Religion & SpiritualitySpirituality

Become New with John Ortberg

Become New

Join John Ortberg each day for 10 minutes of spiritual guidance on the person we are becoming.

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Friday · 11 min
First Steps | A 10-Minute Look Inside the Live Masterclass with Dr. John Ortberg
Why do AA meetings sometimes feel like the safest place to tell the truth? And what could the church learn from that kind of honesty, acceptance, and shared dependence on God? In this episode, John Ortberg explores how the 12 Steps can help us approach spiritual growth, stubborn habits, and the struggles we keep trying to overcome alone. Whether you’re wrestling with anger, fear, control, greed, or the familiar gap between who you want to be and how you actually live, the invitation begins with honesty. You don’t have to pretend you’re doing better than you are to take a step toward freedom. Drawing on Paul’s struggle in Romans 7, Jesus’ promise of freedom, and the story of AA cofounder Bill W., John traces connections between the 12 Steps and the Christian practices of surrender, confession, making amends, prayer, and service. He invites us into a community where people can name their need, receive help, and participate in the work God is doing. Sometimes the place where we admit we’re stuck becomes the place where change begins. In this conversation, you’ll discover: What the church can learn from the honesty and acceptance of recovery communities. Why knowing what’s right doesn’t always give us the power to do it. How surrender to Jesus opens a path toward freedom. Why friendship and community matter when we’re trying to change. How the 12 Steps can become practices for everyday spiritual growth. Take your next step: Name one place where you feel stuck, and share it with someone you trust. You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Explore the free, 12-part Steps Masterclass with John Ortberg: https://stepsguide.com Find more teaching and daily practices from Become New: https://becomenew.com Subscribe for more conversations about following Jesus, spiritual formation, and becoming the person God made you to be. #JohnOrtberg #SpiritualGrowth #12Steps 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Quince Kitchen by Rore (pizzicato theme) License#: MB01WXJ6PNCW2IV Alaska by Sarah Watson License#: MB01KOIGMJPRZHD Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL 0:00 What the Church Can Learn from AA 0:41 An Invitation to Practice the 12 Steps 1:30 Why We Need Each Other to Change 2:19 Why Do I Keep Doing What I Don’t Want to Do? 3:32 The Gap Between Who We Are and Who We Want to Be 3:54 How Jesus Helps Stuck People 4:57 Jesus’ Promise of Freedom 5:31 Bill W. and the Beginnings of AA 6:17 The Oxford Group and Practices of Transformation 7:24 Could the 12 Steps Help You, Too? 8:13 The Church Needs These Practices Back 9:15 An Invitation to an Honest Journey 9:43 Explore the Free Steps Masterclass 10:07 About Become New
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Thursday · 11 min
RR. I Desperately Need Peace
Can you have peace while the situation you’re facing is still unresolved? During one of the darkest periods of his life, John Ortberg found himself awake early in the morning, needing something solid to hold onto. A passage from Dallas Willard’s Renovation of the Heart helped him consider what peace might mean when circumstances remain frightening. John explores the exhausting work of trying to control outcomes that are no longer in our hands. Picture someone bowling: the ball has been released, yet their whole body keeps leaning and twisting as though they can still steer it. We often do something similar with the people and concerns we care about most. Through Willard’s writing, a funny poem about an overthinking centipede, and Sidney Lanier’s image of building a nest on the greatness of God, John invites us to notice where worry has reached even our bodies. Peace does not require us to stop caring. It invites us to bring what we care about to God and release the burden of controlling how everything turns out. What outcome are you still trying to steer after the ball has left your hands? 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
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Wednesday · 11 min
RR. I Messed Up, I Made a Mistake, Now What?
