Taking A Closer Look

In this mid-year episode of Taking a Closer Look, we pause to evaluate where we are in our walk with Christ. Half of the year is behind us, and half still lies ahead—making this the perfect time to reflect on our priorities, examine our spiritual growth, and make the adjustments that will help us finish the year faithfully. Drawing from Scripture and practical illustrations, we'll consider how sma...

Why did Jesus teach in parables instead of simply giving lectures? Why did He choose stories about farmers, shepherds, lost coins, and prodigal sons to reveal the deepest truths about the Kingdom of God? In this episode of Taking a Closer Look, Pastor David Lauricella explores the power of story and why Jesus used parables to capture hearts, challenge assumptions, and invite people into a deeper u...

In this episode of Taking a Closer Look, we examine the biblical description of the Genesis and break down the dimensions of the Ark described in its account of Noah's Ark. Rather than treating it as a vague ancient story, we explore it through a practical, engineering lens—translating cubits into modern measurements and visualizing what a structure like this would actually look like. To make the...

Why does spiritual growth often take so much longer than we expect? In this episode, we explore the biblical pattern of God's preparation through the "hidden years"—those seasons when progress feels slow, unseen, or uncertain. Looking at the lives of Moses, Joseph, David, Peter, Paul, and ultimately Jesus, we discover how God uses waiting, hardship, and ordinary faithfulness to shape character and...

In today's episode we are going to explore Genesis 6 and the meaning of "corruption," focusing in the days of Noah.  There is so much bound up in these verses that apply to today world where when we look out we many times ask, "what is happening, what is going on?"  The answer many times brings us back to corruption.  In this episode, we break down Genesis 6 and explore how corruption is described...

With the start of summer this time offers us a wonderful opportunity to focus on simpler matters that will help us recharge and rebuild ourselves for the upcoming year.  We all need a slower time, a time that takes us away from the fast-paced lives that we all experience now in our modern world.  We must make it a priority to get back to basics so that we can build ourselves up and when we think i...

It is very easy to be a skeptic who doubts the reliability of the Bible.  We can make statements against it as many do and have done throughout history, but we must stop and ask if there is any merit to their doubts and claims?  Are they expressing facts or just making biased statements against something that they themselves have never read or investigated or examined in any way but take the stanc...

Have you ever felt tired or perhaps more tired than usual?  What about achy or sore or like you just cannot bounce back feeling overrun and weak?  If so, then you might not be sick or battling some kind of illness, no, the culprit might be something your body needs but is no longer getting.  Vitamin D is responsible for a great deal of the processes found within the human body ranging from our moo...

This episode will focus on the fact that numbers do not lie as we commonly hear in the world today.  We can trust numbers and know that 1+1 will always equal 2.  This is comforting for us and lets us know we can have confidence in them, but when it comes to the miracles of Jesus, we can actually apply the same principle to show how He was able to do the impossible because numbers do not lie.  John...

Today's show is going to introduce the topic and principle of Cause and Effect.  This is a foundational issue, but one that far too many people are not aware of or do not give enough thought to leading to negative issues here and now.  Those can be cleared up and more when we start to think along the lines of cause and effect.  It can help us in our day to day lives by solving problems through thi...

In the 5th chapter of Genesis we are presented with an interesting concept and idea being one that sparks the imagination!  Enoch was a man that lived a blessed life and became someone that was committed to not only listening to God but also following His ways being an example of what it means to be devoted.  He wasn't someone that just went through the motions, no, his devotion went deeper than t...

With what is happening around the world we are going to try and provide some insight into what has taken place throughout history resulting in what we are seeing today.  Our world is not new, and these nations are not either, no they have a long, long storied history that takes us all the way through history but also the Bible bringing us to the book of Genesis.  Interestingly enough the beginning...

When we set out to read the Bible do we know the main message it contains and the overall theme that it is presenting to us?  While many might, there is also a large percentage of us that do not know and because of that we struggle with understanding and gaining that confidence as a result.  This episode will help by identifying this for our audience showing how everything comes together once we s...

This episode is going to address something that we are rarely taught or encouraged to do and offer in this life giving someone a 2nd chance.  No, we are shown that we should have "no mercy," offer "no compassion," give no "2nd chances," and forgiveness.  It is a sad reality that we all too often experience but that is not what the Bible teaches and that is seen in many places but also in a section...

In this episode we are going to emphasize something we all struggle with as human beings feeling the pull to be drawn to drama but specifically drama resulting in conflict.  For some reason we all are drawn to this and must become aware that this is the case and is found all the way back at the beginning of our story.  The account dealing with Cain and Abel shows how strong this desire is, but we...

We are going to focus on two areas that present us with challenges and issues in our lives focusing on our thoughts and emotions and how those many times impact us in very negative ways.  In the story of Cain and Abel these are addressed where we are shown the trouble that comes to Cain because of these but also the way to deal with them and overcome through the actions we take, not allowing our t...

In this episode we try to shine some light on the topic of success and how it can be achieved in our lives.  Are there quick methods that produce it, are there short cuts we can take in order to speed up our ability to acquire success?  The answer should not shock us but many times it does just that and in the process might produce some resistance too.  That is one of the questions we try to tackl...

In this episode we are going to look ahead to what we are going to be covering in the upcoming year by focusing on some of our previous episodes.  These topics are going to come up again and will help us as we do go forward.  I want to thank you for tuning in and listening!!!  We are very excited to continue this pursuit in the upcoming year.  

With it being Christmas time we have been focusing on the promises that were made to Mary and Joseph about the Child that was to be born.  Both of them were told that they would be the parents of the Son of the Most High being Emmanuel and they listened and accepted the Word of God being wonderful examples of faith for us, but we also looked at where the beginning of this story found its start and...

In this episode we provide some helpful tips and information that will help people begin reading their Bibles in the upcoming year.  Many of us are intimidated when we think about actually reading through Scripture, but when we break it down and use the tools that we have access to today that daunting task becomes a real possibility.  

We are beginning to focus on the holiday of Christmas trying to highlight why it is so special.  God provides the world with the greatest gift it could ever hope to receive and that is stated in multiple places within the Bible.  The strange part is that even though we hear it and can understand what it is saying, we still find it difficult to accept because it sounds too good to be true.  I think...

Our attitude matters and that is especially true with Thanksgiving coming up.  In this episode we used the story of Cain and Abel to help us see just how important this is not only in our day to day lives but also with how we view God.  We all have so much to be thankful for and must see it and offer God heartfelt thanks and gratitude during this holiday season and beyond.  

In this episode we are going to take a closer look at the closing verse in Genesis chapter 3 which contains a reference to something that we might have heard before and seen through many different portrayals and depictions not all of which are accurate though and that can create problems.  It will require us mentioning a little something about angels today with this being a fun topic and one that...

In this episode we take a closer look at what is described in the 105th Psalm.  Control is an issue we all contend with in our lives, but we must reach the point where we understand the One that is actually in control.  This is a scary thought but when we begin to understand then we begin to feel a sense of calm come to us knowing that this One is more than capable and that is wonderful news.  

In this episode we continue with what we have been covering dealing with the Fallout after the man and woman fell from a state of innocence and grace.  They would go on to experience consequences but even in the midst of these difficulties they would also receive incredible blessings and with that we are taught an amazing lesson.  We deal with pain and suffering throughout our lives but if we stay...