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/

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

The Face of God

How can you know when to trust your own instincts and when to wait for God’s guidance? When conflict, difficult decisions, or emotional situations arise, self-reliance can cause us to act or react before seeking God’s wisdom. Judges 1:1-4 offers a powerful picture of what it looks like to turn to God first, ask for His direction, and faithfully follow where He leads.

Following Christ doesn’t mean we will always know exactly what to do or receive an immediate answer. God often guides us through Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of other believers. As we consistently seek Him in everyday circumstances, we become more attentive to His direction when bigger challenges arise. Learning to follow Christ requires practice, humility, and trust, but we can rest in the assurance that we don’t have to figure out every step on our own.

Highlights


Why self-reliance can lead us to act or react before seeking God’s guidance


What Judges 1:1-4 teaches about turning to God for direction


How prayer and Scripture help us develop greater spiritual discernment


Why God’s guidance may come through Scripture, other believers, or the Holy Spirit


How practicing dependence on God in everyday situations prepares us for bigger challenges


What James 1:5 teaches about asking God for wisdom without fear of criticism


Encouragement to trust Christ’s leadership rather than trying to figure out every step on your own

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

Letting God Rake Away What Is Covering Your Heart

By: Lia Girard

Bible Reading:

I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are the same to you.

– Psalm 139:11-12, NLT

I love the way fallen leaves in autumn cover landscapes across many parts of the world. It feels like a song of sweet surrender, as vivid colors float everywhere, then fade into nutrients for the soil. Carpets of fall foliage on lawns, parks, or fields always look so purposeful and romantic to me.

But when we live in modern, manicured places, we often rake these leaves into piles, either composting them for reuse or disposing of them. It’s a common seasonal sight, though I’m still not sure if it’s better to rake or not rake the leaves that grace our lives. It’s always interesting to me that we don’t need to rake wild forests. They remain entirely in God’s hands. 

However, when it comes to my heart and yours, let’s consider that God may do some spiritual raking. Because sometimes we want to hide ourselves, our feelings, our habits, our lack of faith, from God. That’s why Psalm 139 lays out clearly that God sees everything, anyway. 

In fact, Psalm 139:11-12 proclaims that “even in darkness I cannot hide from you.” This entire psalm rejoices that you can turn to God and ask him to search you, bring you into His light, and lead you on the path of everlasting life.

The freedom you gain when you let God “uncover” you is also celebrated in 2 Corinthians 3:16, when Paul says, “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Paul is referring to how Moses would cover his face with a veil because the glory of God he reflected was too much for his followers to receive. So, in his New Testament letter, Paul teaches that you and I have been reconciled to God through Jesus. You can let God lift the veil, rake away what you’re hiding under, and fully receive the Holy Spirit within you. There’s no need to bury yourself in secrecy.

Not only will God rake away what’s covering hearts, but he will also dig deeper to pull up stones and plant new life. When Ezekiel 36:26 tells us, “and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a new heart of flesh,” it refers to God’s miraculous power to completely transform a hardened heart that has become cold, inflexible, or impenetrable. 

This hardening could be the result of self-protection over many years of pain. Or, it could be a heart turned away from reconciliation by unforgiveness. Or, it could be a refusal to share fears and feelings with God. Ezekiel 36:26 is God’s reminder to you and me—that he sees our struggles anyway. 

So, even if you don’t see a way to cultivate peace in your own heart, or feel courageous enough to be exposed, God’s promise here is that he can do the work for you, if you let him. You and I can bring our hurting, hiding, hardened hearts to God, and welcome his healing. He will rake away what’s weighing you down, warming and softening your heart. 

So the next time you’re working in the yard, or marveling at leaves, remember: John 15 says God is your gardener. Let him rake, prune, and shape you ... so that you will bear much fruit for His glory.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider the beauty of changing seasons, or the work of raking away anything that’s covering something underneath, reflect on these thoughts: 
What can you ask God to reveal to you about anything that may be weighing you down?
Can you recall a time God pruned you and you were better off for it?
If your heart is hurting, how might you pray for God to heal it?

Further Reading:

Hebrews 4:12-13

Psalm 33:13-14

1 John 3:20

How can you know when to trust your own instincts and when to wait for God&rsquo;s guidance? When conflict, difficult decisions, or emotional situations arise, self-reliance can cause us to act or react before seeking God&rsquo;s wisdom. Judges 1:1-4 offers a powerful picture of what it looks like to turn to God first, ask for His direction, and faithfully follow where He leads.
Following Christ doesn&rsquo;t mean we will always know exactly what to do or receive an immediate answer. God often guides us through Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of other believers. As we consistently seek Him in everyday circumstances, we become more attentive to His direction when bigger challenges arise. Learning to follow Christ requires practice, humility, and trust, but we can rest in the assurance that we don&rsquo;t have to figure out every step on our own.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
Why self-reliance can lead us to act or react before seeking God&rsquo;s guidance
</li>
<li>
What Judges 1:1-4 teaches about turning to God for direction
</li>
<li>
How prayer and Scripture help us develop greater spiritual discernment
</li>
<li>
Why God&rsquo;s guidance may come through Scripture, other believers, or the Holy Spirit
</li>
<li>
How practicing dependence on God in everyday situations prepares us for bigger challenges
</li>
<li>
What James 1:5 teaches about asking God for wisdom without fear of criticism
</li>
<li>
Encouragement to trust Christ&rsquo;s leadership rather than trying to figure out every step on your own
</li>
</ul>
Click to Listen to&nbsp;Signs of Life:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was&mdash;and is&mdash;an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Letting God Rake Away What Is Covering Your Heart
By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading:
I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night&mdash;
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
&ndash; Psalm 139:11-12, NLT
I love the way fallen leaves in autumn cover landscapes across many parts of the world. It feels like a song of sweet surrender, as vivid colors float everywhere, then fade into nutrients for the soil. Carpets of fall foliage on lawns, parks, or fields always look so purposeful and romantic to me.
But when we live in modern, manicured places, we often rake these leaves into piles, either composting them for reuse or disposing of them. It&rsquo;s a common seasonal sight, though I&rsquo;m still not sure if it&rsquo;s better to rake or not rake the leaves that grace our lives. It&rsquo;s always interesting to me that we don&rsquo;t need to rake wild forests. They remain entirely in God&rsquo;s hands.&nbsp;
However, when it comes to my heart and yours, let&rsquo;s consider that God may do some spiritual raking. Because sometimes we want to hide ourselves, our feelings, our habits, our lack of faith, from God. That&rsquo;s why Psalm 139 lays out clearly that God sees everything, anyway.&nbsp;
In fact, Psalm 139:11-12 proclaims that &ldquo;even in darkness I cannot hide from you.&rdquo; This entire psalm rejoices that you can turn to God and ask him to search you, bring you into His light, and lead you on the path of everlasting life.
The freedom you gain when you let God &ldquo;uncover&rdquo; you is also celebrated in 2 Corinthians 3:16, when Paul says, &ldquo;But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.&rdquo; Paul is referring to how Moses would cover his face with a veil because the glory of God he reflected was too much for his followers to receive. So, in his New Testament letter, Paul teaches that you and I have been reconciled to God through Jesus. You can let God lift the veil, rake away what you&rsquo;re hiding under, and fully receive the Holy Spirit within you. There&rsquo;s no need to bury yourself in secrecy.
Not only will God rake away what&rsquo;s covering hearts, but he will also dig deeper to pull up stones and plant new life. When Ezekiel 36:26 tells us, &ldquo;and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a new heart of flesh,&rdquo; it refers to God&rsquo;s miraculous power to completely transform a hardened heart that has become cold, inflexible, or impenetrable.&nbsp;
This hardening could be the result of self-protection over many years of pain. Or, it could be a heart turned away from reconciliation by unforgiveness. Or, it could be a refusal to share fears and feelings with God. Ezekiel 36:26 is God&rsquo;s reminder to you and me&mdash;that he sees our struggles anyway.&nbsp;
So, even if you don&rsquo;t see a way to cultivate peace in your own heart, or feel courageous enough to be exposed, God&rsquo;s promise here is that he can do the work for you, if you let him. You and I can bring our hurting, hiding, hardened hearts to God, and welcome his healing. He will rake away what&rsquo;s weighing you down, warming and softening your heart.&nbsp;
So the next time you&rsquo;re working in the yard, or marveling at leaves, remember: John 15 says God is your gardener. Let him rake, prune, and shape you ... so that you will bear much fruit for His glory.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
As you consider the beauty of changing seasons, or the work of raking away anything that&rsquo;s covering something underneath, reflect on these thoughts:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">What can you ask God to reveal to you about anything that may be weighing you down?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Can you recall a time God pruned you and you were better off for it?</li>
<li aria-level="1">If your heart is hurting, how might you pray for God to heal it?</li>
</ul>
Further Reading:
Hebrews 4:12-13
Psalm 33:13-14
1 John 3:20

