12.4.22. As we head into the Christmas season, we can find ourselves doubting. Did a virgin really give birth to God's Son? Did Jesus really die on a cross, rise on the third day, then float up to heaven? And if I believe in him, I'll get to go to heaven? Pastor Mike wrestles with this tension: w...

12.11.22. Why is it so hard for us to pray? If we believe in God and know he can change things, why do we end up praying so little? If we're honest, Pastor Mike says, maybe it's because it's hard to believe prayer really works. Pastor Mike opens up the Bible to an account in the gospel of Luke th...

12.18.22. What do you think about yourself, especially compared to others? How we answer that question reveals a lot about us. Because, Pastor Mike says, God will flip it: God will smash the pride of people who think they’re so good. And those who know they’re not will be raised up. Why does God ...

12.25.22. The Christmas season can be crazy busy with shopping, presents, and parties. Or it can be crazy hard, with difficult relationships, anxiety, and depression. It's not a stretch to say we're all feeling a little stressed. And yet, two thousand years ago when the world was even more chaoti...

True Crimes of the Bible Promo Video

04.14.23. Because of today's culture, we need to do more than just share the good news of God's love—we also need to follow the example of Jesus' half brother Jude and be on alert for the dangers that have slipped in among Christians. Pastor Mike teaches of the two dangers Jude warns us about whi...

When God messes with your plans, he has better plans. Need proof? Just look at what God did with the apostle Paul.

Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Caesarea Maritima, where Paul was imprisoned for more than a year, Pastor Mike reminds us how ...

What's one of our worst problems? Always wanting our way and not wanting to submit.

Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, where Jesus submitted to his Father's will, Pastor Mike helps us learn to submit.

In a world full of worry where we find it hard to sit still, God has two words for us.

Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, Pastor Mike reminds us how God is like a safe city for us.

When you're worried, all you need to do is go outside, turn your ears to the sky, and listen to the birds.

Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave his famous Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Mike reminds us what ...

God never claims that his plans or purposes will make sense to you. So what should you do when you're uncertain?

Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic. We kick off his Israel devotions, as we look at how we can trust God even when we don't understand what'...

These commandments remind us to look straight ahead. Don't worry about what someone else has. If we'd like a better relationship with our spouse or children, this is our reminder to work on it!

1.1.23. We’re constantly thinking. We think about ourselves, relationships, life, challenges, and blessings. What we think about determines how we are in our day-to-day lives. So that begs the question: Are we thinking the right thoughts? Are our thoughts aligned with God’s? With guidance from th...

1.8.23. So much of our thoughts start from this simple thing: words. Words turn into what we think, which turns into what we do, which eventually shapes us. And that’s why it’s important for us to examine the kinds of words we find ourselves reading and listening to. Are they the right words that...

1.15.23. Every one of us has lies in our head that we can’t seem to shake. What can we do when we get stuck in our own heads with these deceptive thoughts? The apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians gives us encouragement in how we can take back our minds from those lies that have lived ...

1.22.23. There’s no question about it: following Jesus comes at a cost. Sometimes we may even be tempted to rethink following Jesus when the cost feels too great. But Pastor Mike gives us one big idea for those moments when we feel the weight so we don’t make Jesus a part of our past but part of ...

1.27.23. We often have to be among the best to be chosen. But what if we're not the best? Or even close to it? Good thing for us that Jesus isn't like that. He didn't choose the best and the brightest. Instead, he picked people just like us: sinful, complicated people who sometimes aren't even co...

2.3.23. We all know a highly organized person who loves checking boxes, planning everything, and getting things done, and we are blessed to have them in our lives. Maybe we ARE that person. But what happens when these strengths of organization and productivity are turned up too high? Diving into ...

2.10.23. Anger can do real damage to our relationships and our lives. So, Pastor Mike says, we need to ask ourselves: how are we going to deal with our anger? Or more important, what is God going to do with us before we blow up his blessings with our anger issues? Pastor Mike looks at the story o...

2.19.23. How do you view money? Pastor Mike isn't afraid to tackle this personal and uncomfortable topic—because our relationship with money matters in our relationship with God. Through the story of one of Jesus' money-loving disciples, Pastor Mike helps us see how Jesus came to heal the sicknes...

2.24.23. What if you feel too broken with too much baggage? Can you still be saved? Pastor Mike walks us through the account of one of Jesus' closest female friends and shows us that no matter our stories, our struggles, or our secrets, it doesn’t matter how broken we might be—because the broken ...

3.3.23. Churches today face the temptation of believing they are faithful while subtly compromising their values, especially when it comes to biblical sexual morality. It's an uncomfortable topic that needs to be addressed, Pastor Mike says, in order to enjoy God's gift of sex, to understand the ...

3.10.23. We know our birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestone dates. But how many of us know the date we were baptized? And why does that even matter? Because, Pastor Mike says, Baptism is a very big deal. God attached his own promises to Baptism—the love and power of God go through Baptism ...

3.17.23. God is like a treasure at the end of a tightrope. We have to walk a perfect path to get to the treasure, because if we slip just once, we're done. Unfortunately, we slip often. But that's what makes Jesus so amazing—he gives us a ride across the tightrope, taking each step perfectly to r...