A person may not know where to find it in the Bible and some may not even be aware that it is actually a Bible verse, but if you ask them about the "Golden Rule" many of them will start reciting it with great familiarity.

We come to a perplexing scenario. I preached from Matthew 7:1-6 this past weekend and a couple different people commented that what was said didn't seem to fit their personal experience.

Time flies when you're having fun! That is especially true for us as we have just celebrated our associate pastor's first anniversary. Pastor Jeremy and his wife, Anna, have been a huge blessing to our church!

What I am doing seems to have little or no impact. I often feel unproductive and unfruitful. It is no longer effective for me to continue; at this point, I only see what I am doing as a waste of time.

A brand new series that begins this coming Sunday that will revolutionize and transform our lives and ministry.

This past Sunday, Pastor Jeremy and I presented a new vision for New Horizons and we are excited about what we believe God is going to do as we follow His plan for our church!

This past Sunday we had our core meeting and even though we have some building projects that require our attention, God has been good to us and what a joy it is to experience God's blessing. I can honestly say that I am more excited about the future of our church than even before!

Of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting may be the most difficult and challenging. Even though it is not required by God, fasting does have spiritual benefits if done in the right way and for the right reason. Fasting to lose weight does not draw us closer to God. Although there are benefits of fasting, the Bible nowhere records the physical benefits, but rather the spiritual benefits.

Any Christian that loves God desires to have a more effective prayer life. The first part of the Lord's Prayer model begins with praise and then moves to petition. It is here that we identify the requests for which we ask of God.

If we took a poll regarding our prayer life, we would find people at both ends of the spectrum. Some would say that their prayer life is weak and in need of help while others would find their prayer life to be satisfactory. However, if we are to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, we must learn to pray as Jesus prayed. Mark 1:35 gives us a glimpse of our Lord's prayer life. In Luke 11:1, the disciples asked the Lord to teach them how to pray. They didn't ask Him to teach them a prayer, but to teach them how to pray. The Lord's prayer that we find in Matthew 6:9-15 is just that: a model prayer; a guide to a more effective prayer life.

We called this past Sunday, Impact Sunday. Not only was it a time to celebrate what the Lord did at this year's VBS and the impact we had on the lives of nearly 90 in attendance, but we also prepared ourselves for the impact that we hope to have on Backpack Sunday.

Why does a large part of our budget come from the children's ministry? When we understand how Jesus valued children and the future impact we can have on the lives of young people, it is not hard to discern why we must invest in this ministry.

On a daily basis, we are exposed to the news of death and catastrophe. People die every day and even when news of mass shootings or natural disaster claims the lives of many, we have become so callused to the reality of death that we seldom wonder about their eternity. Do we even wonder anymore whether or not they knew the Lord?

I marvel at the number of people that frequent their churches on any given Sunday with little understanding of the expectations that God requires of them and maybe even greater ignorance of what they can expect from God. In the final words of Matthew 5, Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." What does that even mean?

Asking people to do something beyond their already busy lives is a hard sell. That is, unless they are devoted to Jesus Christ and understand His imperative to serve others.

It happens to all of us. We are enjoying our visit with family members or friends that we haven't seen in a while and in an instant, you are caught off guard when your little niece or nephew enter the room and they are not what you recall. You have a picture of them in your phone where they are frozen in time. They are still that youngster in your mind, but now they are all grown up. Perhaps you catch yourself saying, "I can't believe how much you've grown!"

Proverbs 18:22 states, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor of the Lord." These are the words that the minister quoted when he conducted my wedding. Little did I realize how those words would be proven to be true again and again.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, as the old saying goes. The same thing applies to marriage. When Jesus is confronted about the subject of divorce, He initially ignores their question by stating God's original intent for marriage. In this blog, we identify three fundamental keys to marriage.

Any teacher or preacher who uses the Bible must be careful to teach it in the way that God intended. While there are various styles of teaching, expository preaching is the most effective way of communicating God's Word.

There are many different styles and personalities behind the pulpit. Some are more attractive and appealing than others. Some believers would rather hear messages that are uplifting and encouraging than listen to sermons that are hard to hear or study difficult passages. The question is, "Why Do I Need To Hear This?"

As often as we pick up our phone and check email, twitter and Facebook feeds, we are always looking for good news. It may be the anticipated phone call from the doctor's office to hear the test results, or it could be a text from a friend that asked for your prayers for a specific situation in their life. Whatever the method that we receive the news, we are always hoping to hear good news.

The title is somewhat concerning...maybe a bit confusing. After all, who in their right mind would believe that those who are insulted or those who are verbally harassed can be happy?

Do we every notice the people around us?

Why did Jesus have to die? Many have pondered the reason and necessity behind the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. After all, if God is all-powerful, could He not have prevented sin from being committed in the first place? Could He not have prevented the fall? Why would God allow evil in the world if it would ultimately lead to the death of His Son at Calvary?

Do we really need to celebrate it?

Have you ever bumped into someone or were about to when you heard them say, "Watch where you're going?" How often do we find ourselves in such a hurry that we were either involved in an accident or were the cause of it? Or what about the decisions that we make? It is much better to sit down and plan properly than to respond with a knee-jerk reaction. The key is becoming intentional. Thinking intentionally. Responding intentionally. Walking intentionally.

Every Christian has a longing for God. If not, are they truly a Christian? The problem is not that we lack the desire to serve God and follow Him; the problem is that we also desire to serve our flesh.

What makes a movie good to watch and what makes one wrong?

We enjoy being applauded for our performance and complimented for our accomplishment, but the person who seeks the applause of man will never be truly satisfied. It is only when we seek the applause of heaven, living to serve an audience of One, that we discover true satisfaction.

Emotion or Choice

You could almost hear a pin drop as fans across America were holding their breath during the final seconds of Super Bowl LII. Many Patriots fans may have declared today, Monday, as a day of mourning. Tom Brady summed it up this way in a post-game interview, "You try to win, sometimes you lose, that's the way it goes." Of course, the kind of mourning that brings comfort has nothing to do with football. It was Jesus who said, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4)

Have you ever asked yourself why you come on Sunday?

At the end of a long day, most of us will look back and review the events of the day. Maybe we feel a great sense of accomplishment or perhaps disappointment. If only there was a way to ensure each day was fulfilling and rewarding...

Are devotions worth it or can you just skip?

The bags are packed. The car is loaded. The gas tank is full. Everything is ready for the road trip. Just as many of us hit the open road for a Christmas getaway, there is a feeling of excitement when the family is all buckled up and as your car pulls out the driveway, now you're off!

So This is Christmas and what have you done......

As we approach the end of another year, the question that many people are asking is, "Where did the time go?" This is a brief challenge to prepare your heart for a productive New Year.

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of year...but not for everyone! It is not a jolly season for all. There are plenty of reasons for us to consider.

There are plenty of reasons why people either attend or are absent from church. This week, we are asking for your response to help us in better understanding today's culture of church attendance. Your participation in this conversation is greatly appreciated!

Should you let your kid on the Field?

Why do God's people continue to struggle with obstacles and addictions? Why do we find ourselves dealing with the same problems over and over again? It is when we understand the value and benefit of repentance that we will find victory.

Starting up a brand new blog and we need your ideas. Please add your comments and suggestions. If you wish to remain anonymous, please indicate that in your response. It is our prayer that this new blog will be a blessing to all of our readers. Thank you!