Straight From The Heart
Aired Teaching # Scripture Description Listen
6/6/2025 WED179 Luke 15:11-32 The prodigal son: Part 1- The prodigal son is really a tale of two sons. The younger was not content with his father's provision and looked to another country for satisfaction. The older was bitter and envious of the grace the father showed to his brother. Which son do you identify with?
6/5/2025 WED178 Luke 14:34-15:10 God loves the lost- The parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin reveal God's heart of love towards the sinner. God pursues lost sinners because of His love and grace, not because they are inherently valuable or special.
6/4/2025 WED178 Luke 14:34-15:10 Salt is good- Salt has a lot of uses. It adds flavor to food, it's a preservative, it stings and purifies. Jesus explained to His listeners how the usefulness of salt relates to our spiritual life.
6/3/2025 WED177 Luke 14:7-33 Dying to self: Part 2- A true disciple must be willing to forsake everything for Christ. Even good things like our jobs or families can become a higher priority than our relationship with Jesus. Jesus used a parable to show common excuses people use to not follow Him.
6/2/2025 WED177 Luke 14:7-33 Dying to self: Part 1- While eating a Sabbath meal in the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, Jesus exhorted His listeners to "take the lowest place." We should be willing to love and serve others without expecting anything in return, just as Jesus has done for us.
5/30/2025 WED176 Luke 13:18-14:6 Spiritual blindness- Jesus lamented over the people of Jerusalem who were spiritually blind and could not recognize that their savior had come. Out of love and compassion, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath hoping that it would open the eyes of the Pharisees to their hypocrisy.
5/29/2025 WED176 Luke 13:18-14:6 The narrow gate- When talking about salvation, many people bring up the proverbial "man on the island." How will he hear the good news? Jesus wants people to be concerned about their own personal decision and standing with God.
5/28/2025 WED175 Luke 12:49-13:17 Eyes like Jesus- A woman doubled over with "a spirit of infirmity" for 18 years came to the synagogue to hear Jesus. Jesus always sees those who have the greatest need. We often live selfishly, not looking to serve and meet the needs of those around us.
5/27/2025 WED175 Luke 12:49-13:17 The hard truth- What did Jesus mean when He said that He came to bring division rather than peace? What does that message mean for His followers? Jesus clearly taught that all are called to repentance. We should not be too quick to judge others.
5/26/2025 WED174 Luke 12:22-48 Live in expectancy- Jesus Christ is coming back one day. Does that reality influence how you are living? The goal of the Christian should be to live like the faithful steward, serving and watching expectantly for the return of his master.
5/23/2025 WED174 Luke 12:22-48 Live without worry- Worry and anxiety can be potent forces in our lives, many times leading to fear and lack of faith. Jesus said the Christian life does not have to be filled with worry. We can have confidence that our heavenly Father will provide for all our needs.
5/22/2025 WED173 Luke 11:44-12:21 The fear of God- The fear of man leads to hypocrisy. The fear of God leads to peace and spiritual wealth. The man who fears God is concerned with eternal things. Jesus warned against covetousness, which can distract us from having an eternal mindset.
5/21/2025 WED173 Luke 11:44-12:21 The fear of man- Jesus openly challenged the Pharisees because of their religious hypocrisy. They were more concerned about their outward appearance than the state of their hearts. God always knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts where man can't see.
5/20/2025 WED172 Luke 11:14-44 A light to your path- The truth of God's word brings light into our lives to save us from the darkness of sin, and to guide us as we walk with Christ. Some of the Pharisees thought they were obeying God's word, but they were still spiritually blind.
5/19/2025 WED172 Luke 11:14-44 The strong man- Some people explained the miraculous things Jesus did by saying He was possessed by the devil. Jesus shared a brief illustration to demonstrate His power and authority over dark spiritual forces. You might be mocked for believing in the reality of spiritual warfare.
5/16/2025 WED171 Luke 11:1-13 Ask, seek, knock- If God already knows our thoughts, why does He tell us to ask and seek Him through prayer? God wants us to come to him persistently and confidently like a child goes to their father with requests.
5/15/2025 WED171 Luke 11:1-13 Teach us to pray- People have all kinds of methods and strategies for an effective prayer life. If we are not careful, that can turn into legalism. Jesus shared "the Lord's prayer" with His disciples as a model for what the heart of our prayers and communion with God should be.
5/14/2025 WED170 Luke 10:25-42 Serving and worshiping- Our service to the Lord is very important, but God cares more about the servant than the service. When Jesus came into the home of Mary and Martha, the way these sisters interacted with Him became a living parable for us to learn from.
5/13/2025 WED170 Luke 10:25-42 Who is my neighbor?- We can have all our theology straight, but it means nothing if we are not loving and serving people. Jesus shared the parable of the Good Samaritan to show that our faith needs to be demonstrated through our actions.
5/12/2025 WED169 Luke 9:51-10:24 Lambs among wolves- After laying out the cost of discipleship to some curious listeners, Jesus gave some guidance and instructions before sending out 70 of His disciples. Our ultimate joy should not be found in the things we do for Christ, but in the fact our names are "written in heaven."
5/9/2025 M238 Podcast Interview with Pastor Brian Weed- Pastor Joe sits down with Pastor Brian Weed to discuss a new Calvary Chapel fellowship meeting on Tuesday evenings in Levittown, PA. Pastor Brian shares his heart and excitement for this new gathering.
5/8/2025 WED169 Luke 9:51-10:24 A lesson about anger- Anger is not wrong, but how we use our anger is where the trouble comes in. James and John learned a lesson about anger after they became outraged seeing some people not being very welcoming to Jesus.
5/7/2025 WED168 Luke 9:26-50 Humility and greatness- After delivering a boy possessed by an evil spirit, Jesus instructed His disciples about the importance of prayer and fasting, and what greatness look like in the kingdom of God.
5/6/2025 WED168 Luke 9:26-50 Up on the mountain- Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain to experience His glory. Jesus knows there are times in our walk with Him when we need a fresh revelation of His love and character, and He will be faithful to give us that.
5/5/2025 WED167 Luke 9:1-26 Who is Jesus to you?- Some people claim Jesus was just a good moral teacher. The truth is, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Son of God. What exactly did Jesus mean when He said His followers would need to take up their cross daily, and follow Him?
5/2/2025 WED167 Luke 9:1-26 Healing and feeding- Jesus gave His twelve disciples power and authority to heal the sick and deliver the demon possessed. But what about feeding a crowd of thousands of people with what seems to be insufficient resources? Jesus did not choose us because we are qualified.
5/1/2025 WED166 Luke 8:41-56 Don't be afraid, believe- When Jairus heard his daughter had died, his worst fears came true. If only that woman did not interrupt them, maybe his daughter would have been saved. Why does God allow some to be healed and not others? When our faith is failing Jesus says, "believe."
4/30/2025 WED166 Luke 8:41-56 When God delays- When expectations are delayed it can be difficult to endure. God does not always operate the way we expect Him to. A man named Jairus convinced Jesus to come heal his dying daughter, but another desperate and needy woman interrupted Jesus along the way.
4/29/2025 WED165 Luke 8:19-40 Light and darkness- The Bible says that there is spiritual warfare, a war between light and darkness. After coming through the storm, Jesus displayed His authority over those dark forces when He freed a demon-possessed man.
4/28/2025 WED165 Luke 8:19-40 Finding peace in the storms- Jesus was misunderstood by many throughout His earthly ministry. His family thought He lost His mind. Even His disciples doubted Him at times. Jesus was completely at peace in the storms of life, and He wants us to have His peace too.
4/25/2025 WED164 Luke 8:1-18 Parable of the sower (part 2)- Jesus explains the meaning and application of the parable of the sower. Not everyone will gladly receive the seed of God's word. Are you actively praying for those in your life with hard hearts?
4/24/2025 WED164 Luke 8:1-18 Parable of the sower- What is the "soil" of your heart like? Jesus said there is hard, rocky, crowded, and good soil. We could identify with any one of these four soils at different times in the Christian life.
4/23/2025 WED163 Luke 7:24-50 A dinner invitation- Jesus received an invitation for dinner at the house of Simon, a Pharisee. During their social engagement, a woman living in sin came to Simon's home and washed Jesus' feet. The woman and Simon were both sinners in need of cleansing despite the disparity in their social status.
4/22/2025 WED163 Luke 7:24-50 None greater than John- Jesus affirmed that John the Baptist was the last and the greatest of the prophets. How is it then that "he who is least in the kingdom of God" could be greater than John?
4/21/2025 WED162 Luke 7:1-23 God has visited His people- Jesus spoke a word to a grieving mother's dead son and he came back to life. Only God could display such power and authority. Jesus came to solve the problem of sin and death, but many misunderstood what His mission was.