Podcast appearances and mentions of Jim Cymbala

Top headlines for Tuesday, September 16, 2025In this episode, Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle addresses a disturbing trend among some Christians celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Meanwhile, musician Forrest Frank remains unfazed by losing thousands of followers after expressing his views on the same topic. We also explore a significant legal decision where an appeals court has empowered the Trump administration to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood, sparking intense debate across the nation. 00:11 Jim Cymbala rebukes Christians celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder01:02 Forrest Frank lost 30K followers for Charlie Kirk post01:50 Hamas preventing civilians from fleeing before Israeli offensive02:46 Trump can defund Planned Parenthood: Appeals court panel03:36 Baptist pastor gunned down by family friend of 30 years04:37 House of Prayer leaders indicted on $26M fraud charges05:25 JK Rowling says she has a 'God-shaped vacuum' in her heartSubscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastFollow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTubeGet the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for AndroidSubscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!Links to the NewsJim Cymbala rebukes Christians celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder | Church & MinistriesForrest Frank lost 30K followers for Charlie Kirk post | EntertainmentHamas preventing civilians from fleeing before Israeli offensive | OpinionTrump can defund Planned Parenthood: Appeals court panel | PoliticsBaptist pastor gunned down by family friend of 30 years | U.S.House of Prayer leaders indicted on $26M fraud charges | U.S.JK Rowling says she has a 'God-shaped vacuum' in her heart | LivingCharlie Kirk's assassination shocks, horrifies America | Podcast

Sometimes what seems logical is not actually best. Abraham found that out when he ran to Egypt during a famine and ended up in big trouble with the leader of the land! God has a perfect plan—and moving away from His will can send us into a spiral. But praise God, even when we wander, we can go back to where God wants us to be! His arms are always open to welcome us home.

If we wake up every morning doubting God's goodness and wondering whether He will be true to His word, we are terribly blotting His holy name and reputation! One of Satan's greatest lies is that God won't bless us. But God is good—He loves us and does not forget His children. No matter what we face or how we feel, we can declare that the Lord will bless us!

As we journey toward heaven, trouble finds us along the way! We get wronged or offended, and we feel all alone. But as the apostle Paul at the end of his life made clear to young Timothy, we're never alone. God is with us, and He'll bring us through anything! When we are let down by others, we must remember that the Lord will make things right. What we're going through is not forever. One day we'll see Jesus, and He will wipe every tear from our eyes!

Diseases like cancer can only kill our bodies—but discouragement destroys the soul. Whatever we face, though—sickness, financial instability, or heartbreak—we must never give up. The bigger the trial, the more we need to pray about it! Jesus said to persistently ask for answers to our prayers. In the mighty name of Jesus, let's press on through life's hardships!

We can't take advantage of what we have if we don't know we have it! But too many of us Christians don't realize the full power of God's Spirit who lives within us. The Holy Spirit makes us know that we are God's children. He teaches and guides us. He even tells us what to say when we're challenged about our faith. Let's lean into His power today!

When people and pressures come hard against us, it's easy to want to quit. But God has given us exactly what we need to overcome, even in the hardest times: the Holy Spirit. We can't win the fight with evil, but the Spirit of God inside us can. And when we open our hearts to Him every single day, He will fill us and make our lives sweet and beautiful. What a gift God has given us!

God loves it when His people sing—He's not afraid of some noise! The world has hijacked music, making it vulgar and violent. But children of God use music to worship our loving Savior. He is our good shepherd, and He's worthy of praise! Today is the only day we have—let's worship Him in song.

Some Christians are like the wandering Israelites—moving but going nowhere. Just going to church isn't enough. We ought to take God's Word at face value and run toward all He promises us! There's so much God can do in and through us if we get out of the spiritual wilderness of besetting sin, discouragement, and contempt. Let's make a new beginning today—no more wilderness, only Jesus!

