PSALM 48:4-5 7/14/2026

“4When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,  5they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.”

This passage, referring to the City of God, illustrates the process our culture is involved in today, and the direction we are headed for tomorrow. Our rulers confidently march against God’s established conventions. They join forces to squelch the Word of God and mock those who believe. Our cultural “kings” have assembled to fight against the city of God, including anything that takes defining “right and wrong” out of their hands. 

It has become fashionable to reject The Law of the Lord and replace it with what you “think and feel”.  We ignorantly applaud those who speak “their own truth”, as though they have some innate ability to create facts. 

Individual “spirituality” is acceptable, but if our message threatens anyone’s ability to be their own little god… we will be canceled.  If we point out what God clearly calls sin, we are labeled intolerant. Society elevates those who create new ways to succumb to immorality. The most absurd claims of normalcy are approved amidst sinful depravity. We are desperate to be “edgy” and tear down all established truth and ridicule anyone who clings to the old, antiquated standards of godliness. 

But verse 5 is coming, when God will reveal the power of His fortress and all who have opposed Him will flee. The world will see God’s truth and be astounded, they will be wrecked by His power, and they will flee in terror. The city of our God will be established forever, and the “kings” of this world will be revealed as powerless pawns. This psalm opens with “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised” and nothing the kings nor people do can diminish that statement.  He is the beginning and the end, and His majestic reign is inevitable and our approval is unnecessary. 

Truth must be our focus… scripturally accurate truth… The kind that will set you free… Real Truth is static, immovable, and unalterable. It is exclusive and rigid and nothing our “kings” do will soften that reality. You can’t change truth; it must change you. Seek and you will find, ignore and you will perish.

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic”.
- John F. Kennedy

Matthew 7:21-23 7/7/2026

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

We’ve discussed this important passage before. But if we don’t examine Christ’s words here, we could be one of the “many” who miss the message. Jesus says that lip service won’t get you into Heaven. Simply calling Him Lord doesn’t make Him your Lord.  He specifically says doing the will of His Father is the key to eternity with God.

So, what exactly is the “will of the Father”?… Jesus says people will claim to preach, cast out demons, and work miracles… things they assume are God’s will. But according to Jesus, while these may be byproducts… they are not a fulfillment of the will of the Father. Unfortunately, many will be misled by this, assuming these activities will earn them a place in Heaven.

But look closely at Jesus’ reason for turning them away.  “I NEVER KNEW YOU”. That means Jesus knowing you, is the key to Heaven.  It’s not preaching, teaching Sunday school, or going to church. It is not even knowing Jesus… IT IS JESUS KNOWING YOU. 

There is only one way to have a relationship with Christ …by spending time with Him. There are no short cuts… no “fire insurance prayers” to recite… It is recognizing Jesus as God, confessing and repenting of sin, acknowledging His resurrection as your redemption, and being filled with His Spirit. If you do that, you will naturally build a daily relationship with Him. Talking to Him through prayer and listening through the Word. That is the will of the Father… that you experience a  saving relationship with the Son, in which Jesus recognizes you, because your time with Him has changed your heart.

Don’t let what you do FOR God… distract you from being WITH God. Build your bond with Christ, it is the litmus test of your faith… and the key that opens the door of Heaven.

“Apples don’t make a tree an apple tree, they just show that it is one.”  

PSALM 37: 4 6/30/2026

“Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.”

What a powerful passage of scripture…  But the problem I have with living it out, is that  ALL of my focus tends to be on “give you the desires of your heart”, while God’s focus is on “Delight yourself in the Lord”.  

I read this to mean that if I “delight myself in the Lord,” then He will give me everything I want, which sounds a lot like delighting myself in “me”…   But when I take time to consider what it means to delight in the Lord, I see that the desires of my heart should aligned with His heart. Then my prayer changes from “my will be done” to “Thy will be done.” You don’t have to be a biblical scholar to know that when Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to seek God’s will.

So, my approach to this scripture appears to be flawed.  It reminds me of the story of W.C. Fields, who was a known atheist and was once seen reading a bible backstage…. Someone asked, “W.C., why are you reading that bible?” to which he replied, “I’m Looking for loopholes”.  

