Thinking on SermonAudio

What does it mean to have a heart of stone or a heart of flesh? In this teaching, Pastor Brandon Holthaus continues his study of Hebrew idioms by examining two powerful expressions found in the book of Ezekiel: "They sit before you as My people" from Ezekiel 33:31 and the contrast between a "heart of stone" and a "heart of flesh" in Ezekiel 36:26. Scripture warns that it is possible to hear God's Word, attend church, study the Bible, and outwardly appear devoted while never allowing biblical truth to transform the way we actually live. Jesus asks, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?" James gives the same warning when he tells believers to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Pastor Brandon explores how spiritual hardness develops through repeated resistance to truth, persistent sin, pride, unbelief, idolatry, and an unwillingness to obey. He also explains how fear and other emotions can influence our thinking and decision-making when our minds are not grounded in Scripture. But there is good news: a hardened heart does not have to remain hardened. God desires a heart that is responsive, teachable, and willing to trust Him. Through faith, obedience, and the transforming work of God's Word, believers can grow in spiritual maturity and develop a heart that is increasingly sensitive to His truth. Are we simply hearing the Word of God, or are we allowing it to change us? #Hebraisms #HeartOfStone #HeartOfFlesh #Ezekiel36 #Ezekiel33 #BibleStudy #BiblicalTruth #ChristianLiving #SpiritualGrowth #WordOfGod #BrandonHolthaus #RockHarborChurch

In Part 9 of the Revelation Unraveled series, Pastor Byron Chesney examines Christ's message to the church at Sardis in Revelation 3:1–6. Sardis had a reputation for being alive, but Christ saw the true condition of the church and declared, "thou art dead." This message considers the danger of outward religion without inward spiritual life, Christ's call to be watchful, remember, hold fast, and repent, and the encouragement given to the faithful few who had not defiled their garments. The message reminds us that reputation is what people think we are, but reality is what Jesus knows we are.

NOTHING'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN JESUS. When Jesus Has First Place, Everything Else Finds Its Proper Place Colossians 1:15–18 KJV Life constantly competes for our attention through work, possessions, schedules, entertainment, relationships, worries, and ambitions. Yet Paul declares that Jesus Christ is to have "the preeminence." I want to challenge every believer to examine whether Christ merely has a place in their lives or truly has first place. The message develops three truths: I. Nothing Is More Important Than Knowing Jesus II. Nothing Is More Important Than Putting Jesus First III. When Jesus Becomes Most Important, Everything Else Finds Its Proper Place "If Jesus is the most important Person in my life, does the way I live prove it?" A gospel-centered message calling the lost to Christ and believers back to a life where Jesus has first place in all things. And I think Colossians 1:18 is exactly the right anchor: "that in all things he might have the preeminence.

In Due Season This message centers on Galatians 6:6–10 and the truth that what we sow, nurture, and faithfully continue in will eventually produce a harvest. Using Caleb and Joshua as living examples, the message shows that faithfulness requires endurance. Caleb held to God's promise for decades and, at eighty-five years old, was still ready to possess what God had promised. His life illustrates Galatians 6:9: "Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." A major emphasis is that weariness can become weakness if we stop believing and obeying what God has said. Israel's failure in the wilderness was not because they lacked information, but because they allowed their own reasoning, fears, and circumstances to carry more weight than God's Word. Caleb had "a different spirit" because he wholly followed the Lord. The message warns that rejecting God does not always look openly rebellious; sometimes it simply looks like deciding that our opinion, priorities, or logic are more important than what He has revealed. Galatians 6 also teaches that we reap according to what we sow. Continually sowing to the flesh—self-centered thinking, fear, worldly reasoning, bitterness, or unbelief—eventually corrupts how we see God, people, and circumstances. But sowing to the Spirit through the Word produces an everlasting way of seeing life. We learn to trust the One who controls what we cannot control and to view temporary troubles through eternal truth. The message also stresses shared responsibility within the body of Christ. Just as Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh could not simply receive their inheritance and abandon their

2:24 What do you think about kids getting married without their parents being involved or at the wedding? 5:16 What happens to a Christian who commits suicide? 9:12 What is the unpardonable sin? 14:04 What does it mean that in the end times they will make merchandise of you? 20:40 How do you know when someone is too far gone to reach them with the Gospel? 23:37 What is the order of events in a premillennial eschatology? 26:58 Does Romans 11:9 mean that someone can lose their spiritual gifts? 32:48 Can Christians be demonically oppressed? 42:37 Do miracles happen in other religions? 44:12 How do we understand election in Romans 9?

Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," King James Version

Within dispensationalism, there are standard hermeneutical principles that on the surface sound reasonable. But when taken to their logical conclusions, many of these principles actually stand in the way of understanding the mind of God and often introduce significant error. We firmly believe that the heresy caused by dispensational hermeneutics is part of Satan's attack on the church and is used to veil the truth of God's word. We believe that its true intent is to focus the people of God on fleshly pursuits rather than seeing and fearing the invisible God who works all things to his will.Please join us as we discuss this serious issue.

Dr. Richard Schmidt is pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church and founder of Prophecy Focus Ministries. He is the speaker on the weekly TV program, Prophecy Focus and the radio broadcast, Prophecy Unfolding. He spent 32 years in law enforcement. He's authored several books including: Globalism: The Great World Consumption and Artificial Intelligence: Transhumanism & the De-Evolution of Democracy. The rapid advancement of AI has been staggering and is proving itself to be dangerous. Human data centers are being replaced by robots. Humans are even having romantic relationships and conversations with AI. AI is producing explicit sexual materials even of minor children. A young teenager used ChatGPT for murder fantasies before taking the life of his mother and his brother. Criminals are using AI to advance their fraud. It's reported that Chinese companies are stealing AI Tech on an "Industrial Scale." AI has been discovered going rogue...even causing its own attacks on other systems. It's as if it's thinking for itself. Researchers are now saying that AI has more than a 10% chance of killing all humans. One such researcher indicated it could kill everyone by the end of the decade. Where is this all headed? Does the cry from scientists and the media that "The sky is falling!" with respect to AI comport with Scripture? Find out on part-one of this critical Crosstalk discussion. More Information: Artificial Intelligence: Transhumanism & The De- Evolution of Democracy by Richard Schmidt is available for a donation of $18. Go to vcy.org or call 1-800-729- 9829. prophecyfocus.org

We see that Jesus, when he comes to meet Zacchaeus, is not concerned with either his shortness or the fact that he was a tax gatherer. Instead let us think about how Jesus approaches Zacchaeus. So, what has happened? Zacchaeus can't see Jesus. He wants to see him. He's curious. He's seeking Jesus out. He's interested. He comes and he can't see Jesus, so he goes ahead of the crowd, goes farther up on the parade road, and climbs this tree. He wants to see Jesus, and he's curious. He's fascinated. And Jesus comes up and doesn't say, well, you're a short man, or, oh, you're a tax collector. He says, Zacchaeus. What does that mean? It means He knows exactly who He is. Jesus knows all these things about Him. He can see not only into His life, He can see into His heart. He can understand that Zacchaeus is something. while Zacchaeus brings him to his house. He obeys the command of the Lord.

Jesus gives us truths that challenge our natural thinking: following Him means denying ourselves, taking up our cross and surrendering our lives to Him. Real spiritual life is not found in gaining popularity, comfort or the whole world, but in Christ. Those who are ashamed of Jesus and His words must recognise the serious reality that He will one day return in glory and judge all people. True discipleship is costly, but it leads to eternal life and lasting joy.

What happens at Rosh Hashanah, and what should Christians think about it?

Looking at the different gifts God gives His people, and how it can be abused!

Matthew 17:14-21

What do you think of the Christ? Do you know David's son to be the Son of God and true Messiah? Do you confess David's Lord Jesus to be your sovereign Master and King this morning? I pray that you do! Indeed, the call to know your God, to know your Savior, and to love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind is pressed to your heart and mine afresh. As you know and love Jesus this morning, may you be moved all the more to exalt Him and worship at His footstool. He is holy!

What does the Lord think of Christians? What matters give concern? What occupies the heart of the man of Sorrows?

What is theology and why do we study it?

Why Did God Care So Much About the Priest's Garments? | Exodus 28 I think the first one is stronger for YouTube because it creates a personal question while still connecting directly to the lesson.

