Esther 6:6 8/12/2025

 “Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?”

Haman couldn’t imagine anyone being smarter, wiser, or more important to the king, than he was…  Does that sound familiar? Are there times when you are overcome with your own importance?  That mindset is a recipe for disaster. We easily see arrogance in others but have difficulty seeing it in ourselves.  The laser vision we have when examining other people’s flaws seems to dim when we look inward.

When men have issues in their life it is usually in one of two areas. Either too low a view of God… or too high a view of themselves… Haman had the latter.  To determine that you are the most important person on the planet you first must discount the value of everyone around you. Then you must lie to yourself about your own accomplishments and motivations, and finally you must assume that everyone loves you as much as you do. Haman had no problem with those requirements and so he began the process that would end in his demise.

How far are you from starting that same process? How much of a stretch is it for you to believe that we’re all lucky to know you and that you of course should be  honored? That attitude can usually be cured with an authentic hard look in the mirror.

An Honest evaluation of your  attributes and abilities is important, since knowing where you are is necessary in getting you where you want to be… However, at the end of the day only God’s opinion of you matters… and He has demonstrated that He loves you, and that should be the only factor relevant to your own self-image.

Now that your worth has been settled, you can focus on all the other people that “the king may want to honor” … and how you might be able to help with that project. Humility means you are secure and content with God’s evaluation of you and have little concern of the opinion of men. This frees you to forget about your own importance and focus on elevating those around you. The God who created you in His own image has bestowed value on you, and He desires that you bestow value on others.  

“God won’t fill you if you are already full of yourself.” – Max Lucado

Matthew 5: 23-24 8/5/2025

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,  leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

Many people interpret this passage to imply that you cannot properly give an offering to God when you are alienated from one of His children.  While that is accurate, in context, it means much more than that.  

These verses highlight the requirement of loving your neighbor.   It is mentioned while Jesus is teaching on the commandment not to kill. He adds that even those who are angry with their brother are in "danger of judgement”.  He then elevates the importance of reconciliation by saying, no matter what you're doing, even if you’re worshipping... if you remember an offence, stop and go fix it.

People say that "time heals all wounds", but that is not true. Time doesn’t heal all wounds; in fact, it deepens some . Small disagreements, left untreated,  become huge divides.  I know of situations where people literally don't remember the original issue, but since it was never addressed,  their relationship remains broken. 

Anger and bitterness need nothing but darkness to grow. Like an untreated disease they silently destroy their host.  The tragedy is that if dealt with quickly, most grudges could be easily fixed.  The great composer William Walton said, “A grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.”  It’s needless. If we let pride stop us from dealing with an offence, eventually it will be fatal to the relationship and damaging to our walk with God. In this passage, Jesus includes grudges in a discussion of anger and murder. That indicates that passive hostility is not a small issue to God.

No matter what you're doing, if you are alienated from someone, go deal with it.  If God brings it to your mind... go do what you can to fix it. Nothing is more heartbreaking than the realization that you have wasted years being too prideful to go to a friend or family member and show them that you love them too much to be apart from them.

Whatever it takes.... do it now.

"Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness... Laugh when you can. Apologize when you should. And forgive what you can't change."
- Anonymous

Psalm 22:16- 18 7/29/2025

 “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.  All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

The earliest known record of crucifixion comes from the Persian King Darius I (522–486 BCE). Yet this psalm was written by King David (1010–970 BCE). That means the details of Jesus crucifixion were prophesied 500 years before crucifixion was even “invented”, and 1000 years prior to Christ dying on the cross.  

There are hundreds of completed prophecies in the Bible.  Some are Messianic Prophecies about Jesus:  

- death and resurrection -  Gen 3,Dan 9:24

- born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2 

- born of a virgin – Isaiah 7:14 

- His resurrection – Psalm 16:10  

There are also confirmed Historical Prophecies, such as:

- The Fall of Babylon – Isaiah 13, Jeremiah 51  fulfilled 539 BC. 

- The Destruction of Jerusalem – Luke 21:6  fulfilled AD 70. 

- Scattering and regathering of Israel – Deuteronomy 30:3,
        Ezekiel 37 fulfilled in 1948

There are literally hundreds of documented predictions like these that have been fulfilled.  Couple that with the transformed lives we see from those who truly follow Christ, and it becomes evident that God does not require “blind faith”. In fact, some would argue it takes willful blindness not to believe. 

Jesus said, "if you seek, you shall find”, so if you haven’t found it yet,  you’re not looking hard enough.  Some people don’t look hard enough on purpose…  because if they find the true God,  they can no longer claim to be Him.

And if there is no higher power than you,  then you need some answers. Are you comfortable with the scenario that  there was once nothing, and nothing happened to nothing until it exploded, creating everything, and then everything rearranged itself into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs? If that works for you then continue to follow yourself as your own god.  

But if your heart doesn’t buy that,  then seek truth and you will discover that you are not qualified to be God and there is overwhelming evidence that the position has already been filled by your eternal heavenly Father who loves you deeply.   

“I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing.” - C. S. Lewis

Acts 19:9-10 7/22/2025

“But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

Disciple making is a marathon, not a sprint.

Paul spends three months teaching in the synagogue but eventually wears out his welcome.  This isn’t surprising. Sometimes the world embraces truth as “edgy” and is entertained by it for a while… but when change is demanded it loses its attractiveness. This happened to Paul, but he didn’t go online and try to humiliate unbelievers. He didn’t change his message to fit the culture; he just moved to the lecture hall and spent two more years investing in those who wanted to hear truth.

There is a lesson here… Even with extraordinary miracles, from an incredible teacher… discipleship often meets with opposition.  It is frequently difficult, and time-consuming. My expectations seem to be that one good sermon, or conversation, should “fix” people.  If I get involved with an organized weeklong revival, I expect it to permanently transform the masses! There is nothing wrong with sermons and planned revivals… But the pattern that changed Asia in this passage was discipleship. Paul established long term, personal relationships, with frequent interactions… and that can be challenging.  

Sometimes I jokingly say, “I love ministry… except for the people”. But the truth highlighted by that lighthearted comment is powerful.  You can’t love ministry if you don’t love people. Ministry is simply introducing God to sinful, stiff-necked people, just like I was… and watching Him change their lives.

Some envision ministry as preaching to stadiums, flying from country to country spreading the gospel. And God has ordained some people to do that. But the great majority of church building is done, person-to-person, with years of intentional mentoring.  Even those who come to faith through a great evangelist will need teachers to build up their knowledge and faith.  

Building disciples is like building a building… it must be done one brick at a time. Find the “projects” God has placed in your life and intentionally set the first brick today… then show up again tomorrow and place the next one.

“You can’t microwave spiritual transformation.” – Pete Wilson

Proverbs 20:15 7/15/2025

“There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.” 

Let’s talk about asset management.  Jewels, and precious metals can be acquired today with the click of a keyboard. And it is easy to find people who will encourage you to pursue them at all costs. We seem convinced that if we have enough trinkets to make others believe we are happy… we will be.  

So, we spend an inordinate amount of  time searching for shiny things that will catch the eye of the world and help us sell the charade.  That leaves little time for us to search out assets of real value such as “lips of knowledge”. 

What are “lips of knowledge”?  In the book of Ephesians, we are told to speak the truth in love.  If someone actually does that, they are a person with “lips of knowledge” which, this verse says, is a rare treasure.  People who speak God’s truth, and do so with God’s love, are  “vessels of valuableness”.  Do you have people like that in your life? … Do you want people like that in your life?

Do you pursue wise individuals to provide you with honest and perceptive evaluations, or are you content with cheerleaders?  Do you want truth, or do you prefer flattery?  Rubies and gold puff up your self-image,  but those who speak knowledge and truth deepen your walk with God.  Will you surround yourself with folks who are running on the same treadmill as you, or will you seek out those with lips of knowledge?

Check your inner circle. Make sure you haven’t collected a group of “yes men” who will “rubber stamp” your shallow pursuits… instead search out valuable treasures in the form of teammates who will challenge you and tell you the truth.  

Everybody needs a good “press box coach” who can see the game from a different angle and will provide wise input. But wise inputs aren’t always comfortable, and you won’t find friends like that by accident.  Be intentional. Search for and listen to knowledgeable lips. They will assist you in your pursuit of excellence. Then make sure your words provide the same assistance to others. 

“The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.” – Dan Rather

Proverbs 1:7 7/8/2025

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”

This verse feels confusing because scripture repeatedly says, “fear not”.  The problem is that the word “fear” is an inadequate translation for this passage… it doesn’t have the depth needed to  describe how we must approach God. 

