Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Sermon Podcast
For the child of God that has heard the gospel of their salvation, when they believe and trust in the Lord, there is a special sealing of the Holy Spirit of promise in their heart. Instead of conviction and burden and yoke of bondage, the gospel provides peace, liberty, and comfort through the powerful effects […]
There have been many children of God that have not had access and knowledge to the fullness of God’s will in choosing, predestinating, and redeeming his people from their sins. Now, in the New Testament kingdom, God has fully revealed his will for us to know what he has done for us, that we would […]
Adam’s breaking of the law plunged all of mankind into condemnation under penalty of the law of sin and death. We were all cast into captivity and bondage to death. Christ came to redeem us from the bondage of death and liberated us from that captivity by his own death and shedding of his blood. […]
We can certainly learn from the example of the zealous Greeks who came to Jerusalem seeking to see Jesus Christ. They made the sacrifice to seek Jesus, whereas other chief rulers did not confess Christ publicly because they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God. When we lose our life in […]
Why did God elect and predestinate his people? So that his children would praise and glorify God for his grace. We were created for the purpose of the glory of God. Even if God gave us no providential blessings, just election and predestination and salvation are worthy of us glorifying God all the time for […]
God has predetermined that his children would be legally adopted into the family of the Lord. We consider the Roman law of adoption to glean the spiritual lessons that the Ephesians would have received from hearing adoption. God’s children can never be removed from his family, and when the Lord returns he shall complete the […]
When considering predestination, it is helpful to view things through the eyes and perspective of Jesus Christ. When Christ chose to love his bride, the church, before the world began, he saw his bride in her final, perfect state at the marriage supper of the Lamb, holy and without blemish before him in love. There […]
In Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem five days before the passover, we see the Son of God entering meekly into the city on a donkey. We first learn the importance of simple acts of obedience by the owner of that donkey, giving up his animal for the Lord had need of him. Then, we see […]
As we turn our hearts towards glorification and the resurrection, we see the vision of Christ of his bride before the world began. Christ saw his bride in her ultimate perfection even before the foundation of the world, even through there was a lot that had to happen for that bride to be in perfection […]
We consider the example of Mary who just before Jesus’ death anointed his body for the burying with an immeasurably valuable ointment. Mary chose that good part down at the feet of Jesus that would not be taken away from her. She did what she could – she gave the Lord the best she had […]
While the doctrine of election is much disparaged in Christianity today, we consider together the beautiful truth of God’s unconditionally choosing a people to save before the foundation of the world. When we see the totally depraved condition man was in by nature, dead corpses, dead babies, and broken vessels, our only response should be […]
In the beginning verses of Ephesians – as well as the beginning of many New Testament epistles – we find the first and pinnacle spiritual blessing we have in Christ, which is election. Election has been pushed to the backburner in Christianity today and has been overlooked by telling people that it doesn’t apply to […]
From the resurrection of Lazarus, we see a real-life example to teach the spiritual lesson of regeneration and then subsequent conversion and discipleship. Jesus did not ask the dead man to come unto him, but Lazarus was quickened and drawn forth out of the grave solely by the voice of the Son of God. However, […]
Visiting minister Elder Kenneth Nowell encourages us to invest in the kingdom of God, to lay up treasures in heaven, not on the earth. We are prone to pursue accumulating wealth in a worldly sense, but true riches are in the kingdom of heaven, when we sacrifice the comforts of this world for the Lord […]
One generation after the amazing establishment of the Ephesian church, the church had left its first love and was in danger of loosing their candlestick. In a historical background of the Ephesian church, we examine the early days of the church and what a church in its first love doing the first works looks like […]
Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he declared I am the resurrection and the life. Jesus is the source of all life, of all revival, of any resurrection. There might be circumstances in our lives that we feel are dead and past any ability to be revived – a dead relationship, a dead marriage, […]
In beginning to examine the Ephesian church, we look at the establishment of the church and what a church in its first love looks like. Just one generation after the start of the Ephesian church, they had left their first love and were called to repent and return to the first works. We examine the […]
On this Father’s Day, we think about the depth of love between God the Father and Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God. The love of God towards his Son is truly indescribable. God the Father was even willing to bruise the Son he loved so much for his people, the bride of […]
It is sometimes very confusing when God seems to wait in answering prayers, or even if it’s not in accordance with his will to answer our prayers in the way we expect. Many people were perplexed that Jesus waited when his beloved friend Lazarus was sick and ultimately died. However, even though it did not […]
The kingdom of God is the pearl of great price that is worthy of selling all that we have to possess that pearl. This parable presents a merchant man who is well versed in beautiful jewels, but he’s still seeking something better than what he has. What is it about our church that will convince […]
When we find the treasure hidden in a field in the kingdom of heaven, we have to buy the whole field to possess the treasure. This field is not a beautiful, smooth, green meadow with a trickling brook. Instead, this field of the kingdom usually has some stumps, stones, and holes that need to be […]
We expound on the words of Jesus and the rule of Bible interpretation that he taught, that scripture cannot be broken. We approach scripture with a bedrock foundational rule of interpretation that scipture is perfectly true, no errors or inconsistencies, and cannot be broken. Then, we have a lifetime study of God’s word, line upon […]
Visiting minister Elder John Morgan Owens encourages us from the story of Elisha and his servant to look with spiritual eyes upon the great angelic host that fight on behalf of God’s people that are much greater than any enemies that might surround us in this world.
Applying some lessons on leadership to the church, we see some vital lessons that we can apply in the workplace, in any position of leadership, and how we can function better in the church as well.
