It is normal to find a new problem after solving one.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

The battle against anxiety is something which we must allow Jesus to fight for us.   #doctalkspodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Ever struggled with parental anxiety or inadequacy? You're not alone. Dave and Ann Wilson are joined by David Robbins, President of Cru, and his wife, Meg, to share their experience with these feelings as parents along with encouragement and hope ... on FamilyLife Today!

Jesus came to seek and save the lost and heal the sick and broken-hearted.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   If you and I are to see the true import of 2 Samuel 9, and how it radically calls out to us, then we only need to consider how far this covenant reaches. When David asked if there was anyone left in the house of Saul, something was going through the original reader’s mind. They were thinking, “Here comes the elimination of any internal threat to David’s kingdom.” It was customary in those days that a king would execute anyone who posed a threat to his kingdom, whether they be fellow countrymen, or even a blood relative. David had calmed the fury of competition outside his kingdom, and now, it would seem to calm the threat from within, and there was no better place to start than with the house of Saul, David’s greatest enemy from within. And we learn that there is one person left in the house of Saul, a man who was crippled in his feet, who cannot look after himself but is cared for by Machir, and who lives in Lo-debar (which means no pasture). So get the description—of the house of Saul, whom saw David as an enemy; a crippled; a man who couldn’t care for himself but was seen after by Machir; who lived in a land where there was no fertile, green pastures. This is a picture of weakness, of helplessness, of destitution. If David were to show kindness to this man, there would be no way that this man could bring anything of worth to the table. And yet, because of the kindness of David towards this covenant, David gladly, willingly seeks for this man and brings him, Mephibosheth, into his presence to bestow upon him all the covenant blessings. My friend, is this not a picture of what Christ has done for us? He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to be a doctor for the brokenhearted, for the sick at heart. He came to extend covenant blessings to those who were enemies of his, to those who are helpless and hopeless, who lived in the land Lo-debar, a place that was like a desert. All of those descriptions fit the life of the believer before he closed with Christ. And yet, the covenant of redemption extends to our brokenness, reaches through our helplessness, and finds us in the desert and calls us forth to come and receive the blessings of salvation.

So, how do we get him to let go? We use weapons that aren’t of this world.

Enduring the pain of having a sick child seems impossible. Dave and Ann Wilson are joined by church-planters Rechab and Brittany Gray, as they recount the effect of multiple medical crises on their family and faith...on FamilyLife Today!

The covenant God made with David led to the eternal blessings we receive in Jesus.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   And here is one feature of covenants that we are witnessing in action: Covenants made in the past are to determine the faithfulness and direct the obediences of the present. Now what we must remember is that 2 Samuel 9 is given to us in light of the last two chapters (7-8). God has made a covenant with David and David’s household. In chapter 8 we learned what the kingdom looked like under the reign of this covenant and under David as King. David defeated enemies; David worshiped the LORD by obeying the Law; and David brought justice and equity, righteousness to the land. Those are trademarks of the kingdom of God, those are trademarks of the king. And we see that continuation in chapter 9, but we see it on a more personal level. We see trademarks, or characteristics of the right type of king in God’s kingdom. So what we are seeing and reading about shows us in illustration or a glimpse of the heart of God. And what we see is that the heart of God is faithful to his covenant, and as such brings all kinds of peace to His people. But we must remember that chapter 9, and David’s life is preparing us for something better, something greater, someone better and greater. And we see this same type of covenant language and action in the life of Jesus. Particularly I am thinking of John 17, just before Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and crucified. Listen to Jesus as He prays to the Father at the end of His ministry: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You; And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:1–5 NKJV). The covenant of redemption was a transaction that involved both obligation and reward. The Son entered into a sacred agreement with the Father. He submitted Himself to the obligations of that covenantal agreement. An obligation was likewise assumed by the Father—to give His Son a reward for doing the work of redemption. It was Jesus’ commitment to the covenant he had made with the Father that kept Jesus on the cross. Just as David said, “for the sake of Jonathan,” Jesus Christ said, “for the sake of my Father!” Jesus tied himself to the mast of the cross, and would not come down until all had been accomplished.

Im going to tell you a story, but really I want to invite you into a story..

Sometimes our desire to be obedient turns into a glue that’s sticking our feet to the floor. 

