WMBC Podcast: Recent Episodes
Willow Meadows Baptist Church
After 2 weeks of a little Pauline theology about grace, faith and works, we finally get an answer to the question, “So what? What difference does this make in my life?” Paul indicates grace and faith pour a lot into our lives: access to God, the hope of glory, blessings through suffering, and peace with God through Christ. So take a deep breath. You are at peace. https://wmbc.org/
How do you get right with God and be secure that you belong to the Kingdom? We know the right answer is “saved by grace through faith,” but a lot of us talk and live like works are the way we stay saved. Is that what we were actually taught? Is that what we actually believe? The example of Abraham helps us sort through this issue. www.wmbc.org
In his letter to the Romans Paul is trying to explain to his audience the meaning and importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In chapter 5 he shows how through one person sin entered humanity, and how much more grace and life came through the one person of Jesus. The focal point of Lent and life is not me and my sin, but rather Jesus and life eternal.
We marvel at the story of Jesus transfigured into a blinding glory on the mountain with 3 disciples. But maybe what changed was the disciples seeing and hearing what was there all along. Maybe they too were transformed by receiving a new lens through which they could see the heavens and the earth and their own lives. Let’s pray this Lenten season that we look for transfigured moments in our lives: moments that get our attention, make us think, and change the way we look at our lives and our world. https://wmbc.org/
Many times when we are seeking God’s will the answer we seek doesn’t come quickly or decisively. No burning bush or writing on the wall. I am happy to wait on God but my decision can’t wait any longer. The Biblical idea of waiting is not as passive as ours. Learning to actively wait on God helps us live God’s will now. https://wmbc.org/
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In Ephesians 2 Paul describes what it means to be re-created in Christ, and sums up his thoughts saying we are saved by grace and saved for good works. If God re-made me so I can do the good works God has prepared for me to do, then I can be confident I am equipped by God’s Spirit to make Godly choices and do these good works that are God’s will for my life.
For the Corinthians it was “Do we eat meat or not eat meat?” For us it might be “Do I change jobs?” “Do I move to Michigan?” “Do I have lasagna or pork chops for dinner?” How do you make Godly decisions? Sometimes it helps to learn what NOT to do. Paul’s words can help us explode some common myths about decision-making and God’s will.
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Joseph is a good example to look at when it comes to learning about how this God’s will thing works. Joseph clearly fulfilled God’s plan and had a very successful life. But along the way he was thrown into a well by his brothers, sold as a slave twice, and left to die in prison. How do we reconcile the bad times with God’s will? When/how does it all make sense? www.WMBC.org
Does God want me to quit my job? Become a missionary? Have Italian for lunch? How do I know? Is that how discovering God’s will works? We begin a new series on Discovering God’s Will by laying down some foundation pieces to build on.
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“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.” That is our guiding verse for this year. God’s call for 2020 is for me to make my life count, and for us to make the life of our church count, by growing our faith and seeing that growth expressed in acts of love to others.
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In the midst of desperation David paused, stood in awe of the glory of God that was revealed to him, and lifted his voice in praise. In the face of hopelessness, where is the sanctuary that permits the presence of God to be revealed to you?
Advent is a time of reflection as we consider the Incarnation and all God has done for us in Christ. We see that same kind of reflection in the last days of John the Baptist’s life, as well as in the last days of our own lives. Did I get it right? Does this new birth in Christ work the way I have always thought it would? Advent: a time of reflection . . . and a time of hope.
WMBC's Discipleship Pastor, Elias Garcia delivers the message this week. Listen as we celebrate the second Sunday of Advent with this message of Peace from an Unlikely Character.
It was so wonderful to hear from guest preacher, Trisha Taylor, as we kicked off the Advent season with the anticipation of Hope.
