Luke 1:1-4 “Knowing the Real Jesus”

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Life is full of mysteries. Where did we come from? What happens when we die? What is love? Why is the sink full again? Many historical mysteries have never been solved. Where is Cleopatra’s tomb? Who has Jack the Ripper? Who built Stonehenge? What’s the deal with the Bermuda Triangle? For many of us men in the room, the biggest mystery is where we left our keys, or what are women thinking? …

All the Good Promises – The Book of Joshua

When God calls us to faith-filled obedience and promises to be with us, we can rest assured that he will keep his promises. In other words, you can stake everything on the promises of God. The Old Testament book of Joshua displays this truth in story form. From crossing the Jordan River and the battle of Jericho to the death of Joshua, we’re told that:

Not one word of all the good promises that the

Moving On – Joshua 24

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Who will be our next leader? In the coming days and weeks, our nation will say farewell to the man who has been leading us, and a new leader will arise. Who will it be, and how will they lead us?
So much has happened in the last few years. Our nation looks and feels nothing like it did just a few short years ago. In fact, the pace of the last

Praying During an Election Cycle

INTRODUCTION

As I write this letter, many of you have already cast votes in the 2024 election. I know this because many of you have sent pictures of you and your kids standing in line at the polls. Praise God. This week, I want to exhort you to prayer and preparation for the future. First, prayer.

PRAYER IN TROUBLOUS TIMES

Essentially, the Old Testament book of Habakkuk is the record of one man’s prayers and …

Of Midwives & Monarchs

INTRODUCTION

Less than 500 hours remain until the election of the next President of the United States. While the national attention is aimed at that election not nearly enough of us have considered the importance of down-ballot elections. Yet, these down-ballot elections will have as much (if not more) personal consequence in our own states, cities, and towns than the next occupant of the Oval Office. Christians blessed with the freedom to vote in elections …

The Issues & Our Vote

INTRODUCTION

We don’t have time for a deep dive into Christian positions on every political and public policy issue. However, for this week’s letter from the pastor, I’m outlining 5 broad headings that ought to be in your mind as you consider your vote in the upcoming election. But before we dive in, a few reminders:

The Church is inherently political, but we aren’t partisan, up to a point. When I say the church is …

Promised Rest – Joshua 13-22

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I was sitting in a beach chair, looking out into the Gulf Coast, trying my best not to think about anything. We were a few weeks into our sabbatical, away from ministry, away from home and just trying to rest. A barge, carrying a large LCD billboard passed by advertising that perhaps, we beach bums could use a certain adult beverage to help us relax. 30 minutes later, the same barge, which

The Failure of Secularism

INTRODUCTION

“How’s that working for you?” For decades, this has been a catchphrase for the popular TV counselor known as Dr. Phil which he employs to help people realize their dysfunctional behavior. “How’s that working for you,” forces the individual to self-evaluate; to recognize that their status quo isn’t working at all.

For decades, America has experimented with secularism; the idea that our public life can be governed apart from or uninformed by religion. In …

The Surprising Mercy of God – Joshua 6-12

ALL THE GOOD PROMISES
The Lord Fights
Joshua 6-12

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“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character of all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” So says Richard Dawkins in his 2006 NYT Bestseller, The God Delusion. In the same book Dawkins argued that the …