Honey From The Rock

By The Rephidim ProjectReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Honey From The Rock episodes

May 13Ephesians 2:10 – A Work of Art That Works
In Episode 16 of our Ephesians podcast series, we turn to Ephesians 2:10, where Paul clarifies the purpose of salvation. After declaring that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works (2:8-9), Paul now explains what salvation produces: transformed lives marked by good works prepared by God Himself.
Believers are described as God’s workmanship, His masterpiece in the making, created in Christ Jesus for good works. These works do not earn salvation, but they serve as the visible evidence of God’s gracious work within us. Sanctification, then, is neither moralistic self‑effort nor passive spiritual waiting. It is a life of obedient faith, sustained and secured by grace.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What it means to be God’s “workmanship” and why believers are living works of art
How Ephesians 2:10 guards us from both legalism and passivity
Why good works are the result of salvation, not the cause
How progressive sanctification shapes spiritual maturity over time
How grace provides both the power and the safety net for faithful obedience
Ephesians 2:10 calls believers to walk in the works God has already prepared, serving not from guilt or fear, but from gratitude and love shaped by grace.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
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The post Ephesians 2:10 – A Work of Art That Works appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
38 min
May 06Ephesians 2:8-9-God’s Priceless Gift
Welcome to Episode 15 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, we come to what is often considered the clearest summary of the gospel in all of Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul teaches that salvation is not earned, purchased, or achieved. It is received freely as the gift of God.
These verses answer questions people carry for a lifetime:
How can a sinner be made right with God? What role do faith and works play? Why does the gospel produce humility rather than pride? Paul’s answer is decisive, salvation comes by grace, is received through faith, and is not the result of works.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why grace must be the initiating cause of salvation
What it means to be saved “through faith” without turning faith into a work
Why Paul leaves no room for self‑reliance or moral scorekeeping
How the gospel produces humility and gratitude rather than boasting
Why salvation by grace is the church’s most essential message for weary consciences
Salvation is not achieved by effort but received by faith as God’s priceless gift of grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 reorients the heart away from self‑effort and toward lasting gratitude for what only God can give.

