1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio. If you've ever found yourself tired, overwhelmed, weary, 2 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: maybe even doubtful about God's care for you, maybe you 3 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: don't need more. Maybe what you actually need is a 4 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: focus on less. Hey, everyone, welcome to how to Say 5 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: the Bible. I'm Nicole, your host, and I'm super glad 6 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: to be with you today as we take a little 7 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: moment to talk about how we can engage with God, 8 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 1: perhaps with less and here obviously on how to Say 9 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: the Bible. We love to work through passages. We love 10 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: to go deep in the gospel, as we just did 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: the Gospel of Mark, and grow in grace and knowledge, 12 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: as it says in Second Peter. For sure, that is 13 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: an important part of the faith. But there's another part 14 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: of the faith as well that I want to make 15 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 1: sure that we talk about today, just in a very 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: sort of brief episode, and that's about what we can 17 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 1: do when we're feeling quite weary, when we're feeling perhaps empty, 18 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: and we're wondering where God is or how we can 19 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: feel his love, his grace, his power in our lives. 20 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: And sometimes we might find ourselves kind of in some 21 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: habits or in some rhythms that we've been in for 22 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: a long time. We're going to church and we're going 23 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: to our bibble study, and yet there is this sense 24 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: of just want to experience the goodness of God in 25 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 1: my life, and maybe we're feeling a little gap there. 26 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: So if that's you, or if that's ever been you, 27 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: I just want to have just a personal devotion time 28 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: with you about some of the practices that I have 29 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: four times when I feel weary. You know, at this 30 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: time of the year, a lot of people might be 31 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: feeling like they've made it through if you have children 32 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: getting kind of through school and thinking forward to the summer, 33 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: where might there might be a little bit more rest 34 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: or a little bit more space. But I know for me, 35 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: we just graduated our youngest from high school and it's 36 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: just been a very, very full season. It's been full 37 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: of lots of great things, but also I am as 38 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: a mother preparing for the empty nest and juggling kids 39 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: in three different locations and a job with lots of 40 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: different clients and needs, and also wanting to be in 41 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: my local community. So you know, sometimes life can be 42 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: full of good things, and even that can be wearisome, 43 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: or you know, you might be in a season like 44 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: I am of a big transition and you're just looking 45 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: for where God is in the midst of that, and 46 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: so out of my own experience in times like this, 47 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: one of the things that I really like to do 48 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: is less And I don't mean necessarily taking things off 49 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: your calendar, although that could be really important, And I 50 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: don't mean stopping searching for God, but maybe it's about 51 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: doing that in a different way, about engaging with God 52 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 1: slightly differently than perhaps how we usually do here on 53 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: the podcast. So what I want to do is just 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: walk you through a very simple practice today, which is 55 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: to be writing down scripture in your own hand, so 56 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,239 Speaker 1: super important, not typing it, but actually handwriting it and 57 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: finding those scriptures. If we were to say, like, you're 58 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: almost your curated library for yourself of scripture that has 59 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: been encouraging and affirming words that you know that you 60 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: need to hear. And there's a lot of ways to 61 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: do this. If you've been following this podcast for a 62 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: long time, or if you've been in the Word for 63 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: a long time, you might have some of these in 64 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: your sort of personal library. But if you're new to that, 65 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: I want you to know that if you have a 66 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: study Bible you don't even need a study Bible. You 67 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: can use a search engine as well in your computer. 68 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: You know, you can search for what you're needing. So 69 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: let's say you're feeling weary or you're feeling down. You 70 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: could search for peace. You could search the word weary, 71 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: you could search the word tired and see what scriptures 72 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: come up. And so before this episode, I just spent 73 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: a few minutes doing that search for myself and being 74 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: reminded of some of these key verses that have been 75 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: a part of my story and have been in that 76 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: kind of personal library of scriptures for my whole life. 77 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: But I don't I don't have I haven't been doing 78 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: this practice in a while because sometimes we come in 79 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: and out of different ways of engaging with God. And 80 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: so right before this episode, I just sat down and 81 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: found some of those scriptures again, went to them in 82 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: my Bible. And I like to use post it notes, 83 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: so I will then write in my own hand on 84 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 1: that post it note and post it somewhere that I 85 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: am going to be seeing it every day, and I'm 86 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: going to walk you through just some of the ones 87 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: that I chose. And I like to do this. Some 88 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: people like the Beth more approach, which I've used before, 89 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: which is to have an index card index cards on 90 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: a ring, So you punch holes in index cards and 91 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: you put them on a metal ring. These are all 92 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: very inexpensive things that you can buy at the craft store, 93 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: and you start your own personal library because you write 94 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: a new scripture on those index cards and then you 95 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: carry it with you. It's in your card, it's in 96 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: your purse, you know, it's in your work bag, and 97 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: any time that you have a few moments to yourself, 98 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: you're able to flip through those as a way to 99 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: memorize scripture. So the reason we believe in memorizing scripture 100 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: as a habit and a practice that can really build 101 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: your faith in your life that comes straight from Psalm one, 102 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: nineteen eleven. And in Psalm one nineteen eleven, it says, 103 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: I have hidden your word in my heart that I 104 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: might not sin against you. I have hidden your word 105 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: in my heart that I might not sin against you. 106 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,799 Speaker 1: And this whole idea is moving scripture into our long 107 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: term memory. Long term memory is the place where you 108 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: probably have a whole library of song lyrics that you 109 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: could sing right now, even if you haven't heard a 110 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: song in fifteen years. The melody comes on and you're like, 111 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: I know the words to this song. I was just 112 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: at a church service in New York City with my 113 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 1: son last week and the youth band was playing. They 114 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: were leading the service, which was delightful, and they did 115 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: a little like instrumental jazz at the beginning and the 116 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: end of the service. And at the end of the 117 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: service they started playing instrumental jazz and I was looking 118 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,119 Speaker 1: around because I thought, oh, wait, is someone singing the song? 119 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: No one was singing the song. It's just that everyone 120 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: knows the song. So people were actually just singing the 121 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: song as they were walking out. The song was Don't 122 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: Stop Journey, and so it was I was like, oh, 123 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: is someone singing on the stage. 124 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: Now? 125 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: It was just someone singing behind me and many people 126 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: around me singing because a lot of people know those lyrics. 127 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: We just have this way in our long term memory 128 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: of being able to access even things that we haven't 129 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: heard in a really long time. Now, imagine if you 130 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: were able to do that with God's word, that no 131 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: matter where you were, no matter the circumstance, whether you 132 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: had a Bible with you or not, you were able 133 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: to access God's word hidden in your heart. That's the 134 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: idea behind scripture, memorization, or even behind this practice, whether 135 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: you memorize or not. When we slow down and we 136 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: write things in our own hand, it actually lands in 137 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: our brain differently than typing. The practice, the physical practice 138 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: of forming the letters and of actually moving our hand, 139 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: and the way that our eyes see it, the way 140 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: that our brains process it is different than if we 141 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: were just typing or listening. So I wrote, I've hidden 142 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: my word in your heart that I might not sin 143 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: against you. That's my first post. It note up as 144 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: a reminder of what we do and why we want 145 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: to look even at familiar passages over and over again, 146 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: so that they might live deep in our heart. God 147 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: can then use those words that He's hidden in our 148 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: heart so that the Holy Spirit can instruct us when 149 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: we are in prayer, when we are maybe worried or 150 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: anxious about a relationship or about a circumstance that we 151 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: find ourselves in, the Holy Spirit can then access those 152 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: words in our heart and they come to mind. And 153 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: that's a beautiful thing about studying the Bible is doing 154 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: less slowing down. It takes a long time to handwrite 155 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: especially if you haven't been handwriting, if you've been on 156 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: your phone or your computer a lot. It takes a 157 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: long time to hand write out, so you're doing less, 158 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: but it's going deeper. So the first scripture that I 159 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: wrote in this context of okay, what do I need 160 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: when I'm weary? What do I need when I'm feeling depleted? 