Explore every episode of the podcast Straight From The Heart Radio

Breaking tradition- The Pharisees were offended by the fact that Jesus and his disciples did not strictly adhere to rules when it came to religious ordinances, like fasting and the Sabbath. Jesus was not just a rebel. He wanted the religious Jews to know that He came to do a new work.

The call of Matthew- Matthew decided to follow Jesus after a life of observing the hypocrisy of religion and experiencing the emptiness of pursuing happiness through material wealth. How do you see your unsaved friends? Jesus saw sinners as those who are spiritually sick.

The power to forgive- How motivated are you to bring your friends to Jesus? Four men were so determined to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus they broke through someone's roof. Jesus claimed the authority to do something only God can do- forgive sins.

Jesus can make you clean- A man with leprosy came to Jesus, desperate to be free of a disease that isolated him from society. Just as leprosy corrupts the body, sin slowly kills the soul, and disrupts our fellowship with God. Only Jesus can cleanse us from the disease of sin.

Preaching the gospel- In one action-packed day at Capernaum, Jesus taught with authority, cast out demons, and healed the sick. Jesus was clear that the objective of His work was that people would "repent, and believe in the gospel."

The Gospel of Mark- Mark's gospel cuts right to the chase. Unlike Matthew and Luke, who begin their gospels with the birth of Jesus, Mark begins by showing how John the Baptist was called to pave the way for Jesus.

Rest from the enemy- The feast of Purim became a day of celebration and gladness to remember how God used Mordecai and Esther to deliver the Jewish people. We are ambassadors of the gospel, called to spread the good news that Christ has overcome sin and death.

A new law published- With Haman and his evil plot in the past, Esther and her people still faced a problem. The law of sin and death cannot be changed, but the new law of grace has now been issued through Christ.

Haman's demise- After a sleepless night, the king discovered that no one ever honored Mordecai for foiling an assassination attempt against the king. When Esther revealed to the king Haman's plot to destroy the Jews, it was Haman who was hanged on the gallows meant for Mordecai.

A banquet with the king- Esther worked up the courage to request an audience with the king so she could make a request to save her people. Haman and Esther both looked forward to a banquet with the king for very different reasons.

Such a time as this- We can't remain silent in a culture that desperately needs to hear the truth of the gospel. Mordecai sent a message to Esther to encourage her that God had placed her where she was for a reason and a purpose.

Haman's evil plan- Haman successfully influenced the king to make a decree that all the Jews in his kingdom should be annihilated. When Mordecai caught wind of the grave news, he hurried to try and warn Esther that her people were in trouble.

The wrath of Haman- Haman was promoted above all the princes after a failed assassination attempt on the king's life. Haman began to concoct his own conspiracy against the Jewish people after Mordecai refused to bow down and pay homage to Haman.

The king loved Esther- On the search for a new queen, King Ahasuerus noticed something different about one of the applicants, a young Jewish girl named Esther. Esther's cousin Mordecai advised her not to reveal her Jewish heritage.

Vashti said no- Ahasuerus, the king of Persia, was the leader of the most powerful empire in the world, but he was weak because he could not say no to alcohol. In contrast, Queen Vashti said no to the king, and refused to be held up as his personal trophy.

The book of Esther- God is not named one time in the book of Esther. Esther's story reminds us that God's hand of providence and protection is always working behind the scenes, even if we can't feel his presence.

Final exhortations- Concluding his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul announced he would be returning to visit them, and expressed his genuine love for the church there. Paul also challenged those who were critical of him to make sure to examine themselves.

Visions and revelations- There were some voices in the church during Paul's time (and even now) that boasted about having revelations from God. What was Paul's thorn in the flesh? Through persistent prayer, Paul learned that God's grace was enough to sustain him.

Credentials of an apostle- What kind of fool would willingly choose a life of suffering? That's what many who were critical of Paul's ministry said about him. Paul did not use his apostleship as a platform to boast in himself, only to glorify God.

Godly jealousy- Like a loving parent, Paul was concerned about false teachings that were creeping into the Corinthian church. Deceptive doctrines can be very subtle and even appealing, many times containing some hints of truth.

Warning against comparisons- One problem plaguing some people in the church at Corinth was the temptation of comparisons. We should not be measuring the health of our relationship with God based on what other people are doing. Christ alone should be our standard.

Weapons of our warfare- There is a spiritual war going on between good and evil. How do you fight against an invisible enemy who knows your weaknesses? Through prayer and the word of God. These are the weapons of our warfare.

Sowing and reaping- There is a difference between tithing and giving. Paul says the main principle for giving is very simple: "God loves a cheerful giver." God wants us to give of our time, money, and resources out of the goodness of our hearts.

Giving in the church- God can use finances to further His work through the body of Christ. How should Christians think through the topic of giving at church?

Wisdom concerning giving- Some people in the church wrongly encourage giving as a form of investment. We aren't supposed to give and expect something back in return. Paul pointed to Jesus, and the church at Macedonia, as examples of what a giving heart that pleases God looks like.