All of the Lord’s sheep hear and know the voice of the Good Shepherd. While not all sheep know in depth knowledge of the name or identity of the Shepherd, all of the sheep know the Shepherd’s voice in regeneration. Also, all of the sheep will follow the Shepherd in discipleship, even if through a […]
Visiting minister Elder Mike Rodgers brings us back to the central message of the gospel and the church – Jesus Christ and his crucifixion and his subsequent resurrection. This was the central theme of the Apostle Paul’s ministry and preaching in Corinth and is also the central theme of the gospel message of the church […]
On Mother’s Day, we consider the depth of a mother’s love that goes down all the way to the soul. The tenderness and love of mothers to their children is arguably the greatest love this side of heaven. If the love from mothers is so great and deep, how much more so is the love […]
God has instilled inside the heart of his children an expectant looking towards the second coming of Jesus Christ. While we might get busy and not be in tune with that, there is a hope inside of every child of God that expectantly desires and looks forward to Christ’s return. Living in expectation of Christ’s […]
Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd and guides his sheep into the good pasture of the abundant life. The way we lay hold on the abundant life is by following the pattern of the good Shepherd and laying down our life for the sheep. The greatest abundant life is not indulging our own convenience, but […]
These messages on conquering fear were delivered by Pastor David at Macedonia from January to April 2024. Fear is a natural emotion that we all have and sometimes struggle with, but fear left unchecked can create torment and bondage in our lives. We consider together the ways in which fear might be expressed in our […]
In a summary message on how we can conquer fear, we consider what should be our first response when fear creeps in, which is to pray unto Jesus Christ. When we are overwhelmed and consumed with the fears of this world, let’s cast our cares upon Christ and take up his easy yoke and light […]
Jesus Christ chose to heal a blind man who had been blind from birth in John 9. We see the beautiful example of the testimony of this man – I once was blind, but now I see. We all have a testimony similar to this man – this is who I was, this is who […]
Even when we walk by faith, there are always seeds of doubt that remain in our minds. The real challenge is what do we do with that doubt? If doubt is allowed to grow, doubt will create fear, and fear will diminish our faith, leading to little faith or maybe even no faith in our […]
Arguably Satan’s greatest battleground is our mind, to blind and deceive our minds and lead us to fear. Therefore, we have to display self-control over our thoughts to not let Satan deceive our minds that leads us to sin in our actions. Instead of us being captive to our fleshly minds, we must bring our […]
Jesus Christ points the scoffing Jews back to their supposed father, Abraham, who saw the day of Christ and rejoiced in it. In a special way, Abraham was able to see a prefigure of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, upon Mount Moriah as the ram took the place of his son, Isaac, on the […]
All of God’s children struggle with the warfare between the flesh and the Spirit that we have described to us in depth in Romans 7. Many days we feel like we are losing the daily battles in that warfare and might be prone to feel condemned. God gives us beautiful truths in Romans 8 that […]
Jesus Christ is the perfect expression of love, and our greatest remedy to conquer fear is likely the perfect love of Christ that drives out fear. If we are in the torment of fear, we are not made perfect in love. We need to strive to obey better the greatest commandment to love God with […]
We many times don’t understand or forget the true power that resides inside of every child of God. The power of Christ resides in our soul, Christ in you the hope of glory. The perfect faith and perfect love of Christ resides inside of us, and our calling is to work out that perfect faith […]
Who has the capacity and ability to hear God’s words? Jesus answers this question definitively for us in John 8 – only those who are “of God” hear God’s words. We do not have the ability to just choose to hear the words of God to be born again. Rather, those who hear God’s words […]
As Satan galvanizes his forces to try to detract God’s people from rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah responds with measures to set watches and give swords for protection to all the builders. In a spiritual manner, as we build in the kingdom of God, we must be sure to have the sword of the Spirit, the […]
Jesus Christ healed the impotent man by the pool of Bethesda on the sabbath day, much to the dismay of the Pharisees. This impotent man shows the lame, with no power state of man apart from the healing of the Son of God. We cannot choose to come to God for healing, but Christ chooses […]
As the Lord was blessing his people to begin to rebuild the wall, Satan galvanized his forces to try to distract them from this great work. Beginning with ridicule and mocking and escalating to the threat of murder, Satan tried to instill fear in God’s people to stop them from this great work. However, they […]
In Jesus’ second miracle in Galilee, a nobleman comes to request Jesus to come and heal his son at the point of death. This nobleman initially limits Jesus that he most come to his home to heal his son in person. However, Jesus declares his soveriegnty and power by healing the son by just the […]
The Lord details the individuals and families that worked together over against their own homes to do a great collective work of rebuilding the wall. How was this great task accomplished? By individual families, devoted and committed to rebuilding the portion of the wall next to their own homes. In like manner, we must all […]
Nehemiah’s first step in returning to Jerusalem was to spend three days evaluating the true condition of the broken walls. In our lives, we need to honestly evaluate our spiritual condition and areas of our brokenness. However, it is very difficult to be able to accept our shortcomings. We have to be willing to accept […]
The Samaritan woman was so overflowing with joy and love having just met her Lord, that she dropped her waterpot and ran into town to tell men who despised her to come and see Christ. We should follow her pattern of evangelism and be so overjoyed with Christ to share the gospel with even those […]
Nehemiah is given an amazing open door and opportunity to offer the burdens of his heart to the king and make a request to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The Lord tendered the king’s heart to graciously grant his request. Nehemiah saw the providential “good hand of God” moving in this situation, and […]
When Nehemiah was informed of the affliction in Jerusalem, that the walls were broken down and gates burned, he mourns, fasts, and prays for 4 months. Nehemiah’s prayer sets a great example of the type of prayer of confession and repentance that we should pray as well. We must confess our sins, acknowledge the righteousness […]
The Samaritan woman had a misunderstanding of true worship, similar to many in Christianity today. Jesus clarifies that God is actively seeking true worshippers who are committed to worship in Spirit and truth. We need zeal and the Spirit in worship, but it’s also vitally important to worship according to the truth of God’s word. […]
As we begin a study of the book of Nehemiah, we consider an overview of the broad themes and lessons of this book. Nehemiah is burdened by God to go home to Jerusalem to lead the people in rebuilding the broken down walls, and God providentially blesses him at each step of the way. We […]
On his journey returning to Galilee, Jesus took the direct route that most Jews avoided; he must needs go through Samaria. There was a woman living in sin who needed to taste the living waters of belief springing up into her soul unto everlasting life. After hearing and believing that Jesus Christ is the Son […]
The kingdom of God is a perpetual daily kingdom that should be active every single day. We examine all the things the early church did on a “daily” basis that we should also be engaged in each day as well. As a result of their “daily” devotion, the Lord also added to the church “daily”. […]
John the Baptist had an admirable “contentment” in his calling and ministry. He knew his primary role was not to be the center of attention, but to deflect attention away from himself, that Christ would be increased, and he would be decreased. We should all follow the pattern of John the Baptist, to exalt and […]
From January to July 2023, Pastor David considered the Book of Acts, focusing on the identifying attributes of the original kingdom of God that was growing and expanding exponentially. As we pray for God to bless the kingdom of heaven to grow and thrive today, we should see these same attributes among our churches today […]
The original church was in perfect unity, in one accord, in one heart and soul. God has ordained diversity among the members of the body of Christ but yet those diverse parts must operate in unity under the direction of our Head, Jesus Christ. We must take heed to not let pride, gossip, and other […]
These messages were delivered by Pastor David on the Gospel of Grace Radio Broadcast from November 2022 to August 2023. Sometimes the books of the Mosaic Law can become tedious and maybe even boring. However, when we read the law searching for Jesus Christ, the law takes on a much greater excitement. We spend time […]
We cannot separate a passionate love for God from a passionate love for God’s word. As seen in the book of Acts, a church in its first love state will hunger for God’s word through personal study, excitement to hear the preaching of the gospel, and a desire to openly discuss God’s word with others. […]
The original church displayed its consistent commitment to prayer meetings, petitioning the Lord’s blessings during times of great need. We see and learn from their pattern of seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit through prayer meetings to discern the Lord’s will for our local churches. When we pray unto the Lord during times of […]
In considering the most well-known verse in all of Christianity, John 3:16, we look at the full context of this verse and examine Jesus’ intended meaning through the OT lesson of the brazen serpent. God’s chosen people in the OT (not all the inhabitants of the world) that had been bitten by serpents were offered […]
Pure religion and undefiled is supposed to be caring for the needs of the most disadvantaged in our communities, especially the widows and orphans. Ever since the Old Testament, the Lord has cared for the most desolate and destitute in this world, exemplified by his care and provision for both the widows and orphans. The […]
Jesus explains to Nicodemus by night the necessity of the new birth and the effects of the wind of new birth we see in children of God’s lives. God borns his people again from above, just as every good and perfect gift comes down from above. Jesus Christ declares his sovereignty in the new birth […]
One amazing attribute of the original church was the radical giving of material possessions to help others in need. We consider our attitude toward giving that extends far beyond our finances and the financial support of the church. Do we have a mindset of giving in every area of our lives? Giving in our finances, […]
Visiting minister Elder Mike Rodgers considers Psalm 23 and how it is a psalm for living, not just for death and funerals. The Lord is our precious Shephard who cares for his children. He leads us beside still, gentle waters, not raging rivers. He gives us hope for the mountaintop in the valley of the […]
The consistent message of the original church was to call men to repent and place their faith in Christ to press into the kingdom. The display of repentance and faith is the basic building block of the kingdom of God. When we see the Spirit move in a powerful way, we also see radical conversions. […]
In Jesus’ first public act after the announcement of his public ministry by his first miracle of turning water into wine, in Jerusalem, his first act was to cleanse the temple of filthy lucre. Jesus did the same thing three years later in his first act after his triumphal entry, he cleansed the temple again. […]
On this Mother’s Day message, we reflect on the godly, virtuous women in our lives. In particular, we look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her example of thoughtfulness and devotion. There was a faithful group of virtuous women who remained faithful even unto the end – even after the male disciples all fled […]
Despite all her shortcomings, it is absolutely astounding that Jesus Christ loved his bride, the church, enough to die for her sins. This bride is not beautiful but defiled, ugly, and wretched. Christ loved us in that state and covenanted to save us. Even more than that, on a daily basis the church is the […]
Jesus could have chosen any venue to perform his first miracle, but he chose the wedding feast of his friends to turn water into wine. The servants were obedient to obey Christ and filled the waterpots all the way up to the brim. Then Christ did his parts and miraculously transformed that water into wine. […]
The consistent message of the original church was repentance and faith. The apostles called upon those in their preaching to repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ and submit to believer’s baptism. Repentance and baptism is the entrance point into the kingdom of heaven. Also, repentance and faith do not end […]
Lic. Morgan Sims considers the consistent admonition in the psalms that continues into the New Testament that we are to make a joyful noise in worship unto our God. The Lord has done so much for us that it is our blessed privilege to present our bodies a living sacrifice back unto him in worship, […]
What do we fear? What fear is the primary determining factor that dictates our actions? The reverential awe and fear of Almighty God has to be the primary consideration in our actions. If we let the fear of man, the fear of failure, the fear of other people’s opinions, or any other fear control our […]
Jesus Christ affirmed to Nathaniel that he was the expression of Jacob’s ladder that we find back in Gen. 28. Jesus was the ladder upon which angels ascend and descend upon, the only connecting link between heaven and earth. Jacob had a profound experience with the Lord in what he called the house of God, […]
We consider the amazing testimony of the centurion at the death of Christ that “Truly this was the Son of God!” This centurion was in charge of the scourging, the mocking, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. However, by the time Christ gave up the ghost and a great earthquake came, the attitude of this […]
One of the identifying attributes of the kingdom of God should be amazing signs, wonders, and spiritual healings that can only be performed by the power of God. The miraculous manifestation of spiritual gifts has now passed after the time of the apostles, but we should still see amazing movements of the Holy Spirit in […]
One inevitable effect of God growing his kingdom is some degree of persecution for Christ’s sake. When we are called to go through persecution for righteousness’ sake, we should rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ. We have a special fellowship with Jesus Christ that we simply […]
Nathanael was originally skeptical of Jesus Christ, especially since he was from Nazareth. When Jesus says he saw Nathanael under the fig tree, an intimate moment between just him and God, he immediately knows and confesses that Jesus was the Son of God. It is a blessed reminder that God sees us in every circumstance […]
Visiting minister Elder Robert Adam considers the parable of the good Samaritan as Jesus’ clarification of what it truly means to love your neighbor. Love is the end of all the law – first love to God and then love to others. If we show partiality in our love, then we dishonor God’s law of […]
We need to be willing to share God’s blessings in our lives with others we come in contact with that we may not know. Our joy of God’s grace in our lives should overflow to those we come in contact with. As the healed leper and dumb/deaf men, we should blaze abroad the blessings in […]
Jesus Christ set the pattern for a simple invitation and evangelism with the original disciples – Come and see! When Andrew inquired about Jesus, he told him to come and see where he dwelt. Andrew and Philip followed that pattern as well, inviting their brother and close friend to come and see the Christ. We […]
The primary way that God expands his kingdom is through personal, relationship evangelism. We are already natural evangelists. We already share good news that we are excited about with our family and close friends. Evangelism is just as simple as sharing God’s blessings in our life with our family and friends. We all have a […]
Many times our personal opinion and emotions can dictate our decisions. However, our emotions and experiences can deceive us. We have to set the standard in our mind that God’s word is true and reliable, even more so than our personal experiences. Even if our mind deceives us regarding , we must conclude that God’s […]
2023 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Buddy Abernathy considers how our hope can be lost and wane from time to time. Thankfully, God is gracious to revive our hope. We are saved by hope and begotten again to a lively hope as an anchor of our soul, sure and steadfast.
