The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Trust that he has abundance in store for tomorrow. Like Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Through the Hurt and Hard Times, Hold On to Him By Keri Eichberger  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23) I was walking through what felt like the hardest financial hardship of my life. Yet in the midst, I noticed something sweet, and actually sort of surprising. It was how well I seemed to be handling the storm. I would have a brief emotional outburst at least daily, but then I’d move on and get to work reversing the setback or just keep treading in assurance of God‘s provision and goodness always with me. I felt the strength of the Lord keeping my head and eyes above the dark water. Until the heaviness hit me. And all of a sudden, the reality of the black shadows that had steam rolled into my life like a tsunami of storm clouds, paralyzed me with grief. Sadness overtook me. I felt alone, on an island, where no one could reach me, see me, or help me. The lyrics of Lauren Daigle’s “Hold On To Me” had been playing in the background of my soul for twelve days since the unexpected blow. And now I needed to grasp these words forefront, and more than ever. Beautiful reminders to hold on to the Lord through the very hard season and moments swelling in my midst. You might be walking pretty well through a hard time like I was for a bit too. And if so, you’ll need to hang onto this message for when weariness does come for you. But, if you can relate more to an overwhelm of heaviness, you may just need to know right now that you are not alone in the hurt you are carrying. You’re not, trust me. I’m with you.  But what we both really need to know more than that, is that our friend, Jesus, is with us too. Because even though there are hurting souls at every turn you take – yes everyone has something that weighs on them – no one is weathering your exact storm the exact way you are. No one totally gets it. But Jesus. He cries with you. Cries for you. Yes, he loves and adores you. And I need to remember how much he loves me too.  So, let’s hold on to him. In him we will find comfort. In him we will find peace. In him we will find our strength. In him we will be redeemed and find joy again. I know how long the days drag on when sadness sweeps over your spirit and seems to dim all the lights within. But I also know that God‘s mercies are new each day. Today, the Lord just wants you to feel and receive his love. And to trust that he has abundance in store for tomorrow. Like Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Intersecting Faith and Life: I understand how hard it is to hold on when you feel weakened by discouragement or despair. But, I hope today you will find encouragement in the truth of God‘s constant compassion and presence. And that you will hold on just a little tighter to him. Let’s release the pressure of feeling we have to pull our own selves up out of the pit and into the world of expectation. Let’s just hold on to him. And let him hold us. Friend, let him heal your heart today with his unconditional love. In time he will lift you up to where he wants to lead you. For now, just know you are absolutely never alone, and keep clinging to the good Lord who loves you.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Are you struggling to feel forgiven?  Look to Jesus. It can be hard sometimes, to turn off the voice inside us that says we haven’t earned our forgiveness. After all, we live in a world that tries to rank and file everything, and everyone.  We live in a world of merit and earning, one that says, “what goes around comes around”, “you get what you deserve” But Jesus reminds us that God’s love isn’t based on worldly principles. Jesus offers us a vision of hope and grace. You need not question your forgiveness. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: What if I don’t feel forgiven? “If you O Lord kept a record of our sins, O Lord who could stand. But with you there is forgiveness, so you are to be feared.” (Psalm 130.3-4) Forgiveness is one of the benchmarks of Christian faith. The Christian life doesn’t make a whole lot of sense if we have a faulty or unbiblical understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness is fundamental to our faith, and one of the prime characteristics of God’s nature. Yet according to a 2018 survey by the Barna Group – close to 40% of practicing Christians don’t believe they have ever felt forgiven.  There are two main reasons why someone might struggle to feel forgiven. First is they may have a faulty depiction of God. See, for a lot of people, even those who go to church, God is an angry cop in the sky who is out to catch us in our wrongs. Heaven contains a large filing cabinet containing our spiritual rap-sheet; if we step too far out of line, then the Lord will dole out some form of divine retribution. We may not even know we think that, until something unplanned or unwanted happens in our life, and our first thought is “is God punishing me?” Somewhere, there is a belief that mistakes and sins completely invalidate God’s love and grace.  But scripture speaks a better word. Psalm 130 verse 3 says, “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord who could stand.” You know, scripture depicts God keeping records of all sorts of things: God keeps the number of our days, God keeps a record of all our tears, God even records the number of hairs on our head; But God does not keep a record of our sins. There is no rap-sheet that we need to try to work our way out of. We do not live our lives under the peering eye of an angry cosmic enforcer. With the Lord there is forgiveness. Forgiveness means that God radically reaches out to us in love and grace.  