Scott LaPierre Ministries

There’s something uniquely difficult about physical suffering. Pain, weakness, and aging can leave us discouraged. Satan understood this well. After taking everything from Job—his possessions and children—he still believed he hadn’t touched the area that mattered most. “Stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face” (Job 2:4-5). And yet, Job didn’t curse God. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that while “our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” This is behind an eternal perspective on suffering: even as our bodies grow weaker, our faith grows stronger. https://youtu.be/YSep0tx71cc Table of contentsWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Our Spirit Is StrengthenedThe Two Ways We Grow SpirituallyTake Advantage of Meetings with Senior Saints Finishing WellWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Every Trial Is Only A “Light Momentary Affliction” In Light Of EternityWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Of Our Heavenly BlessingsWe Don’t Lose Heart If We Look Forward To Our Heavenly HomeLot and Abraham: Two Men Looking for CitiesWe Don’t Lose Heart Because We’ll Be Raised With ChristLosses Throughout Our Lives, but Always Having Our Bodies, Right?We Don’t Lose Heart If We Praise God During TrialsThe Eternal Perspective on Suffering Suffering takes many forms: mental, emotional, spiritual, but few trials compare to the slow decline of our bodies. Think about everything Satan did to Job. First, he took all his possessions—the oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and servants. In the second attack, Satan took Job's sons and daughters. If you weren’t familiar with Job, what would you expect to be the most likely reason for Job to curse God? I would guess it would be the loss of his children. But after Job lost all his children and still hadn’t cursed God, Satan turned to Job’s health. Consider what he said to God: Job 2:4 Satan [said to] the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” Satan believed that if he could afflict Job’s body, he would curse God. Satan knows how difficult it is when we suffer physically. I think that’s why Paul says what he says: 2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. The ESV refers to the "outer self," but other translations use terms such as "outward man" or "outer person." It’s referring to our physical bodies, which are “wasting away.” The NKJV says they are "perishing," and the NASB describes them as "decaying." All of these capture how we feel as we age and our bodies break down. When we endure physical suffering, or when our bodies begin to waste away, it is tempting, as the verse states, to lose heart. There are many kinds of suffering, but there is something unique about physical suffering and watching our bodies decline. We realize that each day, we worsen and move closer to our death. It can be discouraging to think, “I’m not getting any better. I feel worse today than I did yesterday. Everything is breaking down. Tomorrow I might feel worse than I do today.” This is why the verse mentions losing heart. But, ironically, says the opposite of what we would expect: “We do not lose heart.” So, why don’t we lose heart even as our physical bodies are wasting away? Here are six reasons! We Don’t Lose Heart Because Our Spirit Is Strengthened In verse 16, notice the beautiful contrast Paul makes: while “our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” We don’t like that our physical bodies age and break down, but while they do, our spirits are renewed or strengthened day by day. It’s like Paul says: “What does it matter if our body wastes away as long as our spirit gets stronger?” The Two Ways We Grow Spiritually Why does our spirit grow while our body deteriorates?

Saul’s confession in 1 Samuel 15 sounded spiritual—but it wasn’t repentance. Learn how fearing people replaces fearing God, why obedience is better than sacrifice, and how true confession brings mercy. https://youtu.be/wCw0Fmarhk0 Table of contentsThe Background to Saul’s Hollow ConfessionA Confession With An Excuse Is An ExcuseWe Obey What We FearReject God and Be Rejected By GodWe Should Submit To God’s DisciplineSaul’s Ongoing RebellionSaul’s Second Hollow ConfessionSaul’s Concern with AppearancesWe Shouldn’t Confess To Get SomethingWhy David Was Not “Better” Than SaulDavid Was Better Than Saul Because He RepentedDavid Was Better Than Saul Because He Knew God Maybe you’ve noticed that when public figures or large corporations apologize, their apologies sound, let’s say, strange. They say things like, “Mistakes were made,” or “If anyone was offended, we’re sorry.” It’s the kind of apology that sounds good at first, until you realize nobody’s actually taking responsibility for anything. It’s carefully worded to protect image and reputation. The goal isn’t ownership of fault; instead, it’s damage control. There’s an appearance of humility without actually being humble. They want forgiveness without admitting guilt. We might roll our eyes at these kinds of hollow apologies, but, if we’re honest, we can do the same thing spiritually. We say, “I’m sorry, Lord,” but what we really mean is, “I don’t like the consequences.” This is precisely what happened with Saul. When he said, “I have sinned,” he didn’t mean, “I am broken over my sin.” He meant, “I’ve been caught, and I want to look good in front of the people.” His confession wasn’t repentance; it was reputation management. The Background to Saul’s Hollow Confession God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them. He defeated the Amalekites, but allowed some to live and kept some of their valuable stuff. One of Saul’s most significant problems is that he didn’t understand that partial obedience is disobedience, and if I had more room in the sermon, I would have made that a lesson. God sent the prophet Samuel to confront Saul: 1 Samuel 15:12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” This is unbelievable: Saul was in the midst of disobeying God, yet he set up a monument for himself. Hopefully, I don’t have to tell you that even when we obey God, it is a bad idea to set up a monument for ourselves. Clearly, Saul is feeling pretty good about himself: 1 Samuel 15:13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” I don’t know whether Saul thought he obeyed the Lord or if he was just trying to convince Samuel that he obeyed. He seems to me like the kid who’s sent to clean his room, and when his parents walk in, he exclaims, “Look, I cleaned my room!” hoping to convince the parents he actually did. It didn’t work with Samuel: 1 Samuel 15:14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Let’s think the best and imagine that Saul really believed that he obeyed God. But when Samuel said this to him, it’s obvious he didn’t, so this is when he should have confessed and repented. Instead, he made excuses, shifted blame, and even argued: 1 Samuel 15:15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” Saul blamed the people for everything that was spared and took credit for everything destroyed: Samuel wouldn’t put up with Saul’s excuses,

Have you ever thought you could keep a sin hidden—something no one would ever find out about? That’s exactly what Achan believed in Joshua 7. He took what God had forbidden, buried it beneath his tent, and assumed it would remain secret. But what Achan tried to hide ended up destroying his family, weakening his nation, and separating him from God. The story of Achan’s hidden sin reveals a sobering truth: there is no such thing as private disobedience. Every hidden sin eventually comes to light, and the cost is always greater than we expect. Yet, this passage also reminds us of God’s mercy for those who confess and forsake their sin before it’s too late. https://youtu.be/GhLgEMyzmLo Table of contentsThe Background: Israel’s Victory and WarningHidden Sin and Defeat at AiUnrepentant Sin Prevents ProsperityAchan’s Opportunity to RepentThe Pattern of Sin: Seeing, Coveting, TakingSin Often Begins with the EyesConfess Sin Before It’s ExposedDon’t Test God to Expose Your SinSin Always Affects More Than Just the SinnerThe Tragedy and the WarningConclusion: Confess Early, Repent Fully, Walk Freely🔑 Key Takeaway Have you ever thought you could do something in private that wouldn’t affect anyone else? Maybe you told yourself, “Nobody will know, and nobody will get hurt.” That’s what Achan thought. His story in Joshua 7 is one of the most sobering in the Bible—a reminder that sin is never private, and that confession is always better than concealment. Achan’s hidden sin didn’t just destroy him; it brought defeat to his nation and death to his family. The Background: Israel’s Victory and Warning After Israel conquered Jericho—the most fortified city in Canaan—Joshua gave a clear command: Joshua 6:18“But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.” The wealth of Jericho was to be dedicated to God. But Achan disobeyed. Joshua 7:1“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan… took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.” Achan took what belonged to God and hid it under his tent. He thought no one would know—but his private rebellion brought public disaster. Hidden Sin and Defeat at Ai After their victory at Jericho, Israel attacked the small city of Ai, confident of another easy win. But instead, they were defeated—36 men died, and Israel’s courage melted away. Joshua cried out to God, asking why. The Lord answered: Joshua 7:11“Israel has sinned… They have stolen and lied and put [the devoted things] among their own belongings.” Notice: God didn’t say Achan sinned—He said Israel sinned.This shows that the sin of one person can bring suffering to many. Unrepentant Sin Prevents Prosperity God told Joshua that Israel would continue to lose until the sin was removed. This truth still applies today: unrepentant sin hinders God’s blessing. Proverbs 28:13“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Psalm 66:18“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Isaiah 59:2“Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God…” Sin cuts off our fellowship with God. Like Israel, we lose spiritual strength until the sin is confessed and removed. Unconfessed sin affects every area of life—our marriages, families, finances, work, and spiritual growth. Achan’s Opportunity to Repent God revealed the guilty man through a process—tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family—until Achan was singled out. He had multiple opportunities to repent. When Joshua commanded Israel to consecrate themselves (set themselves apart from sin), Achan should have confessed. But he stayed silent. Finally,

