This is the Day Rejoice

Taking scripture out of context is exactly what the world wants. How many times have we quoted a verse  - trying to encourage ourselves or someone else - only to use it incorrectly? In this new series, Hobby Lobby Signs , we'll take a closer look at the scriptures most commonly taken out of context - and learn what they really mean. ________________________ When this is the day you feel the urge t...

A random assortment of subjects, including a few listener questions, whether coffee should be allowed in the sanctuary, cats vs dogs, and tips on modeling prayer to your children. Monika and Eliazabeth also chat about when the Lord brought them to saving faith, and a few other subjects in this fun episode. ________________________ When this is the day you have breath in your lungs, praise the Lord...

 We must rehearse the character of God in our minds constantly. We must think on his attributes. That is the good, holy, excellent things we should have our minds on. But it reeeeeeally helps if you know the ACTUAL meaning of these attributes. Having that deeper understanding, will give you such a deeper comfort. ________________________ When this is the day   you feel hopeless and discouraged, yo...

Infertility is one of life's greatest trials, and brings great sorrow to those who walk that road. When we remember that God is perfectly sovereign over all things, we can find peace in blaming God - but not in a negative way. The peace comes from acknowledging that God is God, and we are not, and we can rest in the fact that he is sovereign, he's in control, and he is good and faithful. So that m...

Wisdom is an attribute of God.  Because we want to cultivate wisdom in our homes, the Word of God must be central there. We strive to keep wisdom before our own eyes - but what about our children? Has the iPad or a kiddie show played babysitter in your home? The world works hard to make wisdom vanish from our sight and that of our children, replacing it with cheap entertainment. How do we teach, g...

Freedom! But freedom for what? Freedom to bring glory to God and benefit others? Or freedom to do as you please, under the guise of Christian Liberty.  Galatians 5:13 says - For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ________________________ When this is the day you wonder if you can or should do so...

To be unforgiving and a believer IS mutually exclusive. It's not compatible. If you're a believer, you must be a forgiver. As you have been forgiven, so must you forgive.  This isn't a controversial opinion. This is pretty standard stuff that we think most believers agree with.  But when you examine your heart - is it true? Or.. do you have a heart of unforgiveness? Which is really, a heart of bit...

First, set the mood: Dim the lights, cue the emotional beats, and start the smoke machine. Add in a few strobe lights and the scene is set for a rock concert - no wait, I mean for church! Ah, the pragmatic churches will do anything to get you in the door. It's a numbers game for them, which means full throttle marketing, a motivational TED Talk, and just a few Bible verses sprinkled in.  One of th...

How do we become a believer who is a slave to money? It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't happen even for lack of financial education or econmic understanding. It doesn't happen for lack of budget or even because you bought a nice car or a big fancy house.  It happens because of sin in our hearts, growing and taking root. Discontentment. Lack of thankfulness. Laziness. Greed. Selfishness. Lack...

Sanctification is becoming more like Christ, but it isn't something we can do on our own.  We are sinners by nature, so sanctification starts with humility. We must have a heart that longs to obey God, and slowly, over times, we will grow more and more like the one we were created in the image of. There isn't a nook in our souls that we want to keep for ourselves.  What does sanctification look li...

Idol factories. An idol is ANYTHING - aaaaanything - that captures our hearts, our time, our attention, our minds, more than God. It can even be a GOOD thing! That's what makes us so prone to churning out little idols in our hearts and minds. Fear, safety, health, finances, relationships, friendships, work, hobbies, family, the idols just keep on coming, and before we've even considered it a sin,...

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. Anger is the same, yet we try to sweep away the sin by giving it other names. Righteous anger nearly always gives way to sinful anger, within seconds. Anger is the result of sinful desires, ruling our hearts. What are we to do with the feeling? How do we contain it, eradicate it, mortify it? Meditation and yoga? The world has tons...

Nobody likes being bossed around, especially a wife! Those pesky little scriptures in James and Colossians that tell wives to submit to their husbands are outdated and meant to roll your eyes at and ignore. At least, that's what our culture tells us. And even wives who faithfully adhere to the accuracy and sufficiency of scripture can struggle with the command to submit to a sinful husband, even m...

The Star of Bethlehem, wisemen ruining nativity scenes, Santa Claus, and that nasty Herod the Great: Elizabeth and Monika answer listener questions about Christmas and chat about just a few of the traditions that have gone awry, biblical tradition in historical accounts, and other holly jolly related points.  ________________________ When this is the day … you want to encourage your child to belie...

The pastors who scribble down a sermon on a napkin, should toss that sucker where it belongs: in the trash. The teaching on Sunday is our first line of discipleship, which means the church you attend is critically important. But what happens after the Sunday sermon? The discipleship must continue. So how do you go about it?  ________________________ When this is the day you're waiting around for s...

Discernment isn't just about figuring out what's true and what's not. Some things are so clear and super easy to spot. But what takes true discernment, is knowing the difference between what's right, and what's not quite right.  Michelle Lesley of A Word Fitly Spoken podcast joins us for this episode, as we discuss how to discern a false teachers and grow in discernment.  The word of God is living...

Why does it sound like Elizabeth just called Monika an "older woman"? Welp, that was not intended—because that cutie pie is far too young for that phrase. What a terrible friend! (hehe) And yet, we invite you to listen and learn with both of them about what it means to be a friend. That starts with love, which is both defined and modeled by Christ. If you're a gold-star listener who heard this epi...

Discipleship is kinda like being someone's Google Maps for life. You help them navigate the twists and turns, giving guidance when they're feeling lost, and cheering for them every time they "arrive." You're their go-to for directions, but they're the one doing the driving.  In a believer's life, both discipling and being discipled is an ongoing occurence, and it's not just suggested that we go ab...

We must strive to blend the wisdom of the serpent with the innocence of the dove. We are called to be discerning in our dealings with the world, while freely sharing the gospel and loving others, so clearly set apart that those around us either grow to hate us or become saved. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ...

Weep with those who weep. Elizabeth and Monika look at some really practical, actionable ways to demonstrate love and care for someone who is going through a trial, as always, with a biblcal perspective. ________________________ When this is the day you don't know what to say or do, simply express your sympathy, and be quiet. Pray that the Lord will direct you with wisdom and discernment, on how t...

Chaotic. Exhausting. Heartbreaking. Joyful. It's true that life is hard. But it's also true that God is good. In fact, God is the very definition of good, which means that even when this fallen world is full of tragedy, heartbreak, illness, death, pain, and your basic run-of-mill bad day, we can rejoice in the hope we have in Christ.  Elizabeth and Monika look intently into Psalm 118:17-24 to see...

Cappuccino, smoke machines, skinny jeans, high top sneakers, rock concerts every Sunday, and the hippest slang woven into a motivational speech, where the "communicator" reads a verse or two from the New Living Translation in the midst of his motivational speech: that's the stuff crummy churches are made of.  We're chatting about these churches, how to avoid them, and what God tells us a church sh...

Anxiety isn't a disorder. It is distrust. How easy it is to become distracted and consumed by the cares of this world, until our concerns have completely obscured our view of God! Instead of casting our cares upon the Lord, we focus on them until anxiety reigns. As with all things, God knows our sinful tendencies and in loving care for our souls, He gives us clear instructions on how to turn from...

Conflict is inevitable. But just because it's inevitable, doesn't mean it has to be sinful. Conflict actually gives us the opportunity to practice being peacemakers, which is to put into practice, the head knowledge we have about acting righteously. But that can ONLY occur when we have one focus: to glorify God.  ________________________ When this is the day  that strife, disputing, and discord ar...

We get these grand ideas of how we think life should be but it rarely plays out like we want it to. In return, our hearts grow weary as we fret and stew on it, trying to take control of things out of our control, fixing our hearts and minds on the problem at hand, instead of on the one who is sovereign over every problem.  Inclining our hearts away from ourselves, and towards the living God who pr...