How well do you know the most well-known verse in the Bible? In this limited series, two New Testament experts explore and explain the build-up, detail and consequence of John 3:16. Cass Kwakye from Whitley College in Melbourne, Australia, and Tom Habib from Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, share a passion for John’s gospel and the impact it has upon everyone and everything, forever. In conversation with Hope 1032’s Ben McEachen, Tom and Cass guide us through the riches and promises flowing from “For God so loved the world…” We hope the John 3:16 podcast will resource your faith with powerful truths about belief in God’s Son that leads to eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. MORE ABOUT CASS Cass is a lecturer in New Testament at Whitley College, Melbourne. Previously, she lectured at Morling College in Sydney for more than 14 years. Cass is an ordained minister and has served for more than 20 years in roles such as church planter and associate pastor. MORE ABOUT TOM Before serving at Moore Theological College as a New Testament lecturer, Tom was an assistant minister at Yagoona & Condell Park Anglican church. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

The Psalm 23 Podcast. Get into the delight and detail of The World’s Most Famous Psalm, as Ben McEachen (Hope Mornings) joins theologian and author David Hohne (Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia) for three helpful conversations. Explore Psalm 23 and discover what this ancient poem meant when it was first written, how it still relates to our everyday lives and who the Good Shepherd truly is. David Hohne is a lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. His book The Last Things offers a deeper understanding of the Kingdom of God, through the lens of the Lord's Prayer. Ben McEachen hosts the Morning Show on Hope 103.2 in Sydney, Australia. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” NEHEMIAH 8:10 (NKJV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. NEHEMIAH: BUILDING COMMUNITY The book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament of the Bible is more than an account of the wall of Jerusalem being rebuilt. It’s an invitation to all who read it to be inspired by one person’s faith and passion to rebuild a community of people. The story can speak to each of us today as we engage in a desire to rebuild communities of faith and hope in the wake of the discouragement and vulnerability that world events have caused in the past few years. Come with us as we consider how compassion for others can become inspirational action. We’ll also consider how we can do our God-given part without taking on more than is ours to do. Working with others in a common purpose has a profound effect in building community and is one of the main messages of Nehemiah. There’s also the honest realisation that opposition to positive community building will often come from those who are onlooking as well as those who you hoped would join in and help. Finally, Nehemiah recognises the importance of celebrating the stages of completion and, although there always seems to be more to be done in building healthy communities, it’s important to stop and remember the good things that have been built together. We pray you’ll be inspired and encouraged to believe again that God has made us to be in community with others and to work together for a common purpose.  

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. GENESIS 1:10-13 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. THE WONDER OF THE LORD’S CREATION Oh Lord, my God When I, in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds thy hands have made I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder Thy power throughout the universe displayed How Great Thou Art, Stuart Hine When a sculptor or artist creates something, they imprint part of who they are into the thing they’re creating – that’s what makes these items so precious and incredible – they carry the essence of their creator within them. This is true of the world that God created – we can see Him in every created thing. From the creation of light to the stars, to the land and the seas, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands’ (Psalm 19:1 NIV). Join us each day this week as we take a different aspect of God’s incredible creation and explore a little more of what it says about who God is and how that truth impacts our lives.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah!     Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak!     Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’ JUDGES 5:12 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. LESSONS ON LEADERSHIP THROUGH DEBORAH A study by Heidi Wysman Israel had many judges, but one of the memorable and prominent ones was a woman named Deborah. Not only was she notable because she was a woman, a mother and grandmother, but also because she was a woman who knew the Lord. Deborah was a prophetess who knew battle strategy, and she became a renowned judge and leader in Israel. We see through her story in Judges 4 and 5 that she had gained great prominence, distinction and importance on her own merits of character. Her love for, and faithfulness in, her Lord was one that brought her into her destiny of greatness. God is no respecter of persons for He gives equal and unconditional love to all as He searches out the matter of the heart, male or female.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. REVELATION 7:16–17 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. HOPE Hope is called the anchor of the soul because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a ‘wish’, (I wish that such-and-such would take place) but rather it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made. - RC Sproul Hope is a word that Christians and non- Christians use every day. In moments of sadness, grief and loss, hope is the word used to encourage and spur people on. But we know that hope has an eternal meaning. It’s more than just a word of encouragement or a wish but is a real certainty that God holds our future in His hands. It’s a hope and strength anchored in Christ. This week, together we’ll dive into the understanding of the eternal meaning of hope and how this hope we hold in our hearts has the power to impact a world in search of it. 

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Then they gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ’It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. ACTS 1:6-9 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. ACTS The body is God’s temple, but we are to worship God, not the temple. - MARTIN LUTHER KING JR The Temple. Throughout the Bible it’s a location where God’s desire to meet and be with His people is realised. However, with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, a new temple was established within us, His people. What does it mean to be God’s temple? How are we then to live our lives and how does that mean we are to commune together as brothers and sisters in Christ? We trust that, as you explore the temple both old and new, that the desire of God to be in relationship with you is not an afterthought but a desire that was born in the garden of Eden and still continues thousands of years later.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. JAMES 4:8a (ESV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. VISION Knowledge is love and light and vision. HELEN KELLER The year 2023 is here. While many people start the year with resolutions, we wanted to start the year with vision: the vision that God has for His people and the calling He has placed on every one of our lives. Let’s start the year not with things to fix or improve, but with the vision to see past the ordinary day-to-day and to look to the future God has set for us. 

