Download Media

Show Advanced Filter
Build Like Jesus

Traits of High Character
While exploring the question, "What role does character play in the life of a successful leader?", Dr. Steve Crawley discusses what traits make up high character.
By: Dr. Steve Crawley
(Lifeword)
Aired on Dec 02, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

Sin Doesn’t Wave The Jolly Roger
Sin comes to us in degrees, never revealing its full scope until it is too late.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In 2 Samuel 13, we read “Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. Initially we may be struck with sympathy by Amnon’s having been struck, perhaps, by Cupid’s arrow. But this is not love. This is sexual appetite. The word used for “love” in this verse is a flexible word. It can mean all types of different types of love—the love of family, the love of foods etc—and one of them is the desire/love for another sexually. This is not some-one who is love-sick, as we will soon find out. This is someone who lust-sick, set on hunting down Tamar like she is some type of prey. And what Amnon is facing and wrestling with is the deceitfulness of this lust. The lust that is consuming Amnon’s mind is promising him that to have Tamar would cure him, relieve him, satisfy him, heal him, bring joy into his life like never before, IF only he could have her in HIS way. Sin can be easy to identify and easy to avoid when it comes waving the flag of its true colors, like the crossed swords and skull of the of the Black Pearl. But sin does not come to us in that way, does it? It comes dressed in different clothes, waving a different flag. One of the reasons sin is so treacherous lies in the fact that sin comes to us in degrees, not ever revealing the full scope it seeks to take us, or of the destruction it will cause. No doubt Amnon’s sin did not start out in full blown lust that caused him to be bound up in a sort of dire straits. Rather, it started small, with improper thoughts, and fed the fire that does not need to be easily stoked in young men. This is why the text says, “And after a time…” That’s an interesting phrase isn’t it. It should make us think, “What seemingly insignificant sin or sinful frame of mind am I allowing to linger on?” Don’t let it be said of you, “And after a time sin was full blown.”
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 29, 2024
Show Day by Day
FamilyLife Today

Acts of Kindness and Generosity
There's more than one way to be generous. With money, yes, but also acts of kindness! Learn how to cultivate generosity in your family in this discussion between Brad Formsma and hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, on FamilyLife Today!   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 29, 2024
Mental Health Minutes

Choice Overload
Having too many options can increase decision paralysis and decrease satisfaction. #mentalhealthminutelw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 28, 2024
Training for Life

Hollow Hold
Jeff shares techniques for strengthening the core.   #TrainingForLifelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Jeff McDaniel
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 28, 2024
Tailgate Talks

A Patch Won't Do It
Believers are new creations, not merely patched-up broken creatures.   #tailgatetalkslw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Blake Martin
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 28, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

God’s Word Is Faithful, Both Ways
God is faithful to forgive us, but He is also faithful to judge sin accordingly.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   When it comes to the faithfulness of God to His word, we normally only think of it in terms that directly benefit us. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” We rarely apply the truth of God’s faithfulness to His word to when God’s word is a pronouncement against us. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption.” Somehow we have missed, or downplayed, that God is faithful to His word in this aspect. Perhaps it is because we do not have the right understanding of grace. We have been told that God has storehouses of grace ready to heap upon His children, but just because God is a God of generous grace does not mean He will not be faithful to His word. When you presume upon grace, you taint grace. So that is what is before—the faithfulness of God to his word to discipline David. Do not treat lightly the warnings of God, for he will be just as faithful to them as the promises of blessings.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 28, 2024
Show Day by Day
FamilyLife Today

I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life
Did you know that generosity is actually good for us? Brad Formsma joins hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, to discuss the power of giving, as well as how to become a more generous family...on FamilyLife Today!   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 28, 2024
FamilyLife Today

Dave & Ann’s Conflict Cycle
Is conflict always bad? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson discuss their marriage conflict cycle and underlying issues as guests on counselor and author, Debra Fileta's, podcast, "Talk To Me."   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 27, 2024
FamilyLife Today

Getting My Kids to Talk to Me
Do you want your kids to open up more? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson speak with Becky Harling, who shares what parents can do to help their children express themselves.   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 26, 2024
FamilyLife Today

I Want My Kids to Talk to Me
Do you struggle with getting your kids to talk to you? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson speak with Becky Harling, who explains how to give them a voice.   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 25, 2024
FamilyLife Today

Spiritual Growth Amidst Chaos
On FamilyLife Today, hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, welcome author and teacher, Jackie Hill Perry, to discuss spiritual growth amidst life's chaos and her new devotional, "Upon Waking," which explores themes of humility, authentic worship, and personal surrender.   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 22, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

The Ripple Effects
Recognizing the consequences of sin should lead us to put it to death in our own lives.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   As Alistair Begg has said, “Once you throw a stone into water, you can retrieve the stone, but you cannot stop the ripple effect of the stone.” So it is with consequences. Those ripple effects began in chapter 12 and carry on all the way to chapter 20. When Nathan confronted David, and spoke the words of God, Nathan told David, “Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.” This is one of the ripples. What we are seeing in the next 7 chapters of 2 Samuel is the fulfillment of that word. God is faithful to His word. I don’t think any of us are shocked that turmoil, lack of trust, conflict arises because of David’s particular sin. But we need to recognize at this point what God has said. He doesn’t say tough times will come. He doesn’t say it will be slightly more difficult, but you can make it. He says the “sword shall never depart from your house.” The sword represents war, immense, sharp pain, conflict and betrayal. This is what awaits David and his house, and it will come from within his own house. These are the severe consequences that David must face due to his sin, and it should serve as a warning to us to put our own sin to death by means of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 27, 2024
Show Day by Day
Mental Health Minutes

Serial Position Effect
An item's position influences memory recall in a row. #mentalhealthminutelw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 26, 2024
Lori Cline - Greatest Hits

Lori Cline's Greatest Hits: When Jesus Prayed For Me
The plan God put in place from the beginning was to save a broken and dying world.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   When was the last time you really prayed? I love the phrase, pray till you pray. When I pray till I pray, that’s when I REALLY pray. That kind of prayer is not a quick, ‘thank you God for this day’, followed by a ‘please Jesus let that light turn green’, on the way to work. Now while those are fine too, time spent with the Father is intentional and takes… well, time. I love the example we have in Jesus. Time with the Father wasn’t optional for Him. It was vital, like breathing. He prayed after being baptized. He prayed all night before calling His disciples, after healing people, before trips, early in the mornings, before feeding the five thousand, in front of Jewish leaders and for 40 days in the desert. He was in constant communion with the Father. I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and that’s how we see Jesus pray. It’s a life lived OUT in and through prayer as we move through our moments and our days. Every moment IS holy and God is with us and wants to guide us through each one. There is divine purpose in our days, and prayer slows us down to recognize it. All this month at Lifeword.org I’ve been looking closer at the words of Jesus. Today I wanted to focus more on His prayers and the one specifically we find in John 17. The time is close at hand for Jesus’ betrayal and arrest. In this chapter, which is a part of what is known as the Upper Room Discourse, we see Jesus wrap things up with a prayer. He prays for himself, His Disciples and all who will believe. I want to highlight three parts of this prayer. As Jesus prays for Himself, He knows the time has come and in these moments He confirms the calling and mission that was set before Him. John 17:3-4 ​​Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Jesus’ work and life on earth was coming to an end. The cross was before Him and in this time with the Father he states again the will and WAY of the Father. His will is that we spend eternity with Him. The way is Jesus and the work has been done. Jesus then prays for His disciples, His friends. They have been faithful to the word and they have believed. He prays for their unity, joy and protection from evil. John 17:16-18 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. His prayer for the disciples was a reminder there is more to come and that they stay on the path of truth. The next phase of God’s plan was about to unfold and they would carry the gospel forward from here. Then He prays for me. Yep, He had me on His mind. If you believe, the last part of chapter 17 is for you as well. His desire is for God to be glorified through OUR lives as WE walk in unity, love and follow His ways. He ends His prayer for us with these words. John 17:26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. Through Jesus, I am KNOWN by the Father. How deep and wide is the Father’s love for us? He loved us so much He sent His son Jesus so we might be saved and KNOW Him. That same love of God is in me. His spirit abides in me and I am His and He is mine. How beautiful the words of our savior to the Father on our behalf before carrying out the final mission and plan on the cross. Remember, the plan God put in place before the earth was even formed, was to redeem a broken and dying world. Jesus came to bring peace. He came to die. You were on His mind. I was on His mind. He interceded for us then and he intercedes for us now and His desire is for us to know Him and make Him known. That’s the truth. Pray till you pray today and be known and loved by the Father. I’m Lori Cline.
By: Lori Cline
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 26, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

