RENEW.org Daily

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 A daily rhythm of biblical renewal. The RENEW.org team brings you the audio editions of our articles — because renewal starts with what we think, believe, and practice every day.

  1. 20H AGO

    Who Is Hannah in the Bible? | Carol Stine

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/who-is-hannah-in-the-bible/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Hannah lived at the end of the period of the Judges (approximately 1100 B.C.) in Israel. The Bible records her story in 1 Samuel. Many women (and their husbands) will relate to Hannah’s story because she was barren. Even though their society had rejected God (“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” according to Judges 21:25, ESV), Elkanah and Hannah were faithful followers (1 Samuel 1:3). Elkanah was a Kohathite of the tribe of Levi (1 Chronicles 6:33-35) and lived in the hill country of Ephraim (which is why Elkanah is also called an Ephraimite; see 1 Samuel 1:1). As a Kohathite, Elkanah’s life revolved around the tabernacle, caring for the furniture, including the Ark of the Covenant. Various families in the clan would take turns fulfilling these duties (Numbers 3:30-31). The tabernacle was in Shiloh which was centrally located to enable the various Israelite tribes access to worship and sacrifice, especially during feast times. Elkanah lived in Ramah which was 15 miles south of Shiloh, and he and his wife made the yearly journey to “the house of the Lord” with their offerings. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    14 min
  2. 1D AGO

    Get ’Em in the River | Richard Jett

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/get-em-in-the-river/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Ever since I sat in a river named Río Espíritu Santo in Puerto Rico last year, my approach to discipleship has shifted slightly. The river’s name in English literally means “The Holy Spirit River.” I mentioned this river briefly in another article, but throughout the past year I have found myself returning to that moment again and again. As I sat in the current, one simple phrase kept coming to mind: “Get ’em in the river.” Let me explain. As I sat there in the water, I could feel the current gently moving my body. It made me start thinking about the power of water. Water cuts through the ground over time. It smooths the rough stones along the riverbed. It brings life to the land along its banks. Animals gather around it to drink. Earlier that day our group had been working in the tropical heat with no running water. Sitting in that river revived us. There is something soothing about the sound of running water. There is a freshness in the air around it. As I sat there observing all of this, the name of the river seemed more and more fitting. A river is a powerful picture of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is always moving. He shapes and molds the lives of believers. He cuts through hearts of stone. He brings life, joy, and renewal. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    8 min
  3. 2D AGO

    Hearing God in a Culture of Instant Answers | Doug Gamble

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/hearing-god-in-a-culture-of-instant-answers/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ We live in an instant answer culture. Google has trained us to expect answers now! However, the answers it gives are based more on algorithm than truth. AI is training us to search for answers through “dialogue” with a machine and to do so instantaneously. Over my years as a ministry leader in churches and non-profits, the question I have been asked most often has been some variation of, “How can I hear from God?” Rightly so, Christians want to hear from God for questions about their life, especially the big ones like marriage, career, and kids. The issue is that the instant accessibility of information today is training us to want clarity now. We want an answer from God like the one we get from AI. We don’t want to wrestle with a decision; we just want to be told what to do. And if we are honest, we would really like it to be what we already wanted anyway. Hearing God rarely happens on the timeline of instant results. It happens in a relationship. Scripture insists God is not silent. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27, ESV). Paul said, “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16a, ESV). If God speaks and Scripture is His breath, then hearing God starts with Scripture where we meet and hear a Person who loves us dearly. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    6 min
  4. 3D AGO

    How a 16-Year-Old Taught Me Most of What I Know About Disciple Making | Ralph Moore

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-a-16-year-old-taught-me-most-of-what-i-know-about-disciple-making/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ The morning sun was already doing its thing as we sat on super-heated metal chairs in the church parking lot. I was a 19-year-old college freshman faced with the daunting task of keeping four junior high boys interested in a Bible story while sitting under the sizzling San Fernando Valley sun. My introduction to teaching Sunday School was no picnic. Without the benefit of a roof over our heads or even the shade of a tree, about all we managed to do was make friends. Their names were Dan, Jeff, Dudley, and Jimmy. More than 40 years later, I am still in relationship with three of the four. Dan Boyd is now the pastor of a large church. His brother, Dudley, is a successful businessman and Christ-follower. Jeff Miller is a church administrator. The only one I’ve lost track of is Jimmy. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    11 min
  5. 4D AGO

    My Church Has Small Groups—So We’re Doing Discipleship, Right? | Nick Ihle

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/my-church-has-small-groups-so-were-doing-discipleship-right/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ This just in: The church’s mission is to make disciples. Not just programs, processes, or worship gatherings. The mission has always been the same since Matthew 28 . . . but it took me five years of Bible college and two years of full-time ministry for it to actually sink in. It took me that many years to realize that, in general, the church in the West has not fully been on mission with the One we worship and dedicate our lives to. And yet we all know the passage of Scripture that tells us this. We all could quote it: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV) These are some of the last words of Jesus to His disciples before He ascended into heaven. He’s saying we are called to walk in obedience toward Him and teach others to do the same. A helpful definition of “disciple” comes from Matthew 4:19: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” We accept Jesus as our leader (“Come, follow me”), He begins to shape and transform us (“I will make you”), and He puts us on mission with Him (“fishers of men”). Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    9 min
  6. 5D AGO

    Jesus: The Final Revelation, Not Muhammad | Tim Orr

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/jesus-the-final-revelation-not-muhammad/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Many Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final prophet, the last in a long line of messengers from God. The Qur’an itself states, “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets” (Qur’an 33:40). However, Hebrews 1:1-2 tells a different story: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Hebrews 1:1-2, ESV) This passage clarifies that while God once spoke through prophets, His final and ultimate revelation comes through His Son, Jesus. The role of prophets was to prepare the way, but Jesus was the fulfillment of everything they pointed toward. If Christ is God’s final and ultimate revelation, the claim that Muhammad brings a new or greater message doesn’t hold up. The progressive nature of revelation finds its climax in Christ, not in any subsequent prophet. Furthermore, this passage challenges the Islamic view that God’s final message was revealed in the Qur’an. In Islamic theology, revelation is seen as a progressive unfolding, with each prophet building upon the previous messages, culminating in the Qur’an as God’s final and complete word. However, Hebrews 1 asserts that God’s ultimate revelation is not a book but a person—His Son. This shifts the focus from written words to the incarnate Word, emphasizing that divine revelation reaches its fulfillment in Jesus, rendering any subsequent claims to final prophecy unnecessary. If the Son Himself is the final revelation, then no book, no prophet, and no further message can surpass or replace Him. Christianity stands on the claim that Jesus embodies the fullness of God’s revelation, making all other claims to final prophecy redundant. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    9 min
  7. 6D AGO

    The Need for Making Disciples | Scott Swelbar

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/the-need-for-making-disciples/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Have you ever had one of those “God, why?” moments? God, why did this happen to me? God, why did I end up here? God, I don’t understand. God, are You even there? Most of us have been there. Something in our lives has left us hurt, lonely, empty, or just wondering… God, why? My latest “God, why?” experience came in 2024. None of us expect our lives to come crashing down around us—but as we all discover, that’s simply part of living. I was helping my middle son and daughter-in-law move some boxes into our barn. I picked up a box, carried it about 20 yards, set it down—and then had to go sit down. I was completely exhausted. Thankfully, one of the ladies here at Community works in a heart cath lab, and she got me in for an EKG—which I failed. Soon after, I found out I had four arteries over 90% blocked. Two weeks later, I had said my goodbyes and prepared myself for the ride of a lifetime: open-heart surgery. A guy I had discipled for several years asked me, “What do you need?” I said, “I need you to text me this Scripture every day until I’m through the toughest parts of recovery—because when I wake up with a tube down my throat, I know I’m not going to handle it well.” So we memorized Joshua 1:9 (NIV): “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    6 min
  8. MAY 14

    What Is the Antichrist in the Bible? | John Whittaker

    Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/what-is-the-antichrist-in-the-bible/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ What comes to mind when you think of the Antichrist? In pop culture, whether movies or TV, the Antichrist has been pictured as a devil child or a devil-like person who embodies the height of evil. In popular Christian imagination, the Antichrist is often portrayed as a sinister but charismatic person who rises to a position of immense political power and leads the whole world astray, ushering in the Great Tribulation. This image has been popularized in movies and books about end times, such as Nicolae in the Left Behind series. He is a charismatic leader who eventually rises to rule the global community.[1] Here is how one popular Bible teacher describes the Antichrist. He will be a “global dictator,” the “most powerful dictator the world has ever seen.” This teacher contends that “the Bible is clear that one man, the Antichrist, will rise up to unite the world under one government during the Tribulation.”[2] Many Christians simply assume that such a portrayal is what the Bible teaches about the Antichrist. Much of this portrait of the Antichrist comes from combining various Bible passages together into a composite. Two of the key passages used for this composite are 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 which mentions the “man of lawlessness” and Revelation 13-14 which uses the image of a horrific beast, a beast which itself is an amalgamation of the beasts in the book of Daniel. The identity of the “Antichrist”—or even if there is a single future Antichrist—is up for debate among RENEW.org leaders. In humility, let’s try to untangle the concepts to arrive at a clearer biblical picture. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

    11 min

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 A daily rhythm of biblical renewal. The RENEW.org team brings you the audio editions of our articles — because renewal starts with what we think, believe, and practice every day.