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Faith Comes By The Hearing of The Word of God, Madison, IN (2026)

02/13/2026

THE CHURCH’S DELIVERANCE: THE BLESSED HOPE OF THE BELIEVER

Scripture is unmistakably clear: God has not left the Church in confusion regarding the timing of our gathering to Christ. While the world descends toward judgment, the Body of Christ has been given a promise—a blessed hope—and that hope comes from rightly dividing the Word of Truth and allowing Scripture to interpret itself. A literal, grammatical-historical reading of Scripture — taking the text as God spoke it, in its normal meaning, honoring covenants, context, and God’s sworn promises.

The Bible is written to three groups: Jews, Gentiles, and the Church of God (1 Corinthians 10:32). If we ignore this divine distinction, we mix Israel’s prophetic program with the Church’s heavenly calling. But when we honor it, the doctrine of the rapture becomes crystal clear.

Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians were written specifically to the Church, the Body of Christ. In these letters, he unfolds the mystery of our gathering together unto the Lord—a truth hidden from the Old Testament prophets and revealed uniquely to him. Paul teaches that the seven-year Tribulation is the wrath of God (Zephaniah 1:14–15), not merely man’s anger or Satan’s rage. Because the Church is in Christ, we are not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The judgment that is coming is not directed at the Body of Christ; it is part of God’s dealings with a rebellious world and His future restoration of Israel.

The rapture is described as a moment of comfort, not terror. Paul concludes the great resurrection passage with: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). There is no comfort in telling the Church they must endure the darkest hour in human history. But there is comfort in knowing we will be “caught up… to meet the Lord in the air” before the judgments of Revelation unfold.

Paul further explains this mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51–52: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. This is not Israel’s resurrection at the Second Coming; it is the sudden transformation of the Body of Christ, the “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), taken to be with the Head, the Lord Jesus.

The Tribulation is for Israel and the nations. The rapture is for the Church. When Scripture interprets Scripture and audience is honored, the timing becomes undeniable: the Church is removed before wrath, delivered by the appearing of Christ, and preserved by His promise.

The Gospel:

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Tell me this: why would Christ allow His bride to go through the wrath of God? What groom would ever do that? I know I would never let my own bride walk into the judgment that’s coming on this world — and I’m a sinful man. Christ’s love for His bride is infinitely greater than mine could ever be. If I, in all my weakness, would protect the one I love, how much more will the perfect, sinless Bridegroom shield His own from the hour of wrath? Christ’s return for His Church, His bride, is the blessed hope—because the One who saved us is the same One who will come to deliver us. ✝️

02/13/2026

HE CHOSE US BEFORE WE EVER CHOSE HIM
John 15:16 (KJV)

Salvation is never the story of man reaching up to God—it is always the story of God reaching down to man. Scripture declares that Christ chose us before we ever chose Him (John 15:16), and that He loved us long before we had any love for Him at all (1 John 4:19). The sinner does not begin the process—God does. Just as Lazarus could not rise until Christ first called his name (John 11:43), so no sinner can respond until God first speaks the quickening word that brings spiritual life (Ephesians 2:1).

Before we ever recognized our need, God Himself opened our eyes (Acts 26:18). Before any desire for Him stirred within us, He gave us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Before we came to Christ, it was the Father who drew us (John 6:44). Every movement toward salvation begins with God’s initiative, never ours. Without the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin, we would remain dead in trespasses with no ability to come at all. We bring nothing to salvation but the sin that made it necessary, for all boasting is excluded (Romans 3:27), and every bit of glory belongs to the Lord alone.

The Gospel:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Through His sovereign grace, Christ accomplished everything needed for our salvation—and to Him alone belongs all the glory.

02/13/2026

CHRIST TAUGHT FROM SCRIPTURE —
AND ALL SCRIPTURE POINTS TO HIM
Luke 24:27 (KJV)

Christ did not teach from the New Testament because it was not yet written. Instead, He taught from the Scriptures they already had—what we call the Old Testament—and He declared that every part of it pointed to Him. Jesus said, “Search the Scriptures… they are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). He opened the minds of His disciples to understand “the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms” concerning Himself (Luke 24:44–45).

When resisting Satan, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:1–10). When teaching the greatest commandments, He cited the Torah (Matthew 22:37–40). When explaining His mission, He rooted it in Isaiah (Luke 4:17–21).
The New Testament is not a different message—it's the completion of what Christ already taught from the Scriptures. All Scripture is one unified revelation of the Savior.

The Gospel:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

From Genesis to Revelation, every page points to Christ—and the more we read His Word, the more clearly we see Him.

02/13/2026

EATING THE WORD OF GOD

Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV)
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them…”

Jeremiah and Ezekiel were both commanded to “eat” the Word of God—not physically, but spiritually. This picture reveals the only way Scripture truly transforms us: we must take it in, meditate upon it, and let it become part of us. Jeremiah found God’s words, devoured them with devotion, meditated on them until they became “the joy and rejoicing” of his heart, and was shaped by them at the deepest level of his being. God’s Word does not merely inform the mind—it transforms the heart.

In Ezekiel 3:1–3, the prophet is told to fill himself with the scroll before he speaks for God. Ministry always flows from digestion. You cannot proclaim what you have not personally consumed. The scroll tasted “as honey,” because truth is sweet—yet the same Word cuts, corrects, and exposes, as Hebrews 4:12 declares. God’s Word comforts the humble and confronts the proud.

The call is simple: don’t merely acknowledge Scripture—taste it for yourself. Read it, meditate on it, obey it, and let it search the thoughts and intents of your heart. Those who feed on God’s Word daily find strength, clarity, joy, and identity: “I am called by Thy name.”

The Gospel:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Only through Christ can the Word truly take root in us, for He is the Living Word who transforms every heart that receives Him.

02/11/2026

THE BIBLE IS LITERAL HISTORY, NOT MYTH

2 Peter 1:16 (KJV)
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables…”

The account of Noah’s Ark is not poetry, parable, or symbolic storytelling — it is literal history recorded by the inspiration of God. The flood narrative is presented with exact dimensions, dates, genealogies, and geographical references. Myths never give measurements; history does. Scripture marks the flood “in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life… the second month, the seventeenth day” (Genesis 7:11). That level of detail belongs only to real events.

Jesus Himself affirmed the flood as literal history. In Matthew 24:37–39, He said the final judgment will come just as it did in the days of Noah. If the flood were symbolic, Christ’s warning would be meaningless. Peter likewise taught that the world “then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2 Peter 3:6). The apostles treated the flood as a real, global event.

But Noah’s Ark is not the only example. The Bible records countless events with historical precision:

Adam and Eve — Jesus taught they were literal people created “male and female” (Matthew 19:4).

Jonah — Jesus declared Jonah was literally in the fish three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40).

S***m and Gomorrah — Jesus called them literal cities destroyed by real judgment (Luke 17:28–29).

The Red Sea crossing — Scripture refers to it as a real miracle witnessed by a nation (Psalm 106:9).

David and Goliath — Not legend, but history confirmed by genealogy, geography, and Israel’s timeline.

Whenever Jesus or the apostles referenced the Old Testament, they always treated it as literal truth — never mythology. Scripture is historically grounded because God is the Author of truth. The Bible doesn’t tell stories to inspire; it reveals real events to instruct, convict, and lead us to Christ.

The Gospel:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

The same God who judged the world in Noah’s day will judge it again — and the same grace that saved Noah is offered today through Christ.

02/11/2026

WHEN PROFESSING CHRISTIANS DISHONOR CHRIST

James 3:10 (KJV)

One of the saddest realities in the church age is the number of people who call themselves Christians yet respond to biblical correction with rudeness, insults, hostility, and pride. Instead of showing the spirit of Christ, they display the very attitude Scripture warns against. James said plainly, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” A tongue that wounds, belittles, and attacks is not being guided by the Holy Spirit but by the flesh.

Many profess faith, but their behavior reveals a heart untouched by grace. True believers are not perfect, but they show humility, teachability, and a desire to grow. When corrected by Scripture, they may feel convicted, but they do not lash out with venom. By contrast, those who mock, insult, or belittle others in the name of Christ demonstrate the exact opposite of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Their conduct causes the watching world to stumble, and tragically, they associate the name of Jesus with arrogance and cruelty instead of mercy and truth.

Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” When professing Christians behave like unbelievers, they give Christ a bad name and reinforce why so many avoid the church. Yet Scripture also tells us such behavior is not new—there have always been those who honor God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him.

A genuine believer may fail at times, but the Spirit convicts and restores. Persistent rudeness, pride, and hostility toward truth exposes either deep carnality or a profession without possession.

THE GOSPEL

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Christ transforms the heart—His people should reflect His character.

02/11/2026

THE VOID ONLY GOD CAN FILL

Genesis 1:27 (KJV)
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Every human being enters the world with an inner emptiness, a longing for meaning, value, and identity. People try to satisfy it with relationships, success, pleasure, achievement, or recognition, yet the void remains. Scripture explains why: we were created in the image of God, made for fellowship with Him. Nothing temporal can satisfy a need that is spiritual and eternal. The restlessness of the human heart is not a flaw—it is evidence that we were designed for Someone greater than ourselves—that is God.

Sin separates us from the very One who gives purpose, and no earthly pursuit can replace Him. Only through Christ can the broken relationship be restored. He alone gives life, peace, and true identity to the soul. When a person encounters God through His Son, the search ends and the heart finally finds rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

The Gospel:

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Only in Christ do we discover the One our hearts were made for.

Thanks for the inspiration Brandi Adkins

02/11/2026

CAN GRACE BE ABUSED?

Romans 6:1–2 (KJV)
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

Some claim that grace is “abused” when a believer sins deliberately, but Scripture shows something deeper and far more secure. Grace is not a fragile substance that can be damaged or exhausted; it is the finished work of Christ applied to the believer. The issue is not the weakness of grace, but the condition of the heart. A true Christian may fall into sin—even knowingly at times—yet God lovingly chastens His children, not to condemn them, but to restore them (Hebrews 12:6). But when someone plans to sin with the mindset, “I’ll ask forgiveness afterward,” they are not breaking grace—they are revealing a heart that needs correction. Presumption is sin, not because grace is fragile, but because God is holy.

Paul asked, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” and immediately answered, “God forbid.” Grace is not a license to sin, but sin is also never greater than grace. David sinned intentionally, Peter denied Christ knowingly, yet both were forgiven because their standing rested on God’s covenant, not their behavior. A believer may walk carnally for a season, but grace remains God’s unbreakable promise in Christ.

The Gospel:

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

God’s grace is not weakened by our failures; it is anchored forever in the blood of Jesus Christ.

02/11/2026

RETURNING TO THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

Acts 17:11 (KJV)
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Many believers were raised to defend a denomination rather than to stand upon the Scriptures themselves. But every Christian has the responsibility to examine the doctrines they were taught, for no teaching is too sacred to be tested by the Word of God. The real issue is not simply that believers disagree—it is why they disagree. When Scripture is not taken literally, in its context, with sound exegesis and solid hermeneutics, doctrine becomes negotiable, and tradition begins shaping the Bible instead of the Bible shaping tradition.

This is why two people can read the same passage and reach opposite conclusions—one is following the text, the other a system. Scripture is plain regarding Israel, salvation, prophecy, and doctrine, yet many deny these truths because they allegorize what God intended to be taken literally. Truth is never determined by popularity but by the God who spoke it. Like the Bereans, we must test everything by Scripture alone.

The Gospel:

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Only when we return to Scripture literally and humbly do we stand firmly in the truth Christ gave to His church.

02/07/2026

WHY JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS

Romans 5:8 (KJV)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus died on the cross to accomplish what no sinner could ever achieve on their own—full payment for sin and reconciliation to a holy God. Scripture declares that all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. Yet God, in His love, sent His Son to bear the judgment we deserved; God in the flesh taking upon Himself the penalty owed by mankind. On the cross, Christ became our substitute, the sinless One standing in the place of the guilty, satisfying the demands of divine justice (propitiation). His blood was shed for remission, His body offered for atonement, and through His death the only way for sinners to be forgiven was opened forever.

The purpose of the cross was not merely to inspire us or set a moral example; it was to redeem a fallen race. By His sacrifice, Christ removed the barrier between God and man, offering peace to the repentant and securing eternal life for all who believe in what He accomplished. His resurrection proves the work is finished and fully accepted by the Father, and His bodily resurrection further declares that the payment is complete, effective, and eternally sufficient. Through the cross of Christ, every sinner who believes is brought into the very life, righteousness, and peace of God. Praise the Lord!

The Gospel:

All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Through Christ’s finished work, every believer stands forgiven, accepted, and eternally secure in the love of God.

02/07/2026

THE TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION, DISCIPLINE, AND THE ERROR OF THE “LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN”

Revelation 3:17 (KJV)

Once a person is truly born again, they cannot lose their salvation. God does not remove His Spirit as He did in the Old Testament; we are sealed unto the day of redemption, and no one can undo the new birth—we cannot be un-born. Only God knows who is genuinely saved, yet Christ said we will know them by their fruit. The fruit of the Laodicean church showed no evidence of regeneration; Christ was outside, calling them to repentance, not fellowshipping with believers. They were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—descriptions that never fit a born-again believer. Christ would never spew one of His own out of His mouth.

This is simply taking God’s Word literally, as it was given. When people choose not to interpret Scripture literally—they often end up creating explanations that Scripture itself never requires. This is allegorically/spiritualizing scripture, and it's wrong, yet so many base their Christian worldview on doing this.

When a person is truly saved, the Holy Spirit will be at work in their life. Growth may be slow at times, but it moves forward because God is faithful. A believer may wander, like the prodigal, yet the Father draws His children back.

If a believer hardens themselves and refuses to respond to God, Scripture shows that the Lord may allow severe discipline—even delivering one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh—so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5). This does not mean God always takes a backslider home early, but it does mean He may act decisively to preserve the soul that belongs to Him.

And Scripture also shows the other side: some people depart permanently because they were never truly saved to begin with. “They went out from us, but they were not of us” (1 John 2:19). Their departure revealed their true condition. This is why we cannot always tell whether someone is a wandering believer under discipline or a false professor who never knew Christ. God alone knows the heart.

In the end, Scripture makes clear there is no such thing as a “lukewarm Christian.” Christ spews out the lukewarm because they were never His to begin with; He is calling them to repentance and true faith.

02/07/2026

THE TRUE COST OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)

God never promised that spiritual leadership would be easy. Throughout Scripture, those God called to shepherd His people—whether prophets, pastors, elders, or teachers—carried burdens others never saw. Moses was criticized, Jeremiah was mocked, Paul was misunderstood, and even Christ Himself was rejected by the very people He came to save. True leadership means remaining faithful when the work is heavy, when people are inconsistent, and when the heart is tired.

A shepherd does not quit because the sheep wander; he stays because God entrusted souls to his care (1 Peter 5:2–4). A spiritual leader isn’t sustained by applause, but by obedience. They stay for stability, for healing, for maturity, and because God called them—not because people always treat them right.

This is why prayer for leaders matters. The burden is real, and only God’s grace strengthens those who continue when others walk away. So let's continually pray for our Pastors, teachers, and leaders.

The Gospel:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Yet Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Only Christ can strengthen the servants He calls, and only His grace makes faithful leadership possible.

Faith Comes By The Hearing of The Word of God

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