Podcasts about sometimes god

“Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.” (Mark 16:12–13 NLT) One of the great mysteries of the Bible is why Jesus chose to appear to certain people and not others after His resurrection. There is no record of His appearing to the Jewish religious leaders who opposed Him during His earthly ministry. Or to the high priest Caiaphas, who orchestrated His crucifixion. Or to the Roman Emperor Caesar. Imagine the drama if He had appeared to Pilate: “Yo, Pilate! Remember me? Can’t keep a good man down, can you?” Instead, we find post-resurrection accounts like the one in Mark 16. Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and joined them on their journey to the country. We don’t know who the disciples were, and they are not mentioned again in the Bible. Verse 12 tells us that Jesus “appeared in a different form” (NLT) to the pair. In other words, He went incognito. The two travelers had no idea that they were walking with Jesus. Later, when they told others about their encounter, “no one believed them” (verse 13 NLT). Maybe it’s because their story lacked drama and spectacle. The idea of the Lord walking incognito lacks punch. But it’s revealing as to how the Lord works. It’s a reminder to believers that Jesus walks with us always, even when we’re not aware of Him. In Isaiah 43:2, the Lord promises, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (NLT). Sometimes God’s people don’t realize He’s there until the rivers, flames, and other obstacles are in our rearview mirror. In 1 Kings 19:11–13, the prophet Elijah experienced God’s presence not in a windstorm, not in an earthquake, not in a fire, but in “the sound of a gentle whisper” (verse 12 NLT). Just as people must pay close attention to hear a gentle whisper, they must also pay close attention to experience God’s presence. Feeling close to the Lord isn’t something that happens only in church. Wherever you go, you can know that Jesus is with you there, too. When you’re going through hard times, even when you cannot feel Him, Jesus is there. That’s great news for believers—news that should be celebrated. One of the best ways to respond to the Lord’s quiet presence in your life is with a spirit of gratitude. Thank God that you never have to wonder where He is when things get tough. Another great way to respond is with silence of your own. Commit to a regular quiet time—a time when you intentionally block out the noise and distractions of the day so that you can be aware of God’s presence. Reflection question: How does God make Himself known to you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

January 2, 2026 Daily Devotional: “The Conjunction”Psalm 66:12 ​ ​"You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water. Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. This verse is a powerful reminder that our current struggles are not a dead end, but a passageway. While the language of "fire and water" sounds intimidating, the promise at the end of the verse is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. The insight on Psalm 66:12 paints a picture of extreme trials."People riding over our heads" describes the humiliation of defeat, while "fire and water" represent the two most destructive forces in nature. Fire consumes; water overwhelms. ​However, the most important word in this verse is "yet." The Psalmist doesn't say they stayed in the fire or drowned in the water. He acknowledges that while God allowed the testing, God's ultimate goal was never their destruction. The fire was for refining, and the water was for washing away the old. The destination was always the "place of abundance". A Hebrew word (revayah) that literally means "saturation" or "overflowing." It's the same root word used in Psalm 23 when David says, "my cup runneth over." Just  trust the divine process, Sometimes God leads us into difficult seasons not to punish us, but to prepare us. Just as silver is refined in heat, our character is often forged in the seasons where we feel "walked over" or overwhelmed. Always focus on the conjunction; "yet" When you are in the middle of a crisis, remember you are merely passing through it. It is a corridor, not a cage. The fire and water youare in today is not your final home.  Afterwards, expect the overflow! The "place of abundance" isn't just about material wealth; it's about a soul so saturated with God's presence that it overflows to others. Your greatest season of ministry or personal growth oftenfollows your hardest season of testing.​ 

