The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

To receive, to give, to experience. With him and with others. Maybe we should shift our focus there for a deep breath from the tough stuff that is attempting to hold us down. 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 Finding Relief in the Focus of What Matters Most By Keri Eichberger Bible Reading Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Matthew 22:37-39 It was a song I hadn’t heard in years. Until a recent quick drive across town when my phone connected to CarPlay, and somehow the shuffle function turned to an old familiar Carrie Underwood tune. The words I’d once sung without so much as a second thought, suddenly captivated me with an “aha” moment. It was this sweet line: “When you figure out love is all that matters after all, it sure makes everything else seem so small.” I had been facing some hard life challenges. An unforeseen financial downfall that had hit our circumstances like a freight train, causing all sorts of difficult decisions, suffocating setbacks, and loads of comfort-cuts so to speak. Yet, this whole mess followed a major close call of loss of a loved one, fell in the midst of others in my intimate circle dealing with devastating health declines, and all surrounded by a swelling sense of God‘s presence and loving hand over it all. So when these lyrics grazed my heart, it hit me. Comparatively half of what’s been holding me down in the dumps is vastly unimportant. But the loves of my life–love, is what really matters. People are what matter most. Our love for God and others–love from God and others–all of this is what actually matters. And as I become more aware and acknowledge this truth, everything else does seem much smaller. Is there some stuff going on in your world right now, clogging up the joyful halls of your heart too? Cares that, if you’re being honest, have less to do with a focus on God‘s love, or love for his people, and more to do with worldly gain or a concern with the lack thereof. Maybe consumption with a job search, details of some project, our country's political state, or uncertainty of your financial future? You know, the lines of Carrie’s song definitely aren’t directly out of the Bible, but I think we could agree that love might matter most to God too. Hence his greatest commandments mentioned in Matthew Chapter 22, to love God and others.  Not that he doesn’t care about all the other things you’re struggling through right now. Because quite the opposite is true—he most certainly sees and cares for it all. But, if you’re anything like me, you may gladly welcome this perspective shift for a moment. Because becoming consumed with anything of the world can absolutely start to drive us all crazy.  If you think about it—the other stuff we get all worked up over that starts to seem to matter so much. What is it that we are really wanting with, and from, it all? I think deep down we are wanting and reaching for relief. And we seek relief because we long for the comfort it brings. And how do we ultimately receive and experience true comfort? I think it’s from love. The fullness of love that only God can give. And here’s what’s beautiful—something also reflected in the chorus of the same song, “What you’ve been out there searching for forever is in your hands.” God's love is in our very hands. We already have it. To receive, to give, to experience. With him and with others. Maybe we should shift our focus there for a deep breath from the tough stuff that is attempting to hold us down. Intersecting Faith & Life: Think for a minute about the people in your life that you love. And those God has graced you with their love. You know they matter more than anything else the world wants to weigh you down with, don’t you? I pray you can find some precious relief you’ve been praying for at this very moment as you set your eyes and focus on them, on him, on what matters most. This, this love, is at your fingertips, in your hands, and in your heart. Always with you. God, God’s love, God’s people, and the blessing of being able to love them all back. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

He is in charge, He always has been and always will be. This will never change, and we can rest in His unchanging nature in the midst of an ever-changing world. 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 God Over Rulers By Emma Danzey Daniel 2:21 says, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” It is no surprise that election years bring a new level of tension and worry. We begin to wonder “What will the next four years look like if…” A lot can happen in four years and a president or a governing politician in the Senate or the House can make ungodly decisions that negatively effect our nation. However, Daniel lived in a time with a worldly king whom he did not agree with or bow to, but He reminds us that God removes and sets up kings. Today as we take time to break down this powerful verse, may it bring peace into our hearts that God is still the King of kings and Lord of lords. “He changes times and seasons” “America looks different now than it used to.” “We are running away from God as a nation.” “America is truly becoming a post-Christian society.” These are all statements that you might be hearing or wrestling through yourself. However, we know that just like God changes the times and the seasons, our days will be different from the past just like the future will be different from our current generation’s lives. This can be scary and unsettling if we allow it to be, or we can remember that the Lord is working everything together towards His return. We are told many times that there will be great trials and tribulations, that there will be war, famine, and evil taking place globally. However, we can easily reject the idea and just want heaven on earth now, but this is not the Lord’s perfect plan. Things are going to get worse before they get better. I think about the large pile of laundry on the bed right now. It looks like a mountain of a mess, but I know that after I go deal with the laundry and put it away, my family will have such happiness in all of our things washed, dried and usable for the week ahead. We might be seeing a load of dirty laundry of sin piling up in our own nation, but this is not new to history. Many, if not all, have seen this in their lifetimes in one way or another. Sin has always been since the garden and it will always be until death or Jesus’ returns. As times and seasons literally change, may we remember who is still in charge no matter how big the mess appears.  “He removes kings and sets up kings;” This statement alone should bring us great peace. God is in control. No king or president reigns without our sovereign Lord allowing it. Not even a local mayor is elected without the Lord allowing it. You might say, “But what about dishonesty or padding votes?” “What if there are schemes of mankind behind the scenes?” The beauty is that even if sinful acts take place, nothing is a surprise to God and ultimately He can take sinful decisions of humanity and turn them around for the good of His believers and for His glory.  We could live in “What ifs” every day, we could worry for weeks and months about politics, but what good does that do? Satan wants to distract us from the real battle going on. Yes, it is important to be properly informed and to vote. However, we are Christ followers have an eternal mindset. This is significant because our decisions and our goals should be heavenly focused. If we become consumed by the fear, anger, and goals of elections, then we forget our main mission to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19-20)  The Devil wants us to be distracted from the real work of a disciple of Jesus and he is not above using politics to cause the church to miss the mission and the hope that we have in our King Jesus. He is in charge, He always has been and always will be. This will never change, and we can rest in His unchanging nature in the midst of an ever-changing world. “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” We as voters and citizens need great wisdom and knowledge. God can lead us in our choices and our decisions. He is not beyond revealing His will with His Word. When we are confused or do not know what to do, let us not remain complacent, but let us search the Bible for our answers. His Word stands true forever. We can pray and ask His Spirit in us to lead us and help us to navigate conversations, the unknown fears we have, and pray through the sorrow over the sin of the world. Intersecting Faith & Life: How are you feeling about the upcoming elections? Do you have fear, anger, indifference, or even hope? Whatever you are experiencing, remember that our King of kings is in control, and He removes and establishes leaders. In an ever-changing world, we can rest in our unchanging God.  Further Reading: John 18:36 Hebrews 13:8 Revelation 17:14 Photo Credit:  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

His divine power, unleashed through our dependence upon and yielding to Him, provides everything we need to live as His called, chosen, and redeemed children.  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 Divinely Empowered to Love People Well By Jennifer Slattery Bible Reading “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4, NIV). After one particularly discouraging family reunion during which my faults appeared to have greatly outnumbered my positive qualities, my therapist helped me regain a balanced perspective. She encouraged me to journal separately on each day of the vacation, prayerfully considering what I felt I did well and what I wish I’d done differently. This activity helped me to recognize ways in which I’d allowed my inner critic’s voice to speak louder than God’s gentle and empowering grace. This was important because focusing on my flaws only kept me stuck. Whereas reflecting upon all I had in Christ inspired me to soul-deep transformation. Yes, I have many areas within that need growth, but I also possess the power of God, working in and through me. As today’s passage states, He has given me everything I need to live as He desires and love my people well.  Peter, a leader in the first-century church, wrote the letter from which today’s passage comes while in Rome, knowing he would likely soon die. This was during the later years of Emperor Nero’s reign, a terrifying time for Christ-followers during which they experienced intense persecution. On top of this, the people to whom Peter wrote were also suffering from strife and dissention within their faith community—when they most needed one another’s support. Frightening and uncertain circumstances can cause us to behave in ugly ways. When our stress levels increase, our gentleness and self-control tend to decrease, when we rely solely on ourselves. But when, in the middle of chaos, we pause to connect with Christ, He fills our souls with strength, speaks words of truth, and reignites our hope. He reminds us of His precious promises, sprinkled throughout Scripture, such as His pledge to never leave us or forsake us, to work all things for our good, and to bring us a glorious future.  Intersecting Life & Faith: We cannot love like Jesus apart from Jesus. No amount of human effort will enable us to overcome our sinful tendencies and fear-based responses. Self-reliance only distances us from our Savior, the One who died to free us from everything that corrupts who He created us to be. His divine power, unleashed through our dependence upon and yielding to Him, provides everything we need to live as His called, chosen, and redeemed children. But notice, this godliness comes through our knowledge of Him, as well. As Chuck Swindoll from Insight for Living wrote, “Our knowledge of God through His Word is the first line of defense against the conflicts that threaten to tear us apart.” In the New Testament, we often see two different words translated as knowledge. One, eido, refers to assenting to, or coming to realize a fact, such as that the earth is round, or that two plus two equals four. The word used in today’s passage, however, epignósis in the original Greek, has the connotation of knowledge gained through personal experience, and often, in relationship. Therefore, the more we come to know Jesus, by drawing near to Him in times of trouble, allowing His gentle whisper to calm and nourish us, and grasping the unfathomable vastness of His love, the greater our godliness.  We come to know, with ever-deepening intimacy, the God who, in Exodus 33, equated His glory with His goodness.  As I consider all involved in “our knowledge of him,” as today’s passage states, I’m reminded of Romans 12:2, which tells me I am transformed by the “renewing of my mind.” This involves unlearning old, unhealthy patterns of behavior and learning to live in my new reality as a loved, empowered, and victorious child of God.  I love what Paul Tripp wrote: “… because of my relationship with Christ, I have been given a warrior Spirit that lives inside me.” That is far from a statement of defeat. To the contrary. Scripture assures us, in all things, our triggers and deeply-ingrained sins included, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us (Rom. 8:37). I’m encouraged to know, the next family reunion, I will more consistently respond to my relatives, the most challenging included, like my Savior.  Further Reading: Galatians 5:13-25 Ezekiel 3:26-28 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Photo Credit:  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you’re struggling to feel worthy enough to come to Jesus, what about today’s verses in Matthew 11:28-29 encourage you to put aside your shame and run to Him in prayer right now?  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 How to Come to Jesus By Sarah Frazer Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (ESV) Growing up in church, Jesus was a familiar name. I never remember a time when I didn’t know what the name of Jesus meant or who Jesus was. My heart is burdened to know that there are people in this world, even today, who don’t know the name of Jesus. Whether you have been reading the Bible for a long time or are new to the faith, Jesus is the central figure. Although we might love studying our Bible to see who Jesus is and what He is doing, we might wonder, what does that have to do with us today? Other than knowing about Jesus’ life and His teaching, what more is there?  Jesus is more than just a real Man who lived thousands of years ago. Jesus is more than the One who took our place and paid the penalty for our sins. Jesus is God and sits on the throne in heaven and intercedes for us. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension, and work today are all relevant to each of us.  Knowing about all of this in the Bible is vital to our Christian growth. Pursuing more and more the knowledge of Christ surpasses all that we could strive to do in our faith. Paul said it was something he wanted to do more than anything else in this world (Philippians 2:8-10). Is knowledge enough, though? Knowledge of Christ, although valuable, is not all that Jesus offers you and me.  More than knowledge, we have been invited to have a relationship with Jesus. God uses the analogy of a family throughout the Bible to compare our relationship with God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son. We are called brothers and “heirs” (Romans 8:16-17). We are related to Jesus as siblings. This type of relationship is more than just a knowledge of Someone.  One time, while on a short-term mission trip, a native girl found out we were from the United States. She asked us if we knew Michael Jordan. We all laughed. Of course, we knew who Michael Jordan was, but she was asking if we knew him in the sense of having a relationship with him. We explained to her that we knew of him, but we didn’t really know him.  Can the same be said of us and Jesus? Do we know about Jesus but not truly know Him? Even if you feel as if you have a relationship with Jesus, maybe something is keeping you from deeper intimacy with Christ. Let’s look to Matthew 11:28-30 to see how Jesus invites all of us to come to Him.  First, we come to Jesus with heavy burdens. You might imagine that you have to get rid of the things that are within you before you come to Jesus. Maybe you carry the guilt of past sins or the shame of choices that you have made. That burden does not disqualify you when you come to Jesus. Come as you are, knowing that the person you are now is not the end of the story.  