LifeAudio

Many Christians long to share their faith but struggle with fear, uncertainty, or a lack of confidence. Yet Scripture shows us that bold evangelism begins not with a strategy, but with a heart captivated by Jesus Himself. In Luke 2, the shepherds encountered the newborn Christ and immediately “spread the word,” becoming some of the first evangelists in the New Testament. Their example challenges us to consider what passionate witness could look like in our own lives. When we truly love Christ, we naturally want to talk about Him—and God uses ordinary people to make His extraordinary news known.

Main Takeaways

• You’ll learn why the shepherds’ response to seeing Jesus models bold, joy-filled evangelism.

• Discover how passion for Christ fuels our desire to share the gospel with others.

• Understand why plans and formulas have value, but real witness begins with loving Jesus deeply.

• See how God consistently uses ordinary men and women—shepherds, fishermen, everyday believers—to spread His good news.

• Reflect on how your own enthusiasm for Christ can become an invitation for others to know Him.

Bible Verses Referenced

• Luke 2:7 – https://www.biblestudytools.com/luke/2-7.html

• Luke 2:8–15 – https://www.biblestudytools.com/luke/passage/?q=luke+2:8-15

• Luke 2:17–18 – https://www.biblestudytools.com/luke/2-17.html

• Matthew 28:5–7 – https://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+28:5-7

• Acts 10:39–40 – https://www.biblestudytools.com/acts/passage/?q=acts+10:39-40

Your Daily Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the incomparable gift of knowing You. Fill my heart with a deeper love for You—one that naturally overflows into conversations and actions that point others to Your grace. Make me bold like the shepherds who joyfully shared the news of Your birth, and like the disciples who testified fearlessly through the power of Your Spirit. When I feel uncertain or afraid, strengthen me. When I struggle for words, guide me in truth and grace. Let my life reflect Your goodness so others may be drawn to You.
Amen.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On May 6, 2023, King Charles III was officially inaugurated as the King of the United Kingdom. The ceremony was extravagant—100 heads of state, representatives from over 200 countries, thousands in attendance, and a price tag exceeding $90 million. When we think of kingship, this is the picture that comes to mind: splendor, grandeur, and overwhelming displays of honor.

Now consider this: How does such earthly grandeur compare to the humble arrival of the King of Kings?

When you examine the life of Jesus, one word rises above all others: humility.

He entered the world not in luxury, but in a stable—surrounded by animals and unnoticed by society. He grew up in Nazareth, a town so insignificant that Nathanael once asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” He lived among ordinary people, walked dusty roads, and later rode into Jerusalem not on a majestic warhorse, but on a donkey. Even in His death, Jesus chose the most humiliating form—a criminal’s cross.

What makes this so astonishing is that Jesus is God.
He created the world He stepped into.
He formed the very ground His infant body rested upon.
He commanded heaven’s armies, yet allowed Himself to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.

If anyone deserved a royal entrance with unmatched splendor, it was Him. And yet, He chose humility—for one reason: love.

Jesus lowered Himself to lift us up. He emptied Himself so He could rescue us. His humility wasn’t weakness—it was the deepest expression of His character and His mission.

But Philippians reminds us that Jesus’ humility is not merely something to admire; it is something we are called to imitate.

In a world obsessed with recognition, achievement, and personal rights, the call of Christ is radically countercultural. We are invited to lay aside entitlement, pride, and self-importance so we can serve. True greatness is not measured by status or power, but by a heart willing to love at any cost.

This Christmas season, may the humility of Jesus shape our attitudes, soften our hearts, and transform how we see others. The greatest King chose the lowest place—and in doing so, revealed the heart of heaven.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

"He made himself nothing… being made in human likeness."
— Philippians 2:7

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
It is easy to become focused on myself—my rights, my desires, my expectations. Help me fix my eyes instead on the humility of Jesus. Let His example reshape my attitude and my actions. Remove any entitlement within me and replace it with a servant’s heart. Reveal the places where I do not reflect Your character, and change me so I can love and serve as Christ did.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

“I don’t want to be 60 years old having the same issues I had when I was 25.”

What an honest and important statement from this week's guest, Brandon Ricks. Because the truth is, too many of us have just resigned ourselves to always being the way we are now. The fight for something different is hard, and so we give up. Brandon, though, finally had enough, and he started the painful but hopeful process of healing.

Brandon is a successful entrepreneur with his own company. He projects strength and competency. But for a long time, behind that exterior was someone who had shut down for so long that he couldn’t feel anything—and didn’t know how to. Porn became one of the ways he coped. So did marijuana, which he used to numb himself when life felt too overwhelming or too painful to face. He even shares the detailed story of the period in his life where he considered ending it all (and what kept him from doing it).

In this conversation, Brandon explains how his numbing behaviors weren’t just random vices but survival strategies—ways to avoid the internal world he’d never been taught to navigate. He talks about the moment the Holy Spirit confronted his hiding, how the collapse of a relationship exposed the fragility of his emotional world, and why counseling became the turning point he didn’t know he needed.

Brandon also unpacks what long-term emotional shutdown does to the mind and body, why addiction thrives in silence and isolation, and why maturity requires discomfort, not avoidance. This episode reminds us that healing begins when we stop numbing and start telling the truth—the truth that Jesus says about us and our situations.

