And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was…

Buckle up.  Now when you fall out of your seat, do not say that I did not warn you.  Actually, I can take that back.  You may not feel the same pull or tug when we review the sermon from Sunday.  But it was exactly the push that I needed.  Pastor continues to challenge us to make our mark on this world and provides practical ways for us to accomplish this task. Sunday’s sermon was pulled from Mark 1:29-31.  We pick up from where we left off in the previous sermon.  Jesus, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John leave the synagogue and go to the house of Simon Peter and…

The first Sunday of the new year has rolled in. Dripping with promise. Untapped potential. The year is wide open. Many of us are gun shy on decreeing and declaring what the year will hold. 2020 met us with unusual circumstances so our hesitancy is understandable. But on this first Sunday of 2021, I logged off with a little more hope. Pastor introduced the sermon series for 2021. This year will focus on “Making Your Mark.” We will journey through the book of Mark and study the life of Jesus. Ultimately, the hope is that we gain valuable insight on how to live our lives by studying His. Now traditionally,…

When you are raised in the church, New Year’s Eve is not New Year’s Eve without a watch meeting. We gather together to bring in the new year with praise. We thank God for all that He has done. We celebrate the fact that we have arrived at the beginning of a new year with brand new mercies. The pandemic has altered the way that we gather together but we were still able to meet through the wonders of technology. Pastor challenged us to assess ourselves before we left 2020 behind. Ready for the FIRST sermon recap of 2021? Well, ready or not, here it is. 1 Corinthians 16: 5-9…

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 I would not classify myself as a runner. Not even a little bit. I am a walker. I like to mosey along and check out the scenery when I…

We have reached the end of the Rise Up campaign.  The weeks have flown by, and I have learned so much.  Hearing the final sermon of the series in person made it that much more impactful.  Enough lollygagging.  We need to peel back the layers of the final chapter. Nehemiah 13 reveals people that are much like you and me.  They have put in the work to be better.  They have listened to God’s word.  They have praised.  They have promised.  They have dedicated the walls and their lives to the service of the Lord.  And then by chapter 13, they have moonwalked back into their old ways.  Well, not…

The Rise Up campaign has taken us on a journey.  I have certainly been challenged along the way to change my thinking and my habits.  I have been pushed to go farther and dig deeper.  It’s time out for surface Christianity.  If we have been attentive over the last eleven weeks, we have reason to celebrate our progress.  The children of Israel have a reason to celebrate as well.  It is sermon recap time. Nehemiah 12 sets the scene for the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.  Although the work on the wall was finished by the time chapter 7 begins, they still had not had a dedication ceremony.  Why…