In Numbers 22, Balaam said, “I have sinned,” but he never truly repented. His story is one of the clearest examples in Scripture of a person who sounded spiritual while living in disobedience. Discover how Balaam’s words expose the danger of empty confession and reveal God’s call to genuine repentance and obedience through Christ. 🎥 Watch the Sermon: https://youtu.be/9uql1s1Se-o Table of contentsBalak’s Fear and Balaam’s TemptationAsking God to Approve SinRationalizing DisobedienceLeaving the Door Open to TemptationWhen Temptation Appeals to PrideWhen Words Sound Spiritual but Hearts Are DisobedientActions Must Match WordsWhen God Allows What We DemandGod’s Perfect vs. Permissive WillA Prophet Rebuked by His DonkeyWhen Balaam Said, “I Have Sinned”The Hebrew Meaning of “Turn Back” (šûḇ)True Repentance Means Real ChangeBalaam’s False Confession vs. Jesus’ True CompassionMean It When You Say “I Have Sinned” Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m sorry,” but you knew they didn’t mean it? Maybe they were only sorry they got caught, not truly sorry for what they did. Sadly, the same thing happens spiritually. Many people say to God, “I have sinned,” but their hearts never change. Their words sound right, but their repentance isn’t real. That’s what we’ve been studying—people in Scripture who said, “I have sinned,” but never repented. We’ve already looked at Judas and Pharaoh. Today we’ll look at Balaam, a man who shows us how easy it is to sound spiritual while walking in disobedience. His story reminds us that repentance is not just what we say to God—it’s what we do in response to Him. Balak’s Fear and Balaam’s Temptation Numbers 22 introduces two main figures: Balak, king of Moab, who feared Israel after seeing their victories. Balaam, a prophet believed to have power to bless or curse. Since Balak couldn’t defeat Israel militarily, he turned to spiritual warfare—hoping Balaam could curse them. Balak represents Satan’s strategy: when he can’t destroy God’s people through force, he tempts them through compromise. Asking God to Approve Sin When Balak’s messengers offered Balaam money to curse Israel, Balaam should have refused immediately. Instead, he entertained the offer: “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” – Numbers 22:8 He asked God a question he already knew the answer to. “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.” – Genesis 12:3 Rationalizing Disobedience Balaam’s mistake is one we often repeat—asking God to bless what He’s already forbidden.We might rationalize our disobedience with questions like: “I wonder if God wants me to marry this unbeliever.” “Maybe it’s fine if I live with this person before marriage.” “Perhaps I can repay this person for what they did to me.” When we ask for permission instead of obedience, we’re not seeking God’s will—we’re resisting it. Leaving the Door Open to Temptation After God clearly said no, Balaam told the messengers: “The Lord has refused to let me go with you.” – Numbers 22:13 Notice the difference between “I won’t go” and “God won’t let me go.” One reveals conviction; the other reveals compromise. When we leave temptation unresolved, it returns stronger. Balak sent even more prestigious princes, offering greater honor and wealth. That’s how sin works—what we refuse once returns with greater appeal the next time. “Give no place to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:27“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7 If we don’t resist completely, temptation won’t flee—it will persist. When Temptation Appeals to Pride Balak’s message flattered Balaam: “I will greatly honor you and do whatever you say.” It appealed to his pride. Temptation often does. “I came out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.” – Proverbs 7:15 Flattery blinds us to danger.

When Pharaoh’s false repentance is compared with Abraham’s obedience, the midwives’ courage, and Moses’ intercession, we learn what genuine fear of God looks like—and why fear of God produces obedience. We should examine ourselves because repeated unrepentance can lead to a hardened heart, just as it did with Pharaoh. https://youtu.be/a-ue7H8kTz8 Table of Contents Introduction: History and Pharaoh Judas, Pharaoh, and the Pattern of False Repentance Abraham and the Fear of God The Hebrew Midwives: Fear That Produces Obedience Pharaoh’s False Repentance: Exodus 9–10 Lessons from Pharaoh’s Repentance Fear of God Produces Obedience Practical Takeaways Introduction: History and Pharaoh In 1938, Europe stood on the brink of war. Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, a German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia. Britain had promised to defend its ally, but Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain changed his mind. Instead of supporting Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain appeased Hitler, hoping to avoid war. The Munich Agreement allowed Hitler to take the Sudetenland. Chamberlain returned to Britain declaring “peace for our time,” but the victory was hollow. Within months, Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, and a year later, Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II. Pharaoh in Exodus provides a striking biblical example of changing one’s mind wrongly. Pharaoh changed his mind 11 times—10 during the plagues and once afterward—and it ended tragically when he and his army were swallowed in the Red Sea. Judas, Pharaoh, and the Pattern of False Repentance Last week, we studied Judas’ betrayal, who said: “I have sinned,” —Matthew 27:3-5 without truly repenting. Pharaoh’s account illustrates false repentance, where words are spoken but the heart does not turn. Read more in our False Repentance Sermon Series. Abraham and the Fear of God Consider Abraham in Genesis 22. God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac, yet an angel stopped him at the last moment: “Do not lay your hand on the boy…for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” —Genesis 22:12 Abraham’s obedience was rooted in his fear of God, which outweighed even his love for Isaac. James 2:23 calls Abraham a friend of God. For more examples of obedience, see Obedience to God Sermons. The Hebrew Midwives: Fear That Produces Obedience In Exodus 1, Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill newborn boys: “When you serve as midwife…if it is a son, you shall kill him…But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them.” —Exodus 1:16-17 The midwives demonstrate that fear of God can outweigh fear of man, producing obedience even under life-threatening circumstances. Application Today Share the gospel despite fear of rejection (Evangelism Guide). Stand against gossip or immorality even when peers oppose us (Gossip & Obedience Sermon). Make decisions based on God’s will, not societal pressure. Pharaoh’s False Repentance: Exodus 9–10 After seven plagues, Pharaoh finally said: “This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.” —Exodus 9:27 Pharaoh’s repentance was shallow. He wanted only the hail to stop: “Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” —Exodus 9:28 Moses immediately recognized the problem: “But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” —Exodus 9:30 Pharaoh repeated this pattern with each plague. He confessed, pleaded, even asked for forgiveness—but once relief came, he hardened his heart again (Exodus 10:20). This is a clear example of false repentance: confession motivated by fear of consequences rather than genuine sorrow. Lessons from Pharaoh’s Repentance Repenting without fear of God is temporary.

Peter wept, Judas died—but what made the difference between repentance and regret? Explore the powerful contrast between Peter and Judas, understanding how godly grief leads to repentance and salvation, while worldly grief leads to death. When Peter wept bitterly, his sorrow led him back to Christ, but when Judas experienced regret, his grief without repentance ultimately led him to destruction. Understanding the difference between repentance and regret is essential for every believer. https://youtu.be/GhpkEye1qS0 Table of contentsAn X-Ray Machine for the Heart Would Be Needed for Peter and JudasTwo Kinds of Faith and GriefPeter’s Godly Grief Produced RepentanceWorldly Grief (Unrepentance) Can Produce Multiple DeathsJudas’s Worldly Grief Produced His DeathWe Underestimate the Consequences of SinWhen Peter Pleased the LordExperiencing Regret Isn’t RepentanceWhat Made Peter Repentant But Judas Unrepentant? Earlier this year, Charis was playing in her very first and last softball game. She was running around the bases, and when she slid into home, the catcher fell on the lower half of her leg. She screamed, “I broke my leg.” Turns out she was right. One of the most common conflicts in our marriage concerns how hurt our children truly are. Katie says I always say two words: “They’re fine.” I feel like she always thinks they’re about to die. Maybe other marriages experience the same. The X-ray machine was invented on November 8, 1895. Thank God Katie and I were not married before that, because I can only imagine the arguments we would have about whether our children’s bones were broken or not. Before the advent of the X-ray machine, doctors had to rely on observation, palpation, and patient symptoms to diagnose broken bones. Can you imagine having a broken bone and the doctor wants to diagnose it by pushing on the area to see if he can find the break? An X-Ray Machine for the Heart Would Be Needed for Peter and Judas Imagine there was an X-ray machine that allowed us to look into people, not to see their bones, but to see their hearts, and in particular, whether they are repentant: Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. If I can push this analogy a little further, imagine that instead of seeing whether people had broken bones, we could see whether they had broken hearts. Without this, we are like doctors before the X-ray machine: we are forced to guess. The difficulty is that people may appear outwardly repentant without being truly repentant inwardly. Let me illustrate this by asking who I’m describing below: A well-known man received one of the most unique opportunities in all of history when Jesus asked him to become one of the twelve disciples. In accepting the invitation, he was able to be with the Son of God day and night. He became a student of the world’s greatest Teacher. When Jesus’ enemies tried to trap Him with penetrating questions, he heard Jesus’ profound theological answers. He saw miracles that showed Jesus’s authority over death, nature, demons, and disease. Jesus gave him some of the same divine power to cast out demons and perform miracles that Jesus Himself used. This man witnessed Jesus’ love, grace, and mercy firsthand. But after experiencing all this, only hours before Jesus’s crucifixion, he betrayed Jesus in a strong, convincing way. Then he felt great sorrow. If you say Judas, you are right. If you say Peter, you are right. Judas betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders for money. Peter denied knowing Jesus to save himself. Is there much difference between betraying Jesus and denying Him? Not really! And they were both really grieved about it later. In fact, I would argue that Judas looked even more grieved than Peter. So here’s the critical question: how could a man be as grieved as Judas, yet remain unrepentant? The answer is in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10:

Peter wept bitterly because God turned his failure into repentance. Explore why Peter wept bitterly (Luke 22:61–62). A single, providential look from Jesus pierced his heart, and brokenness became the path to restoration (Psalm 51:17; John 21). If you’ve failed publicly or privately, there is hope: the same Savior who saw Peter sees you. Peter wept bitterly—and grace met him there. https://youtu.be/RgcgFxbg4AM Table of contentsWe're All Unrecognizable At TimesWhen Peter Was UnrecognizableGod Works Providentially in Our Lives to Produce RepentanceTwo Examples of God’s Providence in ScripturePeter Wept Bitterly Because of God’s ProvidenceWhen Peter Wept Bitterly, God Was Pleased With His Broken and Contrite HeartOur Greatest Ministry Might Be After Our Greatest FailureTwo Encouragements from When Peter Bitterly I know some people can’t watch scary movies. Whenever there’s a scary part, they look away or put their hands over their eyes. My father-in-law, Rick, has a similar problem, but with movies with awkward scenes. When people are embarrassing themselves really badly, he can’t watch. I learned this years ago when we were watching Mrs. Doubtfire at his house in Northern California, where Katie and I grew up. In the movie, Robin Williams loses custody of his children. Desperate to spend more time with them, he disguises himself as an elderly British nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire so he can be hired to care for them. At one moment in the movie, his prosthetic mask slips off, revealing his identity to his ex-wife and children. It’s humiliating, and when I looked over at my father-in-law on the couch, he had his hands over his face and said he couldn’t watch. There’s a moment from David’s life that my father-in-law wouldn’t be able to watch because it’s so embarrassing. David was fleeing from Saul. No place in Israel felt safe, so he chose to hide in enemy territory with the Philistines, where he knew Saul wouldn’t chase after him: 1 Samuel 21:10 David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” Gath is one of the Philistines’ principal cities, where Goliath was from. This was the song they sang about David, and the ten thousands he defeated were Philistines. So it didn’t take long for them to recognize him. 1 Samuel 21:12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. David is understandably afraid they’re going to kill him. This is the moment my father-in-law has to look away. He started clawing at the doors of the gates, acting like a madman, letting drool run down his beard. In Scripture, there are examples of people suffering or being punished, but in terms of sheer embarrassment, I don’t think anything beats this account. We're All Unrecognizable At Times A few chapters later, Nabal, the fool, cut the beards of David’s men. David was so angry that he went to kill him. You say, “Wow, he wanted to kill someone for cutting his men’s beards?” In the ancient Middle East, a man’s strength and dignity were often associated with his beard. Drooling in one’s beard was considered a horrible indignity, but that’s how desperate David was. It worked: 1 Samuel 21:14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” It was taboo to afflict crazy people because others believed God had already afflicted the person, and man shouldn’t intervene in God’s judgment.

