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Episodes
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Those who have the ability to lead others can have a tremendous impact on a church – for good, or for evil! It is important that church members monitor the strong in their church, to ensure that their influences are good, moral, and Bible Based. Even as they continually test the spirits in their congregation, though, a healthy church will never let an individual or group lead them from engaging in ministry to others. The ministries of the church are to be always faithful to scriptural teachings and based upon faith, rather than on the strong personalities in the congregation.
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Jesus calls on His church to teach spiritual and moral truth, and correct those that distort that truth. We must learn to be alert to the teachings of those in our church, and be willing to ask them to explain themselves, and even challenge them if they say something that does not sound ‘according to the Bible.’ There have always been false teachers and teachings in the church; when these false teachings are allowed to develop a foothold, they may turn people away from the true faith, or lead them to act in a way that may bring physical, emotional, or spiritual harm to someone. As always, God blesses us for our faithfulness to Him, and brings joy into our lives when we obey his teachings.
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these videos with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
From the very beginning of the Church, God’s people were often under attack! At times they were oppressed and persecuted by those around them simply because they were different than others; sometimes it was because their faith challenged the other faiths in the area. Too, the various political powers often chose to oppress the Christians for a variety of reasons. Regardless, it was hard to follow Jesus! In the church at Smyrna there was persecution, and Jesus spoke to them in the Revelation to acknowledge their faithful suffering, and encouraged them to ‘keep the faith.’ For those that suffer for their faith there are blessings, both in this life, and in the life that is to come. We are to be strong as we endure the sufferings of this life, and keep the faith!
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online here
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here or by Liking our Facebook page
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Tuesday Dec 29, 2020
Tuesday Dec 29, 2020
God loves us – and He wants to help!
Can you remember a couple of individuals that made an impact in your life, such as a family member or teacher/mentor? We all have people in our lives that have shaped and taught us – it is one of the ways God “gifts” us - with good teachings and influences. He does this because He loves us, and wants to instill within us an ethic for life. An “ethic” is simply an overall approach to life and relationships – the set of ideas and controls that guide your life!
The teachings God sends us are based upon His eternal love for us all.
King David understood this: Psalms 25:4-6, 8-10
David acknowledges that God’s ways are based on His desires to provide a path for life and salvation. Here are a couple of things David mentions:
A Godly Ethic for life
Based on God’s eternal wisdom: “For they have been from of old.” (v.6) God’s knowledge and wisdom are eternal! The path of life is the same in every age, and every culture. What actions and characteristics led to life and joy thousands of years ago, can do the same today. A godly lifestyle is never ‘out of date’ this kind of life can always guide us on a path that leads to joy and fulfillment. It may not be popular, and it may lead one to live in a way that seems outdated, but God’s wisdom and teachings are eternal, because they are based upon God’s eternal character!
It is for everyone: “Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.” (v.8) As you know, God created us all as equals, and the creation and fall story – that of being created in God’s image and without sin, and then choosing to sin – is everyone’s story! And just as the story of God’s salvation to come was for those in the original story, so too is the offer of salvation to all of us through the knowledge of the Gospel. God instructs sinners in “the way” – the way of life, and the way of salvation. We all need to hear this message!
When people hear the instruction of God and begin to live their lives as God teaches, their lives get better: more stable, healthier relationships, and less of the self-destructive actions that come so naturally to us all.
God’s ways shape our lives
A life based on God’s teachings will develop and follow the ‘ethic’ of God.
Whenever there is a big change in one’s life, there are a variety of factors and behaviors to consider. For instance, if an overweight middle-aged man such as myself wants to ‘get in shape,’ there are many things to address: diet: sugar and meats and vegetables; heart: cholesterol and blood pressure and conditioning; even ‘lifestyle’: watching tv often, walking, etc. There is no “one” thing to do, and only doing one thing won’t make much difference. It is the same for so many areas of life: even the effort to develop an ethic for life that is from God!
-Whenever we talk about a ‘path’ of life, particularly an ‘ethic’ from God, we aren’t talking about any one practice or idea – it is a collection of beliefs and practices that make up an ‘ethic’ towards life!
