Arise and Abide

In this episode of Arise and Abide , Curtis and Sally read and reflect on Proverbs 4, a chapter centered on a father's wise instruction to his children. Together, they explore the image of wisdom as a guiding path that protects, corrects, and leads God's people toward life. Sally reflects on the importance of staying on the path God has given rather than turning aside to our own understanding or f...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Sally and Curtis read and reflect on 2 Chronicles 31, where the joy of Passover leads the people of Judah into renewed worship, repentance, and generosity. After celebrating together, the people return home and immediately tear down the idols, shrines, and altars that had drawn their hearts away from the Lord. Their worship becomes more than a festival moment; it...

In this episode of Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally read and reflect on Proverbs 3, a chapter filled with fatherly wisdom, practical instruction, and the well-known call to "trust in the Lord with all your heart." The conversation explores how wisdom is not merely something to know, but something to store deep within the heart, hold tightly, and allow to shape daily life. Curtis and Sally discuss th...

In 2 Chronicles 30, King Hezekiah invites all Israel and Judah to return to the Lord by celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem. Though the celebration happens later than prescribed and many people are not ceremonially prepared, Hezekiah intercedes for them, asking the Lord to pardon those whose hearts are set on seeking Him. God listens, heals the people, and turns a delayed and imperfect gathering...

In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on 2 Chronicles 29:18–36 and the restoration of the temple under King Hezekiah. After years of neglect and unfaithfulness under King Ahaz, the temple is cleansed, purified, and reopened for worship. What follows is a beautiful picture of repentance, sacrifice, praise, and wholehearted return to the Lord. They explore the significance of Heze...

In this episode of  Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Proverbs 2 and the treasure of godly wisdom. Solomon's words invite us to tune our ears to wisdom, cry out for understanding, and seek insight like hidden treasure. Together, they explore what it means to admit that we do not already know the right way and why true wisdom must be received from God rather than assumed from ourselves. Cur...

In this episode of Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on 2 Chronicles 29:3–17, where King Hezekiah begins his reign with a bold act of spiritual restoration: reopening and cleansing the temple of the Lord. After generations of neglect and defilement under King Ahaz, Hezekiah calls the priests and Levites back to their God-given purpose—purity, worship, and faithful service. Together, they expl...

What voice are you listening to, wisdom or the world? In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally explore Proverbs 1 and the powerful image of wisdom crying out in the streets, calling us toward discipline, discernment, and the abundant life God desires for His people. They reflect on Solomon's God-given wisdom, the daily choice to reject sinful shortcuts, and the invitation to humble ourselv...

In this episode of Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Isaiah 15 and 16, where the Lord delivers a sobering message of judgment over Moab. These chapters paint a haunting picture of cities destroyed overnight, land left scorched and lifeless, and a people mourning the collapse of everything they trusted apart from God. Curtis explores the suddenness of God's justice, connecting Moab's overni...

Psalm 150 closes the Psalms with a joyful crescendo of worship, and in this episode of Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on the beauty of wholehearted praise. Drawing from the psalm's vivid imagery of ram's horns, harps, tambourines, strings, flutes, and crashing cymbals, they explore what it means to praise God with everything we have and everything we do. The conversation moves beyond music...

In this episode of Arise+Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Isaiah 14, a chapter filled with powerful imagery of the fall of the proud and the certainty of God's justice. As Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia each receive words of judgment, the deeper theme emerges: every power that exalts itself against God will ultimately be humbled. Together, they explore the striking passage of the "morning star...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Psalm 149 and its powerful call to praise the Lord with joy, creativity, and wholehearted devotion. From singing a "new song" to rejoicing even in rest, this psalm paints a vibrant picture of worship that flows from a living relationship with God. As the conversation unfolds, they explore the striking shift in tone in the second half o...

