My Take

The busyness of the Easter holiday seems to be growing.  More is being purchased probably than ever before.  Easter is an appropriate name of this day for most for it is a pagan holiday.  As believers, we do not celebrate Spring or a "new life" as those who celebrate Easter do (knowingly or ignorantly).  Rather, it is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ even referring to it as "Resurrection Sunday!"  What a wonderful fact it is that the Lord used such a pagan holiday to complete his plan for the redemption of man.    May Easter never replace the importance and place that the resurrection of Jesus Christ holds.  Praise God that you are here and are a part of our services as we seek to lift up the Lord in praise and honor for He is worthy - and the truth is, He is the creator of Spring and He is the giver of "new life."  You can have a new life starting today in Him.     2 Corinthians 5:17 says: "...

WHAT TRULY MATTERS AT CHRISTMAS Isaiah is the prophet who declares so much about the coming of Christ. We especially cherish Isaiah 7:14 , which tells us that a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called   Immanuel —“ God with us .” This is why the birth of Christ matters so deeply: God became man so that He might die on the cross and save us from our sin. For this, we are extremely thankful. During this Christmas season, let us not forget what it is truly about. God calls us to trust in Him as our Lord and Savior , and then to live   by   Him and   for   Him. He is not seeking another festival or hollow holiday tradition. Scripture reminds us that God is not impressed by our rituals of burning candles on Christmas Eve , it means nothing to Him. In Isaiah 1:10–18 , He tells Israel that He is weary of their religious observances and offerings because their hearts were far from Him. The same can be said of much of Christmas in America ...

Twice the chapter of 2 Corinthians 4 mentions to us to “FAINT NOT” – mentioning it in verse 1 and near the end in verse 17.  It is interesting because verse 1 talks about the ministry we have received of the Lord and the latter reminds us of the glory that is to come of a life well lived for God.   Weariness comes as a result of our working in and focusing on the flesh and the temporal things that accompany that life.  Often ministry is performed this way.  Ministry needs to focused on the TRUTH of God’s Word and dependent on that along with the power of God coupled with a holy walk with God. Today’s ministry often depends on dishonesty; craftiness and using God’s Word deceitfully or manipulatively.  Rather we need to trust God and speak the truth in love.  Let’s depend on God’s power to do God’s work, not our own.  We don’t need to faint.  Let’s go, give, pray, and live a the life wants us to live as we share the Word with others lovingly and in ...

God's Command to Be Thankful “Be Ye Thankful” isn’t just a nice idea—it’s something God actually tells us to do in Galatians 3:15 and other parts of the Bible. We think it’s all about making sure we remember to thank God for what He’s done (which is He has!). It’s kind of like when we taught our kids to say thank you to people who were kind to them, just because it’s the right thing to do. There’s More to Thankfulness But there’s a deeper side to being thankful—it actually helps us too. Thanksgiving isn’t just about what we give to God; it’s also really good for our hearts and minds and shows the miraculous change He has made in us. Being Thankful When Life Is Tough When we choose to be thankful, even when things are hard, it shows we’re living above our circumstances. It’s a sign of a changed life through Jesus. If we let God work in us, He can shape us into who He wants us to be.  Thanksgiving in life (which doesn’t get easier) shows that transformation. How Thankfulness Cha...

"I have not found so great faith..." Whose faith was it? It was the centurions faith that caused Christ to marvel in Matthew 8:5-13. - The centurion did not require Christ to come to his house. - He did not make a show or make a demand of Christ. - He did not ask for a sign from God. - There was only one thing the centurion needed - Christ saying it was so...that was enough for him. What a simple lesson for us today. May God help us simply take Him at His Word on any matter and let that settle it? We can be stablished, settled, perfected, and strengthened (1 Peter 5:10) in the midst of any trial, temptation, heartache, or anxiousness - because the Lord has already settled the matter, whatever it may be, by His own Word! He says, "All power is given unto me...Lo, I am with the alway" (Matt 28:18-20); "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5b); "I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28); and "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shal...

