Encouragement from your pastors

Dear brother/sister in Christ,
 
Your elders are praying for you. We hope that encourages your heart. In the past year we have come through some difficult seasons of trial and testing. We read a little blog this week that highlighted the turmoil of the past year, and it reminded us about how each of you have struggled through some tough stuff of late. So, here are a few reminders that your elders remind each other of, and we want to encourage you to remember them along with us.
 
There is nothing new under the sun (Eccles. 1:9). Please, be careful who you are listening to. Be prudent. Be discerning. There has been and there always will be the nay-sayers. Apart from faith in God, the doom and gloom and unbelieving spin on daily events is what you expect. After all, in whom or what are they basing their hope, peace, and trust? Whatever is capturing the headlines today, it will be something else soon, and none of it is really “new”. God knows.
 
In Christ, all things hold together (Col. 1:17). Believe that! All things. Nothing will ever happen in your world, or in the wider world, or even in the cosmos which the Lord does not ordain and sustain. Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). The details and the final word rest with God and not with governments, governors, or gurus.
 
God is good and does good (Ps. 119:68). Isn’t it heartbreaking that an entire world of people do not know, believe, live, or enjoy this truth? But you know it, believe it, live it, and you enjoy it even among all of the chatter and noise of unbelief all around you. Remember what you are hearing from Solomon in Ecclesiastes and enjoy your life! Heed Paul’s words, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude, for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim. 4:4). Live your life to the full with faithfulness.
 
If you’ve ever wondered what your elders say to encourage each other in faithfulness during tough times, you can know that we make efforts at being reminded of these truths (and others J). We say them in different ways and at different times, and we try to keep it all grounded in the good providence of God loving us with fever fervency.
 
“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart…” (1 Pet. 1:22).
 
In grace and truth,
Jeff & Greg

Be Humble, Not Haughty

(Day 6 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“… Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:5b-7)

Some of us may be thrilled by the outcomes of this week … or the opposite, we may be shocked and grieving … or we find ourselves somewhere in the middle. Well, as these “election week daily devotionals” come to an end today, we earnestly pray that they’ve been an antidote from fear (Monday), becoming prey (Tuesday), worry (Wednesday), feeling overwhelmed (Thursday), and helplessness (yesterday) – basically a Scriptural “shot in the arm” for encouragement and to be buoyed, not by any circumstance we find ourselves, but rather by God’s precious Word. It is His truth which keeps our minds and hearts anchored in Christ and focused on heaven.

Wherever we find ourselves today, let’s remember to “clothe ourselves with humility toward one another …” (1 Pet. 5:5b). When Peter says to “clothe” ourselves, he’s saying to tie-on humility like we would an apron. That is, we are to figuratively cover ourselves by wearing an attitude of humility. Just as an apron protects our clothes from getting stained and messy in the kitchen when we cook, a covering of humility will protect us from how we might otherwise behave in our victories and successes, as well as how we might otherwise react in our defeats and failures.

Why else does Peter exhort us to be humble? He gives us at least three reasons in the verses above. First, “God opposes the proud …” (v. 5). Knowing that God Almighty, the omnipotent Creator of this universe, opposes pride should be all of the reason and motivation we need to clothe ourselves in humility. And further, for those of us who are familiar with Proverbs 6:16-17, we remember that “haughty eyes” is specifically named as one of the seven detestable sins that is an abomination to God.

Peter continues with another reason in verse 5 – God “gives grace to the humble.” Can we just pause for a moment and meditate on that beautiful, blessed truth? Aren’t we all in desperate need of God’s grace, not just this week, but every second of our lives? Scripture assures us that we will indeed be recipients of God’s divine grace as we live humble lives. “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” (Is. 57:15)

Peter provides a third reason for humility in verse 6 – “the mighty hand of God” is the authority over us as believers. Therefore, out of obedience and submission to our sovereign Lord, we are to humble ourselves. What does this look like? Trusting the Lord and His sovereign ways although we may not understand. Not presuming what tomorrow may hold. Holding your open hands (figuratively) – a willingness to humbly submit, believe, and embrace God’s activities in our lives and His plans for our future.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we close out this week, let’s be encouraged (and encourage one another) to put our complete faith in Jesus Christ, casting all of our anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Knowing this and the other reasons above that we’ve learned from Peter will lead us to eagerly and joyfully adopt an attitude of humility in our lives. By this we honor our Lord and give the world a true view of love.

Be Hopeful, Not Helpless

(Day 5 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

Pastor/author Wayne Mack said, “False hope is based on human ideas of what is pleasurable and desirable. Many people think that their problems will disappear if they can just get what they want …” And he added, “True hope is a biblically-based expectation of good. In other words, it is biblical hope, an expectation based on the promises of God.”

We are never helpless when we are living in and on the truth of God’s Word. And we never have more reason for genuine hope than when we are looking to the Lord Jesus to honor what He has promised us: “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

The Thessalonians were distressed people. And while Paul could commend them for their growth, still many of them were buckling under the persecution and pressures coming from the world around them. Unchecked, this could all lead to irreparable fractures in the church family, as well as between individuals and their families.

If we return to Wayne Mack’s definition of biblical hope, “a biblically based expectation of good…an expectation based on the promises of God,” we can apply it to what we see in Paul’s encouraging prayer for these troubled, weary, and concerned Christians. Pin your hope and expectations on these four assurances about your relationship to God and Christ: 1. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father…” What a gift of grace to know Who we belong to! 2. “…who has loved us…” past-tense—proven, ongoing, selfless, unquenchable, limitless love shown to us at the cross. 3. “…and given us eternal comfort…” God gave you (“beloved by the Lord” v.13) an eternal comfort or encouragement that lasts – it cannot be shaken by anything now or through eternity. 4. “…and good hope by grace.” This is the hope of the Christian given to us by God’s gift of grace—a good hope which serves us now and is based on God’s sovereignty in remaining committed to only and always do what is best (good) for us.

But Paul isn’t finished praying for them. So far, this was all the basis of his prayer and in v.17 he comes to what he is asking God for on their behalf: may God and Jesus “comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” That seems to cover every aspect of our lives.

Comfort and strength are heavenly gifts which we enjoy through faith by remembering and rehearsing God’s truth in our every work and word. Christian, beloved of the Lord, stand on what God has told you and done for you (v.15). This is personal and intended for you as you face the pressures, uncertainties, and the trials of your everyday life. Your heavenly Father is actively caring for you…in everything…always.

Biblical hope is an expectation grounded in the promises of God. What words and works might need an application of fresh faith in your life today? Take yourself and your struggles to your Father, and “do not grow weary of doing good” (3:13). Trust Him. Pray these verses for yourself, and then pray them for others who are also in need of hope.

Be Overcomers, Not Overwhelmed

(Day 4 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

It’s two days after the election, and there are clear winners and losers (and/or contested results!). While these daily readings have been our loving encouragement and exhortation to anchor our hope and faith not in the outcome of these elections, but rather in the truth of the gospel and God’s love and power over all things, there are likely some spiritual battles occurring in your hearts and minds. Perhaps the reality of the elections is setting-in (in our minds), but our hearts are still fighting this reality and what’s taking place right now in our country. And on top of that, we may already be weary of what has been happening related to COVID and the lawlessness that we’ve seen on the news. All of this together can be quite overwhelming.

In times like these, it’s easy to become frustrated, impatient, and short-tempered. We lash-out at things and people with whom we disagree and also at those who offend us and/or hurt us. Strangers, and perhaps even close friends and beloved family members, quickly become enemies in the moment, and we need to set them straight. After all, we’re clearly right and they’re simply ignorant or flat-out wrong and deserve a bit of our reproof … or so we sincerely believe.

Let’s not forget Paul’s admonition to the believers in Rome (and by extension, to us): “Do not be overcome by evil …” (Rom. 12:21a). Did you know that this instruction has two meanings and applications? The more obvious one is to not allow the evil in our world, including the evil done to us directly or indirectly by other people, to overwhelm us. However, and perhaps more importantly (and especially in the context of this year), we must not allow ourselves to be overcome by our own evil responses. Arguably, it is our own evil that is more harmful and impactful to ourselves than the evil done to us by others.

How do we avoid being overcome by evil? Paul finishes his earlier instruction in verse 21, “… but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21b). Earlier in Romans chapter 12, Paul also instructs, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor … Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” (v. 9-10, 17).

Church family, we must choose to abhor what is evil. And let’s focus first on our own sinful behavior – our thoughts/attitudes and actions/responses. No more critical or snarky comments. No more gossiping, even having those private (i.e., “Just between me and you …”) conversations where we’re so critical of others.

But we’re only halfway there … merely stopping ungodly, evil behavior does not fulfill our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ. Further, and even more critical and perhaps more challenging, we are called to take the initiative to love one another and outdo one another in showing honor. Regardless of the outcome of the election this week, let us purpose to live humble, holy lives as we think and act in a way that honors God and others.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3a). Abhorring evil and holding fast to what is good, even in the face of an overwhelming week (and month and year), is possible, so be encouraged! Let’s get to work being overcomers!

Be Worshipful, Not Worried

(Day 3 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, for You will answer me. There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name. For you are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God” (Psalms 86:7-10).

As we sat down to write this on October 8, we had no way of knowing what we know now as you read this. It’s the day after the election, and what we have all awakened to this morning was known to the Lord and is in His control. The person who is now (or soon will be confirmed as) our president is there because God put him there. God knows what He is doing. He knows all things; He is omniscient (Please read: 1 John 3:20; Job 42:2; Ps. 44:21; Heb. 4:13).

The unknowns and limitations we experience on our side of this life are reasons enough to call us to worship a sovereign, merciful, and gracious God—we cannot know our future, and He has planned our future; we are small, and He is great; we are weak, and He is strong; we are in need and He has promised to provide. Worshiping Him is only right. He alone is God!

But more importantly, it’s what we do know that most influences us to bow our hearts in humble adoration of Jesus. We know Him as the One who knew no sin and yet became sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

Perhaps we are finding that this, like the Psalmist’s time, is a day of trouble. Let us ask you, what does scripture say is the one thing which should be the only thing that keeps us from worshiping Him? NOTHING! That’s the one thing—nothing. No matter what we experience or what happens around us, we are called to worship the Lord because of Who He is and because of Whose we are. Stand firm, beloved, on these twin truths, because they never change…by God’s guarantee.

The Psalmist knew where to go in his day of trouble. Rehearse with him the truths of his heart’s worship: “…You will answer me…There is no One like You…nor are there any works like Yours…All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You…O Lord…and they shall glorify Your name…For you are great and do wondrous deeds…You alone are God.” Do you believe all of this about God and about your own life before Him? 

This is the greater reality of your awesome God. In His perfect time, people whom God has saved from all the nations whom the Lord has made will come to worship and glorify Him. For now, we are those people, and that’s our role and privilege: to model to everyone and to anyone our own heart of worship to the One who is great and who does wonderous deeds, the One who alone is God.

Put your eyes on Him (Col. 3:1-4). Reflect a bit on how the Lord has faithfully shown you His favor, that He is great and does wondrous deeds in your life. Count your blessings, worship Him, and take comfort that He alone is God…your God. 

Be Prayerful, Not Prey

(Day 2 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

This day has finally arrived … it’s Election Day. Notwithstanding early voting, this is the day that Americans freely choose their elected representatives and leaders. Untold amounts of dollars and hours have led up to today’s event. Many are anxious as votes are cast and the results are only hours away. Are you on the edge of your seat? Nervous? Uneasy? Troubled? After all, our future is on the line, right? WRONG! Our future is secure in God’s hands. As a matter of fact, He wrote your and my future before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). We find peace and rest in the glorious truth of God’s complete and sovereign control over all things. So, take a deep breath … God’s got this (because He has already pre-determined it)!

Now, with this assurance in mind, let’s also remember that there is an enemy who is nevertheless on the prowl “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). This imagery is dark and pictures the viciousness of this hunter-enemy pursuing his prey. Scripture contains many accounts of Satan attacking believers – Job (Job 1-2); Peter (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62); Paul (2 Cor. 12:7-10); and some of the church members in Smyrna (Rev. 2:10) and in Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-24).

Further, note that the word “devour” doesn’t mean just to hurt or maim, but to completely destroy, literally to gulp down. Satan seeks to devour believers by using various approaches:

• attacking the church (i.e. leaders, members, and church unity)
• attacking marriages and families
• attacking through the sinful and alluring world system (“For all that is the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16)
• attacking believers directly (see examples from Scripture in previous paragraph)

Could it be that in this season of our history where times are full of cultural revolution and political unrest, the enemy is sowing seeds of fear and uncertainty in our minds? Is Satan slowly draining us of our hope and joy? Are we finding ourselves transfixed on the news and social media (instead of God’s Word)? Will our satisfaction and contentment this week (and beyond?) be based on the results of this election?

Brothers and sisters, let us not become indifferent to the reality of the relentless spiritual opposition from Satan and his demons, lest we become their prey. Take heed of Peter’s counsel to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, to cast all of our anxieties on God, to be sober-minded and watchful, and to resist the enemy (1 Pet. 5:6-9). And add to that Paul’s instructions to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

Pray for God’s will to be done in our country and in the current election. Pray that each of us would gladly accept and be content in God’s sovereign, loving will. Be on alert for anything that would draw our attention and affections away from the Lord Jesus Christ and that would tempt us to do wrong (evil) and not good. Let us not become prey for the enemy.

