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
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Was someone given the job that you wanted and now you’re unhappy because you thought that you were better suited for the position? And no matter how hard you've tried not to think about it, does your mind keep replaying the painful tape?
Or maybe a friend of yours just had something fabulous happen in her life, and you’re wondering why she gets all the fabulous while you get all the ordinary. When would it be your turn? Why were great things happening to everyone but you?
Are you looking at someone else’s life and thinking that they have what you want? If so, you’re wrestling with envy and it's keeping you pinned to the mat. Envy will trap you in a competition that you can’t win because it is never satisfied.
Proverbs 27:4 makes a statement and then asks a question: "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?" Who is able to stand before envy? No one. Compared to wrath and anger, envy comes up as the hardest on the list. It’s like a self-inflicted gunshot wound, causing pain that could have been avoided.
There is nothing good about the consuming emotion of envy. It’s such a spirit crusher! One of the easiest ways to keep your life in a negative loop is to allow envy to creep in and color your world. Regardless of what caused the envy, exposing it to the light will help you to call it by name and face this foe. This episode examines three ways that envy warps our world, and what we can do to escape the envy trap.
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
BONUS EPISODE: There are many things that may make marriage difficult: A job loss, a change in health, poor communication skills, trouble with young adults, interfering relatives, a contentious woman, an angry man, or you fill in the blank.
Get a notebook to jot down five observations and suggestions on how to ride out the ups and downs that happen after the "I do." This bonus episode is not meant to be a substitute for Christian marriage counseling, but we hope that it will help with small things that often become big. If you are going through something that's extreme in your marriage, a Christian counselor will be a very vital resource.
Making a Difficult Marriage Better was originally taught at a women's Bible conference, but it's condensed for this podcast. Most episodes on Keep the Heart will cover the "issues of life" affecting a general audience, but occasionally we'll do a bonus episode that is more like a breakout session. This would also make a good episode to share with a small group, and then you could have an engaging discussion at the end.
Making up your own marriage rules is like drawing up a faulty map that leads to the wrong destination. Following God’s directions for relationships will lead to the right destination because He knows the way. Actually, He is the way.
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
How can we share the Gospel in a world that is so seemingly antagonistic to anything related to Christianity? In a word: thoughtfully. While news media reports continue to paint the world as fully divided, people are still seeking answers for how to live, and they want the truth. That's the same as seeking Christ.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
As people trust Christ, this impacts our society in a positive way, one soul at a time. There are so many creative ways that we can share the Gospel in this desperate world, but we first have to care. Has your desire to share Christ with others grown cold? This episode will give you reminders along with ideas that you can use right away.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Old Testament Bible Application Study
Monday Jun 21, 2021
Monday Jun 21, 2021
When we speak discouraging or negative words to ourselves, we’re not helping our situations. We’re just giving ourselves a few more reasons to feel bad. Do you talk to yourself? Most people do, but what if the scripts in our minds were projected onto forehead screens where anyone could read them? Would we edit what we've been saying to ourselves?
Try to think of the last time you had a gracious thought about yourself for anything unrelated to physical appearance or numbers on a scale. I’m not talking about being conceited; I’m talking about extending the same grace to yourself that you would to others. Have you ever thanked the Lord for who you are in Him, or do you repeatedly allow negative chatter and unproven fears to dominate the airwaves of your mind? God can fix this flaw, but we have to yield our hearts and minds to Him for spiritual transformation.
The topic of having a “noisy head” is nothing new, but I'd like to give you some things to consider to help make your thought life more beneficial. Get ready for three reasons why we need to rule over the things that we say to ourselves. Our thoughts may not be audible to others, but God hears us loud and clear.
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Have you ever prayed and asked the Lord to reveal any sin in your life, only to have Him point out something that you really didn’t think was wrong? We don't see things as clearly as God sees them. Our vision is imperfect.
There's a good chance that someone listening to this episode has a secret life and you’d probably prefer that it would never be revealed, but God already knows all about it. Whether it’s double-standard living, harboring envy, hiding something from your spouse, or some other sin, here is the reality: The secret life is not so secret.
A secret life of sin can stunt our growth, limit our service, and harm our reputations. This episode explores common areas where we tend to justify things that are unbiblical and displeasing to God, followed by suggested solutions. Ultimately, it is up to you to ask God to search and try you personally. He has the ability to cleanse us from "secret faults."
"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults." (Psalm 19:12)
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Monday Jun 07, 2021
How many of you have had something happen within the past year that was not in your planner? Here's another way to put it: Is there anyone who didn't have something happen off-script? I think we're finished being surprised that life has surprises!
In this episode, we’ll consider four things that we can do when we are facing the unexpected:
1. Face the Fears.
2. Face the Frustrations.
3. Face the Facts.
4. Face the Fire (God's refining fire).
We prefer to have lives that fit neatly into their designated boxes, but life is rarely that tidy. It is often messy and unpredictable. We don't know what today will bring, or even the next moment. Instead of expecting things to go according to our plans, we can trust God with His plan.
"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1)
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
Are you following Christ, or are you just a great pretender? Could someone else look at your life and copy it as a pattern for walking with God? Do you consider what your choices and decisions mean to God before you make them?
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." These were the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 11:1, and it was a very bold statement. Keep in mind that Paul was just a man. In fact, he was a man with a very dark past that he openly admitted and it was no secret to others. How could a man go from being one of the greatest persecutors of Christians to one of the most devoted Christians?
Paul learned how to live by the Word, and he encouraged believers to be “followers” of him, as he followed Christ. The unspoken part of this statement was also true: if Paul wasn’t following Christ, then he didn’t want people to follow him. Two words within the verse make this clear: “even as.” This makes his statement conditional. Paul wasn’t merely saying, “Hey everyone, copy me because I’m a super-Christian.” He knew better and besides; Paul knew his own history.
What he was saying was this: “Copy me as I copy Christ. Imitate me as I imitate Christ. Do what I’m doing if it is according to Christ and His Word. What Paul was saying wasn’t easy, but at least he had a walk that matched his talk. Could we say, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”? In other words, would our lives make a good pattern for someone else to help them walk with God?
What does it look like to follow Christ? In the letter to the believers at Philippi, the instructions that were given then are still valuable to us today. Philippians 2:5-8 gives us a pattern that serves as our example. This episode breaks the pattern down into five points that we can copy as we learn to follow Christ.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally New Testament Case Studies
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Monday May 24, 2021
Monday May 24, 2021
You’ve probably known of people who used to be friends, but something went wrong and instead of repairing the problem, they turned against each other. Both friends felt like the other person caused the issue, so they were both waiting for the other to apologize. It was a very long wait. They went to the same church, had an overlapping friend group, and things were awkward for anyone who knew them.
Are you the friend with the broken relationship?
Are you holding a grudge against someone right now? When you hear those words, does a face pop up onto the movie screen of your mind? Something has gone wrong, and instead of resolving the conflict, one or both of you have chosen to cling to the hurt and now it’s hurting you. Holding a grudge always hurts the holder more than anyone else.
In the book, Ponder the Path—A 31 Day Devotional (link below), Day 22 addresses the connection between anger and bitterness. First there is a transgression, then anger, and if the conflict remains unresolved, the anger waters the seeds of bitterness. Soon, the person is a carrier of an angry and bitter virus that spawns a grudge. This episode addresses three reasons why holding a grudge is harmful to us and to others.
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
"The biopsy showed a malignant tumor..."
"Your baby has doesn't have a heartbeat..."
"There's been a terrible car accident. We're sorry..."
When you hear words that signal the beginning of a fiery trial, does it make you wonder why you and why now? Why did God bring you into such a hard place? Why didn’t He keep the event from happening? If God is all-powerful, why does He allow us to suffer when He could easily stop it? Is God being unfair? Why is this happening?
