All Scripture references are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible (unless otherwise noted).
“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give...
“You, Lord, will guard us; you will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.” – Psalm 12:7-8 This morning my oldest daughter left for the first day of her last year of high school. Because of that,...
“But the Israelites said, ‘We have sinned. Deal with us as you see fit; only rescue us today!’ So they got rid of the foreign gods among them and worshiped the Lord, and he became weary of Israel’s misery.” – Judges 10:15-16 How many times have you cried out to the...
“When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’… The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘People! Why are you doing these things?...
“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” – 1 Peter 3:15 I have always heard 1 Peter 3:15 quoted by apologists. If You are not...
“After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:...
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10 Charles Spurgeon once said, “I fear some men would sooner be damned than...
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9 There have been a lot of things going...
“The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” – Romans 8:16 This week we have been spending time with my wife’s family. We have come together from Colorado, Washington, and Illinois. My wife’s side of the family, as well my side, make it a priority...
“The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” – Romans 8:16 This week we have been spending time with my wife’s family. We have come together from Colorado, Washington, and Illinois. My wife’s side of the family, as well my side, make it a priority...
“The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.’” – Luke 10:41-42 After over 20 years in ministry and almost 35 years as a...
“The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.’” – Luke 10:41-42 After over 20 years in ministry and almost 35 years as a...
“When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” – Revelation 8:1 The Bible paints a picture of constant worship in heaven. Angels and other heavenly creatures surround the throne of God continually singing his praises day and night. In Revelation chapter...
“Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” – Deuteronomy 4:9 In the Church we...
“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8 Sometimes evil is blatant, shocking, and sickening. We have seen this in our world through violent racism, sexual abuse, and the horrors of school shootings....
“I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” – Colossians 2:2-3 There is a phrase we use...
“Tell the people: Consecrate yourselves in readiness for tomorrow, and you will eat meat because you wept in the Lord’s hearing, ‘Who will feed us meat? We were better off in Egypt.’ The Lord will give you meat and you will eat. You will eat, not for one day, or...
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 Sin hurts. Sometimes the...
“For like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.” – Ecclesiastes 7:6 A couple weeks ago I went to a Zach Williams concert. During the concert he shared his testimony. He talked about how, before he was a...
“Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” – Psalm 46:10 Yesterday we had wind gusts of nearly 100 miles per hour here in Southern Colorado. This morning on the news I saw that many semi-trucks had been blown over along the...
April 6, 2022 “For you should wage war with sound guidance – victory comes with many counselors.” – Proverbs 24:6 My OCD tendencies often cause me to overprepare for even small tasks. Whether I’m undertaking a large building project, working on restoring a car, or doing a simple repair job...
March 23, 2022 “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25 Throughout my...
March 16, 2022 “Jesus answered, ‘Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of...
March 9, 2022 “Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4 Have you ever felt like you are just spinning your...
March 2, 2022 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy...
February 23, 2022 “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25 As...
February 16, 2022 “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:9 A small child often does not understand what a parent does for their safety and...
February 9, 2022 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure...
February 2, 2022 “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:2-3 Today my kids are home from school because it is a snow day. Like...
January 26, 2022 “Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?’ ‘I wish before God,’ replied Paul, ‘that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.’”...