FBC Sermon Discussions

Sermon Series Conclusion

2010-09-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

So we finished our New Birth sermon series. What was you big takeaway? What did you learn that you didn't know before? What was made clearer? What did you already know, but was made more central to your faith? Let me hear your thoughts (or questions).

I've been richly blessed; I pray you have been, too.

Pastor Brian

The New Birth and Sin

2010-08-22T06:55:00.002-05:00

This Sunday, Aug. 22, we studied 1 John 3:4-10 and looked at what John had to say about the relationship between the New Birth and sin. I summarized John's argument in 3 steps. Here they are with the supporting verses.

1. Sin is serious and of the devil.
- vs. 4, "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
- vs. 8a, "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sining from the beginning.

2. Jesus Christ appeared to take away sins and destroy the works of the devil.
- vs. 5, "You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
- vs. 8b, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

3. Those born of God don't keep on sinning
- vs. 6, "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him."
- vs. 9, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

The simple argument John is making, which he spells out in vs. 7 and 10, is, "if you are righteous through the New Birth, you practice righteousness. If you don't, it because you are not born again."

So, I have two things.

Firstly, is this what John's saying in these verses? Am I getting something wrong? If you were to put it in your own words, what would you say is John's point?

Secondly, I would really like to hear the practical, "what does this mean?" questions you have. A couple that I thought of were, "I sin everyday, does that mean I'm not a Christian?" What questions do you have from these verses? I may just include them in my upcoming sermon(s).

Blessing, FBC.
Brian

What must I do to be saved?

2010-08-01T06:57:00.002-05:00

That's such a great question. It's found several times in several ways or forms in the Bible (Acts 2:37-38; 16:30; John 6:28; Luke 18:18). The answer given could be condensed to "repent and believe the gospel" especially when you link it to Jesus' message, "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15). Not "pray this prayer," "check this box" or "walk this aisle," but "repent and believe the gospel."

If that's the answer, then its pretty important to have a good understanding of what that means. So here are my thoughts from the scriptures. Tell me what you think.

Repent ~ Repentance means to "change your mind" or "turn around." This command is always given in relationship to our sinful course in life. Before we are converted (born again by God) we have a course in life that's in rebellion to God. Unless we "change our mind" or "turn away/around" (this is repentance) from this course, the Bible says we will perish. Repentance is called a "gift of God" (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25) and achieving is a result of his "kindness" (Rom. 2:4). No this for certain: no repentance means no salvation (Acts 2:38).

When God causes us to be born again, we'll see sin the way he sees sin. Not as some petty offense, but as a capital crime against the holiness of God. The New Birth will cause a person to be horrified of our sin. If in your evangelism a person feels ambivalent and even unconcerned with their sin, that's a good indication they haven't been born again. On the contrary, if the burden of their sin weighs upon their conscious, that's a great indication that God is opening their eyes.

Belief ~ The words "believe," "faith" and "trust" are all the same Greek word in the NT. So when John 3:16 says, "whoever believes him will not perish, but have eternal life" you could substitute the words "faith" or "trust" for "believe" if you like. Why is that important? The word "believe" in particular can have a very passive aspect relegated only to the life of the mind. So we hear the command "believe in Jesus" and liken it to "I believe 2+2=4." That kind of belief has little bearing on a person's life.

But "having faith" or better yet, "trusting," has a much more active and urgent feel to 21st century Americans. You don't just "trust" anybody, especially with your life. We "trust" the pizza man to deliver our pizza, but we don't trust him with our kids, family heirlooms or boats. Jesus says, "give me everything. Trust me with your present and eternal life." Many Americans "believe" in God (like they believe 2+2=4), but trust in God with my bank account, with my family; with my soul? NO WAY! We need to make this distinction. So when we are in conversations with people and they say, "I believe in God," we need to come back and say, "Yeah, but you don't believe in God enough to follow his word. To do what he says." Maybe your friend is cheating on her husband. "You don't believe in God enough to repent of the sin of adultery. So you really don't believe in God."

Also, repenting and believing is simply the same activity from different perspectives. Repenting is turning away from sin; believing is turning to Jesus. The same act from different vantage points. So another way we can help someone understand what it means to "believe" is linking it to repentance. If someone refuses to repent of sin, they are also refusing to trust in Jesus.

The Gospel ~ "Gospel" literally means "good news;" the "good news" is the message of Jesus Christ. There are several different ways we can make reference to this good news. The first way is in reference to its "content" and "historical facts" of the message. What are some of those?

Before God works in our lives, we are dead sinners; enemies of God destined for his wrath. God is completely just and right to punish us of our sins.
God sent his son, Jesus, to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He is God in the flesh; he lived the perfect life God accepts and sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins. In that sacrifice, God the Father poured out his wrath on Jesus as Jesus bore the weight and penalty of our sin.
3 days after his crucifixion, he was raised from the dead and lives today as the only true king of Kings and lord of Lords. He alone is worthy of all worship praise.

A great passage detailing the "content" of the gospel is 1 Cor. 15:1-11.

Another way to talk about the gospel concerns its "effect." What did Jesus accomplish. Paul says in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it [the gospel] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." Also, he says in 1 Cor. 1:18, "For the word of the cross [that's the gospel] is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." So the gospel isn't just the "content" or "facts," the gospel is also the "power of God."

So, when we charge some to "believe (trust) in the gospel," we're not just say, "trust the facts," we are also saying, "believe/have faith in the power of God in this message."

I'd love to hear your thoughts both on this and the message given today. What's helpful? Also, where do you still feel a little anxious about telling others about God? Let's help each other.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

The workings of the New Birth

2010-07-18T07:07:00.002-05:00

We received our "how to" video on Sunday concerning the New Birth. God brings New Life - salvation - via the Holy Spirit (we saw this from Eze. 37) through the proclamation of the word of God. When the Word of God, the message of Jesus Christ, is proclaimed, the Spirit is unleashed with life-saving power. 1 Peter 1 told us that the imperishable seed that causes us to be born again is the word of God.

Remember, we're not in control of this. This isn't a magical formula. It's the act of worship that God honors with his life-saving power.