When Peter denies Christ, Scripture exposes a sober path from pride to prayerlessness, to rash self-confidence, and finally to denial. Learn how Peter's three denials of Christ become a gracious warning for every disciple—so we “watch and pray” instead of falling. Drawing from the text and historical context, we can trace sin's downward spiral. https://youtu.be/cerQpiF4JGI Table of contentsThe Groundwork Is Laid Before The Sin Is Committed.Four Ways the Groundwork for Peter’s Denials Was LaidFirst, Peter Denies Christ Because He Ignored Jesus’s Warning.Second, Peter Denies Christ Because He Was ProudThird, Peter Denies Christ Because He Failed To Pray.Fourth, Peter Denies Christ Because He Acted RecklesslyThe Context for Peter’s DenialsSin Often Begets Worse SinPeter’s Example Should Make Us Sober, Not ProudFour Ways to Learn from PeterFirst, Peter didn’t listen to Jesus.Second, Peter was proud.Third, Peter was self-deceived.Fourth, Peter was unprepared. Soon after I became a Christian, I started reading the Bible regularly. The approach I took was to read a book in the Old Testament and then a book in the New Testament: Genesis, Matthew, Exodus, Mark, Leviticus, Luke. But then something happened: my friend Elwyn said, “Have you read about David?” I didn’t even know where to read about David. He told me I had to read 1 and 2 Samuel. I trusted Elwyn, so I interrupted my Bible reading plan and began these two books. I reached 2 Samuel 11 when David committed adultery and murder, and I didn’t think I was reading about David anymore. I wondered who the imposter was. David hadn’t been perfect up to that point, but I sure didn’t think he was capable of these horrible sins. As I reread about David over the following years, I saw the groundwork for his adultery. By the time David saw Bathsheba, he already had about twenty wives and concubines. There was no way this sort of compromise wouldn’t catch up to him. He was so used to taking women that didn’t belong to him that by the time he saw Bathsheba, she was just one more woman in that long list. David's practice of adding wives showed a lack of restraint and an indulgence of his passions. Staying home from the battle just provided the opportunity for David’s indulgence to reveal itself. The Groundwork Is Laid Before The Sin Is Committed. Was there any groundwork for David’s sin of murder? No. I would say it was the opposite. David repeatedly resisted murdering Saul, even when it looked like it was something he should do. When Saul was in the cave: 1 Samuel 24:4 [David’s men] said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” And it did look like God delivered Saul into David’s hands. But David restrained himself. When David snuck into Saul’s camp: 1 Samuel 26:8 Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” Again, it did look like God delivered Saul into David’s hands. But David restrained Abishai. So, how do we explain David murdering Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah? David didn’t murder Uriah because he was a bloodthirsty man who couldn’t control himself, despite what Shimei said when he was throwing rocks and insults at David (2 Samuel 16:5-13). Instead, David murdered Uriah because Bathsheba was pregnant and he wanted to hide his adultery. His sin had gotten so far out of hand that he didn’t want to turn back. The groundwork for David’s sin of murder was laid when he was committing adultery. Here’s another example with the foolish young man who committed adultery with the harlot: Proverbs 7:8 [the foolish young man] passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. 10 And behold, the woman meets him,

Jesus faced the power of darkness at Gethsemane—Judas’s betrayal, the arrest, and the cosmic clash of light vs. darkness—while showing that the power of darkness is limited to an “hour” under God’s sovereign plan. https://youtu.be/6cCpZlgUQIg Table of contentsLight and Darkness Are Metaphors for Good and EvilJudas Went Out When “It Was Night”Jesus Knew the Hour of Darkness Was ComingA High Priest Who Sympathizes with BetrayalJesus’s Kindness to His BetrayerChoosing the Physical Over the SpiritualActing Hastily Often Causes ProblemsMisdirected Zeal with Peter, Josiah, and Maybe UsJesus’s ComposureJesus’s Rebuke to the Religious LeadersThe Power of Darkness Is When Satan “Bruises Jesus’s Heel”The Power of Darkness Is Limited to One Hour Growing up, I read The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. If you asked most people about popular fiction books with Christian themes, they would likely point to these stories. They are classic tales of good versus evil. One thing I appreciate about them is that good always looks good, and evil always looks evil. You never have to guess who the good guys and bad guys are. Even when a good character like Boromir, in a moment of weakness, tries to take the ring from Frodo, or when Edmund denies Narnia’s existence to Peter and Susan to hide his relationship with the White Witch, their actions seem wrong. But I don’t think most media portrays this well, with sins like fornication and violence often being celebrated. When Judas betrayed Jesus, there was no mistaking the distinction between good and evil. Ultimately, Jesus describes the people’s actions as "the power of darkness.” Light and Darkness Are Metaphors for Good and Evil Many verses in the Bible teach that light and darkness are metaphors for good and evil. Here are a few examples: Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness! Darkness is associated with evil, while light is associated with good. John 3:19 The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. People don’t reject Jesus because they don’t believe in Him. They reject Him, the light of the world, because they love darkness, referring to their sins, more than Him. Acts 26:18 Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.’ Paul associated salvation with turning from darkness to light. Romans 13:12 Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Again, darkness is used as a metaphor for evil, and light is employed as a metaphor for righteousness.1 I could provide more examples, but you get the picture. Judas Went Out When “It Was Night” This is the Last Supper, just hours before Jesus' arrest. There’s a detail that’s only found in John’s Gospel: John 13:27 Then after he (referring to Judas) had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”...30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he (Judas) immediately went out. And it was night. There are seven instances of demon possession in the Gospels, but this is the only instance of Satan entering someone. The phrase “It was night” isn’t just a description of when this happened physically. It is a description of what is happened spiritually: darkness has come. Many commentaries make this point. Here are a few: The Moody Bible Commentary: “Darkness had descended both literally and symbolically.”2 John MacArthur: “It was the hour for Judas to be handed over completely to the power of darkness.”3 The Berean Study Bible: “The mention of 'night' is not merely a time indicator but carries deep symbolic meaning…night represents spiritual darkness and evil. Judas's departure into the night underscores his alignment with darkness.” Before Judas left the Last Supper,

Jesus as the Last Adam is one of the most powerful truths in Scripture, as Christ came to save us from the consequences of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden. Unpack Jesus as the Last Adam from 1 Corinthians 15:45, Romans 5:12-20, and Luke 22:42–43, learning how the obedience of Christ brought redemption where the first Adam brought sin and death. https://youtu.be/Tyi-1PlNKgE Table of contentsJesus Is the Last AdamThe Last Adam Had to Resist the DevilGod’s Wrath Builds Up Against UsThe Last Adam’s Agony in the Garden of GethsemaneThe Last Adam Had to Consume God’s WrathThe Last Adam Wanted Us to Know There’s No Other Way for Man to Be SavedJesus Drinks the Cup of God's Wrath for Us or We Drink It We forget things, so it’s good to be reminded. That’s why, throughout the New Testament, we are reminded of spiritual truths. Here are two examples of many I could give you: 1 Corinthians 15:1 I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand. Paul wanted to remind us of the gospel, which I don’t think we could be reminded of too many times. 2 Peter 1:12 I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. Peter’s referring to the qualities he mentioned earlier: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Then he says: 2 Peter 1:13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder. As long as Peter’s alive, he’s going to keep reminding believers. So, when I preach, I like reminding people of truths that they’ve heard many times before. It is a joy for me to be reminded of truths in my studying, and then it is a joy for me to remind people of these truths when I preach. But I also hope I can help people see new things that they haven’t seen before. This is one of my other joys when studying. Helping people see new things in the Gospels can be difficult because they are the most familiar area of Scripture. And beyond that, Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane is one of the most familiar accounts in the Gospels. But there is something deep and powerful in this account that I hope prevents people from reading this account the same. It requires looking past Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane to the first Adam in the garden of Eden. That’s where this account truly begins. Jesus Is the Last Adam Jesus has over 200 names in Scripture. We know Him as the Son of God, Son of Man, Lamb of God, and Prince of Peace. But a lesser-known title is the Last Adam: 1 Corinthians 15:45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam (referring to Jesus) became a life-giving spirit…47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man (referring to Jesus) is from heaven. The clearest passage contrasting Jesus and Adam is in Romans 5: Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Adam is a type of Jesus. For something to serve as a type of Christ, it must look like Christ. You might be quick to say, “Then how could Adam serve as a type of Christ because Adam looks like the opposite of Christ?” But there are many ways Adam serves as a dramatic type of Christ: Adam and Jesus were the only two people in all of human history created without a sinful nature; they are the only ones to enter the world sinlessly. Adam is the head of all humanity, and Jesus, as the head of the church, is the head of all redeemed humanity. They both affected humanity more than everyone else – past, present,

Spiritual warfare is not just a concept—it’s a daily reality for every believer. Unpack why Jesus instructed His disciples to carry swords, revealing deep biblical truths about preparing for spiritual warfare in a hostile world. Through Luke 22:37-38, we learn that spiritual warfare requires discernment, courage, and readiness—not physical weapons, but the armor of God. Spiritual warfare is not about attacking people but standing firm against the enemy’s schemes with the right weapons, such as prayer, God’s Word, and fellowship. https://youtu.be/DBkrSarLOck Table of contentsThe Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareNew Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament ContextJesus’s Followers Must Expect To Be Treated Like HimJesus’s Listeners Often Mistook The Spiritual For The PhysicalThe Disciples Mistook Spiritual Preparation for Physical PreparationThe Disciples' Problems Caused by Misunderstanding Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareThe Irony with Peter and UsJesus Wants His Disciples To Prepare For Spiritual Warfare.Two Questions We Should Ask Ourselves The saying, “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight,” originated in the American West during the late 19th century, when people carried guns for protection, and disputes were often settled with duels. Today, the phrase has become a figure of speech to describe someone being ill-equipped or unprepared to handle a difficult challenge or task. We could adapt the saying for the disciples: “Don’t bring a physical sword to a spiritual fight.” They misunderstood Jesus’s words. He wanted them to prepare for spiritual warfare, but they thought He wanted them to prepare for physical combat. The Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual Warfare Jesus just celebrated the Last Supper with the disciples. He’s about to leave the upper room and head to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will pray and be arrested, and He wants them to know that after that happens, things will change for them dramatically: Luke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” This refers to when Jesus earlier sent out the disciples to preach the kingdom of God when Jesus was at the height of His popularity. The disciples were His royal ambassadors preaching the kingdom for the King of Kings. Everyone loved them because everyone loved Jesus. Things were going to go so well for the disciples that they didn’t need to bring a moneybag, knapsack, or sandals. They could rely on people’s generosity and hospitality. But after the cross, things were going to be very different: Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. This is a radical shift. The kindness and generosity the disciples knew would be replaced with cold looks, opposition, and persecution. They were previously welcomed into people’s homes, but now they would be pilgrims traveling in a hostile world. The obvious question is, why such a dramatic change in the disciples’ treatment? Jesus tells us in the following verse: Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” This is a quote from Isaiah 53:12. New Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament Context There is a tendency to think that when an Old Testament verse is quoted in the New Testament, the context doesn’t matter. The New Testament author quoted the Old Testament verse simply because it captured what he was trying to say. The problem with this is that it would mean the New Testament author is violating one of the primary rules of Bible interpretation: consider the context. The truth is that God quotes Old Testament verses because of their context. So, why would Jesus quote Isaiah 53:12 to the disciples at this mome...

Unpack some of Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples to live as pilgrims in hostile environments. As the world grows increasingly resistant to the Gospel, Christians today must understand their true citizenship and mission. From being royal ambassadors during Christ’s ministry to becoming pilgrims in hostile environments after His crucifixion, the disciples’ journey mirrors our own. https://youtu.be/WDss9AeVwik Table of contentsFrom Genesis to Malachi, the Gospel was, “The Messiah is coming!”From Matthew to John, the Gospel was, “The Kingdom has come!”From Matthew to John, Jesus’ Disciples Were Royal Ambassadors In Welcoming EnvironmentsFrom Acts on the Gospel is Christ CrucifiedFrom Acts On Jesus’ Disciples Are Pilgrims In Hostile EnvironmentsOur Heavenly CitizenshipWhat Is Commendable About the Faith of Those in Hebrews 11?We Must Be Born Again When I was growing up, my parents made me feel thankful to be an American. It usually took place at the dinner table when they wanted me to finish my food. They would encourage me to eat by telling me how children in other countries didn’t have the same blessings, and I guess at that moment, the blessings I was supposed to be thankful for were peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus. There are few people who, if asked where they would want to live, would say a country other than the United States. But no matter how good American citizenship is, we will see in some of Jesus’s last words to His disciples that He didn’t want any of His followers to see themselves as citizens of any earthly country. Instead, we’re to see ourselves as pilgrims. To fully understand some of Jesus’s final words to the disciples, we must understand the mission of God’s people throughout human history. From Genesis to Malachi, the Gospel was, “The Messiah is coming!” Sometimes people mistakenly believe the Gospel is a New Testament invention; something Paul invented during the Church Age. The even worse situation is when people think man was saved differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. But man has always been saved the same: by grace through faith. In the Old Testament, people were saved by believing God would send a Messiah. People looked forward in faith to the Messiah coming, like we look backward in faith, believing the Messiah has come: Galatians 3:8 God…preached the gospel…to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” This shows that the gospel was preached in the Old Testament, as it was preached to Abraham. But it begs the question: How could the words “in you shall all the nations be blessed” be a gospel presentation? This is a prophecy that the Messiah will come as a descendant of Abraham. That’s how all the nations would be blessed in or through Abraham. As people believed this prophecy that the Messiah would come, they would be saved. That’s what happened with Abraham, the father of faith: Genesis 15:6 [Abraham] believed the Lord, and [the Lord] counted it to [Abraham] as righteousness. This is justification: Abraham believed and was justified, or declared righteous, by his faith. (NKJV) Hebrews 4:2 The gospel was preached to…[the Israelites in the wilderness]. We aren’t told exactly what this Gospel presentation looked like, but there was some way for the Israelites to look forward in faith to Jesus so they could be saved. I think they could look forward to Christ in faith through the fantastic types and shadows in the wilderness: They saw Christ through the Bronze Serpent: John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” They saw Christ through the manna: John 6:32-33 “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (referring to Himself). For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 1 Corinthians 10:4 says Jesus was the rock in the wilderness that provided I...

Naaman’s pride nearly cost him everything – don’t let it happen to you! In 2 Kings 5:1–14, we witness a powerful story of how Naaman’s pride nearly prevented him from receiving God’s healing and salvation. We, too, can be blinded by our own expectations. The story of Naaman’s pride is a warning for all of us: don’t let ego or expectations block the work God wants to do in your life. Recognize the signs of pride and discover how obedience and humility lead to transformation. https://youtu.be/sIs9T1l8crA Table of contentsNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because It Seemed Foolish to HimNaaman Almost Missed Out on Salvation Because It’s Not How He Wanted to Be SavedNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because It Wasn’t Glamorous Enough for HimNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because He Wasn’t Required to Do EnoughNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because of His PrideNew Humility ShownWhat the People of Nazareth Could Learn from a Gentile Consider this familiar story: A storm descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church porch, surrounded by water. One of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe.“Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast.""No," says the preacher. "I have faith the Lord will save me."Still, the waters rise. Now the preacher is up on the balcony, when another guy arrives in a motorboat."Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here."Once again, the preacher is unmoved. "I shall remain. The Lord will see me through."After a while the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is clinging to the cross when a helicopter descends out of the clouds, and a state trooper calls down to him through a megaphone."Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance."Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will save him.Predictably, he drowns, but goes to heaven. He asks God, "Why didn't you save me?"God says, “ I sent you two boats and a helicopter." The story is about a man who misses out on the ways God provided for him to be saved. I want to replace it with the better one found in God’s Word. God provided a way for Naaman to be saved, but he almost missed out on it, like the fictional preacher who drowned. The reasons Naaman almost missed out on being cleansed of physical leprosy are the same reasons we miss out on being cleansed of spiritual leprosy, or sin. 2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. He probably wore an impressive, well-decorated uniform, but beneath that uniform was a body being consumed by leprosy. This is one of the most impressive descriptions of an individual in Scripture. He’s the commander of the Syrian army. He’s called a mighty man of valor, a title given to only four other people in Scripture, including men like Gideon and David. However, it’s unique here because Naaman is a Gentile. His master, referring to the king of Syria, holds him in high regard. God has used him to secure military victories for Syria. But we also read something that nullifies everything else: he’s a leper. He probably wore an impressive, well-decorated uniform, but beneath that uniform was a body being consumed by leprosy. But God graciously put someone in Naaman’s life who was going to help him in ways he never imagined: 2 Kings 5:2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids (against Israel) had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. 3 She (the young Israelite girl) said to her mistress (Naaman’s wife), "Would that my lord (referring to Naaman) were with the prophet (Elisha) who is in Samaria! He (Elisha) would cure him of his leprosy." During one of Syria’s victories over the Israelites,

