Podcasts about o lord

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Nahum 1-3; John 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, Heather guides us through day 215 of our journey through the Scriptures on this third day of August. Together, we reflect on the powerful words from Nahum chapters 1-3 and John chapter 5. The episode revisits the story of Nineveh, picking up a century after Jonah, and explores God's justice, mercy, and relentless love. Heather emphasizes that the Scriptures are not ends in themselves, but signposts pointing us to Jesus—the true source of life. As we listen, we're encouraged to open our hearts to God's love, recognize Jesus at work among us, and allow our faith to be strengthened and renewed. The episode closes with thoughtful prayers and a warm invitation to connect further at dailyradiobible.com. Join us as we come together with listeners around the world to encounter God's Word, be reminded of His love, and carry that love into our day. Seeing Jesus in Scripture: Nahum's Prophecy and the Healing at Bethesda From Nineveh's Fall to Christ's Healing: Finding God's Love in the Text Nahum, Nineveh, and John 5: Encountering God's Love and Power God's Judgment and Mercy: Reflections on Nahum and the Work of Jesus Finding Life in Christ: Nahum's Warning and Jesus at the Pool Encountering God's Love Beyond Rules: Lessons from Nahum and John 5 Scripture Points to Jesus: Nahum's Vision and Christ's Compassion Reorienting to God's Love: Ancient Prophecy Meets the Ministry of Jesus Recognizing Jesus: Nahum's Message, Bethesda's Healing, and Our Heart's Choice Beyond Judgment to Love: Discovering Christ's Presence in Nahum and John 5 Here are 30 topical keywords covered in the text: Nahum, Nineveh, Book of Nahum, John 5, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Scriptures, Assyrians, destruction of Nineveh, judgment, love of God, Sabbath, healing at Bethesda, Jewish leaders, authority of Jesus, eternal life, resurrection, Moses, prayer, faith, forgiveness, spiritual renewal, Bible reading, encouragement, Daily Radio Bible, scripture study, God's will, worship, community, newsletter Certainly! Here's a short, summarized bio for "Hunter," in a story format, inspired by the provided text: Hunter's Story Each day, Hunter joins a journey that unites people across the globe, gathering not just to read words, but to seek the deeper story they tell. On most Sundays, you'll find Hunter inviting others into this rhythm, reminding them that the scriptures aren't just old stories—they're windows into a greater life, bearing witness to hope and renewal through Jesus. With open heart and mind, Hunter leads this community in prayer, longing for the Holy Spirit to shine light on the path ahead and to re-center everyone in the love they share. Whether diving into the challenges spoken by Nahum or the life-giving words of John, Hunter's voice is a steady encouragement, a reminder that together, we are strengthened, reassured, and embraced by grace as each day unfolds. Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, Heather guides us through day 215 of our journey through the Scriptures on this third day of August. Together, we reflect on the powerful words from Nahum chapters 1-3 and John chapter 5. The episode revisits the story of Nineveh, picking up a century after Jonah, and explores God's justice, mercy, and relentless love. Heather emphasizes that the Scriptures are not ends in themselves, but signposts pointing us to Jesus—the true source of life. As we listen, we're encouraged to open our hearts to God's love, recognize Jesus at work among us, and allow our faith to be strengthened and renewed. The episode closes with thoughtful prayers and a warm invitation to connect further at dailyradiobible.com. Join us as we come together with listeners around the world to encounter God's Word, be reminded of His love, and carry that love into our day. Absolutely! Here are 10 thoughtful discussion questions based on this episode of the Daily Radio Bible: The episode opens by saying that the Scriptures bear witness to Jesus rather than being life in themselves. What does this perspective mean to you, and how might it change the way you read the Bible? Nahum's prophecy against Nineveh comes 100 to 150 years after Jonah's. How does the contrasting message between these two prophets reflect God's justice and mercy? In what ways did Nahum emphasize both God's power and his goodness? How do you see these two aspects of God in your own life? The description of Nineveh's fall is vivid and devastating. Why do you think the Bible includes such detailed imagery when depicting the consequences of turning away from God? Jesus' statement in John 5:39, "You study the Scriptures diligently... yet the Scriptures point to me," is highlighted in the episode. What are the risks of focusing on religious rules without embracing the person of Jesus? The host mentions that some people missed God's love because they were consumed with control, rules, and judgment. What are some modern-day examples of missing God's love in similar ways? How does Jesus' healing at the pool of Bethesda challenge the religious leaders' views on the Sabbath? What message do you think Jesus was trying to convey through this act? The prayers at the end of the episode emphasize being instruments of peace, forgiveness, and love. How can these prayers inspire the way you interact with others today? The episode encourages listeners to recognize God's love already present in their hearts. What practices or habits can help you become more aware of God's love in your everyday life? Reflecting on today's readings and the discussion, how can you move from simply knowing about God to truly experiencing and living in God's love? Feel free to use these for group discussion or personal reflection! Absolutely! Here's a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in this episode of the Daily Radio Bible podcast, with sub-topics nested under each main heading for clarity: 1. Welcome and Purpose of Gathering Host introduction (Heather) Daily tradition of coming together around the Scriptures The Scriptures point to Jesus, the source of life Prayer for Holy Spirit's illumination and encouragement 2. Scripture Readings Introduction Overview of today's readings: Nahum Chapters 1–3 and John 5 Timeline context: Nahum written 100-150 years after Jonah's time in Nineveh Focus on Nahum's message to Nineveh 3. Reading and Reflection: Nahum Chapters 1–3 Nahum Chapter 1 Vision against Nineveh Character of God: vengeance, power, justice, refuge for the trusting Prophecy of Nineveh's destruction and Israel's restoration Nahum Chapter 2 Call for Nineveh to defend itself against the coming enemy Description of Nineveh's future defeat and plundering Imagery of the city's fear and ultimate ruin Nahum Chapter 3 Lament over Nineveh: murder, lies, cruelty Graphic depiction of coming judgement: casualties, shame, desolation Comparison to the fallen city of Thebes Prophecy of Nineveh's collapse: no recovery, universal relief at its end 4. Reading and Reflection: John Chapter 5 Healing at the Pool of Bethesda Jesus heals a man who had been sick for 38 years Conflict with Jewish leaders over healing on the Sabbath Jesus' Discourse with Religious Leaders Jesus' explanation of His relationship with God the Father Claim of divine authority and equality with God Promise of resurrection and judgment by the Son Rejection by religious leaders: seeking approval, missing God's love Witnesses to Jesus Testimony of John the Baptist Greater testimony: Jesus' works and the Father's voice Challenge to the leaders' understanding of Scripture Heart issue: lack of God's love, focus on rules over relationship 5. Reflection and Application Jesus' assertion: “Your approval means nothing to me” Problems with religious leaders: obsession with rules, missing God's love The missed opportunity to recognize and receive God's love in Jesus Invitation to listeners: to come to Jesus and recognize His love 6. Prayers Prayers for guidance, preservation, and purpose Prayer for unity among peoples and God's coming kingdom Prayer for being instruments of God's peace (Adaptation of Prayer of St. Francis) The Lord's Prayer recited together Thanksgiving for spiritual nourishment and renewal 7. Closing Remarks Encouragement to visit dailyradiobible.com for resources Information about the email newsletter and downloadable materials Reminder to like, share, rate, and review the podcast Note about checking email spam folders for newsletter delivery Closing blessing: reminder of God's love and encouragement for the day If you'd like a timestamped version or a focus on a specific section, just let me know! Today on the Daily Radio Bible, we explored Nahum's strong message against Nineveh and reflected on Jesus's words in John 5 about true life and God's love. The Scriptures aren't just about rules—they point us to Jesus, who is love in action. Let's remember to open our hearts, be led by God's love, and share that love with others. Stay encouraged—the joy of the Lord is your strength, and you are loved.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 65-66; Psalm 62; John 3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! On this first day of August, host Hunter invites us to journey together through day 214 of the Scriptures. In today's episode, we dive into the final chapters of Isaiah (65 and 66), explore Psalm 62, and reflect on the powerful truths in John chapter 3. Hunter guides us through themes of God's faithfulness, the promise of new creation, and the transforming love of Christ who knows our hearts fully and loves us still. We'll pause for prayer, receive words of encouragement, and hear community updates—including a special shoutout to the generous partners of the podcast. So grab your Bible and let's step into God's Word, remembering—no matter where you are, you are loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He already knows your heart—and he loves you still. That can be a surprising, even frightening thought: that the deepest recesses of our hearts, the places we hide from others and sometimes even from ourselves, are fully exposed to Jesus. Our selfishness, our pride, even the feelings of humiliation—he sees it all. Yet, with Jesus, this knowledge does not bring condemnation or shame. Instead, it's profoundly freeing. John would learn this about Jesus: he knew what was in each person's heart. Nothing could surprise him, nothing hidden from his gaze. And rather than being undone or destroyed by this exposure, something entirely different happens. With Jesus, when we come to understand that he knows us fully and still loves us, it's the start of something brand new—a heart made new, a life transformed. This is the beginning of God's work in us: to create something beautiful, to renovate our hearts into something truly amazing. When we realize his love for us exactly as we are, that realization is what sets us free from shame and fear. It's what enables us to live in the light, to trust him with our vulnerabilities, and to allow his Spirit to do the work of making us new. May God convince us more and more that he sees us, he knows us, and he deeply loves us. Let that reality begin something altogether new in you today. That's a prayer I have for my own soul. It's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And it's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy. Sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

In Psalm 80, the people of God cry out to Him to stir up His might to come and save them. Calling upon God as the Shepherd of Israel who is enthroned in His temple, the people ask that God would turn them back to Himself and that He would turn His face toward them. The psalm recounts the history of God's faithfulness to Israel as His vineyard and God's judgment against Israel for their idolatry. The psalm prays for the LORD to bless the man of His right hand, the Christ, who will give His people life so that they will call upon Him for salvation.  Rev. Jeff Hemmer, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 80.  To learn more about Bethany Lutheran, visit www.bethanylcms.org. Join Sharper Iron this summer to study selected Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

FAITH IN HARD TIMES Share real hope with your family, friends, and community! - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. PSALM 3:3–5 From the New King James Version Send the Real Hope team a messageListen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 86:11"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”REFLECTION- PeggyMUSIC- NOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

This week, Ralph shares some recent personal experiences that made him ask the question, “Who Will Remember Us?” He recounts how people who once were well known by many of us are being forgotten, how sometimes as the generations pass children or grandchildren forget who has sacrificed for them in the generations before. As he recounts these examples, his hope and joy in Christ rises and he remembers what God has said and how true it is: “I have engraved you on the palms of my hand” (Is. 49:16) and “Even if a mother could forget her child, I will never forget you” (Is. 49:15). And how God's “memory” is actually eternal life and love, for all of us who die in him.

Welcome to Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for July 30, 2025. Today's devotion, “How Majestic Is Your Name,” is drawn from Psalm 8:1–2, a breathtaking celebration of God's glory in creation and in the voices of children.David's psalm begins with awe: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” But the glory of God isn't limited to the stars. It is also revealed through the humble strength of children. Their praise silences the enemy and reveals a truth the world often forgets—God's majesty is both infinite and intimate.Join Pastor Balla as he reflects on the surprising ways God displays His power: in the heavens above and in the trusting voice of a child. True strength often comes in weakness—and God is never more present than when He is praised in purity and wonder.#Psalm8 #MajesticIsYourName #PastorBalla #DailyDevotion #StrengthInWeakness #GodsGloryRevealed

Your Nightly Prayer

Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. Blessed the men whose strength you are! They go from strength to strength. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:47-53, today's readings).Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age.”Jesus makes a comparison of the kingdom of heaven that the disciples would have been intimately familiar with. The bad catch that is thrown away would have particular meaning to them as well as the good, which they put into buckets. Jesus shares this parable to bring to mind the end of the age, the final judgment. To discern good and bad in relation to the end of the age is to know God's will and move forward with it in the present moment, just as the Israelites moved forward whenever the cloud of the LORD's glory rose among them on their journey in the desert. “But if the cloud did not lift,” we hear in Exodus, “they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward.” In his Word and in the glory of his resurrection, Jesus is with us as we discern through prayer and move throughout the day.God, help me take to heart the parables as they apply to today's events. Open my eyes to the coexistence of good and evil in the world and their separation in the final judgment. To take from the parables what Jesus says to me as a follower is to trust in his every word. As the Israelites watched for the cloud to rise before the day's journey, I want to see your glory made manifest as I give witness to your kingdom through my life. “Blessed the men whose strength you are!” the psalmist sings. “They go from strength to strength.” Strengthen my desire, Lord, to make myself a dwelling that calls attention to your glory. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 8:3-9New Living Translation3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—    the moon and the stars you set in place—4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,    human beings that you should care for them?5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God    and crowned them with glory and honour.6 You gave them charge of everything you made,    putting all things under their authority—7 the flocks and the herds    and all the wild animals,8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,    and everything that swims the ocean currents.9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!Music: "Rest in the Shadow" by Julian & Melissa Wiggins,Used with permission.

This episode of The Patrick Madrid Show is tender, raw, and packed with grace. It all starts with an email from Aaron, a Catholic school teacher who teaches grades 2–8. His school just suffered a devastating tragedy: a young boy — just about to enter sixth grade — was killed in an accident. Aaron, heartbroken, is reaching out for help. He's thinking ahead: how do I help my students process this? What do I say when they ask, “Why did God allow this?” What Patrick Said: “Words can only go so far.” He starts there — with brutal honesty. When your heart is shattered, “God is with you” can feel... empty, even if it’s true. Patrick encourages him to use the moment as a “Catechetical Popcorn Trail” Start small and lay the groundwork. Help kids understand why death even exists by going back to Adam and Eve, the Fall, and the entrance of sin into the world. This tragedy, as awful as it is, becomes a gateway into the bigger story of salvation. “Death is not natural. It’s not how we were meant to live.” God created us for life, forever, with Him. Death entered through sin. That helps kids understand their instincts are right — this feels wrong because it is wrong. But that’s not the end... Jesus didn’t just die — He conquered death. Kids can look at the crucifix with new eyes. He chose to suffer, chose to die, so that death wouldn’t be the final word for us. But Also... Teach Them This: Original Sin is not the same as personal sin. Patrick offers a great analogy: Imagine your billionaire parents lose all their wealth due to a crime. You didn't do anything, but you still lose the inheritance. That’s original sin. Through baptism, God gives it all back, and more. This boy might be in heaven. Patrick encourages Aaron to comfort the students with hope — if the boy was in 5th grade, it would make sense that he probably never committed a mortal sin. That’s theologically solid hope. Teach them how to pray for him, through offering Masses and praying the Chaplet. Let them participate in his journey to Heaven. The Most Beautiful Part At the end of the show, Aaron calls in; he just wants to say thank you. You can hear how much he loves his students and how much he’s leaning on the Holy Spirit. It’s one of those quiet holy moments that makes you realize the Church is so alive in people like him. If You’re a Teacher, Parent, or Just a Catholic Who Cares… This episode is worth your time. It reminds us that grief is the place faith speaks loudest. Our job isn’t to “fix” grief. It’s to walk through it with others, pointing to the Cross... and beyond it, to the Resurrection. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 53-36; 2 Peter 2 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through a rich journey in the Scriptures, reading from Isaiah chapters 53 to 56 and 2 Peter chapter 2. We begin with some of the Bible's most powerful passages about the suffering servant and God's deep, unfailing love—a love that invites us to come with open ears and hearts, no matter our hunger or thirst. Hunter reflects on how God's word brings life, hope, and restoration, reassuring us that no one is beyond God's generous forgiveness. Together, we also explore warnings about false teachers, and the call to live justly and faithfully. The episode is woven with heartfelt prayers, reminders of God's faithfulness, and a deep sense of community as Hunter thanks the listener supporters who make this podcast possible. Whether you're joining for the first time or have been walking this daily journey for years, today's episode is an invitation to listen, find life, and remember that you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Come with your ears wide open. Are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Then come to God. Don't come in ignorance, or with a sense of doom, fearing what you'll hear him say. Instead, come with your ears wide open, because what you'll hear are God's words of love—a love that will never fail. In Isaiah 55:3 we hear this invitation: “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.” See how rich and generous the gifts of God are for the hungry and thirsty, for the broken. It's beyond what we can imagine. We so often close our ears to God, because we fear. We fear his words of judgment, of rejection. But the prophet says otherwise. Open your ears wide—because what you'll hear is a generous forgiveness, a mercy that far exceeds our highest hopes. Isaiah continues: “Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” His thoughts about you—his plans for you—are greater and richer and better than you could ever dream. It is his word, this generous food for the hungry, that opens our eyes and minds to his heart and his ways. Isaiah 55:11 says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” All of this is an everlasting sign of his power and his love. So look up, thirsty one, and see what God has done. He has sent the final word—his Son. Open your ears wide and hear God's answer to your thirst, your hunger, your brokenness: it's Jesus, the living Word. So come with your ears wide open. Listen—and you will find life. That's the prayer that I have for my own heart, for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Dear Lord, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you, bring the nations into your fold. Pour out your spirit on all flesh and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And now Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy. O Lord, grant that I might not seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen. Almighty God, father of all mercies, we, your grateful children, give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness to us and all you have made. We bless you for your creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life. And above all, for your immeasurable love and your redemption of the world through our Lord Jesus Christ. For the means of grace and the hope of glory, Lord, we pray, give us such awareness of your mercies that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but with our lives, by the giving up of ourselves for your service in holiness and righteousness all our days. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory through all ages. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

What happens when you invite God to search your heart? This Scripture meditation on Psalm 139:19–24 is a gentle space to pause, listen, and open yourself to God's loving guidance. Using the Lectio Divina method, we’ll reflect on David’s vulnerable prayer and ask God to show us what in our lives isn’t aligned with His heart. If you’re carrying anxious thoughts or wrestling with something that feels hard to name, this episode offers an opportunity to reflect honestly with God—trusting that you are fully known and still deeply loved. In this guided meditation, you’ll be invited to:• Reflect on what God may be revealing in your heart• Consider where your life might need realignment with His will• Rest in the truth that God sees you, knows you, and gently leads you Download your FREE companion journal for the Fully Known, Fully Loved series hereThis journal includes:• All the Scriptures for this series• Weekly reflection prompts• Space to record what God is revealing to you Here are some additional helpful links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. Entire Meditation Text:Psalm 139:19–24 (NLT)19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!Get out of my life, you murderers!20 They blaspheme you;your enemies misuse your name.21 O LORD, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,for your enemies are my enemies.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 Point out anything in me that offends you,and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;    whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life;    of whom shall I be afraid?2 When evildoers assail me    to eat up my flesh,my adversaries and foes,    it is they who stumble and fall.3 Though an army encamp against me,    my heart shall not fear;though war arise against me,    yet I will be confident.4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,    that will I seek after:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord    all the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord    and to inquire in his temple.5 For he will hide me in his shelter    in the day of trouble;he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;    he will lift me high upon a rock.6 And now my head shall be lifted up    above my enemies all around me,and I will offer in his tent    sacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing and make melody to the Lord.7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;    be gracious to me and answer me!8 You have said, “Seek my face.”My heart says to you,    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”9     Hide not your face from me.Turn not your servant away in anger,    O you who have been my help.Cast me not off; forsake me not,    O God of my salvation!10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,    but the Lord will take me in.11 Teach me your way, O Lord,    and lead me on a level path    because of my enemies.12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;    for false witnesses have risen against me,    and they breathe out violence.13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord    in the land of the living!14 Wait for the Lord;    be strong, and let your heart take courage;    wait for the Lord!

“And he said, O Lord, God of my master Abraham, I pray You, cause me to meet with good success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”Genesis 24:12 AMP

#christianity #protestant #reformationThere is a solitary, humble, wooden structure on a windswept hill in rural New England. To open the door is to engage our minds, our hearts, and our imaginations. In this place, preachers and professors, past and present, come alive as they walk the aisle, ascend the pulpit stairs, and teach…from theology, from history, and from the Word of God. Welcome to the Saybrook Meetinghouse, an audio production of Saybrook Ministries. Saybrook Ministries' vision is to inspire and invigorate Christians with imaginative and intellectual content.Saybrook Ministries' mission is to provide didactic and devotional content from the Christian faith delivered to the saints; recovered and refined by the Protestant Reformation.Saybrook Ministries' prayer is that our content will be (1) to Christians convinced of Reformation truths: encouraging & powerful; (2) to Christians unconvinced of Reformation truths: educational & persuasive; (3) to non-Christians: engaging & prophetic.Saybrook Ministries' four foundational scriptures are: The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand (Daniel 11:32b-33a). And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:10). Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3).

Send us a textIn this episode, Pastor Dom teaches us to honor God and man. Romans 1:2121 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.John 3:1616 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.James 4:88 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.Proverbs 3:99 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.1 Corinthians 6:18-2018 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.Colossians 4:2 Colossians 4:22 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;Colossians 4:5-65 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.John 15:12 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.1 Peter 2:1717 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers…1 Samuel 2:30 30…for those who honor Me I will honor,…Revelation 4:11 11“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”Romans 12:9-139 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor (hate)what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.Matthew 22:37-3937 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

Psalm 28: 1 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. 3 Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. 4 Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. 5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more. 6 Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. 8 The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਘਰੁ ੧    ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਖਾਇਆ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਸੋਇਆ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਕਾਪੜੁਅੰਗਿ ਚੜਾਇਆ ॥ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਕੁਟੰਬ ਸਹਿਤ ਸਿਉ ਜਿਤੁ ਹੁਣਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਪਉੜੀ ਛੁੜਕੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਹਾਥਿ ਨਆਵੈ ਅਹਿਲਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗਣਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਚਰਣ ਵਿਸਾਰੇ ॥ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਦਾਤਾ ਜਨ ਸੇਵਕ ਤੇਰੇ ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਤੈ ਦੂਖ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਤੂ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਦਇਆਪਤਿ ਦਾਤਾ ਕਿਆਏਹਿ ਜੰਤ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ॥ ਮੁਕਤ ਬੰਧ ਸਭਿ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਐਸਾ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੇ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੋ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਬੰਧਵਿਚਾਰੇ ॥੨॥ ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਜਿਸੁ ਏਕ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਕੀ ਗਹਣ ਗਤਿ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਸਚੈਆਪਿ ਸਵਾਰੇ ॥ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਣੇ ਸਿ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਹੀਅਹਿ ਨਾ ਉਰਵਾਰਿ ਨ ਪਾਰੇ ॥੩॥ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁਪਾਏ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲੇ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਾਗੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਕਾਲਹਿ ਮਾਰਿਬਿਦਾਰੇ ॥੪॥੧॥ O brother! The attachment to Maya makes (the living beings) forget the feet of the Lord (in the mind), does not give attention (to the feet of God). O Lord! You yourself are the giver of spiritual life to the world. For those who become my servants, you remove all the sorrows (born of attachment).O brother! If the creation of this body makes the union of the Lord with the enemy in this birth, then the body is cursed, (nose, ears, thoughts, etc.) including the family is cursed. (Everything of man) eating is cursed, sleeping (comfort) is cursed, the inner pleasure of the body is cursed. (O brother! This is a phallus for peace in the body of the Lord) if this phallus goes (from hand to hand), it changes hands and hands. It automatically loses its precious life.O Lord! You are the abode of mercy, the owner of mercy, you yourself are the giver (of the love of your own feet), nothing interferes with the joy of the beings (who create you). By your own command, some beings are freed from the attachment of Maya, some beings are kept in attachment - a lamenting Gurmukh understands this by saying. In whose presence the Guru has escaped from the attachment of Maya, but in the poor who follow their own mind, attachment has been kindled.From whom that mind works in the one Lord, he distances him from attachment, that Lord is constantly inspired. This deep spiritual state of stopping memories cannot be created. The Lord who remains still Himself makes one's life beautiful. But the Maharaja who is lost in the wanderings of Maya, those people are called Manmukh (they find their ends in the ocean of Maya's attachment) and cannot reach the other side and cannot cross over.(But what is the condition of the living beings?) He condemns the Lord's mercy, he receives the Guru's word. In this, there is production. (In this way) the Lord's servants, having crossed over the ocean of attachment (even though they are kept in Maya), are at peace. O Nanak! He knows the fate of his decision, (from within himself) he puts an end to the spiritual vision.Note: M: This is the word of the collection of suffering. See the previous figure.

O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.St. Helena Ministries is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Your donations may be tax-deductibleSupport us at: sthelenaministries.com/supportPresentation of the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) from The Liturgy of the Hours (Four Volumes) © 1975, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. The texts of Biblical readings are reproduced from the New American Bible © 1975

The Invitation | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma Jesus offers an OPEN INVITE Matthew 11:28-30 (CSB) WHO does Jesus invite? Ecclesiastes 7:20 (CSB) Two dangerous lies to avoid: I'm not GOOD ENOUGH for His invitation I don't NEED His invitation WHAT does Jesus invite them to do? Jesus invites us to a CHOICE Direction: COME TO ME Directive: TAKE MY YOKE Discovery: FIND REST "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." -Saint Augustine of Hippo | Confessions, Book I Chapter 1

Pastor Ty Neal Psalm 23:1 John 10:14 John 10:27-28 “The first things any idol takes from its worshipers are their relationships.” Andy Crouch “Man is divided against himself and against God by his own selfishness, which divides him against his brother.” Thomas Merton “If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.” Tim Keller John 10:27-28 Psalm 23:2 “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until

Sunday morning sermons from VerticalChurch St. Paul.

Psalm 35English Standard VersionOf David.35 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;    fight against those who fight against me!2 Take hold of shield and buckler    and rise for my help!3 Draw the spear and javelin    against my pursuers!Say to my soul,    “I am your salvation!”4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor    who seek after my life!Let them be turned back and disappointed    who devise evil against me!5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,    with the angel of the Lord driving them away!6 Let their way be dark and slippery,    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!7 For without cause they hid their net for me;    without cause they dug a pit for my life.8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!And let the net that he hid ensnare him;    let him fall into it—to his destruction!9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,    exulting in his salvation.10 All my bones shall say,    “O Lord, who is like you,delivering the poor    from him who is too strong for him,    the poor and needy from him who robs him?”11 Malicious witnesses rise up;    they ask me of things that I do not know.12 They repay me evil for good;    my soul is bereft.13 But I, when they were sick—    I wore sackcloth;    I afflicted myself with fasting;I prayed with head bowed on my chest.14     I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;as one who laments his mother,    I bowed down in mourning.15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;    they gathered together against me;wretches whom I did not know    tore at me without ceasing;16 like profane mockers at a feast,    they gnash at me with their teeth.17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?    Rescue me from their destruction,    my precious life from the lions!18 I will thank you in the great congregation;    in the mighty throng I will praise you.19 Let not those rejoice over me    who are wrongfully my foes,and let not those wink the eye    who hate me without cause.20 For they do not speak peace,    but against those who are quiet in the land    they devise words of deceit.21 They open wide their mouths against me;    they say, “Aha, Aha!    Our eyes have seen it!”22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!    O Lord, be not far from me!23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,    for my cause, my God and my Lord!24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,    according to your righteousness,    and let them not rejoice over me!25 Let them not say in their hearts,    “Aha, our heart's desire!”Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether    who rejoice at my calamity!Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor    who magnify themselves against me!27 Let those who delight in my righteousness    shout for joy and be glad    and say evermore,“Great is the Lord,    who delights in the welfare of his servant!”28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness    and of your praise all the day long.

In this sermon, Pastor Marshall Segal expounds upon Psalm 94 which is a ‘how long' song. This psalm is about wrestling with wickedness and waiting for God's justice, and much of it applies to any pain or uncertainty that you're carrying right now. In an honest and faith-filled way of expressing their anguish to God, the people asked “How long, O Lord?”

