Spiritual Growth

Happy New Year from Real Life Network. As we step into 2026, RLN continues its mission to provide truthful, faith-filled, and biblically grounded content through a Christian streaming service built for believers seeking clarity in a world of chaos. With hundreds of episodes and new releases every single day, Real Life Network remains a trusted source for those who want a scriptural perspective on culture, global events, and the issues shaping our lives. For anyone searching for a place where faith meets real world concerns, RLN is the place to begin the new year.

A Biblical Worldview for a Changing World

The world is changing quickly, and with every headline and cultural shift, the need for biblical truth becomes more urgent. That is why RLN enters 2026 with renewed focus on teaching, discipleship, and worldview formation. Whether you want online news through a biblical lens, straightforward commentary on world events, or discipleship content that strengthens your spiritual life, Real Life Network brings it together in one free platform. This year is an opportunity to start strong by filling your home with truth and centering your heart on Jesus Christ.

To begin the year, RLN highlights its most impactful original programming, each designed to equip you with biblical wisdom for daily life. RLN News offers a scriptural perspective on current events and global developments, helping viewers see beyond the noise of mainstream media and into the deeper spiritual realities shaping the world. The Jack Hibbs Podcast continues to deliver bold, uncompromising teaching that challenges believers to live out their faith with conviction, holiness, and courage. And The Daniel Cohen Show brings unmatched insight straight from Israel, connecting culture, geopolitics, and the gospel with clarity and urgency.

Start the Year Anchored in Truth

Real Life Network also invites viewers to explore a full channel dedicated to brand new episodes released throughout the week. Whether you are looking for sermons, family programming, theology content, devotionals, or cultural commentary, the New Episodes Streaming Now channel brings together fresh material that strengthens believers in every season. It is perfect for starting the year with consistency, routine, and a renewed commitment to saturating your mind with the things of God.

2026 will undoubtedly bring challenges, cultural tension, and new global developments, but RLN’s aim remains the same. We want believers to stand firm in truth, grow deeper in Scripture, and anchor their lives in Jesus Christ. In a world filled with shifting values and unstable foundations, the Word of God reminds us there is one sure rock that cannot be shaken.

As you step into this new year, we invite you to make Real Life Network part of your spiritual rhythm. Watch biblical worldview news, listen to teaching that stirs your faith, and stay connected to content committed to truth. May 2026 be a year rooted in Scripture, filled with hope, and anchored fully in Jesus Christ.

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In the ancient world, long before social media or mass communication, the gospel went viral in a city that looks surprisingly familiar to us today. Corinth was powerful, wealthy, immoral, intellectually proud, and spiritually confused. It was also the place where God used persecution, politics, and even a pagan courtroom to accelerate the spread of Christianity.

Standing in Greece, near the ruins of ancient Corinth, you can feel the weight of history. This was not just another stop on the apostle Paul’s missionary journey. This was a turning point where the gospel moved from being hunted to being protected by law. And what the enemy intended for evil, God used for good.

Paul, Corinth, and an Unexpected Legal Victory

The apostle Paul arrived in Corinth preaching Christ crucified and risen. His message was simple and offensive to both religious leaders and Roman sensibilities. Jesus was not just a moral teacher. He was the resurrected Messiah, Lord of all.

The Jewish leaders in Corinth were furious. They dragged Paul before Gallio, the Roman proconsul, accusing him of persuading people to worship God contrary to Mosaic law. Their goal was clear. They wanted Rome to declare Christianity illegal.

Instead, Gallio dismissed the case outright.

Gallio ruled that this was an internal religious dispute, not a violation of Roman law. With that single decision, Christianity gained legal protection across the Roman Empire. For the first time, the gospel could spread without fear of official Roman persecution.

This moment changed everything. What looked like a threat became a catalyst. What was meant to silence the gospel gave it room to grow. The message of resurrection and hope exploded outward from Corinth into the known world.

Love, Resurrection, and the Power of the Gospel

Corinth was a city known for corruption, sexual immorality, and pagan worship. Yet it became home to one of the strongest early Christian communities. Why? Because the gospel does not thrive in perfect environments. It thrives in broken ones.

Paul later wrote to the Corinthian church words that are now among the most beloved in all of Scripture. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not boast. This was not poetic theory. It was a radical call to live differently in a culture obsessed with power and pleasure.

The message that transformed Corinth was not moral reform alone. It was resurrection hope. Paul preached Christ crucified, buried, and risen. He reminded believers that death was defeated, sin was paid for, and eternal life was secure.

That same gospel still goes viral today.

Why Corinth Still Matters Today

Corinth matters because it proves something essential. The gospel does not need cultural approval to advance. It needs faithful witnesses. God can use hostile courts, skeptical leaders, and even political rulings to accomplish His purposes.

From Israel to Greece, from Jerusalem to Corinth, the resurrection message has always moved forward against the odds. And it still does.

We live in a time when truth is contested and faith is mocked. But history reminds us that the gospel has always flourished in moments like this. The same resurrection power that transformed Corinth is still at work today.

I am Daniel Cohen, and this is the kind of biblical worldview reporting we bring to you on Real Life Network and The Daniel Cohen Show.

For the full episode, go to RLN News. 

We live in a world drowning in information yet starving for truth. There has never been a generation with more access to data, opinions, facts, voices, teachers, influencers, and experts. People scroll for hours, read constantly, binge videos, chase insights, and collect information by the truckload. Yet despite all this knowledge, our culture is more confused, more deceived, and more spiritually blind than ever before.

Why? Because there is a difference between knowing things and knowing truth. There is a difference between education and revelation. There is a difference between filling your mind and transforming your heart. Biblical knowledge is not about storing information. It is about knowing God, obeying His Word, and living a life shaped by His truth.

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” That means true knowledge does not start with you. It starts with God. It starts with recognizing who He is, who you are, and how desperately you need Him. The fear of the Lord is not dread or terror. It is reverence. It is awe. It is humility. It is surrender. And without it, everything else you know is meaningless.

This world applauds intelligence but ignores wisdom. It celebrates experts but rejects truth. It elevates knowledge but despises the God who created it. And because of that, people are lost. They are intelligent but empty. Educated but wandering. Informed but spiritually blind. The knowledge that matters most is the knowledge that draws you closer to God, strengthens your walk with Christ, and protects you from deception. That is the message of Scripture. That is the heartbeat of discipleship. And that is what this devotional will walk you through.

Below are five key truths that show what real, godly knowledge looks like and how it transforms the life of a believer.

True Knowledge Begins With the Fear of the Lord

The Bible is clear that knowledge has a foundation, and that foundation is not human achievement. The foundation of knowledge is the fear of the Lord. Without reverence for God, there is no true wisdom. Without humility before God, there is no real understanding. Without surrender, learning becomes nothing more than self-promotion.

The world defines knowledge as accumulation. God defines knowledge as application. The world says that the more you know, the smarter you are. God says that the more you know Him, the wiser you become. Knowledge that does not begin with God feeds pride. Knowledge that begins with God produces holiness.

Proverbs 1:7 warns us that fools despise wisdom and instruction. A fool is not someone who lacks intelligence. A fool is someone who refuses to acknowledge God. A fool is someone who thinks he can interpret life apart from the Creator of life. A fool is someone who believes his opinions are more trustworthy than God’s Word.When you fear the Lord, you realize that everything you need to know flows from Him. You begin to see the world through His truth instead of through culture. You begin to evaluate everything by His standard instead of by society’s shifting values. You begin to understand that wisdom is not about being right. It is about being righteous.

True knowledge begins with this confession: Lord, You are God and I am not. Teach me Your ways. Show me Your truth. Lead me in Your wisdom.

That posture is where learning begins. That posture opens your heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit. That posture leads you into a life shaped by truth instead of trends. And that posture turns knowledge into transformation.

Godly Knowledge Grows When You Surrender to the Holy Spirit

Many people assume that growing in knowledge is merely an academic exercise. But spiritual knowledge is not learned the same way earthly information is learned. You do not need a degree to grow in godly knowledge. You need the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that the Spirit is our Teacher. He reveals the deep things of God. He brings understanding. He illuminates Scripture. He convicts, guides, directs, and speaks to our hearts. Isaiah 11:2 prophesied that the Messiah would be anointed with the Spirit of knowledge, and that same Spirit now dwells inside every believer.

That means real learning begins with surrender. It begins with humility. It begins with dependence. Before you open the Bible, you pray. Before you study, you ask God to teach you. Before you learn, you yield your heart. Knowledge without surrender produces pride. Knowledge with surrender produces wisdom.

Hosea 4:6 contains one of the most sobering warnings in Scripture. It says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” God was not talking to unbelievers. He was talking to His own people. They were destroyed not because the enemy was strong, but because they were spiritually ignorant. They did not know God’s Word. They did not understand His truth. They were vulnerable because they were biblically shallow.

The same danger exists today. The less you know God’s truth, the more easily you will be deceived. The less you know God’s Word, the more confused you will become. The more time you spend listening to culture instead of Scripture, the more your thinking will drift away from God. But when you walk in daily surrender to the Spirit, knowledge becomes a weapon. It becomes a shield against deception. It becomes clarity in a world of confusion. It becomes a light in a dark age. And it becomes strength for your walk with Christ.

Knowledge Becomes Wisdom Only When You Obey What God Reveals

Biblical knowledge always has a purpose, and that purpose is obedience. The goal of learning is living. The goal of truth is transformation. God teaches us so that He can lead us. He reveals truth so we can walk in it. Knowledge without obedience becomes pride. Obedience turns knowledge into wisdom.

James 1:22 warns us not to be hearers of the Word only. When we hear but do not obey, we deceive ourselves. We begin to think that learning alone is spiritual growth. But God says learning is only the first step. Obedience is the evidence.

You can memorize verses, study theology, read commentaries, and listen to sermons, but if those truths do not create repentance, obedience, conviction, and spiritual growth, they become useless. If your knowledge does not make you more like Jesus, then it is not godly knowledge. It is religious noise. Biblical knowledge always leads toward holiness. It always moves you away from sin. It always opens your eyes to deception. It always shapes your character. It always guards your heart. And it always strengthens your walk.

