Free Daily Podcast Summary
Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Rachael Groll
Do you ever wonder whether you're actually hearing God's voice, or whether it's just your own? Have you been in a season where He feels completely silent? Hosted by Rachael Groll, the Hearing Jesus Podcast brings together daily Bible study, Christian affirmations, prayer, and spiritual growth to help you hear God more clearly and go deeper with Him. Each episode opens the Bible through historical context, Spirit-led teaching, and honest encouragement, so you can understand Scripture, strengthen your faith, and live it out in ordinary days. Episodes cover daily devotionals, Christian prayer, Bible teaching, hearing the Holy Spirit, emotional healing, identity in Christ, and learning to recognize God's direction in a noisy world. Whether you're looking for a daily devotional podcast, Christian encouragement, Bible study for women, or practical teaching on hearing God and following Jesus, this is a place to grow.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today11 min
Saturday Daily Affirmations: I Recognize God's Faithfulness in Seen and Unseen Moments (Psalm 77:11)
Saturday Daily Affirmations: I Recognize God's Faithfulness in Seen and Unseen Moments (Psalm 77:11) Saturday is a good day to slow down and look back over your week with God. Not to replay everything or overthink it, but to notice where He met you, where He carried you, and where His grace showed up. These Scripture-based Christian affirmations are a gentle way to reflect with honesty and gratitude before the new week begins. I'll say each affirmation, pause so you can repeat it after me, and then read the Bible verse it comes from. Links AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: Patreon Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Saturday affirmations and Scripture I thank God for walking with me through this week. Psalm 143:10 — "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." I recognize God's faithfulness in both the seen and unseen moments. Psalm 77:11 — "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago." I release regret and receive God's grace. Psalm 32:5 — "Then I acknowledged my sin to You... and You forgave the guilt of my sin." I trust that God was at work even when I didn't notice. Ecclesiastes 3:11 — "He has made everything beautiful in its time." I give thanks for the strength God provided each day. Psalm 28:7 — "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me." I acknowledge where I grew this week. 2 Peter 3:18 — "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." I notice where God invited me to trust Him more deeply. Psalm 37:5 — "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." I receive God's mercy for where I fell short. Micah 7:18 — "You delight in mercy." I choose gratitude over self-criticism. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — "Give thanks in all circumstances." I honor the work God has been doing in my heart. Philippians 1:6 — "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." I acknowledge God's presence in ordinary moments. Psalm 16:11 — "You make known to me the path of life." I release this week into God's care. Psalm 55:22 — "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you." I trust God with what remains unfinished. Proverbs 16:9 — "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." I thank God for His patience with me. Psalm 103:8 — "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." I rest in the truth that God sees me fully. Hebrews 4:13 — "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight." I choose to end this week with gratitude. Psalm 92:1 — "It is good to give thanks to the Lord." I release comparison and embrace contentment. Hebrews 13:5 — "Be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you.'" I acknowledge God's protection this week. Psalm 121:7 — "The Lord will keep you from all harm." I thank God for His provision. Matthew 6:31-32 — "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them." I recognize God's quiet guidance. Isaiah 30:21 — "This is the way; walk in it." I let go of striving and receive rest. Psalm 23:2 — "He leads me beside quiet waters." I honor the limits God has given me. Psalm 127:2 — "He grants sleep to those He loves." I trust God with what I do not understand. Romans 11:33 — "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God." I receive peace as I reflect with God. Psalm 4:7 — "You have filled my heart with greater joy." I end this week grounded in God's faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23 — "Great is Your faithfulness." Closing prayer God, thank You for walking with me through this week. Help me to see Your faithfulness clearly and to release what I need to let go of. I trust that You were present in ways I noticed and in ways I didn't. I place this week back into Your hands. Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Yesterday24 min
God Saw What Was Done to You: Listener Questions
God Saw What Was Done to You: Listener Questions Today is one of our Q&A episodes, where we take a pause from the Bible study so you have time to catch up and I can work through questions that have come in. Two questions in this one. The first asks why people with religious roles so often fail to live obediently, which is a pattern running straight through Scripture. The second is harder and I want to handle it gently: why did God protect Cain after what he did, and why do some people lose their freedom because of somebody else's choices? Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Does being close to religion mean you're obedient to God? Sarah put it in a phrase I keep thinking about: religious proximity does not equal religious obedience. That's been a theme in Scripture from the very beginning. Adam and Eve were in perfect communion with God. They walked with Him daily. And still, because God gave us free will, proximity didn't produce obedience. There isn't a day that goes by without someone in a religious role falling into sin. We hear about it constantly. You may have experienced church hurt yourself at the hands of a leader or a pastor. That's the reality of the fall, and it's the story written all through the pages of Scripture. We've been watching it in Luke. The Roman political system had corrupted the religious leadership of the day, which is the whole backdrop behind the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the religious establishment Jesus keeps encountering. Having a religious role never meant being obedient to God. What it comes down to is the difference between going to church and knowing Jesus. Some people go to church and then go home and harm their families the rest of the week. Some go hoping it absolves them of what they're doing elsewhere. A great deal of harm has been done in the name of religion. Proximity is not an indication of where the heart is. And God's remedy for that, over and over in Scripture, is sending Jesus. We can know about Jesus without actually knowing Him, and those are two different things. My hope for this show, and for the books and the trips and everything else we do, is that you would know Him for yourself. That doesn't mean you'll always get it right. We aren't perfect, which is exactly why we need Him. But being disobedient, feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, confessing, and being restored to right relationship through Jesus is the whole rhythm of the Christian life. Why did God protect Cain? This question came in from someone working through the Genesis series, and it's one a lot of people carry, usually in different forms. At the heart of it is often a wound. If you've ever been hurt by somebody else's choices, you know the ache in it. Why does the person who caused the harm seem to get mercy while the person who was hurt has no say at all? Let's look at what actually happens in Genesis 4. Cain kills his brother in a field. Then God comes to him and says, what have you done, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Before God says one word about punishment, He makes it clear that He heard Abel. Abel never got a voice in that field. God gave him one. The first murder victim in Scripture is not forgotten. Then comes the sentence, and it has layers. Cain is driven from the land, the ground won't produce for him, and he becomes a restless wanderer. He panics and says whoever finds him will kill him. And God puts a mark on him so that no one will. Here's the detail worth knowing. The Hebrew word for mark is ot, which means sign. It's the same word used for the rainbow after the flood and for the blood on the doorposts at Passover. It isn't a brand of shame. It's a sign of protection. Why would God protect him? Two things are happening. In the ancient world there were no courts and no police. Justice was handled by family members, and it usually meant revenge. And revenge did not stop at one life. Entire families were wiped out in the name of it. You can watch it start just a few verses later with Lamech, Cain's descendant, who brags about killing a man for wounding him and says if Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven. That's what vengeance does when it's left in human hands. The seed of it grows. So God's protection of Cain puts a limit on the violence before it consumes the whole human family. And look what Jesus does with that number later. He takes Lamech's seventy-seven and turns it into how many times we forgive. The way of Jesus is forgiveness. There's still justice, but it belongs to God rather than to us. Protecting Cain is not the same as excusing Cain. He lived with real consequences the rest of his life. The ground didn't work for him, and at that time that was survival. But God also didn't give up on him. Remember, we're not reading these stories to study the people. W
- Yesterday11 min
Friday Daily Affirmations: God's Peace Fills My Heart and I Rest in His Presence (Matthew 11:28)
Friday Daily Affirmations: God's Peace Fills My Heart and I Rest in His Presence (Matthew 11:28) End your week anchored in peace and presence. These Scripture-based Christian affirmations are a short, steady way to set down what you've been carrying and find rest in God's care. Today's affirmations are about releasing your burdens, letting go of striving, and remembering that God's strength, love, and renewal are available right where you are. It's time to stop striving and start resting in His goodness. I'll say each affirmation, pause so you can repeat it after me, and then share the Scripture it comes from. Links AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: Patreon Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Before we begin The week is ending, and as we step into the weekend, let's take a moment to breathe. Release your burdens and rest in God's presence. We're not meant to carry everything ourselves. God calls us to lay our worries at His feet and find renewal in Him. Friday affirmations and Scripture I release my worries and trust God to handle what I cannot. 1 Peter 5:7 God's peace fills my heart and I rest in His presence. Matthew 11:28 I am not defined by my mistakes. God's grace is greater than my failures. Lamentations 3:22-23 I let go of the need to control everything and surrender to God's perfect plan. Proverbs 3:5-6 I am deeply loved by God and nothing can separate me from His love. Romans 8:38-39 God refreshes my soul and renews my strength. Isaiah 40:31 I will be fully present today, trusting that God holds tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 My body, mind, and spirit find rest in God alone. Psalm 62:1 I let go of striving and choose to rest in God's love. Zephaniah 3:17 I step into the weekend with joy, knowing that God is in control. Psalm 118:24 God's presence is my safe place. Psalm 91:1 I am fully known and fully loved by God. Psalm 139:1-2 I will not let stress steal my peace today. Philippians 4:6-7 God is my refuge and I am safe in His hands. Psalm 46:1 I do not need to have all the answers. I trust God. Romans 11:33 God is fighting my battles and I can rest in His victory. Exodus 14:14 I will not fear because God is with me. Isaiah 41:13 I am held together by God's love even when life feels overwhelming. Colossians 1:17 God's goodness and mercy follow me every day. Psalm 23:6 I will not carry burdens that God has already taken from me. Matthew 11:29-30 I am at peace because God is in control. Isaiah 26:3 I trust in God's timing even when I don't understand. Ecclesiastes 3:11 I will lay down my burdens and take on God's. Psalm 4:8 I am never alone for God is always with me. Deuteronomy 31:6 No matter what happens today, God is still good. Nahum 1:7 Closing prayer Father, as this week comes to an end, I lay my burdens at Your feet. Help me to release my worries, rest in Your peace, and trust You with everything I cannot control. Refresh my heart and renew my spirit so I can step into the weekend with joy. In Jesus' name, Amen. I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to go deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up next. Listen daily and start your morning with God's truth so you can walk in faith, clarity, and confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 days ago32 min
Separate to Elevate: Luke 3:2
John the Baptist could have served in the temple. He was the son of a priest, and by birthright that door was open to him. Instead he lived in the desert, and that's where the word of God found him. Today we slow down on one phrase in verse two and ask what the wilderness actually was, why John chose it over the temple, and why God so often separates people before He uses them. Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Why was John in the wilderness? Luke told us back in chapter one, verse eighty, that the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. So the wilderness is essentially where John grew up. The practical reason may be simple. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both advanced in years when he was born, so it's reasonable to think they died while he was still young. Scripture doesn't say, but something moved him out of the village and into the desert early. There's also the calling. Gabriel said he would drink no wine or liquor and would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, which sounds a great deal like the Nazirite vow from Numbers 6. Normally a person chose that vow. John was set apart from conception, the way Samson and Samuel were. That word anointing means set apart. Someone with that kind of calling was never going to live an ordinary village life. Mark fills in the picture. John was clothed with camel's hair, wore a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. Locusts were permitted food under the law, so he was eating what God provided in the desert. The clothing is not an accident either. Elijah is described in 2 Kings as a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist, and Gabriel said John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. John was dressing the part. He didn't have to. It was a physical way of showing people who he was and what he had come to do. Why does it matter that he chose this? Because he had another option. John was the son of Zechariah, a priest. By birth he had the right to serve in the temple. He could have spent those years in the temple courts waiting for Jesus to begin His ministry, and it would have been far more comfortable. The temple was the center of Israel's worship, the place where God's presence dwelt with His people, the most sacred address in the entire nation. John went the opposite direction. What was that wilderness actually like? When we hear desert we picture sand dunes. This was not that. This was rocky hills, deep ravines, scrub brush, and almost no water. The area sits in the shadow of the mountains of Judea, so storms drop their rain on the Jerusalem side and very little makes it over. Jericho gets only a few inches a year. In spring a thin grass comes up and shepherds bring flocks through, but the rest of the year it is dry and very hot, especially as you drop toward the Dead Sea, which sits about 1,400 feet below sea level, the lowest place on dry land anywhere on earth. The Hebrew word for this region is midbar, and it doesn't mean dead. It means uncultivated. Open country where you might drive flocks at certain times of year, but land nobody could farm and nobody owned. This is the land David knew. He shepherded here as a boy and hid here from Saul. When he wrote in Psalm 63 about seeking God in a dry and weary land where there is no water, he wasn't only being poetic. He was describing what he could see. How did people at that time think about the wilderness? They held two feelings about it at once. First, it was dangerous, physically and spiritually. No water, extreme heat, wild animals, even rumors of lions, and bandits. The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho ran through here, which is the road in the story of the Good Samaritan. People understood that story because they knew that road. Beyond the physical, they believed evil was out there. On the Day of Atonement they drove a goat carrying the sins of Israel out into the wilderness, which we read in Leviticus. Isaiah 34 describes ruined desert places haunted by wild creatures. Jesus Himself later says an unclean spirit passes through waterless places. Keep that in mind, because in Luke 4 Jesus goes into this same wilderness for forty days. Second, and at the same time, it was holy ground. Many would have remembered the wilderness as the place where God courted Israel. In Jeremiah 2, God says He remembers the devotion of her youth, the love of her betrothals, her following after Him in the wilderness. It was almost their honeymoon, the time before they had anything, when they simply followed Him. This is where Israel became a people. They came out of Egypt and spent forty years in the desert. They received the law at Sinai. They ate manna. They learned to depend on God for water. This was the place where they had nothing but Him.
- 2 days ago10 min
Thursday Daily Affirmations: I Trust in the Lord to Guide My Steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Thursday Daily Affirmations: I Trust in the Lord to Guide My Steps (Proverbs 3:5-6) You were created on purpose, for a purpose. These Scripture-based Christian affirmations are a short, steady way to walk into your day with intention, clarity, and wisdom. Whether you're questioning your calling or finding your footing in a new season, today's affirmations will help you trust God's plan, listen for His guidance, and move forward with boldness. I'll say each affirmation, pause so you can repeat it after me, and then share the Scripture it's based on. Links AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: Patreon Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Before we begin God created you for a reason. Your life is not an accident, and your steps are not random. He has a plan for you, a purpose that brings glory to Him and fulfillment to your heart. As you listen to these affirmations, let them remind you that God is leading, guiding, and equipping you for everything He has called you to do. Thursday affirmations and Scripture God has a purpose for my life and I walk in His plan. Jeremiah 29:11 I trust in the Lord to guide my steps. Proverbs 3:5-6 I seek wisdom, and God gives it freely. James 1:5 God is directing my steps and I do not walk alone. Psalm 37:23 I am a light in this world, shining for Christ. Matthew 5:14 God has prepared good works for me to do today. Ephesians 2:10 I am equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17 I walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 I will walk in faith, not in fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 God's Word lights my path. Psalm 119:105 I choose obedience, knowing God's ways are best. Deuteronomy 5:33 I live with purpose and do not waste my time. Ephesians 5:15-16 I am called to make an impact for God's Kingdom. Matthew 28:19-20 I have the mind of Christ and seek His wisdom daily. 1 Corinthians 2:16 I am a vessel for God's work. 2 Corinthians 4:7 I will not grow weary in doing good. Galatians 6:9 God's purpose for me cannot be stopped. Job 42:2 I do everything for the glory of God. Colossians 3:23 God is using my life to accomplish His plan. Romans 8:28 I am bold in sharing the gospel. Romans 1:16 I walk in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 I remain steadfast in my calling. 1 Corinthians 15:58 God will finish the work He started in me. Philippians 1:6 I live with an eternal perspective. Colossians 3:2 I press forward in my faith, knowing my reward is in Heaven. Philippians 3:13-14 Closing prayer Father, thank You for calling me to a life of purpose. Help me to walk in wisdom today, seeking You in all I do. Give me clarity where I need direction, courage where I need boldness, and a heart that is always ready to serve You. Let my life bring You glory. In Jesus' name, Amen. I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to go deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up next. Listen daily and start your morning with God's truth so you can walk in faith, clarity, and confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 days ago30 min
Power Does Not Equal Influence
Luke opens chapter three with a list of names most of us skip. An emperor, a governor, three regional rulers, two high priests. Every one of them had access, money, and a platform. And the word of God went past all of them to a man in the wilderness. Today we slow down and work through who these people actually were, why Luke includes them, and what it means that God chose the one person on that page nobody would have picked. Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Why does Luke open with a list of names? For years I skipped this part. It felt like Roman background I didn't need. But when we slow down to actually study the word, we find that everything is there on purpose. Luke wrote this, but these words are God breathed, which means the Holy Spirit decided what went in and what stayed out. Luke is doing two things. First, he's dating the story like a historian. That's how the ancient world marked time, by naming who held power. He's writing to Gentiles, so he's saying these were real rulers and this really happened, and you can go check it. Second, he's setting up a contrast that lands in verse two. Who was Tiberius Caesar? The emperor of Rome, and the stepson of Caesar Augustus, the one we talked about in the Christmas story. Augustus adopted him as his heir. That detail tells us how much time has passed. Augustus ruled from 27 BC to AD 14. Tiberius ruled from AD 14 to 37, so his fifteenth year puts us around AD 28 or 29, which is when John started preaching. It lines up with verse 23, where Jesus is about thirty. Last we saw Him, He was twelve in the