Explore every episode of the podcast Become New with John Ortberg
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RR. How to Be Strong AND Vulnerable (feat. Alan George)
05 Oct 2026
00:11:10
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?
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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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson License# MB01XUUTGU633PL
RR. I'm Struggling to Find God
01 Oct 2026
00:14:18
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
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RR. Billions Invested in Leadership but Where are All the Good Leaders?
30 Sep 2026
00:11:59
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?
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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
RR. We asked 1,000 people which habits they wish they could break.
29 Sep 2026
00:13:12
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.
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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
RR. How to Handle Your LIMIT
28 Sep 2026
00:12:48
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.
🙌 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
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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
Psalms Bonus! What Happens When Someone Really Listens to You
25 Sep 2026
00:08:37
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?
🙌 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
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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 😂
RR. The Most Important Thing to Believe About Jesus
24 Sep 2026
00:12:16
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:
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
Thank You from John and Become New
23 Sep 2026
00:03:44
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
87. The Lord of the Rings' Most Important Lesson
22 Sep 2026
00:12:19
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.
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 😂
86. What the Psalms Are Trying to Teach Us
21 Sep 2026
00:14:02
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.
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!
85. The Surprising Connection Between Therapy and the Psalms (w/Dr. Rick)
18 Sep 2026
00:17:26
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
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
84. How Hope Changes Suffering
17 Sep 2026
00:12:37
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
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
83. Why Happiness Never Seems to Last
16 Sep 2026
00:13:28
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
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
82. There Are 3 Kinds of Friends. Here’s the One You Need.
15 Sep 2026
00:15:04
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
🤳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
81. Two Kinds of Commitment. Only One Transforms You.
14 Sep 2026
00:13:28
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
🤳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
80. How to Get "Unstuck" in Praise
11 Sep 2026
00:14:41
Why does God want us to praise Him? And what if praising God sometimes feels awkward, artificial, or forced?
In this reflection on Psalm 67, John Ortberg explores the same question that once troubled C. S. Lewis.
Lewis eventually discovered that God doesn't need praise like an insecure person needs compliments. Praise is actually part of our enjoyment of what's good.
We naturally praise the things we love, and we want other people to enjoy them too. That's why Lewis concluded that praise doesn't merely express joy:
Praise completes joy.
And when praise still feels like duty? Keep tuning the instrument. The duty exists for the delight.
In this episode: Psalm 67 • C.S. Lewis • praise • worship • doubt • awe • joy
00:00 Today We're Going to Praise God 00:08 Does Praising God Feel Awkward? 00:28 When Praise Feels Artificial 00:48 Psalm 67: May All the Peoples Praise You 01:21 C.S. Lewis Had a Problem With Praise 01:42 Why Does God Want Compliments? 02:12 Is God Egotistical? 02:34 The Problem With the Psalms 02:56 Does God Need Our Praise? 03:23 Bargaining With God for Praise 03:48 Lewis Could Understand Everything Except This 03:58 Are There Questions God Doesn't Want You to Ask? 04:39 Follow the Truth 04:49 What Does It Mean to Deserve Praise? 05:25 The Psychology of Awe 06:02 Awe Can Reset Your Mind 06:20 What We Miss When We Don't Praise 06:44 God Doesn't Need Your Compliments 07:31 The Thing Lewis Had Missed 07:56 We Praise Everything We Love 08:33 “Isn't She Lovely?” 08:56 Why the Psalms Tell Everyone to Praise 09:25 Praise Completes Joy 09:57 Why We Have to Share What We Love 10:07 What Will Heaven Really Be Like? 10:39 Worship Isn't an Endless Church Service 😂 10:56 Tuning the Instrument 11:25 The Duty Exists for the Delight 11:48 Digging Channels for the Water 12:01 Let All the Earth Praise 12:25 Look for What's Good 12:46 Praise God Today
79. What to Do When You’re Afraid
10 Sep 2026
00:10:54
What do you do when you're afraid?
In this reflection on Psalm 62, John Ortberg shares a memorable Dallas Willard story about a terrified cat clinging to a tree, and asks a surprisingly revealing question:
What's your branch?
When we're afraid, we clutch. We grasp for control over relationships, money, health, reputation, work, or whatever makes us feel secure.
But Psalm 62 offers another way.
Let go. Lean on God. And stand firm.
John explains how these two seemingly contradictory postures belong together: “I'm standing on the outside and leaning on the inside.”
You don't have to hold everything together today. Open your hands. Lean on the everlasting arms. Then stand firm and do the next right thing.
In this episode: Psalm 62 • fear • control • Dallas Willard • letting go • trusting God
00:00 This Is for Anyone Who's Ever Been Afraid 00:34 Two Ways to Deal With Fear 00:49 Psalm 62: A Leaning Wall 01:29 Where Do You Feel Unsteady? 01:54 What Fear Really Is 02:20 Dallas Willard's Cat 02:34 He Needed a Crowbar 😂 02:45 What's Your Branch? 03:01 What Are You Trusting In? 03:40 We Cling When We're Afraid 03:59 What Won't You Let Go Of? 04:20 You Can Let Go 04:45 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms 05:10 Stop Clutching. Start Leaning. 05:36 You Don't Face Life Alone 06:06 The Second Posture: Stand Firm 06:28 Leaning vs. Standing 06:53 Stand Outside, Lean Inside 07:20 How Leaning Helps You Stand 07:46 Little Cat, Let Go 08:00 Open Your Hands 08:14 A Lawyer's Unusual Advice 08:33 Lean on God. Stand Firm.
78. How to Not Waste Your Most Valuable Asset
09 Sep 2026
00:14:08
Who has your attention?
In a world where screens, money, health, worries, ambitions, and countless other forces compete for our focus, John Ortberg asks a deeper question: Who is my master?
Psalm 143 teaches us how to pay attention to God through two important practices: focused attention and open attention.
John explores why attention is so powerful, how what we consistently attend to can actually change us, and how we can learn to notice God's presence throughout an ordinary day.
The invitation is simple:
Pay attention to the God who is already paying attention to you.
In this episode: Psalm 143 • attention • distraction • spiritual formation • neuroscience • noticing God
00:00 Pay Very Careful Attention 00:12 Are You Still With Me? 00:31 Attention Is Something We Pay 00:55 Who Is Your Master? 01:18 God Is Paying Attention to You 01:39 Two Kinds of Attention 02:01 How Attention Changes Your World 02:28 How Do You Attend to Other People? 02:49 Attention Changes You 03:15 You Become More Like What You Attend To 03:45 Focused Attention 04:14 How a Bird Pays Attention 04:42 Open Attention 05:09 Two Very Different Ways of Seeing 05:33 Seeing Yourself as Part of Something Bigger 05:56 The Fellowship of Toads 😂 06:22 Why We Need Both Kinds of Attention 06:41 Psalm 143: God, Hear Me 06:53 Paying Attention to What's Wrong in Me 07:17 Taking an Honest Inventory 07:35 Who Is the Enemy? 08:02 When the Enemy Is Inside Me 08:30 Remember, Meditate, Consider 09:24 Learning to Pay Attention to God 09:48 God Is Paying Attention to Me 10:06 Let the Morning Bring Me Word 10:27 Show Me, Rescue Me, Teach Me, Lead Me 10:51 Open Your Attention to God 11:16 Focus on What's in Front of You 11:39 God, How Are You Here? 11:57 Who Is My Master?
