Posts with the tag “pastor-kenton-rahn”

I was born again and became a new creation in Christ on February 13, 1993—just two months shy of my 23rd birthday.  I know for a fact that my mom helped pray me into the kingdom, and shortly after my ...  Read More

When I was about nine years old, a neighborhood friend of mine probably saved my life. It was a beautiful sunny day during summer vacation. Steven and I were sitting on top of a block wall talking whe...  Read More

When I was younger – and in much better shape – I used to go on solo backpacking trips in the Sierra mountains.  I would scour the map for a remote lake nestled in a forest and get away for a few days...  Read More

In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of the world.  Peering into the genetic structure deep inside our cells, they were the first to identify the...  Read More

There have been a couple of days recently when I was feeling pretty down and didn’t even want to open the Bible.  I just didn’t have the energy to search the Scriptures, and I didn’t know what to read...  Read More

A number of years ago my parents gave me a loan to help me buy a car.  It came at a time when I wasn’t making a lot of money, but every month I sent them my monthly payment.  Like so many of us, I was...  Read More

Recently my dad spent 16 days in the hospital.  After battling pneumonia and sepsis, it appeared he was recovering and the doctors took him off life-support, but he passed away on January 9, 2023. At ...  Read More

One of my favorite scenes in John Bunyan’s classic work The Pilgrim’s Progress is when the main character – Christian – spends time in the house of Interpreter.   Interpreter (who represents the Holy ...  Read More

I can’t imagine living in a world without new things.  What if everything stayed the same and never changed?  Or everything just wore out and dilapidated over time without being fixed or replaced? It ...  Read More

A few days ago I walked past a convenience store and did a double take when I spotted the grand prize for the California Lottery - $1 billion dollars – the second largest Powerball jackpot in U.S. his...  Read More

The average adult between 18 and 64 needs between 7-9 hours of sleep, but recent studies show that 35% of Americans are sleep-deprived, and 50% struggle with feeling sleepy throughout the day. If you ...  Read More

I once heard a story about a man who went to see an eye doctor.  The receptionist asked him what kind of problem he was having.“I keep seeing spots in front of my eyes,” came the answer.“Have you ever...  Read More

Some people think the will of God is mysterious and enigmatic – hard to understand.  But this passage makes it crystal clear. While there are puzzling questions in life that require patience and wisdo...  Read More

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible on prayer.  In my book, it ranks right up there with Hebrews 11:6 and 1 John 5:14-15.  It begins with three mind-blowing promises for those who A.S.K. – ...  Read More

Lately I’ve been feeling the call of Yosemite Valley.  If I don’t visit once a year I start going through withdrawals.  One of the most-breathtaking views on the planet, in my opinion, is driving thro...  Read More

I’m not being humble when I say that I’m a horrible singer.  I have virtually no musical talent.  So when I worship the Lord, my goal is that the song in my heart will sound better than the song that ...  Read More

What does it mean to have faith like a mustard seed?  In this verse, Jesus uses an analogy, and I find it interesting that he compares faith to a mustard seed.  I think there are a couple lessons we c...  Read More

Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when he said to his disciples, “You are the salt ofthe earth?” In ancient times, his parable was particularly striking because salt was a rarecommodity before m...  Read More

The grace which justifies is the grace which sanctifies. Sanctification is all of grace. It is initiatedby grace, performed by grace, and perfected by grace. It requires our cooperation as saints, but...  Read More

There is a promise from God in Scripture for every conceivable situation we may encounter in life.  And since we’re always facing some sort of situation – a need, a trial, a perplexing dilemma, a deci...  Read More

At the risk of being overly simplistic, imagine everyone in the world fit into one of three categories: those who dwell on the past… those who live in the present… and those who focus on the future.Al...  Read More

I wonder if you’re going through a battle right now?  According to Ephesians 6:12, we’re always facing some form of invisible warfare or another, some form of spiritual attack from our enemy.  And the...  Read More

In a recent sermon I talked about the importance of recognizing the difference between conviction and condemnation.  There are two mistakes we can make in our Christian life – being too hard on oursel...  Read More

Recently I was reading through the Book of Leviticus.  My tendency is to speed through the opening chapters because the regulations for the sacrifices are very detailed and repetitive.  But this time ...  Read More

Each day this week we are releasing a video devotional from one of our pastors related to the Passion Week designed to help you meditate on the events of Jesus' final week.We invite you to go through ...  Read More

Right now in the United States almost a million precious children are aborted every year.  That’s about 3000 babies lost every single day.  It is by far the leading cause of death in our country.But i...  Read More

Abortion is a painful and emotionally draining issue.  So I’m thankful you’ve been praying with me for the past 38 days.  And I figure you’re ready for some good news… Thanks to the prayers and effort...  Read More

Stephen Arterburn – author and founder of New Life Ministries – went to college to get a Christian education, but what happened is that he got a girl pregnant – and pressured her to have an abortion. ...  Read More

After getting an abortion women sometimes report feeling a sense of relief.  But as that momentary surge of relief fades, they can’t escape feeling somehow they have been permanently changed.  In the ...  Read More

In the Book of Revelation, the Satanic beast from the sea has seven blasphemous names on its heads (Revelation 13:1).  Its chief ambition is to blaspheme the holy name of God, and one way Satan accomp...  Read More

1 Peter 4:7 says: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.”What does it mean to be watchful in your prayers?  I think it means to be attentive to what ...  Read More

A while back at the Planned Parenthood on Fulton Street, a man walked up to one of the Sidewalk Advocates from Right to Life and told her this story.He explained that as a young man he took his girlfr...  Read More

But the Lord said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in the night and perished in the night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great cit...  Read More

Today I’d like to share this wonderful testimony written by one of our former Pastors, Charles Specht, on the subject of adoption…“My wife Kathy and I have five of the most wonderful children in the w...  Read More

Dear readers, our 40 Days for Life campaign is coming to an end quickly!For the past several weeks I’ve been writing and sending out this daily prayer devotional.  Today I would like to ask you to wri...  Read More

“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and a...  Read More

As I sit here writing this devotion, I hear my daughter singing and playing out in the backyard.  I can’t imagine a world without the sound of her voice, without the chance to give her a hug and be he...  Read More

Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) was a controversial political activist, writer, sex educator and nurse who pioneered the women’s reproductive rights movement in the United States.In 1916, she opened the w...  Read More

Throughout Scripture God upholds his commitment to protect the weak and fight for the innocent.  Today, meditate on these verses in which God directs his covenant people to maintain the same cause and...  Read More

Window to the WombFor almost three decades, ultrasound technology has provided parents with a miraculous window to the womb. This common diagnostic technique uses harmless sound waves, sent by a hand-...  Read More