Evening lessons: Psalms 70, 72; Nehemiah 5: John 4:1-26.  Hasten, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

Morning lessons: Psalms 71; 1 Samuel 17; 2 Corinthians 11.  In you, O Lord, have I put my trust; let me never be put to shame.

"How Long, O Lord?" Charlie Woodward, 7.27.25 by

Message Take Aways:1. Though the Lord rebuked the conduct of the people, His command for them to return to building His temple demonstrated His longsuffering nature and patient willingness to use them once again despite their prior failures—“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15 2. As the people renewed their commitment to the Lord by resuming the work of building His temple, so we will be blessed to daily commit to the good work that the Lord has prepared for us to do—“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:103. When the people became discouraged in the building process, the Lord comforted them by promising that the work would be completed unto glory and the Lord promises the same confidence to all who trust in Him—“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

O Lord, I want to be like Him. God, help me to be more like Him every day. I know that I am not what I need to be, but I am seeking Your word and trying to be like Your Beloved Son, who gave His life for me. Father, bless Him! Bless the name of Jesus because it is by this name that I am blessed, chosen, predestined unto adoption, and have been accepted into Your presence.

Welcome to Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for July 27, 2025. Today's devotion, “Arise, O Lord, in Your Anger,”reflects on Psalm 7:6–9, where David calls upon God to rise in holy anger against wickedness and to vindicate the righteous.David's appeal is not for revenge, but for justice—that evil would be restrained and the righteous upheld. He places his case before the divine Judge who tests minds and hearts, trusting in God's perfect and active righteousness. His prayer becomes our own as we long for justice in a world marred by sin.Yet we approach this judgment through the cross of Jesus Christ. There, the wrath of God was poured out, not on sinners, but on the sinless Son for our sake. In Him, we are declared righteous.Join Pastor Balla as we explore the comfort of God's justice fulfilled in Christ.#Psalm7 #DailyDevotion #PastorBalla #GodsJustice #JesusOurAdvocate #RighteousJudgment

This is the closing psalm of Book One of The Psalms. In it David speaks about those who consider the poor or needy, and is reminded of a time when he was on his sick bed or death bed. Whilst his enemies were spreading gossip and slander about him and hoping that he would die, David was asking the LORD for grace, and healing, and acknowledging his sin, and trusting that the LORD would raise him up. To watch the video from today, just click on this link! The post Psalm 41 – “O LORD, be gracious to me!” appeared first on Living Rock Church.