What truly led to the fall of Gehazi? Dive into 2 Kings 5:15-27, unveiling the deeper spiritual truths behind Gehazi’s fall and how his actions became a tragic example of hypocrisy, greed, and divine judgment. Just like leprosy spreads through the body, Gehazi’s sin spread from the heart, leading to devastating consequences. Learn how Gehazi’s fall also illustrates the dangers of spiritual compromise and the urgent need for repentance. https://youtu.be/zbC01GX3EUc Table of contentsGehazi Was a Religious HypocriteGod Faithfully WarnsWhen God Warned DavidGod Faithfully Warns UsWe Escape and EndureGehazi’s DeceptionsSin Often Leads to More SinElisha Saw What Gehazi Did as God Sees What We DoElisha Had a Heart for Elisha as God Has a Heart for UsGehazi Already Had Spiritual LeprosyWe Must Be Cleansed of Our Spiritual LeprosyGehazi Ruined a Picture of the GospelLeprosy Must Be Cleansed On the fifteenth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, the record industry honored him as the best-selling singer of all time. He seemed to have many of the most common things people seek: wealth, fame, and success. But on August 16, 1977, at only forty-two years old, his fiancée, Ginger Alden, found him unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his Graceland mansion. Attempts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead. Photos and videos of him at the end of his life show a bloated man with distorted features. Most people will say the years of drug use and careless living took their toll. But I would say the biggest cause of his death was covetousness. Here’s what I mean: even as his health deteriorated, he continued to tour intensively because he desired even more fame and success. In 1973, only a few years before his death, he had his busiest schedule with 168 concerts.1 The day he died, he was scheduled to fly out of Memphis to Portland, Maine, to begin another tour. No matter how successful and famous he became, he always wanted more. We would be hard-pressed to find someone whose health was damaged by covetousness more than Elvis's. But we do with Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. His covetousness caused him to get leprosy! Here’s the background to the account. The prophet Elisha told the Syrian general, Naaman, how to be cleansed of leprosy. After Naaman was cleansed: 2 Kings 5:15 Then [Naaman] returned to the man of God (Elisha), he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” Naaman was incredibly grateful and tried to repay Elisha: 2 Kings 5:16 But [Elisha] said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. Naaman attributed his cleansing to God, and Elisha wanted to keep it that way, so he refused the gift. 2 Kings 5:19 [Elisha] said to [Naaman], “Go in peace.” But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” Gehazi was Elisha’s servant, and he knew that Naaman had tons of wealth. Briefly look back at 2 Kings 5:5: 2 Kings 5:5 And the king of Syria said [to Naaman], “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So [Naaman] went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Naaman travels with more changes of clothing than most of us. When Gehazi watches Naaman walk off without giving anything, he thinks he’s missing out on a fortune. Gehazi Was a Religious Hypocrite Gehazi said, “As the Lord lives.” He likely heard his master, Elisha, use this phrase frequently. This is a classic illustration of religious hypocrisy. Gehazi spoke the right words, but the spiritual reality was far from his heart.

Perseverance of the saints is not just a theological idea—it’s a powerful reminder that true saving faith always endures. Learn what it means to persevere as a believer, even in the face of trials and failures. The perseverance of the saints is a work of Christ in us. Though we may stumble, true believers rise again and walk in repentance, proving the genuineness of their faith. https://youtu.be/6iMawZ59C7o Table of contentsJesus Is the Founder and Perfecter of Our FaithJesus Already Prayed for Our PerseveranceEncouraged When We DoubtJesus Doesn’t Pray Exactly Like UsA Saint’s Faith PerseveresEternal Security and Once Saved Always SavedTrials Reveal the Genuineness of Our FaithJob Is the Premier Example of a Persevering SaintPeter and Job Demonstrate That Perseverance Does Not Require PerfectionPeter and Job Demonstrate That Perseverance Does Involve Repentance A long-time friend of mine shared a testimony with me. He was one of my closest friends when we were in California, and I knew him to be a committed Christian. Around 2015, he relocated to Los Angeles and began working for a large, well-known company. He didn’t want me to mention the company’s name. I knew this friend as a responsible and hard worker, so I wasn’t surprised when he told me that he had advanced to upper management in the company. He said he regularly worked 12 to 20-hour days. When I asked how you work 20-hour days consistently, he said, and I quote, “That’s what I want to talk to you about. A select group of senior-level management chose to use cocaine, and I started using it too, and became addicted. I would use it throughout the day to keep going, and when I returned home, I would drink half a gallon of whiskey and take sleeping pills to come off the cocaine so I could fall asleep. Then I would wake up four or five hours later and use more cocaine to have the energy to make it through the day. This went on for years. I knew I was going to kill myself and leave my wife and children without a husband and father, so one night, God heavily convicted me, and I called a Christian rehab facility and said they had to come pick me up. My wife knew something was wrong with me, but she didn’t know what it was. She never gave up praying for me or loving me, and before I left the house, I confessed to her what was happening and informed her that she wouldn’t be able to communicate with me while I was in the facility. I also told her where she could find the stashes of cocaine around the house, because I didn’t want to stumble upon them when I returned home. When I left the facility, I went to work one more time, and that was to quit. I didn’t give them two weeks' notice because I didn’t want to create further temptation. I have been sober since then. I moved my family to Wyoming, where we found healing, and the Lord redeemed our family. We experienced this victory because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The cross can help us defeat anything.” End quote. It blessed me to hear this because I’m sure there were many sacrifices and much suffering on his part to see the positive changes in his life and family. Most of you know our familiarity with addiction: my brother died of a drug overdose, my dad was an alcoholic, and Katie’s mother died of alcoholism. Sadly, there are not many success stories in the addiction world. Some of you know this firsthand. But instead of looking at what he had done, he looked at what Christ had done for him. I don’t think my friend became a Christian during this time. I knew him from 2005 through 2010, and I was confident in his salvation. I believe Christ was with him through this season, praying for him and strengthening his faith, just as He described doing for Peter: Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus said He would pray for Peter’s faith so that it would not fail. Just as He did so with Peter,