Jonah 2 is not a rescue story. It is a prayer from inside the judgment. Jonah is still in the fish when he opens his mouth. He does not bargain. He does not promise Nineveh. He does not say, "Let me out, I have learned my lesson." He says that he cried, that God heard him, and that the Lord is still his God after he fled His face. That is what makes the prayer hard. Most of us pray as if God owes us an exit. Jonah prays as a man who knows the waves are the Lord's and the guilt is his. "You cast me into the deep." Then: "I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple." He aims his face at what God appointed while weeds wrap his head and the bars of the earth feel shut forever. Still in the pit, already talking like a raised man. This sermon is for the person who thinks running canceled the covenant, and for the person who will admit a "hard season" but will not say, when it is true, "I deserve this." Need, yes. Demand, no. Entitlement, no. Look to the greater Jonah.

God Declares and Reasons with People

Peter boldly promised that he would never deny Jesus. Yet before the evening was over, he denied even knowing his Lord—three times. This Sunday, we will take a deep dive into Peter's denial and the pride behind it. Peter's failure reminds us that we are weaker than we think—but also that Christ's mercy is greater than we could have ever imagined.

Please consider how you can be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ through your financial support to the continued work of His Church in this time. Contributions can be made by PayPal by visiting our website ( faithbiblepres.org ) or by mailing your contribution to: Faith Bible Presbyterian Church 3001 Marian Dr. Trenton Mi 48183 "The Pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both." ~ John Calvin (July 10, 1509 - May 27, 1564). "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." ~ NKJV John 10:27 "Satan's greatest success is in making people think they have plenty of time before they die to consider their eternal welfare" ~ John Owen (1616 - August 1683). "For the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ." ~ NKJV Rev. 1:9 Fᴀɪᴛʜ Bɪʙʟᴇ Pʀᴇsʙʏᴛᴇʀɪᴀɴ Cʜᴜʀᴄʜ ~ Tʀᴜᴇ Worship & Aᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄ Fᴇʟʟᴏᴡsʜɪᴘ ~ Faith Bible Presbyterian Church is a Bible believing and Christ honoring church that is committed to teaching|preaching the Word of God with diligence and authority. We stand for the historic Christian faith, and we welcome you to our services of worship. Won't you join us? faithbiblepres.org

John 5:30-47 30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses...

Please consider how you can be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ through your financial support to the continued work of His Church in this time. Contributions can be made by PayPal by visiting our website ( faithbiblepres.org ) or by mailing your contribution to: Faith Bible Presbyterian Church 3001 Marian Dr. Trenton Mi 48183 "The Pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both." ~ John Calvin (July 10, 1509 - May 27, 1564). "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." ~ NKJV John 10:27 "Satan's greatest success is in making people think they have plenty of time before they die to consider their eternal welfare" ~ John Owen (1616 - August 1683). "For the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ." ~ NKJV Rev. 1:9 Fᴀɪᴛʜ Bɪʙʟᴇ Pʀᴇsʙʏᴛᴇʀɪᴀɴ Cʜᴜʀᴄʜ ~ Tʀᴜᴇ Worship & Aᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄ Fᴇʟʟᴏᴡsʜɪᴘ ~ Faith Bible Presbyterian Church is a Bible believing and Christ honoring church that is committed to teaching|preaching the Word of God with diligence and authority. We stand for the historic Christian faith, and we welcome you to our services of worship. Won't you join us? faithbiblepres.org

Over Philippians 1:7-11, we see the deep love and affection of Paul for the local church. How should we as Christians think and even feel about the local church? What are biblical desires and affections for the church? Here in these verses we see how Christ bears fruit through His people to love the church and sacrificially serve for one another's good being guided by the truth of His Word.

From the Free Grace Broadcaster quarterly topic: Predestination. Bishop Ryle has some common sense Biblical ideas that should cause anti-election people to pause.

Think back to a time when things were really bad. Perhaps your bank account balance was very low and all of your bills were due. Perhaps you weren't feeling well and your doctor gave you a bad report. Perhaps you had a difficult relationship that just seemed to be getting worse. What would you want someone to tell you? You would want him to tell you that your finances would be taken care of, your health would get better, and your relationship would be mended. When bad things are happening, we want hope more than reality. As Jesus was talking to the disciples, He knew that they were discouraged by what they had heard. One of them would betray Him, Jesus was going away, and He would be killed by His enemies. If their hearts could be represented by a water pitcher, it would be full of sadness. So, what did Jesus tell them to give them hope? Surprisingly, He didn't give them hope. Instead, He told them about the troubles they would soon face. But He also told them about someone who would help them through all of it.

Welcome to Through the Psalms, a weekend ministry of The Truth Pulpit. Over time, we will study all 150 psalms with Pastor Don Green from Truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. We're glad you're with us. Let's open to the Psalms now as we join our teacher in The Truth Pulpit. https://www.thetruthpulpit.com

Question 4: Who is God the Father? Answer: God the Father is the Almighty One, infinitely great and good, whose name is hallowed in heaven and on earth. He is not a distant authority, but a holy God filled with fatherly love. The episode was also the beginning of the three-week focus on the Trinity, starting with God as Father. A major thread of the conversation was that our experiences with earthly fathers can shape the way we think about God—but rather than measuring God by earthly fathers, God himself sets the standard for what fatherhood is.

Are you a gospel trumpet? That is the dominant image which Spurgeon employs for his sermon from 1 Thessalonians 1:8 about sounding forth the word of the Lord. The sermon builds to some applications which are very specific to the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Spurgeon's time, and we need to take that into account as we reach them. However, they can easily be turned to help us in our own situations, and the principles which lie behind them are broadly true. So, we are urged to consider the trumpeters themselves, the kind of men who make God's word to sound out, with Spurgeon ranging across Paul's description of the Thessalonian believers in his letters to them. This is really a brief study in Christian character. Then we turn to the trumpets, and see how it is that they give forth such a penetrating sound, and here we are in the realm of Christian experience and obedience. Thirdly, Spurgeon insists that there was a pressing present need for just such a trumpet-blast as sounded from the Thessalonian believers, and here the flavour of the hour begins to bleed through, but in a way that I think makes the modern reader add his, "Amen!" to the preacher's assessment. Finally comes the question of whether or not his immediate congregation had an obligation to sound forth that trumpet-note. While some of the qualities and opportunities Spurgeon identifies are very tightly tied to the Tabernacle gathering, they raise questions and challenges for every church and each believer as to how we respond to the need of the present hour.

He was a pastor with a PhD in speech, no formal training in counseling, and a class he never wanted to teach, so how did Jay Adams end up rewriting the rules for how the church cares for hurting people? In this second episode, Dr. Jared Poulton returns with Jared Luttjeboer and Dr. Alan Strange to tell the origin story behind the man behind biblical counseling: a reluctant professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, an emotional pastoral encounter he never forgot, and the unlikely chain of events that turned a scrapped lecture into a movement. But Adams' legacy isn't simple hero worship—Dr. Poulton also unpacks the three surprising influences that shaped his thinking, and why, even decades later, biblical counselors are still wrestling with what he got right and where he needs correcting. Next episode: the 20th-century apologist whose fingerprints are all over Adams' approach.

It is my belief that much of the error in our treatment of theology comes from secular thinking. The struggle at Nicea was one of them. Arius could not conceive of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ. Athanasius could and what followed was the triumph of Nicea and the Nicean Creed. In our modern world, vocation is another. We have followed the secular trend.

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2820 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.com

Don't think you have done all that is incumbent upon you, when you have read the Scripture either in the family or the closet. Pray over it before God. Have you been reading any promises of spiritual blessings? Plead them with God. Has the chapter represented the odiousness of sin, its dreadful consequences, the falls of God's people, and the salvation of the chief of sinners? Then beg that your eyes may be opened to see the malignity of sin, the wickedness of your heart, and that you may be kept from those evils which many have fallen into, and be enabled to admire the riches of free grace in the salvation of creatures so unworthy, and in your own in particular.

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2819 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.com

Imagine being 13 years old and told by a court that you cannot go to church, you cannot associate with your Christian friends, you cannot celebrate Christmas or Easter, and you cannot even read the Bible! If you think this is about Communist China today or perhaps even North Korea, think again. Join Jim Schneider and Mat Staver as they examine the details concerning a case (Bickford v. Bradeen) related to a girl named Ava in the state of Maine. Ava loves going to church. She misses her friends. She wants to worship with her mother. She wants to hear the Word of God, but the Supreme Judicial Court in Maine has told her NO. Commenting on this case Mat said, "In my 39 years of practicing law, I have never seen anything like this case." As a result, he will be taking this case to the United States Supreme Court.
 Other legal issues were discussed and listeners brought their thoughts to the discussion as well. More Information: LC.org

In Exodus 11 the 10th and final judgment of God upon Egypt is announced. Egypt has now passed the point of no return. There is now no room for repentance. In out time together we think of this idea of a "point of no return".

