April 12, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode of Bible Bytes, host Randy Black delves into the story of Sarah, originally named Sarai, exploring the themes of faith, doubt, and divine promises. Through the lens of Genesis chapters 15 and 16, we examine the contrast between Abram's belief and Sarai's struggle with waiting for God's promise. Despite Sarah's culturally acceptable but spiritually problematic decision to offer her maidservant Hagar to Abram, God's promises endure, highlighting the enduring nature of divine grace. This episode encourages listeners to trust in God's timing and to understand that faith is not the absence of doubt but the choice to rely on God amidst uncertainty.
We further explore Sarah's transformation from doubt to belief, as she moves from barrenness to motherhood, illustrating God's redemptive power. The episode emphasizes key takeaways such as the coexistence of faith and doubt, the complications of taking matters into our own hands, and the assurance that God's promises are based on His character, not our performance. Through prayer and reflection, listeners are invited to see Sarah's journey as a mirror of their own, learning to trust in God's perfect timing and redemptive plan.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:07):
We gather here today
with open hearts and minds
to grow in faith and truth
(00:53):
Welcome to Vital Signs,
a podcast
where we work to inspire faith one bite at a time.
I'm your host, Randy Black.
The story of Sarah or Sarai, as she was originally named, invites us into the
deeply human experience of wrestling
with God's promises
during a season of delay.
(01:15):
In Genesis chapters fifteen and sixteen,
we witness the contrast
between Abram's belief
and Sarai's struggle to wait,
revealing the delicate balance between faith and doubt.
Sarah,
desperate to see God's promise fulfilled,
chose a culturally acceptable
(01:37):
but spiritually
problematic path to take.
Yet
her story
reminds us that even in our missteps,
God's promises endure
when his grace
remains constant.
Through this episode today, we'll explore what it means to trust God in the waiting and learn
(02:00):
how faith is not the absence of doubt,
but the choice to rely on God
in the midst of it.
Before we start our study of the scripture, let's open up with a word of prayer.
Heavenly father,
we come before you today seeking wisdom,
(02:21):
patience,
and a deeper understanding of your faithfulness.
Teach us through Sarah's journey how to wait on you
when the answers seem
far off.
Help us to trust in your timing and promises
even when our circumstances
tempt us to take control.
(02:44):
Strengthen our faith where it is weak,
and guide us in walking
according to your will.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
In Genesis 15, God appears to Abraham in a vision to reassure him. In verse one, we read, do not fear, Abraham.
(03:06):
I am a shield to you. Your reward shall be very great.
Despite the comforting words,
Abram's heart is heavy with concern.
He
remains
childless.
His response is raw and vulnerable in verse two.
What will you give me since I am childless?
(03:29):
It's a heartfelt ambition
that the promise of a great nation
feels hollow
without a sun.
God responds
not with rebuke,
but with reassurance.
He brings Abram outside
and tells him to count the stars.
We see that in verse five. So shall your descendants be.
(03:54):
This
is not just poetic.
It's a divine declaration
of abundance
and certainty.
Abram's response in verse six is is monumental.
Then he believed in the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(04:15):
This belief, despite no physical evidence,
becomes a model for biblical faith.
While
Sarah is not explicitly mentioned in this passage,
she is integral to the fulfillment of this promise.
She too is is being invited into this faith journey,
(04:36):
though her response
will differ.
At the time we reach Genesis chapter sixteen,
ten years have passed
since Abram left Haran.
We see that from Genesis twelve four as well as in sixteen three.
And Sarah at this time
(04:56):
is still barren.
In verse one of chapter 16, it says, now Sarai had not born him a child.
Her opening words in verse two reveal a shift in perspective at the time.
The Lord has prevented me from bearing children.
This statement speaks to deep disappointment
(05:18):
and possibly
disillusionment
illusionment
with God's timing.
In her pain,
Sarah decides to take matters into her own hands,
offering her maidservant Hagar to Abram as a surrogate.
This plan, while
(05:39):
culturally acceptable at the time,
circumvents God's covenant intention.
Abram agrees, and Hagar conceives,
But what follows is not relief.
It's tension
and resentment.
Hagar looks down on Sarah,
(05:59):
and Sarah in turn blames Abraham.
In verse five, we see, may the wrong done to me be upon you.
Abram steps back,
leaving Sarah to handle the fallout.
She treats Hagar harshly,
driving her to flee.
This passage shows the painful consequences
(06:22):
of acting out of desperation
rather than faith.
Sarah's plan not only fails to bring peace,
it adds emotional and relational turmoil to an already heavy situation.
And yet through it all,
God does not abandon Sarah,
(06:43):
Hagar,
or the plan that he set in motion.
Sarah's doubt did not end God's promise.
We see later in Genesis seventeen nineteen,
God speaking clearly when he says, your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac.
Despite the earlier detour, god's intention remains unchanged.
(07:08):
Later in Genesis chapter 18,
Sarah laughs at the idea of giving birth in old age,
but God gently confronts her unbelief
and reaffirms the promise.
And in Hebrews eleven eleven, we read, by faith, even Sarah herself
received ability to conceive
(07:29):
since she considered him faithful
who had promised.
This transformation from doubt to belief,
from barrenness to motherhood,
marks the redemptive arc of Sarah's story.
Her failures didn't define her.
God's faithfulness did.
(07:49):
Her journey mirrors ours,
sometimes filled with detours,
but never
outside
the reach of grace.
We have some key takeaways from our scripture
viewing today.
The is that God's promises
require patience.
(08:11):
God's timeline often challenges our expectations,
especially when we're suffering or waiting on something deeply personal like Sarah's desire for a child.
The long delay in fulfillment was not due to God's forgetfulness,
but part of a divine plan meant to shape character and reveal his glory.
God used the waiting period to build faith in Abraham and Sarah,
(08:34):
ultimately proving that nothing is too difficult for him.
Learning to wait on the Lord is a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to his heart
and aligns us with his purposes.
Our next takeaway is that faith and doubt can coexist.
Sarah's story shows
that moments of doubt do not negate genuine faith.
(08:59):
She believed,
yet she struggled.
She hoped,
yet she feared.
This is not a contradiction,
but a reflection of the human condition.
The Bible does not whitewash the lives of its heroes,
and this gives us hope.
God works with imperfect people.
(09:19):
Sarah doubted so much that she laughed when God reaffirmed his promise in Genesis eighteen twelve,
yet she is later listed in Hebrews chapter 11 as a woman of faith.
God sees the totality of our journey,
not just the moments of weakness.
(09:40):
Our next takeaway is that taking matters into our own hands can complicate things.
Acting outside of
God's timing can create
unnecessary pain.
Sarah's decision to give Hagar to Abram resulted in strife,
jealousy,
and division that reverberated through generations.
(10:04):
While God still fulfilled his promise,
the consequences
of human interference were real and lasting.
This reminds us to prayerfully seek God's direction,
especially when tempted to fix things in our own strength.
Trusting God
(10:25):
often means
surrendering control
even when the weight feels unbearable.
Our next takeaway is that God still honors our faith.
Despite Sarah's missteps, God did not revoke his promise.
He reaffirmed it this time by name and followed through with the birth of Isaac.
(10:51):
God honors even mustard seed faith because his promises are based on his character,
not our performance.
This truth is
incredibly freeing.
Our trust in him may falter,
but he never fails.
His commitment to us remains steady,
(11:11):
and he often uses our stumbles
as part of the journey
toward maturity.
And our last takeaway is that God redeems our missteps.
Sarah's legacy is not defined by her failures,
but by how God used her in his redemptive plan.
(11:34):
She is remembered
not for doubting,
but for ultimately
believing.
Her transformation from a woman who gave her maid to her husband to one who laughed with joy as she held her promised son
is a testament
to God's redemptive power.
Even when we mess up,
(11:57):
God can rewrite the narrative.
