Growing up, how important was family dinner time for you? This daily shared meal means way more than just eating food for nutritional value. It is a chance to gather, share stories and listen, catch up on the day, and remember that we belong to one another. For some, this includes a time of prayer, a short devotional, or a Scripture reading. If you are at the Wagler’s table for Christmas, this…
Exodus 20:1-21 Have you ever had to learn how to live differently after a major change? A major transition can reshape us in ways we do not always recognize at first. A move to a new place, a change in our family, a new responsibility, or walking through a significant loss can require us to learn a new way of living because our old patterns no longer fit our new reality. Last week Pastor Phil…
Exodus 19 ; Daniel 7 ; 1 Peter 2 What have you been preparing for lately? Have you been practicing baseball, pickleball, or for that swim across the lake? Perhaps you're preparing for a vacation or (yikes!) one of those incredible (or desparate) parents already planning back to school shopping? Perhaps your job, every day, is to prepare things for others and set the table (perhaps literally) for…
Have you ever had a season of life or leadership where you weren't sure if you were going to make it? You're not alone. In my own leadership experience, I find that what often begins with a willingness to serve, can quietly become a burden we were never meant to carry alone. In Exodus 18, Moses tries to shoulder every responsibility until Jethro challenges him with the words, “What you are doing…
One night changed everything. In Egypt, God's final judgment fell with the tenth plague...but every home sheltered by the blood of the lamb was spared. The Passover wasn't just Israel's rescue from slavery; it was a sign pointing to an even greater deliverance to come. Centuries later, during a Passover meal, Jesus took the bread and the cup and gave them new meaning. The final plague pointed to…
The plagues have swept through Egypt. The Passover has occurred. The Pharaoh has finally submitted and let God’s people go. Or has he? Now, stuck in between the sea and a determined Egyptian army, the Israelites are faced with danger and difficulty before they can truly leave the country. Once again, they are unsure of following Moses out of Egypt. But God knows what he is doing. He has a plan to…
Who really rules the world—the powers we can see, or the God who created it all?" In Exodus 7–10, the plagues are far more than acts of judgment. They are God's declaration that He alone is the true Lord of creation. Every plague confronts Egypt's false gods and exposes the futility of trusting in anything other than the Creator. As Pharaoh's power crumbles, God's sovereignty is revealed over the…
How do you feel when it comes time to confront someone or something? Some of us are "better" at this than others and it's not easy finding the courage to speak or act in such situations. The reality of the images we see today, the news we hear, and even situations in closer relationships or even our city call for courageous witness and sometimes direct confrontation. How do we lead in these…
Moses was a prince, then a murderer and fugitive, then a shepherd. By the time God called him at the burning bush, Moses had more questions than confidence. His response to God’s call was simple: “Who am I?” (Exodus 3:11). You may ask the same question. We define ourselves by our successes, failures, fears, or past mistakes. But God’s answer to Moses wasn’t a list of qualifications but rather a…