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. PSALM 9:1 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. ALIGNING OUR HEART WITH GOD’S Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. PROVERBS 4:23 (ESV) The end of a year brings time to reflect upon all that was and all that God has done, and to start to prepare and hope for all that is to come in the new year. It’s also a time for us to think about where our heart is when it comes to God and His will and purpose for our life; to perform a heart check, if you will – to put things in place and align our heart to Him as we step into a new year. Over the next week, we’ll spend time reflecting on our heart when it comes to gratitude, our trust in His plan, where our joy is found, when a season ends, and practical ways to continue to cultivate a heart that aligns with our heavenly Father’s heart for us and His people.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Jesse was the father of David the king. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the Babylonian deportation, fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian deportation to the Messiah, fourteen generations. MATTHEW 1:6a,11,16,17 (AMP) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. THE JESUS GENEALOGY: WHAT’S THE POINT? A Series by Bob Mendelsohn In this series Bob Mendelsohn, national director of Jews for Jesus here in Australia, opens God’s Word to us from a very unlikely source, the genealogy of Jesus as shown in Matthew, the first chapter. In fact, the entire first chapter speaks Gospel truths clearly and Bob could unpack those as well. Let’s be honest… most of the time when we see a long list of names, most of which we cannot even pronounce, we glance at the names and skip to the end. Is that what you do? Bob will show us why Matthew spends so much ink on this list of 42 generational names, why he leaves out so many generations, and why he, and only he in the entire Bible, includes 5 women in the list. What is the Gospel author saying by saying and by not saying? You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to appreciate the stories that unfold. You just must enjoy story itself. Don’t we all love a good story? Whether in the form of a movie or a great novel… and Matthew understands that. Each reference conjures up images and dialogue, most of all, story. Let’s see where those stories take us. And learn what God has to say to us as 21st century people.

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Silent night (silent night) Holy night (holy night) All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace - Silent Night by Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. O COME LET US ADORE HIM The great challenge left to us is to cut through all the glitz and glam of the season that has grown increasingly secular and commercial, and be reminded of the beauty of the One who is Christmas. - BILL CROWDER Every year, during the Christmas season (and at times outside of the season) Christmas carols can be heard on high rotation in shopping centres, on the radio, in homes and churches. Songs that are so familiar that friends and family who are not Christians still know the lyrics and the melodies. These Christmas Carols have become so familiar in society that sometimes it can seem like we are singing them by rote, forgetting the message of the Gospel that inspired the words we are singing. As we get closer to Christmas and the celebration of our Saviour King, we hope that through this week’s devotionals you’ll hear some of your favourite Christmas carols anew and will have time to reflect on the lyrics of these songs that bring joy, hope and life in the Christ. 

Share real hope with your family, friends, and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. DEUTERONOMY 16:17 (ESV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. ALL IN He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a ‘Christian’ with being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd. - FRANCIS CHAN The decision to accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour is not one to be made lightly. God does not ask us to only follow Him when times are good. He does not ask us to only obey Him when we feel like it. He does not ask for half of our heart. No, He asks for all of us. For us to deny ourselves and pick up our cross and follow Him. What does a life that is ‘all in’ for Christ look like? This week, through the following five devotions, we will be looking at just that. How we can live lives that are ‘all in’ for Christ and how can we encourage one another as we run this race of faith? 

Share real hope with your family, friends and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.   EPHESIANS 3:20-21 (NIV)  Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. ABUNDANT PROVISION We have all things and abound; not because I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit with which to win my bread, but because the Lord is my Shepherd. - CHARLES SPURGEON It’s so easy to be exhausted by the world – by the confusion, chaos, the constant striving for more, the constant push for success. In the constant noise, it’s easy to lose sight of all we have to be thankful for – all the things our amazing Father has provided to us over and above what we deserve. As you go through this week’s devotionals, use this time to stop. Take a break from the noise around you and meditate on our Saviour King and the abundance of His care, love and provision for you and your life. 

Share real hope with your family, friends and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,  ’I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, “If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”’ 1 KINGS 2:1–4 (ESV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. FINDING HOPE THROUGH THE LIFE OF DAVID – Part 2 A series by Heidi Wysman Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, ‘Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’’’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 2 SAMUEL 5:1–4 (ESV) David was anointed king three times. First by Samuel the prophet (1 Samuel 16:1–13), then anointed king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:1–4), and then over all Israel. He was anointed king at the tender age of 17, but only sat on the throne at 30. That’s a long gap but during those years David learned how to handle crises, love his enemies, honour authority, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with his God. It was an important refining and training time. By the time David became king of Israel, his security was firmly rooted in God’s goodness and justice. God had proved Himself to be faithful time and again in the past, and now David’s confidence in God was unshakable. David was the king to which all the future kings of Israel would be compared. Our God raises up leaders and will use everything we walk through to grow us in to the position He’s calling us in to. PRAYER: Lordhelp me to be patient while I’m waiting. To trust You even during moments when I feel negative emotions. Deepen my understanding of what You’re doing in my life. Stretch my faith and refine me in the midst of the wait, just as You did for David. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

Share real hope with your family, friends and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again… HEBREWS 11:32–35a (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. HISTORY MAKERS History is a story written by the finger of God. - CS Lewis The message of the Gospel is one that has impacted generations throughout history, transforming the lives of individuals, families, communities and nations. History is being written even today, through the message of the Gospel, a message we all play a part in. As we journey through the next series of devotionals, we pray you’ll see that your life is a part of the story being written by God’s own hand. A story that tells the history of Christian faith and proclaims the saving grace of God offered to all who come.