161 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 1: And I wrote First Corinthians four, verse one, and it says, therefore, 162 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do 163 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 1: not lose heart. I loved this verse. It stood out 164 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: to me in a new way today because as I 165 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: wrote it, and that therefore come us since through God's mercy. 166 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: Slowing down to write that, it was like it fell 167 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: on me fresh that the only ministry I have is 168 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: through the mercy of God. It's not through my own work. 169 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: It's not through my own like getting it done and 170 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: massive to do. List anything I do to the glory 171 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: of God, and anything you do to the glory of God. 172 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: Anything you work at. You work at your job, you 173 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: work in your family, you work on your marriage, You 174 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: work in the way that you are called to ministry in, 175 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: whether that's a volunteer or vocational capacity to be reminded 176 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: the only ministry we have is through God's mercy. It 177 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: is his and we get to steward it, and that's 178 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 1: why we don't lose heart. Now, if I was reading quickly, 179 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: if I was trying to cover this whole chapter, and 180 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: maybe I had fifteen minutes in the morning, I might 181 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: have missed that moment of oh, yes, this is the 182 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: reminder I need today. Everything I do is because of 183 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: God's affection on my life. Like, he's not upset that 184 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: I'm not doing more. He's not like tapping his toe 185 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: with his arms crossed looking at me, like why aren't 186 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: you doing more for me? Everything we have is through 187 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: his mercy, and that's why we don't lose heart, because 188 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: we're not dependent and reliant on ourselves. We reliant on Him. 189 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: So I wrote down First Corinthians four to one, and 190 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: I'm glad to have that reminder today. I went on 191 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: from there and I wrote down Second Corinthians for seven 192 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: through nine. And in this passage this is just a continuation. 193 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: I know I just said First Corinthians, but that's actually 194 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: from and I wrote it wrong on my on my 195 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: posting note, it's tewod Corinthians for one is that verse 196 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: that I just shared with you, And then I went 197 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 1: on in that chapter a little bit down from there, 198 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: and this is where the whole idea for this podcast 199 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: started because hidden in my heart was this phrase. It's 200 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: one of my favorite phrases in scripture, and the phrase 201 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: from Tewod Corinthians four, verse seven is we have this 202 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: treasure in jars of clay, and I have to confess. 203 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: I remember we have this treasure in jars of clay. 204 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: I always remember that part. But the rest isn't hitten 205 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: in my heart as deeply as that imagery. I think. 206 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: I love the imagery and the reminder that a jar 207 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: of clay is fragile and can break, but inside of 208 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: it is where the treasure is. That God's given us 209 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: a treasure inside and he knows that we are jars 210 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: of clay, that we're limited, and that we're fragile. So 211 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: this is That's what the rest of the verse says, 212 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to 213 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: show that this all surpassing power is from God and 214 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, 215 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but 216 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. I knew I 217 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: loved this passage, but I love it even more as 218 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: I've handwritten it today, because again I'm reminded that life 219 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: is hard, not life can be hard. Life is hard. 220 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: We are hard pressed on every side. We are perplexed 221 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: about things in life. Everyone that I know who is 222 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: a human being is perplexed about something. I mean, I 223 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: think babies are perplexed about things when they're crying and 224 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: they're like, why can't I have my needs met right now? 225 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: We are just perplexed beings. But we don't have to 226 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: be despairing human beings. We don't have to feel abandoned 227 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: because we're not. We may be persecuted, because this world 228 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: is a place that is corrupted by sin, and that 229 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: sin permeates every part of our life. We experience persecution. 230 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: We may be we will be struck down, but we 231 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: won't be destroyed. So we have in this passage, this 232 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: reality check about what life is like, coupled with the truth, 233 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: the deep truth that everything we have is from God, 234 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: and He is the one who keeps us from being crushed, 235 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 1: from being in despair, from feeling abandoned, from being destroyed. 