Chapter 4 is Moses's transition from the past to the present moment with the children of Israel.  Remember, the first three chapters of Deuteronomy consist of Moses using the past to pave a more faithful road to the future.  He used stories of the past so that the people of the present had a greater understanding of God as well as their own responsibilities in following Him. Starting in chapter 4, Moses preaches to the people about the character of God in the present age so that they can be more faithful than their parents were. Moses begins the chapter by explaining that obedience to God's way is the key to life.  Moses explains that obedience to God and His way is not just knowing the law but acting faithfully in it!  Following it through our actions!

This message would be echoed all throughout the Bible, most notably when James tells us, "Do not be just hearers of the Word, but doers." The young people on the outskirts of the land of milk and honey are told that without acting on the desires of God, blessings will never come.

Moses tells the people that the formula of life is to learn God's perfect Word and obey what it says and, as a result, God will bless.  Moses goes as far as to say that the reason the people are there with him and alive is only because of their obedience and God's goodness to those who are faithful. He tells them, "But all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today."

Starting in chapter 4, Moses is relaying the message that faith and obedience does not just honor God but blesses their walk with Him!  Obedience was directly connected to even the air they breathed!

Today, the world needs the same sermon!  God nor His Scriptures have changed from the days of Moses and the Promised Land; obedience blesses and disobedience doesn't.  It's a very simple and straightforward sermon that we all need to live by!  We need to hear and say these words daily to ourselves and others.

However, this foundational aspect of faith has always caused problems for man.  Since the beginning of time, professing believers have picked and chosen what to follow while adding and taking away from God's Word to best fit their lifestyle. This has caused humans to excuse sin so that they can continue acting in their own selfish desires.  This type of disobedience has plagued not only the lost, but also believers.  

From a man who is a living example of the consequences of disobedience, Moses tells the people that their disobedience will kill them if they choose to not listen!  He reminds them that they will waste the promised land blessings and never truly experience all that God has instore for them if they don't hold tight to the commands of God.

If you know the scriptures, you know how the story goes and you are aware that the people fall later down the road, much like their parents.  No matter how beautiful the promise is, mankind seems to keep choosing disobedience.

Much like the people of this time, I pray that we are listening.  I pray that we don't have to keep choosing pain and death in our disobedience to God's way. I pray that in our struggle and war against sin; we cling to Jesus and hold tight to His word.  I pray that we fall on the church and lean close to other brothers and sisters that are fighting the same fight.

If you chose to obey God, it will be a hard and challenging road, but a road that is well worth it.  It will be a road filled with a closeness to God and blessings that will be experienced in this life and the life to come.  

Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

Read John 14:19-24 as this text will be referenced in the message this and goes along with this week's scripture.

In my opinion, these 9 verses are some of the heaviest verses in the entire book.  For me, personally, these are some of the heaviest verses in all of the Old Testament.  I read these 9 verses and a thousand sermons flood my mind.  So many emotions come to my mind, illustrations to use, and questions to ask. These 9 verses are loaded with theological truths woven through worldly questions centered around, "Why couldn't God just let Moses in?"

As I said, I have struggled with this text. I know the biblical answers of why God did not let Moses into the Promised Land.  I know the theological reasons all the scholars use to explain this part of the story.  However, my heart still struggles thinking that God's decision seems a little harsh for a man who penned Genesis and carried the 10 Commandments down a mountain on fire.  I've read all the commentaries, and my mind still goes toward, "God, it's Moses, just let him in."

I've come to the conclusion that the struggle in God's holiness, man's sin, and the tension between God's will and our desire is exactly where God wants us as readers.  God knows we are rooting for Moses and that him watching from a distance seems disappointing.  Maybe that's the message?

You see, God saves the lost through His son's sacrifice and man's faith in that truth. However, He doesn't promise that He will excuse every sin from consequence or answer every prayer in the way we hope.  There are times when God says "No." Honestly, the fact that this part of the story is so painful to read just shows our hearts towards the selfish moments we don't get our way.  The scriptures are clear; Moses sinned against God numerous times throughout his life.  Moses showed a lack of faith, trust, and obedience countless times. Moses didn't deserve anything good in the presence of an all-perfect God.

"I know, but it's Moses God, come on..."

How we as fallen humans struggle through this story; mirrors the struggle we have in our own narrative with our personal walk with God. How many times have we struggled with God because God did not answer a prayer in the way we wanted when His will did not mirror our want?

"God, come on, it's me!"

I see a thousand sermons in this week's text, but the sermon of trusting in God's sovereign Will in the light of our unworthiness might be the one that God preaches most often to believers that struggle with His way. Today, much like during the times of Moses, God calls us to pray to Him about everything on our heart.  The scriptures are clear as they tell us to bring all supplications and pleas to the altar. However, the scriptures are also clear that we are to fully trust the Will of His way in our life.

Even though God told Moses "No," Moses still received undeserving grace.  God allowed Moses to see the Promised Land, even though He was not able to enter it.  Moses did not even deserve that!  Let's not forget that Moses still was given eternity in Heaven through the blood that wasn't his own!

In life, there will be many times when circumstances don't seem fair.  During those times, remind yourself that as a follower of Jesus, "fair" is not something we want.  Fair would be Hell.  Fair would be cut off from God. Grace is what we have been given, and grace is all we need.

Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

 Read Numbers 20 for the moment Moses is referencing in this week's text.

This week our sermon text will cover Deuteronomy Chapter 2.  As we saw last week, a central focus for the Israelites was for them to learn to trust God and not to fear when it comes to obeying the true and living God.  The theme of “do not fear” continues as we find the Israelites being led by God.  In this chapter, Moses is recounting Israel’s journey to the next generation before entering the Promised Land.
 
As God leads them, we are reminded that God rules all nations, not just Israel.  He tells them not to attack Edom, Moah, or Ammon because he has sovereignly given those lands to others.  God is sovereign over history, governments, borders, and all earthly kingdoms.  We also see that while in their wandering and disobedience that the Lord was still with them.  Deut 2:7 says “these forty years the Lord your God has been with you.  You have lacked nothing”
 
In this passage, we also find a difficult thing to think through.  Although they were told not to attack some, God displayed his divine judgement as they totally destroyed Sihon.  These events are often hard for people to fathom and create many questions in our minds.  As we think Biblically about events such as this, we must remember that it is God alone who has authority over life and death, God had been patient with wicked nations for generations, divine judgement is not random, and although Israel was not morally superior among the nations, God is holy and faithful to keep his covenant promises.
 
