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New England is famous for its seasons and perhaps especially autumn, because of the vibrant colors, foliage change, and activities associated with fall.There is a song that reminds me of the seasons that was penned well before my time which borrowed its lyrics directly from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. If you are not familiar with this song, “Turn Turn Turn” made famous by the LA rock band, The Byrds in 1965, perhaps you are more familiar with the words of King Solomon, which speak of seasons of change and a time for every purpose under heaven. Ironically, for The Byrds, their line in the song, “I hope it’s not too late,” which spoke of the idea of peace was never fulfilled by the band itself, as its members constantly clashed with relational issues causing a revolving door for bandmembers over the years. As with many bands before and after them The Byrds’ “light” shined bright for a season and then things changed.If we can be honest with ourselves our lives, are filled with seasons and riddled with constant change just like the world around us. It is a reminder that we are mortal beings subject to space and time. As we look around we are reminded of the effects of time and age as infants, toddlers, and even teenagers are living in the early Spring of their lives, while many of us find ourselves in the season of Summer, Fall, or Winter of life. As time goes by and seasons change we become more and more aware of the effects of this sin cursed world and that death pursues us all.Yet there is great hope found in God’s word reminding those who are in Christ Jesus that we have an eternal hope and life anew found in resurrected and glorified bodies to which we cry maranantha! “Come soon Lord Jesus!”John reminds us, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11)“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)Paul encourages us, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)Not only do we go through seasons of life as we age, but we also go through seasons of life that bring change. Our family buys a new house or moves. We lose friends and develop new friendships. We start a new job or new school and go through seasons of hardships, and seasons of joy and prosperity. We say goodbye to loved ones and we welcome new members to our family. And the Scriptures encourage and remind us that we are not alone as we go through seasons of change. Moses went through them as God prepared him for his mission in the desert. Joseph spent a season in prison to save nations. Ruth spent a season traveling to a new land and meeting new people that were not her own and she was blessed. Paul spent many seasons moving from place to place to advance the gospel.Sometimes we dread the season of life ahead. Other times we look forward to the next chapter feeling stuck in a season of life. There are seasons we spend on the mountain tops, in the deserts, in the jungle, and in the rains and muck of life. God uses these seasons in our lives to mold us, to prepare us, to change us. There is a Latin phrase coram Deo which means “in the presence” or “before the face of God.” It basically means that God is always present, always with us and we ought always to glorify him in every season and in every change of life as an act of obedience, trust, and reverence to Him. In fact, the name Emmanuel means “God with us!” I believe King Solomon realized this and he said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)So as the seasons turn and time brings change let us remember to respond to seasons of change with an attitude of gratitude, trust, and hope as we continue to persevere in the presence of our great and glorious creator, King Jesus!
I am in my informal brain education era. Lol. Podcasts. Books. YouTube.I have watched a lot, read a lot, listened to a LOT about the brain. I have a new definition of trauma, much more patience and grace for people’s behaviors (all behavior has a really clarifying back story) (including my own), and a new perspective about addiction.I used to think addiction was for bad people. I’m learning that’s not true at all. What is true is that every single one of us is experiencing some amount of pain and pressure. Addiction is our compulsive over consumption of anything for the sake of just feeling some relief.It’s why I can’t cook dinner in my kitchen without Friends on in the background. It’s why I can’t go for a run or drive in my car without a podcast to listen to. It’s why I can’t wait in line at the store without checking to see if I have a notification on my phone. Because I’m just not cozy in my own reality. Give me the option to escape it, and 9 times out of 10 I’m going to take it. Anyone else with me?Every one of us now has endless options to numb, medicate, and distract. Some addictions are more socially acceptable, some more taboo. Some are very harmful, some are neutral.Alcohol. TikTok. Video games. A pill bottle. Control. Food. Perfectionism. Relationships. One of the 200+ streaming services. Resentment. Shopping. Church. Exercise. Another person. Success.But I’m going to flip the script with this. I heard this recently:The question shouldn’t be: ‘What is your drug of choice and how can you work harder to quit?’The question should be: ‘What is your drug of choice hiding from you?’Control can medicate the pain of disappointment. Ambition can medicate the pain of insecurity. Church can medicate the pain of guilt and regret. Food can medicate the pain of discomfort. Sex can medicate the pain of loneliness. Drugs and alcohol can medicate the memories of trauma. Resentment can medicate the pain of forgiving someone you don’t feel like deserves it. All to avoid the discomfort of pain, shame, secrets, scars, trauma, and open wounds.Just like taking ibuprofen for a headache, our medications work until they wear off. They work and then they wear off. They work and then they wear off. I numb the symptoms with my drug of choice but I never really heal.This isn’t a “bad person” thing. This is a human thing. In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus was in Gethsemane with his disciples just hours away from death by way of nails through his hands and feet and suffocation on the cross. Beginning to feel the spiritual weight of ALL sin and being forsaken by the Father - the deepest darkness a spirit can feel. Verses 38 and 39 of The Message version say,
“Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this.”
Humanity. Even Jesus was tempted to escape the pressure. Fully God. Fully man. Hebrews 4 is the most freeing reminder for me: “We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”All this to say - we have a God who is interested in healing the wounds that are causing you to medicate in the first place. I believe freedom is on the other side of some version of feeling and PROCESSING pain.Maybe a bold and controversial statement, but I don’t think God wants you to live in a reality that you constantly want to escape from and just “try really hard” to not medicate. I don’t think that’s the good news of the Gospel. That you can white knuckle for the rest of your life so you can say you are free but not really feel free.He wants to heal. Galatians 5:1 is a reminder that Christ has set us free FROM something AND TO something.You can go shopping now and not use it to medicate but rather just enjoy it. You can pursue success now but it’s not medicating the pain of insecurity, you’re using your gifts and talents to build the kingdom. People and food - you can now enjoy them as gifts because you’re no longer using them as drugs.Freedom feels like freedom.Jeremiah 29:11 says;'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. '
I love this passage of scripture. I have leaned into it. I have clung to it. And if I am being honest, sometimes I have doubted it or even forgotten about it.Have you ever wondered what God must be up to? I don’t mean, what is He up to regarding keeping the oceans in place and the moon in the sky. I am talking about, what is He up to in YOUR life? I mean really, we all start off in this world with dreams and expectations. Some of us work really hard at achieving them, some of us are more carefree and just believe that it is our destiny to get to where we want to be. And then life happens.The reality of the dream we were chasing derails when we aren’t accepted to the school we applied to or the job we interviewed for. The hopes and dreams of the family we always wanted is suddenly torn apart as ones we love choose to leave and we must face life knowing a piece of us died when they left. Or maybe we are understanding what getting older means and things that were once easy, reliable and constant have become weak, scary and confusing. How do we react to God’s promise then, when the future we envisioned and wanted has no hope of happening at all?We allow ourselves some time to fall apart.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.1 Peter 5:6-7
We belong to a world that tells us the strong will survive and the weak will wither away, so push it down, swallow it hard and just keep going. Try harder! Work longer! Make it happen! But we Christians know that this could not be further from God’s truth. Pretending to be strong will grow us weary. Falling into Jesus’s arms weak will make us strong, as He heals us and carries us forward.
Genesis 28:15 says;“I am with you now, I will protect you everywhere you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done everything that I have promised you.”
We learn to trust more when we surrender to God. We learn to believe ALL His promises are true, when we allow ourselves the time to walk side by side with Him, and feel His presence with every shaky or heartbroken breath we take. We learn to abide in Him, because we know that without Him, we can’t make it through another day. And THAT is the beauty of this life and a wonderful gift from God. When we finally stop chasing and trying to manipulate God into giving us everything we want and feel that we deserve. When we instead humbly break, and stop to receive everything HE KNOWS WE NEED, for true peace and fulfillment.
THAT my beautiful friends is my prayer for you today. That God’s presence will be SO strong in your life that all striving and achieving will cease for a moment, and that you will take a long deep breath and thank Jesus for never letting go of your hand as you walk into this new future, never alone, always with Him by your side.
Before you judge me, remember I grew up in a very “redneck” area of central Florida back in the 80's and 90's;listening to country music, driving big trucks, huntin' and muddin', and all the games that rednecks play. In my younger days I was pretty rough and rowdy, not that I am particularly proud of it, but it is a part of my journey. During that time in my life one of my favorite songs was, Family Tradition. Now, I don’t recommend this song to anyone, as Hanks Williams Jr’s family traditions were not very good or helpful for anyone, at least not according to his song.But there are plenty of traditions that are great and that are helpful. For example, when our kids were younger, one of our traditions around Thanksgiving and Christmas was to go and serve others in need before we celebrated the holiday. That is a great tradition that taught our kids to put others first, at least I hope it did.But traditions, even the best ones, can’t stand up to the word of God which stands the test of time.
