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Two words can flip your story from despair to hope: but now. After Paul spends pages laying out the gravity of guilt, the silence of the law, and the certainty of judgment, Romans 3 opens a door most of us never knew existed: righteousness from God, revealed apart from the law and received by faith in Jesus Christ. We walk through that door together, not with swagger but with empty hands, learning why justification by faith alone is the cornerstone of the gospel and the difference between trying harder and finally being made right.

We trace the promise of grace across Scripture. Abraham and Isaac climb Moriah with wood and fire, and a ram appears in a thicket—then a prophecy rings out: the Lord will provide. Centuries later, on that same ridge now called Golgotha, the promise becomes flesh as the Lamb of God bears sin once for all. David’s poetry in Psalm 22 reads like a report from the foot of the cross—pierced hands and feet, a heart like wax, lots cast for clothing—reminding us the gospel is not an afterthought; it is the plan from the beginning. Along the way, we confront common assumptions: why “being pretty good” cannot justify anyone, how the law rightly condemns but cannot rescue, and why faith is not a work but the way to receive what Christ has already accomplished.

This conversation is more than doctrine; it’s an invitation. We hear an unforgettable picture of grace in a mother who chases her daughter through a dangerous city, leaving photos with a simple promise on the back: wherever you are, whatever you’ve done, I will forgive you. That is the heart of sola fide: not what we provide to God, but what God has provided for us in Christ. If you carry shame, if you’re tired of measuring yourself against a scale you can’t balance, or if you’re simply curious about what makes Christianity good news, this is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review telling us what “but now” means in your life.

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Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

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What does love look like when the feelings fade and the pressure mounts? We walk line by line through 1 Corinthians 13:7–8 and explore how agape bears heavy loads, believes the best, hopes through failure, and endures the hardest seasons. These aren’t romantic slogans; they’re field-tested habits that hold families together, steady friendships, and strengthen churches.

We start with the architecture of love: to bear means to get under the weight like beams under a roof. From there, we tackle what it means to “believe all things” without becoming naïve—taking God at his word and giving people the benefit of the doubt instead of feeding suspicion. Then we lean into hope’s quiet courage, the kind that refuses to declare a person’s worst day as their final chapter. You’ll hear vivid stories, from parenting a child with profound needs to a coach’s humor during a losing season, all pointing to a love that smiles even when the world frowns.

Finally, we focus on endurance—the soldier’s resolve to hold the line—and why love never fails while certain spiritual gifts do. We contrast the culture’s “seven-year itch” with covenant faithfulness and share a moving portrait of caregiving that turns duty into delight. If you’re seeking practical wisdom for marriage, caregiving, church life, or personal growth, this conversation offers clear steps to become the kind of person who bears, believes, hopes, and endures.

If this resonated with you, follow the show, share it with a friend who could use some courage today, and leave a rating and review. Your support helps others find timeless, hope-filled teaching on true, biblical love.

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Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

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What we celebrate reveals who we are. We open 1 Corinthians 13:6 and trace a straight line from our laughter, screens, and conversations to the loves that shape our lives. The theme is stark and liberating: love refuses to rejoice in unrighteousness and learns to rejoice with the truth. That clarity confronts how entertainment can dull our sense of holiness, how cultural approval can masquerade as compassion, and how gossip can turn our words into quiet weapons. It also offers something better: a way to cultivate joy that aligns with the heart of Christ.

We walk through the subtle ways we “come alongside” darkness—by what we watch, applaud, and repeat—and why even passive approval deforms our character. Then we turn to the freedom found in truth: the gospel that anchors courage, the Scriptures that set our loves in order, and the daily practices that make a believer’s life bright and credible. Along the way, we unpack why love protects rather than exposes, how speech can either heal or harm, and why celebrating obedience and repentance builds a culture of grace. A moving letter from a wife who kept covenant through decades of hardship gives a flesh-and-blood picture of what rejoicing in truth looks like when no one is cheering.

If you’re ready for a heart audit—of your inputs, your approvals, and your words—this conversation will give you handles to change what you feed your soul and what you celebrate out loud. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review telling us: what truth will you rejoice in today?

Support the show

Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback