In Episode 11:68 of the 10:10 Thrive Podcast, listeners are invited into a powerful nighttime encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee and teacher of the law. Though Nicodemus comes with honor and curiosity, Jesus does not begin with affirmations or small talk. Instead, He immediately presents the necessity of being “born again” to see the kingdom of God—a statement that confounds Nicodemus. As Jesus continues, He introduces the mystery of the Spirit’s work, likening it to the wind: unseen, uncontrollable, but undeniably real. This metaphor challenges Nicodemus’s framework built on law, order, and tradition, inviting him instead into a new birth that cannot be earned or managed.

The dialogue is a masterclass in both divine grace and theological transformation. Jesus gently yet firmly dismantles Nicodemus’s assumptions about salvation and righteousness, pressing him toward surrender rather than intellectual mastery. He reminds Nicodemus that knowledge of the Scriptures is not the same as understanding God’s heart. When Jesus references the serpent lifted up by Moses, He points to His own future crucifixion, unveiling the path to eternal life not through legal adherence but through faith. This moment crescendos with the well-known declaration of God’s love: “For God so loved the world…”—not as a broad statement alone, but as a personal revelation to a man whose worldview is being completely upended.

This episode invites us to go deeper—not only in understanding Nicodemus’s journey, but in examining our own. Like Nicodemus, we may come to Jesus with questions, unsure of how the Spirit works or what new birth means in our context. But Jesus still meets us there. He still calls us into mystery, transformation, and trust. Salvation, He teaches, is not about control or tradition—it is about love, surrender, and being made new by the Spirit who still moves like the wind.

In Episode 1167 of the 10:10 Thrive Podcast, we take a deeper look at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, which doesn’t begin with a dramatic miracle in a synagogue or temple, but rather at a joyful wedding feast in Cana. The episode begins with a dramatized conversation between Jesus and His mother, Mary, revealing both the human concern of running out of wine and the divine readiness for something greater. Mary’s quiet confidence in Jesus and her instruction to the servants—“Do whatever He tells you”—becomes the pivotal moment. Jesus responds by transforming water into wine, a quiet miracle that not only saves a family from shame but reveals His glory and begins the public unfolding of His identity.

The episode explores the cultural and spiritual significance of the miracle. Running out of wine at a Jewish wedding symbolized social disgrace, yet Jesus turns potential shame into overflowing joy. He does so not with fanfare, but in a quiet, behind-the-scenes act that only the servants, Mary, and His disciples witness. This first sign of Jesus—transforming water into the best wine—teaches us that Jesus values the ordinary moments of life, responds to sincere faith, and often works quietly but powerfully. Mary’s trust, the servants’ obedience, and Jesus’ response form a picture of how faith and transformation can unfold in the hidden places of life.

Finally, the episode draws theological and redemptive connections from the wine at Cana to the wine of communion—showing how Jesus’ miracle points ahead to His ultimate sacrifice. The joy of the wedding feast anticipates the joy of redemption. The beginning at Cana foreshadows the cross and resurrection, where the Lamb of God would pour out His life. We are invited to ask ourselves where we experience lack and what Jesus might be calling us to do in faith. The episode closes in prayer, thanking the Father for His transforming work through Jesus and asking for the grace to trust and obey even in uncertainty.

Today’s episode explores the remarkable contentment of Jesus, even in the midst of storms, injustice, and suffering. From sleeping through a violent sea storm to calmly responding to Pilate’s threats and surrendering in Gethsemane, Jesus models a peace not rooted in circumstances but in deep trust in the Father. His ability to remain steady in chaos was not due to indifference but to His clear identity, intimate communion with God, and unwavering belief in the Father’s sovereignty and goodness.

Today’s devotional also reflects on Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: the Prince of Peace. His calm in adversity is not passive but active—a peace that radiates through service, forgiveness, prayer, and presence. Whether facing political power or personal agony, Jesus never grasped for control but embodied divine composure and trust. His peace brought wholeness, not just relief, and stands as an invitation for us to embody the same calm, not by our strength, but through relationship with God.

Finally, the devotional calls us to “get deep” with Jesus by adopting His practices and mindset. We are encouraged to anchor our identity in the Father, seek His presence in solitude, surrender our desire for control, and face life’s trials with faith. Jesus' contentment shows us that true peace is not found in external stability but in internal surrender. As His followers, we are called not just to admire His calm—but to live it, trusting the same Father and walking in the same peace.