Freedom Baptist Church

10/15/2026

Day 4: The Simplicity of Saving Faith

“That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” — John 3:15

Think about the absolute simplicity of God’s remedy in the wilderness. The dying Israelite didn't have to climb the pole. He didn't have to pay Moses any money. He didn't have to promise to never complain again. He had to do exactly one thing: Look! (Num 21:9) To look at the pole meant looking entirely away from your own ability to save yourself.

If you looked at your own wound, you died. If you looked at your neighbor and their symptoms, you died. You had to look exclusively at God's provided remedy. This is the exact picture of saving faith.

Today, if you look to your own baptism, your church membership, or your moral lifestyle to save you, you will perish in your sin. You must look to Christ alone. The result of that look of faith is God’s promise: “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” This is not a temporary fix; it is eternal life.

The moment an Israelite looked at the image of death and sin raised up on that pole, the venom stopped and life rushed back. The moment a sinner looks to the crucified and risen Savior in faith, the condemnation of sin is broken, and eternal life begins.

*Reflect:
Are you looking at your own performance, your baptism, or your church rituals for assurance, or is your gaze fixed entirely on Christ alone?

*Prayer:
Lord, I recognize salvation is Your work of grace through Jesus Christ alone. Help me to keep my eyes upon Jesus and not on myself. Amen.

10/14/2026

Day 3: The Sovereign Remedy for Sin

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:” — John 3:14

To explain the mechanics of salvation to this religious ruler, Jesus takes Nicodemus back to Numbers 21. The children of Israel had murmured against God and Moses.

In judgment, God sent fiery serpents into the camp. Their bite was lethal, the venom was agonizing, and the camp was filled with dying people. They were suffering from the literal sting of sin. They were completely helpless; no medicine, no good works, and no amount of weeping could extract that deadly poison from their veins. This is an exact picture of sin.

God commanded Moses to do something strange: make a serpent of brass and lift it up on a pole. This serpent represented the curse of death and the condemnation of sin. God used the visual representation of the very thing that was killing them because it prophetically pointed to the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.

Nearly 1,500 years later, Jesus, the Son of God, took our curse by making atonement for our sin. He became sin for us upon that cross on Calvary, bearing the full blow of God's fiery wrath.

Jesus said He “must” be lifted up, and so He was on the cross, and He must still be to those who desire to be saved. It is a divine necessity because there is no other way to satisfy God's holy justice than through the person and work of Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Reflect:
Do you see your personal sin as a minor flaw, or do you recognize it as a lethal poison that requires the divine necessity of Christ's sacrifice on the cross?

Pray:
Dear Lord, thank you for becoming my substitutionary sacrifice; for dying in my place to pay my sin debt. Help me to live my new life in Christ, not in selfish vain, but for Your glory!

10/13/2026

Day 2: The Authority of Heaven’s Witness

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that We do know, and testify that We have seen; and ye receive not Our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” — John 3:11-13

When Jesus corrects Nicodemus, He shifts from a singular pronoun to a plural and says, “We speak that we do know... and ye receive not our witness.”

This is the divine testimony of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Salvation is entirely a work of God, and the original witness of salvation belongs to Him alone. Yet humanity, in its stubborn unbelief, routinely rejects it.

Why should we trust Jesus over human philosophy?

Because no mere human has ever gone to Heaven to bring back the blueprints of salvation, Jesus Christ is Heaven’s ultimate and exclusive Witness. He is God manifest in the flesh. He is uniquely qualified to bridge the gap because He descended from Heaven, walked among us, ascended back to Heaven, and is forever omnipresent as the Son of man, which is in heaven.

If you cannot trust the clear preaching of the Word and the earthly indicators of God's power, you will never grasp the deeper realities of redemption. Trust the ultimate Witness.

*Reflect:
Are you trying to figure out salvation through human opinions and philosophies, or are you resting strictly on the authority of Jesus Christ's witness?

*Prayer:
Lord, help me today to trust your witness above that of the world; Your Holy Word above the philosophies and ways of men. Amen.

