First Baptist Blowing Rock

Join us as we learn some important lessons about the influence of a Mother's Passion. We hope to redeem a Mother who has received a bad rap in the New Testament as well as gaining a few examples for all parents to follow when it comes to our children's spiritual future. From Matthew 20:20-28 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

In every letter that the Apostle Paul writes to the various churches he warns them about false teachers. Numerous times throughout the Gospels, Jesus warns about false teachers but none clearer and more direct than what is found at the end of his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7. He is very pointed in calling out those He calls "wolves in sheep" clothing whose intent is to build up their own kingdoms, their own power and their own prosperity at the expense of deceiving those looking to follow Christ. He then goes on with a scary and heartbreaking warning about the end results of those who get lured into these false teachings by describing what will happen when they stand before him in judgment at the end times. Instead of hearing "Welcome in my good and faithful servant", Jesus warns they will hear "Depart from me, I never knew you". We have a clear warning, we see the results of the deception but what is difficult to understand is how it happens. How does a sincere and spiritual

While many consider Jesus words in Matthew 7:21-23 to be the most shocking or heartbreaking of the entire New Testament, others would love to bypass, overlook or rationalize them away. After warning about false teachers or "wolves in sheep's clothing", Jesus now confronts the end results for those who fall into the trap or are lured away by those teachings. What makes the teaching so startling is that He is clearly talking about good, sincere and religious people who are inside the church and have said all the right thing and done all the right things and yet when they stand before God in judgement, they will be rejected. This passage makes very clear that not everyone will be saved and even more striking, some who think that are saved will still be rejected. What is clear is that one day everyone on earth will stand before God and give an account for their lives and they will only hear one of two responses; "Welcome in my good and faithful servant" or "Depart from me" and t

People have been using and blaming God for their own profit and gain, to build their own kingdoms and to justify their sinful actions and behavior since the garden of Eden. False prophets and false teachers claiming to speak for God are scattered all through the Old Testament, but as Jesus establishes His church he knew it would only get worse. In every letter/epistle the Apostle Paul wrote to his various churches one can find a dire warning against false teachers and the dangers they bring to both Christ followers and the true church. So it should not surprise us that as Jesus brings one of his greatest teachings to a close, he emphatically warns about false teachers calling them "wolves in sheep's clothes". He predicts that when Satan was not attacking the church, he would be joining it and over the years Satan has sowed more destruction through imitation than he ever could with outright opposition. Luckily for us, Jesus did not just give a warning - he outlined a way by which we could determ

The Apostle Paul encourages the Church at Philippi to "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12 as an encouragement for them to never stop examining their own hearts and motives. Jesus spends the better part of the end of his Sermon on the Mount on the same topic giving several metaphors and illustrations calling for self-examination. Yet you will not hear it discussed much in today's "church world" for fear of causing people to "doubt" their salvation. So we propagate a cultural Christianity where assurance comes from a date written in the front of a Bible, on a baptismal certificate or on a emotional memory from our youth instead of a changed heart. Jesus is pretty clear that each of us have one of two choices, the wide gate and the wide road or the narrow gate and narrow road. There are no exceptions, no compromises, no middle ground and the reality is that if you have not chosen the narrow gate found in Jesus Christ, you are already headed dow

Many love to quote Matthew 7:1, "judge not least you be judged" yet that passage is found in a section of Jesus' teaching from the Sermon on the Mount that puts a spotlight on what could be defined as "judging". We are told not to be self-righteous or hypercritical in how we respond or treat others and we are warned to never try to take God's role and authority as the ultimate judge of peoples hearts and motives; yet the entire chapter is a call to evaluation - self evaluation! Using several metaphors and parables, Jesus teaches that their is a clear delineation between those who are His disciples and those who are not, and he calls those listening to his Sermon to evaluate their own hearts, motives and actions to see where they stand. He starts this call for evaluation by describing how prayer, worship and their outflow determines the heartbeat or pulse of a healthy Christ follower. Listen in to check your own spiritual pulse. From Matthew 7:7-12Thank you for listening to our po

