Jesus gave a new commandment for disciples in the New Testament – to love one another. In this message, I introduce the “one anotherings” in the New Testament age, observing what a unique and dynamic shift this was for worshippers of God.
It is common to hear – Do you know that you know that you are saved? Almost without exception the answer to this question involves looking at what YOU have done. Did you accept Christ? Did you pray a prayer? Then the question is – are you sure? This is a common tactic of fearmongers to make children of God question their salvation. The truth is that our salvation does not look to what we do, but what Christ did. But we can experience assurance according to the Apostle of love. In this message, I look at how we can know that we know we are God’s children.
Who doesn’t like simple things? But the sinful nature of man likes to complicate things. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians about our minds being corrupted from the simplicity of Christ. Satan works tirelessly to complicate the gospel message to make it confusing to the minds of men. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how simple the gospel message of salvation by grace alone truly is.
Many would say we must accept Jesus in order to be saved. But this is the opposite of the way it is. The Lord accepts us through the work of His Son Jesus. But as born again children of God, we can accept the ministry of Jesus to our lives. Jesus made it very clear what his ministry is to us in Luke 4. Do we accept this ministry?
In the 3rd message on Spirit fullness, I finally come to the specific ways in which born again children of God can experience the filling of the Spirit. The Lord will not be mocked, and we can certainly do things to repel His Spirit. But when we embrace submission to His will, the experience of Spirit fullness is other worldly.
Our world is overrun with an infectious, sinful disease called pride. The Bible has much to say about pride, but we have gotten so used to seeing it we often fail to recognize it. In this sermon Brother Luke preaches about what pride really looks like, to better help us identify it. This is important for us because it is certain that pride will always lead to shame, contention, and destruction.
In Micah the sixth chapter we read that God’s people are required to love mercy. Do we love mercy? We sure love to receive it, but do we love to give it? In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the life of Joseph to show a powerful example of what loving mercy looks like.
Here is a message I overlooked in the “Set Apart” series. One of the top 5 teachings that sets apart the truth from that which is not truth, is total depravity. We can never truly understand why salvation is by grace alone until we clearly see total depravity. The reason salvation can only be by grace alone is because of the condition of man apart from God’s intervention. And that is the tale of 2 families.
Without question there are ways we can act and think that will repel the Spirit of God. In part 2 of a message on this subject, I look at the things that accommodate and welcome the Holy Spirit into close fellowship.
We were blessed this week to have brother Jonah Lowrance visiting with us. Brother Jonah is a member of Mt. Paran PBC in Social Circle, GA. In this message Brother Jonah preaches on Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost. The focus of Peter’s message was on the resurrected Savior, and it caused a tremendous reaction.
If we check all the boxes by going to church, praying, and giving – does that mean we are guaranteed to be favored with the Presence of God’s Spirit? What does it mean to be Spirit filled? Are there ways we can act and think that will repel the Spirit of God? In this message, I look at some things that will cause the Spirit of God to back away from us.
What is required of us by the Lord? What does He expect out of us? In this sermon Brother Luke looks at what it means to do justly, which is one of the things the Bible tells us is required of us by God.
In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how walking in obedience is the key to a solid foundation. While it is easy to understand the concept, it is sometimes difficult to execute.
Isaiah 35 presents a beautiful picture of the King’s Highway. Are we on it? Have we taken a detour? Do we even know it exists? In this sermon, I look at the glorious Highway of the King.
The Lord is very clear about His view on pride. He hates and resists it. But He is also very clear about humility. I am so thankful we serve a God who is very tender-hearted towards his children when they display humility. In this message I look at how a little humility goes a long way with the Lord.
How often do we act like the Israelites in how quickly we turn away from God? Even after experiencing his great deliverances, we are quick to turn away. In this message, Brother Luke looks at a Savior that stands in the breach to make intercession for us even when we rebel against our God.
Does it matter which Bible we use? Today we often choose a version of that Bible that best suits our personal preferences. With over 50 versions of the English Bible, it is wise to consider how these versions came to be. But the various versions contain so many contradictions with each other until it is impossible for those using different versions to ever agree on certain points. So, are they all sufficient? In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at how the versions came to be. It may surprise us that not all versions are created equal.
Our lives go through seasons, and Solomon wisely addresses this in the book of Ecclesiastes. In this final message of the anniversary meeting, Elder David Crawford preaches about the seasons of life we all face, and how we must respond.
In recent weeks, several well-known people in the media have dismissed at the least and at the worst, mocked prayer. In this message, Brother David looks at the need for ongoing fervent prayer.
In the morning message preached by Elder David Crawford, he looks at some shocking ways we may be engaged in idolatry and not realize it.
In the first message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder Neil Honea, pastor of 5 Mile PBC, presents a timely sermon for both young and old. As Jacob was dying, he recalled how he had to fight battles against the wicked culture around him, in addition to being a shepherd. It is important the younger generation hears how the older generation faced and dealt with battles and adversity.
When we think of the word prodigal, our minds usually drift to the account of what is known as the prodigal son in Luke’s gospel. Interestingly, the word prodigal is not found in the account. So, we may legitimately ask, who is the real prodigal? In this message, I look at this question.
The Bible tells us the Lord uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. David used a sling and a stone to slay a giant. Samson used the jawbone of an ass to slay 1,000 philistines. A child of God uses things to fight their battles that the world would say are foolish. Prayer, the church, and the power drawn from the scriptures are just a few of those. Too often, like Samson, once we have used these powerful instruments to win a spiritual battle, we cast them aside only to realize later we still need them. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this subject.
Besides John 3:16, one of the next most popular verses is Romans 8:28. We hear it often quoted in the context of horrible tragedies and indescribable difficulties. But just like John 3:16, do we know the true meaning of it? If we are familiar with the verse itself, are we familiar with the surrounding verses? Can we quote v. 29 or 27 as well? In this message, I look at how the true meaning of Romans 8:28 shows us a clear view into the heart of God.
In a natural sense, we are American citizens. But politics and other issues divide God’s people, and we lose sight of our true citizenship, which is in the Kingdom of God, and this supersedes all natural citizenships. There is only one hope of overcoming the division that exists today, and that is through recognizing where our spiritual citizenship is. When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he had this higher citizenship in mind, as he encouraged them to be likeminded citizens in the Kingdom of God.
In the aftermath of the recent horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, Brother Luke delivers a timely and comforting message about persecution, and how we as Christians must process such evil.
For several weeks, I have looked at teachings from the Bible that set apart the church of God. As we have seen with the other teachings, most of these are lost to the modern church today. And this subject is no exception. In this message, I look at what once was a common practice among practically all Christian denominations – Loving Church Family Discipline.
What is the purpose of the gospel? Most believe its purpose is to keep people from going to hell. But what does the Bible tell us? In the ‘set apart’ series, I look at this important teaching. Is the gospel necessary for us to hear in order to go to heaven? Is it something else? If it is not necessary for heaven, is it still important? In this message, I look at the incredibly important purpose of the gospel, as revealed in God’s word.
When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them the city would be destroyed in 40 days, Jonah fled to Tarshish. Something was eating him up, besides the whale that would eventually eat him. Why? Was he afraid the Ninevites would harm him? When we look closer at the words of Jonah, we find the answer. It was not due to the fear of the people hurting him, but because he knew if they repented, then God would be merciful, and Jonah would look like a fool for preaching that destruction was imminent. Imagine how he felt on the 40th day when nothing happened. In his pride, he surely felt like the Ninevites thought him to be a false prophet and a fool for preaching a destruction that never came. Jonah was eaten up by his pride and aversion to looking like a fool.
Have you been taught your entire church life that you are commanded by God to tithe? This commonly presented “command” to tithe, is another spiritual urban legend. Nowhere in the NT does the Lord or the Apostles teach the OT law system of tithing. Instead, they taught a God-honoring practice that was older than tithing, that goes back all the way to the dawn of time, was observed by the patriarchs like Abraham, and brought back into focus by Christ in the NT. Which would we rather be? Old Testament teeth-clenching, purse-pinching tithers? Or New Testament hilarious givers?
Do we understand how the wind blows? That the wind is sovereign and no one controls the wind. Do we understand how natural birth works? That no child who has ever been born into the world had any control over their birth? If we understand these 2 very simple and natural occurrences, then we should have no issue with embracing how and when we are born again.
08.17.25.Being.intentional.in.the.Kingdom.Tim.McCool
Today, many think that the Lord is coming back to set up a kingdom on the earth. That is the same thinking of the Jewish nation when Jesus came and set up His kingdom 2000 years ago. Our Savior established His kingdom almost 2000 years ago. It is life-changing for His children when this truth is embraced.
In the “set apart” series I have been preaching, I come to the next subject – the kingdom of God. If you conduct a basic study on this subject in the New Testament, it is huge. The number or times that Christ refers to His kingdom, as being here and now, is amazing. In this message, I introduce this important and timely topic.
We have all heard of ‘free will’. When we use the term “free will,” we are saying a person has the ability to choose and pursue their desires. Does a person have total free will in their lives? Some say yes. However, some say mankind has no free will in their lives and God orchestrates everything that occurs. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the “free” will of man. Using the lens of logic and the scriptures, he shows that neither does man have total free will of his life, nor does God control every movement he makes. But rather man’s will is limited by his nature and while God doesn’t control everything, he most certainly sovereignly intervenes in the lives of mankind when he sees fit.
In the final public prayer before He went to the cross, Jesus asked His Father to bless His church to be set apart by embracing His word. For several weeks, I have looked at “set apart” teachings that are unique and help to identify the truth that Jesus taught. In this message, I look at one of the most glaring teachings from the Bible – the difference between eternal salvation, which is entirely the work of the Lord, as distinct from timely salvation, which relates to decisions we make in the here and now.
When the children of Israel grew tired of waiting on Moses to return from mount, they chose to create their own god. We often read that account and shake our heads at them in shame. Are we guilty of doing the same thing? In this message Bro. Luke asks three questions to help us determine if we have created our own god to satisfy our personal desires.
