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If you've ever checked your suitcase when you're about to take a trip by airplane, you know what they do with our luggage. No, not lose it. Not usually. The ticket agent determines what your final destination will be, he prints out an adhesive sticker with that destination on it, and he puts it around your suitcase handle. And then you settle back in your seat, knowing that bag will meet you at the other end of the trip. With the millions of bags the airlines handle daily, it's amazing that most do go straight to the right destination. Now there are some exceptions. Like the one I checked in Idaho. Oh, I checked it through to my final destination - Newark, New Jersey. To this day it's still floating somewhere out there in the Baggage Twilight Zone. Like I said, most of the time they get it to your final destination.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Guaranteeing Heaven."

If you belong to Jesus Christ, God has placed a final destination sticker on you. It says "Heaven." And I am happy to report to you that, unlike human delivery systems, God's batting a thousand on getting His there.

Our word for today from the Word of God starts with John 10:27 - in a sense, it's kind of your personal life insurance policy...for eternal life. "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand."

Jesus says, "I know the ones who are Mine, and I've put My final destination sticker on them. It says 'Eternal Life.' No one is going to get them away from Me. I won't stop until I've delivered them safely home." Isn't that awesome? Your getting to heaven is not up to you. That's what the Bible means when it says it is "not by works" but that it is "by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Now it may be that you have often questioned whether or not you really belong to Jesus and whether it really is settled. Those recurring doubts could be for one of two reasons. One is that you really don't belong to Jesus yet. He's in your head but He's not in your heart. Even though you have a lot of Christianity, maybe you've missed Christ! You know He died on the cross to pay the death penalty for the sinning you've done - you know that you need Him as your personal Savior.

But somehow you've missed that actual moment of commitment, that transaction, when you stand at Jesus' cross and say, "For me, Jesus. What you did here is for me. Right now I'm giving me to You."

If you asked me if I was married all these years it would be an easy question to answer. Yeah, there was a time I made a conscious commitment of my life to Karen. If you have committed yourself to Jesus, you should know you have. If you don't know you have, you probably haven't. And it's important you get it settled today because this is eternity. Do it before your heart turns harder. Don't risk another day without Jesus.

The other reason you may not be sure of your final destination is that you've fallen for the devil's big lie. He knows that, based on your trust in Jesus Christ, God has put His "Heaven" sticker on you. Satan's lost you - so he's now reduced to making you wonder if you're really going to heaven. Your enemy wants you to spend your whole life wondering if you belong to Jesus instead of living like you do! Don't fall for it any longer!

If you're not sure there's been a time when you've begun your relationship with Jesus, make sure today - once and for all. You can wonder if God has ever marked you for heaven before today, but at least you'll know He did it today if He's never done it before.

I'd love to invite you to go to our website where an awful lot of people have confirmed t

Sexual immorality has devastated too many men, damaged too many families, and marred the gospel’s testimony too many times. Now is the time to prepare to fight. Emeal Zwayne, of Living Waters Ministries, will present biblical truth for waging war against the enemies of purity that seek to hold you captive in sin, and he will provide revolutionary strategies to conquer lust through the power of Gospel-centered grace and the knowledge of God’s mind-blowing character.

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As the church, we cannot insist that people bow to our preferences when it comes to worshipping a Savior who gave up all his rights to rescue us. In this message, Pastor J.D. shows us as part of the “Love Incorruptible” series that when we are defined by who we are in Christ and not our cultural differences, we are able to lay down our preferences for the sake of others’ salvation.

Life can present us with some pretty difficult realities, especially if we had some disadvantages to begin with. Dr. Tony Evans talks about the biblical principles that can help turn our situation around and empower us to offer hope to others.

There’s a famous poem about defiant independence featuring phrases like “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” The Lord probably finds that poem pretty funny. The Bible says the earth is God’s footstool. And He hears a wee, little voice say I am the captain of my soul. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie brings us a fresh perspective from Jacob’s attempt to wrestle with God.

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Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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Billy Graham once said, “A checkbook is a theological document. It tells you who and what you worship.” It’s a striking statement—but an important one.

Most of us make financial decisions every day without thinking much about them. We buy groceries, renew subscriptions, grab coffee, replace something that broke, or make an impulse purchase that feels harmless in the moment. These choices can seem ordinary and disconnected from our spiritual lives.

But Scripture invites us to look deeper. Our spending habits often reveal more about our hearts than we realize. They can uncover what we value, what we pursue, and where we place our trust.

A bank statement may look like a list of numbers and purchases, but over time, it tells a story. It reflects priorities.

Where our money goes often shows what matters most to us. That’s why money is never just about math—it also has a spiritual dimension. Financial decisions can expose desires, fears, habits, and hopes that might otherwise remain hidden. The prophet Isaiah asked this searching question:

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2)

That’s not merely a budgeting question. It’s a heart question. God is asking His people why they keep investing themselves in things that can never truly satisfy. It’s a question worth asking today as well.

Jesus adds another layer in Luke 16:

“If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:11)

Jesus is not condemning money. He is reframing it.

Money is temporary. It is a tool. But how we handle that tool reveals something deeper about our readiness to receive what truly matters. In that sense, money becomes a test of trust.

Every purchase, every swipe of the card, every budgeting decision expresses something about what we love.

And because of that, even everyday spending can become an opportunity for worship.

The early church martyr Polycarp of Smyrna is often credited with this insight: “The world asks, What does a man own? Christ asks, How does he use it?”

That gets to the heart of biblical stewardship.

The question is not simply what we possess, but how we use what God has entrusted to us. Scripture consistently reminds us that everything belongs to the Lord, and we are called to manage His resources faithfully.

That changes the way we think about spending. We are not merely consumers deciding what to do with “our money.” We are stewards seeking to honor God with what He has placed in our hands.

The book of Haggai gives us a vivid picture of what happens when priorities drift.

After returning from exile in Babylon, the people of Israel came home to ruins. The temple—the center of worship and identity—had been destroyed. At first, they began rebuilding it. But as opposition grew and enthusiasm faded, their focus shifted.

Instead of restoring God’s house, they concentrated on their own comfort, building paneled homes while the temple remained neglected. So God sent the prophet Haggai with a piercing message:

“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? … You have sown much, and harvested little… and he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:4–6)

Their spending reflected misplaced priorities. And the result was frustration, emptiness, and lack of satisfaction.

That same dynamic can surface in our lives.

When spending is driven more by comfort than conviction, we may find ourselves chasing more while enjoying less. The satisfaction we expected never quite arrives.

Sometimes the issue is overspending. Other ti

You love your kids. But some days you lose it, replay it, and carry the weight. Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, authors of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, meet you smack dab in the middle of your mess, not the highlight reel. They challenge the suffocating pressure to be the “ideal mom” and point to something far sturdier when your guilt, comparison, and chaos are hitting home.

Show Notes and Resources

• Ge your copy of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments on our shop.

• Get to know more about Emily and Laura at  → risenmotherhood.com

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