His Message and His Ministry
Ahithophel was a highly regarded advisor to King David; “Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God” (2 Samuel 16:23). But when David’s son, Absalom, rebelled and sought to become the new king, Ahithophel joined with Absalom. Ahithophel had reason to be angry with David; he […]
The Look of Holiness
During the week before He was crucified, Jesus was asked many questions by the religious leaders. However, their questions were never asked for the purpose of education or to satisfy their true curiosity, they were asked with the intent of finding fault; “The Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap Him in His words” […]
Never Choose Barabbas
In the message “To Whom We Sacrifice” we saw how our daily actions reflect our priorities and values, and become, in a very real sense, the sacrifices we place on the altar. Everyday we make many decisions which either draw us closer to God or lead us further away – few decisions are truly neutral. […]
To Whom We Sacrifice
By the time Jeremiah became a prophet, the people of Israel had occupied the land of Canaan for about 800 years. Those years were generally characterized by a continuing rejection of God. Time and again the people turned from God and embraced the gods of the world. Through Jeremiah, God called His people to return […]
Pay More Careful Attention
In the message “A Divided Kingdom” we saw how Solomon’s divided heart – his lack of full devotion to God – eventually led to the division of the kingdom of Israel. We were then encouraged to continually draw closer to our Heavenly Father and prevent the kingdom of God within us from becoming divided in […]
A Divided Kingdom
Solomon was the third king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. And although not the eldest son, he was chosen by David to be his successor. As David was about to die, he gave Solomon some final counsel for ruling the kingdom. 1 Kings 2:2-3 “Observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk […]
Clean From Within
In the message “Rend Our Heart” we saw how God commands us to recognize our sin and tear our heart in sorrowful repentance as we cry out for His gracious and abundant forgiveness. The instant we first place our complete trust in Jesus we are born of the Spirit and released from the bondage of […]
Rend Our Heart
Every prophet in the Bible proclaimed a message which called the people to repentance. From Moses to John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles, the message was consistent; “Repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Repentance is essential […]
Out of Our Poverty
In the message “From A Pure Heart” we saw that God has blessed each of us with gifts, talents, and abilities. We are now to be good stewards by faithfully giving our blessings back to God with a pure heart. But what determines a pure heart? When Jesus saw the widow offer her two small […]
From A Pure Heart
As Jesus watched people place their offering into the temple treasury, He noticed a poor widow who put in two coins valued at less than a penny. Mark 12:43-44 “Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They […]
Surrender And Live
Jeremiah warned the people of Jerusalem for many years that they must repent or be destroyed. He often warned with direct words from God: “I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways” (Jeremiah 18:11). It’s hard to imagine a more direct warning. But the […]
Resolve To Be Transformed
Every year I begin with this message related to goals and resolutions. I’m always surprised at the number of people who speak ill about making resolutions. The discussion is usually focused on how resolutions always fail. Many say that it seems wrong, or at least unwise, to set goals when you are just being set […]