“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That’s a very simple statement and easy to understand, but when you think about it, it is probably one of the most important things you can believe! Here are my reasons for thinking this easy, first-verse-in-the-Bible statement is so important. First, if you take this to heart, you accept the idea that God was, in the beginning, before creation. Before the world, before the universe and the ‘big bang,’ and before anything else existed – ...
Feb 19, 2023•39 min•Ep. 122
Many years ago, my wife and I purchased a special gift for our daughters: an electric piano! They told us they wanted it and promised to practice every day – so we gave them a quality instrument, just like they wanted. At first, they practiced several times a week without complaint and went to their lessons regularly. After a little over a year, though, we noticed that their attitudes toward their music lessons began to change. They complained a little about their teacher and then started 'forge...
Feb 12, 2023•32 min•Ep. 121
Have you ever whispered to yourself or someone else, “Control Yourself?” I know I have! It can make the difference between disaster and success! We sometimes find ourselves in situations where our emotions are in turmoil, and we find ourselves upset and confused; if you’ve been taught how to act in challenging situations, you find yourself thinking, “I’ve got to keep it under control.” Learning to control yourself is key to a successful life; it is also directly related to one’s Christian faith!...
Feb 05, 2023•39 min•Ep. 120
"Oh yeah, then 'put your money where your mouth is!'" My brother used to say this when we were growing up, particularly when we disagreed on something important –He was trying to cut through the nonsense of our arguments and force us to act out on what we said. His logic was clear – if you really believed something, then you would act on it and even 'bet on it!' We may often find ourselves saying that we believe something, but when pressed, realize that what we said was only words – we really di...
Jan 29, 2023•39 min•Ep. 119
The child had just fallen down the stairs and sobbed into her mother’s arms. Mom hugged her child, soothing and comforting her, and said, “Everything’s going to be ok; I love you.” Soon the drama ended. The child wiped her tears away from her face, hugged her mama one more time, and then climbed down to the floor and ran off with her older brother. Everything was fine! “Everything’s going to be ok. I love you.” Such powerful words! As adults, we know that life isn’t easy, and everything isn’t al...
Jan 22, 2023•38 min•Ep. 118
Many years ago, I made a huge mistake – I was making homemade ice cream for a family gathering, and I failed to clear the drain hole of the freezer during the freezing process. A little bit of salt water made its way into the ice cream mix, and when I took the first delicious bite, it was apparent that I had messed up – the salt had flavored the entire mix! No amount of brown sugar and vanilla could cover the flavor of the salt – it was just too powerful! We tried to eat it but finally gave up a...
Jan 15, 2023•42 min•Ep. 117
Jan told an all-too-familiar story: she had grown up in church, been baptized as a child, and when she got into her 20’s, she decided to leave her childhood faith behind and go ‘the way of the world’ so that she could find herself. It wasn’t long, though, when ‘the ways of the world’ began to hurt her. She ended up pregnant by a man she hardly knew. Because she wanted to do the right thing, she married this near-stranger, tried to make it work, and ended up divorced, without a job, trying to rai...
Jan 08, 2023•41 min•Ep. 116
Happy New Year! Today, we started our 2023 with an update from Rob Van Wey. About Rob and Julie Van Wey Jesus acknowledged years ago the same problem we face today, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:36-38). God is sending military me...
Jan 01, 2023•30 min•Ep. 115
The comedian’s routine was funny, well-delivered, and “predictable.” He wanted to make fun of Christians and anyone who believed in a loving God, so he pointed out the flaws and mistakes preachers and other believers had made in their ministries. The conclusion was that only stupid people could believe in God because the God of the Bible was angry and did nothing other than punish people for being human! The tragedy wasn’t that the comedian was attacking the Church; that is to be accepted. The r...
Dec 18, 2022•31 min•Ep. 114
Imagine the childhood conversation between two young boys: “My dad is bigger than your dad.” “No, my dad is bigger than yours.” “Uh uh, mine could beat yours in a fight!” Not ever – my dad could beat yours into the ground!” And on and on it goes, of course! I wish I could say this was only an imaginary disagreement. Still, I remember arguing with one of my childhood friends in first or second grade. Having the biggest, strongest, or toughest dad was a big deal to two little boys! No matter the a...
