Ambassador Programs

You’ve likely heard someone ask, “Abortion doesn’t affect you, so why do you care so much?”  

The truth is, something does not have to directly impact your life for you to speak out against it as a great moral evil. 

For example, we oppose human trafficking even if we have never been trafficked. We condemn chattel slavery though we were never slaves. We speak out against genocide without being its victims.  

When we know a grave injustice is happening, silence is not neutrality, and it is certainly not virtuous. Truth is, its cowardice. Abortion is the defining human rights issue of our time. To learn how to refute this and other pro-abortion arguments, visit our new resource, In Defense of Life, at lifeissues.org  

Many years ago I shocked my kids. I told them I could remember life without television! Yeah, I know you can't believe the reaction to that. It's inconceivable to them that there was ever life before TV. Well, I was there I'm afraid to say.

Now, I've seen a lot of changes since we got our first tv. I think I was about five or six years old, and my dad brought home this little box with a seven-inch screen. My mother and I would, like, burn out our eyes, sitting next to it trying to find whatever was on in that little box. And if you didn't like what was on, there wasn't a lot of choice; there were not very many channels.

Over the years independent networks began to develop and they began to have more choices. And then, cable TV, and then you got like hundreds of choices. And finally, along comes the remote switch and you don't even have to get up if you don't like what's on the screen. You just push a button! I'm really good at that thing! You just change the channel or turn it off. Of course, you might just be turning off a message you need.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Needing to Hear What You Don't Want to Hear."

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Chronicles 26. It's about a Jewish king, King Uzziah, who was a legend in his own time. He was blessed by God. He defeated the ancient enemies of Israel. He built these impressive towers. He had the most advanced army of his day. But, 2 Chronicles 26, beginning in verse 16, says this: "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense." Now, you might remember that only a High Priest, a consecrated High Priest could enter into the Holy Place of God and do that. But, this is a proud, arrogant, spiritually insensitive act on the king's part.

"Azariah, the Priest," it says, "with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted him and said, 'It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests - the descendants of Aaron - who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you've been unfaithful and you will not be honored by the Lord God.'" Well, it says, "Uzziah had a censor in his hand ready to burn incense, but he became angry.

While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead." And we go on to read that he had leprosy until he died, and had to live in a separate house.

Here's a story of a powerful man, and courageous priests. He didn't like what he heard from them, so he just changed channels. He didn't get angry at what he had done; he got angry at the people who cared enough to confront him with what he'd done. Now, the important exhortation in this story is this: listen to your confronters. The more successful we get, the more we need them and the less we want them. The best friends you have are the ones who are willing to tell you the unpleasant truth about you; who hold up a mirror.

So, how do you react to your critics, your confronters, your correctors? Think about your reaction to the suggestions of the corrections that you've gotten say from your parents, or from your spouse. Did you blow up? Did you walk away? Or did you honestly consider whether there might be at least some truth in what they said?

Right now, God is probably assigning someone to be your confronter. He does that because He loves you. You need one. Who is it? Are you listening even if the news is hard to take? Or do you leap to the defensive and you shut down if you don't like what you're hearing? Your confronters may or may not say it well. They may or may not have the right a

Middle school can be tough. Kids face bullying, first crushes, and the pressure to have the right clothes or the latest tech—all while trying to figure out who they are. Dr. Heather Holleman steps into the world of teen girls to help you better understand what your daughter is experiencing. She also offers practical tools to help your daughter build a strong, confident identity rooted in Christ.

Receive The Elita Brown Series 3-book bundle – including This Seat’s Saved (Book #1), The Disappearing Seat (Book #2), and The Elite Seat (Book #3) – plus an audio download of "Guiding Your Preteen Daughter to Find Her Identity in Christ" for your donation of any amount!

Get More Episode Resources 

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

Here’s a powerful story of how God used 13 years of a mechanic’s quiet faith in the workplace to change a life forever. Be encouraged to trust God’s timing, lead by example, and discover how you can be faithful to plant seeds that bear eternal fruit.

Host Barry Meguiar is a car guy and businessman who hosted the popular TV show, Car Crazy, on Discovery Networks for 18 years. He loves cars, but he loves Jesus even more! Learn more about Barry at IgniteAmerica.com

Find out how to get this month’s faith-sharing gift at https://go.rotw.com/MonthlyOffer 
 
Get your copy of Barry’s book Ignite Your Life: Defeat Fear with Effortless Faith at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and other online booksellers.
 
Learn more about:
 
-        Why obedience matters when sharing the Gospel
-        How we can work God into any conversation
-        Why 80% of Americans are looking for God
-        When we can use humor to share God’s message
-        How the Holy Spirit gives us a voice
 
Check out Why Share? on IgniteAmerica.com to learn why it is important for every believer to share their faith. Then visit First Steps which provides practical ways to get started in your faith-sharing journey. Sign up to receive emails that will bring you solid faith-sharing tips and powerful inspiration.

(00:00) Favor Without Recognition
(01:46) Mentorship Without Jealousy
(02:52) Choosing to Show, Not Speak
(03:54) The Fruit Revealed
(04:18) Thirteen Years for One Moment
(05:07) Faith That Changes Eternity

Anne shares about living for God, service and fear from Matthew 5:14-16.

Middle school can be tough. Kids face bullying, first crushes, and the pressure to have the right clothes or the latest tech—all while trying to figure out who they are. Dr. Heather Holleman steps into the world of teen girls to help you better understand what your daughter is experiencing. She also offers practical tools to help your daughter build a strong, confident identity rooted in Christ.

Receive The Elita Brown Series 3-book bundle – including This Seat’s Saved (Book #1), The Disappearing Seat (Book #2), and The Elite Seat (Book #3) – plus an audio download of "Guiding Your Preteen Daughter to Find Her Identity in Christ" for your donation of any amount!

Get More Episode Resources 

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.