I don’t often put on sunscreen and a bathing suit to go to work - except for some of the best days of the year HOPE Church - Baptism Sundays! Love these days of celebrating people coming to Jesus and life in Him!

Dear everybody HOPE Church - excited that we will be having communion this weekend along with celebrating Hope’s 23rd birthday! If you will be live streaming and participating in communion, here is the at home communion guide. hopecentral.com/wp-content/upl…

Sharing a bit w/ Peter Bowell today about the root system that holds our lives together: Resurrection; Church; Scripture. Like the trinity, these are distinct but not separate. Together they give us our hope, our community, and the content of our belief.

*Resurrection = the culminating message of the Scriptures & the hope of the Church. *Church = the community of the Resurrection that teaches and lives the Scriptures. *Scripture = the content of the Church’s belief & presents the Resurrection as our main reason for hope.

Covid fatigue, social issues fatigue and politics fatigue have mounted up. What do we do? Stick together. Stay close to the people you love. Keep reminding each other of hope and particularly hope from God. What not to do? Act on emotions and alienate people you care about.

Luke’s sermon on the mount in chapter 6 this morning. Reflections about growth in Christ. We ask God, “God help me grow but don’t make it hard.“ Understandably; yet I’ve learned two things: 1) The hard is where we grow. 2) We can survive the hard when we stay close to God.

One of the most paradoxical “secrets” in Christian life is that w/ Jesus, we gain life by losing it. Practically, it means the more we give up our control, the more joy we feel from Him; w/our $, lifestyle, rights to ourselves, etc. Holding it=angst. Letting it go to Him=joy.

Concluding our series “Gospel Truth” HOPE Church this morning. Even with Covid disconnectedness, it’s been meaningful. Maybe especially with Covid disconnectedness!? Working hard to write this material into a book. Hoping that might work out!

Yes, it’s true. What happens to us is our circumstances. But what we do with hope becomes our story.

It's a family tradition in our home to read the account of Jesus' birth from Luke 2 every Christmas eve. Since we wont be in person this year HOPE Church I'll send out an audio tomorrow afternoon for Christmas eve. Small efforts to stay together in a covid Christmas!

Had an audio reading of Luke chapter 2 ready and unfortunately learned there’s a bug with Twitter and audio is not sending. So in lieu of that - sending heartfelt wishes for a merry Christmas. May the savior’s love be very real and alive to you.

Dear everyone HOPE Church - join starting this Tues for our 90 day reading of the 4 gospels together - a chapter/day. Gospel themes about Christ: Matthew-What He taught; Mark-What He did; Luke-What He felt; John-Who He is. All leading to Holy Week & Easter in the spring.

For those who want to take it together, today starts a significant 90 day journey through the four Gospels HOPE Church It’s helpful for me to start each morning as I do today saying: “The holy gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, according to Matthew, chapter 1.”

Matthew Ch. 4 today HOPE Church - the Devil’s tempting of Jesus. #1: Temptation to bodily desires. #2 Temptation to celebrity & being spectacular. #3 Temptation to power, having people bow down to you. In each refusal, Jesus answers with scripture & seeking intimacy with God.

The results of Jesus faithful refusal to Satan’s temptations: Stones to bread: Jesus will have the wedding feast of the lamb. Be spectacular: Jesus will serve & heal and the crowds will quickly swell. Worship the devil & have all power: God gives all authority to Jesus. Mt. 28.

Orlando airport...child crying to his mom, “No Mommy, I don’t want to have to wear a mask!” You’re expressing it for all of us buddy. Hang in there, we’ll get through this.

One thing I miss in our national discourse is deeper thinking. Dr. King’s vision of justice was biblical and theological. Today the arguments are reduced to ideological and political. “Let justice roll on like a River, righteousness like a never failing stream.” Amos 5:24

For the family HOPE Church please join in praying for our country tomorrow. Sincere prayer for unity and healing for our nation and new president. 6 am - 6 pm; carve out a quiet space for prayer. Prayer guide here hopecentral.com/wp-content/upl…

Ash Wednesday today - when the church pays particular attention to preparing the way for the Lord. 40 days (not including Sundays) of heart preparation to receive the sacred presence of Jesus - through his sacrifice and resurrection.

For the beginning of lent: first from Isaiah, then spoken as a signature message from John the Baptist - Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.