Line Upon Line

Preaching in the wake of the death of Joyce, a beloved member, Pastor Miles turns from his scheduled passage to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 to answer whether believers may grieve. He teaches that Christians do sorrow, but not as those without hope, because the resurrection of Christ guarantees that death is a passage into the Lord's presence and a new thing God is doing.

Jesus warns His disciples that temptations and stumbling blocks are unavoidable and that severe judgment awaits those who ensnare others, then commands that we take heed to ourselves, rebuke a sinning brother, and freely forgive the one who repents. When the disciples plead, "Lord, increase our faith," Jesus teaches that even mustard-seed faith accomplishes great things, and that obedience such as...

Teaching through Luke 16, this message frames believers as stewards of all that God has entrusted to them, called to use worldly wealth and privileged position shrewdly for the sake of eternity and the souls of others. Both the unjust steward and the rich man and Lazarus warn us to invest in the future life rather than cling to this one.

Preaching from Isaiah 1, Pastor Miles shows how the people of Judah offered religious service while their hearts were far from God, so that their very worship became sin. He warns from Luke 12 and Matthew 7 that "to whom much is given, much is required," and that professing faith without a heart given to God invites severe judgment—yet God still calls, "Come let us reason together."

Teaching through Luke 11:14-28, Pastor Miles examines Jesus casting out a demon from a mute, blind man and the accusation that He did so by Beelzebub. The message contrasts the organized kingdom of Satan with the stronger kingdom of God, insisting there is no neutral ground in this spiritual battle—we are either with Christ or against Him.

A verse-by-verse study of Isaiah 8:19–9:7 that traces Judah's descent into spiritual darkness and God's promise that a great light—the Messiah—would shine on Galilee of the Gentiles. The teaching unpacks the titles of the coming Child of Isaiah 9:6-7 as a proclamation of both the humanity and deity of Jesus and the certainty of His everlasting kingdom.

Teaching through Romans 1:16-32, Pastor Miles contrasts the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel with the wrath of God revealed against those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. He traces the downward progression of a people who reject their Creator and moral law-giver, and calls believers back to the gospel's answer: repentance.

Drawing on the Jewish days of repentance and Jesus' account of the rich man and Lazarus, this teaching warns that having riches is not sin, but failing to be rich in good works is a grave danger for those who, like us, are among the wealthiest in the world and are called a royal priesthood.

Reflecting on how Scripture repeatedly says Solomon "built" the temple though many others did the actual labor, this teaching shows that God's economy differs from ours: He credits the whole work of His people to each faithful servant. Every believer is a living stone and a minister, and God rewards even the smallest service done for His name.

Teaching from Romans 11:33–12:2 on the believer's response to God's mercies: refusing to be conformed to a passing world and instead being transformed by the renewing of the mind through God's Word. Using Lot, Daniel, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the message calls for a deliberate decision to follow God's path rather than the world's blueprint.

Teaching from Ephesians 5:3-5, Pastor Miles urges believers to follow Christ closely as dear children, warning that sexual immorality and other sins are the traps by which the enemy binds Christians and steals the abundant life Jesus came to give. Using his own high school testimony and the life of Samson, he shows how drifting from the Lord leads to bondage, but God's grace still calls the waywar...

A verse-by-verse teaching on James 4:1-10 showing that conflicts and discontent arise from the lusts of our flesh, and that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Pastor Miles calls believers to examine their hearts, repent of worldly affections, and humble themselves before a jealous God who gives more grace.

A verse-by-verse study of James 1:1-8 teaching that believers can count trials as joy, because the testing of faith produces patience that completes and matures us, and that in every lack we should ask God in faith without wavering. The teaching is framed by the story of James, the scattering of persecuted Jewish Christians, and the faithful character of God who provides.

Working through Hebrews 13 (set against the close of chapter 12), Pastor Miles shows that only Jesus Christ is a foundation that will survive the shaking of God's voice, and that every other foundation—Judaism, moral works, false religion—is sand. He traces the final three chapters of Hebrews as faith, hope, and love, demonstrating how God's perfected love reshapes the believer's whole conduct.

A verse-by-verse study of Hebrews 11:1-10 that defines faith as the spiritual sense by which we perceive and relate to the unseen God, then traces four examples from the hall of faith—Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham—who worshipped, walked, worked, and went by faith.

A verse-by-verse teaching through Hebrews 10 that contrasts the repeated, insufficient sacrifices of the Levitical system with the one finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The message calls believers to draw near to God in the confidence of Christ's completed work, to hold fast without drawing back into dead religious works, and to live by faith alone.

A verse-by-verse teaching on Hebrews 2:1-18 showing that because Jesus is superior to angels, we must give earnest heed to His word, and that He became lower than the angels to taste death—spiritual and physical—for every man, becoming the perfect captain of our salvation and a merciful high priest. The message warns against drifting into tradition and religiosity and calls believers to keep their...

From a Roman prison awaiting execution, Paul writes his final letter to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, urging him to serve with a pure conscience, to stir up the spiritual gift God has given him, and to boldly embrace the message and sufferings of the gospel without fear or shame.

In his final letter, Paul tells Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind, and that his own fearlessness before execution rests on one thing: "I know whom I have believed." Pastor Miles urges believers to move beyond knowing *what* and *why* they believe to truly knowing the Lord Himself, so they can commit their burdens into His care and find rest.

Teaching through Exodus 16, Pastor Miles traces Israel's departure from the oasis of Elam into the wilderness of Sin and God's provision of manna, drawing out the spiritual principle that believers must gather the bread of life—the Word of God—fresh every morning. The manna points to Christ, the true bread from heaven, and models daily dependence, rest, and trust in God's faithful provision throug...

This teaching walks through Exodus 15, from Israel's triumphant worship song after the Red Sea crossing to the bitter waters of Marah, showing that God leads His redeemed people into the wilderness to prove their faith and teach them that He alone is their provision, protection, and praise. The central image is casting the tree—the cross—into the bitter waters so that God can make them sweet.

Teaching through Exodus 14, Pastor Miles shows how God deliberately led Israel to be boxed in at the Red Sea—between Pi-hahiroth, Migdol, and the pursuing Egyptian army—to prove that He is not confined to a box. The trial becomes a picture of the wilderness every believer passes through after leaving the world, and the whole point is that God be glorified before a watching world.

In the closing chapter of Joshua, Joshua gathers Israel at the historic site of Shechem and leads them through four movements—a recall of God's mighty acts, a call and commission to serve the Lord, a caution about the cost of forsaking Him, and the opening of a covenant. The teaching emphasizes God's initiating grace, the danger of forgetting His works, and the summons to choose this day whom we w...

In Joshua's farewell address, Pastor Miles teaches that an aging Joshua gathers Israel after 25 years of rest to remind them of God's faithfulness and to urge them to cleave to the Lord, keep His word courageously, and avoid the gods of the surrounding nations lest they be chastened. The message calls believers to be courageous, cautious, consistent, and careful, holding fast to God who transforms...

A study of Joshua 22, where the two-and-a-half tribes return home across the Jordan and build a controversial altar. Pastor Miles uses their story to warn against allowing possessions to possess us, settling for superficial faith, and living as "borderland believers" outside the rest God desires for us.