This sermon explores Psalm 1, emphasizing the critical importance of avoiding ungodly influence to maintain spiritual blessing and happiness. The preacher interprets the progression from walking in counsel, standing in the way, to sitting in the seat of the scornful as a call to actively distance oneself from sinful company and advice. By contrasting the stability of the righteous with the perishable nature of the wicked, the message urges believers to seek only godly direction for their lives. The central theme highlights that true blessedness comes from delighting in God's law rather than conforming to worldly standards. Ultimately, the sermon serves as a convicting reminder to carefully evaluate one's associations and ensure they align with biblical truth.

The sermon explores the Christian walk of faith, love, and hope as described in Colossians 1, emphasizing the necessity of bearing spiritual fruit through the Holy Spirit. It encourages believers to cultivate a deep prayer life that seeks wisdom and understanding rather than merely requesting physical healing or relief. The preacher illustrates how God patiently guides individuals toward truth, using personal anecdotes to demonstrate that enduring trials with gratitude keeps burdens light. Central to the message is the reconciliation achieved through Christ's blood, which delivers believers from darkness into His kingdom of light. Ultimately, the text calls the audience to rejoice continually, trusting in God's sovereignty and the promise of perfection found in Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit gives the soul of a believer a delight in God as the object of prayer. I shall not insist on his exciting, moving, and acting all other graces that are required in the exercise of this duty, as faith, love, reverence, fear, trust, submission, waiting, hope, and the like. I have proved elsewhere that the exercise of them all, in all duties, and of all other graces in like manner, is from him, and shall not therefore here again confirm the same truth. But this delight in God as the object of prayer hath a peculiar consideration in this matter; for without it ordinarily the duty is not accepted with God, and is a barren, burdensome task unto them by whom it is performed. Now, this delight in God as the object of prayer is, for the substance of it, included in that description of prayer given us by the apostle,—namely, that it is crying "Abba, Father." Herein a filial, holy delight in God is included, such as children have in their parents in their most affectionate addresses unto them, as hath been declared. And we are to inquire wherein this delight in God as the object of prayer doth consist, or what is required thereunto.

In this episode of Equipping You in Grace, Dave Jenkins explains that Christians should care about truth, justice, public righteousness, and faithful cultural engagement. Yet political power cannot redeem sinners or transform the human heart. The kingdom of God advances through the proclamation of the gospel, the work of the Holy Spirit, discipleship, prayer, holiness, and faithful witness to Christ. Drawing from John 18:36, Matthew 28:18–20, Acts, and Romans 1:16, this episode calls Christians away from political idolatry, fear, triumphalism, and domination thinking and back to confidence in Christ, His gospel, and His mission for the church. For more from Equipping You in Grace, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/equipping-you-in-grace-2/

In John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, few figures offer a more sobering warning to the traveling soul than the character Temporary. Living in the town of Grace-less, right next door to Turn-back, Temporary begins his journey with intense zeal—weeping over his sins, seeking godly counsel, and setting his face resolutely toward the Celestial City. Yet, despite his bright start and genuine emotional stirrings, his zeal quickly cools, he aligns himself with a man named Save-self, and he slides back into total spiritual ruin. Through this tragic figure, Bunyan illustrates what Puritan theologians like Thomas Goodwin, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, and A. W. Pink identified as the "common influences" of the Holy Spirit—a work that can enlighten the mind, stir the emotions, and reform outward behavior without ever regenerating the heart. Temporary's story is not a tale of open hypocrisy, but a compelling, cautionary study in the vital difference between a temporary emotional reaction to the truth and a permanent, heart-transforming union with Jesus Christ.

Grace Covenant Baptist Church is a Reformed Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. We are a confessional church subscribing to the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. We adhere to the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation; Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria. Find more information about or listen to past sermons from Grace Covenant Baptist Church at https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/gcbcwm/

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2810 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.com

BJU equips students to impact the world as they live for truth, seize opportunities and embrace life experiences. Standing on the authority of the Bible, BJU shapes heads, hearts and backbones for Christ by equipping students to lead lives of integrity and influence others for God's glory. www.bju.edu 223

The sermon examines Joshua's final addresses to Israel, emphasizing the necessity of exclusive devotion to God amidst the remaining pagan nations. It highlights the conditional nature of God's protection and possession of the Promised Land, warning that disobedience leads to severe consequences while faithfulness ensures continued blessing. The narrative traces God's historical faithfulness from Abraham through the Exodus and conquest, establishing a pattern where His promises are fulfilled reliably. Joshua challenges the people to reject idolatry and intermarriage with surrounding cultures, urging them to cleave to the Lord with sincerity and truth. The passage concludes with a formal renewal of the covenant at Shechem, where Israel publicly commits to serving God alone, and sets up a stone as a witness.