Wisdom for the Heart

Stephen Davey
  • 5.0 (3)
  • CHRISTIANITY

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. 15H AGO

    Legacies of Light: Frank Jenner

    Share a comment Most people say they’re “perfectly fine,” even when the seams are splitting. We dig into why that response is so common, what Scripture says about the human heart, and how the Holy Spirit moves through simple, honest witness. Along the way, we get practical: a low-pressure way to mark your Bible for clear gospel conversations, how to handle deflection with grace, and why visible results aren’t the scoreboard that matters. We talk about the quiet power of personal invitations—how most churchgoers first came because someone they knew asked. If you’ve ever felt like a bystander, this is your nudge toward being an ambassador. We trace seven reminders that steady your courage: relationships can be unfruitful, obedience outweighs outcomes, spiritual warfare is real, the true gospel exposes sin, pity should replace hostility, techniques matter less than trust in the Spirit, and Christ’s approval is the one guarantee that endures. At the heart of the conversation is the moving story of Frank Jenner, a retired sailor in Sydney who asked one question for decades: If you died tonight, would you go to heaven? He saw no results, yet his faithful seed-sowing quietly reached sailors, pastors, missionaries, and leaders across continents. His legacy reframes success and reminds us that our job is to carry the light; God’s job is to open the heart. If you’re ready for practical steps, a stronger mindset, and a bigger view of what one simple question can do, you’ll feel equipped to make your daily path a George Street. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful conversations, and leave a review with the one person you plan to invite this week. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    37 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Legacies of Light: Bert Elliot

    Share a comment Ever feel that tug to measure your life against someone else’s highlight reel? We go straight to the root of comparison and find a better way, guided by Scripture and the contrasting stories of two missionaries and two apostles. We begin with a clear distinction: learn from other believers without longing for their life. From there, we trace how the Bible uses biography to teach truth, why Hebrews calls the church a gallery of “living biographies,” and how Paul urges us to imitate faith rather than copy outcomes, gifts, or platforms. The heart of the conversation lands in John 21, where Jesus tells Peter hard news about the road ahead and then says, “Follow me.” Peter glances at John: “What about him?” Jesus answers, “What is that to you? You follow me.” That line resets our compass. Your race is uniquely assigned. Your gifting and personality are God’s creative handiwork. Trying to run someone else’s route only breeds restlessness. To make it tangible, we pair Jim Elliot’s brief, blazing influence with Bert Elliot’s quiet, decades-long service. One was a meteor who inspired thousands to go; the other a steady star who showed us how to stay. Both were faithful. Both mattered. We unpack four practical principles to resist unhealthy comparison: recognize your God-designed race, embrace your wiring, remember that others carry unseen burdens, and reject the false promise that comparison can deliver joy. Along the way, we expose the “greener pasture” myth, name the soul diseases that comparison spreads—pride, despair, apathy, envy—and offer a better focus: fix your eyes on Christ so you don’t grow weary or lose heart. Whether you feel like a meteor or a plotter, there is freedom and joy in faithfulness. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs the reminder, and leave a review with one takeaway that will shape your week. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    33 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Legacies of Light: Viggo Olsen

    Share a comment Start with a brilliant agnostic surgeon, add a wife just as skeptical, and place them in a world where science felt sufficient and Scripture seemed suspect. Then introduce a disciplined promise: they’ll examine the claims of Christianity with the same rigor they bring to medicine. What follows is a step-by-step rethinking of everything they assumed about origins, meaning, and truth. We walk through the evidence that first unsettled, then persuaded them. Patterns in biology and the cosmos reframed chance as an insufficient author; Psalm 19 gave voice to the sense that creation speaks continually. Archaeology undercut classroom myths by unearthing Hittites, Edomites, and cities like Petra, aligning the biblical record with the spade. Prophecy drew a line from ancient texts to a crucified Messiah, while John’s portrait of the Logos made revelation feel personal, not abstract. And at the center stood the critical hinge: the resurrection. If Jesus truly rose, his words move from inspiring to binding. The fear-to-courage arc of the disciples, sealed by suffering and death, became difficult to dismiss as fiction. But evidence alone didn’t make the difference. The turning point was discovering that Christianity is not a merit system; it is grace received, not goodness achieved. Verses from Titus, Timothy, Acts, and Romans reshaped assumptions about salvation and opened a path from belief to belonging. That path led Viggo and Joan to a costly coherence: turning down prestigious offers and sailing to Bangladesh to build a hospital, plant churches, and serve patients from royal families to the poorest neighbors. Along the way, they met people asking the same questions that launched their search: Where did we come from? Can God be known? Is forgiveness real? Join us for a story that blends rigorous inquiry with lived conviction, weaving themes of intelligent design, biblical reliability, the resurrection, and grace. If you’re weighing big claims or wondering whether truth is worth the risk, this conversation offers clarity and courage. If it moves you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the one question you want answered next? _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    27 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Legacies of Light: E.V. Hill & S. M. Lockridge

    Share a comment A clear spine runs through everything we talk about today: make Christ unmistakable. We share how two pastors—E. V. Hill and S. M. Lockridge—held fast to the gospel when culture pulled hard, and why their courage still instructs our pulpits, our neighborhoods, and our daily conversations. Their stories cut through labels and factions, not because they dodged hard issues, but because they put Jesus at the center and let everything else take its proper place. We start with EV Hill’s beginnings in Texas and his long pastorate in Los Angeles, where conviction outran credentials. He was loved by some, resisted by others, and shaped by Acts 4 boldness—recognized as a man who had been with Jesus. From praying at inaugurations to preaching an unblushing pro-life, six-day creation stance, he refused to let party lines define his pulpit. Then we dig into his “block captain” strategy, a simple but potent evangelism network that placed believers on nearly two thousand blocks so every neighbor could hear a kind, persistent invitation to meet Christ. From there we trace SM Lockridge’s journey from Texas to San Diego, his statewide leadership, and the enduring power of “That’s My King.” The sermon still spreads because it exalts Jesus without ornament or apology, marrying cadence to rich doctrine. We explore how that vision of Christ—majestic, merciful, reigning—creates believers who can withstand pressure and love their cities well. Along the way we name the three anchors that shaped both men: the gospel of Christ as the priority, the approval of Christ as the motive, and the glory of Christ as the fascination. If you’ve been longing for examples that stand taller than trends, this conversation offers a way forward: claim your address as an assignment, speak the name of Jesus with clarity and warmth, and cultivate awe until courage follows. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review telling us where you’re placing your next “block captain” for the gospel. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    27 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Legacies of Light: Katharina Luther Part 2

    Share a comment Soup steaming on a wooden table. Laughter, arguments, and ink-stained notes flying between students and a weary reformer. At the center stands Katharina von Bora, running a 40-room refuge, balancing ledgers, and setting the stage for the conversations that would become Table Talk. We pull back the curtain on the unseen power of Katie’s table and how a marriage that started as a shock proposal turned into a living model that reshaped church, family, and vocation. We walk through Luther’s bold teaching that pastors could marry and that faithfulness at home reveals fitness to lead. Then we get honest about the mess: a decaying cloister, rancid straw, and two strong-willed people choosing commitment over compatibility. Katharina brings order and enterprise—whitewashing walls, buying cattle, managing property—while Luther embraces humility, even championing fathers who wash diapers as a witness of real Christianity. Together they embody a new vision of sacred calling, where the milkmaid, the mechanic, the teacher, and the parent each practice holy work. The story doesn’t dodge pain. Slander hounds Katharina from both Catholic and Protestant corners, yet she keeps serving, raising children, adopting kin, and welcoming refugees who crowd the halls. Meanwhile, the evening ritual becomes legendary: light supper, deep debate, and an open chair for Katie’s questions. Without her, there’s no supper; without supper, no sustained exchange; without exchange, no Table Talk. By handing her finances and authority, Luther models partnership; by claiming a voice at the table, Katharina reframes what a home can do. If you care about marriage, leadership, parenting, or the quiet labor that powers big ideas, this story will recalibrate your sense of what counts. Press play, share it with a friend who carries unseen weight at home, and leave a review to tell us which moment from Katie’s table stayed with you. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    25 min

  6. FEB 20

    Legacies of Light: Katharina Luther Part 1

    Share a comment A single line from Romans shattered a lifetime of striving and set two lives on a collision course with history. We follow Martin Luther’s storm-tossed vow into the study where Romans 1:17 turned guilt into grace, then step through the convent doors with Katerina von Bora as smuggled sermons and a moonlit escape in fish barrels carried her toward a risky freedom. What begins as theology on parchment becomes a home under pressure—fields to manage, walls to whitewash, books to write, mouths to feed—and a marriage that made doctrine visible. We share how Luther’s embrace of sola fide and sola Scriptura reshaped his preaching and his world, and how Katerina’s courage, wit, and practical genius transformed the decaying Black Cloister into a humming household. Along the way, we unpack their unlikely courtship—complete with a declined suitor and a bold proposal—and why their union became a living rebuttal to compulsory celibacy and a blueprint for Christian family life. Their table talks, daily labors, and stubborn commitment argued that righteousness is received by faith and worked out in chores, budgets, hospitality, and forgiveness. Across these scenes, two durable principles emerge. First, marriage flourishes through commitment rather than compatibility; differences become the apprenticeship of love. Second, the aim is humility, not the chase for constant happiness; the home is a school where character grows in the friction of ordinary days. If you’re curious how big ideas like the Reformation change small things like bedsheets, brewing, and bedtime prayers, this story invites you into the rooms where belief becomes habit and hope finds a home. If this journey moved you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who loves history told through the lives that lived it. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    27 min

  7. FEB 19

    Legacies of Light: William Cowper

    Share a comment What if the church’s most enduring hymns were penned in the grip of despair? We trace the life of William Cowper—bereaved son, bullied boy, failed barrister, relentless sufferer—and watch mercy thread through a story that could have ended many times. A Bible left open to Romans 3 meets him at St Albans. Tears, relief, and faith rise, but the darkness doesn’t vanish. Instead, grace teaches Cowper to walk with it, write through it, and hand the church language for seasons when the soul feels starless. We unpack five hard-won principles: frailty isn’t proof of God’s rejection; friends can’t erase battles but can share them; suffering may not end ministry but can enlarge it; creation can’t replace Scripture but can steady your mind; and faith won’t always remove pain, yet it will lead you through it. Along the way, John Newton steps in like a field guide—assigning visits, urging craft, and pairing Cowper’s 68 poems with his own 200 to create the Olney hymns. Out of breakdowns come lines like “God moves in a mysterious way,” and the blood-bought hope of “There Is a Fountain,” where guilt finally meets its match. This is a candid, compassionate conversation about mental health, Christian hope, and the strange arithmetic of providence. Expect biography with backbone, theology with pulse, and practical steps: serve someone, step outside, observe creation, seek counsel, cling to the gospel. If you’ve been told real faith never struggles, let Cowper’s voice free you to lament and still believe. Press play, share with a friend who needs gentleness and grit, and if this helped you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us which line you’ll carry into the week. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    27 min

  8. FEB 18

    Legacies of Light: George Mueller

    Share a comment Start at ground level and life looks like a mess of ruts and detours. Step back, and a pattern begins to emerge. We trace that shift in perspective through Romans 8:28 and Psalm 84:11, then watch those promises take on flesh in the story of George Müller—thief turned pastor, skeptic turned intercessor—who opened his home and his heart to England’s most vulnerable children and proved that trust can build a movement. We walk through Müller’s unlikely beginnings, the prayer meeting that shattered his cynicism, and the convictions that reshaped his ministry: free pews, no government salary, and a refusal to solicit funds directly. Instead, he published clear, candid reports and prayed specifically. The result was both ordinary and astonishing: five orphan houses caring for thousands, Scripture and literature flowing across nations, and missionaries like Hudson Taylor strengthened by steady support. The famous morning with 300 empty plates and a simple prayer ends with a sleepless baker and a broken milk cart at the door—not as legend, but as lived reality. Beyond the headline moments, we wrestle with the deeper claim: no good thing does God withhold from those who walk uprightly. What if good sometimes looks like pruning, delay, or detours that only make sense from a higher view? Müller’s habit of placing a Bible in a young adult’s right hand and a coin in the left captured the principle—hold fast to the word, and God will keep enough in the other hand. Whether you lead a nonprofit, parent through uncertainty, or carry private grief, this conversation offers a grounded, history-tested path to trust that neither manipulates nor resigns itself to fate. If this story stirred your faith, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review telling us where you saw the “higher view” break into your week. _____ Stephen's latest book, Legacies of Light, Volume 2, is our gift for your special donation to our ministry. Follow this link for information or to donate: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/legacies Support the show

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Stephen Davey
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    400
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Wisdom for the Heart
  • Show Website
    Wisdom for the Heart