236 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: His power keeps us exactly where we are meant to be, 237 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: and that is a beautiful truth as well. The next 238 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: one I wrote down was from Isaiah forty, and Isaiah 239 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: forty has some verses in it that a lot of 240 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: people are familiar with because it's like that we will 241 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: mount up on wings like eagles, that concept. But before 242 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: that part in the chapter, this is what it says 243 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: Isaiah forty twenty eight through twenty nine. The Lord is 244 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: the everlasting God, creator of the ends of the earth. 245 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: He will not grow tired or weary. He gives strength 246 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: to the weary and increases the power of the week. 247 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: You know, I love a straightforward verse. I love a 248 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: verse that does not require interpretation to be true. It's 249 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: just one hundred percent true. And this is such a 250 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: confidence building verse because this is a verse that you 251 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: can pray back to God. You can say, God, you 252 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: yourself have told me that you give strength to the weary, 253 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: that you increase the power of the week. Father, I 254 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: am feeling weary, I am feeling weak, and I trust 255 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: and believe and know in the deepest part of my 256 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: heart that you will give me strength and you will 257 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: increase my power and that strength might not look like 258 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: physical strength, it might not look like more energy necessarily, 259 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: and then the way we understand energy. But what it 260 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: does mean is that God is going to give us 261 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: what we need to persevere, and that we can experience 262 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: Him in our inmost being in a way that gives 263 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: us strength in our spirit. Even if our body is failing, 264 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: even if the circumstances in our life make us feel 265 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: like we're crushed, God can strengthen us, and we can 266 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: claim that promise because it is not conditional. And in fact, 267 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: what the prophet Isaiah is really doing is saying, look 268 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: at how the Lord has created the whole earth. Look 269 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: at how he watches over the whole earth. He is 270 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: never tired, he is never weary. Therefore he gives strength. 271 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: Your only qualification for this verse is that you need 272 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: to be weary and you need to be weak. If 273 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: you are weary or weak or both, then this verse 274 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: tells us we can pray back to God. I know 275 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: that you will strengthen me. I know you will increase 276 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: my mind power. Next up first Peter five Versus six 277 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: through sub seven. This says, humble yourselves, therefore, under God's 278 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time, 279 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares for you. 280 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 1: Now I love this because this again is a reminder 281 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: that God is in control, that his timing may not 282 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: be our timing, but he will lift you up in 283 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: the right moment. And we are given full permission to 284 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: bring every anxiety, every worry, every concern, even the anxieties 285 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: and worries that we wish we didn't have, or even 286 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: the anxieties and worries that we feel like our sin 287 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: because we want to trust God but we're not. He 288 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: doesn't qualify this statement. Once again, it's all your anxieties. 289 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: He cares for you, so he can take all of 290 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: your anxieties. You can cast them out. I love that 291 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: visual of casting. If you imagine if you've ever fished 292 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: and you've cast out a line, it's such a great 293 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: feeling when you release the line and you hear that 294 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 1: zip as the line goes so much further than you 295 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: could ever throw it, so much further than you could 296 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 1: place it, and it zips out there. And you can 297 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: even imagine mentally as you pray that you are casting 298 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: out this line, where you're casting that anxiety over to God, 299 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: and he's catching it and holding it because he cares 300 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,479 Speaker 1: so deeply for you, and there's no anxiety too small 301 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: or too great. There is no worry too irrational or 302 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: too real to be kept in his caring hands. Finally, 303 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: last verse for our time today is from Galatians six. 304 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: Verse nine says let us not become weary in doing good, 305 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 1: for at the proper time we will reap a harvest 306 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: if we do not give up. And this is related, 307 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: of course to the first Peter verse, because at both 308 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: of these verses there's this sense that God's timing is 309 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: not our timing, that there is a proper time. There 310 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: is a due time, and that might not be our time, 311 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,959 Speaker 1: but it is God's time, and our job is to 312 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: continue to do good. Our job is to not get weary, 313 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: even when we feel weary, to not get weary of 314 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: continuing to bring forth the grace and the love of 315 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: Jesus in our life. In every way we can, little 316 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: ways and big ways, and if we're honest with ourselves, 317 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: every day provides us an opportunity to accept the grace 318 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 1: of God, to give the grace of God, to accept 319 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: God's love for us, to receive and pass back out 320 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: God's life to us. We always have an opportunity to 321 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: do that. And the promise that we find here in 322 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: the Book of Galatians is that we will reap a harvest. 