Bold Belief in Tough Times – Part 1
What does it look like to remain in Jesus, even when things get hard? Join Dr. Marty Baker as we take a look at 1 John 2:28 and discover together what it means to have bold belief in tough times. In light of the seemingly perpetual gains of wickedness, lawlessness, and outright perversion masquerading as […]
Consider the Tension
We live in the tension of maintaining a close intimate walk with Jesus and getting sidetracked by all of the other things in life. Join Dr. Marty Baker as we take a look at 1 John 2:24-27 and what it means to abide in Christ. I remember the day the nicely dressed and articulate man […]
Dealing With Deceivers
Deception can pop up in our world, including in the church. How do we deal with deceivers? Join Dr. Marty Baker as we take a look at 1 John 2:19-24. As I have told you before, I love Four O’clock flowers. They are sturdy, handle heat well, bloom profusely, and produce their seed in the […]
The Last Hour
What does it mean to live in the last hour? Join Dr. Marty Baker as we take a look at 1 John 2:18. The New Testament Church no sooner got off the proverbial ground than nefarious false teachers infiltrated its ranks seeking to destroy its unity and minimize its societal impact. Exhibit A is the […]
God’s Gracious Gifts Equip Us For Intimacy
Sinful worldviews tempt believers and unbelievers to sinful living. For example, the party spirit, which embraces the evil triad of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, lures both kinds of people into its trap. Those ensnared by this thinking conclude that life is all about living for the next wild week, lowering your inhibitions, and […]
What Does A Life In Love With Jesus Look Like?
On May 24th, Liz and I will have been married forty-two years. In some ways, it seems like we just met in 1979 in San Diego, dated, got engaged, and married in May of 1980, about three weeks after I graduated from Azusa Pacific University. Wow. How quickly does time pass. One minute you are […]
How Do You Develop An Energized, Intimate Relationship With Jesus?
After a brief hiatus in studying First John because of our series for the Easter season, today we dig back into this helpful and challenging book. You will recall that a ninety-something-year-old John wrote to churches he had probably founded in Asia Minor or was at least intimately associated with. His letter is as personal […]
Mother’s Day 2022
What does a model mother look like according to the Lord? Paul gives us an excellent description in the comments he makes in his second letter to his young convert and pastoral mentee, Timothy. His observations are worth considering this Mother’s Day. By measuring yourself against this holy standard, you can get a good idea […]
Resurrection Road | Easter Sunday 2022
Every time Christ appeared to people after His brutal death by means of Roman crucifixion, He had one thing in mind: to assure His followers He had, in fact, risen from the grave. Many times during His eventful ministry He had prophesied as such: 22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, […]
Good Friday 2022
How does a person born with a sinful nature secure a relationship with God who is absolutely holy? You offer a divinely ordered substitutionary sacrifice to appease God’s wrath against your sin and cover and cleanse your evil in His holy presence. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, God gave Israel four specific blood […]
Isaiah 53:1-9: Salvation Is Grounded On The Servant’s Degradation And Exaltation
Seven times Jewish Christian writers of the New Testament directly identify Jesus as the fulfillment of the role of the suffering Servant/Savior as prophesied with great specificity in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. Isaiah New Testament 52:15 (LXX) Romans 15:21 53:1 (LXX) John 12:38 53:1 Romans 10:16 53:4 Matthew 8:17 53:7-8 (LXX) Acts 8:32-33 53:9 1 Peter 2:22 […]
Isaiah 52:13-15: The Mystery of the Servant Jesus
If you are on a journey to discover who Jesus really is because all the other belief systems you’ve pursued have proved wanting, and all of the life endeavors you’ve poured your life into have left you empty, I’m here to tell you it is interesting how the living, true God orchestrates events in your […]