As the new year begins, I want to encourage you to read the Bible everyday. Those who read and obey God's word are like a tree planted by flowing streams of water, they will have deep spiritauls roots, strong branches, and abundant fruit that glorifies God (Psalm 1:1-3). If you keep reading, you will find 12 reasons to read your Bible everyday. These reasons will be especi...

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." ~Luke 2:10-11 In preparation for last Sunday's sermon I read an article that caused me to pause and think about my reaction to Christmas. Here is a sma...

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...

BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO JESUS "Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ~Matthew 19:13-15 The above verses describe one of the most precious and intimate scene...

After a few weeks of providing sermon reviews on Mondays, I have decided to switch to Wednesdays. My hope is that you will use this sermon review to help you remember and respond to God's Word as it was presented on Sunday morning. Sermons are like homecooked meals, we need them for nourishment but often forget what we just ate. Inability to remember what we ate for lunch ...

An elderly pastor was watching his fourteen month old grandson stumble around the church building after service one Sunday. He marvelled as the boy dodged legs and purses and occassionally grabbed a pant leg to keep his balance. Another older man approached the pastor and said of the grandson, "Isn't is sad that your grandson has to grow up during these times. American is ...

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, loves your wives and do not be embittered against them Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. ~Colossians 3:18-21 One of the joys of pastoring in Altanta, Missouri is...

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ r...

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander,a...

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. ~Colossians 3:1-...

Rececently I travelled to Alaska with another brother from the church. Our last evening there was spent in fellowship with a precious group of believers in Palmer, AK. At the beginning of the meeting the pastor asked each person to write down a question on a notecard. Following a time of prayer, the pastor selected one question at a time, and we studied how the Bible answe...

"having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." ~Col. 2:12 NASB Baptism is a cherished moment in every Christian's life and in the life of the church. When we see people going down into the waters of baptism we say to ourselves, "God is working!" To help us truly cheris...

COLOSSIANS 2:8-23 NASB 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and author...

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and [attaining] to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, [resulting] in a true knowledge of God's mystery, [that is,...

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. Of [this church] I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the [preaching of] the word of God, [that is,] the mystery...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." -~Luke 2:14 A government order required Jospeph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem. After arriving in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor and gave birth to her firstborn son. He was named Jesus. As Mary swaddled and nursed her newborn child, God was speaking to shepherds. An angel of the Lord a...

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was pr...