"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." — 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

What moves you to serve?

The message that God gave you does not involve church, communion, baptism, church membership, service, or ministry. The very message that sends us out to make a difference in the lives of other people is the cross of Christ.

That is the motivation. Paul wrote that the love of Christ compels us.

Not guilt. Not obligation. Not pressure from others. Not trying to earn points with God. The love of Christ.

When you truly understand what Jesus did for you—when the cross moves from information to revelation—something changes inside you. You can't stay the same. You can't stay seated. You can't stay silent.

His love compels you.

What will move you from your seat in this building into ministry in the days to come? It will be the power of the cross. Nothing else has staying power. Nothing else will sustain you through difficulty. Nothing else will keep you going when ministry gets hard.

Guilt will burn out. Obligation will wear thin. People-pleasing will exhaust you.

But love? Love keeps going. Love doesn't quit. Love compels.

When was the last time you meditated on the cross? When was the last time you sat in awe of what Jesus did? When was the last time His sacrifice moved you to tears?

If your motivation for serving has become anything other than love, you've drifted. Come back to the cross. Remember what He did. Let it move you again.

Christ's love compels us. Let it compel you today.

All I can say is, "Thank you Jesus for coming." Live like that and live with that kind of power.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross." — Colossians 2:13-14

Do you ever wonder where your sin went?

The moment that Jesus died on the cross and He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" something happened. In that moment, He took on my sin and your sin. He who had no sin took our sin.

All of your sin that would ever condemn you, anything that you have ever done in rebellion against God—it was nailed to the cross.

And when God allows it to be nailed there, it stays nailed there.

Your sin is gone now. It has been nailed to the cross. It's not coming back down. God isn't going to change His mind. He isn't going to pull those nails out and hand that sin back to you.

You might say, "I don't get that."

You don't have to get that. This is what the Word of God says. You just need to thank the Lord that He did this with your sin. He put it all on Christ.

So why do we keep going back to the cross and trying to pull our sins down? Why do we keep rehearsing our failures? Why do we keep carrying guilt that's already been dealt with?

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).

Stop digging up what God has buried. Stop carrying what God has removed. Stop dwelling on what God has forgotten.

It's nailed. It's staying nailed. Let it go.

Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, He made us right with God. This is why we can enter into His presence. This is why we can pray boldly. This is why we are now His children.

Your sin is nailed. Walk in freedom.

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
 
This verse is very familiar, a verse which we should be applying to our everyday lives. However, we need to take a deeper look at the end of the verse and define what it means to walk humbly with our God.
 
First, the challenge to walk humbly with God assumes you actually have a walk with God. Do you know Christ as Lord of your life? Do you really know Him? Please understand that going to church, calling yourself a “believer,” and attending Bible studies do not make you a Christian. Walking with God through having a relationship with Him is vitally important! That relationship can only come when you repent of your sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ.
 
Second, to walk humbly with the Lord, you must have a sensitive walk with God. If we are walking humbly with Him, we need to stop telling God what we want from Him. We should begin asking God, “What do you want from me? What do you want of me?” We need to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and be willing to surrender to God’s will for us.
 
Finally, to walk humbly with God, we must realize that God holds His people accountable for their actions. The Lord certainly held the Israelites accountable for their disobedience and shortcomings. (Micah 6:9-16) Likewise, He will hold us accountable for our disobedience. As His followers, Jesus has taken away our sins, but that doesn’t mean we are free from the consequences of our actions. Accordingly, if we choose to disobey God, we will reap what we sow.
 
Are you walking humbly with God? If so, I pray you will continue to do so. If not, I hope you will repent of your disobedience, and that you will come before Him with a desire to walk closely and humbly with Him.

"All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God." (Revelation 7:11)
 
When we worship, we join heaven. Do you realize that nothing is more important than aligning your life with the will and purpose of God in worship? 
 
