CIAM Radio

You want to say the right thing when your children do wrong – but most parents aren't sure where to begin. Amber Lia and Wendy Speake, offer parents specific “parenting scripts” for responding to sibling rivalry, disobedience, unforgiveness, laziness, and much more. With a little planning, you can respond with patience and wisdom to your child’s actions – good and bad!

When you live in the New York area, locking up your house is just second nature. In fact, it's wise to make sure that every door and every window is locked. Unfortunately, all those precautions can work against you if you forget or lose your house key. Yes, this is the voice of experience. Not only are all those nasty people locked out, you are now locked out! I've been there and done that. I can remember making a complete circuit of the house, desperately trying every window and every door. And the good news was that sometimes I actually found something was unlocked. I'd take even a window that I had to be a contortionist to get through! Anything to find a way to get in!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Open Door On a Locked-Up Heart."

There are probably some people in your world who you want in heaven with you someday - people who probably don't know your Jesus yet. Maybe people who seem to have little interest in knowing Jesus. Sometimes, it seems as if the doors to their heart are all locked up when it comes to Him. But there is a way to get in, no matter how hostile they may seem.

In our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Peter 2:12, Peter says we should "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." He even says that "by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men."

A lost person might resist your invitation to Christian meetings and reject your Christian beliefs; but random acts of love and kindness? They're usually a key that unlocks even the hardest hearts. As Jesus carried out His rescue mission here on earth, He wrapped His message in concrete acts of love - touching the leper that no one would touch, going to dinner with "sinners" that the religious people avoided, going to a neighborhood where racial barriers said He should never go, or cuddling the children who came to Him.

That kind of love tears down walls between a believer and an unbeliever; it challenges an unbeliever's misconceptions about Christians being angry, and condemning and uncaring. It creates curiosity about what makes this caring person tick. And the good news is that anybody can show Jesus' love to a lost person. You don't have to have a theological education or a Hollywood personality. It simply requires that you focus on someone whose eternity you care about and you ask yourself this question: "Knowing what I know about this person, what things could I do that would make him or her feel loved?"

Maybe it's babysitting or helping to care for a live-in parent for free, filling in at work so they can have a day off, or helping with a school subject that person is struggling with, or maybe you could provide transportation, or offer to do some "dirty work" for them. Maybe it's forgiving a debt or providing work for them. You could introduce a newcomer to his new surroundings, open your home for dinner, how about repairing a vehicle or an appliance, or just taking an interest in something that matters to them.

I call it "rescue loving." It involves a conscious effort to identify what would make a lost person in your life feel loved. You can find a person's language of love by asking, "What need do they have right now that I could help with?" You literally go looking for needs into which you can pour the kind of love with which Jesus has loved you. That's how you find the open door to a life that you can't get into any other way.

When Carlotta was young, she thought her mother had a remarkable gift for recognizing other people. But Carlotta’s mother was normal. It was Carlotta who was remarkable. She had a rare condition called prosopagnosia. She couldn’t recognize or remember faces.

Shortly after Jesus’ resurrection, two disciples walking from Jerusalem seemed as if they had such a condition when they encountered someone they should have recognized. The two were talking about the exciting news of the past few days (Luke 24:14), but the third person seemed unaware of the events. They gave Him a quick summary only to be surprised as this unknown person (Jesus) “explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (v. 27). Then Christ broke bread with them (v. 30)—something He’d done many times before.  At that moment, “Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight” (v. 31). They hurried back to Jerusalem to tell others (v. 33).

Those disciples didn’t recognize Jesus when they were with Him, and they hadn’t recognized Him in the Old Testament, something they read often and thought they knew well. They needed Jesus to reveal Himself to them because they couldn’t see on their own. 

We need that help too. Let’s ask God to open our eyes to see Jesus on the pages of the Bible, and in our lives.

Segment 1

• On Transformed, a marriage suffers from husband’s hidden porn use.

• Dr. Lou Priolo exposes why we justify anger against those who’ve wronged us.

• A powerful example of how biblical counseling cuts to the heart.

Segment 2

• Forgiveness must be given when someone repents, but trust is rebuilt over time.

• Handing trust to the unfaithful too soon is foolish—and dangerous.

• Bitterness is a poisonous root that churches often fail to confront.

Segment 3

• With John MacArthur’s memorial coming soon, how will GCC honor him biblically?

• The delicate balance between honoring a life and glorifying Christ.

• What your funeral focus should say about your life’s purpose.

Segment 4

• Lighter moments from John MacArthur show his warmth and wit.

• Memorable clips capture his unique style.

• A final look at a pastor who shaped countless lives for Christ.

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Thanks for listening!

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Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "The Art of Generosity." Enjoy!

In this message, Dr. John addresses how a loving God can send people to hell. Using Scripture, he explains that God rightfully acts for His own glory since His infinite worth surpasses all creation. Sin against an infinitely glorious God constitutes an infinite crime deserving infinite punishment. The real question isn't "How can God allow hell?" but "How can God allow heaven?" - marveling at His grace toward undeserving sinners.

Hell Explained: In this one week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the often difficult and uncomfortable doctrine of Hell. This study will discuss the biblical description of hell, how we can reconcile hell with the God of the Bible, and how it’s important for Christians to reflect on the seriousness of hell.

Nurturing a marriage takes time. And it takes work. When you're committed to your marriage you leave a legacy of faithfulness, honour, and integrity.

Hear an overview of the book of Romans from Pastor Chuck Swindoll. Learn about the two main points of the book—plus helpful context about the author, the recipients, and more.

From the Series: Romans: The Christian’s Constitution

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