The Daily Grind

Friday, February 28th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John and Mariza continue their deep dive into the Gospel of John, exploring John 16. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure, warning them about persecution, yet offering profound comfort—His leaving is actually to their advantage. The conversation unpacks what it means that Jesus will send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, and how t...

Thursday, February 27th: Life’s storms hit hard and fast—whether it's a crisis, a personal struggle, or an overwhelming season of doubt. In this episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer dives into Luke 8:22-56, where Jesus calms a raging storm, delivers a man from demonic oppression, heals a suffering woman, and raises a dead girl to life. Each story reveals not just Jesus' power, but His...

Wednesday, February 26th: Luke 8:1-21 In this episode of The Daily Grind, John dives into Jesus’ Parable of the Sower from Luke 8 and challenges us to consider how we listen to God’s word. He explores the different types of soil and how they represent the ways people respond to the Gospel. Are we letting distractions, doubts, or hardships choke out our faith? Or are we cultivating hearts that are...

Tuesday, February 25: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John takes us through one of the most powerful encounters in the Gospel of Luke—the story of a sinful woman who found complete forgiveness in Jesus. We begin with a look at how we come to know someone deeply, using the example of Tour de France champion Chris Froome. Then, we step into a dinner party hosted by a Pharisee named Simon, where...

Monday, February 24th: Have you ever doubted God’s plan for your life? Even John the Baptist—the bold prophet who prepared the way for Jesus—found himself questioning everything when things didn’t go as expected. Sitting in prison, John sent messengers to Jesus with a raw, honest question: “Are You the One, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus didn’t rebuke John’s doubt—He answered with eviden...

Friday, February 21st: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John and Mariza dive into John 15, one of the most intimate and profound chapters of Jesus’ farewell discourse. Jesus uses the imagery of the vine and branches to emphasize the necessity of abiding in Him, staying connected to produce spiritual fruit. They explore how pruning—though painful—is necessary for growth, and how love, obedience,...

Thursday, February 20th: In today’s episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer explores the incredible faith of a Roman centurion in Luke 7:1-10. This centurion, an outsider in Jewish society, recognizes Jesus' divine authority in a way that even the religious leaders failed to grasp. While others tried to justify why he deserved a miracle, the centurion humbly declared his unworthiness—and that...

Wednesday, February 19th: Ezekiel 36:24-32 & Luke 6:43-49 In this episode of The Daily Grind, John takes us on a journey through Ezekiel 36 and Luke 6, exploring what it means to have a transformed heart. Ezekiel speaks of God's promise to replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh, a divine heart transplant that enables true obedience. Jesus then challenges His followers with the realit...

Tuesday, February 18th: What if Jesus’ call to love your enemies wasn’t just an ideal but a command? In this episode of The Daily Grind, John explores Jesus’ powerful and countercultural teachings from Luke 6. The kingdom of God turns our expectations upside down—blessing the poor, calling the persecuted to rejoice, and challenging us to love those who hate us. But what does it really mean to turn...

Monday, February 17th: In today’s episode of The Daily Grind, we explore the often-overlooked gift of Sabbath. Sabbath isn’t just about rules or restrictions—it’s about stopping, resting, and abiding in God’s presence. From the very beginning of creation, God blessed the Sabbath as a life-giving day. In Exodus, it became a symbol of freedom for a people who had known only endless work. But somewhe...

Friday, February 14th: It’s Valentine’s Day on The Daily Grind, and John and Maritza are diving into John 14—a chapter all about love, trust, and the promise that we are never alone. Broadcasting from different states for the first time, they reflect on Jesus’ words of comfort to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. What does it mean when Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled”...

Thursday, February 13: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John examines Luke 5:12-26, where Jesus displays both power and compassion in radical ways. First, He reaches out and touches a man with leprosy, healing him and restoring his dignity. Then, we see four friends tear through a roof to lower their paralyzed friend before Jesus, believing in His ability to heal. But instead of healing first,...

Wednesday, February 12th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John dives into two powerful encounters with God—Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6:1-8 and Peter’s call in Luke 5:1-11. Both men experienced awe-inspiring moments that revealed God’s holiness and exposed their own unworthiness. Isaiah trembled before God’s throne, while Peter fell at Jesus’ feet, overwhelmed by His power. Yet, instead of reje...

