Advertise on podcast: Martyn Iles - At the Crux

The Bible calls Christians to overcome the world. But what does that mean? Does it mean defeating those who oppose us, avoiding suffering, or gaining power and influence? Jesus shows us a different kind of victory. He remained faithful to God, even when it cost Him His life. And because He overcame the world, we can face an uncertain future without fear.

Mercy. Integrity. Peace. These are qualities we admire, but they are not always easy to practice. What makes someone genuinely merciful? What does it mean to live with a pure heart? And where does real character come from? Jesus describes a kind of character that cannot simply be manufactured through self-improvement.

What actually makes someone a better person? More confidence? Greater self-belief? Looking deeper within? Jesus gives a very different answer. His opening words in the Sermon on the Mount show that real change begins when we stop looking to ourselves for the answer.

We are quick to say that we want justice. But what happens when that same standard is applied to us? If God is just, His justice cannot stop with everyone else. None of us measures up. The gospel offers something we cannot achieve or earn for ourselves: a righteousness that God provides.

Self-love, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-care, self-discovery. We live in an age increasingly preoccupied with self. But the self cannot be both the problem and the solution. We suppress the truth about God because acknowledging God threatens our desire to be our own authority. To understand who we are, perhaps we need to start by asking a different question: Who is God?

There is no shortage of theories about what is wrong with the world. Some blame politics, others education, others bad ideas or plain ignorance. But what if we have misdiagnosed the problem and there is something deeper going on? What if we are far better at suppressing the truth than we realize? [Romans 1]

Our culture is deeply confused about gender, but Genesis is not. From the beginning, God created humanity male and female, equal in dignity and made for one another. This message traces the biblical foundations of manhood and womanhood, showing how God’s design is not oppressive, but good, purposeful, and deeply connected to His plan of redemption. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Why hasn't God ended evil, pain and suffering already? It's the question behind nearly every objection to faith. From the first words of the Bible to the ultimate victory of Jesus, we trace why the clock is still ticking. Explore an ancient promise made right at the beginning of the Bible, the defeat of evil it points to, the problem of suffering, and God's plan to bring many people into a glorious future. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

It's easy to get lost in the details. Genesis takes us back to first principles. The world around us is not self-explanatory. It points beyond itself. This message explores why creation matters, what it reveals about reality, and why understanding the foundations of the world helps us make sense of many of the questions facing our culture today. [Genesis] Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Belshazzar knew. He'd seen what happened to his grandfather. He'd witnessed God's power firsthand. But he ignored it — and threw a party instead. Daniel 5 is the story of a man who resisted God for too long. It wasn't the size of his sin that destroyed him, it was how long he looked away. The writing was on the wall. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Revelation was not written to fill Christians with fear, but to fortify them with confidence in Jesus Christ. This bonus episode brings together key moments from the Revelation 1 series to trace its great themes: the reign of Christ over history, the endurance of His people, the certainty of His kingdom, and the call to lift our eyes above the chaos of the world and behold the risen King who rules over all things. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

The worse you have it, the less you can tell. That's pride. It is so difficult to recognise. But Daniel 4 reminds us that God resists and humbles the proud - as He did to Nebuchadnezzar, whose pride was humbled through God's extraordinary dealings with him. It confronts us with the reality that our pride must be recognized and dealt with before it's too late. This is a practical episode, teaching us what pride is, how to recognize it, and what to do about it. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Pride is deceptive. The worse you have it, the less aware of it you are. But scripture promises us: God opposes the proud. So, what is pride? How can we examine ourselves? How can we be humble? This is a practical episode about a high stakes problem, learning from the example of King Nebuchadnezzar and God’s dealing with him Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Fear often rises when we begin to see things we’d rather ignore. The natural response is to pull back, avoid, or look away. But stepping back doesn’t fix anything—it only deepens the problem. This message looks at why that instinct is so strong, and why drawing near to God, not turning away, is where change begins Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner

Doing the right thing does not remove opposition. Often, it brings it. Staying consistent, refusing to compromise, and continuing to do what is right where others can see it, shapes what follows. What feels costly in the moment can become a clear and lasting influence on those watching. Discover more resources and what’s coming next: www.atthecrux.com Partner with us in sharing truth and equipping believers. Give or support here: www.atthecrux.com/#partner