Believe & Speak

Why does the Bible say God heals all my diseases when He doesn’t? A tough question like that can cloud our understanding of God, but the right focus clears away doubt.

Focusing on the good things God has done may not change bad things we might currently be struggling with, but the right focus will change our attitude. Today I’ll share three good things God has done from Psalm 103 to help us keep the right focus.

Psalm 103 was written by David, the King of Israel who did heroic things like kill Goliath. He also did bad things like adultery and murder. David knew that sickness and death are the result of sin, and I think that’s why he wrote in Psalm 103:3, “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.”  This world won’t be free of disease until it is free of sin, and the world obviously isn’t free of sin. But the first good thing we need to remember is this:

God forgives all my sins.

Disease and pain are a part of life because of sin, but God’s grace covers our sin. There’s no sickness in heaven, and when we praise God, we bring a little bit of heaven to earth. Rather than focus on the results of sin, we can focus on the God who forgives all our sins.

The second good thing to remember is this:

God cancels the debt of my sins. 

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Even though sin invaded the world—and with it, sickness and death—Jesus paid the penalty for us. Death has lost its sting, so ultimately disease has also lost its power. We may not receive healing till heaven, but we can look forward to spending forever in a place completely free of all disease.

As king, David knew the symbolism of a crown, and he wrote that God “crowns me with love and tender mercies.” The third good thing we don’t want to forget is this:

God guards me from the shame of my sins. 

Does anybody need another reason to praise God than that? No guilt. No shame. Only love and tender mercies. Sin doesn’t define us. Disease doesn’t define us. God defines us and He calls us His own children. Our inheritance is in heaven. God crowns us, which means He surrounds and protects us. God has given us a crown of righteousness and victory, not a mark of guilt and shame. The next time tough questions raise doubts and stifle our praise, let’s remember the good things God has done: He forgives all our sins, cancels the debt of our sins and guards us from the shame of our sins.

Please share this episode. Thank you for listening and declaring truth with me.

Your tongue has power. Use it for good.

Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Psalm 103:1-5

If you’ve ever put God in a box and decided there’s only so much that He can do, then I’ve got some encouraging words for you. Nothing is too hard for God. Today, I’m going to share three insights from the OT book of Jeremiah that show us why we can expect more from God. So get ready to believe God for the impossible!

I love how Jeremiah 32:17 starts out with the word “Ah.” Like, it’s a relief to say it. “Ah, Sovereign Lord.” I can feel the emotion packed into Jeremiah’s “Ah…” Isn’t it a relief to know that God is sovereign? That’s the first point I want to make. God is Sovereign! He is in charge of everything and everyone. Nothing gets past Him. Maybe you need relief in your life right now. Maybe you’ve gone back to school and are worried about your class schedule being too tough. Or maybe you’re dealing with a difficult relationship and don’t know how to fix things. Or, like me, you’re facing financial pressures that are stressing you out. If you feel ill-equipped to work through the hard issues in your life, I encourage you to linger at the beginning of Jeremiah 32:17. “Ah, Sovereign Lord.” Take a deep breath and let God be God.

My next point is this: God is Creator! He made everything and everyone. He tilted earth precisely on its axis so that it wouldn’t freeze over or burn up. He commands the wind and the waves. He crafted you with a plan and a purpose in mind. God is not only in charge of what’s been set into motion, He’s the one who set it all in motion. Proof that He can do anything!

My third point is this: God is Powerful! He is able to do anything for anyone. “Anyone” means you. God is for you. He loves you so very much. If what you’re facing right now is too hard for you, that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible situation. God does impossible! Whatever is over your head is already beneath His feet. He can handle your situation; all you have to do is hand it over to Him. He knows what needs to be done and He has the power and authority to get it done. We don’t always understand God’s methods, but we can always trust His motives. He works everything for good. So let God out of the box and believe Him for impossible things. He is Sovereign. He is Creator. He is Powerful.

Can you think of someone who might need a reminder that God can do anything. If so, I hope you’ll share this podcast. Most of you listen on your phones and it’s easy peasy to click the link to share this episode. Thank you for doing that for me, and as always, thank you for listening and declaring truth with me. Your tongue has power. Use it for good.

Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Jeremiah 32:17

Did you know that God is not only ABLE to make you strong, but He is also PLEASED to make you strong! Psalm 89:17 points out something pleasing to God that I hadn’t thought of before.

