Posts Tagged with "God"

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! It is said that when Maureen Stapleton won the Academy Award, she rushed to the stage and gushed into the microphone,"I want to thank everyone I've ever known!" That got a laugh, I'm sure, and everyone understood the sense of gratitude that threaten...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! I'm anxious to be back and hope you will join us in person or on line. During our time of confinement, I decided to re-read associate justice of the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas' book entitled, My Grandfather's Son. Thomas has been a justice for almost 3...

God thunders marvelously with His voice; he does great things we cannot comprehend. Job 37:5 NKJV Life can change in the blink of an eye. An unexpected life event or an external event can have major repercussions in our lives. Last fall my wife and I were involved in a traffic accident that was not my fault, yet I suffered severe consequences. I was driving on a divided h...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! The most compelling way to demonstrate the gospel in our community is to be a man or woman of integrity. In an unbelieving culture, known for its lying, stealing,cheating, violating contracts, fudging on expense accounts and much more, Christians are to ...

And the things which you have heard among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV Life is short and full of surprises. We can easily say, "Here today gone tomorrow". But what the questions is what did we do with our time here? Recently my wife and I were involved in an automobile accident. Our local Awana Club...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! The following article is longer than most, but it contains something that needs to be said. Last week I was reminded that earlier this summer some of the largest and more prosperous mega-churches in the country received anywhere from $5 to $10 milli...

And He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), take nothing for the journey, neither, staff nor bread, not money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Luke 9:3 NKJV Have you ever been in a situation for which you feel totally unprepared? How about a moment when the spotlight of life is shining bright in you? Do you turn lemons into lemonade or do you shy away from the moment ...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! Years ago when I first began working for the Christian Medical and Dental Associations as a Regional Director I was introduced to a journal called First Things. The journal advertises itself as "America's Most Influential Journal of Religion and Public Lif...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! Sir Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, when he led the country to victory in the Second World War. He would serve again as Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955. He was one of the greatest leaders and orators of his da...

For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.James 2:10, NKJV Have you ever lost out on an opportunity? How about being passed on for a promotion after you've been working very hard on a high profile project? Well I happened to me various times, but I still remember when I was not awarded a specific badge during my time as a Boy Scou...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourservice this coming Lord's Day! Charles Spurgeon lived in the middle of the 19thcentury and was one of the greatest preachers who has ever lived. When he first arrived in London in the winter of 1853, the New Park Street Chapel had severely dwindled from its historic past. On his first S...

That the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience. Titus 2:2 NKJV I've lived a full life; I love my wife, my children, grand-children and great-grand-children. Yet getting older has also brought its own set of challenges. I heard about this exercise program designed specifically for seniors, it's called Silver Sneakers, and it is an e...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! Earlier this week I received an email from the Christian Medical Dental Associations. For 13 years I worked for and represented CMDA as a regional director. It is a much needed organization for Christian physicians and serves as theVoice for Christian Do...

And David said unto him (Mephibosheth), "Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness".2 Samuel 9:6 We all age, and as we get older what we used to be able to do in our younger days at times they seem impossible or improbable to do again. I still remember these loving yet sobering words from my wife, "You're so fragile, I need to handle you with care. You're bleeding aga...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! We are just one month out from what may very well be the most consequential election in our life time. We say that each election cycle but in this case it's not an exaggeration. There are a great many issues at stake! These are truly stressful times. So i...

I have loved you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3b NKJV We all have a favorite songs or hymns. We also remember those special moments when our favorite song of hymn was playing. I still remember when I first heard the hymn, "Loved with Everlasting Love" by Wade Robinson, I was a college student and I was attending a Bible conference in Massachusetts. When I began d...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! One of the lessons I'm going to share from our study of Gideon in Judges 6 is that family relationships can be the most challenging. This is particularly true in spiritual matters, particularly evangelism. One of the greatest burdens on earth is reali...

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord; come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:1 KJV I love music, and I love to worship just like David did. When I worship I feel closer and connected to God. In my youth my parents and I agreed I should take piano lessons. Our goal was for me to appreciate great music. The problem was that I was tone deaf and could not decide wheth...

Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns. Revelation 19:6b, NKJV We all have that one special song, or hymn which we love to listen to no matter what time it is or what is going on around us. In my case I delight in listening to the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah, especially around Christmas time. Years ago a community group asked our pastor to pray before a ...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! Last Sunday's message included a reference to the most recent religious survey on what people think regarding God, truth, the Bible, worship, and ethical issues. The survey revealed that more than 50% of those surveyed deny the deity of Jesus Christ a...

But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that when we were still sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8, NKJV I'm an old-fashion type of man, particularly when it comes to love and dating. During our courtship my future wife and I established certain boundaries for our behavior; that is, we sought justice and fairness in our relationship. We also needed to express our...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! Joe McKeever is a godly, seasoned Southern Baptist preacher who writes a blog for pastors. I always enjoy his insights because he doesn't write from an ivory tower. He's pastured for over 60 years! Recently he related the following story about a good ...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our service this coming Lord's Day! Last Monday Connie and I went shopping at Costco. As I followed with the shopping cart I noticed 4 young men wearing black pants, white shirts and dark ties and name tags identifying them as Elders of the LDS Church. I was hoping to talk with them and pur...

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4, NIV "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." I'm sure we all have head this quote at one time in our lives. However, I also learned, that by examining the writings of the historians and p...

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV We all have our favorite Bible verse or verses, even a favorite Bible Book, but are there any Bible books we don't read or appreciate as much? Since I volunteered to teach adult Sunday school last summer, I looke...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourvirtual service on Sunday! This week at Bandon Dunes golf club in Oregon the 120th U.S. Amateur Golf Tournament is taking place. I enjoy golf and hope to watch some of the competition this weekend. The tournament consists of two days ofstroke play (total number of strokes counted), with th...

David prayed, "And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision." 1 Chronicles 29:19, NKJV God has blessed my wife and me with a beautiful family and I'm grateful for our children and our grandchildren. I think it was around the year 2000 ...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to ourvirtual service on Sunday! Last Monday, August 3, marked the anniversary of my Dad passing away. Twelve years ago today, August 7, was his memorial service. Earlier that day, our family gathered for a private burial at the Veterans Cemetery in Bluffdale and later that night there was a pub...

Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10, NKJV Eighteen years before I wrote this devotional my wife and I were on a delightful Mediterranean cruise. I was walking around the track on the upper deck of the ship. Suddenly my wife appeared, startling...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to our virtual service on Sunday! In the mid-1840s, Ulysses S. Grant was a Second Lieutenant in the war between the U.S. and Mexico, with the prize being Texas. Grant later would become a two term president and write his memoirs and was the first former president to do so. In those writings, G...

Dear Members and Friends, I trust you are doing well and enjoying this state wide holiday. July 24 marks the 173th anniversary when the Mormon pioneers arrived in Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Their leader, Brigham Young, announced at the mouth of Immigration Canyon, "This is the place." Because we live in Utah, there's no escaping the significance of that event - it's pa...

Now when they had come and gathered together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:21. NKJV What a wonderful journey my life has been. Several years ago I finished Volume I of Mud Pies and Memories. As I reflected on what God had done, I recalled other examples of what God had done in my life; a f...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's day I'm writing this at my oldest son's home in Michigan. Earlier this morning, two of my sons left with their families to drive back to Oklahoma and Colorado where they live. Everyone but me went back to bed. Connie and I fly home tomorrow. Since last weekend ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's day. People are coping with the current crisis in differing ways, most of which are only making matters worse. I have long held the belief that the best way to manage the anxiety and fears that arise from earthly chaos is by meditating on the peace and blessings ...

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that we have been freely given to us by God.(1 Corinthians 2:12, NKJV) When God enters our lives, we're changed by His grace, even if we don't think it worked. One day some friends invited a student nurse to a camp meeting in the suburbs. Wavering but not wanti...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trustyou are doing well and looking forward to the this coming Lord's Day At the 1939 World's Fair in New York a time capsule was buried. As you might imagine, a lot of thought went into choosing which items to include that would best represent life at that time in history. Only one book was included in the capsule-the Bible! ...

Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. (James 1:19b, NKJV) We're all different, and at times our special quirks can give the perception we're indifferent or not very responsive. However it is these special quirks or behaviors which make us who we are. I have always been slow to speak, often to the frustration of others who expect immediate responses...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trustyou are doing well and looking forward to this comingLord's Day - as we meet via the internet! John Barrier went to his bank in Spokane, Washington wearing his usual shabby clothes and driving his old, beat up pickup truck. Parking in the Old National Bank parking lot he went in and paid a quick visit to his broker and cashed...

And he (Josiah) set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 35:2, NKJV) When life gives you lemons, do you make lemonade? In times of trouble and despair, do you have friends you can trust and turn to for guidance? Each day I learn of people pummeled by put downs, conquered by criticisms, and egged on by egos...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trustyou are doing well and looking forward to this comingLord's Day. Forty-seven years ago this coming Monday, Connie and I were married in Bridgeton, New Jersey at the Berachah Bible Baptist Church. My Dad performed the ceremony and Connie's pastor gave the charge. Since that time I've officiated at many wedding ceremonies and a...

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10b, NKJV) God loves us all, no matter how rich, poor, educated or uneducated we are. He sent Jesus to die for all of us, no exceptions. This reminds me when I was a boy in Massachusetts, the small Swedish church I attended held a celebratory service in honor of the chur...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trustyou are doing well and looking forward to this comingLord's Day. I'm getting weary of not seeing people. Phone calls, emails, cards, texts are no substitute for a face to face meeting with people. For that reason, I'm looking forward to us opening up soon. When that will be is unknown,but we are working on it. As I was think...

And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5, NKJV) We all have to live by the rules. God gave us His 10 commandments for us to live by them. However we also have to live and abide by rules set by our elected officials. In athletic competitions one has to play by the rules. I became painfully aware o...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trustyou are doing well and looking forward to this comingLord's Day. In Dale Galloway's book,"You Can Win with Love", he tells a story about John D. Rockefeller, the man who built the great standard oil empire. Rockefeller was a man who demanded high performance from his company executives. One day, one of the executives made a two m...

But the fruit of the Spirit is gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV) Our lives are full of lessons, in my case; this particular lesson has to do with skin cancer and parenting. Within the last year I had two cancers on my face which required Mohs surgery. One was on my left cheek and the other was behind my left ear. Because of these critical locations, my dermatologist r...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's Day. Anne Graham Lotz is the daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham. Besides being a well-known author and speaker, she is also a keen observer of contemporary events. A few years back she served as the honorary Chair for the National Day of Prayer. This is part of what she...

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. (Psalm 5:3, NKJV) What is your morning routine or your daily process? For me it begins with my breakfast, in the morning I eat my breakfast in smaller, bite-sized chunks, to avoid getting indigestion. Similarly when my prayer life created spiritual overload for an o...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's Day Dr. John Ed Mathiston was the pastor of Frazier Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. A number of years ago he told his congregation the following story: about kindness. "Not long ago, a man from the Middle East walked into a new car showroom an...

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV God has an interesting way of convicting us, and His timing is always perfect and impeccable. One day during my daily prayer time, I was convicted about the lack of thanksgiving in my prayer life. This was such a powerful moment the only thing I could think of ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's Day For centuries the Middle East has been a place of horrible wars and brutality as Muslims and Christians have clashed. More than a century ago a Muslim enemy soldier chased a Christian woman and her brother until he cornered them. He mercilessly shot the brother and...

Showing kindness to others can come back to be a blessing to us. I was reminded of that truth this past week when I read the following story: When believers in Holland learned that the Nazi troops were systematically raiding the orphanages and taking Jewish children out, and then sending them to their deaths in the concentration camps of Europe, brave Dutch men would ...

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. (John 5:5, NKJV) Despair, desperation, anxiety, pain, suffering, sorrow, uncertainty, when we are faced with a long term situation, or long term illnesses these emotions at different times manifest themselves in our live's, but they need not. My mother became ill when I was in junior high and her debilit...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this coming Lord's Day - as we meet via the internet! Several years ago while in the waiting room of a doctor's office a girl was talking on her cell phone. She was 5 feet away, talking loud enough for me to hear her, so I was not eaves-dropping. I only heard one side of the conversation, ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well, staying safe and healthy and ready to celebrate Resurrection Sunday! It is neither melodramatic or hyperbolic to say that everything we are as Christians, everything we own, everything we've done or hope to do hangs suspended on one fact of history: Whether or not Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead. The deci...

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. (Ezra 7:10, NKJV) Technology has provided us with an infinite amount of information at the tip of our finger, and in some cases in our packets, thanks to our Smartphones. However, as parents, teachers, or youth leaders we still face one major challeng...

Luke 24: 13-35 This Sunday is Easter. We've never had an Easter like this one! Churches are closed and people are unable to meet. Restaurants are empty and all that is available is "take out." Easter dresses and special clothes remain in the closets. Years from now when this pandemic is over, people will look back and say, "Do you remember when the COVID-19 pandemic shut...

I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (John 8:12b, NKJV) Many times in our childhood we see things that amaze us and we ask many questions of our parents. I still recall a time in my physics class in my early years of college I learned that sometimes light behaves like a wave as when it diffracts to form the...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, In the last four weeks, our world has changed dramatically with the spread of COVID-19. The question on many folk's minds is this: When will a vaccine be found to protect us from this terrible virus? I'm confident, given the fact that the entire health care and scientific community around the world is focused on potential treatments and ...