I mentioned towards the end of the message that the Holy Spirit has a very specific mission, to bring honor and praise to the name of Jesus Christ. That's why he doesn't breathe new life apart from the message of Jesus Christ; messages that don't focus on Jesus Christ bring Jesus no honor or praise. Where do I get that the Holy Spirit is looking to honor Jesus?

In John 15, Jesus said the Holy Spirit is coming to "bear witness about me." That's what the Holy Spirit is about. He's coming to lift my name, my message high. He doesn't have his own mission; he's about Jesus' mission. And also, in John 16:14 Jesus says, "he will glorify me, fo rhe will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Here are just a couple of verses that show us that the Holy Spirit is about lifting high the name of Jesus Christ.

What do you think of 1) this, 2) the sermon and 3) the homework? Love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings.
Pastor Brian

Why we need the New Birth

2010-07-11T07:01:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, we learned that the scriptures define the problem as being "dead in our trespasses and sins" (see Eph. 2 and Col. 2 in particular). Another analogy is that we are "spiritually blind" from seeing the glories of Jesus Christ (see 2 Cor. 4). Nothing natural can reverse the effects of death or blindness. Nothing short of the supernatural power of God can reverse or change people from death to life, from blind to seeing.

Our urging, our fervency, our slick programs, our ... you name it, can not produce the salvation people need. I'm struck by Paul in 2 Cor. 4; he says, "we refuse to practice cunning or tamper with the word of God... we will renounce all disgraceful, underhanded ways... instead, we will (as the NIV puts it) put forward the truth plainly." Plainly. Just, "here's the gospel." If its veiled, its veiled. If God has opened their eyes, they'll see.

I'm not suggesting we don't work at being effective evangelists. I'm not saying we shouldn't look to removed obstacles to faith for unbelievers. But our hope is the supernatural power of God to save sinners. When the Philippian jailer cried out, "what must I do to be saved?" the apostles didn't say, "check this box; pray this prayer." They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved." We must do similar things.

Give your feedback. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this or the sermon.

Blessings.
Pastor Brian

The insides of a born again Christian

2010-07-04T07:35:00.002-05:00

Throughout our New Birth sermon, we are going to make specific references to the difference the New Birth makes in a person. What do those "born again" love? What do they desire? What do they do? How do they live? What do they do when they sin?

I'm using my imagination here, but what would a born again Christian's insides look like if you opened them up? That's what we talked about on Sunday. This is what you'd see:

1. You would find them completely washed clean from the stain of their sin. According to Titus 3:3-5, the New Birth washes us. Not only are we forgiven of our sins, but we are even scrubbed clean from the stain of our sin.

2. You would find a new heart, per the promise of God in Eze. 36 (among others). People born again don't operate with the cold, dead heart they've always had. They are given a new one.

3. You would find a new resident in a person's heart, the Holy Spirit. God said, "I will put my Spirit within you" in Eze. 36. In the NT, we saw how the Holy Spirit was poured into the hearts of those God was converting.

God makes us alive to him and dead to sin by cleansing us, giving us a new heart and pouring his Spirit within us.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

The New Birth and Religion

2010-06-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

This Sunday, began answering the question, "what is the New Birth?" We'll be covering this question some more this coming Sunday, but so far we've learned that it is 1) a work of God 2) in you. One strong contrast I made was that the New Birth is not religious devotion or commitment.

In fact, religion is in fact rejection of God. I would like to hear your response to that: do you believe religion (in the sense we talked about it) is rejection of God? How would you describe the difference between the religious life and the gospel life?

Anything else you would like to chat about? Let me know.

Pastor Brian

The New Birth

2010-06-20T07:05:00.003-05:00

A new blog design for a new sermon series.

So we started the sermon series on the New Birth. I hope and pray you find this space as an opportunity to engage, question and search more deeply into these matters. So don't hesitate asking questions or making comments. When you do, make sure you tell us who you are.

Two things seem to be true: 1) we want to have assurance of our salvation. 2) God wants us to be assured that we are saved...when we really are. That's really encouraging to me. God doesn't want me wondering endlessly if I'm really saved; he wants me confident of my standing with God.

But that confidence is found in the New Birth and the evidences of the New Birth, not our typical evangelical responses.

What was your big "take home" from this sermon? What was your main observation or question? Let's talk about it.

Pastor Brian

Order is everything

2010-04-18T07:48:00.003-05:00

The essentials of the Christian life must be kept in their proper order. Getting the order wrong is the difference between heaven and hell. Today, we saw how true faith keeps God's word. That you can't say you have faith in God and ignore what God says.

But you can't get the order mixed up. You can't say, "Because I keep God's word, he accepts me." If that statement is true than what's the basis of God's acceptance of me? My keeping God's word. Salvation then turns into product I have purchased by my ability to adhere to God's word. And that's completely opposite to what scripture teaches; that salvation is on the basis of faith.

So instead we say, "Because I believe in God, I keep his word." Now why do I keep his word? Not to be saved, but I keep his word because I am saved and I believe in God. This is the order we need to keep.

What do you think about this? And also, what are you feelings and questions? I'd love to hear them.

Pastor Brian

Wait a minute?

2010-04-11T07:34:00.002-05:00

Our passage this morning provided another one of those "wait a minute?" kinds of responses. We've seen them before; how could cattle be killed in by the hail when God wiped out the cattle in a previous wonder? A three days journey in the wilderness? I thought God was bringing his people out of Egypt permanently.

At the end of chapter 10, in the tense scene between Pharaoh and Moses, Pharaoh said that he would kill Moses the next time Moses showed his face in the palace again. Even Moses said, "As you say! I will not see your face again." But in chapter 11, Moses warns Pharaoh of the coming wonder. What does this mean?

There are a couple of ways to understand this: 1) While Moses and Pharaoh had a moment of anger saying they wouldn't see each other again, they really didn't mean it. Or the need to meet again because of the coming trouble super ceded their previous "threats." 2) Another explanation could be that Moses warned Pharaoh of this last wonder before he left in chapter 10; a kind of "oh, by the way, before I got know this...."

Clearly, the author of Exodus isn't concerned about this like we are so its something we have to live with. I like the 2nd option, but ultimately, it doesn't change the overall story; God's bringing deliverance through the execution of judgment.

