Britt David Podcast: Recent Episodes
Pastor Tim Jones
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Jesus is the central figure of the Bible, the most important Person in human history. He is greater than all and above all. What you believe about Him matters the most. How you turn to Him helps the most. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews says that we should Consider Him. The Bible says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The Bible says, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Consider Him we will.
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The classic line from the Mission Impossible series was a recorded voice saying, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…,” followed by the voice continuing with the message of the mission. You have been given a mission. It is called the Great Commission. Your first responsibility is to accept it. Every Christian is called to be a missionary. Every Christian has a mission. We say, “Should you choose to accept it,” but that should not be in question. The Great Commission is not an option to be considered but a command to be obeyed.
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Psalm 29 is about the power and authority of the voice of God. This is the voice that spoke all creation into existence, and this is the voice that David hears. When he sees a powerful thunderstorm, it reminds him of God’s voice. Only he knows that God’s voice is even more powerful, so he seeks to describe God’s voice compared to what he sees. This is the same God today with the same powerful, authoritative voice. Do you ever wonder if the voice you sense is God’s voice speaking to you, or maybe it’s the devil’s voice trying to trick you, or it’s your own voice or one of the many voices in your head? Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” God’s voice is distinctive from any other, and you can know His voice. David hears it and describes it in Psalm 29.
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The most powerful event in human history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said that’s what he wanted to truly know above all other things: the power of His resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus was so powerful that it revolutionized everything. The power of His resurrection can revolutionize your life, too. The most important event in human history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That single act changed everything. Sin and death that seemed to have absolute dominion was utterly defeated. Man, who had no hope of a future or of a restoration of fellowship with the One True Living God was redeemed. And the glory of God was seen like never before. The world has never been the same since.
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We’ve all heard that if you want to make a significant impact or if you want to make lasting change, then you need to work it from in the inside out, that it’s easier to work within the system. The Church in Antioch took the opposite approach and became the mission-center of the world. Missionaries out of Antioch were said to have turned the world upside down. But they were all outsiders; outsiders who became insiders. God can use anyone. And it may surprise you who He chooses to use and to what great extent He uses them. It may surprise you – it may shock you – to learn that He chooses to use you. You may discount your usefulness in numerous ways, but God often chooses outsiders over insiders to make a significant impact.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is self-control. If the Holy Spirit is in control of my life, as I have been filled by Him, then He is going to grant me the desire and the ability to have self-control. We are in a war, and the battleground is our mind. As much as our enemy is after a person’s heart and soul, the frontline is the mind. Self-control, as a product of the Holy Spirit living in us as we walk with Him, is desperately needed to win this fight. The good news is the Bible says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.”
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The most famous verse in all the Bible is the greatest verse in all the Bible. Some have called it the “gospel in a nutshell.” You probably memorized it as a child going to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School. It’s John 3:16. Really, everything a person would need to know to be saved is in this single verse. John 3:16 is only twenty-five words long. What other 25 words could be compiled and arranged to have the impact of these 25 words. Nothing is as profound, nothing is as sure, nothing is as grand, nothing is as universal, nothing is as impactful as the 25 words that make up John 3:16.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is gentleness. Because God deals gently with us, we ought to deal gently with others. Almost immediately after telling us that the Holy Spirit will produce gentleness in us as a fruit, He demands of us that we use that gentleness He has given us to restore a fallen brother or sister in the faith. It is an immediately applied Fruit of the Spirit.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is faithfulness. Because God is faithful in all things, He empowers me to be faithful in all things as well.
Faithfulness is one of the greatest Christian attributes that reflect the nature of God. When we are faithful, as believers, we testify to the character of God and we help give people a reason to trust Him.
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Change is coming. Someone has said that the only constant in life is change. If change is coming – and it is – it is for my best and for God’s glory when He initiates that change preceded by a clear call that I follow obediently. Moses at the burning bush is a great example of this.
John Maxwell summed up change with this trio of truths:
· People won’t change until they hurt enough that they have to.
· People won’t change until they know enough that they want to.
· People won’t change until they receive enough that they are able to.
All three elements were present when God called Moses to lead one of the biggest changes imaginable: the deliverance of God’s people from Egyptian bondage.
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Who is Jesus? That’s the question of the ages. It is the question that matters most. Even King David asks the question similarly. He wrote twice in Psalm 24, “Who is this King of Glory?” Jesus was asked by Pilate if He was indeed the King of the Jews. The truth of the matter is He is the King of all. Paul will even refer to Him as the King of all other kings and the Lord of all other lords. He, and He alone, is the King of Glory.
If Jesus is the King of Glory, how can we sinners ever hope to stand before Him? In Psalm 24, David says that the only person who can stand before the King of Glory is the one whose hands have been cleaned and whose heart is pure. Only Jesus can cleanse us and purify us; we certainly cannot do that for ourselves. So, if you will be made right with God through the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, you will be able to stand before God in holiness.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is goodness. I have no goodness of my own, but His goodness works in me and through me. We know that we are not saved by good works, but according to Ephesians 2:10, we are saved “unto good works,” or that we might accomplish good works through His empowerment. The Bible says that Jesus “went about doing good.” His followers should do the same.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is kindness. God treats us with kindness, and He expects His people to treat others with kindness. Ellen DeGeneres ended her talk shows with an exhortation to be kind to one another. If anyone ought to understand kindness and know how to be kind to one another, it’s Christians. When we are kind, we are demonstrating in practical terms the transforming love of Jesus.
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The Great Commission is found in all four Gospels and in the Book of Acts. John quotes Jesus, saying, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” So, the goal Jesus had in fulfilling the Great Commission, of course, should be our goal, too. But also, the way Jesus went about fulfilling the Great Commission ought to be our method, too. At the close of Matthew 9, we find out how to do just that.
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We have been called to serve the Lord. To serve Him with gladness, yes, but also to serve Him with toil and with the sweat of our brow. What better model have we ever had than that of the Lord Jesus. He literally gave His all. And we are to follow in His steps.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is longsuffering. God treats us with longsuffering, and He expects His people to treat others with longsuffering. The character quality of Longsuffering means that you have a long fuse rather than a short fuse. Rather than blowing up in anger when you are provoked, you are able to show self-restraint. We see that in how God treats us, and we are to treat others that way, too. The only way is supernatural – for the Holy Spirit to produce that quality in you.
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MVPs are found in every sport: the year’s Most Valuable Player. The Bible could be called the MVB – the Most Valuable Book. There is nothing quite like the Word of God. No other book can measure up to it. It has everything you need for life and godliness. If you want the Word of God to have rule in your life, to come alive as you read it, then it’s going to take more than a casual glance at it, more than a nod of acknowledgement, more than a Sunday morning only reading of it. You need to integrate it into your life, make your Quiet Times a priority, and allow the Holy Spirit to apply its truth.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up that cluster. That means that the Holy Spirit is working this entire cluster in me, not just one or two of those listed. One of those individual distinctives is peace. This is the same kind of peace that Jesus displayed. And according to Jesus, you can have that same peace in every situation. Peace is not the absence of problems. In fact, peace really shows its power in the midst of chaos. This is the kind of peace that allowed Jesus to sleep on a boat through a storm, and the kind of peace that allowed Him to walk calmly through a crowd wanting to throw Him over a cliff. And that kind of peace is the peace that He offers and that the Holy Spirit produces in you.
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We often mistake joy with happiness; we think that as long as our circumstances are in our favor, we can have joy. But it is happiness that has to do with your happenings, your circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is a gift, a fruit, a result that comes from walking rightly with the Spirit of God. You can display joy regardless of your circumstances.
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The Fruit of the Spirit is a single cluster of fruit, like a cluster of grapes with distinct, individual grapes making up the cluster. One of those individual distinctives is joy. This is the genuine joy that Jesus displayed. And according to John 15:11, you can have that same joy Jesus has.
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Revival is God’s work. He does this work in individuals. He has also done this work in a collection of individuals – sometimes in a church, sometimes in a city, and sometimes across the whole country. Our country, our city, our church needs revival. With one final warning, God offers us that chance through His prophet Hosea.
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The Road to Revival has several stops. These are important places on God’s map. In fact, I’m not sure you can get to revival’s destination without going through each of these four places. Let’s learn from Hosea how to get there.
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The Holy Spirit works His character in us. We call it the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. We have the privilege of putting on display for all the world to see some of the attributes of God. They should get a good idea of Who God is by how His people act.
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Tina Turner may have wondered, What’s Love Got to Do with It, but God’s people have learned that love has everything to do with everything. God’s love has been demonstrated to us, and we are to demonstrate that love to others. Love really does make the world go ‘round.
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Britt David Welcomes special guest David Lix of The Columbus Baptist Association.
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The theme that seems to run through Paul’s final letter, his second epistle to Timothy, is faithfulness. Back in the second chapter he acknowledged the reality of our lack of faithfulness sometimes. Yet, here in the last chapter, he encourages Timothy to be faithful to his calling, to remain steadfast even as Paul has shown him the way. We often think of Paul as the super-Christian who did everything right and who did everything himself. Yet in most of Paul’s epistles he acknowledges, thanks, greets, or commends someone by name in the final chapter. We all need such faithful, steadfast partners in ministry.
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Most often when asked what church they attend, people will point to a building. But the church is not the building. The Bible-word for church means “the called out ones,” therefore the root of the word is the people. We are the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. Any local church is a gathering of believers who have bound themselves together under the banner of Christ. This is who He died for and the ones He will use to change the world. What God does, He does forever. What He begins, He completes. “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” This beautiful promise is given to His church, His body of believers, His family of faith, whom He works in and with and through.
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On December 11, 1949, Britt David Baptist Church met for the first time as an official new church in Columbus, Georgia. After months of praying and strategizing, the church was planted in a newly growing area of the city. Seventy-five years later, we thank God for what He has done in, with, and through this church. His handiwork here is worth celebrating. We also celebrate Christmas in various places and in various forms. Some celebrate the season itself, some Santa, and some snowballs, and others sugar plums. But we celebrate the Savior. He really is the reason for the season. He is Immanuel, God with us. That is worth celebrating.
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The Last Days will be hazardous days for the world in general, and greater pressure is being put on the church. Not only will the church need to endure the days themselves, but fulfilling the Great Commission will face more obstacles than ever before. This world needs a Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered, Spirit-anointed church to endure.
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There is no doubt but that we are living in the Last Days, knowing that the Rapture of the Church and the Coming of Christ are nearer than ever before. That blessed hope of the church is also a great burden for the church knowing that we have a shortening time to bring men and women and boys and girls into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. There is much to do and less time to do it.
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Sadly, not all ministers are in ministry for the right reasons. This is true among vocational pastors, volunteer leaders, teachers, deacons, staff members, really anyone involved in ministry. We are thankful for the ones who are the right kinds of persons doing the right kinds of things in the right kinds of ways. Make sure you make the most of the character of the person leading.
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In the first half of 2 Timothy 2, Paul’s focus was on Timothy maximizing his ministry, making the most of his opportunities, expanding and growing his ministry beyond where it currently is. In the second half of 2 Timothy 2, Paul’s focus is on Timothy maximizing the minister, making sure that he is the kind of leader that church needs. As much attention as we place on results, we need to pay more attention to the character of the man who is leading.
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Unity in the church is not based on sameness nor on similarities. Unity comes from the Spirit. Thus the Bible says that we are to be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It is HIS unity that we must strive to maintain.
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David wrote, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” There’s nothing quite like a church that is unified in Christ. They work together, they worship together, and Christ is glorified. And we the church are called to maintain that unity.
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Paul certainly maximized the opportunities for ministry God had given to him, and he gave himself completely. As Paul looks forward to the next generation of ministry, he knows the need for that same level of strength, steadfastness, and sacrifice. He wants to see Timothy succeed in maximizing the opportunities for ministry God will give him.
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“Make the most of your opportunities.” That advice has been passed down from generation to generation. When it comes to serving the Lord, being in your God-called ministry, you want to make the most of it too. So, what does it mean to maximize your ministry? That’s the question Paul tackles as he prepares Timothy for his upcoming opportunities.
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Often times, there is an inexplicable gap between what we truly believe from God’s Word and how we feel in our own heart. We know that He loves us, we know that He has a purpose that is for our good and for His glory, we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us, but our hurt commands our attention such that we doubt that our circumstances will ever get any better. Psalm 77 is an honest look at grief.
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Our annual Honor & Remembrance Service is designed to offer eternal hope and practical help to those who have lost a loved one this year. We host this service the week before Thanksgiving because we realize that these holidays are often the most difficult times we have dealing with our loss, and for these specific families, this will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas they will go through without their loved one. If you, too, are dealing with loss and looking for comfort, we trust this message from God’s Word will help you.
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These are indeed unsettling times. Presidential elections every four years highlight the uncertainty. Sometimes it feels like we are on the ocean in a raft drifting up and down with each successive wave. But our faith settles our hearts. And in his final letter, Paul reassures Timothy of this truth.
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The oldest working lighthouse in America is the Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey. It has stood sturdy against waves and weather and erosion since 1764. Countless lives have been saved because it has remained unshakable. Paul writes this final letter to Timothy to ensure him that he can remain unshakable too, and countless souls will be saved as a result.
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Can you imagine the fear that had taken over the disciples while they were on the boat during that storm that Jesus sent them into? The storm was fearful enough, but add to that the physical darkness they were trying to operate in. And then add to that this appearance they assumed was a ghost. No doubt they were shaking in their sandals. But this so-called ghost was really Jesus coming to their rescue, coming for their comfort, coming to calm them in turbulent times.
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They say that the only thing unchanging is that change is sure to come. Some changes we see as advancements – we love the new technologies. But many changes we see as intrusive and unwelcome. It rocks our boats. But even then, God is still in control. This episode of Jesus walking on the water is a gentle and gracious reminder from God that you can trust Him in turbulent times.
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In Paul’s final address to the Ephesian church, he pled with them to protect that little flock. He knew they needed leadership, and he knew they needed protection – they needed a shepherd. Paul leaves this message of legacy with them as they fondly remember the past and look expectantly to the future.
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The church in Ephesus held a special place in the heart of the Apostle Paul. He genuinely loved them and longed to see them grow in their relationship with Christ, being used effectively by the Lord. As he passed nearby for the last time, he gathered the leaders of the church together and gave them this final exhortation. It is a beautiful, heartwarming message of love and legacy.
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Luke 15 contains three companion parables. Each story points to the same truth, that the salvation of a soul is a monumental reason to celebrate and rejoice. The middle story of those three parables contains a unique statement. It says, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This message explores that statement in detail.
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Psalm 46 is a beloved psalm believers turn to in times of trouble. And the troubles we face are varied and sundry, as people used to say. Yet God remains reliably consistent. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And here we are reminded that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.”
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In 701 BC, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, after conquering city after city, came after Jerusalem, the capitol city of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and more importantly, the city of God. Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem and he blasphemed God. And God came to their rescue, as He will come to yours. We are reminded that God is a very present help in times of trouble.
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This past week, our church hosted an annual outreach event that brought in over ten thousand participants. Central to this event over the last twenty-five years has been the gospel, and we have seen hundreds and hundreds of people give their lives to Christ. This message is a reminder that that is worth celebrating.
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Psalm 46 was written in commemoration of the miraculous way God delivered the people of Jerusalem and the city itself from an attack by the Assyrians. Archeological digs have proven that what the Bible claimed as historical fact was right all along. And the lessons learned then are the lessons we need to learn today.
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The title above Psalm 46 reads, “A psalm of the sons of Korah.” Eleven psalms are attributed the same way. This particular psalm was written, maybe at King Hezekiah’s behest, to acknowledge the greatness of God as seen in His deliverance of Jerusalem in 701 BC. What was true and needed over 2700 years ago is just as true and just as needed today.
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The troubles we face are real. And sometimes they are devastating. But even if the whole earth were annihilated, or if the highest of mountains collapsed into the ocean, or if that ocean roiled like a boiling pot of water, God is still perfectly capable of handling the situation. And if He can handle something like that, imagine Him coming to your rescue during your times of trouble.
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Psalm 46 is written as a reflection of a difficult yet victorious time in Jerusalem’s history. God miraculously delivered them from an opposing, overwhelming enemy. The Psalmist then writes to encourage people like us who face terrible troubles reminding us that God is still God, and that He can still act miraculously. In your times of trouble, look to Him as your refuge and strength.
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Welcome to Britt David Podcast and a message from Pastor Tim entitled "For the Gospel's Sake" from 1 Corinthians 9:23. Todays message comes from the heart of Pastor Tim. The God given vision of Ark In The Park Has spanned now some 25 years. The purpose is simply stated “ It’s a safe, Christ Centered trick or treat alternative, where kids will get more candy and have more fun than if they went anywhere else. Over these years Pastor Tim, his family, and Britt David have endeavored to share the love and message of Christ to everyone that attends. Hear his heart today as he shares this message.
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Your spiritual life needs nourishment. For good physical health, you need to eat right and exercise. For good mental health, you should read and engage in meaningful conversations. For good spiritual health, you should feed on God’s Word, exercise the principles found, read the Bible and good books, and engage in meaningful conversations with God. To neglect to do so will lead your spiritual life to ruin.
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The Prophet Jeremiah was used effectively by God to warn His people of their pending judgment. Though similar in their message, the way God used Jeremiah was unique. God used visual clues and dramatic performances by Jeremiah to communicate His message. In chapter 13, God uses a new priestly sash and a fifteen-hundred-mile journey to demonstrate the distance the people had put between themselves and God. It is a symbolic sash.
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Solomon was given a measure of wisdom greater than all others. The Book of Proverbs is him as a dad passing down that wisdom to his son. In so doing, he passes that along to us. And in the same way that God provided Solomon with wisdom, He says He will provide wisdom for all who ask Him for it.
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The Book of Proverbs is a guide for life. Attempting to live a godly life in an ungodly world requires wisdom. Through this Book, God provides His people with divine instruction on how to successfully navigate the corrupted path of life. This Book provides us with a pathway to wisdom.
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The little redhead sang the song so joyfully, "It's a hard knock life". Once a day don't you want to throw the towel in? It's easier than puttin' up a fight. No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy! No one cares if you grow... or if you shrink! No one cares when your eyes get wet an' weepy! From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink! Ohhhh!!!!!! Empty belly life! Rotten smelly life! Full of sorrow life! No tomorrow life! Oh, but There's hope for the hard-knock life!!
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We tend to think about prayer as a wish-list. When I was a boy, I would search through the toy catalog that came in the mail, circle all the toys I wanted, and then make sure that the catalog found its way to my mom and dad. We treat prayer similarly. But real prayer doesn’t begin with me or my need; it doesn’t begin with my great need nor end with that need. Prayer begins and ends in the heart of God.
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Jesus commands us to pray. Although He already knows what you have need of, He stills requires His children to come to Him in prayer. That should tell us that prayer is not merely a vehicle for getting what I want. Prayer is of God, and if I want to know Him, then I must spend time in prayer.
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Alvin Reid once said, “Prayer is intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of His purposes.” He is right. Prayer is not a shortcut to getting what I want from God. Prayer allows me to get to know God on a deeper level and allows God to work out His purposes in me and then through me.
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Jesus told His disciples, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Ask. Seek. Knock. Those words can be an acronym, A-S-K, ask. Just before Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane, He takes time to teach His disciples one more time to ask. And if they will ask, they will receive.
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One of the most beautiful thoughts in the New Testament is that one day Jesus will return for His bride, the church. He told us that He had gone into heaven to prepare a place for us, like a groom will prepare living conditions for his bride. And when He is ready, He will come get us. Thankfully, the Bible shares some of the details of what that will be like.
