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The Morning Devotional Season 11 | Edition 72 August 17, 2026 Psalm 112 This devotional explores Psalm 112, presenting the blessed life of a person who fears the Lord and delights in His commandments. The text highlights that true righteousness results in spiritual stability, generosity toward the poor, and an unshakable trust in God amidst adversity. It emphasizes that these godly characteristics are not innate but are cultivated through the work of the Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification. The message encourages believers to live out their faith through actions that reflect God's grace and justice, rather than merely offering verbal praise. Ultimately, it calls Christians to emulate Christ by trusting in divine sovereignty and extending mercy to others.

The sermon establishes Jesus Christ as the all-sufficient Savior for every aspect of the Christian life, countering false teachings that demand additional spiritual practices. Drawing from Colossians 1:1-13, the preacher highlights a model prayer that affirms the truth, fruitfulness, and substance of the gospel. The message emphasizes that the gospel produces faith, love, and good works, serving as the foundational source for sanctification rather than merely the starting point for salvation. By tracing these blessings to the Father's grace, the Son's redemption, and the Spirit's application, the text urges believers to rest entirely in Christ. Ultimately, the sermon calls the audience to imitate Paul's gospel-centered mindset, rejecting human traditions in favor of the complete sufficiency found in Jesus.

The sermon explores the profound connection between internal thoughts, spoken words, and spiritual defilement based on Matthew 15. It argues that human nature is corrupted by evil thoughts originating from the heart, which inevitably manifest in destructive speech and actions. Drawing parallels with historical accounts of mental health struggles, the message emphasizes that true transformation requires a divine heart transplant rather than mere behavioral modification. The central hope lies in the gospel, where faith in Jesus Christ grants believers a new identity and pure mind through the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the preacher urges listeners to rely on this grace to overcome sin and secure eternal life.

The sermon addresses the reality of life's difficulties by categorizing their sources into uncontrollable circumstances, personal choices, and divine purposes for spiritual maturity. Drawing primarily from Nehemiah chapter five, the speaker illustrates how believers must distinguish between external pressures like inflation and internal failures caused by sin. The central message emphasizes that while some problems are inevitable, others result from poor decisions or serve to refine character through discipline and discipleship. Believers are urged to acknowledge God as the ultimate problem solver and rely on His Word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit for guidance. Ultimately, the text calls for right choices rooted in trust in Christ to navigate trials and fulfill God's purpose.

The Canons of Dort Head 5: The Perseverance of the Saints ARTICLE 4 Man in the weakness of his flesh must be watchful and prayerful that he will not reject the influence that God exerts in his life, and thereby fall into great sin. Although the saints backslide, they are not ultimately lost (cf. David and Peter). Although the weakness of the flesh cannot prevail against the power of God, who confirms and preserves true believers in a state of grace, yet converts are not always so influenced and actuated by the Spirit of God as not in some particular instances sinfully to deviate from the guidance of divine grace, so as to be seduced by and to comply with the lusts of the flesh; they must, therefore, be constant in watching and prayer, that they may not be led into temptation. When these are neglected, they are not only liable to be drawn into great and heinous sins by the flesh, the world, and Satan, but sometimes by the righteous permission of God actually are drawn into these evils. This, the lamentable fall of David, Peter, and other saints described in Holy Scripture, demonstrates.

Closing Thought: Three witnesses stand before us: the water, the blood, and the Spirit. Each points to the same truth: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to save His people from their sins. Beloved, when doubts come or the world challenges your faith, remember that God's testimony has not changed. The message is consistent, the witnesses agree, and Christ remains the same. Believe God, rest in His Son, and encourage one another to hold fast to Him. NOTE: A suspected lightning strike from the previous night's storm knocled out the transformer to our church. So, with minimal power and no air conditioning, the church carried on. The noise you hear in the background is a large fan.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psalms 119:130) *1/ God's word. 2/ The entrance of God's word. 3/ The entrance known by what it gives - Light and understanding.* **Sermon summary:** The sermon emphasizes the necessity of deeply internalizing Scripture rather than merely reading it as a duty. It establishes the divine origin and authority of the Bible, arguing that its truth is confirmed by historical accuracy and fulfilled prophecy. The preacher illustrates how the Word enters into the world through missionary work. It then enters the heart by the Holy Spirit applying the word preached or read. This spiritual entrance results in two primary blessings: illumination of sin and Christ, and the granting of spiritual understanding to the simple. Ultimately, the text calls believers to actively seek this transformative encounter with God's Word for their eternal benefit.

