Church family:
Have you ever watched someone drift away spiritually? It usually doesn't happen all at once. They don't wake up one morning and say, “I'm leaving Jesus.”
They just slowly disconnect.
They stop being known.
They stop being honest.
They stop letting people speak into their lives.
Sin becomes private.
Prayer becomes occasional.
The Bible becomes easier to ignore.
And often nobody really notices because spiritual isolation makes drifting easy to miss. This is happening among some at GCT right now. We need to have eyes to see, and we need to respond.
Hebrews 3:12–14 gives us a warning and a solution. “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart… that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. But exhort one another every day…”
Do you hear the warning? Sin deceives, hardens, and destroys, often more quietly than we realize. That is why God’s answer is not isolation, but one another. We need people who know us, love us, speak truth to us, pray for us, confront us when we begin to wander, and remind us of the gospel when we forget.
The New Testament is filled with “one another” commands: to love, encourage, forgive, serve, pray, admonish, bear burdens, and stir one another toward Christ. But you cannot obey the “one another” commands by yourself. Christianity was never meant to be “Jesus and me.” When Jesus saves you, He doesn't simply give you a relationship with Himself. He joins you to His body. You belong to Christ; therefore you belong to His people.
And here is the goal: not merely that you attend church or sit through a worship service each Sunday, but that you refuse to drift alone and help others refuse to drift alone. Biblical Christianity does not call us to guarded, independent lives; it calls us to belong deeply to Christ and to His people, where weary souls are strengthened, wandering hearts are pursued, and brothers and sisters help one another hold fast to Him until the end. God graciously uses His people to preserve His people.
Give yourself to a loving, gracious small group of brothers and sisters in Christ. Not because you need another activity. Because you need people and they need you. People who will know you. Love you. Challenge you. Pray for you. Help you follow Jesus. And then become that person for someone else. That is narrow road living.
We are the church: not isolated believers trying to survive on our own, but brothers and sisters bound to Christ and to one another. Some among us are tired. Some are tempted. Some are quietly drifting. And God has placed us in one another’s lives so that no one has to carry weakness, sorrow, doubt, or sin alone. If you belong to Christ, you belong to His people. Do not withdraw from them, and do not overlook those who are drifting away.
See you Sunday, loving one another; Steve

Church family:
An anonymous engraved stone in the Lutheran cathedral in Lübeck, Germany, dating to 1173 AD, contains these examining words:
Ye call Me Master and obey Me not,
Ye call Me Light and see Me not,
Ye call Me Way and walk not,
Ye call Me Life and desire Me not,
Ye call Me wise and follow Me not,
Ye call Me fair and love Me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask Me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek Me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust Me not,
Ye call Me noble and serve Me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honour Me not,
Ye call Me just and fear Me not,
If I condemn you, blame me not.
This quote echoes Jesus’ sobering warning at the end of the Sermon on the Mount: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Jesus reminds us that it is possible to say the right things, appear religious, and even be active in ministry, yet still not truly know Him. That should cause each of us to pause and examine our hearts.
It is easy to profess Christ with our lips while resisting Him with our lives. We can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but ignore His Word when it is inconvenient. We can sing about forgiveness while refusing to forgive, bask in God’s mercy while withholding mercy from others, speak of humility while demanding our own way, and look like Christians on Sunday while living as though Christ has no claim on us Monday through Saturday.
Jesus makes it clear that everyone who enters His kingdom will recognize Him as Lord, but not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter His kingdom (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46). John MacArthur put it this way: “Mere professed devotion to Christ is but another Judas kiss.” Simply saying we believe in Jesus does not prove that we belong to Jesus. Anyone can claim the name Christian, but our lives reveal what we truly believe.
It is possible to shout, “Lord, Lord,” while our lives tell another story. If Jesus isn’t your Lord, He isn’t your Savior. If Jesus is truly your Savior, then He is also your Lord. Grace is not permission to live as though He is not King; it is the power that changes us and awakens in us a desire to follow Him. This warning is not for those outside the church; it is a spiritual reality check for those within it. Jesus intends this part of His sermon to lead us to ask: Does my life reflect His lordship? Do I love what He loves? Do I repent when I sin? Do I obey Him? Does my life honor His name?
Jesus is not merely looking for people who will call Him Lord. He is calling us to truly know Him, trust Him, follow Him, and live under His lordship. To enter Christ’s kingdom is to submit to Him as King; genuine saving faith will produce obedience.
Matthew 7:24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

See you Sunday, building on the Rock: Steve

Church family: There are several ways to dissect a Christian. You can divide a Christian into mind, body, and spirit and then make observations about what you find in each of those areas. Or you can question his thoughts and his reasoning to see what he thinks about God. Or you can examine his heart to see what he feels about God. Or you can simply squeeze a Christian really hard just to see what comes out!

The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3 takes a different approach. He gives a simple encouragement for the believers of first century Asia Minor who were experiencing intense persecution, and in so doing he lays out for believers of all ages a straightforward look at the composition of a Christian.

He begins with our inward attitudes in 3:8: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. These are five attitudes that every believer is to maintain. Five qualities every believer should have. Five traits that should characterize every believer. These attitudes are inward-facing; they are attitudes we are to have towards our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. These qualities are to govern our hearts and our minds as we live in community with one another here on earth. Anyone on the outside who looks in to get an inside peek at the Christian community should see these attitudes in plentiful abundance.

And then Peter moves on to an external view of the Christian: Their outward-facing actions to the world in 3:9-11: Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. These are to be the actions of a believer toward those who are living in the world. The world will know that we are Christians by two things; by what we DO and by what we SAY.

And then Peter finishes out his word of encouragement with the reason and motivation for having these attitudes and actions -> WHO we live for, our audience in 3:12: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” There is one God whose opinion matters to the believer. It is God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe, the eternal Logos and the eternal Spirit, Yahweh Himself. God watches over His people with the deepest love, care, and compassion for them. He is ever-listening to the prayers of His people and ever-guiding and protecting their steps. He is an amazing, omnipresent God who will never leave us nor forsake us!

Looking forward to worshipping our amazing God together this Sunday: Kyle

Church family:
Wolves in sheep’s clothing are dangerous because they don’t look like wolves. They dress themselves in the appearance of gentleness, truth, spirituality, and even love. They may have millions of social media followers, draw large crowds, and even land books on bestseller lists. They speak the language of Christianity, carry the Bible, and may say many things that sound right, but beneath the wool is a heart that seeks to deceive, influence, and devour. They slowly twist truth, soften sin, minimize repentance, elevate themselves, and make the narrow road look wider and easier than Jesus made it. They don't usually attack the flock head-on; they gain the sheep’s trust first, then lead them away from the Shepherd. Jesus says, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16). Soft wool may hide sharp teeth, but the fruit will finally expose the wolf.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing twists the gospel by subtly changing who saves us, what saves us, and what salvation produces. One falsification says, “Christ plus your works saves you,” making people trust their morality, religious activity, or obedience rather than Christ’s righteousness. The opposite falsification says, “Christ saves you, so how you live doesn’t really matter,” separating grace from repentance, holiness, and obedience. The true gospel declares that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by our works, and that genuine salvation produces a changed life, good works, repentance, and a growing desire to follow Jesus.
When a wolf in sheep’s clothing distorts or destroys the true gospel, the stakes could not be higher. The gospel is not merely a message about how to live better; it is the good news of how sinners are reconciled to a holy God through Jesus Christ. When the gospel is replaced with works, self-help, prosperity, or a message that removes the call to repentance and faith, people may believe they are saved while remaining separated from Christ. A false gospel gives false hope, produces false assurance, and ultimately leads people away from the narrow road that leads to life. That is why Jesus warns us to beware: false teaching is not a small error or harmless opinion. What is at stake is the truth of Christ, the eternal souls of people, and the true character and glory of God.
Jesus commands us to look deeper into the teaching we are receiving. What fruit is being produced from this person’s life and teaching? Is this teaching leading us toward Christ, holiness, humility, repentance, and love? Or is it leading us toward self-confidence, compromise, pride, or a gospel that no longer needs a life of surrender? Is the teacher’s life producing holiness or worldliness?
So here is our call to action: let us be people of the Word and Spirit. Let us test what we hear by Scripture. Let us pray for discernment. Let us refuse both false gospels: the one that says, “I can save myself,” and the one that says, “I can have Christ without following Christ.” Let us encourage one another to stay near Jesus, to keep walking the narrow road, and to bear fruit that points others to Him.

See you Sunday, Steve

Church Family:
What if the most dangerous road is not the one that looks openly rebellious, but the one that feels familiar, respectable, and safe? That is what makes Jesus’ words at the end of the Sermon on the Mount so sharp. He is not merely speaking to people outside the church or far from religious things. He is speaking to people like us who hear His words, know His name, and assume we are already standing where we need to be. With great mercy and holy seriousness, Jesus brings every listener to a decision: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14).
Jesus’ warning is not directed to atheists. Jesus is speaking to people who call Him "Lord, Lord,” know their Bibles, attend church, and serve in ministry. In Matthew 7:14–23, He describes people who prophesy, cast out demons, and do mighty works in His name; yet He tells them, "I never knew you."
This should shake us. It is possible to hold sound doctrine, exercise spiritual gifts, and stay busy in ministry while still missing Christ Himself. Activity is not the same as new life in Christ. If the gospel has not changed your heart, if it is not producing the fruit of the Spirit in love, holiness, joy, humility, peace, kindness, and self-control, then you may still be standing outside the narrow gate, walking the broad road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:16-17).
In this life there are only two roads, and they lead to two very different destinations. The broad road offers easy words and false assurance, but it ends in destruction; the true gospel calls us onto the narrow road, to repent, trust Christ, deny ourselves, follow Him, and endure in faith. It is not enough to repeat a prayer or point back to a decision from years ago. When Jesus is King, He changes your life. He produces self-denial, obedience, and perseverance as the fruit of salvation.
The narrow road is hard (Matthew 5:14). But understand what the narrow road leads to: life. Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). To know God, not just know about Him, is life itself, beginning now on earth as it will be in heaven. Your sins are forgiven, your sin and shame covered by Christ's blood. You are reconciled to God, adopted as His child. The Holy Spirit dwells in you and transforms you from the inside out. This narrow-road life does not promise ease. Rather, trials, suffering, and hardship will come. But in Christ, you have a joy and hope the world cannot give or take away. And this narrow road ends in resurrection: a glorified body and eternal fellowship with God.
This is Jesus’ call for you to examine yourself and enter the narrow gate. Do you truly know Jesus, or just know about Him? Does He know you? Is your faith producing fruit or just religious activity? The gate is narrow but remains open, and it leads to abundant and eternal life.

See you Sunday, on the narrow road: Steve

Church family:
Most people in this world know the Golden Rule. Even those who do not follow Jesus know it and even expect Christians to live by it. The world may affirm Matthew 7:12, but does it truly practice it? Not fully, and if we are honest, neither do we. But the Golden Rule is more than good advice; it is God’s expectation for how we relate to every other person as citizens of His kingdom.
Centuries before Jesus, philosophers and rabbis taught what is often called the “Silver Rule”: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you. Do you see the difference? It may seem subtle, but it changes everything. Confucius taught it. Rabbi Hillel taught it. Across cultures, it was considered common wisdom. But here's the problem: you can fulfill the Silver Rule by doing absolutely nothing. You can cancel people, cutting them out of your life, and still claim you're righteous. Following the Silver Rule is passive. It's safe. It requires no transformation.
Jesus turned the Silver Rule inside out. He did not merely say, “Do not harm others.” He commanded, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). That is proactive, intentional love. It pushes back against our selfishness and calls us to something far deeper than restraint. As J. C. Ryle said, “We are not to deal with others as others deal with us; this is mere selfishness. We are to deal with others as we would like others to deal with us; this is real Christianity.”
Notice what Jesus says: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” This is not a helpful hint. It is a kingdom command that fulfills the ethical teaching of Scripture. And it is comprehensive. “Whatever” means everything. “Others” means everyone, including those who live differently, or think differently than you. It applies in your marriage, with your children, at work, and with that difficult neighbor. The Golden Rule reaches every relationship, everywhere.
Jesus did more than teach the Golden Rule; He embodied it, even to the point of death, for our sake. Now, by His Spirit, He forms us into people who live it out. So, the question is this: will you choose to love others first, even when their words or actions make it difficult? Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. And let Christ show the world Himself through you.

See you Sunday, striving for gold: Steve

Church family:
One of the clearest and most personally shaping studies of my life has been our time in the Sermon on the Mount this past year. Jesus’ words continue to challenge my thoughts and actions, sometimes before I sin, and sometimes, by His grace, after. Even then, He is still sanctifying us.
Have you ever thought about how Jesus wants the Sermon on the Mount to shape the way we gather as GCT around the Lord’s Supper, both personally and together as His family? The Sermon on the Mount is not merely a collection of gentle suggestions or inspiring morals. Jesus speaks with the authority of God as King, calling His followers to a life of wholehearted obedience. In Matthew 5–7, Jesus shows us what life looks like under His loving rule. His people are poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, truthful, forgiving, and fully dependent on the Father. These are not boxes we check to earn God’s love; they are the fruit of Christ’s mercy at work in us as He brings us into His kingdom.
That matters every time we come to the Lord’s table. We do not come to communion as people who have it all figured out or who have proven we deserve to be there. We come poor in spirit, admitting our need. We come mourning over sin, hungry and thirsty for the righteousness only Christ can give. And we remember and receive again the incredibly good news that Jesus gave His body and poured out His blood for sinners like us, forgiving our sins and transforming our hearts. The bread and cup are not merely reminders of something we once believed; they are grace that continues shaping us week after week.
When we come to the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us to come humbly, honestly, gratefully, and united together. We examine our hearts, not to prove we are worthy, but to turn from pride, bitterness, hypocrisy, and indifference. We remember that the person beside us belongs to Christ, too, and we are called to know and love them well. This means we do not come as isolated individuals, but as brothers and sisters learning to receive mercy and extend it to one another. One loaf declares we are one body in Christ; one cup declares one Savior. At the Lord’s table, grace unites us and draws us together.
Let the Sermon on the Mount prepare us for communion. Let it remind us that we are citizens of Christ’s alternative, upside-down kingdom, reshaped by the gospel we remember. We come needy, forgiven, reconciled, and hopeful, not because we are strong, but because Christ is gracious. We come to remember Him and to be renewed by the gospel He brings.

See you Sunday, as we remember Jesus Christ and are changed by His grace: Steve

Church family:
Take a moment to think about this: the greatest invitation in the world is extended to us from the God of the universe, our Heavenly Father, "come and ask me for good gifts” (Matthew 7:7–11). Jesus invites us to come to our Father again and again to ask, seek, and knock with confidence. Of course, this is not a blank check for everything on our wish list. It is an invitation to keep praying, trusting that our Father knows how to give what is truly good even when we unknowingly ask for something that is not.
That means prayer is not a way to manipulate God into approving our plans. Through prayer our desires are shaped, our faith is deepened, and our hearts are aligned with our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Sometimes God gives exactly what we ask for; other times, He gives something different and better than what we would have chosen for ourselves. That is why prayer is such a gift—even when we unknowingly ask for stones and serpents, our heavenly Father gives us the bread and fish we actually need.
We see this pattern in Scripture. Jesus in Gethsemane asked for the cup of suffering to pass, yet Jesus was not given escape; He was given the sustaining grace needed for obedience. The Father answered by carrying out redemption through the Son’s suffering, and Jesus’ cup became the cup that secured salvation for His people (Matthew 26:36-46).
Paul pleaded three times for his thorn (suffering/affliction/weakness) to be removed, but Christ gave Paul both His sufficient grace and His power made perfect in weakness instead of removing the thorn (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). That means Paul received ongoing help from the Lord to endure, stay humble, and keep relying on Christ's power rather than on his own weaknesses.
That is often how God works with us too. He may not give the exact answer we wanted, but He gives something deeper: endurance, humility, wisdom, peace, and grace that holds us steady when circumstances do not change.
Matthew 7:7–11 is not a call to quit praying when God’s answer is not what we expected. It is a call to press in, to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking because the Father we approach is perfectly good and infinitely wise. Sometimes He says, “yes.” Sometimes He says, “no.” Sometimes He says, “wait.” But every time, He gives what is best, even when it is far better than anything we knew to ask for.
So, GCT, let’s respond with a fresh commitment to prayer personally, in our families, and in our Grace Groups. Let’s come boldly as children of God, trusting the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Your Father is not stingy, indifferent, or cruel. He is generous, holy, and sovereign, and every gift He gives is filtered through perfect love. Ask, seek, knock. Keep coming to your Heavenly Father who knows how to give what is truly good.

See you Sunday, asking, seeking, knocking: Steve

Church family:
As we enter our new building, we do so with full hearts, deep gratitude, and joyful celebration. This moment has been long hoped for, prayed over, and worked toward, and in His kindness the Lord has now brought us here. Sunday is a day to rejoice together in His faithfulness. When I sat alone in the sanctuary Tuesday evening, reflecting on this blessing, I was struck by the windows, the natural light, and the beauty of God’s creation surrounding the church building. This building is truly a house filled with light. It lifts our eyes to the greater wonder—that God has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light so that with joyful hearts we may proclaim His excellencies (1 Peter 2:9).
This move is far more than a change of address. It is a holy opportunity to remember who we are in Christ and why He has placed us here. We are not merely a church in a new space; we are God’s treasured people, redeemed by grace, set apart for His glory, and sent to proclaim His excellencies. The light filling this building points us beyond itself to the greater light Christ gives His church: the light of truth, holiness, love and the life giving gospel.
The brightness of this new building is a beautiful gift, and may it continually remind us of the greater light we have in Jesus Christ, who came to rescue us from darkness (John 12:46). Scripture teaches that darkness was not merely around us; it was the condition from which God delivered us (Ephesians 5:8). Apart from Him, we were distant and lost in darkness, but in Christ we have been drawn near, forgiven, and brought into His radiant presence. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), and by His grace we no longer stumble in darkness but walk in the light of His life.
As sunlight streams through these windows, may it lovingly remind us that Christ’s light is to shine through our hearts. May this place be filled not only with visible light, but with a people who shine as lights in the world through prayer, worship, love, compassion, discipleship, fellowship, preaching, mercy, and gospel proclamation (Philippians 2:15).
So let us begin this new chapter with grateful hearts and expectant faith. Let us walk as children of light, proclaim His excellencies, and make this building a place where Christ is exalted, His people are strengthened, and His gospel goes forth with power and joy.

See you Sunday, marveling in the light of Christ: Steve

Church family:
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to judge someone else while giving yourself endless grace? Judgmentalism looks down on others, assumes the worst about their motives, and speaks as though it can see their heart clearly enough to pronounce final verdicts. In doing so, it wrongly makes us a very poor version of God. Scripture reminds us that God alone is Judge and that we are not the final judges of one another (James 4:12; Romans 14:10-12). In God’s kingdom, there is an important difference between "judgmentalism" and "biblical discernment."
Jesus does not command us to ignore sin or to pretend truth does not matter. In Matthew 7, when He says, “Do not judge,” He is not forbidding all correction or moral discernment. He is warning us against a harsh, self-righteous spirit that condemns others while ignoring our own failures (Matthew 7:1-5). The problem is not discernment; the problem is pride. The problem is not speaking truth; the problem is speaking truth without humility, mercy, and self-examination. That is judgementalism.
Biblical discernment is different: it is loving, humble, and aimed at restoration. It seeks to help rather than humiliate, to protect rather than injure, and to restore rather than expose. That is why Jesus tells us to remove the log from our own eye before helping a brother with his speck (Matthew 7:3-5). True discernment begins with repentance. It prays, “Lord, search me,” before saying, “Brother, let me help you.”
This changes how we live in the church. Judgmentalism tears down. Discernment builds up. Judgmentalism says, “I am better than you.” Discernment says, “I want to help you in love, and I am under the same mercy myself.” Judgmentalism leaves people ashamed. Biblical discernment tells the truth in a way that seeks restoration, unity and holiness.
The Lord does not call His people to be naive, but He also does not call us to be harsh. He calls us to be wise, humble, and gracious. In His kingdom, truth and love belong together, and correction is meant to lead toward redemption. Jesus says, replace a critical spirit with the grace He has shown you: examine your own heart first, assume the best of others, and seek to understand their story before drawing conclusions. Why? Because this is how Jesus treats you.
See you Sunday, removing logs together: Steve

Church family:
 
Do you struggle with anxiety? At its deepest level, anxiety forms a worldview: no one will meet my needs, no one can rescue me, and no one sees my distress. I am left like an orphan in a chaotic world ruled by chance.

