown is The David Price Professor of Biblical and Theological Foundations at Bethel Seminary, where she has taught for 26 years. She focuses her research on the New Testament, hermeneutics, and integration. She's written a bunch of books and commentaries, including Scripture as Communication, Becoming Whole and Holy, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (editor), commentaries on Matthew, Philippians, and 1 Peter (forthcoming), and a couple books most pertinent to our conversation: Gospels as Stories and The Greatest Story Ever Retold (with John Anthony Dunne). Jeannine is a member of the NIV translation committee. In this podcast conversation, we talk about reading the gospels as narratives versus harmonizing the 4 Gospels, and we also talk about the portrayal of Jesus in film, including the popular The Chosen series. Time Stamps:00:00 Introduction02:57 Why Read the Gospels as Narrative?07:36 Are the Gospel Differences Contradictions?11:45 Ancient Biography and the Gospels21:45 Why John's Gospel Is Different33:44 How Each Gospel Presents Jesus39:15 How to Read the Gospels Well44:15 Bible Movies and Portraying Jesus54:20 The Chosen: Creative License and Biblical FaithfulnessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

July 20, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS07202026_0.mp3Scripture References: Psalms; Hebrews

Psalms 89:14 (NIV) says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” God's justice is based on truth. Our hearts envy and stubbornly hold onto ‘our rights'. This divides our hearts and prevents us from grasping the truth that God's love for all of us is the same and is deeper than we know. Should we not also let His love deepen ours for another person?Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Dr. Brian Hill (Senior Pastor), "What We Believe About the Church".       13.  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”       14.  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”       15.  “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”       16.  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”       17.  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  18.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.       (Matthew 16:13-18 NIV)       23.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  24.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  25.  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.       (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV)       42.  They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.       43.  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  44.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  45.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.         46.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  47.  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.       (Acts 2:41-47 NIV)To view a video version of the Sermon please click on the following link:   https://youtu.be/6WyaRmbHAUk(The audio version of the Sermon will most likely have to be stopped from playing or else it will be heard as well as the audio track of the video version.)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 90:1-2 (NIV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Matthew Week 145       Matthew 26:26b ESV   after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."       Matthew 26:27b-28 ESV   and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.       Matthew 26:29 ESV   29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."       1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV   26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.       Matthew 26:30 ESV   30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.       Psalm 115:1 ESV   Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,   for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!       Psalm 116:1, 8-9, 13, 15   I love the Lord, because he has heard   my voice and my pleas for mercy.       For you have delivered my soul from death,   my eyes from tears,   my feet from stumbling;   9 I will walk before the Lord   in the land of the living.       I will lift up the cup of salvation   and call on the name of the Lord,       15 Precious in the sight of the Lord   is the death of his saints.       Psalm 118:1, 5-6, 29 ESV   Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;   for his steadfast love endures forever!       Out of my distress I called on the Lord;   the Lord answered me and set me free.   6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.   What can man do to me?       Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;   for his steadfast love endures forever!           "But imagine now you're not singing these psalms in celebration of God's dramatic rescue, watching a rehydrated Red Sea still foaming before your disbelieving eyes. Imagine instead you're singing these psalms where Jesus likely was singing them—in the dim light of the upper room, mere moments from your violent capture and arrest, mere hours from trial, torture, and death.   To be able to sing a hymn of praise in that moment—that's serenity. That's "blessed assurance." That's realizing your Father is wise and good and that He can be implicitly trusted. It's refusing to factor your own feelings into your faith decisions. It's valuing His great redemptive plan above your own comfort and safety. And it's choosing to recognize traces of life, hope, glory, and joy in the same situations where most can see only fear, doubt, anxiety, and self-pity." -Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth Singing in the Shadow The quiet place : daily devotional readings Page 86       Matthew 26:39 ESV   39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."       Psalm 75:8 ESV   For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup   with foaming wine, well mixed,   and he pours out from it,   and all the wicked of the earth   shall drain it down to the dregs.       Matthew 26:31-35 ESV   31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 33 Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." 34 Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." 35 Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same.       Isaiah 53:10a NASB95   But the Lord was pleased   To crush Him, putting Him to grief;       Acts 2:23 ESV   23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.       Luke 22:31-34 ESV   31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." 33 Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." 34 Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."       2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV   8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

Passage: Romans 15:1-7 (NIV), Speaker: Justin Kim, Series: Discipleship With Jesus

TAKING GROUND: Opposition In The Spirit Steve Parrish ‭‭‭‭‭Ephesians 6:10–12 (ESV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle (intense struggle) against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Following Jesus is a Journey, leading you to Taking Ground, one step at a time in your DiscipleshipRelationshipsFamilyMinistryCareerCommunityTalents/GiftingsFinancesThere is a spiritual realmGod is Spirit - God created the spiritual realmThere is the Holy SpiritThere is the reality of angelsThere is the reality of fallen angels - Satan/SatanaThere is the reality of demons (likely not angels)There is the reality of false godsOPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: The Holy SpiritJohn 1:43 (ESV) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”Galatians 5:25 (ESV) If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.Acts 16:6–10 (ESV) And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.Misalignment with the Holy Spirit brings brings contentionActs 7:51 (ESV) “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Surrendered TerritoryEphesians 4:27 (NIV) and do not give the devil a foothold.This can happen Personal, Family, RegionUnforgivenessHidden/Addictive SinGeneration SinOccultic PracticeThis establishes a rightful ground to be used for opposition in your life.Daniel 10:13 (ESV) The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,While slavery was a horrific sin of American in it's early years, the sin of Abortion is far worse.Old Testament, Children were murderedMolech - children passed through the fireBaal - sacrifices Why? Favor, protection, blessing, prosperity and agricultural success. Fertility of land and livestock. Protection from enemies and disasters. Divine favor and acceptance.Mark 5:7–10 (ESV) And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: DeceptionRevelation 12:9 (ESV) And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.Ephesians 2:1–2 (ESV) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—Saul/PaulJohn 16:2 (ESV) They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.Acts 7:59–8:1 (ESV) And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.Acts 8:3 (ESV) But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.Acts 9:1–6 (ESV) But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”Believing things that are not true is a spiritual issueThere are great limiters for believers - Revelation is neededOPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Satan/SatanaGenesis 3:14–15 (ESV) The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”He Opposed Jesus: Luke 4:13 (ESV) And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV) so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.James 4:7–8 (ESV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.John 8:44 (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.1 Thessalonians 2:18 (ESV) because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Things Bound In The Spiritual RealmMatthew 17:19–21 (KJV 1900) Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Occultic PracticeNumbers 22:15–17 (ESV) Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.' ” “That cant touch me…”. It can, but you can discern and oppose it.

2026-07-16 Real Growthby Pastor Chris Berg Scripture: Mark 8:22-3022 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don't even go into the village.” 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. Mandeville Bible Church   "Where God's Word is Our Foundation"https://www.mandevillebiblechurch.org/Come and see that God's Word is alive and at work right here in Mandeville.. and throughout the world!All are welcome. 217 Carroll Street, Mandeville, LA 70448Church Office: (985) 626-3114Sunday Service: 9:30AMAdult Sunday School: 10:45-11:30AMNursery and Children's church available.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

We serve God when we take care of others. “Again Jesus said,. . . ‘Do you truly love me? . . . Take care of my sheep' (John 21:16, NIV).

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

July 18 & 19, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

JUL. 8, 2026Pursue God's purpose for your life!'''For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you... plans to give you hope and a future.'"' Jer 29:11 NIVNothing is more gratifying than knowing one's purpose-even when opposition seems unbearable and other distractions threaten to overshadow it. Often when people say they don't have a passion for anything, they mean they don't have faith to believe they could actually do what they really desire in their hearts. Jesus refused to let anyone pull Him away from His purpose. "Someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me! Jesus replied, 'Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?'" (Lk 12:13-14 NIV). In essence, Jesus was saying, "I'm not about to get distracted by conducting an arbitration hearing between you two. That's not part of My purpose for being here on earth." Even up to the day that Jesus gave His life on the cross, there were many sick people needing healing and a myriad of other impossible situations that needed His attention. He knew that through the power of His death and resurrection, all could be addressed. So, despite unresolved problems, He confidently gave His heavenly Father this report on His ministry: "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (Jn 17:4 NLT). Jesus refused to let His disciples, Satan, well-meaning family members, needy people, or anyone else distract Him from His purpose. And you must learn to do that too. This raises the question: Can you state your God-given purpose in a single sentence? Are you pursuing it?Pursue God's purpose for your life "Completing the work you gave me to do"Share This DevotionalSend us Fan MailSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUL. 7, 2026The harvest law."Whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2Co 9:6 NIVThe Bible clearly teaches that those who give generously to God's kingdom purposes will receive something back in return for participating. Furthermore, there's a correlation between how much you give and how much you get back. "Whoever sows generously will also reap generously." This is good news for reluctant givers. When you give away something valuable, it can feel like a loss. You had something; now you don't. And that can be a tremendous disincentive to give more. But Paul put this concept in a completely different light. He said that giving to God's work is not giving something away. It's an investment, not a loss. The farmer who sows doesn't lose seed; he gains a crop. No rational farmer would say, "I'm afraid to sow my seed because then I won't have the seed anymore. What will happen if I need this seed?" Any farmer knows that if he wants a crop, he must sow his seed. This is powerful news for anyone who's afraid to give because of financial insecurity. It suggests that the wisest move we could make financially is to begin sowing our financial seed. When we do, God gets involved in our finances. And that's the most financially secure place we could be. Why? Because when we give, it enables God to return to us more than we've given, to entrust more to us in this life. This in turn enables us to give more. "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion" (v. 11 NIV).That means if you give like you're supposed to, God will give you more.The harvest law."Be generous on every occasion."Share This DevotionalSend us Fan MailSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Dr. Brian Hill (Senior Pastor), "What We Believe About Baptism", Children's Time, Modern Worship Praise Team (11:145 Service).       1.  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  2.  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  3.  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  4.  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.       (Romans 6:1-4 NIV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

July 17, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

God is not like us. It's a very human tendency to try to make Him like us, or to frame our thoughts about Him in human terms - but it's wrong. When the seraphs cry "Holy, holy, holy," they declare that God is separate, apart, other. This week Jim will help us understand some of the "most different differences" between the Creator and His creatures. He'll talk about God's eternal existence, His infinite knowledge and power, and his immutable character. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS07172026_0.mp3Scripture References: Psalms; Hebrews

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Watch the Devotion Based on 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Fight the Good Fight   What are you willing to fight for? When you signed the dotted line, you said to the country, “I am willing to fight for you, for justice, for freedom; I am willing to fight against all enemies foreign and domestic.” And I thank you for that.   Take that same willingness and apply it to your spiritual life. What are you willing to fight for? In a letter to another pastor the apostle Paul commands Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” The faith, the trust, and belief in the truth that Jesus Christ is God and man, the faith in the truth that he lived a righteous life, that he truly died, that he rose from the dead—the faith that he did this for you, so that you, by believing, by having faith in this truth, might “take hold of the eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12).    How is your faith fight? Whether you perceive it or not, you are engaged in a fight, a wrestling match, combat if you will, every single day of your life. This fracas is against the lie from Satan that it is just not worth your time or effort, the lie that you can get after it later, the lie that it is not as important as all the other things you have going on in your life, as relationships, your wealth and finances, your physical health, what you do on leave or liberty. The truth is that all those things suffer when we don't fight the good fight of the faith.   The apostle Paul reassures Pastor Timothy and you, where you and I have become apathetic or disinterested in our fight, Jesus fought the good fight for us. Paul points us to a skirmish that shows Jesus' persistence. “While testifying before Pontius Pilate [Jesus] made the good confession” (1 Timothy 6:13).   My fellow fighters, when the battle is long, when you are weary, when you have lapsed, flee to Christ and see your failures pardoned in Christ's persistent faith.   Then stand on your feet and get ready to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Fight the good fight of the faith until Jesus appears and you may rest from your struggle.   Prayer: Lord Jesus, the fight for my faith in you is fierce and I am often weary. Sometimes I am lazy. Forgive me. Restore me by the strength of your forgiveness. Renew in me the desire to daily put on the armor of God so that I might fight against the lies of the devil with the truths you have taught me. Cause me to stand firm so that I might help others fight the good fight of the faith in you. Amen.   Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Dr. Brian Hill (Senior Pastor), "What We Believe About Baptism", First Grade Bible Presentations, Children's Time, Choir, Blended Worship Praise Team (8:45 Service).       1.  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  2.  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  3.  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  4.  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.       (Romans 6:1-4 NIV)

In order to have godly confidence and shine the brightest for Jesus, you must know who you are in Christ. This episode will equip you to know who Jesus says you are and how to continue to stand firm in your identity in Christ, no matter what comes your way! "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

July 16, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

God is not like us. It's a very human tendency to try to make Him like us, or to frame our thoughts about Him in human terms - but it's wrong. When the seraphs cry "Holy, holy, holy," they declare that God is separate, apart, other. This week Jim will help us understand some of the "most different differences" between the Creator and His creatures. He'll talk about God's eternal existence, His infinite knowledge and power, and his immutable character. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS07162026_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 11; Psalm 147 & 40; Ephesians 3

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

July 15, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

YES THIS IS THE CORRECT PODCAST! Don't be confused - this podcast was first named "Grace in Progress," so that's what you will hear in this throwback episode, and we are going all the way back to 2019 for this one! This information feels even more relevant today as I have so many people in my life walking through heavy seasons and relying on vital friendships like the ones mentioned in this episode.We all have many different types of friends (acquaintances, coworkers, neighbors, etc), but this episode dives into a special type of friend that I call a "mat carrier," based on the miracle story in Mark 2. Learn what this important friend looks like with 5 characteristics of a mat carrier, and how to recognize/apply these characteristics in your life.Bible verse:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%202:1-12;&version=NIV

God is not like us. It's a very human tendency to try to make Him like us, or to frame our thoughts about Him in human terms - but it's wrong. When the seraphs cry "Holy, holy, holy," they declare that God is separate, apart, other. This week Jim will help us understand some of the "most different differences" between the Creator and His creatures. He'll talk about God's eternal existence, His infinite knowledge and power, and his immutable character. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS07152026_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 11; Psalm 147 & 40; Ephesians 3

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God's purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

July 14, 2026 The Daily Walk Devotional Podcast by Walk Thru the Bible is designed to help you listen through the Bible in one year. Each episode provides a short devotional thought and a guided journey through each day's Scripture passage. Episodes are six days a week, with the weekend combined into one day as a catch-up day. Thanks to our partners at Biblica for making the NIV audio Bible available. Find out more at www.biblica.com The Listener's Bible®: NIV® Edition Audio Copyright℗ 2011 by Max McLean. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ©2026 Walk Thru the Bible All rights reserved.

Top Ten from 2025: #4 Holy Spirit Stories and Fruit and Ways to Identify His Guidance in Our Lives with Margaret Feinberg (Episode 274)   Exodus 31:3 NIV "and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—"   *Transcription of original episode* Holy Spirit Stories and Fruit and Ways to Identify His Guidance in Our Lives with Margaret Feinberg (Episode 274)   Questions and Topics We Cover: Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, so will you share some insight into what you've been learning about the Holy Spirit from your most recent research for your latest book, entitled The God You Need to Know? If someone listening has trouble identifying the Spirit's role and God's direction or Jesus' voice in their life, how would you encourage them to grow in attention and recognition of His voice and leading? Do you have any stories to give as illustrations for the Spirit still mightily being at work in the world and in people's lives today?   Margaret Feinberg, one of America's most beloved Bible teachers, speaks at churches and conferences and hosts the popular podcast The Joycast. Her books and Bible studies, including Taste and See, Fight Back with Joy, More Power to You, and The God You Need to Know have sold more than one million copies and received critical acclaim and national media coverage from the Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and more. She was named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today. Margaret savors life with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Zoom.   Margaret's Most Recent Work: The God You Need To Know Book and Bible Study   Thank You to Our Sponsor: The Homeschool Printing Company   Other Related Episodes on The Savvy Sauce: 150 Brain Science and Spiritual Abundance with Ken Baugh Special Patreon Re-Release Theology and Discipleship with Ken Baugh 259 God Speaks to His Kids . . . Here's How with Chris Allen Fruitful with Laura Dugger   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”