The Bridge Austin

Join Rabbi as he journeys onto the Red Sea, the sea that God supernaturally parted to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. Learn more about this historical and biblical event and how to follow God into freedom in your own life!

**** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner 

Today, in this special Christmas message, Pastor Jack teaches that the Book of Genesis set the stage for God, the fall of Adam and Eve and the serpent Satan. The promise of a messiah to repair mankind’s relationship with God starts here and continues throughout Scripture to the very end with Christ’s return.

What lies does the world tell you to keep you from God’s truth? In today’s message, Pastor Chris confronts the crooked thinking that says you’re fine just as you are. The world insists you can define truth however you want and still be right with God. But Scripture reveals a twisted path that leads away from Him. God’s standard is just, holy, and unchanging. Only Jesus makes the crooked straight and the warped whole. How do you turn from the world’s crooked lies to walk in God’s straight truth?

J.John explains why we need to take the Great Commission seriously and share Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors in a ‘natural’ way. He encourages us to invest in others through prayer, small acts of caring, and by reaching across social barriers.

Receive a copy of Jesus Christ: The Truth with a free audio download of “Three Ways to Introduce Your Friends to Jesus " for your donation of any amount! Your Gift DOUBLES to Help Deliver Hope and Joy! Save 2X the marriages and families this Christmas with your life-changing gift today!

Get More Episode Resources 

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

What happens when teens feel unheard at home? This week, Mark talks with two Heartlight teens, who bravely share their battles with depression, insecurity and the search for real connection. Beneath struggles with anger, risky choices or even isolation, both young women's stories reveal a powerful theme: Teens desperately need their parents to truly listen — not just jump into problem-solving or judgment. Honest conversation, open minds and small acts of understanding can make all the difference for hurting teens. 

To learn more about our residential counseling program, go to heartlightministries.org today!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org. 

As Christmas draws near, many of us feel the pressure to buy just one more thing—or worry the season won’t feel special unless we spend more. Tight deadlines, emotional expectations, and last-minute sales create the perfect environment for impulse spending to quietly take over. But Scripture offers a wiser, more freeing way to approach giving—one rooted in love rather than pressure.

Christmas brings out many good desires. We want our homes to feel warm, our families to feel loved, and our gatherings to feel joyful. Emotional spending happens when those good desires turn into pressure—internal or external. We begin asking questions like: What if this isn’t enough? What will they think if I don’t give something big? If I don’t hurry, will Christmas feel incomplete?

Emotional buying often peaks in the final days before Christmas, not because we’re unwise, but because we’re human. We feel the weight of expectations, the excitement of the season, and the fear of missing out. But perfect moments aren’t purchased. They’re created through meaningful time together—not merely expensive gifts.

Scripture invites us into a different rhythm. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” He wasn’t describing frantic shopping or panic-driven generosity, but joyful, intentional, heart-shaped giving.

Paul echoes this in Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Christmas giving becomes a spiritual act when it flows from love, gratitude, and thoughtfulness rather than pressure or panic.

Many of the most meaningful gifts can’t be boxed or wrapped—a handwritten letter, a shared meal, a family tradition, a long walk with an aging parent, or a prayer spoken over someone you love. These are gifts that shape hearts, not clutter closets.

In the final days before Christmas, urgency often speaks louder than wisdom. The sale is ending. Shelves are empty. Shipping won’t arrive on time. Suddenly, our giving comes more from fear than love.

Proverbs 21:5 offers a timely warning: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Hasty choices don’t just strain our finances—they strain our hearts. They rob us of peace and shift our focus from Christ to consumption.

You don’t have to sprint your way into Christmas. You can choose a different pace.

1. Pause before you purchase. Even a 30-second pause can interrupt an emotional decision. Ask yourself: Is this coming from love—or from pressure?

2. Let your values set the tone. A healthy budget isn’t restrictive—it’s clarifying. It helps your spending reflect what matters most.

3. Remember, generosity is more than money. Time, words, service, and presence are gifts money can’t replicate.

4. Let Christ—not culture—define Christmas. Before you buy, ask: Will this help us celebrate Jesus, or simply ease a momentary fear?

When your giving aligns with faith rather than fear, Christmas becomes more meaningful—not less.

Mother Teresa captured this beautifully: “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” You’re not responsible for funding a flawless Christmas. You’re responsible for loving the people God has placed in your life—and love doesn’t require overspending.

Christmas isn’t a test of your financial ability. It’s a celebration of God’s generosity toward us. The angel didn’t announce “great deals of consumer joy,” but “good news of great joy—a Savior has been born to you.” That’s the center of Christmas, and the foundation of intentional giving.

• I’m 57 and have about $300,000 in a 401(k). I

Most nativity scenes include the familiar cast of characters: Mary and Joseph, the baby Jesus, shepherds, and wise men. But there’s one group that witnessed the entire Christmas story and understood its significance better than anyone else. Dr. Robert Jeffress shares what the angels know about Christmas—and why their response should be our response, as well.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate.