All Scripture references are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible (unless otherwise noted).
July 15, 2020 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21 I want to ask you a question today: how much living are you willing to sacrifice in order to preserve your life? The first time I really thought about this question was...
July 8, 2020 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” – John 3:8 Today I sat in the park and listened to the wind, watching...
July 1, 2020 “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching...
June 24, 2020 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:2 This week I was blessed to be able to spend...
June 17, 2020 Rise up, God, champion your cause! Remember the insults that fools bring against you all day long “Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.” – Psalm 74:22 Have you ever seen or heard someone mock God? How does...
June 10, 2020 “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8 My wife amazes me. There is no one in this world who is more familiar with every one of my shortcomings, every one of my failures… every one...
June 3, 2020 “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews, Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to...
May 27, 2020 “Right away a man with leprosy came up and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be made clean.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” – Matthew 8:2-3 We have...
May 20, 2020 “After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of...
May 13, 2020 “When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I...
May 6, 2020 “When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort.” – Luke 23:8 During his arrest and trial Jesus...
April 29, 2020 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35 As followers of Christ in America we face a myriad of issues on a regular basis. Because we have a right as American citizens to speak up, vote, and...
April 22, 2020 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” – 2 Timothy 1:7 What are you afraid of? I think we would all like to say that we live our lives free from fear. But if...
April 15, 2020 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” – Psalm...
April 8, 2020 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 Today we are right in the middle...
April 1, 2020 “Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’” – Nehemiah 8:10 There are many well-known Bible verses,...
March 25, 2020 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6 It is difficult raising a son up into a man. I never want to be...
March 18, 2020 “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’” – Genesis 2:18 If you were to pick up your Bible and read it for the very first time, not knowing any of the story, then it would be shocking when you...
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10 Imagine for a moment that your child’s school is doing a special fundraiser to help a family that is in need. You send...
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” – Genesis 2:15 Yesterday I spent the day welding, grinding, and shaping metal. I am putting an overdrive transmission in my old 1972 Ford F100 pickup truck and...
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4 Were you in church...
February 19, 2020 “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5 One of the things I love about where I live is that the sun, on average, shines 260 days out of the year. But these last few weeks have been uncharacteristically...
February 12, 2020 “After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.” – Acts 12:25 I spent most of my day today meeting with other pastors to discuss how we can work together. We want to support one another,...
February 5, 2020 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:6-7 I am a person who does not like to ask for help. In...
January 29, 2020 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” – Luke 16:10 Have you ever been asked, “what have you been up to lately?”, and felt that you didn’t have...
January 22, 2020 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” – Colossians 4:5 As followers of Jesus Christ we should always be conscious of our actions in public. That truth is even more important in our day and age because the realm...
January 15, 2020 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8 Over the last year and a...
January 8, 2020 “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” – Psalm 5:3 I enjoy ordering things from the internet, partly because I like the vast amount of options I have and the good deals that can...
January 1, 2020 “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23 Happy New Year! The first day of the year is a universal opportunity to begin again. There is a variety...
December 25, 2019 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20 As a parent, it goes without saying that one of my greatest joys is seeing the excitement on the...