Continue trusting the true and living God and I’ll see you Sunday!
 
Brent

Genesis 15:14-16, Romans 9, and Joshua 24:6-8

This week is a call to faith over fear. For believers who are faced with fear, we are called to respond in faith rooted in our belief.  Our belief that God is good, that He is sovereign, and that He will provide all that’s needed. We are called to look back at all His goodness to give us hope in the prayers of the current goodness needed.
 
“If God was good to me then, why wouldn’t He be good to me now?”

“If God is truly sovereign, then what do we have to fear?”
 
We are to constantly ask ourselves such questions and remind others when they are faced with such fears.  Point out all of God’s past victories and speak hope to others and ourselves when plague with doubt and fear. God is good, He is sovereign, and He will provide all that is needed.
 
In this week’s text, Moses attempts to pour these truths into the Israelites through a story of fear, faith, and failure.  Much like last week, Moses uses the past in hopes to better guide their future. The children of the exodus were fearful to take the blessings of God out of the fear of worldly struggles.  The promise land was filled with giants and heavily guarded.  The fact that God had delivered them from slavery wasn’t enough to give them confidence in the next battle they faced.  Even though God walked before them, the people needed even more assurance to overcome their fear. This type of lack of faith is what would lead the people into never reaching the blessings God had in store for them.
 
Today, many of us never reach God’s blessings out of the fear of worldly fears.  We forget that God has walked before us and already won so many wars in our past. How many seas has God parted or giants has God slayed in our lives just to be forgotten in midst of the newest fear we face.
 
When fear is greater than faith, we always miss blessings.
 
God’s word tells us that not only does God walk before us, but that He will fight for us! These promises and truths have to be our rooted beliefs that give us confidence to press forward in wherever God has called us to! Let us not be like the Israelites who needed more proof, but like Daniel who faced lions or David who slayed giants.  Let us look back to gain assurance to move forward in faith!  
 
God is good, He is sovereign, and He will provide all that is needed.
 
Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

 Read Numbers 13 & 14 this week as it will better give background to the story this week.

Growth is exciting, but growth can also be extremely stressful.
Just compare Abram’s excitement, counting the stars to Moses’ stress dealing with them. Most of us want to grow.  We want to grow physically, financially, in our careers, and in our families.  Many of us will spend our entire lives trying to grow whatever it is that means the most to you in the moment that we are in. Amen to this!
 
Growth doesn’t always mean greed.  Growth can be a beautiful blessing from God. How amazing it is when a husband and wife grow up their family with little children to love and disciple all the days of their life.  How fun is it to see a business or an idea grow through hard work and a strong vision! Even something as potentially dangerous as money, can be a great thing to see grow through discipline, giving, and savings. Growth can be wonderful!
 
Moses speaks of this excitement and responsibility in this week’s text.  Deuteronomy 1:11, “May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous that you are, and bless you as He has promised you!” Even though the people were hard to lead and at times hard to put up with, Moses knew that growth was good.
 
I pray for all of us to have such a zeal for growth in the healthy spaces in our lives.  I pray growth blesses you personally, in your family, and your spiritual walk. If you are a part of our church, you have seen the blessings of growth.  You have seen God take a small church hanging on by a thread and God multiply us in endless ways! How fun it has been to witness such blessings!
 
However, in your life and in the life of Moses, you have also seen that growth comes with a greater need for wisdom and intentionality. In our text this week, Moses speaks to a younger generation from the vantage point of someone who has lived through the ups and downs of growth; through ups and downs in leadership. Moses has made some wonderful as well as some poor decisions when it comes to leadership.  Moses comes to us in Deuteronomy with 40 years of leadership experience! Experience that we need to hear and apply.
 
In this week’s scripture, Moses speaks on the importance of growth, alongside the call of delegating responsibilities, humility, and learning from our past mistakes. In this week’s text, Moses was speaking to those he had walked ahead of.  Younger people who had not experienced all that he had been through.  He spoke to them hoping that they would listen.
 
God’s word does the same to us this week in the text. I pray that we all read the text this week and learn from a faithful man who was faithful, but who also often fell.
 
Open ears and open hearts this week church.  
 
Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

 Read Exodus 18 as this week’s text mirrors Moss’s experience early in leadership. 

Let me begin by letting you all know how excited I am for our study in Deuteronomy! Taking a book of the Bible and teaching through each chapter is something that our church loves to do and has been dedicated to doing for the last decade. Deuteronomy makes the 24th book that we have taught through faithfully during the last 13 years of my ministry! As we take the next year to grow together, I hope that you read in advance each week, are disciplined in the weekly devotions, and are faithfully present in the church, if you can join us. I can’t promise many things, but I can promise that dedicating yourself to learning God’s word alongside other believers will bless you in tremendous ways.
 
So let us now begin…..

Deuteronomy is the 5th book of the Bible and last book written by Moses.  The first five books of the Bible are called the Pentateuch or the Torah and traditionally viewed as the foundation of the Old Testament.  All five books of the Pentateuch were written by Moses and consists of God’s story of creation, man’s fall, and God’s deliverance. The first five books of the Bible are an amazing, adventurous story filled with peaks and valleys that have shaped our world and Christian faith today.  Not only are these five books foundational to our beliefs, but they also all point towards the true Cornerstone of our faith.
 
Each one of the books written by Moses aggressively pushes us towards the story of and the need for Jesus! Each book is a foreshadow of the Gospel. After sin entered the world, man became enslaved to this world, much like the Israelites were in Egypt in the book of Exodus.  We see God’s goodness and grace in His rescue and freedom in Exodus much like we do in the story of Christ coming to save the lost. The wilderness represents our struggling journey in this world while the books of Leviticus and Numbers symbolize God’s never abandoning love for His children.  These two books show God’s law as a symbol of His care for us, but also to draw us to a deeper appreciation for and need of the finished work of Jesus!

In Moses’s last book, the book of Deuteronomy, we see the picture of Glory through His promises of the Holy Land!  We see the journey from slavery to true freedom in peace and amazement! The people could stop wandering in all their struggle and experience the glory of God in new life! However, even though we see the symbol of Glory in the promises of the land of milk and honey, we also come to see that the promised land is not Heaven and man is still sinful. The book of Deuteronomy is filled with God’s goodness, but also a story of man’s continued war against sin and his need of a savior.
 
I can’t wait until Sunday and pray you are able to join us.
 
Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

Read Genesis 12:4-7, Genesis 15:18, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 28:13-15, and Exodus 3:8.  These verses will give you a wonderful background to God’s promises of the Promise Land.

As we come to our last week in Acts, let me personally thank everyone who studied alongside me, Nikki Cunningham for all the technical work in posting the devotions each week, and all those who came to church and followed the sermon series.  I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in this study and have seen the growth in our people during our time together.  Let our time in Acts drive you to study other books in the Bible in the same manner.  Dig into each verse and pray over what God is speaking to you through what you learn.  

As we come to a close, how fitting is it that God would sum up what's been spoken each week for the last 9 months in just one verse.  Verse 24 says, "And some were persuaded by the things which we spoken, and some disbelieved."

"Some will be cut to the heart, and some will pick up stones to kill."

Acts is a wonderful picture of God's sovereignty and man's sanctification.  Also, Acts is just simply a picture of the realities of life through a daily walk in faith.  What the people of this time experienced, we experience today.  We saw that in what happened with Charlie Kirk during our study and also the people slaughtered in Africa for their faith during our time in Acts.  Today might look different culturally, but it's the exact same in what we are called to and how the world will respond.

Remember the message early on and throughout our study....

"The road is hard, God is with you, and Jesus is the way."

Nothing has changed,

Stay faithful church.  

Read the book of Romans to continue the story of Paul.  

"Man is not born strong, he is built strong."

The book of Acts is amazing scripture that showcases bold and persevering faith by Paul and other followers of Jesus in their adventurous pursuit of the Great Commission.  
However, Acts is much more about God's plan and His love for man than it is man's strength and faith in Him.  Honestly, man is not the main character of the book, even though it's easy for one to be focused on the story of faithfulness in Paul. From the surface, one could read Acts and be amazed at how much Peter had grown since the gospels, Stephen's fearlessness as he faced death, and then Paul's faith in the later chapters is like nothing we have ever seen.  

Remember through, men are not born strong, bold, or faithful, they are built. When you dig past the surface of man's adventure in the Great Commission, you will find God's great goodness in building man to everything man could ever dream of being!

God's tells us in Isaiah 64, "O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hand."

In Acts 27 we see this truth come to life! Near the end of our story, the world throws everything it can at Paul to prevent him in getting to Rome.  Storm, after storm, after storm to stop him.  The literal storms would quickly become mental and physical storms in the life of anyone who sailed with Paul.  They would run out of food, supplies, and hope as it seemed as almost a sure promise that they would die in the waters they sailed in.  And when all hope was lost, Paul stood and spoke faithfully to encourage the men that God would provide and that no man would lose their life!  He was the loud voice of faith needed in a storm that was unimaginable. Don't lose sight though church, Paul was not born with this faith, God gave and built it for such moments.  

In verse 23, "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, do not be afraid." Don't miss it, Paul was scared, but God made him bold and faithful.  God sent an angel to protect Paul and to give him the assurance to pour into the others who were on the ship.

Acts 27 is not about man's fearlessness, but God's rescue and goodness! All that Paul had gone through prepared him for this exact moment and moments like it! Paul is a messenger, not the author of the story.

My life and yours is played out in the exact same way.  We are messengers, witnesses of God's great work.  We are not the main character of even our own story. God has given us all we need and provided for all that we are.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 14:22-33 as we see another story of Faithfulness and the lack there of in the presence of God.  

I have so loved the last few chapters of where we have been in our study of the book of Acts! Since the moment Paul knew he was leaving Ephesus, each and every verse has been life as we know it for those that commit to following Jesus and doing the work of the Lord.  The tug from friends and foes to not go out in faith, persecution, struggles in ministry, and God's grace and provisions can all be seen in the last four chapters in our study.  
If anyone desires to follow Christ and be faithful to the ministry, expect versions of what Paul has experienced.

In this week's text, Paul's time of waiting is over and now Festus has a decision to make on what to do with Paul. We start the chapter with Paul once again speaking for himself, sharing his testimony, and pleading with the people to hear the need of God through his story.  As I stated earlier though, if you are going to follow Jesus, how the world responded to Paul in this week's text is how the world will respond to us as well.

Festus hears Paul's testimony and plea and responds with a plea to Paul as well. Festus pleads with Paul to come to his senses!  To stop this foolish new lifestyle that seems to have only gotten him in trouble.

If you are a born again follow of Jesus, you have probably received such a response from those in your life much like Paul did in Acts 26. For you and I today, we must learn from what Paul is experiencing in chapter 26.  Not only will the world hate what God loves, but the world will also question our sanity, motives, and character when we live radically for Jesus. But keep reading church and learn from not only what Paul experiences, but also how he responds. With his life on the line and so much at stake, Paul stands his ground for the gospel to be proclaimed!

Learn from the faithful men and women that have walked before us, lean on the Spirit for strength, and praise God in the midst of trials!

Stay faithful church.

Read Romans 1 this week as many believe that Paul wrote Romans during the time of Acts 20-24.  Knowing what you know from our Acts study, shines much light on how he writes to the people of Rome.

God told Paul, "Be of good cheer, it's time to go to Rome."  However, God never told Paul that he would be leaving tomorrow, or better yet when they would be leaving at all. This week's scripture is a call to perseverance, but also faith in God's timing.  A call to trust God and be patient.

As Paul has been given new orders to leave, he is now called to a personal journey in trusting in God's timing during a two-year period in prison.  From the time he was told that God wanted him in Rome to the time he leaves prison, it is more than a two-year time span. Imagine all the doubt, worry, or confusion one would feel during that time of waiting.  The questions you would ask, "God you have called me to Rome, why am I still in Jerusalem?"
 
Timing is one of the hardest parts of a believer's journey.  For most people, having faith in God's timing could be just as hard as placing faith in His call.  The "when" could be easily harder that the "what or how" for most people. When we look at the basic principles of faith, time is a major thread throughout all of God's promises and believing in who He is.  From creation to revelation, to be a follower of Christ means that you are placing your faith in not only God's existence and Jesus's salvation, but also God's timing.  Faith in God's timing goes hand in hand with having faith in His existence!