Share real hope with your family, friends and community!  - Hope 103.2 (hope1032.com.au) The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them. EXODUS 39:42–43 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. AND… END SCENE The end to our study of Exodus  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. EXODUS 14:14 (NIV) The final chapters of Exodus are the final scenes of an epic story of freedom, promise, covenant, details and ultimately God’s unconditional love for His people. As we finish our study on Exodus (see previous editions of the Real Hope devotional) our hope is that you will not only reflect on all you have learnt as we have journeyed through this amazing book of the Bible, but that you will also see God’s heart for His people, and His heart for you.

You [God] have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? PSALM 56:8 (ESV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. GRIEF A series by Kath Henry We grieve deeply because we have cared deeply. Grief is something we will all experience in this lifetime. The word grief is often used to describe the emotion of deep sorrow felt when someone we love has died. However, grief can also be a response to the loss of anything that has held meaning and significance in our life. The emotions of grief are often complex and varied and are also likely to impact many other dimensions of an individual’s sense of being. These might include physical, behavioural, social and spiritual to name a few. So how can we find our way in our own times of grief and how can we walk as a compassionate friend alongside others who are grieving? I hope these five devotions may be a starting point for you as we look at some verses from the Bible and share some reflections. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that you can reach out for help for yourself and others. Your community of support may already include friends and family. Remember you can also connect with well-trained people who have learned how to listen and how to help the grieving.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. EPHESIANS 2:8–9 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. EARTHEN VESSELS ‘Take me, mold me, Use me, fill me, I give my life to the Potter’s hand.’ - Darlene Zschech We all have flaws. Not a single one of us is perfect and many of us have cracks and breaks that are evidence of seasons of wilderness, loss, grief and confusion. But despite these cracks and flaws God, in His love, puts us back together in His only perfect way, and uses us to continue to bring Him glory and share experiences of His love with those around us. As you navigate the next five days of readings, may you be filled anew with comfort and hope that your flaws, cracks and breaks have been made perfect through His sacrifice.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ROMANS 12:1–5 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. THE TEMPLE The body is God’s temple, but we are to worship God, not the temple. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR The temple. Throughout the Bible, it is a location where God’s desire to meet and be with His people is realised. However, with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, a new temple was established within us, His people. What does it mean to be God’s temple? How are we then to live our lives? How does that mean we are to commune together as brothers and sisters in Christ? We trust that, as you explore the temple both old and new, the desire of God to be in a relationship with you is not an afterthought but a desire that was born in the garden of Eden and still continues now.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. PSALM 23:1–2 (NKJV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. PSALM 23 I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - PSALM 23:6 (NIV) Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known psalms. If you grew up in Sunday school, every verse was a memory verse and when you hear the start of verse 1 – ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ – for some, the rest of the psalm just rolls off the tongue because it’s so familiar. However, we all know that familiarity sometimes brings loss of meaning – a rote recitation of a passage that contains a message of hope and comfort in a season of wilderness and loss. As we dissect this psalm verse by verse over the next five days, we pray that it won’t just be familiar but that it will take on new depth and new meaning in your life.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:14–17 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES ‘God has given us the disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving His grace. The disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.’ - RICHARD FOSTER For so many of us, when we hear the word discipline, we automatically associate it with punishment or a negative experience. However, the word ‘discipline’ also refers to training, activity, or a regime that improves a skill.  When we talk about spiritual disciplines, this training or learning that improves a skill is the discipline we’re referring to – disciplines and practices that develop our relationship with God and draw us closer to Him. As you read through these next devotionals, we hope you start to cultivate new disciplines in your life. Disciplines that bring you life and deepen your relationship with our creator God.  

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 1 SAMUEL 30:6 (ESV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. DISCOVERING HOPE IN THE LIFE OF DAVID A Series by Heidi Wysman David is one of the most referenced people in the Bible with sixty-six chapters dedicated to him. His encounter with Goliath is probably the best-known Bible account of all time. A shepherd boy who puts his trust in God and defeats a huge, experienced warrior with only his faith, a sling and a stone. David’s story is not only inspiring but very human. David was the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, a farmer and sheep breeder of the Israelite tribe of Judah, and became the second king of ancient Israel. David began his career as a court musician of King Saul, the first king in Israel. But as he grew, David began to write down his inspired songs, or psalms . His compositions inspire readers today, filling nearly half of the Book of Psalms. David was a mighty warrior who learned to trust God in the depths of depression and the extremes of danger. He also knew how to offer the high praises of God as he saw God in all his victories. But like all of us, David had his flaws. In his life’s story, we watch a man who falls very low, but repents to take hold of God’s grace and forgiveness and is ultimately restored and redeemed. By studying David’s life, we discover that God is writing the story of our salvation. We may feel like we have very little to offer God, but that’s based on our limited perspective. When God calls, He empowers us. David’s story points us to hope in God’s mercy and His unfailing love.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. HABAKKUK 2:1 (NIV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. WHEN GOD SAYS NO The key is you have to trust that God only has the best in store for you. If God says no to something, He says yes to something even greater. It is when you fully surrender all of your desires to His will that His perfect will is done. - NICK VUJICIC God saying ‘No’. It’s not something we really want to think about God saying to us. Even a ‘Not yet’ is better than a ‘No’. But the reality is sometimes God says ‘No’, but it’s what we do in these moments and our response to this answer that will guide our next step. As we wrestle with this topic over the next five days, we hope you’ll see how our sovereign God is writing a story on our lives that is far greater than we can even think, dream or imagine. However, sometimes God needs to say ‘No’ in order for us to get to the greater.