What else are you picking up or seeing Chapter 11?

Cop out?

2010-03-28T10:16:00.002-05:00

Rather than answering "how" Pharaoh can be responsible for his sin even though God hardened his heart I said in our sermon this Sunday, "look, God doesn't give us an answer. Instead, he's calling us to trust him."

Do you feel that's somewhat of a cop out? And if it is, don't we have to say that about God since that's precisely what he says in Romans 9? I'm curious to hear from you the level of satisfaction we have with God's response to this question.

What I find interesting about God's response is he's really asking us to trust and believe him, isn't he? Kind of funny, in that, that's exactly what our relationship with him is grounded in... his revelation of himself and our trust in him.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Pastor Brian

Spiritual Heritage

2010-03-21T07:03:00.002-05:00

Today, we saw that God has generational purposes with these wonders. God saying he's hardening Pharaoh's heart to show him these signs and "that you may tell in the hearing of your son and grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." So God has a generational purpose.

How has your spiritual heritage impacted you? What did you see from your parents or grandparents that said, "God is amazing?" Let's encourage one another with testimonies and ideas as to how we can make an impact to our children.

Pastor Brian

Observations of Wonder #7

2010-03-14T06:56:00.002-05:00

Here are a few observations I saw in this 7th wonder. I'd love to here some of your observations or thoughts on these.

1. God's mercy ~ Mingled in the heavy hand of God on the land of Egypt is mercy. After God pronounces the coming hail storm through Moses he says this in vs. 19, "Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them." These are God's words! This is his idea! What else could this be than mercy. Yes, some will refuse Pharaoh being one of them even as God has hardened his heart. But God is extending his hand of mercy and compassion to the Egyptians who will listen to his word. Make no mistake... God is kind and merciful.

2. Moses' boldness ~ The boldness of Moses keeps growing with each passing wonder. Moses isn't afraid in the least to call a spade a spade. He looks at Pharaoh and flat out tells him the truth without any fear. I think the more we obey God and follow him the stronger will be in our convictions lacking the fear of man. He's a good example for us to follow.

3. "The bottom" is a long way down ~ Some of you know that "the bottom" is a lot further down than we think. You've heard the saying: they just haven't hit the bottom yet. Pharaoh's land has been significantly battered, but not completely. Vs. 31 explains the lack of fear Pharaoh has of God and says this, "The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in the bud. But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up." So not everything was destroyed; Pharaoh still had something to depend on. "Hitting the bottom" doesn't equal repentance and faith; only Jesus makes that possible.

Those are some things I've seen. What about you.

Pastor Brian

Insecurity and God's love

2010-03-08T09:01:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, we talked about how God's love isn't centered or conditioned on us, but is centered on God. God doesn't love us because of who we are; God loves us because of who he is.

I as mentioned in the sermon, that strikes at the heart of popular self-esteem psychology. Schools and counselors are obsessed at building a child's "self-worth." And what they mean by that is "we have to make kids feel that they are lovable, valuable, acceptable in and of themselves."

That is a very dangerous message. What if that's true: to be loved you must be lovable. If God's love isn't centered and conditioned in him than we are going to be very insecure about God's love for us. If I need to be lovable to be loved, than how can I be sure that God loves me? How do I really know if I'm "worth it?" Ultimately, I don't. Insecurity will rule the day if God's love and acceptance of us is conditioned on my worthiness because I'll never truly know if I'm worthy.

Instead, when God's love for me is grounded in himself (i.e. that he is loving) I never have to worry if I'm not worthy of love. In fact, I'm very comfortable say, "I'm not worthy of God's love." But that would only make me discouraged if I needed to be worthy for God's love. But thankfully, I don't.

Is understanding these distinctions helpful? What other questions do you have concerning such things?

Pastor Brian

Wonder #4

2010-02-28T07:11:00.002-06:00

Today, we saw God intensify his wonders in Egypt by sending swarms of flies into Egypt. How is that intensifying it? In vs. 25 it says that the land was "ruined" by the flies. They are no longer an inconvenience.

Pharaoh began bargaining with Moses. He said, "Ok, you can worship your God, you just have to do it in Egypt." So he's giving in, just not completely. Obviously, this falls short of what God has said - Let my people go!

I said in the sermon that trying to make deals or compromises with God are wicked attempts at maintaining ownership of our own lives. Do you agree with that? Why or why not?

Also, what ways have you tried to make deals with God to give him less than he demands?

Analyzing our hard hearts

2010-02-21T06:52:00.003-06:00

Look here at Eph. 4:17-18.

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

Paul doesn't want the Ephesians to live like Gentiles (those who don't know God). How do they live? They live confused and misdirected because their understanding is darkened. Because they are ignorant of God, they are alienated, cut off from God. And why are they ignorant of God? Because of their hard hearts.

Just like we saw in the sermon: a hard heart is at the root of the problem.

What did you take away from the message this morning? Was it something new about God, about our hard hearts? And what do you believe God is nudging you to do about it?

Questions for sermon on 2-14-10

2010-02-14T07:11:00.005-06:00

Here are a few questions that the small groups are working through. Whether you are in a small group or not, I'd love to here your thoughts and observations.

1. Read Isa. 44:9, 19-20. What do these verses say about idols and those who trust in them.

2. I said idolatry is self-worship; (self-worship – placing ourselves at the center of our lives and working and serving our own interests at the expense of all others.) Do you agree with this? why or why not?

3. Can anything be an idol? What are some of your idols?

4. Read Ps. 25:1-3. What do these verses say is our freedom from shame?

Wonder #1

2010-02-07T07:11:00.002-06:00

God turns the Nile River into blood with this first wonder. The Nile was a source of life for the Egyptians and, as we learn in Exodus 1, a place of death for Hebrew baby boys. With this wonder God turns everything upside. Because of the power and might of God the Nile River is no longer a place of life for the Egyptians, but is now a place of death.

This wonder seems to be largely ignored. Why do you think that's the case? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. Also, tell me any other thoughts or observations you have; don't hold your questions back either.

Pastor Brian

Welcome back, Exodus!

2010-01-31T07:10:00.002-06:00

To get you ready and familiar with Exodus, read Exodus 7-15:21; it will probably take you 20 minutes and might just be your best 20 minutes all week. Read that section and then post on this blog some of your observations. What are you seeing? What did God impress on your heart from the text? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Pastor Brian

Treasuring God; Loving People

2010-01-24T07:01:00.002-06:00

These last two weeks, we've focused on the "treasuring God" part of that slogan. Do you remember why we treasure God from Philippians 3?... Because nothing surpasses the worth of knowing Jesus! If nothing surpasses that worth than he is indeed our greatest treasure.

I'd love to hear what God impressed on your heart from these messages. What was the big takeaway for you?

Let me ask one more question: God, in his mercy, doesn't ask most of us actually lose everything to know him. I believe this passage makes clear we need to be ready to, but, it seems, God doesn't put that ultimately to the test. Unless you are a guy like Job, we don't really lose everything... except when we die (think about that). But we need to be ready to.

So here's the question: how do you cultivate in your heart a readiness to lose it all for Jesus when he so often doesn't take everything? How do you make this real?

Pastor Brian

Bible Reading and 2010

2009-12-27T08:02:00.002-06:00

I want to encourage you to regularly read your bibles in 2010. So often, we get discouraged and even feel guilty for not living up to our desire. We feel less spiritual (whatever that means) and a "bad" Christian when we start reading our bibles, but then fall away. God doesn't look at it like that. God is our loving Heavenly Father always looking to help his needy children. We don't need to live under the weight of condemnation (if we are in Christ)when we fail to do what is necessary. Instead, believing God is here to help us, we can continually turn to God for forgiveness and help.

In our attempt to read the scriptures faithfully, we tend to bite off more than we can chew. We need to challenge ourselves, but yet, still be realistic. Below are two links for Bible reading plans. Both will lead you through the entire bible in a year. But there are no rules that say, "you have to read the bible through in a year." If that feels too much, pare it down a little. In both of these plans, there are four columns to read each day; instead of reading all 4, just read 2 if that will help you. The first bible reading plan even gives you grace days to catch up when you miss. The second plan is a little more daunting. You read the OT once, NT twice and the Psalms twice.

Below, tell me and one another your story of bible reading. Tell us your successes and failures. Tell us what you're going to do in 2010. Let's encourage one another.

http://www.navpress.com/uploadedFiles/15074%20BRP.dj.pdf

http://hippocampusextensions.com/mcheyneplan/

Pastor Brian

The Apostle John and Metaphors

2009-12-13T07:21:00.003-06:00

In our sermon Sunday, the Apostle John (like other scripture writers) uses a lot of images and metaphors. Its really important that the scripture writers refer and teach theological truth in a variety of ways; truth about God can hardly be "captured" so the best way to get some handle on theological truth is getting at it from a variety of angles.

I made reference to 4 words or phrases on Sunday. Here are scripture passages for you to examine to understand how they are used.

1. "fellowship" as a reference to our salvation

1 Cor. 1:9
1 John 1:3, 6
2 Cor. 13:14

2. "walk" as a reference to "living life."

Gal 5:16
Eph 2:1-2
1 John 2:6

3. "darkness" as a reference for evil, sin and impurity

Psalm 82:5
Prov. 2:13 (get a running start by starting in vs. 6)
John 3:19

4. "practicing truth" as a reference to living in accordance with Jesus and his way

"practicing truth" is very specific to John so we don't have other references like this. This has a similar connotation to "walking"... it has to do with how we live our lives. "Tom practices medicine." 1 Kings 11:11 says, "Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, 'Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant....'" Consequently then, "practicing the truth" is similar to "walking in the light." It's a metaphor describing how one is living life.

What do you think about these metaphors? Am I missing something that's important to bring up? Also, what are ways you examine your heart to see if you're walking in the light?

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Prioritizing mission this Christmas

2009-11-29T07:25:00.002-06:00

I believe God will mercifully deliver us from the prevailing current of Christmas by getting active with the things of God, namely, by living and speaking the Gospel. When we are active in the greatest mission on earth (God's mission of saving the world of sin), we're not going to find much time on these "less important" missions of Christmas. Assembling your kids new toy won't feel so urgent or important when you're praying fervently for your unsaved neighbor, will it?

Let's share some ideas as to what we can do to be actively engaged in God's mission this Christmas. I shared a couple of things in the sermon; I'd love to hear how God might be leading you. Let's encourage and spur one another on.

Thanks,
Pastor Brian

Prioritizing Christ

2009-11-22T07:22:00.003-06:00

This Sunday, we saw Zechariah extolling (praising) God for his great salvation. Instead of getting distracted by al the wonderful gifts God had given him, he kept the main thing the main thing. If you and I are not careful, we will get swept away by all the Christmas hoopla. We won't, though, if we - like Zechariah - are able to stay focused on the greatness of God's salvation.

So, how will you do that? To a significant degree, this is a matter of the heart. But what does this tangibly mean? What will you actually do to stay focused on Christ this holiday season? I'd love to hear your ideas.

Pastor Brian

Coming Respite from Exodus

2009-11-15T06:37:00.003-06:00

Hey, sorry for not posting something last week. I'm not sure why I didn't....

As I mentioned on Sunday morning, we're taking a break from Exodus during the Holiday season with the plan of picking up again in January. I want to know two things.

1) What is the most significant message you've heard from God so far from this study in Exodus thus far? Be specific and encourage me and your fellow brothers and sisters.

2) What are your lingering questions? This will help me as I continue to prepare sermons for this study.

So, let me know what you're thinking.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Pastor Luke's Homework Assignment

2009-11-03T16:10:00.002-06:00

Hey all you bloggers!

It seems this is an ever-growing community! What a blessing this technology is from God, allowing us to connect around His word as brothers and sisters in Christ!

I saw Pastor Brian's post from his sermon two weeks ago, and he repeated the idea in his sermon this past week when he was reviewing about how God connects His actions to His name - Yahweh. 2 weeks ago, Brian also pointed out that after God leads His people out of Egypt, He is often referred to as "the LORD your God Who brought you out of Egypt," rather than how He had been referred to before this "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

So if Yahweh (what we have translated in our Bibles as LORD) is God's proper name, if you will, then what are these appendages? I would call them taglines to God's name.

