• In the Country of the Blind (Titus 2:15)
    Mar 31 2026

    Share a comment

    Authority has a terrible reputation right now, and we get why. It can be used to control, shame, and silence. But we argue there’s another reason people hate authority: it interrupts our obsession with personal freedom, and it forces us to face the possibility that some things are actually true. That’s the tension behind Paul’s letter to Titus, written to a young leader serving on Crete, a culture marked by drunkenness, sexual immorality, and spiritual blindness.

    We walk through Titus 2:15 and the three commands that form a practical church game plan for cultural impact: speak, exhort, and reprove. First, we make the case for ordinary gospel conversations, not just sermons. We talk about bringing Jesus Christ into the hallway, the backyard, the workplace, the flight, and the dinner table, and we connect that to “sound doctrine” that shapes real life: integrity, self-control, parenting, responsibility, and honest work.

    Then we turn up the intensity. Exhortation is more than information; it’s an invitation with urgency, grounded in the grace of God that offers salvation, the blessed hope of Christ’s return, and a call to be zealous for good deeds. And yes, we also go to correction. Real worship and real discipleship alter us like a tailor, not just iron us. We close with the hard truth: people may try to disregard you when you speak with biblical authority, but faithfulness means staying clear, prepared, and courageous.

    If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the plan do you need most right now: conversation, motivation, or alteration?

    What does it look like to live a holy life? In In Pursuit of Holiness, Stephen shows you how to think clearly, resist sin, and live differently in a culture that pulls you the other way. Move beyond information to real application. Get your copy today and take your next step with Christ. https://bit.ly/4v5aktw



    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • Learning to Say the Right Words Part 2 (Titus 2:11-14)
    Mar 30 2026

    Share a comment

    Your plans for the future probably include savings, insurance, and retirement. None of that answers the hardest question: what is your way out when life ends? We follow Paul’s logic in Titus and land on a bold claim that changes everything, Jesus Christ is not merely a teacher or helper, he is our great God and Savior, the visible manifestation of the invisible God, and the One Scripture points to when it talks about God “appearing.”

    From there, we get uncomfortably practical. Grace is not passive permission; we talk about grace as training, a daily curriculum that teaches us to say no to ungodliness while saying yes to a new life at the same time. That means you never outgrow the need for repentance, self-control, and clear choices, and you also never outgrow the need for fresh obedience. We dig into what it means to live sensibly, live righteously by a real external standard, and live godly in the present age without being shaped by the present age.

    We also take on the modern obsession with “values” and ask what happens when values are subjective and virtue disappears. A vivid story from the Titanic exposes how quickly “priceless” can become worthless under pressure, and it sets up the deeper question: what will stand when we face God’s standard of rightness? Finally, we lift our eyes to the blessed hope, the promised appearing of Christ, and the gospel heart of it all: Jesus gave himself to redeem us from every lawless deed, purify us, and make us zealous for good works, right now, while we wait.

    Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • Learning to Say the Right Words Part 1 (Titus 2:11-14)
    Mar 27 2026

    Share a comment

    A wilderness story can wake you up. The image of a man who planned every mile of his journey but forgot to plan his way home sets the tone for a conversation about grace as both a guide for life and an exit strategy for death. We open Titus 2 and discover that grace is not only a doctrine to affirm—it is a teacher who meets us where we are, repeats the lesson as often as needed, and forms our habits day by day.

    We unpack how grace trains us to say no to the patterns that once owned us and yes to practices that make us whole. Saying no is not dour moralism; it’s the freedom to disown what corrodes our joy. At the same time, grace calls us into sensible living marked by self-control and sound judgment, righteousness anchored to God’s standard rather than shifting personal values, and godliness that turns routine into worship. You don’t graduate from temptation, and you don’t age out of formation; grace keeps teaching while you keep walking.

    Along the way, we challenge the cultural script that replaces every no with now and swaps virtues for marketable values. The text points us to a steadier path—habit, devotion, and a mind renewed by truth. Whether you’re new to faith or long on the road, this is a clear map: refuse what dims the soul, practice what reflects Christ, and remember that salvation appears for all kinds of people. Grace prepares you to live well today and to leave well when the time comes.

