Sermons From My Heart

The center. As human beings, we often try to find the center of things. It is just the way we are. We want to find the center. What is the center of Christianity? The bull’s eye?  The nucleus? We all know the answer. Jesus Christ. There is no argument about that. What does God want from us? We all know- faith in Jesus Christ, believe in Jesus Christ, trust in Jesus Christ. Christ and faith in Jesus Christ is the center of Christianity. The bull’s eye. We know that.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

What does it mean to believe in Christ? To trust God like Father Abraham did, not wavering or doubting but firmly believing that God could do what he promised. That is what faith is: to believe that God can do what he has promised. It is to trust the promises of God so implicitly that you act on them.Paul uses the model of Abraham to prove justification by faith alone because the Jews held him up as the supreme example of a righteous man, and because it clearly showed that Judaism with its works-righteousness had deviated from the faith of the Jews’ patriarchal ancestors. In a spiritual sense, Abraham was the forerunner of the primarily Gentile church in Rome as well.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

It was Paul’s conviction that in our lives, we make such mistakes that there is no way that we can buy our way out. We can’t wiggle our way out of it, as we so often try to do. We hurt others by our sins of commission, of what we have done wrong to hurt others. The way that we have hurt people and our family. We cannot pay God back for all the sins of our lives. For all that we have done wrong. For all that we have not done right. And so when you and I come to stand before the judgment day before God, we are going to say, “O Lord God, please have mercy.”  And God, in that situation, pays the penalty for your sins. He takes the punishment. His son, Jesus, dies on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins with his blood. That is what the death of Christ is all about. That is what the atonement of Christ is all aboutBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Scripture is brutally honest about the sinful condition of humanity. Nobody is righteous, and no one fully reflects the image and glory of God. Paul elaborates in Romans 3:12-16 that humanity has become absolutely worthless, deceitful, poisonous, cursing, bitter, barbaric and brutal. Only through God’s law do we become aware of the reality of sin’s presence in our lives, and our inability to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the law. Paul writes, in Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin”.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Knowing God’s will is not the same as discerning a specific decision or path. To know His will refers to a revelation in Scripture that is agreeable to Him, what He requires us to do, what he commands, what He prohibits, what He approved and what He rewards. The Jews inherited this treasure trove of truth through their covenant relationship with God, yet they were blind to the promises being fulfilled before their very eyes. Because they possessed the law, the Jews were confident that they were spiritually superior teachers; guides to blind pagans, light, wise in God’s ways, and able to teach the immature (probably a reference to Gentile converts to Judaism). The Jews were to be spiritual guides to the nations, but Jesus  told them that they themselves were blind. He called them blind guides in Matthew 23:24 and blind leaders of the blind in Matthew 15:14.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

In Romans 2:1-16 Paul is “speaking” to an imaginary Jewish scholar who appreciated the indictment against the Gentiles in Romans 1. Religious moralists are indignant at and critical of other people’s shortcomings and indulgent of their own, but judging others is evidence that they themselves might be judged. God’s judgment is a fact of human existence that must be reckoned with if people want to escape the realm of fantasy and live in the real world. The assumption that “God would never condemn anybody” is so common today that Paul’s approach to the subject of divine judgment is largely rejected. Those who reject the concept rarely consider the alternative.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

The righteousness of God is the theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans. The fact that God is always in the right is both a challenge and a comfort. Mankind must realize that the rightness of human action is determined not by the moral standards of society but by the unchanging revelation of an eternal God. The closer mankind gets to the righteousness of God, the more uncomfortable he becomes about his own unrighteousness. The gospel realizes this and shows mankind how to become righteous before God.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

While Romans contains the good news of salvation and sanctification based on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, Paul begins with the bad news: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Only by agreeing with the bad news does the good news become life and light to the lost.   Romans is a book of practical exhortation. The good news of Jesus Christ is more than facts to be believed. It is also a life to be lived-a life of righteousness befitting those who have been justified freely by God’s grace-through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Isaac and Rebekah knew God had chosen Jacob to continue the line of God’s promise that had begun with Abraham, continued through Isaac, and would culminate in the birth of the Messiah. In spite of this knowledge, they didn’t train Jacob for his role or to teach him to wait on God’s perfect timing. They didn’t tell Jacob and Esau that God had different plans for each of them-plans they should seek, obey, and rejoice over. Instead of training their children to know and trust God’s revelation, God’s will, and God’s plans, Isaac and Rebekah followed their own emotions-their own feelings and preferences. Thus, Isaac loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

At first glance, the three stories we heard in Matthew 9:9-13,18-26 don’t have much in common. We have a tax collector, a woman with a bleeding disorder, and a man with a sick daughter. What could they possibly have in common? If we look deeper, we find that they are all sinners, or sick people.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Ephesians 3:14-21 might be the most glorious prayer in the New Testament other than the prayers of the Lord. Paul addresses all three members of the Trinity in his request for inner strength. Inner strength is absolutely necessary to spiritual survival because the outer strength of humans is so fragileBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

When I was in the Scouting Movement in the 1970s, I learned that the Scouts motto was “Be prepared.” Peter offers a similar motto to his readers. Our personal testimony is one of the most powerful and compelling tools God has given us in reaching nonbelievers with the Gospel.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you ever made a pilgrimage or taken a trip and felt like an outsider? The word “pilgrim” can mean anyone who is living away from home-temporary residents, exiles, strangers, foreigners. Christians are citizens of heaven, not of earth. They are outsiders, and it is to outsiders that 1 Peter is written, including 1 Peter 1:3-9.  These outsiders have been given the sense of belonging, the inheritance, and the honour that society refuses to give them. They have been reborn into God’s family. They may be seen by society as worthless, but God sees the tested value of their faith as more precious than gold. Christ’s resurrection has given outsiders such as us new life in the present and the promise of salvation and an eternal home.  In the meantime, they live in hope. This hope is not the mere wishful thinking that we express when we say things like “I hope things go well for you.” Their hope is a firm confidence grounded in God’s character and God’s saving actions. By raising Jesus from the dead and  giving them new life, God has shown them and us who He is and what He can do.   The word “elect” simply means “chosen.” God the Father chose His children for salvation and foreordained that they would be setBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

.When Mary and Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb where Jesus had been placed after His crucifixion, they found it empty. An angel told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women were told to go quickly and tell His disciples.  The women experienced fear and great joy. Joy and fear often mix in the working of the gospel. Fallen humans-even when redeemed-cannot help feeling great fear in the presence of the holy God and His angelic servants. Fear simply rises in us when we are confronted with a threatening moment. The fear is physical. It takes the form of an adrenaline burst. It makes the heart race. It gives us the energy to flee for survival. Over time, the stresses of fear take their toll in many illnesses that wear down both physical strength and mental well-being.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you noticed that almost everywhere you go online you need a password? You need one to log in to your bank’s web site. You need one to log on to sites such as Amazon or Facebook. If you forget your password, it can take some effort to create another one.  The people in ancient Rome were looking for the password that would give them access to God. Some thought that careful obedience to the Law of Moses was the key. Others thought that doing good deeds was the key. Others thought that deep philosophical knowledge would please God.  Paul claimed in Romans 5:1-11 that there is only one password that we need to remember: Jesus Christ. In Christ everyone has access to God’s grace, and the entire picture is reversed. Instead of us trying to reach God, God is trying to reach us through His grace. Bible scholars consider Romans 5:5-8 a central point of God’s love for humankind. It expands on John 3:16Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

When the world around us does not prize the church and its message as much as it does the newest Super Bowl commercial, we can hold our heads high: we’re on the side of God’s foolishness! We will win! It’s easy to find hope and promise in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. It’s much more difficult to let its message shape our lives.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Paul wrote about the new way of seeing things. The new way to look at the world could only be understood after Jesus came. Paul explained that the wisdom he taught was not worldly wisdom, but a wisdom revealed through the apostles and prophets. Paul admits that he came to the Corinthians in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. This is a healthy attitude in preparation for ministry. Only the power of God can fill the Christian’s heart and life with what is needed for effectiveness.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

There is an old saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Genesis 11:1-9 is a good example of this. The Tower of Babel stemmed from the builders’ sense of their own power. They were thinking too big: a tower to the sky. The tower was built on sameness, on conformity, on a denial of difference.Shinar, in the region now known as Iraq, was the location of the ancient kingdom of Babylon. The mighty leader Nimrod was the one who decided to draw all people together to form a powerful society and secure their unified might by constructing a massive tower-a symbol of human pride. When people are united, nothing is impossibleBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

In the 1970s there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He performed characters such as Brother Leroy and Geraldine Jones. One of his most famous lines was “The Devil made me do it!” In Genesis 3:1-24 we heard a story where the devil really did make someone do it!  Many people try to discredit the Scriptures. They claim that the Bible is ancient, so it doesn’t apply to today’s world. How can words written thousands of years ago have any bearing on life in our modern world? These people claim that the Scriptures are not inspired by God but are merely stories invented by the early church. The miracles of Jesus, even His resurrection, are described as myths. These false ideas should not surprise us. Satan, who hates God’s Word, tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He wants us to doubt God’s Word.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Even in our darkness, we have hope that the sun will come up soon and it will be light again. We light up the Christmas tree and we light up our houses. Light gives us hope in the midst of a dark world. Isaiah gives us that kind of hope. He spoke of the returning Messiah, one who would come to lighten our burdens, to right the wrongs, to restore all things to the way they were meant to be. This Messiah would be for everyone-Jews and Gentiles.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you ever noticed that life is made up of decisions? Decisions reveal the inner nature of a person. People make decisions based on conditioning that is determined by their goals and priorities.. We are responsible for our own decisions, but we are also accountable to God.  Jesus presents three very significant contrasts in Matthew 7:13-21. They are:  1.      The broad way  and the narrow way.2.      Bad fruit and good fruit.3.      Doing and failing to do the will of God.  The first contrast-the narrow way and the broad way-is a contrast between the abundant life which Jesus offers and the way of selfishness, which has no restraints. Jesus consistently teaches how hard it is to follow Him. The two gates in verses 13-14 represent every person’s choice: Following Jesus or following any other path. Only the more difficult, less-chosen gate to follow Christ leads to life.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Today’s society can own this psalm as its own. Stress helps us realize how much we need God to steady our lives. We also need God’s forgiveness, because we have also turned our backs on God. We worship things like money, power and sex. Chaos and sin are running wild in this world. If you don’t believe me, look as what has been happening in the United States since Donald Trump returned to the White House. We need to atone for our sins and those of our ancestors. We need God to hear the cries of the prisoners, the oppressed, those bound in Satan’s darkness and the darkness of their own compromised theology. We need God to glorify His name and vindicate Himself against those false idols who blaspheme Him and reproach Him and His Son. When we pray about something for the sake of God’s name, we urge Him to act in order to defend His reputation, to make His glory known, to honour Him, and to let others see His majesty and greatness.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

We as Christians live in the tension between faith and obedience, worship and work. One must lead to the other or we will have half a gospel. Psalm 50 demands faith that acts. It calls for worship that works. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

In Matthew 12:1-14 we read about two incidents that took place on the Sabbath. These incidents illustrate what Jesus meant when He invited His followers to find rest in His way of life. In each account, Jesus shows that the “burden” of the Sabbath is to do good by meeting people’s needs. The word “lawful” is important in this passage, in which Jesus had disputes with the religious leaders of the day.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

A plumb line is a builder’s tool for determining that a surface is straight. All sin and its resulting judgment is measured against the holiness and righteousness of God. This new understanding enabled Amos to fearlessly stand as God’s spokesman and accept Israel’s coming judgment as both necessary and just.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

God asks us the same question He asked Elijah: “What are you doing here?” What motivates us to be in church, a minister’s study, a particular job, a particular church activity, or a retirement hobby? What will we do with our lives, short as they are compared to God’s timeline? What are we afraid of? What keeps us from claiming our divine destiny? When life questions us, we may discover new sides of ourselves and the divine-human presence in our lives.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

For most of us, the idea of strength in weakness doesn’t make any sense. Strength and weakness are opposites. They don’t go together at all. Weaknesses are bad and are to be avoided at all costs. Strengths are good, and something all of us want. That explains why most of us do everything we can to avoid, overcome, or conceal our weaknesses. They make us feel vulnerable. They can even frighten us.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you ever wondered what it will be like in our heavenly home, also known as New Jerusalem? John uses the image of the city in the passage we heard from Revelation as an image of the qualities of life that make up the new heaven and the new earth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Several years ago there was a renewal of worship in the church. It was not a renewal of the liturgy. It was based on a liberal theology with a resulting change in language and theatre. It was not based on the Holy Spirit. It was a change on the outside rather than on the inside. Its centre was first in the Jesus movement of the 1960s. It brought in many “flower children” and their hippie culture. They were also responding to cultural change.  The heart of this renewal was the recovery of biblical praise. Churches returned to using open Bibles as the lyric sheet. The most important part of this renewal was the insistence that worship be directed to God Himself, rather than to the congregation.  For example, the chorus “He is Lord,” became real worship with the change to the second person singular pronoun. The new chorus became “You are Lord.” Before we are ready to worship, however, we must know the God to whom we are to direct our praise. This is revealed in Psalm 113Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

God invites us to join in a relationship with Him and our neighbours, and He wants us to respond. He wants us to join Him and fellow believers in the heavenly feast. That is why Jesus died on the cross and rose again. He paid the price for our sins so that those who believe in Him can be reconciled to God.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

On January 27, 2025, the world observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The world also observed the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where the Nazis murdered 1.1 million people-mostly Jews but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, gay people, blacks, Jehovah Witnesses, Freemasons, disabled people, and other “enemies of the state.” Should we forgive such unspeakable evil? Could we, even if we tried? These complicated questions are raised by the story of Joseph, especially in Genesis 45:3-11 and 15.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

When you were young, were you ever told to mind your manners? In that respect, “minding” is more like “remember” or “pay attention to.” It’s a matter of “keeping it in mind.” That is the type of minding we read in Psalm 19.  Psalm 19 reveals the God who is continually communicating with us through His works and through His Word. The psalm begins with a meditation on the works of God: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” As we “listen” to the heavens we hear God’s glory. They “continually declare” as they both worship the Creator with their praise and witness his glory to us. If you want proof, go outside on a clear night and just stare up into the sky for several minutes. Soak up the grandeur, majesty and vastness of the starry host-and then think: My God made all this. Nature is only a name for an effect, and the cause is God. The touch is his.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

How many of you received clothing for a Christmas gift this year? Did you know that when Jesus was born He gave us a gift that is similar to clothing? The apostle Paul talks about this in Colossians 3:12-17. We are to put on the garments of Christian grace.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

The events in Luke 19:11-27 took place just before Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where His earthly ministry would find its painful fulfillment. Jesus once again had to correct misconceptions about His kingdom. In this story of the nobleman, his citizens and his servants, Jesus presents three very distinctive lifestyles.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Joel 2:21-27 is a reminder of how God has provided for us in our lives. In the good times and in the problems solved and health restored, we are quick to inhale and ask for more, but in the not so good times…in the hard places of life that are not so easy to chew and almost impossible to swallow, we rarely even finish the first helping.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

In Luke 9:1-6, Jesus sent His disciples out with a specific purpose. He wanted them to do what He did-heal the sick and cast out demons. Realizing they were not qualified, He gave them power and authority to do as they were instructed in Luke 9:1. No degrees required, no extra clothing, no cash, no food-just a complete dependence upon Jesus’ power and authority.  The disciples were wildly successful-so much so that Herod Antipas, the ruler of the area, heard all about it and said, “I beheaded John the Baptist. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” Herod was both frightened of Jesus and fascinated by Him, as we read in Luke 9:7-9. Reports of the remarkable ministry of Jesus’ disciples led to speculation that either John the Baptist had risen from the dead or Eijah (who had prophesied centuries before in the same territory that Herod now ruled) had returned. Herod became fearful and jealous as rumours reached him that someone was performing mighty miracles in the region. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

We all do it. Whatever the defining factors are-race, denomination, political views, gender, economic class, or interests, too often we categorize people as “in” or “out.” These categorizations are demonstrated when we play favourites. The sin of partiality is one of the most subtle of all. Partiality reveals a non-Christian sense of values. James wrote in James 2:1-17 to warn believers of the sin of partiality and to remind us of God’s sense of values. He taught his readers to avoid partiality by observing three specific principles.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you ever said to yourself, “if only I knew God’s thoughts?” Some people seem presumptuous to think that they do know God’s thoughts. They’re full of advice and act as if they understand exactly what God thinks and what He would do in every situation. Too often such people fail to recognize that God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond our ability to understand. His ways are typically not our ways.  God’s Word does give a glimpse into His thoughts and desires. He calls us to forsake our worldly thought patterns and learn His principles for life because conventional, worldly wisdom is the exact opposite of God’s ways. By saturating our minds with God’s Word we begin to see both God’s message and His method.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Solomon also lacked wisdom when he became king of Israel. In 1 Kings 2:10-12 and 1 Kings 3:3-14, we see the “passing of the torch”. King David died, and the throne passed to his son Solomon. King David’s death marked the end of a momentous 40-year reign in Israel’s history. The line of David would continue on Israel’s throne, eventually culminating in the birth of the Messiah.  Solomon was known for his wisdom and wealth, and 1 Kings 3:3-14 tells how he got these gifts. Solomon’s rise to power was not easy. He had to wrestle the kingdom from his brother in a deadly campaign against popular military leaders and a high priest. The writer of 1 Kings thought it was important to show the other, more benevolent side of Solomon. He was not only a shrewd politician but also a mild and pious ruler (at least in the early part of his reign) whom God blessed with great abilities.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Has anyone ever told you that certain tasks or occupations are women’s work or men’s work? That attitude was very strong in Old Testament times because women and children were seen as nothing but property. Women had very few rights. They were seen as second class citizens in the eyes of everyone but God. We see a good example of how God uses women to do His work in Judges 4:4-23.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

2 Samuel 11:1-15 is part of the larger story of David’s sin. This story does not gloss over anything. It dramatizes David’s humanness in an unforgettable way. It also reminds us that in accomplishing His purpose God is always forced to use fallible people. It warns against presumption upon position and status, that all people are vulnerable, and that no one is above God’s law.  The more likely reason for the inclusion of this story, which shows David in such a bad light, is to explain the events that come in the succeeding chapters as a result of God’s judgment upon David. The repercussions of David’s sins do not end with the death of his and Bathsheba’s son but seem to lay the foundation for a whole series of tragic events-rape, murder, and insurrection. The shock waves that began in a lustful heart on a rooftop were still being felt when David lay dying and was being pressured to make Solomon his successor on the throne.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Have you ever paused to consider that you have a key part in God’s plan for salvation and reconciliation? We, as saved Christians, have been adopted into Christ’s family. The apostle Paul explains this in Ephesians 1:3-14.  Verses 3-14 contain the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. It is as if Paul does not want to take a breath until he has communicated everything God has planned for His people, from eternity past until eternity future. This prayer is rooted in the content of Paul’s life. Expressed in prayer is a great new understanding that Paul has talked about but never fully developed in other letters: the abolishment of the barrier between Jew and Gentile in the fellowship of one church is not only a part of God’s plan for them, it is the key to understanding God’s plan for the whole universe-His intention to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. This is big thinking and big praying.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

The passage we heard from 1 Samuel 17:1,4-11 is one of the best-known and most loved stories in the Bible. The story has embedded itself in the culture and language of humanity. It is so well-known that it has become the way of describing any conflict in which there is a marked difference between the combatants, whether they are athletes, companies, or nations.  This story has a special appeal for Christians, partly because of the natural support for the underdog. A larger reason for its popularity is that so many of us can identify with the situation. We are constantly challenged in our lives by the giants of the world, and we find courage and inspiration in David’s idealism and his faith in God. This is not just a story about a young man fighting a much larger enemy. It depicts the conflict of the ages. It is a story about the battle that has been raging ever since Satan rebelled against God-the confrontation between good and evil, between God and His enemy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

It can be easy to look upon those around us with judgment based on their flaws or faults. As we grow in our faith, the opposite starts happening. Instead of looking down on others, we begin to see them for who they truly are-children of God, unconditionally loved by HimBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Trinity Sunday is the one Sunday in the church year when we do something a little different. Instead of talking about Old Testament stories or Jesus’ teachings or healings, we talk about the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but it is there. Trinity is not an easy concept to understand or explain. In fact, many preachers decide to take Trinity Sunday off!  In order to understand the Trinty, we have to understand both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The time of the Old Testament was the time of God the Father, and that is referred to indirectly in Isaiah 6:1-8. The New Testament era was the time of God the Son in the form of Jesus Christ, followed by the time of God the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the hearts and minds of all believers.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

What does it mean to be connected? Well, it means three things. First, it means that we have power. When we say we have connections, it means that we have access to power and wealth. It means that we can get things done. When we are connected to each other through our faith in Jesus Christ, it means that we are strong and can get things done. Our faith gets nourishment and strength from both Christ and our fellow believers. As our faith strengthens, it bears fruit in the form of bringing benefit to ourselves and to the lives of others while doing God’s work in the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.Do you ever get tired of people who do nothing but complain? If so, then perhaps you can understand why God sent the poisonous snakes among the Israelites in Numbers 21:4-9. These verses describe the last recorded occasion on which the Israelites complained about the food God provided and their longing for the good food they had in Egypt. The other times they complained God provided food and water, but on this occasion God responded by sending poisonous snakes. Many people died from the snake bites. All of us complain when things do not go our way. We get upset with long lines or slow drivers, but the real reason why we are impatient might actually be because of God. God’s harsh response to the complaining of the Israelites is especially unnerving when we consider how often we show the same impatience in our lives. God often responds by sending “poisonous snakes” to stop us dead in our tracks, to confront us with the truth of the futility of thinking we can simply go our own way. God wants us to trust Him more than anything else in the world. When we don’t, we are in big trouble.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.Amidst the ruins of World War II Germany, a woman named Basilea Schlink brought together a small group of women in a faith community. They believed God wanted them to build a chapel, but they had nothing more than prayer, faith, and the encouragement of Scripture. They prayed, and land was donated, but repeatedly the building authority said, “You can’t build on that land.” One morning she read this passage from Colossians 2:10: “(Christ) is the head of all rule and authority.” She decided to walk 45 minutes into town to visit the building authority and, on her way, a car slowed to offer her a ride. The driver was the town’s mayor. “This man is the high official of our town that the Scripture spoke about,” she realized, and in five minutes she was able to explain her request. The building permit was granted, and a prayer tent was erected on the property as the women asked God to provide the missing $61,990 of the $62,000 needed to build. The funds came in. Schlink wrote that “this experience deeply etched into our hearts our responsibility to hang on in faith when a situation seems hopeless, for then the name of the Lord can be glorified before many people. “ In Romans 4:13-25, Paul analyzed Abraham’s faith so that people would know what constitutes faith. God’s promise is independent of the law and rests squarely on the principle of faith. Abraham’s faith was based on confidence in God. When God’s people look to the law for justification instead of looking to God, failure to keep the law makes them guilty and they face death instead of life. The object of faith is that which really matters more than anything else.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.Here’s a questions for those of you who have children. Do you love your children? Do you want what is best for them? Godly parents love their children. They always want the best for them. God our heavenly Father loves us as His children, as Jesus mentions in Matthew 7:7-12. He always gives us good gifts. He offers eternity to us free of charge. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins on the cross.

When we read that Jesus is moved with compassion, it means that He feels Himself so deeply into the sufferings of the leper that it is just as if He Himself is suffering as a leper. Jesus is not moved with pity-that is too condescending; not with sympathy-that is too superficial; not with empathy-that is too distant. Not just mind for mind, hand for hand, or even heart for heart, but stomach for stomach, blood for blood, gut for gut, Jesus feels His way into the leper’s needs, just like he feels His way into our needs today.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.