It is the single greatest statement of faith in the entire Bible, in my humble opinion.
Daniel 3:17-18, "If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
The judge, priest, and prophet Samuel said some unforgettable words. In 1 Samuel 3:9, he said in response to the Lord's call:
Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.
This response represented the posture of Samuel's heart for his entire life. He wanted to listen and to obey the words of the Lord, and Samuel was a great man of faith, willing to have difficult conversations, willing to do hard things as led by the Lord!
Join me as we soon draw our study in Hebrews 11 to a close, with this great man of God, Samuel!!
(RAR2025EP44)
If God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and all-reigning (sovereign), then why should human beings pray? What is the ultimate point of prayer, if God will do His will in the end?
Today on Rinse and Repeat, we address these critical questions about prayer, taking a look especially at what prayer does in the lives of believers. In addition to exploring WHY we pray, I also address when, where, and even ways in which we can seek the Lord in prayer.
Also, this episode opens up with some truly exciting news for all R&R listeners and supporters!!! So don't miss this special, lagniappe edition.
So far, we may have been surprised by some of the inclusions in Hebrews 11 - complicated men like Samson, Jacob, and Gideon - and men we may not know a lot about, like Jephthah.
But today's man of God, David, comes as NO surprise. Here is a man after God's own heart, a man who sought to honor God and from whom Jesus Himself would one day come!
And yet, David is himself a man of many shortcomings and complications. David sinned with Bathsheba, when he lied and murdered to cover up that sin, when he numbered the people, and when he failed to address issues within his own family (as with Tamar and Absalom, for example).
Turn with me to 1 and 2 Samuel and Psalm 51, as we learn just as much from David's failings as we do from his successes in our quest to walk by faith through Hebrews 11!
(RAR2025EP42)
You probably have never heard of this guy, but don't turn the program off yet!
Jephthah! Try to say THAT name three times fast!
Jephthah is the next "hall of faither" whom God mentions in Hebrews 11:32, and is called a "mighty man of valor" in Judges 11. And yet, his childhood is fraught with bullying, sorrow, and rejection.
Despite Jephthah's bumpy start, God had great plans for Jephthah, proving yet again that the Lord is a God of great plans and mercy.
Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 11 and Judges 11, as we learn about this little-known but mighty character, Jephthah.
(RAR2025EP41)
We may have grown up learning that Samson's story was one of heroic strength, strength that was tied to his long hair.
Sadly, Samson's story is far more tragic. His strength came as a result of his consecration to God, part of his Nazirite vow, and that strength left him with the Spirit of God's departure in the scene with Delilah.
Samson's story offers us SO MANY critical warnings, and I offer some important ones from my own life.
If you are able, review Judges 13-16, as we turn to Samson's story of "Faith of Tragic Strength," today on Rinse and Repeat!
(RAR2025EP40)
I have been thinking a lot bout the last two weeks, and I felt it was time to revisit a lesson I taught called "Love One Another."
I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about some things that God's Word has to say about things that have made recent headlines, and perhaps nothing more important than HOW MANY TIMES God's Word commands His people specifically to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Beloved, join me for this special, personal, timely episode of R&R.
(RAR2025EP30).
Today, we explore the faith of a man many have never even heard of - Barak. The military commander during the time of Deborah the judge and prophetess, Barak's faith was imperfect, as was every person's faith we have studied so far in Hebrews 11.
In Barak's case, we get to see an example of faith that moves forward, even when afraid. Fear and cowardice are two very different things, as we will soon see, today, on Rinse and Repeat!
As our series in Hebrews 11 continues, we explore the faith of Gideon, a man with great fear but with an even Greater God.
Today we explore one of the most surprising stories in Hebrews 11, the story of a Canaanite prostitute named Rahab, who comes to believe FULLY in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
How does she come to faith?
Based on what she hears about God's faithfulness to His people!
Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 11:31 and Joshua 2 as we explore this incredible story and as we learn how this woman not only saves the lives of the Hebrew spies, but also is named in the very genealogy of Jesus!!
(RAR2025EP36)
In A Grief Observed, the book he wrote after his wife died of cancer, C.S. Lewis said:
“Grief and pain are the price humans have to pay for the love and total commitment we have for another person. The more we love, the more we hurt when we lose the object of our love. But if we are honest with ourselves, would we have it any other way?”
What walls can we tend to construct for ourselves? Can we build walls with other people, keeping them out to protect ourselves from hurt somehow? Perhaps we try to isolate, staying away from people where it is safe.
