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
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Welcome to the sixth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This passage is full of personal prayer requests. All of the requests are related to a transformed life. You’ll hear words such as, “Teach me, be merciful unto me, deliver me, and many others. This segment reads like a tutorial in how to pray.
God is personally interested in our lives, and we can speak with Him about all our concerns. We can also ask Him to help us in areas where we have weaknesses. It’s human to have weaknesses, and we don’t have to pretend to be perfect with God He knows us. Here’s a great prayer request from Psalm 119:133: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
This time last year, we had the incredible surprise of being selected as one of the podcasts of the week at Podbean, the podcast hosing platform for Keep the Heart. This resulted in thousands of new listeners from all over the world! As part of the collaboration with Podbean, Keep the Heart wrote four mini-episodes that were bookended with a brief shout out to Podbean.
This week’s episode, “Co-Workers Can Work Your Nerves” provides three suggestions for ways that we can park our expectations at the curb and get along better with our perfectly imperfect co-laborers. Is someone getting on your nerves at work? You’re not alone, you’re too late to be the first, and hey, let’s all remember that sometimes WE’RE the coworker working the nerves!
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Welcome to the fifth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This passage begins in verse 97 with the declaration, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." This is what happens when we’re in God’s Word. It becomes the focal point of our thoughts.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. Have you ever wondered which way to turn in a situation? Psalm 119:105 reminds us that the Bible is the "lamp" and "light" that we need:
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Monday Mar 13, 2023
Monday Mar 13, 2023
(Note: This episode originally aired on Valentine's Day 2023, which was an "inappropriate day" to promote this hard topic! We're providing this rebroadcasted episode for those who missed it.)
Inappropriate relationships are common, but common does not equal normal. The Bible devotes an entire chapter of Proverbs to paint a picture of what this is and how it happens. At the root of any inappropriate relationship is a selfish desire to have our own way. This is so Old Testament: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." (Proverbs 21:2)
Proverbs chapter seven is both cautionary and instructional. You may want to sit down with your Bible opened for this episode. God has provided us with a vivid example of how things can quickly slide from a seemingly innocent stroll through the field of temptation with an "I can handle it" attitude, to a life that has been destroyed.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
It's conference season, and I’m also wrapping up a first draft of the next 31-day devotional, so we will need to tap into our podcast archives now and then, just to keep up until the end of conferences. New podcast episodes are in production and coming soon.
This week’s Teachback Tuesday episode has two Taylors on one podcast! My daughter-in-love, Jessica Taylor, co-hosted on the topic of "How Not to Become a Monster-in-Law" back in February 2022, and thousands of downloads later, it has landed in the top five most-downloaded episodes of the season! Even if you’re not an in-law, the suggestions in this episode are good for all relationships. This is a fun rerun!
Wait until you get to the part where Jessica-the-younger-Mrs. Taylor loses her train of thought. It's a funny blooper, so we left it in there...okay, well maybe it was Francie that left it in there, but Jessica will make you smile.
Whether you're a MIL, DIL, SIL, or just dealing with extended relationships of any kind, this episode will give you some ideas for getting along, remembering that our loved ones are in our lives as gifts from God.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Welcome to the fourth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. These verses sound like a prayer-filled and very personal conversation with God. In fact, we could pray these verses for our own lives.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. During these unsettling times, it is so good to know that God's Word is settled forever and will never change. Psalm 119:89 is our reminder of this truth:
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Book: This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
This week’s episode, “Food Won’t Fix That Problem,” opens with a true story of a time when I was trying to eat my way through a storm of grief. Since the problem wasn’t hunger, food didn’t fix it. Do you find yourself alternating between healthy and unhealthy eating habits? To paraphrase a saying, “It’s not what you’re eating. It’s what’s eating you.” Let’s listen again to three suggestions that can help us handle this matter wisely.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Bible Study Book: This Liberty of Yours by Tim Zacharias
Devotional Book: Ponder the Path: 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Welcome to the third segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. In this passage, we can tell that the Psalmist was going through hard times with various people, especially the proud-hearted. You'll also notice that these problems quickly became prayer requests. We can copy that!
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. A great verse for the week is in Psalm 119:71, which also provides an unusual way to view affliction. We don't normally see it as a good thing, but the Bible shows the benefit.
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Book: This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Inappropriate relationships are common, but common does not equal normal. The Bible devotes an entire chapter of Proverbs to paint a picture of what this is and how it happens. At the root of any inappropriate relationship is a selfish desire to have our own way. This is so Old Testament: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." (Proverbs 21:2)
Proverbs chapter seven is both cautionary and instructional. You may want to sit down with your Bible opened for this episode. God has provided us with a vivid example of how things can quickly slide from a seemingly innocent stroll through the field of temptation with an "I can handle it" attitude, to a life that has been destroyed.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
Welcome to the second segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. The Psalmist makes statements that could easily come from the heart of anyone who has been going through a lengthy time of trial and adversity, but you'll also hear hope and trust within this passage.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now we're expanding it to include Psalm 119. The Bible helps us to live the Christian life with passion and victory. Psalm 119:27 makes a great theme verse for the week, and also makes a great prayer request: "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works."
