Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s amazing to be here with you today.
Today is May 7.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.

Slow Down

Jesus is here.
He’s sitting in your favorite spot, waiting for you to join Him.
You have a million things on your mind that need your attention, but right now it’s time to be with Jesus.
Set those things aside, relax, and calm your body.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, You are the stronger One.”
As you exhale, pray: “Guard my heart against every deception.”
Do this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read

One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.
But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”
Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
“I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”  (Mark 3:20–30, NLT)

Notice

What stands out to you in this passage?
Is there a word or phrase that catches your attention?
Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread

Hear these words again — and notice the two very different responses to the same Jesus: His family’s confusion and the religious leaders’ accusation.
 

Meditate

The religious leaders watched Jesus cast out demons — undeniable works of power and liberation — and concluded that He was doing it by the power of Satan. Think about what that required: they had to look at something clearly good and call it evil. They had to look at someone clearly set free and say the one who freed them was demonic.
Jesus exposes the absurdity of their logic — Satan would never undermine his own kingdom — and then says something that has troubled readers ever since: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.
This is not a verse designed to make sincere believers anxious. The very fact that you are concerned about it is evidence you haven’t committed it. What Jesus is describing is a specific, settled, hardened disposition — the deliberate, persistent choice to look at the unmistakable work of God and call it the work of the devil. It is not a slip of the tongue. It is a heart so calcified in its rejection of God that it cannot receive forgiveness because it will not recognize its need for it.
The warning here is not primarily about a single unforgivable word. It is about what happens when we allow our hearts to become so hardened, so defensive, so committed to our own conclusions, that we can no longer recognize the work of God even when it is standing right in front of us.
Take a few moments to reflect on this question:
Is my heart staying soft and open to the work of the Holy Spirit — or are there areas where I’ve been hardening, resisting, or explaining away what God is doing?

Respond

Jesus, keep my heart soft. I want to stay open, teachable, and responsive to You.

Exercise

The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Staying Open
— Ask the Holy Spirit to Show You One Area Where Your Heart Has Been Hardening
Today’s habit is a prayer of honest invitation: ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area of your life where your heart has been gradually closing — where you’ve been growing cynical, resistant, or defensive toward what God might be doing.
Sit quietly for two minutes after you pray and notice what comes to mind. Bring it to God without defense: “Lord, I don’t want a hard heart. Show me where it’s been hardening, and soften it. I want to stay open to everything You are doing.”

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That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.