Daylight savings time ends November 4th…ugh.  Although by setting my clock back one hour (fall back) and I potentially gain an extra hour of sleep, I really am not a fan of the time change.  And although I didn’t get to have a say about it nor did I get to vote on it, I, like everyone else will make the proper preparation and adjust.  Time is our most valuable possession.  We none know how much time we have.  The recent tragedies and this past year reminds us all of that.  Some would like to blame God for all the bad things that happen, but...

“I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty…the almighty has afflicted me?” (cf.Ruth 1)
Naomi had just lost her two sons, and her husband preceded them in death. On top of all that she was away from her family and relatives. She had no means to support herself. What is she to do? Why would an all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present God allow this to happen to her? Naomi was a good women, a God fearing woman. Well respected and loved. This raises the question - “why do bad things happen?”...

Homecoming

Is a time when you look back at all the fellowship that has happened up to this point in your life’s journey.  All the happy times and all the sad times, all the people that have passed through your life, past and present, and all those that have passed through the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Homecoming is not about a building, but about people and relationships.  It is a gathering place of refuge, a place of fellowship, and for some a place to find Jesus Christ for the very first time.  

Homecoming should be a place where you...

“Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul.  Man is at his greatest and highest when upon his knees he comes face to face with God.” - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Bible exhorts us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

There may be times in our life that we don’t even know how or what to pray for.  It is in those times that we...

It has been said that, “If it wasn’t for people and things, life would be easy.”   Well, no doubt people (including myself) can be challenging sometimes, and things can get in the way.   But life is really all about people and relationships.  “God intended for us to love people and use things, not love things and use people.”   People are eternal, not things.   People were always the focus and the passion of Christ.  Jesus loved people unconditionally.   His greatest desire is that all people would be part of His family - the family of God.   No one loves you like Jesus.  With Jesus there are no strings attached.  He doesn’t look at color, race, social status, material wealth, vocation, education or popularity.  Jesus doesn’t look at your failures or success.  Jesus doesn’t look at you with the attitude, “what can you do for me?”   Jesus simply looks at YOU.  The you that only you know, and He loves you anyway and wants you to be a part of His family.  His eternal, everlasting family - the family of God.   All of us have the need to belong and to be loved.  There is nothing compared to...

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.”  To whom is this addressed?  His disciples (Christ followers) - past, present and future.   Salt in many cultures was a valuable commodity.  The word “salary” actually comes from an ancient word “salt-money” referring to a soldier’s (Roman) allowance for the purchase of salt - this is where we get the term “worth his salt” when we say...

“Look at others, and be distressed.  Look at yourself, and be depressed.  Look to God, and you’ll blessed.”  This saying, although I do not know who authored it, has some good Biblical theology behind it.  Anytime we get our eyes off the Lord, we are headed for discouragement and trouble - I unfortunately speak from experience.  But you and I are in good company because this has been the plight of humankind since the beginning!  The Bible reminds us we are going to having trials and opposition in this life.  During these times we...

What does it mean to be a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ?  Well, just like the early disciples, if you answered the call of salvation through Christ, you answered the call to follow Him.  You now have a new purpose and meaning for living.   You have a new identity.  Your identity is not in what you may or may not do for a vocation or living.  Your identity is not in how much wealth you have acquired or the lack thereof.  Your identity is not in how many Facebook “friends” you have.  Your identity is not in what position you think you may have or not have in the local body.  Your identity is not in what our culture would try to mold you into being.  Your true, eternal identity is...

I don’t know about you, but with all these floods, earthquakes, fires, droughts, hurricanes, volcanoes, tornadoes, violence, terrorism and the moral decay of our culture it makes me wonder if Jesus is not coming back very soon!   And although we should always live our lives in expectation of His imminent return, we cannot let these things paralyze us!  We must be all the more diligent to stay focused on Christ’s mission.  What was His Mission?  Well, in Jesus’ words it was to...