Trials, Temptation… and Endurance It has been a heavy and difficult week—a time that challenges us deeply, yet also offers us an opportunity to remain steadfast in our faith and to put into practice what we are learning through the book of James. Now more than ever, we seek wisdom from the Lord, trusting Him […]
Trials and Wisdom In James 1 we dive right into what a Living Faith looks like. As we continue the autopsy on our hearts, this week’s passage shows the world how a Living Faith works, even in the hardest of times. Often, we seem to be under a microscope and everyone is watching how we […]
The word “autopsy” comes from the Greek: seeing with one’s own eye. It has to do with dissecting and examining a dead body, often for determining the cause of death. Supposedly, the first public autopsy was performed in the year 1315. During the Renaissance there was a renewed interest in human anatomy. Artists, in particular, […]
Psalm 136 resounds with the refrain: “His love endures forever.” But have we stopped to ask ourselves—do we believe that? And what does God’s love really mean? In a world where people often give up easily—on relationships, commitments, even on faith—it’s not surprising that some might wonder if God’s love still holds strong for them. […]
Acts 1:8 This week we get an end-of-summer highlight as we focus on being a witness. We, as a church, get to see what God is doing beyond these walls. Jesus told the disciples that they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. What does this verse teach […]
Proverbs 10:4; 24:30-34; 12:11; 10:9 This Sunday in our Psalms and Sayings series, we’re diving into what the book of Proverbs has to say about something that affects every single one of us—work. Proverbs isn’t just a collection of ancient sayings; it’s wisdom passed down from a father to his child, meant to be lived […]
There are certain phrases that Christians use, or the Bible refers to, that can bring confusion or misunderstanding. One that comes up quite a bit in the Bible is “fear of the Lord.” An interesting phrase, isn’t it? When you think of ‘fear of the Lord,” you may think of a holy and powerful God […]
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) That, of course, is the kind of friend you want. Unfortunately, that kind of friend is sometimes hard to find. In America, we have been accused by one social scientist of what he […]
This week, we’ll continue our summer series, Songs and Sayings, where we delve into the Psalms and Proverbs for wisdom that can guide our lives. We’ll focus on a prayer of Moses, the man of God, and examine his prayer and the requests he made. Moses stands out as an ideal figure to listen to […]
This week we continue in our Songs and Sayings series, taking an in-depth look at Psalm 91. This psalm has been used as a prayer of comfort and praise by God’s people for thousands of years, and in it we see Him protecting the faithful from a myriad of dangers, both seen and unseen. In […]
Proverbs 27:6 Proverbs are words of life. They have the power to build up and foster growth. Sometimes the best times of growth come from “wounds” or correction from a friend. Jesus can “wound” us by pruning areas of our life that are centered around the wrong things. He wants to bring about the peaceful […]
Psalm 142 & Psalm 18 Have you ever had to wait? Have you ever been sure of the direction your life should be heading, but had to wait to get there? We are conditioned to wait for both everyday small things that occur in our lives, and significant life events. David had to wait. God […]
Introduction: Proverbs This week we begin a summer study series on the called “Songs and Sayings.” As you might guess, the “Songs” refer to the Psalms and the “Sayings” refer to Proverbs. To launch the series, this Sunday’s message will be an introduction to Proverbs. One of the things I love best about this ancient […]
This week we come to our last message in “The Gospel of Ruth.” It has been quite an adventure. There has been a lot of uncertainty and tension, not to mention a lot of heartache, sadness and loss. This Sunday, however, it all comes together for good. We left off last week with Boaz stepping […]
At first glance, this passage of scripture is weird, different. I mean, seriously. What could we possibly glean from a story about a man who brokers land to sell ‘for a friend’ and then ends up buying it himself? And to close the deal…one guy takes off a sandal and hands it to the other […]
Naomi comes up with a wild plan for Ruth to find a place in her future husband’s home. Will it work? In Ruth chapter 3, we will find out!
Boaz knows everything about Ruth and treats her with loving kindness, reflecting God’s character. He provides, protects, and defends her.
This is the gospel of Ruth: there is hope in every single life because God is always at work. Even when he is silent or appears to be absent, his hand is still on your life.
We are taking a break from the book of Ruth this week, for a great reason! We are hosting the final candidate from our global pastoral search. Douglas Reid will be preaching at BF this week on Psalm 99. This psalm focuses on God’s kingship in our lives. We will learn who God is, focusing […]
Before we look at the book of Ruth today, we will recognize that Mother’s Day is a great day. If you’ve been attending BF for any amount of time, you know we have amazing moms, and many of them are new moms! Our nurseries are full of life. We’re celebrating new moms and their families […]
It’s been said that “one measure of a good short story is a surprise ending.” I think that’s generally true. I like stories with a surprise ending. That’s part of the reason I like the story of Ruth. We don’t where it’s going and then it suddenly stops short in a way we would never […]
This week we start a new study series in the Old Testament. We will be looking at The Book of Ruth. It’s not easy to find, because it’s very short. In stocking feet, Ruth is only 85 verses long. It helps to know that it is the eighth book in the Bible, but you may […]
The Resurrection Matters This week, we gather to celebrate the biggest day in history. If you think we are having Christmas in April, I wouldn’t give you too hard a time. The second person of the Trinity coming to Earth as a baby is a pretty significant day. Top three for sure. Top three? Yeah…I […]
This week Jesus gets to the end of his message and wraps it up with a short story. The outline is very simple. There are two builders who are constructing houses: one wise, one foolish; who build on two foundations: rock or sand; with two outcomes: stand or fall. The first point of the story […]
Matthew 7:13-23 Aoccdnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae […]
This Sunday, we look at one of the most popular verses from the Sermon on the Mount. You may be thinking, “How can you pick just one?” Well, I guess I can’t, because this week we look at the ‘golden rule’, where it famously says ‘Do to others as you would have them do to […]
I like what one of my favorite “theologians”, Erma Bombeck, had to say about worry. “I’ve always worried a lot, and frankly, I’m good at it. I worry about introducing people and going blank when I get to my mother. I worry about a shortage of ball bearings; a snake coming up through the kitchen […]
There are over 6000 books you can buy on Amazon by financial advisors, who are all eager to share their sage advice about how to invest your money for a maximum return. (Step 1, buy their book.) You might be interested in some bestselling titles: Buffett’s 2-Step Stock Market Strategy by Daniel Jiwani or The […]
In this Sermon On The Mount text, we see three practices that Jesus encourages his followers to do in order to know the Father. He challenges us to give, pray, and fast. These three are key factors of our faith. But what is our motivation for doing them? Jesus gives us some warnings to keep […]
This Sunday, we unpack the last three “you have heard it said…but I say” teachings of Jesus. In each case, Jesus shows us the wisdom of living out His teachings in the Kingdom of God so that we can “let our light shine so that others see our good works and glorify our Father who […]
We dive into the first portion of the Sermon on the Mount this Sunday! Jesus starts his teaching with what our English Bibles often call “the Beatitudes.” Blessed are the… Jesus teaches the crowds and disciples what living in the Kingdom of God will look like. It’s not exactly what you think a liberating King […]
In today’s message, we begin a journey through one of the most profound sections of Scripture: the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We will explore the context, key themes, and the heart of Jesus’ message, setting the stage for a deeper understanding in the weeks to come.