Believe & Speak

Last week, I opened by sharing that I’d been thinking about the miraculous birth of Jesus and the reason He came to earth, and how that made me think of Hebrews 1:1-4. But after reading those verses, I decided to hold off on Hebrews until this week. Now that you’ve heard this week’s declaration, you can understand why I wanted to read from John, because today’s declaration is underscored by what I shared last week.

The Bible tells us everything God wants us to know. It also tells us that God sent the Holy Spirit to remind us of these things. John 16:12-14 records one of the things Jesus told his disciples about the Holy Spirit. The New King James Version puts it this way. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

In other words, God has more to say to you. He not only spoke through the prophets of old and through his Son, Jesus, He continues to speak today through the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised His disciples they would continue hearing the words of God, even after He left them to ascend back into heaven.

God will speak a fresh word to you, but He will never contradict His revealed word through the prophets of old or the person of Jesus. In other words, I’m not saying the only way to hear God speak is to read the Bible. I’m saying that when you read the Bible, you can be certain you really are hearing from God.

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This week's scripture: Hebrews 1:1-4

With Thanksgiving behind us, we’ve officially entered into the Christmas season. As I prepared to write this episode, I focused my attention on the miraculous birth of Jesus and the reason He came to earth. Christmas is when grace and truth entered into the world. The Bible says the law was given through Moses, and that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus made the Father known. He spoke God’s words and revealed God’s glory. In John 14, one of the disciples asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus answers by saying, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (John 14:9-10 NIV)

If you need to hear from God, open up your Bible. While I do believe God whispers directly into our spirits with His still, small voice, He will never speak in contraction to His revealed Word. The better we get to know God through His revealed Word—the Bible and a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus—the more we will recognize God’s whisper when we need to hear directly from Him. I can’t tell you how many times God has responded to my cries by dropping a Bible verse into my head.

Ask God to draw you ever closer to the light of grace and truth this Christmas. I believe the Spirit of Christmas is a manifestation of the presence of God. As you focus on getting to know Jesus better by reading the Bible, you will sense His presence long after the Christmas decorations are put away.

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This week's scripture: John 1:9-14

Colossians 3:15 says to always be thankful. Verse 16 says to sing with thankful hearts, and verse 17 says that whatever we do or say, we need to be giving thanks to God. It’s not easy to always give thanks, but if God commands it—like he does three times right here in Colossians 3—then it’s not impossible.

Did you notice how the instructions to us in Colossians 3:12, 13 and 14 make it possible to express the thankfulness required of us in verses 15, 16 and 17? Verse 12 says to clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Verse 13 says to make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive others. And verse 15 says to love above all else and to let peace rule in our hearts. Do you see how following these instructions pave the way to an attitude of gratitude?

It’s not easy to make the choice to always be thankful. Sometimes thankfulness seems impossible. Can I really thank God when everything falls apart? I’m reminded of Psalm 34:1, which says, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips” (NIV). To extol is to kneel and to bless God as an act of adoration. To extol is to praise enthusiastically.

Episodes 94 and 95 of the Believe & Speak podcast focus on Psalm 34:1-10, and address the benefits of extoling God in seasons of lack or fear or shame. If you’re having a hard time finding reasons to be thankful, I encourage you to listen to both of those episodes from last year. It will help you let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your life so that you can be thankful.

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This week's scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

Micah 7:18-19 has been on my heart for weeks. The word “remnant” has especially been hounding me. I relate to feeling like the “remnant of his inheritance”. I’ve been feeling outnumbered since 70% of California voters decided to support abortion on demand up to the point of birth. As one of the 30% who voted no on Prop 1, I believe choosing life is always better than choosing to end a perfectly healthy pregnancy—no matter how uncertain the future may be.

Psalm 37:25 says, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Fear and doubt can drive us to do things we regret. And ignorance can lead to bad decisions—which is why I always study the candidates and the initiatives before an election. I talked a little about that habit in last week’s episode, so I’ll leave that discussion and direct you there if you missed it. This week is all about the hope in Micah 7:18-19, which is full of wonderful truths about who our God is and how he deals with his children.

I am thankful to know that God pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remanent. I rejoice that he doesn’t stay angry and that delights to show mercy. I especially love the promise at the end of verse 19, which beautifully describes the God I love and serve. I am tired of the remnant being accused of bigotry because we hold to absolute truth. We agree with God about good and evil, right and wrong, life and death. Jesus said there was only one way to the Father, but he wasn’t narrow-minded. He was and is and will always be the one who welcomes sinners, tax collectors, and dare I say abortion supporters?

God is loving, merciful and compassionate. He offers us a choice. And He longs for us to choose life, not sin and death. God gave His one and only Son so that we could have abundant life in him, forever free of guilt and shame. God didn’t send Jesus to judge, he sent him to save. I’m thankful to know that I don’t have to sink or swim. I can hand my fear and doubt and rebellion over to God and he will hurl it into the depths of the sea.

