Jesus came to set you free from sin
God’s Hope for Your Heart from Galatians 1 JESUS CAME TO SET YOU FREE FROM SIN [The Lord Jesus Christ] gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:4-5) Sin is slavery, […]
RADIO – 03 If They Only Knew [My Name Is…]
Almost all of us have something in our past (or present) that we’re not proud of. Whatever it is, we wonder and worry about how the people around us would react if they only knew. If you know what that feels like (or even if you don’t) join Pastor Phillip Gonzales for a word of encouragement […]
The Vine Does Not Define You
The dry, withered vine hung like tentacles from the branches of the aging pine. Once the vine had tried to seize control of the tree. It had threatened to overtake the pine and strip it of life until only the vine remained. Left unchecked, the vine would have grown so much that it would have […]
A Prayer for Independence Day
July 4th, 2003 O Lord, our country is sick. In so many ways our nation is dying. Those we trusted to lead us have lied. Those we looked to for guidance have betrayed. Selfishness has triumphed over service. Greed has won over goodness. Instead of holding sacred the public trust, so many of our leaders […]
God Wants to Expand Your Boundaries
It’s hard for a two-year-old to stay in the boundaries. “I will run in the way of your commandments, when you enlarge my heart!” -Psalm 119:32 There they were, my godson and his friend, two little boys running ’round in the fresh-cut grass with a solid blue sky overhead. As the sun slowly set behind the […]
Self-control sets you free
SELF-CONTROL SETS YOU FREE Do you struggle with self-control sometimes? “Older men are to be…self-controlled. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior…and so train the young women…to be self-controlled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled…For the grace of God has appeared, training us to live self-controlled…lives.” -Titus 2:2-6, 11-12 (selections) I […]
Self-Control Sets You Free
Do you struggle with self-control sometimes? “Older men are to be…self-controlled. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior…and so train the young women…to be self-controlled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled…For the grace of God has appeared, training us to live self-controlled…lives.” -Titus 2:2-6, 11-12 (selections) I find it interesting that […]
God Wants to Build You Up, Not Beat You Down
Have you ever felt “beaten down” by the Bible? “With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of Your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.” -Psalm 119:13-14 I once heard that in Australia (and a few other places) they have a concept called “Tall Poppy Syndrome.” […]
How to Have Hope Unaffected by Elections
NOTE: I wrote this post about six weeks ago as a meditation on Colossians 1:13. In God’s providence, it came up in the queue to be posted this week, and it seemed an appropriate reminder on Election Day. May God’s perspective bring you peace, no matter which way the wind blows. -Pastor Phillip “He […]
When You Trust God, His Grace Gives You Strength
Think about this for a moment: When you and I doubt God’s grace, we fall into the same trap that the serpent prepared for our first parents in the garden. It means we are listening to the sly voice of the deceiver when he says… “God doesn’t really love you. He doesn’t really have your best […]