The angels never stop worshiping. Night and day, they continue to worship the Lord; they never stop. That needs to apply to us; because they don't stop, we shouldn't stop. That doesn't mean you sing songs all the time, but you are honoring God all the time. Nothing is more important than for you to stay lined up with Him when you worship Him. If you are having a difficult time aligning and looking at the throne, you need to worship until you are aligned with the throne, and then stay right there. 
 
Also notice that there is no melody. It doesn't say they were singing. That’s comforting when you don't sing very well. I know there are many of you who sing well, but there was no melody. Don't get caught up in rhythms, chords and syncopation. In the Book of Psalms, there is no musical accompaniment and no notes are attached. I think God wants every generation to come up with their own notes. If you don't like the kind of music we sing, make up your own. The words that you can use are so powerful.  
 
 I love this simple song, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is and is to come again.” It is like one of those “7-11” songs, seven words, sung 11 times. If you don't like songs that repeat themselves over and over again, you will feel very uncomfortable in heaven.
 
Also you need to realize, when worship is experienced, it draws a response from others. That is exactly what happens. After the angels begin to worship God, the elders who are focused on the throne fall down. You can see several things. They fall down, lay their crowns down, and they join in worship. With their song, they have a different set of words. That is very important. They cry out, “You are worthy our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will, they were created, and have their being.”  
 
 Isn't it interesting? The elders have a different song from the angels. You might have a different song. Whatever your song is, honor the Lord!

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." — 2 Corinthians 5:10

Are you keeping track of your good deeds?

Let's go do it. You don't have to turn in a report; God is keeping the report. You will send it on to heaven. Just be who Jesus has called you to be—someone who cares for the hurting. This will confirm in your heart that you know that you know that you know Him.

I love that phrase: You don't have to turn in a report.

Some of us are exhausted because we're trying to document every good deed. We want credit. We want recognition. We want someone to notice how much we're doing for God.

But here's the freedom: God already sees. He's already keeping track. You don't need to maintain a spiritual resume for Him to review.

He saw that quiet act of kindness no one else noticed. He saw the sacrifice you made that no one applauded. He saw the prayer you prayed in the middle of the night. He saw the temptation you resisted when no one was watching.

"Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:4).

Stop exhausting yourself trying to make sure everyone knows how much you're doing. Stop being frustrated that your service goes unrecognized. Stop keeping a mental tally of your contributions.

Just serve. Just love. Just be faithful.

God is keeping the report. And His record is perfect. He won't miss a single act of faithfulness. He won't overlook a single moment of obedience. He won't forget a single sacrifice made in His name.

One day you'll stand before Him, and He'll pull out that report. Every hidden deed. Every secret kindness. Every unnoticed act of love.

And it will be worth it. All of it.

Stop keeping score. Let God do that. You just be faithful. He's got the rest.

"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." — James 3:16

Do you know what sin really is?

The Bible tells us that we are born with a sin nature. If you don't understand the sin nature, just look at a two-year-old child. They don't share their toys without a fight. Their world is focused on their hula hoop.

Everything inside that hula hoop is theirs. My toys. My snacks. My mommy. My attention. Me, me, me.

We laugh at toddlers acting this way because we expect it. But here's the uncomfortable truth: We never really outgrow it. We just get more sophisticated at hiding it.

Sin is self-focused. It is rebellion against a holy God. We want our way, we want what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. We also want a whole lot of it.

That's the definition of sin—putting yourself at the center instead of God.

Think about the sins you struggle with most. Trace them back far enough, and you'll find self at the root. Pride—self-exaltation. Greed—self-accumulation. Lust—self-gratification. Anger—self-protection. Lying—self-preservation.

Every sin, at its core, is choosing self over God and others.

This is why we are broken people because of our sin. This is why we need a Savior. We can't fix ourselves because the problem is ourselves.

Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Deny self. That's the opposite of sin. That's the cure for what's wrong with us.

Stop defending your hula hoop. Stop demanding that everything revolve around you. Stop making decisions based solely on what benefits you.

Die to self. Live for Christ. That's where freedom begins.

The center of your life was never meant to be you. It was meant to be Him.

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." — Philippians 3:13

Are you living in the past?