Before entering into the land God had promised to the Nation of Israel, Moses sent into the land 12 men to spy out the land. Two brought back a favorable report saying the land could be taken while 10 brought back a report that said the land was unconquerable. The two who gave a favorable report are two of the truly great heroes of the Old Testament: Joshua and Caleb. W...

If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10b, NKJV) How many of us still remember our 1st job? I certainly do, when I was in junior high, I began my first job delivering news papers. I didn't earn much money as a news paper delivery boy, but I did learn valuable lessons. The job did not interfere with my schooling, provided me needed exercise, an...

Pastor Doug is begginning a new series of fireside chats. These videos are intended to continue to keeps us together as Christ's church. This is the 1st of many more to come. Clic the link to view the YouTube video...

Dear Friends of MBC, We just finished speaking again to an empty auditorium here at Midvalley and Dale will be editing the message and posting it on our YouTube channel for our Sunday service. The message is taken from the conclusion that Jesus gave to His Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 7:24-29) In preparation, why not review the sermon as given to us in Matthew 5-7. It i...

And the firmament shows His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1b, NKJV) God has blessed my wife and I with a life full of love, and wonder. In our lifetime God has given us the privilege of viewing the wonders of His nature on seven continents. Through our travels we have gained a deeper understanding of God's revelation and love in His creation. What we saw What we lear...

3 misconceptions about the Coronavirus Pandemic; 1 - This problem will be over quickly - probably not. Life is going to be different for some time to come 2. This has never happened before - NO - pandemics have happened in the past and are even found in the Bible 3. This will increase the number of deaths - No - we are all going to die. We are all under the penalty of...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, This morning after spending some time at the church, Connie and I visited Jo Harris who is just days away from heaven. She sat there on the couch with her head down, in obvious pain. Connie asked, "What are you thinking about?" She said: "Heaven!" During this difficult time let's remember the words of Paul from Colossians: Since, then,...

Urgent notification about the Coronavirus, Covid19....

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to Sunday and the Bible Conference with Arnold Fruchtenbaum and Jacques Gabizon. Ever since I was a little boy, our family used the devotional booklet "Our Daily Bread" for family devotions. Following the evening meal, or breakfast on the weekend, Dad would read the scripture passage and th...

During our study we will see God’s transformation of Gideon! And here’s what’s encouraging: What God did for Gideon, he can do for us. ...

Dear Friends,Welcome to Midvalley Bible Church. We are always grateful to be able to meet on the Lord's Day, to fellowship with one another, to sing God's praise and to hear God's Word. This morning as part of our worship celebration, we gather to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary.Have you noticed that we live in a love starved world? Maybe, you have p...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this Sunday. During the 1992 Presidential Election, Presidential Candidate, Bill Clinton had played at every rally and the Democrat Convention, as his theme song, Fleetwood Mac song "Don't Stop." His rallying cry was simply this:Don't stop thinking about tomorrow.That advice is applicable t...

Among Evangelicals, the security of the believer is not a settled issue. Good people differ on the issue. The question is simply this: Can a born-again, justified by faith, adopted child of God ever lose their salvation? Or as others have expressed it, is it possible for a born-again, justified by faith, adopted child of God to forfeit their salvation by fully and finall...

Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22, NKJV) The Bethlehem Steel coke oven plant served as our chemical engineering laboratory. It was a typical cold and snowy winter near Buffalo, New York. When the weather improved, several of us decided to visit Niagara Falls, on the Canadian side. As we came to customs at the border, the agent asked the driver Bill to...

All of us are in some form of financial debt. We all owe money, either on a car or a home, a student loan, or something of the sort. Although it can be burdensome, most of us can at least see a light at the end of the tunnel. We are energized by the hope that one day it will be paid in full and we will receive from our creditors a piece of paper releasing us from any fu...

Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house.(2 Kings 5:9, NKJV) What a coincidence? How many times have we used this simple phrase. We as believers in God's infinite power and wisdom believe He's also in control of everything in our lives. I recall one time at work we had conflicting travel plans. My supervisor and I needed to ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this Sunday. At the suggestion of my son David, Connie and I are watching the 9 part TV series on the Civil War by Ken Burns that was on PBS. It is very revealing and also depressing! It is hard to imagine the suffering and death of so many men on both sides of the war. I bel...

Jesus raises a very practical question in the parable he told in Luke 16. The question that He raised was simply this: What are you going to do with the money God gives you? That question is important on a number of fronts not the least of which is this: If we do not master our money by using it for the glory of God, then it will master us, and we will end up bankrupt fo...

