There are no cosmetics for the tongue. In fact, you have never gone on a diet to get your tongue back into shape! Yet it is your tongue that defines you more than anything else. It is your tongue that makes the greatest impact on your life and the lives of others. So set aside the gym for a moment and join Stephen as he brings you speech therapy for the tongue.
As a child, did your parents ever wash your mouth out with soap when you talked back to an adult or said a bad word? I'm sure we all got that at least once or twice! Well in today's study of Romans chapter 3, the Apostle Paul will reveal to us that our mouths are dirty and in need of a good washing. Soap, however, won't do the trick. So grab your Bible and join Stephen in this sermon as he gives us the only thing that will: Scripture.
From the beginning of time men have preferred to fashion gods in their likeness rather than allow God to fashion us in His. We are a prodigal people . . . and there is only one way back to the Shepherd. In this message Stephen tells us what it is.
Stephen and Scott discuss questions phoned in by listeners. Please note that there is NO transcript available for this program. And, due to changes being made in our broadcast schedule, this is a repeat of QA46 which aired in September of 2018.
Anyone who thinks that man, at his core, is good has never read Romans chapter 3. The Apostle Paul is about to reveal that inside even the sweetest old lady, the quietest newborn child, and the most pious religious leader is a sinner as rebellious as the devil himself.
We would all concede that murderers and rapists don't deserve to go to heaven. But the apostle Paul in Romans 3 says that even religious people don't stand a chance. Considering the depravity of man, it will ultimately take the deliverance of God to rescue a lost and hopeless world unto Himself.
It's one thing to justify sin -- which our culture is constantly in the habit of doing -- but it's another thing to justify sin in the name of God. Many people today rationalize their sin by saying things like, "Well, God made me this way," and in effect put the responsibility for their actions on God. But Stephen reminds us in this message that when the Day of Judgment comes, God won't be standing on trial . . . we will.
Were evergreen trees a symbol of pagan worship? Did the Romans really decorate their temples with holly, ivy and mistletoe? Should sincere Christians have a Christmas tree in their living room? In this special holiday message, Stephen will trace the extraordinary relationship between trees...and the Christmas story.
Were evergreen trees a symbol of pagan worship? Did the Romans really decorate their temples with holly, ivy and mistletoe? Should sincere Christians have a Christmas tree in their living room? In this special holiday message, Stephen will trace the extraordinary relationship between trees...and the Christmas story.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 3 (Philippians 4:6–7), Stephen Davey teaches believers how to conquer anxiety through prayer and trust in God. He compares worry to a deadly anaconda that strangles faith, urging Christians to “be anxious for nothing.” Instead of allowing fear to consume them, they are to replace worry with prayer—bringing every concern to God with gratitude. Davey explains that worry pulls believers apart, while thankful prayer realigns their hearts toward God’s power and presence. The result is a supernatural peace that “guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” a peace flowing directly from God’s own character. This peace doesn’t come from understanding circumstances but from trusting the God who controls them all. Through continual, thankful prayer, believers display the extravagant grace of God by living free from fear and full of peace.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 2 (Philippians 4:4–5), Stephen Davey teaches that believers are called to display grace in a disappointed and self-centered world through two qualities—a resolution to be joyful and a reputation for gentleness. Joy, he explains, is not dependent on circumstances but flows from the Holy Spirit, the gospel, and trust in God’s sovereignty—even in suffering. Gentleness, often misunderstood as weakness, is strength under control—a willingness to yield, be courteous, and respond to hostility with grace. Using vivid examples from history, culture, and personal experience, Davey challenges believers to demonstrate joy and gentleness as living testimonies of Christ’s presence. Because “the Lord is near,” Christians can embody supernatural calm and kindness, showing a frustrated world the reality of God’s transforming grace.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 12:1–8, Stephen Davey explains Solomon’s urgent call to “remember your Creator” while young, because ignoring God early in life leads to confusion in youth, misery in old age, and regret at death. Solomon describes aging with vivid imagery—failing eyesight, shaking hands, trembling legs, sleepless nights, fading voices, and diminishing desire—reminding listeners that physical strength inevitably declines. Davey emphasizes that these poetic pictures are not meant to discourage but to motivate believers to build a foundation of trust and obedience long before the hardships of aging arrive. Solomon then depicts death as sudden and certain, when the body returns to dust and the spirit returns to God for judgment. Davey concludes that life is fleeting, but remembering your Creator—walking with Him now—prepares you for every season of life and for the final awakening after death.
Stephen Davey’s sermon “Reconcilable Differences” (Philippians 4:2–3) explains that real church and family life are messy, which is exactly where extravagant grace must be practiced. Using humorous and honest stories, he shows that grace is more than a doctrine we receive from God—it’s a costly, deliberate way of stooping low in attitude and action toward difficult people. Paul’s appeal to Euodia and Syntyche models gracious confrontation: he names them, refuses to take sides, reminds them of their shared labor in the gospel, and urges them to “live in harmony in the Lord,” enlisting a trusted “true companion” to help them reconcile. Stephen Davey draws out principles that disagreements are inevitable, even mature believers don’t always disagree agreeably, and small conflicts—if unchecked—can damage an entire church. Instead of taking sides, spiritually mature believers should step in to untangle issues and protect the unity of the body, remembering that everyone’s name is written in the book of life. He concludes with the example of a Christian bus driver whose daily, practical kindness creates a community of grace, urging believers to let that same grace characterize their relationships in the church.
In Father Abraham, Part I (Romans 4:1–3), Stephen Davey introduces Abraham as Paul’s prime example of justification by faith, not works. He explains that Abraham lived 2,000 years before Paul, proving that salvation by faith is not new but has always been God’s plan. Abraham, the forefather of Israel and “friend of God,” was revered for righteousness, yet Scripture reveals his flaws—fear, deceit, and unbelief—showing that his justification came by faith alone. Davey warns against relying on human reasoning or cultural religion, urging believers to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Like Abraham, sinners are declared righteous not by merit but by trusting God’s promise of redemption through Christ. God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account by grace, illustrating the same salvation available to every believer today.