Advancing Word Podcast

We do not know who wrote Psalm 100.  The anonymous author pushed through doubt, disillusionment, desperation, disappointment and arrived at a place where, in a magnificent, melodic and moving anthem of praise and thanksgiving, he affirmed that God is good!  In stanza five, he tells us why.    God is good because of His exalted essence, matchless mercy and amazing availability.  

In Chapter Seventeen of First Kings, verses 1 – 9, at an obscure and rocky ravine east of the Jordan River, the prophet Elijah began his stay in an “inconvenient hotel”.  By any standards, his accommodations there would have received a 1 Star rating.  But during drought conditions in a country permeated with shameless idolatry and base moral degeneracy, God made sure he received 5 Star service!  

During the 2022 Commencement Service at the Zion Hill Baptist Religious Institute and Seminary, in Dayton, OH, Dr. Stubblefield reminds the graduates that they are “chosen for change.”  Based on 1 Peter 3:15-16, this commission involves the adoration of a surpassing person, the activity of a singular purpose and the anticipation of a satisfying promise.  

This storm narrative is recorded here in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 4 but in Matthew and Luke as well.  In context, it communicates Jesus’s dominion over not just the demonic or disease and dysfunction in the human body, but over the forces of nature.  In other words, when Jesus is a passenger in our lives, every storm we face has an expiration date.  There is a story in every storm!   

In Exodus 13:17-22, Moses and the children of Israel experience a new beginning.  God guided His people as they moved from captivity to Canaan.  Moses displays exemplary leadership skill during this period because he did not get ahead of God.  The principles in this text are relevant to us today because, like the Israelites, we face dangers we cannot discern, experience data we cannot dismiss and witness demonstrations we cannot deny.  

According to Colossians 1:17, Jesus is “before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  This affirmation encouraged and strengthened believers who were being challenged by false teaching regarding the true nature of Christ.  Christians “live behind before” for Jesus Christ is our consummate covering, powerful protector and perfect provision.  

In 2 Chronicles, Chapter 7, King Solomon prays passionately in order to secure protection coverage for the people of God and the nation against perils of all kinds.  He wanted to assure God's favor in the event of any contingency or crisis they might face.  He recognized even in his own life the possibility of failure.  This message outlines the fix for a flawed faith revealed in this epic text.  

In many homes in America, the voice of the father has been muffled, muted, maligned, misrepresented or gone missing altogether.  This reality is deeply damaging to the fabric of our society of which biblical marriage and family is the foundation and the father and husband is the chief cornerstone.  This deficiency and disparity impact negatively our churches and ministries as well.  In Luke 1:62-66, Zacharias, a Jewish priest, found his voice after losing it because of a lapse and lack of faith, We can too!  This message tells us how!  

In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10, verses 13 - 16, parents bring their children to Jesus.  He takes them into his arms and blesses them.  There is nothing more moving, meaningful or momentous for a parent or grandparent than believing that our children are safe in His arms.  In His presence, every child of God “backslides into the simplicity of childhood.”   

In Chapter 1, verse five of his first epistle, the Apostle Peter reminds persecuted Christians that they are “kept” by the power of God.  They were the bountiful beneficiaries of the very best in personal security.  Their experience of favor, exercise of faith and expectation of a glorious future in Jesus Christ was the basis of “an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled” that was reserved in heaven for them and for us.