Articles
- By Jill Briscoe
You’ve likely heard before that God uses the picture of a marriage relationship as a metaphor of His relationship to His people. That’s one of the many reasons it’s important that Christian marriages stay together. Because when they fall apart, the picture is spoiled. In ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
I think everybody who goes to church has probably heard the expression, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!” That, of course, is a quotation from Jesus in Matthew 4:4 when He was ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
Question: I believe the gospel, but I struggle to embrace it in a personal way. How do I make the step from knowing to trusting? Answer: Only the Holy Spirit can bring deep conviction of sin and the desire for genuine repentance. We have to ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Psalm 23 contains some of the most famous verses of the Bible. I want to share a couple of them with you, and show you how through the living Word of God, you can experience true and lasting joy. Even though I walk through the ...
- By Jill Briscoe
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10 How true it is. In Psalm 137, we find the Israelites in Babylon as refugees by coercion, slaves of cruel masters, far away from home with only bad memories as ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
Stuart’s Timeless Wisdom: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 In John 17, Jesus tells His disciples that He has completed ...
- By Telling the Truth
We recently heard from a listener named Ellen in North Carolina, who shared… “I prayed for years that my family would accept Christ as their Savior. Then one day my niece did! But she was getting confused by various Bible teachers, so I gave her ...
- By Telling the Truth
The story of Esther is a powerful one because it reminds us that God’s light always shines in the darkness—and that He can use you to be that light. Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, which means “myrtle tree.” But the Persians renamed her, Esther, which ...
- By Nancy Grisham
Don’t you just love how God chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish His purposes? Because as members of the body of Christ, God promises to give every single believer spiritual gifts to bless and build up the Church. As I read through this newsletter, ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Years ago, I went into the hospital with stomach pain. After examining me for a few moments, the doctors told me they needed to quickly take out my appendix. Easy enough, I thought. That’s a routine procedure. Eight days after my surgery, I was still ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
Stuart’s timeless teaching continues to help people experience Life! In James chapter 1, we find this promise: If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5) It’s ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Years ago, I went into the hospital with stomach pain. After examining me for a few moments, the doctors told me they needed to quickly take out my appendix. Easy enough, I thought. That’s a routine procedure. Eight days after my surgery, I was still ...
- By Nancy Grisham
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned from Stuart and Jill’s teaching and example over the years it’s this: In the Christian life, it’s absolutely essential to keep looking to Jesus. Like me, I’m sure you know what it’s like to feel discouraged and weary in ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Listen to Jill recite her poem below: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Isaiah 42:3 Bruised but never broken Down but not destroyed Battered by life’s problems Sick or unemployed. Struggling with a marriage Rejected ...
- By Telling the Truth
The Old Testament book of Habakkuk gives us an insightful look at a conversation between the prophet and God. Things were going badly for the people of Judah, and the Babylonian kingdom was knocking at the door, ready to come in and take them out. ...
- By Telling the Truth
His Timeless Words of Wisdom Q: When someone loses their focus on Jesus, how can they get it back? A: Well, there can be all kinds of reasons that you get distracted and your focus on the Lord becomes blurred. But one way this can ...
- By Telling the Truth
Stuart’s teaching continues to help people experience Life! When Fanny Crosby was six weeks old, she was blinded for life. But as she grew, her grandmother would meticulously and carefully describe the world to her. She became Fanny’s eyes. She also discovered the girl had ...
- By Nancy Grisham
As I read Stuart and Jill’s teaching on encouragement throughout this newsletter, I think of how many times their precious words have encouraged me. I’m confident you do too. And though encouragement can seem so… soft when compared to the harsh realities of our world, ...
- By Telling the Truth
One of the greatest needs people have today is the need for encouragement. Taken from the Old French, the word encourage means to give someone heart (Coeur is French for “heart.”). When you lose heart—become discouraged—it can take you out of faith, out of mission, ...
- By Stuart & Jill Briscoe
Is your marriage harder than you want it to be? Stuart Briscoe liked to say that marriage is as simple as ABC, or adjustments based on commitments. This biblical wisdom helped Jill and him build a strong, healthy marriage over their 60+ years together. But ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
More people than ever seem to be worried about the trends in our culture. This is not just Christians, it’s not just naysayers, it’s not just doom and gloom people. It’s commentators right across the board! We live in a culture in desperate need of ...
- By Jill Briscoe
I distinctly remember the day it happened… I was sitting down having my regular time of devotion when the thought occurred to me: For almost all of my life, reading Scripture was an exercise in recitation. With good intentions, I would sit, open my Bible, ...
- By Nancy Grisham
It’s a new year, and God has written hope over our future! However, as we look ahead, we remember the past—and give thanks and honor to God for all that He has done. That gratitude includes being faithful to build on Stuart’s enduring teaching of ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Every believer will face temptation to fall into sin. And learning from someone else’s defeat is the safest way to discover how to have victory. Take King David and Bathsheba, for example. In 2 Samuel 11, they both found themselves on the roof with temptation. ...
