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Wealth in God’s Way

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24 Yesterday, we discussed how God wants to prosper us. However, when I talk about this concept, it’s important to clarify what I mean when I use the word. Unfortunately, the idea of prosperity has been distorted and taken out of context by a number of teachers through the years and this has given rise to something called the “Prosperity Gospel,” which centers around worldly wealth. When I was attending Oral Roberts University, I listened to a guest speaker who had the entire audience put their hands up in the air, grab some imaginary riches, and say “Money Cometh!” Somehow, he claimed, if you spoke a fortune into existence, it would divinely find

January 18, 2021 1 Comment

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

Born to Triumph

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’” – Revelation 5:5 Merry Christmas! Though it’s been an unprecedented and bumpy road that’s brought us to this December 25, today can be a milestone we’ll never forget, because when we walk through seasons of turmoil and loss, God brings our hearts closer to that which is eternal. While our focus in times gone by has been on entertaining, presents, and holiday “perfection,” this year has made it clear what’s most important. In 2020, none of us will take for granted good health, food on our table, a job that pays the bills, or the loved ones who surround us (even virtually). More importantly, we won’t forget the Guest of Honor at our Christmas

December 25, 2020 No Comments

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

Rejection Becomes Rejoicing

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” – Psalm 118:22-24 Every Sunday for almost 60 years, someone has gotten up on the pulpit of our church and commenced service by exclaiming, “This is the day that God has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Although many know that this verse is from Psalm 118, few are familiar with its context. Strangely enough, this powerful proclamation was made in response to the builders of the temple rejecting a stone that ultimately became the cornerstone. But what does this have to do with being joyful? To better understand, it’s helpful to picture a group of architects and builders standing around picking out the most perfect and pristine stones from a

December 21, 2020 No Comments

Get Back Up

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 When I finished seminary, the average time a graduate spent in pursuit of ministry was just five years. Even after countless hours of formal education and the sacrifice of months spent studying and training, the unforeseen yet inevitable challenges of doing the Lord’s work in a fallen world are too much for many. And unfortunately, this isn’t just true in ministry. Most people stay at a job for an average of four years before moving on in search of something better. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it speaks to the truth that consistency in any endeavor is hard, because it comes at a cost. In whatever we undertake, there’s a “honeymoon” period when things are new and exciting, and the

December 12, 2020 3 Comments

Mercy in Pinnacle Moments

“Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’” – Judges 16:28 There’s no doubt that the story of Samson is a sad one. He was endowed by God with a great gift, but his appetite for earthly things led him to an untimely demise. Over a course of years, he broke all three pillars of his Nazarite vow, and when Delilah seduced him into sharing that his long hair was the key to his power, she turned him over to Philistine warriors — the very ones he had been set apart to conquer. After gouging out his eyes and sending him to prison, they held a great feast to thank their god, Dagon, for his help in capturing their enemy. As part of the evening’s festivities,

December 7, 2020 No Comments

The Gift in Sacrifice

“As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.” – Judges 15:14,15 Samson was set apart by God to deliver his people from the evil Philistines, and in return for abstaining from touching anything deceased, drinking no wine, and not cutting his hair, he was endowed with incredible supernatural strength that enabled him to knock down buildings, tear apart gates of iron, and kill 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey. This made the Philistines rightfully afraid of him, and it caused them to think twice before coming after God’s people. Strangely, in spite of his superhuman abilities, Samson was constantly tempted to break his Nazarite vow

December 5, 2020 1 Comment

Wealth in God’s Way

The Root of the Problem

Born to Triumph

His Life Is the Light of Men

Rejection Becomes Rejoicing

Get Back Up

Mercy in Pinnacle Moments

The Gift in Sacrifice

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