08.10.25.Creating.Your.Own.god
In years past, many of God’s children understood what election was, as it is taught in God’s word. Sadly, today if you ask someone about election, they probably think about November. In this message, I examine the simple truth of God’s electing love and mercy. In order to comprehend why we had to be elected, or chosen, we must embrace the clear teaching of what Adam brought upon us all in original sin.
The treasures of this world are fleeting and temporary, yet we pursue them with a passion. We are willing to bring stress in our lives, conflict in our relationships, and financial hardships into our families all for something that in a short time will either waste away or we will lose interest in it. How the flesh craves temporary gratification! The scriptures tell us to not lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth but rather treasures in Heaven. In this message Brother Luke takes a closer look at what that really means.
How does the gospel bring deliverance to us? Does it deliver us from being hell-bound to heaven-bound? Or is it another kind of deliverance? In this message, Elder Buddy Abernathy, pastor of Blooming Grove PBC, addresses the subject of how the gospel delivers born-again children of God according to the scripture.
A well-known verse is “Seek Ye First” the kingdom of God and other “things” will be added to you. When this was written, the things on the minds of the people were food, drink and clothing. These things are not really an issue for us today. So, what are the things today that might get in the way of seeking first the kingdom? In this message, I look at this question.
In several places in the Bible, Jesus tells people to look at the scriptures of the Old Testament and see how they pointed to himself. In this message Brother Luke looks at some of the powerful and impactive Old Testament accounts, that carry glorious figures of a greater image that was to come – Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Great sports teams are set apart by championships. Great athletes by their stats. Great people are set apart by their accomplishments. Various denominations are set apart by styles of worship. But the church of God was to be set apart by one unique characteristic – God’s word. In a final public prayer before He went to the cross, Jesus asked His Father to bless His church to be unique by embracing His word.
Is the nation of Israel in the Middle East today, the actual Old Testament chosen nation of Israel? In this message, I look at this important question.
Recently our church family suffered a great loss. Brother Spencer Shirley, Age 19, passed away a few weeks ago. The funeral service was attended by close to 500 people, which was a wonderful testimony to his life and influence. At the request of the family, I am sharing the funeral service and the testimonials that followed the conclusion of the funeral. Our prayer is that it will bring encouragement to those who may be struggling with loss.
06.19.25.Spencer.Shirley.Funeral.Service.and.Family.Testimonials
The 4th of the 10 commandments was quite different than the others. Instead of a “do this” or “don’t do that” directive, it instructed the people to remember something. In this message, I look at the meaning of the sabbath, and how it was to be remembered.
Imagine standing before God and he asks us on what merit are we worthy to enter into Heaven. What would we say? Would we plead our case by telling of our good works or nationality? Would we tell him of our belief or repentance? In this message Brother Luke looks at things that are commonly believed to be the keys to being worthy of Heaven. Looking at scripture to show how nothing can justify us in the sight of God, he looks at actually does permit us to stand before God one day. It is only by the unmerited favor (grace) of God and through the righteousness of the sacrifice of His Son, that we will be deemed worthy to enter into His eternal kingdom.
The Lord views His church in very unique and specific ways – like a body, like a family, as a bride. In this message, I look at the family aspect of God’s view of His church. Is it even possible to interact as the church of God if we are not embracing the family dynamic? Is our church too large for this to be possible? Do we take the time to know our church brothers and sisters like we do our family? In this message, I look at this important church dynamic.
The Bible tells us to let our moderation be known unto all men. What exactly does that mean? In a time of excessive appetites for activities like youth sports, careers, or hobbies, it is vitally important we understand what moderation is. In the same way the tires on a car need to be balanced to prevent a rough ride, so our lives must be balanced. This is an example of moderation. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the definition of moderation and what the scriptures have to say about it.
When the frontier was settled in the 1800s, it was common for the wagon trains to “circle the wagons” when under attack and at night for protection, safety and interaction. In this message, I look at how we should follow that example when we are attacked by Satan and faced with trials and tragedies.
The Bible gives multiple accounts of the dead being raised back to life in this world, but that is not the only type of resurrection we find in the scriptures. We read about our spiritual man being resurrected back to life with the new birth and about the resurrection of our bodies eternally at the end of time. Another type of resurrection we find is when our hope seems to be dead and the Lord, in ways only He can, brings hope back to our hearts and minds. This renews our strength and courage to face another day in this fallen world. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about these different resurrections.
It is easy to lose heart in the face of evil. Sometimes the evil that affects us can be distant – like being frustrated with politics. But sometimes it touches us directly. When it touches us directly, we need to prepare our minds to know how the Lord views and deals with such evil, as well as how we are to respond. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject, “Vengeance is Mine”, saith the Lord.
In this message, I look at the prayer of true pastors – that the people he preaches to will stand in the truths they are taught.
Everyone is looking for happiness. Being happy is a wonderful way to feel. But the reality of life is that happiness can be difficult to achieve and more difficult to hang onto. In this message, I look at how to find happiness in the context of Peter’s clear teaching on discipleship.
Jesus tells us that in order for a man to find his life he must first lose it. That might seem like an unusual statement if we only look at it from a superficial perspective. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the life of Paul to get a better understanding of what it means to lose your life in order to find it.
In the series from I Thessalonians, I look at a statement made by the Apostle Paul. He says that the church at Thessalonica was appointed to afflictions. When we are in the fire of afflictions, the heat shows what is in our heart. In this message, I look at how we face affliction and how to deal with it.
Everyone agrees that the plant you grow will always be the same as the seed you plant. Corn seeds don’t yield apple trees. The Bible is clear that we will reap what we sow. If we sow to the flesh we will reap destruction. Our problem as children of God is not a lack of understanding this, but it comes with not realizing there are times we are sowing the wrong type of seeds and don’t even realize it. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the importance of not being naive to the seeds that we are casting into our lives.
Most of the rhetoric today uses the second coming of Christ to strike fear in our minds. If a preacher says, “Are you ready for His coming?”, it usually refers to making sure you are eternally saved, so when He shows, you will be ready in that way. But the Bible teaches eternal salvation is solely the work of the Lord. And yet, Paul taught them to be ready for Christ’s coming. If Paul was not referring to eternal salvation, what did he mean? In the series from I Thessalonians, I look at this subject.
King David desired to bring the ark of the covenant home to his new house in Jerusalem. This was a good thing. But the way David went about it, displeased the Lord. How many times do we have issues we deal with, and we go about it the wrong way? In this message, I look at how David got back on the right track to bring the ark home.
Have we been affected by worldwide deceptions like global warming or evolution? Or have we been affected by lying? Or what about slander or gossip? Have we experienced personal attacks during opportunities to minister? Have we ever dealt with betrayal? Have we refused to forgive others? Has our family been attacked in some way? Has sexual impurity affected our church or community? If the answer is yes to any or all of these, then Satan may be hindering us. In this message, I look at what the Bible teaches about the ways that Satan hinders us.
In the final message of the May meeting, Elder Graham Sims speaks about the ways in which the Lord restores vision. Sometimes it can be in a physical way like Jesus did with the blind, but sometimes it can be spiritual vision.
In the first message of our recent annual meeting, Elder Tim Lawrence of Bethel PBC near Nashville, preaches about sticking to the script, or scriptures. The Lord has preserved for us in His Word everything we need to know about Him and about how to navigate the pitfalls of this fallen world.
From the days of Isaac, when he asked his father Abraham, where was the Lamb, up until this very hour, the Lord will providentially make sure we are taken care of. This does not mean we should expect an easy life. But it does mean that the Lord is the Provider of all that we need eternally and in a timely way. In this message, Elder Tim Lawrence speaks on this subject.
In the final message on Saturday, Elder Tim Lawrence, member of Bethel Primitive Baptist Church of Nashville, TN, preaches about the miraculous ways that the Lord manifests Himself even now.
In the Saturday afternoon service, Brother Graham looks at Psalms 46 and observes how the Lord is our refuge.
In the Saturday morning message of our recent May meeting, Elder Graham Sims, pastor of Wilson Creek PBC near Franklin, TN, preaches from the first chapter of Ephesians. As a prison epistle, Paul wrote this to the troubled church at Ephesus, who apparently was beginning to forget their first love. Paul’s first few lines seek to remind them and get them back on the right track.
Romans 4:25 tells us that Jesus was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. Do we recognize that we have sin? Or do we justify ourselves when it comes to our sin. I would rather acknowledge that I do have sin, and trust in the Lord Jesus for my justification in spite of my being guilty. In this message, I look at the fact that we are sinners who have offended God, yet God in His mercy delivered His perfect Son to pay for those sins, and to be raised from the dead as evidence they were paid by Him.
What is something that could happen to you today that would make you happy? A new car, becoming debt free, running into an old friend, or maybe finding out you are the heir to a fortune? It is an endless list of things we may say. How many of us would say that being corrected makes us happy? From a worldly perspective, correction is something we usually detest. But the Bible teaches us that correction from God brings happiness. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at how a child of God can find happiness even while enduring God’s chastening.
How do we assess our value? Is it through the number of likes we have online? Or is it through the amount of property and money we amass? In this message, Elder John Morgan Owens, of Zion PBC, preaches about the way we should find our value, our true worth.
In the final days of the Judges of Israel, the times were very dark. The ministry of that time was cruel. Worship was corrupt. The people were complacent, and families were dysfunctional. This led to there being no open vision from God. Although this sounds like a page out of the present culture, it was several thousand years ago when the Lord scripted revival in an unusual way. He utilized a wife who suffered from an eating disorder, an obese priest, and an adopted little boy. In this message, I look at the meaning of open vision.
In a previous message from I Thessalonians, I looked at what a church should expect out of their preacher. Paul first described his manner as being like a gentle mother. In this message, I continue to look at Paul’s description of himself – as a loving father. These are important characteristics the people of God should expect in how the ministry interacts with them.
