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Marriage expert Bill Farrel gives some tips on the basic needs every couple has for making their relationship work
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Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) reads, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Our enemy is the devil. At the end of this age, his time will end. Until then, expect our Father to show up. He will not sit still while Satan harms his creation.
Our days are as dark as were the days of Elijah. Our God is as alive as he was in the days of Elijah. Dare we dream of a renewal that silences the stewards of Satan and reveals them for the frauds they are? Let’s imitate Elijah: Serve the Lord only! God wasn’t one of his options. God was his only option.
Read more Unbreakable Courage
For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is taking a stand for mothers and unborn children. Her office is promoting a statewide television and radio campaign warning Missourians about the consequences of Missouri’s current abortion laws, while supporting Amendment 3, which would restore legal protections for unborn babies.
Under the 2024 constitutional amendment, dozens of pro-life laws have been struck down, including regulations designed to protect women’s health and safety at abortion facilities. Amendment 3 would repeal the constitutional right to abortion with some exceptions.
While we should not stop fighting until all babies are protected, Missouri Amendment 3 is a leap in the right direction for life in Missouri. We thank Attorney General Hanaway for her stand for life.
I know this is going to come as a shock to you, but there were a lot of rumors in college that I was behind some practical jokes and pranks that happened while I was there. That’s hard to imagine, huh? I mean, it probably wouldn’t come as a total surprise to some of those folks if finally I ended up in the penitentiary. Fortunately, my sentence was only about four hours, because I did end up at Alcatraz. Yep! Now, we had taken some young people out to that famous prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay to do a special radio program. Of course, it’s been some years since any prisoners were held there on what they called The Rock, but it is still quite a place to see. While we were there, we experienced this awful claustrophobia of being locked in one of those little cells; the isolation of being in solitary confinement. For the closing segment of the program, we walked out of one of the prison gates and down to the rocks outside that overlook the bay. One of the young people with us was walking out with me, and he made quite an observation, because it was really a tremendously commanding view. He said, “Just think, there was only a wall between them and all this beauty.”
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “You, God, and the Wall.”
Our word for today from the Word of God is about just such a wall; one which may be keeping you from the beauty you were made for. Our word for today from the Word of God is Isaiah 59:2. It says, “Your iniquities" - that’s all the times that we’ve done things our way instead of God’s way. "Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you.” Separation—that was the feeling we felt so strongly at Alcatraz. A person there was, in simple words, cut off from love, from freedom, from a beautiful world.
In a sense, God is saying here that we are all prisoners in our own personal Alcatraz—cut off from Him, from His love, from His peace, His heaven, which may account for an incurable loneliness you’ve experienced over the years. It turns out we’re lonely for God, because our sin has built a wall between us and our Creator. In fact, you may very well have not needed me to realize that there’s a wall between you and God. You knew that. You can feel it. You’ve felt it for a long time. Well, if that wall doesn’t come down in time, it becomes a death sentence; separation from God that is irreversible and eternal.
The wall that separates you from the beauty that God wants you to have can come down, but not because of anything you or I can do about it. Somehow, our sins have to be removed and forgiven, and the death penalty has to be paid by someone who takes our place. In 1 Peter 3:18, the Bible says “Christ died for our sins…the righteous" - that’s Him - "for the unrighteous" - that’s you and me - "to bring you to God.” What Jesus did on the cross was to take your rap. You did the sinning, Jesus did the dying. Which means the wall can come down the moment you put your total trust in Jesus to erase your sins from God’s book and give you eternal life in place of eternal death.
When the door opened that day in the prison we were in, we were so anxious to leave behind that darkness and that loneliness and to finally step out to where we could breathe free and enjoy the beauty just beyond the wall. That’s exactly what God wants you to experience today. He wants the wall between you and Him to come down, and it can upon your invitation.
This could be the day when you say, “Lord, I believe that some of those sins you were dying for on that cross were mine. I turn from the running of my own life. You were meant to run it, and you will from now on. You came back from the dead, You are alive, and Jesus, because you died on the cross for me, I am Yours.” That’s the moment the wall will come down and you will experience all God ha
What if following Jesus doesn’t mean giving up the life you love? In this powerful episode of Ignite with Barry Meguiar, Barry challenges a common misconception about Christianity and reveals how loving God changes your desires, priorities, and purpose. Discover why faith isn’t about rules or legalism—it’s about freedom, joy, and living for what truly matters for Eternity.
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
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 Welcome to Ignite: The Myth About Giving Up Your Life
01:24 You Don't Have to Give Up Anything: Your Desires Will Change
02:16 Old Things Pass Away: Becoming a New Creature in Christ
03:04 The Flesh vs The Spirit: Understanding Spiritual Battle
03:46 The Marriage Analogy: When Love Changes Everything
04:29 Grow Up: Why Christians Need to Mature Beyond Spiritual Infancy
06:31 When Cars Become God: The Danger of Misplaced Worship
07:47 Love God and Love Your Neighbor: The Only Two Commandments
09:23 Freedom Not Legalism: Enjoying Life While Honoring God
09:54 Boot Camp for Eternity: The Start-Finish Line of Salvation
10:53 Truckloads of Wax vs Eternal Rewards: What Really Matters
12:30 The Clock Is Ticking: Make Your Decision Today
Anne shares about God's glory and Jesus from John 1:14.
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