22 years… What has carried, what has kept, what has allowed for and instilled perseverance in my heart and soul? Has it been my own “goodness”? Has It been my ability to make the “right” choices? Is it my character? Has it been because of my family? My pastoral persona? My own strength? It cannot be so. It most certainly is not MY grip on God that has made the difference, but his grip on me. It i...  Read More

The other day I was looking through my youth ministry scrapbooks reminiscing of all that God has done in my life. As I saw each picture, it brought back incredible memories of relationships that I have built over the years. From serious to silly, there are so many experiences that I will never forget. In many ways, youth ministry shaped me to be the lead pastor that I am today. Then, it happened a...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:    Sometimes it is hard to put into words the feelings that we have for someone. That person means so much to us because of his or her gracious and selfless love for us. When that person comes to mind, a smile comes over our face, our eyes begin to “tear up”, and we are filled with deep affection. That was exactly how the Apostle Paul felt about the Philippians. Even findi...  Read More

James 1:13-15"When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." When I read the title of this devotion assignment, the power cho...  Read More

For as heralded as David is, a man after God’s own heart, he was far from perfect. We all know the story of David and Bathsheba, but the scandal doesn’t stop there. Chapters 13-18 of 2 Samuel read more like a dime store novel in some regards. Incest, rape, betrayal, murder plots, and conniving. It’s all there. But unlike a dime store novel, there are some real lessons to be taken away, as well as ...  Read More

David is one of my favorite people to read about in the Bible. A man of God who did almost everything the right way. All the way up to being king! However, as we learned from the sermon this week, every choice we make has a cost with it. David let his walls of protection down and fell into deep sin. Once David committed the sin with Bathsheba, he instantly tried to cover it up.  Something we all k...  Read More