    If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs the nudge, and leave a review with the one habit you’re choosing to practice this week.

    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • The Sacred Calling of Work Part 2 (Titus 2:9-10)
    Mar 26 2026

    Share a comment

    What if your 9-to-5 is the most sacred space you step into all week? We explore how ordinary work—emails, errands, meetings, and messy teamwork—can become a place where humility, honesty, reliability, and loyalty turn heads and open hearts. Pulling from Paul’s challenge against grumbling and pilfering, we look at the quiet choices that build trust: showing up on time, keeping your word, refusing to trash-talk the boss, and saying no when asked to lie. It’s not blind compliance; it’s courage with a clean conscience.

    We travel from a startling case of mass restitution during the Welsh revival to a vivid portrait of Daniel, an exiled civil servant whose integrity protected a pagan king from loss and lifted him to uncommon influence. Loyalty here is not favoritism—it’s good faith that seeks the welfare of the place you serve, even when it’s imperfect. Along the way, we ask hard questions about the little forms of theft that creep into teams and budgets, and we offer a path back: confession, repair, and consistent follow-through.

    At the center is a deeper motive: to adorn the gospel at work. Like a jeweler’s setting that makes the gem sparkle, your life can highlight truth without hype. When colleagues see steady joy, honest books, and quiet courage, curiosity follows. Our final story about a child named Sarah—who found her greatest honor in placing a single flower in a vase—reminds us that nothing done unto God is small. If you’re ready to make Monday meaningful, to turn routine into worship, and to let integrity rewrite your office culture, this conversation will give you a simple, sturdy way forward.

    If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs Monday hope, and leave a quick review so more people can find these conversations.

    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • The Sacred Calling of Work Part 1 (Titus 2:9-10)
    Mar 25 2026

    Share a comment

    What if your job is more than hours, tasks, and a paycheck? We pull back the curtain on vocatio—the ancient idea of calling—and show how recovering it can fill even the most routine task with purpose. Drawing on Paul’s words to Titus and stories from the Reformation, we explore how God hides behind ordinary work, using the hands of moms, makers, managers, and yes, milkmaids, to bless the world. Monday stops being a burden when your Supervisor is Christ.

    We walk through a hard first-century reality—millions living as bondservants in Rome—and unpack Paul’s countercultural strategy. Rather than fanning revolt, he planted gospel seeds that would eventually undermine slavery itself: in Christ there is neither slave nor free, masters and servants are brothers, and a runaway named Onesimus returns as family. That heart-level revolution spills into institutions over time, changing how people treat power, pay, and each other. The result is a faith that shines brightest in ordinary places: a desk, a shop floor, a kitchen table.

    From there, we turn practical with traits that can reshape any workplace. Humility accepts order without resentment, even under flawed authority. Reliability aims to be “well pleasing,” working with excellence because God sees in secret. And a non-argumentative spirit refuses to feed the office culture of complaint, choosing clarity and respect over grumbling. Along the way, we share stories—the stonemason building a cathedral, Luther’s shoemaker crafting honest goods—that help us see how our craft becomes a canvas for worship. If you’re tired of living for the weekend, this conversation offers a sturdier vision: the cubicle as a sanctuary, the task list as a liturgy, and your daily labor as a way to adorn the gospel in plain sight.

    If this reframed your view of work, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs a Monday boost, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. How would your week change if you worked as if Christ were watching?

    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    24 mins
  • A Pattern for Young Men Part 2 (Titus 2:6-8)
    Mar 24 2026

    Share a comment

    What if credibility became your greatest currency—more valuable than wins, likes, or titles? We walk through a clear path for young men to build a life that speaks loudly and cleanly: serve others in concrete ways, think with Scripture-shaped conviction, and speak words that protect the reputation of Christ and the church. This isn’t about performing to earn redemption; it’s about living from it, so neighbors, coworkers, and classmates glimpse grace that actually changes people.

    We start with action—rescue missions, food drives, crisis response teams, and global trips—where good works carry good news. Then we press into the mind: why purity in doctrine isn’t academic trivia but the steering wheel of a Christian life. In a culture that prizes novelty and speed, we make the case for slow, steady formation: reading the Bible deeply, building a library that strengthens the soul, and using biography and theology to create a durable, biblical filter for daily choices. The goal is not to impress but to become wise enough to love well.

