The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

If we are fortunate enough to die of old age, perhaps we’ll be patiently or eagerly awaiting what is on the other side, but one thing we can do right now is have faith. God has not called us to live in fear of anything else but Him, and even that biblical fear is a reverential attitude towards the Lord. Loving, acknowledging, and trusting in His majesty.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Are You Afraid of Dying? By Aaron D’Anthony Brown“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2) The Greatest Fear I’ve been told that public speaking is a greater fear than death for most people. Perhaps that is true, but if you told someone they had to speak to a crowd or die at that very moment, my guess is that most people would stomach their discomfort and talk. They may fumble their way through the speech, but they would be alive. So many people enjoy being alive in the physical sense. But that enjoyment is fueled by a fear of what comes afterward. Does that describe you? Are you afraid of dying? I had a chat with a friend recently, and he spoke about his fear of death. Since he doesn’t believe in Christ or an afterlife, he talked about how after we die, we cease to exist. Imagine that. It’s true that most of us won’t go down in history books. The people we know and love will also eventually pass away. Any memory of us will fade. Ostensibly, we vanish into nothingness. This image of death is rather bleak, and I imagine that’s the case for anyone who doesn’t believe in something more. For them, this life is all there is. Once it’s gone, nothing awaits. However, the thoughts shared by my friend are not exactly unique. I know Christians who have been fearful of death. They avoid thinking about it as much as possible and focus on living life. Similarly, I, too, have, at different points in my existence, been afraid of death. However, God has not called us to live a life of fear. Not to death. In fact, God has given us reason not to fear death at all. Intersecting Faith & Life: Jesus conquered the grave. Perhaps the main reason believers should not fear death is the victory Jesus has claimed on our behalf. He died and was punished for our iniquities. The damnation that would have found us no longer will because of the sacrifice Christ made. If you believe in that sacrifice, then reaffirm your confidence that Christ has taken care of you. Death will find you, but Hell will not claim you. You are one of God’s children. Scripture talks about Heaven. I remember talking to my mechanic about his near-death experience. He told me that he actually did technically die, but was brought back. Before that happened, he spoke of a field that he was standing in. He said he had never felt so much peace and that he didn’t want to come back. That experience reassured him that Heaven is real. Now, I can’t advocate for believing in people who talk about coming back from the dead and recount experiences Of Heaven or Hell. Maybe some of them are telling the truth. What we can say with certainty, however, is that the Bible makes mention of Heaven a few times. We don’t get the full picture, but we definitely get hints. Jesus Himself talked about His father’s house having “many rooms.” He’s preparing a place for you and me. Maybe death will catch us by surprise, but not Jesus. God has not given you a spirit of fear. Whether you fear death, public speaking, or something else, God has not called us to live a life of fear. There’s a reason that Scripture tells us over and over again not to be afraid. Two reasons, actually. One, fear is a natural part of our sinful nature. It’s a consequence of not accepting what we can’t control or understand. The second reason is that God wants us to know that he is bigger than our fears. Any fear. We stop panicking when we start trusting. Fear the Lord, not death. If we are fortunate enough to die of old age, perhaps we’ll be patiently or eagerly awaiting what is on the other side, but one thing we can do right now is have faith. God has not called us to live in fear of anything else but Him, and even that biblical fear is a reverential attitude towards the Lord. Loving, acknowledging, and trusting in His majesty. When we do that, we realize that this life is meant to be enjoyed, but this enjoyment is but a fraction of what’s to come. Heaven is real, and it is so much greater than this life. Further Reading: Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 41:10 2 Timothy 1:7 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ponder your own sin in light of Jesus’ healing power in your life. How can you live a life of gratitude and kindness to love those who are most avoided or forgotten like Jesus did? 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: Jesus Goes to the Untouchable By: Emma Danzey Matthew 8:2-3 says, “A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” When we think about how horrific leprosy was, this poor man must have been suffering in isolation and pain. I remember back to the time of COVID when there was so much concern and distancing from those with the illness. Although it was not their fault, they were carriers of something threatening to others. They not only suffered, but many suffered alone. Leprosy was the “COVID” of Biblical times. Although less prevalent in the US, this disease is still around today.  