By Travis Biller Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton Focal Passage: Romans 5:1-11  There are many religions in the world. As a result, people speak about different “faiths.” Used this way, the word faith refers to a set of beliefs that people share. For example, people will say, “I am of the Hindu faith,” or “I am of the Buddhist faith.” Christians will even say, “I am of the Christian faith.” However,

By Travis Biller Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton Focal Passage: Romans 3:21-4:3  As our team crossed the finish line, we were all covered from head to foot in thick mud. There stood a preacher, a lawyer, a housewife, and a construction worker — all looking grimy and tired. The Marine Corps mud run taxed our strength and made us all look like we walked out of a pig pen. The only

By Travis Biller Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton Focal Passage: Romans 2:17-29  There is an old saying, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” If something is good for one person, then it should apply equally to another as well. Today we talk about equality. The word implies impartiality and fairness. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world where things like pride create a false sense of

By Travis Biller Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton Focal Passage: Romans 1:18-28, 32  As I drove down the highway, I noticed a red light appeared on my dashboard warning me that my engine was overheating. I only had a short way to go. I thought I could make it to my destination. I ignored the warning sign and within a minute steam was pouring out from under the hood. I soon

By Travis Biller Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton Focal Passage: Romans 1:1-7, 13-17  As I was reaching for the remote to turn off the TV, a commercial from a famed chef caught my eye. He was holding up a cooking utensil and began telling how it changed his life. A cooking utensil changed his life? I chuckled as I turned the TV off. I wondered how many sales that would generate.

By Glenn Metts Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Carthage Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 32:48-52; 34:4-7  One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Lamentations 3:21-23, which says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” I love this passage because it reminds me that our Heavenly Father is always

By Glenn Metts Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Carthage Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 30:1-10, 19-20  It is true that the choices we make today will shape our tomorrow. There is a commercial currently running on television for Raisin Bran cereal. In the commercial, a dad is encouraging his daughter, who is going to spend time with her friends, to “make good choices.” Those were his exact words to her. She turns and looks

By Glenn Metts Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Carthage Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 18:15-22  The Word of God is critically important for each generation. Our lesson this week, based on Deuteronomy 18:15-22, shows us that God provides messengers to represent Him in the world. In the Old Testament, God raised up Moses to deliver His Word to the people. He also raised up great prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, Jonah and

By Glenn Metts Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Seymour Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 6:1-13  Loving and worshiping God is the greatest enjoyment in all of life. I believe that. I love what the Westminster Shorter Catechism states when it says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Those words were written in 1647. That thought is the heart of our passage this week. Written about 1407 B.C., the

By Glenn Metts Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Seymour Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 4:1-9 I am so thankful that as a child and young man I was taught the importance of the Word of God.  I have always had a high view of Scripture and value it as the one source of absolute truth. I was raised in the Lutheran tradition and later joined a great Southern Baptist church when I was