Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast

The Sword of the Lord

Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Napoleon’s foreign minister once said, “You can do anything you like with bayonets, except sit on them.” That is exactly what most Americans do with their Bibles. Eighty-eight percent of Americans own at least one Bible, yet nearly half of Christians say they are too busy to read it. George Washington rose at five every morning to spend an hour on his knees before an open Bible, because he understood something most people miss. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (NIV). This one verse tells us exactly what the Bible is and what it does. As you study these four truths about the power of God’s Word, you will be equipped to pick up this sword, wield it in your life, and never set it down again.

Sure Enough

Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

I was 3½ years old, standing before an open casket looking at my grandfather, the man I called Papa, wondering why he wouldn’t wake up. My aunt finally pulled me away and said, “He’s not waking up.” God planted a seed in my heart that day. I came to realize that the single most important thing any person can know, in light of the fact that we are all going to die, is to know for certain that when you do, you will be with God in Heaven forever. But wanting to know and actually knowing are two very different things. Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t what you know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” I know of nothing more dangerous than being sure you’re going to Heaven when you’re not and nothing more miserable than being on your way to Heaven but not knowing how or why. That is exactly who the Apostle John is writing to. In five chapters he uses the word “know” 39 times, because Jesus didn’t die on the cross to give us a “hope-so” or “feel-so” salvation. He died to give us a “know-so” salvation. John gives us facts, not feelings, and leads us to three truths that will help you know for certain where you stand.

Our Missionary God

Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Most people could answer this question without hesitation: What is the most important birth in the entire Bible? Christmas makes that one easy. But here’s the harder question: What is the second most important birth in Scripture? In Genesis 21, a 90-year-old woman named Sarah finally gives birth to a son named Isaac, the child God had promised 25 years earlier. It sounds like a personal miracle for one elderly couple, but it was far more than that. That one birth set off a chain reaction, from Isaac to Jacob, from Jacob to Judah, from Judah to David, and from David to Jesus. Without Isaac, there is no Israel. Without Israel, there is no Jesus. Without Jesus, there is no Gospel. God is a missionary God, the Bible is a missionary book, and, if you have a heart for God, you will have a missionary heart.

All In

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

What does it look like to be completely, unreservedly committed to God? In 1519, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés sailed to Mexico with 11 ships, more than 500 men, and odds completely against him. When he arrived, he gave his men a shocking order: Burn the ships. Retreat was no longer an option. They were all in. Over 3,000 years earlier, a man named Abraham faced his own burn-the-ships moment. God had finally given him the son he had waited 25 years for, a boy named Isaac, and now God was asking Abraham to give him back. What happens on that mountain in Genesis 22 is one of the most breathtaking stories in all of Scripture. It shows us what giving really is, what giving really does, and why giving is one of the most important things you will ever do.

The God Factor

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In algebra, x represents the unknown—the variable that, once you solve for it, makes everything else make sense. Abraham’s life looks that way too: unlikely candidate, impossible promise, uncertain path. But Genesis 15 reveals the x—the one variable that explains everything. It was faith in God. This chapter, which many scholars consider the most important in the entire Old Testament, reveals for the first time how a sinful human being can be made right with a holy God. Abraham shows us that faith isn’t passive; it drives out fear, it takes God at His word, and it holds on to His promises. There are three things Abraham did that activated the God factor in his life, and they’ll do the same in yours.

Master of the Universe

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In 1875, poet William Ernest Henley lay in a hospital bed, one leg already amputated, and wrote these now-famous words: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” It sounds courageous, but Scripture tells a different story: “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him” (Psalm 115:3, NIV). In Genesis 17, God appears to Abraham and introduces Himself by a name never used before in all of Scripture—El-Shaddai, God Almighty—because Abraham still hasn’t grasped who is truly in charge. What Abraham discovers in this encounter is the one truth that can anchor any life: When everything seems out of control, everything is under God’s control. To live in that reality, there are three things you need to do: Walk before the Lord, wait on the Lord, and watch for the Lord.

On The Road Again

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

There are three words that are absolutely true, and if you’ve lived long enough, you’ve already said both “amen” and “oh, me” to all of them. Those three words? Life is tough. No matter how many holes you plug in the dam of life, another one pops open. Maybe it’s when the rug is pulled out from under you, a dream dies, or you feel like you’ve hit a dead end with nowhere left to go. I remember a Peanuts comic strip where Lucy was philosophizing again, as she always did, to poor Charlie Brown. “On the cruise ship of life,” she declared, “some people face their deck chairs forward to see where they’re going, while others face them backward to see where they’ve been.” She turned to Charlie and asked which way his chairs were facing. He frowned and said, “I can’t even get mine unfolded.” That was exactly where two disciples found themselves as they traveled the road to Emmaus—hopes buried beneath a stone, dreams dead. And they had nowhere to turn. It was there, on the worst road of their lives, that they met the risen Lord.

Braveheart

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

What makes someone truly brave? William Wallace, Scotland’s 13th-century national hero, led his outnumbered army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, proving Scotland could defeat the mighty English. The movie Braveheart immortalized his courage with the famous line: “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” The film won five Academy Awards and made more than $209 million worldwide. But here’s the thing—parts of the movie were made up. We don’t know if Wallace actually said those lines, and the movie’s climactic battle scene didn’t happen in an open field (it would have been a massacre). The real battle occurred on a narrow bridge. I’m taking you back to what I believe is the original braveheart—a man whose story is completely accurate and should be made into a movie. His name is Abraham. This story in Genesis 14 shows more about Abraham’s greatness than any other part of his life, revealing how we, too, can be bravehearts. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Now these things occurred as examples …” (1 Corinthians 10:6, NIV). God is great and wants us to be great. The secret to greatness? Every day, follow God’s way. See how burden, battle, and blessing work together to build the courage you need for the life God’s calling you to live.

Don't Forget God

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever made a promise to stick with something 100% only to cave at 98%? Clayton Christiansen, the famous Harvard Business School professor, taught that it’s easier to hold your principles 100% of the time than 98% of the time—because at 98%, you’re constantly debating whether “this time” is the exception. Abraham discovered this truth the hard way. God had called him to leave everything behind and follow Him to a new land, promising to bless him personally, nationally, and globally. Abraham packed up and obeyed, mostly. He took his nephew Lot when God said leave everyone, and when famine hit the Promised Land, he panicked and fled to Egypt without asking God. What started as faith turned into doubt, and doubt is simply forgetting God. Every time Abraham dropped from 100% trust to 98% trust, he made decisions that nearly cost him everything. It cost his integrity, his wife, and his witness. When doubt knocks at your door, let God answer. Discover three ways doubt attacks your faith, and how to let God answer every time. Understand how forgetting God happens in stages, so you can catch yourself before you lose your integrity, your peace, and your witness.

Trust and Obey

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Who were Jesus’ favorite Old Testament heroes? If you guessed Moses, you’d be right—Jesus mentioned him 25 times. But number two might surprise you. Abraham, referenced 17 times, appears in Jesus’ teaching nearly as often. Why did Jesus love talking about this man? Because Abraham shows us a relationship with God that doesn’t start with our searching for Him, but with His grace finding us. Three thousand years before Jesus walked the earth, God spoke to a 75-year-old idol worshiper living in present-day Iraq and gave one command: “Go.” Abraham didn’t know where he was going, why he was going, or what would happen when he got there. But he knew who was telling him to go, and that was enough. Every time you trust God’s word and obey His will, you discover what Abraham learned—that when you walk with God, He shows you things you could never see standing still. Learn the three steps that take you from where you are to where God wants you to be.

The Lord’s Supper

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

What if the most important meal you’ll ever eat isn’t about satisfying physical hunger but remembering spiritual salvation? Three thousand years ago in Egypt, Jewish families smeared lamb’s blood on their doorposts so God’s angel of death would “pass over” their homes. One thousand years later, Jesus transformed that ancient Passover meal into something far more personal. He established the Lord’s Supper. In it, He showed that He was the ultimate Passover Lamb and His blood would cover the sins of all who believe. Because of His death and His shed blood, a holy God can pass over your sins. This isn’t a funeral; it’s a celebration of the One who is alive. Every time you take this meal, God invites you to remember and appreciate what happened, examine what’s happening, and anticipate what’s coming.

Stand Tall Stand Strong

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evilfree. As one author wrote, “I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity.” Throughout our study of Elijah, we’ve seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused with the good life. While the good life might avoid evil, ignore it, or let others deal with it, those living the God life don’t have that option.

Choose Wisely

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

What happens when you trust the wrong guide? While driving through northwest Indiana, a man named Iftikhar Hussain drove off a ramp to a bridge that no longer existed, killing his wife Zohra. Police believe he ignored numerous barricades including orange barrels, cones, large “Road Closed” signs, and concrete barriers, all because he was listening too closely to his GPS. His wife died not because a bridge was out but because her husband made the wrong decision. The story is a heartbreaking picture of what life is really about. The force of your life and the course of your life are defined by your decisions. You are where you are, who you are, and what you are right now because of your decisions. Dr. Seuss said it best: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” In Genesis 13, we meet Abraham’s nephew Lot, whose name fits perfectly. He had a choice between two lots of land and chose the wrong lot, and it cost him a whole lot. The story teaches us about pre-decisions, meaning those decisions you make before you make “the decision.” When you make good pre-decisions, you’ll stick to your convictions instead of caving to your circumstances. See how your problems reveal your priorities, your priorities drive your decisions, and your daily practices determine where those choices take you.

Bring the Umbrella

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

It is the worst drought in biblical history: 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or not) that only God can get us out of drought. Through one of the most famous prophets in the Old Testament, you see how you, too, can live the God life—a life that is pure, powerful, and prayerful. You can see God work in your family, at work, and in your future because the secret to a powerful life is a prayerful life.

Never Doubt God

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, “God, where are you?” “Do you even care about me?” “Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?” If so, you’re following in the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survived a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt in the eye. Maybe you’ve followed God and lived according to His Word, but the economy crashes, you lose your job, or the marriage ends. What do you hold on to when doubt feels stronger than belief? Watch how Elijah walks through the valley of despair to the other side of doubt, remembering one timeless truth: If you trust and obey, God clears the way. As you trust God, you discover His promise, provision, providence, and power.

Life Begins Here

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

If you say that someone is “living the good life,” you mean they’re living in comfort and luxury with few problems or worries. The good life is what our culture celebrates—financial success, personal comfort, and freedom from hardship. But there’s something far greater, far more fulfilling, and far more enduring than the good life—it’s “The God Life.” God wants you to experience the good life by living the God life. It is a life lived in the intimate presence of God, made possible through the supernatural power of God, all for the magnificent praise of God. The God life ignites when you’re accomplishing the divine purpose God created you for, reflecting His glory in everything you do, and offering His goodness to a broken world that desperately needs it. How do you enter the God life? Learn from a man by the name of Elijah.

Seed Sowing

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

One of the most amazing sights in America is the giant Sequoia tree. It towers up to 325 feet tall, weighs over 6,000 tons, and can live more than 3,000 years. The famous General Sherman tree is 275 feet tall and 100 feet wide at its trunk, with roots stretching 80 feet in diameter. But that massive, nearly indestructible tree started from a seed no bigger than a tomato seed. That’s the power of a single seed. And when that tree matures, it produces 400,000 seeds every year, capable of creating entire forests. Jesus understood this power, which is why He told a parable about the most powerful seed of all, God’s Word. Every believer is called to be a seed sower, and Psalm 126 gives us both the promise and the pattern of what that looks like. “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (Psalm 126:5–6, NIV). Once you understand what it means to “sow with tears,” you’ll learn why some seeds produce forests while others never break ground.

Building Blocks

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In 2009, British TV host James May built a full-sized, livable house with LEGO® bricks. The house was complete with a toilet, a shower, and a LEGO® cat. May didn’t use wood, concrete, or steel. He used millions of small plastic bricks that most people consider children’s toys. As a follower of Jesus, you’re just like that LEGO® brick. One LEGO® brick is worthless, but when you put them together, you can build something people actually live in. Every LEGO® brick is designed to connect with other bricks. Without connection, the brick will never be what it could be. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a building block. Think about the early church. It survived without any political power, military might, or buildings because God used the building block of small groups. When you connect with other believers in a small group, three essential things are built for you, by you, and with you. And what gets built is the difference between surviving and thriving in your faith.

Where You Belong is Here

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

A pastor once called in sick on Sunday morning so he could play golf. Standing on a long par 4, he hit the ball like never before. It soared through the air and dropped right into the cup for a hole-in-one. Peter looked down from heaven and said, “Lord, are you going to let him get away with this?” The Lord smiled and said, “Who’s he going to tell?” That’s funny until you look at what’s actually happening in our churches today. The reality is that if you were born after 1984, there’s less than a 10% chance you’re in church each week. Now think about this. If you have no desire to be with believers one day a week, why would you think you’d enjoy being with believers in eternity? The author of Hebrews writes to believers who had started “… giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing …” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV). Part of growing up in the Lord is showing up for the Lord. Here are the three reasons why that matters more than you might think.

How To Win Against Sin

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

I like stories. Just about the time I feel like I’ve read or seen every story, I come across another one. And this is one of the most fascinating stories I’ve ever come across—a true story about a man named C.D. “Bigboy” Blaylock, a giant of a man, 6 feet 6 inches tall, and a boxer at Louisiana State University in the early 1930s. Facing a stocky opponent from Mississippi State, he let loose with a devastating roundhouse right. But his opponent stepped in, and Bigboy’s arm whipped around in a full circle, connecting with his own chin at full force. He staggered around the ring and fell flat. The only boxer in history to knock himself out with his own punch. That’s exactly what many Christians do in their battle against sin. We keep knocking ourselves out. But the truth is Jesus didn’t die just to deliver you from the penalty of sin; He died so you might defeat the power of sin. Three times in Romans 6, Paul declares these liberating words: “set free from sin.” On the cross, Jesus died for your sin, but at the cross, you can die to your sin. Everything about your freedom hinges on understanding four truths, and missing even one keeps you in the ring, getting knocked out over and over.

The Greatest Verse

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When world-renowned author Sir Walter Scott lay on his deathbed, he asked his son-in-law to bring him “the” book from his massive library. “Which book?” his son-in-law asked. Scott replied, “Son, there is only one book!” He meant the Bible, the most-read book in the world, with 100 million copies sold annually. Of its 31,103 verses, one stands above all others, and it’s John 3:16. Atheists, agnostics, Jews, and Christians alike know this verse. It’s only 25 words, with “Son” as the 13th word, dividing it perfectly in half. The first 12 words are about God: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …” The last 12 are about us: “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV). Short enough to write on a napkin, but long enough to tell anyone how to have a lasting, eternal relationship with God. This one verse can save the universe. Unpack the power of these 25 words and discover God’s love for you afresh.

Christmas Jesus: The God-Man

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Christmas story never grows old. From an angel announcing to teenage Mary that she’d become pregnant with the Son of God to an angel telling Joseph he’d have a son but not by him, you’re hooked. Then myriad angels announce Jesus’ birth to minimum-wage shepherds, while great men travel 715 miles not just to see a baby, but to worship Him. The Gospels show the human perspective, but what about God’s viewpoint? Hebrews 1 gives us exactly that. It was written to Jews who believed intellectually that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but needed final convincing that He wasn’t just the human Messiah, but God Himself. The doctrine of the incarnation, which is a word from Latin meaning “becoming flesh,” teaches this. Jesus Christ is one person with two distinct natures, fully human and fully divine. He’s not two people but one. He’s the same person both before and after the incarnation. The difference is that before, He had one nature (divine); but after, He had two (divine and human). The one who sits on the throne of the universe today is God and man. The man who walked on earth in time is the God who is to be worshipped forever. When you see Jesus for who He really is, you discover God’s complete message for you.

Christmas Jesus: The God

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When “Jesus Christ Superstar” debuted on Broadway in 1971, it became one of the most successful musicals on Broadway, grossing over $240 million since its inception. But Mary Magdalene sings this interesting line: “He’s a man, He’s just a man.” That’s exactly what most Americans believe. A 2020 study found that 52% of U.S. adults say Jesus was just a great teacher and nothing more. But if Jesus was just a man, significant dominoes start to fall. First, Jesus would be a liar, and there would be no New Testament. No Christian faith or early church would exist, and 2.5 billion believers worldwide would be greatly fooled. British pastor John Blanchard said it well, “The deity of Jesus glues the whole of scripture together. Take it away, and the Bible falls apart into meaningless pieces.”2 When Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus, he declared, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28, NIV). What was he seeing? Based on eyewitness accounts of men who lived with, walked with, and followed Jesus, you can be sure that Jesus was not just a man through whom God was revealing Himself. He was God revealing Himself as a man. Watch how these four proofs strengthen your faith.

Christmas Jesus: The Man

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Which birthday is celebrated by more than two billion people in 160 countries, and generates nearly $900 billion in annual revenue? You guessed it—Jesus’! Still, despite the uniqueness of Jesus’ birthday celebration, and though nine out of ten people celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday, only one-third celebrate it as a spiritual holy day. They don’t yet realize that the real reason we celebrate this baby is because of who He was at His birth. John 1:14 reveals that God from eternity entered into humanity so that humanity could know God for all eternity. The difference between getting through Christmas and truly understanding it comes down to these three things.

Secret Sauce

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What do you think is the one ingredient that can transform an ordinary marriage into an extraordinary one? McDonald’s has its Big Mac sauce, Shake Shack has its Shack sauce, and even What-A-Burger guards its spicy ketchup recipe. These “secret sauces” give each restaurant its competitive edge. But there’s also a secret sauce to marriage that isn’t secret at all. It’s found in the word love. Now, this isn’t Hollywood’s love that evaporates when your spouse gains weight or loses their job. This is the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13, often called “The Love Chapter,” describing the hard work of what real love is and what real love does. As we study it, you can discover the answer to this question: Can two people who fall in love before marriage really stay in love after marriage? The answer depends entirely on what kind of love you’re talking about. The 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love doesn’t quit when your husband forgets your birthday. It doesn’t walk out when your wife criticizes you in front of friends. This is the kind of love that makes it to the finish line, not because it’s easy, but because it comes from the God who never fails.

An Old-Fashioned Love Song

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered the secret to marriages that last 60 years? I heard about an elderly couple celebrating their diamond anniversary who shared their story: On their honeymoon at the Grand Canyon, the wife’s mule stumbled, and she said calmly to the animal, “That’s once.” When it stumbled again, she said, “That’s twice.” The third time, she got off and shot the mule right between the eyes. When her husband asked why, she looked him in the eyes and said, “That’s once”—and they never had another major disagreement! While there’s humor in that story, the truth is that God desires for everyone who gets married to truly live happily ever after. When two people get married, it’s God’s will for that marriage to be a happy union instead of a civil war. He wants every marriage to end in celebration, not separation, enjoying marriage, not enduring it. That’s why God’s Word gives us a marriage example through an old love song: It’s King Solomon’s Song of Songs. In this book, you find the four essential keys to building a marriage that lasts.

Marriage Math

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

I heard a story about a daughter who wrote her dad about marrying someone she met online: “We met on eHarmony, became friends on Facebook, had long chats on WhatsApp. He proposed on Zoom.” Her dad replied, “I suggest you two get married on X, have fun on Tango, buy your kids on Amazon, and, when you get fed up with this new husband, just sell him on eBay.” There are lots of views today on what marriage is, but the one opinion that should really matter is that of the One who invented marriage—Jesus. Even though Jesus was single and never married, He knew more about marriage than any marriage counselor because marriage was His idea. When the Pharisees asked Him about divorce, Jesus didn’t answer their question about how to get out of marriage. Instead, He explained why you should stay in marriage. In one simple but unbelievably strong sentence, Jesus taught that in marriage math, 1 + 1 = 1. In this passage, Jesus outlined the three principles you need to guard what God has established and, in doing so, fulfill His purpose in your life.

Fanning The Flames | Part Two

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What if finding the right person to marry isn’t actually the secret to a happy marriage? Everyone wants a fairy-tale marriage, but it’s a tragedy when fairy tales turn into horror stories because we misplace our expectations. The real problem is this: Every person wanting to get married is looking for the right person, but it will do you no good to find the right person if you are not the right person to be married to. That’s why every marriage should begin with not just a husband and wife, but a godly husband and a godly wife. A marriage made in Heaven begins with a spouse given by Heaven. Learn the three specific things every heavenly-given husband must do for his wife to create a marriage that truly is happily ever after.

Fanning The Flames | Part One

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You may remember Frank Sinatra’s classic hit about love and marriage going together. Now, that may have been true 70 years ago, but it’s not the same today. In 1960, 59% of adults ages 18 to 29 were married compared to only 20% today. It seems our culture has become one of “hook up, shack up, and break up.” As a result, many think doing a series on marriage is a fool’s errand. But from the very beginning of time, God’s Word says, marriage has mattered, and it always will. It’s not coincidental that God’s Word begins with a wedding between Adam and Eve and ends with a wedding between Christ and the church. We face something unprecedented in our country, with marriages failing and the very institution of marriage being questioned. But God calls you to remember what He says about marriage instead of being conformed to the world’s view of marriage, because healthy homes, communities, and nations depend upon it.

The Fire Starts Here

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The most nervous I have ever been in my life was the day I was about to say the two words that I knew would change everything. Looking into the eyes of the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, having known her only six months, I said, “I do.” At that moment, the word “marriage” took on a whole different meaning, from the hypothetical to the actual, from the imagined to the real, and from the abstract to the concrete. In this cultural moment, marriage is becoming like a dinosaur, with marriage rates at their lowest since 1867 and 40% of Americans viewing it as obsolete. But it is God’s idea, and though it takes hard work, it is God’s work. Through the first marriage in history, you will learn that when you align yourself with God’s Word on marriage, you experience His freedom and blessing.

Knowing God

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What if the most brilliant mind of the 20th century was completely wrong about the most important question in life? Albert Einstein was named “Person of the Century” by Time Magazine, and his influence is everywhere you look today— from the atomic bomb to your smartphone. But as brilliant as he was in scientific theory, he unfortunately missed it when it came to spiritual theology. Even though Einstein believed in a being with “superior reasoning power,” he said, “There is a God, but we could never know Him.” I’m certainly no Einstein when it comes to IQ, but I thankfully and joyfully disagree with what he said. There is a God, and His Word declares that He can be known. The incredible truth is this: You don’t have to be a pastor or have outstanding character to know Him. Anyone can know God. That is the beginning of understanding the truth about yourself and the world. But first, you’ve got to remove the one barrier that keeps most people from ever knowing God, discover the one thing God actually wants you to boast about, and understand exactly who this God is that you can know.

Under Water

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Little six-year-old Nick loved church, loved the Bible, and loved Jesus. One day, his mother was walking by his bedroom and saw her son reading the Bible to the cat. She thought to herself, “Isn’t that sweet?” Well, about an hour later, she heard this terrible racket outside. She ran out the door and saw Nick trying to dunk the cat in a bucket of water. She asked, “Nick, what are you doing?!” He said, “I’m baptizing Muffin!” She said, “But cats don’t like to be put under water.” He replied matter-of-factly, “Well then, he shouldn’t have joined my church.” While Nick’s method was a little off, his instinct was biblical. Jesus’ baptism is one of the few events that all four Gospel writers record. “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan” (Mark 1:9, NIV). Then Jesus commands you to do the same. Now, baptism isn’t necessary for salvation, but it is a big deal important to God, important to Jesus, and important for you. I’d like to answer the three most common questions I get about baptism: What does “baptism” actually mean? Does it matter how you’re baptized? And why should you be baptized? When you understand the answers to these questions, you’ll discover how to publicly declare your faith, visually preach the Gospel, and take your first step of loving God through your obedience.

Who Am I?

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Did you know that nearly 85% of Americans struggle with low self-esteem? I have been part of that statistic my whole life. Low self-esteem affects how productive we are at work and how we relate at home. It can even lead to violent behavior or suicide. In my years as a pastor, I’ve discovered that the root cause often lies in the trap of comparison: measuring ourselves against others who appear better off, better looking, or in a better situation. But the fundamental question isn’t how we compare to others; it’s understanding who you truly are. You are not who others think you are, or even who you think you are. You are who God says you are. The only one qualified to define your identity and worth is the God who made you. And in Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul reveals three transformative truths about your identity in Christ that form the foundation for healthy, holy self-esteem rooted not in pride but in God’s declaration over your life.

The Right Side of the Road

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A lady driving from Washington, DC, to Richmond had a flat tire and sat stranded by the roadside praying for help. Two cars passed by—one with a “Smile, God Loves You!” bumper sticker, the other reading “Honk If You Love Jesus!”—but both drivers moved to the far lane without stopping. Then a man in an old pickup with no bumper sticker pulled over, changed her tire, and refused payment, saying he hoped someone would help his wife if she were stranded. Three men drove by that day, but only one chose the right side of the road. How can you know which side you would be on? Comfort is found on the wrong side of the road; compassion is found on the right side of the road. Through Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37, discover that when you have a heart for God, you’ll have the heart of God—a heart of compassion that shows love with no limits to a world desperately needing mercy.

Forgiven Forgiving

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

I once read this in an article in Reader’s Digest: “Primates, like bonobos, mountain gorillas and chimps often follow confrontations with friendly behavior like embracing or kissing…The only species that has so far failed to show outward signs of reconciliation is the domestic cat.”1 Unfortunately, there are more than a few cats in the church today. When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him, suggesting seven times as generous, Jesus responded with “seventy-seven times,” meaning there’s no limit to forgiveness. C.S. Lewis put it best when he said that we all agree that forgiveness is a beautiful idea until we have to practice it. But through the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21–35, you will discover being forgiven means forgiveness is part of your calling and how to practice it.

The Magic Touch

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

I remember visiting Mother Teresa’s Home for the Dying in Calcutta and remember the story of an American tourist who once witnessed her tenderly dressing a leper’s wounds. After a moment, he said, “Sister Teresa, I wouldn’t do what you’re doing for $10 million!” She replied, “My friend, neither would I. Neither would I!” Mother Teresa wasn’t motivated by money but by compassion. She modeled the heart of one of the greatest pictures of compassion in the Bible, where Jesus encounters a man with leprosy. Just as Mother Teresa reached out to touch the untouchable, Jesus shows you that a heart of compassion will lead you to touch the untouchable and love the unlovable. In Mark 1:40–45, we discover that compassion truly has the magic touch, and we also find the three touches you can give people around you today.

The Eyes of Compassion

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed that two people can look at the same thing but see completely different things? In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy and Charlie Brown are cloud gazing when Lucy confidently identifies Mount Rushmore, Michael Jordan dunking a basketball, the state of Hawaii, and the Magic Kingdom. When she asks Charlie Brown what he sees, he says, “Well, I was going to say I saw a horsey and a ducky, but now I’m not gonna say nothing.” Two of us will see completely differently, even gazing at the same thing. But God always sees through a heart of compassion. In fact, if you could perform openheart surgery on God, you would see compassion all the way through. The God who has a heart of compassion also has the eyes of compassion. When you have a heart for God, you, too, will have the eyes of compassion.

The God of Compassion

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

I remember it like yesterday: Professor Joe Master was the most intimidating instructor I ever encountered during my accounting degree. He’d call on you, and you’d better be ready. At one point, for six weeks, I was sicker than a dog. With temperatures over 102 (and eventually discovering I had pneumonia), I went to class every week, dreading whether Mr. Master would get me up in front of the class to answer a tough question. Then this professor did something unexpected: He never called on me once. He showed me compassion when I needed it most. Life has a way of bringing us to desperate places where we question if God cares about our pain or our struggle. Writing about this kind of grief and pain, the weeping prophet Jeremiah makes a declaration that you need to hear today: “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, NIV). When you’re at the end of your rope and maybe even at the end of your hope, remember this truth: Your God is the God of compassion.

