Right Start Radio with Pastor Jim Custer

Today we'll look at God's baby picture. It's a paradox, isn't it? The uncreated God had no beginning, but He gave Himself a human beginning. And that's what we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God," a kind of living photograph to bring the Transcendent One down into the realm of our senses. And He is much more, as we began to see yesterday in the first chapter of Colossians. Let's continue there, with Pastor Jim. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12182025_0.mp3Scripture References: Luke 2; Colossians 1:15-23

You didn't get to choose where you were born - but Jesus did! "The barn out back" wasn't Joseph's and Mary's first choice for a "birthing suite" - or their second choice, or their one-hundredth choice. To them it must have seemed like an emergency, makeshift solution. But all was going according to plan. Today Jim will help us see the Lord's birth from Heaven's perspective. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12172025_0.mp3Scripture References: Luke 2; Colossians 1:15-23

The stronger Christian is obligated to the weaker - but doesn't the weaker one have some responsibilities, too? We've been looking at Romans 14, and "doubtful things," to use the old term, matters of individual conscience. We're going to have higher expectations of those who are more mature, but even the most fragile believer has something to do, something to offer. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12162025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 14 & 15

You can't judge someone into joy. If righteousness, peace and joy are the land, sea and sky of the Kingdom of God, then what are we doing worrying about our brother's diet? Or have we forgotten which kingdom we're in? Paul writes very clearly about these things in Romans 14; the challenge is applying them to our day, and our concerns. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12152025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 14 & 15

The first obstacle to Christian unity is my pride. That's a real "Dog Bites Man" headline, isn't it? Of course our pride ruins everything - but especially our ability to bond with others. And that's essential for the church to flourish, and carry out God's program. The lesson we learned in Romans 12, about not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think... that'll be needed here, in chapters 14 and 15. Here's Jim to open the final sermon in our Romans series. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12122025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 14 & 15

Are the "strong" really as strong as they think they are? When the Apostle Paul divides us into those strong in the faith, and those who are weaker, what are we to make of that? Is this a proper way to promote unity - by splitting people into categories? Or does he want us to reflect more deeply on who we are, and what is our real position relative to our spiritual relatives? It isn't the position of "critic." Here's Jim to complete his message, Tolerance that Pleases God. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12112025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 14:9

There are just too many opinions these days... that's my opinion. Everyone has a point of view. In the church we even have opinions about other people's opinions - but we don't call them that. No, we have "convictions." And when other people's convictions about how to honor God conflict with our convictions, they're just wrong. Obviously. In Romans, Paul is very concerned about that attitude, because it leads to dysfunction in the Body of Christ. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12102025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 14:9

What is "good?" Governor Pilate famously asked, "What is truth?" But he, and every political ruler, should also be asking every day, "What is good? How should the force of government be rightly applied?" As we're looking into Romans 12 and 13, we're finding a lot of good insights into how Christians ought to relate to the state, to society, and to our circumstances. Here's Jim with Part 2 of his message, Delivered by Deferring. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12092025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 12-13

In the junkyard the meanest dog wins. But we're not in the junkyard anymore. Early in Paul's letter to the Romans we meet a different kind of God: The incorruptible Judge who does not wink at sin, but who also saves from sin. In chapter 12 we're charged with being a different kind of worshiper. We have duties not just to Heaven, but here on Earth. We'll talk about 4 of those obligations in a message called, Delivered by Deferring. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12082025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 12-13

Look... Present... Renew. If we've understood the truths spelled-out in the first 11 chapters of Romans, a response should be rising inside us. In chapter 12 Paul shows us how to shape that response: Take a good look at God's good mercies, make a rational offering of our bodies, and renew our minds. The Apostle gets more specific as he goes on. Here's Jim with the conclusion of his sermon, Living the Good Life. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12052025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 12:1-18

Have you laid your 67 percent on the altar? If God has my spirit and my soul, but not my body, isn't He missing about a third of me? Well, we can't split ourselves up into percentages that way. So the question is, if we've given Him less than all, are we really "His" at all? In Romans 12 Paul urges us to give a kind of offering that involves all 3 dimensions of our being. And it's all because of the mercies of God. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12042025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 12:1-18

The pill that cures your disease is in your mouth. Salvation - achieving right standing with God, and receiving all the benefits that go with that - is hard. It's harder than hard, if you try to do it yourself. But if we let God give us His rightness, then it's easy. Yesterday we began to look at Romans 10, and we saw that salvation is available to everyone. Jim has two more points to bring out, today. But we open with a prophecy by Isaiah. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12032025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 10

Could salvation be that easy? The devil would like us to imagine righteousness as something high and far-off; difficult to attain, even difficult to understand - as if salvation were a kind of sadistic and impossible puzzle. But God exposed that lie way back in Deuteronomy - in the passage Paul quotes in Romans 10. We'll look at that passage today, and Jim will help us make 3 discoveries from this chapter. Here's part 1 of, Mercy for All. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12022025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 10

This wasn't Israel's first catastrophic failure. If you want to know what God's going to do with His chosen people now that they have unchosen Him, just leaf backwards in your Bible to one of the many times it happened in the past. Paul is doing that in Romans 9. He picks a couple of scenes from the life of Moses to show that God is sovereign in His mercy, and God is just in His sovereignty. Here's Jim with the final part of his sermon, Can God be Trusted? Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS12012025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 9-11

Can you steal a promise? God's promises to Israel - can the church just "appropriate" them? After all, they're not using them. It's hardly even theft. No, as we saw yesterday, God has not disowned the Jewish people. Despite their rejection of the Promised One, His promises stand. In Romans 9 through 11 Paul gives some illustrations of the faithfulness of God. These are historical events that every Hebrew - and every Christian - should know. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11282025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 9-11

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11272025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 9-11

Your mentor is the Holy Spirit - if you'll listen to Him! We've been examining Romans, chapter 8, learning to be led by the Spirit rather than leaning on the Law. The Spirit of God is speaking to us, and He's speaking to God for us. And right in the middle of this chapter of freedom and comfort and wonderful promises, is the hard reality of suffering. Yes, the Spirit is here to help us with that, as well. Here's Jim to conclude his sermon, Missing Link II. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11262025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 6-8

If you're going back to the Law, Jesus isn't going with you! Romans 3 through 8 reminds us of the letter to the Hebrews - because Jews and Gentiles alike feel the tug of rules and commandments. Maybe it's pride that tempts us to "add our good deeds" to the finished work of Christ. Maybe we like to sit in judgment of others who don't check the legalistic boxes that we check. Here's Jim at the first verse of Romans 7. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11252025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 6-8

For the next half-hour Jim would like to speak to the dead people in the audience. Everybody still with us? All of us are either dead in our sins, or dead to sin. To be "dead in our trespasses" (as we read about in Ephesians and Colossians) is to be cut off from life, the life of God. It's the other kind of Dearly Departed that Jim would like to address today: Those who have been resurrected from that death, and are now dead to sin. Let's listen. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11242025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 6-8

Confirmation, and conformation. When "Christians" don't want to become holy, we have to question whether they're truly born again. But when believers try to sanctify themselves through obeying the Law of God, there's no question they'll fail. In Romans 8 we find the solution: living by the Spirit. He will confirm to us that we belong to Him, and He will conform us to the image of Jesus.That's a process. Here's Jim reading Romans 8, verse 2. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11212025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 7-8

Trying, versus dying. The answer to our recidivism problem - Christians like to call it "besetting sin" - is not to try harder to be good! That didn't work for anyone under the Old Covenant, and it still doesn't work. Yes, God's Law is good, but we won't become good by keeping the Law. The solution is much more radical than that. Today we'll look at some of the most mind-blowing, most glorious words ever written, in Romans 7 and 8. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11202025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 7-8

Have you been scammed by a fake Christianity? Were you promised that if you prayed a certain prayer, or came forward at a meeting, Jesus would take you to Heaven - but leave you in your sin? Were you told that you could accept Christ as Savior, and not as Lord? Were you sold Justification and Glorification, but when you got the package home and unwrapped it, there was no Sanctification inside? We're back with Jim in Romans 7, thinking about the Genuine Article. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11192025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 5-8

We're peeking behind the scenes into how God's transfer process works! In Romans 5 and 6 we see the transmission of Adam's primal guilt to us through our "DNA," if you will; the transfer of Jesus' innocence to us through faith; our change from spiritual death to life... and, as we mentioned yesterday, our graduation from being pardoned on paper, to becoming a functional citizen of the Kingdom of God. Here's Jim with more. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11182025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 5-8

"You're not just declared righteous, you're empowered to be righteous!" Believers here-and-now have the first chapter of our salvation mastered: Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. We stand clean before our holy God. But if we have PhDs in Justification, many of us are back in preschool on the subject of Sanctification. We're missing some knowledge on how to turn our right status into right actions. Pastor Jim is here to help us find that information. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11172025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 5-8

God's righteousness is bad news for us... and good news. In Romans 1, Paul lays out his topic for the letter: righteousness: The absolute perfection of God's moral character. We discover that we're immoral, impure, even rebels against the Right; and we realize that we have no future. We corrupt ones cannot coexist with His incorruption. But then Paul tells us that the righteousness that condemns us, can save us. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11142025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 1-5

God's ultimate goal is not to keep you out of Hell... but to take the Hell out of you! When we surrendered our lives to Jesus our accounts were cleared with God. Our negative moral balance was wiped out, and we were reckoned as righteous. So far, so good. But if we think that's all God has to say to us about the matter of right-ness, we're in deep trouble. The whole point of the exercise is to take that holiness on the ledger, and make it real in our lives. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11132025_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 1-5

You're telling me that all the things I'm worried about right now, gripping my mind and dominating my feelings - these are just "distractions?" A lot of our bad decisions come from worry, and a desire to "do something" about the troubling situation. We've been taught better! Yesterday we began to look at five characteristics of a Christian who's becoming more like Christ. Dealing with disagreements graciously, and having a Disposition of joy were the first two. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11122025_0.mp3Scripture References: Philippians 4

Worry and Peace. That would almost be a good title for a novel! All of us would trade our anxiety for inner peace. And that would surely lead to more interpersonal peace, more social harmony - which is especially important in the church. And that would bring joy to everyone. But how? Paul talks about these qualities and more, within just a few lines in his letter to the Philippians. We've all read them, but have we seen the purpose behind them? Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11112025_0.mp3Scripture References: Philippians 4

What'cha thinkin' about? On Friday we were thinking about fence posts - some metaphorical pillars that can help steady our minds when they start to go wobbly. And Jim will bring that idea home on today's broadcast. But the Apostle Paul has some more general advice for the Philippians: Reflect on the good. The encouraging, noble, inspiring things in life - whatever they are - are worthy of our contemplation. Let's join Pastor Jim at Philippians 3, verse 15. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11102025_0.mp3Scripture References: Philippians 3-4

What if I've never seen an anchor? In the troubled waters of November, 2025, hope is still our anchor. Even us landlubbers know what an anchor is. Basically. But in this sermon Jim will employ a metaphor that's a bit closer to home: fence posts. If you sink your posts deep into the ground, and get the concrete just right, you can build a fence that will last. We'll be testing the strength of our posts in Paul's letter to the Philippians. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11072025_0.mp3Scripture References: Philippians 3-4

The creation groans... but it will sing! "...the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." That's a promise that could be overlooked among all the blessings we find in Romans 8. But it has its seed in John 3:16, the verse we've been inspecting so carefully. God's wants to redeem not just you (though you're important), not just humanity, but everything! Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11062025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

The world is bigger than you think! "For God so loved the world..." we read. But what is the world? The Earth? The humans on it? The Greek word is kosmos, so maybe it embraces the divine order of the stars, and all of Creation! Question: If God loves the heavens and the earth, why will He destroy and replace them? These are things we'll think about in this message. It's the final installment in our study of John 3:16. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11052025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

We can't see God - directly. "No man has seen God at any time," but we can see His work. We can discern Him through His vast and wondrous Creation. But on a more personal level, we find evidence of God in the lives of people. An unselfish, upright, truly compassionate person makes us pause. There is a work of God to be witnessed here, just as there is in the pattern of the stars. Here's Jim with more about Living Above Limits. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11042025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

Some people don't want eternal life! Many of us have been laboring under the misconception that if we just explain the Good News to people clearly - if we can get them to understand the benefits of trusting Jesus - then of course they'll choose life over death! But there's more to everlasting life than Heaven. And that "more" is the sticking-point. Our study of John 3:16 continues with a sermon called, Living Above Limits. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS11032025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

The gift of God... is God! For the people we love, a gift of a card or a car - or anything in between - is no substitute for our presence. The greatest gift we can give is ourselves. God took this truth to the farthest extreme when He gave Himself (in the person of His Son) for sinners - not only to die in our place, but to live in us. We're exploring that very famous verse, John 3:16. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10312025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

Have you ever had a discussion that baffled both of you? In John 3, Nicodemus wasn't tracking at all with what Christ was saying about going through the birth process a second time - or something. And Jesus was floored by Nick's ignorance: "How can the teacher of Israel not have a grasp of the basics?" That's a difficult conversation. So the Lord simplified His lesson with a picture - a picture that even a professor of religion could understand. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10302025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

Does God really love us? Some people believe that God is indifferent and distant. Others have imagined Him as a puppeteer, and that this is all a show for His amusement. Do we have solid evidence that God cares for us - the kind of evidence we could touch? Yes, in His Son, lifted up on a cross. If we can get past our familiarity with John 3:16 we'll learn more about God, and about ourselves, than we imagined. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10292025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 3:16

Can you express your faith as a percentage? Welcome to Right Start with Jim Custer, Pastor Emeritus of Grace Polaris Church in Columbus, Ohio. The man had brought his demon-possessed boy to Jesus because he believed. But his dealings with believers had battered his belief. Something within us resonates with his reply to Jesus: "I believe. Help my unbelief!" Faith and doubt seem to coexist in our hearts. Here's Jim to help us raise our faith level. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10282025_0.mp3Scripture References: Mark 9:14-29

