Sermons From My Heart

All of us have had moments when we regretted things we did or said. Many of us think that our past sins or regrets have robbed us of many good years. Many of us wish that we could be like kids on a playground who have a concept of a “do-over.” When they’re playing kickball and the ball gets stuck in a tree, or when they’re playing basketball and the ball sticks between the backboard and the rim, a...

The events in Genesis 28:10-17 took place just after Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright as Isaac’s firstborn son and after Jacob received the blessing that Esau was supposed to receive from their father Isaac. Consequently Esau threatened Jacob’s life. Jacob left home and headed out from Beersheba with the birthright, the blessing, and little else besides his own wits….or so it s...

In Luke 16:19-31 we see a powerful situation of role reversal. The world is turned upside-down-or rather, right side up. Mary sang about a situation like this in the Magnificat. The poor are filled with good things and the rich are sent away hungry. The powerful are brought down and the lowly are lifted up. The Pharisees thought they were entitled. They had the strange idea that money was deserved...

Most of us have heard the old saying “Judge not lest ye be judged.” In Luke 7:36-50 we see an example of this saying. Simon judged the prostitute, and in turn Jesus judged Simon. Most of us do not need the help of others to judge ourselves. We know that we have sinned, perjured ourselves, done or said things that we should not have done or said, and not done or said those things we should have don...

The first readers of the Letter to the Hebrews needed encouragement in the face of persecution. They were called to follow the perfect example of Jesus, who overcame difficult circumstances. Hebrews 13:1 begins a section where the author gives readers practical examples of how they might serve the living God rather than turn away. The phrase “brotherly love” is composed of two Greek words meaning...

Has your life been full but not fulfilling? Has your life been successful but not significant? Perhaps you feel that your life has been cheered by other people but is not important to God. Perhaps you’re feeling restless inside. Perhaps God is telling you to do something different from what you’re doing right now. How much of your life are you really willing to surrender to God? Perhaps God is tel...

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing goes right? It feels like the world is against you. To make matters worse, someone might tell you that God is always faithful, and you want to punch that person in the mouth. Biblically, that someone was the prophet Jeremiah. We see an example of this in Jeremiah 31:31-34. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-...

Most of us live between memory and hope. We remember what God has done in the past with gratitude, and we hope that He will do it again. This makes our present sorrows and discouragements bearable. It is a sign that we need revival. Revival is the inrush of the Spirit into a body that threatens to become a corpse. It brings new life and fresh vigor. It brings renewed momentum. What can we do durin...

Have any of you ever had to deliver bad news? It isn’t an easy experience. I know because I’ve had to deliver bad news. The prophets in the Old Testament often had to deliver bad news to the people. We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s preparation was over. God was ready to give Jeremiah the word of the Lord for the nation-first an indictment and judgment...

The events in Amos 8:1-12 happened almost 3,000 years ago, but they could read like headlines from today’s news. Amos lived during the reign of King Jeroboam II, whose reign was characterized by territorial expansion, aggressive militarism, and unprecedented national prosperity. His people took pride in their misguided religious beliefs, their history as God’s chosen people, their military victori...

There are times in our lives when we have to say goodbye to the ones we love. It could mean saying goodbye to a family member or friend that we have visited, or a loved one who is dying. Parting isn’t always easy, but it is a necessary part of life. The passage we heard from 2 Kings 2 is an example of a parting of the ways. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermo...

You have probably heard of the famous quote from the Scottish poet Robbie Burns that “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” The evens in Acts 16:9-15 are a good example of this saying. The apostle Paul wanted to preach the Gospel in the Roman province of Asia, which extended to the coast of Greece. Paul was convinced that this was the next step in the strategy for reaching the Gent...

There is always outward evidence when God works in the hearts of believers and Acts 4:32-37 is a good example. The Holy Spirit began to bring the early believers together as a corporate body. The Jerusalem believers had a very mature view of material possessions: what they possessed was not their own-it belonged to God. The people of the Jerusalem church lived with open hands. From their open hand...

Why should we praise God? It is because praise is the clearest and most direct means by which we declare our dependence on God. It repeats our trust in Him in the midst of life’s trials. It shows our loyalty to the One who died for us. It is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to their Saviour, by the healed to the Healer, and the delivered to the deliverer. When we praise God for Hi...

There is no more beautiful description of the work that God has given Christians to do in the world than is found in Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 5:18 that Christ has “given us the ministry of reconciliation.” True religion is always interested in the nature of man’s relationship with God. In the sense that every child has some kind of relationship with his or her parents, each and every one...

In Luke 11:14-23, Jesus has to deal with two enemies-a demon and the Pharisees. Demons could be disguised in many forms, including physical ailments. In this case, the demons controlled the man’s vocal cords and prevented him from speaking. The demon was no match for Jesus’ power and authority. This led to another kind of evil-opposition from the Pharisees. What caused people to hate Jesus? It was...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience God’s glory? Have you ever wondered how God’s glory would change you? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions (or both), then you can appreciate what happened to Moses in Exodus 34:29-35. This passage gives us a glimpse of God’s glory. He provided another glimpse of His glory in the person and ministry of Jesus. Become a support...

All the heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11:32-12:2 were the foundation stone on which others would be laid. They would be completed in those who would come later. We are those stones. We give the saints of old the joy and satisfaction realized by those who are able to look back and see. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support .

This psalm points out the two areas where God has chosen to reveal Himself. “The heavens” refer to what appears in the sky above. “The firmament” means the expanse of God’s creation. The entire universe testifies to the Creator and brilliantly displays the glory of God. God has placed the sun (an object of worship among the pagans) in the heavens and is therefore supreme over it. The figures of th...

The events in Mark 3:7-12 happened after the Pharisees conspired with the Herodians to kill Jesus. He had to decide if He would force them to act immediately and risk short-circuiting His ministry or if He would leave the scene to bide His time while He prepared for a major move that would bring His ministry of servanthood to full maturity. Jesus set a good example for us to follow. He withdrew to...

Have you ever had a vision from God in which you were given a message to share with the people? If you have, how was the message received by the people? Was it accepted or rejected? If it was rejected, you can sympathize with how the prophet Ezekiel felt in Ezekiel 3:4-11. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support .

Sometimes we lose Jesus. We get so busy in our daily routine that we never give him a thought. Then, one day we realize that He is missing. Do you know what we need to do when that happens? We need to retrace our steps and go back to the place we left him. Where do we usually find him? In his Father's house! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart...

Jeremiah’s message is one of reassurance. We need this reassurance in order to absorb what will follow throughout Advent. Many messages in this season of Advent are filled with words of doom and gloom. A good example of this is found in Luke 21:25-36. God’s new era will emerge out of the Israelites’ history and life experiences. He will fulfill His promises in ways that are in line with His previo...

This coming Sunday-Nov. 21, 2021- is Reign of Christ Sunday. It marks the end of the church year, so it is the church’s version of New Year’s Eve. It is the day when we remember that Christ is our King and that He will return one day to claim his kingdom here on earth. It is not an ancient festival in the Christian calendar. In fact, it was only established by Pope Pius XI in 1925. It was establis...

All three members of the Trinity-Father (“Him who is and who was and who is to come”), Son (“Jesus Christ”) and Holy Spirit (“seven Spirits”)-were involved in creating the Book of Revelation. They were present at the beginning of time, and they will be there at the end of time. God is Lord over all of history-past, present and future. There is more to be expected from Him than what we have experie...