    Dignity and speech tie it together. Real dignity isn’t dour; it’s the gravity that wins a hearing. Sound words—healthy, clean, beyond reproach—turn free speech into a sacred trust. Paul’s striking “us” reminds us that your personal reputation becomes our church’s reputation; how you talk online or in the office drafts the headline people write about the gospel. An unforgettable story from an NFL player draws the arc: from the thrill of a career-defining play to the deeper joy of watching young men encounter Christ. That shift—from highlight to holiness—maps the journey we’re inviting you to take.

    If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find conversations that strengthen conviction and spark courageous, compassionate faith.

    Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    26 mins
  • A Pattern for Young Men Part 1 (Titus 2:6-8)
    Mar 23 2026

    Share a comment

    What if the most endangered person in church life is a vitally engaged, maturing young man—and what if we could change that by how we live, not just what we say? We take Paul’s charge to Titus and turn it into a living blueprint: model maturity in public, urge consistently with love, and help young men pair passion with self-control, service, and sound doctrine.

    We start by naming the problem with candor. Culture stretches adolescence and amplifies distraction, leaving many young men on spiritual life support. Paul’s counsel cuts through the noise: adults aren’t born; they’re made. So we move beyond armchair Christianity and into embodied leadership—showing restraint under pressure, bridling tempers and tongues, mastering impulses, and managing money and ambition with wisdom. Self-control isn’t bland; it’s the skill that keeps vision from crashing. When energy meets discipline, potential turns into steady influence.

    From there, we anchor action in grace. Good deeds don’t earn salvation; they reveal it. We share practical pathways to serve—local relief, crisis response, college outreach, and global teams—because helping neighbors is how the gospel speaks in clear, everyday language. And we guard the engine of it all: pure doctrine. A Christian mind is not trivia; it’s a way to see. By rooting convictions in Scripture, young believers resist novelty for novelty’s sake, stand firm against the slow leak of spiritual forgetfulness, and make choices that align with truth over time.

    If you care about shaping the next generation, this conversation gives you a plan you can practice today: lead visibly, urge patiently, serve eagerly, and think clearly. If it helped you, share it with a mentor, a small group, or a young man who needs a steady guide. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s one habit you’ll model this week?

    Get our magazine and daily devotional: https://www.wisdomonline.org/lp/magazine

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    24 mins
  • Retracing Our Footsteps Home (Part 2)
    Mar 20 2026

    Share a comment

    The loudest voices say dignity demands sameness. We push back with a richer vision: equal worth before God, distinct roles that serve the home, the church, and the common good. Starting in Genesis and moving through Paul’s counsel to Titus, we unpack how headship and help were gifts in Eden, how the fall twisted them into domination and control, and how the gospel restores what was broken. Along the way, we look squarely at modern data—long hours away from parents in early childhood, the culture of neglect fueling image anxiety in girls—and ask what those signals mean for families who want to build stable, life-giving homes.

    Together we explore why submission in Scripture is voluntary and dignified, not coerced; how authority exists to protect and build up rather than to feed ego; and why kindness is a potent, everyday discipline that shapes a family’s atmosphere. We also draw a crucial line between equality of essence and difference in function, showing how both truths can stand without contradiction. With clear examples and candid moments, we challenge common buzzwords and invite listeners to trade slogans for substance, recovery for rivalry, and service for self-assertion.

    If you’ve wrestled with roles, struggled with cultural pressure to “be everything,” or wondered how faith should shape family priorities, this conversation offers a grounded, hopeful path. We don’t demand rigid stereotypes; we honor design while celebrating individual gifts, calling husbands to Christlike love and wives to Spirit-empowered respect and partnership. The result is a home that quietly preaches—where Scripture is honored, children are formed, and difference becomes freedom under the care of a God who orders authority for our good. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find thoughtful, hope-filled conversations like this.

    Get our magazine and daily devotional: https://www.wisdomonline.org/lp/magazine

    Support the show

    Show more Show less
    27 mins