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2818 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.com

What would it take to become a truly great thinker—not by the world's standards, but by God's? In 2 Peter 3, the apostle writes with deep affection to stir something in you—a way of thinking that will protect you from being deceived and draw you into deeper and deeper closeness with God. This sermon on 2 Peter 3:1–3 explores what it means to develop a mind governed by Scripture rather than by the desires of the flesh. Peter calls believers to "pure thinking"—not merely thinking about pure subjects, but learning to think, reason, evaluate, and make decisions according to God's truth. The world often measures thinking by IQ, education, creativity, logic, knowledge, or the ability to solve complex problems. But God's definition of great thinking is different. According to Peter, the greatest thinkers are those whose minds are directed by the Word of God. Your thoughts are constantly moving from one idea to another. The crucial question is: **What is steering the progression of your thoughts?** Are your thoughts being directed by Scripture and the will of God, or are they being driven by your desires? In this message, we examine the difference between flesh-driven thinking and Scripture-driven thinking, and we consider how our desires can influence the conclusions we are willing to accept. Peter warns that false teachers and scoffers follow their own evil desires, eventually using their desires to reject the truth of Christ's return, final judgment, and the authority of God's Word. ## In This Sermon - What Peter means by "pure thinking" in 2 Peter 3:1. - The meaning and importance of the Greek word *dianoia*, referring to the mind, understanding, or way of thinking.

Greetings and welcome! This is our daily devotional for September 7, 2026. Today, we continue our series on Exodus in Chapter 2, where Moses meets Reuel- or is it Jethro? Additionally, we learn more about how Moses thinks and how God works. Thanks for joining us!

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 16 Article 7 When we think about justice and mercy, how can we bring both into our relationships with those around us? And when we must choose between the two, when is it right to give justice? When is it right to give mercy? The sermon explores the theological distinction between good works performed by unregenerate individuals and those pleasing to God, emphasizing that true goodness requires a heart purified by faith. It then transitions to an exegesis of 2 Samuel 19, analyzing King David's complex return to power and his interactions with former enemies like Shimei and Mephibosheth. The preacher highlights the tension between justice and mercy, noting that while David chooses forgiveness over retribution, the process of reconciliation remains inherently messy and imperfect. This narrative serves as a foil for the perfect resolution found in Christ, who simultaneously satisfies divine justice and extends grace on the cross. Ultimately, the message encourages believers to seek wisdom in applying mercy within their own broken relationships while anticipating the final restoration of all things.

Read: Exodus 18; Matthew 6:25-34 Text: Lord's Day 10 Our loving Father helps us with our anxieties. 1. Challenged by anxiety 2. Trusting in God's providence Questions for reflection: 1. What struck you from this sermon? 2. In what situations are you most likely to become anxious? 3. How does the LORD speak into our anxiety in his Word? 4. What are some healthy ways to deal with the anxieties that you face? 5. Do you think that it's possible to pray to God about something without really giving it over to him? What's different when you really give it over? 6. Can you tell your loved ones a story about God's providential care in your life?

How does your faith look when you think about it? Seriously, how does it look? Are you content? Lazy? Driven? Excited? … How is it? This is the question that the writer of Hebrews is trying to get to us as we start chapter 11. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, what should this produce? Join us as we look at verse 1 of Hebrews 12.

Sometimes we excuse sin because we think we've just been born this way. We may even have a therapist confirm that, meaning we need not change! However, we don't have to give into temptation, and there is hope for true change in the gospel. -Notes: https://pastormarksbury.blogspot.com/2026/09/sermon-enduring-temptation-1-cor-101113.html -Livestream: https://lwbcfruita.org/live -Donations: https://www.lwbcfruita.org/give

Christians are called to engage politically with wisdom, biblical conviction, and confidence in Christ, not fear, outrage, or tribal loyalty. Dave Jenkins explains on this new Equipping You in Grace show how Scripture shapes the conscience, why political identity must never replace identity in Christ, and how believers can think carefully about voting in a fallen world. For more from Equipping You in Grace, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/equipping-you-in-grace-2/