All people will eventually have to stand before the Lord and face Him. He will either be your sanctuary or the rock on which you’re smashed. Today Pastor Ricky will explain that if you fear the Lord and trust Him as your Savior, He’ll be your safe sanctuary both now and forever. You have nothing to fear in this world. Put your hope in God, not in the enticing things of the world. He reigns and is in control of all things. Go to the Lord first. Go to the Lord often. Seek Him when your world feels out of control.
Behold - Keep Calm and Carry On, Part 2
It's difficult to not let fear overwhelm you when the scary things of this world are threatening to undo you. God is calling you to look to Him as the most prominent and important thing in life and to honor Him as holy, and mighty, and all-powerful. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to worship the Lord, be humble, and acknowledge God is king and judge over all. There's nothing out of God's control. Seek to follow and please the Lord and let that be your first concern, above the circumstances around you.
Behold - Keep Calm and Carry On, Part 1
In an effort to keep his people from panic, as trouble began to surround them, God through Isaiah communicated truth of who He is and the truth of their circumstances. Pastor Ricky will challenge you today to not fear your current situation and a future that hasn't happened without including God in your thoughts and desires. He encourages you today to recognize the power and might of God that far surpasses anything that the world has for you. Don't allow your thoughts to run away with the what-ifs, instead seek God.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Child, Part 2
What a beautiful truth. As Pastor Ricky leads us through the story of Christ's humble birth, we’re reminded that no one would have been turned away from that manger. Jesus came for you. He knew full well the brokenness that He was being born into and He willingly took it so that you and I could be made clean, once and for all in the eyes of God. You don't have to get yourself right. Just come to the humble King who longs to embrace you and make you whole.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Child, Part 1
The shepherds that watched their flocks nearby as Jesus was being born into this world were blessed to be one of the first messengers of the Gospel. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, to be a shepherd was a humble but important job. They not only provided meat and wool but they would have raised the spotless sheep that would have gone to the temple as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Their role in welcoming the final spotless lamb has a beautiful significance that is often overlooked.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Husband? Part 2
Jesus came to earth in the midst of scandal. While Mary was innocent of her suspected sin, most of her community didn't know that. She would have been the subject of gossip and rumors and Joseph took that on himself when he agreed to be the father to her child. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, Jesus is not afraid of your scandal. He doesn't care about the opinion of men. He cares about you and He'll come to you in the midst of your sin, embrace you and pull you out of that mess.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Husband? Part 1
Was Jesus' father Joseph perfect? No, of course not. He was a flawed, humble man yet God had a great purpose for him. He was a necessary part of fulfilling prophecy and raising God's very own son, as he took on human form. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today's message, many men would have walked away from Mary and the scandal of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Joseph even considered it. But because he had faith in God, he took on the task he was called to and helped raise our Savior.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 2
This broken world is like a long night in the wilderness. If you imagine yourself cold and hungry, with the sounds of wild animals all around, it's a place of vulnerability. But then the sky gradually fades from black to a smokey blue, followed by tinges of orange, and then at last the sun breaks over the horizon. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, as a believer the horizon is glowing with that orange light, and true to God's promise, Christ is going to return and bring light that will put our sun to shame.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 1
You need family. Sadly because of sin and selfishness, as well as things that are out of our control, all families are broken in some way. Even the most perfect-looking family has its faults if you start to dig deep enough. That's just a part of living in a fallen world. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, the situation isn’t hopeless. Your family may not be perfect but if you cling to and rest in God's promises, you can find peace and unity that you can't find anywhere else.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 2
God doesn't love you because of your talents or your skills. He doesn't scan humanity looking for people to add to His team because they possess some useful talent. He desires for everyone to come to Him not because of what they possess but because they're His creation and they lack the intimacy, freedom, and the life that He designed them for. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, to come to the Father you have to humble yourself and allow Him to save and equip you for any good work.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 1
Throughout scripture, you can see a pattern in the way that God works. He doesn't look for the powerful, the rich, or the famous. It's not that He can't use those people, but as Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Jesus's mother Mary, God chose her because she was humble. She was a nobody and God loves to work with nobodys. When you acknowledge that you're incapable and incompetent on your own, it allows room for God to come in and work in a way that glorifies Him alone.
