PodcastsCristianismoThe Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast
The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast
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  • The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

    Why Honoring Our Flag Pleases God

    14/06/2026 | 6min
    Isaiah 30:17 uses the imagery of a banner on a hill to describe visibility, identity, and the reality that what is lifted up becomes a symbol others recognize and respond to. In this devotional, Lynette Kittle reflects on the meaning of the American flag as a national symbol and explores how honoring it connects to gratitude for freedom, sacrifice, and heritage. She emphasizes the flag not just as fabric, but as a representation of unity, history, and the values a nation seeks to uphold.
    Highlights
    Isaiah 30:17 uses “banner” imagery to represent identity and visibility.
    The American flag is presented as a symbol of freedom and national unity.
    Flags historically represent leadership, belonging, and shared values.
    The U.S. flag reflects the history and sacrifices tied to national freedom.
    Symbols can serve as reminders of heritage and collective responsibility.
    Gratitude for freedom can lead to reflection on God’s providence.
    National symbols often carry emotional and cultural significance.
    Honoring heritage can encourage unity and respect within a nation.
    Join the Conversation
    Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons?
    Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/
    Do you want to listen ad-free?
    When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
    Sign Up Today!
    Full Transcript Below:
    Why Honoring Our Flag Pleases God
    By Lynette Kittle
    Bible Reading:
    “A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.” - Isaiah 30:17
    Individuals and groups have stomped on it, carried it upside down, cut it up, and burned it, yet our nation’s flag keeps on flying and representing to many around the world, even if not to some in the United States, a sign of hope and true freedom.
    On this 250th Anniversary of the birth of our nation, our American flag is a worldwide symbol of freedom on this earth. Hands down, it is considered the most recognizable flag in the world as a symbol of freedom.
    When we honor our flag, remembering its history of how God led Christians to establish it, we honor God, because He is accredited with the birth of our nation.
    “Of course, it’s just a symbol,” notes Dr. Jerry Newcombe, Executive Director of Providence Forum, “but it’s a powerful one. To me, it represents the American story - self-rule under God.”
    Many who disrespect and spit on our flag do so because they hate the history ascribed to it and our nation’s long-held slogan of being “one nation under God.”
    Newcombe believes we should honor our flag because it honors God and our country. “A lot of blood was shed defending that flag,” he explains, “and it represents the freedom we enjoy.”
    Flag Day, celebrated each June 14th, commemorates the day our Continental Congress adopted the original American flag in 1777, made official in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson.
    Growing up, many of us in the United States memorized and recited The Pledge of Allegiance, a pledge “written by a Baptist minister in the 1890s, with the ‘under God’ phrase added in the 1950s,” notes Newcombe.
    The Purpose of Flags
    Used primarily throughout history in warfare to announce battles and identify troops, national flags still play a role in distinguishing friend from foe.
    Culturally, the flag symbolizes power and leadership, carried during military processions and announcing dignitaries. They represent the people and beliefs behind them, of the hands that hold and carry them, and the buildings where they are flown.
    Flags also serve to draw together and rally people for unified causes, flown to signal, decorate, and display in parades and at events.
    As well, flags declare ownership, borders, and jurisdiction in homelands and foreign lands.
    Nations around the globe use them to communicate to the masses the loss of leaders and the mourning of national tragedies and disasters. The United States flag drapes the caskets of our fallen military heroes and veterans when they are being transported from the combat zones to home and at their funerals.
    The Meaning Displayed in America’s Flag
    America’s flag has 13 red and white stripes, each representing the original 13 colonies that began our nation, along with 50 white stars set on a blue background representing our current 50 states.
    There is significant meaning within the American flag’s design, as the Founder of Providence Forum, Dr. Peter Lillback notes. Each color displayed on the American flag has a definite meaning, with red standing for hardiness and valor; white for purity and innocence, and blue for perseverance, justice, and vigilance.
    Unlike some believe, even though Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag, the design is accredited to one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence, Francis Hopkinson.
    Our American Flag Stirs Hearts
    Our American flag is a vital piece of America’s history, representing freedom for all, known to
    stir the hearts of its patriotic citizens. It’s a symbol that has inspired our nation through many troubles and conflicts, standing for life, liberty, justice, and freedom for all.
    In honoring it, we please God by recognizing the godly heritage it represents throughout the history of our nation and the world.
    Intersecting Faith & Life:
    Did you grow up reciting The Pledge of Allegiance before school each morning? If so, has it impacted your life? In what ways? If not, what are your thoughts on the American Flag?
    Further Reading:
    A Prayer to Honor What Our Nation’s Flag Represents
    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  • The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