77. Finding Perspective Changes Everything
08 Sep 2026
00:10:36
Sometimes you need to stop moving long enough to notice where you actually are.
In this reflection on Psalm 100, John Ortberg pulls over at a vista point and invites us to create a “vista point” in our own day: pause, look around, notice the beauty and goodness of God, and make a joyful noise.
John also shares the remarkable story of a $3 thrift-store jersey that turned out to be worth $90,000. It looked discarded, but it was a treasure.
Maybe you need that reminder too.
You are not self-made. You are the work of a master craftsman.
So pause today. Look around. Say “Wow.” Say “Thank You.” And don't miss the view.
In this episode: Psalm 100 • gratitude • joy • identity • God's creation • serving with gladness
00:00 You Need a Vista Point Today 00:26 Pull Over & Look Around 00:43 Seeing Your Life From God's Perspective 01:10 Psalm 100: Make a Joyful Noise 01:32 All the Earth Is Invited 01:51 John's Dad Makes a Joyful Noise 02:14 “Why Don't You Just Say It, John?” 😂 02:41 You Don't Need a Beautiful Voice 03:01 How Can You Make a Joyful Noise Today? 03:35 Notice What's Good 03:48 Know That the Lord Is God 04:14 There Is a God. It Is Not Me. 04:44 God Is Pleased That You Exist 05:07 The $3 Lakers Jersey 05:32 Was It Really Wilt Chamberlain's? 05:57 $3 Becomes $90,000 06:23 You Are Not Self-Made 06:50 You Are the Work of a Master Craftsman 07:10 You Live in God's Pasture Today 07:29 Serve the Lord With Gladness 07:46 The Dog Situation Gets Worse 😂 08:06 Pause. Look. Say Wow. 08:21 You Are a Treasure
76. What Dallas Willard Taught Us About Psalm 23 (w/Keith Matthews)
07 Sep 2026
00:11:37
What do people experience when they're around you?
In this conversation on Psalm 23, John Ortberg is joined by Keith Matthews, who spent 18 years teaching alongside Dallas Willard.
Keith shares what Dallas was really like, why he loved Psalm 23, and a remarkable story about a young woman whose life changed after simply watching Dallas interact with someone on the USC campus.
Dallas often prayed that people would have “a radiant life and a radiant death.” His life embodied a deep confidence in the sufficiency of God: The Lord is my shepherd. I have what I need.
Keith leaves us with a powerful thought:
“Our presence goes before us.”
What might your presence communicate to the people you encounter today?
In this episode: Psalm 23 • Dallas Willard • God's sufficiency • spiritual formation • becoming a radiant person
00:00 John & Keith Matthews 00:28 An Undisclosed Location of Spiritual Formation 😂 00:47 Spontaneity vs. Actually Preparing 01:11 Why Psalm 23? 01:38 Dallas Willard's Favorite Psalm 01:57 Memorizing Scripture 02:19 Teaching With Dallas for 18 Years 02:38 Dallas the Person 03:03 A Radiant Life & a Radiant Death 03:20 What Does a Person Radiate? 03:46 “The Lord Is My Shepherd” 04:06 God Is Sufficient 04:27 But What If I Really Need Something? 04:48 Are You Happy With the Person You're Becoming? 05:18 Living From a Full Cup 05:38 “I Need ___ in Order to ___” 05:55 Even a Radiant Death 06:14 The Human Spirit as Personal Energy 06:36 Why We Call It “Glo-ry” 07:05 The Presence of Dallas Willard 07:22 A Stranger Starts Crying 07:39 “Who Is That Guy?” 08:00 A Life Changed by an Encounter 08:28 Your Presence Goes Before You 08:52 What Must Jesus Have Been Like? 09:10 You Have Everything You Need 09:27 Leave Someone With a Little Smile
75. Life-Maxing? No, No, No...Try This Instead
04 Sep 2026
00:14:10
We're surrounded by voices telling us to maximize ourselves: our looks, productivity, wealth, health, status, experiences, and potential.
But Jesus offers a radically different path to maximum life.
In this episode, John Ortberg explores the “self-maximizer” inside us and contrasts it with John the Baptist's famous words: “He must increase; I must decrease.”
The paradox of God's kingdom is that abundant life doesn't come from making ourselves bigger. It comes as we loosen our grip on ego, reputation, and self-promotion and give ourselves to love and service.
Want to live life to the max?
Try a little less of yourself.
In this episode: life-maxing • John the Baptist • Philippians 2 • the self-maximizer • Psalm 146 • abundant life
00:00 How to Maximize Your Life 00:29 Welcome to the Age of Life-Maxing 00:50 Looks, Status & Productivity Maxing 01:08 What's Wrong With Self-Maxing? 01:34 God Is Actually Into Abundance 02:04 Biblical Maxers 02:26 Absalom: The Looks-Maxer 02:42 Five Pounds of Hair?! 03:04 He Maxed Himself to Death 03:26 The Wealth-Maxer & Bigger Barns 03:47 Solomon Maxes Pleasure 04:19 The Original God-Maxing Temptation 04:30 The Self-Maximizer Inside You 04:54 “My First Job Is to Realize My Potential” 05:22 Is Commitment Keeping a Sucker's Game? 05:48 The Self-Maximizer vs. Commitment 06:02 What's in It for Me? 06:25 When Self Becomes the Center 06:53 The Ego-Driven Pastor 07:14 The New Org Chart: Bigger Me 07:38 There Is Another Way 08:02 John the Baptist Starts Losing Followers 08:24 You Need to Max! 08:45 The Friend of the Bridegroom 09:04 “He Must Increase, I Must Decrease” 09:33 Jesus Minimizes Himself 10:10 Meaning Is the New Maxing 10:38 How to Min to Max Today 11:05 Give, Encourage, Listen & Serve 11:26 Less Ego, More Life 11:54 Life to the Max 12:03 John Forgot the Psalm 😂 12:22 Psalm 146: God's Kind of Greatness 12:43 Bonus Material
74. The Number One Self-Care Solution
03 Sep 2026
00:15:35
What does your soul actually need for self-care?
Psalm 19 gives a surprising answer: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.”
In this episode, John Ortberg explores why God's instruction isn't meant to burden us, but to help make us whole. Our souls become divided when our thoughts, desires, values, words, and actions pull in different directions. God's Word shows us what is good and helps bring our lives back into alignment.
John also shares how memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 helped him confront anger and resentment in his own life. Sometimes soul care is as simple as taking one piece of God's Word and asking Him to help us actually live it.
Go ahead and take the walk, light the candle, or get the massage. But don't miss the deeper invitation:
Let God revive your soul.
In this episode: Psalm 19 • wholeheartedness • internal integration • 1 Corinthians 13 • Dallas Willard • becoming whole
00:00 What Does Your Soul Really Need? 00:32 Self-Care Isn't Just Candles & Massages 00:49 Psalm 19 & the Surprising Answer 01:10 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God 01:42 The Sun Is Not God 02:27 Creation Is Good, But It's Not #1 02:52 The Law Revives the Soul 03:21 What Is the Soul? 03:52 Seriously...the Law? 04:12 Sweeter Than Honey, More Precious Than Gold 04:31 Why Your Soul Needs God's Instruction 04:56 What Does Wholeheartedness Mean? 05:29 Internal Integration 05:58 Becoming a Whole Person 06:23 The Kind of Person You're Called to Be 06:49 When Your Desires Pull in Opposite Directions 07:20 How We Become Divided 07:43 Can a Bad Person Be Wholehearted? 08:08 Why a Disordered Soul Hurts 08:32 Aristotle: The Soul in Strife 09:00 Why Divided People Can't Be Fully Known 09:16 “I Never Knew You” 09:41 The Soul Needs the Good 10:12 Choose One Thing to Practice Today 10:42 Memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 11:02 When John Wanted to Withdraw 11:17 Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind 12:01 Why God's Words Are Precious 12:26 The Reward Is Becoming Whole 12:50 The Real Meaning of Soul Care 13:19 The Law of the Lord Revives the Soul
73. Two Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Day
02 Sep 2026
00:13:46
We're surrounded by surveys.
