Through prayer, reflection, and practical application, you are invited to deepen your understanding of what it means to speak the truth in love and to allow this principle to shape relationships and interactions with others.

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Through prayer, reflection, and practical application, you are invited to deepen your understanding of what it means to speak the truth in love and to allow this principle to shape relationships and interactions with others.
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: Your Daily Prayer: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/</a> Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Why It's Worth Learning How to Speak the Truth in Love

Explore how faith is trusting God even when we can’t see the full picture. Faith is not something we muster ourselves—it is a gift from God, cultivated through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit. Often, God asks us to trust Him through waiting, “no” answers, and uncertainty. These seasons shape our character and deepen our reliance on Him, proving that faith is more about who we become than what we receive.

Highlights


Faith is a Gift: True faith comes from God, not from our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:17).


Faith Requires Trust in God’s Plan: Even when God says “no” or asks us to wait, His timing and wisdom are perfect.


Faith During Waiting Produces Growth: Waiting and unanswered prayers often mature our character in ways a “yes” could not.


Step-by-Step Faith: God often gives small measures of faith to steward, allowing us to take the next step even when the full path isn’t visible.


Aligning Our Will with God’s Will: Faith invites God’s will to become our own, trusting His “no” can be a greater blessing than a “yes.”

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

When Faith Means Trusting What We Can’t See

By Hannah Benson

Bible Reading:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

This well-known verse comes right before what is often called the “Hall of Faith” in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, the writer recalls the faith of many people from the Old Testament, including Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, and the list goes on.

Faith is a common theme throughout Scripture, and we know, as believers, that we are called to have faith. We are called to put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and for the cleansing of our sin (Romans 3:23-25, Acts 15:9). While that is the foundation of our faith, it also extends to other areas of our lives. Because Jesus knew we would be prone to worry, He told us to have faith that God will provide what we need for tomorrow (Matthew 6:25-34). We must have faith for healing (James 5:14-15) and for strength and endurance (2 Corinthians 12:9).

But what exactly does it mean to have faith?

God is not a genie, so it’s not as if we can somehow “procure” enough faith and make something happen. After all, like Romans 11:35 ESV says: “‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things…” 

And “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). In short, faith is a gift. Faith is not a feeling we can muster. Imagine if it were up to us how much faith we were given. We would become arrogant because we would start to think that if God answered our prayer the way we wanted, we were perhaps more righteous or had more faith than the other person who didn’t receive a “yes” from God.

If it were up to us to have enough faith, then that would make us somehow God. And we are clearly not.

Faith is a gift that comes from hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit is the One Who opens our eyes as we read God’s Word (John 14:26).

In Mark 9:23, Jesus tells a father whose son is possessed by a demon that “all things are possible for one who believes,” to which the father replies in verse 24, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

We need Jesus’s help to have faith: faith that we have been saved by the work of His blood on the cross, for His provision, and for healing.

Sometimes, we need to have faith to pursue something others deem crazy. Maybe God calls us to accept a job with less pay or to move halfway across the country. Yes, we absolutely need to make wise decisions, but if God calls us to do something—no matter how crazy it sounds—do it. However, we must be in continual prayer as we discern what is truly from God, because a word from the Lord will never contradict His Word given to us in the Bible.

What do we do when God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we expect?

Even the people in Scripture were forced to wait or accept a “no” from God.

Abraham and Sarah waited for years to have a child.

David became king years after Samuel had anointed him.

Moses never got to enter the Promised Land.

Paul begged God to remove the thorn from his life, but God didn’t. Instead, He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV).

Even though David prayed, wept, and fasted, his and Bathsheba’s first son died.

How do we make sense of that?

Sometimes, we might think that if we receive a “no” from God, then we didn’t have enough faith. But Scripture shows us that there could be lots of reasons for “no”. We aren’t God and can’t see the full picture, so maybe He’s protecting us from something. Maybe He has something better in mind.

I’ve also heard it said that God is far more interested in who we are becoming than the earthly destination we are heading towards. Faith during a waiting season sometimes produces a maturity that a “Yes” never could. I would even go so far as to say what matters isn’t about getting what we want from God but about getting more of God.

