Keep the Heart

Welcome to Soundbites: Topics that are scripturally sound in bite-sized episodes. This week's topic: Anger. Are you angry with someone right now? The strong emotions and reactions that come with anger can get us into trouble. Being angry is not a sin by itself, but the way we express that anger can become sinful and harmful.

This brief study will give us biblical patterns to follow, helping us to improve in our responses. Anger makes a really poor parking spot for the soul. Don't stay there. Forgiveness is more than an option; it's living biblically. (2023 Summer Season Rerun)

Ponder the Path Devotional by Francie Taylor

The Mirror of God's Word -Bible Study by Robin Parton

Minerals for the Mind-Bible Study by Kathy Ashley

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Proverbs Audio Library read by Francie Taylor

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Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "We Don't Have to Be So Broken Down." is for anyone who feels like you're in a ditch and you don't know how you got there!

So much of what happens in our lives begins internally. The external things will happen daily, but our responses to the dailies are coming from our spirits. We all need God’s help recovering from brokenness to become spiritually healthy. God isn't interested in our self-help techniques or our work-harder drives. He has a better way.

How can we stop being so broken down? We'll consider four areas where we can cooperate with God as He trains us to increase and improve our strength.

Ponder the Path Devotional by Francie Taylor

The Mirror of God's Word -Bible Study by Robin Parton

Minerals for the Mind-Bible Study by Kathy Ashley

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Proverbs Audio Library read by Francie Taylor

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Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "Is It Toxic or Is It Us?" is a call to take a step back from slapping labels. 

Is it possible that we've become infected with buzzwords and the misguided philosophies behind them?  Yes, it is possible. This is not an attempt to be the word police. It's merely a call for biblical courtesy and discernment. Name-calling is not a way to influence the world for Christ. Time for a soul check.

Ponder the Path Devotional by Francie Taylor

The Mirror of God's Word -Bible Study by Robin Parton

Minerals for the Mind-Bible Study by Kathy Ashley

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Have you been wavering in your mind with a decision, having a monologue with yourself that alternates between lecturing and venting? You know what you should do, and then you change your mind. Back and forth the internal speech goes, until finally you realize that you are riding the fence on your decision. This is another way of saying, you’re double minded and it’s uncomfortable.

God gives us the bottom line about this issue in James 1:8: "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." Granted, this verse was referring to asking God for wisdom without wavering, but it applies to any area where we’re wavering.

Being double minded makes us unstable and fretful. Let’s consider four ways to stop this confusing habit. Share this episode with your friends, especially if they've been going back and forth in making decisions.

Ponder the Path Devotional by Francie Taylor

Unique Snap-flap Olive Bible-KJV

"Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" T-shirt in many sizes

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BONUS BIBLE SERIES: Welcome to Proverbs chapter 12 on Build Your Bible Habit. There is a difference between Bible reading and Bible study. Reading provides information. Study increases our understanding. If we’ll take the time to study our Bibles in addition to reading them, God can reveal where we may have slipped into unhealthy spiritual conditions. After you've listened to this chapter, you’ll want to go back and do a deeper dive later. 

As you’re building your Bible habit with a Proverb-a-day, pay close attention to areas in your life that God points out for change. The Word of God has the power to transform us, but sometimes we're clinging to things that are holding us back. Change for the better is always hard work because it’s valuable. The habit of daily Bible study will compel you to examine yourself, looking for philosophies and practices that may be hindering your spiritual growth. Without God’s Word, we'll just do whatever is right in our own eyes. As it says in Proverbs 12: 15, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." God gives us wisdom to improve our lives.

Proverbs Audio Library

Great for Travel! Pink & Brown Compact KJV Bible

A Beautiful Gift! Rose Gold Personal Size KJV Bible

Study tool: Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional

Lead a Small Group: ICU New Testament Leader Guide

ICU New Testament Participant Guide (for group study)

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Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "Are You Overdosing on Bad News" was a timely question last year, and still qualifies today. Have you noticed how headlines are written sensationally to get you to click on an article? The agenda for these "clickbait" articles can often be summed up in three words:

Fear for sale.

Are you tired of the endless stream of bad reports? It makes a terrible mind diet, and can contribute to a downcast soul. We can’t control what the media is serving, but we can manage how many of their meals we’ll choose to eat. All that bad news makes the soul overweight with sorrow.

