CIAM Radio

Read: Ephesians 4:26-32

Mei hung up the phone and walked into the living room with her arms crossed and her jaw clenched. “That was Everly.”

Mom frowned. “You’re not still angry with her, are you?”

“Of course I am!” said Mei. “She shouldn’t have made fun of me that way. She did it right in front of everyone, and they were all laughing at me!”

“I know she hurt you, Mei, and what she did was wrong. But you can’t let bitterness fester in your heart. That’s wrong too.” Mom knelt down to scrub a spot on the carpet. “You need to deal with your anger.”

Mei watched as her mother vigorously rubbed the dark spot on the carpet. “Do you think that will ever come out?” she asked. “It doesn’t really look much better than before.”

“I hope it will,” said Mom. “Of course, it would have come out a lot easier if I had cleaned it right after the juice was spilled.” Mom wiped sweat off her face and glanced up at Mei. “You should deal with your anger the way I should have dealt with this stain.”

Mei frowned. “What do you mean?”

Mom continued to rub the dark blotch. “Time has allowed this stain to penetrate into the carpet fibers. Once it’s soaked in and dried, it’s really hard to remove all traces of it. Anger does something like that to your heart. If you let it stay and saturate there, it becomes more and more difficult to remove. Over time, it can grow into bitterness and rage.”

Mei looked at the stain on the carpet and sighed. “I don’t know how I can stop being mad at Everly, but I want to.”

“Good for you!” Mom said. “Start by talking to Jesus about it, and trust Him to help you forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. And pray for Everly too. It’s hard to be angry with someone you’re praying for. With God’s help, you can replace your bitterness with His love. Then maybe you should call Everly and ask her to come over so you can talk about what happened.”

Mei nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I will.”

–Suzanne Daly

How about you? Are you angry about something? Anger isn’t a bad emotion, but left unchecked, it can fester into bitterness or rage. Don’t let anger build up in your heart. Ask Jesus to help you when you’re struggling with something someone did to you. He is with you and knows your pain, and He gives you the power to forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. Trust Him to replace your anger and bitterness with His love.

Today's Key Verse: Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. Psalm 37:8 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Deal with anger now

Do you know the purpose of the Holy Spirit?

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was on my walk at the community college campus when a woman gave me an envelope with the label “John Daniels, Sr. Random Act of Kindness Day.” My eyes widened when I looked inside and saw a twenty-dollar bill and two leaflets with messages about Jesus. A year earlier, John had been fatally struck by a car after helping a homeless man and sharing words about Christ’s love with him. John’s legacy of witnessing through words and deeds lives on through the woman I met that day, along with John's other family members.

In Matthew 26:13, one woman was memorialized by Jesus with these words: “Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” The woman’s tender heart for Christ compelled her to anoint Him with expensive ointment (v. 7). What was misunderstood and criticized by others as wasteful (vv. 8-9) was commended by Jesus as “a beautiful thing” (v. 10). The woman’s costly devotion was used by God in a unique way, just as He uses our deeds today for His purposes.

The envelope I received reinforced my desire to distribute resources to those on the street corners in my city, but honoring Jesus can happen in a variety of ways. Let’s tell others about Him and demonstrate His love practically.

Counterfeits mislead precisely because they look convincing. Similarly, when familiar phrases replace Scripture, they can quietly distort how we view God, stewardship, and even money itself. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West talks with Taylor Standridge about those “counterfeit verses.” Discover how Scripture provides clarity and freedom. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. 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

• Is evangelicalism actually at a historic low—or on the brink of revival?

• Past “golden ages” of evangelical influence actually collapsed faster than expected.

• The real reason that faithful churches often do better without celebrity leaders.

Segment 2

• Why social media influence may be incapable of sustaining biblical faithfulness.

• The hidden dangers of untethered Christian platforms without institutional accountability.

• History shows us a repeating pattern of influence, drift, and collapse.

Segment 3

• Is “cultural contextualization” helping the church—or hollowing it out from within?

• Replacing biblical language subtly reshapes the gospel itself.

• Why trying to sound less Christian may cost the church its power entirely.

Segment 4

• Does every church need a “lead pastor”—or is that unbiblical?

• How leadership authority actually functions inside a healthy plurality of elders.

• Rushing to replace a prominent pastor can damage a church for decades.

___

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!

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "Not As These Cats." Enjoy!

Roman Catholics argue that sola scriptura has splintered Protestantism into countless interpretations. Dr. John Neufeld responds by distinguishing between sola scriptura (Scripture as final authority) and solo scriptura (Scripture alone, rejecting all church history). Historic Protestants affirm Scripture's ultimate authority while valuing church fathers and the ecumenical creeds.

The Case for Sola Scriptura: Is the Bible alone our ultimate authority? In this 5-part series, Dr. John Neufeld defends sola scriptura—that Scripture alone is our final authority for faith and practice. He addresses challenges from Roman Catholicism, Protestant liberalism, and the New Apostolic Reformation. Dr. John demonstrates that the 66 books of Scripture form a closed canon—God's complete and final word.

We live in a success-obsessed society. The traits of fortune, fame, power, and pleasure are vaulted as the signs of success but none of this will give you satisfaction.

Tired of Jedi mind tricks, cold shoulders, and "we need to talk" anxiety ruining your marriage? Every couple brings unhealthy patterns into conflict—avoidance, passive-aggression, mismatched timing—but unresolved issues build resentment fast. Pastor-therapist duo Dave and Ashley Willis know how to help you fight better. They deliver real stories, biblical wisdom, and practical tools for your next blowup.

Show Notes and Resources

• Get your Gratikube— a simple family tool to prompt gratitude and conversation
• Discover resources from Dave Willis in our shop
• Marriage After Dark: the podcast where a real couple answers the questions you’re too embarrassed to ask. Get it at FamilyLife.com/MarriageAfterDark

• Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
• See resources from our past podcasts.
• Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife's app!
• Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
• Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy