Moses was gone and God had replaced him with Joshua. Egypt with its leeks and cucumbers and the wilderness were a fading memory and the Promised Land with its milk and honey were a delightful new reality. The nation had reaffirmed its commitment to God and His Word (Josh. 1:16-18) and demonstrated that faith when […]
Read More They did not drive them out completely“A dead fish can float downstream,” observed comedian W. C. Fields, “but it takes a live one to swim against the current.” That is true not only for fish, but for people as well. It takes a life of vitality and courage to go against the prevailing tide of public opinion. But that is the […]
Read More Be strong and courageousThe Gifts of the Spirit, Pt. 1 Romans 12:3-8 March 23, 2014 Gifts are funny things — sometimes what we think would be a nice gift for someone is hardly noticed or received well; other times something we think is insignificant or even inappropriate is the favorite gift of all. Many years ago — back […]
Read More Sermon: The Gifts of the SpiritThe Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity, fully God, co-equal with the Father and the Son in essence, though differing in function. And the Spirit was sent by the Son to indwell believers after the Son ascended to Heaven after His resurrection (Jn. 16:7). Those truths are (generally) affirmed by all believers today. […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers: Distinguishing the works of the Holy SpiritSeen recently on the internet: Fred Phelps, leader of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, died this week. There have been numerous responses to both his life and death. Al Mohler, in “Fred Phelps and the Anti-Gospel of Hate — A Necessary Word” offers this wise insight: We must be very clear about the fact that […]
Read More Grab bagThe Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:16-26 March 16, 2014 It’s about the size of a bowling ball, covered with sharp, stiff, spiny points, and grows on trees throughout southeast Asia, most predominantly in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The business end of a durian, which is the inside, is mucuslike in consistency, and the unique […]
Read More Sermon: The Fruit of the SpiritGalatians 5:22-23 reveals to us the kinds of fruit that the Spirit produces in the life of the believer who is walking with and filled with Him (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18-21). These are not only in contrast to the deeds of the flesh, but they also relate to virtually every aspect of life, as shown […]
Read More The fruit of the SpiritThe New Testament Epistles often used the phrase “_____ one another” to indicate purposes and functions for the church. The “one anothers” are instructions about how believers are to care for each other. And as this infographic indicates, it’s a pretty simple set of instructions:
Read More All the “one another” commands in the NTThe Shepherds’ Conference at Grace Community Church is always a highlight for me. The days are always busy and full, but the spiritual encouragement and biblical fellowship are always refreshing. I always take notes on my laptop and while they are not anywhere approaching full manuscripts and frequently are not direct quotations of the speakers, […]
Read More 2014 Shepherds’ Conference messagesThis year’s Shepherds’ Conference has just ended (some audio is already available here). And now the information for next year’s conference has already been released. And next year, the conference will be extended from three days to four (March 3-6) and will include many more plenary speakers. And next year (for the first time in […]
Read More 2015 Shepherds’ ConferenceThe Filling of the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5:18-21 March 2, 2014 One day last April, a couple in northern California that owns a few acres went for a walk on their property. It seemed innocuous enough. After walking for a while they stopped by a particular tree and noticed something that made them dig around […]
Read More Sermon: The Filling of the Holy SpiritScripture makes very clear what a husband’s responsibility to his wife is: “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in […]
Read More How a husband loves his wifeWhat Does the Holy Spirit Do? Selected Scriptures February 23, 2014 Once the calendar annually turns to December and the family Christmas tree is erected, there is generally a daily trek to that tree by the children in the family to determine what new gifts were placed under the tree. “Can we touch them?” they […]
Read More Sermon: What Does the Holy Spirit Do?Some helpful articles from the last week: Denny Burk writes about sexual orientation in, “Is Homosexual Orientation Sinful?” I do not dispute that there is a legitimate distinction to be made between orientation and behavior. I do question, however, whether the Bible supports the notion that only homosexual behavior is sinful while homosexual orientation is […]
Read More Grab bagThe writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (12:3). In other words, one antidote to discouragement, despondency, and depression is a serious consideration and meditation on the work of Christ. To that end, […]
Read More What God changes at salvation
Words of Grace 