Life changed the year COVID-19 first spread around the world. Countless lives were lost, many more were ill, and everyone struggled with lockdowns and social changes. They tell us that feelings of hopelessness and depression increased exponentially. It makes us wonder how to maintain hope when the future appears hopeless. A good place to start…
I’ll never forget the first time I knew I’d heard Jesus’ voice. I’m sure He had spoken to me at other times in my 24 years, but this was the first time I was certain it was the Lord speaking into my thoughts and touching my heart. Jesus told His followers… The gatekeeper opens the…
Do you believe that Jesus is God? Someone recently left a comment on one of my older posts that began, “Jesus is not God.” They added that only Jehovah is God and added several Bible references to assert their point. In several verses, Jesus referred to God as “Father,” so the commenter believed that Jesus…
We don’t know his age, but we know he was an adult who was born blind… As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. John 9:1 So, the disciples asked a question that’s been asked throughout history… “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his…
Do you know someone who has faith in Jesus but believes that the changing culture defines sin? Jesus asked a group of Pharisees and religious leaders… “Why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?” Matthew 15:3 God defined sin, and Jesus said the following about its power in our lives… “I…
How well do you KNOW Jesus? The Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are full of things Jesus said about Himself … promising truth that offers faith, hope, and love to bless us now and forever. As we continue in John chapter 8, Jesus warns a group of unbelievers… “You are from below; I…
If we want to live unafraid of the dark, we need to SEEK the Light. Light is a word associated with truth, knowledge, and wisdom in Scripture and in life. John wrote… God is light; in Him, there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 In contrast, the word darkness is often connected to wickedness, evil, and…
Every church is full of sinners a few of which are finger-pointers who love to call out the sins of others while attempting to hide their own. It’s similar to what happened to the “woman caught in adultery.”… [Jesus was teaching at the Temple], the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman…
How do you decide what and who to believe? What helps you determine whether or not the information you’ve received is trustworthy? Those are questions we all need to answer. Look at our current culture. What people believe seems to be determined by who they believe. Who they choose as their sources of information greatly…
You’ve heard people say that God’s ways are perfect and that you can trust His love when you don’t understand His timing. But that’s not always easy when we’re going through difficult moments. In John 7, Jesus told His brothers… You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” After…
There have always been individuals who claim they have read the signs and know God’s plans and timing, and others who would like to believe them. Jesus knew His Father’s plans and timing but the disciples did not. For the last several months they’d been traveling around Galilee. John wrote… After this, Jesus traveled around…
Martin Luther wrote the following explanation for why we need the Holy Spirit… “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the…
I wonder how many of the thousands of people Jesus fed with the five loaves of bread and two fish realized they had been part of a miracle. Do you think they knew where the food came from or were they simply satisfied that their bellies had been filled? Were they following Jesus or the…
How would you like to become fearless? If you’re like me, with all the awful what-if possibilities in the world … living without fear of the future can feel impossible. I often think about the disciples and the times Scripture tells us they struggled with fear. John honestly shared one of those times in the…
What do you do when you need a miracle because you lack something you need? We’ve all had times when we lacked the resources necessary to get through our current circumstances; times when we’re physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually inadequate and our supply is insufficient. That may be why I’ve always loved reading the Biblical…
Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, the ones we typically refer to as the Law. But he also wrote about Jesus, the promised Messiah in them. If you’re a faithful visitor, You know I used to approach the Bible as an important book of rules I needed to know and obey to…
Jesus said… “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 What is eternal life and how does it transform today? When I taught…
How do you observe the Sabbath Day? God told Moses to write the following… “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the…
Would you like to get well? Are you feeling hopeless? Do you have a chronic health problem that has interfered with your life for as long as you can remember? Have you carried a mental burden that makes you want to crawl into a corner and stay there? Have you sought help from doctors and…
I’ll never forget the Sunday before Rev’s heart surgery in 2007. Pastor Greg invited everyone attending the service to come forward and lay their hands on Rev as he prepared to pray for Jesus to protect him through surgery and heal his heart. More than a hundred people approached the front, each placing their hands…
Do you love to tell your friends about a new business or product you’ve tried that enhanced and enriched your life? Maybe you’re a professional marketer or someone who can’t keep yourself from sharing wonderful news because you love helping people. But what about the person who avoids people? Imagine being someone who hates engaging…
