Wisdom for the Heart

Wisdom International
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Stephen Davey will help you learn to know what the Bible says, understand what it means, and apply it to your life as he teaches verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. Stephen is the president of Wisdom International, which provides radio broadcasts, digital content, and print resources designed to make disciples of all nations and edify followers of Jesus Christ.

  1. Transformed! (Romans 6:1-2)

    11 HRS AGO

    Transformed! (Romans 6:1-2)

    Share a comment Grace can be twisted into a cover story, and it usually sounds spiritual. Someone sins, gets caught, and then demands comfort without confession, repair, or change. We start there with a gut level moment: a man admits serious sin and then bristles when the pastor asks what repentance would actually look like. “I came to hear grace” becomes the warning sign, because it reveals how easy it is to treat forgiveness like a hall pass. From there we walk straight into Romans 6 and Paul’s blunt question: should we keep practicing sin because grace increases? We take that head on and name the threat for what it is: antinomianism, turning the grace of God into a license. Then we slow down and explain what it means to be “dead to sin.” Temptation still shouts, but sin no longer reigns. The pirate captain illustration makes the point simple: the old master can bark orders, intimidate, and threaten, yet he is no longer the captain. We also get painfully practical about Christian identity and sanctification. If we belong to the King, why would we go back and make ourselves at home in the old house? We talk about fighting temptation in the mind, replacing the image quickly, and letting the cost of Calvary reshape what we want. A final story about accountability and profanity lands the motive shift: grace changes us most when we remember who paid, not when we obsess over our own willpower. If you care about holiness, repentance, and the real power of the gospel, this one will press on tender places. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs clarity on grace, and leave a review with your answer: do you live like you have freedom to sin or freedom from sin? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  2. Triumphant! (Romans 5:18-21)

    1 DAY AGO

    Triumphant! (Romans 5:18-21)

    Share a comment Death has a way of haunting every plan we make, and we’re remarkably creative at pretending we can keep it at arm’s length. We start with a strange American story that makes the point in concrete and lumber: Sarah Winchester spends decades building a sprawling mansion because she believes nonstop construction will keep a curse and death away. It’s haunting, tragic, and familiar, because we all have our own versions of endless building, endless motion, and endless coping. From there, we open Romans 5 and follow Paul’s clear argument about sin and death. Adam is not just a historical figure, he is the head of a fallen humanity where death reigns like a king. Jesus Christ is the “second Adam,” the head of a redeemed humanity where grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life. We talk about why it feels unfair to be connected to Adam, why the gospel is just as bold in offering Christ’s righteousness as a gift, and how bad readings of the passage fuel universalism or reduce Jesus to merely another man. Then we tackle one of the most surprising lines in the Bible: the law comes in so transgression increases. With relatable examples like stop signs and speed limits, we explore how rules expose the rebel heart, and why that sets the stage for the best news of all: where sin piles up, grace hyper-abounds. If you’re wrestling with guilt, fear of judgment, or the feeling that you’ve exhausted God’s patience, this conversation aims straight at the heart of Christian hope, biblical grace, and salvation by faith. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  3. Terminal! (Romans 5:12-17)

    2 DAYS AGO

    Terminal! (Romans 5:12-17)

    Share a comment One out of one dies, yet most of us spend our lives trying not to think about it. We start with the uncomfortable honesty that sits under every funeral, every fear of aging, and every late night worry: death is universal because sin is universal. Using the Black Death as a grim mirror, we argue there’s an even deadlier plague that has touched every home on earth, and we ask why our culture works so hard to drown out the message written on the heart: you will die, and judgment follows. From there we walk through the stories people tell themselves to cope with mortality. Fatalism calls it fate. Skepticism claims nothing can be known. Hedonism says pleasure is king. Evolutionism reduces life to a cycle. Universalism rewrites God into someone who never confronts sin. Then we bring it right into the modern world of wrinkle cures, self improvement obsessions, and even cryogenic freezing. The point isn’t that health is wrong, but that denial can never heal what’s killing us. Finally, we open Romans 5 and follow three mile markers: Adam initiates the epidemic of sin, the disease is terminal and universal, and Jesus Christ is the antidote for terminal humanity. We unpack what it means to be “in Adam” and why the good news is that you can be “in Christ” by faith, receiving the free gift of grace that leads to justification and new life. If you’ve ever wondered why Christians can talk about death as a doorway rather than a tyrant, this is the theological backbone. Subscribe for more Bible teaching on sin, grace, salvation, and union with Christ, then share this with a friend and leave a review. What line hit you hardest: death as proof of sin, or grace as a free gift? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    26 min
  4. When Holiness Becomes Obvious (1 Peter 2:11-12)

    3 DAYS AGO

    When Holiness Becomes Obvious (1 Peter 2:11-12)

    Share a comment Holiness is not a personality type, and it is not a private hobby for the overly serious. Peter calls it warfare. When 1 Peter warns Christians to abstain from fleshly lusts, it is admitting something we all feel but rarely say out loud: the battle is not only “out there,” it is inside us, and it does not take days off.  We walk through 1 Peter 2:11–12 with a simple framework you can actually remember. First, holiness starts with who you are: God’s beloved, yet also an alien and stranger here, posted as an ambassador. That identity keeps you from trying to earn love through performance, and it keeps you from hiding in a safe bubble that avoids unbelievers.  Second, we get painfully practical about what you avoid. Abstaining is ongoing, and Peter describes the flesh as running a strategic campaign against your soul. We talk about “guarding the gates” of your senses, what it looks like to stop handing your eyes and ears to temptation, and why “lightening up” is the wrong move when Scripture says wake up.  Third, holiness becomes visible. Excellent behavior and good deeds are not about polishing a reputation, they are about building a bridge so someone can finally ask why you live the way you do. If you care about Christian living, spiritual warfare, sanctification, and everyday evangelism that feels natural, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you want to live out this week. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    40 min
  5. Holy Advertisements (1 Peter 2:9-10)