The American Academy Dermatology Association shares, “You may notice one or more of the following: Numbness in your hands or feet, fingers and thumbs curl (leaving you unable to straighten them), eye problems, eye sores, eventually blindness, and loss of a finger or toe.” This disease is very treatable today in the US, but was one of the worst diseases to catch in Biblical times. Everyone avoided you and lepers were often living in colonies on the outskirts of town. It was a challenging life. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’  This man knew that his only hope was Jesus. The Messiah who had come would be his only opportunity to be healed of this awful disease. I love how this man boldly approached Christ and knelt before Him. The way that he asked Jesus, calling Him by the name Lord showed that he had faith that Jesus was God. Then, in his humble posture, he made a humble statement, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” This man acknowledged that Jesus could heal him, but he trusted that if it was God’s will then it would happen.  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. The incredible moment led Jesus to the response of touching the untouchable and telling the man that he was willing. If anyone should have been “afraid” of unclean people, it should have been Jesus, God is perfectly holy and unholy cannot be in His presence. However, this is why Jesus came, to step into our messes and our sinful states. When we surrender and declare that Jesus is Lord, He reaches out and rescues us from our sins. We are all spiritual lepers, without hope and cure, but Christ came to heal us and to restore us.  “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” Jesus spoke the words to the man to be clean and this leper was no longer a leper anymore. His faith led him to freedom through Jesus. It was an immediate healing. When we accepted Jesus’ death and resurrection for our sins, we too have immediate healing from our sin. We are free.  After these verses, we have the joy of reading in verse 4, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Jesus was not ready for others to know about Him yet. His time had not come. However, Jesus tells the man to go to the priest and present the offering for the Old Testament to be restored to the community.  Jesus knew that this man was clean, but He still honored the law so that this man would be brought back and accepted into the town. Jesus restores us and then brings us into community with His church. We are called to be One in Christ with all believers. No matter how rough someone’s “sin disease” was before coming to Jesus, we are supposed to welcome them into the family of God.  Intersecting Faith and Life: Ponder your own sin in light of Jesus’ healing power in your life. How can you live a life of gratitude and kindness to love those who are most avoided or forgotten like Jesus did? Further Reading: Luke 15:7 Luke 19:10 Romans 1:15-17 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Take a moment and look at your life. Do you taste and see that God is good? Do you see dire circumstances or trials as punishment by God? Or do you see them as a redirection where God is moving you into areas where you can better serve him? Do you know God is good, or do you see trials as punishment? 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: Taste and See “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34:8 NIV.)  Because of some bad blood work results during a doctor's visit, I was informed that I needed to take control of my diet. My doctor recommended an anti-inflammatory diet, which meant no soy, gluten, or dairy. I told my husband it's called the “no fun” diet. With this news, I had to switch my mindset from having whatever I wanted to more specific foods. This caused me to go to the grocery store and be more vigilant about looking at labels and seeing what ingredients my foods contain. At first, I was sad about the change, unable to eat what I wanted or have fun, and I gave up many of my favorite foods. I adjusted to this new lifestyle and reflected on why God might do it. Reflecting and praying, I realized something: I put my worship into my food.  There's nothing wrong with having things that you enjoy. Although there’s also nothing wrong with eating and enjoying food with friends while we are enjoying a fun activity, it becomes a problem when I would rather eat foods that I want and have fun that way than take charge of my health and make healthier choices so that I can live longer and serve the Lord. When I rebel and eat what I want out of convenience or preference, I make an idol out of food. At first, it felt like I was being punished, but I realized God was redirecting me to a healthier lifestyle to provide better service to him.  Instead of tasting and seeing that the Lord is good, I was too busy tasting foods and allowing that desire to rule my life rather than my desire to serve the Lord. God gives us glimpses of who he is. In heaven, we will know God in full. But for the present, we may not experience him thoroughly to understand his goodness. Other things in my life that thwart my attention from experiencing God entirely are food, shopping, watching TV, etc.  It hinders my ability to serve him wholeheartedly. My heart is divided between fleshly desires like eating and shopping and godly desires to serve him and see that he is good because the temporary fulfillment I find in eating and shopping fills the voids I feel when challenging circumstances cause me to become weary and tired.  I must fully yield my life to him to taste and see God's whole goodness. This does not mean I can’t have fun activities like shopping or eating, but I must stop when they consume my thoughts or actions. If I have indeed tasted the Lord’s goodness, I’ll be able to stop fun activities from overtaking my life. When other things consume my life, I’ve made an idol out of them. Experiencing the Lord’s whole goodness means I can squash idol worship more easily.  Take a moment and look at your life. Do you taste and see that God is good? Do you see dire circumstances or trials as punishment by God? Or do you see them as a redirection where God is moving you into areas where you can better serve him? Do you know God is good, or do you see trials as punishment? When our hearts are entirely devoted to him, we can taste and see that he is good. When our hearts are divided, we make idols in our lives that, when erected, become more difficult to knock down.  Anchor yourself to the word. Read and know God intimately through the pages of the bible. Read and hear his voice regularly. Experience him as if he were your friend. Walk in step with him daily.  Father, let us experience you fully. Let us taste and see that you are good. Let us see you in those moments that don't make sense for times when we feel like you are distant or punishing us. Let us know that you are always working things on our behalf. Your goodness extends every situation in our lives. Help us to see your goodness and experience that entirely in our lives. Amen.  Intersecting faith and culture In what ways do you feel you have not experienced God fully? Are there things in your life where you may have erected an idol?  How can you rid yourself of that idol today? Further reading 1 Corinthians 10:23 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Anything and everything we are given the ability to do, is a gift that we have the blessing to be a part of. But we should most certainly continue to call on God for direction, for what to start, and what to stop. 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 Wants Us to Let Go and Let Him By Keri Eichberger Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. (Psalm 55:22) Bone tired. These were the first words that came to my mind this morning as I sank into my bedroom desk chair preparing to open my devotional and Bible. I quickly squeezed in fifteen minutes of prayer time to amp up my strength to face the day, then rushed off to begin knocking off my to-do list tasks. “Rush-rush” was the season of life I had found myself in. My family’s summer had made an abrupt sharp turn when my dad suffered a brain hemorrhage while we were vacationing and celebrating Mom and Dad‘s 50th wedding anniversary. Combine that with an already fully loaded three months with the kids off school, I was determined to step up my game, meet all predetermined needs, and fill-in any new additional gaps. For a few weeks, I sailed through the rough waters, seeming to settle each wave a bit as I passed through. In fact, as I reflect back, there were even a few bright rainbows amidst the storm. Reminders that God was the one doing the actual heavy lifting and that his blessings never ceased to pour out in various shapes and sizes, and at unexpected and most needed moments.   But, a day quickly came that became apparent I was trying too hard to do too much. When life felt flipped upside down and I, with great honor, pride, and purpose, jumped in to serve my parents, I didn’t acknowledge my need to make sufficient life-space by letting something else loose. And, like I said, God divinely allowed me extra strength to keep all the balls in the air. But as the scales tipped from doing all things in love that were coming at me, to trying to control my whole world, I started to collapse. It’s almost as if God absolutely wanted, in his perfect grace, to gift me the ability to briefly go above and beyond, but he also absolutely never meant for me to assume all control of anything. And so I suppose he was A-OK to allow me to tire to the point of reminding me of just that. God wants us to let go and let him. How does this resonate with you? Do you feel tired right now? Are you trying to keep way too many balls in the air too? Trying to cut through the crest of one giant wave after the next in the deep dark waters of your life? It’s very possible God also wants to remind you to let go a bit. And let him do what he is already doing. Carrying and caring for all things. I’m feeling a bit convicted as I write because after zipping around town this morning to and from appointments and obligations, then returning to my two six-year-olds, yet again, zoning out on devices, I decided to take immediate control of that sore site too. No more brain rotting on my watch. Nevermind the fact that I was exhausted. Nevermind the 100% truth that God is absolutely the one who will ultimately shape my littles’ little minds. Yes, he has control of them too. But neglecting this sovereign truth, and the better choice to release control to God and rest, I forewent the pause in order to squeeze into the only one and a half hours I had to get the girls a little exercise, vitamin D, and a brain cleanse.  