About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 2:8-9-God’s Priceless Gift appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
35 min
April 29Ephesians 2:6-7 – Salvation’s Splendor
Welcome to Episode 14 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen continues through Ephesians 2, focusing on verses 6-7, where Paul reveals the present position of the believer and God’s eternal purpose in salvation.
Paul teaches that believers are not only made alive with Christ but have also been raised up and seated with Him in the heavenly places. These realities are not future promises; they are accomplished facts for every believer in Christ. God’s salvation is complete, secure, and grounded entirely in grace, not human performance.
Paul then lifts our eyes beyond the present age. God’s purpose in salvation stretches into eternity: “so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Believers are destined to be on public display forever as trophies of divine grace.
This passage anchors Christian confidence not in ability, achievement, or endurance, but in union with Christ and the completed work of redemption.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What it means to be raised up and seated with Christ now
Why the believer’s position precedes Christian practice
How grace produces confidence without arrogance
What Paul means by “the ages to come”
Why believers are on display forever as trophies of God’s grace
Ephesians 2:6-7 reminds us that salvation does not merely rescue us from sin, it repositions us in Christ and assigns our lives an eternal purpose rooted in grace.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 2:6-7 – Salvation’s Splendor appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
0 min
April 15Ephesians 2:4-5 – Rich in Mercy
Welcome to Episode 13 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen continues through Ephesians 2, arriving at one of Scripture’s most decisive turning points: “But God…”
After describing humanity’s condition as spiritually dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1–3), Paul now explains God’s saving action. Salvation is not initiated by human effort or cooperation, but by God alone, who is rich in mercy and motivated by great love.
Paul teaches that even when we were dead in sin, God made us alive together with Christ. This act of salvation is entirely gracious. Human inability necessitates divine action. Dead people cannot make themselves alive, and therefore salvation must be wholly God’s work, from beginning to end.
This passage establishes a foundational truth for Christian faith and life: we were dead, but God made us alive, by grace.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why salvation begins with “But God”, not human effort
What it means that God is rich in mercy
Why human sin makes self‑rescue impossible
How God makes sinners alive together with Christ
Why salvation is by grace alone, not performance
This episode clearly distinguishes between what humanity is by nature and what believers become by grace. God alone makes the dead alive.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 2:4-5 – Rich in Mercy appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
36 min
April 08Ephesians 2:1-3 – That’s Just Human Nature!
Welcome to Episode 12 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen begins Ephesians chapter 2 by addressing one of the most challenging biblical truths about humanity: before Christ, we are spiritually dead yet fully free to do what we want to do.
Paul explains that apart from Christ, people are not morally neutral or spiritually responsive. Though physically alive, we are dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the values of the world, the influence of Satan, and the desires of our own nature. Human freedom exists but it operates within the limits of a fallen nature.
This passage clarifies why external change is never enough. Environment influences behavior, but the deeper problem lies within. Left to ourselves, we consistently choose according to our strongest desires, which flow from a sinful nature described by Paul as “children of wrath.”
The episode introduces a critical turning point in Ephesians: the contrast between what we were by nature (dead in sin) and what God does by regeneration (making us alive in Christ).
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What Scripture means by being “dead in trespasses and sins”
How human freedom operates according to desire and nature
The two spheres that shape human behavior: environment and nature
Why changing circumstances cannot solve the sin problem
Why regeneration, not reform, is God’s solution
This message sets up the necessity of grace by clearly defining humanity’s condition apart from Christ. We sin because we are sinners and only God can make the dead alive.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 2:1-3 – That’s Just Human Nature! appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
37 min
April 01Ephesians 1:22-23 – Rest and Risk
Ephesians 1:22-23 Explained: Rest and Risk
Welcome to Episode 11 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen brings Paul’s opening prayer in Ephesians 1 to a powerful conclusion, showing us how resting in Christ frees us to risk ourselves.
In an age marked by information overload, anxiety, and constant pressure to control outcomes, Paul reminds believers of a liberating truth: Jesus Christ reigns over all things and He reigns for the good of His church. All things are under His feet, and the One who rules the universe has been given as Head over all things to the church.
This passage teaches us that the church is Christ’s body and the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Because Christ is sovereign, present, and actively filling His church with His life, believers are freed from panic and paralysis. We don’t have to scramble for control, we can rest in His authority and boldly risk ourselves in faithful service.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Jesus Christ is the ruler of the universe and the leader of the church
How Christ’s headship brings rest instead of panic
What it means for the church to be the body and fullness of Christ
Why unity and interdependence are essential to healthy church life
How resting in Christ’s control frees us to serve, love, and risk ourselves for His mission
If you feel overwhelmed by the world’s chaos or hesitant to step out in faith, this episode offers hopeful clarity. We have a person to trust, a place to belong, and a mission worth giving ourselves to.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 1:22-23 – Rest and Risk appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
0 min
March 25Ephesians 1:19b-21 – Power in Prayer
Welcome to Episode 10 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen continues Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:19b-21, turning our attention to one of the most encouraging realities of the Christian life: prayer connects us to the power of God by faith in Christ.
Paul piles word upon word to describe the magnitude of God’s power, power that raised Jesus from the dead, seated Him at the Father’s right hand, and placed Him far above every rule, authority, power, and dominion. This is not abstract theology. It is resurrection power, present power, and victorious power, made available to believers through prayer.
This episode reminds us that we do not pray to get power. We pray so that our eyes are opened to know the power that is already ours in Christ. When we understand who reigns and where He reigns, from the physical world to the spiritual and supernatural realms, fear loosens its grip and confidence grows.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How prayer connects believers to God’s resurrection power
Why Christ has absolute authority over death and evil
What Paul means by power, working, strength, and might
How prayer engages the spiritual realm without fear
Why confidence in Christ grows when we see who is truly in control
If you feel powerless in the face of suffering, opposition, or spiritual struggle, this message offers deep hope. Jesus reigns. Prayer connects us to His power and that changes everything.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 1:19b-21 – Power in Prayer appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
35 min
March 18Ephesians 1:18-19a – What Do We Pray About?
Ephesians 1:18-19a – What Do We Pray About?
Welcome to Episode 9 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen continues Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18–19a, addressing one of the most practical questions believers face: What should we pray for when life feels overwhelming?
In a world marked by anxiety, uncertainty, and constant pressure, Paul teaches us that prayer is God’s antidote to worry. Rather than asking for circumstances to change, Paul prays that believers would experience enlightened understanding, that the “eyes of their hearts” would be opened so they can truly comprehend what God has already given them in Christ.
Paul identifies three truths that bring lasting confidence: the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe. When these truths move from information to comprehension, fear gives way to confidence and prayer transforms worry into trust.
This episode reminds us that prayer doesn’t just change our circumstances, it changes us.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why prayer is God’s answer to anxiety and worry
What Paul means by the eyes of the heart being enlightened
How confidence grows from understanding who we are in Christ
Why our hope is anchored in God’s past work, future inheritance, and present power
How knowing God’s power equips us to face today’s pressures with confidence
If you feel weighed down by stress, fear, or uncertainty, this message offers deep reassurance. What we comprehend as Christians gives us confidence in Christ.