Behold - It's Not About You, Part 2
It's quite miraculous and remarkable that anyone could ever be saved. As sinful and as depraved as humanity is, everyone deserves destruction from God who is utterly holy and righteous. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, the truth is that God initiated salvation for mankind. He needs nothing from man. Yet He revealed Himself, not to punish and condemn but in order to save man. He offered Himself to take away all of your sins and He gives you righteousness in exchange.
Behold - It's Not About You, Part 1
The reality of man is the tendency to think that life is all about you - your hopes, your plans, your needs, your pain. The Bible is often viewed from this perspective as well. How can it benefit you? But ultimately it's about God, His Holiness, and His plan for creation. You'll discover today with Pastor Ricky that once you recognize the reality that God is holy and reigns in glory, you'll have a joy, freedom, and purpose in making much of God. You're meant to find fulfillment and satisfaction in Him alone.
Behold - You Lose Some, You Win More, Part 2
Which would you rather have, a ring lollipop or a real diamond ring? A toy car or a real one? Today, Pastor Ricky shares that the things you cling to for security are just cheap imitations of the real thing that God offers. When He takes those weak substitutions away, He replaces them with what He alone can provide. God longs for you to have something far greater than you would get for yourself. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants to give you an amazing life that's filled to the brim with His presence.
Behold - You Lose Some, You Win More, Part 1
What do you count on for stability in your life? Where do you turn when things are shaky? Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider your answer to those questions. As you study today’s passage from Isaiah 2, you’ll learn that God took away the things that the Israelites were leaning on for their sense of security. He did this because He loved them and He wanted to help them. Pastor Ricky invites you to discover that these earthly things will never be able to give you the peace and stability that you find in God.
Behold - The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, Part 3
You hear stories all the time about people being rescued from scary situations, like accidents or fires. In today's edition of Better News Radio, Pastor Ricky encourages you to let Jesus rescue you from the consequences of your choice to go your own way. Because you're secure in His love and grace, you don't need to be afraid of God's judgment. You’re safe in Jesus. Pastor Ricky reminds you that Jesus opens the door for you to have a relationship with God and to live in peace and hope.
Behold - The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, Part 2
People were devastated when the stock market crashed in 2008. The sudden loss of financial security caused some to spiral into depression and despair. What people thought they could count on disappeared in an instant. Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider what you are putting your stock in. Are you relying on the Lord for your security and your identity, or are there other things that you're hoping will sustain and comfort you? Today you’ll learn that God and His ways are the only stable foundation for your life.
Behold - The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, Part 1
Can you imagine driving home one day when all of a sudden your car falls into a giant sinkhole that opened in the ground? What you thought was stable fell away in the blink of an eye. Today Pastor Ricky cautions you that you could be building your life on things that can't hold you up in the long run. Like the ground over a sinkhole, these things will fail you leaving you devastated in hurting. Pastor Ricky shares that following God's plan for your life is the only foundation that you can trust.
Behold - Dream With Me, Part 3
Everyone wants their life to matter in some way, to have purpose and meaning. As you continue in today's study of Isaiah, Pastor Ricky invites you to explore God's vision for humanity. You'll discover that you can count on the fact that God will actively move in the world around you. When you live with the anticipation that He'll show up, your life becomes an adventure. Pastor Ricky shares that God wants you to join Him in the things that He's doing. Partnering with God in this way will bring you joy and purpose.
Behold - Dream With Me, Part 2
Every two years, the Olympic Games bring together people from all over the world. For those few days, athletes from every corner of the earth put aside their differences and gather together in an amazing display of diversity and strength. Today, Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants all people to know Him and to love one another. He's broken down the barriers that separate you. Because of Jesus, you can live in peace and unity with everyone. Not just for a few days, but for all time.