Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | At the end of 1 Samuel 15, the prophet Samuel is depressed, disappointed, and distressed. Decades of his life, work, and ministry had been geared towards building the kingdom culture of Israel - and in no time at all, Saul's reign had ruined so much hard work. Without a plan forward, Samuel mopes. With too stringent a perspective, Samuel wrestles. But God gently corrects his course, showing His hand and hope through it all.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Deuteronomy is Moses' last words to the people before they take their last step out of the wilderness and their first step into the Promised Land. In Moses' opening address, he repeatedly emphasizes several principles to help move forward in faith: 1) Trust God to move on and move forward; 2) Trust God to fight your battles; 3) Trust God's Words and Promises for the road ahead.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The book of Deuteronomy opens as the people of God arrive at the end of their 40-year-long journey in the wilderness, and now reside along the border of Moab and the edge of the Jordan River: right on the cusp of stepping into the Promised Land. As they are right on the cusp of something new, Moses stands before them and speaks - a word of encouragement and hope to empower the people to take their next step forward.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The wilderness is not just a place of common complaint and occasional crossroad, but also a place of subtle comprise. In chapter 22, the narrative pans away from the Israelites in the wilderness to an interaction on a hillside directly above them. A place where a prophet compromises, God shows grace, and Israel waits unaware.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In 1 Samuel 11, Saul's insecurities seep out once more under pressure, but the Spirit rushes upon him and gives him a newfound preparation, power, and perspective - even forgiveness - to be the king that Israel needs. In this chapter, we're able to see defining characteristics of Spirit-led leadership versus a leadership of the natural man - and how it makes all the difference.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The wilderness can be a place of complaint, but it will always be a place of crossroads. In fact, the complaints we choose to make in the wilderness will often impact what direction we tend to take at the crossroads. What happens at their crossroads? And what can we learn from them when we arrive at crossroads in our lives as well?

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | 1 Samuel 7 marks the first time in approximately 70 years where there is national revival in Israel. After a long, slow, steady spiritual descent, their sudden drop-off perfectly aligns with God's long, slow, steady ascension of Samuel to help bring the nation back to righteousness and peace. Their national 'turning point' involved 5 critical elements that are just as true for us today as it was back then, for them. The question is, what it be for us?

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Numbers 9 charts a 'new beginning' for the people of God: namely, moving from Mount Sinai and into the wilderness. The end of chapter 9 gives an assessment of the whole journey: How did God lead in the wilderness? And how did the people respond? How should we?

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Psalm 139 features one of the most moving, emotional, and awe-inspiring prayers in all of Scripture about how fully, completely, and intimately God knows His children. How do you think God thinks about you? That may very well be the difference-maker of a faith that is happy and hopeful versus a faith that is pessimistic and weak.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Like the proverbial Invisible Man, the reality of power is always around us, moving among us, and affecting us in different ways. In fact, we not only live in power dynamics, we also wield power as well. How does Jesus operate in power? How should we?

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | If a picture says a thousand words, Psalm 23 says more. In only 6 verses, God gives us a panoramic view of past, present, and future; a motion-picture story of our lives; a moving portrayal of His care through it all. If we are His sheep, everything we could ever need, we have in the Shepherd.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In Psalm 32, David writes about his spiritual journey - from committing a grave sin, to crafting a dark coverup, then to finding forgiveness and freedom and relief. In it, we see the penalty and power of sin, many principles on forgiveness, as well as faint prophesy about the Person who holds the keys of forgiveness and freedom in His nail-scarred, loving hands.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Psalm documents David's long, grueling journey of hardship that was met with long grace and long deliverance. When we are walking through long difficult seasons of life, David gives us 7 truths that give us long grace for a long journey of long deliverance.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Psalm 110 stands as one of the most mysterious, yet marvelous pictures of the Messiah. In it, we see 7 different truths about who this King is, and how we can live in light of them each day.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Mark 8 records a unique moment in Jesus' ministry where He pulls back the layers and filters of His disciples' perception of Himself. But by doing so, He leads them to a clearer understanding of who He is - and He does the same with us today.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Psalm 96 gives us a window into the nature of worship, in general, and the effect it has on our life. When we worship God, an activity of restoration, hope, healing, and perspective take place that affects us at the deepest level.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Throughout the gospel of Mark, Jesus says things that do not "fit" into people's categories, expectations, desires, or ideas; but in chapter 5, he does something that does "fit" according to people's sensibilities or timelines. Namely, He calls them to wait when they feel like they shouldn't have to and when it even feels inappropriate. But in it, He shows His glory and grace, delivering the best into our lives.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Psalm 1 introduces the entire book of Psalms, all 150 chapters, around the idea of what it means to be "blessed." The psalmist shows us that when it comes to blessing, there are only two distinct paths of life, two distinct experiences, and two distinct destinies. There is no 'middle ground' to spiritually, an underlying principle that resonates through every psalm.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Jesus begins His public ministry by addressing 4 different faulty frameworks of the people of God. In order to rightly be seen for who He truly is, He begins to 'deconstruct' their frameworks that stand in the way of them seeing, believing, and experiencing the reality of His rule and kingdom.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Every incoming college student eventually comes across important "forks-in-the-road" moments, even within the first three weeks of stepping foot on campus. So, what do you do at the fork? How do you make the right decision? Who do you walk with? What if you fail? The acrostic "F.O.R.K." provides a couple of truths to hold on to and action-steps to move forward with - today - before you even get there. Because making the right decisions now is much easier ...