FBC CTX Growing in Grace Podcast

Go call your friends who like to fish and tell them they will like this message! Let’s look at Matthew chapter 13 where Jesus gives 7 parables. He begins sharing these seven parables in Matthew 13:3. What is a “parable”? The Greek term for parable is parabole, meaning something thrown (bole) alongside (para) for the sake of comparison. Jesus would draw a parallel or a picture that everyone underst...

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Acts 16:14 Erick Weihenmayer reached the top of Mt. Everest on May 25, 2001. This was amazing since Erick had been blind since contracting an eye disease that left him blind since the age of 13. How can som...

A faulty foundation can be costly later. For example, if one starts to see stair-stepping cracks between brick and mortar, walls that begin to lean or bulge, cracks developing where the wall meets the ceiling, windows that stick or doors that jam, then you have a foundation problem. The same can eventually happen in the life of a believer or the fellowship of a church. Apart from building upon the...

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Forbes posted some interesting statistics related to resolutions made by Americans at the end of 2023. According to a survey that polled 1,000 US adults on October 23, 2023, 48% made resolutions regarding physical fitness, 38% focused on personal finances, 34% desired to lose some weight, 32% promised themselves to do a better job with their diet. The rema...

According to some current projections, holiday spending may decrease in 2025 from the anticipated $1,007 dollars per person back in October to an adjusted budget of $778 for Christmas gifts. Many who completed the survey indicated they plan to reduce spending this year by 55% compared with 2024 expenditures. Of course, we must keep in mind that record high spending was marked in both 2023 and...

Have you started decorating your tree yet? I saw this year the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center is 75’ tall imported from Norway. They hung 50,000 Christmas lights on the tree in celebration of the season. As far as I can tell, many believe lighting the Christmas tree originated with Martin Luther in the 16th century, who lit his tree after walking in the woods and seeing the stars tw...

What would you say was the greatest Christmas gift you ever received? Among the greatest some people consider the best are gift like…a new vehicle, time, handmade cards from children, birth of a child, extension to life for one diagnosed with a terminal illness, visits from family, cash, voucher booklet from a teenager promising the completion of various chores, etc. The angel told Joseph in a dre...

“I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.” 116:17 Luke tells us in his Gospel account that during His last supper with the disciples, Jesus took the bread and the cup, and then, gave thanks. This was the night before His death. Obviously, He was not giddy in His emotions, but He was deliberate in the exercise of His will in obedience to Father’s plan as H...

The author of the sweet song about Heaven entitled, “Beyond the Sunset” was Virgil Brock. One evening he and his wife attended a party at Rainbow Point, Indiana. Most of the guests were faculty from the Rodeheaver School of Music there at the Winona Lake Bible Conference. Upon seeing a breath-taking sunset, those present began to describe the exquisite beauty of the closing to that day. As the gue...

The true story of Horatio Spafford and his family has always stirred my heart. He was a devoted Christian and a hard-working attorney in Chicago back in the mid-1800s. The Spafford family unfortunately knew what it was like to grieve. Tragically, Mr. Spafford’s son, Horatio, Jr. developed scarlet fever and died in 1870 at only four years of age. The next year, a fire swept through the city, burnin...

Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations   Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison   First Baptist Church 1700 Milam Street Columbus, TX, USA 78934 http://fbccolumbustx.org/

If you enjoy the award ceremonies of the Olympics, or the Academy Awards in filmmaking, the Grammy Awards in music, the Emmy Awards for television, The Tony Awards for Broadway, etc, then you will love the first nine verses of the third chapter of First Corinthians as they introduce us to the context for the award ceremony of the ages presented in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, the one that will take plac...

The letter to the Romans has been divided by most bible scholars into two primary sections – a doctrinal section presented in chapters 1-11 and a practical section that begins in chapter 12 and unpacks the Christian life until the end of the letter in chapter 16. I would like for us to look into that last section where we are instructed in how to live a victorious Christian life today. Romans 15:4...

Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations   Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison   First Baptist Church 1700 Milam Street Columbus, TX, USA 78934 http://fbccolumbustx.org/

Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations   Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison   First Baptist Church 1700 Milam Street Columbus, TX, USA 78934 http://fbccolumbustx.org/

On the LifeWay Research website I discovered an interesting article regarding Gen Z (ages 13-28, born between 1997-2012). It stated that this generation is sensing uncertainty in life and are turning to trusted relationships to share their anxieties. Only 29% of those interviewed by Springtide Research Institute said that they turn to a church. One reason stated is that they do not find a listenin...

Three times in Acts 8:4-25 Luke uses the same compound Greek word (prosecho = pros, meaning, before or towards + echo, referring to holding), which came to mean, “pay attention”. Check out verses 6, 10 and 11! There is a big difference in the way we lived when we were still in darkness compared to the changed lifestyle once we stepped over into the spiritual light through faith in Christ. We cease...

The last five words of our National Anthem say, “…the home of the brave.” The stanza actually asks a question if our nation is still “…the land of the free and the home of the brave?” The reason we are a free nation is because of so many Americans were courageous under various difficult circumstances throughout the 249 years of our history. It is important to have positive role models who demonstr...

In honor of Father’s Day, we shall look at 2 Samuel 23:8-23 where it introduces us to five of the soldiers who served in the Special Forces that protected King David. You could call these men, “The King’s Mighty Men”. Our first verse today says, “These are the names of the mighty men whom David had…” 23:8. By the way, how would you define a “mighty man”? A wise theologian from the past named J.C....

A news report dated June 17, 2022 entitled, “American’s Crisis Is a Lack of Fathers” states,  “Data from the US Census Bureau shows that nearly 18.5 million children grow up without their fathers, which has led to the US owning the title of the world’s leader in fatherlessness.”  These numbers concern me as a pastor. I believe fathers are  so important to the family. The Father...

The Holy Spirit inspired James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, to equip the body of Christ to pass various tests in life. He had in mind practical, real-life trials such as persecution, patience, prudence, poverty/prosperity, pleasure, partiality and even profanity (or how we use our words). By the time the author enters the 4th chapter, he is addressing advance planning tests. Since we ar...

When I read Psalm 95 a couple of mornings ago, I immediately found myself quietly humming and somewhat silently singing one of my favorite hymns, Worthy of Worship. Compared to some hymns, this is a modern hymn, written in 1988. Dr. Terry W. York of Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas wrote the inspiring lyrics to the hymn, while Mark Blankenship gave us the beautiful music. In the hymn, Dr. York tells...

Happy Mother’s Day! During this message we are going to examine the life of a woman named Hannah who went from emotional agony over personal barrenness to victory over a precious baby. It will be amazing to watch Hannah go from emotional survival in life’s harsh circumstances to spiritual revival through life’s greatest comfort in the Lord. I recall reading a harrowing account of a young couple in...

James, the half-brother of Jesus who eventually became the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, addresses in James 1:5-8 what may be the one thing you are missing in your trials – wisdom. We often ask the Lord to remove the hardship, but what if that “ship” (even though it is difficult) is exactly the vessel that the Lord is bringing into your life to help you enter a new stage of spiritual growth a...

The Apostle Paul wrote to his mentee, Timothy, these words in 2 Timothy 4:7 just a couple of months before he was martyred,  “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” The writer of Hebrews urged his readers in Hebrews 12:1-2 to finish the race strong by keeping their eyes on Jesus and laying aside any weights or besetting sins that were hindering their r...