Straight From The Heart Radio

Lower than the angels?- The Jewish believers reading this letter probably needed some clarification on how Jesus was greater than the angels, but in His humanness was "a little lower" than them like you and I. Jesus temporarily lived a human life and tasted death for everyone, proving to be a "merciful and faithful High Priest."

Are you drifting?- Some religious systems claim that Jesus was an angelic being, but not the son of God. The author of Hebrews carefully lays out the case that Jesus was far superior to any angel. We must be careful not to neglect the reality of who Christ is, what He has done, and that He still speaks today.

To Hebrews- The epistle to the Hebrews was written to encourage Jewish believers who were wrestling with the consequences of transitioning from Judaism to Christianity. Many of them were persecuted by their countrymen for following Jesus. Who wrote the book of Hebrews?

You are witnesses- Jesus suffered, died, and rose again according to the scriptures. His message was a message of repentance and remission of sins. We are called to carry that message to the world around us as His witnesses. Are you seeking for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit?

Peace to you- When Jesus first appeared to the disciples after his resurrection they were terrified. They thought Jesus might be a ghost. Just as Jesus fulfilled prophecy in His death and resurrection, we will see His promises about our future become a reality.

Divine heartburn- Jesus walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection. Somehow, the disciples had no clue it was Jesus they were speaking with. Jesus is always with us, but we can't feel His presence sometimes. Why is that?

He is risen, but where is He?- Mary Magdalene and other women who were followers of Jesus came to His tomb and found it empty. When the disciples heard from the women that Jesus was risen they were skeptical to say the least.

Open veil, closed tomb- When Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple was torn in two. Every follower of Jesus has the same access to His presence because of that work. Joseph of Arimathea risked his reputation for a dead Jesus. We now serve a living Christ.

A divine transaction- Somehow, while darkness covered the earth, Jesus experienced God's wrath on the cross for the sin of humanity. Did Jesus descend into Hell after His death on the cross?

Lord, remember me- Two criminals were crucified on either side of Jesus. One cried out for mercy, the other mocked Him. If anyone cries out in the name of Jesus, they can be saved. It is a gift of grace that cannot be earned or deserved.

Father forgive them- Simon carried a physical cross, but he decided to take up his cross daily and live for Jesus. That decision made an impact on the people around him. Jesus forgave us when we were still in our sins, so we could have the opportunity to follow Him.

What evil has He done?- Pilate was prepared to release Jesus after examination. He found no fault in Him, but the crowd insisted that another be released so Jesus would be detained and crucified. Simon the Cyrenian carried the cross for Jesus and for you.

Jesus on trial- From the Sanhedrin, to Pontius Pilate, to Herod, Jesus was brought before his accusers and questioned without any evidence of wrongdoing. Jesus remained silently as he was mocked by His enemies, committed to the path of suffering and sacrifice.

Peter denies Jesus- As Jesus predicted, when Peter was accused of being a follower of Jesus, Peter denied knowing Him. If the failure of Peter was great the restoration was greater. Jesus is so loving and patient with us in our failures.

Arrest in Gethsemane- Jesus prayed in agony in the garden because He knew what was ahead of Him. Not just betrayal, arrest, mocking, beatings and crucifixion, but separation from God. Peter jumped to the defense of Jesus in the garden when the authorities came for His arrest.

Prayer in Gethsemane- Did Jesus lack faith when He prayed in the garden at Gethsemane multiple times? Some people claim that is the case if you continually pray and make a petition. What was the cup that Jesus asked God to spare Him from?

Faith not failing- Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times. When Jesus said to Peter "I have prayed for you" He was talking about all His followers. We will experience moments of failure, but that does not mean our faith in Jesus needs to fail too.

Who is the greatest?- It does not take long for us to sway from humility to pride. Not long after the disciples wondered who would betray Jesus, a dispute broke out among them about who was the greatest. Jesus showed the disciples that their focus was not in the right place.

The Lord's supper- Jesus instituted the Lord's supper as a command of remembrance for His followers. Communion not only causes us to look back at what Jesus did for us but should cause us to rejoice for His present work in our lives and look ahead toward the hope of heaven.

Judas the betrayer- Judas lived and walked with the other disciples. No one suspected that he was going to betray Jesus. He had everyone fooled but himself. Jesus is the only answer to effectively dealing with betrayal and guilt.

Watch and pray- Jesus exhorted His followers to watch and pray as they wait for His return. If we are not awake and alert, the return of Christ might come upon us unexpectedly like a thief in the night. Are you living in expectancy?

Jesus is coming- How close is the rapture? Aren't the signs all around us? Jesus said just like we can predict new seasons coming, we should know the signs that signal His return is near. Be careful of people trying to predict the day and hour of Christ's return.

Your redemption draws near- Jesus said the end times will coincide with cataclysmic events that affect the entire world. The bible says that the knowledge of these things coming onto the world should produce purity in our lives, not apathy.

Times of the Gentiles- When it comes to end times prophecy, Jerusalem takes the center stage. Why is Israel's place in the world so significant according to Jesus' words and predictions about the last days before His return? What exactly is "the times of the Gentiles?"

Pestilence- Pestilences, or infectious diseases will be another sign that marks the end days. Did Jesus tell us about the plagues coming into our world, so we would be fearful or anxious? These things should cause us to live soberly, joyfully looking to Christ's return.

