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The Third Commandment: Don’t Dishonor God’s Name!

You might think a reflection upon God’s name is irrelevant to the current state of our nation. We are living in strange times. Fears of the coronavirus are still among us, but they have been largely displaced by the riots in response to the murder of George Floyd. In fact, more than a thousand medical professionals, infectious disease specialists, and community stakeholders wrote an open letter that got a lot of press. Essentially, they argued that the systemic threat of […] The post The Th...

The Third Commandment: Honor God’s Name!

I was soundly converted in Jr. High. I went to Hume Lake Christian Camp and distinctly remember recognizing the heinousness of my sin against God. I had heard the gospel several times, but something clicked on that occasion and I knew that I needed to repent and confess my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior.  One of the first obvious changes that occurred in my life was a strong desire to clean up my language and that of those […] The post The Third Commandment: Honor God’s Name! appeared f...

The Second Commandment: False Worship Forbidden

If God has prescribed the correct way to worship Him, then we cannot simply ignore that command. That is emphasized in Hebrews 10:25 where saints are commanded not to neglect to gather together. Barna did a survey to see how the church in America has responded to the recent lockdowns. They learned that 40% of Christians watched the service of their home church in the previous four weeks. 23% watched the services of other churches (instead of or in addition […] The post The Second Commandmen...

The Second Commandment: Pure Worship Required

At the end of 2011, my wife and I went to church planting assessment. Then, for the next two years, I attended several cohort meetings and training where I learned the model that other churches successfully followed. Some of the information was truly invaluable, but some of it was disconcerting. Certain topics provided direction, while others were misleading. Unfortunately, many church planting strategies are market-driven techniques that any business might follow. They are oftentimes not ad...

The First Commandment: God Above All

The first commandment is about true worship. Most people think of worship as something we do in various parts of the day. We think of participating in corporate, family, or private worship. When we aren’t engaged in one of those activities, then we are not involved in worship. But that is not true. Your circumstances may change daily or hourly, but the object of your worship must remain the same! Worship is not optional, it’s instinctive. We were made for […] The post The First Commandment:...

The Grace of the Ten Commandments

One of the most important lessons we learn in life is the difference between personal beings and impersonal objects. All too often, we get into trouble when we think of other people as objects to be used much like we use our other possessions. There are some things that we value more than others. But people must always be given a higher priority than our stuff. We heard this debate carry out recently, during the early days of this coronavirus […] The post The Grace of the Ten Commandments a...

What is the Use of the Ten Commandments?

If you were to poll society regarding rules for life, you would get many different answers. Some of them might even contain a few examples from the Ten Commandments. But you would probably gather a large consensus around a few secular core doctrines. One popular sentiment would be that there is not one “right way” to live. Another might be that people should be allowed to do whatever makes them happy provided it does not harm someone else. Many would […] The post What is the Use of the Ten ...

The Great Commission to Make Disciples

The mission of Grace Clovis states: “We exist to transform the people of Clovis by finding, equipping, and multiplying followers of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.” This mission really comes from a combination of the Great Commission to make disciples and Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 4: 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ… A lot of […] The post The Gr...

The Benefits of Christ’s Resurrection for Believers

Well, if you are anything like me, yesterday was difficult. We celebrated one of the strangest Easter Sundays of our lifetime. It was quite possibly the strangest Easter Sunday since that first Resurrection Sunday. Celebrating Easter from our homes was far from ideal, but it was nice to see everyone making the most of it. I want to encourage you to keep the benefits of Christ’s resurrection on your mind. I trust you were blessed by the many reminders you […] The post The Benefits of Christ’...

Worship Christ, the Risen King

The resurrection is crucial to Christianity. Calling people to embrace Jesus, the risen King is the central topic of Apostolic preaching and writing. Last week, Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey to shouts of “Hosanna!” He was treated like a king. But by Thursday night he was being arrested, mocked, and beaten. By Friday morning the Romans were scourging and crucifying him. Easter or Resurrection Sunday transitions from Christ’s humiliation to exaltation. No longer the c...

What Should We Think About COVID-19?

Typically we have reserved this feed for sermon and devotional audio, but I thought it would be helpful for us to think about COVID-19 today. The post What Should We Think About COVID-19? appeared first on Grace Clovis Presbyterian Church (PCA).

The Triumph of the Cross (Matthew 27:45-51)

Have you ever felt alone? I don’t mean socially distant. I mean isolated from everyone. Maybe that sounds like a good thing to some of you. Maybe you are the kind of person who enjoys going to movie theaters alone. I can understand the value of getting away from the noise of this world, but we really were not created for isolation. The post The Triumph of the Cross (Matthew 27:45-51) appeared first on Grace Clovis Presbyterian Church (PCA).

