Wisdom for the Heart

Wisdom International
  • 4.8 (257)
  • 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. See Jonah Faint (Jonah 4:1–11)

    17h ago

    See Jonah Faint (Jonah 4:1–11)

    Share a comment Jonah pulls off what every preacher dreams about: a city turns from violence and idolatry, leaders and citizens repent, and God relents from judgment. Then the prophet storms off angry. That twist is not a footnote, it is the point, because it exposes how someone can know all the right words about God’s grace and still hate the idea of grace landing on the “wrong” people. We walk through Jonah chapter 4 as God asks three piercing questions that still hit home today: Do you have a good reason to be angry? What do you care about most? Should I not have compassion on people who cannot tell their right hand from their left? Along the way we talk about misdirected perspective, mistaken priorities, and misguided passion, plus the strange little object lesson of the plant, the worm, and the scorching wind. It becomes a diagnostic for the heart: what makes us happy, what makes us mad, and what that reveals about our real loyalties. We also challenge the instinct to make celebrities out of servants. God keeps Jonah from becoming a saintly superstar and makes it clear the hero is always the Lord, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in mercy. The ending then lifts our eyes to Jesus as the greater Jonah: not waiting outside the city for judgment, but suffering outside the city to offer forgiveness. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: which of God’s three questions landed on you most? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    26 min
  2. See Jonah Reap (Jonah 3:4–10)

    1d ago

    See Jonah Reap (Jonah 3:4–10)

    Share a comment Confession is trending again, but a lot of it feels like a clever way to stay private, stay vague, and still feel clean. We push back on that hard. Real confession is not anonymous therapy for a guilty conscience and it’s not something you can outsource to a website, a phone call, or a paid stand-in. True confession is openly admitting our sin to Jesus Christ, because He alone is the mediator and the only source of lasting forgiveness and spiritual freedom. Then we go somewhere most people wouldn’t expect for a masterclass on biblical repentance: the Book of Jonah. Nineveh hears a blunt warning, believes in God, and responds with a citywide turn that touches everything. We break down what repentance actually means, why true faith rests in God rather than the messenger, and how confession proves itself over time. The details are vivid: fasting, sackcloth, humility, and a public rejection of violence and wickedness. This is not religious talk. It’s life change. We also talk about mercy and hope. If God’s grace can break through in Nineveh, nobody is too far gone and nobody should be crossed off your prayer list. We connect that to the Welsh Revival and Evan Roberts’ four practical commitments, including the kind of restitution that made workplaces overflow with returned stolen goods. If you want a clearer, more honest practice of Christian confession, biblical repentance, and public faith in Jesus Christ, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review with the line that challenged you most. Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  3. See Jonah Preach (Jonah 3:1–4)

    2d ago

    See Jonah Preach (Jonah 3:1–4)

    Share a comment A lot of Christian content promises quick fixes, but what if the real problem is our diet and what if the only lasting solution is a return to the words of God? We make the case that spiritual reformation and heart-level awakening come through the power of the gospel as Scripture is proclaimed plainly, the way Paul charged Timothy to “preach the word.” That means resisting the constant pull toward trendy topics, clever packaging, and sermons that merely use verses to decorate our opinions.  Jonah chapter 3 becomes our map. Jonah doesn’t just get rescued; he gets reenlisted, and the phrase “the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time” becomes a headline for grace. God gives him a sacred charge: deliver God’s proclamation, not a curated message, not a softened warning, and not a ministry built around a sensational testimony. We talk about how easy it is to turn a “fish story” into a platform, and why God keeps redirecting attention back to the text.  We also step into Nineveh: a massive, brutal city with idols, fear, and power, yet a city God is already preparing to hear. The details about Nineveh’s fish-god worship make Jonah’s strange journey feel like providence, not coincidence, and Jonah’s simple message “Yet forty days…” shows how God can use straightforward preaching to produce real repentance. We close with a personal reminder of how Bible exposition creates awe of God, not awe of the communicator.  If you want stronger faith, better discipleship, and a healthier church, start here: open the Bible and let it speak. Subscribe, share this with a friend who teaches or leads, and leave a review telling us what part challenged you most. Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  4. See Jonah Swim (Jonah 1:17—2:9)

    3d ago

    See Jonah Swim (Jonah 1:17—2:9)

    Share a comment Running from God rarely feels dramatic. It feels like momentum: one step, then another, and suddenly you realize everything is going down. Jonah’s story makes that slide visible, from Joppa to the ship to the sea, until the only thing left is desperation and a prayer he didn’t want to pray. We talk candidly about why Jonah and the whale is one of the most questioned passages in the Bible and why those questions matter. Along the way we share some of the blunt, brilliant questions kids ask about God, prayer, and truth, plus a powerful testimony from someone whose doubt over Jonah became the turning point that led her to trust Scripture and embrace the gospel. We also zoom out to the central claim of the text: “the Lord appointed” a fish, and God’s authority reaches into creation itself. If God can command what he made, then the real issue isn’t whether a fish could do it, but whether we believe God can. Then we slow down inside Jonah’s prayer and map what real repentance looks like when you feel trapped and out of options: admission of sin, restoration toward God’s authority, and appreciation that shows up even before any rescue is promised. The episode ends with a simple but profound comfort: no matter how long you stay silent, God is ready to listen when you’re ready to talk. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What part of Jonah’s “down” story sounds most like your own right now? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  5. See Jonah Sleep (Jonah 1:4-16)

