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Today I preached on the topic of "Give More" from Advent Conspiracy.  Below are my notes from my message which tied in with our kid's Christmas program. My theme is Give More. I have one point this morning- Give More Gospel   Define the gospel or draw a picture of what the gospel is.   How people understand gospel §   It’s what you say or what is shared at end of sermon that gets people saved §   It’s what starts the Christian life, then we move on to something deeper §   It’s a philosophy. For example, the gospel according to JL. §   It’s a genre of music §   It’s evangelism-It’s door to door, shouting from street corners (Repent) §   It’s a lifestyle or how we live (be the gospel or live the gospel) You might be the only Jesus someone sees. It’s being good. It’s WWJD. Quotes on the gospel §   We are not only saved by the gospel, but we also now grow by the gospel…We never leave the gospel behind. (...

I am currently reading Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson.  She is also the author of Give Them Grace and a family devotion called Exploring Grace Together. She has so many good things to say in Chapter 3 that my book is full of green highlighter.  Here are a few quotes to think about: We have too high a view of our ability to do things right if we just have the right instructions...we also have too low a view of God and his love for us. In our laser-like attention to the doing, we forget what has been done. We can get so caught up in the doing that we forget about the people we are supposed to love. Here is another reason I think most relationship books are off: They focus on the doing. As you taste (Psalm 34:8) this multifaceted relationship with God, it will transform all of your other relationships. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to relationships. The whole Bible is written in such a way that in most verses we see the done before we see...

Today, I preached at Hesston MB from Ezra 2 and my title was "The List".  Below are notes from the message: Introduction: What lists have you been on during your lifetime?   There are good lists. School-Honor Roll/Music or Drama Program/Team Roster   Work-Most Successful/Membership in organizations (professional or civic) Personal-Most Popular/ Best Looking/Most intelligent/ Republican/Democrat/Independent/Other?   Family-Good Parent, Spouse, Child Church- Good Christian There are also bad lists that we don’t want to be on.   Hypocrite? Unpaid taxes? Felon? Addict? Gossip? Judgmental? Ashley Madison? Today’s passage from Ezra 2 is about being on a list.   I told Brad that it was convenient to be gone this week since this is a difficult passage to preach.   Isn’t it just a bunch of names?   Why does it matter?   We will see people included and excluded from the list. If every Scripture points to Jesus, what about Ezra 2? Read E...

This is a new weekly post connecting who God is with who we are because of what He has DONE.  These are true because it is about God and His relationship toward us not anything we must DO. Jesus is our Savior For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior , who is Christ the Lord.  (Luke 2:11)  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14) So...We are Saved! For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:8) And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved . (Joel 2:32) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved . (Acts 4:12)  ...