Christian worship is an important part of the Christian life. Martin Luther is quoted to have said that man was created to worship God. One of the values of the church family I am part of is intimate worship. However I am fully aware that we do not have a monopoly on the concept of worship. That is why I wanted to give you some of my favorite Christian quotes about worship. I hope that they will help you expand your horizons on what is worship and why we worship God. Featured Bible Quote On Worship Psalm 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 16 Christian Quotes About Worship The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. Billy Graham It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men. C.S. Lewis "The whole person, with all his senses, with both mind and body, needs to be involved in genuine worship." Jerry Kerns "When God's people begin to praise and worship … [more]

If you spend any time studying Church history, you will find that the Church of Jesus Christ has always been under attack. The enemy of the Church is Satan and his one, primary goal is to cause as much disruption, distortion, confusion and havoc to the Church as possible. When Jesus died on the cross, Satan actually thought he had gained a victory until, Jesus rose from the dead, Satan then realized his ultimate defeat. Because of this, he will stop at nothing, will not fail to use anyone or anything, to take as many people to hell with him as possible. Satan is the enemy and Christians have to step up and be a watchman. In Ezekiel 33, God tells Ezekiel to be a watchman for Israel and to announce when the enemy is bringing an attack. Ezekiel is told to warn Israel when they are in sin or warn them about their sin. “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman. When the watchm… [more]

This morning I want to share with you the vision I am sharing with my own congregation at the Vineyard Church of Pine Haven. We are a small town church in a community of 500 in rural Wyoming. Our building will seat 100 people. Yet I believe that God is calling even us, a small church in a sparsely populated area to be a church without borders. A little over 2000 years ago, a small gathering of believers was given a commission to be the church without borders. In the book of Acts chapter 1 we see this commission. Acts 1:8 8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Now when we look at this passage we view it from the eyes of history. We see that they did actually become the church without borders but what we don't always see is what that commission must have looked like from their perspective. So this morning I just want to encourage all of you… [more]

Children are a blessing from the Lord. Remind yourself of that! LOL  Honestly, there is nothing like having children around your life. They bring a sense of joy and wonder that we sometimes forget about. So I pray that these Christian quotes about children will help you as you raise and nurture your kids. Featured Bible Quote About Children Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. 15 Christian Quotes About Nurturing And Raising Children A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone. Billy Graham Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. Chuck Swindoll Do you rush, push, shout and become generally unpleasant on Sunday mornings? Do you complain about church? Are you irregular in your attendance? Are you over-conscientious about matters that are not really important? Do you always criticize the pastor, the choir, the length… [more]

Recently I came across a video blog by Phil Strout talking about qualities found in successful leaders. In those videos I found some principles that I have always believed concerning vision. So I wanted to pass along to you those biblical insights about vision so you too can implement these principles in your life and ministry. The book of Proverbs states in chapter 29 this statement. Proverbs 29:18  18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: Now I could go on and on about how people need vision and that leaders need to instill vision but in all honesty most of the time it is not that people don't have vision but that they are not empowered to carry out their vision. So this article is about the biblical insights about vision that I have learned over the last 33 years of being a believer in Jesus. Insight #1 - Empower Others And You Will Be Empowered Early in my ministry I was very bad about getting a vision and then chasing after it only to realize that I was not l… [more]

This week at my church I won't be sharing a traditional Mother's Day sermon but instead will be sharing a message about the God who comforts as a mother who comforts her child. Often times we place upon God attributes that show severity and rigidness. However I would like to show you the God who is willing to comfort us as a mother comforts her child. So let me start by sharing with you a verse out of the book of Isaiah chapter 66 and verse 13. Listen To The Podcast Of Pastor Duke Sharing This Mother's Day Sermon Podcast Powered By Podbean     God Comforts Like A Mother Isaiah 66:13 I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.” Mothers are very special people. No one has more hopes, dreams, ambitions, and love for a child the way that a mother does. She watches over her child and hurts when they hurt. In my own life, my mother has been there to encourage and comfort me many times when life has thrown me a curveball.… [more]

