Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
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Here is part 2 of Green Pastures…
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For sheep to grow, they must be free from certain things. In this message, I look at how sheep are able to rest and grow in green pastures. Here is part 1 of Green Pastures…
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In the Bible Profile series, I have now left Genesis and moved into Exodus. The most significant figure of Exodus, is of course, Moses. It would take years to cover all of the events of Moses’ life, so I chose to focus on the times we find Moses on certain mountains.
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We all have opinions and they can certainly be valuable to us. Our lives can be shaped in positive ways if we listen to the opinions of the older, wiser people in our lives. However, opinions can be dangerous and a tremendous source of strife and conflict if used recklessly. With the internet and social media, it is easier than ever to give opinions. In our society everyone wants to ‘comment’ on everything. The Bible speaks clearly about how Christians should handle expressing their opinions. In this sermon, Brother Luke uses scripture to warn us of the dangers of recklessly expressed opinions.
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In the one anothering series, I look at the big picture of Jesus and John’s teachings on loving one another. I think it is safe to conclude that when we embrace what the Bible teaches on the details of loving one another, we are left without excuse! We can never say – I don’t know what to do in order to love my neighbor… There can be no doubt what we are to do. May God bless us to get busy with one anothering.
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Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That is an age-old question that has baffled the minds of many. However, the Bible clearly tells us which came first. Along those same lines we ask the question…which comes first, belief or being born again. In this sermon, Brother Luke uses the scriptures to show that belief is not a means to be born again, but rather evidence you have already been.
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To me, one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible is Judah, the 4th son of Jacob. His life is a tell-all of debauchery, betrayal, tragedy and loss. But our great God of mercy makes it clear that His grace has no bounds when it comes to His children. In the Bible profile series, I look at when Judah stands up.
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The Jubilee celebration was a declaration of liberty every 50th year in Israel. Sadly, there is no record in the Bible of this celebration being observed. In a sense, we celebrate a yearly jubilee of America every July 4. In a much greater way than the OT or our national anniversary of freedom, the Lord Jesus has granted us liberty from our sins forever!
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In the last sermon of the series on understanding your Bible, Brother Luke looks at the ‘alls’, ‘everys’, and ‘worlds’ of the scriptures. If we always take these words as being universally and totally inclusive, we will find ourselves in much confusion. All means all…right? Not usually. In this sermon he looks at how it is imperative that we put these key words in context to keep from creating false doctrines.
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The mysterious connection between marriage and the New Testament church cannot be over-emphasized or overlooked. In this message entitled, “Secret, Sacred, Safe”, I look at these beautiful connections that came from the Mind of a Creative Genius.
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When it comes to studying our Bibles, one important concept we need to understand is the difference between an eternal salvation and a salvation related to the here and now. While it is the finished work of Christ alone that saves us from an eternal hell, there are many things we can do on this side of Heaven that will save us from the pitfalls of sin. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the scriptures to show how important it is to differentiate between the two types of salvation. This will keep us from letting false doctrines take root in our minds.
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In the Bible profile series, I come to one of the sons of Jacob. The life of Joseph was fraught with disappointment and tragedy, much of which was brought on by bad parenting. But there are beautiful and glorious glimpses of our Savior in the life of Joseph.
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The way we worship is important to God. For 5 chapters in I Corinthians, the Holy Spirit directed Paul to write about the things that should and should not occur during worship. In this message, I look at this important teaching about what God expects out of us when we publicly worship Him.
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Much debate has occurred over the meaning of the pruning of the vine in John 15. If we simply take the plain words of Jesus in their context, we will learn the valuable lesson He is teaching. In this message, I look at the meaning of the true Vine and how the pruning of the vine takes place.
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In the Bible Profile series, I look at Jacob, one of the twin sons of Isaac. His life was much more dramatic than his father’s. In this message, I consider Jacob’s lies, his ladder, his Lord and his loss.
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In this message from the book of James, I look at how we are taught to judge not and grudge not one another. If we as Christians would apply this simple teaching, it would enrich our lives toward the Lord and one another.
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When someone is in darkness, light brings vision and hope. Jesus’ ministry was a “great light” in a very dark place. Not only from a spiritual standpoint, but the actual region into which Jesus carried out most of his public ministry, was known for great darkness. In this message, I look at the great Light that came to a region of darkness.
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It is not unusual for a child to fantasize about being a superhero. The idea of flying or having super strength appeals to the imagination. Have you ever thought about what it would have been like to be Jesus? To have the ability to heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, and turn water into wine might be appealing to us. However, when we look at the scriptures it is clear that Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His life was not glamorous, but difficult and full of trouble. Nevertheless, he humbled himself and endured the cross to fulfill a mighty purpose!
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It is easy to provoke people to anger or to provoke someone to become upset. But is altogether another activity to provoke others to love and to good works. In this message in the one anothering series, I look at this important subject.
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Whether it’s painting the Sistine Chapel, carving the faces of Mount Rushmore, or playing the piano, the hands of men are capable of incredible things. As impressive as they are, men’s hands can’t touch what the hands of Christ did. From the healing touch given to the leper, to holding our eternal salvation secure, truly the hands of Christ are all powerful. But there is at least one thing our hands can do that Christ’s hands also did – wash the feet of the saints. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the work of Christ’s hands.
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In the final message of the day, Elder Michael Hattaway preaches from Revelation 19, focusing on the truth that is proclaimed in heaven – The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
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In the afternoon service of the annual meeting, Brother Jonah Lowrance presents a message from Paul’s final letter, written before he died.
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In the 2nd message of the annual meeting, Elder Michael Hattaway looks at two questions, both found in Matthew 16. Jesus asked, “Whom do men say that I am?” And then he asked the apostles – “Whom do you say that I am?”
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Here is the first message from our recent annual meeting. Lic. Jonah Lowrance shares a wonderful opening message at the meeting. We can say what we think about God’s word and although it may be true, it might not carry a lot of weight. But in this sermon, Brother Jonah shares what Jesus Himself said about His word.
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Practically everyone has a cell phone. And those who do not are wishing they did. The original Greek word for “voice” is the word we have today as “phone.” In that sense, Christ has a phone (Voice) that is an irresistible call. In this message I look at the cell phone call of Christ.
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Most of us have seen a video with the caption POV. That caption is telling us to frame our minds to see something from a certain point of view. How often do we look at situations in life from God’s point of view? Oftentimes in the Bible we find good, well meaning people having the wrong perspective on a situation. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at situations where our POV might not be the Lord’s.
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Have you ever compared your disobedient thoughts to a criminal on the run? In the same way a criminal must be overpowered, apprehended, and taken into captivity…so must our sinful thoughts. Every wicked deed begins with a wicked thought. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at what the Bible says about taking our thoughts captive.
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Today I am sharing with you the latest message in the “One Anothering” series. To love one another as Christ loved His people is the goal of discipleship. It identifies God’s children. And the NT is filled with specific ways we are to love one another. In this message, I look at increasing, abounding and edifying one another.
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In the “One Anothering” series, I look at what might be the most important of the loving one anothers – be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. I wonder how much revival our churches would experience if we daily loved one another in this way.
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The Bible describes our life on the earth as leaves that fade or grass that withers. In the same way that plants change with the season, so do our lives as time marches forward. We start as young tender leaves in the spring of life and quickly find ourselves in the winter season, where strength and vitality diminish away. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the seasons of our lives. How encouraging it is to know winter is not the end for God’s people!
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In the Bible Profile series, I come to Isaac & Rebecca. Contained within their lives are two of the greatest doctrinal allegories and examples found in the Bible. In this message, I look at those two comparisons.
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Limited atonement is a theological term that sometimes we lose sight of. It relates the Bible truth of the work of Christ – that He died for the sins of His people, and none shall be lost. In this message, I look at this truth, but in more of a “picture book” kind of way. I call this message The Lion and the Lamb.
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In this message preached on Easter Sunday, Brother Jonah Lowrance preaches on the subject of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection, and how we will see Him face to face one day.
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In the “One Anothering” series, I come to perhaps the easiest activity we can do for one another – pray for one another.
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In a sermon preached at Vestavia Primitive Baptist Church, Brother Luke looks at some of the functions of the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Holy Spirit play a vital role in the new birth, but it also leads and comforts us, confirms our sonship, and intercedes for us when we pray.
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A few weeks ago, I started a series on the fundamentals of the faith. The first message was about Adam’s fall into sin. If we don’t know what Adam’s sin did us, it is impossible to understand the next fundamental. The unconditional election of an innumerable host of the human race to be saved eternally, has generated much unnecessary controversy. But if we understand Adam’s fall, it is easy to embrace this truth. Understanding election is not about being right, it is about the glory of God! Make sure and listen to the 1st message (The Fall) then to this sermon on unconditional election.
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In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the miracle of the Widow’s oil. Many of God’s people today are empty vessels, run down and drained by the cares of this life. In the same way the widow’s last jar of oil filled many other jars without running out, so can one faithful servant’s effort impact many that are struggling.
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Here is part 2 of the message, Where to Work and Live…
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Here is part 1 of the last message in a series preached recently. The Big 4 questions in life are 1. Who to marry? 2. Where to worship? 3. Where to work? and 4. Where to live? In this message, I look at where to work and live. Here is part 1 of that message…
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In the Bible Profile series, I examine the life of Sarah.
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It is always important to start at the beginning to lay the proper foundation. This is true in school, in work environments, and basically in logical thinking. You start at the beginning to understand anything. So it is with the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Satan wants us to view this as a fable, so we will not see how important it is. But it was not a fable. In this “fundamentals of the faith” series, I start at the beginning – the fall.
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We usually value the things we love, but don’t always love the things we value. Some may not love going to the doctor but value the medicine or healing they receive. Others may not love their job but value the pay that it provides for their family. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the account of Naaman to teach the difference between love and value, specifically looking at how we view the church of God. Do we value and love the church of God?
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In the Big 4 life questions series, I look at the important question – Where to Worship? With churches on every corner, and any flavor or form of worship that a person could dream up, is it possible to figure out the answer to this question?
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In our Bible profile series, I look at the father of 3 still existing world religions – Abraham.
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I have been asked recently about the “big 4” questions in life. Those questions are, in general, 1. where to live, 2. where to work, 3. where to worship, and 4. who to marry? If we get one or more of these wrong, it spells disaster for a child of God. In this first message, I take the last question first, which is the only one of the 4 that are optional. Who to marry?
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In the final message on the terms of service of a disciple of Christ, Brother Luke looks at how faithfully being a disciple of Christ results in truly finding your life. When the most solid disciples of the Bible faced persecution and trouble, their peace of mind never left, truly showing that when we follow Jesus Christ and serve him, our minds can be joyful and content regardless of our circumstances.
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In the 3rd message of the Terms of Service series, Brother Luke looks at what it means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
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In a series I am calling the “Bible Profile” series, I look at the pre-flood patriarch Noah in this message.
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One of the most endearing and important things we can do for one another, is to confess our faults to each other. Whether it is unintentional or something deliberate, an essential component in the experience of loving one another, is to have the Spiritual courage to confess.
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Here is pt. 2 of the message, One Anothering No-no’s.
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In the “one anothering” series I have been preaching, I come to some “no-no’s”. There are actions that are strictly forbidden towards one another. If we are to fulfill the law of Christ in the NT – to love one another – these are things we cannot engage in. Here is pt. 1 of this message.
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Soul winning is a Biblical term. It is often heard in religious circles related to winning someone’s soul eternally for Jesus (for example, accept Jesus, say the sinner’s prayer, be baptized, etc.). In this sermon, Brother Luke uses the account of Zacchaeus to show that the salvation in soul winning is not eternal, but a deliverance from the effects and consequences of sin in this life. While eternal salvation is solely the work of the Lord, soul winning for us comes when we help to save our brothers and sisters from the destructiveness of sin here and now.
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In Galatians 6, we are told to bear one another’s burdens, and then, that we should bear our own burden. If we ever think there is a contradiction in the scripture, it can only be in our own minds. If we look closely at what Paul is teaching, we see glorious instruction on how we are able to help bear the burdens of others.
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In the Terms of Service series, Brother Luke looks at the Lord’s instruction to follow him. When we think of following, we often think in terms of following directions. We follow directions to arrive at an accomplished end or desired outcome, whether it’s cooking, driving, or assembling something. When we reach the end of our life, will we be able to reflect and rejoice that we followed the Lord’s directions? Or be filled with regret realizing we followed the directions of our own heart? While that may lead to worldly accomplishments, we will find ourselves spiritually sorrowful for not having spent our life following the directions of our Lord.
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As I continue preaching on the “one anothers” of the NT, in this message I look at how we are to be likeminded towards one another, and to receive one another, and admonish one another.
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On our Wednesday night service, I have begun a series that looks at certain Biblical characters. The first two characters are Adam and Eve.
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Continuing in the “One Anothering” series, I come to the very specific instruction on how to love one another in Christian liberty.
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In the ongoing series on the terms of discipleship, Brother Luke looks at Jesus’ commandment to follow Him. We can follow people and things for many different reasons and in many ways. In this sermon Brother Luke compares the way we ‘follow’ people on social media platforms because of our interest in what they are doing to following Christ. Are we interested in the things Christ is doing? Do we crave his content…or are we more interested in the silly things of the world that seem to so easily captivate our minds?
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In the first message of the new year, I look at the lessons of Psalm 40. Waiting and listening to the Lord is a skill to develop. It is even harder to develop in our culture because of earbuds, music and noise blaring in restaurants and gas stations. Getting in a quiet place to wait and listen is difficult. But if we learn to wait and listen, we will discover things about the Lord that we never could if we never learn this skill.
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In the “one another” series, I look at specific ways that the NT gives us to love one another, as Jesus instructed.
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In the 2nd sermon on the terms of discipleship, Brother Luke looks at Jesus’ instruction that we are to take up our cross. The cross that Jesus carried was a symbol of many things, including being a picture of the burdens that evil men place on us for being servants of the Most High God. Are we willing to bear that cross, or are we more prone to conform or stay silent in order to keep ourselves from bearing that burden?
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In Matthew 16, we read of Jesus Christ preaching about what is expected of his disciples. In the same way an athlete or solider may be told what is expected of them as being a part of a team or army, Jesus gives clear instruction on the terms of service for his disciples. In this first message, Brother Luke looks at what is arguably the most challenging part of discipleship – denying yourself. In a world that encourages self-focus, coupled with a sinful nature that has a desire to put ourselves before others, we may find being a disciple much more difficult than we thought.
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As I continue in the “one anothering” series, in this message I look at the characteristics of agape love.
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Jesus gave a new commandment for disciples in the New Testament – to love one another. In this message, I introduce the “one anotherings” in the New Testament age, observing what a unique and dynamic shift this was for worshippers of God.
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It is common to hear – Do you know that you know that you are saved? Almost without exception the answer to this question involves looking at what YOU have done. Did you accept Christ? Did you pray a prayer? Then the question is – are you sure? This is a common tactic of fearmongers to make children of God question their salvation. The truth is that our salvation does not look to what we do, but what Christ did. But we can experience assurance according to the Apostle of love. In this message, I look at how we can know that we know we are God’s children.
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Who doesn’t like simple things? But the sinful nature of man likes to complicate things. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians about our minds being corrupted from the simplicity of Christ. Satan works tirelessly to complicate the gospel message to make it confusing to the minds of men. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how simple the gospel message of salvation by grace alone truly is.
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Many would say we must accept Jesus in order to be saved. But this is the opposite of the way it is. The Lord accepts us through the work of His Son Jesus. But as born again children of God, we can accept the ministry of Jesus to our lives. Jesus made it very clear what his ministry is to us in Luke 4. Do we accept this ministry?
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In the 3rd message on Spirit fullness, I finally come to the specific ways in which born again children of God can experience the filling of the Spirit. The Lord will not be mocked, and we can certainly do things to repel His Spirit. But when we embrace submission to His will, the experience of Spirit fullness is other worldly.
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Our world is overrun with an infectious, sinful disease called pride. The Bible has much to say about pride, but we have gotten so used to seeing it we often fail to recognize it. In this sermon Brother Luke preaches about what pride really looks like, to better help us identify it. This is important for us because it is certain that pride will always lead to shame, contention, and destruction.
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In Micah the sixth chapter we read that God’s people are required to love mercy. Do we love mercy? We sure love to receive it, but do we love to give it? In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the life of Joseph to show a powerful example of what loving mercy looks like.
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Here is a message I overlooked in the “Set Apart” series. One of the top 5 teachings that sets apart the truth from that which is not truth, is total depravity. We can never truly understand why salvation is by grace alone until we clearly see total depravity. The reason salvation can only be by grace alone is because of the condition of man apart from God’s intervention. And that is the tale of 2 families.
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Without question there are ways we can act and think that will repel the Spirit of God. In part 2 of a message on this subject, I look at the things that accommodate and welcome the Holy Spirit into close fellowship.
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We were blessed this week to have brother Jonah Lowrance visiting with us. Brother Jonah is a member of Mt. Paran PBC in Social Circle, GA. In this message Brother Jonah preaches on Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost. The focus of Peter’s message was on the resurrected Savior, and it caused a tremendous reaction.
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If we check all the boxes by going to church, praying, and giving – does that mean we are guaranteed to be favored with the Presence of God’s Spirit? What does it mean to be Spirit filled? Are there ways we can act and think that will repel the Spirit of God? In this message, I look at some things that will cause the Spirit of God to back away from us.
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What is required of us by the Lord? What does He expect out of us? In this sermon Brother Luke looks at what it means to do justly, which is one of the things the Bible tells us is required of us by God.
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In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how walking in obedience is the key to a solid foundation. While it is easy to understand the concept, it is sometimes difficult to execute.
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Isaiah 35 presents a beautiful picture of the King’s Highway. Are we on it? Have we taken a detour? Do we even know it exists? In this sermon, I look at the glorious Highway of the King.
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The Lord is very clear about His view on pride. He hates and resists it. But He is also very clear about humility. I am so thankful we serve a God who is very tender-hearted towards his children when they display humility. In this message I look at how a little humility goes a long way with the Lord.
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How often do we act like the Israelites in how quickly we turn away from God? Even after experiencing his great deliverances, we are quick to turn away. In this message, Brother Luke looks at a Savior that stands in the breach to make intercession for us even when we rebel against our God.
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Does it matter which Bible we use? Today we often choose a version of that Bible that best suits our personal preferences. With over 50 versions of the English Bible, it is wise to consider how these versions came to be. But the various versions contain so many contradictions with each other until it is impossible for those using different versions to ever agree on certain points. So, are they all sufficient? In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at how the versions came to be. It may surprise us that not all versions are created equal.
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Our lives go through seasons, and Solomon wisely addresses this in the book of Ecclesiastes. In this final message of the anniversary meeting, Elder David Crawford preaches about the seasons of life we all face, and how we must respond.
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In recent weeks, several well-known people in the media have dismissed at the least and at the worst, mocked prayer. In this message, Brother David looks at the need for ongoing fervent prayer.
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In the morning message preached by Elder David Crawford, he looks at some shocking ways we may be engaged in idolatry and not realize it.
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In the first message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder Neil Honea, pastor of 5 Mile PBC, presents a timely sermon for both young and old. As Jacob was dying, he recalled how he had to fight battles against the wicked culture around him, in addition to being a shepherd. It is important the younger generation hears how the older generation faced and dealt with battles and adversity.
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When we think of the word prodigal, our minds usually drift to the account of what is known as the prodigal son in Luke’s gospel. Interestingly, the word prodigal is not found in the account. So, we may legitimately ask, who is the real prodigal? In this message, I look at this question.
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The Bible tells us the Lord uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. David used a sling and a stone to slay a giant. Samson used the jawbone of an ass to slay 1,000 philistines. A child of God uses things to fight their battles that the world would say are foolish. Prayer, the church, and the power drawn from the scriptures are just a few of those. Too often, like Samson, once we have used these powerful instruments to win a spiritual battle, we cast them aside only to realize later we still need them. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this subject.
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Besides John 3:16, one of the next most popular verses is Romans 8:28. We hear it often quoted in the context of horrible tragedies and indescribable difficulties. But just like John 3:16, do we know the true meaning of it? If we are familiar with the verse itself, are we familiar with the surrounding verses? Can we quote v. 29 or 27 as well? In this message, I look at how the true meaning of Romans 8:28 shows us a clear view into the heart of God.
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In Matthew chapter 7 we read about a narrow way that few people find. Too often this is used as a scare tactic verse to make people question their salvation. In this sermon, Bro. Luke uses the scriptures to show how this narrow path is not a path to Heaven, but rather a path of Godly obedience in this mortal life.http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/09.10.25.The_.Narrow.Way_.Luke_.Hagler.mp309.10.25.The.Narrow.Way.Luke.Hagler
In a natural sense, we are American citizens. But politics and other issues divide God’s people, and we lose sight of our true citizenship, which is in the Kingdom of God, and this supersedes all natural citizenships. There is only one hope of overcoming the division that exists today, and that is through recognizing where our spiritual citizenship is. When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he had this higher citizenship in mind, as he encouraged them to be likeminded citizens in the Kingdom of God.
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In the aftermath of the recent horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, Brother Luke delivers a timely and comforting message about persecution, and how we as Christians must process such evil.
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For several weeks, I have looked at teachings from the Bible that set apart the church of God. As we have seen with the other teachings, most of these are lost to the modern church today. And this subject is no exception. In this message, I look at what once was a common practice among practically all Christian denominations – Loving Church Family Discipline.
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What is the purpose of the gospel? Most believe its purpose is to keep people from going to hell. But what does the Bible tell us? In the ‘set apart’ series, I look at this important teaching. Is the gospel necessary for us to hear in order to go to heaven? Is it something else? If it is not necessary for heaven, is it still important? In this message, I look at the incredibly important purpose of the gospel, as revealed in God’s word.
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When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them the city would be destroyed in 40 days, Jonah fled to Tarshish. Something was eating him up, besides the whale that would eventually eat him. Why? Was he afraid the Ninevites would harm him? When we look closer at the words of Jonah, we find the answer. It was not due to the fear of the people hurting him, but because he knew if they repented, then God would be merciful, and Jonah would look like a fool for preaching that destruction was imminent. Imagine how he felt on the 40th day when nothing happened. In his pride, he surely felt like the Ninevites thought him to be a false prophet and a fool for preaching a destruction that never came. Jonah was eaten up by his pride and aversion to looking like a fool.
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Have you been taught your entire church life that you are commanded by God to tithe? This commonly presented “command” to tithe, is another spiritual urban legend. Nowhere in the NT does the Lord or the Apostles teach the OT law system of tithing. Instead, they taught a God-honoring practice that was older than tithing, that goes back all the way to the dawn of time, was observed by the patriarchs like Abraham, and brought back into focus by Christ in the NT. Which would we rather be? Old Testament teeth-clenching, purse-pinching tithers? Or New Testament hilarious givers?
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Do we understand how the wind blows? That the wind is sovereign and no one controls the wind. Do we understand how natural birth works? That no child who has ever been born into the world had any control over their birth? If we understand these 2 very simple and natural occurrences, then we should have no issue with embracing how and when we are born again.
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Today, many think that the Lord is coming back to set up a kingdom on the earth. That is the same thinking of the Jewish nation when Jesus came and set up His kingdom 2000 years ago. Our Savior established His kingdom almost 2000 years ago. It is life-changing for His children when this truth is embraced.
In the “set apart” series I have been preaching, I come to the next subject – the kingdom of God. If you conduct a basic study on this subject in the New Testament, it is huge. The number or times that Christ refers to His kingdom, as being here and now, is amazing. In this message, I introduce this important and timely topic.