Next, we come to Jesus, knowing we will never be the same. Come as you are is a common phrase in our world today, but the beautiful thing about Jesus is when we come to Jesus as we are, we don’t stay that way. When we come as we are, we acknowledge our past and our sinful hearts, but we also come willing to be someone different. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden…” But then in Matthew 11:29, He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me….” We must also come to Jesus willing to change. We come to Jesus knowing that our old selves have been destroyed and our new hearts are now inside of us! (1 Corinthian 5:17) We are a new creation, and we come to Jesus so He can clean, heal, and make us beautiful.  Finally, Jesus says we can come to Him expectantly. In Matthew 11:28-30, we see one word repeated twice. That word is “rest.” We can expect that Jesus will accept us and that we will find rest. I don’t know about you, but the worries and stress of this world can overwhelm my heart. Coming to Jesus means we lay down our burdens, learn from Him, and expect rest.  Come to Jesus, friend. He is waiting and willing to accept you. His heart is already turned toward you. No amount of sin can keep us away from Him. If you are His child, through grace, you are saved (Ephesians 2:10), and through grace, you are already accepted as a child of God. Jesus is waiting to have a relationship with you. Come.  Intersecting Faith & Life: If you’re struggling to feel worthy enough to come to Jesus, what about today’s verses in Matthew 11:28-29 encourage you to put aside your shame and run to Him in prayer right now?  Further Reading: James 4:8 Jeremiah 29:13 Proverbs 8:17 Psalms 27:4 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Take a moment with me, pause, and consider what’s concerning you. What is troubling your heart and consuming the thoughts of your soul?  Now, give it to God. Surrender it. Release 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: Choosing God’s Peace Over Problems By Keri Eichberger Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27) This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but just when I thought my stress couldn’t get much worse, I recently became convinced I was pregnant. Listen, no disrespect to those currently praying for this incredible blessing (by the way, I’d love to join you in prayer), because born and unborn babies are absolute gifts. And if that were God’s will for me, I would surely find my way to embrace it with praise. But the honest truth is, “much worse,” was definitely what I felt in the face of that possibility last week. I mean, I’ll turn 45 next month and many days it seems I can hardly handle the five kids God gifted me. Plus, just before this possibility arose we’d unexpectedly found ourselves drowning in a huge financial hole. I was too tired, too old, too inadequate, too broke—so I thought. Not to mention, this was not part of my peaceful future plan. How in the world would I? I wondered.  I’ll tell you one thing I was convinced of—well two actually. One: What felt like a heavy inescapable pit last week, seemed super tolerable now, considering what I thought was literally  growing within. And two: I needed God‘s peace and relief big time, regardless.  I now know that I’m not actually pregnant—and if I were, we’d be having quite a different chat about the miracles of God and his divine ability to define medical odds (if you know what I mean). But when I was so sure, days upon days, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was going to be adding a sixth child via a geriatric pregnancy, I became consumed with all the taxing implications. Then laser soul-focused on the emotional and spiritual adjustments I needed to make to prepare if this was to be God’s plan. And here is where I landed in the midst of my worries, fears, and troubled heart. I have two choices every day—every moment really—in the face of the big unknowns of today and tomorrow. I can either allow the swirling scary thoughts to overwhelm me with worry and anxiety, like this started too. OR, I can hand them over to the One who actually has control of all the outcomes anyway. And here’s the kicker, only one of those choices can give me what I really want. Peace.  So, I chose peace. How about you? Is there something that doesn’t seem to be going quite as you had planned? And is it disrupting your peace? Do you feel troubled, fearful even? Oh boy was I feeling that big time when me and my apparently pre-menopausal hormones had to take consecutive days of pregnancy tests last week. The thing is, we can’t ultimately control a lick of what’s in store. And trust me, there’s going to be some tough stuff ahead, even if most of your plans do align with your hopes and expectations. But we can still have peace. And peace is most certainly part of God’s plan. Always. Better yet, we can have God’s peace. Which is so much better, infinitely more rich, than what the world will offer in a variety of fleeting fixes and temporary comforts. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you.” He has left it, deposited it, in us, as his followers. To freely tap into, at any time via our advocate, the Holy Spirit. Just like he left it in the disciples before he completed his earthly mission.  Friend, you and I have the Lord‘s peace. We just have to choose it. And I hope you’ll choose it too. Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a moment with me, pause, and consider what’s concerning you. What is troubling your heart and consuming the thoughts of your soul?  Now, give it to God. Surrender it. Release it.  