April 28, 2013 | John Bayles | Lost in Self-indulgence (Hosea 10:1-8)

This passage today carries with it an amazing historic fact. Where on the earth are the false altars of Baal, the sacred idols, and people who practice the vile sacrifices of the cult? They are in museums, covered either by yards of dirt, or broken down in remote places on the earth. Why? Because of a self-indulgent people carried off by the lust of their self-interest, self-love, and self-worship.

April 21, 2013 | John Bayles | Give Me Thirty Minutes

"If God is good, then how could this happen?" This is a very common phrase often aimed at Christians when suffering, death, or calamity springs up in our lives. The recent terrorist activities in Boston have once again stirred up this question.

March 24, 2013 | John Bayles | Setting the Stage for a Victorious Death (John 12:1-11)

The anointing at Bethany is one of the most beautiful narratives found in the Gospels. In this message we will sit among the disciples and guests at a dinner organized in honor of Jesus' recent magnificent introduction of his messianic life and mission. At this dinner aimed to present him as the geopolitical leader of Israel, Jesus is anointed for his death, as the suffering, dying servant of Isaiah's vision.

March 3, 2013 | John Bayles | Repent, Lest You Too Perish (Hosea 5:8-7:1)

In today's message we will hear again the awful judgement of God against Israel. They are called a nation of prostitution and worshippers of vile gods. Even the honored priesthood of Israel has turned away from the Lord and is leading people into the depths of depravity for personal profit. The message, though understandable, may seem quite remote and irrelevant to us who live in the new covenant of grace, covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, and living at peace with God or sins forgiven.

February 24, 2013 | John Bayles | The Message of Foolishness and Power (1 Corinthians 1:18)

The default condition of humanity is sin. Every human person is born into the environment of sin, because humanity is fallen - from the time of Adam and Eve until today. We can ignore it, deny it, or scorn it as foolishness, but it continues to be our plight. We live in a world of self-consciousness, self-protection, self-preservation, and self-love. We are lost in the blindness and darkness of self. As Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:22,23).

February 17, 2013 | John Bayles | Before the Judgement Seat (Hosea 5:1-7)

In the midst of judgement against the nation of Israel, Hosea again turns his attention to the people of God, but not his contemporary audience. Hosea sets the scene as that of a judgement seat and before the bar comes sinful Israel: priests, people and kings to make their plea, bear their shame, and receive their due recompense. It is horrifying scene as God's wrath is poised to fall upon Israel.

February 3, 2013 | John Bayles | Hosea 4

January 27, 2013 | John Bayles | Purchased by Love (Hosea 3:1-5)

In this passage today, Hosea moves away from the immediate proclamations of dread and judgement upon the nation of Israel and reflects upon another people, in another time frame. As we have seen already in this book there is a present application, a word to the nation in its historical context. And there is a word coming forth of a new nation, a new time, and a new relationship between God and his people.

January 20, 2013 | John Bayles | The Old and The New (Hosea 2:1-23)

God is a God of mercy and love. He is also a God of Justice. How do these attributes balance themselves? How can God show mercy and love, and at the same time, be just? In this text today, we will discover that God’s only remedy for having a relationship to His creation/man is to Himself, intercede. He, Himself must provide a means to satisfy His holy justice and, at the same time, extend his merciful and loving hand.

January 13, 2013 | John Bayles | The Only View That Matters (Hosea 1:1-11)

“If you don’t like the view, then look at something else.” Or better, “That’s your opinion.” Either one of these statements drives the car of objectivity over the cliff. The deceptive thing about deception is that the person deceived does not realize he/she is being deceived. As so artfully portrayed in C.S. Lewis’ "Skrewtape Letters", the first rule of deception is to convince the person firmly controlled by demons to firmly believe that demons don't exist.