This is the Day Rejoice

Emotions are like a check engine light - a guage that tells us what's happening in our hearts. When this is the day your emotions are running rampant, heed that warning light and look to God's Word to know where you need to direct your heart. This world is full of suffering and trials, pain and sorrow. But even in the midst of them, those of us who are living in light of eternity know great joy an...

  You're probably not bothered by a black cat crossing your path or a broken mirror. But how many spiritual superstitions do you engage in without even realizing it? When you really examine your heart, we think you might be surprised at the silly phrases we share with sincere hearts, not realizing the foolishness of the myth we're perpetuating. Those kinds of myths are ridiculous, like being afrai...

Ghosts, goblins, skulls, and even demons—that's what lines my street this month. Whether you enjoy dressing up and taking your kids around the neighborhood to gather candy or strictly prohibit Halloween celebrations in your home, the glorification of evil throughout October is disgusting. When such evil surrounds us, the best place to look is to the Lord! God did a great work through Martin Luther...

Special guest Gary Oedy joined us to learn about apostles and prophets. As a righteous elder who serves our church faithfully, we knew the depth of his knowledge would be a blessing to us and our listeners—and boy, were we right! What is an apostle, anyway? Can you really become a prophet for less than $500? We cover all this and more in this special episode. ________________________ Resources: Vi...

This song of praise fittingly ends the entire book of Psalms. It points us to worship the only One worthy of such worship. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Our breath should be used to praise Him, and so should our hands and feet as we worship. We praise Him for who He is and for all the mighty deeds He has done for us, most importantly our salvation in Christ, which was His plan fro...

We want comfort financially and physically, so we worship all sorts of things. It is self-centered thinking, not God-centered thinking. We can lose our joy when we don't get "all the things." Our eyes become focused on the world rather than on the things above. Seeking our own comfort is exhausting, fruitless, and leaves us more empty than when we started, full of discontentment and envy. We are c...

Her womb was empty, but so were her arms. At 40 weeks and three days pregnant, Allie and her husband, Jeramy, went to the hospital expecting to meet their healthy firstborn child. Instead, a doctor took Allie's hand and told them the words no parent ever wants to hear: their baby was gone. The young couple faced the devastating reality of infant loss, empty arms, a nursery prepared for a baby who...

Abortion: That was the answer one couple chose recently when they discovered their preborn baby tested positive for Down syndrome. They made their choice proudly, sharing it publicly on social media. Thirteen years ago, a woman gave birth to her second-born son, who also has Down syndrome. Today, we get to hear about what a joyful blessing that child has been. Join Elizabeth and Monika in this spe...

Idleness is self-focus - seeking to please and serve ourselves. We are called to be diligent and to live quiet, simple lives that glorify and honor God. We are not to be busybodies in our actions or our words, for that is a sign of idleness. Instead, we are to work diligently where God has placed us. We do this so that we represent Christ well to the unbelievers around us and so that others do not...

Nobody enjoys correction, but it's necessary for growth in Christ. Join Elizabeth Giles and Monika Walker as they consider how to give and receive admonishment/correction, in light of   Psalm 141:5.  David doesn't want even a trace of wickedness to cling to him. He sees wickedness all around him, and his heart is deeply concerned that he not follow that path. He welcomes and even asks for admonish...

Our older episodes might be a little cringy (to our own ears at least!) but the Word of God holds true, regardless. Since Elizabeth is STILL silent with a terrible case of laryngitis, Monika brings it back to this encouraging teaching through Psalm 118:1-4.  God's hesed love is merciful, given freely, even when we are in the most pathetic state. WAY better than a box of chocolates - it never runs...

Have you ever been in the midst of pain, and someone's words to you caused more hurt, instead of help? We are called to season our words with grace, as Colossians 4:6 instructs, so that we know how to respond to each person. What we say, and how we say it, truly matters. It has the power to heal or to hurt. We speak Scripture to encourage others, but we must use it appropriately, as Ephesians 4:29...