So here's the homework. Come up with a tagline or several taglines for God based on how He's worked in a significant way in your own life. Remember, God links His name to His activity, so think of what He's done in your life, and share your tag line with your brothers and sisters in Christ as a testimony to them of God's faithfulness in your life.

Psalm 149:1 says, "Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly!" And I would say for your homework, "Praise the LORD! Give to the LORD a new tag line that praises Him to your brother and sister bloggers in Christ!"

Remember, the homework that Pastor Brian and Pastor Tim and I give you is for your good. It's not just something to check off the list. They are ideas for how you can be drawn to see and savor Jesus Christ for the great and might Savior He is! So enjoy!

Here are some of my taglines:

The LORD my God, Who has blessed me with an incredible best friend and partner for life in my wonderful wife Mikaela, and two wonderful, healthy, amazingly unique children, Traeger and Ataly.

The LORD my God Who provided super-abundantly while Mikaela and I were in Dallas for me to go to Seminary.

The LORD my God, Who brought me to FBC and has blessed me through this community and its leaders.

Praise the LORD! I am looking forward to hearing your taglines!

Are you a child of Abraham?

2009-11-01T07:04:00.003-06:00

First things first: Click here for the Bible reading plan. There are very few spiritual practices more beneficial than this one. Happy reading.

Ok, now for the homework. God says in Genesis 17:7 that he will be God to Abraham and to his descendants after him. The rest of scripture makes clear: if you are of Abraham, you are an heir to the promises, if you are not of Abraham, you are not an heir. So how do you know if you are an heir or not? Are there verses that would lead us to believe we are (can be) children of Abraham? What are they?

Don't stop there, though. Take one more step. Are there any conditions on being a child of Abraham? What do we have to do to be a child of Abraham?

This isn't merely a mental exercise. I want your hope to be sure because, believe me (believe the scriptures), if you are not of Abraham you can not expect any salvation from God.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

By my Name

2009-10-25T07:09:00.003-05:00

Let's talk more about the significance of God attaching his name to his deliverance. In Exodus 6 we see how God keeps drawing attention to himself. "I am the LORD" is his refrain over and over again. I touched on the signficance of that, but how about you? What are seeing?

Also, what difference should that make for us? Is it merely an interesting theological point? What is God meaning to do by attaching his name to his deliverance?

I'm excited to hear what you say.

Pastor Brian

UPDATE: Here's the link to the Compassion Int. story I mentioned this morning.

We are peculiar, aren't we?

2009-10-18T07:08:00.002-05:00

There is something really strange about the people of God turning to Pharaoh for help (Ex. 5:15-19). Why turn there? It doesn't seem to make much sense. But such is the wisdom of a heart bent on figuring this thing called life out on its own. I'm so thankful that God pardons such sin; that he doesn't quit on me when I act so foolishly and rebelliously.

What are you seeing in the text? I'd love to hear what God is showing you from our study of Exodus. Be an encouragement to me and to others by pointing something out in the text that we have looked at yet.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Lying words

2009-10-11T06:53:00.003-05:00

**Before we start, if you're comfortable, please put your name down when you make a comment. Don't be bashful.

First of all, don't hesitate asking questions is you have any. Please know you have permission to ask any question you want.

We finished our sermon this past Sunday by looking at some common lies we are tempted to believe about sin, namely, 1) the warnings against sin are exaggerated, 2) the frontal assault against God's word (i.e. "did God really say?") and 3) deceiving ourselves by thinking we know better than God.

I'm sure there are more. What might some of those be? Help your brothers and sisters about by pointing out a lie or two that you are tempted to believe about God's word and your sin. If possible, contrast the lie with what the Word of God says.

Pastor Brian

I will harden Pharaoh's heart

2009-10-04T06:59:00.003-05:00

God says this in Exodus 4:21, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." As I said in the sermon on Sunday, that's a startling sentence.

This is not an isolated statement. God makes this clear time and time again in the book of Exodus; in addition to that, this is referenced and affirmed in other places in scripture.

God is over all and in all. Nothing escapes his sovereign grasp. While such information is challenging to understand, we need to gladly embrace what is truly revealed of God in his word.

Now, there is a temptation to think something like, "Well, I'm so glad Jesus isn't like this. I'm so glad our Jesus isn't like the god of the OT." Not so fast; Jesus says the exact same thing. Let me show you.

Jesus' disciples were perplexed as to why Jesus would teach in parables; they were just so hard to understand. Along with other things, Jesus quotes an OT passage explaining why he would teach in parables. It says, "You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them" (Read Matt. 13:10-17)

Do you understand what Jesus is saying? He saying, "I speak in parables to keep the hard, unrepentant in the dark. I'm keeping them from seeing and being healed." That's Jesus; kind, meek and tenderhearted Jesus. So, God hardening hearts and keeping people from repentance is not some obscure, isolated OT revelation; its something we all need to come to grips with.

So, any thoughts?

Pastor Brian

Summarizing God's call

2009-09-27T07:04:00.002-05:00

This Sunday's sermon (9-27-09) concludes (for the most part) the theme of God's call in our time in Exodus. God is going to do an amazing thing and he wants to use a man (Moses) as his principle instrument. And here's the cool thing: God is going to do an amazing thing in the communities of Medford, Rib Lake, Abbotsford and Athens and he wants to use you, the people of FBC, as his principle instrument.

Of course, along with excitement, such a call produces uncertainty, fear and doubt. We're tempted to shrink in the face of a daunting task. So, in light of that, what message from God over these last two chapters (all of 3 and the first of 4) have been most helpful to you? Or, to think of it negatively, what area do you need the most help in? The categories are below:

3:7-12 ~ God gets his own work done
3:13-15 ~ God sends his servants out in His authority
3:16-22 ~ God guarantees success
4:1-9 ~ God has the power to overcome external obstacles
4:10-12 ~ God's power overcomes our limitations and inadequacies
4:13-17 ~ God is abundant in mercy even in the face of our unbelief

What do you need extra grace believing? Remember, this is a battle of faith so try and answer the question by addressing what you are failing to believe. Or, what else has God taught you as we've discussed this theme? Share with your brothers and sisters; you will all be blessed by the dialogue.

