Building a Strong Foundation – Chuck SwindollThe pair of songs on the home, Psalms 127 and 128, begins with a look at the foundation. How does one establish a family legacy that will survive the inevitable crises, and then thrive for generations?Inception of the HomeUnless the LORD builds the house,They labor in vain who build it;Unless the LORD guards the city,The watchman keeps awake in vain.It ...  Read More

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 21; Luke 23:26-56Today's Thoughts: Trust and ObeyAnd all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand." Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of...  Read More

Here is Sunday’s follow-upI will use the analogy of a runaway freight train to describe the direction our nation is heading spiritually and morally. It’s a freight train that none of us can stop. You might ask – “Is there anything we can do?”The answer is yes! We may not be able to stop it, but I believe we can slow it down a bit. So, how do we do that? Some obvious ways would be to vote and make ...  Read More

Godliness – John NorthRead Psalm 119:1-8“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” (vv. 1-2)Life is best for those who live it God’s way!A spiritual perspective on life is so different from the world’s perspective. The world looks at a person who bases his life on the word of God—who ...  Read More

Onlooker DelayBy Brent Rinehart“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12: 1-2a).If you are a daily commuter, you’ve undoubtedly heard the unfortunate phrase...  Read More

A Prayer to Wait and HopeBy Tiffany ThibaultI wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope. - Psalm 130:5Everything in life requires us to wait. We wait to be born, we wait to start school, we wait to learn to drive, we wait to graduate from school. We wait for a job, a spouse, a child, and a promotion. Amid all these monumental moments, there are a million little moments of learning t...  Read More

Daily DisciplesToday’s Readings: 2 Kings 13; John 2Today's Thoughts: Miracles in the EverydayBehold I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth. Do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19There are many times that I just want to quit. There is no real reason but I just don't feel like continuing on the same path. I want to see new things, do new things, feel new things and think on new things. I look for...  Read More

What makes the church work - John NorthColossians 2:18-19“Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”What makes the church work?...  Read More

It’s not about what you don’t haveIf I were a musician and could sing, I might be inclined to use my abilities for the Lord on the worship team. But I can’t sing nor play, so it has never crossed my mind to be on a worship team.It is easy to forget though that a worship team consists of more than just the singers and musicians. It includes the sound person or the person who handles the projection ...  Read More

Needing More – Chuck SwindollInteresting word, enthusiasm. It's derived from two Greek terms, en (meaning "in") and theos (meaning "God"), carrying the idea of being inspired. In the original sense of the word, a person was so overtaken with the presence of God, he or she could barely contain the excitement. That makes sense. The truth of God applied to our circumstances brings a burst of enthusia...  Read More

Lean Inby Annie Yorty“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8a NASB1995).Jake’s massive weight almost knocked me over. The gentle giant, an English mastiff, pressed hard against my legs as I stood talking with his owner. “He’s really taken a shine to you,” she remarked as I stumbled back, trying to counterbalance the two-hundred-plus pounds pushing against me.I’ve noticed the sam...  Read More

John NorthActs 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”In everything you do, you have a choice. You can do it in your own power, or you can do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.God has placed his Holy Spirit in your life to empower your life to be lived for his glory...  Read More