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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Words to remember for graduates

By Waylon Bailey Last Sunday, our church family celebrated with over 40 high school seniors at our church. We recognized them in the morning worship and rejoiced with them and their families at a luncheon afterwards. Graduate recognition is a fun time to preach. It seems that people are more ready to hear than at other times. At the worship services I preached about “Four Things to Do Before You Leave Home.” At the luncheon I had a few more minutes with graduates. At that meeting I had four more suggestions for them. These are the kind of suggestions that fit us all. First, remember the magic words. I was shocked that not everyone knew the magic words. I often speak about the magic words at weddings as well. These magic words–please and thank you– will never wear out or go out of style. Everyone appreciates kindness from others. No matter where we are in life kind, gentle, appreciative words are fitting. Second, use your Bible daily. College students often forget that God has an important word for them as well. We gave out great Bibles yesterday. I made a challenge to not neglect those Bibles. Third, choose your friends wisely. We always become like those people we hang out with. Since that is the … [Read more...]

What makes prayer so difficult, why we keep at it

By Joe McKeever In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know how to pray as we should.  But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  (Romans 8:26) Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer.  That’s a good thing.  It keeps us focused on the importance of prayer, and probably dumps a load of guilt on all of us for not praying more or better. Three aspects of prayer make it difficult, and probably even unreasonable.  And then, one overwhelming reality keeps us at it with the strong confidence that praying is the best thing we can ever do. The three impossible aspects of prayer that befuddle us… –One.  The Object of our prayers is unseen. In prayer, we are addressing One we’ve never seen and can’t even prove exists.  And yet, we keep at it, drawing aside day after day, year after year, speaking to the Invisible, Unprovable Lord in the firm belief that He is there, that He hears, and cares and will answer. Is this bizarre or not?!  Smile, please. –Two.  The expression of our prayers is uncertain.   We simply do not know how to word our prayers.  We are mortals addressing the Immortal, the creation speaking to the Creator, sinners kneeling before … [Read more...]

Keep your eyes on the prize

By Greg Laurie “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” - 2 Timothy 4:7 In the Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding laurel leaves in plain sight. This was the reward given to the victor. As the runner came around that last stretch, feeling exhausted and unable to go another inch, he would catch a glimpse of the prize in the judge’s hands. And then a new burst of energy would kick in. That is the picture we find in Hebrews 12:1–2. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (NKJV). Looking unto Jesus. . . . This keeps us going. We can get discouraged in the spiritual race. People let us down. They disappoint us. They don’t appreciate our hard work. They don’t see our efforts. They don’t see our real motives. They criticize us. But we say, “I’m not running for you. I’m running for the Lord, and I’ll keep going.” We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. Our prize is the crown of righteousness that He will give to us. That is why … [Read more...]

When Jesus is our focus, we can walk through life’s storms

By Stewart Holloway Life brings storms. Experience teaches you that you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or eventually going to head into a storm. How can you manage these times in life? Enter John 6:16-24. The disciples of Jesus found themselves in a ferocious storm. The fierce nature of the storm combined with their experience of seeing what they thought was a ghost on the water caused them to freak out. The storms of life are scary. Most of them come upon us rather fast and furious. You have no warning before you get the call about that accident. You have no time to prepare when you walk in and get that pink slip because the company is downsizing. You can’t make a plan when you suddenly get a life-threatening diagnosis. The storm rages. The thunder crashes, and the waves crash in before you can even get a grip on the situation. There are a couple of reasons storms come into our lives. Sometimes we are caught in a storm because we have disobeyed the Lord. The story of Jonah comes to mind.  Sin destroys. It can destroy our health, our families, our businesses, and more. Sin always brings a storm. Other times, however, we are caught in a storm even though we have obeyed the Lord. That’s … [Read more...]

Live in the light

By Dennis Watson “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” (Ephesians 5:6-9) Roy Riegels is a name that is famous in sports circles, although he played football 90 years ago. Riegels played for the University of California Bears in the 1929 Rose Bowl against the Georgia Tech Yellow jackets. California was winning by the score of 7 to 6, when Riegels picked up a fumble and began to run with the ball. In the midst of evading tacklers, Riegels lost his bearings, and began to run towards his team’s goal line rather than the opponent’s goal line. After getting over their shock about what was happening, Riegels’ teammates pursued him as we he was running in the wrong direction, and tackled him near his own goal line. But Riegels’ blunder ultimately cost his team the game. That’s because the offensive team was then pushed back into the end zone, resulting in a safety and a gain of two points by the opposing team. Riegels’ team lost that … [Read more...]

We are still here!

