Sermons From My Heart

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.

How can you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? The question was an urgent one for the audience that Deuteronomy 18:15-20 addresses. After Moses, who was the pre-eminent prophet-dies, how will the people know the will of God? They can't consult sooth-sayers and mediums like the nations around them do, so how would they know who speaks for God? When we stand at the threshold of something new, we know that the path ahead will be both challenging and rewarding. We wonder how it will turn out for us. God's compassionate response to the people's complaints is a powerful testimony to the love God holds for His people.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

In Genesis 15:1-11,17-21, Abram wants to know who God is, and how God can be trusted, especially since there had been a delay between God's promise of an heir for Abram and its fulfillment. In verse 1, the phrase “Do not be afraid” is heard. This is the first time this phrase has been recorded in the Bible. Fear comes when God's people take their eyes off of the One who promises and begin to worry about the promise. Because Abram refused great wealth in Genesis 14:21-22 and did not have an heir, He needed to know that God was his shield and exceedingly great reward---his Protector and Provider.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Had the wireless radio been on, they would have known the Titanic was sinking. The radio operator of another ship had tried to relay a message to the radio operator on the Titanic letting him know that they had encountered an ice field. But the Titanic's radio operator was busy relaying passengers' messages and rudely told the other radio operator to be quiet. The radio operator on the other ship turned off his radio and went to bed. Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Their distress signals went largely unanswered because few other ships were listening. First Samuel 3:1-10 focuses on listening for God and His varied movements within our lives. God always talks to us through insights, encounters, hunches, dreams, bursts of energy and inspirational thoughts. Our calling is to listen to the many voices of God that are often hidden in everyday experience, and then follow God's guidance. These voices shape our encounters with God in our own unique ways.

The good news of Christmas is linked to Christ's birth, and Christ's birth is explained in Galatians 4:4-7. Figuratively speaking, God's calendar had a day with a big star on it-when the time was right for Christ to be sent forth into this world. Jesus was born when Rome was conquering and ruling the known world. The Roman Empire built roads that connected cities, towns, and military bases. These roads allowed the Gospel of Salvation to be taken all over Europe. Travel was safer than it had been earlier, a mail system was in place, and a common language existed. There was open idolatry, spiritism, and demon worship. The religious establishment was almost completely corrupt. With the absence of war, many people were rediscovering art, literature, and philosophy, and they were asking questions. All of this was part of God's perfect, divine plan. It was always God's plan for Christ to be born, live among us, die for our sins, and rise again. Revelation 13:8 calls Him “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This means that before there was a planet called Earth and a garden called Eden, before there was a couple known as Adam and Eve who ate of the forbidden fruit, God knew that humanity would blow it. He had a plan. His Son would come to earth and be born in a manger, live a perfect life, and die on the cross for the sins of the world.

Today is Reign of Christ Sunday, also known as Christ the King Sunday. It is an affirmation that Christ and not our national interest, personal self-interest, or political leaders is to be our ultimate concern. Psalm 100 teaches us how and why to worship God as our King. Psalm 100 celebrates God's loving presence. We are God's beloved sheep, protected and nurtured by the good shepherd. Thanksgiving and praise are the only responses to divine providence and care. We can live joyfully because love rules the sun, stars, and humankind.

Who is in charge here? Who is in charge of the world? Ezra 1 answers these questions simply and repeatedly: God is in charge. Ezra 1:1-11 illustrates God's sovereignty over His people-indeed, over all peoples, and over all of human history. It provokes us to reflect on the scope, security, and scandal of God's sovereignty. God is described as having the power to move a king who himself claimed to be “king of the world, great king,…king of the four rims (of the earth).” God also moved in the spirits of the Jews who decided to return to Jerusalem. Finally, Ezra and Nehemiah implied that the Lord brought the people up from Babylon to Judah, just like He brought the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Just as God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to act on behalf of His people, so also can He act in the hearts of those in authority over us to act for our benefit. He is sovereign, and He acts in response to prayer. God not only moves the spirits of unbelievers such as Cyrus to act in certain ways, but He also moves the spirits of His people to particular actions. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit. God holds sway over all of human history. Human hearts and political processes also stand under the sovereign rule of God. God's reign is not limited to His own people-He can raise up even a foreign king to fulfill His prophecies. God's sovereignty does not obliterate human freedom and responsibility. Human beings can and do act contrary to God's will and will be held accountable for their wrong choices. As we take the fullness of God's sovereignty seriously, our ways of thinking and acting will change. We will begin to see our secular jobs and spiritual turf as places where God's standards still apply. We will also think differently about national affairs, such as prayer in schools, poverty, racism, health care, and education. God's rule extends to every aspect of life, so we can feel secure.

If we are to be effective in anything we do for God, He must be in the midst of it. Unless God's power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. Unless we show His life to others, they will see only good behaviour that is easily counterfeited by moral people. Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes people have short memories? We see a good example of this in Exodus 16:2-15. Gone from Egypt for only a month, the people accused Moses and Aaron of deliberately leading them into the wilderness to kill them. They forgot the parting of the Red Sea. They had struck their timbrels and sung their lyrics of praise there in their triumph over Pharoah as they looked back and saw his army drowned on the seashore-but now, they were hungry. They could not believe that God could satisfy their hunger even after He delivered them from the hands of death. The need for bread in this early stage of the journey out of Egypt provides both God and God's people with an opportunity to understand and trust each other.

In 1 Kings 3:16-28, we see an illustration of the supernatural wisdom with which King Solomon was blessed. In Israel, the king was the ultimate “judge” of the land, and any citizen, even the basest prostitute, could petition him for a verdict. Solomon carefully lived by God's rules at the start of his reign, and God gave him success. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and with it, God gave him economic prosperity and fame. God expects everyone to use their gifts to do His will. When they do, everyone else benefits.

It is an exciting thing to experience God as the living God. Too often we are so caught up in the routine of life, even church life, that we miss the drama of calling out to Him and knowing that He hears us and answers us. Biblical life is intensely personal. God has opened Himself up to us and we now enjoy a living relationship with Him. Since He is our King, He intervenes on our behalf with mighty acts of deliverance. He does not abandon us to the grinding laws of nature or to our foes.

Throughout history many terrible things have been done by individuals who were motivated by a lust for power. Especially despicable are those who dressed their ambitions in the clothing of religion.

If there is anyone who should stand out for distinctiveness, it is those of us who are children of God. When we display our nobility, not arrogantly, but boldly, the world will resent our nobility, and the world will try to squeeze us back into its mold. That's what Joseph's brothers tried to do to him. They tried to make him conform, but he had been transformed, and he would not conform. God had a plan for him. God said, “Joseph, you're going to be different. You're distinct.” God says the same thing to us today. We are different, We are distinct.

Daniel 7:9-14 is a vision of the divine throne from which judgment will come. God gave Daniel the ability to prophesy which empires would rise and which would fall because world powers are under God's control. Through this vision, God told Daniel about the coming of the Messiah and the final judgment. Daniel didn't understand everything he saw, because some of the events would not take place until five hundred years later.

There is a beautiful celestial object that glimmers in the night sky. It is called the Orion Nebula. It is the nearest “star factory” to Earth and is a bright, stellar nursery where hundreds of new stars are being born. It is visible with the naked eye unless there is light pollution, cloudy weather, or a problem with our eyes. No matter what the weather is like, no matter at what point in the earth's rotation we are positioned, and no matter at what point in the revolution around the sun we are coasting, the nebula remains there. According to Psalm 139:7-10, that is how it is with the Holy Spirit. God's abiding presence is not determined by the weather in our hearts that may obscure or reveal His loving activities in our lives. His presence is not determined by how we are feeling on a particular day of the year, or how we are faring during a particular season of our lives. The Holy Spirit is always present, active, and in reach.

In Mark 12:13-17, we see another attempt by Jesus' enemies to trap Him. This time there is an “unholy alliance.” The members of the Sanhedrin combined with the Pharisees and Herodians to snare Jesus in a trap. The Herodians were Jews who let it be known that political expediency overruled religious convictions when survival is at stake. Hate flashes back and forth over the wide differences between the two groups. It led to the point where the Sanhedrin convinced the Herodians and Pharisees that their enmity would be better spent against their common enemy, Jesus. They were a good example of the old saying that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

In Romans 6:1-11, Paul addresses people who were baptized or preparing for baptism. He talks about the purpose, function, and goal of baptism, in relation to all human beings who are held under the grip of sin and the reign of death. Through baptism, humanity can make the transition from sin into grace.

We live in a society that is a go-along-to-get-along generation. We don't like confrontation. We don't want to comment on the way other people live or don't live their Christian lives. Who do we think we are to insist that others should be consistent in their faith? Who died and left us in charge? What the Christian movement needs now are more disciples who are more consistent, more devoted to the Lord, and more zealous for His Kingdom and righteousness. Such disciples would not be able to keep from calling for the repentance and renewal our generation of Christians needs so badly.

Israel's redemption and the redemption the psalmist sought in this passage point to the work of Jesus. God redeemed all His chosen people by ransoming them from the oppression of sin, again in two ways: at the expense of the enemy of our soul, who was bound with all his angels and is destined to eternal condemnation; and at the price of Jesus. By binding the devil and taking our sins on Himself, Jesus redeemed us from sin's oppression and set us free to live according to the Law of liberty and love.

There is a story of an old prospector in the last century who had to make a long journey across a hot desert. He couldn't carry enough water to make the journey without dying of thirst, but he was told that there was a well halfway across the desert. He set out and sure enough there was a well right where the map indicated. When he pumped the handle, the well only burped up sand. Then he saw this sign: “Buried two feet over and two feet down is a jug of water. Dig it up and use the water to prime the pump. Drink all the water you want, but when you are done, fill the jug again for the next person.” Sure enough, two feet over and two feet down was enough water for the prospector to prime the pump or finish his journey. Should he pour the water down the well or should he drink it? Most of us would probably drink the water that was buried. We don't know who wrote the sign on that old pump. It could be a cruel joke. We could pour that water down a worthless well only to watch our lives drain away for lack of water. The events in John 7:37-39 took place during the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles. Every morning during the feast there was a procession to the fountain that supplied the water for the pool of Siloam. The priest filled his golden pitcher as the choir sang. Then the crowd proceeded to the temple carrying branches and twigs in the right hand, reminding them of the huts they built in the wilderness. In their left hand they carried a lemon or citron, a sign of the harvest. They proceeded to the altar waving the branches and singing. The priest went to the altar at the time of the sacrifice and poured the water into a silver funnel through which it flowed to the ground. On the seventh day the crowed circled the altar seven times to celebrate God's gift of water when Moses struck the rock in the wilderness at Meribah. It was at this moment in the midst of the celebration that Jesus stood and cried, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” This invitation was rooted in the time and place when Moses faced the thirsty crowd at Sinai crying out for water, and almost in desperation, he struck the rock, and water came out abundantly. As the rock was struck in the wilderness, Jesus will be struck and broken open and life will flow forth to be shared with everyone who will come and drink.

The events that took place during the period between the Resurrection and Christ's Ascension were as critical for us as they were for the disciples and the early followers of Jesus. What He said and did during that period solidified what had been, and raised expectation for what was to come. The same preparation for power must happen in us. We need to understand who the Holy Spirit is, what we can expect when He takes up residence in our minds and hearts, and what we can do to open the riverbed of our personalities for His flow. The infallible proof of His resurrection and victory over death were critical to the birth of the church, as His disciples were about to give their lives in Christ's service.

Have you ever noticed that life isn't fair sometimes? We do the right thing and people misunderstand us or mistreat us or they run their own selfish agendas. We end up with the raw end of the deal. Have you ever noticed that? When that happens sometimes we want to “tear that person's head off.” Some of us can do that and we have become pretty good at it in time. Then along comes Jesus. The Son of God-miracle man extraordinaire. If anyone had the right to tear some people apart when they arrested Him, beat Him, spat on Him, and mocked Him-well, He did. He said nothing, and they nailed Him to a cross. Why? Why didn't He say something? Why didn't He give them hell?

In 2 John 1:1-13, John's concern about Christians obeying the commandment concerning love is forcefully emphasized. The phrase “love one another” occurs 13 times in the New Testament. Jesus used it four times and said that believers' love for each other would show that they were His disciples. The apostles Paul, Peter, and John reinforced this nine times in their letters. Genuine love for God is shown through obedience. Love and obedience are the result of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of a believer. The truth that Christ is both God and man, Lord, and Saviour, is more than a set of propositions. It is living, and it abides forever. False teachers, whom John calls deceivers and antichrists, were spreading false teachings. To keep walking in the truth was how John's readers would defend against such teachings. Some people think that only the sincerity of one's beliefs is important, but the truth of those beliefs is what matters. All truth is found in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.

Second Timothy 4:1-11 is part of one of the last letters the apostle Paul wrote before he was put to death. In this letter, Paul gave his apprentice Timothy instructions about how to do his work as a minister. These instructions also apply to all Christians. Timothy was told to continue the work Paul had begun, just as Joshua did after Moses and as Elisha did after Elijah. Timothy was told to not only preach the word in all situations, but be ready to properly address his audiences, persuading with a clear presentation of the truth, rebuking in the face of sin, and course-correcting with patient exhortation and instruction as needed.

When you were a child, were you a fan of superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, or Batman? If so, you aren't alone. Children want to know secrets and tap in to something beyond the ordinary. Even as adults we want to believe that there is a hidden factor in life that we can tap into and fulfill our destiny. We are fascinated by the idea of extrasensory perception, or ESP, of somehow communicating mysteriously across miles. Most of us hope that there is a force or power out there that is trying to get through to us to improve our lives. The last place most of us think of finding that power is in the Christian faith. Christianity often seems dull. Christianity may be true, but sometimes it isn't very exciting. That's because we forget that the most powerful force in the universe is present within us. That force is the Holy Spirit. This is the message of the Emmaus Road story, which we read in Luke 24:13-35.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a prophecy. In this prophecy Ezekiel is taken to a valley in which he sees the skeleton remains of a fallen army that was slain long ago and never buried. This army represents the people of Israel after the fall of Jerusalem. What he sees happen is a source of great hope for God's people. He sees in the resurrection of the bones the revival of God's people. This passage looks forward to a day when God will gather the remnant of His people to Israel again. He will breath new life into them in such a way that the whole world will see the miraculous hand of God.

You have likely heard the old saying about getting a taste of your own medicine. It means having something done to you that you do to others. We see a good example of this in Jeremiah 7:21-28. God was disgusted with the Israelites. They had provoked Him to anger. Now they would get a little taste of what it felt like to be provoked. Enemies would come upon them. They were no longer to be the object of Jeremiah's cries or of his prayers. The protective covering that they had was removed because even the ordinary things of life were contaminated by idolatry.

In Isaiah 1:10-20, we see another case where the Israelites have turned away from God. The Israelites were still offering sacrifices, but they used them to attempt to manipulate God, so God rejected their worship. God wants worship from a sincere heart. He will not accept the so-called worship of those who mistreat others.