Anxiety often shows itself as a divided mind, pulled in many directions by worries we cannot control. It lives in the future, imagining danger and destruction before it arrives, and it can fill our minds with microscopic, unpleasant details of what we think might go wrong but doesn't. Sometimes anxiety sounds reasonable, but it keeps us from listening well, trusting deeply, or resting peacefully in the arms of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus’ teaching about anxiety reaches into the places where we most often feel exposed: our security, our future, our needs, and our fears. He is speaking to the part of us that wonders whether God will really come through when resources are thin, plans fall apart or tomorrow feels uncertain.

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus shows us that both abundance and insufficiency test the heart. When we have plenty, we are tempted to trust ourselves, relax into comfort, or forget how dependent we really are on our Heavenly Father. When we have too little, we are tempted to panic, to hold on more tightly to what we have, and to act as though everything depends on us. In both seasons, Jesus is exposing the same question: where does our security come from?

Think of something as ordinary as the mortgage or groceries. A family may sit at the kitchen table looking at an overdue bill or a nearly empty refrigerator, and the anxiety from the weight of that need can quickly grow larger than the need itself. The bill is real, the shelves are bare, and the pressure is heavy. But in that moment Jesus calls us to remember who our Heavenly Father is. He does not shame us for having needs. He knows we have them. He knows we worry about food, bills, work, and the future. Our heavenly Father is not indifferent, distracted, or stingy. He is loving, attentive, and faithful. He sees us in our insufficiency, and He declares to us, “my eternal love and promises still stand.”

That is why Jesus calls us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. He is not asking us to pretend our needs are unreal. He is teaching us to place them in the right order. If we seek Him first, we are not neglecting our needs; we are entrusting them to the Father who already knows what we need. His kingdom is not built on anxiety, but on trust. His care is not occasional. It is constant and steady. It is personal. It is more reliable than our own feelings.

The answer to worry is not to become more controlling. It is to become more trusting in our Heavenly Father as king. It is to keep coming back to the truth that we are not alone, our Heavenly Father is near, and He has not forgotten us. In our seasons of insufficiency, we are to put Him before any survival anxiety. He remains enough.

Jesus’ invitation is simple and loving: seek first the kingdom, trust your Heavenly Father, and let Him provide for you what you cannot.

See you Sunday, replacing anxiety with God’s kingdom promises: Steve

Church family: 
Think with me: what words would you use to describe your relationship with God?

Scripture invites us to embrace an astonishing truth: through Jesus Christ, God is not only our Creator and King but our Heavenly Father. You are a child of God!

This week I have been studying the beautiful gift of knowing God in this way. He chose the name “Father” to show us His daily care, love, and purpose for our lives. On Father’s Day, we remember that the deepest truth about a believer’s identity is not found in achievement, performance, or even family status, but in adoption. In Christ, we are God’s children, welcomed into His household, where grace, belonging, and joy are found. May the awe of God as your Heavenly Father bring you deep comfort. He is not distant, harsh, or detached; He is your ever-present, loving Father. Through Jesus Christ, He has drawn us near and made us His own. We are not merely people who believe in God; we are children who belong to Him. That truth changes everything: we are loved, known, protected, and held by the One who made us.

Galatians 4 reminds us that God sent His Son so we could be adopted as His sons and daughters. What a gift of grace! Because of Jesus, we can cry out, “Abba! Father!” with confidence, trust, and joy. Our place in God’s family is not something we earn; it is a gift we receive. Each day, we live secure in our Heavenly Father's love for us. Every day is a Happy Heavenly Father’s Day.

And for those of us who are fathers, this gives us both comfort and calling. We are not left to figure out fatherhood on our own. We have a perfect Father to look to. He shows us what fatherhood is meant to be: loving, steady, generous, patient, truthful, and full of grace. When He corrects us, He does so because He loves us. He stays close when we struggle. He delights in His children. He does not simply tell us what is right; He shows us by walking with us in it. This is the father we are to be.

That is the kind of father every child needs, both young and grown. And by God’s grace, that is the kind of father you are called to be. Your children need more than your provision. They need your presence. They need more than your instructions. They need your example. They need to see your Heavenly Father’s heart reflected in you through trustworthy love, nurturing discipline, and reliable faith.

This Father’s Day, we thank God for earthly fathers as we look to our Heavenly Father above. May He strengthen every dad, encourage every weary heart, overcome the pains left by imperfect fathering, and teach us to live as His beloved children. May your home reflect His love, and may your children come to know His goodness through the life you live before them.

See you Sunday, enjoying our Heavenly Father: Steve

Church family:
What a joy it is to enter this new season together as God’s people at GCT. For fifteen years, the Lord has faithfully led us, and He has brought us to this moment for His purposes and His glory. As we prepare to move into our new church building (hopefully June 28), let us not simply enter a new space; let us embrace a renewed call to live as God’s holy people, set apart by His grace and united in Christ to be His church.

There is no greater honor on earth than belonging to the body of Jesus Christ, His church. We are not merely a group of individuals who gather to the same place for worship. We are God’s chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for His own possession, called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9-10). That means GCT is not just a place we go, but a people we are. We are a church formed by the mercy of God, gathered around the Word of God, and sent out to reflect the glory of God.

As we move into our new building, let us remember who we are and what we have been called to do. This is a place where God’s people will gather to worship with reverence and joy, to hear the Word declared with faithfulness, to pray with dependence, to serve one another in love, and to bear witness to the grace of Jesus Christ together. Every song matters. Every prayer matters. Every act of service matters. Every person matters. God has joined us together as one body for His glory, and because He calls us His “spiritual house," this new building is a powerful tool in His hands for us to offer spiritual sacrifices unto Him (1 Peter 2:4-5).