Social media usage may cause you to be awake for longer.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Have you ever felt anger at God, or worry that He's punishing you? After tough diagnoses and loss, church-planters Rechab and Brittany Gray did. Hear what they've learned on FamilyLife Today with Dave and Ann Wilson.

Our bonds to the people in our lives and the covenants we have made should be unbreakable.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In Greek mythology, there is what is known as the Sirens’ songs, creatures who roamed on the coastlands, singing out their enchanting songs, and hypnotizing sailors and causing them to shipwreck on their lands. In the story of The Odyssey, Odysseus is sailing passed where he knew some Sirens would be. Desperately wanting to enjoy the beauty of their voices, but not wanting to be lured away by them, Odysseus commands his men to stuff their own ears with wax, and to bind him with rope to the mast of the ship, and under no circumstance, upon threat of life or death, no matter how Odysseus might beg or plead or threaten, were they to untie Odysseus from the mast, lest he jump out of the ship and die. In fact, the crew were to keep their swords out and pointed at Odysseus to keep him from jumping into the sea should he break loose. Once the song of the Sirens floated through the air into Odysseus’ ears, he went temporarily insane, striving with all his strength to unbind himself and plunge into the ocean so that he might join the Sirens. However, the men kept their promise, and refused to let him go. Soon, the song of the Sirens faded into silence, and the men removed the wax from their ears. How strong are the ties bind you to the important people of your life? The covenants you have made? Tie yourself to the mast and order guards to point swords at you so that you will not jump in and chase the Sirens.

We can always have confidence in who we are in Jesus.   #TheLoriClineShow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Are you ready to take a leap of faith? Let’s go! And you know today happens to be a great day to do just that. It’s leap day, because it’s a leap year! Today is the extra day we get in February, which is added to the calendar every four years to keep it in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun. Whatever that means, I love it because we get one extra day and I always LOVE more time.   So if you were already thinking about stepping out into something new, what better day than leap day! Say yes! Get off the couch! Do something today you’ve been putting off and let’s leap into what God has already set before us.   As you think about that, where do you need to take a leap of faith? Maybe it’s not some BIG thing, but maybe it just needs to be in smaller areas of consistency. Daily leaps lead to BIG leaps and they all begin with faith walking steps.   Since this is a bit of a pep talk for the day, guess where I’m headed in scripture? The hall of faith, Hebrews chapter 11! It’s my favorite. Come on let’s get fired up to take our leap of faith by remembering the faithfulness of those before us. Now I can’t read it all here today, that would make this way too long, so YOU take a leap into God’s word and dig deeper into it on your own. I’ll highlight a few things to get us started and to begin I’ll actually start with the last verse of Hebrews chapter 10.   Hebrews 10:39   But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.   I could stop right there. But I won’t. We do NOT belong to those who retreat, shrink back and are destroyed. Why? Because we have Jesus! We are saved and walk by faith embracing ALL we have and are IN Christ! This is a wake up call to remember WHO you are in Christ and the resurrection power you have access to on a daily basis. Our faith IN CHRIST is what sets us apart from the world. He has overcome the world and so through Him we are overcomers and the race we are running, no matter what it looks like down here, ends in victory.   Hebrews 11:1-2   Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.   In Christ I am confident. When I try to walk in MY strength, I fail. That’s what fuels faith. Being confident of who you are and what God has for you to accomplish. The Apostle Paul was a man confident in Christ and he encouraged the Philippians with that confidence, reminding them then and us today that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. When you walk with confidence, by faith, you walk different don’t you. When you leap with confidence, by faith, you leap different too!   The men and women that are mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 were known for that confident faith. It’s what drove them to obedience and faithfulness in their chapters of the greater story of God’s plan.   Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah were full of confident faith. They weren’t perfect. They were flawed just as we are today, and in need of a savior, but while yes they were flawed, they followed by faith. By faith Isaac blessed his sons. By faith Joseph, in his final days, gave future vision and instruction. By faith Moses took many leaps throughout his journey. By faith the walls of Jericho fell and by faith, Rahab did not perish.   There are so many more. Ordinary men and women, used by God, who simply walked by faith. As a result the gospel story advanced. Now it’s our turn to take the steps and move the gospel forward. Will you take a leap today? If you’ve lost your confidence, repent and acknowledge that your confidence hasn’t been in the Lord, because when we know who we are IN CHRIST, we are confident that nothing can stop us.   That’s the truth.   Take a leap of faith. I don’t know what that looks like for you, but be encouraged by those that have gone before you, paving the way for YOUR story today.   I’m Lori Cline.

