It seems like wisdom has become old fashioned and obsolete. When I think of wisdom, I think of a thoughtful approach that is not driven by self-interest. I think of quiet observation that seeks to understand the people, the facts and the circumstances before weighing in with answers. When I think of wisdom, I think of my Grandma Helen. She lived a hard life and yet judged no one, always found...
We always say that prayer changes things - and it does. Jesus was emphatic about prayer and even gave us an example of how to pray in what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” With prayer, as with so many parts of Christian doctrine, the core value of what the Bible teaches easily gets lost in the interpretive value of our own human perspective. Because of the imperfect human part of the equation...
As a Christian, we never want to be in a situation where we end up fighting against God. Yet, we may end up in this position more often than we’d expect. To fight FOR God is to stand for His principles, His Plan and His purposes as outlined in Scripture. This sounds simple, but it really isn't. We find ourselves fighting against Him when we are misinformed or misguided and we take a stand for s...
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are common. They have been reported from cultures and religions worldwide for hundreds of years. In this near-death scenario, there is usually a dark tunnel with a warm and calming light at the end. Often there are deceased relatives waiting in that light to receive the person going through the experience. Sometimes the person feels and sees themselves leave thei...
Outside of some deeply philosophical debates, the idea of human beings having inherent freedom of choice seems to be a generally acceptable premise. Free will makes us special. The capacity of conscious choice establishes humankind in a unique category in relation to the rest of life on our planet. When human beings interfere with the freedom of choice of other humans, the consequences are usua...
*This was originally on my podcast. I uploaded it here to YouTube land for your listening pleasure. There is no video of this, just audio.* Men are amazing, useful, necessary, and contribute immeasurably to society. Demi Lovato is a woman. A few years ago both of these statements would have been obviously true and acceptable. Now, they conjure up wrath, division, and bitterness. Sometimes I...
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Dealing with Mental Illness as a Christian: We sometimes hear stories of Christians miraculously healed from anxiety and depression but we need to hear more stories of how God can be at work IN THE MIDDLE of our struggles with mental health. This is the story of Nana Yaa Ansah, faith and wellness influencer. This episode gets real, real quick as we discuss a topic that isn't talked about until...
The first question concerns the COVID vaccine in general – should I get it or not? The second question is, “My employer might make the vaccine a condition of employment – should I get it in that case?” and the third question is this: “Is the COVID vaccine the mark of the beast?” 🎧MP3: https://illbehonest.com/download/questions/covid-vaccine-yes-no-is-it-the-mark-of-the-beast-jeff-peterson.mp3 ...
When another Christian is struggling with anxiety and depression, and they know Biblical truths that don't feel real to them, how do we come alongside them? 🎧MP3: https://illbehonest.com/download/ask_pastor_jeff/apj-not-enabling-the-depressed-and-anxious-to-remain-there.mp3 → View on I'll Be Honest: https://illbehonest.com/not-enabling-the-depressed-and-anxious-to-remain-there Spotify: https...
For 52 years and counting, John MacArthur has pastored Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. Today, he is an example to all of us—particularly pastors—of perseverance. How has he remained in the arena for all those years? And why hasn’t he thought of retirement? In this final episode of season one, we’ll consider the sum of it all: the portrait of faithful endurance. And we’re going...
At Christmastime, we often focus on the first half of Luke 2, and the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Later in that same chapter, however, Luke introduces us to two other characters who also have a story to tell. This week on the Discover the Word Podcast, we consider one of them—Simeon—and the sense of fulfillment and contentment he discovered upon encountering the infant Jesus. LOOKING FOR MORE...
At Christmas time we often turn to Matthew 1 or Luke 1-2 to think about the story of the birth of the Savior, and those are wonderful records of Jesus’ coming. This Christmas, however, we invite you to explore with us a different telling of the Christmas story—the Christmas story as Paul told it to the Galatians—for it gives us a portrait of the heart of our heavenly Father and His great love f...
At this time of year, as we celebrate the brave men and women who fought for the freedom of our country, it’s a good time to reflect on what it actually means to be brave. Sometimes, as in the case of our military heroes, bravery means laying down your life for a greater good, or for your fellow man. Sometimes bravery can mean stepping into something new, apart from everything you’ve known befo...
Maybe you’ve heard someone say “Well, if you really knew me, you might not like me…” or maybe you’ve even said that to yourself. There can be much fear in being truly known—will I still be loved, despite my mistakes, despite my desperate thoughts, despite that, I might not ever be enough on my own? The resounding answer to that question from God’s perspective is yes. God promises to love us wit...
It’s often been said that we shouldn’t live in the past, but sometimes, inevitably, our past mistakes can haunt us. Regret over decisions made, things we’ve said and done that impacted others negatively, or opportunities missed. But God calls us to a different reality—one that is based on the present with Him and the promise for a future that He lovingly prescribes. Our guests this week have al...