We are more than a building, even a beautiful one. The church is a people. So, as we enter this new chapter, let us do so with humility, gratitude, and expectation. Let us continue to be a church marked by love, holiness, warmth, hospitality, unity, generosity, and gospel faithfulness. Let us love one another deeply, welcome the stranger gladly, honor Christ joyfully, and live as a visible display of His kingdom in Hampstead and around the world.

Rejoice and give thanks as we move toward 1099 Hoover Road! The Lord has been good to us! What an honor to belong to Him, what a privilege to be His people, and what a joy to serve Him together as GCT inside and outside of our new building.

See you Sunday, gathered as God’s spiritual house: Steve

Church family:
Fasting has always been countercultural. It pushes against Western values by calling us to self-denial and sacrifice. It is neither easy nor comfortable, unlike the convenience and ease our culture often celebrates. And those values have also made their way into the Western Church, yet Jesus fasted and He calls us to do the same.

At the very start of His ministry, the Son of God was tested. Satan tried to pull Him off the path of humble obedience and suffering. If Jesus had failed, there would be no cross, no resurrection, and no salvation for us. But Jesus did not fail. He stood firm by trusting His Father, and His fasting was part of that victory.

Then, in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us that fasting is of utmost importance (Matthew 6:16–18). Jesus assumes His disciples will fast like He did. He does not say, “if you fast,” but “when you fast.” And He reminds us that the Father who sees in secret is not looking to shame us, but to reward us in our fasting and praying.

This should encourage and challenge us. Fasting is not about earning God’s favor. It is about learning to depend on Him more than on the things we naturally reach for. Jesus’ words in the wilderness make that plain: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). In other words, food is real and necessary, but God is more necessary.

The connection to Israel in Deuteronomy 8:3 is important. In the wilderness, God humbled His people and gave them manna to show that life depends on His Word, not bread alone. Manna taught that God can provide with a single word and reveal Himself when every other hope is gone. Satan twisted that lesson when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4) to make bread for Himself, but Jesus answered that true life and deepest satisfaction come from God, not food. Jesus calls us to fast to remember that our ultimate nourishment is the bread of God's Word not physical food.

That means Jesus’ fasting was not random. It was purposeful. It exposed His unwavering trust in the Father and prepared Him for faithful obedience under the great pressures of living on earth. And it reminds us that our commitment to fasting will do the same in our lives. Fasting reveals what controls us, exposes where our hearts are attached, and helps loosen the grip of lesser loves that we allow to become our daily bread.

If we are honest, many of us are ruled more by comfort than we realize. Fasting gives us a practical way to say, “Lord, You are my portion.” It is a small but powerful act of trust that God promises to reward. This week consider setting aside a meal or two or three to pray, reflect, and seek the Lord. Ask Him to show you what your heart relies on most. Then ask Him to make Christ more precious to you than bread, comfort, or control. This is the reward that God our Heavenly Father promises us when we fast—knowing Jesus.

See you Sunday, not living by bread alone: Steve

Church Family: 
Picture an enemy lurking at the edges of your home and church, sowing doubt and trying to twist what is good into evil. This is the daily battlefield we inhabit. Jesus teaches us to pray with eyes wide open to that unseen conflict. “Deliver us from evil” is our call for God’s forces to move forward, confident that the LORD of hosts enters every dark place ahead of us. The Lord’s Prayer is both worship and warfare: we ask God to do certain things, and we push back against others. We pray for God to be glorified and for evil to be overthrown (Matthew 6:9-13).

Jesus never promised a painless life. He warned us that hardship, persecution, insults, calamities, testing, and opposition would come. But those trials are not proof that the Father has abandoned us to be conquered by the evil one. They are the very place where His presence and power are made known. Scripture reveals God not only as our Father, but as the “LORD of hosts” (YHWH Tsebaoth), the commander of heaven’s armies, the divine warrior who fights for His people. God uses this name for Himself 280 times in the Old Testament. From the Exodus onward, God shows Himself as the One who defeats the enemies His people cannot overcome on their own. This is where we find ourselves today, The LORD of hosts fighting for us against the evil one.

So, when Jesus teaches us to pray, “Deliver us from evil,” He is not just giving us a request for protection. He is awakening us to the reality of spiritual warfare. Some of the fiercest battles we face are the ones we do not even recognize: continual division in marriage, nations and policies that perpetually promote evil, conflict that suddenly erupts in a relationship, distractions that flood the mind at the moment of prayer, doubt in the promises of God just as we step out in faith, continual justification of sins we have made peace with.

Good news: The cross wasn’t God losing, but God’s victory over evil. Jesus has already defeated the evil one and his evil schemes. By taking evil, death, sin, and accusation on Himself and rising again He broke their power and proved death won’t have the last word. We are still in the battle against evil, and Jesus has given us His Word (the Sword of the Spirit) and His complete Holy Spirit armor (Ephesians 6:10-20) to win those battles that the enemy plans against us today. The responsibility is ours! God does not put the armor on for us; we are told to put it on ourselves. This is to be our daily habit and our own personal duty.

“Deliver us from evil” is a war cry: We must be sober, vigilant, and willing to resist deception, putting on truth, prayer, and obedience while trusting that the battle ultimately belongs to the Lord. He fights for us.

See you Sunday, at war with the evil one: Steve

Church Family:
Are you battling temptation right now? Temptation is the quiet, deceptive voice in the tug-of-war of the human heart. It shows up when we are angry and want us to lash out, when we are tired and want to quit, when we are lured and enticed to compromise, hide, procrastinate, or live as though God were not present. None of us is untouched by it. Temptation lures us toward what will ruin us. Why, then, do we choose what we know will undo us? Because our desires often carry more power than we want to confess. God made desire for good and for His glory, but sin twists those desires inward, turning it against God, against others, and against our own souls.

That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). This is not the prayer of one who is self-assured in their ability to resist temptation. It is the prayer of the humble disciple who knows the flesh is weak. It is the prayer of someone who understands that grace is costly, sin is not small, and holiness matters to God. To pray these words honestly is to say, “Lord, I do not trust myself apart from You.”

In Greek, the words translated "test" and "tempt" are exactly the same. This can be easy to miss, but Scripture draws an important distinction: God tests, and Satan tempts. God’s tests are meant to refine our faith and reveal what is in our hearts. Satan and our own sinful flesh use temptation to destroy, deceive, and derail us. Yet even in the testing, God is faithful. He never abandons His children to their weakness. He does not merely expose our frailty; He supplies grace to win the fight.

That is why Hebrews 4:15–16 is such good news. Jesus knows what it is to be tempted, yet without sin. He does not stand far off from our struggle. He sympathizes with our weakness, and He invites us to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. There we find mercy for our failures and help for our next battle that is coming up minutes from now.