With many people, you are trying to move forward while you are looking backward. Do you know what will happen if you are driving forward while looking in the rear-view mirror? You are headed for a wreck!

Many of us don't realize that we should not live in the past. We don't have to condemn ourselves any longer.

I know that many of us have made some bad mistakes in our life. We have done some things that hurt other people, ourselves, and our families. Is anyone like that? If you can't raise your hand, I need to preach a sermon on lying.

Our consciences can condemn us, and satan uses this to keep us from moving forward.

Here's what you need to understand: When God forgives you, He cleanses your conscience. He has made you right, not only with Him, but He will set you free. Jesus is saying to us through His Word that He can cleanse you and make your conscience white.

It is your conscience that condemns you. But God can set you free on the inside of who you are.

You will still remember what you have done, but it does not follow you. God does not look at you based upon anything that you have done, regardless of how bad it was. But rather,

He looks at you through everything Jesus has done.

That is the power of the cross. If we could ever get that through our thick skulls and into our hearts, it would set us free.

Stop driving forward while staring in the rear-view mirror. Glance back if you must—but keep your eyes on the road ahead.

God has a future for you. Stop letting your past steal it.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." — Philippians 1:6

Are you frustrated with your spiritual progress?

God knows there are moments when you are all in. Because we are living in skin suits, sometimes we act like we are not all in and we are in process. This is what the doctrine of sanctification involves. We are being set apart and some of us are a real piece of work.

I love that phrase: Some of us are a real piece of work.

You know what? That includes me. For most of us, God is definitely not through with us yet. I am still in process; my wife would probably say "amen" to that.

Here's what you need to understand: Salvation happened in a moment. Sanctification happens over a lifetime.

The moment you turned from sin and placed your faith in Christ, you were saved. Done. Secure. Settled.

But becoming like Christ? That's a process. A long, slow, sometimes frustrating process.

You're going to have good days and bad days. You're going to take two steps forward and one step back. You're going to think you've conquered something and then stumble right back into it.

That doesn't mean you're not saved. It means you're being sanctified. It means God is still working on you.

Stop expecting instant perfection. Stop beating yourself up because you're not where you want to be. Stop comparing your progress to someone else's highlight reel.

God started something in you the day you gave your life to Christ. And He promises to carry it on to completion. He's not giving up on you. He's not finished with you. He's still sculpting, still refining, still transforming.

You're a work in progress. And that's okay.

The same God who saved you is sanctifying you. Trust the process. He who began the work will complete it.

You're still in process. So am I. And God's not done with either of us yet.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." — Mark 2:17

What kind of place is the church supposed to be?

Remember this: "The church is a hospital for sinners, not a showcase for saints!" Sometimes we invert that and think we are here for show. We are here to help because all of us need help.

I've watched people avoid church because they think they have to get cleaned up first. They think they need to fix their lives, quit their bad habits, and get their act together before they're welcome.

That's backwards.

You don't get healthy before you go to the hospital. You go to the hospital because you're sick. You go because you need help. You go because you can't fix yourself.

The church works the same way.

We're not a museum displaying perfect people. We're not a showcase of saints who have it all figured out. We're a hospital filled with people in various stages of recovery.

Some of us just walked through the emergency room doors. Some of us are in surgery. Some of us are in physical therapy, learning to walk again. Some of us have been healing for years but still come back for checkups.

All of us need help.

The Bible teaches us that if we care about others who are in pain, that is a characteristic of God. This is why He sent His son Jesus. We are in great pain when we are separate from Him. Our only hope is when we get in Him.

If you've been avoiding church because you feel too broken, too messy, too far gone—you're exactly who we're here for. You're exactly who Jesus came for.

And if you're already in the church, remember what it is. Stop expecting perfection from the people around you. They're patients, just like you.

We're all here because we need the Great Physician.

Come as you are. Healing happens here.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Let me tell you a story about a little boy, years and years ago. The boy made a little small sailboat. He worked on it and worked on it. He painted it and put little sails on it. He made it his very own. Finally, the day came when he went to a huge body of water. He put the little sailboat on the water, and a huge gust of wind came and blew that little boat far away.

He watched as his little boat that he had spent hours and weeks on. On its first launch, it was blown far away completely out of sight. There was no hope for him to get his boat back. It broke his heart.

One day, weeks later, he was walking downtown and he passed a pawn shop. There in the window was his boat. The price was much more than he could afford; he didn't have that much money. He went back home and began to save up money.

He did all kinds of jobs – mowed lawns, washed dishes, and ran errands. He did anything he could to get enough money. Finally, one day he had enough money, and he went back to the pawn shop; and that little boat was still there.

He pulled out the money he had earned and purchased that little boat. He walked outside and he put his arms around that boat and said, “Oh little boat. You are mine. You are twice mine. Once I made you. Once I bought you. Oh, little boat, you are mine!”

That’s exactly what Jesus did for you and for me. Not only did He create you, but He bought you back. He gave everything He had to give for the sole purpose of saving you. He loved you and valued you that much. What a Savior!

My hope is that if you’re reading this and you’ve never accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation, that today would be the day you receive it and surrender your life to Him. And if you are already a Jesus-follower, I pray that this story of the little boy and his boat would be a reminder of the love your Savior has for you and the price He was willing to pay for you. May we strive to never take that for granted.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

With everything we as human beings are juggling in our day-to-day lives, there is plenty to be anxious about. We worry about our family, our friends, our job, our finances, our health, and all kinds of other things. But Scripture is very clear that anxiousness and worry are two things we should flee from.

Choosing to refrain from worrying is not an option, but rather a biblical command Paul states in his letter to the Philippians. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). But he doesn’t stop there. He continues on, encouraging the Philippians then and us today to bring everything we’re worried about to God.

It’s important not to miss what Paul is saying will happen when we present our worries and requests to the Lord. He doesn’t say that God will answer our prayers exactly how we want Him to. He doesn’t say we’ll always get our way. He doesn’t say the answers will come in the timing we hoped they would come. He doesn’t promise any of that. Instead, he assures us we will experience a deep level of peace that only the Lord can provide. He says, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

In other words, we don’t need to worry about anything because worrying doesn’t get you anywhere. When something out of our control is tempting us to worry, we must choose to instead bring our anxieties and our requests to our Heavenly Father. Only then will we experience true, supernatural peace in the midst of our worldly troubles.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." — 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Who encouraged you when you needed it most?

I am here today because God brought many people into my life to encourage me. I attended a church while I was in college. I filled out a card with my name and address. A deacon came from that church in Houston, Texas. On a Saturday morning, he knocked on the door and said, "I saw that you came to our church last week, and I just wanted to come by and invite you to come back. We would love to have you here."

Because I was a college student, I didn't have anything to give. Apparently, that was not one of the requirements for him to encourage me.

I remember his face. I never will forget him because he gave words of encouragement to me when I needed someone with skin on to encourage me.

Someone with skin on.

That phrase matters. We need more than theology in our heads. We need more than verses on a page. We need flesh-and-blood people who show up, knock on our door, look us in the eye, and say, "I see you. You matter. Come back."

That deacon didn't know what would happen in my life. He didn't know I would become a pastor. He just saw a college student who visited his church and decided to follow up.

That simple act of encouragement changed the trajectory of my life.

God wants to use you the same way. He wants to use you today. Let Him use you.

Before this day is over, or maybe before you leave church today in the hall, God will bring someone across your path. Jump in. Maybe that need is just to pray for them. Maybe it is to do something practical.

Go for it! Let God use you. Be someone with skin on for somebody who desperately needs encouragement.

You might never know the impact you have. But God does. And so will they.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." — Hebrews 11:6

What do you expect when you come to God?

I know why you are here today. You are here because there is an expectation on your part that you will open up your life. You are opening your heart and your ears, longing for God to speak to you.

He certainly will.

The reason you are here in this auditorium is that you have the presupposition that God will touch your life. You came believing something would happen. You came expecting to encounter Him.

That expectation matters more than you realize.

Some people come to church like they're attending a concert or a lecture. They sit back, observe, evaluate, and leave unchanged. They had no expectation that God would actually do anything.

But others come hungry. They come desperate. They come with hearts wide open, saying, "Lord, I need You to speak to me today. I need You to touch my life. I'm not leaving the same way I came in."

Which one are you?

"Dear Lord, I know I am not where I need to be and I want to be there; I need you. I need you to speak to me, and I need to welcome your voice and hear from you."

That's the prayer of someone who comes expecting.

God wants to speak to you even more than you want to hear Him. Let that sink in. He's not reluctant. He's not distant. He's not playing hard to get. He desires to communicate with His children.

But He responds to faith. He responds to expectation. He responds to hearts that are open and ready to receive.

The next time you open your Bible, come expecting. The next time you pray, come expecting. The next time you gather with believers, come expecting.

God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Not the casual. Not the indifferent. Those who come hungry, desperate, expectant.

Come expecting. He will meet you there.

"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." — Colossians 2:15

Do you understand what happened at the cross?

The cross wasn't just a place of suffering. It wasn't just a place of forgiveness. It was a place of victory.

Paul says Jesus "disarmed the powers and authorities." He made a public spectacle of them. He triumphed over them by the cross.

In the ancient world, when a general won a great victory, he would parade his defeated enemies through the streets. The captives were stripped of their weapons, chained, humiliated, displayed for everyone to see. It was a public declaration: "The battle is over. We won. They lost."

That's what Jesus did to satan and all the powers of darkness at the cross.

The enemy thought the cross was his victory. He thought he had won. Jesus was dead. The movement was finished.

But three days later, everything changed. The resurrection proved that death had no power over Jesus. And if death has no power over Him, it has no power over those who belong to Him.

You are not fighting for victory. You are fighting from victory. The battle has already been won. The enemy has already been defeated. The cross has already triumphed.

So why do you live in fear? Why do you cower before the enemy's accusations? Why do you act like the outcome is still in question?

"The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Jesus didn't just barely win. He made a public spectacle of the enemy. He humiliated the powers of darkness. He paraded them in defeat.

Live like someone whose King has already won. Because He has.

The cross is transforming power, forgiving power, cleansing power—and conquering power. Never forget that.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" — Isaiah 30:21

Should you help everyone who asks?

I pray that you would not give indiscriminately, rather you would do ministry prayerfully. Do you know the difference?

The difference is listening to the Holy Spirit before you act.

Not every need that crosses your path is your assignment. God may have another plan for that person. He may have someone else in mind to meet that need. He may be working something out in their life that your quick fix would actually interrupt.

This doesn't mean you become hardhearted or stingy. It means you become prayerful.

The Holy Spirit will guide you in making your decision. If you are listening, God will help. You are not to do ministry for people who hurt because you feel obligated.

Guilt is not a good motivation for ministry. Obligation produces resentment. But when God gives you the desire to help, when He puts that burden on your heart, when He opens your eyes to a specific need—that's different.

God will give you the right "want to" at the right time, guilt free, if you are to help. If God does not give you that desire, maybe He has another plan for them.

This takes the pressure off. You don't have to save everyone. You don't have to meet every need. You don't have to feel guilty when you can't do it all.

But it also puts the responsibility on. You have to be listening. You have to be tuned in to the Spirit's voice. You have to be willing to act when He prompts you.

Before you give, before you serve, before you jump in—ask God. Is this my assignment? Is this the right time? Is this what You want me to do?

Then listen. He'll guide you. Do ministry prayerfully, not indiscriminately. That's how you stay effective for the long haul.

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." — Galatians 4:4-5

Have you ever thanked Jesus for coming?

I have walked the path from the top of the Mount of Olives down into Jerusalem many times. It's the same path Jesus rode down on Palm Sunday. On one of my visits to Israel, some citizens of Jerusalem were walking toward us on that same path.

They looked at our group, and they were full of joy. They said to us, "Thank you for coming. Thank you for coming."

Those words hit me deeply. They appreciated that believers who love the Lord and love the land would support them by being there. I will never forget those words.