I understand the verse because I had a Dad who loved me more than his own life… He was the most consistent, godly man I’ve ever known… I was safe with him, yet I had a healthy “fear” of him.  I cannot explain why, as he was never abusive in any way. Sure, I got a well-deserved spanking or two growing up… but that was not what I feared.  I think I feared letting him down… I feared not being in agreement with him because that would mean I was wrong.  His presence was comforting, challenging, and inspiring, all at the same time.

That is an inkling of what this verse means…  God proved His love for us by sacrificing His Son in our place… Because of that, we have not received the wrath we deserve, instead we’ve received grace and mercy,  which provides redemption.  

So where does “fear” come in?  As I said, translating to the English word “fear” is insufficient…  Awe, reverence, respect,  amazement, humility, astonishment…  we need a word that encapsulates all those emotions.  His power and holiness are unfathomable.  He is our protective loving Father and yet He remains the Omnipotent Warrior God of Armies… and we must perceive and hold on to both of those identities. 

I never referred to my Dad as “my old man”… and it would have been ill-advised to do so in his presence.  It would have been incongruent with our relationship and what I knew him to be… In the same way there is a danger in thinking of  God as the  “man upstairs”…. That flippant dismissiveness is unwise.

Fearing the Lord means never forgetting who He is or what He’s done… Recognizing His power produces tremendous “fear” which ironically will make you courageous.  This morning, recalibrate your opinion of your Redeemer and approach today with a healthy “Fear” of the all-powerful God who loves you more than you can comprehend.

“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
- Oswald Chambers

Matthew 7:13-14 7/1/2025

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

What does Jesus mean by referring to a wide or narrow gate?   

We find some insight in James 2:19 when it says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”  James is saying that recognizing the existence of God isn’t faith, it’s just acknowledgement, and later in the chapter he states that acknowledging scripture without doing what it says, is the wide gate of deceiving yourself.    

In our passage this morning Jesus references the wide, well-traveled road that leads to destruction.  Its lack of doctrine allows us to lead ourselves and does not offend our flesh. It doesn’t call for remorse or repentance … doesn’t even call for change.  Instead, it permits us to claim Christianity without transformation.  We rename and normalize depravity and modify scripture to fit “our truth”.  We accept His Mercy without acknowledging His Lordship. That has never been God’s offer and unfortunately, many take this path.  

What about you?  Have you died to yourself and committed to following Jesus?  Christianity is not an additive to your life , it’s a replacement… it defines you.  It ends your old existence and begins a new one … The gospel is clear on that point.  If your Pastor never offends your sinful flesh, and doesn’t prompt you to change…  then he’s not preaching, he’s just entertaining.  If there is no evidence of the Holy Spirit redeeming your life, you may still be on the wide road to destruction… and you don’t have to be.  

Accept God’s offer today and be reborn… The narrow road is narrow, but it is well marked by fruitful changes in your life.  It transforms you into a new creation who lives a different way. Acknowledging the narrow way, and walking it, are two different things… Place your faith in Christ today. Give Him Lordship of your life and set out on the beautiful narrow path that sets you free.  

"The false prophet is a man who has no 'strait gate' or 'narrow way' in his gospel. He has nothing which is offensive to the natural man; he pleases all." -  Martyn Lloyd-Jones

John 19:30 6/24/2025

“…It is finished…” 

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about this pronouncement that Jesus made on the Cross  … It’s worth revisiting though because without this verse, humanity has no security.  Without this declaration, we would be in jeopardy every day, fighting a force we are incapable of defeating.  We would be slaves to sin, and our eternal destiny would be uncertain. 

BUT GOD instigated a rescue mission, and Jesus finished it on the Cross.  Its completion means that the ransom due for my sin has been paid … Jesus’ death is applied to me, and I am reborn into a new life.  All the shame, all the disappointments, all the failures have been washed away by the Cross.

When I woke up this morning:

I didn’t need to perform any rituals to be a child of God ... It Is Finished.  

No work was required of me to secure my salvation …  It Is Finished. 

My faith alone assures my eternity in Heaven … It Is Finished.

When the enemy begins to list my failures, when he reminds me of my unworthiness, when he questions how God could ever love someone like me … I point at the Cross and say IT’S FINISHED.  