So here I sit poolside while they splash and play device free. But hey, at least I decided to pick up my pen and a journal, which actually is quite therapeutic rest for me. So, I suppose in the best way I felt I could, I did work in and prioritize a sort of rest. But the point is this: I need to learn to pause. We all need to learn to pause. We need to let go when the overloads of life begin to wear us down. And remember God‘s already got all the things in his care. Anything and everything we are given the ability to do is a gift that we have the blessing to be a part of. But we should most certainly continue to call on God for direction, for what to start, and what to stop. Intersecting Faith and Life: Consider something with me today. If you’re feeling bone tired like I felt this morning, will you determine with the Lord what you need to let go of a bit? Will you release it and rest in the way that he is speaking to you to rest? Because, let us not forget, our loving Lord wants you to let go and let him. He will sustain you. Today and every day. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We can have confidence that our prayers aren’t falling flat or fading away into nothingness. Like Revelation 5:8 reveals, our prayers are preserved and still at work long after they are spoken. “And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” 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 Push Through the Weariness of Prayer By Lynette Kittle “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”--Galatians 6:9 Each morning, my husband and I pray together for each other, family members, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, leaders, world issues, and more, depending on how God is leading us. While praying for some individuals and situations for years, at times, it can seem like we are just going through a list, day-after-day, year-after-year. Yet we keep at it, knowing God hears, listens, and answers prayer. As Psalm 66:19 assures us, “But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” Pushing Through the Hard Times in Prayer When prayers for someone or a situation seem to go on endlessly, the enemy often tries to discourage us from praying, urging us to give up and causing us to believe God isn’t going to answer or doesn’t want to answer our pleas.  As well, it seems like the more we pray for an individual or situation, the worse it gets, like it’s headed in a completely different direction than we’re praying for. During this time, it can seem like our efforts are in vain, yet we know that 1 Thessalonians 5:17 urges us to “Pray continually.” When praying seems hard at times, we can look to Daniel in the Bible, who knew how to keep pushing through difficult times of prayer. As Daniel 9:3 describes, “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” What’s Happening When Answers Aren’t Coming Through? Often, we don’t understand what’s holding up answers to our prayers or why we aren’t seeing God fulfill our requests. The book of Daniel offers insight into what may be keeping our answers at bay. Daniel had a troubling vision that led him to some serious praying, yet it seemed that with all his efforts, he wasn’t receiving an answer. Not understanding why he wasn’t receiving answers, God sent Gabriel to give Daniel insight and understanding (Daniel 9:22), saying, “As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:23). Then, later on, seeking answers again after three weeks of mourning (Daniel 10:2-3), Daniel experienced another divine encounter. “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, His face like lightning, His eyes like flaming torches, His arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and His voice like the sound of a multitude” (Daniel 10:5-6). “He said, ‘Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.’ And when He said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.  But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.’” (Daniel 10:12-14). Believing God Is At Work Through Our Prayers James 5:16, emphasizes the power of prayer, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” During times of pushing through prayer, Psalm 126:5 reminds us, “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” In Luke 18:1, Jesus encouraged His disciples to always pray and not give up. Like Winston Churchill urged people on October 29, 1941, his words ring true, too, when it comes to feeling discouraged and doubtful in prayer: “This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” The devil wants us to give up and stop believing that God hears and answers our prayers. But 1 John 5:15 urges us to hold on: “And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” We can have confidence that our prayers aren’t falling flat or fading away into nothingness. Like Revelation 5:8 reveals, our prayers are preserved and still at work long after they are spoken. “And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” Intersecting Faith & Life:  Are you feeling worn down and weary praying? If so, ask God to strengthen you to keep praying and to never give up. Further Reading: 4 Ways to Pray About Anything https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-daily-bible-verse/4-ways-to-pray-about-anything-bible-study-minute-december-27-2017.html  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV 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: Honoring our Parents Well By: Laura Bailey “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV Paul’s gift of connecting orthodoxy( doctrine)  to orthopraxy ( how to apply) is one of the reasons I love the book of Ephesians. Paul informs his audience about what they believe and guides them to a deeper understanding of why that matters and how that should change how they live.  