Perhaps you have heard about David Meade’s prediction that the rapture would take place yesterday, April 23? He said the same thing last year. Then, he said he miscalculated. His failed prediction of yesterday has him now saying that the rapture will take place between May and December. For Mr. Meade’s sake, I am glad that the law of Deuteronomy 18:20 was not invoked. Look it up—“That prophet must die.” I do have some strong feelings about people misleading others about the subject of Jesus’ return. Jesus gave the supreme answer on the matter. “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows.” Case closed. Next subject. Stop paying attention to the date setters. Before Jesus’ death, after the resurrection, and by the Spirit after His ascension, Jesus spoke of His return—His second coming. This is the great hope of the church. The importance of the return of Christ is evident in that these are the last words that Jesus spoke. The promise of Jesus’ return ought to make a difference in our lives. How should we live in light of the promise of the return of Christ? I want to point your attention to three principles today. The certainty of His coming ought to give us great comfort. One of the strongest arguments for the … [Read more...]

Franklin Graham: my commitment to evangelism

By Franklin Graham What is an evangelical? Recently some people have had discussions about the state of evangelicalism today, almost referring to it as a politically-related term. I can’t speak for others, and I’m certainly not a spokesperson for any kind of evangelical movement, but I can tell you what I believe. I believe in God. I believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. And I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe my God is three-in-one. I believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to take our sins. That He died on a cross and shed His blood for all the sins of mankind. I believe He took our sins to the grave, and I believe in the resurrection. God raised Him to life on the third day, and I believe He is coming again. This is God’s Gospel—and I believe there is supernatural, Holy Spirit-filled power in this message. Jesus commanded us to, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel…” I believe without Christ, a soul will be lost, condemned to hell for all eternity. This should motivate all of us to share the Good News of God’s love to a sick, dying, and compromising world. I am called and committed to preaching this message as long as I have breath or until the Lord returns. I am also committed … [Read more...]

The difficulty of following God

By Steve Horn In Exodus 14, we read of God’s salvation of Israel as they left Egypt. In leaving Egypt, God gave them a specific route to take. Someone said of this route that it was the least likely route to take. However, this was the right route because it was the route that God told them to take. God gave them the provision of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God’s plan and provision doesn’t prevent Pharaoh from pursuing Israel, and the panic that sets in on the people of Israel. In fact, their panic leads them to irrationally conclude that they would have been better off to stay in Egypt as slaves. Panic does that to us. But even in their panic, God continues to provide and ultimately protects them through a miraculous deliverance at the Sea. In all of this, we see God’s ultimate plan—both Egypt and Israel get a first-hand glimpse that God is the Lord. So, why do we have difficulty following God? Following God requires trust—total trust! Sometimes this can leave us in panic. Following God does not eliminate tough times. Sometimes this can leave us in panic. Following God does not take into account God’s ultimate plan. Sometimes this can leave us in panic when we only look at the … [Read more...]

How to be all things to all people

By Joe McKeever "I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some." –I Corinthians 9:22 Imagine someone saying, “I’ve decided to become all things to all people.”  You would wonder if they had a) lost their minds or b) chosen a shortcut to losing same. That’s quite an assignment Paul gave himself.  He would, he informs us, become… –as a Jew in order to reach the Jews. –as under the Law in order to reach those living under the Law. –as without the Law that he might win those who are without the Law –as weak, that he might win the weak And finally, as though to throw the net over the entire lost population, he says, “I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.” How does he do that, we wonder.  Is the effective Christian worker to be schizophrenic, parceling himself out to this group and that group with the intention of winning them to Jesus?  And how does that work? Soon, Paul adds this bomb: I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (I Corinthians 10:33). This is the same Apostle, by the way, who told the Galatians that he would never be a people pleaser! If I were trying to … [Read more...]

The evidence of discipleship

By Greg Laurie “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” —John 15:8 Spiritual fruit doesn’t grow overnight. You don’t go into your backyard, pull up a chair in front of your peach tree, and then wait for the peaches to grow. (You could, but you wouldn’t see anything.) However, if you were to set up a camera with time-lapse photography, you would see dramatic growth over a period of time. Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8 NKJV). If you are truly a disciple of Jesus, then you will have spiritual fruit in your life. That means results. It means evidence. One of the first things we do as Christians is produce what Jesus called “fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8 NKJV). For example, maybe your friend says, “Let’s go get a drink after work.” “I don’t do that anymore.” “What? You don’t do that anymore? What’s wrong with you?” “It isn’t what’s wrong with me; it’s what’s right with me,” you say. “Christ has come into my life.” People know you by the fruit of your repentance. You stopped doing some things and started doing godly things instead. That intrigues them and also perplexes … [Read more...]