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In this introductory message on 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Pastor Chuck Swindoll presents the content and key themes of the letter. He also evaluates Paul’s specific affirmation for suffering Christians.

From the Series: Steadfast Christianity

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Rwanda - it was the centerpiece of a lot of news attention back in 1994. Bloody civil war; tens of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered there. There were nightly images of emaciated refugees, dying of disease, dying of starvation. And children; oh, you just couldn't forget the children. Many of those kids had lost everything in the carnage.

Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, took a medical team to try to help there, and I heard him tell about one little girl he said he could never forget, and I don't think I will. He was in this rebel camp and he was walking by an army truck. He noticed this one little girl sitting in the back of it and she was just rocking back and forth, and she was singing something very softly but in a language Franklin couldn't understand.

There was a soldier standing by there paying no attention to the girl, and Franklin said, "What happened to this little girl?" And he said, "Oh, the same as all the others. She's got nobody left." Franklin said, "Well, would you do me one more favor? Would you tell me what she's singing?" The soldier seemed a little annoyed, but he listened for a minute and he said, "Yeah, it's..." Then he went on to translate it. When he translated the song, it was clear that this little Rwandan orphan hadn't lost everything.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Unloseable."

The soldier, after hearing this song sung by that little Rwandan orphan girl said, "Yeah, it's something about Jesus loving her." Franklin said, "Is it Jesus Loves Me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so?" "Yeah, yeah, that's it." With her world torn apart, with every human who loved her gone, this precious little victim had one unloseable relationship. Do you? They couldn't take Jesus away from her.

Our word for today from the Word of God - Romans 8. It begins by talking about the worst things that could happen to you in your life, and in verse 37 it says, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nothing in the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." A love you can never lose; a love that will never lose you.

Jesus is the unloseable person we've looked for all our lives. Actually we're built to belong to our Creator. If it weren't for Jesus, we would never have the possibility of that heart-satisfying relationship because of the gap between God and us. It's called sin. That's basically the self-rule of our lives. It could be summed up in those words "I did it my way." So the God that we're built by and for is out of our reach until that sin bill is paid. Talk about love! God's only Son came to remove the only thing that could keep us from His love - the death penalty for our sin. From the moment you say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in you and what you did on the cross for me" you belong to God. You always will. Nothing in heaven, nothing in hell, nothing on earth can end that relationship. God has guaranteed it.

Quite some time ago, my wife and I spent a week at a little house at the Jersey shore; it was like a mini-honeymoon. And two weeks later she came down with a life-threatening case of hepatitis. I'll never forget the night when she almost died. I realized that this one person who would never choose to leave me might not have any choice about it that night. I'm so grateful God spared her. But that night I realized that the closest thing I have on earth to an unloseable person is loseable. But you know what? Since that day, came the day that I did lose her. But I was still able to sing "Jesus loves me, this I know." I hope you can too.

You probably never thought you'd learn anything from a little Rw

Read: Ephesians 1:4-6

Audrey sat on the front steps, lost in thought. She’d had a rough week. She failed her math test and skinned her knee, and one of her best friends had moved away. Why is God letting all these things happen to me? she thought. It almost seems like He doesn’t care about me anymore.

Audrey glanced up when her puppy came bounding out onto the front porch. “Hello, Shamrock,” she said. But Shamrock didn’t seem interested in her—he was too busy gnawing on something. “Hey, that’s mine!” Audrey exclaimed, grabbing a wallet from the puppy’s mouth. “I just got this, and now you’ve ruined it!” She looked the torn-up wallet over and sighed. “Maybe Mom can fix it.”

Mom came out onto the front porch and examined the wallet. “Hmm, this is pretty torn up. We’ll probably have to throw it out.”

“But it’s still good,” said Audrey. “It’s just a little torn.”

“This wallet has been through a lot,” Mom said. “Are you sure we shouldn’t throw it away? It’s too torn and dirty to be worth anything.”

“Mom, just because it doesn’t look so good doesn’t mean it isn’t worth anything. If we fix it up, it will be as good as new.”

Mom smiled. “You probably feel a lot like this wallet right now, don’t you?”

Audrey gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“I know this wallet is still good, and with a little TLC, I can fix it up,” Mom said. “I just wanted to help you see that your life is like this wallet. I know this week has been rough for you. But even though you’ve been through a lot, you’re still valuable. You belong to Jesus, who came into our broken world and gave His life to save you and make you His, and He’ll always be there to help you through life’s difficulties. His thoughts toward you will never change, no matter how torn up you feel.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Audrey said, giving Shamrock a hug. “I’m glad I’ll always be valuable to Jesus. And I’m glad you can fix my wallet—things are already starting to look up!”

–Norah Varner

How about you? Have you ever felt like God has turned away from you? Do you feel like you can’t do anything right? Jesus loves you so much that He died and rose again to save you, and He’ll never leave you. No matter what has happened to you or what you’ve done, His thoughts toward you will never change. He will always love you and care for you.

