Wilderness Wanderings

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Nehemiah 1:1-2:8 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanu...

"Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:7 I read a story about a family reunion weekend, that said the best time was when they sat around the campfire and the older members told stories about their parents, grandparents and beyond.  The author stated everyone was captivated by the h...

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.  Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So, they went and saw wher...

"We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done."  - Psalm 78:4 Someone I know who lives in a small town said if he wants to let others know something, he tells his children. They take care of the rest, telling their friends at school, who repeat it at their homes. Soon it's all over the town. C...

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"    For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,   and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything a...

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel."  - Judges 2:10 When I was young, I loved to hear my dad's stories about his youth in the Netherlands. Stories about playing soccer as a teen, selling milk door to door, emigrating to Canada as a young man.  Great stories that I remember to this da...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 12:14-21 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanue...

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (Ephesians 1:17) . After Sunday's worship service, Helena and I will be leaving for a 2-week vacation. As such, this will be my last contribution to Wilderness Wanderings until I return. Mr. Rick Verkerk will be filling in for me while I am awa...

When he had finished speaking, [Jesus] said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break."   So, they signalled their partners in the other boat t...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). One last expedition in these verses. As I have said, salvation is...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Psalm 88 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelminist...

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.    "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."    At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matt 4:18-20) Discipleship. First of all, what is it? Mirriam-Webster says that a disciple...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). Yes, we are back to Ephesians 1. I might have said too much about...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Nehemiah 1:1-2:8 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanu...

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.   If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.   I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.   My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  (John 15:9-12) Over these past weeks I have walked through m...

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me (John 15:26). One of the modern greats of the Christian faith once wrote, 'The Holy Spirit is the shy member of the Trinity.' The Spirit does not want to draw attention to himself, rather, he is constantly pointing the spotlight onto Jesus. Jesus suggested as...

"As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." (John 20:21) All disciplines at their core are missional.  They bring us into the reality of what it means to live according to the mission of God in the Church and in the world.  Just as spiritual gifts are to be used for the benefit of the body of Christ and to reveal Christ to the world, so too spiritual disciplines are not simply a way to improve...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). It appears easier for us Christians to speak about God the Father...

"I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,   that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—   I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will kn...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 12:9-13 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuel...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14) Let's now turn our attention to the second image for the Holy Spiri...

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14) We continue our reflections on the Holy Spirit rooted in these word...

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) These were Jesus' final words to His followers before He was taken up to heaven.  "You will be my witnesses" He said to them.  A witness is someone who has personal knowledge of something or Someone.  One who gives a testim...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). Let us return to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the divine T...