General Posts, etc.

When the Floods of Life Come, Jesus Is Our Ark– 1 Peter 3:18-22

/ Bob

There are times in life when we are up to our necks in flood waters only to look around and see alligators and fire ants coming our way. Jesus swam in these same waters and lived a perfect life in the process. Jesus, who was the only perfect human, died on the cross to save all of the imperfect humans on the planet. Having done so, he proclaimed His victory to the entire universe – beings seen and unseen.

But wait, there’s more. Not only did He save use from drowning in our sin, but He called us to live with Him eternally and swim with him for as long as we are dwelling on this planet, 2/3 of which is water. And He uses water to usher us into His kingdom – through baptism. While the thief on the cross will testify, you do not have to be baptized to be with Jesus throughout all eternity. However, in baptism we demonstrate our obedience to Him and our own identification with His death, burial, and resurrection. And, as we read in 1 Peter 3:22, our baptism is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, March 9, 2025. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Hunger for Holiness: Living Pure in an impure World. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/hunger-for-holiness-1-peter-digital-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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Class Notes – 03.09.2025 – When the Floods of Life Come Jesus Is Our Ark – 1 Peter 3.18-22Download

Candlemas & Groundhog Day

/ Bob

February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, or Candlemas, commemorating the occasion when Mary, in obedience to Jewish law (Leviticus 12:1-8; Exodus 13:1-2,11-15), went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:22–38).

Candlemas falls on Groundhog Day, but the first known Candlemas reference was in the 4th century, so it predates our groundhog. Each year the eyes of the weather world focus on Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to see if Phil sees his shadow. This tradition came out of an old English poem about Candlemas:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Come winter, have another flight.

If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,

Go winter, and come not again.

So, it looks like we are giving a nod to Candlemas when we watch Phil searching for his shadow. Pretty cool. Isn’t it interesting to find the Christian roots behind our traditions?

Candlemas has several traditions depending on the cultural and religious context. Here are a few ways it’s celebrated:

  1. Christian Traditions:
    • Blessing of Candles: Churches often bless candles on this day, symbolizing Jesus Christ as the light of the world. Congregants may bring candles from home to be blessed, which they then use for the rest of the year.
    • Processions: Some communities hold processions with candles to symbolize bringing light into the world.
  2. Weather Lore:
    • In some cultures, Candlemas is linked to weather predictions. As the poem suggests, the weather on Candlemas Day is thought to predict the remaining length of winter. This tradition is similar to Groundhog Day in the United States.
  3. Festive Meals:
    • In some regions, people celebrate with special meals or desserts. For example, in France, it’s traditional to make crêpes on Candlemas (La Chandeleur).
  4. Purification and Presentation:
    • For many Christians, Candlemas commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the purification of Mary, as described in the Gospel of Luke.

It’s a time rich with symbolism and history, celebrating both the end of the Christmas season and the hope of light (The Light) returning as winter wanes.

Only One Life, ‘Twill Soon Be Past

/ Bob

Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd (1860 – 1931), was a British Anglican missionary. Studd was converted during a D. L. Moody campaign and was one of the “Cambridge Seven”, a group of former Cambridge students who offered themselves to Hudson Taylor for missionary service at the China Inland Mission, leaving for there in February 1885. He served as a missionary to China, India, and Africa, dying in Ibambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the age of 70. I shared his poem, “Only One Life, ‘Twill Soon Be Past,” with the Agape Life Bible Study Class at Brenham’s First Baptist Church. The video of the entire lesson can be seen at https://youtu.be/Y0ZFZko05eM .

Only Whats Done for Christ Will LastDownload

The Gold Standard vs The God Standard – 1 Peter 1:17-25

/ Bob

Gold has been a standard of wealth for thousands of years. Our country’s currency used to be based on thee gold and silver standards. Of course, that is no longer the case. Our currency is a fiat currency which basically means that the government says it’s worth. OK, sure it’s a little more complicated than that, but you get the point. The currency of any nation or kingdom is based on something. So that leads to the question, “What is the currency of the Kingdom of God?” The answer is, quite simply and quite profoundly, blood.

In establishing His law with the Israelites, God set the standard of blood for Kingdom transactions. It was stated in passages like Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” This concept is further addressed in Hebrews 9:22: “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The blood sacrifice was the price to be paid for the remission of sins.