Or perhaps, we have walls in the form of numbing substances and distractions, so that we don't have to feel anything. Still yet, we can maintain walls by being endlessly busy, so we never have to get quiet, deal with things, and hear from God.
On today's episode, we look at an astounding passage where Joshua hears directly from the pre-incarnate Jesus about bringing the walls of Jericho down, and we learn how we, too, can live a life of faith without walls!
Turn to Hebrews 11:30 and Joshua 5-6 for todays' episode of Rinse and Repeat!
(RAR2025EP340
Imagine leaving power, money, fame, and comfort, and willingly choosing to live among slaves?
That was precisely what Moses did, when "he became of age, refus(ing) to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin" (Hebrews 11:23b-24). Moses's choice to suffer instead of pursuing pleasure serves as an example to every believer in every age!
Today, we explore the incredible walk of faith of Moses and his parents, Amram and Jochebed, and be encouraged that you too can stand firm in your faith despite the challenges presented by secular culture.
Turn to Hebrews 11 for our next installment in our series "Great Faith in Our Great God."
(RAR2024EP33)
When you get bad news, maybe you do what I do, and immediately start running through worst-case scenarios - what you will do when this happens, or that happens...
But the beautiful thing about our faith in Christ is that we do not have to live with this doomsday mentality. We do not always have to be striving to figure out how to handle life, because God has promised to be our refuge, our fortress, our ever-present help in time of need!
In this special episode, I look at an instance in Scripture when all seemed lost for Israel, and what God showed His people to do. I also examine what it means for us when God allows the worst thing to happen - when our loved ones die, when we get incurable diseases, when relationships are irreparably damaged. Does it mean God is not good? That He is not to be trusted?
Join me as I explore the question, "Will He Protect Me?" in this lagniappe episode of Rinse and Repeat!
(RAR2025EP25rev)
The Hall of Faith includes a few surprising characters and some unexpected stories from the lives of some Bible characters.
In particular, today we look at the lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and particular events from their lives that we might not have considered most notable. And yet, there is SO MUCH to learn about genuine faith in studying the lives of these remaining patriarchs.
Tune in today for more on Hebrews 11, and also for a special, exciting update from Rinse and Repeat!
The Bible says that as a man THINKS, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). In other words, we ARE what we THINK. Think anxious thoughts, and become an anxious person. Think hateful thoughts, become a hateful person.
Today on Rinse and Repeat, we revisit a message about putting our thoughts on trial. Using Philippians 4:8 as your guide, ask yourself questions like, "this this thought true? Is it honest/honorable?" We will also explore how then to RENEW OUR MIND with whatever things are true, honest, etc.
Join me for this special lagniappe edition of Rinse and Repeat!!(RAR2025EP29)
Today we turn to explore the faith of the extraordinary mother of the Hebrew faith, Sarah!
Hebrews 11:11 says, "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and shebore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised."
Sarah wasn't perfect in her walk of faith, but God commends her faith based not on its perfection, but HIS!!
Sarah judged God faithful who made promises to Abraham and Sarah. The question is - Do we judge God faithful as she did?
Turn to Hebrews 11, verse 11 as we continue our journey through the Hall of Faith.
Abraham is the central character of the book of Genesis, and likewise the focal point of Hebrews 11, as he was the father of the Hebrew faith.
Hebrews 11:8-10 tells us, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
Today we explore how Abraham obeyed God without wavering, even despite his faults, and that obedience was fundamental to his walk of faith. In fact, one cannot separate obedience from faith, as we learn how we too can have faith against all odds!
(RAR2025EP28)
Even before a drop of rain had ever fallen on the earth, Noah was moved by godly fear to obey God and build an ark by faith.
Noah's faith serves as a remarkable example to us about faith that moves to life-saving action.
Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 11:7 as we explore faith that saved the entire world, today on Rinse and Repeat!
(RAR2025EP27)
As we begin delving into the characters of the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11, we turn to some of the earliest men of faith in Scripture, exploring the stories of Abel and Enoch. As we study the lives of these men of God, we glean critical lessons for growth today, including lessons about coming to God by faith and what it means to walk with God.
This week we also look at the key verse of Hebrews 11, which is verse 6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
What are you doing in your life that requires stepping out by faith in the Lord? We explore this today on Rinse and Repeat!
(RAR2025EP26)
