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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11; John 17:11–23 Praying for others is one of the greatest privileges we have as a Christian. Recently we spoke about the spiritual discipline of prayer at our church. At the end of the service we gave out prayer Bible bookmarks that had several spots to list prayer requests. This was done to help us remember how important
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 Micheal Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11b; Isaiah 38:1-6,15-17 One of the most difficult things in ministry, for me, is taking care of myself. One aspect of that is prayer. Praying for myself doesn’t happen as it should. I think that could be said of many of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:10–11; James 4:6–10; 4:13–17 In the model prayer that our Lord gave to us, it shows us that our will is not key, but our Father’s will (Matthew 6:10). Look at James 4:6-10 and we see this passage begins and ends with a word that we must embrace as we pray for the Father’s will — humble. Move
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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-9 As we start in Matthew 6:9b today, our text brings us to a subject that we once again do not put much thought into.
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 Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5,11-13,19-22 Learning the truth that God is our Heavenly Father brings a wonderful understanding that He cares for us. Ancient (false) Greek gods were seen as a group who had to be appeased at all times and didn’t have the best interest of the human race in mind. The One True God, our Father, has our
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11; John 17:11–23 Praying for others is one of the greatest privileges we
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
By Micheal Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11b; Isaiah 38:1-6,15-17 One of the most difficult things in ministry, for me, is taking
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:10–11; James 4:6–10; 4:13–17 In the model prayer that our Lord gave to
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-9 As we start in Matthew 6:9b today, our text brings us
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
By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5,11-13,19-22 Learning the truth that God is our Heavenly Father brings
