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Day by Day - 2 Samuel

A Good King Points Forward
Even the best men have faults, but Jesus ascended as the Man and King with no fault.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~

David, despite his flaws, points us to something greater. His humility after failure, his intercession for the people, his costly worship—all these highlight why he was a good king.

Yet David’s goodness has limits. He sins. He fails. He needs mercy himself.

This final chapter of Samuel whispers for something more: a greater King. One who would not just intercede but bear the full penalty. One whose obedience would be perfect, whose mercy would be unending.

Jesus is the better David. Where David sinned, Jesus obeyed. Where David offered symbolic sacrifices, Jesus became the sacrifice. Where David's mercy spared a city, Jesus' mercy spares the world.

Prayer Points:

  • Jesus, thank You for being the flawless King David could only foreshadow.

  • Teach me to treasure Your mercy and walk daily in Your grace.

  • Let my life reflect the kind of kingdom You are building—one of mercy and truth.

2 People To Pray For Rigoberto Jimenez and his family, our National Changemakers in El Salvador The Dagaare Lifeword broadcast for the people of Burkina Faso & Ghana

By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 29, 2025
Show Day by Day
Life Perspectives

Life Perspectives: Mitch
One can be raised in a Christian environment, but must still make a personal decision to follow Jesus.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Michael Goering
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 29, 2025
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

Mercy Ends The Plague
The God we pray to is not distant, but listens closely to the cries of the humble.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~

David builds the altar, offers burnt offerings and peace offerings—and God responds. The plague is averted. Mercy wins the day.

This mirrors an earlier story in 2 Samuel 21 where famine was halted after an act of intercession. God responds to heartfelt repentance, to true worship.

Our God is not distant. He hears. He moves. His mercies are not stingy. They are vast, immediate, and rich for those who cry out to Him.

This is the God we pray to. The God whose heart is tender toward the broken. The God whose ear is tuned to the humble.

Prayer Points:

  • Lord, remind me that You hear and respond when I cry out to You.

  • Give me the faith to believe Your mercy is always near to the repentant.

  • Help me worship You with a heart full of gratitude for Your nearness.

2 People To Pray For Jairo Bonilla and his family, our National Changemakers in Costa Rica The Creole-Capeverdean Lifeword broadcast for the people of Cape Verde

By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 28, 2025
Show Day by Day
Tailgate Talks

The Source of Our Sustenance
The source of everything we need is in Jesus, so we should trust Him.   #tailgatetalkslw  
Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Blake Martin
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 28, 2025
Stand Firm Parents

Fully Integrated Faith: Lessons from Brain Science

In this groundbreaking episode, Jake McCandless speaks with Dr. Jim Wilder, a pioneer in the intersection of neuroscience and faith. Dr. Wilder, the co-author of The Other Half of Church, introduces the concept of neurotheology, showing how our brains are wired for joy, connection, and relational transformation—exactly what biblical discipleship calls for.

Dr. Wilder reveals how the church has unintentionally focused on performance rather than identity formation, leaving many believers stuck in surface-level spirituality. He unpacks how brain science affirms Scripture, showing that joy and peace fuel lasting faith, while gratitude rewires the brain for spiritual and emotional resilience.

For parents, this episode offers practical insights on raising children with a faith that lasts. When joy is missing in the home, kids associate faith with pressure rather than delight. But when families intentionally cultivate joy and relational connection, they build spiritual endurance that carries into adulthood.

Dr. Wilder also shares one powerful practice to start integrating faith into daily life: expressing gratitude multiple times a day. This simple shift activates the brain’s relational circuits, keeping believers emotionally healthy and spiritually strong.

By: Jake McCandless
(Stand Firm Ministries)
Aired on May 27, 2025
Stand Firm Parents

Fully Integrated Faith: Lessons from the Underground Church

In this compelling episode of Stand Firm Parents, host Jake McCandless sits down with Joel Richardson, a New York Times bestselling author and internationally respected teacher and filmmaker. Known for his deep understanding of Bible prophecy and global missions, Joel turns our attention toward the underground church in Iran—a place where the gospel is flourishing against all odds.

Joel explains how a movement of everyday believers—not professional pastors—is fueling explosive disciple-making in one of the most dangerous regions on earth. Through simple obedience, Discovery Bible Study, and an unwavering focus on the Holy Spirit’s leading, this underground church has become the fastest-growing expression of Christianity in the world.

