Programs And Podcasts

Most of the major milestones in college revolve around a little four-letter word. Maybe you remember; maybe you're experiencing it now. The word - exam. My wife and I ended up in some classes together while we were in college before we were married, and that meant we ended up being stressed out at exactly the same time, sharing the same questions, the same challenges. But it was after the exam that the differences we had really surfaced because we handled the exam aftermath differently.

I'd come away rehearsing questions and thinking, "Well, how did I do on that one?" "What did you write for that one?" And, "Oh no, I forgot to write about that point." I thought about what I might have aced or what I might have missed; generally, I'd relive the exam. Now, my wife on the other hand; she had no desire to look back. When that exam was over, it was over and none too soon! She didn't want to go back and go over and over what was already history. I think she had the better idea.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Looking Back Attack."

Our word for today from the Word of God is from Philippians 3, and I'll begin reading at verse 12. Paul says, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

The imagery here is of a track runner. I happen to think that maybe Paul was a sports fan; he seemed to refer to the Olympics pretty often. And here's this runner going for the gold, and his first step to victory is to forget what's behind you. Let history be history; let the ground covered be the ground covered. You can't do a thing about it! You can't change the past. You can't do anything about the ground you already covered. In simple language, "Don't look back."

Too often we're like that college "me." We rehearse again and again what is unchangeable history. I kept thinking about the exam and kept thinking about the questions; couldn't change a thing by thinking about them. And oftentimes we get to the point where we're not focusing on today, on the race that we've still got to run. It's good to learn from the past, but not good to dwell on it.

Maybe you're having a looking back attack right now. Maybe it's a past hurt, and you just replay it over and over again. That replay is leading to resentment. If you don't go to the cross and find that grace to forgive that hurt, to release that hurt, you're going to stumble every time you try to run. It's time to focus on forgiving; a new beginning in that relationship. Maybe you're looking back at a past failure and you're paralyzed by it. You're replaying what you did wrong. Learn from it! Accept Christ's erasing and press on for the prize. Don't look back!

Maybe you're reliving past history, but it doesn't really mean anything today. It's time to make some new victories, some new memories, gain some new ground for Jesus instead of cruising on the glories of the past. You run so much better if you keep your eyes like Paul said, "On the prize" rather than on the past. The steps that you already took just don't matter that much anymore. What matters is going for the gold today.

This hour, Dr. Fazale Rana, from Reasons to Believe, will discuss gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR and how these advances are transforming medicine, giving scientists the ability to correct genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. But are they playing God? Then, you hear about an exciting on-line event being put together by Iran Alive ministries that take you beyond the headlines to give you keen insight into what it is like to live under a theocracy. Don’t miss a minute of this conversation.

Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partners

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Easter message, Pastor J.D. explains that whether or not the resurrection is true, we should all want it to be true. In 1 Corinthians 15, we see that this incredible news is, in fact, true. Jesus has entered into our greatest fear—death—and has defeated and overturned it forever. And because he lives, everything has changed.

True praise does more than sing—it surrenders. In this message from Empowered by Praise, Dr. Michael Youssef declares that praise becomes powerful when it is joined with sacrificial giving.

Drawing from Psalm 103 and 1 Chronicles 29, Dr. Youssef points to King David, who did not merely worship with words. He gave generously from his own fortune to build the Temple, proving his gratitude, loyalty, and devotion to the Lord.

This episode calls believers to:

When praise and giving come together, the Church becomes a powerful witness—and the lost see Christ glorified through surrendered lives.

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 29:1–17

 If today’s teaching stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 

Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

If you have ever wished your giving could be both simpler and more strategic, there is a powerful tool worth considering: a donor-advised fund, often called a DAF.

A donor-advised fund can help you organize your charitable giving, make tax-efficient contributions, and thoughtfully support the ministries and causes you care about. But before considering any financial strategy, it is important to begin with the heart.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7:

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Generosity begins in the heart, not in the tax code. At the same time, wise stewardship may include using financial tools that help us give more effectively. When used properly, a donor-advised fund can help you give joyfully while managing charitable resources efficiently.

You can think of a donor-advised fund as a charitable giving account designed to support the causes you care about.

You contribute cash, stocks, real estate, business interests, or other eligible assets to the fund. You may then receive an immediate charitable tax deduction and recommend grants to qualified ministries and charities over time. In other words, a donor-advised fund separates the act of contributing from the act of distributing.

You might make a larger contribution during a high-income year or before selling an appreciated asset. Then, rather than immediately deciding where every dollar should go, you can prayerfully consider which ministries or organizations to support.

The fund is administered by a sponsoring organization that handles recordkeeping, reviews grant recipients, issues grants, and provides tools for managing the account.

We often recommend the National Christian Foundation (NCF), one of the largest Christian charitable-giving organizations in the country. Its founders included Christian financial leaders Larry Burkett and Ron Blue.

Suppose you are preparing to sell a business, a piece of real estate, or another asset that has significantly increased in value.

Selling the asset yourself could result in a substantial capital-gains tax. However, you may be able to contribute the asset to a donor-advised fund before the sale.

Because the contribution is an irrevocable charitable gift, you may receive a tax deduction based on the asset’s value and potentially avoid capital-gains taxes that otherwise would have been due. That can allow more money to be directed toward charitable purposes.

Once the asset is sold within the donor-advised fund, the proceeds can be granted to ministries immediately or invested for potential growth while you determine where to give.

When you are ready, you recommend a grant—perhaps $10,000 to your church, a missions organization, or another qualified charity. The sponsoring organization verifies the recipient and sends the gift either in your name or anonymously.

Donor-advised funds have become a popular charitable-giving tool because they combine flexibility with professional administration.