Nothing draws me into the presence of Jesus more like a “no” or a “wait”.

What if we aren’t simply called to have faith for something but to have faith when God says “no”? To have faith that His ways are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) and that perhaps His “no” is a blessing in disguise and the preparation for a different “yes” we can’t see yet?

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15 ESV).

Note that it says “if we ask anything according to his will.”

This is not about forcing our will to become God’s will. No, instead, it is an invitation for God’s will to become our own.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

A couple of years ago, there was something I wanted but didn’t have the faith to pray for what I thought could be the end result. Rather, God gave me faith to pray for the next step, which may or may not eventually lead to the end result. Which I did. And you know what? God opened the door for the next step.

Two years later, my prayers are bolder as God has given me the faith to pray for things I never would’ve prayed for back then.

Sometimes, God doesn’t give us faith for everything all at once. He gives us tiny portions of faith, but like any gift, faith is a gift that must be stewarded. After all, as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV), “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

That includes the faith that has been given to us.

Faith might mean taking one step at a time, even when we can’t see the path ahead.

Faith might mean trusting God’s “no” is sometimes greater than His “yes.”

Pray with me:

Dear Father God, thank You for the gift of faith. I confess that I often try to muster it up in my own strength or treat You like a genie who exists to grant my wishes. Forgive me for the times I’ve valued the “yes” more than the Giver. I thank You for the Holy Spirit, who opens my eyes to Your Word. Help me to steward the measure of faith You have given me today. When I face a "no" or a "wait," draw me closer into Your presence. Align my heart with Yours, so that Your will becomes my own.

