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December 10th | 2 Peter 3

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:00:06 GMT

Living In Light of Eternity

This is a sermon manuscript from June 26th, 2022

When I was in the 8th grade, I was scrawny, awkward, and very shy. So when it came time for the 8th-grade dance, I was petrified. There was a girl that I liked and wanted to ask to go with me, so I started mentally preparing myself. I knew this event was coming up soon, so I had to act because if I waited too long, someone else might ask her. So I figured out what I was going to say and went and asked her to the dance, and she said yes! I was so excited, but there was still so much to do and prepare for.

The dance was coming up, so I was doing certain things to be ready. I had to get a new shirt and tie, so my dad took me and bought my new clothes. I went to the barber and got a haircut so I would look nice. I made plans with my friends who were going, and we all planned to eat at a restaurant before the dance (it was Chili’s, and it was about as awkward as you can imagine with a bunch of 8th-grade boys and girls on dates).

So the dance was in a couple of days, and I was nervous. This upcoming event was affecting my attitude and actions. There was one thing, in particular, I was nervous about. Dancing with this girl that I liked. I had no idea how to dance, so I asked someone who had so much wisdom and knowledge about the subject… my brother, who was in the 9th grade! He had been to the 8th-grade dance the year before, so surely he could give me some pointers. I knew I couldn’t keep up with the fast songs and dancing, so I planned to wait until the slow dance, and my brother showed me the complicated moves. Stand in front of the girl with your hands on her hips and sway back and forth. I was nervous but felt I could at least do that.

So the day of the dance had come, and all my preparation had come in handy. Everything went off without a hitch. We made it to the dance, and the music was playing when it transitioned to a slow song. I made my way over to my date, and we went to the dance floor. I remembered the move my brother had shown me, and we were successfully swaying to the music in the middle school gym. One thing, however, I didn’t take into account, because I was an 8th-grade boy and all of them are completely oblivious to life, was that my date was the principal’s daughter. So he was at the dance as a chaperone with his wife.

So while we are on the dance floor, here comes her dad (my principal) dancing next to us with his wife. They both had HUGE smiles, and my date (an 8th-grade girl) was clearly mortified. Then the principal pulled a camera out of his pocket, held up a selfie so that he, his wife, daughter, and I were all in the shot, and took a picture. At that point, his daughter, my date, yelled, “Oh My GOSH Dad!” and stormed off the dance floor. So then, after all of my preparation and hard work for this moment, I was left stranded on the dance floor next to my principal and his wife. Not how I thought this was going to end!

So I know you’re thinking, what in the world is the point of this story? Well, there was an upcoming event I knew about, so I changed how I lived my life to prepare for it. I bought new clothes, got a haircut, and made dinner plans. It affected my attitude, and I practiced dancing to prepare for this event. The message from 2 Peter is very much the same. An event is approaching, and we need to prepare for it. The day of the Lord is coming when he will judge the world and create a new heaven and a new earth. Peter is urging his people to get ready for this event by asking a question in v. 11. “Since Christ is coming back, what kind of people ought you to be?”

So let’s dive in and see how we are to live in light of eternity.

Remember God’s Promise (1-7)

1-2) Peter had spent the previous chapter condemning false teachers for leading unholy lives and leading people astray. In that chapter, he used very harsh language but here he uses very gentle language calling the people of the church “beloved” or “Dear friends”. He’s begging the people to remember the truths of the Bible and commands of Christ to live holy lives in expectation of his coming. He has seen the devastating effect of losing our grip on the Promises of Scripture to pursue other things.

My son is two and loves running away everywhere wide open. But when we are in a parking lot I always hold his hand because he is important to me. If I were to let go of him in a parking lot or street something devastating could happen. In the same way, we need to hold on to the Word and God’s promise. If we loosen our grip on it we will end up like these false teachers Peter was condemning.

What is the promise we are to remember? Jesus is coming back!

3-4) So what were these false teachers saying who had lost their grip on God’s promise? “Jesus isn’t coming back.” “He said that but we haven’t seen anything happen.” “Live however you want. There is no Day of Judgment coming.”

5-6) Peter rebukes this teaching with what we have already seen from God. The earth was made long ago by God’s word and water. Then those same tools were used to destroy the earth with the flood. You say nothing has happened yet that doesn’t mean it isn’t coming. It already happened with the flood but Peter says this next time the same God will destroy the earth in a fire.

Peter says that they DELIBERATELY overlook this fact that God has executed judgment on the earth before and can do it again.

We don’t have to deliberately reject God to fall into this false belief system these teachers fell into. “Well I’ll go to work tomorrow, I guess technically Jesus could come back but probably not.” With this attitude, you begin to live for this world and not for an eternal kingdom.

By rejecting Christ’s imminent return we are insisting on our way of life over God’s. What’s going on tomorrow at work is more important than pursuing life for the kingdom.

Now I’m not trying to put a guilt trip on you. I think it is important to go to work. To live in this world and to function. I’m not saying go quit your job and stand on the streek with a megaphone yelling the world is going to end.
But it doesn’t take much to shift your thinking to things above. Go do your job and live in this world. But each day say, “What is one thing I can do for the kingdom today?” Maybe I could help this coworker out who I know has been struggling financially. Maybe I could start a Bible Study with some people during my lunch break. Maybe I could prayer walk my neighborhood in the mornings before work. Keep the end of the world in front of you!

2) Trust God’s Faithfulness (8-10)

In these three verses, Peter rebuffs the false teachers by pointing out God’s nature. There are three attributes about God that we see which help us understand the second coming and the purpose of our lives.

God is Timeless: The people were saying how can you continue to believe in Jesus’ return? It’s been 50 years since he said that and still, nothing has happened! And now people could say, “You’ve been waiting 2000 years, how could you still believe that?” But Peter refers to God’s timelessness. He created time and is therefore not bound to it in the way we are. He says a thousand years is simply one day for God. Peter is not pulling this out of the air. The psalmist says, “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past or as a watch in the night.” Ps. 90:4. Throughout the Bible, we have trusted that in God because he is far greater and more powerful than us. So to refuse to live holy because we think it has been too long sounded ridiculous when we consider God and his existence outside of time.
God is Merciful : We can think that when nothing is happening that can be inaction on God’s part. That he is in heaven and simply doing nothing about our problems and suffering down here on earth. I would encourage you today not to confuse God’s patience with inaction or indifference on his part. God loves you so much and he is tarrying so that all should reach repentance! God’s desire is that no one would perish and he is giving time for people to come to faith. When you are struggling with doubt about whether God cares for you and your problems look here. His patience is an active one where we are called to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” and to “be diligent to confirm our calling and election.” He is giving believers this chance and then he is giving non-believers the chance to repent. To accept this incredible gift of the gospel that Christ has died in your place, that he has risen to destroy death forever and offer you eternal life. So sometimes we wait and cannot understand God’s timing and different situations in this world but we need to remember his mercy and his love for us.
God is Just : God’s mercy is great but he is a just judge and while he waits for people to come to repentance he will not wait forever. There is a day coming when he will judge the wicked and condemn them forever. Also, Peter uses a familiar term to describe God’s imminent judgment. He says it will come like a thief, harkening back to Jesus’ words in Matthew 24. We don’t know when this day of judgment will come so we need to stay on guard.

Recently we visited some friends from college and while we were at their house I noticed my friend had a new car. So I asked him what happened to his old car? Now, this is not funny but its actually really funny and we laughed about it while we were there. My friend went to a gas station in his old car and pulled into the very front and ran in to get a drink. It was the middle of the day and he said he was in a hurry and knew exactly what he wanted. He was gonna grab a drink real quick and get back on the road. Well, my friend left the car running while he went inside the gas station. He said he couldn’t have been in the gas station for more than 2 minutes and when he came out his car was gone. Just like that a thief had come and stolen his car. Now my friend was obviously not prepared for this and it happened so fast he couldn’t do anything about it. Now Peter uses this term thief so we will think about Christ’s coming and judgment in the same way. What will you be doing? Will you be ready?

So Peter describes the second coming in this way and then transitions to his final point.

3) Live for God’s Glory (11-18)

Look at verse 11. Peter asks the question. “Since…. What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness.” That is the question I ask you this morning. If all of this is true. If we really believe Jesus will return and he will destroy the wicked and establish new heaven and earth, then should we live any differently?

The main character in the Day of the Lord is Jesus. He will be the one to return, to judge, and to gather the saints together. So when we talk about the second coming we come face to face with Christ. He is the standard of holiness and godliness by which we will be judged. Now, I don’t want you to leave here thinking I need to live holy because I am in constant fear of being destroyed in the end. This is a powerful language because God is powerful and we should fear him. But I believe our motivation for holy living and our ability to grow in godliness is found in verse 13.

God’s promise is that there will be a new heaven and earth where righteousness dwells. We can’t gain access to this new heaven by our own effort. We can’t simply come to church more or try harder not to sin. But God in his mercy has sent his Son to take our sins on the cross and give us his righteousness. So now if we believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior we can spend eternity with him in this new heaven and earth. No we cannot be holy in our own strength but it comes from abiding in Christ every day. By dying to ourselves and being filled with the spirit. 1 John 2:28 says, “Now little children, abide in him so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink at his coming.” Michael Green in his commentary on 2 Peter said it best when he said, “All down the ages it has normally been the case that men who have their hope set on the returning Christ have lived holy, attractive lives.”

So if you are here today and are a Christian I ask you to live in light of eternity. Christ is coming so spend this life abiding in him. Spending every day thinking of how you can live with a kingdom perspective with your eyes set on eternity.

If you are here today and you are not a Christian you can have this hope of a new life in Christ. You can experience his mercy as we talked about earlier. He is patiently waiting and offering salvation. But he won’t wait forever. Come today and experience the new life only Christ can give.

December 8th | 1 Peter 1

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:26:28 GMT

A Great Inheritance

Have you ever seen a movie or read a story about a person who is not wealthy suddenly hears from a lawyer that they have a wealthy relative they didn’t know about who has died and now left them a great inheritance? In the real world, this story is unlikely because we know our relatives, and if you’re like me, none of them are going to leave you a large inheritance! But it is fun to dream about going to sleep one day in poverty and waking up rich the next morning because you were gifted such a great inheritance. We dream about this scenario in our physical lives, but spiritually, this truth has happened to us if we have placed our faith in Christ!

1 Peter 1:3-4, “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

The verses above show us an incredible truth: our salvation is given to us by the great mercy of God. We are born again and given a living hope because of Christ’s mercy to us on the cross. Without such a sacrifice, we would certainly have no hope of being reconciled to God. Yet, not only do we have living hope, but we have an inheritance. Paul uses three words to describe it: imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Said another way, it is the best of the best, and there is no way it will ever fade or wither away. We can also have confidence that this inheritance won’t be stolen or gone because it is secured within the gates of heaven! We have confidence we will see this inheritance one day! This assurance is also given to us by the strength of God to guard us and take us to glory.

1 Peter 1:5-7, “5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

We are being guarded by God if we have truly repented and put our faith in Christ. We are justified before God now, and he will also guard us and guide us in this life til we reach heaven’s gates. What a blessed thought! So today, you might have trials and difficulties. Look to Jesus in faith to guard and guide you through them. In the midst of hardship and difficulty, remember the great inheritance that is waiting for you in Christ!

December 1st | Hebrews 1

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:36:51 GMT

When Jesus Speaks, We Should Listen

I remember growing up and roughhousing with my brother. We wrestled all the time, we broke things in the house, and sometimes we even broke each other’s bodies! My mom or other people would try to get us to stop, and their voices were met with halfhearted obedience, only to slow us down while we planned our next attack. However, there was one voice that would stop us in our tracks. Dad. When he raised his voice. We listened. He was different than the other voices. Dad could bring judgment on us and hefty consequences to us, so we knew to listen when Dad spoke.

Hebrews 1:1, “1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,”

God has been speaking throughout the Bible, but now in Hebrews 1, the author tells us that God has now spoken through His Son. Should we listen to the son? What are His qualifications that we should obey or respond to Him?

Hebrews 1:1-3, “whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

These verses indicate that when Jesus speaks, He carries the power of the creator of the universe! God created the world THROUGH Jesus. You were made through Christ’s power. He is the radiance of the glory of God. The glory of God kills people. Moses had to hide in the cleft of the rock so he wouldn’t die from God’s glory, and yet Christ not only can look upon the glory of God, but He also radiates it. He is the exact imprint of God’s nature. This word imprint refers to the word used in the ancient world for stamping coins. If you stamped a coin, it was an exact match, so you could be sure it wasn’t a counterfeit. His nature is God’s nature. Finally, the world was made through Him, but Jesus also upholds or sustains the universe by His power. Without the power of Christ, the universe would rip apart into oblivion.

So what can we make of Christ? He is God! I cannot begin to explain to you the Trinity, one God in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But we see here that Jesus isn’t an angel nor a created being. He is the perfect Son of God. He is God. If He is God, then He can do what only God can do, which is save us from our sins.

Hebrews 1:3-4, “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

You couldn’t save yourself or others from your sins. An angel couldn’t save you from your sins. Only God can save us from our sins. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, chose to become our sacrifice. The power that upholds the universe willingly let soldiers mock, beat, and hang Him from a tree. All for you! When you think about power, Jesus showed the ultimate expression of power by staying on the cross and saving us from our sins.

Therefore, if God has now spoken to us through His Son, we should listen. Believe in the cross today. Believe salvation is found only in Jesus. Follow and take seriously the commands of Christ today. Why? Because God has spoken through Jesus, we should listen.

November 26th | Zechariah 9

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 02:55:52 GMT

Hope for a Hurting World

The world today is full of hurt. People are suffering, people need help. Some people are struggling to put food on the table, in other countries, there are wars, and in some places, there is religious persecution against Christians. The world is hurting, and we need someone to help. You might think we need the strongest military to fix the hurt in the world today. We need the smartest and brightest to solve the world's problems. We need the most courageous and charismatic leaders to push us forward into a golden age.

The world views power, strength, and pride as assets when solving problems. Yet, the world continues to hurt, and the solutions just leave us empty and longing for more. We need someone to fix the hurt that the world cannot fix. Zechariah prophesied about one who would come to make things right. He would fix the hurt in the world. Yet, He would do so in humility. He wouldn’t come in strength but as a servant. He wouldn’t come boasting but bowing.

Zechariah 9:10, ” Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Does this passage sound familiar? It is because in Matthew 21 we saw Jesus fulifll this prophecy!

Matthew 21:1-4, ” Then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet”

Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy of the coming king spoken by Zechariah. And what would this king accomplish?

Zechariah 9:10-12, “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

and the war horse from Jerusalem;

and the battle bow shall be cut off,

and he shall speak peace to the nations;

his rule shall be from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;

today I declare that I will restore to you double.”

Peace and hope would come through this king. Wars would end, His rule would be from sea to sea, his blood would set prisoners free, and He would give restoration to the broken. Are you hurting today? Stop looking to mighty men to fix your problems. Look to our humble savior. Only through His death, burial, and resurrection can we be made right. Only through his humility to condescend to us can we find hope today.

November 24th | Zechariah 1

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:37:35 GMT

God's Gracious Pursuit

My wife loves a good Hallmark movie. The “Hallmark Movie” is a genre that has produced many films with identical plots and is excellent for putting husbands to sleep quickly. They go like this, “City girl meets country boy. At first, they don’t get along, but after having to save the farm or convince a city lawyer not to sell the property, they fall in love.” It always ends with a kiss, and they finish the movie happily ever after. My wife, like many other wives, loves these movies. Do you know why? It is the pursuit of love! Often, when couples are dating, they woo each other and pursue one another. But after a bit of time, kids, and the stresses of life, the wooing stops. However, this is not how things should be. Couples should continually pursue and woo one another in love, but life gets in the way, right?

In Zechariah, life had come between the people of Israel and God. They had rejected God. They had faced His judgment in Babylonian exile. They had returned to Israel at the time of Zechariah but the land was desolate, the temple still in ruins, and the relationship between God and His people still on the mend. What could fix it? A God who would pursue and woo His people back to Himself.

Zechariah 1:3, “ 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts”.

Despite all their failures, God was calling the people back! He was wooing them in a love relationship. He still cared for them and offered them mercy and forgiveness if they would return. The people chose to commit to the Lord and look at His response.

Zechariah 1:14-17, “14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

God would return! He was jealous and had a deep love for HIs people. He would restore them. Their cities would overflow with prosperity. The Lord would comfort and choose His people. How would he do this? By sending Christ to make Him king forever over His people. Zechariah is quoted by the Gospel writers more than any other prophet. Zechariah saw Christ as the one to come and restore. Christ has come to woo and pursue us to return to the Lord and follow Him. Would you respond to His pursuit of you today?

November 21st | Jonah 4

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:25:57 GMT

Temper Tantrums

When my son was four and my daughter was three, there was this thing that happened quite frequently at our house called “A Temper Tantrum.” It usually went something like this… I hear screaming and yelling in a room. I rush in, and the kids are both holding a toy, trying to wrestle it away from each other. I say, “Who had it first?” and then both will say, “Me!” Or if one has it first, the other will say, “But it’s my toy!” In that case, I will say, I know it is your toy, but you need to share. This is usually met with, “That’s not fair! It’s mine!” To which I typically reply, “No, actually, I bought the toy, and if you keep crying about it, I’ll just throw it away.” This leads to huffing and puffing and timeouts all around.

Temper tantrums are to be expected for toddlers, but here in Jonah four, we have Jonah, God’s prophet, throwing a temper tantrum because things didn’t go his way. This passage reveals God’s unchanging nature of mercy and love for all people, and our quick temper and forgetfulness of God’s own mercy in our own lives.

A God Who Never Changes (1-4)

Now we can look at Jonah as someone throwing a temper tantrum, but he was actually very angry, and this anger needed to be dealt with. Maybe you have anger issues toward parents or friends. Perhaps you are angry at God for the way things have turned out in your life. Jonah had to deal with his anger, and we see here a God who listens but lovingly and graciously tries to help him by changing his perspective.

Sometimes it is good to have righteous anger. Jesus had righteous anger when he went into the temple and overturned the tables. It is good to have righteous anger when a wrong needs to be made right. But Jonah’s anger wasn’t righteous, it was unrighteous. He wanted his enemies of Nineveh to perish and be punished by God. Jonah is frustrated because God allowed them to be spared. He is so frustrated that he wants to die!

He even says I know you are a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Jonah admits God’s nature, and he is frustrated by God’s mercy. You see, God has never changed. He will execute judgment and punishment on the unrepentant, but he is patient and longs for people to repent so he can show them mercy. This makes Jonah angry because these people were horrible people who had committed terrible sins. If you remember, they were the Israelites' enemies. Jonah would have grown up in fear of the awful people of Nineveh and would have heard of all of their horrendous, violent acts upon innocent people. This is why he didn’t want to go in the first place, because he KNEW God would show them mercy if they repented!

How much are we like Jonah? He had been shown mercy because he had been saved from the belly of the whale, but he didn’t want to extend that mercy to others. But we do this all the time. You aren’t part of my group, so I’m not going to go out of my way to help you. You have hurt me before, so you don’t get a second chance. We cry out to God for mercy when we make mistakes, but we hold that same mercy close to us, and we are stingy with who we give it to. Who are you withholding mercy from today?

God’s Sovereign Hand Over Us (5-8)

So God helps Jonah see how backward his thinking is by teaching him a lesson. Jonah climbs up on the hill to watch the destruction of Nineveh. Maybe, he hopes, that God won’t forgive them and he will bring His righteous judgment on them. While he sits there in the scorching heat, God causes a plant to grow over his head. Jonah is “exceedingly happy” with this plant. In one day, this giant plant has grown up for Jonah. What a miracle!

The next day, God appointed a worm to attack the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God then appointed a scorching wind to come upon Jonah. So now he is exposed, in the heat, and in extreme discomfort. He is in such distress that he asks to die. God has orchestrated this entire event to show Jonah that he is over all things and that anything good that Jonah receives in this life is from God.

You see, we are all sinners, and what are the wages/payment for our sin (Rom 3:23)? Death. We don’t deserve breath. We don’t deserve to be brought up in families that can provide for our needs. We don’t deserve cars, money, or comforts in this life. These are all blessings from God! When we were in India, we would see families who quite literally had almost nothing. I would see two-year-olds walking around in the slums completely naked, playing in the trash. And I would think that could have been me or my kid. But God, in His mercy, allowed me to be born into a family in America with shelter, clothes, and everything I needed. Not only that, but he was gracious enough to allow me to be born into a Christian home where we had Bibles and I could hear this incredible message of salvation and believe in Him!

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God is not out here hurting some people and helping some people. Jonah felt there was injustice because these terrible people received the love of God that should be reserved for HIS people. In reality, we all deserve punishment and judgment, but God grants us mercy. Any blessing in this life can be credited to a gracious, sovereign, and merciful God.

God’s Compassion is for Everyone (9-11)

Jonah here is angry with God that his plant has died, and God asks him, “Really?” God tells Jonah that he did nothing to make the plant. He didn’t water it, watch it grow, or work for it in any way. It literally popped up in one day, and then it withered. Jonah is expending all this anger at this plant he has benefited from for a day. Contrast Jonah’s concern for this worthless plant with God’s concern for the 120,000 souls bound for judgment.

How many of us are more upset about a phone screen being cracked than our lost friend? How many of us are more upset that someone has what we want than we are that people all around us are dying and going to hell? How preoccupied with ourselves and our trivial things are we that we miss entirely the people all around us that need Jesus!

Jonah was so consumed with himself that he couldn’t see the lostness around him. Not only that, but he didn’t feel these terrible people should receive God’s mercy. But we see from this passage that God’s mercy is not restricted to “good” people; it is for everyone. Would you seek to show God’s grace, love, and mercy to someone today?

November 19th | Jonah 1

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:00:59 GMT

Obedience to God's Call

Have you ever known you were supposed to do something, but you really didn’t want to? What is something that your parents ask you to do that you always find yourself putting off?

What are the things we know God has called us to do that we find really difficult to do? Sharing our faith can be difficult for us When it comes down to it we are probably just plain scared! But at the end of the day, that is just an excuse. I want you to know that I have been in your shoes. I remember being challenged to share my faith and being completely terrified. But I’ll tell you this, when I did share my faith, I always felt sure that I had done the right thing. There is no better feeling than sharing about Jesus with someone, because that is what we were made for!

God Calls Us to Obey Even When We Don’t Understand (1-2)

Jonah was called to share with the people of Ninevah. Up to this point, he was an Israelite prophet who had been sharing with the Israelites. The Israelites knew they had disobeyed God, so when Jonah prophesied against them, they listened and responded. But now God had called him to go to Nineveh, and this was a different story.

Nineveh was a constant enemy of the Israelites so for Jonah the people of Nineveh would have posed a constant threat to him and his people’s safety. Also, the people were incredibly violent. They were said to have buried prisoners up to their heads in the sand and left them there to bake in the sun, and for birds to come and devour them until they died. So you can imagine Jonah not wanting to go. Not only was Jonah fearful of his life, but they were wicked people who didn’t deserve God’s mercy!

We do this in our culture too. We put limits on who is “worthy” of us loving and showing God’s mercy to. But just as Jonah received the call to go and preach to Nineveh, we have had a similar calling, which is to go and preach to everyone, Matthew 28:18-20. We might not always understand it, and it might not always be easy, but even when we don’t understand, we should obey.

Disobedience Promises Freedom but It Leads Us Down (3-6)

Jonah isn’t just disobeying a command, but he is trying to turn his back on God. He is trying to escape God’s presence, meaning he is done with God and running from his faith. When we say no to God, we are not just running from one command, but we are rejecting Him, and it will lead us further and further away from Him. Look at the language that is used to describe Jonah’s actions: “he went down to Joppa , he went down into the inner part of the ship to sleep, and eventually he went down into the sea.”

Jonah probably thought, "I will escape this command of God and be free to do what I want!" But sin never leads to freedom. It leads us down farther and farther into prison. If you think you are free to do what you want, try not to sin. I can stop gossiping about others any time I want, I can stop fooling around with my girlfriend or boyfriend any time I want, and I can stop looking at inappropriate things on my phone whenever I want. But we can’t. When we choose to disobey God’s commands, we are actively choosing to go down deeper and deeper into our sin. The devil is a good liar, and while sin looks enticingly like freedom, we quickly find it is chains that keep us down in despair.

Our Failure to Obey Impacts Others’ Eternity (7-16)

Jonah is in the boat with the men and while they are all perishing he is asleep! They have all these gods that they begin praying to, but nothing is working, so they ask Jonah to wake up. Jonah tells them he is a Hebrew who worships the God who made the sea and the dry land. But look at Jonah’s response. He doesn’t tell them how to be saved personally; he gives them a quick fix solution: “throw me over.”

It is amazing how these men are crying out to all these false gods for help and Jonah, the one who knows God who made the sea and controls the wind and waves is asleep! God has called us to share the good news with our friends, but we are sleeping! Our friends and culture are crying out for help, and we are too consumed with ourselves to help them turn to the God who can actually help them. Our friends are searching to identify with a group of people and community, so they are seeking to change their sexual identity because they don’t feel they can belong to the Christian community. They are depressed, so they are committing self-harm and taking pills or drugs to get high. Our friends are crying out to find help, and we are asleep! It is time for us to wake up, get over ourselves, and share the life-changing love of Christ with others!

If you notice, Jonah doesn’t help these men see who God really is or teach them to repent and turn to God. He is so stubborn that he would rather get thrown overboard in a raging sea than obey God’s commands! The men see the mighty hand of God in the calming of the sea, and they repent and offer sacrifices to God, but it is no thanks to Jonah. Don’t continue in your stubbornness but follow God and obey His commands.

God Gives Grace In Our Stubbornness (17)

If you do find yourself to be stubborn, I have good news for you. God gives us grace and is patient with us. A big fish comes and swallows Jonah, and he is in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. Now you might be thinking, this is just a kid’s story, and this didn’t really happen. But if God created the heavens and the earth, surely he could make some giant sea animal that could swallow Jonah and keep him there for three days and three nights! It doesn’t have to be scientifically possible because it is a MIRACLE! Jesus healed the blind man's sight, made the lame walk, and brought the dead back to life. Surely he can make a giant fish that can swallow Jonah and keep him there for three days.

Now, you might think that spending three nights in a fish is not a picture of God’s grace. God could have appointed a giant shark to come and tear Jonah apart, he could have let him drown in the storm, but no, He ALLOWED him to be eaten by this fish to bring Him to repentance. Look at how God is patient with us and is working to bring us back. This way back is not always easy, but God is so passionate about you and your obedience that he will fight for you and give you grace. STORY - Gold and Dross.

We see Jonah in this dark and desolate place for three days. If you ever doubted God’s grace and His love for you, or that he fights for you, then remember Jesus, who also was in a dark and desolate place for three days. He went to the cross and endured our sin and shame. He was beaten and mocked and ridiculed so that you would be His! Now He is calling you to follow Him. He is asking that you obey and share this good news with your friends and the world. Would you obey Him today?

November 17th | Hosea 1

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 23:45:34 GMT

God Loves The Unlovely

“They hurt my feelings, I’m not gonna be friends with them anymore!” That statement was heard often around my house with my kids as they were younger. People don’t like it when others are mean to them. They don’t like being taken advantage of, and they don’t like getting their feelings hurt. We want good friends who will love us, stand by us, and stand up for us! Yet, sometimes these friends are hard to come by.

In Hosea chapter one, we meet the prophet Hosea. He has been asked to do one of the hardest things any prophet is asked to do, namely, love a woman who will not love you back. Why would God ask him to do such a thing? Hosea’s marriage to Gomer would be a symbolic picture of God’s faithful and covenant love to the nation of Israel.

At this time, Israel had flourished economically, but it had drifted far spiritually. They were worshipping false gods, making idols, and they had been unfaithful to the covenant God had made with them on Mt. Sinai. God had Hosea marry Gomer, and she bore him three children. God gave them symbolic names that were translated as 1) God will judge, 2) No compassion, 3) Not my people. These sound harsh. Yet, God was making a point. Judgment was coming for breaking the covenant. He would not have any more compassion, and they would not be His people.

For us, we must recognize the seriousness of sin. It means a break between us and God. It destroys that relationship, and God must bring punishment. So if God “divorced” Israel, what would happen to His covenant people? Chapter one closes on a promising note.

Hosea 1:10, “10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”

God’s mercy was out for this particular generation. The covenant of God that was made on Mt. Sinai was broken. God’s people did not keep the law, they did not love the Lord, so He was just to cast them out because they had broken the covenant!

Yet, did you see the remark about the sand of the sea that cannot be measured? It is a reminder of a covenant God made far before Moses and Mt. Sinai. It was made with Abraham. A promise to make Him into a great nation. That he would love them and care for them.

Genesis 22:17, “17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.”

The covenant made with Abraham was not conditional, unlike the Sinai covenant. It was not based on Abraham’s obedience but on God’s steadfast love. Meaning God would never break this covenant. No matter how far God’s people ran, how terrible they strayed, God would uphold His end of the bargain.

And God did just that when He sent Jesus. Christ died for our sins. He made us right before God. Therefore, the covenant is upheld by the works of Christ, not our own works. Nothing you could do could cause God to stop pursuing you and loving you. God truly loves the unlovely, and He demonstrated it on the cross. Would you rest in the unconditional covenant of God today and seek to love someone who might be unlovely? Love them the way Christ has loved you.

November 14th | Daniel 6

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 02:21:08 GMT

Why Spiritual Growth Isn’t Instant

When I was in High School, I was trying to bulk up, so I was going to the gym. However, to achieve the results I wanted, I began making instant mashed potatoes. I would heat some milk and butter, mix in the potato mix, and within a minute, voila! Instant mashed potatoes. I could easily whip them up quickly, and this was my snack between meals. While the mashed potatoes were instant, my muscles didn’t come instantly! I had to keep going to the gym, keep eating mashed potatoes, and finally, after months of hard work, I began to see some progress.

In our spiritual journey, we often seek instant faith. We want God to work quickly and efficiently, and we don’t wish to struggle, work, or experience any difficulty. We might read a passage like Daniel in the lion’s den and think, “Why am I not seeing God work like this in my own life?” While the story of Daniel in the lion’s den is incredible, it didn’t happen instantly. Instead, Daniel’s faith over the years led to his boldness and the power of God in his life.

When an edict was issued by the king stating that no one would be allowed to worship any gods except the king, Darius, we see that Daniel is unbothered by this command.

Daniel 6:10, ”10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”

Daniel was bold to continue worshiping God, but he had been cultivating that relationship with God for years! He had a habit of going to God three times a day. He knew God and God knew him. This was not done on a whim, but out of a deep love and a long-established relationship with Almighty God.

We want God to work mightily in our lives, but we don’t seek God in any meaningful way. We want God to show up in a miracle without us truly pursuing a relationship with God. Daniel had cultivated that relationship with God, so when the time came to act in bold faith, Daniel was ready.

Daniel 6:16, “16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually , deliver you!”

Daniel’s relationship with God wasn’t a secret. It also wasn’t a show every so often. No, Daniel served God continually. Have you been cultivating your relationship with God? Your relationship with Him isn’t instant; it's not like mashed potatoes. It takes time, work, and effort just like any other relationship. The more you seek him in the regular, mundane, and normal days, the more you’ll be ready when the time comes for God to work a miracle in your life!

November 12th | Daniel 3

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:00:31 GMT

Faith or Fright?

There is a psychological reaction to a threat known as the fight-or-flight response. When faced with an aggressor coming their way, some people will choose to fight. They will stand their ground and fight against that aggressor. There is also another group of people who choose flight. They run from the aggressor. Fight or flight response is something that can be translated to our spiritual lives. Rather than fight or flight, it can be called faith or fright. When faced with an impossible situation, will you be filled with faith or filled with fright?

Three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, faced an impossible situation with a powerful aggressor approaching them. King Nebuchanezzar declared that all must bow and worship his golden statue. When these faithful Hebrew men failed to worship this false god because they trusted in Yahweh, their actions were reported to Nebuchadnezzar. The king was furious and demanded their worship. They had a moment to decide, would they be filled with faith or fright?

Daniel 3:16-18, “ 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

They chose faith! Now, could their actions be considered fight instead of flight? Indeed, those sounded like fighting words to Nebuchadnezzar! However, we should view it as faith because their trust was not in their ability to win the battle. Instead, their faith was in the power of their God. Did you catch verse 17? “Our God… is able to deliver us.” Their trust wasn’t in themselves but in the power of their God.

What terrible or impossible situation are you facing in this life? What hardships are you enduring? What aggressor is headed your way? If you are struggling, don’t fight in your own strength and don’t be filled with fright. Instead, be filled with faith. Faith not in yourself but in God. He can defeat anyone who stands in your way. He can work a miracle in the middle of an impossible situation. Be filled with faith in the might and power of almighty God! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego put their faith in God, and look what happened.

Daniel 3:24-25, “ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Not only were they not burned by the flames, but God met them in the fire. He walked with them through it and protected them. What fire do you need to walk through today? Be filled with faith and not fright because your great God is with you to walk with you. Put your faith in Him today!

November 10th | Ezekiel 47

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:00:54 GMT

Life In The River

I do not have a green thumb. I desperately want to be a gardener, but I cannot figure out how to make things grow. I either kill my plants because I don’t water or fertilize them enough. Or I do not protect them, and deer come to eat all my plants. I have tried for several years now, and I have come to this conclusion: Everything I touch dies.

In my garden, I am indeed the grim reaper for my plants. But have you ever thought that problems in life seem to follow you? Things may not go your way in life, such as the loss of a job, a change in circumstances, or a car breakdown. Or relationships deteriorate, problems arise, and it seems that spiritually and emotionally, you just can’t seem to grow? Things go wrong in life and in our world because of sin. Sin brings death and brokenness to our lives, and this is the reality of a people who live in a fallen world.

Israel knew the devastating consequences of their sin. Ezekiel preached to Israel that they had been exiled because of their sin. Their sin had separated them from the temple of God and His presence. However, in chapter 39, we are presented with a vision of the future in which Israel is restored, and in chapters 40-46, we see a temple that represents God’s presence among a restored Israel.

In chapter 47, Ezekiel leaves the grand temple and sees a small stream of water trickling out of it.

Ezekiel 47:3-5, “Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.”

This small stream became a mighty river flowing out of the temple and into the barren land. The temple represented God’s presence and power, and it was flowing out to bring healing to a land and people who desperately needed it.

Ezekiel 47:9, “9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live,”

We, who are devastated by sin, destroy everything we touch. However, here we see a significant reversal. God, who is holy and perfect, gives life to everything He touches! God promised to send His presence, and it came through His son Jesus. Christ came to bring life to us who were thirsty and dying in a sin-sick world. As Christ touched the sick and brought healing, Jesus can touch your sin-sick heart and bring healing today. Wherever the river flows, there is life.

Turn to Jesus today and experience the new life you can have in Christ. A small prayer or time reading God’s word can seem like a trickle at first. But as you continue to seek Him, it becomes a mighty river of life rushing through you. Jesus can change your life and make you new. Would you step into the river of life today and be healed by Jesus?

November 7th | Ezekiel 37

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:15:28 GMT

Dry Bones

I remember years ago taking my two-year-old daughter to the zoo. It was a very hot day and after about 20 minutes, the tiny toddler was exhausted from moving her short legs and begging me to carry her. Thankfully, we had brought a stroller to push her along through the zoo. However, while the stroller helped her tired legs, it couldn’t help with the heat. She sat in the stroller and became increasingly agitated and hot. I kept telling her, “Please drink some of this water, it’s so hot out, and it’ll make you feel better.” But if you have ever talked with an agitated two-year-old, you know their favorite response to a loving father is always, “NO!”

She was tired, I was exhausted, and then all of a sudden, I saw a glimmer of hope in the distance. I squinted my eyes, thinking it might be simply a mirage in the desert, but as we drew closer, my heart raced with joy as I saw it was really there. It was an Icee stand! I bolted to the man, ordered a large Cherry Icee, gave him all the contents of my wallet, and rushed back to my daughter. With two straws, both of us were satisfied and restored, ready to continue through the zoo.

Our greatest need in that moment was an Icee to cool off. For you today, what is your greatest need? Do you need more money? Do you need repaired relationships? Do you need a bigger house, better kids, or a car that doesn’t break down? There are a lot of needs, but your greatest need today is none of those things. It is that you would be brought from death to life by the powerful Spirit of the Living God. Things will pass away, but our souls are eternal. We need to be brought into a living relationship with almighty God before it is eternally too late!

In Ezekiel, the prophet is transported by the Lord to a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel 37:4-6, “4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

Ezekiel was astonished because these were dry bones. Ezekiel had heard of God resurrecting people from the dead, as seen in the likes of Elisha the prophet, but these bones were dry. They had been dead a long time. They had no flesh. How could God cause them to live?

Ezekiel 37:9-10, “9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

What made the difference for these bones? The breath of the living God. For us today, we might feel alive, but we are dead. We need the Spirit of the living God to breathe into our dead hearts and to cause us to live. If we put our trust in Christ, God makes us a new creation and gives us His Spirit to dwell with us and be our helper.

Are you thirsty, exhausted, or dry today? Look to God and ask Him to breathe life into your dry bones. His breath and life are your greatest need; beg him for that Spirit today.

November 5th | Ezekiel 34

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:39:36 GMT

The Promise Of A Good Shepherd

Sheep need shepherds. They are astonishing creatures, but struggle to survive without a shepherd to watch over them. Sheep are defenseless against predators. Without a shepherd, they will easily be devoured by larger animals. Sheep have a terrible sense of direction and are not very smart. They will wander aimlessly and be unable to find food and water without guidance. Sheep are prone to getting sick, stuck, or injured. They need a shepherd to help them and care for them as they struggle. Sheep are unable to survive on their own and desperately need a shepherd.

Ezekiel knew this, and he knew the problem if the Shepherd quit caring for the sheep. Ezekiel likened Israel to sheep and the leaders of Israel to the Shepherd. He gives a crushing indictment of the leaders of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:2; 4, “Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?” 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.”

What happens when the shepherds fail to do their job? The sheep suffer. The nation of Israel lacked a leader to point them to God, and therefore, they fell away into idol worship and wound up as exiles and slaves in Babylon. Sheep need a shepherd. Israel needed a shepherd, and we need a shepherd too. We need guidance and help, or else we will wander away from the truth of God’s word, we will falter, and become slaves to sin.

But in the midst of Israel’s slavery, God promised to send a Shepherd to care for them.

Ezekiel 34:22-23, “22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.”

God will not leave his flock alone. He promised to rescue them. And how would he do this? By sending a good shepherd from the line of David. Years after this prophecy from Ezekiel, Jesus Christ would say to his disciples,

John 10:14-15, “ 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus came to rescue us, helpless and needy sheep. He laid down his life to protect, save, and redeem the sheep. Now, he offers all who would believe to become part of His flock. A flock that will know peace, security, comfort, and love from their good shepherd. Would you follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd? When He calls, will you respond by joining His flock and following Him?

November 3rd | Ezekiel 21

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:37:51 GMT

The Terrifying Judgment Of The Lord

Growing up, my brother and I were very active children. We would jump on furniture, throw balls throughout the house, and wrestle every time we had a chance. In all of our excitement, we would inevitably break things or hurt each other. In these moments, we would get a scolding from our mom. “Don’t do that again, be more careful next time, etc.” These were fine, but as we got older, the admonishment from mom usually went in one ear and out the other. Over time, we became calloused to Mom’s discipline because it wasn’t really effective. But my mom had one phrase that would quickly straighten us out and put us back on the right track. “Just wait till your dad gets home.”

Dad meant business. Dad didn’t play games. Dad would take off his belt if needed, and we would act right. In Ezekiel 21, the people of Israel had lived for years, disregarding the Lord's admonishment. They lived as if there would never be any consequences for their idolatry and sin. However, we now see the terrifying reality that the Lord will not withhold judgment forever. At some point, judgment comes on sinners, and it is horrifying.

Ezekiel 21:1-3, “1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel 3 and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am against you and will draw my sword from its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked.”

The most comforting thing in the world is to know God is with you and for you. But the reverse is equally the most frightening thing in the world: the Lord is against you. We live in a world today that thinks the Lord will never bring judgment. We assume that Jesus is soft spoken, gracious, a pushover. We can live as we want and never have to face any punishment for our sins. We shrug it off and say, “God will understand.” If we read our Bibles, we must realize the devastating punishment for sin and seek to find salvation in our Savior rather than persisting in our sin.

Ezekiel 21:7, “7 And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,’” declares the Lord God.”

Hearts will melt, spirits will faint, knees will buckle at the mighty judgment of God. When we come to grips with God’s hatred of sin, we realize how desperate we must be for a Savior. When we see the gravity of our sin and God’s fierce judgment, we treasure the cross much more.

Jesus told a story about a man who had two debtors, one owing 500 denarii and the other 50. The man forgave both of them. When Jesus asked Simon, who was hosting him, which debtor would love the creditor more, Simon correctly answered, "The one, I take it, for whom he forgave more". When we understand the wrath we have been rescued from, it changes everything. Our worship is more vibrant, our walk with the Lord is deeper, and our passion to reach the lost is intensified. Today, recognize the terrifying wrath of God and let it lead you to worship our great rescuer, Jesus Christ.

October 31st | Ezekiel 20

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:00:58 GMT

Patience & Mercy

Having children will test your patience, especially toddlers. I remember my daughter was around 4 years old, and she had a small Lego piece in her nose. I saw it and told her to freeze. Then very slowly and clearly, I said, “Sweetie, gently blow out your nose.” She locked eyes with me, nodded her head, then promptly sucked the Lego up deep into her nasal cavity! After 5 hours, one ER visit, and an urgent care visit, we made it back home, nose clear of all Lego debris. Small children test your patience, but also teenagers, and I’m sure even adult children do as well! In Ezekiel, the Lord recounted His relationship thus far with Israel. It was very much like that of a parent and a wayward child.

Ezekiel 20:6-8 “On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. 7 And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’ 8 But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.”

If I were the Lord, I would have been done with Israel. To pull them out of Egypt just for them to ignore you? I would not tolerate that! And that is why I am not God. God didn’t jump ship or start over; He had made a covenant promise to rescue these people and be their God, and He would not break that covenant.

Ezekiel 20:40-44 “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. 41 As a pleasing aroma, I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”

Did you notice that God said He would deal with them for His name’s sake, not according to their evil ways? Our God is merciful! He doesn’t treat them with the just wrath they deserve, but based upon His promise to rescue and love them.

Praise God that today we rest under the mercy of God. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we are not judged by our sin but by the sinless one, Christ. We are measured not by our works but by the work of Jesus on the cross. Rejoice today, Christian, because even though we sin, we are judged on the covenant faithfulness of Christ. Let that truth propel you to love and serve your Savior.

October 29th | Ezekiel 8

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:47:21 GMT

Idols Are Inconsistent With Worshippers Of God

What is an idol? Idols are seen today in various religions, and Hinduism is a big proponent of idol worship. They are small or, at times, very large statues that appear to be gods. People will make idols, sell them, then worshippers will adorn their house or place of business with these “little gods.” People will bow down to these idols and worship them, offering sacrifices to them in hopes that the gods will hear their cries and grant their petition.

We don’t experience idol worship in the same way in our context. However, we still place things in our lives that demand our worship and attention. Our bank accounts, celebrities, and our possessions become idols in our lives. They take center stage, and we regularly bow before them, giving them our attention and affection.

Ezekiel is distraught because idol worship is simply inconsistent with following God. You cannot worship God and idols. Ezekiel is physically in Babylon, but the Lord helps him see the idol worship and idolatry that have happened in the temple of God in Jerusalem. First, the Lord shows Ezekiel an offensive statue of another God outside the temple in Jerusalem (v.5-6). Then he goes into the temple and sees the seventy elders of Israel lighting incense and worshipping a false god (v.10-13). Next, Ezekiel sees women weeping and performing pagan death rituals in the temple (v.14-15). Finally, he sees twenty-five men bowing down and worshipping the sun (v. 16-17).

The Lord has seen enough. The idol worship of false gods means they do not worship the one true God. It is offensive and a smack in the face of the holy God who brought them out of Egypt and gave them the promised land. What will the Lord do in response?

Ezekiel 8:18, “18 Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”

God responds to idol worship with wrath. There is punishment for choosing to worship false gods. Why? When we worship other things or put them in the place of God in our lives, we are stealing God’s glory and giving it to another. It is an assault of God’s grace, power, and authority in our lives.

God responded with wrath by sending the nation of Israel into Babylonian exile. For us today, if we continue with our idol worship, it will result in the wrath of God for all eternity in Hell. Remove the idols from your life today. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. To follow Christ means to deny yourself and turn from the idols you used to worship. We cannot steal glory from God and be a Christian, but we must give God all authority and power in our lives. Remove the idols from your life today and find joy in following and worshipping Jesus.

October 27th | Ezekiel 1

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 01:26:16 GMT

Did You See That?

There have been moments in my life when I have been amazed at what I have seen. Staring at the power of Niagara Falls, gazing at the vastness of the Grand Canyon, and staring into the eyes of my beautiful wife (I love you, Katie!). God has created a beautiful and astonishing world that we live in, and sometimes His creation leaves us breathless. But what if we could see not just His creation but God’s actual glory on display? How would you describe it? Would it leave you breathless and in awe?

In Ezekiel chapter 1, the prophet sees the glory and power of God on display, leaving us with a grand picture of God’s sovereign, unmatched power in the universe. Ezekiel was written during the Babylonian exile. God’s people had strayed from His ways, and after years of sinning, God allowed them to be conquered by the Babylonians and taken as prisoners. Ezekiel writes to a nation that has been destroyed and hit rock bottom.

In the midst of their suffering, pain, and hurt, God reveals His sovereign and grand power to Ezekiel. God is first described as a whirlwind, accompanied by clouds, flashing fire, and lightning (v.4). Then Ezekiel describes four living creatures that fly around in power and strength (v.5-14). Finally, there were wheels near the living creatures, while wheels within the wheels were moving beside the creatures (v. 15-21). There was a great expanse above the creatures and wheels, and it was awe-inspiring beauty that enthroned a voice and figure in flaming bright light (v. 22-27). Then we see verse 28, which says,

Ezekiel 1:28, “Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”

God’s glory could only be described in terms of “the likeness.” It would be impossible for us to gaze upon God’s glory and describe it fully. Instead, Ezekiel gives us a grand picture of God's glory. When he saw it, what did Ezekiel do? Fall on His face. God is the undisputed champion and sovereign of the world!

Why does Ezekiel open his book in this way? What do the people who have hit rock bottom need to hear? What does Israel need to remember as they have been carted off into slavery for another nation? They need to hear that their God is still ruling and reigning. That no circumstance can take Him off the throne of the universe.

As you read the opening chapters of Ezekiel, be reminded of who is in charge. Be reminded of God’s power and might. Be reminded that no one and nothing can dethrone Him from His place on high. Whatever you are facing, God is still in control. Fall on your face before Him and trust that He will see you through whatever struggle you face.

October 24th | 1 John 4

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:00:40 GMT

How Can We Discern God’s Word From The World’s Word?

“Just pray and God will tell you what you need to know.”

Has someone ever told you that? The statement is true, God loves His children and will reveal Himself to them, yet have you ever thought in the back of your mind, “ Is this God or me? Is this word from God or from the world?” If that is you, then know you are not alone! The church John was writing to was trying to discern what was right and wrong, what was from God, and what is from the world. John doesn’t tell them just to pray and see what happens. Rather, he gives them some very practical and helpful advice.

1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

We are not just to believe everything we hear. Some people on the internet can sound very convincing. Some co-workers or close friends can sound really convincing. Yet, every testimony and word about spiritual matters needs to be tested because the enemy is trying to deceive and pull us away. So, how does John teach us to discern between God and the World?

1 John 4:2-3, “2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.”

There was a group of false teachers in John’s time who taught that Jesus didn’t come in the flesh as the Messiah. They claimed He was spiritual but didn’t in fact have a real body in the flesh. They also claimed that he wasn’t the Messiah, the promised one who had come to deliver God’s people. Why is this important? Jesus’ body showed He lived in every way as we do, yet did not sin. Therefore, He was a perfect sacrifice. Our deliverance came from His decision to die on the cross, bearing our punishment for us. To deny Jesus’ humanity and purpose in coming resulted in a people who did not worship Jesus rightly.

How can we discern false teaching from the world and heavenly teaching from above? Check to see what they say about Jesus. Or rather, check to see what they don’t say about Jesus. Some preachers today preach about you and how if you do certain things, you’ll have a breakthrough and blessing. It all sounds really good until you realize they talk about people way more than they talk about Jesus.

1 John 4:5-6, “5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

Do you talk about Jesus and confess Him as Lord, or do you find other ways to be saved? Do the people you listen to confess Jesus as Lord and push you to rest in His work, or do they push you to worship yourself and worldly things? Discern and test the Spirits by clinging to the Gospel and staying focused on the finished work of Christ.

October 22nd | 1 John 1

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:22:14 GMT

Light Up The Room

When my kids were younger, they were scared to go to sleep in their room by themselves. They were scared of the dark. Their room was fine and safe when the light was on, but when the lights went out, a monster suddenly appeared in the closet, something scuttled under the bed, and many other unknown terrors emerged. My wife and I did what any good parents would do: we said, “There are no monsters, go to bed!” We would turn the lights on, look around, and check while there was light. Then, we would turn the lights off, and the kids would get scared again.

The solution? A night light. Even a tiny light was enough for them to see that the closet was free of monsters, and it was still dark enough for them to go to sleep. I am amazed that often a small light can illuminate an entire room of darkness. In the book of 1 John, we see that God is light and there is NO darkness in him at all.

1 John 1:5-6, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

God is the opposite of my kid’s room at night. He is a full and bright light with absolutely no darkness at all. Often, we think we can come to God, bring a little darkness of sin from our lives, and sit in the same room as God. Think of it as a reverse night light. We walk into the room with God’s holy light and bring in a little bit of darkness and think, “Oh, it’s just a little sin, no big deal.” John makes it clear that it is a huge deal. The smallest amount of darkness prevents us from fellowship with God. If this is true, then we must eradicate sin from our lives. But look at what John says in 1:8,

“8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

We ARE darkness. We are sinners, and to claim we are anything but sin and darkness is to tell a lie. So if we are darkness and sin, how could we ever have fellowship with God?

1 John 1:9, “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The only way to get out of the darkness and into the light and fellowship of God is to confess our sin and be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Confession is hard. We don’t want our darkness brought into the light. But when we bring it into the light, the perfect light of Christ can eradicate the darkness and bring us into fellowship with God.

Don’t hide your sin anymore. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can keep a little sin and darkness and sit in the light of God. Confess it, bring it to the light, and then you will be healed.

October 20th | John 16

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:27:55 GMT

No Pain, No Gain

I love coaching my kids in sports. I have been a baseball coach, basketball coach, soccer coach, softball coach, and I’m sure there will be more to come! But one thing that is always a struggle in coaching is reminding players that to get better at something requires work. To win a championship is preceded by many days in the batting cage, hours shooting jumpers, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get better. The phrase is often used, “No Pain, No Gain.”

In John 16 Jesus was reminding them of the joy of having the Holy Spirit but they could only have the Holy Spirit, if Jesus left. The pain of Christ leaving them seemed too much to bear but Jesus reminded them that it would be worth it. Then he foretold His death and resurrection. The disciples couldn’t understand it very well.

John 16;18-22, ““Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

The pain and sorrow of Jesus’ death would sting and hurt. Yet, the joy of their reunion after the resurrection would be incredible. For us, we endure pain on this earth. There are hardships, difficulties, and trying times. Yet, we must remember that this pain produces in us faith to trust God. Ultimately, as our faith grows, so will our joy on the day when we meet Jesus face to face.

Whatever trial or suffering you face today, remember that Christ endured the pain of the cross so we could experience the joy of the resurrection. So whatever pain you might face, realize Christ will one day turn it to joy.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”

October 17th | John 14

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 01:55:24 GMT

Hope In Our Hurt

I have preached many funeral sermons, and a text that is often read at funerals is John 14:1-3.

“ 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

This verse is often preached at funerals for good reason. It gives us hope in the midst of hurt, gladness in the midst of grief, and certainty in the midst of sorrow. There is much in this world that can trouble us. Loss of family or friends is the primary cause of hurt and trouble. But even in loss, we don’t have to be troubled. We can face it with joy because he has a future hope.

We don’t have to let our hearts be troubled. Why? Because we believe in Jesus. Not only is he preparing a place for us, but this preparation comes with a promise: “ I will come again.”

What a blessed thought that in the middle of our troubles, Jesus will come again to make them right. He will end the hurt and pain. He will usher in a day where there will be no more grief, tears, or sorrow.

If you have troubles today, put your hope in Jesus Christ. He is preparing a place of joy for you if you would believe in him and wait for his return!

October 15th | John 4

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:27:56 GMT

Christ Can Quench Your Thirst

Have you ever been truly thirsty? Not just wanting a drink, but so parched that you could think of nothing else? I remember taking my daughter to the zoo on a hot summer day. When we first arrived, she wanted an Icee. I told her no, we wouldn’t get that right now. After we had walked for several hours and the heat of the day picked up, she came to me with a red and sweaty face and she begged, “Now can I PLEASE have an icee?” At that point, I happily obliged to buy her an ice,e and I also took a few sips for myself because I too was incredibly thirsty!

That moment reminds me of a deeper truth: every one of us is thirsty not for water, but for something that truly satisfies. The world offers all kinds of “drinks” success, relationships, money, comfort. However, none of those things can quench the thirst of the soul. Only Jesus can.

In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. She’s an outcast, drawing water alone in the heat of the day. Yet Jesus intentionally seeks her out. He asks her for a drink, then offers her something far greater: “living water”. Look at four truths from this passage today about Christ and the living water he offers.

1. Salvation Is for Everyone

Jesus crossed every social and cultural boundary to reach this woman. She was a Samaritan, a woman, and a sinner, but Jesus didn’t avoid her; He pursued her. That tells us something powerful: no one is too far gone for God’s grace. Whether you’ve been in church your whole life or you feel like you don’t belong there at all, Jesus offers the same living water to you.

As one pastor said, “Everyone, everywhere needs Jesus. The moral can’t be saved by their morality; the immoral are never too immoral to find salvation in Jesus.”

2. Salvation Requires Repentance

When the woman asked for this living water, Jesus told her to call her husband, knowing full well that she had been in a string of broken relationships. He wasn’t trying to shame her, but Jesus was lovingly exposing her wound so He could heal it.

Sin is like saltwater because it looks refreshing, but the more we drink, the thirstier we become. We try to quench our thirst with money, pleasure, approval, or distractions, but it never lasts. True satisfaction begins when we turn from sin and turn to Jesus, giving Him all of our hearts.

3. Salvation Is Found in Christ Alone

The woman asked where she should worship, on the Samaritan mountain or in Jerusalem. Jesus answered that true worship isn’t about where you worship, but who you worship. Salvation doesn’t come from religion, rules, or rituals. Instead, it comes through a relationship with Christ alone.

Then Jesus revealed something incredible: “I who speak to you am He.” The first person He clearly told He was the Messiah wasn’t a religious leader or a disciple, it was a broken, rejected woman. That’s grace.

4. Salvation Demands Action

Once she believed, the woman ran back to her town and told everyone what Jesus had done. The same people she once avoided were now the ones she couldn’t wait to tell. Her story became a testimony that led others to faith.

Meanwhile, Jesus’ disciples had just come from that same town and hadn’t told anyone about Him. It’s a sobering reminder that the harvest is ready, and we’re called to go.

If you’ve tasted the living water of Jesus, don’t keep it to yourself. Someone near you is still thirsty.

October 13th | John 1

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:04:18 GMT

The Law & The Lamb

In our house, I have some things I can do and some things I can’t do. I CAN take out the trash, cut the grass, and go outside with a baseball bat if we hear a noise at night. These are some of my duties as a husband. But there is something that I, and probably many other husbands, cannot do, which is finding things around the house. A common phrase to my wife is, “Have you seen my keys?” Or my wife will ask me to pull something out of the fridge. This results in me staring into the refrigerator with the door wide open, saying, “I don’t think we have that.” Immediately, my beautiful and loving wife will reply, “It’s on the second shelf down beside the ketchup.” Somehow, my wife is incredible at finding things around the house, and I am awful at it!

I have a role to play in our house, and my wife has a role in our home. When we think about salvation history, we think about God’s covenant promise with His people. He promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation and bless him (Genesis 12). That nation grew into the people of Israel and was eventually led out of Egypt by Moses. In Exodus 20, Moses received the Law from God. The law had a purpose in salvation history, much like my wife and I have a purpose in our homes. Some felt that the purpose of the law was to save people. Yet, the law had no power to save anyone or take away anyone’s sin. Instead, the law was there to show the people their sin and their need for a savior.

However, the Pharisees and Jews of Jesus’ day didn’t see it that way. They kept the law and assumed that because of their keeping the law, their sins would be forgiven and they would be saved. If the law could save, there would be no need for Jesus. But in fact, the Law’s purpose was not to save; its purpose was to point us to a savior. This is precisely why Jesus came.

In John chapter 1, we see Jesus coming, and we see the deity of Christ, the purpose of the law, and the purpose of Jesus in salvation history.

John 1:17-18, “17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

Verse 18 stands out because in Exodus 33, Moses asked to see God. God hid him in the cleft of the rock, and his glory passed by. Moses revealed the law and a shadow of God to the people of Israel. But it wasn’t enough to save. Now, Jesus, the only Son, has made God known to us. We can truly KNOW God, but not through keeping the law, but through following Jesus. This is highlighted a few verses later when John the Baptist sees Jesus.

John 1:29, “29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”

The Lamb can do what the Law cannot. The Lamb can take away your sins. Stop trying to follow the law to be saved. Its purpose is not to save but to point you to the Savior. Rest in the gift of salvation that is offered in Christ today and thank Him for His blood shed to take away your sins.

October 1st | Jeremiah 27

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:02:31 GMT

Who's The Boss?

When my kids were younger, they would often try to assert their authority in the house. If they didn’t get what they wanted, they would pitch a fit, scream, and cry. If you have ever raised children, you know that these little gifts from the Lord are incredibly persistent and can drain the energy from you with their demands. Yet, in their screaming and crying, I would often calmly look at them and tell them, “You’re not in charge. I am the parent, and what I say goes.” That usually went over like a lead balloon, but eventually, when I wouldn’t cave to their demands for a second honey bun before bed, they relented and got the picture. They couldn’t get what they wanted because I was in control. No matter how hard they petitioned or screamed, I, the dad, was going to do what I thought was best for them.

If I, as a father, asserted my absolute control over my children’s lives, how much more does the God of all creation exert his total control over the world? Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, is told by God to put himself in chains and under a yoke and proclaim to all that God is in control. Jeremiah’s physical chains showed the watching world that which is true of us and God, namely, that God is in control and we are subject to His plans and purposes. What was God’s declaration to the nations through the prophet Jeremiah?

Jeremiah 27:5, “‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.”

God is in complete control. He is the author of life, breath, and meaning. If he created the world, he can do with it as he wishes. Did you notice the absolute reign God has? He made the earth, the men, and the animals. Everything that exists is here because of God’s mighty hand. Therefore, He is in control. And what is God’s plan that he proclaims through Jeremiah?

Jeremiah 27:6, “6 Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. 7 All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.”

Nebuchadnezzar will rule. Why? Because God decreed it to happen. Israel had strayed from the Lord, and God was using a human king to accomplish His heavenly purpose on Israel. Babylon became the largest and most powerful nation at that time. Yet it wasn’t because Nebuchadnezzar was great; it was because the Lord was. And did you notice the end of that verse? Babylon wouldn’t reign forever but would be overthrown. The only king to reign forever is almighty God.

What is going on in your life today? Does it seem like control is slipping from your fingers? That might be a good thing. Give up control of your life today, because you never had it in the first place. Let God accomplish His will and trust Him to place you right where He needs you. After all… He’s the boss.

September 29th | Jeremiah 22

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:33:17 GMT

Woes, Warnings, and What God Really Wants

Jeremiah is a prophet who pronounced judgment on God’s people for straying from God's ways. Chapter 22 is filled with warnings for the people as Jeremiah pronounces woes and warnings on various kings of Israel. He begins in verse 3 by highlighting the standard that God sets for kings and all those who would pursue God rightly.

V.3, “3 Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.”

When reading the prophets, it is sometimes difficult to perceive God as anything but vengeful or angry. However, we see God’s heart in this verse is for righteousness, the outcast, and the hurting. His anger toward Israel is that they knew how to act in righteousness, yet they chose their sin instead.

V. 13, “13 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages,”

These kings, who were sons of Josiah, were awful kings who selfishly built large houses for themselves, failed to pay laborers, and spurned God’s grace and heart for righteousness by pursuing their own selfish desires. Jeremiah pronounces woes upon them, then in verses 15 and 16, he shows them how a true king, their father Josiah, ruled rightly.

V. 15-17, “ Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the Lord. 17 But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain,”

Their father, Josiah, upheld the call of God, as seen in verse 3. Because Josiah did well, it says, all was well with Him. Then we see the phrase from the prophet, “ Is not this to know me? declares the Lord.” God doesn’t want our good works just to make us moral creatures. He wants our actions and good works because that is how we know Him. God isn’t calling you into morality but into a beautiful relationship with Him. Jesus himself knew this when he said in John 14:21.

“21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

To know God is to obey Him. Praise God that we live after the cross and resurrection. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can KNOW God rightly. In our own strength, we would pursue sin and unrighteousness just like Josiah’s sons. Yet through the Holy Spirit, we are made new and can experience God rightly.

Seek the Lord today. Don’t just obey Him because you want to be moral or a good person. Obey Him because you want to know Him. Do justice and righteousness because that is what your father in heaven cares about. Be about your father’s business and seek to know Him more today.

September 5th | Isaiah 24

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:13:03 GMT

Christ Can Make You Brand New

As you read through the pages of Isaiah, it can be a terrifying book. Isaiah is talking about the wrath and vengeance of the Lord. There will be judgment on those who have walked in wickedness. Judgment is coming to Israel, God’s people, for having betrayed His covenant and commands. Additionally, judgment is proclaimed against various nations, including Egypt, Cush, and Babylon. A trouble is we can read about these nations and people in the past and think we are exempt from God’s judgment. Yet, in chapter 24, we see that judgment is coming not just for these specific nations but for the entire earth.

Isaiah 24:1-3, “1 Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. 3 The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word.”

Sounds pretty comprehensive, doesn’t it? For us today, we should recognize that destruction is coming for us all. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and the entire earth is corrupt. Sin hasn’t just broken us but also all of creation.

Romans 8:20-22, “20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

What is Paul saying in Romans? Creation is groaning. Things are not right because of sin, and God will make all things new! This is why Jesus had to come, to save us from our sins. However, this is also why we hold onto hope for the future. Our future dwelling place won’t be some ethereal kingdom in the clouds of heaven, but we will dwell in the NEW heaven AND NEW earth. The earth will be judged, but God will restore it!

Revelation 21:1, “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

God will one day restore all things new. The garden of creation that was perfect will be perfect once again. But not only will God judge the earth and make it new, he will judge individuals. Wrath is coming for those who do not repent. But for those who trust in Jesus, there is restoration in this life and in the life to come. We will be restored to a perfect body, on a new earth, and we will experience the presence of Jesus in perfection! Judgment is coming, so turn from your sin and turn to Jesus, the only one who can make you new.

September 3rd | Isaiah 7

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:56:55 GMT

Hope Found In Humility

Hope is what we are after. Hope is what we long for, but Hope is a tricky word. You can’t have hope of rescue unless you are imprisoned. You can’t have hope of happiness unless you have suffered sadness. You can’t have hope of light unless you are in darkness. For us, if we truly want to experience the hope of Jesus, we must see how dire our situation is. This is highlighted by the king of Israel, Ahaz.

At this point in Israel’s history, the kingdom had been split. There were two kingdoms: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Ahaz was the king of Judah, and Ahaz was an evil king. Israel and Assyria are teaming up to take out Ahaz and Judah. Ahaz was worried and hopeless. So Isaiah comes to Ahaz and tells him, “You’re gonna be fine. God is gonna take care of these enemies.” Ahaz is still worried so God tells him, “Ask me for a sign.”

Isaiah 7:10-11, “10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

God is essentially saying, “Ask for a sign!” It won’t hurt my feelings, and I’ll reassure you, I’ll give you what you want, which is HOPE.

But look at Ahaz’s response.

Isaiah 7:12, “12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.”

Now this might sound holy, but remember, Ahaz is an evil king. He is not interested in what God is saying to him. He has never cared, and now, instead of looking to the Lord for hope, he seeks an alliance with another nearby kingdom, rather than trusting in God. Can you imagine the gall of Ahaz? God is literally wanting to show you a sign that everything will be alright and you say NO. What is God’s response?

Isaiah 7:13, “13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?”

Isaiah is perturbed, and he brings the sign anyway.

Isaiah 7:14, “14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

We’ve heard this, and this is the prophecy of Jesus. We read in Matt 1:22-23 that Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise. But as much of a joy-filled and hopeful verse as we read it today, it was not that to Ahaz. It was a prophecy of judgment. Ahaz was a little too big for his britches. He was of the lineage of David. Maybe in Ahaz’s mind, he thought, God is obligated to take care of me because I am carrying on this remarkable lineage. The line of David cannot end because God had promised it would last forever.

But with this prophecy, God is telling Ahaz, “I don’t need you to complete my purpose and keep the line of David going. I can bring forth an heir to the throne with a virgin girl.” This is judgment on Ahaz, and the prophecy that Isaiah gives in the rest of chapter 7 is one of destruction of the people of Judah by the Assyrians. Ahaz had wanted to partner with the Assyrians to defeat Israel and Aram, and God says, if you wanna go with them instead of me, go for it and see the Assyrians destroy you.

Now, why is all this important? Well, we crave God’s presence, but we want it in our own terms and our own way. Ahaz wanted God’s protection, but he rejected God’s way. The result? God would give him His presence, but it wouldn’t be hope and grace, but judgment and destruction. We think we can just continue on with our lives, and we are kind of missing out on God’s blessings, but otherwise, we have a good life. No, if we are not for God, then we are against him. Actually, Jesus says, whoever is not against us is for us. Likewise, whoever is not for God is AGAINST God. You can’t be neutral to God. You are either for him or against Him. Ahaz tried to play the game, but God brought judgment upon him through this prophecy. You and I can choose our own path, but it leads to destruction and darkness.

Today, choose the hope that is only found in Jesus. God is ready to give you a sign. In fact, He has already given it; hope is here in the person of Jesus. Trust in Him today!

September 1st | Isaiah 1

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:01:04 GMT

Repent and Look to Christ

I have two young children, and they often find themselves bickering and fighting. When I say “often,” I mean every minute of every day! And about twenty times a day, I go to one of them and say, “You need to go and apologize to your sister/brother.” Here is how that apology works. Stomping feet, head down with a scowl on their face, a barely audible “sorry”, and then running away quickly to get back to whatever they were doing. Have any parents experienced this before? On good days when I have energy, I might say these words, “No, that wasn’t a REAL apology, go back in and try it again.”

Why would I make them go and apologize again? They said the words, but their hearts weren’t in it. For the people of Israel, this was where they were spiritually. At the time of Isaiah’s writing, they had been in the Promised Land for over 700 years (for context, America is almost 250 years old), which meant they had plenty of time to stray from God’s commandments. Isaiah is writing to the nation of Israel, long after the time of King David and Solomon. Years and years of bad kings have come in, and generations of people have strayed from God and have served false gods.

To make matters worse, they were still pretending to offer sacrifices in the temple in Jerusalem. I say pretending because their hearts were not in it; it was just a religious activity, and their sacrifices to God were mixed into their worship of many other false gods in the temple. Basically, Israel was a mess full of idol worship and half-hearted devotion to Yahweh, the one who had rescued them and brought them into the promised land.

You can imagine, then, that Yahweh, the one true God, would be upset with them. Therefore, God called Isaiah to be a prophet and to call people to repentance. The first 39 chapters are called the Book of Judgment. Then chapters 40-66 are called the Book of Comfort. Therefore, the first few chapters of Isaiah begin with God calling His people to repent.

Isaiah 1:11;13, “What are all your sacrifices to me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. Stop bringing useless offerings.”

How many times do you bring useless offerings to God? How many times are your apologies like those of my children? Halfhearted at best, and then quickly move on to the next item on your to-do list. As you read through Isaiah, you see a God who desperately wants to commune with His people, but their sin is hindering that beautiful relationship. Would you truly repent from your sin and pursue God today?

Isaiah’s Book of Comfort (chapters 40-66) includes the passages of the suffering servant, which point to Christ who came to sacrifice himself in our place on the cross. Isaiah is a call for Israel to repent and turn back to God, and as we read it, we can also find that call to turn from sin. For us, we can read it with New Testament eyes and see Christ. We don’t repent to go and make sacrifices again because of what Jesus did on the cross. We repent and trust in Jesus to make us holy and right before God. No more halfhearted sacrifices but a true and abiding relationship with God through Jesus. Would you repent and seek that relationship today?

August 27th | 1 Timothy 1

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:35:08 GMT

Worship Begins With Gratitude

Paul begins his letter to Timothy with gratitude: “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord” (v.12). After confronting false teachers and addressing the misuse of the law, Paul suddenly breaks into worship. Why? Because when he remembers who he was before Christ, he can’t help but overflow with thankfulness.

Paul describes his past in stark terms: blasphemer, persecutor, insolent opponent (v.13). He wasn’t a “good kid gone preacher.” He was, in his own words, the worst of sinners. He actively opposed Jesus and tried to destroy the church. Yet everything changed on the Damascus road when he met the risen Christ.

And what was it that saved him? Paul says it was grace—overflowing, abundant, unending grace. He writes, “The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (v.14). Romans 5:20 reminds us: “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

Think about that. No matter how great our sin, God’s grace is greater still. Like the never-ending rush of Niagara Falls, there is always “more to follow.” Paul insists that if God could save him—the “chief of sinners”—then no one is beyond His reach.

But notice: Paul doesn’t speak of his sin in the past tense. He doesn’t say, “I was the worst.” He says, “I am the foremost” (v.15). That’s the humility of a heart that never forgets its desperate need for grace. True worship flows not from thinking God is lucky to have us, but from realizing how deeply we need Him every single day.

Perhaps your worship feels stale right now. Could it be because you’ve forgotten the grace by which you were saved? Worship starts when we remember who we were, who Christ is, and what He has done for us.