Forgiveness means that when we come to God in faith, whatever spiritual burdens we carry, for whatever reason, are completely and eternally removed. This spiritual freedom isn’t because of anything we do, we don’t earn it or merit it, or work our way into forgiveness.  Forgiveness is free, held out to us, because that is who God is.  But if that is who God is, why don’t we all recognize this reality?  Well, the second obstacle to feeling forgiven is ourselves. Sometimes, we think that we aren’t worthy of that forgiveness. We make the record of our sins, and because that record is longer than we would like, we actively remove ourselves from the offer of forgiveness. We all know the adage; “Forgive and forget”, but because we can’t forget, we don’t feel forgiven. Not only does the scripture make clear that it is God’s fundamental character to forgive our sins, Psalm 130 also speaks about the totality of that forgiveness.  Psalm 130 concludes with ‘With the Lord there is unfailing love; and with the Lord, there is full redemption.”  The forgiveness of God, rooted in God’s mercy and grace, is unfailing and full. It covers every spot or sin in our lives.  And when our own hearts condemn us, we can remember that God is bigger than our hearts and will never revoke his love towards us. Intersecting faith and life The greatest examples of God’s radical and transforming forgiveness is Jesus on the cross. Jesus hung in front of the people who drove nails through his limbs, who spit upon him and mocked him.  It would have been easy for Jesus to utter a word of condemnation or vengeance. But instead, in the face of all the world’s cruelty, as the world’s sin crushed him, Jesus voiced nothing but loving forgiveness. “Father forgives them.”  In Jesus, fullness of forgiveness is always on display. Are you struggling to feel forgiven?  Look to Jesus. It can be hard sometimes, to turn off the voice inside us that says we haven’t earned our forgiveness. After all, we live in a world that tries to rank and file everything, and everyone.  We live in a world of merit and earning, one that says, “what goes around comes around”, “you get what

Is God’s “gift” to you a difficulty, a loss, a frustration, or untreatable pain? We don't typically see those circumstances as gifts. They are more like disappointments, aggravations, or perceived rejection. But they may be gifts, nonetheless, given to grow us to a new level spiritually, or prepare us for something better to come, or even to help us see something extraordinary about God that we couldn't see before.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: The Gift in God's “No" By Cindi McMenamin, Crosswalk Contributing Writer  “No good thing will He withhold from those that walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 NASB) Have you ever asked God for something and He didn’t deliver?  I know what that is like. And it hurts. But I've learned through the years that God's "no" often ends up being a gift greater than what I had originally asked for.  Whether I was trying to get my first book published, trying to have a second child, or trying to pry open a door of opportunity, every time I received a "no" it turned out God was really saying "Wait—I have something far better than what you’ve asked for."  Yet all I could see in front of me at the time was a rejection letter, another month of what I thought was unanswered prayer, or another closed door. More waiting. More disappointment. Discouragement.  Hannah of the Old Testament knew that discouragement. She longed to have a baby. Yet we find twice in the first few lines of her story that the reason for Hannah's infertility was because “the Lord had closed her womb" (1 Samuel 1:5-6).  Ouch! I would feel so much better if that verse gave us a reason like: “because Hannah wasn’t emotionally prepared for a baby.” Or, “because having a child would have broken Hannah’s heart.” Or even, “because Hannah could not have survived the birth of the baby,” But that verse specifically tells us that the Lord was the One withholding from Hannah the one thing she wanted most in life. And it didn’t tell us why.  We'd like to think God is behind only the blessings we receive, and that He would never allow—or even arrange—difficulties to come our way. Yet that is one of the primary ways He awakens our need for Him and draws us closer to Himself.  Hannah became so desperate to have a son that she poured out her heart to God in prayer, promising to give her son back to God if He were to finally give her one. It was then, after Hannah came to that place of complete surrender, that we read God's gracious, yet timely response: "And the Lord remembered her. It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son…” (1 Samuel 1:19-20).   Hannah got her long-awaited son, but years later than she had anticipated. The no she had perceived from God earlier was really wait. And the wait turned out to be the best blessing of all. Hannah didn't have just any baby. She had a son named Samuel who became one of Israel's greatest prophets and priests. He not only anointed Israel's first two kings, but he helped turn the nation's heart back toward God.  Hannah simply asked God for a baby. But God wanted to give her—and her son—a legacy. Hannah had a dream. But God had for her a destiny. What Hannah earlier perceived as no was a gift in terms of God's timing. God wanted to give her so much more than she asked for. So, He waited and did it in His timing, not hers.   