Jesus tells His followers to consider the cost of following Him: “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me […]
Read More The cost of not following ChristWednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture, chapter 8: “Prescribing Some Helps to Godliness.” Question: But what shall we do that we may be godly? Answer: I shall briefly lay down some rules or helps to godliness: […]
Read More Some helps for godlinessPaul, a friend in seminary, once told of a remarkable junior high adventure. It seems that one summer afternoon he and a friend went prowling through the attic in Paul’s house. There they found a trunk with a few mementos from his father’s career in the military — helmets, hats, uniforms, papers, hand grenades.…Yes, hand […]
Read More The tongue is a fireLife with God Psalm 15 February 1, 2015 History remembers Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan as a dashing Irishman who tickled America’s funny bone in the late 1930s, during the dark days of the Depression. He became a national folk hero, creating a household phrase still bestowed on those who do things the “wrong way.” Corrigan […]
Read More Sermon: Life with GodTomorrow morning at GBC we will begin a new sermon series that I’ve entitled, “Songs for the Heart” — a brief (2-month) series on a variety of Psalms. When individuals are discouraged, weary, perplexed, or sad and grieving, they often turn to the Psalms to have their hope, encouragement, and confidence in God restored. And […]
Read More New sermon seriesWednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Lord’s Prayer, “The First Petition in the Lord’s Prayer.” When may we be said to hallow and sanctify God’s name? [1] When we profess his name.… [2] We hallow and sanctify God’s name […]
Read More Hallow God’s nameA number of years ago I cleaned out and rearranged my bookshelves and in the process found a number of empty binders that I was no longer using. Seeing this accumulation of treasures, my then 6-year-old daughter asked me for them so she could “play school.” [Now she teaches English at a middle school in […]
Read More How gracious is God’s grace?The Message of the Cross: Grace John 1:14-17 January 25, 2015 The story (I assume it’s apocryphal, but who knows…) is told about a woman who went to a photographer to get a portrait done. She was anticipating the day when he would call her back to see the result of his work on her […]
Read More Sermon: The Message of the Cross – GraceWednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from All Things for Good, chapter 3: “Why All Things Work for Good.” 1. The grand reason why all things work for good, is the near and dear interest which God has in His people. […]
Read More The grand reason why all things work for goodO LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, […]
Read More When I consider Your heavensAs believers we acknowledge that God is our Father, but that reality too often feels inadequate to us. We would rather have a loving father with flesh — a human daddy — than a heavenly Father. I have heard it said on multiple occasions, “I know God loves me, but I want my dad…” Yet […]
Read More The blessings of having God as our FatherPray in This Way Matthew 6:9-15 January 18, 2015 At the beginning of a new year, we often engage in self-evaluation — Perhaps you have an annual physical like I did this week. You may evaluate the state of your marriage and home — “how are the children or grandchildren doing and how effective are […]
Read More Sermon: Pray in this wayWednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is from The Doctrine of Repentance, chapter 4: “The Nature of True Repentance.” The fifth ingredient in repentance is hatred of sin. The Schoolmen distinguished a two-fold hatred: hatred of abominations, and hatred of enmity. Firstly, there […]
Read More The repentant are sin-hatersSin is not liberating. People will say it is liberating. Advertisers will attempt to convince you it is liberating. Those who engage in habitual sin will assert that Christians who follow the way of Christ are in bondage and enslavement. Sinners will smile, laugh, and appear joyful when engaging in sinful behavior, asserting that they […]
Read More Sin is not liberatingWhat Will You Do with God’s Word? Psalm 119:41-48 January 11, 2015 In one of our early years of marriage, Raye Jeanne was trying to be creative with her cooking and trying to come up with some healthier options that tasted similar to some of our favorite meals. And so one night she put a […]
Read More Sermon: What Will You Do with God’s Word?
Words of Grace 