2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
The definition for establish is:
"to make steadfast in mind, confirm, strengthen"
(Complete Word Study Bible)
When my thoughts felt especially heavy, this passage helped me recognize my need for a steadfast mind. I pictured myself diving into a foxhole—a quiet shelter where I could steady my heart while troubled thoughts zipped overhead.
Paul understood this same need. He knew it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father who accomplish this work in us. It is God who comforts, strengthens, and establishes us in truth—so that we can continue in every good work and word.
That reminder brought strength to my heart as I paused to remember what I know is true. I hope you’ll find the same encouragement in this episode.
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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.
Psalm 139:1
O LORD, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
He knows why you do what you do, and think what you think, and say what you say. He knows the land mines within us that set off when stepped on. Even accidentally.
He knows everything about you and everything about everyone. We, on the other hand, do not.
We need His perspective always.
This Psalm becomes more and more precious as you grow in your understanding of the love with which He examines your heart.
I will read to you from:
Psalm 139:1-24
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Colossians 3:1–3 (NIV)
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary says that “hidden” implies both concealment and safety, invisibility and security.
Paul, who wrote the book of Colossians, understood this deeply. Even while he was concealed in prison, he knew he was safe and secure with Christ.
In this episode, we’ll look at what it means for our lives to be hidden in Him—through the story of Corrie Ten Boom, the example of Jesus, and the secret place described in the Psalms.
I’ll close with the song “In Him I Will Trust,” inspired by Psalm 91:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
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Isaiah 61:1 (NKJV)
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Isaiah 61 is one of my favorite descriptions of Jesus. Written 700 years before He walked into the synagogue and read these words about Himself, it is both a forecast of His ministry and, as F.B. Meyer points out, a forecast of a world full of people who need everything about Him.
He is still carrying out this ministry today. I am so grateful and still need His ministry to my soul. My hope is that you’ll be encouraged and reminded that He is everything you need.
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Psalm 59:14-16 (NLT)
My enemies come out at night,
snarling like vicious dogs
as they prowl the streets.
They scavenge for food
but go to sleep unsatisfied.
But as for me, I will sing about your power.
I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
a place of safety in the day of distress.
In this episode, we spend time with the Miktam Psalms—which I discovered are also called the Golden Poems. There are six Miktam Psalms and all were written by David in some of his hardest seasons, when danger and distress surrounded him.
There is something so encouraging about the fact that, in the middle of David’s distress, he takes a hard turn toward faith and worship. It’s a reminder that we can do the same.
Just as David’s golden poems all have places that shine with trust, we can remember our own “golden lines” of comfort and moments where God has carried us through.
I hope you find encouragement (like I did) in these verses.
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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk was told a brutal enemy was coming.
They were known for violence. They would come with a force, and take all the herds and clear out all the stalls. They would demolish the trees and plant life that bore fruit or food for sustenance and trade. It was a dismal, terrifying horizon.
And yet we witness Habakkuk change, even though the circumstances didn’t. This three-chapter book impacts me every time.
Also, this episode comes with a warning. Though I keep things pretty mellow here at The Quiet Place, there may be some percussion and a cymbal or two at the end of this song.
I will sing, "Yet I Will Rejoice."
I will read to you from:
Habakkuk 3:17-18
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Psalm 61:1–4 (NKJV)
Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Selah
I love the word, "attend." We attend a birthday party, we attend a church. To attend is to show up, to respond, to be present.
“Attend to my prayer” — David’s words remind us that God does not ignore our cries. He shows up to our prayers. He shows up for you.
In Our Daily Homily, F.B. Meyer paints Psalm 61:2 with vivid imagery: the scorching desert, the weary traveler fainting under the heat, and the merciful shadow of a great rock offering refuge. He concludes tenderly: “Jesus will be all this to thee, dear heart.”
Meyer wrote with such a tender heart toward his readers. I’ll read some of his reflections in this episode.
At the close, I’ll also share the song, “In the Shelter” from Scripture Songs, Volume 2. I recorded it years ago, but it remains one of my favorites to sing.
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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.
Psalm 121:3b
...he who watches over you will not slumber;
In this episode, I will play a song I wrote many years ago. I actually recorded it on my very first album.
The song is called, "His Eyes Never Close." I re-recorded this song a few years ago with just piano and guitar, and thought I would share this version here.
I had a little girl in mind when I wrote this song. Her family went through a massive shake-up and she had a hard time sleeping.
Then more recently, I read the verses below and thought of a friend who, like me, needed the reminder that both day and night, both summer and winter belong to Him.
Even while we are sleeping, His eyes never close.
Psalm 74:16-17 (emphasis added)
Both day and night belong to you;
you made the starlight and the sun.
You set the boundaries of the earth,
and you made both summer and winter.
I will read to you from:
Psalm 74:16-17
Psalm 139:9-12
1 John 1:5
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2 Corinthians 6:10
Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
This verse flips our perspective upside down, or maybe right side up. Life can feel like sorrow, lack, or weakness. Our human condition is real and so are our feelings. But they don’t tell the whole story.
Sometimes joy is obvious, like a gift sitting right on the surface. Other times it takes some searching. But no matter what season we’re in, joy is never out of reach.
If joy feels far from you right now, I hope this episode will steady your heart. Our human condition is fragile, but our joy in Christ is not.
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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.
1 Corinthians 16:18
—for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours.
Give recognition to such people.
The word “refreshed” is so inviting, isn’t it?
If you read cross-references for the word "refresh" or "refreshed," you will notice how this refreshing of the spirit came through people. Person to person.
It’s something the Lord lets us do for each other.
Does anyone come to mind?
I will read to you from:
1 Corinthians 16:13-18
Romans 15:30-33
Philemon 1:1-7
Philemon 1:20
Matthew 11:25-30
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1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NLT)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
I’ve often thought of 1 Corinthians 13 as a kind of chiropractic adjustment for the soul—realign me, please.
In this episode, I’ll read from both 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, share a simple tip for spending time with God in His Word, and pass along a short sentence from Pastor Chuck Smith that I’ve never forgotten.
My hope is that you’ll find encouragement in the places where you're loving well, and strength for the areas where you may need a little help.
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1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Greek word for "fellowship" here is koinōnia, which means share in, fellowship with, participation.
It’s that word "participation" that jumped out to me.
There’s something childlike and approachable about it, something I could immediately grab hold of.
I prayed a quick prayer:
"May I participate with You today?"
Around the same time, I had been reading about Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller. I’ll share part of their story here.
It’s such an inspiring picture of fellowship and participation — and I couldn’t help but see the connection to our life with Jesus.
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Romans 16:13
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
Romans 12:4–5
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
We are individually members of one another.
Rufus’s mom was like a mother to Paul. I wonder what that was like—did she open her home to him on the road? Offer him a warm meal? Comfort and encourage him in his work? Tend to his wounds? Pray over him when he was weary?
We are all part of God’s family.
We can be a mother, a father, a grandmother or grandfather, a sister, brother, or friend to the children God loves.
Paul acknowledged many individuals who helped behind the scenes (you’ll have to give me grace as I read their names like I knew how).
In this episode, we’ll look at some of those people, and remember that behind every Paul, there are hundreds of helpers.
It is good to reflect on who God has placed in our lives along the way, as well as consider the part we play in the lives of those surrounding us right now.
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Romans 8:26–27 (NKJV)
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Have you ever wondered what the Holy Spirit is praying for you?
In Luke 22, Jesus said to Peter, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.”
Though Peter would deny Him—failing publicly and painfully—Jesus’ prayer was answered. Peter’s faith endured. Later, Peter would write about a “faith more precious than gold,” refined through trials.
What a comfort to know that the Holy Spirit is praying for us, as well.
In this episode, we trace that hope through 1 Peter 1, John 17, and Romans 8. We reflect on the ongoing work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit—how we are prayed for, known, and never left to stand alone.
Romans 8:39b reminds us:
“Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The word "separate" means without.