Tuesday, February 11th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer takes us to Luke 4:31-44, where Jesus’ authority is on full display. We explore how Jesus amazed the people in Capernaum with his teaching, casting out demons and healing the sick with just a word. The episode unpacks the significance of spiritual warfare, showing that Jesus' mission wasn’t just about healing but about pr...

Monday, February 10th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John takes us to Luke 4, where Jesus steps into the synagogue of His hometown and delivers His mission statement. Reading from Isaiah, Jesus proclaims that He has come to bring good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, and sight for the blind. At first, the crowd is amazed, but when Jesus challenges their assumptions about God’s gr...

Friday, February 7th: While traveling to New York, I couldn’t record with Mariza, so today we’re rebroadcasting an episode from The Daily Grind vault. Have you ever felt familiar with something but later realized you didn’t truly know it? That’s how many of us approach the Gospels. We know snippets—Jesus' birth, the Prodigal Son, the Last Supper—but do we grasp the full story? The Gospels aren...

Thursday, February 6: What does it mean to be truly free? In this episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer explores the counterintuitive truth that real freedom is found not in power or control but in surrender to God. Drawing from Philippians 2:5-11 and Luke 4:1-12, John unpacks how Jesus demonstrated true humility and overcame temptation, showing us a better way to live. While the world offers s...

Wednesday, February 5th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John unpacks Luke 3:1-14 and John the Baptist’s powerful call to true repentance. Too often, we minimize our sin, make excuses, or shift the blame—just like flipping over a stained couch cushion, hoping no one will notice. But John the Baptist wasn’t interested in shallow apologies; he demanded repentance proven by a changed life. What d...

Tuesday, February 4th: Have you ever lost something important—your phone, your keys… your child? In this episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer explores Luke 2:41-52, the story of when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in Jerusalem. What seems like a simple family mishap actually raises some deep questions: Was Jesus being disobedient? Were Mary and Joseph bad parents? And what does it mean that Jesus...

Monday, February 3rd: In today’s episode of The Daily Grind, John takes us to Luke 2, where Mary and Joseph bring baby Jesus to the temple for a dedication like no other. While it begins as an act of obedience, the moment is transformed when Simeon and Anna—two faithful servants of God—recognize Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Simeon’s prophetic words reveal that Jesus will not only bring salva...

Friday, January 31st: It’s Friday on The Daily Grind, which means John and Mariza are back for another deep dive—this time into John 13! This chapter marks the beginning of Jesus' final hours, opening with the stunning scene of Jesus washing His disciples' feet. Why would the King of Kings take on the role of the lowest servant? John and Mariza explore the radical humility of Jesus, the cultural s...

Thursday, January 30th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John explores the significance of names in Scripture, particularly in the birth of John the Baptist. Names in the Bible are more than labels—they reveal identity, purpose, and divine calling. John shares humorous stories about unusual names before diving into Luke 1:57-80, where Zechariah and Elizabeth break cultural norms by naming their...

Wednesday, January 29th: What happens when someone at the top of the world suddenly loses it all? In this episode of The Daily Grind, John explores the collapse of WeWork and its former CEO, Adam Neumann—a man who went from billionaire status to losing nearly everything in just a few years. But this isn't just a story about business failure. It’s a powerful reminder of how worldly success is f...

Tuesday, January 28th: Welcome to The Daily Grind! In today’s episode, John unpacks a striking contrast in the Gospel of Luke between two responses to God’s promises: Zechariah’s doubt and Mary’s surrender. Zechariah, a priest with religious status and knowledge of Scripture, faltered in faith when the angel Gabriel announced that his prayers for a child would be answered. On the other hand, Mary,...

Monday, January 27th: Welcome to The Daily Grind! Today, John begins a new series in the Gospel of Luke, diving into the first chapter and the story of Zechariah. Zechariah, a devoted priest, receives the opportunity of a lifetime to serve in the temple. But his life takes an unexpected turn when the angel Gabriel appears with an incredible promise: he and his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son, Joh...