First Assembly Nlr Audio Podcast

This is the concluding message of the Lift! series.

Who are your favorite people to spend time with? Chances are, they are people that make you feel better about yourself. Some people are lifters--they make you feel good when you are around them. Other people are "downers," and have the opposite effect on you. What can you do to be a lifter in the lives of others?

There are three kinds of people: those who are "hot," meaning they are close followers of Christ, those who are "cold," meaning they have no knowledge of God, and those who are "lukewarm," meaning they are supposedly followers of Christ, but don't live according to His Word. In other words, they are hypocrites. What happens when you are "lukewarm"? In this message, Rod Loy examines how people become lukewarm, and how they can get "hot" again.

You can tell a lot about someone by what comes out of their mouth. What would someone listening to you think about you? Even more, if you are a Christian, would anyone know it by the words you say? In this message, Rod Loy examines the importance of our words.

Certain times of the year or events can cause us all to feel blue and even get depressed. What causes this issue in our life? How can we fix it?

Feeling down about yourself? Feel like you're not good for anything? You need a lift! In this message, Rod Loy looks at the causes of poor self-esteem, and how we can find our worth in God.

Why should we stay stuck in the same rut we've always been in? It's time to lift! In this message, the first of the Lift! series, Rod Loy examines habits and how they have control of our lives and how we can change for the better.

In the race of life, we eventually will finish. We need to take as many with us across the finish line as possible!

In this message, Rod Loy examines one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation: Philadelphia.  The primary message?  Jesus is coming soon!  Regardless of political or economic problems, take heart: God is in control, and Jesus is coming soon!

We are running a race. It's a race to share the Gospel of Jesus with the world. Sometimes things get tough. Don't quit! In this message, Rod Loy continues the missions series, The Race. (Note: certain names and places have been edited to protect believers in hostile countries).

Jesus gave the church instructions on what we should do: preach the gospel to all the world. With those words, He started the most important race in all history. Time is counting down. The race is on. It's time to jump in and run the race. Today, not later. Today!

How do you succeed? That's what everyone wants - to be a success. When you start anything, that's the goal. You don't plan to fail. In school, in your marriage, in your business or ministry - your goal is to succeed. So, how do you do it?

We all know someone who has gone through some kind of tragedy. It seems odd that even good people can be stricken by illness or other disaster. Many will ask why, if God is so good, does He allow these things to happen? In this message, Rod Loy answers the question, why do bad things happen to good people?

Are you so busy working and doing things for God that you've forgotten your initial love for Him? What happens to the fervor of a new Christian as he or she matures?

It's relatively easy to forgive the guy who cuts you off in traffic. You don't have to see him again. It's over and done. The people closest to us, however, are harder to forgive. Their wounds hurt the most. The memories stay fresh. The offense lingers. Why should we forgive? Why not get revenge?

We understand - bad things sometimes happen in life. We shrug it off, laugh it off, or have a good cry and move on. But it's different for others. They begin to expect bad things to happen-and more bad things to follow. They become pessimistic. How can you avoid negative thinking?

Nobody is out of the reach of God, who is willing to go to great lengths to bring them back to Him. How does God get through to someone whose conscience has been seared, cut off from feeling - who no longer feels or knows the difference from right or wrong?

Sometimes we get in situations in our lives that everything seems hopeless. We wonder where God is, and why isn't He doing anything? In this special message, Rod Loy looks at story of Joseph, and how he went from prisoner to ruler.

It's not a fun topic to talk about. We want the Christian life to function as a predictable formula. No surprises or setbacks, just blessing after blessing. But when problems happen, and they will happen, it can test our faith. How should we handle life when it throws problems our way?

Every day, we are bombarded with temptations that would draw us away from our responsibilities and our families.  There aren't too many news cycles that don't include the latest story on a politician or preacher who has failed morally. Is it possible in today's world to stay pure?