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”Isaiah 40:8
Traditions come and traditions go and sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad, and sometimes they are great. But they are usually for a season.Jesus had an encounter with the scribes and pharisees about tradition, one that you might think is a pretty good tradition. Do you find it a good practice to wash your hands before you eat? You’ll probably think I am gross, but I must admit that I do not always wash before I eat, unless I am really dirty and even then, it’s 50/50.“Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.’ He answered them, Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?”Matthew 15:1-3
Jesus challenges those who are more focused on outward appearances and rituals than on their true devotion to God. He reminds us that genuine worship is not measured by our external acts alone but it is rooted in the alignment of our hearts with the heart of God. Our devotion to God is measured by our true heart change. Yes, that will reflect outwardly, of course, but the outward stuff is the product of, not the goal itself. The goal is for our hearts to be more in line with Christ.
This is why Jesus quotes Isaiah, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9What we must realize, is that God is far more concerned with the our hearts. That is why Jesus’ teachings often countered the outward religious rules with the inward condition of the heart: hating someone is committing murder, lusting after someone is committing adultery…Jesus continues to teach,“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” … "Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”Matthew 15:11 & 17-20
Jesus points out that it's not what goes into the body that defiles a person, but what comes out of the heart. He reveals that defilement originates from sinful intentions, attitudes, and actions rather than from external practices. This teaches us that our focus should be on cultivating a heart that reflects the love, purity, and righteousness of God.In Matthew 9:13, Jesus quotes from the prophet Hosea, saying, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." God values acts of love and compassion above empty rituals and traditions. He deserves our true worship, and in this pursuit, we must prioritize living out God's love in our daily lives. We are to live lives that are deeply rooted in compassion, humility, and service to others. When our hearts are aligned with God's heart, our actions will naturally flow from a place of love and unity. Jesus urges us to seek righteousness from within, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our motives and desires.True worship is not about outward displays of religious traditions, but a heart transformed by God's grace. While traditions can have their place, they should never overshadow our pursuit of an authentic, transformative relationship with Christ. I encourage you to live out your lives as a testament to the truth that it is our hearts set on God that truly worships Him, impacting the world around us in ways that mere traditions can never achieve.You’re a winner? I hope that got your attention – because you are a winner every time you choose Jesus over the world! When I think about all the things I’ve done in my life that made me feel like a winner or made me feel successful – things like raising my son to be […]
Have you ever questioned a decision that you made and wondered if it was real? Well, I have, many times. I am constantly second guessing myself, but I think the biggest one was my salvation. I was so happy after I accepted Jesus into my heart and promised to live for Him. Then one day […]
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV Paul uses the word “devour” to describe Satan’s unrelenting mission to consume our lives with lies, fears, anxieties and worries. I think I often forget that this is his ONLY job. He doesn’t […]
Do you ever think about your favorite toys when you were a kid? Mine were toy trucks and Legos. Legos are probably the best toy ever created. They are so versatile and almost indestructible, the perfect toy for kids. I’m talking about the original Legos that you can make into anything, not all the fancy […]
A Path to follow, A Presence to guide, and A Promise to believe. I can’t remember for sure when it was that I memorized Psalm 23 but it was probably while I was in Boy Scouts doing the work to earn my God & Country award. I am so glad that I did though. Over […]
Join Pastor Kevin, Pastor Matt, and our very own Matt Walker, as they sit down and have a talk with Pastor Chris Goeppner about his story and how Warrior Conference New York came to be!
Check out this update from our Africa 2023 Team! Pray for them as they return home this week! Join us on Sunday to hear about their time in Nairobi!
The next generation… Last week I had the privilege of leading our LP|Youth students and leaders at Engage Camp where we joined with 13 other churches and over 400 students and leaders from all over New England. This year our camp location changed and we got to spend the week at Word of Life in Pottersville, […]
Well, here we are in the time of year that people take vacations. I know I love taking vacations. Where is your favorite vacation spot? I was thinking about this the other day, I have been on a lot of vacations. I go to the ocean at least once every summer. I have been on a cruise, […]
Life often presents us with challenges and uncertainties, causing us to question whether God will provide for our needs. However, as we turn to His Word, we discover the unchanging truth that He is our faithful provider. Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store […]
I’ve had the word “communion” on my mind for the last few months. This idea that God’s deepest desire is to be with his creation. He wants to be with me. It has simplified my friendship with Him in the sweetest way. I recently read Revelation 3 and I thought it was the perfect picture […]
Check out this Deep Dive into Sunday’s message, On Being a Dad, where Pastor Kevin continues the conversation with Jay Croteau and Matt Walker on fatherhood.
Ok, confession time. Who has a guilty pleasure reality tv show? When I say guilty pleasure, I’m talking about a show that is a complete waste of time and you feel like a worse human being after watching it, but you do it anyway. It has zero content, adds zero value to your life, and […]
As I was considering and praying about an article for The Weekly a book on my shelf caught my attention. The title is “The Smart Stepfamily” by Ron L. Deal. While at first, this doesn’t seem to apply to everyone, I think you will understand that it does. First, it applies to all those families […]
Show me what’s breaking your heart, even if it messes me up I don’t want to know You in part, I want to know You REALLY know You! I don’t know about you but i feel like this is where I’ve been living lately. I think something we all have to fight (especially those of […]
Do birthdays ever make you look back and reflect on what the past year has been?Over the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting in preparation for a birthday tradition amongst my friends where the birthday person lists things they were grateful for from the last year of life. However old they are turning is how many things on their list. So as I celebrated another birthday, I started to think back to write out my list. I chose to look back at all I had experienced and felt. Yes, my list was a list of good things, but as I wrote those out I also reflected on the tough moments because they helped to define the last year as well.As I looked through my list, I saw what the last year held for me. Joy? Yes. Frustration? Yes. Patience? More than I thought possible. Friendship? In abundance! Trials? You bet. Anxiety? Yup. Risks? Yeah, and some paid off and some didn’t. Peace? Yes, thanks to God.As I started to look at how everything pieced together, personally, professionally, spiritually, emotionally, I kept coming back to one word...Growth. Now here’s the thing about growth. It’s not linear. In fact, sometimes growth looks like going backwards to go forwards. Over the last year I’ve made many transitions, one major one being professionally, leaving teaching after 10 years to step into vocational ministry. Let me tell you, 30-year-old me didn’t see any of that happening. There were days I was scared of the change (I mean, I spent 6 years in college and have a bachelors and masters in education, why would I think of leaving what I had put so much time, energy, and truthfully, money, into?). But I held onto the promise that God was not only with me through it, but he was guiding me to it.In Philippians 3:12-14 it says,Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.One line sticks out to me, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” (Philipians 3:13) I’m not looking back to hold onto all that I’ve done or not done, I’m looking back to see where I’ve been so that I can use that as encouragement towards the future.So as I look back so that I can look ahead, I look at three areas, my physical growth, my spiritual growth, and my professional growth. Now each of these look a little different because they encompass different aspects of me, but they also are all connected and I can’t help but see how each one led and influenced the other.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.Colossians 2:6-7
Just as a plant is rooted in soil and then grows, if my life is rooted in Christ, I too shall grow. And just as I’ve written out my list of 32 things I’m thankful for in the last year, I’m thanking God that He was in all of it. In the good moments I can see His hand working and in the low points, I can see where he held me.Seeing how God provided in the past encourages me to keep fighting and pushing forward, to what He has ahead for me. When I’m in the middle of it, almost every bump can lead to anxiety and stress, wondering what’s coming next and how I’ll handle it. But when I look back at the last 365 days as a whole, I see blessing upon blessing, not just when I felt like I was on a mountaintop, but even more when I was in the valleys. And that brings me to a verse that reminds me to not be anxious during it all.Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.Matthew 6:34
Jesus tells me to not be anxious about tomorrow. So in the next 365 days, that’s what I’m working towards. Only focus on the troubles of the day, or moment, I’m in and embracing the good and bad of that moment. I’m trusting God to hold me in those tough moments and walk through them with me.If I go one verse before that one, I read,But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.Matthew 6:33
So for this next year, I’m striving to seek His kingdom further, grow in love, and focus on what is true. Next year when I write out my list, I hope that I see further growth, not because I did better, but because He was more at the center of my life. I encourage you to join me, let’s focus on what God wants our focus to be, Him.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.Philippians 4:8-9
Let’s keep all that is worthy of praise at the center of our lives, thanking God for what he’s done. Keeping close to God, who brings peace through it all.Ever feel exhausted, overwhelmed, overworked?Like you just want to throw in the towel and be done? Done with the work, done with the kids, done with shopping, done with people.If we are honest with ourselves, if you are anything like me, you are probably carrying too much and your plate is way too full. And sometimes we carry our workload as a badge of honor, like the more we do, the busier we are, the more spiritual we tend to feel. Until we don’t. Until we feel overwhelmed, but then we have set a precedent and feel like this is just what I need to do to sustain the job, the relationship, the ministry.The first prideful mistake we make in those feelings is that this work is ours, that without us and the work we put in, it will fail.