Morning Worship Sermon with Rev. Bud Hance Scripture reference Genesis 18:25; Deut. 10:17; Ps. 19:9; Ps. 97:2; Rev. 16:5-7 Genesis 18:25 PP 25 ….Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Deuteronomy 10:17 PP 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. Psalm 19:9 PP 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Psalm 97:2 PP 2 Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Revelation 16:5-7 PP 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” 7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. We'll continue to walk through First Samuel. We're going to be in chapter 23 and 24 today, so you'll walk through those two chapters together.In high school I played baseball and my freshman year we won state. Going into sophomore year, our senior class was kind of a little bit big headed. Before the season started, you had to pass a conditioning test called the country mile. It's about a four and a half mile run. Our seniors decided that because of where our coach was positioned—he parked his truck and the school was out in the country—it just was a run where you're running down that stop sign and back and around the school near the cow field. They realized that he didn't have visibility in every part of the run, so they thought, we're going to take some shortcuts. We're not going to run the full four and a half miles. We're going to shortcut here, here, and here.When you're 15, 16, 17, you're dumb; you're not thinking through things. We thought we were because we thought, here's what we'll do. We'll all bunch up together here and we'll release here. We had a guy on our team who was about 300 pounds, so we didn't think through that he needed to be way back and finish way late. Our coach picked up pretty quickly that we were cheating. He saw the times and said this is very curious that the biggest guy on our team is running a seven and a half minute mile pace.They finally said, all right, you guys have been running so well and doing so good. Like a cross country team, I've got your times, and that's the time you have to pass in order to make it on the baseball field. If you pass it, you go straight to the baseball field, but twice a week you have to make this run and then go to the field. He said, all right, now it's time to do it. Here are your times. We positioned all the coaches at every part of the run to see how good you were.We quickly learned that cutting this race short and taking the shortcuts was a terrible decision. For weeks as we tried to make those times, I was one of the faster guys. It was like 28 minutes. I'm not a cross country runner; I'm not going to make close to six-minute pace for four and a half miles. I'll finish that story later and what happened. But I learned there, and I think we learn in life, that shortcuts are not good. They are short-sighted. We take them because we think that's ultimately what is good, that if we take the quickest route to get what we want, that's what's best. It's our own nature to trust in our own instincts and to actually not trust in the Lord, when oftentimes He lays out the more difficult road, a difficult path filled with suffering and difficult obedience.Today we're in the part of David's story that feels, when you're in chapter 23, that for years he's been on the run for his life and he's been through trials and suffering and betrayal and the threat of death. He's been in it. But when we shift into chapter 24, he's going to have an option, a shortcut to the throne. We're going to see how this plays out and what this means for the Christian life as we consider what it means to have a long life of obedience to our Lord, even when it is difficult.Let me pray, and then we'll walk through this together.Heavenly Father, I pray that You would help us receive Your word as we walk through these chapters to see Your truth. God, I pray that we would not just be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word, responding in faith and repentance and ultimately delighting in You above all things. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.All right, so verse 1:"Now they told David, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors."We pick up where we left off last week, where David and his men are on the run. They just heard about the priest of Nob being slaughtered for proceeding to help them out. They're feeling the threat of death. At this point, they hear of a town called Keilah, a town in Judah on the border between Philistine's land and the people of Judah, and they're being robbed by the Philistines.Verse 2:"Therefore David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? And the Lord said to David, Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."David gives us an example here of what it looks like to walk with God. He sees a difficulty. He asks the Lord. The Lord responds, and he's willing to do it. But his men hear this and have questions.Verse 3:"But David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"Which is a legitimate question, because if they go into Keilah, they expose themselves. They've been hiding in caves throughout the land. To go and help this town, chances are Saul will hear about it and come. It might be a situation where they're fighting the Philistines and Saul's army is coming. This seems risky.So David goes back to the Lord.Verse 4:"Then David inquired of the Lord again, and the Lord answered him, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines, brought away their livestock, and struck them a great blow. David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.Verse 6:"When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in hand."Abiathar was the remaining priest from the priest of Nob story last week. He comes and brings an ephod. Ephods are priestly garments that priests wore, but this is probably the main ephod that the high priest wore. This is important because in it were two stones—the Urim stone and the Thummim stone. We don't know for sure how they were used, but they generally helped answer prayers in a yes or no fashion, like, should we go here or there? The priest did some type of pulling out or casting of stones.Verse 7:"Now, it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul said, God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars."Saul finally hears about it and says, aha, I've got them. They're in Keilah, a place with gates and bars. We'll stop the men there and finally take David down.Verse 8:"Saul summoned all the people to go to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him."He says to Abiathar the priest, bring the ephod here.Verse 9:"Then David said, O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard, O Lord, God of Israel, please tell your servant."They seek the Lord, asking if the city will betray them after David's protection.Verse 11:"And the Lord said, He will come down. Then David said, Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will surrender you."David and his men, about 600 now, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. They asked the question, should we trust Keilah? The answer was no, as you see from the Lord's response.When Saul was told that David escaped Keilah, he gave up the expedition. David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.David saw that Saul had come to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh and strengthened his hand. He said:"Do not fear for the hand of Saul. My father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you."Saul, my father, also knows this. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh and Jonathan went home.Jonathan, David's friend, hears about these troubles and encourages him. From Psalm 34, which was written while David was in the cave fearing his life, we know the Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. David, on the run for his life with deep discouragement, has this friend encouraging him.This encounter is significant because Jonathan has hopefulness. He says, one day you'll be king, and I'll be beside you. This foreshadows that Jonathan will never see David be king; he will not live to see him on the throne. This is their final encounter. Jonathan, in his last friendship act, encourages David, telling him not to fear and to trust God's promises.Verse 19:"Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah saying, Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Akilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand."Saul said:"May you be blessed by the Lord for you have had compassion on me. Go make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is and who has seen him there, for he is very cunning. See and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information."They went ahead to Ziph as spies.If you read Psalm 54, David expresses his distress at this betrayal by his own countrymen:"For strangers have risen up against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves."David is deeply discouraged by continual betrayal, even from people of Judah.David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, about five miles south of Ziphara in the Arabah. Saul and his men went to seek him. David went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David there. Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side.David was hurrying to get away from Saul, who was closing in to capture them.A messenger then told Saul:"Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land."Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. David then lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.At the last moment when Saul was about to capture David, God sovereignly intervened. Saul did what a king should do and protected his people, and God preserved David's life again.Chapter 23 gives us more examples of David continually facing the threat of death and betrayal. Think—he escaped death at Nob, at Ziph, at Maon, at Gath, and at Keilah. This is years of hunting, suffering, and fear. Every time trying to go to sleep, hearing a branch break, wondering, is it the day? Years of hardship and trauma under the threat of constant death.This sets up First Samuel 24, where David has the opportunity to end it.Verse 1:"When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. Then Saul took 3,000 chosen men out of Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wild Goats Rocks."Saul handles the Philistine raid, then he finds that David is near Wild Goats Rocks, basically a rocky hill where wild goats live.The story takes an interesting turn.Verse 3:"He came to the sheepfolds, where there was a cave. Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave."Saul goes into the cave to use the bathroom, for privacy. David and 600 of his men are hiding inside that cave, which hopefully gives you an idea of how big it was.David's men were very excited because Saul was most vulnerable now, when using the bathroom. This was a moment on a silver platter—David and his men could have ended all the hardship with one swing of the sword.Verse 4:"And the men of David said to him, Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you."They urged David to take this opportunity.David rose stealthily and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He could have ended it all but instead cut a piece of his robe.Verse 5:"And afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed."David persuaded his men not to attack Saul.Saul rose and left the cave, going on his way.David knew God's heart and the heart of the king. Saul was the Lord's anointed king, even if evil had been done. David would not decide when Saul's kingship ends. He trusted the Lord and obeyed, not murdering a man while he was vulnerable.His men, who have been under the threat of death for years, followed his example. That shows David's leadership.After Saul left the cave, David boldly confronted him.Verse 8:"David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, My lord the king."Saul looked back. David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage.David said:"Why do you listen to the words of men who say, Behold, David seeks your harm? Behold this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, I will not put out my hand against the Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed."David pleaded:"See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. I cut off the corner and did not kill you. You may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it."He called out:"May the Lord judge between me and you. May the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you."He even said:"Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After a dead dog, after a flea? May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand."David showed that he would not sin to get what God promised. He humbly lowered himself to be insignificant—a dead dog, a flea—and pleaded with Saul to see that he was not the enemy.Verse 16:"As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said, You are more righteous than I, for you repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. You have declared this day how you have dealt well with me and that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands."Saul has moments of clarity and contrition. He weeps and realizes David is the better man.There's a cool link to Judah and Tamar back in Genesis 38, a picture of having evidence in hand and declaring righteousness.Saul continued:"Now behold, I know that you shall surely be king, that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hands. Swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."David swore to this.Saul went home; David and his men went up to the stronghold.Saul finally sees it: David will be king. He pleads for the protection of his offspring, as it was common in history for successors to kill rival family members.When you think about chapters 23 and 24 back to back, you see how long David suffered and how many years of hardships he endured. He had the opportunity right then to end all his hardships with one swing of the sword and take the throne. But he did not. He trusted the Lord and was obedient to the will of the Father.This is a beautiful picture of trust in God.It's also a foreshadowing of the more righteous path of Christ.Jesus also would be offered a shortcut to the throne during His temptation in the wilderness.In Matthew 4:"The devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said to Him, All these I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."Jesus was offered the throne but rejected the shortcut because He trusted the will of the Father, even when that road was filled with suffering—the road to the cross.Jesus suffered agony, physical pain, separation from the Father as the full cup of God's wrath bore down on Him.Even when Jesus was suffering, He could have called down angels to end it, but He did not.He endured to the final breath, with redemption in mind for us.When He finished His work on the cross, He ascended to the right hand of God, where He rules over all kingdoms forever.Amen.Going back to 10th grade, when we were running this unreasonable time every day before practice, it was clear we were never going to make our times.Finally, our coach said, all right, I'm going to bump up the time to what it should have been.You smaller guys got 32 minutes, which was a pretty steady pace.I hate running. To this day you won't see me running; I'm not a runner. I don't want to be a runner.Because I hated running so much, I was determined to make the time. I ran faster than I ever had in my life. I was blazing fast.Coming around the final turn, about a quarter of a mile left, my coach said, you're not going to make it.I sprinted, after running four-ish miles, with everything I had.The final few steps before the finish line, I puked. Then I puked walking across the finish line because I was not going to miss this time.He said 29 minutes.I was like, are you kidding me? I could have walked.What we failed to see about this conditioning test was we could only see what was right in front of us—a stupid run we had to do.You may think, why do baseball players have to run? It's because of endurance for the season.When you play 30 games in high school, 60 plus in college, or 162 in pro baseball, you have to get in shape, or your body will break down mid-season.At 15, you don't see what the coach is doing. You don't see that the suffering he puts you through over and over again is for a greater good, so you can make it through the season and not break down.We didn't trust our coaches. We saw what was good in our minds, so we took the shortcut.But that's what we do all the time in life. We see the easier option right in front of us and want to take it.We have wonderful examples from Scripture about what it looks like to be obedient and how good that is.David could have taken a shortcut to the throne, but didn't.Jesus was obedient to the Father, even through suffering, for our redemption.We have wonderful examples of the long road of obedience, even when it's difficult.So the question today: What shortcuts are we tempted to take?In business or work, we know shortcuts: how to cut corners, how to cheat.We see others do it and wonder why we have to do it the right way.But God calls us to integrity and obedience for our good.In relationships, it's common now to simulate marriage without the covenant.Living as if married, moving in together, enjoying pleasures without commitment.It's hard to be obedient in that and honor the Lord.But God has good for us when we trust Him in obedience.We fail to see that when we take shortcuts.Some feel a desire for vengeance when they've been wronged.Shortcut is to take vengeance ourselves.God calls us to trust Him for justice, which is far better.In parenting, there are shortcuts.Moments needing patience, control of emotions.Shortcut is to lose control or discipline wrongly.In marriage, conflict, and other struggles, shortcuts abound.We often coach people to confront, to avoid gossip, to be faithful to God's calls.Some suffer deeply and may see shortcuts like substances, self-harm, or worse.We cannot see the long obedience God calls us to.As you consider today, what shortcut options are you taking when God calls you to obedience?My hope is we consider David's actions and the better David, Jesus Christ, and follow their lead.Matt will come up and lead us in one final song.As he comes, don't shift or move, just listen.The wrong response to the call is to say, "I'm going to do this by my strength," trying to muscle obedience.The response is to look to Jesus.Hebrews 12 says this after chapter 11:"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us,looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."Our example is to look to Christ, put our hope in Him, who endured the cross and now rules from heaven.May we first look to Christ by grace through faith and be people who trust God every step in obedience.Let me pray.Heavenly Father, I pray that You would help us hear the good news of the Gospel that calls us to trust You, so that we might not take the shortcuts in life that do not bring joy, honor You, or bring good to us or those around us.God, I pray for faithfulness, but that it comes by first trusting in You.We have failed, sinned, and chosen shortcuts.May You cover us in grace, by Your grace, through the blood of Jesus shed for us.May we leave here as a people obedient to You, even when it is hard.In Jesus' name, Amen.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 46-49; 1 Peter 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through the readings for July 26th, journeying into Isaiah chapters 46 through 49 and concluding with 1 Peter chapter 5. Together, we'll reflect on God's enduring faithfulness to His people, even when they find themselves returning to the ruins of their past. Hunter reminds us that God's grace is always at work—even in our brokenness—and assures us that our names are written on the palms of His hands. If you're feeling forgotten, weighed down by life's trials, or searching for hope, this episode is a powerful reminder that God has not abandoned you. Join us as we listen to the living Word, pray together, and find encouragement to stand firm in God's love and grace. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Return to the ruins. Sometimes God calls you back to the ruins, but don't let those ruins fool you. God has not forgotten you. Out of the ruins, He's raising up something new, and you don't want to miss it. Don't miss it by running away or despairing at the destruction you see. God is bringing you back to do something new—to reveal His grace to you and to reveal Himself to you. This was Isaiah's message. The people were exiled, but they were not forgotten. Like a note that He can't afford to lose, Isaiah tells us that God has written your name on the palm of His hand. “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands, always in my mind.” (Isaiah 49:16) God has not forgotten your name. He has your name in His mind, always in His mind, because He is about to do something new. Peter tells us, “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and to assure you that what you are experiencing is truly a part of God's grace to you. So stand firm in this grace.” God may be returning you to the ruins, but don't despair at the destruction you see. God's about to reveal something new—His grace, Himself. So return to whatever ruins God may be calling you to. Don't despair at what you see, but be assured and encouraged that He is with you, and you can stand firm in the grace that He offers you right now, this very moment. So stand firm. He is about to do something. He has not forgotten. He's exactly where you are. Your name is on His hand. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will listen and that I will trust a God who meets me at life's lowest, in the darkest, among the ruins, that He does not desert me. That He is not repelled by me. No, He's never abandoned me. He was with me all along. Then I'll begin to see and understand and experience this grace more and more. That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Your Nightly Prayer

