Discover the Word Podcast

What happens when people “fear the Lord” in a healthy way? Explore how this can lead to wisdom and relationship with God!
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The Bible’s wisdom books remind us again and again that the fear of the Lord is where real wisdom begins—and that’s the kind of wisdom we need for everyday life. From big decisions to ordinary moments, we all need God’s perspective to help us navigate what’s in front of us. 
Proverbs offers that wisdom with a hopeful, “glass half-full” lens, giving practical guidance for daily choices. Ecclesiastes meets us in the tension, naming life’s frustrations and uncertainties with a more “glass half-empty” honesty. And Job takes us deeper, showing that a healthy fear of the Lord isn’t about being afraid—it’s about being drawn into a real, trusting relationship with God as we learn to revere all of who He is, even when life doesn’t make sense. 
 
Reflect 
Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? 
Proverbs 1:5 
Proverbs 24:5 
Ecclesiastes 1:18 
Proverbs 24:3-4 
Ecclesiastes 2:20-21 
Ecclesiastes 9:11 
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 
Job 
Psalm 22:22-24 
Psalm 19:7-10 
Psalm 25:8-14 

Would you say you identify more with the “glass half-full" approach to wisdom in Proverbs, or the “glass half-empty" approach of Ecclesiastes? 
Job’s story demonstrates that fearing God is relational and not transactional (see Job 1:9). Why is it important to fear God for who He is and not for what He does? How does this type of reverent fear strengthen your relationship with God? 
God assured Job of His power and presence and unlimited perspective. How did this help Job have a healthy fear of God (see Job 42:1-6)? How can this help you have a healthy fear of God? 
Fear of the Lord invites you into a deeper relationship with Him (see Psalm 25:14). How can that help you live wisely today? 
 
Respond 
(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 
“Jesus, help me have a healthy fear of God that allows me to live with wisdom throughout my life. Enable me to revere God for who He is and not for what He does so that I may deepen my relationship with You. Open my eyes to see more clearly the wonder and awe of who You are.”  
 
Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources
Mentioned in this episode: 
Ecclesiastes | Week 1  
Ecclesiastes | Week 2  
Our Daily Bread Mobile App  
Listen: 
Proverbial Wisdom  
A Life of Wisdom and the Proverbs 31 Woman  
Read: 
Reverent Fear  
Understanding the Bible: The Wisdom Books  
Watch: 
Mount Arbel - Sermon on the Mount and the Great Commission

We want to live wisely, but that can seem impossible at times. Discover what the Bible means when it says that wisdom begins with “the fear of the Lord.”
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What does it look like for you to grow in wisdom? Scripture invites you to begin by fearing the Lord—by learning to revere Him for who He truly is and letting that reverence shape your daily choices.  

Reflect 
Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? 
 Isaiah 10:13 
 Psalm 107:27 
 Exodus 28:3 
 Deuteronomy 34:9 
 1 Kings 5 
 Psalm 37:30 
 Deuteronomy 4:6-7 
 Proverbs 1:1, 7-8  
Proverbs 21:23 
Proverbs 3:18 
Proverbs 16:7 
Proverbs 15:32-33 
Proverbs 10:1, 27 
Proverbs 25:1 
Proverbs 9:10 
 Proverbs 14:27 
 Proverbs 19:23 
 Proverbs 22:4 
Proverbs 2:1-5 
When you hear Proverbs 1:7 say that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” what stands out to you personally? How does that shape the way you think about wisdom and learning? 
As you reflect on Scripture, what kinds of good fruit or growth does the Bible connect with fearing the Lord? Where have you seen any of these take shape in your own life? 
How does it encourage or comfort you to remember that the benefits of fearing the Lord are meant to guide how we live, rather than serve as promises to hang on to? 
 
Respond 
(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 
Jesus, help me to truly revere You—not out of fear that pushes me away, but out of awe that draws me closer. Grow me in wisdom as I learn to trust who You are and submit my heart to You. Show me, day by day, what it looks like to honor You in my thoughts, my choices, and my relationships. Help me recognize how walking in reverence shapes the way I respond to others. May Your wisdom guide me so I can live with a heart that reflects You. 

Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources
Mentioned in this episode: 
Our Daily Bread Publishing 
Listen: 
Proverbial Wisdom  
A Life of Wisdom and the Proverbs 31 Woman  
Read: 
Reverent Fear  
Understanding the Bible: The Wisdom Books  
Watch: 
Mount Arbel - Sermon on the Mount and the Great Commission

The Bible is a book of invitations, and in this series, we will explore such invitations in the form of "let us" statements inviting us to join in some aspect of the life of the Christ follower. From worship to purity to endurance to love, these invitations welcome us to live with and for our Lord.
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After exploring some Let Us invitation in the letter to the Hebrews in our last study, is it possible there are other Let Us invitations in other parts of the Bible? Step into five more biblical invitations, outside of Hebrews, that call you to live out your faith in everyday ways: worship God with your whole heart, persevere when faith feels hard, lay aside the sin that holds you back, love others deeply, and put that love into action.  

