Human beings were made to worship. The object of that worship will either be the one true and living God ... or it will be an idol. A "god" is whatever we choose to serve, rely on, find refuge in, and love. And the more we worship that false "god", the more we come to resemble it. Here, Pastor Davey expounds upon the Apostle John's warning for believers to guard themselves from idols. Jesus Christ is the only God both worthy of worshipping and worth becoming more like. Anything else is a shallow, temporary substitute.
Do you ever doubt your heavenly assurance, worried that you might transgress one too many times for the Lord to accept you into His forever Kingdom? In this teaching on 1 John, Pastor Davey clarifies what the Apostle wants all of us to know with absolute certainty: we are forgiven and saved once and for always through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thankfully, our security is not dependent upon how firmly we grasp Christ. It is found in His grip on us. And God will never lose His grip.
Have you ever prayed hard for a prodigal friend or family member and it seemed like your prayers weren't getting past the ceiling. Well here's the Apostle John's advice for you today: keep praying!
Often, our problem as Christians isn't that we don't have faith; it's that we don't have assurance. It's not that we don't have hope; it's that we don't have confidence. But the Apostle John delivers a message that could change all that.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how Katharina Luther’s courageous escape from a convent and marriage to Martin Luther helped reshape the church’s view of marriage during the Reformation. Transformed by the truth of justification by faith alone in Romans 1:17, she entered a union that modeled commitment over compatibility, humility over self-interest, and ministry partnership over isolation. Despite public slander, hardship, and relentless labor, Katharina managed their home, finances, hospitality, and farm, enabling Luther’s preaching and teaching ministry to flourish. Their marriage demonstrated that the home could serve as a living testimony of the gospel and an extension of ministry. Davey concludes that Katharina’s quiet perseverance and sacrificial faithfulness became a revolutionary legacy of light for generations to follow.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how God sustained William Cowper through lifelong battles with severe depression and despair while using him to leave a lasting legacy of gospel truth. Though Cowper repeatedly wrestled with feelings of abandonment and even attempted suicide, God anchored his soul in the doctrine of Christ’s propitiation, especially through Romans 3:24–25. Davey explains that Cowper’s suffering did not signal God’s rejection but became the soil from which some of the church’s richest hymns of grace were written. Through faithful friends, Scripture, service, and God’s providence, Cowper continued to testify of salvation by grace alone. Davey concludes that powerful faith does not eliminate suffering, but it carries believers safely through it, proving that God’s mercy shines brightest in the darkest valleys.
In his sermon on Romans 5:9–11, Stephen Davey explains that assurance is a perfect gift from God, giving believers safety, certainty, and enjoyment in their salvation. Paul teaches that Christians are saved from God’s wrath, saved by Christ’s death and resurrection, and saved for joyful worship and fellowship with God. Davey emphasizes that salvation is secure because it rests not on human effort but on Christ’s finished work and His ongoing intercession. Just as Christ’s death reconciled believers while they were enemies, His living presence guarantees their future salvation. Davey concludes that true assurance fuels joyful praise, confident obedience, and grateful living before the God who has redeemed and preserved His people.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Hudson Taylor’s deep trust in the finished work of Christ to shape a life of radical faith, humility, and endurance. Converted as a teenager through meditating on Jesus’ words “It is finished,” Taylor learned early to rely on God alone for provision, direction, and strength. Davey highlights Taylor’s willingness to suffer loss, poverty, misunderstanding, and criticism in order to reach China’s interior with the gospel. By identifying with Chinese culture and trusting God through relentless trials, Taylor helped establish hundreds of mission stations and the China Inland Mission, which transformed an entire nation for Christ. Davey concludes that Taylor’s enduring legacy was not strategy or success, but childlike faith in an illustrious Master who accomplishes His work through willing, surrendered servants.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Amy Carmichael’s strong will, suffering, and obedience to build a lasting legacy of eternal impact. From childhood determination to missionary service in India, Amy chose costly sacrifice over comfort, guided by her life verse about building with gold, silver, and precious stones. God redirected her ministry to rescue children trapped in temple prostitution, leading her to found the Dohnavur Fellowship, where hundreds of children found physical safety and spiritual life. Though misunderstood, criticized, and bedridden for her final twenty years, Amy continued to serve through writing and prayer. Davey concludes that God values the quality of faithful obedience over public success, and a life surrendered to Christ will shine long after it ends.
