Faith Presbyterian Church

Jesus is the door. Both shepherds and sheep must enter the Kingdom of God through Jesus. There is no other way to be saved or to legitimately lead God's people.

God's people are to be a just people just as he is a just God. When it comes to local or higher courts, impartiality and a pursuit of true justice are crucial. Whether in Israel during Moses' day or in the church in our day, these principles of justice are vital for the community of God's people.

Here is a clear difference between testimony and evangelism. Personal testimony is bearing witness to the truth regarding your ability to give pertinent facts from your own experience. The formerly blind man did this. But he was not able to evangelize yet because he did not himself come to faith in Jesus until after the testimony recorded in chapter 9. The Gospel is not about us but about the person and work of Jesus Christ.

In the law regarding the firstborn and the three annual pilgrimage feasts, Moses repeatedly uses the phrase "to the LORD your God." These festivals and feasts were about the LORD and His covenant commitment and provisions to the people of God. We, too, live our lives "to the LORD our God."

Although we don't have indentured servants or "debt slavery" today, this is the theme of this passage. There were two thrusts - if Israel followed God's ways in the covenant community, poverty would not be a problem. But because of the reality of sin and the reality of always having the poor, the way creditors treated debtors was crucial in a community with God as their master.

Jesus reinforces the fact that we cannot always associate particular sin with illness, disease or other "bad" things. Yet in so doing, He also heals a man born blind giving evidence that He is the Son of God.

Of all the I AM statements of Jesus in the book of John, this one offers the clearest picture of displaying the deity of Jesus. He claims to be the great I AM and the Jewish leaders understood this - so much so that they tried unsuccessfully to stone Jesus!

When it comes to every aspect of our lives, we believers understand our identity should impact our behavior. As a holy people who fear God, and as Sons of God, even our eating habits are meant to glorify Him!

Are you a child of God or a child of the devil? The Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus claimed to be children of Abraham, which they were genealogically yet were still not in the Kingdom. What would Jesus say about you and your father?

As Moses starts off specific details about the law in Israel's new land, he began with worship and continues with the absolute line drawn at monotheism. No other gods period! Here is what to do when the temptations come and here are solid principles for today's people of God - the church.

The truth will set you free! On the one hand, this means Jesus, the Truth, will set His people free. And on the other hand, it means the Word which reveals the truth will set you free. Truth conquers self-deception, the lack of hope and slavery to sin. Listen to the wonders of Truth!

Moses is inspired to address Israel's change from mobile wanderers living amidst the roving tabernacle to landowners, many of whom would live far away from the place God would choose to place first the tabernacle and then the temple. Worship is foremost and concerns about offerings and how to handle blood (an important topic for God's people at all times) and eating meat are addressed.

Jesus declares Himself to be the Light of the world. For those who walk in the Light, they will have the Light of life and will have their sins forgiven. For those who don't, they will die in their sins. Jesus is the great I AM and the perfect Son of Man.

On the brink of crossing the Jordan, Moses' first command for living in the new land centers around worship: to forsake and exterminate the false worship of the Canaanites and to maintain purity in worshiping the one true God in the place of His choosing.

This section of Scripture is consistent with Jesus' character and teaching in that He neither condones sin nor precludes mercy. He neither contradicts the law nor ignores the hypocrisy of the human caretakers of the law. Hear this record of law, mercy, and a call for repentance.

A reiteration of the need for God's people to make God's Words foremost in their lives also reminds them of the importance of obedience in the coming conquest and the connection between promise and responsibility.

This text continues to delve into the reaction of the people to Jesus regarding His identity and authority. The people were fascinated with Him. Some even believed in Him. The leaders were jealous of Him and sought to kill Him. Who do you believe Jesus is?

In this portion of Moses' sermon, he puts forth a sort of "responsive living" outline. Three times, a description of God and/or His actions is given followed by a plea for the people to respond appropriately.

John's focus in this text is not on the content of His teaching but on the authority of His teaching and Jesus' identity as a teacher. He speaks from above and as the perfect law-keeping Son of God.

This text shows a transition in Moses' sermon from the historical review demonstrating the people's unworthiness in receiving God's gift of the Promised Land to the charge given them to enter the land walking with the LORD.