Reflect 
Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? 
Psalm 34:3 
How does this invite you into communal worship? 
Romans 13:12-13 
How does this invite you into the sanctification process—that Jesus accomplishes in us? 
Galatians 6:9 
How does this invite you to keep going? 
1 John 4:7 
How does this invite you to receive and share God’s love? 
1 John 3:18 
How does this invite you to live out love and not just feel love? 
 
Respond 
(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 
“Jesus, help me embrace the Bible’s invitations to be more like You. Help me worship You. Help me receive the process of sanctification that You accomplish. Help me keep going when things are hard, knowing that You will provide a harvest on the other side. Help me receive and share Your love—by living it out around me.”  

Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources
Mentioned in this episode:
Become an Our Daily Bread Ambassador 
Listen: 
Spiritual Habits and Training | Week 1   
Spiritual Habits and Training | Week 2   
Read: 
Healthy Habits for Spiritual Growth    
The Ordinary Life of Jesus  
Watch: 
New Life in Christ    
Resilient: Your Invitation to a Jesus-Shaped Life

Have you ever noticed that the phrase “let us...” appears thirteen times in the book of Hebrews? Join us as we explore why this phrase was important to the author and how it invites us to walk with Jesus!
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Join together with other believers and walk with Jesus through a series of five “let us” invitations from the book of Hebrews: let us hold fast to our faith, let us approach God in prayer, let us grow spiritually mature, let us draw near to God, and let us run our race. 

Reflect 
Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? 
Hebrews 4:14 
How does this invite you to hold fast to your faith? 
Hebrews 4:16  
How does this invite you into prayer? 
Hebrews 6:1  
How does this invite you into spiritual maturity? 
Hebrews 10:22-24  
How does this invite you to draw near to God? 
Hebrews 12:1 
How does this invite you to run your appointed race with Jesus? 

Respond 
(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 
“Jesus, thank you for the invitation throughout Scripture to live with You together with other believers. Help us hold fast to our faith, approach You in prayer, grow in spiritual maturity, stay near to You, and run our appointed race with You.”  
Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources
Mentioned in this episode: 
Start Your Our Daily Bread Subscription   
Listen: 
Spiritual Habits and Training | Week 1  
Spiritual Habits and Training | Week 2  
Read: 
Understanding the Bible: The Letter to the Hebrews   
Healthy Habits for Spiritual Growth   
Watch: 
New Life in Christ   
Resilient: Your Invitation to a Jesus-Shaped Life

What happens when God’s people worship other things? Find out as we continue exploring the wayward tribe of Jacob’s son Dan with archaeologist Dr. Jonathan Greer.
 
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The Danites focus on God but they distort their worship of Him. By subordinating Him to other things, establishing their own version of religion, and lacking justice, they actually keep themselves from God. While their story reveals some important cautions for us today, we can also be encouraged by God’s promise to restore all things.   

Reflect 
Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? 
1 Kings 12:26-30 
Exodus 32:4-6 
Nehemiah 9:18 
1 Kings 12:31-33 
Amos 5:18-24 
Revelation 7:5-8 
Acts 15:1-5 
Acts 15:13-18 
Jeroboam worshipped God with calf idols which subordinated God (see 1 Kings 12:26-30). Is there a way you may set out to worship God which could actually subordinate Him to other things?  
Jeroboam divided the religion in northern Israel from the religion in southern Israel for his own purposes (see 1 Kings 12:31-33). What caution can you take away about the danger of distorting God’s ways with personalized religion? 
The northern Israelites got some things wrong in how they worshipped God (see Amos 5:18-24). What is one way that justice can be included as you worship God? 
God's redemption is described in both the Old Testament (from Amos 9:11-12) and the New Testament (from Acts 15:13-18). How does this give you hope in God’s restoration of all things? 
 
Respond 

(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 
“Jesus, help me to worship You above everything else and prevent me from subordinating You to anything else. Help me to focus on Your ways and prevent me from distorting Your ways with my own ways. Help me see opportunities to include justice as I worship You. And fill me with assurance that you are restoring all things.”  
 
Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources 

Mentioned in this episode: 
The Holy Land: Connecting the Land with Its Stories   
Listen: 
My Three Sons   
Am I That Hard to Love?  
Read: 
Noah: Hope in the Waters of Remaking  
Redemption’s Hope   
Watch: 
A New Identity: The Gospel of Matthew  
Loving Those Who’ve Fallen Away