Most of the time when we think of generosity, we think of money.  Often we struggle with thinking of ourselves as being generous simply because we don’t think we have the means of being generous. But generosity is not limited to financial gifts.  You can be generous with your time, with wisdom, with your talents. The […]

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Difference makers in the early church were common men and women  who rallied around an uncommon cause and demonstrated uncommon characteristics to make an amazing difference. They were able to do this through the power of God’s Spirit. When we think about how the Spirit works in our lives, we often think of emotional experiences in […]

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Every day we come in contact with people who have real needs. They may be physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. And the real question is, “Who cares?” Who will take the time to care for people in need? Who will show genuine compassion and concern? In Acts 3:1-10, Peter and John were Difference Makers who […]

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What happened after the resurrection? Did the disciples go back to their lives as if nothing happened? No, they continued to follow the risen Christ – the ultimate Difference Maker.  And in so doing they changed the world.  In this series, Pastor Mike will take a look at how these common men and women rallied around […]

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Resurrection Sunday gives us a chance to ask the question, “Does it really matter if Jesus is risen? And if so, why?” In Acts 17:16-34, the apostle Paul found himself in Athens and his passion for the lost was stirred. The city of Athens was a cultural center in Paul’s day. It was a place […]

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The idea of singing about blood seems strange. Blood is life, and when we think about our own blood we understand how precious it is.  But the blood of Jesus is even more precious because it was His sacrifice on the cross for us that paid the price of our sin. He died in our […]

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How would you finish this sentence: “Before I die …” Many of us have a ‘bucket list” of things we would like to accomplish before we die, but how many of those things really matter.  What could we do that would really make a difference? In Matthew 21:1-11, Jesus is entering into Jerusalem for the […]

The post Before I Die … Hosanna appeared first on First Baptist Van Alstyne.

For many parents, watching their children graduate from High School and prepare to leave home is a difficult time.  It can be hard to let go.  But just as an arrow was made to be taken out of the quiver and fired at a target, children were made to become adults and be released into […]

The post The Family Extended: Releasing the Arrow appeared first on First Baptist Van Alstyne.

A bow that is bent and strung the wrong way will not function the way it was made to function.  It could be dangerous and may even break. When Proverbs 22:6 speaks of “training up a child in the way he should go,” it is using the terminology of stringing a bow.  Each child is […]

The post The Family Extended: Bending the Bow appeared first on First Baptist Van Alstyne.

When a home is renovated, there is often construction involved, and the end result can be quite dramatic. But what makes the interior feel like a home are the furnishings and decorations. Often, a woman’s touch can make a home feel more warm and inviting. This week Pastor Mike uses Proverbs 31:10-31 to show how […]

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