Where is your irreverence coming from?

2009-06-14T06:36:00.002-05:00

The holiness of God was front and center in our sermon this Sunday (6-14-09). God's "otherness," his beauty and splendor and magnificence radiates from his presence, which produce in us an acute awareness of sin and unadulterated worship. But the sin and worldliness we feast on and let dwell in us darkens our eyes keeping us from seeing the glory of God. Of course, the remedy is repentance and confession of sin.

So what that might be for you? What's keeping you from seeing the radiant glory of God? Are ready and willing to get honest about your brokenness and sin?

What's clouding your view of the holiness of God? I'll go first: I too often fill and satisfy myself on things other than God. I spoil my appetite. I hate when I do that.

What are you doing that is clouding your view of God's holiness?

Brian

Grumbling and complaining

2009-06-07T07:24:00.003-05:00

In the sermon on Sunday, I drew specific focus on the people of Israel finally crying out to God for help and how I/we have a hard time doing that. I mentioned that what we typically do is complain instead.

Do you complain much? I think when we are honest, we tend to complain a little more than we'd like to admit. Why is that? Why do we complain? And what do you find yourself complaining about? And what's the remedy? I'm curious to hear what you think.

Brian.

Moses and Me: the long journey to humility

2009-05-31T06:41:00.002-05:00

Moses went from a position of significance in the Egypt to obscurity in a foreign land. He wasn't even "good enough" to belong to a group of slaves. That's quite remarkable to think about; he was even rejected by his own people.

You know, Moses could have fought against this descent. Maybe he even did, we don't know all the details of the story. But through the providential circumstances, he had no other option other than accept his rejected lot in life. For Moses, humility meant he stopped fighting for something other than his reality.

Why do you and I fight against our reality (i.e. our brokenness, sin, evil, addictions, weakness, vulnerability)? I have my ideas, but what are yours? And according to the message on Sunday, what do we lose when keep holding tight to the illusion of respectability?

I'd be curious to here your thoughts on anything related to our Sunday message.

Did they lie or not?

2009-05-16T20:35:00.004-05:00

In our passage this morning, pharaoh ordered Shiphrah and Ruah, these Hebrew midwives to kill these babies if they were boys. Ex. 1:17 says, "But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live." Then when pharaoh asks the midwives why they didn't do as he commanded they answered (vs. 19), "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them."

What do you think of their response? Do you think they are being dishonest to pharaoh? Do you think there could possibly be an explanation for what they said; maybe we don't have full story? Do you think they lied to pharaoh or not? And does it matter? What might be some of the implications if they were dishonest?

I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
Pastor Brian

No compromise

2009-05-10T07:28:00.002-05:00

Following up from our sermon on Sunday (5-10-09), I'm curious to hear you respond to a couple of things.

1. When I live life by my way rather than Jesus' way, I know I'm missing out seeing God work. What do you think you're missing by doing life your own way?

2. What do you think is holding you back from living fully in the love and grace of God? Are you afraid of what others will think? Maybe you don't know what that means; maybe you are new to this whole Jesus think and you're thinking, "I'm not even sure how to live with God?" Are you being distracted from life with God because of all the clutter around you? Maybe there's another reason (educate me!).

Pastor Brian

No Accidents with God

2009-05-03T07:21:00.002-05:00

We learned this Sunday that the people of Israel weren't in Egypt by accident, but instead by the providential hand of a merciful and gracious God.

God has you right where he wants you even if that has come through the unjust actions of others. Nothing escapes the providence of God and being good God is always working good for his children. What do you think about that and why? Is this an encouragement to you or not? If yes, why? If not, why?

Don't be content with you initial reactions, whatever they are. Explore why you think and feel the way that you do. Examine why you might see this as encouraging or discouraging. It's only when we get honest with ourselves do we really begin to grow.

I'm anxious to hear what you say.

Pastor Brian

Expository Preaching and Exodus

2009-04-26T07:03:00.003-05:00

As I shared on Sunday, we've been covering a number of sermon topics since finishing 1 Corinthians last fall. We are now returning to a book of the Bible, the book of Exodus. This strategy is called "expository preaching."

The fact of the matter is I always try to preaching expositionally. Exposition simply means "to expound;" as a preacher, my primary goal is to let the Word of God speak for itself whether I'm in a sermon series from a book of the Bible or I'm discussing a specific topic. So, I simply try to expound what God has already said. And when you march through a book of the Bible, you force yourself to address and take seriously everything that God says rather than jumping around and touching on topics and verses that peak your interest.

Help me out as we prepare to work through Exodus: what questions do you have that are related to this book? What questions do you hope will be addressed as we go through this book? What do you think about going through a book from the Old Testament? Your feedback will be helpful as I prepare these sermons.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Baptism

2009-04-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

Tell me about your thoughts on baptism. If you've been baptized, what was that like for you? If you haven't been baptized, why not? Do you feel you have a good handle on the meaning and significance of baptism?

As we mentioned in the service, our annual baptism and picnic at the Thompsons is scheduled for Sunday after church, July 19. If you are interested in baptism, make sure you let us know. But by all means, put the day on the calendar; its a great day.

Let me know your thoughts; tell me your stories.

Pastor Brian

A Heart Ready for the Word: Part 4

2009-04-05T07:25:00.002-05:00

Most Christians struggle with a cluttered heart. With a world constantly on the run and endless options at our fingertips, it takes a lot of discipline to keep everything in its proper place. As odd as it sounds, my work (yes, ministry!) clutters my life sometimes. I can get so fixated on "getting things done" that I let this important care weed out the word of God. Isn't interesting that even good things like ministry can sometimes hinder our relationship with God?

What are some of the things you need to weed out? What clutter needs to get pulled from you heart? I'm curious to know.

Pastor Brian

A Heart Ready for the Word: Part 3

2009-03-29T07:23:00.002-05:00

Hello folks.

In the message today (3-29-09) we touched on the seed the fell on the rocky ground. I mentioned that we receive the word of God superficially because we haven't given up our visions, plans and goals; in fact, we think Jesus is the key ingredient to making our visions, plans and goals a reality. But, as I mentioned, God has his own vision, plans and goals and (quite frankly) wants to transform us so we embody his visions, plans and goals as well.

