Strange Obedience (Ruth 3:1-9)
In Ruth 3, Ruth was given instructions by Naomi that seemed odd to us and most likely seemed strange to Ruth. But those instructions were based on the truth of God’s word, and by following those instructions, Ruth would receive a tremendous blessing. Her story should encourage us to obey God’s word, whether our flesh is comfortable with it or not.
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- Aug 16, 2023Strange Obedience (Ruth 3:1-9)
Strange Obedience (Ruth 3:1-9)In Ruth 3, Ruth was given instructions by Naomi that seemed odd to us and most likely seemed strange to Ruth. But those instructions were based on the truth of God’s word, and by following those instructions, Ruth would receive a tremendous blessing. Her story should encourage us to obey God’s word, whether our flesh is comfortable with it or not.
- Aug 13, 2023The Traitor At The Table (John 13:21-30)
The Traitor At The Table (John 13:21-30)
- Aug 13, 2023How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)
How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)Humans are naturally selfish creatures. Left to our own devices we will always turn inward, doing the things that make us happy and that satisfy our desires. We will view our relationships with others as a means to achieve a self-serving goal. Because of our sinful, selfish tendencies, it is hard for us to have true compassion. Even acts of kindness that we do can be motivated by a selfish desire to feel good about ourselves or be viewed positively by others for what we have done. Jesus had no selfish tendencies, therefore everything He did was motivated by the holy desire for the good of others. He is the model of true compassion. In Mark 8:1-10, we find a record of one of the two famous miracles when Jesus fed the multitude by turning a tiny amount of food into an abundant feast. We often focus on the material aspect of the story, how seven loaves and a few fish could become a feast for 4,000, and we sometimes overlook Jesus’ motivation for the miracle. He stated that motivation in Mark 8:2 when He said, “I have compassion on the multitude.” If we follow that line of thought we find details in this story that show us how to have true compassion. Having true compassion means paying attention to other people and to their needs. It means taking the time to get to know them personally. It means
you are willing to sacrifice what little you have for their good, trusting God to stretch your resources so that neither you nor they will end up empty handed. Having true compassion means that you are not living for yourself, but that you honor God by genuinely caring for others. - Aug 9, 2023God’s Providential Plan (Ruth 2:1-17)
God’s Providential Plan (Ruth 2:1-17)There is no such things as luck. Nothing happens to us by pure coincidence because God is sovereignly working in our lives to achieve His perfect purpose in us and through us. How God sovereignly worked in Ruth’s life to put her in the right place at the right time to meet the right person to fulfill God’s plan for her is amazing to see. Trust what God is doing and obey what you know God wants you to do and you will see God’s sovereignty at work in your life too.
- Aug 6, 2023The Glory Of God (Jude 24-25)
The Glory Of God (Jude 24-25)Philadelphia Baptist Church has been in existence for over 85 years. The church has its roots near downtown Atlanta at the intersection of Cameron Street and DeKalb St. Today, you’ll find houses and I-20 on the land that once belonged to Cameron Street Baptist Church, as we were then known. We are not sure when the church actually began, but the earliest records we have on file are from 1931. By 1936, our name had been changed to McDonald Memorial Baptist Church. In October of that year, our total offerings were $21.46. $16.15 of that went toward the mortgage and $2.00 was spent to purchase coal to heat the building. By 1959, the church name had been changed to Philadelphia Baptist Church and the decision had been made to become an independent Baptist church. During the next few decades, the church saw many blessings. A new property was purchased and the church relocated to Conyers, GA in 1973. Also in the 1970’s, Philadelphia Christian School was started, which remained in existence until 2013. God’s blessing was evident as souls were saved and disciples were made. In 2007, another chapter was opened for the church when an old school building on 26 acres in Rutledge, GA was given to the church. Eventually, both church and school were relocated to Rutledge and we are still here today, continuing our mission of seeking the lost and training disciples. Throughout the history of our church, there has been only one constant. Our name has changed, our location has changed, our leadership has changed and our membership has changed. But there is One who has not changed the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is still the head of our church to this day. As we celebrate the history of our church, we want to give all the glory to Jesus, the only One who deserves it. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. (Psalms 118:23)
- Aug 2, 2023The Bitter Road to Recovery (Ruth 1:19-22)
The Bitter Road to Recovery (Ruth 1:19-22)Just like eating bitter food leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, enduring bitter circumstances can leave a lasting impression that may take time to recover from. During the time of recovery, we will be tempted to allow the bitterness of life to cause us to become bitter in spirit. While the road to recovery may be bitter, but we do not have to be.
- Jul 30, 2023The Fix For Fear (Psalm 56:1-13)
The Fix For Fear (Psalm 56:1-13)
- Jul 30, 2023He Hath Done All Things Well (Mark 7:37)
He Hath Done All Things Well (Mark 7:37)“And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” -Mark 7:37-
In the creation account of Genesis 1, we read that at the end of each day God reviewed what He created and saw that it was good. We learn a foundational truth in those brief statements. God is a doer, and everything that God does, He does well. Some believe that God is impersonal and disconnected. They do not think that He takes a personal interest in our lives or cares about the details. They imagine that He is more of a spectator than the sovereign Author of history. This is not true. God is a doer. He is actively working His sovereign plan in each of our lives. Everything that happens to us then is part of God’s perfect plan. There are no surprises to God. He is not reacting to plot twists as the main character of your favorite story might. Even when we are affected by the consequences of sin, everything is still under God’s sovereign control. Whatever God does, He does well. Because He is good, He does good. (Psalm 119:68). That is why we can confidently affirm that all things will work together for good. (Romans 8:28). God does not make mistakes, and He does not overlook details. You can trust God in every situation because “He hath done all things well.” - Jul 26, 2023Responding to Tragedy (Ruth 1:6-18)
Responding to Tragedy (Ruth 1:6-18)Ruth 1:6-18 shows us how three ladies responded to their tragic circumstances. Naomi decided to return to the land of promise. Orpah's departed to go back to the land of Moab. Ruth was determined to remain with Naomi and chose to place her trust in Jehovah. God uses times of trial in our lives to draw us to Himself and to grow us. When we face tragedy in our lives, we must respond with repentance and faith, trusting God to work through the trial for our good and His glory.
- Jul 23, 2023God Gave Them Over (Romans 1:18-32, Judges 19:1-29)
God Gave Them Over (Romans 1:18-32, Judges 19:1-29)Man was created to worship God, but because of sin, we are tempted to turn from God and worship other things. When a person rejects God, they are choosing a path toward levels of debauchery and evil that they could never imagine. A person who persists in their rebellion against God will reach a point where God will relax His restraining hand on the wicked desires of his heart and allow him to pursue the fulfillment of all his lusts. God will give him “over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Romans 1:28) As they indulge their sinful lusts, they will begin to endure the natural consequences of their sin. They will “receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” (Romans 1:27) These truths are vividly displayed in Judges 19. This chapter of scripture is one of the most difficult to read because it shows us the natural and logical result of rejecting God and the truth of God’s word. When there is no absolute truth, and no one is accountable to anyone for their actions, a society inevitably descends into the depths of the most disgusting and repulsive behavior. Sadly, we see the same kinds of things taking place in our nation today. What God calls an abomination is celebrated and paraded down the streets of America. We are being led further and further astray by reprobate minds. With so much evil on full display, there has never been a greater opportunity for Christians to make a difference. We must first be sure that we are not letting the world influence us and spoil us with their godless philosophy. Then we must be salt and light, glorifying God by living and sharing the gospel.
- Jul 23, 2023The Tomb of the Unknown Prophet (I Kings 13:1-34)
The Tomb of the Unknown Prophet (I Kings 13:1-34)The mistake of the unknown prophet was to go against the clear revealed will of God. His story teaches us that no matter who we are and no matter what we are told, we must obey God's Word. While God may not strike you dead the instant you disobey, failing to obey God always results in tragedy.
- Jul 19, 2023The Danger of Departing (Ruth 1:1-5)
The Danger of Departing (Ruth 1:1-5)The book of Ruth is all about God’s redemption. He can redeem a foreign widow from her destitution. He can redeem a bitter woman from her sorrow. He can redeem the sinful choices of a fearful man so that “all things work together for good.” But God’s grace and His power to redeem should never be used as an excuse to depart from the will of God. We must trust God through the hardest times and obey His word, even when another way seems better to us.
- Jul 16, 2023The Disappointment of Worldly Worship
The Disappointment of Worldly Worship
- Jul 16, 2023Humble Faith
Humble Faith
The Lord Jesus Christ was known for his gracious speech. "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." (Luke 4:22) But there were a few times that Jesus' words appear to be harsh and unkind. Such is the case with Jesus' conversation with a Gentile woman, recorded in Mark 7. This woman had a problem she couldn't solve. Her daughter was possessed by a devil. She heard that Jesus had come to town, so she went to Him because she knew that Jesus could heal her. When she found Jesus, she fell at His feet and begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter.
Jesus' answer seems cold and callous.
"Let the children first be filled: for it
is not meet to take the children's
bread, and to cast it unto the dogs."
Did Jesus call her a dog? Was He
refusing to answer her prayer?Many people would have been so
offended by that kind of an answer
they would have turned around
and left, but not this woman. She
knew who she was and that she
did not deserve anything help
from Jesus. But she also knew who
Jesus was. Just a crumb of his
power was enough to deliver her
daughter, and that's all she asked
for. In response to her humble faith,
Jesus healed her little girl.True faith is always humble. It does
not demand of God what it wants,
nor does it think it deserves to get
what it wants. Humble faith admits
that for God to help us, He must
stoop to where we are. It realizes
that whatever good thing God gives
us is better than we deserve. The kind
of faith that honors God is humble faith. - Jul 9, 2023God’s and a Good Luck Charm
God’s and a Good Luck Charm