The first half of Ephesians is “informational training,” and the second half is “on-the-job training.” In chapter 6, Paul shares specific ways Christians should live, applying the truths he spoke about in previous chapters. Paul outlines how we can live like Christ's followers—specifically, in these verses, in our homes. We see a brief set of instructions for children in our key verses, Ephesians 6:1-3. It’s important to note that  Paul speaks to children who still live in the home and are under their parent’s authority. While the biblical principles Paul addresses, such as godly obedience, apply to children of all ages— in terms of submission and being under parental authority, these instructions aren’t directed towards the adult children/parental dynamic.  Growing up in church, I often heard that God desires children to obey their parents. These verses were usually used to encourage good behavior, focusing on a child's outward actions rather than the inward heart’s motivation—which is what Paul is addressing here.  Paul shares that children are to exhibit godly obedience, one that is not rooted in blind submission but in the heart’s desire to submit to the Lord and those whom the Lord places in authority over their lives. The family dynamic between parental authority and child submission is an allegory for the relationship we all should have with our Father in Heaven.  Why should children obey their parents? Because it’s the right thing to do! Paul drives home the point that children following their parents' instructions isn’t just a suggestion; it’s an expectation. Yes, there will be times, countless times, when it will be difficult to submit to their leadership. Parents often give instructions, guidelines, and rules that are difficult for children to digest; they want to know why, and it’s in our human nature to rebel against authority.  But Paul gave this command under the premise that parents love and protect their children and that children obey them until they live independently.  Paul then speaks about honoring our fathers and mothers, which refers to the 5th commandment (Exodus 20:12), which states, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." The fifth commandment is the first one that comes with a promise—precisely when it was first given, the promise was to the children of Israel that they would live a long, blessed life in the promised land. However, in a broader application for us today, children who respect and honor their parents will likely have an easier time in life, as obeying our parents is the cornerstone of understanding submission to authority.   It’s important to note that honoring our parents doesn't guarantee that we will live to be 100 years old, be rich, or have a life of ease. Instead, the promise shows us that the Lord both commands and rewards us to respect those in authority over us. We will experience less conflict, division, and personal strife—and ultimately, we will experience our eternal reward in Heaven. Intersecting Faith and Life: Take some time and read through Ephesians chapter 6; if you can, read through the verses in different translations of the Bible. Have you ever noticed that “instructions for Christian households” come right before Paul encourages us to put on the armor of God? Why do you think this? How might a firm understanding of the first half of chapter 6 prepare us to receive Paul’s closing remarks? For Further Reading:Ephesians 6 3 Reasons for Tensions Between Adult Children and Parents Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If we follow our selfish ambition or conceit, it will lead to destruction—at breakneck speed. Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us that the road to life looks a lot more like walking, stopping, talking, and allowing ourselves to move at the speed of love. Just like vehicles have built-in governors to prevent them from driving at dangerous speeds, God gives us speed governors for our lives, too—the people we’ve been entrusted to love.  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: Love: The Ultimate Speed Governor  By Deidre Braley  Luke 8:45: And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?"  I am a get-it-done girl. I come by it honestly; efficiency and tenacity have been passed down through the women in my family tree, and my genes are wired in a way that makes me want to get the most things done in the least time possible.  So I often feel exasperated when I’m forced to slow down. The other day, my dog and I were out for a jog, and just as my favorite song came on and I hit my stride, he was hit by an irresistible smell from a passing bush. He came to a screeching halt—and I nearly popped my shoulder out of joint. Frustrated, I tried to drag him along, but he’s a stubborn little thing, and finally I gave up and let him sniff the bush, then the grass, then the clover. I thought to myself, It’s his walk too, I guess.  