Another Suggestion for 2020! Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this Sunday. We are 5 full weeks into the New Year. During the first few weeks of 2020 I made a few suggestions for making the New Year better. Those suggestions were:#1 Move from being a victim of circumstances to being a learner about life....

Fifty years ago the most popular and successful movie was based on Erich Segal's book "Love Story." The book tells the story of a wealthy Harvard University law student named Oliver Barrett IV who meets Jenny Cavilleri, a middle-class girl who is studying music at Radcliffe College. It's love at first sight. The young couple marries, Oliver finds a jobat a legal firm in ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this Sunday Last Sunday basketball great Kobe Bryant was killed along with his 13 year old daughter and 7 others in a helicopter crash. They were traveling by air to his daughter's basketball game at the "Mamba Academy" when the helicopter crashed into the mountain side. The cause of the ac...

Next Sunday we bring to a close our long and methodical journey through the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. 29 messages ago, one Sunday shy of one year (2/22/2019) we began our study of this marvelous letter. It's been an exciting trip. The topic of God's grace has been dealt with so forcefully and effectively in this book that one cannot escape the overwhelming truth ...

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.(2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV) How many times have we heard this phrase, "Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet." Even as an octogenarian, I recognize I am a work in progress! During my e...

One of the most popular falsehoods of our times is that we can do whatever we want without ever being held accountable for what we have done. That is a lie! It is a lie that I can do as I please and become spiritual later. It is a lie, wrote the Scotsman's John Brown, "that a man may attain ultimate happiness without living a spiritual life." Make no mistake about it -...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to this Sunday with Matt Wilder. During these first few weeks of the New Year I've been suggesting some New Year challenges. The first challenge was to move from being a victim of circumstances to being a learner about life. Two weeks ago I suggested the challenge of mastering a gos...

Everyone seems to be interested in spirituality these days, but no one seems to agree on what it means. Both outside and inside the church there is widespread confusion. Inside the church people find their spirituality in private, contemplative devotion and begin to practice those disciplines. Others find spirituality in the context of public worship that includes ancien...

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Ephesians 3:17a, NKJV) This was not just another beautiful conference grounds in rural Massachusetts when I attended an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship Bible Conference in the 1950s. I didn't know at the time, but this conference was different. The speaker introduced us to a booklet by Boyd Munger titled My Heart Chr...

The thought must have crossed King David's mind as he stood at the door of the windowless room and stared at a dark corner, in the direction of the woman he had robbed. He listened to the rhythmic rocking of one in deep mourning. Her disheveled hair - beautiful dark brown curls - haphazardly draped around her shoulders and face.Her tears running down in torrents, carving...

For God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7b, NKJV) Are we good stewards of what God has given us? Throughout my life I've received good financial advice. In particular from my father; He had a degree in business and he made sure I understood and practiced sound economic principles. I grew up in the Great Depression when money and just about everything else was sca...

Following the all-important passage about life in the Spirit, Paul begins his final chapter with a focus on the practical. In it, he says nothing about signs and wonders, and he does not go into detail about spiritual gifts. He talks about how the community of faith operates when the Spirit is leading. Life in the Spirit involves healthy relationships within the body o...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to the New Year. Last week I wrote about the challenge in 2020 of moving from being a victim of circumstances to learning about life. Let me give you another challenge for the New Year:Master and then share the gospel. Every believer needs to be able to clearly and concisely p...

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. (Titus 1:5, NKJV) Why do we think we can do everything ourselves? Do we not trust our team members? As the Engineering Design and Analysis Supervisor in the solid propulsion industry, I realized I couldn't do projects includin...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to the New Year. Every year brings with it challenges and difficulties. 2020 will be no different. One of the most important lessons to learn is that when hard times come, be a student, not a victim. Sadly, some people go through life as professional victims, always talking about how th...

Before we move on to the final chapter of the book of Galatians, we need to look at the last 3 verses of chapter 5. Paul has reminded his Christian readers that all of us are engaged in mortal combat with the flesh. The desires of the regenerate nature are waging war against the passions of the sinful nature. In this war there can be no truce. Paul closes out this sectio...

What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8b, NIV) My lovely wife, who is also a registered nurse, had a serious operation on her back a while back. After the surgery and when she left the hospital, I became responsible for her post-operative care. I'm not a nurse nor do I have the basic knowledge to be ...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to the Lord's Day. Imagine a nationwide evangelistic campaign that invites tens of millions to an outreach event who would not ordinarily attend. Imagine a campaign that for the most part, others do the advertising for you. Imagine having tens of thousands of churches participati...

