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…
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 This is arguably the most famous sentence in the Bible. But why is this specific verse so popular? I believe it is because this verse gives us a summary of the absolute perfect and greatest gift…
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…
In a culture where everybody is at each other’s throats, we need a breath of fresh air–fresh air of peace among people. And this fresh air needs to be more prevalent in Christians. All of this constant bickering isn’t getting us anywhere. This may be an election year — and tensions are high from racial issues and COVID — but that doesn’t…
This Sunday, I will begin a series on the book of Galatians. Paul begins the letter reminding the Galatians about the Gospel – Jesus sacrificial death to bring us new life. However, he quickly chastises them for quickly adopting other practices and using them as an alternative to God’s grace. In this short letter, Paul reveals that living the Gospel life is…