Letting God Rake Away What Is Covering Your Heart

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/aa130d82-f9f2-4c72-b3ae-b4de0144758b/transcript

How can you know when to trust your own instincts and when to wait for God’s guidance? When conflict, difficult decisions, or emotional situations arise, self-reliance can cause us to act or react before seeking God’s wisdom. Judges 1:1-4 offers a powerful picture of what it looks like to turn to God first, ask for His direction, and faithfully follow where He leads.

Following Christ doesn’t mean we will always know exactly what to do or receive an immediate answer. God often guides us through Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of other believers. As we consistently seek Him in everyday circumstances, we become more attentive to His direction when bigger challenges arise. Learning to follow Christ requires practice, humility, and trust, but we can rest in the assurance that we don’t have to figure out every step on our own.

Highlights


Why self-reliance can lead us to act or react before seeking God’s guidance


What Judges 1:1-4 teaches about turning to God for direction


How prayer and Scripture help us develop greater spiritual discernment


Why God’s guidance may come through Scripture, other believers, or the Holy Spirit


How practicing dependence on God in everyday situations prepares us for bigger challenges


What James 1:5 teaches about asking God for wisdom without fear of criticism


Encouragement to trust Christ’s leadership rather than trying to figure out every step on your own

Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter.

Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

Faithfully Led by Christ
By: Jennifer Slattery

Bible Reading:
After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?” - Judges 1:1.

Some of my deepest relational wounds were self-inflicted. I’m presently dealing with the painful aftereffects of a situation I created through self-reliance. That’s not to say I never prayed for God’s guidance, or that I didn’t try to follow His lead. I did, frequently. But I also acted on my emotions and perspectives far too often, particularly during times of conflict. 

Because of this, at times, I did and said things that hurt the other person and damaged our relationship. In fact, when I consider some of my most painful experiences, I recognize that I brought many of them on myself by acting before receiving God’s guidance, His perspective on the situation, or His strength to love others as He loves me.

That’s one reason I find the book of Judges so comforting, because it highlights God’s grace despite humanity’s persistent rebellion. 

The people started their new season in the Promised Land well. The Israelites appeared to keep their focus on God and His will, even for some time after Joshua, their former leader, died. 

Having witnessed God’s miraculous provision and protection during their desert wanderings, these men and women seemed to recognize how much they needed the Lord’s support. At this point in their history, it appears they didn’t have a strong, central leader—no president, king, or military commander—to follow. 

Yet, rather than relying on themselves, they turned to their true, ever-faithful King, the Almighty. They sought His guidance, and He provided, stating in verse 2, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

Verse 4 records the result: “Judah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek” (Judges 1:4, NASB). 

This reminds me of the promise recorded in James 1:5, which reads, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (NIV).

Intersecting Life & Faith:

Scripture invites me to come to God with all my concerns, questions, and confusion. When I do, God never responds with frustration or criticism. Instead, He welcomes me close, often comforts and strengthens my soul, and provides the wisdom I need to navigate life’s complexities with discernment and grace. 

Sometimes, I “hear” His directions in that moment. Most often, however, His guidance comes later, in His perfect timing, whether that's through Scripture, a conversation with another Christ-follower, or a growing but gentle conviction from the Holy Spirit.

I’m learning, I’m most apt to recognize His voice when I practice connecting with Him while tuning my spiritual ears to Him. This intentionality and consistency in everyday experiences help me recognize His voice in situations that feel “high stakes”—like with the relationship I mentioned at the beginning of this devotion.

In my present, healing-but-not-yet-whole situation, the Lord provided understanding of the other person’s fears and their hurts I wouldn’t have known otherwise. This reduced my tendency toward defensiveness while increasing my ability to remain focused on the real issue, rather than outward behavior (symptoms). He’s also shown me ways some of my past actions caused harm, along with how I can interact differently in the future. 