Sanctification

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What if God’s will for your life could be summed up in one word? In 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Paul spells it out succinctly: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified ….” But what does it actually mean to be “sanctified”? In our “Lost in Translation” series, we’re dealing with big biblical words that many of us struggle to understand and apply. Sanctification is one of the most important words in the Bible, yet we don’t hear much about it anymore. Sanctification literally means “to be set apart,” but the problem is, most Christians today aren’t set apart at all. Like the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin that looked so much like a quarter, it confused everyone and had to be removed from circulation, Christians today often look so much like non-believers that no one can tell the difference. A recent Barna survey showed that born-again believers were just as likely as unbelievers to gamble, gossip, lie, steal, visit pornographic websites, drink excessively, and use illegal substances. But God calls His children to be holy, to look like Him through His transforming work of sanctification.

Conversion

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Mike used to avoid me at neighborhood parties because he wasn’t interested in spiritual things. But when Mike was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, I visited him and shared the Gospel, and he accepted Christ. Everything about Mike radically changed from that day. If you asked what happened to him, I could tell you in one word: conversion. But what in the world is conversion? It’s a term you had better know and experience because Jesus said, “… unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3, NKJV). So we need to ask ourselves, “Have I ever truly been converted, and what does ‘conversion’ mean?” There’s no greater story of complete conversion than the Apostle Paul’s Damascus Road experience— the most famous conversion in history, explained three times in Acts and occupying more space in the New Testament than any event except Christ’s crucifixion. While conversions aren’t one-size-fits-all, there are three common marks found in everyone who is truly converted.

Regeneration

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What if understanding one biblical word could change everything about your relationship with God? In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy fears a thunderstorm might flood the world, but Linus reassures her by explaining God’s promise to Noah and the rainbow as a guarantee. Lucy says Linus has really reassured her, and Linus says, “Sound theology has a way of doing that.” Indeed, the church desperately needs sound theology today, especially about salvation—what the entire Bible is all about. In our “Lost in Translation” series, we’re defining key biblical words that many Christians don’t really understand. Today’s topic emerges in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, a highly religious Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, to whom Jesus delivered a shocking message: “You must be born again.” This conversation reveals where salvation begins—with regeneration, the miracle where God gives spiritually dead people spiritual life.

Mastering Your Money

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered why money is such a persistent problem for so many of us? Both national and personal debt are at an all-time high, and most Americans don’t have reserve funds to cover a $400 emergency. Financial experts believe the solution is teaching people how to manage money, but I believe the real problem runs much deeper. After 45 years of working with all kinds of people, I’ve witnessed how both rich and poor can be enslaved by money. And whether you’re a Christian or not, the major reason people don’t know how to manage money is because they have never mastered their money; their money has mastered them. The apostle Paul understood our timeless struggle with money when he wrote to young Timothy about the spiritual principles of money. In 1 Timothy 6:6–10, Paul reveals God’s formula for true financial success: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (v. 6, NIV). The only way to manage money correctly is to master money spiritually, and that requires three essential steps that will transform your relationship with money forever.

We All Are

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

I'm sure you know the running joke about fishermen exaggerating the size of their catch. But in 1959, Alfred Dean didn’t need to exaggerate when he caught a 2,664-pound great white shark in Australia, the largest fish ever caught in history. The Bible tells us about an even more unbelievable story, but in reverse—the story of a fish that caught a man. Jonah’s encounter with the great fish would make worldwide news today, but here’s what might surprise you: The fish story isn’t really the point. The book of Jonah is actually the missionary book of the Old Testament, revealing that God has a missionary heart and every Christian is called to be on mission. I like how John Stott said, “We profess to believe in God? He’s a missionary God. We’re committed to Christ? He’s a missionary Christ.” The truth that applies to us today is simple: We all are called. Every Christian has a mission to perform, a message to proclaim, a ministry to promote, and a Master to praise.

A Line In the Sand

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

At the Alamo, legend tells us, Commander William Travis drew a line in the dirt, asking his men to choose their fate—cross the line and face certain death fighting for Texas, or leave and surrender. All but one crossed that line, choosing sacrifice over surrender. Like those brave men, we face crucial choices every day. The average person makes 773,618 decisions over a lifetime and regrets 143,262 of them. While some decisions are trivial, others shape our eternal destiny. After weeks of discussing generational discipleship—teaching God’s truth, modeling godly living, and stewarding opportunities—we now arrive at decision day. Just as Joshua drew his own line in the sand before the people of Israel, saying, “...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15, NIV), we, too, must decide which side of the line our families will stand on.

Heart to Heart

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

According to Harvard Business School, any company that offers a product or service is in the business of solving problems. That’s not just true about companies; it’s true about churches. And we’re facing a massive problem in the church today: We're losing the next generation. Studies project that 35 million youths raised in Christian families will stop following Jesus by 2050, which would be the largest and fastest shift in religious association in American history. Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses gathered them all together and spoke these words—words that we must also impart to our children—to ensure they would maintain God’s favor: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, NIV). Every day, in every way, our generation must point the next generation to God.

Role Model

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In 1993, Nike faced a crisis when teenage boys stopped buying their shoes. The response was to produce the infamous Charles Barkley commercial where he boldly declared, “I am not a role model…. Parents should be role models.” This sparked a fiery debate, with NBA star Karl Malone saying, “We don’t choose to be role models; we are chosen. Our only choice is whether to be a good role model or a bad one.” The truth is, they were both right. Every person is a role model to someone. The question of whether you’re a positive or negative role model comes into focus with a statistic like this: 68% of Christians make their decision to follow Jesus before age eighteen. As the Apostle Paul mentored young Timothy to lead the church in Ephesus, he emphasized this important truth in 1 Timothy 4:11-16: One of your primary roles in this generation is to be a role model for the next generation.

It All Begins Here

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

At this moment in the United States, the odds of our children walking with Jesus as adults are equivalent to that of a coin toss. According to the Fuller Youth Institute, 50% of high school students actively involved in their churches walk away from their faith after graduation. These aren’t casual attendees; they were the most committed teenagers who are still choosing to do life apart from Jesus once they leave high school. As President Reagan famously said about freedom, “It is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” The same is true for faith. Psalm 78 addresses this urgent reality, revealing how the faith of a nation collapsed when they failed to pass God’s truth to the next generation. We must touch the next generation by teaching them and reaching them with biblical truth.

When You Don't See Eye to Eye

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Introduction:

To this day, I remember the first summer I came home from college. As I walked up to our front door, my father didn’t welcome me with a hug or even a “Good to see you.” Instead, he met me with three blunt words: “Get a haircut,” though my hair barely touched my ears. My father had an unbending belief that a man’s hair should never be too long. For the first time in my life, I stood my ground. I reminded him of my good grades, my solid reputation, and how I’d never given him a minute’s trouble. Trembling, I told him if he meant what he said, I’d find another place to live that summer. Thankfully, my mother intervened, but that day revealed a powerful truth: Even people who love each other deeply can disagree profoundly over matters of personal preference.

In today’s highly-charged culture, disagreement is inevitable—especially when it comes to politics, social issues, and personal choices. Romans 14 addresses this very challenge faced by the early church, where Jewish and Gentile believers clashed over food choices and holy days. The principles Paul taught them apply to our own struggles. When it comes to the gray areas of life—those issues where Scripture isn’t explicitly clear—we must be free to disagree without making it “all about me.” These principles will help you maintain unity even when you don’t see eye to eye.

We Are Sent

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote, “My question was the simplest of questions…. ‘What will come of my whole life? Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?’” This question echoes in every human heart: What’s my purpose? Why am I here? While philosophers may debate the greatest question of life, believers in Jesus don’t have to wonder about their purpose. As we continue our “Who We Are” series, we discover the fourth dimension of the cross-shaped life: we haven’t just been born into this world; we’ve been sent into it. Just as Jesus wasn’t merely born but sent with divine purpose, we too are commissioned with the same mission: to seek and save the lost. When Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21, NIV), He revealed our ultimate calling.

Here To Serve

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The great 19th century evangelist, Dwight L. Moody said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” This is the essence of the cross-shaped life we're exploring in our “Who We Are” series. While our culture often measures success by what we accumulate or achieve, Jesus demonstrates a radically different measure of greatness. As He declares, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NIV). The One who deserved to be served came to serve us! Today, we discover that service isn’t just something we do; it’s central to who we are as Christ-followers. It’s not an optional add-on to the Christian life but an essential expression of a life transformed by the Gospel.

Disciple Made Disciple Maker

Sun, 25 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Are you who you’re supposed to be, and are you what you’re supposed to be? While “Christian” appears only three times in the entire Bible, “disciple” shows up 269 times. In the first century, being a disciple wasn’t just about learning information; it meant becoming an apprentice who followed someone, watched how they lived, and grew to become like them. In other words, there’s a profound difference between deciding to become a disciple and living as a disciple. Our mission at Cross Pointe is “pointing people to Jesus and inspiring them to live the cross-shaped life.” As Jesus clearly states three times in Luke 14, “You cannot be my disciple” unless you’re willing to meet certain requirements. It doesn’t cost anything to become a disciple. It will cost you everything to be a disciple. Let’s take a look at what that means.

Here I Am To Worship

Sun, 18 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Everyone worships something. Well-known novelist David Foster Wallace said, “Everyone worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.” Some worship money, fame, or success. Whatever controls your thoughts and behavior is what you worship. Jesus has a life-changing conversation about worship with an unlikely person—a Samaritan woman with a troubled past. In that encounter, Jesus makes a revolutionary declaration: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24, NIV). Most remarkably, Jesus reveals the one thing God actively seeks from us—our worship. As we begin our “Who We Are” series, we discover that worship isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are called to be as we point people to Jesus and inspire them to live the cross-shaped life.

Exit Right

Sun, 11 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest aspects of the Bible is that it tells the stories of real faith of real people—both their successes and failures. Throughout "The God Life" series, we've studied Elijah, a man just like us, showing not just how to live but how to exit this life God's way. Now, Elijah knew exactly when his final day would come. And he’s not the only one who had this intel. His successor, Elisha, also knew. And Elijah sowed into the next generation until his final moment on earth.

For most of us, we don't know which day will be our last, but we all will eventually exit this life for the next one. As Dr. Adrian Rogers once told me after I completed my term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, pointing to the exit door, "James, do you see the sign over that door? It says, 'Exit.' Well, that is exactly what you are right now—an 'Ex-It.'" One day, we'll all be an "ex-it," and we need to make sure we exit right. The greatest legacy you will leave is a life well lived.

Stand Tall Stand Strong

Sun, 04 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evil-free. As one author wrote, "I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity." Throughout our study of Elijah, we've seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused with the good life. While the good life might avoid evil, ignore it, or let others deal with it, those living the God life don't have that option.

Now, as we near the close of Elijah's story, we find him confronting Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel. Though Elijah might have hoped for retirement after the deaths of Ahab and Jezebel, evil continued through their son. And one central truth emerges: When you look up to God, you'll stand out from the crowd and often be told to stand down. But when you stand with God, He gives you the power to stand tall and strong in Him.

Justice Is Served

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When someone commits a crime, we want that person "brought to justice" because justice is a divine desire. While we often say "God is love," His most fundamental attribute is holiness. Because God is both holy and loving, He must also be just. In a world where money, bribes, and sometimes crooked judges allow criminals to go free, we're learning through Elijah's story that there is a God who is just, and justice will always be served. Even in Elijah’s time in history, when the people of God worshipped idols and ignored the prophets, God consistently reveals His Word and holds them to account.

As Dr. R.G. Lee famously preached in "Payday Someday," because God is just, justice is a must. From one of the most important chapters in the Bible, observe God’s justice in action in the life of King Ahab, learning to revere and expect this aspect of God’s character to be revealed to us and to the world.

The Empty Tomb

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are three special days that give Christianity center stage around the world: Christmas Day points to a cradle, Good Friday points to a cross, and Easter points to a cave. Without Easter, the other two days would be meaningless.

Our world is filled with thousands of religions, but only four are built on personalities rather than philosophies. Judaism's Abraham, Buddhism's Buddha, and Islam's Mohammed all died and remain dead. But Jesus Christ did something no other religious leader has done; He rose from the dead.

Christianity traces its beginning to one single event—the resurrection. Mark 16:1–8 tells us about that first Easter morning, when grieving women discovered the news that would change human history: "He has risen! He is not here." That empty tomb gives us hope for our lives now and for eternity.

Bring The Umbrella

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It is the worst drought in biblical history: for 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or not) that only God can get us out of drought. Through one of the most famous prophets in the Old Testament, you see how you, too, can live the God life—a life that is pure, powerful, and prayerful. You can see God work in your family, at work, and in your future because the secret to a powerful life is a prayerful life.

Whose Side Are You On?

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A six-year-old boy gets unexpectedly recruited to help seat guests at a wedding. After a quick explanation of what he’s to do, he confidently responds, “Oh yeah, I got this, Pop. That’s easy.” When the first guests arrive, this boy offered his arm and said, “Now, Ma’am, whose side are you on?” That simple question—"Whose side are you on?"—cuts straight to the heart of the spiritual battle you face every day. It’s not between the bride and groom but between the true God and countless false gods demanding your allegiance. We’re studying Elijah—known as one of the greatest prophets in history. But he was also a human just like you, and that means you can live the same God life that he did. He faced profound opposition. In today's culture, choosing God's side often makes you public enemy number one. Stand on biblical truth and you'll be labeled bigoted, ignorant, and intolerant. Your choice is clear: Go along to get along, or stand alone and face rejection. One of these choices helps you live the good life; the other leads you to the God life, where you not only witness His power but become a vessel through which it flows.

Never Doubt God

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, "God, where are you?" "Do you even care about me?" "Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?" If so, you’re following the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survives after a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt in the eye. Maybe you’ve followed God and lived according to His Word, but the economy crashes, you lose your job, or the marriage ends. What do you hold on to when doubt feels stronger than belief? Watch how Elijah walks through the valley of despair to the other side of doubt, remembering one timeless truth: If you trust and obey, God clears the way. As you trust God, you discover His promise, provision, providence, and power.

Life Begins Here

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If you say that someone is "living the good life," you mean they're living in comfort and luxury with few problems or worries. The good life is what our culture celebrates—financial success, personal comfort, and freedom from hardship. But there's something far greater, far more fulfilling, and far more enduring than the good life—it's "The God Life." God wants you to experience the good life by living the God life. It's life lived in the intimate presence of God, made possible through the supernatural power of God, all for the magnificent praise of God. The God life ignites when you're accomplishing the divine purpose God created you for, reflecting His glory in everything you do, and offering His goodness to a broken world that desperately needs it. How do you enter the God life? Learn from a man by the name of Elijah.

Built To Last

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A breathtaking subdivision in British Columbia, known as the Seawatch development, was designed to be a luxurious paradise. The homes, valued at over a million dollars, overlooked pristine waters, but when winter came, disaster struck. Houses collapsed into sinkholes because they had been built on unstable ground. This tragic event illustrates a powerful truth Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount: a life built on a faulty foundation will not stand. As Jesus concludes His sermon, He tells the parable of two builders—one wise, one foolish. Both build houses, both face storms, but only one house remains. This lesson is not just about building homes but about building lives.

Don’t Kid Yourself

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of the “placebo effect?” It occurs when someone experiences improvement in their condition simply because they believe they are receiving treatment, even though the treatment itself has no real benefit. This psychological phenomenon is harmless when it comes to medicine, but when it comes to faith, self-deception can have eternal consequences. Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many people claim to follow Jesus, but their relationship with Him is based on words rather than obedience. As Jesus closes His Sermon on the Mount, He delivers one of the most chilling statements in the Bible—a warning to those who think they are saved but are not.

Counterfeit Prophets

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Over the course of human history, countless sermons have been preached, but the greatest sermon of all was delivered by the greatest preacher—Jesus Christ. His Sermon on the Mount was revolutionary, challenging the cultural and religious expectations of His listeners. As Jesus nears the conclusion of His sermon, He issues a stark warning about a danger that has plagued the church from the beginning—false prophets. Unlike external threats, this danger arises from within the church. Satan attacks both from the outside through persecution and from the inside through deception. Jesus calls His followers to be on high alert, for these counterfeit prophets masquerade as true messengers of God while leading people away from the truth.

How Do You Get To Heaven?

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Dr. Billy Graham once told a story about asking a young boy for directions to the post office. After the boy explained the way, Dr. Graham invited him to his crusade, saying, “If you come tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to heaven.” The boy replied, “No, I don’t think I want to do that.” When Dr. Graham asked why, the boy said, “How are you going to tell me how to get to heaven when you can’t even find the post office?” Many people assume they are going to heaven simply because they die. For every one person in America who believes they’re going to hell, 120 believe they’re going to heaven. But Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 7:13-14 that there are two gates, two roads, two groups, and two destinations. God gives everyone the right of way to heaven, but only if they choose the right way.

Keep On Keeping On

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There was a five-year-old girl watching her mother apply cold cream to her face. Curious, she asked, “Mother, why do you do that?” The mother replied, “To make myself beautiful.” Moments later, when the mother wiped the cream off, the girl exclaimed, “What’s the matter? Giving up already?” Just like that little girl’s humorous observation, we often approach prayer with the same mindset—giving up too soon. Have you ever felt like giving up on God? Have you ever prayed and felt like your prayers made no difference? In this message, we’re going to see Jesus give an encouraging, definitive teaching on prayer, reminding us that if we belong to God’s family, He hears and answers our prayers. The key is perseverance. Never give up on the God who will never give up on you. Jesus teaches us four key principles about prayer.

Don't Rush To Judgement

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If we are truly going to follow Jesus, we must accept that we will be different from the world. Nowhere is that more evident than in Matthew 7, where we encounter one of the most misunderstood, misused, and misapplied verses in the Bible: “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This verse has become a cultural slogan, often quoted by people who reject or ridicule the Bible. Even among Christians, the idea that judging is wrong has gained traction, particularly among younger believers. However, Jesus' teaching is not about avoiding judgment altogether but about judging rightly. His message is simple: make sure your heart is right before you call out what is wrong.

The Domino Effect

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There is a principle that applies to business, physics, and life—it’s called “The Domino Effect.” This principle describes how one event can set off a chain reaction of related events. A great example of this is the atomic bomb, where one atom splitting causes an unstoppable chain reaction. The same concept applies spiritually. In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes a spiritual domino effect that can transform our lives if we start with the right "first domino." Many people place financial success, personal happiness, fame, or power as their first priority, but Jesus tells us that the first domino should be this: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Prayer 301

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we’ve seen in the last two messages in this series on prayer, the first part of prayer focuses on God and His glory. Today, we’re going to see how the second part of prayer focuses on us and our good. We're told specifically that we ought to ask God for three things when we pray, and those three things deal with the three biggest needs in our lives. The first deals with our physical needs, the second deals with our emotional needs, and the last deals with our spiritual needs. The first thing we ask for deals with our present. The second thing we ask for deals with our past, and the third thing we ask for deals with our future. Let’s dive into what this looks like practically in our own prayers.

Prayer 201

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we continue our three-week series on prayer, we’re going to find that the key to effective prayer is found in four words: focus on the Father. In today’s message, we’ll discuss the two steps we need to take to pray this kind of Father-focused prayer.

Prayer 101

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this message, we’re going to take a class called Prayer 101 where we are going to learn the basics of prayer from Jesus Himself. We’ll see that prayer is not something we do to get what we want from God but to get what God wants for us. To put it simply - wrong prayer is a waste of time, but right prayer is worth the time. With this in mind, let’s dive in and see what Jesus wants to teach us in Prayer 101.

Perfect Love

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s message, we are going to learn that perfect love loves everyone perfectly, even the most unlovable. If you are to love others the way God loves others (and the way God loves you), you are going to have to take some very radical steps.

Over And Above

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If you're going to follow Jesus, you're going to have to live a second-mile life. I will tell you right now it's not a popular mile. If you walk this mile, you'll be in the minority. If you walk this mile, it will tax you and test you and try you like no other mile you'll ever walk. But if you do walk this mile, which is over and above what everybody else walks, it will lead you to the greatest joy, the most fulfilling achievements, the finest rewards, and the approval of your Heavenly Father. It's a higher road. It is a tougher road, but it is the better road.

Christmas To The Rescue

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We’ve all had to put on a brave face at some point in our lives when we received a Christmas gift that wasn’t exactly what we wanted. But then, we’ve all received those perfect gifts too: the ones that show someone really saw us, really knew what we needed. In a way, these gifts remind us of the perfect gift that all of humanity received in Jesus—a gift prepared for us personally and purposefully. Today, let’s look deeper at our Savior, our greatest gift, as we reflect on Luke 2:11.

Comfort Zone

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As Christmas approaches, it’s easy to feel surrounded by cheer— festive songs, colorful lights, and gatherings with loved ones. But for many, this season is far from “the most wonderful time of the year.” Studies show a majority of Americans feel loneliness and sadness during the holidays, and the post-Thanksgiving Monday is a peak day for appointments related to anxiety and depression. In this series, we’re learning how Christmas can bring comfort amid the hardships of life. The message of Christmas is not just joy, but comfort—rooted in God’s light and His invitation for us to be eternally right with Him.

Jump For Joy

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

John’s letter in 1 John opens by diving straight into the significance of Jesus. John’s focus is on the true comfort and joy that Christ’s coming brings. With this in mind, we’ll explore three ways to take joy in Christmas: the historical reality of Jesus, the heavenly identity of Jesus, and the holy community Jesus invites us into. These truths are foundational to experiencing a joy that goes beyond the Christmas season.

Thank You Very Much

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Being thankful is so important to God that He actually commands us to be thankful. A man in the New Testament by the name of Paul went through a tremendous amount of suffering and heartache that would cause anybody to be bitter and ungrateful and maybe even mad at God. He wrote these words, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:18) You may not feel very thankful right now because of where you are in your life. Even though you may not feel thankful you can be thankful. This great man tells us how to be thankful and why to be thankful.

Do The Right Thing

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When it comes to the gospel, silence is sinful. When we've experienced the love of God, surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ, been fed the bread of life, and tasted the living water, we can’t keep what we’ve experienced to ourselves. It's time for us to say something for the sake of growing God’s Kingdom. In today’s message, we're going to learn today how to make sure we speak up and don’t shy away from sharing our faith.

Take My Word For It

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes on the matter of honesty, and we desperately need it. As we look at this passage in Matthew 5, here is the key thought that Jesus is giving us. Let the words “you” and “true” always go together. To help us make sure that happens, Jesus tells us three things to remember not just on telling the truth, but how to do it.

What God Joins Together

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In Jesus’ day, divorce was more commonplace than you would have imagined and there was a great debate about when divorce was even allowed. It wasn’t incidental that Jesus had just finished talking about lust when He started to talk about divorce. Lust causes adultery and now shockingly, He is going to say that divorce and remarriage can do the exact same thing. Jesus is going to remind us that God’s ideal is one man and one wife for one life. It should be “’til death do us part.” There are two things that Jesus asks us to do when it comes to the topic of divorce. Let's dive into those together.

The Look That Kills

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

From today’s key passage of Scripture, we’re going to see how adultery is not only a sin in the bed, but it is a sin in the head. Adultery can be both physical and mental. It can be both on the inside and the outside. In a day and age where sexual immorality is running rampant, not only are marriages being ruined, but even the very concept of a biblical marriage is being tainted. Thankfully, Jesus gives us three principles to remember so we can guard against this terrible sin of adultery and avoid the look that kills.

God And The Government

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key passage, Paul reminds Christians then and now of an important truth to remember. The God that gives us grace also gives us government. So with that in mind, how are we to relate to the government? That’s exactly what we’re going to discuss in this message. Let’s dive in.

God And The Governor

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We find in 1 Timothy chapter 2 what every Christian should do politically for every political leader. Simply put, every day we should always pray for the political leaders who lead the way. So what is the politically correct thing to do when it comes to any political leader? That’s what we’re going to discuss in this message.

It's Murder

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Approximately 70 murders happen in the United States every single day. We are the murder capital of the Western world. Yet, if I were to ask you, “Have you ever murdered anyone?” you would probably and emphatically say, “No!” But listen to what Jesus said about murder. He is going to show us in today’s key verses that murder is not an act; it is an attitude. Put simply, Jesus said, “Murder from the hands comes from murder in the heart.” We are going to see exactly what Jesus says about murder and you will see it in a totally different light.

Rule Of Law

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If you are going to be rightly related to God both in this life and the life to come, you had better be rightly related to the truth of God’s Word. We are going to learn in today’s message that when you honor the Lord, you honor the law that the Lord honors. Now, what does that mean exactly? Let’s dive in together and find out.

Under the Influence

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus makes two important statements to His followers in today’s key passage. He says, “You are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world.” As we study this text together, we are going to see that Jesus used these metaphors because we live in a world that is decaying and dark. The culture before our eyes is disintegrating. The darkness of evil is a cloud that covers this entire planet. We need to be the salt that stops the decay and light that penetrates the darkness. With this in mind, here is the whole point of what Jesus is going to say – Jesus makes us different so we can make a difference. And when we make a difference by being salt and light, we can bring the world under the influence.

No Fine Print - Part 2

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If you get through this life, particularly in the culture of this world, and you are never in any way, shape, form, or fashion persecuted, maybe it's because you're not standing for Jesus. Hopefully, today you will decide in light of this message that you are going to stand up when you need to and you are going to speak up when you need to. If you pay the price of persecution, you can be reminded that Jesus says you are blessed. So to prepare for that moment, let’s look at the three pieces of counsel Jesus gives regarding facing persecution.

No Fine Print - Part 1

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Maybe the reason why we don’t really face much of any persecution is not because we are living in a different age than the early Christians. It may be because we are living a different kind of Christianity than the early Christians. The reality is that you are going to be persecuted if you truly live up to the standard that Jesus expects. With this in mind, let’s take a look at what Jesus is telling us in His powerful statement about persecution from the Sermon on the Mount.

Peace Process

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Isn’t it interesting that our heroes are not peace-makers, but they are the fighters, the soldiers, and the warriors? The people who make the history books and the news are the people who fight the battles, win the wars, and conquer the enemy. Then, Jesus comes along and said, “Blessed are the peace makers. For they shall be called the children of God.” What we are going to learn today from Jesus is simply this - when we make peace with God, we can then make peace for God. This statement leads us to answer four questions about peace and peace making. Let’s dive into answering those questions together.

A Heart for God

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The word “pure” from today’s key verse is translated from the Greek word “katharos.” It means “to purify by cleansing from dirt, filth and contamination.” The reality is that we were all born with dirty hearts. That is why a king named David who was a man after God’s own heart asked God to create in him a pure heart. But what does that mean? Well, the idea of a pure heart is a heart that is pure in its motives, in its thoughts, and in its desires. It’s the kind of heart Jesus is encouraging His followers to have according to the Sermon on the Mount. With this in mind, today’s message is going to be all about what it looks like to have the kind of pure heart Jesus was talking about.

Mercy Me

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Both character and conduct are important when it comes to following Jesus. Conduct without character is meaningless. And character without conduct is useless. You have to have both. As you study the Sermon on the Mount, you realize that what Jesus is saying is, “You are not a Christian because you act like one; you act like a Christian because you are one.” With all of this in mind, today’s message summed up in a sentence is this - when you truly experience the mercy of God, you will freely extend mercy to others. So let’s look at what our responsibility is when it comes to showing others the same mercy God has shown us.

A Healthy Appetite

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key verse, Jesus says if you have a holy appetite, an appetite for righteousness, you will be filled. That is, you will be satisfied – satisfied in a way that nothing in this world, of this world, or from this world could ever do. We are going to learn today that the healthiest appetite is the holiest appetite. In other words, a healthy appetite leads to holiness, and holiness leads to happiness because happiness leads to the only one who is holy – Jesus. Let’s use this analogy of being hungry and being thirsty to learn what it means to have a healthy appetite.

