First Assembly NLR Audio Podcast

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?

As kids, we all had dreams - hopes for what we want for the future. It's easy to get discouraged about dreams, though. How do we know if a dream is the real deal? In this message, Rod Loy talks about how we can tell if a dream is from God.

Many people have hurt and pain caused by their families. If your family was, or is, dysfunctional, is there hope for you to overcome your past? Is there hope for you?

This series is titled Family Survivor, but really, you want to do more than survive.  There are times that just surviving is a victory, but for the most part, surviving isn't winning.  You want to do more than survive.  You want to win!

Not all family moments are fun or funny. Life is not one long fun-filled vacation. Challenges arise. Hard times come. How do you not only survive tough times with your family, but grow closer as a result?

Have you ever wanted to kick someone out of your family for doing something stupid?  Unlike reality shows, we really can't kick someone off our "island," but in every home, in every relationship, conflict will arise.  Solving conflict in a Biblical manner is key to a healthy home.

Life is pretty hectic these days, isn't it? The average family doesn't even eat dinner together that often anymore. In this message, the first in the Family Survivor series, Rod Loy talks about the importance of keeping your family together in a busy world.

So, gas prices have you down? They keep getting higher and higher with no sign of coming down any time soon. Gas prices are causing a lot of people to rethink their spending. In this final message of the Living Large series, Rod Loy talks about more principles to share with your family about money and finances.

Ants are tiny creatures with tiny brains. Yet, they somehow know to put away food and supplies for the future. Are you as smart as an ant? In this message, Rod Loy talks about more principles to teach your children about finances.

Like Veruca Salt, the little brat in the Willy Wonka movie, we often want to buy possessions right now. Stewardship, though, involves spending our money more wisely. In this message, Rod Loy examines some more principles of stewardship.

Some people get nervous when a preacher starts talking about money in church. But today, everywhere you go, people are talking about money. It's on TV, in the newspapers and the internet. In this message, Rod Loy teaches some principles that can transform your financial life and future and positively impact the lives of the next generation.

In this message, Rod Loy looks at the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem. From this story, we can learn some leadership lessons that affect our lives today.

People looking at your life would assume you to be incredibly happy. You wish that was true. If you have been trying to fill an empty spot in your life with money, power, fame, or position, you know it doesn't work. You can climb to the top in the world and still feel empty. There has to be something more, right?

Worship is more than a time in a church service when we sing. Worship is being in the presence of God anytime. In this message, Rod Loy looks at this principle: when you spend time in God's presence, blessings follow.