Post Category: Resources

In the busy-ness of everyday life, it's easy to let Easter sneak up on us without much thought, preparation, or meditation. Despite its centrality, we can sometimes treat it as an after thought or just another Sunday. But whether we recognize it or not and whether we prepare for it or not, the fact remains that the events we remember during the Easter season are of pre-emi...

Last week I had the privilege of revisiting some great books on prayer as I prepared for my message on Luke 11.1-13. Reading on this topic is a joyful reminder of the unspeakable privilege we have as the redeemed to call God, "Father." For me, reading on prayer is a necessary habit, as I tend to so quickly move away from an appropriate mindset of dependence upon God. Thes...

Our new sermon series, "The Glory of the Word," presents us all an opportunity to begin the new year with a fresh appreciation for the treasure God has given us in the Scriptures, and to renew our devoted pursuit of God through his Word. Here are some suggested resources to encourage you in that great pursuit. Scripture Reading Plans Many things go undone because of t...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Forgiven Much, given on November 27, 2016. Day 1: Jesus and the Sinful Woman Quotes: "And if you're wondering this morning what is the nature of her sin, well we are not explicitly told. One could speculate that she is a prostitute given the phrase, 'a woman of the city', but the exact nature of her sin isn't importan...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Now That the Election Is Over, given on November 20, 2016. Day 1: The Voice of God (v.1-5) Quotes: "This is the plea of a loving God whose heart has been broken by his peoples' rejection of him." David Prior "The Lord draws their attention to his gracious saving acts in the hope of restoring the relationship with the...

This devotional is based on Christian Wegert's sermon, The Lost Sheep, given on October 30, 2016. Day 1: Lost (v. 4) Quotes: "We think living without God will lead us into freedom and liberty. We believe we are autonomous and independent without need of God or Christ. We think walking to the horizon far away from our shepherd will satisfy our soul. We think it will gi...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, A Flawless Election Prediction, given on November 6, 2016. Day 1: A Call to Joyful Praise (v.1-3) Quotes: "Secular writers force us to read the world from within a framework in which God's moral will, saving intentions, His truth, and His Christ are never the criteria of meaning or importance. The Biblical authors s...

This devotional is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, A Saving Mercy, given on November 13, 2016. Day 1: The Word of the Lord and a Wayward Messenger (v.1-4) Quotes: "Jonah now has a second chance to learn the scandalous mercy of God." Kevin Youngblood "I would imagine that in this room there are some of who may have tried, maybe even recently, to flee from God and...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, A Scandalous Mercy, given on October 16, 2016. Day 1: Jonah's story is a cautionary tale Quotes: "For all its orthodoxy and beauty however, this prayer reveals some of the great defects in Jonah's character." Kevin Youngblood "Jonah needed to be humbled, for even though God had mercifully saved him, his heart was u...

You may remember the encouragement that CJ gave our church several weeks ago to pick a prophet to study. "As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord" James 5:10. Some of you may be able to resonate with my experience of leaving that message ready to choose a prophet and jump in and then, well, you didn't. Me eith...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, From Tears to Shouts of Joy, given on October 2, 2016. Day 1: Liberation and Laughter (verses 1-2) Quotes: "It is to be feared that the psalms are by no means so prized as in earlier ages of the Church." Charles Spurgeon "Apart from . . . biblical illiteracy, there are special reasons for neglect of the psalms. The l...

This devotional is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, Food and Drink, given on September 11, 2016. Day 1: Provision from God Quotes: "The entirety of the Christian life is to be taken up with the glory of God and that includes the daily act of eating and drinking."Brian Chesemore "Now if we ponder to what end God created food, we shall find that he meant not only t...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Leisure, given on August 28, 2016. Day 1: The Gift of Leisure Quotes: "The Creation account is God-centered, and the Creation account concludes with all eyes fixed upon God. This informs and defines a Biblical perspective of rest and leisure because there is no true rest, there is no genuine leisure apart from God, ...

"We were not made, nor are we redeemed, to live without leisure." J.I. Packer "The Biblical idea of a rhythm in life supports the view of leisure as non-work time or activity that refreshes and restores." Paul Heintzman "A divine generosity that requires leisure for its appreciation (1 Timothy 6:17)." J.I. Packer "The same pleasant experience-eating, drinking, making lo...