I Surrender All

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We live in such a competitive culture that we are taught never to give up, never to give out, and never to give in. There are certainly times when that is great advice, but there is virtue in a totally different way and for a totally different reason to sometimes giving up and giving in. What we are going to learn today is simply put: the way to be in control is to be surrendered to God’s control. That is when you are blessed. That is when you are going to inherit everything that God has for you, both in this life and the life to come.

Glad to Be Sad

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the second beatitude, Matthew 5:4, we see one of the absolute strangest things that Jesus ever said. It is something you would never hear the world say, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). This statement does not align with our natural leaning. We all want to be happy all the time. But Jesus says, in effect, “Happy are the unhappy.” You are blessed if at least sometimes you have a broken heart. Honestly, don’t we all want to go through life without any sorrow, any pain, any

heartache, any suffering? I think it would be wonderful, but you will learn that it is not all you’d expect it to be. I’ve learned that you grow closer to God in the bad times than you do in the good times. You learn more about yourself, your spiritual maturity, and your real love for Jesus, not in the good times, but in the bad times. So with this in mind, let’s take a closer look at what Jesus was talking about in this beatitude and learn how to apply it to our lives as we follow Christ.

Declaring Bankruptcy

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Over the next several weeks, we are going to be camping out in a section of the Gospel of Matthew, specifically chapters 5-7. These chapters make up the Sermon on the Mount, the most famous sermon Jesus preached during His earthly ministry. And as we kick off our study of this section of Scripture, we will begin with the Beatitudes, listed in chapter 5. The Beatitudes tell us how to enter the Kingdom of God, how to express the Kingdom of God, and how to enjoy the Kingdom of God. Jesus begins by telling us this, “You will never be filled with God until you realize you are empty without him.” Or to put it another way, “You will never be blessed by God until you admit you are bankrupt without Him.” Jesus makes it clear that the first step to being different, to finding significance and satisfaction in life, is to declare bankruptcy. Let’s dive in to see what this means.

Knowing God

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The God we have been talking about throughout this entire series knows you better than anyone or anything. Just like He knew Moses, and He knew the Israelites, He knows you too. But the question of the day is this, “Do you know God?” Now the question is not, “Do you know about God?” The question is not even, “Do you believe in God?” The question I am asking is, “Do you know God personally?” Then I would follow up that question with this one, “How well do you know God?” I can answer that question for all of us. You know God as well as you want to. As we wrap up this series with today’s message, we are going to take a look at how we can come to know God deeply and personally.

Idol Hands, Devil's Workshop

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The people of Israel had been treating God like a heavenly bellhop expecting Him to be at their every beck and call and give them everything they wanted when they wanted it. When Moses had lingered on that mountaintop meeting with God, they decide they would just take matters into their own hands. They would make a god more to their liking. The truth is, we all have “idol hands” that tend to either make the God we worship the God we want or make the god that we want the god that we worship. We’re going to learn today that if you are for God, you won’t put anything before God. You may not think that you have an idolatry problem. You may not even understand why we even have to discuss this issue, but when we see how we do choose false idols and what happens when we do, my prayer is it will cause all of us to give our total loyalty, complete love, and full life to the only true God there is.

Mountain Top Meetings

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this message, we are going to study the story of when God had a word for His people and wanted to meet with them. But before the people met with God, God wanted to meet with Moses. Every meeting was a mountaintop meeting and though you might get the idea from the movies that Moses only went up the mountain one time, he actually went up seven times. God wanted to show both Moses and the people that there is no bigger deal in life than meeting with God. What’s also great about this story is that we learn that the same God who met with Moses wants to meet with you. The same God that spoke to Moses wants to speak to you. We can learn from this mountaintop meeting how we can meet with the God of this universe every day, and not only do we not have to make an appointment or wait in line, but when we meet with Him, He will give us His undivided attention.

When Push Comes to Shove

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We have been studying a man by the name of Moses in a series we are calling, “Red Sea Moments.” This great man of God was facing a Red Sea moment when he came to his own level of stress. He is leading two million of his people through wilderness and desert and they are burning up at times at the way he is doing it, and he is burning out trying. In the 18th chapter of Exodus, Moses had a moment and a meeting that didn’t just change his life, but it literally saved his life and helped him complete his tasks. It is not only very practical, but it is very spiritual. If you feel overworked and overwhelmed, now’s the time to admit it, because you will never be the father, the mother, the husband, the wife, the employee, or even the Christian that you should be as long as you stay there. Moses took three simple steps that kept him from burning out that you can take as well.

Living Hand to Mouth

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

One of the things that you will see throughout the books of Exodus and Numbers is how much complaining and griping the Israelites did. At different times in Exodus and Numbers, Moses and the Lord had to listen to their complaints. Every one of them had to do with food, drink, and living conditions. You have to wonder why God let his people get thirsty and then in this chapter he lets them get hungry. Why does God let us go through times of need, hardship, and difficulty? Because God is trying to teach us what He is trying to teach them and that is every single day of your life you live from His hand to your mouth. In this message, we are going to learn five things about God and about our daily life that I pray will lead us to be people not of griping, but gratitude, not of complaining, but celebrating.

When Your Back is Against the Wall

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we look today in the book of Exodus in chapter 14, we are going to read about the most celebrated event in Jewish history. Two movies have been made concerning this event and two words are all you need to know – The Exodus. If you had been standing where Moses was standing, you would have said, “This is the end of the line. We need to get our affairs in order. It’s over.” Normally, I wouldn’t spoil the ending by telling you what happens, but most of you already know it. God parts the Red Sea. The children of Israel pass through. He then closes the waters back on the Egyptian army, drowns them, and saves the day. The same God that came through for Moses and the nation of Israel is alive and well and wants to come through for you. In this message, we are going to learn what we need to do when our back is against the wall, just like Moses’ was.

Don't Beat Around the Bush

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

You may be asking, “What does a burning bush or a Red Sea or a man named Moses have to do with me?” You will learn the answer to this question throughout this series as we discover that we all have Red Sea moments. We all come face-to-face at times with burning bushes. Moses is a lot like all of us and the God of Moses is still alive today and wants to move in your life the same way He moved in his. You are going to learn three lessons today that will teach you don’t ever beat around a bush that calls your name. If you feel like you are living on the backside of the desert and nobody knows about your life or cares about it, and you even feel like God has forgotten you, take these three lessons to heart.

Miracle in the Mirror

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When Moses was born, Israel had become slaves in the land of Egypt, but that wasn’t always the case. Because of a great man named Joseph, the Egyptian pharaoh had basically adopted them into the nation, giving them favored status and the full rights of citizenship. Four hundred years had passed and now Israel had two big problems. There was a pharaoh that had forgotten who Joseph was, but even more importantly, the nation of Israel had forgotten who God was. It was in that situation that a baby was born that changed everything. Israel needed a miracle, and that

miracle came in the form of a baby, a baby named Moses. And as we read his story, we will see that three things were true of Moses that are true of you.

There's More to Come

Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Many people have doubts that there is life after death. But in this message, I’m going to show you why I believe there is more after this life than this life. Yes, there is more to come because death is both an end and a beginning. As we look at what the Bible has to say and what Jesus had to say about life after death, we’ll learn three things. Let’s dive in.

Only One Way

Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What Jesus said in today’s key verses is true: there is exactly a zero percent chance of anybody getting to God if they don’t go through Jesus. It is not that you have a little chance or some chance – you have no chance. At the end of the day, there is only one way to God. If that is true, then we have to draw three conclusions. Let’s look at those conclusions together.

He Gets Us

Sun, 12 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When it comes to all the fights that we face, all the failures that we have, and all the faults that we battle, we have a Savior who is absolutely perfect and who can bring sympathy and empathy to help us deal with how we feel. Simply put, whatever you are going through, Jesus will get you through. In today’s key passage of Scripture, we are told three facts about Jesus that let us know that this is true. Let’s dive into those facts now.

Good God Almighty

Sun, 05 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A man named Aleph wrote the longest chapter in the Bible: Psalm 119. In this psalm, he makes a very bold statement about God. “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:68). He said unequivocally, “God is good and God does good.” So why should we believe him? I can tell you in one simple sentence. There is good because God is good. On the other hand, let me put that negatively. If there is no God, there is no good. With that in mind, I want to give you some reasons why we should believe in Good God Almighty.

Yes, God Loves You

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Many of us remember the song, “Jesus Loves Me.” If you remember the song you know that famous line, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” I want to change that slightly and give you this sermon in a sentence. Here it is, “God loves me, this I know, for the cross shows me so.” In a book called “Romans,” an apostle named Paul wrote down one of the most incredible sentences in the entire Bible which forever puts to rest the question as to whether or not God loves us. God’s love is not just a “say-so” love. It is a “show-so” love. I can say with 100% confidence, “Yes, God loves us, for the following reasons…”

Yes, God Is

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we continue to address different doubts that people struggle with, today we’re going to tackle the existence of God. I love the way Albert Einstein said it when he stated, “You look at this world and you will see outstanding evidence for God.” I am going to show you today why I believe that is true and that he knew what he was talking about.

Taking God at His Word

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we are going to be addressing this specific doubt that so many people have: “I doubt the Bible is the Word of God.” If that is a doubt you’re struggling with, you should at least consider the case of why 2 billion people absolutely believe the Bible is the Word of God. My point is this, “The word of God is as good as God’s Word.” Jesus Himself believed you not only could take the Bible as God’s Word, but God is as good as His Word because he said, “Your word is truth,” (John 17:17). So, if the Bible is God’s Word, there are certain reasons why we should believe it is when we examine it. Let me give you five of those reasons right now.

The Benefit of the Doubt

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt asks questions while unbelief won’t even listen to answers. In this message, we are going to study a man in the Bible who had such a problem with doubt he was even given the most famous nickname of any disciple. He is called “Doubting Thomas.” I feel sorry for Thomas because I think he has gotten a little bit of a bad rap. He was a doubter, but he teaches us how to deal with doubt. He is able to starve his doubt and feed his faith and he shows us exactly how to do this. If you’re struggling with doubt today, I would encourage you to take notes on these five steps.

He's Alive

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we are going to deal with the doubt people have about Jesus being raised from the dead. Either like every other person who has lived and died, Jesus is still dead or he is physically still alive. A man named Paul went through unbelievable torture, hardship, and finally a beheading because he preached and believed and would not deny that Jesus Christ was alive. In a letter he wrote to a church in Corinth, he laid out what would be true if Jesus was not alive and if everything he said was either an intentional lie or a bad mistake. If Jesus is not alive it has a tremendous impact on whether you are a believer or not. If Jesus is dead nothing else matters, but if He is alive it is the only thing that matters. Knowing that either He was raised or He wasn’t, I want us to answer two questions in this message. When we are finished, I can assure you that your doubt will be destroyed and your faith will be fortified.

Taking Care of Business

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A man by the name of Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. And in that book, he was saying that all that you do for God and with God is serious business, so you had better be serious about what you choose to do. Then he tells us how to do serious business with God and what that looks like practically as followers of Jesus. In this message, we are going to look at Solomon’s instructions and learn more about how to take care of business with God.

Carpe Diem Praying

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The prayer we are going to study today is found in a book called Colossians. This prayer is particularly unique because, in the first two prayers that we examined, Paul was praying for churches he had actually founded or visited and for Christians that he personally knew. In today’s prayer, Paul is writing to a church he has never visited. He has never met one Christian in this city. Yet, without knowing a single name or a single need he prayed a perfect prayer for not just this church and not just these people, but for any church and any people. I call it a “Carpe Diem” prayer. If you are familiar with that phrase, you know it means “seize the day.” I don’t know of any prayer that we could pray daily that could do more in us, for us, with us, and through us than this prayer. We all want to pray the types of prayer that we are one hundred percent convinced that God not only hears, but God would agree with and God would answer. This prayer fits the bill.

Growing Up in Your Going Up

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this series, we are learning that Paul prayed about things most of us never even think about. I know his prayers got to heaven because they began in heaven. And one of these things Paul prayed about was the fact that God wants us to be growing up in our going up. In today’s key verses, the prayer that Paul prayed (if prayed and answered) will radically change any life, any church, and any denomination. The way Paul prayed for the Christians in Philippians is the way that we should all be praying for our church, our spouse, our children, our families, and ourselves.

Know God

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key text, Paul is writing from a Roman prison, and he tells the Ephesians how he is praying for them. He also tells them how they can pray for themselves. It’s this type of prayer we know is a prayer that will connect with God. This is a prayer that God will hear, and God will answer. Interestingly, the prayer is all about one simple thing – knowing God. There are four things we should pray for on a daily basis, and when we pray these four things, we will be praying a life-changing type of prayer.

Gender Reveal

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we are dealing with the phenomenon of transgenderism. The percentage of people that identify as transgender in the United States varies somewhere between 0.3 and 0.6%. To deal with this issue, in my study, I’ve determined as a follower of Jesus that there are three things we have to consider as we talk about this issue: feelings, fact, and faith. Or to put it another way, you have to talk about transgender and psychology, transgender and biology, and transgender and theology. We’re going to look at all three of these in today’s message, so let’s dive in.

Pro-Life for Life

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When you read the phrase, “pro-life” you think about two things – right? Abortion and politics. Well in this message, I am going to leave the politics out of it. I want to make the case today that the pro-life position is truly the only logical, biological, and theological position that you can take if you are willing to face the truth. The thing I want you to keep in mind today is this – the right to life is the right side for life.

Model Marriage

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There is a line that is clear when it comes to where you stand on marriage, and you will either be on one side or the other. You will either be on the side of celebration by accepting what culture says or condemnation by affirming what God says. So here is my simple message today. Model marriage is what God has designed and what God has defined. In order to get this right, we are going to go back to the first wedding that resulted in the first marriage in history. As you are going to see, I got this idea from Jesus, because the only time Jesus was asked specifically regarding divorce, He went back to the first book of the Bible and so will we. When we do this, we will see what a true model marriage is.

Wed Before Bed

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As much as it pains me to say it, in our culture today, there is no such thing as committed sex; it is casual sex. Since 1960, the rate of marriage has been declining steadily and here now in what is best described as a low-commitment culture of “sex without strings and relationship without rings.” To go a step further, by the age of 18, over 75 percent of those who never attend church and almost 53 percent of those who do attend church weekly are no longer virgins. So as we look at our text in I Thessalonians 4, keep one thing in mind. The sex drive is God-given and there is nothing wrong with sex. It is just that God-given sex should be God-guided sex. God has a plan, a place, and a purpose for sex. When that plan is followed and that purpose is fulfilled, that is when sex is best. You’ve got to remember – It is God’s will that you don’t say, “I will” until you say, “I do.” God not only wants what is best for you, but He wants it when it is best for you, and when you get it, He wants it to be the best it can be. This can be true for you if you align yourself with the following three statements.

A Line In the Sand

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we read today’s key passage, we see Joshua is the commander- in-chief and leader of the nation of Israel. He has led the people into the Promised Land that God has promised them, but he wants to make sure they keep that land and prosper in that land. He wants them to live happily ever after. But on this day, he is not talking as the commander-in-chief or as a political leader; he is talking as a dad who has a family. He makes this momentous statement: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (v.15). In effect, he drew a line in the sand. He said, “Even if no one else comes to stand on this side of the line, my family and I will.” He chose to lead his family to do three things that I am going to ask you to do as well.

Heart to Heart

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key passage, God tells Moses to do something very important. In a nutshell, He says, “Make sure that your children and your grandchildren love God with all their heart.” The fact was that at that time in history, people didn’t associate love and God. All of their experiences with gods had been about making sacrifices and focusing on works. But the God of Israel changed all of that. And the truth is, seeing God as loving and also choosing to love God are truths we want each and every generation to embrace. We need to teach the next generation to know the truth of God's Word so that they will know the God of that truth. So in this message, we’re going to look at the four ways we are to do just that in our homes.

Role Model

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There's a letter in the New Testament called First Timothy. It was written by the Apostle Paul to his young protégé who was going to take over pastoring the church in Ephesus. Timothy was young, barely 30 years old, and quite inexperienced. But Paul lets him know that though you may be lacking in education or experience, the one thing you can always be is a role model. The main lesson I want us to take away from this message is our role for the next generation is to be a role model. We can do that in four ways, and we’re going to discuss each of those in detail.

It All Begins Here

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The psalmist who wrote today’s key passage of Scripture is encouraging the people not to let history repeat itself, to learn from the mistakes of the past, and to defeat them in the present. In these eight verses, we are going to learn three things that we must do to make disciples of every generation. Simply put, we must always touch the next generation by teaching them and

reaching them with biblical truth.

Holy New Year

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It is the start of a new year, and we are all in the same boat. It is called “social jetlag” but I call it a “holiday hangover.” Maybe you’ve slept late, taken time off of work, partied it up, ditched your diet, enjoyed the new gadgets, and swapped your gifts. But now it is time to re-enter the real world of traffic, alarm clocks, school, and making a living. You have neither the will nor the energy to do it, but the new year is coming one way or another. So what kind of year are you going to have in 2024? I hope and pray it’s a holy new year! But how can we make that happen? That’s exactly what we’re going to discuss in this message.

Standing Strong

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we wrap up this Christmas series, we are going to learn about what happens when we follow Jesus wherever He wants us to go. When you surrender to God’s call you are under God’s care. We already know that Joseph never had it easy. God didn’t promise Joseph a rose garden. There was a high price he paid to be the father of Jesus. We learn three things that were true of Joseph all of his life that are true about you and me when we simply surrender to the will of God in our lives.

Stepping Up

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s most familiar passage of the Christmas story, we are going learn some unbelievably valuable life lessons that I pray we will never forget. If we can remember these truths when we face the difficulties of life, we will step up and be what God wants us to be and do what God wants us to do. Here is the principle to remember: No matter what is in front of you, God is always ahead of you. Let’s look at how this truth plays out in the life of Joseph.

Staying Faithful

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We are embarking on a three-week study of an unsung hero in Scripture: Joseph, the father of Jesus. Even though only sixteen verses in the Bible mention Joseph by name, you are going to see his influence was much stronger and much greater than what is implied, because he truly is an unsung hero who is going to teach us what it really means to follow the Jesus of Christmas. We are going learn from Joseph that commitment to the will of God will bring clarity about the will of God.

My House, God's House

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today’s key passage of Scripture contains a very famous verse. It says, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Can you imagine what could happen in this country if every family made that decision? Do you think the crime rate would go down? Do you think our jails would be emptier? Do you think our marriages might be stronger? Do you think schools would be safer? Joshua shares with his people that he is going to lead his family to do three things with all his might and power. I would encourage every family and every household head to give this same direction, make this same decision, and have this same determination for your family.

Thank You Very Much

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Who Have You Been With?

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

I want to ask you a question. When people are around you, do they know who you have been with? I want people to know that when they are around me there is one person I have been with, that I walk with, that I live with, that I stay with every day and His name is Jesus. That raises the big question, “How can people know that I have been with Jesus? What will be true of me and true of you if we have been with Jesus? What are the marks of a person who has been with Jesus?” You are going to see in this message that what was true of these men in Acts chapter 4 can be, should be, and will be true of us if we have been with Jesus.

Casting A Long Shadow

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today’s key verse amazes me coming from a man who had a lot to brag about. When he was alive, he was the greatest preacher in the world, the greatest missionary in the church, the greatest teacher of the faith, the greatest theologian, and the greatest religious author. He wrote more books than anyone else in the New Testament. He had a lot to brag about. Yet, Paul said, “There is only one thing I’ll brag about. There is only one thing I will ever show pride in. There is only one thing that will make my heart swell, and it is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul is saying that, as believers, our lives should be lived in the shadow of the cross of Jesus Christ. In this message, we’re going to see exactly what it means to live in the shadow of the cross. Let’s dive in together.

As God Sees Fit

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

So often in our society today, the concept of “truth” is up for debate. What is right? What is wrong? What or who determines right from wrong? These are questions that people are constantly trying to answer. But the truth is, if you try to make right and wrong a matter of human choice, human reason, or human decision, you are out on a limb that will break every time. One of two things is true. Either what is right is right in our eyes or what is right is right in God’s eyes. With this in mind, I want to give you three reasons why only with God can you have morality. Only with God can you know what is right and what is wrong, and only with God can you tell the difference.

Disciple: Conquering Cultural Christianity

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest problems we have in the church is that we have too many people who have made decisions, but too few people who have become disciples. What we have in the church more often than not are not disciples; we have cultural Christians. These are people who proudly bear the label of Christian, but they don’t truly live the life of a disciple. The only cure for cultural Christianity is discipleship. In Luke chapter nine, Jesus tells us what it takes to become a disciple in just one sentence. I am going to reverse engineer what Jesus said and show you four marks of a cultural Christian. As I do, I want you to decide whether or not you are a true disciple or a cultural Christian.

Sent: Send Me

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

I truly believe that the best life, the greatest life and the only life to live is the cross-shaped life. That is a life where we worship, we are discipled, we serve and then we are sent. Now, please understand that this is not an idea I made up. It actually comes from a vision that a prophet named Isaiah had 2800 years ago. Isaiah had a front-row seat to see who God really is and it changed his life forever. From that moment on, he became a “sent” person. The reasons he was sent are the same reasons that we should want to be sent as well. Let’s look at those reasons right now.

Serve: Opening My Gift

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

If you are a follower of Christ, you have been called to be a minister for Christ, to serve others with the gifts and talents you’ve been given. What’s more, you will maximize your fulfillment in life, your enjoyment of life, and your impact in life when you find the sweet spot of serving other people. A disciple called Peter wrote a book called I Peter in which there are several reasons why we should not look at serving as something we have to do, but something we should want to do. Let’s look at those reasons right now.

Worship: Right From The Heart

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

If I were to ask ten people in this room to write down their definition of worship you would get ten different answers. Amazingly, though the Bible talks very much about worship and describes what worship looks like, worship is really only defined in one place that I can find in the Bible, and that is in Romans 12. In this passage, Paul tells us that worship is giving all that I am to all that God is. That means you can come to church. You can lift your hands. You can sing at the top of your lungs. You can listen to every word that is preached and take copious notes. You can even drop a dime or a dollar in the offering, but you have not worshipped until you have given all that you are to all that God is.

Graduation Day

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Whether your last graduation was from college, high school, or pre-school, there is another graduation day that awaits all of us and for some of us it will be the greatest graduation day of all. It will mean no more death, no more disease, no more sin, no more sorrow, and no more suffering. For others, it will be a day of dread and disappointment, discouragement and defeat that no mind can even conceive. I am talking about that time when we are all physically raised from the dead. Today’s key text, 1 Corinthians 15, is what you could call Paul’s doctoral thesis on the subject of the resurrection. Specifically, he talks about the resurrection of the Christians. So as we study this text, let’s consider what the resurrection is and why it is so important.

Don't Go There

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We are talking about hell today, because we are in a series that we are calling, “From Here To Eternity.” We are going through what the Word of God says about when we die, where we are after we die, and at the end of time when no one else will ever die physically. Though everybody dies, not everybody goes to spend eternity in the same place. There is a real heaven and a real hell, and we need to know what each of these final destinations entails so that we might have a sense of urgency to share the message of Jesus with those who have not secured their eternity in heaven.

Heaven On Earth

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard somebody say something like this, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” That sounds good, but it is not completely true, because if what we read in Revelation 21 is true, we do know what the future holds. Around 95 A.D. on an island called “Patmos,” the one who holds the future revealed what the future holds. The resurrected Jesus pulls back the curtains of eternity and reveals to a disciple named John our brand new, never to be destroyed, beautiful beyond words home called “heaven.”

Your Day in Court

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we continue in our series called “From Here To Eternity,” we are going to talk about the time we will all stand before God to give an account for our life. This is when we will have our day in court. As we learn about this text, keep in mind that when it comes time for you to have your day in court, make sure you know the judge. Let’s dive into Scripture and learn more about this judge and all that we are going to experience in His courtroom one day.

In the Meantime

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

There are three days that we believe are the most important days on the calendar of any believer. There is what I call our “birthday.” By that I mean you come to the realization that you are a sinner and you need a Savior. So you repent of your sins, place your faith in Jesus, and surrender to Him as the Lord of your life. You are “born-again.” The second day is what I call “moving day.” That is the day we die, the day that we transition from this earth to be with the Lord. And then the third day is what I call “resurrection day.” That is when our bodies are raised from the dead and we receive a brand-new body, an eternal body. With all of that in mind, we must consider this question, “What happens in the meantime between moving day and resurrection day?” That’s exactly what we’re going to look at today.

Last Breath

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Unless Jesus comes back before you die, one day one of your breaths will be your last. Your chest will rise and fall one last time. You will take in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide one last time. You need to be ready for that moment, because today may be the day that moment comes. In Hebrews chapter 9, there are several verses that give us an encyclopedia of truth about our last breath. That’s what we’re going to dive into today.

Coming Back

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What we are about to read is about an event that is coming that nobody likes to talk about, and a lot of people want to deny and that is the judgment of God. What you will see is that the passage isn’t really about the judge, or the sentence, or evidence that the judge uses to determine which sentence is appropriate. Do you remember the last time you were walking through a parking lot and a car alarm goes off? It is annoying and it is irritating, but if you are like me do you know what you do about it? Nothing, you keep walking. Do you know why? We have heard so many car alarms go off that now car alarms have lost their purpose. We don’t pay attention anymore. Think about what we are about to read as an alarm. You had best not ignore it, because we are all in this story. It reveals what is coming to us when life is over. There are facts we should face and be ready for what faces us.

Cutting In

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the third chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we see very clearly one of the things that gave Jesus heartburn, that made Jesus angry, and caused him to give his arch-enemies, the Pharisees that “look.” I particularly want those of us who are religious, church- going, heard about God, and dotting religious “i’s” and crossing religious “t’s” to listen very carefully to this story, because you are going to see a group of religious people that thought they were close to God and yet didn’t even know God. And then based on this story, I want to give you three practices to avoid that not only make Jesus angry but hurt his heart.

Catching Up

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

If you ever go into a job interview, headhunters and personnel experts will tell you there is one question you will always be asked and you had better be prepared to answer correctly and it is this one, “How do you measure success?” On one occasion, the disciples came to Jesus, and they asked him this question, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1). The disciples thought the ultimate success would be to be chosen as the greatest in the kingdom. In fact, two of the disciples even asked if they could sit on either side of Jesus in the kingdom. The disciples were waiting with bated breath, but Jesus as he was very capable of doing, did something totally unexpected. He bypassed their question, and he did this. “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them” (Matthew 18:2). He said to these twelve disciples, these battle-tested harden veterans who had been with him for three years and thought they had it all together and thought they were ready for primetime, “If you want to catch up to me, you’ve got to first catch up to them.”

Calling Out

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the last public sermon that Jesus ever preached, He was calling out hypocritical holiness and counterfeit Christianity. Frankly, this is not a seeker-friendly topic. This is not a feel-good topic. This is not your best life now topic, but it is a topic that everyone and anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus and every church needs to hear about, think about, and talk about. In this sermon we’re going to look at, Jesus says there are three things that we need to do as we call out counterfeits, including the times we may be counterfeit ourselves.

Cleaning House

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we are going to look at probably the most angry that Jesus ever got. In fact, he not only expressed his anger verbally; he expressed it physically. Probably the most shocking picture of Jesus in the New Testament is when he cleaned house literally. He cleansed the temple. In fact, he did it twice. We are going to be looking at two passages of scripture – the second chapter of John and the twenty-first chapter of Matthew. In John, he cleansed the temple at the beginning of his ministry and in Matthew he did it at the end of his ministry. This story answers the two questions, “What made him angry?” and “Who was his anger directed toward?”

