faith Archives

This Quote Can Change Your Life and the Lives of Those You Love

The quote has been attributed to several people:

Plato.

Socrates.

Reverend John Watson.

Ian MacLaren.

As it turns out, Ian MacLaren is actually the pen name for the aforementioned Reverend John Watson, a Scottish author and theologian who lived the majority of his life during the second-half of the nineteenth century. He passed away in 1907 at the age of 57.

Ten years earlier, in 1897, the Reverend Watson was invited by the popular religious newspaper, the British Weekly, to submit a Christmas message.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, family, friendship December 13, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Focus on the Family Best Seller List

Week Ending December 10th

1. Forgive, Let Go, and Live by Deborah Smith Pegues

2. Men Who Love Fierce Women by Leroy and Kimberly Wagner

3. Your Teenager Is Not Crazy by Dr. Jeramy Clark and Jerusha Clark

4. Pure Pleasure by Gary Thomas

5. Adventures in Odyssey: The Blackgaard Chronicles #1 – Opening Moves

6. Cherish by Gary Thomas

7. Live Original by Sadie Robertson

8. Adventures in Odyssey: The Blackgaard Chronicles #2 – Pawn’s Play

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, intimacy, marriage, relationships December 12, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Jim Daly Statement on Masterpiece CakeShop Hearing

The eyes of the nation were on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case today at the Supreme Court, and for good reason.

The argument wasn’t just about Jack Phillips and his refusal to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Today’s hearing was about our freedom to practice our faith without interference from the government. And make no mistake – the outcome of today’s proceedings will impact every American – those with religious faith and even those with no faith at all.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, homosexuality, policy, religious liberty December 5, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Reasons to Believe in Jesus

Years ago, back when video stores were still around, my wife and I went looking for a well-known film that told the story of Easter. We couldn’t find it on the shelf, so we asked the young lady behind the counter if they had it available. She pointed us to several kids’ videos that explained how to decorate eggs. We said, “No, we’re looking for a video about the real story of Easter.”

Judging by the confused look on her face, she had no idea what we were talking about.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith December 4, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Be Confident in Who God Is Through You

Earlier this year, Focus on the Family officially re-launched Brio Magazine, our publication for teen girls. It’s a positive, godly alternative to most of the influences out there today for teenage girls.

Our “Brio girl” for the inaugural issue was Sadie Robertson. Many of you know her from the A&E reality show Duck Dynasty and from Dancing with the Stars a few seasons ago.

She’s just 20, but she’s an impressive young lady, and we’ve asked her to join us in the studio today to share how she is fearlessly living out her faith and using her public platform to be an excellent role model for girls.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family December 1, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding God’s Goodness, Even in Suffering

Did your boss sneak anything into the fine print of your job description that warned you your work required suffering?

A college degree? Maybe.

Hard work? Sure.

Suffering? Probably not.

Church-planting hopefuls Peter and Carol Chin were told directly and openly by leaders overseeing their training to prepare for suffering.

God uses difficulty to purify our faith and to spur us toward stronger character. That’s often particularly the case for those serving in ministry. Peter and Carol expected a few speed bumps.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family November 30, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

On the Death of G. Harvey

Gerald Harvey Jones, a former industrial arts teacher who would go on to become one of America’s most highly regarded painters by creating masterpieces that hearkened back to simpler times when virtues such as faith, courage, patriotism, hard work, and compassion were revered, has died. He was 84.

“G. Harvey,” as he was known to his fans and collectors, was a friend of mine, as he was to many around Focus on the Family. A man of incredible generosity, Gerald began a tradition in 1987 of commissioning a yearly painting for the ministry, which we were then able to make available to our friends.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith November 17, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Escaping the Prison of Your Past

“Why should I focus on my past? It’s over. I can’t change anything about it.”

Answer: If your past still affects your present, it’s not really in the past.

Wounds from our past can imprison us within ourselves. Satan is a master at dredging up old hurts and using them against us. Sinful and dysfunctional behavior today is often in reaction to the pain that litters our yesterdays.

Guilt, shame, bitterness, resentment, and anger are a long, slow path to destruction.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, church, faith November 16, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

In Honor of Veterans Day

John Murphy was on a routine training jump at Fort Bragg when it happened.

He’d just gotten home from a deployment to Afghanistan a couple of months before. John was a proud soldier who was so eager to serve, he dropped out of a full Army ROTC scholarship at Michigan State so he could go straight into active duty.

John grew up with godly parents who loved the Lord and who loved him. But he was a nominal Christian at best.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, church, faith November 10, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Are “Thoughts & Prayers” Enough?

Do you get the feeling that we’ve crossed a line in this country?

I do.

As I mentioned yesterday, the most recent outburst of bloodshed and mayhem – the tragic gunning down of twenty-six worshipers at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas – has left most of us breathless and reeling.

It’s dawning on us that, somehow or other, senseless violence has become the “new norm” in America.

Again and again celebrities, news anchors, and politicians have responded to this unthinkable situation with a familiar refrain:

“We’re sending thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.”

Most of us appreciate their sentiments.

Topics: Current Events Tags: church, faith November 8, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura