KLOVE RADIO FEATURES – SEPTEMBER 2025

CHRIST’S LAST TEMPTATION IS OUR FIRST –  

The Last Temptation Jesus faced and overcame may be the first one we need to conquer. He could have called down 12 legions of angels to protect Him. He could have answered His accusers, but he remained silent, suffered, became sin for us, and died in our place. So, the fruit of the Spirit He exercised is the least exercised in America. It’s self-control. It’s why the Book of Revelation promises overcomers eight times, “To him who overcomes, I will give the tree of life, protection from the second death, hidden manna, a new name, authority over nations, white garments, a secure place in God’s temple, the right to sit with Christ on His throne, and the inheritance of all things as a child of God.” All of this is ours if we yield to the fruit of the Spirit, self-control.  

INCREASED COURAGE IS ALWAYS INCREMENTAL

Perhaps the character dimension that needs to increase most in each of our lives is courage. It’s what happened in the life of Daniel. In Daniel 2, Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue, trusting God for the meaning when his life was at stake. Courage meant stepping forward when all the wise men faced death. In Daniel 4, Daniel’s boldness grew further as he told the king his glory would be stripped away, and he would live like an animal—speaking judgment directly to absolute power. By Daniel 5, Daniel faced Belshazzar, declaring God’s judgment and the fall of Babylon that very night. Each vision required greater courage—moving from explanation to confrontation, to proclaiming imminent destruction. So too in our lives. As Jesus’ greatest test was His last, so too, courageous battles are ahead for each of us.

EXCITED ABOUT MY FUTURE

I’m grateful for being radically born-again, birthed out of gross darkness into my immediate destiny. What Jesus did for me by dying for my sins was the champagne on the hull, but not having a vision beyond the Cross is like having a winning lottery ticket but never cashing it in. I don’t want to be forgiven for my past, and yet indifferent toward my eternal destiny. If I’m more excited about my past than my future, it might be because I need Jesus to fully heal a part of my past. God is not watching reruns or eating leftovers. He’s making all things new, and I don’t want the Devil’s fear of his future to dampen my excitement for the breathtaking future God’s promised me and all of us who have made Him our Lord. 

WHEN DO YOU WANT YOUR REWARD?

We are all offered the same option every day: should I put my time, talents, and treasures and pursue the momentary trinkets of Earth, or should I believe the promise for the eternal reward of Heaven only God could dream of? Which takes more faith, receiving Earth’s temporary reward, or eternities’ eternal blessings? It’s not a trivial question. It’s perhaps one of the most important questions we need to resolve while we are on Earth. Hoping for an earthly reward was one of the biggest cons the devil tried to seduce Jesus with, “…taking Him up on a high mountain…the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world…” (Matthew 4:8-9) So don’t let Satan deceive you, offering the stagnant pond of momentary pleasures, in exchange for the reviving river of God’s eternal blessings. 

FAMILIARITY CAN BLIND US

From the very beginning, God has made Himself undeniable. His creation—the skies, seas, and stars—all shout, “There’s a Creator!” Yet even Jesus’ siblings did not believe in Him until after the resurrection. Miracles, healings, and the feeding of thousands weren’t enough. In Nazareth, faith was so small that Jesus could do few miracles. What does this show us? Familiarity can blind us. The more we see, the easier it is to take for granted, dismiss, or even criticize. Love doesn’t always equal recognition, and inattentiveness can dull our hearts until we treat the extraordinary as ordinary. But gratitude changes everything. Every answered prayer, every protection, every provision is proof that God is near. Say, “Thank You, Jesus!” and watch familiarity turn to awe, and wonder awaken in your heart again.

WHAT GIANTS REALLY THOUGHT

All of us face what feels like overwhelming challenges, but it raises a vital question: how did the giants of the faith handle their greatest internal battles? How did Moses rest the night before the Red Sea, or Esther before stepping into the king’s throne room? What about Daniel on the eve of the lion’s den, or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, knowing they would refuse to bow? Is it possible they slept soundly, at peace in the face of disaster? Perhaps they had already surrendered to the outcome, resigned even to catastrophe, because their trust in God outweighed their fear of the pain they might endure. Could it be their faith brought them to a place of full acceptance—content with whatever God chose, and at peace with the future?