Life has issues, and the Bible has the answers. Francie Taylor teaches the relevance of Scripture to daily life through these brief Bible application studies.
Episodes
Thursday Oct 06, 2022
Thursday Oct 06, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 7 on the 7th, etc.). Life has issues. The Bible has the answers. Reading and applying the principles of Scripture will increase your wisdom and understanding. God bless your journey!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 5 on the 5th, etc.). Wait until you see what a difference this makes in your ability to navigate the "issues of life"! God bless you.
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Oct 03, 2022
Monday Oct 03, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where you'll hear the most popular episodes from the previous season. When it comes to wrestling with the toddler in the adult body, the Apostle Paul really said it best: "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Romans 7:19)
Habits can be friends or foes, but we get to choose.
Sometimes we try to wiggle out of facing our issues by claiming that they aren’t addressed in the Bible, but on closer examination we will find that habits are in the Bible. They show up in lists like the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23, and like the "add to our faith" qualities in 2 Peter 1:5-8.
Good habits help us to grow. Bad habits hinder growth and keep us stuck and spinning our wheels like a car stuck in a Minnesota snowbank. If you’ve never experienced having your car tires stuck in a snowbank, let me tell you from experience that you can rev the engine all you want but you’re not going anywhere.
Let’s study the habits of Paul, with a goal of developing our own supportive habit system. Hint: This requires a key "fruit of the Spirit": Temperance.
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Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 2 on the 2nd, etc.). Your understanding of biblical application increases over time. Keep going!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 29 on the 29th, etc.). After a few months, this will not only be a habit, it will be woven into the fabric of your life!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Not long ago, I saw a little wall plaque that said this: “Hold on. I’ve gotta overthink about it.” That’s funny until it’s not.
Overthinking keeps us from doing things that could be beneficial while trapping us in a prison cell of doubt. Whether you’re doubting your abilities or doubting God, overthinking is a real vision killer, and it feeds on fears and what ifs. Is overthinking keeping you stuck? Don’t overthink that question. Just answer it honestly.
How can we stop paralyzing ourselves with overthinking? This episode covers four suggestions, and then we suggest that you take this issue to the Lord in prayer for greater insights. God has a way through any wilderness in this life.
Sister Friends: Supporting One Another In Grace and Godliness
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 24 on the 24th, etc.). This is a habit that you'll be happy to keep. God bless and keep you.
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 22 on the 22nd, etc.). Instead of trying to live the Christian life without the Bible, just press play and get growing!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here on Podbean: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Sep 19, 2022
Monday Sep 19, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where you'll hear the most popular episodes from the previous season. Are you feeling spent? Bone weary and bone dry? The condition of spiritual dryness can happen for a variety of reasons, but most of those reasons are tied to events that have gone on for too long, or changes that we don't like. Sometimes the issues of life are like bad garments ordered on Amazon. You want to return them to the sender!
We can't send chapters of our life story back to God for rewrites, but we can trust Him to help us through our seasons of spiritual dryness. When we're dry, we're also thirsty. This episode, Recovering from Spiritual Dryness covers three indicators of thirst, along with suggestions for recovering. God can "pour water" on those who are thirsty. It's one of His many specialties.
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Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
"Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" t-shirt
Sister Friends: Supporting One Another In Grace and Godliness
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Build Your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 17 on the 17th, etc.). God bless you and keep you in this journey of building your Bible habit.
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 15 on the 15th, etc.). God bless you as you build a habit that draws you closer to Him and makes you wiser.
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Have you ever read anything in Scripture and wondered how that could have been possible? Or have you ever thought that our outrageous situations are entirely too big for God to handle? Jeremiah the prophet spoke these words that remind us that the maker of Heaven and earth is never stumped or stuck:
"Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee..." (Jeremiah 32:17)
We are mistaken if we ever think that God can't do something. We fail to remember that God's will factors into everything He does. Our prayers come with expectations attached. Detach the expectations and replace them with faith. Believe that God can and will do what is best, even in the worst situations.
This episode examines a passage from Acts 12 about the apostle Peter, who was in a very impossible situation. Peter's "impossible possible" is relevant to our lives today as we face our own challenging situations. Challenges are just opportunities for God to show His unlimited strength and mighty power. Grab your Bible for this faith-increasing passage.
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: New Testament Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: Old Testament Bible Study
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 10 on the 10th, etc.). God bless you as you meet with Him in His Word daily!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Wednesday Sep 07, 2022
Wednesday Sep 07, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 8 on the 8th, etc.). God bless you with wisdom and understanding!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Sep 05, 2022
Monday Sep 05, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where you'll hear the most popular episodes from the previous season. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of self-indulgence is “excessive or unrestrained gratification of one's own appetites, desires, or whims.” Here are some signs that you may be struggling with self-indulgence:
- You have an income but no money because of your spending habits
- You repeatedly complain about your weight but you keep eating things that are great for packing on the pounds
- Arriving late is your trademark for almost everything because of poor time management
- You allow yourself to be moody and expect people to just deal with it
- You’re taking poor care of your health but making excuses for it
Self-indulgence is self-inflicted bondage. You are in prison and holding the keys. Living like this makes life less enjoyable and more stressful. We don’t realize it at first, but the self-indulgent life seems like it would reward us, but it actually robs and enslaves us. We don't have to live like this. There is a way out.
God can put His finger on our particular weaknesses and help us to overcome them by His power and might, not by our own. This 3-point lesson provides helpful reminders on how we can turn our lives from the agony of repeated defeat to the joy of victories in Christ.
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: New Testament Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: Old Testament Bible Study
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 3 on the 3rd, etc.). God bless you with wisdom and understanding!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
Build your Bible habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 1 on the 1st, etc.). Make a goal of reading without missing a day for 90 days, and at the end of that time, you will have read the book of Proverbs three times. The wisdom and understanding gained will be noticeable, and your relationship with God and others will improve as you apply what you are learning. God bless your studies!
A convenient list of the Audio Proverbs chapters are listed in the left sidebar here: Keep the Heart Audio Proverbs Library
Monday Aug 29, 2022
Monday Aug 29, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where you'll hear the most popular episodes from the previous season. This episode, "Trusting God with Trust Issues" was a bit of a jab to the ribs. Teachers are also full-time learners, and I saw some new "trust issues" that had crept in since this episode first aired, and these issues needed exposure.
It's understandable when we have trust issues as a side effect of being wronged by someone, especially when it was someone we should have been able to count as reliable. The problem with trust issues is that they tend to spill over into our walk with God, causing us to worry and become filled with anxiety and doubt. Fear and fretfulness are merely signs that our trust in God needs opportunities to grow.
We have common wrestling matches in our spiritual lives, and trust is a big one. We're usually fine as long as things are going according to our plans, or as long as things stay within our comfort zones, but trust is built by testing. You may want your notebook or journal for the five points in this 10-minute episode.
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
Uniquely Beautiful Olive Petal KJV Bible
"Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" t-shirt
Sister Friends: Supporting One Another In Grace and Godliness
Thursday Aug 25, 2022
Thursday Aug 25, 2022
BONUS BIBLE SERIES: This is the final chapter in the book of Proverbs. If you started at chapter one, you have now read the entire book. Bravo! I suggest you buy yourself a new Bible. Digital and audio are great, but you can mark and take notes in a printed Bible. We have a few in the shop at keeptheheart.com, if you need ideas.
Even though this chapter is often referred to as the pattern for the "Proverbs 31-Woman," it has valuable insights that anyone can apply. The chapter actually opens with a mother instructing her son, so we know that these instructions also apply to men. One verse that we could all memorize and put into practice in verse 26: "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Improving how we communicate with each other makes relationships better.
Now that you’ve completed the entire book of Proverbs, it’s time to start over. Repeat this habit for another two months and this will become a part of your daily routine. You will want to spend time in the Word, because your relationship with God will be growing, along with the increased wisdom and understanding. Keep this Bible habit going! God will use it to transform you by the renewing of your mind.