Do you struggle in your marriage? Takashi and Naoko did. Their shame and brokenness left their marriage on the brink of total collapse. Then they found true love…not in each other, but in a person that would transform their family completely.   #movingworks   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Do you believe in the power of the Word? Church-planters Rechab and Brittany Gray join Dave and Ann Wilson to remind us of the Bible's beauty and power through their stories of personal faith and discipleship...on FamilyLife Today!

Artistry and beauty can be ways to express worship and honor to God.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Christian parenting is fundamentally about discipling our children.

Alex Pan is a Chinese immigrant, a science student, and an atheist attending a prestigious university in a post-modern city. Then a friend invites him to church and things get interesting.   #MovingWorks   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Is your church equipped to provide help for marriages? Many churches aren't. On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson are joined by Brad & Marilyn Rhoads as they discuss why they formed a marriage ministry.

A covenant means faithfulness to the highest degree, even to death, for better or worse.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   We begin 2 Samuel 9 with David asking the question, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” It is the strength and power of covenant that is on display for us here. You will notice that David mentions the word “kindness” three times in this opening section (1, 3, 7). Back in the history of David’s life, you will recall that David’s best friend was a man named Jonathan. But this was no insignificant man. Jonathan was King Saul’s son, the legitimate heir to Saul’s kingdom. But in a show of humility and recognition of the Spirit of God upon David’s life, Jonathan hands over to David his weaponry, and in essence declaring that David was to be the next king over Israel. From there their friendship deepened, and Jonathan routinely saved David from the lunacy of Jonathan’s father’s attacks. During one such instance, Jonathan speaks to David and says, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! Do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth,”1 Samuel 20:15. So when David says, “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake,” this is what David has in mind. The meaning behind “kindness” is not politeness or a nicety for a one time sake, but rather a flood of goodness. It is the term used for steadfast love and covenant faithfulness. This covenant that David made with Jonathan is what is on his heart. David had been busy bringing peace and rest to his people. And now, he wants to honor this covenant. He aims to keep this covenant. Fifteen to twenty years had passed since the time that covenant between David and Jonathan was first struck. And yet, David does not forget it. The kingdom of Saul has come and gone. And yet David is still searching to see if there is someone, somehow that he can be faithful to within Jonathan’s household. That is the strength, the binding nature of the covenant. David does not say, “Well, if anyone asked about it, THEN I will honor the covenant. No one has claimed this privilege, so I guess I can forget about it and move on.” No, David actually seeks someone out to investigate the situation to see if justice and kindness can be extended for Jonathan’s sake. This wasn’t just some promise made in the heat of a moment. This wasn’t just some ritual, or quick exchange that was never meant to be acted upon. No! This was not even a contract. This was a covenant, and a covenant means faithfulness to the highest degree, faithfulness unto death, for better or for worse. A love that commits itself to another by making its promises a matter of solemn, historical record. (Alistair Begg)

We can have feelings of certainty despite absence of evidence or logic.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

When life gets busy or crisis hits, how do we understand grace and practice it in marriage? Brad and Marilyn Rhoads join hosts Dave and Ann Wilson to discuss ideas for you to prioritize marriage as you go through life's challenges together -- on FamilyLife Today!

We should highlight and remember Bible passages that are important and encouraging to us.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   If you’re reading a good book and you come across a GREAT quote, what do you do? You highlight it! It stands out to you. It resonates with your heart and you want to remember it. Those are the words and lines that show up in memes and quotes all throughout our feed on social media. We copy and paste and want to share with the world these words that have sharpened us or challenged us to MOVE forward, think deeper or see something in a new way. We get inspired by what we highlight. What are you highlighting? I love to highlight in my Bible. The words of God, every single one, are worth highlighting. Still, there are some that stand out to me on my journey. Those verses, those words are highlighted, underlined and circled so I won’t easily forget them. I can go back and be reminded and encouraged of what is true. Many of those words are hidden deep in my heart. I recently went home to celebrate and remember my Dad. It was his first birthday in Heaven. It’s so bittersweet. Our hearts ache for his presence while we at the same time have JOY knowing he is in the presence of the Lord. Over the years my Dad did a lot of highlighting. He had many Bibles and books. He was forever a student in many ways and it’s been so cool to go through all the books and Bibles and see sections and words that shaped and molded him. Words that meant something or encouraged him or words he knew would encourage those around him were highlighted, underlined or earmarked. My dad loved words and I now am paying attention to the words that meant something to him, the words he highlighted. I was sitting in his chair at home and was actually writing a bit for these devotionals. The question kept coming to my mind, what are you highlighting? I was looking through my own Bible and one section of scripture definitely stands out with underlines and highlights. It’s Hebrews 11 and 12. The faith hall of fame. I looked up and saw my grandfathers Bible up on the mantle. I never knew my grandfather, my Dad’s dad. He passed away one Sunday in the pulpit after reading his scripture for the sermon. He had a massive heart attack. My Dad was only 18. I thought to myself as I looked up at that Bible, I wonder what He highlighted. I got up, dusted off his Bible and settled back into my Dad’s chair. I opened it up to Hebrews chapter 11 and I smiled really big. Like my Dad, I love words, but in that moment I had none. I could only smile as I looked over the pages and verses. Just as I have in my own Bible, everywhere you read the words, ‘by faith’, they were underlined and highlighted. Sections marked and set apart for a purpose, to be reminded of what is true. It was a really special moment. I never met my Grandad, FG Carroll, but I sure feel like I knew him because of my Dad. They both walked by faith. They both believed the words of God and didn’t just read them on Sunday, they highlighted the words, hid them deep in their heart and lived them out every single day. Words matter. We are shaped by them. What are you highlighting? What words are you allowing into your heart? If they aren’t true and do not align with the words of God, they are leading you and your family astray. Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” The word of God, after heaven and earth pass away, Jesus said in Matthew 24, will remain. Spend more time in those words. Let them sink deep in your heart. Abide IN them. Let them light your path each new day. Highlight those words and underline them for those who will come behind you. Write them on your walls and speak them OVER your children. May they be shaped by the words of God more than the words of this world. The words my Grandfather highlighted and underlined meant something to my Dad. They now mean something to me. They point me back to the only thing that matters, faith. That’s the truth. Where is your faith? What are you highlighting? If your faith journey is stalled out, go highlight some words in Hebrews chapters 11 and 12. Be encouraged by the faith of those who have gone before us and the faith they held so dear. Discover it for yourself and get to highlighting and living out in your life what is true. I’m Lori Cline.

We proclaim a kingdom with a ruler who has come and conquered sin and death.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In God’s Kingdom there is complete righteousness. Finally, we see that in the kingdom of Christ, there is complete righteousness. David was able to extend an imperfect righteousness and justice throughout His kingdom. It was prevalent, but it was not perfect. But in the kingdom of Christ, His perfect righteousness reigns supreme. And the way it works today is that His righteous rule is to be known and seen through the church, the lives of her members. But that doesn’t happen perfectly does it? It’s not that rule of Christ is imperfect, but rather that we are still undergoing our transformation. But shouldn’t we be an environment, a people, who are looking more and more like what the new earth will look and be like? We should. Sure, we still strikeout sometimes. This is the kingdom we live in, believer. Under the rule of a King who has success wherever He goes. Who is worthy of all our trust and worship. Who reigns over all in perfect righteousness. And this is the kingdom we proclaim. The King has come. The King has conquered. The King reigns. Now under his authority, under His command, Trust Him. Follow Him, and go get the nations! Whatever you are facing, faith in Christ, no matter how hard, how difficult, how uncomfortable it is, faith in Christ is the victory.

Believers are to worship with our hearts, our words, and our actions.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In God’s Kingdom there is humble worship. We saw where David obeyed the law of God at several crucial points in 2 Samuel 8 (not taking many horses, not accumulating wealth to himself) and also dedicated to God all the bounty from his kingdom’s victories. It was humble worship. In Jesus’ kingdom we see something similar. We see Jesus obeying the will and word of God with every breath he takes. He fulfills all the law in that way, becoming a perfect substitute for us. But we also see people come and bow down in front of Jesus and worship at His feet, and He does not help them up or plead with them to stop worshiping Him. He does not deflect their worship. He accepts their worship. Where David deflected honor and worship, Jesus receives it. And it is because Jesus is the one worthy of worship. David even recognizes the Lordship of the Messiah when he says in Psalm 110:1, “The LORD says to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’” even before the Messiah was born. So now, we are the ones who are to humbly worship. Worship is the recognition that we owe everything to our God. Worship is the remembering that we are weak and He is strong. Worship is the reminder that we are servants and soldiers and Jesus is the King. Worship is the expression of a grateful heart to a great ruler. Worship is the live, real trust we place in God’s word in the trial of testing and the fire of temptation. Worship is the realization that Christ is rest for our weary souls, comfort for our troubled hearts, wisdom for our thinking minds. Worship is the clinging to Christ as our Rock, our Refuge, our Hope, Strong Tower, our Light House. So followers of Christ are to be humble worshipers of Christ. We are to worship with robust singing of joy and strength. We are to worship through whispers and tears. We are to worship with empty hands and empty plans waiting to be filled and assigned by the King. And we are to worship by walking with Jesus day by day.

We can overcome sin in our lives only through the power of Jesus.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   We can overcome sin in our lives only through the power of Jesus.

Today on FamilyLife Today, authors and ministry leaders Brad and Marilyn Rhoads join Dave and Ann Wilson to share about their new book, "The Grace Marriage: How the Gospel and Intentionality Transform Your Relationship".

Do you and your spouse want to be better together? Cru President David Robbins, and his wife Meg, share a surprise source for strength in your marriage, on FamilyLife Today.

God has given us unique and beautiful gifts to help others.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Did you have chickens growing up? It was only because we moved into a parsonage beside Lake Erling Baptist Church, when I was little, that had a barn behind it, full of chickens, that I grew up with chickens. They were awesome. I loved the baby chicks. We raised one as a pet of course and we had eggs for days. I wish I had chickens now. You may have a chicken house and what a blessing I bet you are to so many because of the eggs you give away. How beautiful is that? While raising chickens back in the day was more a means of survival than it was trendy, today, suburban and urban chicken keeping and cooping or whatever you want to call it, is exploding! The pandemic had something to do with it, but raising chickens is continuing to be a very popular thing. Why all this chicken talk? Well, I recently heard a story, and for the life of me I can’t remember who or where it came from, but it was a story about chickens that is worth repeating. It made me pause and ask myself, what’s my one chicken? The story goes that back, I believe during the depression, a family lost everything to a house fire. They had a barn with about a dozen chickens. It was a rough time. Everyone was struggling. The community came together to help this family as much as they could during their time of need. One wife had an idea. All the families in the area, during that time, had chickens. What if they all gave one chicken? Twelve families came together, helped rebuild a pen, and all gave one chicken. Just like that, this family that had lost everything, was given a fresh start. What’s your one chicken? That’s the question for the day. What has God given you, blessed you with, that you can give away? Do you love to cook? Oh my friend Jeannie does! In a way, that’s her chicken. Without even being asked, she made dinner for my family while I was away for work one week. Mexican chicken casserole and M&M cookies became the chicken she gave away. Do you love to garden or work in the yard? One season, we had two dear friends decide to come over and help landscape our front yard. I don’t remember even asking, but it was just what we needed. They blessed us with their chicken. We have a family we love dearly in our church family. They have three little girls. We had a galentine's day celebration with those babies at our house one night so mom and dad could have a night out. That was our chicken. See where I’m going with this? Look around. People are in need of love, encouragement, care and service. They don’t need your judgement or opinion, they need the hands and feet of Jesus to see them and care for them right where they are IN their time of need. 1 Peter 4:10-11 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. God has given you a chicken! You have gifts that are beautiful and unique to you that are not meant for building YOU up, they have been given to minister to those around you. We are to build one another up, love one another and build UP the body of Christ. When we give those gifts we have been given and blessed with away, people encounter the love of Jesus and God gets the glory! That’s the truth. So what chicken can you give away today? Pray about it. God has someone around you right now that needs it. I’m Lori Cline.

Over the span of a three and a half year wait, Peter and Erin realize that they are adopting for reasons much more personal than once thought. They are adopting, because they were adopted.   #MovingWorks   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!