Devotionals
A daily word of encouragement, exhortation and edification, drawn from the Scriptures.
Don't look back, look up!
Hag 2:1-3 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Nosed each, the high priest, and to the...
True Liberty
This week we celebrate as a nation the independence that we so cherish. Yes, we have many problems within our nation, but it is not until you travel abroad that you truly appreciate the freedom and blessing that we have in our country. However, due to the sin of man...
Be strong, for I am with you
Hag 2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: Three times in this passage we find the...
The conclusion of the whole matter
Ecclesiastes 12.13,14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil." The book of Ecclesiastes describes three...
Walking Worthy
May The Spirit of God help us to walk worthy of The Lord both individually and as a congregation in order that the lost world may know that only in Jesus Christ is their salvation, hope, and peace.
Help
If there is a word that I use frequently throughout the day, it is the word “help”. It seems like I am using that word more lately than ever before! Where should I go for this help? The writer to the Hebrews invites us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we...
The Privilege Of Prayer
We continue this mini series on prayer this morning by looking at the privilege (Ephesians 3:12) and necessity of prayer (James 5:13-16) . Write this on your heart, beloved: prayer is the will of God for each and every saint. Yes, it is God’s will that we pray....
Praying With Confidence
The apostle John uses the word “confidence” three times in his first epistle, and today we will see that it is used in connection with prayer (1 John 5:14,15). Glory to God that because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2, 4:10), we as His children...
“He Who Has The Son Has Life”
The Scriptures give to those who are regenerated by grace through faith in The Lord Jesus Christ blessed assurance of salvation. John in language that is about as clear as can be tells us: “He who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son of God does not...
More Than Conquerors
Today we are going to take a closer look at what the Bible says about Christians and their blood-bought victory over the world system. John, earlier on in his first epistle, simply says to love not the world or the things thereof (1 John 2:15-17). James likens a...
Whoever Believes
In reading the Scriptures it is vitally important that we make sure that we are actually reading the Scriptures, and not reading what we think the Bible says. Out of the 7 times that we find the phrase “whoever believes”, 4 of them are found in the writings of John...
The Glorious Cross Of Christ
According to the apostle Peter, the cross of Jesus Christ was the only answer for man’s sin problem (1 Peter 3:18). That is indeed what the Bible teaches (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). However, you and I are living in an “enlightened age” when the message of the cross is...
Faith, Truth And Love
We have seen how important it is for us to make sure that when a prophet or teacher talks about Jesus, that they are talking about the Christ of Scripture Who is fully God and fully Man (John 1:1,14; Colossians 2:9). John tells us that by this simple test of identity,...
Identification Please!
Identification fraud is a crime with severe consequences. John the apostle was concerned about this sin in his day (1 John 4:1-3). Let me explain. You see, shortly after Jesus Christ rose from the dead and gave commandments unto the remaining eleven apostles (Acts...
Creator, Redeemer, Lord
As we study the biblical record of creation, we realize that we are living in a culture that has deified science and man’s theories over the revelation in Scripture of an Almighty God, Who is Creator (Genesis 1:1) and Lord over heaven and earth (Acts 17:24). In fact,...
The Nature Of Love
The very nature of love is that it is unselfish. How do I know that? Because God is love (1 John 4:8), and The Almighty is not selfish (John 3:16). I find it interesting that after spending three years on earth as one of Christ’s disciples, John ends his earthly...
New Birth Means New Life
It is unfortunate that the biblical term “born again” (John 3:3-7) has come to mean anybody who calls themselves a Christian. We are living in a day and age where this term has been both misused and abused (Jude 4). Even secular society has picked up on the phrase of...
The Impact Of Imminence
John tells us in his first epistle that a lively awareness of The Lord’s soon appearance will cause us to walk in purity (1 John 3:3). A careful reading of the New Testament leaves us with an undeniable fact that they believed The Lord could come at any moment. Paul...
The Doctrine Of Antichrist
Some of the doctrines in Scripture concern demons and the kingdom of darkness. One of the prominent characters in the study of the powers of darkness is the Antichrist. John the apostle is the only writer of Scripture who uses the term “antichrist” (1 John 2:18,22,...
Breathing In The Wonder Of God
My devotional this week does not have a direct connection with our study this morning about not loving this present world system (1 John 2:15-17), but at the same time, it is the very essence of how we overcome this present world system. Only a greater love for God...
Growing Up In The Lord
In 1 John 2:14-16, John talks about stages of spiritual maturity. Keep in mind that as we look at “little children,” “young men,” and “fathers,” spiritual maturity has nothing to do with the years on the calendar, but with submission to God’s truth (Hebrews 5:12-14)....
God’s Well Of Salvation
The passage in John 4:4-14 is full of wonderful insights into the heart of Christ for lost souls (See also Matthew 18:10,11; Luke 19:9,10). Jesus not only looked on the multitudes with compassion (Matthew 9:36, 15:32), but He also looked at individuals with compassion...
Saved To Serve The King
One unmistakable teaching of Jesus, as well as the rest of the New Testament, is that concerning “good works” (Matthew 5:16) or “fruit” (John 15:1-8). We live in a day and age when people are being told that they are Christians because they made a profession of faith,...
No Partiality
The Scriptures are very clear that God is no respecter of persons. (2 Chronicles 19:7; Romans 2:11). Scripture is equally clear to tell us that God does indeed choose nations (Deuteronomy 7:6) and people (John 15:16) through whom He desires to do special work....
What Is Religion?
The English word “religion” is found five times in the New Testament (Acts 26:5; Galatians 1:13,14; James 1:26,27). All of these references stem from two Greek words, one of which is “threskeia”, which basically means, “ceremonial observance”. The other is...
Learning By Doing
The book of James is so practical. It is the kind of book that stares you in the face and challenges you to get up and do something. Yes, our salvation is by grace apart from our works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but James reminds us that a genuine faith is a faith that works...
Our Unchanging God In A Changing World
Change is a buzz word. People all across our land are not satisfied with things as they are, so politicians and business leaders promise to make changes. Sounds good, but what is the basis of those changes that are promised, wisdom from above or earthly wisdom (James...
Relationship, Not Religion
It is very common for people to refer to Christians as being “religious.” I am sure that the context of that statement is coupled with thoughts of beads, and statues and passing an offering plate. They usually think of someone being religious as a person who keeps the...
The Truth About Temptation
The early days of the church saw the emergence of many strange and dangerous doctrines. Many of the epistles were written to expose and correct some of these false teachings. James is no exception to the rule. There were those who were saying that God was the source...
Saving Faith Is Visible
At the end of this wonderful epistle, our dear brother James talks about the importance of honesty in our dealings with one another (James 5:12), what to do when you are afflicted or merry (v. 13), and who to call when you are sick (vv. 14,15). He also touches upon...
Patience And The Last Days
Five times we are going to hear James referencing the virtue of patience in our study this morning (James 5:7,8,10,11). He uses it in the context of living in the last days (James 5:3,8). (1 Peter 5:7). When Jesus gave His last days discourse as recorded in Luke’s...
About Me
I am the Lead Pastor of Koinonia Fellowship, a husband, father and grandfather. I also serve on the worship team as one of the drummers.