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.Acts 20:24
So, we have to put our pride in check and acknowledge first and foremost that our life, our work, this ministry is Christ’s and that in spite of how great you are God can do amazing things in and through the next person.To combat those feelings we need to acknowledge that we are not alone.First, we have Christ with us and we can rely on His strength and His power.Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.Matthew 28:20
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.Isaiah 41:10
Mary talked about it this weekend Psalm 37:3, "Trust in the Lord, and do good." So we do our best but we rest in, we trust in, and we rely on Christ.Pastor Kevin says this all the time, Plan like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on the Lord because it does. But, I’d like to add, work together as if it could only be accomplished as a team.You see God has given us His people to carry out His purpose.Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.Ephesians 4:15-16
We are meant to come together and carry the burdens for one another. God has uniquely created each of us with different skills and talents so that together we are so much better than alone. There are people in your family, your job, your ministry team, your LifeGroup that have the skills, talents, and desire to help carry some of the load. But you have to take the step to ask for help, they can't read your mind, no matter how much you wish they would.So, if you are feeling like this is a lot (which it is) but you are feeling overburdened, overwhelmed, exhausted; you need to do something different.First and foremost, take a look in the mirror and determine if your heart is in the right place. Are you too prideful? Do you feel like it all rests on your shoulders, like you are the only one that can swoop in and save the day? Let go of that thought, reject it like it is from Satan, because it probably is.Maybe you are doing too much, and you need to say no to some things. Maybe it is time to let some other people step up and carry some of the load.Maybe, you just need to swallow your pride and ask for some help. Gather some people to come alongside you and help take some of the weight off your shoulders.The truth is, life is tough. And we were not meant to do it alone. And you don't have to. The simple truth is that we are better together!My prayer is that you are connected with your church and that you have a strong support system through your ministry team or your LifeGroup or a study that you are a part of. I pray that if you are trying to do this alone, that you plug into the biggest resource that Christ has given us (aside from His Spirit) and that is His church.Hey church!
Wanted to share this song with you - it has been one of my favorite songs recently for a couple of reasons:1. “Everybody needs saving - everybody breaks, everybody bleeds, you don’t have to be ashamed” is my reminder that my humanity is always finding new ways to break and hurt me. And yours, too. But that’s ok, because (see #2)2. I think I’ve always seen the Gospel as something I needed just once - but the bridge of this song “what You did on the cross still saves us” is my reminder that I can always come home - yes, the Good News saved my soul once for all of eternity, but the power of the name of Jesus is that it can save me every single day, too. Yesterday, it saved my pride and my envy. Today, it’s going to save my attitude and my perspective. Tomorrow, (I’m guessing lol) it will save my fear and discomfort.Take a listen to this song and let the Good News and the name of Jesus save you in a new way today.P.S. Our new sermon series, "I've Got Good News," starts on Sunday, May 21! We hope you'll join us as we let the Good News save us each and every day!
Music…Ever since I can remember I was fascinated by songs; the way the rhythm of the music could determine or enhance my mood or the way the lyrics expressed exactly what my heart was feeling. As a teen - when the Friday night request and dedication line allowed me to share my feelings about the cute boy in class, creating a mix tape with all my favorites to dance around to with my friends, or listening to albums with my sister; music always seemed to help me express myself, work through my emotions, and build connections.Fast forward to today; music continues to have the exact same effect on me, but now the genre is very different.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.Colossians 3:16
Worship & Christian music are my go to no matter what my heart or head is feeling; whether I’m singing to God or about God, I can always find a song that says exactly what I’m needing to hear. I’m no longer playing music to remind me of the cute boy in Spanish class; it’s now how I celebrate my unending gratitude, my faithful devotion and my unwavering love for my Lord and Savior.What a difference in my life today compared to my life as a teen; but the root of the celebrations is still the same. Music.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.Psalm 105:2
When I sit down to read my bible a lot of the time, I ask myself what is God trying to say to me or teach me.
Recently my grandson, who is 6 years old, was baptized and when I heard his testimony, I thought, "WOW, how simple and straight forward that was." He just said that he knew Jesus died on the cross for his sins and that he loved Jesus and wanted to live with him forever in heaven. I sat there listening and watching him follow Jesus and my heart was bursting. As I was sitting there, I thought, do I try to look too deep into scripture? God’s message to us is very simple. Believe that he died on the cross for our sins, accept him as our Savior, and follow Him in baptism. Then strive to live for Him in our everyday life. I think that I am looking so deep into the scripture that I miss the simple message that is right in front of me.As little children it is so easy for them to believe and see the true message but as adults, I think we are looking for something more profound. Well, how profound is it to get back to the basics that we were taught when we first became Christians?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”John 3:16
Jesus tells us to have the faith of a child.
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.Mark 10:15
I pray that when I am reading and studying scripture from now on that I can do it with a childlike faith and not try to look so deep into the scripture that I miss something God is trying to show me or miss out on a blessing.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”Luke 18:16-17
I must be honest; I have read these words so many times and they have spoken to me on different levels at different moments in my life. I always related to them and appreciated them because I have a very soft spot in my heart for the children of this world. Maybe, it’s because I can relate to them better than I can to adults sometimes. Little children like cartoons, so do I. Children like ice cream on a hot summer day, so do I. Children like long naps…you see where I am going here.Do you remember when a day felt like a week? And a summer felt like a year? At exactly what age did that stop?
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.Psalms 90:12
Wisdom to appreciate the small things. Wisdom to notice the important ones. God has blessed me with so many moments to be thankful in a life that often feels like it is flying by. It seems just like yesterday that I was blessed with moments with my children, Jacey and Jocelyne, waking up slowly and coming to hug and snuggle me, while rubbing their eyes and carrying their blankets. I made time to hug, to play, to love, to grow, to teach and to appreciate them both and to see God’s hand throughout the day. I was blessed to see the world through their eyes. The beauty in time. Not time on a clock. But time in a life. Time seemed to move slower then…Long gone are the days that my kiddos woke up and wanted first thing to snuggle me. They are now experiencing time in their own way in their own lives. As they navigate through graduating from college in the next 6 weeks and march forward into God’s plan and vision for their lives, I pray that some of our time that we spent together snuggling years ago will remain with them. No word Jesus ever spoke has ever returned null or void. Some we tend to just focus on more than others. But I know He was speaking directly to me when He said that the kingdom of God belongs to those who come like little children. Little children see the world more clearly. Little children are a gift from God, and I personally will spend eternity thanking Jesus for every moment, He has allowed me to spend with mine.
Hey Church, Matt here. Hope your week has been great. I’m so excited and I can’t believe it’s already Easter. Here’s what I don’t want to do - I don’t want to treat Easter as if it’s just another holiday. The crucifixion and resurrection changed history forever. Even more than history, it repaired my fractured perception of reality. Think about this: Jesus came to earth, lived, died and now lives again so that we can really live, too. It’s easy for this to get lost in the dinners, bunnies, eggs, and blowing up marshmallow peeps in the microwave (which is pretty fun). But here’s what we are celebrating this week.If you aren’t planning on it, I really encourage you to come to First Wednesday tonight. We will pray, confess, worship, and take communion together. We’ll play one of my favorite hymns tonight - Hallelujah, What A Savior - and it’s the beautiful story of the cross and the empty tomb.It starts out saying:
Man of Sorrows! what a nameFor the Son of God, who cameRuined sinners to reclaim.Hallelujah! What a Savior!Bearing shame and scoffing rude,In my place condemned He stood;Sealed my pardon with His blood.Hallelujah! What a Savior!Guilty, vile, and helpless we;Spotless Lamb of God was He;Full atonement! can it be?Hallelujah! What a Savior!”
And here’s the Easter story:Colossians 1:15-20
Isn’t that crazy? Look at verse 19 & 20 again.For God in all his fullnesswas pleased to live in Christ,and through him God reconciledeverything to himself.He made peace with everything in heaven and on earthby means of Christ’s blood on the cross.Colossians 1:19-20
How amazing is that? That God himself would be pierced and crushed for our sins. Beaten and whipped for our sins.Isaiah 53:6 says...All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.We have left God’s paths to follow our own.Yet the Lord laid on himthe sins of us all.People hated him, disagreed with him, and treated him the worst way. But that didn’t stop him from giving himself for them, for me, and for you. (Talk about injustice.)As we remember this, I pray it will fill you with confident hope to live lives that honor and please the Lord and help you know God better and better."God bless you."People used to believe a sneeze caused someone to expel their soul out of their body, and so “God bless you” or “Bless you” was used as a protection against the devil snatching your soul. In place of “Bless you,” some Americans also say “Gesundheit,” the German word for “health.” The appearance of this phrase was due to the numerous German immigrants who moved to the United States. Many Americans do not even realize this is a German word (and usually are unaware of the true meaning).
Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of your will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when you will the good of another person, you realize only God is capable of bringing that. So we naturally say, "God bless you." You can bless someone when you will their good under the invocation of God. You invoke God on their behalf to support the good that you will for them. This is the nature of blessing. It is what we are to receive from God and then give to another.– Dallas Willard, Christianity Today
While reading Exodus chapter 39 this morning in my devotions verse 43 seemed to stick out in a special way. I have read it many times but this time I saw something sort of small but really VERY, VERY BIG.“Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.So Moses blessed them.”Exodus 39:43
While Moses had been up in the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, he also received very detailed direction from God about building the tabernacle and all the implements needed for the Children of Israel to worship The God who had delivered them from Egypt. Chapters 26-40 give the big picture of all God asked for. We see three specific take-a-ways in verse 43:1. We should always seek to do God’s work in God’s way. "'Nough” said.2. Those leading the work should be responsible to check the work.3. The “good work” that people do should be acknowledged, appreciated, and “blessed.”Now, back to the “God Bless You” part. Don’t take for granted what others do, at home, in the workplace, and at church. Your recognition of their “good work” may be just the thing needed to help them do the next “good work.” Their next “good work” may be just what is needed by someone who is desperately in need of an encouraging word or act. Their next “good work” may be what is needed for them to take their next step of faith in their journey with Jesus. Israel had worked hard to build their worship center. Moses saw their “good work,” showed appreciation, and sought God’s blessing on their lives.May God “Bless You” as you sincerely and purposefully “bless” others.Have you ever gone somewhere with a small child and watched their reaction to things or events.Or sat back and watched your children or grandchildren as they opened a present that you gave them. I love doing that, sometimes I like just buying a small little trinket and putting it in a gift bag for them and watch their reaction when they open it. Recently I was looking back at some of my old photos, and I came across one of my granddaughter when went to Florida. We had lunch with the princesses in Cinderella’s Castle. Her face lit up so much when the princesses started entering the room and she looked at me and said, “Mem, this is the best day ever”.That just made that entire trip so much more special. It also made me see things that week so much differently. I started to look at it through her eyes. I wonder sometimes how God sees things that we are going through or experiencing.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.Proverbs 15:3
Is He looking at what we are seeing through our eyes? Is He seeing it the way we see it? God already knows the outcome of every situation, but we don’t.The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.Proverbs 16:9
We are children of God and as His child we are still growing and learning, so are we as fascinated with some things as a child on a vacation or receiving a gift? Does our face light up when we are serving Him or doing something that pleases Him? Are we seeing things the way God has intentioned for us to see them? Does it make us more eager to keep serving Him and living for Him? I think that if my granddaughter would have sat at that lunch and was bored or not wanted to be there, then I probably would have been very disappointed and not enjoyed it myself. God probably feels that way about us at times. He gives us opportunities to learn and grow daily by serving Him. If we approach those opportunities as a hum drum chore, then I think God would be very disappointed in us. I think God gets great joy from watching us serving and reaching out to others. When we are happy and appreciative for those times, God is watching over us with pride in how we are handling what he has put in front of us. I know I posed a lot of questions, but I hope you will take time to really look at how you are seeing opportunities that God gives you. Sometimes we don’t even know it is an opportunity or a blessing until we are in the thick of it.For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.Jeremiah 29:11
Don’t miss out on God’s opportunities as you might be missing out on a blessing!If you’ve never read the book of Nehemiah, I’m gonna give you a real short summary. Ready? Here goes.Nehemiah: “I’m gonna rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.”Bad guys: “If you do we’ll kill you.”Nehemiah: “Come at me bro. I dare you. I’ve got God on my side.”Now that you have an exhaustive context of the story that would rival a commentary written by John MacArthur, let me point out an interesting part of the story. As threats of violence would come against the people of Jerusalem to stop building the wall, some people got nervous. Nehemiah addressed them saying don’t worry, the Lord will protect your families and your homes. Chapter 4 verse 17 says this:
“The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load, and one hand holding a weapon.”Nehemiah 4:17 NLT
I’m just gonna be honest, if I got a threat of violence against my family, I’d probably stop everything I was doing and hyper-focus on protecting myself. I wouldn’t go to work. I’d be paranoid! The fear would be crippling. Instead, these guys were just like, “Ok, give me a weapon while I keep working”.They didn’t stop the work that the Lord had called them to. They kept going in spite of the threats. They were steadfast, believing that their obedience to the Lord would result in protection and blessing. If they had to fight, so be it. Even though their lives were at stake it didn’t phase them because their faith was authentic.Personally, my threshold for derailment is a lot lower than the threat of my family being killed.“I didn’t make that much money this month? What happened? What went wrong? Don’t talk to me about anything else right now, I need to figure this out immediately and handle it myself.”“I’m not feeling well? I guess I’m useless today. Can’t do any work until I feel better. You’ve got to take care of yourself, you know? Self-care is too important to overlook.”There will always be opposition. There will always be uncertainty. There will always be a reason not to do something. I’m not saying be unprepared (as is evidenced by the fact that the workers were holding weapons) but I am saying that there will always be faith that is required to overcome these things.One of Satan’s biggest lies is getting us to believe “Well when certain things fall into place for me, then I can finally start doing (x).” If you believe that fill-in-the-blank is the will of God then just do it already. If God has ordained it, He will make it so.Pickup your workload with one hand. Pickup a weapon with the other (not literally, please). Do what God is calling you to do today.Recently I heard Connor Grim, a pastor I got to intern under last year, on a podcast talking about the ebbs and flows of faith. He said something that really encouraged me that I thought I would share:He said, ”The fact that your faith ebbs and flows is not a problem to be solved. Elijah saw fire fall from heaven and it didn’t heal his human-ness, it didn’t make him never waver again.”I’ve been reading through the Old Testament recently. And I think when I read the stories of the seemingly strong & very courageous men and women in the Bible, I have an unconscious thought that goes something like this,“Look at how Elijah experienced God. Imagine how strong his faith must have been. Now look at you. You haven’t quite made it to a good-enough place in your relationship with Jesus until you experience God like that and therefore have a faith that never wavers.”Connor reminded me that the goal isn’t to have a faith that never wavers. The Bible says in Hebrews 12 that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Following that metaphor, that means my faith is a story. There was a beginning. My physical life on earth is the middle. Jesus didn’t start my story of faith and cross his fingers and hope I would finish it, and finish it perfectly. We’re doing this thing together. But he’s the only one that can hold it all together - it was his idea in the first place. Anchor your faith in the person of Jesus.The goal isn’t to have a faith that never wavers. The ‘goal’ (for lack of a better word) is to walk with Jesus. What he really really wants is just to be with you. To commune with you.So the questions I asked myself, and, if you struggle with ebbs and flows, maybe you should too: Is my faith a goal to be achieved or a relationship to be deepened?
Can anyone relate when I say I LOVE to be comfortable?As I sit here writing this email, I am very happily curled up in a comfy chair, with my shoes off, a blanket on my lap and a hot tea by my side. This is my happy place. This is the real me. This is when I feel especially close to God.We live in a world that tends to move way too fast. I have often felt the pressure of trying to do more than I was made to do. And I know many of you can relate. We work more hours to provide for our family that we love in a home we are proud to have, all the while, being distracted from the true source of joy we are working so hard to provide for. Missing moments of fun or quality time while outsourcing ourselves to commitments or extra activities that spread us too thin.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Rest for our souls. This is what we all need. Yes, we all have jobs to do. Errands to run. Responsibilities to tend to and roles to play out. But we were never meant to do it on our own.
We were never meant to do it our way.
Psalms 91:1-2 says, "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord : He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him."
We take Jesus along with us as we tend to the responsibilities we are blessed to have. As we work our jobs. As we love our spouses and children. As we fellowship with friends and family.
So don’t rush through the good stuff. Let yourself be comfy. Take time to sit and curl up and spend time in the presence of our Mighty Savior. You are His child. He takes delight in you. He wants to help you every step of the way. No burden is too heavy. No problem too big. Just take a deep breath and enjoy being with your heavenly Father. Remember, His yoke is easy and the burden is light. Enjoy!
Have you ever looked back on your life and thought about the small moments?A few weeks ago during a meeting the question was posed, If you could go back and relive a day in the last year, without changing it, what day would you choose? As we went around sharing I struggled to think of a whole day that I would choose. But I thought of many, many moments, that when added together I could have made a “day” of.And the more I think of those moments, I realize that life is really made up of moments that when put together, tell our story.Sometimes those moments encourage us. Sometimes those moments trouble us. Sometimes those moments stop us. And sometimes those moments change us.A lot of those moments are relational. I think back to my first interaction with someone who is now like family. We met at Big Y one Sunday morning after church. There was nothing spectacular about our conversation. Another friend introduced us, we talked about both wearing Bruins shirts, he was buying a gift bag and we were buying eggs for omelets. He invited me to come with a friend to Generations, a Sunday night service. And then we went on our way. Seems ordinary and insignificant.But when I look back at this moment now, I see how it changed me. I would eventually accept his invitation and, with time, grow in relationship with God and His family.When I look at examples from the bible, I think first of John and James who were mending fishing nets with their father when they received an invitation that altered their lives.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20
Simon and Andrew were casting their nets, something I’m sure they did repeatedly. Just as going to Bug Y is a regular part of my life, they were just going about their lives, and in a moment were asked to come. I’m fairly certain in that moment, they didn’t realize how much their life and mission would change.Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:21-22
James and John also were going about their ordinary day, working with their father Zebedee. Just as Simon and Andrew left everything, I’m again fairly certain that they didn’t know how this moment would change them. (Side note, I wonder what their father thought at this moment. We don’t hear how he reacted or how this moment changed his life, but I know it had to.)So what can I learn from this….- No moment is insignificant. God will use insignificant moments to lead to radical change.
- Don’t be afraid to step out and build new relationships, they can lead to change.
- Embrace the godly relationships in your life, they can help you to fulfill the mission God has for your life.
Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” To put it another way, it’s better to have real reliable friends. Friends that are on the same path, have the same beliefs and can encourage and lift you up, and offer good godly advice when you need it.Proverbs 27:9 says, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” There’s something about a close relationship that refreshes us spiritually. You need people who understand you, who relate to you, and who can connect to you.This is why we are excited to take part in the Warrior Conference on June 8th - June 10th at the Word of Life Campus in Adirondacks, NY. This is an amazing opportunity for men to gather together and experience God while connecting and building real friendships with other men. Oh, and there is a lot of fun along the way.Take it from a few friends of mine who have attended the Warrior Conference:
Prayer is such a vital element of the Christian life.It is our life-line to God for a healthy, growing, meaningful, and purposeful life. Sometimes we seem to have so much to pray about and at other times it seems like we struggle to know what to pray about. During my devotions last week I came across Luke 6:12-13.
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostlesLuke 6:12-13
In these two verses we see Jesus praying before he makes one of His most important decisions on earth – who will be the 12 He pours Himself into, who will be the 12 who will take His story to the ends of the earth – the 12 Apostles. I think you will agree that that was a big decision and it was a pretty specific prayer request. That got me to think about the many specific prayer requests we see in the Bible. Things that we can and should pray to our Heavenly Father about on a daily basis. Take a look at just some of these specific prayer requests.1. Decision making – Luke 6:12-132. To endure suffering and for healing – James 5:13-143. Anxiety and worry – Philippians 4:64. Forgiveness & restoration – Psalms 515. Food – Matthew 6:116. Deliverance from evil – Matthew 6:137. Understanding of God’s will for our life – Colossians 1:98. Our walk with the Lord and spiritual fruit bearing – Colossians 1:109. To be steadfast and patient in our journey with Christ – Colossians 1:1110. A “quick” pray for answers for pressing needs – Nehemiah 2:1-511. God honoring desires of our heart – 1 Samuel 1:9-1112. Boldness to overcome fear, in order to speak the gospel of Jesus Christ – Ephesians 6:19-20Please take some time to consider this list of specific prayer requests. Even better take some time to look up each one. God wants to hear from us on a daily basis and He has promised to meet our needs. Prayer is such a vital and under-tapped source. My prayer is that each of us will learn to linger and be specific in our prayer life. Prayer changes things - prayer changes us, and prayer changes the world around us for the glory of God.My Pleasure...How many times have you gone out to dinner and had an amazing server? What made their service so great?I know there’s been plenty of times I’ve gone out where the service was great and honestly, times that it was less than great. There’s one particular establishment that I always feel welcome at. Any Chick Fil A fans? What makes them stand out? Honestly, it’s two words, “My pleasure.”When I thank the employee helping me, their response is, “My pleasure.” This always makes me feel like they take pleasure in serving me and every other person that comes in. I’m sure there are days they may not feel that way, but their words and actions make a difference.What if we came to our Father with the same pleasure in serving Him? What if we turned our work into an act of service to God? It says in Colossians,
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.Colossians 3:23-24
When I remember this verse it helps me to reframe the way I view everything I do. Whether you are a teacher, mechanic, CEO, mom, or any of a long list of titles, if we look at our work as an act of service, rather than a paycheck or a way to please man, I’d bet our attitude towards it will change.In the same way, our service within our church family would change. When you come in on Sunday morning, do you notice the cheerful greeters or the helpful ushers, bringing you into a worship experience? I’m sure if they were grumpy or unhelpful, you’d notice.I know from talking with so many members of the body, that having the privilege to serve is something that brings joy. Whether you are serving by opening the doors for guests on Sunday morning, or helping people walk through grief in GriefShare, or seeing children grow to know and love Jesus in LPKids, we have the privilege to serve God right here.Sometimes, it may not feel like a privilege. Maybe you wake up and say, “Ugh, I HAVE to….” but in reality, let’s be honest, we GET to do these things. One of our greatest joys as a follower of Jesus is obeying God and his Word. If we look in Psalms, it says,
Serve the LORD with gladness!Psalm 100:2
How can we show up and serve with gladness? Find joy in all the things we GET to do. Every morning you wake up and are given the gift of another day, we GET to serve God. Because Jesus has come to save us as sinners, we have the gift of a relationship with our father. We can show our love to him through acts of service. Let’s serve him with gladness!If you are looking for ways to serve here at LifePoint, let us know! We’d love to help you find a place that allows you to use the skills you have to serve God and others. If you’d like to sign up for one of our ministries visit lifepoint.online/volunteer and fill out the short form and one of our ministry directors will be in touch with you!I pray that you are able to serve our God with joy and gladness each day!Meditation.It’s a word we usually associate with other religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism. As an American who is highly influenced by Hollywood, my first (incorrect) thought is of a monk sitting alone in a temple and chanting quietly.Meditation however, is not exclusive to Eastern religions, and this should certainly not be our perspective of it! The bible actually says that we should practice it on a regular basis. Unfortunately, this is largely ignored in Christianity today. It clashes pretty heavily with our cultural tendency to fill our schedules and “be productive”, so Christians don’t always see it as a priority.Even in our devotions I think we can feel rushed to read a lot of scripture, take a lot of notes, and pray for many prayer requests. I’m certainly not knocking any of those behaviors, but I am simply suggesting that if you feel hurried or burdened to check off all the boxes, meditation is an alternative that is equally effective in drawing closer to God. Here are a couple examples from scripture.
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.Psalm 1:1-3
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.Joshua 1:8
Meditation simply means to think deeply and focus your mind. I think this can best be accomplished when we stop thinking about the next thing, and just dwell on the current thing. Pick a specific passage of scripture, or a specific thing you want to thank God for and stay focused on it. Be purposeful about not moving on to another area of thought. It could look like this:Read a short passage of scripture.Reflect on it.Read it again.Think about how you can apply it.Pray about it.Exhaust all avenues of thought about the scripture. Let it permeate all the areas of your life.Thank God for it.Meditate on it.Wanna hear something funny? Do you trust me?“The most expensive thing in the world is trust. It can take years to earn and just a matter of seconds to lose.”Trust is such a vital thing in all our relationships. I was just talking with a friend of mine down in Florida who told me his wife, “said that she loves me but she’s not sure if she can trust me anymore.”Trust is a funny thing because it is not tangible, but when you no longer have it, it's obvious.The truth is my friend had made some choices that were not the best choices, and the result of those choices are some damaged trust. Now, they are working through it, and I am confident with God’s grace they are going to do just fine.Another funny thing about trust is it is completely a choice. When you decide to trust or not to trust someone, you are making a choice. Now maybe the choice is an obvious no-brainer of a choice, but a choice nonetheless. So there are times in our lives when we are faced with a decision based on circumstances whether we are going to trust someone or not.Sometimes in life the choice is not so obvious, and we struggle with that choice. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” By taking those choices to God and allowing Him to guide you through the rough waters, He can be your source of strength and wisdom. But we have to be willing to hand it over to Him and let Him have control.Make no mistake, relationships are still tough and yes, trust really can be broken in a matter of seconds. But there is One who can always be trusted and has proven that He is trustworthy by laying His life down for us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.Proverbs 3:5–6
Does God really want us to trust Him with everything? Throughout the Bible we can see where God is asking His people, do you trust Me?Do you trust me, O Israel, to only collect a day’s worth of manna? (Exodus 16:15-20)Do you trust me, Achan, to not collect the spoils of the land of Jericho? (Joshua 6:18)Do you trust me, Gideon, to stop hiding in the wine press? (Judges 6:11)Do you trust me, Joseph, to marry the woman with child conceived by the Holy Spirit? (Matthew 1:18-25)It’s easy to say we trust God as we lay our cares at the altar on Sunday, only to begin pacing the floors on Monday. Then, by Tuesday, we’re fully entrenched in our worries and distrust and the weight of those cares is once again on our shoulders.That passage in Proverbs is showing us something very real that we need to take note of. We cannot trust our own understanding or our own feelings. We need to trust the Lord in everything. When we trust Him in everything and stop relying on our own strength, wisdom, talents… He will guide us and help us to walk in His perfect will.Do you trust Him? It’s no longer funny. Do you trust Him? He is the key to life, He is the key to joy, He is the key truth. Do you trust Him?Each and every day, I pray that you Trust Him.This will be quick so give me your next 45 sec? lolUsually for these emails we’re tasked with encouraging YOU. But I just wanted to take a second to say thank you for encouraging ME. Since September, during any given worship service, this phrase has been ringing in my head (you can find it in John 2 and Psalm 69):
“Zeal for your house will consume me.”
