Wisdom for the Heart

Wisdom International
  • 4.8 (261)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Daily

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. From Pasture to Brickyard (Exodus 1:1-22)

    4h ago

    From Pasture to Brickyard (Exodus 1:1-22)

    Share a comment A nation grows, a ruler panics, and cruelty becomes “policy.” We open Exodus 1 with the uncomfortable logic of fear: a new Pharaoh forgets Joseph, looks at Israel’s strength, and decides the only safe future is control. That decision spirals fast, from hard labor and forced building projects to covert orders aimed at newborns. The ancient details are vivid, but the questions feel modern: what happens when power is driven by insecurity, and what does it do to a society’s moral compass? We trace the three escalating plans Pharaoh uses against the Hebrews, then slow down at the turning point in the story: two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who “fear God” and refuse to participate in evil. Their courage becomes a practical framework for conscience, authority, and civil disobedience. We talk about the cost of saying no, why integrity is more than a private virtue, and how faith shows up when the pressure is real, whether that pressure comes from leaders, institutions, or the crowd. The conversation also draws a straight line from Exodus to the bigger biblical story of redemption, pointing to Moses as deliverer and the way Exodus foreshadows rescue from sin through Jesus Christ. We end with two grounded takeaways for anyone walking through suffering: affliction can be unfair yet purposeful, and when God seems absent He is always at work. If you need a final image to hold onto, it’s the story of a child carrying a heavy basket with confidence because his father knows his limits. Subscribe for more Bible teaching with clear application, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: where do you need to say no and trust God’s work right now? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  2. Hand in Glove (Romans 8:12–15)

    1d ago

    Hand in Glove (Romans 8:12–15)

    Share a comment A glove can point, clap, and wave all day long but only when a hand fills it. That’s the picture we keep coming back to as we walk through Romans 8: the Christian life is not powered by grit, personality, or religious hustle. We’re “willing gloves,” and the Holy Spirit is the One who indwells, energizes, and directs us so our lives actually move in a new direction. We get practical about a question that confuses a lot of people: what does it mean to be led by the Spirit? We challenge the popular idea that spiritual guidance is mainly a mystical feeling, a private voice, or the latest trend of dream-based direction. When “God told me” becomes more exciting than what God has already said, the result is distraction and instability. We read the warning signs, talk about how false confidence can grow, and why Scripture sufficiency matters for everyday discernment. Then we lay out a clearer definition: being led by the Spirit means being led into the Word of God and into obedience to the Word of God. From there, Romans 8 opens up the relief of adoption as sons and daughters, not slavery and fear, but full family rights and a real inheritance. That new relationship changes our prayer life too, giving us the freedom to cry, “Abba, Father,” with intimacy and reverence. If you want biblical guidance, deeper assurance, and a steadier approach to Spirit-led living, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re wrestling with right now. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  3. A New Obsession (Romans 8:5–11)

    2d ago

    A New Obsession (Romans 8:5–11)

    Share a comment Your mind is already set on something. The only question is whether it is setting you up for life and peace or quietly training you for death. We start with a hard but clarifying claim from Scripture: there are friends of the world, and there are friends of God. If we truly belong to Christ, we are not just religious consumers of spiritual ideas, we are meant to walk in friendship with the Holy Spirit, the faithful presence who leads, corrects, protects, and empowers us.  From Romans 8:5-11, we trace Paul’s contrast between two mindsets and two destinies. This is not about IQ or personality type. It is about what we crave, what we return to, and what occupies our private thoughts. We talk through the “desire quotient” and why your deepest wants reveal your real direction, then we use vivid stories to expose how obsession works, from noble pursuits to ridiculous ones. If what you love is what you become, what is forming you right now?  The stakes get even higher as Paul connects the mind set on the flesh with death and hostility toward God, while the mind set on the Spirit produces life and peace. We also land on one of the most hope-filled promises in the New Testament: the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies. The result is both sobering and comforting, especially when we consider what people trust in at the end of life. If this conversation challenges you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review that tells us what part hit closest to home. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  4. Introducing . . . The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:2–4)

    3d ago

    Introducing . . . The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:2–4)

    Share a comment Freedom is one of the most overused words in Christian conversation, and one of the most misunderstood. We open Romans 8:2 and slow down on Paul’s phrase “the Spirit of Life,” because that single title explains why believers can be honest about ongoing struggle with sin while still living with real, present-tense liberation. We are not promised a life with zero battles, but we are promised a new ruling power that breaks the old “law of sin and death” and removes condemnation through Jesus Christ.  We also get practical about who the Holy Spirit is. Not an energy. Not a vibe. Not a spiritual add-on. Scripture describes Him as a divine Person who can be resisted, grieved, quenched, obeyed, lied to, and even insulted. That personhood changes how we pray, how we repent, how we read the Bible, and how we think about spiritual growth and sanctification. Along the way, we clarify a common confusion about the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in essence, while carrying out different roles in perfect harmony.  Then we move from doctrine to the daily walk. Romans 8:4 points to a life that does not “walk according to the flesh” but “according to the Spirit,” and we talk about the passive work God does in us and the active surrender we choose in ordinary moments. One clear test rises to the top: the Spirit loves to glorify Jesus, so Spirit-led living puts the spotlight on Christ, not on us. A powerful prison story closes the conversation with a reminder that God often prepares the next step before we even know what to do.  If this helped you think clearly about the Holy Spirit, walking in the Spirit, and Christian freedom in Romans 8, subscribe for more, share this with a friend, and leave a review that tells us what line you can’t stop thinking about. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  5. The King's Pardon (Romans 8:1)

    4d ago

    The King's Pardon (Romans 8:1)

    Share a comment A single sentence from Romans 8:1 can feel too good to be true, which is exactly why we slow down and read it like a royal decree: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We follow Paul’s logic from the reality of sin and deserved judgment to the shock of a full pardon that is not earned, not delayed, and not reserved for “the really mature” believers. The promise is present tense. The word “now” means you do not have to wait until heaven to find out whether you’re accepted by God. We also tackle why that kind of grace is so hard for people to accept. Penance shows up everywhere: dramatic rituals, religious checklists, and the everyday American version of salvation by “good deeds outweigh bad deeds.” Even our best intentions can become a quiet attempt to pay God back. We unpack why the gospel refuses that system, pointing instead to the blood of Christ, justification, and the finished work of the cross as the only foundation for forgiveness and assurance. Then we dig into the phrase “in Christ Jesus” and use Noah’s ark as a vivid picture of eternal security: safety is not about hanging on harder, but about being placed inside God’s refuge while judgment falls on the substitute. We close with two practical results of the king’s pardon: guilt about the past loses its voice, and anxiety about the future loses its grip. If this gave you clarity or comfort, subscribe, share it with a friend who feels stuck in spiritual fear, and leave a review so more people can find the message. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    26 min
  6. Blessed Are The Bankrupt (Romans 7:24–25)

    Jun 26

    Blessed Are The Bankrupt (Romans 7:24–25)

    Share a comment The most unsettling line in Romans 7 is also one of the most freeing: “O wretched man that I am.” We sit with Paul’s confession and argue that the war within is not proof you are failing at the Christian life, but often proof you are waking up to the holiness of God and the stubbornness of the flesh. The goal is not to pretend the fight is over, but to learn how to fight it honestly without despair.  Along the way, we cut through a few popular escape routes. We talk about how knowing the right thing doesn’t automatically produce doing the right thing, why chasing a dramatic spiritual experience or “second blessing” can become a distraction, and why blaming every sin on the devil or a named “demon” quietly trains us to avoid responsibility. Romans 7 never shifts the blame outward, and neither can we.  Then we turn toward hope that is sturdier than hype. We unpack Paul’s “body of death” language, why it feels so heavy, and why the answer is not self-improvement but Jesus Christ, who delivers us from the penalty of sin, strengthens us in daily dependence, and will one day remove sin’s presence entirely. We connect it to Jesus’ words about being poor in spirit and to the tax collector’s prayer, “God, be merciful to me,” as the posture that actually leads to life.  If you’ve ever felt both sorrow over sin and gratitude for grace at the same time, this conversation puts words to that tension and points you to a faithful path forward. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review with the line that hit you hardest. What part of the war within do you most want to face honestly? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  7. Keeping Poodles out of Portraits (Romans 7:15–24)

    Jun 25

    Keeping Poodles out of Portraits (Romans 7:15–24)

    Share a comment A polished religious image can be easier than honest fellowship. We start with a surprising history lesson behind the phrase “putting on the dog,” then connect it to a temptation many Christians know too well: using church culture, spiritual vocabulary, and carefully managed appearances to hide what is really going on inside. From there we step into Romans 7, where Paul speaks in first person and present tense about the internal war of sanctification. He describes doing what he hates, failing to do what he loves, and feeling trapped by the presence of indwelling sin in the flesh. We slow down and highlight three signs that point to real faith and spiritual growth: an aversion to sin, an abiding love for God’s law, and a longing to please God through holy living. If you have ever wondered whether the struggle disqualifies you, this passage reframes the fight with both clarity and hope. We also talk about how the flesh deceives the mind and tries to control the body, why maturity often means less self-trust, and how pride can rise up even after “good” spiritual moments. Then we get painfully practical with the real costs of unconfessed sin for prayer, joy, growth, usefulness, and witness, and we contrast that with the way unbelief can rationalize wrongdoing until it sounds righteous. We close where Paul lands: “wretched man that I am” met by gratitude for God’s grace through Jesus Christ. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review telling us what part of the battle you most want to understand better. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  8. The Battle Begins (Romans 7:14–17)

    Jun 24

    The Battle Begins (Romans 7:14–17)

    Share a comment The most confusing part of the Christian life can be the most universal: you love God’s law, you want to change, and yet you still find yourself pulled toward sin. We go straight into Romans 7 and face the tension Paul puts on the page, the good we want to do and the evil that still seems close at hand. If you’ve ever wondered whether real believers struggle this way, you’re not alone, and you’re not crazy.  We work through the big interpretive question that shapes everything: who is Paul talking about? We walk through the major views and why they matter, from “Paul must mean someone else” to “this is an unbeliever” to the dangerous idea that Romans 7 is just an immature or carnal stage you eventually outgrow. Along the way, we clarify the difference between being free from sin’s penalty and power and still living with sin’s presence and possibility, which keeps temptation and failure on the daily calendar.  Then we land on the uncomfortable encouragement: this conflict can describe a committed, growing believer. We talk about why the most mature Christians often sound the least impressed with themselves, why spiritual leaders still struggle, and why growth can look like increased sensitivity to sin rather than a polished image of victory. If you want a clear, honest, biblical framework for sanctification, indwelling sin, and the battle within, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review with the line that challenged you most. 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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