When was the last time you saw a modern-day prodigal son return? Chances are you haven’t. Why? They say that behind every good dish is a good recipe. Sometimes the recipes are passed down, and if we are not diligent in keeping up with a recipe, we forget the ingredients needed to make a good dish to eat. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at the essential ingredients for the prodigal to return. When we sin against our fellow man, our church or our God, there are certain ingredients that must be present to bring about healing and restoration. In the account of the prodigal son, we find those ingredients to a lost recipe.
Contentment and jealousy do not coexist very well. When one thrives the other does not. Being content with what we have is a wonderful feeling. Our contentment is disrupted when we begin looking at what others have. Jealousy creeps in and puts a stranglehold on our contentment. Instead of a peaceful sense of having enough, we become resentful at others for what they have. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this important subject.
What should a congregation expect out of their preacher? How should he treat them? In the series on I Thessalonians, I move into chapter 2 and observe the way the Apostle Paul described himself. He writes to the church and recalls his manner among them. One way he described the way he handled them was like a gentle mother handles an infant.
It is interesting how light affects our perception. Experiments have proven without any exposure to the sun we lose our sense of time, and our sleep cycles become altered, both of which are kept in check by exposure to sunlight. In the same way, when we remove ourselves from the Light of Christ our perception of what is true is altered. We may find ourselves calling good evil or seeing our friends as enemies. In this sermon, Brother Luke observes how the Light of Christ helps us keep our perceptions true and accurate.
Last week I began a series in I Thessalonians. We started with an important subject – the meaning of life for the child of God? I consider this next subject just as important. If we do not permit the unmasking of our personal idols through the preached word, then we will never truly be able to experience the meaning of life. This message is entitled, Unmasking Our Idols.
What is the meaning of life? Can this question possibly be answered in a mere 30-minute sermon? It is a question pondered for ages and there are many opinions about it. But for the child of God, it has a simple answer. Paul addresses the true meaning of life for a born-again child of God in I Thessalonians. If we are searching for meaning in our lives, we need look no further.
In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the progression of how a man healed of blindness viewed Jesus. The healed man initially calls Jesus just a man. Then as his understanding grows, he calls him a prophet, then a being from God, and ultimately, he recognizes and worships Jesus as a king. As we learn and grow in our belief and understanding of Jesus, we should experience a progression like this. The Lord Jesus should become greater to us as time passes, and we learn more of Him.
Being afraid can have a dramatic impact on our behavior. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at how the fear of death is a bondage that can cause us to compromise. The scripture tells us the fear of death is something the Lord came to deliver us from, and when we embrace His truth, we find great courage in times we might otherwise be tucking our tails and running for the hills.
The book of Ecclesiastes is dark and brooding, clearly from the mind of a depressed and jaded person. In this message, I look at the context of this book, when it was written, and by whom. When compared with the other writings of King Solomon, it presents an interesting and sad picture of the old, troubled king.
Getting a report card at school was always scary. The report card summarized my performance at school. I especially feared the “conduct” part! Hebrews 11 speaks of a report card of faith. What kind of grade would we achieve in the school of faith? This is not a report card that we report on each other, but a report card that comes from the Lord above.
The Bible says that a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Oftentimes when someone offends us, we build walls, and it can be very difficult to repair a relationship. A mistake we as Christians make is to assume God deals with us in the way we deal with each other. While offending another person may bring lifelong separation regardless of our attempts to reconcile, God does not build walls between himself and his people. In this message, Brother Luke look at the fact that no child of God has ever offended God to such an extent that returning to him is not possible.
We don’t really experience real physical famines today, but we can experience drought, or dry and difficult times, in our marriages, our friendships, our churches. How do we handle that? We are conditioned to cut loose and run. But leaving in times of famine is not always the right course of action. Plus, we will totally miss out on the day before the rain. In this message, I draw lessons from those who left and those who stayed in times of great famine.
Regardless of denomination, faith is one of the most common words heard among religious circles. However, you will find significant differences in an understanding of it. Some say it is a prerequisite to being born again while others say it is generated when one hears the gospel. When we look at the scripture, we see it is neither a prerequisite to the new birth nor activated by the gospel, but rather an evidence of having already been born again by the Spirit of God.
Isaiah 53 has often been referred to as the “gospel of Isaiah.” In this message, I look at one of the themes of this incredible and tragic description of our Savior on the cross. As tragic as it is, we rejoice that his suffering was not pointless, but Jesus was interceding for us.
In the concluding message of the framework series, I look at the 4th activity the early church engaged in – prayer. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. As a church and as individuals, we should follow the framework of the first church, and continue in these simple activities.
02.16.25.Continue.in.Prayers.Framework.Series.pt.4.Tim.McCool
On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took Peter, James and John with Him. Before he goes off to pray, he instructs them to watch. Three times he returns to find them sleeping. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at the definition of the word watch, to see exactly what the Lord wanted them to be doing and how it would impact the events about to unfold.
Have you ever wondered what the early church did for activities? It was very simple. They engaged one another in 4 basic activities. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. In the 3rd message of the Framework series, I look at how the church engaged in the activity of the breaking of bread.
The activities described in the NT church are simple. In our present culture, we have complicated the church experience. From pre-K to the elderly, the idea of segregated activity for age-specific groups has taken over. But early church members of all ages and backgrounds, engaged in 4 basic activities. Acts 2:42 says they continued in doctrine (teaching), fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. In the 2nd message in this series, I look at how the church engaged in the activity of fellowship.
02.09.25.Continuing.in.Fellowshp.Framework.Series2.Tim.McCool
We all deal with bondage to some extent, whether it is the bondage of fear, depression, disease, grief or countless other ways. Thankfully God specializes in rescuing us from bondage. Sometimes he does it in miraculous ways as he did with Peter, Paul, and Silas. But for most of us, it may not be a dramatic rescue from a prison, but measures of grace that revives our spirit and strengthens us to live another day. In this sermon Brother Luke goes to the book of Ezra to give us an example of this.
The Lord set up a simple framework for the church experience in the NT church. Worship has become complicated in our modern culture to the extent that it is often difficult to figure out where to fit in. But the early church engaged in 4 simple activities. Around this simple framework our worship life can still be experienced. In this message, I take a look at this subject.
Living in the modern church culture, we often lose sight of a Biblical understanding of what a pastor is. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the characteristics of a good pastor.
In the final justification sermon, Brother Luke looks at the most compelling type of justification. To be justified by works is when others declare us righteous, and justification by faith is when we experience it within based on our faith in Jesus’ work, it is only through grace that the Lord God Almighty declares us just. So, God according to his tender mercy and good pleasure, laid the wrath for the sin of all his people on the shoulders of his son. Thus, God declared us righteous through the finished work of Christ.
When it comes to the daily grind of life, we all need a reset button. To go back to the basic, back to the foundation, to reset ourselves back on the right path. That is exactly what the father of faith – Abraham – had to do. And it works for us as well. In this message, I look at how we can press our reset.
In a follow up message to ‘Justification by Works’, Brother Luke examines what it means to be justified by faith. Justification by works has to do with the opinions of those who see our works and, based on what they see, declare us righteous. But to be justified by faith means that we see ourselves as righteous based solely on the testimony of God-given faith that only points to the finished work of Christ.
Living in the blessings of a free society, with very little threat of persecution for serving the Lord, we are often shocked by suffering. But the true experience of God’s children down through the years has involved much suffering. In this message, I look at how we should not be shocked when we suffer.
Peter writes in several places that his intention is to stir up our minds by his writing. In this message Brother Luke looks at the reasons we stir our food when we are cooking and compares that to our spiritual minds. In the same way failing to stir our food can cause it to burn or stick, failing to stir up our spiritual minds can lead to us being stuck to the wrong things or having our conscience seared with a hot iron.
To be justified means to be ‘declared just or righteous’. The Bible teaches 3 types of justification: by grace, by faith, and by works. So which one is it? The answer is – all of them. To understand how this works, we must look at each justification individually. In this sermon Brother Luke looks at justification by works. This occurs when others see our good works and declare us to be righteous.
We recognize common phrases like “you only live once”, or “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” When Paul wrote the Corinthians, there was a common phrase they were accustomed to hearing: “Meats for the belly.” Like a code phrase, the initiated knew the devious double meaning behind this phrase. In this message I look at the meaning behind this phrase, and how it was a perversion of the truth.
Many believe the parable of the Sower is given to show who is going to heaven or hell. In reality, the parable teaches that born again children of God are often at different stages. Personally, I have found myself in all 4 categories at times in my life. In this message, I look at one of the purposes of the parable – to direct us to examine our ground.
In this message, I revisit a subject related to the location of Jesus’ birth. The traditional nativity scene is in a barn, with all types of barnyard animals surrounding Christ in a hay-filled manger. But there may be another possibility of the where the Christ was born – in the tower of the flock…
In his previous two sermons, Brother Luke has answered the questions of when and how we are saved and born again. Having established both are the sovereign work of God alone, in this sermon he addresses man’s role in discipleship. If God Himself alone saves us eternally and borns us again, how does discipleship work?
In a follow up message to Firstfruits, I look at what it means to be a living sacrifice. This is a mystery, as the meaning of sacrifice is to kill, or put to death. So how can we be living but dead sacrifices? In this message, I look at how this works.
As a husband to my wife, a father to my children, a son to my mother – I am one person, but I have different roles. When it comes to our salvation, God is One, but He has different roles. In this message, I look at the roles of God in our salvation.
There are three important events in a child of God’s life – being saved, being born again, and discipleship. There is much confusion about when and how these events occur. In a follow-up message to the Chalkboard Message on 11/24/24, which answers the question when were you saved? – this message focuses on answering the question when and how were you born again.
Following Thanksgiving, I have often spoken about leftovers, which is something we all partake of after a big celebration. But in this message, instead of leftovers, I focus on the Biblical teaching of firstfruits, which is the other end of the spectrum from leftovers.
