"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." —Philippians 1:3, 5 (NKJV)There’s something special about working together to accomplish a shared purpose. Think of the friendships that form on a sports team or in a workplace. Paul described this kind of bond with the Philippian church. Even while in prison, he felt connected to them be...  Read More

"Be diligent to come to me quickly… Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry." —2 Timothy 4:9–11 (NKJV)The apostle Paul, nearing the end of his life, writes with vulnerability in 2 Timothy 4. He mentions that Demas has abandoned him, others have departed to fulfill their own callings, and only Luke remains by his side. Paul, the great missionary an...  Read More

"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted." —Psalm 25:16 (ESV)A pastor once shared the pain of loneliness during one of the busiest times of the year: Christmas Eve. He had gone through the heartbreak of a divorce after his wife left him for another man. While the church leadership supported him and he sought counseling, the sting of loneliness remained.That Christmas Eve, h...  Read More

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." — 1 John 4:18 (NIV)Fear and love have an interesting relationship. When perfect love enters, fear must leave. They simply cannot coexist in their fullest forms. This is why understanding God's love for us is essential to overcoming fear. God’s love is...  Read More

We know the nativity story—Jesus, the babe born in Bethlehem; the manger; the wise men; the shepherds. But it’s vital to move beyond the imagery and recognize the truth: God came in human form. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” These verses are clearly proclaiming that Jesus...  Read More

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is… joyRichard Dawkins, a well-known atheist, has decried the fact that the cultural Christian influence that once existed in England has been disintegrating over the years, and in its place is a militant Islam that continues to spread throughout Europe and especially England. But he really is saddened by the cultural Christian influences that seem to b...  Read More

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love…In our journey through the series "Empowered Living," we delve into what it means to live a Spirit-filled life. This week, we focus on the love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter, often referred to as the "love chapter," provides a picture of the kind of love that God wants for us to express. God’s love in us should be more than just...  Read More

Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…As Christians, we often grapple with expectations—both from others and ourselves. But what does God want us to look like? Romans 8:29 tells us that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son - Jesus. Philippians 1:6 assures us that He w...  Read More

Isaiah 40:27-31 offers timeless wisdom on how to access God’s strength in our daily lives. Isaiah 40 paints a somber picture of Israel's history. After the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC and the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC, the people of God found themselves in exile, questioning if God had forgotten them. They were promised a land flowing with milk and honey, yet they were now displace...  Read More

Social media is often praised for its ability to connect people, but it also comes with its own set of dangers. Despite the fact that we identify with each other in social communities, we often become confined to our own little groups and aren't exposed to different perspectives. In 2017, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the potential of social media to bring people together during a s...  Read More

During the Superbowl a week and a half ago, advertisers spent $7 million dollars to place their 30-second ad in front of the viewers. There was one ad campaign that has generated some talk called “He Gets Us.” They spent $14 million dollars on a 1-minute ad during the Superbowl with a punchline that said, “Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet.” It was met with mixed reviews. Many evangelical Ch...  Read More

I read about a well-known evangelist who passed away this week. Junior Hill passed away at the age of 87, after more than 68 years in ministry. Wow! As I looked at the outpouring of love and appreciation for his ministry, two words kept coming up: evangelist and encourager. His ministry of evangelism was most prominent. He would share the simple gospel of Jesus Christ, and then God would bless wit...  Read More