June 10, 2022“For which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” 2 Timothy 2:9  If you travel by airplane, even occasionally, there is a good chance you’ve been stuck in an airport terminal at least once in your life. And if you’ve experienced that, you can attest that when you are stuck in an airport, it really is a stressful and helpless ...  Read More

June 9, 2022“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8 When my kids were little, I worked a long way from their elementary school, but occasionally I would make the trek and pick them up after school. I loved those days because my kids were sweet and they loved me and wanted to be with me. And because me picking t...  Read More

June 8, 2022“Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:19 Over the last couple of days, we have talked about the consequences of pride. We specifically want to talk about three consequences. First, pride prevents momentum in your relationship with the Lord. Second, pride hinders your relationships with other people. Today, we are goi...  Read More

June 7, 2022“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3 I once heard someone say, “Pride will always be the longest distance between two people.” How is that true? Nobody wants to be around a prideful, egotistical person. If you believe the world is all about you, then you’ll quickly discover that most people don’t want...  Read More

June 6, 2022“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” – Proverbs 16:5 We have spent the last several days talking about pride and what we need to do to get rid of it. But why is it so important not to have pride? Over the next three days, we will talk about three specific consequences that come directly from pride. The first thing pride does is preven...  Read More

June 5, 2022“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5 We are not farmers, but this year, for some reason, our family decided to plant a garden. It turned out to be a great experience. There is just something amazing about puttin...  Read More

June 4, 2022“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18  When I was going through the process of being ordained as a pastor, I met weekly with a group of eight men. They would ask me questions and give me suggestions. What they were doing was making sure that I was equipped before they put their stamp of approval on me. Well, the time came and we were about to...  Read More

June 3, 2022“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24J. Vernon McG...  Read More

June 2, 2022“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 Jeremiah 9:2...  Read More

June 1, 2022“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” – John 14:6  The name Albert Einstein is one of the most recognizable names in all the world. Time Magazine chose him as “Person of the Century.” His influence is seen in nearly every part of life around the world. The Atomic Bomb, the Big Bang, electronics, and quantum physics — ...  Read More

May 31, 2022“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7 When I was a kid, all the boys in the neighborhood would get together in the summer and have BB gun wars. This was way before airsoft guns or paintball battles. I do not recommend this at all. My brother to this day has a BB stuck in his head. We realized...  Read More

May 30, 2022“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6  Yesterday, we talked about Philippians 4:6. Paul tells us that we should not worry about anything, but instead pray about everything. But there is an important part of the verse that we must be careful not to overlook.  Paul says, “by p...  Read More