I’ve taken a few minutes every time I’m in our auditorium on a Sunday morning to be encouraged by YOUR faith. I look around and see SO many stories, so many seasons of wrestling with God, seasons of deep darkness, seasons of loneliness, seasons of addiction or depression. Yet the passion, the zeal, when you utter to a melody a truth that deep in your soul you know is true, in the house of the Lord, despite the seasons of life you have walked through and walked out of, or maybe are walking right into… That is encouraging to me. And it is a reminder to me that my communion with God is also communion with his people - with YOU.So, that’s all - just thank youQuestion: What do coffee, water in a plant, air in your car, people and your computer all have in common?Answer: They all need to be "refreshed" at times.Just the other day the waiter asked if we wanted our coffee "refreshed." If you don't "refresh" the water in your plants often enough, they will become weak and even die. Air in your car can become stale if it is not "refreshed." Your computer sometimes needs to be "refreshed" in order to operate better. And, as people, we often need another person to "refresh" us.A few days ago I was reading some scripture with another believer. We read the whole book of Philemon in one setting. That may seem like a big deal but the whole book of Philemon only has one chapter of 25 verses. So it's not that big of a deal to read it but as we read I was stuck with one word that appears two times in Philemon. It's the word "refresh" and the Apostle Paul uses it to describe a dear friend of his named Philemon. Among other things, Philemon was a man who had been converted to Christ in Ephesus and then he and his family hosted a house church in the City of Colosse. Consider what Paul says about Philemon in verse 7 -
For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother."Philemon 7 NASB
Philemon was a man who could see when someone was down and in need. He was a man who cared deeply for other followers of Christ. He was a man who did what he could to encourage and "refresh" Christians for the glory of God and for the strengthening of The Church. We can all become discouraged at times but "Thank you Jesus" for those believers who are there to "refresh" us when that happens. In verse 20 we read -Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.Philemon 20 NKJV
The Apostle Paul, as faithful as he was to the Lord, needed encouragement, needed "refreshing." And he knew where to look for it - to a Christian friend named Philemon. We need each other. We need someone who will speak into our life, help us in some way, or just say an encouraging word. Pastor Kevin says quite often: "God gives us three things when we trust Jesus as our Savior - The Holy Spirit, The Word of God, and The Church (people of God)." Philemon was the kind of believer who was willing to open his house for other believers. He was the kind of person who was observant and ready to encourage the hearts of the saints. Take time now to thank God for the people He uses to "refresh" you and then ask Him to help you see others who need to be "refreshed" and then do what you can to make that happen.Have you ever been disappointed because you weren’t invited to something?I don’t know about you but I’ve definitely felt moments where I felt I was being left out because I didn’t receive an invitation.What if you could offer someone an invitation to the greatest thing they will experience? You wouldn’t have to leave anyone off the list because there was a limitless number of invites. Who would be on your invitation list? I know I’d have all my closest friends and family at the top of the list.A few years ago, a coworker and friend kept inviting me to an event. Over and over, she’d ask me to just come once and see what it’s like. She’d share notes from the week before, talk it over, and then leave it in my hands to accept her invitation. I declined for a long time before finally coming. I attended one Christmas play at LifePoint. It took me a year to return but I came back. And then I continued to come every Sunday with her.I know it’s discouraging to hear no every time you invite someone, but what if the next invite will be a yes? I often wonder if she ever felt discouraged as I said no all those times. Her discouragement never came across to me as she showed patience and persistence, likely praying I’d accept one day.As I sit here in the auditorium, I’m looking at the steps of the stage, where name after name has been written. It’s humbling to see the names of so many people who are being prayed for, that they may have a relationship with the Savior.Let me just give you a couple…. Brian, Kristine, Frankie, Hazel, Terry, Susan, John, Ted, Gabe, Sharon…..I could go on and on. There must be a few hundred names here.I’m praying for each of these people to come to know God. But I’m also praying for each person who wrote a name up here. Behind each of the names is one of you, someone who has faith that this person that they are giving to God can be saved. It takes strength and courage to invite a friend or family member, especially if they’ve talked negatively about God. It takes patience to invite that friend or family member after they’ve turned you down over and over. But it takes real love to not give up, knowing that you could be offering them the key to the kingdom of God.This Christmas we hold an invitation to the celebration of our Savior’s birth. It’s an invitation to meet with our King, the true Savior of the world, and the only one who can save each of us.I’m praying for strength, courage, patience, and love for you as you invite those you love to come and know the King.Who will you invite to come and see the King? Email back with the names of those you are inviting and I will be praying that they accept your invitation to come to church and further, accept the invitation that God offers to each of us through Jesus.Merry Christmas!
Hey Church! This week we are going to take a look at my favorite part of the song Jireh.The last few weeks we talked about (1) How God loves us no matter what, (2) That He provides for us and how we can be content in Him, (3) oh wait we haven’t gotten here yet. Let’s do 3...Ok, the last part of this song we are going to look at is just one of the many reasons WHY we can trust God and some practical ways that he provides for us. The song, well, rather Matthew 6, tells us...
If He dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor,How much more will He clothe you?How much more will He clothe you?If He watches over every sparrowHow much more does He love you?How much more does He love you?this is a very lose translation of Matthew 6
Just think about this. Breathe. Uh-oh... thought train coming on...God created the flowers and the trees and the birds and the...bees? (Well, yeah that too.) in Genesis 1. He looked at it all and said it was good.Then he creates....drum rolllllll....us.If you’re like me, you just rolled your eyes and thought to yourself, “Should have stopped at the grizzly bear”. (Thankfully God doesn’t see us that way.) In fact, He sees us the complete opposite. (One of the many reasons I’m glad I’m not God.)Humans...we...you and me....are the pinnacle, the crown jewel, the main attraction, the tour de force, the height, the masterpiece as Ephesians 2:10 (my favorite verse) (Sorry for all the parenthesis.) (I’m not really sorry about all the parenthesis.) Where were we? Oh yeah... Ephesians says we are God’s MASTERPIECE. Everything God created he called good. But when he created humanity? WOW, He said this is VERY GOOD.Don’t you think, that God, would provide then for us if even the lilies are clothed in beauty “beyond Soloman in all of his glory”?Ask yourself this... Is my definition of provision the same as God’s? Take a peek at Matthew 6:25-33...Hi. This week, let’s take a peek at the chorus from Jireh.
Jireh, you are enoughJireh, you are enoughSo I will be content, in every circumstanceJireh, you are enough
Q: Where do we first encounter the name Jehovah-Jireh?A: Genesis 22.If you have ever read Genesis 22, you may come away from that passage thinking wow that’s crazy... Here’s the deal....#storytimeAfter God created Humans, he gave them the choice to follow Him (and trust that he would be enough) or to try to take on the world their own way. Unfortunately for us, our buddies Adam and Eve chose the hard way (relax you would have done the same thing).Because of this, things went, well, wrong. Humanity was cursed from the moment they ate the fruit (Gen 3). But God had a plan. He did then, and he does now, and He just wants us to trust Him.That plan involved a Man named Abraham and a promised son named Isaac. See, Abraham and his wife Sarah were, well, old. Their whole life they were unable to have children and that was a bummer for them. Their deepest desire was to just have a child and after decades, still nothing. Isn’t that discouraging?Then God steps in....I love when this happens.God speaks to Abraham and tells him that He and Sarah will have a son. And that through that son, his glory, and his (God’s) story would be displayed. At first Sarah literally laughed in disbelief, yet Abraham believed that God would provide. He trusted God and flash forward, Sarah was giving birth to Isaac. It was a miracle. Then God does something crazy. He wants to test Abraham.He wants to see if, now that he has what he wanted (a son), he would still put God first. So God tells Abraham to go with His son to offer a sacrifice, only, he told Abraham that Isaac was going to be the sacrifice. Now, I don’t know about you - but I think this is like... wild. But Abraham actually TRUSTS God. Abraham trusts God so much, that He actually was willing to sacrifice the thing he wanted most in life to show God that he loved Him. Imagine that. What would that look like in our lives?So when we sing Jireh, you are enough - It declares a complete trust, complete reliance on God that he will provide for me just what I need when I need it. Even in the things I don’t understand, the things I don’t see, the things that I fear, all of it. It’s saying God, your provision for me is enough. I trust you. I’m going to stop trying to do things my way and I am surrendering to your way, your will, in your time.So I will be content, In every circumstance, means... in every circumstance. Let’s be real, sometimes this is really, really hard. But honestly, when we think about it, this is so liberating. All we need to do is trust God with every part of our life (not just part of it) and he promises to provide for us. How amazing is that?And that is exactly what happened for Abraham. Abraham trusted God with his most prized possession - offering his son as a sacrifice back to God and God recognized Abraham's faith in Him, and provided a ram to sacrifice instead of his son. See, it was all a test. What may God be testing you with? In what situation do you find yourself in that you need to declare God as Jehovah-Jireh? Where do you need to stop striving and start trusting?We believe that God is enough. We believe that He is provider. We believe that he is Good.Next week we will look at God’s goodness and see just how he promises to provide for us!Until then, I hope this helped your understanding of Jireh a little more!I love you church, have a great week!- MattHey there Church, Pastor Matt here. I want to start doing something I think could be fun each month in these little devos we put out each week. I hope you have been enjoying these, our staff works really hard to encourage you and build you up through their own personal experience and willingness to […]
My dog is an idiot. He whines for me to give him food but then doesn’t eat it. When I let him inside he immediately barks to go back outside. He moves to the other side of the couch but can’t figure out why I stopped petting him. Trash trucks are his mortal enemy, he’s […]
I recently just finished an internship at a church in Denver, CO and during the internship we were tasked with reading the New Testament in 60 days. Unfortunately I only made it as far as Matthew 9. Lol BUT it was for a good reason – and I’ll explain why. In Matthew 9, verse 15 […]
In the late 20th century, an inspirational poster was an essential feature of office décor. The format never varied: a black border, a bold-type word, and a forgettable saying, like “Initiative: Take the initiative and lead the way” or “Perseverance: What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” or “Determination: It’s the size […]
Have you ever had a time in your life when it seems like every time you turn around something else goes wrong or you get some not so good news. That seems to have been the norm for me lately. Paul tells us: God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond […]
About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to […]
Have you ever thought about how many conscious decisions you make a day? Think about it, we make decisions from what to wear, what to eat, what route to take to work, how late to stay up, where to invest our time and money, when we should buy a new house, who we’ll marry, the […]
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22 NIV What is your favorite time of the year? Mine is the fall, I love when the trees change colors and the cool crisp air in the mornings and evenings. Yet […]
I Just Want You, Jesus The only way I can keep my mind focused when I talk to God is if I write it all down – sort of like a letter. I have a few notebooks now that are just filled with letters I write to Jesus every morning. Some pages are filled with […]
Share the Light Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” He then explained that no one lights a lamp just to hide it under a basket. A lamp is meant to be placed on a stand to give light to everything around it. Then Jesus said, “let your light shine before others.” (Matthew 5:14-16 […]
I’m horrible at reading comprehension. It was one of the areas in school that I constantly got low grades. For some reason, it takes me several attempts of trying to understand a passage before I finally get who the characters are and what’s happening because I get overloaded with information. Unfortunately, this translates into reading […]
If there was ever a person who had a reason to be frustrated about being known as “the brother of… it was one of Jesus’s disciples named Andrew. Think about this: Peter is mentioned just about 240 times while Andrew is mentioned about 12 times. That could make some people a little jealous, even bitter. […]
Hope in all circumstances Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 I love this verse, because it reminds me where to keep my focus each and every day. But truth be told, it is just not always easy to live […]
Greet One Another Do you know that there are 58 “one another’s” in the New Testament? Fifty-eight times God’s Word instructs us to do something for another person. Please take just a few minutes and read this “Weekly” article to learn about something so important that The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul no less than […]
Transitions can be rough. Sometimes the changes are easier or more difficult to accept than others. Of course, an unwanted change is fully expected to not be an easy adjustment, but even a welcomed, positive, long-awaited, or exciting transition has its subjective difficulties. Whether you’re presented with a new job or opportunity, a change in […]
Who can you trust? Who can you believe? In a world where discovering truth seems to be more and more complicated, what you actually believe is more important than ever. Belief matters—it impacts everything you think, say, and do. The question is, how do you know who or what to believe? Who can you trust? This is the […]
Some of the most powerful moments of prayer in the bible, in my opinion, come from situations where people have gravely messed up. The cries of David in Psalm 51 after being confronted by the prophet Nathan concerning his dealings with Bathsheba and Uriah. The plea of Samson in Judges 16 for the strength to […]
As we finish another cold winter I am really looking forward to spring. Although my favorite time of year is the fall, with cool crisp mornings and warm afternoons (not to mention the beautiful colors of the changing leaves), the older I get the more I can’t wait for spring. The days get longer and […]
Hey Church! Pastor Matt here… I just wanted to take a quick minute today to encourage you with something that really encouraged me this week. One of my favorite writers of all time is a man named A.W. Tozer. He has written so many great pieces that continue to inspire, encourage, and help people get […]
Taking physical steps when you aren’t quite sure of the trustworthiness of what you’re about to put your weight on is, to say the least, quite stressful. At times it’s outright terrifying! Thankfully we can generally go throughout our days without this even being a thought (because how stressful would that be? 😅). The same can apply […]
I know you’re busy right now, but if you’d allow me to step into your day for a few minutes here, I’d like to encourage you with what God has put on my heart for you. Could it be that you’re feeling defeated in life right now? Maybe it’s in your parenting, in a relationship, […]
Hey everyone! Pastor Matt here. Wasn’t the last sermon series on faith great? I really, really enjoyed it! If you missed it, you can go back and watch it HERE. I wanted to take a minute today and share a story with you. This story is from my friend Andrea and it starts all the way […]
The biblical Prophet Jeremiah had this to say about spending time in God’s Word: “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” Jeremiah 15:16 (NLT) Because Jeremiah was God’s child, he was eager to hear what […]
Wow, the sermon on Sunday was an amazing message about moving forward in faith. If you missed it, click here to watch it. No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, you need to move forward in faith. Faith is a funny thing; you can’t see it, you can’t feel it, you can’t […]
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had unique opportunities to connect with people who are not plugged in to a church. Some do not even have a faith background. Our conversations ranged from everyday life things to some of the difficulties of the Christmas season. Yet in just about each encounter, I’ve noticed a hunger […]
Today the sun will set at 4:18PM. I know, I know. You probably didn’t want to read that information (sorry 🥴). If it weren’t for the holidays, I’d really struggle to enjoy this time of the year not only because of the cold, but probably more so because of the lack of daylight. I know […]
It’s December already – can you believe it? Another year has passed. Another year of dealing with “unprecedented” circumstances. But in spite of “unprecedented” times, God still calls His children to genuine worship. He calls us to make disciples. He calls us to faithful and obedient service. He calls us to point others to Christ […]
Wow. Can you believe that we are celebrating Thanksgiving again? It seems like this past year has flown by with so many things happening; trying to get back to normalcy in our lives after all the changes through the pandemic, yet still having to deal with the busyness of everyday life that somehow hasn’t seemed […]
Today in America we observe Veterans Day. A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. There is no doubt that we enjoy the freedoms we have here because brave men and women have made sacrifices in order to protect those freedoms, […]
Want some bad advice? You’ve come to the right place. I saw this online the other day: “Think ahead 10 years to what would make you famous, and focus on that.” It sounds like joke advice right? But it is real. And it was aimed at people in their twenties. It was just assumed that […]
Songs are always popping in my head. I don’t know why they do, but they do. And when they do, I sing them (usually out loud), just like my dad used to. It doesn’t matter where I am or who I’m around. Now I don’t know what songs are playing in your head at random […]
I don’t know about you, but I LOVED having Pastor Vernon and Mary Smith here this past weekend. When I hear the word “missionary,” their faces come to mind. I’ve had the privilege of seeing their work in action in Tanzania and experiencing the power of their passion first hand. I’m always amazed at how […]
“Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:23–24 (ESV) Genesis 5:23,24 has always struck a chord with me. The simplicity of God’s word speaks loud and clear. The consistency of a man named Enoch echoes through the ages as an […]
What a great message on Reconciliation we heard last Sunday from James Wagstaff. If you have not yet heard it, I encourage you to listen to it by clicking here. Reconciliation starts with understanding that we are lost sinners in need of a Savior, then confessing our sinful condition and placing our trust in The […]
Being labeled a “sellout” isn’t a good thing, to put it lightly. It usually means that someone has betrayed a cause, set of values, or relationship. Never good! Being sold out however, is quite different. “Sold out” means completely committed, devoted, and totally engaged. This is high praise. On two occasions during His ministry, once at […]
Do you ever try to be the lone wolf? Sometimes I try to do things all by myself thinking that my way is the best way, so it will just be easier if I just do it by myself. But the project always takes longer and turns out harder than I ever thought it would […]
You have been there. In a “discussion” with a friend, spouse, boss, parent, child, and someone blurts out this loaded question… WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? At one point or another you have probably been on both sides of this interaction. When asked of us, we often believe the answer should be obvious. And […]
Where is God? Everyone has asked that question. You’ve asked it, I’ve asked it. It can be easy to do when we see tragedy and evil happening in the world. I have no doubt that many people have asked that question relating to what’s been happening in Afghanistan and Haiti. I’ve even heard people in […]
The above definition is how Merriam Webster defines revival. A noun. A state of being. In a very literal sense this is true. I want to suggest that revival is so much more! Revival is active and living. Revival is God-breathed, powerful life change! Revival is All In! Revival is Always, Only Jesus! Revival is […]
What is it that you have given up praying for? I want you to think about that and identify something. I can start. This is a heart check for me, but I’ll be honest with you. It’s praying for lost family members. It’s not that I don’t believe God can save them. It’s not even […]
Hey everyone! Pastor Matt here, I wanted to take a few moments today to talk about our CLASS 301. Now, maybe you have already taken 301 Discovering my Spiritual gifts, or maybe you haven’t started your CLASS journey yet, but I just wanted to give a little preview (or review) of some of what is […]
What gets you out of the bed in the morning, or at 2 AM when your baby needs his diaper changed? What causes you to be giving when you have a laundry list of needs and desires of your own? What allows you to step out in faith when everything that you can see and […]
We have a room in our house that we use as a storage space for the time being, until we find a greater use for the space or need the space as our family eventually grows. If you look on Pinterest at what some people’s storage spaces look like, you see stills of flawlessly organized […]
Have you ever done something stupid? raising my own hand 🙋♂️ You get mad over nothing, you don’t follow through on something you said you would do, you say a few words in traffic while you’re running late for work that you wish you could take back… We’ve all been there. And we promise ourselves […]
While recently listening to The Q 99.7FM, I heard the words below. They were written by Brant Hanson as a parody song on people in an office/company setting who flagrantly leave their left-over food in the shared refrigerator. “We’ve asked so nicely, O we’ve asked ten times, We sent a memo, We send it office […]
What do you find most refreshing on a hot day? When my in-laws lived in Maine, my wife and I would always go spend a week or two with them during the summer. They had the most amazing porch swing that folded out flat like a bed, and from its position on the porch you […]
If you’ve ever taken a walk in a densely wooded area with no trail, navigated through the streets of Boston, or even just through an unfamiliar Walmart Superstore, you know how easy it can be to lose your bearings. You know where you want to get to—that’s not the problem. The problem is the countless […]
Most of us are known for a handful of words or phrases we say all the time. Some we’ve made up, but most we have picked up from others. “Praise the Lord” is one of those phrases I have picked up while being a Christian. It’s a phrase I say often… But could afford to […]
Who or what is the one person or thing that you know will always be there for you? Your one constant, constant meaning never changing. I thought, “Well, of course my family! My husband Dennis, my kids, my sisters, close friends, are always there when I need them.” Then I thought, “Yeah, okay, but what […]
We all know that technology is such a blessing, although yes it can be (and sometimes is) a curse. But honestly, how amazing is it to have a supercomputer right in your pocket? If you want to know the weather for this weekend or what’s going on, you don’t have to wait until the 5 […]
You’re ready for it. You’ve worked for it. You’ve studied for it. Others have told you you deserve it, or you’ve earned it. You’ve prepared for it. Most importantly, you’ve prayed for it. But…you wait. In your waiting you begin to question God. Does He really hear you? Are your prayers bouncing off the ceiling? […]
Boy has life been different since March of 2020. Things we took for granted are no longer expected. Things like going to a concert, going out to dinner, attending a sporting event, even attending a church service have all changed. The experiences of student life have all changed. Visiting someone in a nursing home or […]
Forest Gump once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” But we all know the feeling when a friend hands you the box to pick just one out. You find yourself in quite the predicament. Which one do I choose? There are too many options. Options can […]
If you are anything like me, it is easy to get into a routine of life only to find yourself going through the motions without even a second thought. You can get into such a flow of work that you can breeze through your assignments, even the tough ones, while your head is somewhere else. […]
I really enjoy reading biographies. I love the suspense of seeing the stories unfold as people journey into the unknowns of life. Even though every story is unique, you find yourself relating to the lives of complete strangers. As of late, I have been reading biographies of Christian men and women throughout the ages. It […]
What were you thinking? A phrase no one wants to hear but that often elicits the response, “I wasn’t!” But truth be told, it’s most often our thinking that sets us up for a fall. It’s so often in the mind that the battle is won or lost. No doubt, for me, the biggest and most […]
This week my husband Jonathan and I had a home efficiency company come to our home and evaluate what we (and when I say we I mean they) could do to make our home, well, more energy efficient. We had an appointment set up and late Monday morning they arrived. We brought them in and let […]
You may be familiar with Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Believe it or not, that’s actually the passage […]
It was beginning to SNOW as I wrote the devo for this week and my first thought was, “Yuck.” Who wants to move all that SNOW? Who wants to get their car all dirty as a result of all that SNOW? Who wants to deal with a New England Nor’easter? Who wants to deal with SNOW drifts? Who wants to be […]
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all […]
A new year often brings a new hope and a new drive to many. A hope to get fit, a hope to get out of debt, a hope to get a new job, a hope to whatever your new year’s resolution is. Unfortunately for most, by mid to late February, that hope has given way to […]
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring […]
Governor Baker said this week in a COVID-19 update that a recent survey indicated that 70% of MA residents intend to celebrate Christmas “less” this year, being alone at home or with their immediate family, and 30% said they will celebrate Christmas with people outside their household this year. It’s not going to be the same this […]
When was the last time you dwelt on the grace of God? Like, really dwelt on the grace that He has extended toward you before you knew Him up until today, and toward the rest of humankind in coming down from Heaven so that we could be reconciled to Him? Sometimes the gap between sitting […]
We’ve all been in this place… so I won’t spend too much time explaining it, but let me set the scene. You’re running around all day at work. You rush home to whip together the same dinner you make every week. You drop the kids off for youth group, or practice, or lessons or something. […]
When it came to Paul, he so often brought together Thanksgiving and Prayer. It was foundational to his relationship with Christ, the Church, and the Gospel. It was of greatest importance. Paul had a special relationship with the church at Phillipi. They were partners. Their lives intersected. They were so thankful for Paul bringing them […]
Do you feel the overwhelming pressure society places on you? The pressure to succeed, to pressure to be powerful, the pressure to have it all together? Unfortunately, we are all too often defined by our accomplishments. We find our value based on our achievements, our victories, and our wins instead of acknowledging God as the […]
Recently we have been doing some renovations in our home. It has been a long process because we have done it ourselves and in steps. We are coming to the end of our renovations now, and I am getting really excited to see the finished product. When I step back and look at the before […]
As I was praying about putting this week’s blog post together, it seemed that God was directing me to share something about prayer in relationship to husbands and wives. My mind immediately went to three very specific prayer requests Yvonne (my wife) has offered over our years together. The first one happened when I had been […]
“I just can’t wait until things get back to N O R M A L” …how many times do you think you have heard that in the last few months? OK now, how many times have YOU said that in the last few months? I catch myself saying this ALL the time (especially when I […]
Who would have guessed that investing in a company that makes personal protective masks would be the investment of the decade? Just a year ago, who among us would have believed that wearing a mask would become such a massive part of our lives? And yet, here we are. Personal protective equipment currently holds an […]
If there’s one thing I keep learning and keep being reminded of in my spiritual life, it’s of the comfort that Scripture brings. Of the sweetness of a timely word (Prov. 15:23). I keep learning this because, well, I keep forgetting… Until a timely word comes my way again. I would argue that little else brings […]
The gospels are filled with wonderful and true stories of people whose lives were forever changed by a moment with Jesus. They come in every size, shape, circumstance and experience. The wonder and beauty of these encounters is that they are not only inspirational, but they all have application for us. There is eternal, life-sculpting, […]
These last few months have had many ups and downs with the COVID-19 virus, and all the regulations and rules that go along with it. What you can and cannot do, where you can and cannot go—it has been very challenging for me to not get caught up in all the negativity that is all […]
Be still. Really, before reading on, take just a moment to be still in the presence of God. When was the last time you took the time for that? Maybe it was this morning, last week, or last month. I’m usually the first to say that I’m very busy. I know that you are busy, […]
Is it just me, or do you find it easy to give a quick, “it’s all good,” or, “I’m fine,” when someone asks how you’re doing? Why is that? Why is it so hard to be real and authentic, especially with other Christians who know what it’s like to be a sinner and yet still […]
I have a plant in my house that I have owned for 17 years. It was a gift from when I had opened my salon back in 2003. When it was given to me, it was a typical counter sized plant. I kept it on a plant stand near the window in the salon until […]
Hello LifePoint Church family, I truly hope you are doing well and continuing to grow in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Kevin says it often – “Jesus love you like crazy” and it is so true. This past weekend we were blessed by seeing twelve people make their public profession of faith in Jesus […]
It was 2015, Lindsey and I had been married only a few short months. We were looking out the window of our apartment in downtown Chicopee wondering if anyone would show up for our very first LifeGroup meeting. We had talked about hosting a LifeGroup and it was something we were very excited to do […]
Is it just me, or do you ever struggle with feelings of inadequacy? Feeling like you’re not good enough? Or like you just don’t have it in you to do the things God has called you to? You’re not alone my friend. I’ve struggled with those feelings for a long time, but it has been especially […]
Over the past several months we have leaned heavily on the wise words from Romans 12:10, to Love one another with brotherly affection and to outdo one another in showing honor. These words should be etched in every aspect of your life as a constant reminder of the grace that God has given you. Today, as the […]
We have seen in our series Lost and Found that Jesus’ love causes him to look on people who are in pain with compassion. Pain, as we all have experienced, can reveal itself in so many different forms. Jesus demonstrates to us the ability to step into someone else’s pain and be a vessel that brings healing. This past […]
Have you ever decided to try and start something new? Maybe you want to learn a new language, learn to play an instrument, start running, or even learn to paint! It can be exciting to try new things (especially during times like these), but sometimes starting something new can be a bit daunting. I’ve oftentimes […]
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain’s widely used definition defines pain as, “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential damage.” We have all dealt with pain in our lives. Whether it is physical pain, mental anguish, emotional […]
Tuesday morning, my wife was checking her Facebook page and came across a video of four college-age people which reminded me of some incredible words from Jesus found in the Book of Acts 20:35—”…the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” In the video, the friends had ordered a […]
I’ve been thinking a lot about the still small voice of God that was heard by Elijah on the mountain. It amazes me to know that the same still small voice is speaking to us today. It is often in the quiet and stillness, in the small and often unnoticed, that God speaks and teaches […]