You are never without Him.
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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.
Hebrews 7:19b
but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
Andrew Murray wrote:
"It is indeed possible for us to dwell all the day in the enjoyment of God's love and fellowship. It is a life-state He has entered into, has opened to us, and lives to keep us in."
In this episode, I will share what I’m learning from the book of Hebrews about the continuing ministry of Jesus.
Spoiler alert - We need help outside of ourselves to draw near to God and Jesus is our help.
I will read to you from:
Lamentations 3:55-57
Psalm 73:28
Hebrews 4:12-16
Hebrews 10:19-25
Hebrews 13:5-6
Hebrews 7:25
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Psalm 1:1–2 ESV
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Recently, my friend Jordan sent me a text with those verses and a prayer:
“Praying for a newfound delight in His Word. Jesus, captivate us afresh and anew. May we find ourselves delighting in You and Your Word above all else. Thank You that Your Spirit is at work within us to make that possible.”
That word "delight" caught my attention. As I mentioned in last week’s episode, sometimes just knowing what to ask for is a gift in itself.
So before breakfast, I asked for a newfound delight in His Word.
I will give examples of what comes to mind when I think of the word delight. One of them was at church recently. I hugged a friend, and in that moment, I felt her three-year-old daughter wrap her little arm around my back. A surprise hug.
There’s nothing quite like mutual delight—between friends, between family, between us and God.
And that’s what this episode is really about. Not just delighting in His Word, but delighting in Him. And realizing, He delights in us, too.
I’ll end with the song “Psalm One” from Scripture Songs, Volume One.
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Psalm 145:14 NLT
The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
There’s often an excitement at the beginning of something new. We might sell things, pack up and move, take a risk, or step out in faith with fresh energy. But as my pastor recently said, “In the middle of the race, we need endurance.”
Spiritual endurance doesn’t come from willpower, but rather it requires a fresh filling. And that’s exactly what I needed (and will keep needing). How about you?
Sometimes it helps just to know what to ask for.
In this episode, I’ll be sharing a few things from my church notes and my personal journal. Wherever you find yourself today, I hope these few moments bring encouragement to you along the way.
I’ll end today’s episode with the song “Fall Afresh,” written by Jeremy Riddle.
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John 14:1-3
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
David Guzik wrote:
"Love prepares a welcome. With love, expectant parents prepare a room for the baby. With love, the hostess prepares for her guests. Jesus prepares a place for His people because He loves them and is confident of their arrival."
Mercy softens the rough edges of life and reminds us of Whom we have now— and of the place being prepared for us.
In this episode, we’ll look at how a pile of bricks in a pool, old rags and worn-out clothes, and a screen door that no longer falls off all pointed me back to the mercy of God.
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John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Pastor Jon Courson wrote:
"The Greek word translated 'declared' is exe-geomar, from which we get our word 'exegesis,' meaning 'to expound.'
Jesus expounded on the Father because Jesus had seen the Father. We are to expound on Jesus because we have seen Jesus.
Therefore, the key to all of Bible interpretation, the key to hermeneutics is really 'Himaneutics.'" (If you are familiar with Pastor Jon, you know he is the king of pastor dad-jokes)
He continues:
"Whether you're teaching a Sunday-school class, preaching to thousands, or serving on the mission field, expound upon Jesus.
Look for Him in every passage and on every page of Scripture. Focus on Jesus and you'll behold the Father as well."
It seemed fitting to end this episode with the song, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us," which was written by Stuart Townend.
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I collected some previous episodes centered around the Gospel of John. I liked the idea of having them all in one place, and thought you might too.
John 14:1
Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
In the Gospel of John, chapters 13-17 all took place within a matter of hours before Jesus would lay down His life.
Jesus knew His time had come. And like most of us would do, He gathered His closest people and said the most important things He wanted to leave with them. What a privilege we have a view into these precious hours.
I will read to you from:
John 13:34-38
John 14:1-3, 15-18, 27
John 15:9-17
John 16:13-15, 33
John 17:13-26
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