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We have all heard of ‘free will’. When we use the term “free will,” we are saying a person has the ability to choose and pursue their desires. Does a person have total free will in their lives? Some say yes. However, some say mankind has no free will in their lives and God orchestrates everything that occurs. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the “free” will of man. Using the lens of logic and the scriptures, he shows that neither does man have total free will of his life, nor does God control every movement he makes. But rather man’s will is limited by his nature and while God doesn’t control everything, he most certainly sovereignly intervenes in the lives of mankind when he sees fit.
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In the final public prayer before He went to the cross, Jesus asked His Father to bless His church to be set apart by embracing His word. For several weeks, I have looked at “set apart” teachings that are unique and help to identify the truth that Jesus taught. In this message, I look at one of the most glaring teachings from the Bible – the difference between eternal salvation, which is entirely the work of the Lord, as distinct from timely salvation, which relates to decisions we make in the here and now.
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When the children of Israel grew tired of waiting on Moses to return from mount, they chose to create their own god. We often read that account and shake our heads at them in shame. Are we guilty of doing the same thing? In this message Bro. Luke asks three questions to help us determine if we have created our own god to satisfy our personal desires.
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In years past, many of God’s children understood what election was, as it is taught in God’s word. Sadly, today if you ask someone about election, they probably think about November. In this message, I examine the simple truth of God’s electing love and mercy. In order to comprehend why we had to be elected, or chosen, we must embrace the clear teaching of what Adam brought upon us all in original sin.
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The treasures of this world are fleeting and temporary, yet we pursue them with a passion. We are willing to bring stress in our lives, conflict in our relationships, and financial hardships into our families all for something that in a short time will either waste away or we will lose interest in it. How the flesh craves temporary gratification! The scriptures tell us to not lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth but rather treasures in Heaven. In this message Brother Luke takes a closer look at what that really means.
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How does the gospel bring deliverance to us? Does it deliver us from being hell-bound to heaven-bound? Or is it another kind of deliverance? In this message, Elder Buddy Abernathy, pastor of Blooming Grove PBC, addresses the subject of how the gospel delivers born-again children of God according to the scripture.
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A well-known verse is “Seek Ye First” the kingdom of God and other “things” will be added to you. When this was written, the things on the minds of the people were food, drink and clothing. These things are not really an issue for us today. So, what are the things today that might get in the way of seeking first the kingdom? In this message, I look at this question.
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In several places in the Bible, Jesus tells people to look at the scriptures of the Old Testament and see how they pointed to himself. In this message Brother Luke looks at some of the powerful and impactive Old Testament accounts, that carry glorious figures of a greater image that was to come – Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Great sports teams are set apart by championships. Great athletes by their stats. Great people are set apart by their accomplishments. Various denominations are set apart by styles of worship. But the church of God was to be set apart by one unique characteristic – God’s word. In a final public prayer before He went to the cross, Jesus asked His Father to bless His church to be unique by embracing His word.
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Is the nation of Israel in the Middle East today, the actual Old Testament chosen nation of Israel? In this message, I look at this important question.
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Recently our church family suffered a great loss. Brother Spencer Shirley, Age 19, passed away a few weeks ago. The funeral service was attended by close to 500 people, which was a wonderful testimony to his life and influence. At the request of the family, I am sharing the funeral service and the testimonials that followed the conclusion of the funeral. Our prayer is that it will bring encouragement to those who may be struggling with loss.
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The 4th of the 10 commandments was quite different than the others. Instead of a “do this” or “don’t do that” directive, it instructed the people to remember something. In this message, I look at the meaning of the sabbath, and how it was to be remembered.
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Imagine standing before God and he asks us on what merit are we worthy to enter into Heaven. What would we say? Would we plead our case by telling of our good works or nationality? Would we tell him of our belief or repentance? In this message Brother Luke looks at things that are commonly believed to be the keys to being worthy of Heaven. Looking at scripture to show how nothing can justify us in the sight of God, he looks at actually does permit us to stand before God one day. It is only by the unmerited favor (grace) of God and through the righteousness of the sacrifice of His Son, that we will be deemed worthy to enter into His eternal kingdom.
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The Lord views His church in very unique and specific ways – like a body, like a family, as a bride. In this message, I look at the family aspect of God’s view of His church. Is it even possible to interact as the church of God if we are not embracing the family dynamic? Is our church too large for this to be possible? Do we take the time to know our church brothers and sisters like we do our family? In this message, I look at this important church dynamic.
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The Bible tells us to let our moderation be known unto all men. What exactly does that mean? In a time of excessive appetites for activities like youth sports, careers, or hobbies, it is vitally important we understand what moderation is. In the same way the tires on a car need to be balanced to prevent a rough ride, so our lives must be balanced. This is an example of moderation. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the definition of moderation and what the scriptures have to say about it.
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When the frontier was settled in the 1800s, it was common for the wagon trains to “circle the wagons” when under attack and at night for protection, safety and interaction. In this message, I look at how we should follow that example when we are attacked by Satan and faced with trials and tragedies.
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The Bible gives multiple accounts of the dead being raised back to life in this world, but that is not the only type of resurrection we find in the scriptures. We read about our spiritual man being resurrected back to life with the new birth and about the resurrection of our bodies eternally at the end of time. Another type of resurrection we find is when our hope seems to be dead and the Lord, in ways only He can, brings hope back to our hearts and minds. This renews our strength and courage to face another day in this fallen world. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about these different resurrections.
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It is easy to lose heart in the face of evil. Sometimes the evil that affects us can be distant – like being frustrated with politics. But sometimes it touches us directly. When it touches us directly, we need to prepare our minds to know how the Lord views and deals with such evil, as well as how we are to respond. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject, “Vengeance is Mine”, saith the Lord.
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In this message, I look at the prayer of true pastors – that the people he preaches to will stand in the truths they are taught.
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Everyone is looking for happiness. Being happy is a wonderful way to feel. But the reality of life is that happiness can be difficult to achieve and more difficult to hang onto. In this message, I look at how to find happiness in the context of Peter’s clear teaching on discipleship.
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Jesus tells us that in order for a man to find his life he must first lose it. That might seem like an unusual statement if we only look at it from a superficial perspective. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the life of Paul to get a better understanding of what it means to lose your life in order to find it.
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In the series from I Thessalonians, I look at a statement made by the Apostle Paul. He says that the church at Thessalonica was appointed to afflictions. When we are in the fire of afflictions, the heat shows what is in our heart. In this message, I look at how we face affliction and how to deal with it.
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Everyone agrees that the plant you grow will always be the same as the seed you plant. Corn seeds don’t yield apple trees. The Bible is clear that we will reap what we sow. If we sow to the flesh we will reap destruction. Our problem as children of God is not a lack of understanding this, but it comes with not realizing there are times we are sowing the wrong type of seeds and don’t even realize it. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the importance of not being naive to the seeds that we are casting into our lives.
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Most of the rhetoric today uses the second coming of Christ to strike fear in our minds. If a preacher says, “Are you ready for His coming?”, it usually refers to making sure you are eternally saved, so when He shows, you will be ready in that way. But the Bible teaches eternal salvation is solely the work of the Lord. And yet, Paul taught them to be ready for Christ’s coming. If Paul was not referring to eternal salvation, what did he mean? In the series from I Thessalonians, I look at this subject.
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King David desired to bring the ark of the covenant home to his new house in Jerusalem. This was a good thing. But the way David went about it, displeased the Lord. How many times do we have issues we deal with, and we go about it the wrong way? In this message, I look at how David got back on the right track to bring the ark home.
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Have we been affected by worldwide deceptions like global warming or evolution? Or have we been affected by lying? Or what about slander or gossip? Have we experienced personal attacks during opportunities to minister? Have we ever dealt with betrayal? Have we refused to forgive others? Has our family been attacked in some way? Has sexual impurity affected our church or community? If the answer is yes to any or all of these, then Satan may be hindering us. In this message, I look at what the Bible teaches about the ways that Satan hinders us.
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In the final message of the May meeting, Elder Graham Sims speaks about the ways in which the Lord restores vision. Sometimes it can be in a physical way like Jesus did with the blind, but sometimes it can be spiritual vision.
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In the first message of our recent annual meeting, Elder Tim Lawrence of Bethel PBC near Nashville, preaches about sticking to the script, or scriptures. The Lord has preserved for us in His Word everything we need to know about Him and about how to navigate the pitfalls of this fallen world.
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From the days of Isaac, when he asked his father Abraham, where was the Lamb, up until this very hour, the Lord will providentially make sure we are taken care of. This does not mean we should expect an easy life. But it does mean that the Lord is the Provider of all that we need eternally and in a timely way. In this message, Elder Tim Lawrence speaks on this subject.
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In the final message on Saturday, Elder Tim Lawrence, member of Bethel Primitive Baptist Church of Nashville, TN, preaches about the miraculous ways that the Lord manifests Himself even now.
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In the Saturday afternoon service, Brother Graham looks at Psalms 46 and observes how the Lord is our refuge.
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In the Saturday morning message of our recent May meeting, Elder Graham Sims, pastor of Wilson Creek PBC near Franklin, TN, preaches from the first chapter of Ephesians. As a prison epistle, Paul wrote this to the troubled church at Ephesus, who apparently was beginning to forget their first love. Paul’s first few lines seek to remind them and get them back on the right track.
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Romans 4:25 tells us that Jesus was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. Do we recognize that we have sin? Or do we justify ourselves when it comes to our sin. I would rather acknowledge that I do have sin, and trust in the Lord Jesus for my justification in spite of my being guilty. In this message, I look at the fact that we are sinners who have offended God, yet God in His mercy delivered His perfect Son to pay for those sins, and to be raised from the dead as evidence they were paid by Him.
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What is something that could happen to you today that would make you happy? A new car, becoming debt free, running into an old friend, or maybe finding out you are the heir to a fortune? It is an endless list of things we may say. How many of us would say that being corrected makes us happy? From a worldly perspective, correction is something we usually detest. But the Bible teaches us that correction from God brings happiness. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at how a child of God can find happiness even while enduring God’s chastening.
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How do we assess our value? Is it through the number of likes we have online? Or is it through the amount of property and money we amass? In this message, Elder John Morgan Owens, of Zion PBC, preaches about the way we should find our value, our true worth.
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In the final days of the Judges of Israel, the times were very dark. The ministry of that time was cruel. Worship was corrupt. The people were complacent, and families were dysfunctional. This led to there being no open vision from God. Although this sounds like a page out of the present culture, it was several thousand years ago when the Lord scripted revival in an unusual way. He utilized a wife who suffered from an eating disorder, an obese priest, and an adopted little boy. In this message, I look at the meaning of open vision.
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In a previous message from I Thessalonians, I looked at what a church should expect out of their preacher. Paul first described his manner as being like a gentle mother. In this message, I continue to look at Paul’s description of himself – as a loving father. These are important characteristics the people of God should expect in how the ministry interacts with them.
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When was the last time you saw a modern-day prodigal son return? Chances are you haven’t. Why? They say that behind every good dish is a good recipe. Sometimes the recipes are passed down, and if we are not diligent in keeping up with a recipe, we forget the ingredients needed to make a good dish to eat. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the essential ingredients for the prodigal to return. When we sin against our fellow man, our church or our God, there are certain ingredients that must be present to bring about healing and restoration. In the account of the prodigal son, we find those ingredients to a lost recipe.
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Contentment and jealousy do not coexist very well. When one thrives the other does not. Being content with what we have is a wonderful feeling. Our contentment is disrupted when we begin looking at what others have. Jealousy creeps in and puts a stranglehold on our contentment. Instead of a peaceful sense of having enough, we become resentful at others for what they have. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this important subject.
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What should a congregation expect out of their preacher? How should he treat them? In the series on I Thessalonians, I move into chapter 2 and observe the way the Apostle Paul described himself. He writes to the church and recalls his manner among them. One way he described the way he handled them was like a gentle mother handles an infant.
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It is interesting how light affects our perception. Experiments have proven without any exposure to the sun we lose our sense of time, and our sleep cycles become altered, both of which are kept in check by exposure to sunlight. In the same way, when we remove ourselves from the Light of Christ our perception of what is true is altered. We may find ourselves calling good evil or seeing our friends as enemies. In this sermon, Brother Luke observes how the Light of Christ helps us keep our perceptions true and accurate.
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Last week I began a series in I Thessalonians. We started with an important subject – the meaning of life for the child of God? I consider this next subject just as important. If we do not permit the unmasking of our personal idols through the preached word, then we will never truly be able to experience the meaning of life. This message is entitled, Unmasking Our Idols.
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What is the meaning of life? Can this question possibly be answered in a mere 30-minute sermon? It is a question pondered for ages and there are many opinions about it. But for the child of God, it has a simple answer. Paul addresses the true meaning of life for a born-again child of God in I Thessalonians. If we are searching for meaning in our lives, we need look no further.
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In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the progression of how a man healed of blindness viewed Jesus. The healed man initially calls Jesus just a man. Then as his understanding grows, he calls him a prophet, then a being from God, and ultimately, he recognizes and worships Jesus as a king. As we learn and grow in our belief and understanding of Jesus, we should experience a progression like this. The Lord Jesus should become greater to us as time passes, and we learn more of Him.
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Being afraid can have a dramatic impact on our behavior. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how the fear of death is a bondage that can cause us to compromise. The scripture tells us the fear of death is something the Lord came to deliver us from, and when we embrace His truth, we find great courage in times we might otherwise be tucking our tails and running for the hills.
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The book of Ecclesiastes is dark and brooding, clearly from the mind of a depressed and jaded person. In this message, I look at the context of this book, when it was written, and by whom. When compared with the other writings of King Solomon, it presents an interesting and sad picture of the old, troubled king.
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Getting a report card at school was always scary. The report card summarized my performance at school. I especially feared the “conduct” part! Hebrews 11 speaks of a report card of faith. What kind of grade would we achieve in the school of faith? This is not a report card that we report on each other, but a report card that comes from the Lord above.
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The Bible says that a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Oftentimes when someone offends us, we build walls, and it can be very difficult to repair a relationship. A mistake we as Christians make is to assume God deals with us in the way we deal with each other. While offending another person may bring lifelong separation regardless of our attempts to reconcile, God does not build walls between himself and his people. In this message, Brother Luke look at the fact that no child of God has ever offended God to such an extent that returning to him is not possible.
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We don’t really experience real physical famines today, but we can experience drought, or dry and difficult times, in our marriages, our friendships, our churches. How do we handle that? We are conditioned to cut loose and run. But leaving in times of famine is not always the right course of action. Plus, we will totally miss out on the day before the rain. In this message, I draw lessons from those who left and those who stayed in times of great famine.
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Regardless of denomination, faith is one of the most common words heard among religious circles. However, you will find significant differences in an understanding of it. Some say it is a prerequisite to being born again while others say it is generated when one hears the gospel. When we look at the scripture, we see it is neither a prerequisite to the new birth nor activated by the gospel, but rather an evidence of having already been born again by the Spirit of God.
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Isaiah 53 has often been referred to as the “gospel of Isaiah.” In this message, I look at one of the themes of this incredible and tragic description of our Savior on the cross. As tragic as it is, we rejoice that his suffering was not pointless, but Jesus was interceding for us.
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In the concluding message of the framework series, I look at the 4th activity the early church engaged in – prayer. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. As a church and as individuals, we should follow the framework of the first church, and continue in these simple activities.
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On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took Peter, James and John with Him. Before he goes off to pray, he instructs them to watch. Three times he returns to find them sleeping. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the definition of the word watch, to see exactly what the Lord wanted them to be doing and how it would impact the events about to unfold.
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Have you ever wondered what the early church did for activities? It was very simple. They engaged one another in 4 basic activities. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. In the 3rd message of the Framework series, I look at how the church engaged in the activity of the breaking of bread.
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The activities described in the NT church are simple. In our present culture, we have complicated the church experience. From pre-K to the elderly, the idea of segregated activity for age-specific groups has taken over. But early church members of all ages and backgrounds, engaged in 4 basic activities. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. In the 2nd message in this series, I look at how the church engaged in the activity of fellowship.
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We all deal with bondage to some extent, whether it is the bondage of fear, depression, disease, grief or countless other ways. Thankfully God specializes in rescuing us from bondage. Sometimes he does it in miraculous ways as he did with Peter, Paul, and Silas. But for most of us, it may not be a dramatic rescue from a prison, but measures of grace that revives our spirit and strengthens us to live another day. In this sermon Brother Luke goes to the book of Ezra to give us an example of this.
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The Lord set up a simple framework for the church experience in the NT church. Worship has become complicated in our modern culture to the extent that it is often difficult to figure out where to fit in. But the early church engaged in 4 simple activities. Around this simple framework our worship life can still be experienced. In this message, I take a look at this subject.
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Living in the modern church culture, we often lose sight of a Biblical understanding of what a pastor is. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the characteristics of a good pastor.
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In the final justification sermon, Brother Luke looks at the most compelling type of justification. To be justified by works is when others declare us righteous, and justification by faith is when we experience it within based on our faith in Jesus’ work, it is only through grace that the Lord God Almighty declares us just. So, God according to his tender mercy and good pleasure, laid the wrath for the sin of all his people on the shoulders of his son. Thus, God declared us righteous through the finished work of Christ.
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When it comes to the daily grind of life, we all need a reset button. To go back to the basic, back to the foundation, to reset ourselves back on the right path. That is exactly what the father of faith – Abraham – had to do. And it works for us as well. In this message, I look at how we can press our reset.
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In a follow up message to ‘Justification by Works’, Brother Luke examines what it means to be justified by faith. Justification by works has to do with the opinions of those who see our works and, based on what they see, declare us righteous. But to be justified by faith means that we see ourselves as righteous based solely on the testimony of God-given faith that only points to the finished work of Christ.
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Living in the blessings of a free society, with very little threat of persecution for serving the Lord, we are often shocked by suffering. But the true experience of God’s children down through the years has involved much suffering. In this message, I look at how we should not be shocked when we suffer.
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Peter writes in several places that his intention is to stir up our minds by his writing. In this message Brother Luke looks at the reasons we stir our food when we are cooking and compares that to our spiritual minds. In the same way failing to stir our food can cause it to burn or stick, failing to stir up our spiritual minds can lead to us being stuck to the wrong things or having our conscience seared with a hot iron.
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To be justified means to be ‘declared just or righteous’. The Bible teaches 3 types of justification: by grace, by faith, and by works. So which one is it? The answer is – all of them. To understand how this works, we must look at each justification individually. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at justification by works. This occurs when others see our good works and declare us to be righteous.
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We recognize common phrases like “you only live once”, or “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” When Paul wrote the Corinthians, there was a common phrase they were accustomed to hearing: “Meats for the belly.” Like a code phrase, the initiated knew the devious double meaning behind this phrase. In this message I look at the meaning behind this phrase, and how it was a perversion of the truth.
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Many believe the parable of the Sower is given to show who is going to heaven or hell. In reality, the parable teaches that born again children of God are often at different stages. Personally, I have found myself in all 4 categories at times in my life. In this message, I look at one of the purposes of the parable – to direct us to examine our ground.
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In this message, I revisit a subject related to the location of Jesus’ birth. The traditional nativity scene is in a barn, with all types of barnyard animals surrounding Christ in a hay-filled manger. But there may be another possibility of the where the Christ was born – in the tower of the flock…
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In his previous two sermons, Brother Luke has answered the questions of when and how we are saved and born again. Having established both are the sovereign work of God alone, in this sermon he addresses man’s role in discipleship. If God Himself alone saves us eternally and borns us again, how does discipleship work?
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In a follow up message to Firstfruits, I look at what it means to be a living sacrifice. This is a mystery, as the meaning of sacrifice is to kill, or put to death. So how can we be living but dead sacrifices? In this message, I look at how this works.
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As a husband to my wife, a father to my children, a son to my mother – I am one person, but I have different roles. When it comes to our salvation, God is One, but He has different roles. In this message, I look at the roles of God in our salvation.
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There are three important events in a child of God’s life – being saved, being born again, and discipleship. There is much confusion about when and how these events occur. In a follow-up message to the Chalkboard Message on 11/24/24, which answers the question when were you saved? – this message focuses on answering the question when and how were you born again.
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Following Thanksgiving, I have often spoken about leftovers, which is something we all partake of after a big celebration. But in this message, instead of leftovers, I focus on the Biblical teaching of firstfruits, which is the other end of the spectrum from leftovers.
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Around Thanksgiving, black Friday seems to cast a dark shadow over the time of celebrating freedom, family and being thankful. In this message, I look at what should be our focus not just on Thanksgiving, but every day. If we had a gauge to measure how thankful we are, where would the meter rest? At full? At empty? Somewhere in between?
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In this message, Brother Luke looks at the confusing and contradicting ideas that the religious world puts forth about eternal salvation. Then in a refreshing and simple way, he presents the simplicity of God’s truth on how we are saved.
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To have someone’s back means that you will support them and not let anyone sneak up on them. In an eternal sense, the Lord has our back. There is nothing that can sneak up on us and take away our eternal salvation. But He also has us here and now. The question to ask is – Do we have each other’s back? As born again believers, do we love and support each other as we should. In this message, I look at this question.
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We often feel like the Lord is not there for us, or that He is not doing something about our situation. In this message, I look at the mental process that David went through when he asked, “How Long, Lord?” Ultimately, David arrived at the right kind of thinking.
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Two of the most powerful words we can have in our vocabulary, are “I’m sorry.” In this message I look at how these two words are essential for navigating the ups and downs of relationships in this fallen, broken world.
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Broken fellowship, damaged relationships, severed ties – these are common experiences for us all. The Bible is filled with examples of this, from Adam in the garden to Peter with our Savior. Broken fellowship is a consequence of our broken world. But God in mercy shows the glorious path of restoration. In this message, Brother Luke looks at broken fellowship, and how the Lord leads back to restoration.
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Have you ever lain awake all night with your mind running in circles? Or thoughts come into your head that you can’t seem to shake out? Thankfully, the Lord knows how our broken minds run in circles. In this message, I look at how God gives us ways for us to retrain our brain and break out of harmful circular thinking and establish ways of thinking that free us through Him.
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In Jeremiah 35, the Lord told Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites to the house of the Lord and set wine before them. The Lord uses this family to demonstrate true faithfulness and show how unfaithful his own nation was to Him. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how the Lord saw the Rechabites as worthy of honor.
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We have all heard the phrase “go getters”. In this message, I present a twist on that phrase, in an effort to teach how we should strive to be givers, just as our Lord gave His life, His time, His effort, and accomplished our salvation. Let us all set our hearts and minds to honor the Lord by being Go Givers.
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If we call someone ignorant today, it sounds harsh. But the root word of ignorance is the word ignore. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject of ignorance as it is used in the Bible. We may find that it applies to us all in some ways.
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All through the word of God, boasting is frowned upon, except in a few limited circumstances. From the ballpark to social media, we are saturated with boasting. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this subject of boasting and looks at the instances when boasting is approved and appreciated by our Lord.
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What does the Bible teach about mission work? Is it scriptural? Are missions as commonly understood today, following a Biblical pattern? In this message of the “Why” series, Brother Luke looks at what the Bible teaches about missions.
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In this message, I look at the difference between givers and takers. Sadly, among Christians there are a lot more takers than givers! It should be our desire to model ourselves after our Savior, who was the ultimate Giver. Will we take the giver / taker test?
