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Luke 15:20-21

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’”

Question

Prayer

Many false versions of the gospel are flourishing in the Church right now—what are they, and how can we recognize them? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the symptoms of widespread deception, distortion, and manipulation happening under the umbrella of “faith” today. He warns us to live with an awareness of messages that pervert the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to fit a popular worldview, agenda, or cultural fad. We learn from Peter and Paul that this is not a new problem; it’s an age-old issue. To remain grounded in the Truth, we need to stay close to our Shepherd, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Join Jimmy & Annette as they discuss what happens when suffering knocks on your door.

How has the lack of self-control impacted our nation? Our neighborhoods? Our own lives? Today Coach Gary Dunker reminds us of the high value God places on self-control and how He will nurture this precious spiritual fruit in our lives.

As a thank-you for your support this month, you’ll receive a copy of Organic Outreach for Ordinary People by Kevin Harney. It’s a simple, practical guide to sharing your faith in everyday conversations—right where God has placed you.

Yours with a gift of any amount.

Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.

Everyone has moments when their strength fails—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. In this study of Psalm 41, the final psalm of Book One, Dr. John explores how God sustains those who care for the weak and needy. Even as David faces illness and betrayal by close friends, he discovers that blessing comes not from avoiding trouble but from God's faithfulness through it. This psalm points forward to Jesus, who experienced the ultimate betrayal yet triumphed over every enemy, showing us that God's sustaining power never fails His people.

Reasons for Worship: In a world of political turmoil, personal struggles, and the apparent prosperity of evil, where should believers place their trust? Dr. John’s series on Psalms 33–41 called “Reasons for Worship” explores God’s faithfulness amid life’s challenges. From David’s escapes to his reflections on the wicked, these psalms offer practical wisdom for trusting God, finding hope in desperate circumstances, and keeping faith when evil seems to prevail. This series brings both comfort and challenge, pointing to the God who is completely trustworthy in every season.

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” —Proverbs 11:24

Scripture calls us to be both wise savers and generous givers—but holding those two together can feel like a tension. How do we avoid fear on one side and foolishness on the other? Dr. Shane Enete joins us today to show how these two principles actually go hand in hand.

Dr. Shane Enete is an Associate Professor of Finance at Biola University and founded the Biola Center for Financial Planning. He is also the author of the book Whole Heart Finances: A Jesus-Centered Guide to Managing Your Money with Joy.

John Wesley famously wrote, “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” It sounds simple enough, but when you sit down with a budget, the statement can feel more like a paradox than a plan. After all, how can you both save as much as you can and give as much as you can? At some point, choices must be made.

Rather than resolving the paradox with rigid rules, we encourage believers to embrace the complexity as part of the Christian life.

In the absence of clarity, many of us make rules. One common example is the “80/10/10 rule”—give 10%, save 10%, and live on the remaining 80%. While this framework may be helpful, we must also be cautious that this can risk reducing Christian stewardship to legalism.

The Christian life is a paradox. Christ Himself is a paradox—fully God and fully man. When we encounter a paradox, we shouldn’t flatten it into a rule. Instead, we’re invited into a relationship with God and to walk with Him in the tension.

So how do we approach the paradox of saving and giving without rigid formulas? We should think of stewardship more as an art rather than a science. Just as Jesus used metaphors—such as sheep, seeds, trees, and vines—to describe the mysteries of the Kingdom, we too can use metaphors to navigate the complexity of money.

Art allows us to co-create with God, and it moves us from rule-keeping to relationship, from legalism to a life that draws us closer to Him and to one another.

One compelling metaphor is water. Water is life-giving when it flows, but when it stagnates, it becomes toxic. In the same way, money is meant to flow—received from God and passed on to bless others.

Of course, saving is still essential—as it’s like a reservoir that ensures water can flow steadily—but the point is not the reservoir itself. It’s the flow that revitalizes both the giver and those who receive.

The call to “save all you can, give all you can” is not a puzzle to be solved but a paradox to be lived. By resisting the urge to reduce it to rigid formulas and instead embracing stewardship as a creative act with God, we discover a more life-giving way to approach money. The flow is what matters. That’s what brings life.

You can read Dr. Enete’s full article—and gain access to other exclusive resources—by becoming a FaithFi Partner. With your support of $35 a month or $400 a year, you’ll not only receive Faithful Steward but also enjoy other special benefits designed to encourage and equip you on your stewardship journey. 

Join us today at FaithFi.com/Partner

Ever feel like you just can’t connect with that special person in your life? You love them, and they love you, but for some reason the relationship is just not going well? Chip gives us a clue as to what might be happening, and how to fix it.

When we are not deeply and personally loved in ways that make sense to us, we will settle for any number of “pseudo-love” substitutes . . .

• Affirmation from SUCCESS
• Adulation from FAME
• Temporary intimacy from illicit SEX
• Attention from APPEARANCE or POSSESSIONS
• Esteem from POSITION
• Security from WEALTH

The Source of Love:

• God is the source of love. (1 John 4:7-8)
• God deposits His love in His follower’s hearts through His Spirit. (1 John 4:13-15)
• When we are filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit, the outcome/overflow is fruit. (Galatians 5:22)

How do we get it?

• God designed love to be birthed and modeled in our FAMILIES. (Ephesians 5:18-6:4)
• We often experience love most DEEPLY when we need it most DESPERATELY. (Romans 5:3-5)

How do we give it away?

• The Romans 12 Christian application – “Serving in Love”

Broadcast Resource

• Spiritual Simplicity Resources
• Message Notes

Additional Resource Mentions

• Small Group Resources
• I Choose Joy Book
• I Choose Joy Small Group
• True Spirituality Book

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