What is Satan trying to steal from you? He doesn't want your money or your car—he wants to take your joy and peace, your love for the Lord, and your purpose. But praise the Lord, Jesus recovers stolen property! Whatever has been stolen from our spiritual lives, we can rest in knowing that, as we cry out to Jesus, He will get it back.

Anxiety, materialism, and unforgiveness are like fevers in our souls. When we harbor these feelings, our spiritual health gets so hot that it becomes unstable. We hear one wrong word, and boom, we break down! What could possibly heal us? Only a touch from Jesus. His peaceful and restorative power works instantly. Let's plead with Him today to touch and heal us and remove any feverish outlook from our lives.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Haggai encouraged the Jewish people to prioritize building God's physical house over theirs. God used to dwell in a physical temple, but no more. We, His people, are His temple! Now, as believers in Jesus Christ, we must prioritize building God's spiritual house over our interests.

The world's language is judgment, but the language of Christ is love. When we see a brother or sister struggling with sin or caught up in harmful matters, it is not our place to judge or shame them—we must gently and lovingly bring them back to God. Jesus bore our sins instead of judging us. If He could do so great a feat of love, we can choose to help those who need it!

Christians aren't using the Holy Spirit enough. It's not emotionalism or fanaticism—the Scriptures detail gifts of the Spirit such as faith, healing, and prophecy. We must ask God for our hearts, minds, and spirits to be not just indwelt but filled by the Holy Spirit. Only then can we experience His power from heaven. Don't work. Wait for the Father's gift. We can't do the work we're supposed to do without it. We can be sincere and even saved, but without power. All born-again Christians have the Holy Spirit, but God promised the twelve something more. We need to be filled, ongoing. Not emotionalism—the true filling of the Holy Spirit. Some Christians think the fullness of the Holy Spirit was already given and we get no more. But that's not true of examples in Scripture, or in church history.

Typhoons are wildly turbulent—but underneath the storm is a peaceful stillness. In the same way, Christians face turmoil in the world every day, but we can live with peace in our hearts because of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. God dwells in peace. Any thought that brings agitation to our hearts and minds is the devil trying to rob us of peace—don't let him! To live with Jesus in our lives is to live with peace.

How effective are your prayers? Jesus said that if we don't forgive those who have hurt us, our prayers will be hindered. God forgives our sins—and He also forgets them. If Jesus can completely wipe away our sins, can't we forgive others? Today let's bring that person or situation to God and see how it will clear the way to effective, powerful prayer.

Where would we be if God didn't protect us from our own foolishness? Many of us have stories about things we did or places we went without seeking God first. But God is so patient and merciful—He blesses us even when we don't deserve it! Abraham, the father of faith, learned that firsthand, and we can too. If we've lapsed recently and fallen out of step with Him, let's get back in line. His ways are so much better than ours!

We can be Christians yet not really be living. But Jesus said He came that we might have life—and life to the full! Sometimes we get so concerned with technology, AI, politics, and work that we forget to nurture our relationships with Christ. But we have been made alive in the Spirit of God! And God wants to commune with our spirits. We can have peace and joy when we embrace a life filled with Jesus!

We all know the age-old question, “Is the glass half-empty or half-full?” As Christians, we can't hold to the glass being half-empty—that mindset shows a lack of thankfulness. We often commit a besetting sin of going to the next problem instead of taking time to thank God for anything. Why do we keep thinking about what we don't have? Let's thank God for what we do have!

Lots of Christians think worship is following a liturgy. Others think it's loud singing or jumping up and down. But the Bible shows us what worship really is. Moses, David, the prophets, and ultimately Jesus taught us that worship is all about one thing: surrender to God in the face of His amazing love toward us.

"Why, Lord?!" That's what the prophet Habakkuk asked God when he saw the wicked overcoming the righteous. God didn't give him an easy answer—but He assured Habakkuk that He was in control and that He would put it all right in the end. When everything seems backwards and we can't see the upside, we need to get alone with God, like the prophet did. Keep believing! God is still on the throne, and His plan is still good.

