Running to Win - 25 Minute Edition

The greater our dreams and hopes, the greater the possibility of deep bitterness and disappointment. It's God's intention that the disappointments in life not make us bitter, but make us better. In this message from Exodus 15, Pastor Lutzer captures three snapshots of Israel in the desert. Why did God lead them to the place of bitterness? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

God doesn't abandon us, no matter what. Israel was trapped at the Red Sea but God provided a way of escape. In this message, Pastor Lutzer unpacks three lessons about challenges we face, whether from following God or from our own mistakes. No matter the tight place we're in, there is still one good move we can make. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Being cornered is often a place where we learn the most. When the Israelites were about to cross the Red Sea, they realized that Pharaoh and his army were coming to stop them. In this message from Exodus 14, Pastor Lutzer applies Israel's predicament at the Red Sea to our daily lives. What do we do when we are in a tight place? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Our past sins often weigh heavily on us, making us doubt if we can ever get a fresh start. God required the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb in place of their firstborn for their deliverance. In this message, Pastor Lutzer reveals two transformative lessons from this powerful symbol of Jesus' sacrificial blood. Will we embrace His sacrifice made on our behalf? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

God is the God of new beginnings. The first Passover not only delivered God's people from judgment but also foreshadowed our own salvation. In this message, Pastor Lutzer explains how the Passover lamb's five-step process foreshadows Jesus—the perfect Lamb of God. No matter our past, the blood applied makes all the difference. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

God hates idolatry. For every single believer, God will fight to remove the idols from our hearts, our lives, our homes, and our experience. In this message, Pastor Lutzer reveals three ways to cultivate a responsive heart to God, unlike Pharaoh's stubborn defiance. How does God war with us against the idols of our hearts? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Every time we deliberately sin, we're breaking the first commandment. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." In this message from Exodus 7, Pastor Lutzer begins to walk us through the ten plagues, where God confronted the false gods of Egypt. Even today, God is still at war with the idols of our hearts. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Some people assume God can be manipulated or that He is far beyond our reach. But actually, all of our experiences are designed by God to nudge us closer to Him. In this message, Pastor Lutzer describes the life of faith for Moses and for Joni Eareckson Tada. If all we do in life is to know and worship God, we will have delighted His heart. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Many of us have a small conception of God. But, as Moses discovered at the burning bush, the Lord is infinitely greater than our comprehension will allow. In this message from Exodus 4, Pastor Lutzer examines four characteristics that mark those who truly know God. But does God's sovereignty extend even to those who resist knowing Him? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

We may find a host of reasons or excuses to say "no" to God's leading. But God will firmly and graciously overcome our objections—like He did for Moses. In this message, Pastor Lutzer guides us through our own inadequacy or comparison. God may be taking us out of our sense of security, and into a journey of dependence upon Him. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Our self-image can often conflict with God's view of us. When God called Moses to liberate Israel from Egypt, Moses reacted with excuses based on his sense of inadequacy. In this message from Exodus 4, Pastor Lutzer looks at the first of five objections Moses had. But excuses never work with God. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

God uses seasons of testing, and even boredom, to develop our spiritual maturity. As a shepherd, Moses learned the leadership lessons that would transform him into Israel's deliverer. In this message, Pastor Lutzer confirms how God continues to work for us and with us in the desert experience. But what if it seems God is silent? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Some lessons we can only learn in the desert—not in the palace. Moses' journey took him from Egypt's throne room to herding sheep in obscurity. In this message from Exodus 2, Pastor Lutzer reveals two characteristics of Moses' servanthood that he only could have learned in the desert. What if the desert brings us closer to God? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Just like fruit grows in the light, we grow spiritually in God's light. How can Christians remain in the light, taking no part in works of darkness? In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer highlights six points of obedience to maintain a clear conscience. All the time, we look to Jesus to be in us what we aren't. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

The enemy of our souls doesn't want us to maintain a clear conscience. So how can we combat Satan's lies and walk in victory? In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer reveals two ways we're called to be like God. Only as we imitate Christ as children of God will we experience true spiritual victory. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

