What to Do When You Run Out of Prayers
Have you ever run out of prayers? Perhaps you’ve prayed so hard for something, and the answer didn’t come—or it didn’t come in the way you expected. Maybe the weight of disappointment has silenced your words. Or perhaps you’ve simply run out of spiritual energy, the strength needed to engage in the holy work of
God is always faithful… even when we’re not!
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 the Old Testament, Israel, the bride of God, was unfaithful
Feast on the Word of God!
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 tempted in the wilderness by the evil one to turn
Ask Stuart
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 first recognize the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. And then it
He will fill you up…
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 darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…. (Psalm 23:4)
Recover your joy!
“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 their company. Mockingly, the Babylonians tell them to “Sing us one of the
Embrace your mission… and step into joy
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 His task and it’s time for Him to go to His Father. But He says
You pointed her to 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 some of the Briscoes’ CDs. She called me so excited,
Courage Is Doing the Right Thing Scared
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 means “little star.” And like a star, she shone brightly
Wisdom
Listen to Jill recite her poem below: Lord, give me a wise discerning heart To judge the hardest cause, Give me a prudent knowing heart A copy, Lord, of yours. And grant me health to serve you, Lord, And give me wealth to spend, On other’s needs than on my own So want and hunger
It’s you too!
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, I’m filled with thankfulness for the abundant gift of wisdom
God’s pruning will make you prosper
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 in pain. So the doctor examined me once again and said, “You’ve
How you can walk in the way of wisdom
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 a realistic promise—God knows that you and I do indeed lack wisdom. And
How you can prosper through God’s pruning
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 in pain. So the doctor examined me once again and said, “You’ve
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus!
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 the race of faith. When life’s trials pile up and
Bruised But Never Broken
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 we may be Bruised but never broken His promise is
Trusting God in the Waiting
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. It was in this circumstance that Habakkuk looked to God
Ask Stuart
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 be rectified is to simply renew your acquaintance with the Lord. And
The Power of Encouragement
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 a real gift for poetry, so she began to work
Ask Jill
Q: Jill, how does knowing that God is in our circumstances comfort us, even when the circumstances are terrible? A: We have to live in what we know, not simply what we feel. When we’re in trouble, we’re going to feel emotional. And so often we’re not going to feel God in those circumstances. The comfort
Becoming Like Barnabas
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, Jill’s teaching on Barnabas, the “Son of Encouragement” reminds me of the
You Can Pass Hope Along
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, out of church, and out of family. But God wants more for
Shift Your Focus and Strengthen Your Marriage
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 he’d have been the first to tell you that it didn’t
How Can You Experience Revival
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 revival. And that begins with a revival in the Church.
Experiencing the Power of God’s Word
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, and tell God what His Word said. It wasn’t until
Hope Is Stamped Over Our Future
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 truth, faith, and hope. The Telling the Truth family—which I am so grateful
Get Off the Roof
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. David was surveying his kingdom when he should have been out
Ask Jill
Question: Jill, how do you fight temptation? Answer: I try to look at the model Jesus gave and trust in the power of God. Sometimes we think that when we fight temptation and say no, God will take away the hunger for whatever it is that we’re hungry for—food or sex or any other God-given appetite.
In Christ, Friends Are Family
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 this season of thankfulness, I’m thankful that when I was adopted
Are You Wax or Clay? Temptation Will Reveal the Truth!
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 heat. In the same way, two different people can be exposed
A Word from Jill
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 distinctly remember kneeling down one night beside my bed and
Q&A with Jill
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 we cannot do. Against that backdrop of faith, worry means trying to
Give Each Day a Fresh Start
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 dawn—and a new, gracious opportunity. In the bright, fresh dawn
You can experience more joy and less worry TODAY!
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 prod and poke you to steal your joy, keep you
The only thing that satisfies our deepest longing
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 gospel. Rabbinical tradition from that time would have compelled Jesus
Get comfortable with getting close to God
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 put his hands on my shoulders, and I was instructed
A word for when love isn’t easy
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. And it’s quite natural to react negatively to such people.
When success doesn’t satisfy, find purpose in your Provider
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 wants for all of us! After all, joy is an integral aim of His
A prayer for a thirsty soul
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 the book of Ecclesiastes—thirsting, searching for a drink of the
How you can hold on to what matters most
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. As long as the monkey hangs on, he’s stuck. The
Just in case you’re searching for something better…
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 ‘just in case’ money.” Mother became known in our family
What about war and biblical prophecy?
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 who knows what the situation will hold as the days
Ask Jill: How do I keep on praying for those who need it most?
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 Him better. We can’t slip away from salvation, but the
Who’s winning the war for your attention?
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 be one of the enemy’s most effective tactics in spiritual warfare. Put
A powerful one-two punch
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 about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The
Your sharpest spiritual weapon
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 teaching me how to have my own quiet time experience
Knowing is half the battle
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 the lens of Ephesians 6 and discover how to stand firm against
Embracing the wait
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 in the middle of one of those kinds of waiting. Your
How to live for God in an ungodly world
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 Christ? Or is there another, better, option? I believe there
The timeless beauty of Life in Christ
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 ahead. You see, Solomon found that living life without reference