THE CENTERPIECE OF A NEW BEGINNING - Nehemiah 8:1-12

New Years’s resolutions are an unnecessary consideration for those who follow Christ. When rightly understood this commitment means I am resolved to one thing—to live out the teachings of God’s word in a way that brings honor and glory to him. With this resolve, no area of life goes untouched.

THE SUM OF IT ALL: LOVE - Revelation 1:4-6

From Genesis to Revelation, beginning to end, creation to the consummation of the ages the story of God’s redemptive plan is driven by one thing—love.

THE REALITY OF JOY - John 16:16-24

The reality of joy can be a tipping point in the witness of our faith.

A VISION FOR PEACE - Isaiah 2:1-4

The decree of the angelic host some 2000 years ago was a proclamation of peace. It think it’s fair to ask, “Where is it? And, how do I find it?”

PRIVILEGES OF DISCIPLESHIP - Matthew 13:3-17

While insider trading is considered illegal by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the federal government, insider information is something that has been afforded us as followers of Jesus Christ.

DON'T LIE: DO YOU WANT THE TRUTH? - Matthew 10:40-11:1

How well you receive the messenger of God’s truth, reveals how much you truly desire to know God’s truth.

THINGS YOU CAN EXPECT - Matthew 10:24-39

False assumptions about Christianity often become a stumbling block to new and old believers alike. Instead of Pollyanna portrayal of discipleship, Jesus offers a realistic portrait of what one can expect.

PRIORITY ONE - 1 John 2:7-14

BEING A MISSIONAL BEAST - Matthew 10:16-23

If the church had a coat of arms by which we were identified as an army being out, it might well contain the images of a sheep, a snake, and a dove.

DOING THE MISSIONAL LIFE - - Matthew 10:5-15

Being instructed in the life of faith isn’t proved out by taking an exam, but in the doing of the mission for which we have been commissioned.

THE GRACE OF DISCIPLEHSIP - Matthew 1-:1-2

Biblical discipleship is work of God’s grace, initiated with calling and culminating with an unexpected community.

JESUS BEING WHERE HIS FEET ARE - Matthew 9:35-38

To be the presence of Christ requires seeing what he sees, feeling what he feels, and hearing what he says.

GET ON BOARD - Matthew 8:18-27

If we are to be all onboard in living the life of faith, then it is necessary to understand the implications of sailing these uncharted waters.

WRONG RIGHTS - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

MORE THAN AN OPINION - Matthew 7

While stating “Jesus is Lord” might constitute a historic confession of faith, true discipleship is to be seen in those seeking to live under his exclusive authority.

BUILT TO LAST - Matthew 7

Day by day, choice by choice, decision by decision, each of us is building a certain kind “house” that provides the structure for the kind of life we desire to live. The quality of the materials being utilized will be proved out when the storms of life strike with a full frontal assault.

A DANGEROUS GAME OF MAKE-BELIEVE - Matthew 7:15-23

Because people seem all too ready to ready to deceive themselves with subjective, self-satisfying ideas about the life of faith, the presence of God, and the working of the Spirit, Jesus offers an objective and corrective teaching.

THE WISDOM TO BE TEN TIMES BETTER - Daniel 1:1-20

Depending upon one's perspective on the life of faith, we can have either a persecution complex that always plays the victimized martyr, or we can have the wisdom to do everything better than those who do not know the living God.

WISDOM BETWEEN NOW AND THEN - Jeremiah 29

The prophets are the paragons of God’s wisdom. They not only speak God’s wisdom, they model it in the midst of life’s greatest adversities.

WISDOM THAT LASTS - Proverbs 22:6

With the ever-changing dynamics of family, the wisdom necessary to train up a child can be found only in the unchanging word of God.

WHEN THE BEST ARGUMENT IS NONE - Job 38

Apologetics seems to be such an alluring field for those desiring to defend the faith. Then life happens.

THE WISDOM TO LOOK UP - Psalm:121

Everyone looks to something when trouble comes. Where the eyes go separate the fools from the wise.

GRATITUDE OF WISDOM Psalm 111:1-9

Because no one enjoys being around an ingrate, we can then easily imagine how much more our heavenly Father enjoys the fellowship of his children when they are grateful.