Around Thanksgiving, black Friday seems to cast a dark shadow over the time of celebrating freedom, family and being thankful. In this message, I look at what should be our focus not just on Thanksgiving, but every day. If we had a gauge to measure how thankful we are, where would the meter rest? At full? At empty? Somewhere in between?
In this message, Brother Luke looks at the confusing and contradicting ideas that the religious world puts forth about eternal salvation. Then in a refreshing and simple way, he presents the simplicity of God’s truth on how we are saved.
To have someone’s back means that you will support them and not let anyone sneak up on them. In an eternal sense, the Lord has our back. There is nothing that can sneak up on us and take away our eternal salvation. But He also has us here and now. The question to ask is – Do we have each other’s back? As born again believers, do we love and support each other as we should. In this message, I look at this question.
We often feel like the Lord is not there for us, or that He is not doing something about our situation. In this message, I look at the mental process that David went through when he asked, “How Long, Lord?” Ultimately, David arrived at the right kind of thinking.
Two of the most powerful words we can have in our vocabulary, are “I’m sorry.” In this message I look at how these two words are essential for navigating the ups and downs of relationships in this fallen, broken world.
Broken fellowship, damaged relationships, severed ties – these are common experiences for us all. The Bible is filled with examples of this, from Adam in the garden to Peter with our Savior. Broken fellowship is a consequence of our broken world. But God in mercy shows the glorious path of restoration. In this message, Brother Luke looks at broken fellowship, and how the Lord leads back to restoration.
Have you ever lain awake all night with your mind running in circles? Or thoughts come into your head that you can’t seem to shake out? Thankfully, the Lord knows how our broken minds run in circles. In this message, I look at how God gives us ways for us to retrain our brain and break out of harmful circular thinking and establish ways of thinking that free us through Him.
In Jeremiah 35, the Lord told Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites to the house of the Lord and set wine before them. The Lord uses this family to demonstrate true faithfulness and show how unfaithful his own nation was to Him. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how the Lord saw the Rechabites as worthy of honor.
We have all heard the phrase “go getters”. In this message, I present a twist on that phrase, in an effort to teach how we should strive to be givers, just as our Lord gave His life, His time, His effort, and accomplished our salvation. Let us all set our hearts and minds to honor the Lord by being Go Givers.
If we call someone ignorant today, it sounds harsh. But the root word of ignorance is the word ignore. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject of ignorance as it is used in the Bible. We may find that it applies to us all in some ways.
All through the word of God, boasting is frowned upon, except in a few limited circumstances. From the ballpark to social media, we are saturated with boasting. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this subject of boasting and looks at the instances when boasting is approved and appreciated by our Lord.
What does the Bible teach about mission work? Is it scriptural? Are missions as commonly understood today, following a Biblical pattern? In this message of the “Why” series, Brother Luke looks at what the Bible teaches about missions.
In this message, I look at the difference between givers and takers. Sadly, among Christians there are a lot more takers than givers! It should be our desire to model ourselves after our Savior, who was the ultimate Giver. Will we take the giver / taker test?
Dust of the earth, stars of sky, sands of the sea – all are Bible descriptions of the vast number of God’s people. The purpose of these descriptions is to emphasize the large number of the chosen people of God. But we can lose ourselves in such large numbers. In this message, I look at the truth that applies not only to nature, but also to every single precious child of God – each little flower may claim the sun.
Usually when we think of a woman at the well, we think of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4. But there are several accounts of women coming to a well in the Bible. In this message, I take a look at some of those accounts.
On Sunday morning, Elder Martin Onyoni, pastor of the First Primitive Baptist Church of Kisii, Kenya, delivered a message entitled, Avoid Babblings. The Apostle Paul warned against entertaining confusing questions and ideas that cause us to stray from the truth.
As the ordination service came to a close, Elder David Crawford and I delivered the final charges to Brother McNeil. Following the charges, the ordination was closed out.
As the ordination of Brother McNeil continued, his father, Elder Neil Honea, was asked to deliver the first charge. In this post, I share with you the charge delivered by Brother Neil.
During the Saturday service of our Anniversary meeting, we were blessed to ordain Elder McNeil Honea to the full work of the gospel ministry. In this posting, I share with you the portion of the ordination in which Brother McNeil was questioned by Elder Josh Coker, followed by the ordination prayer offered by Elder Luke Hagler.
In the 2nd message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder David Crawford points out how we must be aware of the devices of Satan. We were blessed to host Brother David who will soon be a resident of Clinton, MS.
In the first message of the Anniversary meeting, Elder Martin Onyoni preaches about the life of the Apostle Paul. We were very blessed to host Brother Martin who was visiting from Kenya. He is the pastor of the First Primitive Baptist Church of Kisii, Kenya.
Living in a time when every little offense, real or fabricated, is posted online within seconds of it happening, a refresher course about what the Lord taught regarding how to deal with offenses is much needed. This is important for families, friends and churches. If we are truly peace seekers, we will take Christ’s instruction to heart.
One definition of “spirit” is “the influence which fills and governs the soul of any one.” And there are evil, influential spirits that are higher than men but lower than God. The Apostle John addressed this in I John 4 by instructing the people of God to “try” the spirits. In this sermon, Brother Luke looks at what this means.
In the next message in the “Why” series, I take a look at the meaning of Christ’s statements about binding and loosing. Both times He refers to binding and loosing in the context of His church, and it has a direct impact on how we conduct ourselves in His church today.
An important distinction in scripture is the difference between discipleship and sonship. To be a son or daughter of God is not optional – it is the complete, sovereign work of the Lord’s mercy. But discipleship is optional. And to read verses referring to optional discipleship as if referring to sonship will lead to confusion. In this message, Elder McNeil Honea presents this distinction.
In the Why series, I ask the question about why belief matters. Does God really care what we believe, just as long as we are sincere? If we look at the examples given in the Bible, we can see clearly that the Apostle Paul was concerned with what was believed and taught in the early church.
Brother Luke presents a timely message entitled “Leave Your Windows Open.” In a reference to Daniel’s faithfulness to His God in Babylon, we should take courage in remaining faithful and not compromising the Word of God. We are living in Babylon now, and regardless of the consequence, we should do as Daniel and leave our windows open towards God’s throne.
In the 2nd message of the Why series, I look at the public privilege of church membership. Have we thought lately about how humbling it is to have the blessing, as baptized believers in a local church body, to go out from day to day as representatives of our Savior? In this message, I look at how we publicly represent Jesus in relation to the local church body of which we are a member.
Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” In this message preached at the annual meeting of Bethany PBC in Pontotoc, MS, I look at this as it applies to God’s church.
In this message preached at Bethany PBC near Pontotoc, Mississippi, I look at the subject of contentment. It is interesting how the Lord uses the most negative statement in the Bible to demonstrate such a positive truth about where true contentment lies.
In this message, I begin a series I am calling the “Why” series. Why was I baptized? Why do I believe in salvation by grace? Why do I worship the way I do? All of these and more, are questions I hope to ask in this series. The first sermon is entitled Why Was I Baptized?
Learning to be content in a prosperous society can be difficult. It is not necessarily sinful to have things, but if it leads to discontent, it is not good for our spiritual walk. We can find contentment by embracing the principles of Godly contentment. In this message, Brother Luke looks at what the Bible teaches about this. It is shocking to see what the Lord says about the basic things we should be content with, and where we must find our ultimate contentment.
The Apostle James contains very strong language about our prayer life. He relates specific reasons why we are sometimes disappointed in the Lord, when the problem actually lies within ourselves. Truly, there can never be anything about the Lord that disappoints. In this message, I look at this subject that impacts our prayer life.
It is incredible to think that anyone could misunderstand the simple teachings of Christ. Sadly, so many did. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the reasons why so many did not see what was happening or understand what was being taught by Jesus, when it was all so clear and simple. This is an affliction that can affect any of us, if we stop filtering through our spiritual lens.
Nowadays, just leading a quiet and peaceful life of serving the Lord, is radical. If we want to live such a life, we need a Biblical view of citizenship and government. In the vicious politics of today, the party system would have us believe that one man or woman is the answer to all problems. In this message, I look at how disciples of Christ should view such things.
Have you ever wondered about angels? What they really are? What is their purpose? How do they look? In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject of angels and answers many questions about them. Our modern idea of a cute little pudgy baby with wings, sitting on a mantle, is not even remotely close to the true identity of angels.
Our God is a festive God. He loves to celebrate righteousness. We even get the word holiday from the Lord’s holy-days. In the OT, He instigated festivals and holy-days to encourage celebrations of Him. In Isaiah, He speaks of a new festival that was coming, one like never before. In this message, I look at that celebration that was foretold.
When Christ was on the earth, He used simple examples to make profound points. On one occasion, when the Pharisees were questioning who He was spending time with, the Lord made an incredible example about the great value of His children to Himself. In this message, Brother Luke looks at this topic.
The standard bearer, or flag bearer, was an important figure in ancient warfare. The person designated to bear the standard of the army was not only a rallying point but also a target. In this message, I look at how the scripture teaches that Christ is our Standard Bearer.
Even when a nation is degrading from within, there is always hope. That hope is found in the righteous living of disciples. In the second message of a series preached at Bethlehem, Brother Luke looks at the hope given by the Lord in spite of the terrible conditions of a culture.
Mocked and hated by his brothers, sold into slavery at age 17, carted away to a foreign land, wrongfully accused and imprisoned – Joseph’s life is a testament of anguish and disappointment. But when he ascended to 2nd in command in Egypt and was blessed with 2 sons, he named them interesting names – Forgetful and Fruitful. In this message, I look at the significance of these two boys’ names.
When something degrades it breaks down and deteriorates. If you leave a sandwich laying on the counter for a week, there are obvious signs it has degraded. The Lord describes the signs of a degraded nation in Isaiah 3. In this message, Brother Luke looks at these signs of degradation as they apply to a society like ours today.
