Sermon on Psalm 46

A recent sermon of mine on Psalm 46 can be heard here (the audio buzz comes and goes but is mostly absent).  It is from New Life Baptist Church in East Houston on March 22.  Thanks to Bryan and his whole congregation for the opportunity, and praise God for the comfort of  His presence and protection!

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Sermon on Revelation 21-22

I would like to give another thanks to Ralph Clements and his congregation for letting me preach again at their church, Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Montgomery. Here is my message from 2/15/09 on Revelation 21:22-23:5.  I pray that as you listen that you are able to share in the joy and worship of the glory of God that I experienced as I prepared and that we as a body of believers experienced on Sunday.done

Thanks for visiting!

Mickey

Sermon on Obadiah

I would like to give another thanks to Ralph Clements and his congregation for letting me preach again at their church, Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Conroe (actually Montgomery, I know!).  Here is my message in its entirety, and it covers the book of Obadiah.  The audio can be downloaded here.

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Thanks for reading (and watching)!

Mickey

Thabiti on Prioritizing

I’ve been hooked up with school and work lately and haven’t had much time to post, however I would like to pass along a sermon by Thabiti Anyabwile and some questions that he concludes with.  The sermon is on Haggai 1, and you can listen/ downoad it here.

Thabiti concludes his sermon with some introspective questions that consider how and why we are doing what we do, and I encourage you to read them slowly and consider if/ how you are putting God first:

1. What command has God given me that I have left undone?
2. What single thing can I make plans for that will matter most in ten years and in eternity?
3. How can I do this year to increase my enjoyment of God?
4. What great risk will I take specifically and intentionally for God’s honor and praise?
5. What is the most helpful new way I can strengthen my church?
6. For whose salvation will I pray most fervently?
7. What can I do to enrich my prayer life?
8. How can I use my finances to please and honor God?
9. What must I do to leave an enriched spiritual legacy to the next generation?
10. To what ministry will I devote an unprecedented amount of time?
11. What one doctrine do I want to better understand in order to know God better?

Thanks for reading!

mickey

A Little Ditty on James 2:14-26

Here is a sermon that I preached last weekend at a friend (Ralph’s) church in Conroe.  It was a requirement for a preaching class, however it was also a great opportunity to again share God’s word with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church… thanks for the opportunity Ralph!

The text was James 2:14-26, and the title was “Complete Faith.”

The video is below, and you can download the audio at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church’s website.

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No better Gospel

A good friend has used a reference to the following quote by Spurgeon to bring me great reassurance lately, and CJ Mahaney challenged many with a similar quote at T4G08. The excerpt is from a Spurgeon sermon on Ephesians 2.8:

I am led to remember this by the fact that a somewhat singular circumstance, recorded in my memory, connects this text with myself and my grandfather. It is now long years ago. I was announced to preach in a certain country town in the Eastern Counties. It does not often happen to me to be behind time, for I feel that punctuality is one of those little virtues which may prevent great sins. But we have no control over railway delays, and breakdowns; and so it happened that I reached the appointed place considerably behind the time. Like sensible people, they had begun their worship, and had proceeded as far as the sermon. As I neared the chapel, I perceived that someone was in the pulpit preaching, and who should the preacher be but my dear and venerable grandfather! He saw me as I came in at the front door and made my way up the aisle, and at once he said, “Here comes my grandson! He may preach the gospel better than I can, but he cannot preach a better gospel; can you, Charles?”

This last statement is encouraging to preachers, but is should also be challenging to every Christian as well as we share the Gospel in our daily lives. Sure, Billy Graham, Luis Palau, or our local pastor might could do a more effective job of sharing the good news than we can, but no one can preach a Gospel that is more true or more effective! God puts us in our place in the world for a reason, and we must trust His plan.

The Gospel that we proclaim is the same as what Peter declared at the Temple and that Paul taught in Athens. We point to the same Jesus, and we are empowered by the same Holy Spirit.

We can always improve our presentation, but let’s be careful to never let doubt of our ability to share the Gospel seep over and spoil our faith in the power of the Gospel that we proclaim!

The focus factor

It is impossible to focus on both a near and far object at the same time, whether with a camera, a telescope, or even with our eyes. Given the option (and it is given), where do we focus others?

This experience is related in Dallimore’s Spurgeon: A New Biography:

During the 1880s a group of American ministers visited England, prompted especially by a desire to hear some of the celebrated preachers of that land.

On a Sunday morning they attended the City Temple where Dr. Joseph Parker was the pastor. Some two thousand people filled the building, and Parker’s forceful personality dominated the service. His voice was commanding, his language descriptive, his imagination lively, and his manner animated. The sermon was scriptural, the congregation hung upon his words, and the Americans came away saying, “What a wonderful preacher is Joseph Parker!”

In the evening they went to hear Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The building was much larger than the City Temple, and the congregation was more than twice the size. Spurgeon’s voice was much more expressive and moving and his oratory noticeably superior. But they soon forgot all about the great building, the immense congregation, and the magnificent voice. They even overlooked their intention to compare the various features of the two preachers, and when the service was over they found themselves saying, “What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ!”

Photo by Jens Nicolay