April 2018 – Page 5

Digging in Deeper: Acts 20:24

April 6, 2018April 4, 2018Leave a comment

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been asked the conversation-starting question of with whom in history you would most like to have dinner? I’ve heard several people answer that they would like to have dinner with Jesus because who wouldn’t want to have dinner with Jesus? I’ll tell you who: Just about everyone who actually did. From the various reports of people eating with Jesus in the Gospels, He would have been a terrible dinner guest. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Exodus 21:23-25

April 6, 2018April 4, 2018Leave a comment

“But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

We very naturally yearn for justice. We want things to be set right when they are wrong. The simplest reason for this is that we were created in the image of a God who is just. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: John 21:17

April 4, 2018March 31, 2018Leave a comment

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever told someone you love them? I suspect you have. I suspect you’ve even meant it. But, how deeply did you mean it? Were they merely sincere words, or was there more behind them? Were they primarily emotional words, or was there a conviction that ran deeper? Saying, “I love you,” is easy. Loving someone is entirely more difficult. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Acts 26:19

April 4, 2018March 31, 20182 Comments

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Do you have a vision from God? Have you received one? How are you doing with this? God gives us a vision of the work He has for us to do as we seek Him in the routine, day-to-day of our lives. This vision will likely be a function of our passions, interests, abilities, and experiences. It will involve God placing us at the intersection of the world’s need and our passion. He will call us through this vision to the advancement of His kingdom. Read the rest…

Telling Our Story

April 2, 2018March 29, 2018Leave a comment

Yesterday was Resurrection Sunday! We celebrated our risen Lord together by telling the incredible story of which we can be a part if we will receive Him as our Lord. We celebrated our part in this great story as individuals, but also as a whole community as we finally put together the three key pieces of our identity into one clear and compelling idea: First Baptist is a place where people can connect to grow in Christ and reach out for His kingdom. Keep reading to see how this all unfolded.

Telling Our Story

Three weeks ago, we started a journey together. It was a journey that came out of a conversation about who we are as a church; what our God-given identity is. The idea here is that while each individual person has a unique, God-designed identity, so do whole churches. The church is the body of Christ and we are individually members of it. That means we each have a specific role to play in the body, but one local church does not by itself comprise the whole body of Christ. That means that each individual local church is itself part of the larger body of Christ and thus has a specific role to play as a community in that larger body. Read the rest…