What do you say to yourself when you make a mistake? For many of us, one wrong answer, awkward conversation, or disappointing performance can turn into a harsh verdict about who we are. John Ortberg offers a different response, borrowed from conductor Benjamin Zander: “How fascinating!” Through stories about music, tutoring, Eugene Peterson, and the disciple Peter, John explores how a growth mindset helps us approach mistakes with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Instead of constantly asking, “How do I look?” we can begin asking, “What can I learn?” That shift changes how we respond to challenges, setbacks, criticism, and other people’s success. At the heart of this teaching is Romans 8:1: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. When your worth is secure, you have room to develop your abilities, receive feedback, and try again. Discover a practical way to interrupt self-condemnation, grow through your mistakes, and extend that same grace to others. Try this today: When you make a mistake, pause and say, “How fascinating!” Then ask what you can learn and what your next faithful step might be. Find more teaching and daily practices at Become New. Subscribe for more from John Ortberg on following Jesus and growing with God in everyday life. #JohnOrtberg #GrowthMindset #SpiritualGrowth 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL 0:00 What to Say When You Make a Mistake 0:18 Benjamin Zander and the Nervous Cellist 1:02 “How Fascinating!” 1:34 Living Without Condemnation 2:31 Mistakes and the Learning Zone 3:18 A Disciple Is a Learner 3:39 Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset 4:49 “How Do I Look?” vs. “What Can I Learn?” 5:55 Your Worth Is Already Established 6:48 Responding to Challenges, Setbacks, and Criticism 7:55 Eugene Peterson’s Rejected Manuscript 8:46 What Peter’s Mistakes Can Teach Us 9:25 Your Practice for Today
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Tuesday · 10 min
RR. How to Wait on God: A Verse-by-Verse Guide (Matthew 15:21-28)
Why does God sometimes make us wait for something we’ve asked him for again and again? Jesus tells us to keep praying, asking, seeking, and knocking. Yet the silence can be difficult to understand, especially when someone we love needs help. John Ortberg explores that tension through Jesus’ encounter with a Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. She comes to him pleading for her daughter, and at first Jesus says nothing. Drawing on New Testament scholar Kenneth Bailey, John considers how this encounter may also expose what Jesus’ disciples think about the woman and whether they will recognize her need. She keeps asking, and Jesus ultimately praises her faith and heals her daughter. John does not claim to explain every delay in prayer. He offers one question we can bring into the waiting: “God, is there a way you want me to respond?” Prayer can include honest persistence, listening, and a small step of love that is ours to take today. Scripture: Matthew 15:21–28; Luke 18:1–8; Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 22:31–32 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
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Monday · 11 min
RR. How to Be Strong AND Vulnerable (feat. Alan George)
Can you lead with authority and still be genuinely vulnerable? Many of us treat those qualities as opposites. If we want to be strong, we assume we need to protect ourselves from being hurt. But in this conversation with Alan George, John Ortberg offers another picture of leadership. Drawing on Andy Crouch’s Strong and Weak, John explains that authority and vulnerability are two distinct qualities. Jesus held both. He acted with authority and willingly opened himself to pain for the sake of love. John and Alan explore the temptation to avoid that kind of openness, including the subtle habit of sharing stories that sound vulnerable while keeping what matters hidden. The conversation then turns toward genuine change. Why can we know what we’re supposed to do and still struggle to become different people? John reflects on Dallas Willard’s The Spirit of the Disciplines and the honesty found in recovery communities: admitting our need can open us to help we could never manufacture for ourselves. Where might you be protecting an image of strength? And what could become possible if you brought that part of your life into the light? 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
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October 2 · 11 min
RR. The Good that Suffering Can Bring
What can still grow in your life after you’ve been hurt? John Ortberg explores that question through a story author James Michener remembered from childhood: an aging apple tree, eight rusty nails, and an unexpected harvest. Years later, after heart surgery and other painful health challenges, Michener returned to that image. He resolved to keep bearing fruit. John connects his story with the poetry of John Milton and the lives of Hank and Jan, a couple whose faithful care for one another became a powerful expression of love. John does not try to explain away suffering. He invites us to consider what love can still look like within it: noticing someone who feels invisible, offering help, caring for a loved one, or doing our ordinary work with God. The episode closes at the cross, where nails hammered into a tree become part of the Christian story of self-giving love. Your wounds matter. What might God help you grow from here? Scripture connections: Matthew 25:14–30; John 15:4–5, 12–13 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
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October 1 · 14 min
RR. I'm Struggling to Find God
What do you do when God seems absent from your story? Maybe you still pray, read Scripture, and show up, but the closeness you once felt is gone. Does that mean you’ve done something wrong? Has God left? John Ortberg explores those questions through John of the Cross, the sixteenth-century spiritual writer associated with the phrase dark night of the soul. John explains that this phrase can mean something more specific than a difficult season: a time when the pleasure and reassurance someone once found in spiritual practices seem to fade. For some, John of the Cross believed, that season can become part of learning to love and trust God more deeply. Through the image of a weaned child in Psalm 131, John asks what it means to remain with God even when we are not receiving the comfort we want. He also remembers learning to ride a bike as his father ran beside him. When his father let go, the support felt different, but his father had not abandoned him. If God feels hard to find right now, you do not need to manufacture a spiritual feeling today. You can bring your honest experience to him and ask for the grace to wait. Scripture: Psalm 131:1–3 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
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September 30 · 11 min
RR. Billions Invested in Leadership but Where are All the Good Leaders?
Everybody wants to make a difference. We spend billions developing leaders, and schools, businesses, and churches all talk about raising up the next generation of them. But when Jesus began the movement that would change countless lives, his invitation was just two words: “Follow me.” In this episode, John Ortberg asks what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. He challenges the idea that followers are passive or weak. A follower of Jesus can be courageous, curious, persistent, and willing to learn through mistakes. Following means letting Jesus shape the way we think, see, love, and act. John also makes the invitation wonderfully concrete: Do one thing today simply because Jesus said to do it. Forgive someone. Refuse to judge. Offer kindness where you’ve felt hostility. Give your time or resources in service of someone else. What might change if, for one moment today, you let Jesus lead? 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL 0:00 Why is everyone talking about leadership? 2:42 The leadership industry 3:52 Are all these leaders making things better? 5:01 What does it mean to be a leader? 6:06 Jesus’ invitation: “Follow me” 6:27 Reclaiming the word “follower” 7:21 Jesus follows the Father 8:24 What a follower of Jesus looks like 8:48 If you follow, stay behind him 9:47 Move at Jesus’ pace 10:15 Do one thing because Jesus said to
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September 29 · 13 min
RR. We asked 1,000 people which habits they wish they could break.
Is there a habit you keep trying to break, or one you wish you could finally build? You’re in good company. When John Ortberg asked the Become New community about their habits, more than a thousand people responded. They named struggles with worry, anger, procrastination, screen time, negative self-talk, and much more. Some felt too ashamed even to say what their hardest habit was. Into that struggle, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” But then he invites us to take on his yoke. How can a yoke, an instrument of work, lead to rest? John explores the difference between exhausting yourself with willpower and learning a way of life from Jesus. Drawing on Dallas Willard and BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits, he shows how motivation, ability, and prompts shape what we do. Sometimes a meaningful change begins with something as small as moving your phone out of the bedroom or putting away one book at the end of the day. What’s one habit you’d like to change? Bring it to Jesus without shame, and consider one small step you could take today. Scripture: Matthew 11:28–30; Mark 12:30 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL 0:00 The habits we want to change 1:27 You are not alone in this struggle 2:02 Jesus’ invitation to the weary 2:47 The easy yoke versus willpower 3:32 How habits make action easier 4:13 Motivation, ability, and prompts 6:31 Why some habits stick 7:42 Making an unwanted habit harder 8:39 Making a good habit easier 10:38 Choose one small change
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September 28 · 12 min
RR. How to Handle Your LIMIT
What do you do with a part of yourself you wish you could change? Maybe you feel limited by your personality, your abilities, your age, or something your body can’t do. It’s easy to compare yourself with someone else and believe that if you just tried harder, you could finally become enough. In this episode, John Ortberg invites us to practice radical acceptance of our limitations. Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Abraham each had reasons to think they weren’t the right person for what God was asking. Yet their limitations did not limit God. John explores how humility can open us to wonder, why Jesus chose to embrace the limits of human life, and what Paul means when he says we carry treasure in “jars of clay.” What limitation have you been fighting? Today, consider what it would mean to offer it to God as a place where you might meet him. Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6–7; Exodus 4:10–12; Judges 6:12–15; Jeremiah 1:6–8; John 1:14 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL 0:00 I can’t, but God can 0:47 What limitation frustrates you? 2:13 From rejection to acceptance 3:06 Why trying harder isn’t always the answer 3:54 Your limitations don’t limit God 5:10 Humility, wonder, and the sublime 7:18 The people God chooses 8:50 Jesus chose human limitation 10:20 Treasure in jars of clay 11:10 Offer your limitation to God
