Although discouragement and disappointment are normal emotions, believers in Jesus Christ must learn how to keep those debilitating emotions from getting the best of us. Our best must be reserved for service to Him, and to His Image Bearers. We learn from the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 &17  "That all Scripture is God inspired and [...]

IF we focus on the news today, it can be EXTREMELY discouraging as almost every report is awful;  the world is consumed with anger, anxiety, darkness, despair, fear and hopelessness. Is there any hope for this broken world? The Bible is clear on this subject. There is a definitive pathway to true hope. The book of Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs us [...]

I wanted to wrap up a conversation we have been having over the last three weeks on the virtue of humility. From a previously published teaching, the late Pastor Charles Stanley taught that Jesus exemplified 4 attitudes of humility, and if adopted, would better allow us to walk humbly before our God (Micah 6:6 - 8). We have unpacked the first three attitudes [...]

Humility, the virtue that opens the door to our salvation and fits us for service. No one better exemplified what that really looks like better than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Last week we shared the first of four attitudes that Jesus possessed as He walked humbly through His earthly ministry. As His followers, [...]

Continuing from last week with our discussion of the virtue of humility; humility is a quality essential for our very salvation, and certainly required for living a life of service to our God who saved us, and to His church with whom we partner to advance the Kingdom of God. To this truth, Pastor Charles Stanley wrote: "Our [...]

As I age, I have become increasingly introspective. When I lay my head down upon my pillow at night I am aware that another precious day has come and gone and I question my stewardship of the day. Today, the average American male lives to the age of 73. Doing the math: 73 X 365 = 26,645 [...]

Last week we began to unpack a passage from Philippians 3. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul opens a window into his soul by sharing the one desire that superseded all others, i.e. to be willing to give up everything for Him (vv. 7 & 8), and by declaring the primary goal of his very life [...]

I was reading a devotional the other day from the late Charles Stanley. He was breaking down a passage from Philippians 3 where the Apostle Paul is discussing legacy, mission, passion, purpose, and value (my words). Of course, as he defines these things for himself, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he is teaching all of us to examine How [...]

I want to wrap up a conversation we began two weeks ago concerning launching a new year with a firm commitment to maturation in Christ. We have been walking through the book of James in our Tuesday morning Men's study, and James informs his audience that the purpose of the trials we face in our lives are [...]