In our current culture, it doesn't take long for anyone who states a conviction or belief that might runs counter to modern PC group think to receive the admonition, "Judge Not least You Be Judged". It seems that is the "go-to" response on Facebook, Social Media, Blogs, Websites and sometimes even in person anytime we might express a biblical conviction about sin or sinful behavior. My first reaction to reading or hearing this response is to quote Inigo Montoya from "The Princess Bride"; "I do not think that word means what you think it means!". Taken out of context, the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount might seem to call us to be more "tolerant", but is that what he really means? What about the context of those words and the verses that follow? Do they back up this interpretation? What about other New Testament passages or even Jesus' own words later in the same sermon, do they? Join us as we discover what Jesus meant when he called us &q

Worry is not only something that can affect your health, your sleep patterns and stress levels but according to Jesus IT IS A SIN. We don't like to think of it in those terms, but God does. Worry and Anxiety rob your joy, diminish your worship, corrupt your faith and reveal that you really don't trust God according to Matthew 6. Jesus unpacks a convicting illustration to his earlier teaching on what we invest our time / talent and treasure on and who we really serve by proving that the wrong "temporary" investments will always reap worry, stress and anxiety and the right "eternal" investments will reap contentment, joy, peace and faith. Why do we worry? It is simply a lack of faith in God or the results of placing our faith in the wrong things. Tired of sleepless nights? stress related stomach problems? Feeling overwhelmed? Luckily for us, Jesus ends his illustration with a very clear suggestion and some practical steps we can take to make worry and anxiety a thing of our past.

In Luke 18 when Jesus is asked by the "rich young ruler" what it takes to "inherit eternal life" Jesus responds by calling him to "sell all you have and give the proceeds to those in need". Was this a specific command for this one person or is it something He expects from every follower? In our series from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus seems to be encouraging his followers to invest their time/talent and treasure in eternal things over the temporary things of this world - but it is only a suggestion and not a command. What is the difference and how does it relate to those of us today who are followers of Christ? Maybe the issue was not that the "rich young ruler" had money but rather that his money HAD HIM. Listen in as we discuss what it means to only serve one master and the consequences that occur when we try to serve more than one. From Matthew 6:24Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join

Is it possible for God to be moving in our midst and we not know it? Could He be opening doors and providing opportunities and yet we are unaware? What did Jesus mean when he warned "He who has eyes to see, let him see"? As Jesus continues to encourage his followers from his Sermon on the Mount to invest their time/talent and treasure in things that have eternal value, he also warns that for some followers, it may be difficult to recognize what has eternal value and what is only temporary. Join us as we strive to understand his warning and what it might mean for us today as well as what Paul meant when he prayed that God would "open the eyes of their hearts" for those believers in the church at Ephesus. From Matthew 6:22-23.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @

We make investments every day; we invest our time, we invest our talents and we invest our treasure on those things that we think are important. As Jesus continues his teaching from the Sermon on the Mount aimed at calling his followers to a higher standard; he warns that while we may pay lip service about what is important to us - the true devotion of our heart is always revealed in where we have invested our time, talent and treasure the most. Join us to discover how those investments that we make, not only reveal the condition of our hearts, but also have eternal significance. From Matthew 6:19-21.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

In James 5:16, The King James Version translates James' promises that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much". In a more modern translation it is given as "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective", another says "The effective and passionate prayer of the righteous works" yet most followers of Christ would not honestly describe their personal prayer life as being "powerful" or "effective" and even fewer might say that they feel it "works"; so is James wrong or are we missing something? If Jesus tells His followers in the Sermon on the Mount that we now have his righteousness and that the powerful Holy Spirit is now dwelling inside of us, why is prayer so difficult and why do many Christians not feel their prayers are effective? Is it the way we pray, the amount of time we prayer or maybe it is the words we use? In the middle of his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus slips in what many consider to be

As Matthew 6 transitions from Jesus encouragement for his followers to develop and pursue spiritual maturity (perfection) from Matthew 5; Jesus follows up with a warning. He warns his followers here in Matthew 6 to be on their guard not to fall into the same trap that had ensnared the Pharisees when it came to their spiritual disciplines. Using the examples of prayer, fasting and the giving of our resources; he reminds us that it is not the act, but rather the heart and motive behind the act that counts. This mornings message focuses on "giving" and how we can allow it to both lose it's power and cause us to miss out on the rewards if we are not careful. Learning to give of our resources is not so much dependent on our ability to open our wallets or write a check as it is completely submitting our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Listen in to learn about the true rewards of giving as well as how to test your motives when it comes to being obedient. From Matthew 6:1-4. Thank you for listening to our