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Mysteries are scary when you don’t know the outcome. But when you know when the story has a happy ending, the frightening points along the way lose a little bit of their punch. For many people, studying the Rapture of the Church is scary, but God reveals to us what we need to know that it might be encouraging instead.
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The return of Jesus, the rapture of the church, is imminent. That simply means that He could return to retrieve His bride at any moment. There is no prophecy awaiting to be fulfilled; there are no reasons for His delay outside of His own will and timing. He may have been gone for two thousand years, but when He comes, it’ll have just been “a little while,” especially in the context of eternity.
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None of us enjoy waiting. Waiting on a doctor, waiting at a traffic light, waiting until Christmas. But learning to wait is a part of life. And what we gain in the waiting can be invaluable. God teaches us life-long lessons in the waiting. Today we wait for Jesus’ return. And He prepares us everyday for His coming.
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Christian renewal and church revival are common prayer requests. Often we hear messages that inspire us to be and to do differently. But to step out and make the changes necessary is another story entirely. Fear and busy-ness stay in our way. But if you could get over that like Rai Benjamin in the Olympic hurdles, you would find the possibility to push reset in your life.
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Don’t you wish you had a reset button in life? Just one little click and everything would be refreshed, and you would get a chance to start over. There are no such buttons in real life, but God does offer us the ability to stop and reset our priorities. Many of us just don’t feel like we have the time to do it. But it is so necessary that maybe we should stop now and push reset.
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One of the chief roles of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ. This is pictured beautifully in the Book of Revelation where the Holy Spirit is said to be like seven lamps of fire before the throne of God in heaven; the purpose of those lamps, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to cast light – to spotlight – the Person of Christ. He is doing that today through the life of the Christian.
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The Holy Spirit has been called the Helper, the Comforter, the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of Grace, and other great titles. In our passage today, Jesus calls Him the Spirit of Truth, meaning that He will guide believers into all truth. Today we want to take a look at the way the Holy Spirit works in the life of a Christian.
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The role of the Holy Spirit cannot be overemphasized. For too long, among us Baptists, we have understated His role. Without Him, however, we would never have come to Christ, we would never find lasting comfort, and we would have no choice but to succumb to the world’s pressures. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit; Jesus has sent Him to be your Helper.
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At the end of John 16, Jesus encourages His disciples by telling them, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” That statement in the last verse is a synopsis of this whole chapter. As you will hear from the first third of this chapter, Jesus tells His disciples how and why they will face so much trouble, but the presence of His Holy Spirit will see them through.
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We Christians want to be used by God. We want to be His vessel, His tool, His servant. Sometimes those opportunities for usefulness take us by surprise, and we don’t think that we are ready. But the God who is sovereign over all things may just have you right where He wants you at just the right time. Look around you. Is someone hurting? Is someone in need? Is someone lost? Maybe this is your Divine Appointment.
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A Divine Appointment is when God orchestrates a meeting between one of His witnesses and a lost person He desires to save. This appointment may be news to both the witness and the lost person, but God has arranged it nonetheless. To the surprise of both, that lost person may find salvation. Wouldn’t you want to be a part of something like that? Ask God, then, to set you up a Divine Appointment.
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Of the fastest 10 pitches ever thrown in Major League Baseball, 8 of them were thrown by Aroldis Chapman, topping out at 105.8 mph. Of the 10 hardest hit homeruns in Major League Baseball, half of those belong to Giancarlo Stanton, topping out at 121.7 mph. “Power in” is often “power out.” The same is true in witnessing – the Holy Spirit brings His power in that you may display His power out, and the result may be a transformed life.
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When it comes to being a witness for Christ, most Christ know they are to be faithful witnesses. Many even feel that sense of urgency. So, why do we keep reading poll results that say that less than 2 percent of all believers have ever shared their faith with a lost person, giving them a chance to respond? Maybe one reason is that we think we have a responsibility too great for us, that we just can’t do it. Jesus has a message for every person who feels that way: the power of your witness is in Him, not in you.
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Britt David Podcast welcomes Andy Wells as he shares the conclusion to his message entitled "The Gospel".
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Britt David Podcast welcomes Andy Wells as he shares a message with us today entitled "The Gospel".
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I think I’m pretty likeable. I want people to like me. I try to get along with everybody. So, when I read that there is a vast portion of this world who hates me – not just dislikes me, but hates me – I have a hard time swallowing that. Why would they hate someone like me? Jesus said it is because they hate Him. And I am His, and He is mine. Be loveable; just know that everyone won’t see you quite that way.
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Hate is a strong word. Hate is an ugly word. Hate is a word that many parents forbid their children to use. But hate is a word that Jesus used and focused on as He warned His disciples how the world would view them. Why does the world hate genuine followers of Jesus? That is what we will explore as we study this passage in John 15.
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Check out the conclusion to Pastor Tim's message as he shares this great spiritual truth!!!
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Check out Pastor Tim's message as he shares this great spiritual truth!!!
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They say that love makes the world go ‘round. If so, then Christians have a great responsibility. Jesus told us what No Greater Love looks like. He showed that love to us by loving us that way. Now, we are to demonstrate that same kind of love to others. In this passage we learn how Jesus loves us.
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One of the greatest, simplest, most profound truths in all the world is that God loves you. He perfectly demonstrated that love by sending Jesus to die a substitutionary, atoning death on the cross for you. HE now calls upon us to love Him in return with all our hearts AND to love others that same way. How can I possibly love like Jesus loves? There is no greater love than His.
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We know that Jesus said that without Him we could do nothing. Nevertheless, we attempt to do nearly everything without Him. We may pray about a situation, but we tackle it as if it all depended on us. We would be fruitful if we would abide in Him and allow Him to live His life, His will, His purposes through us.
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There may not be a more beautiful picture of our relationship with Christ than Jesus provides in John 15, where He is the vine and we are the branches. His illustration describes a living relationship, a fruitful relationship. He describes what our relationship ought to be. And a theme that runs through His depiction is the word, abide.
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Of the seven I AM statements from Jesus in the Gospel of John, one of the most prolific is “I am the True Vine.” He names for us all the parts of His illustration: He is the Vine; God the Father is the Vinedresser; and we are the Branches. His explanation of the activity and necessity of the vine and the vinedresser to the branches is profound. He reminds us that we are to be utterly dependent upon Him in this life.
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The faith-filled heritage of the United States is well-documented. God raised up leaders and patriots whom we know refer to as our Forefathers. They paved the way for our independence as a nation, but they did it because of their dependence upon God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. If they were so dependent upon Him then, we should certainly be dependent upon Him today.
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Gnats and flies can ruin a picnic. You spend more time shooing them away than you do enjoying your lunch and enjoying your company. At least, they are just a nuisance. Our passage today mentions something far worse than a mere irritation. Vultures came down on Abram’s sacrifice, and he had to shoo them away. We can learn a lot about waiting on the Lord while we shoo away the enemies.
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Waiting frustrates us. Sitting in a waiting room at the doctor’s office. Waiting on that check to come in the mail. Even waiting at a red light. But learning to wait on God is vitally important. We are told to wait on Him over a hundred times in the Bible. Why? In part, He is using that waiting time to prepare us. So, learn how to Wait On and how to Wave Off.
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Worldly peace is temporary; God’s peace is eternal. Worldly peace is circumstantial; God’s peace is foundational. Worldly peace is based on the environment; God’s peace is based on His nature. Worldly peace is inferior; God’s peace is superior. Worldly peace is grasped; God’s peace is a gift. Worldly peace is uncertain; God’s peace is sure. Jesus offers you God’s peace in the midst of your storms.
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Storms are normal and inevitable. We have a hurricane season and a tornado season that come around as consistently as baseball season followed by football season. And then there are pop-up thunderstorms that arrive anytime. Just as sure are the figurative storms in life. You are going to go through them, that’s for sure. Jesus would have you go through them with perfect peace.
In February of 2023, the most remarkable and unexpected thing happened in what appeared at first to be an ordinary chapel service at Asbury University. God manifested His presence, and revival broke out. Like a wildfire, God sparked the same thing through campuses and churches across America. We need to seek God’s presence manifest among us yet again.
Throughout the years, we conservative Baptists have tended to shy away from anything that might cause others to wonder if we are really charismatics in disguise. If that’s the case then many of us have disguised our way to listless. This has been to our great detriment. It has caused us to try and live outside the protective and provisional and powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Tonight, we conservative Baptists need to know and experience the manifest presence of God.
Someone has said that “normal” is only a setting on your dryer, not a way to describe life. But in this passage in John 14, Jesus seems to be describing what a normal Christian life looks like. As Watchman Nee pointed out, there is a vast difference between what Jesus refers to as the normal Christian life and what we experience as an average Christian life. When we settle for average, we miss out on the tremendous blessings God has planned as a part of the normal.
There are over 143 million orphans in the world today. Less than a million of them will ever be adopted. The rest are forced to live with feelings of isolation and abandonment. Jesus, however, never does that with His children. We were all spiritual orphans at one time, but we’ve been adopted, and God is our Abba Father. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus never leaves us abandoned.
Today we come to a passage that has made many a Christian raise an eyebrow and wonder if they are doing something wrong in their Christian life or if maybe they have just missed out on something. Here Jesus promises, “Greater works than these will he do.” If you assume that means you will heal the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf, if you assume that means you will calm the storm and raise the dead, but yet you haven’t, then yes, you probably will wonder what’s wrong. But is that really what Jesus is saying to His disciples? Let’s find out as we study Jesus’ words.
In John’s Gospel and in his Book of Revelation, John refers to Jesus as The Word. We would liken it to a nickname. But why call Him that? I think maybe because words are the expressions of our thoughts, and the Book of Hebrews says that Jesus is the true and perfect expression of Who God is. So, if God the Son is the absolute reflection of God the Father, then I know that I can always trust in Him.
Between the economy and potential climate change and the ever-present threat of terrorism, there seem to be fewer and fewer certainties in life. They say the only certainties are death and taxes, but the IRS has rendered even taxes as unreliable. So, where can you find stability? In the Person of Jesus Christ. He never changes; you can always count on Him.
The Psalmist David wrote, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go to the House of the Lord.’” We should be glad to be invited, and we should be glad to go. Church attendance is foundationally important for the Christian, and we need to make sure that we are there in the Lord’s House, on the Lord’s Day, with the Lord’s people, hearing form the Lord’s Word. Let us arise and go back up to the House of God.
Going to church on Sunday is no longer the norm in America and not even in what was considered the Bible Belt. Fifteen years ago, according to Barna Research, just under half of all American adults claimed to attend church at least once a month – 48%. Early in 2020, that same research showed that number had dropped to 29%, way less than a third. We really don’t need research results to tell us that the number has surely dropped under a quarter since COVID. It’s time for Americans to get back to the house of the Lord.
Jesus loves me, this I know / For the Bible tells me so. We learned this song as children. About that same time we learned, For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. Those lessons need to be taught again and again to each generation. Jesus loves every boy and every girl, and He wants every one of them to be saved!
As churches all over America prepare for Vacation Bible Schools, there is an intense focus on reaching children with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some object, saying, “Those children are too young to know what they are doing.” Be careful, you may find yourself on the wrong end of Jesus’ comments to His own disciples in Mark 10. We want to create a clear path for boys and girls to come to know Jesus personally.
We measure height by inches, feet, even yards. We measure weight by ounces and pounds. Those numbers may tell me how big I am – both how tall and how wide. But they cannot tell me how much I have grown spiritually. For that we look to the meaningful milestone moments that God has given to us. And, like Jeremiah said, we can glory that we understand and know Him, that He is the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
We measure age the same way we do time: in seconds and minutes and hours and days and weeks and months and years. The number of trips around the sun may tell you how old you are, but it cannot measure how good my life has been, how meaningful, how impactful. We measure that in milestones, those wonderfully unforgettable moments when God does something really special. So, we celebrate those milestone moments in a way that honors the Lord.
The Ascension of Christ is more than just another event, another miracle, in the life and ministry of Jesus. It contains the authoritative framework whereby we have assurances of God’s promises. One of those assurances He gives us is the ability to do His will here until He returns. We call these Spiritual Gifts, and every born-again believer has been given at least one. Now you are capable of doing the very things God created you to do, and it is all through His power.
The Ascension of Christ is more than just another event, another miracle, in the life and ministry of Jesus. It contains the authoritative framework whereby we have assurances of God’s promises. One of those assurances He gives us is the reality of our own salvation, our own soon-coming deliverance. Because Jesus died, was buried, came to life again, and ascended into heaven, I can know for sure that He will return again to take me home in victory and triumph.
Your identity and your value cannot be determined by the achievements in your life – and thankfully, neither your identity nor your value is defined by your past mistakes. Leah, Rachel, and these other moms are struggling with that very issue. If they only knew then what you know now: that your identity is in Christ, thus your value and worth are determined by Him and what He declares concerning you.
The Bible mentions 4 moms to Jacob’s children. You know, although the Bible, and the Old Testament specifically, records occurrences of polygamy, the Bible never condones nor promotes the practice. In fact, in every instance, multiple spouses is a recipe for disaster. In Jacob’s case, it makes for a highly competitive and highly dysfunctional family. And each woman is trying to find her identity through that mess.
After the disciples were convinced that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, they may have forgotten about those times that He told them He was going away and both what and how they were to keep on going. His ascension was an abrupt reminder that He really was going away and would thus send the Holy Spirit. His ascension brought their duty to the Great Commission to the forefront.
Luke’s Gospel ends with the Great Commission and the Ascension of Christ into Heaven; his next Book, the Acts of the Apostles, begins with the Great Commission and the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. It is a “hinge event” that connects the teachings of the Gospels with the disciples living out what Jesus had taught them even though He is gone from their presence. So, now, while we await His return, we find ourselves still trying to fulfill the Great Commission.
Jacob was the swindler who got swindled. He thought he’d worked those 7 years for Rachel, the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Yet he was tricked into marrying Leah. In this one passage, and for chapters that follow, you find a man who is both happy in his marriage and unhappy in his marriage. And from such a unique perspective, we can learn lessons for our homes today.
The story of Jacob’s life never seems to follow a straight line. Many of the twists and turns are of his own making – he is the usurper after all. And when it comes to his marriage, his love relationship with the beautiful Rachel, it’s just as up and down. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he is smitten, but he won’t get to be with her for another 14 years. Why? Let’s explore his story together.
A focal point of each one of the Gospels is the Great Commission. After telling the story of Jesus, each writer shares His instructions to His disciples for taking His gospel around the world. Luke’s telling may not be as memorable as Matthew’s or as succinct as Mark’s, but if He can “open their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures,” then He can do the same for us.
It has been said that the marching orders for this great Christian army called the church is the Great Commission. Our appointment, as soldiers of the cross, is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world. Wherever we are, we are His ambassadors. Like a good courier, we are to faithful to deliver the message of our Commander-in-Chief wherever He sends us.
Welcome to part 2 of this fourth and final message in the series, “Because He Lives: The Aftermath of Jesus’ Resurrection.” Today, we are talking about what the Book of Revelation calls The First Resurrection. And if there’s a first, that must mean there is also a second. There is. But the second is not as good, as blessed, or as holy as the first. Let’s discover the horror of the Second Resurrection.
There is a beautiful promise found toward the end of the Book of Revelation. It reads, “Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection.” I can be blessed by God by being a part of this first resurrection. My question then is, What is the first resurrection? And then, How do I get in on it? Those questions are answered as we study this passage in Revelation, chapter 20.
Our culture is fascinated by stories of ghosts and zombies and such. And though Hollywood uses the best of effects that make them seem so real, the Bible gives us no indication of such a thing. While the world would have you celebrate death, God would have you celebrate life. Jesus makes it clear in this passage that He is no ghost, but the glorified Son of God resurrected from the dead. And here He gives His disciples and us reason to believe Him.
On that first Easter night, with the disciples of Jesus fearfully hiding in the Upper Room, the glorified Jesus mysteriously appears in their midst. They know that He’s dead, so they presume that they are seeing a ghost. But in the encounter, as Luke describes it, Jesus clearly demonstrates to them that He is no ghost, rather He gives them good reason to believe that He has been raised from the dead. And this gives us good reason to believe that He has been raised from the dead.
Welcome to part 2 of this third message in the series, “Because He Lives: The Aftermath of Jesus’ Resurrection.” Today, we are talking about the relationship between baptism and the resurrection. The water we use in a baptistery simply helps us portray a profound truth: because Jesus is alive, everything in my life is made new.
Scriptural Baptism is a special and significant event in the life of every believer. We invite our family and friends to see it. We give new Bibles and certificates to the baptizee. But in reality, that water baptism is just a picture, a symbol of what is going on on the inside of me, a portrayal of the resurrection of Jesus. My pastor used to say, “Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality.” So, His resurrection is my victory.
Sunday School or Life Groups or Bible Study Groups, whatever an individual church may call these kinds of gatherings need to be healthy and effective and growing. The principles that we find in the account of Jesus and the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus are the very principles needed to make a Sunday School class what it ought to be.
On the afternoon and evening of that first Resurrection Day, the glorified Jesus mysteriously met with two unnamed disciples as they made their way down the road toward Emmaus. The conversation that ensued is remarkable. The whole situation is strangely much like modern-day Sunday School or Bible Study Groups. Maybe our Sunday School classes should be more like this Sunday School in the Street.
Welcome to part 2 of this second message in the series, “Because He Lives: The Aftermath of Jesus’ Resurrection.” Today, we are talking about what the Bible says about, what I would call, a Resurrection Revolution. In other words, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead changes everything in your life. We’ve talked about some of those radical changes in part 1, now let’s finish this passage together.
Philippians 3 is such a beautiful chapter, and in it Paul gives the evaluation of his life a three-count. Three times in that passage, he says that he counts, and each of those times he is taking what the world counts as an asset and he counts it as a loss. Do you ever find that your priorities and the things you value in this life don’t really match up with what the world is trying to sell you? Paul had a Resurrection Revolution, and it changed everything for him. It’ll change things for you too.
Welcome to part 2 of this first message in the series, “Because He Lives: The Aftermath of Jesus’ Resurrection.” We are talking about what the Bible says about Our Glorified Bodies. The Bible is clear that we will have glorified, resurrection bodies fit for eternity. But what will they be like? How can I possibly understand this concept that is so strange? The Bible encourages us as it leads us into this truth.
Sometimes we think of Easter Sunday as the end. We’ve worked hard to get our facilities dressed up, to reach out to potential church-guests, to put together a great worship service, even to get a new set of clothes laid out. And then, whew, it’s over. No, it’s just beginning. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, it changes life both now and forever for us. Today, in this new series, “Because He Lives: The Aftermath of Jesus’ Resurrection,” we want to look at what the Bible says about Our Glorified Bodies.
When the women returned from Jesus’ empty tomb to report what they had heard and seen to the apostles, they were dismissed. The Bible distinctly says that those men didn’t believe them. When Peter preached after seeing the empty tomb and later even seeing and interacting with Jesus Himself, many people still didn’t believe him. The question becomes, What do you believe about Resurrection Day?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most pivotal moment in the history of the world. Because of His resurrection, everything changed for eternity. Yet some are unwilling to believe. They offer ridiculous theories, but the simple truth of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus can change your life forever. Consider the proofs that Luke offers to the Reality of Resurrection Day.
No other event in the history of mankind has ever been so definitive and so divisive as is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He changed everything. And He continues to change everything through that one event. In Luke’s Gospel we see this change taking place. What a difference just a few hours make.