As Christians, we are called to place our trust in God's timing in how the world was formed, how man was created, when sin entered the world, salvation through Christ, and the promise of Jesus's return.  God's timing is a part of His promises. Now, if we are called to place our trust in all of the promises of the scriptures concerning His timing, we must also place our trust in the timing He works in our day-to-day lives.

Paul's two-year faith in prison was no different than his faith in that God was real or that Jesus would return one day.  Paul's trust in God's timing gave him confidence in what he read in the scriptures, while giving him comfort to persevere in the struggles that he was personally experiencing. There is so much we can learn from this week's text.  Paul's perseverance came from his trust, which was born out of his faith.  A faith that believed that God was good and sovereign! Paul believed that he would get to Rome, no matter how long it took!  He believed this because he trusted in the One who said it.  

I pray that we let the truth of the scriptures grow our faith in the same way.  Let us trust God through each and every struggle in the same way we trust that each verse of the Bible is true!  Let us remember that God's timing is not of this world and ultimately, He has a bigger, greater plan than anything we could imagine and hope for.

Be patient and trust in the Lord, God's is never early or late to what He has promised to be true.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Psalms 27 for an encouraging word on faithfully waiting on God.

"Where God calls you, God can take you."

However, that does not mean there won't be people who try and stop you. In the week's text, Paul stands before Governor Felix awaiting the verdict that holds either freedom or death for his future.  Paul is being accused of defiling the temple by bringing in a Gentile man with him to worship.  During this time, this was against the law and could result in a death sentence. Remember, during this time the Jews and Gentiles did not worship together because the Gentiles were believed to be less than in the eyes of God.  Even though Paul would fight for such a man to worship in the temple, he did not do what they accused him of doing (read Acts 21:27-28). Now Paul, called by God to go to Rome, has to have faith that God will deliver him out of the mess he is in in Jerusalem.  At this point in the story, Paul is sitting in the midst of a long list of lies against him, desperately needing the truth to be seen.

Like how the enemy attacked Paul, the enemy still attacks believers today.  The lost world, loves to fight, lie, and frame believers in their hope to discredit God's goodness and existence. The enemy through a lost and broken world will create false narratives and try and ruin reputations of those who are faithful ambassadors for Christ.  If the truth sets people free, the enemy will work in the midst of lies!

Praise God that He knows the hearts of man and is sovereign over all things!
Even though the mob was after Paul and looking to do whatever it took to kill him, God provided all that Paul would need to be set free.  We saw this truth last week as God provided twice as many soldiers to protect Paul as the mob had to kill him.  This week, God provided those in power that could see through the lies.  

For you and me today, none of us should be surprised when those in the world create lies and try and bring our reputations down.  The greatest way to quiet someone's witness is to bring down their character.  The enemy knows this and will work through the mob of gossips and backbiters to either draw you into battle or have you retreat into hiding. Starting in the moment Paul got to Jerusalem, the lost world has tried to provoke as well as lie to quiet Paul.

This week's text is a wonderful reminder to stand confident and strong, knowing that God knows the truth and will provide all that you need to have the truth be seen by others in due time. Remember, Paul is going to Rome, all he has to do is remain faithful that God will get him there. In your faithful journey of following Jesus, the mob will try the exact same attempts on you.  They will whisper discouraging things behind your back, create lies about your character, and stir up conflict in hopes of quieting your calling.  

Do not be surprised by this!

It will not be fun to go through but remain steadfast and faithful that God will provide all that is needed to get to where you are called to go!                                                                                


Stay faithful church.  

Read Psalms 58 for God's promise to those who come against His people.

The hard road of faith has been a theme throughout most of our 8 months in the book of Acts.  "The road is hard" has been said in almost every sermon since the church was scattered in chapter 8.  The hard road of faith is a worthy message and reminder because the challenges of faith are not only seen all throughout scripture but also promised to believers today.  It is good for followers today to see the struggles of spiritual pioneers of the past which can better prepare us to remain faithful in our own battles today.  Case in point, the death of Charlie Kirk went hand in hand with what we were reading in Acts.  Our studies of scriptures and understanding of promised struggles helped us as a church better respond in faith to what we were witnessing in 2025.

However, let not the promise of hard times or struggles in this world ever be louder than the promises and goodness of God! God is good!  God is sovereign!  God loves those that He calls His! In this week's text, God's goodness shines much brighter than Paul's struggles. Paul is beaten, discouraged, and waiting in a holding cell.  Let's not forget the 40 men conspiring to murder him in cold blood!  One could ask how could anything be louder than those types of struggles?

In this week's text, we see that the world's attempt to prevent God's plan is a ridiculous and futile attempt. Praise God, for His goodness is so much greater than man's evil! Just like the numerous times the world threw Peter in prison, the Lord always saw that the jail cell couldn't hold him.  They would throw Peter in prison, and the Lord would set him free.  They could surround his prison with over 100 guards, and Peter would soon find freedom! Why? Because God had plans for Peter and nothing could thwart His hand on his life and calling.

We see the same with Paul this week.  The Lord said to Paul, "Go to Rome and testify in my name."  When we saw that God told Paul what to do, we need to rest assured that Paul was going to have a road to do just that. God's word is clear, "If God is for me, who can be against me?" This verse is not a verse about man, but more the power and promises of God.  "If God has called me, then He will lead me, and if He leads me, nothing can stop me!"

The road is and will remain hard for Paul but praise the Lord for His good and sovereign hand.  In later chapters, Paul gets to Rome just like God called Him to.  Let this be a message of peace and confidence over your soul.  "If God calls me, He will provide for me."
                                                                                                                                                          This week, take time and pray for clarity in God's calling in your life. "God, where would you have me go, say, and do for your glory?" Now, no matter how hard the road is, remember that God never calls someone to a place where He won't deliver them to.                                                                                                                                                                                         God's goodness is greater than the world's hard road!                                                                                            

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Isaiah 41:9-13 for more encouraging truths about God's hand in the life of His children.

According to the plans and hope of Paul, things do not seem to be going in the way he had wished in Jerusalem. Remember, he was told and warned not to go but still chose to be faithful to the calling God had placed on his heart.  Paul went to Jerusalem not because he personally wanted to, but out of spiritual worth.  Obedience to God was worth more than his want.  His love for his lost brothers was worth more than what he wanted. So, Paul went to Jerusalem, led by worth, but experienced what he did not want!

Last week we saw Paul beaten, lied on, and dragged towards death.  We also witnessed a plea for salvation not go the way he had hoped (verse 22:22). Sadly, this week's text piles on more bad news for Paul's missionary hopes and dreams.  His experience with the people he went to minister to goes from bad to worse very quickly.

Have you ever done more damage in an attempt to bring healing?  Caused more harm in an attempt to bring help? In this week's story, Paul loses his temper and now finds himself apologizing and explaining his actions instead of sharing the saving news of the Gospel.  Now Paul finds himself in the midst of an angry mob, lies, confusion, and now a blurred view of his own character.  

If you have tried to minister to anyone in your life, you have probably found yourself in Paul's shoes.  Many have thought, not only did the person I am trying to minister not want to be open to what I was sharing, I didn't even share what I hoped to share with them.  Many of us have brought more confusion in our attempt to make clear or we've brought fear when we desire to bring hope.  If you have been in ministry of any kind, most likely you have experienced failure.

For all those who have failed in their attempt to minister, we see the goodness of God in verse 11, "Be of good cheer Paul...." For every parent who is discouraged, teacher who has confused, or a friend who feels like they "struck out" in their attempt to help, verse 11 is such encouraging news.  Like a loving and caring father, you can almost hear God tell Paul, "Don't beat yourself up bud, you tried."

In ministry, God has not called us to perfection, He has called us to faithfulness. That doesn't mean we should not want to lead and love well through grace and correct theology each and every time.  It just means that God knows we will not be able to live out the great commission in the perfect light in which Jesus did.

Don't miss the heaviness of this verse church! The entire world told Paul not to go.  Paul went and experienced the promised pain his loved ones warned him of.  When given the chance to help, he added gasoline to the fire.  Now sitting in prison, God says, "Be of good cheer."

Christ is perfect, we were called to be faithful.

Faithfulness will be filled with honor, grace, salvation moments, pain, heartache, and failure.

But God tells us, be of good cheer!







Stay faithful church.

 Read 2Corinthians 4 for more encouragement from God on staying faithful.

Well, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that God's word is always true and what the Holy Spirit showed Paul and the other prophets came to be exactly what was seen. The bad news is that what Paul and the other prophets saw was exactly what came to be experienced.

In this week's text, we see that Paul is going to experience everything that his loved ones warned him about.  Paul would be arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for his faith in Jesus.  Paul experienced an outcome that he was not hoping for or wanted, but nevertheless an outcome that was worth his pain.

Remember the message from last week; "God's calling is more about worth than it is want." This is a true saying that Paul lived out in Acts 21 and 22.  Paul did not want to be beaten or imprisoned.  Paul did not want to have his life placed in jeopardy.  I am sure that Paul would have loved to have given his testimony (Acts 22:1-21) and everyone turn to Jesus and spend the day breaking bread and singing hymns. This was not Paul's outcome that I am sure he would have desired. However, Paul's "worth" was greater than his "want."
Paul being faithful to God's calling was worth chains given by man.  Paul's faithfulness was worth the beatings he received.  Even unto death, Paul's faith was worth everything!

We also see that Paul's love for fellow man was worth the death he would one day receive from them. Like we see in the story of Jesus, Paul wanted to share the freeing gospel who those he came in contact with.  Not only was God worth his calling, but the lost were as well!  

"For God so loved the world......"

All who read the story of the gospel should be crushed by the weight of the good news! That the death of Jesus was worth the salvation of man!

Praise God for sending Jesus!

Praise Jesus for the cross!

He is our Savior, hope, Way, and redeemer.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read John 19 for a picture of the goodness of Jesus in His calling to the cross.

Chapter 21 is such a wonderful and clear picture of Jesus! Paul's bound by the Spirit to go minister to those in Jerusalem.  He is willing and wanting to go for the betterment of the people and ready to die for his mission.  Not only is Paul willing to die, but he also fully knows that he probably will die in his calling.  This is a picture of Jesus and His walk to the cross for all those who will listen and believe. Jesus came to die for sinners, and nothing would prevent Him from His mission. Praise God for Jesus's steadfastness!

Just like with Jesus, we see that many attempted to prevent Paul from going to Jerusalem because they knew what would happen to him there.  They knew that chains, beatings, prison, and even death waited on him and because of the love they had for him, they begged him not to go. Once again, we see the story of Jesus!

In Matthew 16, Peter tries to prevent Jesus from going to die on the cross out of his great love.  However, how does Jesus respond? Jesus tells Peter, "Get behind me Satan," because any attempt to prevent Jesus's true calling is not of the Lord.  No matter who stood in His way. So, in Jesus's calling to the cross, it was not only the naysayers and mobs trying to stop Jesus, even those that loved Him tried to stand in His way.  We see the same imagery in Acts 21 as Paul, bound in the Spirit, walks towards potential death.  Loved ones as well as the enemy tried to prevent his direction that God had called him to.

What we see in Matthew 16 and Acts 21 is seen all throughout the Bible and also seen today; that there will be many potential obstacles in the direction God has called us to. Like Jesus, like Paul, you and I have a calling as well as many who try and prevent our walk.  
Those who try and prevent us could be a loved one who is scared for us, the enemy who is scared of us, or just simply distractions that try to reroute us.  

Remember, if you are saved by the grace of God and blood of Jesus, then be bound in His Spirit in the direction He takes you! Whatever it is God has called you to, move towards that destination and don't let anything stand in your way.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 16 as it is referenced in our devotion this week as well will be read on Sunday.

"God is good, the road is hard, Jesus is the way."

The road is hard has been a theme throughout the entire book of Acts.  From the beginning, the road has been difficult for the people of God.  This did not begin in Acts, but since sin entered the garden in Genesis.  Since sin entered the world, challenges and struggles have been snowballing as the world gets older.  So, as we read Acts, just know that the road was hard for those that came before them, just like it is for these people, and just like it is for us. However, the road does change and might consist of different challenges dependent on many factors, especially how far you might be in your walk.  All roads to Jesus are hard, but depending how far you are in your walk often determines your understanding of just how hard it can be. For example, in the beginning, the hard road of faith snuck up on many of the followers of Christ.  I am sure they did not expect Stephen getting stoned or Peter thrown in jail multiple times.  Maybe Paul did not realize how hard it would be to break into ministry or that he would be hated in every city he preached in. Earlier in Acts, the hard road of faith was new and potentially surprising. However, as the book of Acts continues, the people of God are not surprised at all anymore.  They fully know, understand, and have experienced just how hard the road is.  What's amazing about the ending of Acts compared to the beginning, is that the people know how hard it is going to be and still choose to walk down it!

As Paul leaves, Paul explains to the people that his mission is filled with hard roads that he chooses to continue on.  Paul tells the people that he and his mission's team is off to the next stop where he will surely be met with more struggles.  Paul continues to walk down hard roads because he knows that the hard roads leads to Christ. Did Paul understand just how hard the road was when he began walking; probably not.  Near the end of Acts does he know; absolutely he does!

One piece of amazing assurance that we are given that Christ is real comes from the lengths people went to after Jesus died.  Have you ever met anyone willing to die for a lie? Better yet, anyone die for something that might or might not be true? If you read through the entire New Testament, the road never gets easier the deeper you get into the Bible. However, it seems like the people of God become more and more faithful. How can people grow in strength and faith as their life becomes more challenging?

What we see in Acts is what we see all through the New Testament; our faith in Jesus being Lord makes any hard road worth walking.  Paul was a faithful man of God who was willing to be persecuted, thrown in prison, and even be put to death because He had experienced Christ.

As we all get older by the day, most of our roads do get harder, but I pray our faith grows deeper.  I pray that like Paul, the goodness of Jesus triumphs over anything the enemy throws at us or the world takes from us.

Always remember...

God is real
Jesus saves
The Spirit is within me
The world is not my home


Stay faithful church.  

Read Ephesians 1 as Paul writes to the same people of Ephesus about the love of God.  

From the world's perspective, Jesus is not good for business! In this week's text, the lost world is angry once again with those that follow Jesus, but for reasons we have not yet seen in our story. We have seen the world throw stones because of their unbelief in Jesus. We have seen the world put believers in jail because they would not follow orders to stay quiet about their mission.  We have even seen the anger of the world over theological differences created by the messiah coming that changed all they knew from the Old Testament Law. However, we have not yet seen the conflict driven by the war of the gods.

In Acts 19, the followers of Christ are not coming against self-righteous pharisees or the uneducated church.  In this week's text, the followers of Jesus are against those who have placed their allegiance and life to other gods. During this time period, the people lived for other gods and also made their living making shrines and other treasures based off their religion.

When Paul and his band of believers enter the scene, the people of Ephesus quickly saw that the Gospel was not only bad for business, but also disrespectful towards their other god.  People who heard the Gospel and followed Christ, would leave their past life and also their past idols that they worshiped.  So, no idols meant no shrines and no shrines meant no money.

Remember, Jesus was not good for business!

What we see in the scriptures is that idol worship is harmful on many angles. First and most important, the worship of anything others than our Lord is sinful.  The scriptures tell us that God is a jealous God and desires our first and best.  Loving anything more than God puts great tension in the most important relationship in our life.  Tension with God is a weight in life that none of us should ever desire. The Bible tells us that it is impossible to truly love and worship more than one thing.  

We also see that when one worships other gods, there's no true unity with God's people and His church.  In idol worship, we experience adultery in our relationship with God and when we are not faithful to God, relationships in God's church never feel peaceful or genuine.  In idol worship, we are in constant hiding and ready to defend our stances, creating great tension in God's church. God's church was meant to be a place of safety, peace, and worship.  When we gather, holding hands with other gods, tension enters a place of peace.

Lastly, in idol worship we become controlled by the world; prostituted by the enemy.  This week's text mirrors the story of the demon possessed girl early in the book of Acts.  The world nor the enemy wanted to let loose of the young girl, because the young girl profited them greatly.  This is what we see in idol worship then and this is what we see today. Nothing has changed!

When we love other things more than God, we are doing the work of the enemy! Please wake up church and see the dangers of the false gods and the destruction they bring upon you and those that you love.  Anything that is good and becomes great can easily turn dangerous.  This can be our jobs, money, family, kids, hobbies, and the list can go on and on.

Love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul.  Repent and turn from false gods. Remember, God is real and this truth should shake us to our core and transform our life in every way imaginable.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Exodus 33 as this will be referenced during the message on Sunday.

All miracles and gifts are given to glorify God and draw us to Jesus! The Bible teaches us that through the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus will be blessed with many gifts.  They will be filled with supernatural power that will change their heart, mind, and soul while also blessing the people of this world. The Bible teaches us that some will be teachers, leaders, evangelists, all the while others will be given gifts to bless His church in many other different ways.  All gifts, no matter if you see them as big or small gifts, are miracles. Anything that God has changed in you or through you, is miraculous.

In chapter 19 this week, we see that God worked in Paul in unusual ways.  First, understand that this does not mean that Paul was loved more, more special to God, or that he was any different than you and I.  No, everything done in Paul and through Paul was all about God's goodness and sovereign plan.  Remember, all miracles and gifts are from God and for God!
Paul was built to speak in a loud and bold voice, not all of us are given such gifts and platforms.  Some of us are given the call to be bold in our home and walking with friends and family.  Both of these opportunities are beautiful and equally important.  Some will heal, many won't.  Many will teach while some are called to listen and relay to others. All transformation is miraculous!  

As believers, I pray that we all see our gifts.  I hope you recognize them and embrace them wholeheartedly.  Not in a prideful way, but as means of worship through seeing what God has done in your life.  I pray you lean into your gifts in confidence and full humility. What is more honoring to God and impactful to the world than a believer that is confident in Christ and humble before God?

This week, take time to thank the Lord for what He has done in your life.  Never think your gift is anything less than a miracle while never believing that anything good in your life is your own doing! We are broken sinners destined to Hell who are beautifully made in the image of God and transformed in the Spirit to be filled with life changing power.

Live in these truths church!

Stay faithful church.  

 Read 1 Corinthians 12 for more truth concerning the gifts from God.

