Author Archives: jmcconnell

The Testimony of a Tax Collector
Matthew 9:9-13

Money, money, mon–ey” was my motto! As they say, “I used to roll down the street with my mind on my money and my money on my mind.” Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed about becoming rich and living in the lap of luxury. Back then, I even opened up a little street-stand [...]

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Nehemiah: A Good Governor
Nehemiah 1

Israel had come through some dark days, but finally, there was a glimmer of hope. After 70 years in Babylonian exile, the Persian Empire had conquered the Babylonians and passed an edict that allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland, the Promised Land that God had given to their forefathers. Some of the people [...]

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Amos: From the Pasture to the Pulpit
Amos 7

Dwight Lyman Moody was born on February 5, 1837 in the rural village of Northfield, Massachusetts. His father, a farmer and stonemason, died at the age of 41 while praying on his knees. When Dwight was only four years old, he had five older brothers and a younger sister, with an additional twin brother and [...]

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Hosea: The Preacher & The Prostitute
Hosea 1

Hosea was his name and preaching was his game! God called Hosea to be a herald—that is, a prophet who proclaims God’s Word. He did this in the northern kingdom of Israel from the years 750-725 B.C. Just as the young preacher was beginning his prophetic ministry, God came to him and said, “Hosea, behind [...]

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Daniel: Memoirs of a Servant of the Sovereign God
Daniel 1

Cahhh! Cahhh! Excuse me, I have a nasty cough. I haven’t been feeling very well these days! Anyway, today I would like to share some of my life experiences that have taught me about God’s sovereignty. I wasn’t always a servant of the sovereign God, but throughout my life, God has used a number of [...]

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Ezekiel: A Heart Transplant & Some Dry Bones
Ezekiel 36:16-38; 37:1-14

“Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?” What were you doing on this day 10 years ago when you first heard about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.? Like the invasion of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and [...]

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Ahab & Jezebel: A Match Made in Hell
I Kings 21

There have been many corrupt couples throughout history: Julius Caesar & Cleopatra, Louis the 16th & Marie Antoinette, Bonnie & Clyde, and Brad & Angelina, but there has never been any worse than Ahab and Jezebel. They were a match made in hell! Ahab Let me begin by introducing to you to the first half [...]

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Solomon: The Half-Hearted King
I Kings 1-11

Last Sunday, the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team lost to Japan in the World Cup Finals. The heavily favored U.S. team certainly had its chances to win, leading 1-0 and 2-1, but it squandered numerous opportunities to put the game away. After 120 minutes of grueling play, they lost in a nail biting 3-1 overtime shootout. [...]

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David: The Fall of a King
II Samuel 11-24

How many of you have ever heard of Thomas Jefferson? Most of us know Jefferson as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the third president of the United States of America, and one of the most influential organizers of our country. But did you know that most historians believe that Jefferson carried on [...]

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David: The Rise of a King
I Samuel 16-26

The story of David begins in the little farming village of Bethlehem. His ancestry in that town went at least went back to his great grandparents Boaz and Ruth, and his father Jesse raised all eight of his sons and his two daughters there. Being the youngest of eight boys isn’t easy, especially when you [...]

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