Intersecting Faith and Life  Scripture tells us in Job 42:2 that God can do "all things. No plan is impossible for [Him]” Scripture also tells us in James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (NIV). So, if every gift is from God, and you're praying for something that is not arriving, God is the One who, for some reason, is deciding to withhold that gift. And, I have learned through the years that some of God's best gifts to us are the very things He decides to withhold.  Is God’s “gift” to you a difficulty, a loss, a frustration, or untreatable pain? We don't typically see those circumstances as gifts. They are more like disappointments, aggravations, or perceived rejection. But they may be gifts, nonetheless, given to grow us to a new level spiritually, or prepare us for something better to come, or even to help us see something extraordinary about God that we couldn't see before.  If your idea of a good thing differs from God’s right now, can you trust the wisdom in His

The next time you feel triggered to store up food or supplies out of fear, panic, or worry, thank God for the daily bread He faithfully provides. Ask Him to calm your heart and mind in these situations and help you to turn daily to Him in faith, trusting His provision for your life.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Give Us This Day By Lynette Kittle “Give us today our daily bread”--Matthew 6:11 Y2K, COVID 2020, and end-of-the-world forecasts all invoke fearful, self-preservation, survivor thoughts, and feelings of needing to store up supplies in preparation of a coming, looming disaster. During the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, when store shelves, warehouses, and online shops were empty, people had to come up with creative replacements for it. From wet wipes to tissues to napkins, individuals found a way to make do. It was easy to get caught up in storing up more products than needed at the time just to be safe and prepared for the unexpected. But where does being prepared cross over to being fearful that leads to hoarding, greed, and selfishness? Jesus Addresses Hoarding In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus deals with this issue. “Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’”  “And He told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God’”  Receiving God’s Bread Daily During the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness, God taught them how to receive their daily bread, one day at a time, giving us, too, an example of how to receive His bread daily. Exodus 16:4 explains, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” Like the Israelites, we may not recognize God’s provision at first glance. Exodus 16:15 describes their first reactions to the new bread. “When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.’” Exodus 16:31-32 describes what God’s heaven-sent bread looked like. “The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’” Don’t Worry, Have Faith! Rather than compulsively store up supplies, Jesus tells us to not worry about our lives, what we’ll eat, or what we’ll wear, because life is more than food and our bodies more than clothes (Luke 12:22-23). Jesus points out how birds don’t sow or reap and have no storeroom or barn, still, God meets their needs by feeding them. He tells us that we are much more valuable to God than them, assuring us that worrying doesn’t add a single hour to our day, so why even bother to spend any time worrying? (Luke 12:24-25). Rather, Jesus said, “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you—you of little faith!” (Luke 12:27-28). As followers of Jesus, He tells us to not focus our hearts on what we’ll eat or drink, and most importantly, to not worry about them because our Father in Heaven knows what we need .Rather, God calls us to seek His kingdom first, and when we do, all these things will be provided for us (Luke 12:29-31). Intersecting Faith & Life:  The next time you feel triggered to store up food or supplies out of fear, panic, or w

God uses visions, dreams, and words to give people vision, direction, and hope for the future. What word may God be giving you to help you in your future? SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: A Prophetic Dream “In the last days, God says, I will pour my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 “Can I talk to you?” Our daughter came to my husband and me one day and said she wanted to talk to us after church. Expecting the worst, we thought she would say something like she was walking away from God or having difficulty with someone in the church. Instead, she told us about a vision God had given her during worship in the church service. She said she felt the Lord gave her a vision of a camp where she used to work.  She believed God told her to "remember the camp.” She'd previously worked at this camp as a counselor in training. She had not returned the year before because she was busy working and getting her driver's license. She felt strongly that the Lord was calling her back to become a counselor and minister to the kids at the camp over the summer.  We were ecstatic. We were glad to hear that the Lord was working in her life and that he had a specific plan for her for service during the summer. She did return to the camp and came back completely transformed. Not only was she able to speak life into the kids of the camp, but she also felt the Lord spoke to her many times and used her powerfully to give morning devotions and lead worship.  Although she was excited about the camp two years prior, she decided not to return to camp the year before. This decision to not return made her less enthusiastic about serving there. She would never have gone back if it hadn't been for the Lord speaking to her. Because of his vision, she went back and was used powerfully by the Lord, who was able to transform her life. After that year, she bought commentaries, studied the Word, and even started a small group with others to teach them about the Word, too.  