Hard times are not primarily about particular events and circumstances – they are about how those particular events and circumstances make you feel. In Lamentations 3 Jeremiah describes the hard times feelings to perfection. And he also tells us what to call to mind so those feelings won’t consume us and cause us to lose hope. WWW.WMBC.ORG
There is perhaps nothing we need more to help us through hard times than hope. Hope is that light at the end of the tunnel. Hope is that mental picture of better days ahead that keep us moving forward. Hope gives us a reason to not give up and let the hard times sweep us away. www.wmbc.org
Did you really think we could get through a sermon series without talking about faith? Faith is the foundation that determines how my house will stand up to the storms of hard times. Faith is the path that helps me find God’s peace, even during times of trouble. If you want help in hard times you gotta have faith.
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Tune in as Dr. Burt Burleson returns to the pulpit for the WMBC 1980s Youth Group Reunion.
Back when phones were immobile and attached to walls and were used to talk to people, it was always exciting to get a call. Can you imagine the excitement of getting a call from God? I hope so because you’ve got one! And that call offers real hope and strength when hard times come.
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Hard times bring out our flaws. They bend and dent and crack us. They misshape us until we don’t even recognize ourselves. They raise our anxiety to its highest level and our self-awareness to its lowest level. But Jeremiah shows us a hope we have for hard times: the Potter is always working on us and can always reshape us – even during the hardest of times.
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It is unlikely your first response to hard times is to go and serve someone, but that is what Jeremiah encouraged God’s people who were exiled in Babylon to do. Service and hard times are not mutually exclusive. Service is therapy to help get us through hard times.
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My hard times often make me feel confused, lost, or hopeless. Is there a balm to make me whole? To heal my soul? Well, like the song says, “If you can’t preach like Peter or pray like Paul, just tell the love of Jesus.” When everything else has come crashing down there is still the love of Christ.
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Most of us have felt like God has let us down when going through hard times. It’s not so much a feeling that God is not there; it’s that God isn’t paying attention or doesn’t care or doesn’t seem to get it. Jeremiah’s back-and-forth with God might teach us a thing or two to help us find God’s presence and peace in the midst of hard times that don’t seem to make sense.
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If asked to write an autobiography, most of us would include stories that are funny, touching, or inspiring. But we might not put in very many stories about hard times. And that’s a shame because those are the stories we need to hear to realize we aren’t as alone as we feel. Maybe it’s to add a “hard times addition” to our story to remind ourselves and others God is with us, even in the hard times.
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We started 2019 with a challenge to better know my story and Christ’s Story, and to join God in the story God is writing in Southwest Houston. So how is it going? And how do we finish the year strong? Do you have the courage to add to or rewrite your story, and to allow others to do the same? Let’s talk about where we are and where we need to go so our story ends with “happily ever after.”
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You can’t talk about being God’s Children without talking about living by faith can you? But what exactly does it mean to live by faith? The writer of Hebrews tackles that very question, reminding us that living by faith combines confidence in what we believe with action that demonstrates that belief.
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The move from being “in the world” to being “in Christ” is a big one. For such a long trip we need the right mindset. And we need to know what to pack. Surprisingly, God’s Children should pack lightly for this journey.
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Many Christians will say they are running on empty but Paul says that we have been brought to fullness. We are filled in Christ now. That filling is not a future event. Our challenge is to live as fully as we have been filled.
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The Apostle Paul makes clear the absolute supremacy of Christ in all things. Do I have that same clarity? What statement do I make each day about the place Jesus holds in my life?
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Paul seems to pray a little differently for his friends. While most of us like to get right to the specifics Paul prays more thoughtfully and deeply. Perhaps if these bigger items fall into place there will be less specific issues to come along. How do you pray for those in your life?
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Children of God reap what they sow. Children of God sow the seeds of God’s fruit. Children of God do good. And Children of God sow into their own lives when they grow weary of doing good.
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We keep in step with God's Spirit as we serve one another humbly in love. Serving is great, but how we serve is what sets us apart. The Fruit of the Spirit doesn't tell us what to do but rather how we do it. How we live is how we keep in step with the Spirit.
