The Bible Project Daily Podcast

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Few stories have entered the cultural bloodstream like A Christmas Carol. First published in December 1843, it was an instant success—selling out its first edition within days and never going out of print since.

At its heart, A Christmas Carol is a gospel narrative. Ebenezer Scrooge begins as a man enslaved by greed, isolated by pride, and blind to the grace of others. He is like the rich fool of Luke 12, hoarding wealth while at the same time starving his own soul. But through the visitation of three spirits, representing past me...

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The subject of today’s episode is one we usually avoid in polite conversation, and honestly, I have never heard it addressed from the pulpit. We’re talking about the decision to take one's own life, suicide.

 I know that just saying the word can cause a tightening in the chest. But we have to talk about it, because 1 Samuel 31 very clearly ends with King Saul taking his own life.

If you, or if you know someone is struggling, I want you to hear me clearly: There...

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One of the most infamous characters in all of literature is, without a doubt, Ebenezer Scrooge. From A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In it he paints a picture of a man who is the very definition of mean-spirited. 

 But the beauty of that story is the ending. It concludes with a radical transformation. The skinflint becomes a gentle, kind soul.

But here is the question that prompts us in the real world: Is that actually possible? Can a greedy, stingy person really be transformed into a...

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Scripture repeatedly assures us that God protects those who trust Him. That truth is woven all through the Bible. But here’s a question that may surprise you. Does God ever protect people when they are not really trusting in Him very?

 The answer, remarkably, is yes.

 There is an episode in the life of David where God protects him in precisely that way—quietly, unexpectedly, and without David asking for it. And that episode is found in 1 Samuel chapter 29. 

 What mak...

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This episode was originally released as a Patreon-only special episode on the 10th May 2025.

Mindfulness The 1970’s Buddhist appropriation of Prayer and Reflection.

Thích Nhất Hạnh, the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, and prolific author, stands as one of the most influential contemporary figures in introducing Buddhist thought, particularly mindfulness meditation, to Western audiences. His 1975 work, "The Miracle of Mindfulness," offered an introduction to mindfulness, not merely as a spiritual technique but as an encompassing way of life. Hạnh’s message...

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Let me ask you an honest question.

Have you ever been in one of those moments—a crisis, a loss, a crossroads—and you prayed for wisdom…and it felt like nothing came?

You sought the Lord.

You waited.

You listened.

And heaven was silent.

What do we do with that? Why would God ever refuse to answer a child who sincerely seeks His direction? Scripture gives several explanations, but one of the clearest, and fran...

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There’s an assumption many Christians carry quietly in their hearts—an assumption we rarely say out loud, but one that governs how we judge ourselves spiritually. It goes something like this: 

 If I truly have faith, then I shouldn’t feel afraid. And if I’m afraid, then perhaps my faith has failed.

Faith and fear, we think, cannot occupy the same heart at the same time.

 But Scripture, in its relentless honesty, tells a different story. How fear and faith can coexist, and what ha...

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Enemies come in all shapes and sizes. Some aren’t violent—just loud. They curse, they criticise, they mutter from the sidelines, but that’s as far as it goes. Others keep their distance but carry a quiet resentment that occasionally surfaces. Some want to just use you or manipulate you. And of course, there are those rare but dangerous enemies who genuinely seek to harm you.

 If you live long enough in this fallen world, you’ll encounter all of them. But that raises a very practical question...

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Some women carry the hidden burden of being married to men who are, spiritually speaking, breathtakingly foolish. I don’t mean foolish in the modern sense of low intelligence or lack of education. A man can have degrees up the wall, a sharp mind, a successful career… and yet be spiritually blind.

 Scripture calls that man a fool—not because he isn’t intelligent, but because he refuses to think in the ways of God. But to be fair, that condition isn’t confined to men; plenty of women fit t...

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What do you do when you feel like getting even?

How far should retaliation go?

Should it happen at all? And what does God call His people to do when the desire for payback burns inside us?