2023 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Larry Wise reminds us of the amazing love of God that was manifested towards us. God sent his only begotten Son to save us from our sins. Now, we are called to show that same love of Christ to others in our lives as well.
2023 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Joe Nettles takes the amazing victory of Gideon as an encouragement from fear. The dream of a loaf of bread gave Gideon the courage to defeat the Midianites. We see Jesus Christ as the bread of life that is broken for us. We can partake of Christ as the bread of […]
2023 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Ben Shettles reminds us of the necessity of our eye being single and focused on the kingdom of God. We do not lay up treasures for ourselves on earth that are corruptible, but instead we lay up true heavenly treasures in the kingdom of God that cannot be corrupted in this […]
2023 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Rusty Wise preaches from Psalm 1 about the necessity of discerning our company through the word of God. We need to be sure to forsake ungodly influences in our lives. It is by testing our close fellowship with others through the standard of the scriptures that we are kept from sin […]
Saturday, February 25, 2023 Congregational Singing – Saturday Morning Congregational Singing – Saturday Afternoon God’s Word & the Company You Keep – Elder Rusty Wise Laying Up Treasures in Heaven – Elder Ben Shettles The Victorious Bread of Life – Elder Joe Nettles The Love of God Manifested Towards Us – Elder Larry Wise Reviving […]
The exclamation of John the Baptist on the Jordan River 2,000 years ago is the same message of all the Bible, of all eternity – Behold the Lamb! We see the theme of the Lamb all throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. We see the Old Testament continually pointing towards the necessity of the […]
We see the pattern of evangelism of the original church – the rank and file members of the church went everywhere preaching the word. They shared their joy in the good news of Christ with everyone they came in contact with, and we should follow their example. The foundation of this evangelism is a godly […]
One of the chief identifying attributes of the kingdom of God is a body of believers that are excited and zealous to share God’s word with others. Sharing God’s word with others should be a natural expression and overflowing in our lives from our love of the gospel. Evangelism is just as simple as declaring […]
We see John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was called to challenge the religious elitism of the day that put men in bondage. To tear down the prideful mountains of the Pharisees and to exalt the downtrodden poor in spirit oppressed by them. As with all the ministry, John was called […]
One of the most important identifying attributes of the kingdom of God, is a full time, fully invested ministry. The pattern today is rarely for a full time minister to be fully supported by the church, but that should be the biblical pattern that we should strive towards. The ministry is not a part time, […]
One of the most vital mandates of the original church was a commitment and focus on preaching the gospel externally to people outside the church. God’s ordained means of growth and expansion of the kingdom is the preaching of the gospel. We need to recommit to an external focus on sharing God’s word with those […]
We see that the Word was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among mortal men for some 33.5 years. When God became a man in Jesus Christ, he was full of grace and truth. Now, Christ bestows so much grace upon grace, abounding grace in our lives unto his people. Christ is so rich in grace, […]
In God’s growth in his kingdom, the first step is actually to wait. We must wait on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct and open the right doors at the right time. It is difficult to wait patiently on the Lord’s will, and not get impatient and make poor decisions. God is the only […]
In the latter half of the book of Acts, we see the amazing pattern for growth and expansion of the kingdom of God. Everywhere Paul went, he boldly preached the gospel publicly and then some were converted to believe the truth. We see the power of the Holy Spirit moving all throughout this book as […]
In the book of Acts, we see God’s pattern for the growth, advancement, and expansion of the kingdom of heaven. Amazing things happen in a thriving kingdom that we see lived out in the early first century church. Today we examine Acts 6-16, seeing how the Lord blessed his early disciples in amazing ways in […]
Do we have the power to become the sons of God by belief in Jesus Christ? Belief is the evidence, not the cause of eternal salvation. We “become” – we manifest and come onto the stage for public appearance – the sons of God in the eyes of those around us when we live out […]
In the book of Acts, we see the first chapter of the autobiography of the church. We see the amazing expansion and growth of the kingdom of heaven throughout the whole world. We begin to examine the attributes and identifying marks of the thriving kingdom of God in the original first century church. In Acts, […]
The very first group of people to receive the good news of the gospel from the angel after the birth of Christ is the shepherds. These shepherds were just doing their duty, lowly hard working men who kept the sheep, and God chose them to be first people to receive the gospel message. Then due […]
Glad Tidings is a monthly newsletter publication from Elder Larry Wise with both current and historical Primitive Baptist writings to encourage us today. To subscribe to Glad Tidings by mail or email, find the editor’s contact information on Page 2 of each newsletter. Click the links below to read and download each month’s Glad Tidings […]
