New Creation People Part 2
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17We live in a phenomenally broken world. And a natural response is for our hearts to cry...
View ArticleGod’s Presence At Church
"Walk worthy of the Lord." Colossians 1:10I love reading church slogans. You know, the ones you see on the marquee in front of churches. Recently I noticed a slogan that said, “Come in and experience...
View ArticleA Known Commodity
“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12My new ministry was at a large, sophisticated church just outside of...
View ArticleDrumroll, Please . . .
“I will bless those who bless you, . . . and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:3There are some moments in Scripture that I would have choreographed a little differently if...
View ArticleThank God for Mothers!
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” 2 Timothy 1:5It was Sunday morning and her...
View ArticleReborn Identity
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17One of my favorite movies is The Bourne Identity. The main character,...
View ArticleA Parent’s Pain
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10I’ll never forget meeting Nathan and Connie. With five sons, they loved the...
View ArticleUnder Pressure
“You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:3When our kids were growing up, we loved having picnics in the backyard. No picnic was complete without a plate full of big,...
View ArticleWhose Side Are You On?
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” James 4:4Ever been caught in the...
View ArticleFinal Exam
“God tested Abraham.” Genesis 22:1In universities everywhere, mid-May brings late-night study sessions, caffeine-fueled writing binges, and ulcer-inducing stress as students are preparing for final...
View ArticleFull Pockets
"God . . . has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Ephesians 1:3Every man needs pockets large enough to carry all the important things in life: wallet, keys,...
View ArticleNew Creation People Part 3
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17Discover what it means to daily live out your identity as a “New Creation Person” as Joe...
View ArticleHearing The Sermon Again
"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matthew 4:17A story is told about a man who preached an impressive sermon, seeking to be the pastor of...
View ArticleDisappointing Sideshows
"For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:16When I was a boy, one of...
View ArticleGetting Along
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3I’m guessing that even astronomical gas prices won’t stop many parents from packing up the car and taking the...
View ArticleJoin the Revolution
“I am the way…” John 14:6In one of my all-time favorite Peanuts cartoons, Charlie Brown is standing on the deck of a cruise ship with a rather disheartened look on his face clutching his unfolded deck...
View ArticleStuck with a Thorn?
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9A small, older, hunched-over lady greeted us with a glowing smile at the doorway of our little son Matthew’s...
View ArticleSee Ya in Heaven
"You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Luke 12:40Periodically, current world events stir up discussion about the endtimes. While I believe in...
View ArticleSpeak Up!
"If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:3If you’re like most people, you think that when God does something important, He uses...
View ArticleNew City People Part 1
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea." Revelation 21:1Discover 12 descriptions of heaven that offer you...
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