26
Mar '20
Wisdom is Calling
26
Mar '20
Proverbs 8:1-3, “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.”
Here wisdom is personified and in the streets, calling all sinners to follow God’s path that leads to life rather than death, the truth that leads to wealth rather than poverty. Hear and heed the Lord Jesus, and gain true wisdom and wealth. He is not stingy with either one. Being a fool, now that is hard work. Fools purposefully ignore and evade wisdom, turning away from the truth, but not because it can’t be found. Wisdom calls out in the street. Be wise. “If ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7) and trust that voice of love and wisdom from this day forward.
Read more...
25
Mar '20
God Is Faithful
25
Mar '20
Lamentations 3:22-24, “It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”
This is a blessed and TIMELESS TRUTH. God is faithful. Faithfulness describes His character. Paul stated at the beginning of 1 Corinthians, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” is how Paul ended 1 Thessalonians. Man is regularly faithless. God is utterly faithful. God never changes with the circumstances or the times. Man does. God never wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. Man does. God is always reliable all of the time. Man isn’t. Have faith in God, not man.
Live-streaming at 7pm tonight
The faithfulness of God will be the focus of our Bible study this evening at 7pm. The continuing restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic means this study will be live-streamed only. Click here to view the live-stream. This evening’s text will be Lamentations 3:22-24, a familiar, well-loved passage, and for good reason. One of the greatest hymns of all time – Great Is Thy Faithfulness – is based on this text. God’s faithfulness is one of the most treasured of His TIMELESS TRUTHS.
Until then…
At 7pm tonight, have your Bible open to Lamentations 3, and be logged on to the live-stream. Until then, think on this. God’s faithfulness is… (click link to open a page with all the scriptures listed below)
- Incomparable – Psalm 89:8
- Impeccable – 2 Timothy 2:13; Psalm 89:33
- Infinite – Psalm 36:5
- Indestructible – Psalm 119:89-90
- Unbreakable – Deuteronomy 7:9
- Available – 1 John 1:9
- Durable – 1 Corinthians 10:13
- Dependable – 1 Peter 4:19
Read more...
24
Mar '20
One Way
24
Mar '20
Would you drive from Mount Vernon to Louisville by heading to Harlan? Of course not. We all know that to get to the desired destination we have to take the right road. We have to go in the right direction.
The same thing is true of trying to get to heaven, yet many believe that all religions lead to God. The truth is that no religion leads to God!
In the Bible we read that:
- Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”1
- Despite the danger from the same religious leaders who had killed Jesus, Peter plainly preached that salvation is only in Jesus: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”2
- Paul said, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all.”3
- The Apostle John said, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”4
The Bible is God’s Word, and it makes clear that apart from Christ there is absolutely no way to the Father and no eternal life in heaven. Other religions offer systems of thought that cross the gap between men and God, but Jesus is the only One who has bridged that divide. Christ said “for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”5 Only those who take the narrow way of Jesus Christ will find eternal life in heaven.
Jesus’ Exclusive Claims
Jesus claimed: “I am the way.” Jesus does not merely show a way to God, He is the only way to God. He spans the otherwise unreachable distance between a righteous God and unrighteous sinners like us.
Jesus claimed: “I am the truth.” Truth implies an objective standard that does not change like cultural fads or trends. Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”6 Come to Him “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”7
Jesus claimed: “I am the life.” Without Jesus we are spiritually dead. But when we repent of our sins and believe on Jesus we are made spiritually alive. Scripture says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”8
Christ’s resurrection from the dead was the absolute proof that He was indeed the Son of God, just like He said He was. He is the Light of the world that conquers sin, death, and the grave.
Rising from the dead proved that Jesus had paid the price of our sin. The resurrection proved that God the Father accepted the substitutionary sacrifice of God the Son. More evidence of Jesus’ resurrection is that before He ascended back into heaven He met with over 500 of His followers to leave final instructions and encouragement (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-9).
There is no way to be saved but through Jesus Christ!
Religion—including the religion of atheism—cannot save or prepare one for eternity. The only way to be prepared is to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus, the One who gave His life in place of ours: “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.”9
Jesus is the way that must be taken, the truth that must be believed, and the life in which we must walk. Will you believe in the One who can—and will—bring you to God? Place your faith in Christ alone today. He promises, “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”10
Bible references: 1John 14:6, 2Acts 4:12, 31Timothy 2:5-6, 41John 5:12, 5Matthew 7:13-14, 6Hebrews 13:8, 7John 8:32, 8John 3:18, 91 Peter 3:18, 10John 6:37
Bible Baptist Church exists to see unbelieving people become committed followers of Jesus Christ. If you have any questions about what you have read, or if there is any way in which we can minister to you, please contact us.
Read more...
24
Mar '20
First of all, Pray
24
Mar '20
Luke 18:1, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
The Lord Jesus thought prayer was important. He preached of prayer’s importance, and practiced what He preached. The gospels are packed with accounts of Jesus praying publicly and privately. During His earthly ministry God the Son remained connected with God the Father through prayer. His followers should do likewise. Life lived for Christ is full of joy and difficulty. The struggle in all aspects of life is real, but we are not left alone. A heart that trusts God will first of all pray and the heart that prays will be strengthened to trust God, no matter what. Don’t give up. Make prayer your first response.
Read more...
23
Mar '20
Staying Connected
23
Mar '20
3 John 14, “But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.”
Hospitality is a joyous discipline for the purpose of godliness, because it is a purposeful means of showing and strengthening our love for one another. We live in a time of phony connectedness, where an individual may have thousands of social media connections but no real friend with whom to share a meal or meaningful conversation. New Testament churches are to be “given to hospitality,” so invite fellow church members – as well as visitors, traveling
missionaries, and those in need – over for meals and fellowship. Face to face time is the best method of encouragement.
missionaries, and those in need – over for meals and fellowship. Face to face time is the best method of encouragement.
