Pastor Adam Gomez
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Scripture: John 20:1–16

Part 1: The Predawn Seeking (John 20:1)

“Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.”

— John 20:1 (NKJV)

Worship and Early Morning Prayer

The first day of the week would have been a Sunday, which would have begun the day of gathering of worship for the Church. Scripture emphasizes that "it was still dark." Throughout the Psalms and Gospels, we see a rich pattern of seeking God in the early hours:

• Psalm 5:3 (NKJV): “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”
• Psalm 57:8 (NKJV): “Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.”
• Psalm 63:1 (NKJV): “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
• Mark 1:35 (NKJV): “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

Early birds understand the value of the distraction-free time that the early morning hours provide. They complete priority tasks before the rest of the world wakes up, beginning their day on the right foot. Waking up early to seek the Lord in prayer provides a person with distraction-free time with the Lord before the busyness of the day begins. It also allows for a person to discuss their first thoughts with the Lord, disintegrating any negativity or anxiety that our minds tend to accumulate, and aligning our thoughts with the will of God.

The Bible tells us that it was Daniel’s custom to pray three times a day (Daniel 6:10), assuming that it was morning, noon, and evening. David similarly wrote about praying three times a day in Psalm 55:17 (NKJV): “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.”

Mary Magdalene’s Journey out of Darkness

Like the darkness of that morning, Mary Magdalene had walked in the deepest of darknesses in her life before coming to know the Lord. Luke writes:

“...and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,”

— Luke 8:2 (NKJV)

If the number seven is the number of completion, then Mary Magdalene was “completely” demon possessed. Living with seven demons inside would completely ruin a person’s life.

After the sinful woman of Luke 7 anointed the feet of Jesus with the costly, fragrant oil, began washing His feet with her tears, and wiping them with her hair, Jesus said: “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47).

According to Mark 15:47, Mary Magdalene observed where Jesus was laid. She kept her eyes fixed on Jesus—her healer and her helper—and knew exactly where to walk in the predawn darkness of that Sunday morning.

The Eyewitness of the Removed Stone

When Mary arrived, she saw that "the stone had been taken away from the tomb." This could only mean one thing in Mary’s mind: Someone has stolen His body!

When examining this text, paying close attention to the verbs is revealing. First, she “saw.” Mary Magdalene is not simply a character in this narrative; she was an eyewitness to the empty tomb. She could not have rolled the stone away, nor could she have carried the body of Jesus with His dead weight and the 100 pounds of spices and wraps that He was covered in. Mary Magdalene would become the first eyewitness of the empty tomb.

Part 2: The Race to the Tomb (John 20:2–7)

“Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.'”

— John 20:2 (NKJV)

Notice the next verb: she “ran.” Mary Magdalene needed to tell somebody! This raises a direct question for us today: Are you telling people about the empty grave?
She ran and came to Peter and John. Peter and John were always together—they were a team of two. Much could be said about having a partner:

• Having a partner enables better communication.
• Having a partner enables shared responsibilities.
• Having a partner enables fast problem-solving.

John’s Holy Hesitation

“3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.”

— John 20:3–5 (NKJV)

Here, we are witnessing a bit of friendly competition captured in the Scriptures. These disciples were “Average Joes.” John had a “holy hesitation” about stepping into the tomb, possibly overwhelmed by the reality of the events as they were unfolding.

Peter’s Zealous Boldness

“Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,”

— John 20:6 (NKJV)

Peter is the “all in” guy. No hesitation. Peter is gung-ho, resolute, filled with passion to discover the reality about Jesus and what He had said about His death, burial, and resurrection. He is relentless, fearless, and cannot be stopped in his curiosity. He was strong-willed, zealous, and a born leader.

Consider Peter's extensive track record of action:

• Walking on Water: He was the only disciple who got out of the boat on a raging sea to attempt to walk to Jesus (Matthew 14:28–29).
• Bold Confession: He was the first to identify Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 16:16).
• Rebuking the Master: He was the only disciple to rebuke Jesus (Matthew 16:22).
• Drawing the Sword: It was Peter who pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, Malchus (John 18:10).
• Swimming to Shore: It was Peter who jumped out of the boat and right into the water to swim to Jesus on the shore (John 21:7).
• Pentecost Preacher: Peter will be the one to preach the first gospel sermon on The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
• Acts 3 Healing: Peter will be the one to say to the lame man in Acts 3, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (v. 6).
• Acts 15 Defense: Peter will boldly defend the Gentile believers in Acts 15.
• A Christianity Pioneer: Peter will be a trailblazer and pioneer for Christianity.

Yet, just three nights prior to this morning, Peter was weeping bitterly after denying that he knew Jesus. There is no doubt that his heart was still in the posture of anguish, regret, and despair from that event as he entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there, empty of the body of Jesus.

The Folded Handkerchief & First-Century Burial Practices

“and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.”

— John 20:7 (NKJV)

His burial cloths are lying there, completely empty, and the handkerchief is folded neatly in its own place. A grave robber would not leave the cloths lying there where the body had been laid, nor take the time to fold the cloth that wrapped His head.

According to Jewish burial practices in the first century, the hands, arms, legs, and feet of the deceased would be individually wrapped in long strips of linen. The face would have its own linen wrap called a sudarium. Once the linens were dipped in the spices, the grave cloths became stiff like a cocoon. We see this contrast when Lazarus was raised from the dead: he needed help being unwrapped from his grave cloths.

“And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'”

— John 11:44 (NKJV)

Refuting False Theories of the Empty Tomb

1. Conspiracy Theory (Body stolen by disciples): According to Matthew 27:62–66, a unit of highly trained Roman guards vigilantly guarded the entrance—knowing they would be punished by death if Jesus’ body disappeared. Matthew 28:4 explains that the earth shook, an angel appeared and rolled away the stone from the opening of Jesus’ tomb, and "the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men." More than that, the disciples did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead, and did not have any motivation to fake a resurrection. We will soon find them hiding behind locked doors.
2. Political Theory (Taken by Roman authorities): Some say that his body was taken by the Roman government to be put on display when the story of a resurrected Jesus would begin to circulate. However, the Romans knew that Jesus was dead. They simply wanted to be sure that none of His followers stole His body. That was it.
3. Swoon Theory (Jesus merely passed out): Some say that Jesus wasn’t actually dead when they removed Him from the cross, and that when he was exposed to the coolness of the tomb, he awoke and escaped. Yet Jesus was methodically whipped and beaten by Roman soldiers, was so weak that He was unable to carry His cross, had spikes driven through His hands and feet, and hung on the cross for six hours. Before removing His body from the cross, the Romans thrust a spear deep into His side and blood and water flowed.

The Conclusion: There is only one explanation for the empty grave, and that is that Jesus bodily rose from the dead! Not a tooth, not a hair, not a fingernail of Jesus can be found.

Part 3: Believing and Recognizing the Master (John 20:8–16)

“8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.”

— John 20:8–10 (NKJV)

Seeing, they believed. Some people need to see to believe. The disciples had been told about this event many times, but it had not really sunk into their understanding that it would actually happen. They needed to see to believe.

The other disciples would also have to “see to believe,” as Luke records in Acts 1:3 (NKJV): “to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

Many of us also needed to “see” to believe. The Lord had to cause a series of unexplainable events to happen in our lives to prove to us that He was real and that He was the one pursuing us. Some of you have been told about Jesus all of your lives. You’ve considered the claims about Jesus, but never really landed anywhere solid. It may be that the Lord is allowing you to “see” Him through a series of unexplainable events in your life. It is my prayer that what is being shared today will be the tipping point for you to “see” and “believe.”

Recognizable Traits of Jesus

Could it be that the disciples recognized the particular way Jesus folded the face cloth? He used a towel to wipe the feet of the disciples in John 13; did he fold it in a particular way that was recognizable?

People living in ancient times, especially in the Middle East, wore layers of clothing:

1. An inner garment resembling a long, loose-fitting T-shirt (kimono-like).
2. An outer tunic (robe).
3. A cloak (layered on top of the outer tunic in cooler weather).

Could it be that Jesus had a particular way of folding the layers of his clothing that was recognizable when removing them?

We see a similar moment of recognition on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus may have revealed Himself to the disciples by the particular way He always broke bread and prayed:

“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.”

— Luke 24:30–31 (NKJV)

Mary Encounters the Resurrected Lord

“11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.' 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, 'Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.' 16 Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him, 'Rabboni!' (which is to say, Teacher).”  

— John 20:11–16 (NKJV)

Jesus said in John 10:27 (NKJV): “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

A child can recognize the voice of their mother or father in a crowd. A spouse can recognize the voice of their partner in a crowd. Do you recognize the voice of Jesus today?

When Justine and I began getting to know each other by spending time together and having fun together, that was romance. When we began having long, involved talks with each other, that was intimacy. Knowing someone requires the development of intimacy, which necessitates spending ample time together—that’s why the dating process is so important!

Mary Magdalene knew Jesus. She knew His voice. There is nothing like the human voice; it is a person's signature. When someone’s voice goes silent, it can result in deep sadness and loneliness. How someone says something gets embedded in your soul. What someone has said can be weighty and powerful. How a person repeatedly says your name—their pitch, their tone, and the unique features of their voice—becomes engraved in your heart and mind.

And in verse 16, Jesus says her name: “Mary!”

Pastor Adam Gomez
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Scripture: John 19:31–42

I. The Condemned (John 19:31)
“Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” — John 19:31

The Reality of the Crucifixion

Consider the scene: three men on crosses. One of them is the Son of God—and He is dead. The other two are awaiting their demise, a process that could normally take days.

The typical Roman method was to crucify a criminal and leave them hanging on the cross to die from extreme exposure to the elements— direct sun by day, bitter cold at night—or to be consumed by animals like vultures, crows, and ravens, and swarmed by insects.

Yet both criminals had a final destination. One had already been promised Paradise by Jesus; the other refused to believe.

The Two Gifts Given to the Criminals

Thinking through the situation of these two men on the cross, both were given two profound gifts.

1. Gift #1: Immediate Access to Jesus and His Words

Nobody had ever uttered such words from a Roman cross. They were directly exposed to the sayings of Christ as He hung beside them:

• “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
• “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
• “Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!” (John 19:26–27)
• “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
• “I thirst.” (John 19:28)
• “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
• “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

2. Gift #2: The Gift of Time

They were also given the gift of time, and there is mercy in time. When an event happens suddenly and unexpectedly, there is no time to prepare for it. But when a person can see an outcome on the horizon—even if it is not at the door just yet—there is time to prepare.

Personal Illustration:
I was with my father when he was given roughly nine months to live. I can remember his heart doctor leaving the room and leaving the two of us alone. My dad clasped his hands behind his back and stared out of the window. The following nine months were filled with questions about God and eternity. My dad wanted to make sure that he was going to heaven.

I watched as my father began to make end-of-life decisions, giving things away and letting us know his wishes. He would always return to the topic of salvation, constantly asking me, “Are you sure that Jesus forgives me for all of my sins?” I can remember thinking that the Lord had played a huge joke on me—calling me to be a pastor and evangelist just so I would be equipped to answer my dad’s theological questions.

About two weeks before he died, he fell very quiet, not really saying anything or talking to anyone. While I was with him one day, I asked him, “Dad, what have you been thinking about while you’ve been quiet all week?” He answered, “I’ve been talking to God.” He died the next day. My dad was given the gift of time. He had time to wrestle with what he thought about Jesus.