About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music
Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 1:18-19a – What Do We Pray About? appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
35 min
March 11Ephesians 1:15-17 – The Heart Cry of the Blessed
Welcome to Episode 8 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen turns the corner in Ephesians 1, moving from praise (vv. 3–14) to prayer (vv. 15–23), and reveals a powerful truth: praise is the heartbeat of prayer.
As Paul begins his prayer for the Ephesian believers, he doesn’t start with requests, but with thanksgiving. He praises God for the visible signs of salvation in their lives: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love for all the saints. These two marks, vertical faith and horizontal love, reveal the living reality of the gospel at work.
Paul then prays not for circumstantial relief, but for spiritual depth: that believers would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, enabling them to recognize, understand, and appropriate the riches they already possess in Christ.
This episode invites believers to rethink prayer, not as asking God for what we lack, but as learning to lay hold of what God has already given.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why praise and prayer belong together in the Christian life
The two observable marks of genuine salvation: faith in Christ and love for others
How thanksgiving reshapes the way we pray for one another
What Paul means by a spirit of wisdom and revelation
Why prayer helps us appropriate, not earn, the riches we already have in Christ
If your prayer life feels shallow, repetitive, or disconnected from joy, this episode offers a fresh and biblical vision. Prayer becomes vibrant when it flows from praise and leads us deeper into the knowledge of God.
About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music

Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 1:15-17 – The Heart Cry of the Blessed appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
0 min
March 04Ephesians 1:13-14 – Sealed with the Spirit
Welcome to Episode 7 of our Ephesians podcast series. In this episode, David Christensen opens Ephesians 1:13–14 to address one of the deepest questions believers wrestle with: Can I really be secure in Christ?
Paul’s answer is clear and comforting. Those who hear the gospel and believe in Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, God’s own guarantee that we belong to Him and that our future inheritance is secure. The Holy Spirit is not merely a promise of what is to come, but a down payment, a foretaste of the riches that await us in Christ.
This passage brings Paul’s great opening sentence (Ephesians 1:3–14) to a triumphant close, reminding believers that salvation is not maintained by performance, feelings, or fear, but by God’s faithfulness. We are signed, sealed, and waiting to be delivered.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What it means to be sealed with the Holy Spirit
How the Spirit guarantees ownership, authenticity, and protection
Why hearing and believing the gospel are essential responses of faith
How the Holy Spirit is God’s down payment on our future inheritance
Why believers can live with confidence, hope, and joy, even in uncertainty
If you struggle with doubts about your salvation, fear being abandoned by God, or feel pressure to “earn” your security, this episode offers profound reassurance. God has put His Spirit within you as His pledge. He is coming back for what is His.

About Pastor David Christensen (Th.M., D.Min.)
Founder and president of The Rephidim Project, David has served pastors and church leaders worldwide through expository preaching and training, after 28 years as preaching pastor at Galilee Church (Gorham, Maine) and service at New England Bible College as professor and academic leader. He’s authored six books and continues to champion faithful Bible exposition.
Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss new episodes:
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music
Learn more about The Rephidim Project.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe for ministry updates.
The post Ephesians 1:13-14 – Sealed with the Spirit appeared first on The Rephidim Project.
35 min

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