Rate your phone call.
Rate your church experience.
Rate your doctor's visit.
John even got asked to rate his experience giving a urine sample. 😂
But what about the things that actually matter?
In this reflection on Psalm 36, John Ortberg gives us two surveys worth taking every day.
Survey #1: Is there anything in me that needs correcting?
Instead of reading about “the wicked” and immediately thinking about someone else, Psalm 36 invites us to look honestly at ourselves.
What am I seeing?
How am I speaking?
Where am I shading the truth?
What good am I failing to do?
Where are my thoughts taking me?
John compares this to surfing. His instructor repeatedly tells him:
“Look at the wave.”
If you don't pay attention to the wave, you won't know where it's taking you.
Our thoughts work the same way.
Then comes:
Survey #2: How good is God?
His love reaches to the heavens.
His faithfulness reaches to the skies.
His righteousness is like the highest mountains.
His justice is like the great deep.
How high do you rate God's goodness?
The numbers don't go high enough.
And if you want one final survey, John offers a little extra credit:
“When I survey the wondrous cross...”
Look honestly at yourself.
Look carefully at God.
Then look at the cross, where the fullness of His love and goodness is on display.
In this episode:
Why we're living in “survey palooza”
What the Psalms teach us about honest self-examination
00:00 The Only Surveys You Need Today 00:33 Welcome to Survey Palooza 00:54 John Gets Surveyed About a Urine Test 01:31 Are We Measuring What Really Matters? 01:54 The Psalms: Your Soul Book 02:24 Your Real Self Talking to the Real God 02:53 Psalm 36 & the Human Heart 03:26 Survey #1: What Needs Correcting? 03:39 What Does It Mean to Fear God? 04:27 Do You Flatter Yourself? 04:50 What Are Your Eyes Looking At? 05:12 Can You Detect Your Own Sin? 05:37 Are Your Words Completely Honest? 05:53 Sins of Omission 06:21 Happiness, Connection & Listening 06:43 Are You Rejecting What Is Wrong? 07:12 John's Surfing Lesson 07:38 Look at the Wave 07:52 Why You Have to Watch Your Thoughts 08:20 Survey #2: How Good Is God? 08:49 God's Love Is Off the Charts 09:10 God's Faithfulness, Righteousness & Justice 09:35 The Great Lake Tahoe Debate 10:03 God Cares for Every Living Creature 10:27 God's River of Delights 10:47 In Your Light We See Light 11:07 The Two Surveys 11:27 Extra Credit: Survey the Wondrous Cross 11:48 Nice Work
72. Psalm 139, Gollum, and Finding Our Identity
01 Sep 2026
00:12:42
Remember where you come from.
According to John Ortberg, remembering where you truly come from gives you two remarkable gifts: Identity and hope.
In this reflection on Psalm 139, John explores what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
In this episode: Psalm 139 and where we truly come from Why remembering your origin gives you identity What it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made Your body as your “little kingdom” The biblical word golem Gollum and the Ring “What's your ring?” William Wordsworth and “trailing clouds of glory” Why we lose our sense of wonder The danger of “peaking too soon” Jesus and the lilies of the field Why remembering where you come from gives you hope The more important question: Where are you headed?
Scriptures: Psalm 139:13–16 • Genesis 2:7 • Matthew 6:28–30
🙌 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
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00:00 Remember Where You Come From 00:34 Where Do I Come From? 00:57 The Birds & the Bees Mix-Up 01:17 A Deeper Question About Your Origin 01:44 Remembering Gives You Identity 02:02 John Is a Rockford Guy 02:25 Humility & Knowing Who You Are 02:49 Psalm 139: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made 03:15 Your Body Is Your Little Kingdom 03:49 Your Body Will Be Redeemed 04:15 Your Unformed Body & the Golem 04:40 The Jewish Legend of the Golem 05:03 Gollum, Sméagol & the Ring 05:30 What's Your Ring? 05:50 What Are You Tempted to Worship? 06:16 Wordsworth & Intimations of Immortality 06:30 Trailing Clouds of Glory 07:00 You Come From God 07:24 Why We Lose Our Sense of Wonder 07:46 Where You Come From Tells You Where You're Going 08:06 Don't Peak Too Soon 08:29 Gollum Peaked Too Soon 08:44 The Second Gift: Hope 09:06 Splendor in the Grass 09:15 Jesus & the Lilies of the Field 09:42 God Will Clothe You 09:53 Find Strength in What Remains 10:00 Faith That Looks Through Death 10:20 You're Headed Toward Splendor 10:30 You Can't Go Back 10:46 Where Are You Headed?
71. Becoming Defensive Doesn't Help. Here's Why
31 Aug 2026
00:12:55
What happens when God shows you something about yourself you don't want to see?
Our instinct is often to defend.
Explain.
Distract ourselves.
Push it away.
But what if the uncomfortable truth is actually an invitation to transformation?
In this reflection on Psalm 32, John Ortberg explores the relationship between pain, honesty, forgiveness, and genuine change.
John begins personally, describing a conversation in which a longtime friend helped him recognize uncomfortable patterns of comparison, envy, and competition in himself.
Instead of defending himself, John is learning to say: “Yep. That's me. God, I need Your help.”
Psalm 32 describes the blessed person as someone “in whose spirit is no deceit.”
Then John tells the extraordinary story of Tom Tarrants, a violent white supremacist and KKK terrorist who was imprisoned in Mississippi.
In prison, Tarrants encountered the words of Jesus: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
His life began to change.
The man who once participated in racist terrorism eventually devoted himself to forgiveness, racial reconciliation, and serving the very people he once hated.
How far can somebody fall and still be changed by God? Maybe much further than we imagine.
So when your conscience shows you something today, don't immediately run.
Don't defend.
Don't hide.
Ask: God, help me see the truth about myself.
And then: Would You change me?
In this episode: - Psalm 32 and honest confession - What happens when we become defensive - Dallas Willard on pain and reality - Why hiding the truth fragments us internally - David, Psalm 51, and forgiveness - The story of Tom Tarrants - Radical transformation from hatred to reconciliation - What it means to have “no deceit” in your spirit - How to respond to conviction - Why God's grace can change anyone
Scriptures: Psalm 32 • Psalm 51 • Psalm 1 • Matthew 16:26 • 2 Samuel 11–12
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 The Power God Has to Change You 00:36 When Someone Tells You the Truth About Yourself 01:00 Stop Defending Yourself 01:26 What Do You Do With the Pain? 01:49 Psalm 32 & David's Repentance 02:20 Blessed After Going Down the Wrong Path 02:27 Forgiven and Changed 02:50 In Whose Spirit Is No Deceit 03:13 Pain Is Running Into Reality 03:34 When I Kept Silent 04:00 Why Sin Divides Us Inside 04:20 Confession & Forgiveness 04:36 How Far Down Can Someone Fall? 04:52 The Story of Tom Tarrants 05:26 A Violent KKK Terrorist 06:00 A Bible in a Mississippi Prison 06:29 Jesus Changes a Life 06:55 Enemies Praying Together 07:14 A Fraternity That Transcends All Others 07:37 The FBI Investigates His Conversion 08:10 From Hatred to Reconciliation 08:41 Forgiven People Can Help Others 09:03 The Truth About Me 09:21 The Lord's Unfailing Love Surrounds You 09:43 Don't Push the Truth Away 10:05 God, Help Me See Myself 10:23 Can God Change a Heart of Hatred? 10:33 Only God
70. How to Keep Your Soul Healthy
28 Aug 2026
00:08:48
How is it with your soul?
It's probably not a question anyone else will ask you today.
But it may be one of the most important questions you can ask yourself.
In this reflection on the Psalms, John Ortberg draws from Renovation of the Heart to explore what the soul actually is and why its health affects everything else in our lives.
Dallas Willard describes the soul as an inner stream of water that brings strength, direction, and harmony to the rest of our being.
That's why the Psalms repeatedly use the language of water:
“My soul thirsts for You.”
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You.”
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.”
John then tells the story of a beautiful village whose life depended upon a crystal-clear stream. When the unseen keeper of that stream was dismissed, everything seemed fine...for a while.
Then the water began to change.
Eventually, the entire village felt the effects.
Our souls can work the same way.
We can neglect what's happening beneath the surface while remaining busy with everything that seems more urgent.
But eventually, everything flows downstream.
So ask yourself today:
How is it with my soul?
The stream is your soul.
And you are its keeper.
In this episode:
What is the soul?
Why the Psalms are the great “soul book”
Dallas Willard on the inner life
Why the Psalms repeatedly use water imagery
The soul as an inner stream
How the health of your soul affects everything else
00:00 How Is It With Your Soul? 00:33 What Is the Soul? 00:59 The Psalms: The Great Soul Book 01:16 Who Is the Keeper of Your Soul? 01:34 My Soul Thirsts for God 01:51 As the Deer Pants for Water 02:20 The Soul Is an Inner Stream 02:43 How Healthy Is Your Soul Today? 03:07 What a Healthy Soul Looks Like 03:34 Where Does Your Soul Get Its Life? 03:48 The Keeper of the Stream 04:11 A Beautiful Village in the Alps 04:35 The Old Man Nobody Noticed 04:59 The Unseen Work of Tending the Stream 05:25 What Happens When the Stream Is Neglected 05:39 At First, Nobody Noticed 06:02 The Whole Village Begins to Suffer 06:11 The Life of the Village Depends on the Stream 06:35 The Stream Is Restored 06:41 You Are the Keeper of Your Soul
69. The Glory and Burden of Potential
27 Aug 2026
00:13:14
What if you haven't lived up to your potential?
In this reflection on Psalm 8, John Ortberg explores one of the great wonders of God's creation: human potential.
You can count the seeds in an apple.
But you cannot count the apples in a seed.
Human beings possess an extraordinary capacity to grow, create, love, serve and become. Psalm 8 looks at the vastness of the heavens and then marvels that God is mindful of us.
But there's another side to potential.
It can become a burden.
I should be further along.
I should have accomplished more.
I should have made better decisions.
I should be more successful, disciplined, attractive, productive or fulfilled.
What happens when the possibility of what we could become turns into disappointment over what we haven't become?
John offers two truths to carry with us:
“I am but dust and ashes.”
And:
“The whole world was created on my account.”
One reminds us that we are limited creatures.
The other reminds us that we are deeply loved.
And if you're worried that too much of your life has already passed or that you've wasted your potential, remember:
God never gets trapped in the past.
Today is still here.
And who knows what God may yet have in store?
In this episode:
Psalm 8 and human potential
Recovering awe and wonder
Why we become blasé about extraordinary things
Abraham Joshua Heschel on human possibility
What it means to participate in the divine nature
How potential becomes a burden
The pressure to constantly optimize our lives
“I am but dust and ashes”
“The whole world was created on my account”
What to do when you feel insignificant
What to do when you feel too important
Letting go of regret about wasted potential
Why God isn't trapped in your past
Scriptures: Psalm 8 • 2 Peter 1:4 • Genesis 18:27 • Luke 23:39–43
00:00 The Burden of Potential 00:11 You Can't Count the Apples in a Seed 00:34 Psalm 8 & Human Potential 00:55 Have You Considered the Heavens Lately? 01:15 How We Lose Our Sense of Wonder 01:33 What Is Mankind That You Are Mindful of Us? 02:05 The Potential of the Human Soul 02:22 What Could This Child Become? 02:54 Apples in a Seed 03:05 Made to Participate With God 03:22 Participate in the Divine Nature 04:19 Do You Remember What It Was Like With God? 05:31 The Legend of the Child and the Torah 06:44 E. E. Cummings & the Wonder of Creation 07:12 When Potential Becomes a Burden 07:32 What Am I Going to Do With All This Potential? 08:00 The Pressure to Optimize Your Life 08:59 Two Truths You Need to Carry 09:27 I Am But Dust and Ashes 09:33 The Whole World Was Created on My Account 09:45 When You Feel Too Important 10:04 When You Feel Insignificant 10:25 What If You've Wasted Your Potential? 10:47 The Thief on the Cross 11:08 God Isn't Trapped in Your Past 11:18 You Still Can't Count the Apples in a Seed
68. This Question Will Guide Your Life
26 Aug 2026
00:13:48
What do you really want?
According to the Gospel of John, that's the first question Jesus asks His would-be disciples:
“What do you want?”
In this reflection on Psalm 1, John Ortberg explores why that may be one of the most important questions we ever answer.
Our lives have a way of organizing themselves around our deepest desires.
How do you spend your time?
Your money?
What makes you angry?
What are you willing to sacrifice for?
Those things often reveal what we want more accurately than our words do.
Psalm 1 gives us a picture of a different kind of life: a flourishing person, like a tree planted beside streams of water, with roots sunk deeply into God.
And John closes with the remarkable story of Natan Sharansky, who spent years imprisoned in the Soviet Union and memorized the entire Book of Psalms.
When he was finally released, Sharansky refused to cross the bridge to freedom until his captors returned his copy of the Psalms.
What we fill our minds with matters.
Because what fills our minds helps shape what we desire.
So today, ask yourself:
What do I really want?
And:
What am I filling my mind with?
In this episode:
The first question Jesus asks in John's Gospel
How our lives reveal what we actually want
Psalm 1 and the meaning of “blessed”
What biblical flourishing looks like
The tree planted beside streams of water
Why invisible roots matter
The progression of walking, standing and sitting
Why Psalm 1 isn't a formula for easy circumstances
How inner goodness crowds out envy and greed
Natan Sharansky's remarkable story
How the Psalms sustained him through Soviet imprisonment
Why what we fill our minds with shapes our lives
Scriptures: John 1:35–38 • Psalm 1 • Acts 20:35 • Matthew 7:12
00:00 What Do You Want? 00:27 The First Question Jesus Asked 00:39 What Your Life Reveals About You 01:06 What Do You REALLY Want? 01:31 What Kind of Person Do You Want to Be? 01:53 Living With Blinders On 02:10 When Nothing Feels Worth Wanting 02:40 Psalm 1 & the Blessed Life 03:05 What Does “Blessed” Mean? 03:32 A Tree Planted by Streams of Water 03:54 Two Ways to Live 04:14 The Roots Nobody Sees 04:40 Rooted and Nourished by God 05:03 The Challenge of Translating Hebrew 05:49 “Let's Eat, Kids” 06:18 Psalm 1 Guides Us Toward Happiness 06:43 Walk, Stand, Sit 07:14 Why Goodness Is Easy to Mock 07:37 Psalm 1 Isn't a Formula 07:59 What Inner Goodness Does 08:23 What Do You Want? 08:33 What Will You Fill Your Mind With? 08:38 Natan Sharansky's Story 09:15 A Book of Psalms in a Soviet Prison 09:40 Three Ways He Survived Solitary Confinement 10:01 Memorizing the Entire Book of Psalms 10:31 He Refused Freedom Without His Psalms 10:54 Zigzagging Across the Bridge to Freedom 11:17 Carrying the Psalms to Jerusalem 11:34 What Will You Carry in Your Mind?
67. Why Today is a Good Day to Die
25 Aug 2026
00:14:27
Today is a good day to die.
Which means it's a good day to come alive.
In this reflection on Psalm 51, John Ortberg explores an old Christian word that doesn't get used much anymore: mortification.
It sounds miserable.
But properly understood, mortification isn't about becoming miserable.
It's about becoming free.
John describes two selves within us: the impulsive self, driven by whatever we happen to want right now, and the valuing self, shaped by what we most deeply believe matters: love, joy, peace, patience and generosity.
The goal of the spiritual life isn't to spend every day desperately resisting everything we want.
It's to increasingly become the kind of person who is no longer controlled by destructive desires.
Drawing from Psalm 51, Romans 8, and Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find, John explores Jesus' strange invitation to die in order to truly live.
To mortify is to liberate.
And it can begin with one very small act today.
In this episode:
What “mortification” actually means
Jesus' paradox of dying in order to live
Samuel Johnson on how death clarifies life
Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Psalm 51 and David's prayer of repentance
The impulsive self vs. the valuing self
Why following Jesus isn't endless miserable resistance
How destructive desires lose their power
Mortification as liberation
A simple practice for becoming more free today
Scriptures: Psalm 51 • Romans 8:13 • 2 Samuel 11–12 • Matthew 16:25
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00:00 Today Is a Good Day to Die 00:32 Why Mortification Is a Good Thing 01:01 Which of Your Two Selves Needs to Die? 01:29 Death Concentrates the Mind 01:56 Flannery O'Connor & A Good Man Is Hard to Find 02:52 Meet the Grandmother 03:37 The Misfit 04:08 A Strange Moment of Grace 04:37 “You're One of My Children” 04:59 What Facing Death Did to Her 05:23 What Needs to Die in Me? 05:58 Romans 8: Put It to Death and Live 06:21 Psalm 51 & David's Sin 06:54 Our Sin Isn't Always Before Us 07:17 Create in Me a Pure Heart 07:43 Mortification Isn't Misery 08:05 The Life of the Spirit 08:31 Your Two Selves 08:51 The Valuing Self 09:17 To Mortify Is to Liberate 09:25 Freedom From Destructive Desires 10:10 Addiction, Resentment & Approval 10:44 What Real Freedom Looks Like 11:15 A Good Day to Die 11:38 Practice One Small Act of Mortification 11:58 Don't Do One Thing You Want to Do 12:24 He Will Make You Free
66. You Were Made for GREAT Joy
24 Aug 2026
00:11:30
You were made for great joy...but what do you do when you don't feel particularly joyful?
In this reflection on Psalm 47, John Ortberg explores a surprisingly practical answer: Do something joyful.
Sing.
Clap.
Dance.
Go outside.
Listen to birds.
Look into the face of someone you love.
Maybe even skip.
The Psalms weren't merely written to be read. They were meant to be sung.
Drawing from William Law and the James-Lange theory of emotion, John explores the fascinating relationship between our bodies and our inner lives.
We can't simply command ourselves to feel happy. Our emotions don't work that way.
But we can choose our actions.
And because our bodies and souls are deeply connected, the things we choose to do can help shape what's happening inside our hearts.
So don't wait until you feel joyful to sing.
Sometimes, singing helps lead us toward joy.
This is your day.
You can make this day a song.
In this episode:
Psalm 47 and the command to sing Why the Psalms were meant to be sung William Law on singing the Psalms The relationship between body and emotion Why “just choose to be happy” doesn't work The James-Lange theory of emotion Why the Psalms include dancing and other physical practices How our outward actions can shape our inward lives Practical ways to move toward joy Making your day a song
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 You Were Made for Great Joy 00:25 How Your Life Becomes a Song 00:48 Psalm 47: Sing Praises 01:20 Sing, Sing, Sing 01:46 Why Were the Psalms Meant to Be Sung? 02:09 William Law on Singing the Psalms 02:32 Don't Just Read the Psalm 02:57 How Singing Changes the Heart 03:21 The James-Lange Theory of Emotion 03:51 Your Body Can Affect Your Feelings 04:11 It's Hard to Be Depressed While You Skip 04:27 From the Rising of the Sun 04:45 How the Body Influences Emotion 05:09 John's Blind Date Advice 05:24 The Union of Soul and Body 06:14 You Can't Just Choose to Be Happy 06:41 How Much Power Do We Have Over Ourselves? 07:05 Choose the Outward Action 07:41 Why Singing the Psalms Matters 08:03 Do Something That Leads to Joy 08:33 Sing, Skip, Dance 08:55 Make This Day a Song
65. The Right Way to Start Your Day
21 Aug 2026
00:12:38
What's the right way to wake up?
In this reflection on Psalm 5, John Ortberg continues the daily rhythm begun in Psalm 4.
Evening is the time of peace. Morning is the time of hope.
And don't worry: you don't have to become a morning person.
John explores how Psalm 5 gives us a practical way to begin an ordinary day with God, even when we wake up carrying heavy burdens, difficult circumstances, or unanswered questions.
Drawing from the ancient Christian invitation Sursum corda, “Lift up your hearts,” and the wisdom of Francis de Sales, John invites us to preview the coming day with God.
What meetings are ahead?
Who will you encounter?
Where might you be tempted?
Where might you have an opportunity to serve or encourage someone?
Bring your actual day to God.
Then wait expectantly.
Maybe we shouldn't call the thing that wakes us an “alarm clock” at all.
As John puts it, perhaps we need a resurrection clock.
God has given you another day. This one will never come again.
00:00 The Right Way to Wake Up 00:23 Psalms 4 & 5: Evening and Morning 00:46 I Wake Because the Lord Sustains Me 01:03 God's Kingdom, Not Mine 01:15 You Don't Have to Be a Morning Person 01:42 All Time Is God's Time 02:11 When You Wake Up Heavy 02:54 Every Morning Is a Resurrection 03:22 Map Out the Coming Day 03:40 Sursum Corda: Lift Up Your Hearts 04:01 Living Today in God's Hands 04:30 Why Do We Call It an Alarm Clock? 05:14 Don't Wake Up Alarmed 05:40 Psalm 5: The Morning Prayer 06:33 Preview Your Day With God 07:21 Prepare for Difficult People 07:47 Look for Opportunities to Serve 08:27 Talk Through Your Day With God 08:45 Wait Expectantly 09:01 You Need a Resurrection Clock 09:11 This Is the Day the Lord Has Made 09:32 Two Ways to Live Today 10:27 Surrounded by God's Favor 10:47 This Day Will Never Come Again 11:10 Wake Up, for God's Sake!
64. The Right Way to Go to Sleep
20 Aug 2026
00:12:26
Did you know the Bible gives us a way to go to sleep?
In this reflection on Psalm 4, John Ortberg explores what sleep can teach us about surrender, control, prayer, and trusting God.
Drawing from Answering God, John points out a fascinating biblical rhythm: evening comes before morning.
Genesis says, “There was evening, and there was morning.”
Sabbath begins at sundown.
Psalm 4 gives us an evening prayer before Psalm 5 gives us a morning prayer.
Why?
Because before we wake up, accomplish anything, solve anything, or even become conscious of the new day, God is already at work.
Every night, sleep asks us to relinquish our grip on our work, our relationships, our problems, our thoughts, and our need for control.
00:00 The Right Way to Go to Sleep 00:34 Psalm 4 & Psalm 5 01:01 I Sleep Because the Lord Sustains Me 01:26 Why Evening Comes Before Morning 01:44 Genesis, Sabbath & God's Rhythm 02:05 Who's Really in Control? 02:27 Eugene Peterson on Evening Prayer 03:05 Sleep Is the Practice of Letting Go 03:37 Why We Don't Want to Surrender Control 04:07 Psalm 4: An Evening Prayer 04:33 What False Gods Did You Chase Today? 05:08 Search Your Heart and Be Silent 05:34 First Sleep & Second Sleep 06:30 What to Do When You Can't Sleep 06:42 Review Your Day With God 07:15 Gratitude Instead of Discontent 07:38 The Right Way to Sleep 08:07 God Is God and I Am Not 08:22 Why "Sleep Like a Baby" Isn't Quite Right 08:54 Sleep Is the Friend of God 09:50 Trusting God Through the Night 10:16 Let God Look After the World 10:51 Sleep, for God's Sake
63. How to Pray to Change Your Life
19 Aug 2026
00:10:41
What if you prayed the Psalms as if they could really help?
In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores the difference between simply reciting Scripture and allowing its words to become our own prayer.
John shares the story of Rabbi Plotkin, whose life seemed to be falling apart. His marriage was ending. His future felt uncertain. Fear and self-pity had taken over.
Then one morning, as he prepared to say the same prayers he'd prayed for decades, he challenged himself:
“Don't pray as you always have. This time, pray as if it could really help.”
The words were the same.
But the speaker was different.
When he reached Psalm 30 and read, “At night you go to sleep crying. In the morning there is joy,” something changed. The ancient words suddenly became personal.
That's John's invitation to us today: don't merely read Psalm 30.
Pray it.
Bring your actual fear, grief, need, and hope to the words. Read them as though they're addressed to you. Let the Psalms become a vessel of God's grace in your actual life.
In this episode:
Psalm 30 and transformational prayer How to turn Scripture into prayer Rabbi Plotkin's story of crisis and hope Why familiar words can suddenly become personal The difference between reciting and praying How the Psalms remind us we're not alone “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” Praying Scripture with your whole heart
🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.
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00:00 How Do You Pray to Change Your Life? 00:28 Psalm 30 & Duets on Psalms 00:48 Rabbi Plotkin's Story 01:21 When Everything Is Falling Apart 01:40 The Last Straw 01:54 Fear, Despair & Self-Pity 02:20 Put Up or Shut Up Time 02:44 Pray Like It Could Really Help 03:02 Same Words, Different Speaker 03:31 At Night You Cry, In the Morning There's Joy 03:55 Suddenly, He Wasn't Alone 04:11 What Would You Take on Alone? 04:30 Nobody Can Keep You From Taking God 04:59 Hope Enters the Story 05:16 Two Friends Underline the Same Verse 05:59 Don't Just Recite the Words 06:12 Why the Psalms Can Transform Us 06:38 Pray These Words as Your Own 06:52 Psalm 30 07:28 Weeping at Night, Joy in the Morning 08:20 You Turned My Wailing Into Dancing 09:01 There's Joy
62. Finding God in the Dark Night of the Soul ("The Pit")
18 Aug 2026
00:13:43
What do you do when you find yourself in the pit?
In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores one of the Bible's most powerful metaphors for suffering: the pit, the depths, the darkness, Sheol.
Sometimes the pit is grief.
Sometimes it's depression, failure, anxiety, physical pain, a broken relationship, a dream that has died, or something completely beyond our control.
And sometimes the night lasts much longer than we ever imagined.
John shares personally about a season when the pain didn't go away the next day...or the next. One thought became especially important:
It will not always be this way.
That doesn't mean circumstances will immediately improve. It doesn't even mean things can't get worse. It means that even in the darkness, God can still be found.
Psalm 30 says, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
We don't know how long the night will last.
But the night doesn't get the last word.
In this episode:
Psalm 30 and the biblical image of "the pit" What to do when suffering overwhelms you Why "joy comes in the morning" isn't a formula or timeline Finding God in darkness Psalm 139 and finding God in Sheol How to keep going when circumstances don't improve Why we can't lift ourselves out of every pit Mourning and dancing existing together Hope when the night feels endless
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00:00 What to Do When You're in the Pit 00:29 What Does "the Pit" Mean? 00:58 Psalm 30 Begins 01:29 Weeping May Last for the Night 01:56 When God Feels Hidden 02:20 Bargaining With God 03:10 You Turned My Wailing Into Dancing 03:37 This Isn't a Formula or Timeline 04:04 The Biblical Image of the Pit 04:44 When Pain Takes Over Everything 05:35 When All You Can Do Is Hurt 05:46 How Long Does the Night Last? 06:06 It Will Not Always Be This Way 06:30 What If Things Get Worse? 06:52 Finding God in the Darkness 07:19 If I Make My Bed in Sheol 07:46 Remember You're Not the Only One 08:25 God Has Met Suffering People Before 08:44 Finding Meaning in the Pit 09:00 When You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going 09:22 You Can't Lift Yourself Out of the Pit 10:07 Laughter Comes Again 10:36 Mourning Becomes Dancing 10:54 God Is Lord Even Over the Pit 11:14 Don't You Give Up
61. Can God Heal Your Mind?
17 Aug 2026
00:13:22
What do you do with the mess inside your mind?
In this reflection on Psalm 102, John Ortberg explores how the Psalms can become a kind of divine therapy, teaching us to bring our actual thoughts, emotions, fears, and beliefs honestly into the presence of God.
Drawing from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, the ABCDE framework associated with Martin Seligman, and insights from Walter Brueggemann and Dallas Willard, John shows us a practical way to process what's happening inside us with God. Psalm 102 doesn't clean up the mess.
The psalmist pours it out.
Fear. Despair. Exaggeration. Loneliness. Anger.
And then comes the turn:
"But You, Lord..."
We bring God what we're actually thinking and feeling, then allow the truth of who He is to reshape the way we see our circumstances.
In this episode: - Psalm 102 and lament - What "divine therapy" might look like - Why our inner lives rarely match what we present publicly - Lori Gottlieb's Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - The ABCDE framework - Why lament Psalms use exaggeration and hyperbole - Walter Brueggemann on Psalm 102 - Bringing truth to our thoughts - Dallas Willard's "Eternity is now in session" - Walking through an ordinary day with the Eternal God
📚 Today's Resources: Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed Martin E.P. Seligman, Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life Walter Brueggeman, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 Maybe You Should Talk to Someone 00:39 Can God Be Your Therapist? 01:04 The Mess Inside Our Minds 01:52 A Therapist's First Patient 02:33 Finally Naming What's Wrong 02:58 The Life We Present Online 03:48 Psalm 102 & Divine Therapy 04:23 The ABCDE Framework 05:07 Lament Isn't Objective Reporting 05:31 Walter Brueggemann on Psalm 102 06:24 Bring Your Actual Life to God 07:07 My Days Vanish Like Smoke 07:32 Why the Psalms Exaggerate 07:58 Pouring Out the Raw Stuff 08:28 "But You, Lord..." 09:19 Eternity Is Now in Session 09:43 Eternal Life Available Now 10:22 Living in the Presence of the Eternal One 10:53 Whatever Happens Today 11:12 Get It Out, Bring in Truth, Walk With God
60. Understanding Biblical Contradictions
14 Aug 2026
00:14:37
How do you deal with foolish people?
The Bible gives a surprisingly complicated answer.
In Proverbs 26:4 we're told: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly...”
And then, in the very next verse: “Answer a fool according to his folly...”
So which is it?
In this reflection on Psalm 14, John Ortberg explores why biblical wisdom can't be reduced to a simple set of rules. Sometimes wisdom requires speaking. Sometimes it requires silence. Sometimes you engage. Sometimes you walk away.
The goal of Scripture isn't merely to give us enough information to always follow the right rule. It's to form us into wise people, capable of judgment, discernment, and love. And Psalm 14 eventually turns the question around.
Instead of asking only, “How do I deal with the fools out there?” perhaps we need to ask: “How do I deal with the fool in here?”
In this episode: - Psalm 14 and the meaning of foolishness - Why sin isn't only bad, but foolish - Proverbs 26:4–5 and seemingly contradictory wisdom - Why the Bible doesn't simply give us rules - How Scripture forms judgment and discernment - When to engage a foolish person and when to walk away - Why biblical narratives require us to wrestle - The Psalms as honest journals rather than rulebooks - What it means to live as though "there is no God" - 1 Corinthians 13 and filling our minds with Scripture - How to become a wiser person
📚 Today's Resources: David A. Hubbard, Proverbs (The Preacher’s Commentary, Volume 15)
🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 Why Do I Do Stupid Things? 01:01 The Folly of Sin 01:47 How Do We Acquire Wisdom? 02:07 Fool Management 101 02:33 Proverbs on Dealing With Fools 03:01 Don't Answer a Fool...Answer a Fool? 03:32 Does the Bible Contradict Itself? 04:14 What Scripture Is Actually Trying to Do 05:08 Why Rules Aren't Enough 05:36 When to Engage a Fool 06:24 Wisdom Requires Discernment 06:49 Contradictory Words of Wisdom 07:16 Wisdom Isn't a Formula 07:59 Why the Bible Makes Us Wrestle 08:25 The Psalms Aren't a Rulebook 08:42 Psalm 14 & the Fool 09:45 Who Are the Righteous? 10:09 The Fool in Here 10:29 Wisdom Begins With Surrender 10:50 Fill Your Mind With Scripture 11:26 How to Become Wiser 11:49 Fool Management 101
59. The Noble Pursuit of Being Ordinary
13 Aug 2026
00:14:34
What if the goal today isn't to make your life extraordinary?
What if it's to learn how to see the extraordinary gift hidden inside the ordinary?
In this reflection on Psalm 104, John Ortberg explores how modern life has changed the way we see the world around us. We know more than ever about how nature works, yet we may have lost something along the way: our ability to experience creation as filled with meaning, wonder, and the presence of God.
Drawing on Charles Taylor and Dallas Willard, John invites us to recover the eyes of "saints, poets, and artists" and rediscover what Willard called "the well-kept secret of the ordinary."
Birds sing.
Trees grow.
Wild animals drink.
Leviathan frolics.
People go to work.
And apparently God really likes hyraxes.
Psalm 104 invites us to look again and recognize that ordinary creation is overflowing with the generosity, creativity, and goodness of God.
Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 Make It an Ordinary Day 00:27 Recovering the Eyes of the Psalmist 01:06 Psalm 104 Begins 02:17 Charles Taylor & the Loss of Enchantment 02:51 Dallas Willard's Secret of the Ordinary 03:28 Listen to the Birds Sing 03:51 Rediscovering an Ordinary Gift 04:13 All Creatures Are God's Creatures 04:56 Meet the Hyrax 05:49 Why Did God Make Hyraxes? 06:14 We've Forgotten How to See 06:50 The Love Letter Illustration 07:18 You're Missing the Words 07:40 Creation Is Filled With Meaning 08:06 Every Leaf Is Charged With God's Presence 08:31 Go Outside and Actually Look 08:42 Why Did God Make Leviathan? 09:08 The Gratuitous Goodness of God 09:54 God Rejoices in His Creation 10:16 The Gift of Being Ordinary 10:53 Receive Your Life as a Gift 11:15 Give the Gift of Life to Others 11:36 Make It an Ordinary Day
58. Pinocchio Theology (Getting Real)
12 Aug 2026
00:14:15
Which version of you shows up when you pray?
In this reflection on Psalm 55, John Ortberg explores a surprising truth about prayer: God doesn't want the cleaned-up, polished, "Disney version" of you. He wants the real you. The Psalms aren't theological essays or collections of perfectly polished emotions. They're raw prayers from real human beings bringing fear, anger, anguish, confusion, and desire honestly before God.
John connects this idea to the original story of The Adventures of Pinocchio, which is much darker and more spiritually suggestive than the famous Disney adaptation. Pinocchio is lovingly created by his father, rebels against him, rejects his conscience, and longs for something he cannot accomplish on his own: to become real. And that's where Pinocchio's story intersects with ours. Transformation doesn't begin when we finally become the person we think God wants. It begins when the person we actually are becomes willing to stand honestly before Him.
In this episode: Psalm 55 and honest prayer Why every emotion in the Psalms isn't necessarily an instruction Bringing our troubled thoughts before God The surprising theology of Pinocchio Conscience, rebellion, and the love of the Father Biblical echoes of Jonah and the Prodigal Son Moving from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh Why transformation begins with getting real
Scriptures: Psalm 55 2 Timothy 3:16–17 Hosea 11:3 Luke 15 Jonah 1–2 Matthew 12:38–40 Ezekiel 36:26
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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
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
00:00 Which Version of You Does God Want? 00:39 Learning to Pray With the Psalms 01:06 Are All the Psalms Supposed to Be "Right"? 01:49 The Psalms Are Raw Journals 02:15 Psalm 55 & Troubled Thoughts 02:43 Fear, Trembling & Anguish 03:31 Praying About Difficult People 03:55 The Two Versions of You 04:18 The Book John Never Wrote 04:44 The Original Pinocchio 05:14 Pinocchio Rebels Against His Father 05:39 God Taught Israel to Walk 06:17 Jiminy Cricket vs. the Original Story 06:39 Pinocchio Kills His Conscience 07:03 The Tragic Story of Jiminy Cricket's Voice 07:59 Pinocchio Needs Help Beyond Himself 08:50 The Prodigal Son & a Heart of Flesh 09:21 Jonah, Resurrection & Becoming Real 10:07 Transformation Begins With Reality 10:28 Pour Out the Ugly Stuff 10:56 Don't Bring God the Disney Version 11:21 Bring the Real You, Splinters and All
57. This Psalm is Deeply Important to Me
11 Aug 2026
00:12:46
What are you looking to for help today?
In this reflection on Psalm 121, John Ortberg explores two simple actions that can make today a blessed day:
God watches over us. We lift our eyes toward Him.
But "I lift up my eyes to the hills" may mean something different than we often assume. In the ancient world, the hills weren't merely beautiful. They were places of idolatry, uncertainty, and danger. The psalmist looks directly toward them and asks: Where does my help really come from?
John explores what it means to live under God's watchful care, why Psalm 121 doesn't promise a life without suffering, and how this Psalm became deeply personal as he recited its final words at his father's deathbed.
Whatever hills you're facing today, your help comes from the One who made them.
In this episode:
Psalm 121 and God's watchful care "I lift up my eyes to the hills" The high places and ancient idolatry What we're tempted to trust instead of God Nicholas Wolterstorff and Lament for a Son Why God's protection doesn't mean a pain-free life Romans 8 and God's inseparable love John Ortberg's final moments with his father
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00:00 Two Actions for a Really Good Day 00:21 John's Most Meaningful Psalm 00:43 I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills 01:30 God Is Watching Over Your Life 02:22 Living the Watched-Over Life 02:46 What Does "Lift Up My Eyes" Mean? 03:08 The Hills & Ancient Idolatry 03:29 What Are Your Idols? 04:13 The Hills We Have to Climb 04:55 "He Will Not Let Your Foot Slip" 05:17 Nicholas Wolterstorff & Lament for a Son 05:39 The Friend Who Put Psalm 121 to Music 06:04 The God Who Never Sleeps 06:34 Living in the Shade of God 07:16 The Moon, Madness & a Sound Mind 07:40 Harm Doesn't Mean No Hurt 08:05 Nothing Can Separate You From God's Love 08:31 Psalm 121 at My Father's Deathbed 09:26 Face Your Hills & Lift Your Eyes 09:48 My Help Comes From the Lord
56. Why You Shouldn't Pray EVERY Psalm
10 Aug 2026
00:18:33
Should you pray every line of every Psalm?
In this reflection on Psalm 109, John Ortberg tackles one of the most difficult passages in the Bible—and offers one of the most freeing insights of the entire Psalms series.
What do we do with prayers that sound angry, vengeful, or even shocking?
Drawing on the work of René Girard, John explains that the Psalms are not polished theological essays. They are honest prayers in process. They teach us how to bring our real emotions into God's presence without pretending, suppressing, or acting on them.
This episode explores: - Psalm 109 and the imprecatory psalms - Why the Bible gives voice to victims - The difference between words and actions - Internal processors vs. external processors - Why prayer is a journey, not a performance - How Jesus Himself prayed the Psalms
Scriptures: - Psalm 109 - Psalms 113–118 - Matthew 5:43–48 - Matthew 26:30
📚 Today's Resources: René Girard, I See Satan Fall Like Lightning Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird Lewis Smedes, Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
Following Jesus: The Pros and Cons (2022)
07 Aug 2026
00:15:42
What does it really cost to follow Jesus?
In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Jesus' most misunderstood invitations: "Count the cost." Drawing from Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart, he explains why discipleship is not an emotional decision but a thoughtful one. More importantly, he asks a question many of us rarely consider: What is the cost of not following Jesus? Discover why surrender isn't the loss of life, but the pathway to the greatest treasure you'll ever find.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
Freedom - Defined. (2022)
06 Aug 2026
00:14:20
What if doing whatever you want doesn't actually make you free?
In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most profound ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: true freedom isn't the ability to satisfy every desire. It's becoming the kind of person who desires what is good and has the strength to live it out.
Discover why self-denial is not the enemy of freedom, how envy quietly steals our joy, and why the path Jesus offers leads to the deepest kind of human flourishing.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
Self-Improvement Just Can't Cut It (2022)
05 Aug 2026
00:15:14
Is Christianity about becoming a better version of yourself?
In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most challenging and hope-filled ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: the ruined life isn't meant to be enhanced, but replaced. Discover why self-denial isn't about self-hatred, why Jesus calls us to lose our lives in order to find them, and how true transformation goes far beyond self-improvement.
If you've ever wondered what Jesus really meant by "deny yourself," this conversation offers a hopeful vision of the new life God desires to create in every believer.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
The Necessity for Change - That No One Likes (2022)
04 Aug 2026
00:16:06
What if the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth isn't what has happened to you, but what is happening within you?
In this episode, John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of Christianity's most misunderstood ideas: remorse. Discover why the Bible distinguishes between the wounds we've suffered and the wrong we've committed, and why genuine remorse isn't meant to produce shame, but lasting transformation.
Healing begins when we stop hiding from the truth and discover the grace of God waiting on the other side.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
What is a Lost Soul? (2022)
03 Aug 2026
00:15:40
John explains what makes a soul lost and how the truth about ourselves is the beginning of being found.
In this episode (2022), John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of the greatest barriers to spiritual growth: self-deception. Discover why the human heart naturally resists uncomfortable truths, what Jesus meant by "losing your soul," and how learning to love the truth becomes the starting point for genuine transformation. God doesn't reveal the truth to shame us. He reveals it so He can heal us.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
Irritated? This Might Be Why. (2022)
31 Jul 2026
00:15:13
What if your irritation is trying to tell you something?
In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most practical insights from The Renovation of the Heart: the everyday emotions and reactions we often dismiss may actually be warning lights revealing the true condition of our souls.
Discover why denial is one of humanity's greatest spiritual obstacles, how God's grace exposes what needs healing, and why the path to transformation begins with honest self-awareness rather than self-condemnation.
Psychology Was Wrong About Self-Esteem (2022)
30 Jul 2026
00:14:40
Is self-esteem really the key to a better life?
For years, psychologists believed increasing self-esteem would solve many of our greatest personal and social problems. But after decades of research, the evidence pointed in a different direction. In this episode, John Ortberg explores what Dallas Willard teaches in The Renovation of the Heart about the deeper human problem and why lasting transformation begins with truth, humility, and God's mercy.
Discover why the Christian path isn't about thinking more highly of yourself, but about receiving the grace that makes genuine change possible.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
Is Self-Care Biblical? with Dr. Rick Blackmon (2022)
29 Jul 2026
00:14:00
Is self-care selfish? Or is it something Jesus actually invites us to practice?
In this conversation, John Ortberg sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Rick Blackmon to explore Dallas Willard's vision of soul care from The Renovation of the Heart. Together they discuss emotional health, burnout, self-denial, and why understanding yourself is the first step toward caring for yourself well. Discover why true self-care isn't about self-indulgence, but about cultivating the kind of life that allows you to love God and serve others with greater joy, wisdom, and endurance.
🙌 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 #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226
What Does It Really Mean to Live by the Spirit? (2022)
28 Jul 2026
00:13:48
What does it really mean to live by the Spirit?
In this episode, John Ortberg explores Dallas Willard's understanding of the spiritual life through The Renovation of the Heart. Discover why every person is both physical and spiritual, what makes the human will so remarkable, and why Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your will be done."
If you've ever wondered what surrender actually looks like in everyday life, this conversation offers a practical and deeply biblical vision of depending on God rather than simply relying on yourself.
🙌 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
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Music Credits: Welcome to the World by Sarah Watson, License #MB01LXS9AQLSJGH
This episode was originally released in January 2022. Find all episodes from this series (Become New) here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Egad-Un8UFQxspz4fgd8L6D3GUFridT
For more from Dallas Willard check out The Dallas Willard Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2373226