Last Sunday Jeff inspired us with a thoroughly biblical vision on work. Whether you are a student, stay at home mom, or heading into the office, this message will serve you. To help us further "sanctify" this ordinary part of life, CJ asked Jeff to recommend 3 books that we could benefit from. Here's his list along with a brief description of why each is worth a read. 1....

This devotional is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, Work, given on August 21, 2016. Day 1: Our work glorifies God Quotes: "Our work, our jobs, our careers, the tasks to which God has called us, they are not a diversion from serving God. They are serving God!" Jeff Purswell Questions and Reflections: What emotions and thoughts characterize your response to work...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Sleep, given on August 14, 2016. Day 1: Sleep is a daily gift from God Quotes: "If one isn't serving the Lord's purpose and depending on his provision and trusting in his protection, then all one's efforts are vain. All one's efforts are ultimately worthless." C.J. Mahaney "A Christian is to receive sleep each nigh...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Prayer, given on July 31st, 2016. Day 1: The Praying Christian (verse 13) Quotes: "Heaven's great harbor of refuge is [prayer]; thousands of weather-beaten vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise for us to make for it with all sail." Charles Spurgeon "Our whole life, as we migh...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Patience In Suffering, given on July 24th, 2016. Day 1: Patience looks to a certain and glorious future (verse 7) Quotes: "James' doctrine of the Christian life is a doctrine of process or growth, and patience is its central requirement." Alec Motyer "Patience has a specific object, patience has a specific hope: th...

Day 1: The Darkness of Jericho Quotes: "Zacchaeus didn't want to change. He had no virtue. He didn't have anything in himself that would help him draw near to the ways of God. Neither the life in the city, nor our occupations, nor our curiosity, can take us to know the ways of the Lord, because the ways of the Lord are the Lord's." Pepe Mendoza "The ways of the Lord ...

This devotional is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, Maturity in Community, given on June 26th, 2016. Day 1: The Call to Maturity Quotes: "Paul is warning that the alternative to a glorious, Christ-exalting, maturing church, is to remain as a child-like church, an immature church. It is to remain in the vulnerability of the newborn state; it is to be left vulnerabl...

The sermons from the last two Sunday gatherings have been on the power of words to either build up or tear down the body of Christ. Check out the article below for another resource on this important topic. Should You Pass on Bad Reports? by Tim Keller David Powlison One obvious genius of the internet is that it's "viral." Information explodesto the whole world. The old...

This devotional is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, God's Unstoppable Mission, given on May 29th, 2016. Day 1: The Power Behind the Mission is the Holy Spirit (v1-13) Quotes: "God Himself is on a mission, and that mission is unstoppable." Jeff Purswell "What is about to transpire [Pentecost] is not an isolated event, in an ancient city, affecting a small group of r...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Quarrels and Fights, given on June 5th, 2016. Day 1: Relational conflict is worse than you think (4:1) Quotes: "Instead of a climate and culture of peace that would reflect the "wisdom from above" that James referenced in 3:17, and the presence of peacemakers he referenced in 3:18, there is instead a climate and cul...

This devotional is based on Bill Berry's sermon, The Basis for Our Service, given on May 22, 2016. Day 1: The qualification for our service is God's grace Quotes: "The basis for our service to our God is not found in anything that is in and of us, but the basis for our service is God's grace, and God's grace alone." Bill Berry "He (God) only shows us our sin, asks ...

This devotional is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, Who Is Wise?, given on May 15, 2016. Day 1: Godly Lives Reflect True Wisdom (3:13) Quotes: "Wisdom in the first century Greek culture was everything. If you were known as wise, you were a rock star. To the first century Greek, wisdom had everything to do with your learning and your skill of speech. Rhetoric was K...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, Got Faith?, given on May 1, 2016. Day 1: Dead FaithJames 2:14-17 Quotes/References: "James is not arguing that works must be added to faith. His point is that genuine biblical faith will inevitably be characterized by works." Doug Moo Questions and Reflections: Compare this passage with that of Romans 3:21-27....

In his sermon yesterday, CJ referred to a 9Marks article entitledHow do I lovingly confront someone who claims to be converted but who lives like a non-Christian?See below for the article in its entirety. Prayerfully consider who you might be called to lovingly confront. Click here to listen to the sermon. ----------------------------------- How do I lovingly confront s...

