Running to Win (Christian)

Perhaps no parable of Jesus has drawn as many tears as that of the prodigal son. That's because we are all prodigals. When the father greets and forgives his returning son, we see how much God desires to forgive His children and receive them back into fellowship. We understand our own tendency to wander, and we can rejoice that God wants us to return home.

One parable of Jesus has a dire warning for those who refuse to forgive others from the heart. These are some of Jesus' hardest words to process. Today we will take a careful look at what the Bible means when it says that God will not forgive us if we fail to forgive others. Take a moment to work through this crucial teaching with us.

When someone wrongs you, you may react with resentment. That resentment can lead to a wellspring of bitterness in your soul, and that bitterness can ruin your life. Jesus was clear about our need to forgive. In a parable from the book of Matthew, He outlined the key principles that should guide us as we wrestle with wrongs we have done, and with wrongs others have done to us.

To teach His disciples how God responds to our prayers, Jesus told a parable about a man who needed bread. The man went to a friend at midnight to get food and because of his boldness, he was given some. Jesus teach us to be bold when praying to the Father. He said, "Ask, and it will be given to you." We will probe the mystery of prayer in the simple words spoken by Jesus.

Jesus taught that it takes several things to bring a person to faith in Christ. It takes seed -- the Word of God. It takes a sower -- a faithful believer communicating his or her faith. And it takes receptive soil -- something only God can provide. In today's message, Dr. Lutzer will summarize the great lessons Jesus gave us in this well-known parable.

In a well-known parable, Jesus compared the spreading of the Gospel to the way a sower spreads seed on the ground. Believers realize that it's not their skill that brings people to Jesus. The grows if, and only if, God gives the increase -- just as Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. Let's take a closer look at the sower and the soils into which the seed is sown.

Most people go about their everyday lives with no regard for the eternity they'll face as sheep or goats. When Jesus spoke of coming judgment in Matthew 25, He made it clear that there are only two destinies for any of us. Today we'll hear some concluding thoughts about the future and why today is the day to believe on Christ -- the only One who can save us.

On our plane of existence, things are a mess: terrorism, wars, nuclear threats, the Middle East in turmoil. Aren't you glad there's Someone in charge Who lives on another plane of existence? God hasn't left nations to their own devices. His unseen hand is guiding the forces of history toward its conclusion. Through the Bible's prophecy, we can understand the final chapter of the story.

Somewhere along the line, we got the idea that God's only desire for America is to bless her -- no matter what her people do. We need to understand that God judges the nations when they violate His commands. He judged His own nation, Israel, by using the armies of nearby pagan nations against it. Today Dr. Lutzer will share more details about God's purposes among the nations, and why we should not assume that if "you're okay, I'm okay."

The blessings of God are not constitutional rights. They are bestowed on people and nations that follow His commands. God's judgment on the nations takes many forms: natural disasters, the deprivation of personal freedoms, wars, and deafened ears toward God. Tune in today as we take a look at two final forms of judgment which are very evident in America today.

The Bible gives us words of encouragement as well as words of warning. It is our obligation to understand and heed both. Few of us would make the wrath of God our first choice for a Bible study. Yet God's prophets thundered the words of His judgment to the people of their day. God's warnings to the nations have not changed.

When you hear about all the sins for which God judges nations, you get the uncomfortable feeling that your nation might be next. Unprincipled expansion, arrogance, and violence are national sins one, two, and three. America's guilt may be better described by sins four and five: indifference to God and the acceptance of witchcraft. Today we will take a look at the real prospect of God's present day hand of judgement.

Sometimes it seems that the bad guys keep winning. Terrorism and mayhem are everywhere. Some ask, "Is God still in control?" We need to understand that justice delayed is not justice denied. There will be a day of reckoning for both men and nations. Today we will look at how God judges the nations who violate His commands.

Some realities do not fit in finite minds. Men do what they choose. Yet God directs those choices to suit His purposes. As we wrestle with the mystery of God's hidden will, we must acknowledge His sovereign control of history. Sometimes He uses the bad guys to judge the good guys. Our task is to trust His purposes are right, no matter what.

Years ago, Alex Haley's Roots helped us understand the origins of the slave trade. Origins are very important. That is why God recorded the beginnings of human history in the book of Genesis. Here we find out where we came from as members of the nations of the world. Today we will do a wrap-up on how everyone can trace their roots back to the sons of Noah.