Pastor Vince's Blog

After years of being a Pastor and a Christian I am continually surprised by how much God's Word can teach me on a daily basis.  I can read a bible verse that I have preached on and even written seminary papers on and I will still get something new out of it today.  The reason is that God's Word is a living thing.   Read More...

"The kingdom of God is near!"S  Luke 10:8-11  “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’  But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,  ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’O Jesus sends out seventy two...  Read More...

Scripture: Psalm 5:4-5 "For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong" Observation: These are unusually strong words from the Psalms.   Read More...

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-2“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”Observations:The Lord’s majesty and glory are set in heaven according to the psalmist.   Read More...

Scripture: Luke 24:36-39While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet.   Read More...

Scripture: Acts 7:59-6059 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.Observations:Stephen was killed for proclaiming Jesus Christ as, “the Righteous One.” He told them things about Jesus that they did not want to accept. They were so upset they, “covered their ears and yelled at the top of their voices.” They stoned Stephen to silence him...  Read More...

Scripture: Acts 9:3-63 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.   Read More...

Scripture: Acts 14:12-1512 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you.   Read More...

Scripture: Psalm 2520 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. Observations:This text is David praying for rescue and refuge from the Lord. His prayer is not to be put to shame.   Read More...

Scripture: Acts 283 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a...  Read More...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 134 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.   Read More...

ScriptureMatthew 19:16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”18 “Which ones?” he inquired.Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give fa...  Read More...

Scripture: 2 Samuel 82 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live.   Read More...

Scripture: Matt 2625 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”Observations:Jesus is celebrating His last Passover with His disciples on the night just before He was betrayed. He predicted His own betrayal and each of them responded by asking, “Surely you don’t mean me?”  When it came to Judas’ turn to ask the question, he did just as the others. He asked Jesus, “Surely you don’t mean me?” Judas tried to deceive Jesus and the other disciples by h...  Read More...

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 512 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.   Read More...

Scripture: Romans 12:9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Observations:In Chapter 12 of the book of Romans Paul is explaining what it means to be “living sacrifices.” Part of that explanation is verse 9 where he encourages us to be sincere in love. He teaches us that being sincere means hating evil and clinging to what is good.Application:There are a lot of phonies out there.   Read More...

ScriptureRevelation 5:12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”ObservationChapter 5 of Revelation is about the scroll with seven seals.  Initially there is no one worthy to open it.  Then the Lamb of God is revealed as worthy.   Read More...

Scripture for today is Psalm 145:17 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways   and faithful in all he does.18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,   to all who call on him in truth.19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;  he hears their cry and saves them.Observations:These verses are good news of God's grace.  David writes a Psalm of praise, giving thanks for the righteous virtues and works of God.  He praises God for staying near to us who c...  Read More...

Scripture:  Revelation 21:5He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”Observation:John is describing the vision of heaven that God gave him.  In it Jesus Christ speaks from the throne to proclaim to His people that He is making everything new.  Then He tells John to write down what he hears.   Read More...

Scripture:  Luke 4:17-18and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."ObservationJesus, in His home town, reads from the scroll of Isaiah.   Read More...

Scripture:  Daniel 9:17-19“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name.   Read More...

Scripture:  Luke 13:4-5Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”Observation:Jesus is encouraging people to repent and teaching them that bad things don't happen to people because they are worse sinners than anyone else.   Read More...

Scripture:  Luke 23:8-12When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort.  He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.   Read More...

S Acts 8:18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” O Simon was a sorcerer who made money by preforming magic.  The he was upstaged by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The apostles came along and performed real miracles.   Read More...

S  Job all of chapters 3 & 4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job+3&version=NIVO Job is very depressed.  All of chapter 3 is him wishing he had never been born so that he wouldn't have to endure his present suffering.  Chapter 4 is Job's friend's response to him.   Read More...

Scripture: Acts 2110 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?   Read More...

Scripture: Psalm 1217 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Observations:In these verses God makes a strong promise to all His people that He will protect us and watch over us. Verse 8 grants this promise to us now and forever.Application:The first thing that jumps to my mind when I read this Psalm is a question. How can God claim to keep us from all harm when there is so much s...  Read More...