Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

Joy Comes in the Morning

A short episode to encourage you: joy truly does come in the morning. And even though that sometimes feels impossible in the darkness or in the wilderness, the seeds of future joy are being planted. Why? Because Jesus is always at work. He is moving in ways we cannot see. He can handle our grief and our depression and our questions. And He delights in filling us with His joy, love, hope, and peace.  I pray this episode encourages you - we can trust the Lord when He says that joy comes in the morning. It is truth we can cling to when the darkness crowds in. And it is something we can thank Him for and worship Him for as we journey through discipleship with the Lord.  Also, if you wanna rock out, here is the (very random) playlist I mentioned in the episode:  Joy Comes in the Morning Playlist [https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/joy-comes-in-the-morning/pl.u-d2b00DZIBprGJA] Scriptures Referenced: * Psalm 30 * Isaiah 61:1-3 * Hebrews 12 * Philippians 4 * Matthew 5 * John 15:9-10 * Job 25:6 You can find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/carriekintz/] / Threads [https://www.threads.com/carriekintz]

Who is Like the Lord?

Who is like the Lord? Sometimes, in the familiarity of our culture, where Jesus seems almost ubiquitous, we forget who He really is. We can grow desensitized to His holiness, grace, mercy, and power.  In today's episode, as we consider the things the Lord is requiring us to surrender or devote to destruction, let's fix our eyes on Jesus. Contemplate the character and goodness of the Father. Think about the faithfulness and leading of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord is not capricious. He does not live to make us miserable. Instead, He delights in conforming us to His image. He fights for our deliverance.  Let's ask ourselves: who do we really think the Lord is? And then compare it to these verses. I pray the Lord opens our eyes and deepens our understanding and love for Him and that gratitude would pour out from us because of who He is and what He has done.  Scriptures Referenced: * 1 Samuel 15 * Ephesians 6:10-18 * Isaiah 44:6-8 * Isaiah 6:1-5 * Exodus 15:11 * Mark 9:20-24 * John 10:7-11 * Colossians 1:14-20 * Philippians 2:5-10 * Revelation 1:12-18 You can find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/carriekintz/] / Threads [https://www.threads.com/carriekintz]

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

What the freedom we desire is on the other side of obedience?  In 1 Samuel 15, the Lord commands Saul to devote things of offense to destruction. But Saul, in his disobedience, decides to offer some things he kept back as a sacrifice. The Lord makes it clear: He desires our complete obedience in what He has commanded. Not the sacrifice of the defiled things He requires to be destroyed.  The Lord wants to free us. He wants us to know Him and to experience His love, grace, and mercy. He wants us to grow in sanctification and wisdom. But these things cannot happen if we refuse to surrender and give over to the Lord the things that have held me. To destroy them fully out of our lives. To destroy the idols that have held us captive.  Friends: Jesus is alive. He wants us to walk in confidence. He has come to free us from the oppression of the devil, the tyranny of the flesh, and the bondage of the world. Today, let's fully cut away the things that the Lord wants to destroy that have brought death that we would be raised into the newness of the life of Jesus. Scriptures Referenced: * 1 Samuel 15 * 2 Peter 1 * Acts 2 * Luke 9:23-24 * Isaiah 53 * Psalm 51 * Romans 5 and 6 You can find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/carriekintz/] / Threads [https://www.threads.com/carriekintz]

How Abiding in Jesus is the Key to Identity

Identity is a big deal. We all want to know who we are, where we fit in this world, and what we were made for. There are a million voices trying to define identity for us.  "We fight from love, not for it." - Jennie Allen, The Lie You Don't Know You Believe [https://www.amazon.com/Lie-You-Dont-Know-Believe/dp/B0FQ672VJM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QJN4UDM5CGC4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.z1ASMlbX_ciP8Y5YryxYPckLGfUFmvedkrvceVZBEcYg_QmaFuE0K7P1Y96Dym6WVbCs9iSt2f3YuDdJdC0hAi6rtRz1l334RkbctzIkpFAYQjQLrHXNi-vMxje6YyST.r_ZKQ41j30-ZkZd3gGLuDiotO6v88yebBR9_zQBqesg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+lies+we+believe+jennie+allen&qid=1777422681&sbo=6l4LV4wiIM4ZjN%2Ffpg3jyQ%3D%3D&sprefix=the+lies+we+believe+jennie+allen%2Caps%2C3637&sr=8-1] (this is not an affiliate link, I just love the book!) But what if we tossed social media out the window, shut off the 24-hour news cycle, and started taking Jesus at His word. What if we believed Him when He tells us who we are and why everything changes when we stop believing the lies about Him, us, and His word. What if we started believing and experiencing the great love of the Lord which He lavished upon us at the cost of His own life and lived that love out toward others?  Here is the best news: Not only can we know the Lord's love for us, but we can abide there. He wants us to be where He is. He's died so we can know Him, the love of the Father, and be sealed by His Holy Spirit. We can walk in freedom, we can war for friends and family, and we can walk confidently in Jesus, secure in this truth: He loved us and gave Himself for us. Scriptures Referenced: * John 15:9-10 * Ephesians 1:3-14 You can find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/carriekintz/] / Threads [https://www.threads.com/carriekintz]

With Abiding Comes Pruning

What comes to your mind when you think about the Lord's pruning? Pain? Anguish? Suffering? All of those things may be true. But what happens if we take a moment and start to adjust our minds and hearts and consider the One who is doing the pruning. The One whom the Scriptures call Love, Faithful, True, Just, Righteous, Kind, Slow to Anger, Gracious, Compassionate and so many other attributes.  In today's episode I talk about pruning seasons. Because let's face it: Pruning is difficult. But when we see that the loving hand of the Father prunes us so that we can know Him more deeply...so that we can be conformed to the image of Jesus and be confidently led by the Holy Spirit in this walk of discipleship? Friends, there is joy unspeakable and fully of glory that waits for us.  We don't deny the agony. The pain. The grief. We lament. We cry out. We wrestle. But we don't live there. We can have joy in the Lord's pruning process. We can trust His loving hand to cut, even when it's deep and He seems to take something good. He wants to see us grow and thrive in Him. To see His joy within us and our joy be made full.  Scriptures Referenced: * Psalm 111 * John 15:1-2 * Galatians 5:22-24 * Psalm 139:23-24 * Luke 9:23-24 * 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 You can find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/carriekintz/] / Threads [https://www.threads.com/carriekintz]