    4 DAYS AGO

    Holy Advertisements (1 Peter 2:9-10)

    Share a comment A mason jar that “held” a celebrity’s breath sold for hundreds of dollars. A dented ping pong ball sold for thousands. Ridiculous? Yes. Revealing? Completely. We start there because it exposes something true about the human heart: ordinary things can be treated as priceless when they belong to someone we admire. Then we let Scripture apply that logic with life-changing force. If you belong to Jesus Christ, what does that make you worth? We walk through 1 Peter 2:9-10 and the four identity markers God gives his people: a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession. Along the way we talk about the origins of the name Christian, why the church is a new family made from every background, and why “holy” means we will sometimes feel out of step with our culture. This is practical Christian theology that speaks to insecurity, rejection, and the pressure to blend in. The passage does not stop at identity. It gives mission. We are saved “so that” we may proclaim the excellencies of the One who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. That means our lives become an advertising campaign for God’s heroic deeds, especially the miracles Peter highlights: we were not a people, but now we are God’s people, and we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. If the people around you only knew God by what they heard from you, what would they know? If this strengthens you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part challenged you most? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    42 min
  6. Another Man's Treasure (1 Peter 2:6-8)

    10 APR

    Another Man's Treasure (1 Peter 2:6-8)

    Share a comment Some ideas sound spiritual but quietly drain the gospel of its comfort. We start by pushing back on the fear that believers need more suffering to become fit for heaven. The claim is simple and massive: the moment God saves us, we are declared righteous for good. No purgatory. No extra payment. Jesus Christ has already covered sin past, present, and future, and the church is already prepared for heaven in his righteousness. From there we move into 1 Peter 2, where Peter calls Jesus the living stone and the cornerstone, then layers in Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah and the Psalms. Those passages don’t just teach theology, they expose value. Some people treat Christ as unwanted, even worthless, while believers call him precious, costly, and dependable. Peter’s promise lands with force: the one who believes in him will not be disappointed. We also talk plainly about what happens when Christ is rejected, why the cross offends, and how the “stone” becomes a stumbling block when you refuse to build on him. We also tackle a big interpretive question: did the church replace Israel? We trace the argument through prophecy, the purpose of the tribulation, and the future God describes for Israel in Zechariah, Romans 11, Revelation 7, and Revelation 20. The conclusion is that God’s covenant promises are postponed, not canceled, and a literal future kingdom centered in Jerusalem is still ahead. We close with a memorable story that draws a line between endless arguments and real spiritual experience: have you tasted who Jesus is? If this helped you see 1 Peter, Bible prophecy, and the cornerstone of faith with fresh clarity, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  7. The Sacred Life (1 Peter 2:4-5)

    9 APR

    The Sacred Life (1 Peter 2:4-5)

    Share a comment Neutrality about Jesus never lasts for long. We watch it happen in real time: the gospel sounds appealing, then suddenly it feels offensive, and someone’s face shuts down. We start there, with Peter’s language about Christ as the living stone and the cornerstone, and we talk honestly about why people reject Him and why believers keep “coming to Him” again and again for fellowship, strength, and hope. Then we step into one of the most grounding metaphors in 1 Peter 2:4-5. God is building a spiritual house, and we are not identical bricks stamped off an assembly line. We are living stones pulled from the quarry, rescued by grace, and shaped to fit a purpose. That means your story, your weaknesses, your gifts, and your pressures are not random; they are part of the Builder’s design for the church and for Christian discipleship. The conversation turns practical with the priesthood of the believer: direct access to God through Jesus Christ and a life of spiritual sacrifices. We walk through what those sacrifices look like right now, including praise, doing good, sharing, financial generosity, gospel witness that leads to converts, sacrificial love, and the overlooked power of intercessory prayer. We close with a striking story of Emma Daniel Gray, a White House custodian who quietly prayed for presidents in the Oval Office, reminding us that unseen faithfulness can rise like incense before God. If this helped you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What spiritual sacrifice are you going to practice this week? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  8. Holy Cravings (1 Peter 2:1-3)

    8 APR

    Holy Cravings (1 Peter 2:1-3)

    Share a comment Your spiritual life follows your appetite. Peter doesn’t start with a complicated checklist for holiness; he starts with one command that cuts through the noise: long for the pure milk of the Word. We walk through 1 Peter 2:1-3 and ask the uncomfortable question it raises for all of us: how long can we really go without Scripture before our souls start running on empty? We also get painfully practical about what spoils hunger. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander are not “small issues” that sit safely on the side of an otherwise faithful life. They cling like dirty clothing, shaping what we say, what we assume, and what we repeat. If we want Christian holiness that holds up under pressure, we have to throw off what feeds the old nature and stop treating sin like an exception clause. Then Peter’s illustration lands with force: crave the Word like a newborn craves milk. Not politely. Not occasionally. Relentlessly. That craving has a purpose: spiritual growth that God produces through Scripture from the inside out. And the reason we keep coming back is simple: we’ve already tasted the kindness of the Lord, and we know the Author behind the words is worth returning to. If this challenged you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the biggest appetite spoiler you need to put off this week? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
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About

Stephen Davey will help you learn to know what the Bible says, understand what it means, and apply it to your life as he teaches verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. Stephen is the president of Wisdom International, which provides radio broadcasts, digital content, and print resources designed to make disciples of all nations and edify followers of Jesus Christ.

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