Community Bible Church

05/21/2026

"The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth." ~Psalm 145:18

Oh, what a glorious reality! The LORD, the God and Creator of everything that exists, is near those who look to Him from a genuine heart! It might be from a place of brokenness from sin or over sin; it might be from a position of great loss or heartache; it might in the highs of praise, or the depths of despair; but...the LORD is near if the cry comes from a heart that is desperate for Him.

Don't sugarcoat your life before the LORD. God sees you more clearly than you see yourself, and He still loves you and cares for you. If you are unsure of that, look at the cross of Christ and the GREAT burden of sin which He carried for you and me; if you are struggling to know that He can help you, look at God's glorious work in the resurrection, and His transforming power through the gospel in the lives of those who have been touched by it.

Be honest with the LORD today and cry out to Him. Regardless of your circumstances, your failures, your trials, your sin, your joys, and your triumphs - He will respond to those who come to Him in sincerity of heart. That is who He is, and that reality is overwhelming.

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04/30/2026

"The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail." ~Lamentations 3:22

When is the last time you spent any amount of time meditating on God's mercy and compassion - to yourself, or to others?

It is easy to have an empty perspective when our time is spent hurrying from one activity to another, fretting about this and that, and focused on accomplishing our goals. It is no surprise when our attitude sours - for our hearts have been set on that which perishes. Furthermore, even if our physical activity is diminished at times, our minds can be racing around - angry about this, worried about that, anxious and unresting about everything.

The LORD's lovingkindnesses [mercies] indeed never cease - This is not a possibility, but a reality. If you are in Christ Jesus - washed in His blood, raised to newness of life in His resurrection, and empowered by His Spirit - then you are a recipient of this vast and abundant lovingkindness. Even those who are still in darkness have benefitted time and again from this God's mercy! How much more those of us who have come to intimately know His love and grace! Every moment of every day is another opportunity to experience this mercy in fuller measure.

For His compassions never fail - This is the reason why God's mercies never cease; His heart is one of deep and immeasurable compassion. We have limited amounts of this compassion, and, while our compassion is one of those things that we have received as part of being made in God's image, our level of compassion is laughable when compared to His. The LORD's compassion is true and pure, especially given the fact that He knows and understands everything - and still shows mercy time and again!

Don't miss the big picture, and the real story. Don't get caught up in your life (or anyone else's). Instead, let us stop, remember, consider, and receive the abundant mercies of the LORD - given freely for our every need (in every way) from His compassionate heart. We have a good and faithful Father, who loves us and cares for us. Let us not miss out on such goodness and grace today!

04/03/2026

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" ~1 John 3:1a

It is good to stop and consider reality. Just to be clear, when I say "reality" I do not mean a version of reality, a perspective on reality, or a way of seeing things. No, when I say that it is good to stop and consider reality, I mean that it is good to cease our activity and reconcile our minds to that which is truly true.

So, what is truly true? Why does it matter? Read the passage above again. John makes this statement emphatically, heightening the sense of his awe at its truth. This is not a pie-in-the-sky concept to John, but a real-flesh-and-blood understanding; he is not basing his statements on high and lofty ideas, but on cold, hard facts that he has witnessed and experienced - as a disciple of Jesus, as an apostle of His gospel, and as a child of God.

The truth that is truly true is that God saw the condemned plight of mankind - our wickedness, our waywardness, our brokenness - and intervened in love. This intervention - really, much more than just that - necessitated payment and penalty; our sin had to be dealt with justly and completely. The plight, however, was that we, as mankind, were (and are) unable to make the payment or settle our debt. Our sin is too odious to God, who is perfectly holy and righteous; our penalty was too great for us to bear, for it requires our death - now and forever. But God (who is rich in mercy), because of His great love for us, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the penalty, to make the payment, and to settle the debt forever.

