GraceUnlimited

The Proverbial Fool

Learning Self-Control

The Value of Wisdom

Wisdom is the key to a godly and productive life. Solomon, whose net worth would dwarf the rich men of the modern world, claims that wisdom is worth more than wealth. Knowing how to get it is therefore critical. Our greatest obstacle to developing wisdom is that we are fools, and we love it. Gratefully, God gives wisdom by grace. God does however give wisdom in relationship with your own pursuit of it. Five requirements are, -1- you must want it like a treasure, -2- you must listen to the wor...

Introduction to Proverbs

God wants you to know wisdom and to understand insight. This is necessary because people are automatically geared to folly. Wisdom, in Proverbs, is the ability to implement what you know to be right. To do this is to make progress in life easier. Applying biblical truth to everyday life is called wisdom. Moreover, wisdom depends on the order of the universe. Personal wisdom synchronises personal life with the wisdom of the universe. God used wisdom in creation and built it into the created or...

Making Christ the Centre

How to Perish Beggarly Rich

There is something in the human heart that simply won't accept that it is as bad as God says it is, and that they need God's salvation as much as they do. Even Jesus' disciples had a hard time understanding this. Jesus is exalting people who are takers, not givers. Jesus' examples include the helpless children and a rich young ruler- the latter, an exemplary man. He seems to be a good candidate for eternal life. Yet Jesus shows that in contrast to how thing appear, this man was the least qual...

Was Jesus Starting a Creche?

Did Jesus come to start a creche or did He come to inaugurate a kingdom- If we focus of the kingdom, but don't see the children, we have missed what is important to God. The disciples rebuke the children, whom they see as interrupting the big moment of the kingdom. In the disciples' minds, they will probably soon be overthrowing Rome with Jesus their champion. And these children are simply not important enough to take up Jesus' time. This is, however, a big thing to Jesus.. It is recorded in...

Your Mind and Heart on Christ

Beauty of a Beggarly Heart

You will not understand the beauty of salvation until you understand your need for it. Jesus tells a parable about a man who had a remarkable track record for keeping God's law. He was a Pharisee. he prays with gratitude and he highlights the good he does. In contrast, a lowlife man stands next to him with nothing to say to God except to plead for mercy. he is a tax collector. They both pray. Jesus declares the tax collector justified, rather than the Pharisee. At face value, this should be s...

Will Jesus Return?

Two valuable truths regarding Jesus' return- We should expect a delay. We should be concerned about overemphasizing Jesus' return to the point where it leads us into error. The problem today, however, is that the world is sleeping. Many Christians are sleeping too. Many are not actively anticipating Jesus' return. One enemy to anticipation is falling in love with the world, but also to embrace Jesus in anticipation. The pain around us and in our lives should drive us to long for Jesus' return...

Jesus the Judge

The dread of facing a magistrate when you are guilty, doesn't seem to last when you are free. This seems to be the case when people think about the coming judgement of Christ. No dread. No concern. No change in life. Even in a lesser tragedy, people can understand the sense of urgency. For example, if a person is sleeping in his bed when his house catches on fire. That would put people into a panic. but not the judgement of Christ and the consequence of hell. Even lot's wife longed to go back...

The Return of the King

So when is the kingdom actually going to come- Maybe you are even wondering whether Jesus will every come back at all. Are you like the small child whose mom comes late to pick him up from school every day, and he cries every day because he thinks his mom may not return. There is a delay, but God is eternal. So to Him, the delay is certainly not long at all. And when Jesus does return, it will be a sudden and glorious return. The day of the Lord will start with judgement and fire. It is the m...

No Kingdom without the King

How can Jesus say that no signs will precede the coming of the kingdom, yet later, He says that signs will occur- He denies the Pharisees the signs because they are objecting to His identity claims. They want a sign, but they are not acknowledging Christ. They want the kingdom without the King. So, regardless of when the kingdom comes, if they don't received Jesus, the King, they will have no part in the kingdom. They will lose it completely. They were missing the very moment when God comes t...

Covenant 3

Covenant 2

Throughout God's glorious creation and the mess man has made of it, God has committed Himself to His people through His covenants. He commits Himself to Noah, Abraham, and Moses. His people were to image God among the nations. As Adam was God's man in Eden, so also Israel is God's people in Numbers. As Adam failed and was expelled, so also Israel fails to even enter the promised land. After their deaths in the desert, God sends their children into the promised land, where they fail again. Ano...

Covenant

The Kingdom

If 87- of the Bible is the Old Testament, it is obvious that we should understand the Old Testament- What is the Old Testament- It is a story. It opens with God and His beauty. he is preparing the created order for Jesus. His kingdom is coming. What is the kingdom of God- It showcases the reign of the King. He is also an artist, crafting history with a purpose. The purpose begins in the first two pages of Scripture. God uses kingly language in His creation of mankind and when He gives man his...