During this pandemic, however; face to face time is difficult, even discouraged. As of right now, one of the best ways to demonstrate love for others and be hospitable is to avoid face to face time, at least in large groups, or if you are or have been feeling poorly. COVID-19 is easily transmitted and virulently contagious. Plus, it is especially dangerous to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
But these hard facts do not countermand 3 John 4. We aren’t able to speak “face to face” like before. Still, we must speak. Take advantage of social media. Yes! It can be used for good! Make phone calls. Visit when possible. If the conditions are right. Trust that we “shall shortly see” the corner turned with this pandemic. At that time, our face to face communication will be all the sweeter. Until then, continue to greet one another. Encourage one another with “peace be to thee.” Be calm and trust God.
Read more...
21
Mar '20
The Lord’s Day
21
Mar '20
Gathering to worship and serve is fundamental to any church’s life. Buildings, pews, resources, sound systems, and the like make church services comfortable, but none of them are necessary. Gathering together is necessary. After all, the Greek word translated “church” in scripture means assembly. This means that when a church meets it is not a simple social gathering, but is an assembly of biblically baptized believers who have covenanted together for the glory of God and the purpose of the gospel. We assemble together to worship the God of the Word according to His Word.
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. We will not be able to meet. Suspending our services was a difficult decision to make. Our desire is to be full of faith, confident that faith and common sense walk hand in hand. We love one another and our community. Therefore, we desire to avoid being infected or infecting others. Our prayers are for wisdom and health.
Live-Stream at 11am
Since we will not be meeting tomorrow, we will livestream a couple of specials from two church members, and I will preach. Please do not confuse the live-stream event with a church service. We can no more “go to church” online than we can eat a meal online. Instead of meeting together, we are live-streaming, due to the unique situation of the novel coronavirus. Avoiding the church gathering to “watch church online” is never a good idea under normal conditions. If you are sick, laid up, shut in, or if a novel coronavirus pandemic breaks out, then live-streaming a couple of songs and a sermon is a good idea.
To view the live feed follow the link marked “CLICK HERE FOR SERVICE” on the homepage of biblebaptist.org. You may also visit the church’s Facebook page and click the “Watch Video” button. You do not need a Facebook account to visit the church’s Facebook page. The livestream events will begin at 11am on Sunday and 7pm on Wednesday through the rest of March.
God is good all the time!
I like nothing about this situation, but God is in control. My desire is for us to use this unique opportunity to shine the brilliant light of God’s grace in a dark and depressed world. While we are practicing our social distancing, let’s be sure to stay connected. That’s easier to do now that at any other period of human history. Stay connected and stay focused on the God who is faithful and true.
Read more...
21
Mar '20
Think Again
21
Mar '20
2 Corinthians 10:7, “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.”
Think again. That’s the counsel given the Corinthians who compared Paul with other Christian leaders. That advice is still necessary because even today people try to prove their goodness by comparing themselves with others. How easy it is to think more highly of ourselves than we ought (or to think less of ourselves than we should) when we compare ourselves against other people. Don’t worry about others. Don’t seek to be men-pleasers. Think again, and desire to please God rather than men. He isn’t impressed with outward appearances but with inward realities (1 Samuel 16:7). Trust the God who is no respecter of persons, and then do likewise.
Read more...
20
Mar '20
Who Do You Trust?
20
Mar '20
Philippians 2:19, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.”
Paul penned this epistle from prison. His imprisonment prevented him from personally visiting the beloved church at Philippi. So, he sent Timothy to encourage them. Paul trusted the Lord’s will. He said, “I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy.” Paul was confident that Timothy’s report would be positive. This is a fantastic reminder to be joyfully confident in our service to the Lord, no matter what, and to be positive in regard to our fellow believers. Trusting God doesn’t make us blind, but it should make us joyful. Trusting Him does enable us to believe the best about others. Trusting Him allows us to experience “good comfort” during uncomfortable times. Trust in the Lord Jesus!
Read more...
19
Mar '20
Appetites Dictate Directions
19
Mar '20
How’s your appetite? Are you hungry? To be more specific, what do you desire? Appetites dictate directions. Craving a burger means you won’t visit the closest Chinese buffet. Being hungry for BBQ will not land you in Olive Garden.
A rumbling tummy dictates what is pulled from the fridge or which restaurant is visited, because appetites dictate directions. Hungering for anyone or anything above God will always lead to dissatisfaction and malnourishment. God alone is able to satisfy and sustain you. Every time. All the time.
We worship what we hunger for most. That’s why the psalmist says:
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.” Psalm 34:8-9
Don’t overlook the “ye his saints” in that passage. “Saint” is a Biblical synonym for believer; not a designation for elite, specialized believers. That is emphasized because only believers are able to eat from God’s impressive and inexhaustible banquet table. That’s not an elitist statement, because anyone can belly up to that table, just as long as you are in Christ.
Those who are in Christ have been rescued from sin’s wages, which is death, by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Those who are in Christ have been set on a new path, headed in His direction, given a new appetite. Appetites dictate directions. How’s yours?
Read more...
18
Mar '20
Trust God’s Timeless Truth
18
Mar '20
Psalm 62:8, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
At all times our trust is placed in someone or something. We trust the car to get us to work. We trust our employer to pay us our wages. We trust our friends to be there for us. We trust in so many others on some level every day. This Psalm reminds us that at all times and with our entire being we should completely TRUST GOD. While there is absolutely no shelter FROM God, there is only shelter IN Him. Be wholly vulnerable with God because He will perfectly shelter you. Take a moment to think about that today.
Read more...
