First Baptist Church Celina

09/07/2026

And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

If any man would not work, neither should he eat.
(I Thessalonians 3:18)

And also, that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:13)

Today is Labor Day. That means that we must consume the day with work, right? Well, it can be anything you want or need. I know that I have to work on my truck because there's a transmission line leak. Also, taking a small tree down may happen.
But later on, we'll be going to the last day of our county Fair. There's a Christian concert at 3:00 and we want to get our last round of that delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive fair food. Well, at least the delicious is true.
I guess my day will be Biblical. I had devotional time, my garden only needs the picking of maters and peppers, I'll work on the truck and maybe the tree, and then go enjoy the fruits of my labor.

The negative about Labor Day is that it is the unofficial end of summer. O well,, we still have the warmth of September, hopefully, but we know winter is coming. Enjoy all the seasons that God has given and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Pastor Bud

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09/06/2026

09/05/2026

"For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints, and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
(Hebrews 4:12)

I drive for a local car dealer about once a week. We go to auctions to pick up purchased cars, we deliver police cars, and even deliver purchased cars to customers. A few days ago, I was driving one of these vehicles, which I would consider to be a fairly high dollar car. It was the most "user-unfriendly" car that I have ever driven. Normally, after about a half hour or so, you pretty well have the entertainment and ventilation system pretty well figured out. How i got the ventilation going, I don't know. Most of the radio, I never figured out.
Not so for God's Word. Yes, the Book of Revelation can be confusing, but even with that, the whole message is to be ready for the coming of the Lord or our own death. The biggest problem to understanding the Word is not reading it, or else not reading a whole passage. When we just pick out a given verse, we may indeed understand it incorrectly. A good example is judging. People say, "The Bible says we are not to judge." Well, true, but look at the whole content. When we call something a sin that God has already called a sin, we are not judging, we are merely calling a rock a rock. What we are cautioned about is justifying our actions while criticizing other's actions. In other words, "What I allow is okay, but what you do is wrong." That's judging, what the Bible speaks against.
The Bible is "user-friendly," needs no instruction manual, or a million icons to find the right setting. Read any passage carefully and ask God for insight. that's a prayer that He will answer.

Pastor Bud

Hope to see you in Church tomorrow.

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09/04/2026

"He that is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is impulsive exalts folly.
A sound heart is life to the body."
(Proverbs 14:20-30)

If you search the word "anger" in the Bible, you will find it many times, and many cautions about anger. All of us get angry, at times, but how we handle it is everything. We actually can control our anger, or we can just let it fly. For those who just let it fly, they do not care who they hurt, they just feel they have the right to spew forth their anger. I spoke on "words" a few devotions ago, and how they impact others. Words spoke in anger cannot be retracted. Face it, do you like to relay something to someone who you know will respond in anger, like a boss? When anger is the immediate response, obviously the angry person has not paused long enough to examine the issue. The angry person usually responds before the issue has been fully stated. I've worked for bosses that you had to walk on eggshells because you never knew what might set off their anger. As a Christian, controlled anger is much more Christ-like.
Then, what about "impulsiveness," as stated above? The best example is "impulsive buying." Advertising is meant to lure you in and make an instant "without thinking" purchase. We are usually sorry afterwards when we realize that we didn't need the item or it did not measure up to the expectations. As pertaining to the above scripture, impulsive responses usually do not turn out well. From a Christian perspective, our job is to encourage others, not tear them down. How's your "anger management?"

Pastor Bud

09/01/2026

"I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me."
(Philippians 4:13)

In the entertainment industry, there are all kinds of "super heroes."
There's Iron Man, Superman, Robin, Captain America, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and who knows how many more. Why are we obsessed with "super heroes?" Could it be that we like to think that there's a little "super hero" in each of us?
Superheroes are only imaginary, but super-natural strength is available to all God's children. We can say with the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That does not mean that we are faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It means that God will enable us to all that He called us to do and strengthen us in our inner being to accomplish His will.
The Bible says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." (II Chronicles 16:9)
In a sense, Christians are "superhuman" because we can call on a power that non-Christians do not have. What a help, what a blessing

Pastor Bud

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09/01/2026

Thanks for all your prayers for Donnie Hawkins. His heart cath went well and they found no new situations. Maybe a few more test before coming home..

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09/01/2026

Please pray for Donnie. He is having a heart cath this morning. Wr will keep you updated. Remember Helen too.

08/31/2026

"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire Kindles.
Therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith we curse men-----.
Our of the same mouth proceeds blessings and cursings. MY BRETHREN, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE SO!
(James 3:5,9,10)

In a devotion, recently, with My wife and youngest son, the subject was the power of words. Words can make or destroy someone. Our words tell who and what we are. Am I just an old fuddy-duddy to think that the language of Christians should be clean? I am increasing hearing "Christians" with potty mouths. Just because the secular culture thinks nothing about using some vulgarities, should we accept them. Accuse me of being judgmental, fine, but when I hear a Christian using lots of vulgarities, I question just how close their walk with Jesus is. Even if a Christian is comfortable in using "potty" language, what about the perception of others? Are we not to avoid being offensive and to live a life bringing glory to God?

And, even if our language is totally clean, are we looking to compliment someone or tear them down? What we say, how we say it, when we say it, and why we say it has huge impact.

My prayer for today, "Lord, I give you my tongue, that what I say is directed by You so that I might be that positive in someone's life AND, glorify you.

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08/29/2026

"I have been young, and now I am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
(Psalm 37:25)

God never promised us an easy life. He never said that we would not have needs, but would supply our needs. We need to have needs so that we call on God and allow His supply. That's called "testimonies." In my Christian life, I have known needs, some pretty critical too. My wife and I have never begged, but we have had money arrive from unknown sources, groceries appear on our door step, cars given, jobs supplied, help given, rides given, $20 dollars under a bush, college tuition paid, baby's funeral paid, and a million other acts of God in supplying our needs. I certainly would not want to go back and experience many situations again, but, my oh my, how God showed His presence and supplied. God knows that we need to get into desperate times so that we call on Him.
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God," takes on meaning as we see how need and supply go hand in hand. (Ephesians 5:20)
Thank God for your needs.

Pastor Bud

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