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A beard really changes people - especially men. You can make a man look older, scruffier, wiser, or more suspicious. A beard does amazing things. Some wives and girlfriends can't wait for their guy to grow it. Others can't wait for him to shave it. My friend, Lou, spent much of his time clean-shaven. He also spent many of those same years as an alcoholic. They were terrible years for his wife and for his daughters. One day, Lou became so desperate he surrendered the control of his out-of-control life to Jesus Christ. From that moment on, the Savior beat that bottle that had always beaten Lou, and right about then, he started to grow a beard. He actually has had it for several years, but a couple of years ago he decided to shave it one morning. He walked out to his family, and he said, "Hey, what do you think?" His little girl started to cry. She begged her Daddy to grow his beard back. See, the old face made her think of her old Dad. She was afraid the old Dad was back.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Old You, Gone for Good."

Our word for today from the Word of God is in 2 Corinthians 5:17. It's a promise from God to do something we could never do for ourselves. It's a miracle only He can do. Listen to this: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" Man, what words! "New creation" not from the outside in. No, this is from the inside out, and it's what happened to Lou and it could happen to you. You've got to come to the point where you're tired of not being the man or woman, or the husband or wife, or the mom or dad that you really want to be. You know, that person that you love really needs you to change.

Okay, here's my right hand on the right side of this table. This is the man I want to be - that people need for me to be. Now, here's my left hand over here on the other side of the table - this is what I actually am. I can't seem to close this gap between these two hands. That admission in itself is the first step to having a new you. Behind our mask of having it all together is a man or woman who may be addicted to selfishness, or unfaithfulness, or to lust, or to depression, or maybe we're addicted to a temper that's out of control, a sexual appetite, a habit. We've tried reforming. It hasn't worked!

That's what gets us ready for Jesus. See, you're ready as this verse says, to be "In Christ." Without Him, we're in trouble. The ultimate diagnosis of our inner darkness is called sin. We've got the wrong person running things. And the Bible says, "Sin, when it is full grown gives birth to death." Sin separates us from the people we love, from the person we want to be, from the person we need to be. Worst of all, it separates us from our Creator forever, unless we are "In Christ."

How do you get in Christ? John 3:16 says, "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life." All that faith that you've put in yourself and your religion and in other people? You take all that and you put it all in Jesus now. You say, "Jesus, I'm yours."

That's the new beginning, a new dad, a new mom, a new son, a new daughter, a new mate, a new friend. Someone much stronger will be in your driver's seat. Jesus will take your life places you never dreamed it could go and daily recreate you into someone who is becoming like Jesus Himself. Why don't you make this the day that the new you begins - your new beginning day. Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm yours."

In fact, our website is there to help that new beginning, it's called ANewStory.com. Check it out today and you can find, there, what you need to know to begin this relationship with Jesus.

As my friend's daughter found out, a new Dad is more than ju

History is being made in the Middle East. The U.S. and Israel have coordinated military strikes against the Iranian regime. We will give you the latest developments and provide a biblical perspective on the series of events unfolding right now that could change that part of the world forever.

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If you only have one tomatillo plant in a garden, it’ll never produce any fruit because it needs other plants to cross-pollinate. And Christians are kind of like tomatillo plants in that way. Healthy believers will produce the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But first, you have to be rooted in Christ, and second, you need to have community.

Pressure has a way of revealing what we really believe. It’s easy to follow God when it’s convenient—but what happens when the culture demands compromise? Pastor Jonathan Evans shows what it means to stand firm in the fire when everyone else is giving in.

Jim Daly and John Fuller introduce this Adventures in Odyssey® radio drama about a former school bully, Dion, who returns to the town of Odyssey after a long absence. Dion seems to have a complete change of heart. Two friends, Buddy and Zoe, try to discover why Dion is so different. Adventures in Odyssey has a new animated film project, Journey into the Impossible, coming soon.

Exciting things are happening with Adventures in Odyssey, and you can be a part of it all! Your gift will help finish and launch the new Adventures in Odyssey animated film called Journey into the Impossible! Any support you give will be a big help in this seemingly impossible mission … and will be DOUBLED through our $1 million matching opportunity!

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J.I. Packer once wrote, “What matters in life is not what you make of it, but what God makes of it for you.” That contrast becomes especially clear when it comes to money. When circumstances shift, and uncertainty rises, the quiet question surfaces: Will there be enough?

Our culture tells us peace comes through self-provision—earning more, saving more, planning better. But Scripture invites us into a different posture: resting in a Father who provides.

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus directs our attention upward: “Look at the birds of the air…your heavenly Father feeds them.” Birds don’t build financial models or stockpile reserves. Yet God sustains them.

Jesus’ point isn’t irresponsibility—it’s relationship. Behind every plan, paycheck, and effort stands a God who sees, knows, and provides.

Throughout Scripture, this truth repeats like a steady drumbeat:

From Genesis to Revelation, God’s provision is precise, purposeful, and personal.

Paul echoes this promise in Philippians 4:19: “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Notice what Paul doesn’t say. He doesn’t promise every want, preference, or wish list. He promises to meet every need. And that supply doesn’t flow from our economy, our income, or our investments—it flows from God’s riches.

Provision is not sourced in us. It’s sourced in Him.

The truth goes even deeper. Jesus doesn’t just provide—He is our provision. In John 6:35, He says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”

Peace, then, is not found in financial comfort or problem-free living. It’s found in the presence of Christ.

When we forget this, we drift into two familiar traps:

Both pull us away from trust.

Scripture reminds us that God provides not only resources but the ability to obtain them. Moses tells Israel, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Our skills, opportunities, work ethic, and even our capacity to earn—all come from Him.

When that truth settles in, something shifts. Financial security stops being something we manufacture and becomes something we receive.

Trusting God as provider doesn’t lead to inactivity. It frees us to work, plan, save, and give with joy. Our efforts become acts of stewardship rather than self-provision. Money becomes a place of spiritual formation rather than fear.

That’s why Jesus teaches us to pray for “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Not because God lacks resources—but because our hearts need daily dependence. Daily bread cultivates daily trust.

Take a moment to ask:

Whether you’re in a season of abundance or a season of need, Jesus doesn’t just promise provision—He gives Himself. And He invites you to trust Him day by day.

When we trade fear for faith, striving for surrender, and self-reliance for dependence, we

On a peaceful fall day, Tim & Aileen Challies' son, a seminary student engaged to be married, suddenly collapsed during a pickup game on campus. He would never come home. In this candid conversation, Tim & Aileen share what followed: shock, isolation, a marriage grieving in different languages, and the search for God in the silence. When the unthinkable happens, you may find yourself asking, “Why does God let bad things happen?”—and wonder if your faith is strong enough to hold you. Or maybe, you'll discover it’s holding you.

Show Notes and Resources

• Order your copy of "Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God" in our shop
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Ever looked at the social media posts of a friend and think, “Wow, they live a pretty good life.” Someone has pointed out we should never compare someone else’s highlight reel, to our blooper reel. We live out our blooper reel everyday, don’t we? We see the flubs, the fumbles, the gaffes, and the goofs up close. But today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out that God sees beyond the blooper, to the future. Today, a good example of how God can rewrite our story.

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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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