So, we do not fight temptation by pretending we are stronger than we are. We fight by watching and praying (Matthew 26:41), by fleeing what would ensnare us (2 Timothy 2:22), by ordering our lives around obedience (John 14:15), and by keeping our eyes fixed on Christ (Hebrews 12:1–2). The way of holiness is not joyless restraint; it is freedom from the lies that promise life but deliver death.

The good news is this: Jesus has already conquered sin and temptation. Because He is our Savior and High Priest, we do not face today’s temptations alone. We can be honest about our weakness, confident in His mercy, and hopeful in His power to keep us. With the same assurance with which we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we also pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” The battle against sin and temptation begins and ends in prayer.

See you Sunday, watching and praying: Steve

Church Family:
As De Witt Talmage wrote, “There is no emotion so completely unselfish as motherly affection. Marital love expects the return of many kindnesses and attentions, but the strength of a mother’s love is entirely independent of the past and the future, and is, of all emotions, the purest. Your child has done nothing in the past to earn your kindness, and in the future your child may grow up to hurt you; but still from the mother’s heart there goes forth inexhaustible affection.

“Abuse cannot offend it; neglect cannot chill it; time cannot efface it; death cannot destroy it. A child’s harsh words receive gentle chiding. When your child neglects you, your watchfulness increases. For harsh words it offers gentle correction; for the blow it gives loving care; for neglect it gives even greater watchfulness. It weeps at the prison door over the wayward child, pleads for mercy before the governor, and is led away by compassionate friends from watching the struggles at the gallows. Other lights go out, but this love keeps burning without being put out. Other loves can wane, but a mother’s love burns on without extinguishment, as in a gloom-struck night you may see a single star, one of God’s bright shining lights guarding the outposts of heaven. Oh, despise not a mother’s love (Proverbs 23:22).

“And if you have been neglectful of your mother, and you still have the opportunity for reparation, make haste. If you could only look in for an hour’s visit to her, you would rouse in the aged one a whole world of blissful memories.

“What if she does sit without talking much: she watched you for many months when you knew not how to talk at all. What if she has many ailments to tell you about: for fifteen years you ran to her with every little scratch and bruise, and she doctored your little finger as carefully as a surgeon would bind the worst fracture.

“You say she is childish now: I wonder if she ever saw you when you were childish. You have no patience to walk with her on the street; she moves so slowly: I wonder if she remembers the time when you were glad enough to go slowly. You complain at the expense of providing for her now: I wonder what your financial income was from one year to ten years of age.” (This is a slightly edited quote from a sermon by De Witt Talmage late 1800s that blessed me this week so I had to share).

To mothers: This is a reminder that your love matters deeply, even when it goes unnoticed. The constant care you give, the sacrifices you make, and the patience you show are never wasted.

To children of mothers: This is a call to gratitude. Honor your mother while you can, thank her while you have the opportunity, and do not delay affection that may one day become regret.

Seen you Sunday, eternally thankful for moms: Steve

Church Family:
Before we forgive others, remember this: in Christ, we were forgiven first. Forgiveness doesn’t start with our strength, maturity, or emotional readiness; it starts at the cross, where Jesus bore our sin, paid our debt, and set us free from condemnation. We don’t forgive to earn God’s favor; we forgive because we have already received it. A forgiven mindset changes how you experience life and relationships. Without a steady habit of forgiveness, human relationships will quickly fall apart.

When Jesus teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), He isn’t laying a heavy religious requirement on us. He is revealing the family resemblance of His kingdom: forgiven people forgive people. Those who have received mercy are called to extend mercy. The grace that saves us also remakes us into people who give grace. But if we claim God’s forgiveness and still refuse to forgive others, we show we haven’t truly grasped what Christ has done for us. That is why Jesus warns, “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

This is why forgiveness is so serious. To cling to bitterness is not simply to hold on to pain; it is to resist the very grace that has been given to us. Christ has not only commanded forgiveness; He has embodied it. From the cross He prayed for His enemies, and in His resurrection He opened the way for a new life marked by mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

That does not make forgiveness easy. Some wounds are deep. Some betrayals are grievous. Some lies have been long-term. Forgiveness is not pretending the hurt never happened, and it is not saying justice does not matter. It is releasing vengeance into God’s hands and trusting Him to do what is right. It is refusing to let bitterness rule the heart that Christ has redeemed.

When we forgive, we are not excusing sin; we are declaring the gospel. We are saying, “I have been forgiven much, and by God’s grace I will not withhold forgiveness from others.” In that way, forgiveness becomes one of the clearest signs that Christ is at work in us.

What does forgiveness look like? Thomas Watson put it well: It is “when we strive against all thoughts of revenge; when we will not do our enemies mischief, but wish well to them, grieve at their calamities, pray for them, seek reconciliation with them, and show ourselves ready on all occasions to relieve them.” That kind of forgiveness is not easy. But it is freeing. When we hold on to resentment, it does not punish the other person nearly as much as it imprisons us.

Return continually to the forgiveness you have received in Jesus. Refuse to let bitterness harden into your legacy. Make space for forgiveness to be born one prayer at a time, one day at a time. The forgiven life is a forgiving life.

See you Sunday, forgiven and forgiving: Steve

Church Family:
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) is not just a line we recite; it is a prayer that will change your life. Many of us wake up in the morning feeling that we do not have enough. Before our feet hit the floor, we carry quiet worries: I didn’t get enough sleep, I don’t have enough time, I don’t have enough energy, I don’t have enough money. Jesus meets our anxious thinking with a prayer that brings us back into the remembrance that our Heavenly Father cares for us perfectly with “enough.”

In Jesus' day, bread was more than food. It was short-hand for anything essential. So, when we pray for daily bread, we are turning to the Father and saying, "Be my source and my strength for whatever this day holds. Provide what I need to keep going—whether that’s groceries or clarity, rest or steadfastness. Quiet my endless craving for more and teach me the grace of enough."

Israel’s wilderness experience reminds us how God provides daily bread. After 400 years in Egypt, Israel had adopted Egypt’s worldview. So, God led His people into a place where they could not rely on their own self-sufficiency or Pharoah’s provision. In the wilderness He gave His people manna one day at a time, “enough” for today. God was not being stingy; He was teaching them to trust Him daily. He was transforming their hearts to trust in His daily provision that was “enough.”

God does the same work in us. We still live in the temptation to think that more of this and more of that will finally make us secure, happy, and content. But God comes in and says, “No, I am going to give you enough for today, enough to keep you going, enough to remind you that I am always faithful.” God would rather we have “enough” and depend on Him than have abundance and forget Him.

God knows we can feel overwhelmed by an uncertain future, anxious about where our provision is coming from. So that’s exactly where Jesus meets us when He teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” He wants us to speak trust in the God who gave manna one day at a time. Jesus anchors us in our loving God whose past perfect provision in our lives is our future confidence that He will again provide perfectly tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day.

