Archive for the ‘Richard's Heart’ Category

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Losing Your Son

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Recorded March 29, 2009. One of the hardest things in life for a father is losing a loved one. In particular losing a son can be very traumatic. From time to time some fathers are asked to sacrifice their own sons for a greater good. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. During times of war fathers all over the world must be willing to lose their sons when the sons join the military to fight for their country. Even God had to lose his only begotten son to save a lost world.

Richard in this podcast episode points out one very important detail regarding Abraham’s sacrifice. Even though God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham did not believe he would lose his beloved son. God on the other hand knew his son Jesus would die. However, God also knew Jesus would not remain dead for very long.

Visit our podcast page to hear what Richard has to say about one special Father who saw His Son die for our sake. As always we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast series. You may also leave an appropriate comment regarding this episode by clicking on the comment link on our blog page.

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Salt Covenant

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Recorded on March 15, 2009. In this episode Richard talks about salt covenants. Numbers 18:19 refers to a salt covenant between God and Israel’s priests and Levites. In Biblical times people carried pouches filled with salt. Among other things, two parties would exchange salt to seal a covenant (contract) between them. The salt would become forever mixed with the other person’s salt. This symbolized that the covenant could never be broken.

The following is the text in the handout Richard referred to in this podcast episode:

In biblical times men carried a pouch of salt on their belts to prevent dehydration as well a trading it as a form of currency. When two men desired to finalize a business transaction or enter a covenant [or contract] of loyalty with each other, they would recite the conditions of their covenant and then exchange salt from each other’s pouch. Once they exchanged salt, they shook the salt grains within their pouches symbolizing the sealing of the covenant which became binding, for it was impossible to retrieve their original salt grains from one another.

Some Bible passages referring to salt covenants are:
 Genesis 14:3; Genesis 19:26; Exodus 30:34-35; Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; 2 Kings 2:19-21; 2 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Chronicles 13:5; Mark 9:49-50; Luke 14:34; Colossians 4:6

If you wish to look up these passages on line, you can go to BibleGateway.com. BibleGateway provides access to the Bible in many languages including English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic.

Find out more about what Richard has to say about salt covenants by visiting our podcast page. As always we encourage you to subscribe to From Richard’s Heart on our podcast page.

You may also leave appropriate comments by clicking on the comment link.

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Where did that come from?

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

Recorded on March 1, 2009. Ever said something and wondered where did that come from? For example, someone cuts you off in traffic, and you let out a few choice words unsuitable for a family friendly forum. Or you accidently hit your thumb with a hammer while trying to hang a picture–you mention God and Jesus repeatedly, but the tone of your voice suggests something other than honor and praise to your God and Savior. Where does that come from? James 3 states our heart is the source of what comes out of our mouths. We are unable to tame our tongue. Before our tongue can be tamed, we must change our heart.

If you have not already subscribed to From Richard’s Heart, you can visit our podcast page and listen to this episode. While visiting our podcast page,  you can subscribe to From Richard’s Heart. You may leave appropriate comments to this episode by clicking on the comment link below.

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God seeks intimacy

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

Recorded on February 15, 2009. Richard uses John Eldredge’s book Walking with God as the springboard for this week’s message. In this book, John Eldredge asks does God seek intimacy with us? In short, Eldredge concludes even in our sin, God seeks us out. 

Richard continues by looking  at 1 Corinthians 10. God seeks after and then stays in touch with us. Through the desert, God continually took care of the Israelites. The Israelites were baptized into Moses. In other words they were homogenized in Moses.

As children of God, we become homogenized with God and Christ. Christ becomes such an integral part of us, that we cannot become separated from God. Even when we sin, Jesus seeks us out. Jesus wants an intimate relationship with us.

To hear what Richard has to say about God seeking intimacy with us, go to our podcast page and  listen to the “God seeks intimacy” episode. As always, we encourage you to subscribe to “From Richard’s Heart” on our podcast page too.

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Erica’s Testimony

Saturday, February 21st, 2009

Recorded on February 1, 2009. Richard asked Erica Hoffman and her family to talk about Erica’s recent trip to Costa Rica where she received some adult stem cell therapy. Erica had been involved in a tragic automobile accident which left her paralyzed from the neck down. All of us at Mesa have been praying for her and her family ever since we’ve learned about her accident. We are pleased and honored to hear what she had to say. We are thankful for the physical progress she has made since her accident. We are even prouder of how Erica’s faith has grown since her accident.

