One Single Story

Welcome to the October 29th edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Alyssa Bream, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety open Lamentations 1 and 2 in the One Year Bible. They talk about why lament is a vital part of the Christian life and why God included a series of funeral dirges in Scripture.

Scripture Focus: Lamentations 1:1 – 2:22 - Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, writes a series of acrostic funeral dirges as he looks over the ruins of Jerusalem. He pours out raw grief over the consequences God's people faced for turning away from Him.

In This Episode:

• Why weeping and lament are not signs of a lack of faith, but a turning toward God
• Lament as a form of prayer, and why not every prayer is victory and praise
• How Lamentations 1:12 ("Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow") points forward to Jesus on the cross
• Why we should sit with the sorrow of the crucifixion and not rush to the resurrection
• Jesus as the ultimate sin bearer, carrying what Jerusalem could only weep over
• The danger of false comfort and empty, flattering words, and why pastors must preach hard truths with love
• How personality and cultural pressure shape what gets preached, and why leaders must stretch beyond their comfort zone

Key Quote: "You don't have to hide your pain or run from conviction. Bring your honest lament to a Savior who bore our ultimate sorrow on the cross."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible podcast from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Each episode offers a brief, conversational lesson from a section of the day's reading in the One Year Bible, so you can read through the whole Bible in a year and see how all of Scripture points to one single story of redemption through Jesus Christ.

Church and Website Info: Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and find more episodes and resources at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe: Subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. If this conversation encouraged you, like the video, leave a comment, and share it with someone reading through the Bible this year.

Coming This Week: Join us for the rest of the week as we keep working through the One Year Bible, with fresh discussion and practical application from each day's reading. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper, and read along with us.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Lamentations #Jeremiah #Lament #BookOfLamentations #WeepingProphet #GriefAndFaith

Welcome

Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday we share a brief lesson from the day's reading in the One Year Bible. Today, Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Alyssa Bream, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety close out the book of Jeremiah. They talk about what to do when the institutions and expectations we trust begin to crumble, the danger of persistent spiritual stubbornness, and the quiet messianic hope found in the last verses of Jeremiah.

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 51:54-52:34 - The final section of Jeremiah serves as an appendix to the whole book. It records the fall of Jerusalem, the burning of the temple, the stripping of its bronze pillars and pomegranates, King Zedekiah's downfall, and the surprising release of King Jehoiachin, a descendant of David, who is elevated from prison to eat at the Babylonian king's table.

In This Episode:

• How to help believers process seasons when a church, career, marriage, or other cherished institution begins to fail
• The temple's bronze pillars, Jachin and Boaz, and what happens when people abandon the God behind the symbols
• Why comfort, remembering God's past faithfulness, and trusting who is in control matter more than preaching at someone in pain
• Recalibrating our identity when roles like career and parenting begin to crumble
• Why we often ask God to fix the situation instead of asking Him to help us trust Him through it
• King Zedekiah and the danger of persistent spiritual stubbornness, ignored warnings, and delayed obedience
• How fear of people and peer pressure can keep us from doing what we already know is right
• Jehoiachin's release from prison and what it says about God's promise to David and the hope of the Messiah

Key Quote: "Jeremiah doesn't end with a period. It ends with a comma." After massive destruction, there is a tiny glimmer of hope, and what looks like the end isn't always the end.

About One Single Story

One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Each episode takes a short, practical look at a section of the day's One Year Bible reading and shows how the whole Bible tells one single story of God's redemptive love. Whether you are reading through the Bible in a year or just looking for daily encouragement in Scripture, we are glad to have you with us.

Church and Website Info

Open Door Church | Edenton, North Carolina Church: visitopendoor.com Podcast: onesinglestory.com

Subscribe

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the One Single Story channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily Bible study. Like this video, share it with a friend who is reading through the Bible, and leave a comment telling us what stood out to you from Jeremiah.

