2012 Gonzales Gazette
The dining room table was set for ten, the kitchen table was set for four, and another table had been brought into the living room and set for eight. The dinner and dessert had been lovingly prepared by our daughter Hosanna and the Christmas lights and decorations had been tastefully arranged by our youngest son Calvin. This was the day of our teenaged son James’ baptism, and after a wonderful time of worship with sermon and with symbol, it was time to celebrate! Read more 
My Sweet Rose: A Poem for My Wife
Among the fairest flowers
I’ve plucked a rose most precious,
A token of God’s love,
A heav’nly gift and gracious. Read more
Confessions of a Recovering Legalist
Religious “Legalism” with a capital “L” is heresy. It’s the belief that one’s personal virtue and obedience to religious norms or standards merits God’s favor and/or salvation. This “do-it-yourself” religion is antithetical to the gospel of Christ and the Bible’s grace-based religion. “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” writes the apostle Paul. He goes on to remark, “This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). When asked what deeds God requires of men as a condition for eternal life, Jesus surprised his audience with the reply, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29; see also John 3:16, 36; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Rom 10:9-13). Read more
A Poem to My Parents for Their 50th Anniversary
I grew up in a dysfunctional family with a father and mother whose marriage was on the rocks. But when God saved me at age 22, he had more in mind than rescuing me from darkness. He began a work in the entire Gonzales family and eventually drew both my parents to Christ. What’s more, he salvaged and continues to transform their marriage. Last night, we had the joy of celebrating their 50th anniversary. We also rejoiced in the fact that God has become the glue that binds their relationship, and he has graciously granted them believing children and grandchildren to be their crown (Prov 17:6). Below is a brief poem (and prayer) I wrote to commemorate the happy event. Read more
My Birthday Prayer
My dwelling place, Lord, You have been,
The God who saved me from my sin.
Yet as I see the years roll by
And know that I so soon must die,
I cannot help but make this plea
That You would give me eyes to see;
My days to count your grace impart
That I might gain a prudent heart;
With steadfast love please satisfy
That you alone may gratify
The deepest longings of my soul
And constitute my all and all. ~ My Birthday Prayer
B.G.
Toward a Biblical Approach to New Year’s Resolutions
As another year approaches, many Americans are preparing to make “New Year’s Resolutions,” which one online encyclopedia defines as “commitments that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.” Among the most popular resolutions made on the eve of the New Year include the following: Read more
Merry Christmas from the Gonzales Family!
We hope that this Christmas finds each of you, our family and friends, filled with joy and faith. This past year at our church we have been studying the concept of faith in the book of Hebrews, and have seen that “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Especially in times of loss and difficulty, we are tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil to give up on our faith. But instead of looking to ourselves or our circumstances, we must look to the God who became a man, Jesus Christ. Read more
The Meaning of Death: A Funeral Meditation
The most prominent reality at a funeral is also at the same time the most difficult subject to discuss. That reality, of course, is the subject of death. As one man has noted, “Death is the one experience that will be shared in common by every person …. Every moment we live, the sand in the hourglass of our existence continues to flow, bringing our final end ever near.” And yet, despite the “commonness” of death, most people prefer not to talk about it. Read more
Made In Heaven: A Poem to My Wife
Before the world was made,
The land, the sky, the sea,
When there was only God
And His divine decree
A mystery was found
Amidst His glorious plan
A union so profound
That God should dwell with man Read more
Something Close to Biblicism
John Frame is one of my favorite theologians. One of the reasons I like Frame’s theological writings is the conspicuous commitment to the supremacy of Scripture (sola Scriptura) that underlies them all. Frame not only affirms sola Scriptura as one among many important doctrines. He believes the doctrine itself should control the way we think about and apply theology. Read more
