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If someone keeps telly you how honest they are, don't you start to wonder if it's true? I certainly do. I'm automatically suspicious of any business that incorporates similar language in its name, though I have known those who are as good as their word. We've come to expect deception because we've all experienced it. What else should we expect from a world under the sway of the father of lies. What does it mean to have integrity?  We all know it’s wrong to lie, but then we’re faced with that uncomfortable situation.  One little “white lie” would make it go away, or so we think.  What about the way we do our jobs?  What about the way we fill out our tax forms?  The world will tell you there are all kinds of situations where it’s okay to be less than honest, but that perspective quickly changes when we are on the receiving end of someone else’s lies. As followers of Jesus, we have a higher standard to uphold. He defines Himself as the truth (John 14:6.) If He is the truth, and the devil the father of lies (John 8:44,) there's little room for doubt as to the conduct He expects from us. Do not lie to one another, since you put off the old man with its evil practices, and have put on the new man who is being renewed to a full knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— (Colossians 3:9-10 Legacy Standard Bible)

Israel had just watched the ground open up and swallow Korah's rebellion. Fire had consumed two hundred and fifty men. And the very next day, the people's response was to blame Moses and Aaron: "You are the ones who have caused the death of the people of Yahweh." That is the hardness of the human heart on display — the same heart we carry. We grumble too, even when we dress it up as something else. We question whether God is good, whether He is fair, whether He has treated us justly. Numbers 16 shows us how seriously God takes that. Judgment fell, and 14,700 died. But in the middle of it, Aaron ran into the crowd with fire from the altar and stood between the dead and the living until the plague stopped. That scene points past Aaron to Jesus. His sacrifice is the only atonement that actually holds, and it is still enough for the grumbler who turns to Him.

Everyone has ideas about God. Some say there is no God at all. Some say there are many. Some say He exists but doesn't care. But those aren't options we've actually been given — because God has not left Himself hidden. Creation testifies to the Creator, and His word tells us who He is and what He wants. Psalm 19 sets both before us. The heavens declare God's glory without a single word, and the sun — worshiped as a god in David's day — is put in its place as a mere servant. Then the psalm turns to the law of Yahweh, praised as more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. And when we grasp what's true, there is really only one response: confession, repentance, and the prayer that our words and our hearts would be pleasing to Him. Join us as we walk through Psalm 19 — the God who reveals Himself, and the heart that answers Him.

On the weekend of this message, 3 hurricanes and an earthquake were in the news. As my wife and i were praying for the people affected by these events, I confess I was struggling a bit. Later that day the Lord brought to mind one of those times when Jesus and his disciples were out in a storm. As I did some research into what it was probably like for them, I could hardly blame them for being afraid. The boat they were in was likely barely big enough to hold them all, leaked even in good weather, and was designed in such a way that the storm would have been tossing it around like a child's toy while it filled up with water. But Jesus is sleeping through it all in the back of the boat. No wonder the disciples questioned Him in Mark's account, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” Jesus was unconcerned though he was in the same sinking boat with them. They were about to learn why. Chiding them for their lack of faith, He simply commanded the storm, and it ceased to be. In the mist of the storms, actual or metaphorical, we might be tempted to wonder if god is paying us any attention. Sometimes it seems as if He must be asleep like Jesus in that boat. Now they obviously knew He was with them, but they didn't yet understand just who He was. They didn't know it, but God was with them in that boat. If Jesus is our Lord, we can have the same confidence. We may not see the sun right now, but the Son will shine in the end. Our primary text is from Mark 4:35-41.

We all know someone who rubs us the wrong way—whether a coworker, a difficult family member, or even someone in our own church. When friction arises, our natural temptation is to lash out, hold a grudge, or use our words to tear them down. But as followers of Christ, we are called to a higher standard. In this message from Ephesians 4:29-32, we explore the profound connection between the words we speak, the condition of our hearts, and our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Discover how to guard your tongue, put away bitterness, and choose the difficult but liberating path of forgiveness. Learn how to speak words that don't grieve the Spirit, but instead bring grace and healing to those who hear them.

