The Bridge Austin

Dr. Gary Chapman wants to help you have a loving, stable, vibrant family! He describes five biblical characteristics that create a healthy family environment, like an attitude of service, and shares inspirational stories from his own family that you will enjoy.

Receive the book Five Traits of a Healthy Family: Steps You Can Take to Grow Closer, Communicate Better, and Change the World Together and the audio download of the broadcast "Transform Your Family with These 5 Vital Traits" 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.

We check the markets often—but how often do we check our hearts? Most of us approach investing with calculators, not character. Yet Scripture calls us to a deeper way. What if investing isn’t just a financial activity but a spiritual practice—one that shapes who we’re becoming?

Tim McCready, Head of Global Advisory at BrightLight (part of the Eversource Wealth Advisors team), has been helping both Kingdom Advisors and FaithFi develop a theological framework for investing that aligns our portfolios—and our hearts—with God’s purposes. His recent work explores how timeless spiritual disciplines can transform how believers think about investing.

Tim begins with Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That’s not just a warning—it’s an insight into spiritual formation.

“Our investment decisions aren’t just a reflection of faithfulness,” Tim says. “They’re shaping who we’re becoming as we seek to be like Jesus.”

When we invite God into our investment decisions, investing becomes more than strategy—it becomes worship. It becomes one more place where we ask God to form us into faithful stewards.

One of the most compelling ideas Tim introduces is applying the historic Ignatian prayer of examen to our portfolios.

For centuries, believers have ended their day with this reflective practice—examining God’s presence, confessing sin, noticing grace, and preparing for tomorrow.

Tim suggests: What if investors practiced something similar?

Rather than viewing portfolios strictly through analysis or performance, the examen helps us approach them with discernment, surrender, and spiritual attentiveness.

Gratitude quiets the noise and recenters us on God’s generosity. Before looking at performance or market movements, Tim encourages investors to pause and thank God for His provision.

It might sound something like:

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts You’ve entrusted to me—including my investment portfolio. Speak to me about my stewardship, challenge me, and remind me of Your faithfulness as I draw near to You.”

Gratitude reframes everything. It reminds us that portfolios are gifts to steward—not trophies to admire nor securities to cling to.

Just as the daily examen invites believers to review their day, the investing examen invites us to review each line of our portfolio with prayerful reflection.

This simple discipline lifts our eyes beyond numbers to the impact our investments have on people, communities, and the world.

As Tim notes, “We may find both joy and conviction—joy where God is pleased, and invitation where He’s calling us to change.”

This is where the examen moves from reflection to transformation.

Perhaps we discover that we’ve placed too much security in our portfolio. Perhaps a certain investment feels misaligned with God’s desires. Perhaps God prompts us toward greater generosity.

Repentance helps us acknowledge these areas honestly—and renewal invites us to receive God’s forgiveness and step forward in faith.

A simple prayer might be:

“Gracious Provider, rule over every part of my life, including my investments. Forgive me for trusting wealth over You. Give me courage to act where You lead, and joy in following Your plan for my life.”

This step reorients our trust away from the market and back toward the One who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalm 50:10)

T

Wondering where God is in your suffering/fear? Don't quit! Chip reveals how to slay discouragement and gain rock-solid hope, no matter what.

God’s plan for slaying the dragon of discouragement

A - Attitude -Jas. 1:2-4

God’s will in adversity – JOYFUL ENDURANCE

R - Resource -Jas. 1:5-8

God’s promise in the process – SUPERNATURAL WISDOM

T - Theology -Jas. 1:9-12

God’s prescription for perseverance – DIVINE PERSPECTIVE

Hanging tough in tough times demand we:

1. Get God’s perspective on our circumstances. Jas. 1:9-11

2. Get God’s perspective on our future. -Jas. 1:12a

3. Get God’s perspective on our motivation. -Jas. 1:12a

Summary/review – You can slay the dragon of discouragement!

1. Re-evaluate your circumstances.

The test: is my faith in things that are perishable or things that are PERMANENT?

2. Re-evaluate your focus.

The test: is my hope determined by the size of my problems or the certainty of God’s PROMISES?

3. Re-evaluate your motivation.

The test: is the primary motivation of my heart to LOVE CHRIST or simply get relief and please myself?

Broadcast Resource

• Series Resources
• Message Notes

Year End Match

• Double Your Gift Today
• Ministry Report

Additional Resources

• Christmas Gifts

Connect

• 888-333-6003
• Website
• Chip Ingram App
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

Partner With Us

• Donate Online
• 888-333-6003

Angels help care for, protect, and guide God's people. When we die, we can expect to see the hosts of angels before God's throne. In this message, Pastor Lutzer makes two observations about the purpose of angels related to us as believers. Like the angels, do we rejoice in our own salvation?

This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://offerrtw.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. 

Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. 

Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. 

SUPPORT: 

Tax Deductible Support: https://www.moodymedia.org/donate/ 

Become an Endurance Partner: https://endurancepartners.org/ 

SUBSCRIBE:  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoodyChurchMedia 

Weekly Digest: https://www.moodymedia.org/newsletters/subscription/ 

Hope in the Night - Forgiveness

In this episode of The Creative Connection, Ed Young explores the biblical story of Joseph to reveal the transformative power of forgiveness, emphasizing its challenges, misconceptions, and the freedom it brings as central to Christian faith and life.

In this life, some suffering does not pass. We carry it with us. How can Christians press on in the race of faith when all we can do is limp? Today, Karrie Hahn joins Nathan W. Bingham to share biblical hope for sufferers from her new book, Limping Heavenward.

Request Karrie Hahn's new book, Limping Heavenward, with your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4473/offer
 
Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get R.C. Sproul's ebook Surprised by Suffering with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global
  
Meet Today's Speakers:
 
Karrie Hahn is associate editor for Ligonier Ministries and Tabletalk magazine, and a certified biblical counselor.
 
Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast.

Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts