Posts with the tag “matt-vorhees”

Easter Sunday is less than three weeks away. Do you know where Jesus was three weeks before His death, burial, and resurrection? He was in Jerusalem for the final week, but what about three weeks before?According to John, He was in the region of Perea, just east of Jericho, across the Jordan, the place where His ministry began when He was baptized by John (John 10:40-42). And John tells us, “…and ...  Read More

As we all know, Easter 2024 is nearly upon us. I hope you will plan on joining us for Easter Weekend on March 29 – 31. I was recently asked by Bakersfield Life Magazine to answer the question, “What is the significance of Easter?” The following was my response:Easter is one of the most important celebrations on the church calendar. It is a time when we remember that although death is the penalty f...  Read More

We talk plenty about being a church that “makes disciples who make disciples” and a hallmark verse for this vision is found in 2 Timothy 2:2. It says, “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” Many have noted the four generations of disciples mentioned in this verse: Paul, Timothy, faithful men, and those the...  Read More

The summer moments are dwindling fast. Vacation Bible School and our church camps are in the rear-view mirror. Many of our vacations are already done and documented on social media. The days are starting to get shorter and we’re already in the last week of July. Next week is August and the new school year is right around the corner. And if you’re like me, it’s been a full and somewhat exhausting s...  Read More

When you visit the Holy Land, a common stop during your tour will be Nazareth Village, an outdoor museum depicting what daily life in Galilee was like during Jesus' time. The ancient land was preserved on the grounds of the Nazareth Hospital. Archaeological excavations unearthed  unique treasures below the surface including watchtowers, an ancient winepress, and a spring-fed irrigation system. In ...  Read More

“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to soun...  Read More

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”Colossians‬ ‭4:2I love how verse two describes what our prayer life should be like. Notice that we never stop praying, rather, we continue in it. There will never be a season of life where prayer becomes superfluous. We always need it! Secondly, we continue steadfastly because every sinful desire in us screams at us to stop. ...  Read More

“You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” - James‬ ‭5:11Something struck me about how James talks about the story of Job. The steadfastness of Job is pretty obvious. Though enduring unimaginable suffering, he does not curse God, but maintains his righteous trust in Him.But what James points to, which I think...  Read More