The Mirror of the Word: A Daily Devotional Podcast from C.E. White

C.E. White
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The Mirror of the Word: A Daily Devotional Podcast from C.E. White

The Mirror of the Word: Daily Devotions to Reveal and Refine is a simple, audio-only podcast that uploads fresh content at the same time each day at 6 am est. Just as we check a mirror each morning to see if our appearance is ready, we need the spiritual mirror of the Word to reveal and refine our inner selves. Each daily reading and reflection offers practical insights that help move us beyond simply reading Scripture to living it out. Join us as we discover the joy and blessings of walking in the Lord’s instruction, becoming not just hearers, but true doers of the Word in our everyday lives. These devotions and other books by C.E. White can be found at www.cewhitebooks.com. Read by Annie Dinh.

Episodes

  1. 7 HR. AGO

    FEBRUARY 23-Called to Obedience

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “But when he who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away.” —Galatians 1:15–17 Just as God had work prepared for Paul since before he was born, there is work specifically designed and prepared for each of us (Ephesians 2:10). These good works might be in the public eye like speaking—preaching and teaching—or they might be more behind the scenes in general service—hospitality, bearing one another’s burdens, or caring for the poor and oppressed (1 Peter 4:10–11). Whatever they are, sometimes our callings look strange to those around us, but before we consult with flesh and blood, we need to go away and sit at Christ’s feet. There are those, even in our Christian community, who will prize what makes sense over devotion to God’s call, because the call isn’t theirs. It’s ours. People probably told Abraham he was foolish to walk out when he didn’t know where he was going. It didn’t make sense for Peter to try fishing again when he hadn’t caught anything all night, nor to walk on water. Gathering a child’s lunch to feed a crowd of five thousand looks foolish from every angle. There are certainly times we need to consult others for wisdom, but there are also times when we know we’ve received the call of God, and we need to stop worrying whether it makes sense or not. We just need to start walking in obedience to that calling despite what others think.

    2 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    FEBRUARY 22-Safe in the Shepherd’s Care

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares about you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” —1 Peter 5:7–8 Peter tells us to cast our anxiety on the Lord then immediately says something that may incite anxiety—that a violent enemy seeks to devour us. But God doesn’t leave us alone in this. “The eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely his” (2 Chronicles 16:9). We can cast our cares on God because while Satan is seeking someone to devour, the Lord is seeking the righteous in order to give them strong support. He wants to give aid to his children.  Peter also connects the importance of casting our anxiety on God, because anxiety makes us easier prey. When fear and anxiety steer us, we often: react to others and difficulty in harmful ways (Genesis 12:10–20). seek to fulfill expectations in our own way when think God is withholding something or not acting on our timeline (Genesis 3:1–7; 1 Samuel 13:10–13). refuse to do what God asks instead of being fruitful (Matthew 13:22; Matthew 25:24–30). cower before evil instead of standing up to it (Matthew 10:28). When our hope is placed firmly in the Lord’s care, we’re much better situated to resist the devil. God is our protection, and as sheep must follow near their shepherd in order not to be devoured, we also must, “Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Satan can’t devour us if we actively resist him and submit to the voice of our Shepherd.

    3 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    FEBRUARY 21-Eyes on Jesus

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “So Peter, upon seeing him, said to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!’” —John 21:21–22 Jesus had just told Peter he was going to be martyred, and Peter’s first response was to look back at John and ask, “Well, what about him?” How often do we look at others and wonder what God has planned for them and how that compares to what he has for us? When we’re on a difficult path, we look around to compare other peoples’ journeys to ours. We want to see if it’s fair or not. Jesus makes it clear here that everyone’s life will be different. What he has for someone else cannot determine what he has for us. The life of faith requires that we follow him in our circumstances, not theirs. If we keep our eyes on others’ journeys, we will destroy ourselves with either envy—believing they have an easier or better road—or pride—thinking our easier or better road is somehow a result of our merit. Both of these will cause us to lose our way. Our only good path as believers is to keep our eyes on Jesus and to stay in step with where he leads us. That way, whatever it means for us in this life, leads to an eternal inheritance of joy with him.  No matter what anyone else’s life looks like, our job is to follow Jesus. The destination will always be worth it.

    2 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    FEBRUARY 20-Faith in the Faltering

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “‘If you can do anything, take pity on us, and help us!’ But Jesus said to him, ‘“If you can?” All things are possible for the one who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief!’” —Mark 9:23–24 We often come to the Lord in prayer, desperate for him to work. But even as we pray, we hear the echoes of that phrase, “…for the one who believes,” and we fear that isn’t us. We feel the doubt rising, unwanted, in our minds. That is no cause for despair. The honesty of this man’s, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” didn’t result in Jesus’s reprimand or refusal. As a good parent rejoices at a toddler’s first steps though they are anything but steady, Jesus rejoices at our efforts to trust him. The man’s feeble attempt was not a failure, but the first step to building a sturdy and consistent faith. This shows us what to do with our unwanted thoughts and feelings. We don’t ignore or hide them; we take them straight to Jesus and lay them at his feet. Whether we’re dealing with unbelief, unforgiveness, comparison, bitterness, selfishness, or any other thing that may hinder our walk with him, we take it to God and ask for its opposite. “I choose to be joyful; Lord, help my bitterness.”  We can act in obedience even where our feelings don’t yet follow. We may take many faltering steps. We often take those wrong things back from God and have to give them to him over and over between our stumblings. But the quicker and the more often we submit to the Holy Spirit, the more natural it becomes to live in belief, forgiveness, generosity, mercy, and compassion.

    3 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    FEBRUARY 19-Finished, Not Over

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished!’ And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” —John 19:30 When Jesus died, it felt like everything was over. There was no coming back from that.  But like the seed that falls to the earth and dies in order to bear fruit (John 12:24), Jesus’s death was not the end. If the seed were aware, its falling to the ground would feel like there was no hope. There was no chance to become anything; its life was over. It would feel like it was being buried in death when it was really being planted for life. Sometimes circumstances in our lives make us feel like everything is over. There’s no chance of revival, redemption, or renewal. Hope is dead, and it feels like the end. But what did Jesus say on the cross? He didn’t say, “This is the end,” but rather, “It is finished.” We say, “It is finished,” not at a hopeless end, but at the completion of a plan. Perhaps we could learn to say, “It is finished,” when we lose the job, lose the loved one, or lose our health. This is the planting. We may not be able to see how life will come of it, but we can trust that just like it seemed too late when Jesus died, it’s never too late for him to bring life out of death. We can bow our heads and say in faith, “It is finished,” and know, despite the agony of the moment, that his ways are higher, and his thoughts are higher. Remember that what feels like an ending might be a completion ushering in something new.

    2 min

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    FEBRUARY 18-Faith Before Sight

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ For the Lord says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals. And this is an insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; he will also give the Moabites into your hand.” —2 Kings 3:16–18 We often can’t see how God is going to work. We look for signs, but they don’t come. And then he tells us to do something—to take action even in the middle of our need. Maybe our stream is dry. We’re thirsting to death, and we desperately want to believe he’s doing something, but we don’t see any evidence of him at all. Then the Holy Spirit prompts us to step out in faith—to expend energy that is already sorely lacking—to forgive out of a broken spirit, to feed someone else from a bare pantry, or to serve someone out of an already overcrowded schedule. But we step out in obedience and see his promises fulfilled; we dug the trenches, and he filled them, quenching our thirst and sending sustenance.  God himself is the living water, and we don’t have to wonder if he’s working behind the scenes. His Word tells us that he is. We can count on that and choose to live by faith rather than by sight.  He is a gift–giving, generous God, and he wants to guide, provide for, and protect us. This is not challenging for him; what seems miraculous to us is an “insignificant thing” to the Lord. Dry trenches, and even dangerous enemies, cannot overcome his promises, goodness, and provision for those who love him.

    2 min

  7. 6 DAYS AGO

    FEBRUARY 17-The Time Is Now

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “Behold, now is ‘a favorable time,’ behold, now is ‘a day of salvation.’” —2 Corinthians 6:2 “Now” is always the favorable time and the day of salvation, because now is all we ever have. If we will not come now, when? If we will not serve now, when? Our human nature says we will do so in the future, but that future will be our now when we get there, and we will keep saying the same thing. We can only commit and serve the Lord now. He is here with us always, ever ready to receive and save; it is not his will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). But we never know when our soul will be required of us (Luke 12:20). This current “now” is the only one we’re guaranteed. If we believe the Lord’s salvation is true and that we need to repent and follow, we must believe all else Christ said. We must know that it is worth repenting now and that he is worth following now. Jesus came to save the world (John 3:17), to give us the power to become the children of God (John 1:12), to give us abundant life (John 10:10), and to live in this current world with his overcoming power (1 John 5:4). He wants to give us not only an eternity of salvation, but a life that’s worth living now—one full of meaning, hope, and purpose. Tomorrow is not the day of salvation. Today is. This moment we’re living in can be the turning point from which we begin to follow him in every now from here to eternity.

    2 min

  8. FEB 16

    FEBRUARY 16-Creative Springs

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes will say, ‘All my springs of joy are in you.’” —Psalm 87:7 As believers in Christ, all of us are to be fountains flowing with rivers of living water (John 7:37–39), but I love that this verse specifically speaks of creativity. God chose to validate the work of the singers and flute players—some versions say dancers—and this shows us that these are worthy acts of worship. In our commercialized society, creatives are often made to feel like their work is tangential to “real life” and isn’t important or meaningful. This verse reminds us that God is the one who fuels that creativity. It’s also a wonderful reminder that if our creative springs run empty, he is the only place to go for renewal. All the joy and inspiration comes from him, and without him, the springs will run dry. We will become stagnant, and stagnant pools do not produce beauty. They quickly begin to stink, and algae takes over, eventually making the water unsafe to drink. They become breeding grounds for mosquitos, and the fish often become oxygen deprived. In the same way, a spiritual life not fueled by the Lord will be stagnant and cause us to:  feel stuck in our lives or creativity. see pests begin to take over (unchecked thoughts and feelings of doubt, bitterness, etc.). be overrun by invasive plants (sin). become toxic and life–draining rather than life–giving to those around us. feel like we can’t breathe and have no energy to give. When this happens, there’s only one place to go—back to the springs of living water which flow through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    2 min

  9. FEB 15

    February 15-Loving as Christ Loves

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8 As believers, we’re not given the option to wait until people are loveable before we start loving them. First John 4:10–11 repeats this idea, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” And this is how: we’re to love our enemies even when they hate us and are still walking in sin. We’re to pray for those who abuse us (Matthew 5:44) and to love as God loves, despite all the reasons people may give us not to. This displays to the world that we are followers of Christ (Matthew 5:45–48; 1 John 4:20–21). And seeing this Christlike love is often a key to others understanding the love of our Savior and coming to their own salvation in him. So when we’re faced with that person who is still in sin—that unsupportive spouse or parent, the negligent customer service worker, the rebellious child, the unreasonable boss, or the people in power who oppress others or work to thwart justice—may we remember that we can stand for truth in love as Jesus did. He was not a pushover, nor did he endorse sin and wrong behavior, but he extended an invitation of relationship and peace while speaking truth and living love.

    2 min

  10. FEB 14

    February 14-Always Growing in Christ

    The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other works, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/ “Finally then, brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel even more.” —1 Thessalonians 4:1 We have this idea that the closer we get to God, the less growth we will need in the way of character and obedience. The truth is that as we walk with the Lord, we will learn there are always ways to do so even more over time. The closer we get to him, the more we see the sins that are ingrained in our hearts and not only evident in our actions.  Just as we wouldn’t notice a speck of dirt at the edge of a mud pile, we often don’t see our specks of sin until the most glaring mounds have already been cleared away by Christ’s redemptive power and our obedience to him.  Once those are gone, the Holy Spirit shows us things we never realized were rebellion—the different ways we love poorly, the attitudes that do not glorify him, or the things we do only to impress others. We may find that our selfishness, pride, unforgiveness, resentment, and impatience are more deeply embedded than the things others can see from the outside. This is not cause for frustration, but a continual reminder guiding us into deeper humility and closer to the heart of God. As Paul says, we have not attained, but we press on (Philippians 4:12–14), confess, and know he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) as we endure for the prize that awaits us (Philippians 3:14).

    2 min
  • 10 Episodes

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About

The Mirror of the Word: Daily Devotions to Reveal and Refine is a simple, audio-only podcast that uploads fresh content at the same time each day at 6 am est. Just as we check a mirror each morning to see if our appearance is ready, we need the spiritual mirror of the Word to reveal and refine our inner selves. Each daily reading and reflection offers practical insights that help move us beyond simply reading Scripture to living it out. Join us as we discover the joy and blessings of walking in the Lord’s instruction, becoming not just hearers, but true doers of the Word in our everyday lives. These devotions and other books by C.E. White can be found at www.cewhitebooks.com. Read by Annie Dinh.

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