Susannah Baker shares through Scripture, conversations with others, and the lens of attachment, how our struggles and joys are never for nothing. God uses them all to draw us into deeper relationship with Himself and others. 

^{Mark 9:17-29}

¹⁷ And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; ¹⁸ and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” ¹⁹ And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” ²⁰ They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. ²¹ And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” ²³ And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” ²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” ²⁶ After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. ²⁸ When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁹ And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

Ephesians 6:12

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

^{2 Corinthians 10:4-5}

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

^{John 18:33-37}

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not ^[l]of this realm.” ³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.

^{John 15:18-19}

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

Genesis 4:11-15

 ^{11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! 14 Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.}

Jude

²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

^{Isaiah 5:20}

²⁰ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Pastor Jeff responds to a statement made by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine who says that our rights don't come from God.  Jeff points out that Kaine's statement contradicts the US Declaration of Independence; "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."

In light of the recent Cracker Barrel rebranding fiasco, we know branding can be tricky.  Branding expert Phil Cooke joins Pastor Jeff to discuss what a church should consider when attempting to rebrand or refresh their brand.

Dr. Eric Scalise, President and Chief Strategy Officer with Hope for the Heart, talks with Pastor Jeff about the upcoming release of THE CARE AND COUNSEL HANDBOOK.  Pastor Jeff an Dr. Scalise discuss strengths and deficiencies of the church, pastors and seminaries.

Pastor Jeff refers to Ezekiel 18:25 to say the way of the Lord is right, and he goes on to say those who follow their own ways are walking the path of destruction.

Jeff and Chris discuss the issue of anger. How are you with your anger?

¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us, And we know our iniquities: ¹³ Transgressing and denying the Lord,
And turning away from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words. ¹⁴ Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street,
And uprightness cannot enter. ¹⁵ Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.

Bibles for Babies is a week-long initiative to help provide babies' first Bibles to mothers who choose life. For only $10, you can provide one new Bible to a mother and baby.

In partnership with Parkgate Pregnancy Clinic, Hannah's Heart hosts, Anne Cockrell and Kendra White, began this campaign in 2024 in honor of John-Micah Cockrell and all mothers who have lost a child. Anne and Kendra encourage couples struggling with infertility or child loss to selflessly serve others in the midst of their deep grief. One way to serve is by providing a Bible to a mother as her first baby gift.  

If you find yourself struggling in this way or simply wish to help others, please consider supporting this mission with a tax-deductible donation today.  Donate now.

Timothy Paul Jones (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the C. Edwin Gheens professor of Christian family ministry, director of the Center for Christian Apologetics, and chair of the Department of Apologetics, Ethics, and Philosophy at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is author or editor of more than a dozen books. He serves as a preaching pastor at Sojourn Church in Midtown and cohosts The Apologetics Podcast.

Psalm 34:1-4

1 Corinthians 4:2

 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.