Programs And Podcasts

Sometimes these commercials crack me up. You know, the weight loss commercials, you’ve got this eating program, and this movie star type lady comes up and says, “I lost 50 pounds. You could look like me.” I don’t want to look like her. Oh, and then they’ve got the guy’s version of it. Yeah. Oh, and then the pharmaceutical commercials - all the drugs. Yeah. And you see these happy people coasting through life, jogging, out running, biking, and then the last two-thirds of the commercial come along and tell you of the many ways you might die by taking that drug. But the point is, they tell you all these great things that will happen to you if you buy their product.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Power of One Changed Life.”

Look, let’s face it, advertisers know how to sell a product: diet plan, exercise equipment, medication. Have someone who’s living proof of their product’s effectiveness tell their story. For two thousand years, that’s what has motivated people to pursue the most important thing in life - a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s what will interest the people you know in Jesus, if you’ll tell them your story.

Some call it their “testimony.” I call it your personal hope story - the story only you can tell; the story of what Jesus Christ has done in your life. There’s a great template for that story in our word for today from the Word of God in John 9:25. Jesus has healed a man who had been blind from birth. But the enemies of Jesus are trying to get the man to acknowledge that Jesus was a sinner because He healed on the Sabbath. (Talk about missing the point!) I love this guy’s reply: “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

He’s not going to get entangled in their religious questions. He just tells them the difference Jesus has made, and who can argue about that? They can’t say you weren’t blind. They can’t say you can’t see. His hope story is inarguable. That’s what you need to tell the folks in your world--the difference Jesus has made. They’re not all that interested in our theology and our beliefs. They want to know, “What difference does Jesus make? What does He do in your life?” And your life is the answer to that right in front of them if you’ll tell your story.

You should take a little time and think through your Hope-story; “once I was _____ (fill in the blank) but now I _____ (fill in the blank).” There you go! That’s your story. Take a piece of paper and make three sections: “B. C.” - who I was before Jesus began running my life. Then “The Turning Point” - how I began my relationship with Jesus; and that third part, “A. D.” - the difference Jesus has made and He is making this very day.

Maybe you say, “Oh, I don’t have a testimony. I was pre-natally nice.” Well, you don’t have a dramatic turn-around to tell about, but does that mean Jesus isn’t making any difference in your life? Your assignment is to put these words at the top of a piece of paper, “If it weren’t for Jesus…” Start writing the ways that your life would be different if there was no Jesus: how you handle your lonely times, your hurting times, your stressful times. How would you be different as a single person, a married person, a parent, a boss, or a friend if there were no Jesus? People just don’t want to know about how you got started with Jesus. They want to know what difference He makes in your everyday life.

You’ve got many testimonies, describing the difference Jesus makes in the parts of your life that might matter to the person you’re with. It’s your personal hope story that opens the door for you to then explain the Good News about Jesus, about His death for all the wrong things we’ve done, the way He’s torn down the wall between us and the God we need so much. Your story th

People skills are essential for building meaningful relationships. Debra Fileta explores the different levels of communication that determine how we care for others, even through hard times. By looking at how we show up in conversation, Debra encourages us to walk in our relationships with greater humility and awareness, no matter the social temperature.
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This hour we talk with Bill Gertz, award-winning columnist for The Washington Times. He will update you on why the Secretary of State just ordered the deportation of a Cuban Communist influence agent. He will also discuss a Marxist tycoon who is funding China backed AI data centers. Bill always offers keen insight on the world around us so don’t miss this great conversation.

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Victory can make God’s people careless. In this urgent message, Dr. Michael Youssef teaches from Joshua 9, where Israel fell for the deception of the Gibeonites because they did not stop to seek the Lord.

The Gibeonites sounded convincing. They used religious language, appeared sincere, and even seemed to honor God’s Word. But they were enemies in disguise. Dr. Youssef warns that deception often comes dressed in spiritual language—and discernment will not come through instinct, experience, or human wisdom. It comes through prayer and submission to God’s inerrant Word.

This episode calls believers to:

Only prayer keeps God’s people alert, anchored, and ready to resist deception.

Scripture Focus: Joshua 9

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When many people hear the word justice, they think of courtrooms, laws, or political debates. Those ideas are part of justice, but Scripture offers a much broader vision.

Justin Lonas, Senior Director of Foundational Products and Regional Partnerships at the Chalmers Center, helps churches and ministries think biblically about poverty, generosity, restoration, and justice. He joins the show today as part of our financial virtues series to explain that biblical justice is not merely a political slogan or legal principle. It is a way of life shaped by righteousness, mercy, and love of neighbor.

Because money affects nearly every part of our lives together, justice has profound implications for how we earn, spend, save, give, invest, hire, and lend.

In Scripture, justice includes holding wrongdoers accountable, protecting the innocent, and maintaining public order. But it also includes restoration—putting things right when people or relationships have been harmed.

The Bible’s vision of justice is rooted in shalom: the wholeness and flourishing that exist when people live in right relationship with God, one another, themselves, and creation.

The Hebrew word often translated as “justice” is mishpat. A closely related word, tzedakah, is usually translated as “righteousness.” Scripture frequently places the two ideas side by side, like in Psalm 89:14: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”

Modern culture often separates these concepts. Justice is treated as a public or legal matter, while righteousness is viewed as a matter of private morality. Scripture does not divide them so neatly. Both flow from the character of God, and both should characterize His people.

Justice is not merely about demanding our rights. It also calls us to recognize our responsibilities toward others.

Every financial decision affects someone.

The way we earn money affects employees, customers, vendors, and communities. The way we spend it supports particular businesses and practices. The way we invest provides capital to certain companies and industries. Even the way we save, lend, hire, or purchase services can influence others' well-being.

That means biblical stewardship cannot be reduced to personal wealth accumulation or individual financial responsibility. Those matters are important, but God’s concern is broader than our personal balance sheets.

Scripture teaches that God owns everything. The land, our abilities, the opportunities before us, and the resources produced through our work all ultimately belong to Him. Wealth is not something we create entirely by ourselves; it is received within a world God made and sustains.

Because God owns it all, we cannot separate our economic lives from His concern for righteousness, mercy, and justice.

Justice is sometimes reduced to treating everyone exactly the same. But biblical justice goes beyond simple fairness.

People experience hardship for many reasons. Sometimes poverty is connected to unwise personal decisions. At other times, it results from exploitation, illness, disability, family instability, limited opportunity, or the broader brokenness of the world.

Poverty is complex because the effects of sin are complex.

When justice is viewed only through the lens of personal merit, we may conclude that everyone simply receives what they have earned. That perspective can cause us to overlook the different burdens people carry and the obstacles they face.

Biblical justice invites us to consider not only what people deserve, but also how we can pursue restoration, extend mercy, and help our neighbors flourish.

That doe

Evangelism is at the heart of Pastor Greg Laurie’s ministry. From this radio broadcast, A NEW BEGINNING, to his television program, to his large Harvest evangelistic events, the Gospel is always a central component. Our mission statement is Knowing Him and Making Him Known. And today, from Pastor Greg’s new series called Refresh, we dig deep into some principles for effective personal evangelism by learning from the most successful evangelistic outreach in history.

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What is heaven like? For a lot of Christians, the honest answer is ... hopefully not what I'm picturing. Pastor Dane Ortlund, author of Finally Home: The Christian Hope of Heaven, challenges some of our most common assumptions about eternity, arguing that the Bible's vision is far more tangible, physical, and alive than floating on clouds or singing forever. Turns out the story ends with a restored world—not an escape from one.

Show Notes and Resources

• Learn more about Dane and his writing at daneortlund.com

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
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