Real People, Real Tragedy
The Bible provides us a look at both the grim reality of life and the hope provided in Jesus.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~ This morning we turn the page from 2 Samuel 12 to chapter 13, and we might hope that we are also turning the page from a miserable time in the life of David, Bathsheba, and the nation of Israel, to a time of rejoicing, but we are not. As hard as it may be to imagine, the situation in the life of David and Israel gets even worse. And this is the benefit and the struggle of preaching through books of the Bible. We are forced to deal with the text of scripture as it comes to us, week after week, just like the author designed. We must not cherry pick the Bible, only looking at and studying the parts of history, or the poetry, or the instructions that bring smiles to our faces. Our life is not made up that way. And you may think, “You are right Clif, and that is why we need to get relief when we come here. So give feed us something that is a bit more tolerable and palatable, something warm and super encouraging. Our lives are difficult enough. No sense in coming in here to hear about more misery.” But that is just it, you see?! This is what makes the Bible the best of all books. God, as He speaks through this word, does not hide the misery. He does not hide the ugly parts of life, the difficult, the dirty. Instead, our God wants our joy to be so full, and so rock-solid landed on Him, that he gives us the truth of living life in this world of sin, BUT also the hope we can have in His redeeming grace. So it’s not just ugly and hard realities of life that we see here, but also the ultimate Hope in life that He provides. So yes, this morning we deal with the ugly. And I need to warn you, it is ugly, and cruel, and brutal. I get no enjoyment from this, and neither should you. This is not a passage that we should look at and from which get some strange sense of entertainment, but rather, our eyes are being forced to the page, to see through our tears, the harshness of sin, and that sin cares for nothing else than your destruction. Let me remind you once again, these were real people, real emotions, real events, real heartbreak. This is not like Grimm’s fairy tales, an exaggerated story to teach us a moral lesson. This was real. And in the midst of this episode of tragedy, we are to see triumph in the whole of the story through Jesus’ victory and atonement of the believer’s sin.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 26, 2024
Show Day by Day
Stand Firm Parents

Children's Perspective of Israel
In this special episode, host Jake McCandless invites his daughters, Addison and Andrea, to recount their family’s transformative journey to Israel. Together, they share memories, spiritual moments, and the profound impact this trip had on their faith. From visiting sites like the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea to experiencing the emotional weight of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, this episode provides a heartfelt exploration of faith in action. Whether you’re considering a pilgrimage to Israel or simply seeking ways to strengthen your family’s faith, this episode will inspire you.
By: Jake McCandless
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 25, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

Day By Day Expressions
Creativity is an opportunity to express the identity that God has impressed upon us.Creativity is an opportunity to express the identity that God has impressed upon us.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 25, 2024
Show Day by Day
Build Like Jesus

Why is Character Important to Leadership?
Dr. Steve Crawley discusses why character is important to leadership.
By: Dr. Steve Crawley
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 25, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

O My Soul, Put Your Hope In God
When God disciplines us, He continues His sanctifying work upon us.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Sometimes we have to preach to ourselves. The message sounds too good to be true—that the God of all the universe would look upon worms like us, redeem us, wash us, cleanse, and then when we continually sully ourselves, he still lovingly disciplines us, and continues his sanctifying work upon us. We wouldn’t do that for others. And yet he does it for us. And it is so foreign to us, that we have to preach it to ourselves to remind our souls of this reality. And sometimes the best way to remember a great sermon is to sing it. So I want to put you on to a new song taken from Psalm 42. For so long I've pled and prayed God, come to my rescue Even so the thorn remains Still my heart will praise You Storms within my troubled soul Questions without answers On my faith these billows roll God, be now my shelter Why are you cast down, my soul? Hope in Him who saves you When the fires have all grown cold Cause this heart to praise You (oh, my soul)
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 22, 2024
Show Day by Day
FamilyLife Today

Upon Waking
It can be hard to pursue Bible study and prayer when life's busy. Author and teacher, Jackie Hill Perry, joins hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, to discuss her new devotional, "Upon Waking," written to help us pause to reflect on the Word...on FamilyLife Today!   #FamilyLifeToday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: FamilyLife
(FamilyLife)
Aired on Nov 21, 2024
Mental Health Minutes

Sweat-Shrunk Brains
Sweating without rehydrating can cause the brain to shrink. #mentalhealthminutelw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 21, 2024
Doc Talks

