The “Life” Jesus Gives

The “Life” Jesus Gives [Lk 15:11-32]

Although we have been given all the riches in Christ Jesus, still, at times, we choose to wander.

In the 15th chapter of his Gospel, Luke shares 3 parables about something lost. He makes known in the first two verses what Jesus’ overall purpose was in sharing these parables.

1-2 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with

Do Not Judge?, Part 2

Do Not Judge?, Part 2 [Mt 7:1-2]

The definition of the verb for “judge” is – to discern, distinguish or form an opinion of someone or something, especially after thought or consideration. When someone says, “She’s a good person,” her or she is making a judgment of one’s character. Just as when someone says, “She’s a bad person.” But why is the first ‘judgment’ more ‘acceptable’ than the second? Is it because the second one is negative? Well, what if it were true? And even

An Infinitely Greater Love

An Infinitely Greater Love [Mt 22:37-40]

And He said to him, “‘You shall love The Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus proclaimed that all Scripture hangs upon two commandments – to love God and to love neighbor.

What if we were to reverse this Grea

Times of Refreshing

Times of Refreshing [Act 3:19]

Therefore, repent and return – so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of The Lord…

This verse comes from the second sermon that the apostle Peter preached. When he preached his first sermon, over 3000 people (mainly Jewish) were pierced to the heart and cried out to Peter and the other apostles – “Brethren, what shall we do?” 

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, an

Not My Will

Not My Will [Luke 22:42]

What do most people want comfort from? That’s a question I asked several years ago in a Bible study on Paul and that thorn in His flesh [2Cor 12:7-10]. Mark, a retired police officer, was the first to answer. “Discomfort,” was his reply. Ain’t that the truth! Many seek and try to do all they can to become and remain as comfortable as possible; or (for some) to be less uncomfortable as possible. Consequently, many professing Christians seek comfort

The “Right” Perspective

The “Right” Perspective

Recently, I was asked two questions that helped me to better discern what The Spirit of God was leading me to teach and preach in March. This past Sunday we finished another of Paul’s books – the very short letter to Philemon. The overall challenge for us was – the grace to forgive. Each of us who have been redeemed are called by God to be a forgiven forgiver. We learned how being willing to forgive is just as much for the one who has been sinned ag

Jesus Christ – Our Kinsman Redeemer

Jesus Christ – Our Kinsman Redeemer [2Cor 5:1-9]

Jesus is referred to as our Kinsman Redeemer. Why is this? Let’s begin with the book of Ruth. The theme of Ruth is – Hope in a Kinsman Redeemer. Kinsman means – relative. The word redeem means to buy, buy back, recover, pay off, or exchange something for something else. According to the Torah (Old Testament teaching and Law), there were two main responsibilities that a ‘kinsman redeemer’ had – to “redeem” the property that o

Pleasing to God

Pleasing to God [Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5-6]

[Gen 5:24] Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

God took him? Where and why? Enoch was the great-great-great-great grandson of Adam. He was also the father of Methuselah, the oldest man who ever lived (according to Scripture). The New Testament book of Hebrews gives us more insight into the character of this man, Enoch.

[Heb 11:5] By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found becaus

A Modern-day Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

A Modern-day Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector [Lk 18:9-14]

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt. [Lk 18:9] 

The two go together – self-righteousness and judging with contempt. A Pharisee (according to his own reality) convinced himself that he did all the ‘right’ things. He was quick to judge the sin of others but slow to judge his own. He was quite comfy enough to magnify t

Do Not Judge?

Do Not Judge?

Mt 7:1-5; 12

Judge: to discern, distinguish or form an opinion of someone, especially after thought or consideration

This definition of ‘judge’ reveals that when we say someone is a "good person," we are judging just as much as when we say someone is a “bad person.”

Judging is a way of life. It is something we do every day. We ‘judge’ when it comes to looking for a ‘good’ mechanic or doctor or babysitter or tutor or therapist or pastor or spouse. So, what is Jes

From the Pastor's Desk

Breakthrough

Recently, I read – “One Word – That Will Change Your Life” by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page. As I read, I realized that these past few years I had been doing what the authors of this book encouraged all their readers to do – allow The Spirit of God to reveal just one word to meditate on this coming year. Last year my word was – breakthrough. In being a compound word, this was actually three words in one. Last May, I first began praying by asking The

From the Pastor's Desk

What Does God Mean?

I’ve been asked a number of times…through the years – What is your view on the authority of Scripture?

My view of Scripture and its authority is that God’s view is best. What HE says about Himself and His creation – I choose to believe it…all of it. I believe Scripture to be the only writing ever ‘created’ that is infallible and inerrant. Last week’s message dealt with the inspiration of Scripture and the Greek word that Paul used in order to explain thi

From the Pastor's Desk

Taking God at His Word [2Tim 3:16-17] 

This coming Sunday, we will journey again with Paul as together we explore the book of Philemon, his shortest letter recorded in Scripture. Sidenote - Are we to call them books or letters? The answer is both. Each book that Paul (and the other NT writers) wrote was originally written as a letter to a group of churches, a specific church, or a certain individual. Did Paul write knowing that his letters (books) would one day be consider

From the Pastor's Desk

Peace on Earth?

 You’ve seen it written on cards, on shirts, framed pictures, bumper stickers, Facebook. You’ve heard about it in Christmas songs. Peace on earth. Uh…when can we expect this to happen? First of all, we need to establish that this phrase comes directly from Scripture -- 

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.” [L

From the Pastor's Desk

Small White Envelope

 I came across this story almost 20 years ago. There is more joy in giving…than there is in receiving. 

 It's just a small white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification. No inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years.

 It all began because my husband Mike said he hated Christmas -- oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it - the overspending,