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Our culture is fascinated with the supernatural, and a lot of what we see and hear points back to God! Lee Strobel conquers some pretty interesting topics when it comes to our faith…things like miracles, mystical dreams, angels, and even ghosts! You’ll hear some solid evidence of God’s presence in the supernatural, and through this conversation, you will be encouraged to grow closer to Him.

Every day the people who broadcast the news to us have to decide what's going to be big news and what's going to be little news. The big news they talk about first. And the little news may not get mentioned at all.

Unfortunately, there are often disasters that occur every day, and they may or may not be big news. Most disasters produce casualties, but casualties are sort of little news. That means people just got hurt. Then there are fatalities. And when there are fatalities, well, sadly, that makes it big news - somebody was killed. The fatality factor seems to propel news to page one. The story of Christmas has a casualty in it, a fatality and a champion.

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

Now, I know you thought this was about Christmas and it is. But we're suddenly going to be in the Garden of Eden for a minute with our word for today from the Word of God which is in Genesis 3:15. The great tragedy; perhaps the greatest tragedy of history has just taken place as Adam and Eve have chosen to disobey God. Sin has entered a perfect world, and God is already talking about the solution.

He speaks to the serpent, who is the Devil, and says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. He (that's her offspring) will crush your head and you (that's the serpent) will strike his heel." Did you know that Christmas began in the Garden of Eden? The answer for sin began at the moment sin entered the world. Because God says here there will come a man ultimately descended from Adam and Eve - from the very people who perpetrated sin in the world - a man will come who will crush the serpent.

Notice the verbs here. It says the serpent, Satan, will strike the heel of the Messiah who will come. Satan's going to be able to hurt the Redeemer. That happened at the cross. But it was canceled three days later when Jesus Christ walked out of His grave. But notice what the Redeemer is going to do to the serpent - crush his head. That's the difference between a casualty and a fatality. When the Redeemer comes, Satan will receive a death blow He says.

You need to know that the Devil, for all of his interference in your life right now, is a dead man. Colossians 2:15 says "Christ disarmed the powers and the authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." If you're in Christ, if you belong to Jesus, the most the Devil can do is to wound you. You may be a casualty, but thank God you will never be a fatality. Satan tried over and over again to wipe out the Messianic line - the family from which Jesus would come. And then he tried to wipe out all the babies that were the age of baby Jesus. It didn't work. He's beaten!

Why would you ever let the Devil or his people beat you or intimidate you? God has entered human history in person. Everywhere Jesus went the forces of darkness surrendered. Everywhere Jesus goes now through your life, those forces of darkness still must surrender.

So, Christmas isn't just a warm and fuzzy little story about a baby in a stable and a star. In the battle for human lives, in the battle you're facing today, Christmas is God's knockout punch.

Read: Psalm 139:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Nate and Peter watched as Dad assembled a miniature model of the human body they had gotten for their homeschool biology class.

“I’m amazed at God’s creation,” Dad said, holding up the plastic heart piece. “Did you know that the human heart, which is only about as big as a clenched fist, can pump up to two thousand gallons of blood a day?”

“I heard that in our class videos,” said Peter. “We learned about eyes too. They’re set in holes, or sockets, and they’re protected by seven interlocking bones.”

“And our eyelashes and eyebrows keep out dust and sweat,” said Nate. “And each time we blink, a special fluid washes over our eyes.”

Dad grinned. “Right! And have you noticed that the palms of your hands are sort of skid-proof so you can get a grip on things? And think about your fingers and all they can do. You use them to write, paint, hammer a nail, play the piano—”

“Catch a football,” added Nate.

Dad nodded. “Just like the Bible says, we’re fearfully and wonderfully made. God created the human body to do amazing things. His great handiwork is nothing to laugh about, is it?”

“Laugh about?” asked Peter. “What do you mean?”

“Well, sometimes I hear people say things that aren’t respectful about the human body,” said Dad. “They make jokes about things God designed it to do, and sometimes they even mock others whose bodies look different from theirs.”

Peter nodded. “Sometimes my friends send me things that make fun of stuff like that—or even specific people.”

“That’s not how God wants us to treat the bodies—or people—He created,” said Dad. “He loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us. When we trust in Him, He gives us new hearts—not a physical heart that pumps blood, but a desire to know and follow Him and share His love with others. And one day He’s going to give us new bodies too! Perfect bodies that will be free from sin, sickness, and death.”

“Wow,” said Nate. “That sounds amazing!”

Dad nodded. “It is amazing. That’s why we need to treat the bodies God gave us—and everyone else—with respect.”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Are you ever tempted to make fun of the amazing bodies God created? Maybe you’ve made inappropriate jokes about them or looked at pictures or videos that are disrespectful. Perhaps you’ve even mocked someone for the way their body looks. Ask Jesus to forgive you for the times you didn’t treat people He loves and their bodies with respect. Remember that our bodies are meant to remind us of His amazing love.

Today's Key Verse: I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Respect the bodies God created

God is with us in the midst of our suffering—comforting us with His matchless love.

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Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most celebrated musicians in history. Nearly two centuries after his death in 1827, his compositions are still among the most performed pieces. His talent has been widely heralded, and he’s often described as a virtuoso. A study of Beethoven’s DNA, however, indicates he may not have been born with some of his abilities—as we might assume. When his genes were compared to those of 14,500 other people who’d shown an ability to keep rhythm (merely one aspect of musical talent), Beethoven ranked surprisingly low.

Beethoven also had ample opportunity and exposure to music (which developed the genetic aptitude he did have). Yet neither talent nor opportunity fully account for God’s role in endowing us with the abilities we have. Our Creator equipped two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, with specific skills to be used in building the tabernacle. God filled Bezalel “with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs” and appointed Oholiab “to help him” (Exodus 31:3-6). God gave “ability to all the skilled workers to make everything [He] commanded]” (v. 6).

Few of us will work on projects as significant as God’s tabernacle. And our abilities may never be recorded in history’s annals. Yet God has equipped us with the skills, aptitudes, and experiences He wants us to share with the world. May we serve Him faithfully, in His strength and for His glory.

It’s Witness Wednesday! Join Todd Friel on campus at Georgia State University as he engages four different students on topics like truth, meaning, and the afterlife. Focusing on self-examination and the call of the gospel, these students are pointed towards the true transformation that Christ brings us.

Segment 1

• Eduardo believes in God, but admits he’s drifted from church and isn’t sure about heaven or hell.

• He thinks he’s “a good person”—until he’s gently walked through the Ten Commandments.

• He hears the full gospel, including God’s justice and Jesus paying the penalty.

Segment 2

• Joey believes in evolution despite recognizing complex design in software, his field of study.

• His conscience gets confronted through a rapid-fire morality check.

• He hears the gospel clearly: Jesus died for sinners like him.

Segment 3

• Our next student is Catholic in name only, and admits he’s not really committed to his faith.

• Listens attentively as the purpose of creation and the gospel are explained as a demonstration of God’s mercy and grace.

• Concedes he’s broken several of the Ten Commandments and agrees he’s not a good person—then hears how Jesus saves sinners.

Segment 4

• Final student of the day grew up in church but walked away.

• He isn’t hostile towards the Christian faith, but simply apathetic about it.

• Left with a challenge to reconsider the true gospel.

___

Thanks for listening!

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Welcome to episode #250! ️ Pure Victory Podcast: The Sneaky Swap: Healthy Habits or Hidden Self-Medication?
In today’s episode, Braden unpacks one of the most overlooked challenges that shows up after you start winning against porn: filling the void. When old destructive patterns fall away, something always rushes in to take their place—sometimes healthy, sometimes not.

This episode digs into the subtle line between true healing and new forms of escape, and how to identify self-medicating behaviors even when they come disguised as “good” things.

You’ll hear a powerful comparison of Saul vs. David in how they handled emotional pressure—one numbed, the other processed—and what their stories teach us about walking toward real freedom.

Key Takeaways

• Victory creates a void—and that void will get filled with something.
• Not all “healthy” activities remain healthy when they become a way to avoid your pain.
• Self-medication is sneaky because it often looks admirable on the surface.
• Porn is not the root problem—it’s the painkiller. Healing requires dealing with what’s underneath.
• You either numb like Saul or process like David. One path destroys; the other heals.
• God doesn’t shame your mess—He invites you into deeper honesty and freedom.

Scripture Highlight

1 Samuel 16 — David plays the harp for Saul.
Saul seeks soothing and distraction from his distress, but avoids facing the real issues of his heart. David, on the other hand, models the opposite through the Psalms—bringing fear, pain, and confusion honestly before God.
One avoided. One processed. Only one healed.

Questions to Help You Discern Self-Medication

1. Am I using this activity to avoid something hard?
2. Would removing it make me anxious or irritable?
3. Is this pulling me away from meaningful connection?
4. Is this distracting me from dealing with the lack porn used to fill?
5. Does this draw me toward Jesus or just away from discomfort?

Action Items

• Slow down this week. Take 10 minutes of stillness and ask God,
  “What am I avoiding? What am I filling the void with?”
• Pick one activity that might be turning into escape and set a small boundary around it.
• Bring one uncomfortable emotion to God in prayer, journaling, or conversation—practice David-style processing.
• Share this episode with someone on a similar journey and start a conversation about healthy vs. unhealthy coping.

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Resources

FamilyLife Canada: Porn Recovery Resources

FamilyLife Canada: Resources and events to strengthen your marriage

Online marriage resources (FamilyLife Canada)

Covenant Eyes Accountability Software - use promo code FLCANADA for 30 days free
Pure Freedom Community for men

Have you ever thought about serving your community as a family? On this episode, Danny and Rebecca speak with Justin Knoop, the founder of Blessing Boys. Justin and his four sons perform free lawn care services for those in need, inspired by their mission work and personal transformation through faith. Justin explains the profound impact of these acts of service on both his family and the community, and we encourage you to explore this idea in your home. We talk about overcoming the awkwardness of helping strangers, instilling values of gratitude and service in children, and balancing energy and discipline in boys. The Crib To College Update shares research done on exposing children to various foods to help prevent food allergies later in life.

The Hidden Garden: A Blessing Boys' Adventure

Age & Stage Resources

What Are Your Parenting Strengths? Find Out Here!

Here Are Some Ideas To Serve As A Family

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