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
NEW! The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
It's BACK! Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Have you ever told a “little white lie?” This phrase refers to "lies that are told about small or unimportant matters to avoid hurting a person.”
"White lies" are a manmade concept, and they sound like these examples:
Your friend comes out of the fitting room in an outfit that’s too tight. She asks you, “Does this fit alright?” You say yes, even though your mind is screaming, “That’s waaaaay too small.”
Or maybe you’ve been served something for dinner and you really hated it, but you didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the hostess, so you lied and said, “This is really good!” That earned you a second helping. Oh oh.
Or perhaps you’ve had a run-in with someone that’s still unresolved. The other person asked you, “Is everything okay between us now?” Your mouth said, “Yeah, we’re all good,” but your mind said, “Not even close.” You’re trying to avoid confrontation and conflict, but you’re not telling the truth.
Lying is a tough habit, but it’s a breakable one. Let’s consider three ways we can begin to get rid of this ugly habit.
Bible studies, Bibles, Books & More in the Shop at Keep the Heart!
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Welcome to SayItAgain Saturday, where we replay popular episodes from the previous season! This episode first aired in January 2022, and we can tell by the downloads that it hit a nerve. After all, giving advice can lead to unexpected drama.
Are you able to listen to someone sharing a problem without trying to fix it? In other words, can you just listen, or are you formulating a solution as you listen, waiting to blurt it out as soon as the other person stops talking?
Listening to someone tell you that they’re about to make an unwise decision is really hard. We may want to try to talk the person out of their plans, but we know that by inserting ourselves like this, we could end up creating tension in the relationship. By saying nothing, it may seem like we’re agreeing, but if we speak the truth in love, we may get slapped into submission by a verbal rejection. Unsolicited advice is a field of land mines.
We can usually sense when a conversation is taking a sharp turn, and this can easily happen if we swerve into giving advice without having been asked. Unsolicited advice is easy to give but hard to take. If you've ever had someone deliver an analysis about your life that you never requested, you know how this lands on the ears.
What happens if we say something that then things blow up and we get chewed out? How can we sit by and watch someone running straight for the edge of an unseen cliff that we have in full view? Giving advice is tricky terrain. Let’s consider three things to keep in mind when we’re trying to discern when to speak and when to be silent.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 4 on the 4th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 4, reminding us that wisdom is the "principle thing," which is another way of saying, "first things first":
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7)
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
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.). Here's a familiar passage from chapter 3, with instructions both to trust the Lord for direction and to avoid running ahead of God with our own agendas:
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Proverbs LibraryBuild 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.). Here's a verse from chapter 1, reminding us that following God's Word brings peace and quiet even in the midst of difficult times:
"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:33)
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Welcome to the first segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This is the longest chapter in the Bible, so we’ll divide it into seven episodes. Psalm 119 is loaded with thoughts, instructions, and observations written to turn our hearts to a closeness with God. This chapter is written in twenty-two parts, following the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and each part consists of eight verses for a total of 176 verses. This episode begins with verses 1-24.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now we're expanding it to include Psalm 119. The more we're in the Word, the greater we comprehend how to live. Psalm 119:18 makes a great theme verse for the week, and also makes a great prayer request: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
NEW! The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
It's BACK! Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 30 on the 30th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 30, teaching us that God is a protector to those who trust Him.
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Proverbs 30:5)
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 28 on the 28th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 28, teaching us that "following your heart" is an unwise practice:
"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." (Proverbs 28:26)
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 27 on the 27th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 27, instructing us that it is better to have someone else sing our praises than for us to boast about ourselves:
"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." (Proverbs 27:2)
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 25 on the 25th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 25, teaching us that we need to keep our debates and disagreements between us and the person directly involved:
"Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away." (Proverbs 25:9-10)
Monday Jan 23, 2023
Monday Jan 23, 2023
Have you ever listened to someone who was trying to sound like they knew what they were talking about, but you could tell that they were bluffing? That’s what’s going on today as people have coined the phrase, “I am speaking my truth.” When did it become possible to create new truth, as if we were just changing ingredients in a recipe?
Pretending to be an authority is as old as the Old Testament. What’s at the root of this is a desire to have our own way, hence, the creation of our own version of the truth. God’s Word is truth, but even the ruler Pilate in the New Testament didn’t recognize the truth. He was the one who asked Jesus, “What is truth?” And today, we can tell that many have the same question, and the answer is hiding in plain sight.
Jesus said this plain statement to His disciples in John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Are we becoming confused because we’re overfed on cultural information and preferences but starving spiritually? Let’s look at three things you can do to protect yourself from deception.
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Heart Conditions Leader Guide
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Heart Conditions Participant Guide
NEW! The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
It's BACK! Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 23 on the 23rd etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 23, reminding us that wisdom is priceless:
"Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." (Proverbs 23:23)
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 21 on the 21st etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 21, instructing us that it's often not a lack of money but a lack of money management that leads people to suffer from "too much month at the end of the money":
"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." (Proverbs 21:20)
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 20 on the 20th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 20, reminding us that we will have things happen in life that were not in our planners:
"Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?" (Proverbs 20:24)
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 18 on the 18th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 18, reminding us that it is important to ask questions and become good listeners before we attempt to give advice:
"He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." (Proverbs 18:13)