The story didn't end there, however. Jesus' death did meet the full, righteous requirement for our redemption and rescue, but God's plan was not just to have subjects who were free from the power of sin. No, God's plan was to take dirty, rotten sinners (such as you and I), and to bring them to Himself as holy saints and precious children. He desired (and desires) His children to live with Him now and forever, and to live by His power and grace. Children of God are reflectors of their Father, shining His light and glory brighter and brighter until their race on earth is finished. Think about it: From the wretched hopelessness of sin and death to the joyous beauty of life and godliness, Jesus' death and resurrection made our adoption possible, and it displayed for all of eternity the love that God has for the world.

Do you see why it matters that we stop and consider reality? Our lives without Jesus are meaningless and empty; our lives in Jesus are full and exciting! Our destiny as children of the devil was death and destruction; our present and future as children of God is life and eternal glory. Even when our eyes get clouded by the sin and distress of this world, we have full and complete access right now to the unfettered grace of God and power of His Spirit.

Children of God, pause - as often as you need to - to regain reality; don't allow the confusion of the world, the snares of sin, or the heaviness of tragedy steal the victory, joy, and fellowship that Jesus died and rose again to give you. Let the reality of God's bestowed love surround you and undergird your every step - literally. Jesus is alive, you belong to God in Christ, and the Father's love for you is very great! Hallelujah!

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03/28/2026

"If the LORD had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul." ~Psalm 94:17-19

What precious reminders of the goodness, the mercy, the faithfulness, and the compassion of our God! What a Friend we have in Jesus, and what a Father we have in the LORD of Hosts!

And, in case you are questioning in the midst of deep trials, this passage does not originate from one who lived in the lap of luxury, or one who experienced the ignorance of naive bliss. No, if you read the entire Psalm, you find one who has been through agony and heartbreak at the hands of wicked workers of iniquity. The author is not writing from a place of naivety or inexperience, but as one who has been heavy laden with deep, truly gut-wrenching trouble.

The difference with this writer is that instead of caving to the pressure of the flesh and its desire to wallow in the middle of such suffering, he puts his focus and hope where he knows he will find encouragement, rescue, and joy. Instead of giving in to fear, anxiety, and despair, the Psalmist looks to the LORD, remembering His faithfulness, and embracing His ever present help and mercy. Through the midst of tragedy, hardship, and pain, he finds God's goodness, lovingkindness, and comfort.

There is a choice involved in the matter of whether we are going to suffer want or find satisfaction, however. God is, and everything He says is true. He is intently interested in the good of those who love Him, and He never leaves us on our own. Yet, when the pressures of life surround us, and the troubles of wickedness seek to destroy us, we can be tempted to think that He has failed us. This temptation is not rooted in reality, though, and we ought never to let it gain an inch of soil in our hearts. As the Psalmist says so clearly, there is delight in the midst of the trouble for those who rest their consolations in the LORD.

As we rapidly approach this Holy Week of remembering and rejoicing in Christ's triumphal entry, betrayal, death, burial, and resurrection, what better reminder do we need of how utterly sufficient and complete the love and grace of God is? Let us turn our minds onto Him once again, and with the saints proclaim, "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His lovingkindness endures forever." Hallelujah!

03/14/2026

"'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.'" ~Isaiah 1:18

Services have been canceled for tomorrow due to the incoming snowstorm.

May the Lord Jesus abundantly bless you!

03/13/2026

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." ~Romans 5:1-5

Oh, what a glorious reality we who are in Christ have to live - now, and forever! We, who have been declared righteous by faith before God, have peace with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ - think on that! We have peace - harmony, unity, fellowship, rest - with God! We have grace to stand in through faith in Jesus - grace that is greater than our sin; favor that is abundant, refreshing, and compassionate; mercy and aid to help us at all times! And, we can rejoice in confidence, seeing and expecting the glory of God through it all, and at the end of it all!

