If you love God (because he first loved us), you'll keep his commandments. He should be first in our marriages. In all things, submit to him and see how he works things out! Jesus says simply, "Follow me."By Jan VanLeuven

The wisdom and rulers of this age are doomed to pass away. Hidden wisdom in the Scriptures is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. As we are heart, mind and soul, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We rely on the strength given to us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus' death and resurrection are a deposit, a guarantee of things to come: proof of our coming i…

The Great Commission in Matthew 28 is paralleled in the Old Testament books of Ezra and Joshua: in the Great Commission, Jesus is leading his people into battle. We must both speak and live out the commands of Jesus, constantly growing in him, as an example to others. We must be strong and courageous as we live out the Great Commission!…

As Christians, our mission is to point people to Jesus! Not to grow a church, but to ask how God wants church run. He honors faithful people serving faithfully, teaching what he teaches. Jesus obeyed, and from the cross, he rose to Heaven. As we too are faithful, we will follow him. Our purpose is to share the words of life with dying people!…

Pastor Josh considers the early church's views on baptism, and gleans some interesting insights from extrabiblical sources: the Didache, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian. Baptism was essential to the early church, and how to best practice it was considered very carefully by these early writers. The main thread: we should take baptism seriously, as God…

Don't forget to praise God when life is good, and learn to find joy amid the suffering. What is a church? It literally means "assembly" - Christians together, not in isolation, with a biblical structure. We pray and heal and confess our sins to one another. He fills us with his spirit so we may be a light to the world, that shines back on him. We a…

Having told us how NOT to speak, James now tells us how TO speak. We should faithfully pray, sing praise to our Father, and confess our sins to one another. We're called not to perfection, but to be faithful, and to repent when we fail. Out of gratitude, we pull people from the fires of hell, so they can receive the same free gift of eternal life t…

How can we know we're going to Heaven? Not by swearing an oath, but by depending on God. He provides for us daily, moment by moment. We are lost without his provision. This steadfast reliance on him requires patience, exemplified in the life of Job.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

As image-bearers of God, we should all have patience. We are to live in joy of Jesus' imminent return. His joy is our strength! It transcends our struggles. Wait for the Lord to act on your behalf. The better ending is connected to those who are not proud in spirit, but patient!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Today, Pastor Josh examines the timeline, context and origins of our passage in James to get at the meaning of some of the more difficult parts. Life is a vapor, so we're grateful for God's provisions while he gives them! Failure to do what God sets before us to do is sin. The sacrifices we think are pleasing to God are nothing compared to abiding …

Non-believers aren't forced to come to Jesus or live for him. But anything else you give your life to will eventually be eaten up. Wake up and store your treasures in heaven. While there's still time, come and yield to him and he will radically change your life! As believers, we can rest assured that Christ is King and the God of the Bible is alive…

Submit to Jesus, and not only will Satan flee, but God will draw near to you. Forgo self-promotion and let God exalt you in your humility. Rather than judging others as if we're God, even dehumanizing our enemies, we should pray for their salvation!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

The problem with the human race is our hearts, and the treatment is humility! Satan doesn't fear us; he fears God. Submit yourself to God as your creator and master, and Satan will flee! We are to be joyful but mourn our sinful state. We must call out sin when we see it, holding each other accountable, but only when we ourselves are right with God!…

As Christians, we must be "all in"-- with both feet in the Kingdom of God, not one foot in the world. God is jealous for us! He also commands us to be joyful. As we satisfy ourselves only in him, our joy increases. So we must die to ourselves daily!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Hedonism, the focus on making yourself happy, is never the path to peace; it leads to disorder and every vile practice. When we give our lives to him, we don't lose our life, but gain it. The closer we get to Christ, the more our joy is made full. In "Christian hedonism," God is most glorified when we're most satisfied in him! Pursuing worldly plea…

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The most misunderstood of the 7 sayings of Jesus on the cross. He lived perfectly, loving the Father with all his heart, soul and mind! Yet even he suffered the feeling of spiritual separation on the cross. Because of this, he knows the pain we feel when we are in a spiritually dry season, separated from …

Do you really believe that God's sovereignty is enough, that he's truly on the throne? Those who trust in the Lord can be assured of their Father's delight in them! Everything Jesus did on the cross was because of his great love for every last one of his people. How can we withhold anything from him?…

The third saying of Jesus on the cross: (To Mary), "Woman, behold your son!" (To John), "Behold your mother!" On the cross, Jesus had compassion for his mother, but didn't neglect his duty to God's people. Despite his pain, he pressed on. Here, he forms a new family out of Mary and John, as well as the family of God.…

Jesus suffered just like us; he understands and has compassion for us. Everything was taken from him on the cross, but his enemies knew the truth, labeling him King of the Jews. The two thieves parallel Jerusalem and Rome: only one accepted Jesus as King.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The bare minimum to enter heaven is fear of the Lord. Jesus will always have a personal love for you. The world needs to know this, and that the "man on the middle cross" can save them! His words on the cross are incorruptible; they…

Paul talks about how to walk in a worthy, spirit-filled manner. We are all one Body, so rather than fight, we work hard at peace and unity with one another. We're all baptized in the same water, into the same family with the same Father!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Let all the things of this world go, and follow God! Unburden yourself and he will give you rest. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Meditate on his Word, be open to his Spirit. Be patient for his answer, and secure in his provision.By Jan VanLeuven

Spiritual maturity is proven by following our Lord daily in wisdom and restraint, not pursuing power for personal gain. We pray for God's pure wisdom, to be peaceable, considerate, reasonable, compassionate, bearing good fruit, impartial and sincere!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

We must control our speech. The tongue is like a fire - it can be used for good or evil. Cursing refers to all evil things spoken: hatred, gossip, lying... The Garden of Eden isn't filled with thorns and thistles, but fruit-bearing trees!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

As we abide in Christ, we must control our speech... this is only possible through the Holy Spirit! Pastor Josh emphasizes the importance of guarding what we see and hear, speaking with holiness and love, and glorifying God through blessing others!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

The diligence of a godly woman not only honors God, but elevates her husband! And the husband and children are to be just as diligent in serving her and each other, to the same end. A family thrives when selfishness is put to death!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

A godly woman is the crown of her husband; as such, everything we do should make the Lord look good! She is not lazy, always working for the good of her family. She is a female David, a warrior woman after God's own heart! She and her husband never speak poorly of each other, invested in each other's honor-- just as the members of the trinity defer…

An excellent wife, like an excellent husband, is a valiant warrior: fighting and working for the family. In a healthy family, everyone is deferring honor to the others. In the body of Christ, we all work hard for the glory of our husband, the Lord God!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

James points out the uselessness of Judaism apart from Christ, that even demons follow this level of theology, and tremble. As Christians, God will always be our father, but our faith can mature to such a degree that we can be friends with him! Pastor Josh also asks the question: should lying be avoided at all costs?…

When God moves in us, that needs to move outwards from us! Works don't justify us, but we are to live our faith. As marital love is inseparable from marital faithfulness, so is faith inseparable from works. We live for the God of our faith, day in and day out!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh explores links between James and Matthew, and shows we are to live as Christ has prescribed, and not as the Pharisees, who showed evil partiality. Be merciful, as mercy triumphs over judgment. Accepting the authority of Jesus brings freedom! Also an important note that we must not interpret the Bible in a wooden way, but seek to underst…

As Christians, we must love everyone equally and avoid the sin of partiality. Don't reciprocate when persecuted; instead, let our good deeds glorify God. Embrace the moral framework he designed, which brings liberty! Mercy must triumph over judgment.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

We are to restrain our human anger as Jesus did. We must receive the Word into our lives with similar meekness ("power restrained"). Our obedience, not emotions, proves faith! Be on guard against sin, and care for those God has placed in our lives.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

James urges living the Word, not just hearing it. We become more Christ-like by helping those in need the way God has helped us. Our trials refine us - we press on, striving for the faith, and growing ever more into the image of Christ!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Today's culture values the glorification of self. God calls us to live for his glory! We are as precious stones to him, none more or less worthy of glory than the others, and it is only by his mercy and grace that we are invited to join him in his heavenly Kingdom.By Pastor Rick Plantholt

Pastor Josh explores the context and authorship of James, and shares that when we're going through trials, God's love for us hasn't changed! Trials are meant to refine us, that our steadfastness would bring wisdom, making us more into the image of his Son.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

When facing trials, consider it joy; they make you more like Christ! Ask God for wisdom to handle them, remain steadfast, and trust and expect him to bring you through. God refines us in his image, and calls us his own!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh digs deeper into the events around Jesus' burial and resurrection, showing the connection between his joyful resurrection and our weekly gathering on Sunday. We also see how God uses the lowly and humble to do his work, that no one may boast!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

God says as believers, we are blessed, and he will take care of us! The grave could not keep Jesus because he was God. His rising validated his words, his actions, his life. Everything he said was absolute truth. On Sundays, we gather because he is risen!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, foreshadowing his return in Revelation on a horse. He weeps over the city's impending doom. Flipping temple tables, he's telling the evil shepherds his Word needs to go out to outcasts and sinners, not just the pious.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

The crowd shouts his praises, but Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. In righteous anger, he cleanses the temple. Every place he visited that rejected his Word is doomed. But he came to save the world, not condemn it! In him, we have freedom from the Law. As the potter molds the clay, let him mold you!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh discusses the building of the Tower of Babel, the mixing of godly and ungodly cultures, and God's judgment of humanity's self-glorifying pursuits. He shows how this passage is arranged as a chiasm, with a focus on the judgment of God.By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

How do I know if I'm in the will of God? Trust him. Lean not on my understanding! His Spirit moves when I read the Word and take it with me, and he'll direct my path. If I'm obedient to his revealed will (Scripture), he'll guide me in his concealed will!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

As Christians, we must trust the Bible is trustworthy and true! It says the end times will come quickly. Pastor Josh explores different interpretations of what's to come in the last days, with a common thread: we should always be prepared for his return! *During this B-Side, there was a power outage and we lost the ending, so Pastor Josh re-recorde…

The book of Revelation was written to reveal Jesus Christ to the church, to reveal God's heart. To be in fellowship with him is to follow him! Like the entire Bible, Revelation is a love story. Will we remain faithful to our husband while he is away?By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh explores Biblical and historical texts in his discussion of the Second Temple Period of Jewish history (about 560 BC - 70 AD).By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Mike explores the relationship of the Word to the Trinity, discusses Bible translation, and focuses on the 2nd Temple Period of Jewish history.By Mike Baker

Pastor Josh explores the New Jerusalem, the water that flows through it, and the tree of life. Satan's followers must wear the mark of the beast. If we resist the beast, we will receive the mark of God and inherit his heavenly kingdom!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

John describes Heaven, but the true beauty of this city will be the light of the Lamb and the face of the Father. We will eternally worship him and serve him in pure joy, forever dwelling in his house, every square inch of which he designed to bless us!By Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh discusses the new Heaven and the new earth, explaining differing interpretations of the New Jerusalem. If we take it as a description of Heaven, then the Church's foundation is the teaching of the apostles, so that is what we study. This New Jerusalem has no temple because it is the temple!…