In 1 Peter 1:18-19, Peter says, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your futile conduct inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Christ became the blood sacrifice which was the price to be paid for the remission of sins. And now we must live our lives for Him – for the one who paid the ransom for our very souls. He gave us life by giving up His own life and now our lives are His – bought and paid for by the Blood of the Lamb. It is a simple and yet profound transaction that has taken place. As Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 6:20 – We have been bought with a price (the blood of Jesus) and now we are to honor God in our bodies,; that is in everything we say and do.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, January 19 2025. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Hunger for Holiness: Living Pure in an impure World. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/hunger-for-holiness-1-peter-digital-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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Class Notes – 01.19.2024 – The Gold Standard vs The God Standard- 1 Peter 1.17-25Download

Trust God – Not Those Who Say Trust Me

/ Bob

As U.S. citizens we must be politically active even if that only means availing ourselves of the privilege and responsibility to vote.  However, thinking that our ultimate hope lies in the hands of any politician or political party is simply foolish. Vote, campaign, and/or contribute to the candidate or party of your choice, but know that God is a faithful fountain of hope no matter what a politician or governmental official says or does.

Psalm 146:3 – Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

Jeremiah 17:5 – Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Isaiah 2:22 – Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?

Psalm 118:8-9 – It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

Romans 13:1 – For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Prayerful Devotion and Diligence

/ Bob

In the Second Chapter of Acts we get a glimpse into the life of the early church. Acts 2:42 says, ““And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The studied together, ate together, spent time together and prayed together. The passage goes on to giver even more details about how they live their lives as the first church. However, in this session we focused mainly on the fact that they prayed together.

The Jews prayed three times a day as an expression of their faith. We read here and in other passages that the people of the early church met together regularly (even daily) in the Temple. Their world as Jews revolved around the Temple and their lives revolved around their devotion to God as seen in part in their daily prayer regimen. In other words, their faith was not something they thought about occasionally – it was their world.

Too often, we get so busy with the day to day that we forget to pray. Too often we see our faith as something we practice once a week on Sunday mornings. Our devotion and diligence is more than lacking when compared to the early church – especially in our devotion to prayer.

If you are devoted to the cause of Christ; If you are a Soldier of the Cross; If you want to get into the battle and not stick your head in the sand as if nothing is wrong; then YOU MUST PRAY! YOU MUST PRAY DAILY! YOU MUST PRAY DILIGENTLY! YOU MUST PRAY AS IF YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF ALL YOU LOVE DEPEND ON IT . . . because they do.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, September 22, 2024. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Prayer the Moves Heaven: Power with Purpose. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/prayer-that-moves-heaven-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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Class Notes – 09.22.2024 – Devoted to Prayer – Acts 2.42-47Download

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (And What to Do with Them When You Do)

/ Bob

In the final chapters of the book of Job we find God once again speaking to Job and his “friends.” He is reminding them that He is God and that they are not. He has been giving examples of His creative power as seen in nature but in today’s lesson he speaks of two exotic beasts that are under His control and are perfect examples of His creative power and also His sovereignty in ruling His creation. The beasts are Behemoth and Leviathan. Behemoth fits the description of a brontosaurus and Leviathan fits the description of a dragon. These are fantastic beasts indeed.

We all face beasts in every stage of our lives. We laugh at the things that used to scare us, but we get a little weak, our hearts beat a little faster when we consider the beasts that attack us now. Some alcoholics refer to alcohol as the beast. Some psychologists refer to depression as the beast. Even the sweet, darling, innocent children in Lord of the Flies had a beast. which started out as a snake but ended up being the evil within them.

In Job, God declares his supremacy over the entire creation including Behemoth and Leviathan. Throughout the entire Bible, God declares His supremacy over evil and over everything Satan can throw in our path.

In Revelation 19:19-20 we find the ultimate destruction of the ultimate beast:

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”

It may be a beast that causes us to pedal faster so we won’t get eaten up by it. It may be a beast that has climbed onto our backs and won’t let go. It may be a beast that lurks in the shadows and fills us with dread and anxiety. You know who or what your beast is. But you also need to know who your God is. God is supreme over any and all beasts.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

God is the Dragon Slayer in every sense of the word.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, August 25, 2024. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Praise Him in the Storm: When Life Falls Apart – A Study of Job. You can find printed and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/praise-him-in-the-storm-job-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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Class Notes – 08.25.2024 – Job 40-42 -Fantastic Beaswts and Where to Find Them in the EndDownload