We see from the account of Jacob wrestling with a man all night before his possible deadly encounter with Esau the next day, that many times we struggle and wrestle with God in our lives. We do not rebel against God’s will or sovereignty, but God will oftentimes bring circumstances into our life to allow […]
Jesus Christ as the Word in natural creation spoke and darkness was vanished and overcome by light. Christ is the source of all life and light, both natural and spiritual. Jesus was the True Light that came into the world, in contrast to the false light and deception of Lucifer. As John the Baptist came […]
One of the identifying attributes of a Christ-honoring church is a constant seeking and pursuit of open doors. Jesus Christ has the key of David and opens doors that no man can shut, and shuts doors no man can open. God will open doors for a church who remains faithful and devoted to his word […]
If Jesus Christ wrote a letter to our church, what would his assessment of our church be? What does Christ consider to a healthy, God-honoring church? Looking at the letters to the 7 churches of Asia, Jesus’ assessment of the churches was most likely very surprising. The 3 churches that were the most prominent were […]
Visiting minister Elder Sammy Odom considers the parable of the good Samaritan from a personal perspective. We should all ask ourselves – how far would we really be willing to go for not just a friend, but even for our enemy? Jesus Christ set the example of the true Great Samaritan who was willing to […]
In the beginning of the Gospel of John, we are introduced to the Word. The Word was in the beginning with God and the Word was God. The amazing mystery of the incarnation is that the Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We sometimes take for granted the amazing mystery […]
David is described in scripture as a man after God’s own heart. We all desire to pursue unity with God’s own heart. How can we be pure in heart to have unity with God? What are the characteristics of God’s own heart? When all of God’s people are pursuing Christ with unity of heart the […]
God has ordained his people as kings and priests unto the Lord. We look at the pattern of Old Testament sacrifices by the priesthood to see the living sacrifices we are to offer in the temple of our bodies in honor to God. There are many specific sacrifices we should offer as priests back unto […]
We consider the last of the kingdom of heaven parables, the parable of the talents. All of God’s children have been given the gospel, the church, and even individual spiritual gifts for the benefit of the kingdom. What have we done to bring increase from what we have been entrusted with as a steward? There […]
2022 Annual Meeting. Elder Silas Ford considers the perspective of the Apostle Paul and thus the desire of all God-called pastors. What does your pastor want? Your pastor desires for your life to become and adorn and walk worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Your conversation and total manner of life should exhibit and […]
2022 Annual Meeting. Elder Jeremy Wise warns against the danger of compromising the gospel of grace alone. The Galatians had been bewitched to pervert the gospel of salvation by grace alone to add in works and circumcision. We need to learn from their example, and be diligent to not compromise the gospel of God’s sovereign […]
2022 Annual Meeting. Elder Silas Ford in the aftermath of Lazarus’ resurrection, a question is brought unto the wicked Pharisee leaders – what shall we do with this Jesus? That question is still relevant to us today as well. What do we do with Jesus? We cannot deny his power, miracles, and divinity. We must […]
2022 Annual Meeting. Elder Silas Ford looks at the different perspectives at the death and later resurrection of Lazarus. Christ suffered Lazarus to pass away for the glory of God that he would be healed and that the people would believe. Many times we cannot understand exactly how everything works in the moment from our […]
2022 Annual Meeting. Elder Jeremy Wise considers the commitment of Daniel and his young friends that despite the pressures from the wicked world around him to not defile themselves with the Babylonian king’s meat. In a spiritual sense today, we must also make a personal commitment in our heart to not defile ourselves with this […]
Saturday, November 12, 2022 Congregational Singing – Saturday Morning Congregational Singing – Saturday Afternoon Perspective, Hold On – Elder Silas Ford What Do We? – Elder Silas Ford Not Defiled with the King’s Meat – Elder Jeremy Wise Stand Fast in the Liberty of Grace – Elder Jeremy Wise Sunday, November 13, 2022 What Does […]
As we embark on an exposition of the gospel of John, we consider the overall them and structure of the book. John was written different than the other three synoptic gospels for a unique purpose. The Spirit wanted to expressly testify that Jesus was the Son of God so that we might believe on his […]
The life of God’s people should look radically different from the world. Especially our repentance should look radical to others. That is how we let our light shine in this world. In America, we have idolatry ingrained in almost every aspect of our culture, and we don’t even realize it – sports, music, hobbies. We […]
God offers forgiveness and healing of the land for his humble, prayerful, and repentant children. This humility and repentance is perfectly exhibited in King Josiah during the revival in his day. Josiah was trying to live godly and make changes, but was still lacking when he heard the word of God. He humbled himself and […]
In conclusion of the topical survey of 1st John, we examine godliness. God’s children are called to obey all of Christ’s commandments. We are called to walk even as Christ walked. Our manner of life should be reflective of our state of God’s children and the light of this world.