Not only have these divine insights facilitated relational healing, but they’ve also dramatically reduced my angst by reminding me that I’m not alone. I don’t have to figure out each step; I simply need to follow the One who has promised to lead me to His very best (John 10:10).

As I consistently turn to Christ and yield to His Spirit within, I’m better able to follow the example provided in the opening of Judges. As I do, something beautiful occurs. God’s faithfulness deepens my trust and increases my desire to seek His guidance before actingor reacting.

Again, this takes practice, intentionality, and consistency, as many of us have spent our entire lives strengthening our self-reliance. Thankfully, we’re not traveling this transformation journey alone. The God who led ancient Israel into the Promised Land longs to guide us through our challenges, big and small, as well. 

Consider: How might responding to God's guidance in everyday situations increase your ability to recognize His direction when facing life's bigger battles? And if this is an area you long to grow in, I invite you to join me and my cohost Carol McCracken on the Faith Over Fear podcast for our upcoming series on hearing God. Because the Lord is leading us. The question is, are we alert and responsive to His guidance? 

Further Reading:
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 25:4-5
Galatians 5:16, 22-25

How can you know when to trust your own instincts and when to wait for God&rsquo;s guidance? When conflict, difficult decisions, or emotional situations arise, self-reliance can cause us to act or react before seeking God&rsquo;s wisdom. Judges 1:1-4 offers a powerful picture of what it looks like to turn to God first, ask for His direction, and faithfully follow where He leads.
Following Christ doesn&rsquo;t mean we will always know exactly what to do or receive an immediate answer. God often guides us through Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of other believers. As we consistently seek Him in everyday circumstances, we become more attentive to His direction when bigger challenges arise. Learning to follow Christ requires practice, humility, and trust, but we can rest in the assurance that we don&rsquo;t have to figure out every step on our own.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
Why self-reliance can lead us to act or react before seeking God&rsquo;s guidance
</li>
<li>
What Judges 1:1-4 teaches about turning to God for direction
</li>
<li>
How prayer and Scripture help us develop greater spiritual discernment
</li>
<li>
Why God&rsquo;s guidance may come through Scripture, other believers, or the Holy Spirit
</li>
<li>
How practicing dependence on God in everyday situations prepares us for bigger challenges
</li>
<li>
What James 1:5 teaches about asking God for wisdom without fear of criticism
</li>
<li>
Encouragement to trust Christ&rsquo;s leadership rather than trying to figure out every step on your own
</li>
</ul>
Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to <a href="https://newsletters.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword">The Good Word,</a> LifeAudio&rsquo;s free weekly newsletter.
Sign up at <a href="https://newsletters.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword">LifeAudio.com/thegoodword</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Faithfully Led by Christ By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading: After the death&nbsp;of Joshua, the Israelites asked the&nbsp;Lord, &ldquo;Who of us is to go up first&nbsp;to fight against the Canaanites?&rdquo; - Judges 1:1.
Some of my deepest relational wounds were self-inflicted. I&rsquo;m presently dealing with the painful aftereffects of a situation I created through self-reliance. That&rsquo;s not to say I never prayed for God&rsquo;s guidance, or that I didn&rsquo;t try to follow His lead. I did, frequently. But I also acted on my emotions and perspectives far too often, particularly during times of conflict.&nbsp;
Because of this, at times, I did and said things that hurt the other person and damaged our relationship. In fact, when I consider some of my most painful experiences, I recognize that I brought many of them on myself by acting before receiving God&rsquo;s guidance, His perspective on the situation, or His strength to love others as He loves me.
That&rsquo;s one reason I find the book of Judges so comforting, because it highlights God&rsquo;s grace despite humanity&rsquo;s persistent rebellion.&nbsp;
The people started their new season in the Promised Land well. The Israelites appeared to keep their focus on God and His will, even for some time after Joshua, their former leader, died.&nbsp;
Having witnessed God&rsquo;s miraculous provision and protection during their desert wanderings, these men and women seemed to recognize how much they needed the Lord&rsquo;s support. At this point in their history, it appears they didn&rsquo;t have a strong, central leader&mdash;no president, king, or military commander&mdash;to follow.&nbsp;
Yet, rather than relying on themselves, they turned to their true, ever-faithful King, the Almighty. They sought His guidance, and He provided, stating in verse 2, &ldquo;Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.&rdquo;
Verse 4 records the result: &ldquo;Judah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek&rdquo; (Judges 1:4, NASB).&nbsp;
This reminds me of the promise recorded in James 1:5, which reads, &ldquo;If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,&nbsp;who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you&rdquo; (NIV).
Intersecting Life &amp; Faith:
Scripture invites me to come to God with all my concerns, questions, and confusion. When I do, God never responds with frustration or criticism. Instead, He welcomes me close, often comforts and strengthens my soul, and provides the wisdom I need to navigate life&rsquo;s complexities with discernment and grace.&nbsp;
Sometimes, I &ldquo;hear&rdquo; His directions in that moment. Most often, however, His guidance comes later, in His perfect timing, whether that's through Scripture, a conversation with another Christ-follower, or a growing but gentle conviction from the Holy Spirit.
I&rsquo;m learning, I&rsquo;m most apt to recognize His voice when I practice connecting with Him while tuning my spiritual ears to Him. This intentionality and consistency in everyday experiences help me recognize His voice in situations that feel &ldquo;high stakes&rdquo;&mdash;like with the relationship I mentioned at the beginning of this devotion.
In my present, healing-but-not-yet-whole situation, the Lord provided understanding of the other person&rsquo;s fears and their hurts I wouldn&rsquo;t have known otherwise. This reduced my tendency toward defensiveness while increasing my ability to remain focused on the real issue, rather than outward behavior (symptoms). He&rsquo;s also shown me ways some of my past actions caused harm, along with how I can interact differently in the future.&nbsp;
Not only have these divine insights facilitated relational healing, but they&rsquo;ve also dramatically reduced my angst by reminding me that I&rsquo;m not alone. I don&rsquo;t have to figure out each step; I simply need to follow the One who has promised to lead me to His very best (John 10:10).
As I consistently turn to Christ and yield to His Spirit within, I&rsquo;m better able to follow the example provided in the opening of Judges. As I do, something beautiful occurs. God&rsquo;s faithfulness deepens my trust and increases my desire to seek His guidance before acting or reacting.
Again, this takes practice, intentionality, and consistency, as many of us have spent our entire lives strengthening our self-reliance. Thankfully, we&rsquo;re not traveling this transformation journey alone. The God who led ancient Israel into the Promised Land longs to guide us through our challenges, big and small, as well.&nbsp;
Consider: How might responding to God's guidance in everyday situations increase your ability to recognize His direction when facing life's bigger battles? And if this is an area you long to grow in, I invite you to join me and my cohost Carol McCracken on the Faith Over Fear podcast for our upcoming series on hearing God. Because the Lord is leading us. The question is, are we alert and responsive to His guidance?&nbsp;
Further Reading: Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 25:4-5 Galatians 5:16, 22-25

