FRESH Official Podcast

Berni Dymet
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  • CHRISTIANITY

FRESH is a Daily Devotional taking you deeper into God's Word + closer to Jesus. Each devotion will have a powerful Scripture verse, together with some words of inspiration, hope and encouragement. It's all about helping you hear from God so that you can live in a rich, dynamic, powerful relationship with Jesus. God's Word. Fresh, for you, each day.

  1. 18H AGO

    Take the Risk or Lose the Chance

    There are times in life when you have to stand, risking it all to do what's right, to do what you know you have to do. Sure, if you're a natural-born entrepreneur, risk-taking may come easily. But for most people, it doesn't. In the 5th Century BC, although she was a Jew, Esther became the queen of Persia, married to King Xerxes who'd been tricked into decreeing that all the exiled Jews be killed. Now, Esther had it within her power to go to the king, her husband, and change his mind. Only one problem. Persian law forbade anyone, even the queen, from entering the king's presence uninvited — the penalty was death unless the king extended his golden sceptre. Her uncle, Mordecai, sent her this message from outside the palace walls: Esther 4:13-14 "Do not think that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. If you keep quiet now, help and freedom for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this." This was the moment of truth for Esther. How would she respond? Esther 4:15-16 Esther sent this answer to Mordecai: "Mordecai, go and get all the Jews in Susa together, and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my women servants will fast too. After we fast, I will go to the king. I know it is against the law to go to the king if he didn't call me, but I will do it anyway. If I die, I die." Sometimes, faith demands that we put it all on the line. The outcome belongs to God. That's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Failure Happens When You Stop

    We don't like talking about our failures. We've all failed at something, and as you think back on it, it smarts, doesn't it? But how often have you failed because you didn't get up again after you stumbled? There's a thought. In the mid-18th Century, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer in Russian service, set out to chart the waters between Siberia and North America. After successfully reaching Alaska his crew fell ill, and supplies began to run low. Survival and a successful return were still possible, but Bering lost heart. He stopped leading and allowed the crew to drift aimlessly. The expedition collapsed on a desolate island. Bering died, and all was lost. Had he held on just a little longer and rallied his crew, he likely would have returned home and secured his legacy as one of history's great explorers. When adversity strikes, when we fall flat on our face, we have a choice: to get up or to give up. Proverbs 24:16 Good people might fall again and again, but they always get up. It is the wicked who are defeated by their troubles. It turns out that God doesn't define failure as falling down, but as refusing to get back up again. When you think about it, often – not always, but often – you only really fail when you stop trying. What is it that you've set out to do? What adversity's struck you down? How strong is the temptation to give up? They're tough questions, to be sure, but questions we should be asking ourselves … because perseverance pays off. Good people might fall again and again, but they always get up. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Your Tribe Creates Your Vibe

    So, a question: who are the people you hang with; those whom you invite into your inner circle; those who influence how you live, how you think, what you believe? Who are they and what impact are they having on your life? Back in the 5th Century BC, Alcibiades was a brilliant Athenian statesman and general – handsome, gifted, well-connected. He was even mentored by Socrates, so he had every opportunity to live a virtuous life. Yep, the guy showed immense promise. But he fell in with ambitious, reckless people in the political circles of Athens and Sparta. His growing thirst for power and approval led him to betrayal, as he switched sides multiple times during the Peloponnesian War. Although he was once admired, those compromises with questionable allies ultimately led to his demise, costing him his reputation. The wrong company pulled him far from the wisdom that Socrates had tried to instil. And that's a scenario that's been replayed countless times down through history to this very day. Good people are ruined by bad company. But the opposite is also true. Back in the 1st century AD, in the early church … Acts 2:41-42 … those who received his word were baptised, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  (ESV) This Spirit-filled group of radical love attracted people daily. God shaped their character through community, and they went on to change the world. The truth is that ultimately, for good or for bad, your tribe creates your vibe. The people you hang out with are, in the end, who you'll become. So hang out with the right ones. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Don't Let Fear Decide

    Have you ever been so afraid that it stopped you from boldly doing the right thing, the thing you know you should have done? I think we all have. And having been there, knowing the shame and disappointment in ourselves that ensued, I'm pretty sure we each hope that next time we'll show a bit more courage. On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was tired, but not just from work. She was tired of the injustice. Segregation laws required her to give up her seat to a white passenger. Fear gripped her: the risk of arrest, violence, even death was real. But Parks quietly refused. Her act of defiance sparked the "Montgomery Bus Boycott" — led by a then little-known pastor, Martin Luther King Jr. That became the catalyst for the entire American Civil Rights Movement. Rosa's courage changed history — not because she wasn't afraid, but because she didn't let fear decide. We're often called to do things, afraid. Following the death of Moses, the second-in-command, Joshua, had to lead Israel into the Promised Land against entrenched resistance. Man, this was life-and-death scary. The future of Israel hung in the balance. So God said to him … Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (ESV) And that's the truth. In doing good, in going where God's called you, He is with you wherever you go. So don't shrink back in fear. Don't let fear hold you back from what's good, what's right. Don't let fear decide. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. That's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  5. 4D AGO

    From Pit to Palace

    Life is full of setbacks. Doubtless, you've had plenty too, right? Big ones, small ones, as far back as you can remember. Though discouraging at the time, some turned out much better than you'd imagined. Back in the Old Testament, Joseph (of technicoloured dream coat fame) was the youngest of Jacob's sons and also his favourite. His brothers were extremely jealous, to the point where they conspired to kill him. In the end, though, they sold him into slavery in Egypt, where he spent years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Setback after setback. And yet, the guy simply put his best foot forward each time, one foot in front of the other. That's not easy to do after a setback, but if you read Joseph's story in Genesis, chapters 37 to 50, it's something that God honoured big time. Joseph eventually rose to become the Prime Minister of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. At a time of great famine, through a series of events, those very same brothers who'd sold him into slavery stood before him. Joseph literally had the power of life and death over them. Yet this is how he responded: Genesis 50:20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. (NRSV) Though betrayed, enslaved, falsely accused and imprisoned, each of these massive setbacks moved Joseph closer to God's purpose: saving many lives. Because in God's kingdom, a setback is inevitably a setup for a comeback. That's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  6. 5D AGO

    The Best Kind of Therapy

    Have you ever seen someone familiar in an unexpected place or context? You kind of recognise them, but you can't quite place them. Sometimes you don't recognise them at all. That unexpected context plays strange tricks on the mind. Such was the case for two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus after the tumultuous events of Jesus' crucifixion during the Passover festival. They'd been deeply traumatised, seeing his lifeless body hanging on that cross. As they talked over the events of the last few days, another man pulled alongside them. Of course, the last person they expected it to be was that guy from the cross. He was dead, after all. But as He spoke, a strange, otherworldly feeling came over them. They later recognised, to their shock, and when He'd left … Luke 24:32 They said to each other, "When he talked to us on the road, it felt like a fire burning in us. How exciting it was when he explained to us the true meaning of the Scriptures!" Sometimes the best therapy is simply walking with a friend. And indeed, the very best therapy, the very best healing in overcoming the trauma deep within, is to walk with Jesus.  That same risen Jesus, the one who died and rose again for you, is alive and well … and ready to walk and talk with you. He can – He will – heal your soul deep within. After all, He rose to give you a new life. May that same fire burn in you. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  7. 6D AGO

    Do You Want to Go Fast or Far?

    The invention of the car has completely revolutionised the world, wouldn't you agree? From a standing start of zero in 1886, there are now over 1.5 billion vehicles on the road. But it wasn't until 1913, when Ford perfected mass production, that things really took off. In the early days, Henry Ford thought that success rested on his own genius. His first attempts failed — too costly, too slow. Then came the shift. Ford gathered a team of engineers, mechanics and business minds. People like Charles Sorensen and the brilliant production manager Peter Martin helped sharpen his ideas. Together they pioneered the moving assembly line, cutting production time for a Model T from twelve hours to just 90 minutes. Alone, Ford could build a car. With a team, he built an industry and put the world on wheels. All too often we want to go it alone, imagining that we can make it happen through our own ingenuity and energy. After all, leading teams of cantankerous individuals who sometimes want to head off in different directions is hard work. But the truth is that … Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another. (NRSV) Sparks fly when iron sharpens iron, but if there's one thing I've learned over almost fifty years in the workforce, it's this: though I can go faster alone, I simply can't go as far. Yep, the different skills, perspectives, ideas around the table can cause sparks to fly. But they also achieve the greatest results. So, don't be afraid of the sparks, because just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the wits of another. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min

  8. FEB 18

    Focus on the Future

    It's utterly tragic to see people who are brimming with potential being held back by the shackles, the regrets, the stories of their past because they're at huge risk of wasting their lives – in fact, many do. I wonder what life-limiting, soul-destroying stories your past is whispering in your ear over and over again. For some, the harsh realities of life have taught them that they're simply not good enough. For others, past failures haunt them. It's painful even to admit that the past has such a death grip on our lives that we can't conceive of a future set free from its clutches. If any of that rings true, I have some powerful, life-changing good news for you today. It comes from God Himself, as He spoke to His people Israel, at a hopeless, apparently futureless time in their history: Isaiah 43:18-21 So don't remember what happened in earlier times. Don't think about what happened a long time ago, because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land. The wild animals will thank me. The large animals and birds will honour me when I put water in the desert and make rivers flow through that dry land. I will do this to give water to my chosen people. I made them, and they will sing songs of praise to me. No, you can't change the past. But God yearns to change your future! He's calling you not to live in yesterday's failures, but to step forward into what He's about to do. So don't remember what happened in earlier times. Don't think about what happened a long time ago, because He is doing something new! That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

    3 min
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About

FRESH is a Daily Devotional taking you deeper into God's Word + closer to Jesus. Each devotion will have a powerful Scripture verse, together with some words of inspiration, hope and encouragement. It's all about helping you hear from God so that you can live in a rich, dynamic, powerful relationship with Jesus. God's Word. Fresh, for you, each day.

Information

  • Creator
    Berni Dymet
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Christianityworks
  • Show Website
    FRESH Official Podcast