Too often I do the same, looking for ways to make God’s will match my will… when wisdom would dictate, I make my will match His.  I need to read this verse as it was written, not try to manipulate it to serve my purposes. The odd dilemma is that sometimes, I view His will as a compromise or even a disappointment… which simply means I don’t understand who I am talking to when I pray.  

If I grasped God’s wisdom and omnipotence, I would insist on His plan over my own. And If I considered the proven love God has shown for me then I would be excited to see what He has in store. If it weren’t so destructive, it would be laughable that I attempt to instruct the creator of all things, on how to best direct the life He gave me.  … I have access to the most powerful and intelligent Being in all of existence… His love for me is undeniable… Should I be giving Him advice?

“The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” - Timothy Keller

Jeremiah 16:18 6/23/2026

“I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.”

How would we react if our spouses paraded extramarital partners through our homes, and constantly pursued adulterous affairs? What if they said they loved us, but chased others daily and only occasionally and ceremonially acknowledged us?

This verse, about how God responds to the Israelites idolatry, seems harsh. However, as the Bride of Christ we belong to God… God expects a much higher level of commitment from me than is due me by my wife. The difference is that my wife does it out of grace as I don’t deserve it. But God merits and has earned my undivided devotion.

This passage clearly illustrates that God sees my entertaining idols as defiling, vile, and detestable… When you stir those kinds of emotions in the creator of the universe you had better run to the cross and cling to it with all of your might…  As John Edwards preached it is a fearsome thing to be a sinner in the hands of an Angry God.

Nothing Angers God more than idols.  And they don’t have to be carved images. They can be money, reputation, houses, cars, Job titles, etc.  Anything that you run to when you’re anxious. Anything you depend on for security. Anything you allow to define your worth… all are idols and all are adulterous and vile to a Holy God that created you and redeemed you at an unimaginable cost. 

Examine your life today. Consider your expectation of loyalty and trust from your spouse… Magnify that ten thousand times and you will begin to scratch the surface of what we owe our Creator. The patriarchs of the Old Testament were sinful men.  Murders and adulterous, polygamous, drunkards… But the men that were said to chase Gods heart, the ones chosen by God to do great things…  all had the same thing in common… They refused to pursue other gods. The first commandment is first for a reason. The Lord is a jealous God, He will not share His glory with powerless idols …so, clean house today and get rid of your adulterous substitute gods…the first one, may be in the mirror. 

“The human heart is a factory of idols.” - John Calvin

Isaiah 65:2-3 6/16/2026

“All day long I have held out my hands  to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations—  a people who continually provoke me to my very face…” 

Our arrogant resistance to God seems to astound Him… it should astound us as well. How can we be so reckless as to continually do things that God has forbidden?  In our stubbornness we ignore undeniable truths and push on with indefensible actions.

My life is defined by what I do. And what I do is dictated by what I believe. If I trust in the lies of this world I will build on sinking sand. I will pursue nonsense, which will lead to foolish decisions, which will lead to difficulties that will lead to more foolish decisions. If we continue this self-perpetuating delusion, we will become “obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations”. 

Look around… that’s happening today. When did we decide that facts and truth should take a backseat to feelings and imaginations?  When did we decide that “thus sayeth me” is more important than “thus sayeth the Lord”? 

In our backyard we have a fire pit, and I love to spend time around it.  The flickering light, and the warmth it provides, are comforting on cool nights.  But when the wind shifts, and blows smoke in my face, my relaxation ends, and I just want to get away from it….  It breaks my heart that, based on our passage, my actions can make God feel the same way. Our continual provocation of God to His face is not only stupid it is dangerous. 

One of the most frightening things God can say to a man is “have it your way”.  And after we ignore His blessings, twist His commands, and provoke Him to His face we can expect Him to let our foolishness produce what it always produces…suffering.  Like children insisting on touching a hot glowing stove, if we continue, we get burned. 

He has revealed Himself to you. He has made salvation easy to find… Stop the insanity and follow the truth. Jesus stated that He is the way, the truth and the Life… everything else is a dead end, a lie, and leads to darkness. 

“God’s patience is not to be abused. He will not always bear with the provocations of men.” 
- John Owen

Romans 1:22 6/9/2026

“Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” 

Romans contains what many call the “Roman Road to salvation” and it starts with powerful words that haven’t lost their sting in 2000 years.  In our arrogance we have continued our degradation.  Unlike evolution which argues we have progressed…  scripture shows a fall, and a continued cultural drift away from any intelligent conception of God.  