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September 25 · 8 min
Psalms Bonus! What Happens When Someone Really Listens to You
What happens when someone really listens to you? In this special bonus episode, John Ortberg sits down with Become New Creative Director Jackson Lane, who shares a story about a childhood stuffed animal, a remarkable ninth-grade teacher, and one small act of kindness he still remembers nearly 15 years later. The story leads John to a beautiful idea about the way God loves us: there is a kind of love that looks for value, and another kind of love that creates value by treasuring what it loves. Sometimes loving another person begins with something surprisingly simple: Listen. Let it register. Respond. Who in your life needs to know that what matters to them matters to you? #JohnOrtberg #BecomeNew #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #Love #Relationships 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 A Personal Bonus From the Psalms 00:24 God Is a Father to the Fatherless 00:44 The Way Jesus Treated Children 01:24 The Power of Really Listening 01:50 Jackson's Favorite Teacher 02:13 Writing Is Structured Thinking 02:43 The Story of Carla 03:06 The Pound Puppy Jackson Loved 03:30 A Stuffed Animal Worn Out With Love 03:48 Jackson Loses Carla 04:05 “The Dog Was Gone” 04:24 Telling Mr. Webber the Story 04:41 “I Was Too Old for a Stuffed Animal Anyway” 05:05 A Mysterious Package on the Porch 05:21 He Found the Exact Dog 05:45 “Childhood Dreams Should Never Be Lost” 06:06 Why Jackson Never Forgot It 06:28 Someone Saw What Mattered to Him 06:52 Where Carla Jr. Is Today 🥹 07:10 When You Love What Someone Else Loves 07:29 Two Different Kinds of Love 07:59 A Picture of How God Loves Us 08:21 Listen. Let It Register. Respond. 08:30 That's It 😂
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September 24 · 12 min
RR. The Most Important Thing to Believe About Jesus
Today we're revisiting an episode from SHINE, our walk through the book of Philippians. And there's a reason we're bringing this one back: we've just launched a new Bible reading plan on the Bible App based on the SHINE series. So if today's teaching is helpful to you and you'd like to go deeper, you can now walk through the whole series one day at a time in the Bible App. What if there were a law of the spiritual world as dependable as gravity? In Philippians 2, Jesus doesn't grasp for power. He lets go. He becomes a servant. He humbles himself all the way to the cross. Then everything reverses. God exalts him. John Ortberg explores what this reveals about the deepest pattern of reality: the way up is down, greatness comes through service, and self-giving love is always worth it. So when love gets costly, when you're tempted to self-promote, or when failure and guilt overwhelm you, remember the strategy: Double down on the cross. And remember the phrase: Jesus Christ is Lord. This is how we shine. #JohnOrtberg #Philippians2 #Jesus #SpiritualFormation #TheCross #Christianity Music in this episode: Starry Dream - Uptempo by A. Blomqvist MB01OKHAB5EAUXF 00:00 What’s Most Important to Believe About Jesus? 00:22 The Oldest Words About Jesus 00:54 The Great Christ Hymn 01:35 Every Knee Will Bow 02:18 Jesus Goes Down, God Lifts Him Up 02:44 What Goes Down Must Come Up 03:07 The Hinge of Human History 03:28 A Law of God’s Kingdom 03:52 God Exalts Those Who Humble Themselves 04:14 Love Is Always Worth It 04:38 What Does It Mean to Double Down? 04:56 Jesus Doubles Down on the Cross 05:18 Double Down When You Feel Like a Failure 05:39 Stop Chasing Money and Reputation 06:23 The Most Important Phrase You Can Say 06:45 Jesus Christ Is Lord 07:19 Caesar vs. a Crucified Rabbi 07:49 Peter, Paul, Mary…and Nero 😂 08:16 Power Always Fades 08:49 A Calendar Built Around Jesus 09:18 The Wheel of Fortune 09:34 Nero, Napoleon & Stalin 10:07 Every Date Points Back to Jesus 10:31 The Spiritual Law of the Cross 10:55 What Lies at the Heart of Reality 11:17 Stop Trying to Promote Yourself 11:45 Become a Servant in the Next Moment 11:59 Jesus Christ Is Lord 12:08 That’s How We Shine
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September 23 · 3 min
Thank You from John and Become New
Thank you for being part of Become New, a global community growing spiritually in Christ, one day at a time. With an impromptu message from John, filmed on his iPhone in the Grand Tetons, this video is a personal thank-you for being part of this community—and an invitation to help make this work possible. Your generosity helps our small team create and share daily Bible teaching, prayer, study guides, YouVersion Bible plans, The Formation Podcast and Newsletter, and masterclasses—all freely available to help people put Christ in charge of their spiritual formation. If Become New has made a difference in your life, would you consider a one-time gift or becoming a monthly supporter? Every gift helps us continue this work and reach more people with resources for growing in Christ. ❤️ Partner with us: BecomeNew.com/give Whether you give, pray, share a teaching, or join us each day, we’re grateful you’re here. With GREAT gratitude, The Become New Team #BecomeNew #SpiritualFormation #GrowInChrist
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September 22 · 12 min
87. The Lord of the Rings' Most Important Lesson
Why did Frodo need Gollum? Coming to you from Hobbiton, New Zealand, John Ortberg explores one of the deepest themes running through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: Mercy. Bilbo could have killed Gollum. Frodo could have killed him. Sam could have killed him. But pity stayed their hands. And when Frodo finally reaches Mount Doom, something surprising happens: he fails. His own willpower isn't enough to destroy the ring. Yet the mercy extended to Gollum earlier in the story follows Frodo all the way to the end. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” Maybe we need mercy because none of us can save ourselves. And maybe there's a Gollum somewhere in your day who needs mercy too. #LordOfTheRings #Tolkien #JohnOrtberg #Hobbiton #Psalm23 #Mercy #Gollum 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 John Ortberg in New Zealand 00:25 Welcome to Hobbiton! 00:44 A Special Edition From the Shire 01:12 Gollum, Frodo & the One Ring 01:48 Why Bilbo Didn't Kill Gollum 02:18 “What a Pity” 02:43 Gandalf's Warning About Judgment 03:10 Gollum Still Has a Role to Play 03:36 Two Kinds of Pity 03:55 Mercy in The Lord of the Rings 04:19 Frodo Begins to Pity Gollum 04:39 What the Ring Does to a Person 05:08 Gollum Was Once Sméagol 05:38 What Gollum Represents 06:07 Frodo Reaches Mount Doom 06:31 Frodo Fails 06:58 Why Gollum Had to Survive 07:34 Mercy Followed Frodo 08:00 This Isn't a Story About Willpower 08:17 We Can't Save Ourselves 08:46 There Will Be a Gollum in Your Life 09:18 “This Is a Being Like Me” 09:40 Let Mercy Follow You 10:06 From Hobbiton to All You Little Hobbits 😂
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September 21 · 14 min
86. What the Psalms Are Trying to Teach Us