At the end of Matthew 5, Jesus encourages his followers to strive to "grow up" spiritually; to grow into mature believers. This growth starts with a changed heart that is totally submitted to the control and leadership of the Holy Spirit and leads to certain spiritual behaviors that not only help us continue to grow, but also allows us to use the gifts he has given us to impact others. Jesus starts Chapter 6 of Matthew with a stern warning for those seeking spiritual maturity to guard their hearts and motives to keep from falling into the trap of putting the acceptance and approval of men over the obedience and glory of God. Join us as we examine those "spiritual disciplines" and the danger that can arise when we loose focus for why we are doing them. From Matthew 6:1Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at offic

Can a Christ follower ever be "perfect"? Is that even a possibility? Not sinless - that is impossible as long as we live in these fleshly bodies; we will always struggle with sin - but perfect? Paul tells the church at Philippi in Philippians 3:12 that he has not been made "perfect" but he continues to pursue it. In Hebrews 6:1 we are told to move on from elementary teaching towards perfection, and in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48, Jesus calls his followers to "be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect". Would Jesus really call and command us to do something that was not possible, or achievable? So what is this "perfection" and why does it hold the key for totally changing our lives, our families, our churches and our culture in the new year? Listen in to discover how "perfection" is not only attainable, but expected for anyone committed to "Following Jesus". Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe

The very first Christmas had its share of interruptions and disruptions so why should we be surprised when our Christmas plans don't go as we had hoped or planned. So many of us dream of creating the perfect Christmas memories; usually along the lines of a Norman Rockwell painting, and what we get is a Clark Griswold Christmas with our own version of cousin Eddie, lights that don't work and burned meals. Instead of letting these interruptions become learning moments or even memories of their own, we allow them to rob our joy and even ruin our holidays. Join us to learn how the first Christmas could have been a disaster and yet God used it to change the world and discover how your unexpected interruptions might just be great opportunities for the same results! From Matthew 1:18-25Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at off

When confronted with how we are to respond to someone who has hurt us, or is taking advantage of us, or even suing us; Jesus gives a curious answer that speaks directly to the heart of a his followers. In Matthew 5:41 Jesus directs his follower that if they are compelled to carry someone's burden for one mile, they should go two. To his original listeners, this spoke to a Roman law where a soldier could compel any able bodied man to carry their packs or loads for one mile - for the rest of us, it speaks to a transformed heart. He simply implies that those who choose to follow him should be know for going beyond what is expected or required in meeting the needs of those around them - going the second mile! Listen to today's message to find out what that might look like in our everyday lives. From Matthew 5:38-42.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or ou

With the recent Presidential elections over and after a nasty and ugly campaign, one thing is pretty obvious; regardless of which candidate you supported - the character and integrity of a candidate no longer matters to a majority of Americans. Both candidates trustable rankings were in the low 30 % meaning that over 70% of America did not trust or believe the word of either candidate and yet the same people who said they did not trust or believe a candidate went on to support and vote for that same candidate. We make excuses like "someone's private life" shouldn't effect their "public life" and yet that is the exact same argument Jesus was dispelling in his Sermon on the Mount! The religious leaders came to believe that as long as everything looked good publically, as long as you followed the prescribed rules - you were spiritual/righteous; Jesus came along and said they had missed the point! Here in Matthew 5:33-37 He argues that it is our private lives - the condition of our h

Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount by dealing with the controversial topic of Divorce and how it relates to his followers and the new righteousness that He has introduced. We examine the Old Testament precedent and the context for Jesus' words found in Matthew 5:31-32 as we get to the heart of how divorce affects us both spiritually and culturally. While the scriptural stand on divorce may be confusing for many today, Jesus words and meaning are very clear and have lasting consequences. Join us for this message that looks at this painful and often ignored subject. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

In Matthew 5 as Jesus continues to give examples of the new standard he requires for those who would follow Him; he looks to the 7th Commandment for guidance. "Thou Shall not commit Adultery" sounds like an antiquated rule from a long ago past; when is the last time you have heard someone describe an extra martial affair as "adultery"? We use more flowery term today like "An Affair" or "a Fling" because those don't seem to sound as bad as "Adultery". Regardless what we want to call it - the consequences are the same; the destruction of the family, the watering down of what commitment and covenant mean and the breaking of God's heart. The good news for most of us is that we will never commit adultery, it is not really an issue for a majority of those in the church so I guess we can pat ourselves on the back and move along until we hear the words of Jesus linking a "lustful look" with the same consequences as adultery itself. Does Jesus reall