Even in gardening, good intentions don’t always produce a harvest. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans draws a powerful comparison between cultivating crops and cultivating faith—and what it takes for spiritual growth to take root and flourish.

Based on his book, Renaissance, Os Guinness calls the current generation the “crunch generation” because the many challenges facing today’s world are converging quickly and need resolution. He asks Christians to pay “focused attention” to listening to non-believers around them in order to connect. Os advises believers to think deeply for themselves when it comes to loving God with their minds. When witnessing, they must ask questions to those questioning Christianity, rather than making statements, allowing the non-believer to think and come to their own discovery of salvation in Jesus.

Receive a copy of Renaissance and an audio download of "Reviving the Church to Change the World" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

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Many seniors today face significant financial strain—some even resort to borrowing to cover their basic living expenses.

For retirees on a fixed income, a reverse mortgage can be a practical solution to access the equity in their home and bring much-needed stability. Harlan Accola joins us today with a message of hope for those looking for margin in their retirement years.

Harlan Accola is the National Reverse Mortgage Director at Movement Mortgage, an underwriter of Faith and Finance. He is also the author of Home Equity and Reverse Mortgages: The Cinderella of the Baby Boomer Retirement.

Nearly 70% of seniors that Movement speaks with are carrying credit card debt. These aren’t impulsive spenders buying luxury items. They’re retired, living on fixed incomes, and they’re relying on credit just to pay for basics like groceries and prescriptions. They’re often asset-rich but cash-poor—sitting on significant home equity but drowning in interest rates of 25% to 35%.

Many people suffer silently, too embarrassed to discuss their financial challenges. They don't realize that the equity in their home could be used to ease their burden without losing the home they love.

One of the biggest hurdles is the spread of misinformation. People believe they’ll lose their house, or that a reverse mortgage is inherently bad.

In truth, the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM)—the most common form of reverse mortgage—is federally insured and designed to protect both the homeowner and their heirs. Properly structured, it can be a safe and responsible tool.

Anyone over 62 with at least 50–60% equity in their home should take a closer look. A typical scenario might be someone still making monthly mortgage payments, even with a small remaining balance. Those payments—$800, $1,500 or more—can strain fixed retirement budgets.

One common misconception is that you lose control of your home. In fact, you and your spouse can stay in your home for life, even if one of you passes away. You can choose how to receive the funds—from monthly income to a lump sum to the most popular option: a line of credit.

Whether it’s a car repair or a medical bill, reverse mortgage lines of credit provide flexibility. And it’s all about wise stewardship.

At the heart of this decision is a stewardship principle. As Proverbs 24:3 reminds us, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” It doesn’t make sense to live in a paid-off home but struggle to pay for groceries while racking up 30% interest on credit cards. That’s not good stewardship.

Reverse mortgages aren’t for everyone—but many avoid them simply due to fear or misunderstanding. For some, it could be a life-giving solution.

If you’re entering—or well into—retirement and want to explore whether a reverse mortgage might be a fit for your situation, visit Movement.com/Faith. 

• I’m 71 and still working, but I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep it up. Would a reverse mortgage help me eliminate my monthly mortgage payment, allowing me to manage better if I need to stop working?
• I have recently retired and hold a 401(k) account with Fidelity. Someone mentioned a company called Big Money Retirement Solution, which offers a 9% annual return on an annuity. Should I consider moving half of my portfolio there?
• I heard there’s a way t

Some of the most encouraging words in the Bible are found in the Psalms. They’re heart felt, they deal with expressions of joy, and of sorrow. No matter what emotions are weighing heavily on you, you’ll find words that speak to your heart. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie takes us to Psalm 32 as the psalmist David is in serious need of forgiveness. We can learn a lot for our times of regret, and discover that God welcomes those who come to Him in contrition.

Join us on August 16 for the annual Jesus Revolution Baptism, a celebration of new life in Christ at Pirate’s Cove with Pastor Greg Laurie!

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Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

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Are you struggling to reconcile a good God with a hard life? Hosts Dave and Ann Wilson sit down with Mark Vroegop, author of "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy" to explore the vital biblical practice of lament. Mark reveals how lament, though prevalent in Scripture (making up one-third of the Psalms!), is often missing from modern Christian life. Drawing from his own profound experiences with loss, he explains how lament provides a faith-filled language for expressing grief, pain, and doubt directly to God, preventing despair and even the deconstruction of faith.