The idea of loving others doesn’t seem too difficult when we put it in the context of those closest to us, the ones who support us, care for us, and who give love in return. But the love that God commands us to have as Christians goes beyond that love we have in small circles—and it demands that as Jesus first loved us, we must love others in return. In the Bible, we’ll find in I John 4:20-21, ...
Every Christian faces a time in their relationship with Jesus that is frustrating, that’s full of questions, full of doubt, full of wondering if God is even real, if He listens, or if He cares. But time and time again, the Lord has proven that He does hear your every prayer, as Psalm 66:19 reminds us: “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” God is also okay with our doubts—He gives u...
Many of us have had a moment in our lives that define us as people and as servants of God—and sometimes that moment comes at a fork in the road. Which path will you take? The one you’ve worked hard for and the world tells you you should want? Or the one God wants you to take? It’s almost guaranteed that every time you decide to take the Lord’s path, you will encounter mountains of blessings tha...
Grief, death, and loss are an inevitable part of life, though knowing that doesn’t make the pain any easier to bear. Whether you’ve faced unexpected loss time and time again or are navigating grief for the very first time, the waves of difficulty can be drowning. But the good news is that God can offer us a life raft. Isaiah 57:18-19 says, “I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfor...
Many of us feel called to serve others in some way—and often when we think about what that could look like, we feel paralyzed by too many options. There are so many needs all across the world that must urgently be met, so how do we know where to start? This week’s guests, CEO of Convoy of Hope Hal Donaldson and CEO of Haiti Made Will McGinniss share how they found a way to make real change in l...
Finding our way in life can be challenging, overwhelming, and discouraging. The path may seem clear at times, and then others, we feel pushed in a direction that may not feel comfortable or familiar. The only thing that we can trust is that God will show us the way and we must step out in faith to find our purpose. Travis Tritt, a wildly popular 90’s country star, thought he had his life mapped...
Being raised in a faith-steeped environment can provide rich soil in which we can plant ourselves, allowing us to grow tall and firm and confident in the good news of the gospel. But remaining steadfast in faith comes with a heaven-sent assignment: to share it with others. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should push ourselves to the brink of burnout—it’s a careful balance of stewarding our ...
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God will work all things together for good—not just the rosy parts of life, but also the ugly, twisted parts. This week’s guests have both overcome addictions that could have wiped them out completely, but instead they chose to call on God in hopes of finding something better—and were amazed to see Him show up in their darkest moments. EDWARD GRINNAN Editor-in-chie...
This week we get to hear from three very special guests—they are sisters who have stuck together through the good times and the bad: Country and Gospel music singing sisters Reba McEntire, Susie McEntire-Eaton (host of the second season of Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith), and Alice Foran. These sisters look back on what it was like growing up on an 8000-acre ranch, traveling to rodeos with the...
Many of us struggle with the concept of prayer. What should a good prayer look like? Am I doing it wrong? How can I make sure I know that God is hearing me? The good news from God is that every single one of your prayers—even the silent ones—are heard and cared about by Him. There is no right or wrong way to pray, all that matters is you talk to God consistently and you will find the joys of a ...
Check out this special bonus episode, which features guests from the Jesus Calling Podcast talking specifically about the power of prayer. Joining us will be author and wife of country music star Thomas Rhett, Lauren Akins, Joyce & John Smith, whose real-life story inspired the movie “Breakthrough”, Jesuit priest James Martin, author, and speaker Carlos Whittaker, country musician Travis Tritt,...
On this week’s episode, we’ll hear from three people with special connections to the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child, which collects shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many children, this shoebox is the first gift they’ve ever received. B...
When we find ourselves in a difficult season of our lives, we may ask ourselves the question, How did I get here? And when we aren’t able to figure it out right away, we may turn on ourselves for the blame—bringing on deep feelings of regret and shame. Psalm 145 reminds us that when we seek the Lord, He will answer us and deliver us from all our fears. It also says “Those who look to Him are ra...
As children, many of us have been taught to pray and that God will help us. But as we grow into adulthood our simple prayers can turn into desperate pleas as our lives become more complex and difficult. What happens when the prayers we pray don’t seem to be heard, or the circumstances of our lives become so traumatic we may doubt if God is even listening? Our guests this week had their own ups ...
At this time of the year, we hear a lot about being thankful and having an attitude of gratitude. But from an everyday perspective, why is gratitude key in allowing good things to flow in our lives? When we are grateful to God—even in the bad times, it has the power to energize us. When we are broken, a grateful heart can bring healing, and when we feel like giving up, giving thanks can bring u...
This special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests talking specifically about gratefulness. We hope you find inspiration from the stories of the blessings God has brought our guests’ way and how being grateful, even through the hard times, has changed their lives. #jesuscalling #jesuscallingdevotional #jesuscallingpodcast #jesusalways #jesuscallingbysarahyoung #a...