In doing this you’re choosing more peace. And I know that’s what we both want. So, today, release and choose peace when you’re worried about what might happen. Release and choose God’s peace still when what you didn’t want does happen. Because sometimes his plans do look different than ours. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Because remember, his plan is always best. He knows and sees what you don’t. And no matter what, he has deposited in you, he always offers, and you can always have, his peace. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Seek to positively influence your spouses, children, and family's lives. You will not only help them and build them up, but it will also change your attitude and help you see life with gratitude and hope rather than despair and pessimism. 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: Use Your Tongue to Uplift Others “With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” James 3:9-10 In our marriage, our routine is to ask each other how our days are when we come home at night. We talk about both the highs and lows of our day. Because my husband's a pastor, I often hear the good and the bad of church life. But as the months wore on, we quickly realized that we were talking more about life's lows than the highs.  Although we needed each other to talk to, the more we complained, the easier it became to complain. Soon, each day brought nothing but complaints. Finding the good in any situation we were involved in was difficult. One day, we prayed together and asked God to change our hearts regarding our view of our days. We chose to see the good and the positive in people and our situations rather than the bad. Although we needed each other to process through pain and analyze situations from various perspectives, it was not good for our spiritual life or marriage to constantly complain to each other about our work.  We asked God to change our perspectives and see life through a positive rather than a negative lens. It was not easy at first since we had gotten into such a bad habit of complaining. But the more we chose to see the positive each day rather than the negative, the easier it became. Within a month, we came home and emphasized the positive rather than the negative.  Studies show that the more we complain, our brains are rewired to think negative thoughts. When those thoughts go unchecked, they change our hearts. Once full of hope and optimism, our hearts are soon clouded with negativity and malice. We soon start to change how we see the people around us. Seeing the people we once saw as positive becomes more negative because of our critical spirits.  Hypercritical people are often hypocritical people. This is because we are to be Christ's examples. Yet, when we spend time complaining rather than looking at the positive side of things, we view our world with pessimism and despair rather than optimism and hope. Although it is essential to see our world in a good way, we must emphasize the positive things in life.  Our words carry weight. When you speak to the people around you, are you the first to give a critical word? Are you someone people know is safe because they know you will give them a word of encouragement?  Although it is essential to speak the truth plainly to people and to help people in their lives by pointing out their sins so they can be better people, we don't want to be people who are only known for what we are against rather than what we are for. We need to strike a good balance between how much we complain and how much we encourage.  If we complain more than we encourage, we tend to use our tongues for cursing rather than building up our brothers and sisters. If we tend to criticize too much, we will be tuned out because we will be seen as overly critical people who only speak negative words rather than positive ones.  If you find you are using your tongue to curse rather than build up, there's hope. For the next seven days, seek only to say positive things to people. When you feel tempted to give a negative word, change it into a positive. If you have difficulty with this, pray and ask God to help tame your tongue.  Seek to positively influence your spouses, children, and family's lives. You will not only help them and build them up, but it will also change your attitude and help you see life with gratitude and hope rather than despair and pessimism. Father, let us be people who choose to use our tongues for good rather than evil. Let us, God, not curse our brothers and sisters but build them up, saying what may benefit them. Please help us be people who reflect you by giving people the hope that's in you. Amen. Intersecting Faith and Life In what way are you using your tongue to curse others? What steps can you take today to help you change negative words into positive ones? Further Reading Ephesians 4:29 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Peace comes when we remember that we’re travelers, passing through, and therefore, today’s pain won’t last forever. And, we are heading toward a beautiful, joyful, certain and secure paradise where we will no longer experience pain, sickness, persecution or heartache. A place where we will live with God, completely whole, for all of eternity.  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: Hope in Hard Seasons By Jennifer Slattery Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:1-3 Imagine losing your job, many of your friends, maybe even experiencing rejection from your extended family. How might you feel, and how might your hardship and pain affect your faith? While I don’t know how I’d respond in such a situation, I do know how I reacted, decades ago, when a series of difficult events left my family and I in a three-year period of constant transition, loss, and uncertainty. Initially, I felt abandoned by God, not chosen and loved. But God used that dark season to deepen my faith and the bonds within our family.  