By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Genesis 27:18-29 Jacob’s very name denotes that he was a deceiver, a liar, and a “heel grabber.” The text today demonstrates him living up to that name. The deception begins, not with Jacob, but with Rebekah. Jacob and Esau’s own mother overheard Isaac’s desire to bless Esau as his firstborn and favorite son and she began to devise a plan

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: James 5:7-9, 13-20 It’s a particular peeve of mine when I see people going eschatologically crazy over every odd colored moon or some unique date. There’s always inevitably somebody screaming that they’ve figured it out somehow and they know that Jesus is coming back on this specific day. They’ve always been wrong, no one knows the day or hour of

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: James 4:6-17 Submission is central to Christianity. Jesus submitted Himself to the Father by going to the cross. We come to Christ by submitting ourselves to His judgment, mercy, and lordship. We now submit ourselves daily to the authority of the Word and the control of the Spirit. Believers also submit to one another and, together, to governing authorities. The

By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:12–13; Psalm 51:1–7; Psalm 51:10–12 This week we focus in on confession and forgiveness. I must constantly admit my sins and ask for forgiveness. The word ‘debts’ (Matthew 6:12) is a New Testament Greek term for sin. We have all fallen short of God’s righteousness. Our sin is what causes separation between us and God. My sin problem

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: James 3:1-12 On more than one occasion I’ve been ashamed of, and had to apologize for, my words spoken in haste or hurt. This is among the most persistent and problematic struggles I face in my daily walk. A few years ago I became painfully aware of how I had lost control of my tongue. Traffic is the worst and

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: James 2:14-26 Martin Luther said, “It is as impossible to separate works from faith as it is to separate burning and shining from fire.” Works and faith are inseparable, not because works can ever bring faith but because faith always brings works. 

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: James 1:19-27; 2:1-4 James gives his readers a quick trinity of rules in verse 19 to follow while experiencing trials: don’t get angry, listen hard and speak sparingly only after very careful consideration. If only I could live up to even this single verse, what trouble I would be spared! I remind myself quite often that God has given me

By Scott Brown Pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly  Focal passage: James 1:2-15 Recently, on a long flight, I watched the movie “42” based on the life of Jackie Robinson. There is a line that is repeated either by him or about him many times that really gripped me.

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Galatians 6:1-10, 14-15 When I think of compassion I think of Jesus first, but then I think of Job 2:11-13. Job’s friends spend most of the story trying to understand and explain God but, before they spoke foolishly they acted very wisely. They heard about Job’s misfortune and planned to come to him together. When they got to Job they

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal passage: Galatians 5:13-26 In Galatians 5:13, Paul confronts the misunderstanding many face regarding God’s grace and our freedom in Him. Freedom is not an excuse to continue living in sin, nor is it merely a freedom from the punishment of sin, but our Christian freedom is a freedom from the power of sin over our lives.