The Exhausted Addict 1 of 4

This sermon is a shortened version of The Exhausted Addict 1 of 8, produced for television broadcast. It was graciously sponsored by my brother-in-law and sister, Shaun and Jean Schutte.----When you are struggling with an addiction, you will be bombarded with thousands of voices, all telling you what to do. Who are you going to listen to-

The Exhausted Addict 4 of 4

This sermon is a shortened version of The Exhausted Addict 4 of 8, produced for television broadcast. It was graciously sponsored by my brother-in-law and sister, Shaun and Jean Schutte.----How can you know whether you are putting the necessary effort into breaking this life-dominating sin or whether you are simply struggling on aimlessly-

The Exhausted Addict 3 of 4

This sermon is a shortened version of The Exhausted Addict 3 of 8, produced for television broadcast. It was graciously sponsored by my brother-in-law and sister, Shaun and Jean Schutte.----When you are trapped by a lifestyle that is ruining you, is your enemy the person who confronts you with your sin-

The Exhausted Addict 2 of 4

This sermon is a shortened version of The Exhausted Addict 2 of 8, produced for television broadcast. It was graciously sponsored by my brother-in-law and sister, Shaun and Jean Schutte.----When your life is spiralling out of control, and everyone is standing by to watch you fall to your death, who is going to break your fall-

Dangerous Assumptions

Life Erupting from the Grave

You may have no problem with the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. But as you walk through a cemetery, you either doubt that Christians will, or you at least wonder how it will happen. There are good reasons to believe that people will rise again. The first is that it already happened in Jesus resurrection. It therefore can and will happen again. How do you know it happened- Just as it is in so many areas of our lives, we have to thrust eye-witnesses. And the evidence immense- Then, the fac...

Safety in a Dangerous World 4

What does it mean to trust God- What is happening in the heart of a person who believes- It looks like humility. Jesus, the Master, serving His servants. Having this attitude helps you to appreciate the grace of God and that makes you able to forgive repentant people who have sinned against you. To fail to do this is to show that you believe you are better than other people. It also means that you have passion in your heart for God. Not all faith is true faith. There should therefore be some ...

Safety in a Dangerous World 3

True friendship relationships require true faith. Faith is connected to rebuking and to forgiving. Do you connect faith to your relationships- All human relationships must be seen in a triangular shape--me, you, and God. Faith reaches out to God to receive help to maintain relationships. You may know you have faith, but do you trust Him to help you in your relationships- Enough to obey- Enough to rebuke- Enough to forgive- Enough to restore- Or do you make excuses-That is spiritually dangerou...

Safety in a Dangerous World 2

It is so easy to systematically destroy relationships with people around us, without even realising it. Rather than blundering on in this destruction, let's consider what God says for our good in relationships. We may fail in loving people enough to rebuke them when they are sinning. Or even failing to receive a rebuke from a friend. We also need to consider whether we should actually rebuke someone or not. When is it wrong- Luke starts by showing that we rebuke for sin, not because our perso...

Safety in a Dangerous World 1

What is a Christian?

Going to Hell 3

Why don't we fixate on miracles at Living Hope Church- Do we not believe God has the power to perform miracles today- No. We know the God of endless power. Rather, we refuse to fixate on physical healing and the like because we believe God's concern is far greater than temporary suffering. There is a worse kind of suffering than that which disease brings. And we have the message that God uses to snatch people from that dreadful suffering forever- Yes, Jesus did miracles. But His primary drive...

Going to Hell 2

There just doesn't seem to be much in the way of consequences for living an indulgent life. Also, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of reward for the poor, but righteous life. But, this picture is skewed. You need to take eternity into your equation. All of the wicked man's hopes and dreams die with him. Yet the most extreme dreams of the righteous man come alive after his death. Death is coming to you as it does to every other person. Thinking of your death puts your life into perspec...

Going to Hell 1

It is not wrong to desire money. Yet it is very easy for money to become a master rather than a servant. It is east to think that wealth equals the favour of God. Remember that what people think is good, may not be good. It is with this in mind that Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. You simply can't evaluate what God thinks of a person by whether they are suffering now or not. Look at Lazarus- Look at the rich man. There is a vast reversal coming- Things are going to change...

How to Pursue Godliness 2

Godliness is more valuable than all other values in this world combined. Gratefully, God gives us four ways to pursue it. Firstly, we have hope, because godliness is possible. God has given you everything you need to be godly. Your heart will try to drive you into believing you don't have everything you need. That is an insult to God and His provision for you. Secondly, godliness requires you to discharge responsibilities. You need to train yourself. God enables you to work. But you do the wo...

How to Pursue Godliness 1

To lose an appreciation for the majesty of God is a loss that robs the experience of life of its primary value. Godliness requires zeal, knowledge, and direction. So how do I become godly- The first instruction is to avoid foolish talk. This means that I will live to be able to discern between truth and error. We also need to directly confront false teachers. We must know where they get their message. If it is not from Scripture, it is not an authority. If it is from Scripture, but in error, ...

Why Godliness?

If there was one thing you could choose to focus on this year, something that would be the most important thing you will ever do, what would that thing be- To get a business going, for example, would produce limited returns. But what about one thing that would change everything- Many people who have degrees are not doing well. But godliness changes everything. It will benefit you in every way. Do you want godliness- Why- Why not- If you are not pursuing godliness, you are pursuing something e...

What Do You Want Most?

Paul tells Timothy what she should want, why he should want it, and how he can get it. The answer to the first question, in Paul's mind, for Timothy, is godliness. This however is not to say that godliness is measured by an external show of power. That is a show of what people are doing, not necessarily what God is doing. Rather, godliness starts in the heart. An attitude of submission and devotion to God. Respect for God. Awe for God. It starts in the mind and from there it impacts the emoti...

Your Failure and God

True Happiness

Suffering Meets Theology

Love in a Loveless World

Jesus inaugurated a new love for His people. In contrast to the loveless lives that came naturally to fallen people, Jesus grants His people new ability to live new lives of love. This brings us hope because God enables us to love, by His Spirit who lives in us. It is also a catalyst to self-examination. We make so many excuses for our sin and abdication of responsibilities. Is there any growth in personal love for other people and for God- If not, you should consider whether you are not stil...