In the year 715 BC, Shalmanezer, the King of Assyria besieged the Northern Kingdom of Israel. For three years, his army starved the nation of Israel until finally they surrendered. In 712 BC, the northern Kingdom crumbled, Israelite citizens were marched off to a foreign land, and Assyria began to rule…

Introduction Last week, we began considering the relationship between praise and thanks and how we are called in this Psalm to verbalize or express our gratitude. That expression should include some discussion of God’s attributes and the affect that he has on us, on creation, and even on his enemies.…

Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Over the next…

Paul Confronts Peter approx. AD 40 Peter was eating with a group of Gentile believers - maybe a church picnic. He had shared the gospel with Gentiles and had received confirmation from the Holy Spirit that salvation is for them too. Some guys from James came to the same picnic - these guys where part…

Introduction In his profound book on the importance of prayer in the life of a congregation, John Onwuchekwa shares this quote - which is attributed to several different people including Martin Luther: To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther…

In the run up to the 1988 Presidential Election, Vice President George H.W. Bush famously said “Read my lips: no new taxes.” He was running on a platform of consistency. He sought to take the policies and success of the Reagan years into a new term. He, in essence, swore an oath, made a promise to American…

On the night before Jesus was crucified, He told his disciples And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Jesus went to the cross, leaving them hope beyond the cross, hinting at the resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom…

Mistakes along the way? In February of 1995, nearly 30 years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a clear way that has impacted the course of my life - and yet it has not been without mistakes and missteps. He urged me to go to the church the Danielle grew up at and help out with the youth ministry. The…

One of my favorite bands is the group “Switchfoot.” While I like their sound (it is unique and often very easily identifiable), what I like most is their lyrics. Switchfoot is a band that is made up of Christians. Their lyrics and songs have made their way onto both Christian and secular charts and into…

There are decisions that all of us make on a daily basis. Some of those are minor and relatively inconsequential, others are major and potentially life altering. Some impact only us (or so we think), where others reap ramifications on our families, church, workplaces, school, community, and more. How…