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Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "The Stress Diet." Enjoy!

Empires rise, declare themselves invincible, and vanish — and Assyria was no different. In this message, Dr. John continues through the book of Nahum, showing how God directly confronts the arrogance of Nineveh while offering remarkable comfort to his beleaguered people. A powerful study in who truly holds the future — and why that changes everything for those who trust in him.

God's Patience Exhausted: What happens when a nation exhausts the patience of God? In this series, Dr. John works through the often-overlooked book of Nahum — the sobering sequel to Jonah — tracing the fall of the Assyrian empire and what it reveals about the character of God. A compelling study in divine justice, and a timely one for anyone who has ever presumed on the kindness of God.

You said it nicely. Then louder. Now you’re just tired. This live panel of marriage experts from FamilyLife's Love Like You Mean It Cruise gets real about resentment in marriage, like small frustrations that turn into silent scorekeeping. Why he withdraws. Why you push. And how couples stop fighting each other and start fighting for each other—without pretending everything’s fine.

Show Notes and Resources

• Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.

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Defiance affects everyone, no matter your age. And it traps you in your selfishness, stubbornness, indifference, resistance, and contempt. Why not get rid defiance and live according to God’s Word. “Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard,” (Proverbs 13:15 NASB).

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions.

From the Series: Contagious Christianity

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Years ago I heard a friend tell about a scene from his childhood that he never forgot. My friend was around on that black day in 1929 that marked the beginning of the Great Depression. One of the great traumas of America's financial collapse, of course, was that many banks just went under almost overnight. Well, my friend literally remembered seeing a neighbor at the locked gates of his bank, and he was literally pounding his fists bloody on those gates, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Give me my money! Give me my money!" There was no money to give.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Danger of Being Religious."

That desperate man, and millions like him, placed their security in an institution. An institution that sure seemed safe but that ultimately and suddenly failed them. A lot of church folks are making that mistake today. Did you know that? Placing their eternal security in their church; in believing its beliefs, attending its meetings, even taking church leadership. Sadly, none of that's enough to get your sins forgiven or to get you into God's heaven.

Sometimes religious folks argue over which church is the right church. Well, in Jeremiah's time there was no argument. God's people were the Jews and their temple was God's self-declared house on earth. But even that wasn't enough.

In our word for today from the Word of God, in Jeremiah 7, beginning with verse 10, God says, "You come and stand before Me in this house, which bears my Name, and you say 'We are safe'...'But I have been watching,' declares the Lord." God goes on to point out the sin in their lives - sin that no amount of "church" can make right. He goes on to describe His pending destruction of what God calls (listen to these words) "the temple you trust in."

Boy, that's the danger of being religious. You tend to trust in your religiousness instead of in Christ. Christianity will never get anyone to heaven. Only Christ can get you there. Only Christ died to pay for the sin that disqualifies every one of us from going to heaven. Jesus established the Church to represent Him on earth, to do His work on earth. But church can be the most dangerous place in the world if that's where your trust is.

Christianity is all about Jesus, but it can actually cause you to miss Jesus. It's called false security; feeling like you're okay with God because you speak the language, you agree with the teachings, and you've been around it all these years. Why, no one would even question that you have a relationship with Jesus - except Jesus. And He's the only One who matters.

Could it be that somehow in the midst of a religion all about Jesus you've missed a personal relationship with Jesus even while you've been a good church person for a long time? Jesus described some active church folks to whom He will say on Judgment Day, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23).

Somehow, they have never actually given themselves in total faith to the One who died to pay for their sins. There has to be that time when you say, "Jesus, some of those sins You died for were mine, and I have no hope of heaven except You and what You did on the cross for me. So beginning right now, Jesus, I'm yours."

Have you taken that step? I would say that if you don't know, you probably haven't. If you've missed it, don't go another day without moving Christ from your head to your heart... from being a belief to being your own personal Savior. Tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours."

Look, let me invite you to go to our website today. It's ANewStory.com. You can have the information there to nail down and be sure once and for all that you do belong to Him.

The church you've trusted in, the religion you've trusted in, the goodness you've trusted in are inadequate su

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9; John 9:1-3

“Why, God?” murmured Jolene as she hugged her baby brother. They had recently learned that Jaiden was deaf.

“Oh, Jolene,” Mom had said gently after they found out. “I don’t know why God allowed this to happen. His ways are not like ours, but He is good and loves us so much that He sent His own Son to save us from the mess sin made of us and our world. Even when we don’t understand, we know that Jesus understands what we’re going through and promises to be with us.”

But Jolene wanted to understand. Isn’t God supposed to take care of Christians? she thought. How can Mom and Dad be so calm?

Mom interrupted Jolene’s thoughts. “Are you ready to go to the parade, Jolene?” She held out her arms to the baby. “Come to Mommy, Jay.”

“I don’t see why you talk to him, Mom. You know he can’t hear you!”

“It’s important for him to see our lips move and feel the vibration of our words,” said Mom. “Now, let’s get going.”

At the parade, people were standing three-deep in front of Jolene’s family. She stood on her tiptoes and tried to see past those in front of her. “It would be so much better if I could see more than just one row of the parade at a time,” she said.

Dad handed Jaiden to Mom, and with a swoop, Jolene was up on her father’s shoulders. “Thanks, Dad! Now I can see the whole parade.”

Soon the parade was over and they were on the way home. “Life is a lot like a parade,” Dad said. “We’re like kids in the crowd, and we can only see one moment at a time. But God is above the crowd. He sees each person’s entire life—past, present, and future. We don’t know why He allowed Jaiden to be deaf, but that’s because we can only see the present. God knows why because He sees the whole picture.”

Jolene reached out to hold her sleeping brother’s hand. She knew it was time to bring her hurt and questions to Jesus.

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Are you confused or angry about something that happened? Bring your hurt and questions to Jesus. You can trust Him, even when you don’t understand. We see only a small part of life, but He sees it all from beginning to end. Trust Him to do what’s best because He died to save you and promises to work everything out for good. When you face hard things, go to Jesus.

Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus when you don’t understand

God can and will fulfill all of your deepest needs if you will trust Him.

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In the African American home I was raised in, meals often included scrumptious “soul food.” The term originated in the mid-1960s when “soul” was a common term used to describe African American culture. Soul food menu items included  fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, corn bread, and more. Desserts were a bonus; the “tastebud-tickling” peach cobbler was the most satisfying to me. What a feast!

Feasting in different cultures looks different but, because food is essential for life, Jesus’ words in John 6:35 are significant for all people. “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Such claims as these would be outrageous if they were made by a mere human being. But Jesus, the Christ, could make such astounding claims because He’s the very Son of God. He told “sign-seekers”—those seeking immediate, short-term benefit (see vv. 2, 14, 26)—that satisfaction of physical hunger wasn’t enough. As the Son of God, Jesus is the source of true life (14:6) and the sustainer of life. All those who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins through His death and resurrection (11:25-26) share His life. Jesus is the essential food for the soul. Life, nourishment, and true satisfaction are found in Him alone.

Money can make us anxious, fearful, generous, or joyful—often all in the same week. We learn in Scripture, however, that wealth can never provide security or control. What, then, can it do? On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Dr. Russell James III help us rethink what wealth is and why we have it. They also describe how joyful stewardship helps us “take hold of life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19). Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live, biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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