September 22, 2024
|
Hebrews 5:11-6:8
|
Christian maturity, exposition, jesus, maturity
From the time of our birth, parents and doctors begin to measure our physical growth. Educators measure our intellectual growth. Banks and credit agencies measure our financial growth. They all have goals for where we should be in order to be considered healthy or to graduate or to qualify for a loan. But what about spiritual growth? Does God have a goal for our spiritual growth? Many in the church today seem to be unaware of this greater goal.
So the greater goal is not to just make converts, but to make Christ-followers, to make disciples of Jesus who grow up to maturity becoming like Him in every way. Because as Dallas Willard warned, “The way to get more people into heaven is to get heaven into more people. And if you don’t do that, then you wind up with a group of people that are testimonies against heaven.”
What’s your goal in life? Is your life a testimony for heaven or against heaven? Are you growing spiritually? Since becoming a Christian, are you growing more like Jesus? In the epistle of Hebrews, the Jewish background believers were warned not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus. We can heed the warning not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus.
March 29, 2024
|
cross, crucifixion, Good Friday, jesus, last words, salvation
“And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” – Mark 15:37 (ESV) On this Good Friday let us meditate upon the seven last words of Jesus from the cross: These seven last words are like seven diamonds on a necklace, each perfect in color, clarity and cut, but varying in caret. They hang
March 18, 2024
|
Colossians 1:19-22
|
cross, jesus
Have you ever experienced a break in a relationship? A broken relationship is often one of the most painful things we ever experience. And reconciliation? Well, that might be one of the most difficult things to accomplish.
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he explained that it was trusting in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross that reconciled them to God. We can trust in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross to reconcile us to God.
March 10, 2024
|
1 Corinthians 1:17-25
|
cross, exposition, jesus
Do you see the need for Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross for your sins? Do you understand its significance? Do you believe that people are separated from God in this world, struggling with sin, addiction, and death without God’s intervention? Do you believe that people who die separated from God will spend eternity without Him in a place called Hell?
In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, he explained why the message of the cross of Christ was crucial to their salvation.
January 5, 2024
|
choice, commitment, decision, discipleship, fellowship, jesus
“18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And
April 7, 2023
|
cross, crucifixion, jesus, last words, Passion Week
“And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” – Mark 15:37 (ESV) On this Good Friday let us meditate upon the seven last words of Jesus from the cross: These seven last words are like seven diamonds on a necklace, each perfect in color, clarity and cut, but varying in caret. They hang
December 9, 2022
|
ask the pastor, Belshazzar, discipleship, jesus, Messiah, Twelve Tribes
Pastor Gary Combs answers various Bible questions that have come to him via the church’s “Ask the Pastor.” This segment addresses questions like, “Will there be Levitical priests offering sacrifices again?” “Were the 12 disciples also members of the 12 tribes?” “Was Belshazzar the son of Nebuchadnezzar?”
May 7, 2022
|
faith, jesus, mother's day, parenting
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5 NIV). The church of my youth had annual revival services. We would often have an evangelist come and share how God had miraculously saved
February 12, 2022
|
ask the pastor, bible questions, jesus, Mary magdalene, nephilim, one year bible
Pastor Gary Combs responds to questions about this week’s One Year Bible readings. The first question is from Numbers 13:33 concerning the “Nephilim.” The second question concerns how to reconcile the readings from Matthew 28 and John 20 on Mary Magdalene “clinging” to Jesus.
February 5, 2022
|
ask the pastor, Christ, jesus, one year bible, prophet, son of god
Pastor Gary Combs responds to a question about this week’s One Year Bible readings. He responds to a question about why many of the 1st Century followers of Jesus thought he was a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah raised from the dead.