Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Evangelist Morris Gleiser encourages students to make the most of their college years and introduces the passage by sharing a story about his son taking care of his wife's car problems while he was out of town.

Scripture TextFirst Peter 5:6-11

Main Points or Ideas

Three Key Truths About Cares:

1. The Inevitable Reality: Everyone will have cares (plural) - it's unavoidable throughout all stages of life
2. The Instant Response: "Casting" means to throw hurriedly with great energy and force - get rid of anxieties through prayer as soon as they come
3. The Incredible Reason: "For He cares for you" - written in present tense, active voice, indicative mood, meaning His care is real, happening now, and will continue forever

Sources of Cares:

• Past mistakes or things done to you
• Present overwhelming responsibilities
• Future possibilities and "what if" scenarios

The Solution:

• Don't hang onto cares - cast them immediately to God through prayer
• Don't pray "yo-yo prayers" - giving cares to God then taking them back
• Trust that God knows your specific needs and circumstances

ConclusionGod's care for you is constant and real - when cares come (and they will), immediately cast them upon Him because He truly cares for you.

Dr. Marty Herron draws from Martin Dugard's book "The Training Ground" about West Point's beginnings and the four famous men who trained there together before becoming key figures in American history. He emphasizes how God has His own training ground for believers, using the process of endurance as a path of education to prepare us for His purposes.

Scripture Text

2 Timothy 2:3-4; Psalm 105:17-22

Main Points or Ideas

Using Joseph's life as outlined in Psalm 105:17-22, Herron presents God's four-fold process for training His people:

1. Discovered - God identifies and calls His people, as He did with Joseph whom He "sent before them"
2. Detached - God separates them from familiar surroundings, family, and comfort zones, as Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt
3. Developed - God allows intense training through trials and isolation, as Joseph experienced in prison where "his feet they hurt with fetters" and "he was laid in iron until the time that his word came"
4. Displayed - God elevates and uses them for His purposes, as Joseph became "lord of his house and ruler of all his substance"

Dr. Herron illustrates this pattern through the example of Adoniram Judson, the missionary who went through similar stages of discovery, detachment, development through hardship, and ultimate display in Burma where he served for 40 years.

Conclusion

God's process of endurance is your path of education, and believers should be encouraged to endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, realizing the ultimate aim is to please Christ, our commanding officer.

Pastor Dave Peters shares his personal testimony of losing three fingers in a table saw accident and how God used this experience to teach him about grace under pressure. He recounts how this trial became an opportunity to practice what he had been preaching about prayer and trusting God's sovereignty, leading to meaningful conversations with hospital staff and paramedics about faith.

Scripture Text

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Main Points or Ideas

• God's Grace is Sufficient - When God allows uncomfortable and painful circumstances by design, we have a choice to either accept His grace as sufficient or reject it by saying God is not enough for us. We don't deserve something better than what God provides.
• God's Grace is Displayed in Weakness, Not Strength - Christianity turns everything upside down. It's usually not the popular or mighty who demonstrate God's grace most powerfully, but those who are weak. When tragedy happens and believers turn to God instead of becoming discouraged, God is glorified through their response.
• God's Grace Teaches That Bad is Good - What we might call "bad days" or "accidents" are actually ordered by the Lord as gifts for our transformation. These designer pressures are intentionally placed in our lives by a sovereign God to help us grow. We should not judge circumstances as truly "bad" since we cannot see God's purposes.

Conclusion

All circumstances, even those that seem like accidents or tragedies, are ordered by the Lord as opportunities to display His grace and bring Him glory. God's grace provides both the desire and power to do His will, and it is totally sufficient for whatever pressures He allows in our lives.

Pastor Tim Moore shares his personal testimony of coming to faith at Iowa Regular Baptist camp in 1982, emphasizing how his life was completely revolutionized by salvation. He uses this foundation to explore 1 Peter 1, where Peter reminds persecuted believers to maintain perspective on what they have in Christ and never take their salvation for granted.

Scripture Text

1 Peter 1:3-4, 10-12

Main Points or Ideas

A believer should display gratitude and wonder at the greatness of God's salvation.

1. The greatness of our salvation is seen in the prophet's response.
• The Old Testament prophets searched and inquired carefully about the salvation they were prophesying
• They were inspired by the Spirit of Christ but didn't understand the full picture of who, when, or how salvation would come
• They were serving not themselves but future believers like us
• We have the blessing of knowing "the rest of the story" that the prophets longed to understand
2. The greatness of our salvation is seen in the angel's longing.

