MAKE ROOM FOR REST - Exodus 20:8–10 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Keeping a whole day designated for holy rest is not a new idea. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments given to Moses. However, how many of us actually take a whole day to rest? Our “get ahead world” certainly doesn’t approve of it and yet God, who is all-powerful, rested at the end of that first busy week of creation   Read More

READING GOD'S WORD - Joshua 1:8 “Never stop reading The Book of the Law...Day and night you must think about what it says.” We were reminded last week of the truthfulness of the Word of God. It’s not enough to know it’s true; we have to consume it like food to gain spiritual nourishment...  Read More

GENEROSITY - Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you.” The Lord’s economy is not at all like the world’s. This is one of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. His wisdom instructs us to GIVE first and trust Him for the return. The world teaches us to get, accumulate and store up for ourselves. Jesus warns that this sort of self-first lifestyle will end poorly...  Read More

HOSPITALITY - Romans 12:9-13 “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Did you know there is a difference in cold and warm climate cultures? In essence, cold climate cultures prioritize getting things done efficiently, while warm climate cultures prioritize building and maintaining strong relationships...  Read More

PRAYER - 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 “Pray continually.” Another translation says that we ought to “Pray without ceasing.” How is this possible - what does the Lord mean? At it’s most basic definition, prayer is communication with God that is meant to go both ways. As believers, we are in constant connection with the Lord, sometimes speaking, sometimes listening...  Read More

CONTENTMENT WITH LESS - 1 Timothy 6:6-11 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” We are regularly inundated with ads that compel us to get more stuff all in search of happiness. The Bible teaches that we can actually find contentment, while living with less. In fact, with less stuff, we make room for calm and order. Jesus practiced living on very little...  Read More

BUILDING STRUCTURE - Once the foundation is laid, the builders begin to shore up beams and create long-lasting structure. This frame will eventually be covered up by painted walls and carpeted floor, nonetheless this unseen careful sturdiness is required before there is space to really live. In the same way, we as God’s children can build strength ...  Read More

OBEDIENCE - 1 Samuel 15 “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice.” Saul thought he could impress God with his sacrifice. The Lord looks at the heart. As much as He loves the cheerful giver, He desires that we first walk in faithful, even wild obedience.  Read More

LOVE AS THE BLUEPRINT - 1 Corinthians 13:3 “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” When considering all the many virtues of Jesus, nothing is greater than His sacrificial love - and that love is for YOU. The very best way to love others, is to believe and receive His great love first. This can be difficult if we’re still trying to earn   Read More

JOYFUL GIVING - 2 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” It’s unlikely that Jesus a lot of cash on hand, but He was generous with His life, always giving of His time and resource. His very first miraculous act was ...  Read More

GOD, OUR PROVIDER - Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” This verse stands as a promise from God to His children. In fact, according to Genesis 22, “The-Lord-Will-Provide” is one of the very names of God also known as “Jehovah Jireh”. The Lord can not ...  Read More

THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE - 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” In an age when fake news abounds and deception seems to overtake every conversation, the Word of God will always remain true. We can draw assurance ...  Read More

JESUS - CHIEF CORNERSTONE - Ephesians 2:19-22 “Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” Although it seems obvious that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, is the central figure of all life...  Read More

FRESH FOUNDATION - The Wise and Foolish Builders “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew...  Read More

SELFISHNESS TO SELFLESSNESS - Proverbs 11:24-25 “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Parents train their children to share because they are not born naturally generous. Unfortunately, none of us naturally grow out of this tendency. It requires our deliberate decision to die to selfish...  Read More

DO NOT WORRY - Matthew 6:25–33 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life...Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?” (v. 25 & 27) It can seem very normal and even wise to worry about some things, but Jesus is very clear here: Do Not Worry. Our Father has you covered...  Read More

REPENTING OF ROBBERY - Malachi 3 “Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty...“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you, God?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.” The people of God were confused...  Read More

REFOCUSING YOUR LOVE - 1 Timothy 6:10 “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Our current culture teaches us to pursue money, power and comfort.  Money isn’t really the problem; it is the LOVE OF MONEY that gets us into trouble. Jesus taught us that instead, we ought to LOVE GOD with everyth...  Read More

EXPOSING GREED AND CONTROL - James 4:1-3 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”   ...  Read More

DEMOLISHING THE SCARCITY MINDSET - Luke 12:15 Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” A scarcity mindset is concerned that God will not provide as He has promised. With little trust in God as provider, we control our own lives, accumulating possess...  Read More

FAULTY FOUNDATIONS - In 1173, Italian builders set out to create a magnificent tower in Pisa. Their vision was bold, their craftsmanship beautiful. But there was one problem—they didn’t check the ground. Unbeknownst to them, the soil beneath the tower was too soft. As the weight of each new level was added, the foundation began to shift. The tower leaned. They tried to correct it, but the damage was already done. To th...  Read More

Making room for others means we may have to reconfigure the layout of a physical space. It also means allowing the Lord to reconfigure our hearts and attitudes about what it is to freely give and to love as He does. Every new building begins with a blueprint, a vision of ...  Read More