How to Pray to God

I simply want to recommend four resources to help you to pray. One is essential, and the other three are very helpful. 1. The Word of God 2. Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney 3. A Way to Pray by Matthew Henry, O. Palmer Robertson 4. Echo Prayer App The post How to Pray to God appeared first on Grace Clovis Presbyterian Church (PCA).

The Shame of the Cross

The Shame of the Cross (Mt. 27:26-44) One of the most embarrassing moments of my childhood was when I went clothes shopping with my mom and older brother. I didn’t care much for shopping or picking out my own clothes. I pretty much was just there to try things on that my mom picked out for me. My brother, on the other hand, enjoyed taking his time. He wanted to look at every item in his size and try them […] The post The Shame of the Cross appeared first on Grace Clovis Presbyterian Church ...

Do Not Be Anxious! (but when you are…)

Who wants to hear someone telling them to “Calm down!” at a time like this? It sounds naive and trite. But, Paul wrote that from prison! He faced incredible challenges throughout his ministry. So we can assume that Paul was familiar with anxiety. He’s not rebuking people to “Chill out!” He’s calling upon everyone to join him in seeking peace from the only source of true and lasting peace. Phil. 4:4-5a, “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, […] The post Do Not Be Anxious! (but whe...

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29)

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Part 3 Well, I’m about to preach God’s Word as I’ve never preached it before! Literally… Let’s just get over the fact that this is awkward. It feels very different speaking to you through a camera. I can’t see your faces when I say something confusing. On the plus side, I also can’t see you nodding off to sleep. This just feels awkward. And it should because Church is not supposed to be […] The post The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29)...

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Part 2

We are taking the time to reflect upon the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. As I explained in a previous video, we were about to wrap up a series on Revelation and move into a series on Matthew 26-28. In particular, I intend on teaching about communion (Mt. 26:26-29), crucifixion (Mt. 27), resurrection (Mt. 28a), and commission (28b). In the previous video, I introduced the subject and why it is important for us to consider. There church’s practice of communion […] The post The Sacrament of ...

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Introduction

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper Many of you have seen the quote from C.S. Lewis regarding how people should live in an “atomic age”, with the reality that a bomb might drop upon them and wipe them out at any moment. It was an important question that many people were asking and it makes sense to apply that to our situation today in dealing with the fear of the Coronavirus. I have seen a dramatic increase in the number […] The post The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Introduction appeared...

Ministry in a time of Coronavirus

The Coronavirus has given us an opportunity to shepherd you through these difficult times in ways we have not done before. May God grant us spiritual unity as we remain physically apart. This video is an explanation of our tentative plan through the end of March, 2020. The post Ministry in a time of Coronavirus appeared first on Grace Clovis Presbyterian Church (PCA).

“The New Jerusalem – Pt. 2” (Revelation 21:22 – 22:5)

The New Jerusalem – Pt. 2 (Rev. 21:22-22:5) I wondered whether we should take a week to consider how the Bible might encourage us during this Coronavirus pandemic. The response from people around the world has ranged from sheer panic to complete indifference. We certainly want to avoid both extremes. We also need to prepare to show compassion to those who are vulnerable and in need during this time. And we cannot allow this virus to become our all consuming […] The post “The New Jerusalem –...

“The New Jerusalem” (Revelation 21:9-21)

The New Jerusalem The New Jerusalem Brad Mills / General   When God called Abraham out of Ur, away from his family, he departed with nothing but faith in God’s covenant promise. He did not know where he was going. He did not know the challenges that awaited him on his journey. What Abraham did know was that the promises God gave to him were not going to be fulfilled in his lifetime. He had a perspective that serves as […] The post “The New Jerusalem” (Revelation 21:9-21) appeared first on G...

“The Terror & Comfort of the Gospel” (Revelation 14:6-13)

The Terror and Comfort of the Gospel (Rev. 14:6-13) There is no denying the weightiness of the book of Revelation. Eternity hangs in the balance as John’s vision portrays the punishment of evil, and the victory of the Lamb. Symbolism increases the sense of mystery while highlighting the terrible and glorious realities they illustrate. Our passage this morning reveals how the gospel provokes both terror and comfort. Read Rev. 14:6-13 Pascal’s Wager essentially states that humans bet their live...

“The Lamb and the 144,000” (Revelation 14:1-5)

The Lamb and the 144,000 Revelation is a book of contrasts. The dark is stark, while the light is bright. And it frequently shifts between the two. This morning we come to another abrupt transition. After visions of a fierce dragon and beasts persecuting the church, we need to remember that victory belongs to the Lamb. This passage (14:1-5) stands in sharp contrast with the previous one (13:11-18). Last week we saw how the false prophet promotes the counterfeit worship […]

“The Mark of the Beast” (Revelation 13:11-18)

The Mark of the Beast (Rev. 13:11-18) Predicting the identity of the beast whose mark is 666 has become a game. So let’s play “Pin the Tail on the Antichrist” for a minute.1 Some of the obvious candidates have been world leaders such as Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and Anwer Sadat. Americans have been proposed too. In his book 666: The Final Warning!, Gary Blevins argues that the Antichrist is none other that our beloved 40th president, Ronald (6) Wilson […]

“Counterfeit Worship” (Revelation 13:1-10)

Counterfeit Worship (Rev. 13:1-10) Many people search for a church to attend without ever asking the most important questions. They look for entertainment, a cool atmosphere, or even nice people. But the fundamental factor that should be considered is whether or not the worship is biblical. That question doesn’t only apply to the preaching, but to every element of a worship service. Worship should be guided and supported by Scripture from beginning to end. You might be unfamiliar with certain...

“The Perseverance of the Saints” (Revelation 12:13-17)

The Perseverance of the Saints (Rev. 12:13-17) God created everything and gave man dominion over it, but also the responsibility to “work and keep” the garden. When Adam neglected to guard the garden, the serpent deceived Eve tempting her to eat the forbidden fruit. Then she gave some to Adam. Prior to the fall, “the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25). After eating the fruit, “they knew that they were naked” (Gen. 3:7). […]

“The Absence of Accusation” (Revelation 12:7-12)

The Absence of Accusation (Rev. 12:7-12) The presence of shame, in its many forms, goes well beyond the scope of a challenging emotional struggle. In his book, The Soul of Shame, Dr. Curt Thompson writes, “This phenomenon is the primary tool that evil leverages, out of which emerges everything that we would call sin.” Thompson argues that shame is at the root of all other negative emotions and it eventually effects the way we think and behave. For instance, our […]

“The Backstory of History” (Revelation 12:1-6)

The Backstory of History (Rev. 12:1-6) Is it too soon to wish you a “Merry Christmas”? This passage makes for the perfect Christmas text. But before we get to it, let’s review. With the blast of the seventh trumpet the wrath of God fell upon unbelievers and the saints were gathered. We came to the end of the third cycle in Revelation. The letters to the seven churches was followed by the breaking of the seven seals, which was followed […]

“The Seventh Trumpet” (Revelation 11:15-19)

The Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11:15-19) The Church needs vision to survive. But, that needs clarification. I’m not referring to a catchy slogan that summarizes the church’s objectives. Many churches use a Vision Statement to define their purpose and how they will reach the culture. They quote Proverbs 29:18 “Without vision, the people perish!” Church planting strategists suggest coming up with a simple slogan that defines our goal and guides our mission. If we ignore this critical step, they warn...

“The Enduring Witness of the Church” (Revelation 11:3-14)

The Enduring Witness of the Church (Rev. 11:3-14) Symbolism in apocalyptic literature is not meant to soften the impact of the passage. Revelation is filled with pictures and illustrations of the truth that magnify our sense of purpose and deepen our confidence in God’s plan. John is recording this Revelation from exile on the island of Patmos around A.D. 95. He had been banished there by the government. Whether he was preaching against the idolatry of the people in Asia […]

“Safety in Numbers” (Revelation 11:1-2)

Safety in Numbers (Rev. 11:1-2) Two weeks ago we saw, from chapter ten, how John was commissioned by the Mighty Angel—a theophany of Christ portrayed with global dominion. John was re-commissioned to proclaim the revelation of judgment that he was receiving. Chapter eleven transitions from John’s personal commission to the church’s global mission. Some scholars consider this passage to be the crux of the entire book of Revelation because it forces us to pick a particular interpretive approach...

“Talented Bondservants” (Matthew 25:14-30)

“The Grace of Giving” (2 Corinthians 8:1-15)

The Grace of Giving 2 Corinthians 8:1-15   Tonight we are learning about Christian giving. The grace of financial giving. There is only one other topic that could be preached that so directly strikes at our Old Man and fleshly sensibilities: overeating and obesity.   We are going to examine what the Word of God says in 2 Corinthians 8.   There are obvious pitfalls associated with the sharing of our finances. Giving unto God financially can be a reflection […]

“Anticipating the Final Trumpet” (Revelation 10:1-11)

Anticipating the Final Trumpet (Rev. 10:1-11) Between the breaking of the sixth and seventh seal there was an interlude in chapter seven where John was given a vision of the church militant and triumphant. The saints on earth are promised protection from the harm of the judgments and given a vision of their future reign in glory. Following that same pattern, we have another interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet. This interlude transitions from the demonic forces that were […]