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How specific are you in your prayers? When you talk to God, talk about your needs—don’t beat around the bush! God does His most ideal work when we are in an impossible situation. And He always proves Himself faithful.

*For more information on David Jeremiah and Turning Point ministries, visit DavidJeremiahPodcast.org.

As lawlessness rises, Jesus gave a sobering warning: “the love of many will grow cold.” This episode explores what that looks like in today’s world and why it’s happening. More importantly, discover how believers can resist the drift and live with intentional kindness.

The Jeremiah Study Bible will help you discover what the Word of God says, what it means, and what it means to YOU with the Jeremiah Study Bible. Complete with notes and articles from Dr. David Jeremiah's decades of study, the Jeremiah Study Bible will deepen your understanding of every aspect of the Bible's life-changing message. Get your copy of The Jeremiah Study Bible at DavidJeremiahPodcast.org.

Paul’s relationship with the Thessalonians instructs believers on strengthening the pastor-flock relationship in the local church (2 Thessalonians 3:1–5).

From the Series: Steadfast Christianity

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Whether this you’re a first-time mom or a seasoned veteran, your struggles postpartum might be the same: Sleep deprivation. Healing. Body insecurity. Lack of sex. Expectations. Caring for yourself. Keeping a tiny human alive. Hormones. Kathryn and Elisha Voetberg provide ideas to navigate the biggest challenges of bringing a child into the world.

Show Notes and Resources

• Connect with Elilsha and Kathryn Voetberg www.nowthatwereafamily.com.
• Learn more about Elilsha and Kathryn and get their books here: nowthatwereafamily.com/after-the-baby

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
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Now, I'm not in the business of advertising any particular ice cream spot, but let's face it, it's kind of fun to go to Baskin Robbins. You know, they have all those flavors they advertise. Now, you can write to me and tell me that maybe you like another place better, but listen, I know you like to go where there's a lot of flavors. And you know what? It seems like it takes me an hour to decide which one I want. Well, not really, but seems like an hour to the person who's waiting on me. But the variety is a lot of fun. Now, can you imagine an ice cream store that offered only vanilla? Yeah, boring! After a while you get tired of the same old flavor. Can you imagine a person who said, "I only eat vanilla. I never tried anything else." I'd say to them, "Man, look at the list! You're missing so many flavors. You can have ice cream so many different ways." How boring to think that all ice cream has to be the one flavor you like.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Many Flavors At God's Place."

Our word for today from the Word of God is found in 1 Corinthians 12. And we go, in a sense, to God's ice cream parlor if you want to put it that way. And it's called the church - the body of Christ. Listen to all the flavors. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 12: "The body is a unit, though, that is made up of many parts, and though all of its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ."

Okay, now, if there's one message we could get from these wonderful verses it would be this. Variety is God's plan for His body. He's not interested in cookie cutter Christians. He wants many styles, many flavors of Christians. God likes variety. Guess what we like? Uniformity. We want everybody to be like us - like our group. So as a consequence, generally speaking, Baptist Christians only know Baptist Christians, and Assembly of God Christians only know Assembly of God Christians, and Methodist Christians only know Methodist Christians, and Presbyterian, Presbyterians, etc. The list is infinite.

But, you see, none of us has all of Him. But all of us together have all of Him. Don't cut yourself off from all the other flavors; don't just be a vanilla Christian. See, we disagree only about, say, 10% of it. Ninety percent is about Christ, and sin, and salvation, and Christ's return, and the Bible: we tend to agree on those. We need each other. Those different styles and different emphases in the body of Christ are not only God's will, but they make you rich.

One group of Christians may teach you how to pray and get a hold of God. Another group may really have a vision for missions, and they'll help you care about a lost world. Others will really get you into personal evangelism. There's another group of Christians who might really help you learn about God's sovereign control over things. And then there's a group over there that may be strong in loving and caring and accepting. And this group over here, they'll teach you a lot about worship. And this one, oh you'll learn a lot about careful Bible study. Hey, listen. We will be together forever. All the labels we have here on earth won't make it past the gate of heaven. Why don't we get together now?

You're on God's side when you're against whatever divides His body. It's not all vanilla. It's lots of flavors. It's all ice cream; but it's lots of flavors, and that's what counts. We're all the church.

So, celebrate the variety in God's family. And enjoy all those flavors.

Read: Colossians 1:9-12

Hadley came running out of children’s church. “How was your class today?” Mom asked as they climbed into the van.

“Mrs. Burton’s lesson was on intercession. When we pray, we need to pray for others too. Mrs. Burton explained that intercede means to act or plead on someone’s behalf,” Hadley proudly stated as she buckled in.

“Praying for others is important,” Mom said. “It’s easy to pray for ourselves, but sometimes we forget to ask God to help others with their needs and let them feel His love and presence in their lives.”

“Mrs. Burton often walks around her neighborhood praying for her neighbors. She calls it prayer walking,” Hadley said. “We went on a prayer walk this morning while you were in big church. We prayed for Pastor Tom, the congregation, and all the children’s church teachers. Mae and I want to start prayer walking around our apartment complex each week.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Hadley!” Mom replied. “Why don’t we put together a list of specific prayer requests for our neighbors.”

Starting that week, Hadley, Mae, and their moms prayer walked every Tuesday. One evening, as they were walking past Mr. Swanson’s apartment, he came out to visit. “Getting your exercise each week, I see.”

“And we’re praying too,” Hadley explained. As she talked, she noticed a tear slide down Mr. Swanson’s cheek. “Is everything okay?”

Mr. Swanson shook his head. “May I share a prayer request with you?” Hadley, Mae, and their moms gathered around as he spoke. They took turns praying over Mr. Swanson, then he said, “Thanks for praying with me.”

“Anytime,” Mae answered.

As the weeks went by, many prayer requests were answered in their small apartment community. The most exciting news was when one of Hadley’s neighbor friends gave his life to Jesus!

“You know, Mom, prayer walking has really taught me how to pray for others, and it’s been so exciting to see prayers answered,” Hadley said one Tuesday night.

“It’s given us so many reasons to praise God,” Mom replied as she gave Hadley a hug. “And it’s been great exercise too!”

–Lisa Fuller

How about you? Did you know that God wants us as Christians to intercede for others in prayer? Prayer is powerful, and when we ask God to act in other people’s lives out of love for them, it can result in changed hearts and deeper relationships with Jesus. You can pray for anyone anytime and anywhere, but doing a prayer walk in your church, school, or neighborhood is a great way to practice praying for others.

Today's Key Verse: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Pray for others

Find comfort in knowing that grace is God's acceptance of you based on what Jesus did for you—not what you can do for Him.

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Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Today’s devotion reminds us that ordinary faith can lead to extraordinary courage, even unto death.

Follow this podcast so you don’t miss tomorrow’s devotion — and share today’s message with someone who needs encouragement.

When Chris McCandless wandered off the grid and into the Alaskan wilderness, he expected to return. But he crossed the Teklanika in April, well before summer ice-melt would swell that river into an impassable torrent. Months later, out of food, McCandless couldn’t get back. His tragic death is memorialized in book and film.

The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7).

Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan (v. 15), and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (v. 16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17).

From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The greatest of these crossings is from this life into the next. No matter what it is, the God who was with Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites also makes a way for us.