This list of Bible verses about the Holy Spirit is by no means a comprehensive list of verses on the Spirit of God. It is a list of verses that give an overview of the work and operation of the Holy Spirit throughout scriptures. In today's age of scripted church services and controlled environments little time if any is actually given to allow the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of the people. Recently, my first pastor, Jerry Cook was asked a question by a young pastor. He asked "What is the big deal about the Holy Spirit." After Jerry got over his shock and anger at such a flippant question, His response turned into a book. This list of Bible verses about the Holy Spirit is my attempt as well to help people understand that the 3rd person of the Trinity is God and as such is a "big deal". Featured Memory Verse On The Holy Spirit Luke 24:49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you wi… [more]

The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood and the most dismissed member of the Trinity. Recently my first pastor, Jerry Cook had a conversation with a young pastor. In this conversation, the young pastor wondered what the “big deal” was. After Jerry got over his shock at the dismissiveness of the man's statement, he got angry. This led him to write a book which I will provide a link for at the end of this article. It is my hope that these Christian quotes about the Holy Spirit will help you understand what the "big deal" is about the Holy Spirit as well. Featured Bible Quote About The Holy Spirit Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 26 Powerful Christian Quotes About The Holy Spirit Wise leaders should have known that the human heart cannot exist in a vacuum. If Christians are forbidden to… [more]

May 2nd was the National Day of Prayer and Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside CA. and evangelist for the Harvest Crusade was invited to deliver the prayer in Washington, DC. There was immediate reaction to his invitation from gay activist; they referred to him as an "anti-gay pastor." He refused to back away from the opportunity to present the gospel to the nation and pray for our country on the nations biggest stage. He didn't resist their attempts to have government officials remove him, he, instead made a stand for Jesus. It would have been easy for him or any other pastor to get caught up in a back and forth conversation about why he opposes this lifestyle and stand against them. But, instead, he choose to make it all about "making a stand for Jesus" and not a stand against a gay activist group. Of course, those opposing his belief, didn't go without throwing some fiery darts. This quote is from one of the leaders of one of these groups, "Pastor Laurie'… [more]

Jesus is not only the most quoted person in history but He is also the most talked about person in history. There are a myriad of Christian quotes about Jesus that have been notable throughout history. This list of quotes concerning Jesus is by no means exhaustive but they are some of my favorites. I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I have over the last 34 years. Featured Bible Quote About Jesus Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Christian Quotes About Who jesus Is Jesus Christ was God's revenue officer. Billy Sunday Death may be the King of terrors... but Jesus is the King of kings! D.L. Moody I follow Christ: Jesus is my God - Jesus is my Spouse - Jesus is my Life - Jesus is my only Love - Jesus is my All in All. Jesus is my Everything. Because of this I am never afraid. Mother Teresa Christ is the Word of God. It is not in certain texts written in the New Testament, valuable as they are; it is not in certain words which… [more]

Have you ever struggled with doubts and unbelief? Have you ever felt bad because had thoughts that something was impossible? Have you felt condemned because others told you that if you had doubts, God would not answer your prayer? I think we all have had at one time a struggle with unbelief and we have prayed the same prayer that the man who had a demon possessed son prayed in Mark 9:24 Listen To The Podcast Of Help My Unbelief Your browser does not support the audio element. Podcast Powered By Podbean   The "Help My Unbelief" Scripture Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" The Christian faith is not a faith that goes by what we see or what we feel. It is a journey with Jesus Christ along the entire path of our life. It is a relationship not a formula and as such, struggling with unbelief is part of that journey and relationship. So let me try to encourage you today as you are … [more]

I experienced something the other day I had not experienced in a long time. My full time vocation is with the Department of Defense (DOD) and I audit contracted suppliers who build military equipment and vehicles. This contractor lost an employee after he suffered a heart attack upon arriving to work one morning this past week. I knew this man to see him but not personally; he was taken to the hospital and put into an induced coma. When they brought him back out of this coma a couple of days later, he never regained consciousness and died later the same day. Prior to this man's death, I came upon another employee of this company who is a bi-vocational pastor. He was crying and sobbing and I didn't say anything to him but the Lord whispered to me, telling me this man was weeping with great emotion for the man dying in the hospital. I was first, convicted and second, touch by the Lord on my heart like I haven't been touched in a very long time. I had been around this man who had died and… [more]

It has been said that the only constant in life is change. Change is not something to be feared but embraced instead. These Christian quotes about change will help you understand why God brings change into our lives and how we are to respond to change. I think you will find after reading these quotes that your perspective on change will in fact, change! Featured Bible Quote About Change 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - 20 Timeless Christian Quotes About Change He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of basic Christianity will change the face of the world.- Benjamin Franklin Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it. Harry Emerson Fosdick Will power does not change men. Time does not change men. Christ does. Henry Drummond The question isn't were you challenged. The question is were you changed? Leonard Ravenhill Ever… [more]

Being a servant is a major theme in the Bible. These Bible verses about serving will help you to develop a servant's heart towards God and towards others. We cannot live a fulfilling Christian life without embracing the attitude of servanthood. We must follow the example of Jesus as followers of Him. He is the ultimate example of being a servant. So let the Holy Spirit come and speak to your heart as you read these great scripture quotes on serving. Featured Memory Verse About Serving Matthew 20:27-28 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Bible Verses About Serving God Joshua 24:15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord , then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will … [more]

If you are around Christians any length of time at all, you will hear them say that they feel "called" by God to do something. They may say that they are trying to discern the call of God on their life, or they may say that they are answering God's call, or even say they are called to ministry. Hopefully I will be able to answer for you what is the call of God and whether or not you are experiencing this very real phenomenon. Where Do We Get The Term "Call Of God"? The concept of being called comes from the life of Samuel and his experience with God's calling. It can be found in 1 Samuel chapter 3. The Lord Calls Samuel 1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. 2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samu… [more]

There is no place in this world where we can go to escape the battles which exist all around us. The Church has been at war with its enemy since Jesus ascended back into heaven and His people have been battling this enemy since Adam and Eve met him face to face in the garden. For the Christian, there is one thing he/she must understand and that is when we are saved, we enter into the spiritual battles which rage all around the Church;one thing must be understood, when we begin our new life in Jesus, this is war. Now that may seem kind of corny or a little too strong but be assured, the enemy is real and he will not hesitate to attack anyone who serves the Lord and works to further the kingdom of God. This is war and there are too many Christians who have not received the proper training for the battles which await them. There are far too many ministries and churches that neglect to provide the right type of training and instruction for the new believer in Christ, regarding the spiritua… [more]

With our morals and values being challenged at every corner in today's world, I thought a study on what the Bible says about profanity would be in order. I will be the first one to admit that when I first got saved, and at a couple of other times in my life, I allowed myself to have quite the potty mouth. So my intent with this post is not to point fingers at those who do not have very good control over their tongue, but instead to give you a reasoned approach to the question of cursing and the biblical mandates concerning our speech. So we will look at 3 things. We will look at what it means to take the Lord's name in vain, look at other types of corrupt communication, and finally look at the habitual use of profanity and it's effect on how other people view you. Using The Lord's Name In Vain Exodus 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. This commandment given by Moses is specifically… [more]

I have just completed my sermon series on the book of Galatians. To me, the book of Galatians is the Magna Carta of the Christian faith. In it we find what the Apostle Paul was willing to live and die for. It is probably the most applicable, yet most ignored of all the books in the New Testament. We may read it, but we don't really believe what it says. So if you come upon this page, I pray that God will open your ears and heart and turn you into the new creation that He has planned for you to be. Sermon from Galatians 1 What Is The Message Of The Gospel Of Grace? Sermon From Galatians 2 Staying Right With God Sermons From Galatians 3 Oh Foolish Christians! What Is The Blessing Of Abraham? Law Vs. Grace Sermon From Galatians 4 The Difference Between Works And Fruit Sermons From Galatians 5 Examining The Fruit In Your Life Falling From Grace The Works Of The Flesh Or The Fruit Of The Spirit Sermons From G… [more]

This is the final message in my series on the book of Galatians. Paul has hand written an entire book of the Bible defending the message of grace and the finished work of Christ on the cross. When he puts his finishing thoughts together, he boils it down to the motives of those that opposed grace, the place where he places his trust, and what when it has been all said and done, knowing what is truly important. So let's take a look at what Paul ends his letter to the Galatians with. The Boasting In The Cross Of Christ Bible Passage Galatians 6:11-18 11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lor… [more]

Biblical leadership is quite different from leadership in the world. These Bible verses about leadership will help you discern whether or not you are following a biblical leader and also if you are yourself someone that God has called to lead others. Jesus is our greatest example of a leader. So take a moment to reflect on what the Bible says about leadership compared to what you have learned from the world. Featured Memory Verse For Leaders Luke 22:26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Old Testament Bible Verses For Leadership Deuteronomy 1:13 Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’ Ecclesiastes 10:17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk. Proverbs 12:24 Wor… [more]