Believe & Speak

I’ve been on a freedom kick lately. Partly because of my pastor’s powerful messages the past few Sundays, but also because my heart has been aching for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are burdened by an impossible yoke of expectations and perfectionism. That would be people like me! We so desperately want to please God that we take on a load that Jesus never meant for us to carry.

Paul addresses three different groups of believers in this portion of Galatians 5:

Those who want desperately to please God and so they take on a burden they were never meant to bear. (I talked about them and their yoke of slavery in last week’s episode, so be sure to listen if you missed it.)

Those who misuse their freedom. (I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:23, where Paul writes this: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.)

Those who bite and devour each other. Paul addresses believers who impose their impossible list of dos and don’ts while shaking their self-righteous fingers. The religious ones who take pride in their standing before God.

I don’t know about you, but I know which of the three groups I tend to fall into, which could be another reason why I’ve been on a freedom kick lately. I invite you to listen to last week’s episode if you missed it by visiting my podcast page. And while you’re on my website, click over to the homepage to sign up for my newsletter.

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Galatians 5:13-18

We’ve been surrounded by pink and red hearts over the past several days, and I pictured all those Valentine’s Day decorations as I read Galatians 5:6. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (NIV) Not following the letter of the law. But faith in Jesus. Love is an expression of our faith in Jesus! Another giveaway to our faith is our freedom: freedom from sin, freedom from the Law, freedom from a condescending, judgmental religious spirit.

Paul is very direct with his appeal to stand firm. To the Galatians, the yoke of slavery was circumcision—an outward expression of living under the Law of Moses, obeying every letter of the law. Paul said that if they let themselves be circumcised—In other words, if they took on the requirements of the Law, then Christ would be of no value. For believers today, Paul’s direct appeal is not about circumcision, it is about trying to be justified by the law, which alienates us from Christ and causes us to fall away from grace.

We are made righteous by our faith, not our adherence to a list of dos and don’ts. Christ set us free to live free from the yoke of trying to be good enough to earn our way into God’s good graces. Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to God, and in Jesus, the dos and don’ts have no value. Obedience to the law has no value. Looking religious and holy and perfect has no value. The only thing that does have value is our faith Jesus. Our firm conviction that Jesus set us free from the law of sin and death. My friend, don’t take on the heavy yoke of perfectionism, instead thank God that Jesus has set you free.

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Galatians 5:1-6

If you went to Sunday school as a kid or even if you’re a more recent student of the Bible, chances are you’ve heard the stories of Daniel in the lion’s den and of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace. These familiar stories tell of how these men faced execution because of their devotion to worshiping God and God alone. Those dramatic events are not the only times these men faced execution at the hand of a godless king. Nebuchadnezzar ordered the death of all the wise men in the land because no one could tell him his dream and interpret it.

When Daniel learned of the looming executions, he sought God and learned what he needed to know. So, he praised God with the words recorded in Daniel 2:20-22, and then went in to see the king.

I’m amazed at Daniel’s confidence. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they didn’t know whether God would save them and they said so. But when Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel whether he was able to make known both the dream and its interpretation, Daniel responded with these words: “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these…” (Daniel 2:27-28 NKJV). And then, without a shadow of doubt, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what he’d dreamed and what it meant.

I wish I could tell you that I am as confident as Daniel, but I wrestle with doubt. Did God really reveal that to me or did I make it up in my head? I know that God is able to speak into my situation, but I’m not always sure I hear him correctly. How can I be sure God is saying this and not my heart, or my head, or the voices in my head?

I’ve learned to trust and obey what I think God is saying to me even in moments of doubt. When I move in the direction that I sense God is leading me, peace washes over me if I’m on the right track and a check in my spirit holds me back if I’m on the wrong one. Even Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego didn’t know whether God would save them from the fiery furnace. But they did know that he was worthy of their undivided worship. They went through the fire, but came out of it without even the hint of the smell of smoke. Let’s trust God to reveal the deep and secret things we need to know and to keep the secrets we don’t need to know.

And let’s obey God even when we don’t fully understand him.

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Daniel 2:20-22

Today’s declaration is as simple as this: Jesus is coming back.

Jordan Feliz has a song called Jesus is coming back that encourages us to keep our heads up. I can’t help but grin and groove a little whenever I hear it. Jesus is coming back to earth in the same way he ascended into heaven. I read exactly what two men dressed in white told the disciples, who knew Jesus had miraculously risen from the dead, but they weren’t sure what would happen next. They wondered if Jesus was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. But His kingdom isn’t of this world. His power and authority are above and beyond anything the rulers of this world can grasp.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. That power, which is alive and at work in you as a Spirit-filled believer, will help you overcome all the evil in this world until Jesus returns. So be encouraged.

Here’s the Jordan Feliz song I told you about.