Give me the courage to take the next step You have set before me, even when I cannot see the rest of the path. I trust that Your ways are higher than mine and that You are making me into who You want me to be.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Explore how faith is trusting God even when we can&rsquo;t see the full picture. Faith is not something we muster ourselves&mdash;it is a gift from God, cultivated through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit. Often, God asks us to trust Him through waiting, &ldquo;no&rdquo; answers, and uncertainty. These seasons shape our character and deepen our reliance on Him, proving that faith is more about who we become than what we receive.
Highlights
<ul data-start="701" data-end="1394">
<li data-start="701" data-end="842">
Faith is a Gift: True faith comes from God, not from our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:17).
</li>
<li data-start="843" data-end="965">
Faith Requires Trust in God&rsquo;s Plan: Even when God says &ldquo;no&rdquo; or asks us to wait, His timing and wisdom are perfect.
</li>
<li data-start="966" data-end="1096">
Faith During Waiting Produces Growth: Waiting and unanswered prayers often mature our character in ways a &ldquo;yes&rdquo; could not.
</li>
<li data-start="1097" data-end="1249">
Step-by-Step Faith: God often gives small measures of faith to steward, allowing us to take the next step even when the full path isn&rsquo;t visible.
</li>
<li data-start="1250" data-end="1394">
Aligning Our Will with God&rsquo;s Will: Faith invites God&rsquo;s will to become our own, trusting His &ldquo;no&rdquo; can be a greater blessing than a &ldquo;yes.&rdquo;
</li>
</ul>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
When Faith Means Trusting What We Can&rsquo;t See
By Hannah Benson
Bible Reading:
&ldquo;Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.&rdquo; (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
This well-known verse comes right before what is often called the &ldquo;Hall of Faith&rdquo; in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, the writer recalls the faith of many people from the Old Testament, including Noah, Abraham &amp; Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, and the list goes on.
Faith is a common theme throughout Scripture, and we know, as believers, that we are called to have faith. We are called to put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and for the cleansing of our sin (Romans 3:23-25, Acts 15:9). While that is the foundation of our faith, it also extends to other areas of our lives. Because Jesus knew we would be prone to worry, He told us to have faith that God will provide what we need for tomorrow (Matthew 6:25-34). We must have faith for healing (James 5:14-15) and for strength and endurance (2 Corinthians 12:9).
But what exactly does it mean to&nbsp;have faith?
God is not a genie, so it&rsquo;s not as if we can somehow &ldquo;procure&rdquo; enough faith and make something happen. After all, like Romans 11:35 ESV says: &ldquo;&lsquo;For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?&rsquo; &lsquo;Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?&rsquo; For from him and through him and to him are all things&hellip;&rdquo;&nbsp;
And &ldquo;For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast&rdquo; (Ephesians 2:8-9). In short, faith is a gift. Faith is not a feeling we can muster. Imagine if it were up to us how much faith we were given. We would become arrogant because we would start to think that if God answered our prayer the way we wanted, we were perhaps more righteous or had more faith than the other person who didn&rsquo;t receive a &ldquo;yes&rdquo; from God.
If it were up to us to have enough faith, then that would make us somehow God. And we are clearly not.
Faith is a gift that comes from hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). By God&rsquo;s grace, the Holy Spirit is the One Who opens our eyes as we read God&rsquo;s Word (John 14:26).
In Mark 9:23, Jesus tells a father whose son is possessed by a demon that &ldquo;all things are possible for one who believes,&rdquo; to which the father replies in verse 24, &ldquo;I believe; help my unbelief!&rdquo;
We need Jesus&rsquo;s help to have faith: faith that we have been saved by the work of His blood on the cross, for His provision, and for healing.
Sometimes, we need to have faith to pursue something others deem crazy. Maybe God calls us to accept a job with less pay or to move halfway across the country. Yes, we absolutely need to make wise decisions, but if God calls us to do something&mdash;no matter how crazy it sounds&mdash;do it. However, we must be in continual prayer as we discern what is truly from God, because a word from the Lord will never contradict His Word given to us in the Bible.
What do we do when God doesn&rsquo;t always answer our prayers the way we expect?
Even the people in Scripture were forced to wait or accept a &ldquo;no&rdquo; from God.
Abraham and Sarah waited for years to have a child.
David became king years after Samuel had anointed him.
Moses never got to enter the Promised Land.
Paul begged God to remove the thorn from his life, but God didn&rsquo;t. Instead, He said, &ldquo;My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV).
Even though David prayed, wept, and fasted, his and Bathsheba&rsquo;s first son died.
How do we make sense of that?
Sometimes, we might think that if we receive a &ldquo;no&rdquo; from God, then we didn&rsquo;t have enough faith. But Scripture shows us that there could be lots of reasons for &ldquo;no&rdquo;. We aren&rsquo;t God and can&rsquo;t see the full picture, so maybe He&rsquo;s protecting us from something. Maybe He has something better in mind.
I&rsquo;ve also heard it said that God is far more interested in who we are becoming than the earthly destination we are heading towards. Faith during a waiting season sometimes produces a maturity that a &ldquo;Yes&rdquo; never could. I would even go so far as to say what matters isn&rsquo;t about getting what we want from God but about getting more&nbsp;of&nbsp;God.
Nothing draws me into the presence of Jesus more like a &ldquo;no&rdquo; or a &ldquo;wait&rdquo;.
What if we aren&rsquo;t simply called to have faith&nbsp;for&nbsp;something but to have faith when God says &ldquo;no&rdquo;? To have faith that His ways are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) and that perhaps His &ldquo;no&rdquo; is a blessing in disguise and the preparation for a different &ldquo;yes&rdquo; we can&rsquo;t see yet?
&ldquo;And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him&rdquo; (1 John 5:14-15 ESV).
Note that it says &ldquo;if we ask anything according to his will.&rdquo;
This is not about forcing our will to become God&rsquo;s will. No, instead, it is an invitation for God&rsquo;s will to become our own.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
A couple of years ago, there was something I wanted but didn&rsquo;t have the faith to pray for what I thought could be the end result. Rather, God gave me faith to pray for the next step, which may or may not eventually lead to the end result. Which I did. And you know what? God opened the door for the next step.
Two years later, my prayers are bolder as God has given me the faith to pray for things I never would&rsquo;ve prayed for back then.
Sometimes, God doesn&rsquo;t give us faith for everything all at once. He gives us tiny portions of faith, but like any gift, faith is a gift that must be stewarded. After all, as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV), &ldquo;By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.&rdquo;
That includes the faith that has been given to us.
Faith might mean taking one step at a time, even when we can&rsquo;t see the path ahead.
Faith might mean trusting God&rsquo;s &ldquo;no&rdquo; is sometimes greater than His &ldquo;yes.&rdquo;
Pray with me:
Dear Father God, thank You for the gift of faith. I confess that I often try to muster it up in my own strength or treat You like a genie who exists to grant my wishes. Forgive me for the times I&rsquo;ve valued the &ldquo;yes&rdquo; more than the Giver. I thank You for the Holy Spirit, who opens my eyes to Your Word. Help me to steward the measure of faith You have given me today. When I face a "no" or a "wait," draw me closer into Your presence. Align my heart with Yours, so that Your will becomes my own.
Give me the courage to take the next step You have set before me, even when I cannot see the rest of the path. I trust that Your ways are higher than mine and that You are making me into who You want me to be.
In Jesus&rsquo; name, Amen.

When Faith Means Trusting What You Can’t See

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/a526fa66-c403-470d-aad1-b41101051703/transcript

Reflect on the patience required during seasons of waiting, using the arrival of spring and the farmer’s work as a metaphor for spiritual growth. Just as seeds must be planted, watered, and tended before fruit appears, God works in our hearts even when we cannot see immediate results. Waiting is not inactivity—it is a season of preparation, trust, and faithful obedience.

Highlights


Patience is Active: Waiting doesn’t mean doing nothing; it involves prayer, obedience, and tending what we can.


Spiritual Growth Takes Time: Just as crops need time to bloom, God often does deep root work in us before visible fruit appears.


Trust God’s Timing: We cannot force growth; the “precious fruit” belongs to God.


Strengthen Your Heart: Establishing your heart means building inner strength while waiting (James 5:8).


Hope in Waiting: The absence of visible fruit doesn’t mean nothing is happening—God is at work behind the scenes.

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Before the Bloom Appears
By Sarah Frazer

Bible Reading: 
“See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it… You also must be patient. Establish your hearts…” - James 5:7-8 (ESV)

I can’t wait for spring. In our area of the country, it doesn’t usually come until March or April. We’ve even had the occasional snow in April, but this year I’m holding out hope for warm weather to come sooner than later. If my life is filled with busyness, I might miss the coming of Spring. Many years ago, when my children were young, and life felt like an endless winter because of depression, I would not notice spring until it had already come.

As I've grown older, I’ve begun to notice the quiet coming of spring, and having a garden and flowers helps remind me of it. Gardens, flowers, and even my favorite tree in the front yard do not grow overnight. Often we miss this, but what a lesson we can learn here: in order for spring to come, the soil needs to be turned, seeds need to be buried, and waiting is the theme of spring's arrival.

Maybe your life feels like an endless winter, or the time before the blooms. Although life has seasons of growth, we do not need to get discouraged during times of planting and waiting. James uses this exact picture to teach us how to wait.

“See how the farmer… - James 5:7 (ESV)

A farmer never rushes the harvest. After tilling the soil and preparing the land, the farmer then plants his seeds. He then buries them deep in the ground. The next day, he does not go out and look for a harvest. The farmer understands the timing and knows he cannot force growth.

Some things in our lives we cannot speed up. Growth, especially spiritual growth, requires waiting. It forces us to trust a process we might not understand. Circumstances in our lives are mostly out of our control. Yet God uses everything in our lives to grow us.

While the farmer waits, he remains patient, awaiting the supply of rain. Waiting is not a waste. The farmer is not idle. He tends to the fields, providing water when he can, and works on his machines that will be needed to harvest. Waiting doesn’t mean inactivity. Patience is not passivity. We keep praying, obeying, and trusting. The farmer is faithful to do what he can and wait with patience, and we too can be faithful. As we do this, we lean into God and realize that the “precious fruit” belongs to God and He will make it grow!

“You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” - James 5:8 (ESV)

The word for “establish” means to strengthen. As we wait, we shift inward. Waiting is less about circumstances and more about the condition of the heart. Yes, as we wait, we might feel weaker, and doubts will enter our minds. Waiting tempts us to grow discouraged. Strength comes when we remember God controls the harvest.

Springtime can be for us a picture of spiritual waiting. It reminds us that planting comes before the fruit. Just because nothing is visible doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Roots are the strongest part of the entire plant. God is often doing deep root work in us before our fruit is visible. Spring is for planting and tending—not harvesting. God calls us to be patient with hope in seasons when fruit has not yet appeared.

The absence of fruit does not mean growth isn’t happening. Just like the farmer trusts the seasons, we can too. Before the bloom, hope is working in your life. Choose hope. Choose to believe God is working in your life even today.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Where are you waiting for fruit? What feels planted but not yet blooming? How can you release the timeline, stay faithful, and trust the Lord in this season?

Further Reading:
Galatians 6:9
Psalm 27:13-14
Isaiah 40:31
Hebrews 10:35-36
Psalm 126:5-6

Reflect on the patience required during seasons of waiting, using the arrival of spring and the farmer&rsquo;s work as a metaphor for spiritual growth. Just as seeds must be planted, watered, and tended before fruit appears, God works in our hearts even when we cannot see immediate results. Waiting is not inactivity&mdash;it is a season of preparation, trust, and faithful obedience.
Highlights
<ul data-start="689" data-end="1304">
<li data-start="689" data-end="808">
Patience is Active: Waiting doesn&rsquo;t mean doing nothing; it involves prayer, obedience, and tending what we can.
</li>
<li data-start="809" data-end="945">
Spiritual Growth Takes Time: Just as crops need time to bloom, God often does deep root work in us before visible fruit appears.
</li>
<li data-start="946" data-end="1034">
Trust God&rsquo;s Timing: We cannot force growth; the &ldquo;precious fruit&rdquo; belongs to God.
</li>
<li data-start="1035" data-end="1182">
Strengthen Your Heart: Establishing your heart means building inner strength while waiting (James 5:8).
</li>
<li data-start="1183" data-end="1304">
Hope in Waiting: The absence of visible fruit doesn&rsquo;t mean nothing is happening&mdash;God is at work behind the scenes.
</li>
</ul>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Before the Bloom Appears By Sarah Frazer
Bible Reading: &ldquo;See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it&hellip; You also must be patient. Establish your hearts&hellip;&rdquo; - James 5:7-8 (ESV)
I can&rsquo;t wait for spring. In our area of the country, it doesn&rsquo;t usually come until March or April. We&rsquo;ve even had the occasional snow in April, but this year I&rsquo;m holding out hope for warm weather to come sooner than later. If my life is filled with busyness, I might miss the coming of Spring. Many years ago, when my children were young, and life felt like an endless winter because of depression, I would not notice spring until it had already come.
As I've grown older, I&rsquo;ve begun to notice the quiet coming of spring, and having a garden and flowers helps remind me of it. Gardens, flowers, and even my favorite tree in the front yard do not grow overnight. Often we miss this, but what a lesson we can learn here: in order for spring to come, the soil needs to be turned, seeds need to be buried, and waiting is the theme of spring's arrival.
Maybe your life feels like an endless winter, or the time before the blooms. Although life has seasons of growth, we do not need to get discouraged during times of planting and waiting. James uses this exact picture to teach us how to wait.
&ldquo;See how the farmer&hellip; - James 5:7 (ESV)
A farmer never rushes the harvest. After tilling the soil and preparing the land, the farmer then plants his seeds. He then buries them deep in the ground. The next day, he does not go out and look for a harvest. The farmer understands the timing and knows he cannot force growth.
Some things in our lives we cannot speed up. Growth, especially spiritual growth, requires waiting. It forces us to trust a process we might not understand. Circumstances in our lives are mostly out of our control. Yet God uses everything in our lives to grow us.
While the farmer waits, he remains patient, awaiting the supply of rain. Waiting is not a waste. The farmer is not idle. He tends to the fields, providing water when he can, and works on his machines that will be needed to harvest. Waiting doesn&rsquo;t mean inactivity. Patience is not passivity. We keep praying, obeying, and trusting. The farmer is faithful to do what he can and wait with patience, and we too can be faithful. As we do this, we lean into God and realize that the &ldquo;precious fruit&rdquo; belongs to God and He will make it grow!
&ldquo;You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.&rdquo; - James 5:8 (ESV)
The word for &ldquo;establish&rdquo; means to strengthen. As we wait, we shift inward. Waiting is less about circumstances and more about the condition of the heart. Yes, as we wait, we might feel weaker, and doubts will enter our minds. Waiting tempts us to grow discouraged. Strength comes when we remember God controls the harvest.
Springtime can be for us a picture of spiritual waiting. It reminds us that planting comes before the fruit. Just because nothing is visible doesn&rsquo;t mean nothing is happening. Roots are the strongest part of the entire plant. God is often doing deep root work in us before our fruit is visible. Spring is for planting and tending&mdash;not harvesting. God calls us to be patient with hope in seasons when fruit has not yet appeared.
The absence of fruit does not mean growth isn&rsquo;t happening. Just like the farmer trusts the seasons, we can too. Before the bloom, hope is working in your life. Choose hope. Choose to believe God is working in your life even today.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
Where are you waiting for fruit? What feels planted but not yet blooming? How can you release the timeline, stay faithful, and trust the Lord in this season?
Further Reading: Galatians 6:9 Psalm 27:13-14 Isaiah 40:31 Hebrews 10:35-36 Psalm 126:5-6

Before the Bloom Appears

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/e4113e3d-18ea-4356-91d0-b411010513cf/transcript

Scripture calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus—not people—because He alone is perfect and unchanging. This devotional reminds us that when our faith is rooted in Christ, it remains steady even when others fall short.

Highlights


Focus Matters: Faith falters when placed in people instead of Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).


Human Leaders Fall: Even trusted spiritual leaders are imperfect and can fail.


Follow Christ Alone: We are called to follow Jesus, not build our faith around individuals (Matthew 4:19).


Guard Your Heart: Hiding God’s Word in our hearts protects us from stumbling (Psalm 119:11).


Discernment is Key: Jesus calls us to recognize truth by the fruit people produce (Matthew 7:16-20).


Unshakable Foundation: A faith rooted in God remains steady despite circumstances (Hebrews 12:28).

Intersecting Faith & Life

When leaders fall, it can feel disorienting and discouraging. But these moments are an opportunity to realign our focus. Jesus is the only perfect example, the only Savior who endured the cross, and the only one worthy of our complete trust.

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Keep Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus

By Lynette Kittle

Bible Reading:

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2

Recent and ongoing scandals involving pastors, churches, and ministries—leaders who fail and fall short in their service and devotion to God—have been devastating for many believers in Jesus Christ.

This is especially true for those who closely followed these leaders, hanging on their every word, listening, trusting, and at times valuing what they said as more important than the Word of God itself.

The exposure of immorality, misconduct, dishonesty, and deception takes a terrible toll on those who once placed unwavering faith in these men and women who positioned themselves as spokespersons for God.

When these leaders’ sinful activities are uncovered, it rattles some followers to their spiritual cores. Faith begins to stumble when it has been placed more in people than in God. In many cases, it reveals that instead of focusing on the Lord, their eyes, ears, and attention were centered on the leaders they admired.

Yet none of those leaders suffered and endured the cross or experienced separation from God on our behalf. When tempted, they were not willing to lay down their human desires and sinful impulses, much less their lives, for us.

Called to Be Fishermen, Not Establish Our Own Kingdoms

God never intended for us to be followers of men. We are called to be fishers of people, but followers of Christ alone. As Matthew 4:19 records: “‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’”

He calls us to follow Him and to hide His Word in our hearts. When we do, it protects our hearts and minds from stumbling. It guards us against falling into unbelief because of another person’s sin.

Psalm 119:11 reminds us of this safeguard: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

The Apostle Paul further explains in 2 Corinthians 3:3 how God writes His Word on our hearts when we yield to Him: “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we do not collapse like a line of dominoes when trusted spiritual leaders fail. Our hearts may grieve over their sin, but our faith remains steady.

Hebrews 12:28 reminds us that when our focus is on God, we stand on an unshakable foundation: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

Jesus warned us to remain watchful. In Matthew 7:15, He cautions: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

He also assures us that we can discern the difference between genuine followers and deceivers. As He explains in Matthew 7:16-20: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Have you been devastated by a spiritual leader’s sin? Has your faith been shaken by their failings? If so, ask God to help redirect your focus on Him and fix your eyes on Jesus. 

Further Reading:

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

Scripture calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus&mdash;not people&mdash;because He alone is perfect and unchanging. This devotional reminds us that when our faith is rooted in Christ, it remains steady even when others fall short.
Highlights
<ul data-start="746" data-end="1528">
<li data-start="746" data-end="871">
Focus Matters: Faith falters when placed in people instead of Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
</li>
<li data-start="872" data-end="958">
Human Leaders Fall: Even trusted spiritual leaders are imperfect and can fail.
</li>
<li data-start="959" data-end="1107">
Follow Christ Alone: We are called to follow Jesus, not build our faith around individuals (Matthew 4:19).
</li>
<li data-start="1108" data-end="1244">
Guard Your Heart: Hiding God&rsquo;s Word in our hearts protects us from stumbling (Psalm 119:11).
</li>
<li data-start="1245" data-end="1387">
Discernment is Key: Jesus calls us to recognize truth by the fruit people produce (Matthew 7:16-20).
</li>
<li data-start="1388" data-end="1528">
Unshakable Foundation: A faith rooted in God remains steady despite circumstances (Hebrews 12:28).
</li>
</ul>
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life
When leaders fall, it can feel disorienting and discouraging. But these moments are an opportunity to realign our focus. Jesus is the only perfect example, the only Savior who endured the cross, and the only one worthy of our complete trust.
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Keep Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
&ldquo;Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.&rdquo; - Hebrews 12:2
Recent and ongoing scandals involving pastors, churches, and ministries&mdash;leaders who fail and fall short in their service and devotion to God&mdash;have been devastating for many believers in Jesus Christ.
This is especially true for those who closely followed these leaders, hanging on their every word, listening, trusting, and at times valuing what they said as more important than the Word of God itself.
The exposure of immorality, misconduct, dishonesty, and deception takes a terrible toll on those who once placed unwavering faith in these men and women who positioned themselves as spokespersons for God.
When these leaders&rsquo; sinful activities are uncovered, it rattles some followers to their spiritual cores. Faith begins to stumble when it has been placed more in people than in God. In many cases, it reveals that instead of focusing on the Lord, their eyes, ears, and attention were centered on the leaders they admired.
Yet none of those leaders suffered and endured the cross or experienced separation from God on our behalf. When tempted, they were not willing to lay down their human desires and sinful impulses, much less their lives, for us.
Called to Be Fishermen, Not Establish Our Own Kingdoms
God never intended for us to be followers of men. We are called to be fishers of people, but followers of Christ alone. As Matthew 4:19 records: &ldquo;&lsquo;Come, follow Me,&rsquo; Jesus said, &lsquo;and I will send you out to fish for people.&rsquo;&rdquo;
He calls us to follow Him and to hide His Word in our hearts. When we do, it protects our hearts and minds from stumbling. It guards us against falling into unbelief because of another person&rsquo;s sin.
Psalm 119:11 reminds us of this safeguard: &ldquo;I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.&rdquo;
The Apostle Paul further explains in 2 Corinthians 3:3 how God writes His Word on our hearts when we yield to Him: &ldquo;You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.&rdquo;
When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we do not collapse like a line of dominoes when trusted spiritual leaders fail. Our hearts may grieve over their sin, but our faith remains steady.
Hebrews 12:28 reminds us that when our focus is on God, we stand on an unshakable foundation: &ldquo;Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.&rdquo;
Jesus warned us to remain watchful. In Matthew 7:15, He cautions: &ldquo;Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep&rsquo;s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.&rdquo;
He also assures us that we can discern the difference between genuine followers and deceivers. As He explains in Matthew 7:16-20: &ldquo;By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?&nbsp; Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.&rdquo;
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
Have you been devastated by a spiritual leader&rsquo;s sin? Has your faith been shaken by their failings? If so, ask God to help redirect your focus on Him and fix your eyes on Jesus.&nbsp;
Further Reading:
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/ibelieve-truth-a-devotional-for-women/ibelieve-truth-a-devotional-for-women-november-4.html">Fix Your Eyes on Jesus</a>

Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/5710a319-5dc7-4bd3-97a4-b4110105101b/transcript

Why It's Worth Learning How to Speak the Truth in Love

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