As I thought about it, I realized that should be our one statement to the Lord: "Thank you for coming."

If Jesus had not come, if He had not gone to the cross to die for our sins, if His blood had not covered our sins, we would still be dead in our sins. We would be hopeless. We would be lost forever.

But He came.

He left the glory of heaven. He took on human flesh. He walked dusty roads. He experienced hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and rejection. He was betrayed, beaten, mocked, and crucified.

For you. For me.

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

He didn't have to come. He chose to come. Love compelled Him. Grace drove Him. Your redemption motivated Him.

Without the cross, all of us are hopeless. Because of the cross, there is hope for us. We have confidence with assurance that we are truly forgiven.

When was the last time you stopped and simply said, "Thank you Jesus for coming"?

Say it right now. Mean it. Let gratitude fill your heart.

Thank you Jesus for coming. Thank you for coming.

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Have you ever wanted to visit the Holy Land?

Scripture tells us that believers will be taken out and snatched away with a violent force. God will send Jesus to collect His saints, and then the Bible tells us that we will come back with Him.

That is when your "free" Holy Land trip will take place.

Jesus will set foot on the Mount of Olives. The earth will split north to south. The mountain will rise up and water will flow from the tip of the mount all the way down to the En Gedi.

Can you imagine? You won't need a tour guide. You won't need a passport. You won't have to save up for years. Jesus Himself will bring you back with Him to the very land where He walked, taught, died, and rose again.

This is our blessed hope. This is what we're waiting for.

Some people live as if this world is all there is. They accumulate and strive and stress as if their earthly existence is the final chapter. But for believers, the best is yet to come.

Paul says we will "meet the Lord in the air." Think about that. Face to face with Jesus. Caught up to be with Him forever.

I don't know exactly when this will happen. Nobody does. But I know it will happen. Scripture is clear. Jesus is coming back for His people.

Until then, we live with expectation. We live with hope. We live knowing that this broken world is not our permanent home.

Are you living with that kind of hope today? Does the promise of Christ's return shape how you see your circumstances?

Your free trip is coming. And it will be worth the wait.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4
 
Prayer is not just a means of presenting our requests before God; it is a sacred opportunity to align our hearts with the heart of our Heavenly Father. Psalm 37:4 reminds us that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He graciously grants the desires of our hearts. However, this verse holds a deeper truth about the transformative power of prayer in shaping our desires to align with God's will.
 
When we enter into prayer with a heart of delight in the Lord, our focus shifts from solely seeking personal fulfillment to desiring what pleases Him. As we draw near to God in prayer, spending time in His presence and meditating on His Word, our hearts begin to align with His heart. Our desires are refined and purified as we learn to prioritize His Kingdom and seek His purposes above our own.
 
Prayer acts as a spiritual mirror, revealing the true motives of our hearts. It is in the place of prayer where we can lay bare our deepest longings, fears, and hopes before God. As we surrender our desires to Him, He gently molds and transforms them to reflect His perfect will. Through prayer, we learn to discern the difference between our selfish ambitions and the desires that are in line with God's character and plan.
 
Moreover, prayer deepens our intimacy with God. It is through consistent communion with Him that our understanding of His nature and desires grows. We begin to grasp His heart for justice, mercy, love, and reconciliation. Our prayers become less self-centered and more aligned with the needs of others and the advancement of God's Kingdom.
 
Today, let us approach prayer not as a transactional means of obtaining our wants, but as a transformative journey of aligning our hearts with God's heart. As we delight in the Lord, seeking His presence and will, we will find that our desires are molded to reflect His goodness and purposes. Through prayer, we become vessels of His love, compassion, and grace in a broken world.

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me."
—John 14:21

As His children, we are called to align our lives with the Word of God. But let me ask you something personal—are you negotiating with God about something He has clearly told you to do? Maybe you've given your life to Christ, but you haven't taken that next step of obedience—baptism.

Now, baptism itself doesn’t save you. It’s not the water that washes away your sins. The thief on the cross, who was saved just before his death, never made it to the baptismal pool. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. If you think baptism as an infant took away your sin, it’s time to rethink that. Baptism is not what saves us; it’s an encounter with Christ that changes us.

Baptism is an outward declaration of the inward change that Christ has made in your life. It’s a public statement that you are identifying with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. When we go under the water and come up, it symbolizes the death of our old self and the resurrection of our new life in Christ.

Think of it like a wedding ring. I wear my ring to show that I am married. It’s a visible sign that I belong to someone. Baptism is that visible sign in our walk with Christ. It shows the world that we belong to Him. Jesus Himself was baptized to show us its importance (Matthew 3:15).

So, are you ready to take that step in obedience? Baptism doesn’t save us, but it’s a crucial step in our walk with Jesus.

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." (Romans 8:16)

If you’ve ever had a moment when you turned from sin and placed your faith in Jesus, then the Holy Spirit lives in you. The Spirit is not distant; He is personal. He speaks to you in ways that resonate with who you are. He knows how to get your attention, and He knows exactly what you need. You might chalk it up to “self-talk,” but it’s actually “Spirit talk.”

When you live in alignment with Christ, you begin to recognize the Spirit’s nudge. It’s not about following rules; it’s about being led by the Holy Spirit in your everyday decisions. The Spirit prompts you to do the right thing at the right time, even for people you may never have expected to help. Living a Spirit-led life means listening for His guidance rather than simply following a set of rules.

Over the years, I’ve heard many people say, “I’ve never heard God speak.” But the truth is, if you’re a child of God, you’ve heard Him. Maybe you didn’t recognize it at first, but the Holy Spirit has been speaking to you. The Spirit confirms that you belong to God and teaches you His Word.

He reminds you of what you’ve already learned and brings it to your mind exactly when you need it. In moments of uncertainty, He provides insight and recall that guides you. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. Do you sense His presence? Are you listening for His voice in your life today?

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)
 
In your life as a follower of Christ, it is guaranteed that there will be some struggles along the way. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
 
If you are walking through something that does not meet with your satisfaction or approval, remember that you are not in charge. God is in charge! He is the authority. We must remember that God does not serve us; rather, we are to serve Him.  
 
I think about some of the things I have gone through which have hurt me physically. These things have created struggles and financial pain in our family's life. When I recall things I've gone through, which have affected relationships and have impacted my life spiritually, I shake my head and say, “God, I don't get it.”  
 
Maybe that's where you are today. You don't understand why God is allowing His children to go through certain things in their lives. Guess what? You will spend your life trying to get it. We need to embrace and embody that regardless of what we go through, our lives belong to Him. Whatever we go through can be used to glorify Him and honor Him. You will not be able to figure that out, and sometimes you will not be happy with it.
 
I don't care what you have heard from any pulpit. You need to realize God has not called your destiny to be happiness. Your destiny is holiness; and holiness is described as living under Him, who is the authority. The sooner we get there, the greater peace we will have.

"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
 
Let me ask you a question. “If Jesus came today, are you ready?” Has there been a moment in your life when you turned from sin and placed your faith in Christ? Have you given your life to Christ? Are you ready for Christ’s return? If it happened today, are you ready?  

If you are depending upon, “I took communion last month,” you are not ready. If you are counting on, “I grew up going to Sunday School,” you are not ready. You might say, “I'm a member of the church.” If that is where your hope is based, you are not ready to go. You could say, “I was sprinkled,” or “I even got dunked.” If that is your focus, you are not ready. Sadly, you will be left behind.  

This is the correct answer. You know you are ready if there has been a moment in your life when there has come a conviction of your personal sin, a sense of separateness from God. Because of that sin and brokenness in your heart, because of that rebellion; there came a moment when you fell at the feet of Jesus and asked Him to come inside your life. You asked Him to forgive you of all your sin and take control of your life. If you have had a moment like that, you are ready! Accordingly, let me ask the all-important question. “Are you ready?”

"You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." — Luke 12:40

Are you living like Jesus could return today?

We are living in a very volatile time. Therefore, we need to be on point and ready for Christ to come. We need to be Biblically centered. This should be our number one priority. Our perspective needs to be a Biblical worldview. Our interpretation of present events needs to be directed by the testimony of the Word of God.

When I look at what is happening globally—with Iran, with China, with Russia, with what's occurring in our own country—I see all the ingredients for the End of Days right now.

You need to be ready in case Jesus comes today.

It is important that we live like God wants us to live, ready for Jesus to come at any time. Heaven may be closer than you think. Therefore, our highest priority must be to make sure that our family knows Jesus as Lord of their life.

Does your spouse know Jesus? Do your children? Your grandchildren? Your parents? Your siblings?

If Jesus came today, would your whole family be with you in eternity?

This isn't meant to create anxiety. It's meant to create urgency. Not panic—purpose. Not fear—focus.

Making sure that we are walking in fellowship with Christ is something that we must consider. Not tomorrow. Today.

Many people think they have plenty of time. They'll get serious about faith later. They'll share the Gospel with their family eventually. They'll prioritize spiritual things when life slows down.

But what if life doesn't slow down? What if Jesus comes before "eventually" arrives?
Live ready. Share boldly. Love your family enough to have the hard conversations about eternity.

Heaven may be closer than you think. Are you ready? Is your family?

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming." — Ephesians 4:14

Are you standing or floating?

I encourage you to stand with Israel and stand with a Biblical knowledge of what is right and what is wrong in our culture. As a believer, it is important that you take a stand. If you do not stand, you will be like a feather in the wind. Wherever it blows, you will go.

As a child of God, stop bending to the culture.

You have heard it said, "Any old dead log can float down the stream, but it takes a different character to stand for what the Bible says." That is where we stand as a church.

Dead logs don't choose their direction. They just float wherever the current takes them. Feathers don't decide where to land. They just blow wherever the wind pushes them.

Is that you? Are you just floating along with whatever the culture says is acceptable? Are you blown around by the latest trends, the newest philosophies, the popular opinions?

Do not buy into the woke agenda of liberalism in our country; it does not line up with the Word of God. As believers, we need to make sure we align with the Word of God unapologetically.

Some might say, "Pastor, don't say that. You will offend people." I have a responsibility to preach the Word, teach the Word, and to correctly divide the Word of Truth. I have a responsibility not to preach what the culture would like for me to preach. I have a responsibility to align with the Word of God.

The same is true for you. You have a responsibility to know what God's Word says and to stand on it—even when it's unpopular. Even when you're the only one standing.

It takes character to stand when everyone else is floating downstream. It takes conviction to stay planted when the wind is blowing hard.

Be a tree with deep roots, not a feather in the wind. Know what you believe. Know why you believe it. And stand firm.

The culture will keep shifting. God's Word never will. Stand on it.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." — Romans 5:8

Do you think you're too broken for God to use?

I am surprised that God would use any of us! You have heard me say it many times, "We are all messed up." It says a lot about His grace and His long-suffering with us.

Every single person God has ever used was flawed. Moses was a murderer. David was an adulterer. Peter denied Jesus three times. Paul persecuted the church. Yet God used each of them powerfully for His kingdom.

Why? Because God's ability to use you has nothing to do with your perfection. It has everything to do with His grace.

We like to pretend we have it all together. We hide our struggles. We put on our Sunday best—not just our clothes, but our attitudes. We act like we've never doubted, never failed, never fallen flat on our faces.

But here's the truth: We're all messed up. Every single one of us.

And God knows it. He's not surprised by your failures. He's not shocked by your weaknesses. He knew exactly what He was getting when He called you.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). God intentionally puts His treasure in cracked pots. Why? So everyone knows the power comes from Him, not us.

Stop waiting until you're "good enough" to serve God. You'll never get there. None of us will.

Stop disqualifying yourself because of past failures. God specializes in using broken people.

Stop pretending you have it together. Your honesty about your brokenness might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

We're all messed up. And God uses us anyway. That's grace. That's the Gospel. That's why we worship Him.