What do you think about this? Does a shallow heart prevent us from embracing the visions, plans and goals of God? Since the issue is always faith/trust, what are we not believing about God that keeps us set on our own purposes isntead of God's?

Love to hear your feedback on these questions or on the message in general.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

A Heart Ready for the Word

2009-03-15T06:41:00.000-05:00

We've been talking about being receptive to God's word using the parable of the sower as our guide. This past Sunday (3-15-09) we addressed the heart that's hard like a walking path unable and unwilling to receive the word.

We learned the remedy to this problem is repentance; turning away from all that we're trusting and hoping in and turning to Jesus. What do you think keeps us from true repentance? Certainly, repentance is a divine gift, but what practical or tangible aspects keep us from receiving this gift and turning to Jesus?

Love to hear your thoughts, not just on this question but on the series in general and what God is doing in your life.

Pastor Brian

So, what did you learn?

2009-02-22T07:24:00.006-06:00

Well, we're done with fear (not really, just the sermon series). What did you learn? I'm really excited to hear how God blessed you over these past 6 weeks? What has helped you with your fear? What promise from God or point is God using to help you trust him in the midst of fear?

Do you see that little link called "comment" at the bottom of this post? Click on it and leave me (and other FBCers) some feedback. Bless others with a testimony of God's grace. Leave your name if your comfortable, I always like knowing who's sharing.

Thanks for joining me in the journey.

Pastor Brian

The fear of man and early childhood development

2009-02-15T06:53:00.003-06:00

This past Sunday, we examined and discussed the fear of man. We are way too dependent on the approval of others so, consequently, we fear losing it. I believe early childhood crisis or trauma does impact our need for approval today. Allow me to explain.

Human development is kind of like building a house of cards; you can't skip steps. Our growth can easily be stunted if we fail to receive what we need when we need it. Of course, no one is perfectly nurtured in the developmental process and we all move on and function in some capacity (in many cases, function well). But this functionality often masks the the unmet need that will emerge in our lives at some time.

It's quite common for people who've experienced significant rejection or trauma as a child to crave the praise of man in exorbitant ways. Children largely receive their self-definition through identification with their parental figures (this is in contrast to adolescence where identity is largely determined in contrast to parental figures). So when there is crisis in the home (like divorce or the death of a family member) or rejection from parents, children aren't able to take these normal developmental steps in self-identification; these issues either prevent children from receiving what they need or confuse them greatly.

We really can't skip steps in our development. Therefore, people who experience such rejection or crisis often crave the acceptance and approval of others because they've "missed out" on it as a child. This can be manifested in many ways, but very typically its seen through an obsession with being "OK" or "acceptable" in the minds of others. but like all human efforts for approval, its never enough.

Now, why am I bringing this up? Because it's always important to understand the dynamics at work in our lives. Unless we are aware of the problem, we're not able to address it.

I'm not making excuses for the fear of man. The fear of man isn't "OK" just because someone had early childhood rejection or trauma. But to grow and experience the transforming power of the Gospel, we need to know where and how to apply God's grace. God's grace is enough in every circumstance.

If you think this possibility might be connected to your fear of man, what's needed is the willingness to be honest this trauma, the willingness to accept and grieve this loss and then to apply the promises and provisions of God. Oftentimes we need help getting started so don't hesitate asking for help if needed.

Pastor Brian

Re: The Manna Principle - What happens when God gives me more than what I need for today?

2009-02-02T16:58:00.002-06:00

During the most recent sermon, "The God Who Tests," we talked about the Manna Principle which states, "God will give you what you need for today & today alone; you have to trust Him for tomorrow." But what about when God gives us more than we need for today? Are we violating the Manna Principle when we have excess food in our refrigerator or when we have money in the bank or in our retirement account?

I have the benefit of getting to chat with Brian about his sermons at work, and I asked him this question, and he pointed out that there are passages of scripture that commend storing up. Proverbs tells sluggards to "Consider the ant..." (Prov. 6:6-11; see also Prov. 30:24-28). So we basically have passages of scripture that seem to contradict one another. But we know that ALL scripture is equally God-breathed. We have to be very careful to take all Scripture equally seriously as God's word. It is easy to have our favorite passages and kind of ignore the other ones that don't fit our opinions or preferences so well.

So how do we take all these Scriptures seriously without feeling crazy?! First, we need to embrace that there is tension in many areas in Scripture. Life is not simple; life is incredibly complex! Therefore, it only makes sense that there will be tension in how God describes life in the Bible and also in how He commands us to live. Tension does not mean contradiction. Tension means embracing and taking seriously the reality of the complexity of life.

Second, I think we need to realize that having more than we need for today can also be a test. Will we continue to trust God or start relying on our abundance? I think of the rich man Jesus told a parable about in Luke 12:16-21 (actually, Luke 12 is the chapter where Luke discusses much of what is in Matt. 6 (the passage we read for our first fear sermon), and the Luke 12:13-48 is all very informative about the treasuring idea.). What the rich man teaches us is that we always have to keep our eye on the ball - being rich toward God. So whether God chooses to give us an abundance or to give us just what we need for today (or we could ask the question that many other believers in other parts of the world could ask: What if God doesn't give us enough for today? What about Christians who go hungry or without shelter or adequate health care, etc.?) or not enough for today - whatever God gives us (or doesn't give us) - the question is, how can I be rich toward God in my current circumstance? And the answer is always the same - by grace through faith. We have to rely on Him and trust Him - not anything or anyone else. And as we seek Him, as we treasure Him, as we believe in Him, He will lead us. He will give us life and guide us in the living!

Were any of you thinking similar questions about the Manna Principle? What are your thoughts about what we should do when God gives us abundance rather than just what we need for today?

Luke Hatfield

How can God be good and still test us?

2009-02-01T06:45:00.006-06:00

This past Sunday (2-1-09), we talked about how God tests his children. Pondering such things compels us to wonder about God's goodness. We think, "ok, yes, God has good purposes in mind when he tests his children; on the other side of the testing are treasures that stretch beyond our imagination (James 1:12). But still, my trials are so painful. The hurt and pain is seems inconsistent with a loving and caring God. How are we supposed to think of such things?"

It's important to remember from the start that there's not a response that will satisfy our curiosity. But you know, that's really not what we need. We ask these questions not so much to satisfy intellectual curiosity, but really, to help us trust. We don't really need "answers," per se; we need to be helped into position to trust.

Something that helps me understand such things is remembering this world is terribly broken and hopelessly beyond fixing itself. You see, our culture commonly thinks that the world runs on autopilot always bringing out the best; that goodness and beauty just happen all by itself. So when bad things happen (some think) something must have interrupted the world's normal state of harmony, peace and life. This is a very popular notion today. When people say, "people are essentially good on the inside," they are expressing this idea. When most people say, "life is good," they mean "life is good, all by itself."

The Bible actually teaches the opposite. From the very beginning of the Bible, the world is viewed as this ominous, menacing force. It's chaotic and dangerous. Left on its own, it spits out violence, evil and harm. Throw our sinfulness into the mix and you've got a recipe for a world that is fraught with trouble and misery. The reality is our world is not some picturesque utopia, but its the broken abode where we all live.

How does this help? It helps by showing us that the troubles and hardships of our lives aren't the result of God interrupting our great life with problems. God has nothing but kindness and mercy for his children; the harm and danger already exist in this world; in fact, that's normal. The problems in life shouldn't be surprising; what's truly amazing is the goodness of God given to sinners such as us.

"But, Brian," you're thinking, "God could still do something. Ok, the world is broken, but God could stop bad things from happening to me." That may be the case, but that may not be what's best for us. For example, my sons would probably like me stopping some of their "hardships." I could spare my boys a lot of grief by being overly protective. But is that good for them? No, its not. While I'm not the one who inflicted my boys with harm (say, challenges with friends at school), I'm also not necessarily relieving them of those challenges (like, moving to a different school district). Certainly, a loving father carefully discerns when his children need help, but he doesn't simply remove them of hard situations.

Life is good, but its good because of God's grace given through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything good in life is a result of God's love; even when life is hard, God's looking to produce life and joy. Our calling is to trust him in it all. Thankfully, he's proven himself trustworthy.

What do you think?

Remembering God in the midst of fear

2009-01-25T06:44:00.002-06:00

In our sermon this week, we talked about the need to recall God as our first action step to conquering fear. Rather than jumping straight to prayer; rather than trying to regain control, its important that we (as Ed Welch puts it) (1) recount who God is, (2) remember that he has promised to be found by those who seek him and (3) review stories of his perfection until you find yourself confident in him.

Let me tell you somethings that I remember about God when I start feeling worry and fear come on.

- I remember God cares. 1 Peter 5:17, "...casting all you anxieties on him, because he cares for you." In my moments of panic and trouble, God cares for me.
- I remember God is strong and ready to help. Psalm 46:1 says, "The LORD is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Deliverance is nearby and God is more than able to help.
- I remember that God is more dreadful than my fears. Luke 12:4-5 says, "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after than have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!" This passage provides the sobriety we need. Even when our life is on the line, something more important is at stake...God's judgment on sin.
- I remember that God will never leave me alone. Hebrews 13:5-6, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'"

When I start remembering these things about God, I am helped in my fear. What helps you? What things about God come and help you put things in perspective. I'm curious to hear.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Anxiety Medication and the Fight against Fear

2009-01-22T10:16:00.005-06:00

A great question that came to my desk this week was, "should a Christian take anxiety medication or is this the world's way of dealing with fear/anxiety?" What a great question.

First of all, please know that I don't believe modern medical care is somehow evil or un-christianly. Certainly, one can abuse or misuse modern medicine, but I believe (generally specially) advances in medical care and science are acts of God's grace and gifts from him to use for his glory. So taking medicine or taking advantage of medical practices in and of themselves is not evil.

As we discussed in the first sermon on fear (1-18-09), our body automatically reacts to perceived threats; this is God's built-in defense mechanism. But, we're broken. This world is broken in every single way. Sin is a part of our existence and is has marred this world. As a result, these natural, physiological reactions can misfire and malfunction; instead of being helpful like God intended, they are actually unhelpful and hinder normal human functioning. These misfirings are not necessarily tied to any specific act of unbelief or sin; they just seem to be part of a broken world.

A person ought not to neglect some of the natural approaches to health. We are whole people; things like healthy eating and regular exercise do make a difference in every other aspect of our health; some studies show chiropractic care helping anxiety, too. With that said, there may be times when medication is needed to control the physical symptoms of anxiety. This isn't a sign of lack of faith; it may be a necessary step to control physical symptoms while attempts at addressing the core issues are explored. Of course, consult your physician before deciding on any course of action.

It's critical to remember, though, that medication simply addresses symptoms; its doesn't address the problem. Hope placed in anxiety medication is sorely misplaced; in fact, hope placed anywhere but Christ is sin. Christ is always our only hope. We always look to him for victory. If anxiety medication is needed for a time, then we will praise God that medication is out there and helpful as we take it in faith. But while we are doing that, we are to keep our eyes fixed squarely on the only savior of worry and anxiety, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Tell me what you think? If you've needed help with anxiety, share with us your experiences.

Welcome, Oh Fearful One!

2009-01-18T07:32:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the FBC sermon blog. We're starting the sermon blog to help you interact with the content presented through the sermons at FBCs. Make sure you check out our sermon page on our website. We're hoping you feel the freedom to ask questions, dialogue with others and just process the information God has presented to us through the sermons given at FBC. So let's get started.

We've begun our Fear sermon series. First of all, what do you think about that? Are you glad we're talking about fear? Why do we get a little...fearful... just talking about fear? I'm curious to hear you thoughts.

Also, what might be a topic or issue related to fear that you're thinking, "I sure hope Brian talks about...?" What might that be? What do you hope we touch on in this sermon series?

Hopefully, that's enough to get us started. Let me here what you think.

Pastor Brian

UPDATE: I heard a couple of good questions today that I had not thought of concerning this topic. So if you have questions related to fear/worry/ anxiety, please ask on the blog so I can cover the pertinent topics during the series or at minimum, on this blog.