Date setting the return of Jesus is misleading and inappropriate. Sadly, many have tried that through the years. But looking at signs and seasons of His coming was taught by Jesus Himself. In this Wednesday night message, I look at 7 signs of the second coming of Jesus.
In some of the easiest to understand, inspired scripture, the Apostle of love makes a profoundly simple and simply profound statement. Even a child can understand that we love God because He first loved us. Just like children are loved by their parents before they love them back, so God loves us first. In this message, I look at the subject – we love Him because He first loved us.
Satan has many descriptions in the Bible. One of those is the strong man. Christ refers to the devil in this way. The only way to overpower a strong man is by a stronger one. In this message Brother Luke teaches about how Christ is the stronger Man Who overpowers Satan.
If God says something is better, then it must be better. If He says someone is special, then they are special just because the Lord says so. This is not a trip for our pride, but a call to humility. If God did not make us special by His own work, we would be without hope. In this final message preached at Wilson Creek PBC, I look at this subject.
When we bring God down to our level to feel like we have him figured out, we lose sight of His magnificence. But seeing God as He is, will baffle us. The sovereignty of God and the reality of our need for using faith, can only truly be glimpsed by acknowledging that He is the God of all possibilities.
This message was preached by Elder Chris McCool, pastor of Zion PBC, at a Wednesday night service. Jesus caused a great upheaval, or shaking, when He came the first time and entered His temple. That first shaking, as amazing as it was, preceded the next great shaking of the universe, when He returns to take all of His children home.
In this message preached at Wilson Creek PBC near Smyrna, TN, I look at the subject of “Going Places We Should Not Go.” With the backdrop of David’s devastating decision to leave the land of Israel and go into the land of the enemy, we can see clearly there are places we should not go as disciples of the Lord.
In the second message of the Blooming Grove PBC communion meeting, Elder Chris McCool preaches about the parable of the treasure in the field.
This message was preached at Blooming Grove Primitive Baptist Church near Sulligent, AL, on 6/29/24. Having been newly constituted as a Primitive Baptist Church, Elder Chris McCool and I were invited to preach their first communion meeting. The church house was full, and many had to sit in the fellowship hall.
From a practical standpoint, how does Satan attack us? Does he appear in a red suit with a pitchfork? No, he usually comes at us through influencing people. If we are not careful, he can even influence us to attack others. In this message, I look at how our adversary attacks us.
It is always a good idea to understand the strategies of an adversary. The greatest adversary we have is the devil. And Peter gives us specific information about the methods of Satan. Thankfully, our Advocate Jesus Christ is infinitely greater than our adversary. In this message, I look at the adversary and our Advocate.
The disciples James wrote to were scattered from their homeland because of persecution. And like any of us would be in such a difficult situation, they had begun to complain. James reminds them of their eternally saved condition and exhorts them to focus on the word of God, which would help to deliver them in a timely way. In this message, Brother McNeil looks at this important subject.
Listening is a gift, and it requires cultivation. Most of the time we would rather talk than listen. In this message, Brother Luke looks into the book of James, and preaches about this wonderful, Spiritual quality. To be able to listen enables us to minister to those in need and also helps us to learn and grow.
Have you see Jesus lately? Although he is not here on the earth in bodily form, we can still see Him on a regular basis. From His ingenious creativity in nature, to the picture of His supernatural Humanness painted in the scripture, we can see visions of Him if we only look. In this message, I look at the subject of seeing Him daily.
One of the many amazing qualities of our Lord, is the way He can overcome and overrule tragedy and sorrow. Without using sin or directing sinful occurrences, the sovereign power of our Lord enables Him to step in and turn sorrow into joy, when all seems lost, and it appears hopeless. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about this amazing truth.
In the Biblical parenting series, I take a look at an amazing father. His name was Noah. He planned for his family even before his children were born, and in the fact of insurmountable opposition, he stood strong. Although it was not planned this way, this message actually fell on Father’s Day.
It is unwise to compare ourselves to one another. We are all broken measures, and the word of God expressly condemns comparing with each other. But the Lord gives us ways to compare, and it is never with each other. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about how we can make right comparisons that will only help us grow in our spiritual walk.
The Inspired word of God specializes in contrasts. Romans 12 is no exception. In verse 2 we find a stark contrast in the words conform and transform. To conform means to look like everyone else. But transform is the word we know today as “metamorphosis”. Think about how a butterfly transforms. After the Holy Spirit borns us again, we should be transforming our lives to honor the Lord.
In this message, I continue looking at the time when the Lord ended the world with a flood. It was not the failure of government. It was the failure of the family. This should be a warning to us today as we see the continued decline of God’s initial form of government – the family.
Have you ever wondered why the Lord sent the flood in the days of Noah? What was the root problem? Was the government passing ungodly and overreaching laws? Did the Lord just arbitrarily decide to wipe everything out and start over? In this message, I take a look at this question.
When we consider how God does not change in his commitment to eternally save us, it should inspire us to be faithful to Him. Sadly, if we are honest with ourselves, our faithfulness is very lacking. We are drawn away so easily from serving Him. In this message, Brother Luke relates how God’s faithfulness should inspire us to faithfulness.
In this message, I continue a series on Bible-based parenting. There are some horrible examples in the Bible of parents who did not teach their children. One of those examples is found in I Samuel. In this message I look at the preacher’s, or to be accurate, the priest’s kids.
Our eternal life is a non-refundable gift from God. It cannot be taken away and praise God we cannot do something to lose it. And Paul directs the young preacher Timothy to lay hold on the eternal life God has given him. If we can lay hold on it, then it is possible to not lay hold on it. This does not mean we lose it, but it means we do not feel the effect of it like we should. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea speaks about Laying Hold on Eternal Life.
In the book of Joshua, we find a father of a family who disobeyed the Lord and brought an “accursed thing” into his home. It had the effect of destroying his family completely. The phrase “accursed thing” means a doomed object. I wonder how many doomed objects we may have in our own homes. I call this message The Accursed Thing.
In this message, Brother Luke takes up another difficult subject, that is so relevant to us today. Our society is saturated with sinful sexuality. God’s children need to hear what God’s word says about this topic. The Bible refers to this sin as fornication. From the TV to the internet, from billboards to books, this temptation is everywhere.
There is an old saying that is given as a warning to small children – do not take candy from strangers. In this message, I add to that phrase a bit. Do not take ANYTHING from strangers. Using the word of God, this message explores how dangerous it is to take advice, counsel, friendship, or anything at all, from those who do not have our best interest in mind.
Recently while preaching a series on teaching our children, it occurred to me how often the perfect Son of God continued to surface in my studies. This led me to preach this message on the perfect Son. There is no better child to observe than the most perfect One who ever lived. In this message, I look at the Perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
The more we are trained in Godly conduct and responses, the more we are likely to have an automatic response of Godliness, when situations arise. In this message, Brother Luke uses detailed examples to show how we can be trained to respond to our circumstances in ways that honor the Lord. The title of this message is Automatic Godliness.
How Important is the love of God? Brother Paul Blair looks at this question in the Sunday morning message at Bethlehem. In this message entitled “The Love of God”, the annual meeting was concluded.
In the final message of the day, Brother Josh looks again at the example of Abraham. Here we learn that Abraham found all of the answers he was looking for in the Lord.
During the afternoon service, Brother Paul Blair asked another question: Why did you join the church? I now share with you that message.
Here is the 2nd message preached at the recent annual meeting by Elder Paul Blair, pastor of New Antioch PBC in Lexington, TN. In this message Brother Paul addresses the age-old question of how do you know when you are in love.
There were riddles my parents imposed on me when I was child. Why could I not watch TV all day? Why could I not eat jelly at every meal? Why could I not watch the soap opera with my grandmother? I did not learn the answer to these riddles until many years later, after I was grown. These were reproofs that my parents taught me. Like riddles, they often do not make sense until years go by. In this message, I take a look at the riddle of reproof.
I share with you the first message from our recent May meeting at Bethlehem. In this message, Elder Josh Winslett, pastor of Beulah Primitive Baptist Church in Leeds, AL, preaches from Genesis 15. The title of the message is “Our Reward.”
In this message, Brother Luke begins a series about pitfalls and snares that can ruin our lives. Some of those snares may not start out as an outright sin. But just because something is not in and of itself sinful, does not mean it is beneficial to us. Brother Luke takes up an important and timely subject that falls into this category.
As parents, we are very sensitive when someone tells us there is something wrong with our children. But the truth is, there is something wrong with all children. The major problem is they come from us, their parents. And they take on our sinful nature. In this message, I look at this subject and how God’s word gives specific instruction for parents to deal with this major issue.
In this sermon, Brother Luke preaches about the importance of saving our houses. By looking at examples of houses that were doomed by the actions of the father, and comparing that to fathers’ whose actions saved their houses in might way, we can see just how important it is to focus on saving our houses.
This message was preached on a Wednesday night by Elder John Morgan Owens, member of Zion PBC. In this message, Brother John Morgan points out how we are living in a time when there is no time for half measures. The culture is dark and growing darker, and our stand for truth must be firm and kind, not shaky and wavering.
In this message, I begin a series on Bible Based Parenting. Parents are inundated with different “How To” books regarding parenting. But the best parenting book ever written was written by God Himself. There is great and detailed instruction in God’s Word about how parents should love and teach their children.
God-called ministers are referred to in various ways in the Bible. From the unique “under-oarsman” of I Cor.4 to the “ox” of I Cor. 9, the descriptions are unique and wide-ranging. But each description carries with it a clear message of how the ministry was created by God for serving God’s people, not lording over them. In this message, I look at the unique term applied to the ministry in Hebrews 13 – the soul watcher.
Today on the podcast, I share a message preached on a Wednesday night by Brother Luke. Jesus told us to “Remember Lot’s wife.” We should perk up and pay attention to this because Jesus tells us to remember her. If we look at her life, as well as the situation she was in with her family, we can learn valuable life lessons. This is what Jesus intended by bringing Lot’s wife to our attention.
