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It’s easy to believe that God is good when life is going well—when there’s money in your bank account, your health is good, your family is thriving. But what about when tragedy strikes? How do you trust God then? Well, see how some people in Scripture just like you demonstrated faith in trying times. Join John MacArthur for his study called A Faith That Pleases God.
Click the icon below to listen.Visit www.joniradio.org for more inspiration and encouragement!
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James Brown talks about the time he promised to serve the Lord if He revealed Himself to him.
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Sports & Faith Audio Collection
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In a world of dating apps and digital connection, Gen Z is pushing back with what’s being called ‘soft socializing.’
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James Brown, CBS host of The NFL Today, shares his personal faith journey, family story, and transformation through Jesus Christ. Brown reflects on the powerful influence of his mother’s faith and discipline, his early struggles after being cut from professional basketball, and the moment in his mid-20s when he turned to God and began a lifelong spiritual commitment. He emphasizes the importance of responsibility, humility, and “walking the talk” as a Christian, both in family life and public influence. The conversation also explores themes of racial unity, the role of Scripture in addressing cultural challenges, and the lasting impact of mentors like coaches and parents.
In the Sports & Faith collection, you’ll hear powerful testimonies from athletes with memorable track records in sports and an even greater legacy in faith.
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Do you have a story or comment on how Focus on the Family impacted you or your family? Leave a message for Jim Daly!
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The crowd followed Jesus around the Sea of Galilee. The 15,000 people—5,000 men plus women and children—were hungry. Philip and Andrew counted the hungry people. They counted the money in their bag. They counted the amount of fish and bread.
They did not, however, count on Christ. And he was standing right there! Yet the idea of soliciting his help did not dawn on them. Even so, Jesus went right to work. “Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated…and as much fish as they were wanting, too” (John 6:11). The impossible task of feeding all these people became the unforgettable miracle of all these people fed.
What we cannot do, Christ does. The problems we face are opportunities for Christ to prove his point. Remember friends, you are never alone.
Read more You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power
For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.
The military has a roll call – reading out the names to see if everybody’s there. Family get-together? Well, you know who you’ve got. You’ve got Mom, Dad, Grandma, Granddad, and grandchildren. You don’t usually have roll calls. Now, there was a point where we had one three-year-old grandson who took roll in his own little way. While we’re all busy in the usual chatter and bustle of everyone catching up, our grandson was obviously evaluating who’s there and who isn’t. You could tell. Before very long, he would pipe up, “Where’s Grandma?” or “Where’s Daddy?” or whoever happens to be MIA at the moment. And he wanted answers about where they were and why they weren’t there. He wanted every person in the family to be there!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Making Sure the Family’s There.”
If you belong to Jesus Christ, and you know your sins are forgiven, when all of God’s family gets together in heaven, you know you’ll be there. But what about your family on earth? Will they be there and are you doing what you need to do to help them be there?
It’s easier to tell almost anyone else about Jesus isn’t it, than it is to tell someone from your family? You can go to Mexico on a mission trip and tell people there about what Jesus did for them…you can say a word to someone at work or in a restaurant or in your neighborhood. You can be really involved in Christian activities that are aimed at helping people be in heaven with us and seldom if ever explain to your own family members what Christ has done for you and what Christ did on the cross for them. Probably because it’s just plain hard.
The priority of Jesus for us as His ambassadors shows up in a story recorded in Mark 5, beginning at verse 18. It’s our word for today from the Word of God. The Bible says, “As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with Him.” Jesus had just set this man free from years of spiritual bondage. “Jesus did not let Him, but said, ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.’ So the man went away and began to tell in all the Decapolis (which was his home area) how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”
It would have been easier for this man to go with Jesus and run around serving Him everywhere but home. Just like some of us. And we should be spreading the Good News about Jesus, of course, to people that God brings into our life and we should be a part of His mission to reach every lost person. But it should start at home. Maybe Jesus is saying to you today, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.”
How do you do that? First, pray by name every day for the lost members of your family. Second, evaluate what about you might be making them think less of Jesus – maybe your temper, your selfishness, your mouth. Whatever it is, take some time to let Jesus change it. Your family needs to see a difference in you that will mean something to them.
Thirdly, let them know how much they mean to you. Sometimes a letter might be the best way to do that – a letter with four main parts. Here they are: “I love you,” ”Thank you for,” ”I’m sorry for,” and “I wish we could.” In that last part, talk about how you hope your relationship can be from now on. And let them know how much you want to be in heaven with them forever.
Sometimes, our family members think we’re condemning them, but you may need to say, “If being good could get anybody to heaven, you’d probably be on that list. But I found out that our only hope isn’t how good we are. It’s what Jesus did and what we do with what He did for us.”
Don’t nag them. Don’t argue religion with them, please. It’s not about religion. It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about His cross. So stick to that. Pray for an open door to
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