An “Amazing Grace” Story

This morning, Pastor Keith Palmer reminded us of the significance of the hymn “Amazing Grace.” The most commonly sung hymn in the world was sung for the first time 250 years ago today — January 1, 1773. There is no way to recount how many times I have sung the hymn or heard it sung […]

Enjoying Christ and His gifts

Sanctification is a long (life-long) process that is hampered by painful battles against the flesh, temptation, and sin as well as the hard task of enduring in doing what is right. It’s hard. But it’s not complicated. The pathway to sanctification is also the road to Christ. That is, if you want to be sanctified […]

I’m thankful today

I’m thankful today. The weather is crazy. I’ve lost track of how many days it’s been since it’s been above freezing. In Texas. I was born in Winnipeg, MB (that’s Canada, for the unaware). The last year I lived there (1973-74), the first snowfall was the last week in October and the last snowfall was […]

Sermon: God’s People? Saved! (Pt 1)

God’s People? Saved! (Pt 1) Romans 11:25-27 July 12, 2020 How have you spent your COVID? It’s not the only thing we have done, but we spent at least four days attacking trees and shrubs in our yard — trimming, cutting down, and then digging out roots. By my count, I have dug out 10-12 […]

Have you considered God’s kindness — and severity?

The most popular cultural conception of God is that He is loving. The idea is that He is a God of all (and only) grace, overlooking the foibles, peccadilloes, and even most severe sins because He is too nice to be mean. He is so loving that He could never be angry. This perception is […]

Sermon: Seeing the God of Grace

Seeing the God of Grace Romans 1-10 February 23, 2020 Let me begin today with a couple of reflections and expressions of gratitude for your prayers and giving and encouragement for my recent trip to Ukraine and Israel to teach biblical counseling. I am grateful for the sufficiency and power of the Word. In Israel […]

God’s shocking grace

In Romans 10:20, as Paul recounts the revelation of the gospel to the Israelites, he notes that Isaiah is “very bold” when he writes what he does in Isaiah 65:1ff. The word “very bold” has the sense of words that are daring, astounding, and even shocking. What God says through Isaiah is unanticipated and unexpected. […]

Words of (great) grace: “but God…”

Profound words are often not multisyllabic, impressive words. Profound words are often simple words interjected at significant moments. They are words like, “I love you,” “I will help,” “I’m coming,” “Yes,” or “No,” and “I am with you.” The profundity of the words is that they are helpful and gracious words interjected at a moment […]

Sermon: The Grace of God Has Appeared

The Grace of God Has Appeared Titus 2:11-15 July 28, 2019 Forty years ago this summer, Grace Bible Church held its first worship service. For forty years, GBC has been worshipping God, discipling believers, evangelizing unbelievers, and sending the gospel through missions to foreign lands. For forty years we have seen and experienced God’s faithfulness […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 4

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 4 Romans 9:6-18 July 7, 2019 There are some things we don’t like to talk about or think about. Because we don’t like to think about our finances we don’t balance our bank statement for six months — and that tends to make us want to think about it even less! […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 1

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 1 Romans 9:6 June 2, 2019 Several years ago, Alexis Gould, a 15-year-old in Magna, Utah was fighting nerve cancer. The family was trying to figure out how to pay Emily’s significant and growing medical bills when an anonymous local businessman stepped up with a $40,000 donation to help pay those […]

I’m thankful

Several years ago I got up in the middle of one night and fainted in the bathroom, knocking a few tiles off our shower wall where my head hit and putting a gash in my head in the process. (Yes — insert joke/comment here about my head being harder than ceramic tile!) Then about 2-1/2 […]

Sermon: The Worshipper’s Hope

The Worshipper’s Hope Psalm 121 May 27, 2018 The older I get, the more I realize I am prone to forgetfulness. I don’t usually lose my keys or glasses, but I often forget things like appointments (which is why I am thankful for my Google calendar), tasks that I need to do, what I need […]

Sermon: What Good is the Law? (Pt 3)

What Good is the Law? (Pt. 3) Selected Scriptures May 13 2018 While government was established by God to protect the innocent and to punish evildoers (Rom. 13), when you hear of some laws that are still on the books of some governments, you wonder who is protecting the government from itself. For instance: In […]

Sermon: What Good is the Law? (Pt 2)

What Good is the Law? (Pt. 2) Romans 7:9-13 May 6 2018 A news report in Oregon a few years ago said that a middle school in Oregon had a unique problem: A number of girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they […]