It is hard to put your finger on all that is wrong.
One might say that:
We have knowledge … but not wisdom
We have materials … but that our souls are empty
We have life saving abilities … but we do not live
But our biggest problem is best described as the following:
Our engineers can design, and construct, incredible machines that do more than we ever thought possible.
Our doctors can cure diseases that we once thought insurmountable.
Our politicians can gather thousands at rallies that make crowds go crazy and chant, altogether, cheers in unison……and so can our athletes.
Yet none of these are Gods, nor can they ever fill that role. And though they might act like gods, and though we might exalt them as gods, we stare in utter disbelief when they reveal their true nature…and we wonder what happened.
What has happened is that we make others, or ourselves, fill a role that we can never succeed at.
Jesus is the only one worthy of praise and adoration and focus and surrender … and yet we are innately gifted at forgetting this one thing.
And it is Our Biggest Problem.
Revelation 4 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11“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.”
God is our God. And He will always be our God. And He will always be the ONE THING that we truly need.
And this will never, ever, change.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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As you enter into worship today, do not let go of what you have.
You have the Truth. In a world that contaminates and destroys everything that it touches, Jesus is 100% truth. There is no exaggeration, or twisting, or hiding. He is The Truth.
You have Forgiveness. Your mistakes, your defiance, your stubborn pride, and Your debts … they are Paid In Full. They aren’t just ignored, they are PAID IN FULL.
You have Eternal Life. The gift of life that never ends. You are given the life that never has to say goodbye. Regrets can be destroyed. There will always be enough time. And there will be no understanding in the conscious realm of sickness.
You have Victory Over Sin. Instead of being in a constant fight, you have victory. And just as a treaty is signed and there is a surrender—so will be your victory over sin. In the Kingdom we will have a full consciousness of this as we will no longer be “being made holy”…we will have victory in every way.
You have a Father Who Loves You. And just as the Father stood in waiting in Luke 15, He is waiting for you. And just as the Father ran to greet His son in Luke 15, so will the Father run to you. In this concept ALONE—you can have incredible freedom.
Colossians 2 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
As you worship today, reach your hands to heaven and celebrate these victories … and every other one that the Father has given to you. They are incredible. And they are free.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Paul tells us many things in 2 Corinthians 5. And as I read it today I am seeing things that I have never seen before.
The promises of God are amazing. And sometimes we need the promise that assures us that it is OKAY that we are broken …
So what does God tell us?
He tells us that we are in an “earthly tent”, that our days are numbered, that things will deteriorate.
He tells us that we will have shame, that we will sometimes feel exposed, or that we won’t measure up.
He tells us that we will feel distant from Him.
Amen, amen, and amen.
Sometimes we are not living the Disney story. But realizing this, we can seek something better. And the better is SO MUCH BETTER.
And so there it is … we can make a trade. Some might say that this is the “great exchange”, but whatever the name—this is the greatest thing that you could ever seek.
Jesus has something for us that we could never attain on our own accord.
And He gives it to us for nothing—or even worse—He gives it to us while adopting our broken attempt at building something.
2 Corinthians 521God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As you read this verse today I encourage you to read ALL of 2 Corinthians 5. It promises what we deal with every day … and then promises what we have when we make the trade.
Jesus is more than enough.
He is more than our sin.
He is more than our brokenness.
He is more than our broken physical bodies.
And He is more than able to cover the distance that we plant between our selfish desires … and Him.
As you reach out this morning … Cry out—
He will be there.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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To fathom that God sent Jesus to walk out the call of mankind is hard to process. But walk out the call of mankind He did.
Nothing was given to Him.
He had to fight His way up from nothing.
And He fully committed to God in doing so.
And, in doing so, He still had the ability to think of others. As He witnessed the Passover market place, He entered the public scene by doing what He professed to do for all eternity … stand up for the broken. And so He began a journey to the cross that was grounded in love and standing up for all mankind.
Hebrews 5 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7 says of Melchizedek:
Hebrews 7 He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
So here’s what you need to know:
In your lowest moment, Jesus is there for you. He will meet you after returning from defeat and bless you. He will bless you when you go in … and bless you when you go out.
So get out there. And if you suffer—learn obedience. But receive what Jesus gives you—perfection—so that you can give it to all man. Because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…
And we need Him today more than ever.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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We would do well to learn from the 1980 United States Hockey team. Pulling off the unthinkable, they defeated a Soviet team that was virtually unbeatable. And they did it because they followed a Biblical model.
1 Corinthians 12 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
In 2025, we are all the wiser for many things. But we would do well to never forget what truly makes up a team. And that is, simply put, described in 1 Corinthians 12. It is a simple formula: Realize that without all of your body parts, you are a sitting duck.
For all the stars and individual accolades that we can give, I can give you 10 counterexamples of how that individual star would not even be recognized today without his supporting cast.
As a coach, I have always hated the end of season awards. We celebrate the one and forget that the other 32 are the ones that put us there … or didn’t.
And, just like God says, it relates to a 1 Corinthians 12 mindset.
As we walk through our day and operate in our various “teams” that we get to work with, let us never forget the importance of what the world would call the little guy.
Because the little guy … is exactly what Jesus became to save our sorry souls from the pits of Hell.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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In the third chapter of First John God decides to knock our socks off with the greatest verse in the Bible (besides all the other ones). He gives us a word so deep that it cuts to the depths of our soul.
1 John 319 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
We KNOW that we belong to the truth. And we know it because we can set our hearts at rest in His presence. And we do it even when we condemn ourselves because He is greater. So even though it is our choice to condemn ourselves and even know we think we know everything, God is greater. And He fixes all that is broken.
I don’t know how to even fathom this.