I remember that Jesus said that no one would take His life from Him, rather He would lay it down and He would take it back up again. When I see so many prophesies being fulfilled in just a few short hours on Crucifixion Day, I realize that this was no accident. God had been orchestrating this for centuries. And when the Day came, Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death on a cross.
American civics is in shambles; it’s broken. Every branch of government – from the executive to the legislative to the judicial – it’s all a mess. Maybe the saddest part is that this is nothing new. The Roman government that ruled the days of Jesus were corrupt and underhanded. How they handled Jesus and His prosecution tells that story. After He endured 3 illegal trials from the Jews, He faced 3 more trials at the hands of the Roman politicians. They too put Jesus on Trial.
Sometimes we use the term clown court to describe proceedings that are so out of whack that it’s impossible to find true justice. If ever there was a picture of that, it’s these so-called trials that Jesus endures from the time of His arrest til His crucifixion. And of all things, it is spear-headed by the religious establishment of His day, the very people who claimed to be awaiting God’s Messiah. They took this Messiah and put Him on trial for His life.
Some things in life are better caught than taught. Pray is one of those. Don’t get me wrong, we do need to study and learn about prayer and how to pray. But the best way to learn is to do. Sometimes we talk all around prayer but never get around to actually praying. So, maybe you want to begin by listening to someone you know who knows how to pray – listen to them and learn from them. Let’s do that with Jesus; let’s listen to Him in the Garden and learn how to pray.
Jesus’ prayer life is well documented in the Gospels, from Him praying at His baptism to Him praying on the cross. Prayer was a priority for Jesus. It wasn’t His last resort, rather it was His first response. Were our prayer lives as prioritized, we too would see greater power to endure the things we suffer in this life. Let’s learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane characteristics suitable for our own prayer lives.
David Lix
Hillcrest Ministry Resource Center Missionary
David Lix has served as the Hillcrest Ministry Resource Center Missionary since September 2014. David was called to the ministry in the summer of 1986. He has served various churches as Youth Minister for 16 years and Pastor for 17 years. As of May 2023, he has served in a full-time capacity with CBA as the Ministry Resource Director.
David was born in Colorado and raised in Missouri. David has been married to Lorrie for 35 years and they have one daughter. David has a B.S. in Theology from Beacon University and a Biblical Counseling Certificate.
David Lix
Hillcrest Ministry Resource Center Missionary
David Lix has served as the Hillcrest Ministry Resource Center Missionary since September 2014. David was called to the ministry in the summer of 1986. He has served various churches as Youth Minister for 16 years and Pastor for 17 years. As of May 2023, he has served in a full-time capacity with CBA as the Ministry Resource Director.
David was born in Colorado and raised in Missouri. David has been married to Lorrie for 35 years and they have one daughter. David has a B.S. in Theology from Beacon University and a Biblical Counseling Certificate.
The Bible says that right now, Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He is continually making intercession for you, the saints of the Lord. He is praying for you. He sees what you’re going through; He sees the temptations facing you; and He is praying for you. What a beautiful verse when Jesus tells Peter, “Satan has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you.” He says that to Peter, and He says that to you.
Failure is awful. So much so, that some people hate failure to a greater degree than they love winning. For them, being cheated out of twenty dollars at a store is worse than finding a twenty-dollar bill in a parking lot. But the truth is that we do fail. Sometimes often, and sometimes big. The good news is that you can be forgiven and restored. God still loves you, and God can still use you. If you would respond to Him with trust, He will accomplish more than you can imagine.
In the Wild West, at a quick-draw duel, one gunslinger might be said that he “got the drop” on the other one. That phrase has come to mean when one person has an advantage over another, or even when one person takes advantage of an unsuspecting other. If you think that Judas “got the drop” on Jesus and betrayed Him while His guard was down, you’d be mistaken. Jesus allowed it because it was one prophesied step on His way to redeeming you and me.
What do you think about when you hear the name Benedict Arnold? Betrayal, right? Being a traitor. What do you think about when you hear the name Judas? The same. He will forever be known as a traitor, the one who betrayed Jesus. On the day before His crucifixion, a diabolical plan was set in motion against Jesus.
Love is a sure theme in John’s First Epistle. He mentions love by name 46 times in this little letter. And although it is usually positive and encouraging and uplifting, he does use the word love negatively, saying that we should not love the world nor the things in the world. He even says that you can be sure that the person who loves the world doesn’t have the love of the Father in him. So, this February I declare, “I don’t love the world.”
All February long we have talked about what the Bible says about love. We know that He loves us. And we know that we are to love others. In fact, Jesus said that people would know that we belong to Him when they see our love for one another. All that, and yet the Bible says that there is something I am not to love. God says explicitly, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.” We need to explore that.
We know that the Bible says that Jesus will return literally, visibly, and bodily. One thing we want to know is His disciples back then also wanted to know: When? When is He coming again? Jesus said that’s not what we are to be looking for. Rather, there will be signs to look for, and there will ministry to engage in. Let’s get busy because His return is closer than it’s ever been.
How do you think you would act if you were given a glimpse into the future? You may be thinking about making a fortune off technology upgrades or business deals. But what if it were a glimpse into tragedy? You say, “I wouldn’t want that.” What if we could have had such a glimpse prior to September 11th? Or what if you had a glimpse of a burglar attempting to break into your house? You would act, wouldn’t you? Jesus gives us a sure-to-be glimpse of His return. We need to act accordingly.
In his First Epistle, John wrote 105 verses. And 46 times, he uses the word love. It is obviously an important word to the Apostle John. By the way, every time he uses that word, he always uses a form of the Greek term agape, the word for unconditional love. John says that’s how God loves us, that’s the way we are to love Him, and that’s the same way we are to love one another.
Someone has said, “Love without action is meaningless; action without love is irrelevant.” When it comes to loving God, Jesus said that was the most important thing we can do: To love God by putting our words, our feelings, our commitments, our devotion into action. We are not to be weighed down by chronic busyness, but our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is to be a living, active relationship.
Families are not perfect, and sometimes they can be hard to love. But when I understand that love is more about deliberate choice than a subjective feeling, I can choose to love them no matter the circumstances and no matter their response. And if you choose to love them anyway, you may discover that those circumstances change and so do their responses.
As we focus on love this month, we need to cast the light on the most immediate group of people you should show genuine love. Who is that? It is your own family. If God has given you a spouse, and if God has given you children, then treat them like the precious gifts they are. If you will treat them the way God has prescribed, then they will treat you better than you deserve. I love my family, but I want to make sure that I love them the way the Spirit of God guides me to do so.
A verse from the old hymn begins, “Take my silver and my gold; / Not a mite would I withhold.” Yet, when we get a little silver or gold, we hold it with all our might. Someone said, “When we get all we can, we can all we get, then we sit on the can.” The money God has entrusted you with is not to be hoarded or used selfishly; it is a tool He can use to bless others when we are willing to sacrifice it.
One of the surest tests in our relationship with God involves our money. Jesus told us clearly that we can’t serve both, and yet somehow, for some reason, we still try to keep both as priorities. My view of money and my handling of money goes a long way in clarifying where I am in my relationship with God. This can certainly be seen in Sacrificial Giving.
Of course we all have Sundays when we wish we didn’t have to get out of bed, or get ready, or go to church, or serve in whatever capacity we serve. But we do. We get up, we go, we gather, we glory. Maybe we go because we have a biblical conviction to go. But one good reason to go is because we love it; we love our church. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”
In February, we focus on love. Valentine’s Day is right there in the middle of the month. But early and late we ought to express our love to one another. One of the objects of love in my life is the love I have for my church, for my church family. Jesus loves the church; so much so that He died for her; so much so that one day she will be His bride. If Jesus loves the church, then I should love the church. And I especially ought to love my church.
The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians all took their shot at Jesus. Each one challenged Him in some specific way. Of course, Jesus handled them all perfectly. But one of the things we learn through these episodes is that there is the question, obviously. But behind the question is the person asking the question. And in these cases the questions tell you more about the person asking them and you discover the motivation behind the questions themselves.
Behind every action, behind every word, is some kind of motive. Why do we do what we do? Why do we say what we say? There is a reason. Sometimes the reason is bland. Sometimes the reason is being helpful. But sometimes the reason is being harmful, or just being mean. For all the questions thrown at Jesus in Luke 20, there is a motive behind each one, and Jesus uses the end of the chapter to expose it.
You will not always be applauded for living a life of biblical convictions, not even among the brethren. But, according to Hebrews 10, God will be pleased as you do His will. And wouldn’t we rather have a life that pleases God rather than others? Rather than self, even? It will take convictional decisions.
Personal, biblical convictions are a necessary part of the Christian life, and they are a necessary underpinning for making good, godly, wise decisions. The life we live in 21st Century America demands that Christians establish convictions based on the authority of God’s Word that we may not be swept away in the flow of an anti-Christian culture.
Wouldn’t it be sad if the miracles of the Bible were not true? In today’s passage we meet a group of people who deny the miraculous power of God and who demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of the Bible. Where does their hope come from? What about God’s intervention in our circumstances? What about seeing our loved ones in heaven? What about our own salvation? Thank God, He is still in the miracle business.
Do you ever feel like you’re being ganged up on? Maybe it seems like everybody – at work, at home, even at church – like everybody is taking pot-shots at you? In Luke 20, each group of Jesus’ enemies have ganged up on Him trying to trip Him up and watch Him fall. The Pharisees and the Herodians have already taken a shot. Now it’s the Sadducees’ turn. But Jesus has had the right answers for each one, and He has the right answers for you.
James chapter 3 ends with a contrast being basing decisions on worldly, godless, natural wisdom versus facing those same decisions with heavenly, godly, supernatural wisdom. One is from below; the other is from above. And they couldn’t be more different. And the results will be different as well. God has provided everything you need to make right decisions.
Throw a rock in any direction and you’re likely to hit a TV show or a book that encourages you to “follow your heart.” But the prophet Isaiah was clear when he wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Sometimes even church members – sometimes even preachers – offer the same worldly advice, and it is not from God. To make right decisions in this life, you need something more than your heart, something more than common sense to go on. You need wisdom from above.
This classic teaching of rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and rendering unto God the things that are God’s is filled with profound truth against those who consider themselves better suited to run their own lives more than God. Just as Jesus corrected these people in Luke 20, He will correct us today.
We would never think about questioning Jesus’ integrity. If there is anyone who can be said to have integrity, it’s Jesus. And that’s true in all matters. Here in Luke 20, however, we find a group of people bent on challenging His integrity when it comes to money. This makes me want to take inventory of myself. Am I as honest in my financial dealings as I should be? Listen to what Jesus has to say about that.
The American economy is in a mess. The national debt is reported to be over $35 trillion. Many of our family finances are also in a mess. The average total debt per person in America is now over $60,000, with the total household debt being over $17 trillion. Many of our Dollar Decisions have been bad decisions, but the Bible shows us how to be content and how to be missional with the dollars God has entrusted to us.
Many of the decisions we make in life, even on a daily basis, deal with money. And many of us are convinced that if we just had more money that the decisions we have to make would be easier and that many of life’s problems would disappear. That’s not the case, though, is it? The Bible presents a different picture of money and gives us the proper perspective to make those Dollar Decisions.
Tucked away in this Parable of the Vineyard Owner is a truth that we need to be clear on. Jesus said of Himself as the Chief Cornerstone, “Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” We need to be broken before Him; He wants us to be broken before Him. But none of us wants to be crushed. Neither does He want to bring that judgment on you. So, yield to Him, and see what wonderful things He will do through a broken vessel.
We would never think about questioning Jesus’ authority. Not out loud. But the religious leaders of His day did. They did it because His authority threatened theirs. And they were not willing to either lose their authority or bow down to His. We may not say it out loud, but we have a tendency to resist His authority over us too. Yield to Him. That which is for His glory is for your good.
Just because you have made dumb decisions in the past does not mean that you are stuck in those consequences. And just because you have made dumb decisions in the past does not mean that you are somehow incapable of making good decisions today. God offers an awful lot of grace and mercy to people just like us. Nevertheless, here is a warning against making rash decisions by a surprising Old Testament hero of the faith.
A local news station surveyed over 400 people, asking about their New Year’s resolutions for 2024. 59% said they want to save more money this year. 50% said they want to exercise more. 47% want to eat healthier, and 40% want to spend more time with family and friends. Which ones do you think will stick? Many people make rash decisions when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, and they don’t stick very well. Some rash decisions may be harmless, but some of the foolish choices we make in life can have devastating consequences, just like this one found in Judges, chapter 11.
Looking ahead to 2024, there will be a lot of things that we have no control over: world events, prices of things, even illnesses. But there are some things we do have control over: both how we respond to such things and how we prepare for the unknown. When Peter said that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there are some practical things we can do to Get More Out of 2024.
New Year’s Eve is a great time to reflect on the past year – what you’ve been through, what God has done, changes in life. But it is also a great time to look forward to what is ahead, or as Paul might say to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Peter said we are to being growing in Christ. So what are some of those practical things we can do? Here are 6 ways to Get More Out of 2024.
The BC-world was a different place than we know. We like to think that everyone was anticipating the coming of Messiah. The reality was more like everyone looking out for themselves, living life, and just trying to get by. Life has to be more than that, though. Thank God for Christmas!
This sermon was preached on Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas. Have you ever given thought to what the world was like on the first Christmas Eve, the day before the first Christmas? For us it is a day of great expectations. But for the people in Bethlehem, it would have been a day filled with busy activities and little room for thinking about spiritual things.
What is your favorite song? We all seem to have one. Yours may be a different musical style than someone else, but it is still your favorite. It still the song that touches your heart more than any other song out there. Did you know that God has a favorite song? The prophet Zephaniah talks about Him singing, and he puts you right there in the middle of it.
It is easy to imagine Jesus being the object and recipient of our worship, that when we sing, we sing TO Him and we sing ABOUT Him. Yet the Bible also says that Jesus Himself sings, that He sings in praise and worship. Right alongside His brethren, He lifts up His own voice and sings songs of worship to the One True Living God. That gives me all the more reason to sing in praise.
Christmas is the time we celebrate the coming of Messiah, or as Zechariah says, the coming of our King. When we think about the arrival of a king, we think parades and confetti and music. Our King came, and no one would have noticed if the angels had not told and the Wise Men had not been on the lookout for the star. Our King came quietly in humility. That’s because His birth wasn’t the focal point of His coming, but His death would be.
We hear that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. What really makes it so wonderful is that it is a time for us to celebrate the incarnation, when God became a man. It is the most significant arrival in human history. No wonder we go to such lengths to celebrate it. Our King has come, just like God promised.
We continue our study Book-by-Book alphabetically through the Bible. Tonight we look at the book of Titus.
We continue our study Book-by-Book alphabetically through the Bible. Tonight we look at the book of Titus.
By asking the question, What do the people of puerto rico need the most, we aren't trying to single out Puerto Rico to the neglect of people in other places. In fact, the reality is that the most important needs are the same no matter where you go. But after visiting Puerto Rico in search of a mission partnership, this message is a response with that island of over 3 million people in mind.
Last week, Pastor Tim was a part of a vision trip to Puerto Rico with the North American Mission Board. They spent two full days meeting with church planters aross the island. They heard about the needs those church planters have and that the communities around them have. We are hoping to see if God might open up an avenue for missions partnership there. This message is a response to his observations there.
The title track for Zach William’s Grammy Award winning album, Fear is a Liar, says this in its chorus: Fear, he is a liar / He will take your breath / Stop you in your steps / Fear he is a liar / He will rob your rest / Steal your happiness / Cast your fear in the fire / 'Cause fear he is a liar. God’s Words tells us that we can have freedom from fear, and Paul explains that to Timothy in his letter to him.
Franklin Roosevelt famously said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” That’s sounds good, but it’s not true. There are a multitude of things that strike fear in our hearts. But we do not have to be dominated by any of them. Paul tells his young protégé Timothy that God has not given him – nor us – a spirit of fear, but He has given us everything we need to find freedom from fear.
Because certain people are not pastors or deacons in their church, they assume that they have a free pass on the required character qualities found in 1 Timothy 3. The reality is that these qualities are to be the description of every Christian. Paul refers to these simply as faithful men. Do you want to be a faithful man or a faithful woman in your church? Then you need to measure up to 1 Timothy 3.
God has called you to service. You may say, “Not me. I’m not a preacher or a missionary.” You may or may not be called to a full-time, professional church staff kind of ministry or even to some far-off place to serve as a missionary. But you have been called. And that calling requires something of you. That’s what Paul addresses with young Timothy in his very first letter to him.
People who grieve say it’s like living in a constant fog. Nothing sounds right, looks right, even smells right or tastes right; nothing feels right. They are like an unpowered ship being battered by the waves of emotion and the waves of life. That person needs an anchor. This message is designed for those who need that anchor even more so during the holidays. This message is for you.
Twenty-five or so years ago, a lady in our church was struggling, and could not get beyond, the death of her sister. As the holidays approached, she became more and more withdrawn. She needed her church family in a special kind of way. So we hosted an Honor and Remembrance Service for her and others like her. We have now hosted such a service every year since, because we recognize that there are hurting people who just don’t know if they can make it through this first Thanksgiving and Christmas without their loved one. These people need their church family, and they need a word of hope from the Word of God. If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, then know that this message is designed especially for you.
There are some things that only God can do. We can’t manufacture it. We can’t mimic it. And we’d better not miss it. I really do believe that God likes to work in such a way that only He can get the credit, the glory, for what has been done. I know that He doesn’t like to share His glory with anyone or anything else. So, let God work through you, blessing you, and make sure that you give thanks and glory right back to Him.
Sometimes we begin a church service with prayer, and sometimes we close a church service with prayer. Often, we do both. But in the second Book that Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, right in the very center, the very middle, Paul inserts a prayer. It is a Prayer of Blessing. He reminds the church of how God has blessed them in the past, and he asks God to bless them in the future. This is our prayer for you, our faithful listeners.
Have you been born again? Are you a disciple, a follower, of Christ? Then the Great Commission is your mission. You and I are to work together to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world, starting right here wherever we are. God has made us stewards of that gospel-message, having entrusted it to us. That’s a serious challenge to be Entrusted with the Gospel.
The means by which God will get the gospel from one generation to the next is the same scheme He has used since Jesus rose from the dead. It’s for people who know Him to introduce Him to people who need to know Him. That’s Plan A. And there is no Plan B. He has entrusted you with the Gospel. Now, what will you do with it?
Solomon poetically pictured for us the majesty of a royal wedding. Kings and queens, princes and princesses have tried to mimic it. But there is only one wedding that really makes what we read in the Song of Solomon pale in comparison, and that’s the marriage of the Lamb and His bride, the church. It certainly will be heavenly.
Weddings are special. Little girls dream about them; teen girls formulate them; young ladies plan them. Their wedding day is a day like no other. It is anticipated with great excitement. As well it should be. Solomon and his bride’s was that kind of day, too. It was a royal spectacle, a wedding fit for a king. And that’s the common denominator in all these weddings: the beauty and magnificence of the bride.
Dr. Harris completed 15 years as editor of the nation's oldest continuously published Christian newspaper on June 23. He began his stint as editor in 2003 after nine years as pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta.
In addition to serving as pastor of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross, he had served as pastor of churches in North and South Carolina as well as Mississippi. Harris is a former president of the Georgia Baptist Convention and served on several key committees of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Dr. Harris completed 15 years as editor of the nation's oldest continuously published Christian newspaper on June 23. He began his stint as editor in 2003 after nine years as pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta.