Faithfully Led by Christ

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/e2db8c3e-cc42-4951-9e42-b4db00eb6b7a/transcript

How can you pass your faith on to the next generation? Sharing stories about God’s faithfulness, answered prayers, and the ways He has carried you through difficult seasons can have a lasting impact on children, grandchildren, and younger people in your life. Your testimony doesn’t have to be dramatic or perfectly presented to encourage someone else to trust God.

Psalm 78:2-4 reminds us of the importance of telling the next generation about God’s power and the wonderful things He has done. The faith stories you share can help younger people see that God is not only part of Bible history—He is active, present, and trustworthy today. Whether you’re talking around the dinner table, spending time with family, or encouraging someone at church, everyday conversations can become opportunities to share your faith and leave a spiritual legacy that points others toward God.

Highlights


Why sharing stories of God’s faithfulness can strengthen the faith of the next generation


What Psalm 78:2-4 teaches about telling others what God has done


How stories of answered prayer can inspire younger people to develop their own prayer lives


Why you don’t need to be a Bible scholar or public speaker to share your faith


Practical ways to talk about God with children, grandchildren, and younger people in your community


How your testimony can help younger people connect God’s faithfulness in the past with hope for their future


Questions to help you identify opportunities to encourage someone younger through your own story of God’s work

Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter.

Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

Tell the Next Generation

By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:

“I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old – things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.” – Psalm 78:2-4, NIV

My paternal grandmother, Lena Wyckoff, told me many memorable stories about how God worked in her life before she passed away at age 98. She emphasized how God was close by her side through everything she experienced – in good and bad circumstances alike. Grandma’s long life was full of highs and lows. She enjoyed lots of love in her life from family and friends, yet she was widowed young and suffered a lot as a single mother afterward. She faced many challenges, but she overcame them all with God’s help. Along the way, Grandma stayed close to God through prayer and recorded the details of how God answered her prayers. She shared wonderful stories with me about the power of prayer and God’s faithful answers to prayers. Thanks to Grandma’s stories, I was inspired to build my own prayer life with God.

Think back to the stories you heard when you were growing up. Maybe a parent, a grandparent, a Sunday school teacher, or a close friend sat with you and shared about how God was working in their lives. They told you about the prayers God answered, the times God brought them through difficult seasons, and the wonderful ways God showed his love. Those stories were not just nice memories from the past. They were living seeds of faith planted into your heart to help you understand who God is and how well he cares for you.

In Psalm 78:2-4, the Bible reminds you that you have an important role to play in God’s plans by passing along the stories of how God has worked in your life. God wants you to share his praiseworthy deeds, his power, and the wonders he has done with the next generation of people, like your descendants, and other younger people you know.

You don’t need to be a biblical scholar or an experienced public speaker to share inspiring stories of God at work. All God asks you to do is be an honest witness of how he has worked so far in your life. You can do so well just by sharing genuine stories about God in your everyday conversations with the people you know. God will bring you lots of opportunities to tell the next generation about him. You can tell stories whenever you’re spending time with your children and grandchildren – especially during family meals, when everyone is paying attention to family conversations. You can also share your stories with young people you know from your church and other places in your community. Get to know a few younger people as friends, offer to pray for them about the concerns they share with you, and share stories of how God has helped you in similar situations.

When you share your stories about God, you help younger people make connections between God’s faithfulness in the past and the hope they need for the future. Every time you share a story of God’s wonderful work in your life, you help a younger person see that God is real, active, and trustworthy today. You help them realize that the same God who performed wonders in the Bible, and who guided believers throughout history, is ready to guide them in their own lives right now.

Never underestimate the power of your positive influence on the next generation when you share your stories about God. Even the simplest stories you tell younger people about God’s wonderful work in your life can help them learn and grow closer to God.

So, ask God to help you notice the opportunities he gives you to share your faith stories, and to share the Gospel message in fresh ways through those stories. Your stories have eternal value!

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider why it’s important to share stories of God’s wonderful work with younger people, reflect on these questions:

 

Who in your past faithfully shared God’s wonders with you, and how did their words inspire you to grow closer to God? 
What’s one story of how God answered your prayers that you can share with someone younger this week? 
What fears might hold you back from sharing your faith stories, and how can you rely on God to help you overcome those fears? 
How can you make plans in your schedule regularly to talk about God with the young people around you? 
Who is a young person in your life right now who needs encouragement? How can you pray for that person today and share an encouraging story with him or her?

Further Reading:

Joel 1:3

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Psalm 145:4

2 Timothy 1:5

Psalm 71:18

How can you pass your faith on to the next generation? Sharing stories about God&rsquo;s faithfulness, answered prayers, and the ways He has carried you through difficult seasons can have a lasting impact on children, grandchildren, and younger people in your life. Your testimony doesn&rsquo;t have to be dramatic or perfectly presented to encourage someone else to trust God.
Psalm 78:2-4 reminds us of the importance of telling the next generation about God&rsquo;s power and the wonderful things He has done. The faith stories you share can help younger people see that God is not only part of Bible history&mdash;He is active, present, and trustworthy today. Whether you&rsquo;re talking around the dinner table, spending time with family, or encouraging someone at church, everyday conversations can become opportunities to share your faith and leave a spiritual legacy that points others toward God.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
Why sharing stories of God&rsquo;s faithfulness can strengthen the faith of the next generation
</li>
<li>
What Psalm 78:2-4 teaches about telling others what God has done
</li>
<li>
How stories of answered prayer can inspire younger people to develop their own prayer lives
</li>
<li>
Why you don&rsquo;t need to be a Bible scholar or public speaker to share your faith
</li>
<li>
Practical ways to talk about God with children, grandchildren, and younger people in your community
</li>
<li>
How your testimony can help younger people connect God&rsquo;s faithfulness in the past with hope for their future
</li>
<li>
Questions to help you identify opportunities to encourage someone younger through your own story of God&rsquo;s work
</li>
</ul>
Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to <a href="https://newsletters.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword">The Good Word,</a> LifeAudio&rsquo;s free weekly newsletter.
Sign up at <a href="https://newsletters.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword">LifeAudio.com/thegoodword</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Tell the Next Generation
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
&ldquo;I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old &ndash; things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.&rdquo; &ndash; Psalm 78:2-4, NIV
My paternal grandmother, Lena Wyckoff, told me many memorable stories about how God worked in her life before she passed away at age 98. She emphasized how God was close by her side through everything she experienced &ndash; in good and bad circumstances alike. Grandma&rsquo;s long life was full of highs and lows. She enjoyed lots of love in her life from family and friends, yet she was widowed young and suffered a lot as a single mother afterward. She faced many challenges, but she overcame them all with God&rsquo;s help. Along the way, Grandma stayed close to God through prayer and recorded the details of how God answered her prayers. She shared wonderful stories with me about<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/does-prayer-really-work.html"> the power of prayer</a> and<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/if-were-not-sure-we-will-be-answered-why-pray.html"> God&rsquo;s faithful answers to prayers</a>. Thanks to Grandma&rsquo;s stories, I was inspired to build my own prayer life with God.
Think back to the stories you heard when you were growing up. Maybe a parent, a grandparent, a Sunday school teacher, or a close friend sat with you and shared about how God was working in their lives. They told you about the prayers God answered, the times God brought them through difficult seasons, and the wonderful ways God showed his love. Those stories were not just nice memories from the past. They were living seeds of faith planted into your heart to help you understand who God is and how well he cares for you.
In Psalm 78:2-4, the Bible reminds you that you have an important role to play in God&rsquo;s plans by passing along the stories of how God has worked in your life. God wants you to share his praiseworthy deeds, his power, and the wonders he has done with the next generation of people, like your descendants, and other younger people you know.
You don&rsquo;t need to be a biblical scholar or an experienced public speaker to share inspiring stories of God at work. All God asks you to do is be an honest witness of how he has worked so far in your life. You can do so well just by sharing genuine stories about God in your everyday conversations with the people you know. God will bring you lots of opportunities to tell the next generation about him. You can tell stories whenever you&rsquo;re spending time with your children and grandchildren &ndash; especially during family meals, when everyone is paying attention to family conversations. You can also share your stories with young people you know from your church and other places in your community. Get to know a few younger people as friends, offer to pray for them about the concerns they share with you, and share stories of how God has helped you in similar situations.
When you share your stories about God, you help younger people make connections between God&rsquo;s faithfulness in the past and the hope they need for the future. Every time you share a story of<a href="https://amzn.to/2Ghj2kp"> God&rsquo;s wonderful work in your life</a>, you help a younger person see that God is real, active, and trustworthy today. You help them realize that the same God who performed wonders in the Bible, and who guided believers throughout history, is ready to guide them in their own lives right now.
Never underestimate the power of your positive influence on the next generation when you share your stories about God. Even the simplest stories you tell younger people about God&rsquo;s wonderful work in your life can help them learn and grow closer to God.
So, ask God to help you notice the opportunities he gives you to share your faith stories, and to<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/fresh-ways-to-spread-the-gospel.html"> share the Gospel message in fresh ways</a> through those stories. Your stories have eternal value!
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
As you consider why it&rsquo;s important to share stories of God&rsquo;s wonderful work with younger people, reflect on these questions:
&nbsp;
Who in your past faithfully shared God&rsquo;s wonders with you, and how did their words inspire you to grow closer to God?&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">What&rsquo;s one story of how God answered your prayers that you can share with someone younger this week?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">What fears might hold you back from sharing your faith stories, and how can you rely on God to help you overcome those fears?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">How can you make plans in your schedule regularly to talk about God with the young people around you?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Who is a young person in your life right now who needs encouragement? How can you pray for that person today and share an encouraging story with him or her?</li>
</ul>
Further Reading:
Joel 1:3
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Psalm 145:4
2 Timothy 1:5
Psalm 71:18

Tell the Next Generation

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/3d0a07c1-c2a8-4dfe-b0d7-b4db00df271d/transcript

The Face of God

In 1 playlist(s)

The Crosswalk Devotional

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips