I WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” —2 CORINTHIANS 12:9My life had been the perfect success story, the great American dream fulfilled. But all at once, I realized that it was not my success God had used to enab...  Read More

Job 1:6-12 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.  The Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”  The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and ...  Read More

Job 1:6-12 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.  The Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”  The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and ...  Read More

Read Acts 2:14-41What is this passage saying?The Jewish festival of weeks was taking place in Jerusalem, meaning there was an influx of the Jewish community in the area. The large crowds you see are here to celebrate many things from Israel’s history, one being the coming of the law that we see detailed in the book of Exodus. Now Peter being filled with The Holy Spirit goes on to preach one of the...  Read More

Read Acts2:1-13“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave the...  Read More

Read Acts1:12-26What is this passage saying?The disciples have returned to Jerusalem, waiting for The Holy Spirit as Jesus had commanded them. They are not just sitting idle but united they devote themselves to prayer; prayer and expectance for the things that Jesus promised would come. In the waiting they put forth two names to replace Judas as an apostle. They didn’t take a vote on it, but caste...  Read More

What is this passage saying?Luke is recounting briefly at the beginning of this book the events and purpose of the Gospel of Luke. He is reminding them of the ministry of Christ, His commands to the disciples, the proofs of Christ’s resurrection, and how the disciples are to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of The Holy Spirit. Before Jesus’ ascension to heaven, He tells them that when The Holy Spi...  Read More

Job 1:1-5There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.  Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.  His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.  His sons used to go and hold a feas...  Read More

Proverbs 2:1-221 My son, if you will receive my wordsAnd treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom,Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment,Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silverAnd search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LordAnd discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lor...  Read More

Nehemiah 13:23-31In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.  As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.  So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give...  Read More

Never Bring a Horse to a Tank FightThere is something about 2 am. I don’t think the devil takes much time off in the day but I know for sure he pulls double shifts at night. I can’t go back far enough to recall a day where I didn’t struggle with the terror by night that causes my stomach to flutter, my skin to glisten with sweat as I think about all the different ways I could die at my own hands. ...  Read More

The Game Before the GameWhile cleaning out a closet in our house recently, my wife and I stumbled upon a collection of my old sermon notes from when I first began preaching. In the earliest of days I would actually pace around and record the message into a little hand-held tape recorder and play it back so I could hear how it was going to sound, and then sometimes if I didn’t like it, the process ...  Read More