How can we approach our responsibilities in life with wisdom and healthy mindsets? In this episode, we open the book of Ecclesiastes and discover some practical advice for how to live realistically.

Bible Reading 

Ecclesiastes 4:4-12

Reflection Questions

1. Everyone can relate to the desire to either escape or control their lives. Which approach do you relate to most?

2. What specific area of your life are you inclined to escape or control right now? 

3. What would it practically look like for you to engage that area of your life with open-handed trust? What’s one small step you can take today?

Want to Go Deeper? 

Check out this week’s Reflections Bible Study to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

Host: Cheree Hayes

Message: Dr. Tim Mackie 

Bible Reading: Michelle Jones

Production: Dan Gummel

Theme music: Grant William Harold

Background Music: "Approaching" by Be Still the Earth.

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What is the purpose of metaphor in the Bible? The biblical authors use metaphors to help us better understand the world, God, and ourselves. In today’s episode, we reflect on the surprising metaphor of God giving birth. In the book of Job, we see God giving birth to elements of creation, and in the book of Isaiah, God is depicted as both a warrior and a mother giving birth to a new reality.

Bible Reading

Isaiah 42:13-16

Reflection Questions

1. A mother often suffers to deliver her baby. Let’s reflect on how God suffered to deliver us. What comes to mind when you compare the sufferings of Jesus to the pains of a mother in labor?

2. How does imagining God as a mother in labor reshape your understanding of his relationship to creation?

3. Giving birth is a powerful experience for both the mother and the baby. What’s one specific way you have experienced God’s life-giving power? 

Want to Go Deeper? 
Check out this episode's Bible study to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

Host: Cheree Hayes

Message: Dr. Carissa Quinn 

Production and Bible Reading: Dan Gummel

Theme music: Grant William Harold

Background Music: "Present" by Sean Williams 

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What does it mean to fear the Lord and be wise? 

The book of Proverbs helps us understand how to live by God’s wisdom. It teaches us that true wisdom isn’t just knowing the right thing to do––it’s about doing it. But how do we know what the right decisions are in every situation? The Scriptures show us that God understands what is good and bad in the world. So to be wise, we must first recognize that our own perspectives are limited and God knows what we can’t comprehend. This humble dependence is called the “fear of the Lord,” and it’s where all wisdom starts. From this posture of reliance, we can begin to learn from God and live in light of his wisdom. So what does God say is wise? Jesus shows us the way. He perfectly embodies God’s wisdom and summarizes what it means by calling us to love others as he loved us. 

Bible Reading 

Proverbs 1:1-7 

Reflection Questions

1.What is one specific decision that impacts others that you are weighing right now? 

2. Has Jesus faced a decision that impacted others in a similar way? How did he wisely love others with his choice?  

3. With all this in mind, what would it look like to wisely love others with your decision?

Want to Go Deeper? 

Check out this episode's Bible study guide to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Tim Mackie
• Bible Reading: Michelle Jones
• Production: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Pete Johnson, Reflections

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Today we open the book of Job, a complex story about a good man who suffered the cosmic loss of everything. What did God want Job to know in the midst of his suffering? And what do we need to know in our own suffering? 

In this episode, we remember that we’re not alone in hardship and that God is trustworthy. Even when the pain is so intense that we can barely see beyond it, God is at work limiting chaos and giving life.

Bible Reading

Job 38:1-18

Reflection Questions

1. What is one area of suffering in your life or in the world? Take some time now to tell God how you feel about it. He hears you.

2. Ask God for more understanding. How might he be working to limit the chaos in that painful situation? What comes to mind as you listen for his wisdom?

3. How might God be laboring to give life even in the midst of suffering? If you can’t see any signs of life yet, keep watching. God doesn’t let pain have the final word against his people.

Want to Go Deeper? 

Check out this episode's Bible study guide to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Carissa Quinn
• Production and Bible Reading: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Sean Williams, Fortitude

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How can we show God’s mercy to people who’ve hurt us? 

In this episode, we are reflecting on the final chapter of the book of Jonah. God doesn’t just want Jonah to preach to his enemies, he wants Jonah to share his compassionate heart toward them too. Will Jonah agree with God’s compassionate perspective? The book ends with a question to give us the opportunity to self-reflect. So let’s do that together. 

Bible Reading

Jonah 4:1-11

Reflection Questions

1. Who is someone in your life you struggle to love? 

2. Picture this person from God’s perspective. How does God see them with compassion? 

3. What is one way you can join God’s perspective and show love toward this person today?

Want to Go Deeper? 

Check out this episode's Bible study to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to https://tbp.xyz/reflections20.

Show Credits:

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Tim Mackie Quinn
• Bible Reading: Michelle Jones
• Production: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music:  Josh Leake, Young Summer

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What does God really want as he relates to us? In this episode, we are reflecting on the book of Hosea, where we’ll discover what God desires in a relationship. 

