Evangelism and missions propels the wisdom and power of God. Christians, when we proclaim the message of Christ crucified, in absolute reliance upon the Holy Spirit of God, to our neighbors and to the nations God will be magnified. And it is our great privilege and responsibility to bring this message to those individuals who are not worshiping Christ as Savior and Lord. ...

Unity is a mark of a healthy church."A new commandment I give to you," Jesus said, "that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35 NASB95). However, many modern churches are known for their conflicts instead of their unity. Just as I ...

Maintaining a thankful heart for your local church is not always easy. But the apostle Paul did. His thankfulness for the Corinthian church encourages us to be thankful for our local church, no matter how difficult things get. Paul ministered in Corinth for eighteen months (Acts 18:1-18). During his stay he formed a new ministry relationship with Aquila and Priscilla, a m...

Is church discipline in the Bible? This is a question that I answered Sunday for our church by reading from several New Testament verses. Please read through the verses below and meditate on them. NOT SO FAMOUS VERSES ON CHURCH DISCIPLINE But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and d...

"So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according ot the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law." ~ Ezra 10:3 September was a very busy month for my family. We spent a week in Wyoming and South Dakota, and then Cindi and I spent another four days a...

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel" ~Ezra 7:10 The writer of Hebrews encouraged the faith of the early Christians by reminding them of the "great cloud of witnesses" that had gone before them (Hebrews 11, 12:1). By remembering these witnesses, believers would be motivated to "lay ...

Ezra is surely becoming one of my favorite books. Prior to this current preaching series, I had never given a sermon from this Old Testament book. A few people have asked, "How did you decide to preach from Ezra?" "God guided me here," has been my standard response. This is fitting since Ezra emphasizes God's hand guiding His people back to Jerusalem.In the first six chapt...

"The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him" ~Ezra 8:22 God's hand renews. This is the theme of Ezra, which is one of the books that describes how God kept His covenant faithfulness to His people by bringing them back home after decades of exile in Babylon. How did God's people get carried away into exile? It was the result of breaking their coven...

In 1980, Keith Green was feeling disconnected from the Lord and as a good song writer does, he wrote about his experience. "Oh Lord, please light the fire, That once burned bright and clear. Replace the lamp of my first love, That burns with Holy fear." Could these words be your words? Have you ever felt disconnected from God and long to have His fire rekindled inside of...

A STABLE HEART IN UNSTABLE TIMESPSALM 46 Last Sunday morning we sang the hymn, "HE KEEPS ME SINGING." Can you hear the chorus in your mind? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know, Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go This is a song that I have sang many many times, but Sunday the fourth verse caught my eye. Though sometimes He leads through...