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.

December 30. 2012 | John Bayles | What, Then, Shall We Say in Response to This? (Romans 8)

It has often occurred to me that the Bible is not a textbook for outlining all the actions we should perform for God to secure our faith (such as prayer, service, witnessing, worship, fellowship with other believers and giving of money). The "Good News" is that GOD has acted first. He has secured our faith by Himself and for Himself. It is not what we can do for God that saves us, but what God has done for us through Jesus Christ that saves us.

December 23, 2012 | John Bayles | The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21)

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. In a specific focus, it is the Sunday in the Advent calendar that we celebrate the visitation of angels to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born.

December 16, 2012 | John Bayles | Skeptics, Saints, and Stewards (Luke 1:5-12, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:8-20)

December 9, 2012 | John Bayles | The Bread of Peace (Micah 5:1-5)