By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Genesis 29:16-30 So often we believe the lie that God can only use great people from great backgrounds for great things but that’s not true. God is pleased to use crooked sticks to draw straight lines. God chose to bless the nations through a broken, corrupted family.
By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Luke 1:26-38 When most people think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, they think of a peaceful, serene and virtuous woman. Now all of those are probably true characteristics, but I think she also was a very real person. In our passage, Luke paints a portrait of Mary with real doubt, questions and faith. Where I think we see this
By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Genesis 28:10-22 Having successfully stolen the birthright for himself, Jacob now leaves his family. He is sent by his father to go find a wife but sent by his mother to run far away from Esau’s wrath. At this time when he would feel utterly alone, despairing, and confused God reveals Himself to Him in an incredible way that would
By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Matthew 1:18-25 In my younger days, I was part of several plays/musicals. It was always the main roles that people desired. It wasn’t too often that you found a small role that had a great impact. However, that is not the case in the story of Joseph. There is not a lot about Joseph contained in Scripture. He is only
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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Isaiah 7:10-14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5 One of my favorite Christmas hymns is “What Child Is This?” The tune is called “Greensleeves” and was written in England about the 16th century. But it was not until 1865 while America was in the Civil War that an English poet named William Chatterton Dix, wrote a poem called, “Manger’s Throne.” This is where
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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Psalm 138:1–8 As we study Psalm 138, King David is teaching us about praise. We are to praise the one true God. David said he did this with his whole heart. That place in us where our true self is seated. Our emotions, devotion, love, intellect, all that we are is to be focused towards Him and giving thanks
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: Genesis 29:16-30 So often we believe the lie that God can only use great people
By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Luke 1:26-38 When most people think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, they think of
By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Genesis 28:10-22 Having successfully stolen the birthright for himself, Jacob now leaves his family. He
By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Matthew 1:18-25 In my younger days, I was part of several plays/musicals. It was always
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Isaiah 7:10-14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5 One of my favorite Christmas hymns is “What Child Is
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Psalm 138:1–8 As we study Psalm 138, King David is teaching us about praise.
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
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
