Utah's Hope

Life can be like tending a garden. What we water grows. If we spend all our time feeding worry, pleasure, and listening to the voice of our adversary, we shouldn’t be surprised when weeds take over. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us focus our attention carefully. The voices we listen to are like seeds. Some bring peace, others just bring pests. At some point, we’ve gotta ask: are we planting the right crop, or just giving the weeds a comfy home?

The Harvest Crusade is coming to Angel Stadium on July 11! Stay updated on all important event details. 

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Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

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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God has a plan for your life, and He desires for you to discover and obey it.

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Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Shannon Warden compare family life to renovating a home — you need a good “blueprint” or plan for how you want your family to grow, and a solid foundation of godly character traits like kindness, love, forgiveness, building trust, building connection, and having fun together. Parents and kids need to be “all in” and working as a team to instill these traits into their relationships. Dr. Chapman also talks about the 5 Love Languages, and Dr. Warden shares several stories about parenting her own children.

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If you're drowning in debt and someone offers a lifeline, make sure it's not really an anchor. You have a few different choices for paying off debt, but they're definitely not all equal. Options include debt settlement, debt consolidation, and debt management. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Neile Simon explain the difference. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

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Topics: 

Favorite Scriptures, Serving Others, Jesus/Scaling, Muppets Halftime


BONUS CONTENT: Jesus/Scaling Follow-up

Quotes:

"The faithfulness is the impressive thing."

"The kingdom works differently."

"The kingdom of God is not as impressed with crowds as we are."

If you’re drowning in debt and someone offers a lifeline, make sure it’s not really an anchor.

When debt feels overwhelming, it’s natural to look for a way out. And there are several options that sound helpful at first: debt consolidation, debt settlement, and debt management. But while those terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same—and they can lead to very different outcomes.

Neile Simon, a Certified Credit Counselor with Christian Credit Counselors (CCC), joined the show today to explain the differences and help listeners understand which approach best reflects both financial wisdom and biblical responsibility.

Debt consolidation is often appealing because it rolls multiple debts into one new loan. Instead of making several payments to different creditors, you make one payment on the consolidation loan.

That may sound simpler and, in some cases, reduce confusion. But Neile explains that these loans often come with interest rates between 15% and 22%, depending on your credit score. And while consolidation may feel like a fresh start, it does not necessarily solve the deeper problem.

The biggest risk is that consolidation allows you to keep your credit card accounts open. If spending habits don’t change, many people end up running up new credit card balances while still owing on the consolidation loan.

In other words, consolidation can turn one debt problem into two.

Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” Debt freedom usually doesn’t come through a quick fix. It comes through steady, faithful steps over time.

Another option people often hear about is debt settlement. These companies typically promise to negotiate with creditors so you can pay less than the full amount owed. But Neile warns that debt settlement can be misleading and financially damaging.

In many cases, debt settlement companies require you to stop paying your creditors. That means your credit may be severely damaged, and the impact can be almost as serious as bankruptcy.

There are other consequences as well. Any forgiven debt may be treated as taxable income, and you may receive a 1099-C at the end of the tax year. In addition, after a period of nonpayment, creditors may pursue legal action, which could result in liens on property or wage garnishment, depending on your state.

For Christians, there’s also a biblical concern. Psalm 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows but does not pay back.” While every situation requires wisdom and compassion, Scripture calls us to take responsibility for what we owe whenever it is in our power to do so.

Debt management is different from both consolidation and settlement.

Through a credit counseling agency like Christian Credit Counselors, you can enroll in a debt management program that helps you repay your debts in full while often reducing your interest rates and monthly payments.

Instead of taking out a new loan, you make a single monthly payment to the credit counseling agency, which distributes it to each creditor in the program. The goal is not to avoid the

Imagine assembling a complicated piece of furniture without the instructions. You wind up with extra screws, a wobbly chair, and maybe a bruised ego. That’s a good picture of life without the Bible! God’s Word is our instruction manual, keeping us from poor decisions and the Devil’s smooth sales pitches. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows how to build a life where the pieces fit together, because they all came straight from the Manufacturer.

The Harvest Crusade is coming to Angel Stadium on July 11! Stay updated on all important event details. 

—

Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

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.

Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupport

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being a stepfather can feel like bathing cats with your hair on fire—but your thoughtful navigation of the dynamics in your home can make a difference that lasts for decades. Author Gil Stuart offers tips on stepfathering thoughtfully, and shaping the kind of family you all long for.

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