Uncategorized

It was Mother’s Day last year that God brought me to Gages Lake Bible Church. I preached my candidating message and was blessed to have my mother and my mother-in-law (all the way from Texas–she refuses to miss a single big moment of our lives). I shared a message from the life of Hannah, whose…

 There are a few stories swirling around in the culture, especially the Christian culture that raise a whole host of issues about who and how we as as evangelicals choose to represent our values. The stories about Sarah Palin’s family and the ever-shifting tempest over Miss California raise a whole host of issues. A few…

Okay, if you hate watching sports like my wife does, then you don’t have to keep reading. But I had to talk about the incredible first-round NBA series between the defending champion Boston Celtics and my hometown Chicago Bulls.  Now I have to say that the last time I enjoyed an NBA game this much,…

We Christians like to make a big deal about how our culture, America is really going to seed. And it doesn’t take much effort to see the effects of sin upon our society. Read the newspaper, listen to the radio, check your email or go online and visit the Drudge Report or other online sources.…

I just finished my Good Friday sermon and boy am I juiced for Friday. A few nuggets to chew on: What put Jesus on the cross? Was it the religous authorities? Was it the Romans? Was it our sin? Or was it something else? Find out on Friday. Some quotes and verses to meditate on:…

I have a really cool story about my book, Teen People of the Bible. Several months ago, a Pakastani church-planter was in Rochester, New York, preaching at a church and raising funds for his mission. He is a native Pakistani pastor who conducts revival meetings and plants churches across Pakistan. While he was in Rochester,…

Today is election day in Lake County, Illinois. And Gages Lake Bible Church is privileged to offer our facility to the county as a polling place. I’m always encouraged every election day by the dozen or so dedicated men and women who serve as election judges. These are folks who took time off from work…

    That was my reaction to the news, delivered in an email from a friend while I was driving to Indiana yesterday (I don’t recommend the email/driving combo, nor does my wife, the nervous passenger). The email said, "Bears Got Cutler." Here’s the deal. I’m a huge Bears fan. I’ve always loved their teams.…

One of the things I enjoy most is listening to Bible preaching on my iPod. Anyone who knows me for more than 5 minutes will get a sales pitch on a) why they should own an iPod and b) why they should be into podcasting. There is such a wealth of rich Bible preaching available…

Ahh, the best laid plans of men. We had a terrific Sunday planned yesterday, with a focus on one of our missionaries, Linda Johnson in Brazil, and special number by our kids and other really important things. But God had other plans. The huge snow day left most people stranded at home. But for those…

    In my personal devotional time I’ve just begun a study by Henry Blackaby called, Called and Accountable. This week I’m studying thru the book of Esther. Today I was in chapter 3 where Haaman, angered by the refusal of Mordecai to bow down to him, hatches his secret plot to exterminate the Jewish…

    Here are things they generally don’t share with you as you contemplate having children. They are things you can only discover after your children are alive and kicking: You may have a child who has such a creative mind that she gets up frightened at 4am because of the spiders she thinks are…