A lot has happened in the life of my family the last two weeks and I want to express my appreciation to everyone who conveyed their condolences for the passing of my father-in-law, Billy Smith. Thank you for your expressions of sympathy through your cards, texts, phone calls, and in-person and most all, thank you for your prayers. As we continue our journey through the book of Joshua, it is plain t...  Read More

In college athletics, every college recruits a base of talented players to play for their particular sport and these players receive scholarships. Other students are allowed to try out for the team but not all of them receive any type of scholarship help. This type of student-athlete is called a “walk on”. A “walk on” athlete usually doesn’t play much but joins the team because of their love for t...  Read More

Many years ago, the late Larry Burkett of Crown Financial Ministries shared this story: Ten days before a church was to open their new sanctuary, a local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, they had used every inch of the...  Read More

As we continue our journey through the book of Joshua, we come upon chapter 10 and a great battle that takes place. The neighboring kings around Gibeon have attacked the Gibeonites because they have entered into a covenant with Israel. The Gibeonites sent a message to Joshua asking for help. The LORD reassures Joshua that he will be victorious by saying, “Do not fear them, for I have given them in...  Read More

When I was a little boy, my little brother and I found a box of our older brothers’ Halloween costumes. Inside the box was a Superman costume and a Batman costume. When we saw these costumes, we were ecstatic and decided to play “dress up”. We put these costumes on and ran around the house pretending to be Superman and Batman and capture bad guys. We had a blast. In Joshua chapter 9, we meet a grou...  Read More

In James 1:13-15 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” There is an old adage that says, “The first step to get ...  Read More

As we continue through the book of Joshua, I want to reflect on something that Moses said to Joshua before commissioning him to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 31:8, Moses said, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” What a promise!In Joshua chapte...  Read More

There’s an old saying that goes, “even the snail reached the ark by persevering.” Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of trials and we wonder where God is. Why hasn’t he answered my prayers? Doesn’t He know that I need His help? It is in those moments that you must remember that God is never in a hurry. A great example of this is found in Joshua chapter 5 which begins with these words, “Now i...  Read More

Boone, NC was named after one of my favorite historical heroes, Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone was a brave frontiersman and trailblazer. In its original usage, a trailblazer was someone who marked a path so that others could follow. As a trailblazer, Boone helped mark passages throughout the eastern United States so that pioneers could safely travel westward. The way that a trailblazer accomplishes thi...  Read More

You’ve never been this way before One of the greatest adventures in my life came as a result of going down a road that I had never been before. When I was a kid, we drove out west to California and on the way we “accidently†visited the Petrified Forest in Arizona. We had never heard of this place, but we saw a sign and decided to check it out. When we arrived, it wasn’t a forest at all, but a dese...  Read More

Ripple Effects – The Negative Side The other Sunday when I preached on Joshua 2, “Ripple Effects”, I focused on the positive effects that Rahab’s life brought about for both her family and the world. The ripple effect of her life has lasted to this very day in the person of Jesus Christ. After the message, a member of our congregation spoke with me briefly and told me that I preached on the positive...  Read More

I wish to thank Kim Mayes for spearheading the Words for Wednesday Summer series and all the writers who contributed. I thoroughly enjoyed each post and deeply appreciate the break. -- Kevin Transitions Over the next couple of months on Sunday mornings, we will be taking a journey through the book of Joshua. For our Words for Wednesday each week, I would like to emphasize something from the chapter ...  Read More