ScriptureLinks Episodes

Psalm 30:6 says, *“And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved\.”* David discovered something that many of us eventually discover: sometimes our greatest confidence can come immediately before our greatest testing\. In this episode, we look at several people in Scripture who experienced tremendous moments of faith and courage, only to find themselves struggling when the trial came\. Peter boldly declared that he would never deny Jesus\. But when the pressure came, Peter denied Him three times\. Elijah stood courageously on Mount Carmel, confronted hundreds of false prophets, and watched God answer his prayer with fire from heaven\. Yet shortly afterward, when Jezebel threatened his life, Elijah ran into the wilderness and asked God to take his life\. But then we look at Job\. Job lost his possessions, his children, and his health\. His circumstances could hardly have been worse\. Yet despite his tremendous suffering, Job continued to recognize God’s sovereignty\…

In 1 Peter 2:9–10, Peter gives us a powerful reminder of who we are because of what God has done for us\. He says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people\.” Those aren’t just encouraging words\. They describe our identity as God’s people\. We are chosen\. We belong to God\. We are called to be different\. And we have a purpose: “that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light\.” God didn’t bring us out of darkness simply so we could stand around and admire the light\. He brought us into the light so that our lives could point others toward Him\. Today, let’s take a closer look at what it means to be chosen by God, to belong to Him, and to live like people who have been called out of darkness.

In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus tells the parable of the great supper. A man prepares a great feast and sends out invitations, but when everything is ready, those who were invited begin making excuses. But notice what happens next. In verse 21, the master becomes angry and tells his servant to go into the streets and bring in the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. Then, in verse 23, the command becomes even more urgent: “Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” And then comes the sobering warning of verse 24: “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” This isn’t simply a story about a dinner invitation. Jesus is revealing the seriousness of God’s invitation—and the danger of treating that invitation casually. God’s invitation is gracious. It is extended. The door is open. But there comes a point when excuses have consequences. Today, we’re going to look closely at verses 21, 23, and 24 and ask ourselves an im…

John the Baptist was one of the clearest voices in Scripture proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah. In Matthew 3 and John 1, we see John confidently identifying Jesus as the One who was coming after him. But in Matthew 11:3, John sends his disciples to Jesus with a question: “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” What happened to John’s confidence? In this episode, we take a closer look at John’s question—not to criticize his faith, but to understand the humanity behind it. John knew what God had revealed to him, but his circumstances had become difficult. His expectations about what the Messiah would do didn’t necessarily match what he was experiencing. Sometimes we find ourselves in exactly the same place. We know what God has said, but we don’t understand what God is doing. We believe, but we still have questions. And John’s story reminds us that having questions doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve abandoned our faith. Sometimes, the right thing…

The healing of the lame man at the temple gate should have been a moment of celebration. Instead, it became the beginning of persecution for Peter and John. In Acts 3, God performs a miraculous healing. In Acts 4, the religious authorities respond with opposition and threats. But when Peter and John return to the believers, the church doesn’t respond with fear. They respond with prayer. Their prayer is remarkable. They don’t ask God to remove every obstacle. They ask Him to give them boldness to continue speaking His Word. And God answers. “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” — Acts 4:31, KJV This is the final part of When Prayer Changes the Story, and it reminds us that sometimes prayer doesn’t change the opposition around us—it changes us in the middle of the opposition.

Fear has a way of making our problems look bigger than our God. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and his servant find themselves surrounded by the Syrian army. The servant sees horses, chariots, and soldiers—and assumes they are finished. But Elisha sees something his servant cannot yet see. Elisha responds with a powerful prayer: “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.” God opens the servant’s eyes, and suddenly he sees the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire. In Part 4 of When Prayer Changes the Story, we discover that prayer doesn’t always change our circumstances immediately. Sometimes prayer changes our perspective. What looks like defeat may actually be the place where God is preparing to reveal His power.

Sometimes God allows circumstances to reach a point where there is no mistaking who deserves the glory when the answer comes. In Part 3 of When Prayer Changes the Story, we travel through 1 Kings 16:29–18:40 and encounter one of the most dramatic moments in Scripture. King Ahab has led Israel deeper into idolatry, Jezebel has promoted the worship of Baal, and God responds through Elijah with a devastating drought. But the drought was more than a judgment—it became the setting for God to demonstrate His power. On Mount Carmel, Elijah stands virtually alone against the prophets of Baal. The question is simple: Who is really God? And when Elijah prays, God answers with fire. This episode reminds us that prayer isn’t about manipulating God into doing what we want. Prayer places us in a position to witness what God is capable of doing when we trust Him, obey Him, and call upon His name. Sometimes prayer doesn’t just change the situation. Prayer changes the story by reveal…

It is easy to forget where our blessings come from. When life is going well, we can begin to believe that our success, possessions, abilities, and security are the result of our own strength. But Scripture repeatedly warns us against forgetting God when He has blessed us. In Jeremiah 2, God confronts His people because they had forsaken Him, the fountain of living waters, and turned to broken cisterns that could hold no water. Deuteronomy 8 gives us another warning: when we have plenty, we must not say, “My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.” This episode challenges us to examine what—or whom—we are trusting. Are we trusting God, or are we trusting what God has allowed us to have?

What does it really mean to have faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” But biblical faith isn’t believing without evidence. It is trusting God because of what He has revealed about Himself. Peter said he and the other apostles were not following “cunningly devised fables.” John testified that they had heard, seen, and handled the Word of life. Thomas was told to believe because he had seen the risen Christ. And Jesus said there is a blessing for those who have not seen, yet believe. In today’s episode, we examine what Scripture teaches about genuine faith—and why our faith can be firmly anchored in Jesus Christ.

Why does God allow His people to suffer? Is suffering a sign that we have done something wrong—or can God use suffering to accomplish something greater in our lives? In this episode of ScriptureLinks Daily Dose of Inspiration, we look at the biblical reality of suffering through the experiences of Paul and Silas and the teaching of Scripture. From a prison cell in Acts 16 to Paul’s desire to know Christ through “the fellowship of his sufferings,” we discover that suffering does not mean God has left us. Our suffering may test us, refine us, strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to Christ. And while today’s suffering may be real and painful, Romans 8 reminds us that it cannot compare with the glory God has promised.

What would people say about your faith if they were describing it to someone else? In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul gives an incredible description of a church whose faith was not merely something they talked about—it was something people could see\. Their **work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope** had become evident to others\. Their lives demonstrated that they had turned from idols to serve the living and true God\. Their faith had become so visible that their example was being talked about throughout the surrounding region\. In this episode of ScriptureLinks Daily Dose of Inspiration, we explore what it means to have a faith that makes a difference—a faith that works, loves, endures, serves, and points others to Christ\. Because genuine faith isn’t just something we believe\. It’s something that changes how we live\.

Have you ever carried the weight of guilt or tried to hide your failures from God? In Psalm 32, David shares the incredible relief that comes when sin is confessed and forgiveness is received. Instead of living under the crushing burden of unconfessed sin, God invites us to experience His mercy, guidance, and unfailing love. In this episode of ScriptureLinks Daily Dose of Inspiration, we’ll explore how confession leads to freedom, why hiding from God never works, and how His grace transforms our hearts. If you’ve ever wondered whether God can truly forgive you, this Psalm offers a resounding answer.