In this episode, KyLee and Darcy share a few holiday highlights, then KyLee sits down with author Julie Klassen to talk about research, faith, and her latest Regency release. Key takeaways Holiday traditions can be simple, and still feel special. Teachers and read-aloud stories can shape a reader and a writer for life. Julie Klassen weaves themes of grace, forgiveness, and second chances into her fiction. Real places and local legends can add weight and texture to historical novels. Whispers at Painswick Court blends romance with gothic atmosphere and a murder plot. Holiday baking, hot chocolate, and an Instagram invite A Bookworm Review of The Lost Girl of Astor Street, Stephanie Morrill KyLee: Today I will be talking with Julie Klassen. Darcy will not be with us because she’s gone to spend some time with her family. We’re recording this beforehand, and Darcy, we are about 10 days until Christmas. I know you are full of Christmas cheer and doing tons of Christmas things. No, that is not true. Darcy and I were talking about how it feels like the season has not quite started because we have been so busy. However, there are a couple special things we would like to share with you. Darcy: The most Christmas-y thing I am doing this year is making hot chocolate over and over at the ice cream shop. I’m not complaining — I love hot chocolate. I love making it, frothing the milk and everything. I am really looking forward to visiting my sister for Christmas. She lives five hours away. We see each other regularly through the year, but I’m going to spend a whole week at her place with my younger sister. The three of us will be hanging out. She has to work, so we’ll probably be doing some reading during the day. I have a couple of Christmas novellas picked out, one by Rosanna White. I’m looking forward to relaxing and doing Christmas-y things after I get the chaos behind me. KyLee: Do you ever throw something in with your hot chocolate, or make it different? Darcy: I’m very classic. I like to stir it with a candy cane and let that slowly melt in. So it’s like a peppermint hot chocolate. KyLee: I only ask because I started baking while procrastinating on preparing for this episode. I had this idea to take peanut butter cookies, make them a little bigger, and put a Reese's cup in the middle. Like you put a chocolate kiss in the middle. We got Reese's cups and they were PB&J, which I’m not the biggest fan of. I thought, let's see if I can make this work. I get halfway through the recipe. I have my sugar out, shortening measured, flour measured, and I have no peanut butter. I do not know how this happened in my house. My oldest has a pretty severe allergy to milk that affects her esophagus. Finding things like proteins is something we’re constantly trying to do. I pulled out some plant-based chocolate protein powder and mixed that in with the cookies, then cooked them up. They are so good. They are a little heavy on the sugar. Along with having my daughter with this severe allergy, my husband has diabetes. So I rarely bake. I was procrastinating and it is Christmas time, so I broke that out. He tried them against my recommendation. He hates coconut, and since it is plant-based, it has coconut, so he does not want them. So it worked out. Darcy: I love that you are improvising with your holiday baking. This may be a new tradition. You might end up making these chocolate-protein-powder cookies every Christmas now. KyLee: They might be the start of a beautiful Christmas dessert. For our listeners, we are going to do something fun. Pop over to Instagram, on the Historical Bookworm Podcast page. On Instagram, it is Historical Bookworm Podcast, not Historical Bookworm Show. You will find a picture of my cookies, and Darcy, a picture of some hot chocolate. Darcy: Yes, absolutely. KyLee: We would love to see pictures of your sweet treats that you are making this holiday season. Now we are going to get on to the show with Julie Klassen. Meet Julie Klassen Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Minnesota Book Award, the Midwest Book Award, and Christian Retailing's BEST Award. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota.  KyLee: Julie, welcome to the Historical Bookworm Show. Julie: Thank you, KyLee. I’m happy to be here. The most Jane Austen thing, besides tea KyLee: Tea drinking goes without saying for an Anglophile. What is the most Jane Austen thing, other than drinking tea, that you might incorporate into your daily life? Julie: True confessions, I do not drink as much tea as I’m probably alleged to do. I am a coffee drinker. Normally it is coffee in the morning, and then I might switch to tea. I just went to the Jane Austen Christmas and birthday party for my local Jane Austen Society of North America meeting and drank lots of tea. Today I drank lots of tea, but it’s not usual. I don’t incorporate a lot of things from the Regency era into my real life because I like my computer and technology. A few things I do. I love candles. I’m not a writer who writes with music or soundtracks, but I do love to burn sweet-smelling candles when I write. If we’re talking about Christmas, then I do love to go to church. We have candlelit services. Charity was very big in the Jane Austen time during Christmas in general. Those kinds of things I am a fan of, but I also like modern medicine and other ways of modern life. KyLee: I agree with you about the modern thing. There is something homey and romantic about candles. Aromatherapy would be great for when you are writing. Julie: I do enjoy it. Ordinary people who leave a lasting impact KyLee: Jane Austen's characters are average people with ordinary lives, often drawn from real life observations. Can you tell us about a time an ordinary person left a lasting impact on your life? Julie: There are a lot. I’ll name teachers. Mrs. Hayes read Jane Eyre to us out loud over several weeks in the sixth grade. That cemented my love of all things English, British literature. Even though I grew up in Illinois, she had a big impact on me. Later, Mrs. Mitchell, a high school writing English teacher, encouraged me in my writing. I am still connected with both of those women online, and I send them my books every year. KyLee: Teachers have a big impact on our lives. There is something special about having a story read aloud to you. It builds trust and imagination. I am a teacher, so I try to read out loud to my students often. I read to them every day. When my children were younger, I read out loud to them too. They don’t really let me do that anymore. How faith and writing intersect KyLee: Could you share a little bit about how faith and writing intersect for you? Julie: I came to Christ later, in my 20s. A lot of my books carry similar themes of grace, forgiveness, second chances, things that I appreciate in my own life. God was very generous to me and wooed me and called me and saved me when I was not interested in Christianity. I try to weave those kinds of things into my books. I have imperfect characters who make mistakes, because that is what I did and continue to do. I am grateful for His mercy, and I try to weave that into all of my books. KyLee: It makes sense that you would share those experiences. We write what we know. Real history, and writing historical fiction versus fantasy Is there anything especially interesting you haven’t covered in other interviews for this book? Julie: One of the things I love about being a historical writer is that, even though I am writing fiction, I love to base things on what was really happening. My book is set in a real place called Painswick in England. Someone praised me about how I continue to show great historical medical knowledge. I laughed because I have zero real medical knowledge, but it shows I have to do a lot of research. For this book, the main character is a surgeon's daughter. She is trying to serve as a sick room nurse to an older woman. It was a fun connection that Jenner, who came up with the smallpox vaccination, was related to Painswick. I did not know that when I made the setting there. It was interesting to include some real history about medical practices. I do a lot of research, but I am not a medical expert. KyLee: You do your research and write those characters and that story, and it takes off. Weaving in historical details makes a difference. I am a fan of fantasy too, but I like that historical fiction is anchored in the way it really was. Julie: In fantasy, you have to build that whole world. In historical, I have anchors, but you still have to build the world for the story. I don’t think I could be a fantasy writer. You would have to make up all your rules and keep track of it. KyLee: I would have to have lists of rules, then I would lose the list and find it a decade later on my computer. Julie: You and I have a similar organizational system. There are so many resources in historical. I can check if a word is too modern. I can see if Jane Austen used it. Whispers at Painswick Court KyLee: Let's talk about your latest release, Whispers at Painswick Court. Anne Loveday, a surgeon's daughter, is determined to live a single, useful life. To escape her matchmaking stepmother, she accepts an invitation from an old friend to return to Painswick, the place she and her sister spent many happy summers until that last, fateful year. Soon after arriving, Anne is asked to serve as sick-room nurse to Lady Celia, who forbade her nephew to marry Anne's sister years before. Pushing aside resentments, Anne moves into Painswick Court, a shadowy old house rumored to be haunted. Also in residence are Lady Celia's spinster daughter, her handsome adult nephews, and a secretive new lady's maid.  Two local doctors visit regularly as well, one of whom admires Anne while concealing secrets of his own. As an escalating series of mishaps befalls her patient, Anne realizes someone is trying to kill the woman. But who? When Anne finds herself a suspect and her determination to avoid romance challenged, can she discover the real killer—and protect her heart—before it's too late? KyLee: Somehow the title did not prepare me for the secrets to include a murder plot. Anne has medical knowledge at her disposal. Why has she set her heart on remaining single? A heroine committed to the single life Julie: Women in that time period, in general, their main goal was to marry and marry well. There were not a lot of options for women. Anne has gotten a taste of helping others and having a greater purpose than marriage. She thinks that because she has a sister who married in an arranged marriage and is unhappy. That’s been her example. Her young stepmother is trying to marry Anne off to completely inappropriate men. Men who are strangers, far too old, and not at all suitable. Men who want a wife and do not appreciate Anne's qualities. She’s determined that marriage is not for her. In that time period, many marriages were more like business arrangements. She does not want to marry for those reasons. She does not want to give up helping others and using the knowledge she has. The men interested in her would expect her to give that up to be their wife. KyLee: She found something she loves. Being pulled away from that would be heartbreaking. Julie: In a different world, she would have loved to be a doctor, a physician, a surgeon. She is smart enough and capable enough, but that was not an option for women. This is as close as she can get. The men in Anne's orbit KyLee: There seem to be several gentlemen of interest. Two nephews of Lady Celia, and a young doctor who admires Anne. Could you sketch a quick portrait of each? Julie: Anne and her sisters spent summers in Painswick because her grandparents lived there. She knows the two grown nephews from her younger days. One is very handsome and charming, and untrustworthy. Jude Dalby is the man her sister fell in love with years ago. His aunt said no, you are not going to marry this surgeon's daughter with very little money. So Anne has resentment toward him. The other nephew is a former military man. They were friends. He takes a shine to her and vice versa, but it is more of a friendship. There are actually two doctors in the story. Both doctors have secrets. The one who takes an interest in Anne has other stuff going on, so he cannot be forthcoming right away. Anne has to review her plan for her life. Sometimes God has other plans. She has to reevaluate if there is a way for her to have both marriage and purpose. KyLee: Which is the happily ever after we hope for. Julie: When you read a Julie Klassen book, you are going to have a happily ever after. It’s pretty much guaranteed. Gothic atmosphere, real legends, and place-based history KyLee: Did this book uncover any new historical tidbits, or give you an opportunity to weave in detail you had not shared before? Julie: There is poison involved, so I had to research those things. I love that the setting, Painswick, has real history I could weave in. The house I based it on is a real place with gothic legends surrounding it for generations. King Charles I stayed there, and people report seeing his ghost around the house and the adjacent churchyard. I am not that interested in ghosts except the Holy Spirit, but it is a well-known legend, and he really did stay in the house. The old house had jail cells in the basement because it used to be used as a courthouse. Prisoners were sent there. I love when I can take something real and weave it into the novel. I think it makes the world more believable and more real for readers. KyLee: Especially when there is somewhere they can go. If you can’t go to England, you can use street view and at least have an idea of what it looks like. Julie: Painswick has a beautiful church and a churchyard that is famous. It has 99 yew trees, and there is legend around it. If they plant another to make it 100, one of the other ones will die, and they will have to cut it down. I did not know yew has lore around it. It is a symbol for eternal life. It is also used for poison. I love to weave in that symbolism. You can Google it and see beautiful pictures. KyLee: I did not know yew wood was poisonous either. That will be handy if it is part of the murder plot. What's next for Julie Klassen KyLee: What is next for your writing, looking forward to 2026? Julie: I turned in my draft for the 2026 novel. Most of my books have been standalone. Whispers at Painswick Court is a standalone, and the 2026 book is also a standalone. It’s not a murder mystery, per se, but it’s a romantic story set on the coast of North Cornwall. It has gothic elements, bumps in the night, rumors, smugglers, those kinds of good things. It’s more of a romance with those gothic elements. It’s set to come out in December of 2026. The title is The Widow of Woodlark Cottage. It’s about a woman who rents Woodlark Cottage on this estate. There are a couple of men with different agendas and a lot of other things going on. Connect with Julie: Newsletter, Pinterest, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram. Bookworm review: The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill In “The Lost Girl of Astor Street,” Stephanie Morrill combines a gusty heroine, chronic illness representation, a swoony detective, feuding mafia families, and raw emotion into a gripping YA mystery that'll keep readers guessing till the very end. Fans of first-person narratives will fall for Piper Sail's vibrant voice that practically zings off the page. Determined and devoted, Piper is a compelling character sure to win readers' hearts as they're immersed in her dualistic world of Chicago amid the Roaring Twenties. If you love to hunt for clues with gumshoes and amateur sleuths, join the search for The Lost Girl of Astor Street! Read more about Stephanie at her website. (www.stephaniemorrill.com) ~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure If you enjoyed this episode, we hope you'll subscribe for more on your favorite listening platform, and join our newsletter (see the sidebar). Don't forget to share it with a fellow historical fiction reader! And if you really enjoyed this episode and would like to support, you can always buy us a coffee.

