GCV Blog

Recently, I sat down in anticipation of the opening ceremonies of the World Cup. I felt particularly excited this year. Certainly the history of the Republic of South Africa played a part in the drama. After emerging from segregation and apartheid, the nation had much to celebrate. Former President Nelson Mandela was continually thanked and praised for uniting his nation. While national pride of fans from around the world was evident, there was a clear emphasis on the celebration of peace and global unity. The crowd danced, sang, and waved flags in support of this message of unity, freedom and peace.

The words wisdom and wise appear 484 times in the Bible. They appear some three hundred times in the Old Testament, one hundred of those times in the book of Proverbs alone. We learn that God is “wise in heart and mighty in strength” (Job 9:4) and that He is the source of wisdom: “Where can wisdom be found. And where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12). Job answers his own question, saying, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:12, 28).

Two months ago I wrote a pastoral word about suffering that is grounded in hope. It was in the context of my friend Jim who had brain cancer and how God was being glorified. Jim went to be with the Lord on June 3. On Monday, at his memorial service, the Gospel was given in its entirety to several hundred people, including many non-believers. This was a unique opportunity with a captive audience.

Democrat. Republican. Obama. Health care. Supreme Court. Senate. This week, another election season has come and gone. As always, politics and the government have dominated news reports, talk shows and across-the-fence discussions. And yet again, I wonder if we are thinking as Christians in America. Let’s consider just a few principles from God’s Word regarding government and the philosophy of our church.

How must saints respond to sin in their lives? The Apostle Paul answers, “Put to death [or mortify] therefore what is earthly in you” (Col. 3:5-7 ESV). Puritan John Owen’s comments, first published in 1656: “Do you mortify? So you make it your daily work? You must always be at it while you live; do not take a day off from this work; always be killing sin or it will be killing you…Indwelling sin always abides while we are in this world; therefore, there is always a need for it to be mortified. Some have wrongly and foolishly believed that we are able in this life to keep the commands of God perfectly and are wholly and perfectly dead to sin.

The school year is almost over! As a teacher, that probably brings me more joy than most (other than students). I look forward to summer: family time, late evenings, BBQs, swimming, vacation, a time to catch my breath and of course, a break from work. As I anticipate this time of year, I must confess that often the driving force behind my thoughts and emotions is not a desire to know God more and make Him known. When considering unscheduled free time and opportunities to get away, my selfishness can take over my thought life and desires.

As a farmer, I am always thankful to get through these spring months unscathed by the elements of the weather. From the time that our fruit is in bloom in February to the time that it is harvested in the summer, it is susceptible to many things outside our control. All sorts of weather can destroy a crop: freezing temperatures, hail, wind and late rains. On our crop insurance forms these are called “acts of God.”

We have all heard our pastors say, “You say what you say and do what you do, because of what you think. And you think what you think because of what you believe about God, His Word and yourself.” This saying is very practical for us to use in correcting sin in our lives. Doctrine leads to thoughts, which lead to action. When dealing with a particular sin in our lives, we should be able to trace the sinful action all the way back to see where our doctrine is wrong.

Mother’s Day celebrations aren’t unique to Christians. All across our country, moms will be given cards, treated to meals, praised, thanked, hugged and loved. So what will make Mother’s Day different for us? Only a Christian Mother’s Day will properly honor both moms and God. First, a Christian Mother’s Day is uniquely focused on humility. Far from using this day only to exalt a mom’s worthiness, Christians give the Gospel proper

For my next several opportunities to provide a pastoral word to you, I would like to pursue a historical perspective on some aspects of life here at Grace Church. This first excerpt is from a sermon delivered by Charles Spurgeon on April 5th, 1874. It expounds upon the words of Acts 2:47, “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” This idea of not joining any one particular church, and instead simply belonging to the “church at large” is often advocated in the name of unity, and yet