While we can’t answer anything that God hasn’t answered in His Word, we can address and apply what He has given us. The truth is this: there is no simple answer for the “Why would God” questions. What would we consider to be an acceptable response? An answer that I may accept, you may reject. Instead of asking “Why would God?” we can rephrase this into a question that has answers: What can God do with my suffering?
It is a reality that life deals some hard blows, and our reactions are human. God knows us and understands that we don’t want to suffer, but He also promised that He would be with us through our valleys. Life never has just one valley. The journey has several, but we don’t have to go through the incredibly dark times alone. Let's consider a starter list of four things that God can do in and through our suffering.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally New Testament Case Studies
Follow Keep the Heart mini-devos on Instagram
Monday May 10, 2021
Monday May 10, 2021
Without realizing it, we are often following our hearts instead of following God. We have a tendency to number sin on a scale of one to ten rather than being honest about the fact that we’re doing our own thing while pretending to be godly.
“Follow your heart” has become the repetitive motto that sounds so noble, but it is misguided. What does this saying really mean? It’s not telling us to pay attention to the beating muscle in our chest. It’s a “go with the gut” mentality that allows our minds to guide us apart from the mind of Christ. “Follow your heart” actually sounds like a training camp slogan for a painful life.
God never intended for our hearts to be our guides. He is our guide, but when we ignore God’s leading and go with our heart’s desires, we end up in situations that cause anxiety and even despair. This episode shares a list of four reasons why we should not follow our hearts.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
Have you ever lost your composure, your temper, or any other form of emotional control over failed plans? Or have you ever gone home crying from an event that was supposed to be happy, because something didn't go the way you had expected? Do you turn simple situations into big hairy stressful ones? You may be a Drama Mama.
Drama is mainly a distraction designed to keep our focus on trivial matters. These distractions can keep us from becoming all that God wants us to be. When we’re engaged in drama, we’re not gracious or godly women. Drama turns us into bad actors.
This episode exposes some characteristics of the Drama Mama, but not for the sake of analyzing others. The goal of this lesson is to look for anything in our own hearts and lives that needs changing. We don't have to live from one drama to the next. By allowing God to “transform us,” we become more like Christ and His Holy Spirit inspires us to imitate Him.
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
"Honey, are you sitting down?" When my husband said those words by phone, I wasn't expecting good news to follow.
Receiving a difficult diagnosis happens every day, but it doesn’t strike us to the core until it’s happening to us. There is no perfect way to respond to a frightening diagnosis, but this segment shares information that may be helpful to you. Just remember this: Everyone’s situation is different, so you're about to listen to a very short list of things to consider, not hard and fast guidelines and certainly not medical advice.
Dealing with a difficult medical diagnosis means that your life will look different now. For those on the caregiving side, you will need support and assistance, so let people help you. For those who are patients with changed lives, rest in the reality that you are ultimately God’s and He is yours. God will walk with you and comfort you in your affliction.
If you are wondering what happens to a soul when it leaves the body, the link below provides answers about eternity in an abbreviated message, courtesy of First Baptist Church in Rosemount, Minnesota:
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
"You should get your eyebrows done." When someone said that to me after a conference, it made me wonder if that was her only takeaway from a weekend of Bible application lessons...and it also sent me in search of a mirror. If someone makes a questionable comment about your physical appearance, do keep replaying the comment in your mind? Image issues can cause us to get stuck like that.
Who told women that they need "perfect eyebrows"? Clever marketing companies continue to create imaginary shortcomings, and then of course they’ll sell us the solutions. "Cover that gray hair. We'll sell you the dye every six weeks. Here's the face cream for those no-no-gotta-go wrinkles. Get a flat stomach with buns of steel by using our exercise program, and we’ll throw in a digital home scale that syncs to your cellphone and keeps you obsessed with your weight."