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Dust of the earth, stars of sky, sands of the sea – all are Bible descriptions of the vast number of God’s people. The purpose of these descriptions is to emphasize the large number of the chosen people of God. But we can lose ourselves in such large numbers. In this message, I look at the truth that applies not only to nature, but also to every single precious child of God – each little flower may claim the sun.
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Usually when we think of a woman at the well, we think of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4. But there are several accounts of women coming to a well in the Bible. In this message, I take a look at some of those accounts.
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On Sunday morning, Elder Martin Onyoni, pastor of the First Primitive Baptist Church of Kisii, Kenya, delivered a message entitled, Avoid Babblings. The Apostle Paul warned against entertaining confusing questions and ideas that cause us to stray from the truth.
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As the ordination service came to a close, Elder David Crawford and I delivered the final charges to Brother McNeil. Following the charges, the ordination was closed out.
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As the ordination of Brother McNeil continued, his father, Elder Neil Honea, was asked to deliver the first charge. In this post, I share with you the charge delivered by Brother Neil.
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During the Saturday service of our Anniversary meeting, we were blessed to ordain Elder McNeil Honea to the full work of the gospel ministry. In this posting, I share with you the portion of the ordination in which Brother McNeil was questioned by Elder Josh Coker, followed by the ordination prayer offered by Elder Luke Hagler.
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In the 2nd message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder David Crawford points out how we must be aware of the devices of Satan. We were blessed to host Brother David who will soon be a resident of Clinton, MS.
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In the first message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder Martin Onyoni preaches about the life of the Apostle Paul. We were very blessed to host Brother Martin who was visiting from Kenya. He is the pastor of the First Primitive Baptist Church of Kisii, Kenya.
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Living in a time when every little offense, real or fabricated, is posted online within seconds of it happening, a refresher course about what the Lord taught regarding how to deal with offenses is much needed. This is important for families, friends and churches. If we are truly peace seekers, we will take Christ’s instruction to heart.
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One definition of “spirit” is “the influence which fills and governs the soul of any one.” And there are evil, influential spirits that are higher than men but lower than God. The Apostle John addressed this in I John 4 by instructing the people of God to “try” the spirits. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at what this means.
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In the next message in the “Why” series, I take a look at the meaning of Christ’s statements about binding and loosing. Both times He refers to binding and loosing in the context of His church, and it has a direct impact on how we conduct ourselves in His church today.
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An important distinction in scripture is the difference between discipleship and sonship. To be a son or daughter of God is not optional – it is the complete, sovereign work of the Lord’s mercy. But discipleship is optional. And to read verses referring to optional discipleship as if referring to sonship will lead to confusion. In this message, Elder McNeil Honea presents this distinction.
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In the Why series, I ask the question about why belief matters. Does God really care what we believe, just as long as we are sincere? If we look at the examples given in the Bible, we can see clearly that the Apostle Paul was concerned with what was believed and taught in the early church.
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Brother Luke presents a timely message entitled “Leave Your Windows Open.” In a reference to Daniel’s faithfulness to His God in Babylon, we should take courage in remaining faithful and not compromising the Word of God. We are living in Babylon now, and regardless of the consequence, we should do as Daniel and leave our windows open towards God’s throne.
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In the 2nd message of the Why series, I look at the public privilege of church membership. Have we thought lately about how humbling it is to have the blessing, as baptized believers in a local church body, to go out from day to day as representatives of our Savior? In this message, I look at how we publicly represent Jesus in relation to the local church body of which we are a member.
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Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” In this message preached at the annual meeting of Bethany PBC in Pontotoc, MS, I look at this as it applies to God’s church.
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In this message preached at Bethany PBC near Pontotoc, Mississippi, I look at the subject of contentment. It is interesting how the Lord uses the most negative statement in the Bible to demonstrate such a positive truth about where true contentment lies.
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In this message, I begin a series I am calling the “Why” series. Why was I baptized? Why do I believe in salvation by grace? Why do I worship the way I do? All of these and more, are questions I hope to ask in this series. The first sermon is entitled Why Was I Baptized?
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Learning to be content in a prosperous society can be difficult. It is not necessarily sinful to have things, but if it leads to discontent, it is not good for our spiritual walk. We can find contentment by embracing the principles of Godly contentment. In this message, Brother Luke looks at what the Bible teaches about this. It is shocking to see what the Lord says about the basic things we should be content with, and where we must find our ultimate contentment.
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The Apostle James contains very strong language about our prayer life. He relates specific reasons why we are sometimes disappointed in the Lord, when the problem actually lies within ourselves. Truly, there can never be anything about the Lord that disappoints. In this message, I look at this subject that impacts our prayer life.
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It is incredible to think that anyone could misunderstand the simple teachings of Christ. Sadly, so many did. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the reasons why so many did not see what was happening or understand what was being taught by Jesus, when it was all so clear and simple. This is an affliction that can affect any of us, if we stop filtering through our spiritual lens.
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Nowadays, just leading a quiet and peaceful life of serving the Lord, is radical. If we want to live such a life, we need a Biblical view of citizenship and government. In the vicious politics of today, the party system would have us believe that one man or woman is the answer to all problems. In this message, I look at how disciples of Christ should view such things.
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Have you ever wondered about angels? What they really are? What is their purpose? How do they look? In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject of angels and answers many questions about them. Our modern idea of a cute little pudgy baby with wings, sitting on a mantle, is not even remotely close to the true identity of angels.
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Our God is a festive God. He loves to celebrate righteousness. We even get the word holiday from the Lord’s holy-days. In the OT, He instigated festivals and holy-days to encourage celebrations of Him. In Isaiah, He speaks of a new festival that was coming, one like never before. In this message, I look at that celebration that was foretold.
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When Christ was on the earth, He used simple examples to make profound points. On one occasion, when the Pharisees were questioning who He was spending time with, the Lord made an incredible example about the great value of His children to Himself. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this topic.
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The standard bearer, or flag bearer, was an important figure in ancient warfare. The person designated to bear the standard of the army was not only a rallying point but also a target. In this message, I look at how the scripture teaches that Christ is our Standard Bearer.
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Even when a nation is degrading from within, there is always hope. That hope is found in the righteous living of disciples. In the second message of a series preached at Bethlehem, Brother Luke looks at the hope given by the Lord in spite of the terrible conditions of a culture.
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Mocked and hated by his brothers, sold into slavery at age 17, carted away to a foreign land, wrongfully accused and imprisoned – Joseph’s life is a testament of anguish and disappointment. But when he ascended to 2nd in command in Egypt and was blessed with 2 sons, he named them interesting names – Forgetful and Fruitful. In this message, I look at the significance of these two boys’ names.
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When something degrades it breaks down and deteriorates. If you leave a sandwich laying on the counter for a week, there are obvious signs it has degraded. The Lord describes the signs of a degraded nation in Isaiah 3. In this message, Brother Luke looks at these signs of degradation as they apply to a society like ours today.
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Date setting the return of Jesus is misleading and inappropriate. Sadly, many have tried that through the years. But looking at signs and seasons of His coming was taught by Jesus Himself. In this Wednesday night message, I look at 7 signs of the second coming of Jesus.
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In some of the easiest to understand, inspired scripture, the Apostle of love makes a profoundly simple and simply profound statement. Even a child can understand that we love God because He first loved us. Just like children are loved by their parents before they love them back, so God loves us first. In this message, I look at the subject – we love Him because He first loved us.
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Satan has many descriptions in the Bible. One of those is the strong man. Christ refers to the devil in this way. The only way to overpower a strong man is by a stronger one. In this message Brother Luke teaches about how Christ is the stronger Man Who overpowers Satan.
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If God says something is better, then it must be better. If He says someone is special, then they are special just because the Lord says so. This is not a trip for our pride, but a call to humility. If God did not make us special by His own work, we would be without hope. In this final message preached at Wilson Creek PBC, I look at this subject.
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When we bring God down to our level to feel like we have him figured out, we lose sight of His magnificence. But seeing God as He is, will baffle us. The sovereignty of God and the reality of our need for using faith, can only truly be glimpsed by acknowledging that He is the God of all possibilities.
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This message was preached by Elder Chris McCool, pastor of Zion PBC, at a Wednesday night service. Jesus caused a great upheaval, or shaking, when He came the first time and entered His temple. That first shaking, as amazing as it was, preceded the next great shaking of the universe, when He returns to take all of His children home.
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In this message preached at Wilson Creek PBC near Smyrna, TN, I look at the subject of “Going Places We Should Not Go.” With the backdrop of David’s devastating decision to leave the land of Israel and go into the land of the enemy, we can see clearly there are places we should not go as disciples of the Lord.
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In the second message of the Blooming Grove PBC communion meeting, Elder Chris McCool preaches about the parable of the treasure in the field.
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This message was preached at Blooming Grove Primitive Baptist Church near Sulligent, AL, on 6/29/24. Having been newly constituted as a Primitive Baptist Church, Elder Chris McCool and I were invited to preach their first communion meeting. The church house was full, and many had to sit in the fellowship hall.
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From a practical standpoint, how does Satan attack us? Does he appear in a red suit with a pitchfork? No, he usually comes at us through influencing people. If we are not careful, he can even influence us to attack others. In this message, I look at how our adversary attacks us.
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It is always a good idea to understand the strategies of an adversary. The greatest adversary we have is the devil. And Peter gives us specific information about the methods of Satan. Thankfully, our Advocate Jesus Christ is infinitely greater than our adversary. In this message, I look at the adversary and our Advocate.
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The disciples James wrote to were scattered from their homeland because of persecution. And like any of us would be in such a difficult situation, they had begun to complain. James reminds them of their eternally saved condition and exhorts them to focus on the word of God, which would help to deliver them in a timely way. In this message, Brother McNeil looks at this important subject.
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Listening is a gift, and it requires cultivation. Most of the time we would rather talk than listen. In this message, Brother Luke looks into the book of James, and preaches about this wonderful, Spiritual quality. To be able to listen enables us to minister to those in need and also helps us to learn and grow.
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Have you see Jesus lately? Although he is not here on the earth in bodily form, we can still see Him on a regular basis. From His ingenious creativity in nature, to the picture of His supernatural Humanness painted in the scripture, we can see visions of Him if we only look. In this message, I look at the subject of seeing Him daily.
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One of the many amazing qualities of our Lord, is the way He can overcome and overrule tragedy and sorrow. Without using sin or directing sinful occurrences, the sovereign power of our Lord enables Him to step in and turn sorrow into joy, when all seems lost, and it appears hopeless. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about this amazing truth.
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In the Biblical parenting series, I take a look at an amazing father. His name was Noah. He planned for his family even before his children were born, and in the fact of insurmountable opposition, he stood strong. Although it was not planned this way, this message actually fell on Father’s Day.
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It is unwise to compare ourselves to one another. We are all broken measures, and the word of God expressly condemns comparing with each other. But the Lord gives us ways to compare, and it is never with each other. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about how we can make right comparisons that will only help us grow in our spiritual walk.
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The Inspired word of God specializes in contrasts. Romans 12 is no exception. In verse 2 we find a stark contrast in the words conform and transform. To conform means to look like everyone else. But transform is the word we know today as “metamorphosis”. Think about how a butterfly transforms. After the Holy Spirit borns us again, we should be transforming our lives to honor the Lord.
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In this message, I continue looking at the time when the Lord ended the world with a flood. It was not the failure of government. It was the failure of the family. This should be a warning to us today as we see the continued decline of God’s initial form of government – the family.
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Have you ever wondered why the Lord sent the flood in the days of Noah? What was the root problem? Was the government passing ungodly and overreaching laws? Did the Lord just arbitrarily decide to wipe everything out and start over? In this message, I take a look at this question.
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When we consider how God does not change in his commitment to eternally save us, it should inspire us to be faithful to Him. Sadly, if we are honest with ourselves, our faithfulness is very lacking. We are drawn away so easily from serving Him. In this message, Brother Luke relates how God’s faithfulness should inspire us to faithfulness.
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In this message, I continue a series on Bible-based parenting. There are some horrible examples in the Bible of parents who did not teach their children. One of those examples is found in I Samuel. In this message I look at the preacher’s, or to be accurate, the priest’s kids.
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Our eternal life is a non-refundable gift from God. It cannot be taken away and praise God we cannot do something to lose it. And Paul directs the young preacher Timothy to lay hold on the eternal life God has given him. If we can lay hold on it, then it is possible to not lay hold on it. This does not mean we lose it, but it means we do not feel the effect of it like we should. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks about Laying Hold on Eternal Life.
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In the book of Joshua, we find a father of a family who disobeyed the Lord and brought an “accursed thing” into his home. It had the effect of destroying his family completely. The phrase “accursed thing” means a doomed object. I wonder how many doomed objects we may have in our own homes. I call this message The Accursed Thing.
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In this message, Brother Luke takes up another difficult subject, that is so relevant to us today. Our society is saturated with sinful sexuality. God’s children need to hear what God’s word says about this topic. The Bible refers to this sin as fornication. From the TV to the internet, from billboards to books, this temptation is everywhere.
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There is an old saying that is given as a warning to small children – do not take candy from strangers. In this message, I add to that phrase a bit. Do not take ANYTHING from strangers. Using the word of God, this message explores how dangerous it is to take advice, counsel, friendship, or anything at all, from those who do not have our best interest in mind.
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Recently while preaching a series on teaching our children, it occurred to me how often the perfect Son of God continued to surface in my studies. This led me to preach this message on the perfect Son. There is no better child to observe than the most perfect One who ever lived. In this message, I look at the Perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
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The more we are trained in Godly conduct and responses, the more we are likely to have an automatic response of Godliness, when situations arise. In this message, Brother Luke uses detailed examples to show how we can be trained to respond to our circumstances in ways that honor the Lord. The title of this message is Automatic Godliness.
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How Important is the love of God? Brother Paul Blair looks at this question in the Sunday morning message at Bethlehem. In this message entitled “The Love of God”, the annual meeting was concluded.
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In the final message of the day, Brother Josh looks again at the example of Abraham. Here we learn that Abraham found all of the answers he was looking for in the Lord.
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During the afternoon service, Brother Paul Blair asked another question: Why did you join the church? I now share with you that message.
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Here is the 2nd message preached at the recent annual meeting by Elder Paul Blair, pastor of New Antioch PBC in Lexington, TN. In this message Brother Paul addresses the age-old question of how do you know when you are in love.
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There were riddles my parents imposed on me when I was child. Why could I not watch TV all day? Why could I not eat jelly at every meal? Why could I not watch the soap opera with my grandmother? I did not learn the answer to these riddles until many years later, after I was grown. These were reproofs that my parents taught me. Like riddles, they often do not make sense until years go by. In this message, I take a look at the riddle of reproof.
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I share with you the first message from our recent May meeting at Bethlehem. In this message, Elder Josh Winslett, pastor of Beulah Primitive Baptist Church in Leeds, AL, preaches from Genesis 15. The title of the message is “Our Reward.”
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In this message, Brother Luke begins a series about pitfalls and snares that can ruin our lives. Some of those snares may not start out as an outright sin. But just because something is not in and of itself sinful, does not mean it is beneficial to us. Brother Luke takes up an important and timely subject that falls into this category.
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As parents, we are very sensitive when someone tells us there is something wrong with our children. But the truth is, there is something wrong with all children. The major problem is they come from us, their parents. And they take on our sinful nature. In this message, I look at this subject and how God’s word gives specific instruction for parents to deal with this major issue.
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In this sermon, Brother Luke preaches about the importance of saving our houses. By looking at examples of houses that were doomed by the actions of the father, and comparing that to fathers’ whose actions saved their houses in might way, we can see just how important it is to focus on saving our houses.
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This message was preached on a Wednesday night by Elder John Morgan Owens, member of Zion PBC. In this message, Brother John Morgan points out how we are living in a time when there is no time for half measures. The culture is dark and growing darker, and our stand for truth must be firm and kind, not shaky and wavering.
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In this message, I begin a series on Bible Based Parenting. Parents are inundated with different “How To” books regarding parenting. But the best parenting book ever written was written by God Himself. There is great and detailed instruction in God’s Word about how parents should love and teach their children.
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God-called ministers are referred to in various ways in the Bible. From the unique “under-oarsman” of I Cor.4 to the “ox” of I Cor. 9, the descriptions are unique and wide-ranging. But each description carries with it a clear message of how the ministry was created by God for serving God’s people, not lording over them. In this message, I look at the unique term applied to the ministry in Hebrews 13 – the soul watcher.
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Today on the podcast, I share a message preached on a Wednesday night by Brother Luke. Jesus told us to “Remember Lot’s wife.” We should perk up and pay attention to this because Jesus tells us to remember her. If we look at her life, as well as the situation she was in with her family, we can learn valuable life lessons. This is what Jesus intended by bringing Lot’s wife to our attention.
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The Bible teaches more than one type of resurrection. From the resurrection of Christ to resurrections we can experience in a timely sense, we find various resurrections taught. On this past Easter Sunday, Brother Luke presents a timely message on Four Resurrections.
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Preaching in parables was a teaching method that Jesus used. In some ways, parables were like a code designed to hide truth from some and reveal truth to others. It takes a spiritual mind to understand the truth of a parable. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the purpose of parables.
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Good decision making is something we should all be interested in. For the child of God, there is a clear path to making decisions that honor God, especially in difficult times. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about what the Bible teaches on this subject.
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Born again children of God have the privilege of learning about Christ. From the moment of being quickened by the Spirit, we have an opportunity to learn more and more about our Savior. In this message, I look at how this works.
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The Book of Ephesians offers a perfect balance of doctrine and practice. The 1st 3 chapters are focused primarily on doctrine, and the last 3 on practical living. In this message, I look at the doctrine presented in the second chapter – how we are quickened, or born again.
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A lot of different things may attract us to the church. It might be the friendliness of a congregation, congregational singing, or even the sharing of a meal at church. But many are drawn by a revelatory and often new understanding of salvation by grace alone. Whatever brings a child of God to the truth, it is the truth of God’s grace that keeps them grounded.
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God’s creation is amazing for many reasons. One reason is because the very design of certain created creatures, teaches us great lessons. In this message, Brother Luke presents how 4 of God’s creations teach us important and valuable lessons.
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It is easy to fall into the trap of constantly asking, “What’s wrong with people?” Although there may be times to ask that question, the real question is what Paul asked in Romans 7: What’s wrong with me? The way he looked at the conflict within – between the old human nature and the new spiritual nature – caused him to ask this question. In this message, I take a look at that question – What’s wrong with me?
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Self-Examination can be difficult. But it is very easy to examine others, while overlooking our own shortcomings. That is human nature. In this message, Brother Luke points out that when we fail to self-examine, and yet still criticize others, it is like swallowing a camel while straining at a gnat.
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We often face such troubled times and darkness, until it is difficult to see that the Lord is there. But the Lord made a promise to His children in the book of Hebrews. In this message, I look at that promise. It reveals to us that even when we cannot see Him or feel Him, He is there.
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What does it mean to have a “good life?” The post-modern Christian culture would propose a very different definition of a good life, versus the word of God. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at what it means for a child of God to experience a good life.
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When is the last time you heard about a sovereign God, who answers to no one, does as He please, and never has to ask our permission to save us? This is what I refer to as “Big God Theology.” In this message, I look at what God says about Himself in His word.
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In part 2 of the message on Romans 10, Brother Luke continues to look at the true context of this famous chapter. Was Paul making an offer of eternal salvation? Or was he showing how born-again children of God can exit the slavish prison of thinking their confession or work is what takes them to heaven?
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It is very easy to feed our human nature. Sometimes we even create situations that set us up for temptation. Recognizing how easy this occurs is the first step to resisting. In this message, Brother Luke examines how we can resist feeding lust or temptation.
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Darkness is everywhere today. The forces of Satan are coming at us in all areas of our lives. But darkness is not a new thing, it has been vexing God’s people for ages. In this message, I look at how darkness has come to the kingdom of God at different times, just as it is today. I hope it will encourage us to push back against the darkness we are facing.
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Romans chapter 10 is often called the “Roman Road of Salvation”. When saying this, most are thinking about the way we get to heaven, or eternal salvation. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the true meaning of Romans 10, within the context of the Apostle’s Paul foundation laid in the previous 9 chapters. When viewed in this light, it becomes very clear that Paul was not teaching about an eternal deliverance. So, what was he teaching? Listen to part 1 of this message to find out.
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If required to buy a lifetime’s worth of gas when I turned 16, it would have broken me financially. Thankfully, we don’t have to do that. We get the gas we need as we go along. The Lord does this with us. When we think we are forsaken or forgotten, the Lord provides what we need as we go along. Whether it was manna in the desert or even the covenant of redemption, in this message I look at how He provides what we need at the right time.
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John 3:16 is probably the most well known verse in the Bible. It is also possibly the most misunderstood. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this popular verse, and presents an accurate view of what it means.
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As believers in salvation by grace alone, we often hear the question – Why do you preach if you believe God does all the saving? This question presumes that the gospel is a part of saving us eternally. But that is not the purpose of the gospel. In this message, Brother Luke answers the question about why we preach.
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In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at modern day sorcery, or trickery. Even though it may not look exactly like it once did, deception and trickery are the tools of Satan even today. We must be aware of the ways in which we can be tricked into believing things that aren’t true.
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In this message, I look at how we can cultivate our faith. God is the giver of faith, and sadly, it often takes some amazing providence from God to cause us to grow in our faith towards Him. But whether we see some great miracle, or if we just look at Who He is, it should cause us to strengthen and increase our trust in Him.
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In this message, I continue to look at what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Previously I examined what it does not look like, in the examples of Lot and Job’s miserable comforters. Now I begin to look at how we nurture and encourage what Christ refers to as His wife.
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When Jesus told the bed-ridden man to take up his bed and walk, it was because Jesus had already done something to him. This is a beautiful picture of God’s mercy. First, He gives spiritual life to a wretched sinner, and then commands them to obey Him. It is not the other way around. In this message, Brother Luke demonstrates how we receive life first, then we are able to follow the Lord in discipleship.
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The Church of Christ is described as a body and as the wife of Christ. This week I focus on what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Rather than thinking about an ecclesiastical, untouchable term, I look at how we nurture and encourage the people that make up the body of Christ.
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According to the scripture, being born again is a “must” for the child of God. The question is – how does it happen? Do we do something to contribute to it? The answer is no. Just as we do not contribute to our natural birth, neither do we contribute to our spiritual birth. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the glorious truth of being born again, and how it is all the merciful work of God.
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The Bible provides a lot of information about the fool. There are very stark lessons about the consequences of being associated with a Biblical fool or with the wise. In this message Brother Luke looks at several ways a fool can be identified. From their attitude to their emotions, a fool can be identified. The first step begins with a look in the mirror, then learning how to apply God’s word.
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On the first Sunday of 2024, my thoughts were stirred towards the church of God. Among the descriptions of God’s church, the Lord refers to His church as a body, a bride and a family. And He is the Creator of the physical body, the very first bride and even the initial governing authority – the family. In this message, I look at these beautiful descriptions.
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Asking how much someone weighs is normally an inappropriate question, especially to females! In this message, though, I ask that question in a different way. If the burdens we carry that weigh us down were physical and visible to all, how much would we weigh? There are so many carrying such heavy burdens. Thankfully, the Word of God speaks directly to us about how to manage those heavy loads.
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In the ongoing series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Luke looks at another “hot topic”. Did Christ’s sacrifice atone for the sins of all people in general, or did He atone specifically for the sins of His chosen. The scripture answers this very plainly, that Christ atoned for the sins of His people, and not an open-ended number that made salvation possible. Much of this truth is discovered in the very words of Christ Himself. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the important subject of the Atonement.
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In this message from Christmas Eve, I look at one of the foundational beliefs in Christianity. This is what I call a “no brainer”. Or at least it was until the recent times. The virgin birth was prophesied beginning in the Garden of Eden after the fall, and additional, detailed information about the “seed of the woman” was given thousands of years later by Isaiah. In this message, I look at the truth that the Son of God was born of a virgin.
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The word “save” occurs many times in the New Testament. Most of the time, it is not referring to eternal salvation, but to timely deliverances. Recently in the series on David, I spoke about the untimely demise of King Saul, and how he made shipwreck of his life because of his terrible decisions. His rebellion against God even led to the death of his own sons. Paul wrote to Timothy about saving himself and the people that he pastored. This was not anything remotely close to eternal salvation, but an experience of deliverance here and now based on Godly decision making. In this message, I look at how you can save yourself in this way.
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If the topic of election comes up nowadays, most would probably respond that they voted or didn’t vote. But when it comes to the Bible, election is a completely different subject. In the word of God, this refers to God’s sovereign act of picking or choosing His people. In the series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Lukes takes up this often misunderstood yet glorious topic.
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The end of Saul’s life is one of the most tragic in the Bible. In Saul’s death, we see the sad reality of a child of God who habitually rebelled against God until the Lord refused to intervene any longer. I hope this stands as a vivid lesson to us, that we should continue to humble ourselves, examine ourselves and beg God to continue to have mercy and guide us.
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We all have times of reflection. Especially in tragedies or difficulties, we are confronted with our circumstances and reflect. David had a moment like this in a place he never should have been – the land of the Philistines. In the life of David series, I come to an epoch moment for David. He went to war against the will of God, almost went to war against his own nation, and now he has lost his family. In such times of tragedy, my prayer is that we could all react as David did.
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In this message Brother Luke continues a series on the basics of our beliefs. Having begun with the authority of God’s word and continued with the sovereignty of God, now this message focuses on the depravity of man. When Adam sinned in the garden, did he become mostly good with a little bit of bad within? Or did he become mostly bad with a little bit of good in him? Brother Luke addresses these questions and others in this message.
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In this message, I look at the 2nd thing that kept David focused during times of great distress. As he was continually pursued by Saul and betrayed by his own kin, David focused on his faith in God and worshipping the Lord. In this broken world where we are continually harassed and pursued by Satan, we can experience victory in these two things just like David did.
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One of the major hurdles to overcome in understanding salvation by grace, is the sovereignty of God. God’s children usually agree that God is sovereign in general terms. But when we get into the details of His sovereign authority to choose whomever He will to receive salvation, this is when it becomes more difficult to digest. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the truth of God’s sovereignty in salvation.
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In the Life of David series, I come to the 19th recorded time that Saul tried to destroy David. How could a person make it through that much trauma? It is likely that 10 years have now passed since David faced off with Goliath. In this message, I begin to look at what enabled David to make it through such troubled times.
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What is the basis for our beliefs? Some use their experience, or feelings, or science – the list can go on. If we let the word of God be the authority on which we base our beliefs, it is life changing. In this message, Brother Luke begins a series on what we believe. And the starting point for our beliefs must be the authority of God’s word.
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In the life of David series, we come to the death of 2 great men, who were great for very different reasons. I Samuel 25 opens with the death of the great man Samuel – last of the Judges, arguably one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. The chapter closes with the death of another great man – Nabal. But Nabal was only great in the sense that he had many possessions, many cattle and much land. As a person, Nabal wicked and cruel. In this message, I look at how David’s life intertwined with these 2 men.
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Forbearance is not a common word today. For the child of God, it should be. Forbearance means to hold back, or to put up with. The opposite of forbearance is to express intolerance towards another. In a time when churches seem to be crumbling everywhere, Brother Luke preaches a needed message about how we should practice forbearance, for the sake of peace and to glorify our Lord.
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In the life of David series, I come to an amazing account of providence. Urged on by his own men to kill Saul, David is faced with getting ahead of God’s will, and possibly committing a horrible crime. Instead, David chooses to stand on the promises of God and overcome evil with good. This is a pattern for all of God’s children to follow.
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Sometimes encouragement comes from the most unusual sources. David experienced that firsthand while he was on the run from Saul. In this message, I look at how Saul’s own son Jonathan, came to encourage David. It took great effort and personal risk for Jonathan to do this, and we should follow this kind of example in how we encourage each other.
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The word “gospel” means good news. A great majority of the tactics used in the religious world are scare tactics. But that is not good news. The gospel should never be something that strikes fear in the heart of a child of God but should be good news. In this message, Brother Luke warns about such scare tactics.
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There are decrees of God that no power can prevent. But there are countless possibilities that we all face when making decisions in our lives, and God knows them all. Thankfully our eternal salvation is a not a possibility, but a reality. As God’s children, we should be seeking the best possibilities for our lives. David experienced this when he was on the run from Saul. The sovereignty of God doesn’t just encompass the things that do happen, but all of the possibilities that could happen. This should enable us to have a more magnified view of God.
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If I told you the dumbest thing I had ever done was smarter than the smartest thing you ever did – you would feel insulted. But God’s word tells us that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. And if God’s “foolishness” is wiser than the wisest man, wouldn’t it be better to listen to God? In this message, Brother Luke shows how doing things God’s way is better than anyone else’s way, including our own.
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David the king goes from running scared and acting like a madman, to hiding in a cave and eventually a forest. In both instances we find David penning beautiful, Holy Spirit-inspired psalms of praise. He was literally hiding, but he was also hiding in the praises of God. This is a lesson for us when we are running scared. The Lord is always praiseworthy, and we can hide in His praises no matter our circumstance.
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Lord Lead Me On
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LordLead.Me_.On_.mp3O When Shall I See Jesus
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/O.When_.Shall_.I.See_.Jesus_.mp3When I Go Home
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/When.I.Go_.Home_.mp3Cast Down But Not Destroyed
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Cast.Down_.But_.Not_.Destroyed.mp3Biblical Faith
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Biblical.Faith_.mp3Day by Day
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Day.by_.Day_.mp3Life Eternal
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Life.Eternal.mp3Awake
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Awake.mp3Where is Your Faith?
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Where.Is_.Your_.Faith_.mp3I’ll Fly Away
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Ill.Fly_.Away_.mp3Who Am I?
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Who.Am_.I.mp3Where the Soul Never Dies
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Where.the_.Soul_.Never_.Dies_.mp3Oh Christ He is the Fountain
http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Oh.Christ.He_.is_.the_.Fountain.mp3How Great Thou Art
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In the final message of the Anniversary meeting, Lic. Tim Lawrence, who is a member of Bethel PBC in Nashville, TN, preaches about God remembering us. We often forget things on a daily basis. We can even forget about the Lord at times. But it is comforting to know that the Lord will never forget us – He remembers His covenant and His children.
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In the 2nd message of the anniversary meeting, Elder Danny Wisner, pastor of Irwinville PBC in Irwinville, GA, preaches a message about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. Taking an often-misunderstood section of scripture, Bro. Danny brings out the clear teaching on this subject – that all of the 10 represent children of God.
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We experienced a joyous time of worship recently in the Anniversary Meeting at Bethlehem. I wanted to share with you a selection of songs from the various song services during that time of festive celebration of our Lord and Savior.
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The following is a link for the individual songs:
Congregational Singing / Anniversary Meeting / Individual Tracks – Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church (bethlehempbc.org)
In the first message of the 2023 Anniversary meeting, Elder Adam Green, pastor of Old Union PBC near Hot Springs, AK, preaches about the good Samaritan. In a beautiful comparison, Brother Adam looks at how the good Samaritan is a picture of our Savior.
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In part 2 of Praise from a Cave, I continue to look at the beautiful Psalm that David preached from a cave, following a close call with death. In the strangest of places and out of the deepest of despair, the Lord showed David that He was with David no matter where he went.
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When we prevent ourselves from giving in to temptation, it keeps us from much suffering. But when we give in, we suffer. Thankfully that is not the end. The Lord extends great mercy to great sinners. In this message, Brother Luke concludes the series on prevent, suffer, and recover. He looks at 3 amazing examples where disciples made huge mistakes. Even though they thought God was through with them, His mercy proved otherwise.
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After a near death experience in Gath, David finally started listening to the Lord. He went from running away from Saul in fear, fleeing into the land of the enemy, then finally finding rest in the strangest of places – a cave. There the Lord blessed David with clarity of mind, insight and direction, in a place we would least likely expect. But that is the way the Lord works.http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/09.24.23.Praise.from_.a.Cave_.pt_.1.Tim_.McCool.mp309.24.23.Praise.from.a.Cave.pt.1.Tim.McCool
In the next message on prevent, suffer, and recover, we see how we can suffer tremendous consequences as a result of not preventing sin. It would be much more honoring to God to suffer for serving the Lord, rather than for giving in to temptation. The cycle of preventing, suffering and recovering is something we all deal with. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on the suffering we experience for not preventing sin.
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With a belly full of holy bread and traveling with a pack of lies, David the King took the weapon of his vanquished foe, then fled into the land of the enemy. He took refuge in the last place he should have ever considered. But like David, this is what we often do – we flee to the land of the enemy, thinking there is refuge there. In this message, I continue the series on the life of David.
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If we are honest, we will find ourselves sometimes preventing the consequences of sin by listening to wise counsel, while at other times we fail to make good decisions and suffer the consequences of our sins. And even in those situations when we suffer, God’s mercy often spares us further suffering and we recover. To prevent, to suffer or to recover – this is an ongoing cycle we experience. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on the preventing part.
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In the Life of David series, I look at David as he lies to the priest, eats the holy bread, and takes the sword of Goliath to defend himself. In a strange twist of irony, David somehow thinks that the sword of the vanquished giant, that did not protect Goliath from David’s stone, will now protect David! This is how we often think. We will quickly run to things of this world that are no protection for the child of God.
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When a man and a woman are married, in God’s eyes they become one. This is a mystery, as they are still two separate people. But the Lord is able to create a unity that did not exist before. This is true for marriages, families and churches. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how the solitary are set in families – how we go from alone to united.
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The providence of God in our lives is amazing. But we often miss it or even miss out on it, when we fail to recognize his power and His Presence. In this message, using the example of David, I speak about the providence of God and look at how it works in our lives.
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The kingdom of God is mentioned over and over again in the New Testament. Most of the time it is referred to as something relative to here and now, and not exclusively heaven. In this message, Brother Luke relates how we are expected to press into the kingdom here and now.
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David went from shepherd boy to anointed king, from nobody to somebody, from zero to hero. After the Lord blessed him, as the true king of Israel, to defeat Goliath, many pitfalls and snares came to him through his fame. I believe this a very timely today, when so many desire to be influencers and famous. This message is called “The Dangers of Fame.”
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Some believe every event that happens, no matter how confusing or tragic it may be, is somehow the will of God. But does the Bible teach this? On the contrary, wicked acts and tragedies occur that are clearly contrary to the will of God. Certain decreed events, like the sacrifice of Christ, will occur without …
Through the years, much debate has occurred over what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself.” With the backdrop of Jonathan’s loyal friendship with King David, I explore the meaning of this subject. 08.21.23.Our.Loyalty.to.Royalty.Tim.McCool
Probably the most misunderstood verse in the Bible is Romans 8:28. The true meaning of this verse provides the greatest assurance a child of God can have. But it is not what the majority of God’s children understand it to mean. In this message, Brother Luke preaches on the true meaning of Romans 8:28. 08.21.23.The.True.Meaning.of.Romans.8.28.Luke.Hagler
The account of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known events in the Bible. There is an image in our minds of a shepherd boy facing off against a 10-foot-tall giant. David was probably closer to 18, but regardless, Goliath was a frightening opponent. In this message, I look at the reality of …
David’s life was an open book. As one of the most written about characters in the Bible, there is little that we do not know. In fact, we learn more about David’s early life than even Jesus. There are great lessons to learn from the life of David. In this message, I look at the …
It is important how we see each other. All through the Bible, there are examples of seeing others incorrectly. The Lord always sees us in the right way, and we should strive to see each other as the Lord sees us. In this sermon, I look at the various ways that people viewed the blind …
When difficult times come, usually we call for help or aid from a lot of sources. But the Lord is so often the last one we call. The truth is, that we should call upon the Lord first, because He is the One most able to help us. In this message, Brother Luke looks at …
In this message, I look at the last article of faith. An old saying goes like this: “You saved the best for last.” There is no way to rank these truths, but in a way, this last article of faith may be considered as the best, just because it will happen at the last – …
In this message, Brother McNeil looks at examples in the scripture of how God comforts us in the midst of suffering. Life is filled with trouble and trials. Some of it we bring on ourselves, but when we suffer for serving the Lord, there is a comfort that the Lord brings to us, if we …
In the fundamentals of the faith series, I come to the 2nd ordinance – The Lord’s Supper. In contrast to the public baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ, this 2nd ordinance was more private and intimate. After the conclusion of the Passover meal, Jesus implemented His own funeral festival – the sacred observance of his …
Ecclesiastes 7:5 gives us good advice: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. The songs of fools are everywhere, and not just in the form of actual music and singing. In this message, Brother Luke teaches how we should resist listening to …
In the ongoing fundamentals of the faith series, I look at Article 7 of Zion Primitive Baptist Church. This particular statement of faith has to do with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. In this message, I consider the foundational teaching of believer’s baptism. 07.09.23.Believers.Baptism.Tim.McCool
To cast bread upon the water goes against nature. But the Lord commands this in Ecclesiastes, and it will yield a significant return if He blesses. The mystery of the kingdom of God often seems illogical, but our Lord often moves in ways that defy logic. In this message, McNeil Honea looks at the Lord’s …
In “Christ the Pursuer”, I look at the way Christ pursued us, like a husband pursues his bride. The Lord set the ultimate example of pursuit, in His relentless push to save us from our sins and make us his Holy Bride. On a practical note, Christ set an example for young men today who …
Tests of discipleship are many and varied. From dry spiritual seasons to tragedies, from persecution to temptation – there are many ways we encounter tests of our commitment to the Lord. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on an often-overlooked test of discipleship – whether or not we embrace the doctrine of Christ. 07.02.23.When.Doctrine.Tests.Your.Discipleship.Luke.Hagler.mp3
If Charity were auctioned at an auction, would anyone bid for it? As one of the most valuable possessions any child of God could ever have, is there really any value placed on it today? In this message, Brother Luke looks at the price of charity. 06.28.23.The.Price.of.Charity.Luke.Hagler
In the final message on the taking a stand series, Brother Luke looks at the aftermath of Elijah’s greatest stand. From boldly standing up to the hundreds of prophets of Baal, to running away from Jezebel, Elijah teaches us great lessons about what it means to take a stand. 06.25.23.The.Aftermath.of.Taking.a.Stand.Luke.Hagler
The word “reckon” in Romans 8:18 means “to take inventory”, like the inventory taken when someone dies. When it comes to suffering for serving our Lord, we should take inventory of our spiritual inheritance through Christ. When compared to the suffering we endure for serving him, they do not belong in the same category. 06.18.23.Time.To.Take.Inventory.Tim.McCool
Shortly after Elijah took an amazing stand against hundreds of false prophets, we find him running from one woman – Jezebel. In this message, Brother Luke observes the astonishing way in which Elijah went from a literal mountain top experience, to running from Jezebel and having suicidal thoughts under a juniper tree. 06.18.23.Running.From.Jezebel.Luke.Hagler
Every word in the Bible is important and inspired by the Holy Spirit. There are no wasted words by the Lord. It is significant that the Lord tells us Ruth and Naomi arrived back in Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. In this message, I look at why this was so important for them, …
Over 100 life application topics are covered in the book of Proverbs. There can be no doubt that God’s Word speaks to any issue we may encounter. In this message, I take a look at 2 dangerous people that we are warned about in the Proverbs – the evil man and the strange woman. 06.04.23.Two.Dangerous.People.Tim.McCool
In the ongoing series on “taking a stand”, Brother Luke comes to the pivotal point in Elijah’s life that defined him as a prophet, who was not afraid to take a stand. In the great competition that took place before the king and all the nation, Elijah, hopelessly outnumbered, faces down the prophets of Baal in a showdown for the ages.
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There are many spirits in the world. This does not just refer to demons and angels. At a football game there is the spirit of enthusiasm, or watching a movie can convey a spirit to a person, especially if it is a scary movie. When someone consumes too much alcohol, the spirit of the alcohol affects them. Basically, a spirit can be something that animates us. In this context, is the spirit that animates us good or bad? In this message, I take a look at what it means to try the spirits.
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In the ongoing series on Elijah, Brother Luke Hagler presents the next message. In the coming storm the prophet would face, the Lord was equipping Elijah. Obadiah was one of the encouragers sent by the Lord to strengthen him. In the coming days, Elijah would need to remember this experience. Like Elijah, we often forget the encouragers the Lord sends our way.
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It seems that one of the most confusing issues in Christendom, is the relationship between faith and the gospel. Does the gospel impart faith to a child of God when it is preached? Many believe this, but the scripture teaches something quite different. In this message, Brother Luke presents the Bible teaching about the connection between faith and the gospel.
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In the Sunday morning message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents “Returning to the Garden.” The creation of the world began with our fore-parents in a garden, where paradise was lost to all of mankind. And our eternal deliverance back to the paradise of heaven occurred in a garden, when Christ arose. Until we reach the garden city of heaven, there are ways in which we, by the grace of God, can return to the garden of the Lord.
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In the Sunday morning message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents “Returning to the Garden.” The creation of the world began with our fore-parents in a garden, where paradise was lost to all of mankind. And our eternal deliverance back to the paradise of heaven occurred in a garden, when Christ arose. Until we reach the garden city of heaven, there are ways in which we, by the grace of God, can return to the garden of the Lord.
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In the last message of the day, Josh Coker presents the subject of suffering for the name of Christ. In order to suffer for serving God, a child of God must have a proper perspective of life. Jesus taught us to be of good cheer, even when mistreated. The only way we can do this is to understand that life is not about us, but about God’s glory.
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In the afternoon service of the meeting, Michael Gowens presents 3 characteristics to look for when identifying a cult. This is a pressing need for God’s children to identify such groups, especially when they masquerade as Christ-based. The 3 identifying factors are 1) unaccountable leadership, 2) a mistaken view of who God is, and 3) false teaching about how we are saved.
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In the 2nd message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents an overview of the book of Acts. The first act reveals that Christ went up. The 2nd act shows the Spirit coming down. And the 3rd and final act sets forth the church going out to spread the truth.
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In our present age, there is a great lack of direction, a lack of purpose for God’s children. When David arrived at the battlefield – where Goliath was blaspheming the name of God – he asked, is there not a cause? God’s people need a cause, and not just any cause, but a cause that is higher than themselves. People without purpose live without hope. In this message Josh Coker, pastor of Vestavia PBC, looks at the greatest cause a child of God can have.
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In this message, I look at Article 6 of Zion PBC. This is one of the truths that draws a clear line from all other teachings. The new birth occurs to every single chosen child of God, but there is confusion on how it happens. Here I look at what the Bible teaches about it, which is what practically all Baptists embraced in years gone by! And if we embrace this truth about God’s sovereignty, one can only conclude that all glory belongs to God in the new birth!
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In the ongoing series on taking a stand, Brother Luke looks at the next miraculous event in the life of Elijah the prophet. As Elijah experienced more and more of the provision of God in hostile and dangerous times, he collected more and more tools to use in the future. In this situation, Elijah would no doubt look back and remember the widow of Zarephath.
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In the final message of the Minor Prophet series, I look at the last verses of the book of Malachi. The prophet used beautiful imagery to describe the rising of the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings. The future sunrise of the Messiah pointed to the sun set on the old covenant.
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This is a time of spiritual warfare. If we think we can sit on the sideline and watch as the war rages, we are kidding ourselves. The culture wars that are raging before our very eyes will affect us now or later. In this message, I look at the pressing need that is upon us as Christians to recognize the war, and to get into the fight.
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In a recent message, I talked about how the things we say can offend others. In this message, I take a look at the brother offended – the one who has been hurt by the words or actions of another. The Lord provides clear and simple instruction about how to deal with being offended, and this is one of the tests of being a true disciple.
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Continuing a series on taking a stand, Brother Luke looks in depth at the ministry of Elijah the prophet. In this message, he brings out the miraculous way that God sustained Elijah in a time of famine – an amazing providence that Elijah no doubt looked back on and remembered the ravens.
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Can a man rob God? This is an interesting question posed by the last of the minor prophets, Malachi. While this is normally used in the sad context of those who would fleece the flock to give more money, the true context penetrates a deeper level than simply the giving of money. In this message, I take a look at the question Malachi asked.
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A popular children’s saying goes like this: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. This is a lie. In the time we live, we see words – especially online – that can have the effect of leading someone to tragically take their own life. In this message, I look at the wise old Proverbs to help us understand the tremendous impact of our words.
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Now is the time in history when disciples of Christ must take a stand for truth. It is not the time to be silent, but in a loving, firm way, make the truth known in our lives and conversations. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how men and women through the years were able to take firm stands in the face of overwhelming political oppositions.
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There are different challenges we can take in the Bible. These challenges have to do with how much we trust the Lord or not. In this message, I present the Bible Commitment Challenge, which is a guaranteed way to clear up our thinking.
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One of the greatest accounts of the miracles of Christ is the feeding of the 5000. With very little money, a tiny amount of food, and no natural way to feed such a multitude, the Lord was not deterred. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about the ways in which the Lord even today feeds us in the wilderness that we encounter.
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Sinners are going to sin. And sometimes sinners saved by grace will go off in directions that makes them appear as though they are not children of God. But the Lord has given us promises that cannot fail. In this message, Brother Luke brings the truth of God’s faithfulness to bear in the sad circumstance of wayward children of God.
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When news is presented to us, there are multiple opinions given on how the news is to be interpreted. Most commonly we see a liberal or conservative take on the news. But when it comes to figuring out truth, whose opinion matters? In this message, Lic. McNeil Honea addresses this question.
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In the next message on the minor prophets, I look at Malachi’s message to ministers. The Old Testament “minister” was the priest, who was given the charge of the spiritual welfare of the people. But God was not pleased with the way the ministry was handling itself. God’s message through Malachi to the ministry should ring true to the ministry today.
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In last week’s message I spoke about the need for change in a child of God’s life. This week I take a look at how change works. There are 2 primary lessons taught about what change looks like – to renovate our thinking and to refresh our minds. In this message, I speak about how this plays out for us when we change.
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A snare is a way to trap a small animal without the animal knowing it. As the noose of the snare tightens and the animal realizes it is trapped, it will struggle, which only tightens the noose of the snare. Satan is the great snare-layer for God’s people. In this message, Brother Luke takes a look at how we can become snared before we realize it.
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Ever heard the phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that phrase is not in the Bible. Young or old, born-again children of God need to change. It is not a one-time act, but an ongoing life of repentance – turning and changing from the course of sin we so often follow. In this message, I take a look at some examples of those who changed, or repented, from the way they were thinking and acting.
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Is God a concept to us or can He actually be felt by us today? Is He relatable and touchable? Obviously, no one can put hands on Jesus like the Apostles could, but does that limit God to a mere concept? In this message, Brother Luke helps us to see that we can feel God, and He is not just a concept.
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Many Christians ask questions of God, as if He is failing to do something for them. But the Lord has already taken care of all our needs by dying on the cross for our sins. In the days of Malachi the prophet, the people of Israel were asking similar inappropriate questions. In this message from the book of Malachi, I look at Malachi’s Monument to Mercy, which is God’s answer to the off-base questions they had about Him.
