A Healthy Conscience
We all have an “internal moral compass” called a conscience. It is something that God has implanted in the soul of every human being. And since God is the standard for right and wrong, and since we are created in the image and likeness of God, then we all have the capacity to choose right […]
Hearing God
Does God still speak today? Yes and No. He does not supersede or contradict His Word (the Bible) with “new” revelation, but He does still speak tenderly to people. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). So how can we discern the voice of the Lord from all the other voices and […]
Parting Words of Encouragement
If you know that you will probably never see a friend or loved one again, you will probably exchange some tender, parting words. This was the case with Paul and the elders of the Ephesian church when he met with them in Miletus. He closes his remarks with some parting words of encouragement about God’s […]
Advice and Warnings to the Church
In his farewell words to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Paul shares some important advice and warnings about how to keep the Church healthy and how to protect the Church from attacks without and attacks within. Even though his words are from the first century, they are timeless principles for the Church today. […]
Running the Race
Six times in the New Testament living the Christian life is compared to “running a race”. The starting line is when we trust Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. The finish line is when we die and go to Heaven or when Christ returns to take us Home, whichever happens first. The time in […]
Revival or Revolt?
Wherever Christ is preached there is usually one of two responses—either revival or revolt. When the light of Jesus is turned on, it confronts the darkness of whatever it touches. If the response is contrition and humility, the result is revival. But if the response is confusion and hostility, the result is revolt. In Acts 19, we […]
Taking Jesus to the Marketplace
People who don’t normally come to church or know anything about the Bible will not understand who Jesus is unless Christians tell them. In Acts 17, Paul went to the “marketplace” and explained Jesus in terms that “unchurched” people could understand. His conversation and interaction with the pagan people of Athens teaches us some important […]
Sing in the Darkness
There are times in the course of life when things are hard and life is difficult. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into prison. They didn’t know whether they would be rescued or whether they would be killed for their faith. Nevertheless, they “prayed and sang” to the Lord because […]
What Tough Times Teach Us
If you are going through a difficult time, you are not alone. Plenty of people suffer in this life. But for the Christian, there are things we can learn through adversity. In Acts 14:22 it says, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Pastor Gary unpacks this verse and teaches four things […]
Embrace God’s Grace
Did you know that being a “good person” is not good enough? The Bible tells us that the human condition is broken and sinful and therefore we need a Savior—Jesus. We can’t do or say enough good things to overcome our broken condition. But here’s the good news—God offers us forgiveness of sins through faith […]