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: Thankful Hearts Giving Thanks

Thankful Hearts Giving Thanks Colossians 3:15-17 November 22, 2020 Rudyard Kipling is one of the most well-known British writers from the 19th and 20th centuries. He penned many poems and such classic stories as How the Leopard Got His Spots and The Jungle Book. His writing made him famous and wealthy. A newspaper reporter approached […]

Sermon: Thanking God for the Past…

Thanking God for the Past; Trusting God for the Future Philippians 1:3-11 June 14, 2020 Sometimes it is hard to give thanks for the circumstances and people of our past. That’s not just true in the past three months, but it’s also true of life in general — illness, unexpected deaths, financial hardship (poverty), broken […]

Coronavirus and gratitude

Here is a short ministry update from Grace Bible Church, and a few thoughts about gratitude during Covid-19:

Giving Thanks for 40 years of God’s Faithfulness

This past week, we gave thanks to the Lord as a congregation for His faithfulness to us over the 40 years of the church’s existence. A large amount of time, energy, and financial resources went into that celebration. Is it legitimate to do something like that celebration? Why should we be overt in our expression […]

Sermon: We Give Thanks to God

We Give Thanks to God Colossians 1:3-8 August 11, 2019 A tremendous amount of effort has gone into acknowledging GBC’s 40th anniversary. Hours and hours in planning, interviewing, designing logos, phone calling, ordering (food and shirts and…), setting up tables and chairs, mowing, marking parking, and more. Is it worth the effort? Is there value […]

Thankfulness — they said it better than me

Do you have trouble cultivating a heart of gratitude this week of Thanksgiving? Perhaps you are discouraged by your circumstances, despairing of some relationship, struggling with some sin, or just simply tired. It seems like others have many things for which they can be thankful, but you have few or even no reasons for gratitude. […]

Give thanks to God

I grew up in a home where we were taught to say “please” and “thank you.” Our children grew up in a home where they were expected to send timely “thank you” notes for gifts they received. And many of you experienced the same kind of training. While saying and writing “thank you” often seems […]

Sermon: In Everything Give Thanks?

“In Everything Give Thanks?” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 November 20, 2016 A few years ago the London Times reported about the many letters that are sent to God from around the world. Many of those letters end up at the post office in Jerusalem in the undeliverable mail department. “We have hundreds of thousands of letters […]

Let’s just praise the Lord

In the early 1970s there was a popular chorus with the following lyrics: Let’s just praise the Lord, praise the Lord Let’s just lift our hands to heaven And praise the Lord Let’s just praise the Lord, praise the Lord Let’s just lift our hands to heaven And praise the Lord Now put us in […]

Give thanks — even when fearful of Ebola

First Thessalonians 5:18 is a verse that often comes to mind when I am wrestling with discontentment and disappointment. I want something that I didn’t receive or have something that is taken away. And sometimes I am fearful or anxious of something that might happen. The question in all these circumstances is, “can I give […]

As you prepare for worship, give thanks

This morning you may be in a hurry to get to church to worship. Your clothes may not look or feel right; your children may be complaining; you may have had some conflict with your spouse; you may have slept too late and now you are rushed. But in your haste to leave the house, […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles I’ve recently read: Some Thanksgiving leftovers: Mark Talbot explains why even suffering is something for which we can praise God. Jerry Bridges reminds us that, “Paul said we’re to come to God “with thanksgiving.” We should thank Him for His past faithfulness in delivering us from troubles. We should thank Him for […]

Question of the day

This is paraphrased from a message by C. J. Mahaney, given at the recent Resolved Conference: Are you prone to identify evidences of grace in your church family more than criticisms of your church? What are those evidences of God’s grace in your church? It is worth taking a few minutes today to write down […]

What makes you thankful?

What makes you thankful? Our lists usually include things like family, a trouble-free day, an extra (unexpected) blessing or two, and our salvation. Since we are to be thankful for all things, those obviously are fine objects for our gratitude. But I have often been impressed by the things that stimulated Paul’s gratitude. And I […]