Be Faithful, Not Fearful

(Day 1 in our Election Week 2020 Encouragement series)

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

So much hype and so little hope―that might be one way to characterize much of what our nation has seen and heard in the months leading up to this week. So many conflicting messages, contradictory statements, negative diatribe, and voluminous numbers of self-serving political infomercials have combined to confound and polarize so many Americans. 

Add to this the ongoing and equally confusing (vexing) collection of information and instructions about COVID-19. And then mix in an unavoidable dose of human nature (the sinful kind), and the situation becomes a powder keg of raw emotions ready to erupt in desperate expressions of sheer terror. At least, that’s what the liberal media, hate-mongers, and doomsday types would have us think. Such is our world (see the entire book of Ecclesiastes).

What does God think about these modern events? Well, read again Isaiah 41:10 and consider that this was spoken to some very troubled people. Isaiah means, “Jehovah has saved.” And that is the central message of the book; God is the only one who saves, so God’s people must put their trust in Him alone. But here was the problem of that time, the northern kingdom of Israel had united with Aram (Syria) to wipe out the southern kingdom of Judah. And Ahaz, king of Judah, went against the counsel of Isaiah and chose to put his trust in making nice with the Nazis of the ancient era, the dreaded Assyrians. Assyria gladly accepted Ahaz’s call for help and eventually conquered the northern kingdom, deporting most of the people from what was Israel.

It was only a matter of time before Assyria then turned to conquer Judah. Assyria’s king, Sennacherib destroyed many fortified cities in Judah and eventually laid siege to Jerusalem. “It was a time of great fear and political uncertainty.” Sound familiar? But God was in control!

God’s man steps in; Isaiah brings God’s message of faithfulness to Judah. Hezekiah, Judah’s king, listens to Isaiah and trusts God. Assyria is miraculously defeated, and Judah is saved. But it doesn’t last because Judah will turn away from the Lord to trust in themselves and their idols. When Isaiah speaks in 41:10, he brings God’s promise of future forgiveness and restoration. Read Isaiah 40-41 and note God’s faithfulness to His promises to His people. His grace would see the people responding in faithfulness to Him; that’s why we trust Him—He is ever faithful!

Jesus said something similar: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). What a contrast! In the world we have troubles which lead us to tremble and despair. Take courage. Because in Jesus we are not only safe but sanctified (made and kept holy).

What God is doing through modern events cannot be undone. Read John 14:1-6 and be at peace. You are beloved of God because of your faith in Jesus. So, remember, rest, and be reassured. 

The Golden Gift of Service

“Do unto others…before they have the chance to do unto you first.” Have you ever heard that little bromide before? That’s the not-so-golden version of the golden rule. Somehow, I don’t think that really captures what Jesus had in mind when He said, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way” – Luke 6:31. What Jesus had in mind was serving people in love, and Jesus practiced what He preached!

Throughout His three years of public ministry Jesus exhausted Himself in loving service to others. Jesus said of Himself, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” – Mark 10:45. The ultimate expression of Jesus’ humble service to others was that, “…being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” – Phil. 2:8.

Jesus’ example is more than challenging, it’s life-changing. Jesus showed us that to serve is to act in love; it will cost us something to invest in each other Jesus’ way. Here are a few simple suggestions, based on an ACT acronym, that each of us can apply directly to our service to God’s people in our own church family.

Available: Serving in the church family will cost you some time. It is time well spent. Your presence is important and encouraging. Be at worship services and church functions. Be prompt as a gift of service to those who are also sharing in the time along with you. Hang around and don’t hurry away; seek someone out (visitors or someone you don’t know well) and give them some of your time while you listen to them.

Committed: Commit your heart to church life. Church life should be at the center of life because it is what is most important about us – we are part of the family of God! Jobs, family, rest, etc., are important. It isn’t as much a matter of balancing your commitments but of focusing your efforts and resources on the most important commitments. Church life doesn’t compete with your life; it helps complete your life.

Teachable: Be available and committed to the teaching times of our church. Excited, eager, and expectant learners are contagious critters. It serves to encourage the body to see you and your family making the commitment to support the teaching times of our church. Being teachable is learning, growing, and changing…together.

Notice I haven’t said, ‘sign up for this’ or ‘serve by doing that’ or ‘I think you should…’. I don’t know what specific role your service in the church family will look like, but I do know you are needed and that the Lord would have you ACT (see Heb. 10:24-25).

Just like in most relationships, it’s the simple things, the little things practiced consistently that are most often the greatest blessings. Roll up your spiritual sleeves and be available, committed and teachable while doing, “all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” Colossians 3:17.

(Originally published February 7, 2016.)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, May 31, 2020

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!” (Ps. 106:1).

One hundred lifetimes would not be adequate time for us to express all of the beauty and wisdom packed into that profound but brief declaration. Fortunately, we have all of that and more in Jesus Christ, and as we love and walk with Him this beauty and wisdom is seen in us.

We are just over a week away from our first gathering since the quarantine, Lord willing. We hope you will continue to be encouraged in your walk with the Lord Jesus even as we patiently await June 7 together. Please keep praying for your elders and for one another.

As your pastors, we are providing some protocols for our service. We want to be clear about our desire to wisely and prudently safeguard our church family—the hearts and the thinking behind these guidelines are grounded in your care. We are inviting you to join us in doing our collective diligence to proactively care for one another in a spirit of love and wisdom.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:9-10).

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Pet. 3:8).

These verses accurately express what we have already seen and heard in you, so we are eager to bear out these truths even further in one another’s presence. All praise to God!

Please plan to Zoom with us this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. for our final session before we meet again in person. Listen to one of the preachers we’ve suggested, and then be prepared to share a nugget, insight, or challenge you received from the message.

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, May 24, 2020

Good news! We are bumping our first worship service up a week to June 7. We hope that each of our families can plan to be there for our re-assembling as the family of God.

Of course, we will follow-up soon with more details about protocols for our first gathering. It will be as simple as we can make it while remaining prudent about the current situation.

In the meantime, over the next two Sundays (May 24 and 31), please take advantage of the links below for churches we’ve suggested for you to virtually visit and sit under the Word of God. There are others, naturally, but we trust these pulpits, and we know that you will be well fed.

We will plan to continue our Sunday evening Zoom sessions at 5:00 p.m. as we encourage each other and pray for one another. Please plan to share something from what the Lord taught you, challenged you with, and/or some insights you gleaned from the sermon.

We are very proud of you all as we stand together to encourage and pray for one another throughout this time of testing and trial. Faithfulness is always a challenge as we deal with day-to-day issues and situations. But it has been especially challenging over the past few months.

Thank you all for your steadfastness, sweet spirits, and willingness to follow our lead in how we have sought to shepherd you during this unprecedented time. You have made it a joy for us to come alongside of you (spiritually speaking) and navigate this crisis together from a shared sense of joy, hope, peace, and thankfulness in our hearts (see Heb. 13:17; and Col. 3:17).

We love you and, with much thankfulness to the Lord, we look forward to gathering as an assembly of the redeemed once again, Lord willing. Be in prayer for us all for June 7.

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, May 17, 2020

“Practical atheism,” what’s that? It’s what Christians do, what we do, when we think and/or act in ways that fail to take God into account. It’s what happens when we fail to do this, “. . . seek the things above, where Christ is . . . ” and this, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2). I was challenged with this in some reading I was doing on God’s providence this week.

Unfortunately, we’ve all seen, heard, and read many examples of practical atheism in Christian circles since the outbreak of this pandemic. As your pastors, what we have tried to do in these weekly letters, sermon recommendations, and lectures from R.C., is what we have tried to do all along in our shepherding—we have encouraged you to seek Jesus Christ through scripture and prayer.

Keep the main thing, the main thing (Matt. 22:37-40).

Not only do we not want you to be practical atheists, even more, we want to urge you to follow hard after Jesus while striving in holiness of mind, heart, and behavior for God’s greater glory—to make your life about Him while denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Him.

Remember, God is in the details of your life and of the lives of every other human being, and of the entire universe! He isn’t just allowing things to happen or sitting back while things run amuck—God is ordaining all that happens, even things that seem to happen by natural cause or what some would call luck or chance (see e.g. Ps. 135:6; Prov. 16:33; Col. 1:16-17).

Consider the alternative: everything happens randomly, and the events of this earthly life are chugging along as they always have, evolving, changing, happening for no particular purpose and with no particular goal or end in sight. It’s all controlled chaos with no meaning. YUCK!

As your elders met this week and discussed the COVID situation, and the regulations, restrictions, proposals, and protocols as it all relates to our church and our shepherding, we talked about how the current situation is best understood in light of the very first verse of the Bible:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

And the last two verses of the Bible from Revelation 22:20-21:

“He who testifies to theses things [the book of Revelation] says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

We hope you are encouraged by R.C.’s final lecture in this brief series, as he instructs us to look to the cross of our redemption in Jesus for the peace which He alone brings to our lives.

Teaching link (for Sunday’s Zoom discussion): When Worlds Collide: Finding Peace (Lecture 5)

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, May 10, 2020

The most fatal fallacy of every cult is an unbiblical view of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). While they often diverge from biblical Christianity on many important doctrines, and even share similarities with Christianity on some aspects of belief, none of them, as a cult, will understand salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone as God’s only provision for the forgiveness of sin.

And this is most always the case because the cults do not have a biblical view of man, i.e., a view of mankind as futile in mind, darkened in understanding, alienated from God, hardhearted, spiritually callous, greedy, and impure (see this list in Eph. 4:17-19).

In fact, because mankind suppresses the truth in unrighteousness and exchanges the truth of God for a lie, people view God the way they should view themselves. God is the one they see as hard-hearted, darkened, futile, callous, hard to please and difficult to get along with.

As R.C. will point out in this lecture, God’s wrath towards mankind seems unfair and unwarranted and, like the idols of pagan cultures, this unfair god needs to be placated and pampered to calm him down and to win him over. But this is not Jesus’ Heavenly Father.

R.C. asks, “saved from what?” And the answer comes from and concerns the doctrine of man, and how the God of Creation has taken the initiative to deal with sinful, rebellious and depraved mankind in His mercy and grace to save many people from the deserved wrath of a holy God.

God’s expressions of His wrath against sin and all forms of ungodliness are just as much expressions of His goodness as are His expressions of love, grace, and mercy. His holiness and righteousness demand that He act in justice without partiality. It is amazing that this holy, just, and forever-and-always-righteous God should and does spare anyone from His deserved wrath.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . . .” (Eph. 2:4-6).

We are blessed to have God as our Father, not because we were able to offer Him something that assuaged His anger towards us or that finally convinced Him we weren’t so bad after all, but because God the Father gave up His only Son to purchase us as His sons and daughters.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly . . . but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God” (Rom. 5:6, 8).

God the Father saves us from Himself by offering Himself as God the Son in death on our behalf, and by taking our sins onto Himself, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Amazing grace!

Teaching link: When Worlds Collide: The Wrath of God (Lecture 4)

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, May 3, 2020

Since our time of isolation from mid-March, the Lord has blessed us all with some wonderful teaching/preaching from several incredibly gifted men. We have had access to sermons which have addressed the current pandemic from a biblical perspective, and these faithful pastors have called on God’s people to look to Him as sovereign and merciful as He accomplishes all of His purposes in and through the suffering of this world-wide malady.

As your pastors, we are so encouraged by you, and we are very proud of you all as we see you striving in holiness and in your faith in Jesus as you face the daily challenges brought on by COVID. You can take great comfort from the Lord as these evidences of God’s grace at work in you confirm your faith and work in you the fruit of persevering in joy and with much peace in Christ. God is in control!

It is very likely, that if you were to live another 100 years, you would not experience anything approaching God’s display of His sovereign rule over all of the affairs of mankind like we are seeing with COVID. I’m simply emphasizing what many wise and discerning men are saying, that we are living in a historical moment unprecedented in our lifetime – a moment which will make its presence felt for generations to come. God is working!

Secular sources (like our media outlets) spin and spin their perceptions and interpretations as they critique the current administration, predict outcomes for post-COVID life, offer surface remedies, and vacillate between doom and gloom and varied levels of optimism about restarting the economy. Spiritually, they are empty and darkened in their understanding (Eph. 4:17-18).

The reason for COVID, they say? – an accident; a mistake; a Chinese experiment; nature fighting back; no reason; stuff happens; to make humanity stronger; etc. The greatest purpose our world sees in this pandemic has to do with humanity rising together to greater heights of self-autonomy (I will conquer) and human scientific prowess (We can make our own cure). The message is evident: we don’t need God/God is irrelevant.

These are man’s futile attempts at purpose, comfort, and wisdom apart from a heart humbly surrendered to a sovereign Creator. We urge you, beloved, please do not take the measure of your life or of the world situation according to the measure of the wisdom of man. Be informed, but do not be influenced by man’s view of his life and his world. Do not set your mind on worldly interpretations of reality and the man-centered philosophies which drive them.

“Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:3).

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2: 8).

COVID will not be a catalyst to bring true peace and unity to humanity, to make it truly better, or to rescue mankind from itself; only the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ can truly deliver mankind from the death of this life and the next. And COVID cannot and will not destroy the world – that’s God’s domain as He has established in Scripture (READ 2 Pet. 3:8-18).

R.C.’s lesson this week helps us have the Lord’s heart and mind on the heavenly purposes of human suffering in the face of “tragedies” in this life. As R.C. will make clear, faith in a sovereign God will not allow us to see anything in this life as random or meaningless. And faith in God does not guarantee that we will be able to discern all of His purposes in our suffering or in the events that He ordains for His world. God knows what He is doing!

“There is no erratic power, or action, or motion in creatures, but that they are governed by God’s secret plan in such a way that nothing happens except what is knowingly and willingly decreed by him” (John Calvin).

Whether we understand them or not, God has His purposes for everything that happens in His world and with regards to His people. Everything that is happening is from God, and everything that is happening is from a good God who does good – always and in everything (Ps. 119:68). That is certainly not the world’s view of things, so do not listen to the world.

In addition to your lesson this week, we are including a link to an article (“What is Providence”) R.C. wrote for his book, Everyone’s a Theologian. We hope it adds favorably to your ongoing study and meditations about God’s providence in His relationship with His world and especially with His people.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10).

Teaching link (for Sunday’s Zoom discussion):

When Worlds Collide: Purpose in Suffering (Lecture 3)

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, April 26, 2020

We are praying that our explanations and encouragements in these pastoral letters are proving helpful to you week to week. We consider it a wonderful privilege to offer care for your souls by way of pointing you to God’s sufficient Word of truth, especially so at this time of extraordinary difficulty and distress sweeping our community and our globe.

The book of Job and the life we see Job living out before the Lord teach us that trouble, tribulation, and turmoil are all unavoidable realities for every person this side of heaven, and that God is over, in, and always good in the process of all of the trials of this life:

“For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:6-7).

When you view this current pandemic through the lens of faith and a sufficient Bible, you can ask, “what is the Lord teaching me about the focus of my heart, my walk with Him, my habits and priorities, and especially about my commitment to the spiritual priorities closest to God’s own heart?”

In 1986, John MacArthur preached a message titled “The Purpose of Trials”. He outlined eight purposes God has in bringing trials into our lives. I’ll simply list them here:

1. Trials test the strength of our faith.
2. Trials humble us.
3. Trials wean us from worldly things
4. Trials call us to an external hope
5. Trials reveal what we really love
6. Trials teach us to value God’s blessings
7. Trials enable us to help others in their suffering
8. Trials produce endurance and strength

Our encouragement? Pick one and spend a day, a few days, or more praying and reflecting on how God is working in your life to accomplish this purpose, and how you can better humble yourself and obey Him in this spiritual work of specific refinement in Christlikeness.

In study #2 this week, R.C. Sproul deals with elements of God’s providence. The doctrine of providence “is God’s preserving his creation, operating in every event in the world, and directing the things in the universe to his appointed end for them” (Biblical Doctrine; MacArthur/Mayhue).

On page 10 of R.C.’s study guide, question #4 asks, “Have you ever experienced a tragedy that caused you to question God’s providential care? How did God see you through this period?”

That question captures much of the aim we have in doing this study with you. And not because we believe you are questioning God’s good providence, but because the world around you is, many Christians are, and because we all need to reassure our hearts of God’s good and sovereign control in and over the details of our lives and of this planet.

We are praying fervently for you, beloved. And our prayers are for your spiritual welfare even as we ask the Lord to keep you from physical harm. May His will be done in each life for His greater glory.

Please reflect on Isaiah 45:7 as you come to listen to R.C.’s lecture:

“I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”

The most important phrase in that sentence is, “…I am the Lord.” We need to remember and to rehearse to our hearts who He truly is as He has made Himself known to us. He is God, the Lord of glory, the everlasting God, Maker of heaven and earth. He has this! He loves you!

We hope to see you all Sunday evening as we fellowship and as we discuss these awesome truths about our awesome God.

In the love of Jesus,
Greg and Jeff

Teaching link (for Sunday’s Zoom discussion):

When Worlds Collide: Peace and Calamity (Lecture 2)

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, April 19, 2019

From time to time, Jeff will stress in his messages that it matters who you listen to, who you ask, and what answers you choose to heed. And when it concerns the issues of life, truth, your walk with God, and spiritual obedience, it matters . . . a lot.

A chorus of voices are offering their take on all aspects of COVID-19. And true to form, there are all kinds of ideas and explanations cropping up in the Christian community. You’ve heard them too. Here’s one from Thomas Jay Oord, a theologian, author, and teacher at Northeastern Nazarene University:

God can’t simply prevent the coronavirus–or any other natural evils–singlehandedly but requires “our participation and cooperation” to fight it.

But the Bible says:

“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

“Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Ps. 135:6).

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24-25).

God doesn’t need our help for anything. We need God. God gives life to all that He has made. And only God knows His appointed time for every person’s death:

“. . . in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16).

“Since his [man’s] days are determined, and the number of his months is with You, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5).

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27).

No one is living or dying without God’s direct involvement. He is not hands-off with the souls of men and women. And nothing in His world is happening beyond God’s sustaining grace, His sovereign power, and His supreme love. Nothing!

The greatest tragedy in this crisis is not that people are dying—all people are appointed to die. The greatest tragedy in this pandemic must be measured spiritually and not temporally—many if not most people are dying as rebellious sinners without faith and hope in Jesus Christ. That is the greatest calamity about this pandemic.

The question most pressing on mankind is not why Corona, or why is God allowing so many people to die from Corona. The question, from a spiritual mindset, is why is God allowing any of us to go on living?

And consider this, my friends, what does the Bible repeatedly call on people to do when they are confronted with the hardships, suffering, pain, fear, uncertainty, frailty, destruction, and death of this world which are all due to sin?

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:6-7).

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:7-8; and see also vv. 12-19).

Beloved, as your earthly under-shepherds charged with your care by the Great Shepherd of your souls, Jesus Christ, we are prayerfully urging you to be sober-minded and to spiritually discern this unique time in our history. It is not for us to know all of God’s mind about this crisis:

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this Law” (Deut. 29:29).

What we can and should do is live within the revealed will of the Lord and make the most of this time for Him day to day. This is so important, and we do not want to miss this lesson through this current situation. Look to and listen to the Lord as He speaks to us in the Bible.

Be about spiritual things and prayerfully pour into your soul the goodness of God in Christ as your Lord and Savior. Listen to and heed the voice of the Lord through the pages of Scripture, and pray earnestly. If there is one thing that we will solemnly encourage you in it is in an attitude of prayerful dependence on God through confession, intercession, and repentance. Pray!

We are changing our Sunday worship-from-home format a bit and asking you to watch a teaching series by R.C. Sproul: When Worlds Collide. We provide the links below. Watch the first of five lessons for this Sunday: A War of Ideas, and we will plan to Zoom on Sunday evening at 5:00 to discuss this lesson and encourage each other in our faith.

