I meet with our pastoral staff team weekly. Recently, we were seeking wisdom, strategies, and answers for a particular project we believe God is leading us to engage in. In prayer, the Holy Spirit reminded us, “You have the mind of Christ.&rdq…
I was sharing with our newest staff pastor that the growth and increase we are experiencing at our church have little to do with us; it's about Jesus. Trust me, it’s not false humility, it’s the realization that God can speak through a d…
This is an important day here in America. On this day, we, who are apprentices of Jesus, let our voices be heard at the ballot box. Do not neglect your right and your duty. Your vote matters. Embrace the metaphor of a Watchman and exercise your righ…
As you engage a new week, heed Paul’s admonition to “Stand firm and let nothing move you.” One of the clearest words God ever spoke to me in prayer was, “Stay the course.” Simple. Pointed. Powerful. Could it be that Go…
Paul does not mince words; we are living in perilous times, because the “days are evil.” No need to whitewash or dumb it down. Paul’s counsel is pointed, “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise, but as wise.” To l…
Light and dark cannot occupy the same space. Light will always outshine and dispel darkness. Scripture informs us that we used to be dark, now we are light in the Lord. Our light will expose and expel darkness as we go. You cannot be passive toward…
A couple of years ago, while teaching an extended series on the person, work, and ministry of the Holy Spirit, I started the daily practice of saying, “Good Morning, Holy Spirit” upon waking. It quickly turned to “Good Afternoon, G…
There are times in Scripture when Paul delves deeply into theological teachings. On the other hand, he can be practical in guiding apprentices of Jesus on how to live. Today's verse is simple, pragmatic, and clear. Take note of the words coming out…
As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7) As the head goes, so goes the body. The real estate between your ears - your thought life - always leads out, and that is why there is a full-scale war being waged for your mind. I heard this …
As you engage in a new week, do so with confidence because you know that your strength, resilience, and perseverance are “in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Don’t neglect to “Armor Up” each morning, fully awar…
It’s time to grow up and stand up. As our culture blindly follows dark and malevolent influencers and leaders off the moral and spiritual cliffs, we need courageous prophetic voices to speak up and speak out against the black holes of evil, si…
Every road that leads to pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, hatred, falsehood, evil, injustice, and rebellion can be traced back to one source: Sin. Sin is disobedience to God's will and rebellion against God's authority, character, and purposes. It …
This morning, as I read this passage, it was as if I heard the Lord speaking these promises to me. It made me pause and sit with it for a while. It's amazing the various ways God speaks, if we are willing to listen. As I was creating the scripture …
God is not keeping you in the dark. He is trying to cultivate your relationship so that when He speaks, you listen and act. For the Israelites in the desert, it was a pillar of fire and a cloud. For Elijah, it was a still small voice. Through the p…
The missionary is drawing from Old Testament passages that speak of what awaits those who have been reconciled to God. It’s beyond what eyes have seen, ears have heard, and what one could possibly dream: heaven for eternity. It’s as if …
God values hard work and skilled craftsmanship. Today’s Monday Momentum scripture reminds us that working “as unto the Lord” is yet another way to honor and glorify God. Serving in the kitchen of a monastery for 50 years, the 17th…
There is something about putting on a uniform, whether it be as an athlete, military officer, or first responder. It identifies one with a particular skill or role. I always felt bigger, stronger, and more confident when I put on my football uniform…
A trusted mentor spoke these profound words to Annette and I, “God is forming a man. God is forming a woman.” We were experiencing a painful and arduous ministry season. We were tired, hurt, and grieving from bone-jarring loss. We were …
On this second day of Lent, Paul reveals God’s heart for all “to come to repentance;” to return to God and realign their mind with His. He is patient (to suffer long) with us and this should move us to be patient with others. Toda…
These beautiful words of contrition come in the wake of the psalmist’s desire for vengeance and retribution against the wicked who hate God. This is real and raw. However, he then asks God to search and know his heart and his anxious thoughts.…
God daylighted David’s darkest sin and he was grappling in the wake of premeditated adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. This was his lowest point. Can you relate? David understood his need for forgiveness, transformat…
As you engage a new week, know and trust that God is directing and ordering your steps. The old cliche, “The devil is in the details,” is not true. God is in the details and “He delights in every detail” of your life. Have an…
Your calling to live life on mission for Christ means you are to represent Him in this world, i.e., to ‘re-present’ (introduce, reveal, announce) Him again and again. We are His representatives, reflecting and radiating His life as we g…
There are places I return to in scripture that recenter my scattered senses and impart calm and peace to my soul. The 23rd Psalm is one of those places. It’s become a “tameion,” (Gk. Inner room, secret place) for me. Before Jesus …