The same is true of you …if you have accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as your own. If you follow Him as your Lord, and cling to Him as your Savior … then it’s  FINISHED.  Take a deep breath… You are free… Rest in the liberation Jesus Purchased for you.  No need to do good things, in order to be saved; your good works are simply a product of your already purchased salvation.  Jesus said it is finished. There is nothing else required for your redemption. God loves you, and Jesus proved it.  Your adoption is airtight and permanent.  

So, go out today and focus on Loving God and loving others -  because your destiny has been determined … Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate you  from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus your Lord.… IT IS FINISHED. 

“The central basis of Christian assurance is not how much our hearts are set on God, but how unshakably his heart is set on us.” - Tim Keller

1 CORINTHIANS 3:18 6/17/2025

“Take care that no one deceives himself. “ 

We really missed the boat on this one… Not only do we not take care to avoid deception… we pursue it because it normalizes our sin. We put on blinders, deceiving ourselves and allowing others to do the same. Once deceived, we go to great lengths to keep the misinformation alive… Nothing is more important than our ability to maintain our comfort, and self-importance.  

If truth breaks through and exposes our sin, we call it hate… This, of course, changes nothing so we become the victim, refusing to own any consequences.  No matter how ludicrous the proposition, we collect “experts” who will strengthen the sham, and confidently deny, undeniable facts.

If you will honestly consider the arguments currently raging in our culture, you will understand why God  says,  “you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.”  What this world calls “wisdom” has gone completely off the rails… Indefensible ideas are embraced and anyone who questions them is attacked as unloving. We defend what scripture calls depravity… Instead of confessing and repenting, we offer justifications and normalize… We deceive ourselves and call it enlightenment. The truth is it is foolishness in the dark, yet we will accept any argument that defends our moral deviation.  

To make ourselves comfortable in our sin, we ignore science, logic,  reason, and we certainly ignore scripture.  But we’re only deceiving ourselves… No amount of protesting will change the truth to fit your life… the only effective option is to alter your life to fit the truth. But that takes humility. That takes an acknowledgment that there is a God… and it’s not you.

If your reading this and  thinking someone else needs to hear it because of their sin … then you too have deceived yourself and missed the point.  This morning is between you and God.  Living righteously is often difficult, but it’s seldom complicated.  It’s simply choosing who you follow.  

YOU must search scripture, and follow God … This morning you can acknowledge as sin what you and your circle have professed as normal… You can break the chains and  walk differently starting today…  or you can deceive yourself and reap the consequences of ignoring God’s Word … It’s your call.

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool" - William Shakespeare

1 CORINTHIANS 3:5 6/10/2025

 “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.”

Paul is explaining to the Corinthians that the power of the church is not dependent on performers. The function of church is to worship God, and He provides the Spirit that makes that possible. The Corinthians had turned church into a talent show and had split into factions, promoting their favorite speaker. 

There is no room for that in God’s house.  The church is not a corporate entity, or fraternity… The rules that apply to secular organizations have little to do with the House of God.  The function and governance of God’s church are laid out in scripture and its purpose is not to entertain you, but to glorify The Lord. 

God ordained His church to spread the gospel, and to be a triage unit for those who have been wounded.  Choosing a church should be more like signing up for combat, than finding a comfortable place to be entertained. Your preferred styles of communication are immaterial; the truth in the message is all that matters.

I once heard a preacher respond to parishioners who were angry with the style of “worship”… He simply said, “that’s OK, we aren’t worshiping you”… and that is an important point for us all to remember. 

God is a jealous God … and zeal for His Father’s house caused Jesus to drive some folks out of the building…  So, our attitude matters to God, and it cannot be polluted with selfish pursuits. 

What attitude will you have this Sunday?  Will you go to church to check a box, and while there, complain about the coffee, grade the sermon, and scrutinize the praise team?  

Or will you focus on loving God and  His children, and pray for the humility, that will make you a man after God’s own heart?  Who will you worship this Sunday… The Lord, or yourself?

Because they were focused on themselves instead of God, Paul tells the Corinthians that they have missed the point. They’ve forgotten that church has a singular goal… to magnify Christ as Lord and Savior. That is what God’s Church exist to do.

Energy spent doing anything else is wasted energy. 

“I don’t think the job of the church is to make people happy… it’s to make them holy.”  - Chuck Colson