• Angels long to look into the things of salvation
• They have witnessed the fall of angels and mankind, and now eagerly watch God's program for human redemption
• They were actively involved in announcing Christ's birth and resurrection
• If angels get excited about our salvation, how much more should we who are the beneficiaries

Conclusion

Moore challenges believers to never take their salvation for granted, reminding them that God's love for us is the defining aspect of salvation, not our love for God. He calls for this gratitude to compel believers to share the gospel with others, just as others faithfully shared it with them.

Dr. Doug Brown addresses the important topic of Christian liberty, covering three chapters of Scripture to provide an overview of how Christians should handle their rights. He explains that while everyone wants to champion their rights, when this mindset bleeds into the church, it creates division and conflict, just as it did in Corinth.

Scripture Text

1 Corinthians 8-10, Acts 15:29

Main Points or Ideas

Four Principles of Christian Liberty:

1. For the sake of knowledge - The party of knowledge at Corinth claimed they had the right to eat meat offered to idols because they knew idols were nothing and there is only one God. While their theology was correct as far as it went, they lacked full knowledge that there is a demonic reality behind idolatry, and not everyone had their understanding.
2. For the sake of love - Paul emphasized that knowledge puffs up but love edifies. The knowledgeable party was exercising their rights without caring about the ramifications on weaker believers, essentially destroying them by leading them to defile their consciences. Paul declared he would never eat meat again if it caused his brother to stumble.
3. For the sake of the gospel - Paul used his own example of forfeiting his right to receive payment from the Corinthians because it would be a stumbling block. He became all things to all people, adapting to different cultures and circumstances so that he might win some to Christ, demonstrating contextualization in ministry.
4. For the glory of God - When Christians champion their own rights, they end up worshiping themselves and falling into idolatry. Paul instructed believers to do everything for God's glory, which means influencing others to have a more accurate view of who God really is.

Conclusion

Christian liberty is not a means of serving ourselves but rather a tool God gives us to build the church, spread the gospel, and glorify God. God wants us to be willing to surrender our rights for the good of others and for His glory.

Using the analogy of invasive species in Florida (pythons and iguanas), Mark Davis illustrates how invasive sins can take root in our lives and cause significant spiritual damage if left unchecked. He emphasizes that just as athletes discipline themselves for temporary crowns, Christians must exercise spiritual discipline for eternal rewards.

Scripture Text

1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Corinthians 10:13, 31

Main Points or Ideas

• The Problem of Invasive Sins - Like the million pythons and iguanas destroying Florida's ecosystem, sins such as jealousy, envy, apathy, and pornography can infiltrate our lives and cause irreversible damage if not addressed
• The Call to Spiritual Discipline - Paul uses three athletic illustrations to demonstrate the need for self-control: athletes, runners, and boxers.
• The Motivation for Discipline - Paul disciplines his body so he won't be disqualified after preaching to others; our goal is to do everything for God's glory and be effective ambassadors for Christ
• God's Faithfulness in Temptation - No temptation is beyond what we can bear, and God always provides a way of escape; we don't have to let sin reign in our lives because we've been bought with Christ's blood
• Practical Application - As Christian athletes and students, we must develop spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study, seek accountability relationships, and remember that our mission as ambassadors for Christ never changes

Conclusion

Christians are called to run their spiritual race with the same discipline and intentionality that athletes show in pursuing temporary prizes, knowing that we can both run well and finish well through God's faithfulness and strength.

Dr. Dennis Wilkening shares three simple but encouraging Bible truths about God's Word and prayer, comparing our neglect of these spiritual resources to a FedEx commercial where a man protected a package for years without opening it to discover the life-saving contents inside.

Scripture Text

Jeremiah 33:3

Main Points or Ideas

• God wants to speak to me - Just as God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and called Samuel by name, the same God who created the universe desires to speak to each believer daily through His Word. We should view Bible reading not as a chore to be accomplished but as a relationship to be cultivated.
• God wants you to speak to Him - Prayer is meant to be a genuine conversation with God, not vain repetitions or the same shallow requests. Christ taught His disciples to pray using the Lord's Prayer as a model, showing us to express our complete dependence upon God, cast our burdens upon Him, and maintain a constant attitude of prayer without ceasing.
• Prayer changes things - Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, but He taught them how to pray. Historical examples of revival (Herrnhut's 100-year prayer chain, the Great Awakening with George Whitfield, Charles Finney's prayer partners, and the Hebrides revival) demonstrate that great and mighty works of God are accomplished through fervent, persistent prayer.

Conclusion

God desires to do great and mighty things in our lives, but it begins with drawing close to Him through His Word and prayer, creating a genuine relationship rather than going through religious motions.

Drawing from Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 4, Jordan Sauser examines how we often resist God's calling through fear, excuses, and disobedience, just as Moses did. Like Moses, we need to learn that God wants to use us as instruments in His hands, displaying His power through our weakness rather than our strength.

Scripture Text

Exodus 4:1-20

Main Points or Ideas

1. We Fear Outcomes - Moses begins with "what if" scenarios despite God laying out the complete plan, demonstrating our tendency to worry about things as though they're all up to us when they actually rest in God's hands. God redirects Moses' focus by asking "What's in your hand?" showing that we are simply instruments like the rod - powerless without God's direction but mighty when used by Him.
2. We Form Excuses - Moses claims he's not eloquent and is "slow of speech," which is really a form of blaming God for how He made him. True humility doesn't just see our insufficiency but also sees God's all-sufficiency. Our excuses are often covers for alternate desires - we simply don't want to do what God is asking.
3. We Fail to Obey - When Moses finally says "send someone else," we see his heart of rebellion that angers God. This progression from fear to excuses leads inevitably to disobedience. God doesn't need us but graciously chooses to use us, and He's looking for willingness rather than ability.

Conclusion

God is training us daily like He trained Moses, and we must recognize this preparation process rather than "beating around the bush" with fears and excuses. We need inward change, not external convincing, and God's strength is made perfect in our weakness when we humbly obey.

Dr. Herron challenges students to consider what vision drives their life, using the Apostle Paul as a model of someone who saw what others couldn't see and was driven by what should be, not just what could be. He compares Paul to Leonardo da Vinci as examples of visionaries who made significant impacts on their world, emphasizing that God is looking for genuine hearts rather than genius.

Scripture TextActs 17:16-34

Main Points or IdeasThe speaker presents four "brushstrokes" of Paul's portrait as a visionary that students need to develop:

1. He saw the world clearly - Paul observed Athens and recognized the spiritual need around him, seeing beyond the surface to understand that this world needed God. Unlike the varied reactions in other cities (Thessalonica resisted, Bereans received, Athenians ridiculed), Paul maintained clear spiritual vision.
2. He felt it passionately - Paul's spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city full of idols. He had a "holy regret" over unrighteous living and was driven by passion for what distressed him spiritually. This passion should fuel believers to have the same burden for their generation.
3. He connected spiritually with needy people - Paul engaged with both Epicureans (who sought pleasure as their chief goal) and Stoics (who pursued virtue through reasoning and self-sufficiency). He understood these philosophies still exist today and knew how to reach people where they were.
4. He spoke the truth joyfully and fearlessly - When brought before the intellectuals at Mars Hill, Paul used their "unknown God" altar as an entry point to share the gospel. His message presented four aspects of God: His greatness (Creator), His goodness (Provider), His governance (Ruler), and His grace (Savior), culminating in a call to repentance.

ConclusionGod is not looking for genius but for genuine hearts willing to offer their lives to Him. The speaker encourages students that Faith Bible College is committed to helping them develop these same visionary qualities to see life from God's perspective and make a difference in their world.

Speaking as the outgoing dean of students, this message draws from the example of King Jotham in 2 Chronicles 27, who became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord. The message provides six essential areas for living a well-ordered life that honors God.

Scripture Text2 Chronicles 27:6; Romans 12:1-2; James 1:22-24; Ephesians 6:18-19; Philippians 2:3-7; Proverbs 3:5-6

Main Points or Ideas

• Salvation - Know for sure that you have peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ
• Dedication - Decide that your life is God's, presenting yourself as a living sacrifice wholly for His glory and purposes
• Submission - Respond obediently to God's Word when you hear it, being doers of the Word and not hearers only
• Prayer - Learn to pray and rely on God in prayer, both when life is easy and when it's hard, including praying with others
• Humility - Recognize and flee from pride in your life, following Christ's example of humility
• Trust - Follow God and enjoy where He leads, trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding

ConclusionLike King Jotham, we can become mighty not through our own giftedness or abilities, but by ordering our ways before the Lord. These six areas provide a foundation for college students to pursue God, learn to love Him, follow Him, and enjoy life following Jesus.