Coming This Week

We continue our journey through the One Year Bible with new daily readings and discussions each weekday. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper, and join us for the next episode of One Single Story.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Jeremiah #Jeremiah52 #BookOfJeremiah #FallOfJerusalem #MessianicHope #ObediencetoGod #KingZedekiah #OldTestament

Welcome to One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by co-hosts Pastor Alyssa Bream and Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a Bible study conversation on Jeremiah 51. Today's episode looks at God's judgment on Babylon, the hammer that was itself broken, and asks what it means to place our hope in the wrong systems. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper, and join the conversation.

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 51:1 -53 - Jeremiah continues his prophecy against Babylon, the empire God used as an instrument of judgment against Judah and then held accountable for its own pride and cruelty. The chapter closes with Seraiah sinking a scroll in the Euphrates River as a picture of Babylon's fall, and with a call for the exiles to remember the Lord from afar.

In This Episode:

• Why Jeremiah's scroll-in-the-river illustration reminds us that God's people have always used visual object lessons
• The point of no return in Jeremiah 51:9 and how rebellion can become deeply entrenched
• How God's sovereignty and human responsibility fit together when Babylon is called His hammer but is still judged for its cruelty
• Why Babylon was an instrument of God but never His puppet, with comparisons to Pharaoh and Judas
• Why hoping in political parties, leaders, and human kingdoms always ends in disappointment
• How knowing the end of the story gives us peace when earthly powers rise and fall
• Living as exiles in a secular culture and why standing apart helps us make a difference for the Kingdom
• The comfort of the communion of saints and the cloud of witnesses when you feel alone in your faith
• How the Psalms of Ascent and regular spiritual rhythms of prayer, Scripture reading, and community keep our hearts focused on heaven

Key Quote: "Don't throw your anchor into a sinking world. Remember the Lord today and place your trust in the King whose kingdom can never be destroyed."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church that offers a brief lesson from a section of the day's reading in a one-year Bible plan. Each episode helps listeners see how every passage connects to the one single story of God's redemption through Jesus Christ. Whether you are reading through the Bible for the first time or the fifteenth, this podcast is designed to help you understand Scripture and apply it to everyday life.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more about our church at visitopendoor.com and find more episodes and resources at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode. If this conversation encouraged you, like the video, share it with a friend who is reading along, and leave a comment telling us what stood out to you from Jeremiah 51.

Coming This Week: We continue our journey through the Scriptures with a new conversation each weekday. Read along with the plan, then join Pastor Stephen, Pastor Alyssa, and Pastor Sheryl as we discover how each passage points to the one single story of the Bible.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Jeremiah #Jeremiah51 #BookOfJeremiah #Babylon #OldTestament #HopeInChrist #GodsSovereignty #HeavenlyCitizenship #CloudOfWitnesses #PsalmsOfAscent #BibleReadingPlan

Welcome to One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream and Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a conversation on Jeremiah 49 and 50. Together they look at how corporate brokenness leads to repentance, why pride and self-reliance bring nations down, and how God's promise to forgive Israel points to the grace we have in Jesus Christ.

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 49:23 – 50:46 - In these chapters, Jeremiah delivers God's judgment against surrounding nations, including Damascus, and then against Babylon, the proud superpower God used to discipline His people. Alongside the judgment comes a promise of restoration: Israel and Judah will return to Zion, weeping and seeking the Lord, and God will remove their guilt.

In This Episode:

• How spiritual drift happens, and what it means when leaders lead God's people so far astray that they forget their resting place
• Why corporate brokenness and shared repentance can lead to true spiritual renewal in a church, a community, or a nation
• The power of a unified people moving in the same direction, from Israel's remnant to the believers gathered at Pentecost
• How leaders can guard a church, business, or ministry against subtle spiritual arrogance when God grants success
• Practical safeguards against pride: pointing every blessing back to God, cultivating generosity, and welcoming honest voices who ask good questions
• Why Babylon was powerful but was only ever an instrument in God's hands
• How Jeremiah 50:20, where Israel's guilt is searched for and none is found, points to the complete forgiveness we receive through Christ
• The doctrine of justification and how the Old Testament points to the New

Key Quote: "It's not like our sin is swept under the rug. It is exchanged for His righteousness."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a daily Bible podcast from Open Door Church that walks through the One Year Bible. Each weekday, our pastors take a short section of the day's reading and share a brief lesson, showing how Scripture from Genesis to Revelation tells one connected story of God's grace and redemption through Jesus Christ. It is a good companion for your daily devotional time, personal Bible study, or small group.

Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina: Learn more about our church at visitopendoor.com and find more resources for reading through the Bible at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe: Subscribe to the One Single Story channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode. If this conversation encouraged you, like the video, share it with someone reading along, and leave a comment with what stood out to you in today's reading.

Coming This Week: We continue our journey through the book of Jeremiah, following the prophet's message of judgment, hope, and God's faithful covenant. Join us each weekday as we keep reading through the Bible together, one single story at a time.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Jeremiah #Jeremiah50 #BookOfJeremiah #Repentance #Justification #GraceOfGod #BibleReadingPlan

Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday we take a brief lesson from the day's One Year Bible reading. Today, Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski and special guest Tyler Bream to explore one of the great paradoxes of Proverbs: when to answer a fool, when to stay silent, and how to correct without being pulled down to their level.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 26:3-5 - Solomon places two back-to-back proverbs side by side, one saying "do not answer a fool according to his folly" and the next saying "answer a fool according to his folly." The apparent contradiction teaches that biblical wisdom requires discernment, not rigid rules.

In This Episode:

• Why Proverbs 26:4-5 is not a contradiction, and why wisdom is knowing what to apply in each situation
• The difference between confronting an argument and attacking a person
• How Jesus confronted the Pharisees at times and stayed silent at others
• Why social media creates the appearance of community without the relationship needed to correct someone
• The danger of getting pulled into name-calling, pettiness, and tit-for-tat debates
• A practical test before responding: is the positive worth the likely negative, and should this be said privately and in person?
• When a pastor or leader should publicly step in: when a statement creates confusion, harms vulnerable people, or lets a falsehood be accepted as truth
• Paul's response in Galatians and 2 Timothy 2 on correcting opponents with gentleness
• Why we must be careful not to spiritualize things that were never meant to be spiritualized

Key Quote: "You can't attack the person, but you do have to deal with the issue."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church that walks through the One Year Bible. Each episode offers a short, practical conversation around a section of the day's reading, so you can grow in your understanding of Scripture and apply it to everyday life.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more about our church at visitopendoor.com and find more episodes at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode. If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend who is reading through the Bible this year.

Coming This Week: Join us for the next edition of One Single Story as we continue our journey through the One Year Bible and the wisdom of Proverbs. Open your Bible, grab a pen and paper, and read along with us.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Proverbs26 #BiblicalWisdom #Discernment #ChristianLiving #SocialMedia

Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday we share a brief lesson from the day's reading in the One Year Bible. Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by Tyler Bream and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation on Proverbs 26:1-2. Together they look at why we should be careful about who we honor and promote, and how to stand firm when slander and criticism come our way. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 26:1-2 - Solomon uses vivid images from nature to make two points. Honor for a fool is as out of place as snow in summer or rain at harvest. An undeserved curse, like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, will not land on its target.

In This Episode:

• Why giftedness can masquerade as spiritual maturity, and why talent alone is a dangerous basis for promotion
• Talent as a ceiling and character as a floor
• How to respond to criticism by asking whether it is true, and what you need to learn if it is
• Why defending yourself against unwarranted attacks wastes time and can give them credibility
• Why carrying someone else's complaint around legitimizes it
• How to discern biblical character in leaders by watching for patterns over time
• How people handle adversity, correction, and their families as a window into their character
• The qualifications for church leaders in 1 Timothy and Titus, and why holding the line on them builds trust

Key Quote: "If it's true, accept the criticism, learn the lesson. If it's not, don't let it become your identity."

About One Single Story

One Single Story is a weekday Bible podcast from Open Door Church that walks through the One Year Bible with short, practical lessons from each day's reading. The title reflects our conviction that the whole Bible tells one single story of God's redemption through Jesus. Each episode helps you read Scripture with understanding and apply it to everyday life.

Open Door Church

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and find more episodes and resources at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the channel, like the video, and share it with a friend who is reading through the Bible this year. Turn on notifications so you never miss a daily lesson.

Coming This Week

We continue through the book of Proverbs this week, with more practical wisdom on character, leadership, relationships, and walking with integrity. Read along in your One Year Bible and join us for the next episode.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Proverbs26 #ChristianLeadership #Character #BiblicalWisdom

Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday we share a brief lesson from the day's reading in the One Year Bible. In this episode, Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by Tyler Bream and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski to talk about self-control. We look at why it matters, the warning signs that your defenses are weakening, and how the Holy Spirit helps us build lasting self-control in our daily lives.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 25:28 - Solomon compares a person without self-control to a city with broken-down walls. In the ancient world, walls were a city's main defense, so the image shows how a lack of self-discipline leaves a believer open to attack.

In This Episode:

• Why self-control is foundational to spiritual endurance, leadership, and protecting the gifts God has entrusted to you
• Why self-control is a fruit of the Spirit rather than a product of willpower, and why the list begins with love and ends with self-control
• The "decide before you need to" principle: setting boundaries and making godly decisions in advance
• Warning signs of cracks in the wall, including irritability, secret habits, rationalizing, neglecting prayer and Scripture, constant exhaustion, defensiveness, and coarse speech
• The value of trusted people in your life who will speak up when they see a brick missing
• Praying in moments of weakness as well as moments of strength, and what it means to pray without ceasing
• Building your self-control "muscle" through small, daily acts of obedience
• Creating routines and boundaries, guided by the Holy Spirit, so you face fewer moments that require willpower

Key Quote: "I don't think self-control is always having to choose the right thing. It's choosing the right thing in advance, so you don't have to choose."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church that offers a short, practical lesson from the day's reading in the One Year Bible. The series follows the single story of Scripture from beginning to end, helping listeners understand God's Word and apply it to everyday life. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper, and join the conversation.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. To learn more about the church, visit visitopendoor.com. For more episodes, notes, and resources, visit onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. If this conversation encouraged you, like the video, share it with a friend, and leave a comment telling us how you are building walls of self-control in your own life.

Coming This Week: We continue through the book of Proverbs in the One Year Bible reading plan, with more wisdom for daily living. Join us each weekday for the next edition of One Single Story.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Proverbs25 #SelfControl #FruitOfTheSpirit #HolySpirit #BookOfProverbs

Welcome to One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell, Tyler Bream, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski open the Bible to Proverbs 25:25-27 for a conversation about how encouragement refreshes weary people, how compromise muddies a believer's witness, and why seeking your own glory is never glorious.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 25:25-27 - In this short trilogy of proverbs, Solomon compares good news from a distant land to cold water for a thirsty soul. He warns that when the godly give in to the wicked, it is like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring, and he cautions that seeking honors for yourself is as unhealthy as eating too much honey.

In This Episode:

• How Jesus, the living water, is the answer to weariness, bitterness, and anxiety, and why our conversations should always point people back to Him
• Why encouragement does not have to be profound: a kind word, a present heart, and the simple message "I see you" can be cold water to a thirsty soul
• How a leader's moral compromise muddies the public witness of the church, using the example of King David's failures and their effect on his family and nation
• Why integrity between the message we preach and the life we live matters, and why the "mud" is always there waiting to be stirred up
• Practical guardrails against platform building and self-promotion in the age of social media
• Why the Christian life is built on invisible habits like daily prayer and Bible reading, and how a dry Bible-reading season can be an early warning about the heart
• The danger of fishing for compliments and becoming a people-pleaser instead of a God-pleaser

Key Quote: "The Christian life is built on a series of invisible habits the world will never see."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church. Each episode offers a brief, practical lesson from a section of the day's reading in a one-year Bible reading plan, showing how every passage fits into the one single story of God's redemption through Jesus Christ. Grab your Bible, a pen, and some paper, and join the conversation around the Word of God.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. To learn more about our church, visit visitopendoor.com. For more episodes, reading plans, and resources, visit onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to the One Single Story YouTube channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. If today's discussion encouraged you, like this video and share it with a friend who is reading through the Bible this year.