Father Figure

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

I love what President Franklin Roosevelt said: “We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at least prepare our children for the future.” In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul gives fathers the best advice and wisdom on how to be the father your children need you to be. In a simple but sublime sentence, Paul shares with us four things we need to give our children to be the parents we ought to be.

Laodicea: Spiritually Bankrupt

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The church in Laodicea and the Christians in it were stuck in a spiritual no man’s land. They weren’t hot and they weren’t cold; they were just lukewarm. I believe remaining lukewarm is one of the greatest sins that goes unconfessed, unnoticed, and unrealized in the church today. The average lukewarm Christian is either too proud to admit they are lukewarm or too ignorant to realize they are. My prayer is that you will listen to this message with an open heart and sensitive ears to what God has to say in order to avoid getting stuck in no man’s land. The sermon in a sentence is this – in the Christian life, sitting on the fence is the wrong side of the fence.

Philadelphia: Forever Faithful

Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Of all the letters that Jesus wrote, I believe this is the one he enjoyed the most. Of all the seven churches, I could have joined back in that day I could have easily moved to Philadelphia and joined this church. They probably heard of some of the other letters that Jesus had written and they were probably nervous when they opened up their envelope, but they had no reason to be. Jesus had absolutely nothing negative to say about this church. It wasn’t a perfect church, but it was a blameless church. So as we take a closer look at the church in Philadelphia, we are going to learn this lesson: when you stand true to God, God will come through for you. When we stand true to God, three things happen. Let’s look at those three things together.

Sardis: The Walking Dead

Sun, 21 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The church at Sardis was not a weak church that needed restoration. It was not a sick church that need rejuvenation. It was a dead church that needed resurrection. It was in a sense the church of the walking dead. I can tell you as a pastor my greatest fear is both pastoring a dead church and being a dead Christian. I want all of us today to perform our own self-examination and let’s see what steps we must take first of all to determine just how alive our Christian faith is and what we must do to be resurrected. Death may be fatal, but it is never final if we turn back to Jesus. As we examine ourselves, notice the fourfold prescription Jesus gives to get a church (or your faith) off the machine and alive again.

Model Moms

Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

So far in this series, we have talked to husbands, wives, and fathers. Today, we are going to talk to and about mothers. I know from both having one and being married to one that the dad may be the head of the home, but the mother is the heart of the home. I read one time where someone said, “A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.” That being said, it’s a tough task to be a mom, but thankfully Scripture gives us a great picture of what it looks like to be a model mom. In this message, we’re going to look at this example and learn from this model mom how to navigate through the tough times of life in such a way that the peace of God will comfort you, the joy of God will bless you, and the power of God will strengthen you.

Thyatira: Failing The Tolerance Test

Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s message, we are going to look at the church in Thyatira, or as I like to call them, the church that failed the tolerance test. The way you fail the tolerance test is by tolerating what should not be tolerated. This church was tolerating something that it should not tolerate. It was putting up with something that it should have put out and put down. They thought they were broadening their thinking, but what they were really doing was stretching their conscience. They were choosing compromise over conviction. They were choosing comfort over confrontation. They were choosing peace over principle. In light of this, we are going to learn that when you tolerate what is wrong, you will always contaminate what is right. So in order to help us not fail the tolerance test, the Lord does three things that we need to know how to respond to correctly.

Pergamum: Dealing With The Devil

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The church of Pergamum was located right in the middle of Hell’s headquarters. Living in the shadow of Satan himself, the smell of satanic influence was everywhere. Satan may have visited other towns, but he made his home in Pergamum and this was his neighborhood. Just like Pergamum, the Church today is always going to be dealing with the devil. The lesson we need to learn from this church today is how to deal with the devil and not succumb to his tactics and schemes. So as we dive into this section of Scripture, we’ll learn that lesson by looking at three specific things Jesus addressed in His letter to the church in Pergamum.

Smyrna: Grace Under Pressure

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In Revelation chapter 2, there was a church in a place called “Smyrna” that was under tremendous pressure. This church was under pressure to deny Christ, compromise their faith, bow down to Caesar, and join the cult of conformity. But they showed grace under pressure. Like the men in the fiery furnace, they didn’t bend, bow, or budge, all because of one thing this church was taught and this church remembered. It is this sermon in a sentence - Whatever you are going through, remember who you are coming to. I don’t know what you are going through right now, but whatever it is, I want to give you four things to remember and to live by in the midst of whatever pressure you’re currently facing.

Ephesus: You've Lost That Loving Feeling

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The church in Ephesus was a great church, an awesome church, a tremendous church, but it had one humongous problem that dealt with loving Jesus. What we are going to learn from this church is this – the only way to love Jesus right is to love Jesus best. We need to hear what Jesus says to this first church, to our church, and to us if we want to learn from the mistakes of the church in Ephesus.

Grave Significance

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we are going to look at the seventeenth chapter of the book of Acts. In our key passage, the Apostle Paul is in one of the greatest cities of the world at that time, Athens, and while he was there, he had the same challenge of sharing the truth of the resurrection that we have today. He wanted to bring the sunshine of Easter into the darkness of a lost city that is so much like the lost one we live in today. As we study his words, are going to learn why that empty tomb has such grave significance and how we can most effectively present the gospel to the world.

You Be the Judge

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we wrap up this series, we are going to look at what I believe is probably the most misunderstood, misused, and misapplied verse in the entire Bible. By the way, it is not just unbelievers who misapply it and misunderstand it, but sadly many believers make the same mistake. This verse is in regard to judgmentalism. People equate the church today with a holier-than-thou attitude that screams what they are against and whispers what they are for. They hear the criticism, but they don’t see the compassion. They hear the condemnation; they don’t feel the care. And I humbly admit for a good bit of this we are guilty as charged. So, we are going to dive into what Jesus said and what Jesus didn’t say about this whole matter of judging so that we can make sure we’re not only interpreting Scripture correctly but that we’re also living out Scripture correctly so as not to turn others away from the church.

Totally Objective

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Bigotry and prejudice is both an attitude and an action. You either see yourself as superior to someone else or someone else is inferior to you, and this mindset is going to lead you to treat them in a bigoted, prejudicial fashion. Everybody likes to say for the most part, “I’m not a bigot” and pretend that we are always totally objective, but the truth of the matter is we are not, even though we want to be. This is not a problem just for the modern church. The early church dealt with the problem of prejudice and the bias of bigotry a thousand years ago. James, the brother of Jesus, actually dealt with this problem in a book he wrote by his name. Today, when we think of bigotry we think primarily in terms of race, but in this particular case this was the prejudice of affluence and achievement, not of ancestry, but as you are going to see what James said to the church applies perfectly to any kind of bigotry including racial prejudice and racism. James does us a huge favor. He shares with us, not just what a bigot is, but what a bigot does and why any form of bigotry is not a misdemeanor, but it is a felony in the eyes of God.

Christian Science

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When it comes to understanding how Scripture and science are connected, many people simply say that the Bible is not a scientific textbook (which is true), and the Bible was not written primarily to teach us about science (which is also true). So, even if the Bible may be completely wrong when it comes to science, we can trust it when it comes to the more important questions of life and death and eternity. That sounds good in theory, but it is completely wrong. When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about the physical process of birth, He makes this incredible statement, “If you won’t believe what I say about earthly matters, why would I expect you to believe what I say about heavenly matters?” It is a fair question. If I cannot rely on the Bible when it touches on any subject like history, science, morality, or philosophy then how can I trust it when it comes to theology? Those are the questions I want us to consider as we dive into this message.

Holy Hypocrisy

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It is by consensus the number one reason people don’t come to church, criticize the church, and have no use for the church. Every church has hypocrites. Frankly, that shouldn’t really be surprising. The movement that Jesus started produced many hypocrites. As a matter of fact, being the largest religion in the world, Christianity has probably produced more hypocrites than any other movement in history. The word “hypocrites” is used seventeen times in the New Testament and every time it is used by Jesus. Nobody used it or talked about it as much as he did, who first critiqued religious hypocrisy in a way that shaped the way we look at it and made it such a negative term. In the Sermon on the Mount, He dealt with this issue of hypocrisy head-on and shared with his disciples then and his followers now how to avoid holy hypocrisy. If we are going to break down barriers and build bridges to unbelievers and especially the next generation, Jesus tells us three things we have to do.

Good God?

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever asked the question, “If God is good, why does He allow evil and suffering to happen in the world?” It’s a question many have asked, and sadly, many don’t know how to answer it. But in this message, I want us to take a look at the story of a man named Asaph as we try to find a way to answer this question that haunts humankind, Christian or not. Asaph was playing by the rules, doing life by the numbers, went to church, paid his taxes, didn’t cheat on his business deals, was a good dad and husband, and always tried to do the right thing and yet he said, he was “Afflicted, and every morning brought new punishments.” We don’t know whether he struggled with physical disease, financial ruin, or family problems. His thinking was, “What is the use of living right if God is not going to do right and I’m going in the wrong direction?” When we find ourselves in a similar situation, wondering the same things, there are three things we must do.

One Job

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When we get to heaven and we stand before the Lord, I am convinced that one question he is going to ask us individually and as a church is this one simple question, “You only had one job. Did you do it?” We don’t have to wonder what that one job is because Jesus clearly spelled it out. What he is about to say is not just to pastors, preachers, professors, priests or professionals. He is talking to people of all stripes, all colors, all ethnicities, men, women, rich and poor. We all have the same job. As a follower of Jesus, you are going to understand why we only have one job and why we should always be doing it.

Sanctification

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We are in a series we have been calling “Lost in Translation.” We have been dealing with some big biblical words that even many Christians don’t really understand the meaning of; they get lost in translation. Sanctification is one of the most important biblical words, but we don’t hear much about it anymore. However, even though this word is not talked about nearly enough, it is so important that we understand what it means to be sanctified or we are going to be out of the will of God. The word literally means to be set apart. But how does God set us apart? Well, that’s what we’re going to look at in this message – three ways God is working to accomplish our sanctification while we are still here on this earth.

Conversion

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

There is no greater illustration in the Bible of a complete and total conversion than of a man by the name of Paul. In fact, it may be the most famous conversion in history. His conversion is well documented. It is talked about in detail three times in the Book of Acts. In fact, the story of Paul’s conversion occupies more space in the New Testament than any other event except the crucifixion of Jesus. It may be the most intense, in-your-face, radical encounter with Jesus in all of the New Testament. But even though Paul has one of the most talked about conversion stories of all time, that doesn’t mean our own stories of conversion are any less miraculous. With that in mind, I want us in today’s message to look at three things that happen anytime someone experiences conversion.

Repentance

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we continue our series entitled “Lost In Translation,” we are going to answer the question, “What is repentance?” It is imperative that we understand this concept because the word is mentioned nine hundred sixty-nine times in the Bible. When God talks about something once it is a big deal, but if He talks about it almost a thousand times it had better get our attention! Sadly, the word “repentance” seems like a forbidden word within the church and outside the church because the word implies that people have something they need to repent of, and of course, that sounds like you are judging others. Regardless, it is a word we cannot forget nor forsake, but rather one we need to zoom in on. That being said, in this message, I am going to share with you three ways to relate to this important principle of repentance.

Regeneration

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we’re going to kick this series off by talking about where salvation begins, and that is with regeneration. Regeneration is where God gives a person who is spiritually dead spiritual life so they can truly see the truth with their eyes, hear the truth with their ears, and respond to the truth with their heart. Simply put, without this new birth, no matter what else you do, no matter what else happens you will never enter the Kingdom of God and you will never know the God of the kingdom. So in this message, we are going to look at how that “new birth” happens and what takes place in our lives when we are born again.

Fasting

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Fasting is something we honestly know very little about and we don’t practice it very much. We know a lot about feasting, but we don’t know a lot about fasting, which, in a way, I get. On any given day, I would choose a feast over a fast anytime. Yet, if we want to be on the right side of history, we need to learn about fasting and we need to understand why it is a discipline we should experience. Fasting is just as much a part of the Christian life as other spiritual disciplines like praying and giving. So in this message, I am going to tell you two things we should do with fasting and one thing we shouldn’t.

Get Off the Guilt Trip

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key passage of Scripture, we see a picture of a defendant in God’s courtroom. This courtroom has everything you would imagine. There is a judge. There is a defendant (that’s you). There is a prosecuting attorney. And as the defendant, you’re facing the question: will the verdict be “guilty” or “not guilty?” The answer to this question all depends on who you are and where you stand with the judge (God) before you enter that courtroom. Standing before the judge, we learn who our prosecuting attorney is going to be (Satan) and who our defense attorney will be (Jesus). So as we dive into this message and study this passage of Scripture, we are going to see how you can make sure when you stand before the supreme judge, you will hear the words, “Not guilty! Case dismissed.” Specifically, three things must happen for that to be the case.

The Can-Do God

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever been in a difficult situation and found yourself saying, “I can’t do this anymore”? Have you ever wondered how you were going to handle the circumstances you’ve been dealt? Have you ever worried about how you were going to fix the problems in front of you that seemed impossible to solve? Well, the good news is, you are not without hope. There is nothing too difficult for the God of the Bible. He is the can-do God. His Word reminds us that all things are possible with Him. I want to give you four practical applications that you can take from this message and apply to your everyday life as you follow Christ. These four things will give you the confidence to face anything life throws at you and be victorious.

Sowing Seed

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today we are going to look at one of the parables Jesus tells to His followers that is recorded in the gospel of Luke. There are three specific elements to this parable: the sower, the seed, and the soil. The sower represents the follower of Jesus. The seed represents the message of the gospel. And the soil represents the heart of the non-believer. What we will learn from this parable is simple: it is our responsibility to sow the seed, and the rest is up to God. We can’t change other people’s hearts, just like the sower can’t change the soil he’s planting in. But God is more than capable of changing someone’s heart and opening their mind to receive the gospel. So with that in mind, let’s dive in.

