The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

We're exploring five favorite hymns this week, digging into their lyrics and the biblical truths they contain while recommending the best versions of each song.

• Second in our hymn series: "Come Thou Fount," written in 1758 by Robert Robinson at just 22 years old
• Robinson became a Christian at 20 after hearing George Whitefield preach
• Shane and Shane's rendition on their Hymns Live album (2...

We're examining five of my favorite hymns, digging into their lyrics and biblical truths while sharing the best versions of each song.

• Today's featured hymn is "How Great Thou Art," my personal favorite and arguably the greatest hymn of all time
• The hymn originated from a poem called "O Great God" written by Swedish preacher Carl Gustav Boberg after experiencing a thunderstorm
• Ca...

We explore the history and biblical foundations of the hymn "Down to the River to Pray," tracing its origins from enslaved Africans in mid-19th century America to its modern popularity through Alison Krauss's recording for the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack.

• First appeared in print in 1867 in "Slave Songs of the United States" with possible encoded references to the Underground...

Kyle introduces his favorite hymns and their impact on his Christian walk, focusing on "Blessed Assurance" by Fanny J. Crosby as the first of five hymns to explore this week.

• Fanny J. Crosby, a prolific blind hymn writer, created "Blessed Assurance" in 1873 with composer Phoebe Knapp
• The hymn was composed in a single afternoon after Knapp played a melody and asked Crosby what it said to her
...

The moment we're rescued by Jesus we become part of His rescue team, demonstrated by the woman at the well who immediately shared her testimony with others after meeting Christ. God transforms our biggest messes into platforms for sharing the gospel, as newly saved people are typically the most passionate about telling others about their life change.

• Jesus had a divine appointment with the Samaritan woman, revealing...

Jesus breaks social and religious barriers to meet a Samaritan woman in her shame, offering living water that satisfies deeper than physical thirst while confronting her life choices directly.

• Woman is drawing water at noon because her multiple failed marriages and current living situation have made her a social outcast
• Jesus offers living water that fully satisfies and leads to eternal life
• Woman deflects wi...

Jesus goes deeper than the surface level when encountering the woman at the well, choosing to address her shame rather than accepting a superficial conversion. Instead of closing the evangelistic deal when she asks for living water, Christ intentionally confronts her relationship history to demonstrate He wants all of her—not just a prayer or emotional response.

• Jesus wants the real you, not the "fine" version ...

Jesus crosses cultural, religious, and social boundaries to pursue a Samaritan woman at a well, offering her living water that satisfies forever rather than temporary fulfillment.

• Jesus deliberately travels through Samaria for a divine appointment with someone rejected by society
• The Samaritan woman has three strikes against her: she's female, a Gentile, and a sinner
• She comes to draw water at noon when ...

We explore the profound significance of Jesus' journey through Samaria in John 4, revealing how divine appointments often lead us through unexpected paths that challenge cultural norms and personal comfort.

• Jesus "had to" pass through Samaria despite geographical alternatives and cultural tensions
• Jews typically avoided Samaritans, taking longer routes to avoid contact
• Jesus followed the Father...

God transforms us by giving us new identities that align with His vision for our lives, as demonstrated in Gideon's journey from fearful wheat thresher to mighty warrior who defeated the Midianites.

• Gideon was first found hiding in a wine press threshing wheat out of fear of the Midianites
• The angel of the Lord appeared and called him "mighty warrior" despite his cowardice
• There is transformati...

We explore Psalm 144:1, where King David praises God as his rock and acknowledges Him as the source of his battle skills. This single verse reveals profound truths about our identity as Christian men born for spiritual battle.

• Psalm 144:1 states "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle"
• The foundation of our prayers should always be praise and gratitude to God

Paul's letter to Timothy uses military imagery to remind Christian men they were created for spiritual battle, with suffering being an expected part of discipleship under God's sovereignty.

• Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
• Soldiers don't fight alone but operate as part of a unified force
• Christians are called to loyalty, selflessness, preparedness, and cour...

We explore Ephesians 6:10-20, which reveals that Christian men are born for battle against spiritual forces rather than physical enemies. God equips believers with spiritual armor necessary to stand against evil forces, requiring us to put on each piece while relying completely on His strength rather than our own.

• The battle isn't against people but against spiritual forces of evil
• The belt of truth holds ever...

A passionate exploration of how Christian men were born for spiritual battle, inspired by a line from a 2003 Christian metal song. The episode unpacks 1 Corinthians 16:13 to reveal Paul's fourfold command for believers to be watchful, stand firm, act like men, and remain strong.

• Walking billboard for the gospel, jiu-jitsu, eating meat, and Christian metal
• Nostalgic journey through Beloved's 2003 album and...

The Word of God serves as the sword of the Spirit, our primary spiritual weapon against evil forces. In John chapter 3, Jesus reveals He came not to condemn the world but to save it through belief in Him, offering us eternal life instead of the condemnation we deserve.

• John 3:16 contains the entire gospel in one sentence, declaring God's love and salvation plan
• Jesus came not to condemn but to save us from sin...

We dive deep into John 3:16, arguably America's most famous Bible verse, to uncover its profound connection to the Abraham and Isaac narrative and reveal how Jesus masterfully used this connection to teach Nicodemus about his divine mission.

• The verse appears after Jesus references the bronze serpent story from Numbers 21
• Jesus came not just to teach or perform miracles but to give his life as a sacrifice
...

Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that salvation is received through faith, not achieved through works, using the Old Testament bronze serpent as a powerful illustration of his coming sacrifice on the cross. The conversation exposes how our sin problem is internal, requiring transformation from the inside out rather than external religious performance.

• Jesus explains to Nicodemus that salvation comes through being born again

Jesus meets Nicodemus where he is—confused about salvation—and patiently explains that eternal life isn't achieved through works but received through spiritual rebirth.

• Nicodemus approaches Jesus at night with questions about entering God's kingdom
• Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be "born again" to see the kingdom of God
• Nicodemus misunderstands, thinking in physical rather than spiritual te...