Coming This Week: We are spending the week in the book of Proverbs, exploring the wisdom of Solomon for everyday life, relationships, leadership, and faith. Join us each weekday as we continue our journey through Scripture together.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Proverbs25 #BookOfProverbs #WisdomLiterature #ChristianLeadership #Integrity #Humility

Pastor Stephen Mizell is joined by co-hosts Tyler Bream and Wendy Korbusieski for today's One Single Story, a brief Bible study from the One Year Bible reading for October 19. This week the reading is in the book of Proverbs, and today's conversation tackles how gossip erodes trust in churches, families, and workplaces, and how chronic friction in the home can crowd out peace.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 25:23-24 - Part of a collection of Solomon's proverbs, these two verses compare a gossiping tongue to a north wind that brings rain, then warn that it is better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with constant quarreling.

In This Episode:

* Why hidden gossip is so destructive to the unity of a church, staff, or any organization * How gossip works like a slow drip that corrodes trust and magnifies small frustrations * Why a broken baseline of trust is far harder to rebuild than it is to destroy * A practical definition of gossip: complaining to people who cannot solve the problem * How proximity and mentorship help couples and families address chronic conflict before isolation sets in * Why we should not normalize dysfunction by saying "that's just how we are" * The value of swift forgiveness and having trusted people with permission to speak into your life * Why a bigger house or nicer things can disguise a relational problem rather than solve it * How leaders can shut down gossip by redirecting it instead of entertaining it * A simple response that disarms venting: "Can I quote you when I go talk to them?"

Key Quote: "Peace is more valuable than space."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Each episode offers a short, practical lesson drawn from the day's One Year Bible reading, with the pastors showing how the whole of Scripture points to one single story. Grab your Bible, a pen, and a notebook, and join the conversation around the Word of God.

Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina Learn more at visitopendoor.com Explore the podcast at onesinglestory.com

Subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily Bible study. If today's discussion encouraged you, share it with a friend, a small group, or your church team.

Coming This Week: We continue through the book of Proverbs, so keep your Bible open as we explore more of its wisdom on speech, relationships, and daily life. Join us each weekday for the next edition of One Single Story.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Proverbs25 #BookOfProverbs #Gossip #ChristianMarriage #BiblicalWisdom #ChristianLeadership #Peace

Welcome to One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety open Psalm 86 and discuss how humility shapes our prayer life, what fractures a believer's heart, and why God's compassion, mercy, and unfailing love give us strength under pressure.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 86:1 -17 - David, a powerful king running for his life, brings his need to God in prayer. He asks for an undivided heart, remembers that God is slow to anger and full of faithful love, and trusts that all nations will one day bow before the Lord.

In This Episode:

• Why personal humility is essential when we approach God in prayer
• How humility positions us to receive from God, while pride and self-righteousness act as spiritual insulators
• What fractures a believer's heart: busy schedules, even good relationships, the pursuit of money and success, concern for reputation, and hidden or secret sin
• The difference between a private life and a secret life
• How meditating on God's character brings comfort when life is constantly changing
• Why God's slowness to anger is not the same as never being angry
• The comfort of knowing God will deal with injustice in His time

Key Quote: "Humility positions us to receive from God. Pride does just the opposite. It reverses that, so we're not able to receive anything that He'd like to pour into us."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a daily podcast from Open Door Church that offers a brief lesson from each weekday's One Year Bible reading. The hosts help you see how every passage points to God's one great story of redemption, and they offer practical encouragement you can apply to daily life.

Church and Website Info: Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and find more episodes and resources at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe: If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to One Single Story, like this video, and share it with a friend who is reading through the Bible. Turn on notifications so you never miss a weekday episode.

Coming This Week: Join us for the rest of this week as we continue through the One Year Bible reading plan, with more conversations about the Psalms and the daily rhythms of prayer, trust, and devotion.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalm86 #Psalms #PrayerLife #Humility #UndividedHeart #GodsCharacter #BibleReadingPlan