The Temple Rededication
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on 2 Chronicles 29:18–36 and the restoration of the temple under King Hezekiah. After years of neglect and unfaithfulness under King Ahaz, the temple is cleansed, purified, and reopened for worship. What follows is a beautiful picture of repentance, sacrifice, praise, and wholehearted return to the Lord. They explore the significance of Hezekiah’s leadership—not only restoring the physical temple, but seeking spiritual restoration for all of Israel, not just Judah. His desire for national repentance reveals a heart aligned with...
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The Lord Grants Wisdom
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on Proverbs 2 and the treasure of godly wisdom. Solomon’s words invite us to tune our ears to wisdom, cry out for understanding, and seek insight like hidden treasure. Together, they explore what it means to admit that we do not already know the right way and why true wisdom must be received from God rather than assumed from ourselves. Curtis highlights the deliberate choice to silence the many competing voices around us and listen for the voice of wisdom. The conversation connects this pursuit to humanity’s original deception...
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Hezekiah Reopens the Temple.
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on 2 Chronicles 29:3–17, where King Hezekiah begins his reign with a bold act of spiritual restoration: reopening and cleansing the temple of the Lord. After generations of neglect and defilement under King Ahaz, Hezekiah calls the priests and Levites back to their God-given purpose—purity, worship, and faithful service. Together, they explore how Hezekiah’s leadership models repentance as an active process, not merely sorrow over sin but a deliberate turning back to God through obedience, surrender, and covenant renewal. The...
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Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
Arise and Abide
What voice are you listening to, wisdom or the world? In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally explore Proverbs 1 and the powerful image of wisdom crying out in the streets, calling us toward discipline, discernment, and the abundant life God desires for His people. They reflect on Solomon’s God-given wisdom, the daily choice to reject sinful shortcuts, and the invitation to humble ourselves before the Lord. This conversation highlights the truth that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge and that wisdom is still available to all who come and listen. The real...
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A Message for Moab
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on Isaiah 15 and 16, where the Lord delivers a sobering message of judgment over Moab. These chapters paint a haunting picture of cities destroyed overnight, land left scorched and lifeless, and a people mourning the collapse of everything they trusted apart from God. Curtis explores the suddenness of God’s justice, connecting Moab’s overnight downfall to Jesus’ warnings about the coming Day of the Lord in Matthew 24 and Luke 17. What seems permanent can change in a single night, reminding us to live watchfully and remain ready for...
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Praise the Lord!
Arise and Abide
Psalm 150 closes the Psalms with a joyful crescendo of worship, and in this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on the beauty of wholehearted praise. Drawing from the psalm’s vivid imagery of ram’s horns, harps, tambourines, strings, flutes, and crashing cymbals, they explore what it means to praise God with everything we have and everything we do. The conversation moves beyond music into the posture of the heart: worship as surrender, gratitude, and a turning away from self-promotion. Curtis reflects on how every talent, skill, and daily task can become an offering of praise...
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The Fall of the Proud
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise+Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on Isaiah 14, a chapter filled with powerful imagery of the fall of the proud and the certainty of God’s justice. As Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia each receive words of judgment, the deeper theme emerges: every power that exalts itself against God will ultimately be humbled. Together, they explore the striking passage of the “morning star” cast down from heaven, considering its connection both to the king of Babylon and to the larger biblical picture of Satan’s rebellion. The conversation turns inward as they reflect on how...
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Rejoice in Your Maker
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise + Abide, Curtis and Sally reflect on Psalm 149 and its powerful call to praise the Lord with joy, creativity, and wholehearted devotion. From singing a “new song” to rejoicing even in rest, this psalm paints a vibrant picture of worship that flows from a living relationship with God. As the conversation unfolds, they explore the striking shift in tone in the second half of the psalm—moving from celebration to themes of judgment and justice. Together, they wrestle with what this means for believers today, emphasizing that while God is just and will ultimately make...
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A Message About Babylon
Arise and Abide
In this powerful episode of Arise + Abide, Curtis and Sally explore 2 Kings 16:19–20 and Isaiah 13, tracing the transition from King Ahaz to Hezekiah and unpacking Isaiah’s prophetic vision of Babylon’s fall. Reflecting on Israel’s earlier failure as God’s vineyard—called to produce justice but yielding oppression—they examine how God’s judgment extends beyond His own people to the nations. Though Babylon would be used as an instrument of discipline, it would not escape accountability. Isaiah’s message reveals a sobering truth: God opposes pride, judges wickedness, and...
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Praise the Lord from Heaven and Earth
Arise and Abide
In this episode of Arise + Abide, Sally and Curtis reflect on Psalm 148, a powerful call for all creation to praise the Lord. From the heights of heaven to the depths of the earth, the psalm invites angels, stars, mountains, animals, rulers, and people of every generation to lift their voices in worship. Together they explore the structure of the psalm and the reasons it gives for praise: God is the Creator of all things, the One whose commands brought the world into being and whose authority extends over wind, weather, and all creation. They also discuss the unique nature of God compared to...
info_outlineIn this episode of Arise + Abide, Curtis and Sally continue their journey through the opening chapter of Isaiah by reflecting on Isaiah 1:21–31, a passage that confronts the spiritual corruption of Jerusalem and the leaders who once upheld justice and righteousness. What was meant to be a faithful city has become compromised—its leaders driven by greed, its worship emptied of truth, and its people disconnected from the life-giving presence of the Lord.
As the conversation unfolds, Curtis and Sally explore God’s sharp yet hopeful imagery: silver refined from slag, a city washed clean, and a garden restored by living water. Though the passage speaks strongly of judgment, it is also filled with promise. God does not abandon His people; instead, He commits to a painful but purposeful process of cleansing and restoration. Justice will return. Righteousness will be revived. Wise counselors will be raised up again.
The episode also draws connections between Israel’s leaders, the religious authorities in Jesus’ time, and the ongoing human temptation to misuse power. Curtis and Sally reflect on how leadership—when disconnected from God—can easily drift into self-preservation rather than service. Yet the passage ultimately calls listeners back to hope: God Himself will rule, restore, and reign. True justice and righteousness are not achieved through human effort alone, but through humility, repentance, and dependence on the Lord, who alone is worthy to sit on the throne.