 Well, as it happens, as we journey through 1 Samuel, we come to a chapter where this question is placed front and centre. So, let’s turn together to 1 Samuel 24, where David—the man after God’s own heart—is forced to decide whether revenge is ever the right pat...

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Trouble.

 It’s one of the few things every human being has in common. When does it start? Some parents might say around age two. When does it end? Well… probably when you draw your final breath. Job said it well: “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Later, he added, “Man… is of few days and full of trouble.” 

 So, if you’re breathing today, you probably know exactly what he means.

So, here’s the question that matters: What do you...

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Sin always has consequences. Scripture teaches that plainly. It affects the sinner directly, of course, but it rarely stops there. Sin has a way of reaching outward—touching, wounding, distorting the lives of others, sometimes in ways the sinner never intended and never imagined. One of the more sobering realities of life in a fallen world is that sin is never a purely private affair. It leaks. It seeps. It spreads. And sometimes the consequences fall most heavily on those who did nothing to deserve it.

So, the qu...

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People like to sort life into neat, tidy categories. And Christians are no exception, we often like to sort life into straightforward ways of approaching things, tidy categories: right and wrong, black and white, faithful or unfaithful. Maybe we assume too easily that if someone trusts the Lord, they will always walk in integrity. Surely a believer who lies must not be trusting God in that moment… right?

But what if I told you that a man of sincere faith — a man who deeply loved God, a man the...

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Friends can be fickle. You’ve probably heard someone say, “When you get into trouble, you find out who your real friends are.” Many of us have lived long enough to know just how true that is.

But, what is a true friend? What does genuine, God-honouring friendship look like?

 One of the greatest pictures of true friendship in all of Scripture—and indeed in all of ancient literature—is tucked away in 1 Samuel. It’s the story of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and his relations...

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When we read the Scriptures with any seriousness, we quickly discover that God not only has a purpose—He also has methods. His purposes never fail, but His methods often surprise us. 

Sometimes He works through miracles, sometimes through providence, sometimes through judgment, sometimes through mercy. Yet if you watch the biblical story unfold long enough, you see one particular throughline that appears again and again: In that, God accomplishes His purposes through people—ordinary, flawed, faithful people.

1 Samuel 19 gives us one of the...

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When we hear the word jealousy, we often imagine a troubled marriage. But jealousy runs far wider and far deeper than the marriage bond. Jealousy touches friendships, ministries, churches, families, and even communities. It is no small thing.

But what exactly is jealousy?

Is there a good kind and a bad kind of jealousy?

And where does envy fit into this picture?

1 Samuel 18 is one of the clearest and most devastating portraits of jealousy anywhere in Scripture…..

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In this episode, we explore one of Scripture’s most familiar stories—David and Goliath—but with fresh eyes. The true drama isn’t found in the size of the giant, but in the contrast between two ways of living: walking by sight and walking by insight shaped by the Word of God.

Everyone in the chapter sees a giant—except David. David sees a blasphemer defying the armies of the living God, and more importantly, he sees the Lord Himself.

That difference—sight versus insight—is the differe...

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In this episode, we journey into one of the most pivotal chapters in the Old Testament—1 Samuel 16, where God chooses David, a young shepherd boy, to be Israel’s future king. This is not merely a historical moment; it is a theological revelation. God displays His divine insistence on looking beyond appearances, searching instead for the one thing humans cannot manufacture: a heart aligned with Him.

Through Samuel’s quiet obedience, Jesse’s reluctant presentation of his sons, and David’s unexpected anointing, the narrative exposes a spiritual principle...

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If I were to ask you to name the most well-known verse in John’s Gospel, you’d answer it instantly—John 3:16. Everyone knows it. But if I were to ask you for the most famous verse in 1 Samuel… well, that’s trickier.

Yet the moment I say the words, you’ll recognise them:

“To obey is better than sacrifice.”

But what does it actually mean? That question takes us straight into one of the most arresting moments in Saul’s life—an event that expose...

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In this episode, we’re turning to 1 Samuel chapter 14—a story that contrasts two men, a father and a son. One is Saul, the king who sits beneath a fruit tree while the battle rages. The other is Jonathan, his son, who steps forward in faith, believing that “nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

 This chapter shows us the difference between half-hearted religion and wholehearted faith, between trusting ourselves and trusting God. It’s a story about courage, foolishness, obedience, and grace.

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In this episode, we explore one of the most striking and symbolic moments in Israel’s early monarchy — the day the people of God found themselves without swords, without blacksmiths, and without the means to fight. Through Saul’s paralysis, Jonathan’s rising courage, and the devastating consequences of spiritual dullness, this passage speaks powerfully to the church today.

We reflect on:

·         How the enemy suffocates God’s people through distraction and fear

·         What it means when the forges of truth and discipleship grow cold

·         W...

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If you had met him, you would be impressed. 

 For one thing, he was tall, head and shoulders above the average person. Then the fact was that he was good-looking.  

But he had other attributes as well. He was a hard worker. There are some indications that he was humble as well. And then there is no doubt that the hand of God was upon him. This is a fella that had great potential.  He had everything going for him physically and apparently spiritually as well. But...

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In this episode we explore one of the most tender and truthful moments in all of Scripture—Samuel’s farewell address to Israel in 1 Samuel 12.

Samuel reminds God’s people of three great truths:

1.      He has been faithful—a servant of integrity from youth to old age.

2.      God has been faithful, delivering His people time and again, even when they strayed.

3.      Now they must be faithful—to fear the Lord and serve Him with all their hearts.

But what about those who have fail...

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In this episode, we explore the moment Saul is confirmed as Israel’s first king — a turning point in the nation’s history. We trace how fear turned to faith, and how obedience led to joy. Through Saul’s story, we discover what it means for God to establish His kingdom not by human power, but through divine purpose.

 Key Themes:

 God confirms His calling through faithful action

 The difference between weeping in fear and rejoicing in faith

 The importance of planning...

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In this episode, we explore the dramatic public unveiling of Saul as Israel’s first king — and what happens when obedience meets opposition.

Samuel calls the nation together, rebukes their rejection of God, and presents Saul — a man humble, capable, and chosen by God for a season. Yet not everyone celebrates. Some despise him. Others mock. And in that tension, we find a timeless truth about rejection, faithfulness, and peace.

Join us as we uncover three powerful lessons from Saul’s story:

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What this episode covers:

·         How 1 Samuel bridges the eras of the Judges and the Kings

·         The key literary structure built around Samuel, Saul, and David

·         Why Samuel is the “hinge” of Israel’s history — last judge, first prophet

·         How Israel’s demand for a king reveals the tension between human desire and divine will

·         The spiritual themes of leadership, calling, obedience, and kingdom identity

·         What 1 Samuel teaches us about God’s way of ruling through imperfect people

Key takeaway:

Before I...

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In this episode, we explore one of the most pivotal turning points in Israel’s history — the moment they demanded a king. What looked like a political request was actually a spiritual crisis: impatience, fear, conformity, and a refusal to wait on God. We trace Israel's request, God’s warning, and the consequences that followed, and we draw out six core lessons for believers today — especially the call to wait on the Lord rather than force His hand.

 Key Themes:

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In this episode, we watch Israel return to the Lord under the leadership of Samuel — and witness how repentance, prayer, and wholehearted devotion bring supernatural deliverance and lasting peace.

After twenty years of spiritual drifting, God’s people finally respond to Samuel’s call: “Return to the Lord with all your hearts.” What follows is a model for spiritual renewal that still speaks to us today:

What happens next is one of the most dramatic scenes in...

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What happens when a nation tries to live without God?

In this powerful new episode, we explore how moral confusion and cultural decline begin when we push God out — and how believers today can stand firm, think biblically, and live godly in the midst of it all.

This channel does a deep dive into the scriptures so as to teach what it means to be...

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