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Paul saw all the believers he wrote to (that includes us) as God's Children: brothers and sisters with no distinctions at all. All together, all as one. So what does that look like in today's church?
Psalm 8 is a beautiful expression of David witnessing the glory of God in creation. But when he identifies humanity as the pinnacle of creation he challenges us to reveal God's glory in the same undeniable way nature does.
The first unexpected act of God in the book of Acts was the one that triggered all the others: the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The followers of Jesus became so passionate to tell the story people thought they were drunk. What keeps us from being that bold? Maybe it's as simple as not loving enough to act.
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It took a first century jailhouse rock to set Paul and Silas free in Acts 16. Or were they already free? Sometimes people are imprisoned on the inside even though they look free on the outside. And if you are in Christ you are free indeed, even if you find yourself shackled in a Philippian prison. What does it mean to be free in Christ?
When God changed both what and who is allowed at the table in Acts 11, it changed a longstanding view of the Kingdom of God. There are no unforgivable sins or people. Grace - it really is amazing!
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God is always up to something, and sometimes we never see it coming- including those who will bless us most, and those we might be a blessing to. The story of Saul and Ananias remind us to never count anyone out.
When is Jesus coming back? We work awfully hard trying to figure that out. But will we ever know? Which is more important: when Jesus is coming back or that Jesus is coming back? And what difference does it make in my life?
Jesus came, lived, died and rose again. Why? Jesus said, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Jesus didn't die and rise again to make bad people good; he died and rose again to make dead people alive.
The way Jesus was welcomed to Jerusalem as a hero, no one would have seen the cross coming just a few days later - no one but Jesus. Palm Sunday (and the week that followed) reminds us that often we have terrible insight into life. We can't see what's coming. One more reason to hang on tight to the one who can.
The death of John the Baptist, excited disciples returning from their first preaching and healing trip, teaching massive crowds all day long, feeding 15,000, and a stroll on top of the waves to save the 12. Mark 6 was a long, hard day for Jesus. Calm in the midst of chaos - is it available for us too?
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Lent reminds us of the need we have for a balance of our lives between nourishing our souls and exercising our faith. A 5th Sunday day of service in the middle of Lent helps us balance the scales.
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Who will you be during this season of Lent? A loving father or an angry older brother? Where you focus will determine who you'll be and how you'll respond.
Why does Jesus make the hero a Samaritan? This parable, and the season of Lent, helps us focus and surrender more of ourselves to God so we might love God and others – all others – more completely.
Lent calls us to prayer, fasting and acts of charity as we make our way to the cross. James and John were with Jesus on the way to the cross and totally missed what Jesus was trying to teach them. Maybe we can learn from their mistakes and be intentional about our Lenten practice this year.
Jesus loves to give . . . and hold us accountable for how we use those gifts. What's in the bag(s) God has given you? And how are using those gifts to bless your life, honor God, and encourage others?
If you're going to get to know Jesus you have to know him as healer. And that's good news because we need lots of healing: physically, emotionally, spiritually. What might that healing look like today, and what might keep it from happening?
We are not fans of change but when Jesus shows up things change: the atmosphere changes, the way things are done changes, and lives change. It's time to embrace the change Jesus brings - the change will do you good!
If asked most of us would likely say our faith is of greatest value. Talk is cheap. The question that shows true value is “What is your faith costing you?" Sacrifice and cost determines value.
What if this was a year we got to know Jesus better than we get to know anyone else? What would that look like? And how would it impact others?
Thinking about being a part of the story God is writing in our world can be overwhelming, especially when you think about who you are in light of who God is. But maybe there is a place for ALL of us, not just the best and brightest, in the work God is doing.
The shepherd's weren't looking for God to enter the world - they were looking for sheep. The nativity events caught them totally by surprise and changed their lives, as did the stories they must have told years later. Listen to how one shepherd might have described that night.
As Christians we want Jesus to be at the center of who we are and what we do. But what do you do when you can't find Jesus?
