Jacob’s dream at Bethel, Leah’s heartbreak, and Rachel’s long wait—today’s reading is full of longing, promises, and unexpected grace. In the New Testament, Jesus meets the sick, the desperate, and the forgotten with unstoppable compassion. We also tackle some big questions: Why did God allow polygamy? Does He really see men and women as equals? And why was Rachel left childless while Leah bore son after son?

Join me as I reflect on what it means to be seen, chosen, and called—no matter where you are on your journey.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources for Today’s Episode:

• The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)

• BibleGateway

• Blue Letter Bible

• Enduring Word Commentary by David Guzik

• Got Questions

• Logos Bible Software

• BibleProject

• Compelling Truth

Today’s reading takes us deep into one of the most frustrating stories so far—where Jacob lies, Rebekah schemes, and somehow… the blessing stands. Why didn’t God stop it? Why couldn’t Isaac just take it back? And how does Esau trading his birthright for soup play into all of this?

We also hit a powerful moment in Matthew where Jesus is asked about fasting—and His answer rewrites the entire purpose behind it. So… is fasting still necessary? Is it different now? And if we wanted to try it today, what would that even look like?

Plus: Isaac names his wells like a man who’s done with everybody’s drama, and honestly? I respect it.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All Good Folks

Sources:
The One Year Bible (NLT)

BibleGateway.com

BlueLetterBible.org

EnduringWord.com (David Guzik)

GotQuestions.org

BibleRef.com

Hebrews 12:16, Leviticus 16:29–31, Matthew 6:16–18, Matthew 9:14–17

Isaac receives the same promises God gave Abraham, but old fears still resurface—along with an all-too-familiar lie about his wife. In the New Testament, Jesus calms a storm with a word and casts demons into a herd of pigs, showing His authority over both nature and the spiritual realm. We also wrestle with big questions: Why do the patriarchs repeat the same mistakes? What really defined marriage in biblical times? And is a wedding ceremony necessary for a relationship to honor God?

Join me as we reflect, journal, and take one more step forward in this journey through the Bible.

Music Credit: “Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources:

• Genesis 24–26 – Bible Gateway, Blue Letter Bible

• Matthew 8:18–34 – Enduring Word Commentary, BibleRef

• Psalm 10 – The Bible Project, GotQuestions.org

• Proverbs 3:7–8 – TheologyofWork.org, Crosswalk

• Marriage & Covenant Questions – Logos Bible, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, BibleRef

• Various Cross-References – BibleHub, Logos Online

Abraham’s servant sets out to find Isaac a wife, trusting God to guide him—and receives a sign that leads him straight to Rebekah. In the New Testament, a Roman centurion shows radical faith, and Proverbs calls us to surrender our own understanding.

Today’s reflection is all about recognizing when to step back and let God lead—and how to tell if we’re really hearing from Him or just convincing ourselves.

Music: “Fly” by All the Good Folks
Sources: GotQuestions.org

Enduring Word

BibleRef

In today’s reading, we walk through one of the most dramatic scenes in Genesis: God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. We also witness the birth of Isaac, the exile of Hagar and Ishmael, and Abraham’s repeated fear-driven mistakes. In Matthew, Jesus wraps up the Sermon on the Mount with a warning—calling Him “Lord” isn’t enough; only those who do the Father’s will enter the Kingdom.

We ask tough questions today:

• Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son?

• Why did Abraham keep lying about Sarah?

• What’s the difference between doing God’s will and doing good works?

• And how can faith be “dead” without works if we’re not saved by works in the first place?

We also spend time with David in the Psalms as he praises God’s justice, and get more wisdom from Proverbs on avoiding destructive paths.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources Referenced:

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-sacrifice-Isaac.html

• https://bible.org/seriespage/19-abraham-s-greatest-test-genesis-221-24

• https://www.bibleref.com/Genesis/21/Genesis-chapter-21.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Ishmael-in-the-Bible.html

• https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-20/

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-lie-Sarah.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/not-everyone-who-says-Lord.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/faith-without-works-dead.html

• https://bibleproject.com/articles/faith-vs-works-what-does-bible-say/

Today’s reading takes us deep into some of the Bible’s most intense stories—fire raining on cities, Jesus calling us not to worry, and a psalm that marvels at our place in God’s creation. We explore what it means when God says He’s “going down” to check on Sodom, why Jesus tells us not to throw pearls to pigs, and how faith and anxiety can collide even for believers.

Key themes: justice, mercy, discernment, and learning to trust God one day at a time.

Key verse: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:34

Music Credit: “Fly” by All the Good Folks

• Enduring Word – Genesis 18 Commentary
  https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-18/

• GotQuestions – Why did God say He would go down to Sodom?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/Sodom-and-Gomorrah.html

• BibleProject – Justice Video
  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/justice/

• GotQuestions – What does “pearls before swine” mean?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/pearls-before-swine.html

• BibleRef – Matthew 6:34 Commentary
  https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/6/Matthew-6-34.html

• Desiring God – Don’t Judge, but Discern
  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/do-not-judge-but-discern

• Desiring God – How to Fight Anxiety
  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-fight-anxiety

• GotQuestions – What does Matthew 6:34 mean?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/Matthew-6-34.html

Today’s readings take us through Genesis 16–18, Matthew 6:1–24, Psalm 7, and Proverbs 2:1–5. We explore the story of Hagar and the name El Roi, Jesus’ call to humility in giving and prayer, and wisdom’s role in discerning truth. This episode is filled with deep questions—about God’s justice, wealth, identity, and seeing beyond our surface intentions.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources:
BibleGateway.com
BlueLetterBible.org
GotQuestions.org
EnduringWord.com
BibleHub.com
DesiringGod.org
Detroit Church (Pastor Lorenzo Sewell)

Today’s reading takes us deeper into the story of Abram in Genesis, explores radical forgiveness in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and introduces themes of justice, mercy, and how we’re called to live under the New Covenant. We’ll unpack what “an eye for an eye” originally meant, how it’s often misused today, and whether capital punishment aligns with New Testament teachings. Plus, a reflection on how governments enforce justice while individuals are called to forgiveness—and where God’s heart sits when innocent people suffer.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources:

• BibleGateway – Exodus 21:23–25

• BibleGateway – Leviticus 24:19–20

• BibleGateway – Deuteronomy 19:21

• BibleGateway – Genesis 9:6

• BibleGateway – Matthew 5:38–39

• Enduring Word Commentary – Matthew 5

• Blue Letter Bible – Matthew 5 Tools

• BibleGateway – Romans 12:19–21

• BibleGateway – Romans 13:1–4

• GotQuestions.org – What does the Bible say about the death penalty?

• BibleProject.org – “Law” and “Jesus and Justice” articles (bibleproject.org)

Today’s reading takes us from the Tower of Babel to the Sermon on the Mount. We explore how God scattered humanity and what that might mean for the diversity we see across the world today. Then we shift to the Beatitudes—Jesus’ words about who is truly blessed and what it means to live with kingdom values.

Also in this episode:
– Did physical differences like skin tone and facial features begin at Babel?
– What does the word “Beatitudes” even mean?
– And why these blessings offer something deeper than just feeling good.

Music credit: “Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources Referenced in Today’s Episode
Enduring Word Commentary (David Guzik)
BibleRef.com
GotQuestions.org
BibleHub
The Village Church Devotionals
BibleProject
Teachings of Pastor Lorenzo Sewell

Before the flood, it had never rained on earth. That one detail in Genesis opened up a flood of questions for me—about trauma, sacrifice, and even why Noah cursed his grandson after getting drunk.

In today’s episode, I’m digging into the parts of the Bible that made me pause and think a little harder. I’m not a theologian—just someone reading the Bible for the first time and trying to understand it as it’s written.

We also discuss the emotional impact of the first rain after the flood, God's command not to eat meat with blood in it, why animals were held accountable for killing humans, the calling of the first disciples, and the voice of Wisdom crying out in Proverbs.

Referenced Passages:
Genesis 8:1–10:32
Matthew 4:12–25
Psalm 4:1–8
Proverbs 1:20–23

Sources Used:

• Genesis 1:29–30

• Genesis 9:1–27

• Leviticus 17:11

• Deuteronomy 12:23–24

• Acts 15:20

• Exodus 21:28–29

• Romans 6:23

• Hebrews 10:1–18

• Wayne Grudem – Systematic Theology, 2nd ed. (2020)

• John H. Walton – The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis

• Derek Kidner – Psalms 1–72 (Tyndale OT Commentary)

• R.T. France – The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT, 2007)

• Bruce Waltke – The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15 (NICOT, 2004)

• ESV Study Bible

• NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

• Moody Bible Commentary

• Merriam-Webster Etymology of “Nimrod”

• Bugs Bunny (1940s cartoons)

Music Credit:
Fly by All the Good Folks