By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 26:3-16, 40-45 The primary goal of the Old Testament (and really, all the Bible) is not to give us moral examples or heroes, but to confront us with the holiness, grace, and the majesty of God. Leviticus 26 records a covenant agreement that the Lord made with the Israelites when He brought them out of slavery in
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 1:35-42; 12:20-26 We who know Jesus bear the responsibility of connecting others to Him. We will either connect people to Jesus or we won’t. There are no passive witnesses — a witness who never witnesses is not a witness. Therefore, we must be about the work of giving witness to Christ actively throughout our daily comings and goings. It takes
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 16:3-10, 29-30 The great day has arrived! Ever since the blowing of the trumpets 10 days earlier, Israel has been in a state of preparation and anticipation. They wake up on this morning knowing that it is the most holy day in their calendar. The high priest probably had trouble sleeping the night before. As thousands of Israelites
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 17-18, 26-28; 2:1-3 Prayer conquers stress. We have no lack of stress, and therefore no lack of need for prayer. Hannah was a woman who knew this (I Samuel 1). She had a good, God-given desire (to have children), and yet was troubled in spirit (1:15) and filled with anxiety (1:16) because her desire went so long unfulfilled.
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 9:15-24; 10:1-3 The book of Leviticus presents us with a vision of the holiness of God that we so desperately need in our day. To see God for who He is will sustain us in suffering, transform us in holiness, and ignite our hearts in worship. After a seven-day ordination ceremony of the priesthood, Leviticus 9 records the
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 1:26-34; 3:26-30 John had one job — to go ahead of Jesus and prepare the way for Him to preach and teach, and minister. Isaiah had prophesied that one would do just that (Isaiah 40:3), and John identified himself as that one (John 1:23). But John’s job was to work himself right out of a job — sort of like
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 1:3-9; 2:1-3; 3:1-5 How do unholy people approach a holy God? The book of Leviticus is God’s answer to that question. In Exodus, He revealed Himself as both personal and fearsome, a God who tolerates no rivals (Exodus 3:1-12; 19:21-25; 20:18-21; Exodus 12:12). Now that the tabernacle is finished and filled with “the glory of the Lord” (Exodus
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Acts 4:36-37; 9:26-27; 11:19-26 Courage is slippery. It’s not something that is cemented in someone once for all time. Like any one of the number of feelings we have, it can wax and wane, come and go. In this way, we are not like God. He is immutable, unchanging — the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). However, we do
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Exodus 39:42-43; 40:1-4, 34-38 Toddlers are completely dependent on their parents to supply all that they need. But if you want a lesson in futility, try to convince them of that. They will squirm and push away from your grip only to fall flat on their faces and cry for you to pick them back up. Every parent knows
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Ruth 1:8-17 Everyone loves a good story of redemption. To watch tragedy befall someone, see them endure the hard road set before them, and rejoice when the patience pays off and hope is restored is wonderfully pleasing to us. However, in the middle of the story — after tragedy and before redemption — there is tremendous heartache and doubt. Will this
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 26:3-16, 40-45 The primary goal of the Old Testament (and really, all
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 1:35-42; 12:20-26 We who know Jesus bear the responsibility of connecting others to Him. We
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 16:3-10, 29-30 The great day has arrived! Ever since the blowing of the
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 17-18, 26-28; 2:1-3 Prayer conquers stress. We have no lack of stress, and
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 9:15-24; 10:1-3 The book of Leviticus presents us with a vision of the
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 1:26-34; 3:26-30 John had one job — to go ahead of Jesus and prepare the
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Leviticus 1:3-9; 2:1-3; 3:1-5 How do unholy people approach a holy God? The book
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Acts 4:36-37; 9:26-27; 11:19-26 Courage is slippery. It’s not something that is cemented in someone once
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Exodus 39:42-43; 40:1-4, 34-38 Toddlers are completely dependent on their parents to supply all
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Ruth 1:8-17 Everyone loves a good story of redemption. To watch tragedy befall someone, see them
