GraceLife Sarasota

Look at the person next to you. Imagine for a moment you saw real signs this person was clearly drifting from God. Maybe you became aware of obvious signs of sin or immorality. Maybe gathering with us had become sporadic. If it's someone in recovery, perhaps you are seeing evidence their recovery is shaky or wobbly. Maybe you have witnessed very inappropriate conversations or relationships with me...

Look at the person next to you. Imagine for a moment you saw real signs this person was clearly drifting from God. Maybe you became aware of obvious signs of sin or immorality. Maybe gathering with us had become sporadic. If it's someone in recovery, perhaps you are seeing evidence their recovery is shaky or wobbly. Maybe you have witnessed very inappropriate conversations or relationships with me...

Do you know people who just seem to have a special gift and commitment to pray for other people? If you’re like most of us, like me, several names quickly come to mind, and one of them isn’t your own! These are people we turn to, because it just seems they take prayer seriously. Their prayers seem to have power. They always seem to be much more interested in praying for others before they pray for...

Do you know people who just seem to have a special gift and commitment to pray for other people? If you’re like most of us, like me, several names quickly come to mind, and one of them isn’t your own! These are people we turn to, because it just seems they take prayer seriously. Their prayers seem to have power. They always seem to be much more interested in praying for others before they pray for...

In the mid 90’s as a Youth Pastor in Columbia SC. Every week, our staff met other local SBC pastors for lunch. - I remember one week this passage came up and one of the guys asked what we thought James meant by it. There was a retired pastor, about 85, who would preach for many of the others when they went on vacation. He was sage, beloved, full of wisdom. Whenever he started to speak all the othe...

In the mid 90’s as a Youth Pastor in Columbia SC. Every week, our staff met other local SBC pastors for lunch. - I remember one week this passage came up and one of the guys asked what we thought James meant by it. There was a retired pastor, about 85, who would preach for many of the others when they went on vacation. He was sage, beloved, full of wisdom. Whenever he started to speak all the othe...

Have you ever wondered if your faith is strong enough to endure real persecution & suffering because you follow Jesus? I’m not talking your garden variety 1st world American “bad day”, I’m talking about real suffering. Do you have what it takes to be faithful to Jesus no matter what circumstances life might visit upon you? Have you ever come to a place where you just weren’t sure that your faith w...

Have you ever wondered if your faith is strong enough to endure real persecution & suffering because you follow Jesus? I’m not talking your garden variety 1st world American “bad day”, I’m talking about real suffering. Do you have what it takes to be faithful to Jesus no matter what circumstances life might visit upon you? Have you ever come to a place where you just weren’t sure that your faith w...

I want to start off today with a warning to any & all the KC chiefs fans out there who may hear this sermon. Something’s been bothering me. I've had enough of your constant bragging about Patrick Mahomes & all your winning. This is a firm warning to all of you, to tone it down, and depart from your arrogance before it’s too late. You always boast about how good your quarterback is, and your Super...

I want to start off today with a warning to any & all the KC chiefs fans out there who may hear this sermon. Something’s been bothering me. I've had enough of your constant bragging about Patrick Mahomes & all your winning. This is a firm warning to all of you, to tone it down, and depart from your arrogance before it’s too late. You always boast about how good your quarterback is, and your Super...

"Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom" - Psalm 90:12 Even though Moses tells us to number days. We get comfortable, coast, and we assume our lives will be long, full, & lasting. But really, even a long life is short, maybe 70 years, more if we’re lucky. Many lives are much shorter than that. We don’t have an endless supply of days. Our lives are a vapor. Often, when we mak...

"Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom" - Psalm 90:12 Even though Moses tells us to number days. We get comfortable, coast, and we assume our lives will be long, full, & lasting. But really, even a long life is short, maybe 70 years, more if we’re lucky. Many lives are much shorter than that. We don’t have an endless supply of days. Our lives are a vapor. Often, when we mak...

Has someone ever unfairly judged, slandered, or gossiped about you? How did that make you feel? I remember as a member of a church staff being publicly slandered with false accusations. It was devastating for me and my family in ways you can’t even imagine. To this day I still carry baggage from it. Even when someone slanders or gossips about something you actually did wrong, it’s still painful, a...