But I will simply say this: If Jesus can be fully man and go to sleep in a boat during the storm of the century, then you can too.
If He can be the Truth, then we can have the truth in us.
And if He can choose not to condemn us, then we can receive it and no longer be condemned.
This word is better than any gift that you can receive from the world … And it lasts forever.
So as you run the race today, choose Jesus.
And as you choose Him, give His mighty power away to someone else.
And if they reject that mighty power, love the stuffing out of them. Because His love can cut through whatever they might want to put in front of Him.
Be blessed today.
And go forward in love.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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To the perfectionist, the high achiever, and to the one who seeks, and often finds, success, I want to say this:
Be careful.
Because as much as the enemy will attack you in your weaknesses, he will also attack you in your strengths–he will attack you in the very areas where God has blessed you.
I say to you today: Don’t let him have his way!
There are some things in this world that can never be satisfied. And just as a fire will rage and burn down everything in its path, just as the bare ground soaks up water like it never was poured, and just as the grave will never stop pursuing you … So will it be with the leech that can take away all your victories.
We are warned about this in the Old Testament:
Proverbs 30 15 “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: 16 the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
Being excellent is a badge of honor. It is what makes people what they are, but it must never be allowed to be attached to anything beyond doing it for God’s glory. Pursue that. And pursue it with all your heart knowing these two things:
#1. No one knows you better than God does. No one has your back better than God does. And no one can fill you better than God can. So stick with that.
It is the very reason that Jesus told Nathanael “I saw you under the fig tree”. This wasn’t some one line verse in an ancient text. It was Jesus saying that He actually SAW into Nathanael’s pain.
John 1 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
You see, the enemy will sometimes influence us to think He is a distant Father who has no connection to us. But God is the God of relationship and pursuit. He cares about what you care about. He hates when people mess you over. And He hates when you mess over those He loves. Never forget that He cares about what you care about … and also never forget that He gave you gifts and excellence SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY THEM. Do not let the enemy steal your victories or your joy. He has no right to them. Deny Him access. Jesus SEES you in your victories and defeats. KNOW that He SEES you, SEEK HIM IN RETURN, and keep it simple.
#2. Never, ever, forget what God has for you, or how He truly feels about you. And with that, never forget why you try to be excellent. It is not to please the insatiable thirst of the leech. It is not so that you can cower down in front of the enemy of man and wilt under his pressure. God puts excellence on you so that you can be a testimony. But more than that, He puts it on you so that you can glorify Him with every step that you take.
Zephaniah 3 17 The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
We love because He first loved us first. We succeed because He is the great I Am. And we pursue excellence because it is who He made us to be. And nothing more.
Do not feed the leech. He brings friends with him.
Do not cower down to the enemy. He is seeking to destroy you and all that you love.
Do not put the pressure of the world on your shoulders, you are not strong enough to carry it.
Purpose to love the Father and to be excellent for His glory.
Pursue His Kingdom and His Righteousness.
Be filled by His spirit and His wisdom.
And Live out the call on your life for the right purpose.
It is in these things that you can be excellent.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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David asked the same question that all of us today must ultimately ask. Who is this King of glory?
Psalm 88 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty- he is the King of glory. Selah.
All of us ultimately have a King. It might be money. It might be a position. It could be any number of human created and fleeing pursuits. But ultimately our hearts will choose to pursue something.
2000 years ago Jesus came on the scene and answered all of these questions for all of us.
John reminds us that He came into the world unrecognized.
John 110 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
John also reminds us that we CAN RECEIVE Him!
John 1 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Jesus tells us that we can actually get to the Father!
John 145 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Peter reminds us that we have NOTHING when we don’t have Him.
John 668 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
John the Baptist reminds us that He was around a long time before us.
John 1 15…‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “
Jesus also reminds us that His Kingdom will be for forever–in both directions!
Revelation 22 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
And Jesus tells us to be servants and to receive His gift.
Mark 10 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
As I listened to this song from Third Day I was inspired to connect this David verse from the Psalms to what actually happened. And even though I have read it before—it inspired me to be better.
It inspired me to allow God to make me a better version of myself.
Jesus’ decision to rescue, to heal, to bring us into a place where we could dare worship Him and be His friend … it is the most incredible decision in human history.
Cry out today to the King of the Universe.
Recognize Him as not just your only hope … but your friend.
Allow Him to help you not just in the great things … but in the small moments.
And remember to know your place: At His side. At His feet. And in full compliance.
Freedom for you is holding on to Him. He is willing … and able.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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I love studying American history. Maybe this is because I sat at a desk at Lyons High School in 1986 and listened to my dad make it come to life.
The Battle of Midway.
The Battle of Gettysburg.
The perspective of Abraham Lincoln.
And these events have shaped the world that we live in today.
I am grateful to hear of courageous leaders and, more importantly, courageous men who faced death to give us what we have today.
But nothing compares to Jesus. What He did on the cross 2000 years ago is the most important event in human history … and we would do well to celebrate it like the greatest New Year’s Eve party on planet earth.
But what was the second most important event?
I believe that the second most important event happened in Syria.
Acts 91 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. 6 “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
If you are going to mess with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah … do it on this side of death. On the other side? He stands in judgment. I am not saying what His decision will be … but He is the one who will make it.
Paul fell on the ground blind and made the greatest transformation in human history.
And only God can change a life without giving a person a personality transplant. He takes us just as we are and turns us into amazing versions of ourselves.
Paul’s transformation was so radical that people didn’t trust him because he went from worst enemy to best friend.
And then he fought like a cornered badger to get the message of Jesus out to every person on the planet.
Prison.
Beatings.
Persecution.
Threats.
Nothing could stop him.
Jesus. He is so good. Take Him into every area of your life.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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2 MINUTE WARNING 