Your life was made to be a Psalm. As this journey through the Psalms draws toward its close, John Ortberg reflects on where the Psalter has been leading us all along. Psalm 1 begins by asking what kind of life we will live. The Psalms then carry us through fear, anger, grief, confession, hope, and joy. But the final five Psalms end in an explosion of one thing: Praise. In Psalm 148, everything is invited into the song: people, animals, mountains, stars, sun, moon, even the creatures of the sea. And so are you. Maybe a life with God isn't about escaping the messiness of being human. Maybe it's about learning to bring all of it before God until our lives themselves become a song. Hallelujah. #Psalm148 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Praise #Hallelujah #SpiritualFormation STEPS SEMINAR, October 17th - REGISTER HERE: https://www.oceanhills.org/event/steps-workshop-with-john-ortberg 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 Coming to the End of the Psalms 00:30 What's Coming Next at Become New 00:59 The STEPS Seminar 01:19 What the Psalms Have Taught Me 01:56 From Wisdom to Praise 02:20 Psalm 148 02:41 All Creation Is Invited to Praise 03:14 You Couldn't Get More Inclusive 03:43 Make Every Breath Worth Celebrating 04:10 Duets on the Psalms 04:16 Two Very Different Worship Services 04:58 Which One Would the Psalmist Prefer? 05:28 Two Revolutionary Ideas From Genesis 05:57 Every Human Being Bears God's Image 06:19 Why Democracy Needs Both Equality and Humility 06:43 Nature Isn't God 07:11 Nature Was Made to Worship 07:36 We Sang Before We Spoke 08:00 What We've Lost About Music 08:24 Music Was Made to Be Shared 08:44 The Loneliest Whale on Earth 09:10 Even the Lonely Whale Is Heard 09:59 The One Word for Today 10:24 We Were Made to Sing 10:48 Your Life Was Made to Be a Psalm 11:12 What Hallelujah Really Means 11:37 What John Is Grateful For 11:53 And So Were You 12:11 Hallelujah!
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September 18 · 17 min
85. The Surprising Connection Between Therapy and the Psalms (w/Dr. Rick)
What can a therapist teach us about prayer? John Ortberg sits down with his longtime friend and therapist Dr. Rick to explore the Psalms as a kind of “divine therapy with God.” The Psalms are messy. Angry. Afraid. Contradictory. Unfiltered. And according to Rick, that's exactly where healing begins: ruthless honesty inside a relationship where we know we're accepted. So what would happen if we approached God that way? Can we tell Him what we actually think and feel, not merely what we believe we're supposed to say? Can God become our fully disclosing friend? Maybe the path toward becoming who God made us to be begins by bringing Him who we actually are. In this episode: prayer • therapy • Psalms • emotional honesty • healing • friendship with God #JohnOrtberg #Prayer #Therapy #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #MentalHealth 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 Salvation, Healing & the Psalms 00:27 The Psalms as Divine Therapy 00:48 What Can Therapy Teach Us About Prayer? 01:13 The Psalms Are Messy 01:36 How Raw Are Our Actual Thoughts? 01:56 Psalm 88: Darkness and Despair 02:19 Psalm 83: Angry, Contradictory Prayers 02:39 Psalm 89: From Anguish to Praise 03:24 What Therapy Is Trying to Do 03:58 Your Ideal Life vs. Your Actual Life 04:35 The Me I Want to Be 04:54 Ruthless Honesty 05:18 “I Don't Talk Like This Anywhere Else” 05:51 The Psalms as an Emotional Handbook 06:18 Do You Actually Understand Yourself? 07:03 Why We Resist the Truth About Ourselves 07:20 We Need Feedback 07:49 Getting Under Our Defenses 08:06 Rick Blackmon, Sneaky Psychologist 😂 08:31 Pain Drives Personal Growth 09:22 What Is a Therapeutic Alliance? 09:48 Why the Relationship Matters 10:21 No Secrets. Tell the Truth. 10:52 Acceptance Creates the Place for Change 11:35 Why Rick Reads the Psalms 11:56 Do You Have a Therapeutic Alliance With God? 12:22 Do You Feel Safe With God? 13:04 The Power of a Fully Disclosing Friend 13:35 Can God Be That Friend? 14:04 Why Honesty Feels Risky 14:30 “I Feel a Little More Whole” 14:57 A Healing Relationship With God
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September 17 · 12 min
84. How Hope Changes Suffering
Suffering can do one of two things: break us or break us open. Beginning with Frederick Buechner's unforgettable image, John Ortberg explores Psalm 110 and one of the deepest ways Christians have read the Psalms: seeing the story of Jesus in their suffering, longing, and hope. Drawing from C.S. Lewis, Plato, and the mysterious biblical figure Melchizedek, John looks at how Jesus brings together two ancient hopes: the victorious king and the suffering servant. Jesus doesn't overcome suffering by avoiding it. He enters it. And because the story ends in resurrection, suffering doesn't have to get the final word. The difference between being broken and broken open is hope. In this episode: Psalm 110 • suffering • hope • Jesus • C.S. Lewis • Melchizedek • resurrection #Psalm110 #JohnOrtberg #Suffering #Hope #Jesus #CSLewis #Psalms 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 Broken or Broken Open? 00:10 What Will Suffering Do to You? 00:37 The Danger of Armoring Yourself 00:54 Seeing Jesus in the Psalms 01:20 Is Biblical Prophecy a Crystal Ball? 01:55 How the New Testament Reads the Old 02:15 C.S. Lewis and “Second Meanings” 02:41 Plato's Remarkable Picture of a Righteous Man 03:32 Written Hundreds of Years Before Jesus 04:02 The Great Story Behind the Story 04:28 The Most Quoted Psalm in the New Testament 04:50 The Difference Is Hope 05:06 “The LORD Says to My Lord” 05:27 Who Is David Talking About? 06:10 Our Longing for a Good King 06:30 What If God Himself Comes? 06:54 The Mystery of Melchizedek 07:16 A Priest Before Israel Had Priests 07:39 God Is Bigger Than Our Tribe 08:13 God Is Way Bigger Than That 08:34 A Priest Who Is Also a King 08:59 Israel Expected a King Who Would Crush Enemies 09:18 The Other Story: The Suffering Servant 09:41 Jesus Brings the Two Together 09:50 The King Who Gets Crushed 10:13 Suffering Doesn't Get the Last Word 10:35 The Heavens Are Broken Open
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September 16 · 13 min
83. Why Happiness Never Seems to Last
Are you actually experiencing joy, or are you mostly experiencing relief when problems finally go away? In Psalm 68, John Ortberg explores the biblical idea of exultation: deep, expressive joy that can exist even when life isn't going perfectly. Drawing from C.S. Lewis and Dallas Willard, John looks at why we can spend our lives clearing one hurdle after another and mistaking the resulting relief for genuine joy. Lewis called the Psalmists' delight an “appetite for God.” So how's your appetite? Maybe we've filled ourselves with so much achievement, entertainment, information, and distraction that there's little room left for something better. Today, try getting hungry again. In this episode: Psalm 68 • joy • relief • C.S. Lewis • Dallas Willard • fasting • appetite for God #Psalm68 #JohnOrtberg #Joy #CSLewis #DallasWillard #SpiritualFormation 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 Do You Exult Enough? 00:10 What's Your Exultation Quotient? 00:35 What Does “Exult” Mean? 01:02 Exultation in Psalm 68 01:25 God's Not Worried About How Things Are Going 01:49 Paul and Psalm 68 02:12 God Daily Bears Our Burdens 02:35 There He Is! 02:57 Let the Celebration Begin 03:18 David Danced Before God 03:43 Why We Exult at Baseball Games 04:10 Where Did Our Sacred Joy Go? 04:34 What's Your Exultation Threshold? 04:54 C.S. Lewis on Delight in God 05:32 Do You Have an Appetite for God? 05:57 Their Fingers Itch for the Harp 06:19 Rowdy Worship 06:48 Our Terrible Concern With Good Taste 😂 06:57 What Spoils Your Appetite? 07:22 Filling Up on the Cheap Stuff 07:39 Why Spend Money on What Isn't Bread? 08:04 We Have So Much to Fill Ourselves With 08:23 The Problem With Achievement 08:45 Clear the Bar. Move the Bar. Repeat. 09:08 Are You Mistaking Relief for Joy? 09:38 What Real Joy Feels Like 10:01 How's Your Appetite for God? 10:24 Try a Little Fast 10:47 Fast From Self-Promotion 11:16 Is Another Day Enough to Celebrate? 11:42 What's Your Threshold for Joy? 11:54 It's Your Day for Exultation