As C.S. Lewis illustrated through Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: when Lucy saw Aslan again after time apart, she exclaimed, “You’re bigger!” Aslan replied, “That is because you are older, little one…every year you grow, you will find me bigger.” The more we grow in Christ, the bigger He becomes in our eyes—the more glorious His grace appears, and the deeper our worship flows.

Today, pause and thank God for His overflowing grace. Let gratitude stir your heart into worship. Never forget—you don’t outgrow your need for the cross. You grow into a greater awe of it.

August 25th | Galatians 5

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:52:52 GMT

Keep In Step With The Spirit

Galatians 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

I have been wrestling with what it means to keep in step with the Spirit. Oftentimes, my desire is for the Lord and to walk in His ways, but I find myself falling back into sin. I find that my heart is still wicked and deceitful, and oftentimes I feel that I am falling behind. The Spirit has great plans for me and my life, but I simply can’t keep up. Have you ever felt this way? It sounds good to keep in step with the Spirit, but I seem to be taking steps backward instead of forward in my Christian walk.

A couple of years ago, I went on vacation with my family, and at the place we stayed, there was a ropes course. They would strap you into a harness, and you would be twenty or thirty feet in the air, walking around on ropes and small bridges up in the air. It was intimidating for me, a grown adult, and my young son wanted to get on it, so I know he had to be afraid. Even though it was scary, he caught on pretty quickly, and I wanted to let him go on his own. We were probably 20 feet in the air, with no handholds, just a few wobbly steps. My son made it out to the middle, and he froze. He started getting scared and looked at me like he was about to die. So I went out and grabbed his hand, but he was too afraid to take a step. So I put my foot next to his and said, "Step with me." And step by step, I led him to the other side, where we could go down.

For the longest time, I thought keeping in step with the Spirit was like keeping up with the Spirit. He was running and being loving, kind, joyful, and so on, and it was my job to keep up. To be those things in my own strength. But really, it is not like that at all. Keeping in step with the Spirit means clinging to Him desperately, even as we remain frozen in our sin, taking small steps each day. And where is the Spirit leading us? To the cross. Each day. Little steps to take us back to the cross to show us our sin is there. It doesn’t control us. It doesn’t have power over us, but it is on the cross. And our job is to take these steps with the Spirit to keep dying to ourselves, our old life, crucifying our sin each day, and asking the Spirit to produce his fruit in us!

August 22nd | 2 Corinthians 12

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 09:00:30 GMT

What Happens When God Says No?

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you prayed fervently for God to answer that prayer?

I remember being on a mission trip in Africa. We were right below the Sahara Desert, and we were helping villagers farm. Every morning, we would wake up and go out to the fields to help them work. Let me tell you, it was definitely work! Triple-digit temperatures, handmade tools, back-breaking farming. I can honestly say I’ve never been so tired in my life!

On our trip, I had brought supplies from America. I had brought oatmeal chewy bars. Every day before we went out to work, I would pack my water bottle and a chewy bar. When we took our break from farming, I would sit down for a few minutes and enjoy some lukewarm water, and the highlight, that amazing chewy bar!

Well, one day out in the field I was working when terror went through my heart… I had forgotten to pack the chewy bar! My breaktime would consist of lukewarm water and thoughts of that delicious chewy bar. Instead of accepting my fate, a thought came to my mind, “I’m going to pray and ask God to provide a chewy bar in my bag!”

I knew I hadn’t packed this delicious treat, but as I began to pray, I began to believe. “Lord, I’ve come on this mission trip to serve you. I know you are powerful, I believe you can give me this chewy bar!”

The time of our break finally came, and I walked confidently to my bag, unzipped it with joyful expectation, and to my surprise… it was EMPTY! God had not answered my prayer and had not given me the chewy bar I so desperately desired.

When God didn’t answer, I had to ask why. Well, for one, God revealed that it was an incredibly selfish prayer because my African brothers never had such a treat and were able to work twice as hard as I did. God humbled me with this thought, but then another thought came to my mind. I was craving that chewy bar to sustain me for the rest of the day, but how much more should I have been praying that Christ would sustain me?

Paul prayed that this affliction in the flesh would be removed. Three times he pleaded, but God didn’t remove it. Why? Jesus Christ answered him and said,

2 Corinthians 12:9 “ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Today, what have you been praying for? More money? Rescue from some illness? Restoration in your relationships? There are many things we pray for, but when God doesn’t answer, is Jesus still enough? Could you even boast in that weakness and insufficiency because you know Christ could be glorified in your dependence on him?

Today, become weak so Christ can be strong for you. Pray that God would reveal your weakness and ask that Christ would be sufficiently strong for any situation you will face in this life!

August 20th | 1 Corinthians 15

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 16:07:53 GMT

The Resurrection Changes Everything

Have you ever been to a funeral? It is a sobering reality that this world will not last forever. Funerals are a constant reminder that our bodies are breaking down and time is ticking away. This is a sobering reality that we shouldn’t run from but face with honesty and truthfulness. Death is real, but for the believer it is not final. Jesus’ resurrection gives us a sure hope, and our future is secure because He has conquered the grave.

1. Where Would We Be Without the Resurrection? (1 Cor. 15:12–19)

Paul reminds us that without the resurrection of Jesus, the Christian faith completely unravels. In verses 12-19 Paul gives a list sharing how silly the Christian life is without the resurrection.

Preaching would be meaningless, and our faith would be empty. Without a risen Savior, we would be misrepresenting God, still enslaved to our sins, and left with no future beyond the grave. Funerals would offer no comfort, and life itself would have no lasting hope. In fact, Paul says that if Jesus is not alive, Christians are to be pitied above all people. But then he declares the good news:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead” (v. 20).

That single truth changes everything.

2. What Are the Blessings of the Resurrection? (1 Cor. 15:20–28)

The resurrection of Jesus is not only a historical reality, it is also our guarantee. Paul calls Christ the “firstfruits,” meaning His resurrection is the assurance of our own. Just as the first part of the harvest guaranteed the rest, Christ’s victory over the grave assures us that we too will rise. His resurrection also means that death, our greatest enemy, will one day be destroyed forever. The resurrection declares that Christ is reigning now and will one day put all things under His feet, completing His victory for eternity. Because He lives, our future is certain, even though we may still face battles along the way.

3. How Should We Live in Light of the Resurrection? (1 Cor. 15:29–34)

If Jesus is alive, then our lives today have eternal purpose. Paul endured suffering and trials because he knew the resurrection was real. Without it, he says, we might as well give in to sin and selfishness, living only for today. But since Christ is risen, our lives are not meaningless. We are called to turn from sin, to stay spiritually awake, and to surround ourselves with people who strengthen our faith. The resurrection gives us reason to live differently now, knowing that what we do for Christ will last forever.

Conclusion

In December 1941, when Winston Churchill first heard that the Japanese had bombed the American Pacific Fleet as it lay at anchor at Pearl Harbor, he wrote something in his diary that captures beautifully the spirit of what Paul says here. Churchill was confident that America would now enter the war against Germany as well as Japan, which would mean that the result was a foregone conclusion, even if it would take many years to come about (and of course he was right). He said this:

“So we had won after all!… We had won the war … No doubt it would take a long time … Many disasters, immeasurable cost and tribulation lay ahead, but there was no more doubt about the end … Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful.” This Christian life will be lived in waiting for Jesus’ final return. There will be skirmishes and difficulties, but the WAR has been won. It is a foregone conclusion! (Andrew Wilson, 1 Corinthians for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2021), 173)

The resurrection isn’t just a doctrine—it’s the heartbeat of our faith. It assures us our sins are forgiven, our future is secure, and our present life has meaning. Because Jesus lives, we live differently today.

August 18th | 1 Corinthians 6

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 14:44:07 GMT

Living Like We've Been Transformed

A transformed life can transform lives. A transformed community can transform a community.

Paul is writing to a group of Christians, but they aren’t acting very Christian. They are bickering, hateful, and even taking each other to small claims court to sue one another. Paul tells them this is shameful! If they are a Christian community, there should be enough wisdom in that community to handle those disputes without dragging them into the public eye.

Paul is trying to help them see that their actions affect others in the world. To bear the name of Christ is no trivial thing. Many people, especially in the Bible belt, will gladly tell you they are Christian. But they have no outward fruits or marks of a follower of Christ. Paul has some difficult words to say to these people.

1 Corinthians 5:11, “11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

Wow. Imagine if our churches held that standard for members today? Perhaps our faith is weak and our churches are declining because we don't hold believers in the church to the standards of Christ.

This is not a call for legalism but rather a plea for missions. Your life and how you treat people in the church affect how those outside the church think about Jesus. “ Why would I want to be a Christian if they are rude, bickering, and suing one another?” Rather, Paul calls us to live a transformed life. To radically love, forgive, and offer grace.

1 Corinthians 6:7, “ 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

Why not suffer wrong? We don’t like this because we claim we love justice. We teach our kids, “ You don’t start fights, but you finish them.” “If that kid says something mean to you, then you can say something mean back and see how they like it!” There is a sense of justice here. Righting a perceived wrong. But Paul tells us, don’t act like that. Rather, suffer wrong. Why? So they can see that Christians are different than the sin sick, hateful, desperate world we live in.

This is not a revolutionary thought for Paul. Actually, he is just pulling this teaching directly from Jesus.

Matthew 5:38-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Jesus not only taught this, but he modeled it. As he stood before Pilate as an innocent man, he did not defend himself. As soldiers mocked and beat him, he endured it. As His hands and feet were nailed to the wood and he was raised, beaten, bloodied, and bruised, He didn’t call down angels to get Him off the cross. No, he suffered wrong so that we might be made right.

Now, if you have been transformed by this message, you can transform others with it. If you were to act differently from the world and follow Christ, people would be drawn to this beautiful message of grace and mercy, and they too might be changed.

A transformed life transforms lives. A transformed community can transform a community. Seek to live out that transformed life with others in the church to see more come to know the love and mercy of Christ.

August 15th | 1 Corinthians 1

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 09:00:30 GMT

Do You Have Enough Faith to Be a Fool?

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18

The cross changes everything. In Paul’s day, the idea that a crucified man could be the Savior of the world sounded absurd. The Greeks thought it was irrational; the Jews considered it offensive. Even today, the message of the cross doesn’t fit neatly into the wisdom of our culture. We like positive thinking, self-help slogans, and the belief that we’re “good enough” on our own. But the cross says something uncomfortable—we are sinners who desperately need a Savior.

That’s why it’s tempting for churches and Christians to sanitize the gospel: take out the blood, the sin, the judgment, and just talk about “breakthroughs” and “blessings.” But Paul reminds us that the cross is the central message of Christianity. Without it, we have no hope.

In 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5, Paul points to three powerful truths about the cross:

1. The Message of the Cross

The cross divides humanity into two groups: those who are perishing and those who are being saved. There’s no middle ground. God’s wisdom is unlike the world’s wisdom, it doesn’t flatter our pride or play by our rules. Instead, it humbles us, confronting our sin and pointing us to Jesus as our only hope.

2. The Power of the Cross

Paul reminds the Corinthians that God delights in using the weak, the overlooked, and the ordinary to accomplish His purposes. The power of the cross transforms sinners into saints, the guilty into forgiven, and the condemned into redeemed children of God. It’s not our wisdom or ability that matters, but His power working through us.

3. The Cross in Action

Paul didn’t come to Corinth with polished speeches or clever arguments—he came with one message: Christ crucified. He knew that real faith must rest not in human wisdom, but in the power of God. Our role is simply to point others to the cross, trusting God to do the saving work.

Following Jesus will sometimes make you look foolish in the world’s eyes. But in God’s eyes, it is the wisest choice you could ever make. So here’s the question—do you have enough faith to be a fool for Christ?

August 13 | Romans 10

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:00:24 GMT

Make The Call

Romans 10:12-13, “12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

What an incredible promise. That God will save those who call on Him! As I read these words, I am overjoyed because not only will we be saved, but God will bestow His riches on those who call on Him. How rich is God? He created the universe. He owns the planets and galaxies. He can bring forth life and healing. God’s riches are greater than any amount of human wealth we could ever dream up. The incredible thing is that God is ready to pour out His riches on us…

IF we call on him.

I am a proud person, and my wife often tells me, “You should call a friend to help you with this project around the house, or that thing that needs to be done.” My preferred response to that is, “I think I can do it on my own.” I want to be perfectly honest, I can never do it on my own! Usually, I spend hours or days trying to do a project, and then eventually give in and call a friend for help. Why is this? It is pride. I want to do things myself, and I take joy in not needing anyone’s help.

However, to experience the joys and riches of God’s salvation, we must CALL upon the name of the Lord. We must believe in faith and call on Him for salvation. This means we must reach a point of desperation. A place of recognizing that we cannot pull ourselves out of the pit of sin. We need a deliverer.

You could spend days, months, years, or decades spinning your wheels trying to fix your life. You could be stubborn, angry, and bitter because things don’t seem to go your way. But if you would pick up the phone and call, God is ready to bestow His riches on you. He has a treasure trove of joy waiting to be lavished on you. Don’t wait, but call upon the Lord today, and you will be saved!

August 11th | Romans 3

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:53:25 GMT

The End of My Earnings

“During the Spanish-American War, Clara Barton was overseeing the work of the Red Cross in Cuba. One day, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came to her, wanted to buy food for his sick and wounded Rough Riders. But she refused to sell him any. Roosevelt was perplexed. His men needed the help, and he was prepared to pay out of his own funds. When he asked someone why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, ‘Colonel, just ask for it!’ A smile broke over Roosevelt's face. Now he understood--the provisions were not for sale. All he had to do was simply ask, and they would be given freely” (Source, Our Daily Bread , October 11, 1992).

Isn’t this how we approach God? “I can do enough good for you to love me!” We attend church, we get our life “on track.” We stop cussing, smoking, and drinking and smile up to God as if to say, “Aren’t you happy now?” But in reality, God isn’t happy with those things. Isaiah 64:8 says, “ and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” All the good stuff that we think earn us credit before God are just rags. Salvation by earning results in praise to the one who earned it.

Several years ago, I ran a half-marathon. It was a struggle, but I pushed through the pain and finished the race. For my devotion, what did I receive? A medal! It was for me because I ran the race. No one else could lay claim to it because they didn’t earn it. When we come to God with our works in hand, asking for salvation, we are subtly saying, “You did a lot for me, God, but didn’t I do pretty good too?” This was the issue with the Roman Christians trying to keep the law. Paul was telling them that even in their law-keeping, they were still not righteous.

Rom 3:10 , “None is righteous, no, not one;”

If we cannot be saved through our efforts, then how can we be saved? This was the question you can hear the Roman Christians asking, and Paul is happy to give them an answer!

Rom 3:23-25 , “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

We have all sinned, but we are justified by the work of Jesus, not our own works. The work of Jesus is simply to be received by faith. Faith is not a work that we earn, but it is simply like Roosevelt asking for supplies; it was received as a gift! What happens when we come to God with this attitude of humility, dependence, and faith? God is glorified, and the focus shifts from our works to His!

Rom 3:27-28, “ 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

Today, stop trying to be good enough. You can’t do it. Stop trying to earn God’s love and affection. You can’t earn it because it has already been given to you on the cross. Just receive it in belief and faith!

July 21st | Job 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:55:48 GMT

Seeing God Rightly

The story of Job is a remarkable tale of his continued trust in God, despite everything being taken away from him. Yet, we can often make this book about Job while the main character is actually God. God’s justice and power are on display in this book, and we see that He is worthy of our worship, whether He chooses to bless us or not.

Often, I will hear from my kids, “That’s not fair!” This statement usually comes after a sibling has done something to them or has received something that they didn’t. “They got a toy. I should get one too!” “They got to go do something, and I didn’t, so I’m going to complain!” You see this often in kids, and there is a sense of justice. Things need to be fair and equal. While I believe in justice and fairness, we must also recognize that life is not always fair, and that we aren’t always deserving of the things we think we are.

My kids often think they are entitled to good gifts, blessings, and other things simply because they are my children. Yet, if I’m honest, they aren’t always deserving of such things. This self-deception isn’t just found in my kids, but also in adults. We come to God, and we have deceived ourselves into thinking we are deserving of His blessings. Yet the truth is we are not. We claim we want God to be fair to us. We want the blessings that we see others have, and when we don’t get them, we often claim, “That’s not fair!” D.A. Carson talks about how we do not want justice from God when he says, “Do you want nothing but totally effective, instantaneous justice? Then go to hell.” (Secret Church, 2013).

Job was a righteous man who loved God. He knew his condition, and he saw God rightly, and he saw himself rightly. Job had received plenty of blessings from God, but when those blessings were taken away, Job didn’t curse God.

Job 1:20-21, “20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job realized that he didn’t come into the world with anything, and he will leave the world just the same. Any blessings God had given him were a gift of grace alone. When we recognize our deep sin and God’s holiness, we quickly see that any good thing in our life is a complete and total gift from God. Life is not fair. Fairness would be judgment for us, but God has chosen grace for us time and time again. Praise God that He gives grace and mercy in Christ rather than instantaneous judgment for our sins.

Today, would you see God rightly? As a holy, perfect, and full of grace and mercy. Would you see yourself rightly as a sinner deserving just punishment from God? As these two things come into focus, praise God for HIs generous grace in your life.

July 18th | Mark 15

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 02:03:04 GMT

Silent He Stood

The opening verses of Mark 15 set the scene for the brutal and agonizing death of Jesus. Our Lord had been carried before Pilate by the chief priests and scribes. They accused him of many things (v.3) and brought charges against Jesus. They had Him on trial and were seeking a conviction. But Pilate was not convinced. He wanted to hear from Jesus himself. Yet, no words came.

Mark 15:4-5, “4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.”

Jesus was silent. He was doing the will of the Father by going to the cross. But while Jesus was silent, there was a crowd of Pharisees and religious elites who were calling for His death. They were so blinded by their own hubris and sin that they called for a murderer, Barabbas, to be released instead of Jesus.

Mark 15:13-15, “And they cried out again, 'Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”

Do you see the contrast? A silent Lord willing to undergo great evils to save many, and a loud crowd of religious elites seeking to cling to the little power they wielded. We might see these men as evil, but how many times in our own lives would we rather crucify Christ than crucify our pride? We would rather say crucify Jesus than surrender to His will and plan for our lives.

Christ has taken up His cross for you and me, but the question is, will you take up your cross and follow Christ? Jesus willingly bore the wrath of God and offers forgiveness of sins through His blood. Don’t cry out against Jesus anymore, but submit to Him, treasure the gift of salvation, and take up your cross today.

July 16th | Mark 9

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:36:42 GMT

When My Faith Is Weak

There have been times when I have struggled to have faith, and other times when I have felt that I could move mountains. There have been times when I have experienced mountaintop highs and other times when I have experienced devastating lows. Are we supposed to live like this? Can’t we just have mountaintop experiences and full faith all the time?

Even Jesus knew that a mountaintop experience was not meant to last forever. In Mark 9:2-13, Jesus ascends a mountain with Peter, James, and John and is transfigured. His glory is revealed, and Moses and Elijah accompany him. Peter responds by saying, “Can’t we just stay here forever?” But Jesus knew He couldn’t stay on the mountain forever. There was more work to be done, a cross awaited Him.

Upon coming down from the mountain, Jesus and the disciples encounter a boy possessed by an unclean spirit. This demon had ravaged this boy his entire life, and the father came desperately to Jesus.

Mark 9:22, “ And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

The man came to Jesus and wondered if Christ could heal his boy. Jesus’ response is shocking.

Mark 9:23, “23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Jesus was telling this man that it wasn’t a matter of whether Jesus could do something, but the question was whether this man would have enough faith in Jesus. Anything is possible for those who believe. The man’s response is also surprising.

Mark 9:24, “24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

The man wanted to believe, but he had little faith. He needed help with his doubts. This begs the question, “How much faith is enough faith?” Well, Jesus told us the faith of a mustard seed could move mountains (Matt 17:20). In his commentary on Mark, Dr. Akin said,

“The key is not the depth of our faith but the direction of our faith. What is important is not the potency of our faith but the Person our faith is in. A little faith in a great savior gets amazing results!” (Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Mark, Akin, 188).

Do not feel that you have to muster up enough faith to see Jesus work in your life. Sometimes we have a mountaintop experience and are filled with faith, and other times we are weak and questioning whether we have enough faith to get through the day. The problem isn’t how much faith you have but where you are directing your faith. The man’s son was healed because he was looking to Jesus, not to the world. Even with a small faith, he was able to see Jesus work. Today, if you are weak and feel like you have “little” faith, don’t worry! Direct that “little” faith at Jesus Christ and watch Him do incredible things!

July 14th | Mark 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:39:40 GMT

Our Compassionate Christ

The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels. Mark is around 40% shorter than Matthew and Luke and around 25% shorter than John. With many fewer words, Mark must communicate the Gospel message of Jesus. Therefore, Mark moves at a breakneck speed. In chapter one, there is no mention of Jesus' birth, but we dive right into the action. Jesus is baptized and begins His ministry.

One word we see a lot in the book of Mark is the word “Immediately.” As soon as one thing happens, we immediately get to something else. In the first chapter of Mark, we see Jesus is baptized, He calls the first disciples, He casts out demons, He heals many, and He is already on the run from the religious powers of the day. Reading Mark can be exhausting!

After doing all of this, Mark 1:36-39 says, “37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”

Jesus was on a mission. He wasn’t going to stay in one place long, but he came to preach and call people to repent and believe. Yet, in the next verse, he encounters a leper. Jesus is on a mission, but He is stopped in His tracks by a man begging for healing.

Mark 1:40, “40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

Jesus had no obligation to this man. He had no requirement to stop and heal him. Jesus could have said, “I am on an important mission and cannot stop.” But this is not what Jesus said.

Mark 1:41-42, “41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”

Jesus was moved with pity. He saw this man with a horrible skin condition. A man who was likely an outcast, unable to live in the city because of this contagious skin disease. This man was at the bottom of the social ladder. Many probably assumed it was some sin he committed that caused him to contract leprosy. In other words, people didn’t care about this man and probably thought he deserved this pitiful fate.

Yet Jesus did not see him this way. He was moved with pity. We have a Savior who is not too busy for us but one who cares deeply for us. We are in the same position as the leper. We are plagued by sin, and our condition is terrifying and tragic. Yet Jesus doesn’t run from our sin or consider himself too busy to help us. Rather, Christ shows us great compassion. Jesus is not a distant Savior or a God who moves robotically towards His mission. No, Christ LOVES us. He sees us in our shame and feels sorrow. Christ, in His intense and deep compassion, desires to bring healing to our lives.

Today, would you come to Christ like the leper and find a Savior who is compassionate and kind? Today, would you pause from the busyness of life and find someone who needs to hear about our compassionate Christ?

July 11th | Esther 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:18:32 GMT

For Such A Time As This

The book of Esther is a remarkable book in the Bible. For one, it is remarkable because it never mentions God by name. You might wonder why this book is in the Holy Scriptures if it never mentions the name of God, but while His name is not written, it is all over the pages of this book. God’s hand and providence are seen moving and shaping the events of Esther’s life and His people, the Jews.

Esther is chosen by the king and placed in a place of great authority as Queen. Then the evil Haman makes a plan to kill Esther’s adoptive father, Mordecai, and also all of the Jewish people. Esther is fearful. What could she do, a humble woman before such a powerful man like Haman and the powerful king? Mordecai urges Esther to act by saying,

Esther 4:14, “14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

In God’s great providence, He placed Esther as queen to act and be God’s instrument to save God’s people. It would not be easy, and it would require great courage, but God’s plan is always the right plan. Esther confronts the mighty Haman before the king, and I believe God uses Esther to turn the king’s heart away from Haman and to the Jewish people. In a stunning reversal, the gallows meant for Mordecai were used for Haman.

Esther 7:10, “10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.”

This reversal is a picture that should point us to Christ because this is what Christ did on the cross. A stunning reversal of Jesus the perfect one, dying on the cross meant for us, sinners before a holy God. The cross meant for us was taken up by our gracious king.

Yet, Jesus’ death wasn’t the end, but rather the beginning of a great reversal. Satan thought he had won. Much like Haman, Satan rejoiced in the power he thought he had. But on the third day, Christ rose from the dead! Just as the king stripped Haman of his power and hanged him on the gallows, at the resurrection, Christ defeated satan and destroyed sin and death forever!

Praise God for the powerful reversal of the cross of Christ. Jesus can take our shame on the cross, and through the resurrection, he defeated death forever. Praise be to Christ! Today, you might be in a position to proclaim this truth. God in His providence might have ordained a place for you to speak up like Esther. Would you recognize God’s plan for such a time as this and speak up about the truth of the gospel?

July 9th | Nehemiah 8

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:01:34 GMT

Help Me Understand

I heard someone ask a pastor recently, “If the sermons recorded in the book of Acts are short, why do preachers today preach so long?” The question was asked in jest, but I know I have sat through sermons wondering, “When will this end?” As a preacher myself, I recognize that we can sometimes be a bit long-winded, but the job of preaching holds great importance in the church. Some might say, “Well, I can read the Bible on my own, I can pray with other believers, I can share my faith, so what is so important about these sermons that seem to last so long?”

I want to give one reason we have preachers who give sermons and two ways we can prepare our hearts for these sermons.

1. God Has Given Pastors to the Church for Understanding

Ezra came to the gathered exiles and preached from the book of the Law. Now, remember that the people had been in exile in Babylon for 70 years. They likely hadn’t heard this law in a long time or ever in their life! Therefore, they needed help to understand.

Nehemiah 8:8, “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

God has given the church preachers so we can have a better understanding. We know from the book of Acts that the apostles instituted deacons in the church so they could focus on the task of studying and preaching the word. We need preachers to help us understand God’s word and apply it to our lives.

2. Listen to Sermons With A Hunger for God

Preachers preach, and the congregation listens. But I know I have been distracted by the person in front of me, or by a child fidgeting in their seat during a sermon. I don’t always get everything I think I could out of the sermon. Yet, I don’t believe it is distractions that are the problem. It is my heart that comes to worship.

Nehemiah 8:2-3, “2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”

The adults AND kids who could understand listened to the Law from midday until noon? How?! It says they were attentive the entire time. They were attentive because they had gone without the Law for so long. They were hungry to hear from God. In our lives, we get so filled up on the world that Sunday mornings are more of a chore because we have no hunger for the Living God. Before you come to church this Sunday, pray and ask God to make you hungry to hear from Him.

3. Come To Church To Worship God, Not Yourself

Too often in our culture, we can make church and the service about us. “Are they playing songs I like?” “Is the preacher keeping this sermon to 20 minutes or less?” “Are we going to get out in time for lunch?” Sadly, church can be just another meeting about us on our endless journey through life to satisfy our desires.. Yet, the church is meant to bring us to worship before our great God.

Nehemiah 8:6, “6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

They were interactive throughout the worship service. They responded vocally with Amen. They lifted their hands and bowed their faces before God. These are all things that take focus off of self and put it onto God. As we prepare for Sunday, ask God to give you a Spirit of worship. Let Him purge your heart of any self-centeredness and come expecting to give God all your praise.

July 7th | Nehemiah 2

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 18:38:46 GMT

Pray Before You Go

Growing up my family would go on vacation and it was always hectic trying to get out the door. We would be carrying suitcases, pillows, blankets. We would be remembering all the last minute items and running back and forth between the house and the van. Yet, once we finally were packed, we gathered in the house, held hands, and prayed. We prayed that God would go before us and protect us as we traveled. That simple act of seeking God before setting off on our journey has stuck with me. It is a reminder that we should take time to stop and pray because it is God who will protect, provide, and make straight our paths.

Nehemiah new this truth. In chapter 1 of Nehemiah, he weeps because the walls of Jerusalem are in shambles. His heritage and his family’s legacy for the nation of Israel has been destroyed and in ruins for years. In chapter 2 we learn that Nehemiah is a cupbearer for the king of Persia. The king notices Nehemiah’s sadness over Israel’s destruction and inquires of Nehemiah what he can do.

Nehemiah 2:3-4, “ 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?”

Nehemiah has an audience with the king. He can request help from the king to rebuild and restore Israel to it’s former glory. Yet, should he be bold enough to ask? I am sure Nehemiah was concerned the king would dismiss such a request. But Nehemiah does something incredible before he asks for the king’s assistance. He prays.

Nehemiah 2:-4-5, “4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”

It is such a small note in the Scritptures. We don’t know if Nehemiah prayed out loud, if he left for an hour to pray, or if he prayed for 5 seconds. But one thing is clear, before he asked the earthly king for assistance, he went to the heavenly king.

See, Nehemiah realized the king of the universe could accomplish much more than the king of Persia. For you and me, we should remember this as well. Before we ask others or seek to work for ourselves, we should be quick to gain an audience with the king of heaven. He is mighty and able to meet our needs!

The king obliges and gives Nehemiah everything he needs. Yet the Scriptures are clear that the king of earth is only acting under the direction of the king of heaven.

Nehemiah 2:8, “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.”

Before you embark on your day or seek help from others, seek the king of heaven to meet your every need.

July 4th | Ezra 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:10 GMT

What Is Your Heart Set On?

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” – Ezra 7:10

What have you set your heart on?

We all have something, whether it’s a hobby, a passion, or even a TV show that we devote our time and energy to. For a season of my life, it was baseball. I played for a year and spent hours practicing, working, and striving to be the best I could be. I played throughout high school, and then my career came to an end. But as fun as that was, I realized something: the time I gave to that game wasn’t coming back. It made me ask, “What am I really made for?”

Ezra was a man who had his priorities in the right place. He set his heart on three things.

1. To Study God’s Word

Ezra didn’t casually glance at Scripture. He set his heart to study it. You don’t need to be a preacher to do this. We study things all the time, like YouTube tutorials, fantasy football stats, and social media gossip, but how often do we study God’s words?

“All Scripture is breathed out by God…” (2 Timothy 3:16). We hold the very words of God in our hands. Do we treasure them?

2. To Do What It Says

Knowing the truth means nothing if we don’t live it. James 1:22 reminds us, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Ezra didn’t stop at studying. He obeyed. God’s commands aren’t suggestions. They are life-giving instructions for how we were made to live.

3. To Teach Others

You may not preach from a pulpit, but if you belong to Jesus, you’re called to share Him. Colossians 3:16 encourages all believers, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… teaching and admonishing one another.” Every moment at work, at home, or on social media is a chance to reflect God’s Word to others.

So What Happens When You Set Your Heart on God?

Ezra 7:27–28 tells us:

He experienced the steadfast love of God. Want to see God move? Give Him your time and attention, and watch Him show up.
He took courage. The more Ezra obeyed, the bolder he became.
He led others . A whole nation followed because one man set his heart to follow God.

You don’t need to be famous. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be willing to study, obey, and share. God can do incredible things through someone whose heart is set on Him.

July 2nd | 2 Chronicles 36

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:10:10 GMT

Time Is Running Out

I love my kids. Part of loving my kids is disciplining them when they do something wrong. Early on in parenthood, someone told us that if you discipline your kids, be consistent. The kids will hear threats of discipline, but if discipline is applied inconsistently or not at all, your kids will not respond well. I have to admit, I’ve been that parent who threatens to take away a toy or put them in time-out, but never does. What happens when you never follow through on discipline with a child? They realize there are no real consequences, and they continue to disobey. As a parent, one of the most loving things I can do for my children is to discipline them so they realize that actions have consequences.

As we have read through this History of Israel (1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles), we have seen the nations of Israel and Judah as disobedient children. They keep making wrong choices. Occasionally, they will repent, but it is the same old song and dance of pursuing false gods and wickedness. Eventually, something has to change, right?

2 Chronicles 2:15-17, “15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. 17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand.”

God had been merciful for years, but eventually, wickedness must be judged. God repeatedly sent messengers to warn, but the people scoffed at these messages of mercy. Therefore, God brought destruction on Israel through the Chaldeans.

For us, this should be a sobering message that God’s mercy will not extend forever.

Hebrews 9:27, “For it is appointed for man to die once, then face the judgment.”

God graciously offers forgiveness of sins. He has people, such as pastors, friends, and missionaries, in the world who are calling on us to repent and turn away from sin. Yet, how often do we scoff at this message? We might say, “I’ll figure out all that God stuff later in life.” The truth is that God’s mercy is extended now, but upon death, we will be judged. Pain and judgment await those who fail to repent in this life.

Remind yourself of the coming judgment so that you will heed its call and accept the free mercy offered to you in Christ. Think about eternity so you can compel others to come to Christ before it is eternally too late. Christ is gracious, but we must remember that God’s judgment on the wicked is coming. Will you be ready?

June 30th | 2 Chronicles 28

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 02:36:04 GMT

You're Digging A Hole

When I was growing up, I loved playing baseball. I played with a team that had an outspoken coach. Part of what made him a good coach was that he would call out your mistakes and tell you what you needed to do to fix them. Well, this coach was no stranger to yelling at his players from the dugout, especially the pitchers. I can still hear him saying this one phrase, “You’re digging a hole!” He used this phrase when the pitcher got behind in the count. He would throw 2 balls and no strikes, and the coach would yell, “You’re digging a hole!”

The intention behind the coach’s comment was that the pitcher would hear these words of wisdom and throw a strike so as not to fall behind further in the count, thus not digging a deeper hole for them to crawl out of. The coach had a way with words, and I can still hear that voice yelling from the dugout to this day.

In 2 Chronicles 28:22, the Chronicler describes King Ahaz in this way,

“In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord.”

Ahaz was facing the wrath of God. He had an opportunity to repent and turn back, but instead, he doubled down on his actions. Who are you when you are in a hole? What is your response to the Lord’s discipline or to difficulties in life? God’s desire was that Ahaz would see his sin and repent. Ahaz’s distress should have pushed him to pursue the Lord faithfully, but rather, his distress pushed him to more faithlessness. He was digging a hole.

Have you been digging a hole? Do you feel that you have walked away from God and are in a hole today? Do you feel distress, pain, hardship, and wonder, “Why should I even try to seek the Lord if this is my lot in life?” I want to encourage you today not to dig a deeper hole for yourself. You CAN get out of the hole! We have a Savior who has come to rescue us! However, we must make a conscious choice to stop digging deeper and surrender to God’s will.

In moments of distress and difficulty, would you put down the shovel and seek the Lord? Only He can rescue you from the hole you are in!

June 27th | 2 Chronicles 26

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Pride Comes Before the Fall

We’ve heard the saying many times, “Pride comes before the fall.” We trace this saying to Proverbs, where Solomon gives wisdom to his sons. We’ve heard it before, but the nasty nature of pride whispers in our ear, “That only applies to ‘them,’ not to you.” We think we are better than others, and pride consumes our hearts, making us think we even know better than God Himself. Uzziah, king of Judah, learned the devastating consequences of pride in 2 Chronicles 26.

Things started very well for the young 16-year-old who became king. He followed after the Lord and was blessed by God.

2 Chronicles 26:5, “ 5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.”

There is a phrase at the end of this verse that is easy to forget when things are going well: “God made him prosper.” Did you know that every good gift you have in this life is from God above? Whatever you have materially or relationally is God’s grace upon you. Yet pride contorts our thinking. When things go bad, we attribute it to God hurting us, while when things go well for us, i.e., a promotion at work, healthy children, or a successful business, we like to take credit, saying, “I did that!” But just as with Uzziah, we are only blessed because God chooses to bless us.

Uzziah forgot this and, in his old age, he took it upon himself to forsake the commands of the Lord and waltz into the temple to burn incense even though this was reserved for the priests alone. When confronted by the chief priest, Uzziah became angry. Isn’t this what pride does? We get angry. We feel like we deserve good things because we are so great. Yet, in reality, we don’t deserve any of the grace God extends to us daily! What happened to Uzziah?

2 Chronicles 26:19;21, “ 19 Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, by the altar of incense. 21 And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death.

God struck him. The same hand that brought blessings now brought judgment. Oh, that we would fear the blessed hand of God! Praise Him for His blessings and fear Him for His judgment. A healthy understanding of God keeps us close to Him. Yet, when we let pride seep in, we are separated. Leprosy meant Uzziah was alone, an outcast, for the rest of his life.

Would you examine your life today? Is there pride? Do you need to humble yourself before God? Thank Him for His blessings and surrender to His mighty hand, finding grace and mercy. Choose to kill pride and seek the Lord today.

June 25th | 2 Chronicles 12

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:00:30 GMT

What Legacy Will You Leave Behind?

If someone were to ask you what your legacy will be when you leave this earth, what would you say? If you’re like me, you wouldn’t have a clue because life feels so busy right now! I’m often just trying to get from one day to the next, so the lasting legacy of my life isn’t always at the forefront of my mind. I would like my legacy to be a faithful minister of the Gospel, a devoted father and husband, and a wonderful friend. Yet, we don’t get to write our legacies, do we? Once we leave this earth, someone will write them for us. It should remind us that a life full of small choices eventually adds up to a lasting legacy.

In 2 Chronicles 12, Rehoboam succeeds his father, Solomon, as king after Solomon's death. He has established himself as king of Israel, and then we read the opening verse of the chapter.

2 Chronicles 12:1, “1 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.”

Not only did Rehoboam walk away from the Lord, but he led an entire nation away from God. Imagine the weight of such a statement. Today, an entire nation might not be on your shoulders, but in your life, you can either push people toward or away from God. What will be your legacy? A life filled with choices that are consistently pushing people to God or one that constantly pulls people away from the Lord?

Because of Rehoboam’s sin, God brought the Egyptians to plunder Israel. Once Rehoboam felt the pain of loss, he humbled himself before the Lord, and God heard his cry. God stopped the onslaught from a foreign nation, but the damage was already done. Rehoboam’s legacy was already written. At the end of his life, the Chronicler records this terrifying statement about Rehoboam.

2 Chronicles 12:13-14, “So King Rehoboam grew strong in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. 14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.”

If someone sat down to record your legacy, what would they say? He sought the Lord, or he sought himself? He pulled people into the kingdom of God, or did he draw people away? Every day we have a choice to follow Christ. Don’t let your life slip away and leave behind a tarnished legacy. Choose today to seek the Lord and cement a legacy of a life lived for the Lord.

June 23rd | 2 Chronicles 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:27:11 GMT

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Would you preemptively forgive someone? You know that person is going to let you down, hurt you, and stab you in the back. Yet you preemptively tell them, “I’ll forgive you if you do.” That is essentially what a marriage vow is. For better or for worse is the traditional vow. The happy-eyed, naive, and young couple might say this without any real idea of how bad the “worse” might be, yet the promise is still made. It is a promise to stay, to be, and to love that person for the rest of their lives. What a powerful vow, and it should impress upon us the power of marriage that our God has instituted.

This idea of preemptively forgiving someone would be reserved for a marriage or a close family member. We wouldn’t extend such kindness to anyone. Yet, in 2 Chronicles, this is what God does for His people. In the opening verses of 2 Chronicles 7, we see God’s glory descend on the newly dedicated temple in a spectacular way.

2 Chronicles 7:1-4, “7:1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

What a beautiful and powerful picture of God coming to reign powerfully with His people. Everyone is worshipping and praising God. In this instance of glory and greatness, many probably thought this powerful worship and presence would continue for generations. Yet, in the quiet of the night, without fire or a spectacular show, God appears to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 7:12-14, “12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.”

What is God telling Solomon? He will be with Israel even when they leave, even when they sin. God doesn’t mince words, and the Almighty KNOWS what will take place. In verse 3, He says, “When I shut up the heavens…” God is telling them that they will rebel, and God will punish them. He is not naive or misty-eyed like the newlywed couple who think there will be no struggle. No, He already knows that Israel will turn and there will be a “worse.”

Yet, even still, God chooses to love. He chooses to forgive, to shepherd, and to save. But there is a condition. “Humble yourself, pray, seek, and turn.” It seems so simple listed in this way, but this can be the hardest thing of all. We think we have all the right answers and can save ourselves from the mess we’ve made, but we can’t. We are hindered in our prayers and seeking after God because we’re ashamed. We don’t want to turn from our sin because we love it and feel that we will miss out. Yet, in doing these things, we find a God who is merciful and abounding in steadfast love.

God made that covenant with Israel, and it remains in effect for you today. If you have wandered, you have a God who wants you to pray and seek Him. He can bring healing to your heart and save your soul. Would you humble yourself before Him today?

June 20th | 2 Chronicles 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 01:13:53 GMT

God's Dwelling Place

When I was growing up, my family helped out with a youth conference at the beach. The conference was a three-day event where church youth groups would bring teenagers to hear from Christian speakers and grow in their faith. One of the highlights was different Christian bands that would come and perform. My family helped set up and organize this event, so I was privileged to be “behind the scenes” and assist with the setup. One of the perks of this was that I got to meet a lot of these Christian music artists. As a ten-year-old, this was the greatest thing that could have happened to me!

One year, Audio Adrenaline (a popular Christian band at the time) came to perform at the conference. My dad was tasked with picking them up from the airport and bringing them to the conference center. He did not have any fancy vehicle to pick them up in, so he took our family van. I did not know he was doing this, but he showed up at our hotel and said, “Look who’s in our van!” To say I was shocked to see Audio Adrenaline sitting in my family van would be the understatement of a lifetime. I was thrilled when he asked if I wanted to go for a ride with them. Sitting in that van, I couldn't believe that the great Audio Adrenaline would be riding in our old van, which was used for grocery runs and school drop-offs. It was incredible!

As amazing as Audio Adrenaline in a van sounds, consider Solomon as he dedicates the newly built temple to God in Jerusalem. He has spent so much time and effort completing this temple, and now is the time for God’s presence to fill the holy place.

2 Chronicles 6:18 says, “18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!”

Solomon stands bewildered that the great God of the universe would dwell in a temple made by human hands. God cannot be contained in this temple, yet he would come and dwell there to be amongst sinful people. His holy presence would be a place of terror and judgment, but also of forgiveness for sins for the Israelites. As great as the temple was, it was far inferior to the heights of heaven. Yet, God chose to come and dwell with His people.

How could God dwell in a temple built by human hands? It boggles the mind. In light of this revelation of Solomon, think of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 2:5-8, “ 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

How could Christ dwell with us? He emptied himself in humility and chose to live among us. He willingly went to the cross to be as low as anything in creation. His humility made a way for us to be with God. Not just in a temple, but for God to dwell in our hearts!

As amazed as I was that Audio Adrenaline was in my van, we should wake up every day amazed that the Holy Spirit dwells in us! Praise be to Christ, who humbly went to the cross and has made a way for God to dwell with us. Rejoice in that truth today!

June 18th | 1 Chronicles 28

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:48:18 GMT

Hide or Seek?

I remember growing up and playing hide and seek at our church. We loved playing at night because all the lights would be off, and we would be scattered throughout the Sunday school rooms or the fellowship hall in pitch black darkness. We snuck around and felt like ninjas or secret agents (every 8-year-old boy’s dream!).

However, there was one time when hide and seek quit being fun. It was at a party, and about 20 kids went to hide throughout the church. I had a particularly good hiding spot under the chairs in the little children’s nursery, and no one found me. Actually, they forgot about me! After about 30 minutes of waiting to be found, I walked back to base (the fellowship hall), and everyone was eating cake without me! Talk about being let down. It's fun to play hide and seek, but it's no fun to hide if no one is searching for you.

In 1 Chronicles 28, David gives a challenge to his son Solomon, who is taking over as king: "Seek the Lord!" 1 Chronicles 28:9 says , 9 “If you seek him, he will be found by you,

What an incredible promise! If we seek the Lord, we will find Him! This same promise is given by Luke in his Gospel.

Luke 11:9, “9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

God is ready to be found; in fact, He is not really hiding! He desires that we seek Him so that He can pour out His blessings on us. However, as great as a promise it is that we can find the living God, there is also a terrifying promise given to Solomon.

1 Chronicles 28:9, “If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

If you fail to seek God, or worse, forsake Him, he will cast you off forever. The Bible describes God as a jealous God. He is not an afterthought in our lives. He doesn’t play second fiddle. He created the world, the stars, the sun, the creatures, and you and me. He doesn’t get glory after us, but He must receive all the glory in our lives!

Yet, too often we are eating cake in the fellowship hall, and if we fail to seek the Lord, we will face eternal punishment by the living God and be cast off forever. We are distracted and enchanted by creation instead of seeking out the creator. God wants you to seek Him, but if you fail to seek Him, there will be judgment. Get up from your slumber and do it. Put the cake down and go after God. The cake will come and go, but God's joy will last forever. Seek the Lord today, and you will find Him!

June 16th | 1 Chronicles 18

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:28:00 GMT

The Lord Is With You

I grew up with an older brother. He was a year and a half older than I and just one year ahead of me in school. While we were close in age, we were not close in stature. He towered over me my entire life and is still much taller and bigger than I am. When I was younger, I did not like being the smaller one. I wanted to be bigger. However, when I got to high school, I was really glad to have a “big” brother.

I recall a couple of instances where upperclassmen tried to pick on me, and my “big” brother showed up. These upperclassmen didn’t want to mess with my brother. I was grateful that he welcomed me into his friend group, and wherever my brother went, I went as well. We were close, and because of that, I wasn’t picked on anymore throughout high school.

In 1 Chronicles, David has committed himself to the Lord. The Lord made an astonishing promise to David in 1 Chronicles 17:12-14, “He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’”

God committed to be with David and to establish his kingdom forever. This is the Davidic covenant. A promise that the kingdom of God would be established through the line of David. Saul had the kingdom torn from him, but now the Lord promises to establish an eternal kingdom through the house of David.

In light of this promise, chapter 18 begins with a list of all the people and nations that David defeated. Then we see an incredible statement in verse 6.

“And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.”

David didn’t have the victory in himself or because he was great, but only because God was with him! The same is true for us if we trust in Christ. Jesus came from the lineage of David to fulfill this covenant promise. God’s kingdom, established through David to Christ, is now established forever. Christ has been raised and is ruling in heaven, and His kingdom will know no end.

What does that mean for us today? If you have believed in Christ, you have been adopted into a family where you have a big brother who will fight your battles for you. He is greater and stronger than anything you might face in this life. You are united with Christ and can face any circumstance because the Lord Jesus Christ is with you wherever you go. Trust in Christ today and lean on Him to fight your battles.

June 6th | 2 Kings 23

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 02:26:48 GMT

A Better King

If you have been reading through 1 and 2 Kings, a theme stands out: the kings of Israel and Judah are not very good. Some do well, but they still fail to follow God faithfully and lead the people back to revival. They are not good, and the people need a better king. Enter Josiah.

In a stunning turn of events, as the temple is being repaired, the high priest finds the book of the Law. You know, the very words of God given to Moses for the people to abide by and follow? Apparently, they had been so wicked and devoid of any semblance of a relationship with God that they had totally lost the book of the Law. Josiah was the king, and he had never heard the Law of God. Let that sink in for a moment.

What was Josiah’s response? Heartbreak. He was disgusted by the wickedness that was now apparent to him after reading God’s holy commands. He realized he was a sinner and chose to follow the law instead of rebelling against it. He tore down all the false altars and terrible idols. He totally extinguished them from the people of Judah. After he had done all of this, 2 Kings 23:21-22 says,

“ 21 And the king commanded all the people, 'Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” 22 For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah.”

The Passover had not been observed since the time of the judges. Nearly 400 years had passed since God’s people had taken the Passover, which demonstrated how God had carried them out of Egypt. Could you imagine how grand that Passover celebration was? All because Josiah committed himself to follow God. Josiah was a better king than all those before him.

2 Kings 23:25, “25 Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.”

What a great king to lead the people back. Yet, Josiah was still not good enough.

2 Kings 23:26, “26 Still the Lord did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him.”

As great as Josiah was, God’s wrath was not satisfied. The people must still pay for their sins. The wrath of God would be poured out on them. Josiah was a better king, but even his best wasn’t good enough. The book of Kings points us to the best king, the only king who could satisfy God's wrath on our behalf. Think of the love of Christ. Think of the power of Christ. Think of the terror and wonder of the tragic and beautiful cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

At the cross, the great exchange happened. Our better king laid down his life for us. No other king would be necessary after Jesus. No other king could do what he did. Jesus, the King eternal, gave up His life for you. Ponder this miraculous truth today and worship the better king Jesus.

June 4th | 2 Kings 18

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:00:01 GMT

Don't Give Sin Oxygen In Your Life

I love magic and watching people perform illusions. I enjoy watching card tricks, but I also appreciate big stage productions where performers execute incredible feats, such as sawing a person in half or one of my favorites, escaping from a tank of water. You’ve likely seen a magician bound in chains by their hands and feet, locked in place, with no hope for escape. Then they are dropped in a tank of water, and the pressure is on. Failure to escape from the chains means they will die. The magician flails around for a bit, then, miraculously, they escape from the impossible chains they are in and emerge from the water for a breath of oxygen.

The illusion is that they are actually bound. In reality, there is a key they have or a way to easily break free from the chains. They aren’t truly in danger of drowning; it's all for show. But it makes great theatre for the audience!

In 2 Kings, the people have repeatedly let sin corrupt their lives and the nation of Israel. In chapter 17, Israel has sinned so much that God allowed them to fall. They are defeated and sent into exile. However, there is still the kingdom of Judah. Judah has sinned greatly, but one man, King Hezekiah, brings them back to the Lord.

2 Kings 18:3-4, “3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 4 He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).”

How did Hezekiah bring the people back? He cut out the sin from the nation. Did you notice the harsh language? He r emoved, broke, cut down, and broke into pieces all of the idols and false gods that had infiltrated the nation of Judah. This is how we must deal with sin in our lives. We must utterly destroy it.

Too often, we want to put on a show like magicians on stage. We claim to handcuff the sin in our lives and throw it into a tank to destroy it, but secretly, we have a key that lets it escape. We will make big claims about going to church, stopping seeing those friends, etc. Yet, in the back of our minds, we know we are going to give that sin oxygen. We aren’t going to kill it completely. The result? Sin continues to live and reign in our lives. Hezekiah knew this, which is why he utterly destroyed the sin in the nation. What was the result?

2 Kings 18:6-7a, “6 For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered.”

Hezekiah’s decision to follow God and not sin resulted in God’s presence and peace in his life. For you today, choose to kill the sin in your life. Don’t give it any oxygen. Don’t put on a performance of destroying sin, but actually do it! How can we do this? By continually trusting in Christ to give us power over sin. The more we seek Him, the more we search after Him, He will give us the strength to say no to sin and yes to God. Seek Jesus, kill sin, and walk in freedom today.

June 2nd | 2 Kings 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 18:10:46 GMT

Seeing What Other's Cannot

When I was a kid, there was something called a stereogram, also known as a magic eye. It was a picture that seemed to be just shapes and colors, but the longer you looked at it, the more you could see the hidden image. It would almost appear to be a 3D image floating off the page. At first glance, you couldn’t recognize anything, but after looking, you could slowly see the image take shape. Isn’t this how God’s kingdom is for us? We look and don’t always see God’s plans or purpose. We might see nothing at first, but if we pause and gaze at Christ long enough and ask for His help, we can see what others can’t see!

In 2 Kings 6, Elisha is being sought out by the king of Syria. The army is after him, and it appears that he and his servant are surrounded by the enemy. The servant is afraid, but Elisha is unbothered by the towering army he faces.

2 Kings 6:15-16, “ 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

The servant is terrified by the army, and if I were in his shoes, I would be terrified too! How could two men fight an army? In your own life, you might feel surrounded by an insurmountable army. You might feel engulfed by the enemy and sin. You feel like the servant. But in Elisha’s response, we see he is unconcerned. Almost as if he can see something the servant can’t.

2 Kings 6:17, “ 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

With the power of the LORD, the young servant could see what Elisha saw the entire time, an angelic army ready to fight for them! How could Elisha see what this servant couldn’t? Elisha was so connected with the Lord that he could see the power and provision of God. The servant might have offered a parting glance upon God, but quickly turned back in terror as he saw the opponents.

We, too, might give a glance at God, but our gaze is set on the enemy and our fear of him. Yet, our God is great and mighty. He is the commander of angelic armies. Take your gaze off the enemy and focus on the ruler of the universe. The more you gaze upon Christ, the more you will see that the enemy’s destruction is sure, and our victory is already won!

May 30th | 2 Kings 5

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 30 May 2025 09:00:11 GMT

What Is Keeping You From Being Made New?

My kids are 8 and 7, and like most siblings, they often fight. Initially, I simply corrected their behavior. A timeout here, a stern “act right” there. But I came across a parenting book that changed my perspective. It reminded me: more important than correcting behavior is shepherding their hearts. Disobedience often indicates a deeper heart issue, such as pride, selfishness, or a lack of compassion.

That’s true not just for kids, but for all of us. Our outward struggles often reveal deeper spiritual problems. That’s exactly what we see in the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He is a powerful Syrian commander who had leprosy. He came seeking physical healing, but God revealed he needed something greater: a new heart.

Let’s look at three things that often keep us from being made new.

1. Your Sin
Naaman had it all—status, success, power. But Scripture adds this painful phrase:

2 Kings 5:1, “But he was a leper” .

This disease marked him, isolated him, and reminded him daily that something wasn’t right. We might not deal with leprosy, but we are all afflicted by something worse, sin. Sin separates us from God. Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Genesis 3, we’ve lived in that separation. Like Naaman, we’re often blind to how serious our condition really is.

2. Your Pride

Naaman hears about a prophet in Israel named Elisha who can heal him. So he loads up gifts and goes, expecting to pay his way to healing. That is pride. We often think that if we do enough good, show up to church, or clean ourselves up, God will owe us something. But salvation doesn’t work like that.

When Naaman gets to Elisha, he doesn’t even come out to greet Naaman. He simply sends a message: “Go wash in the Jordan River seven times.” Naaman is furious. “Aren’t the rivers back home better? Doesn’t he know who I am?” That’s how pride works; it demands its own way, even with God. But God’s way is clear: humble yourself and follow Him.

As Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

3. Your Unbelief

In Matthew 8, a man with leprosy approaches Jesus. Unlike Elisha, Jesus doesn’t hide from him, but rather He reaches out and touches him. This is stunning. In the Old Testament, touching a leper made you unclean. But Jesus flips the script. Instead of being contaminated by sin, Jesus cleanses it. And that’s exactly what He does for us.

In Matthew 8:3, the leper asked, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus responded, “I am willing. Be clean”

Maybe you believe Jesus can heal you, but you doubt He wants to. The enemy whispers, “You’re too far gone. Your past is too dark.” But that’s a lie. Jesus not only can cleanse you, He wants to.

Sin separates. Pride resists. Unbelief doubts. But grace breaks through it all.

Naaman was cleansed when he finally humbled himself and put his trust in God. You can be cleansed too. Whatever your sin, shame, or brokenness, Jesus is willing. Will you come to Him?

May 28th | 1 Kings 18

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 28 May 2025 14:43:01 GMT

The Meaning of the Miracle

In 1 Kings 18, we have one of the greatest miracles in Scripture. It could be a scene from a movie where a single prophet, Elijah, faces off with an army of false prophets on Mount Carmel. Much has been written about the miracle itself, where Elijah makes the false prophets and their fake gods look ridiculous. However, we must ask, why did this miracle happen? What was the intention and purpose? Often, we can read the Bible and be astounded by the miracles it recounts, but why does God perform miracles, reveal Himself to people, and act in mighty ways? God acts and moves to bring His people back into relationship with Himself! He desires for His people to see Him as their God and to love and serve Him to find their ultimate fulfillment.

1 Kings 18:21, “And Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”

The prophets of Baal had corrupted God’s people, and to put it in today’s vernacular, “They were straddling the fence.” They wanted to worship YHWH and Baal. They wanted it both ways. The purpose of the mountaintop showdown was to awaken Israel to their spiritual drift and bring them back to worship of the Almighty God.

The people of Israel didn’t answer Elijah. They knew what the right thing to do was, but they didn’t want to commit to it yet. How often are we in the same boat? We know the Scriptures and have a sense of God’s plan and purpose, yet we continually keep on our path. Subtly straddling the fence, thinking that God won’t notice. But Elijah’s words still scream the same message to us today: “If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal (or idols in our own lives today) , then follow him.”

The people were silent. They needed more than Elijah’s words to break them out of their idol worship. This is the reason God provided the miracle. After the Lord brought down fire from heaven, what was the response of the people?

1 Kings 18:39, “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, 'The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”

They turned back to the Lord and worshipped Him alone! Sometimes we need a miracle to help wake us up from the slumber of our sin. Today, you might be looking for a miracle. However, a miracle has taken place that is greater than the Mount Carmel showdown. The greatest miracle God has ever displayed has already happened. God sent His son to die for you and me. He was buried in a tomb for three days, and He rose from the dead, defeating sin and death forever.

Jesus came to perform that miracle to bring you out of your sin and into fullness of life. Would you gaze upon that miracle and wake up from your slumber? Would you see Christ as worthy to be followed more than the idols in your own life? Choose Christ today and experience the miracle of new life and a right relationship with God.

May 26th | 1 Kings 16

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 26 May 2025 15:02:53 GMT

What Do You Do With The Gifts Of God?

How has God blessed you? Do you have a roof over your head, food in the pantry, etc? You likely have received blessings from God. We might not see these things as blessings, but they are! And if we would stop for a moment, we would likely see many other ways God has blessed us. What do you do with those blessings? Do you walk in gratitude toward God or take these blessings for granted?

1 Kings 16:1-2, “And the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins,”

Baasha was made king of Israel. I love how the Scriptures say the Lord “exalted you out of the dust and made you a leader.” Baasha was not deserving of being king over God’s people, but God blessed him in that role anyway. We often don’t deserve the blessings God gives us in our lives, but God is steadfast in His love and gives us gifts graciously!

What did Baasha do with this incredible gift of kingship? He turned against God and caused His people to turn away from Him. What an unbelievable tragedy. Yet, Baasha’s sin isn’t unlike our own. I have been blessed with family and friends. Yet, do my actions consistently point these people toward or away from God? Too often, I take the blessings of God for granted, and insist on serving my own sins rather than serving the Lord. What was the result of this for Baasha?

1 Kings 16:3, “3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”

God brought destruction on Baasha and his house. After Baasha was gone, God raised up another. But repeatedly in 1 Kings God remembered His covenant with David and the promise that He would restore Israel in spite of the sins of the kings. For us, we can remember that even though we fail, Jesus has come to be the perfect king. We don’t have to live in fear of being destroyed because Christ has borne our sins on the cross. However, this love of Christ must compel us to live our lives in gratitude for the gifts God has given us! The Gospel is available, but our actions matter. Baasha was destroyed, but the people who came after him walked in sin just like Baasha had done.

1 Kings 16:25;30, “Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.”

The sins of Baasha continued down the line, and sin begets more sin. Consider how your obedience and gratitude to Christ for the Gospel might impact future generations to live and walk in gratitude for the gifts God has given us.

May 23rd | 1 Kings 11

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Sat, 24 May 2025 02:09:16 GMT

It's A Slow Fade

Casting Crowns has a song entitled “Slow Fade.” The chorus says,

It's a slow fade

When you give yourself away

It's a slow fade

When black and white have turned to grey

And thoughts invade, choices made

A price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade

Sin often seeps into our hearts slowly, and it isn’t until much later that we see the effects of that sin and how far it has taken us away from God. I believe this is the case with King Solomon.

What a sad picture. Solomon started off so strong, yet in the end, he faltered, and his sins divided the nation of Israel and began their descent into destruction. What was Solomon’s problem? He loved women more than God. Solomon had 700 wives and concubines. The number of wives isn’t what is condemned (although I believe polygamy is condemned in the Scriptures), but rather where the wives are from.

1 Kings 11:1-3, “ 1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.”

Not only did Solomon go against God’s direct command, but he CLUNG to those wives in love. The love reserved for God, he gave away to these women. And inevitably, his wives swayed him to build idols to false gods and defame God’s name in Israel. It is a slow fade. He didn’t acquire 700 wives overnight! No, year after year, a little piece of his heart was pulled away from God and towards these women until he did the unthinkable, forsaking God for idols.

You might not struggle with having 700 wives today (I certainly hope not!), but what is turning your heart from God?

A travel ball team pulls you from church to worship winning instead of God?
Friends who pull you away to worship acceptance by the group and a “good time”?
A job that pulls you away from family and church so you can worship money?

There are a lot of things in this world that are pulling us away. If we aren’t diligent and careful, slowly but surely, they will ultimately pull us so far from God that we will make a devastating mistake like Solomon.

However, if you do make a mistake, take heart. God punished Solomon, but he kept a remnant for himself that he would save. Years later, Christ would come to redeem and save us and the people of Israel from their sins. Christ has done this for you, so fight sin and worship God alone. Do not be pulled away slowly; passionately pursue Christ every day!

May 21st | 1 Kings 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:10:44 GMT

If... Then...

“If you clean up your room, then you can go outside and play with your friends.”

These words are common at our house. It is called a conditional statement: IF you do this thing, THEN you will get a reward. We make conditional statements all the time, and we understand that the conditions for the reward are based upon your ability to do something to earn that reward. God also understands conditional statements and gives them repeatedly in the Scriptures.

In 1 Kings 6, King Solomon desires to build a temple for the Lord. After he declares this, God gives him a conditional statement.

1 Kings 6:11-13, “11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

What a promise! God would dwell with and not forsake the people of Israel. Earlier in chapter five, we see that God has blessed Israel and King Solomon. Things are great for Israel; this is a picture of the future peace we will experience in heaven. All Solomon has to do is obey and keep God’s commandments. How hard could that be, right?

It isn’t just hard but impossible. Just a few chapters later, we will see that Solomon is pulled away from God to worship false gods and idols. He broke the covenant, and God’s people would not experience the dwelling presence of the Lord in their midst. We could scoff at Solomon for failing to uphold the covenant agreement with God, but we have failed to uphold God’s covenant agreement.

Romans 3:23, “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Throughout the rest of the Book of Kings, we will see kings come and go. Some do well, some do poorly, but the truth is, none of them can keep God’s law perfectly. None can obey and keep the covenant, and that means that God’s blessings cannot be poured out onto His people as He fully intended.

While this can be devastating news, the reality of the book of Kings points us to our need for a true and better King. In Christ, we have a King who did not fail like Solomon, but a king who perfectly kept God’s law. Jesus never sinned and fulfilled the covenant. While we fail to meet the demands of the covenant promise, Jesus succeeded. And now, Jesus affords us the blessings of God through His blood. We receive the benefits of Jesus keeping the covenant, even though we failed!

Next time you make a conditional statement like “If… then….,” let it remind you of Jesus's grace, which allows us to receive God's blessings through His obedience.

May 19th | 1 Kings 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 19 May 2025 14:23:05 GMT

My Way Or The Highway

1 Kings picks up at the end of King David’s life. As David is growing advanced in his years, people began to question, “Who will be the next king of Israel?” People might have thought that, but Adonijah declares that he will be the next king of Israel. Now, David’s son Absalom was the rightful heir to the throne, however, he was killed. With Absalom dead, Adonijah sees that the throne will be his once his father, David, dies. However, Adonijah doesn’t wait for his father’s death but declares himself king.

1 Kings 1:5, “5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, 'I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.”

This verse could be said of all of us in our own lives, “He EXALTED himself.” Adonijah had no humility but sought to take the throne. This flies in the face of the ways of God. God throughout the Scriptures finds the low and humble to use for His purposes. Joseph was the youngest of his brother’s and God used him to save His people from famine. Moses was a stuttering murderer, and yet God used him to part the Red Sea and lead God’s people into freedom. And King David was the youngest and most unlikely candidate to defeat Goliath, yet God used him. God honors humility. Jesus demonstrated humility by coming from His throne in heaven to earth.

Matthew 23:12, “ Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

How often do I exalt myself before God? We choose to be the kings of our lives. God and His kingdom are often in second place. We might not come out and say it in these terms, but we declare it with our actions. Our time is spent not pondering God but pursuing our own interests. Our finances are spent building our own kingdom instead of God’s. Our hearts are often swayed and pulled from God to fulfill our own desires.

What we need is humility. Adonijah’s arrogance led to embarrassment because, eventually, David declared that Solomon would be king. Exalting oneself always leads to a certain fall to the bottom. However, if we humble ourselves before God, He will exalt us in His kingdom and use us for His plans. Would you humble yourself before God today?

May 16th | Colossians 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 16 May 2025 11:52:05 GMT

Do You Qualify?

I heard a story about a grandmother who had a large inheritance. She had a couple of children and some grandchildren and wanted to leave them each part of her inheritance. However, she was displeased that her grandchildren weren’t learning cursive handwriting. Cursive is becoming a forgotten art form with the rise of computers and typing, so this grandmother wanted to ensure her children and grandchildren could write in cursive. She listed it out in her will, not typed but in cursive, to ensure they could read cursive handwriting. Also, she insisted that for her kids and grandkids to obtain their inheritance, they had to write a letter in cursive before the inheritance was theirs!

This is a funny story, but it shows us that in order to receive something in this life, we often have to qualify for the gift. We must show some type of quality or qualification showing that we deserve the gift in question. Sometimes, we can rejoice when we qualify, but other times, it stings when we fail to qualify. We haven’t met the mark.

We can all agree that we don’t qualify for eternal love and forgiveness in our spiritual lives. We don’t deserve God’s love because, more often than not, we have rejected His love, pursued our desires, and lived not for God but for ourselves. We don’t qualify. But in Colossians 1, we hear the beautiful words of Paul found in verse 12,

“giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

We don’t qualify, but the Father has graciously qualified you! You haven’t met the mark to receive the inheritance, but in His abundant grace, He has given you the qualifications to be a saint and to share in the inheritance of eternity! How does He do this? Verse 13 says,

“13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection have secured our inheritance. Jesus qualified for the inheritance, and now he offers to forgive our sins, redeem our lives, and transfer us to His kingdom. Next, the next time you think you don’t qualify for God’s love, remember there has been a transfer! Jesus has transferred his qualifications to you so you might have an eternal inheritance. Praise God, we are qualified in Christ!

May 15 | Philippians 2

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 15 May 2025 09:00:15 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In Philippians 2, Paul teaches us how to treat others by showing us how Jesus treated people. Even though Jesus is God, He humbled Himself. He became a servant, obeyed God completely, and gave His life for us. Paul tells us that if we are followers of Jesus, we should live with humility, put others first, and work together in unity.

This chapter reminds us that following Jesus means having a new attitude—one that puts others before ourselves and brings glory to God.

READ & ASK

1. Phil 2:3 - What does it mean to do something “out of selfish ambition”? Can you think of a time when you put yourself first instead of someone else?

2. Phil 2:5 - What kind of mindset (attitude) did Jesus have? What would it look like to have the mindset of Jesus when someone is being unkind to you?

3. Phil 2:14 - What can help you have a better attitude when you’re asked to do something you don’t want to do?

4. Phil 2:15 - How do our actions and words “shine” when we live the way Jesus teaches us to?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would give us a heart of humility like Jesus

SING

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://youtu.be/8NQKHHNp-CI?si=x3BMOv5-gA5uPc_j

May 14th | Ephesians 2

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 14 May 2025 09:00:24 GMT

The Walking Dead

Sitting at my desk reading this passage reminds me of the Gospel. The truth that we ALL need Jesus to save us by grace and grace alone. As a pastor, I study the Bible regularly, I am constantly teaching God’s Word, counseling others to follow Christ, and seeking fresh ways to motivate people to love and walk with Jesus in the church. However, even though I have great knowledge about the Bible and a life that seems to follow Christ, I must continually remind myself of the grace I have received in Jesus.

I am not loved by God because I read my Bible daily, attend church, or serve regularly at church. Ephesians teaches that everyone is walking dead in their sins and needs a Savior. Too often, I walk around thinking I am the savior for others! Lord, remind me of where you have rescued me from and help me to call others to experience that rescue of grace!

Ephesians 2:1-3 couldn’t be clearer. Our sins result in death. We are spiritually DEAD. Yet, this doesn’t mean we are inactive. No, it says in our death, we walked and followed the enemy and the passions of our flesh. We are to blame for our sins. Our death comes because we are following the wrong thing. And this condition affects not only the “bad” people but everyone. We ALL need a rescuer, someone to pull us out of our death march to Hell.

Ephesians 2:4 shows us the power of Christ. The only person capable of rescuing us. It says that he is RICH in mercy. He is not in debt; he is not scrounging up more grace to offer as if He won’t have enough. No, He is overflowing with mercy, and who does he want to show it? SINNERS!

Ephesians 2:5 says that He made us alive in Christ even when we were dead. When we are united in Christ, two things happen. We are raised from the dead just like Christ (v.6), and we are seated above (v.6) just like Christ is seated at the right hand of God. When we unite with Christ in faith, we are taken from the lowest death march to the highest heavens to experience fullness of life!

So what are we to do? Serve God and love Him so He will keep loving us? No! Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies that our works don’t save us but Christ alone! What is the purpose of our work and love for Christ? We were made to walk in those works and honor God. We can only walk in life instead of death by uniting with Christ (v.10).

Today, remind yourself of the Gospel. Remind yourself that you are not good, and every day, you really need to hear about God’s grace more and more. Don’t get caught thinking you are the Savior; submit to the Savior each day so you can walk in life.

May 13th | Acts 28

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 13 May 2025 20:07:04 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Paul is shipwrecked on Malta as he traveled to Rome. There he is bitten by a snake and the people of the island assume he will die soon. When the people see his is protected and doesn’t die they are amazed. Paul further displays God’s power by healing people on the isalnd. Even in hardships and shipwrecks in our lives, we can look for opportunities to glorify God and point others to Christ.

READ & ASK

READ v.4-5. What effect did God’s protection of Paul have on the people of Malta?

READ v.8-9. What did Paul do for the people of Malta? Do you think he could have easily not helped?

READ 10. What was the effect on the people of Malta after Paul had done these great things in the power of God? How does your kindness to people point them to Jesus?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would give you opportunities to love people like Christ.

SING

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://youtu.be/8NQKHHNp-CI?si=x3BMOv5-gA5uPc_j

May 12th | Acts 21

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:25:04 GMT

Are You A Maker Or A Breaker?

Before we were married, my wife and I went to pre-marital counseling. We talked with our pastor about different aspects of marriage and how to handle different situations in a Christlike manner. Our pastor told us that inevitably we would get into a fight. There are always disagreements or tiffs in a relationship. But when we get into a fight, we must fight for each other in our minds. This means that instead of assuming the worst intentions of your significant other, seek to defend their actions and offer them grace. In most marital disputes, resolution can be reached quickly if the two parties are willing to seek understanding and grace rather than assuming the other person had evil intentions.

We should seek to apply this thought process in our marriages and also within the church. The church is a place where God’s people should encourage, love, and fight for one another, not fight against each other. However, many churches do not show love for one another but seek to destroy and divide the church instead of unifying it. Paul experienced this in Acts 21.

Paul had been ministering to the Gentiles, and God was working. However, upon his return to the Jerusalem church, the Jewish Christians were spreading rumors and lies about Paul. Before Paul showed up, James met with him, told him that the rumors and slander had already been flying, and asked what they should do (Acts 21:20-22).

Paul’s response is incredible. He says that he will go through Jewish purification rituals and make sacrifices to appease the Jewish believers. He shows great humility before these people! He fights for them in his mind, which might have sounded like this: “A lot of things have changed since the Holy Spirit was given and the church was birthed. Therefore, I’ll sacrifice my rights and do these rituals to help them see I am for them.”

What was the response? The Jewish Christians didn’t fight for Paul in their minds. They assumed the worst and began to slander him. Acts 21:28-29 says,

“This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

They supposed. Paul had done nothing wrong, but they were not concerned with understanding, love, or unity. Their only concern was their personal preferences and comforts. The Gospel going to the Gentiles challenged the comfortable life they had made. They were unwilling to change, and instead of loving Paul and asking questions, they despised and mobbed him.

In the church, we must be marked by love. Paul demonstrated love, grace, and unity in his actions. Unfortunately, not all church members do this. Today, ask God where you might be making assumptions about different people in the church. Ask God to help you pursue unity and love first and foremost in the church.

May 9th | Acts 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 09 May 2025 09:00:20 GMT

Mission Mindset

Many people think of “missionaries” as a special class of Christians—those who pack up and move overseas, leaving everything behind to follow God’s call. But the truth is, every believer is called to live on mission, right where they are. In Acts 13, we see the launch of the first recorded missionary journey by Paul and Barnabas. They were set apart and sent out from the church in Antioch, but the mission they were on wasn’t reserved for a few, it was a reflection of God’s call on all of us to share Christ with the world.

Here are four truths about living on mission from Acts 13:

1. Being on Mission Requires Boldness (Acts 13:4–12)

Paul and Barnabas traveled to Cyprus and met resistance from a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. When opposition came, Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly confronted the deception. He didn’t shrink back in fear, but stood firm for the truth of the gospel.

Today, we also face a culture that twists or dismisses God’s Word. Boldness doesn’t mean arrogance, it means humbly standing for truth, led by the Spirit, even when it’s unpopular.

2. Being on Mission is Difficult (Acts 13:13–14)

At one point in the journey, John Mark left the team and returned home. The text doesn’t tell us why, but it reminds us that being on mission isn’t always easy. There are moments of distraction, discouragement, and even disagreement. But the mission is too important to abandon.

It’s easy to lose focus in a world full of noise. But if we stay centered on Jesus and His purpose for our lives, we can keep pressing forward, even when it’s hard.

3. Being on Mission Requires Proclamation (Acts 13:15–42)

Paul didn’t just live a good life, he preached the good news. He walked through Israel’s history and pointed people to Jesus, proclaiming salvation through Him alone. Our actions matter, but our words are essential. People need to hear about Jesus; His death, resurrection, and the forgiveness He offers. We can’t assume they’ll understand the gospel just by watching us. We must speak it clearly.

4. Being on Mission Yields Mixed Results (Acts 13:43–52)

Some rejoiced at the message and believed. Others rejected it and stirred up persecution. The same will happen when we share Christ. Some hearts will open. Others may oppose. But the outcome doesn’t determine the value of the mission. We are called to plant seeds, trusting God with the results. And even in rejection, there can be joy that we are being faithful to Jesus.

Final Thought

Living on mission doesn’t mean moving across the world. It means living with eternity in view. This world isn’t our final home, heaven is. That truth should shape how we live, love, and lead others to Christ.

May 8th | Acts 11

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 08 May 2025 12:34:53 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In Acts 11, we see a powerful picture of what a healthy, awake, and alive church looks like. The early believers in Antioch didn’t wait for famous leaders—they shared Jesus boldly even though no one knew their names. God used them to change lives! Later, we see the church growing stronger through teaching and discipleship, and then giving generously to others in need. The big question this chapter asks us is: Are we wide awake for Jesus or just going through the motions?

READ & ASK

V. 19-21 - What do you think it means that “the hand of the Lord was with them”?

V. 26 - What does it mean to be called a “Christian”? How should that affect the way we live?

V. 29 - Why did the Antioch church decide to send help? What does this teach us about how we should treat others in need?

PRAY

Ask for prayer request and ask God for boldness to live faithfully for Christ.

SING

O Church Arise - Keith & Kristyn Getty

https://youtu.be/MZmS81yLjMg?si=bEZRTH4q1ReiMIZZ

May 7th | Acts 9

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 07 May 2025 09:00:17 GMT

Grace Upon Grace

Could God really forgive me? That is a question that I wrestled with before I became a Christian. I had heard the Gospel and heard the testimony of how God had saved others but I still had my doubts. From an earthly standard I had not done anything “too terrible” but I felt this overwhelming conviction over my sin and how I had let God down. This deep grief and conviction over sin put me in a pit of despair. Is the Gospel powerful enough to get me out of this pit?

In Acts 9 we see one of the most radical conversions in Scripture, Saul is saved and given a new name to Paul. Saul the terrorist was undeserving of God’s salvation but this is the point of salvation isn’t it? We are saved by GRACE and not by works. We are saved not because of what we have done but what God has done! From Paul’s testimony we see four amazing things about the grace of God.

1. Grace Saves Even the Worst Sinners
Saul was hunting Christians, threatening them with violence, and fully convinced he was doing God’s work. Yet on the road to Damascus, he met Jesus, and everything changed. In an instant, his misplaced zeal gave way to surrendered faith. This shows us that salvation isn’t about being religious or good; it’s about encountering Jesus and surrendering to Him.

2. Grace Gives Us a New Purpose
When Saul was saved, he was also sent. Jesus told Ananias that Saul was His chosen instrument to carry the gospel to the world. While not all of us are called to be missionaries or pastors, we are all given a new purpose: to be ambassadors for Christ, representing the kingdom of heaven wherever we go.

3. Grace Welcomes Us into a New Family
When Ananias finally approached Saul, he didn’t call him a stranger or an enemy. He called him Brother Saul. That embrace was more than kind. It was a declaration that Saul now belonged to the family of God. The grace that saves us also surrounds us with community, with people to walk beside us in faith.

4. Grace Sustains Us in Every Season
Paul’s new life wasn’t easy—he faced persecution, danger, and rejection—but God's grace proved sufficient through it all. He wasn’t alone. God provided friends like Barnabas, churches that protected him, and the presence of Christ in every trial. That same grace is available to us. It saves us, sends us, surrounds us, and sustains us.

I felt unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. But in my pit of despair, I read Romans 5:8, “ But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It was after reading this verse that I understood grace. Grace saves me not because I’m good but because God is good. I’m not loved by God because of my religious actions, but I am loved because God is gracious. He generously offers an open invitation to receive this grace. Would you grab hold of that invitation and accept the grace of Jesus today?

May 6th | Acts 2

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 06 May 2025 13:47:25 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

After Peter preached a powerful sermon at Pentecost, 3,000 people repented, believed in Jesus, and were baptized. These new believers were added to the church and began a whole new way of living. Luke gives us a snapshot of what this early church looked like — they were committed to learning, spending time together, sharing what they had, and telling others about Jesus. This passage reminds us that the church is not just a place we go to, but a people we belong to when we follow Jesus. Church members are called to live in community, on mission, and with joy.

READ & ASK

1. Acts 2:41 - What does it mean to “receive” God’s Word, and why is baptism important after believing?

2. Acts 2:42 - What are some ways we can be devoted to God’s Word and spending time with other Christians?

3. Acts 2:44-45 - Why do you think the early church was so willing to share their things? How can we be generous like them?

4. Acts 2:46-47 - How did the way they lived help other people want to follow Jesus?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray for the Lord to help you serve and love the church.

SING

O Church Arise - Keith & Kristyn Getty

https://youtu.be/MZmS81yLjMg?si=bEZRTH4q1ReiMIZZ

May 5th | Acts 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:53:34 GMT

Empowered to Witness

The book of Acts opens with a powerful reminder: the mission of Jesus isn’t over—it’s just beginning. Luke, the author of both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, writes to give certainty about what Jesus did and what He continues to do through His people.

After His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days teaching His disciples, preparing them for what was to come. But before sending them out, He told them to wait—to wait for the Holy Spirit. This wasn’t a delay; it was preparation. The Spirit wouldn’t just visit certain people at certain times anymore. No, the Spirit would come to all believers, just as God promised in Ezekiel and Joel.

It’s hard to wait, isn’t it? We’re wired to act, to solve problems, to move forward. But Jesus shows us that before we go on mission, we must be filled with the power only the Spirit provides. Without Him, the task is impossible.

When the disciples asked Jesus if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel, He redirected their focus. The plan wasn’t a political one—it was a global one. “You will receive power,” Jesus said, “and you will be my witnesses.” That’s the calling: not to save the world ourselves, but to point to the One who can.

Being a witness means sharing what you’ve seen and experienced of Jesus. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to be faithful. Like a witness in court, your story matters. Your testimony of how Jesus has changed your life can lead others to believe.

And this mission isn’t small. Jesus sent His followers to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The Gospel is for everyone—every language, every nation, every neighborhood. Whether you're called to a foreign land or simply to the other side of your street, your mission is the same: be a witness.

As Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples stood staring upward, probably overwhelmed by what had just happened. But angels reminded them—and us—that Jesus will return. This is our hope. This is our motivation. He reigns now, and one day He will make all things new.

So what do we do in the meantime? We don’t wait idly—we wait empowered. We don’t witness in our own strength—we witness in the Spirit’s power. The mission is still moving forward. Will you join in?

April 30th | 2 Samuel 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:00:29 GMT

Sin Never Satisfies

This week’s reading serves as a poignant reminder of the depravity of the human condition. David sinned greatly by lusting after Bathsheba and committing adultery. It led to the murder of Uriah and the death of David’s son born to him through Bathsheba. Sin destroys.

In chapter 13, we see more of David’s family falling into sin. David’s son Ammon lusted after his sister Tamar. In an act of great wickedness, Ammon tricks Tamar into coming into his house where he asks to lie with her. Her response is the response we should expect.

2 Samuel 13:11-13, “11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, 'Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

Tamar knows what we can all see. This sin is terrible, outrageous, and wicked. Yet, Ammon doesn’t listen and overpowers Tamar. After this egregious sin, Ammon has an interesting reaction.

2 Samuel 13:15 , “15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”

The thing Ammon wanted so much was now repulsive to him. This is how sin works. It will lure you in with great power. You will feel compelled to pursue that sin. And here is the kicker: the enemy convinces you that this sin will satisfy and fulfill you. However, Ammon wasn’t fulfilled. In fact, he was worse than he had been before.

Sin fills you for a moment. But once that moment passes, the sin becomes a cancerous rot inside of you. It leaves you emptier than before. Sin promises riches and leaves us rotting.

Just like David and his family, we are all sinners. We can read the Bible and be horrified by David and his family’s actions, but we are all in the same boat. We all continually choose our sin instead of God, and we find ourselves rotting away, unsatisfied, and experiencing the devastating consequences of sin. We need rescue from this cycle of sin.

Jesus came to rescue us. In John 4, Jesus speaks to a woman who is drawing water from a well in the heat of the day.

John 4:13-14, “ 13 Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Stop drinking from the well that will leave you thirsty for more. Sin never satisfies. Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. In His grace, he offers an overflowing well of eternal life.

April 28th | 2 Samuel 11

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:36:18 GMT

You Can't Cover Up Sin

Life is all about choices. We are faced with a barrage of choices every day. Some choices are trivial like, “What will we eat and what will we wear?” Others carry more meaning, “Where will my kids go to school? Will I choose this job with more money or this job with more time off?” All of these choices are moments where we can seek the Lord’s wisdom and where we can choose to honor God. Even in the trivial choices about clothing and food we can honor God by making choices that give him glory in our lives.

While life is about choices, we can all likely remember a choice in our life we could go back and change. There are plenty of moments I wish I could relive and make a different choice. However, we don’t have a time machine and so we must live with the choices we make. I am sure David wishes he could go back and make a different choice in the case of Bathsheba. It literally changed his life and the lives of countless others. One simple choice for sin and not for God brought great ruin to so many. We have a choice today. Will I choose Jesus or choose sin. If you are struggling to make choices that honor God, consider the effects of choosing sin.

1. Sin Blinds Us To Its Effect On Others

David was having a normal day and saw Bathsheba bathing on her roof. This could be an innocent situation. David had a choice. He could look away and go about his day. Unfortunately that is not what he did.

2 Sam 11:3-5, “3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

David sent and inquired. He knew she was married but he didn’t care. His choice to lust instead of look away blinded him to how his sin might affect Uriah and now this unborn child he would need to care for in the world. How are you blinded by sin? Stop and ask God to help you see clearly how your choices not only affect you but others in your life.

2. Sin Seeks To Cover Up & Hide

David finds out she is pregnant and so comes up with a plan. He’ll bring Uriah back from the war to lay with his wife. However, Uriah, an honorable man, stays with his men in the midst of war. Sin always seeks to cover up and hide and David doesn’t repent but thinks it will go away if he can just get Uriah home. Don’t hide your sin or seek to cover it up but repent!

3. Sin Always Brings Death

When the cover up did not work David sought to kill Uriah.

2 Sam 11:14-15, “14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”

While David brought actual death to Uriah, our sins lead to a spiritual death. We are constantly killing our relationship with God when we actively choose sin. Stop choosing death but say no to sin and choose life in Christ.

4. Sin Cannot Be Hidden From God

Uriah is dead, Bathsheba is now David’s wife and she bears him his son. In David’s mind, no one is the wiser. He has seemingly “gotten away” with adultery and murder. But God knows.

2 Sam 11:27, “27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”

As much as we might try to hide our sin, it will be found out. Your choices have consequences. While David didn’t see repercussions in the world for his actions, Almighty God in heaven was displeased. Consequences were coming. We might try to get away with sin and hide from the consequences of our choices but they will be found out. God knows. Would you repent of sin today and choose to follow Christ in faithfulness?

April 18th | 1 Samuel 17

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

David & Goliath

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most famous in Scripture and in our culture today. Even those unfamiliar with the Bible are likely to know the story of David and Goliath. However, oftentimes we equate this story of the little guy beating the big guy. The underdog beating the champion. Yet, the story of David and Goliath is more about one man seeking God’s honor and trusting God to do what He has always done, namely, saving His people from their enemies.

Goliath is an imposing figure, to say the least. He is a giant by any standard of measurement, and his challenge to fight Israel’s champion struck fear into the heart of Saul and all of Israel. 1 Samuel 17 says,

“10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

Did you catch the words “I defy” from Goliath? He was not just challenging Israel in war, but he was challenging God’s character and existence! What a shame that for forty days (1 Sam 17:16) Israel allowed him to come out and defy, defame, and demean the name of our great God! Yet, often, our fear of man and what others might think of us leads us to allow people to defy the name of God. We will watch shows that defame our God, we will entertain friends who curse the Lord’s name, and we will attend events that are likely an abomination to our great God. How are we any different from the Israelites cowering in fear for over a month?

David comes to the battle. He is the youngest of his brothers and appears to be suited only for tending sheep. He is told of the riches Saul will provide if someone would kill Goliath, but he is more concerned with the honor of God. 1 Samuel 17:26,

“26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

We shouldn’t let people or our culture defy our great God. But how can David beat Goliath? How can you stand up to the world, friends, and family who repeatedly defy our God? We cannot stand or fight, and neither could David. But God could fight through him! Goliath is amused that such a young and insignificant person would come to fight him. But David knows that the Lord doesn’t look at outward appearances. 1 Samuel 17:45-47 says,

“45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

The Lord fought for David. The Lord defeated Goliath, and the Lord can fight for you. Whatever struggle, difficulty, or trial you are facing, the Lord fights with you. Be like David and fight not with swords or spears, but fight in the name of the Lord of hosts. Fight in the strength of Christ, who has fought and won the ultimate battle for you on the cross.

April 17th | 1 Samuel 16

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In the previous chapter, Saul was rejected as king of Israel by God (1 Sam 15:23). Saul’s sin led to God choosing another king, David. The contrast of God’s king, David, and the rejected king, Saul, is twofold. First, Saul was head taller than many men. Large and strong in appearance (1 Sam 9:2). David, however, was the smallest of his brothers and not impressive in outward appearance. Second, Saul had his heart set on himself. He repeatedly followed his heart rather than God (1 Sam 13:12). David, however, sought after God’s heart and humbled himself before God (1 Sam 13:14). The true qualification for king is not outward appearance or leadership abilities. Rather, it is humility to follow after God.

READ & ASK

1 Samuel 16:1 - Is God worried about the future of Israel since Saul has failed as king? (No. God is not lacking in anything. God will provide whatever His people need, even a king) .

1 Samuel 16:6-10 - Who did Samuel think God would choose as king? Why? What was God looking for in His king? (He thought it would be Eliab because of his strong appearance and he was the oldest of the sons. Rather, God was looking at the heart, not the outward appearance.)

1 Samuel 16:11-13 - How does the Bible describe David? What happened after Samuel anointed Him? (David was the youngest/smallest, ruddy, and handsome. After he was anointed, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would send His Spirit to lead and guide us to serve Him.

SING

https://youtu.be/gljs4N7ZoD4?si=Lkoj7xoQFArAhq5l

April 16th | 1 Samuel 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Getting Ahead of God

Saul is now king of Israel, and he is about to lead the people in battle against the Philistines. But before he goes into battle, he must wait for Samuel. Samuel the prophet is to make a sacrifice to God before the battle to plead for God to help the people. 1 Samuel 13:8 says,

“He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.”

Saul was doing the right thing. He was waiting for Samuel. However, he started to get worried. “Will Samuel show up?” This leads to a devastating action from Saul. Saul takes it upon himself to make the sacrifice of the burnt offering. After he finishes, Samuel shows up. In 1 Samuel 13:11-13 it says,

“11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.”

Wasn’t Saul doing the right thing? He was making a good decision to make the sacrifice to God. Why did Samuel scold him? The words, “So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering” are devastating to hear.

Samuel went ahead of God. God wanted him to wait patiently and trust, but Saul got in front of God. I can be honest and say there are many times where I have had difficulty waiting. I want to do good things for the Lord. However, good things for the Lord aren’t always the things God wants us to do. Sometimes, patience and trust are what God is after in our lives. 1 Samuel 13:14 says,

“14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

This is a defining moment for Saul. While he wanted to do good things , his heart was directed towards himself and his goals, not God’s. God wants someone who has not just the outward actions but the heart. The heart to love God and be patient enough to follow Him.

Today, where do you need to wait for the Lord? Are you doing good things but with a bad heart? Pray and ask God to help you wait and follow His lead.

April 15 | 1 Samuel 9

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:02:20 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Samuel had been God’s prophet for many years. He led and spoke God’s words to His people. However, the people demanded a king. While Samuel initially balked at this idea, God told Samuel they had not rejected Samuel in their desire for a king. Rather, they had rejected God (1 Sam 8:7). Therefore, God told Samuel to anoint a man from Benjamin to be king of Israel (9:16-17). What is remarkable about the new king, Saul, is that he is not the king many expected. He was from a low and humble tribe. Yet, God is in the business of using the lowly to accomplish His purposes.

READ & ASK

1. 1 Samuel 9:15-16. Who would be king? Why did God act to appoint a king? (Saul. God heard the cry and affliction of His people and wanted to save them from the hand of the Philistines).

2. 1 Samuel 9:21. Why was Saul shocked that Samuel anointed him as king? ( He was the least of the tribes, and his clan was the humblest).

3. Luke 2:6-7. How did God come to save His people? (Jesus came humbly as a baby and not with a grand coronation. God honors the lowly and the humble).

PRAY

Thank God for His presence and plan to save His people and pray that God would give you a humble Spirit to submit to Him.

SING

Mighty to Save by Hillsong

https://youtu.be/GEAcs2B-kNc?si=T8Lu5hKSSwq9ItL_

April 14th | 1 Samuel 5

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:57:09 GMT

You Can't Fit God In Your Pocket

The Israelites were facing a fierce enemy, the Philistines. They had a terrible battle where the Israelites lost four thousand men and the battle. Wounded and hurt, they rally together to determine how they might defeat this fierce enemy. What is the solution? The people decided to take the Ark of the Covenant into battle with them (1 Samuel 4:3). The Ark of the Covenant was where God’s presence resided. The logic was this: we will pick up God and take Him with us, and then we will have the victory.

With the Ark in hand, they travel again to the Philistines, and once again, the Philistines defeat them. However, it gets worse, the Philistines steal the Ark of the Covenant. Why had the plan not worked? God is not someone you can pick up and take with you. After the first defeat, the Israelites could have prayed and asked God to come to their aid. Rather, they decided they would not ask God but simply make Him go with them into battle. God doesn’t do what we want, He does as He pleases.

While in enemy territory, God’s presence and power are on display. The Philistines placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. When the Philistines came in the next day, the Dagon statue had fallen face down. They set him back up, but the very next day, Dagon had fallen again and was smashed into pieces. God will not share His glory with another. 1 Samuel 5:6 says,

“The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.”

God’s presence brought terror among the Philistines. They were afflicted with tumors and sickness and were brought to their breaking point. The entire city was decimated not by the army of Israel but by the presence of God. Finally, the Philistines said,

“Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there.” 1 Samuel 5:11.

God’s power and presence are not things that we can pick up or manipulate. We cannot see God as someone we can control and keep in our pocket like a lucky charm to help us in trouble. No, our God is mighty and powerful. His power demands that we submit to Him and His ways. Today, instead of trying to use God for your purposes, ask, “Almighty God, how can I be used by you?”

April 11th | 1 Samuel 3

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Are You Listening?

My wife likes to joke that I have selective hearing. Selective hearing is not to be confused with hearing loss. Often, I can hear just fine, but sometimes I don’t always respond to her because I might not like what I’m hearing. I might not hear her say, “Could you take out the trash?” or “Could you do the dishes?” However, miraculously, I always hear her if she says, “Let's go get ice cream!”

THE DANGER OF SELECTIVE HEARING

I might have trouble hearing my wife sometimes, but even worse, sometimes I struggle to hear the Lord, which was the case for the nation of Israel. They had continually “Done what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25) and had developed “selective hearing.” Unfortunately for the nation of Israel, this meant that God quit speaking to them. Everyone, including the sons of Eli the priest, were doing as they chose. God sent a man to prophesy to Eli and to tell him that his sons would both die and that God would raise another prophet who would speak on His behalf to the people of Israel.

The rejection of Eli’s house should terrify us today. How many Christians have selective hearing towards God? We do as we wish even though we know the difference between sin and righteousness. We know what honors God and what shames Him. Yet, we continually ignore God’s call for holiness and pursue our selves. Be careful, God removed himself from Eli’s house. We are under grace but the Bible is clear that consistent “selective hearing” can result in us grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:20) or quenching the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5:19). Continually resisting God’s call on our lives results in us quenching the power of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.

If we continue with selective hearing, we might find ourselves in the same situation as the nation of Israel. 1 Samuel 3:1 says,

“And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.”

HEARING HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE ACTIVELY LISTENING

God rejected Eli’s house but raised another prophet who would listen. 1 Samuel 3:3-4 says,

“The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!”

It took Samuel and Eli a couple of times to realize that the Lord was calling Samuel, but did you notice Samuel’s response? “Here I am!” He was listening, and he responded to the call. For many of us, the Lord might be calling on you today. He might call you to repent of sin, be on mission for him, lead your family, or serve in the church. If the Lord calls, are you listening? If you hear Him call, what will be your response?

Samuel listened and responded in faith, and the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel. Listening and obeying resulted in Samuel being a mighty prophet for God. What might God do in your life today if you would listen and obey?

April 10th | 1 Samuel 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 09:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you prayed and prayed about it? In 1 Samuel 1, we meet a woman named Hannah who really wanted a baby. She was very sad and cried out to God. She didn’t complain to people—she poured out her heart to God in prayer.

God heard her prayer! Later, she had a baby boy and named him Samuel, which means “heard by God.” Hannah promised God that she would give Samuel back to Him to serve in the temple. And she kept her promise!

This story reminds us of two big things:

God always listens when we pray—even when we’re sad, hurt, or feel forgotten.
God can use anyone for His plan, even a little boy like Samuel.

READ & ASK

1. READ 1 Samuel 1:5-7;10. What did Hannah do when she was distressed and upset? (She prayed to the Lord.)

2. READ 1 Samuel 1:12-15. How was Hannah’s prayer different from other people’s prayers? Should prayer always be proper and dignified? (Hannah was pouring her heart out, weeping and speaking emotionally. We don’t have to constrict prayers to be “proper,” but we can cry out to God passionately)

3. READ 1 Samuel 1:20;27-28. Did God answer Hannah’s prayer? What was Hannah’s response? (Yes! Hannah gave her son to the Lord. We should respond to God by living for him and giving him our lives)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pour your heart out to God

SING

Don’t Stop Praying by Matthew West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbZqMJ-B44&ab_channel=MatthewWestVEVO

April 9th | Judges 16

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The Devastating Consequences of Sin

I heard recently that a well-known pastor who was faithful to the church for years and had a very prosperous ministry had cheated on his wife with the church secretary. Sadly, this is an all too common story—leaders in the church failing specifically because of sexual temptation. Spiritual leaders failing because of lust are not new; they are found in Samson's story years ago.

Samson already had an issue with women controlling him and causing him difficulties in his spiritual life in chapter 14 of Judges. Chapter 16 opens with the same story of Samson lusting after women and it causing death, destruction, and pain. But in verse 4, we read,

“After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, Delilah”

Once again, Samson’s love and desires are given to this woman who will cause pain for Samson, the Judge of Israel. We know the story; Delilah continually asks Samson where his power comes from, and after several nights and much pressure, Samson finally gives in to her questioning. After telling her lies about where his power comes from, he finally tells the truth in verse 17,

“And he told her all his heart.”

Be careful where you give your entire heart. Samson had walked in God’s grace and power. He had accomplished great things. Eventually, his sin caught up to him. He gave all his heart to Delilah, and look at what happened in verse 20 after his hair had been cut,

“And he awoke from his sleep and said, ‘I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”

Samson’s power was not from his hair but from God. His Nazarite vow to the Lord and his devotion to be a man of God brought the power of God’s blessing. But when he gave his whole heart to Delilah, she took it and his hair, and Samson was left powerless.

Samson’s sin led to his imprisonment by the Philistines and his eyes gouged out. While verse 22 shows that Samson’s hair would grow back out, and God would give him one last burst of power to defeat the Philistines, Samson would never be the same. His sin had left an indelible mark on his life. No longer would he see light, nor would he be a light to the nation of Israel. He had judged Israel for 20 years, but how long could God have used him? How much more could God have done through him?

Don’t let that be a question to be asked of your life. Don’t flirt with sin. Don’t give any of your heart to the enemy. Give yourself to Jesus, and walk in his grace and power daily. Be reminded of the words of Charles Spurgeon,

“And though God did give him a great victory over the Philistines, it was but as the flicker of an expiring candle. He was never again a lamp of hope to Israel. His usefulness was brought to an end through his folly. Whatever the grace of God may do for us, it cannot make sin a right thing, a safe thing, or a permissible thing. It is evil, only evil, and that continually. Do not be enslaved by fleshly lusts.”

April 8th | Judges 15

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Samson has been called by God to be a Nazarite, but he doesn’t obey God’s call on his life. He doesn’t want to marry an Israelite but a Philistine, the enemies of Israel. He eats unclean honey from the carcass of a lion, showing he cares more about his desires than God’s. He feels slighted by the Philistines so he seeks to take his revenge out on them. However, they take revenge back on Samson. He finds himself in a cave and 3,000 men from Israel come to Samson and beg him to stop fighting. However, Samson doesn’t want to do what God wants but he only wants revenge. We can become blinded by our own vengeance and frustration and it only leads to more hurt and pain. God ultimately used Samson but we must be careful not to seek vengeance but let the Lord fight our battles.

READ & ASK

1. READ 15:6-7. Why was Samson angry? ( The Philistines hurt his family)

2. READ 15:11. What did Samson mean when he said, “I did to them what they did to me”? (He only wanted revenge instead of seeking to stop violence and seek God.

3. READ Romans 12:19. Should we seek revenge on those who do us harm? (No, we show grace like Christ and trust that God will bring punishment on sinners)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would help you be self controlled.

SING

How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin

https://youtu.be/cKLQ1td3MbE?si=zuPR-NUrvR5E6T_0

April 7th | Judges 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:17:59 GMT

Help When You Need It

Do you have difficulty asking others for help? My wife is constantly frustrated with me because I rarely want to ask others to help me. Whether it is stopping to ask for directions, calling a friend to help with something around the house, or something else, I often say, “I think I can figure it out.” One of my big problems is pride. I think I can do everything, which usually leads to me being unable to accomplish anything.

If I am honest, in these moments, I look more like my kids when they were toddlers than a grown man. Toddlers begin walking, talking, and wanting to become independent. You offer to help them put on their shoes, get in the car, etc, and their response is, “I’m a big kid now, I can do it on my own!” Unfortunately, I must not have grown out of that phase of life!

You might not like to ask for help, but we need all the help we can get in our spiritual lives! I have found that the more I try to follow the Lord and pursue His mission on my own, the more I accomplish very little and, even worse, become frustrated in my Christian walk. In Judges 13, Samson’s birth is foretold to his mother by an angel. This child, Samson, is to be set apart as a Nazirite to God from the womb, and verse 5 says, “And he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” What an incredible statement! Samson’s mother was thrilled to hear this and immediately went and told her husband.

But after hearing this news, I can only imagine she thought, “How in the world am I going to raise such a child?” Doubt and fear started creeping in. Yet, unlike me, she did what we should all do in our Christian life: she cried out to the Lord for help! Judges 13:8 says,

“ Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, 'O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.’”

Do you see the simplicity of this prayer? “Lord, we don’t know what we’re doing and need your help!” How often in your spiritual life do you flounder and try this Bible study or that morning routine that is supposed to help you get closer to God, and all the while you fail and fall short? Instead of trying harder to do things in your strength, pray to God! In simple, humble faith, ask the Lord to teach you what you are to do! Look at the Lord’s response when Samson’s mother prayed this prayer. Judges 13:9 says,

“And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field.”

Not only did God hear her, but he came to meet her! She was out in the field, and God came to find her to instruct and teach her! What are you going through in this life? What troubles or difficulties are you facing? Stop trying to do it on your own. Humble yourself before God and cry out for help! Ask him to lead and teach you, and he will come!

And if you doubt that God will come through on this promise of help, consider what He has already done for you. Samson was a child set apart to save Israel. Years later, God would send an angel to a mother and pronounce that His son would be born to save the world. God has already come to save us by sending Jesus for us. So stop and ask Him for help today, and be confident that He will answer!

April 4th | Judges 8

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The Danger Of A Deceptive Heart

For the first 10 years of my marriage, my wife and I did not have a dishwasher. Actually, we did have a dishwasher, ME! But one day, we got a machine that we could load all of our dirty dishes in, and it was glorious the first time I pressed start on the button and walked away. A couple of hours later, I opened up the dishwasher, and all the dishes were magically clean! Whoever invented the dishwasher is my favorite person! While a dishwasher is an amazing invention, I still struggle sometimes. I will open the dishwasher expecting the dishes to be clean but find that I never pressed the button to start the wash. I was so close, but that one action led to the dishes being dirty and failing to be cleaned. Isn’t it amazing how we can get almost everything right, but one little mistake can keep all the dishes dirty? The same is true in our spiritual lives as we see in the story of Gideon.

Gideon trounces over the kings of Midian. They are vanquished, and Israel can walk in freedom and peace. In response to this great victory, the people of Israel seek to make Gideon King.

Judges 8:22, “ Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, 'Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’”

I’m sure this is a good plan, but according to the Levitical law, God forbade Israel from having a king. They are not to look to human kings to lead them, but they are to look to the Lord alone. Gideon knew this, and after he had followed the Lord and experienced His power, Gideon responded appropriately.

Judges 8:23 says, “Gideon said to them, 'I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.’”

Gideon says the right thing. God will be our king! Yet, while Gideon says the right thing, his heart and actions say another. Gideon declines the official title of King over Israel, but he certainly begins acting like a king.

He asks the men of Israel to bring all the gold they had collected from the spoils of war and directs them to make an ephod in his honor. We aren’t sure what this ephod is exactly, but it is likely some type of breastplate or kingly garment. He then directs the people to put it up like a statue in HIS city of Ophrah (v.27). Do you see the problem? He is saying that the Lord is Israel’s king, but he is directing them to work, as a king directs his servants. He is directing them to make a statue in his honor. He is claiming a city as his own, much like a king would do. He might claim that God is King, but in his own heart, he wants some glory for himself. Then, we hear the devastating effects of Gideon’s actions.

Judges 8:27 says, “And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.”

Gideon was close, but at the end, one little mistake stained his legacy. He had loaded the dishwasher and put the detergent in, but he failed to press start. The dishes were still dirty. In the Bible, many people come and go. They do great acts and fight for God, and yet they all fail. The dishes are still dirty. For us, we might try to clean ourselves up and do right, but in some way or another, we will fail. This is why we need King Jesus! Jesus was the only one who didn’t fail. He obeyed the Father perfectly, even unto death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him to be worshiped above every name (Phil 2:6-11).

Today, recognize your shortcomings. Repent of your deceptive heart and the stains that your sin leaves. Cling to Christ, our perfect King, who has come to make us clean.

April 3rd | Judges 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In chapter 6, God called Gideon, and while Gideon was hesitant at first, God assured Him that He would be with Gideon as he fought to defeat the Midianites. Gideon gathered the people of Israel to fight, and God weeded out the group of fighters down to only 300 men. God wanted all to see that it was God who fought, not the powerful might of the men of Israel. As Gideon obeyed, God orchestrated an event that decimated the enemies without any loss of life for the Israelites. God is powerful and fights for us!

READ & ASK

1. READ 7:2-3 - Why did God want to send home men who could fight in the battle? (So that the people would boast in God and not their own power.)

2. READ 7:4-7 - How did God choose who would stay and fight? How many men were left? (Whoever lapped up water like a dog went home. 300 men were left)

3. READ 7:8;13-15 - How did God assure Gideon that He would fight for them? (He let Gideon overhear a dream that God had put into the Midianite soldiers to show their fear and God’s sure victory).

4. READ 7:16-22 - Was God’s plan successful? What did Gideon the army have to do in order to have the victory? ( Yes, all that was required was to trust God and let Him fight for them.)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would fight the battles we face in our lives today.

SING

You’ve Already Won by Shane and Shane

https://youtu.be/sM0ovt_nbd4?si=Lg2a0QuJxxYAVeaG

April 2nd | Judges 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Really God?

I was awakened yesterday by a prank from my eight-year-old son. He had told me that his mom had fallen, and I needed to get out of bed and help her quickly. I raced out of bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes, only to find my son and wife laughing at me, saying, “April Fools!” I heard what he said, and I responded appropriately. Maybe I should have taken the cue from Gideon and asked for a sign before I lept out of bed.

In Judges chapter six, God’s people have walked away from the Lord and His commands. They are oppressed by foreign nations and are found worshiping the Baals, which are false gods. As the people cry out, God hears them and acts.