Has someone ever unfairly judged, slandered, or gossiped about you? How did that make you feel? I remember as a member of a church staff being publicly slandered with false accusations. It was devastating for me and my family in ways you can’t even imagine. To this day I still carry baggage from it. Even when someone slanders or gossips about something you actually did wrong, it’s still painful, a...

Have you ever felt like you are going the wrong direction in life, like you’re on a road you aren’t supposed to be on? As followers of Jesus, this is what it feels like, what happens, when we put too much hope in earthly things. When we’ve let our passion for earthy things become our primary desire, our primary hopes. Throughout the Bible, we’re warned that earthly hope always overpromises, and wi...

Have you ever felt like you are going the wrong direction in life, like you’re on a road you aren’t supposed to be on? As followers of Jesus, this is what it feels like, what happens, when we put too much hope in earthly things. When we’ve let our passion for earthy things become our primary desire, our primary hopes. Throughout the Bible, we’re warned that earthly hope always overpromises, and wi...

Last week was a hard sermon, as James taught us to look within ourselves for the cause of fights within the church. Our selfish, individualistic, arrogant pursuit of our own desires & passions put us at odds with each other, and with God. It was a tough message, but James provided a beautiful, soft landing, reminding us that God gives MORE GRACE! Have you ever experienced the joy, the liberation t...

Last week was a hard sermon, as James taught us to look within ourselves for the cause of fights within the church. Our selfish, individualistic, arrogant pursuit of our own desires & passions put us at odds with each other, and with God. It was a tough message, but James provided a beautiful, soft landing, reminding us that God gives MORE GRACE! Have you ever experienced the joy, the liberation t...

Have you ever witnessed, or been part of a fight in church? Maybe not fists, but words? I’ve seen church fights over some pretty crazy things, sometimes over little things, and other times big things. I’ve seen church fights over what version of the Bible should be preached from, even what time the service should start. I’ve seen church fights, people even leaving a church family because it wasn’t...

Have you ever witnessed, or been part of a fight in church? Maybe not fists, but words? I’ve seen church fights over some pretty crazy things, sometimes over little things, and other times big things. I’ve seen church fights over what version of the Bible should be preached from, even what time the service should start. I’ve seen church fights, people even leaving a church family because it wasn’t...

Wisdom is the guiding force, directing our decisions. The kind of wisdom we embrace determines the choices we make. In its simplest form, there are only 2 kinds of wisdom. There’s earthly wisdom and there’s Heavenly wisdom. Earthly wisdom starts off ok. It's alluring, promising, satisfying. Even people in churches are drawn to earthly wisdom. But earthly wisdom’s cunning is inspired by our own sel...

Wisdom is the guiding force, directing our decisions. The kind of wisdom we embrace determines the choices we make. In its simplest form, there are only 2 kinds of wisdom. There’s earthly wisdom and there’s Heavenly wisdom. Earthly wisdom starts off ok. It's alluring, promising, satisfying. Even people in churches are drawn to earthly wisdom. But earthly wisdom’s cunning is inspired by our own sel...

Can you remember the most hurtful things people have ever said to you? I can quote them perfectly. I remember many, where I was, who said it, their exact words, and how I felt, decades later I can remember every detail. Some of these things were 20, 30, 40 years ago. Isn’t it amazing how easily we can remember these things? I am 56 years old, and some of these moments still run around like ghosts...

Can you remember the most hurtful things people have ever said to you? I can quote them perfectly. I remember many, where I was, who said it, their exact words, and how I felt, decades later I can remember every detail. Some of these things were 20, 30, 40 years ago. Isn’t it amazing how easily we can remember these things? I am 56 years old, and some of these moments still run around like ghosts...

A few weeks ago, I highlighted some popular spiritual phrases that are cheap, pointless, and powerless. Phrases like “follow your heart”, find inner peace, sending positive vibes, adjust your okra… I mean Chakra, etc. These are non-biblical phrases spoken by those who think they’re spiritual but are powerless & useless. But Christians also have phrases that are useless when there’s no action behin...