Hope's Harbor Podcast - Gritty Bible Devotions

Warfare surrounds us - spiritual warfare. To go through each day unprotected is begging for assault from a determined enemy. Discover what the armor is and how it is important to understand each piece and how to don it correctly. Get ready, for if you will complete this study during the next 7 episodes you'll be ready for war, and to fight the LORD's battles. Show notes at HopesHarbor.ne...

Forgiving others may be the most difficult requirement GOD makes of us. But if we will join Him by forgiving others we find it sets us free. Free to move on. Forgiveness does not excuse the one who wronged you and caused so much pain and loss. Neither is forgiving others a requirement you stay in a relationship or even in contact with the one who betrayed you. Especially abusers. And especially wh...

Unjustified anger is toxic. This episode examines ways to reduce harmful anger and possibly rid ourselves of it altogether.    The example from the Bible is an event in the life of David when he was on the run for his life. A greedy man caused David's anger to flare leading David to gird on his sword and lead 400 men at arms against this man.    Find out what happens when a good woman interve...

Moses was an angry man. Even though GOD was patient with His servant, Moses's anger cost him dearly at the end of his life. Unreasonable anger - do you have it? It is toxic, you know. Toxic anger. If you've been on the receiving end of it you know how destructive it is. Anger, when it is wrong, causes damage not only to those being abused by it but also it causes harm to the one carrying...

This episode touches lightly on PTSD, its symptoms and looks at a few common treatments. PTSD is too complex to examine fully here. Even though I was diagnosed with it in 2010, the level I experience is minor compared to those with complex PTSD. One benefit I intend here is to point out that having this affliction does not make us crazy. GOD did not create us for trauma. Our brains and minds and s...

When you go after fear. What does this mean? It means when you stop giving into fears, the phobias keeping you in a prison of misery. You go after them using resources available whether through counseling or reading some self-help book, or learning from online resources like MayoClinic.org.  Fears can be faced and overcome, at least to the point they no longer control your life. This may take prof...

Fear can have a useful influence on us, like when we come up on a snake, or get too close to the edge of a cliff. Unreasonable fear can be unhealthy and keep us from enjoying life to the fullest. Like when fear keeps us from applying for a job we really want but are too afraid to try. Unreasonable fear can keep us from having friends, especially when we've been burned before. Unhealthy fear c...

Fear is without question a fact of life. The question is what can we do about it. This episode explains fear as it relates to GOD.  (Parts 2 and 3 present ways to understand and manage fear in everyday life.) There are two types of fear concerning GOD. It is necessary to fully understand fear in its components, especially where GOD is concerned; and it is necessary to understand how fear affects t...

Grace is one of those Bible words that are more than just a word. It is a characteristic, it is descriptive of GOD, a desired quality for us, and more. The Bible declares that we are saved by grace and why: Ephesians 2:4 - 'But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us...' Ephesians 2:7 - 'That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His g...

GOD's Word as found in the Bible is full of promises. Claiming those promises by faith takes understanding which promises apply to us today, and when we find the ones we need, they must be claimed by faith. This is not name-it-and-claim-it heresy. We must avoid presumption upon GOD. Rather it's understanding GOD's promises when they apply to us are meant to bring a blessing in due t...

The Promises of GOD - Why would GOD make promises? A promise indicates something yet to come, or something ready to go or to be obtained. In this episode, the basis for GOD's promises is examined and the conditions sometimes required of us for a promise's fulfillment to be recognized. This is so that we may know how to obtain fulfillment when we are in need of help.  Or even when we have...

A prayer of realization. In this episode, praying Scripture back to GOD is examined. In my experience, when I pray GOD's Word back to Him, I have the assurance He not only hears but also answers according to His will in the matter. What we learn is that sometimes there are conditions set forth within GOD's Word. Also, I give an example by praying a portion of Psalm 91 . The key verse we&...

Samson was known as a strong person. But how strong was he in GOD's estimation? This episode will explore the Biblical record in the book of Judges. The evidence is surprising. GOD views strength differently. His economy of grace turns the rankings upside down, calling the meek strong. First, Samson was chosen to begin to lead his nation to freedom from the yoke of Philistine bondage and domi...

