RG AUDIO 122317   Psalm 147:1-11 Psalm 147:1 says it well: “How good it is to sing praises to our God.” We give thanks for those with gifts of music, the composers, singers, and instrumentalists; they are all part of the praise team. With their help, we can give expression to our amazing blessings, like […]

RG AUDIO 122217   Romans 13:1-7 Doing your taxes, voting, obeying traffic laws–so many things that are part of our everyday lives are connected to the government. Paul’s words in Romans 13 sends the message that there are expectations on government officials who provide the means to a peaceful and ordered life for everyone. Likewise, […]

RG AUDIO 122117   Luke 12:22-34 We see people all around us, frantic to make their purchases. How many commercials have you watched and how many stores have you visited this month? Sometimes we just get swept up in the mad dash and don’t even realize that we have become more worried about what we […]

RG AUDIO 122017   Matthew 1:6-9, 17-25 When a child is told something special is going to happen, it is not unusual to hear them say, “Do you promise?” A childlike excitement and joy gets expressed in this way. It’s okay if you have some childlike faith in God today. Isaiah shared a sign with […]

RG AUDIO 121917   Isaiah 7:10-25 He had already made up his mind; his plans weren’t going to be changed by the words of a preacher. Ahaz dismissed Isaiah, even quoting Scripture to defend his stubbornness. Although God had been very patient in His dealings with the nation, now the king was ignoring God. And […]

RG AUDIO 121817   Isaiah 7:1-9 Standing firm in your faith isn’t about tenaciously solving your personal problems. It is about living with the assurance that God will be with you and can be trusted in every situation. King Ahaz struggled to find a political solution to the threats his nation was facing. In trying […]

RG AUDIO 121717   Psalm 31:14-24 In anticipation of the celebration of Christmas, Psalm 31 is highly fitting. The anguish of Israel in that time was deep, their hope strained and failing. All seemed to point to hopelessness. Nevertheless, it was into that very situation that God did a new thing: He sent the Messiah! […]

RG AUDIO 121617   Galatians 6:1-10 One of the lingering effects of the national elections in the United States in 2016 was the strident tone and angry rhetoric of the political environment. It seemed to coarsen the entire culture in ways that dismayed many people, even those not claiming to follow Christ. If anything ought […]

RG AUDIO 121517   Galatians 6:1-10 The Christian life is not a solo journey! We need one another. We need the encouragement that others can give, and we need to be accountable to one another. We should care if a brother or sister is struggling, or even if they fail. And they should care about […]

RG AUDIO 121417   2 Corinthians 1:12-24 Sometimes we find ourselves the object of criticism, not because we have been duplicitous or deceptive, but because of circumstances beyond our control. Even though we do our best to be honest, straightforward, and trustworthy, there are times when our plans and promises are thwarted by others, by […]