The conversation unpacks how Western Christians—and especially parents—can learn from these first-century-style movements. Joel emphasizes that revival doesn't require comfort or polish. It requires humility, repentance, and authentic living. A fully integrated faith isn’t something we attend on Sundays—it’s something we model and multiply every day in our homes.

🛠 Key Takeaways:

  • Iran’s underground church thrives by embracing disciple-making and suffering.

  • The movement is led by laypeople, not clergy—with an emphasis on Holy Spirit-led obedience.

  • Parents in the West must model authenticity, humility, and mission to pass on a lasting faith.

  • The model of evangelism isn’t debate—it’s invitation.

📚 Books by Joel Richardson:

🎥 Also follow Joel on Twitter/X

By: Jake McCandless
(Stand Firm/Lifeword)
Aired on May 27, 2025
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

The Weight Of True Worship
Though it may look different at different times, there is always a cost to worshipful obedience.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~  

When David approaches Araunah to buy the threshing floor for an altar, Araunah generously offers it all for free—land, oxen, wood. But David refuses. "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing."

David understood something many today miss: worship without sacrifice is hollow. Real worship requires something costly. It mirrors the costly mercy we have received. Worship that doesnt cost me something—comfort, convenience, pride—isn't worship; its self-congratulation.

David’s purchase and offering were tangible acts that said, God, You are worth everything to me.Today, the cost might look different: forgiving someone who hurt you, giving generously even when it pinches, surrendering a dream, obeying when it hurts. Each costly act says to God, You are worth it.

This threshing floor becomes sacred space. Solomon would later build the Temple here. The small cost David paid points forward to the infinite cost Christ paid—His life for ours.

Prayer Points:

  • Jesus, teach me to give You my best, not my leftovers.

  • Show me today what costly obedience looks like.

  • Fill me with gratitude that counts no sacrifice too great in light of Your cross.

2 People To Pray For Oscar Gaitan and his family, our National Changemakers in Nicaragua The Duruma/Chiduruma Lifeword broadcast for the people of Kenya

By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 27, 2025
Show Day by Day
Day By Day Expressions

Day By Day Expressions
Truth, goodness, and beauty can be found in many places, even some we don’t always consider.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 26, 2025
Show Day by Day
ADAW

In One Ear and Out the Other

You get advice all the time—sometimes from your mom, your best friend, or even TikTok. But have you ever stopped to ask: Is this really the best advice for me? In this episode, we’re getting real about how to handle advice, who to trust, and why you need to go to God first before anyone else.

You’ll laugh with us (and maybe feel a little called out) as we talk about childhood lessons, awkward college moments, and learning to trust God’s timing—even when you don’t feel like waiting.

📲 Follow us @adawpodcast on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
📺 Watch the full episode here or on Facebook via Lifeword
🎥 New episodes every Friday at 10 AM

By: Fernanda Posadas
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 23, 2025
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

The Cost Of Worship
The price we pay to follow Jesus is small compared to what His mercy cost.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~

David is instructed to build an altar at Araunah's threshing floor. Araunah, seeing the king, offers to give the land and oxen for free. But David refuses: I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.

David understood worship isnt about convenience. True worship costs something—it demands something personal, something surrendered.

We live in a world that offers easy spirituality: worship without sacrifice, obedience without cost. But Davids example reminds us: Gods worth demands our everything.

The price David paid was small compared to the mercy he had received. And the price we pay in following Jesus is small compared to the grace that bought us.

Prayer Points:

  • Jesus, let my worship be costly and sincere, not cheap and convenient.

  • Show me today what it means to sacrifice for You joyfully.

  • Keep my heart amazed at the worth of Your mercy.

2 People To Pray For Sishir, our National Changemaker in Nepal The Chimatengo Lifeword broadcast for the people of Tanzania

By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 23, 2025
Show Day by Day
Doc Talks

"Processed Grief, Deeper Faith" - ft. Russell Threet
Grief that is properly processed can lead to a deeper faith and a more meaningful worship and service.   #doctalkspodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 22, 2025
Life Perspectives

Life Perspectives: Greg Koukl
There is an artistry to apologetics, in which we can defend the idea of God's existence in skillful ways.   #lifeperspectivespodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Michael Goering
(Lifeword)
Aired on May 22, 2025
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