Bethany Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX

“We shall go on to the end...whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” —Winston Churchill; “Never give in—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” —Winston Churchill; “Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.” —C.H. Spurgeon; When we hear about famous people battling discouragement, it can be surprising, yet even David, the giant killer and a man after God’s own heart, walked through deep valleys. While the word depression is not in Scripture, the experience is seen in words like despair and heaviness, all familiar to David. But there is good news, God is able to encourage. So the question is this, what do you do when your heart is discouraged?

Prayer is not meant to be shaped by personal preference, comfort, or human reasoning, but by the leading of the Spirit of God. Scripture makes this clear: what seems right in human thinking can lead the wrong way, while the Spirit gives life and direction that the flesh cannot provide. The challenge is not simply whether prayer is happening, but what is guiding it. Just as direction is sometimes resisted when it does not align with personal desires or understanding, the same struggle can appear in the prayer life. The question then becomes whether prayers are being formed by what feels right in the moment, or by a willingness to trust that God knows what He is doing.

Life has a way of placing us in moments where we know what God has said, yet everything around us makes obedience feel difficult. Sometimes it is not rebellion that holds us back, but hesitation, fear, or the weight of past delays. We find ourselves standing at the edge of what God has called us to do, wondering if now is the right time, if we are ready, or if it is even worth it. Ezra 5 brings us into one of those moments, a time when God’s people had every reason to stay still, yet chose instead to move forward. It is a reminder that following God requires courage, not just at the beginning, but at every stage of obedience.

There are moments in life when something begins with excitement, hope, and a sense that everything is finally coming together. You can see the progress, feel the momentum, and even celebrate what has already been accomplished. But just as quickly as it starts, something shifts. What once felt certain becomes uncertain. Doubt grows louder, obstacles appear, and the very thing that seemed so promising begins to stall. It is often right in the middle of progress that the real struggle begins, and the question quietly rises, will you keep building, or will you stop? “But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.” (Ezra 3:12-13)

Spiritual wandering rarely happens all at once. It is usually quiet and gradual, one small step at a time, until a person finds themselves farther than they ever intended to go. Often they do not even realize it, convincing themselves it is just a temporary season. But what feels temporary can quickly become a new normal. That is why the closing of James is so powerful. Rather than ending the letter with a greeting or blessing, James concludes with a burden. If someone wanders from the truth, God calls others to go after them.

The first deacons in Jerusalem were appointed because real needs in the church were being overlooked, and God would not allow His people to ignore those who were hurting. From the beginning, deacons were called to serve, not to rule. They are not spiritual overseers or decision-makers over the pastor, but faithful servants who help care for the church and support the ministry of the Word and prayer. In our text tonight, Paul reminds us that this is a serious and holy calling, with clear spiritual qualifications. As we come to this passage, we must understand that a deacon is not a position of control, but a role of Christlike service, marked by character, compassion, and a heart to meet real needs.

Our words have the power to build up or tear down, and that matters because people are often carrying far more than we can see. Sometimes what makes the difference is a simple word of encouragement at the right moment. But before we can truly encourage others, we have to understand what we have in Christ ourselves. In Hebrews 10, the writer reminds us that because of what Jesus has done, we have direct access to God, something steady and powerful that is worth holding onto. And in light of that, he calls us not only to remain faithful, but to help others do the same.

Most believers don’t struggle with whether prayer works in theory; we struggle with whether it works when we pray. We know it’s important, biblical, and commanded, yet deep down we wonder: does it really make a difference? It’s easy to think prayer is powerful for people like Moses, Elijah, or Paul, but not for ordinary believers. James ends his letter by correcting that mindset and answering a crucial question: what kind of prayer actually moves the hand of God?

Christians don’t gather on Easter merely to remember that Jesus died; we gather because He died and rose again. If He only died, He might be admired or respected, but if He rose, He must be believed, worshiped, and obeyed. On that first resurrection morning, no one expected Him to be alive. The women came with spices, the disciples were confused, and the world assumed the story was over. But heaven declared otherwise: “He is not here, but is risen.” From that moment, the resurrection demanded a response, and people are still responding to the empty tomb today.

Most of us pray when we still feel strong, when the situation seems manageable, and the answer feels close. But there comes a time when our strength runs out, and the weight is too much to carry alone. In these moments, James reminds us that God never intended us to walk through weakness by ourselves. True maturity isn’t shown by handling everything alone, but by knowing when to ask others to pray. Prayer isn’t just personal; it is meant to be shared, and God often works most powerfully when we humbly seek help.

There are certain subjects people tend to avoid, topics that make us uncomfortable, like blood. Yet in Scripture, blood is not peripheral; it is central to God’s message of salvation. Hebrews 9:22 tells us plainly, “…without shedding of blood is no remission.” This confronts us with two truths we often try to soften: God’s holiness and the seriousness of our sin. The repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant were not the solution, but a sign pointing forward to Jesus Christ. And now, Hebrews brings us to this reality: only His blood can truly cleanse and redeem.

Ever been frustrated when something suddenly stops your progress, a broken gas pump, a frozen screen, bad directions, or unclear instructions? You’re moving forward, and then everything halts. Spiritually, life can feel the same way. Just when things start to grow and God is moving, something steps in to disrupt it. That’s exactly what we see in Ezra chapter 4: momentum, purpose, and then opposition. Tonight, we’ll look at three truths from this passage to help us keep moving forward when our purpose gets frustrated.

Why do we support Israel? These are the questions that the world is asking. Further, these are questions that many who claim to be Bible believing Christians are asking. The message tonight is designed to answer these and many other questions. Most people in defense or defiance of support for Israel point to Genesis 12:1-3. “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3) Let’s look at many questions being asked by those who question our support of Israel. We will list these questions as the “world view.”

There are many believers today who feel stuck, no longer moving forward, no longer growing, the momentum they once had now gone. The problem is comparison. Comparison always pulls us in the wrong direction. It either fills us with pride or leaves us discouraged, and neither one leads to spiritual growth. Instead of building momentum, it quietly brings everything to a stop. “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12) God has never loved us based on where we are on our path, yet comparison causes many believers to become discouraged, prideful, and spiritually stalled. As Israel experienced a fresh start and everything seemed to be moving forward, a subtle shift began to take place, one that would eventually stop the work altogether.

In the stillness of the night, a warning siren demands a response because danger is real and near. In the same way, God called Hosea to sound the trumpet, not to frighten without reason, but to mercifully warn a people who had turned from Him. Israel’s sin was not hidden, and judgment was not random; it was standing at the door. Yet even in that moment, the sounding of the trumpet was grace, a final call to recognize the danger, turn back, and run to the only place of safety, the Lord Himself.

Paul reminds us that the office of pastor is not a title to be admired but a work to be carried out. When churches forget the weight of that calling, and when pastors drift from the character God requires, trust erodes and the church suffers. That is why passages like 1 Timothy 3 matter so deeply. They remind us that this office is a noble work that requires faithfulness, humility, and a life that reflects the seriousness of standing before God’s people and one day giving account to Him.

In our modern world, many relationships are defined by contracts, agreements that outline expectations and obligations. But the Bible describes God’s relationship with His people differently. God established a covenant, a binding relationship built on promise and faithfulness. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” (Isaiah 49:15) The writer of Hebrews addresses believers who were tempted to return to the familiar system of priests and sacrifices, but he reminds them that those things were only shadows pointing to Christ. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people… And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation…” (Exodus 19:5–6) “…All that the LORD hath spoken we will do…” (Exodus 19:8) Our text reminds us that through Jesus Christ, God has established a better covenant built on better promises, once again showing that Jesus is better.

Someone once said, “Patience is what you admire in the driver behind you, but not in the one in front of you.” Prayer can be much the same. We believe in it, talk about it, and teach it, but when pressure comes, it is not always our first response. Too often, we treat prayer like a last resort instead of a daily lifeline. Yet, as James closes his letter, he reminds us that prayer belongs in every season of life, both trouble and joy. In our text tonight, we see that prayer is not the believer’s emergency option, but the believer’s normal response.

Bro. Joshua Marquardt answers the biblical question, How Shall They Hear? with his four point outline: The Sobering Need for the Gospel v1-7; The Simplicity of the Gospel v4-13; The Sending of the Gospel v14-15; & finally, The Shunned Gospel v16-21.

That is why Hebrews 7 matters. God is speaking to people who know the truth but are growing weary. Instead of telling them to try harder, He points them to a Person. The question is not whether you can hold on to God, but whether your Savior lives. Hebrews 7:25 answers with a powerful truth: Christ is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him because He ever lives to make intercession for them. Our security rests not in our grip on Christ, but in His living, unchangeable priesthood.

Have you ever noticed that when someone feels the need to say, “I swear I’m telling the truth,” it usually reveals a problem? When words require reinforcement, it is often because they do not normally carry much weight. That is exactly what James addresses in our text this evening. He is not speaking about profanity, but about the habit of adding extra words to make themselves believable. His message is simple and searching: God’s people should not need extra phrases to make themselves believable. Our integrity should already speak for us.

When it comes to biblical teaching on the role of women in the church, there is danger on every side. We are not here to win arguments or fight cultural battles, but to hear God’s Word and submit ourselves to it. This passage has stirred controversy, clashed with modern expectations, and been distorted by personal preference, yet it remains the revealed mind of the Holy Spirit. Some of its words are difficult and some of its truths confront us, but God’s Word is good and His order is loving. If we are to understand what Paul truly says here, we must come not with outrage or prejudice, but with humble hearts ready to be corrected and shaped by Scripture.

When life begins to shake through hard news, financial strain, broken trust, or quiet anxiety in the night, we all reach for something to steady ourselves. The question is not if we will grab hold of something, but what we will grab. Even sincere believers can cling to control, distraction, or busyness instead of the One who truly holds us firm. In this passage, God graciously gives us something solid to anchor our souls, not a feeling or positive thinking, but unshakable hope rooted in who He is, what He has promised, and where Christ is right now.

All scars have a story attached to them. Some are physical, and we can explain every detail of how they happened. Others are emotional and physiological, unseen, but just as real. “Scars explain where you’ve been. They don’t decide where you’re going.” - Anonymous When facing past scars, you have two paths. You can allow them to debilitate you, producing bitterness, numbness, or fear. Or you can allow God to transform you, accept His plan, serve in His purpose, and experience His peace. “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18–19) Even in a chapter like Ezra 2, filled with names, we see that God is carefully and faithfully rebuilding His people and ensuring that what was broken is restored properly.

There is something inside all of us that changes when we realize we are being watched. We straighten up. We adjust our behavior. We become aware. Yet so often, we live as though no one sees what happens in the quiet moments, the private thoughts, the hidden compromises, the secret sins. In 2 Samuel 11, we find a powerful reminder through the life of David that nothing escapes God’s eyes. What seemed like a private glance became public devastation. What felt hidden was fully seen by heaven. The same God who saw David on that rooftop sees us today, not just in our victories, but in our vulnerabilities. The question is not whether God sees. The question is, do we live like He does?

When John G. Paton announced his mission to a South Pacific island known for cannibalism, a concerned elder warned him, “You will be eaten!” Paton famously replied that it mattered little whether he was consumed by cannibals or by worms, so long as he served the Lord. Despite facing the tragic loss of his family and constant threats to his life, Paton’s persistence eventually transformed the islands. His story serves as a piercing rebuke to the "procrastination of good intentions," reminding us that the greatest obstacle to the Great Commission isn't a lack of heart, but the dangerous assumption that there will always be more time to go.

Most of us are dangerously comfortable with the word “later.” We delay car repairs, phone calls, and bills, often laughing off the procrastination until the cost of that delay finally catches up to us. While “later” might be a minor nuisance in our daily schedules, Hebrews 6 warns us that it is a spiritual tragedy when applied to the things of God. This passage is written to interrupt the assumption that we always have more time to respond, obey, or take truth seriously. When God continues to pour out His grace and we continue to delay, the issue shifts from a matter of timing to a matter of fruitfulness. Today, we will face this challenging warning honestly, asking three vital questions to understand what the Holy Spirit is saying to a heart that is tempted to drift.

For years, a missionary was blocked from entering a remote village by government restrictions and hostility. When the door finally opened and he shared the gospel, an elderly man asked through tears, “Why did you wait so long? We have believed these things for years; we just didn’t know the name of the God who loved us.” This haunting question reminds us that missions is not merely about opportunity, but urgency. The world’s need is certain; the only question is whether God’s people will respond in time.

One of the dangers of being in church for a long time is that we can become very familiar with spiritual language without being personally affected by it. Words like missions, evangelism, the Great Commission, and the nations can slowly become part of our vocabulary rather than a call to action. We talk about missions, we support missions, and we pray for missionaries—but sometimes we forget that missions is not simply something the church does somewhere else, but something God calls His people to be involved in personally. This month, as the church focuses on missions, the desire is not just to learn more about missions, but to pray more intentionally, give more faithfully, and respond more obediently to what God is doing in the world.

Preaching from the book of Daniel, missionary to Italy, David Story, warns of the dangers of bowing down to Apathy, Compromise, and our fiery Trials.

The author of Hebrews pauses his discussion of Christ as our great High Priest to confront a serious problem, spiritual immaturity. That matters, because it shows us that you can be around deep truth, sound doctrine, and faithful preaching and still be stuck. You can be saved and still be childish, in church and yet not growing. And that is a quiet tragedy. In this passage, we will see three marks of spiritual immaturity, not to shame us, but to wake us up. God loves His people too much to let them stagnate. So let the Word speak, examine, and heal.