Here’s a quick overview. God promised to love Israel like a husband vows to love his bride. But Israel didn’t love him back––they cheated on him. This broke God’s heart but not his promise. God’s commitment to love his people is stronger than anything else. So while Israel still experienced the consequences of their unfaithfulness, God called them to remember his love and promised to heal the relationship. Jesus came to fulfill that promise for Israel and for us. And it’s because of Jesus that our hearts can be healed to faithfully love God back.

Bible Reading

Hosea 14:1-9

Reflection Questions

1. God wants to relate to us like a loving spouse not as a demanding boss. What are some of the key differences between these two relationships? 

2. What comes to your mind as you think about God’s unrelenting love for you? 

3. What might change in your relationship with God if you loved him the same way you’d want a spouse to love you? Think about it. 

Want to Go Deeper? 

Check out this episode's Bible study guide to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Carissa Quinn
• Production and Bible Reading: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music:  Be Still the Earth, Cleanse

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How is God at work in the world today? Jesus read from Isaiah 61 to describe what it looks like when the good news of his kingdom is at work in the world: the ignored are honored, the poor are fed, and the sick receive care. This kind of stuff happens wherever followers of Jesus honor him as King. 

Bible Reading
Isaiah 61:1-11

Reflection Questions 

1. Where do you think renewal is most needed in your part of the world?
2. Imagine God’s Kingdom bringing renewal to that situation. What do you think it would look like?
3. You and your community can partner with Jesus to begin to bring this renewal. And remember, small steps are significant! No matter how small, what's one specific step you can take to bring renewal today?

Want to Go Deeper? 
Check out this episode's Bible study  to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion.

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Tim Mackie
• Bible Reading: Michelle Jones
• Production: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Be Still the Earth, In the Clouds

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Who are the Hebrew prophets? What was the goal of their message? And how can their words bring hope to us today? God wants his people to flourish - to experience peace and joy in a community of love. But sin destroys a community. So God sends his prophets to warn his people, so they’ll turn from sin and its destruction. When Israel refuses to listen, they experience the awful consequences of their own ways, just like the prophets warned. But when Israel listens, they receive God’s promised mercy. And we can too. If we are honest about our sins, God forgives. Completely. That’s how God wants to show his faithfulness and justice to people. He forgives everyone who humbly comes to him.

Bible Reading

 1 John 1:5-9

Reflection Questions
1. Remember God’s desire to have a thriving and peaceful relationship with you and your community. What thoughts come to mind as you think about this?

2. What specific things are hindering your relationship with God and others right now?

3. Take some time to be honest about those sins. Confess them to God and receive the peace of his forgiveness now. 

Want to Go Deeper? 
Check out this episode's Bible study guide to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. Go to bibleproject.com/study.

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Carissa Quinn 
• Production and Bible Reading: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Sean Williams, Remember

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Why does God allow so much suffering in the world? And is he doing anything about it? The Bible doesn’t answer all of our questions about why God allows suffering. But it does tell us a story about how God responds to human suffering. We learn that God has chosen to partner with humans to deliver communities from suffering, and that he chose to enter our pain by becoming human himself. Jesus took up the worst of human suffering, shoved it into a grave, and rose again to give us a new future––one that’s free of injustice and grief. Yes, our questions around suffering are valid. God hears us and understands our pain. Today, let’s tune into the question God has for us. As we face suffering in the world, will we partner with him to be a part of his solution? 

Bible Reading

2 Kings 25:8-12, 27-30

Reflection Questions 
1. What is one way your community is suffering now?

2. Consider God’s character of justice, mercy, and love. How does he want to comfort and restore your community?

3. What is one step you can take this week to join God’s plan of restoration?

Want to Go Deeper? 
Check out this episode's Bible study to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. 

 

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Tim Mackie 
• Bible Reading: Michelle Jones
• Production: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Calme by Borrtex

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Where is God when the people we look up to disappoint us? In this episode, we learn how Israel’s long line of disappointing kings is meant to point us to a greater King, Jesus. He is the true David and a better Solomon. He leads God’s people with wisdom, unites the nations, and makes a way for God’s presence to dwell among his people. Wherever people disappoint, King Jesus is there, inviting us into the beauty of his temple––his perfect presence. 

Bible Reading

1 Kings 6:23-31

Reflection Questions
1. Are you disappointed with someone today? Take some time to express how you feel in a prayer to God right now.

2. Consider how Jesus faced similar disappointments to us. Think about it and take some time to empathize with him.

3. Remember, where people disappoint, Jesus is there to invite us into his presence. Take time now to ask for his perfect love to restore every area of disappointment.

Want to Go Deeper? 
Check out this episode's Bible study to watch a video and explore more detailed questions for personal study and group discussion. 

Show Credits

• Host: Cheree Hayes
• Message: Dr. Carissa Quinn 
• Production and Bible Reading: Dan Gummel
• Theme music: Grant William Harold
• Background Music: Be Still the Earth, Within Reach

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