Sermon: What We Want from the Word

What We Want from the Word Psalm 119:129-136 December 27, 2020 What did you want this week? That’s a fitting question for a week when there is much gift giving. What gifts were you anticipating giving? What kinds of gifts were you hoping to receive (or not receive)? Where did you want to go (or […]

The Father Who Sent His Son

The following is the manuscript of the message given at our Christmas Eve service this evening. In February 1942, the American war against the Japanese in the Philippines was not going well. It was going so poorly that by March 12, 1942, President Roosevelt ordered General Douglas MacArthur, who was stationed in the Philippines, to […]

Sermon: Christ is Coming

Christ is Coming Revelation 1:7 December 20, 2020 It was early in November that I saw my first sign of Christmas. There on someone’s Facebook video was a Christmas tree in the background — two weeks before Thanksgiving! It was shortly after that Raye Jeanne and I began noticing that Christmas lights started appearing on […]

Men, Relationships, and Ministry in 2021

Relationships are essential. Relationships are a non-negotiable component of corporate church life and individual spiritual life. Relationships are not an added blessing like a favorite dessert after a satisfying meal. Just as fruit, vegetables, and protein are foundational to a good meal, relationships are foundational to life. We might survive without relationship, be cannot thrive […]

Sermon: Christ Has Come

Christ Has Come Revelation 1:4-6 December 6, 2020 A truck driver was driving across a town but something appeared to be wrong — every time he stopped at a red light or stop sign, he would jump out of his truck running around it and beating the side of it with a baseball bat. Someone […]

Fellowship with God

This post was originally published June 3, 2013; it is being republished today because the theme fits this past Sunday’s sermon so well. The term “fellowship” is used regularly in the context of the church (do non-believers use the word?). Often the word is used synonymously for “food” or “feast,” as in, “be sure to […]

Sermon: Fellowship and the Cross

Fellowship and the Cross 1 John 1:1-4 November 29, 2020 Many years ago (while in seminary) I was an evangelism trainer on a team of people from our church who went out weekly to share the gospel. One of the people on my team was a good friend from seminary. As we were headed back […]

Another (timely) reminder to read our Bibles

J. C. Ryle wrote this more than a century ago; but its truth was a timely reminder for my soul today. We not only need to read our Bibles, but we need to arm ourselves with the Bible: You live in a world where your soul is in constant danger. Enemies are round you on […]

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 […]

My meeting with Jay Adams

Two days ago Jay Adams departed this earth and went Home. Many have started writing their personal recollections of him. I did not know him personally and was not his friend, but I met him on two occasions — the first of which had a significant impact on my life. To the best of my […]

Thinking about home

In the last two weeks, the mothers of three of our church members have died. And one of our longtime members who has been home-bound for more than a decade died in a care facility at the age of 93. In the last two weeks, I’ve been to two funerals (one of which I led), […]

Sermon: When You are Hated, Pt. 2

When You are Hated…, Part 2 Romans 12:17-21 November 15, 2020 We all have expectations for relationships. We have desires for how they will work and what we will receive through those relationships. However, we live in a fallen world, so… Our relationships will never work completely according to our plan Our relationships will never […]

GBC Men’s Retreat

Grace Bible Church’s men’s conference next year will be held February 19-20 at Solid Rock Camp. Our speaker this year is Pastor Rick Holland. Rick is senior pastor of Mission Road Bible Church in Kansas. He is also the author of Uneclipsing the Son, which will be the topic of the conference. All registrants will […]

Sermon: When You are Hated

When You are Hated… Romans 12:14-16 November 8, 2020 Like you, I’ve had relationships where I’ve known the other person didn’t like me. Those are hard relationships. You know that and have experienced that. But I don’t know that I’ve had anyone ever really hate me — hate me to the point of working against […]

You need perseverance

Near the end of his life, John Calvin suffered from tuberculosis. In his weakened condition his doctors urged him to rest and adopt a slower pace in his work. He refused, saying, “Bear with me, that God will find me watching and busy at His work until my last sigh.” So the doctors and his […]