Pastor's Blog

Dear Church Family, How would you answer this question: "As a child of God, what gives you confidence before God in prayer that He will give you what you ask for?" I suspect that there are many answers to that question, but I doubt that I would get the answer that God's Word gives us in John's first epistle (1 John 3:21-22): 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, ...

Dear Church Family, When C.S. Lewis' wife died, he kept a journal of his grief. Later, these observations were published in a book, A Grief Observed. In that book, Lewis describes how God feels so very distant in times of mourning and loss, something with which most everyone can relate: "Go to [God] when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do yo...

Dear Church Family, We've seen how God's love in Christ for His people causes hate (1 John 3:11-15) how the world hates those who are born of God. And, we've seen also how God's love in Christ for His people causes change: "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). Jesus' sacrificial love ...

Dear Church Family, Last week, in 1 John 3:11-15, we saw how God's love in Christ for His people causes hate. That is to say, the world will hate those who are loved by God, those who are born again and thus love Him. John goes all the way back to the first example of fratricide wherein Cain slew his brother Abel because Cain's deeds were evil and Abel's deeds were righte...

Dear Church Family, The love of God for His people is a major theme in Scripture. God's very nature is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Our being predestined to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, is based in the love of God (Ephesians 1:4-5). Because He died for us, the love of Christ controls how we live and how we interact with others (2 Corinthians 5:14). Indeed,...

Dear Church Family, Last week, in our look at 1 John 2:28-3:5, we reflected on how as a child of God, "be" comes before "do." That is to say, according to God's Word, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And then, only after we have been made a new creation, are we enabled to do good works out of thankfulness for what Christ has already done...

Dear Church Family, In most religions one must "do" in order to "be." That is to say, most religions are works-based you have to do things in order to become a new person or gain a reward. The Christian faith, however, is the exact opposite: one must "be" in order to "do." That is to say, according to God's Word, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Chris...

Dear Church Family, Quick Review Just a quick review of what we've learned and where we've been thus far in our study of 1 John. John's first epistle teaches us about the three main aspects of the Christian life. And, the second chapter of 1 John covers all three emphases of this letter. The first part of this chapter (1 John 2:1-6) emphasizes the important of right mora...

Dear Church Family, As we've seen, John's first epistle teaches about the three main aspects of the Christian life. And, the second chapter of 1 John covers all three emphases of this letter. The first part of this chapter (1 John 2:1-6) emphasizes the important of right morality and learning to walk in the same manner as Jesus walked. The second part of this chapter (1 J...

Dear Church Family, In the second chapter of his first epistle, the Apostle John talks about the importance or right affections or right relationships. Unfortunately, many people believe that what or who a person loves is outside of his or her control. Surely, you've heard this sentiment: "I can't help who I love," or "the heart wants what the heart wants." For unbeliever...