Sometimes God's mercy shows up in ways we never expected. This powerful testimony reminds us that when God says "I am your protector," He means it—even when life gets chaotic, scary, and unpredictable.After years of infertility and heartbreak, God answered prayer with a miracle baby. But the journey included a premature birth, emergency surgery, and moments of pure terror. Through it all, God was faithful. He showed up through doctors, friends, church family, and divine whispers of hope that said "he will see" and "it is finished."The holiday season can be bittersweet, bringing both joy and heartache. Whatever you're facing today, approach God's throne with confidence. He sees you. He's with you. And His mercy is real—not just as a feeling, but as an action He takes to rescue His people.How do you need God's mercy in your life right now? Let this be your invitation to trust Him with your story.

Sometimes God answers our prayers through other people. Erie First Worship Pastor Jonathan Dutcher examines the power that unlocks when we bring ourselves, and whatever God has gifted us with, into our relationships. The blessings that God does far exceeds the power of what we think we're contributing.

Sometimes God's blessings don't exactly look or feel like blessings. Sometimes they feel like an inconvenience. Sometimes they look like an unwelcome change. Sometimes blessings come in the form of everything you think you want absolutely falling apart. Mary had her life planned out. This little small town girl was engaged to Joseph, they were […]

Sometimes God uses trials to shape our character and strengthen our faith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Praising Through Hard TimesMatthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”It is essential to praise God in Hard times. I recall a time when I was going through a particularly challenging period, raising my boys, and in my marriage, and I found solace in praising God. It was a powerful reminder that my problems were not insurmountable and that God was with me. It is important to praise God even when we don't feel we have any reason to. One of the most important reasons to praise God in a difficult situation is that it puts the focus back on God rather than on our problem.One piece of advice I love is: “Instead of focusing on how big our problem is, we should focus on how big our God is.” I have never forgotten this, and it is so true. God is bigger than any problem we might be facing. There isn't anything too big or too hard for Him. When we praise the Lord, we bring our focus back to Him.Also, when we praise God, we are reminded of all the things He has done for us in the past. It reminds us that if He did it for us before, He would do it again. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) If we are in a difficult situation, we can look back to other times when we were struggling, and we can see how God helped us out of or through that situation. Sometimes God helps us out of a problem we are in. Sometimes, He helps us through the situation. What I mean is that he doesn't remove us from the situation; he gives us all we need to get through it. He gives us the strength, perseverance, and peace to get through each day.While studying about praise from my mentoring group, I read an article that mentioned something I hadn't really thought of before. It said that praise reminds us that God is in control. While reading this article, I came across a line that made me laugh. The article said, "As I praise God during the difficult times, I am reminded that God is still in control. God is never surprised by the things that come into my life. God never says, “Wow, I didn't see that coming. I hope Billy makes it through this.” This made me laugh because it is so true, yet we don't really think about it. We can praise God in the difficult times because He knew we would be in this season of waiting. And because He knew we would be in it, He has a plan to get us either out of this season or through it.It is funny to me that we would think we could ever catch the Lord off guard. It's weird to think something could happen that He wouldn't know about. Jesus says in Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” God knows everything about you. He knows about your situation and what you are waiting for.Praising the Lord during a hard season is telling Him that we trust Him and know He has a plan for us. Our job is to wait and to keep trusting that God is in control. It is hard for us to let God be in control. We want things done our way and in our time. I saw a video on Facebook the other day of a woman who was showing what it is like when we try to let God be in control. She was all excited and told Jesus to take the wheel. However, she wasn't happy when He didn't take the exit she wanted Him to take. She wasn't pleased when he wasn't driving as fast as she wanted him to. She tried to stop and pull over for a snack, but Jesus wanted to keep moving. Then she finally said, “I just thought that when I said Jesus take the wheel, we would take turns. You know, you would drive a little, I would drive a little. I thought this would be a little more collaborative.”It is hard to let Jesus take the wheel. It is hard to let God be in control, but it is always worth it. Have you ever tried to take the wheel, tried to run things your own way, and then had it not turn out so good? Abraham and Sarah tried to take things into their own hands, and Sarah had Abraham sleep with her handmaid so they could have a baby. It worked, and then Sarah got jealous of her handmaid and sent her away. God told them He would give them a baby, but Sarah got tired of waiting.  We get into trouble when we grow weary of waiting and take things into our own hands.This is why praising can be so beneficial. While we are waiting, we praise God for all he has done in the past, all that He has planned for our future, and all that He is in control of, so that we don't have to be. When we praise God, we keep ourselves busy, focused on God, and remind ourselves that God is in control.The article I read had some practical suggestions for praising God in difficult times. Here they are:It may not seem natural, and you may feel uncomfortable, but go ahead and praise God. Don't fake it, be honest. God already knows your heart, so if you don't feel like praising Him, tell Him, but praise Him anyway.Verbalize your praise. Praise is meant to be heard. Don't praise Him silently. Praise Him openly and verbally. There is something powerful about hearing our own voice praise and worship the Lord.Use fear and worry as indicators of when to praise the Lord. When fear and worry raise their ugly heads, use them as reminders to praise the Lord. Counter fear and worry, praise and worship.Allow God to teach you as you walk through the situation. God never wastes any event in our lives; He wants to grow us to be more like Christ through every problem we face. As you praise Him, ask what you can learn from this experience.Review God's work in your life in the past and praise him for it. Part of praise is reviewing God's faithfulness in the past. As you review His goodness and provision in the past, you will find new strength to face the problems of today.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each person listening to this episode. Lord, help us praise you. If we are uncomfortable praising you out loud, give us the courage to step outside our comfort zone and do it anyway. Lord, remind us that when we start to be filled with fear and worry, we can use that as an indicator to begin to praise. Teach us how to praise you, Lord. Each one of us can praise you in a different way; put that on our hearts, Lord. Help us to praise you when times are hard, when times are good, all the time. Help us to develop a habit of praise so we are praising you regularly whether we feel, like it or not. Lord, we love you. We are so grateful for all you have done for us, and praising you is one small way we can show our appreciation. We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. If you are enjoying this podcast, please consider rating it in whatever app you're listening to and leaving a review. The more ratings a podcast has, the more people will see it. Also, please consider sharing it with a friend or two. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “If today you hear Me call my children, if today you hear Me whisper your name, open yourselves up like the petals of beautiful flowers. Remember that they, in their beauty, are not arrayed in such beauty as I, your Father, your Savior, and your Spirit can bring to you.”  www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Series: N/AService: Sun PM WorshipType: Bible ClassSpeaker: Caleb Daniels

Sometimes God answers your desperation with a simple instruction not a dramatic demonstration.