When we see spiritual drought, famine, or even locusts in the kingdom of God, it should lead us to consider our ways. God will send judgment upon his people when we do not place the kingdom of God first and foremost in our lives. God will send a famine of hearing the words of God, […]
Arguably the greatest danger for God’s people has always been excess prosperity. Dating all the way back to the Israelites entering Canaan, when God’s people encountered prosperity that they did not earn, we always get full, lazy, complacent, and ultimately sinful. When we sin, God will send spiritual drought, famine, locusts, and pestilence. Thankfully, God […]
In considering a topical survey of 1st John, we see the strong emphasis by the Apostle John on believing on Jesus Christ. Belief in Christ is the only public identifier by which we have biblical authority to offer assurance to children of God. Also, belief is a daily activity, not a one-time action when we […]
When we consider the spiritual condition of our churches and the kingdom as a whole, it would be hard to reach any other conclusion than we are in a spiritual drought and famine. If that is the case, if we are in a drought, that is evidence that in some area, we are disobedient to […]
When we consider God’s salvation of sinners, if we properly understand man’s dead in sins, totally depraved state then we can easily see that our only hope must be in God’s unmerited favor and grace. In our sinful natures, there is none good, none righteous, no not one. Man is not sick or drowning, but […]
Common to Man It is inevitable that we will experience periods of discouragement in our lives. This world is fallen and cursed due to Adam’s sin and our further transgressions. Troubles and tribulations that can lead to discouragement are inevitable in our lives. In this world, we “shall have tribulation”, but in spite of that, […]
In considering a topical survey of the gospel of John and then 1st John, we consider the prevalent theme of the new birth. How are men born again? Are men born again by their own will, by an action/work they perform? No, we are only born again by grace, by the immediate work of the […]
From time to time, we need to have a refresher to get back to basics in our discipleship. The foundation of all our service to God is based on Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Our salvation by Jesus Christ on the cross, by grace alone, is the central theme of the entire church. When […]
Visiting minister Elder Mike Rodgers delivers a stirring message about the healing of the lame man at the temple in Acts 3. As we put ourselves into the sandals of the men in this story, it is amazing to think that Jesus most likely passed by this man many times going into the temple but […]
It is a very common struggle for God’s people to deal with discouragement, which can lead to depression, and even suicidal thoughts. God’s word gives us great instruction for how we can overcome these common challenges. We consider these struggles together to renew our hope in God and by God’s grace overcome these challenges and […]
We see from the New Testament scriptures that the pinnacle of Christian maturity and perfection is agape love, charity in action. We need to be growing towards a love like Jesus Christ, a sacrificial deference to others over ourselves. We are never more like Jesus Christ than when we show love to others who are […]
In light of the second coming of Jesus Christ, we can learn from the parable of the ten virgins. In waiting for the coming of the bridegroom, all ten of the virgins fell asleep being watchful. Five of those virgins were diligent in preparing oil for the long watch. Five foolish virgins did not bring […]
We see another parable of the kingdom of heaven of an invitation to the Son’s marriage feast that primarily rebukes the Jews who rejected and ultimately killed Jesus Christ and his apostles. Then, we see the Gentiles invited into the feast, and they joyfully come. There was one attendee who did not adorn the proper […]
If God is Love, then to follow after Christ, we must follow his example to love others as Jesus Christ has loved us. If we hate our brother, how can we truly say we are following Jesus Christ in sincere discipleship? The church is called to love one another as Christ has loved his bride, […]
Jesus gave us a parable of vineyard workers going out into the fields at different times of the day, but ultimately receiving the same compensation, according to the will of the master. We are prone to the same pride and superiority as the original Jews, to think we have more rights and privileges in the […]
With the different personalities and opinions in the kingdom of heaven, it is inevitable that offenses will come. Jesus Christ gave us the proper pattern for reconciling those interpersonal offenses in the church. When we consider the magnitude of the 10,000 talent debt that Christ has forgiven us from, it is incomprehensible that we would […]
Image What Is The Church? is a title authored by David Wise in 2021. In this book, we consider the scriptural presentation of the church and how we should operate together in the body of Christ for the glory of God. To purchase this book through Lulu, please follow this link. To download a free PDF copy […]
Looking through the gospel of John, we consider the amazing beauty of God’s love towards his people. God is Love. God manifested that love towards his people by sending his only Son to die for our sins. In light of that radical sacrifice of love for us, now we are called as the disciples of […]
As we continue our examination of the kingdom of heaven parables, Jesus preaches to Peter a parable on forgiveness. Offenses are inevitable in this world, and offenses are inevitable among brothers and sisters in the church. In Matt. 18, Jesus gives us the proper pattern for dealing with personal offenses in the church. If we […]
God’s people must make a daily decision to “put on” the spiritual garments that are fitting for the elect. We must also make a conscious decision also to “put off” the works of the flesh and mortify our old man. We then must “put on” Jesus Christ and the attributes that adorn a righteous public […]
From the hymn “Hail, Sovereign Love” we see the command given by the voice of the Son of God at the moment of regeneration. The dead, alien sinner is “arrested” and overtaken by the power of Christ at the new birth. Regeneration is not an invitation where Christ is trying to entice the sinner to […]
Visiting minister Elder Luke Hagler teaches the importance of respecting and honoring the name of God with our actions. God’s name is reverend, high, and holy, and we should treat his name with due reverence. We can take the name of God in vain through much more than just our speech. We take a new […]
God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all. Praise God for the creative power of God to send light (both natural and spiritual) that always conquers darkness! Now, that we have been given light by Christ we are called to be the light of the world. We are called to walk in […]
In the kingdom of heaven parables, we find two significant parables given to the disciples, the parables of the treasure and the pearl. The treasure is hidden in a field, but for the joy thereof, we sell all that we have to possess that field. Not everyone can see and understand the treasure, and that […]
Jesus delivered 2 similar kingdom parables in Matt. 13 showing the expansive nature of the kingdom of God. The mustard seed starts out as small and not very impressive but will grow into the greatest of herbs. Then the nature of the leaven is to spread and grow and expand until it has consumed the […]
One of the greatest themes in the Gospel of John and in 1st John is “life”. Jesus Christ is the source of all life – physical life, spiritual life, and the abundant life too. It is through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God that we can lay hold on eternal life that […]
