Defending The Indefensible
Romans 2:1-4
This is our ninth study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. In the first chapter of Romans we learned that we are “without excuse.” Paul says that God has revealed His eternal power and divine nature to us through what He has made. We can see the magnitude, beauty, and intricate design of [...]
You Know Better Than That
Romans 1:28-32
Last week we took a look at an aspect of God’s wrath that most of us were totally unfamiliar with. As I mentioned last week, when we hear about God’s wrath we automatically think about images of an apocalyptic nature–hailstones as large as trucks falling from the heavens, scorpions as big as horses, and the [...]
You Don’t Really Want What You Think You Want
Romans 1:24-28
We are strange creatures. We think that we know everything when in fact we don’t know much of anything. We think we know the right path when in reality we so easily mislead ourselves. We think that God is trying to rob us of life, of really living it up, when in reality we rob [...]
Empty Thoughts and Darkened Hearts
Romans 1:21-23
As we continue our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome today we have to remember where we have been so far in our study. If you will remember, our last few studies have focused on our current situation, we are living life under the wrath of God. The wrath of God is [...]
No Excuses!
Romans 1:18-21
We actually began the study of this section of Scripture last week by taking a look at the wrath of God. If you will remember God’s anger, or His wrath, is not like our anger. Our anger is oftentimes impulsive and explosive. God’s wrath is purposeful. God’s wrath is an expression of His love. God’s [...]
God of Wrath? God of Love?
Romans 1:18
God is love. Yes He is. Those three little words, “God is love,” have come to mean something in our day that is far, far from the biblical understanding of God’s love. In our day “God’s love” has come to mean that God turns a blind eye to our sin, He pats us on the [...]
The Power of God
Romans 1:16-17
When we began our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome I told you that this letter has been used by God to transform countless lives and spark revivals across the globe. One of the revivals, or maybe I should say, “reformations,” that came about because of the letter to the Romans is [...]
“In The Beginning…”
John 1:1-2
I was taught, somewhere along the way in English class, that when you write a paper or give a speech you should “tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.” I found out much later that it wasn’t my English teacher who dreamed up [...]
I’m Not Ashamed
Romans 1:16
I have a declaration to make this morning. A statement that I just can’t keep to myself. I have been pondering the possible repercussions my announcement could bring about. I have been considering the potential consequences of my disclosure. I’ve weighed the benefits of keeping it to myself against the cost of letting the cat [...]
We Have An Obligation To Fulfill
Romans 1:8-15
Paul had the heart of a missionary. He had a love for people that he did not know, he had a desire to go to places where he had never visited, and all of this was rooted in a deep sense of obligation that he felt towards all people. When we think of the word, [...]
The Good News of God
Romans 1:1-7
This week, in our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, we are going to take a look at Romans 1:1-7. These seven verses, in large part, summarize the entire message that Paul wanted to communicate to the brothers and sisters in Rome. It is the “gospel of God,” the good news of [...]
The War Continues!
Ephesians 6:10-18
I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested [...]
Paul’s Letter To The Church in Rome
Today we are beginning a study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. There are 66 books in the Bible and yet I would say that more revivals of the soul can be traced to the book of Romans than to any other single book in God’s Word. Throughout history people like St. Augustine, [...]
Spirit Filled Work
Ephesians 6:5-9
Several weeks ago we began to take a look at a section of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus that began back in Ephesians 5:18 where Paul encouraged the folks to be filled with the Spirit instead of being filled with wine. We learned that being filled with the Spirit of God leads to [...]
Casting Off Restraint
Proverbs 29:18
Vision. The word stirs the hearts of millions of people who are longing for some direction in life, some sense of purpose in life. You can put the word “vision” in the title of a book and it will fly off the shelves. You can hire a coach who has vision and is willing to [...]
Conceal or Confess?
Proverbs 28:13-14
This week we are going back to the matchless wisdom of Solomon. Our Scripture for today is found in Proverbs 28:13-14 where Solomon tells us, 13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. 14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who [...]
Spirit-Filled Homes
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
In our Scripture for today we have an incredible opportunity to learn about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit upon the relationships we share in our household. Paul talks about the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, and “slaves and masters,” or in our day, we could say, “employers and employees.” Dr. [...]
You Can’t Hide a Grateful Heart
Luke 7:36-50
It’s a brand New Year! I’m sure you have grown weary of getting emails from me over the past few weeks urging you to take some time to pray and seek some God-inspired goals that you can pursue this year. I know that most of us don’t make “New Year’s Resolutions” any longer because we’ve [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Everlasting Father
Isaiah 9:1-7
There are few things as constant as change. Have you thought about it? Take just a moment and think about what has changed since last Christmas. Some of us are working different jobs than we were working at this time last year and some of us are out of a job this Christmas. For some [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:1-7 [ 31:35 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadThe Gift of Christmas: Mighty God
Isaiah 9:1-7
There is a heaviness hanging like a cloud over many hearts this Christmas Season. The sounds of Christmas joy are muffled by the kettle drum beats of fear, loneliness, and uncertainty. Hearts that were once full of joy, excitement, and expectation are hollow and the emptiness wrings out the soul. Many are the scenarios that [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Wonderful Counselor
Isaiah 9:1-7
Four the next four weeks I want us to spend our study time taking a look at a section of the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was a prolific prophet in perilous times. He wrote 66 chapters that are filled with judgment, justice, love, and redemption. Throughout all 66 chapters, through the hard times as well as [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Wonderful Counselor - Isaiah 9:1-7 [ 32:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSolomon’s Wisdom on Anger Management
Proverbs 19:11
Over the past several years we’ve become more and more familiar with fits of rage and anger infiltrating most every arena of life. On November 19, 2004, we watched the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers take on the fans at The Palace after a fan threw a cup of beer on Ron Artest. Nine players [...]
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Proverbs 18:10-11
Rafik Hariri, Lebanon’s former Prime Minister, is a genuine, modern-day rags to riches story. Rakif was born on November 1, 1944, the son of poor farm workers from the southern city of Sidon in Lebanon. He attended elementary and secondary school in Sidon, and pursued his university studies at the Arab University of Beirut, where [...]
Uncommon Forgiveness
Proverbs 17:9
In Proverbs 17 there are some shady characters who exhibit shady characteristics in the way they live their life. Some of these folks, who evidently were alive and well in Solomon’s day, are still with us. We read about them in Newsweek, People, and in our local newspapers. We see their lives portrayed in movies [...]