Have you ever felt spiritually confident, only to be blindsided by weakness? Pastor Scott LaPierre unpacks the biblical warning in 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” This is a wake-up call for every believer, illustrating how spiritual pride and overconfidence can render us vulnerable to temptation, as seen in Peter's case in Luke 22:31-34, who denied Jesus despite his bold declarations. https://youtu.be/A9BnHpeBV2I Table of contentsSpiritual Injuries Occur Like Weightlifting InjuriesTake Heed Lest You Fall, Peter!We Can’t Trust OurselvesWe Need New HeartsThe Way Godly Men Describe Disqualified LeadersTake Heed Lest You Fall, Because We Fail Regarding Our StrengthsWe Must Be Warned About Our StrengthsMany Men Failed Regarding Their StrengthsNoah Was UnrighteousAbraham Lacked FaithMoses Was ProudSolomon Was FoolishRepent and Then Help OthersTake Heed Lest You Fall I want to discuss weightlifting injuries. First, I will tell you how I wish they occurred. And then I will tell you how they occur. I wish they occurred very slowly, so you knew they were coming. I wish you were bench pressing and your rotator cuff said, “This is too heavy. I’m about to tear.” Or you’re squatting in your 20s and your lower back says, “You better not do this. You’re going to have lots of problems in your 40s.” Instead, weightlifting injuries take place in one of two ways: first, and most obviously, when you’re working out. If you’re interested, you can go to YouTube and search for videos of people tearing their biceps and chest muscles. I decided against showing you any videos because they are gruesome to watch. But here’s what you’ll see: a man bench pressing and he lowers the weight, probably a weight he’s lifted many times before. Suddenly, a large gap develops around his armpit where his chest muscle detached from his shoulder. Or someone is bent over a preacher bench curling, they lower the weight, and suddenly their biceps tears and rolls up their arm. The second way weightlifting injuries occur is when people are not working out. You shut the car door or drop something and quickly reach for it, and your shoulder tears. There’s only one time my lower back went out at the gym. Every other time I was at home, feeling fine, and I bent over or threw a kid in the air, and then suddenly felt the shoting pain. What you notice with these injuries is that there’s no warning sign. Instead, we feel strong. We are confident nothing bad will happen. We are doing something that we have done many times before. Next thing you know, we are severely injured. Spiritual Injuries Occur Like Weightlifting Injuries I think sin often occurs in this manner, too. There’s no warning sign that we are going to have trouble. We feel strong. We are confident about this particular area of our Christian lives. But then we fail. We are, spiritually speaking, severely injured. That’s what happened with Peter. He felt confident. He thought he was strong. So strong, in fact, he told Jesus he would die for him. But then he failed. Here’s the context. Jesus is celebrating the Last Supper with the disciples. The evening began with Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. You would think this would produce some humility in the disciples. But it didn’t. At least three recorded times earlier, Jesus told the disciples that He would die, but when He instituted the Lord's Supper, He told them that He would die for them. You would think that would produce some humility. But it didn’t. Then Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. You would think they would respond, “That is horrible. We can’t believe this. What can we do to help? Please tell us what to do.” Instead, they started arguing about who’s the greatest. Jesus rebuked them, and you would think that would produce some humility. But it didn’t, at least not with Peter, who we will see demonstrate serious pride. That catches us up:

Are you struggling with procrastination, lack of motivation, or a sluggish spiritual walk? Discover what the Bible really says about laziness and how to overcome it biblically. Proverbs 6:6-11 and other scriptures provide a biblical warning against laziness, and how it impacts our work, witness, and walk with Christ. Whether you’re looking for bible verses about laziness, searching for answers on how to stop being lazy as a Christian, or seeking a solid Bible study on laziness in Proverbs, this sermon delivers the truth with love, clarity, and conviction. https://youtu.be/NCsbmBNQycw Table of contentsGod’s Work Brings Him GloryOur Work Should Bring God GloryFour Important Points About Serving Christ In Our JobsLaziness Is a Bad TestimonyAvoid laziness By Learning from the AntAvoid Laziness by Avoiding Oversleeping.Avoid Laziness By Avoiding ExcusesAvoid Laziness by Avoiding Lazy PeopleGiving to the Lazy Does More Harm than GoodLaziness Leads to Other SinsLaziness and BusybodiesThe Solution to Laziness In April 2025, approximately 7.2 million people in the United States were unemployed, representing a 4.2% unemployment rate. Additionally, nearly 20% of prime-age adults (25-54) were not working, with the vast majority (around 21 million) not seeking work. What could help these people? I think the Bible’s teaching on laziness, because it is incredibly convicting. God’s Work Brings Him Glory Let’s begin by understanding a little more about God’s work: Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows the work of His hands. God created the heavens and the earth, and they bring Him glory. Isaiah 6 contains the incredible vision of God sitting on His throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Angels fly around Him giving Him praise: Isaiah 6:3 One cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” Of all the things the angels could say to praise God, they mention His holiness and the earth, His workmanship, giving Him glory. Think of it like this: We see a beautiful painting and praise the painter. We see an impressive building and praise the architect. Similarly, when we see creation, we should praise the Creator. The greatness of creation reveals the greatness of the Creator. The greatness of creation reveals the greatness of the Creator so well that people are condemned when they refuse to worship the Creator: Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. God reveals Himself to the world through His creation because work says something about the worker. Work reveals character, motivation, and skills. God’s work is of the highest quality because it expresses His character and majesty. Our Work Should Bring God Glory Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him. God created us in His image; we should work because He works. Ephesians 5:1 commands us to “be imitators of God.” We imitate God by bringing Him glory through our work, as He does with His work. We might tend to think that only certain things bring God glory, such as praying, singing, worshiping, and serving, but anything we do can bring God glory if it honors Him: 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. This includes our work. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” While we’re working we aren’t even really serving man. We’re serving Christ. Ephesians 6:5-9 discusses bondservants or slaves obeying their earthly masters. This is more like an employee-employer relationship than what we think of...

What does the bible say about work? This sermon explores a biblical view on labor, sharing insights from my recent mission trip to Malawi and Uganda. Through firsthand stories, scriptural analysis, and spiritual reflection, the message unpacks what the Bible says about work, the spiritual causes of poverty, and how God created us to work as a form of worship and obedience. From Genesis to Ecclesiastes, we see that work is not a curse, but a God-given gift. The sermon contrasts the productivity seen in Scripture with the cultural issues faced in parts of Africa, highlighting how laziness, unbiblical marriage roles, and entitlement contribute to poverty. Most importantly, this sermon is a wake-up call to view work as a spiritual calling and a platform for Gospel witness. Whether you're asking “What does the Bible say about work?” or wondering how to find purpose and fulfillment in your labor, this message will challenge and equip you with biblical truth. https://youtu.be/Tc1kco1Spxw Table of contentsThe Poverty Problem Is Spiritual Versus PhysicalThree Consequences of Disobeying the BibleUgandans Are Poor Because They Disobey What the Bible Says About WorkFirst, people have no concept of saving or planning for the futureSecond, socialism is destroying the countryThird, there’s no shame about not workingWhat Does the Bible Say About Work?The Bible Says God Is a WorkerThe Bible Says God Created Us to WorkOur Motivations with WorkThe Fall Brought a Curse on WorkWe Work After the Curse Is RemovedThe Bible Says Enjoying Our Work Is Good and Fitting I was a business major in college. I’ve always enjoyed finance and economics. In 2024, I took a mission trip to Malawi, Africa, to teach at a Bible College and a Pastor's Conference. In 2025, I went to Malawi and Uganda to put on marriage conferences. I was very interested in the countries' economies on both trips, particularly why they are so poor. This is Afghanistan. Out of almost 200 countries, Afghanistan is the 10th poorest, and Malawi is 20th. There are two reasons Afghanistan is poor. First, all the military conflicts that have occurred within their borders. Second, as you can tell from the picture, nothing grows there. There’s little farmable land. Malawi is a beautiful and lush country. We ate well there because of the bananas and the largest avocados I’ve ever seen. We broke down in front of this restaurant in Malawi. I have been trying to get Katie to come to Africa with me. She kept refusing, so I sent her this picture and told her I would make us reservations if she would come with me. She’s still thinking about it. What surprised me about Malawi and Uganda is how similar they are in terms of beliefs, marriage problems, environments, and economies. This is a picture of the Nile I took from our hotel in Uganda. Again, you see how lush and green it is. This furniture store is right outside our hotel and might reveal part of Uganda's economic problems. It was raining incredibly hard at times, but the store owner kept the tarp over his bricks but left his couches exposed to the weather. When Ricky, Johnny, and I visited Robert Wafula, our missionary, in Uganda, we had to take a ferry back and forth among the islands. This is a picture from when we approached the port. Again, you can see how lush and beautiful it is. Can you see why I wondered why Malawi and Uganda are so poor? I am not going to say that either country has the resources to be wealthy, but I believe they have the resources to be in much better situations than they are in. The Poverty Problem Is Spiritual Versus Physical The more I traveled and spoke with people, the more convinced I became that poverty seems like a physical problem. However, while some physical factors exist, the problem is primarily spiritual. Much of Africa's poverty can be attributed to disobeying God’s word. That’s why the best way to help the people in Uganda and Malawi i...