- By Nancy Grisham
Nearly 30 years have passed since I first met Stuart and Jill Briscoe. But when I think of one word that sums up how I feel about those 30 years, it’s grateful. I’m grateful for all God has done through these dear friends. And in ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
I remember once thinking as a kid, Why would the same sun melt wax and harden clay? You and I know today, of course, that the sun doesn’t actually change the properties of either one. It simply reveals how wax and clay react differently to ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Back when Stuart and I were missionaries, his travel schedule was painfully arduous. For several months out of the year he was gone, traveling all over the world teaching the Bible. It would be an understatement to say it was very difficult for me. I ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Question: Jill, why is it dangerous to bring the worries of tomorrow into today? Jill: Scripture teaches that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Faith here being a saving faith or trusting in God to be what we cannot be and do what ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
When worry weighs heavy on your mind, evenings may be filled with tossing, turning, and fretting over the future. But as difficult as those nights might be, I want to offer you a bit of encouragement. Because after every restless night comes a new, beaming ...
- By Telling the Truth
How do you deal with worry and anxiety in your life? I’d like to suggest to you that it may be helpful to imagine anxiety and worry as two rough and ugly characters. They try to force themselves into your heart and mind. They relentlessly ...
- By Jill Briscoe
No one ever loved like Jesus. Throughout His earthly ministry, He demonstrated perfect love to all kinds of people—including those who had earned a reputation for their sin. One of the more notable examples was the Samaritan woman He met at the well in John’s ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
I once visited a small village in Bangladesh. As I was introduced to its Muslim elders, the way they greeted me—a reserved British man— made me quite uncomfortable. One elder came and stood with the end of his nose just three inches from mine. He ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
What happens when you don’t feel an overwhelming love for people? Does it mean there’s something wrong with your commitment to the Lord? The simple fact is, we come across many people who are not easy to love—individuals who may be challenging, irritating, or rude. ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
People can find some satisfaction in working hard. We translate work into money, and we channel money into everything we think our hearts desire. But ultimately, we will always look for something more. Money may buy abundant pleasure—it’s true. And proper pleasure is something God ...
- By Jill Briscoe
With all the recent traumas the world has been through—and continues to go through—my mind has been drawn to the woman Jesus met at the well. She had been restless and desperate, needing God’s help. The woman echoes some of King Solomon’s own needs in ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
Have you heard how tribesmen in Africa catch monkeys? They put peanuts in a narrow-necked jar, then bury the jar up to its mouth. As a monkey smells the peanuts, he’ll wander over, put his hand in the jar, and grab hold of a peanut. ...
- By Jill Briscoe
What do you need most? What is it that you’re seeking? I had a wonderful mother who always looked out for my siblings and me. When she’d send me off somewhere, she’d get out her purse, open it, and say, “Here you are, Jill. It’s ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
Early in 2022, people in Ukraine were going about their business as normal. Today, they are in the midst of a horrendous war—their homes and possessions being pulverized, their lives shattered as they shelter in bunkers or brave the perils of fleeing their country. And ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Q: How do you pray for someone who is struggling against unseen forces? A: Once we come to personal faith in Christ, it’s impossible for Him to leave or forsake us. But it is possible for spiritual struggles to keep us from getting to know ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
The Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her.” — Luke 10:41-42 Sheer busyness has proven to ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
In spiritual warfare, as in any battle, a clear understanding of where the battle lines are drawn and the strength of your weaponry is critical. Victory depends on it! C.S. Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall ...
- By Jill Briscoe
Soon after I became a Christian, I was introduced to the concept of a quiet time—your scheduled time to be alone with God each day. The girl who led me to faith was well practiced in her own devotional discipline. And she was intent on ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
From my experience in the armed forces of the United Kingdom, I know a soldier must be thoroughly aware of three things: who his enemy is, how to operate his equipment, and his personal area of responsibility. Let’s quickly explore each of these areas through ...
- By Jill Briscoe
I don’t know about you, but I hate waiting. In our instant-gratification society, waiting is just hard, isn’t it? Sometimes waiting is merely inconvenient, like waiting for your food or for someone who’s running late. But sometimes waiting is distressing or downright painful. Maybe you’re ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
You and I inhabit a messed-up world. As followers of Jesus, it’s sometimes hard to figure out how to live in it. Should we isolate ourselves to keep ourselves unstained? Should we identify more closely with the world in order to win more people to ...
- By Stuart Briscoe
As you embark on this new year, you’ll no doubt look for ways to save time, spend time, buy time, and kill time. But if you don’t want to waste time, then I encourage you to make time for God every day in the year ...
- By Jill Briscoe
As believers, you and I live in a war zone. But we who love the Lord have a secret weapon. Well, it must be a “secret weapon,” because it seems like many Christians don’t know about it! But it’s certainly no secret to the devil. ...