“But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."” Matthew 19:26

"I attended a fundamental church since I was about fifteen years old. When COVID

hit, my wife, Brenda, and I decided to leave that church and we became “TV Christians”. When we heard that FBCNL was having church on the lawn, we began to attend. I appreciated that Pastor Stephen uses expository preaching by going through books of the Bible verse by verse and explaining the meaning of God’s word. From the first visit, I felt this was the church where I belonged. I started to get involved and became a covenant member. I asked to be included in a discipleship group, which we call a D-Group. Last fall Rich Whitman asked me to join a group he was starting. In a D-Group we study the Bible, pray, and hold each other accountable. 

As I studied, and through our group discussions, I have asked God to show me the sin in my life so I may repent. Through the parable of the rich man in Matthew 19, God opened my eyes to how much pride I had. My pride was keeping me from growing closer to God. Spiritual growth can only be accomplished by learning who God is and trusting Him. This has allowed me to trust Jesus more. I have a sense of peace and have had more spiritual conversations with other people than ever before. Isn’t it ironic, as I struggle to humble myself, I find myself standing in the spotlight before the church telling you how much He has humbled me. With this in mind, please don’t give me praise for how God is working in my life, rather give praise to God for His glory."