Have you ever wondered about the stories behind some of the beautiful hymnals we sing? Join us for this fun and informative episode as Elizabeth and Monika share the background of two beloved classics: *Great Is Thy Faithfulness* and *Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing*. This short and sweet hymn study will deepen your appreciation and understanding of the lyrics you use to praise the Lord. _______...

What if one of the most influential things you ever do is happening right now in the daily work of raising your children? In this episode, we take a clear and practical look at Proverbs 22:6 and what it means to train children up in the way they should go. Solomon wrote Proverbs to teach his children, reminding us that parents are the primary disciplers, while grandparents, church leaders, and men...

 Prayer is another principle of "one anothering" in Scripture. We often think of prayer as simply getting on our knees to ask God for something. But this word for prayer means more than that - it means to seek, ask, beg, or implore.  The prayer described in this passage is fervent and continuous, actively bringing about change. The person seeking the Lord is a righteous man who loves God, knows he...

Understanding what hospitality means in hosting is so important. Not because we need to be women who know how to whip up a gorgeous charcuterie tray and have the right conversational layout in our living rooms, but because of the very opposite - we are commanded to be hospitable, and we should be able to do that well within our homes. One meaning, many applications. Today we're going to zoom in on...

Do you ever use words without really knowing what they mean? Do you speak "Christianese"? It's important to study the historical and cultural background of words so we can interpret them correctly and understand what we're truly saying. Yet, like the imperfect and sometimes careless people we are, we often use words based on their connotations rather than their true meanings. Today, we're going to...

Hanging scripture on your walls is a wonderful thing to do. But we have to be veeeery careful about which scriptures we hang, as many of the Bible verses that make it to print, are taken so out of context, that it would be foolish to hang them on our walls! Today we look at one of those verses in one of our favorite series, Hobby Lobby Signs.  I bet you've seen this classic sign, plenty of times:...

We can control what we think. It's hard, and we often tell ourselves, "I can't help it," but we can help it. We cannot dwell on sinful thoughts and meditate on Christ at the same time. So we discipline ourselves, exercise self-control, and choose to dwell on the gospel and on Christ instead. Paul gives us specific principles for doing this. We have the Spirit to guide our thinking. We have the tru...

Patient endurance - that is steadfastness. You can't grow steadfastness without trials. In the Bible, we see God use suffering to teach and test Job, and Job remained steadfast and grew in his faith and understanding of the greatness of God. We can too. As Christians, we MUST.  ________________________ When this is the day the trial proves painful, prolonged, and unexpected - even when it feels pr...

Paulette's vibrancy faded - laughter gone, simple tasks exhausting, the world distant. What looked like deepening depression was a large benign brain tumor silently pressing for years. Through mystery, misdiagnosis, Rob's steadfast care, devoted family, two brain surgeries, surgical error, infection, a car accident, reconstructive procedures, and even titanium discs turned into earrings, God's goo...

Fun family traditions, incorrect nativity scenes, sneaky Elf on the Shelf antics, confusion about Santa Claus, the evil King Herod, and trying to spot the Star of Bethlehem again - all this and more in this special Christmas episode with Elizabeth Giles and Monika Walker. Join us as we briefly look at these major Christmas themes, through a biblical lens. ________________________ Resources: Visit...

God, through Christ, covered all our offenses against Him, and there are many! Why would we think we could or should do differently? It was His glory to do so, and the same is true for us. To cover another's offense is to love them as Christ loves us. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says that love "bears all things, believes all things [assumes the best], hopes all things, endures all things." The opposite of...

We must never, ever grumble. Grumbling starts with what we dislike or reject. We nurse it, replay it, let it spin in our minds - fueling argument and rebellion. That only breeds more sin. Because of the gospel, believers have zero excuse to grumble—none. Paul tells the Philippians: in light of the gospel, work out your salvation without grumbling or disputing. Stay faithful. Shine brightly in a cr...

Honoring your parents doesn't stop when you turn eighteen. Obedience may end, but honor lasts a lifetime. We are called to honor both our father and our mother - and that includes your husband's parents - your mother-in-law and father-in-law. Your husband is commanded to do the same. Together, you are to work to honor your parents. But what if they aren't believers, or if they are difficult to hon...