Believe & Speak

I find myself saying the words “yes and amen” when I hear truth that excites me, and the truth in today’s declaration definitely excites me! God is able to do what I cannot do—even when it comes to standing firm in my faith. When we said “Yes” to Jesus, God wiped away our guilt and shame. When we said “Amen” to making Jesus Lord and Savior, God gave us the Holy Spirit as a deposit. Nothing can separate us from God. His seal of ownership is on us. God draws us, redeems us, and sanctifies us. He also makes us stand firm in Christ—even when standing firm is hard. A quick read through Paul’s letters to the Corinthians gives evidence of the sinful lifestyle prevalent in that church. If God can make the Corinthians stand firm in Christ, He will certainly do the same for you and me. Isn’t it a relief to know that God has promised to give us the strength we need to hold fast to the truth? Philippians 2:13 says that “it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV). God does the work in us. He gives us the want-to and the can-do. He makes us stand firm in Christ. I am far too hard on myself. I am a perfectionist who wants to do everything faultlessly—which includes following Jesus faultlessly. But if I could be perfect then I wouldn’t need a savior. Every time I mess up serves as a reminder that I definitely need a savior. I can relate to Paul who said that he tends to do the very things he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do the things he wants to do. I also relate to Peter. In John 6:67-68, after several disciples had turned away, Jesus asked the twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” I know Peter’s answer by heart. He said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” I stumble in my faith walk, but I’m with Peter on this. Where else am I going to go? He has the words of eternal life. And He sent the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. We are destined for heaven! Then—and only then—will we be made perfect. No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. So I say “Amen” to the glory of God. I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good. This week's scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

One of the things I love about the Apostle Paul is that he wasn’t afraid to talk about Jesus to anyone, because he knew that anyone could—and anyone actually might—put their faith in God. He knew and preached the truth summed up in today’s declaration. In Acts 17, Paul began debating with a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Some called him a babbler, others wanted to hear more. So, they brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus and asked to know about the new teaching he was presenting. I love how Acts 17:20 records the Athenians saying, “You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” And then verse 21 says, “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (NIV). Wouldn’t that have been an interesting place to be! Paul told the people of Athens what I declare to you. If we reach out to God, we don’t have to reach far. We will find him because he is not far from any one of us. Paul stood in front of really smart philosophers and told them how easy it was to find Jesus. On his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, Paul stood in front of men and women from all different walks of life with different traditions and different lifestyles. His message was always the same: God is not far from anyone. I’m reminded of Psalm 139, which says, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (NIV). Isn’t it great to know that no one is far from God—even if they’re running hard in the opposite direction. All that’s needed is to stop, turn around, and look up. God is not far away. He can be found by anyone who seeks him—no matter where they come from or what they’ve believed. God is close by everyone—devout followers, back sliders and even those who seem totally distant from God. The same word that Paul preached to Greek philosophers in ancient times is every bit as true for you and me today. I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good. This week's scripture: Acts 17:24-27

I’ve been desperate to believe I can still hold on to a long ago promise God made me, and so several weeks ago, I entered two words into the search bar of one of my Bible programs: word fail My search served up seven results, which have been sitting on a tab on my computer ever since. I kept clicking on the tab and reading the first two and the last two results over and over. I never intended to share any of this with you, but God did a crazy thing a couple weeks ago when my good friend Efe gave a powerful presentation that included one of the verses I’d been drawn to in those search results. For weeks before I went to hear Efe speak, I kept looking at my search results and dwelling on the obvious fact that not a word God spoke to Moses and Elijah had failed. I mean, they’re Moses and Elijah for heaven’s sake. But then, there is that part in Romans 9:6 about how not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Didn’t my adoption through faith in Jesus mean this promise is for me too? Sometimes, it takes God doing something crazy to get me to see what’s right in front of me. He used Efe to do that! She was teaching from Luke 1 and had put the text from Luke 1 up on the screen so the women in attendance could read along with her. My eyes widened when she got to verse 37. These words were in bold type: no word from God will ever fail. What? Did she know I’d been chewing on Luke 1:37 for weeks and weeks? I actually looked through old texts to see if I’d told her about my struggle to believe that God would fulfill his outrageous promise to me. Then Efe did the very thing I ask you to do. She pointed to the words in bold and told us to say them out loud. The chapel was filled with women who bore little in common with Moses and Elijah, and yet Efe asked us to declare that promise and make it our own. God isn’t in a hurry, but he keeps every promise. He is worthy of our trust. So, let’s rest in the assurance of his faithfulness.   I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good. This week's scripture: 1 Kings 8:56, 2 Kings 10:10, Luke 1:37, Romans 9:6

Yesterday would’ve been by dad’s 87th birthday. I’m sure he and my mom had a great time celebrating in glory, that is, if we still celebrate birthdays in heaven. I marked the occasion with my husband and my dear friend, Donita, whose husband went to be with Jesus about a month before my dad left earth for heaven. When my friend popped over a little sooner than I expected, I told her I was writing my podcast for today and asked if she could suggest some verses for me to share with you. Without hesitation she said her favorite passage comes from 1 John 4:13-16. Thank you, Donita, for the inspiration. I pulled our declaration from 1 John 4:16, which is true of anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is God’s son. God’s love never ends, never fails, never gives up. Ever. If you’ve experienced God’s love, then you know that the love of God is a love like no other. His love is a love you can trust in and depend on. You and I can’t begin to grasp the depth of God’s love because it is beyond our human capacity to measure. It’s also beyond our human capacity to offer. Oh, how I wish I could love like God loves: unconditionally, continually, and deeply. But even when I fail to love like He does, He never fails at loving me. There is so much security in being loved the way God loves us. Love like the love God has for us is described in scripture as being a love that is patient and kind. A love that is never envious or boastful. It’s a love that does not dishonor others or come across as self-seeking. it is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. The love that God has for us and desires for us to spread around is a love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The love of God never ever fails. I’m excited to be teaching Women’s Bible study this fall, and I’ve posted the details as well as a registration form on my website. Please take a minute to check it out by visiting shawnamariebryant.com. The Bible study is based on my book, Longing to Belong, and it will teach you how to make a habit of reading the Bible not just for information, but also for conversation. We will take time each week to make declarations of truth. After all, your tongue has power. Use it for good. This week's scripture: 1 John 4:13-16

The lyrics to “Blessed Assurance” come from the book of Lamentations. Several years ago, I recorded a fun, upbeat version of that old hymn, and you can hear it on Spotify, YouTube and other online sources to this day. The message in “Blessed Assurance” will help you remember the truth in today’s declaration—a truth well worth believing and speaking. I’m a big fan of blueletterbible.org. I visit the site whenever I want to look up the original language of a word and its meaning. I did that today with the word “compassions.” Lamentations 3:22-23 says that the Lord’s compassions never fail. They are new every morning. The word “compassions” comes from the Hebrew word rāḥam, which means to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion. God loves you so much that no matter what happened yesterday, you can start fresh with him today. You don’t have to wake up with guilt or shame over what happened yesterday. You can step into today knowing that God’s enduring love and faithfulness don’t depend on you. He is faithful when we are not. He is loving when we are not. He is full of mercy and grace so that we do not have to carry guilt and shame. No wonder the old hymn sings of our blessed assurance. Waking up to the knowledge of God’s new mercies offers merely a foretaste of the glory of God. As children of God, we are indeed blessed. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long. No matter what comes your way today, remember that God loves you. When you lay your head on your pillow tonight, thank God for his loving compassion. Before you drift off to sleep, confess any sinful thoughts, words, or deeds that you were responsible for today, knowing that God will purify you from all unrighteousness and that you can start fresh, with a clean slate tomorrow and every morning. We are blessed to be loved by such a great God. This week's scripture: Lamentations 3:19-26