The Bible teaches more than one type of resurrection. From the resurrection of Christ to resurrections we can experience in a timely sense, we find various resurrections taught. On this past Easter Sunday, Brother Luke presents a timely message on Four Resurrections.
Preaching in parables was a teaching method that Jesus used. In some ways, parables were like a code designed to hide truth from some and reveal truth to others. It takes a spiritual mind to understand the truth of a parable. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the purpose of parables.
Good decision making is something we should all be interested in. For the child of God, there is a clear path to making decisions that honor God, especially in difficult times. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about what the Bible teaches on this subject.
Born again children of God have the privilege of learning about Christ. From the moment of being quickened by the Spirit, we have an opportunity to learn more and more about our Savior. In this message, I look at how this works.
The Book of Ephesians offers a perfect balance of doctrine and practice. The 1st 3 chapters are focused primarily on doctrine, and the last 3 on practical living. In this message, I look at the doctrine presented in the second chapter – how we are quickened, or born again.
A lot of different things may attract us to the church. It might be the friendliness of a congregation, congregational singing, or even the sharing of a meal at church. But many are drawn by a revelatory and often new understanding of salvation by grace alone. Whatever brings a child of God to the truth, it is the truth of God’s grace that keeps them grounded.
God’s creation is amazing for many reasons. One reason is because the very design of certain created creatures, teaches us great lessons. In this message, Brother Luke presents how 4 of God’s creations teach us important and valuable lessons.
It is easy to fall into the trap of constantly asking, “What’s wrong with people?” Although there may be times to ask that question, the real question is what Paul asked in Romans 7: What’s wrong with me? The way he looked at the conflict within – between the old human nature and the new spiritual nature – caused him to ask this question. In this message, I take a look at that question – What’s wrong with me?
Self-Examination can be difficult. But it is very easy to examine others, while overlooking our own shortcomings. That is human nature. In this message, Brother Luke points out that when we fail to self-examine, and yet still criticize others, it is like swallowing a camel while straining at a gnat.
We often face such troubled times and darkness, until it is difficult to see that the Lord is there. But the Lord made a promise to His children in the book of Hebrews. In this message, I look at that promise. It reveals to us that even when we cannot see Him or feel Him, He is there.
What does it mean to have a “good life?” The post-modern Christian culture would propose a very different definition of a good life, versus the word of God. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at what it means for a child of God to experience a good life.
When is the last time you heard about a sovereign God, who answers to no one, does as He please, and never has to ask our permission to save us? This is what I refer to as “Big God Theology.” In this message, I look at what God says about Himself in His word.
In part 2 of the message on Romans 10, Brother Luke continues to look at the true context of this famous chapter. Was Paul making an offer of eternal salvation? Or was he showing how born-again children of God can exit the slavish prison of thinking their confession or work is what takes them to heaven?
It is very easy to feed our human nature. Sometimes we even create situations that set us up for temptation. Recognizing how easy this occurs is the first step to resisting. In this message, Brother Luke examines how we can resist feeding lust or temptation.
Darkness is everywhere today. The forces of Satan are coming at us in all areas of our lives. But darkness is not a new thing, it has been vexing God’s people for ages. In this message, I look at how darkness has come to the kingdom of God at different times, just as it is today. I hope it will encourage us to push back against the darkness we are facing.
Romans chapter 10 is often called the “Roman Road of Salvation”. When saying this, most are thinking about the way we get to heaven, or eternal salvation. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the true meaning of Romans 10, within the context of the Apostle’s Paul foundation laid in the previous 9 chapters. When viewed in this light, it becomes very clear that Paul was not teaching about an eternal deliverance. So, what was he teaching? Listen to part 1 of this message to find out.
If required to buy a lifetime’s worth of gas when I turned 16, it would have broken me financially. Thankfully, we don’t have to do that. We get the gas we need as we go along. The Lord does this with us. When we think we are forsaken or forgotten, the Lord provides what we need as we go along. Whether it was manna in the desert or even the covenant of redemption, in this message I look at how He provides what we need at the right time.
John 3:16 is probably the most well known verse in the Bible. It is also possibly the most misunderstood. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this popular verse, and presents an accurate view of what it means.
As believers in salvation by grace alone, we often hear the question – Why do you preach if you believe God does all the saving? This question presumes that the gospel is a part of saving us eternally. But that is not the purpose of the gospel. In this message, Brother Luke answers the question about why we preach.
In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at modern day sorcery, or trickery. Even though it may not look exactly like it once did, deception and trickery are the tools of Satan even today. We must be aware of the ways in which we can be tricked into believing things that aren’t true.
In this message, I look at how we can cultivate our faith. God is the giver of faith, and sadly, it often takes some amazing providence from God to cause us to grow in our faith towards Him. But whether we see some great miracle, or if we just look at Who He is, it should cause us to strengthen and increase our trust in Him.
In this message, I continue to look at what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Previously I examined what it does not look like, in the examples of Lot and Job’s miserable comforters. Now I begin to look at how we nurture and encourage what Christ refers to as His wife.
When Jesus told the bed-ridden man to take up his bed and walk, it was because Jesus had already done something to him. This is a beautiful picture of God’s mercy. First, He gives spiritual life to a wretched sinner, and then commands them to obey Him. It is not the other way around. In this message, Brother Luke demonstrates how we receive life first, then we are able to follow the Lord in discipleship.
The Church of Christ is described as a body and as the wife of Christ. This week I focus on what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Rather than thinking about an ecclesiastical, untouchable term, I look at how we nurture and encourage the people that make up the body of Christ.
01.14.24.Nurturing.and.Encouraging.the.Body.of.Christ.Tim.McCool
According to the scripture, being born again is a “must” for the child of God. The question is – how does it happen? Do we do something to contribute to it? The answer is no. Just as we do not contribute to our natural birth, neither do we contribute to our spiritual birth. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the glorious truth of being born again, and how it is all the merciful work of God.
The Bible provides a lot of information about the fool. There are very stark lessons about the consequences of being associated with a Biblical fool or with the wise. In this message Brother Luke looks at several ways a fool can be identified. From their attitude to their emotions, a fool can be identified. The first step begins with a look in the mirror, then learning how to apply God’s word.
On the first Sunday of 2024, my thoughts were stirred towards the church of God. Among the descriptions of God’s church, the Lord refers to His church as a body, a bride and a family. And He is the Creator of the physical body, the very first bride and even the initial governing authority – the family. In this message, I look at these beautiful descriptions.
Asking how much someone weighs is normally an inappropriate question, especially to females! In this message, though, I ask that question in a different way. If the burdens we carry that weigh us down were physical and visible to all, how much would we weigh? There are so many carrying such heavy burdens. Thankfully, the Word of God speaks directly to us about how to manage those heavy loads.
In the ongoing series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Luke looks at another “hot topic”. Did Christ’s sacrifice atone for the sins of all people in general, or did He atone specifically for the sins of His chosen. The scripture answers this very plainly, that Christ atoned for the sins of His people, and not an open-ended number that made salvation possible. Much of this truth is discovered in the very words of Christ Himself. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the important subject of the Atonement.
In this message from Christmas Eve, I look at one of the foundational beliefs in Christianity. This is what I call a “no brainer”. Or at least it was until the recent times. The virgin birth was prophesied beginning in the Garden of Eden after the fall, and additional, detailed information about the “seed of the woman” was given thousands of years later by Isaiah. In this message, I look at the truth that the Son of God was born of a virgin.
The word “save” occurs many times in the New Testament. Most of the time, it is not referring to eternal salvation, but to timely deliverances. Recently in the series on David, I spoke about the untimely demise of King Saul, and how he made shipwreck of his life because of his terrible decisions. His rebellion against God even led to the death of his own sons. Paul wrote to Timothy about saving himself and the people that he pastored. This was not anything remotely close to eternal salvation, but an experience of deliverance here and now based on Godly decision making. In this message, I look at how you can save yourself in this way.
If the topic of election comes up nowadays, most would probably respond that they voted or didn’t vote. But when it comes to the Bible, election is a completely different subject. In the word of God, this refers to God’s sovereign act of picking or choosing His people. In the series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Lukes takes up this often misunderstood yet glorious topic.
The end of Saul’s life is one of the most tragic in the Bible. In Saul’s death, we see the sad reality of a child of God who habitually rebelled against God until the Lord refused to intervene any longer. I hope this stands as a vivid lesson to us, that we should continue to humble ourselves, examine ourselves and beg God to continue to have mercy and guide us.
We all have times of reflection. Especially in tragedies or difficulties, we are confronted with our circumstances and reflect. David had a moment like this in a place he never should have been – the land of the Philistines. In the life of David series, I come to an epoch moment for David. He went to war against the will of God, almost went to war against his own nation, and now he has lost his family. In such times of tragedy, my prayer is that we could all react as David did.
In this message Brother Luke continues a series on the basics of our beliefs. Having begun with the authority of God’s word and continued with the sovereignty of God, now this message focuses on the depravity of man. When Adam sinned in the garden, did he become mostly good with a little bit of bad within? Or did he become mostly bad with a little bit of good in him? Brother Luke addresses these questions and others in this message.
In this message, I look at the 2nd thing that kept David focused during times of great distress. As he was continually pursued by Saul and betrayed by his own kin, David focused on his faith in God and worshipping the Lord. In this broken world where we are continually harassed and pursued by Satan, we can experience victory in these two things just like David did.
One of the major hurdles to overcome in understanding salvation by grace, is the sovereignty of God. God’s children usually agree that God is sovereign in general terms. But when we get into the details of His sovereign authority to choose whomever He will to receive salvation, this is when it becomes more difficult to digest. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the truth of God’s sovereignty in salvation.
In the Life of David series, I come to the 19th recorded time that Saul tried to destroy David. How could a person make it through that much trauma? It is likely that 10 years have now passed since David faced off with Goliath. In this message, I begin to look at what enabled David to make it through such troubled times.
