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When our oldest child was born, they didn't even let fathers go into the labor room. That was nice. Then when our second one was born, fathers must have gotten a little smarter. They let us go into the labor room, but not the delivery room. And by the time our third one was born, hey, fathers had really gotten smart! I was actively involved with the doctor in the delivery. But, of course, I couldn't just walk right into the delivery room. No! First, I had to do what the doctor and nurse had to do - scrub up! Oh yeah, they made sure I washed thoroughly with disinfectant. Then they covered every part of me but my hands and my eyes and my nose - and they put a mask over my mouth, a thoroughly ugly cap on my head and this goofy smock over my clothes. My only consolation was the doctor looked as geeky as I did. They gave me paper booties, oh that was cool, but I understood. They can't allow any dirt to infect that environment. You've got to be clean to get in.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Dirt Allowed."

It seems like more people are thinking more these days about spiritual issues. That's a good thing, including what happens after we take our last breath. One area of curiosity is heaven - which we can guess about if we want, or we can get our information from the One who made heaven, who lives there, who sets the standards for going there. Of course, that would be God. Who, in the Bible, describes heaven, not as a state of mind, but as a very real, very mind-blowing place.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Revelation 21:4. It is a partial description of heaven. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain." Later it says, "The great street of the city was of pure gold." Imagine! This is what we consider the most precious substance on earth. We'll be walking on it in heaven! It's pavement. We can't begin to imagine the glory of this eternal destination.

Then in that same passage, here's something very disturbing, "Nothing impure will ever enter it," He says, "nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Revelation 21:27). God says heaven is a lot like that delivery room; no one is allowed in there who isn't clean. They would infect an environment that has to be pure. God's saying here that He can't allow anyone with sin into heaven or it won't be heaven any more.

But here's why that's so disturbing. Romans 3:10 in the Bible says, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Well, if sinners can't get into heaven, then you and I have no chance no matter how religious we are. No matter how much good we do, it doesn't remove any of the dirt of a lifetime of choices that were "my way" instead of God's way, that defied what God wanted. The scriptures show us that there will be a lot of surprised people in hell; people who thought they could get to heaven by being good enough. But their good didn't remove the sin that keeps people out of heaven.

But this verse mentions those who will enter heaven - those in the Lamb's Book of Life. Your name goes there when you get every sin of your life erased from God's book. Here's the only disinfectant that can do that. 1 John 1:7 says, "The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." Our only hope of being clean enough to enter heaven is what Jesus did when He died on the cross to take the death penalty that we deserved to pay for our sin. The question is, has there ever been a time when, in your heart, you've stood at Jesus' cross and basically said, "Lord, I'm putting my total trust in you to forgive me, to erase my sins from your book? You're my only hope."

If you've never done that, if yo

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-16

Amir rushed into the house and dropped his backpack. “Look at this!” he said, holding out a fossilized bone. “My teacher said I could borrow it to show Grandpa. Can I show it to him today?”

Mom smiled. “We’ll go over to the nursing home after supper.”

“Mrs. Patterson says only one out of millions of bones becomes a fossil,” Amir told his mother. “It has to be buried in just the right minerals. As the bone decays, the minerals seep into the pores, and bit by bit they replace the bone until there’s no bone left, just hard, strong rock mineral.”

“Really? Grandpa will love to hear about that,” Mom said. “I bet his neighbor, Mr. Wyatt, would like to see that fossil and hear about it too.”

“I doubt it,” said Amir. “He doesn’t like anything—or anybody. He’s too grumpy!” Amir set the fossil on the table. “I know he’s old, but Grandpa isn’t grumpy like that, and he’s even older than Mr. Wyatt.”

Mom thought for a moment. “Grandpa is a lot like that fossil,” she said.

Amir’s eyes grew wide. “He’s not that old!”

Mom laughed. “What I mean is, because Grandpa knows Jesus, God’s goodness and love have seeped into his heart over the course of his life. Just like minerals filled and replaced the materials originally found in the fossil, the Holy Spirit filled Grandpa with love, joy, and peace—all the right things. Now he’s pretty old. He’s growing weak and tired and is starting to forget things, but God’s Spirit is evident in him.”

“And it’s not in Mr. Wyatt?” Amir asked.

“As far as we know, Mr. Wyatt has never trusted Jesus as his Savior,” said Mom. “If he hasn’t, then he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit in his heart working to replace his old self with God’s goodness and love.”

Amir picked up the fossil. “Maybe I should show this to Mr. Wyatt like you said.” He looked at Mom. “And we should tell him how Jesus changes people like minerals change bones.”

“Yes,” Mom replied. “It’s not too late for him. God can still work a miracle in his life.”

–Heather Tekavec

How about you? Is God’s goodness seeping into your heart? Are the desires of your old sinful self being replaced with His love? When you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins working in your life to make you more like Him. Even though our physical bodies may grow old and weak, we have eternal life with Jesus, and through His Spirit our faith in Him grows stronger each day.

Today's Key Verse: Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus changes us

Find hope in knowing that Jesus' sacrifice for you paid for the grace needed for your life.

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Acts 7:59‑60 – “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’”

Today’s devotion reminds us that forgiveness frees us to live and die with grace.

Tap Follow so you don’t miss tomorrow’s devotion — and share this with someone who needs encouragement.

Lillian Colón, who grew up in an orphanage, beat out four hundred dancers to win a coveted spot on a world-renowned dance team. She performed with that group, with its tightly ordered synchronized choreography, until her mid-forties. Now teaching dance at age seventy, she imparts to students her greatest lesson from precision artistry: work together. “On and off the stage, our lives are deeply intertwined,” she said, “and we all fare better when we support and care for one another.”

The apostle Paul knew the importance of this principle. Harmony in Christ points praise to its true purpose—glorifying God. Paul taught this lesson to believers in Rome, both Jewish and gentile, to encourage their unity. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” he wrote (Romans 15:5). This was “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6).

Competing voices won’t produce this result. Joining together to praise God, with no one person or group discounting another, gives unity in Christ its true purpose. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,” wrote Paul, “in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7). When we seek God’s help to do this, He inspires our common voice as we step together and give Him glory.

What if the most important factor in choosing a financial advisor isn’t performance—but alignment? New research shows that when your financial advice aligns with your values, it doesn’t just impact your portfolio—it reshapes how you think about money altogether. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Sharon Epps unpack what that means for you. Then, it’s your questions. That’s Faith & Finance Live—where biblical wisdom meets today’s financial decisions—weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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It’s Witness Wednesday! Come along with Todd Friel to Georgia Tech where we meet students Kevin, Wyatt, and Peter. These are real people with real hopes, fears, and opinions on topics ranging from Eastern Orthodoxy to the AI revolution. If you’re waiting to see real evangelism and the Christian worldview applied to real-world topics, you’ve come to the right place.

Segment 1

• Kevin, an Eastern Orthodox Christian, seems to mistake earning something for grace.

• He explains faith + works… but does he accidentally argue like a Protestant?

• If other religions might get to heaven, what happens to Jesus’ exclusive claims?

Segment 2

• Todd discussed AI and resulting fears with engineering major Wyatt.

• Wyatt believes in Easter… but does he actually trust what it means?

• Is being a “good person” enough—or does that completely miss the point?

Segment 3

• If God judged your life today, would your “good intentions” actually hold up?

• Wyatt admits guilt—but assumes self-improvement can fix it… can it?

• Wyatt learns the true nature of forgiveness in Christ.

Segment 4

• Peter, casual Christian, says: “I’m a Christian… I just don’t think about it much”. Is that possible?

• Are “small sins” really small when they’re committed against a holy God?

• If God is both just and merciful, how can He forgive without compromising justice?

___

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Welcome to episode #267! ️ Pure Victory Podcast: Are You Overcomplicating It? The Simple Link Between Physical & Spiritual Health

What if the breakthrough you’ve been chasing isn’t complicated… but simple? In this episode, we explore how easily we over-spiritualize struggles with porn, addiction, and burnout—while overlooking the physical habits that may be fueling them. From sleep and nutrition to movement and screen time, your body plays a major role in your spiritual resilience. This episode is a call back to the basics: stewarding your body as an act of worship and unlocking freedom through simple, consistent habits.

Key Takeaways

• Don’t skip the simple answer—sometimes the root issue isn’t deeper, just overlooked. 
• Occam’s Razor applies to life: the simplest explanation is often the right one. 
• Physical health impacts spiritual strength—low energy, poor habits, and fatigue increase vulnerability to temptation. 
• Bad patterns feed bad patterns—when your body is depleted, your decisions suffer. 
• Stewardship matters—caring for your body is a form of honoring God, not vanity. 

Scriptural Highlight

1 Kings 19 (Elijah’s Story)
After a massive spiritual victory, Elijah crashes—exhausted, overwhelmed, and ready to give up. God’s response? Not a lecture, but rest and nourishment.

Key Insight:
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take care of your body.

⚡ Action Items

• Start with one simple shift: Go to bed earlier tonight or take a walk today. 
• Evaluate your habits: Are sleep, food, and movement helping or hurting you? 
• Reduce late-night screen time: Cut down on doom-scrolling before bed. 
• Fuel your body better: Be intentional instead of reactive with meals. 
• Move daily: You don’t need a gym—just start using your body consistently. 

Memorable Quotes from This Episode

•  “What if the thing we’ve been overcomplicating… actually has a simple answer?” 
•  “Bad patterns feed bad patterns.” 
•  “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take care of your body.” 
•  “The breakthrough you’re looking for might start with how you treat your body.”

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You are not alone—and freedom is possible.

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Resources

FamilyLife Canada: Porn Recovery Resources

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What does God's law have to say about family? In this message from Deuteronomy 21:15–23, Dr. John works through three of the harder family laws in Scripture, covering polygamy and inheritance rights, the rebellious son, and the burial of the executed — and shows how each one points us toward a God who cares deeply about justice, order, and ultimately, grace. This episode ends in a place you might not expect: at the foot of the cross.

The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal something timeless about the character of God. In this series on Deuteronomy 18–26, Dr. John works through the detailed national laws given to Israel, uncovering what they teach us about justice, worship, and holy living — and pointing us to the one who came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.