Having a Good Heart, Just Like You pt3Dear Church Family and Friends,  Is your heart good, or not?  How can you know?  Does God's rescue and restorative work leave us in our former selfish-oriented condition?  Or, is there real hope for a deep change in us that makes our hearts good again?No one knows our true self more than God.  In all of our efforts to do the right things, to do good and be a b...  Read More

Loyalty Rewarded in Tough Times, Just Like You pt 2Dear Church Family and Friends,  The popular culture had shifted away from loyalty to God.  People were doing strange things in their relationships with others--perverted, selfish things.  Loss of life had no bigger story to frame it.  Grief and hardship were common.  Oppression from regional bullies prevailed. Sound familiar?  It ought to, becaus...  Read More

The Strong Man's Gamble, Just Like You, Pt 1This message shows how Samson, a man set apart and empowered by God, repeatedly gambled with his calling by living carelessly in his flesh, yet never fell beyond the reach of God’s sovereign purpose. We’ll see that real strength is not in our gifting, personality, or willpower, but in humble dependence on the God who called us, is patient with us, and ca...  Read More

Your Best YesDear Church Family and Friends,  Imagine a life where our words and actions match so closely that they move in step like ballroom dancers. In a culture filled with loopholes, exceptions, and half-promises, Jesus invites people into a simpler way of living- where yes actually means yes, and no actually means no.A life where our words consistently match our actions, and our ordinary yes...  Read More

The Gift ProclaimedDear Church Family and Friends,  "You have a free gift!"  How many of you have received a notice that you were sent a gift card or were being given some valuable opportunity?  Once you have sorted out the spam and phishing from a real gift, there is an anticipation of something good that rises in your heart. After going to great lengths to plan the ultimate gift and to prepare p...  Read More

The Gift PreparedDear Church Family and Friends,  Anyone who has had a great gift idea for another knows that once you have the idea you have to implement a plan to provide it.  In the case of an experience, it may take lots of logistical planning and coordination to bring it about.  God went to great lengths and literally orchestrated heaven and earth, people and places, in order to provide Jesus...  Read More

The Gift pt 1, The Gift PlannedDear Church Family and Friends,  When someone really loves another person, they give special thought to what would be best for them.  You know that a person or circle of people around your life really care when they give thought to what you need or want and then seek to make that possible.  In fact, the very best gifts you have received in life probably came from som...  Read More

Threading the Needle (Philemon)Dear Church Family and Friends,  Much of the time, conflict is not simple. There's many factors at play and often the solution for resolution feels like a needle in a haystack. However, if we walk through these tricky situations with honoring God as our focus and a heart posture of humility we'll find that conflict can be an opportunity for growth, discipleship, and ...  Read More

Getting Along pt 2, turning tension to gratitude pt 1Dear Church Family and Friends,  Sometimes we have ongoing conflict or tension in our relationships because we don't see or can't imagine what God may be doing in those relationships.  But if we can learn from stories like those of Joseph, we will be able to believe that there is a bigger picture surrounding our lives and interactions with other...  Read More

Getting Along, turning tension to gratitude pt 1Dear Church Family and Friends,  Do you ever get anxious during the holidays knowing that you are going to be with family or extended family for a few days?  Most families have some points of tension that they have to navigate with their relatives.  It can be things that are insignificant and relatively trivial annoyances, or it can be unresolved big...  Read More

Critical Connections in Christ  (Colossians 4:7-18)  Dear Church Family and Friends,  The older a person gets, the more important certain relationships become.  One's focus starts to move away from "client/transactional" relationships to family and friends, many of whom have been in the person's life for decades.In Christ-centered community, those family members and friends in the Lord with whom w...  Read More

Relating to Others in Christ   (Colossians 3:18-4:6)Dear Church Family and Friends,  Ever wish there was a simple roadmap to relationships at home, or at work, or out in the community?  Is there some pattern that every Christian should follow in our circles of relationships?  The Apostles sought to establish all Christians in some basic guidelines for our relationships. In Christ, there is a way ...  Read More