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Music is everywhere. From gas station pumps to crowded restaurants, it seems our lives are set to music. Some say that music is just a personal preference and really has no impact. But the truth is God created music, so it belongs to Him. And we are kidding ourselves if we think music has no impact. In this message, I take a look at music from a Biblical view, and consider the impact music has on all of us – good or bad.
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The Apostle Paul said that if there had been a law you could keep to get to heaven, it would have been the law given to Moses. But that was not the purpose of the law and there is no way to keep a law in order to go to heaven. Rather, we live under the law of life in Christ. In this message, Brother Luke explains how the only way to make it to heaven is by the Lord keeping the law for us.
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The writer of Psalm 77 was overwhelmed with worry. In seeking God, he found no relief. But he continued to seek the Lord, and eventually found what he needed. If the Psalmist had stopped seeking, he would never have experienced the glory of the Lord and relief from his worry. In this message, I look at how we can all go from worry to wonder, just like the Psalmist.
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In this message, I look at the prophecies of Jesus in the book of Zechariah. The prophecies are descriptive and graphic, and cover only about a 40-50 day time frame in the life of Jesus. One could almost consider portions of Zechariah as the “5th” gospel. I call this message “The Graphic Gospel of Zechariah.”
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A benchmark is a point of reference. We often use benchmarks to assess and see where we are. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks about “Spiritual Benchmarks,” as a way to assess our spiritual walk and see what out goals are and where we are.
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It seemed hopeless and pointless for wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. The Christ was dead, and even though he had not consented to the wicked deeds of the Sanhedrin, there was nothing he could do now. But as he gazed upon the dead Messiah, hanging bloodied and lifeless on the cross – one burning thought came to his mind – how to get his hands on the dead body of Jesus. In this message, I look at the lengths he went to in order to get his hands on Jesus.
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At the end of all things, Jesus will not discuss doctrine. This does not mean doctrine is not important, but when we arrive at the fulfillment of Matthew 25, everyone at that point will believe the same thing! Rather, Jesus will talk about events that occured during our lives that involved Him. Interestingly, at least 2 (and arguably 3) of the 6 things he speaks of, involve the table. In this message, I look at the important of “Kitchen Table Evangelism.”
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When things are going good, we don’t usually give much thought about things going bad. But we should be preparing for bad times, when things are going good. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the great example of Asa, who fortified the defenses of the nation during a time of national peace.
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In this message I continue to look at the 10 visions of Zechariah. The prophet was inundated with 10 visions in a single night. The theme of the visions continues to compare the city of Babylon with the city of God. And, as usual, the city of God ultimately prevails. I entitle this message “The Branch beats Babylon.”
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With the powerful Egyptian army bearing down on them, positioned between two mountain ranges in a mouth-like gorge that opened onto the shore of the Red Sea, the children of Israel seemed to be in dire straits. But the Lord had placed them right where he wanted them, so he could spring his trap on Pharoah. In this message, I look at the ways we often find ourselves trapped, but the Lord provides a path that is unexpected.
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We often feel alone, isolated, and like no one is on our side. The medicine to take when we feel this way is Psalm 124. In this message, Brother Luke expresses the comfort we can receive in knowing the Lord is on our side.
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The Lord expects us to seek His guidance. How does that work? What does it look like? Is it just a warm, fuzzy feeling we may get about a decision? In a message entitled “Divine Guidance,” Brother Luke instructs about how this works for the child of God.
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In the minor prophet series, I continue to look at Zechariah’s 10 visions. In a time of political and cultural turmoil, Zechariah’s visions from God were mysterious but encouraging, ominous yet enlightening. In this message I look at the 4th and 5th visions – the Brand and the Branch.
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The men of Sodom gathered at the door of Lot and made demands. They were no different than the woke culture today. The main difference today is that Sodom is already inside our homes in the form of social media and television. If we are not aware of Sodom’s demands today, we have already given up the fight. In this message I look at a very clear, but somehow difficult subject for us to comprehend in our culture today.
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Justification is a theme throughout the Bible. Job of old asked, “…how should man be just with God.?” To be just means to be innocent, and Solomon declared there is not a just man on the earth. In the articles of faith series, I take a look at the truth of how we are declared innocent, or justified, only by the work of Christ.
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Scams are everywhere today. From emails to phone calls, many people suffer from scams daily. The original scam artist was Satan himself. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the great scam artist and the strategies that Satan uses.
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The next minor prophet I consider is Zechariah. He prophesied during the rebuilding of the temple, and his message is thick with Messianic foreshadowing. The title of this first message on the minor prophet is called “The Night Visions of Zechariah.”
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In this message I look at origins, or, where we come from. In strong contrast with all other creation myths, the Hebrew creation account has a simplicity and confidence derived from a rugged monotheism (one God), as opposed to the polytheistic (many gods) legends of all other cultures. And perhaps the greatest origin myth is evolution, with the absence of any god. When we see the beauty and common sense of our true origin, we can come to no other conclusion than all glory to God.
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This is a message that applies across the board to everyone. We all worry to some degree or another. Worry is a burden that can press us down into very dark places. But thankfully, our merciful Lord knows this, and has given us ample ways to deal with worry. In this message, Brother Luke presents healthy, Biblical ways to lighten the weight of worry.
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In the fundamentals of the faith series, I take a look at the 3rd Article of Faith. Possibly the most controversial of all the articles, but without a doubt the most revealing of the heart of our merciful Lord, I consider the Bible truths of election and predestination. By using 2 notable examples, I trust that sinners saved by grace can understand why we must be chosen to be saved.
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The Lord is a gift giver. As if the gift of eternal life through his Son was not enough, God gives more gifts. And every child of God has a gift. How are we using the gift God has given us? Do we even know the gift we have? In this message, Brother Luke preaches about gifts, and encourages us to recognize and use the gift we have from the Lord.
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In the Christmas Day message, Brother Luke presents a stirring message of how the Lord is faithful to His promises. Abraham waiting over 25 years for the promised son. David waited around 15 years to take the throne promised to him. And the virgin Mary faced obstacle after obstacle in standing on the promise of salvation coming through the child she bore. But they waited – and God was faithful then to His promise, just as He is today to us.
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As I continue to look at the articles of faith, I consider article 2, which declares that the Bible is inspired by God and the only rule of faith and practice for the church and our lives.
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The faceoff between the armies of Israel and the Philistines in I Samuel 16 is a classic scene. A giant came out to defy God’s army and no man had the courage to face him. But David, a mere boy, accepted the challenge. He was faithful to the Lord. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this example and shows how the Super David – Jesus – was faithful to win the victory.
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It is important to know how to rightly divide the word of God. To rightly divide means to interpret and understand passages of scripture in a way that does not take away, add to or subtract from the context and meaning. In this message, Brother Luke shows how this works as he looks at the subject of “Respect of Persons.”
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This past Sunday, I began a new series entitled “The Fundamentals of the Faith.” Long ago when a church was formed, it would have a basic set of beliefs laid out to which all the founding members agreed. Sadly, this is often forgotten today. Bethlehem was established in 1901 as an extension from Zion church, established in 1847. In this first message, I look at the first article of faith of Zion – “The 3 in 1 God.”
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In the Godly ladies and gentlemen series, I take a look at the greatest example of a Godly Man who has or ever will exist – the Man Christ Jesus. Specifically, I consider 4 interactions of Jesus with women, found in the gospel of John.
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David was described as a man after God’s own heart. What does this mean and how does it impact men, young men and boys who are striving to be Godly. In this message, I take a look at the background and context of why David was referred to as a man after God’s own heart.
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We have all heard the old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” In this message, Brother Luke uses this old inquisitive adage to look at a timeless truth. The message is entitled, “The Bible Tells the Truth.”
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There is much darkness in the world today. It can be hard to push back against the darkness. In this message, I examine the best way to push back against the darkness – by looking to the greatest Light that has ever existed. Are we looking at the Lord? Do we see Jesus? 11.13.22.Do.We.See.Jesus.Tim.McCool
In a timely message following the November elections, Brother Luke presents the reality of what revives a nation. To think we can merely cast a vote and cause change misses the point. Of course we should vote for people who line up with Biblical principles, but at the same time, true revival comes from repentance …
In the next message from Haggai, I take a look at what was going on during the rebuilding of the temple after the 70 years of captivity. In a direct fulfillment of God’s sovereign design, the little band of Jews were the right people in the right place, doing the right work for the right …
It is not possible to treasure things, without putting our heart into those things, or being emotionally tied to them. It can be activities, status, people, accolades – the list is endless. In our materialistic society, we treasure so many things that let us down. But in treasuring spiritual things, the Lord will never let …
The Lord knows our motives. When Jesus fed the multitude in John 6, they sought him the next day only because their stomachs were growling. Jesus knew why they were there, and they were not sincerely seeking Him. In this message Brother Luke looks at the issue of our motives, and asks us the question, …
Abraham is described as the friend of God. What made him God’s friend? In this message, I take a look at what this means. Is it attainable by any child of God? Does it come with a price? 10.30.22.Being.the.Friend.of.God.Tim.McCool
As we come to the minor prophet Haggai, it is quite a different situation than with the other minor prophets. Haggai’s prophecy follows the Babylonian captivity, after 70 years of exile in Babylon, after the thriving nations of Israel and Judah were completely destroyed by God. A small band of burdened believers brave the wilderness …
It only takes a moment to fall. When we put ourselves in certain positions, we are more prone to fall. Like David being at home when he should have been at the battle, or Peter spouting off before he took time to think about what he was saying – we can quickly make a place …
God created Adam to lead, but when he disobeyed God’s one command, he was cursed. Part of the curse involved what he was created to do. Now instead of Adam enjoying the blessing of why he was created, he was cursed by God to lead. This is the next sermon in the Godly Ladies and …
In the Godly Ladies & Gentlemen series, I start at the beginning, literally, with the first man Adam. What did God create man to do? What was his purpose? In this message, we can see clearly that man was created to lead. 10.16.22.Created.to.Lead.Tim.McCool
Cursing, or “cussin” as we say in the South, is everywhere. The Bible terminology is profanity, evil or corrupt communications. We have grown so accustomed to hearing or even speaking profanity until we may be numb to it. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject of profanity. 10.12.22.Profanity.Bro.Luke
In the Godly Ladies and Gentlemen series, I begin to look at what the Bible teaches about Godly men and boys. 10.09.22.Looking.For.a.Few.Good.Men.Tim.McCool
In the OT, the temple was a holy place. In the NT, the temple became a more localized place – the body of the child of God where the Holy Spirit in-dwells. Of course, the Lord has been in-dwelling His people for ages, but the gospel age ushered in an understanding of this like never …
In the Ladies & Gentlemen series, I take up the subject of the great Shunemite woman of the OT. As one of the greatest women mentioned in scripture, what was it that made her so great? In this message I look at what was perhaps her greatest quality – she made room for the prophet …
Mephibosheth was the crippled son of Jonathan, and grandson to the ruined kingship of Saul. His name literally means “destroying shame”. Using this backdrop, Brother Luke brings out the beautiful lesson of how our covenant-keeping God destroys our shame. 09.25.22.Destroying.Shame.Luke.Hagler
In the Ladies & Gentlemen series, I continue to look at 1 Timothy 2, focusing on where Paul refers to “women professing godliness.” What does it look like to be a Godly woman? 09.18.22.Women.Professing.Godliness.Tim.McCool
When we speak of foolishness, it seems strange to mention God in the same sentence. But the Apostle Paul spoke of how the foolishness of God is wiser than men. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about how this is true. 09.18.22.The.Foolishness.of.God.McNeil.Honea
The next minor prophet I consider is Zephaniah. He was the last of the pre-captivity prophets before the nation of God was finally disciplined into captivity for its rebellion. 09.14.22.The.Royal.Prophet.Zephaniah
Are there any Godly ladies and gentlemen left in the world? In a culture that celebrates the crude and rude, Biblical virtue in men and women is all but lost. In this message, I begin to look at the characteristics of Godly ladies and gentlemen – based on the Bible and not opinions of etiquette. …
The word of God has non-debatable issues that are crystal clear. Like homosexuality, adultery, fornication… but there are areas of Christian liberty that we must handle rightly and carefully. In this message, Brother Luke presents an accurate and God-honoring way to approach issues that may fall under Christian liberty. 09.11.22.Push.Away.the.Pork.Chop.Luke.Hagler
In the next message on the God of the Festival series, I take a look at the concluding festival of the Jewish spring festive cycle, the Feast of the Pentecost. This final festival of spring still impacts us in a tremendous way today. 09.04.22.Pentecost.the.Ongoing.Festival.Tim.McCool
When a father first hears their child say “Daddy”, it has a unique, special meaning. But as years go by, those same children grow up and call upon their father as “Daddy” again and again. As years go by, being called Dad again and again loses the effect that it had the very first time. …
The man who repented in Matthew 12 did not follow through to ensure his repentance. He went to dry places, or a desert, to find water and nourishment. Because he went to dry places, he wound up in a worst state than before. It is important that God’s children understand what spiritually dry places are. …
In the parable of the sower, one of the areas considered is stony places. In this message, Brother Neil Honea examines how we may find ourselves in stony places, tripping and stumbling over things that can get in the way of serving our Lord. 08.28.22.Stony.Places.Neil.Honea
I continue in the minor prophet series by looking at the book of Habakkuk. Although it is a short book, Habakkuk is filled with glorious truth. The title of this sermon is not a misprint, but it is “The Wonder Wonder of God,” based on God’s statement in Habakkuk 1:5. 08.24.22.The.Wonder.Wonder.of.God.Tim.McCool
In this message, I look at Proverbs 27:11-12. Here we find a life-game of hide and seek, where the child of God is cautioned to hide from the evil throughout their life, and seek that which promotes the glory of God. 08.21.22.Hide.and.Seek.Tim.McCool
If a child of God is willing to follow the Lord in discipleship, there is no doubt he or she will encounter suffering. This seems to be a strange selling point – Come follow the Lord and suffer. And yet, we are guaranteed to experience greater things with the Lord when we lay down our …
In an interesting irony, we find that Proverbs 27:4 is the anti-type of I Corinthians 13:13. Just as charity is the greatest of 3 (faith, hope, charity), so envy is also the greatest of 3 (wrath, anger, envy). In this message, I take a look at the terrible effect of envy, or jealousy, as we …
Years after Jonah angrily wished for the doom of Nineveh, it finally happened. Nahum is the next minor prophet I look at and it is startling how he prophesied of the specifics of the final destruction of a world power. Where is Nineveh today? 08.10.22.The.Doom.of.Nineveh.Tim.McCool
In the God of the Festival series, I take a look at the next Jewish feast that occurred in the spring – the Feast of the Firstfruits. Set within the feast of unleavened bread week, the feast of firstfruits is yet another great and glorious foreshadowing of the ultimate Firstfruit that was to come – …
The Lord is not only able to do what we ask in prayer, He is also able to do things that go beyond what we think or ask. This defies logic, but He can and sometimes does go beyond what our minds can comprehend. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the meaning of Ephesians …
In Luke 15, the Lord gives an account of the woman who lost one of her coins. She rejoiced when she found it and called her friends to celebrate. What are our lost coins that we rejoice when we find? In this message, Brother McNeil Honea delivers a message about the lost coins. 07.31.22.Lost.Coins.McNeil.Honea
In the minor prophet series, we come to the book of Micah. Laced with beautiful Messianic prophecies, 700 or so years before the Christ, Micah follows the pattern of the other minor prophets. There are warnings to a dying society, and the Lord gives glorious hope of a brighter future. 07.27.22.Micahs.Messianic.Messages.Tim.McCool
In the spring festival calendar of Israel, on the heels of the Passover feast was the feast of unleavened bread. In the next message in the God of the Festival series, I take a look at the week-long celebration known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 07.24.22.The.Feast.of.Unleavened.Bread.Tim.McCool
The next message in the God of the Festival series is Passover. Perhaps the most significant, but at least the festival that initiates the spring festival season, the Passover holy day is important to understand. In this sermon, I take a look at the meaning of the Passover. 07.17.22.God.of.the.Festival.Passover.Tim.McCool
As a recap of the messages on the minor prophet Jonah, I looked at Jonah going to whale school, Jonah’s diploma, or graduation from whale school, then Jonah goes to work. In this final message on Jonah, I look at the last tragic event recorded in the stubborn prophet’s life – Jonah Goes to Worm …
When we plant and tend a garden, we expect it to grow. And so the Lord expects His children, who have been touched by His grace, to grow. As the garden of the Lord, the people of God should be flourishing and producing fruit. In this message, Bro. Luke speaks about growing as plants in …
In order for the testimony of a witness to have any credibility, that witness must be trustworthy. This has to do with how the person conducts themselves. For the Christian, to profess they are a witness to our Lord, then live in a way that doesn’t reflect Jesus, is to lose all credibility as a …
Each spring around graduation time, I try to bring a message that ties into our young people who are graduating from high school or college. I recently lost my high school coach to ALS, and in this message, entitled “How to Lift Weights”, I pay tribute to a great, Godly coach who never let a …
In the minor prophet series, I continue to look at the tragic case of Jonah. Following his harrowing experience in whale school, Jonah graduated and, in this message, I take up the subject of Jonah going to work. 06.22.22.Jonah.Goes.to.Work
In the God of the Festival series, I come to the weekly festival, or holy-day, that our festive God built into the Jewish calendar. Every Saturday, or sabbath, was the weekly holiday the Lord established in the Old Testament for the Jews. In this message, I look at the times when Jesus observed His own …
Before the world was formed, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit existed in perfect love and unity. There was no dissension, interruption or sin to mar this Existence. Yet when He created man, God’s perfect love somehow reached out to touch ruined sinners who mess up everything they touch. In this message, I take a …
Our God is a festive God. He enjoys holy-days and festivals. He implemented many feasts, or times of holiday and celebration into the law. In this message, I begin a series that looks at our God of festive joy – our God of the festival. 06.05.22.God.of.the.Festival.pt.1
In much of religion today there is a focus on “Look what I have done.” This is the opposite of what the Lord desires, which is for us to “Look at what HE has done.” In this message, Brother Luke preaches about a famous person who decided to focus on what he had done, and …
Do we sometimes find that Jesus gets in our way? When serving the Lord is not convenient, or doesn’t fit in with our own plans? In this message, I take a look at the great blessings we experience when, instead of Jesus getting in our way, we actually walk in the way with Jesus. 05.29.22.Is.Jesus.In.Your.Way.Tim.McCool
Assurance is a great blessing. For the child of God there is great comfort in the promises from our Lord. And there is a special experience of assurance for the child of God in walking in obedience. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about this experience of assurance. 05.29.22.Assurance.Luke.Hagler
The book of Philemon records incredible lessons about forgiveness and love. In this message, Brother Luke Hagler shares an insightful exposition of Philemon, that not only teaches the history of the book, but also how it applies to us today. 05.25.22.Philemon.Luke.Hagler
Life is like a hallway filled with doors. Each door represents the choices we make. Which door do we choose to enter? Behind each door is success or failure, happiness or sadness, rejoicing or regret. In this message, Brother Luke preaches on how we can make Godly decisions in choosing which doors we enter. 05.22.22.Life.is.a.Hallway.Luke.Hagler
Personal evangelism should be an undercurrent of our lives as disciples. In light of the decline of so many churches today, this is of the utmost importance. There is a clear pattern in the book of Acts on how personal evangelism works. God’s people gather, then they scatter, and when they scatter, they go about …
In the 2nd message from Jonah, the stubborn prophet graduates from whale school. Jonah’s diploma was a hard degree to earn, and he went through much affliction while he was in the belly of the whale. May we learn the lesson from Jonah, and not have to endure the harsh education he went through because …
The book of Isaiah gives 3 primary descriptions of the future Messiah. A coming King and a warring Conqueror were easy for the Israelites to identify with, but stuck in the middle was a shadowy, mysterious figure, known as the suffering Servant. Set in stark contrast to a King and Conqueror, the suffering Servant is …
On the Sunday morning of the annual meeting, Elder Derrick Kitchens brings the final message of the meeting. Entitled “Doing It God’s Way,” Brother Derrick makes the point of how doing things God’s way may not be the easiest way, but it is the best way. 05.01.22.Doing.It.Gods.Way.Derrick.Kitchens.mp3
In the final message of the Saturday meeting, Brother Shannon caps it off with a sermon on joy. While running the Christian race, we face many trials, but like Jesus, we can look to the joy that is set before us. 04.30.22.5.The.Joy.Set.Before.Him.Shannon.Whipp.mp3
In the afternoon service, Elder Charles Kitchens preaches about truth. Living in modern times, it seems few are concerned about truth, or it may be that one person’s “truth” is different from another’s. It is comforting to know that God is truth, and He never deviates or changes. 04.30.22.What.is.Truth.Charles.Kitchens
In the final message of the morning, Elder Charles Kitchens continues the theme of the Christian race. In order to run a race, we must have patience, and in this sermon Brother Charles focuses on how we can gain and exercise patience. 04.30.22.Patience.Charles.Kitchens
In the 2nd message of the morning service, Elder Shannon Whipp brings a timely message on how we are running a spiritual race. Though sins can weigh us down, understanding how to train and run the race is the key for the child of God. 04.30.22.Looking.Unto.Jesus.Shannon.Whipp
In the 1st of the sermons preached at our annual meeting in May, Elder Derrick Kitchens preaches on a topic that may be the hardest for all of us to do – seek ye first the kingdom of God. 04.30.22.Seek.Ye.First.Derrick.Kitchens
In the series on the Minor Prophets, I come to the next minor prophet, who is probably the most well-known. The book of Jonah is only 4 chapters, but is packed with great lessons for us today, as well as one of the most direct references made by Jesus regarding His resurrection. New Recording 18
One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is Mt.7:1. This is the “Judge not” verse. It is often used as a shield to prevent others from passing judgment on sin a person is committing, but the true meaning is much, much different. In this message, I take a look at this verse. 04.24.22.Judge.Not.Tim.McCool.mp3
In the final message of a series preached by Brother Luke, he continues to look at the ways in which we experience being saved here and now, but not in an eternal way. Here he takes up the subject of how baptism saves us now, and how that is distinct from Jesus saving us eternally. …
The title of this message is “Kiss the Son”, which comes from Psalm 2. This is not a romantic image, but refers to kings, queens, rulers, dictators, and government leaders of the world paying respect to the King of kings, Jesus Christ. In this message, I look at some non-traditional kings of the earth who …
As I continue the Minor Prophet series, in this message I take up the book of Obadiah. Although it is one of the shortest books in the Bible, this prophet carries a significant message. 04.13.22.Mysterious.Obadiah.Tim.McCool.mp3
In continuing a series on timely salvation, Brother Luke brings the last message on what is probably the most misunderstood way in which confession saves us. Romans10 is often referred to as the Roman road of salvation, and this is true, but it is not in an eternal way. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks …
In the 2nd message on suffering, I take a look at the transforming power of suffering. Instead of blaming God when we suffer for serving Him, we should rely on the Lord even more Who will see us through such times. This is another sermon in the “Lost Truth” series. 04.03.22.The.Transforming.Power.of.Suffering.Tim.McCool
The 4th Sunday in March of 2022 marked the 20th year of serving as pastor to the dear saints at Bethlehem. Here is the message preached from that Sunday. 03.27.22.20.years.Tim.McCool
Here is a sermon I wanted to share from way back in 2005. The well-known idea of “accepting Christ as your personal Savior” has been popular for a long time. But when we look at whether or not this is in the Bible, we may be shocked. I hope you enjoy this message that looks …
In the Minor Prophet series, I look at the interesting prophet Amos, who was a shepherd, a fig picker, an unrefined and rugged man. Amos is yet another proof of how the Lord in His sovereignty can use anyone He chooses as His tool. 03.23.22.The.Sheep.Herding.Fig.Picker.Tim.McCool
There are different types of suffering – suffering for making bad decisions, suffering from natural disasters, etc. But there is one unique category of suffering that we have truly lost sight of, and that is suffering for serving Christ. In the lost truth series, I look at what this means in part 1 of Suffering …
In this message brother McNeil Honea looks at the example given by Jesus in response to being asked to divide an inheritance between 2 brothers. Since we are all living as rich men, we must be careful not to let our riches become an idol. 03.20.22.Parable.of.the.Rich.Man.Mcneil.Honea
In the lost truth series, I consider what is arguably the most significant lost truth of our time. As so many are searching for a “seeker friendly” church, the truth of Who the “Seeker” actually is, has been lost. 03.13.22.The.Seeker.Friendly.Church.Tim.McCool
The prophet Joel is referred to in some important places in the NT. Who was Joel? What did he write? In this message in the “Minor Prophet Series”, I take a look at this prophet. 03.09.22.The.Minor.Prophet.Joel.Tim.McCool
Here is a great message preached by Brother Luke back in 2016. I listened again to this again recently, and felt compelled to share it. Brother Luke presents important, factual, and honest information about why we use the KJV translation. Enjoy! 01.13.16.Why.the.KJV.Luke.Hagler.mp3
In the ongoing “lost truth” series, I take a look at the lost truth of the role of the Holy Spirit. Beyond the new birth, the earnest of the Holy Spirit is vital to our experience in this life. Have you experienced it? 02.27.22.So.Your.Engaged.Tim.McCool
In an ongoing series on the benefits of confession, Brother Luke Hagler examines the importance of confessing our offenses to each other. In a world where so many offenses and grievances are broadcast on social media, God’s pattern for dealing with offences is effective and leads to healing relations. 02.27.22.Salvation.in.Confessing.to.Others.Luke.Hagler
Pilate’s question to Jesus is often asked today: “What is truth?” In a time when many people’s reality has become relative to their circumstances, and so many have lost their way from all sense of reality and truth, the needed question is “Who is truth?” In this message, Brother Neil presents the answer. 02.27.22.Who.Is.Truth.Neil.Honea
In the minor prophet / major message series, I look at the 2nd half of Hosea. As a literal “living example”, Hosea’s life and words still teach a relevant message to us today. 02.23.22.Hosea.the.Living.Example.Tim.McCool
When the people listening to Jesus preach told him that his mother and brothers were there to see Him, Jesus made a startling observation that still impacts us today. In this message, I look at the answer Jesus gave to the question, ‘Who are my brothers, my sisters, my mothers?” 02.20.22.Who.Are.My.Brothers.Tim.McCool
The Lord is very clear in His word that He wants His people to know the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, or profane. In this message, I take a look at how far God’s people can drift, until they no longer know what to be ashamed of, when it comes to …
Brother Luke continues to look at the ways in which confession saves us, making the point that confession never saves us in an eternal way. In this message, he deals with how confession of our sin brings mercy. 02.20.22.How.Confession.Saves.You.Luke.Hagler.mp3
In a series of messages preached by Brother Luke about how we can experience timely deliverances in this life, here he speaks about deliverance from temptation. Just like a flashy car coming down the road, so Satan dresses up temptations, and if we are not aware of where it leads, destruction will certainly come upon …
In a new series begun on Wednesday nights, I take up the subject of the so called “minor” prophets who had major messages. The first minor prophet we consider is Hosea. 02.09.22.Minor.Prophet.Major.Message.Hosea.Tim.McCool
In a new series begun on Wednesday nights, I take up the subject of the so called “minor” prophets who had major messages. The first minor prophet we consider is Hosea. 02.09.22.Minor.Prophet.Major.Message.Hosea.Tim.McCool
When his little daughter died, one came from Jairus’ house and told him, “Trouble Not the Master…” because she was dead. This is often our attitude. But no matter how bad the circumstances , we should press our issues to the Lord. 02.06.22.Trouble.Not.the.Master.Tim.McCool
The suicidal jailer is an amazing example of one who went from being on the verge of suicide to complete rest. Here Brother Luke Hagler describes how we all should experience this rest through the powerful message that was preached to the jailer. 02.06.22.From.Suicide.to.Rest.Luke.Hagler
A light bulb is an example of a medium. It conveys light. But a bare bulb conveys a different light than, for example, a lava lamp. Borrowing a phrase coined by a Christian visionary, I point out that the mediums we use to receive the message, seems more important nowadays than the actual message itself. …
There were two major items outside the Holy of Holies in the temple – the table of shewbread and the candlestick. In this message, I take a look at the timely significance of the candlestick. 01.23.22.The.Candlestick.Tim.McCool
To have an attitude of gratitude is not an option for a child of God, but a command. In this message, Brother John Morgan Owens preaches to us about how to have an attitude of gratitude. 01.26.22.An.Attitude.of.Gratitude.John.Morgan.Owens
In the 2nd part of this message in the “Lost Truth” series, the meaning of the purpose of God in predestinating a people becomes clear, as I look at the word “shewbread”, or the “bread of the face.” 01.16.22.Predestinated.On.Purpose.pt.2.Tim.McCool
In the first part of this message in the “Lost Truth” series, I look at the meaning of the word “purpose”, when Paul said we are predestinated by the purpose of God. 01.16.22.Predestinated.on.Purpose.pt.1.Tim.McCool
It is unreasonable to think we can become knowledgeable about anything by only applying ourselves to learn it for a mere hour and a half per week. In this message from Wednesday night, Brother Luke speaks of the need to study, and how it involves much more time than just the time we spend at …
Here is a wonderful message preached by Brother Luke on Sunday morning, January 9. Although my family was quarantining and had to listen from the car via transmitter, it was a blessing to be instructed by Brother Luke about watching out for the devices and tactics of Satan. 01.09.22.Devices.of.Satan.Luke.Hagler
This is the 3rd and final sermon in a series I preached on the March to Zion Broadcast back in 2014. Here is part 3 of Discipleship and Sonship. Track 1
Here is the 2nd message in a series I preached on the March to Zion Broadcast back in 2014. This is part 2 of Discipleship and Sonship. Track 1
Originally preached on the March to Zion Broadcast back in 2014, in this series of messages I wanted to bring out the important difference between being a disciple of the Lord and a child of God. A child of God can be a child but not a disciple. But a disciple can never be a …
I recently found a lost cover for the back of a remote, and it made me so happy to click it back in place. It makes me happy when broken or lost things are put back together. In an infinitely greater way, our Lord will bring all his broken things back together at the end …
The Lord could have saved us 2000 years ago and left us completely ignorant of what He did. But in His love and good pleasure, He not only saved us, but gave the gospel to let us know what He did for us. Brother Tim speaks on this subject, using the example of the shepherds …
If we have no idea that someone has done something for us, how can we be thankful for it? In this message, Brother Luke Hagler explains the purpose of the gospel. It is not to save us for heaven, but to inform us now that Christ has delivered us to heaven already! 12.26.21.We.Ought.To.Be.Thankful.Luke.Hagler
The Meaning of the Cross – In this Wednesday night message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about the meaning of the cross, not just from an eternal standpoint. In taking up our own crosses to follow Him as disciples, we must understand what the cross means. 12.22.21.The.Meaning.of.the.Cross.McNeil.Honea
Everything we buy has a price-tag, and we pay prices based on how much or little we value the item. We would never pay a price for something we deemed worthless. In this message, Brother Luke examines the price tag the Lord paid for worthless, sinful wretches. 12.19.21.Pricetags.Luke.Hagler
The cultural concept of redemption was a part of life among the patriarchs, and later legislated into law by God. For us, understanding redemption is essential to appreciate what the Lord has done for us. In this message, Brother Tim preaches about redemption through the blood of Christ. 12.19.21.Redemption.Through.His.Blood.Tim.McCool
Today everyone wants to be popular. And with the phenomena of social media, practically anyone has the possibility for popularity. But popularity can be poison, and in this message, Brother Luke preaches of how popularity is not all it appears to be. 12.12.21.The.Poison.of.Popularity.Luke.Hagler
Although we know God is more powerful than Satan, we should never underestimate Satan’s ability to tempt, distract and manipulate. In this message, Brother Tim looks at Satan’s devices and how they impact and affect us. 12.12.21.Devices.of.Satan.Tim.McCool
Living in a time when no respect is shown for authority, it is difficult to see what it means to honor those in authority. From opposing political views to talk show hosts, the name of the game is disrespect and insults. In this message, Brother Tim focuses on the most elementary form of honor – …
But the Servants Knew – The governor of the feast at the wedding where Jesus turned the water into wine did not know where the wine came from – but the servants did. And so it is for the servant of God – there are many things that the servants are blessed to see and …
The Stones Will Cry Out – In this message preached by Brother Luke Hagler, the truth of praising God is presented. If men refuse to praise God, He can elicit praise from dead rocks. And in one sense, God’s mercy has caused spiritually dead sinners who, like rocks, are turned into lively stones that praise …
It is common to hear that a person must accept Christ into their heart in order to go to heaven. But the Word of God teaches that we are accepted by God, and not we accept Him. In this message, Bro. Tim speaks of how we are accepted in the Beloved, Christ Jesus. 11.28.21.Accepted.in.the.Beloved.Tim.McCool
There are many ideas about how we can find favor with God. When it comes to our eternal salvation, that favor only comes through the sacrifice of Christ. But when it comes to daily fellowship with God, the Lord has a simple formula. In this message, Brother Luke Hagler shares this truth. 11.28.21.Finding.Favor.With.God.Luke.Hagler
Predestination is much more than a theological term to be debated by scholars. When we see it in the light of what it really is – the pleasure of God – it becomes a revelation to us from the very heart of God. In this message, Brother Tim speaks of the pleasure of God in …
The first blessing named by Paul in Eph.1 is God’s people being chosen. And being chosen was not a random process, but a specific act of love by God the Father, the Son and Spirit. In this message, Brother Tim speaks of this great blessing. 11.14.21.Chosen.In.Christ.Tim.McCool.mp3
To render means “to give away to gain.” In the Kingdom, the only way to gain is to give away, and this goes against nature. In this message, Brother Luke Hagler looks at what it means for a child of God to render unto God. 11.14.21.Render.Unto.God.Luke.Hagler
One of the activities of the early church was to continue in the Apostles’ doctrine. In this message, Brother Tim looks at the doctrine, which he refers to as the marriage certificate, or covenant, and asks a big “What if?” 11.07.21.The.Marriage.Certificate.Tim.McCool
Fear is a powerful tool, and sadly, there are those in the religious world who capitalize on fear. The popular “left behind” series is an example of fear-driven tactics. In this message, Brother Luke presents the truth that dispels such fear – the fact that the Lord will leave none of His children behind. 11.07.21.No.One.Left.Behind.Luke.Hagler
Over the past weeks, Brother Tim has been preaching about the 4 activities of the early church, specifically focusing on the “fellowship” part. As a conclusion on the subject of how to deal with offenses, Brother Tim looks at two examples of great offenses against our Lord, and how Jesus reacted. 10.31.21.Peter.or.Judas.Tim.McCool
It is easy to appear to be spiritual, just as the Pharisees did. But to be truly spiritual is not an easy path. In this message, Brother Tim focuses on how to handle being offended, and what it means to be spiritual when doing so. 10.24.21.What.is.a.Spiritual.Person.Tim.McCool
The Son Stands Still – In the OT we read where the Lord made the sun to stand still to help Joshua. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this and another example where the Son of God stood still to help his children. 10.24.21.The.Son.Stands.Still.Luke.Hagler
In this follow up to “Are You Saving Yourself?”, Brother Tim looks at what happened at the once-thriving church at Ephesus. Jesus declared they left their first love. This means they forgot who they first fell in love with – the Lord Jesus, and eventually lost touch with fellowshipping with Jesus’ people. In this day …
The Scattered Sheep – In this message preached on a Wednesday night, Brother Luke Hagler preaches about things that scatter the sheep of God. 10.13.21.The.Scattered.Sheep.Luke.Hagler.mp3
There are different experiences of salvation in the Bible. Understanding this is a must for understanding the Bible. In Peter’s first sermon in Acts, he calls on a large group of children of God to “save themselves.” In this message, Brother Tim examines the timely application of how they experienced this, and he asks the …
Part 3 in the spiritual urban legend series. 02.15.15.March.to.Zion.Broadcast.Spiritual.Urban.Legends.3.Tim.McCool.mp3
Part 2 in the series on spiritual urban legends. 02.08.15.March.to.Zion.Broadcast.Spiritual.Urban.Legends.2.Tim.McCool.mp3
We are all familiar with urban legends. In this message from the archives of the March to Zion Broadcast, Brother Tim McCool uses this familiar phrase, with an added twist, to present several “spiritual” urban legends. 02.01.15.March.To.Zion.Broadcast.Spiritual.Urban.Legends.1.Tim.McCool.mp3
In the troubled and directionless times we are living in now, we certainly need more valiant men. In this sermon, Brother Luke Hagler preaches about the need for more valiant men. 10.03.21.Valiant.Men.Bro.Luke
In such a dark and troubled time, Brother Neil Honea preaches a message that should draw us to the Light and focus our faith. Truly Christ Jesus is the only answer in such times as we are living now. 10.03.21.The.Only.Answer.Neil.Honea
In such a dark and troubled time, Brother Neil Honea preaches a message that should draw us to the Light and focus our faith. Truly Christ Jesus is the only answer in such times as we are living now. 10.03.21.The.Only.Answer.Neil.Honea
For several weeks, Brother Tim has been preaching about the church of God. In this message, he presents the focus of what it is all about when we come to the location where God is worshipped publicly – it is to connect with the Mediator Himself – Jesus Christ. 09.26.21.Jesus.Christ.the.Mediator.Tim.McCool
The wisdom of the world will complicate things. But the wisdom from above, from our Lord, will make things simpler. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about how we can tell the difference. 09.26.21.Simple.Luke.Hagler
There should be no subject in God’s word that is “off limits”, or taboo, for the disciple of the Lord. Some teachings may be more intense than others, but we should be willing to believe it just because it is in the word of God. In this message, Brother Luke Hagler looks at some topics …
In this message, Brother Tim continues to look at the descriptions of the church from the book of Hebrews. 09.12.21.An.Innumerable.Comany.of.Angels.Tim.McCool
In this message, Bro. Luke draws lessons of discipleship from the account of Jesus casting out the demon from the young boy who was vexed of a devil. 09.12.21.Lessons.from.a.Lunatic.Luke.Hagler
In the final message of the Saturday service, Larry Wise looks into the book of Job to ask this age-old question. 10.02.21.Who.Can.Bring.a.Clean.Thing.LarryWise
In the afternoon service, Jonathan Wise presents the ways in which we have peace through the Lord, who is described as the Lord of Peace. 10.02.21.The.Lord.of.Peace.Jonathan.Wise
In the closing message of the morning, visiting minister Larry Wise caps off the messages by encouraging us all to walk worthy of what the Lord has called us to do. 10.02.21.Walk.Worthy.LarryWise
In the 2nd message of the meeting, visiting minister Jonathan Wise explains from Psalm 56, how we are to pray for salvation, or deliverance. And once again, this salvation does not refer to an eternal salvation, but a deliverance here and now. 10.02.21.Praying.for.Salvation.Jonathan.Wise
Saved by Keeping In Memory – In the 1st message of the anniversary meeting, visiting minister David Wise speaks about memory salvation. The Apostle Paul tells us that if we keep in memory what we have learned, it will save us. But is this an eternal salvation? 10.02.21.Saved.By.Keeping.In.Memory.DavidWise
In the March to Zion Radio Broadcast on 09/19/21, Brother Tim presents a pressing issue of our time – We need help. 09.19.21.Help.Tim.McCool
In this message, Brother Tim looks at the next description Paul gives of the church in Hebrews 12. The City of the living God, which is a reference to Jerusalem, was the place on earth where the Lord chose to place His name. In the Old Testament it was the physical city of Jerusalem. In …
For the Israelite, the most intimate place to connect with Jehovah was Mt. Zion. And today, the most intimate place the child of God can connect with the Lord is the New Testament location that God has chosen to place His name – the Church of the Lord, or Mount Zion. In this message, Brother …
Who sits on the throne of our mind is a big deal. It determines our direction, our moods, our peace. Sadly, many of God’s children allow other influences to sit on the throne of their minds. In this message, Brother Luke encourages us to allow the Lord to sit on that throne. 08.29.21.Luke.Hagler.The.Throne.of.our.Mind
Multiple times in the scripture the people listened to Jesus’ teaching of truth and their response was to be astonished. Brother Tim examines the occurrences and the reasons why the people were astonished. Astonished
It is not truthful to refer to one as a Master and no do the Master’s bidding. In this message, Brother Luke examines what it means to call the Lord our Master. Why Call Me Master?