The first chapter says that God has revealed Himself and we are without excuse. While we know He exists, we have not acknowledged Him as God nor followed His law.  The lie told in the garden still lives today, and it always begins when we see a difficult command clearly laid out in scripture and ask,  “Did God really say that?”. This is usually followed by some “scriptural open field running” which culminates in people calling themselves Christians without acting like it.  This is problematic since Jesus said, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments”.

It seems some people want Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. So, they rename sin and preach only tolerance.  Twisting some verses and  completely ignoring others to avoid clear commands. They argue that God is love, so sin carries no consequences … In other words, claiming to be wise they become fools and refuse to acknowledge that God is both loving and holy.  Mistakenly seeing Him as a cruel taskmaster waiting to punish us, or a heavenly grandfather just hoping we will acknowledge Him.  

Here is the truth.  Your loving Heavenly Father is the Holy King of Kings.  His omnipotence is terrifying and anything sinful will be annihilated… and here’s the problem. You’re sinful.  In human terms that is an enigma. BUT GOD in His love, found a way to remain holy and make you holy as well.  It came at a high price, and it is the only way to avoid eternal separation from God. 

You must call sin what it is… confess and turn away from it and be redeemed by the Blood of His Son … This is the only way for a Holy God to spend eternity with sinners like you and me.  Don’t become a fool by listening to the “wisdom” of our culture…  Repent and gratefully take hold of your redemption.

“Do not give fair names to foul sins. Call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter.”  - Spurgeon

PSALM 9:1-2 6/2/2026

"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High."

I will, I will, I will, I will…. Four times David declares his intentions.  He proclaims he will give thanks, tell of God’s deeds, be glad and rejoice, and sing praises. The rest of the Psalm contains descriptions of God’s glory, and requests for God to move… But the lesson this morning is, that right out of the blocks, David DECIDES to praise God.

David’s decision was made prior to God responding to his requests. David chooses gratefulness.  Instead of looking for reasons to be unhappy …. he chooses to focus on God’s graciousness. The benefits of this choice should be obvious, yet it’s a battle we fight daily. We all have things to be thankful for as well as issues to be concerned about. So, we have a decision to make. If you can fix something, fix it… but if you can’t, what is the point of worrying about it? Jesus emphasized this by asking, “Can you add one hour to your life by worrying?”. 

It’s annoying to have someone say, “just stop worrying” because we think it’s not a choice.  But both scripture and science indicate that gratitude nullifies anxiety.   You are not alone.  No matter what people’s online profile says… no one escapes the troubles of this fallen world… And at the same time, all of us are blessed with more than we deserve.  So, choose.

It is not naive to be joyful; you’re not pretending you don’t have problems… It is naive to believe that worrying about them will improve anything.  If we believe what we say we do... it should change us.  So, it’s your call but remember that  “what a man thinks in his heart… so is he.” So today, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, and anything worthy of praise think about these things.” Review that list again and be purposeful with your thoughts  … Choose peace by trusting God and watch Him transform your life.

“Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” – Glenn Turner

Job 36:4 5/26/2026

“Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.”  

Jobs’ young friend Elihu gives us a lesson on how not to treat those who are suffering.  He gets on a roll, and talks himself past the truth.  As I’ve said before, bad theology usually comes from one of two areas… either the wrong view of God - or the wrong view of ourselves. And Elihu suffers from the latter. He is a little too sure of his intellect. 

Elihu‘s statement claiming “perfect knowledge” is followed by some scripturally accurate observations.  However, he goes too far and draws inaccurate conclusions.  Elihu proclaims that if men obey and serve God “they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.”  Thus, he assumes that Job’s suffering has been caused by Job’s sin. 

While scripture teaches us that righteous living can shield us  from the consequences of sin, it also is clear that all men face suffering in this broken world…  Even patriarchs like Abraham, Moses, and David suffered. But Elihu’s erroneous assumptions supported his arrogance and self-righteousness, so he goes with it. 

What we can learn here is that we have the propensity to do what Elihu did.  We can “cherry-pick” truths to exalt ourselves and support the judgement of others.  This comes when we lack poorness in spirit. It happens when we have an elevated view of our own righteousness. I’ve got to keep that in mind when I counsel others, especially those who are hurting.  I have a close relationship with God. I trust His Word. But I cannot let that blind me to the fact that I am a sinful man who has limited knowledge of the circumstances in any given situation.  I should be God-assured, but not so self-assured.  

