As John draws his letter to a close, he reminds the church and Christians the importance of accountability within the church and the importance of praying for one another. All of us struggle to overcome sin in our lives and John wants us to make sure we utilize the power of the local faith community in our struggles. From 1st John 5:16-19. Thank yo…

In this message we look at the importance, privilege and power of personal prayer in the lives of Christian. Prayer is the most underused weapon the Christian has available for dealing with the struggles of this life as well as developing a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. From 1st John 5:13-15. Thank you for listening to our podcast…

John tells us in 1st John 5:13 that the purpose of this letter was so that Christians could have assurance in eternal life. So that we could be confident in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have no doubts about what awaits us when we die. Yet, if you were to ask many in the church "If you were to die today, where would you go" you…

In the 15th Century, a Christian Monk with the name Johnn of the Cross coined a phrase, "The Dark Night of the Soul" to describe those times in a Christians life when they face such struggle, difficulties and trials that they feel like God has abandoned them. If you live the Christian life long enough, you will probably face a "Dark Night". In toda…

With all the changes that are taking place in our nation and culture as we move from our Judeo-Christian values where the traditional family is foundational towards a progressive postmodern, post Christian environment - what is the church and Christian's response supposed to be? Should we wait it out and hope for the best, or maybe disengage and st…

We live in a culture where the word "love" has been hijacked by many groups and organizations as a means to justify any and all sorts of lifestyles and behaviors. This subjective view of love has, by its overuse, pretty much made the word undefinable. Yet, the Apostle John spends most of his gospel and a good section of his New Testament letters cl…

As John continues to warn about False Teachers in 1st John 4, he builds on last week's passages on "testing the spirits" and comparing what is being taught about Jesus Christ with scripture, in this week's passages he adds the influence of the Holy Spirit. In this message we discuss how the "power" of the Holy Spirit allows us to overcome the influ…

The Apostle John again warns of false teachers and false teachings in our passage for this message. Here he goes a step further than just warning but also gives some practical test to identify a false teacher and how we can know what they are teaching is unscriptural. Listen in to discover some tools we can use to protect ourselves, our families an…

This message continues our look at 1st John 3:19-24 and the issue of doubts. So many struggle with the assurance of their salvation and in this letter, the Apostle John explains how we can find security in our relationship with God. We break down why it is so important to recognize and utilize the privilege we have to approach God with worship and …

While most of 1st John is written to differentiate between those who "claim to be believers" or "say they believe" versus true believers in Jesus Christ, it also gives us some "test" to help those who are struggling with doubts about their faith to find some assurance. Most of those tests are taught in general terms like "Walking in the Light", "Lo…

All of us have defaults, they are what we fall back on when called to react to something unexpected. They are part of our old nature, who we were before we became Christians and if we are not careful, they can hinder our relationship with God and with others. So how do we change those defaults and which ones should be a priority? Join us as we exam…

One of the debates that plagued the early church and continues through today is the issue of sin and how it affects the life of a Christian. Early church cults taught that since we are under grace and forgiven, it doesn't matter if we sin, and we should not worry about it - this came to be known as "antinomian" thought and was considered heresy by …

What does the Apostle John mean when he uses the term "child of God" to describe those who are Christ followers? You hear people say we are "all God's children" but is that scriptural? In our passage for this message John unpacks the power, privilege and responsivities that come with that name and how it impacts our personal identity. He is drawn t…

This message examines the warning about false teachers that have infiltrated the early church and are causing division and distractions. These "anti-Christ", as John calls them, are dangerous and need to be exposed and confronted. John gives us 3 ways to expose these false teachers and 3 ways we can protect ourselves from their deception. From 1st …

In this message we examine certain "worldly" distractions that can hinder, harm and diminish our personal relationship with God and how to overcome them. From 1st John 2:12-17. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblo…

A look at how the resurrection of Jesus Christ influences every area of a Christian's life, not just eternity. We discuss how hopeless the world would be without the empty tomb and a risen savior! From 1st Corinthians 15. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our…

A message on "Good Friday" and the meaning and message of the Cross. This message examines the deceleration of Jesus on the cross "My God, My God, why has thou Forsaken me?" and how it relates to Psalms 22. From Matthew 27:45-46, Psalms 22. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with othe…

How can you tell if someone is a Christian or not? That has been a struggle from the beginning as false teachers and teaching began to invade the church. That is why the Apostle John in 1st John uses phrases like "you may claim" "if you say" as if to indicate that there were a lot of people in those early churches claiming to be followers of Christ…

A message on stepping out on faith as individuals and as a church as we move forward striving to reach our region with the message of Jesus Christ. Also, a message of encouragement for anyone who needs to trust in God when making big decisions. From Numbers 13-14. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our …

We all follow someone - it shows in how we dress, the music we listen to, the television shows we watch, even in some of our attitudes. We even have people today whose sole job it is to gain followers on social media as "influencers". The real questions is where are those people we follow leading us, and how does that affect our relationship with G…

Millions of people watching the Super Bowl likely saw an ad put out by an organization with the goal of introducing or reintroducing people to Jesus - separating him from the politics of today - or at least that was their stated intentions. Sadly, all the ad did was double down on the politics by presenting a Jesus who seems to fit into the politic…

All of us wear mask from time to time. Mask that disguise our true thoughts, mask that project who we wish we could be, mask that make us seem more "spiritual" than we really are. In ancient Greece those actors who wore mask for the theater were known as "Hypokrites" or what we would today call "hypocrites". Jesus confronts the Pharisees in Matthew…