To top all of that off, we can actually boast and rejoice in the our tribulations and trials. This is shocking to the world (and to our flesh) that thinks we ought to be sorrowful, depressed, and troubled by our troubles. Yet, we exult in joy because we know that tribulation is a tool, not a master; it is being used by God to produce His fruit in our lives - it is not a threat to our faith. From His perspective (and by His Spirit), the tribulations we face are producing God's perseverance in us; His perseverance is producing His proven character in us; and, this ultimately results in confidence - not in ourselves, but in the God who has poured out His love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

We can live rejoicing, victorious lives TODAY because we are loved with an everlasting love, filled with the Spirit of God, and on a journey of learning to find our hope in God alone. We can embrace every trial and tribulation, knowing that He is using it to grow us into mature, steady, faithful saints whose strength is unbreakable, whose faith is unshakeable, and whose joy is unspeakable - not because we are anything, but because Christ lives in us! The more we walk, the more we see; the more we trust, the more we see how trustworthy He truly is!

Beloved one, may your heart be opened more and more to His working; may your spirit say "yes!" to Him at all times; and, may He fill you to overflowing with His great grace, mercy, and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!

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03/07/2026

"For not from the east, nor from the west,
Nor from the desert comes exaltation;
But God is the Judge;
He puts down one and exalts another." ~Psalm 75:6-7

It is very easy, on one hand, to think we are in control; it is very easy, on the other hand, to believe everything is out of control. It can even be easy to swing back and forth from one extreme to the other, bouncing from total happiness and pride to total hopelessness and despair. One hour we are filled with excitement, comfort, and satisfaction, and the next we are sad, mad, anxious, and defeated. From projects to plans, from relationships to resources, and from success to failure, restless hearts are always searching for more than what our eyes can see.

Our passage today brings us back to reality. Read it again. The context of these verses is trouble and warning; trouble because of the wicked, and warning because of God's coming judgment - both for good and ill. Taking a step back, the instructions contained in this particular passage apply to all of us. Asaph, the Psalmist, conveys the truth that the LORD is not a silent God; He is not sitting idly by, oblivious and incapable. Rather, He not only sees everything, but He also is directly involved in the rise and fall of peoples, plans, and powers.

What does this mean for finite beings who can easily swing from overconfident pride to paralyzing fear in a moment? Keith Green wrote a song titled "Run to the End of the Highway" when he was on the journey to the cross, but before he had arrived. The final chorus of that song says this:

"Oh, you can run to the end of the highway and not find
What you're looking for
No, it won't make your troubles disappear
And you can search to the end of the highway and come back
No better than before
To find yourself, you've got to start right here."

Obviously, in the end Keith found out that even "finding himself" was not what he needed; it was finding Jesus - and being found by Him - that radically transformed Keith from a broken, weary sinner to a glorious, humble saint. In a similar way, Asaph points his audience to the Judge - the One who sees and knows all, and the One who is the only Hope of the world. It is He alone who raises up and puts down, and it is He alone that our souls can trust. Looking to the east or the west, or to the end of the highway and back, will not bring about true peace, joy, or righteousness. Only the LORD God has the ability to meet our deepest longings, and to bring about His perfect justice and grace.

Tonight, stop striving. Stop grasping for what your feeble hands can grab; stop giving in to the never-satisfied flesh that will string you from one extreme to the other. Instead, look to the LORD and His ways. Allow Him to help you focus your heart on His promises and power, and rest in His great goodness and grace. Jesus is coming in judgment, and He is coming in praise, but right now we have the opportunity to experience His perfect peace, and to remain in His great love. Let God be God, and let His will prevail in heaven, and on earth - including in your heart and mind.

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01/23/2026

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God,'
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
There is no one who does good.
God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God.
Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one." ~Psalm 53:1-3

In times of great trouble, when there is much uncertainty, deceit, chaos, mayhem, and general lawlessness, it can be tempting to resort to human wisdom for guidance, direction, protection, and resolution. Our passage today speaks of a world where, from a human perspective, wrong seems right and right seems wrong...a world such as the one in which we are currently dwelling. All around us we see destruction, division, and pain - all resulting from sin and the rejection of God as King and Lord. Human efforts to resolve all of this brokenness from sin are truly useless, even if those efforts offer some imagined sense of control.