I’m 3 ½ years into this podcast, and I’ve never read from Lamentations. A book filled with laments doesn’t seem like the best source for a podcast designed to help you speak life. But today’s declaration is positively life-giving, and you can find it tucked into an Old Testament book filled with laments. But as you’ll soon see, Lamentations contains so much more than a gush of grief. In fact, Lamentations provides the lyrics to one of my favorite old hymns, Blessed Assurance. That hymn comes from the same chapter as today’s reading. (I’ll make a note to read the “Blessed Assurance” Bible passage another day.) God knows we have nothing to fear in His presence, and that’s why the Bible tells us not to be afraid. Over and over, we read those words. When angels brought messages to earth in Bible times, they often said, “Do not be afraid.” The 23rd Psalm—one of the best-known chapters in the entire Bible—talks about walking through the darkest valley without fear. The New Testament teaches us that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that perfect love casts out all fear. God’s Spirit brings peace, which means we can be courageous in the midst of frightening circumstances. Fear motivates people to take action. But fear also clouds their judgment. God doesn’t want us running away in fear, he wants us standing firm in the blessed assurance of His ever-present help. The commentary in my NIV Zondervan Study Bible says, “Lamentations is not simply a gush of grief but a highly reflective and considered response to trauma.” Wow. Let me say that again. “Lamentations is not simply a gush of grief but a highly reflective and considered response to trauma.” I can see how a gush of grief to God that also reflectively considers my response to trauma would require sound judgment. Fear shatters sound judgment, but God has not given us a spirit of fear. He gives us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. I believe the devil uses fear to make us take action that drives us away from the love and protection of God. That drives us further into the darkest valley. That drives us into despair. When God says, “Don’t be afraid,” He is not saying “Don’t be silly.” Fear is the natural response to out-of-control circumstances and trauma. We don’t need to be ashamed if we get scared. God didn’t shame Joshua before the battle of Jericho and he won’t shame us today. Instead, He offers the peace and strength and comfort that comes with His presence, and His love will drive out fear. So, let’s respond to fear with faith. Let’s stand firm and take courage. Let’s invite God’s loving presence to drive away all fear.   This week's scripture: Lamentations 3:55-58

Danny Gokey has a new song out called My America (I Still Believe). I’ve only heard it a few times, but every time he breaks into America the Beautiful, I get goosebumps. Certainly, God has shed his grace on this nation. Before putting my thoughts together for this episode, I looked at my podcast’s statistics because I recently crossed a major milestone in the total number of listeners. I wasn’t surprised that America is first on the list of countries listening and Canada comes second. But the country in the third position of my listeners throughout the world is Ukraine. Oh, my goodness! Ukraine is listening to my podcast. God has shed his grace not only on America the beautiful, but also on Ukraine, which is every bit as beautiful and beloved by God. Singapore is fourth on my list of countries tuning in. Then New Zealand, and then France. France. The country that has been on fire the past week is a country where God has also shed his grace. Here’s what God is saying to you through Isaiah’s prophecy, “Come out in freedom. Come into the light.” The Lord in his mercy will lead you; he will lead you beside cool waters. A lyric in Danny Gokey’s new song says that America is a little bruised up. So is France. So is Ukraine. These bruises are nothing new. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:20-21 that “… creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (NIV). You and I need to believe and speak this truth no matter where we live. Jesus is the one who sets us free. He is the light of the world who has overcome the darkness. Let’s look to Jesus in the midst of the bruises and decay. Let’s heed his call to live in the light of the freedom. Like a good shepherd, He will lead the way.   This week's scripture: Isaiah 49:9-10

God spoke life into existence, but he didn’t merely say “Let there be people.” He said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” God had a special design in mind for mankind—for us to be like him. I’m reminded of something I wrote in my book Longing to Belong, which I’ll quote for you now. You are beautiful. You belong. You are loved.  The fourth line of the Manifesto of Acceptance addresses who you are inside and out. I am wonderfully made.  You were knit together by the master craftsman, who watched you and wanted you before you were born. Your existence was anticipated and planned by the Creator of the universe, who laid out every moment of your life before a single day had passed. You are a masterpiece with a unique purpose. Declare the fourth line of the Manifesto aloud. I am wonderfully made.  Believe it! God made human beings in his image, to be like him. By framing his design for you from the perfect model, God made certain to craft you with precision for a purpose. You are God’s masterpiece, equipped with everything needed to do the incredible things God planned for you to do and to be the complex person he created you to be. I am wonderfully made.  This line of the Manifesto may be the most difficult to believe, but that doesn’t make it any less true (p. 94). That excerpt comes from the chapter called “I Am Wonderfully Made.” I hope you know that. You are indeed wonderfully made because you are made in the image and likeness of God, and that’s pretty wonderful. God made you with a body, a soul, and a spirit. Your body won’t last forever, but it will be resurrected and glorified just like Jesus. Your soul, which is made up of your mind, will and emotions, is the essence of who you are and it will last forever. Your spirit came alive when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, which means you carry within you the indwelling presence of God. You are wonderfully complex and eternal, just like God. If you’d like to check out my book Longing to Belong, you’ll find it on Amazon, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available as an audiobook from Audible, and as a digital download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Look for the Longing to Belong Reading Plan on your mobile device via the YouVersion Bible app. Consider purchasing the Longing to Belong Bundle that I designed to help you go deeper in your study and watching the teaching videos that align with each chapter on my Find Joy video podcast.   This week's scripture: Genesis 1:26-28

