Running to Win - 25 Minute Edition

Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it. That's why understanding Nazi tyranny can guide the church's witness today. In this message on 1 Peter 4, we study five propositions that we learn from faithful churches, both in the first century and in Hitler's Germany. When freedom of religion is being compromised, we must be prepared. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

We all want to be in control of our life and our future. Yet Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave his life for his allegiance to Christ rather than the swastika. Before his physical execution was ordered, he died to himself. In this message on the Hebrews 11 martyrs, we ponder how to die to ourselves. It starts today. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Will we die well? Sometimes in God's will, a believer's life is cut short. Dietrich Bonhoeffer paid the supreme price for allegiance to the cross of Christ rather than the broken cross of the Nazis. In this message, we walk through the five deaths of a disciple from Bonhoeffer's insights on Matthew 5. The way we live for the Lord today matters. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Would we choose to suffer if we knew it was worth it? Some modern-day martyrs decided to make the ultimate sacrifice during the oppression in Nazi Germany. In this message, we examine five characteristics of Christ for the suffering church in Smyrna with applications to the 1940's and today. No suffering, especially in Christ, is ever meaningless. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

What might have happened if all the pastors and their congregations in Germany stood up to Hitler? Some did, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In this message, we mark the characteristics of martyrs who gave their lives for the Gospel both in Scripture and in the 1940's. Many gave their lives rather than bow the knee. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

The church in Germany quickly caved to the Nazis' plan, substituting a swastika for the cross of Christ. History reveals the web of lies and laws that captured many. In this message, we learn practical applications from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's stand against a powerful king. We must never forget that it could happen again. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

How could a nationwide church give into a political philosophy? Not only did Christian churches in Germany fail to critique Hitler's regime, but they also bought into its agenda. In this message from the pages of history, we consider three vivid descriptions of the German church that warn us today. When the stakes are high, we must stand. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

History is not merely random. Even when Hitler led Germany to ruin in the 1940's, God had a divine purpose in it. In this message, we discuss two possible responses to God's providence: anger at the One behind all that's happening or awe in His presence. How will we respond when God doesn't make sense? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Hitler's rise to power is incomprehensible. While he attributed it to fate or providence, we would credit the demonic realm for his ascension. In this message from the pages of history and prophesy, we build on five pillars of God's providence over everything. Why would God allow any kind of evil to happen? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Under pressure from agenda-driven groups, what was once considered free speech is now considered a hate crime. How do we stand up when the Cross offends somebody? In this message, we identify three principles when there's a conflict between God's law and the law of the nation. There can be no compromise with Jesus. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

The government is encroaching on the Christian freedoms our country once had, favoring various political agendas which run contrary to God's Word. In this message about Jesus' view of Caesar, we acknowledge three duties we owe government: taxes, submission, and prayer. When a country opposes the cross of Christ, what should believers do? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Each of us is wired from birth to be selfish. Only the Spirit of God can change this, transforming our hearts so that we give ourselves to serve and bless others. In this message, we realize the power of blessing, humility, and faith through the story of a cab driver with a horrid past. God forms Christlikeness in us primarily through relating to others. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Someone once said, "The church is wonderful, except for the people." When disagreements and personal agendas rise to the surface, friction inevitably occurs. In this message from Romans 12, we discover three qualities we need so we can have grace with "difficult" people. Though we do not always get along, how should we respond? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are two ordinances all Christians observe in one way or another. Despite our differences, what do we share as fellow believers? In this message, we look at a big-picture view of the church from God's perspective in Ephesians 4. While we often disagree, unity can exist through our common Lord, doctrine, and service. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Some critics of Christianity look at its many denominations and ask, "Where is the unity Jesus talked about?" The church landscape is filled with fissures. In this message, we review four reasons why we have differences that have wreaked havoc on the visible body of Christ. What happened to Jesus' church? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

The Bible gives us direction on how Christians should respond to an antagonistic culture. It also tells us how not to respond. In this message from 1 Peter 3, we evaluate how to engage the culture with our values, perspective, and testimony. With the Lord's help, we can live in a godly way in an increasingly godless society. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Christians are living in a pluralistic world filled with conflict. Different religions, different ideologies, different philosophies abound. In this message, we journey through history to understand where Christians came from in the first century to contemporary America. Will we respect the opinions of others while we courageously show them the exclusive Way to God? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Guilt and regret can torture our souls. Yet King David's journey through moral failure proves God's desire for us to repent. In this message from Psalm 51, we rejoice in the restoration of a wounded and sinful soul! We, like David, can come back to God and find hope for the future. God's mercy is more than enough. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Can God use us even if we've committed horrible sins? King David acted lustfully toward Bathsheba, another man's wife. A baby was conceived, and the king ended up authorizing a murder to cover up a scandal. In this message from 2 Samuel 11, we find how David came from deep regret and shame to being part of the Messiah's genealogy. God can and does restore. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Addictions are widespread in our culture—even our churches. We all have the potential for failure. Of course, we want change to happen like the flip of a switch. But it takes effort and time. In this message from Matthew 5, we learn three steps to break the cycle of addiction and sin. Though it is a process, not an event, we can find freedom. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

There is an epidemic of sensuality online and throughout our culture. Fantasies replace reality, and families are being destroyed daily. In this message, we learn how to practically break the cycle of sexual addiction and sin with something to believe, to do, and to share. Let's swim against the rising tide of immorality. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

A pattern of unforgiveness can suck all the joy from our life. But because forgiveness seems unfair, we try to look for any alternative to avoid paying the cost. In this message, we find the way out of bitterness and the process back to joy. Because Christ paid the debt we could not pay, there is hope for our future. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Any kind of relational and sexual abuse leaves scars. Many vividly remember the abuse they have suffered. Some are troubled by the memories of those they have abused. Forgiveness is not easy. In this message, Pastor Lutzer lists six misconceptions about forgiveness which are biblically incorrect. Healing is possible through God's forgiveness. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

After living in sin, is it possible for God's peace to heal our hearts? The woman who wiped Jesus' feet with her hair knew this man could restore her dignity as well as forgive her sins and immorality. In this message, we explore five steps of the way to wholeness. Now is the time to fall before the Savior and find peace. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Can we sin too much to be forgiven? Many assume God will not forgive sexual sins, so they sin even more, not knowing the mercy of Jesus. In this message from Luke 7, we listen to a real-life story of how Jesus restored someone's dignity despite a lifetime of sexual sin. Are we determined to meet Jesus at any cost? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Immoral relationships create deep bonds, even between people having "casual" sex. The more bonds we make, the tougher they are to break. In this message, we step into freedom with Christ through cleansing, fleeing, and communicating. There is a way out of the bondage of promiscuity. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Sex is more than a one-night stand. It creates a bond that unites us to another in purpose, desire, and relationship. What effect does a sexual relationship outside of marriage have on us? In this message, we examine the spiraling consequences of a soul bond. No matter how strong those bonds are or how far we've fallen, God is the God of new beginnings. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

"If it feels good, it must be right. After all, I am entitled to my happiness." With lies like these, we rationalize our disobedience to God's commands, even about sex. In this message, we take an honest look at five lies about our desires. Our souls can be restored, but the lies must be stripped away. Are we ready to hear God's truth about our deepest longings? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Driven by our desires, we are experts at self-deception. We will do whatever it takes to satisfy our urges, and then justify it by believing blatant lies. In this message, we expose five lies about our desires from Genesis 3. Facing the truth about ourselves is costly but there is a way for the soul to be restored. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

All of us have had shameful thoughts and done shameful deeds. Since the original sin of Adam and Eve, people have been using others to gratify their desires, without any true commitment. In this message, we uncover God's answer to the devastation of shame. Where is God amid our most shameful secrets? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Our culture is a sea of sensuality. Some have attempted to redefine marriage while others' marriages are infected with infidelity and pornography. In this message on Creation and the Fall, we address God's design for sexuality as well as the effect of shame. When we abandon God's morality, our lives—even our souls—are left in turmoil. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Will our faith survive our circumstances? The heroes of Hebrews 11 include ordinary people like us who believed God despite no immediate response to their prayers for deliverance. In this message, we ponder tests of faith from a good and loving God. We can accept the burdens God gives us because a greater reward is coming. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at www.rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Where is God when we really need Him? Many lose what faith they have and give up on God altogether. Believers across the ages have experienced loss and devastating trials. In this message from Hebrews 11, we unpack four facts about faith in God in any circumstance. No matter what, we can trust Almighty God. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Most of us would choose comfort over risk. When our faith in God is genuine, we are ready for unfamiliar territory. In Hebrews 11, Moses risks everything—being alienated from the world—for an eternal reward. In this message, we learn how to decide between the world's temporary pleasures and lasting joy. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Some people say they have faith, yet their lives show little evidence of it. Others who possess true faith are willing to take risks. In this message on Moses' life from Hebrews 11, we identify his radical decision and powerful motivation, followed by a miraculous victory. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

