FBC CTX Growing in Grace Podcast

Before the Apostle Paul could move forward with God in his life, he first needed to check his vision. He wasn’t seeing what God was seeing. How about you? Why not take time at the beginning to this year and seek the Lord for His vision. The prophet Habakkuk had lots of questions about what he was seeing around him. When God revealed His plan, he didn’t even understand God’s response. So, what did...

It is said of Abraham that  “…he went out not knowing where he was going…” (Hebrews 11:8).  I don’t think this is why he is also referred to as the  “…father of us all…” (Romans 4:16).  But most of us, if we are honest, are moving through life without direction. So, where can one go to find direction in life. I would say we could go to Romans 12:1-8. If you are looking for guid...

The second chapter of Matthew always leads us in the right direction each Christmas. We come alongside of the wise men and follow the star to honor Christ. This inspiring chapter also speaks truthfully of another choice that can be made each Christmas. If we choose to do so, we can follow the stress and move further away from Christ. Many bible scholars maintain that these...

James was writing to encourage early disciples who were encountering difficult people while experiencing harsh circumstances. Aesop’s fable contrasts an impatient rabbit with a steady turtle. These two enter a race. Who will win? The hare was too careless during the race while the turtle diligently kept putting one foot in front of the other. Sometime I grow impatient in life becaus...

Since Veterans Day is coming up, today let’s look at Hebrews 2:1-4 as we consider  The Charge of the Light Brigade in honor of our courageous veterans who demonstrate bravery to us as they vigilantly protect us and guard our freedoms. Have you ever heard of a poem written by Tennyson entitled,  The Charge of the Light Brigade ? It was inspired by the courage of 658 British...

Sometimes we feel as though we are going under and frantically scramble for anything that will keep us afloat. On February 16, 2021, a Lithuanian engineer went out on the deck of his cargo ship for some fresh air since he was feeling a little lightheaded. Unfortunately, he fainted and slipped overboard somewhere between New Zealand and Pitcairn. He had no lifejacket and was not noticed a...

Can you give thanks this Thanksgiving? Perhaps, you, like the Pilgrims, have suffered significant and precious loss of family or friends this year. Maybe overall, it has been a tough go for you and your family over the past couple of years. Let Hebrews 13:15-16 prime the pump for giving thanks, so that when it is time for you to give thanks with your family, you will...

The first of a two-part series on thanksgiving called, Choosing to Give Thanks.  It is based upon David’s response to the Lord when God redirected his dream of building a temple for God to his son heading up that construction effort. David basically had just received a “no” from God, yet he chose to respond with gratitude in 2 Samuel 7:18-29. Instead of focusing on what he couldn’t...

Most Americans dislike anything that is fake, whether it is jewelry, money, doctors, etc. We long for what is authentic. When I was a student in seminary I remember hearing a message in a chapel service about counterfeit Christians. The speaker pointed out how a phony believer resembles a “chute gate cowboy”. He explained that “chute gate cowboys” enjoy dressing up in their best western gear with...

David was trapped in a cave with King Saul on the inside of his “refuge” and the king's army of 3,000 men waiting just outside of the mouth of the cave. He was surrounded and outgunned. These were impossible odds. This time there did not seem to be a way out of this dangerous predicament. David etched on the "walls of scripture" what happened that day in the darkness...

Have you ever had a subtraction of your satisfaction? It can happen. However, despite what Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones claimed back in the ‘60s about never being able to obtain satisfaction, the truth is that satisfaction is possible, if we look for it in the right place. The amazing thing in Psalm 63 is that when his circumstances were trying to take away from his...

Jesus gave a parable contrasting two builders who chose different kinds of foundations upon which they built their houses. One chose to build upon sand, while the other chose to build his house upon a rock. The same kind of storm hit each house, but the man who built his home upon the rock watched as his house stood through the storm. The other man’s home was unfortunately washed away. Edward...

In this part of South Texas we have to be careful about walking across the yard barefooted because of grass burrs. There are several different kinds of burs down here such as the Bur Clover, Field Sandbur, Lawn Burweed, Khaki Weed or the very painful Goat Head. These stickers can be tricky just removing them from your shoelaces much less pulling them out of your foot. Today we address the thorns o...

Have you ever lost your enthusiasm for your job? Maybe the seven dwarfs could sing, “Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to work we go!” But your song is more like, “Oh, no! Oh, no! It’s off to work I go!” Is there a way to put the “music” or the motivation back into your performance and attitude at work? I think there is! There are some timeless principles given in Colossia...

All of us who enjoy football are not fans of instant replay. Ha! Each year plays that we thought went one way, when watched again in slow motion go another way. As a matter of fact, although I personally favor college football, the NFL statistic reveal that in 2022 there were 164 plays that were overturned after the play went under review. You can just see things clearer when it is not i...

When the Lord Tests (Psalm 11) Do you like tests? Twice in Psalm 11 we are told that the Lord tests us (vs. 3-4). Let’s see what David learned about testing from this short but powerful psalm. He certainly took many exams in his lifetime ranging from his time out in the country watching over the sheep to his time in the court of King Saul to his time hiding in caves running from the king to his ti...

Pushed to the Tipping Point (Genesis 6:1-8) In His Word, God reveals one particular aspect of His character with this clear statement written in 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” If He personally does not like disorder, then it is not surprising that He next says in 1 Corinthians 14:40, “But all things should be done dece...

Most of us who are parents have had to tell our kids “no" at some point while raising them. One such case was in 2 Chronicles 11:1-17 when God vetoed the plan of a king, Rehoboam. Surprisingly, he actually took it well and didn’t get upset when he was overruled and told to stand down. How would we react if we were a king and were told that we may not do something? This podcast will...

There are many types of caves in life, metaphorically speaking. The Old Testament character David was most likely in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22), or perhaps he was in the cave at En Gedi (1 Samuel 24). Whichever cave he was in, he left some "writing on the wall of his cave" for us so that we would know how to respond to dark circumstances that can arise in life....

Today, we shall look at Luke 14:15-24 and explore the Parable of the Great Banquet. Jesus was dining at the home of a Pharisee at his invitation. This was actually His third lunch invitation from a Pharisee (7:36; 11:37; 14:1). Bible scholars say it is likely that this meal took place after the worship service in the local synagogue. It could be titled, “Will You Be Dining with Jesus?” Or, we...

There are many times in life that we do not understand what the Lord is doing. The Scripture prepares us for these times with statements like we find in Isaiah 55:9 where we are told explicitly, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” But it still hard to fully comprehend...

Following Jesus Changes Everything (Acts 10:34-48) Today the devotion will be taken from Acts 10:34-48 and is entitled, “Following Jesus Changes Everything”. Since VBS is next week, I will give a brief summary of the five lessons that will be covered during the week. It is amazing really how I had decided on doing this devotion and later discovered that it corresponded beautifu...

In God We Trust (Psalm 56) Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations   Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison   First Baptist Church 1700 Milam Street Columbus, TX, USA 78934 http://fbccolumbustx.org/

The Minus Side of the Fatherhood Principle, Psalm 127:1-2 1.     Working minus the Father guiding = vanity 2.     Warring minus the Father guarding = vanity 3.     Worrying minus the Father giving = vanity The Positive Side of the Fatherhood Principle, Psalm 127:3-5 1.     Because our children are our heritage, v. 3 2....

Perhaps you would never classify yourself as being “rich” or “wealthy”, but if we compare our lives to those of others worldwide, then we might determine that Paul’s instructions to those who are “rich in this present age” may actually refer to us. The global median daily income is only $ 7.56. Remember that is for the entire day! If one stretches the income out to an entire year, then the average...