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This week's scripture: Micah 7:18-19

Last week, I read Proverbs 2:1-5, and today I’ll continue with Proverbs 2:6-11. I think I’ve been drawn to Proverbs because of the mid-term election. I’ve been praying over the initiatives and candidates and asking God to help me make wise choices on my ballot. I’m recording this episode before the polls close, so I don’t know the election results yet, but I do know that I can trust God to give me insight and understanding—even when it comes to politics.

God wants us to know what is right and just and fair, and that’s why He gives wisdom generously to all. I love how Proverbs 2:11 says, “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” (NIV) The dictionary says that discretion is the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information. It’s also the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we would all exercise discretion? According to the wisdom in Proverbs, with God’s help we can not only be discreet, but also be protected.

There’s a strong possibility that by the time you listen to this episode, you will know how the mid-terms turned out. You will know whether the candidates and propositions you supported or opposed won or lost. You may be rejoicing or you may be grieving. But no matter the outcome of yesterday’s election, God has promised to be a shield to those whose walk is blameless. He has promised to hold success in store for the upright. And He has promised to protect the way of his faithful ones. I truly believe that, and I sincerely hope you do to.

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you should have already received the Mid-Week Miracle story with all the glorious details of reaching my goal before my birthday. If you haven’t yet subscribed, I invite you to pop over to my blog page for the quick read. I hope you’ll subscribe to my newsletter while you’re on my home page at shawnamariebryant.com. Please make sure it doesn’t end up in your junk folder by adding [email protected] to your contacts.

This week's scripture: Proverbs 2:6-11

I heard a woman’s testimony recently that confirms today’s declaration—not that I need it confirmed because God has kept this particular promise to me many times. When I search for truth, God reveals himself to me. Always. But, I used to date a guy—way back in high school—who claims to be searching for truth, and yet he somehow misses God’s revelation—even though he has heard the gospel. I can’t figure it out. The woman who shared her testimony didn’t miss God, even though she had rejected the Bible. She’d been practicing all kinds of New Age rituals and was deep into astrology, but the more she engaged in self-help methodologies, the more desperate she became. She was depressed, even suicidal. One day she cried out to Jesus by name. She said she has no idea why she called out to Him because no one had ever told her that Jesus could save her. See what I mean about our declaration?

In Isaiah 65:1, God says, “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.” Much later, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” An honest search for truth always leads to Jesus because He is truth. Colossians 1:9-10 teaches that we can ask God to fill us with the knowledge of his will so that we may—among other things—grow in the knowledge of God. The apostle Paul obviously knew Jesus, but he was on a never-ending quest to know Him better. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever.” I want to know all I can know about Jesus. Don’t you?

Are you listening right now because of someone who responded when I asked for a favor? Maybe you are that someone who responded to my request to help me reach more wonderful people like you. Either way, thank you! Thank you for listening more than ever before and for blessing me big time. Because of you, I’m beginning to think I will actually reach my goal of topping 20,000 total show listens by my birthday. I release a new episode of the Believe & Speak podcast every Wednesday, and after today, there are only two more Wednesdays before my November 20 birthday. Will you help me shoot past my goal by taking a moment right now to share this podcast? It’ll require only a few taps on your mobile phone. You could also follow me on social media and share my posts. You’ll find links at shawnamarie.com. My social media posts have been featuring the images I create for each episode of my podcast, which you’ll find in my Believe & Speak Podcast Archives. These colorful graphics contain the weekly declarations, making it easy to remember to believe and speak truth, which I hope you’ll do because your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: Proverbs 2:1-5

I keep a journal next to me during my quiet times with the Lord. I believe prayer is a two-way conversation with God, and I want to be ready to write down what I hear him saying to me. Here’s what I wrote in my journal this morning—keep in mind I wrote as if God were speaking to me.

“I have been telling you and Steve to rest, but I’m not telling you to lie down and go to sleep. I’m telling you to rest like someone on an airplane is resting, like someone on horseback is resting, like someone on eagle’s wings is resting. When I say, “Come, you who are weary and heavy laden,” I ALSO say, “take my yoke upon you.” I want you to rest in the assurance that we are yoked and my burden is light. You will gain both strength and wisdom from me as you mount up on eagle’s wings. I will carry you, guide you, and open doors for you. Get ready to take flight by resting in my presence.”

I ran to my computer to see if I’d already done an episode on Matthew 11:28-30, and found Matthew 11:28-29 listed for Episode 33, I pulled up the transcript and got ministered to by my own words! I’d talked about why we shouldn’t let the guilt we feel over being worn out drive us to take on burdens we weren’t meant to carry, and I said, “It’s counterintuitive to take time away from a project that demands my attention. But stopping my activity and sitting down with my Bible is like yoking up with Jesus.”

When we yoke up with Jesus, he’s like the lead ox—if you don’t mind the metaphor. He takes the lead AND he takes a greater share of the load. So, believe and speak today’s declaration. Speaking of lightening the load… I still need lots of help to reach my goal of topping 20,000 total show listens by my birthday next month. May I ask for your help? First, please listen to Episode 33, which gives a different declaration also drawn from today’s Scripture. Listening to past episodes you may have missed will help me get closer to reaching my goal before my November birthday.