As always you can listen to this and other episodes by visiting our podcast page.

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A Simple Act

Friday, February 20th, 2009

Recorded on January 18, 2009. This episode Richard looks at Joshua 2. He focuses on Rahab, the woman who hid and protected the Israelite spies while they were in the land of Jericho. Through Rahab, God provided a sanctuary for His men. By faith Rahab’s life was spared, and she was remembered in the great hallmark of faith (Hebrews 11:31). Rahab demonstrated her faith through her action, and she is now listed among the righteous of God.

Hear what Richard has to say about this remarkable woman by visiting From Richard’s Heart and clicking the play episode link. There you will also be able to subscribe to From Richard’s Heart and listen to other episodes within this series.

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Be Patient

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Recorded on January 4, 2009. In This episode Richard looks at James 5. We are living in the last days now. Are we ready? James asks us to be patient and stand firm. In God’s timing, the Lord will return. Nothing we do will speed up or slow down the Lord’s coming. We know one thing: the Lord’s return will come, and we are called to persevere.

Maybe we do live in terrible times, but as Christians we have cause for joy. Each minute that passes brings us closer to Christ’s return. Each minute that passes means we are closer to being with Jesus. Our patience and perseverance will be rewarded by our seeing Jesus face to face.

Listen to what Richard has to say about being patient while we wait for Jesus’ return by visiting our podcast page.

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Christmas Message

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Recorded on December 21, 2008. In this episode Richard gives us a Christmas message. Today we live in tough economic and political times. For Mary and Joseph the times were even tougher. They were forced to return to their ancestral home town to be counted in the Roman census. Neither had much in the way of money, and when they arrived in Bethlehem they had no place to stay. An innkeeper let them sleep in a stable. On top of all this Mary was a pregnant unmarried teenager. In this extraordinarily tough situation, Mary gave birth to Jesus.

Jesus came to a world filled with anguish and tears. Through this humble beginning, Jesus brought hope to a hopeless world. God’s angel announced the birth of our Messiah not to the well-to-do, respected, rich, and important members of the judeo-roman world, but to the bottom dregs of society. The birth of Christ is what we as Christians celebrate.

Go to our podcast page and hear what Richard has to say about the birth of Jesus. While visiting our podcast page, we encourage you to subscribe to this series.

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Faith Has No Limits

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Recorded on December 7, 2008. In this episode Richard talks about faith. He reminds us that sight is human, faith is spiritual. We may not be able to see God but we can know God. Richard looks at 2 Corinthians 5:7: “We live by faith, not by sight.” Sight is limited by what we can see. Faith on the other hand has no limits.

Hebrews 11 expands on this concept. We are certain of what we do not see. The word of God is used to reveal the nature of God. We accept and act through faith–not limited sight.

All of us face tough times now. As Christians, we need to persevere. Without faith we cannot move ahead. We need to live by faith. Are we being tricked by I can’t see it so I won’t believe it? Or do we let the Holy Spirit fill us with faith so we can move boldly with God’s calling. Let faith be operative in our life every day.

To hear what Richard Groh has to say about “Faith Has no Limits,” visit “From Richard’s Heart” and subscribe to this podcast.

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Bolivia Mission Update

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Recorded on December 7, 2008. Jamie and Susan Ramge share some of their experiences as missionaries in Bolivia. They work with the Quechua indians. The Ramges describe the Quechuan Christians as the most giving and generous people they’ve known. When serving the Quechua, the Ramges pack five gallon cans of gasoline on their vehicles to provide fuel for their vehicle and the portable generator used in their ministry.

Jamie emphasized the best way to help new converts is to encourage them to worship God in a way that fits their culture. The Quechua often worship God for several hours singing songs they’ve created in their own language. Jamie and Susan spend much of their time helping the Quechua leaders become more effective leaders in their community. 

The political climate in Bolivia is not entirely stable, and the Ramges have asked us to pray about that. We also have agreed to pray for Jamie and Susan as they immerse themselves in learning Quechua. Naturally we will pray for God’s providence with vehicle and technology maintenance as Jamie and Susan travel into remote areas in Bolivia.

Find out what Jamie and Susan Ramge have to say about their experience as missionaries in Bolivia by visiting the “From Richard’s Heart” podcast page.

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