It is important to understand the background surrounding this particular passage of scripture. The Jews hated the Samaritans and the Samaritans hated the Jews. Their hatred for one another primarily centered around the fact that they disagreed on several things concerning God. Their hate grew to such an extent that they refused to speak to…
There are many things that we pursue in life. We pursue higher education. We pursue advancement in our careers. We pursue better health. We pursue fortunes. We pursue hobbies and interests in sports and other activities. We pursue what we think is best for our families. All of these pursuits may certainly be noble and…
Undercover Mission Every time I watch a movie that involves an undercover agent my imagination starts to run wild. It would be very cool to go undercover. To go on an undercover mission would be awesome! My wife had an experience years ago similar to an undercover mission. She went on a mission trip…
John 2:13-25 is one of the most difficult pages in the Bible. The content is not the difficulty, but rather, the placement in John’s Gospel. Both historically and in the other Gospels it is agreed that Jesus cleansing the temple occurred during the holy week leading to his crucifixion. It is also agreed that there…
In the study of the first miracle that Jesus performed, there are two questions to consider. The first question is simply: what is a miracle? Years ago I had a Bible College professor make the claim that miracles do not exist today. His argument was dispensational in nature (of which I agree), however, it was…
The theme for Lifeway’s Vacation Bible School in 2025 is ‘Magnified.’ Throughout the week of VBS children learn to magnify God, magnify God’s care, magnify God’s love, magnify God’s forgiveness, and magnify God’s faithfulness. There are many things that we may view as larger than life. For children, they may see their father as larger…
We live in a very negative world. Everywhere you go there are people and circumstances that are just waiting to ruin your day. At every turn there is someone that is not happy and no matter what you do they are never satisfied. Even when you try to stay positive and maintain a godly attitude…
Victory Baptist Church in Mt. Juliet Tennessee is celebrating 25 years of ministry. What a celebration it is! We give God all the glory for all that He has done these past 25 years at Victory. As we celebrate what God has done, we must be mindful of what God is doing today and how…
As the Apostle John seeks to introduce his readers to who Jesus is, he takes us on a journey highlighting several days in the ministry of John the Baptist. It should be noted that John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus who was appointed by God as the forerunner of Jesus. His responsibility was…
There is often a misconception concerning secular vs. ministry employment. There are some who feel that ministry is not a ‘real job.’ In some ways that may be true, ministry is certainly not the same as secular employment. However, serving in fulltime ministry is most certainly viable and respectable. One major concern in Christendom…
Pastor Chris Noland 