What is the basis for our beliefs? Some use their experience, or feelings, or science – the list can go on. If we let the word of God be the authority on which we base our beliefs, it is life changing. In this message, Brother Luke begins a series on what we believe. And the starting point for our beliefs must be the authority of God’s word.
In the life of David series, we come to the death of 2 great men, who were great for very different reasons. I Samuel 25 opens with the death of the great man Samuel – last of the Judges, arguably one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. The chapter closes with the death of another great man – Nabal. But Nabal was only great in the sense that he had many possessions, many cattle and much land. As a person, Nabal wicked and cruel. In this message, I look at how David’s life intertwined with these 2 men.
Forbearance is not a common word today. For the child of God, it should be. Forbearance means to hold back, or to put up with. The opposite of forbearance is to express intolerance towards another. In a time when churches seem to be crumbling everywhere, Brother Luke preaches a needed message about how we should practice forbearance, for the sake of peace and to glorify our Lord.
In the life of David series, I come to an amazing account of providence. Urged on by his own men to kill Saul, David is faced with getting ahead of God’s will, and possibly committing a horrible crime. Instead, David chooses to stand on the promises of God and overcome evil with good. This is a pattern for all of God’s children to follow.
Sometimes encouragement comes from the most unusual sources. David experienced that firsthand while he was on the run from Saul. In this message, I look at how Saul’s own son Jonathan, came to encourage David. It took great effort and personal risk for Jonathan to do this, and we should follow this kind of example in how we encourage each other.
The word “gospel” means good news. A great majority of the tactics used in the religious world are scare tactics. But that is not good news. The gospel should never be something that strikes fear in the heart of a child of God but should be good news. In this message, Brother Luke warns about such scare tactics.
There are decrees of God that no power can prevent. But there are countless possibilities that we all face when making decisions in our lives, and God knows them all. Thankfully our eternal salvation is a not a possibility, but a reality. As God’s children, we should be seeking the best possibilities for our lives. David experienced this when he was on the run from Saul. The sovereignty of God doesn’t just encompass the things that do happen, but all of the possibilities that could happen. This should enable us to have a more magnified view of God.
If I told you the dumbest thing I had ever done was smarter than the smartest thing you ever did – you would feel insulted. But God’s word tells us that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. And if God’s “foolishness” is wiser than the wisest man, wouldn’t it be better to listen to God? In this message, Brother Luke shows how doing things God’s way is better than anyone else’s way, including our own.
David the king goes from running scared and acting like a madman, to hiding in a cave and eventually a forest. In both instances we find David penning beautiful, Holy Spirit-inspired psalms of praise. He was literally hiding, but he was also hiding in the praises of God. This is a lesson for us when we are running scared. The Lord is always praiseworthy, and we can hide in His praises no matter our circumstance.
Lord Lead Me On
O When Shall I See Jesus
When I Go Home
Cast Down But Not Destroyed
Biblical Faith
Day by Day
Life Eternal
Awake
Where is Your Faith?
I’ll Fly Away
Who Am I?
Where the Soul Never Dies
Oh Christ He is the Fountain
How Great Thou Art
In the final message of the Anniversary meeting, Lic. Tim Lawrence, who is a member of Bethel PBC in Nashville, TN, preaches about God remembering us. We often forget things on a daily basis. We can even forget about the Lord at times. But it is comforting to know that the Lord will never forget us – He remembers His covenant and His children.
In the 2nd message of the anniversary meeting, Elder Danny Wisner, pastor of Irwinville PBC in Irwinville, GA, preaches a message about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. Taking an often-misunderstood section of scripture, Bro. Danny brings out the clear teaching on this subject – that all of the 10 represent children of God.
We experienced a joyous time of worship recently in the Anniversary Meeting at Bethlehem. I wanted to share with you a selection of songs from the various song services during that time of festive celebration of our Lord and Savior.
October.2023.Anniversary.Meeting.Song.Service
The following is a link for the individual songs:
In the first message of the 2023 Anniversary meeting, Elder Adam Green, pastor of Old Union PBC near Hot Springs, AK, preaches about the good Samaritan. In a beautiful comparison, Brother Adam looks at how the good Samaritan is a picture of our Savior.
In part 2 of Praise from a Cave, I continue to look at the beautiful Psalm that David preached from a cave, following a close call with death. In the strangest of places and out of the deepest of despair, the Lord showed David that He was with David no matter where he went.
When we prevent ourselves from giving in to temptation, it keeps us from much suffering. But when we give in, we suffer. Thankfully that is not the end. The Lord extends great mercy to great sinners. In this message, Brother Luke concludes the series on prevent, suffer, and recover. He looks at 3 amazing examples where disciples made huge mistakes. Even though they thought God was through with them, His mercy proved otherwise.
In the next message on prevent, suffer, and recover, we see how we can suffer tremendous consequences as a result of not preventing sin. It would be much more honoring to God to suffer for serving the Lord, rather than for giving in to temptation. The cycle of preventing, suffering and recovering is something we all deal with. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on the suffering we experience for not preventing sin.
With a belly full of holy bread and traveling with a pack of lies, David the King took the weapon of his vanquished foe, then fled into the land of the enemy. He took refuge in the last place he should have ever considered. But like David, this is what we often do – we flee to the land of the enemy, thinking there is refuge there. In this message, I continue the series on the life of David.
If we are honest, we will find ourselves sometimes preventing the consequences of sin by listening to wise counsel, while at other times we fail to make good decisions and suffer the consequences of our sins. And even in those situations when we suffer, God’s mercy often spares us further suffering and we recover. To prevent, to suffer or to recover – this is an ongoing cycle we experience. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on the preventing part.
In the Life of David series, I look at David as he lies to the priest, eats the holy bread, and takes the sword of Goliath to defend himself. In a strange twist of irony, David somehow thinks that the sword of the vanquished giant, that did not protect Goliath from David’s stone, will now protect David! This is how we often think. We will quickly run to things of this world that are no protection for the child of God.
When a man and a woman are married, in God’s eyes they become one. This is a mystery, as they are still two separate people. But the Lord is able to create a unity that did not exist before. This is true for marriages, families and churches. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how the solitary are set in families – how we go from alone to united.
09.10.23.God.Setteth.the.Solitary.in.Families.Luke.Hagler.mp3
The providence of God in our lives is amazing. But we often miss it or even miss out on it, when we fail to recognize his power and His Presence. In this message, using the example of David, I speak about the providence of God and look at how it works in our lives.
The kingdom of God is mentioned over and over again in the New Testament. Most of the time it is referred to as something relative to here and now, and not exclusively heaven. In this message, Brother Luke relates how we are expected to press into the kingdom here and now.
David went from shepherd boy to anointed king, from nobody to somebody, from zero to hero. After the Lord blessed him, as the true king of Israel, to defeat Goliath, many pitfalls and snares came to him through his fame. I believe this a very timely today, when so many desire to be influencers and famous. This message is called “The Dangers of Fame.”
Some believe every event that happens, no matter how confusing or tragic it may be, is somehow the will of God. But does the Bible teach this? On the contrary, wicked acts and tragedies occur that are clearly contrary to the will of God. Certain decreed events, like the sacrifice of Christ, will occur without interference, but if we are honest with ourselves, we often find our daily walk in contradiction with God’s will. In this message, Brother Luke explains this subject, which impacts our daily fellowship with the Lord.
Through the years, much debate has occurred over what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself.” With the backdrop of Jonathan’s loyal friendship with King David, I explore the meaning of this subject.
Probably the most misunderstood verse in the Bible is Romans 8:28. The true meaning of this verse provides the greatest assurance a child of God can have. But it is not what the majority of God’s children understand it to mean. In this message, Brother Luke preaches on the true meaning of Romans 8:28.
The account of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known events in the Bible. There is an image in our minds of a shepherd boy facing off against a 10-foot-tall giant. David was probably closer to 18, but regardless, Goliath was a frightening opponent. In this message, I look at the reality of what was really going on that day when the great face-off occurred.
David’s life was an open book. As one of the most written about characters in the Bible, there is little that we do not know. In fact, we learn more about David’s early life than even Jesus. There are great lessons to learn from the life of David. In this message, I look at the early life of the solitary shepherd boy.
It is important how we see each other. All through the Bible, there are examples of seeing others incorrectly. The Lord always sees us in the right way, and we should strive to see each other as the Lord sees us. In this sermon, I look at the various ways that people viewed the blind man in John 9, including after he was healed. But Jesus saw him the right way.
When difficult times come, usually we call for help or aid from a lot of sources. But the Lord is so often the last one we call. The truth is, that we should call upon the Lord first, because He is the One most able to help us. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the subject, “Who Are You Going to Call?”
In this message, I look at the last article of faith. An old saying goes like this: “You saved the best for last.” There is no way to rank these truths, but in a way, this last article of faith may be considered as the best, just because it will happen at the last – at the end. Truly, the resurrection is the greatest hope we have. Here I look at our belief in the great culmination of all of time – the resurrection at the end of time.
In this message, Brother McNeil looks at examples in the scripture of how God comforts us in the midst of suffering. Life is filled with trouble and trials. Some of it we bring on ourselves, but when we suffer for serving the Lord, there is a comfort that the Lord brings to us, if we are looking to the God of all comfort.
In the fundamentals of the faith series, I come to the 2nd ordinance – The Lord’s Supper. In contrast to the public baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ, this 2nd ordinance was more private and intimate. After the conclusion of the Passover meal, Jesus implemented His own funeral festival – the sacred observance of his death, burial and resurrection.
Ecclesiastes 7:5 gives us good advice: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. The songs of fools are everywhere, and not just in the form of actual music and singing. In this message, Brother Luke teaches how we should resist listening to unwise counsel, which is a form of the song of fools.
In the ongoing fundamentals of the faith series, I look at Article 7 of Zion Primitive Baptist Church. This particular statement of faith has to do with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. In this message, I consider the foundational teaching of believer’s baptism.