God has much more purpose for us than just competing to look the best until death. Image issues are common, but we're not stuck with them. This episode offers practical tips for finding freedom from image issues.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
“Mom and Dad, I need to talk to you.” This is a generic version of the statement parents may hear before an adult child shares news that feels like a bomb dropped. Sometimes you see warning signs. Other times, you’re broadsided and wondering what just happened. The grief and heartache that often follows is a normal response to loss. It’s normal but not permanent. It’s never a good idea to stay stuck in a negative thought loop about our own children. God can show us how to walk this out.
This is another Bonus Episode in our podcast lineup. Since most of the episodes will be for a general audience of women across many stages, occasionally we will do a breakout session to address a specific issue. The topic of facing hardships with adult children is one that comes up repeatedly in email requests. We hope that this capsulized episode will give you some points to ponder.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Are your friendships high maintenance? Is someone upset with you because of a small thing and you’re stressed out about it? Do you wonder sometimes about the people you’ve allowed into your close inner circle? When our friendships become thorny burdens, we need to give those friendships a checkup. Something is unhealthy somewhere. This episode covers five ideas for building consistent friendships.
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Imagine having a friend who would steal money from you, share your private information with people who hated you, and take a bribe to have you killed. Jesus had a friend like that, and his name was Judas. It’s really easy to paint Judas as the ultimate villain, but are we anything like Judas?
It’s so much easier to point out the faults of others than it is to recognize the flaws in ourselves. Judas had certain traits that are common to those who are disregarding God. This episode takes a brief look at three things about Judas that can double as a personal examination.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Have you ever offended someone without realizing it? What’s your response to a situation like that? Do you apologize once you're made aware of the situation, or do you get defensive and blame the offended person for being "thin-skinned"? Your response can make a difference or it could make a bigger mess.
Relationships are gifts, but we tend to appreciate people the most when they’re gone. It doesn’t have to be like that. We can cherish and treasure our relationships now. This episode covers four helpful behaviors for building better relationships.
Thanks for leaving those five-star ratings and incredibly encouraging reviews on Apple, and for following Keep the Heart here on Podbean!
Monday Mar 22, 2021
Monday Mar 22, 2021
Are we doomed to be insecure until we’re too old to remember how to spell the word? No. Insecurity is not a life sentence. It's an opportunity to examine ourselves for faulty thinking, allowing us to replace the false with the truth. Insecurity is really just a lack of self-confidence paired with an overdose of self-doubt, which is not entirely bad. We need more confidence, but in God and not in self. God-confidence is rooted and grounded in how He sees us rather than how we view ourselves.
Whether it’s pretending to be humble or trying to be the center of attention, pride is the driver of insecurity.
Are we doomed to be insecure until we’re too old to remember how to spell the word? No. Insecurity is not a life sentence. It's an opportunity to examine ourselves for faulty thinking, allowing us to replace the false with the truth. Insecurity is really just a lack of self-confidence paired with an overdose of self-doubt, which is not entirely bad. We need more confidence, but in God and not in self. God-confidence is rooted and grounded in how He sees us rather than how we view ourselves.
Insecurity often causes us to say and do things to elevate self, but no matter what we do, it's never enough. Whether it’s pretending to be humble or endlessly seeking attention, pride is the driver of insecurity. This episode covers five practices that we can apply to begin the process of overcoming insecurity. Share this podcast with family and friends!
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Mar 15, 2021
Monday Mar 15, 2021
What does it take for you to jump to the irritated default mode? Getting stuck in traffic when you’re already running late? New policy changes at work? A last-minute change in plans that you don’t like? Even those who are usually very tranquil have things that can push them beyond their emotionally calm boundaries.
Life can be stressful and pressures may pile up, but we don’t have to live with the heat turned on high all the time. There can be calm inserted into the daily pressures, because not all pressures are big deals. This episode covers three encouraging practices that we can begin applying right away. High-strung is not a life sentence; it's a changeable habit.
