By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of the importance of three spiritual disciplines: giving, praying, and fasting.  Some spiritual leaders in Jesus’ day were using these spiritual disciplines to draw attention to themselves rather than using them as an act of worship. These important acts of worship can be used for the wrong reasons so Jesus warns those performing these disciplines to always have the proper motivation. Whether they are done publicly or privately, the desire behind them should be to bring glory to God and not to draw attention to ourselves. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Acts 8:26-35

God always puts people, places, and events together to serve His purposes. We see this in the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip was involved in a revival at Samaria that God tremendously blessed. Many people were coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Suddenly God decides to lead Philip out into the desert to witness to the Ethiopian eunuch.

In Acts 8:26-27a, Philip is submissive to the will of God. An angel spoke to Philip and told him to go down from Jerusalem to Gaza and Philip arose and went. Philip was obedient to God and did not question God. Philip was so committed to God that he does exactly what God tells him to do. Many interpret “towards the south” as meaning that it was high noon when Philip was supposed to go to the desert. No one would be on a desert road at noon. Philip does not question God’s timing or the direction that God sent him. He simply obeyed God. God did not tell Philip what his next step would be, but to simply go to the desert. [Read more…]

By Ken R. Speakman
Member, Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory

Focal Passage: Acts 10:9-15, 43-48

Chapter 10 records the salvation of the Gentiles. God has used Peter to open the door of faith for the Jews and Samaritans, and here he would be used to bring the Gentiles into the church (see Galatians 3:27-28; Ephesians 2:11-22).  Chapter 10 must be seen as an entire unit. The drama that unfolds in this chapter can be divided into four scenes: (1) home of a Gentile seeker, (2) rooftop with Peter, (3) living room of Simon the Tanner, and (4) estate of the Roman centurion. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Acts 26:9-20

Throughout the book of Acts, we are introduced and exposed to the workings of the Holy Spirit. The focus of Acts is primarily on two individuals, Peter and Paul. For the study of this lesson, our focus will be on Paul. Paul was converted in Acts 9 and God’s purpose for Paul was mainly to take the gospel message to the Gentiles. In our text, Paul finds himself before King Agrippa and Paul shares his conversion experience with one of the most powerful men in the world.  [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13

At the Olympic Games every four years, 90 percent of the best athletes in the world do not win a medal. They try but they fail. Likewise, the Bible records many people who failed. Oftentimes we fail at the point of our greatest strength. The Bible says that Moses was a meek man, yet he lost his temper and struck the rock. Abraham was called the father of faith, but he lied twice, stating that Sarah was not his wife. David was called a man after God’s own heart, yet he commited adultery. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Luke 1:11-20, 63-65

Years ago I stood before the church and announced that my wife was expecting. The church members asked, “Do you want a boy or a girl?” After pausing for a moment, I said, “I would gladly take one of each.” Little did I know that nine months later I would become a father to twins — a boy and a girl. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Numbers 12:1-11, 13-15

Do you remember the words to the old western ballad, “Home on the Range?” The range was a place “where never is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.” Words are how we communicate. Words can build up or words can tear down. Today people will say things on social media that they could never say to someone’s face. In our passage we see the outcome of destructive criticism. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Genesis 27:41, 33:1-11

Conflict is part of life. It is never a pleasant experience. Conflict can and does occur even among believers. We see conflict in marriage, in churches, and in the work place. In our text, we find conflict between two brothers who happen to be twins — Jacob and Esau. It was customary for the oldest brother in a family to receive the birthright. Jacob, the younger of the two brothers, tricked his older brother, Esau, out of his birthright. Being deceived, Esau, full of bitterness and anger, determined to kill Jacob when their father Isaac died (Genesis 27:41). Jacob decided to put some distance between him and Esau so he went to live with his mother’s brother, Laban. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Genesis 15:1-6, 16:1-5, 17:18-19

People often will make promises. However when it comes time to fulfill that promise, they neglect to follow through on their word. Who has not been hurt by having a promise made and then broken? For instance, “I promise I will not tell another person. I promise to be on time. I promise I will pay you. I promise to love, honor, and cherish.” What good is a promise if someone does not keep their word?

Abraham was a man of faith. Back in chapter 12, God had already promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation. Now the years have gone by and Abraham and Sarai are getting older and still do not have a child. Abraham’s faith was strong enough that he left his homeland and his family to follow the call of God. But now looking from a human perspective, God’s promise of a child appeared to be impossible. Even though God restates His promise and shows Abraham the stars, he really offers him nothing more or new. Instead, once again, God reiterates the promise of His Word. Abraham, like many other biblical characters proves that even people of faith will have times of doubt and weakness. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 15:1-8

Jesus and His disciples had left the Upper Room. They had partaken of the Lord’s Supper and now they were on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus would pray and later be arrested. Along the way, Jesus used an object lesson from the garden. By looking at the grape arbor, the signs of a vinedresser were obvious. The vines had been tended and pruned. It was obvious that someone had spent time with the vines intending to have a good harvest of grapes. The purpose of this analogy from the lips of Jesus was to remind believers of their purpose in following Jesus. Our purpose is very simple — Jesus expects us to bear fruit for Him. Often people will ask, “Why was I born?” Now Jesus answers that question. In a believer’s life, there will always be times of discouragement. Situations and circumstances will enter into a believer’s life that will hinder in the production of fruit. During these times, our life’s purpose can seem a little fuzzy. [Read more…]