In this powerful episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally explore 2 Kings 16:19–20 and Isaiah 13, tracing the transition from King Ahaz to Hezekiah and unpacking Isaiah's prophetic vision of Babylon's fall. Reflecting on Israel's earlier failure as God's vineyard—called to produce justice but yielding oppression—they examine how God's judgment extends beyond His own people to the nations. Thoug...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Sally and Curtis reflect on Psalm 148 , a powerful call for all creation to praise the Lord. From the heights of heaven to the depths of the earth, the psalm invites angels, stars, mountains, animals, rulers, and people of every generation to lift their voices in worship. Together they explore the structure of the psalm and the reasons it gives for praise: God is...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally read and reflect on Isaiah 5 , where God describes His people as a carefully tended vineyard that produced bitter fruit instead of justice and righteousness. They explore the warning against calling evil good and good evil, and how sin becomes a burden we drag behind us. The discussion also points forward to Jesus' teaching that true life and goo...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally explore Psalm 147 , a psalm that celebrates God's power, care, and faithfulness. The psalm calls believers to praise the Lord by reflecting on His works—from rebuilding Jerusalem and healing the brokenhearted to sustaining creation and providing for every living thing. Curtis highlights the psalm's unique structure, noting how repeated calls to p...

In this episode of Arise + Abide, Curtis and Sally walk through Isaiah chapters 3 and 4 , where the prophet confronts Judah and Jerusalem with a sobering message of judgment—followed by a surprising promise of restoration. Isaiah exposes a society marked by pride, self-reliance, and injustice, where leaders exploit the poor and take credit for prosperity that ultimately comes from the Lord alone....

In this episode of Arise + Abide, Sally and Curtis reflect on Psalm 146, a powerful call to praise and a clear invitation to examine where we place our trust. The psalm contrasts the fragility of human power with the faithfulness of God, reminding us not to put our confidence in people whose plans perish, but in the Lord who reigns forever. As they walk through the text, Sally and Curtis highlight...

     In this episode of Arise + Abide , Sally and Curtis walk through Psalm 145, David's sweeping psalm of praise that exalts God as King over all generations. Together, they reflect on what it means to live a life shaped by praise—not as a momentary response, but as a daily posture rooted in God's unchanging character.      Psalm 145 paints a rich picture of who God is: merciful and compassionate...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally walk through Isaiah 2:1–22 , a powerful vision of the Lord's future reign . Isaiah paints a striking contrast: a coming day when God is exalted above all things and humanity's pride, idols, and false securities are finally brought low. The episode opens with the promise of hope—a vision of the Lord's house raised high, drawing people from every n...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Psalm 144 , a prayer of praise that declares God as our rock, fortress, and rescuer. Before David asks for deliverance, he first names who God is—faithful, powerful, and deeply attentive to His people. The hosts explore how this order matters: worship and trust come before petition. As the conversation unfolds, Curtis and Sally highlig...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally continue their journey through the opening chapter of Isaiah by reflecting on Isaiah 1:21–31, a passage that confronts the spiritual corruption of Jerusalem and the leaders who once upheld justice and righteousness. What was meant to be a faithful city has become compromised—its leaders driven by greed, its worship emptied of truth, and its peopl...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Psalm 143 , a raw and urgent prayer that cries out, "Answer me quickly, Lord." David finds himself overwhelmed—pursued by enemies, afraid, and on the brink of despair—yet he anchors his plea not in his own righteousness, but in God's unfailing faithfulness. As the conversation unfolds, Curtis and Sally explore the powerful gospel theme...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally read Isaiah 1:1–31, a powerful opening message addressed to rebellious Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah's vision confronts a people who continue their religious rituals while failing to recognize the Lord or reflect His heart through justice, obedience, and compassion. The conversation explores God's sharp indictment of empty worship—sacrifices and pr...

In this episode of Arise + Abide , Curtis and Sally reflect on Psalm 142 , a prayer of David written during his time in the cave—a moment marked by fear, isolation, and deep dependence on God. As David cries out with honesty and desperation, he models a pattern we see throughout the Psalms: pouring out complaints before the Lord, acknowledging feelings of abandonment, and then slowly turning towar...