Showing results by narrator "David Cochran Heath" in All Categories

Songs of Solomon emphasizes the holiness and beauty of marriage through the story of a bridegroom who is in love with his bride. It can also been seen as an illustration of Christ’s love for the Church. Listen to this love poem and get a taste of how marriage paints a perfect picture of the Gospel.

Idolatry, rebellion, disobedience, pride. Second Kings illustrates the collapse of a divided nation that turned its back on God. This, however, does not change the fact that God is faithful. Like any good father, he does not allow his children's sinfulness to carry on without discipline.

If you could ask God for anything in the world, knowing it would be given to you, what would you ask for? Solomon asked for wisdom. For many, this sounds like a silly request, but Solomon knew wisdom was everything he needed in order to successfully carry out the assignment God gave him. In this book, we can learn the importance of habitually looking to God, the giver of all good things.

This letter was written by Paul while he was imprisoned Rome. The apostle was experiencing persecution for his faith, but this was no surprise to him, nor was it stealing his hope. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). He was writing this letter to encourage Timothy, his coworker, to be strong in the Lord in spite of suffering. He called on him to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, as we should all strive to be ourselves.

The church has always been in danger of “secret agents” who gain entry into the Christian community and thwart the gospel, consequently leading believers astray. We see this in Jude’s letter as he tackles the same issues Peter did in his second letter.

Like many of us, the Thessalonians need to be reminded of the reality of Christ’s second coming. In this book, Paul encourages believers to look forward to the second coming as the final accomplishment of God’s promise to save his people. In light of the Thessalonians’ false sense of security, Paul only addresses the timing of the second coming by saying, “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thes. 5:2)

Giving practical advice for showing hospitality and having a charitable heart toward others, the Apostle John focuses on living life in a way that displays one's love for God. Another vital aspect of this book is John's warnings about false teachers. These individuals "have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist" (2 John 7).

David is dead and Solomon takes the throne. First Kings begins with a united kingdom and ends with division. This is a story of a monarchy’s breakdown but it is also a story of God’s tireless desire to maintain a relationship with His people.

As Christians we often face opposition while doing kingdom work. It is sometimes easy for us to forget about God's sovereignty and become discouraged. The prophet Haggai challenges God's people to trust in God's power as they face local opposition while building the Temple. He encourages them to repent and look to God for strength. Listen to Haggai as he draws attention to common struggles we face today.

God is faithful and always keeps his promises. In 1 Chronicles, God's promise to David is fulfilled when David becomes king over all of Israel. The genealogies in this book remind us that every one of God's children plays a role in his redemption plan. We can rest assured that we are each playing a vital role in this plan as well.

Hebrews is about persevering in the faith. Written concerning the Jewish Christians, this letter serves as a reminder that Christ is superior to priests, angels, and the old covenant laws. His sacrifice is once for all unlike the sacrificial system.

The gospel does not discriminate. We see this in Paul’s letter to Philemon as he asks him to take back his runaway slave, Onesimus, not as a slave but rather as a beloved brother in Christ. Onesimus ran away from his master, Philemon, and escaped to Rome. On his journey, he ran into the apostle Paul and became a Christian. In Paul’s letter to Philemon, it becomes evident that the gospel can transform lives and also unite two unexpected people as brothers.

In this popular Old Testament book, we learn that God will unleash judgment on a rebellious Israel but also that he will redeem his people with deep compassion. The prophet Isaiah encourages the Israelites to repent from their sinful ways and to live a life of obedience to the Lord.

The prophet Hosea has much to say about the sinfulness of Israel, but he also has much to say about the faithfulness of God. As the Israelites worship other gods and move further away from their Creator, God's judgment comes upon them. After judgment, however, God displays acts of mercy as he acts tenderly to his people, like a loving parent would. Listen to Hosea as he reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and speaks prophesies concerning the redemption to come in latter days.

After finding out that the Corinthian church was filled with pride and committing sexual immorality, Paul teaches believers about the dangers of abusing freedom. The real problem is that the believers have a misunderstanding of grace. The Corinthian church was basing its faith on cheap grace. Cheap grace is grace without the cross, grace without repentance, and grace without cost. Listen to Paul as he tells believers about Christ who has given us grace as forgiveness for our sins but also as power to flee from our old ways.

Imagine a diverse group of people joining together to build a wall. Follow Nehemiah as he leads the building of a wall and teaches the Israelites what it means to live a life of obedience and love for God. This will not be an easy feat but it will be a fruitful one.

Best-selling author Newt Gingrich proposes a bold vision ofthe future: America is on the cusp of a renaissance, a new birth of technological and scientific innovation that will dramatically transform the prosperity and quality of life of every American. Our biggest enemy? Special interest groups, powerful lobbyists, and government bureaucrats who aredetermined to squash, control, or prevent these innovations - and permanently change the future of America.

The biggest story of the election was how the media ignored the biggest story of the election.

Amid all the breathless coverage of a nonexistent war on women, there was little or no coverage of Obama's war on the economy - how, for instance, part-time work is replacing full-time work, how low-wage jobs are replacing high-wage ones, how for Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 there are fewer jobs today than there were when the recession officially ended in 2009, and fewer, in fact, than at any time since mid-1997.

In this issue of Christian History magazine the editors bring together a collection of articles that explore the depth of C. S. Lewis' robust personality. His loves, his contribution to analysis of historical literature, his friends, and his deep theological thought are all brought to light.

While there have been many biographies of Dwight D. Eisenhower that focus on his military career or the time of his presidency, none clearly explores the important role faith played both in his personal life and in his public policy. This despite the fact that he is the only US president to be baptized as a Christian while in office. Alan Sears and Craig Osten invite you on a journey that is unique in American history and is essential to understanding one of the most consequential, admired, and complex Americans of the 20th century.