 

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Acts 1:4-11

It’s still early in the new year and it’s never too late to begin a good habit. I enjoy listening to the Craig Groeschel Leadership podcast. His January message is called Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. In it, he made a powerful statement that I wholeheartedly agree with. He said, “If you want to change what you do, change what you think about you.”

The Believe & Speak podcast is all about declaring truth from the Bible in order to drown out any lies we might believe. Lies can hold us back and keep us from positive change. There is power in the tongue, and we can cancel the negative effects of believing lies by speaking truth about who we are and what we can accomplish as sons and daughters of God.

God has promised us that all things work out for good in the end, right? I like to remind myself that if it’s not good, then it’s not the end. I recently sent a friend the link to a song by Tauren Wells with a similar message. The chorus of Joy in the Morning also reminds us that if things aren’t good, then it’s not the end.

Last week, I talked about how the Bible is filled with examples of perseverance and is a wonderful source of encouragement. Joseph didn’t know how his story would end when he was sold into slavery. Daniel didn’t know how his story would end when he was thrown into the lion’s den. Esther didn’t know how her story would end when she confronted King Xerxes. You have a story, too, my friend. And when your heart is secure, trusting God, you can count on a happy ending. Psalm 112 assures us that we will never be shaken. We will have no fear of bad news. We know how the story ends, and we will triumph.

I hope my podcast encourages you. I also share encouragement through my blog, which you’ll find at Mid-Week Miracle Archives - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant 

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Psalm 112:4-8

Last week, I encouraged you to make a New Year’s Resolution to study Scripture with greater intensity this year. The study of God’s Word helps us know Him better, and knowing Him better helps make the wise wiser. I got a kick out of our declaration, and I invite you to listen to that episode if you missed it. Today, I want to focus on another benefit of knowing God and His Word. It’s something we all need. It’s something I’ve been on the verge of losing more than once. It’s something that God has promised to fill us with to the point of overflowing.

I’m talking about hope.

I’m convinced that making a New Year’s resolution to study the Bible with greater intensity will lead to an overflow of hope throughout the coming year and beyond.

Romans 15:4 is a favorite verse of mine because it reminds me that I’m not alone in my struggle and the Bible is filled with examples of perseverance. Romans 15:13 is a verse I regularly quote to myself whenever I’m losing hope. I recommend memorizing both of these verses. Believing what they says means that regardless of your circumstances, you can speak today’s declaration with confidence.

My daughter recently stopped at a coffee house for some hot chocolate for my little granddaughter and a cup of coffee for herself. My granddaughter took a sip of her mom’s coffee and said, “Mom! I just drank coffee and it got in my heart. Now Jesus can have a tea party with coffee!”

That precious 4-year-old knows that Jesus is closer than her heartbeat, and the two of them can have a tea party anytime. Anyone who has invited Jesus to rule over their hearts as Lord and Savior has received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5 tells us the Spirit empowers us to bear the fruit of joy and peace, among other sweet qualities. Romans 15:13 tells us that hope is the natural overflow of being filled with joy and peace. In other words, if you have received Jesus by admitting that you are a sinner, if you believe that Jesus paid the price for your sin through His perfect sacrifice on the cross, if you confess that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, then you can be filled with the joy of the Lord and the peace that surpasses all understanding. By grace you have been given the hope of eternal life.

I hope my podcast encourages you. I also share encouragement through my blog, which you’ll find at Mid-Week Miracle Archives - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant 

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Romans 15:4, 13

I often associate wisdom with age, but Proverbs 9:9-11 makes a different connection. Wisdom comes from God. Not from aging. From God.

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then the wise can become even wiser. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault. God gives us wisdom, and—according to Proverbs—wisdom adds years to our lives.

Have you made a New Year’s resolution yet? How about resolving to study Scripture with greater intensity this year? Proverbs 9:9 says, “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” (NIV)

I will never grow tired of learning. I will never grow tired of gaining greater knowledge. I will never tire of growing. How about you? Let’s set a measurable goal to read more this year. More scripture, yes, but also more books filled with lessons taught by the righteous about God and His Word. I resolve to be teachable because through wisdom my days will be many. And if my days will be many, then I have all the time I need to increase my knowledge of the Holy One. And you do too!

I hope my podcast encourages you. I also share encouragement through my blog, which you’ll find at Mid-Week Miracle Archives - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant 

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: Proverbs 9:9-11

Making it to the end of 2022 feels like crossing a finish line. Even though my race of life isn’t over, I couldn’t help but think of how crossing from December into January puts me another year closer to the award that awaits when I do finish this strenuous race called life. I selected today’s scripture and declaration to inspire us to persevere in 2023 and to set our minds to run our races well, knowing what awaits us.

Paul writes to Timothy of his assurance that the righteous Judge will award him with a crown. But listen to what else Paul is sure of. That crown will not only be awarded to him, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. When Paul wrote to Timothy of his own crown, he made a point of letting us know a crown awaits ALL of us longing to see Jesus.