The Pharisees had knowledge. They lacked obedience. They could quote Scripture but did not know the God who wrote it. They could teach the Word but could not live the Word. That is the danger of knowledge without application. Spiritual growth is not about knowing more. It is about obeying what you already know. When you open the Bible, do not ask, “What information can I learn today?” Ask, “What transformation does God want to bring into my life today?”

That is how knowledge becomes wisdom. That is how truth becomes freedom. That is how learning becomes faith. And that is how your life begins to shine with the power of Christ.

True Knowledge Protects You From Deception and Anchors Your Life in Truth

We are living in a time of spiritual confusion. Lies are being packaged as truth. Sin is being marketed as progress. Deception is dressed in tolerance. Entire denominations are abandoning biblical truth. People are applauding what God condemns and condemning what God approves.

This is exactly why God calls His people to grow in knowledge. The more you know Scripture, the more clearly you will see the world. The more you know God’s truth, the less vulnerable you become to deception. The more you study the Word, the easier it becomes to discern good from evil.

Colossians 2:8 warns believers not to be taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit. There are many voices in this world, and not all of them are speaking truth. There are false teachers, counterfeit gospels, corrupted ideologies, and spiritual distractions everywhere. That is why you must be discerning. That is why you must guard your heart and mind. The Bereans in Acts 17:11 give us the perfect example. They listened with an open heart but tested everything against Scripture. They did not accept teaching blindly. They searched the Scriptures daily to confirm the truth. They were hungry to learn, but they were anchored in the Word.

That is what godly knowledge produces. It builds a wall of protection around your mind. It embeds truth into your thinking. It helps you spot deception before it takes root. It equips you to stand firm when culture demands compromise. And it gives you the clarity to navigate a world that is becoming more confused every day. Knowledge protects you. Truth stabilizes you. Scripture grounds you. And when you commit to growing in biblical knowledge, you become unshakable in a world that is shaking.

The Goal of Knowledge Is Not Information. The Goal Is Knowing God.

At the end of the day, the purpose of knowledge is not to make you smarter. The purpose of knowledge is to make you closer to Christ. You were not saved so you could collect information. You were saved so you could know God. Everything you learn should lead you deeper into worship, obedience, and relationship with Him.

Second Peter 3:18 tells us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is not a suggestion. It is a command. Spiritual growth is not automatic. It requires discipline. It requires time in the Word. It requires prayer. It requires humility. It requires a heart that says, “Lord, teach me. Change me. Shape me.” The more you know God, the more you will trust Him. The more you understand His promises, the more you will rely on them. The more you study His character, the more you will worship Him. And the more you walk with Him, the more your life will overflow with His truth.

Knowledge is not the goal. Knowing God is the goal. And when your pursuit of knowledge becomes a pursuit of Christ Himself, everything in your life changes.

Your decisions change.
Your relationships change.
Your priorities change.
Your desires change.
Your worldview changes.
Your character changes.

The more you know Him, the more you love Him. And the more you love Him, the more your life becomes a reflection of His truth.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for the gift of truth. I want to grow in knowledge, not just so I can know more, but so I can walk closer with You. Teach me by Your Spirit. Fill my heart and mind with wisdom from above. Keep me from pride and help me apply what You show me. Let everything I learn draw me into deeper worship and greater obedience. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

For more content to grow your faith, visit Real Life Network.

In a culture filled with appearances and performance driven faith, Scripture reminds us that God is not impressed by what looks polished on the outside. True Christianity is revealed under examination. In this devotional, Pastor Jack Hibbs calls believers to sincere faith that can withstand the heat of God’s refining light.

A Faith That Can Be Examined

We are all at our best when we’re in the company of other Christians. But it’s who we are at home that defines the person we truly are. The question is, are you and I sincere?

Our English word “sincere” is a translation of the Greek word eilikrinēs, which means pure, unsullied, without wax, and able to bear full examination in the sun. That type of examination was essential because it wasn’t uncommon for first-century craftsmen to use wax as putty to hide cracks in their slightly damaged pottery.

When the Heat Reveals the Truth

Say you were a worshipper of the goddess Diana, and you purchased an idol to take to her temple. But as you held the statue in the warm sun, her arm fell off. What happened? When the heat was turned up, your idol was revealed for what it was—with wax and insincere. Likewise, when God turns up the heat in our lives through fiery trials, His purpose is to expose falsehood within us. We may deceive others, and even ourselves, but we cannot hide the truth from God. Our relationship with Him must be sincere. We cannot “putty” ourselves up and put on a show of Christianity. We must, as Paul prayed, “approve the things that are excellent.”

It’s time to get real—time to allow the full splendor of the light of God’s Word to examine us. That we might have a single eye to the very best things with a pure and sincere heart until the day of Christ.

Watch and Grow on Real Life Network

For more from Pastor Jack Hibbs and trusted biblical teaching that strengthens your faith, watch on Real Life Network. Stream free, faith filled content anytime at RealLifeNetwork.com or download the Real Life Network app today.