In addition, please know that we are still encouraging you to take in a sermon each Sunday, so feel free to watch a sermon from the four links we provided last week (live stream; listed below) or choose a different sermon/preacher and watch them. Watch whoever you want to watch . . . but please be careful about who are you listening to 😉 .

We hope you are encouraged by R.C.’s teaching. And we are praying that this series will give you some helpful spiritual confidence about the good God we serve and about His good ways of managing His creation —Corona and all (Ps. 119:65).

In Christ,
Greg and Jeff

Teaching link (for Sunday’s Zoom discussion): When Worlds Collide: A War of Ideas (Lecture 1)

Suggested live-streamed worship service links: 

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | Sunday, April 12, 2020

Happy Easter! We would like to ask you to do something that we hope will prove fun and encouraging for your family. As we all look to Jesus and celebrate His resurrection, rehearse together as a family the many ways His new life in you, His resurrection life in you, are expressed in your daily life.

What difference does His resurrection make in your everyday living? Think of all of the blessings His life in you brings to others as He works His sanctifying grace through your life.

What does the new life of Jesus in you look like in your marriage, parenting, singleness, work, friendships, spending, goals/dreams/plans, church-life, hobbies and in your response to God’s sovereign work in this pandemic? How are others being blessed by God’s grace in your life?

The reality of Jesus’ resurrection life is profoundly life-defining according to the apostle Paul:

“We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).

How is this newness of life being seen and heard in what you do and say?

Jesus saved Paul from a life of murder, hatred, and violence. And during His Christian life, Paul experienced terrible suffering, and he saw people do terrible things. Through it all, Paul put his hope in Jesus and celebrated knowing Jesus in every way he could:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…” (Phil. 3:7-8).

Are you celebrating? You have every reason to be full of joy, hope and peace in Him. Rest your soul in the new life of Jesus in you–a life which God will bring to Himself one day as you celebrate in heaven for all eternity. This is your inheritance due to the righteous, resurrection life of Jesus in you.

“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His” (Rom. 6:5).

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him” (Rom. 6:8-9).

Nothing can overcome or extinguish the resurrection life of Jesus in you, beloved. You belong to Jesus. And His resurrection life in you is the difference for your holy life of pleasing Him now, and it is the difference in why you have joy and hope and peace beyond human understanding in the face of so much earthly uncertainty. Keep seeking Him (Col. 3:1-2).

Instead of providing one sermon link, we’ve listed several live-streamed services for you to choose from this Easter. Whichever you choose, we know you will be blessed as the Word is taught and Christ is exalted.

Livestream Easter Service Links:

Faith Bible Church (10:30am ET, John Crotts, pastor)

Grace Community Church (1:30pm ET, John MacArthur, pastor)

Grace Immanuel Bible Church (10:45am ET | Jerry Wragg, pastor)

Parkside Church (9:45am ET, Alistair Begg, pastor)

Worshiping from Home | April 5, 2020

We are praying for you all as we seek the Lord Jesus together. We pray you are rejoicing in Him as our changeless, matchless King who reigns over us in all wisdom, grace, mercy, and love as He conforms us to Jesus, teaches us to look away from this world and to long for His coming, and fits us for heaven:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

“. . . you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:9-10).

We love you, dear ones. Be greatly encouraged as this season of God’s providence reveals the frailty and fleeting nature of human life. Commit to pray that God will bring repentance to many people as they face the fear at the bottom of their unbelief.

As you look to Jesus, rehearse to your troubled, fretful, and often fickle soul that in Him you have true and everlasting life:

“If then you have been raised up with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).

“And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).

We are the church of the living God, the people of God, the called-out ones who know and love the Lord of glory. We are loved by the Lord of glory. And nothing in all of this universe can thwart God’s love and will for you as His child bought with the blood of His holy Son:

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation (Corona Virus), will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

As you listen to this week’s message and prepare your hearts for our time on Sunday evening, ask, “As a member of Jesus’ church, how am I seeking to live now in light of Jesus’ return to take His church to heaven?”

Be blessed and built up in Him.

Worshiping from Home | March 29, 2020

Worshiping from Home | March 22, 2020

As we all consider who we are as Grace Church, how do you and I need to view our own individual investment in the ministry of Grace Church? And what does the Bible tell us about how to be the church, what our focus should be, and how each of us can show faithfulness and obedience to Jesus in our service in the church?

As we become increasingly well-grounded in the answers to these questions, we are in the best position to share in the priorities of Jesus for being on His mission together (Matt. 28:19-20). We can draw on this biblical information to inform our hearts and keep us focused on the main thing—making disciples.

Here are some questions to get you thinking along with us: Is disciple-making required of every Christian? Do you currently make disciples? How? When? What does your own individual investment in making disciples look like as you serve your church family? Is there only one way to make disciples? What role does Scripture play in this process? What role do your pastors have in your disciple-making? And, how does your spiritual gift(s) relate to Jesus commissioning you to make disciples as a matter of faithfully following Him? Whew! Got all that?

As an example of how we’re preparing us to understand and plan together about this, the Justin Peter’s presentation gave you a sobering view of the need for every Christian to carefully consider the way we uphold the uniqueness and priority of the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word in the life and ministry (disciple-making) of the church. We hope that it helped to further clarify and fortify what we believe and uphold about God’s Word at Grace Church.

The issue is that we cannot make disciples, our #1 priority as God’s people, apart from God’s Word working in our own hearts. What you know and believe about Scripture will directly impact your understanding of the Great Commission and your own role in obeying Christ in making disciples. And all of this begins in your marriage and family.

God’s Word gives us the mission, mandates, and methodologies we need to faithfully follow Jesus as His people. The more we commit our hearts, minds, and bodies to loving obedience to Scripture, the more we will safeguard ourselves in nurturing a truly God-honoring ministry of the Word (see Ps. 119; John 14-15; and 1 John, for connecting love for God and obedience to Scripture). Remember, the power for salvation and sanctification is in the Word of God:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the righteous shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17).

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…” (Col. 3:16).

Anything that undermines the Word at work in the life of God’s people is counter to our mission and to our faithfulness to follow Jesus. We want to deepen our understanding of, commitment to, and obedience to God’s Word in the life of our church and families. As we do this, we can ask, “how does our church honor and live in light of this mandate?” And, “how do I honor and live in light of this mandate?” Bringing together those corporate (church) and individual (you) elements is what we are aiming for.

For this Sunday’s message, we are asking you to view Phil Johnson’s sermon, Scripture vs. Human Experience, from the October 2019 Truth Matters conference. Phil spoke in session two, just after John MacArthur, and just before Justin Peters. Phil’s introduction is about 29 minutes (sound familiar?), anyway, you might hear some stuff that’s new to you, that’s okay. It’s all good.