A count of chapters in the Bible revealed Psalm 118 is likely not the center chapter as believed. No matter. Scripture stands true and sure upon the character of GOD. If GOD ever once misled us or said anything false, even just one time, He would not be the GOD the Bible declares Him to be, In 2 Timothy 3:16,  Paul wrote 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD...' Have you ever bee...

What is the center chapter? Is there one? One thing for sure, whether Psalm 118 is the center chapter or not, the center verse of that chapter is worth looking at. When the Bible books were written and assembled, including the New Testament, there were no chapters or verses given. Those came later as we'll see in this episode. GOD's Word is no accident. In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul informs us,...

In the book of Ruth, the story ends with the legacy Ruth and Boaz leave upon human history in the part they played in the coming of the Messiah centuries later. Our lives are leaving a legacy, too. What will it be? Even an obscure life and legacy, if it points to the love and forgiveness of GOD will be an eternal legacy. Think about this: GOD records the deeds of every person who lives, and He alw...

In the last episode, E54, we examined how Boaz took notice of Ruth. And now, Boaz is moved to action. What happened to motivate Boaz to seek marriage to Ruth? In this episode we'll see how Ruth played a part. If you want to make a change in your life, are you waiting for that change to just come along? Or, are you willing to do your part? Show notes at HopesHarbor.net Show notes at HopesHarbo...

Have you ever had someone catch your eye, and then you meet them? This happened to Boaz, a wealthy landowner when he saw Ruth working in the fields, gleaning grain for her and her mother-in-law. Keep in mind, Boaz was wealthy. So what was it about Ruth, a poor foreigner who is having to gather food left out for the destitute, that gets Boaz's attention? Surely Boaz could have found a woman to...

Ruth was a faithful woman evidenced in several ways. First she left her home country to travel with her mother-in-law after her, Ruth's, husband died along with his brother. These men were Naomi's sons and led to her bitter spirit. And then, as happens often with difficult circumstances, faithfulness in Ruth surfaced once more after the two women arrived in Bethlehem, Judah, at the begin...

Naomi has lost a husband, two sons, and returned to her hometown of Bethlehem, Judah. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, also recently widowed, came with Naomi, to call Bethlehem and Israel her new nation and people. And Naomi's GOD her GOD. There is a difference between the two women in that Naomi is bitter at the turn of events in her life. And Ruth, well, she is faithful and caring to the point sh...

The book of Ruth is an incredible story of loss, struggle, faithfulness, love, and redemption. The principles at work in this event point to Jesus as our kinsman redeemer, portrayed by Boaz. The bride rescued in this story is a likeness of Jesus's bride, the church. That's us. The encouragement from the experience of Ruth gives us an example of GOD's love and plan to rescue us. Show...

What happens to the Christian soul at death? The Bible is clear about this subject, however much speculation floats around about it, and even false teaching. This episode examines the truth in Scripture. And listen, there is nothing to fear. While dying on the cross Jesus made a statement to a thief, also dying on a cross beside Jesus, that reveals what happens at death. To the Christian. Show not...

We have too many needs facing us each day to be able to go into in this short time together. But if we prioritize needs and are honest with ourselves the greatest need is of eternal importance - the need to get right and be right with GOD. This episode looks at how to do that very thing - show notes at hopesharbor.net Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

Our Greatest Need - how can we know it beyond the need for food, clothing, and shelter? How about emotional needs? Do we need to be loved? How about this... do we need to love? A spiritual need may be the first thing to attend to. After that, an emotional need, a void within our heart, may be the greatest need we have. Listen to see if your need is revealed. And to see if you may find a way to mee...

Deliver me. In my experience, the greatest need we have is from mental bondage. First off we are in bondage to ignorance before we discover GOD's forgiveness. We don't know we need deliverance from the penalty of inbred sin. And then, after we ask GOD to forgive us based on Jesus's death on the cross for our sins, we are held captive by other forms of mental bondage to false beliefs...