This week Neri Morris joins us to chat about a practice that we all know is essential, but for many people can fall a bit lower on the priority list.  Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. MEETING WITH GOD What is amazing is how we treat a meeting with God as ordinary or burdensome. FRANCIS CHAN God desires to be with His people. We read it time and time again in the Bible. However, the question that always remains is, are we desiring to be with God in the same way He desires to be with us? Do we want to be with Him? Is that important to us? On the other side is the question about how we meet with God. How do we intentionally set up time and moments to spend with Him throughout the seasons of life? This week, we’ll be discussing all these questions and more as we seek to understand the heart of our amazing God for us, our personal motivations to spend time with Him, and ways for us to practically start meeting with Him throughout our daily rhythms.

We're back with a brand new conversation, this time with our dear friend Druvi Pererra to talk about our journey through the book of Exodus. Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. SECOND CHANCES A study of Exodus 33–37 The day we find the perfect church, it becomes imperfect the moment we join it. - CHARLES SPURGEON It’s a cycle we’ve seen over and over again in history. God’s people complain and doubt God, they turn away from Him and try to do it their own way, so He warns them of the consequences but they are stubborn and continue down their own path. God continues to provide and inevitably proves Himself to them. They run back to Him and He forgives them time and time again. The thing is, this cycle, is still happening today. It still happens with you and me, and still God continues to give us second chances. As we dive into Exodus chapters 33–37 we hope you can see how rich and full of important life lessons this book of the Bible is. That you will be able to see the everlasting love our heavenly Father has for you and your community of believers so much so that He continues to forgive us because He is a God of second chances over and over and over again.

Dwayne is Hope Media’s chief content officer working with Christian media professionals and volunteers in sharing the good news of Jesus through their media ministries.  Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. PEACE IN THE CHAOS If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble. - Thomas Watson Sometimes the noise of the world is overwhelming. There is so much pain. So much distrust. So much confusion. So much chaos. It’s easy to turn to fear, anxiety and worry rather than to turn to our righteous Saviour. This week we’ll look at finding peace in the chaos. In the world, in our community, in our own lives, chaos will come. But in those moments it’s good to know where to find peace that brings greater perspective, understanding and direction, and knowing that God is working all things together for His good and in His time.

Kath Henry is one of the founding Pastors of the Northridge Vineyard Church and Chaplains here at Hope 103.2. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. HANNAH AND SAMUEL - A Study of 1 Samuel 1–3 My heart rejoices in the Lord… There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. - 1 SAMUEL 2:1–2 (AMP) The story of Hannah and Samuel is one of love, persistence, faithfulness and joy. A story that has reverberated through history. A story of impact that shows God’s perfect plan at work. This week as we look Hannah and Samuel and how God used both of them to change a nation, our prayer is that you’ll be encouraged. Encouraged that God is in control, encouraged that God’s plan is perfect and oftentimes beyond our wildest dreams, and encouraged to find the joy in the midst of the grief and sacrifice.

Heidi Wysman is the founder of Hope with Heidi which aims to disciple people to have a revelation of Jesus. She's also been going through Isaiah with us this week on the Real Hope Podcast. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. FINDING HOPE IN ISAIAH In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. - ISAIAH 6:1 (ESV) Recently I read the book of Isaiah and it stands as a testament of hope in the Lord, the One who saves His people from themselves. It’s filled with many promises and prophecies that pointed to Jesus: from the announcement of the Lord’s coming (Isaiah 40:3–5), His virgin birth (7:14), the good news He would proclaim (61:1), His sacrificial death (52:13 – 53:12), and His return to claim His own (60:2–3). In this plan, Finding Hope in Isaiah, you’ll discover our wonderful God and experience His faithfulness to keep His promises. Let’s look at the prophet Isaiah. He lived during a time when King Uzziah, a popular king, died. Uzziah had ruled some 52 years on the throne and his death was a national tragedy. It reflected a changing time, and the people began to fear for the future. Everything was getting turned upside down. All that the people could see with Uzziah gone was an empty throne. But Isaiah wrote: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. In the midst of it all. Isaiah’s eyes shifted from an earthly king, and an empty throne, to the King of Kings, seated on the throne of all thrones. God was on the throne and God was still in control. The one Isaiah would describe only a few chapters later  

Neri Morris is an accidental entrepreneur and owner of 'Thread Harvest'. She is also the author of 'Single Me' talking about her experiences and her work with God through singleness and relationships.    Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS Never underestimate the power of a conversation. - Anonymous We have all been in one of ‘those’ conversations that challenges us and makes us uncomfortable. Maybe it was aggressive, or filled with anger or condescension. Maybe it was a conversation you knew you would never win or resolve.   However, as Christians we are called to be the light of Christ in the world and that includes in our conversations. So how do we approach these conversations with non-Christians and Christians. How do we display Christ and His love in these moments? This week we’ll explore these questions. As you read through this week’s devotions, may you be encouraged, challenged and equipped to step into these conversations with confidence and the ability to navigate your conversations in a way that glorifies God and points others to Him.

Druvi Perera is the Partnership Coordinator here at Hope 103.2, leaving a career in engineering to follow God's calling. Growing up in Sri Lanka he currently lives in Sydney with his wife and 3 young boys.  Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. OUR LIVES – GOD’S STORY We are the bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding. - Billy Graham Our lives are a story. A story that will be looked at by those in our world and the generations to come. A story being written by our Heavenly Father. A story that reflects His immense love for the world. His desire and heart for good. A story that shows His compassion and mercy. It’s a story of unwavering grace. A story that shows the world the Saviour King. Our lives are the books the world will read. Some will read them to trip us up, others will read them to understand, but all in all our prayer is that our lives are inevitably seen as a living letter from the King of Kings to His beloved people. A letter wrapped in the story of our lives that is evidence of a God who is working in every situation and circumstance. This life we live isn’t ours – it’s His.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. EPHESIANS 3:20-21 (NIV) A mother, a women's minister and a monarchist, Katie Smith joins us today to talk about a concept we've heard countless times, but perhaps may never have connected with. Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. AMAZING GRACE Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. - JOHN NEWTON One of the most famous songs in the world – a song of the generations – is Amazing Grace by John Newton. A song that professes and marvels at the grace we have been bestowed by our Saviour King. A grace that saves, a grace that lifts our eyes, a grace so precious it casts away fears and points us to God. This week, we are remembering and reflecting on this amazing grace. A grace we all share. A grace that unites us and brings us together as the family of Christ. A grace that has the power to transform hearts, communities and nations. A truly amazing grace.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. PSALM 121:1–2 (NIV) Not just a contributor, but also a member of the team behind the Real Hope podcast, Lucy Weil joins us today to talk about weariness. Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. WEARINESS Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. PROVERBS 3:23–24 (ESV) Life can at times be hard and is full of twists and turns. Unexpected events, difficult situations, pandemics, relationships, and the daily grind can at times lead to a weariness that is beyond tired or exhaustion. A weariness that caffeine and endorphins can’t fix. It’s a soul weariness. You may have experienced this or you may be going through a season of weariness right now. Through this week’s devotions, no matter where you are in life, our prayer is that you’ll find God in these words. That your soul will be nourished, your spirit renewed and your heart filled. That you find hope in the midst of your weariness and can see God at the centre of all that is around you. 

But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. GENESIS 45:5–8 (NKJV) Today we're joined by the lovely Heidi Wysman, to talk about her devotional series looking at the story of Joseph Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. DISCOVERING HOPE THROUGH JOSEPH - A Series by Heidi Wysman The story of Joseph in Genesis 37–50 teaches us how to live a pure life, resist temptation, stay true through trials, have mercy, look beyond our circumstances, and to learn to see God’s presence with us, even in the midst of great suffering in our lives. The story of Joseph reveals that the worst conditions possible may not be final; that we should never lose hope and judge our own life, or others, by one season; that God can use seemingly hopeless situations to change the story; that His plan may not be obvious to our limited perspective but, indeed, ‘… all things work together for good… for those who are called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Joseph’s father, Jacob, displayed extra affection to Joseph and presented him with a specially crafted garment – a ‘coat of many colours’. This prompted jealousy within his brothers, which grew when Joseph repeated two of his dreams to them that showed him ruling over them. One day the brothers threw Joseph into a pit, then sold him as a slave to Arab traders. He was eventually taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, one of King Pharaoh’s ministers. God helped Joseph find favour in his master’s eyes, and he was appointed head of Potiphar’s estate. However, this position did not last for long. Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph who was thrown into prison. The Lord’s kindness followed Joseph and the prison warden soon appointed him as his right-hand man. With God’s help, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two prisoners, predicting that one would be reinstated and the other put to death. Eventually, Joseph rose to be ruler of Egypt, second only to King Pharaoh, and he saved Egypt during a famine. Jacob’s family travelled to Egypt to escape the famine and Joseph’s dreams became a reality and, where he could have sown revenge, Joseph chose forgiveness. He welcomed his entire family with open arms, and it was through him that they were allowed to settle in the Land of Goshen.

There I will meet you. EXODUS 30:6b (NCV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. THE GOD CONNECTION A Study of EXODUS 28–32  Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’ EXODUS 31:13 (NIV)  Connection. We are created for connection. From the first breath in the darkness at the beginning of time through to today, God has always desired to be connected to His people. To live with us. However, sin destroyed this plan. Through these readings in Exodus, we see the lengths God is willing to go to remain connected to His people despite our sin and constant rejection. At a time where His people did not have direct access to God, He still made a way. Centuries have passed and through Jesus defeating death on the cross we now have a direct connection to God. These passages serve to remind us that our God will always make a way to be with us – His people – now and forevermore.