To cast bread upon the water goes against nature. But the Lord commands this in Ecclesiastes, and it will yield a significant return if He blesses. The mystery of the kingdom of God often seems illogical, but our Lord often moves in ways that defy logic. In this message, McNeil Honea looks at the Lord’s spiritual investment strategy that was given to Solomon.
07.09.23.Solomons.Spiritual.Investment.Strategy.McNeil.Honea
In “Christ the Pursuer”, I look at the way Christ pursued us, like a husband pursues his bride. The Lord set the ultimate example of pursuit, in His relentless push to save us from our sins and make us his Holy Bride. On a practical note, Christ set an example for young men today who are pursuing a spouse. In the social media world of texting and messaging, it is often confusing for young ladies to know the true intentions of suitor. Hopefully, there is direction for young men by looking to Christ the Pursuer.
Tests of discipleship are many and varied. From dry spiritual seasons to tragedies, from persecution to temptation – there are many ways we encounter tests of our commitment to the Lord. In this message, Brother Luke focuses on an often-overlooked test of discipleship – whether or not we embrace the doctrine of Christ.
07.02.23.When.Doctrine.Tests.Your.Discipleship.Luke.Hagler.mp3
If Charity were auctioned at an auction, would anyone bid for it? As one of the most valuable possessions any child of God could ever have, is there really any value placed on it today? In this message, Brother Luke looks at the price of charity.
In the final message on the taking a stand series, Brother Luke looks at the aftermath of Elijah’s greatest stand. From boldly standing up to the hundreds of prophets of Baal, to running away from Jezebel, Elijah teaches us great lessons about what it means to take a stand.
The word “reckon” in Romans 8:18 means “to take inventory”, like the inventory taken when someone dies. When it comes to suffering for serving our Lord, we should take inventory of our spiritual inheritance through Christ. When compared to the suffering we endure for serving him, they do not belong in the same category.
Shortly after Elijah took an amazing stand against hundreds of false prophets, we find him running from one woman – Jezebel. In this message, Brother Luke observes the astonishing way in which Elijah went from a literal mountain top experience, to running from Jezebel and having suicidal thoughts under a juniper tree.
Every word in the Bible is important and inspired by the Holy Spirit. There are no wasted words by the Lord. It is significant that the Lord tells us Ruth and Naomi arrived back in Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. In this message, I look at why this was so important for them, and for us to understand even today.
Over 100 life application topics are covered in the book of Proverbs. There can be no doubt that God’s Word speaks to any issue we may encounter. In this message, I take a look at 2 dangerous people that we are warned about in the Proverbs – the evil man and the strange woman.
In the ongoing series on “taking a stand”, Brother Luke comes to the pivotal point in Elijah’s life that defined him as a prophet, who was not afraid to take a stand. In the great competition that took place before the king and all the nation, Elijah, hopelessly outnumbered, faces down the prophets of Baal in a showdown for the ages.
There are many spirits in the world. This does not just refer to demons and angels. At a football game there is the spirit of enthusiasm, or watching a movie can convey a spirit to a person, especially if it is a scary movie. When someone consumes too much alcohol, the spirit of the alcohol affects them. Basically, a spirit can be something that animates us. In this context, is the spirit that animates us good or bad? In this message, I take a look at what it means to try the spirits.
In the ongoing series on Elijah, Brother Luke Hagler presents the next message. In the coming storm the prophet would face, the Lord was equipping Elijah. Obadiah was one of the encouragers sent by the Lord to strengthen him. In the coming days, Elijah would need to remember this experience. Like Elijah, we often forget the encouragers the Lord sends our way.
It seems that one of the most confusing issues in Christendom, is the relationship between faith and the gospel. Does the gospel impart faith to a child of God when it is preached? Many believe this, but the scripture teaches something quite different. In this message, Brother Luke presents the Bible teaching about the connection between faith and the gospel.
In the Sunday morning message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents “Returning to the Garden.” The creation of the world began with our fore-parents in a garden, where paradise was lost to all of mankind. And our eternal deliverance back to the paradise of heaven occurred in a garden, when Christ arose. Until we reach the garden city of heaven, there are ways in which we, by the grace of God, can return to the garden of the Lord.
In the Sunday morning message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents “Returning to the Garden.” The creation of the world began with our fore-parents in a garden, where paradise was lost to all of mankind. And our eternal deliverance back to the paradise of heaven occurred in a garden, when Christ arose. Until we reach the garden city of heaven, there are ways in which we, by the grace of God, can return to the garden of the Lord.
In the last message of the day, Josh Coker presents the subject of suffering for the name of Christ. In order to suffer for serving God, a child of God must have a proper perspective of life. Jesus taught us to be of good cheer, even when mistreated. The only way we can do this is to understand that life is not about us, but about God’s glory.
In the afternoon service of the meeting, Michael Gowens presents 3 characteristics to look for when identifying a cult. This is a pressing need for God’s children to identify such groups, especially when they masquerade as Christ-based. The 3 identifying factors are 1) unaccountable leadership, 2) a mistaken view of who God is, and 3) false teaching about how we are saved.
In the 2nd message of the annual meeting, Michael Gowens presents an overview of the book of Acts. The first act reveals that Christ went up. The 2nd act shows the Spirit coming down. And the 3rd and final act sets forth the church going out to spread the truth.
In our present age, there is a great lack of direction, a lack of purpose for God’s children. When David arrived at the battlefield – where Goliath was blaspheming the name of God – he asked, is there not a cause? God’s people need a cause, and not just any cause, but a cause that is higher than themselves. People without purpose live without hope. In this message Josh Coker, pastor of Vestavia PBC, looks at the greatest cause a child of God can have.
In this message, I look at Article 6 of Zion PBC. This is one of the truths that draws a clear line from all other teachings. The new birth occurs to every single chosen child of God, but there is confusion on how it happens. Here I look at what the Bible teaches about it, which is what practically all Baptists embraced in years gone by! And if we embrace this truth about God’s sovereignty, one can only conclude that all glory belongs to God in the new birth!
In the ongoing series on taking a stand, Brother Luke looks at the next miraculous event in the life of Elijah the prophet. As Elijah experienced more and more of the provision of God in hostile and dangerous times, he collected more and more tools to use in the future. In this situation, Elijah would no doubt look back and remember the widow of Zarephath.
In the final message of the Minor Prophet series, I look at the last verses of the book of Malachi. The prophet used beautiful imagery to describe the rising of the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings. The future sunrise of the Messiah pointed to the sun set on the old covenant.
This is a time of spiritual warfare. If we think we can sit on the sideline and watch as the war rages, we are kidding ourselves. The culture wars that are raging before our very eyes will affect us now or later. In this message, I look at the pressing need that is upon us as Christians to recognize the war, and to get into the fight.
In a recent message, I talked about how the things we say can offend others. In this message, I take a look at the brother offended – the one who has been hurt by the words or actions of another. The Lord provides clear and simple instruction about how to deal with being offended, and this is one of the tests of being a true disciple.
Continuing a series on taking a stand, Brother Luke looks in depth at the ministry of Elijah the prophet. In this message, he brings out the miraculous way that God sustained Elijah in a time of famine – an amazing providence that Elijah no doubt looked back on and remembered the ravens.
Can a man rob God? This is an interesting question posed by the last of the minor prophets, Malachi. While this is normally used in the sad context of those who would fleece the flock to give more money, the true context penetrates a deeper level than simply the giving of money. In this message, I take a look at the question Malachi asked.
A popular children’s saying goes like this: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. This is a lie. In the time we live, we see words – especially online – that can have the effect of leading someone to tragically take their own life. In this message, I look at the wise old Proverbs to help us understand the tremendous impact of our words.
Now is the time in history when disciples of Christ must take a stand for truth. It is not the time to be silent, but in a loving, firm way, make the truth known in our lives and conversations. In this message, Brother Luke looks at how men and women through the years were able to take firm stands in the face of overwhelming political oppositions.
There are different challenges we can take in the Bible. These challenges have to do with how much we trust the Lord or not. In this message, I present the Bible Commitment Challenge, which is a guaranteed way to clear up our thinking.
One of the greatest accounts of the miracles of Christ is the feeding of the 5000. With very little money, a tiny amount of food, and no natural way to feed such a multitude, the Lord was not deterred. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about the ways in which the Lord even today feeds us in the wilderness that we encounter.
Sinners are going to sin. And sometimes sinners saved by grace will go off in directions that makes them appear as though they are not children of God. But the Lord has given us promises that cannot fail. In this message, Brother Luke brings the truth of God’s faithfulness to bear in the sad circumstance of wayward children of God.
When news is presented to us, there are multiple opinions given on how the news is to be interpreted. Most commonly we see a liberal or conservative take on the news. But when it comes to figuring out truth, whose opinion matters? In this message, Lic. McNeil Honea addresses this question.
In the next message on the minor prophets, I look at Malachi’s message to ministers. The Old Testament “minister” was the priest, who was given the charge of the spiritual welfare of the people. But God was not pleased with the way the ministry was handling itself. God’s message through Malachi to the ministry should ring true to the ministry today.
In last week’s message I spoke about the need for change in a child of God’s life. This week I take a look at how change works. There are 2 primary lessons taught about what change looks like – to renovate our thinking and to refresh our minds. In this message, I speak about how this plays out for us when we change.
A snare is a way to trap a small animal without the animal knowing it. As the noose of the snare tightens and the animal realizes it is trapped, it will struggle, which only tightens the noose of the snare. Satan is the great snare-layer for God’s people. In this message, Brother Luke takes a look at how we can become snared before we realize it.
Ever heard the phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that phrase is not in the Bible. Young or old, born-again children of God need to change. It is not a one-time act, but an ongoing life of repentance – turning and changing from the course of sin we so often follow. In this message, I take a look at some examples of those who changed, or repented, from the way they were thinking and acting.