This is my last episode of 2022, and to be perfectly candid, I’m glad to leave this year behind! It’s been tough. I confess that I’ve been downright despondent at times. Thankfully, I’m too close to Jesus to stay in the pit of despair for long. While it’s true that I long for his appearing, I’m grateful to know without a shadow of doubt that I don’t have to wait until I see Jesus face to face to enjoy the benefits of his presence. God is with us now, even in seasons of doubt and despondency. He is our Emmanuel. Didn’t we just celebrate the fact that heaven came to earth on Christmas? The angels announced to the shepherds that they would find the promised messiah wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger in Bethlehem. I’ve often wondered if those shepherds doubted what they’d seen and heard after so many years of silence. Did they grow despondent over the three decades that passed between that manger scene and the start of Jesus’s public ministry? Obviously, the baby had to grow up before he could become their king, but 30 years is a long time to wait for the fulfilment of a promise. And then that promise didn’t seem to be fulfilled when Jesus hung dying on a cross. I talked in the previous two episodes about how Jesus never sat on the throne in Jerusalem to rule and to reign as King of the Jews. But Jesus’s said His kingdom was not of this world. His crown on earth was made of thorns. Maybe your earthly crown is a bit thorny too. But for those of us who long for Jesus’s appearing, a better crown awaits us.

You are about to cross the finish line of 2022. A new year awaits you. And no matter what lies ahead in 2023, you can trust that your Emmanuel has promised not only to be with you through it all, but also to provide you with a great cloud of witnesses to cheer you on. You are already a winner, so hold your head up high.

I hope my podcast encourages you. I also share encouragement through my blog, which you’ll find at Mid-Week Miracle Archives - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant 

You may subscribe to receive my blog posts via email by visiting my website at Author of Longing to Belong | Shawna Marie Bryant

This week's scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Christmas is a few days from now, and you might be reading or listening to the Christmas story from Luke 2. This is the third Christmas season for the Believe & Speak podcast, and I’ve done episodes in the past that covered the familiar story of shepherds on a hillside and a baby in a manger.

I looked up the verses in Isaiah that Matthew quoted in the scripture I read for this episode, and discovered that Matthew 12:21—the verse that inspired our declaration—wasn’t in Isaiah. In quoting Isaiah 42:1-4, Matthew wrote, “Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.” (NLT) That part is included in Isaiah’s prophecy, but then Matthew added, “And his name will be the hope of all the world.” Within the context of the Pharisees plotting to kill Jesus, Matthew explains that Jesus is the hope of all the world.

In last week’s episode, I mentioned there are three times as many prophecies of Jesus’s second coming. When Jesus began his earthly ministry, nearly everyone familiar with Hebrew scriptures—from the disciples to the pharisees—expected a different kind of messiah. The baby born in Bethlehem came to us as a humble servant. He didn’t fight or shout. He didn’t crush the Romans or sit on a throne in Jerusalem.

The true light that gives light to everyone came into the world as a helpless baby and never wielded a weapon. He fulfilled the scriptures, but the scriptures about His second coming overshadowed and outweighed them. The promise of a messiah who would conquer, rule and reign gave the people of Jesus’s day hope that they would one day be set free from the oppressive Roman government. But the hope of Jesus extends far beyond the Roman Empire and transcends time. This Christmas, as you sing the good tidings of comfort and joy, as you worship the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, as you give and receive gifts in celebration of the season, may you embrace the fact that Jesus is the hope of all the world.

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This week's scripture: Matthew 12:14-21

With Christmas less than two weeks away, I was drawn to share a Bible passage related to our Savior’s birth. So, of course, I thought of Isaiah 9. As I read the familiar verses that are often found in Christmas carols and greeting cards, I was drawn to a less-quoted promise in Isaiah 9. Sandwiched between the familiar verses is a promise we can declare all year long.

An Internet search informed me there are three times as many prophecies of Jesus’s second coming than of his first. Three times! No wonder the Jews expected something different. Jesus was born in a manager like a pauper and he died on a cross like a criminal. The circumstances of his birth and death were prophesied in Scripture, but the prophecies of his second coming as a warrior who would conquer, rule and reign overshadowed and outweighed the signs that pointed to his humble birth in Bethlehem.

Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born to us who would rule with fairness and justice from David’s throne. But Jesus never took the place of Caesar as king of the Jews. Hours before his violent death, Jesus looked in the face of Pilate and said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36 NIV).

Jesus is King of kings, and he will indeed come again in glory. I’m reminded of the glorious Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. “And He shall reign forever and ever.” But you don’t have to wait until the second coming to be set free from all that oppresses you. With Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can walk in freedom this very moment, regardless of your circumstances.

I hope you’ll subscribe to my newsletter while you’re on my home page at shawnamariebryant.com.

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This week's scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7