Better News Podcast

Nobody deserves salvation. Everyone has sinned and we've all done evil in the sight of God. We don't deserve to spend eternity with Him after going against His will. However, as Pastor Ricky is going to show us today, God still accepts us. We'll see the main message of the Bible is that Jesus came to save you and me from our sins and we have a purpose to live out once we come to know Him as our pe...

Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. They're all children of God and all part of the same family. That's why, as you'll get to see today with Pastor Ricky, fellowship with Unity in Christ. God wants all believers to live in unity with Christ and with each other. He loves to see the gathering of His people as they encourage each other in love and fellowship. God made all of us with the...

Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. They're all children of God and all part of the same family. That's why, as you'll get to see today with Pastor Ricky, fellowship with other believers is so important. Everyone's made with the need for fellowship and friendship, whether you know it or not. God calls Christians to live in harmony with each other and to make it evident to anyone that'...

We've probably all heard that story about the ugly duckling, that poor little bird that couldn't walk like a duck, swim like a duck or quack like a duck. He knew that he was different from the other ducks but what he didn't know was that he wasn't a duck at all. He was a swan. In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds you that you'll never find true identity in anything from this world. You might t...

The world is not right. We have divisions of ethnicity, race, class, economic status, and all kinds of other things. This isn't the way that it's supposed to be. We're not supposed to be at odds with each other over who's better and who's not. We were never meant to live that way. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches how we got this way and where restoration can be found. The problem isn't new...

Have you ever heard of FOMO? It's an acronym that stands for Fear Of Missing Out. How many of us have this fear of missing out so much that it causes us to be control freaks? We go around in life taking control of everything because we're afraid of what we might miss out on. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that you need to let go of that fear and trust that God has the perfect place...

It's very true that for most, if not all of us, in our own minds we're the center of the universe. We're constantly hearing and seeing messages like ‘Live your best life’ and ‘Be all that you can be’. The world really encourages us to view ourselves as the main character in life. In today's message, Pastor Ricky gives you a shift in thinking from the book of Ephesians, chapter two. Instead of you...

Doesn't that truth leave you profoundly in awe of God? There is nothing at all that we've done or can do to earn the love of God. Actually, we've earned His wrath and judgment, but He still loves us. Today in his message, Pastor Ricky will unwrap that great mystery, why would God still love us? The Bible says that you were God's enemy. You had turned your back on Him and yet God chose to come and...

Do you ever find yourself questioning if people really are that bad? There's got to be some people who are good enough, right? The gap between us and God isn't really that wide. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky is going to dispel that notion. The Bible says that there's none good enough on their own, but that truth should bring you more hope. It’s by God's grace alone that you're saved. There...

Have you ever imagined people coming to be led into the gates of heaven? You probably have that picture of Saint Peter like an eternal bouncer checking the list to see if people should be let in or not. Have you ever thought that that picture was kind of harsh and unmerciful to those that are turned away? Well in his message today, Pastor Ricky offers up a different way to look at that scene. You...

Do you sometimes think of God's grace as meeting you halfway and saving you? It's easy to think that you aren't really all that bad or deserving of death. Maybe you were just struggling to tread water a little and God pulled you up and saved you. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us of the incredibly powerful truth that we did nothing to deserve God's salvation. You had nothing to do w...

You probably don't equate yourself with God, but do you sometimes forget just how different He is? In your mind, do you try to attach human qualities to God that don't really belong? He's infinitely different from us. In his message today, Pastor Ricky will impress on you just how completely distinct God is from us. His ways are higher and His knowledge is so much deeper. You can't even begin to g...

As Christians, how often do we truly bless others? It's one thing to say bless you to a panhandler on the street, or to someone who has just sneezed, but it's an entirely different thing to say in the name of the Lord. In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to be proactive in blessing others just as Paul did almost everywhere he went. You need to see every moment as an op...

In your faith journey, do you ever take time to simply rejoice in the Lord? Do you take time out of your day to praise His name, or do you just save it for when you attend church? Today Pastor Ricky explains that you need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord in everything you do. The more you rejoice in His good tidings, the more of a witness you can be to the rest of the world. It's important to...

As a Christian, when you're going about your daily routine, do you ever lose sight of the Lord? Do you ever turn on the autopilot and focus only on getting the things done that you don't want to be doing? Today Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to treat every moment as an opportunity to serve the Lord. There's always going to be those parts of life that are mundane and seemingly not a m...

In your walk with Christ, have you ever gotten so caught up in your own story that you forget what God's done in your life? Ever get so focused on what's going right, or what's going wrong, that you forget about God's promises? Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you must never forget about the free gift that God has given to you, His grace. You don't deserve it but He off...

Sometimes a life of faith can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Maybe you've been there, trying to live your life and fit in while also not straying too far from your faith in the process. You want to be seen a certain way by your peers and your friends and you think that your faith is just a little too far outside the lines of the picture in your mind. Today Pastor Ricky say...

Have you ever visited a church or any other event that just seemed to have it all together? From the moment you walked through the door, everything seemed to be in its place and the atmosphere, from the people to the paint, was inviting and sending all of the right signals. Well, today Pastor Ricky says it's not about the paint color or the worship style but the heart of the people that creates th...

The Lord's Prayer teaches us so much about the character of God and the hope of redemption that we have in Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation not only is our past sin forgiven but we're also given a hope for a life free from sin. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, as long as we live in the flesh, we're subject to the temptations of this world. But when we allow God to lead us...

When we pray the words ‘deliver us from evil’ we may picture God as an armored tank protecting us from the external forces of evil that surround us. While God certainly does offer that kind of protection, there is another danger lurking that we often overlook. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, all of us are born with sinful desires, like ticking time bombs in our hearts. We need to be aler...

Have you been hurt by someone? Maybe they harmed you or someone you love in a way that just seems unforgivable. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through the Lord's Prayer, we're challenged to do the impossible. It won't be easy, it won't feel as good as revenge does in the moment, and it'll take a lot of prayer and the Holy Spirit's helping hand but forgiveness is vital for all followers of Ch...

Most of us have opened a bill and found ourselves in a mild state of shock over the debt it contains. Medical bills, tax bills, loans, whatever it was, it may have felt insurmountable in that moment. Imagine if a benefactor walked up to us, took that bill, tore it up, and declared that they would take care of it. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that is exactly what Christ has done f...

We tend to take great pride in our self-reliance. Whether it's a physical need or desire, or a spiritual one, we prefer not to ask for help until it's absolutely necessary. While this may seem like an admirable characteristic, it doesn't fit well in the life of a believer. As Pastor Ricky examines the Lord's Prayer in today's message, we're reminded of God's great providence and our dependence on...

Our culture strongly encourages hoarding. Whether it's food, money, or possessions, we never want to be without. Some have such a fear of not having that they even buy things that they have no intention of using simply because it's a good deal. In today's message, Pastor Ricky compares that mindset to our approach to prayer. We can't hoard God's blessings and guidance. As Jesus taught us to pray,...

We only get one chance to live a life that glorifies God. Bringing Him glory is at the backbone of living within His will. As we walk in the flesh, in this temporary existence, we have free will. We have the choice to live for self or to live for Him. As Pastor Ricky leads us through our study of the Lord's Prayer, he challenges us to surrender ourselves fully to the will of God. Will we use our t...