Having your heart broken is always hard, but it is especially hurtful when you are a child. In Mark 10 some brokenhearted children can teach us where to go when we need to put the pieces together again.
So what's up with the Wise Men? Who are they? Why did they come to Bethlehem? And why did they bring gifts? There is a thing or two about our own lives and giving we can learn from the Magi.
Often we do things thinking it will earn God's love, however the truth is beautifully humbling.
Ever have one of those days where everything seems to go wrong? Or one of those months when your whole world seems to be falling apart? Psalm 46 was written for just such a time as these.
The question is not can we get well and end our spiritual drought. The question is do we want to?
Many of us go through life trying to glimpses of Jesus here and there, hoping it will sustain us. But the life of that wee little man Zacchaeus shows us it takes more than a glimpse to end a spiritual drought and experience lasting transformation.
The world can be a confusing place, now perhaps more than ever. In a world so seemingly driven by hate, fear, and rage, it's important to ask ourselves if the ends justify the means.
Spiritual droughts hit us hard, leaving our souls hungry and thirsty and dehydrated. The story of the woman at the well helps us see what our souls are thirsty for and how we might receive the Living Water of Christ.
Spiritual droughts are unavoidable for nations, churches, and each one of us. Elijah's showdown with King Ahab in i Kings 18 helps us learn how to make it rain and find life in the midst of drought.
When we look at all of the beauty and vastness of God's infinite creation, we can't help but to react by worshiping!
Aren't we told to never pray for patience? But James tells us we need both patience and prayer to successfully live out our faith through hard times and difficult circumstances.
When most people think of a wise person they think of a person who says wise things. But in our text James offers a different kind of picture: wisdom is good deeds humbly performed.
Our words can both give and take life. They can build up and they can tear down. James offers us some instruction on how to carefully use this powerful tool we call speech.
James says if we hear everything God has to say but don't do anything in response our faith is worthless. It's time to achieve more than worthless. It's time to do something - even just one thing - that God says and see what might happen.
How are we as Christians supposed to handle anxiety? Trisha Taylor eases our hearts with God's Word on the matter.
Is the mature Christian the one who goes to church the most or has watched the Ten Commandments movie more times than anyone? Paul says in Ephesians 4 it starts with who you are. So what does the mature Christian look like on the inside?
The team is back from Guatemala and share experiences of seeing God moving in our world and our hearts.
When storms come (and they will!) we typically respond with fear or faith. The fear response is easy. But how can we learn to walk on top of those storms by responding with great faith?
Old wood needs to be restored . . . and so does old faith. How do we open the door for God to do some restoration? We dance like no one's watching!
God unites. God knows we are better together. God is not looking to create division or hatred or chaos . . . and neither should we.
Grief is a part of life . . . a part we don't care for much. So grateful for the God who comforts.
God is with us in our battles, but sometimes it's God Who actually leads us TO the battle.
We are often told we have to "play the hand we are dealt" But the same is true for God. He has to play the hand each of us deal Him each day to move us closer to the life He made us to live.
God's work usually begins with a call. And who does God call? Professional Christians? Weekly Sunday School attenders? God calls those who are listening.
The Trinity can be a confusing subject, luckily our relationship to God can be infinitely intimate.
Pentecost was an amazing event that set the church in motion...but it doesn't happen without great timing, and serves as a reminder to us all that timing is everything.
There is no way the little boy at the feeding of the 5000 would have shared his lunch, much less made it there with a lunch, if not for a mom teaching him well. Let's learn from her some of the lessons her little boy learned that led to this great miracle.
After two weeks focused on love, faith enters the picture to reveal an inseparable relationship between the two.
God has overwhelmed us with boundless love - but why? Is it just for us to enjoy? This week we learn from 1 John 4 that love isn't love until you give it away.
Some might say the quest for life is figuring out what love is. This week we'll take on that quest and see that love is sacrificial, compassionate and active. What does that look like in my life?
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We've heard the phrase our entire life, but what does it truly mean to be one of God's Children?