June 5, 2024 “One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound wisdom.” – Proverbs 18:1 Since I broke both of my shoulders and tore several tendons and ligaments, they have lost a lot of elasticity. This means that, though they are often stiff and sore, they are...
“He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:14 When I was a little kid growing up in church, I often heard songs about how beautiful the Cross is....
“How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction! Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart.” – Psalm 119:1-2 As my children are becoming adults, I have noticed that one of the most difficult things to do is...
May 15, 2024 “A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength. The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power. But look, the Lord keeps his eye on those who fear him –...
“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’” – Genesis 2:18 We need each other. The Bible is so clear on this from cover to cover. In the book of Genesis, God states that each creation is good as he creates it. But then,...
“To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’ No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges:...
“For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.” – 1 Peter 1:18-19 I have always been amazed by people...
April 17, 2024 “I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” – Ephesians 1:16 I have always been a strong believer in thanksgiving being a vital part of prayer. It has always been my practice to start every prayer with “thank you.” Before I ever...
“Samuel replied, ‘Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord. Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart.’” – 1 Samuel 12:20 Shame is a powerful thing. The truth is all of us have done things we are ashamed of. Usually,...
“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30 When Jesus walked this earth, he had a group of thousands that listened to his teachings, and a group of 12 disciples that went with him everywhere....
“Joshua was now old, advanced in age, and the Lord said to him, ‘You have become old, advanced in age, but a great deal of the land remains to be possessed.’” – Joshua 13:1 When it comes to the conquest of the Promised Land, the first person we think of is...
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2 I have an uncle who is an excellent mechanic. When I am working on my...
“Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3 Yesterday a good friend stopped by my shop to give me a hand with an old 1972 F100 pickup truck I am restoring. As we talked, we shared stories of times we should have gone back...
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.” – Psalm 100:4 Those of you who have spent any time with me know that I begin almost every prayer with “thank you.” I believe it is proper to always enter the...
“The Lord spoke to Moses: ‘Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.’” – Leviticus 19:1-2 If you have ever spent any time reading the book of Leviticus (it is a daunting task!) you will realize that God had an...
“See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill...
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” – Hebrews 6:10 (NIV) I am going to be completely honest for a moment; sometimes I get tired of being a pastor. If...
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16 Yesterday I watched an Instagram video from one of my favorite actors. He made the video for a...
January 24, 2024 “If only my grief could be weighed, and my devastation placed with it on the scales.” – Job 6:2 Back in 2018, I broke both of my shoulders at the same time and had to have emergency surgery to repair them. I was quite a sight to see...
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for...
“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” – Matthew 18:2-3 This past Sunday I experienced the incredible blessing of baptizing my youngest...
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.’…So she took some of its...
December 27, 2023 “And your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.” – Ephesians 6:15 Depression can be a serious problem after the holidays. Maybe it is exhaustion from all the activities, maybe it is saying good-bye to family, maybe it is getting back into the normal routine, or...
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” – James 1:17 Yesterday, I spent all day shopping with my wife…about nine hours total. Normally this would be torture. I would schedule a root canal to get out...
“Remember the wondrous works he has done, his wonders, and the judgments he has pronounced.” – 1 Chronicles 16:12 Today I had a lot of driving to do. So, to pass the time, I decided to listen to the sermons that some of my friends preached at our church while I...
“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” – Luke 2:10-11 I am currently...
“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew...
“Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.” – 1 Peter...
“One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound wisdom.” – Proverbs 18:1 Isolating yourself from others goes against all sound wisdom. There are several reasons this is true. The one we talk about most often is the fact that you need others. None of us can walk...
“Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal...
