By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Genesis 27:41, 33:1-11

Conflict is part of life. It is never a pleasant experience. Conflict can and does occur even among believers. We see conflict in marriage, in churches, and in the work place. In our text, we find conflict between two brothers who happen to be twins — Jacob and Esau. It was customary for the oldest brother in a family to receive the birthright. Jacob, the younger of the two brothers, tricked his older brother, Esau, out of his birthright. Being deceived, Esau, full of bitterness and anger, determined to kill Jacob when their father Isaac died (Genesis 27:41). Jacob decided to put some distance between him and Esau so he went to live with his mother’s brother, Laban. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Genesis 15:1-6, 16:1-5, 17:18-19

People often will make promises. However when it comes time to fulfill that promise, they neglect to follow through on their word. Who has not been hurt by having a promise made and then broken? For instance, “I promise I will not tell another person. I promise to be on time. I promise I will pay you. I promise to love, honor, and cherish.” What good is a promise if someone does not keep their word?

Abraham was a man of faith. Back in chapter 12, God had already promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation. Now the years have gone by and Abraham and Sarai are getting older and still do not have a child. Abraham’s faith was strong enough that he left his homeland and his family to follow the call of God. But now looking from a human perspective, God’s promise of a child appeared to be impossible. Even though God restates His promise and shows Abraham the stars, he really offers him nothing more or new. Instead, once again, God reiterates the promise of His Word. Abraham, like many other biblical characters proves that even people of faith will have times of doubt and weakness. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 15:1-8

Jesus and His disciples had left the Upper Room. They had partaken of the Lord’s Supper and now they were on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus would pray and later be arrested. Along the way, Jesus used an object lesson from the garden. By looking at the grape arbor, the signs of a vinedresser were obvious. The vines had been tended and pruned. It was obvious that someone had spent time with the vines intending to have a good harvest of grapes. The purpose of this analogy from the lips of Jesus was to remind believers of their purpose in following Jesus. Our purpose is very simple — Jesus expects us to bear fruit for Him. Often people will ask, “Why was I born?” Now Jesus answers that question. In a believer’s life, there will always be times of discouragement. Situations and circumstances will enter into a believer’s life that will hinder in the production of fruit. During these times, our life’s purpose can seem a little fuzzy. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 14:1-7

Jesus is preparing the disciples for His return to heaven. Jesus knew that it would be a troubling time in the disciples’ lives as they faced life and death without His physical presence. He knew there would be fear in their hearts. Jesus tells them how to have peace.

Belief in Jesus brings peace in troubled times. God loved us and cares so much for us that He left heaven and came down to earth to live among us. Jesus is God with skin on His face. Even the demons believe in Jesus (James 2:19) but when Jesus said, “Believe also in Me,” it means to put one’s trust in or commit one’s self to Him.” Dr. Paul Powell commenting on verse 6 once said, “I am the way — without Jesus there is no going. I am the truth — without Jesus there is no knowing. I am the life — without Jesus there is no growing.” Trusting Jesus gives us faith to face all kinds of troubled times in our lives. A person cannot have the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7) until he/she has made peace with God (Romans 5:1). [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 11:17-27

Jesus tells the disciples that He is going back to Judea because Lazarus has fallen asleep (died). The disciples are surprised that Jesus would want to go back there, because in John 10:31 the Jews tried to stone Him on his last visit to Judea. Jesus is teaching the disciples that they should not be afraid of death. People still respond to the death of a loved one with the same question that Job once asked: “If a man dies, shall he live again?” Jesus is going to use this occasion to answer that question.

Jesus shows by resurrecting Lazarus that He has power over death. Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. The first of the resurrections that Jesus performed was the widow of Nain’s son. Then Jesus also showed His power over death by raising the young daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader. Resuscitation is a return to life, but eventually physical death comes again. [Read more…]