Jeremiah has often been referred to as the "weeping prophet", and rightfully so. His writings contain serious warnings, heartaches, isolation, as well as emotional and spiritual anguish. However, through his words, we can find insight and hope for our lives. In the Book of Jeremiah (29:11), he tells us this, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. God's plan for us is very simple.

Of the many great lessons taught by the Bible, humility is one of the toughest yet most important. Certainly, John the Baptist was a great example of being humble in service. As he is baptizing several believers and being complimented by the masses, John speaks of the greatness of Jesus (3:22-30). Notice in verse 30 when he says, He must become greater, I must become less. In preparation for His death on the cross, Jesus spent time in deep fellowship with His disciples. I

They say you begin to slow down as you age. To some degree, I believe that to be true. It is a natural part of the aging process. However, I do not believe that we should ever just stop. Our schedules should reflect a healthy balance of work and rest, just like God intended. Perhaps it is the season of life I am in, or the amount of miles I have put on my mind and body. Regardless of the reasons, society seems to be moving way too fast. Everyone seems to be in a hurry.

In the Book of Isaiah (53:2-12), we read a prophecy that speaks about the suffering that Christ endured for you and me. It is incredible to think God loves us to the point of being willing to offer His only Son as a sacrifice. One of the most important biblical truths to remember is that while every sacrifice is an offering, not every offering is a sacrifice. An offering is when you give something to someone. A sacrifice is when you give up something for someone. In the O

Most of us consider ourselves good, moral people; especially after watching the news and the current state of our society. How do we define a "good" person? Primarily, it is by their actions. But what about their motivation or reasons for performing good acts? In the Book of Ephesians (2:4-5. 8-9), Paul talks about trying to work our way unto salvation. In his letter to the church of Ephesus, Paul makes it very clear that we can never do enough good to earn a spot in heav

The word "joy" appears 165 times in the King James Bible. That number explodes to over 400 when you include the words "joyful" or "rejoice". From this, we can clearly see that joy is important to both the Creator and His creation. Jesus teaches that true joy is an enduring peace and connection with God, regardless of our circumstances. In the Book of John (15:11) Jesus tells us, These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full

All of us, at one time or another, have worn ourselves out. Whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual we have felt what it is like to be exhausted. But have you ever found yourself tired all the time? And no matter what you do, you cannot seen to overcome it? Perhaps it is the pace of the world in which we live. Or, more importantly, it may be how you are approaching your relationship with Jesus. If you are tired of being tired all of the time, you may be ex

Do you know the smallest book in the Bible? 2 John has only 13 verses (followed closely by the third epistle of John with 14 verses). I believe from the Apostle John’s second epistle, we can retrieve one of God’s greatest messages: love and truth. Verse one speaks about love in the truth. Who is our truth? In John 14:6, Jesus refers to Himself. I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. In verse three, John speaks about both

It is more than okay for you to love your country. Doing so does not mean you love everything about it. However, no one should ever feel sorry or be made to feel sorry for patriotism. As we celebrate the founding of this nation and the defense of our freedoms, we must (still) not only be prepared to defend these same freedoms, but also our faith through biblical truths. Peter tells us to sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyo

As we look to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country, many are feeling both patriotic and nostalgic about the great sacrifice, effort and dedication it has taken to deliver the current freedoms we enjoy; and sometimes take for granted. The foundation of The United States of America went far beyond July 4th, 1776. As a nation, we share an incredible bond through our history, both good and bad. One does not have to overlook the darker side of our country to recognize,

The writer of the Book of Psalms (139: 1-5, 13-16) tells us the God knew our reins or inner-most being even before we were born. Not only does this shed light into when life begins from a biblical perspective, it also speaks of the Divine Hand that has been upon each of our lives. God knew, and knows everything about you and me. Our highs and lows, successes and failures, decisions, thoughts and relationships. There are no surprises in a life He uniquely created for you (

As Christians, we believe the Bible to be the living Word of God. Not some of it or even most of it, but all of it. It is the foundation on which we should live our lives. It provides comfort, wisdom, guidance, conviction and hope. But how do we know it is true? In our journey through life, we must rely upon discernment as we study God's Word. Beyond historical proof of the Scriptures, we can also see God's Hand in the writings of each book. Certainly, there may be oth

I have never climbed an actual mountain, although I have been on some pretty steep hills riding horses. And even though I have only watched professional rock climbers from the safety of the ground, I can't help but compare it to our journey as Christians. Isaiah 2:2-3 says, "come let us to up to the mountain of the Lord". It is a prophetic passage that tells us one day that God's mountain will rise above the others and that all nations will stream to it. Below are some tru

You do not have to look far to see suffering in this world. It seems to be all around us with no relief in sight. As we read the bible, we are told that suffering has been a part of human existence since the creation. Along with this suffering has been the age old question: how can a loving God allow these things to happen? Hundreds, if not thousands, of books have been written on the subject with people spending much of their life searching for an answer. I believe the an

This past weekend, our country celebrated and recognized military veterans that have sacrificed so that we may enjoy the freedoms so often we take for granted. It grieves me to see that some celebrations have been cancelled due to lack of funding and attendance. Whoa to us if we forget those that have given us victory. Did you know as Christians, we are a part of God's army? Just like soldiers in the military, we have certain duties. We can find these "marching orders" i

What is your motivation in the morning? Do you naturally wake up to face the day? Or, do you dread the sound of the alarm clock and the thought of dragging yourself out of bed? As Christians, God provides us encouragement through many things, including His Word. Earlier this month, I challenged our congregation to start each morning thanking God for (at least) 22 blessings. With that, I want to share a beautiful passage from the Book of Psalms (112:1-9) that has lifted m

All of us at one time or another have answered a knock at our front door. Sometimes, it will be an expected guest. While other times, it is an unexpected visitor. Regardless of the situation, we made the decision whether or not to let this person in our home. And with that decision, came both feelings of enjoyment or regret. It is the same in our spiritual walk through this world. We have people and things knocking on our hearts wanting to get inside. And, depending on

A lot of people seem to be talking about a lot of things lately. Whether it be in person, by phone, text, email or one of the endless social media platforms, we are constantly communicating. It feels, however, that sometimes we are not saying a whole lot. The Bible speaks into the trouble with saying things just to hear ourselves. In both the Book of James (5:12) and Matthew (5:37), we learn that less is actually more when we talk. In Matthew, Jesus includes this wisdom in

Growing up in the Quinn household was a little different than some other houses. There were definite expectations and rules that were not up for discussion. From a young age, I learned the definition and value of tough love. I knew that my parents loved us, but I also knew just as strongly that they were preparing us for the challenges that lay ahead. One example that comes to mind is when Dad taught me and my sister how to swim. There were no paid lessons involved from a

While some seem to struggle with the definition of a woman, the Bible provides both a beautiful and true representation of what God had in mind when He created Eve. In the Book of Proverbs (31:10-31), we read one such description, Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil. All the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works wit