I haven’t adapted that easily to the interruptions of motherhood though. I wish I could say that I’m naturally the type of mother who enjoys baking with her toddlers, who welcomes the dawdling independence of a two-year-old dressing herself, or who’s content with long, sprawling days spent playing blocks and make-believe. But I am not.  In truth, as a dreamer and a doer, I’ve had more moments than I care to admit when I’ve thought, If only I could just do this on my own, it would be so much faster. I could get so much more done. When I catch myself putting projects over people, though, I remind myself of the interruptibility of Jesus.  In Luke 8, Jesus is on his way to Jairus’ house. His daughter is dying, and it’s urgent. But as he’s moving through the crowd and people are pressing in on him from every side, a woman who’s had an issue of bleeding for twelve years reaches out and touches the hem of his cloak. She senses that she’s been immediately healed, even without a face-to-face interaction with Jesus. Now, Jesus could have kept moving, could have left it at that. But instead, amidst the great haste and urgency of the crowd, he stops. Luke 8:45 recounts, “And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” He puts aside his agenda and stops to have a conversation with the woman in order to heal not only her body—but her spirit.  While he is stopped, someone comes from Jairus’ home to announce that his daughter has died. It seems, for a moment, that Jesus’ willingness to be interrupted has had fatal consequences. But then he goes to the little girl, raises her from death, completes his mission. From Jesus, we learn that loving others is the priority—even when that loving is inefficient, inconvenient, or downright untimely. Philipians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” It’s true that living this way slows us down, and that if we were only living for ourselves, we’d probably get a lot more done. But maybe that’s exactly why God gives us people to care for: in order to slow us down, limiting our propensity to run towards selfish pursuits, which is a road to disaster.  If we follow our selfish ambition or conceit, it will lead to destruction—at breakneck speed. Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us that the road to life looks a lot more like walking, stopping, talking, and allowing ourselves to move at the speed of love. Just like vehicles have built-in governors to prevent them from driving at dangerous speeds, God gives us speed governors for our lives, too—the people we’ve been entrusted to love.  Intersecting Faith & Life  Today, practice being interruptible. Remember: people are more important than projects or progress. This could like:  Talking with the person at the cash register ringing out your groceries.● Putting your phone in another room when you’re spending time with your children.● Looking your spouse in the eyes as they tell you about their day. Noticing people throughout your day (at work, in the coffee shop, on the bus) who looklike they could use a smile, a kind word, a listening ear—and giving that to them. Further Reading  Luke 8 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What would it look like for you to take it easy and to let go of your record of wrongs? Perhaps, take a second to repent and then receive God’s grace for you. He doesn’t look at you and see every mistake you’ve ever made; He looks at you and sees the righteousness of Jesus. He loves you and will continue to help you. 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 Move Forward when Sin Keeps Returning By Kelly Balarie “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” – Prov. 29:11 NIV I feel so angry at myself, and I can’t seem to let it go. Friends, I know, I know... God forgives me, so I need to forgive myself (in fact, I must forgive myself), but sometimes forgiving oneself is more easily said than done. The issue is -- I didn’t overlook an offense and, therefore, became explosive in my tone of voice. I unleashed it on one I love. The issue is that this wasn’t the first time this had happened either. It’s embarrassing to say that I have done it a couple times in the last few years. The issue is that I had resolved not to do this, ever, and I did it again. Oh, the frustration of it all… Have you ever given full vent to your offense? It’s so easy to do. In those moments where we’re wronged or a slighted, it’s easy to feel justified to be upset. The cause is righteous so, of course, we should stand up for it, with force. We know the action is right because we’re standing up for a person.  We’re standing up for God’s truth, so we have every right to not let the other person believe a lie.  The need to release offense and to stand up for something – can feel so right, yet it can be executed all wrong. That’s what I’m learning, anyway. For me? In those moments before I spoke, the words brewed inside, burning to be released. Finally, the second the other party provoked me – I hit a high-pressure point! Then, like a tea kettle screeching under the heat -- I gave full-vent to my anger. What pressures you to let loose your annoyance, anger or offense?“Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” - Prov. 29:11 NIV Friends, I can’t help but be confronted with the thought: Two wrongs don’t make a right.  There is a way that seems right to a man but leads to death (see: Prov. 14:12). And there also a way that seems wrong to man but leads to calm in the end. In order to go the right way, we cannot permit feelings of flesh to hinder us from heeding God’s Word.   