Just about everyone knows who I'm talking about when I use the phrase, "I want to be like Mike." Because of his great talent, as well as his championships, money, and fame, many people wanted to be like Michael Jordan at the height of his career. In the same way, we all have role models that we look up to and aspire to be like. However, as we see in Ephesians 5:1-11, instead of imitating the ways of the world or the people of this world, we're to be imitators of God. He's to be our role model and the one we emulate. This message can be heard or downloaded at http://www.archive.org/details/KentSperryLikeMike

If you encounter problems with that link, as I have this week, try this alternate link, http://www.ourmedia.org/ia/details/KentSperryLikeMike

My family and I took one last trip before school starts, so we had a guest speaker at Grace and Redeemer. Dave Jameson, from Freedom Lutheran Church in Ottawa, IL was with us. He spoke about being prepared for action, and how this can remove distractions that hinder our service of God. It can be heard or downloaded at http://www.archive.org/details/DaveJamesonPreparedforAction

This week at Grace, everyone, including I, was distracted during the sermon. A bat made its way into the sanctuary in the middle of the message, flying back and forth over the heads of the congregation! Hopefully those who didn't catch it all (the sermon, not the bat) will listen again to it.

We heard in Luke 19 how Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. He knew the judgment that was coming on them because they didn't recognize his coming. In the same way, we too should weep for the millions of people in our world who don't know Jesus and are, as a result of their sin, going to hell. And this sorrow should motivate us to obey the calling of God to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

It can be heard at http://www.archive.org/details/KentSperryDoYouEvenCare It can also be heard at http://www.ourmedia.org/ia/details/KentSperryDoYouEvenCare

We all lead very busy lives, we have many different goals, and many things that we value. It get's very hard to balance everything because things often conflict with one another. God also gets brushed aside in the process. In today's message, based on Matthew 13:44-46, we see that God's kingdom is so valuable that the one who finds it gladly gives up all else to possess it. It can be heard at http://www.archive.org/details/KentSperryWhat_sTrulyImportant It can also be heard at http://www.ourmedia.org/ia/details/KentSperryWhat_sTrulyImportant