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:1-13, today's readings).Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."After Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord's Prayer, he shares a parable about a man who goes to a friend at midnight to ask for bread to feed a guest staying at his house while on a journey. The friend eventually gives him the bread although he is reluctant at first. By his persistence, the visitor receives the bread he asks for. Likewise, in another parable, Jesus makes clear that if flawed human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more so does God. "If you then, who are wicked," Jesus says, "know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Jesus teaches the disciples more than they ask for: he points the way to his Father in a Spirit of adoption, the one to whom we cry, Abba, Father.Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Help me be grateful that your will be done and that I have the gift of freely choosing it. Let the persistent cry of the friend in the parable be my cry as well. If not because of friendship with you, Lord, then out of my persistence you never tire of hearing and answering me. Jesus says, "Ask and you will receive. . . . For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds." Give me the grace to call to mind throughout the day that I am the son in the parable who asks his father for a fish. Father in heaven, you are the giver of all good gifts. From the responsorial psalm, let me remember this with complete trust: "Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me."Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

July 26, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 7 - Psalm 119:145-149; antiphon: Psalm 50:15Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 10:1-27; Acts 22:17-29“Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O LORD, according to your justice give me life.” (Psalm 119:149) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What is God's justice, and how does one gain life from it? The Psalmist would seem to know the answer, and God grant that we would come to know the same. But we must be on guard! For when we, or those dear to us, are hurt by another, or when we have worked hard toward some great accomplishment where others have not, we crave the kind of justice which reigns in this fallen world; justice which dictates that everyone get what they deserve. We desire to see payment commensurate with the amount and quality of one's work, and punishment of wrongdoers befitting the harshness of their crime. A desire for such justice in this world is not wrong. The Scripture speaks often of curbing evil and promoting good (e.g., Leviticus 19:15, Proverbs 18:5, Is 1:17, Amos 5:15, Romans 13:1-7). However, may God preserve us from coveting such justice against any wrongdoer's status in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus makes the danger of this clear when he says, “… with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)In God's kingdom, nobody gets what they deserve. In God's vineyard, the worker who labored but an hour receives the same pay as he who toiled the whole day. In God's household, finding one lost coin or sheep is celebrated with absurd lavishness, and the wretched, ungrateful, rebellious, wasteful son, who deserves nothing more than enslavement, is welcomed home and restored as an heir. In God's kingdom, he who is so indebted to the king that he cannot possibly atone for it in a lifetime is completely forgiven of it. Yet, anyone who would exact punishment rather than bestow mercy upon one indebted to them cannot abide in God's kingdom, where nobody gets what they deserve.What is God's justice, and how does one gain life from it? The answer to both questions is the same. God's justice is the broken body of Christ nailed to the course wood of the cross. God's justice is the blood and water flowing from the spear-gouge in Christ's side, pouring into the font of your Baptism and into the cup of the New Testament for the forgiveness of sins. To look for justice anywhere but Christ crucified is to look for justice to be visited upon oneself. And you can't handle the justice that God gives any more than those whom you are tempted to condemn. Look to Christ crucified and see God's justice such that you, and even those by whom you have been harmed, are given life from the author of life; life where all conflict, division, pain, and sin are put to death forever. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Since Christ has full atonement made and brought to us salvation, Each Christian therefore may be glad and build on this foundation. Your grace alone, dear Lord, I plead, Your death is now my life indeed, For You have paid my ransom. (LSB 555:6)Rev. Jeffrey Ries is the pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tacoma, WA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius's life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.