The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things. And he made from one man every nation of mankind… ACTS 17:24–26a (AMP) Who better to discuss the topic of opinion and disagreement than a couple of siblings? This week we're joined by Sam Fagan, with well over a decade of pastoring churches and currently studying his Masters of Theology, he is also the younger brother of Abby our host! Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH & CULTURE: Opinion & Disagreement Often it is hard. So hard, in fact, that Jesus’ decree to love and pray for our opponents is regarded as one of the most breathtaking and gut-wrenching challenges of his entire Sermon on the Mount, a speech renowned for its outrageous claims. There was no record of any other spiritual leader ever having articulated such a clear-cut, unambiguous command for people to express compassion to those who are actively working against their best interests. LEE STROBEL  The world is FULL of opinions! It seems that these days everyone can have a platform to voice those opinions if they have a social media account. But along with opinions comes disagreements. Disagreements that divide, incite anger, hatred and judgement. When it comes to our faith, how can we live a life set up by Christ in a world so divided by opinion and disagreement. How can we navigate these conversations and possible opposition in a way that glorifies God? On the flip side, how do we also navigate disagreement and opposition with each other – our brothers and sisters in Christ. This week, we hope you gain greater insight into how to navigate the sometimes-difficult world of opinion and disagreement. And we hope that God challenges you in new ways and gives you the tools you need to approach the opinion-fuelled world with confidence knowing our loving God is with you.  

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND CULTURE: Uncertainty & Doubt Some of us who have preached the Word for years, and have been the means of working faith in others and of establishing them in the knowledge of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible, have nevertheless been the subjects of the most fearful and violent doubts as to the truth of the very gospel we have preached. CHARLES SPURGEON In the Christian life, doubt and uncertainty are inevitable. Often we can feel like we may have lost our faith or are sinning if we question or wrestle with God about something in our lives. However, as we will see this week, the wrestle often refines us and leads us into greater relationship with our heavenly Father. As we journey through the devotionals this week, may you gain a greater understanding of God and grow closer to Him and more certain of who He is in the midst of uncertainty and doubt.

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ MATTHEW 20:26–28 (NIV) Today we're joined by Druvi Pererra, talking to us about where Faith and Culture meet, specifically about Service and Hospitality Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH & CULTURE: Service & Hospitality Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. CS LEWIS It’s hard to live out our faith in a world where the Christian life seems to be counter to the culture we live in. But together we can help one another navigate those challenging situations where the people we’re seeking to minister to may not understand or may think we are just plain weird. Over the next three weeks, we’ll be looking at three topics that many may find challenging, difficult, and awkward when trying to live out our faith, and what we believe, in a broken world. This week we’re looking at service and hospitality. For some, this comes easily but others find this difficult. Also, the practice of service outside the church, to many unbelievers, is odd and confronting. Although we may be seen as different (we are supposed to be), these acts of service and hospitality give us an opportunity to share experiences of God’s love. May you grow and learn from our contributors’ experience and, more importantly, be encouraged by the words of our servant King.

Today we have the pleasure of chatting with Leila Armstrong about radical transformations. Specifically, we hear about Leila's transformation, one that took well over 18 years. Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. RADICAL TRANSFORMATION The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation. ADRIAN ROGERS How has God transformed your life? How does He transform people who were once lost? How does He transform homes, families and the trajectory of a person’s life? This week, join us as we take the time to reflect on the transforming love and grace we have in Christ.

Grandson of the legendary evangelist Billy Graham, and current head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Will Graham joins us from the USA to chat with us about how we can evangelise in our own lives. Watch the interview: Click Here Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. REVIVAL A Series By Will Graham It was March 2020. I was supposed to be in Tifton, Georgia, in the southern United States, holding a three-day evangelistic outreach. Instead, I sat next to my wife in our North Carolina home, contemplating the suddenly-tumultuous state of our world. The COVID-19 pandemic had quickly raced around the globe. Schools were cancelling classes. Businesses were shutting down. Churches were closing their doors. The news was filled with breathless updates of an apocalyptic nature. In the United States we were seeing semi-trucks being used as morgues, and interviews with people who were dying in hospital beds. It became clear that our event in Tifton needed to be postponed. In its place, we hastily scheduled an online program; an opportunity to share the Gospel via livestream to Georgia and beyond. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but – as I sat there with my wife, contemplating what I would speak about during the livestream – I was overwhelmed. What could I possibly say in my message? What did I have to offer as the world was being consumed with disease and death? If I’m being fully honest with you, I wasn’t just overwhelmed. I was afraid as well. Despite my focus on eternal matters, I am human. And that part of me was just as scared of the potential for mass casualties – perhaps even my own family – as everybody else. My godly wife, sensing my struggle, offered her guidance: “Just talk about Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the only thing that has the power to drive out fear.” She was absolutely right, and that’s what I did. To a world gripped by panic and anxiety, I proclaimed the Name of Jesus: the hope, peace, power and purpose found in Him alone. The world has changed a lot in the last 24 months. The spirit of fear is still very strong. People are afraid of COVID, of lockdowns, of losing their jobs, or of getting sick. Relationships are strained. Some have lost faith in their governments, their schools, and even their doctors. The world, in many ways, is a mess. But that doesn’t change this fact: The Name of Jesus is still the answer to every problem we face. The temporary struggles of this world fade away in the presence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The problem, however, is that so many of our friends, neighbors and loved ones do not understand the hope that Christ offers, and the peace that can be found in a true relationship with Him. They’re desperate for something, but have not yet found the fulfillment they seek. My friends, in the following devotionals, I hope to not just challenge you to share your faith with others, but also equip you with a few basic strategies for sharing “the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). We have a limited amount of time on this earth to make an impact for the Kingdom, and we must use that time wisely. Eternity is at stake. Will Graham