Show Notes and Resources

• Learn more about Mark at his website 
• Purchase Mark's book, "Dark Clouds, Deep Grace" online
• Purchase Mark's book "Waiting Isn't a Waste" at the FamilyLife online store
• See our shop for 25% off Small Group Studies 

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If there’s one thing we’ve learned, you can’t trust in material things to come through for you. Chip reveals how to rise above the daily grind and escape the rat race forever.

The root problem in priority living according to Jesus is MATERIALISM.

Matthew 6:1-18

• Two motives
• Two treasures
• Two eyes
• Two masters

Summary: Do not allow the pursuit of material things to thwart your spiritual development.

Question:

• How can we live in a material world without becoming materialistic? -Matthew 6:24-34

The symptom:

• Anxiety is the mark of a life preoccupied with material things.

The explanation: Stop your preoccupation with material things because...

1. It's short-sighted –Matthew 6:25b
2. It's illogical –Matthew 6:28-30
3. It's unprofitable –Matthew 6:27
4. It's disgraceful to God –Matthew 6:30-32

The promise:

• If you will pursue knowing Christ and making Him known as your first priority, He will meet all your material needs. -Matthew 6:33-34

Application: Questions to Ponder

• Are you "spending" or "investing" your life?
• Is your life making a significant difference in the lives of others?
• Do you live under "pressure" or under "priorities"?
• Do your time, talent, and treasure reflect that pursuing Christ and making Him known is your #1 priority?

Broadcast Resource

• 'Balancing Life's Demands' Resources
• Message Notes

Additional Resource Mentions

• Small Group Resources

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Two roller coasters. Only one seemed like a real option to me. I should point out that I really don't ride roller coasters much. "Because you're chicken," you say. No, because I'm too short. I just don't measure up to that little height chart that they have at the entrance to the coaster. Actually, I have a friend who declines roller coaster invitations by saying, "I can't. I have an inner ear problem." I like that. I may have to remember that one. For whatever reason, my rides on roller coasters are few and far between. But at this particular amusement park that I visited a few years ago, they had two roller coasters side by side and two lines to get to them. Over one line was a sign that said, "Forward." Over the other line, a sign that said - yeah, you guessed it - "Backward." You can ride looking forward or looking backward. Like this is a choice?

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Looking Backward, Missing What's Ahead."

There are two lines in life, and two cars you can ride in. One says, "Forward" and the other says, "Backward." You choose. Frankly, I don't want to ride looking back at where I've already been. I want to ride looking ahead to where I'm going. I hope you do, too.

And that's what God wants for you. In our word for today from the Word of God in Isaiah 43:18-19 - some of my anchor verses. Here's what He says: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." God wants today to be the first day of the rest of your life, not just another day of what your life has been up until now. This can be page one of a whole new volume or just another page of the same old story.

Maybe you've been riding too long looking backward. You keep rehearsing and reliving the hurt of your past, your failures, and the regrets over what you've done or what you should have done. But that's the past, and none of it can be changed. But if you don't move beyond the pain, the anger, the bitterness, the self-pity, the grief, and the self-condemnation - if you keep dwelling on that, you'll miss the part of your life that can be changed - the future.

One of God's great representatives, Paul, said, "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" (Philippians 3:13-14). Jesus is the Lord of new beginnings, of fresh starts, of clean slates. You need to come to Him and let Him release you from being tied to the people who've hurt you, by getting His grace to forgive them. You need to ask His help to begin to define your life, not by what has happened, but by what's going to happen; what can happen because of Jesus in your life.

Just a few verses after God's call to forget the past and go for His new thing, He tells us how that's possible. He says, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions...and remembers your sins no more" (Isaiah 43:25). That's what Jesus wants to do for you. It's why He died on that cross and why He rose again from His grave. He paid the death penalty for every wrong thing you've ever done so He could erase your sin from God's book forever, because otherwise, your sin will cost you heaven.

A new beginning. A fresh start. A clean slate. If you're at the point in your life where that's what you want, then it's time to open up your life to Jesus Christ. He's the Lord of new beginnings. You can reach out to Him right where you are and tell Him something like this, "Jesus, I'm done running my own life, I'm turning it over for You to run. I'm grabbing you with both hands because you died for my sin and I want today to be the first day of a new life; of a new me."

There's a lot mo