Welcome to Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for July 25, 2025. Today's meditation, “In You Do I Take Refuge,” draws from Psalm 7:1–2, where David cries out, “O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge.” Pursued by enemies and threatened like prey before a lion, David turns not to earthly defenses but to the Lord alone.This powerful psalm reminds us where true safety lies — in God's unfailing protection. In Jesus Christ, we find our perfect refuge. He conquered the roaring lion of Satan and now shelters us from every assault of the evil one. Whether you're facing fear, temptation, accusation, or distress, take comfort: your Deliverer hears, sees, and saves.Join Pastor Balla for a Word of strength and encouragement. In Christ, you are never without refuge.#Psalm7 #DailyDevotion #PastorBalla #ChristOurRefuge #FaithInDanger #GodIsMyDeliverer

Your Nightly Prayer

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 40-42; 1 Peter 3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible! Today, Hunter, your host and Bible reading coach, invites you to join him as we journey through some powerful passages: Isaiah chapters 36 and 37, Psalm 76, and 1 Peter chapter 1. In this episode, we'll encounter the dramatic story of King Hezekiah's faith in the face of overwhelming odds, discover the assurance and majesty of God celebrated in the Psalms, and be encouraged by Peter's message of hope amid trials. Whether you're facing your own challenges or simply seeking a moment of peace and inspiration, Hunter reminds us that while trials are a part of life, God's strength, joy, and love are always available—waiting to help us flourish. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's be renewed by the living Word together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: There are trials ahead, but there is strength for the trial—and joy beyond that. First Peter 1:6 says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” Trials are certain. And sometimes the “little while” doesn't seem that little, does it? We all go through trials. No one is exempt. We all face hard times—really hard times. We've all gone through a pandemic, for crying out loud. And yet our hope lies in the promise of hope and even joy beyond that. Unfortunately for many of us, the trials of this life can lead to despair and defeat. The walls of our souls begin to crumble under the weight. Hezekiah was tempted to crumble in fear and defeat. He could see the circumstances and the outcomes of all those other kingdoms that had crumbled when facing the overwhelming terror of the Assyrian king and his armies. But instead of crumbling, Hezekiah turned to God. He didn't go to Egypt for help, he didn't try to manipulate his way out by surrendering or offering some tribute, and he didn't give in to despair. No—instead, he trusted God. And God gave him the victory. But that victory took some time. Isaiah told him that it would take three years, but to hold on, because there would be joy ahead. He let him know that the first year would be hard, very lean—the people would eat only what grows up by itself. The second year, it would be a little easier—they would eat what sprang up from the first growth. But in the third year, they would see a breakthrough. In that third year, they would plant crops and harvest them. They would tend vineyards and eat their fruit. Those who escaped the ravages of the siege, who endured the hard times and had gone through the trials, would put roots down in their own soil. They would grow and flourish. There it is. We're all going to go through hard times, but there's strength available in the trials, and beyond that, there's joy. It may take some time—it may take a season or several seasons—but if we lay out our hearts before God and trust him, we can find the strength we need. If we believe him that these trials are for a season, then we can also find joy. Our roots will grow down into the soil of his faithfulness, and we will flourish. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my sons. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

You are our life, O Lord.

Send us a textFeeling overwhelmed, anxious, or abandoned? Psalm 3 was written for moments like this.David wrote it while fleeing from his own son—betrayed, afraid, and surrounded by enemies. And yet, in the middle of the chaos, he found peace. Not because his problems disappeared, but because his God was near.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body and refocus your mind to experience the reality of God's presence. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  *Note: We will release just one episode per week on Tuesdays during the summer. 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! Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body and refocus your mind to experience the reality of God's presence. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  *Note: We will release just one episode per week on Tuesdays during the summer. 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! Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

What do your prayers sound like? Many people only go to God when they want or need something. Some of us were taught the “A.C.T.S.” model of prayer: Adoration - Confession - Thanksgiving - Supplication. Others insist that the Lord's prayer (“Our Father…”) is the only one needed, but the Bible invites us to pray “with all kinds of prayers” (Eph 6:18; NIV). King David offers us a beautiful model of prayer in Psalm 28 (“To you, O Lord, I call…”). In this message, we examine his words and emulate his example in our own praising and petitioning of the Lord.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 3: James 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey together through the pages of Scripture each day. In today's episode, host Hunter invites us into a powerful reflection on what truly makes God's people different in the midst of life's challenges. As we read from 2 Kings 18-19, 2 Chronicles 3, and James 5, we witness the story of King Hezekiah standing firm against the intimidating threats of King Sennacherib of Assyria. Despite overwhelming odds, Hezekiah's trust in God sets him apart, reminding us that it's God's presence—the true difference-maker—that empowers us to face our own Sennacheribs. Today's reading is rich with encouragement: we contemplate Hezekiah's courageous prayer, Solomon's dedication of the temple, and James's call to patience, prayer, and righteousness. Hunter and guest Heather also share a glimpse into their own journey, as they take time to recharge along the Oregon coast, encouraging us all to savor the gift of life and God's love in every season. Whether you're in need of strength, healing, or just a little inspiration for your day, this episode will remind you to draw near to the One who brings victory and transforms our lives. Let's walk together in God's joy and remember—we are loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The difference maker. The ominous question that Hezekiah hears from King Sennacherib is: why should you be any different? In other words, why should you expect any other outcome than the one everyone else gets? Sennacherib had a track record. If you are looking for evidence to prove your own impending doom, you'll have no trouble finding it. Your own Sennacherib will show up to tell you that you're no different, either. But King Sennacherib had a problem: King Hezekiah was different. In 2 Kings 18:5, we see that Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after his time. The difference was that God had anointed him. God's presence was with him. Instead of rolling over in defeat as some might, Hezekiah rolled with his anointing—he stepped into the presence of the Lord. 2 Kings 19:14 says, “After Hezekiah received the letter from the messenger and read it, he went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed.” He asked his God—the only God, the God of Israel—to listen, to bend down, to deliver. He asked God to show Sennacherib, and all of Israel, that God's people are not like everyone else, and that He is a God like no other. In verse 19, it says, “Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power. Then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God." God did that very thing. He proved to Hezekiah, to King Sennacherib, and to all the kings of the earth that He alone is God. He answered the question that crashed in on Hezekiah's heart: what makes you think you are any different? The difference was God. Our God is the difference maker, and He's come to make a difference in your life. He's come to live and abide in us as we live in Him. That makes all the difference in the world. We are able to face those accusations of our own personal Sennacherib, and all those who come to terrify us. We can roll with our anointing and into the presence of God, drawing close to the one who is the difference maker, the one who gives us victory. So draw near to the One who makes the difference. Find your strength in Him. When you hear the words, "What makes you any different?" respond like Hezekiah and roll into the presence of the Lord. Place those accusations at His feet. Ask Him to show you what the difference is once again, so that you might stand up, stand strong, and see the victory that He alone can bring. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Psalm 138:7-8 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.

Psa 12:7  You, O LORD, will keep them; You will preserve him from this generation forever.Psa 12:8  The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.