Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
About 60 years ago, several fundamental Baptists came together to form the Baptist Bible Fellowship (BBF). It’s purpose was commendable, but the precept behind it contained automatic corruption. There is nothing wrong with churches getting together for the...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Once again, I’m going to begin by taking this scripture out of its original context. As a preacher and Bible teacher I have permission to do this, so long as I point out what I am doing. Most successful heretics are adept at removing and redacting (editing) the...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Some of you might be wishing that we’d move along more quickly in this study of Romans. You might agree with me that using this form of Bible study we are covering a hundred different themes, but at the same time you’d like to change the background and...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
I am not smart enough to either agree or disagree, but it is stated by some experts that with these verses Paul is beginning the conclusion of this epistle. We are a long way from being finished with our study of Romans, and I’m not convinced that those experts...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
What is the best way to start a new religion, or a new branch of Christendom? Three to four hundred years ago, there arose dozens of sects, like the Methodists and Nazarenes. Then in the last two hundred years, mostly in America, where Baptist blood had won religious...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
I know that most of you couldn’t possibly care any less, and none of us probably should, but there is a debate going on in the world of sports about who should, and who shouldn’t, go into the various sports “Halls of Fame.” For example, the...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
There are two kinds of military commanders – those who send their troops into battle & those who lead them. Similarly, there are two kinds of teachers – those who instruct and those who are examples. I suppose that the best kind of teacher is both an...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Paul enjoyed boldly going where no Christian missionary had ever gone before. Despite working in some of the largest cities around the Mediterranean, he still enjoyed taking the gospel into those regions where unknown peoples lived and died without Christ. As we...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
My message in some ways parallels Pixar Animation’s movie “Toy Story.” In perhaps the most famous line in that movie, and one which has become synonymous with Pixar itself, Buzz Lightyear, the spaceman toy, shouts as he takes off, or falls off...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Last Spring, the Little’s came to church one Sunday and in their pickup there were a number of scrawny, pie-cherry trees. We took a couple of them home, and one or two other families did as well. Under the direction of my girls, I planted our two in the back...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Paul is writing from Corinth, sometime during his Third Missionary Journey. As we said a couple weeks ago, it could have been written during his long first stay in the city, or it might have come when he made a quick second stop in Corinth, after gathering a small...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
Let’s pretend that the Lord has laid on the preacher’s heart a message on the subject of tobacco. Let’s say he has heard that a couple of his young people are beginning to use chewing tobacco. So he reaches into his file of notes and pulls out a...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
If Albert Einstein approached you and asked for your opinion about some scientific matter, wouldn’t you feel honored? If Bill Gates asked you to loan him a hundred dollars, wouldn’t you be curious? If the President Obama called you and asked what you...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
I begin with an apology for jumping the gun – I should know better. I said last week that we were finishing our look at chapter 15 with last Sunday night’s message. But the Lord has brought me back to it once again. I think that this will be our last week...
Jan 15, 2015 | Romans
It appears that with these words we come to the conclusion of the Book of Romans – the letter to the Romans. These words are generally called “the benediction” – a prayer for the blessing of God upon the readers. Often these benedictions come...
Jan 15, 2015 | Wednesday
According to my records we have looked at parts of this Psalm four times in the last 25 years. One of those messages was from the perspective of a New Testament quotation. “Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
Baptist churches profess to pattern themselves after what they find in the Word of God. It is very common to hear them say, “We take the Bible as the grounds for our faith and practice.” First and foremost of course, they profess to take what they BELIEVE...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
As I have said several times, this letter was written while Paul was in Corinth. I think that in some ways, Paul’s most important ministry was in the city of Corinth. He was there about a year and a half. He began, as usual in the Jewish synagogue, but...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
I must confess that it is with fear and trepidation that I first thought about preaching from Romans 16. As you can see, we have here a long list of names – primarily of people of whom we know very little. Intellectually, I was thinking that I should be able to...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
If this message sounds familiar to yo than I am delighted. You see, this is a test, it is only a test. If it was really the Bema, then we might all be in trouble. Perhaps this will show us how little we pay attention, or how it might be at the Judgment Seat of...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
As many of you know, I was the pastor of the church which sponsored the mission which became this church. I was not just an observer to the work which began over in Newman Lake and which moved to Post Falls. I preached here many times before your time, and I came...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
Despite the scripture that we just read, I hope that you’ll notice that I’m not going to preach on Mary. There just isn’t enough told us about this lady to give us even a two point message. There isn’t even enough to link her to others in this...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
It was a beautiful wedding. The bride was gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and there were plenty of loving friends and relatives. The bride and her family had planned well, and the wedding party had rehearsed sufficiently. The ceremony went quite well. There were...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
Years ago, I discovered an interesting Greek word, which pops up here in verse 16. It is “allelon” (al-lay’-lone), and it is translated “one another” in this verse. It is not a particularly significant word in itself, but it ties...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
Mom has gone to the grocery store, and one of the things on her shopping list is cantaloup. When she comes to a bin with more than fifty cantaloups, how will she know which is the very best? Some shoppers make their decision based upon the color of the fruit, while...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
As most of you are aware, I believe that all proper sermons should have three points and end in a poem. Under this criteria, we will not have a sermon this evening. Of course, I am being facetious, because sermons can come in many shapes and sizes, and very rarely do...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
I have not had the privilege of visiting many of the churches in the Midwest. There were a few 35 years ago, while I was on missionary deputation, which gave me the invitation to visit, but I regret missing a few of others. For example, I’ve always wanted to...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
There are a great many arguments against becoming a true, Bible-believing Christian. In fact there are more arguments against becoming a Christian than for becoming a Christian. But the weight of those arguments are vastly different. They are like comparing...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
Timotheus – also known as Timothy – is a man whom most Bible students know fairly well. He is mentioned in Acts, Romans, I & II Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, Philemon and Hebrews. In addition to these, there are two...
Jan 14, 2015 | Romans
We are approaching the end of our two and a half year study of the Book of Romans. There isn’t a lot of material yet to cover, other than a few names and the final conclusion. But there are lessons in both of these – even though not every name is...