    Learning to Glory in Our Sufferings When We’d Rather Run from Them

    13/06/2026 | 7min
    John 16:33 reminds believers that hardship is not an exception to the Christian life but an expected part of living in a fallen world. In this devotional, Deidre Braley explores the tension many Christians feel between wanting to avoid suffering and God's invitation to trust Him through it. While our natural instinct is often to run from pain, Scripture teaches that trials can become powerful tools God uses to shape our faith, deepen our dependence on Him, and strengthen our character.
    Highlights
    Jesus promised believers would face trouble in this world.
    Many people spend significant energy trying to avoid suffering and discomfort.
    God uses trials to develop perseverance, character, and hope.
    Christian growth often happens through difficulties rather than ease.
    Suffering does not mean God has abandoned His people.
    The Holy Spirit strengthens believers through seasons of hardship.
    Trusting God in adversity helps replace fear with faith.
    Christ's victory over the world gives believers lasting hope in every circumstance.
    Join the Conversation
    Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons?
    Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/
    Do you want to listen ad-free?
    When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
    Sign Up Today!
    Full Transcript Below:
    Learning to Glory in Our Sufferings (When We’d Rather Run from Them)
    By Deidre Braley
    Bible Reading:
    “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV
    Poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote to his young protege, “People have… oriented all their solutions toward the easy and toward the easiest side of the easy; but it is clear that we must hold to what is difficult; everything that is alive holds to it” (Letters to a Young Poet, W.W. Norton & Company, 1934, pg. 41).
    And earlier this week, over morning coffee and as simply as could be, my husband said, “Good things happen every day, and bad things happen every day. That’s just the way it goes.”
    So I took a long walk, mulling those thoughts over, both Rilke’s and my husband’s.
    I have spent most of my life crouching on its rim and hoping nothing bad will happen. That I will be able to get through each day and sigh and say, “Another day has passed. All is well. Thank God.”
    But of course, all is not well. All is never well. My soul knows it. We all know it. But we pretend, and I cannot help but wonder why, because Jesus told us very plainly, “In this world you will have trouble.”
    We still seem to want to believe that if we can produce the right prayers and structure our lives just so, we can be the ones to escape trouble. We hope that Jesus’ words are for everyone except us. We try to safeguard our lives from pain. We want to be exempt from suffering.
    I, for one, take no pleasure in hardship. Just like everyone else, I still have an ember of Eden burning in my spirit. I long for a place that, though I’ve never been, I have somehow always known, a place where there is nothing to fear in the first place. But at the same time, I am starting to consider a strange and liberating thought: What if I can accept that trouble will happen, and frequently? If I let go of my great efforts to circumnavigate hard things, will that actually free me up for… more life?
    Intersecting Faith & Life:
    The Apostle Paul writes a challenging word to the Romans, but it is one that confirms my suspicion: There is a way to embrace all that comes along in life, whether it is the joy we hope for or the suffering that we have formerly feared. He says:
    We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5 NIV).
    When we are afraid to suffer, we expend all of our energies trying to avoid the inevitable. It makes us small, hardened, and anxious people. But, fascinatingly, it seems that difficulty can expand and strengthen us in ways that nothing else can. God, in his infinite goodness, takes the trouble of this world and, if we are willing and open to it, weaves the colors of perseverance, character, and hope into our spirits. We grow. We transform. We are filled with his Spirit, which has overcome the world. In this way, we come to accept all things and fear no things. In this way, we become truly free to live.
    Of course, we cannot simply will our own fearlessness into being. But we can surrender our need for control and fear of hardship over to God, and we can ask him, in prayer, to make us more alive, no matter what comes our way today. Here is a prayer to carry with you whenever you begin to feel that old aversion to suffering rising in your chest.
    Oh Lord, we were not made for suffering. And this world can be so very hard. But you have told us to take heart. You have told us that you have overcome the world, and it seems that this is the key to facing all sorts of trouble. God, when trouble comes my way, today or in the future, teach me how to move through it rather than run away from it. Use it to strengthen my character. Use it to make me more alive. Let me see your glory all throughout it, so that I will not be afraid. Amen.
    Further Reading:
    James 1:2-16
    Romans 5:1-5
    Romans 8
    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  • The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