Welcome to Be Bold for Jesus!Our mission is to help you walk boldly in your faith and follow Jesus with confidence. Led by Lee and Jaclyn Arnold, we teach the Bible in a way that transforms your heart and equips you to live out God's truth every day.In today's message:We dive into Jeremiah 27, where Jeremiah delivers God's warning to Judah and the surrounding nations: submit to Babylon's yoke or face destruction. Even when the message was unpopular and dangerous, Jeremiah stood firm.This chapter reveals a powerful truth:God's sovereignty extends over all nations, leaders, and circumstances.Sometimes God's will asks us to submit—even to seasons or authorities we don't like.Resisting His will leads to loss, while obedience brings protection, peace, and life.False prophets may promise comfort or shortcuts, but truth always requires trust.The reminder for us today:“I have made the earth, the people and the animals that are on the ground, by my great power and outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me.” — Jeremiah 27:6“Take My yoke upon you… and you will find rest for your souls.” — Matthew 11:29If God is asking you to wear His yoke, don't resist. Surrender brings freedom, peace, and protection.Stay connected and grow with us:• Sunday Sermons – Live on Zoom + Facebook• Wednesday Bible Study – Interactive discussions to go deeper• Daily Dose of Boldness – Devotionals to fuel your walk with GodBe Bold for Jesus Conference 2026An unforgettable weekend to ignite your faith. More info and tickets available at BB4J.comSupport the MissionHelp us reach more people with the gospel: Give at HesTheSolution.com/donateLet's move from knowing God's truth to boldly living it. God is speaking—will you submit?Scripture References:Jeremiah 27:1–22, Matthew 11:29

Sometimes God speaks to us through scripture, songs on the radio, conversations with friends, or during worship. Greg shares some nuggets of truth and HOPE with us today. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Look for HOPE is Here: - at www.HOPEisHere.Today - on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HOPEisHereToday - on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hopeisherelex/ - on X (Twitter) - https://www.x.com/hopeisherelex - on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeisherelex - on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtJ47I4w6atOHr7agGpOuvA Help us bring HOPE and encouragement to others: - by texting the word GIVE to 833-713-1591 - by visiting https://www.hopeisheretoday.org/donate   #Lexington #Kentucky #christianradio #JesusRadio #Jesus #WJMM #GregHorn #GregJHorn #suicideprevention #KentuckyRadio #HOPEisHere #Hope #HopeinJesus #FoodForThoughtFriday #MondayMotivation #FridayFeeling #Motivation #Inspiration #cupofHope #FYP #ForYouPage #SuicideAwareness

Prayer without any work just doesn't work and I'm going to explain to you why. Sometimes God blesses you in ways you don't expect. God will always give you what you need, but not always what you want. On this episode, God did both for me and I am super thankful. Let's talk about it…

Have you ever felt provoked to pray? Do you ever feel so touched by time spent in the Bible that you just have to tell God what you're experiencing? OR have you ever felt like you wanted to pray but just didn't know what to say? Both of these instances indicate the usefulness of scripture in prayer. Sometimes God's word moves us to respond to him. And sometimes it gives us the right words to say when we just don't have them ourselves.Today, InterVarsity prayer specialist Andrea Anderson walks us through the process of incorporating the Bible as a tool for prayer and helps us continue exploring the best practices for engaging with scripture after graduation.And don't forget to check out Manuscript.Bible! Use code AFTERIVPOD for a free month!OTHER RESOURCESBe sure to check out the Guided Prayer that accompanies this episode! (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)RELATED EPISODE(S)E196: The Tenderness of Memorizing (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)STAY IN TOUCHSocials: @afterivpodVisit our Website ★ Support this podcast ★

Sometimes God's silence feels overwhelming, especially when we've been waiting for answers to our deepest prayers. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth reveals how God works even during seasons of waiting. After 400 years of prophetic silence, God broke through with the announcement of John the Baptist's birth to this elderly, childless couple. Their names tell a beautiful story: Zechariah means God remembers, Elizabeth means God's promise, and John means God is gracious. Even when we can't see it, God's providence never pauses, and His promises remain unchanged throughout every season of our lives. Follow and subscribe to stay updated with our latest content: Youtube  | Facebook | Instagram | Central Wired Website

“The Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” — Luke 1:49 One danger we can slip into at Christmastime is discontent. Maybe we long for “the perfect gift” from someone. Or we hope for the perfect family gathering with “just the right people” around the table. Or perhaps we want Christmas worship to go “just so.” And then we grow ill-tempered or even cranky when things do not go as we dreamed.We can also slip into complaining about what we do not get from God. Or maybe there are injustices we face, or our life hasn't worked out the way we planned, or there are some sins we can't quite shake—and we wish God would take those problems away.Yet, as Mary's song celebrates, God's mercy shows up not only in answers that we expect from our prayers. Sometimes God's mercy shows up in our difficult situations. The angel's surprising, even shocking, announcement to Mary upended her world. Yet she still recognized God's saving grace in the promised birth of Jesus.Mary's song reveals something else too. She sees the power of God to lift up people who recognize their need for grace. In the world's eyes, the rich and powerful seem to have all they need in order to manage their lives. But people who recognize their own weaknesses will find that Jesus the Savior brings divine power to their struggles. May we join with Mary in humble gratitude for the gifts of God's mercy and strength. Lord God, you are merciful and mighty beyond our wildest imagination. Open our eyes to the great things you have done—and to your mercy to us in Jesus. Amen.

“I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” — Luke 1:38 Surprise is a part of many stories people tell at Christmastime. Lots of folk stories, novels, and movies with Christmas themes include fun twists and surprises. And often the most-loved tales are those with a surprising, happy ending.The Christmas story itself includes surprises. But while the result—Jesus' birth—is certainly a joyful and happy one, some of the surprises along the way can bring mixed emotions.Mary was not expecting to be at the center of this story. She was quite young, probably in her early teens, when an angel came to her with news that totally changed her life. It would be scandalous to be a pregnant, unmarried woman in a culture that prized sexual purity. Yet Mary embraced this news from God with humility, saying, “I am the Lord's servant.”What surprises has God placed in your life? Sometimes God delights us with good news we never saw coming—like a new job or an unexpected friendship. Other times God's surprises are hard to bear—like life-changing illnesses, mental-health issues, or financial struggles. Our surprises can also stem from sins we have committed, and we wish we had not done those things.God's Christmas promise is that he is with us in all of our surprises: the good and the difficult. God invites us to watch for his power and to find his saving grace in Christ.Will you humbly embrace him this Christmas? God of surprises, help us to trust in you. We need you always. Fill us with your love and grace, we pray, in Jesus. Amen.

Is God waiting for you to decide?CONNECT WITH USWeb: https://churchwithoutwallsinternational.orgPodcast: https://cwowi.buzzsprout.comVimeo: https://vimeo.com/cwowiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cwowiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CWOWInternationalBooks: https://churchwithoutwallsinternational.org/product-category/books-and-audio-books/Translations: http://www.cwowi.eu

What if we really believed that God could never fail? This message takes us into Luke 17:11–19, where ten outcasts lifted their voices for mercy—and Jesus answered with an instruction, not an instant miracle. "Go, show yourselves to the priests." The miracle didn't meet them in the moment… it met them on the way. Faith prayed. Faith obeyed. Faith gave thanks. And one returned—not just healed, but completely restored. Sometimes God's breakthrough comes wrapped in a step of obedience. Sometimes the miracle is found in the walk, not the waiting. The question isn't if God can move—it's whether we'll take the step before we see the result.

