All Scripture references are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible (unless otherwise noted).
March 24, 2021 “Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?… No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained...
March 16, 2021 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 My wife and I have been married 23 years this summer. There is no way I could ever...
March 10, 2021 “These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as...
March 3, 2021 “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.” – Ephesians 4:11-12 This past Sunday we baptized 11 people at our church. They ranged...
February 24, 2021 “I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.” – 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 Why are we surprised...
February 17, 2021 “That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel. The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals and abandoned the Lord,...
February 10, 2021 “I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,...
February 3, 2021 “Though I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete.” – 2 John 1:12 During the COVID-19 pandemic of this last...
January 27, 2021 “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who...
January 20, 2021 “It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but...
January 13, 2021 “Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden and the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan...
January 6, 2021 “Cast all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 In the times when we need the most help we are often skeptical about where that help comes from. Do friends help in hopes that the favor will be returned? Do strangers...
December 30, 2020 “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands.” – Psalm 143:5 Most of us cannot wait to be done with 2020. This year has been incredibly difficult in so many ways. COVID-19 has affected...
December 23, 2020 “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21 “Who are you?” How would you answer that question? That is a deep question, but I am guessing...
December 16, 2020 “When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who...
December 9, 2020 “Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.” – Psalm 126:5-6 Sowing seed is hard work. When you want to grow something...
December 2, 2020 “Philip proceeded to tell him the Good News about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.” – Acts 8:35 In Acts chapter 8 we find a story about an Ethiopian who is reading a passage from Isaiah 53. Philip hears him reading and asks him if he understands it....
November 25, 2020 “Hallelujah! Give praise, servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be blessed both now and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the Lord be praised.” – Psalm 113:1-2 Tomorrow we...
November 18, 2020 “I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:10 Most of us are probably fairly familiar with the parable of the prodigal son. If not, take a moment right now and read...
November 11, 2020 “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 We often take verses from Scripture and try to make them say what it is we want them to say. We come to a point in life...
November 4, 2020 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus...
October 28, 2020 “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:8 This weekend we got 10 inches of snow in less than 24 hours (that is a lot of snow for Pueblo, CO!)....
October 21, 2020 “We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Each time an election year comes around, we get to see...
October 14, 2020 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2 Discernment. This is something that is desperately needed in our country right now....
October 7, 2020 “For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” – Philippians 1:29 When you hear the word “suffering,” what words do you usually associate with it? Punishment? Darkness? Evil? Injustice? Oppression? But let me...
September 23, 2020 “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.” – Proverbs 25:26 Have you ever been really thirsty, walked up to a water fountain, pushed the button, and nothing happened? So disappointing! The whole reason that water fountain is...
September 9, 2020 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” – Exodus 14:14 Exodus 14:14 is one of those verses that is really easy to take out of context. It’s easy to pull out those few words and come up with an inspirational thought about...
September 2, 2020 “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.” – Ephesians 6:10 (CSB) Every one of us has come to the end of ourselves at one point or another. And if you are anything like me, you have come to the end of yourself a...
August 26, 2020 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13 (CSB) Hopeless. It is one of the ugliest words in the English language. We...
August 19, 2020 “The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.” – Romans 16:19 Just like most things in life, social media has great potential for evil...