The oldest psalm recorded in the book of Psalms was written by Moses, the man of God (Joshua 14:6, Ezra 3:2). God chose and groomed Moses for the task of leading the children of Israel out of Egypt to the promise land. The problem: they refused to believe the promises of God and were destined to wander in the wilderness for 40 years while a generation of more than 1.2 mi...

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1, KJV) From this Bible verse Elisabeth Elliot chose the title Shadow of the Almighty for a book that profoundly affected my life. She compiled a biography in 1958 of her husband, a missionary to the Indian tribes of Ecuador. You may remember the movie "End of the...

Do we have a recovery plan for when we make major mistakes? Aren't you glad God doesn't make mistakes?...

Successful events of history are seldom a solo act: There are always key and supporting people behind the event. The birth of Jesus is no exception. Joseph and Mary clearly get top billing for the birth of Jesus, but behind the scene are numerous people: One such person is Simeon. We don't know much about his personal life but what we do know is significant. Simeon was...

How hungry are we for God's word? Do we feed our souls with God's Word?...

Successful events of history are seldom a solo act: There are always key and supporting people behind the event. The birth of Jesus is no exception. Joseph and Mary clearly get top billing for the birth of Jesus, but behind the scene is a woman Mary felt comfortable going to when she discovered she was pregnant: Her cousin Elizabeth. What made her special in her role of ...

If you've never been to a Christmas Ever Service, make this year your first Christmas Ever service, and mat be a new family tradition is born!...

Do we take care of our heart, both physically and spiritually?...

What is good Fruit? We all know how to tell a good apple from a bad apple, but can do the same with the Word of God? Can we recognize when a bad fruit is presented?...

As followers of Christ, how do we handle ourselves when the world and those around as attack us for our believes and our faith?...

Oh, the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!(Romans 11:33a, NKJV) It was a normal day, just like any other days, but today I asked myself, "How can I explore the surface of the unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God?" I used the advice I gleaned from Francis Bacon, a 16th century scientist, statesman, and author. He asserted, "Reading makes a fu...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to the Lord's Day. This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. A valuable lesson to learn is this:Essential to personal magnetism is Thanksgiving. Hans Seyle, the famous stress researcher claims that one attitude that influences the quality of everyday life more than any other i...

Does The Bible contradict its self? Why do some sections appear to be going against what was previously written? How can we reconcile what may seem contradictory?...

How do we deal with adversity and the ups and downs of life, says a lot about our relationship !with God...

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. (Malachi 3:16, NKJV) Gazing at the actuarial charts, I realized that at age 83 the fact is that my projected life span was short. I've been blessed with a full and frutfiul life...

Telling other's about God's love is not hard, because God's love is not hard to understand. He loves us so much He gave up his only Son to die for us and our sins and all we have to do is believe and accept the gift of salvation....

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Moses- Psalm 90:10 KJV) Yes, it's true you only turn 80 once. For my turn, my wife and friends threw me a great celebration for my 80th birthday. Since they urged me to share some memories, I...

Do we love our pastor;s who lead us in our daily lives or do we believe they're not really "working: or what they do is not considered real work....

Life is incredibly difficult! We all face it daily. The issues can be overwhelmingly complex and challenging. Many today are asking: Is there any hope? Can I find rest for my weary and tired soul? Next Sunday we want to share with you the incredible invitation Jesus makes to help us all find relief. He said: Come tome, all who labor and areheavy laden, and I will give ...

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV) One day one of my friends told me, "Jim, you are the most organized person I know." I should have been elated, or at least satisfied, yet I felt something was lacking. Although I had taken numerous time management courses and attempted to apply those principles to my life, and after ...

How do we share the gospel with others? What is the key to being a good evangelist? How can we share the gospel without fear and apprehension?...

When we partake in the Lord's table, what is our attitude? Do we remember Jesus died for our sins?...

Telling the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. (Psalm 78:4 NKJV) I know we all hear and have heard many comments regarding our younger generations, such as "The world is going downhill rapidly. The present generation is on a destructive path." The media complex, the new explosion of social media accent...

Dear Precious Saints of MBC, I trust you are doing well and looking forward to the Lord's Day. Seventy-six years ago last Tuesday, October 15, 1943, Chaplain J. D. Tolleson prepared a Bible Study for sailors who wanted to spend their Friday night studying the Bible and being with other Christians. At that time, the US was at war with both Japan and Germany and many of t...

