The Narrow Way – Matthew 7:13-20

I have shared this story with you several times, but never in its entirety. Let me correct that this morning. Years ago, I flew from Calgary, Alberta down to Lubbock, Texas to attend a Bible conference at the Tabernacle Baptist Church. Two of my closest friends in the...

December 13

Edward Pierce was born in Gates County, North Carolina, on this day (Dec. 13) in 1870. The Lord saved his soul when Edward was sixteen, and shortly after that he was called to preach the gospel. He graduated from Wake Forest College and then from Southern Baptist...

Penniless Preachers – Nehemiah 13:10-13

The title of this lesson is “Penniless Preachers.” Twenty years ago I would have had a hard time preaching this message because of the connection it would have exposed between you and me. It might have appeared to be self-serving, worldly or even downright greedy on...

The Dying Saint – Nehemiah 13:31

When we started this study last April, I said that Nehemiah could be used as an illustration of a New Testament Christian. Despite not knowing anything of Jesus Christ, this man’s trust was in Jehovah, and his service was for the glory of God. As we have seen over the...

December 6

According to David Benedict’s Baptist history, a church was formed in Salem, Massachusetts, in the year 1780. On this day (December 6), a year later, Samuel Fletcher was ordained as their pastor. He was 33 years old, had been saved about thirteen years, and had been...

Statutes of Limitation – Nehemiah 13:1-31

I confess that from the moment we started this study of Nehemiah I have been dreading this chapter. I read this book several times before we started, and I knew it concluded with an unpopular and controversial subject. Now, here we are. But as is most often the case –...

Isaiah’s Five Senses – Isaiah 6:1-8

Permit me to use my imagination for a few moments. You can join me if you’d like. I am picturing a young Hebrew man – one of sons of prophets – trained in one of the schools of Elijah. He already has some experience using his gifts of prophecy, preaching and...

November 29

In the 1870’s the First Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon became burdened for the many Chinese who were moving into their city. Pastor D.J. Pierce wrote to E.Z. Simmons, a Baptist missionary who was on furlough from China, asking if he would come up from...

Thanksgiving at the Beautiful Gate – Acts 3:1-10

  If I asked you, “What is the CHIEF purpose of man?” how would you answer? Many of us raised in Episcopalianism would instantly know the answer from our catechism. The chief purpose of man is to glorify God. I Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether therefore ye eat or...

Quality Christianity – II Corinthians 4:17-18

Let’s say that you’ve just been introduced to someone new, and the question of “Christianity” has come up. You want to know whether this person is a genuine child of God or just a name-only Christian. How should we test that person? – Or for that matter, how could...