As I was looking through past bulletins I came across the following article which I wrote as we moved from 1996 to 1997. I would have been just short of my 42nd birthday. But the succeeding years have only proved the truth of what I wrote over 23 years ago: Lord, grant Your goodness and grace to us in the coming year.…

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my   salvation — my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2 On every side are hosts of enemies ever invading our souls — trampling down every good thing in our hearts — accompanied by a flying troop of temptations,…

“To be found in Him…” Philipians 3:9 Every believer in Jesus Christ confesses that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We know that the righteousness of God comes not by our works but by the faith of Jesus Christ. And only those who are in Christ by faith have the righteousness of God which was merited by the faith…

Oh, that a weary, brokenhearted world would learn these lessons of grace! Oh, that they would taste and see that God is good! Let them but come home to Him. He will not mock them with shadows, nor feed them with husks. He will satisfy their craving souls; He will turn their midnight into noon; He will give them beauty for ashes,…

If I truly believe the gospel of God’s sovereign grace and glory, I will not hesitate to be fully identified with those who believe and preach that gospel in my day. Paul said to Timothy, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner.” It is cowardice and compromising to brag on dead preachers like Spurgeon,…

“Love God And Live As You Please.” This was the response of Augustine when he was asked what is the secret to the Christian life. This was also the response of Martin Luther when he was asked to cite his rule of life. Everyone except those who are physically confined or restrained endeavors to live the rule “Live as you please.” The…

The dew falls imperceptibly. No man can see it fall. Yet its effects are visible in the morning. So it is with the blessing of God upon His Word. It penetrates the heart without noise; it sinks deep into the consciencewithout anything visible going on. And as the dew opens the pores of the earth and refreshes the ground after the heat of a…

Consider the work of God: for who can make straight which He hath made crooked? (Ecclesiastes 7:13) Behold how the work of God seems crooked in the eyes of natural human reasoning and wisdom. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). Consider the work of God in salvation. …

Contentment is the being satisfied with the sovereign dispensations of God’s providence. It is the opposite of murmuring, which is the spirit of rebellion — the clay saying to the Potter, “Why have you made me thus?” Instead of complaining at his lot — a contented man is thankful that his condition and circumstances are no worse than they are.  -A W…

If 99% of salvation is by grace, then salvation is 100% by works.  If any aspect of salvation is dependent upon man doing his part in order for God’s part to be fulfilled, then salvation is of man, and not of the Lord. Works and grace cannot be mixed.  They are mutually exclusive.  The belief that God loves all, Christ died for…