Earthquakes and famines- Jesus said earthquakes and famines will increase in frequency in the last days before His return. Skeptics will argue that we have always had earthquakes and famines throughout history. What makes our modern time different?

Wars and rumors of wars- For two thousand years the church has been waiting and expecting the return of Christ. Besides the passing of time, there are two important things that set us apart from every other generation of the church when we consider prophecy and the end times.

Signs of the times- While surveying the grandeur of the temple with His disciples, Jesus predicted that the temple one day would no longer be standing. The disciples then asked Jesus what would be the signs of the end days, and the coming of the kingdom of God?

Cast your life on God- How did a poor widow in the temple become an object lesson for Jesus to warn the disciples against religious hypocrisy? The widow had very little to offer, but she was giving all her livelihood to God in what she did have.

What about resurrection?- The Sadducees did not believe in heaven because they could not understand the concept. A lack of belief in the afterlife affected the way they lived their lives. Jesus lovingly tried to help them see the error of their ways.

The chief cornerstone- Is your relationship with Jesus, the chief cornerstone, at the center of all you do? Is your perspective on the past, present, and future built off Him? The Pharisees tried to bait Jesus with a question about government and taxes.

A problem with authority- As Jesus spent time in the temple in Jerusalem, the religious leaders began to question His authority. Just because someone has a seminary degree, that does not make them anointed by God. Are you seeking the Holy Spirit's filling and anointing?

Your body a temple- Jesus cleansed the temple in righteous anger when He observed what was going on. God takes it seriously when we misrepresent His heart and His Word. Jesus is still faithful to do a work of cleansing in our hearts when things are not right.

The triumphal entry- Zechariah said that the Messiah would arrive one day riding a donkey. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, many people gave Him praise because prophecy was fulfilled before their eyes. But some went on with their lives as usual unaware.

Called to faithfulness- In the body of Christ, every Christian has been imparted spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities. God will reward His followers based on their faithfulness in using those gifts, not based on how they measure up to others.

A man named Zacchaeus- When Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming through Jericho, he climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Him in the crowd. Little did he know, not only would Jesus spot him in the tree, but Jesus then invited himself over to visit with Zacchaeus in his home.

Led to the savior- Blind Bartimaeus would not miss the opportunity to cry out for healing when he heard Jesus was passing by. Some people are too proud to cry out to Jesus and admit their need for forgiveness from sin.

Blind Bartimaeus- There is a difference between seeing and perceiving. Although Bartimaeus was physically blind, he was able to perceive that Jesus was in his presence. What good is sight if you are blind to spiritual realities?

The rich young ruler- The rich young ruler had what so many people strive for: money, power, and wealth. He kept the commandments of God the best he could, but he was still empty inside. Jesus, in love, helped the rich young ruler to see what was missing in his life.

Faith like a child- What does real faith look like? Many people who claim to have genuine faith in God only have religion. Because of our human nature we strive to be accepted by God based on our performance, but what we need is childlike faith.

Pray or faint- How should we respond to the reality of judgment coming to our world? Jesus said that we "always ought to pray and not lose heart." Is Jesus painting a harsh picture of the Father in the parable of the unjust judge?

Remember Lot's wife- We can know all about the return of Christ, but it will not make any difference if it is just knowledge without action. Lot's wife knew about the judgment that was coming, but her heart longed for worldly things.

The days of Noah- Jesus said when He returns it will be sudden and unexpected, like lightning, and the state of the earth will be like "the days of Noah." How is our modern time anything like the world Noah lived in? What lessons can we learn from how Noah lived in a godless culture?

Ten lepers cleansed- Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When ten lepers cried out to Him for healing, He responded. Only one of the ten lepers returned to give glory to God for what He did. Are thanksgiving and gratitude to God a regular part of your prayer life?

Forgiving others- Forgiveness is not a matter of faith it is a matter of obedience. It can be very hard to forgive the people who have offended us. How should forgiving others as a follower of Jesus look different from the world?

Heaven and hell- Is the doctrine of hell and eternal punishment biblical? Some people have offered alternative ideas about the afterlife because they struggle with the reality of hell.

Thinking eternally- Many of the Pharisees were consumed with following every part of the law because of the fear of man. They were not thinking about the eternal consequences of their actions. Jesus challenged that thinking by telling the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

The dishonest steward- In the parable of the dishonest steward, Jesus seems to be commending the conduct of an unjust man. Why would He do that? Are we so caught up in the activities of earth that we are not planning and preparing for our heavenly future?

The prodigal son: Part 3- Most of the attention is usually placed on the prodigal in this parable, but what about the older brother? What can we learn from his attitude? Jesus followed the story of the prodigal son with another parable, continuing the theme of not being wasteful.

The prodigal son: Part 2- The prodigal son is really a tale of two sons. The younger was not content with his father's provision and looked to another country for satisfaction. The older was bitter and envious of the grace the father showed to his brother. Which son do you identify with?

The prodigal son: Part 1- The prodigal son is really a tale of two sons. The younger was not content with his father's provision and looked to another country for satisfaction. The older was bitter and envious of the grace the father showed to his brother. Which son do you identify with?