If I can’t give advice based on scripture, in context, then I shouldn’t give advice. Elihu needs more poorness of spirit.  He needs to humbly offer guidance with the realization that he doesn’t see the whole picture.  When we help the wounded, we need to have empathy.  Never water down truth but our advice must be scriptural and  should be offered humbly and carefully and always delivered with a “sore eye” and a “limp”. (Matthew 7:5 & Genesis 32:31). 

“The poor in spirit are deeply aware of being God-made and God-sufficient.”
- Eugene H. Peterson

James 4:6 5/19/2026

“… Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

Sometimes scripture is mysterious and hard to understand but that is not the case this morning.  Evidently, arrogance puts us in opposition to the King of Kings.  

So, are you always the smartest person in the room, or are you poor in spirit?  It’s critical to understand that, not only will God not support pridefulness – He will actively oppose it.  Have some of your most “brilliant” plans not worked out?  Does your intellect at times seem to not hold up under scrutiny?  ... According to this verse, there may be a reason for that. It is dangerous to ignore God saying He opposes something you’re doing.  

Humility is the remedy for pride. This passage says being “poor in spirit” produces grace.  …. So how do I progress from arrogance to being poor in spirit? What does it take to suppress egotism and elevate humbleness?

Pride is the original sin… it turned an angel into a devil, and has destroyed countless men, yet we don’t run from it.  Our smugness is a result of failing to compare our shallow righteousness to the perfect holiness of God. Take an honest look in the mirror. Shine the purity of an omnipotent God on your trivial “good works” and be wrecked by the comparison.  As in Isaiah 6,  observe the holiness of God and cry out “Woe to me… I am ruined!”  It’s crucial to recognize that we are destitute and broken. That realization allows God’s power to be perfected in our weakness. It stops our arrogance from interfering with His omnipotent indescribable power and makes us usable vessels for the gospel. 

As I look for a suitable quote to end this message it dawns on me that there are more quotes exalting pride than there are warning against it.  And that is the problem… The world will push you into the very thing that will destroy you. Don’t buy the lie.  Let me challenge you today to die to yourself and let your value be found in your relationship with God. Pursue The Lord first, serve His children second, and you remain third. It will provide strength and freedom you can find nowhere else.  

“Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves.” - Ezra Taft Benson

2 Chron 24:17 5/12/2026

“After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king (Joash), and he listened to them.” 

Joash became king at 7 years old, and for about 30 years Jehoiada was his mentor.  “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest.”  But when Jehoiada died, our verse this morning shares an ominous statement that changes the course of Joash’s life. Joash listened to flattery and it destroyed him.  So, the lesson today is “Guard your heart”, and it applies to us in two ways:

The first application is obvious… Joash, was raised well.  I was too, my parents and mentors gave me every opportunity to grow in the Lord. I was given a firm foundation. However, I can’t assume that because I had parents and mentors who gave me a good start, that the enemy won’t try to flatter me into finishing poorly… I must Guard my heart, especially against compliments…  "Man is tested by the praise he receives" (Proverbs 27:21). When Jehoiada died, the officials that came to memorialize his life, flattered King Joash and he eagerly listened. Joash embraced their praises, and pride demolished his life. The original sin did what it always does… destroys.

The second application is more subtle…and applies to how we mentor others.  As parents, teachers, and coaches, we must examine those we lead to make sure we don’t just change their conduct, without changing their hearts. Jehoiada was a godly priest… and Joash followed his instructions.  But when Jehoiada died, Joash went completely off the rails… That indicates that Joash grew up doing the right things, but not for the right reasons. Surface obedience without heart change is dangerously misleading. Scripture says anything done in that condition is worthless. 

The lesson is that while we mentor, we must influence actions, but we also must influence motives.  This approach is more time-consuming, but it’s part of making true disciples.  So, as we raise our children, and mentor those God puts in our lives, we must deal with the cause, not just the effect…. We must make sure we lead others to their own faith, not just train them to mimic ours. We are called to be heart doctors, not choreographers.

“The hypocrite’s concern is not how holy he is, but how holy he looks.”
– Richard Sibbes