Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study, Daily Devotional, Prayer, Hearing God & Christian Affirmations

What Is God Asking You to Lay Down? Hearing God in Listener Questions

Start with the thing you feel like you couldn't possibly give up. That's
usually the one.

It's Friday, so we're catching up and working through questions that came
in. Today we talk about using the color method with kids, whether spiritual
gifts only operate through tongues, and a question I had to sit with: what has
God actually asked me to surrender? I share the closed door that led to my
first book, and the hardest thing I've ever had to lay down.

Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at ⁠BibleStudyLive.org⁠

Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a
voicemail: ⁠SpeakPipe⁠

Questions we answer today

Can kids do the color method, and where do I find the chart?
Do the gifts of the Spirit only come through praying in tongues?
Is speaking in tongues the only evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
What has God asked me personally to give up?
How do I know what He's asking me to surrender?

Timestamps

00:00 How Friday episodes work

01:50 Can children use the color method?

02:45 Adapting it for younger kids

03:10 Where to find the free Bible Study 101 download

04:10 A question about the gifts of the Spirit

05:00 Do gifts only operate through tongues?

06:40 Why I try never to say amen

08:10 Pushing back on some charismatic teaching

08:40 The evidence of a Spirit-filled heart is a
Spirit-filled life

09:00 The prophetic artist on one of our trips

10:20 The painting that undid me

11:40 What we've seen so far in Luke

12:45 What has God asked me to give up?

14:30 The article, the contract, and the closed door

17:40 Surrendering it at my desk

18:00 The two emails that came that week

19:20 How one act of obedience opened everything after
it

20:10 Daycare, children's ministry, missions, and now
this

21:10 What God usually asks for

21:40 The two hardest things I've laid down

22:20 Laying your children before the throne

23:20 Watching them go where I couldn't follow

24:30 Start with what you can't imagine giving up

25:40 Prayer
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End your week anchored in peace and presence. These Scripture-based
Christian affirmations are a short, steady way to set down what you've been
carrying and find rest in God's care. Today's affirmations are about releasing
your burdens, letting go of striving, and remembering that God's strength,
love, and renewal are available right where you are. It's time to stop striving
and start resting in His goodness.

I'll say each affirmation, pause so you can repeat it after me, and then
share the Scripture it comes from.

Links

AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠

Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at ⁠⁠BibleStudyLive.org⁠⁠

Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: ⁠⁠SpeakPipe⁠⁠

Before we begin

The week is ending, and as we step into the weekend, let's take a moment to
breathe. Release your burdens and rest in God's presence. We're not meant to carry everything ourselves. God calls us to lay our worries at His feet and
find renewal in Him.

Friday affirmations and Scripture

I release my worries and trust God to handle what I cannot.
1 Peter 5:7

God's peace fills my heart and I rest in His presence.
Matthew 11:28

I am not defined by my mistakes. God's grace is greater than my failures.
Lamentations 3:22-23

I let go of the need to control everything and surrender to God's perfect
plan.
Proverbs 3:5-6

I am deeply loved by God and nothing can separate me from His love.
Romans 8:38-39

God refreshes my soul and renews my strength.
Isaiah 40:31

I will be fully present today, trusting that God holds tomorrow.
Matthew 6:34

My body, mind, and spirit find rest in God alone.
Psalm 62:1

I let go of striving and choose to rest in God's love.
Zephaniah 3:17

I step into the weekend with joy, knowing that God is in control.
Psalm 118:24

God's presence is my safe place.
Psalm 91:1

I am fully known and fully loved by God.
Psalm 139:1-2

I will not let stress steal my peace today.
Philippians 4:6-7

God is my refuge and I am safe in His hands.
Psalm 46:1

I do not need to have all the answers. I trust God.
Romans 11:33

God is fighting my battles and I can rest in His victory.
Exodus 14:14

I will not fear because God is with me.
Isaiah 41:13

I am held together by God's love even when life feels overwhelming.
Colossians 1:17

God's goodness and mercy follow me every day.
Psalm 23:6

I will not carry burdens that God has already taken from me.
Matthew 11:29-30

I am at peace because God is in control.
Isaiah 26:3

I trust in God's timing even when I don't understand.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

I will lay down my burdens and take on God's.
Psalm 4:8

I am never alone for God is always with me.
Deuteronomy 31:6

No matter what happens today, God is still good.
Nahum 1:7

Closing prayer

Father, as this week comes to an end, I lay my burdens at Your feet. Help
me to release my worries, rest in Your peace, and trust You with everything I
cannot control. Refresh my heart and renew my spirit so I can step into the
weekend with joy. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to go
deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up next.

Listen daily and start your morning with God's truth so you can walk in
faith, clarity, and confidence.
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What If Your Past Is Too Far Gone to Fix? Hearing God’s Voice in Luke 5:27-39

By the rules of his own religion, Levi's sin was unforgivable. Repentance required restitution, and he could never find the people he had overcharged.

Today in our daily Bible study we finish Luke 5 at a dinner party. Jesus calls a tax collector, and the first thing Levi does is throw a banquet and fill the room with the only people who would still eat with him. We'll look at why that meal was scandalous, what the Pharisees were really grumbling about, and why Jesus reversed the order everyone assumed: seated first, changed second.

Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org

Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe

Ad-free episodes and the full library of past series: Patreon

Questions we answer today

How did the Roman tax system work, and why were collectors hated? Why was repentance considered impossible for a man like Levi? What did Levi give up that the fishermen didn't? What did sharing a meal actually mean in that culture? What word does Luke use for grumbling, and where else does it show up?

