Hillsdale Baptist Church

06/08/2026

FAITH THAT SHOWS UP

"Your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope." — 1 Thessalonians 1:3

The church at Thessalonica didn't have a building, a staff, or a polished program. What they had was a faith that actually showed up in the way they lived. Paul writes that their faith produced work, their love drove them to labor, and their hope kept them going when the road got hard.

That's the kind of faith that turns heads. Not a faith that stays comfortable in the pew, but one that rolls up its sleeves. The early church didn't just believe the right things — they lived them out in a city that was loud, distracted, and largely indifferent to God. Sound familiar?

Today, ask yourself: what is my faith actually producing? Is it visible to the people around me?

💬 Reflect: In what area of your life is God calling your faith to produce something tangible this week?

06/07/2026

Join us for worship today. Our service begins at 10:00am.

Today the sermon is from 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. Giving Link - h...

06/04/2026

Day 4: Giving Christ Your Life

Scripture: Romans 12:1

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”

Throughout this study, Jesus has challenged us with a simple but life-changing truth: He does not call us to add Him to our lives; He calls us to give Him our lives.

Many people want Jesus as Savior but resist Him as Lord. They want His blessings but not His authority. Yet true discipleship means surrendering everything to Him.

Jesus publicly identified with us. He loved us enough to endure rejection, suffering, and death on the cross. He gave His life so that we might have eternal life.

Because He gave everything for us, He deserves our complete allegiance.

The question at the end of this series is not whether Jesus is worth following. The cross and the empty tomb have already answered that question.

The real question is this: Have you truly given your life to Him?

Today is an opportunity to renew your commitment to Christ, placing Him once again at the center of your heart, your home, your relationships, and your future.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you truly surrendered your life to Christ?
2. What areas still need to be placed under His lordship?
3. How can you demonstrate your commitment to Christ this week?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are worthy of my complete devotion. Thank You for giving Your life for me. Help me to follow You faithfully, love You supremely, and trust You completely. My life belongs to You. Amen.

06/03/2026

Day 3: Losing Your Life to Find It

Scripture: Matthew 10:39

“Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.”

The world teaches us to pursue our own happiness, protect our comfort, and chase our personal ambitions. Jesus teaches the opposite.

Those who spend their lives preserving themselves ultimately lose what matters most. Living for self may seem attractive for a season, but it cannot provide lasting purpose, peace, or eternal life.

Jesus invites us into a better way. To lose our lives for Him means surrendering control and trusting Him completely. It means turning from sin, submitting to His authority, and following Him regardless of the cost.

The amazing paradox of Christianity is that surrender leads to freedom. When we stop living for ourselves and begin living for Christ, we discover the life we were created to live.

In Christ we find forgiveness, purpose, joy, peace, and eternal life. The path of surrender is not the loss of life—it is the discovery of true life.

Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways are you tempted to live for yourself rather than Christ?
2. How has following Jesus brought greater purpose to your life?
3. What would complete surrender to Christ look like today?

Prayer:
Jesus, I surrender my life to You. Help me trust that Your plans are better than my own. Teach me to live for Your glory and find my joy in You alone. Amen.

06/02/2026

Day 2: Taking Up Your Cross

Scripture: Matthew 10:38

“And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

The cross was not a symbol of comfort in Jesus’ day. It was a symbol of death. Those who carried a cross were walking toward complete surrender.

When Jesus calls us to take up our cross, He is calling us to die to self. He is calling us to surrender our plans, desires, ambitions, and rights to His authority.

This doesn’t mean we seek suffering. It means we choose obedience even when obedience costs us something.

Following Jesus involves more than believing facts about Him. It means submitting to His lordship, obeying His Word, identifying with Him publicly, and remaining faithful when doing so becomes difficult.

The Christian life is not about perfection. Every believer stumbles. But true disciples desire to follow Christ and continually return to Him in repentance and faith.

Jesus is worth every sacrifice. Whatever we surrender for His sake is small compared to what we gain in Him.

Reflection Questions:

1. What does taking up your cross look like in your current season of life?
2. Are there areas where you are resisting Christ’s authority?
3. What fears make obedience difficult for you?

Prayer:
Father, help me die to myself and live for Christ. Give me courage to obey You when it is costly. Strengthen my faith so that I may follow Jesus wherever He leads. Amen.

06/01/2026

Day 1: Loving Christ Most

Scripture: Matthew 10:37

“The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Jesus’ words can sound harsh until we understand what He is teaching. He is not commanding us to neglect our families. In fact, Scripture consistently calls us to honor parents, love spouses, and care for our children.

Jesus is addressing the issue of ultimate loyalty. Every disciple must answer a difficult question: Who has first place in my heart?

When family relationships and obedience to Christ align, there is joy. But sometimes following Jesus creates tension. A family member may oppose your faith, mock your convictions, or pressure you to compromise biblical truth. In those moments, Jesus calls His followers to remain faithful.

The wonderful truth is that loving Christ most does not diminish our love for others—it purifies it. When Jesus sits on the throne of our hearts, we become better husbands, wives, parents, children, and friends because we learn to love others with His love.

Anything that takes Christ’s rightful place becomes an idol. A true disciple treasures Jesus above every earthly relationship and trusts that obedience to Him is always best.

Reflection Questions:

1. Is there any relationship that competes with Christ for first place in your life?
2. How does loving Christ first help you love others better?
3. What area of your life needs to be surrendered to His lordship?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me love You above all else. Guard my heart from placing anyone or anything above You. Teach me to love my family and friends through the example of Your perfect love. Amen.

05/31/2026

Join us for worship today. Our service begins at 10:00am.

Today the sermon is from Matthew 10:37-39. Giving Link - https://bit.ly/HBConlinegivingPrayer Requests: Use the chat function during the live stream or ema...

05/29/2026

Day 4: Taking Up the Cross

Scripture:
Matthew 10:38–39 — “And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Devotional:
To Jesus’ listeners, the cross was not jewelry or decoration—it was an instrument of death. Taking up a cross meant surrendering your own plans, desires, and life itself.

Jesus calls us to daily die to ourselves and follow Him. Discipleship is not adding Jesus to an already busy life; it is placing Jesus at the center of life.

The world says, “Find yourself.” Jesus says, “Lose yourself for My sake.” The world says, “Protect your life.” Jesus says, “Surrender your life.”

Yet Jesus gives a promise: those who lose their lives for Him ultimately find life that truly satisfies.

Surrender feels costly, but Jesus is worth every sacrifice.

Reflection Questions:

1. What area of my life am I struggling to surrender to Jesus?
2. What “cross” am I being called to carry today?
3. Do I truly believe Jesus is worth the cost?

Prayer:
Jesus, teach me to deny myself and follow You completely. Give me strength to surrender every part of my life to Your Lordship. Help me trust that You are worth any cost. Amen.

05/28/2026

Day 3: Loving Jesus Above All

Scripture:
Matthew 10:37 — “The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”

Devotional:
Jesus was not teaching believers to love family less; He was teaching us to love Him first.

When Christ becomes our highest treasure, every other relationship finds its proper place. Family is a gift from God, but no relationship should occupy the place that belongs only to Jesus.

Many believers face moments where loyalty to Christ conflicts with the expectations of people they love. In those moments we discover where our true allegiance rests.

Following Jesus may cost us approval, comfort, or acceptance, but Christ never asks us to surrender something without offering something greater: Himself.

The question is not whether we love our families—it is whether we love Jesus supremely.

Reflection Questions:

1. Is there any relationship competing for first place in my heart?
2. Do I seek people’s approval more than Christ’s?
3. What would it look like for Jesus to have first place in my life?

Prayer:
Lord, help me love You above everything else. Keep my heart from placing anything before You. Teach me to treasure You more than comfort, approval, or relationships. Amen.

05/27/2026

Day 2: The Gospel Forces a Decision

Scripture:
Matthew 10:35–36 — “For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother…”

Devotional:
The Gospel is not merely information to consider; it is truth that demands a response. Jesus does not leave room for neutrality. People either surrender to Him or reject Him.

Throughout history, many believers have experienced painful division because they chose Christ. Some have lost relationships, family support, or acceptance. Jesus warned His disciples because He wanted them to understand the reality of following Him.

Truth has always divided people. Darkness resists light. The issue is not that Christians seek conflict; rather, faithfulness to Jesus sometimes reveals where hearts truly stand.

Still, we are called to speak truth with compassion and love. We do not win people through arguments or harshness. We point people to Christ and trust God with the results.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have I ever avoided speaking truth because I feared rejection?
2. Is there someone God has placed on my heart who needs the Gospel?
3. Am I sharing truth with both conviction and love?

Prayer:
Father, make me a faithful ambassador for Christ. Give me wisdom to speak truth with grace and courage to share Your Gospel without compromise. Amen.