Pray for God's Healing Grace Because Jesus “spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Jesus knows the aches and wounds of your soul, and He wants to bring you healing. Jesus does not want you living in pain, heartache, or emptiness. The Apostle Luke tells you, in Luke 9:10-11, that Jesus wants to cure those who need His healing: “On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.". We are in an “instant society”, but healing is a process; and your healing may take a long time. Sometimes God wants you to wait, or He may see your need for healing differently from your perspective. However, in your personal relationship with God, you must pray and ask for His healing. In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus tells us: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!". Pray for God's healing grace for your soul and your body.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I can do what he asks of me. (Philippians 4:13). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 9:10-11; Revelation 22:1-3; 2 Chronicles 7:14-16; Psalms 146:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Turkeys and Eagles, Part 5: Following Jesus Changes Everything in Our Families”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this message, Pastor Bo reminds us that there is real, tangible power in a life fully surrendered to God and His Holy Spirit. Just like pushing a Harley is exhausting until the engine turns over, living in our own strength is hard—but when the anointing takes over, the journey becomes effortless.He then challenges us with a sobering choice: fall on the Rock (Jesus) and be broken, or wait for the rock of life’s pressures to fall on you and crush you. Sometimes God allows a breaking that brings us closer to Him—much like the shepherd who breaks a stubborn sheep’s legs only to carry it, feed it, and restore it until it learns to stay nearby. This message isn’t aimed at unbelievers—it’s for Christians who still want to run their own lives. Instead of asking God to bless what we’re doing, Pastor Bo urges us to ask, “What is the Lord doing—and how can I join Him?” Because Jesus is either Lord of all, or not Lord at all.(00:00) Life, Anointing, and Envy(08:26) True Servanthood and Life Transformation(18:12) Submission to Christ's Lordship(29:58) The Annunciation and Submissionhttps://citylightnyc.com/ 

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God whispers. Sometimes God nudges. But in Revelation 8-9…God sounds the trumpet.This message walks through one of the most intense chapters in the Bible—where spiritual warfare becomes physical and God uses judgment as a final call for people to turn back to Him.If life has been shaking you, this message will encourage you to listen for God's voice and run toward His mercy.

God is a supernatural God – God goes ahead of us – God knows all things – God is all powerful – God is all loving and God pours out gifts through His people into other people's lives. And that's the powerful truth we're going to share in today!   A Loving Dad Let's imagine just for a moment, that there is a father who has some children – he is their dad - in a very real sense, he created them. He loves them as a father loves his children but well, they've been separated from one another for a long time. He has never stopped loving them; he has never stopped thinking about them and one day they come back to him. They are reunited as a family and the father is just overjoyed. He goes to the airport to meet them; his heart is in his throat, there are tears in his eyes and like any father in that situation, he takes with him some gifts to give to these children – beautifully wrapped and especially chosen for each of them. To give a gift in that circumstance would be completely in character for a father to do because that is what dads do because there would be love and a joy – and it just makes us want to give gifts. And since we are made in God's image then it would be entirely reasonable to expect that God our Father would be exactly the same. Over the last three weeks we have been working our way through a series that I've called "The Holy Spirit and Me". Three weeks ago we began looking at how Jesus promised to give each person who believed in Him the Holy Spirit – another Comforter; another counsellor, just like Jesus. And then the next week we looked at the fact that, when that happens; when we accept Jesus and we are filled with His Spirit, then He begins to deal with our sin. The Spirit is called the Holy Spirit and part of what He does in us is to help us take that rubbish out from our former life and throw it out so that we can be free to live the life that God always intended. And last week we looked at the fact that God knows each one of us intimately. He looks at you and knows you just the way you are. He looks at me and He knows me just the way I am. And so He approaches us in different ways - in ways that He chooses to build a relationship with us through His Holy Spirit. This week we are going to finish this series off looking at the gifts of the Spirit. It turns out that the New Testament talks about three different types of gifts of the Spirit. Now I'm no Greek scholar but the Greek word that is used in the New Testament for "gift" is "charisma" – we know that word fairly well – and the Greek word that is used for 'joy' is almost the same word, it's "charis" – the same sort of derivative. So they are free gifts that come from God that give joy at being reunited with Him as His children – they are free gifts and they are gifts of joy. Let's take a bit of time today, if you can hang around with me for a few minutes today, just to look at some of those gifts and just to get a sense of what God is doing. We can't go through them all in detail, but just to kind of expose them and unpack them a little bit and be aware of them so that we can eagerly desire those gifts. A gift by definition is free but we need to be ready to receive. So it is given as a gift not only to us but for the potential benefit of other people. The first lot of gifts that are talked about in the Bible happened in Romans chapter 12, verses 3 to 8 – it's written by Paul. Let me read it to you. For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you, don't think of yourself more highly than you should but think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as one body we have many members and not all of the members have the same function. So we who are many are one in Christ and individually we are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us – prophesy in proportion to faith, ministry in ministering, the teacher in teaching, the exhorter in exhortation, the giver in generosity, the leader in diligence, the compassionate in cheerfulness. Now, none of those are kind of spooky, airy-fairy gifts – they are pretty straight forward gifts – to prophesy means to speak God's will; to speak what God is thinking into a situation. We sometimes think of it as predicting the future, but most often, it's about speaking God's will, encouraging, admonishing into a situation. Some people have that gift. Other people have the gift just to minister to other people. Some people have the gift of teaching. Other people have the gift of exhortation, of encouraging, of lifting them up. Other people are motivated to be givers – they are just really good at giving of their own things and wealth into other situations. Some people we know; we meet them and we go, "There is a natural gifted leader." And some people are gifted in compassion, in mercy; they are pastorally gifted. They are the ones who will hang with someone who is sick over time. Each one of us has one or two, or maybe even three of those in our makeup: According to the grace that is given to each one of us, to be used for other people. You and I have been crafted in our mother's womb and isn't it exciting to know, there is a gift or two or three been put into our DNA; into the fibre of who we are by God. I encourage you to spend some time thinking about that because each one of us has some motivation – that's why these are called motivational gifts – some motivation to speak out God's will or to minister to others or to teach or to encourage or to give or to lead or just to show compassion. And those gifts aren't gifts for us to hang on to; they are gifts for us to use in the lives of other people. They are gifts through which God flows into the lives of other people. You might think, "Well, you know, I don't have any real gift. Well, I don't think so." God has gifted you from the time that you were in your mother's womb, with one of those gifts that you can use to take the blessing of God into someone else's life – that's what this is about. We are going to look at some of the other gifts that the Bible talks about next.   Motivational and Leadership Gifts We are talking today in our last programme of the series "The Holy Spirit and Me" about the gifts; the spiritual gifts that God gives us through the Holy Spirit. The first lot that we looked at were what are called "motivational" gifts. They are kind of in our DNA – we all have a bent in a certain direction. For some people it is speaking out God's will; for some people it's encouraging; for others it's teaching; for others it's serving; for others it's hanging with people in compassion and pastoring them. That's one lot of gifts – we all have one or two of those gifts that are wired into our DNA and I would really encourage you to get before God and say, "Lord, I'm looking at this list of gifts that You have put there in Romans chapter 12 – which one is me? God I want You to use what You have put into the fibre of my being to bless other people and to encourage other people, because God I want to be used by You. Well, the second lot of gifts we are going to look at today come from Ephesians chapter 4 – if you have a Bible let's go there – we are looking at Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 13. These gifts are what are called "leadership" gifts – not everybody is going to be a leader but you know, sometimes we kind of sit there and we think, "Well, you know, I'm not a leader. I look around all these other people in my church and they all seem so important and special and I don't really have anything to be a leader." God picks the strangest people to be leaders – God really does! You know, I look back on my walk with Jesus and I think, "Why did God ever pick me to do what I'm doing? I never expected Him too." He comes and picks little black sheep and little ugly ducklings and little nobodies and uses them in the most powerful way. We should never kid ourselves that God doesn't mean for us to be doing something that He has planned for us to do. So we are here in Ephesians chapter 4, beginning at verse 11 – looking at the five leadership gifts - it says this: The gifts we gave were that some would be apostles, some would be prophets, some would be evangelists, some would be pastors and others would be teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ. So there are five gifts: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. An apostle is simply someone who gets sent out by the body of Christ; by the church to go and do a new work. The twelve Apostles were Jesus disciples who were then 'sent out' to build the church – to plant new churches. Paul was an apostle, someone who was sent out and he planted a lot of new churches. Have to be a special sort of person to be one who is happy to be sent out from the group to do something new. It is a really special gifting and it's a gifting that comes from the Holy Spirit. We don't choose this for ourselves – God chooses it – God chooses to make someone an apostle and when you are you just know and you have a motivation to do something new and you go out and do it. Then there are prophets – a prophet is someone who speaks God's will into people's lives. It's a gifting that God has given me – not one that I chose (we'll talk about that later) it's not one that I chose for myself, it's the one that God chose for me – to speak God's will. To go to God in prayer and say, "Lord, what are You doing today" and to hear Him really clearly and then to go and speak that into peoples' lives because that's what God has anointed me to do. Other people are evangelists. I have these friends Peter and Ruth and Peter and Ruth are just born evangelists and they can't help it. They sit at a bus stop and they are talking to someone about Jesus – that's just how they are wired – it's how God has made them. You would never pick them as evangelists – they don't look like Billy Graham but God has blessed them to go and do that and praise God, they do it every opportunity they get. Some people are called to be pastors. I was having a cup of coffee yesterday with a dear friend of mine Peter Watson, who is a pastor not far from where I live and Pete was talking to me and he said "You know, I just love what I'm doing and I'm here for the long haul and doing this, doing that." I said to Peter, "I'd die if I had to do what you do." I'm not called to be a pastor but Pete is and a whole bunch of other people are and churches are full of people who are gifted to be pastors. And I don't mean by that the "minister of the church" – I mean by that the sort of person who just pulls along and hangs with people for the long term and just hangs there and is with them and walks with them; who pastors them – as a shepherd pastors a flock. There is a real gifting; it's a real calling; it's a real anointing and a lot of times pastors don't look to be anything special and they're the most important people in my view, in the body of Christ. And then some people are called to be teachers – that's what I am doing now. My two gifting are in the area of prophesy and teaching. If we were all teachers it would be boring – fortunately God only picks a few. These are the leadership giftings – they are not for all – but their role is to build the body of Christ. We are now going to look at the last grouping of giftings which are called spiritual giftings. If you have a Bible, go and grab it, open it at First Corinthians chapter 12 and we will read it together. We are talking today about spiritual gifts and God is a Dad; He is our Dad and His heart is to give good gifts to His children. If we, who are imperfect, know how to give good gifts to our kids, how much more will our Dad in heaven give the Holy Spirit to us when we ask Him? And with the Holy Spirit come gifts – gifts that are about who we are but they are what God does through us to bless other people. We have talked about the motivational gifts in Romans chapter 12; we have talked about the leadership giftings in Ephesians chapter 4 and now we are moving on to the spiritual gifts – these are supernatural gifts – not magic – these gifts come from the Holy Spirit. Flick with me, if you have a Bible, to First Corinthians chapter 12. Now concerning spiritual gifts, (First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 1), brothers and sisters, I don't want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray by idols who couldn't speak, therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says 'Let Jesus be cursed' and no can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. Now there is a variety of gifts of the same Spirit and there are a variety of services but the same Lord and there are varieties of activities but the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit, the utterance of wisdom, to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another working of miracles, to another prophesy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues and to another, the interpretation of tongues. All of these are activated by one and the same Spirit who allots to each one individually, just as the Spirit chooses. These are spiritual gifts that come from the Holy Spirit and they are not for super Christians, they are not for special Christians – it says here: To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Believe in Jesus? God's plan is to manifest His Spiritual gifts in you and through you just as His plan is to do that with me. Now there are a variety of gifts. Sometimes it is an utterance of wisdom, sometimes it is walking into a situation and discerning what is going on and you just feel God give you this wisdom that you never had and you speak it and everyone goes "Man, that's amazing." And sometimes it's a word of knowledge – sometimes we can't know what is going on in someone's life but the Holy Spirit just leads us to speak something and it's bang on. Sometimes it is the most supernatural faith in the most difficult of circumstances. Sometimes God says, "Go and heal that person because I am healing them – go and put your hands on them – go and pray for them." The Spirit is about healing lives. Sometimes it's working in miracles – sometimes it's a prophesy; it's a word from God that people just know has come from God. Sometimes it is discerning spirits – the devil is alive and well. And sometimes it's praying in tongues – one of the very common gifts. Now they are wonderful, wonderful gifts but the most important thing, if you read the next couple of chapters of First Corinthians, which we are not going to, is that we should pursue love. We should – yes, strive for spiritual gifts because God wants to give them to each one – but the most important thing is that we walk in love. If you flick over to chapter 14 and verse 12, it says this: So with yourselves, since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for the building up of the church. Now I am challenged by this; I am a very right-brained, analytical kind of guy and I had a prophesy given to me by telephone from a friend. She rang one Saturday morning and said 'God has just given me Romans chapter 12, verse 6 and that says: Prophesy according to your faith. Now the night before I had been at Bible College and one of our lecturers Dr Barry Chant, whom I have just so much time for, said "Today we are going do prophesy." And I'm thinking, "Barry, it doesn't work that way. God doesn't work like this. Hang on a minute." So I challenged him and he smiled at me knowingly and he sat me down with a young man and he said, "Prophesy into this man's life." I thought, "Barry, come on." Barry said, "just start praying for him" and so I did and God led me in a direction to pray for this young man and I opened my eyes when I finished praying and he was sobbing – he was in tears because I prayed and spoke something into his life that I couldn't have known, that was the biggest issue in his life right then. And Barry put his hand on my shoulder and had this knowing smile. God gave me that day, even though I didn't ask for it, the gift of prophesy and prophesy for me is never easy. It's not something that comes lightly; not something that I open my mouth over easily, but when God calls me to prophesy; to speak His very specific will into some situation into someone's life, I just know. And so I go and do that and I see how God does the most amazing things. I have seen people blessed time and time again. That's the spiritual gift that God seems to give to me most often. Now, I would really like one of the flashy gifts like healing – that would be good. I'd love to be able to go along and lay my hands on people and heal them all the time but it just seems that the place God calls me into, being who I am and how He has made me, is in this area of prophesy. And it is so wonderful to see that step of faith – and that's what it is for me each time because it's always a bit scary to do – to prophesy into people's lives and see God use that and see lives touched and changed. This is not the gift I had planned for myself, yet, we don't get to choose. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All of these are activated by the one and the same Spirit who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. This is a gift from God and if we start taking gifts on ourselves saying, "I'm going to be a healer," and God hasn't put that in us, then, we are going to abuse that, we are going to make mistakes and we are going to hurt people. God is a good God – God is a supernatural God – God goes ahead of us – God knows all things – God is all-powerful – God is all loving and God pours out gifts through His people into other people's lives. Sometimes they are unusual; sometimes they are scary; sometimes it's a huge step of faith to lay your hands on someone and pray for their healing. But when God is doing something; when God has shown up, you know something? You and I had better be there along with Him otherwise He will use someone else. Our Father is a Father of joy; He's a good Father. He wants to give us good gifts – they are free gifts – to each one of us – you! You believe in Jesus? God means to use you supernaturally in other people's lives – it's a fabulous plan. And, yes, you know something? It takes a bit of faith but God knows that too and He knows where we are at in our faith. Prophesy happens according to faith – my gift is a faith gift and I just believe that when I open my mouth, I am only doing it in His power. I won't open my mouth in my own strength and God, time and time again has done that. What if God plans to use you to heal people's lives? What if God plans to use you to put words of knowledge or words of wisdom into other people's lives? You know, if we are not co-operating with God, it's not going to happen – He is not going to drag us kicking and screaming. It says here that we should 'eagerly desire' spiritual gifts and excel in those spiritual gifts. We have looked at three types of gifts today – motivational gifts, Romans chapter 12, verses 3 to 7; leadership gifts, Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 13; spiritual gifts, First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 1 to 11. God is a good God – God wants to bless people. You know He sent Jesus to this planet not just to speak but to walk on water, to heal people, to give sight to the blind, to cast demons out, to die and rise again – God is a supernatural God – God touches lives supernaturally. Father I pray for each person listening that You would give us a desire for Your spiritual gifts; a desire for Your Spirit to flow through us; a desire for this world to be blessed by Your Spirit through us. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Sometimes God wants to see if we’ll do what he asks of us. The post Don’t Miss Your Plane appeared first on Key Life.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