As we continue to be inundated with a continuous stream of negative news, we need to develop our own system to balance the load. Are you overdosing on bad news? Let’s look at three common symptoms, and then we’ll consider some suggestions for repairing the damage. Share this episode with loved ones who may be disturbing their own peace by overdosing on bad news!

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ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study by Francie Taylor

Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty by Robin Parton

Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley

Encouragement for Women: A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey and Team

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Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "I Am Slap Wore Out" is in the group that received thousands of downloads in 2022. Maybe it's because so many people are fried and laid to the side?

Whether you have been believing the lie that we don't need rest, or whether you're afraid to ask for help because you are sure you can do things yourself if you just push harder, this episode is for you. We don't have to accept being "slap wore out" as normal. It should be occasional, not our only operating system.

Jesus told the disciples to rest a while. We need to copy that system.

Shop the "Mall of Keep the Heart"

Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Minerals for the Mind-A Study of Romans 12 by Kathy Ashley

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Have you ever shared something with a person in confidence, only to find out later that they told someone else, or maybe several people? You met a talebearer. They’re as old as the Old Testament, and they caused trouble then and they're still spreading trouble like weeds to this day. A talebearer has an overwhelming desire to share other people’s business.

"Talebearer" is a word that we don’t use in everyday language anymore. It sounds like we should be able to figure it out just by breaking down the word, but it’s more accurate to look it up. We want to know what it is so we can know how not to become one, because a talebearer is a troublemaker.

A basic definition of a talebearer as we would understand it today is a malicious gossip or someone who reveals confidential information such as secrets. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary provides an older picture of the word, defining a talebearer as “A person who officiously tells tales.”

In the Strong’s Concordance, you’ll find two numbers for the word talebearer: H1980 which means to walk about; to spread, to carry, and H5372, which means a whisperer, backbiter, or one who murmurs or slanders. In short, a talebearer is a harmful person. Let’s consider three warnings about the talebearer. We also need to examine our own lives to see if we're engaging in the deceptive behaviors of a talebearer.

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

Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Minerals for the Mind--A Study of Romans 12 by Kathy Ashley

Vitamins for the Soul--A Study of 2 Peter by Kathy Ashley

Encouragement for Women: A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey and Team

Encouragement for Your Identity: A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey and Team

Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You--T-shirt

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Welcome to Bonus Replays, where we play the most popular episodes from our bonus breakout sessions. Normally, our episodes are for general audiences, but this episode is for wives of any stage, or for women who are engaged to be married.

It's great to have a wonderful marriage, but most marriages are not wonderful all day, every day. In fact, a lot of us have experienced some rough waters along the way. People who used to observe "The Taylors" from afar could falsely assume that we were practically trouble-free. Not so. We've had to work hard at learning how to love each other and care for each other sacrificially, as God designed it. After all, marriage is really two selfish people saying "I do" without having a clue! Today I'm sharing some of the dumb things that I did as a newlywed. People may learn from success, but failure is educational, too. Grab a beverage and settle into a comfy chair before listening to this "NOT TO DO" list.

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Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Minerals for the Mind-A Study of Romans 12 by Kathy Ashley

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Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "Prayer is Not Like Same-Day Dry Cleaning, has been popular ever since it first aired in February of 2022. I wonder if that's because so many of us struggle with patience in prayer. After all, prayer and waiting are inseparable, but many of us aren't so great at waiting!

We are nearly ruined with our expectations for speed. If the computer won't load a screen in five seconds, it's so slow. If we're standing in line behind someone who is paying by cash, it seems like it's taking them forEVER to pull that old-school currency out of their wallet.

And so we carry the expectation for speed into our spiritual lives, imagining that if we've prayed, we should have our answer speedily. Prayer is not like same-day dry cleaning that goes in by 10am and out by 4pm. 

Prayer is a our communication with God. It is a combination of relationship-building, making our requests known to God, and then trusting His timing as we wait for the answers. Prayer is also specific, as we'll hear in this episode based on the passage of Luke chapter 18.  Great spiritual habits have great value, which is precisely why they are also harder to develop. At the end of this brief episode, take some time to pray...about your prayer habits.

Shop the "Mall of Keep the Heart"

Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor

Minerals for the Mind-A Study of Romans 12 by Kathy Ashley

Rate and Review the Show HERE

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