    Think Like Adults

    12/06/2026 | 7min
    1 Corinthians 14:20 challenges believers to pursue spiritual maturity by thinking with wisdom, discernment, and godly understanding. In this devotional, Whitney Hopler explores the difference between childish thinking and mature faith, reminding Christians that age alone does not produce spiritual growth. God calls His people to remain innocent regarding evil while developing the wisdom and discernment needed to navigate a world filled with competing voices, misinformation, and spiritual confusion.
    Highlights
    Spiritual maturity requires growing beyond childish patterns of thinking.
    God calls believers to be innocent toward evil but mature in wisdom.
    Prayer helps align our thoughts with God's perspective and guidance.
    The Holy Spirit teaches believers how to think with discernment.
    Wisdom involves applying God's truth to everyday decisions and challenges.
    Regular Bible study strengthens our ability to recognize truth and avoid deception.
    Mature faith responds thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively.
    Spiritual growth happens gradually as believers consistently seek God.
    Join the Conversation
    Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons?
    Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/
    Do you want to listen ad-free?
    When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
    Sign Up Today!
    Full Transcript Below:
    Think Like Adults
    By: Whitney Hopler
    Bible Reading:
    “Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.” – 1 Corinthians 14:20, NRS
    When my late mother was living in a retirement home, she dated a man who also lived there. Women far outnumbered men in Mom’s community, and out of the few men who lived there, Mom’s boyfriend was the only one who could still walk unassisted. Not only that, but he could still drive! Some of the women there were happy for Mom, but many of her neighbors excluded her from events and gossiped about her and her boyfriend.
    “That’s so immature!” I complained when Mom told me about it. “They’re acting like a bunch of jealous high school girls. I thought they would know better at their age.”
    Mom just smiled and said something I’ll always remember: “Reaching a certain age doesn’t guarantee reaching maturity.”
    In 1 Corinthians 14:20, the Bible reminds us that spiritual maturity in the way we think is important. It points out that we should stay far away from sin by being as innocent as infants toward evil. That way, we can stay pure and sensitive to God.
    But at the same time, this verse urges us to think like adults. Adults are meant to be mature, thinking carefully and wisely. God wants us to use the amazing minds he has given us. He doesn’t want us to accept every idea without examining it, or follow every voice we hear without first considering if it’s credible. We shouldn’t be reacting to situations immaturely. Instead, we should grow spiritually mature by seeking God and developing discernment to recognize what comes from God and what doesn't.
    When we think like adults, we can ask questions about any situation to help us adopt the perspective God wants us to have on it. Instead of asking what we want, we can ask what God wants, and instead of asking what’s easiest, we can ask what’s right.
    This kind of thinking grows as we walk with God, and prayer is an important part of that growth. When we pray, we invite God into our thoughts and decisions. Prayer slows us down so we can connect with God’s presence with us. Then, we can listen to whatever God is trying to tell us and perceive those messages more clearly than we could if we weren’t giving God our full attention.
    As we pray, we can ask God’s Holy Spirit to work within us. Then, we’ll develop the wisdom we need to say and do whatever is best in any situation we face. Wisdom is more than knowledge. Knowledge tells us facts, but wisdom helps us know how to live like God wants us to live. When we pursue wisdom by asking the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking, we can learn how to recognize what’s actually true versus the lies that spread in this fallen world. We can also learn how to make the best choices, even in the most challenging circumstances.
    The Holy Spirit serves as our teacher throughout this journey. The more the Spirit shows us how to think like adults, the more we learn to stop reacting to situations like children and to start responding to them wisely, by carefully considering our choices.
    Along the way, we’ll make mistakes, but God is patient with us as we grow. Just like a child slowly matures into adulthood, our mature thinking develops step by step. Each time we read the Bible, pray for guidance, or seek advice from a wise believer, we take another important step toward mature thinking.
    Maturity matters! Far too many people are becoming confused and deceived by messages spreading in this world from unreliable sources. As we grow in mature thinking, we become stronger in our faith and better able to help other people. We can point the way to what’s really true and give people the real hope they need.
    So today, let’s ask God to help us think like adults and grow to become spiritually mature in the process. Together, we can keep learning to think with God’s wisdom.
    Intersecting Faith & Life:
    As you consider how important it is for you to think with spiritual maturity, reflect on these questions:
    In what ways do you sometimes approach your faith with childish thinking rather than mature understanding?
    How can prayer help you develop wisdom and clearer thinking?
    What voices or influences in your life might distract you from God’s truth?
    How can reading the Bible regularly strengthen your ability to discern what’s right?
    What’s one step you can take this week to grow in spiritual maturity?
    Further Reading:
    Hebrews 5:14
    James 1:5
    Proverbs 2:6
    Romans 12:2
    Philippians 1:9-10
    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  • The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