Continuing from last week’s sermon in Acts 17, the message that boldness is a necessity in this world still rings true.  Paul is in a much different season of life in Acts 18, compared to when he was in prison in Act 16.

A question to have on your mind as you head into the sermon is this, “What hardships would you be willing to endure, if you knew that you would receive an amazing year and a half?”  Paul had experienced conflict, bloodthirsty mobs, demons, prisons, beatings, etc. Then he received a vision from the Lord saying, “Do no be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

What would you do with such a promise? I can only imagine the messages that Paul would have preached and taught the people during this time.  They would likely not have been soft or easy messages like the false gospels of health and wealth, or what he warned Timothy about in 2 Tim. 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers…”

Paul preached boldly and faithfully during this time period.  I am sure he ruffled plenty of feathers, called out people’s sins, and declared Jesus as our savior.  That promise was to Paul specifically, but the good news is that we have been given a similar promise in God’s Holy and perfect word from Romans 8:18-39.  As follower’s of Christ, we can face any hardships this world can throw at us, because of Jesus bringing us into his kingdom and providing us with a perfect eternal life.

Read Romans 8:18-39

Last week, with the death of Voddie Baucham, the church lost a bold and faithful man who dedicated his life to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Voddie's death was one of many that the church has experienced during the last few years.  Faithful men like Tim Keller, John Macarthur, and James Dobson have all gone to be with the Lord during the last 2-3 years.

On one hand, this is great news as the day a believer passes is the greatest day they will experience.  To be in the presence of the Lord, what could be greater! However, for the people of God, their departure is a heavy blow to our mission. We live in a time where bold, unapologetic preachers of God's word are hard to find.  More churches today are filled with people pleasing, scared story tellers than they are faithful warriors that teach the name of Jesus and go to war over sin.  Churches are filled with preachers who bend the scriptures in their attempt to keep the masses happy. This type of man is the opposite of who Paul was.

Paul was a man who fully understood what he was up against.  He understood the enemy so well because he was the enemy for the better part of his life.  He understood hate, persecution, and the mind of those who raged war against the church.  He knew that his message of saving grace would result in salvation in some, but a life of stones being thrown at him and prison time. Even knowing exactly what his faith would cost him, he gladly accepted the pain it would cause.  Paul believed Jesus was worth any pain the world could throw at him.  He also believed that one sinner who repents and follows Jesus was worth the mob of people who would try and hunt him down.  

In chapter 17 this week, that is exactly what we see.  Paul was more than willing to take on a mob, for the chance of one sinner to hear and repent when believing the gospel.  As we lose more and more bold men of God, we need to pray that God raises more for the greater good of the global church.  As a global church and our local church, we should pray for faithful and truthful mainstream voices to speak loudly about the saving grace of Jesus and not be scared to attack sin.  Our world depends on it! Today, many of our religious freedoms and beliefs can be traced back to the battles men and women like Paul fought for.  For the gospel to spread across the world, many had to face hard times, even unto death.

As our world grows darker and we lose more and more men of faith, lets pray for more voices and choose not to whisper ourselves.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 23 (whole chapter) as we see the boldness of Jesus, much like we see in Paul in Acts 17.

In my opinion, Acts 16 is one of the greatest and most fun chapters in Acts to preach through.  This chapter is filled with twist and turns, different angles of God at work, and a happy ending that seems to be way overdue for the followers of Jesus! The ministry that would lead to a strong and faithful resurgence began with the salvation experienced in the privileged, possessed, and indifferent.  

In just one chapter, we see God save through the finish work of His son, Lydia the seller of purple linen, the demon possessed that was a slave to a demon and the world, and the jailer who was indifferent and just simply looking to retire.

Acts 16 is an adventurous story, but also one with very simple truths that we need to hold tight to and never forget; God can save anyone! Lydia seemed to be doing pretty good without Jesus in her life.  She had a good job, was intelligent, and seemed to have a good reputation.  God can shake even those who live as if life can't get much better.  The demon possessed girl, who seemed to be too far gone and a lost cause, found Christ that pulled her from the clutches of Satan and the slavery of man. The jailer who was older in life, found new life and shows us that it's never too late to follow Jesus.

One could preach many sermons in this one chapter.  Each character is a sermon of man's sin and God's saving grace.  However, there is one sermon that holds all of chapter 16 together and that is that no one is too far out of the reach of God's grace!

Many of us have been one of these characters in our life or we have ministered to someone that is.  I believe so many different situations are crammed into one chapter to show us the power and love of God.  God did not come for the perfect or the spotless, but every make and model of those who are sick and broken and need of a Savior.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read John 1:6-18 as we see more truth of God's salvation.

Reading this week's scripture, I honestly feel sadder than I did when I read the stories of the stones that were thrown and the prison doors shut on the people of God earlier in Acts.
Yes, it was scary in ways to read through all of the persecution believers went through, but it was somewhat a badge of honor and also expected treatment from the world.  The Bible promises us such hard times will be experienced. However, reading the end of chapter 15 saddens me more than the earlier text scares me.  This week's message is a message of needless failure on the part of unified brothers who were called to the same mission. Midway in our book is when the people of God picked up stones and threw them at each other.

Scripture does not give us all the information to what led to Paul and Barnabas separating, but the text does give us enough for the mind to connect some dots. Paul was the greatest of the apostles and Barnabas we are told was a very gifted man when it came to teaching and engaging the people.  We see that the ministry between both of the men was extremely effective and strong when they were together!  This is why their failure to stay united for the betterment of all is so sad and a failure to learn from today. I believe this is why this part of the story is given to us.

The Bible never tells us that the calling to spread the Good News and make disciples would be easy.  The scriptures never tell us that personalities won't clash or that hard conversations won't occur.  Truth is that ministry is hard inside and outside the church walls. It will be challenging until Jesus returns.  The Bible is clear on that. The Bible is also clear that, if possible, stay united and choose peace with other believers for the betterment of others and for the mission at hand.  Paul tells us in Romans,

Maybe Paul was speaking out of a place filled with newfound wisdom, insight, and past failure.  I wonder if both men, having the opportunity to go back, would have done things differently?  Chapter 15 is the last we hear of Barnabas as most believe that he remained faithful but was killed in Cyprus.  Cyprus was where he chose to go after leaving Paul. 
Let us all humble ourselves, seek peace, and desire unity.  Let us not rage war over preferences and pride. Let us not throw stones at each other and press toward the greater goal of making much of the name of Jesus.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Acts 4:36, Acts 9:23-30, and Acts 11:19-26 this week in preparation for Sunday's message.  These are all verses reminding us of the character of Barnabas.