Last week, I mentioned a book I wrote several years ago about how God kept his promise to be close to the broken hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. In the book, The Lord is Close, I share the story of God’s faithfulness during a season of deep, overwhelming grief. In the previous episode, I talked about one of two things I learned at the time about tears. If you haven’t already heard it, I hope you’ll check it out. The second lesson about tears is spelled out in today’s declaration: God made sure my tears can heal me. God’s design for tears was proven by a scientific study that came out the year after my son died. My hope for today’s episode is to do away with the lie that we shouldn’t cry. Jesus is our best role model, and if he wept than it’s definitely okay to cry. He knows the healing power of tears. In Philippians 4:9, Paul wrote, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (NIV). Paul is also a role model who cried many tears. Let’s put to bed the lie that big boys don’t cry. Any teaching that admonishes us not to cry keeps us from the healing God designed for us through our tears. Which brings me back to the scientific study. Research scientists collected human tears for analysis, and compared tears resulting from an emotional response to those shed from allergies, onions and the like. The chemical make-up of the tears was different. The emotionally shed tears contained within them the chemical in our bodies that causes depression. God designed crying for a special purpose. It actually expels the depression building up inside. If anxiety, fear or depression are assailing you, you might need a good cry. Don’t forget to download the graphic that goes with today’s episode. You’ll find it—along with the graphics for all my episodes—on my podcast page at this link: Shawna's Blog - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant   This week's scripture: John 11:32-36, Hebrews 5:7, Acts 20:19 and 2 Corinthians 2:4

In the late 1990s, I wrote a book about how God kept his promise to be close to the broken hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. I had buried my baby boy and cried countless tears. No pain has touched my life as deeply as the pain I felt when my son died. Even when we’re going through the deepest pain of our lives, we can be comforted in God’s presence and walk in his life-giving light. I serve on the Prayer Team at my church. At the end of each week’s sermon, the worship team makes its way back onto the platform. Our worship services are formatted to include a music set after the sermon as well as at the beginning. It’s one of the things I love about our church. It gives the congregation an opportunity to respond to God’s Word, and it also creates an atmosphere for prayer. As soon as the keyboardist begins to underscore the preacher’s closing remarks, I make my way to a spot on the side of the sanctuary where I wait for anyone to approach me with a request for prayer. This past Sunday, something unusual happened. I was singing along with the congregation from my spot off to the side, when I felt like God said to me, “She needs a hug.” I looked toward the back of the room and saw a young woman weeping and dabbing her tears with a tissue. I approached her and said, “I couldn’t help but notice your tears. May I pray for you?” She nodded and I asked her name. Then I began to pray whatever came into my mind. As I was praying, I mentioned that I had come to literally be the arms of Jesus because I believe God wanted to give her a hug. The woman’s tears came even harder as I gave her a squeeze on behalf of Jesus, and I was reminded of the promise in Psalm 56:8. God doesn’t merely collect our tears; he knows why we cried them and he makes a record of the reason. God keeps track of the things that hurt us, which is why we can trust the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and our advocate. We can trust Father God to work all things together for our good. We don’t have to keep a record of the wrongs done to us or the things that caused us pain. God keeps track of all our sorrows. He has collected all our tears in His bottle. He has recorded each one in his book. What a profoundly comforting thought! God not only sees you when you’re crying, but he is right there with you, collecting every tear that falls. And one day, he will wipe them all away. Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (NLT). Don’t forget to download the graphic that goes with today’s episode. You’ll find it—along with the graphics for all my episodes—on my podcast page at this link: Shawna's Blog - Bible Teacher | Author | Shawna Marie Bryant   This week's scripture: Psalm 56:8-13