Dec 11, 2022•32 min•Ep. 113
Every year on the first Sunday of December, our congregations reads interpretations of common Christmas decorations. Enjoy this special service. The best way to 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://a3...
Dec 04, 2022•50 min•Ep. 112
Have you ever noticed “the beautiful people?” I went down to the local Dentistry College to meet a friend a few years ago, and I was confronted with a building full of “the beautiful people.” The young female dental students were all gorgeous and had beautiful smiles, and the male students were tall and good-looking, with broad shoulders and square jaws. I felt so out of place! Interestingly, the world notices those who are physically attractive or come from ‘good families.’ There has been much ...
Nov 27, 2022•29 min•Ep. 111
The best way to 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/...
Nov 13, 2022•34 min•Ep. 110
Years ago, I started taking guitar lessons – visions of greatness danced in my head! I went to lessons, spent money on multiple guitars and all sorts of equipment, and practiced every day, sometimes for over an hour! I was going to ‘do it’ this time – I would not quit, slack off, or let anything keep me from mastering this instrument as I had in the past – it was that important! Over time, though, I started skipping my daily practice sessions – once in a while. I continued to go to my lessons an...
Nov 06, 2022•39 min•Ep. 109
In churches, you will occasionally hear a success story of the Gospel: Occasionally you hear a success story of a radical transformation by Jesus. I recently talked with a good friend who works in a crisis pregnancy center run by a local church. A young pregnant drug addict came in seeking an abortion; they could not help her with that but tried to get her into a drug treatment program. She left and called back a few days later and had lost the baby. Months later, she came in again, still addict...
Oct 30, 2022•58 min•Ep. 108
God has created us for greatness! Years ago, a man named Johannes Guttenberg had an idea that would change the world. While working on a piece of jewelry in his shop, it occurred to him that he could make a letter out of metal, and somehow use it to print letters for notes on paper. He worked and toiled for months – he fiddled with different metals to use for the letters, then experimented with a variety of oils and chemicals to mix with ink, and then adapted a common winepress – and invented wh...
Oct 16, 2022•45 min•Ep. 107
The air was crisp and cool, and my motorcycle ran great that afternoon. I sped up to the legal limit, which was far slower than I wanted to go, and for several miles, I just drifted along, taking in the scenery and the pleasure of a good ride. And then I came upon a long, smooth straight on the road, and again I began to fight with the urge to ‘give it the gas’ and hear the roar of my motor flying down the road. I sped up, and then, as I approached the end of the straight, I let off the gas and ...
Oct 09, 2022•31 min•Ep. 106
Focus, focus! I heard the young mother repeat this to her toddler over and over. She was trying to get him up the steps, and he, every bit of 18 months old, was having some trouble. He was working on the steps and leaned down to touch a dead bug in his way. The steps were hard – because he couldn’t yet focus on them! After the mother said ‘focus,’ he looked up and smiled and was immediately distracted by my presence behind him. He turned and smiled at me and waved, and then, before his mother co...
Oct 02, 2022•37 min•Ep. 105
I heard the little voice cry out through the car door, “But I don’t want to grow up!” I could relate – sometimes, I would rather do whatever I want, and just not ‘grow up;’ but because I am no longer a small child, I don’t really have a choice! Sometimes, though, people resist growing up, don’t they? In a passage in the book of Hebrews, the author tells the people in the early church that it is time for them to ‘grow up.’ He said it like this: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the...
Jul 25, 2022•43 min•Ep. 104
Following Jesus is easy and clear – until it isn't! When someone first receives Jesus as Savior, the issue is usually very simple: "Do you want to be forgiven of your sins and commit to following Jesus?" The answer is usually, "Yes, I do." However, at some point, when the new convert begins to struggle against the sin that is their life, or they struggle with biblical teachings that challenge them, they begin to realize just how 'extreme' this Christian faith can become! Faith's 'extreme' nature...
Jul 10, 2022•40 min•Ep. 103
God has blessed our nation! Every day I enjoy the blessings that God has showered upon our nation: Freedom, safety and security, a stable governmental framework, the list is endless! These blessings came to us not because we have earned it or are better than anyone else, but because God chose to bless us. We understand, of course, that when our lives generally follow biblical teachings God blesses us, and when we outright reject those teachings, God withholds those blessings. For instance, when ...
Jul 03, 2022•43 min•Ep. 102
Jim and Shelly Myrick provide care for the children of missionaries in Africa. Their work allows the parents to continue their work sharing the gospel in villages and cities throughout Africa. Jim is sharing his experience with us today and how you can help support their ministry needs. If you would like to contribute to Jim and Shelly's Mission, you may do so by clicking here https://usgiving.aimint.org/missionary/145160
Jun 26, 2022•48 min•Ep. 101
This life can be a battle! In one famous Old Testament story, a powerful soldier named Naaman had everything in life – but he was a leper. This was a then-incurable and disfiguring disease, and he had spent considerable time and resources trying to find a doctor or healer who could help him, but there was nothing anyone could do! One day a young slave girl tasked with caring for Naaman’s wife mentioned that there was a prophet in a nearby country who could heal him. The wife told her husband, wh...
Jun 19, 2022•41 min•Ep. 100
God calls us to a life of honesty and integrity! This means that we speak the truth, and what we say we believe is supported by our words and actions. This is extremely important to God! In the early church, there was a practice of selling your possessions and giving the proceeds to the church so that all would have food and clothing. One couple intended to do this but lied about the money they received after selling a piece of property. They gave a generous gift to the church but held back some...
Jun 05, 2022•40 min•Ep. 99
Don’t waste what you have been given! I remember the first time I heard this in a sermon, and it stuck in my head. The pastor was talking about our spiritual gifts, as well as the other things of value in our lives. His point was that Christians needed to live ‘responsible,’ lives. It was alright to have fun and goof off, but there does need to be a serious side of life, devoted to serving God and others. Samson had a hard time with this lesson! He was born for greatness, to be sure, and raised ...
May 29, 2022•38 min•Ep. 98
While attending my son’s graduation, I was inspired by the decorated caps of some of the graduates. They tried to summarize their college experience in a few words, funny phrases or clever sayings. It got me thinking, as did the commencement speaker, that we all have a story. Our circumstances, decisions, faith, people we meet, and events that take place influence us along our life’s journey. Joseph’s story illustrates how God uses those factors to shape us as we navigate our story. The best way...
May 23, 2022•28 min•Ep. 97
We have all made mistakes! Sometimes others know what we’ve done. At other times we get caught, and everyone knows who we really are. It can be a terrible experience! One day, while Jesus was teaching in the temple, an angry mom brought to him a woman caught in adultery – they wanted to kill her! They put Jesus to the test – would he join them or not? If he joined in, the crowd would reject Jesus as part of a corrupt religious establishment; if he resisted, he would look ‘soft on crime’ and seem...
May 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 96
God is always at work – even when you cannot see it! At one point in the Apostle Paul’s life, he traveled with a group of preachers to a distant land to share the gospel message. At first, things went well, and a wealthy woman converted to the Christian faith. A few days later, though, Paul offended some of the wealthy businessmen, ended up being beaten by an angry mob, and thrown into prison. God worked to release him, though, and God used Paul to lead the jailer and his family to receive Chris...
May 08, 2022•40 min•Ep. 95
We’ve all had bad days, haven’t we? Something goes wrong, we have a conflict with a family member or co-worker, and we’re upset or ‘off’ the rest of the day. We go on, though, and the next day is usually better. How do you react, though, when something happens of a more serious nature? Do you fret and worry, even cry? Do you talk to others? Or does it put you in a bad mood, to the point where you are rude or dismissive towards others? The Apostle Paul had many ‘bad days;’ in fact, he sometimes h...
May 01, 2022•43 min•Ep. 94
One of the most significant challenges of the resurrection is living ‘the resurrection life!’ This is what following Jesus is all about! You see, it’s one thing to say you have received Jesus as Savior and go through the ritual of baptism, but it’s quite another to allow God to change your heart and affect the way you live your life. When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Rome, there were Christians who said all the right things, went to church and acted spiritually correct when it suited t...
Apr 25, 2022•34 min•Ep. 93