"There is one fate for all," Solomon lamented. But what about after that? God's sentence on the children of Adam and Eve stands: "You shall surely die." But when the Last Adam, Jesus, went through death, He changed everything. Today we'll visit the tomb of Lazarus to see not only the Lord's power over death, but His compassion for people, and His anger toward sin and its consequences. Here's Jim with the sermon, What Makes God Cry? Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10272025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 11:35

Does your God have a name? Some people insist that God has no name; or that He has many names; or that any name will do for "he, she, them, or it." But this seems like a way of de-personalizing the original Personality. The real God, with a face and a name and a particular character, is much more imposing. And much more comforting. Jim is giving us some Anchors for Troubled Waters. Let's return to John, chapter 14. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10242025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 13:38-14:6

When our world flies into chaos, Jesus gives us control.Today we'll think about that beautiful passage from John's Gospel that begins, "Let not your heart be troubled." The implication is that we can choose to be untroubled, even when distress and tragedy are falling on us. But how can we make that choice? That's what Jim will explain today - and the answers are right here in the text of John 14. The solution isn't to deny our problems, but to believe. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10232025_0.mp3Scripture References: John 13:38-14:6

We're familiar with the last half of 1 Corinthians 11 - but do we understand it? Divisions at the table. Hungry and drunk at the Lord's Supper. The body. Examination. Eating and drinking judgment. The other body. Dead, but not condemned. What's Paul trying to say in this passage? Whatever it is, it's pretty important; we're talking about life-and-death issues! Here's Jim at 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 23. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10222025_0.mp3Scripture References: I Corinthians 11

The Lord's Supper is a picture. And we need a bigger frame. The Corinthians had distorted the living image that Jesus gave us in the Upper Room. We have cropped out part of that picture. And others have painted over it as they wished, and hung it upside-down. But the picture can be restored - if we'll refer back to the original, as revealed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. Here's Jim with Part 1 of a sermon entitled, Tempting God to Death. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10212025_0.mp3Scripture References: I Corinthians 11

Love looks at the optics. "Avoid even the appearance of evil," we used to say. It's good advice! Think about the headline they'll put above the picture of you, doing that. Optics. If we value our Christian liberty above another Christian's tender conscience, the consequences can be dire. Jim has talked about Liberty, Learning and Love. In this broadcast he'll explain what he means by "Leverage." We're in 1 Corinthians, chapter 8. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10202025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 8

Science, and con-science. There is knowledge (science), and then there's something called "with-knowledge." That's what "conscience" means: the deeper awareness that must go along with our book learning; the knowledge that divides right from wrong. The Christians in Corinth were impressed with their big brains and all that was in them, but had forgotten how to use their hearts. That gave Jim the idea for this sermon, Turning Rights Into Rewards. Let's listen. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10172025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 8

No one says, "One day, I'd really like to be an addict." Whether it's drugs or food or sex or entertainment, we can be enslaved gradually, then suddenly. Our word "addiction" comes from a Latin word that means, "to deliver up, to devote, to sacrifice." So if we don't want to be the sacrifice, we won't sacrifice our time and treasure to idols - demons. Today we'll hear Jim's closing remarks on 1 Corinthians 10. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10162025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 9-10

"You shall have no other gods before Me." We're supposed to believe that the biggest problem in the Old Testament - the most intractable sin, and the most abhorrent to God - has just vanished from the earth. If we do talk about idolatry, we might confine the discussion to the love of money - and boy, do we know some other people who need to hear that message! Today our study of 1 Corinthians will help us think more seriously about the rivals for our affection, and what's behind them. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10152025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 9-10

If your North Star is your own happiness, you'll most likely be very unhappy! If we point ourselves in the direction of God's approval, we'll get blessing and contentment and reward. (Earthly happiness not guaranteed!) Over the last half-century we've seen what the philosophy of "My Happiness Above All" has wrought: Destruction. And there's no need to tell you that this applies most acutely to our sexual lives. Here's Jim with Part 2 of, Sacred Sex. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10142025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 7

We know about the gift of sex, but there's another gift, too! As we continue in 1 Corinthians, we find some powerful principles governing God's gift of intimacy between husband and wife. Oh, what a different world we would live in if those who name the name of Christ would trust Him in this area! But we've also forgotten what the Lord said about celibacy. Paul presents it as a higher gift, without denigrating marriage. Here's Pastor Jim to begin the message, Sacred Sex. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10132025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 7

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10102025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 6:9-7

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10092025_0.mp3Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 6:9-7