RG 040721   Colossians 3:1-11 A few years ago, a distracted dump truck driver left his job site with the bed of the truck still raised. Before he realized what was happening, he had knocked down 15 utility poles and left an entire block without electricity. Distractions lead to destruction. It happens in our faith […]

RG 040621   Romans 8:8-17 Bill and Melinda Gates are worth billions of dollars but they want their children to appreciate money so they have determined their kids will inherit only a small portion of this fortune. This seems quite reasonable, but I’m thankful it is not how God works. We are heirs of God. […]

RG AUDIO 040521   Romans 8:1-7 The word condemnation brings to mind the woman who bought a condemned home for a dollar. It was rotting and unsafe. She put in the hard work of restoring it. She strengthened its foundations, refinished its floors, fixed its plumbing, and brought it back to life. The house gained […]

RG 040421   Hebrews 10:8-18 Writer J. N. Greene* tells the story of a tribe of Seneca Indians who lived around the Niagara Falls in the 1800s. They had a custom of making an offering to appease the god of the falls. Each year a maiden was chosen from the tribe. One year the chief’s […]

RG 040321   Galatians 2:15-21 While traveling in Brazil, my wife and I met a minister. His story of faith touched our hearts. As a teen he and his girlfriend (now wife) became involved in drugs, but they later escaped. He was hired to work on a church building where the people were kind, loving, […]

RG 040221   2 Corinthians 5:11-21 I traveled in a mission group while in college. We sang, preached, taught Sunday School classes, held kid’s meetings and more for the cause of missions in local churches. I love to sing and always have, but I am not too good at it. Three of us were approached […]

RG 040121   Acts 11:11-18 Jesus comes to transform our lives through the grace, mercy, and power of the resurrection. He literally makes us a new creation ready for heaven. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released within the hearts of those transformed believers in a powerful new wave of God to expand, blossom, and […]

RG AUDIO 033121   Acts 2:31-41 Life begins when I repent of my sins. This repentance includes a summons to a personal, absolute, and unconditional surrender to God as Lord of my life. This is sewn together with godly sorrow, regret, confession, belief, and a complete change of spiritual, moral, and human direction toward God. […]

RG AUDIO 033021   Romans 6:15-23 Fifty years ago, Derl officiated his first funeral service. Last week, in retirement, he officiated another one. Between that first funeral fifty years ago and the last one there have been many. The easiest funerals are for those whom he has known and rejoiced with in life. They had […]

RG AUDIO 032921   Romans 6:1-14 The definition of death in a conceptual form is that it is the irreversible cessation of organismic function and the irreversible loss of personhood*. Quite simply, it is the end! Some people in the church at Rome were under a misconception. Their thought was that since God’s grace is […]