So today, run to your Heavenly Father whose face is turned to you ready to listen to your prayer. Ask Him for what you need. Receive what He gives with gratitude. And when you see someone else in need, be willing to become part of God’s answer to their need of daily bread.

God has provided before. He will provide again.

See you Sunday, with daily bread: Steve

Church Family:
Over the past several years, GCT has experienced significant growth, which has brought the need for meaningful changes in how we care for everyone who calls GCT their church family. Unfortunately, I have not done a good job of sharing the task of “shepherding the flock of God that is among us” (1 Peter 5:2). By not delegating well to other elders, I have left some pastoral needs unmet. So, I am declaring to you, from the fullness of my heart, that I am dedicated to more fully sharing the weight of all GCT’s pastoral needs with our elders. God has designed His Church to be led by a plurality of biblically qualified men who lovingly oversee, protect, teach, and care for the people of God. That is our goal.

This Sunday, we will introduce Tom Miller and Martin Graddon as candidates to join Warren Rich, Bob Highet, Kyle Mills, and me, who are already serving as elders. You will hear their testimonies and their hearts to serve you as undershepherds of our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. These men are already shepherding among us at GCT. If, after hearing from them on Sunday, you have any concerns or are aware of any biblical disqualifications, please speak with one of the current elders within the next two weeks (by May 1).

The qualifications for elders, as outlined in Scripture, emphasize both moral integrity and spiritual maturity. From 1 Timothy 3:1–7, Titus 1:5–9, and 1 Peter 5:1–5, an elder must be above reproach, faithful to one spouse, temperate, self-controlled, and respectable, demonstrating hospitality and sound judgment. He should be able to teach and hold firmly to the trustworthy message of the gospel so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Elders must not be violent, quarrelsome, or given to drunkenness or greed, but should be gentle, upright, and disciplined. They are called to lead their families well, managing their own households with dignity, for one who cannot lead his own family cannot care for God’s church. Furthermore, an elder must have a good reputation with outsiders to avoid falling into disgrace. According to Peter, elders are to shepherd God’s flock willingly and eagerly, not out of compulsion or for selfish gain, but by being examples to the believers—humble, faithful stewards of God’s people, who will receive the crown of glory when the Chief Shepherd appears.

Please be in prayer as new elders join us and I more fully share the task of shepherding with them. We look forward to greater spiritual care, stronger prayerful oversight, shared faithful teaching, and wise leadership for the years ahead. I love you GCT.

See you Sunday, worshipping Jesus together: Steve

Church Family:
Everyone has a kingdom. Your kingdom is the sphere where what you say, do, and decide makes a difference; it is the space in this world that you have been entrusted to steward. Your kingdom is everything you have say over: your time, words, resources, decisions, and relationships. And Jesus demands that we are to radically rethink how we live in our kingdom as we pray, “Our heavenly Father, Your kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

The Kingdom of Heaven is not just something we wait for after death; it is God’s active rule breaking into our ordinary life, and when we live under that rule, God’s presence becomes visible through us, our little kingdoms. The gospel of the Kingdom isn’t just about being saved from something; it’s about being saved for something.

If Jesus is Lord, then every part of our “little kingdom” belongs to Him: our time, our money, our homes, our work, our relationships, and our ambitions. We are not merely called to believe the right things. We are called to surrender control of our own personal kingdoms, to take up our cross, and to live as faithful stewards of everything God has placed in our hands.

This is a demanding calling. It requires us to stop asking, “What do I want from my life today?” and start asking, “What does God want from my life today?” It challenges us to see our work not as laborious drudgery but as worship to our Heavenly Father. It calls us to treat our daily relationships as divine gatherings, our giftings as assignments, and our daily decisions as opportunities to reflect the character of Christ. The classroom, the office, the hospital room, the neighborhood, and the family dinner table are all places where the Kingdom of God is to break through and be seen, felt, enjoyed and practiced. We are responsible not only to avoid sin, but to actively bring love, forgiveness, hope, holiness, boldness, life, healing, justice, and faithfulness into the spaces we occupy.

The question for every believer is not whether we have a kingdom, but whether our kingdom is being surrendered to God, our Heavenly Father. Jesus does not invite us to a safer life; He invites us to become people whose ordinary lives are so yielded to God that we become living evidence that His Kingdom is here and active, and it is conquering the dark chaos of this world. Heavenly Father, Your kingdom come through us, living out Your character and power in our lives, so our lives can “glow with God” and make the reality of the kingdom tangible to others.

See you Sunday, living in His kingdom: Steve

Church Family:
On resurrection morning, the silence of the tomb was shattered. Jesus Christ walked forth, triumphant over death, declaring, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is meant to change every single thing in your life. Yet so often, we forget what resurrection power really is. We forget what we have been given and what God has done. We forget that Jesus conquered death so that we might truly live: not just forever, but abundantly, joyfully, and with purpose today.

It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that changes everything. This is the power of our faith. This is the same resurrection power of the Holy Spirit who is in you (Romans 8:11). Everything in Scripture rests upon the resurrection. It is our highest joy, the Father’s greatest gift, the heartbeat of our hope.

When Christ rose from the grave, the power of death was crushed. The tomb became a throne, and the crucified Lamb was crowned universal King with all authority in heaven and on earth given to Him. Death was defeated, demons disarmed, and disciples emboldened. The risen Lord reigns seated with His Heavenly Father, at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:20-21).

The crucified Lamb was crushed to bear our wrath and reconcile us to God. The risen Savior now commands every government, politician, ruler, storm, scheme, and heart. There is no corner of the universe untouched by His authority. No sin beyond His reach. No life beyond His power. No soul beyond His salvation. No need beyond His ability to fulfill.

That same power is at work in you. Jesus rules over every power in heaven and on earth. His omnipotent resurrection power restores, renews, and commissions us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The One who triumphed over sin and the grave now empowers His church to bring life where there is death, hope where there is despair, and light where there is darkness. This is our power today.

GCT, this is the hope that fuels our mission and drives our joy. Remember Christ’s omnipotent resurrection power that He wields in heaven and on earth. Live in the power of the risen Christ. Know it. Love it. Enjoy it. Trust it. The Lord of life still reigns, still saves, and still says, “I am with you always to the end of the age.” Christ is risen. Christ is reigning. And Christ is with us always.

See you Sunday, enjoying Christ’s resurrection power: Steve

Church Family:
I am presently sitting in a hospital surgery center waiting for news on my mom's somewhat minor surgery. I am surrounded by other patient's loved ones also waiting for their news. Understandably, many here are burdened with anxiety and fear. You know when you experience that deep sense of unease in your mind and heart, a troubled spirit caused by uncertainty or disbelief; when God feels silent amid declining health, an uncertain future or even fractured relationships? It is that anxious chaos in your soul that doubts God’s promises as it whispers, “I know what Jesus says, but I just don’t think He will come through for me this time.” This is the heart condition that Jesus directly addresses on His way to the cross.