temple. One thing worth knowing: after Julius Caesar, Caesar stopped being a family name and became a title, basically another word for emperor. Every Roman ruler after him took it, which is part of why this gets confusing. Tiberius was not a popular leader. He was suspicious of people and harsh with anyone he saw as a threat, and he eventually withdrew from Rome entirely to the island of Capri while the empire mostly ran without him. Who was Pontius Pilate? The Roman governor of Judea from about AD 26 to 36. His official title was prefect, and we know that for certain because in 1961 archaeologists digging in Caesarea found a stone slab with his name and title carved into it. It's called the Pilate Stone. Jewish writers from that time describe him as stubborn and cruel. He brought Roman military standards into Jerusalem knowing it would offend Jewish law. He took money from the temple treasury to build an aqueduct. Luke 13 mentions Galileans he had killed while they were offering sacrifices. He's eventually the man who hands Jesus over to be crucified. Which Herod is this one? This is where a lot of us get lost, so let's slow down. The Herod in the Christmas story was Herod the Great, and he is not the same Herod you meet later. He died around 4 BC. He had about ten wives and a lot of children, and he was so paranoid about losing his throne that he killed three of his own sons. A Roman writer said it was safer to be Herod's pig than his son. When he died, Rome split his kingdom three ways among his surviving sons. None of them became king. The word tetrarch means ruler of a fourth. A family that once held all the power was now fractured into pieces. Archelaus got the largest share, including Judea. He was brutal, and after about ten years both the Jews and the Samaritans, who agreed on almost nothing, complained to Rome and Augustus removed him. That's how Judea ended up under direct Roman governors like Pilate. He shows up in the Christmas story too. When Joseph came back from Egypt and heard Archelaus was ruling Judea, he was afraid to go there and settled in Nazareth instead, which we read in Matthew 2. Philip ruled the northeastern territories and built Caesarea Philippi, the city where Peter later confessed that Jesus was the Christ. Of all the Herods, he had the best reputation. Herod Antipas is the one named here. He ruled Galilee, where Jesus grew up and did most of His ministry. He's the one who arrests John the Baptist and eventually has him beheaded. Jesus calls him that fox in Luke 13, and Pilate sends Jesus to him during the trial. There's a fourth son we hear little about, usually called Herod II. He never ruled anything, but he was the first husband of Herodias. Antipas took her from him, and that's the marriage John the Baptist called out publicly. That is eventually what costs John his freedom and his life. Later there's Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, who kills the apostle James in Acts 12. This family line runs from the birth of Jesus all the way through Acts. Who was Lysanias? An obscure ruler, not related to the Herods at all, who ruled a small region called Abilene near Damascus. Some people have questioned why Luke bothers to include him. He's there for the same
- 3 days ago10 min
Wednesday Daily Affirmations: I Cast All My Worries Onto Jesus (1 Peter 5:7)
Wednesday Daily Affirmations: I Cast All My Worries Onto Jesus (1 Peter 5:7) Midweek is when the noise gets loudest. These Scripture-based Christian affirmations are a short, steady way to trade anxiety for peace and remember that God is still in control of what you can't see yet. Today's affirmations are about surrendering worry, resting in His presence, and trusting His timing even when the picture isn't clear. God's peace isn't just a feeling. It's a promise. I'll say each statement, then pause so you can repeat it after me, and then I'll share the Scripture it comes from. Links AD-FREE Daily Affirmations are on my Patreon: Patreon Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe Before we begin Breathe in God's peace, and exhale your worries. This day is a gift, and no matter what's ahead, you can trust that God is in control. His love is steady. His plans for you are good. His presence goes before you. Let these affirmations remind you to trust Him today. Wednesday affirmations and Scripture I am ruled by God's peace today. Isaiah 26:3 I cast all my worries onto Jesus. He carries them for me. 1 Peter 5:7 I will not be anxious. I will pray and trust God. Philippians 4:6-7 God's plans for me are good, and I trust Him. Jeremiah 29:11 I do not need to worry about tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 I will rest in God's presence today. Exodus 33:14 God is my refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1 I will not let my heart be troubled. I trust in God. John 14:27 The Lord directs my steps. Proverbs 3:5-6 Even when I don't understand, I trust in God's wisdom. Romans 11:33 I do not have to be afraid because God is with me. Deuteronomy 31:8 God is fighting for me. Exodus 14:14 I am not alone. God walks with me. Isaiah 41:13 God is my rock and salvation. I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:6 I find rest in God alone. Psalm 62:1 God's love never fails me. Lamentations 3:22-23 I have peace because I am in Christ. John 16:33 I wait on the Lord and He renews my strength. Isaiah 40:31 I will trust in God, even when I don't see the whole picture. 