Weekly Bible teaching from Pastor Jim Thomas at Holly Springs Bible Fellowship in Hornick, Iowa.
Joshua 5 – Christianity is sourced in a private decision that we make before God, but it also involves a public lifestyle that reflects that decision. God can do the impossible in your life, but he will not do what he expects you to be able to do for yourself. He desires that your focus be on him, rather than on your circumstances.
Joshua 4 – God establishes a reminder of his power at the Jordan River. The Children of Israel were to use that memorial as a reminder and a teaching opportunity. God desires for us to remember and rehearse His work in our lives. We must never forget and focus on what He has done and is doing in our lives.
Joshua 3 – The crossing of the Jordan is a perfect picture of the Christian life. It starts with an "all-in" commitment. It is followed by keeping our eyes on Jesus as he leads us on the path we must go. We can overcome the barriers that we face in our lives by keeping our eyes on Jesus, just as Israel had to focus on the Ark.
Joshua 2 – God shows that he has concern and will save anyone who wants to trust Him. The amazing principle in Joshua 2 is that God can and will do amazing things in your life if you will follow and trust in Him. Your past does not have to determine your future. God specializes in creating new things from old.
Joshua 1 – Joshua faces a daunting and overwhelming future after the death of Moses. He sets his focus on obeying, honoring, and trusting God. Joshua approaches his future with courage, and God prospers his efforts. God will do the same for us, but it requires a determination to follow God, whatever the cost. Seek God’s plan this week and not your own.
1 John 5 :9 -17 = John wants to move the Christian from doubt to certainty. He assures us that we can live this day by living life to the fullest. We can rest our heads tonight knowing – absent from this life present with God. John also reminds us that we can have confidence in our prayer life. We can come boldly into his presence and ask whatever is important to our hearts and lives.
Genesis 16 – I pray that we learn to realize that it does not depend on us to figure it out. We have to learn to wait and do God's will, God's way, in God's time. God is watching and seeing your situation. Often, His answer comes in doing the hard things, but blessing follows genuine obedience.
1 John 5:6-9 = John wants to move the Christian from doubt to certainty. He assures us that we can live this day by living life to the fullest. God’s Spirit confirms my relationship with God and gives my life purpose and meaning.
1 John 5:1-5 - John wants us to have the assurance of our salvation. He also wants us to understand that genuine faith is based on belief (truth) and love, producing a life of obedience and victory. A genuine Christian continues to grow in faith and obedience,
Exodus 11, 12: The Passover reminds us that our salvation came at a significant cost. Salvation requires that we privately choose to accept Jesus as our Passover lamb. It means committing our lives to living for Him and not ourselves.
1 John 4:7-21 = John wants us to realize that genuine love originates from God. God set the example, giving us the power to love in the same way. He demands that if we call ourselves believers, we show love to those around us.
1 John 4:1-6 - Discernment - Jimmy Cockburn
1 John 3:11-24 = John establishes clear distinctions to know if you are a child of God. Genuine believers love the right things and hate the wrong things. They are obedient and respond when God convicts their heart. Genuine Christ followers show compassion and meet needs when they are able. John challenges us to ask ourselves whether we are real or fake. They are sobering tests that require us to be honest with ourselves before God.
1 John 3:4-10 = John writes so we can know we are believers. He encourages us to look at how we view sin and our beliefs and practices regarding sin in our lives. A believer's life is marked by righteousness. As a believer, he seeks to follow the "righteous one". If we are genuinely born of God, our lives will resemble Christ because we will take on the characteristics of our father who adopted us into his family.
1 John 3:1-3 = John challenges us to live as Children of God. We are His children now, and our righteous and loving Father loves us and desires only the best for His Children. Let us live in the hope and confidence of a Father who loves and cares for us.
1 John 2:20-29 = John challenges us to stay faithful and acknowledge the anointing that we possess. Allow God to use you this week for His purposes and plans. I pray that we will experience the voice and leading of God this week. If God should come this week or call you home into His presence, may you stand confident that your life has been about stuff that matters.
1 John 2:18,19 – Are you ready for the Lord’s coming? Satan will do everything in his ability to sidetrack you this week. We need to remain faithful and patient, focusing on Jesus and not those who are anti-Jesus.
1 John 2:15-17 – What do you love? John challenges us to examine our real love. We cannot love the world's system and claim to love God. They are mutually exclusive. Invest your life and legacy in things with eternal value instead of those that will pass away one day.
This is a short summary of our recent Mission Trip to Ethnos 360 Training Center in Roach, Missouri, from February 9 to 14, 2025.
1 John 2:3-8 May you go into this week with the assurance of your relationship with our heavenly father. May you walk in Fellowship and allow Him to work through you in what He desires to accomplish this week. It is my prayer that people wold see Jesus in our lives this week.
1 John 2:1,2 = The sacrifice of Jesus covers my sin. It allows me to become a Child of God. As His child, my focus becomes pleasing my heavenly Father in all I say or do. I do not serve God to be accepted; I serve God because I am accepted. Serve Him with your whole heart this week.
1 John 1:8-10 = To genuinely walk with God, we must be honest about our sins and what hinders our growth as a believer. May we confess and deal with the things that are hurting that Fellowship.
1 John 1:5-7 = Fellowship is essential to our relationship with Christ. We must make sure that we are walking in the light that God provides through His Word and others. As we deal with our own lives, we are better equipped to be light in a very dark world.
1 John 1:1- 4 = Genuine Christianity is sourced in a personal relationship with a living Christ. It involves Fellowship with God and His people. It can and will produce a mature joy in your life in this world.
Philippians 3:12-14 - Paul reminds us that the focus of this life is to be in a forward direction. We cannot change the Past, but we can learn from it and use it to help us focus as we go forward. Our ultimate goal is allowing Christ to be seen in us so that the world may know Him as their Lord and Savior.
The Messiah - Jesus came to this earth to save us. It was the purpose of His birth; He was born to die. He made an “all-in” commitment that resulted in His death on the cross. He offers Salvation to anyone who commits to following Him. I pray that you have accepted that gift. For those of us who have – let’s focus our energy on sharing Christ with a world that desperately needs Jesus.
Jesus comes to deal with messy people. All of these people teach us something about Jesus. The shepherds teach us to be willing to follow. The Woman at the Well reminds us to focus on the future, not the past. The publicans and tax collectors challenge us to meet people where they are. The religious leaders challenge us to be bold when dealing with truth. The disciples remind us that God will never give up on us.
Jimmy Cockburn - Messy Places
Matthew 1 – Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus proves that God is in control and keeps His promises. God redeems the unredeemable and gives people with a messy past grace, mercy, hope, and a future. No one is beyond the love of God. He will use anyone who comes to Him. The Messiah came to save sinners and give them a new purpose.
