First Baptist Shreveport

Can you be lost at home?  Can you be in a new and unfamiliar place and still not be lost?  Jesus consistently welcomes and spends time with outsiders and sinners, garnering criticism from the very religious.   In the story of the prodigal son, we see the father selling the family land to give the inheritance in advance in response to the younger son's request. This son went off and quickly sq...

Power Over All: Jesus Forgives Weekly Devotional 2.17.2025 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 Jesus desires to heal the whole person, both from physical ailments and sin. Jesus’ healing in Matthew 9 reveals that His mission was not solely about calming sto...

What does it feel like to realize that you’re lost?  Let’s look at maybe the most famous story of being lost - the story of the Prodigal Son. In our text today from Luke, the story begins with the father - “There was a man who had two sons”.  The younger son wants to make his own way. This is a common desire in our culture today - the world tells us to “live our true life” and “follow our heart”. ...

Power Over All: Jesus Heals Weekly Devotional 2.10.2025 “Jesus bore the sins of people in his body on the cross, so that people could be healed through his stripes” 1 Peter 2:24 This week, we continue our mini-series on Jesus’ power and authority over creation, disease, sin, and death. The miracles in Matthew 8-9 show Jesus’ power and authority while simultaneously exposing the disciple's ins...

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21  The church is a miracle because of God's work within us, doing more than we could ask or imagine.   Studies have found that people who are activel...

Power Over All: Jesus Rescues Weekly Devotional 2.3.2025 “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 Faith requires us to put our full trust in Jesus, even when everything around us doesn’t make sense. Following Jesus doesn’t mean everything in our life will be perfect; it means we have hope and confidence...

Like instructions for putting together Legos, the Bible gives us instructions for how we can grow in Christ.  What does greatness look like? ⁃Is it like a sports where statistics prove an athlete is great? ⁃Is it like Billy Graham with the most sermons preached? ⁃Is it size of a church? ⁃Is it good works like Mother Theresa? The disciples were very concerned about being great and who and how. How...

Lord, Teach Us: Jesus the Teacher Weekly Devotional 1.27.2025 “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:16-17 Jesus is a master teacher who teaches the truths of the Kingdom of God through parables. He teaches that p...

When would it be good to be a broken wall Baptist Church? What are some barriers to Christian community and Christian belonging?  Walls that keep people out and the walls that keep people in. Sometimes walls need to be broken. Jesus entered humanity and broke the walls of his time and for all time. Through Jesus, the church became a new and unique thing. God called Abraham to be the father of all...

The Kingdom of God is at Hand: Jesus Inaugurates Weekly Devotional 1.20.2025 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 Today marks an important day in the history of America. Donald Trump, the 47th president-elect of the United...

There are so many forces around us these days pulling us apart.  We spend more time than ever at home, but Christian community is essential. Loneliness is at epidemic levels.  Belonging, friendship, and care is more important than ever. The trends are toward isolation, but we are better together.   “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead...

Worship the Lord Your God: Jesus is Tempted Weekly Devotional 1.13.2025 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 Cutting corners in hopes of achieving our goals, especially when we think nobo...

Where do you feel like you belong?   There has been a decline of social connections over the decades.  We are more isolated, inside in our lives of air conditioning and Netflix.  And we’re not just isolated but also divided- in a pandemic of loneliness.  But we were made for community.   How can we share the gift of Christian community more fully this year?  The book of Ephesians goes deep in look...

Opening Heaven: Jesus is Baptized Weekly Devotional 1.6.2024 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 At the start of Matthew 3, Matthew moves from the birth narrative to John the Baptist preaching the baptism of Jesus. In the gospels, John the Baptist and Jesus are paired t...

Ronney Joe Webb - A Baby Changes Everything - 1 Corinthians 15 •If it weren’t for a loving God, there would be no baby.  Good loves us so much that God wanted a relationship with us by sending his son to earth.   •If there were no baby, there would be no sinless man. Jesus did what we cannot do - be perfect in every way. •If there were no sinless man, there would be no cross. Jesus’ death is the p...

Come and Worship: The Visit of the Wise Men Weekly Devotional 12.30.2024 “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11  After Jesus was born, the wise men gave gifts that showed their admiration for Him and aff...

Today is the third Sunday in Advent when we light the candle of love.  What is Christmas if not a story of love reaching across time and space and dimensions - from the heavenly realm to the earthly?  When the Bible wants to describe the divine motivation for all that Jesus has done, it goes to this:  "For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not...

Glory to God in the Highest: The Birth of Jesus Weekly Devotional 12.23.2024 “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12 The Château de Versailles is unlike any other palace and stands in stark contrast to the birthplace of King Jesus. Instead of an el...

Discover Joy - Luke 2:8-14 - Dr. Jeff Raines  We don't have to manufacture joy or hold onto joy but instead discover joy because it's not an emotion we have to figure out how to feel. Our impulse and our world says that joy is found in youth, in money, in getting things, in feeling good.   But joy comes more in the seeking and in the struggle. Joy is what happens when the Holy Spirit int...

My Soul Magnifies the Lord: The Birth of Jesus Foretold Weekly Devotional 12.16.2024 “And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” Luke 1:46-48 Announcements are important because they focus on a single event that will happen in the future and the importance of the event. One of the most significant...

People of Peace - Luke 1:67-79 - Dr. Jeff Raines  How are you doing with peace today? Is peace hard for you to find? Our world is bombarded by elements that are designed to take away our peace - all kinds of barriers for us to REALLY experience Gods peace.  It’s ironic that in this very season of Christmas where we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace that we often feel WITHOUT peace.  In o...

Looking Back and Looking Forward: Prophecy & Promise Weekly Devotional 12.9.2024 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14  An essential element of many stories in the sci-fi realm is a singular person who is the promised one who will come to care for the marginalized and oppressed people and bri...

December 1, 2024 - Lauren McCoy Isaiah 40 - a word of comfort from God while the Israelites are in exile  “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31  Sometimes we're impatient for the grace of God but God teaches us to wait and to hope.   The Israelites are ask...

The Father Of, the Son Of: Genealogies to Jesus Weekly Devotional 12.2.2024 “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham….Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.” Matthew 1:1;17 Genealogies are an essential part of our lives. We all have curiosity...

November 24, 2024 - Ryan McCoy Grateful and Faithful [Luke 17:11-19]  Paul, from the confines of unjust imprisonment, gave us instructions to praise and thank God for everything.  It's easy to give thanks when everything is going well.  But the true Christian virtue of gratitude is a lifestyle.  We give thanks in ALL circumstances.  It is the natural expression of a sincere and growing faith....