We explore:

—Why Brandon learned to shut down his emotions to survive
—How porn and weed became coping mechanisms rather than “just habits”
—The difference between self-protection and sanctification
—Why the Holy Spirit confronted his hiding
—How a painful breakup forced him to reckon with his inner world
—Why healing requires community, honesty, and discomfort
—The neurological impact of long-term emotional shutdown
—The choice every man faces: hide and numb, or grow and tell the truth
—Why he refuses to be “60 years old with the same issues I had at 25”

Work with Brandon: https://productionmasterminds.com 

Follow Jon: @jonseidl

Order Jon's new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic.

Get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s Bible Verse – John 1:14 (NIV)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Hope feels different when the holidays don't look anything like you imagined. Yet the heartbeat of Advent is this: God draws near anyway. John 1:14 reminds us that the Word didn’t just visit—He moved into our world, our mess, and our unmet expectations. This reflection walks through the beauty of a Christmas we may not have chosen, and the surprising nearness of a Savior who meets us right there. Perfect for listeners longing for comfort, grounding, and the reminder that Emmanuel still arrives.

Meet Today’s Host: Carol Ogle McCracken

️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Carol at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio

Carol Ogle McCracken is a dynamic Christian speaker, author, and Bible teacher known for her warmth, humor, and transparency. She brings biblical truths to life through real-world stories and relatable experiences—whether navigating alcohol recovery, parenting a child with special needs, or walking through divorce.

Today, she serves as Minister of Discipleship at her local church and shares God’s Word through women's retreats, conferences, and online devotionals. Her book, Wisdom: Where to Find It if You’ve Lost, Forgotten, or Never Had It, was released in 2020 and continues to encourage readers in their pursuit of godly wisdom.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever prayed so desperately for something that it felt like a spiritual battle?

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jenny Marrs, co-star of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous and mom of five, for an honest conversation about what happens when faith requires letting go. Jenny shares the raw story behind her family's adoption of their daughter Sylvie from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the night she woke up gripped by fear, unable to breathe, and discovered God was answering her prayers in a way she never expected.

Jenny's new book, Trust God, Love People: Stories of My Open-Handed Faith, invites readers to release control and trust God's plans, even when His timing doesn't match ours. In this conversation, she opens up about:

• The bold prayer that sustained her through years of waiting and uncertainty
• What "open-handed faith" actually looks like in the chaos of daily life
• How to love people generously without losing yourself or your family
• Why sitting around the table with people who are different from you matters
• The simple practice of remembering God's faithfulness that builds trust for the future

Whether you're in a season of waiting, wrestling with surrender, or simply need encouragement to loosen your grip, Jenny's story will remind you that God is working even when you can't see His hand.

Connect with Jenny Marrs:

• Book: Trust God, Love People (available wherever books are sold)
• HGTV: Fixer to Fabulous Season 7 airing Tuesdays at 8pm ET

Mentioned in this episode:

• Desperate Prayers: Kindle is currently $1.99

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Who knew that the Founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Anne Beiler, had such an incredible story of redemption, hope, and healing! In this final episode of our Mind, Body, Spirit series, sponsored by WeShare, Anne shares her testimony and how, even in the midst of our lowest lows and deepest traumas, God can craft something beautiful from our brokenness. I hope her story encourages you as much as it inspires me!

CHECK OUT WESHARE TODAY: https://www.weshare.org/kirby  

CHECK OUT ANNE'S BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=anne+beiler+books&adgrpid=186020619803&hvadid=779636485665&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=1026562&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=2140468409721952230--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2140468409721952230&hvtargid=kwd-903089880878&hydadcr=19679_13697714_2281654&mcid=4a197bbb75253cadb773a214ce2d109f&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_7v52sn3pnt_e

ORDER MY BOOK HERE: https://a.co/d/0vE5Cji

PRINT OUT MY FREE "SHAME CYCLE WORKSHEET" HERE: https://kirbykelly.myflodesk.com/shamecycleworksheet

CHECK OUT MY FREE RESOURCES: https://kirbykelly.myflodesk.com/kirbykelly 

For 10% off of Faithful Counseling, and to start your healing journey today, go to: https://www.faithfulcounseling.com/kirbykelly

To sponsor a child in need alongside me with Compassion International, go to: https://www.compassion.com/kirbyisaboss  

Support the ministry!: https://kirby-kelly.com/checkout/donate?donatePageId=5d23856d41ec3a0001234376

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Connect with God — on Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. Use this biblical meditation, narrated by Bonnie Curry, to center yourself on the truth in God's word. Are you drawn to light? Meditate on John 3:20-21. Allow the music & nature sounds, deep breathing, prayer, and scripture help you connect with God in a new way. 

For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for meditation is right here: https://abide.com/peace

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A Prayer for the Gift I Want Most with Stacey Thacker

The gift we need most is wisdom—God’s light-filled wisdom that brings clarity in dark seasons, understanding in confusion, and guidance in everyday decisions.In today's episode we take a deeper look at the contrast between light and darkness in Scripture—light as knowledge, clarity, and revelation, and darkness as confusion, concealment, and despair. Daniel lived in this tension daily as a young exile in Babylon, yet he understood something profound: God alone is the revealer of mysteries.Jesus invites us to ask, seek, and knock, promising that God will respond.

Reference: Daniel 2:22

Prayer: Father, you are surrounded by light, full of wisdom and understanding. This Christmas may we seek the gift of light -filled wisdom that is only found in you. And when you answer our prayers and give us this gift, we will be careful to give you all the glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

LINKS:

Read the first five days of Everyday Prayers for Christmas 

Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms

Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! 

Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon.

Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.