323 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: God sees the good that you do. God sees your faithfulness. 324 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: God sees the way that you continue to trust Him 325 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: even when it's difficult. God sees the way you continue 326 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 1: to persevere in your life, even when it feels like 327 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: you've been waiting longer than you could have ever expected 328 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: to wait or ever thought you would need to wait. 329 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 1: That God sees that, and that that is catalogued in 330 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: his heart, and that those seeds that are being planted 331 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: each day that you persevere, each day that you show 332 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: up for God, each day that you show up for 333 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: your life, each day that you continue to put one 334 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: foot in front of the other, those are seeds that 335 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: will become a harvest. And all we have to do 336 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: is just keep on. We just have to keep on. 337 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: So I wrote those verses on my post it notes. 338 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: I placed them in a place where I read them. 339 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 1: I will probably read these five verses for the next 340 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: month until my mind stops seeing them wherever I've put 341 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: them on my bathroom mirror in front of my office, 342 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: and then it's time for a new set. And that's 343 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: one of the ways that I find that less can 344 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: actually be more so friends. On that note, we are 345 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: taking a summer break, as we have done for most summers, 346 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: of how to study the Bible, and we'll be replaying 347 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: some of our favorites that we've recorded over the past 348 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: five years. So you can continue to show up here 349 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: and be encouraged in scripture, be encouraged in your growth. 350 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: But I also wanted to offer you another idea and 351 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: another perspective for less is more that you might be 352 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: able to also put this into practice if you are 353 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: feeling weary, if you are feeling tired, And I am 354 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: trusting as God does that even in my own weariness 355 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,880 Speaker 1: from the amount of things going on, that God has 356 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: promised that he will I'll give strength and increase the 357 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: power so of the week. And I am the first 358 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: to raise my hand to say I am weak. So 359 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to this break. I've removed a few 360 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: different things from life for this summer. I don't want 361 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: to miss what this last summer with my last child 362 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: home really feels like. And I am very easily tempted 363 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: to work more or do more, and I want to 364 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: do less and be more present. So I'm looking forward 365 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: to that. I will miss you, guys, but I hope 366 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: and I trust that God's word is living inactive, which 367 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: means if you heard an episode three years ago and 368 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: you hear it again, God is going to let it 369 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: fall fresh on your heart and in your mind. I'm 370 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: going to be doing the same thing. So we will 371 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 1: be back together with new episodes and with a new 372 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 1: place we're going in the fall. In the meantime, if 373 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: you haven't yet, I would love for you to sign 374 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: up for my newsletter. You can go to my website 375 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: Nicoleunice dot com and you'll find that sign up right there. 376 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: I send out a monthly newsletter with just a touch 377 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 1: base point for everyone, all my listeners, and it also 378 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: gives me a chance to hear from you. So if 379 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,959 Speaker 1: there's something that you've been wanting to study, or a 380 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: subject or a question that you've been hoping I would 381 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: cover on the podcast, that's your chance for us to 382 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,239 Speaker 1: have direct communication, which I absolutely love. So you can 383 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: go to Nicoleunis dot com and sign up for my 384 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: newsletter and that will keep you informed about where we're 385 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,679 Speaker 1: going next. All Right, everyone, have a fantastic summer, and 386 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: I'll see you again in the fall. 387 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 2: How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unis is a 388 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 2: production of Live Audio and Salem Media. If you like 389 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,360 Speaker 2: what you heard today, please take a second to rate 390 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: and review the podcast and your favorite podcast app so 391 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 2: that more listeners like you can find the show. 392 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: For more faith 393 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 2: Filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at liveaudio dot com.