First Baptist Grand Prairie

First Baptist Grand Prairie https://fbcgp.org Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:46:56 +0000 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:46:56 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Reach Out in Service https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/10/02/reach-out-in-service Fri, 02 Oct 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/10/02/reach-out-in-service

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Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”
(Titus 3:8)
Passage: Galatians 6:9-10

Peter tells us, “stress these things”. What things? What life was like without Jesus and how Jesus changed our lives from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive. That changed everything in giving us a relationship with God and helping us to live the way He designed for us to live. Once we have that, then we can give ourselves to the purpose of glorifying God and working with Him as He builds His Kingdom. A big part of that is to do good for others as a testimony for Christ and as an inroad to share the gospel.
The Bethlehem Baptist Church in Dunaivtsi, Ukraine is about 260 miles southwest of Kyiv. Because the town is further away from the eastern part of the country where the physical battles are ongoing and it is not an area where strategically the Russians have targeted with missiles, the town has had over 15,000 people come through it as refugees from the east and many have settled there, even as many original citizens have fled the country. The church has taken on the task of ministering to as many of these refugees as they can. They are doing good and their service is an example for believers anywhere. Wherever you are, reach out to others in service and live the difference for Christ.

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]]> Remember How Jesus Changed You https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/10/01/remember-how-jesus-changed-you Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/10/01/remember-how-jesus-changed-you

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” (Titus 3:3-5a)
Passage: Ephesians 2:1-9

I grew up in a Christian family attending church it seemed like, every time the doors were open. With the faith of a child, I asked forgiveness for my sin and confessed by belief in Jesus as a young boy. As the years went by, I was often enamored when I would hear an evangelist in a revival talk about how bad his life was before he received Jesus and how much Jesus changed him. I sometimes wondered if I should have waited to receive Jesus and done more “bad” things, so that I would have a “good” testimony. I am glad to say I came to realize how wrong that was.
Jesus didn’t come because we were bad and He wanted to make us good. He came because we were spiritually dead and He wanted to make us spiritually alive. The sins we commit in action and attitude are simply bi-products of the sin nature within us. That sin nature does not live for the glory of God or seek His Kingdom. One of the reasons many believers lose their passion for Christ is that they forget how Jesus changed their lives. The simple act of faith released the mercy of God upon their lives, and they were made alive spiritually after being dead in their sin. Thank God for the change Jesus made in you and live the difference for Him.

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]]> Relate to Others Like Jesus https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/30/relate-to-others-like-jesus Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/30/relate-to-others-like-jesus

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” (Titus 3:1-2)
Passage: 1 Peter 3:13-17
God wired us for relationships. In this world, we are not called to live isolated lives from relationships. We are called to live insulated lives through the Holy Spirit, who enables us to be good influences for Jesus. The Apostle Peter wrote to believers who were under the ruler-ship of the Roman Empire. He told them to relate to the government with respect and obedience to the laws of the land. He gave them attitudes to adopt of being peaceable, considerate and humble.
In a world where respect for authority in government, law enforcement and school often seems to be nonexistent, one way that believers stand out is through the way we relate to people in authority in the world and to each other within the body of Christ. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.” I saw believers in Ukraine living out the difference Jesus makes as they relate to people in their community and seek to help people in need during the war. That kind of living is attractive to people who are hungry for authentic relationships which they don’t find in the world. Relate to others like Jesus and live the difference for Him.

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]]> Mutual Encouragement https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/29/mutual-encouragement Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/29/mutual-encouragement

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” (Romans 1:9-12)
Passage: Psalm 72:16-19

‍ Baptist Christians across Ukraine have been ministering to people and sharing the gospel throughout the past nearly five years of war, which was started by Russian. The country has experienced over 500,000 casualties with estimates of around 150,000 deaths. Every town and city I’m aware of has memorials set up in honor of those fallen soldiers. While the people of the nation are doing their best to live “normal” lives, the emotional toll is huge. That is one of the reason’s our church said yes to the invitation to have a sister church relationship with Bethlehem Baptist in Dunaivtsi. We want to be an encouragement to them, give some support to help them in what they are already doing and at the same time, we are encouraged by them.
I was blessed to travel to Ukraine and do this personally. While in Kyiv, I often heard the sirens go off indicating a missile or drone was detected and I witness two missiles hitting buildings on the edge of the city one night. In those brief experiences, I had a glimpse in what the people hear and know may happen every day. The only real peace in the midst of war is found in Jesus Christ. I sought to share a word of encouragement as I preached and my heart was encouraged by the church and her pastors. God is at work in Ukraine. Pray for the believers there. Pray for peace.

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]]> A Faith Well Spoken Of https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/28/a-faith-well-spoken-of Mon, 28 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/28/a-faith-well-spoken-of

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.” (Romans 1:8)
Read: Psalm 70:19-24

Texas Baptists began a partnership initiative with Ukraine Baptists in 2025 that started with 42 churches in both countries establishing a sister church relationship together. First Baptist, Grand Prairie was given the blessing of partnering with the Bethlehem Baptist Church of Dunaivtsi and I had the additional blessing of going to Ukraine to spend time with the church pastors and meet other Baptist believers. They have been ministering to people in their country and local communities since Russia began the war in February 2022. Their faithfulness and service for Christ is an inspiration to me and others. Like Paul said of the Roman believers, their faith is being reported all over the world.
If your faith was reported, what kind of report would it be? Would it be a faith that stands firm in the midst of a trial? Would it be a faith that is consistent and filled with the love of Christ? Would it be a faith that points people to Jesus and inspires others to be strong? I saw that kind of faith in Ukrainian brothers and sisters. May it be seen in us.

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]]> Good Spiritual Health Requires Sound Living https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/17/good-spiritual-health-requires-sound-living Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/17/good-spiritual-health-requires-sound-living

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know god, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” (Titus 1:15-16)
Read: Galatians 5:1, 13-15

Sound doctrine does not lead to legalism which claims that being a good Christian depends upon following a list of rules decided by the legalist. It also does not lead to liberal license, which claims that a Christian can do anything he “feels” like doing. Sound doctrine does lead to freedom from being controlled by false teachers and finding freedom through being controlled by Jesus. As a believer you are pure, because you have Jesus living within you through His Holy Spirit. His perfect life is credited to you and your sin has been eternally forgiven because of you belief in His sacrifice for you on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.
Paul tells us in Galatians 5 that while we are free, we should not use our freedom to indulge our sinful nature as the license crowd would propose. He says we should use our freedom to serve others in love. Love is the key. If you love others as you love yourself, you won’t seek to do anything that would hurt them or you. You will desire to live a life that reflects Jesus to the world. Healthy believers and healthy churches want to be a blessing to others. Loving God and loving people is the basis for doing that.

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]]> Good Spiritual Health Requires Sound Learning https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/17/good-spiritual-health-requires-sound-learning Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/17/good-spiritual-health-requires-sound-learning

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumscision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they outght not to teach - and that for dishonest gain . . . Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay not attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.” (Titus 1:10-14)
Read: 2 Timothy 2:14-16

The early church began with nearly everyone coming out of a Jewish background. As the gospel spread, more and more Gentiles became believers and eventually, there were more people from non-Jewish backgrounds than from Jewish backgrounds in the church. With those backgrounds, there were two theological extremes that threatened to derail the spread of the gospel. One was the extreme of legalism, that came primarily from people with a Jewish background. The other was liberalism or license that came primarily from people with a Gentile background. The legalists claimed that a believer had to follow all the Old Testament Jewish laws in order to be a good Christian or perhaps even to actually be a Christian. The liberal or license group claimed that since your were forgiven of sin and the body went back to dust, it didn’t matter what you did with your body.
Healthy churches and healthy believers reject both extremes. They reject them because those extreme positions are contrary to God’s clear teaching in the Bible. Those who try to justify either position are playing what some might call a game of “theological twister”. They move around and twist the scripture in an effort to claim it says something to fit the culture, instead of calling on the culture to conform to scripture. Eventually, it will all come crashing down, and churches that have fallen into eitheir extreme end up ineffective and spiritually dead. Thank God for sound teaching of the Word.

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]]> A Charge for Both Pastor’s and People https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/16/a-charge-for-both-pastor-s-and-people Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/16/a-charge-for-both-pastor-s-and-people

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s suffering and one who will also share in the glory that is to be revealed. Be shepherds of God’s flock under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”(1 Peter 5:1-3)
Read: Hebrews 13:7-8, 17-18

I don’t do very many posts on Facebook and I’m not really sure what it means to twitter. I don’t have to. My precious, beautiful wife, Pam, does it for me. It’s often said that pastor’s live in glass houses. I like to say that Pam Windex's the windows! Those who read her posts can know what I had for dinner, where I went anytime Pam was with me and about every activity we did. Not only have I gotten used to that. I’m okay with that. Peter gave a charge to pastors to be examples for the church. Pam and I seek to do that in our marriage, our family and in any activity we do. Most pastors I know do to.
At the same time, God’s Word gives a charge to believers in the church. The writer of Hebrews was inspired to tell believers to look at their leaders for examples on how to live for Christ. He challenged believers to imitate them, follow their godly leadership and to pray for them. Healthy churches need healthy leaders and healthy leaders help build up healthy believers. Put together, they all show the positive difference Jesus makes in a life, a home and a church.

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]]> Good Spiritual Church Health Requires Sound Leadership https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/15/good-spiritual-church-health-requires-sound-leadership Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/15/good-spiritual-church-health-requires-sound-leadership

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless - not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”(Titus 1:6-9)
Read: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Baptist churches are independent and call their own pastors, but many churches are part of denominations where the pastor is sent to a church by a bishop who is over the churches in a large area. A story is told that a church in one of those always complained about the pastor they got and the bishop sent them a new one every year. One year, he got zero complaints, so he let the pastor stay. Second year, no complaints. Third year, no complaints. After that, the bishop called a member of the church and asked, “What is so special about this man I sent you that you never have complained?” The member answered, “Well sir, we never really wanted a pastor in the first place, and this is the closet thing to no pastor you’ve ever sent us. We don’t want to lose him!”
It is not God’s design for a local church to not have a pastor, but an absolute key need for a church to be spiritual healthy is for the pastor and any ministry staff to be sound and solid in character and conduct. Paul gave Titus characteristics to look for in any man who would be selected to fill the pastoral office. He must be faithful to his wife, if he is married. He must be committed to leading his children to follow Christ. He must have a godly character and he must be convicted to teach and live out God’s Word. No one is perfect, but when a pastor falls in character, conduct or family commitment, the world uses that as opportunity to belittle the gospel and criticize the church. Pray for your pastor to stay strong in the Lord and encourage him to never neglect his family because he’s too busy in the ministry.

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]]> Good Spiritual Health https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/14/good-spiritual-health Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/14/good-spiritual-health

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” (Titus 1:5)
Read: Psalm 69:30-36

When it comes to taking care of our bodies, two basics things are always mentioned. Diet and exercise. That sounds so simple, but it can be a struggle for many of us because our taste buds like things that are not the most nutritional and exercise takes more discipline and effort than we may want to do. Motivation for healthy living comes from deciding that the benefits of a healthy lifestyle outweigh the consequences of an unhealthy one.
A local church is a body of Christ in its community and God wants His body to be healthy in order to function at her best and fulfill His purposes in the world. Paul was well aware that an unhealthy church would not only be unable to impact the world effectively for Christ, but in many cases, it would negatively hurt the witness for Christ. Paul told Titus that he wanted him to help establish churches on the island of Crete that would be healthy and effective. Churches in good spiritual health are essential for the development of disciples and the advancement of the gospel. Pray for your local church and set your heart to help her be as healthy as God wants her to be.

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]]> Be Conscious of His Presence https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/11/be-conscious-of-his-presence Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/11/be-conscious-of-his-presence

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4)
Read:

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to permanently dwell within them. He then affirmed that He and the Spirit are one. He said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because i neither sees HIm nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18) As a believer, you have Jesus within you 24/7. There is never a moment He is not present with you and His presence brings grace and peace to help you deal with anything that comes your way.
Grace Is God’s power and kindness given freely and without merit. It is God’s gift of strength to help you live the Christian life. Whatever you face, His grace is enough and it is sufficient for you. Ask for His grace to be poured out as you need. Jesus in you is strong. In Him, you are too. Peace is God’s inner harmony that gives calm in the midst of whatever difficulties you face. An iceberg in the North Atlantic has around 10% or its mass above the ocean and 90% below. The 10% received all the beating of the wind and the waves. The 90% below the surface floats calmly through the storms. God’s peace is the 90%. His peace brings security to know that He is with you always. Be conscious of His presence and live strong and secure in His love.

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]]> Know that you Know Jesus https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/10/know-that-you-know-jesus Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/10/know-that-you-know-jesus

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season He brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,” (Titus 1:2-3)
Read: 2 Timothy 1:8-12

When Jesus was born, everything was just right in history for His arrival. Religiously, the Jewish people were tired of the legalistic burdens placed on them by the Jewish religious leaders and they were ready for the freedom Jesus would give. Politically, the Roman Empire provided a period of world stability and logistically, they had built a conduit of roads which allowed people to travel more quickly and easily from town to town. Practically, the Greek language was known by more people across the world and allowed the gospel to be shared more easily in cross-cultural settings.
None of that happened by chance. God has established the plan of salvation to come through God the Son before He began creating the world. Paul pointed out that Jesus came “at His appointed season” and the good news of Jesus is passed on through preaching, or proclaiming the gospel. When you believed in Jesus, you were born spiritually into God’s eternal family. You can never lose your salvation any more than you can change your biological DNA. That confidence to know that you know that you know Jesus lets you stand strong in your faith and become the person God designed you to be.

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]]> Be Confident in Your Salvation https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/09/be-confident-in-your-salvation Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/09/be-confident-in-your-salvation

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” (Titus 1:2)
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28

Hope is a powerful thing, it lets people imagine something that they would like to see happen in the future, but there is no guarantee that it will happen. Sports fans begin the season of their favorite team with hope that their team can win the championship. Since there can only be one champion, every team’s fans except one, will end up with their hope unrealized. The same thing applies to hope placed in getting a new job, succeeding in a business, and practically anything else, because in the things of this world, there are few true guarantees. Hope in the world is really wish-ful thinking.
Hope in Christ is totally different. When you believed in Jesus and confessed Him as Lord, you received the hope of eternal life. Heaven is real and this life is not the end. The hope of spending eternity in heaven does not rest on your own goodness or anything that you have done. It rests completely on the work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. God promises eternal life in heaven to everyone who believes, confesses and receives Jesus. He cannot lie and you can trust His promise that heaven is your home. Strong believers have confidence in the promises of God and in the guarantee that their salvation provides. Be strong in your faith. “Christ in you. The hope of glory!” (Colossians 1:27)

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]]> Be Committed to Jesus and God’s People https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/08/be-committed-to-jesus-and-god-s-people Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/08/be-committed-to-jesus-and-god-s-people

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.” (Titus 1:1)
Read: Romans 1:8-13

In his letter to Titus, Paul identified himself in a way that is important to being a strong believer and building strong churches. First, he called himself a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus. The Greek, word Paul chose to use for servant, doulas, was a word that stressed who the servant belonged to rather the word another Greek word, diakonos, which stressed what the servant did. In using that word, Paul was emphasizing that he was subordinate to His Master. He then called himself an apostle of Jesus, which emphasized his call and commitment to be a messenger for Christ.
Paul then commented that his his priority and call was for the faith of God’s and the knowledge of the truth. The elect are believers who make up God’s body, the church. Paul was committed to teach God’s Word and help believers become the people God designed them to be. God wants His children to reflect His character in the way they live. That is godliness. Strong, healthy churches are filled with believers who are committed to Jesus and to His church family. Be that kind of believer and let God use you to make your local church strong.

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]]> TITUS - Strong Believers and Churches https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/07/titus-strong-believers-and-churches Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/07/titus-strong-believers-and-churches

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. . . To Titus, my true son in our common faith: . . . The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” (Titus 1:1, 4-5)
Read: Psalm 68:32-35

There are over 350,000 Christian churches in America. Various studies estimate that anywhere from 65-85% of them are either plateaued or declining. I am sure that the vast majority of those began with the intention to grow and make an impact for Christ, but along the way, the lost their focus on reaching outward and they turned inward. In an analogy of being the body of Christ, the church quit exercising the spiritual disciplines of God’s full purposes and they began to lose their stamina and began to atrophy.
God wants His local churches to be strong and healthy. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to His son in the ministry, Titus, who he had taken with him and left on the island of Crete after Paul had been released from his first Roman imprisonment described in Acts 28. Crete is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Greece. It was a major port city in the first century with international influence. Paul had led people to Christ while the boat he was traveling on as a prisoner to Rome stopped there for a brief time. Paul wanted Titus to help get the churches organized and stable. He wanted to help Titus develop believers and strong church on the island. God wants the same in your life and in your local church.

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]]> Express Your Love Practically for Jesus https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/03/express-your-love-practically-for-jesus Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/03/express-your-love-practically-for-jesus

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet." (Luke 7:44-46)
Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Love is expressed in service. Love is also expressed in stewardship. The woman who came into the courtyard of Simon, demonstrated her love in a practical way by pouring oil on His head and perfume on His feet. Both came at a financial cost to her, but her love compelled her to give. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." While you can give some without loving, you can't love without giving, and your heart will follow wherever you invest your treasure.
God doesn't need money. He is actually owner over everything. He is self-existent and self-sufficient. However, He created a material world where His Kingdom's work is financed through the partnership of His family giving back to Him out of the resources He has supplied to them. King David provided most of the financing for the Temple that his son, Solomon, would build. David challenged the people to join Him in giving and in a gathering of the people, he prayed, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand." (1 Chronicles 29:14) Jesus loves you and gave all He had of Himself for you. Give back to Him out of love and your love for Him will grow more and more as time goes by.

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]]> Express Your Love Practically for Jesus https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/02/express-your-love-practically-for-jesus Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/02/express-your-love-practically-for-jesus

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet." (Luke 7:44-46)
Read: Matthew 25:31-46

In the culture of first century Israel, it was customary for a host to offer water to wash the dust off the feet of a guest. Simon didn't offer that. It was also customary to give a greeting to a guest and in that culture, like many places to day, it would be a kiss on a cheek. Simon didn't do that. The woman who came did both. She showed her love for Jesus by wetting His feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. She showed her love and recognition of Him as Messiah by kneeling before Him and kissing His feet.
True love is not simply expressed through the words you say. It is also communicated by what witness of what you do. In the parable Jesus told of separating the sheep from the goats, the sheep are believers. The goats are non-believers. One of the ways you identify yourself as a sheep is through practical service, such as giving food, water, or clothing to those in need or giving encouragement and help to those who need help in other ways. God has gifted you for service. Every time you do an act of service in the name of Jesus, within your church family or outside in the community, you show love for Him. Never minimize any act of service you do for someone. Do it for Jesus and your love for Him will grow as a result.

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]]> Evaluate Yourself Properly before Jesus https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/01/evaluate-yourself-properly-before-jesus Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/09/01/evaluate-yourself-properly-before-jesus

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner.' Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' 'Tell me, teacher,' he said.' 'Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him 500 denari, and other 50. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?' Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.' 'You have judge correctly, ' Jesus said." (Luke 7:39-43)
Read: Romans 3:9-23

It's a matter of perspective. Jesus put it in monetary terms. Two men owed money to a lender. A denari was the average daily wage in first century Israel, so 500 denari would be about 1 1/2 year's wages. 50 denari would be about two month's wages. Put that in your own wages today. In Jesus' parable, neither debtor could pay, but the Pharisee, Simon, right evaluated that the one with 10 times the debt would be the most grateful for the forgiveness of the loan.
The lender is God. The debtor is you, me and every person on earth. The debt is the payment for our sin. Love for Jesus will grow in proportion to how you evaluate yourself before Him in relationship to how much it means to you to have all your sin forgiven because He paid the debt on the cross. All of us are sinners. The problem with our human nature is we tend to evaluate ourselves compared to the external actions of others that we think are really bad. However, James 3:10 says, "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." You and I had a sin debt we could never pay. There are not levels of guilt. We all owed the same before God. Jesus paid the debt and anyone who believes and receives Jesus will be forgiven. Don't be like Simon and think you don't need forgiveness. Be like the woman who recognized how much she had been forgiven and grow in your love for Jesus.

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]]> Determined to Love Jesus More https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/31/determined-to-love-jesus-more Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:55:47 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/31/determined-to-love-jesus-more

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so He went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them." (Luke 7:36-38)
Read: Psalm 66:1-7

In all the wedding services I have conducted, the standard ceremony contains vows, which state the commitment "to love, honor and cherish till death do us part." I have never had one couple pause and respond, "I'm not sure I can do that." Every couple affirmed their love and stated that vow. While I believe most of the marriages I've officiated are still intact, the reality is that a number of the marriages ended in divorce. Healthy, lifetime marriages don't happen automatically. They take determination on both spouses to keep their vows and do things that deepen their love and commitment through the years.
Marriage is one of the pictures God gives us of the relationship of Jesus to His church. He is the groom. The church (every believer) is the bride. Jesus will always be faithful and His love will never diminish from His bride, but the question is, will the love of each believer grow for Him. Luke focuses on two people at a dinner given for Jesus. One was the Pharisee who hosted it. The other was a woman who came in while it was going on. That woman showed a deep and abiding love for Jesus. The Pharisee showed none. A determine disciple will seek to be like the woman. Ask yourself. Do you love Jesus more today than you did when you first believed? Will you love Him more a year from now? Set you heart to do that. The joy and fulfillment will be worth it all.

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]]> Keep on Praying because Results come through Christ https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/28/keep-on-praying-because-results-come-through-christ Fri, 28 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/28/keep-on-praying-because-results-come-through-christ

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:6-8)
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

A man took his son and a group of friends to a carnival for his son's birthday. He bought more than enough ride tickets for all the boys to go on the rides and handed them out. After a while, a boy he had never seen came up to him and asked for a ticket. The man asked, "Are you here with my my son's group?" The boy replied, "No, but your son is a friend of mine and he told me to come see you and you would give me a ticket."
In the parable Jesus told of the widow seeking justice, He said she ultimately got the result she needed because she would quit claiming her legal rights and the unjust judge finally relented. His point is not that we have to wear God out because He is reluctant. It's just the opposite. God is not reluctant to answer prayer. Everyone who believes in Jesus and confesses Him as Lord can pray with confidence because of their relationship to God and their rights as a child of God. The results of answered prayer come as you pray in the name of Jesus with trust in His love and for His will to be done. God the Father has given the promises in His Word for His children. Jesus is the "yes" to those promises. We say "Amen", or "so be it" as we pray within the promises of God. Keep on praying. God loves you and He answers prayer.

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]]> Keep on Praying Because of Your Rights in Christ https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/27/keep-on-praying-because-of-your-rights-in-christ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/27/keep-on-praying-because-of-your-rights-in-christ

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice and quickly, . . ."
(Luke 18:6-8)
Read: Hebrews 4:14-16

The widow in the parable who came to the judge for justice, did not have a relationship with the unjust judge, but she did have something else. She had the right to go to him because the law was on her side and she had a legal claim to have the wrong corrected. As a believer, you have the relationship with God as your Heavenly Father and you also have the spiritual right to come before Him with boldness and confidence in prayer. That boldness does not come from any inherent goodness on your part. It comes because of Jesus and praying in the name of Jesus gives you the right to come before the throne of God to help in your time of need.
George Mueller was an evangelist in the 1800's who is best known for the huge work he did in caring for over 10,000 orphans in his lifetime and for his reliance upon God through prayer without asking people for donations. Regarding perseverance in prayer, Mueller once wrote, "I spend hours every day in prayer. The answers are always coming. When I am persuaded that ta thing is right, I go on praying until the answer comes. I never give up. I have been praying every day for 52 years for two men, sons of a friend of my youth. They are not converted yet, but hey will be. How can it be otherwise when we have the unchanging promises of God?" Keep on praying. God is the same today, yesterday and forever. He will answer.

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]]> Keep on Praying Because of Your Relationship with God https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/26/keep-on-praying-because-of-your-relationship-with-god Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/26/keep-on-praying-because-of-your-relationship-with-god

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?" (Luke 18:6-7
Read: Romans 8:15-17

In the parable of the widow needing a judge to help her after she had been wronged, Jesus stated that the judge was unjust. The judge didn't fear God or respect men. He took brides and made judgements in favor of people who had money and influence. The widow had neither, which was central to the point Jesus was making about prayer. God is not like that unjust judge. His ear is always open to this children and He does not play favorites.
When you believed in Jesus and confessed Him as Lord, you became a child of the living God. That moment is described as both spiritual birth and adoption. In both of those, you were brought into God's eternal family and your relationship to Him is irrevocable. It is not not dependent on anything you did or anything you do now. You are a child of God because you placed faith in Jesus and what He did for you. Healthy, good parents are always open to a call from their children and God is the perfect Father. Your relationship as a child of God means He is always open to you. Keep on praying. Your Father is listening.

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]]> Delay is not Denial https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/25/delay-is-not-denial Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/25/delay-is-not-denial

Pray - (1/2 minute)

Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Read: Psalm 40:1-5

We live in a society time of immediate gratification. If you want something, you can get it soon and if the wait is too long for you one place, you can look for another place to get something sooner. If that expectation is carried into your prayer life, it can lead to discouragement and disillusionment when a prayer is not answered either in the way you asked or in a time you wanted. But delay is not denial. God is always at work and He has purpose in the delay.
One purpose is to test the desire. James 4:3 points out that "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." God loves to give good gifts and blessings to His children, but some prayers that are for ourselves may not actually be the best for us. A second purpose is to strengthen your character. Delays in answer give opportunity to deepen your faith and walk with Christ. A third purpose is to teach spiritual warfare. Paul pointed out that the weapons of spiritual warfare are not of this world. Prayer takes you into the armory of heaven to bring about spiritual victory in your life and in this world. Don't quit praying because the answer is not immediate. Keep praying. The answer will come.

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]]> Determined Discipleship is Determined to Keep Developing in Life https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/10/determined-discipleship-is-determined-to-keep-developing-in-life Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:15:59 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/08/10/determined-discipleship-is-determined-to-keep-developing-in-life

Pray – (1/2 minutes)
Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:51-52)
Passage: Psalm 61:1-5
‍ The four gospels tell the story of Jesus from conception to resurrection and ascension. Of the 89 chapters in those, only four contain information about Jesus’s birth and childhood. In the final word about the time from Jesus being 12 till 30, Luke tells us that Jesus kept increasing, or developing in four areas of life. Those four areas are designed by God for His children to live balance lives. Think of them like a chair with four legs. If one leg is shorter, the chair will wobble. If one is broken, the chair will be very unsteady and hardly useable. ‍
As a disciple of Jesus, we need to be determined to keep developing in all four areas of life, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. Each area is important and connect to the others to enable us to live balanced, fulfilling, productive lives for Christ. Paul expressed the attitude of a determined disciple in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Set your heart to be a determined disciple and keep developing in life to be the best God designed you to be.
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]]> Usefulness in God’s Kingdom Depends on a True Conversion https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/04/28/usefulness-in-god-s-kingdom-depends-on-a-true-conversion Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:46:56 +0000 https://fbcgp.org/blog/2026/04/28/usefulness-in-god-s-kingdom-depends-on-a-true-conversion

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul – an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.” (Philemon 1:8-10)

Passage: John 6:25-40

God doesn’t have any grandchildren. He only has children. When Paul called Onesimus his “son”, he was referring to the order of relationship in that he had been the one who led Onesimus to faith in Christ. In that regard, he was a spiritual father to Onesimus, but in their relationship in God’s family, both Paul and Onesimus were brothers in Christ. The conversion of Onesimus was the starting point that enabled him to become useful in God’s Kingdom and in Philemon’s household business.
In John 15:5b, Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Nothing refers to anything of eternal value. Only a believer can be useful in God’s Kingdom, because usefulness requires the work of the Holy Spirit within a person’s life. A person does not receive salvation through any religious work or merit. Conversion comes through simple child-like faith that believes in Jesus and confesses Him as Lord. (Romans 10:9) If you haven’t written out your testimony of when and how you became a believer, do that today or soon. Thank God for your conversion and the fact that it enables you to be useful for Him.

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