As we conclude the parable of the sower and see the different and varying degrees of fruit borne by God’s children, we might be tempted to judge harshly those who are not living as godly as they ought. In the next parable after the sower, Jesus warns against this Pharisaical desire to judge others’ eternal […]
Elder Jonathan Wise considers the mysterious character of Melchisedec, the king of Salem and the priest of the most high God. Melchisedec appears for just a few verses to bless Abram and receive tithes of him. One more reference to the eternal priesthood of Melchisedec in Psalms, and then an exposition of his priesthood in […]
Lic. Morgan Sims lays the foundation for eternal salvation by God’s sovereign grace alone. But what do we do now that we have been saved? There is much work now to do in service to God. From Colossians 3, we consider the thankful lifestyle that should be exhibited by saved by grace Christians. There are […]
We love to sing the sweet song, Beulah Land, looking forward to our sweet home in heaven. We consider Isaiah 62:4, the only occurrence in scripture where we find Beulah Land, which literally means “Married” Land. Because of our sin, as the bride of Christ, we were Forsaken, but through Christ we have now Delight […]
After examining all the challenges of the unfruitful grounds, in the parable of the sower, we now arrive at the good ground. Even in the good ground, we still see a good bit of variability of fruitfulness, some 100-fold, some 60, and some 30. We must put the kingdom of God first in our lives. […]
One of the most important parables that Jesus delivered for us in his ministry is the Parable of the Sower (or the Parable of the Soils). Jesus delivered this parable in 3 of the 4 gospel accounts in Matt. 13:1-20, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. Here we find the teaching of Jesus of multiple responses […]
As a pre-introduction to the Gospel of John, we consider a topical survey of the 1st epistle of John, which shows many similar topics and themes as the Gospel of John. The Apostle John shows his great “sons of thunder” zeal, even in his later years. Both John’s first epistle and his gospel were written […]
In our lives, we all have moments where God has delivered and blessed us in a mighty way. The proper response to those blessed times is not to just go our merry way, but to set up a stone of remembrance – a memorial Ebenezer stone to commemorate that blessing to remind yourself and teach […]
The verse in Jeremiah 29:11 is arguably one of the most well-known verses in Christianity. However, this is often used to teach prosperity, that God will only give you blessings and what you desire. We learn that the correct context deals with faithfulness in the midst of false teaching. In this world, we are in […]
Change and decay all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. In the midst of a world that is characterized by change, what a blessing to find stability and security in the Rock of Ages, in Jesus Christ, who cannot and will not change. We can rest that God’s love will […]
Thorns are inevitable in this fallen, cursed, sinful world. In our spiritual walk, if we are not diligent to fight them back, the thorns of this life will naturally grow to choke out our fruitfulness in the kingdom. The thorns of this life are: the care of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures […]
What is true “success” in service to God and in the ministry? We will find that success in God’s eyes and in the kingdom of God is measured much differently than in the world’s opinon. True success is being a good and faithful steward of what God has seen fit to trust us with. We […]
Elder Ben Shettles describes some of his experience in drifting away from the church but then conviction in returning to the Primitive Baptist Church. We are reminded by Brother Ben’s exhortation and life, that our walk of discipleship should reflect the gospel of Jesus Christ in all our actions. People around us should be able […]
As we continue through the soils of the parable of the sower, we see the stony ground Christian, who shoots up quickly, but they do not have deep enough roots to endure persecution. The stony ground will receive the gospel with joy and gladness; they have a great new, first love zeal for the church. […]
When we are attempting to discern the burdens of our hearts, we must test and try our hearts by the standard of God’s word and by godly counsel. Our hearts can be easily deceived to do what “we want”. We can be corrupted by the sensual desire and wisdom of this world. Therefore, we need […]
In the Parable of the Sower, we find the first group that hears the word of the kingdom – the way side. These born-again children of God have a problem – they hear the word, but they don’t “understand” it. Before they can understand it, the devil comes to confuse them before they press into […]
The parable of the sower teaches a very important lesson of time salvation that is a “key” to the kingdom that will unlock many spiritual truths in the scriptures. We can understand from this parable that there are different aspects of salvation taught in the scriptures and God’s children will have different responses to the […]
We cannot put our discipleship into auto-pilot. We must be purposeful and zealous and focused to press into the kingdom of heaven. There are many obstacles that can prevent us from pressing fervently into the kingdom as we ought. We must endure the tribulation and diligently press towards the King and closer fellowship with Jesus […]
We need to exercise great caution when following our heart. While the natural heart is deceitful and wicked, when God gives us a new heart in regeneration, we now have the ability to follow God’s guidance by His Spirit in our hearts. We might devise our own ways, but the Lord will providentially direct our […]
Jesus came that we might have eternal life, but he also came that we can lay hold on that eternal life now, that we can live the abundant life. For God’s children, there are two paths set before us – the strait gate and narrow way that leads to the abundant life; and then the […]
Satan is the accuser of the brethren, trying to get God’s children to doubt their eternal assurance in the blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross, Jesus Christ crushed the head of the wicked serpent. The sins of all of God’s people were paid by Christ on the cross and any accusation of the devil […]
The Israelites became very discouraged because of the Lord’s way in the wilderness, leading them to murmur against the Lord’s blessings. We are very prone to get discouraged in the narrow way of discipleship, to become weary in well doing. We need to encourage ourselves in the Lord when we get discouraged, taking courage from […]
God prophesied both to David and to Daniel that in the days of the Roman empire that the God of heaven would set up a kingdom. Jesus Christ set up his visible church kingdom in his ministry – declaring the kingdom of heaven is “at hand” – the kingdom is right here and right now. […]
Clear Springs PBC Meeting. Elder Buddy Abernathy continues examining the two kinds of people in this world, now focusing on the children of God who walk by the Spirit. We have an internal conflict – a warfare – each day and must make a deliberate decision to walk in the Spirit and live in the […]
Clear Springs PBC Meeting. Elder Buddy Abernathy distinguishes between the only two manner (or kinds) of people in this world – the elect who love God and the non-elect who do not love God. The non-elect have a wicked heart and cannot love or serve God. God has given his chosen elect a new heart […]
On the road to Emmaus, two disciples were discouraged because they had lost faith in Jesus Christ, that he failed in redeeming Israel. Then, Jesus preached to these 2 disciples the greatest sermon in the history of world, as he expounded all the scriptures in Moses and the prophets concerning him. They did not even […]