In 1st John 1:5-7, the Apostle John reflects on a concept that he introduced in his gospel using the metaphor of "Light" to explain how Jesus Christ provides eternal and abundant life to those who follow him. In using the term "Walking in the Light", John explains the difference between having a relationship with God and being in "fellowship" or co…

In this introduction to our new study from 1st John, we look at the context and background of the letter as well as the importance of personal application or obedience to scripture. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbapti…

In this message we examine the importance of "being available" when God calls your name to serve. Hebrews 10:23-25 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstba…

The national media and even those in religious circles love to talk about the demise of the American church. They emphasize every pastoral scandal, talk about the church closings and love to point out that it seems millennials are leaving the church in droves - but what is really going on? Is the American church on its last legs? Has the church los…

This is the message from Christmas Eve 2023 that examines the Christmas story from Luke 2 and looks at the historical significance of why we celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25th and how that event should impact each one of us spiritually. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with oth…

This is the message from New Years Eve 2023 as we look at some lessons from the birth narratives in Matthew 2 that will have an impact on our lives in 2024. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our …

This is the passage of scripture that Pastor Rusty read and discussed during the New Year Eve 2023 service as we look forward to 2024. Many choose a verse or "word" going into the new year that can be a guide for their spiritual journey. Here, Pastor Rusty shares what the Holy Spirit laid on his heart for the church as we face what could be a divis…

This message is a challenge to use the message of John the Baptist in Luke 3 as a way to prepare our hearts for the true meaning, power and purpose of the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www…

We kick off the Advent season by seeking to answer the question - When does Christmas actually begin? What does the Bible say about the origin of God's plan that played out in the manger of Bethlehem. We look at some Old Testament prophecy to unpack why the first Sunday of Advent focuses on Hope. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would …

We wrap up our study of the book of Colossians by examining the Apostle Paul's final words as he lists all of those who have been encouraging and supporting him and the church while in prison. Many times, we rush past these lists of names at the close of Paul's letters, but those names are there for a reason and in this message, we examine each per…

We continue looking at Colossians 4:2-6 and the practical advice the Apostle Paul gives us for sharing our faith with others. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at off…

We examine the modern New Age movement and philosophies and their influence on the church. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or …

We examine and discuss the protestant reformation and split from the Roman Catholic Church and the split between that church and the Eastern Orthodox faith and what they believe Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistbl…

As we continue to look at Colossians 4:2-6, we examine the second half of Paul's plea when it comes to what Christian's should be devoted to. Last week we looked at the importance of developing a personal prayer life (talking to God about people vs 2-3) and this week we examine - talking to people about God - Evangelism. We focus in our developing …

All of us have things that we are devoted to, or passionate about but how do those things rate compared to what God says Christians should be devoted to as new creations? Paul continues to provide examples of how living a new life in Christ should impact our everyday lives by examining how we spend our time, talent and treasure in the things we are…

All of us have had jobs we didn't like, or aspects of our jobs that we don't like or feel like the task are beneath us. It has led some of us to burnout or discouragement and sometimes even a search for another job. What if there was a way, we could change the way we view our jobs or find a new level of motivation for waking up and going in on Mond…

As the Apostle Paul continues to explain how those who have been transformed through the power of salvation in Jesus Christ are to live their lives; this week he looks at how it effects the home and our relationships in the home. From our relationship with our spouse and our children and even how Christian children are to respond to their parents -…

We examine the current conflict going on between Israel and Hamas or those who call themselves Palestinians from both a historical and Biblical standpoint. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Y…

We continue looking at the prescriptions that the Apostle Paul lays out for living a life both "crucified with Christ" and "alive in his resurrection power". As he continues to encourage the Colossians, he identifies some of the results that you can expect to see in the life of a spiritually healthy believer and a spiritually healthy church and how…

We look at the history and beliefs of Judaism and how it relates to Christianity. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone …

We examine the history and practices of the religion of Islam. From our Sunday night series on Comparative Religions. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firs…

A recent Barna survey found that 80% of the churches in North America are either plateaued or in decline and that over 1000 churches are closing their doors every month. Something is not right with the Church. As many churches face continual struggles with spiritual health and dysfunction, they strive to place blame and look for quick fixes. Maybe …

In Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul declares that it is garbage day in the life of a Christian and all of us probably have some trash that needs taken out. We have already learned that once we become a Christian, we are a new creation, and our old self has been "crucified with Christ" and we are dead to sin - but we still have to live in these fleshl…

As the Apostle Paul moves from the deep theological truths (justification) and warnings of Chapter two of the Book of Colossians into the more practical application (Sanctification) of Chapter 3, he offers some insight into laying down the groundwork that must happen in a Christians life beforehand. In this message we look at the importance of deve…

Having identified two external threats to Christians and the church experiencing their fullness and freedoms in Christ back in Colossians 2:8, the Apostle Paul now sets his sights on exposing some internal threats. In this message we unpack how legalism, Christian mysticism, and religious virtue signaling are not only distortions of grace and dimin…

In this message, the Apostle Paul continues his case for the sufficiency of Jesus Christ by explaining all that he accomplished on our behalf at the Cross. In his theologically powerful explanation, Paul outlines several life and eternity altering events that happened through Jesus Christ death on the cross and in doing so, gives us some insight in…

In our passage for today the Apostle Paul warns the church about the dangers of falling into the trap of "deceptive philosophies that are based on human tradition" and "basic principles of the world". We examine both of those danger in depth and how they "kidnap" the heart and minds of Christians and how that affects their Christian journey and abi…

The Apostle Paul lays out some factors that contribute to a church finding spiritual health and experiencing growth. From Colossians 2:1-7. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Con…