At this juncture in John, the Holy Spirit inspires the author to write about the different reactions of the world to Jesus ranging from opposition to unbelief to perplexity. Even Jesus' own brothers did not trust in Him!

In the context of Moses' reminder that it is not their righteousness that brought them into the promised land, he reminds them of their history as a rebellious and obstinate people as well as God's history of faithfulness and mercy.

The gospel - and Jesus - are offensive to unbelievers; not "winsome" but offensive! Apart from divine intervention, no one will come to Jesus. And yet, as Peter proclaims, there is nowhere else to turn for eternal life!

In the human tendency to take credit for what others have done, the LORD warns Israel (and us) not to take credit for what He has done. It is not by the righteousness of man that God brings His blessings - no, we are a stiff-necked people, rebels at heart but for the grace of God.

On the verge of entering the promised land, Moses is compelled by the Spirit to warn the people of the danger of forgetting the LORD, His covenant and His works. Especially in times of plenty, all of us have a tendency to forget it is the LORD who gives us every blessing, even the covenant of grace that leads to salvation.

In this tough saying regarding Jesus' teaching on His being the bread of life from heaven, Jesus clearly touches on the inability of men to come to Him apart from divine intervention and on the necessity to take part in Christ.

The life of God's people is marked by a history of God's work on their behalf. They are called to obey God's commands because of His history with them; a history of training, discipline and provision as a Father to a son.

There is no denying that believers are a gift from the Father to the Son and that left to our own will, none of us will believe in Jesus. The good news is that the Father sent the Son to save some - of whom He will not reject - and will give those eternal life!

Moses is inspired to give the people a look at the ideal Promised Land: filled with blessings while the people joyfully trust in and follow the LORD.

The crowd's understanding of religion as performance-based, proof-based, or prosperity-based is addressed by Jesus in this teaching as He claims to be the "Bread of Life."

This text is bookended by the demand to keep the commandment(s). The point is that Israel (as are we) is to do so because of what the LORD has done for us and how much He has loved us. As His personal property, we gladly obey the law because He has chosen and loved us.

When Jesus fed the 5000, the crowd was there because they were attracted to Jesus' signs. The disciples failed the test of faith as they failed to understand what Jesus was capable of doing. And even after this fabulous miracle, the people misinterpreted the offices of prophet and king that this miracle revealed. Are you, too, attracted to the signs or to the Sign Maker? Jesus (not the signs) is the object of our faith!

In the midst of enemies seeking His life in their accusations of blasphemy, Jesus brings the evidence of His identity including men, works, the Father and Scripture. He has the testimony to show that He was sent by the Father and is the Christ, the Son of God.

You would think that receiving tremendous blessings from the LORD would make a people grateful and faithful but the heart of men is deceitful. Moses warns the people of the promise not to forget the LORD of the covenant.

In light of opponents seeking to kill Him, Jesus doubles down on His claims in relation to the Father as the Son of God. The ramifications for life, death, and judgment are tremendous!

This central teaching in the book of Deuteronomy reveals both the core doctrine of the exclusive relationship between believers and the one true God as well as the expected reaction to that core truth in active, devoted love to Him.

Easter message

This particular miracle of Jesus healing a man at the pool of Bethesda brings up all kinds of questions but in the end serves as additional prove that Jesus is the divine Son of God. Trust in Jesus, the Christ!

The problem with Israel upon hearing the LORD speak to them the ten commandments was not their words or their immediate reaction but their hearts. This is exactly why all of us sinful human beings need a Savior!

Back in Galilee from His sojourn in Samaria, Jesus encounters a royal official who is searching Him out in hopes that his sick son will be healed by Jesus. Jesus calls this man (and all of us) out for any faith in a sign rather than in the person of Jesus. And yet, true faith did come to this man and his household as well as the healing of his son.

This text references the formative event at Mt. Sinai for the nation of Israel. All the assembly hear the LORD give the 10 commandments and it was such a fearful experience that the people begged Moses to be their mediator. Indeed, God's Word and standards do not change and without the mediation of Jesus we would have no hope before the Living God!

2025 Bible Conference Weekend

Part 2 of Dr. Guy Waters addressing the topic "The Sufficiency of Scripture," this time focusing on the area of worship.

Dr. Guy Waters presents his opening address for our 2025 Bible Conference on "The Sufficiency of Scripture."