    When the Wounds We Suffer Cause Us to Doubt God

    11/06/2026 | 6min
    Psalm 69:32 offers hope for believers navigating seasons of pain, discouragement, and spiritual confusion. In this devotional, Jennifer Slattery explores how emotional wounds, anxiety, and difficult circumstances can sometimes lead us to question God's presence and goodness. Drawing from the life of David, she reminds readers that faith is not the absence of struggle but the continual choice to bring our fears, doubts, and burdens into God's presence rather than relying solely on our own strength.
    Highlights
    Emotional wounds and difficult circumstances can lead believers to question God's goodness.
    David's example shows the importance of turning to God honestly during seasons of pain.
    Self-reliance often increases discouragement rather than alleviating it.
    God's presence brings renewed joy, peace, and spiritual strength.
    Biblical joy is rooted in God's faithfulness, not changing circumstances.
    The joy of the Lord provides strength for weary and overwhelmed hearts.
    Prayer, worship, and time in God's presence help restore hope.
    Christ offers sustaining grace when we lack the strength to carry our burdens alone.
    Join the Conversation
    Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons?
    Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/
    Do you want to listen ad-free?
    When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
    Sign Up Today!
    Full Transcript Below:
    When the Wounds We Suffer Cause Us to Doubt God
    By: Jennifer Slattery
    Bible Reading:
    The poor will see and be glad—
    you who seek God, may your hearts live! Psalm 69:32 NIV
    Lately, I’ve felt bruised and discouraged. I’m trying to honor God, but sometimes find it confusing, particularly in some complicated and highly consequential situations. Unlike David, the ancient Israel king who wrote today’s verse and the surrounding chapter, I’m not facing anything life-threatening. No one is hunting me down to kill me. No one is trying to destroy my dreams or my career.
    But I’ve been feeling under attack, just the same—by my thoughts, my pain, and numerous confusing complications that can make life feel so challenging. When I land in this place, I’m tempted to respond in various unhealthy ways. Often, my first reaction is self-reliance. This typically makes my circumstances worse while also increasing any sense of inadequacy or hopelessness I feel.
    Eventually, however, I respond to the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit and seek God in my pain and overwhelm. It is then, in His presence, that my heart starts to revive as His light and life fill my soul. Perhaps this is what Scripture references in Psalm 16. In this passage, also written by David, we read:
    I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
    Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
    You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand (vs 8-9, 11, NIV).
    Joy and peace come through proximity to Christ and aligning ourselves with His truth. And that joy gives us strength (Neh. 8:10).
    David seemed to understand this. Although a victorious warrior, many times over, who demonstrated great wisdom and restraint, Scripture rarely, if ever, paints him as self-reliant. And while he often openly expressed his pain and his fear, unfiltered, he never remained stuck in despair.
    Not because he didn’t struggle or quickly overcame his struggles. Rather, he found the strength to rise above the chaos raging around and within him by deliberately and consistently turning to God.
    And resting in the Lord’s loving embrace.
    Intersecting Life & Faith:
    Does your life feel heavy? Is your mind presently bombarded with one anxious or painful thought after another? If so, I get it. I’ve been there and am certain I will land in that place yet again. Those seasons can wear us down emotionally and physically, stealing our sleep, clarity, and peace. But we don’t have to remain stuck in our pain or navigate it alone. God bids us to come to Him, as David did, and find in Him the strength to remain standing when our knees feel ready to give way.
    As Nehemiah 8:10 so clearly proclaims, the joy of the Lord is our strength. That doesn’t mean we must deny our pain or suppress it behind a forced, “Praise the Lord! Hallelujah.” It doesn’t mean laughter will always overpower our tears. Biblical joy isn’t the surface-level, circumstantial emotion with which we often equate it. True joy, biblical joy, is the deep, abiding assurance that God is with us, working in us, and orchestrating everything we encounter for our good and His glory.
    Phrased another way, biblical joy is an enduring awareness of Christ’s grace. Knowing that we are lovingly held, faithfully led, and eternally blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms displaces our despair with hope and revives our souls.
    Candy and caffeine might give us a mid-afternoon pickup, but only Christ can sustain us when we’ve lost the strength to stand on our own. Perhaps this is, in part, what God means when He promises to replace our weakness with His supernatural strength.
    What might that look like for you, in this present season? How might turning your heart toward the Lord in your fear and pain help alleviate the burden weighing on your soul, allowing you to walk just a little lighter? Allowing you to maintain confident hope that a better day will indeed come?
    If you’re in a dark and challenging season, perhaps find a quiet place to connect with the Lord. Turn on some praise music, light a nice-smelling candle, and simply sit with your Father. Ask Him to help you sense His presence, and rest in His embrace for as long as necessary, trusting Him to infuse your innermost being with His joy, peace, and strength.
    If this resonated with you, you might also find this Faith Over Fear podcast episode helpful: Taking Every Thought Captive: Breaking Free From the Lies That Hold Us.
    Further Reading:
    2 Corinthians 10:5
    Romans 12:1-2
    Psalm 94:19
    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  • The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

