Reliable Truth

Do you feel alone and separated from God?Are you longing for something or someone that can truly satisfy the deepest longings of your heart?You can go to the greatest resorts, eat at the finest restaurants, drink the finest wines, play on the world's top golf courses, have great sex, but the problem is when you wake up the next morning, you're still thirsty.These are wonderful things, but they don't satisfy you fully, because ultimately, our thirst is in our souls - we have a thirst that can only be satisfied by the Spirit of God. We were made in the image of God and we need to know our Creator. This is God's great Rescue Mission - Christ became a man, and has come to rescue and free us from our brokenness and the powers of darkness. We cannot rescue ourselves - let Him rescue you today!This is Part 2 of Richard's 2-part interview with Carrie Abbott, host of Relationship Insights Radio show based in Seattle. You can find this and hundreds of other interviews at carrieabbott.com.

If you could ask God one question, and be guaranteed that He would answer, what would it be?Recently USA Today conducted a survey asking this very question - the number 1 question people wanted to ask God was this, "What is my purpose here?"In this podcast, Richard discusses his personal journey in searching for his purpose in life, and how this led him to write his most recent book The Reason For Life. In this book, Richard writes that purpose implies design. If this is true, then there must be a Creator.Be encouraged - your life matters! In Christ, life makes sense!This is Part 1 of a 2-part interview with Carrie Abbott, host of Relationship Insights Radio show based in Seattle. You can find this and hundreds of other interviews at carrieabbott.com. 

It seems that when it comes to pain and suffering, I think our natural first response is, how do I get this out of my life? Most of us are more concerned with how things are going to turn out, but God is more concerned with how we’re going to turn out. That’s His focus.How do you prepare for the storms of life? How do you respond to them when they come into your life?Dr. Hans Selye, the first true pioneer in discovering the impact of emotion on a person’s health, wrote 30 books on the subject, and at the end of his life, he summarized everything he’d learned in all of his years of research. He concluded, “Vengeance and bitterness are, as the emotional responses to our circumstances that will do us the most harm,” but “gratitude is the single most nourishing attitude for a person’s good health and well-being.” This is Part 2 of a two-part series on Pain, Suffering and Evil. If you missed Part 1, be sure and go back and check it out!

Why does God allow pain, suffering and evil in the world? And why is it that suffering sometimes causes people to turn away from God? I believe we're not dealing with a problem that needs to be solved - rather, we're dealing with a mystery to be understood. My purpose in this podcast is for us to gain understanding and make sense of the pain, suffering and evil around us. This topic leads to a very important question we should all ask ourselves - What is the ultimate good in life? Please tune in and join us!Next week in Part 2, we'll deal with how to prepare for, and then respond to pain and suffering when it enters into our lives.

What is the purpose of your life? If your life has a purpose, your life will be fulfilling and you will have a deep sense of joy.At the end of your life, don't you want your life to matter? Just as happiness is a by-product of a meaningful life, so futility is a by-product of a worldly life. Tom Brady, winner of six Super Bowls said, "There has to be something greater for my life." In a hostage rescue attempt, Navy Seals were shocked that the hostages they were trying to rescue wouldn't leave until one Seal 'became one of them.' That's what God did in sending Jesus to earth. He became one of us.

So many of us want success and riches and fame, but at the end of the day, what that comes down to is our deep desire for significance.Why do we live to impress those around us? Why do their opinions weigh so mightily on us?In this podcast, we look at the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12. Richard asks us questions like: What would you call your true riches of life?What will be of value to you when you are lying on your deathbed? What is wisdom to you, and how much of that do you truly possess?C.S. Lewis said, “If you’re spiritually going in the wrong direction, or really in no direction, it’s never going to become the right direction... Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.” Are you headed toward the true riches of life?

How do you measure a man's life? What are your aspirations for the rest of your life? What are your dreams? I want to share with you four thoughts today to help you evaluate your life as it relates to what I call the performance trap. I’d ask you to be honest with yourself, because I think it’s a very healthy thing to examine yourself, to know yourself. In fact, John Calvin says that wisdom consists of two parts: knowledge of God and knowledge of self. So, it’s a healthy thing to understand yourself. Please join me and listen in!

Can the human heart be changed? Can it be transformed to do good? I invite you to join me in considering these questions.Many years ago, in its infancy, Time magazine asked several hundred prominent philosophers and theologians to write a response to the question, “What is Wrong with the World?” G.K. Chesterton, the celebrated English journalist and novelist, was among those contacted. He wrote back: "Gentlemen, In response to your question, 'What is Wrong with the World?' I am. - Sincerely, G.K. Chesterton"

Many years ago I asked a group of men if they believed human morality was improving and if we were becoming a better society. To my surprise a bright attorney quickly responded, “Absolutely.” I was dumbfounded. He proceeded to share his optimism about the future as if human beings were perfectible and that a Utopian society might be achievable in our lifetime. That was well over twenty-five years ago and I wonder if he has changed his mind.In his early years, the great twentieth century thinker and author H.G. Wells believed passionately in the perfectibility of human beings in our society. Yet shortly before his death, Wells completed his final work, The Mind at the End of Its Tether. In it, he concluded that "there is no hope for mankind." Can the human heart be changed? Can it be transformed to do good? I invite you to join me in considering these questions.

If there is a God out there, why did He put me here? What is the reason for my earthly existence?  Join Richard today as he discusses these questions from his newest book, The Reason For Life. Today's podcast comes from the "Good Morning, Ozarks" show with KLFC Radio in Branson, Missouri. To get your FREE copy of Richard's new book, The Reason For Life, text WISDOM to 33777. Get yours today!