10/12/2026

Sunday Morning Sermon Devotionals
Day 1: The End of Yourself

"Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?" — John 3:9-10

Nicodemus had it all by earthly standards—reputation, religious credentials, and deep intellectual standing. Yet, under the cover of night, he found himself utterly blind to the spiritual reality of the new birth.

His question, "How can these things be?", is the natural response of human pride trying to reason its way into heaven. Spiritual pride keeps more people out of Heaven than almost any other sin. When we rely on our own intellect, our religious heritage, or our moral goodness, we remain spiritually bankrupt.

To receive God’s free gift of salvation and be born again, you must first humble yourself, come empty-handed, and admit your complete spiritual bankruptcy before a holy God. You must be brought to the end of yourself.

Salvation does not begin when you bring your resume to the Lord; it begins when you realize you have nothing to bring but your sin. Only then can you understand the complete work of Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Savior.

*Reflect
What "credentials" or personal efforts are you secretly relying on instead of relying entirely on the grace of God?

*Prayer
Lord, thank you for helping me to see my own spiritual bankruptcy. I have nothinng to offer but my sin. I accept that through Jesus Christ alone my sin is forgiven and I am now your child.

10/12/2026

Sunday morning message from the gospel of John.

Look & Live! / John 3:9-15 / Pastor Tim HallThanks for joining us!...

10/11/2026

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1)

There's no better place to be on Sunday. Praying everyone has a blessed day!

10/09/2026

Day 5 · John 3:3, 16; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Receive and Share the Good News

Jesus’ words to Nicodemus leave no room for self-reliance: we must be born again.

The gospel is not good advice for people who can save themselves; it is good news about what God has done in Christ. Jesus gave Himself for sinners, and everyone who trusts in Him receives life.

This truth is deeply personal, but it is also meant to be shared with care and humility. We cannot make anyone believe, and we should not pressure people with harshness. We can speak honestly about our need, point to Jesus, and pray that God will draw hearts to Himself.

If you already trust Christ, remember that your salvation rests on His mercy, not your performance. If you are unsure where you stand, come to God honestly and put your trust in Jesus. The Lord is faithful. Let gratitude for the new life He gives shape both your daily walk and your words to others.

Reflect
Who could you encourage this week by sharing, with gentleness, the hope you have in Jesus?

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for giving life to all who trust in you; help me live gratefully and share your hope with love.

10/08/2026

Day 4 · John 3:7-8; Titus 3:5

The Spirit Gives Life

Jesus compares the Spirit’s work to the wind. We cannot see the wind itself or command where it goes, but we can see its effects. In the same way, God’s work in a person’s heart is not something we can control or manufacture.

Salvation is His gracious work, received by faith, and its effects begin to show in a changed life. The Spirit grows in us new desires, a greater love for God’s truth and people, and a desire to turn from sin.

These changes may develop over time, and believers still need patience and mercy. But new life is not merely a label; God is at work in those who belong to Christ.

Rather than trying to control the Spirit or measure yourself against someone else, ask Him to make your life bear good fruit. Give thanks that the One who begins His work in us is faithful, and keep walking with Him in trust.

Reflect
What signs of the Spirit’s work—new desires, repentance, or love—can you thank God for today?

Prayer
God, thank you for the Spirit’s gracious work; make the fruit of new life increasingly visible in me.

10/07/2026

Day 3 · John 3:5-6; Romans 5:12

Two Births, Two Natures

Jesus distinguishes between birth by the flesh and birth by the Spirit. Our physical birth brings us into this world, but it does not cure the sin that separates us from God. We need more than outward improvement; we need new life from above.

This is the work of God, not something we can produce by willpower or religious activity. The good news is that the Lord offers what we cannot make for ourselves. Through faith in Jesus, God brings us into His family and begins a new work in us. That new birth does not mean a believer becomes instantly perfect. It means our hope and identity are now in Christ, and the Spirit begins changing our desires and direction.

When you see sin in your life, do not pretend that self-effort can save you. Turn to God, confess your need, and ask Him to keep shaping you by His Spirit and His word.

*Reflect
How does remembering that new life is God’s work change the way you face sin and spiritual growth?

*Prayer
Father, thank you for giving new life through your Spirit; keep forming Christ’s character in me.

10/06/2026

When you hear the phrase “born again,” what comes to mind?