An Invitation to Covet

Dave Schutter

Psalms 19:1-14

Typically when we hear the word covet, we think of the envy of others and their possessions that God calls us to avoid. But Psalm 19 introduces a new way to think about coveting; it presents an invitation to covet God's Word, to cultivate a deep desire for it. From this psalm, we see that creation declares God's glory, crediting the glory to God and not itself. We also see that God speaks to us personally in His Word. His written word is truth and truth is simultaneously good because it has been spoken by God. God not only knows us personally, but He knows us in a redemptive sense, another truth presented in this psalm.

Enlarging your Heart through God's Word

Bev DeLashmutt

Psalms 119:32

Through the Psalmist we learn that while his condition is full of suffering, pain, and persecution he draws near to God through God's word. God wants to enlarge our hearts with His word. The outcome is determined by what we affirm, ask for, hope in, and obey. Pain, suffering, sin, and failure can shrink our hearts. A growing heart acknowledges circumstances but affirms God's truth. Live in the reality of pain and suffering but land on the reality of what God's word says about it.\r\n

Fallout from the Fall

Scott Risley

Romans 5:19

Adam and Eve had sons named Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel, and with this Cain committed the first murder. God disciplined Cain for his act of murdering Abel. God also gave us notice that he was going to send His son to save humanity.

True Freedom

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 119:97-100

During a Jewish festival where the identity of Jesus is being questioned, he addresses the nature of true freedom and true slavery. Jesus exposes the misconceptions of what freedom is and exposes that living for sin and self is actually slavery. He reveals that the nature of true freedom is in loving God and others, not living for self. Jesus instructs that it is only through him that people can become truly free and that our freedom increases as we grow with him.

The Fall of the Human Race

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 3:1-17

The discrepancy between original creation and how the world looks today can be explained by the fall of the human race. In the Garden of Eden, Satan questions, distorts, and replaces the Word of God. Adam and Eve decide God cannot be trusted and rebel. This leads to physiological, theological, sociological, and ecological alienation.

David and Bathsheba

Jim Leffel

2 Samuel 11:1-12:13

David and Bathsheba commit adultery. Nathan confronts David about his sin and David has a repentant heart. David finds freedom in God's grace

The Most Deadly Bacillus

Dennis McCallum

Acts 5:1-11

Ananias and Sapphira were deceitful. How God dealt with their hypocrisy, and why, is discussed.

The Death of the Son of God

Scott Risley

Luke 23:1-43

Jesus stood on trial before Pilate and Herod. He then faced excruciating torture and death by crucifixion. This fulfilled the prophecy about the Messiah who was also called the Son of Man. This solved humanity's biggest problem of sin which separates us from God. Jesus died in our place to make us right with God.

Responding to Moral Failure

Conrad Hilario

Luke 22:1-62

Examining Judas and Peter, we contrast two responses to moral failure: regret and repentance. We see both responses are similar in feeling, but in the long run they produce very different outcomes. Our choice of remorse or regret yields ongoing guilt and pushes us away from God. Our choice to repent, on the other hand, leads to freedom from sorrow and leads us towards God. Ongoing regret will lead to death, while ongoing repentance brings forth salvation.