“It is Finished” — a word of victory

What follows is the manuscript of the devotional given at our Good Friday worship service this evening. “It is finished.” “I’m done.” “It’s over.” When we use those words and say something is finished, we might mean one of several different things: We might mean we have simply endured a process — e.g., “the house […]

Final Words

When I take a trip somewhere without my wife, Raye Jeanne, as I recently did, I will remind her of some household essentials — repairs to the house that I have made or need to make, the status of our bills and check book, and similar items. As I leave my home in the morning, […]

Sermon: Sing the Song of Security

Sing the Song of Security Romans 8:31-33 March 24, 2019 Most of us probably don’t feel as secure as we did a few years (or decades) ago. When I was 8-years-old my family lived just north of downtown Dallas (not a good neighborhood now, or then), and on a Saturday morning, I would tell my […]

Don’t I have a part in my salvation?

Several years ago when I began a sermon on the early part of Ephesians chapter one, I said something like, “This morning we want to talk about God’s work in salvation, specifically His election of sinners to salvation. And as I said the word ‘election,’ some of you instinctively bowed up and already feel resistant […]

Sermon: God’s Golden Chain of Salvation

God’s Golden Chain of Salvation Romans 8:29-30 March 17, 2019 D.A. Carson [The God Who is There] has noted that all men need salvation: We need to be reconciled to God We need to be morally transformed or we will continue to rebel against God again and again We need the effect of sin to […]

Sanctification and all things working together for good

“What good is it going to do, anyway?” is a common lament among many people: an elementary student who is frustrated by his attempts to hit a baseball and wants to stop going to practice a high school student who is resigned to not getting a needed score on her SAT to enable her to […]

Sermon: All Things for Good

All Things for Good: Trusting God and Sanctification Romans 8:28-29 March 10, 2019 In his book Rise and Shine, Chuck Swindoll recounts a significant event from the past century: When the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations was opened by Queen Victoria in 1851, people flocked to Hyde Park to behold […]

Sermon: Hope in God

Hope in God Psalm 42 March 3, 2019 John Bunyan is one of the most well-known believers in Christ. He wrote numerous books, including the still-in-print, Pilgrim’s Progress. A bold pastor in a difficult time in the church, he was imprisoned for 12 years for preaching the gospel, yet he did not always exude confidence […]

There’s no boasting in Heaven

It often first surfaces in the seemingly innocent words of a three-year-old venturing into unknown tasks — “I can do it!” the child adamantly asserts to his parent. Yet he likely cannot do it and he may even be endangering himself in his quest. Oh, that we learned to stop bragging after those first foolish […]

Sermon: God’s Gospel

God’s Gospel Ephesians 2:8-10 February 24, 2019 If I were to ask you to complete this sentence, how would you finish it? The most well-known verse in the Bible is… My guess is the first thing you’d say is, “John 3:16.” Then you might suggest, Genesis 1:1. Or Psalm 23. Or Romans 3:23 (“all have […]

Warfield on inspiration

The inspiration of Scripture is a reference to the divine authorship of Scripture — the Bible has God as its singular source and authority. It comes from God. Perhaps no theologian wrote as carefully or extensively on the topic of inspiration as B. B. Warfield. In his classic work, Inspiration and Authority, he writes this […]

God’s inspired Word

We speak often of the Bible as “God’s Word.” It originates in Him. He is the author and source of Scripture. It was written by men in their own languages and vocabulary, and out of their education and background. But it was not their message and idea. It has its source in God. Perhaps no […]

Sermon: The Inspired, Sufficient Word

The Inspired, Sufficient Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17 February 17, 2019 I am surrounded by Bibles. One day in my office several years ago I counted 22 Bibles on my shelves and desk. I don’t have as many at home, but another dozen or so is likely (I haven’t counted them). I have 20 English translations […]

The writing sabbatical is over

Four weeks ago I began a writing sabbatical. I had four writing objectives for my time away: Complete my application for ACBC Fellowship Plan and begin working on a book on biblical counseling, tentatively titled, Teach the Word: Biblical Expositions for Biblical Counselors Write teaching notes for 11 teaching sessions for a biblical counseling training […]

Writing sabbatical begins today

Today, due to the generosity and encouragement of the GBC elders, I begin a one-month writing sabbatical. I have been anxious to get started on this project. For the past two weeks, most mornings when I awaken, I am thinking about aspects of the project — structure, chapters to include, and books to read to […]