    6d ago

    See Jonah Sleep (Jonah 1:4-16)

    Share a comment You can say the right words about God and still be running from Him. That’s the uncomfortable tension we sit with as Jonah calmly claims he “fears the Lord” while doing everything possible to avoid the assignment of mercy God gave him. We unpack how good theology can turn into polished hypocrisy, and why a life of disobedience always leaks out eventually, even when we try to keep it hidden. A sudden storm turns Jonah’s private rebellion into a public crisis. While veteran sailors panic, pray, and toss cargo to survive, Jonah sleeps in the hold with a “do not disturb” posture toward both people and God. The captain’s blunt command, “Get up and call on your God,” becomes a haunting moment for anyone who has ever been corrected by a nonbeliever. Then the lot falls on Jonah, the questions fly, and the narrative forces the issue of identity: what do you do when your claimed calling and your lived choices no longer match? The biggest surprise isn’t Jonah’s confession, it’s the sailors’ response. They fight to save his life, pray to Yahweh, and after the sea goes calm, they worship with sacrifice and vows. We close with two anchor truths for Christian discipleship and Bible study readers: God can still work through a failing servant, and God doesn’t discard the runaway He intends to restore. If this helped you think more honestly about obedience, repentance, and God’s relentless grace, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of Jonah’s “do not disturb” attitude do you recognize in yourself? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  6. See Jonah Run (Jonah 1:2-3)

    Jun 4

    See Jonah Run (Jonah 1:2-3)

    Share a comment God tells Jonah to get up and go preach to Nineveh, and Jonah does what many of us do when obedience feels impossible: he runs. The command is simple and unmistakable, but it’s also unsettling, uncomfortable, and risky. That tension launches a deeper look at God’s will and why clarity doesn’t always produce compliance. We dig into what Nineveh really was: the capital of Assyria, infamous for violence, cruelty, and spiritual darkness. When you understand the historical reputation of Nineveh, Jonah’s resistance stops looking like a childish tantrum and starts looking like raw dread and moral outrage. God doesn’t soften the assignment or pretend it will be safe. He names the wickedness and still says, go speak. Then we follow Jonah down to the docks and out toward Tarshish, the farthest opposite direction he can find, and we draw out three lessons that hit home today: disobedience always points you the wrong way, it costs more than you planned, and the “perfect timing” that makes sin feel easy can be part of the trap. We also connect Jonah’s three imperatives to the many imperatives of Christian life like following Christ, speaking truth, giving generously, and staying alert. If you’ve ever tried to outrun a hard calling, this will feel uncomfortably familiar. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge toward obedience, and leave a review with the hardest “go” you’ve ever been asked to say yes to. Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  7. More than a Fish Story (Jonah 1:1)

    Jun 3

    More than a Fish Story (Jonah 1:1)

    Share a comment Jonah gets filed away as a children’s story so easily that we forget how sharp it really is. We dig into the opening of Jonah and notice what the text does not bother to tell us: no origin story, no warm introduction, no details about how the message arrived. The book moves in fast motion, and that pace forces a question most of us would rather avoid. What happens when God’s word interrupts your plans and refuses to slow down for your comfort? We zoom out to show why Jonah is far more than “Jonah and the whale.” Inside fewer than 50 verses you find a storm, pagan sailors turning to God, a miraculous rescue, worship from the depths, and the repentance of a brutal nation. Jonah also becomes a surprising window into biblical theology: God’s mercy reaching Gentiles, God’s sovereignty over creation, and a prophetic signpost that ultimately connects to the resurrection of Jesus. Then we take on the criticism head-on, walking through five common objections people raise against Jonah’s authenticity, from miracles to Nineveh’s size to vocabulary debates. We ground Jonah in history through 2 Kings, highlight why the book begins with “And,” and unpack the meaning behind Jonah’s name as a “dove” sent with truth that leads to peace. We close with three practical takeaways for everyday faith: be alert, be encouraged, and be careful, because past obedience does not guarantee future obedience. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who thinks Jonah is just a fish story, and leave a review with your biggest question after listening. Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    27 min
  8. The Cradle is the Grave (Revelation 18:1-24)

    Jun 2

    The Cradle is the Grave (Revelation 18:1-24)

    Share a comment Babylon keeps rising in the human imagination for one reason: it promises unity, power, and prosperity without surrender to God. We follow that thread from the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley, where Genesis places the world’s earliest rebellion, through the Tower of Babel and God’s judgment that shattered one language into many. Along the way, we talk about why the “cradle of civilization” can also become a graveyard when pride hardens into defiance. We also zoom in on the real city of Babylon in modern-day Iraq. From Nebuchadnezzar’s engineered wonder and the Ishtar Gate to Daniel’s prophecies and Babylon’s historic collapse, the pattern is clear: empires love the idea of Babylon. Then the story jumps forward to leaders who tried to reboot it Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Saddam Hussein, whose New Babylon dreams were entangled with money, oil, and a hunger for global influence. From there we land in Revelation 18 and the fall of Babylon the Great. We wrestle with the question of literal versus symbolic, walk through the warning to God’s people to separate from her sins, and face the haunting picture of global commerce grieving a city’s destruction in a single hour. If you care about biblical prophecy, end times, Armageddon, and the pull of a one-world government and one-world religion, you’ll find a lot to think about here. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: what modern “Babylon” tempts people the most today? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ Support the show

    26 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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