Jesus is our advocate – someone who helps. He represents us in God’s courtroom. He diverts the wrath of God and takes the punishment we deserve. Understanding that Jesus took the penalty for our sins should influence our love for Him and serve as motivation to obey Him. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to…
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! —2 Corinthians 5:17 Some people are really good at looking at a piece of junk and finding a treasure. They understand its worth and know how to restore it to its former glory. God is like that. He takes us “as is” –…
I grew up thinking everything I heard in Christmas songs was literal. There really were nine reindeer and they pulled Santa’s sleigh in the exact order of the song we all sang together! And I really did need to watch out and not cry because Santa Claus had some level of magical surveillance and was coming to town (or my mom would…
Christmas is coming! There are loved ones to see, gifts to give, parties to attend. We prepare our homes for the celebration. We buy and proudly display our ugly Christmas sweaters. We gather with family and watch the plethora of Christmas specials that we always watched hoping that this sense of nostalgia will make us feel better – if even for a…
I read a recent survey that was done among people who do not attend church. In looking at the results, I believe that our calling to bring others into the house of God is more important than ever. When the participants were asked what would convince them to attend a church service, the majority said that being invited by someone they know…
“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10 Having to wait for Fast Food makes us angry. Amazon Prime being delayed irritates us as we wait for that package to be delivered. Feeling frustrated with the person driving the speed limit in the fast lane. Why are we so determined to do everything quickly? I doubt that many of us…
We have been in a series all summer where we have been in the Old Testament looking at the minor prophets. I want to thank you all for hanging in as we have looked at these books and how they still speak to us today. Let’s be honest, for many, simply opening a Bible can be an incredibly intimidating thing, especially if…
Like many Christ followers, I have a lot of Bibles. Most of them sit on my shelf next to all kinds of other books. However, the Bible is so much more different than those other books. Look what the Bible says: Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17 The words that…
One of my favorite Christmas carols is Joy to the World. It is an exciting hymn and one that, right from the beginning, celebrates the coming of Jesus and calls followers of Jesus to active worship. And while I appreciate and enjoy the contemplative nature of many Christmas hymns that are slower and more meditative in nature, Joy to the World is…
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forevermore. Amen.” Romans 11:36 There is this tree down the street from our home that started turning beautiful shades of fall colors…back in August. I remember doing a double take when I noticed the green giving way to patches of yellow and orange, eventually culminating in…