It pleases God to make me strong.

God know our weaknesses. He knows our vulnerabilities and fears. He knows our limits. He doesn’t expect us to be all powerful and all mighty. That’s His job! And the crazy thing about being in relationship with an all-powerful, almighty God, is that He enjoys empowering us.

The secret to being made strong is found in the verses preceding Psalm 89:17. If you want to check it out, grab your Bible and look at verse 14, 15 and 16. They teach us that

God strengthens us when we acknowledge His righteousness and justice along with His unfailing love and truth.

God strengthens us when we walk in the light of His presence and worship Him.

God strengthens us when we look to Him and depend on Him to make us strong.

You and I don’t have to be all powerful and all mighty. It’s actually the act of humbling ourselves before God that makes us strong. Paul said it best in his second letter to the Corinthians. After writing about how God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness, Paul wrote, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:9-10 NIV).

God doesn’t expect us to be strong enough to take on life’s challenges. He doesn’t even want that. He wants us to acknowledge Him, worship Him, depend on Him. He is not impressed when we go our own way. He is pleased when we look to Him in our weakness and trust in His strength. So, the next time you’re tempted to condemn yourself for being weak or you’re tempted to applaud yourself for being strong, remember what pleases God and choose to rejoice in God’s great reputation instead of dwelling on your own.

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: Psalm 89:14-17

Today’s episode was inspired by a friend of mine who just lost her son to fentanyl, and yet in the midst of her pain she still radiates the light, hope, and joy we have in Jesus. The Bible tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death. My friend is proof that even in the face of death, we can speak life and spread the love of God to those around us. I know it's hard to keep from speaking death when our hearts have been ripped to shreds with grief. I buried a son too, and I can’t imagine anything hurting more than losing a child.

When we’re hurting, we don’t necessarily feel like praising God. But he isn’t any less worthy of praise. It’s certainly easier to praise God when we’re flying high, but we’re supposed to praise him at all times, not just when we’re flying high. Focusing on the truth in today’s declaration makes it a little easier.

Each day, God carries me in his arms.

When I repeat that phrase, I can picture God carrying me in one of two ways. Sometimes I feel like he has lifted me up with his arms in a show of celebration and victory. Like when a team lifts the most valuable player up on their shoulders and marches around with shouts and cheers after a big win. But other times, God carries me in his arms because if he didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to make it through the day. I might not even get out of bed because of the aching of my loss.

My friend asked me to speak at her son’s memorial service last Friday, and she asked me to make sure I told everyone about how to get saved. Her son came to faith in Jesus while he was in rehab, and then brought her to church with him, which is where we met. I got to pray with her and do Bible study with her and watch her not only grow in her own relationship with God, but also inspire others to get to know God better—just like her son had inspired her. My friend wanted her son’s death be an opportunity to talk about the victory we all have over death because of Jesus. She wanted it to be an occasion for everyone who came to pay their respects to know that the same arms of God that carried her son through rehab and carried her through the grief of his death would also carry them… through addiction, through fear, through anger, through anything to victory. Faith is the victory. Because of Jesus we are victorious over death! Sin and death cannot hold us down because of what Jesus did on the cross. He paid the price for our sin and then rose from the dead to give us new life. Whether we’re grieving or celebrating, we can trust in God's love for us. We can trust that he will lift us up and carry us in his arms.

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: Psalm 68:19-20

I find myself saying the words “yes and amen” when I hear truth that excites me, and the truth in today’s declaration definitely excites me! God is able to do what I cannot do—even when it comes to standing firm in my faith.

When we said “Yes” to Jesus, God wiped away our guilt and shame. When we said “Amen” to making Jesus Lord and Savior, God gave us the Holy Spirit as a deposit. Nothing can separate us from God. His seal of ownership is on us. God draws us, redeems us, and sanctifies us. He also makes us stand firm in Christ—even when standing firm is hard.

A quick read through Paul’s letters to the Corinthians gives evidence of the sinful lifestyle prevalent in that church. If God can make the Corinthians stand firm in Christ, He will certainly do the same for you and me. Isn’t it a relief to know that God has promised to give us the strength we need to hold fast to the truth?

Philippians 2:13 says that “it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV). God does the work in us. He gives us the want-to and the can-do. He makes us stand firm in Christ.

I am far too hard on myself. I am a perfectionist who wants to do everything faultlessly—which includes following Jesus faultlessly. But if I could be perfect then I wouldn’t need a savior. Every time I mess up serves as a reminder that I definitely need a savior. I can relate to Paul who said that he tends to do the very things he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do the things he wants to do. I also relate to Peter. In John 6:67-68, after several disciples had turned away, Jesus asked the twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

I know Peter’s answer by heart. He said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I stumble in my faith walk, but I’m with Peter on this. Where else am I going to go? He has the words of eternal life. And He sent the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.

We are destined for heaven! Then—and only then—will we be made perfect. No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. So I say “Amen” to the glory of God.

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

One of the things I love about the Apostle Paul is that he wasn’t afraid to talk about Jesus to anyone, because he knew that anyone could—and anyone actually might—put their faith in God. He knew and preached the truth summed up in today’s declaration.

In Acts 17, Paul began debating with a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Some called him a babbler, others wanted to hear more. So, they brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus and asked to know about the new teaching he was presenting. I love how Acts 17:20 records the Athenians saying, “You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” And then verse 21 says, “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (NIV). Wouldn’t that have been an interesting place to be!

Paul told the people of Athens what I declare to you. If we reach out to God, we don’t have to reach far. We will find him because he is not far from any one of us. Paul stood in front of really smart philosophers and told them how easy it was to find Jesus. On his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, Paul stood in front of men and women from all different walks of life with different traditions and different lifestyles. His message was always the same: God is not far from anyone.

I’m reminded of Psalm 139, which says, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (NIV).

Isn’t it great to know that no one is far from God—even if they’re running hard in the opposite direction. All that’s needed is to stop, turn around, and look up. God is not far away. He can be found by anyone who seeks him—no matter where they come from or what they’ve believed. God is close by everyone—devout followers, back sliders and even those who seem totally distant from God. The same word that Paul preached to Greek philosophers in ancient times is every bit as true for you and me today.

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: Acts 17:24-27

I’ve been desperate to believe I can still hold on to a long ago promise God made me, and so several weeks ago, I entered two words into the search bar of one of my Bible programs: word fail

My search served up seven results, which have been sitting on a tab on my computer ever since. I kept clicking on the tab and reading the first two and the last two results over and over. I never intended to share any of this with you, but God did a crazy thing a couple weeks ago when my good friend Efe gave a powerful presentation that included one of the verses I’d been drawn to in those search results.

For weeks before I went to hear Efe speak, I kept looking at my search results and dwelling on the obvious fact that not a word God spoke to Moses and Elijah had failed. I mean, they’re Moses and Elijah for heaven’s sake. But then, there is that part in Romans 9:6 about how not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Didn’t my adoption through faith in Jesus mean this promise is for me too?

Sometimes, it takes God doing something crazy to get me to see what’s right in front of me. He used Efe to do that! She was teaching from Luke 1 and had put the text from Luke 1 up on the screen so the women in attendance could read along with her. My eyes widened when she got to verse 37.

These words were in bold type: no word from God will ever fail.

What? Did she know I’d been chewing on Luke 1:37 for weeks and weeks? I actually looked through old texts to see if I’d told her about my struggle to believe that God would fulfill his outrageous promise to me. Then Efe did the very thing I ask you to do. She pointed to the words in bold and told us to say them out loud. The chapel was filled with women who bore little in common with Moses and Elijah, and yet Efe asked us to declare that promise and make it our own.

God isn’t in a hurry, but he keeps every promise. He is worthy of our trust. So, let’s rest in the assurance of his faithfulness.

 

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: 1 Kings 8:56, 2 Kings 10:10, Luke 1:37, Romans 9:6

Yesterday would’ve been by dad’s 87th birthday. I’m sure he and my mom had a great time celebrating in glory, that is, if we still celebrate birthdays in heaven. I marked the occasion with my husband and my dear friend, Donita, whose husband went to be with Jesus about a month before my dad left earth for heaven. When my friend popped over a little sooner than I expected, I told her I was writing my podcast for today and asked if she could suggest some verses for me to share with you. Without hesitation she said her favorite passage comes from 1 John 4:13-16. Thank you, Donita, for the inspiration. I pulled our declaration from 1 John 4:16, which is true of anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is God’s son.