2 Corinthians 5:7 God is working all things for my good. Romans 8:28 God's peace rules in my heart today. Colossians 3:15 I give my burdens to the Lord and He sustains me. Psalm 55:22 I will be still and know that He is God. Psalm 46:10 I trust God's timing and His ways. Ecclesiastes 3:11 I will rejoice in the Lord always. Philippians 4:4 Closing prayer Father, I surrender my worries to You. I choose to rest in Your peace today, trusting that You are in control. Fill my heart with faith instead of fear, and let Your peace guard my mind. In Jesus' name, Amen. I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to go deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up next. Listen daily and start your morning with God's truth so you can walk in faith, clarity, and confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 4 days ago24 min
When You Know It Was God but Don't Understand It: Luke 2:41-52
Mary knew exactly who her son was. She had the angel, the virgin conception, the shepherds, and Simeon's prophecy. And when her twelve-year-old said he had to be in his Father's house, Scripture tells us plainly that she did not understand what he said to her. Today we're finishing Luke 2 with Jesus at twelve in the temple. This passage gets taught incorrectly a lot, so we're going to slow down and ask some questions of the text. We'll look at what Passover actually meant to this family, what Jesus was really doing among the teachers, and the difference between knowing something and understanding it. Join me on an immersive Bible Study Experience. Learn more at BibleStudyLive.org Have a question about the series or a prayer request? Leave me a voicemail: SpeakPipe SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow. SEEDS What was the Feast of Passover? It goes back to Exodus 12, the night God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt. Each family killed a lamb without defect and put its blood on the doorposts, and when God's judgment moved through Egypt that night, He passed over the homes marked with the blood. That same night Pharaoh finally let God's people go. God told them to keep that meal every year forever. Roasted lamb, bread without yeast because there hadn't been time to let it rise, and bitter herbs to remember the bitterness of slavery. The feast ran eight days, one for Passover itself and seven for the Feast of Unleavened Bread right after, which is why Luke says they stayed until the days were over. It fell in late March or April, right around when we observe Easter. Deuteronomy 16 required all the men to appear before the Lord three times a year, at Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Technically only Joseph had to go. Mary went anyway, which was common for devoted families but not universal. We see the same thing with Hannah going up year after year in 1 Samuel. Luke is telling us this was a faithful household. There was a lot of hard in their lives, and they kept showing up. Why did it take a day to notice Jesus was missing? Because nobody traveled alone. Nazareth was about eighty to ninety miles from Jerusalem by road, which was a three to five day walk, and families traveled together in large groups with relatives and neighbors for safety. Luke tells us exactly that in verse 44. So when Mary and Joseph couldn't find Jesus, it was because they assumed he was with the caravan, somewhere among thirty cousins. A whole day could pass before anyone noticed a twelve-year-old was gone. What was Jerusalem like during Passover? Packed. Scholars think Jerusalem normally held somewhere in the tens of thousands, and during Passover it swelled well beyond that. Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, wrote about numbers in the millions. Many scholars think that's heavily exaggerated, or that he simply meant there were people everywhere. People camped on the hillsides and in surrounding villages because there was nowhere to stay in the city. The temple courts would have been loud and crowded, with lambs being sacrificed and the Levitical priests singing psalms. For a boy from a small village, this would have been one of the biggest things he saw all year. Why did Passover matter so much to them? For us it reads like a history lesson. For them it was how Israel remembered who they were and where they came from. God built the teaching right into it. Exodus 12 says that when your children ask what this rite means, you tell them the story again. So every year the children asked and the parents retold it. That's part of how the faith got handed down, because most people couldn't read. It was an oral history carried by ritual. And remember where they were standing. Israel was under Roman occupation. A feast week about God breaking the power of an empire and setting His people free meant something. During Passover, they were reminded of hope. Rome knew it too, which is why the Roman governor came up from the coast with extra soldiers during the feast to prevent a riot. What is being foreshadowed here? Think about what's happening. A twelve-year-old boy travels to Jerusalem for a feast about a lamb whose blood saved people from death, and he sits in the temple courts asking questions. About twenty years later he comes back to that same city, at that same feast, at that same time of year, and becomes the Lamb himself. Paul says it in 1 Corinthians: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. There's one more thing I hadn't noticed until this time studying it. Mary and Joseph searched three days before they found him. Later, at Passover, three days would pass before Jesus was found again. That pricked my heart about how strategic God was in the timing. Was Jesus teaching or learning in the temple? This is where the passage often gets taught incorrectly. Verse 46 says he was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking
Get Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Kids Bible Stories
Bible stories for children brought to life with sound and playful voices to help them connect faith to daily life.
Achievers Therapy
Spiritual wisdom and motivational messages to inspire personal growth and purposeful living through faith.
Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life TV Audio Podcast
A daily broadcast by Joyce Meyer offering practical advice and spiritual encouragement for daily living.
Lisa Harper's Back Porch Theology
Conversations about faith, theology, and everyday life from a Christian perspective, exploring biblical truth with warmth and authenticity.
Bible in a Year with Jack Graham
A daily guided journey through the entire Bible with commentary and storytelling to help apply Scripture to everyday life.
Jesus People Podcast
Stories of faith, struggle, and spiritual transformation through personal encounters with Jesus.
Don't Miss This Study
Grace Freeman Smith & David Butler
Truth Seekers: Bible Stories for Kids - Christian Kids Podcast, Family-Friendly Bible Podcast, Christian Parenting Resource
Bible stories for kids told in an engaging way to teach faith, courage, and God's plan of redemption.
Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life TV Podcast
Joyce Meyer
Heroes in the Bible
Examines the lives of biblical figures such as Ruth and Joseph, focusing on their trials, faith, and divine purpose.
BibleProject
Explores the Bible and theological concepts through detailed discussions that complement animated video content.
Knowing Faith
Explores the Christian faith through Scripture, examining belief, practice, and biblical foundations in an accessible way.
About Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations
Do you ever wonder whether you're actually hearing God's voice, or whether it's just your own? Have you been in a season where He feels completely silent? Hosted by Rachael Groll, the Hearing Jesus Podcast brings together daily Bible study, Christian affirmations, prayer, and spiritual growth to help you hear God more clearly and go deeper with Him. Each episode opens the Bible through historical context, Spirit-led teaching, and honest encouragement, so you can understand Scripture, strengthen your faith, and live it out in ordinary days. Episodes cover daily devotionals, Christian prayer, Bible teaching, hearing the Holy Spirit, emotional healing, identity in Christ, and learning to recognize God's direction in a noisy world. Whether you're looking for a daily devotional podcast, Christian encouragement, Bible study for women, or practical teaching on hearing God and following Jesus, this is a place to grow.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Rachael Groll.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations release new episodes?
Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations publishes daily. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations cover?
Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations covers topics including Education, Religion & Spirituality, Spirituality, Christianity. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study and Christian Affirmations summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.