Keep the Heart

Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit! The habit of being in the Word of God daily builds us up, making us spiritually stronger. God uses the "knowledge of the holy" to give us understanding, helping us to make wiser decisions and choices in our lives.

Proverbs 14 is full of instructions, observations, and even warnings like this: "Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge." (Proverbs 14:7)

Foolish people give matching counsel. So what did God say to do? "Go from the presence of a foolish man..." Who has your ear? The people we listen to have influence in our lives.

Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Elegant Olive Petal Snap Flap Bible--Great for travel!

The "Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" T-Shirt

Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome to Replay Wednesday! This episode, "How to Handle Discouragement" from Season One continues to be one of the most frequently-downloaded episodes. No surprise. Discouragement is a common experience, and it has a lot of causes.

Maybe you've lost a job and haven't been able to find another one yet. Or perhaps there's trouble in your family and it feels like the problems are multiplying. Or maybe there's something you have been longing for in your life and it hasn't come to pass, and you're wondering if it ever will?

Discouragement can make our spirits heavy, but this is a temporary condition, not a permanent address. Find a comfy chair and pause for these helpful insights designed to encourage. There is hope. Even when we lose our own.

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." (Psalm 42:5)

Helpful tools here in the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Elegant Olive Petal Snap Flap Bible--Great for travel!

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit, where you can listen to a chapter of Proverbs in about five minutes. This is a habit that pays in the currency of godly wisdom, which the Bible calls "the principal thing (Prov. 4:7).

If you've ever wondered why it seems like divisiveness is increasing, there is an answer to that question in Proverbs 29:27: "An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked." 

When a person is living in godliness, they will be very unappealing to those who choose to do the opposite. What can we do about this gap? Look for people who want to know if there is more to life than a bunch of people arguing and slapping labels on each other. Engage in a sincere and caring conversation about why you believe what you believe, and always be ready to share your faith.

Not everyone is antagonistic. Some are still seeking.

Helpful tools here in the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Elegant Olive Petal Snap Flap Bible--Great for travel!

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Prideful thoughts sound like these:

Welcome to a Bible Study segment from the series, ICU: In Christ Unconditionally-Heart Conditions. This week's episode is a study of "The Proud Heart." This is a 25-minute episode, since it is the entire lesson from ICU.

We do not need lessons on how to be prideful. It comes naturally. In this episode, we'll look at a poster child for the prideful heart: King Nebuchadnezzar. He thought way too highly of himself, but aren't there times when we're doing the same thing?

If you're planning to teach a Bible study group, get the Leader Guide which includes teaching notes. The Leader Guide is also appropriate for solo study. The participants in your group would each need a Participant Guide, which includes interactive blanks to fill in, along with space for study notes.

Get your group together and play this episode. You'll complete this lesson in less than 30 minutes. You'll confidently teach the other lessons on your own. Bible study groups are a great way to form lasting bonds of friendship around the Word of God!

The episode ends with a BONUS SEGMENT of tips for leading your next Bible study group.

"Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10)

START YOUR BIBLE STUDY GROUPS WITH THESE TOOLS!

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Heart Conditions Leader Guide

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Heart Conditions Participant Guide

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--New Testament Leader Guide

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--New Testament Participant Guide

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Old Testament Leader Guide

ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Old Testament Participant Guide

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit! This week, Proverbs 15 opens the chapter with a lesson on the "soft answer." We need this lesson. When people speak to us harshly, it's human nature to want to respond the same way. Our carnal nature is not interested in godliness. It is human to have a classic case of "how dare they speak to me like that." 

When we tell someone off and imagine that it will settle things, instead this wrong move heats up the conversation until both sides are angry. God wants to help us fix this tendency. The solution? Learn the art of the soft answer. Godliness is rewarding to the soul, building humility and temperance.

Here's a great verse for the week:

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)

Those sharp words you were tempted to use? Soften them.

Helpful tools here in the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Elegant Olive Petal Snap Flap Bible--Great for travel!

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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When I had a heart procedure done a few years ago, I was told that I would be feeling great afterwards. This was not my experience! Instead, shortly after going home I was taken right back to the ER with overwhelming pains that were shooting through my body. The heart procedure had damaged some nerves at the point of entry for the surgery. These nerves went crazy and sent lightning bolts of pain through my body for a few days. Once the pain resolved, I actually did feel much better than I had felt before going into the procedure.

The end was better than the beginning, but I had to be patient and walk through some pain before getting to that "better" part.

In this Season 5 Intro episode, I'm sharing my theme verse with you, explaining the blessing of how this simple habit helps. If you don't have an annual theme verse, pick one today. Watch how God uses that verse, often in ways that bring both "growing pains" and joy! 

My theme verse for 2025: Ecclesiastes 7:8

"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."

Helpful tools here in the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Far Above Rubies: A 31-Day Devotional by Melissa Hedrick

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit! One of the greatest habits you can develop for the health of your soul is to feed it daily from the Word of God. Just as the physical body needs nourishment, so does the soul.

The 3rd chapter of Proverbs is full of instructions that guide and direct us in our daily living. In fact, the first two verses point us to the importance of remembering God's Word and living by it.

"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee." (Proverbs 3:1-2)

The benefits are "length of days, long life, and peace." These are priceless! Bible commentator Matthew Henry said this about Proverbs 3: 2: "As grace increases, peace shall increase..."

Peace with God and others is a gift of God.

Helpful tools here in the Shop at Keep the Heart:

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Far Above Rubies: A 31-Day Devotional by Melissa Hedrick

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit, where you can listen to a chapter of Proverbs in five minutes or less. The habit of feeding your soul from the Bible daily is like the habit of providing nourishment for the physical body. Just as junk food doesn't build strength, filling the mind with everything but the Bible leads to spiritual weaknesses. Building a daily Bible habit will build your wisdom and understanding. 

Read a chapter of Proverbs without skipping for 90 days and see how God speaks to you directly from His Word, teaching you how to handle matters wisely. You will appreciate the newfound strength!

Read Proverbs 27 on the 27th, Proverbs 28 on the 28th, and so on. Keep this up, and you will grow in grace and knowledge of God, as well as developing a sound heart and mind.

A great verse in Proverbs 27:17 focuses on our influence. We are all "influencers" in the lives of others, but is that a good thing or not? If we're living biblically, we are helping others to become spiritually "sharpened."

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Far Above Rubies: A 31-Day Devotional by Melissa Hedrick

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Have you ever had a problem that you could not figure out? That's like asking if you have a pulse. It is part of life to face things that are hard to understand, let alone solve. That's a good time to pray at least three words:

"Give me understanding."

The words, "give me understanding" appear five times in Psalm 119. This episode briefly covers those five verses, all of which make excellent prayer requests.

Stumped? No clue what to do? Ask God to "give you understanding." It's a biblical prayer request.

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

Far Above Rubies: A 31-Day Devotional by Melissa Hedrick

Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor

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Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit, with episodes that take you through a chapter of Proverbs in under 5 minutes. Proverbs chapter 12 covers a broad range of life topics, from righeous living to the hazards of laziness. Applying the instructions from Proverbs leads to better relationships and wiser decisions. Daily Bible reading is a habit that makes life better!

"Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish." (Proverbs 12:1)

Apply: Living What We Learn--Daily Devotional by Francie Taylor

NEW! Far Above Rubies: A 31-Day Devotional by Melissa Hedrick

NEW! Encouragement for Young Women: A 30-Day Devotional for Teens by Charity Berkey & Team

What Do I Have to Lose: Losing My Way and Finding God's by Janice Wolfe

Sister Friends by Francie Taylor--Same book NEW LOOK

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