By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-11 Augustine of Hippo, a third century church father from northern Africa, most likely spent his last days reflecting on Psalm 32. It’s easy to see why a dying saint would find comfort in these words because they are about the happiness, joy, and blessing of those who have experienced God’s forgiveness.
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: II Corinthians 1:2-7 Following Jesus is not comfortable. He’s called us to carry a cross, come after Him, and die (Luke 9:23-24) not kick back in a recliner and wait for heaven. He pulls us out of our comfort zones, whether it’s for evangelism, serving others, or just being a good neighbor. These things are often very uncomfortable. However, even though
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 51:1-17 Somewhere in the springtime around 1000 B.C., kings would go to battle. In II Samuel 11, King David shirked his responsibility and this decision proved costly. What followed would become some of the darkest moments in David’s life. These events form the backdrop for Psalm 51, a prayer which models for us what genuine confession and
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: II Corinthians 12:2-10 “We are not as strong as we think we are.” That tag line in the chorus of a Rich Mullins song by the same name also happens to be something of a tag line for all of us. Despite outward appearances and inward feelings, we are not as strong as we think. Our very lives are dependent
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 146:1-10 We are quick to trust human leaders because we are drawn to things that we can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears. But the longer we are preoccupied with the people around us, we lose sight of the person above us. It’s no wonder that American people are anxious, fearful, restless,
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Exodus 3:11-12; 4:10-17 Moses wasn’t a ladder-climbing businessman. He wasn’t a self-assured professional with a great resume and leadership experience. He was a shepherd on the backside of the wilderness. And while he probably wasn’t the guy that anyone would have chosen to lead Israel out of Egypt and into their new homeland, that’s exactly what God called him to do.
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 136:1-5, 10-15, 23-26 Communicating our love to others strengthens our relationship and reassures them of our commitment. Rather than describing how much we love God, Psalm 136 tells of the many ways God has loved us. The psalmist knows that there is a direct connection between remembering and thankfulness, and between thankfulness and trusting in God. When
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 18:15-18, 25-27; 21:15-19 We like restoration. We like it for movie characters, classic cars, and even kitchens. To have someone or something go down a path of bad judgment or rust or general neglect and then see redemption happen is among the most tangible joys. It brings a feeling of completeness, and we like that.
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-14 No matter how busy our lives may become, we all have experiences where the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation stop us in our tracks. Our family lives in a beautiful area surrounded by hiking trails, swimming holes, and caves. We’re always amused to see the variety of state license plates on the vehicles in our
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Haggai 1:2-13 The right order matters. It’s not efficient to put the cart before the horse. It’s not wise to buy on credit, getting the item before the payment. And it’s not good to elevate and love self before God. Self-love, however, is our default setting. It’s our home screen. We don’t have to make any effort to be self-centered. We
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-11 Augustine of Hippo, a third century church father from northern Africa,
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: II Corinthians 1:2-7 Following Jesus is not comfortable. He’s called us to carry a cross, come
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 51:1-17 Somewhere in the springtime around 1000 B.C., kings would go to
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: II Corinthians 12:2-10 “We are not as strong as we think we are.” That tag
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 146:1-10 We are quick to trust human leaders because we are drawn
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Exodus 3:11-12; 4:10-17 Moses wasn’t a ladder-climbing businessman. He wasn’t a self-assured professional with a great
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 136:1-5, 10-15, 23-26 Communicating our love to others strengthens our relationship and
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: John 18:15-18, 25-27; 21:15-19 We like restoration. We like it for movie characters, classic cars,
By Ben W. Curtis Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-14 No matter how busy our lives may become, we all have
By Nathan Washburn Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenbrier Focal Passage: Haggai 1:2-13 The right order matters. It’s not efficient to put the cart before the horse.
