Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s amazing to be here with you today.
Today is September 16.
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 may have a million things on your mind, but for these few moments, set them aside. Relax. Calm your body.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, I want to be righteous.”
As you exhale, pray: “Clean my heart.”
Do this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read

The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God. “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.
(Luke 16:14–16, NLT)

Notice

What stands out to you in this passage?
Is there a phrase or truth that speaks directly to you?
Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread

Listen to this passage again — and notice what Jesus is saying to you.

Meditate

God knows your hearts.
Jesus just finished teaching about how to use money in God's kingdom, and it stung the Pharisees. Why? Because they loved money. And they loved to look righteous in public.
So they do what defensive people do: they mock Jesus. They scoff at Him. They try to minimize the impact of His teaching by making fun of it. It's a defense mechanism. It's how they protect themselves from conviction.
But Jesus sees right through it.
"You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts."
This is the gut-punch. Jesus isn't fooled by the performance. He's not impressed by the appearance. He sees what's actually inside.
And here's what should land: if Jesus can see through the Pharisees' facade, He can see through yours too. And mine.
God knows your heart. Not just your actions. Not just what you show the world. Your actual heart. Your real motivations. Your hidden compromises. Your secret greed. Your private bitterness. Your genuine love. Your authentic faith.
There's nowhere to hide from God. There's no performance that will fool Him. There's no mask that will stick.
The question isn't: Can I appear righteous? The question is: Am I actually righteous? Not just on the outside, but on the inside. Not just in public, but in private. Not just in what people see, but in what God sees.
Take a few moments to sit with this question:
What is God seeing in my heart right now that I'm hoping no one else finds out about?

Respond

Jesus, I want to be righteous inside and out. I'm done with the performance. I'm opening my heart to You. See what's there. Change what needs changing. Make me authentic. Make me real. Help me honor what You honor, not what the world honors.

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: Walk and Talk
Today's habit is an act of honest conversation.
Jesus knows your heart. So today, you're going to take a long walk with Him and talk about what's actually going on inside.
Find a quiet place where you can walk uninterrupted for 30–45 minutes. Put your phone away. Leave the distractions behind.
As you walk, talk to Jesus. Out loud if you can. Honestly. No performance. No filtering.
Ask yourself these questions and bring them to Him:
Where am I trying to appear righteous while my heart is somewhere else?
What am I protecting? What am I afraid of?
What do I actually want that's making me perform?
What would it look like to be the same person in private that I am in public?
Don't rush through these questions. Sit with them. Let Jesus speak to your heart. Listen for His response.
This isn't about getting answers. It's about getting honest. It's about letting Jesus see your heart and letting your heart see itself through His eyes.
By the end of your walk, you'll know what needs to change. You'll know what Jesus is asking you to surrender. You'll know what it means to be cleaned from the inside out.

I have two asks of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today and check out the review of this podcast on Elevate Society?
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.