That said, I’ve never experienced persecution like the Christ-followers addressed in 1 Peter. After turning to Christ for salvation, these mainly Gentile believers “suffer[ed] grief in all kinds of trials,” inflicted by their Greek and Jewish neighbors. If evaluating their standing from their circumstances alone, these precious men and women would not have felt chosen. Therefore, the opening of Peter’s letter must’ve felt like an assuring balm to their wounded souls.  “To God’s elect,” he wrote, “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God” (1 Peter 1a, 2a, NIV). How comforting to read the reminder of God’s perfect wisdom—of all things past, present, and future. He knew, before they even understood who Jesus was, precisely what they’d experience each day after they yielded their souls to Him. He chose them—not for destruction or defeat, but for victory and eternal joy.  In Christ, they’d received a living hope—a firm promise that no one and nothing could take away. They could know, with certainty, where they were heading and everything that awaited them when they arrived.    In the New International Version, quoted above, Peter refers to these men and women as exiles. The New American Standard Bible calls them aliens, and the New Living Translation refers to them as foreigners. The Greek word behind each of these translations indicates someone temporarily residing in an area that is not their permanent home.  Intersecting Life and Faith According to Scripture, this applies to all of us. This present world is not our home. We are, essentially, passing through—steadily progressing toward our eternal destination and the inheritance secured for us by the death and resurrection of Christ. Today’s passage reminds me of Christ’s words in Matthew 6:19-21, when He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That doesn’t mean God doesn’t want us to enjoy nice things, invest in a 401K, or take relaxing vacations. But He does warn us of the danger of allowing those temporary pleasures to capture our heart. When that happens, the hardships we experience feel all the more painful because we’re less anchored in Christ and overly attached to the things we’ve lost.  Peace comes when we remember that we’re travelers, passing through, and therefore, today’s pain won’t last forever. And, we are heading toward a beautiful, joyful, certain and secure paradise where we will no longer experience pain, sickness, persecution or heartache. A place where we will live with God, completely whole, for all of eternity.  Because we are chosen and called to a hope-filled future, held secure by the God of hope. Additional Reading: Romans 8:18-39 Revelations 21:1-5 Articles: What Does the Bible Say About Rewards in Heaven? 10 Things All Christians Should Know About Heaven Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If your life feels too rushed and busy, how can you stop today and spend time just being still and listening to God’s voice? What are you waiting for God to do in your life? How can you hand that over to Him, trusting that He will do it in His timing and in His way?  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: God Is Not in a Hurry  By Sarah Frazer Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;     fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,     over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7 (ESV) My oldest daughter does not like to be in a hurry. Over the past few months, I’ve had to wake her up a little earlier than everyone else on school days. I sneak into her room, turn off her sound machine, and whisper, “Good morning.” She takes longer to get ready, and I understand the need for a slow morning. I don’t like to feel like I’m in a hurry.  My favorite time of the day is the morning. But when we get to sleep in and enjoy the morning without being rushed, those are my absolute favorite times. My life feels like I’m in a hurry most of the time. One thing I have tried to implement lately, taken from my daughter, is to stop rushing through my days.  There is something about waiting and being still that doesn’t seem productive. I struggle with the need to feel like I’m working all of the time. But if there is a pocket of time I’m learning the beauty of sitting still and just being there. No agenda, no job, no need to be productive.  As I study the Bible, I’ve seen over and over again that our God is not in a hurry.  In Psalm 37, we see David, the author, providing us with a blueprint for the life of the one who loves God. There are several command words in this chapter. Words like “Fret not, trust, delight, commit, and be still.” David is reminding us that, yes, our world is filled with rush, hurry, and evil, but God’s ways are different.  Our God is never in a hurry because He is always on time. When Paul, in Acts 16:6, wanted to go to Asia to spread the Gospel, God forbade it. It wasn’t that the Gospel wasn’t supposed to go to Asia. It would eventually. The call to go the opposite direction was a matter of timing. God led Paul and his companions to Macedonia instead.  God had a plan for you and me as well. As His children, can trust His plan.  We get impatient waiting for God to intervene, though, don’t we? We want to see our prayers answered in ways and in the timing we desire. Sometimes, God’s timing seems unnecessarily long. Psalm 37:7 reminds us to wait for God and be still.  