This evening, we need to pray for our country. Pray for the Charlie Kirk’s family in his political assassination today. It is a horrible tragedy and should hurt the heart of every American that his he would be murdered like he was today. It breaks my heart for his family and for our country. It is a reminder to us all that evil exists. That hate exists. That sin and the devil are real. Notice how often right is persecuted and good is mocked in our country. People are not better than they used to be. They still need Christ; they still need the Lord. They need people who will stand up and do right. Just take note of the young Ukrainian woman brutally murdered on the rail system in North Carolina – and no one assisted her. People fear to do right and fear to help these days. Don’t you be one that fears to do right, be right, and speak truth. It is better to die for a cause than to die senselessly. It is better to die for right than to die for nothing. Charlie Kirk died well....

I had an old preacher many years who gave many pearls of wisdom, some were very helpful and some were very funny - but they all had a good application.  Once he simply defined tithing thusly: “Tithing is God’s way for God’s people to do God’s business.”  Sometimes his wisdom would end up contradicting other wise statements he would make.  For instance, he would say: “Tired men rule the world,” but then two weeks later he would say: “Never make a decision when your are tire.”  Both are wise statements, but they just don’t go well side by side.   There was another statement that he made that has stuck with me for all these years.  He would say (and very directly): “I DON’T DEAL IN WHAT IF’S.”  He would say this in response to people when they gave an excuse in the form of “What if this happens” to allow justification of some sin or why they could not commit to something. I’ve thought a lot about that statement through the years and how to apply and even ...

John 11:5 " Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." Yes, this is an odd verse to quote from my devotions, but it reminds us of a great truth: God's love for does not change in the midst of a trial. Remember, Mary, Martha, & Lazarus were going through the great trial of their lives in this chapter. They may have been inclined to question God's love. BUT THE TRIAL ACTUALLY PROVES HIS GREAT LOVE! It shows us His love is not altered because we are facing a trial. The trial is always meant to grow our faith, strengthen are walk, to correct us or to guide us - but never is it meant to question His love for us.

I was thinking about how that Lord is the Groomsman and the church is the bride.     He calls us unto Himself.     He calls us to fellowship.     We get that primarily through daily walking with God and through attending church.   The Song of Solomon is beautiful book that illustrates not only what marriage between a man and a woman should be like – but also what the church should desire in meeting with Christ.     Each day may God help us to seek Him with passion and when our church meets – we would come with the zealous spirit to meet with Him there as well.     I look forward to seeing you all in church tomorrow so we can zealously pursue the Lord. Song of Solomon 2:10-13 10  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  11  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  12  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds...

Praise God for His mercy and grace upon America this election season.  We need to recognize that we have been blessed by the Almighty.  He has given us more time to enjoy our freedoms.  While our hope rests in the Lord always – we do thank Him for allowing us to enjoy our freedoms in our country into the near future – freedom to worship, freedom to assemble peaceably, freedom of speech, and the right to bear arms.     BUT NOW…   LET"S DO THE WORK!  With these freedoms come responsibilities.  We have asked God to give us the outcome we have received – but that same merciful God has a will for our lives that involves loving Him and serving Him faithfully.  If those who proclaim to be “born again” believers in this nation do not use these liberties we have been afforded to live for God and instead continue to use them for license to selfishness, greed, and pride – then this nation is doomed for we have already tested God...

Often, I hear complaints about what is going on in the world today and in churches.  People have become disillusioned with society and even with church.  They are mad at their government, upset with society with its wicked pop-culture, critical of churches, and always blame someone else for whatever woes have come there way.  We blame politicians for their corruption, the government for deceiving us, the schools for brainwashing the children, the church for not being exciting enough or having enough ministries and the pastor for not being deep enough/hard enough/soft enough/or inspiring enough or whatever criticism we have.  Then everyone seems to have a “disease,” a trauma, or a disability, giving themselves an excuse for what they do or why they allow sin in their own life.   As bad as all these things are, they are going to continue. The world will still be wicked and hate God as the Bible says.  When the world speaks well o...

We live in a generation that loves to interpret the Bible in a way that fits their lifestyle.  I have heard this a lot lately and even this week as I was talking to someone about the Lord when I was out running an errand.  They said: “I just think God has such a sense of humor and that Jesus is displaying his sense of humor throughout the Gospels.”  The notion being that Christ was a light hearted jovial Savior and wanted everyone to have a good time.  We often don't have a clear picture of who Christ was because we often only see what we want to see.   Even at Christmas time, we tend to place an overly glorious emphasis on it.  Certainly the angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the Highest," the shepherds came and worshipped that first night, and later - the wise men came from afar.  Other that those three instances the circumstances around the birth of Christ were at best mundane, often straining, and even terrifying.  Imagine, living in a da...