It's always a pleasure to welcome back Dr. Shane Enete—Associate Professor of Finance at Biola University, founder of Biola's Financial Planning Program, and creator of The Money Storybook Bible Podcast. His creative work helps parents disciple their children in biblical stewardship by weaving financial lessons into retold Bible stories.When asked what inspired the podcast, Dr. Enete explained that the idea grew from a common question he receives: “How can I teach my kids about money?” His realization was simple yet profound—the Bible already does this. “The Bible talks about money more than almost any other topic, and it's filled with stories for all ages,” he said. “So I thought, what if I just told these stories to my kids in a way that helped them see themselves in the story and learn about money at the same time?”Stewardship as an Expression of LoveFor Dr. Enete, the goal goes far beyond teaching budgeting or saving. “Stewardship is one of the greatest opportunities we have to express our love for Jesus,” he said. “When we share, we're loving Him and others.”He hopes parents and children alike will see money not as a source of stress or status, but as an opportunity for love, wisdom, and worship. “I want kids to understand the dangers of debt and discontentment,” he added, “but even more, I want them to know that Jesus is everything—and that money can be used to love Him.”Storytime with a PurposeEach podcast episode features Dr. Enete reading to his own children, with interactive moments that bring the stories to life. “We start with fun icebreakers, like a ‘Would you rather' question, then read a Bible story together,” he explained. “Afterward, I ask questions to help them reflect, and we finish with a hands-on activity that reinforces the lesson.”One of Dr. Enete's favorite family moments came from a story about Solomon. “I asked my kids which world they'd rather live in—one where they're rich but don't know Jesus, or one where they have Jesus but not the riches. They didn't even hesitate—they chose Jesus. That's when I knew these lessons were hitting home.”The Story of Lydia: Business as MinistryOne memorable episode, Purple Snail Robes, retells the story of Lydia from Acts 16. In Dr. Enete's version, Lydia initially wants to give away her wealth to follow Paul, but he helps her see that her business can be a ministry in itself.“Sometimes God wants us to serve Him right where we are,” Paul tells her. “When you share what you have and do your work with skill and kindness, you're showing people who Jesus is.”Dr. Enete shared that Lydia's story was inspired by the idea of Gospel Patrons—those who use their resources to fuel God's work. “Lydia was one of the first gospel patrons,” he said. “I wanted kids to see that our work and business can glorify God. Plus,” he laughed, “the fact that purple dye came from smashed snails makes it extra fun for kids!”The Story of Nicodemus: Costly GenerosityAnother powerful episode, 75 Pounds of Spices, reimagines Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus as they prepare Jesus' body for burial—with a young girl named Abigail watching nearby. The story illustrates generosity that is both courageous and costly, as Joseph donates his tomb and Nicodemus buys an extravagant amount of burial spices.Even little Abigail joins in, offering her treasured blue necklace to honor Jesus. “That moment shows that no act of generosity is too small,” said Dr. Enete. “It's a picture of giving that flows from love—something children can grasp in a tangible way.”Free Resources for FamiliesTo help parents extend the lessons at home, Dr. Enete created a free activity book that pairs with the podcast. It includes fun exercises, badges, and a certificate of completion—each tied to key money principles like giving, saving, and contentment.You can find the podcast and resources at WholeHeartFinances.com.At the heart of The Money Storybook Bible Podcast is a simple but transformative message: Jesus is the true treasure. Teaching kids about money isn't just about dollars and cents—it's about helping them see that every financial decision can be an act of love for God and others.As Dr. Enete put it, “More than anything, I want kids to know that money isn't the goal—knowing and loving Jesus is.”On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I've been diagnosed with a terminal illness and care for my four-year-old grandson. I have $100,000 in life insurance, $50,000 in retirement savings, and $20,000 in cash. How can I set up a trust and invest wisely to provide for him after I'm gone? Also, does the guardian I choose also control the trust, or must they be named separately as trustee or beneficiary?I've seen ads claiming thieves can steal your home's title unless you buy special insurance. Is that a real concern or just a scare tactic?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)The Money Storybook Bible PodcastWhole Heart FinancesWhole Heart Finances: A Jesus-Centered Guide to Managing Your Money with Joy by Dr. Shane EneteWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's be real: if you've had sex before marriage, the odds of staying holy while dating are slim—unless you're willing to do the hard stuff. Boundaries. Mentors. Accountability. And honestly? Sometimes God and your godly circle already told you to break up… and you're just ignoring it.But if He's still giving you peace and you've got wise community backing you up, then maybe—just maybe—you're the exception. Just don't play with fire and expect not to get burned. Keep it fun & holy fam.

Sometimes God chooses the bad guys. Intro - "Yice Hole" by Chiggerticky Outro - "All-Nite Barbecue" by Chiggerticky

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God does what He hates to accomplish what He loves. Thank you for listening to Encourage-Mint. If you've been refreshed, don't forget to subscribe, Leave a review on iTunes, and share a little Encourage-Mint with someone you love. Encourage-Mint is a podcast from Family Radio. These stories are just a taste of the stories you can hear every day. Listen at FamilyRadio.org or find more encouragement on the Family Radio app.  Get daily Scripture and encouragement by following Family Radio on your favorite social media platforms:FacebookInstagram Twitter

v Welcome back to the Tell The World Podcast. Today's episode is for anybody who ever felt like life knocked the wind out of them. Sometimes it takes a hard hit to wake you up. Sometimes God lets a situation shake you so you can finally see your power. You didn't come this far to stay down. You're being snapped back to life — mentally, spiritually, emotionally. Let's talk about rising when life forces you to rise.”   #TellTheWorldPodcast #SnappedBackToLife #RiseAgain #MotivationDaily #MindsetShift #FaithOverFear #KeepPushing #BounceBackSeason #YouGotThis

What does it mean to repent of our sins? How do other see we are new in Christ in how we live? This week we read in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 5, how we are to handle sin and steps to take to hold another follower of Christ accountable for their sins in a loving way. God gives so much grace, but grace doesn't wink at sin, grace weeps over it. Sometimes God will let us hit rock bottom so we realize He's the Rock at the bottom. It's okay to not be okay, but true surrender to Jesus won't leave you that way.

Feeling overwhelmed after a victory? You're not alone. Even Elijah ran scared after calling down fire from heaven. Here's the truth: your weakest moments don't disqualify you from God's plan. Sometimes God speaks loudest in a whisper, not through the earthquake or fire. What cave of discouragement are you hiding in today? God isn't done with you yet.

At some point in your life you will face a giant. Sometimes God removes the giant but sometimes you must fight. Your response depends on where you are in your walk with the LORD. Join us as we workshop a compelling battle in 1 Samuel 17!

Sometimes God allows our faith to be tested, not to take something from us but to do something in us. Pastor Shawn McGill shares the story of Abraham to show what it means to truly trust God when the stakes are high. Through Abraham's obedience, we see that every test of faith is really a test of trust.

Sometimes God will pause your progress so He can prepare your heart. Because it's not too late for your miracle, you've got to let Him do the work in you before He does the work for you. Subscribe to the latest sermons: http://bit.ly/TBCsermons To learn more about The Block Church: http://theblockchurch.org/ Stay Connected Facebook: http://bit.ly/2vOiaLa Instagram: http://bit.ly/2nzZNWB Twitter: http://bit.ly/2KEScPL #theblockchurch #ChurchOnline #Onlinechurch

Sometimes God asks us to take a step of faith that doesn't make sense in the moment. We're called to do what He's asked of us, and trust Him to handle the rest.

