(Un) Common thoughts of Christ

What do we do when we are misunderstood, falsely spoken against, or wounded by the words of others?

Psalm 109 gives us a deeply personal glimpse into David’s heart. Rather than answering every accusation or defending himself at every turn, David says, “But I give myself unto prayer.”

In this short meditation, we consider David’s pleading in Psalm 109:1–5 and 21–31—his wounded heart, his depen...

“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused… choosing rather…” — Hebrews 11:24–25.

Moses had the treasures, education, position, and opportunities of Egypt before him. Yet faith gave him a different estimate of everything. He refused what Egypt offered, chose identification with the people of God, esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches, endured as seeing Him who is invisible, and...

What did the Lord Jesus mean when He said, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me”?

In this meditation from Matthew 11, two striking accounts of young oxen being trained under the yoke help bring the Lord’s words vividly before us.

One young ox fights the yoke—charging ahead, pulling back, and shaking its head—until at last it becomes exhausted and bows beneath it. Another develops painful sores, not be...

In this timeless 1992 address from Walla Walla, Washington, Chuck Hendricks opens the Scriptures to examine one of the most important questions facing the assembly of God: What is the difference between a mistaken judgment and known unrighteousness? Grounding his remarks in the holiness and righteousness of God, he explains why believers are called to submit to divinely delegated authority while never confusing human fallibility wi...

Joshua 9 records a striking failure in Israel’s early days in the land. The Gibeonites did not defeat Israel with armies or weapons. They came with worn clothing, mouldy bread, humble words, and a carefully constructed story that stirred Israel’s sympathy.

Their appeal was convincing. Their circumstances looked genuine. They even spoke respectfully of “the name of the LORD thy God.”

But Scripture records the d...

Joseph’s brothers stood before him in Egypt and confidently declared, “We be true men.” But more than twenty years earlier, these same men had sold Joseph into slavery, deceived their father, and buried the matter in silence.

In this episode, we trace the remarkable way God brought an old sin back into the light—not merely to expose it, but to awaken conscience, produce repentance, and open the door to restor...

In Mark 2, four men carry a helpless man to the Lord Jesus, only to find the doorway blocked. Their faith refuses to stop at the obstacle, while the scribes sit nearby reasoning in their hearts and missing the glory of the Person before them. 

This meditation considers the privilege of Capernaum, the accessibility of Jesus, the faith that brings need into His presence, and the solemn danger of possessing truth without truly see...

In a world filled with responsibilities, pressures, distractions, and “many things,” the Lord Jesus speaks a simple and searching word to Martha: “One thing is needful.” In this 2007 address from St. Louis, Don Rule considers Luke 10 and Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His Word—a choice the Lord Himself calls “that good part.”

This meditation brings the Lord’s ...

Podcast Description

In this moving address from the 1966 Montreal Conference, long-time laboring brother  Eric Smith recounts a remarkable account from his years of labor in Bolivia, where five assemblies had drifted from the Scriptural principles of gathering and godly discipline. After five years of separation, a humble appeal for help led him on a difficult four-day mule journey through the rainy season, where the Word of Go...

Before Israel ever faced the walls of Jericho, Joshua faced something far more important — the presence of a holy God. In Joshua 5:13–15, Joshua encounters the Captain of the LORD’s host and is instructed to remove his sandals, for the ground where he stood was holy.

In this short Scripture meditation, the passage is first read and then considered in the light of insights from respected Brethren writers including J...

In this final episode of He That Hath Ears to Hear, we come to the fourth soil in the parable of the sower — the good ground.

The good ground is not a naturally good heart. Scripture tells us the heart is deceitful and that all have sinned. Good ground is prepared ground — soil where God has done a deep work so that the Word can enter, take root, and bring forth fruit.

This episode considers what it means for the plow of ...

As we continue in our short series on the life of Abraham we come to his final test from God on Mount Moriah, where Abraham declared, *"God shall provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering."* 

That promise echoes through the centuries until John the Baptist points to Jesus and announces, **"Behold the Lamb of God."**

John's Gospel uniquely presents Christ as God's perfect Lamb. 

From His public identification in Joh...

In this meditation, we consider two distinct but deeply connected truths: the church as the body of Christ, and the church as the house of God. From 1 Timothy 3:15 and 1 Peter 4:17, we see that relationship brings both privilege and responsibility. As the body, the church is connected to Christ in living union. As the house, the church is connected with God’s order, holiness, conduct, discipline, and authority.

This message ca...

In Episode 4 of He That Hath Ears to Hear, we examine the third soil in the parable of the sower — the thorny ground.

This is not the hardened wayside where the Word never enters, nor the stony ground where joy springs up quickly but has no root. In the thorny ground, the Word is heard, but the heart is already occupied. The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things grow up and choke the W...

In this meditation, we look at Solomon’s great prayer at the dedication of the temple, found in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 6.

Solomon begins before the altar, standing before all Israel with his hands spread toward heaven. But 2 Chronicles gives us a deeper view: the king kneels before the congregation. He stands as king, but kneels as servant. He leads publicly, but he bows dependently before God.

This prayer teaches us that t...

In Episode 3 of He That Hath Ears to Hear, we examine the second soil in the parable of the sower — the stony ground.

Unlike the hardened wayside, this soil shows immediate response. There is gladness, enthusiasm, and visible growth. But beneath the surface lies hidden rock, and the Lord exposes the fatal issue:

“They have no root in themselves.”

Why do some respond quickly to the Word of God...

In Episode 2 of He That Hath Ears to Hear, we examine the first soil in the parable of the sower — the wayside ground.

Why can people hear the Word of God repeatedly and yet remain unchanged? What does it mean for the seed to lie only on the surface of the heart? And why did the Lord connect the birds of the air with the direct activity of Satan?

This episode explores:

• the hardened heart,
• the danger of repeated exposure witho...

In this opening episode of He That Hath Ears to Hear, we begin exploring the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 and Mark 4 — one of the most searching teachings ever given by the Lord Jesus.

Why did the Lord suddenly begin speaking in parables? Why did some hear and understand while others remained blind? And why is the phrase “He that hath ears to hear” so critical for believers today?

This episode examines the tur...

Again and again in Scripture the majority proved wrong. 

The world rejected Noah. Israel believed the fearful report instead of Joshua and Caleb. Hundreds of prophets opposed Elijah and Micaiah. Mobs cried out against Paul. And finally the crowd demanded the crucifixion of Christ. 

This message explores the biblical principle of the faithful remnant and reminds us that truth is not determined by the crowd but by faithfulnes...