Learn how Jesus redefines greatness through humility and service in this sermon on Luke 22:24–30. Explore the surprising moment when the disciples begin to argue over who is the greatest only moments after Jesus washed their feet and revealed His betrayal and coming death. Instead of rebuking them harshly, Jesus offers a life-changing teaching on true greatness, humility, and servant leadership. Instead of rebuking them harshly, Jesus offers a life-changing teaching on true greatness, humility, and servant leadership. https://youtu.be/uyI4wm01DZQ Table of contentsThe Importance of Foot WashingJesus’s Passover PreparationsJesus Washes the Disciples’ FeetJesus Was Teaching Service and HumilityThe Disciples Wouldn’t Wash Each Other’s Feet Because of PrideHumility Is Thinking of Ourselves Less Versus Less of OurselvesPhilippians 2: The Humility ChapterThe Disciples’ Sad Response to Jesus’s Statement About His Betrayal and DeathThree Things Making the Disciples’ Argument Even WorseHow Could This Argument Happen?Jesus Used the Moment to Teach The Disciples About LeadershipLeaders Should Be HumbleLeaders Should Be ServantsThe Greatest Are ServantsPursue Rewards in God’s Kingdom The Top Tens lists the top 10 of many things, such as songs, movies, albums, cell phones, workout programs, and mountain bikes. Here’s their list of the Top 10 Greatest People of All Time: Jesus Martin Luther King Jr. Albert Einstein Muhammad Buddha Gandhi Abraham Lincoln Moses Nelson Mandela Isaac Newton If the disciples read this list, they would be upset because they thought they should be on it! They argued about who was the greatest, not once but at least twice, first in Luke 9 and again in Luke 22. These are just the recorded instances; maybe it happened more than this! Context is always important, but sometimes it is especially important, and this is one of those instances. We will never fully appreciate this account without considering what occurred before it: Jesus washed their feet! The Importance of Foot Washing To understand Jesus washing the disciples' feet, let’s first look at a few verses in Luke 7. Beginning at Luke 7:36, we have the account of Jesus going to eat at the home of one of the Pharisees. During the meal, a woman, probably a prostitute, approached Jesus, wept, and washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Then she anointed His feet with ointment. This would’ve been a dramatic and moving scene to witness. Unless you are the Pharisee, in which case it makes you mad: Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” The Pharisee only thought this to himself, but you must be careful around Jesus because He can read people’s thoughts. He rebukes the Pharisee and contrasts the woman’s actions toward Him after entering the Pharisee’s home with the Pharisee’s actions when Jesus entered his home. Consider what He said about the situation: Luke 7:44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Jesus commended the women for washing His feet and rebuked the Pharisees for failing to do so. This reveals how big of a deal it was in Jesus’s day to wash your feet before meals because dust, mud, and other filth accumulated on people’s feet as they walked on unpaved roads. Jesus’s Passover Preparations Notice Jesus’s attention to detail as He tells Peter and John how to prepare for the Last Supper: Luke 22:8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying,

Discover How God Uses Even Betrayal for His Glory. What do Ahithophel and Judas have in common? Both were trusted companions—both committed heartbreaking betrayals—and both served a purpose in God’s sovereign plan. Walk through the betrayal of King David by Ahithophel and how it foreshadows the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot. See God's sovereignty over their betrayals and be encouraged God is sovereign over our betrayals. https://youtu.be/iQB0t3lO6W4 Table of contentsDavid Is a Type of ChristAhithophel Is a Type of JudasFirst, Ahithophel betrayed David, just as Judas betrayed Jesus.Second, Ahithophel plotted David’s death to Absalom, just as Judas plotted Jesus's death to the religious leaders.Third, Ahithophel hanged himself, just as Judas hanged himselfDavid wrote about Ahithophel’s Betrayal in the PsalmsIs This Old Testament Verse a Prophecy?Jesus’s Two Shocking StatementsGod Is Sovereign Over BetrayalIs Judas Still Responsible?God’s Sovereignty Over Our BetrayalThree Points About the Disciples Questioning ThemselvesTwo Reasons the Disciples Didn’t Know It Was JudasGod Uses Betrayal for GoodGod Uses Joseph’s Betrayal for GoodJesus Could Say Joseph’s Words Even Better The Sound of Music tells the story of the von Trapp family escaping the Nazi takeover of Austria before World War II. A young Austrian named Rolf, who had been pursuing the oldest von Trapp daughter, joined the Nazis. When the von Trapps were hiding from the Nazis, Rolf found them. While holding the family at gunpoint, he demanded that they surrender. Captain von Trapp, the father of the family, confronted Rolf, and gave him a choice: join the von Trapps while they flee to Switzerland or remain with the Nazis. Even though Rolf was conflicted, he chose to betray the von Trapps to the Nazis. At the Last Supper, Jesus declared that He would be betrayed by one of the disciples. We know Jesus was speaking of Judas. We might wonder if Judas was conflicted because he tried to return the money and then committed suicide. But he was an evil man, and we shouldn’t make any excuses for his actions. David Is a Type of Christ Jesus’s betrayal is so significant that God prefigured it or foreshadowed it in the Old Testament through another man’s betrayal, and that’s David’s. As far as types and shadows of Christ go, David is one of the most dramatic: David and Jesus were both born in Bethlehem David was a shepherd, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd David was anointed, and Jesus is the Messiah or Anointed One David was a king, and Jesus is the King of Kings David defeated Goliath, the greatest enemy in his day, and Jesus defeated the devil, the greatest enemy in our day: 1 Corinthians 15:57 Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The list could go on, but you get the idea. Another way David is a picture or type of Christ is that they both experienced horrible betrayals. If I were David, I would have felt betrayed by my family when they left me out in the field to watch the sheep, rather than inviting me to the anointing of the next king of Israel. Think of how Saul betrayed David. David killed Goliath, something Saul should’ve done. David comforted Saul with music when the demonic spirit tormented him. Then, David faithfully served Saul as his greatest general. After all that, Saul spent 10 to 15 years trying to murder David, forcing him to flee from his friends and family and live in caves in the wilderness. David saved the city of Keilah from the Philistines, but then the people he saved were willing to turn him over to Saul. David’s son, Absalom, betrayed him, taking his wives, the throne, and the hearts of the people of Israel. At the end of David’s life, his son, Adonijah, betrayed him like Absalom did. Making the betrayal worse, Joab, David’s nephew and great general, and Abiathar the priest, David’s longtime friend, betrayed David and joined Adonijah in his rebellion. ...