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September 15 · 15 min
82. There Are 3 Kinds of Friends. Here’s the One You Need.
There are three kinds of friends. Two can be valuable, but the third can actually help you become the person God created you to be. Beginning with Psalm 122 and the simple words “Let us go,” John Ortberg explores why friendship is so essential to human flourishing and why it seems increasingly difficult to find. Drawing on Aristotle's three kinds of friendship, John looks at useful friends, pleasant friends, and spiritual friends: people with whom we can be honest, vulnerable, challenged, encouraged, and pointed toward God. So take inventory today: Do you have that kind of friend? And perhaps more importantly: Are you becoming one? In this episode: Psalm 122 • friendship • loneliness • Aristotle • spiritual friendship • community #Psalm122 #JohnOrtberg #Friendship #Loneliness #Community #SpiritualFormation 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 I Rejoiced When They Said “Let Us Go” 00:44 The Joy of Doing Life Together 01:04 “Let Us Go” 01:23 I'm Always the One Reaching Out 01:49 The Three Kinds of Friends 02:09 Jesus's Greatest Miracle? 😂 02:38 Why Friendship Gets Harder With Age 03:00 America's Friendship Paradox 03:34 The Anti-Social Century 03:59 Even College Students Are Lonely 04:27 We're Spending Less Time Together 04:59 An MIT Student Who Eats Alone 05:22 Thou Shalt Goof Off 😂 05:31 When Clubs Become Jobs 06:02 Aristotle's Three Kinds of Friendship 06:32 #1: Useful Friends 07:25 #2: Pleasant Friends 07:54 #3: Spiritual Friends 08:14 Flatterers vs. True Friends 08:38 Who Helps You Become Your Best Self? 09:25 A City Closely Connected 09:56 Who's in Your Tribe? 10:24 What Shalom Really Means 10:56 People Have Always Been Lonely 11:31 Value Your Friends 11:58 Call Someone. Thank Someone. 12:20 Let Your Loneliness Lead You to God
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September 14 · 13 min
81. Two Kinds of Commitment. Only One Transforms You.
There are two kinds of commitments: contracts and covenants. We need both. But John Ortberg explains why one can enhance your life while the other can actually transform it. Beginning with Psalm 35, John explores the difference between transactional relationships and covenant relationships, from Casablanca to a remarkable moment in American history when Psalm 35 was read before the Continental Congress. A contract protects individual rights. A covenant creates a “we.” And Scripture doesn't describe God as the God of contract. He is the God of covenant, inviting us into relationships built on something deeper than what we can get from one another. So where might you be treating a covenant like a contract? In this episode: Psalm 35 • covenant • commitment • relationships • American history • spiritual formation #Psalm35 #JohnOrtberg #Covenant #Relationships #SpiritualFormation #Psalms 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time. Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time. TEXT us at 51504 EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504 SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 Let's Try This Again 😂 00:22 Two Kinds of Commitment 00:54 One of Them Will Transform Your Life 01:09 Psalm 35 01:31 A Psalm That Changed American History 01:50 Rabbi Soloveichik's Discovery 02:14 Contract vs. Covenant 02:41 What a Covenant Does 03:08 When Relationships Become Transactions 03:21 God Is Not the God of Contract 03:54 What Casablanca Teaches About Covenant 04:40 Covenant Can Enrich Your Life 05:16 Covenant at Sinai 05:25 The Declaration vs. the Constitution 06:19 Benjamin Franklin Calls for Prayer 07:07 A Divided Continental Congress 08:02 Psalm 35 Is Read 08:28 John Adams's Stunning Reaction 08:53 A Psalm Prepared for That Moment 09:28 A Common Destiny 09:45 Three Lines That United a Room 10:10 Humble and Inspired 10:36 From Quarreling Delegates to “We” 10:58 The Psalms Belong to Humanity 11:24 It's Time to Cut a Covenant 11:45 A Contract Is Transactional. A Covenant Is Transformational
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