Great endurance is the ability to joyfully put up with the pressures of life. Problems may try to break us—but if we ask God for strength, the power of the Holy Spirit helps us endure them. We will get through whatever we're facing. Remember, Scripture says, “The one who stands firm to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). Let's ask God for endurance today so we can please the Lord! Colossians 1:9–12

When was the last time you led someone to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? The angels rejoice in heaven over the salvation of just one soul. Let's pray for a fire in our hearts—that God would give us a strong desire to bring others to Him. We can make an eternal difference in their lives!

We can't know if we'll like a new food—unless we taste it! It's the same with the Lord. That's why the psalmist told us, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). How do we do that? Whatever weighs us down and hurts us we can give to God, and we will taste and see how good He is. He is faithful! Let's experience God's goodness today. Psalm 34:8

What makes your favorite athletes so good? They're faithful to the game. That's how God wants us to be in our relationship with Him—constant, devoted, steadfast. Immature faith wavers with circumstances, bobbing up and down. A steadfast spirit trusts in God at all times. Let's pray for steady faith as we spiritually root our lives in Him. Psalm 51:1–19

God wants to bless us—and then make us a blessing. But for that to happen, we have to live by faith. That's how Abraham lived. When God told him to leave everything he knew, Abraham went, having no idea where he was going. He believed God. Will you leave behind the old and follow God into all He has for you today?

Ever wonder why some Christians burn bright and others barely flicker? It comes down to the fire of the Holy Spirit. Without it, churches grow cold, Christians get stuck, and pastors just go through the motions. This sermon is a wake-up call to stop making excuses and start desperately seeking the Spirit of God, who sets everything ablaze.

Jesus is coming back! The Bible tells us that no one knows the hour or day when He will call us to be with Him—it will as fast as the blink of an eye. Are we ready? Are we living every day as though Jesus could call us home at any minute? In this world full of tribulations, we can live with peace and purpose. We rest assured knowing God will take care of us and He has a future planned for us. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

A lot of people who go to church think, "You do good, you get good." But that totally misses the concept of salvation. We can never be good enough to get into heaven. Rather, if we simply repent of our sin and then trust Jesus as our Savior, heaven is where we're going! All the law does is tell us we're a mess. But when we look to Jesus, we see our Savior.

Waiting can be the hardest part of faith. We've all experienced prayer fatigue—the person or situation we have been praying for hasn't changed, and we get discouraged. One hero of the faith, George Mueller, spent decades praying before he saw change in others. God wants us to build up an arsenal of prayer for those heavy on our hearts. Let's lift them up every day and never give up.

People's hearts are so darkened. If we are going to make an impact on people with the gospel, we need God working with us and in us. Let's start praying for that more—we're working for Him, and now we can depend on Him to work for us.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us who believe in Him. And in His power, we are commanded to go into all the world and preach the gospel—to tell everyone about the change in our lives! Jesus' love and the Holy Spirit's power are not just for one people group. They for everyone

Imagine hearing that the man you saw killed is now alive. Would you believe it? The disciples didn't believe eyewitness testimonies, even though Jesus had told them He would rise from the dead. So the Lord rebuked them for their unbelief. Rejecting the truth of Jesus Christ isn't being a victim of unbelief—it's stubborn refusal. Lord, help us to believe in You!

Satan is a deceiver. But God, our Father, is honest—and He wants us to be true in our words and actions. We should act the same with everyone—not wearing a mask, like Satan would want. We can't force this openness; God has to make us sincere. Let's be real today and show the true love of Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples that He would come back after His death. Yet when He did just that, those friends and followers of His didn't believe it! We must have faith in the Lord and His word. Remember, without faith it's impossible to please God. What is God asking you to believe today?

God is always with us, and He's always on time. When the Scripture says, “My God shall supply all your needs,” we can rest in knowing that our Lord will keep His word. No matter what our struggles—financial, relational, physical—we know that God will provide. He will always do what He says!

God loves to see our spiritual lives rebooted with new life. Like when Jesus rose from the dead and an angel told the disciples that He was already ahead of them in another town—they had to get up and get moving! We have the awesome privilege of getting up, shaking off our past mistakes, and following after God. That's a decision we must make every day.

God's not done with you. No matter how many times you feel as though you have failed Him, His love doesn't go away. God is always faithful and merciful. Worship our great Savior today. He will always pick you up.

Have you failed God so badly that you feel He can't use you? Peter felt that way when he denied Jesus before the Lord's death. Yet when Jesus rose from the dead, He singled Peter out to tell him, "I'm not done with you." God's not done with you either! We have a risen Lord and Savior, and that means no matter how we've neglected or denied Him, Jesus is always ready to free us from depression, addiction, or oppression. We can rejoice this Easter in that reality! Mark 16:1-8

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then He is no one special. We know, however, that He is risen! We can't be Christians if we don't believe that. Do we live every day like He is alive and worthy of our praise and honor? Let's live today in the hope of Jesus' life!

Sometimes when God is ready to do something—enrich our lives, give us a fresh revelation of who He is—it's so awesome that it's almost alarming. The fear of God is not scary fear but rather this immense, almost alarming awe. It's like what we'd feel if we came face to face with an angel but a hundred times greater! Let's stand in awe of who God is!

Imagine stones of varying sizes. Let's call any impediment that blocks us from doing what the Lord wants a “stone.” A small one may be a bad attitude, while a death would be a large one. But whatever blocks we are facing, God can handle. He rolls away stones, no matter how big or small.

Have you been praying for something for a long time and seen no answer? That happened to the prophet Daniel. But it wasn't because God didn't care—it was because spiritual forces were battling in a way that we don't understand. Don't give up! Our strongest weapon against the power of darkness is prayer. We are on the winning side!

Jesus gave up His life so we could have the gift of eternity with God. He suffered physical brutality and emotional betrayal from His friends. But some women gave Him their attention, and a man named Joseph gave Him a tomb. They showed Him their love through their giving. What are we giving to Jesus? Can we give Him more? He's certainly worthy.

When we are devoted to Jesus—trusting Him, walking with Him, and leaning on Him for everything—we will never lack what we need. We will never be ashamed or disappointed. May God revive us so that we become totally devoted to Jesus, putting Him and His kingdom first and our own needs second.

In Bible times, a massive curtain separated people from the presence of God. But when Jesus died on the cross, that curtain was torn in two—from top to bottom! This act of God signifies that anyone can now have communion with Him, anytime and anywhere. Let's take advantage of that magnificent fact!

The world hates the name of Jesus. And if we associate with Him, the world may hate us too. Yet with help from the Holy Spirit, we can be all in for Jesus and even love those who hate us. It's more than worth it to deny the approval of the world for the sake of Jesus.

Jesus loves you. How often do we hear that and take it for granted? The truth is, we don't have to earn His love. God loved you in your past—however messy and shameful that may be—and He loves you today, in the present. We aren't worthy of it, and that's why we love Him back. Let's remind ourselves of Jesus' sacrificial love every day.

Jesus Christ is an outsider. To be followers of Him, we can't run with the crowd or fit in with the world. As the Son of the Living God, He goes against the flow. He's holy. Jesus was perfectly sinless, yet He endured unspeakable mockery and torture. And He did that for us. Jesus Christ—our holy, sacrificial Savior—has a beautiful, wonderful name. Let's cherish the name of Jesus.

Why didn't Jesus save Himself from the mocking and the beatings that He endured? He could have called down angels to rescue Him and punish His abusers. But He didn't. Because we, as sinners, desperately need a Savior. While Jesus suffered and died on the cross, we were on His mind. Reflect on His sacrifice and tell someone about our Savior today.