Our church was founded with a heart for people with disabilities. Over the years many have come through our doors, and many have gone out again, often to their eternal reward. Many caring people have helped us over the years, and for that we remain grateful. But there is a danger we face in becoming too comfortable in our disability. I know that statement seems to stand in opposition to what many of us have fought so hard to gain. That is, acceptance, both within ourselves and from those around us. Allow me to add some clarification. It is easy for us to fall into the trap of low expectation. We may even come to believe that there is nothing we can do, and that really others are obligated to do it for us. Everyone needs help from time to time, and God made us to need each other, but we are also to take responsibility for our own lives. And when it comes to doing what God has told us to do, there really is no excuse. For illustration, let us turn to Exodus Chapter 4, verses 10-16. We drop into the middle of a conversation that Yahweh and Moses began back in Chapter 3, when Moses spotted the burning bush that wasn't burning and went to check it out. Yahweh called upon Moses to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt, but Moses really did not want to do it. He kept raising objections until God finally became angry with him. We're going to examine one of those objections. Then Moses said to Yahweh, “Please, Lord, I have never been a man of words, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your slave; for I am one with a hard mouth and a hard tongue.” (v. 10) Many have interpreted this to mean that Moses had a speech impediment, but the text is far from conclusive on that. Though it is clear that Aaron speaks for him in the beginning, he will have a lot to say in the years to come. Nevertheless, he clearly felt that he was not up to the task that God was assigning him, whatever the reason. But look How God answers And Yahweh said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? 12 So now, go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth and will instruct you what you shall speak.” (v. 11) When God calls us, He will give us what we need to accomplish the mission. Now let's bring it down to Earth a bit. You might say, "I'm not Moses." It's true that Moses had a unique role to play in God's story, but it's also true that every single one of us is called by God to a life of holiness. That means much more than just showing up at church when the doors open. It extends to all of our lives. It means acting with integrity in every situation. It means doing what is right even when it costs you. It means doing what you can, and taking responsibility. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the first thing they did was blame someone else. Many of us face more challenges than most, but we are still responsible before God to live righteously. Yes, we will fall short. Otherwise Jesus' sacrifice would not have been necessary. But we don't get a pass just because life is a little harder for us. When God says "Go," you better not say "no."

What does it mean to be tolerant? If you ask Google, you'll get a definition about allowing something you don't necessarily like without interfering. But if you ask our culture, tolerance has been redefined — it now means full acceptance, even celebration. And sadly, the church has too often gone along with it, wrapping that compromise in Christian language and calling it love. This week, we're looking at 1 Corinthians 5, where the Apostle Paul confronts a church that was proud of its open-armed acceptance — even while tolerating blatant sin in its own midst. Paul's response is sharp, but his goal is not destruction. It's redemption. We'll look at what the Bible actually teaches about judgment inside the church, why tolerating sin is the opposite of love, and how discipline — when done rightly — always points toward restoration.

About this time every year, we invite family and friends to come back and join us as we remember who we are and where we've come from, giving all Glory to the one true God. Join us as we share our memories, our vision, and an inspiring message from guest pastor Jay Gibson. Special thanks to the Gibson family and Harvest Oaks Church for their many years of support and friendship.

When we meet together, it's important to know not only what we're doing, but why we're doing it. This overview of Psalm 100 will explain the reasons behind the music we choose and the way it is arranged.

What is love? You'd be hard pressed to define it by the way we use it. We "love" everything from God to guacamole. It's a simple little word, but as we say, "it's complicated." The Greek language uses four different words for love in regard to human relationships where we have just one, which we saddle with the additional baggage of thing we really like. So, what does it mean when the Bible tells us that God loves us? What does it mean when it says that God is love? When I read that God is love in 1 John 4:8 for the first time at the age of seventeen, it changed everything. I already believed, but then I saw the way that one could truly come to know God. It became my life-long goal to know love. When the Bible speaks of God's love, it usually uses one of those four Greek words I mentioned above, ἀγάπη (agape.) You will also find it in reference to the love we are to have for God, for each other, and even for our enemies! So, what does that kind of love look like? Paul lays it out for us in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.