It's not easy to make things right. It takes repentance and forgiveness—the willingness to acknowledge wrongdoing and the willingness to extend grace. In this message, Pastor Lutzer shares three keys for biblical forgiveness. Let's entrust ourselves to God as we seek and grant forgiveness. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Broken relationships don't have to be permanent. Once we've given up our bitterness, how do we repair the breaches in our relationships? In this message from Matthew 5, Pastor Lutzer walks us through five principles of biblical reconciliation. It all starts by being honest with God. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Letting go of bitterness means forgiving those who have wronged you. We have to release that person into God's hands for justice and mercy. In this message from Ephesians 4, Pastor Lutzer gets at the root of our bitterness. What will it take for us to cut bitterness at the root? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Our souls are gardens to tend. Bitterness grows like weeds, choking our peace year after year. In this message from Hebrews 12, Pastor Lutzer identifies four thorny situations requiring forgiveness: parental abuse, sibling rivalry, marital betrayal, and anger at God. Let's uproot bitterness for good. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Here's the good news: God credits Christ's perfect record to our account. This righteousness doesn't come from ourselves. In this message, Pastor Lutzer unpacks five aspects of the meaning of "justification." Can you believe all of Christ's righteousness is applied to us by trusting in Him? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Martin Luther was filled with grief because he couldn't satisfy the demands of God through good works. Through his spiritual struggle, Luther discovered a crucial truth that brought peace to his soul. In this message from Romans 8, Pastor Lutzer explains the wonder of Jesus' full payment of our sin-debt. What does it mean to be justified by faith alone? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Clear consciences are tough to find. Our dark deeds must be exposed to the light of Christ in honest repentance. In this message from 1 John 1, Pastor Lutzer considers three transforming lessons for our daily confession of sin. How do we keep the way clear between us and God? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

When we have a clear conscience, we can walk with God moment by moment in joyful gratitude. How can we remain in that joy each day? In this message from 1 John 1, Pastor Lutzer notes three steps to overcome the barriers to our fellowship with God. Only Christ can deliver us from sin and give us true joy. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

When we're addicted, we often can't see the true extent of our bondage. We prefer the comfortable lie of believing we're still free. In this message, Pastor Lutzer offers three steps on the path towards hope and freedom from addiction. Because we can't get free; we must be set free. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Addiction is powerful, and anyone can fall into its clutches. Whether it's drugs, alcohol, gambling, or pornography, we are all prone to be addicts. In this message from John 8, Pastor Lutzer shares five truths for addicts to find true freedom. Through God's grace, addictions can be put behind us. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Guilt and shame can provoke people to kill themselves, as Lady Macbeth did in Shakespeare's famous play. But we don't have to fall prey to the devil's lies. In this message from Hebrews 9, Pastor Lutzer gives us four truths that deliver from guilt and depression. We need hope, especially when everything is falling apart inside. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Many feel trapped in their misery, seeing suicide as their only escape. Yet Christ offers hope and resources beyond our circumstances. In this message from Hebrews 9, Pastor Lutzer helps us grasp why the precious blood of Christ gives us a reason to live. No depression is so deep that any of us is without hope. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

A deadened conscience leads to narcissism. Such people elevate their own thoughts and feelings above all else, lashing out at anyone who challenges their self-absorbed world. In this message from Psalm 139, Pastor Lutzer reveals how God knows all of us fully, forever, and truthfully. Is there hope for a narcissist to change? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Narcissists have a broken conscience—in their world, they are always right. When the evil latent in all our hearts is on full display, how do we cope with difficult people? In this message from 2 Timothy 3, Pastor Lutzer describes three characteristics of "lovers of self" who take on a god complex. Let's respond with wisdom to a hardened conscience. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Even when we bear shame for something we did not do, the shame is still very real. It shapes our thoughts and actions, and it demands that we live in perpetual guilt. In this message from Isaiah 61, Pastor Lutzer reveals how shame loses its power. What if our self-worth is not based on how we feel? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Much of the shame we carry is our own doing: bad decisions, wrong choices, and the inevitable fallout. But sometimes we carry false guilt, like Tamar's victimization by her own stepbrother. In this message from 2 Samual 13, Pastor Lutzer distinguishes between two kinds of shame. Can we be lifted from the burden of shame that isn't our fault? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

When sin entered the human race, our consciences were defiled. Adam and Eve responded to their shame by trying to cover themselves. In this message from Genesis 3, Pastor Lutzer demonstrates how God pursues us in our shame. Imagine being able to look God in the face, free from any guilt or shame. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Everyone has a conscience: a sense of right and wrong. But ever since the Garden of Eden, we experience shame, hiding, and blaming. In this message from Genesis 3, Pastor Lutzer shows how everyone has a conscience, both conditioned by our surroundings and powerfully influential. Can we be free from a troubled conscience? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

