CLA+

You've dated several nice girls. How do you choose which one to marry? God is certainly involved in that decision, and He will lead you in the right direction to the right person at the right time.

Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/lovelanguageminute

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philippians Chapter 1 contains Paul’s heartfelt greetings and

expressions of joy despite his imprisonment. He thanks God for

the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel and is confident that God

will complete His work in them. He urges the Philippians to live in

a manner worthy of the gospel

Recently, my brother Scott acquired our dad’s military service records from World War II. As I studied the pages, there was nothing startling or shocking—nothing about who Dad was. There were mere facts. Data. It was interesting to read but ultimately dissatisfying because I didn’t come away feeling like I learned anything new about Dad.

Thankfully, in giving us a record of the life and work of Jesus, the four gospels are much more than just data. They are descriptions that reveal who Jesus was in His time on this earth as well as what He did and said. In Mark’s gospel, that record was for the purpose of proving Mark’s thesis statement: “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (1:1). Immediately, Mark tells us how John the Baptist testified about this Messiah. John said, “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (v. 7). Mark’s account makes it clear that Jesus is the Son of God. As John the disciple added in his own account of Jesus’ life, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

The evidence of Jesus’ life is abundant. These questions remain: what does He mean to you? How has He changed your life?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Revelation 22

Make-believe is not new to our day and age. Some of the biggest actors in the world are not in Hollywood, but in our churches. The Bible calls them hypocrites, people who pander to a phony world.

Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus has compassion and forgiveness for the sinners, thieves, and prostitutes. However, Matthew 6 shows us He saves His most severe words for the hypocrites.

First, Matthew 6:1-2 illustrates the shameful display of hypocrisy:

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them…” (Matthew 6:1).

We are most susceptible to hypocrisy in our areas of deed, devotion, and discipline. When helping others, we must always examine our manner and motive, being careful not to do things for our own glory and praise.

This same principle is true for prayer. The length or the language of our prayers don’t impress God (see Matthew 6:7); we are not informing Him of anything He doesn’t already know. Rather, prayer invites God into our lives and grants us the privilege of fellowship with Him.

Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer is one of the greatest acts of love and kindness God could ever extend to you. God allows and enables you to join with Him in the administration of the Universe and the affairs of men.”

We must also be sure to fast for the right reasons, without posing (see Matthew 6:16). Our goal in fasting is not to draw attention; it is to get a word from God.

This passage also addresses the sinister danger of hypocrisy.

Hypocrites deceive themselves and others; they are blind leading the blind.

Hypocrites defraud themselves and others; in receiving glory here on Earth, they rob themselves of glory in eternity.

Hypocrisy destroys; it takes the form of godliness but denies the power of it.

We must evaluate our own lives with serious discernment. Hypocrites don’t realize they are hypocrites. Knowing this, we must check our motives, live rightly before the Lord, and serve Him out of our love for Him.

Apply it to your life

Take some time to ask yourself, “Is there a little Pharisee in me? Have I been playing a role without realizing it?”

Hypocrites are not always vile, wicked people; they just haven’t lived in the reality of knowing God. Be sure to check your motives and serve God with your whole heart.

As leaders in a digitally driven world, how do we balance productivity with presence?
How do we create space for silence, reflection, and meaningful connection in an always-on world?
What role do faith communities play in shaping healthier digital habits?

Felicia Wu Song, cultural sociologist and author of Restless Devices, joins host Michael Martin to explore these pressing questions. 

Felicia unpacks the profound ways digital culture influences our identity, attention, and spiritual formation. From the transactional nature of online interactions to the hunger for real communion, she challenges us to rethink our engagement with technology.  

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on cultivating "counterliturgies" to our daily tech practices and reclaiming the beauty of presence in a hyperconnected age. 

About Felicia:  

Felicia Wu Song (PhD, University of Virginia) is a sociologist and author of Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence and Place in the Digital Age and Virtual Communities: Bowling Alone, Online Together.  

With almost twenty years’ experience as a professor at Louisiana State University and Westmont College, she combines her training in history, communication studies, and sociology with a personal interest in theology to speak and teach on matters of spiritual formation and well-being in a digitally-saturated society. Living in the Pacific Northwest, she enjoys a good food truck with her husband and two teenaged children. 

Additional Resources: 

ECFA.org/LeaderCare 

Restless Devices – Felicia Wu Song 

feliciawusong.com 

If this conversation resonated with you, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with someone and keep the conversation going! 

From day-to-day living to the biggest challenges in your life … are you relying upon yourself, or on God?  That’s the subject today on Bold Steps, with Pastor Mark Jobe. We’re sharing a message that he first preached at a Moody Bible Institute Student Chapel service … and it’s a lesson that we all need to consider very seriously. Sometimes God wants to downsize your strength to prepare you for the greatest battles in your life. We should be as prepared as possible, but God wants to make sure that our trust and dependance is in HIM alone and not in ourselves.

Bold Steps Gift: LIES GIRLS BELIEVE: AND THE TRUTH THAT SETS THEM FREE

Become a Bold Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/boldsteps/partners

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many couples complain that they don't have enough money for marital enrichment. To have more money you need to make more or spend less. In his book, Happily Ever After, Dr. Gary Chapman provides some creative ideas on how to make more money.

Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/lovelanguageminute

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.