Timestamps

00:00 Finishing Luke 5

01:24 Reading Luke 5:27-39

03:04 Prayer

04:02 The man who had been taxing Peter's catch

04:58 How the tax system actually worked

07:20 Traitor, thief, and ritually unclean

08:17 A story from New York City

09:14 Why repentance required restitution

09:43 Mathematically unforgivable

10:37 Why Levi burned the bridge behind him

13:12 The banquet, and who was on the guest list

14:34 The only people who would still eat with him

15:22 He brought Jesus into the room he already had

16:39 What a shared meal meant in that culture

18:32 Why that table failed every purity test

19:28 Honor, shame, and who you ate with

20:29 The same people who were amazed yesterday

20:58 Gongyzo, and the sound of grumbling

21:27 The same word Israel used in the wilderness

22:37 They grumbled at the disciples, not Jesus

23:11 The order they expected, and the order Jesus used

24:37 Catch them before you clean them

26:07 The table thread running through Luke

28:21 You have a seat

28:54 And so does the person you're excluding

29:54 Prayer

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Thursday Daily Affirmations: I Am a Light in This World, Shining for Christ (Matthew 5:14)

You were created on purpose, for a purpose. These Scripture-based Christian affirmations are a short, steady way to walk into your day with intention, clarity, and wisdom. Whether you're questioning your calling or finding your footing in a new season, today's affirmations will help you trust God's plan, listen for His guidance, and move forward with boldness.

I'll say each affirmation, pause so you can repeat it after me, and then
share the Scripture it's based on.

Links

AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠

Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at ⁠⁠BibleStudyLive.org⁠⁠

Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: ⁠⁠SpeakPipe⁠⁠

Before we begin

God created you for a reason. Your life is not an accident, and your
steps are not random. He has a plan for you, a purpose that brings glory to Him and fulfillment to your heart. As you listen to these affirmations, let them
remind you that God is leading, guiding, and equipping you for everything He has called you to do.

Thursday affirmations and Scripture

God has a purpose for my life and I walk in His plan.
Jeremiah 29:11

I trust in the Lord to guide my steps.
Proverbs 3:5-6

I seek wisdom, and God gives it freely.
James 1:5

God is directing my steps and I do not walk alone.
Psalm 37:23

I am a light in this world, shining for Christ.
Matthew 5:14

God has prepared good works for me to do today.
Ephesians 2:10

I am equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:17

I walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8

I will walk in faith, not in fear.
2 Timothy 1:7

God's Word lights my path.
Psalm 119:105

I choose obedience, knowing God's ways are best.
Deuteronomy 5:33

I live with purpose and do not waste my time.
Ephesians 5:15-16

I am called to make an impact for God's Kingdom.
Matthew 28:19-20

I have the mind of Christ and seek His wisdom daily.
1 Corinthians 2:16

I am a vessel for God's work.
2 Corinthians 4:7

I will not grow weary in doing good.
Galatians 6:9

God's purpose for me cannot be stopped.
Job 42:2

I do everything for the glory of God.
Colossians 3:23

God is using my life to accomplish His plan.
Romans 8:28

I am bold in sharing the gospel.
Romans 1:16

I walk in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25

I remain steadfast in my calling.
1 Corinthians 15:58

God will finish the work He started in me.
Philippians 1:6

I live with an eternal perspective.
Colossians 3:2

I press forward in my faith, knowing my reward is in Heaven.
Philippians 3:13-14

Closing prayer

Father, thank You for calling me to a life of purpose. Help me to walk in
wisdom today, seeking You in all I do. Give me clarity where I need direction,
courage where I need boldness, and a heart that is always ready to serve You. Let my life bring You glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to go
deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up next.

Listen daily and start your morning with God's truth so you can walk in
faith, clarity, and confidence.


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When Should You Say No to Good Things? Hearing God's Voice in Luke 5:12-26

The crowds were growing and people were still sick, and Jesus kept slipping away to pray anyway.

Today in our daily Bible study we're in the middle of Luke 5, looking at two men who were locked out and the way Jesus dealt with the barrier before He dealt with the symptom. Then we come to one quiet sentence that I can't get past: as the need increased, Jesus withdrew more, not less. If you are serving yourself into the ground because the need is right in front of you, this one is for you.

Links
We visit Luke's house in Rome on our Bible Study Live trip.
Bible Study Live is a small-group Bible study trip with Rachael Groll. Study Scripture where it happened in Rome, or slow down for a contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui. Dates and details at BibleStudyLive.org
Listen ad-free, plus the full library of past series, on Patreon: patreon.com/HearingJesus
Questions or prayer requests? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe

Questions we answer today

What did leprosy actually mean in that culture, and why did a priest decide it? Why did the man ask to be made clean instead of healed? Why did Jesus touch him before He said a word? Why did Jesus keep withdrawing to pray while people still needed Him? What do the friends who tore open a roof teach us about intercession?

Timestamps

00:00 Where we are in Luke 5

01:47 Reading Luke 5:12-26

03:38 Prayer

04:03 Two men, two barriers

05:30 What leprosy meant, and what it didn't

06:52 A ritual category, decided by a priest

07:42 Dressed for his own funeral

10:13 Why people believed it was judgment

11:36 Only two cures in the entire Old Testament

12:20 Full of leprosy, written by a physician

12:58 He broke the law to get to Jesus

13:20 Not a question of power, a question of will

13:45 He asked to be made clean, not healed

14:32 Jesus touched him first

15:14 The direction of the contamination reverses

16:52 Received first, changed second

17:29 The crowds grow

17:56 But He kept slipping away to pray

19:16 When the need scaled, so did the withdrawal

19:36 What I had to let go of

21:35 Everything public came out of what happened in private

22:24 When a ministry stops being God's ministry

23:50 The friends who tore open a roof

25:14 Gideon, Peter, and a boat in Kenya

27:55 Who was in the room, and why it matters tomorrow

29:00 Prayer

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