A Real Love

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we wrap up this series, I want to talk about the last gift I want for Christmas, which is a real love, not an “I love you now but tomorrow is negotiable,” kind of love. Not an “I love you as long as things go my way but when they don't...” kind of love. Certainly not the Hollywood kind of love that really is more lust than love. I want you to see today that real love comes from above. I want to use this message as a way to show us what real love is all about. If you think you really are a really loving person - a loving husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, or friend - get ready for a love checkup. Let’s see how your love measures up to the real love that comes from above.

A Resilient Hope

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The biblical word “hope” means “certainty.” It doesn’t mean possibly or probably, but surely. It is a certainty based not on a feeling, nor an optimistic intuition, but it is based on God's Word. Having biblical hope means having a sound assurance in your heart that because of what God has promised, His plan for you will come to fruition and will not disappoint. With that in mind, in this message, I want to show you three things you can put your hope in knowing the seed of that hope will bear fruit and you'll be glad that it did.

A Redeeming Faith

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Do you know what a day trader is? These are high-risk investors who jump in and out of the stock markets often many times a day and they try to capitalize on price changes in the market. They have no interest in the companies of the stocks they are buying. They are just simply trying to make a buck. There are a lot of people in the church today who are day traders. They don’t know very much about God. They claim to have made some sort of a decision about Jesus, but they have never really surrendered their life to Him. They jump into church when they feel like they need to and jump back out when they don’t. They just want a God who will give them dividends in the form of blessings and leave them alone. That is exactly the kind of faith that is as worthless as a Christmas gift you got twenty years ago that no longer fits. I don’t want that kind of faith. And I’m sure you don’t either. Instead, I want us to have a redeeming faith, a renewing faith, a reviving faith. And I want to show you today the marks of a redeeming faith that we should all want for Christmas.

Poster Child

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we wrap up this series on the family, I want to speak directly to the children. Whether you’re still living at home with your parents, or if you’ve moved out and started your own life but still have your parents around, this message is for you. If you are a child of God, then your goal should be to be a godly child. And while that is a responsibility you should take seriously, it’s also a responsibility your parents share with you to an extent. It takes godly parents to do their best to have godly children. Godly parents must provide leadership, and godly children should give followship. Again, if you are a child of God, your goal should be to be a godly child. So with that in mind, I’m going to give you three things you need to do to be a godly child.

Model Moms

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Father Figure

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Here Come the Bride

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Last week we talked about how husbands should give their wives leadership, love, and loyalty. We have already noted that Paul had a lot of strong things to say to the husband, even more so than he did to the wife. But now let’s now turn our attention to the wife. Paul lays out two principles for a godly wife to follow to be the wife that God wants her to be and to be the wife that her husband needs her to be.

Here Comes the Groom

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

I don’t believe there has ever been a marriage in the history of the world that did not end up happily ever after when the wife was the wife God wanted her to be and the husband was the husband that God wanted him to be. This week and next week, we are going to see what Scripture has to say about what it looks like exactly to be the kind of husband and the kind of wife God wants. In Ephesians 5, we begin with the husband. It is extremely important to note that Paul takes more time and gives more space to what he says to the husband than he does to the wife. In fact, he says three times as much to the husband as he does to the wife. So let’s look at what exactly a good, godly husband is to do for his wife.

Love and Marriage

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Marriage is tough. Marriage is hard work. Dating reveals the best in you; marriage can reveal the worst of you. But that doesn’t mean marriage isn’t worth pursuing. Marriage was God’s ideal idea. It was His creation, and therefore it is meant for good. Does that mean it doesn’t come with challenges? Absolutely not. But it does mean that marriage can be an incredible tool of sanctification and a beautiful model of God’s relationship with us if we will lean into learning how God intended marriage to be. So with this in mind, let’s take a look at three principles of love and marriage we need to recapture in the present day.

One on One

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we wrap up this series, I’m going to share with you a one-on- one encounter that happened two thousand years ago that gives us the perfect example of how to engage people one-on-one with the gospel. God did not allow you to hear about what Jesus did for you, believe what Jesus did for you, and move you to accept what Jesus did for you just so you could just keep it to yourself. Salvation is not to be stored; it is to be shared. Not only is every Christian commanded to do evangelism, to share the Gospel, to tell other people about Christ, but God has also equipped every one of us to do it and given us the tools that we need. Let’s look at three steps we can take to share the gospel with others.

The One That Matters

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s key passage of Scripture, Jesus is talking to two groups of people – sinners and Pharisees (people who were banned from going to church and people who never missed it.) One group was so bad they didn’t think God would ever accept them. The other group was so good that they thought God had already accepted them, but they were wrong, so He told this parable. Another misnomer is that the story is about either son. It really isn’t. The main character of the story is the father. The father is mentioned twelve times in twenty verses. He is the real hero of the story. The story is not so much about a sinning son or a bitter brother, but a forgiving father. Of course, the father represents God. The whole point of the parable is very simple. The Father’s door is always open and the Father’s message is always “Welcome.” The parable actually falls neatly into three different parts that tell us about the heart of our wonderful God. Let’s look at each of those parts now.

Looking Out for Number One

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In probably the most famous parable Jesus ever told he shows us why if we have the heart of God, we will have a heart for one - for that one person who doesn’t know God, for that one person who needs to hear the gospel, for that one person who is lost and needs to be found. The problem was that the religious crowd only cared about the people who were in the temple while on the other hand, Jesus cared about the one that was outside the temple. The religious crowd built walls; Jesus built bridges. The religious crowd locked the doors to the church. Jesus took the doors out because Jesus was looking out for number one, except number one was not Himself. Number one was others. I want to challenge you today to begin looking out for number one like Jesus did, and we’ll learn from today’s key passage why we should, how we can, and what happens when we do.

What Legacy Am I Going To Leave?

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Every day of your life is just like money – you spend it. You can’t save it and you can’t store it. You have to spend it and you either spend it wisely or foolishly and the way we spend the days of our life will determine the legacy that we leave. So how would you like to leave a legacy? You want to be able to look back on your life and say at the end of the day, you have no remorse, no regret, no retreat, right? You want to hear one day from the God that created you, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Well, for those things to happen, we must determine to do three things.

What Life Am I Going To Live?

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

What did Jesus mean by “the abundant life” in today’s key verse? I know what He didn’t mean. It is not a life that is found in stuff, money, possessions, or financial security. When Jesus called the disciples to follow Him, every one of them left everything behind. Even though He promised them an abundant life, He never offered them financial security, physical comfort, a retirement plan, health insurance, and certainly no health and wealth gospel. He didn’t even promise them a long life because many of them died early. Here is what He meant. The abundant life (the only life worth living) is a life lived in, through, and for Jesus. In this message, we are going to learn from these disciples as we think about how to live the only life worth living.

What Lord Am I Going To Love?

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The first question we are going to tackle in this series is, “What Lord am I going to love?” I freely admit that this question carries an assumption that I believe is true. We all worship and love something or someone above everything else. Whoever or wherever that is, is your lord. That lord may be your ego, your money, your family, your job, power, influence, pleasure, happiness, and even your own life. This first question I believe is the fundamental question that determines the answer to the other two questions. So let’s dive in.

From Bitter to Better

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Bitterness is harbored hurt hidden in the heart. Of all the emotions I will cover, I believe this one may be the most dangerous. I fear bitterness in my life more than anything else. Do you know why? Because bitterness is an acid that destroys its own container. In a New Testament book called Hebrews 12 there is some strong warning about the danger of bitterness, but also some great wisdom on how to deal with bitterness. If you are bitter now, you will be better later.

Calm the Nerves

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we continue our series on feelings and emotions, today we are going to look at anxiety. I would define anxiety as a lethal combination of worry and fear that dominate your mind, saturate your heart, and devastate your soul. We are abiding in fear. It is that feeling that continues to linger long after the actual threat or fear has dissipated. It is a far greater intensity than just worried. People use worry and anxiety interchangeably. However, they are very different psychological states. According to Psychology Today, “Worry tends to be more focused on thoughts in our heads, while anxiety is more visceral, in that we feel it throughout our bodies.” The good news is a man with flesh and blood, sitting in a Roman prison, facing certain death, knowing he probably wouldn’t get out of that prison alive and not knowing what day he would die understood anxiety. In a book called Philippians, he gives us a four-step process on how to calm your nerves.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

God’s word has a lot to say about our feelings and our emotions. One of the things I love about Scripture is that when God paints the portraits of his men and women, they are not photoshopped. You see warts and wrinkles. You see flaws and faults. Today, we are going to look at one of the most famous men in the Bible – a prophet named Elijah. If God had a Hall of Fame, Elijah would easily be elected on the first ballot. He had so much of the power and presence of God in his life. He is the first person in the Bible to raise a person from the dead. But Elijah also had some troubles in life. As we are about to see, he was so depressed that he was suicidal. But in today’s message, we are going to look at how Elijah managed to get out of that valley, and with God’s help so can you. Elijah found in God a bridge over the troubled waters of depression that is still available to us today.

Thank You Very Much

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Good and Angry

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the greatest writers and poets in American history said, “Every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty-seconds of peace of mind.” Not only do I agree with that statement, but I will candidly admit I have given up a lot of time of peace of mind. I can get angry, and I know I am not the only one. Thankfully, God’s Word has a lot to say about anger. In the book of Ephesians, Paul gives a prescription for those of us who are temper challenged to practice divine anger management. For many of us, by the grace of God, it can be done, it should be done, and it will be done if we will take three steps.

Totally Satisfied

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus came to give us joy, peace, satisfaction, and contentment. Paul understood that probably better than anyone, even as he was writing from a Roman prison, when he wasn’t going anywhere and was stuck where he was. He wasn’t going to have any more than what he had, and he certainly had no computer and no cellphone. He pens this letter by talking about how he had found the secret of satisfaction. If Paul had died with his last words he would have been totally satisfied. There are three things we can do to live a life of total satisfaction according to Paul, and my prayer is that we all learn to implement these things in our lives so we can be totally satisfied as well.

Stress Out

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The question now before us in today’s message is this: How can you bear the fruit of joy that you have to handle, with all the problems that you have to solve, with all the people that you have to deal with? A man who is in prison, under the threat of death every day, not knowing whether he would live or die, from one day to the next, wrote the perfect prescription for how to get stress out when you are stressed out. Paul gives us four steps to follow if we want to experience stress relief, and I can guarantee that your life will be richer, better, and sweeter if you practice these steps on a daily basis.

Eye on the Prize

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Life is exactly like a race. From the time you are born until the time you die you are running a race. The one goal in every race is to cross the finish line. No matter what else you do in a race it doesn’t matter how hard you run or how fast you run. If you don’t cross the finish line you won’t win. One sure-fire way to get joy and ultimately win in the life you are living is to set God-given goals and then to give your life every day to reaching those goals. A man by the name of Paul gives us the formula on how to do that. He gives us three simple steps that you can use at the beginning of every year, every month, every week, and every day to make that year, that month, that week, and that day the best year, best month, best week and best day of your life.

What Difference Do I Make?

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

I believe that two things will determine what difference you made and to the degree that you made a difference - what you know and who you know. Nobody got a bigger bang for the buck of their life, outside of Jesus, than a man named Paul. Besides him, I don’t believe anyone who has ever lived had a more productive life, got more out of his potential, or had a greater long-term impact than this man who took a seed called the gospel, planted it as far as he could go, and the result has been the explosion of Christianity that we see all over the world two-thousand years later. How did he do it? What was the secret to his unbelievable influence and impact? Well, we have discovered the secret of who we should know and what we should know that will help us to get where we need to go in life and where God wants us to be when it is over. We should be determined to know three things on a daily basis, and they made all the difference.

Joy Ride

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We only get to take the ride of life once. Shouldn’t it be a joyride? Even with the bumps in the road, the sharp curves, the steep cliffs, and the deep valleys, don’t you want every hour of every day, of every week, of every year, to be filled with joy? In the coming days, would you like to be less stressed out? Would you like to maximize your pleasure and minimize your pain? Would you like to face life every day with a smile on your face, a bounce to your step, and joy in your heart regardless of your circumstances? In the second chapter of Philippians, Paul gives a three-step formula on how to do that. So, if you want to enjoy the ride of life, I guarantee that you will if you take these three steps.

Always Ready

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There are two things that every human being has to face from the moment they are born. That is life and death. I don’t believe you are ready to live until you are ready to die. I also don’t believe you are ready to die until you are ready to live. I believe that Jesus is the only one who can truly get you ready for both. When Paul was in prison, he had to go to sleep every night ready to die the next morning. But even in this terrible set of circumstances, he continued to rejoice because he recognized that his life was in Christ, and to die was gain. In this message, I want to walk through the different things we gain when we die so that we can live our lives unafraid of death.

Church Wanted

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Apostle Paul wrote thirteen books of the New Testament. All of them were letters. Of the thirteen letters, eleven of them were written to seven different churches. Philippians is the only letter that we have in the New Testament where Paul never one time corrects bad teaching, rebukes bad behavior, or handled a bad situation. We see only a completely positive letter to a church he wrote. This was a church that was full of joy. It was a church that gave joy to the pastor that founded it and gave joy to the people who attended it. Nineteen times you will find in this book the words “rejoice, joy, and gladness.” When you read this book you realize this is what a church should look like on the inside to the people who attend it, but it is also what a church ought to look like from the outside to people who don’t attend it. I want to share with you today the three things that are true about that church that I want to be true about the church today, both to insiders and to outsiders. I want to be a church wanted.

Got Milk?

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

I hear so many Christians today express concern about the way our culture is increasingly rejecting biblical Christianity. I share the same concern, but honestly, I am a lot more concerned about evangelical Christians rejecting the Bible. I don’t mean that Christians reject the truth of the Bible, but they reject time in the Bible. It’s like when you try to give a baby a bottle, but they refuse to drink it. You know it’s what they need to grow stronger, but for some reason, they don’t want it. We’ve got milk (in the Word of God). We are just not drinking it. And because we are not, we are starving ourselves of direction in how to walk, wisdom in how to think, and guidance in how to live. I want to share with you today three habits we need to develop if our relationship with God is going to be as rich, as powerful, and as meaningful as it should be.