While working on a sermon, I often come across something that I know is not the main point of the passage, but that is important and helpful. I know that what I have found won’t be the main message of the sermon, but I want...
One of the most difficult things to trust is that God’s timing is for his glory and our good. The basis of this trust is the relationship we have with God. By grace through faith in Christ, God is our Father. We are his children. He...
“My sheep hear my voice,” Jesus said (John 10:16, 27). Well, I am one of Jesus’ sheep, but I admit that hearing his voice has been a topic of much consideration and confusion for me. The thought of hearing a voice in my ear telling me good things...
I wonder if Jesus’ teaching on the good shepherd in John 10 seems relevant to today’s church. With all the challenges we are facing culturally, politically, and theologically, the image of a shepherd holding a furry little lamb doesn’t appear to hold much by way of instruction...
Don’t let the title throw you. I don’t mean “leaving church” as in finding another one. Or leaving church to never attend again. By “leaving church,” I mean being sent out after the weekly gathering of the congregation to live for God’s glory in the...
Last week, I wrote about preparing for church. This week, let’s think about attending church. There was a day when I didn’t give much attention to why and how I went to church. Looking back, I would say the reason I attended church was because that...
One of the most helpful disciplines I have learned as a member of Grace Community Church is to prepare myself for attending church on Sunday. That may sound strange since I am the pastor and I preach most Sundays. If I don’t prepare the sermon, it...
“I have so much to do today, I will spend the first three hours in prayer.” That quote is attributed to Martin Luther, the man who worked tirelessly as a pastor, teacher, theologian, and champion of the Protestant Reformation. I must admit that often Luther’s approach...
Let’s be honest. We are not always devoted to prayer. Sometimes our hearts are just not engaged to pray. The reasons for this are many. We are often confused about what is best to pray. We grow weary when we don’t see the answers to our...
Our prayers reveal what we truly believe. Ask a Christian what he or she believes, and they might say the gospel. Their prayer life will tell you the truth. Ask a congregation what it believes, and someone might hand you a statement of faith. Show up...