God calls Gideon, and Gideon must think this is an April Fool’s joke. After the Lord appears to Gideon and calls him to lead God’s people, Gideon replies in verse 15. ,

“Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

I can almost hear the sarcasm and disbelief in Gideon’s voice… Really God? But after a few more moments with the Angel of the Lord, Gideon realizes he has seen God face to face. He believes the Lord and is ready for his first assignment. “ Pull down the altar of Baal.” Gideon has seen the Lord face to face and heard this call, but he is still afraid! Verse 27 says,

“But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.”

Now, we might label Gideon as a coward or a man who lacks faith in God. But God does not admonish him. And while Gideon might not have acted like we would expect, he still DID what God asked him to do.

The next night, however, Gideon is still afraid and unsure. He tests God twice by asking for a sign of dew to cover the fleece one night and keep it dry the other. Gideon knows he should trust God, but he can’t help his fear. Verse 39 says,

“Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece.”

What was God’s response to Gideon’s repeated fear and questioning? He simply did what Gideon asked. Gideon was not admonished by God. Sometimes, I feel like Gideon. Really God? Surely this isn’t what you want me to do, right? Too many times, I fail, make mistakes, and doubt God when I should trust him. But the story of Gideon is such a beautiful reminder of God’s patience and mercy towards us. You can make mistakes, you can fail, and God is still there, calling you to step out in faith. What is God calling you to do today? Have you put it off? Have you questioned? God is patient, but eventually, we can trust that God is with us, and we can step out in faith. Would you take that step today?

April 1st | Judges 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Since the book of Exodus, the people of Israel have always had a singular leader. Moses led them for years, and after Moses died, Joshua led the charge. But now Joshua is dead, and the question starts in Judges, “Who will lead the people of God?” There are still people to be driven out of the promised land. The people collectively look to God for help, and he answers them with instruction. Ultimately, Jesus is our king. We must constantly look to Him as our Lord instead of looking to other things or people to fill that need for leadership in our lives.

READ & ASK

1. Judges 1:1 - Who was the leader of the people of Israel? What happened to him? What did the people do when their leader was gone? ( Joshua died, but the people collectively looked to God as their Lord and leader.)

2. Judges 1:2-3 - How did the Lord respond? ( He told them what to do. )

3. Judges 1:4 - What did the Lord do for the people even without an earthly leader? ( He was with them and helped them win the battle. God will always be with us even though earthly leaders come and go.)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and thank God that He is always with us.

SING

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://youtu.be/ErwiBz1QA4o?si=tZYttu8luoBCmjia

March 31st | Joshua 24

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:41:05 GMT

A Challenge to Follow: Choosing to Serve the Lord

At the end of his life, Joshua gathered the people of Israel for a final farewell address. He recounted their history, reminding them of God’s unwavering faithfulness. In Joshua 24:13, God declares that He is the one who gave them the land, cities, and vineyards—gifts they had not earned. This truth set the stage for Joshua’s powerful challenge in verses 14-15:

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness... choose this day whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

This moment stands out in Scripture. Throughout the Old Testament, God is the one who chooses—He chose Abraham, He led His people out of Egypt, He actively pursued them. Yet here, Joshua presents a choice to the people. Will they follow God wholeheartedly, or will they turn to other gods?

The people responded with enthusiasm, declaring their commitment to serve the Lord. But Joshua’s reply in verse 19 is striking:

“You are not able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God.”

This response wasn’t meant to discourage them, but to reveal the weight of their commitment. God’s holiness demands complete devotion—He doesn’t want just a part of our hearts, but all of them.

This challenge reminds us of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “costly grace” in The Cost of Discipleship. Too often, we present grace as something cheap—a free ticket to heaven with no call to transformation. But grace is costly. It cost Jesus His life. Bonhoeffer wrote,

“Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ…Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

True grace isn’t an excuse to live however we want; it’s an invitation to surrender everything and follow Him.

Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as a treasure hidden in a field—so valuable that a man sold everything to obtain it (Matthew 13:44). When Jesus called His disciples, He didn’t offer a comfortable life—He told them to leave their nets behind and follow Him. Following Jesus is not about securing “fire insurance” for the afterlife; it’s about daily picking up our cross and walking with Him.

So today, Joshua’s challenge echoes to us: Who will you serve? Will you settle for a shallow faith, or will you surrender everything to follow Jesus? We cannot do this in our own strength. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we truly serve and love God with our whole hearts.

As Joshua boldly declared, may we also say: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

March 24 | Joshua 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:06:24 GMT

Staring Into the Unknown

The book of Joshua begins with the death of Moses, and the generation that grumbled against God in the wilderness having died. There is a new leader, another generation, and a land to go and possess. From a human perspective, there is a lot of uncertainty. Will Joshua be as good a leader as Moses? He’s never led the people before. Will the people be able to drive out the inhabitants from the land they want to go and possess? They aren’t trained soldiers, so how will they stack up against these other nations and their armies?

You might find yourself in a place of uncertainty today. What does the future hold for my family? Will I still be working this same job next year? What about my health and the health of my family? Life is full of uncertainties. We try to control our destiny, but in the end, we are left wondering, “What will tomorrow hold?” If we are honest, we can’t answer that question with confidence.

Amid the uncertainty, God gives great certainty to Joshua and the people of God.

Joshua 1:5, “I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.”

What a statement by God! In the uncertainty of their lives, God brings certainty. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but God does. He is certain of the future. While God knows the future, He might not tell you what the future holds. Instead, He gives us a grand promise that we can cling to as we gaze into the unknown of tomorrow. He tells the people of Israel and us, “I will be with you.” This promise is enough! Whether we know the future or not, we KNOW our God will be with us!

Therefore, the certainty of God’s presence leads to the command of God.

Joshua 1:6, “Be strong and courageous.”

We can step into the unknowns of life with confidence and strength because Almighty God accompanies us! Our loving father, great protector, creator, sustainer, and redeemer is WITH us! What an incredible truth that we should constantly remind ourselves of each day. This promise is so significant that God tells them again just a few verses later.

Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We need a reminder to be strong and courageous because, just like the Israelites, we forget that God is always with us. Too often, I walk around frightened by the future and discouraged by the uncertainties of this life. Remind yourself of who is with you! Remind yourself that you might not know what the next day holds, but you know who holds the next day. Don’t be afraid, but trust Jesus, our God, who is always with us.

March 19th | Deuteronomy 17

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:07:15 GMT

Something Better

What is the difference between a McDonald’s cheeseburger and a burger from Five Guys? Well for one you might say the price! But when you eat one compared to the other, the Five Guys burger is clearly better! The size of the burger, the freshness and quality of the ingredients, and the taste is far superior. Both of them are classified as burgers, but one is the clear winner.

In Deuteronomy 17, we see God tell the Israelites how to make sacrifices for their sins. Verse 1 says,

“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.”

Why is the type of sacrifice important? Won’t any ox or sheep do? How different can they be? God wanted His people to know that sin was serious. Sacrifice was costly. They couldn’t pawn off their worst animals on God and find forgiveness. No, they had to bring their very best, without blemish, and sacrifice it to the Lord. Only the perfect sacrifice without blemish could bring the forgiveness they desired.

However, the perfect ox or sheep could only do so much. The difference between an ox with blemish and one without was striking but they still needed something better. A sacrifice that would satisfy God’s wrath against sin for all time. In Hebrews 9 the writer talks about this better sacrifice. Verses 11 through 14 say,

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

The better sacrifice was the blood of Jesus. Jesus was perfect, meaning he is far superior to an ox without blemish and any human that ever lived. He was perfect! That means the sacrifice of Christ is far superior and it accomplishes something much greater. No longer do we need to search for more sacrifices but this one sacrifice was enough!

Today, look to Jesus as something better in your life. Don’t seek to offer God your leftovers but give him your best because that is what he gave for you. Don’t feel condemned in your sin but experience the freedom of trusting in Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. There needs to be no more work, no more struggle, just belief in the perfect Christ who was slain for you. Rest in this Gospel truth today!

March 17th | Deuteronomy 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:06:38 GMT

The Danger of Compromise

How many of you set more than one alarm in the morning? I know that I often set 3 or sometimes up to 5 alarms! I know this seems foolish, but the reason is that many mornings I lack the drive to put my feet on the floor and get going after the first alarm. I like to lay in bed a little longer instead of getting up to start the day. In a small way, I am saying, “My bed and my sleep are more important to me than whatever it is that I should be doing.” My bed is my idol, and I’m compromising what I should do to get that little bit of sleep. To hit the snooze button is not that big of a deal but to compromise and be pulled away from following our Lord is a very big deal.

How many instances throughout the day are we tempted to worship small idols and compromise on our faith instead of following Christ? We might tell a small lie at work. We might spread gossip or slander about someone in the community. We might send a flirtatious text to someone who isn’t our spouse. You justify it by saying, “It’s no big deal!” However, a lot of small compromises lead to idol worship. Worshiping ourselves and our sins instead of worshiping Jesus.

In Deuteronomy 13, the Lord warns the people not to be drawn away from Him to worship other Gods. He gives three examples of how people are drawn away to compromise and worship their sin instead of their savior.

1. False Teachers

Deuteronomy 13:1-3, “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams.”

Be careful who you listen to and who you follow. There are plenty of false teachers who will use the Bible or religion to tell you to compromise. They will twist the Scriptures to justify sin. They will entice you to belittle the sin in your life and compel you to compromise. The Lord says, “Don’t listen to them!” Be careful who you listen to and who you follow.

2. Close Friends and Relatives

Deut 13:6; 8, “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’...you shall not yield to him or listen to him.”

Close friends and family are typically who we listen to most. We respect their opinions and counsel more than others. However, the danger is when these close friends or family ask us to compromise. It might be subtle and it might not seem like a big deal in the moment. Be careful. The Lord is who we pursue first before family and friends. We should be a beacon of light bringing our friends and family to Jesus rather than them pulling us away from Him.

3. The Culture

Deut 13:12;15, “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to dwell there, 13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.”

How often do our cities, politics, and culture inform how we view God and our relationship with Him? We might see them as so bad that our “little” compromises and sins don’t seem that bad. The Lord tells the Israelites to put these to destruction. For us, under Christ, we are to put sin to death within us. No matter what the culture says, we are to be holy and pursue the Lord.

Today, how are you tempted to compromise? In what ways are you tempted to worship yourself, others, or things more than Jesus? Repent and turn to Jesus today and worship Him without compromise!

March 14th | Numbers 32

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 09:00:01 GMT

Settling for Second Best

In Numbers 32 the final group of wilderness wanderers are dying out, and the next generation is preparing to enter the promised land. As they stand at the Jordan River, ready to cross and take on the inhabitants and drive them out with the power of God, the tribes of Rueben and Gad falter. Instead of desiring the promised land that God desires to give them, they want to settle in the land on the wrong side of the Jordan River!

Numbers 32:5, “And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.”

How could they possibly ask for this land? God had promised to be with them and give them a land flowing with milk and honey. Yet, as they looked where they were at they essentially said, “This is good enough.” They settled for second best.

I think about our Christian faith and how often we settle for second best. We are content with a little prayer here or there. A little community on Sunday mornings. A little help from God every once and a while. We are content to settle where we are at in our walk with Christ. However, Christ has called us to abundant life! We can know Him and experience Him in new and fresh ways every day, but we settle for the pleasures of this world instead of Christ.

Moses gives these people a warning. He tells them that their fathers didn’t follow the Lord and it led to them wandering in the wilderness, and the same could be waiting for their generation as well.

Numbers 32:10-12, “ And the Lord’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’

What was the reason an entire generation was left in the wilderness while Caleb and Joshua were able to enter the promised land? “ They wholly followed the Lord.”

God is offering you the promised land. In Christ, there are riches untold. There is peace beyond measure. There is a joy that is indescribable. Don’t settle for the pleasures that money, hobbies, or a day at the lake can bring. Instead of devoting yourself wholly to those things, devote yourself wholly to the Lord. Only then will you realize how great the promised land can be!

March 13th | Numbers 22

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 09:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

A foreign king of Moab named Balak is fearful of the Israelites. He calls on a prophet named Balaam to come and curse Israel so the king of Moab might have victory over them. God speaks to Balaam and commands him to go with the King of Moab and to ONLY speak what God tells him to speak.

However, as Balaam goes out on his journey to see the king of Moab, his intentions are perverse (v.32). He doesn’t plan to listen only to the word of the Lord but to selfishly seek riches from the King of Moab in exchange for “cursing” the Israelites.

God stops Balaam’s donkey three times with the Angel of the Lord. Balaam cannot see the Angel but the donkey can. Finally, the Angel of the Lord reveals himself to Balaam and Balaam agrees to speak only the true word of the Lord to the King of Moab. This should be a reminder to search for God’s truth and seek to act and speak according to God’s plans and not our own.

READ & ASK

Numbers 22:22-27. What was Balaam’s attitude toward the donkey? Why was he so angry? (He was intent on pursuing his own desires instead of the Lord. HIs anger was kindled because he was only focused on himself and therefore, could not see the Angel of the Lord clearly in front of him).

Numbers 22:28-30. What did God allow the donkey to do? What does the donkey say? (The donkey speaks and Balaam is still incensed with him because he is blinded by his own sin to pursue riches instead of God’s truth).

Numbers 22:31-35. What did the Angel of the Lord do for Balaam? What was Balaam’s response? (The Angel opened the eyes of Balaam and seeing clearly he humbled himself and repented).

How does sin distort how we see things today? How can we see more clearly?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and ask God to help you see Him clearly.

SING

Give Me Faith by Elevation Worship

https://youtu.be/dNwt7LQiYck?si=i7DH5u4sy5GgIuTs

March 12th | Numbers 21

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Look Up And Live

The book of Numbers is exhausting to read because people are constantly complaining. We can’t count the number of times they grumbled and complained against God! Once again, in chapter 21, they are complaining that they don’t have food or water and how they long to return to Egypt as slaves. We must once again check our hearts before we cast stones at the Israelites. In the midst of God’s great provision in our lives, do we still complain and grumble before Him?

What is the response of God? The same response God has for sin, judgment.

Numbers 21:6, “ Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.”

While God is gracious, sin results in just judgment from a holy God. The people begin to perish under the mighty hand of God, and they ask Moses to intercede for them. God does something interesting in response to Moses’ intercession.

Numbers 21:8, “And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

The serpent is made, and the people look and live.

What a statement. Look at this and live. Years later, Nicodemus found himself sneaking to talk to Jesus under the cover of night. He asked how he might be born again. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of this story from the Israelites.

John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Jesus knew that he must be lifted up. He would be lifted up on a cross to die for our sins. He would be lifted up out of the grave three days later. And He would be lifted up to heaven to rule and reign. Jesus has been lifted up, our job is to look to Him and live.

In our world today, we often look down. Literally, we look down constantly at our phones, or metaphorically, we are looking down at the things of this world. Today, look up and live! Put the phone down. Put the concerns of the world down and look up to Jesus. He has been lifted up so you might have life. Don’t continue with your head down in death, but look up and live today!

March 11th | Numbers 20

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

The people of Israel are wandering in the wilderness, and they find themselves without water. They again grumble and complain to Moses and Aaron, but Moses and Aaron fall on their faces to seek the Lord’s help. This is the posture and position we should take in times of trouble. God tells Moses to speak to the rock once, and water will come out however, Moses strikes the rock twice. While God graciously provides water, Moses is prohibited from entering into the promised land. This is another example for us of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. As great as Moses was, he wasn’t perfect. We don’t need to be better we need to be perfect. None of us can reach perfection, but praise God, Jesus has been perfect for us. Let us never stop looking to Jesus and praising Him for making us perfect before God!

READ & ASK

1. Numbers 20:1-6. When Moses faced this difficult situation, what did he do?

2. Numbers 20:7-9. What did God tell Moses to do?

3. Numbers 20:10-11. What did Moses do? Was this EXACTLY what God had told him to do?

4. Numbers 20:12-13. What was the consequence for Moses? Can we be perfect before the Lord in our own strength? How can we be perfect before the Lord?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and thank God for sending Jesus to save us.

SING

Only a Holy God by City Alight

https://youtu.be/7HSdeeCm8_g?si=HhQ1ZOjIvpE3W07I

March 10th | Numbers 16

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:36:13 GMT

The One Who Stands In Between

Chapter 16 of Numbers is a dramatic and intense chapter that begins with the rebellion of the men of Korah. These men were Levites, yet they were not content with their station in life. The Levites were to assist the priests in the Tabernacle of God. They worked for the Lord, and the Lord set them apart and blessed them for this task. Yet, they were discontent. They wanted the glory of being a priest, a role only reserved for Aaron and his descendants. In their pride and discontentment, they accused Moses and Aaron of ruling over them and demanded they be able to enter the holy place of God as a priest.

Because of this prideful rebellion, God opened up the earth and swallowed the entire camp of rebels, and they died. The judgment of the Lord was swift and decisive. It could not have been more precise; they had sinned against God, and God himself brought judgment.

Sin Distorts Our Minds to See As We Ought

You would think the people would have learned their lesson. There would be no more complaining, and everyone would fall in line after the Lord performed this astonishing, earth-moving act of intense judgment on these people. Unfortunately, they did not learn their lesson.

Numbers 16:41, “ But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”

Instead of accepting God’s judgment, they blamed Moses and Aaron for destroying the camp of Korah. Sin destroys our minds and hearts, distorting the truth. We seek to blame others when the blame truly lies with our sinful hearts. We are all sinners in need of God's grace. Instead of seeking to blame someone else, we should humble ourselves and try to see our sin and its consequences.

Christ’s Grace Helps Us to See As We Ought

Despite this direct accusation against Moses, he doesn’t ask God to destroy them but asks for grace. God’s anger is kindled once again, and a plague spreads throughout the camp. People are dropping like flies and dying because of their sin. Moses, however, doesn’t sit and watch but jumps into action.

Numbers 16:46-48, “And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun.” 47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.”

Moses stood between the dead and the living. He placed himself between God's wrath and the sinful people and petitioned the Lord to forgive. Moses and Aaron made atonement for their sins, and God’s wrath was satisfied.

Christ has done this for us! We all have sinned, and the plague of God’s wrath is coming for us. Christ could have watched as we were consumed by the plague of sin and judged justly by a holy God. Yet, he stepped into the middle of our story. He carried the cross and our shame to be the atonement for our sins. If we look at the grace of Christ, we can see clearly that, we are sinners in need of a savior.

If Christ has shown you this grace, stop grumbling. Stop blaming others or, even worse, God for the hurts and wrongs in your life. Humble yourself before Jesus and live with gratitude for the grace He has given you!

March 7th | Numbers 13

katiecox217@gmail.com (Katie Cox) — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 02:30:43 GMT

Lack of Faith

The time had come for the Israelites to get a glimpse of the land they were promised- Canaan. God told Moses to send one man from each tribe as a representative. Moses tells them to check out if the land is good or bad, if there are strongholds there, if the people are strong or weak … but the final thing he says to them is “be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land”.

They heeded and obeyed the last part: the text says they went and got a cluster of grapes, pomegranates, and figs. However, they forgot the “be of good courage”. After 40 days they returned with their report to Moses and the people. They told them the land is wonderful, but they were fearful of the people of the land. They lacked courage. They lacked faith.

But then there was Caleb. Caleb spoke up and exercised his faith and said “let us go at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” The passage ends with others again doubting and fearing trying to overtake the people of the land. Caleb didn't fear man- he feared God. Caleb remembered God's faithfulness and because of that was able to show courage.

If we have faith in God, we will trust him to take care of us. If we trust him for our every need, we are able to be courageous for him.

Caleb had faith in God. Caleb trusted in God. Therefore, Caleb was courageous FOR God.

March 6th | Numbers 11

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:54:34 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

The people have been at Mt. Sinai and received God’s commands for living. They have received instructions for setting up the Tabernacle, specifically for transporting it, and are told to set out and follow their God. They have experienced His provision and His loving care. Yet, as soon as they start out from Mt. Sinai, they begin complaining. They are not content with the food! Manna is bland, and they long for something better. We might look incredulously at the Israelites because God is being so good to them to provide food in the wilderness. How could they complain? Yet how often has God provided for us, yet we still complain? Take time to count your blessings and be content in Christ today.

READ & ASK

Numbers 10:35-36 - How has God blessed the people of Israel as they set out for their journey?

Numbers 11:1 - Is it easier to be content with what God has given or complain? Why?

Numbers 11:2 - How did the people survive God’s anger towards them? How is Jesus like Moses in our lives today?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and thank God for His provision in your life.

SING

Counting Every Blessing by Rend Collective

https://youtu.be/w6Y91axwxfI?si=_Oh6cVe8bvwKLkXt

March 5th | Numbers 9

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 13:20:26 GMT

Follow My Lead

When I was a kid and unsure what to do in a certain situation, I would always ask my dad. I could go to him, and he always seemed to have the right answer! Now, I am a father, and my kids constantly come up to me and ask me how to do things or what they should do in certain situations. As I have gotten older in life, there are times when I will still ask my dad for direction but not as much as I did when I was younger. In our spiritual lives, we should run to our heavenly Father and ask for help! However, we don’t grow out of this need for God. There shouldn’t be a time when we fail to pray to him and seek His will for our lives.

We Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask God for Direction

In Numbers 9, the entire community is told to remember the Passover on a specific day. Yet, a few people cannot partake in this festival because they have become unclean by moving a dead body that very day. They want to participate, so they ask Moses what they should do. I love Moses’ response.

Numbers 9:7-8 "And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

Moses didn’t try to figure it out alone; he went straight to God. And you know what God does? He answers Moses! What a beautiful picture of God’s grace. If we ask, he will answer; if we knock, he will open the door (Matt 7)!

We Should Be Quick to Follow God’s Lead

Not only did Moses ask God, but he was also willing to follow Him where he led.

Numbers 9:16-18 "So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp."

How often do we fail to ask God for help? But even more so, how often do we fail to follow God’s lead? He is in control and desires to lead and direct you. He desires to answer and help you. Would you pause today and ask God for His help? Would you slow down and follow God’s lead?

March 4th | Numbers 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 19:50:22 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

So far in the book of Numbers we have seen a lot of instruction from God about counting the people and the specific roles different tribes would play in this new kingdom. However, at the end of chapter six, God doesn’t give more instructions but a blessing for Moses to speak over the people. While God’s holiness should not be trifled with, God is not just a God of wrath against sin (though He is) but he is also gracious, kind, and desires to bless His people. You and I can enjoy those blessings today!

READ & ASK

Numbers 6:22-27

1. What are some ways God shows us His love and care every day?

2. How does it make you feel to know that God wants to give you peace?

3. How can you share God’s blessing with a friend or family member this week?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and thank God for His blessings in your life.

SING

The Blessing by Kari Jobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fos7CDJVgrk&ab_channel=HolySpiritMusic

March 3 | Numbers 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:43:07 GMT

Christ The Center

In Numbers chapter 1, we get a lot of… you guessed it, NUMBERS! The people have received the law from God and are in the second year since leaving Egypt. The book begins with each tribe counted in a census. Every tribe is listed, but if you look closely, you will see that there are only eleven tribes counted. Didn’t Israel have twelve sons? Shouldn’t there be twelve tribes? God gave specific instructions for the Levites not to be counted, and he provides a reason for it in Leviticus 1:47-50.

“47 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. 50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and all that belongs to it.”

The Levites had a specific role in this nation of Israel; they were over the Tabernacle. This job is significant because it is where God’s presence resides! God tells the nation of Israel to camp with the Tabernacle set up in the middle of the camp. Numbers 2:2,

“The people of Israel shall camp each by his standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.”

The Tabernacle was to be the center of the camp. All the tribes were to be located and facing toward the Tabernacle, God’s presence. This reminds us to place God at the center of our lives. Have you put God at the center of your camp today, or is he looking in from outside?

Not only was the tabernacle at the center of the camp, but read Numbers 1:53.

“53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.”

God’s presence would threaten the congregation and the people because of their sins. The tabernacle housed God’s presence in the holy of holies, but the Levites were another buffer that protected the people from God’s wrath.

Today, we are not just protected from the wrath of God, but because of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, God’s wrath is satisfied. We can enter into God’s presence freely and be accepted by the blood of Christ. Today, celebrate the freedom that the blood of Christ brings and place Him at the center of your life!

February 28th | Matthew 28

katiecox217@gmail.com (Katie Cox) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:00:01 GMT

The Reunion After the Resurrection

In this chapter, Jesus has resurrected after his gruesome death on the cross and burial in the tomb. He commands the disciples to go to the mountain in Galilee. Verse 17 says, “And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ” How is this possible?! How could these men who had been with him throughout his earthly ministry doubt him: they saw healings, miracles of feeding mass crowds, the dead raised to life— How could they not believe that he could raise himself back to life? But , I have to admit that, even for me, sometimes doubt creeps into my mind. We have a choice with our doubts though- give into them or lean into faith. The disciples chose to rely on faith and not their doubts.

Jesus wraps up this chapter with one last command for the disciples. This one last thing is pivotal in the disciples ministry and it is the reason that we are believers today. Without the Great Commission- you and I would have never heard the good news of Jesus. Here’s what he commanded:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations: what is the therefore referring to? In verse 18 Jesus told the disciples that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him. Because he has the authority in heaven and earth; he is the ruler of all things– this is what compels us to go and tell others about him. We can’t just settle telling our neighbors, either. This is a call to the nations. ALL NATIONS need to hear about our God.
Baptizing them and teaching them to observe all I have commanded: We like to baptize people, but we often fail at the teaching them part. Churches like to dunk people and give a number of how many people they “saved” each year. But, Jesus calls us to more than than. He wants his people to know his commands and to follow them. How can his people know his commands unless they are discipled? The local church and believers must teach the word.
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age: How could the disciples do what he just had commanded them in the Great Commission? They/we can do it because HE is with us. We can bold, courageous, and stand strong because we know he will never leave us or forsake us as we seek to serve and live for him.

February 27th | Matthew 26

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:52:15 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Jesus has foretold His death to His disciples, and the hour has almost arrived for Him to be betrayed by Judas and delivered up to be crucified. He has instituted the Lord’s supper and told His disciples that one of them would betray Him. Carrying this heavy weight of the brutality in the cross in His mind, He retreats to the garden of Gethsemane. In the garden is where Christ demonstrates His great love and devotion to the father by considering the pain of the cross but the joy of doing the Father’s will.

READ & ASK

Matthew 26:36-39. Why do you think Jesus was feeling sad and troubled in the garden? How did He show His trust in God?

Matthew 26:40-41. Jesus asked His disciples to stay awake and pray, but they kept falling asleep. Why do you think they had trouble staying awake? How can we be better at listening to Jesus today?

Matthew 26:42. Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but Yours be done." What does that mean, and how can we follow Jesus' example when we pray?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would help you follow His will and not your will.

SING

Sing the hymn, “I Surrender All”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j04Bx9pKwpU&t=31s&ab_channel=RosemarySiemens

February 26th | Matthew 17

katiecox217@gmail.com (Katie Cox) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Little Faith, Big God

I have two children- so I can imagine the way this father felt as this man came to Jesus with his son begging for him to heal him. “Lord, have mercy on my son…he suffers terribly…for often he falls into the fire and often into the water…” As a mom, I can imagine the pain this man felt watching his son suffer and the desperation he felt when he came to Jesus that day. The man had so much faith, he had already been to Jesus’ disciples and tried to get them to heal him. Jesus answers the man and says, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” Jesus rebukes the demon in the boy and the boy was instantly healed. The text says, “the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith.’”

I love how Matthew includes this description –the disciples came to Jesus privately . It doesn’t give a description of how the disciples felt, but I can tell you how I would feel if I was one of the disciples- I would be flat out embarrassed! I would feel confused. I would feel like I let Jesus down. You see, it’s not that the disciples lacked faith completely. But, in this moment it was weak.

I’ve been there, haven’t you? There have been seasons in my life when my faith was strong- I trusted in him completely. But then there have been other times, when I struggled and doubted- trusting more in myself than Him. I think that is what Jesus was getting at in this story- reminding us that in Him we have the power to fulfill what he has called us to do. I love though that this story doesn’t tell us we have to have a huge amount of faith–we just have to have a mustard seed amount. If you haven’t seen a mustard seed before- it is teeny-tiny! That should encourage us!! It doesn’t take much for a mountain to move! Just put your faith in the one who can do all things!

February 25th | Matthew 16

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In this powerful chapter, Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is and Peter confesses rightly that Jesus is the promised Messiah, who has come to save God’s people. Also, Jesus repeatedly tells them about his death and resurrection but the disciples fail to grasp this fully. Who can blame them! They think the promised Messiah will be a military leader to overthrow Rome and set up Israel as the new authority on the world stage. They fail to grasp that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. Which makes the final verses in the chapter so striking to hear from Jesus’ mouth. To follow Him requires self denial and bearing your cross. This call is still for us today!

READ & ASK

1. Matthew 16:24. What do you think Jesus means when He says we should "take up our cross and follow Him"? (Encourage them to think about what it means to make choices that honor Jesus, even when it's hard.)

2. Matthew 16:25-26. Jesus says that gaining the whole world is not worth losing our soul. What do you think is the most important thing to have in life? (Help them understand that knowing and following Jesus is more valuable than anything else.)

3. How can we follow Jesus in our everyday lives at school or home? (Let them brainstorm simple ways to obey Jesus, like being kind, telling the truth, and praying.)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would help us to follow Him every day.

SING

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7XHeCZB5KU&ab_channel=LydiaWalker

February 24th | Matthew 14

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Jesus' Example of Selflessness

Sometimes, when we read the Bible, the headings are super helpful, and we can be tempted to read them in chunks without paying attention to how they are connected to the next section. But, the Bible is a story, and chapter 14 of Matthew tells this tragic event under the heading The Death of John the Baptist :

Jesus was drawing more fame throughout the area due to his teaching and miracles. Because John the Baptist was proclaiming Jesus as Lord, Herod had put him in prison. While in prison, Herod had a birthday party, and Herodias' daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Although the text says Herod “was sorry,” he still gives in to the girl's demand. This section ends with verse 12, “And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.”

You would think this story is over because the heading changes in the next verses to Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand . But don’t miss how these stories are connected. Verse 13 says, “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him.” What this is referring to is his cousin John’s death. Can you imagine the pain Jesus felt? Jesus was fully human, and can’t you just imagine the immense pain he was feeling? He was sad. He wanted to get away from life for just a little bit and escape reality. So, he withdrew. BUT because of his fame, he couldn’t escape. People had flocked to him- so much so a crowd of five thousand people gathered. And instead of demanding that they leave and give him time to get himself together, HE SERVES THEM .

Don’t miss this!

Do you see how from even early on, Jesus was laying down his life for others? When he could have been selfish and taken a moment to himself- he chose to be selfless and lay down his life as a servant for the task God had called him to. Despite his sad circumstances, he chose a life of sacrifice and obedience to the Father. If Jesus had chosen his selfish desires to retreat and be alone, we could have missed the opportunity to see the miracle of the feeding of 5,000.

Could we miss out on opportunities to serve and see God at work because we are too caught up in our selfish, self-serving desires? When life presses in on you, when trials and temptations come- look how God could be allowing you to be used by him.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 4:2

February 21st | Matthew 13

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Treasuring Christ

Matthew chapter thirteen has two of my favorite parables. They are short and straightforward, which I find helpful! While brief and easy to understand, they are much harder to live out than expected. These parables talk about the exceeding value of the kingdom of God. While at first blush, we would agree that the value of the kingdom of God is of the highest order, we don’t always suggest this in our actions.

What do I mean by this? If someone told me they had a $2 McDonald’s gift card waiting for me, all I had to do was drive 25 miles to get it; I would likely turn down their “generous” offer. I might have told them it was incredibly kind, but I just couldn’t make the trip to get it now. What are my actions saying? The gift card is not worth the drive!

Now, conversely, if they called and said, “I have two free tickets for an all-expense paid vacation to anywhere in the world. You just have to drive 25 miles to come and pick it up. What would I do? I would drop everything and meet them! Again, what am I showing with my actions? I VALUE the offer they are making.

Jesus tells these parables to help us see the value of Christ and His kingdom. In Matthew 13:44-46 he says,

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then, in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

There are two men, each finding something so valuable that they are willing to sell everything to have that treasure. Their actions show how much they value the field and the pearl. What is Jesus likening the field and the pearl to in His parable? His kingdom!

Essentially, our Lord is telling us that following Him is better than anything this world can offer. Jesus is far more valuable than anything in this world, but how often do we show it through actions? How often do our actions show that we love our phones, TV, social media, sports, friends, and family more than Jesus? We can say the right things, but do we show Jesus we value Him? Are we willing to sacrifice our time, finances, and worldly pleasures to pursue the kingdom of Christ?

You have been given the greatest treasure in Christ. Because of the Gospel, we are freed from our sins and given a Spirit of liberty and love. Treasure that gift today and show Christ you treasure Him with your actions.

February 20th | Matthew 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 10:00:02 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Jesus has been teaching his followers that following him is not easy. He has repeatedly told them that following them requires they walk through the narrow gate, bear fruit, and obey Christ. Here Jesus concludes this thought by telling them what their life will be like if they listen to His words versus abandoning His words.

READ & ASK

1. Matthew 7:24-25 - What happened to the person’s house who built on the rock instead of the sand?

2. Matthew 7:26-27 - What happened to the person’s house who built on the sand?

3. What are ways we can build our lives on the rock and God’s Word?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would help us to build our lives upon His Words.

SING

Build My Life by Pat Barrett

https://youtu.be/Z32HiCoFzlU?si=bA_gJ4HQbNSM5vxY

February 19th | Matthew 6

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 22:00:00 GMT

Anxious for Nothing

Don’t worry.

I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me not to worry, I start to do exactly that! Worrying is a natural part of the human endeavor. We worry about paying the bills, our health, our kids, and even missing out on the fun (FOMO is a real thing in the age of social media)! Why do we worry so much, and how can we stop worrying? Well, I believe Jesus gives us the key in Matthew 6:25,

“25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Don’t Worry Because God Will Provide for Your Needs

Jesus tells us not to be anxious, and he uses a great example from nature to show His provision for us.

Matthew 6:26-30 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

God cares for the birds of the air. They don’t have barns, although that might be rather neat, some bird barns in the trees! Birds don’t farm for food or store up food. Every day they wake up, and God provides. God did this once before with His people in the desert. He gave them what they needed when they needed it. God will provide for your needs too!

Don’t Worry Because You Are Valuable to God

We often remind ourselves that God will provide food and clothing, but we miss the point of this verse. You are more valuable to God than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. This is the reason Jesus tells them not to worry!

Matthew 6:30, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

God is not a robot in the sky who will just provide for our needs. That image of an impersonal God simply raining down just enough for that day isn’t what we see in this passage. We see a God who is deeply concerned with His people. He desires to lavish them with what they need and not just give physical blessings but the spiritual blessing of peace. When we recognize that we are loved by God, we can have peace, and our worry can cease!

Don’t Worry Because Your Gaze Is Set On Christ

Matthew 6:31-33, “31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

If the God of the universe deeply loves us and wants to provide for our needs, then why do we still worry? Because we’re seeking after the wrong things. We worry about having enough money because our culture tells us we don’t have enough of it. We worry about missing out on events with others because culture tells us we can’t be happy unless we are doing what everyone else is doing. We worry about our health because we are afraid to die.

We worry because we let the culture dictate what we seek. Yet, Christ tells us to seek after His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us. We don’t have to worry about money, health, or even acceptance of others when we are seeking God’s kingdom. Why? When we seek God’s kingdom, our money, health, and popularity aren’t the main things; Jesus is!