Godly sorrow- Did Paul regret writing his first letter to the Corinthians? Like a surgeon, Paul knew his words would painfully cut into the hearts of his brethren at Corinth. The news of their repentance brought Paul great joy.

Let us cleanse ourselves- Some of the Corinthians were letting worldliness creep into their lives. They were making excuses for unhealthy fellowship with unbelievers. Paul called them to repentance and cleansing from their idolatry.

Serving with Christ- What can the servant of God expect to experience? It is certainly not a glamorous calling. In fact, you can expect to face hardship in your service to God. Serving Christ means separation from the world, but not isolation.

The word of reconciliation- Christians are all called to be ambassadors for Christ, imploring others to be reconciled to Him. The word of reconciliation is the truth that only Jesus Christ can offer man forgiveness and peace with God.

God's Servant Satisfied- Isaiah chapter 53 paints perhaps the greatest picture of Jesus Christ in the old testament. Follow along with Pastor Joe through this 5-part series as we take some time to focus on the person and mission of Jesus for Passion Week.

The Silent Servant- Isaiah chapter 53 paints perhaps the greatest picture of Jesus Christ in the old testament. Follow along with Pastor Joe through this 5-part series as we take some time to focus on the person and mission of Jesus for Passion Week.

The Suffering Servant- Isaiah chapter 53 paints perhaps the greatest picture of Jesus Christ in the old testament. Follow along with Pastor Joe through this 5-part series as we take some time to focus on the person and mission of Jesus for Passion Week.

God's Humble Servant- Isaiah chapter 53 paints perhaps the greatest picture of Jesus Christ in the old testament. Follow along with Pastor Joe through this 5-part series as we take some time to focus on the person and mission of Jesus for Passion Week.

God's Servant Exalted- Isaiah chapter 53 paints perhaps the greatest picture of Jesus Christ in the old testament. Follow along with Pastor Joe through this 5-part series as we take some time to focus on the person and mission of Jesus for Passion Week.

Motivated by God's love- Some of the Corinthians were critical of Paul and thought he was crazy to be content living a life of trials. It was not a glamorous calling. Paul's mindset in ministry was motivated by his love for Christ.

By faith, not by sight- The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that one day we will be "absent from the body," and "present with the Lord." That's why we are called to walk by faith, remembering where our home really is.

Renewed day by day- The greatest capacity of man is to contain the glory of God. That's good news for believers because the outward man is decaying. Although we have a glorious future, our inward man needs to be renewed daily to endure the momentary affliction of this life.

We have this ministry- The good news of the gospel is that anyone can have a living, breathing relationship with God. We are called to present this glorious truth to the world in humility and simplicity. Are you praying for your friends and family who are spiritually blind?

A letter from Christ- It was apparent that many of the Corinthians' lives had changed. But not because they were following the letter of the law. For "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." Some unbelievers will read your life before they ever read the Bible. What will they notice?

The fragrance of Christ- We need to be aware of the schemes of Satan. If we do not accept those who are truly repentant, we might be giving space for the enemy to move in. Paul exhorted the church at Corinth to show love to a brother who had failed and repented of his sin.

Setting the record straight- Paul was accused by some of being unreliable and untrustworthy because he did not make it to Corinth to visit the church. How do we respond with grace to people who are critical of us, or make assumptions about our intentions?

Living by God's grace- Paul recounted a trying time while in Asia that was so discouraging he "despaired even of life." Sound familiar? Ever feel so overwhelmed you just want to throw in the towel? It's only through the grace of God that we can find deliverance from our suffering.

Second to the Corinthians- Many believers in the church at Corinth heeded the exhortations and corrections in Paul's first letter. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians is full of encouragement, in addition to some defense of his own reputation and ministry.

Last words and greetings- Paul shares his final words of exhortation and encouragement in this first letter to the Corinthian church.

Time and money- Do you view your time and money as a gift from God? If you do, you will be a good steward over how you are using them. Paul began his final thoughts in his first letter to Corinth with an exhortation to the church on the use of time and money for God's kingdom.

Resurrection- Everyone will experience resurrection one day. For some, resurrection will mark the beginning of a glorious new life, for others, it will mean separation from God, and the loss of all hope. God has given man the capacity to choose which fate he will experience.

The last enemy- Jesus was not just raised from the dead, He was resurrected. Because Jesus was resurrected, He will never die again, and His followers have the same glorious future. What does Paul's strange comment about those "who are baptized for the dead" mean?

Defending the resurrection- One of the last issues Paul had to address with the Corinthians was an apparent skepticism by some of the resurrection. Are you prepared to give a defense for the resurrection of Jesus?

Prophecy and tongues (Part 2)- There should be order in the way the gifts of tongues and prophecy are exercised in the church. This will be a witness to unbelievers. Paul defended this position when he said, "God is not the author of confusion but of peace."

Prophecy and tongues- There is a lot of weirdness out there in the church when it comes to the gifts of tongues and prophecy. How can we determine what's legitimate? If spiritual gifts are meant to be exercised in love, then tongues and prophecy should be edifying to the church.