When we lose what we love, we feel our true hunger—one that only God can satisfy. King David was a man who knew his only hope was in his God. In this message, Pastor Lutzer delves into the extraordinary measures God takes to remove any obstacles that hinder our pursuit of Him. Are we God-focused or self-focused? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Too often, we follow our sinful desires, mentally justifying our lusts. King David's enemies drove him to thirst after God, rather than his own desires. In this message, Pastor Lutzer notes three ways David was driven to be closer to the Lord. What brings us to the point of saying, "Only God can meet my ultimate needs?" This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

We all need a solid foundation to base our lives on. When life is hopeless, how do we benefit from God's blessing? In this message from Psalm 40, Pastor Lutzer locates two conditions for receiving God's blessings in a difficult situation. Let's learn how to wait on God when we're deep in a pit. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Many of us have felt hopeless, like we were "in the pits." When King David was at rock bottom in despair, he cried out to God. In this message from Psalm 40, Pastor Lutzer delineates five blessings David experienced in the pit. Because God has not abandoned us, we too can find a firm place to stand. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent beguiled Eve. Likewise, satanic substitutes for God often look very good. In this message, Pastor Lutzer identifies four false doctrines of demons: a wrong view of God, humanity, death, and redemption. As believers, it's vital for us to understand what the Bible calls "sound doctrine," overcoming lies with the truth. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Our culture is into occult phenomena like never before. The devil's goal is to draw us away from God, to worship and serve Satan and self. In this message from 1 Timothy 4, Pastor Lutzer categorized four kinds of occultic aspiration. Let's learn what this pervasive occult influence should mean to the committed Christian. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Even good things become idols when they take us away from God. Moses had the choice of the world's pleasures, but he chose a better pleasure. In this message from Hebrews 11, Pastor Lutzer provides two guidelines for wisely choosing a better pleasure. Do we really want to go after the world where it's leading? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

The world is full of pleasures. But as Christians, we don't live for the pleasures of this passing age. In this message from 1 John 2, Pastor Lutzer offers two reasons why we must avoid the snare of worldly pleasures: because of what the world is and what it does. God is squeezed out of our lives when we chase worldly desires. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Sexual freedom is a poisoned oasis. We must confront the allure of sexual affairs, which corrupts our souls and undermines our ability to make commitments. In this message from 1 Corinthians 6, Pastor Lutzer provides three action steps to overcoming sexual infidelity. How can we be healed from an unfaithful heart? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

God designed sex for a covenant marriage relationship. But extramarital relationships and sex ruins life for all concerned. In this message from 1 Corinthians 6, Pastor Lutzer defines a sexual bond that is not sanctioned by God. We can't ignore God's commands and expect to avoid God's consequences. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

To be free from sexual sin is a painful and thorough process, but it's worth it. Jesus wasn't only concerned with outward actions but our hearts. In this message, Pastor Lutzer gives practical advice as to how we can come to the light, have a clear conscience, and battle temptation. How do we get out from under the shadows of sexual sin? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Our sexuality reflects our identity as God's image-bearers. But the devil tempts us to fulfill our sexual desires outside God's will. In this message from Matthew 5, Pastor Lutzer discusses Jesus' call to three commitments: in our marriages, our thought-life, and our associations. Are we ready to confront sexual temptation? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Alcoholism has a strong grip, even when we think we can manage it. We all encounter barriers to freedom such as guilt, shame, and the need for something to fill the void. In this message from Psalm 40, Pastor Lutzer explains two aspects of deliverance: through God and His people. Can alcoholics get out of the pit to true freedom? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Alcohol is a tolerated drug, and alcohol abuse is costing our society billions in lost productivity, lost relationships, and lost lives. Too many Christians misuse what they feel is their freedom to drink by drinking one too many. In this message, Pastor Lutzer clarifies five phases on the path of alcohol addiction. Are we willing to learn the unvarnished truth about alcoholism? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Americans are bombarded by temptations to fritter away their money. Gambling is not merely foolish; it is also deceptive and destructive. In this message, Pastor Lutzer guides us to understand the mind of a gambler, which can apply to all addictions. Jesus must be the true substitute for our addictive desires. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Gambling promises pleasure, power, wealth and well-being. But gambling is another deceitful snare of the devil. In this message, Pastor Lutzer provides four biblical principles that are violated by gambling. Is there a way out for those who are addicted to the lure of fast cash or a "big break?" This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Most of us have too much stuff. If we were honest with ourselves, we could see our materialism. In this message from Luke 12, Pastor Lutzer warns against three mistakes a rich man made about his soul, his God, and his eternity. What does it take to transfer our trust from money and things to God? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.