GracePoint Church

Someone cut me off again as traffic ground to a halt. I could feel myself seething inside. As I sat at a standstill, I began to wonder why I was so angry. My smartphone showed that this was only going to be a 4 minute delay. And why would I let a guy I don't even know (who cut me off) have so much rental space in my head? It had been a long day. Several discouraging things had happened and my hear...

I wanted to compete in the Olympics. I had just watched the 1976 Olympics and was so inspired that I determined that 1980 would be my year. I was ten years old. I had the vision of incredible athletes fresh in my mind. Our men's 4 x 100 relay team had just finished in 8th place.   I tore out a picture of the Olympic symbol and a flag of Canada...and put it on my dresser in my room. Then I ran. I r...

In 1984, I wanted to be an actor. Who doesn't want to be famous in their idealistic youth? I was a young believer and I was certain that this was "God's Will" for me. After all, I was getting the leads in the school plays. I had joined an acting guild in a prominent theatre town (the artsy people spell "theater" that way). I applied to a fine arts school in Banff, Alberta. I was in the zone...I wa...

Money...I never seem to have enough of it. Just when I put a little away, an unexpected bill comes, the car breaks down, someone gets sick, and the air conditioner goes out. I'm getting to the age where my financial planner is calling me into his office to let me know that I might not be able to retire when I want to. And the scary thing is, I was going to call and ask if I can borrow against my r...

I took my car to the mechanic today...routine maintenance. They just called. $1000.43. Ouch! I'm shocked. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of stuff breaking all the time. My check engine light just came on in my truck. The deck is rotting. My computer keeps breaking. The house needs painting. My outdoor electricity stopped working. The internet went out again (I know, first world problems for...

I want to ask you a question: Is there anything in your life that you believe but don’t actually live like it? If I had a safe place to confess (and I hope do here!), I’d admit this: I know that getting plenty of sleep and eating vegetables is one of the best things I can do for myself… but looking at my life? You might not be able to tell.  As a teaser for our message this Sunday, we’re exploring...

Over the years, I have read some really great books on Healthy Living. Books like, "Eat to Live" and "How Not to Die." At my last annual physical, my doctor and I had a really great chat about the Mediterranean Diet and how it's a great lifestyle to adapt. I have really enjoyed reading additional articles and listening to podcasts from the experts in the field of health, and I believe it all. It's...

I threw the butter knife to the ground in frustration. It lay there, bent and dulled. Someone should've told me that one can't use a butter knife as a screwdriver or a saw. As a cheap Scotsman, I've always tried to cut corners and save a little. Having the right tool for the job can certainly save a lot of heartache. When it comes to walking with Jesus one can't skip steps or test out of the proce...

Independence Day is all about freedom. I'm grateful to live in a country that values freedom. I absolutely enjoy the blessing and joy of what that means for most of us in America. That being said, the freedom we experience now is limited. It is limited to our ability to defend our country. It is limited by a healthy economy. It is limited by our physical health. It is limited by our perspective. T...

There are just some things in my life that I don't like to do. But you and I both know that, "Anything worth doing is worth is worth doing well." As a child, I thought I'd never be done with school. So many classes didn't seem to have anything to do with life. My parents' discipline rarely made sense to me. I mean, what could be wrong with a 14 year old staying out all night? Fast forward and we a...

I often ask myself (and God) this question: Am I getting it? Once I place my faith and trust in Christ alone, now what? How do I apply it? How do I know if I'm doing life the right way? Let me give you two thoughts as you fight this good fight: 1. Satan is real. He doesn't follow any rules. His only goal is to keep you away from Jesus. He knows the rest will take care of itself. 2. God is real. Th...

As I've gotten older (I know, I've been talking about that a lot lately), the one thing that seems increasingly difficult to find and hold onto is "peace". In a world that seems so filled with stress and chaos, how can I find peace?  We all long for it--that sense that all is well. The Hebrews had a word for it--Shalom. The way “shalom” is used does not mean to feel calm nor the absence of conflic...

I have a recurring nightmare. No, it's not about standing in front of the congregation and forgetting to prepare my sermon. My recurring nightmare is showing up for a race and getting lost after the start. I wake up in a cold sweat wondering what went wrong. In I Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul compares our walk with Jesus to a race in which we ALL run. There are two ways to run...to WIN...or to NOT LOSE...

Questions. When I became a Christian I had a lot of "questions." Why do I need to go to church? How should I dress? Do I have to love people who hurt me? How does forgiveness work? Are there places that I should not go to? Are there people I should or shouldn't hang out with? How do I know the Bible is "the" truth? Why is Jesus the only way? As I got older the questions got more complex and confus...

I still think far too much about what other people think of me. The good news is I think about it far less. The more I sit in the presence of Jesus, the more I become indifferent to the thoughts of others. I think I might be maturing. For too many years, I have made my faith about what I'm getting out of it--how my church does things that I like, how I chase the comfort of God's blessings, how I c...

My mom had six children. She worked a full time job to ensure that we were well fed and clothed. I never saw the inside of a Daycare Center. She cooked every meal for us. She made sure we got to all of our activities. She could knit incredibly fast. I recall, as a little child, needing a pair of mittens to play outside in the snow. Sure enough...literally within 20 minutes or so, I was donning my...

I was washing my wife's car a couple of weeks ago when I twisted and felt a sharp pain in my back. I was fine having pain for a few hours...but two weeks later the pain is as bad as when it first happened. Life is hard. Jesus said it would be. That's why He gave us Himself. After he ascended into heaven, He gave us His Spirit. We also have the Bible. How fortunate that we have the answer to life's...

"Two paths diverged into the yellow wood..." And so goes the famous Robert Frost poem. When I think of the current state of our culture and the way of Jesus, those words seem to ring true. One path described in Frost's poem is "well-traveled"... the other "less so."   The well-worn path results in a story as old as time. Jesus referred to it as the "broad road" that many go down. The Bible is fill...

If you grew up in church you know what that's all about. Christians around the world will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus this weekend. But is it just a nice religious moment we observe, or is there something deeper that Jesus' death and resurrection accomplished for us? I want to encourage you to take some time to pause, and think about the implications of the Resurrection of Jesus on our liv...

I'm a newcomer to the South...and I love it here. As a newby, I'm way behind on my cultural orientation. A few years ago I asked a gal from the south how churches celebrate Easter. Without hesitation she smiled and said, "You mean church prom?" Easter is a big deal for followers of Jesus. Arguably, it's much bigger than a prom, but my friend was on to something. Easter is the season we reflect on...

Do you ever look in the mirror in a moment of honest reflection and think, “who's this clown?” I can't see myself as loved by God because of the way I act. Just me? No? Maybe you are like me–you meant to stay calm with your kids, show kindness to your spouse, or be patient with a coworker—but instead, the fleshly came out. Again. Good or bad, you’re not alone. And believe it or not, this doesn't d...

Have you ever gotten into it with someone you love? Maybe it was with a spouse, best friend, or your parents. Fights happen for a reason, right? You're looking to win the argument. Let's suppose we've all been there... have you ever later wondered, "Was that even worth it?" And what's more, if you fought to win, that person you love (and argued with) must be a loser. Ouch! Too often, Christians ar...