Apart from our Lord's death and resurrection, the single greatest event in my opinion was the protestant Reformation. One of the most colorful figures of that movement was John Knox. His impact on church history is still felt around the world. The real story of Knox surpasses the best fiction novels. Next Sunday, five hundred years after his death we will examine his...

Are we teaching or mentoring others in God's word?...

How do we recover from set backs or errors in our life? Do we see them as failures or opportunities for a new clean start?...

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? How do we walk in the Spirit? What does it look like to walk in the Spirit?...

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 KJV) Similar to sin, cancer affects millions of people around the world. Compared top cancer, there us a cure for our sin, but not for cancer. Recently I was diagnosed with the worst form of skin cancer- melanoma. My cancer appeared as a little e...

Who created the universe? What about the big bang? Where do we come from?...

We all try to keep healthy and via physical activity, but what are we doing to exercise our Spiritual condition?...

Do we know how to give? Do we know what is like to give generous? What can we learn from what Jesus gave for us?...

How do we deal with our earthly desires, and not our Spiritual needs?...

What does it mean to be free in Christ?...

Do we judge others by how they look or do we bother to talk to them first and then decide how to treat them? Are we too quick to judge other by how they look?...

When we pray, do we focus on God or our needs? Do we pout Him first or last? ...

What is a true friend? What makes a good or a true friend? ...

The acid test of mature Christianity is not how much liberty one exercises, but rather how much love one exhibits. Before you think that sounds too pious, stop and read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 or Romans 14:13-21 or 1 Peter 2:16-17. Again and again in Scripture, we are exhorted to guard against two extremes uncontrolled expressions of liberty and unbending demands of leg...

Are you self-confident? Do you mentor others? Are you willing to help those in need?...

Are we eligible to run the race with Christ? In ancient Greece, athletes had to be Greek citizens to be eligible to compete in the games, are we citizens of God to run His race?...

How do we invite our friends to church? What if they don't want to come? What if they think I'm a right wing nut?...

In our daily busy lives, do we know when we need to stop and rest? Do we recognize our need for a pause? Do we keep going no matter the costs, to ourselves, our families and our loved ones?...

Can science explain the true origins of all, including humans and animals alike? Did we really evolve over millions of years to become the complex personalities and people we are? What about a creator is there evidence pointing toward or away from one single creator or God?...

Why did Jesus have to die for us? Is it true his death paid for my sins?...

How do we balance our Christian life, and our daily life? According to the world, our christian life and daily life don't mix or go together, but we know different, they are both one and the same....

Next Sunday we are thrilled to have filling the pulpit, our former Pastor, Ken Hornok. Ken is no stranger to us here at Midvalley and we are blessed that he and Marcia have made MBC there church home in retirement. Ken and Marcia faithfully served MBC for 39 years have been married for over 51 years. Ken is an avid hunter, biker and gardener and he and Marcia are kept busy...

Do you truly listen to your pastor? Do you think being a pastor is a real job? Did you know, you show respect to your pastor by listening and paying attention when they preach?...

We've all heard the phrase, it must of been an Angel. Do we really believe in God and his messenger's the angels? If we believe in angels why then can't believe in God?...

What is our legacy? Do we truly believe what we preach?...

Do you like to plan things out or do you just fix things as they come up? What is your preference, plan of just wing it?...

Why do we go to church? What happens if we stop attending church services?...

Are we similar to vine or fruit on a branch? Why did Jesus use this visual and example? What was He trying to tell his disciples and us know in our present day?...

When we pray, do we want God to answer in our time frame or His?...

What do we do when bad things happen? What do we do when violence erupts, like with the most recent shootings? Life doesn't always make sense. But we need to continue to trust the Master Shipbuilder of our lives....

What is the most important ting in your Christian life? ...

How do we deal with the daily demands of family, work, church, God, family, and everything else?...

If God is all powerful, why does He need us to worship Him? What do we gain by worshiping God? What is the reason for worshiping?...

What are we doing with our blessings? Do we try to help others or do we keep it all to ourselves?...

How do we handle interruptions? Do we recognize them as opportunities, or do we deem them be a bother?...

Do you know what pleases God? Do we do things to please God or ourselves?...

Let's all remember those who came before, and those who sacrificed their time and effort to being the truth of the Gospel to Utah....

How was the universe created? Did the Big Bang really happen? How does the Sun never burn up?...

Why does God say not to our prayers and petitions? Isn't He a just and loving God?...

Do we know how to recognize those who are being ignored by society? Do we truly treat others with the same love God treat us?...

Do you set goals and achieve them? Are you driven by your goals or do you drive to achieve your goals? Is your calendar so full, you need to set time for you and your family?...

Are we redeemed by faith alone? What about The Law given to Moses? Are we saved by grace also?...

What happens if we missed a deadline at work? Do we understand the complication and consequences of missed deadlines and the effect they have on others?...

Are you confident or over-confident? Do you know the difference? Would you be able to determine what makes you confident or over-confident?...

Why do we believe in Christ? Are we truly forgiven? Do we think we are tied to a religion or The Truth?...

Do you ever feel as if you're a going from one bad situation to another? What do you in these situations? Do you trust God is in control? ...

What does it mean to be a son or daughter of God? Do I deserve this? What was the prize paid for me to be called son of God?...

Why is The Bible the top selling book in history? Is The Bible really the word of God?...

What makes a good manager? How can we become good stewards?...

If God loves us, why did He give us the Law through Moses?...

7 guidelines to help keep a marriage Godly, happy and fulfilled....

Do we at times take for granted the little things our loved ones do for us? ...

Happy father's day. Do we love our Heavenly father as much as He loves us?...

My wife and I made a commitment to share our fist kiss during our wedding, Thank God for his strength and his honor, we did share our first kiss during our wedding....

Are you running the right race? Are you on the right track?...

Filling our pulpit next Sunday, in the absence of Pastor Doug, is our former Pastor Ken Hornok. Ken served MBC for 39 years until his retirement in 2013. Under Ken's leadership MBC moved from their first building in Murray to Midvale and eventually to our current campus here in Bluffdale. Ken is a gifted Bible teacher and preacher and we are thrilled that he and his...

When we say we trust God, do we really know what we mean? He may give us an answer we don't like or weren't expecting?...

The Christians in the region of Galatia were under attack by false teachers. Paul, whofounded these churches and led these first century Christians to faith is making adetailed defense of the gospel in his letter to them. In chapter 3 Paul is "neck deep" inhis detailed argument that we are saved justified before God and given the HolySpirit by faith and not by works...

Have we opened God's gifts? Do you know what God has in-store for you? ...

We need to be grounded in God;s Word so we are deceived by false teachings. Our beliefs are under attack, and so are we!...

This is not a trivial question but a real, has consequences question, how well do you know The Bible?...

We live in a free country, where the rule of law is present, correct? But do we really believe this? Aren't our rights slowly being removed, via code words, like hate speech? Let;s us be forever vigilant to make sure we remain free!...

Can I earn my salvation by doing good deeds or works? Some will have us believe we need to do certain jobs or works to earn salvation, but God through Jesus, gave it to us as a gift. WE are redeemed by the old rugged cross!...

Why do we go to church? Is it to pass the time or to be part of the body of Christ?...

Talk about strong women, The Book of Ruth is a story of love, redemption and of God's everlasting grace, shown through the eyes of a young woman who was a widow, poor and a foreigner....

Are we aware of our salvation and forgiveness? Do we recognize Jesus' sacrifice for us and His complete and total forgiveness?...

What is your life's goal? Do we have goals? What are our goals?...

There are may churches but only one True God and Gospel, are we able to discern and tell the difference?...

God calls us to forgive our transgressors, can we forgive those who hurt us? Can we forgive the person who hurt one of our loved ones?...

Are you ready for a extreme makeover? Will you let God remake you in his image? Are you ready to be transformed in a way you could never imagine?...

In God we are complete, without him, we are unfinished....

He is Risen! Jesus is alive and the tomb is empty. ...

Did you know the mustard seed is one of the smallest if not the smallest seed, yet when it blossoms and fully grows a huge tree now stands....

All things work together for good to those who love God. (Romans 8:28 NKJV) As a high school senior I had my heart set on an engineering career as my future goal. I had passed and met all the academic requirements for a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. The only thing I needed to do was pass the physical. I had an excellent chance for a full scholarship, f...

Is my salvation free? Can I help my salvation by being good and doing good deeds? What I don't believe in God, but I am still a good person, can my good works and deeds save me?...

Is your name inscribed in the book of life? If you meet Jesus, will your name be in the roll?...

Next week is Resurrection Sunday, cone joins and let's celebrate The Risen Savior, Jesus Christ....

We are a product of our life experiences, what can one learn from making mud pies as a child? Read more to find out!...

Dear Friends, Living the Christian life is simple. It's not easy, but God has made it uncomplicated for us. We have only two possible ways we can go. We can either walk by the Spirit or we will carry out the desires of the flesh. There is no middle ground; no neutral position we can take. Every person who places their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation has the...

Justification, What does this mean for me that I've been justified by Jesus' sacrifice? ...