“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) How we handle money reveals a great deal about the depth of our commitment to Christ. That’s why Jesus often talked about money. Money mattered then every bit as much as it matters today. Regrettably, money matters too much for some of us today – but in the wrong ways. Tithing is a controversial spiritual principle that many church leaders shun because they […]

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Most of us carry “smart” phones in our pockets today. These are phones that come with data plans, meaning we are connected 24/7. No matter where we are, we can check out and post to our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Snapchat accounts. We can also stay on top of breaking news; send and receive texts from our friends. You get the picture. I don’t agree living in a connected world is always a good […]

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4) I was listening to my pastor talk about God’s interest in having fellowship with us and thought to myself: Was God lonely when he created us? Being lonely is a state of being sad because we are not around people. It’s important to understand that before he created us, […]

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) If I were to ask you, who said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”, the vast majority of you would answer Abraham Lincoln, and you would be correct. In fact, those words came from a speech Lincoln made against slavery over 150 years ago. What you may not realize is that Lincoln wasn’t the first person to utter those words. The thought actually […]