Jesus’ kingdom is not a natural, physical kingdom; it is not of this world. The primary experience and expression of God’s kingdom is experienced in the regenerated heart of God’s children. We can feel righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost in our souls and special communion with our King in the kingdom of […]
It is unfortunately very common advice in our humanistic culture today to tell you to “follow your heart”. Nothing could be more dangerous advice for God’s children. As Solomon and the Holy Spirit said, only a “fool” would trust and follow his own heart blindly. Our natural hearts are wicked, deceitful above all things, desperately […]
The kingdom of heaven is at hand, right here and right now. There will be no kingdom set up on earth for 1,000 years. Jesus Christ has no further use for this earth other than to burn it up at his second coming. At the ascension of Christ, he assumed his scepter to rule his […]
When we are struggling in this world, there is no vision we need to see more clearly than the eternal joys of heaven. God predestinated all his children to enjoy the eternal bliss of heaven from before the world began. We have been translated into God’s kingdom by Jesus Christ’s sovereignty, and can now see […]
We see the amazing example of faith by the owners of the ass/colt used during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These owners were willing to give up their donkey for the kingdom solely by the command of the apostles that “The Lord hath need of him.” What are we willing to give up for the […]
Reading through the four primary books of the law – Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – can be an arduous task sometimes. It can be difficult to know what the whole law says on each individual subject since there are verses on each scattered throughout all four books. I attempted to compile a verse reference […]
As we begin to examine the kingdom of heaven, Jesus commanded that we must seek the kingdom of God first and foremost in our lives. God has called and translated us into the kingdom of heaven by the new birth. We can now see, experience, and enter into the kingdom of heaven. We must press […]
What a comforting thought to be reminded that our life is hidden with Christ in God! We are safely protected in the cleft of Jesus’ Rock, and there is nothing that can endanger us. We have been placed “in Christ” from before the world began, and there is nothing that can get us “out of […]
Many times we are unaware of how much we put God in a box and limit his powerful working in our lives. We need to be reminded that our Lord is the God of All Possibilities – truly, with God all things are possible! Unfortunately, when we do not believe God, we can limit the […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Pastor David Wise considers the necessity of suffering for close, intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, as a whole, the church is comfortable and at ease in Zion. However, we will not experience true, intimate fellowship with Christ during comfort and prosperity. As time marches on, there will only be more persecution […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Tim McCool focuses on the lukewarm nature of the Laodicean church, and by implication, the church in America today. We feel to be rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing. Instead, we need to see our sin, see our frailty, be zealous and repent, and open the door […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Charles Kitchens reminds us of the necessity of putting on the whole armor of God in our daily spiritual warfare. We are in a spiritual battle between Satan and the world every single day and we will be overcome in this battle if we don’t properly protect ourselves with God’s armor. […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Josh King describes the vanity and emptiness of indulging in this world particularly as lived out by Solomon. King Solomon indulged the fleshly desires in this world to the fullest degree possible and his verdict and conclusion was that it was empty and vain. Let us not follow in Solomon’s poor […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Elder John Staten emphasizes the necessity of preaching the gospel for the experiential salvation and deliverance of God’s children. The gospel gives hope to the poor, sets at liberty the captives, and binds up the oppressed and bruised. We need to be saved and delivered by God’s word. Let us not neglect […]
2022 Fellowship Meeting. Elder Neil Honea considers the account of Peter going fishing with the disciples. They toiled all night relying on their own might. All the while, Jesus was on the shore preparing coals and fish for their supper. When we toil out by ourselves out in the world, we will always come home […]
The Psalmist prayed to be quickened (revived, made alive) according to God’s word. We need to be revived by God’s word. The scriptures give us light to save and protect us from many perils and judgments in this world. Let us pray along with the Psalmist that God would quicken and revive us according to […]
God has inspired and preserved his word for his people to protect us from peril and that our joy may be full. The word of God can convert our soul by protecting us from God’s judgment in sin. We should value God’s word as more valuable and more precious than great riches in this world […]
“7) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8) The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9) The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10) More to be desired are they than […]
When Judas betrayed Jesus, he was given 30 pieces of silver. He then returned his bounty and the Pharisees used that money to purchase a potter’s field to bury strangers in. This unique event was actually prophesied hundreds of years before by Zechariah. Therefore, the blood of Jesus purchased a field full of broken vessels, […]
We need to rejoice in each day the Lord has graciously given us. However, our primary means of joy should be in the day of Jesus Christ when he was rejected for our sakes. Despite being despised and rejected by the Jews, Christ still was exalted to become the head cornerstone of his church and […]
It’s an unfortunate reality that the church has become lukewarm and cold. This has occurred because we have removed ourselves from close fellowship with Jesus Christ, our Consuming Fire. Just as on the Day of Pentecost, we need to pray for God to “immerse” and fully fill us up with the Holy Ghost and with […]
In every 50th year in Israel, there was a year of liberty, a year of jubilee where all lands were returned, servants and bondmen set free. This announcement of liberty was made on the Day of Atonement. We consider our spiritual year of jubilee when Jesus Christ purchased our liberty by his blood on the […]
As we conclude the book of Philemon, we see the beautiful doctrine of “reconciliation” displayed in these 3 main characters. This points us towards Jesus Christ who performed the work of reconciliation and brought us back into peace with God our Father. Now, preachers like Paul have been called to declare unto us the word […]
From October 2021 to January 2022 on Wednesday nights, Pastor David preached through the small epistle to Philemon. This personal letter from Paul to Philemon to forgive and receive back his runaway slave, Onesimus, gives us a beautiful picture of Christ’s redemption, reconciliation, and payment of our debt to make us free from the bondage […]
Probably all of us feel like we have not made great use of our time during the last year. We need to be mindful to redeem – to buy back – our time, to control our time instead of time controlling us. We have over 21 million waking seconds each year that we have to […]