Calvary Bible Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan

36:15 minutes (6.23 MB)

Southern California is known for its sunny summer days, but my best memories growing up in Los Angeles are of its warm summer nights. It’s seldom humid there, so once the sun goes down the air cools to the perfect comfort level. The summer of 1989 stands out because that was the year my best friend had just gotten his driver’s license, opening all kinds of opportunities for us, good and bad. (Read More)

38:04 minutes (6.54 MB)

From our earliest days, we are inclined to believe that if we just get everything we want we’ll be happy. Toddlers will beg, scream, hit, kick, and even hold their breath in their pursuit of happiness. I wish I could say that we all grow out of that, but I’m not sure that we do. We just learn to settle for partial happiness, because we don’t have the money or power to get everything we want. (Read More)

41:26 minutes (7.12 MB)

Have you ever noticed that Father’s Day doesn’t get nearly as much publicity as Mother’s Day? Why is that? Are mothers more important? Moms certainly do work hard. Perhaps one reason is that without the reminders from all the advertisements, most men would probably forget Mother’s Day.  Women are well prepared for Father’s Day, but men have to rush out Saturday night and try to find a last minute gift. I speak from personal experience. A lot of us guys just aren’t the best when it comes to planning. (Read More)

37:42 minutes (6.47 MB)

When I was growing up, my parents had a grandfather clock that stood just to your left as you came in the front door. You could hear the deep tick-tock of its pendulum from every corner of the house. Inscribed above the dial was a Latin phrase: Tempus Fugit. Time Flies. That expression didn’t mean much to me. Time couldn’t move fast enough back then, but now my perspective is different. (Read More)

40:13 minutes (6.91 MB)

My family and I just returned from a trip out west. Originally our plan was to meet up with our families somewhere in the middle of the country, but for a number of reasons it became clear that this plan wasn’t going to work out. So we started checking out different modes of travel for getting to both Southern California and Oregon. The most affordable approach for our family of five was to travel by train. When we made that decision, I don’t think we realized what we were getting ourselves into. (Read More)

29:41 minutes (5.1 MB)

On one occasion some people brought their children to Jesus. They wanted him to lay his hands on them and pray for them. Apparently, the disciples didn’t think this was a good use of Jesus’ time, so they began to rebuke the people. Jesus intervened, however, and made this statement: “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14).

What is it about children that Jesus likes so much? (Read More)

39:58 minutes (6.86 MB)

Have you ever met anyone famous?  Did they measure up to your impression of them?

I don’t know what it is about us as people, but we love to make people into heroes.  We idolize them, setting them on a pedestal apart from mere mortals. We love hearing details about their lives. And we act as if we know them personally, but the truth is that they seldom measure up to the idyllic picture we have in our minds. Reality can be disillusioning. (Read More)

36:47 minutes (6.32 MB)

How many of you watched the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics Friday night?  What an amazing spectacle! There’s sure to be incredible stories that come out of this competition. It amazes me to think of all the effort and training that the athletes, many in their teens, have put into preparing for this event. (Read More)

36:37 minutes (6.29 MB)

Since I was very young, I have always had an interest in all the news about space exploration. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where they build and control the space probes, is located in my home town. The parents of some of my school friends worked there, so they would bring pictures of the planets and the stars to our school.  They even had occasional Open Houses at the lab. (Read More)

34:04 minutes (5.85 MB)

One of the first times I heard the gospel was in seventh grade. A friend invited me to a church outreach event that included a trip to Disneyland. I don’t remember much about what I heard that weekend. What I remember was arriving at Disneyland, and realizing that I had lost my wallet. This was the first time I had done anything like this without my parents, so I was pretty nervous. When my wallet was missing, I panicked. I called my parents and asked them to make the hour drive to pick me up early. (Read More)

40:56 minutes (7.03 MB)

This morning our study of Philippians brings us to a passage of Scripture that I probably turn to more than any other. Not only do I turn to it for my own edification, but I find it to be one of the most practical and helpful passages to share with people in a variety of different circumstances. If we truly live out these words, our lives will be transformed. The lessons of these verses contain the basic solution to nearly every pastoral counseling scenario I have encountered in twelve years of ministry. (Read More)

43:24 minutes (7.45 MB)

Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s the thought that counts”? That’s the kind of thing we say to our kids when some distant relative sends them a gift that they have no interest in—clothes they’ll never wear because they’re the wrong size or an outdated style or some obnoxious color—toys that are far too young for them. It’s the thought that counts. Then again, there are times when you’re discouraged that the thought behind even the simplest gift can be a huge encouragement. (Read More)