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
BONUS EPISODE: It's great to have a wonderful marriage, but married life is not wonderful all day, every day. In fact, many have experienced some rough waters along the way. Married people have to work hard at learning how to love and care for one another as God designed it. In this bonus episode, I'm sharing some of the mistakes I made as a newlywed. People may learn from success, but failure is educational, too. Grab a beverage and settle into a comfy chair for this "NOT TO DO" list.
1 John 3:18 reminds us how to love: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Married life is a vapor.
Most episodes on Keep the Heart will cover the "issues of life" affecting a general audience, but occasionally we'll do a bonus episode that is more like a breakout session. This one is for wives or soon-to-be wives.
Monday Mar 08, 2021
Monday Mar 08, 2021
The scene is familiar. Someone you love is living in a way that is unstable, so you attempt to correct them with instructions that seem logical to you. The conversation ends in painful frustration. What went wrong?
You tried to reprove a scorner.
The biblical guideline for reproving a scorner can be summed up in a word: Don’t. There’s drama ahead if we try to instruct someone who lives by the motto, “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Francie walks through key verses about dealing with a scorner from a loving and biblical perspective. If you have someone in your life who is actively choosing to walk contrary to Scripture, this episode will help you to handle matters wisely rather than making things worse. The deeper the problems, the greater the miracles.
Abbreviated in the blog--"Don't Tell Me What to Do"
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Have you ever told yourself that you couldn’t eat a certain food for a time, and then you’d go and eat more of it than ever? Or have you ever tried to hold back from losing your temper and then you let loose and exploded like a cannon? Or maybe you’ve experienced the runaway tongue that blurted out something that should have been edited before it was spoken? These examples are all related to a lack of self-control, also known in the Bible as temperance.
Self-control is unnatural, but it can be gained through training. God wants us to have this fruit of the Spirit, and so He trains us through exercises that he allows into our lives. This episode covers some exercises we can practice to cultivate the fruit of temperance.
Many thanks for all the star ratings and encouraging reviews that dozens of you have left on Apple podcasts!
ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Heart Conditions Bible Study
Saturday Feb 27, 2021
Saturday Feb 27, 2021
Proverbs 27 Off-Script is a Bible application study of seven verses from Proverbs 27, beginning with the reminder that we never know "what a day may bring forth." The verses covered in this study are as follows: Proverbs 27:1, 4, 5-6, 9, 10, and 17.
The Off-Script episodes are like sitting in the dining room at Francie's house with a slice of homemade pumpkin bread, a smooth cup of coffee, and the Bible. This episode also provides an example of the practical applications found in the book of Proverbs.
Improve your daily Bible study habit: Ponder the Path 31-Day Devotional
ICU: In Christ Unconditionally--Heart Conditions Bible Study
(Off-script episodes do not have lesson notes.)
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Have you ever had question run through your mind: “Why didn’t God answer my prayer? It’s not uncommon to think like this, but underneath this question is another question: Did God fail to answer your prayer, or did He answer it differently than you requested it?
We may be praying more than ever, but are we praying with a right spirit? A spirit of fear is not from God. He is never rattled and nothing surprises Him. How can we shift our thinking from fearful to trusting?
This episode covers five ways that we can clear up our thinking about prayer, and improve our prayer lives in the process.
Lesson notes coming soon!
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Friday Feb 19, 2021
BONUS EPISODE: There’s a quote that says this: “Unsolicited advice is the junk mail of life.” That’s why this episode has the title, “A Young Mom Asked for Advice.” A young mom wrote to us with two motherhood questions. Since she asked, we are providing solicited advice!
Most episodes on Keep the Heart will cover the "issues of life" affecting a general audience, but occasionally we'll do a bonus episode that is more like a breakout session. Invite your mom friends to listen.
A Young Mom Asked-Lesson notes