Why is there something instead of nothing?

In "The Sons of God, Part 4," Pastor McNutt returns a fourth time to Romans 8:14, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God," asking again how a believer may know he is a child of God. Opening with the memory of a Sunday school teacher who wanted nothing but his good, he presses the far greater truth that God has placed the Holy Spirit Himself in every believer as the One who is in our corner. Drawing on Galatians 5:17 and James 4:5, he shows that the Spirit exerts a strong, jealous influence against the flesh, yearning for our sanctification and final glorification, and that this jealousy is the same holy jealousy God declares of Himself in Exodus 20. He then answers the practical question of what such leading actually looks like: a spiritual outlook that hungers for the Word and the company of the brethren, a citizenship in heaven that loosens our grip on what is seen, a life aimed at God's glory rather than self, a growing desire to know Christ, a deepening awareness and grief over indwelling sin that drives us to confession, a watchfulness against temptation, and the active putting to death of the deeds of the body. God leads, but we must walk; sanctification is cooperation with the Spirit and the Word. The evidence is the singular fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, increasingly manifest in a changed life. God did not save us merely for heaven, or He would have taken us home at once. He saved us to make a difference now, and the Spirit will transform us into the image of the Son.

The sermon presents the Tower of Babel as the culmination of mankind's recurring desire to reject God's authority, exalt itself, and become like God—a temptation first introduced by the serpent in Eden and repeated throughout human history and false religion. Rather than obeying God's command to fill the earth and spread His glory, humanity unites in Shinar to build a city and religious tower reaching toward heaven, seeking to make a name for themselves and establish their own kingdom through human power and works. Their unity becomes an anti-God, anti-dominion project in which mankind attempts to seize what belongs to God rather than receive His blessings by faith. Yet their supposedly magnificent tower is so insignificant that Scripture pictures God as having to "come down" merely to see it, exposing the foolishness of human pride. God therefore confuses their language and scatters them throughout the earth, both judging their rebellion and graciously preventing a unified wicked humanity from destroying the faithful line through which the Messiah would come. The sermon concludes by contrasting Babel's false unity with the true unity accomplished by Jesus Christ: at Pentecost the confusion of languages begins to be reversed as people from the nations hear the gospel and call upon the name of the Lord, showing that humanity does not ascend to heaven through its own works, but heaven comes down to humanity in Christ, whose kingdom gathers redeemed people from every nation into one blood-bought people united around His name rather than their own.

Proposition: Because by nature, we are enslaved to Satan, Jesus, our king, came to defeat him and to set us free so that we would be grateful and prepared for spiritual battle. 1. The Debate Over Jesus' Authority (vv. 14-20) 2. The Parable of the Victorious Plunderer (vv. 21-23) 3. The Parable of the Return of the Unclean Spirit (vv. 24-26) Lessons - See the great harm that the devil seeks to do and be prepared - Half-hearted conversion is very dangerous - Praise God for our Mighty Saviour

The sermon explores the nature of God as love and its manifestation through the new birth, identifying faith, righteousness, and love as the primary evidences of regeneration. It emphasizes that God's love is demonstrated historically through the incarnation and propitiation of Christ on the cross, rather than through circumstantial comfort. The Holy Spirit indwells believers to reshape their hearts, enabling them to reflect this divine love within the community of the church. This supernatural affection removes fear of judgment and establishes a moral imperative for Christians to love one another sacrificially. Ultimately, the message asserts that loving others is an unavoidable consequence of being born again, serving as proof of a genuine relationship with God.

This sermon explores temperance, the final fruit of the Spirit, defining it not as human willpower but as a spirit-empowered ability to submit desires and actions to God's authority. Using Daniel and Jesus as biblical examples, the message illustrates that true self-control begins with pre-decisions made in advance and is sustained by relying on Scripture rather than fleshly strength. The preacher outlines three practical steps for cultivating this virtue: surrendering personal desires, strengthening spiritual disciplines through daily engagement with God's Word, and submitting daily decisions to divine authority. Emphasizing that willpower is a limited resource while the Holy Spirit provides inexhaustible power, the sermon challenges listeners to move beyond temporary resolutions toward lasting spiritual growth. Ultimately, it calls for a response of faith, urging individuals to surrender fully to Christ to overcome temptation and bear eternal fruit.

The sermon examines James 1:6-8 to warn against the spiritual danger of being double-minded, defined as having divided loyalties and a wavering heart. It illustrates this instability through three examples: believers lacking conviction in prayer, backsliders who desire worldly pleasures alongside Christian blessings, and unconverted individuals unable to fully commit to Christ due to hidden idols. Drawing on biblical figures like Elijah and the rich young ruler, the text emphasizes that compromise leads to spiritual paralysis and hinders one's relationship with God. The preacher urges listeners to examine their own hearts for divided affections and to pursue single-minded devotion to Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the message calls for decisive faith and wholehearted surrender to avoid the instability of a divided spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.

This sermon explores Genesis 24 as a profound narrative of divine providence and spiritual typology, illustrating how God orchestrates events behind the scenes to fulfill His purposes. The preacher analyzes the story of Abraham's servant seeking a bride for Isaac, drawing parallels to the Holy Spirit's role in calling and preparing the Church as the bride of Christ. Key themes include the sovereignty of God in human relationships, the importance of prayer, and the confirmation of biblical doctrine through historical patterns. The message emphasizes that seemingly coincidental encounters are actually divine appointments designed to draw individuals to salvation. Ultimately, the sermon encourages believers to recognize God's active presence in their lives and to respond with faith and boldness in sharing the gospel. Is Genesis 24 a picture of Jesus and the Church? Who does Abraham's servant represent in Genesis 24? Is Rebekah a picture of the Church? Does Genesis 24 contain a picture of the Rapture? Why is Abraham's servant unnamed in Genesis 24? What does Genesis 24 teach about finding a wife? Was Isaac and Rebekah's marriage arranged? Did Rebekah have a choice to marry Isaac? Why did Abraham's servant put his hand under Abraham's thigh? What does swearing on the thigh mean in the Bible? Why did Abraham send his servant to find Isaac a wife? Why couldn't Isaac marry a Canaanite woman? Why didn't Isaac go with the servant to find Rebekah? Why did Abraham say an angel would go before his servant? Did an angel help Abraham's servant find Rebekah? Why did Abraham's servant meet Rebekah at a well? Why did women gather at wells in Bible times?

Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

What are you after? The Spirit or the Flesh?

The sermon addresses the epistle of First John, focusing on refuting Gnostic false teachings that denied the humanity of Jesus Christ. The speaker emphasizes the necessity of walking in the light and maintaining fellowship with God through obedience and separation from the world. Key theological points include the reality of sin in believers' lives and the assurance of eternal life for those who believe in the Son. The message clarifies that while the new nature cannot sin, the old flesh remains, requiring a continual walk in the Spirit. Ultimately, the text provides clear evidence for salvation, assuring believers they can know they have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

The sermon explores Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John 17, focusing on His desire for believers to behold His glory both in the future eternal state and in the present spiritual reality. It explains that Christ's glory is most profoundly displayed through the sacrificial work of the cross, where He bore the guilt of sin to accomplish redemption. This glory is accessed now through the Holy Spirit, particularly during corporate worship and the observance of the Lord's Supper. By partaking in communion, believers are reminded of their unity with Christ and the church, experiencing a foretaste of heavenly glory amidst earthly life. The message concludes with an exhortation to pray for spiritual sight, asking Jesus to open eyes to recognize the magnificence of His saving work.

The sermon emphasizes personal accountability and the necessity of repentance, asserting that individuals are responsible for their own sins rather than inheriting the guilt of their ancestors. Drawing primarily from Ezekiel 18, the message clarifies that while God judges each person according to their own actions, His grace offers hope through forgiveness and a new heart in Jesus Christ. The preacher encourages believers to actively resist worldly lust and temptation by walking in the Spirit, as outlined in passages like Galatians 5 and Titus 2. It stresses that maintaining a close fellowship with God is essential for spiritual growth and overcoming the struggles of the flesh. Ultimately, the message calls listeners to turn away from sin immediately and rely on God's mercy to restore their relationship with Him.

What's true of your heart and mind in the midst of clear and present danger? If fear and anxiety of the attempts and work of your enemies frequently knock at your door, desiring to dwell within, may this psalm both guide and comfort you. For Christ your Teacher doesn't leave you naive, but shows you the hatred the wicked have for you as His people. For Christ your Savior is your remedy to fear. Through the work of His Spirit, He's your exclusive guard and protector. He is your ally who is ready to enter the battlefield for your cause.

1. Understanding it 2. Beholding it 3. Bearing it

What do we do when life looks nothing like we planned, and hope feels like a distant memory? That is exactly the question at the heart of this powerful exploration of one of the Old Testament's most emotionally raw passages, Psalm 137, where God's people sit in exile by the rivers of Babylon, instruments hanging silent in the trees, asking how they could possibly sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. The central spiritual lesson woven throughout this message is both simple and profound: God does not stop working just because we cannot see him working. Through the voices of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, we discover that even in the darkest seasons of life, God has not forgotten his people, has not abandoned his presence among them, and has not lost his grip on history. The book of Lamentations, written in the ruins of a fallen city, gives us the timeless declaration that the Lord's mercies are new every morning and that his faithfulness remains great even when our circumstances have crumbled. For us today, this is an invitation to stop measuring God's faithfulness by the ease of our circumstances and start trusting that the same God who spoke hope into Babylon is speaking into our lives right now.

Love your God by Worshipping Him in Spirit & Truth 1. According to the revealed word 2. Through the incarnate word 3. Submitting to the preached word

The sermon distinguishes between three types of baptism: water, spirit, and fire, using Matthew 3 as the primary text. Water baptism is defined as an outward public demonstration of repentance, rooted in Jewish ritual purification practices like the mikvah. Spirit baptism is identified as the inward, transformative work of God that regenerates the believer and saves them through grace. Fire baptism represents the future judgment and wrath of God upon the unrepentant. The preacher emphasizes that only spirit baptism results in salvation, while water baptism serves as an obedient response to that internal change. The message concludes with a urgent call for listeners to examine their hearts and ensure they have experienced this spiritual transformation.

The sermon defines worship as the heart's ultimate seeking and treasuring of God, contrasting true devotion with the universal human tendency toward idolatry. It argues that genuine conversion involves a radical shift in allegiance where believers repent of sin, exercise faith in Christ, and commit to building His kingdom rather than merely making religious decisions. Drawing parallels between Israel's exile in Babylon and the believer's journey from spiritual death to life, the text emphasizes that the Holy Spirit stirs hearts to abandon worldly idols for divine satisfaction. The central message asserts that the primary goal of salvation and evangelism is not church growth but the creation of sincere worshippers who find their rest and joy exclusively in Jesus Christ.

In this sermon from Exodus 20, Matt Sikes examines the Third Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." This commandment reaches far beyond simply avoiding careless uses of God's name. Because God's name is inseparably connected to who He is, believers are called to honor, reverence, and rightly represent Him in every area of life. The sermon explores the many ways Christians can profane God's name—in our thoughts, our prayers and praises, our words about God, our worship, and our outward actions. Taking God's name in vain includes empty or faithless prayer, careless speech, misusing Scripture, speaking falsely in God's name, hypocritical worship, and professing to know God while denying Him by our lives. The Third Commandment also positively requires believers to hallow God's name. Christians should speak of Him with reverence, worship Him sincerely, honor His Word, proclaim His truth, praise His works, and live lives of holiness that match their profession of faith. Ultimately, this commandment drives us to Jesus Christ. Every believer falls far short of perfectly honoring God's name, but Christ never once profaned the Father's name. He perfectly fulfilled this commandment, bore the penalty for His people's sin, and came to make the Father's name known. Through union with Christ, God places His name upon His people and enables them by His Spirit to live for His glory.

