CIAM Radio

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Wynn visited her garden every day, and her tomato plants, which she and her sister had named Love, Joy, Patience, and Goodness, grew and grew. Then one evening dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. At first Wynn watched from her bedroom window as droplets of water fell from the sky, but soon she could no longer see her poor little tomato plants through the sheets of falling rain. Suddenly lightning cracked in the sky, and the wind blew so hard that a tree branch fell inches from the window. Mom called for Wynn and Riley to come down into the basement.

In the morning, when the storm was over, Wynn and Riley walked timidly to the garden. The grass was swampy, and several branches littered the ground. Wynn’s and Riley’s rain boots made great slurping noises as they plodded through the mud. Both girls were afraid of what they might find in the garden, but when Wynn approached, she let out a shout of excitement. “They’re okay!”

All four tomato plants were unhurt. Wynn was about to give Riley a hug when she heard a sob from next door. She looked over to see Kai, the mean neighbor boy who had made fun of her tomato plants, crying. The wind had lifted his tomato plants up by the roots, and the rain had pounded them into the ground. Now the space of earth where Kai’s garden had been was nothing but green mush.

Riley leaned down and whispered into Wynn’s ear as they watched Kai go back into his house. “Do you remember what the first fruit of the Spirit is?”

“Love,” said Wynn. “Nothing grows without love.”

The girls whispered together for a moment longer, then Riley got a shovel. Carefully she dug up Love, the tomato plant that had just begun to sprout little green fruits. They were careful not to damage the roots as they lifted the plant out of the ground. Together they took the plant next door. Riley dug a spot in the ruined mush of Kai’s garden. Then, ever so carefully, Wynn placed the tomato plant inside the hole. She filled the hole with dirt and planted Love there in the center of her neighbor’s garden.

–Kristin Beaven

How about you? Is it hard for you to love someone who’s been mean to you? The Bible tells us that love is the most important way we show others who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. He loved people who were mean to him—He died for us when we were His enemies, separated from God because of our sin. When we’re kind to others—even when they’re not kind to us—we’re planting seeds of His love.

Today's Key Verse: Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Plant seeds of love

What keeps you from taking your concerns to God?

Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/general

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Peter received the Holy Spirit, the fumbling and failures of his earlier years gave way to extraordinary fruit - bold preaching, miraculous healing, and remarkable courage. Examine today what fruit the Spirit has produced in your life, and ask God to fill you afresh.

Daily biblical encouragement and devotionals to strengthen your faith, renew your hope, and draw closer to God through His Word.

New devotion uploaded Monday–Friday.

Mark—a marathoner and a dedicated pastor who served two churches over the span of thirty-five years—recently retired. One gift presented to him was a pair of new running shoes. I ran with Mark once over twenty years ago, but throughout his life, he’s run the 26.2-mile race in numerous cities across the country. At his retirement celebration, people from the community and the churches he served also expressed their appreciation for Mark’s faithfulness. Because of God’s power and grace, Mark finished well.

Life’s more like a marathon than a sprint. At times we experience fatigue and we feel like giving up. Yet God’s grace and strength are unending for those who trust Him. As the imprisoned apostle Paul neared the finish line of life (2 Timothy 4:6), he encouraged his protégé Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (v. 7). Life’s paths take us to different places. But regardless of where we are on life’s journey, it’s always good to remember that faith-filled endurance is essential and rewarding (v. 8); that God is the source of our strength (v. 17); and that, by His grace, he “will bring [us] safely to his heavenly kingdom” (v. 18).

What if your everyday banking could help fuel ministry—without changing how you manage your money? Most of us think of banking as purely transactional—but what if it could become a tool for Kingdom impact? On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Aaron Caid share how a unique approach to banking helps support churches, families, and ministries around the world. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live, biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio.  To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Segment 1

• A viral image sparks outrage—was it harmless, or something far more serious?

• What should Christians actually do when a public figure appears to mock God?

• Media figures responded to the president’s meme in various ways… some got it right, some not so much.

Segment 2

• Shows like The View shape how people think about truth—even though it is not attached to reality.

• Joy Behar claims Jesus never said He was the Messiah. She must not be familiar with her Bible.

• Why do cultural voices speak confidently on theology while being completely uninformed?

Segment 3

• A major Christian creator affirms Mormons—they may be sincere, but they’re wrong.

• AI “Jesus” offers comfort for $1.99/minute. Is this more entertainment than theology?

• Is there ever a just, God-blessed reason to declare war?

Segment 4

• Todd’s not turning charismatic, but wants to talk about a church practice that might make you uncomfortable.

• Hand-raising in worship has historical precedent.

• It’s okay for our emotions and feelings to be expressed in worship. How do we do this in an orderly fashion?

___

Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

What stands between a civilized society and the law of the jungle? In this message from Deuteronomy 19:1–21, Dr. John walks through three distinct laws given to Israel — covering homicide, property rights, and the integrity of the courts — and makes a compelling case for why God's perfect standard of justice is as relevant today as it ever was. From cities of refuge to the danger of false witnesses, this episode reveals a God who cares deeply about truth, fairness, and the protection of the innocent.

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.

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "Five Tips for Grumpy." Enjoy!

Everything we have is a gift from God and once you learn to appreciate what you’ve been given, giving back is a natural response. Generosity increases contentment and instead of striving for more, you enjoy what you have.