SPEECHLESS - Job 38

GOODNESS GRACIOUS - Psalm 57

Goodness gracious life can be hard, but it is the gracious goodness of God that will see us through our present distress and the the greater testimony of his faithful provision.

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE RUNNING - Psalm 55

While life can make you feel like running away, faith beckons us to stay around until the story is really over.

THE DEPRESSION OF MEANINGLESSNESS - Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

There is more to life than appears under the sun. What some cynically dismiss as the grind of life is actually the pathway to glory.

SOMETHING FOR NOTHING - Job 1:9

In a world driven by selfish, quid pro quo, something for something relationships, the life of faith challenges us, in the midst of our suffering, to keep serving, loving, and worshipping even when it looks as if we are getting nothing for our something.

A MATRIX FOR WISE DECISIONS - Proverbs 3:1-8

If the intent of Wisdom Literature is to aid in the task of navigating life in practical ways, then no where should this be more evident than in our decision-making processes.

A PROLOGUE TO WISDOM - Proverbs 1:1-7

From the perspective of faith wisdom instructs in practical living and reflects on the mysteries and meaning of life.

LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING - Matthew 7:15

For a culture that rewards superficial, external appearances the warning against false prophets is especially relevant to the church.

FINDING THE WAY - Matthew 7:13-14

In a world that has never lacked for religious expression, it’s interesting that the fastest growing demographic in regard to religious preference is “none.” This may or may not add to the difficulty of finding The Way.

THAT'S GOLDEN - Matthew 7:12

When it comes to living the life of faith, you can take all the commandments, prophets, wisdom literature, teachings of Jesus, the apostles letters, the entirety of sixty-six books, and reduce them down to one golden rule.

REVERSE ENGINEERING EASTER - Matthew 7:7-11

The resurrection is not an end but, rather, a means to an end. Thus, an annual celebration of Easter is meaningless. Easter has meaning only when the resurrection is the reality of one’s daily life.

A DELICATE OPERATION - Matthew 7:1-6

There is no more delicate operation than judging another person’s life. You will need all the grace you can muster up to do it well.

RETHINKING WORRY - Matthew 6:25-34

If worry could be graphed, the competing variables would be in direct proportion to the level of intimacy experienced with the true love of one’s life—the kingdom of man or the kingdom of God.

COMMON SENSE HEART HEALTH - Matthew 6:19-24

There is a great deal of common sense counsel to be found in scripture regarding our relationship with the Father and the Kingdom life he desires for us.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES - Matthew 6:19-20

Where you are going to live isn’t a matter of geography but the heart.

STARVING FOR MORE - Matthew 6:16-18

The way to become a spiritual heavyweight is to lighten up.

THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET: HORIZONTAL PETITIONS - Matthew 6:11-13

The God-centered theology of prayer found within the vertical petitions of the model prayer, is now revealed in the horizontal petitions to be an active force working for the good of humanity.

THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET: THE VERTICAL PETITIONS - Matthew 6:9-10

Only when our prayer life is consumed with God do we become more than consumers seeking to get from God.

THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET: INVOCATION - Matthew 6:9

That we are a praying people seemingly isn’t the issue but, rather, praying rightly. Having told us to go in our closet to pray, Jesus now gives us the skeleton to guide our prayers.

A HEADS UP ON PRAYER - Matthew 6:5-8

We should not be surprised that even the Gentiles prayed. Prayer is innate to the human heart, but it must be rightly guided.

THE THEATRICS OF RELIGION - Matthew 6:1-4

What separates the theater of religion from a genuine faith isn’t just doing the right things but doing them the right way.

LOVE LETTERS FROM GOD - Matthew 5:43-48

 In a world desperate to hear a message of love, the followers of Christ have a unique opportunity to be God’s love letters to humanity.

WOUNDED HEALERS - Matthew 5:38-42

Jesus offers a counter-cultural directive that redefines the honor code for those who would be his people.

TEAMWORK: THE KEY TO MISSIONAL SUCCESS - 1 Corinthians 12:4-27

Teamwork is that which is accomplished when uniquely gifted individuals come together for a common purpose.