Utah's Hope

When things are going well financially, it’s tempting to take credit for your success. This can lead to sins like pride and greed. At the same time, adversity has its own set of temptations. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores how Christians are called to live with integrity, no matter the circumstances. According to the Bible, wisdom is the key to godly living, in both good times and bad. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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Remarriage after the death of a spouse brings hope—but it can also uncover grief you didn't expect. Ministry leaders Rod and Rachel Faulkner Brown share the realities of building a blended family after widowhood, helping children navigate loss, and learning that love doesn't erase pain overnight. On FamilyLife Blended, Ron Deal explores what it really takes to become family again.

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Some people come to Christ instantly, as soon as they hear the Gospel. It’s the miracle of a moment. Others resist that decision for decades, until one day they realize their need for Christ. Sometimes it’s a crisis or tragedy that brings them to that point, other times it’s as though their eyes suddenly opened. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us the miraculous conversion of a certain Philippian jailer . . . a conversion that would sweep through his entire family.

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Everyone else seems to feel God. Worship moves them. Prayer lights them up. Meanwhile, your faith feels flatter than a three-day-old Coke. If you're wondering, “Why don’t I feel close to God?” Brant Hansen, author of Blessed Are the Misfits, gets refreshingly honest about faith for people who don’t fit the emotional Christian mold. Are you spiritually defective—or have we confused certain personalities and feelings with what genuine faith is supposed to look like?

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• Listen to Brant and Sherri’s podcast, The Brant and Sherri Oddcast.
• Get Brant’s book, Blessed Are the Misfits.

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In the first century B.C., Roman historian Sallust observed, “Prosperity tries the souls, even of the wise.”

Most of us would probably choose financial prosperity over adversity. Yet both seasons bring their own spiritual challenges.

When things are going well financially, it can be tempting to take credit for our success. Pride, greed, and self-reliance can quietly take root. Financial hardship brings different temptations—self-pity, bitterness, envy, or fear.

Scripture offers a better way. Christians are called to live faithfully and with integrity regardless of their circumstances. And according to the Bible, the key to doing that in both prosperity and adversity is wisdom.

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Fearing the Lord does not mean living in dread of Him. It means recognizing that He is God and we are not. It is a posture of reverence toward His holiness, wisdom, and authority.

God’s commands are not arbitrary restrictions designed to make life difficult. They are loving boundaries given by the One who created us and knows what leads to life and flourishing. Like a loving parent who sets boundaries to protect a child, God directs us toward what is good.

When we understand that, fearing the Lord becomes less about being afraid and more about growing in love, trust, and joyful obedience.

And this wisdom is not reserved for the wealthy, successful, or especially intelligent. It is available to anyone who humbly listens to God and trusts His Word.

Scripture describes many benefits of walking in wisdom.

There is discernment. Proverbs 2:9 teaches that wisdom helps us understand “righteousness and justice and equity, every good path.”

There is guidance. Proverbs 3:6 reminds us, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

There is blessing. Proverbs 3:13 says, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom.”

There is also honor and protection. Proverbs 3:35 says, “The wise will inherit honor,” while Proverbs 16:6 teaches that “by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”

These are not promises that wise people will always become financially prosperous. They are reminders that God’s wisdom produces something far more valuable: a life increasingly shaped by truth, integrity, discernment, and faithfulness.

Those qualities can take root whether your bank account is growing or shrinking.

Scripture often contrasts the wise with the fool. That language is not intended as a petty insult but as a sober warning.

Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

Biblically speaking, foolishness is the attempt to live independently of God’s wisdom—to determine for ourselves what is good, right, and worthy of pursuit.

That temptation certainly appears in our financial lives.

We may assume that because something makes financial sense, it must automatically be wise. We may pursue more money without asking what that pursuit is doing to our hearts. Or we may allow our circumstances to determine our attitude toward God.

But His warnings are also invitations. God continually calls us back to a better way—a life shaped by His wisdom rather than our impulses.

So what does that look like in our everyday financial decisions?

First, remember who owns everything.

Scripture teaches that everything ultimately belongs to God. We are stewards of what He has entrusted to us.

That changes the goal of financial management. The ultimate objective is not simply to reach a certain bank balance, accumulate enough possessions, or achieve financial

Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley discuss the Manosphere and the “Christian Manosphere." This is a program that you want to share with all the men in your life. Greg shares research from months of reading forums and explains the first three of six lies that many men are believing. We also go into what submission means for women. Part two is coming up next week, and we can't wait to hear your thoughts after listening to these programs.
Bearded Gospel Men: The Epic Quest for Manliness & Godliness
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Michelle Ablard was content with her life as a schoolteacher, with 3 dogs and a mortgage. But then God nudged her into foster care, which began an unlikely journey of fostering two kids from her school and eventually adopting them. Michelle simply obeyed God’s prompting and credits her community of friends and family who made her miracle family possible!

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