By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Exodus 12:1-13

Many people are desperate for a new beginning, but not desperate enough. Prolonged suffering tempts some to bury the pain or self-medicate with drugs, alcohol, sex, or whatever has worked in the past. Others are enslaved to habitual sins, despite reading all the books and trying every possible human solution to break free. It’s only when we are desperate enough to cry out to God in our suffering and sin that we truly come to know His liberating power (Exodus 2:23). In Exodus 12, the Lord has heard Israel’s cry and is acting to fulfill a 400-year-old promise made to one of their forefathers, the promise of a new beginning (Genesis 15:13-14).  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Exodus 7:1-13

As parents, we tell our kids not to play in the street. There are laws of the road we must follow, such as speed limits and seat belt laws. Construction workers have safety protocol they must heed. Refusing to heed instructions in any of these situations could lead to serious injury or even death. While hearing and obeying are important in all aspects of life, they’re essential when it comes to God’s Word.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Exodus 3:4-14; 4:13-16

“God will never give you more than you can handle.” These words are often spoken to suffering believers, but they are misguided at best, and at worst, just plain wrong. If we could speak with Moses about the events in Exodus, I believe he would agree that on many occasions, God gave both he and Israel “more than they could handle.” God performed signs and wonders to demonstrate that He keeps His promises and saves His people who cry out to Him. But before He can deliver Israel from their slavery in Egypt, the Lord must first begin to deliver Moses from his fear and unbelief.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 42:1-11

In II Corinthians 1:4, Paul writes that God “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort” others. Long before this was written, the psalmist used a painful time of discouragement to instruct us in how we should hope in God when it feels like we have lost Him. He was in a place of spiritual dryness (Psalm 42:1-2). Like a deer frantically panting for water in a dried-up river bed, he was thirsting to be in the presence of the living God. He had lost his appetite and was suffering from insomnia (v. 3). Spiritual discouragement causes us to feel that God is absent and is no longer actively working in our lives. Though He has promised to never leave us, He may occasionally withdraw His “felt” presence from our lives (Hebrews 13:5).  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 141:1-10

Apart from the occasional, “Father, please give us safe travel,” how often do you pray for God’s protection? While it is entirely appropriate to ask God to watch over us physically, I fear that we do not ask for His spiritual protection nearly enough. Jesus taught us to pray this way: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). During His high priestly prayer, He asked the Father to keep His followers from the evil one (John 17:15).  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-11

Augustine of Hippo, a third century church father from northern Africa, most likely spent his last days reflecting on Psalm 32. It’s easy to see why a dying saint would find comfort in these words because they are about the happiness, joy, and blessing of those who have experienced God’s forgiveness.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 51:1-17

Somewhere in the springtime around 1000 B.C., kings would go to battle. In II Samuel 11, King David shirked his responsibility and this decision proved costly. What followed would become some of the darkest moments in David’s life. These events form the backdrop for Psalm 51, a prayer which models for us what genuine confession and repentance should look like.

True confession begins with a humble heart. David acknowledges that his sin is “ever before” him and that sin has been with him from the moment of his conception (vv. 3, 5). He sees the depth of his depravity and cries out “Have mercy on me, O God” (v. 1). It is only when we see the all-encompassing nature of sin in our lives that we sense our need for God to do something in us. David’s concern becomes less about hiding his sin and more about being right with the Lord. He humbly accepts the words of a friend and allows God to work in his heart. [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 146:1-10

We are quick to trust human leaders because we are drawn to things that we can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears. But the longer we are preoccupied with the people around us, we lose sight of the person above us. It’s no wonder that American people are anxious, fearful, restless, and troubled! The Psalms call us to step out of our narrow view of the world and to focus more on God. If we put our hope in men, we will be disappointed. But if we put our hope in God, we will cultivate a soul that is happy in the Lord.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 136:1-5, 10-15, 23-26

Communicating our love to others strengthens our relationship and reassures them of our commitment. Rather than describing how much we love God, Psalm 136 tells of the many ways God has loved us. The psalmist knows that there is a direct connection between remembering and thankfulness, and between thankfulness and trusting in God. When he calls us to “give thanks to the LORD,” he is reminding us that our God is a covenant keeping King who rules faithfully over His people. He is sovereign over the spiritual realm (“God of gods”) and over every earthly ruler (“Lord of lords”). The psalmist uses these titles and the refrain, “His steadfast love endures forever,” to assure us that when God sets His love on a people, He never takes it away.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-14

No matter how busy our lives may become, we all have experiences where the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation stop us in our tracks. Our family lives in a beautiful area surrounded by hiking trails, swimming holes, and caves. We’re always amused to see the variety of state license plates on the vehicles in our local parks. You probably have your own special place that causes your heart to be filled with worship toward our Creator. But while everyone will not have the opportunity to see an ocean or stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon, all of us can see and feel the majesty of a night sky.  [Read more…]