No mistake
is too great for his mercy,
and no season is too late
for his promises.
Sarah's journey
is not just a story from ancient history.
(12:17):
It's a mirror for many of us today.
Her struggle with delayed promises speaks to anyone
who has waited on God in the silence,
wrestled
with his timing,
or felt forgotten.
There's
there's something profoundly relatable about her initial trust
followed by fear
(12:38):
followed by action that was not god led.
It is a cycle
many believers experience
in their walk of faith to this day.
Waiting tests us.
It reveals what we truly believe about God. Do we see him as faithful even when he delays?
Do we trust his character when our situation doesn't change?
(13:02):
Sarah's initial decision to offer Hagar was driven by a belief that
maybe God needed help fulfilling his word.
That idea,
though false, grows strong
in seasons of long silence.
Yet scripture reminds us in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31
(13:22):
that those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.
They will mount up with wings like eagles.
Waiting on God is never passive.
It is an active strengthening experience
when rooted in trust.
Another powerful aspect of of Sarah's story is her transformation.
(13:44):
Her laughter
in Genesis 18 is cynical,
born of doubt and disbelief,
but later in Genesis 21 verse six, after Isaac is born,
her laughter turns
to joy.
God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.
(14:05):
This teaches us that God
not only fulfills his promises,
but also restores joy to the heart that once doubted.
He's not offended by our questions.
He is patient in leading us from skepticism
to celebration.
(14:25):
Sarah's story also highlights the importance of community
in the faith journey.
Her actions impacted those around her, Abram,
Hagar,
and later Isaac and Ishmael.
Her faith walk is never isolated.
When we act in fear or doubt,
(14:45):
others can be caught in the crossfire,
but god is just
and merciful.
He protected Hagar. We see that in Genesis 16 verses 17 through 13.
He comforted Sarah,
and he worked redemptively in all lives involved.
In our own relationships,
(15:07):
we are called to trust God, not just for ourselves,
but for those affected by our decisions.
Lastly,
Sarah's inclusion in Hebrews eleven eleven is a beacon of hope.
By faith, even Sarah herself
received ability to conceive
since she has considered him faithful who had promised.
(15:31):
This tells us that God sees the full arc of our journey.
He remembers our faith,
not just our failures.
Our story is not ruined by our doubts or our missteps.
It is completed
by his faithfulness.
No matter
where we are in our waiting,
we can be confident
(15:52):
that God is working behind the scenes,
crafting something
more beautiful
than we could ever imagine.
Let's close out our study of the scripture
with a word of prayer.
Lord god, thank you for the story of Sarah,
a woman whose life teaches us to trust you
(16:16):
even when the waiting is long
and the way is unclear.
Help us to see that your promises are worth waiting for and that your timing is perfect.
Give us the grace to walk by faith when doubt creeps in.
Forgive us for the times we've taken matters into our own hands and remind us that you can redeem every mistake.
(16:42):
Let our lives reflect the same transformation
that you brought about in Sarah.
Lives of faith,
hope,
and joyful fulfillment in your promises.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
(17:03):
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That's podcasting2pointorg/apps.
Here at Bible Bikes, we operate our podcast under what's called the value for value model.
(17:24):
We hope that with
the
episodes we provide each week that we are giving value to you,
and that you then in turn
would provide value
back to us.
And under the value for value model, they can come in three different forms.
We refer to them as time, as talent, and as treasure.
(17:47):
Time is as simple as taking the time
each week to listen to the episodes as they come out.
It could also include taking the time to share an episode with someone that you feel may be touched in some way by it.
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(18:07):
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and script out a lesson
for the show, an episode for the show.
And ultimately, it could even be stepping up and saying, I wanna be a part of this and recording and being a part of the show.
Treasure would be something that
(18:28):
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(18:52):
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(19:22):
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(19:44):
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you know, you can purchase Bitcoin and use that and then send Satoshis to us in support. We also have a link there for Auphonic, and Auphonic is a tool we use to process our audio,
(20:04):
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(20:27):
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We hope that if you have a prayer request, you'd share it with us here on the show that we can,
share it out with the audience, so we can work together to to raise those requests up
(20:48):
to the Lord.
Now this week, let's continue the prayer request we've had for a while.
Both my parents, if you've listened, you know the the story, but let's let's continue to pray for my parents.
Pray for our family, friends, Greg and Kim.
I wanna continue to remember Tim and Kim.
Tim is, still dealing with his illness, so he's doing well and has wife there to support him, but we wanna lift them up.
(21:13):
Continue to remember me as I go through these these health things that are going on.
Things are starting to seem like they're okay, but I've got this cough that just
won't go away, and I don't know what it's from. And we tried several things,
so I'm gonna speak when I go to my doctor here in a few weeks and try to see what we can look at and see if we can determine where this is coming from, what's causing it.
(21:35):
And I still wanna continue to remember my
my dad's cousin, Kevin. He works for him.
Kevin has
been back in the hospital.
He's having issues again.
They've there's another spot on his leg that may be a problem,
that could lead to,
additional
removal
of the of of the limb.
(21:56):
He's had a lot of issues with fluid retention, and they've taken fluid off of him. And it's just, it's a rough a very bad situation.
I believe we wanna continue to remember him
that,
number one, if if he's not saved, if he doesn't know Jesus as his savior, that he does, but that then God can touch him and help him and heal him and try to make things better for him.
(22:19):
Let's take these requests,
and let's go to the Lord in prayer one more time.
Heavenly father,
we thank you once again for this chance.
Each week, the ability to take your word and share it
is such
such a privilege that I'm so happy to have.
(22:39):
We come together
to lift up these requests
to you,
my parents, our friends, Greg and Kim.
Tim and Kim, who know you are good Christian people but are dealing with Tim's illness.
Myself,
my dad's cousin, Kevin.
Also, remember any unspoken request from those who listen in our audience
(23:00):
that you know those.
You know the proper way to handle each of these requests.
We have faith
in your decision making.
That whatever whatever answer you provide is gonna be within
your will.
We thank you for the time we have
each week to put the effort and produce these episodes
(23:23):
to share your word.
We hope that in some way it touches someone and that your son, Jesus,
and you can stir their heart to get that calling, that they can accept him
as their savior and then be able to spend eternity in heaven with all of us who are saved.
We thank you for these things in the name of your son, Jesus, that we pray.
(23:44):
Amen.
Before we talk about next week's episode, just a reminder, we've had over the last several weeks music playing after we finish up the episode.
Those are tracks that are from what we call the Valuers, the value for value music space.
They are religious worship based tracks
out there.
If you are
(24:05):
listening in a modern podcast app, you can boost those artists.
There's a value time split in place that allows you to send value to them for that. If you're streaming sats, those sats will go to that artist.
In this case, on this show, when I set those up, those are split at 100%.
Anything you send goes to that artist.
(24:26):
So please, if you're if you're finding value in those, please send that back to them
to lift them up and and show them the value you're receiving.
On today's episode, we're gonna go with a track
from a a group called City Beach,
and the track is Psalm
54.
That'll play after the show closes.
(24:46):
Our next episode is gonna look at the birth of Isaac. We've looked at Sarah and talked about it in faith and doubt and what it led to,
but we're gonna look specifically at the birth of her son, Isaac,
a lesson
in miraculous
fulfillment.
You can read about that in Genesis
chapter
21
(25:06):
verses one through seven.
So please join us on the next episode of Bible Bites, the podcast
where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time.
Bible
bites.
(26:27):
God save me by
We gather here today
with open hearts and minds
to grow in faith and truth
(00:53):
Welcome to Vital Signs,
a podcast
where we work to inspire faith one bite at a time.
I'm your host, Randy Black.
The story of Sarah or Sarai, as she was originally named, invites us into the
deeply human experience of wrestling
with God's promises
during a season of delay.