In a message preached from a series on our basic, fundamental beliefs, Brother Tim looks at what was probably the first public, doctrinal based sermon of Jesus. The Repository of Truth
In basically every area of life we find division. In politics, in vaccinations, in mask-wearing, in preferences in practically every area and region of our nation there is division. Division is what leads a nation to fall. In this message, Elder Luke Hagler examines who is the cause of division, using the basic definition of …
When a person first visits a Primitive Baptist church, there may be some oddities. The way we sing, preach and pray, as well as other things, could strike one as odd. In this message, Brother Luke Hagler, who experienced these oddities first hands, presents a message about a few of those odd things. Primitive Baptist …
In a time of judgment, the prophet saw the Lord thundering through the land, and he was afraid. But after he settled into what was coming, he trusted and rested in the Lord. Today, many are so paralyzed by fear they have forgotten Habakkuk’s Prayer. In this message, Brother Tim reminds us that no matter …
From the dawn of time, the Lord established what was good and evil. And to this day, man is tempted by forbidden fruit that looks good from the outside but the end result if always bad. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at the difference between forbidden fruit and fruit that is good for …
Job spoke of man’s trouble, and he certainly knew about it first hand. Thousands of years have passed, and man still has trouble. In this message, Brother Tim examines the subject of trouble. Trouble
In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at times in which God’s people have wrestled with God – both spiritually and physically. Wrestling
From Satan testing Job’s faithfulness to Peter’s colossal failure of faithfulness in denying Christ, we are all faced with various tests of faithfulness. Brother Luke Hagler examines how we can remain faithful when those tests come. Tests of Faithfulness
Christian liberty is an area we should consider prayerfully on a regular basis. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at how we should approach this issue, and how the timely consequences can affect us. Touch Not, Taste, Not
We are told plainly that the church of Jesus Christ is built firmly on the Corner Stone of Jesus Christ Himself. To help understand the significance of this, Brother Tim examines what a corner stone is. The Chief Cornerstone
John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of God. And years later, the Apostle John saw Jesus described as the “Lion”, but appearing as a Lamb as it had been slain. In this message, Brother Tim preaches about how Jesus is both of those – The Lamb and the Lion. The Lion is the …
In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at the often misapplied parable of Jesus. As a warning to God’s born again, chosen people, it teaches us to be diligent in our discipleship. The Parable of the 10 Virgins
Today there is a strategic movement by anarchists to make citizens of our nation feel ashamed for being a citizen. From attacks against the founding fathers to anarchist movements like black lives matter, the real attack is against the God the Nation Maker. In this message, Brother Tim presents the Bible truth of who made …
If you looked at the Apostle Paul, he would have been something to behold. Scars from being whipped, beaten and stoned marked his body. As scarred and tortured as his body appeared, he viewed them as marks of his discipleship. In this message, Brother Luke examines how our following the Lord will leave definite marks …
Have you been told you cannot be saved unless you do certain things? This was taught in Acts 15, where people were told they must be circumcised to be saved. Today you may hear this: Unless you accept Jesus, pray the sinner’s prayer or be baptized you cannot be saved. In this message, Brother Luke …
In the ongoing series about Godly character in young men, Brother Tim demonstrates how Boaz not only provided and protected Ruth, but he also preserved her. To provide, protect and preserve the females we come into contact with should be the goal of all men and boys. Prince and Pauper Part 3
In looking at characteristics of the Old Testament character Joseph, Brother McNeil Honea speaks of ways in which Joseph is comparable to Christ. Comparisons of Joseph to Christ
While we live on this earth we don’t have the luxury of looking up into Heaven to see our eternal home, so we must walk by faith. When enemies mock us and say ‘Where is thy God?’, it often leads us to ask ‘Is the Lord among us?’ In this message preached at Vestavia PBC, …
The Apostles Paul and John wrote at different times directly to various churches, specifically calling on the churches to repent. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea examines the meaning and the effect that their letters had to those churches. Godly Sorrow
In the second sermon on this subject, Brother Tim examines how Boaz protected Ruth, even before he was romantically interested in her. Prince or Pauper, Part 2
We are faced with so many social issues today. Is there really an answer to this? In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents the truth of the answer to all of the social issues bombarding us today. Answers to Social Issues
In the series for Godly character in men and boys, Brother Tim looks at the “Prince” Boaz and the “Pauper” the near kinsman. A Prince or a Pauper
In beginning a new series for Godly character in men and boys, Brother Tim looks to the example of God’s knight David, as opposed to the Knave, or fool, Nabal. A Knight or a Knave
In this Wednesday night message, Elder David Wise, pastor of Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church, takes up the subject of praying for the Holy Spirit to guide us, fill us up and be present in our daily lives. Praying For The Spirit
Psalm 85 verses 10-11 present a beautiful allegory from the Lord regarding our salvation. In this message, Brother Tim preaches about the showdown between these two characteristics of God, which culminated at the cross of our Lord. Mercy Meets Truth
As a legal term, testimony is important. But its importance is heightened when it comes to testimony for our Lord. Jesus gave the disciples great encouragement when it came to coming persecution. In this moving message, Brother Luke Hagler preaches of the Lord’s faithfulness to bless in the midst of great opposition. Testimony
A question we’re often asked is: what is the difference between Primitive Baptists and other Baptists? In this message, Elder Luke Hagler addresses that question. The Differences Between Primitive Baptists and Other Baptists
In the ongoing series on parenting, Brother Tim looks at the proper objectives for the parent, who is in reality the agent of God, charged with caring for precious treasure that belongs to another. The Agent’s Objectives
The Untoward GeneraTION, TemptaTION and EvoluTION are three “tions” that we should shun, or avoid. In this message Brother Tim examines how important it is for all of us to shun these pitfalls. Three “tions” to Shun
In the final message in the series about Christian women finding a spouse, Brother Tim examines the incredible example of Rahab the harlot. If Ruth was the Cinderella of the Old Testament, then Rahab would be the anti-type of a fairy tale. And yet, God is merciful and able to intervene, overrule and provide regardless …
We put our treasures in safe places. You will never find an expensive piece of jewelry in a junk drawer at home. And yet, the Lord puts treasure in junk drawers. In this message, Brother Luke presents a message that deals with the irony of God’s treasure. Treasure in Earthen Vessels
In the final message of the Saturday service, Elder Josh Coker preaches on the most important thing we could have during times of uncertainty – hope. Saved by Hope
In the afternoon service, Elder Tom Corley presents the picture of how God’s children could not only survive while under terrible circumstances, but were actually blessed to help build God’s kingdom. Building in Captivity
When the children of Israel were led into captivity, they had to learn to live in Babylon, yet still retaining their unique identity as the chosen people of God. In this message, Elder Josh Coker gives instruction on how we, as the chosen people of God, can retain our identity and glorify God today, while …
In the opening message of the May meeting, Elder Bryce Lowrance speaks from Isaiah 35 where a beautiful picture is given. From a desert wasteland to a blossoming garden, the Lord has given His children the church to blossom and bloom in their lives. The Joy of the Church
A child of God need look no further than to the word of God for instruction. In beginning a new series about Christian women finding a spouse, Brother Tim preaches about a barley harvest romance, in which the young woman Ruth displays notable characteristics that led to her finding a spouse. A Barley Harvest Romance
Sadly most do not understand the true role of a parent. God views parents as agents, or fiduciaries entrusted to take care of treasure that belongs to another. In this message, Brother Tim examines the Biblical role of parents as agents of God. Agent’s of God
Ruth went from gleaning grain to becoming a princess in Israel. The Shulamite went from gathering grapes to becoming a queen. In this message, Brother Tim examines the unusual courtship and rise to power of the Esther. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, we learn that the Lord can intervene and overrule. Babylon’s Got …
In the next message in the series on finding a spouse, Brother Tim considers the Shulamite girl who found her true love in a strange and unexpected place. A Valentine in the Vineyard
Have you ever been ashamed to admit you were related to someone? What about the Lord? We are his adopted children and in a natural sense, we give him much more reason to be ashamed of us than proud, because of our sin! But thankfully, because of his mercy, Brother Luke Hagler explains that even …
It would be natural to think that those who are good and righteous should only prosper. But in reality, that is not the case. Those who are righteous usually face trials and even persecution. This is due to the conflict that exists between righteousness and a fallen world. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea examines …
A special promise was made by Jesus, in which he would send the Holy Spirit in a to confirm His truth to born again believers. Paul used the Greek word “arrabon” to describe what the Spirit does for us in sealing, or confirming the truth to us. In this message, Brother Tim examines this special …
For the child of God, it often seems as though we are outnumbered. There are many examples in the Bible where God’s people are outnumbered and face impossible odds, but the Lord gives any child of God a majority. Brother Luke presents a message about how we can move forward even when we appear to …
In beginning a new series on Wednesday nights, Brother Tim revisits a subject that is timely – parenting. Parenting, Not For The Faint Of Heart
In considering the 9th “my servant” found in the scripture, Brother Tim looks at the days of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem by Zerubabbel. My Servant the Builder
Different children of God react in different ways to the truth of God. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents some of the ways God’s children react. Reactions To The Truth
How do we know if we have idols? And what can be identified as idols? In this message preached at Vestavia PBC, Elder Luke Hagler asks 4 questions to help us understand our struggle with idols. The Idol in the Mirror
Throughout the “Servant Series”, various individuals have been considered. But none can compare to the Shadowy Messianic Servant presented in Isaiah 42, and viewed in Matthew 12. In this final message of the servant series, Brother Tim takes up the greatest Servant of all time and eternity – The Lord Jesus Christ. My Messianic Servant
The Bible presents a picture of blessed, spiritually healthy children. This is something every parent should strive for, but it comes with a price. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about what that price is for raising spiritually healthy children. Ornaments or Crowns
In the strangest of all the servants in the servant series, Brother Tim speaks of the “rock star” servant, Nebuchadnezzar. In a comparison to celebrities who are drunk on fame and power, so Nebuchadnezzar was the original rock star. Even so, there are lessons we can learn from the ways in which he served the …
In this message preached on the Wednesday night service, Elder Buddy Abernathy presents the subject of justification – what is means and how it applies practically to the child of God. Justification
Probably the least known servant of the servant series was Eliakim. He lived during the time of Isaiah, and we know very little about him. But the Lord referred to him as a servant, so we should take note of who he was. In this message, Brother Tim looks at the description of this servant, …
When people ask about you, what do they call you? We may know someone who has a quick temper, and when asked about them, say that they are “hot headed.” For the child of God it is the desire to be referred to as a Christian. But all children of God are not Christians, according …
Many of the servants we see in the scripture have notable characteristics. Job was patient. Abraham was faithful. David was thoughtful. But we find that Isaiah was a sign himself. All servants should “signify” who they serve by the way the present themselves. In this message Brother Tim speaks about Isaiah the servant who was …
It seems that the more we gain of earthly goods, the more we want. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about this trap, and where true and ultimate satisfaction comes from. Satisfied
In this message preached at the Wednesday night service, Elder Chris McCool, pastor of Zion Primitive Baptist Church, examines how our attitude about our aptitude affects our altitude. 02.24.21.Bro.Chris.Attitutude.Aptitude.Altitude
God commended David the King over and over for his thoughtfulness towards the Lord. In this message in the Servant Series, Brother Tim looks at the ways in which David was a thoughtful servant. The Thoughtful Servant
In the next sermon in the servant series, Brother Tim looks at the giant slaying faith of Caleb the Courageous. Giant Slaying Faith
Elder Luke Hagler presents a timeless and beautiful message from I Corinthians 13, a subject we are all familiar with, yet we often overlook the way that it works and applies in our own lives. In this sermon Brother Luke makes the practical application of sacrificial love very up close and personal. Love
In this message preached at the Wednesday night service, Brother Neil takes up the often discussed subject of the three parts of man. By comparing this often complicated subject to the basic attributes of the Trinity, he presents a picture of body, soul and spirit that is easy to understand and something we should all …
In this strange time we are living in, when we are being encouraged to stay away from each other, it is easy to lose sight of the benefits of the social circle God created and commanded – the Church. In this message, Brother Luke reminds us of the benefits God designed for us through His …
In this message, Brother Tim looks at the life of Abraham, the servant of God. What made Abraham great? How was he able to do the great things he did? It may be surprising to see where his greatness originated. And it is clear that the Lord has called us, like Abraham, into a quest. …
In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents the Old Testament subject of the scapegoat. The priest confessed the sins of the people with his hand on the head of the scapegoat, and the goat was sent out into the wilderness by a fit man. There are many comparisons to our Savior in this example. McNeil …
We all have an appointment with death. Hebrews 9:27 tells us after death we face “the judgment.” By what standard will we be judged? Our repentance? Our confession? Our belief? All of these are actions or works, and the word of God declares we are not saved by our actions or works. In this message, …
In the final message on Job, Brother Tim goes down into the lowest point of Job’s life. He was opposed by Satan, surrounding nations, his wife and his closest friends. But even in the worst of circumstances, Job’s God was faithful to him. In learning how to be better servants of the Lord, Job’s example …
A new term we often hear is that of the influencer. In order to be an influencer, one must have credibility, an audience and persuasiveness. One glance at popular social media and you will find influencers who have huge followings. In this message, Brother Luke shows from the scripture that to be a spiritual influencer, …
In this message, Elder Mike Ivey presents the two opposing worldviews: secular humanism and a Biblical worldview. Humanism originates in man as an evolved life-form, and ultimately leads to despair, since it is limited to man. But a spiritual world view points to a glorious Creator, who we can revel and rejoice in due to …
In the ongoing servant series, Brother Tim looks further at the life of the servant Job. Based on his belief in God, Job was able to serve God during times of great success and great tragedy. In order to be better servants ourselves, we should look at the servant Job and learn from his example. …
To say that these are perplexing times is an understatement. From politics to culture, the child of God often finds themselves shocked and perplexed, wondering how we have fallen so far away from the Lord. Yet there is a way to keep our perplexity from turning into despair, and in this message Brother Luke presents …
In this first message of the servant series, Brother Tim looks at the servant Job. Out of his own mouth, Job confesses his belief about God, man, sin and other things that relate to Job being a servant. In order to comprehend why Job was considered such a great servant, it is important to know …
Using the acronym SUEU, Brother Tim presents 4 truths about the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. The Spirit is Sovereign, Unseen, Effective and Unstoppable. The text of the message comes from John chapter 3 where Jesus compares the work of the Spirit in the new birth to the wind. S.U.E.U.
Even though Jesus referred to his coming crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples avoided the subject. Because of their fear of what it meant, they would not ask. In this message, Brother Tim looks at this and how it relates to us. Are we afraid to ask Jesus about our issues? If we finally have the …
In a line borrowed from Charles Dickens, Brother Tim looks at the last prophecy in the Old Testament, spoken 400 years before the Messiah’s birth. Even after a 400 year pause, the Lord continued his unbroken train of thought, and the past became the present. And so, we must see that same true God as …
From the beginning when God spoke light into existence down to this very day, light is powerful in our experience. And since God is Light, it is important for us to understand how God functions as light in our lives. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents this truth. God Is Light
When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, concerned about his eternal salvation, he felt something was lacking. But Jesus gently instructed this child of God that he was lacking something in his discipleship, not in his eternal life. Like the young man, we all have things on our own “lack list.” The question is, …
In the final message from the Hall of Faith series, Brother Tim presents the exit plan from the hall of faith. As the portraits of faith have been viewed, the time has come now to go forward. The Apostle Paul presents a beautiful picture of the race that is before us. Exit Plan
In this message in the series from the Hall of Faith, Brother Tim presents the inner sanctum of the hall – the place where the heart of God can be seen most clearly. Heart of the Hall of Faith
If someone told you that you could be pain free for the rest of your life, it may sound good, but it would be a curse. In this message, Brother Luke examines the necessity for us to feel such things as pain, and also to be burdened by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. …
It is a marvel to read in the scripture that Jesus marveled, or was taken aback, by the unbelief of His children in His hometown. In this message, Brother Tim relates Jesus’ reaction to today. He Marveled At Their Unbelief
This is a common phrase heard often, but so very often misunderstood as it appears in scripture. In this message, Elder Luke Hagler looks at the underlying issue and the true meaning of this verse. Judge Not
In the next message from 1 Peter 1:2, Brother Tim examines the third element of our eternal salvation – the perfect obedience and blood of Christ. The Blood of Jesus Christ (download link)
In I Corinthians 4:1, the Apostle Paul used a unique word to describe a minister. The “under rower” is a visual reference to the lowest level gally slave on the Roman warship. In a time when ministers are often viewed as celebrities, the “under rower” brings a refreshing and accurate view of the ministry. …
Grace is a mystery. To think that enemies could be made friends and the wicked changed into the righteous. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea answers this question using the beautiful picture of the grace presented in scripture. Why Should We Gain? (download link)
Jesus uses two powerful agents to describe His children in the sermon on the mount (Matthew chapter 5). In this message, Brother Tim preaches about the way we, as salt and light, must act as our Lord intended and in a way that pleases Him. Shake and Shine
In this message, Elder Luke Hagler examines the subject of suffering. No one wants to sign up to suffer, but the reality of life is that we do suffer. Yet, in the midst of suffering we can have a special experience with Jesus if we are looking for Him. He may not send the suffering, …
An obvious fact was stated in Mark chapter 6, as the day wore away, and thousands needed to eat. But Jesus had called the Apostles to the desert place, and they were right where Jesus wanted them. In this message, Brother Tim compares this experience to our own today, as we often feel to be …
In an ongoing series regarding salvation, Brother Tim preaches about the role of the Spirit in our eternal salvation. Sanctification of the Spirit (Download link)
Should a child of God vote? And how do we determine who to vote for? In Christ’s statement about the role of Caesar (or government) in our lives, we find the truth of this. In this message, Brother Tim presents this truth, as well as the clear, bright lines of scripture regarding several prevailing “hot …
Not only does the Holy Spirit bring the new birth to a child of God, the Spirit also renews our understanding and courage. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks of these important roles of the Spirit. Regenerated and Renewed (Download link)
In the next message in the series on the hall of faith, Brother Tim presents the amazing story of Rahab the harlot. This child of God went from a life of disgrace to a woman of faith. In her example we see proof of God’s work of mercy and grace in the life of God’s …
In the next message from I Peter 1:2, Brother Tim looks at the foreknowledge of God. From God’s general foreknowledge of all things that happen, as well as all the possibilities of things that could happen, it is truly humbling to see God’s foreknowledge of a chosen people. God’s Foreknowledge (Download link)
In the next message in the hall of faith series, Brother Tim presents the example of the children of Israel going round and round the city of Jericho. As it often feels we go round in circles serving the Lord, if we are walking in faith we are definitely getting somewhere. By Faith We Go …
Our perspective of what we see usually comes through our viewpoint. In this message, Brother Luke presents the disciples view of various events in the ministry of Jesus. If they had not been looking through the lens of scripture, it would have made no sense to them. Like the disciples, if we choose to view …
Please enjoy these recordings, formatted in individual tracks, from our October 2020 Anniversary Meeting. For a single, combined recording of all hymns, click here. I Know That My Redeemer Lives Liberty Song in the Night Consolation The Blossoming Desert Lord Lead Me On O God Beyond All Praising In Christ Alone O the Deep, Deep …
[Individual tracks available on our website] Please enjoy these select hymns from our October 2020 Anniversary Meeting. Congregational Singing, October 2020 (download link) For individual tracks, visit this link.
In the midst of all the chaos now, it is sometimes hard to find purpose. But the Lord has called us to be kings and priests in His kingdom, and through Him we can lead purpose driven lives. In this sermon from Sunday morning, Elder Tom Corley preaches about how we can discover purpose in …
In the struggle today to make our faith relevant, we often feel hopeless. And yet, in a real and tangible way, we discover that through the Lord Jesus Christ, there is an up to date relevance to our faith – and it is found in hope. In this final message from Saturday, Elder Mike Ivey …
We all like to think we have control over the various aspects of our life. But the reality is we are often tossed about and feel helpless. In this river of life, we need a refuge. The Lord has provided just such a refuge in Himself, His church and His word. Elder Bryce Lowrance preaches …
While hanging between two thieves, our Lord was initially cursed by both, but something happened to one of the thieves to cause him to actually take up for Jesus. In this message, Elder Mark Quarles brings before the congregation the amazing mercy of God in saving a ruined and justly condemned thief. Nothing Amiss
In hope of eternal life – It is said that happiness comes from 3 things – 1) someone to love 2) something to do and 3) something to look forward to. In this opening message at the anniversary meeting, Elder James Conley presents the beautiful picture of how all this is wrapped up in our …
From one shore of the Red Sea to the other, the Israelites faced an impossible circumstance that turned into an improbable and amazing deliverance. In the transition to the shore of deliverance there is only One who is due the praise for such a marvelous work. In this message, Brother Tim speaks of the fact …
In the series on the virtuous woman, Brother Luke examines Proverbs 31:13 where it describes characteristics of the virtuous woman. It says she seeketh wool, which may be hard to identify with in our modern culture. But in this message, Bro. Luke brings out the truth that wool symbolizes purity, and virtuous women even today …
Moses told the Israelites to “kill” the Passover the night God delivered them from Egypt. The Passover pointed to the sacrifice, or killing, of the lamb, as well as the festival itself. In this sermon, Bro. Tim presents the truth of the shed blood of the Lamb of God, by which we can celebrate Christ …
In this message Brother McNeil Honea preaches from the book of Proverbs, where it mentions the 7 pillars on which the house of wisdom is built. In the days this was written, there were 7 elements that went into the construction of a building. Wisdom Hath Builded
If we heard about a guy who had to flee the country because he was in some legal trouble, we would think the worst. But Moses did just that. And yet it says his fleeing was an act of faith, not fear. In this message, Brother Tim considers “By Faith we Forsake”, and takes up …
In this message from I Peter 1:2, Brother Tim brings out one of the basics of our salvation. God has chosen, or elected a people. This is an undeniable truth found in God’s word, that we should rejoice in. Elect
In this message, Brother Neil Honea looks at the example of the widow woman in the Old Testament who was instructed by Elijah to fill up her oil pots to pay the debt. Like the widow who was empty of all earthly help, we can find similar help from above when we fill our vessels …
Being hungry and thirsty for righteousness is similar to our natural eating experience. We should focus on cultivating an appetite for the word of God and spiritual things. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks of how we can cultivate our spiritual appetites. Spiritual Appetite
In the next message in the hall of faith series, Brother Tim presents some difficult adult decisions Moses had to make when he became an adult. Notably, these decisions were made before he saw any miracles or the burning bush. Like Moses, we can refuse Egypt and choose to identify ourselves with our Lord. This …
In this message preached by Brother Luke, he continues the series on the virtuous woman. One of the characteristics of a virtuous woman is she does not bring trouble into a home. She will do good, which means to bring peace and not trouble. Whether someone is trying to find a wife or in the …
For the parents of Moses, Egypt was everywhere. From enslavement to infanticide, the dark cloud of Egypt’s irreverent and illegal intrusion into their lives prevailed. Yet the light of the deliverer did not shine from great halls of government, or the seat of power, but from faithful parenting in a Godly home. Egypt is everywhere …
Relax…you are going to die! Unless the Lord comes back, the only way we get out of this world and into the next is through death. But for the Christian, this is not a fearful thing. In the hall of Faith series, Brother Tim takes up 3 men who blessed, celebrated and magnified the Lord …
In the ongoing series of the Great Hall of Faith, we have considered many things we do in faith. By faith we comprehend creation, by faith we offer acceptable sacrifices, by faith we please God, by faith we move and by faith we go. In this message preached by Brother Tim, a different angle on …
In order for us to show mercy to others, we must understand what that looks like. An incredible example of this is given by our Lord in the account of the good Samaritan. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents the truth that our showing mercy to one another begins with understanding how Jesus shows …
We never think about things until they quit working. If the air conditioner goes out in the middle of the night, or our car quits, or part of our own body shuts down- then we think about it not working. But as long as everything is working, we take it for granted. In this message, …
In the series on the hall of faith, the next person we consider is Abraham. By faith Abraham was called to go out, go walk about and go up to offer Isaac. In this message, Brother Tim looks at how relative Abraham’s faith is to our faith today. Abraham Goes in Faith
What if the Lord told you he was coming in a few days? What would you do different? How would you change your daily routine? This is essentially what happened to Noah. God told Noah a secret and Noah moved in respect and awe of Gods word. In this message, Brother Tim examines how our situations are similar to …
In an introduction to a new series on Proverbs 31, Elder Luke Hagler takes up the important issue of the need for virtuous women. In a culture that praises women being aggressive and provocative, it is eye-opening to see what God praises, and how vastly different it is from cultural norms. Intro to the Virtuous Woman
With rising coronavirus numbers, rioting, unrest, political upheaval – there is really no way to find good news. So we need to follow the example of Enoch and BE good news, LIVE good news. The Example of Enoch
In the sacrifice of Christ, we find an eternal gift that will redound to God’s glory forever. But the Father still gives gifts to us today, in addition to that ultimate gift of eternal life in Christ. In this message, Elder Neil Honea speaks of the gifts that God still gives from above. Gifts from …
With so much unrest, it seems harder for a child of God to find a place of rest. In this message preached on Wednesday night service, Elder Luke Hagler presents two examples from the scripture of how we can find rest, even in very difficult and trying times. How to Find Rest
What can we do in such a time as this? As things seem to grow worse and worse, do we feel insignificant? No doubt the Israelites felt helpless when in bondage in Egypt. But they did something that we can also do today. They sighed, they cried, and the Lord heard on high. In this …
The old familiar account of David versus Goliath is a time-worn, glorious event of victory. In this message preached at Gum Log PBC near Meridian, MS, Brother McNeil Honea looks at this familiar story with the view of showing beautiful pictures of Christ in the brave example of David. Christ Compared to David
In this message from an ongoing series on the book of Proverbs, Brother Tim examines the subject of forgiveness. This is an issue we all deal with, as we are often offended. But the Lord has set the ultimate example of how to process offenses and dealing with such issues. It is not to seethe …
As Brother Tim continues the tour of the Great Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11, in this message he considers how faith helps us offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. The first person of faith who is identified by name in the great hall is Abel. If we understand how Abel, by faith offered, we …
It seems that many today see Jesus as still traveling up the road to the cross, and not in his current form – accomplished, risen and reigning. In this message, Elder Graham Sims, pastor of Wilson Creek PBC in Smyrna, TN, encourages us to not just look at Jesus on the way to the cross, …
As a Jew, the Apostle Peter was well acquainted with the Mosaic law. So in 1 Peter we find significant allusions and references to the Passover lamb and certain aspects of the law. Brother McNeil Honea shares the greater meaning of the law, as Peter described it, when he presented the picture of the Lamb of …
With the click of a button, events on the other side of the world come to our attention. How do we process this, especially if it has no immediate bearing on our own community. In this message Brother Luke Hagler presents the answer to this issue, by examining the difference between busybodies and peace makers. …
We have all heard it said, “He is in a bad place…” when referring to situations people get into. Can we agree that we, as a nation, are in a “bad place”? When the world can be shut down by a microscopic germ, we are in a bad place. Usually we think that to get …
Just like using peppermint treats to catch horses, so the devil will use any tactic he can to captivate and capture God’s children. In this message preached at Vestavia Primitive Baptist Church in Birmingham, Elder Luke Hagler presents the truth of how the adversary Satan tries to snare us in. Peppermint Treats
During good or bad times, faith is essential. But what exactly is faith? Faith is a term we are so familiar with yet do we really understand what it is and what the object of faith is? In this message, Brother Tim takes us on a tour of “The Great Hall of Faith”. The Great …
Last week Brother Tim spoke of worship, specifically asking the question, “Where is the Lamb?” This week, he asks the question, “Where are we when it comes to worship?” Coming before the Lord to worship involves the Lamb, but it also involves us coming before the Lord in the beauty of holiness. From Where is …
When David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, it was a momentous occasion. After a first attempt to bring the ark failed, David endeavored to try again. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks of the importance of not letting anything distract us when we come before the Lord to worship. The Ark …
As many churches seek to re-enter public worship, it is a great time to examine what worship is all about. How do we actually connect with God in worship? In this message, Brother Tim presents the truth that it all comes down to one simple thing – a Lamb. Worship – Where Is The Lamb?