Although the above verse is given in the Book of Acts, it is a prophecy from the prophet Joel. Joel tells his prophecy to the people to encourage them that God will use younger and older people through dreams and prophetic words to impact people to believe in the Lord. The Acts Church was on fire and had manifestations of the miraculous gifts in people. People received the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, and gave prophetic words.  It was so abnormal they appeared to unbelievers like they were drunk. People of this church were accused of being intoxicated at 9:00 AM. But Peter gets up and corrects them. He reminds them that it's only 9:00 AM and that they are not drunk but that this is fulfilling the prophet Joel's words to his people.  God uses prophetic words, visions, and dreams to instruct, comfort, and encourage his people. Not only are prophetic words a foretelling of the future, but they can also be a word that gives people hope and direction. These prophetic words encouraged Peter, and he used them as a word of instruction to those who had trouble believing that the people were not drunk but instead receiving the Holy Spirit. In the same way, God used the prophetic vision to encourage my daughter to return to her camp.  Because of this, her life was forever changed. Not only this, but she could change other people's lives forever, too. It has been two years since that vision, and she has returned to camp. Both times, she has come back excited about what the Lord has for her in the future. At the time of this writing, she plans on going to college to begin her career in ministry.  God uses visions, dreams, and words to give people vision, direction, and hope for the future. What word may God be giving you to help you in your future? God, let us take a moment to appreciate the profound way in which you communicate with us. Your words can pierce our hearts, provide correction, and offer encouragement when needed. Let us strive to listen and obey what we feel he is speaking to us. Amen.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The way we thirst for God more is to spend more time with Him. The more we drink from the well that is His love and goodness, the more we want of it!  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Are You Thirsty for God? By Sarah Frazer O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (ESV) When my children were little, they were always thirsty. No matter how many times I filled their sippy cups, they always needed more. On those hot summer days or after an intense workout, we’ve all experienced deep thirst. Every living thing needs water to survive, but do we recognize the thirst of our souls? I’m talking about the ache we feel when life is fine on the outside, but deep inside, without our souls, we feel empty.  The thirst we experience in our hearts is sometimes hard to recognize. There have been seasons in my life where I’ve been filled with so many activities, to-dos, and responsibilities that I don’t even recognize the thirst happening. My calendar fills up, and every week, I fill my days with good things like serving in church, caring for my family, and helping those in need.  Sometimes, my work for God takes away from my relationship with God. If we find ourselves too busy to spend time in prayer and reading His Word, we might be too busy to even notice the thirst we have in our souls. If those things, even the good activities, were taken away, would we feel satisfied?  The author of Psalm 63, David, understood that the true purpose in his life was to be filled with God. This psalm begins with this title: “A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.” Most commentaries believe this is either before David became king, (1 Samuel 23:14) or during the time later in his life when his son, Absalom, took over the kingdom. David had to flee for a brief period of time. (2 Samuel 15) Either way, David felt a thirst we often overlook in our own lives.  Being in the wilderness, fearing for your life, isn’t something you and I face, but we have faced times in our lives when it seems as if everyone is against us, and we are all alone. Have you ever felt so alone that even God felt distant? I think David was feeling that when he wrote Psalm 63. The first verse reminds us that when we are all alone, we should not be seeking anything but God.  David says, “earnestly I seek you…” In the King James Version, this Hebrew word is translated as “early will I seek you…” He is trying to convey the idea of seeking God first before turning to other sources of help. David says that when we face a wilderness season, it is easy to fill our lives with things, people, or activities. Instead, what our hearts should seek is God Himself.  Psalm 63 goes on to describe the things about God that cause us to want to seek Him. Power and glory belong to God (Psalm 63:2), and God’s steadfast love (Psalm 63:3) is better than life itself. Anything in this world we would gain is better than God’s steadfast love. God has been his help and protection all of his life. (Psalm 63:7-8) All of these things, glory, love, and protection, give us reason to seek after God.  David did not write Psalm 63 when life was easy. At the end of this chapter, we see that there were people who were seeking his life. (Psalm 63:9) They were lying about him (Psalm 63:11), but because David was seeking God, they would not triumph over him. We might not have people out to kill us, but we do have an enemy who would like to see us destroyed. (Ephesians 6:12) One of the ways he likes to attach us is to keep us busy. We cannot let our lives rush past us without being filled with God.  I’ll admit sometimes, when I am facing a crisis or a period of deep sorrow and grief, the easy choice is to run to other things. Our world holds many distractions that keep us from seeing the thirst in our hearts. David recognized that the real thing his soul needed was God. There is a beautiful prayer by A. W. Tozer that says:  “O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still….” Do we long for God like that? I admit that I am not thirsty for God like I s

In what ways has pride gotten in the way of you embracing God’s generous grace in your life? How have you seen God use your weakness as a chance for him to display his power at work on your behalf? Is repentance a part of your daily life? Bring your failures to his feet and embrace the gracious power of forgiveness at work in your life today! SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Grace Upon Grace By: Amanda Idleman 2 Corinthians 12:9   But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. The more time you spend on Earth the more aware you become of your great need for grace. We need grace upon grace to love God and love others as the Bible calls us to do. The beautiful thing about God’s kingdom is that he sees our weaknesses as an opportunity to show his great love for us. His power is made perfect when I fail! He is there for me when I am in need, when I don’t have the right answer to the problem, and the list goes on.  As a biological, foster, and adoptive Mom I am learning to embrace grace in a whole new way. I am not enough for the task in front of me everyday. I am weak, I am impatient, I get tired, cranky, and I can’t always give my kids everything they need from me. I’ll be honest this reality that I am weak, that I need Jesus, and that he’s called me to a work that is more than I can handle on my own has left me feeling very discouraged. There are many days that I do not want to embrace grace. I just choose to wallow, feeling like a failure, and not trusting that God provides all that I need.  My journey has highlighted one reality that when I live with pride I can’t grasp onto the grace that is always available to me through Christ. My pride says I can figure this out all on my own. It says I don’t deserve to be forgiven when I mess up. It keeps God at arms length rather than choosing to really trust that he is as good and capable as he says He is!  Thankfully God’s Spirit is at work in me and he corrects my pride by gently showing me that the Bible invites me to participate in a beautiful exchange. Romans 6:14 reports, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Grace is what covers our sins and we cannot be forgiven until we ask to be forgiven. We have to participate in the opportunity we have to receive grace. We must release our sin to Him and accept his promise of forgiveness.  In summary living a grace filled life starts with repentance. Many of us long-time-doing-good Christians forget that daily repentance is essential to our faith journey. I never outgrow my need for Jesus. As I mature in my faith what comes more clear is how dependent I am on his good gifts. How much my weakness is abundant and his grace makes something beautiful out of my brokenness.  As we embrace repentance that grace then leads us into a relationship with our Creator. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”God does not stop at just making right our wrongs he invites us near to his throne of grace the place we can find mercy and relationship with Him. It’s in the presence of the King that we find the fruits of the Spirit. We experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Then we through the power of the Holy Spirit can embody the character of God.  Grace upon grace is what we must cling to each day. When we realize this truth we can let go of some of the pressure we put on ourselves to ‘get things right.’ We can place that worry back onto Jesus and once again rely on his power to do what only he can do in our lives. I am so grateful for the great generosity of God at work in my life and your life everyday.  Intersecting Faith and Life  In what ways has pride gotten in the way of you embracing God’s generous grace in your life? How have you seen God use your weakness as a chance for him to display his power at work on your behalf? Is repentance a part of your daily life? Bring your failures to his feet and embrace the gracious power of forgiveness at work in your life today! Further Reading  Grace Upon Grace  What Grace Mean

One reason fear is such a common theme in the Bible is that fear is so basic to the human experience. All the way from Adam hiding in the garden to the various things we hide from today. Yet, just as commonplace as the scary things seem to be, we can make finding godly confidence commonplace too.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Saying No to Fear and Yes to God By: Aaron D’Anthony Brown “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 The Fear That Binds Us Have you ever wanted more for someone so much that you wish you could, through some superpower, control them and guide them toward something better? A better relationship, a better job, a better future. If that’s just me, then perhaps that’s my selfishness showing. Nonetheless, I do have a relative I care for dearly, one who didn’t go back to school in January because she said college wasn’t for her. Instead, she was going to work, but here she is, eight months later, doing nothing. She’s at home day in and day out. Why? She says social anxiety holds her back. Despite being young, capable, and very talented, a fear of the unknown holds her back from a job. And worse, from a future.  