In addition to serving as pastor of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross, he had served as pastor of churches in North and South Carolina as well as Mississippi. Harris is a former president of the Georgia Baptist Convention and served on several key committees of the Southern Baptist Convention.
God’s grace goes overboard. God’s grace lavishes on us blessings that we do not deserve. God’s grace doesn’t treat us like the dead dog we view ourselves to be, but God’s grace treats us like sons of the one true king. God’s grace takes us from the middle of nowhere and gives us a rightful place in the palace. God’s grace is God’s goodness showered on us because of Who He is. God’s grace is amazing.
One of the most popular Christian hymns of all time is Amazing Grace. Not only is the tune memorable, but the words are so meaningful. It is a song that nearly everyone can relate to:
Amazing grace how sweet the sound / That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found / Was blind but now I see
There may not be a more beautiful picture of God’s Amazing Grace than in the story of David and Mephibosheth. A crippled boy, literally living in the middle of nowhere, impoverished, who views himself as a “dead dog” is carried to the palace, treated like the prince he truly is, and eats at the king’s table for the rest of his days.
One of the most bizarre passages is also one of the most difficult to truly understand. It is a passage that produces more questions than provides answers. It is a weird story of seances, witches, ghosts, demons, and the simpletons who are drawn into their trap. Christian, let God’s Word provide you with a warning that you will do well to heed.
As Halloween draws nearer, people seem to be even more interested in macabre things. Television channels host marathons of horror movies. Evil tends to be on display. And people are drawn towards those things that deal with the occult. Even Christians. It is a magnetic draw. But it is a maze without an exit. The Bible provides us with a warning to stay away from such things, and surprisingly we find a passage in 1 Samuel 28 that deals with “Witches, Ghosts, and the Supernatural.”
Without a doubt, the key word in the Book of Ruth is the word redemption. It is used nine times in the first six verses of this fourth and final chapter. Ruth’s cultural redemption is so closely aligned with our spiritual redemption, that the common threads are easy to trace. Boaz was Ruth’s kinsman redeemer; Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.
The Book of Ruth is the true and iconic story of love, devotion, and redemption set in the context of a very wicked world. The Moabitess Ruth is the title character, and it’s fair to say that she is the main character. The hero of the story, however, is Boaz, who is a picture of Christ, our Hero, our Kinsman-Redeemer.
Growing up in church, I was familiar with the term, the Roman Road, and I knew that it was a means of explaining the gospel. And yet I had no idea what that road was or the verses that might be involved. But I knew that I needed to know. So I sat down with my Bible and just began marking verses that seemed important to share with someone who needed salvation. Let’s take a journey down that road together.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news?” Which one do they usually lead with? Which one would you lead with? The Bible gives us the bad news before it gives us the good news. And both are a part of the gospel. Really, before a person is ready to hear and understand the good thing that God has done for him, he must recognize and understand the bad thing that he has done to God.
This recent and unparalleled attack on Israel has reminded us that what the Bible says about the End Times is real, is capable of happening in our lifetime, and is set on God’s timetable. Though it prompts many questions within us, there is one that is immediately applicable: What should be the responding action of a Christian? Of an American Christian? Let’s discover how the Bible answers that question.
On October 7, fifty years since the last time, the Iranian-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel, killing and wounding thousands, many of them civilians. The attack caused Prime Minister Netanyahu to declare, “We are at war.” This has both imminent and prophetic implications. So, what does the Bible have to say about this?
We look for, and we long for, the return of Christ. As we turn to the final page of the Bible, we discover that He said He would come quickly. We also hear the Holy Spirit say, “Come.” And we hear the Church say to Him, “Come.” And the one who hears and the one who thirsts and the one who desires all bid Him to come. The question becomes, Are you ready? Like we used to play as children, “Ready or not, here He comes.”
Jesus IS coming back. That’s for sure. I once heard someone say, “The best way to live in light of the second coming is to live like the first coming mattered.” Jesus came and gave His life as a ransom for ours. He died for us; we are to live for Him. And as we edge ever closer to the day of His return, we are live lives of obedience and intimacy with Christ.
One of the most iconic pictures of Jesus is as the Good Shepherd toting a sheep across His shoulders. David, being a shepherd, is able to paint of picture of God as that kind of Good Shepherd carrying His people through life’s difficulties. Maybe you need a reminder that you have a shepherd. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” I am glad the Lord is My Good Shepherd.
The 23rd Psalm has brought comfort to a lot of people for generations. One reason is it is a passage often used at funerals. But David doesn’t write this for a funeral, and he certainly doesn’t write it for the departed. He writes it for us as we live day-by-day in this world. It is an acknowledgement that I don’t face life alone; God is always by my side.
Ark-in-the-Park is the name of our church’s annual Halloween outreach event. For the last 24 years we have defined Ark-in-the-Park as “a safe, Christ-centered, trick-or-treating alternative, where kids will get more candy and have more fun than if they went anywhere else.” And at the heart of Ark-in-the-Park is the gospel. We share it with everyone who attends. We share the gospel in tract form. We share the gospel in one-on-one conversations at a Good News Tent. We share the gospel through public preaching. Why do we do it? Because winning souls is wise.
The Book of Proverbs is a Book about Wisdom. It is in the Wisdom category of Bible Books. It is written by the wisest man who has ever lived. Passing along wisdom is the chief purpose of the Book, just as Solomon writes the opening lines: “To know wisdom and instruction.” And this wise man says to us that winning souls is wise. We would do well to learn this lesson, The Wisdom of the Soulwinner.
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What a powerful passage, and what a beautiful name!
Names matter. Names have meaning, and they are meaningful to those who wear them. But no name matters more or is more meaningful than the most important, most inclusive, most irresistible name, most inspirational name, the name of Jesus. The Bible says His name is highly exalted, so let’s exalt the name of Jesus as we think through this verse highlighting The Sweetest Name I Know.
In the Book of Philemon we find Paul in a very delicate situation as he deals with two people he dearly loves in the Lord. He wants both to do the right thing, but doesn’t want to bring hurt to either. How Paul works with both these men is a life-lesson for us on How to be a Good Influencer.
Today we have social media influencers, and it is full-time, lucrative work. Influencers promote themselves by promoting products and causes. Khaby Lame is the most followed and highest paid influencer through TikTok and Instagram – the 23 year old has a net worth of $13 million. And audiences eat up his influence. You may not make a million dollars, but you can make an influence on others that will last for eternity.
If Christ will soon rapture His church, and God will pour out His wrath on this world in great tribulation, then the question Peter asks is a good one: “What manner of persons ought you to be?” Francis Shaffer asked it this way: “How shall we then live?” If these are indeed the Last Days, shouldn’t we live with awareness and with authenticity?
When I was a child, I saw the Hal Lindsey movie, The Late Great Planet Earth, and it terrified me. The Bible’s revelation of the Last Days are not meant to be a terror to God’s people – in fact, Paul said, “Encourage one another with these words.” Now, for the unbeliever, a study of the Last Days should be taken as a warning, but the believer should receive it as a wake-up call. Today’s headlines leave little doubt that these are indeed the Last Days.
As children we sang, I may never march in the infantry / Ride in the cavalry / Shoot the artillery / I may never shoot for the enemy / But I'm in the Lord's army! Then we’d shout, Yes, Sir! You are indeed a soldier in the Lord’s Army. And we go to battle every day. Sadly, the front lines are in every direction. But gladly, “Greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world!”
You have an enemy. And it’s not a member of your family. Neither is it a church member you don’t get along with. It is the devil. Not the cartoon one with the red union suit and pitchfork, but the real one. The Bible says that he skulks this earth hunting down Christians whom he can devour. The good news is that he doesn’t have any new tricks in his bag, plus he is already defeated. Nevertheless, you are living Behind Enemy Lines, and you need to fight the right fight.
I once heard Adrian Rogers tell the story of a frog watching a gaggle of geese prepare to fly south for the winter. The frog asked to go with them, but the geese said they had no way of toting him. So the frog gathered one long, sturdy stick, and asked one goose to put one end in his mouth and another goose to put the other end in his mouth. Then the frog could hold on with his mouth to the middle of the stick, and they could carry him down south with them. Everything was going well when a farmer below saw what was going on, and the farmer said, “That’s the most ingenious thing I have ever seen. I wonder whose idea that was.” And the frog said, “Miiiiiiiiiiine.” When we are filled with pride, we will surely fall to its peril.
Do you know what made the devil the devil? And what made Adam eat that fruit? And what has been the cause of every war, every conflict, even every argument in the home? It is pride. Pride is dangerous. And the Bible says that God hates our pride. So, why do we struggle with it so much? Because we’ve not learned just how perilous pride really is.
You may wish that God would give you a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide you in the ways He wants you to go. Actually, He has given you something better. He has given you Himself, His Spirit, living inside of you, never leaving you and never forsaking you, being with you always even to the end of the age. And He has given you His Word, complete and errorless, as a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. You have God’s Guiding Presence.
Some foodie once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take the fork.” Seriously though, what do you do when you come to one of life’s forks in the road? Maybe that fork is about moving to a new town or maybe taking a new job or saying yes to a proposal. How do you know what you’re supposed to do? God answered that for His wandering people by giving them Himself, by guiding them with His presence. He showed up as a cloud during the day and as a pillar of fire at night. His presence left no doubt as to what they should do.
An amazing declaration ends Nehemiah 10. The people say, “We will not neglect the house of our God.” In the same ways that they meant that, we should mean that. The issues they address are the very issues dearest to us today. Let’s not neglect His house. I think you’ll see that your life is the better for it.
God had been good to Nehemiah and his people – He had been miraculously good to them. So they rightly decided to live a life of gratitude and obedience to the Lord. They even signed a covenant among themselves committing themselves to a godly lifestyle. As they came to the end of what that covenant contained, they declared, “We will not neglect the house of our God.” Should we choose to live a godly, obedient, grateful life, we too would declare, “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
Nahum’s prophecy comes against a people whom God had delivered from judgment and saved just a century earlier. One of the most remarkable revivals and spiritual awakenings occurred in Nineveh following the preaching of Jonah. Now, they have gotten away from the Lord and have once again become oppressors of His people. And it is the character of God that causes Him to act on their behalf.
Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble.” And we have learned even from personal experience that that is true. The question is not whether you will have trouble; the question concerns where you will seek help in the midst of your trouble. Too many people look to themselves or someone – or something – in this world as the source of their help. Why would they look to the very thing that brought them the trouble rather than the One who not only said, “In this world, you will have trouble,” but finished it by saying, “But I have overcome the world.” Where Does Your Help Come From?
From the deepest, darkest hole, you can find help from the One True Living God. From the most barren, isolated island, you still have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Don’t fool yourself or waste your time waiting for the systems of this world to come to your rescue. There is One Savior, One Deliverer, One Rescuer. From Him you should seek help. When you’re hanging on by a thread, Where DOES Your Help Come From?
Sometimes when we read the Bible, we like to cut to the parts that appear to be more personally applicable. The parts that speak to our situation. The commands we are given to follow. The warning we had best avoid. But the Scriptures primarily reveal to us the character and nature of God. Maybe those are portions to ponder. It is important to identify the character of our God.
Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Among the many marvelous things that salt does, it is a preservative. We are the preservative in a world that is decaying morally right in front of our very eyes. God’s answer is not in the White House, but in the church house. Live the salt-life.
Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Among the many marvelous things that salt does, it is a preservative. We are the preservative in a world that is decaying morally right in front of our very eyes. God’s answer is not in the White House, but in the church house. Live the salt-life.
Feeling both scared and powerless is familiar to those who received a bad diagnosis or those who have lost a job or those whose wayward child has run away. Your circumstances don’t take God by surprise. He has already prepared you to face that circumstance by faith, by trusting Him. That’s the Lesson of the Loaves that every believer needs to learn.
There may not be a more desperate feeling than the combination of being scared and powerless. The disciples found themselves in that condition in the middle of a storm at sea. Yes, Jesus came to their rescue, but the truth is that He had already prepared them to face that storm with faith through what He had done by feeding the 5,000. The Bible says they had not understood about the loaves, but you can. You can Learn from the Loaves.
Marriage God’s way may not be easy, but it is blessed. It is easier to build a home with His blessing than it is to fight God and try to hold on in your own strength. The prophet Malachi has some straight-forward news about God’s feelings on this subject.
The Christian home is under attack. It always has been. But the enemy is no longer launching sneak attacks but full-frontal terroristic attacks. And he comes at us from a variety of angles. There is no shortage of those who attempt to undermine God’s plan for marriage. But be strong. This is a fight you are in. And this is a fight you can win.
It is in this episode of eternal interaction between Jesus and the wee little man, Zacchaeus, that we hear Jesus declare His mission loud and clear: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” That’s good news for Zacchaeus; that’s good news for us.
We learned the song about Zacchaeus, a wee little man, way back in preschool, but the Bible story isn’t kid-sized. It’s God-sized. It is the story of how God intentionally brings salvation to the life of a person everyone else had counted out. We get to see desire and determination fleshed out in this story, the desire and determination of both Zacchaeus and the Lord Jesus.
The scapegoat is a vivid image of God’s vast forgiveness. To place the sins of the people symbolically on that goat then have it sent out into the wilderness so far that it never returns and is never found reminds us that our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. And that was done for us not by a goat who was a mere symbol, but of Christ who literally bore our sins in His own body on that tree. It is the Cross of Christ that provides us with real atonement.
Arguably, the greatest of all the Jewish feasts and holidays is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Every year, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrifice and pour it onto the Mercy Seat, providing atonement for himself, the Temple, and all the people. But there is far more to that day than that simplistic explanation. Let’s explore it deeper that we may see the Day of Atonement through the eyes of the Cross of Christ.
Lamentations is such a unique Book. Its name reveals to me that it’s not going to be a carnival ride. But right in the middle of this book of tears, is the gladdest, most joyful set of verses you’ll find anywhere. These verse spark hope in the midst of darkness. It is in those times we learn that great indeed is God’s faithfulness.
We have lived long enough to know that Jesus was telling the truth when He said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Every day brings its challenges, and some of them are so overwhelming that we don’t really know how to move forward. Here is good news: God’s mercies, God’s compassion, God’s faithfulness is new every morning. The mercy and the compassion and the faithfulness you need from God is available to you every day.
Elijah’s departure from this life in a God-sent chariot of fire sweeping him up into heaven is marvelous and miraculous and a model for what the Rapture of the Church will be like one day. Even as far back as the Old Testament, God was already preparing His people for the day that He will call us all home. What a way to go that will be!
We all know that we will one day leave this life. But when and where and how all remain a mystery. Elijah was given insight into his departure, and he made the most of his last day on earth. How would you spend your final day if you knew it was your final day? Hopefully, we would do the things that matter most for eternity.
Why did God answer Elijah’s wild request? He was about to show all these false prophets, all their followers, and all the world that He and He alone is the One True Living God. Make no mistake, when the Showdown on Mount Carmel is over, God’s Name is Exalted, God’s Prophet is Exonerated, and God’s Enemies are Executed.
Of all the Old Testament prophets, Elijah may be the most well-known. And of all the miracles Elijah performed, calling down fire from heaven may be the most well-known. But a review of him and his story reveal to us greater insights that we learned as children when we were first told this story. It is a showdown between good and evil, between God and Satan. It is a Showdown on Mount Carmel.
No mistake is so big that God can’t forgive it. That is a fact of life and a fact of grace. There are, however, mistakes that are so big that no one wants to repeat them. And it seems like Samson made them all. Charles Stanley called Samson a he-man with a she-weakness. The truth is that Samson was so self-absorbed that he became weak in so many areas of his life. Here are Ten Mistakes Sure to Bring Regret and that we sure don’t want to repeat.
We all make mistakes. And we have all learned that some mistakes are worse than others. Some have such lingering consequences that you beg others not to make the same mistakes that you have. That is the case with Samson. He made so many mistakes, and God’s Word uses his story to beg us not to make the same mistakes he did. Here are Ten Mistakes Sure to Bring Regret.
A Christian may FEEL empty, but in reality, a Christian never IS empty. Jesus promised that He would never leave nor forsake us, that He would be with us always, even to the end of the age. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us, and we will never be absent from Him ever again. He provides us with fulfillment. So, Christian, stop Running on Empty.
Choosing to follow Christ and live obediently to His Word really is the path to happiness and fulfillment and satisfaction in this life. But when we get away from Him, we lose that power, and quicker than we can blink, we are running on empty. And then we feel empty. That is what Jude warns us about in his little Book.
It is true that the church is made up of its people, that the members provide examples to this generation and to the next. And so a church that is blessed with godly, active, faithful members is blessed with examples worthy of following. If the church has someone like Demetrius or Gaius, they need to let that rub off on the rest of the church family. That’s the kind of church member everyone wants and needs.
A church is not brick and mortar. It is not the pulpit, the platform, or the pews. It is the people who make that church their home, the individuals within the church family. Church members give their church the reputation it has within the community. So, a few bad apples can certainly spoil the whole barrel. If the church allows someone like Diotrophes to lead, the church may suffer the Ichabod designation from God. This is the kind of church member we want to avoid becoming.
Accountability is important in the Christian life. A great place to foster accountability is within your church family. They can keep me from doing what I ought not do, and they can keep me on the right track doing what I should. Everybody needs a church family. We encourage you, our faithful listeners, to find a church that you can call home with a group of people you can call your church family.
Too many people think that church membership is not important. And as our culture turns more and more secular, the idea of voluntarily covenanting with one another in Christian fellowship becomes less and less essential in our lives. “Church” becomes something you go to when you don’t have anything else to do rather than the church being who we are. But as the culture moves in that direction, My Church Family becomes even more crucial to my daily life.
When you read the Bible, do you ever think, “God is speaking right to me?” Why one passage may speak to you more than another has to do with God’s purposes for revealing Himself the way that He has. It also may have to do with the reason the writer writes. Called by God to do so, yes. Inspired by God to do so, yes. But he also hopes to stir you and move you to obedience. John is gracious enough to tell us his reasons for putting pen to paper.
Do you ever wonder why the Bible was written in the first place? Why would God inspire so many different writers in so many different places over so many years to write down what He Himself was authoring? He gave each one of those writers a sense of purpose about the mission to which He was calling them. And sometimes we can see what they hoped would be accomplished. And then sometimes, the writer just comes right out and tells us. John does that. He gives us Reasons for Writing.
When you read the Bible, do you ever think, “God is speaking right to me?” Why one passage may speak to you more than another has to do with God’s purposes for revealing Himself the way that He has. It also may have to do with the reason the writer writes. Called by God to do so, yes. Inspired by God to do so, yes. But he also hopes to stir you and move you to obedience. John is gracious enough to tell us his reasons for putting pen to paper.
Do you ever wonder why the Bible was written in the first place? Why would God inspire so many different writers in so many different places over so many years to write down what He Himself was authoring? He gave each one of those writers a sense of purpose about the mission to which He was calling them. And sometimes we can see what they hoped would be accomplished. And then sometimes, the writer just comes right out and tells us. John does that. He gives us Reasons for Writing.
The Prophet Joel saw the need for revival among God’s people in his day; do we see the need for revival among God’s people in our own day? The Prophet Joel received the promise from God that He would send a sweeping revival in the future; will we believe and trust the promise of God to send revival to His people? The Prophet Joel could see with eyes of faith God sending revival to His people; will we look with eyes of faith for God to send that revival to us? We sure do need it.
The greatest need of the church today is not more money, not more members, ministry opportunities, not more mission outlets. The greatest need of the church today is revival. Our nation needs spiritual awakening; our churches need a revival of the presence and power and glory of God.
