Wilderness Wanderings

Christ Jesus set us free so that the blessing given to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ. He did it so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. The promised Spirit comes by believing in Christ (Galatians 3:14) . Our text is the conclusion to the story that began in Genesis 12. Abram is called by God and given this promise, "I will make you into a great nation. And I wi...

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:   Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a c...

Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. He is the Holy Spirit. By his power we call God Abba. Abba means Father (Galatians 4:6) . As noted last week, the Holy Spirit was already present at Creation, actively involved in God's activity to put the cosmos together. The creation account encourages us to be awestruck by the simplicity and ease with which God causes...

"Search me Lord and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24) When was the last time you prayed a prayer such as this?  David, the writer of Psalm 139 knew that he was surely sinful from birth (Psalm 51:5).  Each of us has a beautiful "true self" inside of us which is God's gift to us. But of...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 8:22-27 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...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:1-2). When I watch a movie for the first time, I pay particular attention to the opening shot. What is the landscape? What music is playing? Who are the characters? What do they say? What is the mode,...

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3) What has your attitude been like these days?  Has it been one of gratitude and thankfulness? Gratitude is not about our circumstances. It is a loving and thankful response toward God for His presence...

The Lord says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of your enemies!" (Psalm 110:1-2). Our text is part of a military psalm. Its battle time. In the New Testament it was linked to Jesus' ascension into heaven. This is one of the psalms that led to the composition of the...

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." (Hebrews 9:9-10) I was recently in a conversation over the topic of Sabbath.  Some folks have grown up not allowed to ride their bike on the Sabbath or go to the public pool on the Sabbath, and hopefully your pastor never was found doing something as...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 8:22-27 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...

Exalted to the right hand of God, [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people." (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly region...

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.   Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience." (Hebrews 9:9-11) Today I want to focus on Christ as our Sabbath rest.  The origin of Sabbath goes back to creation when a...

That power is the same as the mighty strength [God] exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, wh...

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Rev 4:11) It's not about you. These are the opening words of Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life." Although they are written about the purpose of our life, they can be extended into the realm of worship as well.  Worship of God happ...

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Last week, the church commemorated the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. This coming Sunday, we will celebrate Pentecost, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the church. According to the Heidelberg Catechism this is the third benefit of Christ's ascension. T...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 12:3-8 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:  immanuelm...

I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you.  May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141:1-2) God designed humanity with the capacity to think, feel and experience. The Psalms contain expressions of anger, relief, grief, praise, despair…all reflecting the dynamic nature of how God made us in His ima...

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world" (John 17:24). When the Heidelberg Catechism discusses the ascension of Jesus (which the church celebrates today) it begins with this question, "How does Christ's ascension to heaven benefit us?" In a court of law, this might be ru...

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold, they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:7,8,10) There is freedom in the...

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2). This week, the focus of the church shifts from Easter to Pentecost. But in between these two events in Jesus' ministry is...

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8) Instant gratification is both a societal problem and a spiritual problem.  We want what we want when we want it.  In our relationships, materi...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 12:1-2 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:  immanuelm...

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses…When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts (Exodus 9:12, 34). In Wednesday's Wilderness Wanderings (say that 10 times fast), I referenced the Biblical idea of hardened hearts. That was a set up for tod...

"I say to myself 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him." (Lamentations 3:24-25) Sometimes we forget that God is the center of all life and is present in every moment and in every day.  Sometimes we forget Him and His love for us and this "forgetfulness" reaches all the way back to the Garden of Eden in Gene...

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war" (2 Chronicles 16:9) . Our walk with God begins and ends in the heart. God is looking for a certain kind of heart.             God probes beyond our credentials. These things are all true and are part of this text. Howev...