Whether she’s afraid of what people might say or do, I don’t know, but she doesn’t want me to criticize her. She doesn’t want criticism from anyone on the matter. I could easily look down on her behavior and the parents who enable it, and often I do, but her fear reminds me of what I encounter from others too. A fear I have experienced even within myself. For one reason or another, we all find fears to justify. We tell ourselves not to apply for certain opportunities. We decide not to have important conversations. We keep ourselves from making what would ultimately be beneficial decisions. The Bible mentions fear dozens of times from beginning to end. If you’re no stranger to Scripture, then you know that the Israelites often gave into this emotion. They thought God abandoned them, that they would succumb to their enemies, that the Lord would let them go hungry, and more. For each fear, they had what they felt were ostensibly valid reasons. Like them, we too find reasons to doubt God in our own lives. What’s crazy is that our reasons seem so real and logical to us. Yet, those who hear about the fear often disagree. The same applies when the roles are reversed. We hear someone tell us why they are afraid and we can’t help but think their perspective is limited, that they just aren’t taking into account the omnipotence of God. So, how exactly do we break free of the fear that binds us? Just as the Israelites provide an example of why we fear in the first place, we can also look at them and discover ways to break free from fear by finding confidence in God. Intersecting Faith &amp; Life: If fear is slavery, then confidence in God brings us freedom. Here are three ways we can defeat our fears today. Defeat Fear through Prayer When we’re afraid, complaining and grumbling against God aren’t too difficult to manage. The Israelites did their fair share of complaining, too, which greatly displeased God. But let’s be honest, how often do we do the same? Instead of dwelling on the negative thoughts, we benefit ourselves and bring honor to God by choosing to pray instead. Submit yourself to Him. Seek His strength. And watch as the fear eventually fades away. Defeat Fear through Community When the Israelites constructed a golden calf to replace God, they were sinning as a community. When they chose to honor God through song, sacrifice, and ceremony, they were honoring God as a community. When we link up with other people, we can find ourselves doing bad things, worse than we would otherwise, but when we link up and our hearts and centered on God, the opposite is true. We honor Him and strive for more virtue than would be possible alone. Moreover, we find the motivation and accountability to overcome the fear that so easily ensnares us. Defeat Fear through Reminders One reason fear is such a common theme in the Bible is that fear is so basic to the human experience. All the way from Adam hiding in the garden to the various things we hide from today. Yet, just as commonplace as the scary things seem to be, we can make finding godly confidence commonplace too. We do that by giving ourselves reminders of God’s work in our lives. <p

The King of Kings loved the world enough to perform demeaning tasks during His earthly ministry, serve a meal to impart spiritual truths, and ultimately sacrifice Himself. At the very least, can we not offer someone a cup of coffee or a glass of tea? Opened doors and shared meals will open hearts, lift burdens, and forge lasting friendships.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Trading Online for In-Person Relationships By: Laura Bailey  “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ "  Genesis 2:18 NIV I recently listened to a talk by Sherry Turkle called Connected, But Alone, which made me think: Why do we hide behind our phones, texting instead of calling? Why do we meet people at Starbucks or Panera Bread instead of inviting them to our house? Why do we freely share opinions through our Facebook statuses but can barely manage a face-to-face conversation for more than five minutes?   We are more connected than ever, but study after study shows that we are the loneliest generation. Why is this? People lack meaningful relationships, which they desperately need. People need a personal relationship with God for ultimate wholeness, but humans also need relationships, real connections, with other human beings. So if we know that God designed us to commune with others, especially to fellowship with other Believers, why do we neglect to open our hearts and homes to one another? Admittedly, I  suffer from the “Martha complex.”   When the hostess wants everything to be perfect for guests, she fails to enjoy the guests themselves.  Time after time, I’ve told myself that one day, when I have a bigger house, more excellent furniture, or even something as silly as a good-smelling hand soap (sadly, that is a true story, but for another day),  I will then invite more people over.   Images of homes in magazines make me feel like my house is not “up to par,” not quite “guest-ready,” which is just a lie Satan uses to prevent us from practicing hospitality, one of the best ways to show God’s love to the lost and broken world all around us.   For you, it may not be your home exactly; perhaps you are unsure about what to cook, or you fear no one will accept your invitation, or maybe you simply feel too tired to tidy up. But, friends, we have to stop making excuses because  God’s Word is replete with verses that command us to be hospitable. Being in sales for nine years, almost every day, I heard the mantra, “Relationships matter.”  