    Love Others, Speak Truth

    10/06/2026 | 5min
    Ephesians 4:15 calls Christians to speak the truth in love, balancing grace and honesty in a way that reflects the heart of Christ. In this devotional, Michelle Lazurek explores the challenging but necessary role of biblical accountability within Christian relationships. While our culture often discourages correction and equates love with acceptance alone, Scripture teaches that genuine love sometimes requires difficult conversations that encourage repentance, growth, and spiritual maturity.
    Highlights
    Ephesians 4:15 teaches believers to speak truth with love and grace.
    Biblical accountability helps Christians grow in spiritual maturity.
    Difficult conversations can reveal deeper heart issues that need healing.
    Jesus modeled both compassion and truth throughout His ministry.
    Loving correction is meant to restore, not condemn.
    The Holy Spirit often uses trusted believers to bring conviction and growth.
    Avoiding hard conversations can hinder spiritual development.
    Healthy Christian relationships require both honesty and humility.
    Join the Conversation
    Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons?
    Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/
    Do you want to listen ad-free?
    When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
    Sign Up Today!
    Full Transcript Below:
    Love Others, Speak Truth
    By: Michelle Lazurek
    Bible Reading:
    “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” - Ephesians 4:15
    Who are you to judge me?
    This question came from a loved one who felt convicted about an action she had taken. When this person posted social media pictures that depicted her in a less-than-flattering light, I boldly spoke truth into her life. I let her know that the way she portrayed herself on social media was the way people would categorize her, even if she didn't always behave that way. Additionally, as someone who claimed to be a Christian, she needed to be an example in every situation, including social situations where pictures could be taken.
    In response to the above question, she became defensive and began arguing. However, as we began to argue, I noticed her thinking began to change. At one point, she started crying. When I asked her what was making her cry, she told me what was really going on in her life. Social media posts are merely a symptom of a much deeper problem. Once she humbled herself, we prayed together. We were also able to brainstorm solutions to her problems. I gave her some concrete advice, then told her I would check in with her later.
    I didn't want to have to confront her about what I saw on social media. In fact, it would have been much easier for me to sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't exist. But staying silent, rather than boldly challenging her to change her behavior, would have done her an injustice.
    While many people think of Jesus as a gentle, kind man who hugged everyone and gave them what they wanted, nothing could be further from the truth. He spoke harsh words to many people, most of whom were Pharisees, a religious group. For many years, I questioned why Jesus would say such harsh things, such as calling them a brood of vipers. I realized that Jesus, who was closely associated with the Holy Spirit, had to make an exception.
    Jesus did what was right for everyone and never put himself, or any desire for the approval of man, ahead of what he was called to do. Jesus used harsh words with the Pharisees, hoping that their hardened hearts would soften and they would turn back to God. Confession and repentance are key to changing our behavior.
    However, we can't always see the flaws in our character. We need other people, who know us better than we know ourselves, to speak hard truths into our lives. These hard truths, when we reflect and analyze them, come from a place of love. Even if a person doesn't want to hear what's being said, it doesn't mean it doesn't need to be said. It merely means that the person is feeling conviction of the Holy Spirit.
    In the verse above, Paul understood that speaking the truth in love to one another would help the body of Christ grow into mature believers. Sweeping things under the rug and avoiding hurt feelings led to immaturity and a failure to thrive spiritually.
    As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to speak hard truths in love to each other. Even in this culture where people don't want to be judged, that judgment, when properly placed, can lead someone to the cross. When someone is led to the cross and their heart is genuine, the Holy Spirit can convict them, and they can turn their lives back to him.
    Although it may seem better, and even easier, to be silent in the name of being kind, kindness isn’t always what people need. When people are blind to their own destructive behaviors, those who love them enough to speak hard truths into their lives will aid them in repentance and devotion to the Savior.
    Father, let us be people who speak the truth and love one another. Help us to do so with boldness and conviction. Let us not bind ourselves to the world’s ways so that we do not judge. Rather, we need to lovingly speak the truth to others in the hope that they will turn their lives back to you. Amen.
    Intersecting Faith & Life:
    Has there been a time when you had to speak hard truths in love to someone? How did they respond? Was their response appropriate?
    Further Reading:
    Ephesians 4:29
    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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Sobre The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast
Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives. Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast: ☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/. 
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