Moody Media Latest Blog Entries

The Battle Is Fierce

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Joshua 1:2

D.L. MOODY
We need the courage that will compel us to move forward.
We may have to go against the advice of lukewarm Christians; there are some who never seem to do anything but object because the work is not carried on exactly according to their ideas. They are very fruitful in raising objections to any plans that can be suggested. If any onward step is taken, they are ready to throw cold water on it and suggest all kinds of difficulties. We want to have such faith and courage as shall enable us to move forward without waiting for these timid unbelievers.

ERWIN LUTZER
God’s command to Joshua can apply to us. The events of the entire book of Joshua took about 13 or 14 years. Israel didn’t just walk casually though the land and suddenly it was theirs. Seven different warring nations were ready to fight against them; for Israel to inherit the land would be costly both in lives lost (consider Israel’s failure at Ai) and in time spent. Families were displaced, men were taken from homes to fight in fierce battles. There were times of doubt, times of victory, and times of discouragement. And times of loss.
We have all been there, have we not?
I believe God has all kinds of blessings with our names on the title deed. But we need to fight; we need to be focused and willing to attack that which stands between us and victory. That one sin needs to be defeated; that one conflict needs resolution. That demands both faith and action!

PRAYER
Father, increase my faith. Let my faith bring forth holy living in all areas of my life. Help me to fight for your kingdom.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What does it mean to have courage for the Lord?

What promises of God give you courage when facing difficult circumstances?

Living In Babylon, Yet Not Of Babylon

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you. 2 Corinthians 6:17

D.L. MOODY
I believe that a Christian should lead a separated life. The line between the church and the world is almost obliterated today. I have no sympathy with the idea that you must hunt up an old musty church record in order to find out whether a man is a member of the church or not. A man ought to live so that everybody will know he is a Christian. The Bible tells us to lead a separate life. You may lose influence, but you will gain it at the same time. I suppose Daniel was the most unpopular man in Babylon at a certain time, but, thank God, he has outlived all the other men of his day.

ERWIN LUTZER
Technology has made separation from the world more difficult than in any other period of history, past or present. The culture of Babylon is at our fingertips. With a smartphone in the hands of nearly every teenager (often in the hands of children), sensuality and every evil vice known to man is instantly and secretly available. The line between the church and world has been obliterated—a statement more true today than it was in Moody’s day.
Our life-long struggle with the culture of the world should follow three commands: We should flee from evil; each Christian should consider what that means for them. We should run from the temptations of the world, not seeking to get as close to temptation as we can. Cut yourself off from any temptation that leads you into evil. Second, we must fight, for we cannot win this battle unless we are blood earnest in warfare, praying, and standing together against the hosts of evil. Then we must also follow, that is, we must pursue godliness. The command still stands: “Go out from their midst, and be separate from them."

PRAYER
Father, teach me not to love the world nor the things of the world.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How are you tempted to fit in with the world rather than remain separate?

Why is God concerned about the influences we allow into our lives?

Wait, Then Keep Going

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

D.L. MOODY
Many look forth at the Christian life and fear that they will not have sufficient strength to hold out to the end. They forget the promise, “as thy days, thy strength.” It reminds me of the pendulum in the clock which grew disheartened at the thought of having to travel so many thousands of miles; but when it reflected that the distance was to be accomplished by “tick, tick, tick,” it took fresh courage to go its daily journey.
So it is the special privilege of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping of his Heavenly Father, and to trust Him day by day. It is a comforting thing to know that the Lord will not begin the good work without also finishing it.

ERWIN LUTZER
To build on Moody’s illustration, when I have been busy with projects and interruptions, I’ve reminded myself that the pendulum has to only be concerned about the next second and then the second after that. In other words, if the clock thought about the millions of seconds it must count, it would become filled with anxiety. Just so, I really only have to be concerned about this moment, not about the next. God has strength, patience, wisdom, and if we are humble enough to receive it, He will give us what we need, but only when we need it.
“They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). The life of the believer is a moment by moment reliance upon God. We depend on God consciously, hour by hour, as He sustains us until He calls us home to be with Him eternally. Waiting on God means physical and spiritual dependence; it is acknowledging our bankruptcy apart from His sustaining grace.

PRAYER
Father, I’m waiting on you for the strength I need for all my days.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How well do you wait on the Lord?

Why does waiting on the Lord give believers renewed strength?

Why Karl Marx Still Rules the West From His Grave—and the Preacher Who Offered the Better Hope

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The Story Behind My New Book

Last year, I stood at the tomb of Karl Marx in London and said something out loud that unsettled even me: He still rules much of the world from his grave. His ideas about class, power, and revolution didn’t die with him. They are reshaping our culture, our politics, and our universities right now.

Then I found out another man was looking at the same broken world—and he deeply believed there was a better answer to human need. D.L. Moody, the American evangelist, was in London at the same time, holding revival meetings that drew enormous crowds. Friedrich Engels, who helped Marx write The Communist Manifesto, attended one of those meetings. Engels later noted Moody’s revival was one of the reasons England never had a communist revolution.

Same city. Same era. Two very different men, and two very different legacies still shaping the West today.

That contrast is the story behind my new book, Marx and Moody. It releases today.

The Purpose of Marx and Moody

In it, I trace the roots of Marxism in our culture, including a clear look at Democratic Socialism and where it leads. My co-author, Dr. Gregg Quiggle, gives us a moving portrait of Moody’s life and ministry, proving that the gospel, faithfully preached, can turn back even the darkest cultural tide.

We wrote this book because we deeply believe that our moral, spiritual and political slide must ultimately be confronted by the gospel. The same gospel that changed millions through the ministry of D.L. Moody can still change lives today. And I’m sure you agree: the time is urgent.

Marx said religion was the “opium of the people.” Moody proved the gospel is the power of God.

Learn more about Marx and Moody: Two Contemporaries. Two Gospels. Two Tombstones. One Choice.

The Coming Wedding Day

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:9

D.L. MOODY
I would rather die tonight and be sure of sharing the bliss of the purified in yon world of light than live for centuries with the wealth of this world at my feet, and miss the marriage supper of the Lamb. I have missed many appointments in my life, but by the grace of God, I mean to make sure of that one. Why, the blessed privilege of sitting down at the marriage supper of the Lamb, to see the King in His beauty, to be forever with the Lord—who would miss it?

ERWIN LUTZER
Let me emphasize this: In most weddings today, the bride is the center of the attention. The groom shows up and stands at the front of the altar, but for the most part, nobody looks at him particularly. But at the marriage supper of the Lamb, the focus is going to be on the Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Many years ago, when the Reverend Paul Gibson retired as principal of Cambridge, a portrait of him was commissioned and unveiled. And when Rev. Gibson looked at it, he actually paid a well-deserved compliment to the artist and said, “When people look at this, they aren’t going to say, ‘Who’s that man?’ They’re going to say ‘Who painted the portrait?’” I believe throughout all of eternity, the question is not going to be so much, “Who are the redeemed?” but rather, “Who was their Redeemer?” It’s all going to be about Jesus. And what a time that’s going to be.
No wonder the multitude cries, “Let us rejoice and exult!” (Revelation 19:7). All of that is coming in our future. And like Moody, we might miss weddings here on Earth but let us not miss the marriage supper of the Lamb. All who have trusted Christ will be invited.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for uniting me to your Son, and for making me a member of the church, His bride. May I be pure and faithful to you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why do you think the Bible calls “blessed” those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb?

What does such an event say about our relationship with Christ?

Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves?

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. Romans 4:5

D.L. MOODY
I freely admit salvation is worth working for. It is worth a man’s going round the world on his hands and knees, climbing its mountains, crossing its valleys, swimming its rivers, going through all manner of hardship in order to attain it. But we do not get it in that way. It is to him that believeth.

ERWIN LUTZER
Trying to make ourselves worthy of grace and earn salvation is the default position of the human heart. Somewhere I read that eighty percent of Americans believe the statement “God helps those who help themselves” is in the Bible! Well, it’s not in the Bible and with good reason: God helps those who realize they cannot help themselves. The good news of the gospel is not based on our abilities or our motivation to do better.
I helped disciple a man who grew up in a home with the formalities of Christianity and a mother who kept telling him, “God helps those who help themselves.” But that didn’t help him get out of a life of drugs and immorality. Finally, at the end of himself, crying out in desperation to God, he found a path out of a wasted life. To the glory of God, he is in the ministry today.
While we work at our vocations, our relationships, and the ordinary events of life, as far as our eternal salvation is concerned, it cannot be bought, earned, or supported by religious rituals.
Let me quote Paul again, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due [In other words, you earn it.]. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:4–5).

PRAYER
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How does the gospel confront our desire to work for our salvation?

What does the Bible say about your ability to “help” God in your salvation?

Reconciliation: Worth Every Penny

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Luke 19:8

D.L. MOODY
A short speech, but how the words have come ringing down through the ages! By making that remark, Zacchaeus confessed his sin—that he had been dishonest. Besides that, he showed that he knew the requirements of the law of Moses. If a man had taken what did not belong to him, he was not only to return it, but to multiply it by four. I think that men in this dispensation ought to be fully as honest as men under the Law. I am getting so tired and sick of your mere sentimentalism that does not straighten out a man’s life. We may sing our hymns and psalms, and offer prayers, but they will be an abomination to God unless we are willing to be thoroughly straightforward in our daily life. Nothing will give Christianity such a hold upon the world as to have God’s believing people begin to act in this way. Zacchaeus had probably more influence in Jericho after he made restitution than any other man in it.

ERWIN LUTZER
Restitution is always a product of revival. The restoration of stolen goods and the mending of broken relationships have been used by God to soften the hearts of those indifferent or even hardened to the gospel. It’s not enough for us to claim a wonderful relationship with God unless we have done all we can to be reconciled to those we have wronged.
Because God seeks reconciliation, we should seek it also on behalf of others (2 Corinthians 5:18–19). Sin divides, grace unites. As Paul said in Acts 24:16, “I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both
God and man.”
No doubt Zacchaeus had a positive impact in Jericho. He was willing to be reconciled to those he had wronged, even at a great personal cost.

PRAYER
Father, reveal to me the names of those I have wronged, giving me the grace to make it right.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Have you tried to reconcile with those whom you have wronged?

What did it cost God to reconcile believers to Him? Why should that Influence our willingness to go to great lengths to reconcile with others?

No Neutrality With Christ

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed.” Luke 2:34

D.L. MOODY
Do you know that the gospel of Jesus Christ proves either a fragrance of life unto life or of death unto death? You sometimes hear people say: “We will go and hear this man preach. If it does us no good, it will do us no harm.” Don’t you believe it! Every time one hears the gospel and rejects it, the hardening process goes on. The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay. The sermon that would have moved to action a few years ago makes no impression now.
There is not a true minister of the gospel who will not say that the hardest people to reach are those who have been impressed and whose impressions have worn away. It is a good deal easier to commit a sin the second time than it was to commit it the first time, but it is a good deal harder to repent the second time than the first.

ERWIN LUTZER
Have you ever wondered why a person can listen to hundreds of sermons and not believe on Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins? In the Parable of the Sower, some seed fell on the path and did not penetrate the soil. Perhaps this path had been trampled by people (see Mark 8:1–8). And there is no heart as hard as those who are rebelling against other Christians who have trampled on them. Also, many others feel very comfortable with their sins and with themselves, and so, in the midst of this comfort, they don’t want to change; they don’t want to have God break into their lives. And every time they reject the Word, the harder their heart becomes.
We are responsible for carefully sowing the seed; how people respond is out of our control. Let us trust God to determine the results (1 Cor. 3:6).

PRAYER
Father, soften the hearts of those who hear your gospel and make me your messenger.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Who ultimately makes the seed grow, and how is this done?

How should you minister to someone whose heart is hardened?

Every Talent Accounted For

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. Nehemiah 3:28

D.L. MOODY
If this world is going to be reached, I am convinced it must be done by men and women of average talent. After all, there are comparatively few people in the world who have great talents. Here is a man with one talent; there is another with three; perhaps I may have only half a talent. But if we all go to work and trade with the gifts we have, the Lord will prosper us, and we may double or triple our talents. What we need is to be up and about our Master’s work, every man building against his own house. The more we use the means and opportunities we have, the more will our ability and our opportunities be increased.

ERWIN LUTZER
Nehemiah was a gifted organizer who motivated the whole assembly to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Each family was given the assignment of securing its part of the wall; he knew they would work hard to ensure their part of the wall was insurmountable. People of both great and ordinary talent were enlisted to rebuild the wall.
In God’s eyes, there are no ordinary people or extraordinary people—only faithful and unfaithful people. Each is given a talent and should have a mind to work. Our money is God’s. Our talents are God’s. Our home belongs to God. So, with a sense of praise and gratitude, we should always be asking, “Lord, what will you have me to do with what you have given to me?”
We are all managers of what God has given us. And since God is the one who gave us all we have, He has the right to take it away. He gives different gifts, different abilities, and different amounts. God created so many ordinary people with differing talents, but together we can do an extraordinary work.

PRAYER
Father, you call me to manage everything I have for your glory. Keep me from comparing my talents with another, and instead, faithfully use what you’ve given me.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What does it mean for you to faithfully use everything God gave you for His Glory?

Read 2 Corinthians 4:7 and 12:9. Why might God give us a little talent instead of a lot?

Dying To Live

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

D.L. MOODY
Take a little black flower seed and sow it; after it has been planted some time, dig it up. If it is whole, you know that it has no life; but if it has begun to decay, you know that life and fruitfulness will follow. There will be a resurrected life; and out of that little black seed will come a beautiful, fragrant flower.
Here is a disgusting grub, crawling along the ground. By and by old age overtakes it, and it begins to spin its own shroud, to make its own sepulchre, and it lies as if in death. Look again and it has shuffled off its shroud, it has burst its sepulchre open, and it comes forth a beautiful butterfly, with different form and habits.
So with our bodies. They die, but God will give us glorified bodies in their stead. This is law of the new creation as well as the old: light after darkness; life after death; fruitfulness and glory after corruption and decay.

ERWIN LUTZER
Moody’s illustration is biblical: When we die, we are like a seed that has fallen into the ground, but shall be raised with an incorruptible body. We are sown in weakness, but raised with strength. There will be both continuity with our present body, but also discontinuity (see 1 Cor. 15:35–49). For we shall have a body “like his glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).
The point Jesus was making in John 12:24 not only applies to our physical death and resurrection, but to our present life. We must die to ourselves. As someone has said, we cannot pray, “thy kingdom come” until we have prayed, “let my kingdom die.” Dying to self-will is the most challenging struggle we will ever have. In our sinfulness, we cling to self-will until our knuckles turn white. There is truth in the statement that we must “let go and let God.”

PRAYER
Father, teach me to die that I might live only unto thee.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How can self-will hinder your relationship with God?

Are you praying only "Thy kingdom come," or are you also willing to pray, "Let my kingdom die"?

All I Can Give

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23:26

D.L. MOODY
I remember hearing a story about a Native American Indian who wanted to come to the Lord. He brought his blanket, but the Lord wouldn’t have it. He brought his gun, his dog, his bow and arrow, but the Lord wouldn’t have them. At last he brought himself, and the Lord took him. The Lord wanted himself.
What the Lord wants is not what you have got, but yourself, and you cannot do a thing to please God until you surrender yourself to Him.

ERWIN LUTZER
Before salvation, we are dead in our sins. Our fallenness permeates our entire being: Our minds are tainted with sin, our souls are stained, and our wills are paralyzed. Good people or not, we are in deep trouble. And even the best we bring to God will not be received.
If God’s rescue program had included our efforts, grace would be diminished and salvation would not be wholly the work of God. Some things can exist together, but the grace that brings salvation and human works, like oil and water, do not mix. Our self-effort will be put on a shelf labeled, “Unsuitable For Use.” God acts alone when He saves us because He neither needs nor accepts our cooperation. He invites us only to believe.
When you come to Christ, you do not come to give, but to receive. You do not come to be helped, but to be rescued. You do not come just to be made better, though thankfully, that does happen, but you come to be made alive! Salvation is not based on our promise but on His promise. It is His work, not ours, that gives us the gift of grace. We bring nothing but ourselves and our need.

PRAYER
Father, you have saved me apart from anything I could ever do or offer. Thank you for making me see my need for you and for saving me by grace through faith alone.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What do we bring to God to contribute to our salvation?

How does knowing that God acts alone in salvation give you assurance?

Nourished By The Word

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165

D.L. MOODY
The study of God’s Word will secure peace.
Take those Christians who are rooted and grounded in the Word of God and you will find they have great peace. But it is these who don’t study their Bible, who are easily offended when some little trouble comes, or some little persecution. Just a little breath of opposition, and their peace is all gone.

ERWIN LUTZER
How can we make sure we are rooted in God and not in something that cannot support us, especially when times are difficult? This trust in God can only come about by the Word of God itself. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The person who meditates day and night on God’s law shall be “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3).
But I’ve discovered that even if I am nourished by the Word on Wednesday, I’m dry on Thursday. Like manna in the desert, you can only gather a day’s supply in the morning, but it doesn’t carry over until the next day. If you’re simply coming to church but not meditating in God’s Word, I can tell you that when hardship comes, and when the pressure is on, you aren’t going to have the resources to enjoy peace when those struggles begin.
A final warning: Some study the Bible in order to take pride in how much they know, not to humbly seek the Lord and His promise. Your attitude when you approach the Bible matters. Are you teachable, humble, and obedient?

PRAYER
Father, may I faithfully study your Word and meditate on it so that I might be a tree rooted and planted by water, bearing fruit and able to endure trials that surely will come.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why can those who are saturated in God’s Word endure hardship?

What differences have you noticed in your life when you have been regularly in the Word?

Fairmindedness and Compassion

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Proverbs 3:27

D.L. MOODY
After the Chicago fire, I came to New York for money, and I heard there was a rich man in Fall River who was very charitable. So I went to Massachusetts. He gave me a check for a large amount, and then got into his carriage and drove with me to the houses of other rich men in the city, and they all gave me checks. When he left me at the train, I grasped his hand and said: “If you ever come to Chicago, call on me, and I will return your favor.”
He said: “Mr. Moody, don’t wait for me; do it to the first man that comes along.”
I never forget that remark; it had the ring of the true good Samaritan.

ERWIN LUTZER
The money Moody raised was for his ministry; in fact, he wanted to die a poor man, having given everything for the gospel. He was an astute businessman who directed his efforts in only one way: winning people to Christ. He was, perhaps, the most selfless person we’ve ever known about.
If Moody had not been converted, Chicago might have a “D.L. Moody Hotel” or “D.L. Moody Jewelry Store.” Instead, we have The Moody Church and the Moody Bible Institute. The ongoing impact of his life is enormous. But, as all who knew him realized, he was humble, approachable, and willing to help even “the least of these.” He began his ministry with children in the slums, who were homeless and often fatherless.
Moody’s world was as big as his heart. He stands as a rebuke to the rich and the famous who have only their own narcissistic interests at heart. The rich never have enough, and the famous are never famous enough.
Meanwhile, the Bible reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

PRAYER
Lord, may I be quick to show your generosity, love, and goodness to those in need.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How is the good Samaritan an example for believers?

Do you tend to hold tightly to your time, money, or talents, or do you view them as gifts from God to share?

Truth, Half-Truths, and Lies

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

D.L. MOODY
We have got nowadays so that we divide lies into white lies and black lies, society lies, business lies, and so on. The Word of God knows no such letting down of the standard. A lie is a lie, no matter what are the circumstances under which it is uttered, or by whom. I have heard that in Siam, they sew up the mouth of a confirmed liar. I am afraid if that was the custom in this land, a good many would suffer.
Parents should begin with their children while they are young and teach them to be strictly truthful at all times. There is a proverb: “A lie has no legs.” It requires other lies to support it. Tell one lie and you are forced to tell others to back it up.

ERWIN LUTZER
Many years ago I read the book, The Day America Told the Truth, and I was surprised at how often people confessed they had lied, even several times a day. Jesus taught that the devil was the author of lies (John 8:44). It’s frightening to think of how the human hearts sides with Satan, choosing to skew the truth rather than face reality. We must each ask ourselves: Are we truth-tellers, even at our own personal expense?
Let me repeat our verse, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth.” If you find yourself telling a lie, confess it immediately to God and to the one whom you have wronged. Let it never be said that we can tolerate deceit. As the saying goes, “Truth hurts, but lies hurt even more.”
Let’s take this a step further. David wrote that a person in fellowship with God “swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Psalm 15:4). In other words, that person not only tells the truth, but lives by what they say, even at their personal expense.

PRAYER
Father, I desire the truth and to honor you with the truth. Help me to keep falsehood away from my tongue.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why does lying show a lack of faith?

When are you most tempted to lie?

Two Paths, Two Eternal Destinations

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13–14

D.L. MOODY
Many a man would be willing to enter into the kingdom of God if he could do it without giving up sin. A man may become a disciple of Muhammad and continue to live in the foulest, blackest, deepest sin; but a man cannot be a disciple of Christ without giving up sin.

ERWIN LUTZER
What Moody said about Islam is true and also applies to other religions. How? All religions, except Christianity, are based on self-effort. Even religions claiming to seek God’s help teach that we must make ourselves worthy of such grace and forgiveness. In other words: All other religions insist we must wash our hearts with the dirty, sin-infested water already existing within the human heart. But the sins remain.
One reason that the message of the cross is offensive is that it teaches our complete inability to save ourselves. All we can do is to receive what has already been provided for us in Christ. As I like to remind people, the issue is never the wickedness of our hearts, but the wonder of the gospel that changes our desires and gives us the righteousness of Christ.
This might explain why Jesus said that the way to hell is broad but the way to heaven is narrow. The gospel is a free gift, but it’s a difficult gift to receive because it requires us to admit to our inability to save or cleanse ourselves; it is the final admission that self salvation cannot actually save. And, yes, in turning to Christ, we are turning our backs on sin.
Islam requires its followers to be slaves to Muhammad’s teaching; Christianity teaches we must become slaves of Christ, a joyful slavery, no longer dominated by our sinful, evil hearts.

PRAYER
Father, keep me from the temptation to envy those on the broad way with their acceptance of sin and worldly pleasures. I choose the narrow way of your kingdom.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What does Jesus mean when He says the way is narrow?

Why is it difficult for people to admit they cannot save themselves?