It is vital to build trust and to connect with clients from the very first meeting.  One of the best ways to do this is by eating meals together.  My manager told us “to break bread”  with our clients. Often. That term reminded me of Jesus breaking loaves of bread with His hands to feed the thousands gathered around Him.  He understood the importance of feeding His followers both spiritually and physically.  His disciples wanted to send them away, but Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”  Matthew 14:16 Jesus wanted to show his disciples two truths: first, He was in control of the situation, and second, feeding the crowd under those extraordinary circumstances would make a lasting impression.  Reaching out to join someone for lunch or to invite someone into your home for a meal takes time, energy, and money. It’s much easier to order take-out, stream Netflix, and scroll through Facebook in your pajamas. Taking time to listen to others and be open with them reveals God's compassionate character. People see how much we care about them when we extend our arms to draw them close, ultimately demonstrating how much God values them and desires an intimate relationship with them.  Our enemy wants us to put off inviting that coworker to dinner or starting a Bible study in our homes because he knows that through the Holy Spirit working in us, lost souls will come to Jesus, and hurt hearts will be healed.    So, I encourage you to meet a friend for a cup of coffee, invite that new family at church over for lunch, or simply sit on your front porch (or back) with a neighbor, soaking in some rays and drinking iced tea while in good conversation.  You may miss a few updates, but the time spent in one-on-one fellowship is well spent and will make you forget all about your #fomo (fear of missing out). Intersecting Faith and Life: Thi

If we are to be able to complete the good works that God has already prepared for us, we have to first walk in the understanding that we are the direct product of God’s irrefutable goodness. The Great Creator designed us. There is no question that we are valuable.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Worth More Than a Picasso  By Deidre Braley  Ephesians 2:10: For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  I once bought a Picasso print at Ikea. It features a handful of his famous animal sketches—single lines formed into dogs, horses, flamingoes. I liked the print well enough, but it was the fact that Picasso had done it that made me want to buy it and hang it on my wall.  It’s interesting, yes? That the works of artists like Pablo Picasso are considered to be so inherently valuable—not for their content, necessarily, but rather for their creator. In truth, some of Picasso’s drawings are so simple they look like a child could have drawn them; I’m thinking now of such sketches as “Young Peasant Boy” and “Bull.” Still, they hang in museums and are universally applauded, pondered, and revered. At some point, Picasso became a household name; one with such indisputable merit that people would pay fortunes for his work. In fact, one of his paintings—“Femme à la montre”—even sold for $139 million at auction last year.  Just as anything that Picasso put his hand to is considered to have intrinsic worth, so it is with us—the workmanship of God. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork…” So it is of no consequence whether the world looks at us and deems us rich in color or interesting in subject matter or worthy of a bidding war. We have been created by the greatest artist in the entire universe, and because of this fact alone, we could be scribbled on a napkin and still be worth an entire fortune.  And not just that. We aren’t absent-minded doodles. The verse goes on to say that we are “...created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). We were formed with a purpose in mind. Long before this world could  examine and critique and experience us—long before we were put on display—God crafted us to carry out good works. He put us into the world to make it better. Our value is undeniable.  Intersecting Faith &amp; Life  It’s one thing to say we are inherently valuable; it’s another thing altogether to believe it. Often, we become so inundated with feelings of shame, inadequacy, and fear that we can hardly convince ourselves that we could be considered anything akin to art.  At times like these, think back to Picasso. His art is considered valuable because it was his hand that created it—not necessarily because the content itself is perfect, stunning, or impressive. It is that way for us, too. We are God’s art, and whether we feel worthy of the acclaim or not, the fact is that we are a product of the outpouring of God’s mind, hand, and genius. It is indisputable: we are precious.  And if we are to be able to complete the good works that God has already prepared for us, we have to first walk in the understanding that we are the direct product of God’s irrefutable goodness. The Great Creator designed us. There is no question that we are valuable.  It is also helpful to remember this when it feels difficult to love others. When you must interact with someone who challenges you, try looking them in the eye and telling yourself, “This person is God’s handiwork. They (even they!) have good work set before them. God loves them and made them with a purpose in mind.” Watch to see how your attitude towards them softens. It is impossible to remain entirely bitter-angry-exasperated-critical when you recognize the Artist behind the creation in front of you.  Further Reading  Psalm 139 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.