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A promise prepared in quiet ways

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JOHN COPIC

In the story of John the Baptist, we see how quiet faith and steady obedience can shape history in ways no one expects. His life begins with two older people, Zachariah and Elizabeth, who lived with devotion to God. They followed God’s ways with sincere hearts, yet they carried the pain of having no child. When an angel told Zachariah that Elizabeth would give birth, the message sounded impossible. Their age and long years of waiting made the promise hard to believe. Zachariah asked for a sign and received one, though not in the way he hoped. He lost his ability to speak until the child was born, a reminder that God’s word stands firm even when our faith feels weak.

Elizabeth’s pregnancy was a gift she had once given up hoping for. She kept herself out of public view for several months, likely waiting until her condition could not be questioned. When it became clear that she was expecting, the joy of the community would confirm the mercy she had received. Her quiet praise shows how God sometimes answers long–held desires in unexpected seasons.

John’s birth was more than a family blessing. His arrival fulfilled promises spoken generations earlier. Prophets had said that someone would prepare people to meet the Messiah. John was that person. He did not come as Elijah returned in the flesh, but he carried the same spirit and boldness. His purpose was simple and direct: to call people back to God and help them recognize the one who was coming after him.

Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain

Yet even a person with a strong calling can struggle. Later, when John was imprisoned for speaking truth, he began to question whether Jesus was truly the one Israel had waited for. His suffering did not match the future he expected. So he sent his followers to ask Jesus for clarity. Jesus did not rebuke him. Instead, he pointed to the work being done. He spoke of the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, lepers cleansed, the deaf hearing, the poor hearing good news. These signs had been written long before in the words of Isaiah. Jesus used those promises to steady John’s heart. Through this, we see that doubt does not cancel faith; it reveals our need for God’s reassurance.

Jesus affirmed John’s place as a prophet with a unique role. He also explained that the least person in God’s kingdom now stands in a better place, because the promised Saviour has already come. John lived as the final voice announcing the arrival of someone greater.

John’s message was sharp but honest: turn from sin because God’s kingdom is near. Many people came to be baptized, admitting their wrongs and seeking a new start. But some came with pride, trusting their heritage instead of their hearts. John warned them that real change shows itself in a changed life, not in family ties or status. He spoke of judgment in clear terms and pointed to the one who would bring a deeper work, a cleansing that only God’s Spirit can give.

The account of John’s life shows that God works through ordinary people, difficult moments, waiting, and even doubt. God brings good from situations that seem broken, and he does not ask us to figure out how he will do it. Faith means trusting that his purpose will stand, even when our plans fall apart.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:8

A phone call Jonathan Wilburn will never forget

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AMY TURNER

Jonathan Wilburn has worked with producer Ben Isaacs for a long time. The two have a strong working relationship. Ben produced Wilburn’s latest project, Jesus Can. But their friendship goes beyond the studio. And one night, Ben proved just how well he knows his friend.

It started with a late-night FaceTime call. Wilburn wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I’m sitting at home one night, and this joker FaceTimes me, and it’s like a weird hour,” Wilburn recalled. “And Ben’s FaceTimed me. Oh, no, I hope he’s not in trouble. I’m going to get him out of jail or something. Again.”

When Wilburn answered, Ben wasn’t in trouble at all. He was somewhere far better.

“So he FaceTimes me. He goes, hey, man, guess where I’m at?” Wilburn said. “And I went, where? He went to Hawaii. And I went, you dog, you’re in Hawaii. And he went, yeah. I’m at Terry Bradshaw’s house.”

Wilburn wasn’t sure he’d heard right. Terry Bradshaw? The Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl championships was on the other end of that call?

“And I went, Terry Bradshaw’s house? I was like, yeah right,” Wilburn said. “And he just goes, yeah. Here’s Terry Bradshaw. Boom.”

For most people, a surprise celebrity appearance on a phone call might be a fun story to tell later. For Wilburn, it was something more. He’s a lifelong Steelers fan, and Bradshaw is one of only two people who have ever left him truly starstruck.

“Well, he knew growing up and still I’m a huge Steelers fan,” Wilburn said. “I’m not one of these starstruck people, but there’s two people I’m starstruck over, and that would be Elvis and Terry Bradshaw.”

When Bradshaw appeared on screen, Wilburn was immediately moved, but so was Bradshaw, it turned out.

“So he puts Terry Bradshaw on there, and I’m looking, and Terry goes, hey, man, I love your singing. When you sang with Gold City, man, I just. And so he said, man, I love it.”

Then, in true fan fashion, Wilburn couldn’t help himself. He had to bring up the moments that had meant so much to him growing up.

“And I went, hey, Terry, you remember that time you threw that past the Lynn Swan in the Super Bowl, and you scored a touchdown? You remember that? Do you remember Jack Lambert? You remember him?”

Bradshaw, gracious and good-humoured, took it all in stride.

“And so Terry just kind of goes, yeah, man, it’s good to see you. Here’s Ben.”

It was a brief moment, but one that clearly left a lasting impression, a reminder that the bond between Wilburn and Isaacs runs deeper than music.

Seeing people with open eyes

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MATTHEW JONES

Some moments appear ordinary, yet they carry quiet meaning. These moments may come when we least expect them, and they give us the chance to see people to some point in the way God sees them. A story from Acts 3 shows how two men, on their way to a time of prayer, met a man who had been unable to walk since birth. He sat at a temple gate each day and asked for money from those passing by. On this day, he called out as usual, hoping for a small gift to help him get through another day.

IRS Images, 2025

But something different happened. The two men stopped, looked at him closely, and asked him to look back at them. That simple act of eye contact mattered. It showed they did not see a category or a problem. They saw a person. Others likely passed quickly without noticing him, but they slowed down long enough to take him seriously. Seeing people in this way often requires us to move at a slower pace and look past surface details. It asks us to set aside frustration, fear, or assumptions, and to notice the deeper needs in front of us.

When the man asked for money, he asked for what he knew. He needed income because he could not work. The two men did not have what he requested, but they had something far more meaningful to give. They offered healing in the name of Jesus. They lifted him up by the hand, and strength returned to his feet and ankles. The man stood, walked, and then burst into joyful movement.

His physical healing was clear to everyone who had seen him begging for years. But the change ran deeper. The healing of his body pointed to a change of heart and faith. The man who once sat outside the gate now walked freely beside those who had helped him. His excitement drew a crowd, and he became living proof of what hope can do. His life showed that God steps toward people who cannot help themselves, and that faith brings new beginnings.

The man in Acts 3 experienced outward healing, but the deeper miracle was the transformation of his life. He experienced God’s Amazing Grace.

These events also remind us that help is not only about meeting physical needs. Meeting those needs matters, and sometimes it is the right place to start. But many people carry questions beneath their requests. A simple favour, a short conversation, or a small need can create space for something more. Our conversations at work, in the neighbourhood, or during errands can open a door to something deeper if we pay attention.

When people experience real care, trust forms. The man who was healed held tightly to the two who had helped him. In the same way, people often cling to those who offer kindness when life feels dark or confusing. These simple interactions can lead to healing of the heart and can spark faith that grows over time. Our ordinary moments can become places where God brings new life, healing, and hope.

Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

The broken leg tour: When life doesn’t wait for dad to get home

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JEFF TURNER

For southern gospel artists, the road is a way of life. But that doesn’t make it any easier when things fall apart back home. For Scotty Inman, two things fell apart at the same time.

Inman had actually enjoyed a long stretch at home before his troubles began. After a Christmas tour, he didn’t leave again until late January giving him nearly six weeks with his family.

“I was home for over a month and a half after Christmas,” he said. “I did a Christmas tour December 20th, and I left January 28th. I was home forever, fixing stuff and getting stuff ready and helping, you know, honeydew lists before I leave.”

Then came day two of a 10-day trip.

“The same day, my daughter breaks her leg and our dog runs away, and there’s a neighbourhood search,” Inman said. “They find the dog the next day. A cop in town finds it.”

Being hundreds of kilometres away while your family is dealing with a broken leg and a missing dog is the kind of helpless feeling that’s hard to put into words. Inman offered to drop everything and come home.

“I told Casey, I was like, you need me to come home. I’ll cancel the rest of the dates and come home,” he said.

His wife, Casey, had other ideas.

“She said, oh, no, no, no, no. She said, you need to stay out there. You have a broken leg to pay for.”

With a practical reminder like that, Inman stayed on the road — but he didn’t let the moment pass without finding some humour in it. While other gospel tours carry grand, faith-filled names, Inman gave his something a little more grounded in reality.

“I told her about it on the tour. It was the broken leg tour,” he said. “You know, people call theirs something real, you know, spiritual. I was like, but you folks, you’re on the broken leg tour.”

Thankfully, the story has a happy ending on both fronts. The dog made it home safely, and young Embry’s leg is on the mend.

Holding steady when faith meets opposition

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DON HEBERT

People who follow Jesus often feel the steady pressure of criticism, mockery, and misunderstanding. It may come as small comments, unfair assumptions, or loss of friendships. It may feel mild at times, but it can also cut deep. These moments can leave believers discouraged, unsure of themselves, or tempted to pull back from their faith. When the culture around us pushes against what we believe, it raises a hard question: Will we stand firm if the pressure increases?

2 Timothy 3:12 (NIV): “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted“. IRS Images, 2025

Jesus prepared his followers for this struggle long ago. He taught that hostility toward those who believe in him is not new, and not a sign that something is wrong. It is part of what it means to belong to him. His words still guide us today.

One of his clearest teachings is that the world does not react strongly to Christians simply because of personality or politics. The deeper reason is spiritual. People who follow Jesus no longer fit within the moral system that rejects God. Jesus said that believers were once part of that system but are now joined to him. This change of allegiance makes Christians feel like strangers to the world they once blended into. Because of this, believers face the same kind of resistance that Jesus faced. Those who do not understand him often do not understand his followers either.

Some people say they admire Jesus while criticizing Christians. But often the Jesus they admire is a version shaped by their own preferences, not the Jesus shown in the Bible. When the true Jesus, his words, his authority, and his call to change, is made known, many resist him. That resistance has always existed and still exists today.

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

This kind of hostility does not always look extreme. In Canada where my dad lives, it may appear more in insults, exclusion, false accusations, or social pressure than in violence. It may look different where you are reading this. The Bible recognizes these as real forms of persecution. Words and attitudes can wound deeply, and many believers carry these wounds. Some have lost friends, strained family ties, or faced unfair treatment at work or school. None of this should be dismissed.

But hostility should not surprise us. Jesus said that if people opposed him, they would oppose those who follow him. At the same time, he also said that some people would listen and believe. The reaction to the message of Jesus has always been divided.

If a believer never experiences any form of pushback, it may be worth asking whether their faith is visible at all. This does not mean seeking conflict or being harsh. It simply means being honest about who Jesus is and what he asks of us, even when it costs us something.

Jesus also explained that many people oppose him because they do not truly know God. If they understood God’s goodness, strength, mercy, and love, they would respond differently. This should shift our hearts from anger to compassion. The one who rejects our faith may actually be someone who needs it most.

Even so, the Bible teaches that hostility toward Jesus is without a true cause. People rejected him despite his kindness, his miracles, and his teaching. Their reasons were not good reasons. Yet Scripture said ahead of time that this would happen, reminding believers that opposition is to be expected.

So how should Christians respond? Not with revenge or harshness, but with truth and steady faith. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would help his people speak about him. The Spirit would give strength to keep sharing the message that brings life, even when the world pushes back. Throughout history, believers have faced hostility by continuing to pray, to speak, and to live with honour.

Jesus also warned that the greatest danger is not the harm others may do but the temptation to abandon faith. When the pressure rises, some may feel ashamed, fearful, or tired. But Jesus gave his words so that his people would remember the truth when difficulties come. Remembering keeps us from letting go.

Around the world today, many believers face deadly persecution. Countless others face pressure that is quieter but still real. We are called to remember them, pray for them, and stand firm in our own setting. Jesus walked the path of rejection before us. His strength, his Spirit, and his promises remain with those who follow him.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

John 15:18