The main thing that we would like you take away from Phil’s intro material is this: God has given us a sufficient Bible for everything we need to live God-pleasing, faithful, obedient lives of love and grace. We don’t need to “hear” from God in any way other than what He has already spoken to us in Scripture. God guides us in wise living and wise choices through Scripture’s principles and precepts. It is fully sufficient. Follow Jesus, fill your heart/mind with His truth, commit your way to Christ, seek godly counsel, and then act on what seems wisest and best to you.

We cannot improve or add to the Bible for living holy lives in the power of the Holy Spirit. And you will hear Phil say that this is not the case in other faiths. In other faiths it is the Bible plus. . . something. Justin Peters spoke about the issue of the Bible plus God spoke to me, or the Bible plus God impressed on me to. . . The issue becomes personal intuition, having a sensation, a feeling, or some other subjective experience to guide you in your decisions. These are subtle ways we can unintentionally or unknowingly disregard a sufficient Bible to direct our lives in faithfulness to Christ. It is dangerous, difficult, and can open you to grievous error.

Please know, dear friends, that this is admittedly a challenging teaching, and it hits at the heart of what so many Christians and churches have become accustomed to in being guided to serve the Lord. We understand. This is my (Jeff’s) past testimony as well. We are certainly not saying that Christians doing these kinds of things are not Christians, or that they do not love Jesus or value Scripture. Most of this is being done unwittingly, but that doesn’t change the danger. We are simply trying to set the table of truth with the right dinnerware for feasting on the nourishing words of sound doctrine. Truth fosters unity and maturity (Eph. 4:11-16).

We love you. Be blessed and encouraged by His super-abundant grace and mercy.

Worshiping from Home | March 15, 2020

How does God speak to us as believers in our day and time? The answer we subscribe to is that God has spoken most clearly and powerfully in His Son, Jesus Christ, and that God still speaks to believers today through His sufficient and authoritative Word (Scripture), which gives us the true witness of the life and teaching of Jesus intended for His followers.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world” (Heb. 1:1-2).

“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place . . .” (2 Pet. 1:19).

Peter is speaking about the truth of Scripture given by God to the apostles and prophets to be taught to God’s people. He is saying that this Word of written testimony, all of it, is even more sure or confirmed for us to believe and to live by than what Peter, James, and John personally witnessed at Jesus’ transfiguration.

As powerful, convincing, and affirming as witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus was for these men, and while all of what they said about Jesus was the truth from their lips as eyewitnesses, “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed”, or made even more sure for us. The “we” refers to believers. God’s Word is our sure foundation for life and godliness—going even beyond the reliability of the personal witness and experiences of the human authors of Scripture. The Bible is confirmed for us as God speaking to us today because it is just that—not Peter’s word, not James’ word, and not any other man’s word, but the very Word of God (see 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the work of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).

Will we believe the Word of God for what it is, so that it’s unique reality as God speaking to us is honored and protected? Where will we go for daily guidance in living a life pleasing to Him in all respects? This is what is at stake today (and throughout the history of God speaking) as we prayerfully seek the will and way of the Lord for our everyday lives.

“Walk as children of the light…and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:8,10).

“. . . we pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him . . .” (Col. 1:9-10).

And consider this, as we are engaging our culture, dealing with life, and facing the issues of day-to-day circumstances where we are trying to please the Lord, we are urged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to discern God’s will, and we are commanded to go about speaking the truth in love (Rom. 12:2 and Eph. 4:15, respectively). Thinking and speaking God’s Word are how we grow in Christlikeness together (spiritual maturity). Those spiritual activities are absolutely vital to a life of godliness. We are not free to speak our minds, we are free (saved and sanctified) to be able to speak the mind of Jesus (1 Cor. 2:16). We are to speak His truth in love and we can only do that as we are speaking what He has already spoken in Scripture.

God speaks to us today through the Bible. As you fill your heart and mind with the truth of God’s word, and as that word balms your soul in the love of and in love for Jesus, you are free to make decisions and to act on what is in your heart. That is how we come to make daily decisions about what to do, how to do it, when to do it, etc. God will put His desires in your mind/heart, and He will help you strive in a life of holiness (Ps. 37:3-4; Phil. 2:12-16).

With all of that said, here is the link to a conference presentation by evangelist Justin Peters. This is the video we request that you watch as a family in lieu of our corporate worship service on Sunday, March 15.

We recommend two things prior to watching his presentation: one, go to his home page and read the block quote which Justin has featured (picture of Spurgeon with it—I think each of you will appreciate it). Justin has adopted Spurgeon’s quote as his philosophy of ministry. And two, read or skim Justin’s personal testimony. (from Jeff:  It’s a bit lengthy, but I read the entire thing and I appreciated knowing what he shares. It helped me understand the man and his ministry better, and his journey in the Lord is remarkable. It’s not necessary that you do either of these things, but I think you will be well-served if you do.)

Your elders prayerfully (we are praying for each of you) hope you are encouraged by the presentation, and that your discernment will increase as you take in the truth of the Lord, and as you become more aware of how you might speak the truth in love with others concerning the uniqueness, sufficiency, and authority of Scripture for hearing from God.

If you have questions arise as you watch, please plan to engage us with them. This is meant to help you grow in grace, and to inform, encourage, and safe-guard you about a very important reality within the Christian community.

A Word From the Elders (COVID-19)

Dear Grace Church family,

Your elders would like to offer some guidance in light of the community reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve all seen the news and have updates coming in about the status of things, and it is safe to say that you realize the sense of urgency which authorities are taking in our own community. The situation is tense, people are afraid and self-protective, and they are showing this in a variety of ways.

How should God’s people respond in the midst of this pandemic? To answer that, we turn to… Scripture, just as we always do and have done as we seek to love Jesus and our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40).

▪ “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). Nothing malicious, pernicious, or infectious can thwart God’s love and purpose for you as His child. Rehearse and hold on to this promise that belongs to you.

▪ Matthew 6:25-34. Read this. It’s good. God is in the details of your life. He is attentive and aware and in control, so that nothing is surprising Him and nothing is beyond Him so that He cannot control it. Seek the Lord and surrender to Him—He has this.

▪ Romans 8:28-39. God has a plan for your life, cares for you enough to send Jesus to get you, not once but twice (salvation and rapture), and He has the power to ensure that all He wants for you is accomplished in His time and in His way.

▪ Romans 15:4 combined with 2 Corinthians 5:7. The comfort we receive from the Bible is due to the fact that it points us to God and it tells us to put our hope in God (Ps. 39:7). Scripture teaches us to trust God because He is trustworthy. “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Ps. 62:8).

▪ Ecclesiastes 7:14; Isaiah 45:7; Lamentations 3:38. Just a few passages which speak to God’s control over the good and the bad, the prosperity and calamity which comes into our lives.

And there are many, many more passages which inform and conform our hearts in peace. In the final analysis what do we say? “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccles. 12:13).

COVID-19 hasn’t changed God or God’s plan. So, this is a time for Christians like you and me to speak the truth in love and offer hope for humanity’s calamities by looking to Jesus. We need to respond to God’s sovereign, loving, wise heart, and not react to the world’s panic, fear, and selfishness. Be prudent and Bible-wise.

This is the time of testing that helps us measure our commitment to truth and allows our theology (knowledge of God) to inform and guide our attitudes and actions. As we put our faith and hope squarely in Jesus, we are in the best position for our hearts to respond in wisdom and grace to the issues of life. That means much prayer as we depend on God.

In light of this, Greg and I are prayerfully and humbly suspending our Sunday worship services until further notice.  This decision is based on several important items:

1. We want to help honor the concerns we all have about those in our congregation most vulnerable and at risk from exposure. We have some folks who are at greater risk because they suffer from medical diseases; we can do our part to help stem the spread.

2. We desire to honor the Lord and be proactive in loving our neighbor. The virus is spreading in our area. With the Cochran’s being exposed, it hits a bit close to home and (as Greg said), it has help put the exclamation point on our decision.

3. We are seeking the highest good. In light of the current reality, we would rather err on the side of caution and concern which keeps us proactive rather than reactive.

4. Trusting God and following through with some practical and wise precautions which help safeguard you and your family are ways we are expressing our shepherding hearts for you. We look to the Lord and we act in the most biblically informed way we believe to be prudent and necessary.

While we cannot gather as a church family, we are asking you to honor meeting with the Lord in your homes as a family, keeping that time set apart for worship as you would if we were all meeting together. Each week, we will share a video for you to watch, along with some questions/discussion points. We’ll also provide a link (via email) for our church family to participate in a fellowship and discussion time on Sunday evenings.

We love you all. We will be in contact with you and we would ask you to make us aware of any needs you might have. Please keep looking to the Lord, looking out for one another, and please keep praying for each other and for our community.

There are many gospel opportunities open for us at this time as we simply offer to others the hope that is in us.

May the Lord be honored in Grace Church,

Greg and Jeff

Why I Preach The Bible

I’m interested in why people visit our church, and I would guess you are interested, too. So I’ve asked our visitors, “What brought you to our church?” One consistent reason they are giving me goes something like this, “We want biblical preaching, and we have had a hard time finding it.” Maybe that sounds strange in light of so many churches in our area, but I’ve found this same issue in many of the places I’ve lived and visited. So what’s behind this troubling dearth of biblical/expository preaching?

…numerous influential voices within evangelicalism suggest that the age of the expository sermon is now past. In its place, some contemporary preachers now substitute messages intentionally designed to reach secular or superficial congregations–messages which avoid preaching a biblical text, and thus avoid a potentially embarrassing confrontation with biblical truth. (Al Mohler)

I agree with Mohler, and I see the results of his discerning view (he wrote that in 2004) being lived out in many, many pulpits today. It is tragic that any “preacher” would circumvent preaching from a biblical text in order to “avoid a potentially embarrassing confrontation with biblical truth” – especially when you consider this: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1:16), and this: “…you have known the sacred writings [Scripture] which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God [preacher] may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-16).

Scripture makes us wise unto salvation, and the truth of God’s word counsels and guides us in godly living, and the Bible fully equips each of us for every good work of service to one another as the family of God. We need more of the Scripture in our lives, not less.

Our church could be known for many things: a great student ministry, inspiring music, super-duper elders, warm-hearted people, etc. (all good things). None of that saves us and, apart from God’s word, it doesn’t sanctify us. God’s truth saves and sanctifies (cf. Jn. 17:13-17). That’s why I preach and teach the Bible! And that, above all things, is what I hope and pray our own church family will be most known for in this community – we are people of the word of God.

The pulpit should be central, the focal point, of any church’s life and ministry. This isn’t because of the man behind it, but because of the God above it and His truth proclaimed from it. I have several quotes in my office which remind each day what my task is as a preacher of the gospel: “We are not sent into the pulpit to show our wit and eloquence but to set the consciences of men on fire.” And this, “The question is not, ‘have I preached well?’ but ‘have I served God and Christ and have I served the people of God?’ Charles Simeon’s questions about a sermon were: ‘does it uniformly tend to humble the sinner, to exalt the Savior, to promote holiness?”’

The great Puritan pastor Richard Baxter said of his own preaching, “I preach as never sure to preach again and as a dying man to dying men.” That’s good stuff! Ask the Lord to keep your pastor’s preaching faithful to the Bible – everything depends on it.

Holiness and the Holidays

Don’t Let the World Hijack Our Stuff
I enjoy the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas are back-to-back celebrations that most everyone looks forward to. And what group of people has more reasons to be thankful and celebratory than…you guessed it, Christians? The season belongs to us, and we are willing to share. Both of these holidays are expressions of gratitude for God’s good provision. Sure, each year there seems to be more about Santa and less about the Savior. And sure, there’s hustle and bustle, and there’s lots of hype and distractions as people hock their wares and try to make a buck off of the season. We understand that we live in a fallen world full of fallen people influenced by a great Deceiver – what do we expect? The world’s view of Thanksgiving and Christmas is anything but…Christian.

But that doesn’t mean we have to capitulate to it, complain about it, cloister ourselves from it, be a Grinch about it, boycott it, or even roll over and act like it doesn’t exist. What then?

Season Your Speech for the Season
We can weigh in. We can come alongside the hucksters and hypocrites, the marketers and malcontents, the relativists and revilers, and the lonely and languishing of our little neighborhood. We can smile. We can slow down. We can ask. We can listen. We can carefully, prayerfully and humbly make the most of the moment to speak graciously (Eph. 4:29; 5:15). Santa is exciting! We get that. Presents are exciting! We get that. Flying reindeer, come on, that’s just cool, weird, but cool. Use it. Meet your neighbor, cashier, waitress, whomever where they are and share some of your own joy with them. “Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person” (that’s Colossians 4:5-6, by the way).

Double Whammy People (Nicely)
Enjoy and rejoice. Enjoy the provision of God. Rejoice in your many blessings. Take in the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of the season and be thankful (Colossians again, 3:15-17). Rehearse the gospel to yourself throughout the day. Remind yourself that your life is a gift to be lived back to God out of deep gratitude. Then live out of the overflow of God filling up your own heart with Him… a double whammy of enjoying and rejoicing. Remember, “…everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer” (1 Tim. 4:4-5). Sanctify (set apart to God) the season through your own devotion to Christ, to His gospel, and by your own prayers that God would use you as salt and light in an unsavory, dark world.

Happy THANKSgiving and Merry CHRISTmas!