Watch Your Blind Spots

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life July 6, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens Living With Final Judgment in Mind We are all marching toward a final judgment—an accountability and assessment of the quality of life we have lived for Jesus Christ. We should be living now in anticipation of that. If you live wisely, in preparation for that great day, it will be the greatest moment of your life thus far. Scripture Focus 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) “For we must all stand

A Future Filled With Hope

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life July 4, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens A Day of Gratitude Today is a day of celebration, as it should be—the 250th birthday of our great country. And I do mean great—the greatest in the history of the world. I do not mean to sound hyperbolic. We should be celebrating, and the centerpiece of our celebration is gratitude to God for the founding of our country 250 years ago. It was a miracle! We should also be grateful for thos

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life July 3, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens Halfway Through the Year Half the year is now history. Let’s take a little inventory. You probably made some resolutions at the beginning of the year—things you wanted to do and accomplish, things you had been neglecting that you needed to take more seriously. No doubt there were habits that you needed to shed, whether they were time wasters or simply unhealthy. There are always areas w

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life July 2, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens Pursuing Peace in Our Relationships Our biggest problems are relational. That may not be true for everyone, but it certainly is for many—and perhaps for you. Conflict, offense, disagreements, misunderstandings, neglect, and wrong perceptions all contribute to the problems we experience in our relationships. Then there is how we react to it all. Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and ill

The Power of Your Example

The March to Great Faith

Hatred Corrodes the Container It Fills

Faith = Hope = Confidence

Where Have You Placed Your Mind?

When Your Steps Begin to Slip

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 25, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens A Good Inheritance I really like this verse. It has spoken to me and encouraged me for many years, and it once again stood out during my devotional Bible reading this morning. Scripture Focus Psalm 16:5-6 “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.” This passage beautiful

Jesus Christ Changes Lives

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 23, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens Fulfilling Our Responsibilities We all have responsibilities to one another. We really do. We are responsible for being an example that is worthy of others following. Before we act, we should consider how our actions affect those around us. We have a profound influence on the people closest to us. When we handle life wisely, it impacts others and often encourages them to do the same. T

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 22, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens The Pursuit of Holiness Holiness is something every believer should be pursuing. Can we really be holy? God is holy, of course. But what about us? Is holiness even within the realm of possibility? Scripture tells us that holiness is exactly what we should be pursuing. Scripture Focus Ephesians 1:4 ”…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy a

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 21, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens When Life Becomes Complicated Life can be complicated, complex, and confusing. It becomes much less so when we pray and seek God’s wisdom through His Word for our situation. God has provided us with spiritual assets that help simplify life. I’ve been confused and uncertain before, not knowing what to do. That uncertainty creates stress and anxiety and can make life very unpleasant. Yet

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 20, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens How Is Your Personal Altar? How is your personal altar? How is it really? The place where you bow your knee and meet with God. The place where you speak to Him and He speaks to you. My personal altar—the place where I meet with God—is the most important feature of my life. We all have many important places in our lives. Our homes provide refuge and rest. Our workplaces allow us to prov

The Light of His Countenance

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life June 17, 2026 Pastor Paul Stephens Start Today From a Position of Strength Today is another day that you must navigate while maintaining victory in your life. This may be an ordinary day with no new struggles or problems. Or perhaps you are still dealing with the overflow of challenges from yesterday, last week, or even longer. What will help you process today is to begin with prayer and Bible reading. This is an often-