This devotional was written by John Cahoon and is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, A Happy Day, given on April 17, 2016. Day 1: The Gift of Our Leaders Quotes/References: "Your soul needs the caring and watchful eye of a godly pastor." CJ Mahaney "Our concern today is to give all our energy to you, serving you, watching over you to prepare you for that final day!" C...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, The Last Word, given on March 27th, 2016. Day 1: Jesus' Love Quotes/References: "Those who Jesus has revealed himself to, view themselves first and foremost as loved by him, not as those who love him. This is a common feature of those he has loved. They think of themselves as loved by him, not first and foremost as ...

In the busy-ness of everyday life, it's easy to let Easter sneak up on us without much thought, preparation, or meditation. Despite its centrality, we can sometimes treat it as an after thought or just another Sunday. But whether we recognize it or not and whether we prepare for it or not, the fact remains that the events we remember during the Easter season are of pre-emi...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, The Solution to Self-Deception, given on March 13th, 2016. Day 1: A Wise Command with a Warning Quotes/References: "It is self-deception that merely hearing God's Word is evidence of saving faith and that it is sufficient to satisfy God." CJ Mahaney "No matter how extensive one's scriptural knowledge, how amazing o...

This devotional is based on Bob Kauflin's sermon, True Worshipers Receive, given on March 6th, 2016. Day 1: The Heart of True WorshipJohn 4:1-15 Quotes/References: "From start to finish, the Bible's story is a story of grace; a story of God's initiative to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves by offering us unmerited mercy and undeserved love. Worship in the Bi...

"God has predestined all believers to be conformed to the image of His Son. The process toward that goal is called by various names such as sanctification, growth in grace, or transformation. This process of transformation into the image of Christ begins at our new birth and continues until we die and enter into the presence of the Lord. At that time, according to Hebrews ...

This devotional is based on CJ Mahaney's sermon, The Difference Meekness Makes, given on February 28th, 2016. Day 1: The Anger of Man James 1:19-20 Quotes/References: "If Christians studied and applied this command alone (verse 19), the tone and content of communication and conversations on the internet would change immediately and dramatically. Untold damage is do...

This devotional is based on CJ Mahaney's sermon, Trials, Temptations, and Good Gifts, given on February 21st, 2016. Day 1: Blame-shifting James 1:13 Quotes/References: "It is critical that we distinguish between the external trial and the internal temptation" CJ Mahaney "The stakes are high here. Suffering will either leave you a much better person or a much worse...

Recently I had the privilege to read and discuss Bob Kauflin's bookTrue Worshipers, with a group of men from our church. Each of us benefitted from the book and were excited to apply it to our lives. Here's an encouraging glimpse into how it impacted Beau McKenzie. What happens when we don't want to sing? When my affections are low for the great truths of God during the c...

This devotional is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, The Great Reversal, given on February 14th, 2016. Day 1: An Earthly Deception James 1:9-11 Quotes/References: "We can rightly assess our earthly status only by focusing on our heavenly destiny" Jeff Purswell Questions to Consider: Have you ever been disillusioned by the world because you pursued something th...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, A Generous God for a Difficult Trial, given on February 7, 2016. Day 1: Our Desperate Need James 1:5 Quotes/References: "In seasons of severe trial, Christians have nothing on earth in which to trust, and we are therefore compelled to cast ourselves on our God alone. When our vessel is tilting so far over it is in da...

This devotional is based on C.J. Mahaney's sermon, A Radical Proposal, given on January 31, 2016. Day 1: Accepting our Trials | James1:1-2 Quotes/References: "James is nothing if not realistic: Life is a tale of various trials." Alec Motyer Questions to Consider: Read Acts 8.1-3. James is writing to "the Dispersion". Think for a few minutes about those who wer...

This devotional is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, The Lord of Psalm 23, given on January 19, 2016. Day 1: God's Faithfulness to Restore | Psalm 23:1-3a Quotes/References: "The unwavering faithfulness of the Lord calls for my absolute trust in him. To reflect deeply on the faithfulness of the Lord in this Psalm challenges us to be like David and gain a personal t...

A few years ago I wrote a post that has become a habitcollecting a list of "significant books" for pastors published during the past year. A wealth of books and the crunch of time conspire to make reading choices both frustrating (how does one choose?) and critical (I must choose wisely). "Best books" lists are unavoidably idiosyncratichence an effort at recommending "sig...

The Christmas season has arrived. In only a few short weeks, we will gather as families and friends to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This season presents a unique opportunity to pause and reflect on the glorious reality that God took on flesh and dwelt among us. As we begin this Christmas season, we would like to recommend a resource to serve you and yo...

