3rd Sunday of Lent - March 8, 2026 A young boy finally got to go on a voyage with his father. They set out with hundreds of others for the New World. The young boy was excited to finally be of age to help his father—to work on the ship—and he jumped at the opportunity when asked if he wanted to help by climbing the mast and keeping a lookout from the crow’s nest atop. The young boy ran to the rope ladder and began to climb, but halfway up the ladder he looked down and began

2nd Sunday of Lent - March 1, 2026 Some years ago, musicians noted that errand boys… …in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they went about their work. It was talked about and someone suggested that it was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune… …Something had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant. The boys did not know there was anything wrong, and quite unconsciously they had copied their pitch. We tend to copy the peop

1st Sunday of Lent - February 22, 2026 Every conscientious parent recognizes how difficult it is to exercise his God-given authority over his children. The delicate balance of being tough yet tender is not easy to maintain. Many parents intensify a rebellious spirit by being dictatorial and harsh. Others yield when their authority is tested. When a strong-willed child resists, the pressure to give in for the sake of peace and harmony can become overpowering. I am reminded of

February 18, 2026 Have you not only trusted Christ for salvation, but also allowed Him to begin the process of transformation — the process of change — as it says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 , which changes you “ into his likeness from one degree of glory to another ”? If you have given your life to Jesus, Jesus has given Himself to you and has made your heart His home. As Paul says in Galatians 2:20 , “ Christ lives in me .” Are we truly tapping into Christ? Are we allowing Him to

February 18, 2026 Selfishness or Sacrifice? Which will characterize your behavior, your action, your walk with God in this New Year? It is in the Book of Esther we find a tremendous example of sacrifice… The Book of Esther tells the story of how Esther... ...a Jew, became queen of Persia and thwarted a plan to commit genocide against her people. This is the background to the Jewish celebration of Purim or the Feast of Lots. The day of deliverance is celebrated with “fe

February 11, 1026 Fear. Many times we are afraid… afraid of what we cannot see, afraid of the future, afraid of taking that next step, afraid of failure, rejection, heartache… Fear paralyzes us, holds us back, imprisons us, and kills our dreams… Jesus’ response to fear: “ Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. ” Matthew 14: 22-27 ( NIV ) - Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. Af

February 4, 2026 I believe Noah would say confidently that the only approval he needed was his heavenly Father’s. As Paul writes in Galatians 1:10 (VOICE): “Do you think I care about the approval of men or about the approval of God? Do you think I am on a mission to please people? If I am still spinning my wheels trying to please men, then there is no way I can be a servant of the Anointed One, the Liberating King.” Unfortunately, many Christians cannot say the same. Many tim

January 28, 2026 Hopefully many of you have seen the film, Evan Almighty , a story of a young politician whose plans are suddenly disrupted when God appears to him and asks him to build an ark. Evan attempts to get out of this calling, but God will not let him off the hook, which leads to several embarrassing predicaments—including having the lead congressman enter his office to find multiple pairs of birds sitting on Evan’s shoulders and desk. After porcupines, mountain lion

January 21, 2026 God is ready to use you…unworthy and unable as you are…to change the world, to impact this community, to help this church reach people for His Son, Jesus Christ. Take the focus off the task at hand…off the fear…and PUT IT ON GOD. This is what prayer does…prayer puts our focus on God. There are many times I do not FEEL like being a pastor…I do not FEEL like taking the next step, fighting the next battle, making the next phone call, or going on the next visi

January 14, 2026 Jonah 1: 1-3 ( NIV ) - The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. “Jonah ran away from the Lord.” Why? Why did Jonah flee? What was

January 7, 2025 – Epiphany Sunday Matthew 2: 1-12: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Wh

December 31, 2025 - 4th Week of Advent Luke 2: 8-20 ( NIV ): And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

December 24, 2025 Christmas Eve “All Because a Child Was Born…” I want you to think for a moment this Christmas Eve how the world was forever changed by the child whose birth we celebrate this night. D. James Kennedy, in his book , What if Jesus Had Never Been Born , writes: “He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

December 17, 2025 – 3rd Week of Advent Matthew 2: 1-12 ( NKJV ) - Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people togethe

December 10, 2025 - 2 nd Week of Advent Matthew 1: 18-25 ( NIV ) – This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to hi

December 3, 2025 1 st Week of Advent This past Sunday, we entered the season of Advent. Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” During these weeks leading up to Christmas, we prepare—preparing for His coming, His arrival. We light the first candle on the Advent wreath and begin counting down the weeks until Christmas Eve, the night we celebrate God becoming man, the night Jesus was born. As John writes, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” — John

November 26, 2025 One morning years ago, Deb and I pulled our truck out of the garage. The temperature gauge on our Durango read much higher than the actual outside temperature. Only after we began driving—pulling out of the driveway and heading into town—did the temperature rapidly begin to drop until it finally became accurate. That morning, we were taking Matthew to school. As he watched the temperature fall quickly while we drove into Seaford, he said, “ The more you go i

November 19, 2025 From the very beginning of Scripture, Genesis introduces us to stories of brothers in conflict. Cain murders his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1–15). Isaac and Ishmael stand at odds, culminating in Isaac’s mother sending Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, into the desert (Genesis 21:1–21). Jacob and Esau begin their rivalry even in the womb, and it ultimately leads Jacob to deceive their father, Isaac, to take Esau’s birthright (Genesis 25:29–34). Joseph’s brothers, c

November 12, 2025 I love the movie The War , starring Kevin Costner and Elijah Wood—especially one scene that captures the very heart of grace. At a country fair, some bullies harass Stu, a young boy, who finally begins to fight back. His father, played by Kevin Costner, steps in and breaks up the fight. But instead of scolding the bullies or demanding they be punished, he walks over and hands them the cotton candy he’d just bought for Stu’s mother and sister. Stu is furious.

November 5, 2025 Most of us are familiar with Dorothy Gale—a young girl living on a Kansas farm with her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and her dog, Toto. Life there is bleak and routine; farm life on the prairie is hard, dusty, and drained of color. Dorothy feels lonely, overlooked, and misunderstood. Her aunt and uncle are too busy to listen to her fears about Miss Gulch wanting Toto destroyed. The farmhands—Hunk, Hickory, and Zeke—care about her, but they don’t take her concerns se