The verse that we are looking at is clear. The apostle Paul insists that regular prayer must be offered up for God's preaching servants so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, they may boldly make known the mystery of the gospel. I want to show you why this is necessary. 1st of all – It is necessary because utterance doesn't come to preachers automatically. 2nd – Because true holy boldness is the work of God's Spirit. And 3rd – Because the gospel has mysteries attached to it.

The sermon exhorts believers to sow righteousness through consistent church attendance, prayer, and scripture study to reap God's abundant mercy. It identifies pride as the primary obstacle to spiritual growth, manifesting in attitudes of superiority regarding skills, knowledge, and position. The preacher contrasts this hardened heart with a teachable spirit, illustrating how brokenness removes barriers and invites divine favor. By peeling away layers of self-reliance, individuals can cultivate humility and allow God to work deeply within their lives. The central message urges the audience to abandon prideful resistance and embrace a posture of repentance and dependence on grace.

Genesis 6:1-13 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 ¶ And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 ¶ There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 ¶ And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 ¶ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 ¶ The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 ¶ And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

After explaining his desire for his people, Paul now goes on to say what he knows will be offensive to the Jews. They were taught that they were a special people in all the earth, because they were descended from Abraham. Paul is going to point out "not all of Israel is of Israel." Paul has been leading up to this by saying the true children of Abraham are the ones who share the faith of Abraham and the true Jews are the ones who are circumcised in the heart and not just the flesh. Now he is going to explain how it can go so badly for Israelites. Ten of the tribes were scattered by the Assyrians. Most of the other two tribes were killed, but a small remnant went to Babylon. Only a few of them came back and then they were never reestablished as an independent people. The logical question after Paul saying "all things work together for good for the who love God, to those that are called according to His purposes" is Israelites are the called out people of God and things don't seem to work very well for them. Paul's response to that question is you don't understand who the true Israel of God. It is not those of the type. It is those of the antetype. Those who were of the seed of Abraham who is Christ. It is only Isaac and not Ishmael or Keturah's children that have Abraham as their father. It is only the one God gives for that purpose and not those of the flesh like Ishmael. It is according to the calling of the Spirit and not the works of the flesh.

The sermon argues that the cure for church division is not found in cultural relevance or human wisdom, but exclusively in the preeminence of Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 2, the speaker contrasts Paul's method of preaching with the Corinthian desire for eloquent rhetoric, emphasizing that true ministry relies on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than worldly appeal. The central message asserts that a church focused on activities or social success without the clear proclamation of the gospel becomes spiritually weak and indistinguishable from secular organizations. By examining the Trinitarian framework of Paul's approach, the text highlights that divine wisdom is hidden from the world but revealed to believers through the eternal plan of the Father. Ultimately, the preacher calls for a return to the foundational priority of exalting Christ as the sole source of spiritual strength and unity.

Continuing his series in the Gospel of John, Pastor Rockhill brings the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well to its climax in John 4:25-30. His central burden is to display how Christ patiently, compassionately, and deliberately draws a guilty, hardened sinner to faith, breaking down her resistance until she rests in Him alone. As the woman deflects to the coming Messiah, Pastor Rockhill traces both the Samaritan hope of a prophet like Moses and the Jewish longing for a Davidic king. He shows that both expectations were partial, and that the full witness of Scripture presents the Messiah as prophet, priest, and king. Even more, when Jesus declares, "I who speak to you am He," He uses the covenant name of God—the great I AM—revealing Himself not merely as the anointed one but as the Lord Himself, come in the flesh to offer the living water of the Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. Pastor Rockhill dwells on the woman's transformation: her shame lifted, her guilt washed away, she leaves her water pot behind and runs to invite her city, "Come, see a man." This, he explains, is the fruit of Spirit-wrought conviction—sin exposed, then grace freeing the sinner to live boldly. The application is warm and evangelistic. Believers cannot compel anyone to Christ; they can only point others to Him and trust the Spirit to work. Pastor Rockhill urges every hearer to humble themselves, call on Christ, and, freed from condemnation, joyfully share the gospel with those around them, all to the glory of God alone.

TEXT: LD 25 Three facts we learn about the source of faith: 1. Our faith is founded on the simple preaching of the gospel 2. Only spiritual people can understand the gospel 3. It's the Holy Spirit that enables us the understand the gospel