Mark 5:24-34 24 A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."  LESSON NOTES Faith Is the Channel, Not the Cause. The woman's healing came by Jesus' power, but her faith was the conduit through which His grace flowed. Faith doesn't replace Jesus' power—it connects us to it. Desperate Faith Leads to Dependence. The woman's long suffering left her desperate enough to reach for Jesus. Sometimes God allows desperation so that we learn to fully depend on Him rather than ourselves. Dependent Faith Means Letting Go of Self-Effort. She could not heal herself, and all her efforts only made things worse. True faith releases our grip on self-effort and holds fast to Jesus as the only source of salvation and wholeness. Salvation is About a Relationship, Not a Transaction. Jesus refused to let the woman quietly slip away. He called her “Daughter,” turning her faith from a private transaction into a public, relational transformation. Faith isn't just believing—it's belonging. Even Small Faith Moves the Heart of Jesus. The woman's trembling, timid touch was enough to draw out His power and compassion. Jesus responds not to the strength of our faith, but to the sincerity of it. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. "You don't realize that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have." Talk about this quote with your group. Put into your own words what it means to be desperate for Jesus?  2. In what ways can we practice “touching His robe” in our daily lives—taking small steps of faith that connect us to His power rather than depending on our own effort? 3. Jesus calls her out of the crowd in order to deepen her faith. What might God be using in your life right now to deepen your faith? 4. Jesus didn't just heal this woman — He called her “Daughter.” How does this shift from a transactional to a relational view of salvation encourage your walk with God? 5. How can this story encourage someone who feels like their faith is weak or hesitant right now? What does it reveal about the heart of Jesus toward imperfect faith?

Feeling stuck? Sometimes God brings us to a place where we need to hit reset — to let go of the past and step into the new thing He's preparing. In this powerful message, we'll explore how to realign our hearts, renew our minds, and restart with God's purpose leading the way. It's time for a reset!

Daily Dose of Hope November 5, 2025   Scripture – John 15   Prayer:  Almighty Father, You always know what is best for us.  Thank you for that.  We are sorry for the ways that we resist.  Help us to want what you want for us.  Help us to want to be patient, to want to be kind, to want to be obedient.  Conform our will, Lord,  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  As most of you know, we are right in the middle of a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are deep diving into John 15.   The Scripture that we read from John 15 is incredibly powerful.  Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."   Jesus is talking to his followers about how to walk closely with him, essentially what it means to be a disciple.  What is a disciple? A good working definition, for our purposes, is  an apprentice, someone who wants to learn all they can from another person so they will do what they do and become like them.  To be a disciple of Jesus, that means we have to actively learn about Jesus, know him, become like him.   And this Scripture gives us a really important clue as to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  A disciple remains in Jesus. Older translations use the term abide. To remain or abide in Jesus means not simply to have said yes to Jesus, but to have a connection with Jesus, we are in union with him, we stay with him, we rest in him. Let's think about this. The presence of Jesus is always with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is always there, but we tend to move away from him. Jesus is saying here, remain in me. Stay close to me, stay connected to me, stay in conversation with me. How do we do this?  Well, through prayer, reading Scripture, worship, and other spiritual disciplines. If we don't pray, if we don't read the Bible, if we don't worship, we will not feel connected to Jesus. We are not remaining in him and the result will be evident. We will feel dry, parched, alone, we will start to gradually make choices that don't represent who we are in Jesus, the world will begin to seep in, gradually, so gradually sometimes that we don't even notice.   I've used the teacup example before.  If you drink tea (and use teabags), then you are either a dipper or a steeper.  If you dip that teabag in the water, you go up and down and up and down and the tea never gets that strong.  A lot of people are like that with faith.  They are dippers.  They dip into prayer and dip out of prayer.  They dip into Bible study and dip out of Bible study.  They dip into church and dip out of church.  But Jesus wants us to be steepers.  He wants us to steep in prayer, Bible study, and worship.  He wants us to soak in his presence so we are like really strong tea.   Now, part of abiding is to acknowledge that we need Jesus and are totally dependent on Jesus. Think about this---the branch is totally dependent on the vine. Without the vine, the branch is useless, lifeless, powerless. Sap flows from the vine to the branch, supplying it with water, minerals, and nutrients that make it grow. And believers receive the "sap" of Christ's grace through our life-giving connection to him. Intentionally remaining in Jesus is recognizing that we can't do this life alone. We need Jesus. I need daily, sometimes hourly, times of prayer to abide with Jesus.  How are you doing abiding in Jesus?  (Use a scale of 1 to 10 right now to assess how well you abide in Christ, 1 being not at all and 10 being totally soaking him in all the time).   Let's take a look at the next part of the Scripture, John 15:5-8, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."   So we can see the other characteristic of a true disciple is producing fruit.  When we abide or remain in Jesus, then fruit should be the natural result.  Resting in Jesus makes us changed people – our attitudes are different, our behavior is different, it's noticeable.  We are more patient, more kind, more loving, more generous, more gentle; basically, we look more like Christ.  We bear fruit not by squeezing it out of ourselves but because we are extensions of the vine, pruned by the gardener.   Think about a grapevine.  I've never been very successful growing grapes in Florida but most of us have seen a grapevine at some point.  They are typically grown on a trellis.  They have to be pruned and trimmed by the gardener in order to produce new healthy branches that bear fruit.  If you don't prune, then you are going to have a lot of leafy green but it won't produce new branches that bear fruit.  It will look good but it won't produce anything.  And the point is of course, not simply to look pretty on the trellis, but to actually produce some fruit.   Of course, our purpose is not simply to look good, to look Godly or righteous, but to ACTUALLY produce fruit.  So, God may need to prune us to ensure that happens.  I used to be afraid of God's pruning, but I've found in my own life that God prunes me because he loves me. He wants to remove those things in my life that are hindering my spiritual growth.  This could mean bad habits, bad relationships, things that are toxic, generally anything that is getting in the way of me becoming the person God wants me to be. Sometimes God removes things directly (like he simply removes something from our life like a relationship or a job or you name it – think of something God removed and in retrospect, needed to remove from your life).  Other times, God convicts us so that we will make the move to remove whatever it is that is creating a wedge in our relationship with him.    Think about your relationship with God right now.   What has hindered you from bearing more fruit or bearing fruit at all?  Fears and insecurities from your past?  Selfishness? An unhealthy attachment to stuff? Unhealthy friendships, unhealthy behavior patterns?  Complacency, being too comfortable, laziness, fatigue, lack of passion? Whatever it is, acknowledge it now.  God wants better for you.  He wants to walk closely with you.  In fact, God wants HIS best for you.  He wants you to live a fruitful, abundant life.  Do you want that?  Really, do you?    Let's spend some extended time in prayer, asking God to reveal himself to us right now.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

True success doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes God builds you steadily for an overnight success. On the next Susie Larson Live, Pastor Mark Batterson joins me to share from his book "Gradually Then Suddenly: How to Dream Bigger, Decide Better, and Leave a Lasting Legacy." Check out Susie's new podcast God Impressions on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here

You and I are going to struggle with our humanity.  Surrender doesn't seem like a good idea to any of us. It feels like we are giving up and losing control, but when we surrender to God, we lose things we don't need to gain the things we really do.Main Points:1. Everything you need is on the other side of surrendering your life to God.2. Everything you need God can provide. Yet, often the provision doesn't come until we surrender to God. 3. God's plan is not about depriving us of good things. He delights to give His children good gifts. He also desires, above all else, for us to follow him and delight in him.  Sometimes God will make us sacrifice something we want to secure our hearts for the greatest good: Himself. Today's Scripture Verses:Matthew 26:39 - “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Sometimes God changes your dreams—because His plan is better. Trust Him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.