By grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone
Decades from now, if the world becomes saner through the Kingdom of God getting larger, we will have a conversation with our grandchildren or great grandchildren. And they may ask us something like this, “Tell us about the troubling times. How did it happen? What was wrong with people? Didn’t they see it coming? Why […]
September 24, 2020 Church Family, In Deuteronomy 29, Moses is renewing the terms of God’s relationship with his people. Why is it being renewed? The reason being that now at the end of their 40-year wilderness wandering, everyone over the age of 20 when they departed Egypt had died. The children of the Exodus were […]
God’s prophets had a tough gig. They were to speak on behalf of God to his people. At first glance, what was so difficult about that? Wouldn’t people want to hear from God? You’d think the guy with a direct connection to the Creator and Sustainer of the world would be revered. The writer of […]
“God has held you back from honor…” (Numbers 24:11). So says worldly King Balak to God’s prophet Balaam. Balak was squirming. Moses and the Hebrews had come out of Egypt. The miraculous stories were out there (“Did you hear about the plagues? What about the Red Sea parting? How’d they do that?”). The nations were […]
Last Sunday, we finished our 6-month preaching series through the book of Hebrews. I closed the sermon highlighting some of the words and phrases used to describe Jesus and His saving work. As I looked out from the pulpit, I saw in many of your eyes and slightly gaped mouth what I perceived to be […]
It’s probably one of the more memorized verses of the Old Testament. If someone has memorized anything from the book of Jeremiah, this one is probably it: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (29:11). […]
Our kids are getting older, but it’s still fun to watch them open their Christmas gifts. Basketballs, bicycles, and dolls have given way mostly to clothes these days, but the joy of giving and receiving continues. Through the years, as mom and dad, we hit some home runs (electronics), and we hit some singles (cool […]
Assyria was riding high. They were knocking off kingdoms left and right. The northern kingdom of Israel was a recent victim. The southern kingdom of Judah was rightfully worried. Assyria said they were coming after them next. What would Judah do? In their time of great need, to whom would they turn? In a word, […]
The king wrote the law. He gave it to his sons. They were to take it throughout the land. The first went to the people. In each village he proclaimed, “Hear ye, hear ye, I bring you the words of the king. His word is law. You must obey it. You will be held accountable. […]
There is no way around it; Psalm 88 is a dark psalm. Life is hard at the beginning. “My soul is full of troubles and my life draws near to Sheol [death]” (v. 3). Life is hard in the middle. “I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow” […]
“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck,” cries David the beginning of Psalm 69. It has been a difficult week; death tragically and unexpectedly descended upon our church. “I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold,” continued the king. We know what that feels like; some of […]
The following is chapter 24, the final chapter in the children’s series, If They Could Talk, the story of our redemption as it unfolds from Genesis to Revelation. This is the story of the promised new heaven and a new earth and the promise of being face to face with God forever in Revelation 21 […]