There is a lot of disappointment when the things we planned or hoped for don't come to pass, which has been a fairly common sentiment recently. Today Laura Bennett opens up to us about this disappointment and where it fits on a journey to finding contentment when we're living in a world that doesn't go our way. Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. CONTENTMENT The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God. JERRY BRIDGES Life has a way of throwing us curve balls. Things may be on track then all of a sudden the unexpected happens and we stand surrounded by the pieces of things that were. We also live in a world where there is a constant striving for more. More things, more money, more love, more me. So as Christians how can we live our faith out when life throws you curve balls and in the world of ‘more’? How do we find contentment in a society where contentment seems to be a mysterious unattainable ideal? As we look at our readings this week, we pray you find the answers to these questions and the hope and contentment that isn’t unattainable but can be found in our Heavenly Father.  

Dwayne Jefferies returns for another conversation, this time discussing just what Jesus was "supposed" to look like. Sometimes we try to fit Christ into a box or expect or "want" him to look a certain way. But maybe that's just because he's more than we could possibly comprehend? Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. JESUS: THE UNEXPECTED Jesus was long expected. But when and how and where and why He came were all unexpected. - JON BLOOM Jesus, our loving King. The long-awaited Saviour of the world. Prophesied for centuries. Expected and anticipated by generations. However, although He was expected, His life was anything but what people thought it would look like. Whilst He was expected to be born in Bethlehem, no one expected Him to be born in the back cave of an inn. No one expected that in His ministry He would surround Himself with the broken, oppressed, ostracised sinners of society. And no one expected He would be broken, beaten, rejected, hung on a cross and would die. But the best bit is that no one expected our Saviour would defeat death and then rise again three days later! ALL FOR US! Our Jesus, His life, was unexpected but it led to the amazing saving grace we can now proclaim! This week, together, lets marvel and reflect on the unexpected life of our gracious King who saved not only you and me, but the world!

In today's episode, we talk about one of those topics that no one really wants to talk about. Suffering is something that everyone experiences and we as Christians are even told to expect it! Today's guest Ben McEachen shares how sharing the load can be a good way to deal with this tricky subject.  Send the Real Hope team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. SUFFERING Suffering drives us like a nail deep into God’s love and into more spiritual power than we can imagine. - TIM KELLER Suffering is something that many of us don’t like to think about. It can be confronting, challenging and sometimes depressing to think about the suffering we may have experienced or even the suffering of people around us or the suffering of the world. It can be hard to see hope in the midst of suffering. However, we have a God who is working in every situation. Even in the darkness. Even in our sorrow. Even in our suffering. Through the devotions this week, we pray you will find hope. That you will find strength. That you will find God in your midst. He has never left you and will never forsake you.

Kath Henry is the amazing chaplain here at hope media and she joins us once again for another Real Hope Conversation. This time we talk about the importance of prayer and the significance of the prayer that Christ himself gave to us. Send the team a message Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au Or connect with the Hope 103.2 community via Facebook or Instagram. YOUR KINGDOM COME Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  MATTHEW 6:10 (NIV) Have you had moments when you don’t know how to pray? When you don’t know how to express the things in your heart? When you don’t know where to start when it comes to the things you need to bring to our Heavenly Father? The Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 is a great place to start. It’s more than just the words that many of us can recite by heart. It’s a passage of scripture that shows us how to pray. In the moments when we don’t know how to start, and in the times when it just seems to pour out of us, even in the season of thanksgiving, this passage brings us back to the heart of prayer – God’s heart. Through this week’s readings, may your approach to prayer be renewed, refreshed, and reawakened. May you see prayer as a way to connect to the heart of our ever-loving Saviour.

A writer, coffee connoisseur, consultant and an old friend! Today Leila Armstrong chats with us about her experience praying bold and dangerous prayers. The kind that might push us out of our comfort zone, the kind that we don't want to ask because of the fear of change. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  DANGEROUS PRAYERS How do you think your life might change if you prayed daily a daring, faith-filled prayer of whole-life devotion to the one who gave it all for you? - CRAIG GROESCHEL Dangerous prayers. Prayers that have the power to not only change circumstances but could completely shift and change the trajectory of your life. Prayers that push you out of your comfort zone. Prayers that are bold and require your complete surrender to God and His will for your life. Dangerous prayers. Can bring us pause. Can make us nervous. Can be scary to even think, let alone whisper in the quiet of the night. However, these dangerous prayers invite God to do His will in our lives. These prayers release God to write a new chapter in our lives. These prayers are bold, scary, challenging, and nerve-wracking, but oh the wonder that can unfold when we step boldly into these prayers knowing God has us in the palm of His hand. Our prayer is that this week those dangerous prayers that may have been planted in your heart will begin to flourish. That you will be encouraged and inspired to step boldly into these prayers knowing God has a plan and a purpose for your life.

