David Henneke's Podcast

What do we do when good things happen to us? We immediately find a way to share that news with other people. Something about good news practically demands that we share it. How much more the wonderful and marvelous truth that God sent His Son into the world to die for our sins, to absorb the punishment that we deserve so that thru Him we might enter into a right relationship with the Father?

1 Corinthians 15:1-20The Christian faith is not based primarily on the teachings of Jesus. It is not based on the miracles of Jesus. It is not based upon the compassion of Jesus. It is not even based on the death of Jesus. The Christian faith IS based on all of those things culminating in His resurrection. The theological issue of the resurrection of Christ is no minor issue! Either JESUS is alive or Christianity is a lie!  WHICH ONE IS IT?

While God loves us with a never-dying love, He also hates sin with a never-dying hatred. When someone persists in being identified with sin, even though God has provided a way to be separated from the enslavement of sin, then that person will inevitably suffer the fate of receiving the full weight of the wrath of God.  This was true of Israel then and it is true of individuals today. Take comfort…our God is a God of mercy. The nations would be sifted, the sinners would be punished, but not one of His true worshipers would be lost.

God often used common objects to teach important spiritual truths, and in this text, He uses a basket of summer (ripe) fruit. Just as this fruit was ripe for eating, the nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. There comes a time when God’s long-suffering runs out & His judgment comes. Can a person become so enslaved by sin that they would never seek to repent? Can a person become so hardened toward God that no matter what happened they would never turn away from their sin and trust the Lord? Is this really possible? This text tells us that the answer to all of this is a frightening YES!

God’s Law is His plumb line, and He measures His people to see how true they are to the pattern in His Word. How does your conduct and character measure up to HIS WORD…not against other people, not against the crowd, not against the polls…against HIS WORD?

Israel had not taken God seriously, they IGNORED the many warnings given by the prophets. Their pride in what they considered to be their own achievements, their refusal to practice righteousness and justice and their growing apostasy ALL led to their downfall. Proverbs 14:34 declares that “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” This is still true today. Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing. 

Complacency is an insidious sin, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something or someone other than God.  Any person who feels “at ease in Zion” who feels completely satisfied with what this world has to offer is like an ostrich….with its head stuck in the sand. Ignoring the Lord, while seeking peace, security, and comfort in this world instead of in God, WILL lead to a disillusioned life. Everything in this world collapses,  fails, deteriorates, dies, decays, it will eventually fade away. Only God can give permanent life. Only God can give true peace, comfort and assurance! 

Instead of celebrating this amazing display of repentance Jonah is furious. In Chapter 2 we see Jonah’s response to his own deliverance. Here in Chapter 4, we see Jonah’s response to the deliverance of the Ninevites. The deep contrast between these two chapters speaks volumes about Jonah, all this his shame. As the Lord turns FROM His anger at the end of Chapter 3, Jonah turns TO His here in Chapter 4. 

In our study of Jonah we see how time and time again, God never gave up on Jonah nor did he give up on His desire to GIVE the Ninevite’s the opportunity for repentance. When you return to God after running from Him, your past does not limit what God can do in your present. After all, God looked at Jonah in Chapter 3 just like he did in Chapter 1! 

Amos reveals that their profession and religion were both hypocritical. Therefore, the Lord would not accept their offerings or sacrifices. God did not leave them without hope, without an opportunity to correct their hypocrisy. God told them how to make their worship acceptable to Him. They had to practice & pursue justice & righteousness. True worship results in action. No matter how much “religious activity” we participate in, if we don’t love our brother and our neighbor, then we are not an authentic worshipper of God

Religion without righteousness and justice is HYPOCRISY. No matter how many people attend our worship services, if the end result does not lead to obedience to God and for a greater concern for our neighbor then our meetings are a failure. Revival begins with Repentance. True repentance begins with naming our sins and dealing with them one by one.“HEAR God’s Word!” Are you listening? “SEEK the Lord!” Are you praying and pursuing Him? “SEEK the good!” Do you HATE what is evil and RUN TO what is Right? Revival begins with Repentance. Will you be the one? Even if you're the ONLY ONE?

Jonah’s three days and three nights in the fish’s stomach pointed to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ It was through Jonah’s three-day experience that he was given a new life and a new beginning. So it is with us. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too can receive a new life, a new beginning, a brand new start, a second chance 

Amos Chapter 4 magnifies Chapter 3, by specifying a number of areas of failure: (1) failure to care, (2) failure to worship, (3) failure to remember and (4) failure to engage with God. Israel had sinned grievously, and despite many appeals to repent, they ignored God’s warning. They are much like of us today….walking in our sin and refusing to repent.

Last week we saw how Jonah’s hatred for the Assyrians and Nineveh was so strong that he would rather run from God than to go and preach to the great city. This week we see that not only would he rather run from God, he rather die than to have to go to Nineveh. Two major truths are revealed in this text: (1) God loves us too much to let us remain disobedient without bringing His discipline and (2) or personal disobedience affects other people. 

Amos 3:1-15The breakdown of society is simply the outward evidence of the loss of personal holiness. This chapter is full of reminders of who God’s people are and where they have come from. External forms of worship are worthless if personal and corporate holiness is lacking. God’s judgment upon Israel was utterly devastating. So it will be when Jesus Christ returns to execute perfect judgment upon the earth. Every city and nation will be judged by the mighty hand of God. Every human being who has ever lived will stand before God in judgment. We will all give an account for our lives, Are you ready?

Amos 2:4-16The nation of Israel refused to listen to the voice of the Lord’s prophet because they did not like what they heard. They did not want to be challenged or shaken out of their comfortable lifestyle. It’s no different than today. People still ignore God’s warnings: they don’t like what they hear, so they ignore what is said…what is made known to them. Do you pursue what you want more than you seek after what God wants for your life?

Amos 1:3-2:3God will one day judge the whole world. This is a certainty. All injustices, wrongdoing, wickedness, and brutality will be avenged … Justice DELAYED is NOT Justice DENIED! The book of Amos opens with the roar of God’s judgment. God’s pronouncement of judgment upon these nations is a reminder and representation of His coming judgment on all people. The Roar of the Lion helps us review our own lives and values. It helps us to reflect and consider: Does our lifestyle reflect the heart of God?  Do we share the self-seeking heart of the indifference of Amos’ day?

Amos 1:1-2The book of Amos teaches us several valuable lessons. The core message of Amos is God’s judgment for sin. YES, God IS patient and slow to anger BUT His patience does have limits. Sin, rebellion, corruption, injustice, and every form of evil behavior will be judged. Every person and EVERY Nation who breaks God’s laws AND refuses to repent will be judged. The message of Amos is needed today as much as ever.

James 5:13-20James has had a great deal to say about the tongue, and this chapter is no exception. He mentioned some of the lowest uses of the tongue: complaining (vs. 9) and swearing (vs. 12), but he also named some of the highest uses of the tongue: proclaiming God’s Word (vs. 10) and praying and praising God (vs. 13). Prayer is certainly a high and holy privilege. Just think, as God’s Children, we can come freely & boldly to His throne and share with Him our needs. Seven times in this section James mentioned prayer. The mature Believer is PRAYERFUL in the troubles of life. “Taking it to the Lord in prayer” is certainly a mark of spiritual maturity.

James 5:8-12