David says why we should wait.  “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” Psalm 37:10-11 (ESV) The word meek here means “humble, poor, and needy.”  God calls His children to be humble. It is humbling to wait. The rich get served first in fancy restaurants, and those with power seem to move ahead of the line. The evil in this world feels like it is never punished, but according to God’s word we need only wait “a little while.”  In God’s kingdom, God controls the events and the timing. We can trust and commit our hearts to God because we know, like David, “{God} is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing” (Psalm 37:26). God is providing for each of us generously, we need only be His child and hold His hand.   We often get in a hurry because we want things right away or feel as if we have waited long enough. Our prayers feel like they are not even making a difference because we don’t see any change in our lives. This is when we trust.  like David did, in,  “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV) God is a worthy provider and will not lead us astray. That also means that even though we might feel like we are waiting, we are still moving forward. Our mindsets can get stuck in this idea that we have to be busy and work hard. Although we do not neglect what God has entrusted us to do, we often mistake busyness with Christian duty.  Being productive is not one of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:23-24. God does not ask us to just get things done. God is asking us to be still throughout our day, too. God asks us to trust Him. Remember that God is not in a hurry, and so He is asking us not to be either.  Intersecting Faith & Life: If your life feels too rushed and busy, how can you stop today and spend time just being still and listening to God’s voice? What are you waiting for God to do in your life? How can you hand that over to Him, trusting that He will do it in His timing and in His way?  Further Reading: Acts 16:6-10 John 11:1-6, 21-27 Galatians 6:9 Romans 12:12 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Is there a situation where you feel God doesn't care? Be patient during this time of affliction. Be faithful and bring God your prayers every day. Don't waste this time running away from him. Run toward him and see what God will do even amid great trials.  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: Be Faithful "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12 After receiving a new medication from my doctor, she warned me of potential side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and appetite loss were the most common side effects. The first couple of weeks, I did fine. The side effects were minimal, and I was able to tolerate them.  But by month two, everything had changed. I quickly got to the point where I was sick every day and became afraid to leave my home. My stomach would change in an instant, and I could be in the middle of nowhere feeling incredibly nauseous and uncomfortable. This is far from the health I had hoped for.  I prayed and asked God to take the side effects away. But they got worse rather than better. Week after week, I would pray fervently for God to hear my prayers. But nothing. Finally, my doctor took me off the medicine and gave me a month to reset before discussing a new brand of medication.  While this seems small in the large scheme of life, this wasn't the first time I had experienced loss this past year. Sudden job changes, loss of relationships, and an unsteady income are all issues I was dealing with daily.  Having a health challenge on top of it was the last thing I wanted to hear. It felt as if God didn't care and that he wanted me to suffer. After another day of unwanted side effects, I went to the grocery store to get some groceries. I entered my car and banged my head on the rearview mirror, causing a bump on my head. That sent me over the edge.  I cried in my car in the grocery store parking lot for over an hour. I poured out my heart to God, asking him to help me since I couldn't take another thing. I'd been dealing with so much loss over the past year it wasn't easy to deal with yet another challenge. It felt as if no area of my life was going right.  I felt compelled to continue praying and placing my hope in God. Eventually, the side effects did wear off after a change in medication, and I could enjoy the following weeks. But going through that season of turmoil felt endless. Yet, God wanted me to be patient in that affliction. He wanted me to go to him daily, giving him my days, minutes, and hours.  In the same way, God wants us to bring our pain to him. He wants us to be patient when we are afflicted with many trials. He doesn't want us to give up hope. Instead, he wants to see us have hope during those trials. He wants us to persevere and trust that he has us in this season for a reason. God doesn't waste our pain. He wants us to endure every trial with patience, perseverance, and hope. When we do this, we become more like Christ than ever before. It is easy to love God when things are going well.  When things are not going well, and God feels absent or silent, we must trust him even when we can't see or feel him. He wants us to be faithful in praying to him and giving over our trials to him. When life feels endless, and we feel like there's no end to our trials, he wants us to pray to him, trusting that he will make way for our situation and turn it for his good.  