We have been considering how best to glorify God in our planned building endeavor. We want to glorify God with timber, and brick, and mortar, and stones. And speaking of stones, we should pay very close attention to a juxtaposition that the Lord placed between some stones in very different situations. “And he answered and …
What God Stretches
As we marshal our resources, as we count our shekels, we want to remember what the biblical definition of prudence is. We want to be prudent in our how we raise money for our sanctuary, but we don’t want to be so prudent that we are tempted to think we could do something like this …
Giving Back to the Owner
In order to build a sanctuary in which to worship the Lord, we have to face the question of ownership. One of the reasons why property rights (which are actually human rights) are under assault in our day is that we have refused to acknowledge that God owns absolutely everything. We function as stewards, under …
Statements in Stone
Scripture tells us that we need to speak to our generation with clarity. One of the mistakes that we make is that of reducing faithfulness in this to words alone. There are other ways of speaking, and we need to use them all. Architecture speaks. It is not possible for human beings to live in …
Let the Stones Cry Out
Some time ago, I gave an extended series of exhortations in this place concerning our music. Having preached a series of high altitude messages on our new church building, I want to come down to a lower altitude now, and in the weeks to come set out some very practical concerns about our upcoming building …
A Slack Hand
Scripture takes a dim view of a slack hand. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: But the hand of the diligent maketh rich” (Prov. 10:4). This applies to all of us—men and women, boy and girls. It applies to every station of life—job holder, housekeeper, or student. One of the plain indicators …
Grace and Our Dearest Sin
There is an old adage that says we should not doubt in the dark what we knew in the light. This is quite true, but in this world of darkness a good bit of the dark comes to you in the guise of light. The world is not divided between those who say “I am …
Playing With Snakes
Scripture teaches us that sin is not just bad, but that it is also deceitful. It masquerades. This is why we must exhort one another. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). There are many ways this can …
Lord, Change Me
When God intervenes to save a people, to restore a culture, He does it in accordance with His good pleasure and by means of His sovereign power. We don’t need to provide anything other than our own helplessness. We cannot make Him do it, and we cannot prevent Him from doing it. The Spirit, like …
Base Line Generosity
Gratitude for God’s liberality toward us is best displayed in liberality toward others. If we think that we can learn gratitude best when buried under a pile of gifts, but that other people need to learn it by husbanding scarce resources, we are demonstrating that we have learned virtually nothing. God does not dispense His …