Hope

The Root of the Problem

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.’” – Matthew 5:27-29 As Christians, we should constantly seek to become more like Jesus. While this is an everyday aspiration, looking ahead to a new year gives us an opportunity to commit ourselves again to the call of discipleship. In light of our divided culture — one in which social media has given everyone a platform — many of us feel a burden to cultivate unity. More than ever, we’re zealous about bringing divine justice and mercy to earth, yet

December 28, 2020 No Comments

Healed Hearts Change the World

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3 Today, we officially begin the countdown to a new year, and if you’re anything like me, I’m really looking forward to a fresh start. There’s something about the promise and possibility of the next season that fills my heart with hope, and I pray that it does for you, too. That said, as we look at the state of our world in these times, what we see can be disheartening. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, social and political wounds run deep in our culture. Knowing this, I believe now is a better time than ever to embrace the truth that every positive change begins with Jesus in us. There’s an old song that says “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” While I used to think it was really cheesy, I’ve come

December 26, 2020 1 Comment

His Life Is the Light of Men

“Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11 Christmas Eve has arrived, and although it looks a bit different this year, my prayer is that you are embracing the power of the One whom we celebrate and that He is filling your life with the gifts of His Spirit. In that vein, today, I want to talk about the third and final offering the Magi brought to Jesus, and how it gives us a source of fresh hope in the midst of a tough season. While gold signifies that the Lord reigns over the kingdoms of earth and incense represents His authority in the Kingdom of Heaven, myrrh speaks to His victory over the grave. Used as an embalming oil in ancient times, this valuable gift foreshadowed His crucifixion, but more importantly, it revealed His greater plan and purpose. Though

December 24, 2020 1 Comment

The Wonder of Worship

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” – Matthew 2:11 The second offering the Magi presented to Jesus was frankincense, otherwise simply known as incense. Like the gold they brought to Him in abundance, incense was a valuable commodity in the ancient world, and it was used traditionally in temple worship and burned ceremonially by the priests as an offering to the Lord. Known for its calming and healing properties, this second in the trio of original Christmas gifts offers us a message of hope and encouragement in years like this one. Just as gold signifies that Jesus has dominion over the affairs of history, incense denotes that He reigns supreme in the Heavenly realm. While there is a very real spiritual battle raging around us, the baby who was born in Bethlehem triumphed over Satan when

December 23, 2020 No Comments

A Glory Greater Than Gold

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” – Matthew 2:1,2 The Christmas story is full of unexpected encouragement, and though it’s become almost too familiar, its many truths take on new meaning in seasons of testing like the one in which we’re living. I believe this is especially true as we examine the gifts the Magi brought to Jesus — each one of them has the potential to help us as we sort through the 2020 experience. To offer some background, unlike traditional depictions of the nativity, there were probably a lot more than three “wise men.” In fact, the party that traveled from the east was more like

December 22, 2020 No Comments

Don’t Waver!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23 Today, I want to encourage you not to waver, wait, or wander when it comes to walking out God’s plan for your life. In the Old Testament, the Lord told Moses again and again that great and mighty things would happen through him if he agreed to lead the Israelites out of slavery. However, being stubborn and full of self-doubt, he said no four times and offered a laundry list of excuses as to why he shouldn’t be the one to rescue his people from the hand of Egyptians. His refusal caused God’s anger to burn against him, yet the Lord remained gentle and merciful, constantly affirming that He would go before him. Even better, he commissioned his brother Aaron to speak on his behalf so he wouldn’t have to worry about

December 14, 2020 No Comments

Righteousness is Greater Than Regret

“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.” – Philippians 3:13,14 Yesterday, we looked at how Paul considered all of his worldly accomplishments garbage compared to the gift of having Jesus as His Savior. Knowing that, I’m almost certain that his impassioned letter to the church at Philippi was, in part, a response to a past that he wasn’t proud of. Though his previous transgressions were repugnant to him, his encouragement to fellow believers was to forget what was behind, strain toward what was ahead, and press on. You see, while it sounds crude, Paul understood that the only way to escape the stench of trash was to move farther away from it, and this remains true in our lives today. No matter

December 11, 2020 No Comments

The Immovable Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” – John 1:1,2 Well, it’s December of 2020, and we’re preparing to welcome Christmas once again. That said, there’s no doubt that this year looks different. As we continue navigating the ever-changing currents of the COVID-19 situation, flexibility and sacrifice seem to be essentials for survival. While we embrace the holiday season with the knowledge that our country — and our planet — is in a state of uncertainty, we can apply our hearts with greater understanding to the story of Jesus’ birth. You see, on the night He came, Mary and Joseph’s world looked dark. They were in a strange city, she was dealing with the pain of labor, and they couldn’t find a quiet place for her to rest and give birth. I imagine

December 1, 2020 No Comments

The Kingdom of No Labels or Limits

“David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” – 1 Samuel 17:14,15 One of the things we forget about David is that he was young and almost naively courageous. Since he was the last born and lowest on the family food chain, he was entrusted with caring for the flocks. Unfortunately, being a shepherd in his time was the lowliest of professions, and it was usually reserved for eleven or twelve-year-old boys or fifteen to sixteen-year-old girls. Therefore, for David, being a young 20-something man and tending sheep was far from a badge of honor. Though he was gifted in many ways, it seems he was nearly invisible to his father, and his natural skills and abilities went largely unnoticed by his family. Thankfully, he had a deep and soul-building relationship with God, and

November 24, 2020 No Comments

About the Music: “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

We are so blessed by our Voices of Hope Children’s Choir! Here they are performing their rendition of “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” accompanied by the Hour of Power Choir and Orchestra. This beautiful anthem was developed in 1955, with the words written by Jill Jackson and the melody by her husband, Sy Miller. Jill, after having experienced a sharp dip in her depression which led to her attempted — and failed — suicide, her heart then opened wide and willing to God’s unconditional love. She discovered from that moment on that she has a purpose, and her life and talent for music were valuable. A decade later, Sy and Jill went to a California retreat in the mountains where they met an array of young people with various socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. This week-long retreat was dedicated to exploring friendship through education and conversation. Introducing their song

January 25, 2018 No Comments

The Root of the Problem

Healed Hearts Change the World

His Life Is the Light of Men

The Wonder of Worship

A Glory Greater Than Gold

Don’t Waver!

Righteousness is Greater Than Regret

The Immovable Word

The Kingdom of No Labels or Limits

About the Music: “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

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