The Choice We Face Today

Both criminals were given the gift of time. We know for sure that one of them took advantage of that gift and believed that Jesus was indeed the King of the Jews, just as the sign above His head indicated:

• “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
• “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

The Apostle Peter put it this way in 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Application: Every one of us has been given the gift of time. If you are breathing oxygen right now, you are experiencing the gift of time. You have been exposed to the words of Jesus. What will you decide about Him? Is He the King of the Jews? Is He your King? You can make that decision today!

The Political Pressure on Pilate

Displaying rotting bodies on three crosses during Passover would have been unacceptable to the Jewish leaders, and Jesus presented an ongoing political nightmare for Pilate.

To give in to the Jews weakened Pilate's standing. Yet to ignore their threats and political power could cost Pilate his job and possibly his life. They claimed that Jesus directly opposed Caesar, and that releasing Him would mean Pilate was "no friend of Caesar" (John 19:12). In the end, Pilate gave in.

II. The Sovereignty over the Soldiers (John 19:32–37)

“Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” — John 19:32–34

Unwitting Fulfillment of Prophecy

The Roman soldiers disobeyed standard procedure by failing to break Jesus's legs, unwittingly fulfilling written scripture.

1. The Bones of the Passover Lamb Were Not to Be Broken:
   • “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.” (Exodus 12:46)
   • “They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.” (Numbers 9:12)
   • “He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (Psalm 34:20)
2. His Side Was to Be Pierced:
   • “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10)
   • “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.” (Revelation 1:7)

The Theological Truth: In their disobedience, the soldiers were mere pawns in the hands of the Lord. As Isaiah 14:27 reminds us: “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?”

The Physical Reality: "Blood and Water Came Out"

To understand the emphasis on physical details here, it helps to contrast the Gospels:

• Luke’s Gospel Perspective: Luke is the physician, the doctor, and his gospel is filled with descriptions of human sickness, bodily healing, and physical forms—focusing on tangible, flesh-and-bone realities. Luke mentions fevers, leprosy, and paralysis. He details crippled limbs straightening, a bent woman standing up straight, and Zacchaeus’s short stature. He highlights Jesus’s physical childhood and growth.
• John’s Gospel Perspective: John’s writings emphasize that Jesus was fully human while remaining fully God, writing specifically to counter the rise of Gnosticism in the Greco-Roman world.

Confronting the Heresy of Gnosticism

By the time the Apostle John wrote his gospel, Gnosticism had spread throughout the Greco-Roman Empire. Gnostics viewed Jesus very differently than orthodox 1st-century Christians:

• They viewed Jesus as a divine teacher rather than a Savior who sacrificed His life for the sins of the world.
• They rejected the idea that a divine being was able to suffer and die.
• They believed Jesus came only to reveal secret knowledge (gnosis) needed to free human souls.
• They believed Jesus only appeared to have a human body, but was actually purely a spirit who left no footprints when He walked.
• They rejected the idea that Jesus physically suffered and died on a cross.

One of the major branches of Gnostic belief was Docetism—the belief that Jesus’s physical body and crucifixion were merely illusions.

Against this backdrop, John gives an eyewitness, detailed description of blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus immediately following Him being pierced with a spear. Jesus was fully human AND fully God. He was a real person who really physically suffered, then really physically died.

The Symbolism of Blood and Water

During the Day of Preparation, thousands of unblemished lambs were being slaughtered at the Temple. Their blood ran into installed drains that emptied into the Kidron Brook in the valley between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives—a visible stream of water mixed with blood.

“And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” — John 19:35–37

The Purpose: John records these details so that all of his readers might examine the overwhelming eyewitness evidence and believe!

III. The Commitment of the Secret Believers (John 19:38–42)

“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.” — John 19:38–40

Joseph of Arimathea: Counting the Cost

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy, prominent member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme judicial council of the Jews. Yet verse 38 notes he was “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews.”

He had an immense amount to lose if discovered aligning with a man who was just executed by the Roman Empire for insurrection and condemned by the Jewish leaders for blasphemy. It meant risking political and social suicide: the loss of his position, loss of wealth, and potential arrest.

Joseph likely used his high status to secure an audience with Pilate. Pilate—who had been warned by his wife to have nothing to do with Jesus, and who had symbolically washed his hands of the execution—was perhaps anxious to do something good in the midst of all the tragedy. He granted custody of Jesus’s body to Joseph.

Operating "secretly," outside the knowledge of his Sanhedrin colleagues, provided Joseph a path of least resistance to secure the body of Jesus for burial in his own family tomb. This was not cowardice, but being smart and careful.

Nicodemus: Seeking Truth

Nicodemus was also a member of the Sanhedrin who had previously come to Jesus by night (John 3:1–2). His strategy of meeting at night provided an opportunity for an uninterrupted conversation with Jesus, away from the crowds and the prying eyes of his colleagues, so he could ask important theological questions.

Application: Wise as Serpents

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus instructs:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

It is fruitless to destroy a conversation about Jesus before it even starts through loud, over-the-top declarations that trigger immediate argumentation and resistance to the gospel. It is far more fruitful to be humble and kind, preserving your influence.

As 1 Peter 3:15 encourages:
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

Conclusion (John 19:41–42)

“Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” — John 19:41–42

Friendship is a reciprocal and voluntary relationship that usually comes about by chance. It is born the moment two people meet and begin a casual conversation that has no ending.
 
Thoughts and ideas come alive between two individuals who seem to have known each other forever. Friendship, once birthed, doesn’t take long to develop and engagement flows with ease between two friends who realize that they “get” each other.
 
Friends discover that there is elasticity in their differences and that their individualism completes the puzzle. Bonds form that are very difficult to break and loyalty cements the relationship.
 
Close friends long to be together. When apart, they build up conversations to talk about once they’re together again. Close friends experience pain in their hearts when too much time has passed between their encounters.
 
A good friend is like a beautiful sunrise at the beginning of their fellowship and like a glorious sunset at the end of spent time together. There is nothing better in life than a good friend.
 
Pastor Adam

My wife and I lost a very close friend yesterday.  It was an expected loss, but when we received the call to hurry to the hospital to be by his side, the reality of the brevity of life quickly set in.
 
There is no two ways about it, the death rate is still one per person and, like Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
 
The Bible reminds us that life is like a vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes away (James 4:14).  Someone recently shared the following statement while giving a eulogy at a funeral, “Life is the dash between two dates on a tombstone.”  The quote was not only discouraging, it was wrong.
 
Our lives are more than a punctuation mark separating two dates.  The time that the Lord gives us on this giant, round ball is meant to be used to add value and meaning to each other’s lives.
 
We do this by helping each other with things that we cannot do on our own.  We do this by encouraging one another through times of discouragement and by being present during times of loneliness.
 
We give the gift of laughter to each other and share our personalities with each other for better or for worse.
 
We become “brothers from other mothers” and “sisters from other misters” with each other and build customs and legacies that will flow well into the next generation.
 
We disagree with each other, strengthening the viability of an idea.  We agree with each other, keeping the world around us accountable to the truth of a matter.
 
We recognize, appreciate, and preserve the wisdom of the aged, and are innovative to compete in our own time.
 
What we do in this life matters.  It matters to our parents, our children, our grandchildren, our friends, and our community.  What we do in this life adds value and meaning to every person we meet causing a ripple effect that will last well into eternity.
 
Our lives were meant to be spent enhancing each other’s lives by interacting through the hurts and pains, the accomplishments and achievements, the highs and lows, and even the boring and mundane.
 
The line separating two dates on a tombstone is punctuation.  Period.
 
Our lives were meant to add value and meaning to the lives of others for time and for eternity.
 
Pastor Adam

In Exodus 3, we find Moses at the base of Mt. Horeb, minding his own business, and tending his father-in-law's sheep. All of a sudden, the Angel of the Lord appears to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a desert bush.
 
Like most guys, he’s curious about this phenomenon and walks closer to investigate.
 
A voice calls from the desert bush, “Moses, Moses! Don’t come any closer! Remove your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground!”
 
This interaction between Moses and the Angel of the Lord got me wondering, “Why did God allow the dirty feet of Moses to touch holy ground?”  I searched several commentaries to find a satisfactory answer.
 
Most of the theologians supplied similar answers!
 
Matthew Henry explained it this way, “Putting off the sandals was a token of respect and submission as we draw near to God with pause and preparation; carefully avoiding a spirit of lightness or rudeness” (Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible).
 
Other commentators referenced the barrier that the sandals created which separated the man from his God.
 
I wanted a deeper answer. I began musing more about it. Pondering. The following thoughts were not scooped from the rich depths of a theological treasure chest, but from a heart that’s less than perfect and has been forgiven of much throughout my walk with the Lord.
 
Whenever I think of feet, I want them covered! I despise bare feet; especially my own. Some are crooked. Some are hairy.  Some are soft.  Others are dry and rough. A universal truth is, however, that every pair will begin to smell horrible if the person they’re attached to fails to bathe for some time.
 
The bottom line truth is that feet are gross! Yet, in the Exodus 3 passage, there is no requirement given by the Angel of the Lord to Moses commanding him to wash his feet prior to removing his sandals and placing them on holy ground.
 
Could it be that the Lord desires for us to come to Him “just as we are” or “just as He found us?” Dirty feet and all? That’s how I read the passage!
 
In fact, Moses had been running from his calling and purpose for forty years prior to this encounter with the Angel of the Lord. That’s a lifetime of dust and debris! Yet, Moses was allowed to stand on holy ground, in the presence of the Lord. Barefoot, no less. That’s amazing grace!
 
In John 13, we see Jesus surrounded by His friends - His disciples - and they have dirty feet! No requirement is mentioned in the text instructing them to wash their feet prior to being in His presence.  No snap of the Master’s fingers summoning the hired help to locate a wash basin and a large bar of soap!  In fact, we actually find Jesus taking the posture of a servant and washing their stinking feet!  What gives?
 
Why did God allow the dirty feet of Moses to touch holy ground?  What could a Holy Messiah want with washing the dirty feet of His friends?  I believe that these two scenes capture the overwhelming depth of God’s love for His children!
 
As we walk daily through this filthy world, our spiritual feet tend to get dusty, muddy, dirty, and smelly.  I believe the Lord is saying to His children, “My love for you can handle your dirty, stinky, world-affected feet!”
 
He then invites us into His presence - barefoot - then begins to thoroughly wash our feet. Refreshing!  Invigorating!  Revitalizing!  Restoring!
 
What about your feet?  How long has it been since you removed your sandals and stood in the presence of God “just as He found you” and allowed Him to wash the dust and dirt of the world from them?  You’ll be refreshed!  Invigorated!  Revitalized!  Restored!
 
Don’t wait too long!  People around you may begin to comment about the cheesy, sweaty scent in the air!
 
Pastor Adam

The Agape Love of God

Although we can experience God’s love, it remains impossible to fully comprehend.
 
I thought about this long and hard over the past week and realized that the Apostle Paul gave us a mirror image of God’s love in his letter to the Corinthians.
 
Many of us have borrowed lines from 1 Corinthians 13 in order to express our love to a girlfriend or boyfriend, or to a fiancé, or to our husbands or wives written in a card or in a special letter on a milestone anniversary.
 
As a pastor, I frequently quote from this passage during wedding ceremonies. The words are so appropriate and carry a ton of meaning when it comes to the subject of true love.
 
As we read through the passage together, I want to point out that the word the apostle uses for the word “love” is the Greek word “agape.”
 
Agape love is the highest form of love. It’s not the sappy love shared between two people attracted to each other, nor is it the brotherly love that best friends have for one another. It’s actually a love that “does” something. The immediate example is what Jesus “did” on the cross.
 
The first three verses of 1 Corinthians 13 say, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
 
The Apostle Paul is writing this section of his letter in response to the Corinthian church elevating spiritual gifts and prophecy above all else in the church.
 
His frustration is easily detected in his exaggerated expressions. Did you catch them?

• “Though I speak with the tongues of angels!”
• “Though I understand all mysteries and all knowledge!”
• “Though I have all faith and can move mountains!”
• “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor!”
• “Though I give my body to be burned!”

 
Nobody has all of these abilities, but the apostle is declaring, “If I had all these abilities but lacked “agape” I would be totally bankrupt!”
 
He goes on to say in verse four, “Love suffers long and is kind.”
 
Love suffers long? Yes, agape love does. Agape love stays in-step with another through the hardships and through the thick and thin circumstances of each other’s lives. It does not give up.
 
Continuing in verse four through the first part of verse six, the apostle shifts his attention to a list of things that agape love does not do, “Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity.”
 
Can you imagine Jesus displaying any of these behaviors? The answer is a resounding “no.”
 
As he continues in the last part of verse six through verse seven, the Apostle Paul pivots to list a series of things that agape love does, “But rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
 
Agape love is a love that “does” something.
 
The apostle ends this portion of his letter in verse eight with these three powerful words, “Love never fails”.
 
I encourage you to read the rest of this short chapter as the Apostle Paul exhorts the Christians in Corinth to make agape love, the reflective love of God, their most coveted gift to attain.
 
May we do the same!
 
Pastor Adam

As I write these next few words, I do not write with the purpose of being creative or waxing poetic. I am writing from a heart filled with overwhelming hope in the Lord and enormous faith in the abilities of the God we serve.
 
If I know anyone, I know my brother, Fernando Zamora. I know his faith in Jesus for salvation, I know his fear of the Lord concerning his deep respect and reverence of Him, and I know that he knows, beyond a smidgen of a doubt, that his God will deliver him out of this trial. I know this about Fernando Zamora!
 
I want to tell you about a time I walked with my brother through a fiery trial early in our friendship.
 
I received a call from Fernando late one fall evening, several years ago. He sounded hopeless and discouraged. Defeated.
 
We discussed the events that led to his despair. He detailed a series of mountaintop experiences littered with several dark, cold valleys.
 
This particular evening he shared about a dark cloud that seemed to be hanging around and some real circumstances that wouldn’t go away.
 
I invited him to my house for a talk, some time in the Scriptures, and prayer.
 
While he made his way to my house, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to share with Fernando. I had been doing a study on the kings of Israel and Judah and had just read about king Hezekiah, one of Judah’s faithful kings.  A true revolutionist.
 
2 Kings 18 details the deadly threats coming from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to the ears of the people of Judah. He had just conquered Samaria, Israel and was now quickly expanding his reign of terror south to conquer Judah.
 
He sent an army of messengers who spoke the language of the Hebrews, and through them he delivered bold, blasphemous threats to the people and to their God. The result? Hopelessness.  Dread.  Despair.
 
I sensed that the Lord wanted me to have Fernando read this chapter to me out loud, followed by 2 Kings 19.  Take a moment to read them aloud as well.  You won’t regret it.
 
I met Fernando in my driveway and got into his car. I shared what I sensed the Lord was leading me to share with him. Fernando read aloud to me, looking up at me from time-to-time, very confused about why I was having him read the text. He remained faithful and continued reading.
 
When he arrived at 2 Kings 19:14, he tried to boldly read through the rest of the text, but couldn’t hold back the tears which began streaming from his eyes.
 
2 Kings 19:14-19 tells us what king Hezekiah did when his men handed him the official letter of threat from Sennacherib, the Assyrian king.
 
2 Kings 19:14-19 says, “Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: ‘O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.’ “
 
Fernando finished both chapters, his glasses off and both hands now squeezing tears from his eyes. He said, “I know what I need to do.”  I prayed for him, he started his car and drove off without further dialogue.
 
Several days later I called Fernando to ask him how he was doing. He was in a great mood. He excitedly told me, “I went before the Lord and laid out to Him everything that has been happening to me, just like king Hezekiah did, and pleaded with Him to rescue me from the constant threats directed at me.”  I believe that he had also been fasting.
 
Like king Hezekiah, God heard Fernando’s prayers!
 
If you read through the text you already discovered what happened next. Let’s read it together in 2 Kings 19:35-36, “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.”
 
The Lord came through for king Hezekiah. The Lord also came through for Fernando.  He will do it again!
 
Feeling threatened?  “Spread it before the Lord” (2 Kings 19:14).
 
Pastor Adam

At church yesterday morning, a handful of conversations I had included reports of people helping each other within our church community.
 
Someone shared with me that they received assistance with a home project this past week. Another person reported that they were blessed by a family in our church visiting them at their home. I was pleased to hear appreciation for one of our pastors who recently walked their family through end of life planning.
 
It made me appreciate our healthy church community.
 
Many of you have heard me say, “We snuggle through the struggle together.”  Galatians 6:2 encourages, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  This happens within our church community.
 
When an unexpected tragedy occurs within our church community, we rally together in order to find a solution. We walk through difficult challenges together and navigate obstacles hand-in-hand.
 
As a community of believers, we are linked together by the Spirit of God.  We are brothers and sisters within a divine family.  Because of this interconnection, we provide comfort and compassion for each other in times of crisis.
 
That is the power of a healthy church community.
 
That is the power that we have - together!
 
Pastor Adam

We are all naturally enthusiastic about anticipated new things or new experiences that we’ve looked forward to or have planned to enjoy.
 
If you have recently earned a degree, you enthusiastically anticipated walking across the stage at your graduation ceremony and being handed your hard-earned diploma. If you recently purchased a new home or had one built, you eagerly anticipated moving in and enjoying the newness of the environment and its surroundings. If you were recently married, you survived the months of wedding planning and you passionately anticipated standing face-to-face with your future spouse and saying, “I do.”  There is much in this life to be enthusiastic and passionate about!
 
There is another side to the same coin, however.  Once we’ve obtained certain things or we’ve had certain experiences, the thrill naturally trends downward.
 
Once the pomp and circumstance of graduation is over, we receive our first bill from the government reminding us that we now owe them tons of money for that rectangular piece of paper.  After we get that first ding in our car door, we no longer park our brand new car in two parking spaces trying desperately to avoid getting one in the first place.  Concerning that newly-built home or newly-purchased home, the thrill of the new environment quickly fades when we begin discovering the hidden problems left behind for us to deal with. Bummer.
 
Something that you and I don’t often think about is the “routine” or “practice” of doing good. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are passionate about helping those in need; especially those in the body of Christ.  We eagerly respond when tragedy strikes or when a desperate situation requires desperate measures.  We show up!
 
There is another side to that enthusiastic and passion-filled coin. It is called fatigue. Weariness.  We simply run out of gas.
 
The Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Galatia with the following encouragement, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”  I encourage a quick read of the first ten verses of Galatians 6.
 
The apostle is addressing the fatigue of continuing to do good in the realm of our Spiritual journey; the exhaustion of the Spiritual lifestyle.  He emphasizes the weariness that we all naturally experience by continuously doing good to/for those in the household of God.  It was Jesus, Himself, who said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).
 
How do we beat such fatigue?  How do we battle such weariness?  By resting in the Lord!
 
Jesus declared, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
 
I want to take a moment to unpack this verse.  It is very probable that most people in our day and age have no idea what a traditional yoke is.  A traditional yoke is a large, wooden cross-piece that was made to fasten over the necks of two animals of burden and attached securely to a cart or a plow that was to be pulled.  It would have been very thick and heavy and would have been made to certain specifications that could handle the weight being pulled by the animal without breaking.
 
Jesus encourages us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (verse 28).  Is this your pattern?  Do you “go to Him” when you have become overwhelmed with doing good?  Do you seek His face?  Do you seek His presence?  Do you talk to Him?  That is where you will find rest.
 
Jesus continues, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (verse 29).  There is nothing worse, in my book, than a grumpy teacher or a short-tempered trainer.  Jesus is nothing like that.  He is saying in verse 29, “Team up with Me and I will gently and humbly teach you how to work for Me in a way that you constantly find rest for your souls.”  What a promise!
 
He finishes His statement by declaring, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (verse 30). When I worked in the Research and Development department at the tissue bank, it was my responsibility to accurately write descriptions of shapes, sizes, weights, and textures of pieces of human tissue. Their descriptions had to be as humanly accurate as possible.  The description that Jesus uses to describe a traditional yoke is very inaccurate to say the least.

As mentioned earlier, a traditional yoke was made out of heavy, sturdy wood that was firmly attached to the necks of two animals of burden in order to pull heavy loads or a heavy plow. That is not the yoke that Jesus is describing. He describes His yoke and burden as “easy” and “light.”  The difference is in whose yoke and burden it is.
 
I have carried this truth with me since my days in Bible college. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed with doing good, I must stop and evaluate whose yoke and burden is upon me?  Are you growing weary while doing good?  It might be time for an evaluation!
 
Pastor Adam

I purposely added the question mark at the end of the title of this short devotional after thinking about the statement, “In God we trust.”
 
If you stop to think about it for a moment, there are literally hundreds of things we place our trust in on a daily basis.
 
When we go to bed, we trust that our smart watches will wake us up at the time programmed. Whenever we get on a plane, we trust that the ground crew and pilot have performed their procedural pre-flight inspection. There are a number of subconscious habits that we do every single day concerning placing our trust in something without ever realizing it.
 
Why, then, is it oftentimes so difficult to consciously put our trust in God?
 
After thinking about this question myself, I began exploring reasons why I find it difficult to always put my trust in God. You might relate. You might not.
 
I sometimes find it difficult to put my trust in God because it requires me to give up total control of my circumstances. Nobody ever has total control of their circumstances, but I like to think that I have everything under control.
 
I sometimes find it difficult to put my trust in God because I can’t figure out exactly what He’s doing behind the scenes. I’m the kind of person who wants to be awake during my own surgery in order to “instruct” the surgeons.
 
I sometimes find it difficult to put my trust in God once I have discovered His determination of a matter and I simply do not like it. That one can be a hockey puck sized pill to swallow.
 
I must declaratively confess that God has never let me down, and His determined will for my life has worked out like a masterpiece every time I’ve gotten out of the way and allowed Him to do His handiwork.
 
John H. Sammis was a Brooklyn businessman and Presbyterian minister who wrote over 100 hymns; most of them songs of trust and songs of obedience. In 1887 he published a hymn called Trust and Obey. The well-known refrain in that song contains the words, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
 
Another songwriter who lived about 3000 years ago, David the Psalmist, wrote these powerful lyrics, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).
 
I can imagine the crescendo rising from the bronze horns of David’s time as this song is played by the orchestra. I could feel the percussion in my chest as the percussionists apply a bit more pressure with every rising note. I can detect the mood being artistically threaded through the room by the stringed instruments as a powerful, well-tuned singer’s voice declares in majestic harmony, “We trust in the name of the Lord our God!”
 
May we sing this refrain throughout the week and beyond as we choose to trust in the name of the Lord our God.
 
Pastor Adam

Every year I read a book by Viktor Frankl entitled Man’s Search for Meaning.  Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist and neurologist who developed a therapy called Logotherapy (healing through meaning). He is best known for surviving the Holocaust, and his 184 page book details his experiences as well as the experiences of others in the camp.

In this page-turner of a book, Frankl begins to understand that the human body and mind has elasticity far beyond what he ever imagined as both he and his fellow prisoners endured nakedness in freezing weather, and months of living on the very brink of starvation. He illustrates the torment when he describes a fellow prisoner writhing during the night in a deep sleep and having a nightmare.  Frankl writes, “I wanted to wake the poor man.  Suddenly I drew back [my hand].  No dream, no matter how horrible, could be as bad as the reality of the camp which surrounded us.”

Have you ever been there? Has life ever seemed so bleak that the worst of nightmares delivered more comfort than your waking hours. Most of us will never be able to relate with Viktor Frankl in spite of the fact that life can throw us some curve balls now and again.

Time does not allow us to elaborate on this particular text, but in Acts 16, we find Paul and Silas chained to a Roman guard in a Philipian jail. The text tells us, “at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God."  Singing and praying hymns?

After sitting and pondering about their circumstances, I decided that alongside them being filled with the Holy Spirit, they also simply decided to have good attitudes.

No matter what circumstances that I find myself facing, my attitude about them will determine whether the road ahead will seem more bumpier than it actually is, or whether the actual bumpy road ahead might seem smoother than what it is.

Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”  Did you catch the phrase, “all things?”

Viktor Frankl writes, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”  According to the experience of Frankl, we have a choice in the matter.

I am not in the midst of an undetermined trial or a set of unpredictable circumstances. Not yet anyway. It is my hope and prayer, however, that I, like Mr. Frankl and Paul and Silas, will choose to have a good attitude when they arrive at my doorstep.

Pastor Adam

I am a natural prepper, planner, and organizer. I tend to look ahead to the next week, the next month, the next quarter, the next year, five years down the line, ten years, etc. I prep, plan, and organize my life to accomplish the tasks ahead of me with efficiency and excellence. That’s just who I am.
 
Since I married a prepper, planner, and organizer, our lives are constantly lived with our noses in our calendars and planners.
 
I am not only a prepper, planner, and organizer when it comes to my schedule, I am a PPO when it comes to my systems and methods of doing things. I like to be precisely organized prior to building something or putting something together. If a part or piece is missing, the project simply cannot move forward. When I clean the house, grill, clean my yard, hang and fold my clothes, I PPO in order to achieve efficiency and organization. It’s just how I’m built!
 
I’m also a person of routine and ritual. Once I have established a pattern, I tend to stick to it and can be very stubborn to learn another way of doing something. This diligence to prep, plan, and organize has paved roads in every job that I’ve ever had since my youth.
 
I have a knack for being introduced to a mess and figuring out how to fix it. It’s natural to me. You know why? Because I am a prepper, planner, and organizer!
 
1 Chronicles 1 28:1 says, “David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the warriors and all the brave fighting men” (1 Chronicles 28:1).
 
With the help of this assembled team, David prepared, planned, and organized a roadmap for Solomon to follow in order to build a monument to God in Jerusalem; a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant and a Holy place for the presence of God to dwell amongst His people. David said, “All this I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan” (1 Chronicles 28:19).
 
When I was a kid, my mother made a physical altar to kneel and pray on. It was made out of wood and stood about 18 inches tall. It was a simple, nailed together, non-decorative square box. She attached thick foam padding on one side of the box which became the top, and covered the foam padding with blue felt, attaching the material with decorative fabric fasteners. She prepared, planned, and organized a place to worship her God, and her children watched and heard her worship and pray out loud for her family, friends, and community every morning.
 
That piece of furniture is long gone, but the vivid memory deeply and immediately impacts me.
 
In the hurry of our lives, let’s take a moment to prep, plan, and organize a designated time and place to worship and pray to our God.
 
Pastor Adam

Have you ever simply needed someone to sit with you and say absolutely nothing? Just sit with you and “be” with you in whatever circumstance you find yourself in?  I’ve been there.
 
In the book of Job, we come across Job, sitting with his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
 
These so-called friends have been ridiculing him, trying their best to convince him that his circumstances were the result of hidden, unconfessed sin in his life.
 
The very first verse of Job declares, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1).  These fellas obviously never got the memo!
 
Two thirds of the way through the book of Job, he finally tells these guys, “What miserable comforters you are” (Job 16:2)!
 
Before we join Job in his eruption, let’s give his friends their due credit for the good that they did do.
 

1. They actually took time out of their lives to be with their friend.  He was suffering and they came.  That’s a good friend!
2. They empathized with him, “…they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads (Job 2:12).
3. They spent time with him!  “Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:13).  Seven days is a very long time to sit in silence with someone!

 
It would seem that their initial objective was weaved from pure and wholesome intent.  It was only when they began filtering Job’s circumstances through their own understanding of God’s ways that they began to attack him.
 
They assumed, like many do, that Job’s suffering was the result of God’s judgment.
 
These men might have saved themselves from trouble if they had simply gotten up from sitting with Job, exchanged hugs, a nod of the head, a pat on the back, and a wish of goodwill.
 
They couldn’t resist, however, overthinking his dilemma and condition and offering inaccurate counsel as they tried to make sense of his anguish.
 
God, however, had the last word!  In Job 42:7, the Lord declared to Job’s friends, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
 
We can learn a lot from these guys!  The resounding sound of silence may be exactly what a troubled friend needs in times of tribulation.
 
It will always be more encouraging to a friend when you are empathetic toward their unavoidable, unexpected, unplanned circumstances. It may actually be your silence and compassion that allows them to hear God’s opinion on the matter!
 
Pastor Adam

Driving to and from the church office, hospital visits, and home visits, I frequently notice a redundant sign atop empty storefronts and vacant warehouse buildings that reads, “Available.”
 
It is a constant reminder to me that the Lord is more interested in my availability than He is in my abilities. He is less interested in my talents, my education, my wealth, or my successes than He is interested in how willing I am to minister to those around me.
 
Isaiah chapter six is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. In this chapter of Isaiah we are ushered into the very throne room of God. We see and hear the seraphim with their six wings crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”  We can literally feel the doorposts shake at their cry.  We are immediately exposed to the Lord who is seated high upon His throne and we can only imagine what it looked like to see the train of his robe fill the whole temple.
 
As we make our way through this magnificent chapter, we arrive at verse eight where the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
 
Isaiah’s instant reply is a resounding, “Here am I! Send me.”
 
I have thought about this question and this reply many, many times.  Do I have this attitude? Am I as available to the Lord as Isaiah was?  When another thing is added to my already busy schedule, am I available? When I am in the midst of a time crunch, am I available? When I have mismanaged my time, am I available? Convicting.
 
Can I challenge us all this week to be more available? Take a moment to pray with someone this week, to listen to someone, to simply be available to someone.  May our reply be, like Isaiah’s reply, “Here am I! Send me.”
 
May you have a blessed week in the name of the Lord,
 
Pastor Adam

I was able to share the gospel with hundreds of inmates on Saturday (6/22/24) using the following information from Bill Glass Behind the Walls Ministry. I would like to share the steps with you so that you, too, can share the gospel with others!
 
When you share with others about Jesus, let them know:
 
God Loves You

• John 3:16 (read it).
• Romans 5:8 (read it).

 
Everyone Has a Problem

• Romans 3:23 (read it).
• Romans 6:23 (read it).

God Has a Solution

• John 14:6 (read it).
• Acts 10:43 (read it).
• Romans 10:9 (read it).

Tell them:
 
The Bible, God's Word, promises if you will believe in Him and receive the gift of salvation He offers, He will FORGIVE your sin and make you a brand new person.
 
You can openly declare your belief in and acceptance of Jesus by praying this simple prayer...
  
That is just a taste of the contents of many, many conversations I had with the men in Sterling Correctional Facility last weekend. Many became believers for the first time by following these steps which led to dozens of further discussions.
 
I pray that you use these steps to lead someone to Christ today!
 
Pastor Adam

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-6 NKJV).

The first part of this text is overwhelmingly negative and depressing, although it is full of pure truth! The Apostle Paul is describing the unregenerate, non-believer. Such a person travels through life guided by the dominant philosophy of the world which is influenced by Satan. Such a person is always thinking about ways to satisfy their carnal desires. Such a person is a child of wrath.

At one time, this was my life!  I can clearly remember my conduct prior to surrendering my life to Jesus.  I was in a totally depraved state.  My mind was not on the things of God, nor were my actions and behaviors influenced by the Holy Spirit.  I was dead to authentic love and blind to my faults.  I was a child of wrath and an enemy of God.  But God invaded my life and completely changed everything!

Today I am alive in Christ and a child of God!

Have you had a "but God" experience?  Email me and tell me about it.

If you have never had a "but God" experience, email me and let's talk!

Pastor Adam

What do you do when you find yourself threatened by the enemy? You are empty of resources, full of despair, and in-between a rock and a hard place. Do you take a stand? Do you resist? Do you surrender?
 
King Sennacherib sent Hezekiah a letter containing the following message or threat, “Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, ‘Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'  Look!  You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?“ (2 Kings 18-19)
 
Can you put your feet in the sandals of king Hezekiah as he read Sennacherib’s letter?  He was responsible for the safety and peace of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The lives of the men, women, and children were being threatened.
 
The Assyrians were masters of torture! They would cut off limbs, gouge out eyes, and impale their victims on large stakes. King Sennacherib’s threat was bonafide, legitimate, immediate!
 
King Hezekiah presented the written threat directly to the Lord, “And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord” (2 Kings 19:14).
 
Are you in a “no win” situation? Are you facing an extremely difficult challenge? Are you empty of resources, full of despair, and in-between a rock and a hard place? Spread your circumstances before the Lord. The battle ultimately belongs to Him!
 
Read 2 Kings 19:35 to find out how the Lord defeated Hezekiah’s enemies!
 
Have a great week!
 
Pastor Adam

As we are at the end of spring and heading into the summer months many of us are performing decluttering and home maintenance that we couldn't accomplish during the winter months.

A quick walk-through of the inside of my spiritual home immediately displays things out of place, clutter that I’d overlooked, and habits I thought I’d gotten rid of long ago!

While trying to perform decluttering and maintenance in our home, I began thinking about the decluttering and maintenance needed in my heart.

I read an article a couple of years ago that listed three of the most important things a seller can do before staging a home for potential buyers. They are as follows:

1. Clean
2. Declutter
3. Freshen Up

I immediately began applying this list to my heart.

1. Clean: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
2. Declutter: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
3. Freshen Up: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

May we declutter and maintain our hearts in light of God's grace in this season.
 
Have a great week!
 
Pastor Adam

It was Solomon who wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:6).

A true friend will actually speak up when/if they see you doing something that is harmful to yourself or others.

Such faithfulness brings with it deep love, great respect, and unselfish motives.

The wounds from a friend should lead to healing and repair.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

The attitude of rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep should be the attitude we carry with us whenever we are confronting a friend with truth.

Truth can hurt; especially when it requires a person to drastically change a destructive mindset.

A faithful friend is able to apply the gentle surgery with love, respect, and unselfish motives to help heal.

It is only then when a friend's wounds are truly faithful.

Have a great week!

Pastor Adam