Regret will visit us all at some point. How we process that regret makes a huge difference in our lives. There can be no greater example than Paul, who actually killed Christians. In this message, Brother Luke presents the Bible truths of how to deal with the demon of regret. The Demon of Regret
In what appears to be the final drive in service, Brother Tim looks at the prisoner Ezekiel, who was a prisoner of war in the prison camp outside the great city of Babylon. Perhaps we have felt like prisoners captive away from the motherland due to the recent world events. But rest assured, heavenly Jerusalem, …
When we look around at the kingdoms and governments of men, it can become disheartening to see so little regard for the Lord. But when we consider that the only Kingdom that will last through all of the fallen kingdoms of men is the Lord’s Kingdom, over which He is the King, we can be …
In this message, Brother John Morgan Owens uses examples of how salvation came to two houses, to help us understand what it really means to make a decision for Christ. Unlike modern thinking on this phrase, the real decision for Christ is made when born again believers choose to be disciples of the Lord. Make …
Jonah followed his own selfish signs and he wound up going down in a harsh way. And yet in the New Testament, Jesus points to none other than Jonah when describing what the people of Israel should be looking for. In this message, Brother Tim examines how Jonah’s self-serving signs were obliterated by the Sign …
The Bible compares discipleship to building a tower. A half-finished tower or a tower that is torn down would make the builder look very foolish. In this message, Brother Luke examines the effort and construction that goes into building our tower of discipleship. Tower of Discipleship
In using three objects to compare to types of people, Brother Tim looks at several scripture examples that reveal what people are made of. The heat will always show the heart, and if we are not founded upon the Rock Christ Jesus, we will melt in the fires of life. Marshmallows, Jelly Beans, and Rocks
Is the gospel an offer of eternal life? Is it a ransom note by which the Lord holds our salvation as ransom until we pay up? In this message, Brother Luke Hagler presents the useful way in which the gospel is to be used for born again children of God. The Tool of the Gospel
From the examples of people being born again, to the descriptions of the way the new birth occurs, the scriptures reveal that to be born again is completely the work of the Lord. In the concluding message of a series on the basics of salvation, Bro. Luke preaches on the subject of the new birth, …
In a message about God’s specific instruction to Noah on building the ark, Brother Tim presents 4 unique characteristics of the ark, and how it applies to us today. So Much To Do, So Little Time
In this message, Elder Buddy Abernathy takes up the subject of the role of ministers. By examining an Old Testament prophet who had an encounter with a wicked king, Brother. Buddy points out simple truths about the responsibility of ministers. What is the Primary Role of Ministers
In these times of uncertainty, there can be no moving forward without the mercy of God. In this sermon, brother Tim examines the origin of God’s affection, and how it can be expressed towards unworthy sinners. Tender Mercies
In this message, brother Luke takes up the subject of God’s sovereignty in electing a people to be saved. When we understand God’s character and man’s depravity, the loving truth of God choosing a people is easy to embrace. God is Sovereign
We all love happy endings, and fairy tales usually provide a happy ending. But the truth is a true happy ending is always conditioned with “until” something happens to mess up the happy ending. In this message, Brother Tim presents an upgrade from the worldly “happy endings”, which involves a much greater end result. Happily …
In this message, Brother Luke continues to examine the fundamentals of the faith. The atonement that Christ accomplished on the cross was sufficient to pay for all of the sins of every single one of His chosen. In a message that hearkens to the power and provision of our Lord, Brother Luke presents a beautiful …
A society goes as the family goes. And in our society we have completely lost sight of the age-old practice of family worship. In this message, Brother Tim emphasizes the importance of including family worship in our homes, especially in light of our present circumstance. Family Worship
In this message, Elder Chris McCool recounts the hatred the world had for Christ when he was on this earth. And unlike our experience, when we are often to blame for many sinful things, our Savior was hated without a cause. Hated Without a Cause
In troubled and tumultuous times, upheaval and change always leads to fear. In the days of Isaiah, during uncertain times, with the future unclear, in the shadows of the death of an earthly king who reigned for 52 years, Isaiah was blessed to see the King of Kings, high and lifted up. In this message, …
When we look at our condition in nature, without God intervening, it is a pitiful sight. In this message preached by Elder Luke Hagler, he brings forth a fundamental and basic view that we should have of what we are without God. This should yield a humble thankfulness to our merciful Lord. What We Are …
In this message, Elder Neil Honea addresses the reality of quarantine from a historical perspective. Since it is nothing new to society, we should not view being quarantined as the end of the world. Instead we should remember that the Lord is with us whether we are quarantined or not. Quarantine
In this message preached on the second drive in Sunday service, Brother McNeil Honea looks at the book of Exodus. The groaning of the children of Israel was frequent, and the Lord heard them every time. In these uncertain times, we should never forget that the Lord hears our groaning. McNeil Honea
In the final message of the first drive-in service, Brother Tim presents a message about how to focus and find peace when everything around is so chaotic. Peace in Pandemic
In the third message of the drive-in service, Elder Luke Hagler addresses a question that has been on the minds of many of God’s children – What is the role of government in relation to God? And most importantly, how do we differentiate between a government interference with our exercise of religion, versus complying with useful …
In the second message of the drive in service, Elder Neil Honea presents a timely message that relates to our current situation. There are many who are fearful of virus and of government rules. No matter what our state may be, we should interact with our brothers and sisters in mercy, which is the way the Lord …
In the first message of a drive-in service, young Brother McNeil Honea exhorts the morning worshipers to remember that no matter what circumstances we face in this life, the promises of God are still true. God’s Promises
We have heard the old saying, a picture is worth 1000 words. But one of the names of Christ is the “Word”. And truly, when it comes to His impact on His children, The Word (Jesus) is worth 1000 pictures. In this message, Brother Tim presents the meaning of Jesus’ name as the Word of …
In the first message that Jesus preached in his hometown, he spoke of his sovereignty. The reaction to this message was violent, as they led him out to the brow of the hill to cast him down! In this message, Brother Luke presents a view of God’s sovereignty that is much needed for all of …
In this message, Brother Luke Hagler speaks about the concept of fairness. Many think that it would be unfair for God to not treat everyone alike. Yet the Bible doesn’t speak in terms of fairness, but mercy and grace. When we understand how we have offended a Holy God, it moves us away from thoughts …
In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks from Matthew 5:8. There are many impure distractions we can put in front of us that will prevent us from seeing God. When we recognize what those distractions are and purge them from our sight, we are striving for purity, and gain a vision of God we could …
In the continuation of a message from last week, Brother Tim preaches about how cultures from the past have been influenced. In looking at our culture today, the Lord Jesus invoked some of these cultures in comparison. It is important for us to recognize just how greatly we are influenced today by our media culture. …
When we view the evil all around us and the darkness that seems to pervade in the world, it is easy to forget the Lord. In this message, Brother Neil uses several examples from scripture that encourage us all to remember the Lord when the future seems bleak. Remember The Lord
We are a culture driven by images. From the internet to the media, images drive our imaginations. This is not a new thing. From the pre-flood world to modern times, cultures have been driven by images. And when the wrong images are driving the culture, we can count on destruction. In this message, Brother Tim …
The gospel declares to God’s children that the Lord Jesus has been victorious in winning our salvation. This has a delivering effect on born again believers. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea presents the truth about our victory through Jesus and what an impact it has on us. Victory in the Gospel
In this message, Brother Luke examines what it means to stay on the straight and narrow path in life. Unlike conventional thoughts on this, the scripture teaches that the straight and narrow is the path of good decision making. Whether we are making a decision in our personal life or seeking friends, it is important …
From the beginning, the Lord has a pattern of inserting Himself into the events of human history. For this reason we can view him as the Great Interrupter. But when God interrupts, it is for His glory and for our good. In this message, Bro. Tim points out examples in the scripture where the Lord …
When can we ever truly say that everything goes our way? Even when things do, we are still faced with some level of discomfort. Thankfully, another name for our Lord is the Holy Comforter, and Brother Tim uses a specific example from scripture to show how we should approach the Holy Comforter no matter how …
Just believing something doesn’t mean it is true, but when we believe we are accepting something as true. And there are many reason why we may accept things to be true. In this message, Elder Luke Hagler brings out the most reliable reasons to accept something as true. Belief
Negativity is one form of corrupt communication. A negative attitude not only affects us personally, but also those around us. Because of our sinful nature, we have an ongoing struggle with this form of corrupt communication. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the corrupt communication of being negative and how to repent of this …
In this message on the “how to’s”, Brother Tim speaks specifically to the emotion of jealousy. Since Jealous is a name of God, then jealousy in and of itself is not inherently sinful. But due to our fallen nature, jealousy unchecked will lead us to places we never want to go. How To Manage Jealousy
In Luke chapter 7, we find Jesus addressing a Pharisees skewed view of his own level of sin. In this message, Brother Neil Honea presents the account of Jesus at the table of the Pharisee when the woman of the city came in and washed his feet with her tears. If we have an accurate …
In this message, Elder Luke Hagler preaches of the glorious place where we will live forever with our Lord. Heaven is truly a great mystery, since none of us have been there. But the revelation of heaven through His Word is something that should bring excitement and anticipation to the child of God. And we …
In another “how to” message, Bro.ther Tim examines in general what the Bible says about our emotions. We know emotions were given by God and truly the greatest feelings we can experience relate to our relationship with the Lord. And yet, we struggle with our emotions. How To Manage Emotions
In a message preached by Brother McNeil Honea, the subject of an abundant life is presented. If abundant life can be found by a child of God, truly it can only be found in our understanding of Christ and what honors him. The Abundant Life
There is a battle we all face as children of God. We must ask ourselves – Do we know whose side we are on? When we figure this out, then we should examine the armor God has provided to fight and also be aware of the rules of engagement. The Battle of the Blessed
In this message, Brother Luke takes up the issue of the conflict that every born again child of God faces. The Lord writes his laws in our hearts when we are born again, but our minds continue to battle with sinful desires and thoughts. Thankfully this is a fight we can win with the help …
Following up on last week’s message – the Blessings of the Blessed – Brother Tim preaches on the subject of giving. The blessings of God are our greatest incentive to give of our substance in His Name. Bounty of the Blessed
If the scripture tells us that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united in purpose and activity, why is that so many of God’s people have different ideas about God’s methods? In this message, Brother Neil addresses that question.
Where can I Find the Lord? In this message from a Wednesday night service, Brother McNeil Honea examines the subject of where the Lord can be found. There are various ideas about the answer to this question, but if we look to scripture, the answer is simple. Where Can I Find God?
In the first message of 2020, Pastor Tim McCool uses a familiar text to remind us of some precious blessings God has given us by His grace and mercy. If all of God’s people could understand the blessings God has given His people, it would make such a difference in our lives. The Blessings of …
In this message in the “How To” series, Brother Tim examines the first lying, deceiving murderer – Satan himself. Using this as a starting point, Brother Tim looks at a lying, deceiving, murderer who hits a little closer to home. How to deal with the Lying, Deceiving, Murderer
In the final message in the series on apathy, Brother Luke presents the beautiful path of revival from apathy. There is no question we all suffer from apathy, but when we recognize our sad state of indifference, there is a way to overcome it, by the grace of God. Apathy, Part 6
If we read today of a 9 month expectant mother being turned away from a hospital, it would be shocking to say the least. Yet the mother of our Lord was turned away from the inn when she was expecting the Son of God. In this message, Brother Tim asks the question – is there …
In the latest sermon on this series, Brother Luke takes up the issue of the signs of apathy. How we respond to sin, how we respond to truth, and what our attitude is towards spiritual activities are all indicators of apathy. Apathy, Part 5
In his ongoing “How To” series, Brother Tim preaches from 1 Samuel 25, using the example of Abigail the wife of Nabal. This is a great wife who had a horrible husband, but in spite of that, she demonstrated the 4 qualities of a great wife: 1) hospitality 2) respect 3) involvement in her community …
In the fourth message in his series on apathy, Brother Luke continues to examine the causes for apathy; Sin has an effect on our zeal to serve God and so does forgetfulness. The more we sin the more numb we become to zealous service. And over and over in the scripture the Lord warns about forgetfulness. If …
In the third message from his series on apathy, Brother Luke Hagler looks at the specifics of when we may fall prey to apathy. Feeling that our labors for the Lord are in vain and being more concerned with the external observance of commandments, like the Pharisees, can lead to dark places of apathetic life; and …
In the “How to” series, Pastor Tim McCool takes up the subject of how to be a better husband. Using specific scripture and two Old Testament examples of husbands, Brother Tim brings out ways in which any husband can make improvements to their God given role. How To Be a Better Husband
In an ongoing series, Elder Luke Hagler examines the effects and dangers of apathy. Defined as a feeling of not feeling, Brother Luke gives specific details of the dangers of apathy, focusing on important signs we should all look for in our lives that lead to apathy. Apathy – Part 2
In this message preached by Brother Tim, he brings out several instances where God’s children found themselves in “no man’s land.” This is a well known term that became popular during WWI, referring to the area between the trenches. And so, God’s children would do well to assess if they are lost or wandering in …
In part 1 of a series, Brother Luke preaches about the dangers of apathy, which is basically the feeling of not feeling. The Lord has clearly identified his feelings towards apathy, and we would do well to repent of it if we are suffering from it. Apathy Part 1
In this message, Brother Tim examines the subject of how we should handle social media. The Word of God is not silent on this subject. Sending, receiving and viewing on the internet are all actions that God’s word has much to say about. How To Handle Social Media
There is a time in the life of every child of God when the Lord, in His sovereignty, quickens them from death in sin to life in Christ. A new creation is made within the heart. In this message, Bro. Luke brings out how even nature itself bears witness that God’s work on the heart …
Everything in this world belongs to God. All things were made by him and we are merely stewards of what is His. In this message, Brother Neil examines how, even though God owns everything, He is pleased for us to give back to him a portion of his abundance he has shared with us. Giving
Continuing the “How To” series, Pastor Tim preaches from I John 3:16; the only way to understand how we are to lay down our lives is to see how and why Jesus laid down his life for us. This is critical in applying all of the “how to’s” of the Bible. How to Lay Down Our …
In this stirring survey of descriptions of the manner of love that God has for us, Elder Bryce Lowrance preaches at a Wednesday night joint service of Bethlehem and Zion churches. Though our love toward one another is often haphazard, God’s mighty love is never changing and powerful, and a love that we can rest …
In the ongoing series on the “How To’s” of the Bible, Brother Tim takes up the question for a man seeking a wife. How to find a Godly wife is a question that should be on every young man’s mind who desires to be married. How to Find a Wife
In a message from 2012, Brother Tim examines two key elements of understanding the meaning of the scripture. To be a son or daughter of God is the work of God, but being a disciple is a choice we make ourselves, after we have been made His children by God’s own doing. From our sermon archive Sonship …
In the ongoing “How To” series, Brother Tim uses three examples from Holy Writ to establish a clear pattern from the Lord for a young woman seeking a Godly husband. Peace, stability and laughter are three qualities every woman should be seeking, and in this message, Brother Tim presents simple truths related to finding a …
In this message, Brother Tim examines the meaning of Proverbs 17:3 where we are told that our hearts are in the hands of the Lord, as silver is in the fining pot and gold in the furnace. Some would suggest this means that every trial and trouble that comes our way is directed by the …
Brother Tim continues the series on “How To’s” in the Bible. One of the most important how to’s, is how to have Godly friends. The Bible is filled with great instruction to both young and old on this how to. How to Have Friends
Just as there are various seasons of life, so we all go through different seasons of temptation. In this message preached at Wilson Creek’s annual meeting, Brother Luke preaches about the seasons of temptation we face and how to handle those seasons in a God-honoring way. Seasons of Temptation
In this message, Brother Tim introduces a new series on “How To’s” in the scripture. From how to establish Godly friendships to how to find a spouse, there are many How To’s in the scripture. In this introduction, Brother Tim establishes why God is trustworthy to handle any How To we may have. Introduction to …
In this message, Brother Neil uses a well known candy reference to teach the truth about our struggle with sin. Paul described the battle between his Members and his Mind in Romans 7. The struggle between our Members and our Mind (M&M) can be difficult, but if we seek to gain the mind of Christ, …
In the closing message of the anniversary meeting, Elder Chris Crouse presents two examples in the scripture of those who asked God to remember them. Interestingly, God remembering us is based on something he chose to forget. Remember Me
Elder Adam Green preaches from Luke 4 regarding Jesus first message to the people in his home town of Nazareth. As he emphasized the sovereignty of God it had an interesting effect on the congregation. A Pro-Jesus Congregation
There are many instances in the scripture where the Lord speaks of us being together in Christ. We are quickened together with him, raised up together and made to sit together with Christ. Brother Adam Green preaches about the security and direction we have with one another when we are together and ultimately, the Lord …
In the afternoon service, Brother Chris Crouse examines the account of Jesus’ disciples in the storm. First there was great fear at the great storm that arose, and then there was great fear of the Lord after Jesus brought a great calm. Great Storm, Great Calm
Elder Chris Crouse, pastor of Little Union Primitive Baptist Church in Lithia, Florida, preaches a message from the book of Hebrews, focusing on why Jesus and His sacrifice were better than the Old Testament sacrifices. Better
In the morning service of the anniversary meeting, Elder Adam Green, pastor of Old Union Primitive Baptist Church near Hot Springs, Arkansas, preaches a message on why we should seek the kingdom of God and exactly how we can find the church and the truth. The Why and the How
Using an OT Proverb, Brother Luke preaches about what the truth is, how it affects our lives, and how we should maintain the truth when we have bought into it. There are many ways we can sell the truth after we come to know it, but by God’s grace, we can buy the truth and …
The church is described primarily as a body and a bride in the New Testament. In this message, Brother Tim presents body principles as it relates to the church. Stophie’s Message
The kingdom of God is very different than the kingdoms of men. In God’s kingdom, the way up is down and the way down is up. In this message, Brother Neil presents a view of how we should interact and deal with one another in the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God
As bizarre and foolish as the storm chasers are on television, we actually find some storm chasers in the scripture. Sometimes we chase storms through our disobedience and other times in self righteousness. In this message, Pastor Tim examines the effects of chasing storms foolishly. Storm Chasers
When the Lord clearly states what we should do or not do, it leads to painful chastisement if we disobey. Whether it’s a child disobeying a parent or a child of God turning against the Lords direction instruction, in this message Brother Luke presents a clear picture of God’s consistency in dealing with us. The …
In the final message on the series in I Thessalonians, Brother Tim preaches out the final verses of I Thessalonians 5, wherein Paul exhorts us to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and be thankful in all things, just to name a few of his explicit instructions to us. Easy to Remember
It is essential for children of God to face reality or they are unable to move forward in discipleship. In this message, Pastor Tim examines several accounts in scripture of how disciples failed to embrace the reality of their choices or circumstances, and the effects it had. Ultimately, when we embrace reality, we are able …
A spiritual urban legend we often hear goes like this: “Well, don’t worry, you won’t die before your time.” But is this Biblically true? In this message, Elder Chris McCool, pastor of Zion Primitive Baptist Church, lays out the Biblical way to view the appointment of death. Appointed to Die?
In the follow up message to last week, Brother Tim delves into the details of what happened to King Asa – why he once trusted in God and then a short time later he was refusing to pray. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves suffering from the same problem. Asa’s Flop – …
A crisis is when a difficult situation occurs and we are in need of a very quick solution. So often we hear those who are in crisis situations hit upon every possibility, often even blaming God, and never come to the solution – confession. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the confession crisis – …
How could someone go from being prayerful and on fire for trusting the Lord, to hard-hearted and refusing to pray? In this message, Brother Tim examines the life of King Asa, who was one of the few good kings mentioned in the Old Testament. But Asa flip flopped in a terrible way and brought much …
A knock on the door is a little thing that can lead to much more, if we answer the door and let someone in. In this message, Brother Luke examines situations where there was a simple knock on the door. When we examine ourselves, are we answering the knock at the door when Jesus comes …
The tongue is compared to many things in the scripture. In this message, Brother Tim preaches from James chapter 3 where James makes interesting and convicting comparisons to the tongue.
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Bears, Birds, and Snakes
The rebuilding of the temple in the OT in the days of Ezra was a major event. As God looked upon it, he saw the foundation laid, and even to the very last stone set in place. According to the New Testament, we are God’s temples. In this message, Brother Luke asks the question: What does He see when he looks at our temples?
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The Condition of your Temple
In this message preached on Wednesday night, Elder Sam Bryant, pastor of Vestavia Primitive Baptist Church of Birmingham, examines a well known verse in Philippians regarding anxiety. How to overcome fear and worry is not an easy task, but with God’s grace it can be done.
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Be Careful For Nothing
Zealous is a very similar word to jealous. In this message, Brother Tim looks at the zealous Messiah as his disciples observed him running out the people and things that didn’t belong in his temple. Zealousy includes elements of jealousy, but yields quite a different result.
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Zealousy
Everyone loves a good mystery. We get excited about the twists and turns of a clever mystery. But the greatest mystery is the mystery of the New Testament church, which is right before our eyes. In this message, Brother Neil presents the mystery of a Holy God who desires to fellowship with sinners through his church.
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Mystery of the Church
In a message preached at Sulphur Springs PBC, Brother Luke examines the power of God. In our weak view, we often see God as limited in his ability because he doesn’t do something we request. But truly, God is able to do anything and has the power to back it up.
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He Is Able
What gives us assurance of our salvation? What makes us feel as though we are saved? In this message preached at New Antioch, Brother Luke brings out the truth of real assurance.
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Assurance in Christ
In a message preached at New Antioch Primitive Baptist Church near Jackson, TN, Elder Luke Hagler preaches about a necessary component to staying on the narrow path of good judgment and self control.
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Temperance
Nicodemus is noted 3 times in scripture. Each time the writer refers to his visit to Jesus at night. But the last time he is mentioned, he is no longer coming to Jesus at night. We have all come to Jesus at night, afraid of the consequences it may have. In this message, Brother Tim exhorts us to not just come to Jesus at night, but step out in the daylight and serve Him.
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Nicodemus at Night
As Jesus continued his journeying when he began his ministry, he came to Jerusalem, the city of peace. Brother Tim continues examining the travels of Jesus in this message, with some practical instruction regarding where the city of peace is today.
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City of Peace
There were two people who had very different experiences in Jericho. First, Rahab the harlot had an amazing experience in delivering her family from the burning of Jericho. But Achan, an informed Israelite, found destruction for his family in failing to leave Jericho behind. In this message, Brother Neil contrasts the two experiences and brings out some wonderful lessons.
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Burning Jericho
From the house of passage (Bethabara) where Jesus was baptized and eventually gained his first disciples, we find our Lord traveling to the Village of Reeds in northern Galilee known as Cana. This obscure location was the place he began to manifest His power and Deity. Why would the Lord choose such a nowhere place? In this message, Brother Tim examines that question.
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Village of Reeds
Probably the worst thing any of us could do would be to offend a little child. And yet, there may be ways we offend our own children and we don’t even realize it. In this message, Brother Luke looks at ways we may offend the little ones without actually meaning to.
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Not Offending Little Ones
Two separate accounts of men approaching Jesus can be found in the gospel of John. In this message, Brother Tim contrasts the two approaches and the very different results of both.
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Approaching Jesus
It is often confusing when we find ourselves involved in things of this world that are not necessarily sinful, but seem to pull us away from Godly endeavors. In this message, Brother Neil identifies categories of non-sinful things in our lives that, when not handled properly, can lead us into sin.
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Blessing or Curse
Three times in the NT, God’s children are specifically directed to never return evil for evil. Paul says it twice and Peter said it once. Moreover, the Lord Himself instructed this in Matthew chapter 5. In presenting these teachings, Brother Tim brings out the true nature of the OT law and how there is a higher road that yields greater results than paying back evil for evil.
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Evil for Evil
God’s providence is truly amazing. From day to day God is committed as a great Watchman and Provider for His covenant people. In this message, Brother Tim examines how to determine if God’s hand is leading us, or if it may be a devilish providence seeking to snare us.
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In The Way Or In The Way
In Revelation 5, an amazing scene plays out before the Apostle John in heaven. Though no one in heaven or earth was evidently worthy to open the great book presented in heaven, suddenly one proclaims that One is worthy. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the Worthy Lion, who appears as a crucified and resurrected Lamb.
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Who Is Worthy
In this message, Brother Tim continues to examine the two categories of justification. There is justification by grace alone, which is the work of Christ alone, and there is justification that relates to our hearts and lives, known as justification by faith and works. A Biblical understanding of the difference is essential for peace of mind to a child of God.
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Justified by Faith and Works
In Matthew 9, there are many miracles described that Jesus did, all of which were met with negative responses. And even in spite of this, Jesus dealt with the people in a compassionate way. In this message, Brother Neil uses our Lord as an example of how we should view each other.
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How We View Others
The question “Are you saved” often yields a response like this: “Yes I know I am saved because I confessed, or believed, or was baptized…” the list goes on endlessly. In this message Pastor Tim looks at justification, and how Christ justified us eternally by his work, and we experience justification by faith when we confess HIS work, not ours.
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Justified