Jesus addressed this truth in his Sermon on the Mount. READ Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus used the analogy of one building a house: if you build upon a solid foundation, your house would stand in a storm; if you build upon sand, however, the house would fall. Jesus, making this point in vv.24, and 26, said this: “acts upon them. . . does not act upon them.” If you build your life on his teachings it will stand, if you do not, it will crumble.
Here are just a few of the parts of a ‘solid foundation,’ or “godly ethic’ Jesus mentioned in his sermon on the mount:
Elements of a Godly Ethic
Healthy relationships, 5:3-10: A high value in the Christian faith
Sincerity, 5:20: The problem with the Pharisees was their hypocrisy, and all saw it.
Emotional restraint, 5:21-24: This ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ is a primary factor of life-success.
Financial gifts, 6:2: Vital to the faith is not only the practice of sharing with those in need; it is also important to resist being too tied to one’s possessions.
Developing this godly ‘ethic’ for life is always a good and profitable practice – for everyone! This ‘ethic,’ when lived consistently, becomes a way by which God works within our lives. God can use us, and bless us as we live out our faith.
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these videos with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Each year the Sunday after Thanksgiving our congregation members share the stories and history of common decorations used around Christmas time. We hope you enjoy this special service.
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these videos with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
It is a challenge to get along with others; in fact, it can even be painful for some, so much so that they avoid any type of lasting relationships! In a recent conversation with a Childcare father, I told him that my favorite part of every day at church was meeting parents and their kids, and talking to them and getting to know them. He said, off-handed, “yes, and you don’t have to talk to them very long, ‘cause they’re all in a hurry to get to work.” We laughed, of course, as men do when someone says something we’ve all felt at some point. What he told me in that comment, though, was that he either didn’t really want to talk to people, or, more than likely, was a little uncomfortable talking to people he didn’t know well.
This isn’t really a judgment against my friend; rather, it is an acknowledgment that relationships are hard! You don’t know what you can or can’t say, you’re not sure where people stand or what might offend them, or maybe it just takes too much work and energy to be interested and open to someone.
Even though relationships are hard, though, we often have to remind ourselves – relationships are one of the greatest sources of blessings from God!
Indeed, relationships can be such a tremendous source of blessing that: God calls us to value our relationships above all else in our lives.
There are things we all know to be true; i.e., “relationships are important;” but sometimes we get a reminder from life. A little over 9 years ago my father had a massive heart attack in the hallway at NKC hospital; they were able to resuscitate him, and he was on a ventilator for a full week. Finally the next weekend we made the decision to take him off the machine, after which he died in just a few minutes, surrounded by his wife and kids. Something I noticed upon reflection on this horrific week – I don’t remember anything that happened, other than the relationships I shared with my family that week. I don’t remember meals, visitors, or hardly any ‘hospital’ talk – just relationships. It’s almost as if nothing else mattered – and maybe that was one of the greatest lessons of that experience!
I think Paul was trying to help the Roman Christians realize just how important one’s relationships are! Romans 13:8-10
Paul uses the understanding that one needs to pay their debts – and says the only thing really worth debt is to love others! He then reminds them of the 10 Commandments, because even though people usually just see them as rules to follow, they are really ways of maintaining relationships between God, and others. He finishes this section with a statement of faith: “Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.” (13:10)
Our relationships with others are not only given to us by God as a source of joy; these relationships are also the primary means by which we experience and express our faith in Jesus!
Understanding the value of relationships, it should come as no surprise that: God calls us to nurture the relationships in our lives.
If you truly value a relationship, then you have to act in a way that nurtures and strengthens that relationship – it just makes sense! People don’t always understand this: Years ago I counseled a young couple having problems because the husband had entered into a relationship with another woman. After meeting with them, and hearing both of them say they wanted to save the marriage and stay together (there was a young child); we set about establishing some basic ‘rules’ of the relationship. The first ‘rule’ was that the husband agree to break off his relationship with the other woman, and not see her anymore. He hesitated – and then finally refused, because he cared about her, and said “I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”
He said he valued the relationship with his wife, but he wouldn’t act in a way that would allow it to heal and grow; the wife correctly understood that he didn’t really value her at all! When you value a relationship, you will act to strengthen it!
Paul taught this very thing to those in the church at Ephesus:
When Christians valued their relationship with others, there were ways they would live and act to nurture those relationships. Here are a few ideas he gave them:
God’s Path for Relationships
- Put away the poison (v.31) “Bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, malicious behavior.” These practices are poison to any relationship, and do not have to happen. Here Paul is teaching that we who follow Christ are to make it a conscious effort to change our behavior, and resist the heat of emotion when we speak. We are to represent Christ in all situations, even in our anger and frustrations!
- Choose nice (v.32) “Instead, be kind to each other. . . .” Our behaviors are a choice! No-one makes you act a certain way, people can only “push your button” when you let them. This is not to say we must avoid all conflict, or allow people to manipulate or abuse us. Rather, it is a way to demonstrate, even in challenging encounters, that we follow Jesus and represent God’s grace.
- Remember the reason (v.32) “. . . Just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Here is the reason we are to be different, and the way in which our changed behavior is possible – God in Christ has forgiven us! Because we have experienced God’s forgiveness through Jesus, we are to offer grace and forgiveness to others.
Our response to God’s grace, rather than the actions of others, is to guide our behaviors,.
“Now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. . . . Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. . . Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.”
Colossians 3:8-14
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
We hear a lot about power in our heavily politicized culture today, don’t we? In some contexts you hear people talk about “green power,” or “clean power;” or even “dirty power.” At other times it is a more personal sorts: The power of one gender over another, or one race over another; or even who holds the power in a relationship. It seems that many are only now becoming aware of the way power – of almost any sorts – is both integral, and crucial to the way our world functions!
You may be interested to know that the biblical authors, living under the power of Roman domination, wrote often of power;
In the Old Testament, we read that:
- God created the heavens and the earth, by the power of his voice at work through the Spirit of God
- God’s power at work in and through Moses freed God’s people from Egypt, and led them through the desert to take the Promised Land
- God’s power punished sin and rewarded faithfulness
- God’s power ultimately brought forth his son, Jesus, through the miraculous virgin birth.
God’s power has been central to every story in the Bible; His power, exercised through our faith, makes it happen!
In all walks of life, power is always an issue – especially in the spiritual area of life!
Paul speaks again of power in his letter to the Ephesian church: Ephesians 1:18-23
We are taught here that God’s power is an overwhelming force that gives light, and life.
In our passage, Paul states that he wants those in the early church to truly understand just how powerful and mighty God is, and how that same power is available to them, simply because they follow Jesus!
- He prays that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (v.18)
- He says that the greatness of God’s power through Jesus can give hope, and help us experience the riches of God (v.119)
- He says that God’s great power not only brought back Jesus from the dead; that same power established that resurrected Christ above all powers and authorities, both now and forever. (v.21-23).
This is much more than preacher talk – this is an opportunity to live your life differently, with access to God’s power every day. God can strengthen and encourage you, change situations, and even bring good out of terrible situations!
God’s power is released to work in our lives through our faith in Jesus.
In our passage, Paul mentions in v.18 the “glorious inheritance” God has given to us; some scholars say this refers to our eternal life; is partly true, and we are taught that in other passages. But here I think what God wants us to grasp is our access to God’s power through faith – that it is a powerful and life-changing, inheritance that we have in Jesus.
Significantly, this is focused through the work of the church: “And he put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (vv.22-23)
God’s power, focused through the Church, is the way by which God normally works: The Church shares the Gospel, and we respond for salvation; The Church teaches us biblical truth, and God changes our lives through our faith; and The Church makes an impact upon society, as it teaches and leads its people to serve others, share the Gospel, and help those in need.
Here are some ideas about God’s Power:
- No limits (Philippians 4:13) “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” God had enabled Paul to survive challenges to his work and his life, and gave him the ability to be a part of a life-changing movement of God! God did this as he urged him on, encouraged and lifted him up, and gave him a greater purpose in life.
- Power over our fears and weaknesses (II Timothy 1:7) “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” God’s power can help us “keep it together,” in difficult situations, and face down our fears, and those people and situations that would intimidate us and keep us down.
- Power to transform life (Philippians 3:20-21) “The Lord Jesus Christ will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that he has even to subject all things to Himself.” We are often weak, and frail, or unwilling! God works to influence us; He works to encourage is in His ways and thoughts; He strengthens our wills, and enhances our abilities. Too, he give us joy in life, and enables us to see beyond the current troubles, to the life that is beyond now
“The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired . . . He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:28-31
The best way you can support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility.
You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.