We’re back in the book of Ezra, walking with the exiles who answered the call to return to Jerusalem. For most of them, staying would have been easier. Just like the Jews in the Old Testament it’s easy to stay in our comfort zones, forgetting the privilege of sacrificing for God's call on our lives. In today’s episode, we’re talking about the high call of studying and obeying God’s word, living a life worthy of our call, and giving our all for Christ. And we’ll remember that nothing can be accomplished without the grace of God in our lives. 

Episode Points

You can only obey what you know, and you can only teach what you’ve obeyed. 

God’s call on your life will require sacrifice. But it’s worth it! 

Since we’re called to handle holy things, we must live holy lives.

Your calling can only be accomplished by God’s grace. 

Scripture References

Ezra 7:1-6, 10 

Ezra 7:13, 27-28 

Ezra 8:15 

Ezra 8:28-29 

Ezra 9:8-9

It’s all too easy to hang on to the old when God is doing a new thing. In today’s episode, we’re looking at the exiles’ return to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple. Some had hoped God would help them rebuild what they had before. What the people didn’t understand is that God was doing a new thing.

Like the exiles, sometimes we look around at what’s broken-down or overgrown in our lives, and we can’t imagine that God wants (and is able) to do something new. Today’s episode will encourage you to embrace “the day of small things,” to get going with what God wants you to do even if things aren’t “just right,” and to remember that just because we face opposition, it doesn’t mean God’s call on our lives has ceased.

Today we’re talking about the power—and challenge—of forgiveness, and why it’s so essential. Unforgiveness causes division in our relationships, is a strategy of the enemy, and disrupts our intimacy with Christ. On the positive side, Jesus empowers us to forgive, desires that we’re free from bitterness and anger, and loves reconciliation. Also, He is able to bring about justice.

If forgiveness is essential, why is it so hard? In this episode, we’ll examine three reasons that make it challenging, as well as several benefits. Ultimately we’ll discover that forgiving others isn’t only a gift to the person who hurt us, but it’s one of God’s gifts to us.

Today we’re looking at the liberating healing of Jesus, and how that healing can sometimes be disruptive. Be encouraged, if the healing Jesus is bringing you is uncomfortable or even painful, you’re on the right path. If we’re honest, we often want His healing, but we want it on our terms. In this episode, we’ll confront the ways our unhealthy habits keep us from the good work He wants to do in our lives.

Are we willing to abandon our own plans and comforts so that He can fully lead and have authority in our lives? Will we offer up all areas of our lives so that we can most experience His abundant life? We’re going to challenge ourselves to answer these difficult questions and find true freedom in giving it all over to Jesus, the One who is worth our all. I hope this episode will encourage you to surrender more fully to Him.

Today we’re looking at the significance of the cross and what it means for us. What specifically did the cross accomplish? Why was it necessary? And what hope does it offer for the present? We’re going to dive in deep (get ready for some big words!) as we talk about how Jesus acted as our substitute, not only taking our sin upon Himself on the cross, but wiping it out completely. And by doing so, freely bringing us into relationship with Himself. You’ll be blessed by this closer look at Jesus’s death on the cross and His love for you.

I just returned from the Amazon jungle, where I spent a week with jungle pastors who serve along the Amazon river. I’ll talk about some of the lessons I learned from them in today’s episode. And how they helped me better understand Paul’s encouragement to run our race for the ultimate prize. 

Their encouragement to us will help us step out of our comfort zones and into the boat with Jesus (something the people on the Amazon River do literally). I hope today’s episode encourages you to run the race that Jesus has for you. He will lead you if you’re willing to follow Him.

Episode Points

1. If we’re reaping spiritually, we should be giving generously.

2. We will only live spiritually disciplined lives if our prize is in focus.

3. “Following Jesus was worth it then, it’s worth it now, it’s worth it all.” Pastor Gioval

Kelly’s first devotional book is available now! 'The Blessed Life' is for anyone willing to take a thoughtful, 90-day journey through the mind, heart, and work of Jesus. Check it out here.

Scripture References

1 Corinthians 9:9-12

1 Corinthians 9: 24-27

Quote Kelly Mentioned: “In context, the overall argument has to do with putting others before self in order to maximize one’s effectiveness for the gospel, which requires rigorous self-discipline.” Mark Taylor, New American Commentary, 1 Cor. 

How Do We Cultivate This in Our Lives?

Take some time to reflect on these questions after you read the passage and listen to the podcast:

What are some areas in your life God may be asking you to make sacrifices? 

How can you support those who are impacting your spiritual walk? 

Are you living for the ultimate prize or focusing on more temporal rewards? 

Stuff We Think You’ll Like

In this episode, Kelly reads Day 59, “The New and Greater Moses,” from her brand new book, The Blessed Life: A 90-Day Devotional Through the Teachings and Miracles of Jesus. Order yours here.

Kelly’s most recent Bible study release on the book of Ruth called: Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy.

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the story of a woman in Luke 8 who was healed of a physical illness. But Jesus did more than heal her physically. We’ll leave the details for the podcast, but Jesus stopped (in the middle of a pressing situation) and gave this woman more than she even knew to hope for. Jesus loved her too much to let her settle for mere physical healing. He wanted to take away her shame.

Sometimes we ask Jesus for too little. Sometimes we come to Him for one thing but what we really need is something totally different. I hope today’s episode will encourage you to let Him have His way in your life. He knows what you need. 

Episode Points

1. God’s grace is not bound by time or location. 

2. God’s grace can handle your whole truth.

3. God’s grace does more than we think we need.

4. The enemy comes to shame; Jesus comes to restore. 

Kelly’s first devotional book releases today, February 7th! The Blessed Life is for anyone willing to take a thoughtful, 90-day journey through the mind, heart, and work of Jesus. Check it out here.

Scripture References

Luke 8:40-48

Mark 5:33

1 John 1:9

How Do We Cultivate This in Our Lives?

Take some time to reflect on these questions after you read the passage and listen to the podcast:

• Are your expectations of God too low? 

• Does Jesus want to do more in your life than you want Him to? 

• Are you resisting Him? 

• Have you allowed Him to tend to all of you (your whole truth?)

Stuff We Think You’ll Like

In this episode, Kelly reads Day 81, “Taking Away Our Shame,” from her brand new book, The Blessed Life: A 90-Day Devotional Through the Teachings and Miracles of Jesus. Order yours here.

A new year comes with much to do, plan for, and be excited about. But, at the start of these 365 days, it’s important that we take time to position our hearts before the Lord. It’s easy to focus on all of the doing, but what if we focus on the being—being at the feet of Jesus and listening to what He has to say to us? When we spend time with Him, our serving and productivity will flow out of that time. 

In this episode, we’re looking at Mary and Martha’s encounter with Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. He called them to a place of discipleship and a posture of choosing quality time with Him as superior to being anxiously busy for Him. Jesus invited these two sisters, as he invites us, to a deeper communion with Him. He said that this is the better choice because time spent with Him can never be taken away. Don’t we want to be about the things that can never be taken away from us? 

We don’t know what the year ahead holds, the hard times and the good times, but the quality time we invest with Jesus today is treasure stored for tomorrow. At the end of these 365 days, I want to have stored up something special. I want Jesus to look at our lives—our love for Him and for others, the time that we spend with Him and the time that we give to others—and say, “That is a treasure.” 

January is the perfect time to start a Bible study. Check out Kelly’s newest study, Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy (video access included with study),and also her study, Encountering God, which is about the spiritual disciplines—a great focus for the new year. 

Cultivate is brought to you in part by the Dwell Bible App. Save 30% at dwellapp.io/Cultivate.

Cultivate is sponsored in part by "When You Pray." Find out more at Lifeway.com/WhenYouPray

Check out Kelly's new book "The Blessed Life" at TheBlessedLifeBook.com or search for it on Amazon.

It’s Christmas time, and we all have expectations this season. Some are material—what gifts are we going to receive? What experiences are we going to have? Some are relational—will we finally get engaged? Will the grandbabies be visiting?  

Expectations are fine as long as we manage them instead of letting them manage us. If we’re not careful, unmet expectations can turn us into people we don’t want to be. Who do you want to be during the holidays?

In this episode, two women–Elizabeth and Mary–are going to give us an incredible, real-life, non-sugar-coated example of who we can be this holiday season. We find them in Luke chapter 1, right before the first Christmas. At their meeting, we see their mutual joy in being in each other’s presence because of God’s work in their lives. These women show us it’s a gift to be in community without jealousy, to bless other people with our words and welcome them into our hearts. 

When we remember Christmas isn’t about us, we find enduring joy. There’s nothing better than going into this season with Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives. It exceeds any and all of our expectations.

If you’d like to go deeper in the Word, Kelly has a brand new Bible study on the book of Ruth! You can even download the first week for free. Check out Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy at www.lifeway.com/Ruth

Cultivate is brought to you in part by the Dwell Bible App. Save 30% at dwellapp.io/Cultivate.

During difficult seasons, we can be tempted to turn back to our old ways of numbing pain. We can begin to question if God is actually good and if he cares about us. But these are not the times to forfeit what we have with Him. These are the times to struggle and weep with our faces pointed toward the Lord, trusting who he is when we can’t see what lies ahead.

I can hardly wait to start studying the book of Ruth with you in today’s Cultivate podcast. As we look at the first chapter, we’ll see three women showing us different ways of weeping. One goes back to her old life, the second turns toward God with bitterness, and the third turns toward Him with total commitment amidst the unknown. Her story–the story of Ruth–is a beautiful picture of how God is not limited by our impossible circumstances. 

Weeping will come for all of us, but the direction we weep in is what makes the difference. I hope this episode will encourage you to turn toward Jesus, continuing with the things he has called you to do. There will be a day that your tears will reap shouts of joy (Ps. 126:5-6). 

Scripture References

Ruth 1:1-18; Psalm 126:5-6

How do we cultivate this in our lives?

Determine the direction you want to go. Ask God to help you move toward him in these times of weeping.

Don’t walk alone. We need a godly community walking with us. Join a local or virtual Bible study group.

Remember this is a season. You can sow seeds right now in your tears, trusting that there is a joyful harvest coming.

Stuff we think you’ll like:

Cook the delicious grilled salmon with lemon sauce recipe Kelly mentioned in this episode! It’s included in the first week of her Ruth Bible study. Or, check out her full cookbook, A Place at the Table. 

Cultivate is brought to you in part by Kelly's Ruth Bible Study. Find out more by visiting this link.

Cultivate is brought to you in part by the Dwell Bible App. Save 30% at dwellapp.io/Cultivate.