Is there a situation where you feel God doesn't care? Be patient during this time of affliction. Be faithful and bring God your prayers every day. Don't waste this time running away from him. Run toward him and see what God will do even amid great trials.  Father, remind us that you are with us always. Please help us to be patient when we're afflicted with many trials. Help us to be faithful and give over our lives to you in prayer every day. Help us trust that you do everything for your good and that our pain is not wasted. Amen.  Intersecting Faith and Life What area of your life do you need to exercise patience during trial? Further Reading Romans 5:3-5  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When we express the depths of our souls, unfiltered to God, we receive in return what we most need, the Lord Himself. He alone is our Provider, Sustainer, Protector, Healer, and ever-present help in times of trouble. The more we recognize all we have in Him, the more we’re able to say, “Father, it is well with my soul.” 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: When God Upsets Us written  by Jennifer Slattery.  I will stand at my watch    and station myself on the ramparts;I will look to see what he will say to me,    and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Habakkuk 2:1 Have you ever been in that place? Where you’ve launched your complaints, or maybe your questions, at God, and then stood, arms crossed, awaiting His reply?  I’ve been in a funk lately, and while I’ve still been reading my Bible every morning, spending time quieting my soul with praise music, and engaging with God through interactive journaling, the other day I stiff-armed God. I sensed Him drawing my attention to a wound I didn’t want to think about, let alone feel, as God was inviting me to do. And so, I shut Him out, closed my journal, and walked away.  This morning, I picked up my pen to journal, ruminating on a series of relational disappointments that, in many ways, led to my funk, and highlighted the wound God wanted to address. Internally I thought, “What do you have to say about all this, God?” And He met me in that place. Although He didn’t give me clarity on my immediate concerns, He pointed me to what I most needed in that moment—a reminder of His faithfulness and love.  In Habakkuk’s case, the Lord responded to his “complaint”, which happened to center on the seemingly unrestrained violence and injustice all around him, by assuring him that justice would indeed come and wicked nations, like Babylon, would eventually fall.  But that’s not what most strikes me about the interaction between God and Habakkuk. What most encourages me is that the prophet had the courage to lob a complaint at God in the first place—and that God not only allowed this, but responded to it.  If you grew up in a critical, authoritarian home where “children were to be seen, not heard” and where you weren’t allowed to express your emotions, let alone your “complaints”, you might expect God to respond the same way. You might, therefore, hide some of your most intense inner wrestling and doubts beneath a forced hallelujah. But while we must always remember God is holy, perfect, and worthy of all praise—whether we understand or agree with His actions, the book of Habakkuk assures me we can also come to Him authentically, unfiltered. I’m certain He’d much rather we do that than allow our doubts and spiritual struggles to distance us from Him.  Intersecting Life and Faith Here's a beautiful truth I see in numerous places in the Bible, the section we’ve been discussing included. When we bring everything, including our inner gunk, our pain, anger, and disappointments, to God, He uses that to open a conversation that, ultimately, leads us to deeper faith and intimacy with Him.  He brings us to a place where we can say, like Habakkuk did,  “Though the fig tree does not bud    and there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails    and the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the pen    and no cattle in the stalls,18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,    I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,    he enables me to tread on the heights (Hab. 3:17-19, NIV). Here’s what I find significant in his response. Through his conversation with God, Habakkuk learned that life was going to become difficult for him and his countrymen. The land would become desolate. The Babylonians would conquer Judah, plunder their cities and homes, and exile its people. But the prophet reached a place of contentment, not in his circumstances but instead, in His sovereign, soul-fortifying God.  Pause to reflect on the words in verse 19 for a moment. No matter how chaotic and out of control our circumstances seem, our God retains full control. He provides strength to the weary and beaten down, and enables us to walk as swiftly, as nimbly, as a deer that escapes a predator by darting up a steep and rocky mountainside. In other words, He might not remove the threat, or within the timeframe we hope. But when it comes, He will give us the strength to overcome and tread on the heights.  To phrase it another way, when we express the depths of our souls, unfiltered to God, we receive in return what we most need, the Lord Himself. He alone is our Provider, Sustainer, Protector, Healer, and ever-present help in times of trouble. The more we recognize all we have in Him, the more we’re able to say, “Father, it is well with my soul.” Additional Reading (biblical examples of wrestling with God): Habakkuk 1-3 Genesis 32:22-32 Psalm 22 Genesis 18:16-33 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.