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

In Paul's first letter to the church of Thessalonica, he tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In this passage, Paul is not suggesting conduct a nonstop audible prayer. He does, however, imply maintaining a continuous awareness of God's presence, making prayer a habitual, daily lifestyle Tomorrow is our nation's day of prayer. From the founding fathers to modern day presidents, our country has placed an emphasis on prayer and fasting as a way to seek God's

Have you ever been tested by someone? Or tested someone to see what they were saying was true? Although some may look at this in a negative light, I have chosen to embrace being challenged in my life. Being tested by something or someone is a chance or opportunity to prove a truth. Would you find it surprising that God also invites us to challenge Him? Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, speaks about God's displeasure for His people. God burdens His prophet to t

Are you a morning person? Or, is almost painful to pull yourself out of bed to start your day? Some are even able to wake up by a natural rhythm their bodies have created. Certainly, there can be contributing factors such as lack of sleep, late evenings or other situations that impact the way we greet the beginning of a new day. Whether you are an early riser or a late sleeper, we have a choice on how to greet each morning that God has given us. Our congregation at Otsego

We seem to live in a society that is constantly looking for the WOW factor. Whether it be in our personal or professional lives, it feels like so many of us are focused on the next best thing instead of being content with the smaller blessings God provides every day. Our constant access to the lives of others through social media has only accelerated this unhealthy desire to have more, do more and experience more. In the Book of Proverbs, we read about how envy can steal o

Paul's letter to the church in Philippi is filled with instruction, encouragement and hope. As he sits in prison for his faith (in action), Paul writes that there can be joy in suffering for Christ. He speaks to the church about humility and unity. In the second chapter (3-4), Paul describes it like this, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his ow

In the Book of Revelation (3:15:22), Jesus is speaking to both us as individuals and the church as a whole when He says He know(s) thy work . Many times, we convince ourselves that Jesus somehow cannot tell, or doesn't care when we keep one foot in the world and one foot in heaven. In other words, some of us are riding the fence! In this particular passage of scripture, Christ is telling us to choose a side. Similar to Joshua 25:15 choose for yourselves this day whom you w

During college, Lovel and I both had a summer job on a horse farm. Part of our responsibilities was to hitch a team of horses to a buggy. It was a learning experience in not only preparing the harnesses, but also mastering the art of driving the buggy while getting the two horses to work together. It was extremely difficult (and often frustrating) when the horses were not in sync and seemed to be on two different paths. Many times, it felt like being pulled in separate di