Today's Key Verse: This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. Psalm 119:50 (CSB)

Today's Key Thought: You’re valuable to Jesus

Your correct view of the cross and your ability to live by faith determines how much of God's grace you will experience. 

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Emily Kenward walked down Lavender Street in Brighton, England. Having recently become a believer in Jesus, she now saw the street differently. She noticed how many homes had their curtains drawn in the daytime, and how few older people were about, despite the area’s high elderly population. It spurred an idea.

Emily found out where Brighton’s elderly lived and invited them to an afternoon tea. Those who came told a similar story. Now living alone, they often went months without seeing anyone. What they longed for, they said, was a visitor.

Believing in Jesus changes how we respond to the world and its needs. We see this happening to the Thessalonians. Having turned to God (1 Thessalonians 1:9), they had become a model of faith to others by their transformed lives (vv. 6-7). The apostle Paul noted their “work produced by faith” and their “ ” (v. 3). True faith had moved them to acts of service that brought honor to Jesus.

Emily was so moved by what she heard at that afternoon tea, she started a charity linking Brighton’s elderly with volunteer visitors. She remembers one woman hugging her tightly, sobbing, grateful for finally feeling seen and heard. The work grew, inspiring others to do the same. It makes me wonder what labors prompted by love the Holy Spirit might inspire you and me to do today.

What if true joy doesn’t come from gaining more, but from gratefully receiving what God has already provided? On Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and John Cortines explore what is called the Cycle of Grateful Living. Explore how it transforms our approach to money and contentment. Then, Rob tackles your financial questions. Listen for the next Faith & Finance Live, where biblical wisdom meets today’s finances, weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. 

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It’s Witness Wednesday! Join Todd on campus at Georgia Tech in Atlanta for several real-life, on-the-street witnessing encounters. What does our conscience tell us about God? Do we reject God because that’s where the science leads, or because of something deeper? When we realize we are sinners, is there any hope? All of these questions and more are explored – and Christ is exalted on today’s Witness Wednesday.

Segment 1

• Eduardo says he’s a “good person”… but does he actually measure up when tested against God’s standard?

• What happens when “I’m not that bad” collides with lust, lies, and a guilty conscience?

• If someone paid your debt before God… would you accept it—or reject it?

Segment 2

• Eduardo admits he’d rather “be himself” and face hell.

• The turning point: can justice and mercy both be satisfied without compromising either?

• Todd presses the urgency—what if everything you’re chasing is worthless if your soul is lost?

Segment 3

• Joey admits design requires a designer, but rejects the logic when applied to God and creation.

• People say they reject God for scientific reasons, but the real reasons might be much closer to home.

• When your conscience gets exposed—liar, thief, lustful—do you face it or deflect it?

Segment 4

• Joey resists “innocent or guilty”—but can you really escape that question before a just Judge?

• Another student admits he’s not a good person… so what hope does that leave him?

• Why did God create the world—and how does that answer change everything about your future?

___

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Welcome to episode #265! ️ Pure Victory Podcast: The Stress Trap: Why Numbing Leads to Crumbling

Stress isn’t just a bad day—it’s often the doorway to destructive patterns. In this episode, we unpack how unmanaged stress can quietly erode your defenses and drive you toward numbing behaviours like pornography, scrolling, or isolation.

But there’s hope. Instead of running from stress, what if you learned to face it—with Jesus at the center? This episode offers a powerful shift: from avoidance to surrender, from coping to connection, and from feeling like a victim to walking in freedom.

Key Takeaways

• Stress is a primary trigger for addiction—but ignoring it only makes it stronger. 
• Numbing doesn’t solve stress—it compounds it (and often adds shame on top). 
• Avoidance creates weakness—we never learn how to face life’s challenges with God. 
• You are not your stress—don’t let it become your identity. 
• Real peace isn’t found in escape, but in God’s presence.
• Surrender is the starting point—healthy strategies flow from there. 

Scriptural Highlight

Matthew 11:28–30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…”

Jesus doesn’t promise a stress-free life—but He offers something better: rest in the middle of it. You’re invited to stop carrying it alone.

Action Steps

• Pause & Identify: The next time you feel stressed, don’t ignore it—name it. 
• Surrender It: In prayer, picture handing that stress over to Jesus. 
• Replace the Escape: Instead of numbing out, try: 
  •  Going for a walk 
  •  Practicing deep breathing 
  •  Reaching out to a trusted friend 
• Get Curious: Ask God, “Why am I feeling this?” (fatigue, loneliness, pressure?) 
• Build New Patterns: Small, consistent choices will rewire how you respond to stress. 

Final Encouragement

Stress is inevitable—but being controlled by it isn’t. When you stop running, invite Jesus in, and build your life around His presence, everything begins to shift.

You don’t have to numb out anymore.
 You don’t have to live as a victim.
 You can learn to manage stress—and walk in lasting freedom.

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You are not alone—and freedom is possible.

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Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "The 50% Lie." Enjoy!