When God is not our priority, our self-absorption destroys both us and our relationship with Him. To ensure we understand the cost of Calvary, God gave us Moriah. On that mountain, Abraham, a picture of God the Father, laid Isaac down, the picture of Christ the Son. In this message, we find three lessons about Abraham's worshipful sacrifice. Are we putting the Lord first? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

God knows sacrifice. When God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son of the promise, the only fitting response was obedience. In this message, we ascend the mountain with Abraham and Isaac while reflecting on the coming Redeemer from Isaac's line. Let's plumb the depths of a story only God could have written. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Even if we say we do not love the world, we can be tempted to violate our consciences. Lot compromised because his faith was too weak to stand against Sodom's relentless debauchery. He lost his testimony, his family, and his character. In this message, we apply lessons from Lot's failure. Is God faithful even when we fall hard? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Just like Abraham interceded to spare Sodom and Gomorrah, Christians make an impact in the world. In this message, we contemplate lessons on prayer for others, for our cities, and for our families. Despite Abraham's intense intersession, the cities were destroyed. Was His prayer worth it? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

When we feel burned by unanswered prayer, we often neglect our friendship with God. With neighboring cities facing fire and brimstone, Abraham welcomed three men—no ordinary men—into his tent. In this message, we listen to Abraham's intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah with transforming lessons for our prayer life. Let's recover the primary purpose for prayer. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

When resentment, envy, or anger entangle us, our souls are dragged away from God like the two sons of Abraham who parted ways. In this message, we discover three lessons about the desires of the flesh and true submission to God. We cannot live as a child of promise and a child of the flesh at the same time. God's purpose for the line of promise stands. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

When God is silent, we often doubt His promises. After the birth of Ishmael, Abraham did not hear from God for years. In this message, we are going to look at the nature and participants of God's covenant with Abraham. What happened when God called Abraham by name, the "father of many nations"? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

We might be the victim of our own decisions or others. Abraham and Sarah's maid, Hagar, bore a son—an heir. When she was pushed into the desert, God found her and comforted her. In this message, we look at God's command and promise to Hagar. People do not have the last word. In our despair and our extremities, God sees and intervenes. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Sometimes, we try to engineer circumstances to bring God's will to pass. In the face of childlessness, Abraham and Sarah were faced with a decision—one of desperation, frustration, and opportunity. In this message, we walk through the sequence of events that led to conflict in his family. The immediate consequences were devastating. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

How do we know God is working in us to bring about His purpose? In Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abraham—entirely based on His own word. In this message, we are invited to a covenant without conditions. God says He will do what He promises—our eternities depend on it. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

When situations spiral into sin or anxiety, what really matters is our own trust and whether God is trustworthy. In Genesis 15, God makes an astounding promise. But Abraham is obsessed with the problem of the promise. In this message, we reflect on God's three promises to Abraham. Do we trust God to protect and preserve us? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

In our heart of hearts, we have a choice of allegiances: receive God's blessing or manipulate to our own ends. Lot chose to ally with the King of Sodom. Abraham paid homage to the King of Salem, priest of the God Most High. In this message, we perform a heart check on what possesses us at our points of decision. Our choices expose what we really want. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

The decisions we make—even about money—have eternal consequences. After an unusual victory, Abraham is given a choice between selfish dealings and generosity. In this message, we are introduced to two kings at Abraham's point of decision. Are we living like God owns everything or do our decisions and bank accounts say otherwise? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

"Respectable sins" are often the most dangerous in families. Abraham let his nephew, Lot, pick the land he wanted while agreeing to take what was remaining. Lot's pursuit of prestige and position would result in terrible consequences, affecting his testimony, his family, and his character. God gives His best to those who entrust their future and legacy to Him. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

After backsliding in Egypt, Abraham returned to God. Yet his renewed faith is tested again during a dispute about the land. In this message, we meet two men—Abraham and his nephew, Lot—at the impasse of faith. Let's learn from Abraham why we do not have to manipulate circumstances or insist on our own rights. God has our lives in His hands. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.