So, what do we do when we see the world crumbling into anarchy and confusion around us?

Right in the middle of this somewhat morbid, but honest, passage we find the answer: "God has looked down...to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God." True understanding begins through the work of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit has come to indwell the lives of those who have been redeemed as children of God through Christ Jesus. Without this eternal relationship with Christ (and the Holy Spirit's work), there can be no true understanding; without true understanding, we reject God and His truth, and bear the consequences. Conversely, an eternal relationship with Jesus leads to true understanding, and a true understanding leads to a deepening desire to seek the Lord, to know His Word, and to walk in His ways.

What is a true understanding? Well, that would probably take several devotionals to fully cover, but it starts with the knowledge of God's authority and character. "The fear (reverence, respect, etc.) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" is true truth, not just a clever motto found in Psalms and Proverbs. True understanding recognizes that God knows everything, that He is good, just, gracious, merciful, unchanging, righteous, etc., and, that He has given those who belong to Him everything they need for life and godliness. True understanding also sees that people are incomplete and broken; man is not basically good, and we cannot lift ourselves up by the bootstraps - whether we are talking about the political realm, within our own homes, or in the deepest recesses of each human heart.

This is why true understanding comes through obedience, and leads to seeking God more: If we understand everything that was said in the previous two paragraphs, then we also understand that only God can rescue us from the brokenness all around us, and, only He (and doing what He says) can keep us from getting into the mire in the first place. It naturally leads to an ever upward spiral that is fueled by the Spirit of God, and empowered by the grace of God at work in the believer: The more we understand, the more we trust God, seek Him, and obey; the more we trust God, seek Him, and obey, the more we understand.

Where are you at tonight? Are you leaning on your own understanding, or seeking the LORD for His?

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12/26/2025

"Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which translated means, “God with us.'" ~Matthew 1:22-23

The glory and wonder of Christmas is vast and deep. The reality of God becoming Man - with the cross and resurrection in view - is enough to take one's breath away. The grand story of redemption, reconciliation, and victory over sin and death began to be culminated in the birth of our humble Messiah King. It involved everyday people like Joseph and Mary, but it revealed the grandeur of a Mighty God and an Everlasting Father. As Matthew records some of the specific details of the nativity story, he points his readers to the Source: "Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord..." It was God's Word through Isaiah (and all the other prophets) which was being fulfilled and completed in the birth of Jesus Christ.

With all that the first coming of our Savior entailed, insinuated, and prefaced, there is a particular detail in this passage that I feel compelled to focus on this Christmastime. This detail is found in the last words of the text: "'...Immanuel', which translated means, 'God with us.'"

Emmanuel. God with us. God - the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Judge of all that exists everywhere - with us - the created, the rebellious, the broken, and the loved. Do you understand what this means? It means that God chose to come and be with us in order that we might be with Him. He didn't cast us off (which He could have); He didn't leave us helplessly lost (which we were); He didn't distance Himself from our sin and sorrow; and, He didn't forsake those who desparately needed His salvation. No, rather, He came to us as Emmanuel - the God-Man who could perfectly understand and transcend our brokenness, while entering into it completely. He is not a proud Deity or an unmerciful dictator - He is the humble King and compassionate Savior.

God with us - here, present, close, faithful, comforting, trustworthy, kind. God with us - through every trial, through every loss, through every hurt, through every pain, through every sickness, through every tear, and, through every triumph, through every victory, through every gift, through every joy. God with us - convicting, correcting, encouraging, empowering, giving life, and giving breath. God with us - never alone, never abandoned, always heard. God with us. Emmanuel.

Dearly loved one, Jesus came to reveal to us the love and purpose of the Father. Because of His life, His death, His resurrection, and His rule, we - every single one of us - have the opportunity to truly know - at every turn - the ever-present God who gives us life and breath. May you know His love and grace this season, and may His Spirit open the eyes of your heart to understand His presence - everywhere, every way, and all the time. [Father, help us to know You in this way!]

Merry Christmas!

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11/12/2025

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever." ~Psalm 111:10

We reach the end of Psalm 111 with a good reminder of true reality: A right perspective of the LORD - and the reverence that accompanies it - leads to a right understanding of what is right, true, and appropriate - since wisdom comes from God; and, walking in the ways of the LORD leads a good comprehension of life itself, and life in general.

It really is that simple. If you have been adopted by God through the finished work of Christ, then you have been given an understanding of Him that leads you to revering and respecting Him; that, in turn, leads to a deeper wisdom which the world around us does not have. This wisdom leads you to walk by His Spirit, obeying His commands and living His way; this, in turn, leads to you being able to comprehend life in a way that you would not be able to without the Lord. It gives you and I an insight, purpose, and peace that is impossible (even for us) to fully grasp, because it comes from God Himself.

This is the privilege of those who know the LORD. And, it is perhaps part of the reason why, at the end of this short (but deep) Psalm, that the Psalmist proclaims "His praise endures forever." We, who know Him, know that He will always be exalted and praised; yet, it is also that we will praise Him forever because of who He is, what He has done, and what we are now able to know that He will do.

Is this the understanding that you are living with today? Praise Him! If it is not the perspective you have, seek Him. He is good, and His mercy endures forever. Hallelujah!

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09/26/2025

"The works of His hands are truth and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
They are upheld forever and ever;
They are performed in truth and uprightness." ~Psalm 111:7-8

In the last devotional we discussed verse 7; I have quoted it here to help give context for verse 8. That being said, we have already seen in verse 7 that the LORD's works are rooted in, and truly the embodiment of, truth and justice; His Word is unchanging and a solid foundation for the feet of His people. Today, we turn our attention to verse 8 and the continuation of those realities.

The first truth that we can glean from this verse is seen in the first part: "They are upheld forever and ever..." It is hard to imagine something or someone lasting forever; all of us are prone to decay, and everything we taste, touch, see, and hear is doomed to either rapid or gradual destruction. Nothing lasts forever in this world, except for that which God has decreed and empowered (such as His glory, our souls, etc.). Furthermore, it is because He is the Author of His Word and commands that they will last; only He has no beginning and no end - what He has said and done will endure forever, because He endures forever! This is both a tremendously overwhelming reality, and a tremendously encouraging fact.

Secondly, we are reminded once again of God's unfailing and unmatched commitment to verity and righteousness: "They are performed in truth and uprightness." Everything God does and gives is irrevocably rooted in truth and uprightness; because of His nature, it cannot be otherwise. This is a profound and grandiose mystery! We cannot, except by the Spirit, truly comprehend the depth of this truth since we can never reach this standard of perfect righteousness and unwavering trueness on our own. Yet, this reality (for that is truly what it is) provides the basis for everything we know and comprehend here on earth. Because God is truth and because He does truth, we understand the concept of truth and error; because God is upright and because He does uprightness, we can know and comprehend what is right and what is wrong.

Are you floundering right now? Grab ahold of this unshakeable lifeline that will never fail: God is true and He is right; He always will be true and right, and He will always do what is true and right - even when the perspective of sinful man distorts and twists what He says; even when the hurt heart is overwhelmed with grief and pain; and, even when our pride alienates us from His goodness and grace - He is always ready to act in truth and uprightness on behalf of those who come to Him.

Don't get swallowed in yourself and in the circumstances and people around you. Instead, let us turn our attention back to the One who loves us and who will always do what is true and right. We need His perspective in every aspect, trial, and angle of our lives, and through Christ Jesus we have access to it. Praise the Lord!

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