As Holy Week begins, on His way to the Cross, Jesus speaks final instructions to us in these times of unbelief: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Unbelief says, “I am on my own.” Faith says, “Jesus has already gone ahead of me.” In the shadow of betrayal and the cross’s pain, Jesus offers unshakable hope to all who trust Him. “Let not your heart be troubled!” But why?

Let not your heart be troubled, because there is a place for you in my Father’s house. Jesus promises a place prepared for you from eternity, for every broken believer who follows Him (John 14:2).

Let not your heart be troubled, because Jesus prepared the place for you. He opened the way as the Passover Lamb; His blood removed every obstacle of sin and death between you and the Father’s house. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Let not your heart be troubled, because Jesus Himself is your dwelling place, and He will come again to take you to Himself. Heaven’s substance is not a distant mansion, but nearness to the risen Christ forever (John 14:3).

Let not your heart be troubled, because Jesus and the Father are one. To have Jesus is to have the Father, His presence right now, closer than your own breath, meeting every ache of fear, uncertainty, parenting, marriage, and health (John 14:9–11).

Let not your heart be troubled, because Jesus has come in the Holy Spirit. He is with you now and always, not as a distant observer, but as your Helper, turning turmoil into peace (John 14:16–18).

This Easter week, walk from Palm Sunday’s cheers through Friday’s sorrow to Sunday’s empty tomb, applying these truths to the very thing that troubles you most. Name it before the Lord, then answer it with Jesus’ promise: “Let not your heart be troubled.” In that exact place of unbelief, He is inviting you to trust Him, to know He has gone ahead, secured your future, and walks with you in the present. Resurrection life begins now. This is the work of Jesus Christ on His Cross.

See you Sunday, not troubled (usuallly): Steve

Church Family: 
Do you see the moment God has given us? Right here, Pender County is among the top three fastest growing counties in North Carolina, with Pender’s population rising over 21% since 2020, adding tens of thousands of new neighbors in just a few years. This is not an accident; the Lord has placed GCT as a living witness in a county that is swelling with people who need hope, a church family, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God our Father has planted us here not as spectators, but as willing instruments in His hands. As neighborhoods burgeon and thousands move in without a church home, He invites us to pray boldly: “Father, use us to hallow Your name right here!” (Matthew 6:9).

When Jesus taught us, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,” He wasn’t giving us empty words. This is to be our daily cry to our perfect Heavenly Father, the One who heard Israel’s groans in Egypt, who came down to rescue them as their Redeemer, who now works powerfully through us, His children, GCT. We don’t pray this to earn His favor; we ask Him to align our hearts with His passion, to make us a people who multiply His glory in Pender County and around the world.

“Hallowed be Your name” means pleading for God to make His Word trusted, His displeasure feared, His commands obeyed, and His name glorified in our midst. Father, use us as GCT! Make unbelief turn to faith in Hampstead’s new neighborhoods. Ignite obedience that builds welcoming, gospel homes from Sneads Ferry to Wilmington to Burgaw. Let Your name shine bright in us, drawing the unchurched to worship You as God, their Heavenly Father.

This is what Jesus calls GCT to do as a new church in a county that is booming with new neighbors: to lift up informed, personal, surrendered prayers. “Father, take our schedules, homes, families and hands to be used by You so that Your Kingdom will be more fully present on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

GCT, let us do as Jesus says: “Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Fall before your Father daily, asking, “Use me to hallow Your name here in Hampstead.” Let’s watch Him use us to transform strangers in our neighborhoods into brothers and sisters in Christ. And this will be our undeniable testimony: God did that… through us, for His glory, in this fast-growing county in His universe that He upholds by the word of His power. Let’s pray this together. Let’s live this together. Father, use us now!

See you Sunday, rewarded: Steve

Church Family:
The providence of God is not cold fate; it is His sovereign and loving hand wisely governing every detail of our lives. Sometimes in this life there befalls us a difficult providence of God. This is when a challenging or seemingly negative event in life, which is still under God’s sovereign control and part of His divine plan, is directed toward us by God’s loving and purposeful hand. We do not ask for a dark providence, yet God declares it to be. The pain it brings can be overwhelming, but we are reminded that even our hardest experiences remain within God's steadfast, loving, and sovereign care.

Throughout GCT’s history many difficult providences have crashed into us and yet God has shown Himself faithful. Specifically with our housing situation as a church, over the last three years, GCT has journeyed through several difficult providences with rent doubling to $11,000 per month, finding land to build, county zoning, permitting, site prep and then building during soaring inflation. Property and material prices climbed relentlessly, with cumulative inflation around 11% since we started this journey, and tariffs spiking some expenses 20-50%. As a result, our total construction costs have gone up, and we now need to pay approximately $600,000 by March 2027.

These are tough providences, no doubt! But does this make God unfaithful? Absolutely not. God is still faithful, and look where He has brought us. He designed even these challenges to draw us together. As we look over at the building that we will soon call home, He calls us to declare with one voice: Lord, you are faithful, and it is only by Your hand. You have been faithful through every step, and You will continue to be faithful.

God says, “Look to Me as a faithful, loving, caring God. Remember how I have worked in your past, and I will give you peace in the present and hope for your future.” He is faithful, unchanging in His nature, unable to break His Word. Nothing in heaven or on earth can stop Him from accomplishing what He has promised us in Christ.

Scripture relentlessly calls us to remember God’s faithfulness. Jeremiah stands among ruins and cries, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope… great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:19-24). David, hunted and surrounded by evil, looks up and declares, “Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Psalm 36:5). Asaph, in deep anguish, chooses: “I will remember… I will ponder… I will meditate on all Your mighty deeds” (Psalm 77:11-12). God Himself proclaims His name to Moses as “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).

Again and again God raises “stones of remembrance”—at the Jordan with Joshua, at Ebenezer with Samuel, in David’s song as the ark comes to Jerusalem—so His people will never forget: “Till now the Lord has helped us” (Joshua 4:6-7, 1 Samuel 7:12). This we must call to mind, God is faithful (Psalm 105:5).

So here is my plea: Do not let our present difficult providence rewrite God’s character. Let us raise our own Ebenezer. Let us name how God has carried us in His faithfulness “till now” (1 Samuel 7:12) and what He is calling us to do in this difficult providence. At this time of difficulty, we are being invited by God Himself to be held firmly by His unbreakable nature of faithfulness, which always has the final word.

See you Sunday, remembering God’s faithfulness: Steve