(01:15):
In Genesis chapters fifteen and sixteen,
we witness the contrast
between Abram's belief
and Sarai's struggle to wait,
revealing the delicate balance between faith and doubt.
Sarah,
desperate to see God's promise fulfilled,
chose a culturally acceptable
(01:37):
but spiritually
problematic path to take.
Yet
her story
reminds us that even in our missteps,
God's promises endure
when his grace
remains constant.
Through this episode today, we'll explore what it means to trust God in the waiting and learn
(02:00):
how faith is not the absence of doubt,
but the choice to rely on God
in the midst of it.
Before we start our study of the scripture, let's open up with a word of prayer.
Heavenly father,
we come before you today seeking wisdom,
(02:21):
patience,
and a deeper understanding of your faithfulness.
Teach us through Sarah's journey how to wait on you
when the answers seem
far off.
Help us to trust in your timing and promises
even when our circumstances
tempt us to take control.
(02:44):
Strengthen our faith where it is weak,
and guide us in walking
according to your will.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
In Genesis 15, God appears to Abraham in a vision to reassure him. In verse one, we read, do not fear, Abraham.
(03:06):
I am a shield to you. Your reward shall be very great.
Despite the comforting words,
Abram's heart is heavy with concern.
He
remains
childless.
His response is raw and vulnerable in verse two.
What will you give me since I am childless?
(03:29):
It's a heartfelt ambition
that the promise of a great nation
feels hollow
without a sun.
God responds
not with rebuke,
but with reassurance.
He brings Abram outside
and tells him to count the stars.
We see that in verse five. So shall your descendants be.
(03:54):
This
is not just poetic.
It's a divine declaration
of abundance
and certainty.
Abram's response in verse six is is monumental.
Then he believed in the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(04:15):
This belief, despite no physical evidence,
becomes a model for biblical faith.
While
Sarah is not explicitly mentioned in this passage,
she is integral to the fulfillment of this promise.
She too is is being invited into this faith journey,
(04:36):
though her response
will differ.
At the time we reach Genesis chapter sixteen,
ten years have passed
since Abram left Haran.
We see that from Genesis twelve four as well as in sixteen three.
And Sarah at this time
(04:56):
is still barren.
In verse one of chapter 16, it says, now Sarai had not born him a child.
Her opening words in verse two reveal a shift in perspective at the time.
The Lord has prevented me from bearing children.
This statement speaks to deep disappointment
(05:18):
and possibly
disillusionment
illusionment
with God's timing.
In her pain,
Sarah decides to take matters into her own hands,
offering her maidservant Hagar to Abram as a surrogate.
This plan, while
(05:39):
culturally acceptable at the time,
circumvents God's covenant intention.
Abram agrees, and Hagar conceives,
But what follows is not relief.
It's tension
and resentment.
Hagar looks down on Sarah,
(05:59):
and Sarah in turn blames Abraham.
In verse five, we see, may the wrong done to me be upon you.
Abram steps back,
leaving Sarah to handle the fallout.
She treats Hagar harshly,
driving her to flee.
This passage shows the painful consequences
(06:22):
of acting out of desperation
rather than faith.
Sarah's plan not only fails to bring peace,
it adds emotional and relational turmoil to an already heavy situation.
And yet through it all,
God does not abandon Sarah,
(06:43):
Hagar,
or the plan that he set in motion.
Sarah's doubt did not end God's promise.
We see later in Genesis seventeen nineteen,
God speaking clearly when he says, your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac.
Despite the earlier detour, god's intention remains unchanged.
(07:08):
Later in Genesis chapter 18,
Sarah laughs at the idea of giving birth in old age,
but God gently confronts her unbelief
and reaffirms the promise.
And in Hebrews eleven eleven, we read, by faith, even Sarah herself
received ability to conceive
(07:29):
since she considered him faithful
who had promised.
This transformation from doubt to belief,
from barrenness to motherhood,
marks the redemptive arc of Sarah's story.
Her failures didn't define her.
God's faithfulness did.
(07:49):
Her journey mirrors ours,
sometimes filled with detours,
but never
outside
the reach of grace.
We have some key takeaways from our scripture
viewing today.
The is that God's promises
require patience.
(08:11):
God's timeline often challenges our expectations,
especially when we're suffering or waiting on something deeply personal like Sarah's desire for a child.
The long delay in fulfillment was not due to God's forgetfulness,
but part of a divine plan meant to shape character and reveal his glory.
God used the waiting period to build faith in Abraham and Sarah,
(08:34):
ultimately proving that nothing is too difficult for him.
Learning to wait on the Lord is a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to his heart
and aligns us with his purposes.
Our next takeaway is that faith and doubt can coexist.
Sarah's story shows
that moments of doubt do not negate genuine faith.
(08:59):
She believed,
yet she struggled.
She hoped,
yet she feared.
This is not a contradiction,
but a reflection of the human condition.
The Bible does not whitewash the lives of its heroes,
and this gives us hope.
God works with imperfect people.
(09:19):
Sarah doubted so much that she laughed when God reaffirmed his promise in Genesis eighteen twelve,
yet she is later listed in Hebrews chapter 11 as a woman of faith.
God sees the totality of our journey,
not just the moments of weakness.
(09:40):
Our next takeaway is that taking matters into our own hands can complicate things.
Acting outside of
God's timing can create
unnecessary pain.
Sarah's decision to give Hagar to Abram resulted in strife,
jealousy,
and division that reverberated through generations.
(10:04):
While God still fulfilled his promise,
the consequences
of human interference were real and lasting.
This reminds us to prayerfully seek God's direction,
especially when tempted to fix things in our own strength.
Trusting God
(10:25):
often means
surrendering control
even when the weight feels unbearable.
Our next takeaway is that God still honors our faith.
Despite Sarah's missteps, God did not revoke his promise.
He reaffirmed it this time by name and followed through with the birth of Isaac.
(10:51):
God honors even mustard seed faith because his promises are based on his character,
not our performance.
This truth is
incredibly freeing.
Our trust in him may falter,
but he never fails.
His commitment to us remains steady,
(11:11):
and he often uses our stumbles
as part of the journey
toward maturity.
And our last takeaway is that God redeems our missteps.
Sarah's legacy is not defined by her failures,
but by how God used her in his redemptive plan.
(11:34):
She is remembered
not for doubting,
but for ultimately
believing.
Her transformation from a woman who gave her maid to her husband to one who laughed with joy as she held her promised son
is a testament
to God's redemptive power.
Even when we mess up,
(11:57):
God can rewrite the narrative.
No mistake
is too great for his mercy,
and no season is too late
for his promises.
Sarah's journey
is not just a story from ancient history.
(12:17):
It's a mirror for many of us today.
Her struggle with delayed promises speaks to anyone
who has waited on God in the silence,
wrestled
with his timing,
or felt forgotten.
There's
there's something profoundly relatable about her initial trust
followed by fear
(12:38):
followed by action that was not god led.
It is a cycle
many believers experience
in their walk of faith to this day.
Waiting tests us.
It reveals what we truly believe about God. Do we see him as faithful even when he delays?
Do we trust his character when our situation doesn't change?
(13:02):
Sarah's initial decision to offer Hagar was driven by a belief that
maybe God needed help fulfilling his word.
That idea,
though false, grows strong
in seasons of long silence.
Yet scripture reminds us in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31
(13:22):
that those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.
They will mount up with wings like eagles.
Waiting on God is never passive.
It is an active strengthening experience
when rooted in trust.
Another powerful aspect of of Sarah's story is her transformation.
(13:44):
Her laughter
in Genesis 18 is cynical,
born of doubt and disbelief,
but later in Genesis 21 verse six, after Isaac is born,
her laughter turns
to joy.
God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.
(14:05):
This teaches us that God
not only fulfills his promises,
but also restores joy to the heart that once doubted.
He's not offended by our questions.
He is patient in leading us from skepticism
to celebration.
(14:25):
Sarah's story also highlights the importance of community
in the faith journey.
Her actions impacted those around her, Abram,
Hagar,
and later Isaac and Ishmael.
Her faith walk is never isolated.
When we act in fear or doubt,
(14:45):
others can be caught in the crossfire,
but god is just
and merciful.
He protected Hagar. We see that in Genesis 16 verses 17 through 13.
He comforted Sarah,
and he worked redemptively in all lives involved.
In our own relationships,
(15:07):
we are called to trust God, not just for ourselves,
but for those affected by our decisions.
Lastly,
Sarah's inclusion in Hebrews eleven eleven is a beacon of hope.
By faith, even Sarah herself
received ability to conceive
since she has considered him faithful who had promised.
(15:31):
This tells us that God sees the full arc of our journey.
He remembers our faith,
not just our failures.
Our story is not ruined by our doubts or our missteps.
It is completed
by his faithfulness.
No matter
where we are in our waiting,
we can be confident
(15:52):
that God is working behind the scenes,
crafting something
more beautiful
than we could ever imagine.
Let's close out our study of the scripture
with a word of prayer.
Lord god, thank you for the story of Sarah,
a woman whose life teaches us to trust you
(16:16):
even when the waiting is long
and the way is unclear.
Help us to see that your promises are worth waiting for and that your timing is perfect.
Give us the grace to walk by faith when doubt creeps in.
Forgive us for the times we've taken matters into our own hands and remind us that you can redeem every mistake.
(16:42):
Let our lives reflect the same transformation
that you brought about in Sarah.
Lives of faith,
hope,
and joyful fulfillment in your promises.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
(17:03):
This podcast supports podcasting two point o, so feel free to send us a boost if you are listening on a new podcast app. Find your new app now at podcasting2pointorg/apps.
That's podcasting2pointorg/apps.
Here at Bible Bikes, we operate our podcast under what's called the value for value model.
(17:24):
We hope that with
the
episodes we provide each week that we are giving value to you,
and that you then in turn
would provide value
back to us.
And under the value for value model, they can come in three different forms.
We refer to them as time, as talent, and as treasure.
(17:47):
Time is as simple as taking the time
each week to listen to the episodes as they come out.
It could also include taking the time to share an episode with someone that you feel may be touched in some way by it.
Talent would include offering to help us in some way with the show. It could be with working on our website, creating cover art,
(18:07):
providing us ideas for scriptures to examine and topics to look at. It could be even helping to build or write on your own
and script out a lesson
for the show, an episode for the show.
And ultimately, it could even be stepping up and saying, I wanna be a part of this and recording and being a part of the show.
Treasure would be something that
(18:28):
typically is considered financial, and there are cost to producing this show.
So you can support us in that way
very simply by listening in a modern podcast app. In one of those modern podcast apps, you'd be able to load up a wallet with Satoshis.
Satoshis are very, very small point pieces of Bitcoin,
and you can set in those apps to stream Satoshis to shows as you listen.
(18:52):
So if you choose to send us 10 sats per minute,
that's awesome. If you chose to send us 500 sets per minute, that's awesome too. It's based on the value you feel you're receiving from the show.
You can also, in those apps, send what's called a boost,
and a boost is a one time pledge of support in an amount of Satoshis.
You can also send a boost to Graham. That's a boost that then has a message or a note attached, and you can use that to send us encouragement or feedback or even through send prayer requests our way.
(19:22):
You can also head to our website and on our value for value page there, we have an embedded
widget
that is connected to PayPal. So you can send us a pledge of support one time or continuing
through PayPal to help us with the costs, associated with the show. There's also links there for get Albi.
Albi is a a tool where you can load up and have a wallet and send Satoshis.
(19:44):
Strike, Strike is a
app that is connected with a banking institution, and I can't remember the bank. But there, you can connect it to your bank and put in Satoshis, and you can use that to,
you know, you can purchase Bitcoin and use that and then send Satoshis to us in support. We also have a link there for Auphonic, and Auphonic is a tool we use to process our audio,
(20:04):
and you can go there and purchase one time credits for us that would help us with the production of the show, and it's a way that you can give back.
If you wanna learn more about the whole value for value model
and
how it is that we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it. You can do that at bible-bytes.com/v4v.
(20:27):
That's bible-byteswithay,bytes.com/theletterv,thenumberfour,
andtheletterv.
We hope that if you have a prayer request, you'd share it with us here on the show that we can,
share it out with the audience, so we can work together to to raise those requests up
(20:48):
to the Lord.
Now this week, let's continue the prayer request we've had for a while.
Both my parents, if you've listened, you know the the story, but let's let's continue to pray for my parents.
Pray for our family, friends, Greg and Kim.
I wanna continue to remember Tim and Kim.
Tim is, still dealing with his illness, so he's doing well and has wife there to support him, but we wanna lift them up.
(21:13):
Continue to remember me as I go through these these health things that are going on.
Things are starting to seem like they're okay, but I've got this cough that just
won't go away, and I don't know what it's from. And we tried several things,
so I'm gonna speak when I go to my doctor here in a few weeks and try to see what we can look at and see if we can determine where this is coming from, what's causing it.
(21:35):
And I still wanna continue to remember my
my dad's cousin, Kevin. He works for him.
Kevin has
been back in the hospital.
He's having issues again.
They've there's another spot on his leg that may be a problem,
that could lead to,
additional
removal
of the of of the limb.
(21:56):
He's had a lot of issues with fluid retention, and they've taken fluid off of him. And it's just, it's a rough a very bad situation.
I believe we wanna continue to remember him
that,
number one, if if he's not saved, if he doesn't know Jesus as his savior, that he does, but that then God can touch him and help him and heal him and try to make things better for him.
(22:19):
Let's take these requests,
and let's go to the Lord in prayer one more time.
Heavenly father,
we thank you once again for this chance.
Each week, the ability to take your word and share it
is such
such a privilege that I'm so happy to have.
(22:39):
We come together
to lift up these requests
to you,
my parents, our friends, Greg and Kim.
Tim and Kim, who know you are good Christian people but are dealing with Tim's illness.
Myself,
my dad's cousin, Kevin.
Also, remember any unspoken request from those who listen in our audience
(23:00):
that you know those.
You know the proper way to handle each of these requests.
We have faith
in your decision making.
That whatever whatever answer you provide is gonna be within
your will.
We thank you for the time we have
each week to put the effort and produce these episodes
(23:23):
to share your word.
We hope that in some way it touches someone and that your son, Jesus,
and you can stir their heart to get that calling, that they can accept him
as their savior and then be able to spend eternity in heaven with all of us who are saved.
We thank you for these things in the name of your son, Jesus, that we pray.
(23:44):
Amen.
Before we talk about next week's episode, just a reminder, we've had over the last several weeks music playing after we finish up the episode.
Those are tracks that are from what we call the Valuers, the value for value music space.
They are religious worship based tracks
out there.
If you are
(24:05):
listening in a modern podcast app, you can boost those artists.
There's a value time split in place that allows you to send value to them for that. If you're streaming sats, those sats will go to that artist.
In this case, on this show, when I set those up, those are split at 100%.
Anything you send goes to that artist.
(24:26):
So please, if you're if you're finding value in those, please send that back to them
to lift them up and and show them the value you're receiving.
On today's episode, we're gonna go with a track
from a a group called City Beach,
and the track is Psalm
54.
That'll play after the show closes.
(24:46):
Our next episode is gonna look at the birth of Isaac. We've looked at Sarah and talked about it in faith and doubt and what it led to,
but we're gonna look specifically at the birth of her son, Isaac,
a lesson
in miraculous
fulfillment.
You can read about that in Genesis
chapter
21
(25:06):
verses one through seven.
So please join us on the next episode of Bible Bites, the podcast
where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time.
Bible
bites.
(26:27):
God save me by
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