Next, will you also spread the word by sharing a link to this podcast with your friends and family? You could also take a few minutes to visit my podcast page and listen to any episodes you may have missed. I would truly appreciate your help getting me to 20,000. If you take a moment right now to share this podcast, not only will you help me get closer to my goal, but together we can help people speak words of life. Your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

I’ve always loved the song of thanksgiving that David sang to the LORD after moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Sometimes when I’m worshipping God, I’ll quote some of the verses in 1 Chronicles 16. Certain worship songs especially prompt me to declare God’s marvelous deeds and give him the glory due his name.

My focus has always been on God in these moments. After all, 1 Chronicles 16:25 says, “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.” But recently, God redirected my focus. I was quoting several of the verses in David’s song, when God drew my attention to something I’d been missing. 1 Chronicles 16:27 says, “Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.” (NIV)

As I meditated on that verse, the Spirit of God reminded me of 1 Corinthians 3:16, which says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (NKJV) As God revealed to me how this New Testament verse could change my perspective of David’s Old Testament song of praise, I actually whispered these words aloud: I am God’s dwelling place, so strength and joy are in me.

Wow! Because of Jesus’s sacrifice and God’s gift of the Holy Spirit for all who believe, strength and joy are IN us. God dwells in us; therefore, his strength and joy are in us!

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (NIV) That verse is promising, yes, but it pales in comparison to the knowledge that the joy of the Lord is IN me. The strength and joy of the Lord are not merely with us, but are in us. Hallelujah!

May I ask a favor of you? I have a birthday coming up next month, and you can give me a wonderful gift by helping me to reach my goal of topping 20,000 total show listens by my birthday. I am incredibly honored that you return to listen to this podcast week after week, and because of you, I’m getting close to 20,000 listens over the 146 episodes I’ve done so far.

Will you help me reach my goal before my November birthday by sharing a link to this podcast with your friends and family? You could also take a few minutes to visit my podcast page and listen to any episodes you may have missed. I would truly appreciate your help getting me to 20,000. If you take a moment right now to share this podcast, not only will you help me get closer to my goal, but together we can help people speak words of life. Your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:23-30

I created this podcast to empower your tongue with truth. Each episode helps you believe and speak the truth—sometimes about who you are and what you’re capable of, and other times about who God is and the amazing things he can do. Believing and speaking truth not only helps us guard our hearts, but also helps cancel the negative effects of believing lies.

I’m going to pick up where I left off in Matthew Chapter 6. Last week’s episode talked about how God sees what we do in secret. If you missed that episode, I encourage you to go back and listen so that you don’t miss the promise of God’s reward when we give our gifts privately. Today’s Scripture also mentions God’s promise to reward us—but for a different reason.

The verses I read last week and just now both contain this phrase: your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Jesus spoke those words twice in Matthew 6 because he wants us to know that whether God sees us giving a gift to someone in need or he sees us praying for our heart’s desires, God will reward us when we do these things privately.

When Jesus taught us how to pray, he assured us that our prayers don’t have to ramble on and on. God hears prayers that never even leave our lips, and he rewards us for praying in private. You don’t have to pour out eloquent prayers for God to act. You don’t have to put on a show in order to catch God’s eye. You don’t even have to open your mouth for God to know your needs. But if you do choose to go away by yourself and pray to the Father in private with words, I promise you that your Father sees it all, hears it all, welcomes it all. And he will reward you.

May I ask a favor of you? I have a birthday coming up next month, and you can give me a wonderful gift by helping me to reach my goal of topping 20,000 total show listens by my birthday. I am incredibly honored that you return to listen to this podcast week after week, and because of you, I’m getting close to 20,000 listens over the 146 episodes I’ve done so far.

Will you help me reach my goal before my November birthday by sharing a link to this podcast with your friends and family? You could also take a few minutes to visit my podcast page and listen to any episodes you may have missed. I would truly appreciate your help getting me to 20,000. If you take a moment right now to share this podcast, not only will you help me get closer to my goal, but together we can help people speak words of life. Your tongue has power. Use it for good.

This week's scripture:  Matthew 6:5-8

I love the wisdom and the promise in Matthew 6:4, which says, “Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (NLT). Isn’t that wonderful news?

It’s human nature to want to receive credit when we do something noteworthy. It feels good to be noticed, and it stings to go unrecognized. If you and I rarely get rewarded for our efforts, we may feel unappreciated or even used. It’s tempting to point to ourselves and say, “Hey! I did this good thing. Will anybody acknowledge me?” But self-exaltation does not impress God. Paul wrote that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), and the verses I read from Matthew point out that God also prefers a private, secretive giver. In fact, Matthew 6:1 tells us we lose our reward from God the moment we go looking for kudos from others. Something tells me that God’s reward will be way better—even if it’s delayed.

If you’ve been out shopping lately, you can’t help but notice that the season known for giving is coming soon. As you browse through the glittery decorations and the plethora of gift items, ask God how he can use you to give a secret gift to someone who really needs it. Then follow through, but don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Take God at his word and know that he sees everything, including the desires of your heart

Download graphics with the weekly declarations by visiting the Believe & Speak podcast page on my website: shawnamariebryant.com/mypodcast

This week's scripture:  Matthew 6:1-4