A pregnant virgin – what kind of ridiculousness is that? But as far fetched as that sounded, Mary was a virtuous woman. Of that Joseph was sure. So what should he do? He clearly didn’t believe Mary, but being a just man, he extended mercy and determined to put her away quietly instead of openly chastising her. But one night Joseph’s plan was intercepted. An angel visited him in a dream and confirm...  Read More

You decided to fast- or are just looking to learn more about it. What is it? Why do we do it? How do we even start? That's what we will discuss in this article.  Read More

Glorious angel with a grand announcement. No doubt Gabriel’s appearance jarred her. But it was his words that left her speechless. Highly favored…the Lord is with you…blessed among women…these were salutations of great honor! It is little wonder that Mary was bewildered and even troubled by the encounter. Her eyes had never beheld an angel. And his message was overwhelming!Once Gabriel settled Mar...  Read More

In today’s reading, Moses was on a mountain with God ~ Wow! The man who spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai with God was the same shepherd who argued with a burning bush in the desert. In Exodus 6:2-3, God explained to Moses how Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew Him only as God, but Moses would experience Him as Lord, a reference to vibrant intimacy. Incredible! And Moses surely did experience...  Read More

A miracle of inexpressible proportion! Nothing logical could have explained the event Moses and the Israelites experienced! It was undeniably spectacular! Can you imagine the astonished relief of God’s people?Moses opened his mouth, and glorious praises spilled forth. His heart overflowed with unstoppable waves of gratitude. The once doubt-filled man watched as the Red Sea heard the command of the...  Read More

The final plague over Egypt was the death of the firstborn children. Pharaoh furiously ordered Moses to gather the Israelites and leave immediately. But it didn’t take long for Pharaoh’s heart to harden again, and he quickly changed his mind. He rallied all of the captains of his army and readied his best chariots to bring the Israelites back to Egypt.Picture with me some 600,000 Israelites travel...  Read More

Callouses on a hardened heart must be chipped away for tenderness to surface. This is a true statement for both Pharaoh and Moses – Pharaoh in his bolstering pride and Moses in his insecurities.Unfortunately, Pharaoh refused to be humbled. God sent ten plagues to ravage Egypt until Pharaoh was rendered completely powerless. Though he possessed a mighty army fully outfitted with horses and chariots...  Read More

Three hundred miles – that is the distance Moses traveled back to Egypt. The trip was long. Time surely added complexity to this journey since it gave Moses ample time to anticipate the coming confrontation with Pharaoh. No doubt his apprehension eclipsed his mind, setting forth wild imaginations. Nothing in the natural made sense. How could a stuttering man advanced in age convince the most power...  Read More

God’s command was met with much resistance. Moses was not an eloquent speaker.He was not a communicator by nature and understandably had great concerns that neither the Israelites nor Pharaoh would listen to him. He needed credibility. He needed a smoothdelivery. He needed to convince Pharaoh to release the captives, the very people who bore the labor workforce and helped maintain this pagan ruler...  Read More

Could life be more mundane and predictable than shepherding a flock on the backsideof the desert? Life was remote. Days were scorching hot. And the world was simple. Until Godinvaded a bush with fire, but the plant was not consumed. Moses came closer to investigatethe phenomenon. He was met by a powerful voice, “Take off your sandals for the place whereyou are standing is holy ground.” Forty years...  Read More

Anvil ~ in the world of forging an anvil is an unforgiving cold surface where the shaping process takes place. The blacksmith pounds steel that is set ablaze in the fiery coals of a furnace. At the hammer’s relentless thrashing, new shapes emerge. The metal, once formless and without purpose, becomes a new creation in the hand of its craftsman.  Read More

Today, we live in a digital world with ever-increasing access to the Internet through smartphones. While this technology has brought about many positive elements to our world, it has also fueled the rise of online sexually graphic content. Pornography has had a destructive impact on families throughout the country.  Read More