Envy, Distraction, and the Narrow Road: Asaph's Warning for Us Today

Tired of the Spiritual Roller Coaster? The Answer Is Hearkening

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2503792/fan_mail/new] Do you sometimes feel like your walk with God is a spiritual roller coaster — full of highs and lows, with the downs coming a whole lot faster than the ups? In this episode of the Confidence in God podcast, host Julie McGhghy uncovers a powerful gold nugget hidden in Psalm 81:8-9 that holds the key to getting off that ride for good. Julie dives deep into the difference between hearing God's Word and truly hearkening to it — and why that distinction makes all the difference in keeping God first in your life. Through Scripture, including the story of Samuel's growth from simply hearing to fully hearkening, you'll discover how to move from inconsistency to a confident, steady walk with God. Resources:  Walking with Confidence [https://confidenceingod.com/walking-with-confidence-in-gods-love-and-protection/]  Understanding God's Expectations [https://confidenceingod.com/understanding-gods-expectations-letting-go-of-guilt-and-shame/]  Episode Timeline: Total Time 17:26    | Timestamp | Section  | 0:00 | Introduction — Welcome & podcast goal | 0:13 | The Roller Coaster Analogy — Do you love roller coasters? | 0:57 | The Spiritual Roller Coaster — Up and down walk with God | 1:47 | Episode Overview — Gold nuggets in Scripture; 3-part series intro | 2:38 | Previous Episodes Referenced — Love & Protection; Guilt & Shame | 3:26 | Psalm 81:8-9 — The if/then statement introduced | 3:51 | Breaking Down the Promise — If you hearken, then no strange gods | 4:06 | Applies to Christians — Romans 11:11-21; grafted into the tree | 4:47 | Strange Gods Today — Career, money, family, comfort; enmity (Romans 8:6) | 6:00 | The Gold Nugget — Hearkening keeps God first | 6:33 | Defining "Hearken" — Hebrew definitions explored | 6:47 | Hearing Only — Prophecies & parables (2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Mark 4) | 7:08 | Hearing & Obeying — Abraham, Samuel (1 Samuel 15:22) | 7:40 | Hearing & Understanding — Solomon (1 Kings 3:9); Jesus in Mark 7 | 8:21 | Which Kind of Hearkening Is the Key? — Revisiting Psalm 81 | 9:17 | Hearing Only Is Not Enough | 10:47 | Samuel's Story — From hearing only to hearkening (1 Samuel 3:3-11) | 12:07 | The Lesson from Samuel — Connect with a teacher; hear, then obey | 12:39 | Recap — From hearing to hearkening; getting off the roller coaster | 13:46 | Looking Ahead — Next episode; reflection challenge | 14:31 | Closing Prayer

Envy, Distraction, and the Narrow Road: Asaph's Warning for Us Today

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2503792/fan_mail/new] Are you overwhelmed by the choices life puts in front of you? In this episode of the Confidence in God podcast, host Julie McGhghy simplifies the path forward by exploring Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:13-14 — the narrow road that leads to life versus the broad road that leads to destruction. Julie unpacks the beautiful promises of God found throughout the Psalms, showing how He holds our hands, guides our steps, and keeps us from falling as we travel the narrow path. But she also gives an honest look at how we can become vulnerable to slipping — through envy, distraction, and fixing our eyes on the seemingly carefree lives of those who ignore God. Drawing on the raw and relatable journey of Asaph in Psalm 73, Julie explores how one man nearly lost his footing on the path of righteousness — and what brought him back. You'll be reminded of the community of believers walking alongside you, the encouraging examples God places in your life, and the timeless call of the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. Whether you're running strong or feeling like you've twisted your ankle on the road, this episode will renew your confidence that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Resources:  Building Confidence Resources [https://confidenceingod.com/resources/]  Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ka7bVQmbnk]  Episode Timeline: Total Time 16:05 0:00 — Welcome & Introduction: Host Julie McGhghy introduces the episode and its focus on walking with confidence in God. 0:11 — The Two Paths: Introducing Jesus' teaching on the narrow path that leads to life and the broad path that leads to destruction 1:00 — God's Promises to Keep Us on the Narrow Road: Key scriptures showing how God holds our hand, orders our steps, and keeps us from falling  3:14 — Why Do We Still Stumble?: Examining why believers sometimes slip despite God's faithfulness 4:57 — Introducing Asaph and Psalm 73: Asaph's confession that he nearly slipped from the path of righteousness. 5:41 — The Danger of Envy and Comparison: How Asaph took his eyes off God to observe the seemingly carefree lives of the ungodly — and fell into envy. 8:05 — The Community Around You: The encouragers and examples God places on the narrow road with us — and how we lose sight of them when we look the other way. 10:32 — Asaph's Return to God: Asaph goes back to the sanctuary, repents, and rediscovers the goodness of God. 11:30 — Recap & Key Takeaways: Summarizing how we stay on the narrow path and guard against envy and distraction. 12:28 — Hebrews 12:1-2 & Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: A call to fix our eyes on Jesus, illustrated by the beloved hymn. 13:55 — Closing Prayer: Julie leads a prayer for focus, confidence, and trust in God.

The Key to Unlocking the Power of Jesus' Name

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2503792/fan_mail/new] Have you ever wondered what truly unlocks the power of Jesus' name? In this episode of the Confidence in God podcast, host Julie McGhghy takes you on a journey through scripture to explore the extraordinary power found in the name of Jesus — and reveals a surprising golden nugget hidden in a single verse in the Psalms that changes everything. We know the name of Jesus is exalted above every name (Philippians 2:9-11), that through it we receive forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and the ability to ask anything of God. But in Psalm 138:2, King David reveals something that stops us in our tracks: God has magnified His word above His name. What does that mean for us? Listen as Julie explains it.  Resources:   Building Confidence Resources [https://confidenceingod.com/resources/]  Episode Timeline: Total Time 13:57.8  0:00 — **Introduction** — Welcome to the Confidence in God podcast; episode overview  0:12 — **Episode Preview** — The power of Jesus' name and the surprising golden nugget from the Psalms  0:35 — **Resource Mention** — Free resources at confidenceingod.com/resources  1:12 — **How God Has Exalted Jesus' Name** — Hebrews 1:4 and Philippians 2:9-11  2:01 — **The Power in Jesus' Name** — Review of scriptures on forgiveness, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and more  3:35 — **The Golden Nugget** — Psalm 138:2: God has magnified His Word above His name  7:15 — **Bringing It All Together** — What it means that God magnified His Word above the name of Jesus  10:59 — **The Word as the Key** — Scriptures on the power of God's Word in our lives  11:24 — **Closing Prayer** — Prayer for every listener to grab hold of the Word  12:30 — **Resource Reminder** — confidenceingod.com/resources  12:50 — **Outro** — Subscribe, share, rate/review, and closing encouragement

Rest in Him: Avoiding Burnout in a Busy Life

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2503792/fan_mail/new] Have you ever found yourself running on empty — overwhelmed by deadlines, endless to-do lists, and the pressure to do it all? In this episode of the Confidence in God podcast, host Julie McGhghy shares a candid and relatable look at burnout — what it is, why it happens, and most importantly, how to avoid it. Drawing from Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 2:13, and other scriptures, Julie offers practical, faith-based strategies to help you operate in your God-given giftings, examine your motives for serving, and stay connected to God — your ultimate power source. Whether you're juggling ministry roles, family responsibilities, or a demanding work schedule, this episode will encourage you to serve from a place of passion rather than obligation, and to find genuine rest in Jesus. Resources:  God’s Footstool: How Creation Draws Us Closer to Him [https://confidenceingod.com/gods-footstool-how-creation-draws-us-closer-to-him/]  Shifting Focus: Turning Moods into Moments of Praise [https://confidenceingod.com/shifting-focus-turning-moods-into-moments-of-praise/]  Additional Resources [https://confidenceingod.com/resources/]  Timeline: Total Time 15:14  | Timestamp | Section | 0:00 | Intro & Welcome | 0:11 | "Have You Ever Had One of Those Days?" — Context Setting | 1:05 | Julie's Current Season of Busyness & Why She's Recording | 2:22 | What Is Burnout? — Definition & Biblical Perspective (Matthew 11:28-30) | 3:51 | The Pharisaical Burden & Relevance Today | 5:16 | Tip #1 — Serve in Your God-Given Giftings | 7:19 | Tip #2 — Examine Your Motives (Ephesians 2:8-10) | 8:07 | Jesus Modeled Rest — Mark 6:31 | 8:47 | Tip #3 — Stay Plugged Into God (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, Philippians 2:13) | 9:54 | Action #1 — Be in God's Word Daily (James 1:22, Acts 17:11) | 10:33 | Action #2 — Be in Prayer Daily & Seek God's Voice (John 5:30, Psalm 95:7) | 12:09 | Wrap-Up Reflection — How This Episode Energized Julie | 12:41 | Summary & Encouragement | 13:37 | Resources & Related Episodes

When God Parts the Waters: Faith for Impossible Situations

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2503792/fan_mail/new] Have you ever wondered what possessed the apostle Peter to think he could walk on water? In this episode of the Confidence in God podcast, host Julie McGhghy explores the deep roots of Peter's bold faith — and what it means for us when we're caught between a rock and a hard place. Peter's faith didn't come out of nowhere. It was built on a rich heritage of God's miraculous works: Moses parting the Red Sea, Joshua leading Israel across the Jordan, and generations of God's people passing down stories of His faithfulness. When Peter stepped out of that boat, he was standing on centuries of evidence that God makes a way where there seems to be no way. In this episode, you'll discover: * Why Peter's faith to walk on water was greater than his moment of doubt * How the stories of Moses and Joshua are part of your heritage of faith too * How to encourage yourself in God when your enemy is pursuing you * How to trust God's promises even when you can't see how they'll come to pass Whether you're facing an impossible situation or holding on to promises from God that haven't yet been fulfilled, this episode will build your confidence that God will make a way — even one you've never heard of or could ever imagine. Episode Timeline: Total Time 13:26 | Time | Section  | 0:00 | Introduction — Welcome to the Confidence in God podcast | 0:11 | Peter's Bold Moment — The story of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22–33) | 1:01 | Episode Focus — What will we learn, and why it matters for your faith | 2:27 | Where Did Peter's Faith Come From? — His years walking with Jesus | 3:36 | The Power of Heritage — Faith built on more than personal experience | 3:53 | Moses & the Red Sea — God parts the waters (Exodus 14) | 6:26 | Joshua & the Jordan River — Crossing into the Promised Land (Joshua 3) | 7:19 | Rahab & the Spies — Even other nations believed in God's power (Joshua 2) | 8:30 | Application — Part 1 — When you're facing an impossible situation | 9:52 | Application — Part 2 — When God's promises feel delayed | 10:30 | Closing Promise — Isaiah 43:1–3, "Fear not, I have redeemed you" | 11:34 | Summary & Encouragement — Recap and call to faith