This devotional is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, Job's Final Stand, given on November 15, 2015. For a PDF version, click here. Day 1: "When will we get there?" Read Job 29 Quotes/References: "The prolonged lament and grief in the book of Job is not wasted manuscript. It's a compassionate reflection for people whose own suffering is also prolonged, whose own suffe...

This devotional is based on CJ Mahaney's sermon, When God Doesn't Answer Your "Why" Question, given on November 8, 2015. For a PDF version, click here. Day 1: Human Futility Quotes/References: Elmer Smick sets the context for this chapter: "Since the dialogue has reached an impasse, the author now makes his own comment on the powerlessness of man's effort to penetra...

This devotional is based on CJ Mahaney's sermon, The Protest of Job, given on October 18, 2015. For a PDF version, click here. Day 1: Long Suffering Quotes/References: Christopher Ash: "Job is forty two chapters long. We may consider that rather an obvious observation.. But the point is this: in his wisdom God has given us a very long book, and he has done so for a ...

This devotional is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, The Wrestling of Job, given on October 11, 2015. For a PDF version, click here. Day 1: Job's Perseverance Quotes/References: Jeff quote: "The book of Job shows us that times of suffering are to be expected, it shows us that such times are normal even for believers in a in a fallen world." Jeff quote: "Wrestling a...

Several weeks ago, we began a series on the book of Job. In conjunction with the study of this book on Sunday mornings, we also want to provide you with an additional resource for studying Job. To that end, we have created short devotionals to supplement the Sunday teaching. Our prayer is that these will serve and equip you as you study personally or as you walk your famil...

Over the past several weeks, CJ has led our church to look to our God and Savior in our grief. A few weeks ago, in his message from Habakkuk, he specifically explored how we, as christians, should respond when life doesn't make sense. Suffering is a reality in our fallen world. Everyone will, at some point in their lives, experience it. But not everyone will be prepared fo...

In his sermon on Sunday, C.J. referrenced an article by Nancy Guthrie titled,What Not to Ask Someone Suffereing. In it, Nancy gives some extremely helpful thoughts on what to say and not say when caring for someone who is suffereing. Here's a link to the full article on the Desiring Godwebsite. We pray that this article will serve our church as we seek to honor the Lord a...

We are currently 25 days into the month of Ramadan...

Dear Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, In light of the Supreme Court's ruling handed down this week, and its significant and varied implications, the pastors want to equip each of you with resources which offer a biblical perspective. It's our prayer that the articles below, written by discerning and courageous brothers, will enable you to interact with friends, relat...

Notable books from 2014...

Back-to-School thoughts and questions for parents and kids....

“The gospel cannot be preached and heard enough, for it cannot be grasped well enough,” wrote Martin Luther.* By God’s grace I have been a Christian for 42 years. I agree with Luther, "I still cannot hear the gospel enough. Each morning I seek to preach the gospel to myself by my study of Scripture and through the strategic reading of supplemental boo...

What a joy it has been thus far to preach and worship our way through the Gospel of Mark on Sunday mornings. I have been deeply affected by each glimpse of and encounter with the Savior we have experienced through this Gospel. I don't want this series to end and I am proceeding as slowly as possible! As we’re nearing the midpoint of our sermon series, perhaps you...

As I mentioned on Sunday, last week the pastors set aside the day to pray, study, and consider ways we might serve the church more effectively in the months to come. What a joy it was to begin our day with an extended time of prayer, giving thanks for each of you. We also took time to discuss various chapters assigned to us from a book entitled Excellence by Andreas KÃ...

What a delightful Fathers Day we enjoyed together as a church yesterday. Who didn't feel the pleasure of God as McKenna Sturgeon honored her father? And thanks to Bethany Payne for the creation of the very cool and very masculine gift honoring fathers yesterday: duct tape and a Snickers bar! Exactly what real men want on Father's Day! I'm sure every father felt deeply than...

Consider discussing Ryan's message from Eph. 3.14-21 with your family and other church membersâ€"both to remember and apply the word....

In Psalm 131, David teaches us how to do something very foreign to our anxiety-prone hearts--to live with a quiet soul before God. We pray CJ's message (http://ow.ly/211tcC), along with these excellent quotes, help you experience greater contentment in God's good purposes for you. ...