From powerful prayers to talking in tongues, heartfelt hospitality to loving leadership, there are many spiritual gifts that are mentioned in the bible. Today Dwayne Jeffries gives his perspective on spiritual gifts and how they can be used today.  Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  SPIRITUAL GIFTS Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. - RICK WARREN ‘Spiritual gifts’ is a term we can get really hung up on. Questions or statements like ‘God, what are my spiritual gifts?’, or, ‘God why didn’t you give me a gift like that person?’, or, ‘I think this is my spiritual gift but how does that help anyone?’ can regularly come up when we think about gifts. However, all these gifts work together for the good of all! This week we’ll look at all the spiritual gifts God gives us. Gifts to serve, gifts to love others, gifts to challenge one another, and gifts that leave a legacy. We’ll look at how the gifts God has given us can change the circumstances around us because these gifts were given to shine His light, not our own.

We're told to look out for number 1! Why should we be generous when everyone else is just in it for themselves? Neri Morris talks to us today about the benefits of generosity both for ourselves and others. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  GENEROSITY No one has ever become poor by giving. - ANNE FRANK In a world that’s about ‘more’ and ‘excess’, it’s easy to fall into the trap of storing up our possessions and wealth for ourselves in an effort to ‘Keep up with the Joneses’. However, throughout the Bible, from the Old to the New Testament, we are called to lives of generosity. Lives that see the need around us and meet it. Lives that give because we have been given so much. In this week’s devotionals, we explore this topic of generosity, a word that can at times be counter-cultural, but has the power to be transformational in this world where ‘self’ reigns supreme and where God’s love is needed more than ever.

It's almost a dirty word in our society, we admire a strong work ethic and going "above and beyond". Working hard is often a badge of honor, but rest is a gift from God. Today we talk to Kath Henry about the importance of rest and its place in our lives. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  REST In place of our exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, God will give us rest. All He asks is that we come to Him… that we spend a while thinking about Him, meditating on Him, talking to Him, listening in silence, occupying ourselves with Him – totally and thoroughly lost in the hiding place of His presence. CHUCK SWINDOLL Rest. We all need it but all too often don’t get enough of it. In the hustle of life, rest can be overlooked, not prioritised, and forgotten. However, rest is important for renewal and restoration of our mind, body and spirit. A time to connect with God and find strength and encouragement in Him. As you walk through this week’s readings, our prayer is that you would take time to rest. To refresh and renew your heart and spirit. To seek God in your life and circumstance. To find comfort in His ever-loving arms.

Its often to forget that we as Christians are in the middle of a war. Even as we go about our daily lives we have barriers and hurdles in living the way God wants. Today we talk to Nat Bennett about the realities of Spiritual Attack. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  SPIRITUAL ATTACK For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. EPHESIANS 6:12 (ESV) Many times it’s easy for us to see things from our human perspective and not see the spiritual battle that rages around us. A spiritual battle that’s still being fought, despite Jesus defeating death on the cross. Satan does not want us to succeed in our mission to make disciples of all nations and to share God’s love with those around us. When we see situations and circumstances through a spiritual lens, the verse in Ephesians becomes real. So how can we arm ourselves for battle and what are the obstacles we may face? In this week’s readings, we talk about how we can prepare and fight in the battle for lives and eternity so that when the fight comes to our door, we are ready!

It takes some serious wisdom to talk about a topic this big. Ben McEachen is back for another episode bringing the humour and wisdom and also challenging us to question how we view love. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  FORMS OF LOVE What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. - AUGUSTINE Love. Over time it’s a word that’s so intricately linked to its romanticised definition that we can miss not only the many forms of love that are around us but more importantly we can miss the enormity of the love God has for us. Love is not just a feeling you get when you meet ‘the one’ or when you hold your child in your arms for the first time, or when you like an outfit you’re wearing. Love is an action. It bears fruit. It is eternal. It is transformational and it is sacrificial. As you journey through this week’s readings, spend time reflecting on your own experiences of love – in relationships, in community, in family and in your relationship with God. Over the next week we hope that the word ‘LOVE’ takes on new meaning and depth in your life, a meaning anchored not in romantic feelings or earthly relationships but one that is anchored in your Heavenly Father.

A book of the bible that may cause contention for some, seemingly filled with pain and suffering. However, is it possible to find hope in such circumstances? Heidi Wysman is back again in this episode talking about how we may find peace and comfort despite our trials. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.  FINDING HOPE IN JOB A Series by Heidi Wysman We honor them as our heroes because they remained faithful even while enduring great sufferings. And you have heard of all that Job went through and we can now see that the Lord ultimately treated him with wonderful kindness, revealing how tenderhearted he really is! JAMES 5:11 (TPT) We often see the book of Job as a study of suffering. But Job is a story of a man’s search for hope in a broken world. The way he dealt with his suffering has been a source of strength ever since people began searching the Bible for answers. Job is the book in the Bible using the word ‘hope’ the most. It uses the word 19 times. But does he find this hope he seeks? He does. Not in the restoration of his goods, though this does happen. He finds hope in knowing the character of our Almighty God. Job 1:1 introduces to us the man Job and his character. It says he was ‘blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil’. Job’s suffering seems to come out of nowhere and has no connection to his character. But isn’t that just like ‘life’? Most of our grief and pain comes out of nowhere and baffles our sense of justice. But if you ever doubted what the point of the book of Job is, read James 5:11! We call it the ‘Book’ of Job. But I prefer to call it a ‘chapter’ in his life… I pray that by the end of this story your eyes will be open to see the awe, wonder and faithfulness of our holy God.