A critical spirit leads to lonely people. Don’t you try to avoid those kinds of people? We all do. But criticism is like a magnet that draws people with problems. And we all have problems, so we are all subjected to its appeal. But beware; it will leave you lonely and broken. Beware the Spirit of Criticism and let God do His soothing, healing work in your life.
Because a critical spirit is so often confused with a person being a pessimist or even a fatalist, because we equate it with having a negative attitude, we tend to think of a spirit of criticism as a personality quirk and we let it go unchecked. Yet a spirit of criticism can invade and quickly conquer an entire family or church or job site. And the devastation that is left is a scattering of broken lives. So, Beware the Spirit of Criticism.
While clay is still wet, it is moldable, and the potter can fashion it in any number of directions. But once that clay dries, it is far more difficult to change. And once it has been through the kiln’s fires, it can only be discarded. Jeremiah learns that God deals similarly with His people. Let’s remain pliable in our Maker’s hands.
Watching a potter do his work is both fascinating and soothing. What had been just a chunk of clay becomes something recognizable and useful right before your eyes. That clay, throughout that process, may be altered and reshaped a number of times. The potter works it until it becomes just what he has in mind. Obviously, there are numerous spiritual lessons. Let’s examine a few that Jeremiah was shown.
Pastor Tim tells us often how he was sitting on a log in the north Georgia mountains reading James, chapter 1, when the Holy Spirit of God finally broke through his callousness, and saved him. In just 2 more months, that will have been 40 years ago. In the second half of this message, Pastor Tim tells us his story again, and relays how what God did for him, He’ll do for you.
The Bible is God’s greatest treasure that we have on this earth. It is the Word of God, the complete revelation of Himself, of us, of our need, and of His solution. There we learn His purpose for us and His purpose for His entire creation. So, why do we treat the Bible with such contemptible familiarity? James encourages us to do more than that, and to see our lives transformed.
To me, one of the most majestic songs in the very lengthy Christian playlist is the song, “Lift High the Lord Our Banner.” It just sounds like a proper, royal, processional song. But it also carries a weighty message. Moses named an alter, Jehovah-Nissi, The Lord is My Banner. I lift that banner high for two reasons: 1) because I am rightly-proud to be His child, and 2) because I want others to see Who I belong to and see that they can belong to Him too.
The flag of the United States is the banner that indicates that we are Americans. In Vacation Bible School, we use the Christian flag as a banner that we are believers. Pennants that baseball teams win are banners to indicate that that team is a champion. A string pennant is a series of banners to let you know that you’ve entered a Used Car Lot.
One of God’s names or titles is Jehovah-Nissi. It means The Lord is My Banner. It is an indication that He is my God and that I am His child.
The directions given to the prophet Hosea by God are some of the strangest you could imagine. God tells his holy-man to marry an unfaithful woman, both of them knowing that she will continue to be unfaithful after the wedding. Sure enough, she fills Hosea’s house with children who are not his. God uses this very scenario to teach His people a lesson they may not learn any other way. Despite their waywardness with Him, God still loves them and still provides for them.
Plenty of people feel unloved and unwanted. And some really are. God shows His people in very graphic terms the way that He loves them despite their unfaithfulness toward Him and their rejection of Him. If you feel unwanted and unloved, know that God fully understands that, and He has done everything necessary to draw you close to Himself. He loves you.
When we think about the Greatest Generation, one word that is often used to describe those men and women is the word courage. They faced difficulties subsequent generations only read about. Much of that had to do with war. You and I, friend, are at war, a war for the souls of men and women and boys and girls. One word that describes what this generation of Christians need is courage.
Hebrews, chapter 11, catalogues Old Testament saints who trusted God and acted accordingly. It called for great courage on their part. After listing 16 such saints by name, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that there are many, many more by saying, “Still others…” It is the group of others that we could easily find ourselves among as we clash courageously with the culture around us.
David the shepherd, David the fugitive, even David the King found himself in trouble often…and usually from his own making. Most of us can identify with that. The good news for David was that he sought help from the right source: from God. When you’re in trouble, where do you turn for help. This is one of those times we’d say, “Be like David. Ask God for Help.”
Lifeway's Vacation Bible School curriculum this year is titledTwists and Turns. The verse the children are asked to memorize is Psalm 25:4 - "Show me your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths." This not just a passage for children; it is also applicable for adults. As Britt David prepares for VBS, Pastor Tim preaches on this passage for children and adults... and for you, our podcast friends.
When we consider our ways, we are forced to consider God’s ways. And when we consider God’s ways, that turns us right around shedding light on our ways that we might consider and change. When the church gets ahold of the message of Haggai, the church will be a dominate force in this wayward world.
The Book of Haggai is a stout and powerful little Book. It’s message is so strong. And though it is an Old Testament Book written by an Old Testament prophet about a historic Old Testament event, It is just as much a message to a New Testament church. It decries our complacency, and it declares our course of action. Repeatedly the prophet quotes the Lord of hosts, saying, “Consider Your Ways.”
Imagine being a major league baseball player, standing in the batter’s box, with a pitcher a mere sixty feet six inches away from you, ready to throw a 100 mph fastball. Aroldis Chapman has thrown the fastest pitch recorded at 105 mph. He has thrown 273 pitches over 103 mph. And he has hit 30 batters. Still want to stand in there? What you do at the plate matters. More so if you’re in the batter’s box concerning the gospel. What you do matters. The rich young ruler ends up the saddest strikeout ever, but you could hit a home run by saying yes to Jesus.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher, Spencer Strider has burst onto the scene. He surpassed John Smoltz and now holds the franchise record for most strikeouts in a game. He is becoming a modern-day strikeout king. But it is the three swings and misses by the rich, young ruler that makes his the saddest strikeout ever. His failure doesn’t lead to the loss of a mere game; his has eternal consequences. This is the Saddest Strikeout.
Adrian Rogers said, “We may not know that God is enough until God is all you have.” Sadly, the only way to learn that lesson is through loss. Yet God proves Himself to be faithful and to be all that we need. Habakkuk learned that lesson, and you can too.
Habakkuk, though such a small and seemingly hidden Book, is one of the most appropriate Books to speak to our American culture today. What Habakkuk’s people are going through, and what they have done, has been paralleled by our society. But what should make us sigh in exasperation can still allow us to sing in exaltation.
When Jesus said to Jerusalem that He wanted to draw them close to Himself like a mother-hen wants to gather her chicks close to her, He expressed the heart of every godly mother: to pray protection and guidance on her children. Praise God for the godly mothers who pray with and for their children.
Many of us have enjoyed the privilege and the blessings of having a godly, praying mother. God placed within females the notion toward rearing and nurturing children. That doesn't mean that moms are only interested in the physical necessities and comforts of life; a godly mother knows that the spiritual part of life is equally important. On this Mother's Day, consider a mother's prayer.
Transgenderism is a real and vocal part of today’s culture. Jesus reminds us in His High-Priestly Prayer that though we are in the world, we are not of this world. So how do we represent Jesus in a post-modern, anti-Christian world that embraces a vast departure from a foundational truth?
When we study Genesis, we can’t help but study Creation. When we study Creation, we can’t help but study God making man in His own image. When we study God making man in His own image, we can’t help but see how far we have departed from this Holy God. And that departure is magnified in our setting today.
Every generation since the Apostle Paul has believed that the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ would occur in their lifetimes. And we do too. In fact, we find it difficult to believe that He would or could linger much longer. Yet, in mercy and in grace, He tarries. But the day is coming when He will wait no longer.
We Christians tend to think of the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ in ideal, happy terms. And for us, it will be a happy time indeed. But for unbelievers, it will be a day of solemn and severe judgment. And that is the thrust of the warning found at the close of Luke 17.
In the movie Tombstone, Doc Holliday shows up beside the Earp brothers at a gunfight despite his violent coughing. Without the vulgarities, Jack Johnson says, “Doc, you ought to be in bed. What you doin’ this for, anyway?” Doc simply replies, “Wyatt Earp is my friend,” to which Johnson says, “I got lots of friends.” Doc Holliday’s line is so good. He says, “I don’t.” Wouldn’t you like to have a friend like that? Someone who is there when you need them, no matter what? Then you ought to be a friend like that. After all, A Friend in Need Needs a Friend Indeed.
Michael W Smith sang that friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them. That means in good times and in bad. That means when even when my friend makes bad choices. That means even when my friend has stopped walking in fellowship with God. I need to be the faithful friend who helps my fallen friend the way Jesus helps me.
What do you typically find in your mailbox? Political flyers? Advertisements for things you just don’t want? Coupon booklets? Bills, which are the worst? Do you ever get to pull out a handwritten thank-you note? That’ll change your whole day. And you can do that for somebody. In fact, Christians ought to be so filled with gratitude that we become walking, talking, Living Thank-You Notes.
There is a small, two-word phrase that never gets old, one that everyone likes to hear. This little sentence is so big that it has the power to turn around even the worst of days. Anybody can say it, and everybody ought to say it. Here it comes: Thank you. What potent words! And if there is anyone qualified to say it, it should be believers. Thank-yous to God; thank-yous to others. Powerful!
Brokenness is likely the most overlooked and most underrated ingredient in revival. Yet revival doesn’t come without brokenness. We are so resistant to the very thing that could set us free from our bondage. Hear Ezra crying out for revival, then let’s follow his example.
We pray for revival, but how often do we cry out for revival? Literally, can you remember when you last wept over your own condition or the condition of your community or country? Maybe because we don’t take things as far as Ezra did is why we don’t see the results Ezra saw.
Healthy, living things grow. That certainly includes our bodies, but it also includes our faith. Your faith in Christ ought to be growing. The Bible describes some people as having no faith at all, while others have genuine faith. Others are said to have strong faith, while still others can have perfect faith. Is your faith growing? Maybe you would ask Jesus, like the disciples did, to increase your faith.
You may have heard someone say to you, “If you just had enough faith, then you wouldn’t be in the situation you are in.” Jesus spoils that advice in Luke 17 when the disciples ask Him to increase their faith. It’s not the size of your faith that makes the difference; it’s the object of your faith. And He will make all the difference in the world.
One of the greatest potential tragedies in all the Bible is found in the Book of Ezekiel. God uses the example of a sentry who neglects to do his duty. Though he sees the danger, he fails to warn the people counting on him. God uses that to warn us, His people, that we must be faithful in evangelizing our world. The Christian musician Carmen once said, “This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of sinners.”
On today’s podcast, Pastor Tim opens up with a personal and painful story of failure and unkept promises. This story echoes in his heart and compels him to do better. Likely, his story will resonate with many of you. May we all be more faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus.
Jesus said that it is impossible for you to live in this world and not get offended. It happens to Christians; it happens to non-Christians. But as a Christian, how do you navigate through such murky, turbulent water? Jesus has just the answer for When You are Offended.
Obviously, there are legitimate times when people are offended. But we live in a culture of hypersensitivity where it feels like everything is offensive to someone somewhere. So we walk on egg shells. Or we dive into the natural response to all this, what we call the Cancel Culture. But that’s not a biblical response, so let’s hear what Jesus has to say on the subject.
When the two disciples walked along the road to Emmaus, they were joined by the resurrected Christ. The Bible says that starting in the Old Testament, Jesus explained to them the Scriptures and how they related to Him. Then the Bible says that their hearts burned within them. If you will give Jesus your heart, He will make it warm towards the things that really matter in life.
Do you remember the first time you discovered that the chocolate bunny in your Easter basket was hollow? It’s so disappointing! Imagine, then, discovering that your own heart is hollow. Many people go through life feeling empty. They say we all have a God-shaped vacuum in our hearts that only He can fill. Why not let Jesus fill your heart?
When we say that the Old Testament prophesies and pictures for us what God will perform in the New Testament, that statement is no truer than when we look at Passover. It is an Old Testament feast filled – FILLED – with New Testament truth. We get to see God’s provision of salvation in pictures.
Passover is such an important feast for Abraham’s children. It celebrated their deliverance from Egypt. Paul said that Christ is OUR, a Christian’s, Passover, and that we too are to celebrate the feast with sincerity and truth. May you, Christian, be blessed as you see your faith come alive with these Pictures in the Passover.
When life seems like it is too stressful, too chaotic, too troubling, even too frightening, remember that God is still on His throne and He orchestrates the events of life. The story of Esther stands as a tribute to that truth. Let’s continue walking through it chapter-by-chapter.
The Book of Esther is the story of a Great Deliverance from a Grave Danger. It is the story of God providentially protecting and preserving His people and thus the line of Christ. Let’s walk through it chapter-by-chapter.
You cannot afford to get it wrong when it comes to Heaven and Hell. The loss is too much. The torment is too great. And eternity is too long. Hell was created for Satan and for his demons, not for you. And not for your family. And not for your friends. Give your heart to Jesus, and then tell everyone how they can, too.
Fewer people say that they believe in Hell than in Heaven. Yet both have to be real, and both have to be eternal – that’s in keeping with the attributes of God. But because people don’t treat Hell as if it is real, they don’t treat it as if it is serious. And there is not a more serious, a more sobering, subject than Hell.
When we pray for one another, we often pray for physical needs. Of course there is nothing wrong with praying for one another’s physical needs, but Paul goes deeper as he prays for the Church in Ephesus. He prays more for their spiritual well-being, which then catapults him into worship of the One True Living God.
Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesians 3 is actually one of the most beautiful combinations of prayer and praise anywhere in all the Bible. From a prison cell, Paul encourages the church and exalts the Savior.
Divorce is often a taboo subject in church, one, because it marks a personal failure in a sacred area, and no one wants to be reminded of failure. Two, because the stories of how a couple came to divorce is deeply personal and often uniquely specific, so how can we lump everyone into the same category? Yet, Jesus doesn’t divert from difficult topics; He addresses it in a straightforward manner.
Few messages are as polarizing as those on the subject of divorce. Divorce is an epidemic that occurs in nearly half the families in America. Although divorce rates have declined over the last decade, America still has one of the highest divorce rates of any country in the world. And the church is not immune. We seem to suffer as much as unbelievers. Is there any hope for marriage in America? Yes!
Back in 1974, country musician Freddy Fender released a song called Wasted Days and Wasted Nights. Sounds like that could be the subtitle to the Book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon seems to be expressing the regret he feels for the foolishness of wasting time being carnal. Now he just wants to find the one thing that gives meaning to life. And he finds it in obedience to God.
If you’ve ever been asked to volunteer for a project or if you’ve ever been hired for a new position, the first question you probably had was, “What am I supposed to do?” Many people have this same question about life: What am I supposed to do? Those without a relationship with God will often seek the answer to that question from a variety of sources. Like the old song says, they go “looking for love in all the wrong places,” and nothing will satisfy their souls. If that’s you, don’t beat yourself up; even the wisest man in all the world struggled with the same issue. Turn to God, and you’ll discover your call to duty.
I’ve heard someone say that we need to make the Bible relevant to today’s culture and times. The truth is that the Bible is already relevant. It speaks clearly and comprehensively to every subject in every generation. It is as fresh today as the day it was first penned. Your Bible is the greatest treasure you could have. And unlike the dollar, it will never ever fail.
Almost half of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product – our GDP – is impacted by the sale of products and services based on weight or another measurement. So it is vital that we have a standard. No matter who you buy from, a pound ought to be a pound, an inch ought to be an inch, a gallon ought to be a gallon. When it comes to righteousness, there needs to be a standard for whoever you are, wherever you are, and whenever you are. That standard is the Bible.
It’s not a surprise to read in our passage that the people of this world are more shrewd than the people of the Kingdom. What is strange is to hear Jesus say to His disciples that they ought to be more like that. As we investigate this passage we see how Jesus wants us to invest our lives and resources into those things that yield eternal benefits.
The most beloved of all of Jesus’ parables, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, is followed by one of the strangest of Jesus’ parables, often called the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Jesus actually commends the servant for his shrewdness. That’s not a quality we would expect Jesus to applaud, but He does. And there are lessons for us as His disciples to learn and practice.
This section of Deuteronomy is so important. Little Jewish children learned the repeatable refrain called the Shema in this passage: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one! And where were they to learn this important truth? At home, from mom and dad. Being trained at home to be a follower of Christ is of utmost importance. And we can apply these ways of Jewish Home Training to Christian homes today.
Dorothy clicks her ruby red slippers together and says, “There’s no place like home.” And she repeats it again and again. She’s correct: there really is no place quite like home. It’s where you are the safest; it’s where you are freest; it’s where you are loved; it’s where you belong. And it is the first place you should learn about God, about Who He is and about What He has done. It all begins at home.
You may hear someone say that science or history invalidates the Bible. There is not one reason to believe that. And The Vision of the Seventy Weeks is a great example. With precise timing, God details what He is going to do. So if you hear someone ask, “What is this world coming to?” you can point them to Daniel’s prophecy.
Of all the prophecies of Daniel, none may be more important than The Vision of the Seventy Weeks. It is detailed and difficult. But Daniel was commanded to know it and understand it. Therefore, we need to know it and understand it, too.
Sometimes the Parable of the Prodigal Son is called the Parable of the Faithful Father. The focus really is on how loving and forgiving the Father is. Whether it is the shepherd seeking out the sheep or the woman searching for the coin or the dad anxiously awaiting his son, our Heavenly Father wants us found – returned and restored.
Maybe the most beloved of all of Jesus’ parables is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Actually, that one is one of three parables told back-to-back-to-back in Luke 15. And each one delivers the same message. Whether it is the Parable of the Lost Sheep or the Parable of the Lost Coin or what we could call the Parable of the Lost Son, each one reminds us that without Christ we are all hopelessly lost.
You hope that you learn a lot BEFORE an exam, but you are sure to learn a lot BY WAY of an exam. It is the great revealer. Pretending time is over, and who you are and what you know will be evident. So, take a deep breath, steady yourself, and do this spiritual check-up.
Exams are not the most looked-forward-to things. Kids get nervous stomachs on the way to school, and adults dread to the point of “white coat syndrome” having to go to the doctor. But exams are necessary, and in the end, they are for our own good. Spiritual exams make people uneasy. Like any other exam, we are afraid of what might be found out. But there is a spiritual check-up that God requires of us, An Essential Examination.
I’ve always felt like the hymn I Surrender All is the hardest song to sing in the whole hymn-book. It’s not hard because the melody is difficult, though. It is hard because the message is difficult. All to Jesus I surrender / All to Him I freely give. All? That’s what Jesus demands: all. These are His Demands of Discipleship.
The path to discipleship is not an easy path. Rather than highlighting the benefits like a good salesman, Jesus focuses on the difficulties people who decided to follow Him would face. In this passage, He actually talks more about what kind of person cannot be His disciple more than sending around a sign-up sheet and boosting His membership. These are the Demands of Discipleship.
The cross is so important to us. We sing about it – The Old Rugged Cross, At the Cross, The Beauty of the Cross, The Power of the Cross. We preach about it – from passages like Romans chapter 5, 1 Peter chapter 3, or this one today from 1 Corinthians 1. We Preach Christ Crucified.
We seem to have emojis and icons for everything. If there is any one symbol that represents Christianity, then it has to be the cross. The cross of Jesus is central to everything that we believe. We know that Jesus hung on a cross because of us and for us. Therefore, as Paul said, We Preach Christ Crucified.
An RSVP works both ways. The most expected RSVP tells your host that you are glad to attend their event. But sometimes with the RSVP you have to send your regrets. Maybe you’re genuine in your regrets and maybe it’s just an excuse. Either way you are going to miss out on something someone wants you to be a part of. What if we got genuinely excited about being invited?
There is something special about an invitation. No matter your age or the situation, an invitation means that someone who is hosting a special event, and who obviously wants that event to be a great success, thought of you and wanted to include you. They believe that your presence will make their event better. That’s pretty amazing. And it’s all the more amazing when you realize that God Himself has invited you to His big event.
The enemies of Jesus went to all lengths to try and trap Him, in His words and in His actions. The setting as Luke 14 opens is that kind of trap. But Jesus reveals their hearts and reveals His seriousness to His mission.
In the old spaghetti westerns, the showdown was called for in the middle of Main Street at high noon. I’m not sure that it was high noon, but on a particular Sabbath, right after church we might say, at lunch, there was a showdown at the ruler of the Pharisees house. What appeared to be an ambush, Jesus answered.
Wonderful things really do happen when the glory of the Lord fills the house of God. It’s not business as usual, that’s for sure. When God’s manifest presence becomes the hallmark characteristic of a church or an individual (who himself IS the temple of the Holy Spirit), God does an amazing work.
Last week we studied King David preparing the blueprints and the financing for the Temple to be built. He set his son up for success since God had called Solomon to be the actual builder of the Temple. As we get into 2 Chronicles, chapter 5, we find that the Temple has been completed and is ready for dedication. But it is the final phrase of this chapter which has become our attention-grabber. That verse says that the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. Our question is, What did that look like and what does that look like today?
When facing our critics we tend to want to get it over with and get back to “normal” as quickly as possible. But there are lessons that we can learn. And Jesus provides a great example of dealing with criticism yet retaining His compassion and mission.
Everyone faces criticism, no matter who you are or what you do. But no one has faced as much and as intense of criticism as did Jesus. And the Bible encourage us to “consider Him,” even when we are forced to face the Stigmatism of Criticism. Let’s handle it like He handled it. We find a great example in Luke 13.
At the close of 1 Chronicles, David provides us a pattern for receiving an offering that may well lead to revival. What you give is important, but why you give is even more so. Let’s explore the question, What’s in your wallet?
The advertising slogan, What’s in your wallet?, has been named one of the greatest slogans of all time. Maybe that’s the question to ask as we consider the offerings we give to the Lord. Someone has said that it’s not what’s in the wallet before you give that is as important as what’s left in the wallet after you give. Sacrificial giving will be blessed by the Lord.
All roads do not lead to heaven, regardless of the familiarity of that old saying. And sadly, some will never see heaven having trusted in the wrong things, despite that they may have been very religious. Church membership won’t save you, baptism won’t save you, serving the church won’t save you. Only those who repent of their sin and place their trust in Christ alone for eternal life will be saved. No wonder the disciples asked, “Lord, Are There Few Who are Saved?”
Salvation is for anybody, for everybody. We like to say, “Anybody, Anywhere; Everybody, Everywhere.” We know that the Bible says that Christ “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” We know that the Bible says that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” And yet Jesus reminds us that narrow is the gate that leads to life and few will find it. Today we examine the question then that comes from His disciples, “Lord, Are There Few Who are Saved?”
We, as believers, need to straighten up, for sure. But shoring up our leanings or attempting to stand a little taller is not the lasting answer. The answer is in the foundation, and until we have that rightly fixed on Christ, we will lean out of plumb considerably.
Tucked inside the Book of Amos is a vision that God gives him of a carpenter’s plumb line, a simple but accurate tool. The plumb line is suspended so that the carpenter can ensure that his building stands straight. God’s plumb line was evidence to Amos that the nation of Israel was off-center. Were God to apply that same tool to America, He would find eerily similar results.
Since the Kingdom of God seems so hard for some to grasp, Jesus made it easier to understand by giving us a picture of what it is like. But He didn’t just leave it there. He went further by describing what is indescribable, by helping us visualize the invisible, by helping us conceive the inconceivable, when He rules and reigns.
The Kingdom of God is not geographical kingdom or a political kingdom or a social kingdom or even an abstract idea of “kingdom.” It is simply the rule and reign of God. That may seem like a small thing to some, especially since they cannot see it with their eyes. But Jesus makes it crystal clear that God’s Kingdom is both real and bigger than you can imagine. Let’s explore what Jesus said The Kingdom of God is like.
The Great Commission is the church’s mandate, our marching orders. Each one of the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – concludes with a version of the Great Commission. And Acts, which picks up the activity of the church following Jesus’ ascension, includes the Great Commission in its opening chapter. Why is each one different? Probably because Jesus said it again and again and again, each time in a little different way. That tells me that this is important to Him and that it should be of primary importance to us.
Sadly, plenty of people have said that the meanest people they’ve met have been at church. I don’t want to be a part of that church. But I do know that that happens sometimes. If you want wonderful things to happen at your church, then welcome Jesus and let Him do what He wants to do and what only He can do.
The key to understanding the Book of Acts lies in a very familiar verse: Acts 1:8. Acts 1:8 can serve as an outline for the entire Book as we read about the disciples taking the gospel to Jerusalem, to all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. A key to understanding my purpose in life is found in that same verse. Who is to take the gospel into those areas today? I am; you are. His last command should be our first concern.
Don’t you just love your church? And love going to church? In this post-COVID day, there are multitudes of people who never thought their days of coming to church were over. We hear it over and over: “I sure do miss going to church; I can’t wait to get back.” It all begins with deciding to do just that. And when you do, know this, that The Most Wonderful Things Happen at Church.
Paul said that there are 2 ingredients in conversion: “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Both ingredients are necessary; without one, you don’t have conversion. You’ll have a false sense of security, eternal security. Let’s speak the message the way God has said it and then let Him to His work.
We want to invite you to take a journey with us through the Bible this year. It may be a little different than any way you have read through the Bible in the past, but it will bless you. We are going to read the Books of the Bible in alphabetical order. We will skip around, but the Spirit of God will keep us on track. If this makes you ask the question, Why Should We Read the Bible All the Way Through, then this message is for you.
Have you ever read the Bible all the way through? Yes, even the hard parts. If you have, then most likely, the person to your right and to your left, and the person on the other side of them, most likely have not. We say the Bible is important to our faith, but few of us will garner the disciple and diligence it takes to do it. And let’s share with you a few reasons why.
There are ingredients we would like to leave out of certain recipes, but without all the ingredients, the end result will just be a mess. When we leave repentance out of our gospel presentations, we are not doing them a favor, we are leaving people in a mess.
One of the greatest verses in all the Bible about Christmas is actually found in the Old Testament. Some 750 years before the first Christmas Isaiah promises the way that God will send a Savior to mankind. Jesus is the Present of All Presents.
There may not be a more beautiful description of Jesus than that found in the Book of Isaiah. Some 750 years before He was born, Jesus is called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. No wonder we call Him the Present of All Presents.
Twice in the Gospels Jesus is said to have marveled. What is it that could possibly make the Omniscient Son of God go, “Wow?” Both had to do with faith: once He marveled at a Gentile’s great faith; the other time He marveled at the people’s lack of faith in His own hometown. Christmas is a time when faith ought to thrive. Unbelief misses so much of what God has in store.
This message is For Those Who Don’t Believe in Christmas. There are plenty of iconic pop-culture unbelievers like Ebeneezer Scrooge and the Grinch from Who-ville. Ahaz, the king of Judah, also missed the meaning of Christmas – even before the first Christmas – because he would not believe. And he missed out on something wonderful that God had in store. Don’t you miss out. Trust the Lord and see what He might do.
Often we assume that the best gifts are the most expensive gifts. Truth be told, the greatest gift ever is also the costliest gift ever. Jesus humbled Himself to put on human flesh, to live amongst us, to suffer and die a painful, undeserved death – an execution really – and offers us, His killers, life, life abundant and life eternal. He is indeed the Greatest Christmas Gift Ever.
What is the greatest gift you have ever received at Christmas? Some might say it was that gift they had circled in the Sear’s Catalog but never thought they’d actually get. Some remember the homemade gifts their children “tried” to make for them. The mind of some will drift towards something very expensive. But no matter who you are, the greatest gift that has ever been given is the solution for the greatest need anyone has ever had. The greatest gift is Jesus.
The cross of Christ is referred to on a number of occasions as a tree. Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Maybe if we call that holiday decoration a Christmas Tree, we could call the cross the Calvary Tree. One holds much symbolism while the other offers great significance. That makes the cross the Great Christmas Tree.
Right after Thanksgiving, the Christmas Tree lots fill up fast hoping to be empty in just 4 weeks. Christmas Trees are a seasonal staple for us. But did you ever stop to think that there might be more to that tree than a quick glance provides? There are Bible lessons we can learn that may help us appreciate this principal decoration.
Islam is the youngest and fastest growing of all the major world religions. But God can save a person out of Islam as easily as He can save someone in a Baptist church. I believe that God wants everyone to be saved, and He has made that possible through – and only through – Jesus Christ. Can a Muslim be saved? Yes, and so can you.
When God promises to send a Savior, the Messiah, He is not the exclusive Deliverer for the nation of Israel. Yes, God sent Him TO Israel, but it is also important to know that God sent Him THROUGH Israel. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. And just because someone doesn’t acknowledge Him as such right now doesn’t mean that God can’t draw that same person to Himself later. We may think that Muslims will never be saved, but can they be?
A discipline at the core of our Christian faith is prayer. Yet according to a recent Barna poll, only 4 out of 5 prayed at least once in the past week. And only 41% believe that God answers their prayers often. No wonder Jesus encourages His disciples both then and now to pray and expect that the Good Good Father will answer.
Some people have the absurd belief that God doesn’t answer prayers. Maybe you think it’s harsh to say that someone’s belief is absurd, but Jesus illustrates the belief that God doesn’t answer prayer as absurd by being absurd Himself. No doubt that He is a Good, Good Father Who gives Good Good Gifts to His children.
God’s invitation is strong and filled with intense passion on His part. He wants us to be saved. And so we hear Him say, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” A gracious invitation from a gracious God.
With Thanksgiving barely in the rearview mirror, we turn our attention to Christmas. Decorations are up, the number of shopping days is down, and the Christmas spirit is all-around. We do want to make sure that we are focused on The Reason for the Season, and so we turn our attention to prophecies of the coming Messiah. Today we look at Isaiah 1:18 and The Motivation for Salvation.
Welcome BACK we are glad you have chosen to join us as Pastor Saige continues his message from LUKE 11:5-13
Welcome to Britt David Podcast As Saige Valfre our Next Gen pastor brings a message from LUKE 11:5-13
God can use grief to grow you in your relationship to Him. But the devil can use grief to immobilize you and carry you down a path to bitterness. I have good news for you. God knows just what you need, and He has provided that for you. Jesus is on mission to bring true healing to your broken heart.
Each year we host a service we call Honor & Remembrance. It is designed for families who have lost someone dear to them this past year, and they will be spending their first Thanksgiving and Christmas without them. Grief is hard. And the holidays seem to highlight our hurt. If you are stumbling through grief and you don’t know where to turn or if there is any hope on the other side, we want you to know that there is hope, and it is found in the Person of Jesus Christ. May this message bless you and minister to you during this holiday season.
Facing all that comes our way, we need the deliverance, the protection, of God. He sees threats you don’t see. And He sees escape routes you’ve not yet discovered. And so Luke concludes the Model Prayer by teaching us the Protection of Prayer.
As Luke quotes Jesus in His Model Prayer, he concludes the prayer with the statement, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” This may be the easiest part of this prayer for us to offer and for God to answer because there is not even the tiniest chance that God will lead us into temptation. We get there, but not by Him. Rather He protects us.
As one of the signs of the times, Jesus said that the love of many will grow cold and that we will see an increase in lawlessness. Is there anything else in the news? We are living through these signs, these birth pangs that promise the coming of the Lord. We want you to be aware and be prepared.
Jesus is coming again. He said He will. The Scriptures say He will. And as the whole earth groans for His Second Coming, there are signs seen in the everyday world that say He will. Those signs are provided for us to encourage us and to urge us as we prepare for His coming. We see the signs, but do we really understand the signs?
The cross divides time and it divides humanity. That division has been pictured as sheep and goats. But it is a harder concept to swallow when we begin talking about how the cross divides some families: fathers from sons, mothers from daughters. In that way, even the Prince of Peace can be considered The Great Divider.
Is there a more beautiful theme than that of forgiveness? To be forgiven is an act of mercy and grace; it is unearned and undeserved. In His Model Prayer, Jesus prayed, “And forgive us our sins.” We need to pray prayers of confession, knowing that He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is the Pardon of Prayer.
The cross divides time and it divides humanity. That division has been pictured as sheep and goats. But it is a harder concept to swallow when we begin talking about how the cross divides some families: fathers from sons, mothers from daughters. In that way, even the Prince of Peace can be considered The Great Divider.
On the surface, today’s passage seems very difficult because we associate Jesus with love and peace and reconciliation and unity and the like. Yet we get to hear Jesus say, “Nope, I came to bring division.” We need more than a casual glance at this passage, so let’s get in to it.
Welcome to Britt David Podcast As we welcome Mark Mirza of Common Thread Ministries as he brings a message today on Prayer.
A steward is basically a manager. As such, principles of management often apply to God’s stewards. You will hear Jesus share sharp words with His servants, His stewards, who are lazy. But to you who are faithful and sensible Jesus has great words of encouragement.
As this section of Scripture begins, Peter wants to know from Jesus if He is talking to everybody in general or just to the disciples. Let me remind you that as you read from God’s Word, He is talking to you. These verses pertain to every born-again Child of God, every servant of His, every person He has entrusted with a stewardship. This is how we are to live and serve.
When children play hide-and-seek, the one who is “it” has to cover his eyes, count to some number, and then yell out, “Ready or not, here I come.” In this parable found in Luke 12, Jesus reminds us that He is coming again…whether we are ready or not.
Several years ago, Crystal Lewis popularized a song with this very simple chorus: People get ready, Jesus is comin’ / Soon we’ll be going home // People get ready, Jesus is comin’ / To take from the world His own. In the Parable of the Expectant Steward, Jesus reminds us that He is coming again and that it is our job to be ready.
Jesus doesn’t just tell us not to worry and then abandon us to figure out how to do that on our own. No, here in Luke 12, He gives us very practical help on how to stop worrying and start trusting.
There is not a sin that we excuse ourselves from so freely than that of worry. It is an acceptable sin to us. But if I want to be a growing Christian who pleases the Lord, then I need to repent of my worry and get on with trusting Him in all things. That’s easy to say, but hard to do. And yet difficulty is not an excuse for disobedience, is it?
God hears prayer. God answers prayer. Those simple statements boost my confidence in praying and asking God for my daily needs. Today we will conclude the message on The Provision of Prayer as we study Luke 11:3 of the Model Prayer.
Although we do not want to treat God as a cosmic Santa Claus hopping up on His lap just to deliver our wish list, it is ok to ask for things in prayer. In fact, Jesus invites us to do just that. He said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” So today we focus on the portion of the Model Prayer that reads, “Give us day by day our daily bread.”
Jesus tells the parable of a man we call the Rich Fool. He knew that he was rich, and was making plans to become richer still (at the expense of everyone else around him). He knows he’s rich. But it is God who deems him a fool because he valued temporal stuff over his eternal soul.
In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the establishment of our National Motto: In God We Trust. Two years prior, on Flag Day 1954, he signed into law the insertion of the phrase “Under God” into the Pledge of Allegiance, One Nation Under God. Sadly it seems that it is In Gold We Trust and that we have become One Nation Under Greed.
Ultimately, this part of the Model Prayer – the part that says, “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” – won’t be fulfilled until the Millennium and then in the Eternal State. Still, we are to pray for God’s rule and resolve to be accomplished in our own lives.
Jesus’ prayer in the Garden was so powerful: not My will but Your will be done. To be so surrendered to the will of the Father that He would set aside His own will, His own agenda, His own preference (even knowing that as God the Son, His will, agenda, and preference was perfect) is mind-boggling. Yet that is what He calls us to in the Model Prayer: Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.
Hypocrisy is just pretending. When children pretend, it’s fun and cute. When adults pretend, it’s not quite so cute. And when believers pretend, it’s not cute at all. And Jesus has specific things to say to the believer tempted to pretend, warning them that You Might Be A Hypocrite..
To mention the name Jeff Foxworthy makes many people automatically think of his You Might Be A Redneck jokes. The deeper he digs, however, some of those jokes aren’t funny…because they reflect my life a little too much. This opening passage in Luke 12 could be a take-off on a series of You Might Be A Hypocrite lines, but they’re not funny, and it’s because of the same reason: they reflect my life a little too much.
When my focus is squarely on the Person of God, I begin to think about Who He is and all that He is. I think about the many names, titles, and descriptions that are found of Him in the Bible. And I cannot help but spend a season of prayer in praise and worship of Him.
We often – and rightly – begin our times of prayer with praise and adoration and worship of the One True Living God. As we continue our phrase-by-phrase study of the Model Prayer in Luke 11, we come to the phrase, “Hallowed be Your name.” And so we focus on The Praise of Prayer.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Three times God’s Word tells us that. So when I approach God in prayer, I must lay aside my pride, my arrogance, and come before Him in humility. Let’s complete this scene of events in Luke 11.
How we approach God in prayer matters. This passage has implications for our prayer life as we see how a certain Pharisee and a lawyer approach Jesus arrogantly. Let’s walk through this scene together.
It is certainly good practice to begin your prayer time with praise. It means that you begin, not with your problem which may have driven you to pray, but you begin with His Person. What is one thing about the Person of God - maybe His attributes, maybe His activity - that causes you to want to praise Him in prayer?
Prayer is the most powerful weapon you have in your arsenal. And like any weapon, we need to learn to wield it with precision and with power. But we learn it by doing it. Today we begin a phrase-by-phrase study of the Model Prayer as found in the Gospel of Luke. And today we begin The Person of Prayer.
To call these mini-parables is not to diminish their weight. Like a boxer throwing a series of jabs, Jesus doesn’t tell elaborate intricate stories. Rather He swiftly punches home the truth of Seeing Life Through the Eyes of Faith.
Today we come to a section of Luke 11 where Jesus tells three independent parables that are all tied together under the theme of LIGHT. Because these parables are so brief, some refer to them as mini-parables, short, stated truths that send the message home. Let’s examine these three mini-parables.
We like to say that we are like Gideon when we ask God for a sign, when we “lay out the fleece.” But Gideon was seeking the voice of God. We already have the voice of God in the God-breathed Scriptures. If we would simply follow Him in obedience to what we already know, He promises to guide us right to where He wants us.
Is it ok to ask God for a sign? What are you looking for in a sign? Proof? Guidance? Direction? God calls us to a life of faith, of belief, of trust. For us, oftentimes, signs are merely shortcuts. We don’t want to pay the price of faith. Yet, God calls us to live by faith and not by sight.
They say that some people come into your life for a season, and some people come into your life for a reason. As you look back you begin to see the roles that different people have played in your life. And you realize at the center of it all is the most important One of all: the Lord Jesus.
We can all think of people who have made a significant impact upon our lives, people who have made a real difference. At the close of Paul’s second letter to Timothy and at the close of his life, Paul recalls, likely with much love and gratitude, the people who have made a difference in his life and ministry as they have partnered with him along the way.
We often pray for the manifest presence of God. We often pray for the glory of God to be revealed. We often pray for the power of God to be on display. And when He shows up, we often shut down. Sometimes we don’t know how to act when the only explanation is the activity of God. May we not be like any of the people that we read about in this section of Luke 11.
Are demons real? We believe that they are. Is Satan real? We believe that he is. Why would we believe such in this modern, progressive world? Because the Bible clearly teaches their existence and even highlights some of their activity. That is just what we find in our passage today in Luke 11. Jesus casts out a demon, and the people around Him try to explain it by any means other than Jesus…much like we do today.
They say that some people come into your life for a season, and some people come into your life for a reason. As you look back you begin to see the roles that different people have played in your life. And you realize at the center of it all is the most important One of all: the Lord Jesus.
We are reminded that Paul is at the end of his life as he writes these closing verses in the final chapter of the last book he will write. That stage of life has a way of redefining priorities. You soon realize that what matters greatly are the relationships you have formed over the years. Paul takes a quick look back at some of the people he has encountered.
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, they may have had in mind that He would give them a script to follow. But what He gave them was a model. Sometimes we call this the Lord’s Prayer, but maybe it’s more appropriate to call it the Model Prayer. He gave them elements that would grow their prayer life that they might be mighty men of prayer.
Can you imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples and being within earshot of Jesus praying? To hear Him talk to the Father with such intimacy. To hear the heavy burden He carried for the hurting, …for the world,…for them. Maybe even to hear your own name called out in prayer. No wonder the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
God promises reward for His faithful servants. And these rewards will not perish. The Bible calls them crowns, and it mentions five by name. Living in Light of the End means, in part, looking forward to the reward God has promised His children.
End-of-life is not a time we like to talk about. We know it’s coming for all of us, but still we’d rather put those conversations off as long as possible. But what if you had someone to guide you in that conversation? Would that make it a little easier? In our text today, Paul shows us what’s it is like to have that difficult conversation, what it’s like Living in Light of the End. Make your life Good to the Last Drop.
What is one thing you want to see God do? What is one thing God wants you to do? What is one thing that is hampering you? What is one thing you know you need to do today? In our passage, Jesus says, “One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part.” Choose the good, the one necessary thing.
What would you do if Jesus dropped by your house? Would you quickly clean up? Would you change your clothes? Would you cook for Him? Or maybe order in? Would you invite your neighbors? Would you turn off the TV? The Computer? Your phone? Would you get up and go to the other room? What if He brought His 12 closest friends with Him? In our passage today, we see Martha welcoming Jesus into her home and attempting to be the “hostess with the most-est.” But it all comes down to “One Necessary Thing.”
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, you just can’t escape the application part. Yes, it is easy to find yourself in one or more of the characters of the story. But Jesus’ application is, “Go and do likewise.” We must get involved in the lives of others, for the glory of God.
Sometimes people ask questions because they genuinely seek answers. But sometimes people ask questions as a means of making some sort of statement. In Luke 10, a lawyer does just that to Jesus – he asks Jesus a question just wanting to justify himself. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. In answer, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Preachers must preach. And they must do so when it is convenient and when it is not, when it is comfortable and when it is not. No matter what goes his way, he is to persevere in the calling with which he has been called.
Preachers have a specific call from God. The good soldier that Paul mentioned in 2 Timothy 2 is one who wants to please the one who enlisted him. That is just as true when we get to chapter 4 and Paul talks about the Preacher. His greatest desire ought to be to please the One who called Him, the One who enlisted him.
There is great power in going on a Short-Term Mission Trip, especially when you get to go with your church family. There are at least 8 great benefits found in Luke 10. And any one is good enough reason to go.
In the timely fashion that only God can coordinate, Pastor Tim and a number of our Britt David people have just returned from a week-long mission trip, and we find ourselves in Luke 10 where Jesus sends His disciples out on a mission trip. So let’s talk about the Power of a Short-Term Mission Trip.
Justice must flow freely for the structure of American society to thrive. And we can learn a lot about how God deals with a nation marked by injustice by how He dealt with Israel. This “proverb” that God shares through His prophet Amos sheds great light on that relationship.
Christians around the nation are celebrating recent decisions handed down by the Supreme Court. That has not always been the case. But it should be. There is a direct correlation between the spiritual and the civil life of the nation. Indeed, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
The story of William Borden’s unobscured devotion to Christ and to the call of God to missions follows Jesus’ definition of a disciple: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Listen as to how this impacted William Borden and how it can impact you also.
The Discipleship Decision was first introduced earlier in this chapter when Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” After a series of failures on the part of the disciples, Jesus returns to this question about what it means to follow Jesus. This is “The Discipleship Decision, Revisited.”
If you knew of an investment opportunity that promised a four-fold profitability, would you be interested? The Bible is said to be advantageous to you in every area of life, and in our passage here promises a four-fold profitability. So, let’s talk about You and Your Bible.
Paul tells Timothy that the Last Days are going to be filled with perilous times, and the one tool you need more than any other is your very own Bible. It is the world’s greatest treasure, God’s greatest gift. Let’s talk about You and Your Bible.
Just because something sounds spiritual doesn’t mean that it is Scriptural. We are told to test the spirits. That is true for the Southern Baptist Convention. That is true for your church. That is true for you.
The 2022 Southern Baptist Convention in Anaheim, CA, once again revealed widening cracks among its 47,000-plus churches. To Tim Jones, it sounded more like James and John asking Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?
Welcome back we are glad you have chosen to join us as Pastor Saige continues his message from Psalm 32 Entitled “ The Blessing Of Being Forgiven”.
Welcome to Britt David Podcast As Saige Valfre our Next Gen pastor brings a message from Psalm 32: Entitled “ The Blessing Of Being Forgiven”
The world thinks it has the corner of the market on greatness. The problem, however, is that the world has such a limited view of greatness. John Piper said, “If you can't see the sun you will be impressed with a street light. If you've never felt thunder and lightning you'll be impressed with fireworks. And if you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God you'll fall in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures.” Let’s discover God’s idea of True Greatness.
Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Roger Federer, Pele. What do these men have in common? They are arguably the GOATs in their particular sports, the Greatest Of All Time. It’s what Muhammed Ali claimed for himself. He said, “I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew it.” Sounds like Jesus’ disciples in Luke 9, arguing over which of them was the greatest.
The greatest treasure you have is a copy of God’s Word in a language that you can read and understand and study. As the Last Days become more and more perilous, you will need the help found in the Bible, and you will need the tools that God gives you to face those days and its struggles.
Paul tells Timothy that the Last Days are going to be filled with perilous times, and it will show in the character of men, even men in the church. In our passage today, Paul turns his attention to Timothy that he might maintain upright character as those days approach. And God has given to Timothy a number of tools to help him. Those same tools He provides for you.
The saddest part of coming down off a mountain-top experience is discovering that you try to serve God without faith, without power, even without Christ. But Jesus makes all the difference. Everything changes when Jesus shows up. He can turn trouble and tragedy into triumph.
We’ve all had those mountain-top experiences – and boy are they wonderful! But we have also faced the times of coming back to reality, coming back to the real world (so to speak). More often than not, a mountain-top experience is followed by some form of trouble. Can you learn what you need to on the top in order to win the battle in the valley?
Some people miss out on what God really wants to do in their life, in their family, in their church, and in their community because they are simply too busy or maybe too tired to be present. Peter, James, and John almost missed one of the most glorious events in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Thankfully, they came “fully awake” the Bible says, and were able to be “eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
At Britt David, for the last two-plus years we have been gathering for prayer every day asking God for revival and spiritual awakening. We have been asking for His manifest presence that His glory might be clearly seen. Peter, James, and John got to see just that. As Peter would later write, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
The best decision that you could ever make is to receive Jesus into your life as personal Lord and Savior. It’s the best decision; it’s the smartest decision. And it will pay off now and for eternity. But Jesus said to count the cost before you just jump in looking to go to heaven when you die. The Call to Discipleship comes with the Cost of Discipleship.
You don’t have to follow Jesus, but you can. Anyone can have Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. What you should know up front is that that decision to follow Jesus comes at a price. That’s the very thing that Jesus shares with His disciples in our passage today.
Cults prey upon Christians who are not well-grounded in the faith. This can be seen throughout the church’s history. But as the Last Days approach, the Bible warns us that this exodus from orthodox, evangelical Christianity toward cultic, anti-Scriptural practices will continue, and will grow. There is however, a simple solution, and Paul shares that with anyone tempted to just go through the motions.
Going through the motions is a temptation in every generation and in every disciple, including work, home-life, and our Christian walk. It is easy to fall lazily into form over function, to be preoccupied with perceptions than with the power of God. Paul tells Timothy – and us – just how to deal with such a temptation.
The crowds think of Jesus in very diminished terms. People today think of Jesus as far less than He is in reality. But If we don’t think correctly about Who Jesus is, how can we possibly understand the magnitude of what He has done? So His question for His disciples is His question for us: Who do YOU say that I am?
?” The question, Who is Jesus?, is one of the most important, most fundamental, foundational questions that can be asked. And the answer will determine how you view Jesus and what His death on the cross really means. Is He a myth or is He real? Is He a mere man, maybe a prophet or a teacher or even a fraud? Or is He really the Son of God, God the Son, the Savior of the world? Listen as Herod and others struggle with this question, Who is Jesus?
The church in Acts was powerful. People were being saved every day. Prayers were answered every day. Ministry was taking place every day. And somewhere along the way we unintentionally chose form over function, perception over power. And we have been left a feeble church, rather than a church triumphant.
“We are living in the last days.” You have heard that said before, and it’s true. We are not waiting on anymore prophecies to be fulfilled. We are waiting on the Savior from heaven to return and gather His Bride like the loving Bride-Groom He is. You have also heard how we are to live in light of His imminent return. The only problem is that we are not living as we ought; rather we better fit the description that paul gives to Timothy of the modern church living in perilous Times of the last days.
As Jesus gives The Twelve their missionary assignment, He also gives them directions to how to fulfill it. Don’t you like to be shown how to do whatever it is that your boss asks you to do? Today, we get taken to school by the Master-Teacher on HOW to be good Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Luke 9 tells us why The Twelve are most often referred to as Apostles. The term, apostle, means “the sent-out one.” Here they are gathered together and sent out on a specific mission. You may not be an apostle, but you are His ambassador, sent out on a mission to speak the word and do the work of the One you represent. You are an Ambassador for the Kingdom of God.
To help someone escape from the snare of the devil, certainly there are attitudes and actions that we are to avoid, but more importantly, there are attributes that we need to take up, and hone, and employ. Why is this so important? Because the eternal destiny of people hangs in the balance.
Throughout 2 Timothy 2, Paul has exhorted young Timothy concerning the kind of disciple and leader he needed to be for the people of the church in Ephesus. But why must he be that kind of disciple and leader? That’s the answer we discover in the final verses of this chapter: that Timothy might be in a position to help people escape the snare that Satan and their sin has them in.
Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, it is interesting that few were done the same way. He wasn’t following a formula, rather the demonstrations of His power put His glory on display and gave people a reason to believe in Him.
For the most part, we are not good wait-ers. Waiting and being delayed are more than a little bothersome to us. But the interruption and delay in Jesus’ procession at the end of Luke 8 resulted in the healing of two unclean females. God does far more and far better with His timetable than we do with ours.
God uses clean vessels. We don’t try and live righteous lives to earn salvation; we try to live a good, holy, clean life because that’s the person God likes to use. And here’s some really good news: You can be that person…if you want to be.
A few years ago, the record for the most expensive Chinese porcelain vessel was shattered (pun intended). A 900 year old bowl – in perfect condition – was sold at auction in Hong Kong for $38 million. Yet the value of a sanctified vessel is priceless. You can be that priceless vessel, ready to be used by God.
Why did Jesus and His disciples sail across the Sea of Galilee, in a horrific storm, just to land in a place where they are going to leave in a matter of moments and then sail right back to where they came from? Why go to such lengths? Because the Savior had a soul to save. He would go that far for you, too.
A Roman Legion consisted of 6,000 soldiers. Today we meet a man who calls himself Legion because of the overwhelming multitude of demons inside of him. He is the picture of the devastating effects of lostness on a person. He shows us on the outside what it looks like on the inside for a person without Jesus in his life. And it is a terrible condition.
When Peter healed the man begging alms at the Gate Beautiful just outside the Temple, he let everyone know that this man’s life had been transformed by the power of the resurrected Jesus. This same Jesus has the capability of forgiving you, restoring you, and making you fully whole.
The Message of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It’s not about bunnies – bunnies can’t change your life. It’s not about colored, hidden eggs – eggs can’t change your life. But the resurrection of Jesus from the dead has full capability to change your life and the lives of everyone you know.
Pastor Tim States I mentioned to you on the last broadcast that during your storms, remember that Jesus hasn’t abandoned you. But also remember that Jesus has the ability to calm every storm you face.
In life, we sometimes find ourselves overwhelmed by a storm we never saw coming. Know this: Jesus has not abandoned you in your moment of suffering. Remember that He promised never to leave you or forsake you.
It is interesting that as Paul tells Timothy how to be God’s Unashamed Worker, that he spends the bulk of his time talking to him about avoiding arguments, squashing squabbles, and denying false doctrine. Rather we want to be that worker who relies upon God for everything we need.
The Bible says that we believers are to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed.” When I am presented before God for inspection, I don’t want to stand there ashamed. And so Paul tells us how we might be that Unashamed Worker according to what we do for the Lord.
The old song says, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God / I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood.” Gladly, I have been saved by Jesus and Christ and brought in to His family. Even some of Jesus’ half-brothers and sisters could eventually say, “I’m a part of the family, the family of God.“
Bill and Gloria Gaither really hit the mark when they wrote the song, The Family of God. But not everyone is a part of the family of God, and then there are people who are upset at the family of God. In Luke 8, that includes Jesus’ own biological family. Some were unbelievers and some were down-right annoyed with Jesus. This is a message the family of God needs to be reminded of.
Concerning the prophet Hosea, the Bible says, “When the Lord began to speak BY Hosea, the Lord said TO Hosea…” and then finishes with what God said to him. The principal is that before we speak for God, we need to hear God speak to us.
As children we learned the song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” What were we singing about? We were singing about our testimonies and how we must not be ashamed to let it be known. So, friends, “Let Your Little Light Shine.”
Welcome to Britt David Podcast As we welcome Saige Valfre our New Pastor to the Next Gen as he brings us part two of a message from Hosea 2: 6-15 Saige States: God will abolish all idolatry in us in order to make us look more like Him Here is Pastor Saige
Welcome to Britt David Podcast As we welcome Saige Valfre our New Pastor to the Next Gen as he brings a message from Hosea 2: 6-15 Saige States: God will abolish all idolatry in us in order to make us look more like Him Here is Pastor Saige
The seeds of the gospel sometimes find hearts that aren’t quite ready to germinate. But when the good seed falls on good soil, it produces a harvest that no one saw coming. So sow those seeds!
Because of the Great Commission, you are a seed-sower. Everywhere we go, we are to be sowing seeds of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what He grows from that is phenomenal.
The battlefront in the war for your soul is the mind. The devil will try to put all kinds of thoughts in your head, but we are encouraged to remember the truths of God. Remembering what God has told us will surely get us through.
We all go through hard times, difficult days. But how do you handle it? A Christian surely should face life’s hardships differently than an unbeliever. In this message, Paul gives us six encouragements on “How to Handle Hard Times.”
As we check out this passage and are given qualities of a disciple of Jesus, we can go back through the list and check off the ones that describe us and the ones that may still need some work. As you check this out, can you check these off?
Today we look at one of those glimpse-behind-the-curtain scenes in the Bible. It’s not one of the more famous stories, but more like a check-this-out kind of passage. After telling the story of Simon and the Sinner, Luke gives the example of 3 others who were genuine disciples. Check this out.
Both in the Bible and in life we find examples of people we want to follow. Who doesn’t want to be as courageous as Daniel? Or as skilled as David? Or as persuasive as DL Moody? Paul shares some easy to relate to people for Timothy to emulate as he looks to be more fruitful in his ministry.
We all want to be fruitful in our ministry, and in the ways we serve the Lord. We remember that Jesus said that we must abide in Him; without Him we can do nothing, but with Him we should bear much fruit. Paul provides Timothy with a small formula on what that looks like fleshed out. Let’s implement this same recipe.
Pastor Tim States Being forgiven is more than I can fathom. Why the Holy God would care about a rotten sinner like me blows my mind. Yet He does. And because He does, I want the rest of my life to be lived in the overwhelming reality of that thought.
A song we sing in church says, “Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a Savior.” What an absolute truth. Everyone does need forgiveness, and the Good News is that everyone can find forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
Getting stronger means exercise. Getting stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus takes an exercise of faith and an exercise in faith. Listen as Tim shares three bits of a workout regime to help you grow stronger in grace.
Like the gospel is central to the core of Christianity, grace is at the heart of the gospel. Yet culture has had such an impact upon the church, especially the American church, that we have lost the meanings of these words: gospel and grace. It’s time we settle these issues.
The complaining Karen who always needs to speak to the manager has a difficult time finding a home at church. In their hearts they are negative and unhappy, even bitter. And the church has a hard time ministering to them. So let’s stop being as concerned with them being happy and be concerned about them becoming holy.
Our society has given the name Karen to any person, man or woman, who has a sense of entitlement, a desire and a willingness to complain, and a self-centered approach to life; it is a frustrated selfishness. Sadly we find Karens in the church, and that is the type person Jesus is describing in this passage.
Have you ever had someone in your life who is so encouraging, so helpful, so pleasant, so important that in a world full of difficulties and disappointments, they are like a breath of fresh air? Everybody needs somebody like that. Everybody needs to be somebody like that.
Fellowship among Christians is important. It is important to be a part of a church family. Some stop going to church because they get their feelings hurt or some other disappointment that leads them to leave others in the lurch. Sometimes you discover how much you need Christian fellowship when you don’t have it anymore.
Doubt comes to us all. But how do you combat it? The devil is certainly not going to let up. He assaults us with a never-ending barrage of attacks. But you already have just what you need to fight and to win the war against doubt. And it is found here in the arsenal of the Word of God.
Ever been disappointed in yourself because you know that you should be stronger in your faith in the face of a crisis? I think we all have. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, the one who got to announce Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” when no one else knew it, even he had his moment with doubt. It’s a real danger, and we need to know how to handle such times.
We live in a day where the truth is compromised, corrupted, criticized, and condemned. We must guard it like the special treasure that the Word of God is. We must “Handle the Truth.”
The fictional Colonel Nathan Jessep famously told defense attorney Lt. Daniel Kaffee, “You can’t handle the truth!” The truth is…we as Christians must handle the truth wisely, accurately, and faithfully.
The presence of God makes all the difference in the world. His presence brings peace. His presence brings power. His presence brings purpose … even to those seemingly impossible circumstances. And so we, His people, face that with faith in the Almighty and One True Living God.
Paul said that we are to live by faith and not by sight. When you face a seemingly impossible situation, that is much easier to say than to do. But there is a sharp contrast (or should be) between a Natural Man and a Spiritual Man. As spiritual men and women, we face even the impossible with faith.
Jesus told us not to be ashamed of Him in the face of this wicked generation that we live in. Paul has to remind Timothy of the same thing. Maybe you need a good reminder today to face the world for Christ…unashamed.
Sometimes we struggle with issues of fear and timidity when we are faced with opportunities to serve the Lord. Here in 2 Timothy 1, Paul exhorts Timothy to serve without shame and he uses himself and Onesiphorus as good examples for Timothy to model his ministry after.
We know that we are to live by faith and not by sight. That’s hard to do when we are overwhelmed by trials. Yet we can learn from one of the Bible’s greatest examples of how to live out a truly marvelous faith. And the example may come from a person you least suspect.
They say that faith can’t be trusted until it’s been tested. It is certainly true that I discover the depth and strength of my faith when trials overwhelm me. Today we get to look at a man whose faith was so deep and so strong in the midst of trial that even Jesus marveled at him.
We know that God grants to every believer a spiritual gift that we might be equipped to do the work that He has called us to do. If we follow Paul’s instruction to “stir up that gift,” then we need to know how to go about it.
The 20/80 Rule says that 20% of the people at church do 80% of the work of the church. That is not the way that God designed His church to operate. He has equipped every born-again believer so that each one of us has been “Saved to Serve.”
Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Paul had physical marks, for sure. But he also bore the marks, the character traits of a follower of Jesus Christ. We too should bear “The Marks of a True Disciple. ”
The final section of Luke 6 is dedicated to Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Here He talks to His disciples about what it means to really be a disciple. We call them “The Marks of a True Disciple.”
Partnerships are powerful and partnerships are important. Yes, we are to serve the Lord, but not alone. There are those who have gone before us on whose work we build, and there are those who walk beside us who help us build for the future. Paul reminds Timothy of these truths in the extended greeting of this second letter.
There is an old African Proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, walk together.” That is true in the Christian life. We are better in partnership with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ. Here, Paul talks to Timothy about “The Power of Partnerships.”
Pastor Tim asks, Why is it so critical to hear from God when you are faced with one of life’s big decisions? Because choices have consequences. And whereas you are free to choose whatever choice you want, you are not free to choose the consequences of that choice.
Pastor Tim states, We face choices every day, and some of those choices are more life-changing than others. Facing difficult decisions cannot be approached haphazardly. So let’s take a look at how Jesus approached a critical decision in His own life and how we too might make right decisions.
Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that how you treat others goes a long way as evidence that you yourself have been transformed by the power of God in salvation? In the conclusion of this message, Pastor Tim says it this way: “Whose You Are Determines How you treat others.
As Pastor Tim begins a new verse-by-verse study of the Book of Second Timothy, he gives us a brief overview, then dives right in to a practical application of the first 2 verses. Start with us at the beginning on this insightful journey.
Pastor Tim states, Questions concerning Sabbath Worship vs Sunday Worship are typically questions about the Authority of Jesus. Those are the cases we find opening Luke, chapter 6. Listen to how Jesus answers such questions.
Pastor Tim asks, Why do Christians worship on Sunday rather than maintaining worship on the Sabbath? Saturday is the Sabbath Day; Sunday is the Lord’s Day. The Sabbath commemorates Creation and Rest; the Lord’s Day Celebrates the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Listen to this timely message on Jesus, “The Lord of the Sabbath.”
Welcome back we are glad you have chosen to join us as Pastor Ayalla Shares the conclusion of His Missions message. Pastor Ayalla states, God empowers us so we can be His representatives and His witness to those around us. Whether it be at work or our neighbor next door.
Welcome we are glad you are with us today on Britt David Podcast. Today we are glad to have special guest Pastor Samuel Ayala. Pastor Ayala is the Southern regions mission Consultant for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Pastor Ayala States: We are to be His witnesses in our Jerusalem, In our Judea, In our Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
Welcome BACK we are glad you have chosen to join us for the conclusion of Sean’s message from Joshua 22. “What we’re You Thinking”. Sean states, We must live our lives in such a way that points the lost to the Savior. We cannot live our lives like the world and expect anything other than the lost seeing the world and not Christ.
Welcome we are glad you are with us today on Britt David Podcast. Today Sean shares a message from Joshua 22. “What We’re You Thinking”. Sean states We must continuously remind ourselves of the importance of keeping near to the heart of God. It is just that a heart matter. We need to continue to hold fast to Him, Obey Him, and to serve Him with all our heart and keep true to His holy Word.
We experience a few mountain-top moments in life, but most of life is filled with routine, mundane experiences. But that’s where God works most often. Those days, weeks, and years that followed the first Christmas testify to that. Let’s let God do the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary.
The days leading up to Christmas are so fast-paced and busy. For many the day after Christmas is an abrupt return to the normal, lackluster days of a normal routine. But that’s where the majority of the Christian life is lived: right in the middle of the ordinary. Even young Jesus’ earthly life is a testimony to that truth. Let’s explore the days, weeks, and years following His miraculous birth.
Welcome back we are glad you have chosen to join us for part 2 of Pastor Tims message “Yuletide Lessons” from Luke 1-2. Christmas presents – p-r-e-s-e-n-t-s – aren’t nearly as important as Christmas presence – p-r-e-s-e-n-c-e. And as important as our family’s presence during the holidays is to us, the presence of God is moreso. When we learn more about Who He is, we learn to trust Him even more.
Welcome we are glad that you have chosen to join us for todays message from Luke 1-2. Today Pastor Tim shares a message entitled “Yuletide Lessons”. Pastor Tim Shares with us The Christmas story is not just a story about Mary & Joseph, though they are important. The Christmas story is about God. HE takes the initiative to become our Savior. And in the Christmas story we learn valuable lessons about the character of God.
Welcome to part two of Pastor Tim's message “Where are the Elijahs?” from James 5:13-18. Prayer is powerful. And one of the best examples of that is the example given to us in the Book of James – it is the person of Elijah. Let’s listen to the conclusion of this powerful message, “Where are the Elijahs?”
Welcome back, we are glad that you have chosen to join us as Pastor Tim Shares a message from JAMES 5:13-18 entitled “Where are the Elijahs?”. Prayer is essential to the Christian life. And there are principles to prayer that you and I need to know. One such principle says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Let’s listen to Pastor Tim walk through this summary principle found in James 5.
Welcome back we are glad you have chosen to join us for part 2 of Pastor Tims message Three Wise Women” from Luke 1:5. The Bible says, “He who wins souls is wise.” One of the wisest things you can do is be a soul-winner. Anna is one of the Three Wise Women found in Luke’s Christmas Story. Luke said that she spoke about Jesus to everyone looking for redemption.
Welcome we are glad that you have chosen to join us for todays message from Luke 1:5. Today Pastor Tim shares a message entitled “Three Wise Women”. Pastor Tim States We’ve often heard the assumption of 3 Wise Men; we even have 3 Wise Men in our nativity scenes. But did you know that there are 3 Wise Women in the story of Christmas. Let’s take a look at each one found in Luke’s Gospel and see what it is that made them so wise.
Welcome back to the conclusion of the message from Isaiah 53:1-6 entitled “Man Of Sorrow”. As the Man of Sorrows, Jesus is acquainted with our grief. He is the only One who can truthfully say, “I know how you feel.” He then is able to provide exactly what our broken hearts and broken souls need. In the conclusion of this message, we point you to Jesus, the One who has borne our griefs.
Welcome we are glad you have chosen to join us here on Britt David Podcast. Today Pastor Tim shares a message from Isaiah 53:1-6 entitled “Man Of Sorrow” Pastor Tim states, The holidays tend to turn up the volume on our grief. It’s always there, but it looms larger, it seems, at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some people identify with the Psalmist who feels this so deeply that he writes it twice: my eye wastes away because of my grief (Ps 6:7; 31:9). You may be like Job who said, whether I speak out about my grief or keep it to myself, I find no real relief. Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, provides us with that real relief that we long for.
Welcome special guest Tim Williams as he shares with us the second part of His message "Why I Know I'm Saved and Saved Forever".
Welcome special guest Tim Williams as he shares with us the first part of His message "Why I Know I'm Saved and Saved Forever".
You’ve often heard it said that Jesus loves you just like you are, but He loves you too much to leave you like you are. When He comes into your heart, He comes in as Lord. Doing so demands a change in us. The parable of the cloth and the wineskins help us handle The Challenge of Change.
Our brains often interpret change as a threat, making us naturally resistant. However, change is both inevitable and necessary. So how do we handle The Challenge of Change? We must do so intentionally.
As appropriate and expected as praying is – Jesus said, “When you pray, this is how to do it” – as appropriate and expected as giving is – in the same section Jesus said, “When you give, this is how you do it – so is fasting both appropriate and expected – again, in the same section Jesus said, “When you fast, this is how you do it.” Let’s conclude this message on Our Most Neglected Spiritual Discipline.
In Ezra 8, Ezra proclaimed a day to be set aside for a fast among all the people. In response, God sent them one of the greatest revivals recorded in the Old Testament. As we continue to pray for revival, what do you think God might do in response if we sought Him through the discipline of fasting? Let’s look at this most neglected spiritual discipline in a setting where the Pharisees attacked Jesus’ disciples for, quote, “not doing it right.”
Welcome back to the conclusion of the message from Luke 5:12-26 entitled “STRANGE THINGS ”. Intercessory prayer has been called the highest form of prayer. That’s when you pray for someone else. You set your own needs aside for the moment and focus on what strange thing God might do in your friend’s life. That’s the example of prayer that leads to action and is found in the second part of our message on “Strange Things.”
Welcome to this weeks message on Britt David Podcast. We are glad you have chosen to join us as pastor Tim shares a message from Luke 5:12-26 entitled “Strange Things”. When people pray, strange things happen. In our passage today, three different groups of people are praying, and the passage closes by saying, “And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’” Pray, and see what strange thing God might do. Let’s look at these examples.
Welcome back to the conclusion of the message from Luke 5:1-11 entitled “Here They Come”. We have learned – the hard way – that we have to obey Jesus even when we don’t understand everything, even when we think we have really good excuses not to. When we step out on faith and follow Him, Jesus will reward us in ways that astonish us, just like He did with His disciples.
Welcome to this weeks message on Britt David Podcast. We are glad you have chosen to join us as pastor Tim shares a message from Luke 5:1-11 entitled “Here They Come”. Jack Graham once said, “If you can’t see it before you see it, you’ll never see it.” He was talking about the relationship between faith and expectation. As we look at this episode between Jesus and His disciples when He told them to launch out into the deep, that relationship between faith and expectation is what we are talking about in this message today.
Welcome back to the conclusion of the message from Luke 4: 38-44 entitled “Dealing With Disease”. Even when I understand that God uses sickness for His own glory, I still struggle with the idea of how to live that out. As we continue to learn how a believer Deals with Disease, let’s turn to the Scriptures to find some appropriate and practical responses.
Welcome to this weeks message on Britt David Podcast. We are glad you have chosen to join us as pastor Tim shares a message from Luke 4: 38-44 entitled “Dealing With Disease”. If you have had the terrible occasion to be in a doctor’s office when he reveals that you have cancer, or maybe some other dread diagnosis, then you know the crippling impact of disease. More and more people have those experiences. We encourage you to turn to the Word of God and to the God of the Word to learn how a believer Deals with Disease.
Welcome back to the second part of the message from Luke 4: 31-37 entitled “When the devil comes to church”. There are a number of notable times that God’s people have been threatened by wicked people. Sometimes, even someone as strong as Elijah mishandles it, but sometimes people seek out a greater source of strength in the Lord and learn to handle those threats properly.
Welcome to this weeks message on Britt David Podcast. We are glad you have chosen to join us as pastor Tim shares a message from Luke 4: 31-37 entitled “When the devil comes to church”. Being threatened can be one of the scariest moments in your life. And sadly, threats are a part of this life. We need to know how to handle those situations, and sometimes we learn how TO DO something by seeing how NOT to do it from someone else’s example.
Welcome back to the second part of the message from Luke 4: 22-30 entitled “Seeing Is Not Believing”. When someone rejects Jesus, it is heartbreaking. In this study, we are seeing the people in Jesus’ own hometown saying no to Him – violently saying no to Him. And we get to see how He responds. If you’ve ever been rejected, you will be encouraged by Jesus’ great example.
Welcome to this weeks message on Britt David Podcast. We are glad you have chosen to join us as pastor Tim shares a message from Luke 4: 22-30 entitled “Seeing Is Not Believing”.
One of the greatest moments in life is when you share Christ with someone and they give their hearts to Jesus right then and there. One of the saddest moments in life is when you share Christ with someone and they say no to Him. Rejecting Jesus is not new, but it still hurts in a fresh way. Today we get to see how and why the people in Jesus’ own hometown said no to Him.
The Bible says that Jesus came into this world to save sinners. That is always the thrust of what He is doing in our world.
If i've heard it once from my mom I've heard it a hundreds of times: What in the world are you doing? I guess it really is a good question to ask a mischievous child, but it is also a good question to consider what is Jesus doing in our world. Our Messiah was sent here on a mission, that's the question we explore today.
Welcome back to the second part of the message “BATTLING TEMPTATION” from Luke 4:1-13. God promises you a way out with every temptation you face. Let’s get familiar with the arsenal of firepower that God has made available to you to fight temptation.
Welcome to this weeks message “ BATTLING TEMPTATION” from Luke 4:1-13 here on Britt David Pod Cast. Pastor Tim states “ Everyone faces temptation. Even Jesus. Being tempted is not a sin, but it can sure lead to sin. We can learn from Jesus’ example how to battle against temptation.
A gospel tract is a great tool in the hand of a witness. A tract presents the truth of the gospel in such a way that a person might understand their need for a Savior and turn to Jesus.
The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is a story of the plan of God to redeem the world to Himself. Luke represents to us the redeemer in that story, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome back to the second part of the message “Eight Essential Elements For Effective Evangelism” from Acts 4-5. To be better at evangelism is more than just learning a new plan or a new presentation. There are elements that are essential for us to be effective.
Welcome we are glad you are with us here on Britt David Podcast. Today Pastor Tim shares a message from Acts 4-5. “Eight Essential Elements For Effective Evangelism”. Every Christian wants to be better at evangelism. But most don’t know where to start. When we examine the early church in Acts 4 and 5, we discover 8 essential elements they needed. We need them too.
Welcome back to the second part of the message “Urgent Questions About Heaven” from 2 Th 2:9-12. As we have started answering Urgent Questions About Heaven, today we find those questions becoming more personal. That in itself makes them even more urgent.
Welcome, Today Pastor Tim Wraps up his series on Heaven and there are a number of questions we have about heaven. Some are more important than others. Listen in as we answer “Urgent Questions About Heaven” from 2 THESS. 2:9-12; ROMANS 1:20-32; REV. 21:27
Welcome back to the second part of Pastor Tims message “The Rapture of the church” from 1 THESSALONIANS 4: 13-18. The Rapture of the church is not intended to scare anyone; it is to be encouraging and comforting for the believer. When I understand the reception I will receive and the reunion I will enjoy, it makes me anticipate the Lord’s return like nothing else.
Welcome we are glad you have chosen to join us here on Britt David Podcast. Today Pastor Tim shares a message from 1 THESSALONIANS 13-18 entitled “The Rapture of the Church” Pastor Tim states, “The next event on God’s calendar is the rapture of the church. There are no other prophecies waiting to be fulfilled, which means we should expect it at any moment. For some that is a scary proposition. But when we turn to God’s Word, we discover that studying the rapture is encouraging and comforting.
The Throne Room of Heaven is an astounding place filled with magnificent creatures and the glory of God. As we conclude this Sneak Peek into the Throne Room in Heaven, we hear it result of praise that is due Him.
What is the first thing we see when we get to Heaven? The Bible indicates that we will be in the glorious Throne Room of Heaven first. In this message, we get a Sneak Peek into the Throne Room in Heaven.
Welcome back to the second part of Pastor Tims message “A Sneak-Peek into Heaven” from Revelation 21:9 – 22:5. In the conclusion of this message, we get a glimpse at more of the marvelous features of our heavenly home.
Welcome we are glad you are with us here on Britt David Podcast. Today Pastor Tim shares a message from REVELATION 21:9 – 22:5. “A SNEAK - PEEK INTO HEAVEN”. Pastor Tim asks the question, What will heaven be like? That is one of the most often-asked questions. In this message we get a sneak - peek into heaven.
Welcome back to the second part of Pastor Tims message “The best news you’ve ever been told” from Matthew 25:21. As we continue, Heaven is a blessing from the Lord, a real Gift. But the real blessing is not the place; it is the presence, the presence of the Lord. When commendation turns to invitation, you discover that you will indeed be blessed beyond all measure.
Welcome we are glad you are with us here on Britt David Podcast. Today Pastor Tim shares a message from Matthew 25:21. “The best news you’ve ever been told”. Pastor Tim asks the question, Who doesn’t want to hear, ”Well done, good and faithful servant?” You will be relieved to know that that message is not reserved for those who work the hardest at their Christian Life, and it’s certainly not for Super Christians. The Christian who serves the Lord, even in obscurity, is known by the Lord and will be commended by the Lord.
Welcome to part two of Pastor Tims message “The most awful news you’ve ever been told” from Matthew 7:21-23. The good thing about warning signs is that they come before it’s too late. This warning from Jesus, what Pastor Tim has called “The most awful news you’ve ever been told”, is a warning that comes just in time. Listen to the conclusion of this message as we turn the warning into a lifesaver.
Welcome back, we are glad that you have chosen to join us as Pastor Tim Shares a message from Matthew 7:21-23 entitled “The most awful news you’ve ever been told”. Today we come to the worst passage in the bible. It is a message from Jesus for those who suffer with delusion and for those who suffer with confusion concerning what it really means to be saved. Pastor Tim invites you to listen to this message as a warning; it’s the most awful news you’ve ever been told.
Welcome back we are glad you have chosen to join us for part 2 of Pastor Tims message “Our Heavenly home” from Hebrews 11: 9-10, and 14-16. As we continue Pastor Tim Shares that Heaven is about the promise that God has made to us. Understanding what Scripture says to us about heaven creates a craving and a longing to be there and to be together with other believers.
Welcome we are glad that you have chosen to join us for todays message from Hebrews 11: 9-10, and 14-16. Today Pastor Tim shares a message entitled “Our Heavenly Home”. Pastor Tim States that sometimes our ideas of heaven are so mixed up that it seems like a strange and unreal place. Today He wants you to see that heaven is a real place that will be warmly familiar. It is after all, our heavenly home.
Welcome to 4th message from psalm 107. Today Pastor Tim will be sharing a message from verses 23-32 entitled “God finds the patriots. Pastor Tim states: The US navy used to recruit sailors with the line, “It’s not just a job it’s an adventure”. That is true of the sailors we meet in this passage today, true patriots.
Welcome to 4th message from psalm 107. Today Pastor Tim will be sharing a message from verses 23-32 entitled “God finds the patriots. Pastor Tim states: The US navy used to recruit sailors with the line, “It’s not just a job it’s an adventure”. That is true of the sailors we meet in this passage today, true patriots.
Welcome back to part 2 of the message “God forgives the Profane” As Pastor Tim teaches Society may say there is no hope for the drug addict. The user himself may feel like there is no hope for him. But there is hope in Jesus. And no matter who cries out to him, God promises to hear and to act.
Welcome to this the third message in Pastor Tim’s teaching from Psalms 107. Today Pastor Tim will be teaching from verses 17 -22 with a message entitled “God forgives the profane”. In our passage today we discover that drug and alcohol abuse, whether legal or illegal, leads a person down a wearisome path that lands a person and his family in great need.
Welcome to todays continuation of Pastor Tims Series from Psalms 107. Today he will be teaching from verses 10-16 with a message entitled "God Frees the Prisoners."
Welcome back to the conclusion of Pastor Tim’s message from Psalm 107 10-16 “God Frees The Prisoner”
Welcome back to part 2 of the message “God Feeds The Poor”" Pastor Tim continues as he teaches us from Psalm 107: 4-9
Welcome back to part 2 of the message "How to Be Saved and Know that You Know" Pastor Tim continues as he teaches us from 1 John 5: 11-13
Today as Pastor Tim shares part one of his message from 1 John 5:11-13 “How to be saved and know that you know”.