Welcome!

Greetings to all!

My name is Kevin and I am writing to you from Clinton Township (just outside of Detroit), Michigan. To my family and friends, thanks for visiting my new blog. Leave a comment! I have wanted to start a blog for awhile now, but I never seem to have the time. I still might not have the time, but I will see how it goes:) Life can get busy and hectic as most of you know.

I work full time in sales, which involves some traveling, and I go to school one night a week. I have been blessed with a wonderful family! My lovely wife Danielle and I have been married for six years, and we have a precious little girl named Alayna, who is 20 months old. We are expecting a new addition to the family in May! We are very thankful for God's blessing of children, and we both have enjoyed the "on the job training" of parenting.

When I was a young boy, I went to church, and I understand now that going to church did not make me a Christian. I eventually understood (only because of God's grace, Ephesians 2:8-9) that being a Christian meant being a follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I now have a personal relationship with God (through His Son, John 3:16), which is mind blowing to me (He is the Creator of the Universe, Genesis 1:1)! I have been a Christian for over 10 years, and I thank God everyday for His salvation. If you would like to read my testimony, you can click on the following link:

new-testament-christian.com/kevinhaagtestimony.html

Through Bible study and prayer I have come to realize that having a relationship with God is not for Sundays only, but everyday of my life (Luke 9:23). God is always with me (Jeremiah 23:24), and wants to deepen His relationship with me. I have a desire to grow closer to Him, but at times, things like pride or what I call "everyday life meaningless distractions" (like watching too much TV) cause me to lose focus. That is spiritual growth; and it will last my entire life here on Earth.

The biblical doctrines of salvation and sanctification (spiritual growth) are two of many topics I plan to discuss on this blog. For now, if you would like more information, please read the following articles:

God's Plan of Salvation

Spiritual Growth - A Biblical Perspective

So what is the Sermon Excerpts blog all about?

I am starting this blog to share with others the joy of God's salvation, how it has changed my life, and how God is working in me each day. I would also like to discuss biblical doctrines with the hope of encouraging others to grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ while seeking to grow myself. Besides reading God's Word, I enjoy reading Christian books from respected pastors and theologians like MacArthur, Sproul, Piper, and many others. In addition, I like reading and listening to sermons from preachers past (i.e. Spurgeon, Edwards) and present. I hope to encourage discussion by highlighting the main points (sermon excerpts!) of a sermon, then sharing my thoughts on how I was encouraged, challenged, convicted, or whatever God puts on my heart.

If you happen to come across this site, I welcome your comments with the hope we can be an encouragement to each other. Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." We can all learn from each other. So if you already know it all, please move on to the know-it-all blog:)

Who knows, if I post often enough, you may even read about a birth announcement in the coming months or why the Detroit Tigers will be back in the World Series this year, only to win it!

To God be the glory!