Category Archives: General

Rejoice in hope . . . (Romans 12:12)

We can live for weeks without food, for days without water, a for few minutes without air. But we cannot live for a single moment without hope. Read on and be encouraged today!

Hope is the confident expectation of God’s promise of good things to come. Scripture exhorts us, “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized” (Hebrews 6:11). God’s promise of these good things to come is grounded in God’s grace and the Good News that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose from the grave to pay the penalty for our sins — all of our sins, past, present, and those still to come. And we are to rejoice in this hope, because joy is the promised fruit of our hope. The hope we have in Jesus will always bear the fruit of joy in our lives, no matter what we are facing, because in Jesus we have a Living Hope that nothing in this life can affect.

This joy we have in Jesus is not an act of willpower. Rather, it is a spontaneous, spiritual, and emotional response of the heart to the reality of our redemption in Jesus. It is the fruit of hope because it comes from the Holy Spirit; it is produced under the supernatural and special influences of the Spirit of God working both in and through us in every circumstance we face. The apostle Paul taught that one of the fruits of the Spirit of God is joy (Galatians 5:22), and this is why God commands us to rejoice, because God always gives us all we need in order to do what He commands us to do.

Remember, even when the circumstances in your life argue against all hope, hope is still there because of your relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV). Do you know what that joy was? It was you! Your name was written on His heart and breathed through His cracked lips. Let that truth strengthen you and encourage you to rejoice in hope, no matter the cost or the circumstance you encounter in this life, because greater is the power that is at work within you than any power that will ever come against you.  

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. (Ephesians 6:7)

There are many different callings for the people of God, but only one Boss – and His name is Jesus Christ. Regardless of where you work and serve, and regardless of who signs your paycheck, ultimately the One you work for is Jesus. Think about this truth for a moment: At this level of living for the Lord, your work becomes a witness. Whatever those in authority ask of you on the job should be viewed as coming from the Lord (as long, of course, as it does not violate the revealed truth of sacred Scripture).

Do you see how this understanding is a complete game-changer for the energy and attitude we bring to our work? First of all, it means there is no such thing as “menial labor” when that labor is being done for the glory of God. Second, it means your work has eternal value, because it is being done for the glory of the Eternal One.

At this point you may be thinking, “Pastor, you just don’t know the job I currently have, and you definitely don’t know the boss I work for!” That’s true. But God certainly does know, and He has not only called you to your current position, but He has given you everything you need to work with excellence.

Check out the very next verse Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians:

The Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:8)

Wow! If you work wholeheartedly and serve the Lord, regardless of where you are working, you can expect the Lord’s reward! Now, it’s not as though we can make God our debtor when we are serving Him. God, in His amazing grace, determined in eternity past to pour out His blessings on those who are working and living in the light of eternity. That means that nothing you do on your job is done in vain. Your boss may not acknowledge you. Your boss may not even remember your name! But your real Boss does — He knows your every thought, word, and deed — and He delights in blessing you.

As you consider the truth of today’s message, do you see the importance of the job you currently have? Remember, your work may not be deemed “important” in the eyes of man, but it is eternally important in God’s eyes. And if it is important to God, it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about it. God has promised to reward you, not so much for your fruitfulness, but rather for your faithfulness. Press on, Christian, and remember that your real Boss is cheering you on!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The Lord has given them special skills . . . (Exodus 35:35)

The book of Exodus provides us with a detailed account of the construction of the Tabernacle, the place that God would occupy in the midst of His people as they made their way into the Promised Land. Of course, workers were needed to build the Tabernacle, and these workers were given specialized skills to get the job done.

Did you know that God has given all His children special supernatural skills to assist in the building project of expanding His kingdom in this world? It’s important to remember that God never calls the equipped for His work; rather, God equips all those He calls. Every child of God has been equipped for the work of ministry in the expansion of His kingdom. Among the artisans who built the Tabernacle, some where skilled as designers, weavers, jewelers, embroiderers, or wood carvers, all of them possessing the wisdom and intelligence needed to complete what God directed to be done.

Let me ask you a very important question: What supernatural skills has God given to you?

Whatever you are good at, whatever you enjoy doing, whatever you do that seems to fit you like a glove, these are areas in your life that God has equipped you to excel in the expansion of His kingdom. Your gifts, talents, and abilities are unique to you, which makes you invaluable to the place God has called you to expand His kingdom. Perhaps you are gifted in administration, hospitality, or teaching. Maybe you are gifted as an encourager or as a prayer warrior or at visiting the sick or shut-ins.

If you aren’t sure what your supernatural skill set might be, consider what those closest to you would say. These friends and/or family members will provide valuable insight into your supernatural wiring and point you toward where you may best be able to plug in.

Here is a truth that I hope will prove to be as encouraging as it is empowering: God does not need any of us to accomplish His purposes in this world, but He wants all of us, and He gives us exactly what we need in order to do what He is calling us to do.

Let’s close today’s message with these words from the apostle Paul:

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Because the Christian life is a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats . . . we all must come to terms with the challenging concept of cosmic continuance, because the fact of the matter is that the life of the Christian will continue in a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats.

In every culture except the culture of Christianity, our identity is found in our performance. In the more traditional Eastern cultures, identity is wrapped up in the family or community. When you are serving the family or community well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not serving them well, you don’t. In the West, identity is wrapped up in the individual. The good of the individual trumps all other goods, including the good of the family or the community. When you are doing well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not doing so well, you don’t. Only in Christianity is your identify fixed, regardless of your performance, creating a never-ending state of cosmic continuance.

You see, in Christ, you are not looking to your performance to find your value and worth. Rather, you are looking to the Person of Jesus Christ, who has fixed your true value and worth in Him. And when you locate your value and worth in Christ, nothing can diminish or discontinue it in any way. You are now living at the level of cosmic continuance.

Look, your performance will always vary, depending on the circumstances you are facing, and so will your settled sense of value and worth — if you are looking to your performance. That lack of continuance in your Christian life will be deeply disappointing to you and a difficult burden to bear. But if you are looking to the person of Jesus, you will be rooted in a cosmic continuance that is unchanging, unwavering, and immovable.

So remember, when you are dealing with the inevitable ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats in the Christian life, you must look past yourself to your Savior for your value and worth. That is the only way to find yourself grounded in a cosmic continuance that nothing in either life nor death can take away. And if any of life’s extreme downs, disappointments, or defeats are pressing in on you, remember these words from Jesus, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

On Wednesday we took a moment to look back and ponder all that God has done for us throughout 2022. Today we will look ahead as we prepare to launch out into 2023.

Two days from now, many people you meet will greet you with the words, “Happy New Year!” That’s a nice sentiment, but if that was all that we as Christian believers had to launch out into a new year, it would be a scant portion indeed! May God be praised, we have much more than a “hopeful greeting” given to us by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and we see it in the promise God made to Joshua: I will be with you wherever you go!

You may remember that Joshua was preparing to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land after Moses had completed his ministry of service to God. Joshua knew quite well that he would inevitably face numerous challenges in leading God’s people. He had learned from Moses just how difficult the task truly was. But he also knew, just Moses did, that he would not be alone in the work God had called him to. The same is true for you and me as we begin this new year.

To be sure, a new year brings with it both questions and concerns . . . doubts and fears . . . obstacles and opportunities. Will the doctor give us a less than positive report on our health? Will we find ourselves facing professional challenges? Will our marriage of many years march on for many more? We will suffer the loss of a loved one? The list of uncertainties is long and can loom large in our minds. Yet we can hold on to something infinitely greater than a hopeful “Happy New Year!” Why? Because we have the sure and certain promise of God that wherever we go, He goes with us.

In that promise, I want you to remember something: This “going with God” is not a going by chance. It is not a random roll of the dice. God is guiding, governing, and directing your every step. “In his heart a man plans his course,” Proverbs 16:9 assures us, “but the Lord determines his steps.” God is in sovereign control of everything – nothing is left to chance. All things serve Him (Psalm 119:91). The Lord our God is in charge and in control of all things, so do not be discouraged! This promise is there to help us replace every fear with faith as we look ahead into God’s perfect plan and purpose for our lives.

One final point. Approximately 1,400 years after God told Joshua that He would be with him wherever he went, Jesus reaffirmed that promise to you and me before He ascended back to heaven: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1)

Today and Friday we close out yet another year of Grace for Your Race. Today I want to encourage you to look back over the past year to remember and reflect on all the multiplied “wonderful deeds” God has done in your life. On Friday we will look ahead to the start of yet another year. If God is pleased to give us that year, let us live it for His glory and the good of all others.

Someone once wisely said, “It is difficult to climb to the summit of the mountain when you are always looking over your shoulder.” That’s true, but looking back is beneficial for the Christian believer to be reminded of all that God has done. To be sure, it must be a brief look if we are to make forward progress throughout 2023, but it is the best way to close out another year of blessings that God has bestowed upon us. 

Now, taking a look back is not the same as walking backward. We cannot go back, nor should we want to! God is moving us forward into His perfect plan and purpose for our lives, even though we live that plan out imperfectly. I frequently tell our congregation that we must treat the past as a school: We are to learn the lessons from our past but not live in our past. Far too many people — both Christians and unbelievers alike — live in the past, which prohibits any measurable forward progress. But this is not for you!

Take some time today to reflect on the past year and make sure your look back includes both your successes and your storms. There is much to glean from both life experiences, because God has given us both in order to conform us into the image and likeness of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Let your “look back” bring to mind God’s . . .

• Faithfulness and Friendship
• Discipline and Devotion
• Mercy and Ministry
• Love and Leading

Your brief look back will encourage you and strengthen you to set out on another year of life with Jesus sitting upon the throne of your heart, guiding you through every twist and turn and growing you through every up and down, every step of the way.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

Yesterday was Christmas Day; perhaps someone has already asked you, “What did you get?” This is the only birthday party I know of where the guests get the presents, rather than the One celebrating the birthday. Christmas has become so commercialized that it is all too easy to leave Christ out of the birthday celebration altogether.

I’m sure you received many Christmas gifts this year, and I hope you gave many to others as well. But here’s the most important question: What did you give to the One celebrating His birthday?

Let me encourage you with these words from the psalmist:

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways. (Psalm 23:26)

Now, that’s a gift that does not come from a store, but it will cost you everything. Jesus wants only your heart, because He knows that where you heart is, there your treasure will be also. Jesus is the greatest treasure the world has ever known. Jesus is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving. Jesus gives us His love, His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His joy . . . and as if that wasn’t enough, He gives us Himself! As disciples of Jesus, we have both His presence and His power to live the life He is calling us to live with freedom, joy, and faithfulness to Him.

So as you thank your Lord for all you received this Christmas season, take a moment to think about the one thing Jesus wants from you: your heart. That’s all . . . just your heart. He wants your heart to beat for nothing smaller than Him; but when it does beat for those lesser loves, you can come running back to Him, knowing that He has forgiven you fully and loves you unconditionally.

May the confession of our lives be as we read it in these words from David:

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8)

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38 NKJV)

As hard as it was for Joseph to receive the message of the Christmas miracle, how much more difficult would it have been for Mary, who would carry the Son of God in her womb? Mary was God’s chosen vessel to give birth to the promised Messiah — the hope of Israel and the Savior of the world. Ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, when God promised to send His Messiah, God’s people had been anxiously waiting for the promise to be fulfilled.

If Joseph would be scorned and shamed for this surprise supernatural pregnancy, how much more would Mary have to endure, who would have the eyes of all who knew her looking down at her, not only believing her to be an immoral woman, but thinking her either insane or a bald-faced liar with her story of becoming pregnant by God’s Holy Spirit. Not only that, but as an unmarried girl who had became pregnant, she risked not only the abandonment of Joseph, her future husband, but her father might also reject her, forcing her into a life of begging or worse. Yet Mary received her calling willingly, saying to the angel, “Let it be to me according to your word.” Mary believed the improbable and the impossible, and she faithfully followed the leading of God in spite of the cost or the circumstances.  

Nine months later, Mary traveled nearly 90 miles, riding on a donkey, much of the journey being uphill, only to find that there was no room in the inn; she was forced to give birth to the baby Jesus among the dirty, loud, smelly animals in a manger. What a testimony we receive in her words to the angel! “According to your word.”

May this be the confession of our lives, not only this Christmas season, but throughout the New Year as we receive whatever God’s call is in our lives with willing submission, because God’s plan and purpose for our lives is always better than our own.

What might our Lord be calling you to do today for His glory and the expansion of the cause of His Kingdom? Are you ready to say along with Mary, “Let it be to me according to your word,” even when that Word makes absolutely no sense on the surface? Remember, God is able to do the impossible, and He is ready, willing, and able to do it through you.

Merry Christmas!

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The angel of the Lord appeared in a dream saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save is people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

This week we are looking at some of the characters in the Christmas story; today we will look at Joseph, who conquered a crisis of faith when he found out that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant. Joseph’s first thought was to divorce Mary quietly. Joseph was a righteous man, and he knew others would look down at him with scorn, thinking this was a shameful pregnancy. But as Joseph was considering walking away from this impossible-to-explain set of circumstances, we see in today’s passage of Scripture that, just as He did in the life of Zechariah, God sent an angel to deliver good news of great joy that would make no sense to the natural mind. But with God, we know that all things are possible.

Joseph was confronted with a crisis of faith. Would he believe the unbelievable? Would he accept the possibility of the impossible? He did. Joseph believed the words of the angel and he believed the words of the Virgin Mary. What would his family say? What would his friends say? What would the religious leaders say? Joseph willingly accepted whatever the public perception would be and the privileged challenge of raising the Messiah as his own child, knowing full well that he had absolutely nothing to do with the pregnancy. Imagine his supernatural surprise when he found out that the child’s father was the Lord God Omnipotent!

We don’t know much about Joseph’s influence on the life of Jesus. We know that Joseph was a carpenter and taught his trade to his son. We know that Joseph was a devout religious man; the last time he is mentioned in Scripture is when Jesus was twelve years old and the family went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. But we do know this: in his crisis of faith, God gave Joseph the strength to overcome, regardless of the cost or circumstance.

God is in the business of giving strength to His children when they most need it. What supernatural strength from God do you need to overcome a challenge you are facing? Remember, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). Look to Jesus. Lean on Jesus. Learn from Jesus. He will never leave you or let you down.  

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The angel said to Zechariah, “Now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:19-20)

As we move toward Christmas this week, I would like to share some words of encouragement inspired by the lives of three important figures in the Christmas story. Today we will look at Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

Zechariah was performing his priestly duties in the temple when Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, appeared to give Zechariah wonderful news: his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to a son, and they were to name him John (“the Lord is gracious”). The child would be filled with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit from birth, and he would be set apart for special service to God.

Zechariah, however, doubted what Gabriel told him, and he was struck with supernatural silence for the next nine months, while he awaited the birth of the promised child. Here we see that the Christmas story began with a season of supernatural silence in the life of the father of the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, inasmuch as Zechariah’s supernatural silence was due to his unbelief, is it possible there is a message in this story for you and me today? Perhaps our Lord is inviting us to withdraw from the busyness and the business of the Christmas season so that we can press into the presence of our Lord to hear His still, small voice above all the clamor that is so much a part of the world around us. Silence in the presence of our Savior is a wonderful way to renew the mind, recalibrate the heart, and realign the will.  

Remember, some of the best praise we can offer to our Lord comes not through our speech but through our silence. A little silent waiting for Christmas day to arrive is a great way to focus on the Reason for the season . . . and His name is Jesus Christ.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!