Living in a culture that is constantly worried about self-image and self promotion, we are all consciously or unconsciously working at making ourselves look better and even sound better. I think we all do want to be better versions of ourselves and make nominal or all out efforts to improve.   Many people (especially those who are trying to become famous or at least hope to score effortless income on the internet) are trying to make that image something even greater or tweak it to look or sound a little better. Often, in this effort, they are perceived in a way that is very unpopular in social media and then try to fix it. We have all heard of many being cancelled for saying what causes others to be upset. All but of few of these have come back and apologized for it with a statement such as: "The words that I used do not reflect who I am, what I believe, and what I stand for."    God says, NO - THAT IS NOT TRUE. YOU ARE LYING TO SAVE FACE AND FORTUNE! The product of your ...

Don’t back off what you know to be true. The Bible is real, it is God's Word to man. We need to hold to what it says with conviction. John the Baptist did. It landed him in prison - just that one statement – “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:18) But, he didn’t sway from it, he did not apologize for it! He stuck with the truth. A couple of men that I never personally followed but was also not against who years ago made a bold statement to America which I "AMENED" at the time: Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson both publicly stated boldly that 9/11 was a wake-up call to the American Christian; that it was the God’s lifting of his hand of protection and then a very short time later, both took back their comments.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMkBgA9_oQ4 https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126698&page=1 No, they were right, God did allow it - God certainly lifted His protective hand on our nation. Sure, it was a wicked act of lost hell bound...

GOD USES THE BROKEN Psalm 31:9-12 9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. 11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.* Have you ever felt like the Psalmist did in this passage?  Have you ever felt like you could not go on and that you were forever destined to failure especially concerning spiritual things.  Perhaps you have asked yourself: "Why would God want to use someone like me?  I don’t come from any good family line or a claim of fame; I have no riches; I offer no amazing things to this world; I live paycheck to paycheck, I am a sinner of the worst kind; I don’t keep my  word l...

Proverbs 24:11-12 says: If thou forbear   to deliver  them that are   drawn   unto death,   and  those that are   ready   to be slain ;  If thou sayest,   Behold, we knew   it not; doth not he that pondereth   the heart   consider  it ?  and he that keepeth   thy soul,   doth  not   he know  it ?  and shall  not   he render   to  every   man   according to his works ? I believe that the Lord set an example for us all when he said: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Certainly, the teaching is multi-faceted. The primary teaching is concerning what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary. Praise God for such a precious gift that brought about our forgiveness and redemption. But the second application is that we ought to be willing to lay down our lives for others. To be living sacrifices that they...

Today is our anniversary. I thought I'd share something that I mentioned on our 30th Anniversary concerning marriage and the importance of right foundations in marriage. God's Word has stood the test of time, and husband and wife who completely depend on God and His Word will also stand the test of time because of the Lord's Help. What do you say or – how do you repay a lady that has spent 30 years of marriage with you? God has truly blessed me with my wife Stephanie. She married a young guy (I was 21 she was 20) who didn’t have a solid future, looking go get out of the service with his only education past Highs school was Marine grunt training (not very marketable back then). Yet she did and has been a blessing to me for 30 years. She has borne the hardest work, bearing three beautiful daughters whom we love; staying at home and raising them for the majority of our marriage, and serving God with me since day one and trusting her husband’s leading her halfway around t...

There is a thought that has come into my mind in the past and especially around Christmas that is not quite ever defined accurately.  The thought or question is simply what is the spirit of Christmas or what is Christmas Spirit?” We hear it used all the time, but what does it mean?  Can it be biblically defined? Is something that God wants from us?  All of these are good questions (at least, I say that to myself because I’m the one asking them).       Everyone has their own opinion as to what Christmas spirit is.  If you watch any of the “Hallmark” type Christmas movies (I endured one the other day for my lovely wife) – they will tell you, and I quote: “Christmas, it is about a feeling, a feeling you can’t put into words” (that’s deep), or “it is peace, joy, and doing good for others.” Others will say it is about Santa Clause or a multitude of other explanations.    If you look up Christmas you will find that its...