"Answering Questions, Pt. 2" - ft. Guest Callers
Doc Brian once again answers various call-in questions from listeners.   #doctalkspodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 21, 2024
Lori Cline - Greatest Hits

Lori Cline's Greatest Hits: Wait, Jesus Said What?
If Jesus doesn’t cost us anything, the life we’re living may be lost.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Did Jesus come to bring peace? He did say, blessed are the peacemakers. The prophet Isaiah said he would be called the Prince of Peace. Peace I leave with you, peace I give you, peace be still, are all words Jesus spoke. On the night of His birth, the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. Ephesians 2:14 says ‘for He Himself is our peace’. Yes, Jesus came to bring peace. Jesus made a way for mankind to be made RIGHT with God. Without Jesus we are enemies of God. (Romans 5:10) The sin that separated us was atoned for, paid for and made right, on the cross. The cross alone made the way for PEACE with God. Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. I am so thankful for the cross. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection changed everything. Only Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, could take away the sins of the world. Peace with God, through faith in Jesus, is now for all who will believe. See John 3:16. Jesus did come to bring peace, but look around, are we at peace? Watch the news tonight and then tell me if our world is at peace. Bring up politics, religion or the injustices of the world in a crowded room and let me know how peaceful that discussion goes. It seems there is more division than peace. Well, Jesus brings that too. Matthew 10:34-39 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Wait a minute, that’s not MY Jesus! Friend, if the Jesus someone has been selling you doesn’t include this truth, you need a new truth dealer. Better yet, seek and know for yourself. So what DOES Jesus mean here? He’s bringing a sword. Households are divided. To follow Him you gotta carry your cross and to find your life you must lose it? That’s not very zen! In this chapter, Jesus is sending out the twelve apostles. It’s about to get real. They will be sheep among wolves. They will be teaching, healing and persecutions are coming. He is preparing them for the immediate task at hand as well as the future challenges ahead. One big challenge they would face and we face today, is the COST of following Jesus. Choosing to follow Jesus then and now requires total SURRENDER. Following Jesus means His way over yours. Following Jesus means He is ruler of your life. Following Jesus means dying to your way and following His. THAT kind of surrender to Jesus brings DIVISION. That kind of surrender to Jesus in certain parts of the world brings death. That’s what Jesus was preparing his followers for. What does it mean for us today? If following Jesus hasn’t COST you anything, then the life you’re living, may very well be LOST. That’s the truth. Following Jesus will cost you, but it’ll never compare to the price He paid for you. I’m Lori Cline.
By: Lori Cline
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 21, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

A NEW SON IS BORN!
We can be free of the weight of guilt and recognize that our future is bright thanks to Jesus.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   The message David is receiving is that forgiveness is a reality as demonstrated by the new son of David being loved by God. And that message rings true for us today! Not because Solomon was born, but because a greater Son of David, a greater Solomon was born, and died, and brought back to life. Put your hope in Him. An overwhelming feature of the love of God is that His love for His chosen does not shift, does not waver, does not fluctuate. Even though God may discipline his children, it doesn’t mean His love for them has diminished. David reaps what he sows in discipline from the Lord, but He also reaps the promise of God. My friends, those of you struggling with the misery of sin from the past, of which you have repented, you need to know this—The LORD’s love for you never lessened; and neither did His love for you intensify. It has always been full, complete, immutable. His love for His own does not change. And the reason He can place His gracious love on you and keep it there is wholly due to the His Son, who stood in your place to take on the wrath of God you deserve. His life for your life. And His resurrection is the new life, the complete righteousness, the new account laid before God that you get credit for. No, your future is far from over. Your future is far from hopeless. Your future is far from misery if you would believe and walk in these truths.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 21, 2024
Show Day by Day
Day by Day Video

Preaching Lab
Clif discusses the preaching lab he will be leading in January.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Hey, guys. Welcome to Lifeword's Day By Day, where typically we run through a book of the Bible, digging for all that it's worth. But today, I want to take a break from our study, from 2 Samuel 12, and talk to you about an event that's coming up in January. I have the great privilege to be able to run a ministry called The Preaching Lab, where we seek to help train pastors to be healthy, not only in regards to their preaching ministry, but also in regards to their own soul, their own personal life. And we are hosting a conference, The Preaching Lab Conference, on January the 10th and 11th, and we're calling it Press On: Preaching in a Hostile Culture. And so if you're a pastor or a preacher who is watching Day By Day, please register and join us in Little Rock, Arkansas for this conference. If you're not a pastor or a preacher, you're a church member, would you do me the favor of letting your pastor know about this conference that is coming up? We'll have preachers Doug Brewer, David McMurray, and Gary O'Neil bringing the Word of God to us, but also talking to us about getting through burnout. And so I just want to invite you to be with us on January the 10th and 11th for this Preaching Lab Conference.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 20, 2024
Show Day by Day
Tailgate Talks

Chased Up a Tree
We need to actively pursue Jesus because Satan is actively pursuing us.   #tailgatetalkslw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Blake Martin
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 20, 2024
Mental Health Minutes

Re-Quizzed
Taking a quiz twice makes remembering the facts more likely. #mentalhealthminutelw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 19, 2024
Lori Cline - Greatest Hits

Lori Cline's Greatest Hits: Jesus’ Words Turned Things Upside Down
To follow Jesus, we must seek His ways above our own.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   How does Dairy Queen serve a blizzard? The ice cream and fast food chain has served the blizzard upside down since the beginning. Why do they do this? The inspiration actually goes back to 1959 when a 14 year old boy kept asking for thicker and thicker ice cream shakes. Finally the owner, at a point of frustration, flipped a shake upside down and asked, ‘is this thick enough for you’? Yep, that inspired the DQ flip. The purpose rests in PROVING the ice cream shake is, in fact, so thick, it won’t fall out when flipped upside down. When our lives are flipped upside down, what do we prove? Do we fall apart or hold fast? That may sound kind of silly, but life does get crazy doesn’t it. What we believe about God and how we respond is proven in those roller coaster moments and seasons of life. When life is not as expected, where IS our hope found? Jesus turned things upside down during His time on this earth. What was valued was devalued. What was expected was not delivered. The last became first, the poor became rich and the guttural prayers of a dirty sinner, not the calculated words of a white washed saint, moved the heart of the Father. Do you believe in Jesus? Does your life prove it? Back in the time of Christ, disciples would follow their rabbis so closely that they would be covered in his dust. "May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi" was a blessing commonly given to disciples in Jesus’ day. I love that imagery. I want to follow Jesus so closely and live my life in such a way that it PROVES I belong to Him. I want to walk like Jesus. I want to talk like Jesus. I want to be covered in HIS dust. Are you dusty with the words and ways of Jesus? All this month at Lifeword.org I’m looking at his words, the red letter ones. Often we highlight only the ones that make us feel good. While the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and His words are recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is present from Genesis to Revelation. He IS the word made flesh. The ways and words of Jesus turned the world upside down. His followers hoped for a kingdom on earth that would make them free and rich. In His sermon on the mount, Matthew 5, 6 and 7, Jesus served up a kingdom flipped upside down. The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who seek righteousness, mercy and the pure in heart, they are blessed. It’s not simply what you do, but what you think and the condition of your heart that causes you to sin. Marriage is sacred. Love your enemies. Give more than required. Seek the Father’s will over your own. Store up treasure in heaven not on earth and so much more you can read for yourself that should PROVE the ways of a follower of Christ. Jesus followers should be set apart not only by the LOVE of Jesus but also the WAYS of Jesus. He makes it so clear, but still many are missing the way. I want my life to shine a light that makes the path clear. Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. We are the light of the world. Covered in the dust of Jesus we are a city on a hill in the darkness. And our life, even when turned upside down, should prove we are His people and He is our God. That’s the truth. Go read Jesus’ sermon on the mount today. I pray you walk away from it dusty, and if you do, you’ll be blessed. I’m Lori Cline.
By: Lori Cline
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 19, 2024
Day by Day - 2 Samuel

We Repent Because God Is Righteous
Although we will reap the consequences of our sin, we can know God is still righteous.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   This was not the end of David’s statement. Once the child dies, David resigns himself to the will of God, with no blame, with no finger-pointing, with no defiant fist-shaking, with no “but God would never do that, God can’t do that.” David shows his submission to the will of God. This is a fruit of true, biblical repentance. Repentance is a turning from sin in head, heart, and hand, and turning to God in trust—head, heart, and hand. Take heed that with sin, you reap what you sow. But you can trust God because He is gracious and righteous.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Nov 19, 2024
Show Day by Day