This week in our text, we see one of the hardest parts of ministry and walking in faith: unavoidable conflict between fellow believers. Inside the church, good leadership consist of being a peacekeeper and unifier of God's people.  That means loving well and often times picking your battles.  These battles consist of day-to-day operations as well as theological differences.  Even though everything is important and many things in the church/faith are worth a conversation, not everything is worth division. It's beyond sad how many of us have church horror stories of conflict over carpet colors and end times theology. Neither was ever meant to cause division in God's church. However, there are some hills to die on.  In Acts 15, we see the biggest hill of them all.

In chapter 15 we see the beginning of the "Jesus plus" movement.  This belief would mean that to be saved, a person would need the blood of Jesus plus, you fill in the blank.  In this circumstance, certain people were teaching that one would need Jesus, plus be circumcised. This belief would come from the Law given to Moses in the Old Testament in Exodus.  So, the people were holding on to the Law more than they were professing a faith in the finish work of Jesus Christ. This would be a hill Paul was willing to die on.

Paul would fight this fight all throughout the New Testament scriptures.  He would speak and write to many churches that by faith alone one is saved.  That Jesus fulfilled the law, bore the sins of the world, and soaked up the wrath of God for the forgiveness of many! Paul would ask, "What else could any of us add to what Jesus has already done?"

In Galatians, Paul would go as far as wishing these false teachers would be cut off from the kingdom of God because of all the confusion they poured upon the people.  These teachers were leading many to Hell through their attempt to guide them to Heaven!

Today, not much has changed.  Not many are arguing over the circumcision topic, but many still teach and subscribe to the Jesus plus movement.  Many teach that only certain denominations are favored by God, baptism saves, and that there are other ways to Heaven other than Jesus.  These are not "hills" in other countries, but in your own hometown!  

If any of us were to die today and face the Creator and be asked, "Why should I allow you into Heaven?"  The only answer we should give and the only answer that will be accepted is: "Because I have placed my faith in your Son, Jesus." How ridiculous would any of our efforts or achievements stand against our sins?  How much do we need Jesus, more than any of us can fathom! Jesus is enough and that is great news!

Stay faithful church.  

Read Galatians 1-2 as these two chapters are perfect examples of Paul defending the Gospel and what it means to be truly saved.

God is good, the road is hard, Jesus is always with you. For the last two weeks, we have spent most of our time and attention on the reality of just how hard that road of faith actually is.  We covered the believers getting thrown out of town, stoned, and even killed! As a church who is studying the book of Acts, it's easy to get lost on just how hard the road is for believers. In focusing on the hard road, it's also easy to miss just how amazing it is to have Jesus with you.  The presence of Christ can get lost on the heaviness of the challenges of faith.

The greatest strength that is seen all through history comes from those who understand the presence of God with them.  From David, Daniel, and the disciples, we see that strength comes from knowing that God is with us!  

I told everyone that from here on out, the road will be hard.  There will be many hardships and wars for the believers, but do not miss the amazing presence of God every step of the way. When Paul and the others regroup at the church after his stoning and being left for dead, what did they speak of?

"They reported all that God had done."

The world is a scary place for man, that's why the scriptures keep telling us not to be scared.  Around every corner there seems to be more and more challenges.  This is the same road that you and I walk today. God's word tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus more than our fears;  that the greatness of Christ overshadows any and all evil that we could imagine or experience.

Be faithful and trust God during hard times, yes, but also be strong in the presence of Christ the risen King! Hardships are promised, death is inevitable, and the end is coming closer each day, but God is with us, church! He calms every hardship; He has conquered death and has already stood victorious over the end.

"If God is with us then who can be against us."

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Daniel 6 about Daniel and the lion's den.  This will be referenced during the sermon.

"God is good and the road of faith is hard."  This was a quote from last week's message that I told everyone would ring true from here on out in our study through the book of Acts.  Not only is this true in our study, but even in our reality today.  Different time and place, but same truth rings true today.  For those that follow Jesus, God will always be good, and the road will be filled with challenges.

For the Jesus followers in Acts, this week's scripture shows that the challenges will follow even if we try and walk away from them. From here on out, we are going to see Paul and his band of believers make many journeys preaching the Gospel to anyone they come in contact with.  On their journey, they will experience mixed reactions much like we read last week in chapter 13.  Some will be cut to the heart and follow Jesus, and some will become angry and throw stones.  This is a pattern we will see almost every week. However, there is something new that we pick up on in chapter 14 that has not yet been experienced before by Paul and others.  It seems as if the enemies they are making in one town follow them into the next. The people that either don't believe that Jesus is the son of God or refuse to subscribe to the truth that salvation is for both Jew and Gentile, are so angry that they are traveling with the believers to throw stones!

For believers, we see that it's impossible to outrun the mob or escape the hardship that comes with faith. If we place our faith in Christ and dedicate our life to the mission of the Great Commission, the angry mob will always be waiting on us where we go or traveling with us as we leave. Jesus never hid this truth from His followers.  All throughout the scriptures, Jesus is beyond clear about the cost of discipleship. In Matthew 8, Jesus says, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Not only is the road of faith hard, but it also seems to be everlasting and relentless.

Even though this is a difficult truth to come to grip with, there is a greater truth that follows what Jesus says in Matthew 8. Right after Jesus tells the disciples about the price it takes to follow Him, He shows His power and provisions by calming the storm.  I, for one, always believe what comes before and after a verse is essential to the full story we are reading.  
For example, yes, Jesus does tell His followers that the road is hard and that the mob will follow you town to town, but He also quickly demonstrates His power over the wind, waves, and even mob.

In Acts 14:22, God's word tells us, "We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God." This is true, even today, but praise God that we have Jesus in every storm! In Matthew 28, Jesus gives the mission call to His followers.  A call to go out and make disciples.  As the mission closes, Jesus tells them, "Do not be afraid, as I am always with you."


Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 8:23-27 as this is when Jesus calmed the wind and the waves.  This will be referenced come Sunday morning.