The more you look to Christ and seek to serve His mission instead of your own, the less you worry, and the more you’ll find your security in your Savior. Jim Elliot, a missionary who was martyred on the mission field for Christ, said,

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Don’t worry about what you might be missing in this life, live for Christ and experience His peace for all eternity.

February 18th | Matthew 5

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus gives the sermon on the mount. This sermon is pivotal because Jesus takes many laws or commands that the Jews would have known, and He elevates them. Jesus takes a command, and rather than just looking at the action, Jesus looks at the heart. Jesus says, “You’ve heard it said you shouldn’t commit murder, but I say you shouldn’t hold anger in your heart.” Or “You’ve heard it said, and I for an eye, but I say turn the other cheek.” Jesus is showing that radical obedience is required to enter the kingdom. Readers of this sermon should recognize we cannot perfectly keep the law of God, which is why we need Christ to redeem and perfect us through the power of the Holy Spirit!

READ & ASK

1. Matthew 5:43-45. What is our reaction when people wrong us? How does Jesus’ command seem different from the world?

2. Matthew 5:46-47. We are called to be different from the world as Christians. How can we look different from the world with our actions toward those who persecute us?

3. Matthew 5:48. Can you be perfect? No, we can’t be perfect, which is why we need Jesus!

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray that God would give you strength to love your enemies as Christ has loved us.

SING

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErwiBz1QA4o&ab_channel=Maranatha%21Music

February 17th | Matthew 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:00:02 GMT

Doing It God’s Way, Not Ours

One of Frank Sinatra’s most famous songs is, My Way. It is a song about self-reliance, reliance, and personal strength. This song fits our culture and the American dream of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, working hard, and doing things the way we want them done. However, as we look at the opening chapter of Matthew, we realize that, as Christians, this song cannot be our anthem. We must do things God’s way and not our way.

Joseph’s Choice: His Way or God’s Way?

Think about Joseph, a man who found himself in a situation that would challenge anyone's faith. His way would most certainly not involve having his engaged wife become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. He likely would have preferred a different way. But we don’t see Joseph complain, cast aspersions, or show discontentment at God. Instead, we see a life of obedience. A life that says, “I’ll do things God’s way and not my way.”

Obedience Leads to Adoption

Joseph’s way was different from God’s way. In Matthew 1, we see the genealogy of Jesus traced through Joseph. But here is the catch: Joseph was not Jesus’s biological father. Joseph had to adopt Jesus. Joseph had every legal right to walk away from Mary. She was pregnant, and Joseph wasn’t the father. Yet, Joseph trusted God, and Joseph obeyed God.

Joseph’s obedience points us to Jesus’ obedience. Christ did not have to go to the cross but willingly submitted to the Father. Jesus obeyed God the Father and walked up the hill to His death. Jesus’ obedience also led to an adoption. Christ obeyed the Father, and now we are adopted into the family of God. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:15-16:

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Jesus was obedient to the point of death on the cross, and because of His obedience, we can be adopted. We who were slaves to our sin and shame are now free and heirs of the king of the universe.

Will You Choose Obedience?

Just as Jesus obeyed, will you obey God when he calls? Just as Joseph might have chosen a different path, he submitted to God’s plan for his life. You have a choice to make today. Will you choose obedience like Joseph and Jesus? Will you do things your way or God’s way?

February 14th | Leviticus 25

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 20:09:25 GMT

The Year of Jubilee

What Was the Year of Jubilee?

The Year of Jubilee, described in Leviticus 25, was meant to be a time of restoration, freedom, and renewal. God commanded that every fifty years, several things would happen:

All debts were canceled – No one would remain trapped by financial burdens.

All prisoners were set free – Many who were in bondage because of unpaid debts were released.

All land was returned to its original owners – Families were restored to their rightful inheritance.

The Jubilee was God’s way of resetting society, offering a fresh start to those who had fallen into poverty or hardship. It was a picture of His grace and justice, a system designed to prevent oppression and ensure that no one was permanently enslaved by their circumstances.

Jesus: The Fulfillment of Jubilee

In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus stands in the synagogue, unrolls the scroll of Isaiah, and declares, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). With these words, Jesus was proclaiming something revolutionary: the Year of Jubilee had arrived in Him! His coming meant that freedom, restoration, and spiritual renewal were now available to all who believe in Him.

Our debts are canceled – Not just financial debt, but the debt of sin that we could never repay (Colossians 2:14).

We are set free – Sin and death no longer have the final say in our lives (John 8:36).

We receive our inheritance – Through Christ, we are restored to a right relationship with God and become heirs of His kingdom (Romans 8:17).

The beauty of Jesus’ Jubilee is that it is not temporary. Unlike the Old Testament practice, which occurred once every fifty years, Jesus’ Jubilee is eternal. We don’t have to wait for a specific year to experience His freedom. The moment we come to Him in faith, we are set free!

Living in the Freedom of Jesus

The question for us today is: Are we living in the freedom that Jesus offers? Are we walking in the joy of canceled debt, released burdens, and restored inheritance? Or are we still living as though we are in bondage?

Jesus invites us to experience the reality of Jubilee every day. If you feel weighed down by guilt, shame, or fear, know that Christ has already paid the price for your freedom. You don’t have to wait another moment—His rescue is here, His favor is now, and His Kingdom is advancing.

Will you embrace the Jubilee that Jesus brings? Will you step into the freedom He has secured for you? The time of restoration has come, and it is here to stay!

February 13th | Leviticus 23

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:59:56 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In chapter 23 of Leviticus, God outlines seven different “feasts” they are to celebrate throughout the year. Six of these are done one time a year but one, the Sabbath, is to be observed weekly. Six days of work then rest on the seventh. This is the model God has given to us when He made the world. In return, we should be able to rest. Rest to show God we trust Him. Rest to show God we believe He is in control, even if we stop working. Rest to show God we want to obey Him and follow His commands.

READ

Leviticus 23:3

ASK

Why do you think God wants us to have a special day of rest each week?

What are some ways we can spend time with God on the Sabbath?

How does resting and worshiping God help us feel closer to Him?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together

SING

Lord I Need You by Matt Maher

https://youtu.be/LuvfMDhTyMA?si=pWPyhG1YxErEqo3v

February 12th | Leviticus 19

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:00:02 GMT

Is Holiness Optional?

I have two small kids and when I ask them to do something like, “Clean up your room” or “Go take a bath” they will often respond with, “Why?” My response is typically, “Because I’m your Dad and I SAID SO!” I know I should tell them a reason but many times, me being their father is good enough of a reason. I am their father and I want the best for them, I don’t want them to live in a pig stye or smell bad. Therefore, I tell them to clean up and take a bath! Their question of why is really saying, “Can’t those things be optional today?” “Can’t I clean up tomorrow instead?”

How many times do we see the commands of God and think, “Can’t I do that tomorrow?” or “That doesn’t mean ALL THE TIME does it?” In Leviticus 19 God gives a pretty clear command to the Israelites.

Leviticus 19:1-2, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy,”

God has commanded that we be holy. But unlike me talking with my kids, He gives us a reason.

Leviticus 19:2, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy .”

God is holy. That is reason enough for us to be holy. You might think that holiness can be optional but the Bible is clear. Unholiness and sin is what separates us from God.

Isaiah 52:9 says, “ But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

Your relationship with God is dependant on your holiness. That should be reason enough for us to pursue holiness, reject sin, and seek God every day! I don’t know about you, but for me, I often struggle with pursuing holiness. I want it to be optional some days. I struggle with jealousy, pride, and anger. There are times when I REALLY don’t want to be holy. And there are plenty of times I fail. For the people of Israel, their only option to be holy was based on them keeping the law. Their relationship with God was constantly in flux because they would sin, have to make atonement through sacrifice, then do it all over again.

Praise God for us that Christ has come. The truth is, you CAN’T be holy.

Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.”

We cannot be holy but Christ can. And the good news for us is that Jesus’ holiness is imparted to you. Today holiness is still not optional. In 1 Peter this call for holiness is still echoed to the early church. But the difference is we have a risen Lord that can MAKE us holy. Don’t seek to keep a list of rules to be holy today. Surrender to Jesus and ask Him to MAKE you holy through the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we truly can be holy as God is holy.

February 11th | Leviticus 17

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Leviticus 1-16 is the theological section of the book that shows how God’s people are to be holy, clean, and set apart. However, Leviticus 17-27 are practical applications of how we live out the law.

Chapter 17 talks specifically about blood and it makes a point that we are not to eat blood. In verse 14 it says that blood of a creature is it’s life. God was letting His people know that blood spilt showed that life had been taken from that creature. The spilling of blood was a serious task.

The spilling of the blood of animals showed the people that their sin led to the taking of another life. These animals were sacrifices for them because the punishment of sin required the shedding of blood.

Sin leads to death but we are also atoned by blood. Christ came and died on a cross to atone for our sins once and for all. The perfect sacrifice of Christ would shed his blood for us. Praise God we have a king and priest who would shed his own blood to save our souls!

READ & ASK

1. Leviticus 17:14 - What does blood represent in creatures?

(Life)

2. Leviticus 17:11 - Why were animals sacrificed and their lives taken?

(To atone for the sin of the people. A holy God had to punish sin and the blood of the sacrificial animals satisfied God’s wrath)

3. Hebrews 9:12-14 - What did Christ do for us?

(He shed his blood for us on the cross. He now presents us clean before God if we believe and trust in Christ and His sacrifice)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and thank God for the blood of Christ shed for us

SING

There is Power in the Blood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBqUwpCvCL8&ab_channel=HymnalHaven

February 10th | Leviticus 16

mike@sgbc.net (Michael Moody) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:00:01 GMT

From Scapegoat to Savior

The Most Important Day: Understanding the Day of Atonement

Leviticus 16 describes the Day of Atonement. This was the most important day of all the ordinances given because on that day, atonement was given to the entire nation of Israel for their sinfulness as well as cleansing the sanctuary from the pollutions introduced into it by unclean worshippers.

The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron (Nadab and Abihu), when they offered before the Lord “strange fire” before the Lord—strange because it did not adhere the His specifications or commandments. As a result, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them both (Leviticus 10:1-2).

The Role of the High Priest: Entering the Holy of Holies

God spoke to Moses and gave Aaron specific instructions about coming into the Holy of Holies only when God allowed and gave specific instructions about the sacrificial offerings. Aaron was not to come into the most Holy place, the Holy of Holies, whenever he chose to come in because the presence of God would dwell on the mercy seat and Aaron would die if he decided one day to walk in the Holy of Holies. So, there were clear limitations when Aaron could come into the Holy of Holies, as he was about to find out when.

Not only was Aaron told when he could come into the Holy of Holies, but he was told specifically what to offer: A young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

Aaron was making an atonement not only for his own sins, the sin of his household but also for the people of Israel.

During the Day of Atonement, no one was excluded from a sacrifice, neither priest nor common man.

From Leviticus 16 we discover one of the most powerful pictures for the atonement of our sin.

Jesus, Our Perfect Sacrifice: The Fulfillment of Atonement

Aaron would take two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Aaron would then cast lots upon the two goats: one for the Lord, the other for the scapegoat. Aaron would bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell and offer it for a sin offering.

But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented before the Lord. Blood from a previous sacrifice would be sprinkled upon the scapegoat’s head 7 times. The sins of the people would be confessed over that goat. Then Aaron would lay both hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and then the goat would be led away into the wilderness and then released to wander and never return. This symbolic way of dealing with sins became an annual event.

With the coming of Jesus, His death, burial and resurrection, the need for that event was ended.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews tells us that Christ ended this sacrificial system once and for all.

Hebrews 10:1-10 - 1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason, it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, my God.’” 8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

February 7th | Leviticus 11

katiecox217@gmail.com (Katie Cox) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

"Be Holy, For I Am Holy"

I’ve read the Bible through multiple times but, I’m not going to lie, each time I dread reading the book of Leviticus. But without the book of Leviticus we wouldn’t get the full picture of understanding God’s ideal way in which His people were to live. He breaks it down very specifically the rules and regulations for how God intended His people to live. Since God is now dwelling with His people, the Isrealites must address their sinful ways and must strive for holiness.

In Leviticus chapter 10 we developed an understanding of the priest's role: 1. Distinguish between what is holy and unholy 2. Separate the clean from the unclean 3. Teach the people the laws of God. Jumping to today’s chapter 11, we find the laws on Clean and Unclean animals and food. I read this and thought to myself, “WHY IN THE WORLD IS THIS INCLUDED?!” And perhaps maybe you felt like me! I bet those Isrealites were thinking, “man, I sure would like to eat some rock badger!” This list of don’t eat ____ because of _____ can leave you scratching your head trying to make sense of it all. Don’t worry, even commentators have struggled to make sense of the rationale of why certain creatures were placed in the eat/don’t eat category. BUT, even if we don’t understand the nitty gritty of the list that God gave the Isrealites, we shouldn’t miss the big picture here. The purpose of the clean/unclean list is what we need to take away: these laws were meant to help Isreal- God’s chosen, holy, people- to help them understand the ritual reminder of their need for being separate from a sin-filled unholy world. They were to live in a way that set them apart from the Gentile world.

Chapter 11 verses 44-45 God tells them, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” The Isrealites must strive for holiness by keeping these laws and ordinances. Today, we are no longer bound by the law- but we are bound to Christ! Although we don’t have to keep the law- we still must strive for holiness. Our Savior, Jesus, who freed us from our bondage of sin is holy- therefore, we must be holy.

February 6th | Leviticus 10

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:28:46 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

In Leviticus 8-9, God consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests. They were to be holy and obey God’s commands. They were to make offerings to God on behalf of the people. At the end of chapter 9, after they had worshiped God correctly, it says,

“23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

Correct worship of God led to God’s power and presence being revealed to the people in a special way. We see the other side of the coin in Leviticus 10:1-3. Nadab and Abihu do not worship God correctly, and He displays His presence and power in a terrifying way of judgment.

This passage has two main takeaways. First, we should approach God with reverence and awe; when we do, we can experience His presence and power in our lives. Second, if we have trusted in Jesus, God’s wrath is poured out on Christ, not us. Praise God for His grace, and may we seek to worship Christ rightly and put Him first in our lives.

READ & ASK

1. Leviticus 10:1 - Who were Nadab and Abihu, and what did they do wrong?

2. Leviticus 10:2 - What happened to them after they offered the wrong fire to God?

3. Leviticus 10:3 - What are some ways we might try to do things "our way" instead of God’s way?

4. Leviticus 10:10-11 - How does Jesus make us clean? How does Jesus help us worship God rightly?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray as a family

SING

Thank You Jesus for the Blood by Charity Gale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhU-Omwg2rU&ab_channel=CharityGayle

February 5th | Leviticus 8

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Consecrate Yourselves

In Leviticus 8, priests are consecrated. What does the word consecrate mean? The definition is " to make or declare (something, typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.”

The Tabernacle was built, and the God of the universe was ready to be with his people, but something was missing. His holiness would consume and destroy the people, so they needed an intercessor. This was the purpose of Aaron and his sons as Priests.

Put On Holiness

In verses 5-13, the priests were instructed to wear proper clothing. These instructions are detailed, and if you notice, God gave them. Leviticus 8:5 says, “And Moses said to the congregation,' This is the thing that the Lord has commanded to be done.'” Holiness is not something that we can manufacture on our own. We can’t just decide to be holy; our holiness comes from obeying God’s Word and commands.

As the priests followed these commands to dress and be anointed with oil, they obeyed a holy God and His commands, and therefore, they were “consecrated” for His service. These priests were now holy and could mediate between a holy God and a sinful people. We must seriously consider the sin in our lives. This chapter in Leviticus shows us that sin is grave, and we need to seriously come before God and submit to His rule and reign, just as these priests did.

Make the Sacrifice

After the priests were dressed and consecrated, they still were not done. Blood had to be shed for sin. There had to be sacrifices. Leviticus 8:14 says, “Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.” Sin has consequences, and only through shedding blood can there be forgiveness of sins. The wrath of God is poured out on these animals as a sacrifice instead of being poured out on the sinful people.

We must consider how we might sacrifice for Christ. Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” As we seek to follow Christ, we must sacrifice our wants and needs to serve God. We must lay our lives on the altar and die to our old lives of sin. To follow Christ means to be a living sacrifice.

Trust in Christ our Great High Priest and Sacrifice

Even though the priests were consecrated and made sacrifices, it could only last a little while before they had to come back and atone for sin again. It was like putting a bandaid on the problem without addressing the root cause.

Years later, Christ would come to earth to fix our sin-sick world once and for all. He would die as a perfect sacrifice, meaning there would never again be the need for a sacrifice. Also, we would be our great high priest. We wouldn’t need to go people to God, but we could go through Christ.

Today, recognize the weight of your sin and realize that your holiness doesn’t come from yourself but from Christ. You cannot consecrate yourself, but you can be made holy before God through Christ's sacrifice. Thank Him today for His grace and provision for salvation!

February 4th | Leviticus 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:00:04 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

Why should we read Leviticus if we don’t need to make sacrifices today? You might ask, “Why should I read these passages with my family, what can we really learn from this?” Well to truly understand what Jesus endured on the cross, we must realize the penalty for sin and the gravity of the punishment for sin before a holy God.

If you look at Leviticus 1, you will find instructions for bringing an offering to God. These are given BY God from the Tabernacle (Lev 1:1-2). God is telling them, “Your sin is keeping my presence from you. If you make these sacrifices (or offerings), I can then be with you.” Leviticus 1 teaches us that there is a gap that is between Sinners and a Holy God. Here in Leviticus, God said that gap could be bridged with and offering and a priest. If the offering was brought, and the priest killed it, then God’s wrath would be satisfied and He could dwell among His people.

What does this mean for us today? Leviticus shows us that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice (or offering), to satisfy God’s wrath. Also, Jesus is the perfect priest or mediator between sinners and God. Therefore, the bridge between us is no longer burnt offerings and a priest but Jesus!

READ & ASK

1. Read Leviticus 1:1-2 – God gave instructions for bringing an offering. Why do you think the people had to bring an offering to God? (Hint: Think about how sin separates us from God.)

2. Read Leviticus 1:3-4 – The person bringing the offering had to lay their hand on the animal before it was sacrificed. What do you think this showed about their sin? (Hint: The offering took their place.)

Read Leviticus 1:9 & 1 Peter 1:18-19 – The sacrifice made a way for people to be close to God. How is Jesus like the offering in Leviticus? (Hint: Just as the burnt offering that atoned for our sin was a lamb without blemish, so was Jesus, our ransom, without blemish)

SING

Thank You Jesus for the Blood by Charity Gale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhU-Omwg2rU&ab_channel=CharityGayle

February 3rd | Exodus 40

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

We Can Celebrate Because God Wants to Be With Us

What an incredible truth to grasp: God, in all His holiness and majesty, desires to be with us. No matter how far we have wandered, no matter how much we have rebelled, God’s presence is still offered to us. This is the message of hope that resonates throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament tabernacle to the transfiguration of Jesus to our lives today.

Think about the story of the golden calf in Exodus. Israel had just witnessed the power of God—plagues that freed them from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven. And yet, in their impatience and lack of faith, they crafted an idol to worship. They turned away from the very God who had saved them. It would be reasonable to assume that God would abandon them. And yet, despite their sin, God still wanted to dwell among them. What grace! What mercy!

For you today, sinner—maybe you have wandered, maybe you have distorted God’s plan for your life, maybe you have outright rebelled. But hear this: God still desires to be with you. He is not waiting to reject you but to restore you. His presence is still available.

The Glory of God in the Tabernacle

Exodus 40:34-35 tells us what happened after the Israelites completed the tabernacle:

"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

The people had labored to build the tabernacle exactly as God instructed. They used costly materials—an estimated one ton of gold—crafted with skill and care. It was a stunning, sacred space. But without God’s presence, it was just an ornate tent. It meant nothing unless God was in it.

This is true for us today as well. We can have the most beautiful church buildings, the most well-organized worship services, the most inspiring music and preaching. But if God’s presence is not in our midst, it is all empty ritual. We can go through the motions, but without His glory, our worship lacks life and meaning.

God’s Presence in Jesus Christ

So how do we experience God’s presence? How can we truly be with Him? The answer is found in Jesus.

In Luke 9, we read about the transfiguration of Jesus. He takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain, and before their eyes, He is transformed. His glory radiates like lightning. And who appears with Him? Moses and Elijah. What are they discussing? Verse 31 tells us:

"They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem."

The word translated as "departure" is actually "exodus." Just as God led His people out of slavery in Egypt, Jesus was about to accomplish a greater exodus—delivering His people from the bondage of sin through His death and resurrection.

Peter, overwhelmed by this moment, suggests they build three tents—three tabernacles—to capture and contain this glory. But God’s plan was far greater. The cloud of His presence descended, just as it had on Mount Sinai, but this time, it was not to confine His glory to a tabernacle. Now, His glory would be fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

What does that mean for us today? It means we no longer have to go to a physical tabernacle to meet with God. We don’t need to rely on a priest to enter His presence on our behalf. In Jesus, we have full access to God. We have forgiveness of sins, adoption into His family, and the promise of dwelling with Him forever.

Do You Long for His Presence?

Exodus 40:36-38 describes how the Israelites followed God’s presence wherever it went:

"Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys."

They didn’t move unless God moved. They followed His presence because they knew they needed Him more than anything else.

Now, here’s a question for you: Do you long for God’s presence? Do you desire Him more than anything else? Just like a parent who doesn’t just love their children but genuinely delights in them—do you delight in God? Do you seek Him not just out of obligation but out of a deep desire to be with Him?

God has made a way for us to dwell with Him forever. His presence is not confined to a tent, a temple, or even a church building. It is available to you right now through Jesus. What a reason to celebrate!

January 31st | Exodus 25

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The Road Home: Dwelling in God’s Presence

There is a sign in my house that says “Home is wherever I’m with you.” My wife and I have moved quite a bit, and our home has changed many times in our marriage. This sign is a simple but profound idea—home isn’t just a place; it’s about presence. Spiritually, our true home is found in the presence of God. Yet, so often, we wander, searching for fulfillment elsewhere. But Scripture reveals that the road to God’s presence is the road home, and the only way to dwell with Him is through Jesus.

The Promise of God’s Presence

Throughout history, God has been near His people but not fully dwelling among them. Think about Abraham—God spoke to him but then was gone. With Moses, God appeared in a burning bush but then disappeared. But everything changes in Exodus 25. After delivering Israel from Egypt, God instructs Moses to build a tabernacle—a dwelling place—so He can live among His people:

"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." (Exodus 25:8)

God's desire has always been to be with His people. He is not distant or indifferent; He longs to dwell with those He created and loves.

Interestingly, the tabernacle’s design points back to Eden, the first home where God dwelt perfectly with humanity. Exodus 25:7 mentions onyx stones, just like those in Genesis 2:12, reminding Israel of the perfection of Eden—the home they lost. Now, through the tabernacle, God is making a way to dwell with His people again.

The Ark of the Covenant: A Covering for Our Failures

The first item God instructs Moses to build is not the outer structure but the Ark of the Covenant—the very place where His presence would dwell. The ark was a small, gold-covered box, containing the Ten Commandments, a testimony of God’s law. But on top of the ark was something even more important: the Mercy Seat.

"There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat... I will speak with you." (Exodus 25:22)

The Mercy Seat, or Kapporet in Hebrew, means "to cover." Each year, the high priest would sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on the Mercy Seat, symbolizing atonement for Israel’s sins. The law inside the ark revealed the people's failure to meet God's standards, but the Mercy Seat covered that failure. This foreshadows Jesus, our ultimate covering. His blood, shed on the cross, permanently covers our sins so that we can enter God’s presence.

The Table of Presence: God's Provision

The next furnishing in the tabernacle was the Table of Presence, holding twelve loaves of bread, representing Israel’s twelve tribes. This bread was a constant reminder that God provides for His people:

"And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly." (Exodus 25:30)

Jesus fulfills this as the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Just as the priests ate the bread in the tabernacle, we are invited to partake of Christ, our daily provision and sustenance.

The Golden Lampstand: Light in the Darkness

The final furnishing was the Golden Lampstand, decorated with almond blossoms, branches, and flowers—symbolizing the Tree of Life in Eden. Its purpose? To give light:

"You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it." (Exodus 25:37)

This points to Jesus, the true light of the world (John 8:12). Through Him, we are no longer in darkness but can walk in the light of God’s presence.

Jesus: The True Way Home

Everything in the tabernacle—the ark, the bread, the lampstand—pointed forward to Jesus. He is the only way to truly dwell with God. Through His sacrifice, provision, and light, He brings us home into the presence of God.

Are you searching for home? Stop wandering. The road home is through Jesus. Draw near to Him today, and find the presence of God as your true dwelling place.

January 30th | Exodus 24

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

Setting the Scene

Moses had been on the Mt. Sinai getting the ten commandments and laws, now God asks him to tell the people what has been said and to invite the elders to come and worship him on the mountain. This is a picture of God’s holiness because not everyone can approach God’s holy power. Also, it is a time for the people to agree to God’s laws and commit to Him.

READ

Exodus 24:1-2 (Ask question 1 after reading)

Exodus 24:3-8 (Ask question 2 after reading)

Exodus 24:9-18 (Ask question 3 after reading)

ASK

1. Who is allowed to come and worship? Why isn’t everyone allowed up?

(God is holy and his holiness would destroy the people)

2. What did the people agree to do? How can you commit to follow Jesus in your life?

(To keep the law as God had said. The blood shows that the covenant was costly. It points to Jesus’ blood)

3. What is the description of God and His glory? How can God be so close yet so dangerous?

(God was like a devouring fire on top of the mountain. His wrath is terrifying but he is gracious and draw near to us)

SING

Sing "Only A Holy God" by City Alight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HSdeeCm8_g&ab_channel=CityAlight

January 29th | Exodus 23

katiecox217@gmail.com (Katie Cox) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Rules for Life

I love a good list of rules. And the book of Exodus gives us just that- a nice list of rules for how the Isrealites should live life. Some of the rules that we are reading about seem out of touch for us today-like the ones chapter 22 about oxen butting each other or not covering up pits or later in chapter 23 when it commands them not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk. But then there are others like the first verses of chapter 23 that jump off the page at me and scream “Hey you! Pay attention!”

23:1 “You shall not spread a false report.”

YIKES. I don’t like to admit to how many times I’ve fallen into that one and I bet you don’t either. How often do we choose not to silence gossip and slander? Maybe we aren’t the ones starting the gossip- but not putting it rest is just as sinful.

23:8 “You shall not take a bribe.”

Go with me here…how many times do you keep quiet or not stand up for what is right because you’re trying to help out someone who has helped you before? Sometimes we don’t have to physically “take” a bribe- but we don’t do what is right because of other’s opinions.

23:12 “On the seventh day you shall rest.”

This rest doesn’t just mean you should kick your feet up and relax and watch a football game or your favorite movie- although I think that is okay to do too! This rest is the Sabbath rest- it is our time to stop working and to pause and remember that God is in control. It gives us a much needed opportunity to refocus our attention and our heart back on him.

23:14 “Three times a year you shall keep a feast to me.”

This might be my new favorite Bible verse! I love a good potluck…don’t you?! Back to the point…God tells them to have these feasts mentioned to help them remember WHO HE IS and WHAT HE HAS DONE. We need moments, too, where we can pause and reflect and remember what he has done for us.

The Israelites needed these reminders for how to live a holy life to honor and commune with a Holy, perfect God. God gave them this list of “rules” for living because he KNEW they would sin- there would be conflict because they were sinful people who lived in a sinful world.

Would they fail at keeping them- you betcha! But, God knew that and that’s why he sent his son Jesus- the only one who could uphold and fulfill the law perfectly.

January 28th | Exodus 20

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

God has delivered his people, the Israelites, from Egypt- they have crossed the Red Sea and are now at Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 19, God told the Israelites to prepare to meet with him. The people had to stay away from the mountain because of God’s holiness- only Moses was allowed to go up to meet with him. While Moses was on the mountain, God delivered the Ten Commandments for the Israelites to obey.

READ

Exodus 20: 1-11 (After Reading Ask Questions 1 & 2)

Exodus 20: 12-26 (After Reading Ask Questions 3)

ASK

1. What do these first four commands teach us about God’s holiness?

2. How should we respond to God’s holiness?

3. What do these six commands teach us about how we treat others?

4. READ Matthew 22:36-40. How should we treat others and God?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together

SING

Sing "Only A Holy God" by City Alight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HSdeeCm8_g&ab_channel=CityAlight

January 27th | Exodus 21

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

God's Laws Reveal God's Heart

The Last Half of Exodus

This week, we are moving into a new section of the book of Exodus. The first 19 chapters read like a historical narrative, but something changes in chapter 20. From this point onward, we encounter numerous laws and specific instructions for building the Tabernacle. If we’re honest, we might say, “I’ll read the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), but the rest of this stuff doesn’t apply to me!”

In fairness, there are some things for which I really think I don’t need a law, such as Exodus 23:19:

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

Honestly, if I had never read that verse, I probably would have never tried it in the first place! If you feel like these laws don’t apply to you, it’s because they are specific case studies for the Israelites. While the Ten Commandments are general principles for all people in all places, the other laws illustrate specific ways these people were to “live out” the Ten Commandments toward God and one another.

Understanding the Purpose of Specific Laws

You might be asking, so what is the point? Even though these are specific case studies, they still reveal the heart of God. The more we understand His character, the more we can align our hearts and lives with Him. So, as you read these seemingly mundane case laws, ask yourself, “What is God’s heart in this passage?” Let’s take Chapter 21 as an example.

Exodus 21:2 says,

"When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing."

We see a section of Scripture that has been used for centuries to criticize Christianity. People might read this passage and argue, “The Bible condones slavery, and therefore we shouldn’t listen to it.” I remember being in college and hearing people say that the Bible is filled with slavery and ridiculous rules we shouldn't follow; back then, I didn’t have a response. Now, I understand that those who make such claims often don’t seek to understand Christianity or the Bible; they are simply looking for an argument to justify their own sin.

God’s Heart in the Laws

Keep in mind that these are case laws for a specific time and culture. When we think about slavery, we often envision the horrific practice of stealing people from their homes and forcing them to work for their captors. We know this is evil and wrong because God reminds us in a few verses later, specifically Exodus 21:16 which says,

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death."

So, how do these two verses coexist? The slavery mentioned in this culture was quite different from what we commonly think of today. In that time, there wasn’t bankruptcy or government welfare. If someone failed to pay their debts, they might work as a slave to repay them. While there were other instances, this was not the same as the kind of slavery where individuals were abducted and treated as property.

So, what is the principle? We can see God’s heart in this matter. In that culture, people might take this too far, making someone a slave to pay off a debt and then keeping them longer than necessary. Yet, here God states that after seven years, regardless of the debt, these individuals must be set free. This indicates that God cares about all people, even those who have nothing; they still possess dignity and value.

God reminds the Israelites of this in Exodus 23:9, where He tells them that they were once sojourners or slaves in Egypt. Therefore, they should treat everyone with respect as humans made in the image of God. For us, this reveals God’s heart: that all people have worth based on their humanity, not on their wealth or status.

As a church, we should see everyone as equal. We should welcome all individuals to come to Jesus, regardless of their financial standing or socioeconomic status. Would you look at those who you meet today as a human created in the image of God, deserving dignity, respect, and love?

January 24th | Exodus 19

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

When Meeting God Isn't Mundane

Think back to last Sunday morning. Did you wake up excited to go to church, or did it feel like just another task on your to-do list? Maybe you scrambled out of bed late, herding kids and gulping coffee, or maybe you came out of obligation, not anticipation. It’s easy to slip into routine, but meeting with God is never mundane. It’s transformative.

Exodus 19 paints a vivid picture of God meeting His people at Mount Sinai. This isn’t a casual encounter; it’s an awe-inspiring, life-changing moment. As we reflect on this passage, one truth emerges: God’s holiness is terrifying, but His grace invites us near.

Approaching the Mountain

The Israelites camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, ready to meet the God who had delivered them from slavery. God called to Moses from the mountain, reminding him of His salvation:

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself" (Exodus 19:4).

God saved them before they did anything to deserve it. He rescued them not because of their obedience, but because of His grace. Salvation came first, followed by an invitation to obey.

This pattern is true for us today. God doesn’t wait for us to get our act together before extending His love. He rescues us while we’re still broken, and then calls us to obedience—not to earn His love, but to live in response to it.

As God’s people, we’re called His “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). Imagine a king who owns everything but cherishes one jewel above all else. That’s how God sees us. He invites us to approach Him, not in fear of rejection, but in awe of His love.

Don’t Touch the Mountain

While God invites us near, He also sets boundaries. At Sinai, He warned the people not to touch the mountain, for His holiness would consume them. The scene is dramatic: thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a mountain ablaze with fire. The people trembled, and rightly so.

This tension between God’s holiness and His love is crucial. His holiness is like a nuclear force—perfect and powerful, but dangerous to sinners. It’s not that God is harsh or unkind; it’s that His perfection cannot coexist with sin.

We might wonder, “Why can’t God just overlook sin?” But His justice demands that sin be dealt with. Left to our own devices, we’d never measure up to His standard. Even Moses, the mediator between God and the people, couldn’t fully experience God’s glory without risking death (Exodus 33:20).

But here’s the good news: while we can’t reach God’s holiness, He has made a way to reach us.

The Mediator of a New Covenant

At Mount Sinai, Moses served as the mediator, going up and down the mountain to relay God’s words to the people. But now, we have a greater mediator—Jesus Christ.

When Jesus died on the cross, the earth shook, just as the mountain did at Sinai. The veil in the temple, which symbolized the barrier between God and humanity, was torn in two. No longer do we need to fear God’s holiness consuming us. Through Jesus, we can approach Him with confidence.

Hebrews 12:24 says, “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

While Abel’s blood cried out for justice, Jesus’ blood cries out for grace. He paid the price for our sin, satisfying God’s justice and extending His mercy.

Living as God’s Treasured Possession

So, how do we respond to a holy God who invites us near? First, we humble ourselves before Him. A healthy fear of the Lord—a recognition of His holiness—leads us to repentance.

Next, we consecrate ourselves. For the Israelites, this meant washing their clothes and preparing their hearts. For us, it means allowing the blood of Christ to cleanse us from sin.

Finally, we worship. Hebrews 12:22-23 reminds us that we’ve come not to Mount Sinai, but to Mount Zion—the city of the living God. Here, we join the angels and the church in joyful assembly, worshiping the One who made a way for us to stand in His presence.

Con cl us ion

God is calling you to meet with Him—not out of obligation, but out of grace. He’s not waiting for you to climb the mountain by your own efforts. Instead, He’s brought the mountain to you through Jesus.

Will you respond? Will you repent, be cleansed by His blood, and live as His treasured possession? The holy God is offering you grace today. Don’t refuse Him. Approach Him with reverence, trust in Christ, and worship Him as the King He is.

The mountain is trembling. God is near. How will you respond?

January 23rd | Exodus 14

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 20:03:37 GMT

Family Worship

SETTING THE SCENE

God has rescued the people from Egypt. They have walked out in freedom and have plundered the Egyptians taking all their gold and wealth. But as they go, Pharaoh's hardened heart causes him to go after God’s people. The Israelites find themselves in the wilderness, blocked in by the Red Sea on one side and the Egyptians coming from the other.

READ

Exodus 14:10-14 (After Reading Ask Questions 1 & 2)

Exodus 14:21-29 (After Reading Ask Questions 3 & 4)

ASK

1. Why did God’s people doubt God would save them even after seeing all the plagues and their ultimate rescue? Are there times when we doubt God? Why?

2. What was Moses’ response to them in verse 13? How can we trust God to fight for us?

3. How did God save the people of Israel?

4. How does God save us from sin and the enemy today? How does this account of God parting the Red Sea and God’s people walking through point us to Jesus’ death and resurrection?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together

SING

Sing "Our God" by Chris Tomlin

https://youtu.be/lybYyxoGTgg?si=mjsU3DPbuD3bJiX6

January 22nd | Exodus 12

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

God's Judgment Satisfied

Over the past few chapters we see the 9 plagues that were carried out by Moses from God's instruction in order to have Pharaoh to allow the Israelites -God’s "people" to be freed. Although Pharaoh has several moments where he recognizes the power and even sovereignty of God, he does not let the Israelites go. Pharaoh was not simply telling Moses no, he was telling God no, which led to God hardening his heart. We see that Pharaoh's heart was hardened 4 different times. This leads us to the tenth and final plague, The Passover .

Chapter 11: 4 So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’

1. Judgement

In the first month, first of the year, the congregation of Israel will select a perfect spotless Lamb. On the fourteenth day of the month the entire congregation of Israel will kill the chosen lambs at twilight. (1-5)

They were to take the blood from the lamb and put it on the doorpost of their homes, the Israelites were also instructed how to cook and eat the lamb. The Israelites were instructed to wear their clothing and be ready at a moment's notice, believing their freedom and exodus from Egypt was coming soon.

As God passed through Egypt that night, He would kill the firstborn of all of Egypt both man and beast. God says,

"I will execute Judgement." The blood will be a sign for the Israelites, when God saw the blood, He would pass over them, and their first born would be safe. (7-13)

God did not give the Israelites another option because the Israelites were "good" people and the Egyptians were "bad” people. God showed the Israelites mercy. As there must have been bloodshed to appease God's judgement for sin.

The Passover is meant to be a feast and memorial as after the first Passover the Israelites will continue to practice this every year. Only God could pass judgement while also redeeming/freeing His people at the same time. (14-16)

2. Recognizing Sin as Sin

The feast of unleavened bread, the leaven was a symbol of sin, representing the unconfessed/unforgiven sin in the lives of the Israelites. As they were to eat the unleavened bread it was a memorial to God as well as a time of renewal while encouraging them to move in the opposite direction of the sin (repenting) in their life, solely focusing on God. (17-20)

As God's people participated in the Passover for years to come, bloodshed and unleavened bread were key elements- both point to a new life in Jesus Christ.

3. Sacrifice

In the next few verses we see Moses called in the elders of the congregation and reiterated what God shared in regards to the tenth plague, The Passover. Moses shares with them once again to kill a lamb and apply the blood to the doorpost. (21-28)

Several important things to notice here:

The lamb was to be spotless and perfect.
The blood of the lamb was meant for the congregation- all of the Israelites.
The blood of the lamb was also specific to persons as it was every doorpost, every individual Israelite.
The lamb was a substitute, and died in the place of the Israelites.

All of the above points to Jesus, Jesus is our perfect spotless lamb, Jesus died for all yet it is personal, and Jesus was the perfect and only substitute that could appease God's wrath towards sin. We cannot overstate the power and importance of Jesus' blood when it comes to our salvation.

You may think of it like this- Jesus dying on the cross and shedding His blood while taking on the entire wrath of God is a horrific and terrible thing, however, as Jesus' blood was shed He has given us the opportunity to have a right relationship with God, taking us from our death in sin and giving us new life where we can be a friend of God and live for Him forever!

4. The Exodus of Egypt

As the tenth plague took place, God's people chose to be obedient to God and His wrath was satisfied with the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. (29-32)

God frees the Israelites from slavery and Egypt. (33-42)

Just as Jesus' blood has freed us from slavery and bondage of sin.

January 21st | Exodus 7

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

Each Tuesday and Thursday, we will post a simple guide for you to have family worship. Family worship can be done before bed, around the dinner table, in the car, or elsewhere! It can be done if you have little kids at home, middle schoolers, high schoolers, or are empty nesters! Find someone in the same house as you and follow this outline twice a week! We follow a simple outline for Family Worship: Read, Pray, Sing. It is that simple. Take 5-10 minutes today and worship with your family!

SETTING THE SCENE

In Exodus 7:14-24, God confronts Pharaoh’s hardened heart and reveals His power through the first plague. The Nile, a source of life and worship for the Egyptians, is turned into blood. This act challenges the Egyptian gods and shows that God is sovereign over all. Sometimes, God uses dramatic ways to get our attention and remind us of His power. This passage encourages us to trust God and worship Him alone.

READ

Exodus 7:14-24

ASK

Why do you think God started the plagues with the Nile River? What might this have shown the Egyptians and Pharaoh?

(Discuss how the Nile was central to Egyptian life and religion.)

2. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he refused to listen to God. Are there times when we might resist God or ignore His voice? Why?

(Talk about how we can soften our hearts toward God.)

3. God used Moses to speak His words to Pharaoh. How can we be like Moses and share God’s message with others, even when it’s hard?

(Encourage family members to think about ways they can share their faith boldly.)

4. What do you think God might be teaching us as a family through this story? How can we grow closer to Him this week?

(Help the family reflect on personal and collective applications.)

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together as a family.

SING

Sing "Our God" by Chris Tomlin

https://youtu.be/lybYyxoGTgg?si=mjsU3DPbuD3bJiX6

January 20th | Exodus 3

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

There’s Power in a Name

Names hold weight. They aren’t just collections of letters; they represent identity and character. At a recent retreat, I wore a name tag and introduced myself. People associated my name with who I am. When our name is praised, we feel validated; when it’s slandered, we feel crushed.

In Exodus 3, God reveals His name to Moses: I AM. After 400 years of silence and slavery, God speaks, declaring a name that isn’t just an identifier but a statement of His eternal, unchanging nature. God wasn’t created, doesn’t depend on anything, and doesn’t change—He simply is.

Yet, how often do we try to redefine God to suit our preferences? “God wouldn’t act like that,” or, “This is how I think God is.” But God’s name reveals that He is not who we imagine Him to be—He is who He is. He is holy, distinct, and powerful, and that demands a response.

The question is: will you listen? The Great I AM is still speaking today. Too often, we prioritize our name over His, seeking our recognition and way. But if we truly want to know Jesus, we must surrender our name and find joy in being known by His.

1. God’s Holiness Demands a Response

Moses was tending sheep when he saw a bush on fire but not consumed. Approaching it, God called out, “Moses, Moses!” His presence transformed ordinary ground into holy ground, and God commanded Moses to remove his sandals as an act of reverence.

God’s holiness isn’t just “set apart”; it’s powerful and dangerous to sinners. Like fire, it draws us in but can consume us if we approach casually or in sin. When Moses realized who was speaking, he hid his face in fear.

Isaiah had a similar experience in Isaiah 6. Seeing the Lord, he cried, “Woe is me! For I am lost; I am a man of unclean lips.” Even sinless angels covered their faces in God’s holy presence.

This isn’t a God we approach lightly. His holiness exposes sin and demands repentance. But here’s the incredible part: this same holy God chooses to use flawed people like Moses—and us—to accomplish His purposes.

God told Moses, “I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10). His call still comes to us today. But will we humbly respond, recognizing His holiness and our need for repentance?

2. We Make Excuses, but God Provides

Moses hesitated. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” he asked. God didn’t respond with assurances of Moses’ abilities but with a promise: “I will be with you” (Ex. 3:12).

We often feel inadequate for what God calls us to do. Like Moses, we may think, “God, I can’t do this. I’ve made too many mistakes.” But God’s answer isn’t about our capability—it’s about His presence.

When Moses asked God’s name, He replied, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). This name reveals God’s eternal, self-existent nature. Unlike Egypt’s false gods, God isn’t limited or dependent—He simply is.

Still, Moses doubted. “What if they don’t believe me?” he asked. God provided signs: a staff turned to a snake, a hand healed from leprosy, and water turned to blood. Yet Moses still protested, claiming he wasn’t a good speaker. God reassured him: “I will be with your mouth” (Ex. 4:12).

God’s call isn’t about our abilities. It’s about His sufficiency. Even when Moses doubted, God graciously allowed Aaron to assist him. This shows us that God works through our weaknesses when we trust Him.

3. The Great I AM Is Enough

Moses’ mission wasn’t about him—it was about God. The same is true for us. In moments of doubt, remember Jesus’ promise: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The Great I AM is with you, equipping you for the task He’s called you to.

So, will you let go of your name—your excuses, fears, and pride—and trust the One who is? The Great I AM is speaking. Are you listening?

January 17th | Genesis 50

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Am I In The Place Of God?

In the last chapter of Genesis, we see the conclusion of the Patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the fathers of the faith. God promised to multiply, bless, and be with Abraham, and this blessing is carried down the line to Jacob (renamed Israel), who dies at the beginning of Genesis 50, leaving his twelve sons who would become the twelve tribes of Israel. This family is the foundation for the nation that God would use to be a light to the nations and represent His grace and truth to the world. In this final chapter, after Israel's death, we see three things about God.

1. God Keeps His Promises

God promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation and multiply and bless him. We see a procession that Abraham wouldn’t have believed at his grandson's funeral. Because of Joseph’s place as second in command of Egypt, the Pharaoh made an excellent procession for Jacob’s funeral. Verse 9 says,

“And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.”

Jacob died, leaving twelve sons, a large family, great wealth, and great prominence in the community. The promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 to make him a great nation, to bless his family, and to bless the world through him has come to pass at the close of Jacob’s life. God is faithful to keep His promises. Throughout the years, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob made mistakes, but God continued to pour out His love and kept the promise He made all those years ago.

2. God Is Sovereign

Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery, sent to prison, and forgotten, then in one day lifted to second in command of all Egypt. Was Joseph just really lucky? How could all of this take place? I believe it shows God’s sovereignty. Even when Joseph didn’t understand, God was orchestrating the events of his life to accomplish His perfect will. Verse 20 says,

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Maybe you have had a tough break. Perhaps someone meant evil against you, and you feel like you are in a pit, just like Joseph. Our God is greater than the evil in this world. Our God can take an evil action and turn it for good. I am reminded of Romans 8:28,

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. “

No matter if you are in a pit or a palace, recognize that God is in control. He has you in a place for a purpose, and He is working for your good. If you don’t see it right now, just wait and trust in His sovereignty.

3. God is Gracious

Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would seek revenge now that their father was dead. Our natural human response would expect Joseph to act in anger and hurt his brothers like they hurt him. But what is Joseph’s response? Verse 19 says,

“But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?”

Human nature would want revenge, but Joseph acted in the Spirit, not the flesh. Remember Genesis 41:38?

“And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Joseph was filled with the Spirit of God. A natural person would have sought revenge, but Joseph sought forgiveness. Joseph's forgiveness didn’t come from his own nature but from God. Our God is gracious and merciful. He sees our sins and flaws and still loves and forgives us. He offers us grace upon grace. Today, would you trust in a God who keeps His promises, is sovereign, and is abundantly gracious?

January 16th | Genesis 47

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

Each Tuesday and Thursday, we will post a simple guide for you to have family worship. Family worship can be done before bed, around the dinner table, in the car, or elsewhere! It can be done if you have little kids at home, middle schoolers, high schoolers, or empty nesters! Find someone in the same house as you and follow this outline twice a week! We follow a simple outline for Family Worship: Read, Pray, Sing. It is that simple. Take 5-10 minutes today and worship with your family!

SETTING THE SCENE

Joseph was sold into slavery and was imprisoned, but God graciously rescued him from prison and made him second in command of all of Egypt. A severe famine spread throughout the land, and Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to get food. Joseph forgave them for selling him into slavery and brought his entire family to Egypt so they would have resources and food during this severe famine.

READ

Genesis 47:1-12; 27

ASK

1. In verse 11, we see that Pharoh offered Joseph’s family the best of the land. How has God provided far more than you deserved or needed?

2. Read Genesis 12:1-3 & Genesis 47:27. Has God kept his promise to Abraham? In what ways has God kept His original promise to Abraham?

3. Can you trust God to keep His promises to you?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together

SING

He Will Keep You (Psalm 121) by Sovereign Grace Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzJkC0-CSng&ab_channel=SovereignGraceMusic

January 15th | Genesis 45

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 10:00:03 GMT

Undeserved Grace - From Pit to Palace

When I read this story, I can actually see the movie playing out in my head. The writer of Genesis (most likely Moses) gives vivid details about Joseph’s emotions during this chapter. And after all that Joseph has gone through to get him to this point with his brothers, I can understand the deep emotions he shows. Chapter 45 opens with this, “Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood before him. He cried…He wept…” I can only begin to imagine how Joseph felt after seeing his brothers. He was overcome by all that had happened over the years to get him to this point.

Joseph could have lashed out in anger at his brothers, but he shows them such grace in how he responds to them. He recognized that it was God who had allowed these years away from his family so that he could preserve life during the famine in Egypt. Joseph didn’t want his brothers to be distressed or angry at themselves for causing Joseph so much hardship because Joseph recognized God’s sovereign hand over the situation. In verses 5 through 8 he recounts it was God who had sent him three separate times!

Joseph tells his brothers to tell his father he is alive. Joseph wants his brothers and father to come and dwell with him in Egypt so that he can provide and care for them and their families. It says he lavishes gifts on his brothers to take back with them for their journey. Because Joseph recognized that God was at work through his hardship, he was able to respond with grace and kindness towards his brothers.

What a reminder for us today! Joseph didn’t look at his circumstances or situation from an earthly lens- he saw it through God’s Kingdom lens. He recognized that God was using Joseph for a greater purpose than he could have ever dreamed. And because he recognized God’s hand, he could respond in grace and love to others who had hurt him and didn’t deserve it. God may be allowing you to be in a situation in this season of life when you are questioning what he is doing- maybe you’re in a pit like Joseph. Look at your situation, not by the circumstances, but look to see how God’s hand is at work. And when we recognize God’s hand at work, let’s show the same grace and love that we have been shown.

January 14th | Genesis 41

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

Each Tuesday and Thursday, we will post a simple guide for you to have family worship. Family worship can be done before bed, around the dinner table, in the car, or elsewhere! It can be done if you have little kids at home, middle schoolers, high schoolers, or empty nesters! Find someone in the same house as you and follow this outline twice a week! We follow a simple outline for Family Worship: Read, Pray, Sing. It is that simple. Take 5-10 minutes today and worship with your family!

SETTING THE SCENE

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He worked for Potiphar but then was unjustly thrown in prison. While in prison, Joseph interpreted two different prisoners’ dreams correctly (remember he was the “dreamer” in Genesis 37). In return for interpreting the dreams, Joseph asked the prisoners that they would remember Joseph when they were released from prison. The cupbearer was released from prison, and the last verse of Genesis 40 says, “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

READ

Genesis 41:1-57 (If you have smaller kids, feel free to summarize the story)

Pharaoh had two dreams no one could interpret.
The cupbearer told Pharaoh about Joseph, who was in prison.
Joseph explained the dreams: seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine.
Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command to prepare for the famine.
Joseph stored food during the abundant years.
When famine struck, people came to Joseph to buy grain.

ASK

In verse 38, we see that Joseph could interpret these dreams because of God’s Spirit. How do you need to rely on God’s Spirit in your life?

2. Read verses 40-43. Isn’t it amazing how quickly Joseph goes from a prisoner to a prince? How is this a picture of what Jesus does for us in salvation?

3. Read 56-57. Many people were saved because of Joseph’s plan to store food. What would have happened to those people if Joseph hadn’t been sold into slavery and put in prison to be placed before Pharoh eventually? How is God’s plan better for us even if we don’t understand?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together.

SING

He Will Keep You (Psalm 121) by Sovereign Grace Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzJkC0-CSng&ab_channel=SovereignGraceMusic

January 13th | Genesis 37

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Hate Or Healing

Have you ever been so mad at someone you can’t see straight? Maybe it was a family member or friend. Perhaps it was a co-worker or peer. Maybe you shouted in anger, and your hate was made public, or you vented to a family member about this person in private. We are people full of sin, and chances are you’ve had bitterness in your heart toward someone else. Now, we aren’t perfect. We are bound to make mistakes, but what happens when we fail to control that hate and anger? Like it or not, we all have a choice. We can choose hate, and that will destroy our relationship with that person and with God. Or, we can choose healing. We can forgive, and in doing so, we can experience the healing power of God’s abundant grace.

Bitterness Brews

“4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”

What a shocking verse! Joseph and his brothers were a family. Admittedly, they had their issues, but they were a family nonetheless. They should have been able to get along and at least be cordial. Yet, we see bitterness brewing in the hearts of Joseph’s brothers. Jacob shouldn’t have shown such blatant favoritism, but the brothers also had a choice to make. They could have forgiven and moved on, but they didn’t. They chose bitterness instead.

Hate Turns to Hurt

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

What was once some jealous and bitter brothers are now vicious murderers ready to kill their brother. How did they get to this place? Sin. Failing to address our jealousy and bitterness brews into hate and eventually boils over to death. As the familiar saying goes, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to stay.” We think we are in control, but if we fail to address the bitterness in our hearts, we will become prisoners to that bitterness, turning us into people we do not want to be.

Healing Starts By Addressing Hate

You might read this passage from Joseph’s brothers and say, “I’m just upset at that person, but I’m not going to hurt anyone. It is okay for me to be upset with them.” You might not try to physically hurt someone because of your hate, but Jesus tells us that hate in our hearts is a major problem that needs to be addressed.

Matthew 5:21-22 says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.”

Not only is murder a sin, but being angry at your brother is a sin as well. We are not off the hook. Jesus tells us that the standard is much higher than “Do not murder.” Jesus’ standard is, “Do not be angry.” You might read this and think, “That is impossible.” And yes, that is the point. In this passage, Jesus showed us that we cannot keep this perfect standard. We are sinful and will become angry and bitter. We will be jealous and hateful. We will harbor grudges and seek to hurt people who hurt us because it is our nature as sinners. Jesus gives us this impossible standard to show we cannot keep it on our own. We need someone greater to change our hearts, heal our hate, and break our bitterness. Christ can do this for you!

Have you been carrying around hate? It only hurts you and keeps you prisoner. Find freedom in forgiveness. When we think of the cross and Christ’s forgiveness of our sins, we are set free to forgive those who have hurt us and find healing instead of hate. Who do you need to forgive today? How can you be free of hate today?

January 10th | Genesis 28

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Living the Dream

Jacob was on the run. He had stolen his brother’s birthright and was trekking to his uncle Laban’s house to find safety. Along the way, he stops to sleep for the night and uses a rock as a pillow. Now, this would cause any of us to have a fitful night of sleep! But at this place, God reveals Himself to Jacob in a dream.

A Reversal of Babel

Genesis 28:12-13, “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.”

The picture of a ladder to heaven is stunning. Do you remember the last time the people of Earth tried to reach heaven (Genesis 11)? God stopped them and confused their language. In their pride, they attempted to reach God but realized the gap was too far. But this ladder to heaven in Jacob’s dream is a reversal of the tower of Babel. The people weren’t trying to reach God; God was coming to them.

This ladder points to Jesus as the one to come and bring us back to God. John 1:51 says, “ And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Sound familiar? All these years later, Jesus told them that He was the ladder! Jesus was telling them that belief in Christ gave you access to the God of heaven.

A Call to Worship

Once Jacob woke up, he was afraid, and this vision of God led him to worship. Genesis 28:16-17 says, “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Jacob’s increased understanding of God and His grace led him to worship. God showed Jacob his presence and plan to bring salvation to the world. God’s revelation led Jacob to walk in worship. He recognized he was at the gate of heaven. In John 10:9, Jesus said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” How many people today have heard the name of Jesus but don’t realize they are at the gate of heaven? Take time today to pray for those who don’t see Jesus rightly and ask for boldness to declare His salvation to them.

Have you truly grasped the magnitude of Christ’s coming to rescue you? Do you recognize the height of heaven is far too great, and you need a grand ladder to get to God? Remind yourself of God’s great grace and stand firmly on the ladder of Christ today as you worship God.

January 9th | Genesis 22

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Family Worship

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we will post a simple guide for you to have family worship.This can be done before bed, around the dinner table, in the car, or somewhere else! It can be done if you have little kids at home, middle schoolers, high schoolers, or no kids! Find someone in the same house as you and follow the outline below. It is that simple. Take 5-10 minutes today and worship with your family!

READ

Genesis 22:1-14

ASK

Did Abraham delay when God asked him to do this difficult task?

In verse 8, Abraham was confident that God would provide an offering. Abraham had waited and trusted that God would provide before. How can remembering what God has done in the past help you trust Him in the future?

In verse 12, God is pleased that Abraham had not withheld anything from God. What are you withholding from God? How does keeping something from God affect your relationship with Him?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together.

SING

I Trust In God - Elevation Worship

Click Here to Listen or sing a cappella with your family!

https://youtu.be/QS04WbSnxok?si=D24_x7-wYNbH9eTC

January 8th | Genesis 17

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:00:03 GMT

I Need A Change

When I was a kid, I wanted a different name. In fairness, I had been stuck with my name for a long time, and I thought it would be cool to have a different name. As I get older, I am at peace with my name. It is who I am. But as I am older, I can recall things about my past that I want to change. There is some shame, regret, and pain that I would like to forget. Sometimes, I think it would still be nice to have a new name. A different name that isn’t associated with the baggage of my past mistakes. The good news is that God can take away all that baggage and shame that comes with my past and give me a new life. I can keep my old name but walk in a new life because of Christ.

Abram Is Given A New Name

Genesis 17:5 says, “ No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”

God tells Abram he is getting a new name, and this new name is interesting. Abraham means “Father of a multitude.” This name is interesting because Abraham was still waiting for God to give him the child of promise, Isaac. Abraham might have been thinking, “God, are you sure?”

God was sure. Look at verse 5: “I have MADE you the father of a multitude of nations.” Before Isaac was even born, God had already made Abraham the father of many nations. God’s promise and plan determine who we are, not our circumstances and past mistakes.

Abraham Is Given A Command

God tells Abraham that he will bless and make him a great nation. But in verses 9 and 10, God asks Abraham to do something to show God’s covenant faithfulness. He tells Abraham that every male must be circumcised. This was a physical sign to show that God’s people were set apart and belonged to God. They would look different from every other man, and this was God’s plan.

In Genesis 17:1, God says, “ I am God Almighty. Walk before and be blameless.” This reminds me of God's call to His people in Leviticus 20:26: “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” God was working to show Abraham that this covenant and blessing were special. This covenant showed God's holiness and God's special call on His people.

We Are Given A New Heart

The call for holiness is not just found in the Old Testament but also in the New. 1 Peter 2:16 says, “Since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” We are still God’s people and still called by God to be holy. Yet, this is too difficult for us. Too often, we are reminded of our old name, filled with shame and regret. God knew we wouldn’t be able to be holy. Even if we kept the physical covenant, we still had the same bad hearts that led us to sin.

Our bad hearts are why we hear of a new covenant between God and His people in Ezekiel. " And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ez 36:26-27). If we trust in Jesus, we can have a new heart. This new heart sets us apart. It makes us different. It marks us as God’s people in a dark and lost world.

Conclusion

I still have the same name given at my physical birth, but I have a new heart because of my spiritual birth. Because of Christ, I have been adopted into the family of God and am called a child of God. Would you treasure that gift and share it with someone today?

January 7th | Genesis 15

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

Family Worship

One of the highlights of my day is sitting down with my children before bedtime and reading God’s Word together and praying together. It is a time to worship God with my family. Have you ever done family worship before? If not don’t fret, each Tuesday and Thursday we will post a simple guide for you to have family worship. This can be done before bed, around the dinner table, in the car, or somewhere else! It can be done if you have little kids at home, middle schoolers, high schoolers or no kids! Find someone in the same house as you and follow this outline a couple times a week. It is that simple. Take 5-10 minutes today and worship with your family!

READ

Genesis 15:1-6

ASK

What is something you are hoping for or waiting for in your life right now?

2. God tells Abram, “Do not be afraid.” What are some things that make you afraid? How does it feel to know God is with you?

3. Abram didn’t have any children yet, but God promised him a big family. How would you feel if you got a promise like that from God?

4. Verse 6 says Abram believed God, and God he counted it to him as righteousness.. What does it mean to trust God even when you can’t see how things will happen?

PRAY

Ask for prayer requests and pray together

SING

I Trust In God - Elevation Worship

Click Here to Listen and sing along or sing a cappella with your family!

https://youtu.be/iJE4yahElBQ?si=Q_IU0RPCzve944hr

Jan 6th | Genesis 12

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 10:00:01 GMT

God's Blessings Are Better Than You Could Imagine

Genesis chapter 12 is a turning point in the book. Through the first 11 chapters we have seen many different people and events. But in chapter 12 God puts all His focus on one family. Chapter 12 is almost shocking because there is no build up to God choosing to bless Abram. You would think we would find some act of valor or dedication on Abram’s part but God chose Abram and decided to bless him by grace alone.

What is the blessing?

God promised to make Abram a great nation. He wouldn’t be just another name in a list but through him, there would be a great group of people. This is a shocking blessing, because Abram is 75 years old and childless when he received this blessing. I’m sure Abram was scratching his head at how this would work but what a great blessing that was promised to him! And God wasn’t done.

God promised to bless those who blessed Abram and to curse those who dishonored Abram. God was telling Abram, “I’ve got your back!” Isn’t it always good to have a friend who you know will always back you up no matter what? God was telling Abram that He would be with him and support him. And God still wasn’t done.

God promised that in Abram, all the families of the earth would be blessed. Not only was Abram going to be a great nation and God would be with him, but God promised that His blessings on all people would flow through Abram and this nation.

The Blessing is Unconditional

These blessings were made with no conditions. Did you catch that? He doesn’t say, “IF” you do this “THEN” I will bless you. No, God simply gives these promises to Abram. They are made by God and Abram just gets to receive those blessings.

This promise to Abram was unconditional but so is the promise of salvation to anyone who would believe in Christ. You can be adopted into God’s family, have your sins forgiven, and secure an eternal dwelling in Heaven with God forever. And what are the conditions? Just receive the blessing by faith.

Will You See God’s Blessings as Better?

God told Abram to go from his country to a new land so that he could bless him. After Abram hears those blessings it is no wonder that he leaves to receive those blessings! But what if Abram would have said, “No thanks. I’m good.” We would have called him crazy right? But isn’t this was we do to God? He offers us blessings and we say, “No thanks, I would rather stay in my sin than go receive those great treasures.”

It reminds me of the parable of the hidden treasure. Matthew 13:44 says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

God has offered the greatest treasure to you, His presence and blessings. He is worthy of selling all we have to leave and partake of those blessings. Do you recognize that today? What do you see as more beautiful than God and His blessings today? How might you live differently knowing that He offers you His blessings unconditionally?

January 3rd - Genesis 3

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Sin, Shame, and a Savior

This chapter is the cause of all the turmoil, pain, and suffering in the world. Had we stayed in Genesis 1 and 2 we would have been in harmony and perfection forever. But sin entered the world and ruined God’s beautiful creation. How did sin enter the world? There is a lot we could say about Satan and his fall from heaven but for now, we will look at how Satan encouraged Adam and Eve to sin so we can know his schemes and battle sin in our lives today.

Satan Sows Doubt about God’s Clear Commands

“Did God actually say, ‘You should not eat from the tree in the garden’?” This is the question posed to Eve and it is remarkable that this little bit of doubt leads her astray. This command from God was simple, clear, and easy to understand. Yet, the enemy started sowing doubt not just in the command but God’s intentions. Satan made it seem that God was withholding something good from Eve when in reality, God was protecting her. God has given us clear instructions for living the Christian life. He doesn’t do this to withhold good things from us but precisely the opposite! If we live according to God’s plan, we will have life abundantly!

Satan is the Father of Lies

Satan moves from sowing doubt to straight up lying to Eve. “You will not surely die.” This statement is a lie and he is manipulating Eve. It is a way of saying, “There will be no consequences for this little sin, so go ahead!” How often do you hear the enemy lie to you throughout the day? “A compromise here or a compromise there won’t hurt.” “There won’t be any problem if you give in to sin this one time.” These are lies! Sin separates and destroys our relationship with God. Don’t listen to the father of lies but the Spirit of truth.

Sin Leads to the Blame Game

Once Adam and Eve ate they were ashamed. When God questioned them they didn’t repent but what was their response? Blame. “The woman you gave to be with me gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Translation… It’s Eve’s fault! “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” Translation… It’s the serpent’s fault! The truth is, we all are free to make our own choices. We can choose to follow God and keep His commands or we can choose to sin. The good news is that if we sin, we have a father who loves us and forgives us. 1 John 1:9 says , ”9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Conclusion

In verse 7 it says that Adam and Eve realized they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves up. They were ASHAMED. Their shame was a disgrace before God and they were desperately trying to cover that shame. These fig leaves didn’t cover their sin and they were still in shame. But I love verse 21, “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Even in their sin and shame, God covered them up. And not only that, God made a promise in verse 15 that he was on a mission to cover up their sin by sending His own son. Here at the birthplace of sin in the world, God is already beginning to unfold His plan to graciously cover the shame of mankind.

Today, think about the lengths Jesus went to in order to cover your sins. His blood on the cross covers your sin and washes you white as snow. In response to such great grace, live for Him today. Say no to sin and say yes to God.

January 2nd | Genesis 2

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 19:35:24 GMT

God Rested

Genesis 2:3, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

There is something incredible about the statement, “God rested.” If I were to tell you that I rested after I worked, you might picture me sitting in a recliner with my feet up, exhausted from a full day of work. I might be falling asleep as I watch TV, barely able to keep my eyes open because I am tired. It is not incredible to say that one of us “rested” after work but it is remarkable that “God rested.”

Why did God rest?

Was God tired or exhausted? Did he need to catch a few hours of rest before starting up his work again? No, God did not rest because he was tired but He rested because the work was completed. Genesis 2:2 says, “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” God set out to create the world and here by the 2nd chapter of the Bible we see that our God finishes what He starts. By completing creation he rests. There is nothing more to do so He can declare it holy and good. He won’t have to come back and tinker or burn the midnight oil tomorrow night. He can rest because it is finished.

God rests to show us we can rest in Him

Too often I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Oftentimes my exhaustion comes not from being physically tired but emotionally spent. I find myself anxious about the future, worried about my children and family, or stressed about all I need to accomplish. Many of us go through life at breakneck speed trying to juggle work deadlines with soccer schedules and more times than not, something falls through the cracks and we find ourselves in a cycle of stress, failure, and worry.

God’s action here shows us that we can rest in Him. The world will keep spinning if we pause for a moment. I love Psalm 127 which states, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” God wants you to take a nap! He wants you to be able to lay your head down at night and realize that He is in control and not you. Your future is in the hands of the creator of the universe so you can rest.

We can rest because God’s work is finished

Genesis 2:1 says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished.” God declared the work was finished. And this should point us to another time when God declared His work was finished. John 19:30 says, “30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” The work of salvation is finished. Jesus died once and for all for your sins. If you would trust in Him you could REST today.

No matter what stressors or anxieties come your way today, rest in the fact that Christ loves you, has died for you, and has finished the work of your salvation.

January 1st | Genesis 1

david@sgbc.net (David Cox) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:51:48 GMT

God Made You for A Purpose

“Where did you come from?” It’s a question that has stirred humanity’s curiosity for generations. Countless theories attempt to answer it. Some point to the Big Bang, a cosmic event they believe sparked the universe into existence. Others suggest evolution, a gradual process of change that led to life as we know it. These ideas dominate many conversations about our origins, shaping how people view themselves and their purpose in life.

As we begin our study of the Scriptures, we start at the beginning: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The opening chapter of the Bible reveals that the world is not here by accident or chance. It exists because God made it. Throughout Genesis 1, we see God speaking creation into existence. Light and darkness, the sky and waters, vegetation and plants, the sun, moon, and stars, the animals—and finally, human beings—all came into being by His command.

Where did you come from? You came from a God who made you and placed you on this earth He created. As we read the creation account, we notice something extraordinary about humanity’s creation. Three things stand out in verses 26-31:

1. We Are Made Like God

God freely created everything in the world, but when it came to humanity, He did something unique. We were made in His image and likeness. Isn’t that incredible? You bear the image of God! I strongly resemble my mother in appearance, and my father in attitude and personality. Similarly, being made in God’s image means we have the capacity to know Him.

God made us distinct from the rest of creation so we could have a relationship with Him. We can create, love, discern, and do so much more because we reflect God’s image. More than anything else in creation, God desired a relationship with humanity, His most prized possession.

2. We Are Made to Be Blessed by God

In verse 29, God says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” From the very beginning, God chose to bless us with good gifts. He provided for His creation, and even today, you are blessed. God gives His creation grace by providing what we need to live, breathe, and know Him. Each day, we can reflect on the countless blessings He has given us.

3. We Are Made to Live for God

You might ask, “Where did I come from?” But an even better question is, “Why am I here?” Genesis 1 answers both! We came from a loving Creator, and we were made to live for Him. Verse 28 says, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.” This means we have a role in God’s beautiful creation—to fill the earth with His image.

As God’s image-bearers, we are responsible for subduing the earth by reflecting His character in creation. That is your purpose! You were created to bear God’s image and display His kindness, love, and beauty to a world in need.

“Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” These are questions everyone asks. The good news is that God has given us the answers. Today, reflect on the love and kindness of our God. A God powerful enough to create the world from nothing cares deeply about you and has a plan and purpose for your life. How might you live for Him today and bear His image?

Theme: Creator and Creation

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:00:13 GMT

Have You Ever Made Anything?

My kids love to create, whether it’s building with Legos or crafting art projects, and they are always excited to show me their creations. Once they finish, they proudly display their work in their rooms. Whenever we have guests, my kids eagerly invite them to see what they’ve made. They keep their creations in their rooms because, as the creators, they know these things belong to them. They’re proud of their work and treasure it because they invested effort and passion into making it.

The Creator's Heart

The first week’s reading covers Genesis chapters 1 through 11, which highlights the Creator of the universe and His creation. God made the world: the plants, the oceans, the sea creatures, the birds, the dogs—even the cats! But His most prized possession was humanity. God treasured and loved humanity because He made them in His own image.

The Consequences of Sin

Yet, mankind did not respond with perfect obedience and love toward God for creating and loving them. Instead, they responded with disobedience. This week’s reading underscores the story of a good God and sinful people. The first 11 chapters of the Bible reveal that a holy God and sinful people cannot coexist in a relationship. Sin leads to curses (Genesis 3), murder (Genesis 4), destruction (Genesis 6-7), and confusion (Genesis 11). It takes humanity down a dark path.

The Pursuit of Redemption

For a loving God, seeing the people He created lost in darkness breaks His heart. God made humanity to love and cherish, not to judge and destroy. This is why we have the story of the Bible. God sees the sin of humanity, but the overarching narrative of Scripture reveals a good and loving Creator passionately pursuing His creation. He pursues them with love and grace, seeking to bring them back into a perfect relationship with Him.

Today, take a moment to marvel at the love of a Creator who didn’t abandon His creation but sent His own Son to redeem and restore.