God’s love never ends, never fails, never gives up. Ever. If you’ve experienced God’s love, then you know that the love of God is a love like no other. His love is a love you can trust in and depend on. You and I can’t begin to grasp the depth of God’s love because it is beyond our human capacity to measure. It’s also beyond our human capacity to offer. Oh, how I wish I could love like God loves: unconditionally, continually, and deeply. But even when I fail to love like He does, He never fails at loving me.

There is so much security in being loved the way God loves us. Love like the love God has for us is described in scripture as being a love that is patient and kind. A love that is never envious or boastful. It’s a love that does not dishonor others or come across as self-seeking. it is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. The love that God has for us and desires for us to spread around is a love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The love of God never ever fails.

I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: 1 John 4:13-16

The lyrics to “Blessed Assurance” come from the book of Lamentations. Several years ago, I recorded a fun, upbeat version of that old hymn, and you can hear it on Spotify, YouTube and other online sources to this day. The message in “Blessed Assurance” will help you remember the truth in today’s declaration—a truth well worth believing and speaking.

I’m a big fan of blueletterbible.org. I visit the site whenever I want to look up the original language of a word and its meaning. I did that today with the word “compassions.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 says that the Lord’s compassions never fail. They are new every morning. The word “compassions” comes from the Hebrew word rāḥam, which means to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.

God loves you so much that no matter what happened yesterday, you can start fresh with him today. You don’t have to wake up with guilt or shame over what happened yesterday. You can step into today knowing that God’s enduring love and faithfulness don’t depend on you. He is faithful when we are not. He is loving when we are not. He is full of mercy and grace so that we do not have to carry guilt and shame. No wonder the old hymn sings of our blessed assurance. Waking up to the knowledge of God’s new mercies offers merely a foretaste of the glory of God. As children of God, we are indeed blessed. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long.

No matter what comes your way today, remember that God loves you. When you lay your head on your pillow tonight, thank God for his loving compassion. Before you drift off to sleep, confess any sinful thoughts, words, or deeds that you were responsible for today, knowing that God will purify you from all unrighteousness and that you can start fresh, with a clean slate tomorrow and every morning. We are blessed to be loved by such a great God.

This week's scripture: Lamentations 3:19-26

I’m 3 ½ years into this podcast, and I’ve never read from Lamentations. A book filled with laments doesn’t seem like the best source for a podcast designed to help you speak life. But today’s declaration is positively life-giving, and you can find it tucked into an Old Testament book filled with laments. But as you’ll soon see, Lamentations contains so much more than a gush of grief. In fact, Lamentations provides the lyrics to one of my favorite old hymns, Blessed Assurance. That hymn comes from the same chapter as today’s reading. (I’ll make a note to read the “Blessed Assurance” Bible passage another day.)

God knows we have nothing to fear in His presence, and that’s why the Bible tells us not to be afraid. Over and over, we read those words. When angels brought messages to earth in Bible times, they often said, “Do not be afraid.” The 23rd Psalm—one of the best-known chapters in the entire Bible—talks about walking through the darkest valley without fear. The New Testament teaches us that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that perfect love casts out all fear. God’s Spirit brings peace, which means we can be courageous in the midst of frightening circumstances.

Fear motivates people to take action. But fear also clouds their judgment. God doesn’t want us running away in fear, he wants us standing firm in the blessed assurance of His ever-present help. The commentary in my NIV Zondervan Study Bible says, “Lamentations is not simply a gush of grief but a highly reflective and considered response to trauma.” Wow. Let me say that again. “Lamentations is not simply a gush of grief but a highly reflective and considered response to trauma.” I can see how a gush of grief to God that also reflectively considers my response to trauma would require sound judgment. Fear shatters sound judgment, but God has not given us a spirit of fear. He gives us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I believe the devil uses fear to make us take action that drives us away from the love and protection of God. That drives us further into the darkest valley. That drives us into despair.

When God says, “Don’t be afraid,” He is not saying “Don’t be silly.” Fear is the natural response to out-of-control circumstances and trauma. We don’t need to be ashamed if we get scared. God didn’t shame Joshua before the battle of Jericho and he won’t shame us today. Instead, He offers the peace and strength and comfort that comes with His presence, and His love will drive out fear. So, let’s respond to fear with faith. Let’s stand firm and take courage. Let’s invite God’s loving presence to drive away all fear.

 

This week's scripture: Lamentations 3:55-58