Is death reason to doubt God?

This morning I read this sentence from J. I. Packer: “It has become conventional to think as if we are all going to live in this world forever and to view every case of bereavement as a reason for doubting the goodness of God.” And then I read this sentence from Jesus (John 11:14-15): “Lazarus […]

Sin speaks

We are familiar with the truth of 2 Corinthians 4:7 — “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” But reading that verse, we might wonder, “Christ is so […]

Pictures of Jesus

M’Cheyne wrote, “Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief.” Reading Scripture is always because of its value to transform us and sanctify us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). […]

Shepherds’ Conference video

The videos from last week’s Shepherds’ Conference are now posted. Steve Lawson wasn’t first, but his message is a good place to start: See the other videos on Grace Church’s Vimeo site.

Learn much of Jesus

For two and a half months, we’ve been reading each weekday in the Gospels. What shall we do with all this talk of Jesus? Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all […]

Jesus and money

Entertainer Sophie Tucker reputedly said, “From birth to age 18, a girl needs good parents, from 18 to 35 she needs good looks, from 35 to 55 she needs a good personality, and from 55 on she needs cash.” And on another occasion she suggested, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.” But […]

Shepherds’ Conference audio is posted

Many of the sessions from last week’s Shepherds’ Conference are now posted. All but one of the general sessions have been posted and many of the seminar sessions are also posted. Have a listen (for free!) at Shepherds’ Conference Media.

A complaint against Jesus

We may not admit it, but we like to complain. We are not unlike the Israelites, who escaped from the unjust wrath of Pharaoh and then complained that they didn’t have leeks, garlic, and cucumbers to eat (Num. 11:5). We complain about colds and cold weather — grumbling against God’s sovereignty in various sufferings and […]

Counting the cost and finishing well

In my childhood and early teen years, I was an active baseball card collector. (I still have something around 30,000 cards inhabiting my closet.) One of the things that I would like to do with fellow card-collecting buddies was trade cards. I always tried to be strategic in my trading, and since one of the […]

Stories of grace in unusual places

Tell someone you have a story about grace and they will immediately think you received an unexpected financial gift, a couple struggling to get pregnant finally is with child, or estranged friends were finally reconciled. Jesus also told many stories of grace. But some of those stories didn’t immediately sound so gracious, like the two […]

Impatient or urgent?

In his sermon this morning, Pastor Keith offered a helpful distinction between impatience and urgency as those attitudes relate to evangelism. IMPATIENCE — a prayerless, fear-oriented anxiety of heart which results in pursuing the believer in reckless and overbearing ways that are inconsistent with biblical love and grace, all without submission to or trust in […]

Praise is becoming

One of the most common commands in Scripture is, “Praise the Lord” (or some derivation of that imperative). The follower of God is to give worship to and find joy in God in all things and at all times. Sometimes, the God-follower is simply commanded to praise God, and on other occasions, as in Psalm […]

John MacArthur – General Session 9

Tonight we are taking a look at a great doctrine including the doctrine of the worship of the Holy Spirit. I really want to start a Holy Spirit movement — to worship Him as His person and for His work. He is the member of the Godhead most involved in our lives and the least […]

Steve Lawson – General Session 8

This is a danger into which many ministries fall. Rather than standing in the center of the message, Jesus is left standing in the shadows. What must be recovered is the preaching of the person and work of Jesus Christ — preaching Christ as the suffering Savior and the full and sovereign Lord. We preach […]

Jack Hughes – Seminar Session 4

How can I teach sound doctrine and have the people hungering and wanting to be there the next Sunday? (A very helpful session on crafting sermons with word pictures.) These notes are rough, unedited and not a complete transcription of this session. Seminar Session 4.doc