And, what do you do if, much like me, all the actions you thought were right have led up to a million repeated wrongs? How do you handle the face of all your mistakes? Here, Proverbs 29:11 comes to mind again, “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” We are foolish to give vent to anger, even towards ourselves.  Wisdom embraces calm and extends itself the grace of Jesus. Letting go, we can choose to take it easy. Why? Because Jesus’ grace is always enough. Because Jesus’ grace is equipping, empowering and enabling. Because Jesus’ grace is alive and well.   This means, He will help us going forward. God is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith story and, best of all, our story is not over. God is still perfecting it. Here, we can take it easy on ourselves and let it go…God always has for us a fresh start in Christ Jesus. It’s time to let go… Intersecting Faith & Life: What would it look like for you to take it easy and to let go of your record of wrongs? Perhaps, take a second to repent and then receive God’s grace for you. He doesn’t look at you and see every mistake you’ve ever made; He looks at you and sees the righteousness of Jesus. He loves you and will continue to help you. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The more we yield to God’s Spirit within us, and courageously yield to His promptings, the more we experience the abundant, beyond expectations, deeply fulfilling life Christ promised. God still advances His plan. Our disobedience won’t thwart that. 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: Seizing God Moments, written by Jennifer Slattery “From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. “On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us” (Acts 16:12-15, NIV). When my daughter was young, my marriage and my life were a mess. My husband and I fought all the time. He held a demanding, high stress position with the railroad that often kept him away and left him exhausted when he was home. I was lonely and battling roots of shame that often caused me to react to challenges and conflict with defensiveness instead of love. We were in significant debt yet continued numbing our pain through shopping. As you can imagine, that didn’t help our relationship. At one point, things became so bad, my husband and I met with a divorce attorney, ready to end it all.  But then one day, while walking through our neighborhood with my daughter in her stroller, I encountered a woman who invited me to her church. She didn’t say much more than that.  I didn’t know her, had never seen her before, and never saw her since, but I did go to church the following Sunday.  That church, and the people there, changed my life, saved my marriage, and helped me learn an entirely new way of living. My daughter is now 26 and a precious woman of God. She and her husband lead a small group for young adults. Praise the Lord, they both have a lovely relationship with one another and me and my husband. And I wonder, where might she be, and how might her childhood have looked different, had that woman not responded to the God moment to invite me to church? And, if she’d reached out and I’d responded with hostility or disdain? While she might’ve felt a brief sting of rejection, I doubt she would’ve carried the heavy cloak of regret.  Thinking of today’s passage, and all that occurred after, provokes similar questions. Where might Lydia and her family have ended up, had she, those with her, and Paul not responded to the Holy Spirit’s prompting on the Sabbath mentioned in Acts 16? In our culture where a decreasing number of Christ followers regularly attend church, I’m struck by the fact that Lydia and those women took time to meet at the river.  Let me explain the historical background. Regardless of how many God-following women occupied a city, the location needed at least ten Jewish men to form a public faith gathering. Therefore, we can reasonably assume, fewer than ten Jewish men lived in Philippi. In such cases, Jews customarily met at rivers to pray, hoping a traveling Rabbi would stop by to teach them. I don’t know how many women gathered at the river the day Paul arrived, but people would’ve considered their number insignificant. I imagine there were numerous Sabbath’s during which these women didn’t encounter a Rabbi. And on those occasions in which they did, how many Jewish leaders stopped to teach a group of women? From my perspective, this seems unlikely.  Did Lydia and her companions ever consider staying home? They certainly could’ve prayed there.  Yet, they were at the river, connecting with God, the day Paul, led by the Spirit, happened by. Because of this, they heard and responded to the gospel. But Lydia did more than that. She also invited Paul to her house, which scholars believe became the first Christ-following church in ancient Europe. But I’m also struck by Paul’s behavior, especially when one considers how people viewed women at this time. As I mentioned, although they considered ten Jewish men sufficient to form a synagogue, they found the number of Jewish women irrelevant. Therefore, one might expect Paul to pass them by. But he didn’t. Responding to the Holy Spirit, he seized the God moment, told them about Jesus, baptized these new believers, and accepted Lydia’s invitation to stay at her house. This became the Philippian church, which, as I mentioned in a previous devotional, became a major source of support for Paul.  