Draw Me Close: Podcast - A Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Though multitudes claim to be 'believers', there is a vast difference between walking the walk, and talking the talk. True believers are known by their fruit. They are known by their love for God, and love for others. They hunger and thirst for righteousness, they desire to share the truth of God's word with others, and they present the Gospel of Salvation with the lost. The core messa...

In Matthew 26, plans are being made to kill the Son of God. As with some other famous conspiracies to commit murder, this plan did not pan out exactly how the conspirators planned it. However, it did happen exactly as God planned it. Chief priests and scribes conspired to kill Jesus Christ. Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disc...

As we look at this portion of scripture this morning, there is just so much going on. A careful study of these scriptures brings a greater depth to our understanding of Christ’s mission, the fulfillment of scripture, and the establishment of a New Covenant. Jesus would be that sacrificial Lamb that was slain for the atonement of our sins. We see Judas conspiring with the priests against him. We se...

As we continue on in Matthew chapter 26, we are already aware that Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, that Jesus knew He would be arrested, and that Jesus knew His disciples would abandon Him. Jesus is ready for this, and He clearly states in verse 56, “. . . all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.”

As we continue our study in the Book of Matthew, Jesus has already gone through a sham of a trial with the Jewish leaders in the courtyard of the high priest. They end up declaring that He was a blasphemer and that He deserves death. At this point, the problem for the Jewish leaders is that they cannot legally execute someone; that authority lies with the Romans. The Jewish leaders will now try to...

Pilate decides to hand Jesus over to the Jewish leaders with his authority to do what they wanted with Him. As we will see, Jesus endured the most horrific pain and suffering imaginable before He is condemned to death and crucified for our sins, thus fulfilling the scriptures. Today as we look at the agonizing experiences that Jesus went through, know that He did so by His own choice. He didn’t ha...

Jesus drinks the cup of wrath of God poured out on sin. As Jesus takes the punishment for our sins, He cries, "Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In those awful moments, as evil men were allowed to do whatever they wanted to Jesus, our Lord expressed His feelings of abandonment. God placed the sins of the world on His Son, and Jesus fo...

We are in the final chapter of Matthew looking at the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The most amazing event in the history of our world is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without His death and resurrection, there is no Christianity, there is no cure for the curse of sin, there is no forgiveness, and there is no promise of a future and a hope, the hope of eternal...

Jesus used the concepts of salt and light a number of different times to refer to the role of His followers in the world. The metaphors of salt and light specifically addressed the impact faithfulness should have in the world. It should illuminate and preserve. Like both salt and light, our relationship with God should have an obvious impact on everyone who comes in contact with it. Jesus isn'...

The book of I Peter is filled with admonitions for Christians of all times and all places on how to live READY for the coming of the Lord. The Apostle Peter under divine inspiration did not see a difference between normal Christian living and last days Christian living. He believed that all Christians at all times should live READY for the coming of the Lord. The Book of I Peter is literally fille...

Sermon Short - Pastor Bob Lawrenz Acts 2:46-47  "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." -  Acts 2:42 The word for “continued steadfast” means to be “continually devoted.” The early church totally and completely devoted and fully immersed themselves to (1) the apostles’ doctrine, (2) fellowship, (3) in the breaki...

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross wasn't improvised. God didn't make it up in response to the unfolding events of history. Peter writes that Christ was known before the world was founded. As God, Jesus existed in eternity past as the one whose blood would cover the sins of all who receive salvation. Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection, and return to the Father were always God&#39...

At this time of year, the world stops and recognizes the historical event of the resurrection. Most people are content to accept the fact that maybe it happened and maybe it didn’t. But it seems to have some sentimental value to people, and they don’t want to argue whether or not it happened. It kind of slides by as a recognized holiday. But for us, the resurrection is not a once-a-year discussion...

No other verse in the Bible so succinctly summarizes God’s relationship with humanity and the way of salvation. Some consider John 3:16 as the "theme verse" for the entire Bible. John 3:16 tells us of the love God has for us and the extent of that love—so great that He sacrificed His only Son on our behalf. John 3:16 teaches us that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will be...

Easter is a season of great gladness for those who know Christ. It is a time when we celebrate God’s love and sacrifice for us. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history, providing irrefutable evidence that Jesus is who He claimed to be – the Son of God. The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of His deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which f...

What a hope we have in Jesus! What a joyful hope we have this resurrection morning! The tomb is empty, Jesus is risen! And we have the promise of Jesus: all those who believe in him will never die, but one day will be resurrected to everlasting life. Our part is to believe. If you choose not to believe, you choose to reject the greatest gift ever offered, and God will respect your choice. But I pr...

In ancient times, a King would ride a horse into town if he was declaring war, but when a leader chose instead to ride a donkey, it signified that he was coming in peace. Jesus choosing to ride a donkey was intentional, His entering into Jerusalem was prophetic, Jesus was declaring Himself as King. He was symbolizing the truth that the battle was over, the victory had been won and the Kingdom of G...

Jesus said, “ ⁠I am the resurrection and the life⁠ ” ( ⁠John 11:25⁠ ), and in that statement claimed to be the source of both. There is no resurrection apart from Christ, no eternal life. Jesus does more than give life; He is life, and that’s why death has no power over Him. Jesus confers His life on those who trust in Him, so that we can share His triumph over death ( ⁠1 John 5:11–12⁠ ). We who b...

Jesus' third parable (Matthew 22) goes beyond merely exposing the religious leaders to revealing God's grace for others. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king throwing a wedding feast for his son. None of the citizens he invites will attend, however, resisting to the point of killing the king's messengers. After destroying the murderers, the king invites as many as can be foun...

Back in Genesis God promises Abram that He “will make you a great nation.” Abram would be the father of that great nation, fulfilled in the Jewish people and the nation of Israel through the birth of Isaac. God’s covenant with Abram was that He would bless those who bless thee, and curse those who curse thee, and that all the families of the earth would be blessed through Abram’s seed. In the divi...

The last battle of the world will be called Armageddon. It is described as the rallying-place of the kings of the whole world who, led by the unclean spirits issuing from the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, assemble here for the war of the great day of the Almighty.  We live in a time where there is little or no reverence for God. People in our society think that they are mor...

We live in a world that suffers because of sin. However, God is still in control, and His purpose is stated in Romans: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”   The remedy for the cause of sin is that we all be born of the Spirit. As Matthew Henry said, “No spiritually good thing dwells in us, or can proc...

What are you distracted with?  What dominates your thoughts, your conversations? Center your heart, your mind, your life, your relationships, your conversations upon the Lord and His Word. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law dot...

In last week’s message, Pastor Bob taught the prophecy of Joel from chapter 2 in our end-times series. Today, we are taking a little bit of a detour to shortest book of the Old Testament, Obadiah, then we will come back to Joel chapter 3 next week. By studying Obadiah, Pastor Bob will help provide the context and the history about the enemies of God and Israel, and according to scripture these wil...

The book of Joel gives some of the most striking and specific details in all of Scripture about the day of the Lord—days cloaked in darkness, armies that conquer like consuming fire, and the moon turning to blood. Rooted in such vibrant and physical imagery, this time of ultimate judgment, still future for us today ( 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ; 2 Peter 3:10 ), makes clear the seriousness of God’s judgme...