The Bridge Austin

Today, Pastor Jack teaches us that, as Christians, we face spiritual warfare constantly. So, it’s vital that we study the Word, and apply the Bible in our battles, knowing the right scripture down to the right verse for the right time.

How do you know God hears your prayers? What does it mean to seek after God's own heart? Rabbi Schneider shares how to pray and know God will hear you, how to recognize God's mindset and learn to think like Him, and how to apply a supernatural mindset to your prayers and life.

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Have you ever attended church or heard a message that really touched your heart? Preachers and pastors are not called to sugarcoat God’s teachings; they are meant to share them from a place of love. That’s why, in today’s message, Pastor Chris encourages you not to feel discouraged when you hear God’s Word speaking directly to you. Instead, embrace the conviction of the Holy Spirit and allow it to guide you and change your ways, walking with God rather than following your own desires.

In this episode, Mark Gregston draws on over three decades of experience to tackle the questions parents are most desperate to have answered. From navigating trust issues after years of monitoring a teen’s tech usage to finding healthy ways to motivate an unenthusiastic senior, Mark offers down-to-earth advice rooted in real-life stories. Whether you’re dealing with curfew battles, shifting relationships or a teen stretching toward adulthood, this episode is full of practical tips to help deepen your relationship with your teen. 

Have a question you'd like to ask Mark? Go to markgregston.com to submit it!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org. 

When you buy something, it’s a simple transaction—money goes out, and something tangible comes back in. But giving is different. Scripture tells us that when we give, we also receive—but not always in the way we expect. The return God promises isn’t measured in bank balances or possessions. It’s measured in freedom, joy, and purpose.

Many people hear the phrase “give to receive” and imagine a divine transaction: give to God or others, and blessings—perhaps even financial—will return. But biblically, generosity is never a get-rich scheme. It’s an invitation to live the kind of life God designed for us—a life marked by open hands and open hearts.

Some interpret verses like Luke 6:38 (“Give, and it will be given to you”) as a spiritual formula: “If I give, God owes me something.” But this is a distortion of Jesus’ teaching. God isn’t running a cosmic vending machine where our dollars purchase His favor.

Instead, He invites us to live differently—to find life not in what we keep but in what we release. If money itself were the ultimate reward, God would be reinforcing the very idol He seeks to break in our hearts. Jesus reminds us in Luke 12:15, “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” That truth echoes through every page of Scripture: generosity is not about loss—it’s about liberation.

So, if giving isn’t transactional, what does Scripture say we receive in return? The Bible highlights three beautiful gifts that generosity brings.

1. We Receive Freedom

Money has a unique power to capture our hearts. Jesus warned, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Every act of generosity is a declaration of allegiance: we are not owned by our wealth. Giving loosens money’s grip and frees us to serve a greater Master.

2. We Receive Joy

In Acts 20:35, Paul quotes Jesus saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” True joy doesn’t come from what we accumulate—it comes from participating in God’s generosity. John Bunyan put it this way: “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

3. We Receive Purpose

When we give, we join God’s mission in the world. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:11, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.” The goal isn’t self-enrichment—it’s being a conduit of blessing. Generosity connects our story to God’s story, reminding us that every resource we have is meant to reflect His generous heart.

If we’re honest, our motives for giving can become mixed. We might give to feel good, earn approval, or to gain favor with God. But the gospel frees us from all of that. Ephesians 2:8–10 makes it clear: we’re saved by grace, not by works. Our generosity is not a means of earning God’s love—it’s a response to already having it.

Once we understand that truth, giving transforms from obligation into worship. We don’t give to get something back. We give because we’ve already received everything in Christ.

At the center of our faith stands Jesus—the One who gave everything. Paul captures it beautifully in 2 Corinthians 8:9:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.”

Jesus didn’t give to gain something for Himself. He gave because of love. Through His sacrifice, we received reconciliation with God and eternal life in His Kingdom—riches far beyond material wealth.

When our giving mirrors His, our motivation becomes love, not return. And in that kind of giving, we experience the true riches of life in Christ.

Even when generosity brings blessing, the return is never sh