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As bizarre as it may sound to you and me, one of the most common arguments used by young pro-abortion advocates is the claim that the unborn child is nothing more than a parasite. This attempted justification falls flat when faced with the definition of parasite which states that a parasite is “An organism that lives and feeds on or in an organism of a different species and causes harm to its host.” The unborn baby is obviously not of another species, unless abortion advocates wish to argue that humans give birth to penguins. Regardless, the unborn baby will send fetal stem cells to the mother’s body helping to repair damaged tissue including organs. The unborn baby is a human being made in God’s image, not a parasite.

-Guest host, Victor Nieves

It’s one thing to give grace to friends, but to give grace to those who give us grief? Most of us find it hard to forgive.

Leave your enemies in God’s hands. You’re not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing. Give grace, but if need be, keep your distance. You can forgive the abusive husband without living with him. Be quick to give mercy to the immoral pastor, but be slow to give him a pulpit. Society can dispense grace and prison terms at the same time.

To forgive is to move on, not to think about the offense anymore. You don’t excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route your thoughts about them through heaven. In Romans 12:19 (MSG) God says, “I will take care of it.” Let him.

Read more Facing Your Giants: God Still Does the Impossible

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

Today on Bold Steps … Pastor Mark Jobe shows us what happens when the walls of division come down. As we move forward in our new series, When You Believe … Everything Changes, we’ll continue our lesson from Ephesians, chapter 2. Mark will give us three points to consider about who you are … and what happens when the walls of division come down around us.

Bold Step Gift: Lies Boys Believe: And The Epic Quest For Truth

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Good communication with your spouse is vital for a healthy marriage - what you say and how you say it. But equally important is being intentional about listening to our spouse.

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Hebrews Chapter 5 illustrates Jesus as the Great High Priest,

surpassing the old priesthood. He is appointed by God and offers

a direct connection to him. Jesus, through suffering, learned

obedience and became the source of eternal salvation. The chapter

then criticizes some believers for being spiritually immature,

urging them to move beyond basic teachings and deepen their

understanding and practice of God’s Word.

“It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine,” my grandmother used to say. Then my mom repeated the same thing. And now I say it to my own children. But what does it mean to beware of “the little foxes”?

After planting grapevines, it can take several years before they bear fruit. The vines require a lot of patience, care, watering, pruning, and protection. Foxes—even though small—can cause major damage by destroying the roots, eating the grapes, or chewing the stalk.

In the poetic love story of the Song of Songs, Solomon warns, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (2:15). Some scholars believe this refers to seemingly small problems or behaviors that could threaten the young man and woman’s relationship if left unchecked.

This warning also holds instruction for our spiritual journey. Little things like bitterness (Hebrews 12:15), “unwholesome talk” (Ephesians 4:29), or even harmful influence from others (1 Corinthians 15:33) can slip into our lives and hardly be noticed.

My grandmother understood that little things can cause great harm, and her wisdom spoke volumes to her grandchildren. As we spend time in prayer and reading the Scriptures, the Spirit will help us avoid the “little foxes”—the temptations or habits that might spoil our relationship with others and our walk with Christ.

On today’s program, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris’ tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse. We’ll have details.

Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We’ll take a look.

And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag.

But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kristen Parker, Shannon Cuthrell, Paul Clolery,  Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The Banner and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 18:15

Broken relationships in the church are a very painful problem that disgraces the Father and discourages the Bride of Christ.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is nothing worse than a church without harmony and there is nothing better than a church with harmony.”

In Matthew 18, Jesus explains how to heal broken relationships. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone...” (Matthew 18:15).

First, we must consider our relationship with the person who has sinned against us.

If he is a brother in Christ, we are members of the same body; harming him harms us. If he is lost, he needs our pity and prayers all the more; regardless, he is to be loved no matter what.

Next, we must remember our responsibility to make it right between us. Galatians 6:1 says, “...if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” We have to ask ourselves: are we sinning in a similar way? Have we been praying for that person and setting a good example?

Once we have the proper perspective, we must seek out the biblical procedure of restoration.

We don’t have the luxury of waiting for our trespasser to come to us; we go to him lovingly, privately, and humbly. If there is an opportunity for restoration, forgive him freely, fully, and finally. If there is no restoration, come back with fellow brothers or sisters in the faith. If he still refuses to listen, go before the church, as Matthew 18:17 instructs: “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

Excommunication is a heartbreaking last resort reserved only for those who are stubborn in their own ways, who will not hear the brother, the committee, or the church that has tried to speak truth in love. It is important that we love the unrepentant offender, but we do not let him poison the fellowship. We cannot let him hurt and distort the cause of Christ.

Apply it to your life

If someone has sinned against you, don’t make it a matter of gossip; go to the individual lovingly, humbly, and gently, after first considering yourself.

The future of America’s largest churches (specifically megachurches—2,000+ weekly attendees) is a complex mix of momentum, innovation, and cultural headwinds. Eric Geiger from Mariners Church joins Sam on the show to discuss the reality facing large churches. Will they keep growing? Some will, but many are plateauing or entering slow decline.