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Have you ever dragged your feet on forgiving someone because you thought they deserved to suffer? Or were you so hurt by their words or actions that you felt they deserved punishment? Human nature is painful like that. We don’t like people to hurt us, but we’ll cancel that rule when we’re hurting someone in revenge. We’re not the first to struggle with the issue of not wanting to forgive. Listen to this passage from Matthew 18:21-22:
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
I love the realness of Peter. Obviously, someone had done him wrong enough times that Peter was starting to keep track! Oh no, this brother is up to number six. Let me go and ask Jesus if I have to go beyond seven because I’ve had enough of this. I sure am grateful that God doesn’t have a rule of “seven strikes and you’re out.” We’d all be disqualified before we graduate from kindergarten!
Has someone done or said something that offended you to a point where you don’t feel like forgiving them? This is a risky position. It’s human to want to delay a pardon, but it’s not biblical. It’s carnal.
Our human nature leans toward behaviors and solutions that are the opposite of God’s Word. We have to be on guard for this hazard, because we can deceive ourselves into believing that everyone else has issues but we’re the only clean ones. Failure to forgive someone is rooted in this type of mistaken thinking.
Let’s consider four things that are side effects of failing to grant forgiveness, and how we can avoid the consequences of choosing the wrong course.
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Sister Friends: Supporting One Another In Grace and Godliness
MORE Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
BONUS BIBLE SERIES: Welcome to Proverbs chapter 30 on Build Your Bible Habit. Chapter 30 is unique in that it begins with an introduction from a man named Agur. Strong’s concordance translates his name as “gathered,” but also calls it a “fanciful name for Solomon.” The chapter opens with notable humility, and closes with a warning not to “lift ourselves up.” Many important life observations are included.
We need to be careful about thinking too highly of ourselves. The scripture calls it the “churning of milk.” Churning the milk leads to butter, and forcing wrath brings strife. As soon as we get the attitude, “Who do they think THEY are,” we’re in trouble. Someone is going to do or say something that will irritate us, and this will be our pop quiz. Will we keep talking when we can tell that things are heating up, or will we do as Scripture says and cover our mouths? Forcing wrath leads to conflicts. The wise choice is to apply Scripture.
Don’t rush through these chapters. Treat them like slow cooking, not fast food.
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Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where you'll hear the most popular episodes from the previous season. Today’s episode, "When You Can't Talk About It," is still being downloaded at a rapid rate, even a year later. Going through things that seem unusually hard and uncommon doesn't mean that we're the first ones to walk the rough road. Tough problems and embarrassing circumstances are as old as the Old Testament. Remember David and Bathsheba?
Grab a notebook and pen to jot down four ways we can get the help we need, even when our situations are difficult to discuss. It's not true that we can't talk about hard things. It just means we'll need greater wisdom and discretion.
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: New Testament Bible Study
In Christ Unconditionally: Old Testament Bible Study
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
BONUS BIBLE SERIES: Welcome to Proverbs chapter 29 on Build Your Bible Habit. This chapter reminds me of a class in character-building. When we are growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we grow in wisdom and understand, which improves our integrity, personality, and even our disposition. Without spiritual growth, we run the risk of developing destructive habits that make our lives harder, as well as affecting the lives of those we influence.
We are steps away from completing a month’s worth of Proverbs, and I hope you’ll keep this habit going. It takes humility to admit that we need God to guide us, especially since pride comes naturally to our human nature. As you’re continuing to study the book of Proverbs, pray and ask the Lord to reveal any areas to you where He would like to begin make changes. We know some of our weak spots, but God knows even the secrets of our hearts, so He is way better at transforming us. It helps if we are willing to allow God to work in our hearts.
As it says in Proverbs 29:23, "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." Humility wins over pride every single time.
One-of-a-Kind Olive Petal KJV Bible
"Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" t-shirt
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. “Backsliding Looks Like This” received thousands of downloads over the year. I wonder if it's because backsliding is such a common temptation? It could happen to any of us.
Have you been making changes in your life that are weakening your faith and causing you to question biblical living? The process of backsliding is often slow but methodical. Skip a few church services, treat Bible study as optional, overindulge on popular movies and other media and before long, your Christian life is unrecognizable. Backsliding is the act of falling from our faith back into habits and behaviors that are selfish and biblically off-base. This episode covers three telltale signs of backsliding, along with suggestions on how to avoid this counterfeit lifestyle.
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"Be Like Jesus is Better Than You Do You" t-shirt
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Books & Bibles in the Shop at Keep the Heart