Intersecting Life and Faith We all encounter numerous God moments each day; divine invitations we either accept or decline. We’ll never know the beauty we could’ve witnessed from those incidents we disregard or rationalize away. But the more we yield to God’s Spirit within us, and courageously yield to His promptings, the more we experience the abundant, beyond expectations, deeply fulfilling life Christ promised. God still advances His plan. Our disobedience won’t thwart that. It will, however, rob us of the joy of knowing God used us to impact a life.  Thankfully, when fear holds us hostage, we can ask God to embolden our faith and empower us to live for Him.  Further Reading: Ephesians 5:15-17 Isaiah 30:21 Acts 1:8 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Every night we have the choice, as our head lays down on our pillows. We can cry out to God and pour our hearts out to Him, giving Him our burdens. Or we can bottle it up and toss and turn. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: What If We Really Gave Our Burdens to God? By Sarah Frazer “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 55:22 (ESV) “Do you need help?” I asked the toddler struggling with the groceries. He grabbed the bag with spaghetti sauce, canned fruit, and ranch dressing.  “I got it!” was the confident reply. The next thing I knew, a jar of spaghetti sauce was rolling down the driveway. My son ran after it and caught it before it broke into pieces. The bag was too heavy, but the toddler insisted that it wasn’t. He needed to let me unload that burden for him.  What heaviness do you hold today that needs to be unloaded?  My toddler thought that he could carry it on his own, but that bag was too much. Often we face trials and burdens in our life that we think we can handle. In fact, we look at others and think they seem to be handling the same type of burdens just fine on their own. Only in our hearts we know that we can’t hold up on the weight of the heaviness. I wonder if some of us need to admit that we need help.  The world says, “You’ve got this!” and “You are enough.” This is not the way of the Bible. Our lives weren’t meant to be lived independently. That isn’t how God created us. As Christians we have something even better than doing life on our own. We have a God who is ready to carry our burdens for us.  The Bible talks a lot about what to do with our burdens. The word used in Psalm 55:22 for “cast” means “throwing away.” This can mean literally throwing something out like garbage or figuratively throwing something away from us to remove something from our presence. We are called to cast or throw out those things in our lives that weigh us down.  A burden can be anything in our hearts or minds that keeps us from living freely in Christ. It is a load or a task that requires effort. Throughout the Old and New Testament, God tells us what to do with our burdens.  Psalm 68:19 says, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” I love the word “daily.” It assumes that we have things weighing us down each day. You and I know what it is like to release something to God one day, but then the next day, we find ourselves worried and worn down from picking it back up again. God walks with us each day. He is there to help us each time we find ourselves weighed down.  In the New Testament, Jesus talks about burdens in Matthew 11:28-30. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” We still might carry the weight of something, but sharing it with Jesus allows us to not bear the thing all by ourselves. Jesus calls us here in Matthew 11 to live a life dependent on Him.  1 Peter 5:6-7 says that we can cast our anxieties on him. Other translations change the word for anxieties to worries, fears, troubles, and cares. Those things that keep us awake at night or occupy our minds during the day are anxieties. Why can we bring them to God? Peter says it is because God cares for us. He loves us. Sometimes, we ask others around us to help carry our burdens, but they get tired, too. They have their own burdens to carry. God is never tired and nor does His love ever run out. We can always come to God and hand over our cares.  How do we do this? We pray. Prayer is our connection to God. He is always listening (Psalm 116:1), and He answers us (Psalm 116:2). As we pray, we tell God everything in our hearts. You might think, “But He already knows it.” Yes, but He knows that when we share those cares and hurts and burdens with Him, we are lighter.  Every night we have the choice, as our head lays down on our pillows. We can cry out to God and pour our hearts out to Him, giving Him our burdens. Or we can bottle it up and toss and turn. If I try to handle things on my own, I always end up failing. But if I rely on God, letting my burdens fall on His strong shoulders, I am able to rest each night.  Intersecting Faith & Life: What is the burden that you are carrying right now? Pray, asking God, to take this burden away or lighten the load. Know that God is in control and is working everything for our good (Romans 8:28). How is knowing God is in control and working all things out a comfort for you today?  Further Reading: Romans 8:28-29 Isaiah 41:13 Isaiah 40:11 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Psalm 18:6 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.