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When God feels far away, remember His presence is constant. Find hope and renewal in Scripture during life’s dry spiritual seasons.

Self-control is more than NOT doing the bad things, it’s also about DOING the good things! What might that be for you? Fitness coach Mark Geist helps you see the rewards of living as God’s spiritual “athletes.” Today’s challenge is very practical! Whether it’s portion control of what you eat, or limiting media that you are consuming, critically assess the “junk food” in your life and cut something out. By doing so, you’ll move one step closer to the prize.

The idea of self-control or discipline is never much fun. But we've all probably seen the fallout when someone else's (or our own) self-control fails. So how can we avoid these disasters and stand strong? Kate is here to share some encouragement from the Bible and her own experiences.

There were two who betrayed Jesus. Judas had planned his betrayal. But Peter's betrayal came only hours after he boldly proclaimed that he would never disown Jesus. In this episode we'll be reminded that all have sinned, and all contributed to the weight Jesus bore on the cross. But just when the last candle is extinguished and darkness overtakes the world, the Son rises anew bringing mercy and hope to sinners everywhere.

INTRO:  SPIRITUALLY FIT  | TODAY Join Arnie Cole and comedian Reno Collier on Spiritually Fit Today as they dive into perseverance, faith, and overcoming addiction. Hear Reno’s journey from stand-up comedy to sobriety, and discover practical steps for spiritual growth. Featuring insights from James 4:7, this episode encourages you to surrender struggles to God and find hope in daily choices. Don’t miss Reno’s story and tips for building spiritual strength, one step at a time.

It takes time, patience and providence to win a soul for the Lord. Join Paula today as she prays for God's help over all aspects of the process of showing His love to others.

Read Galatians 5:16-21 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealo

What really counts when it comes to our salvation? Do we impress God by our religious works and pious actions? Or does salvation come in another way? These are the questions the Galatians believers faced which the apostle Paul addresses in this letter.    In this verse-by-verse study, we’ll read Paul’s direct and often pointed comments to those in Galatia who taught that salvation had to be earned through direct effort. We’ll be reminded of the power in Christ’s blood and the

READ   Galatians 1:13-16   13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out

READ   Galatians 1:17-20   17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.    18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.     Paul did not seek counsel fr

READ   Galatians 1:21-24   21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.     Paul told of those who did not know him personally but had only heard of his reputation. Knowing about his changed life c

READ   Galatians 2:1-3   1 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for not

READ   Galatians 2:4-5   4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.     Just as in Paul’s time, there are false teachers to

READ   Galatians 1:13-16   13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out

READ   Galatians 1:17-20   17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.    18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.     Paul did not seek counsel fr

READ   Galatians 1:21-24   21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.     Paul told of those who did not know him personally but had only heard of his reputation. Knowing about his changed life c

READ   Galatians 2:1-3   1 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for not

READ   Galatians 2:4-5   4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.     Just as in Paul’s time, there are false teachers to

READ   Galatians 2:6-8   6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 7 Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. 8 For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apos

READ   Galatians 2:9-10   9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.     The “pillars of the church” suggested no changes in Paul’s doctrine. And what t

READ   Galatians 2:11-13   11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barn

READ   Galatians 2:14-16   14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? 15 You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law.

READ   Galatians 2:17-18   17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.     The law was a system of good works whose intent was to show people their need so they would turn to God (see Romans 3:19-20). In fact if one tries to build a system of goo

READ   Galatians 2:19-20   19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.      Paul explained his attempt to keep the law as a Jewish Pharisee. That was impossible to do so by t