Author: Richard Lucas

If you grew up in church, you might remember a simple children’s song with a simple, yet powerful message: “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.” It’s catchy, easy to sing, and fun for kids, but the truth behind those words is life-changing for all ages. Spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional, daily habits that draw us closer to God. When people express to me a dissatisfaction with their spiritual life, one of the first diagnostic questions I ask concerns their Bible reading habits. If we want to grow in our relationship with God, we need to be regularly reading his Word. Why Does Daily Bible Reading Matter? Just as food nourishes your body, God’s Word nourishes your soul. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by...

There’s something deeply uncomfortable about admitting we’re wrong. Like Fonzie from Happy Days, who would stammer and clench his fists rather than utter those difficult words, we naturally resist confession. Even when we manage to apologize, it’s often halfhearted: “I’m sorry if that upset you” or “I’m sorry this happened”—carefully crafted words that distance us from actual responsibility. But what if our resistance to admitting wrongdoing is actually robbing us of one of life’s greatest blessings? What if the very thing we avoid—true repentance—is precisely what our souls most desperately need? Beyond Surface-Level Sorry The biblical concept of repentance goes far deeper than a simple apology. When Jesus began His public...

Introduction Anyone’s last words take on elevated importance because of the impending finality of death. How much more so for the last words of the most significant man who has ever lived. Scripture records for us only seven brief sayings by our Savior as he hung on the cross for six hours. The extreme exhaustion and relentless physical pain of crucifixion would have made speaking incredibly challenging. Because of all this, we rightly pay careful attention to the last sayings of Jesus, for they reveal to us so clearly our Savior’s character and mission. In part one last week, we began by looking at the first three of the seven last sayings from Jesus on the cross. This week, we are looking at the last four of the seven sayings. 4. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”...

Introduction Anyone’s last words take on elevated importance because of the impending finality of death. How much more so for the last words of the most significant man who has ever lived. Scripture records for us only seven brief sayings by our Savior as he hung on the cross for six hours. The extreme exhaustion and relentless physical pain of crucifixion would have made speaking incredibly challenging. Because of all this, we rightly pay careful attention to the last sayings of Jesus, for they reveal to us so clearly our Savior’s character and mission. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Forgiveness) The first saying by Jesus on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” is a profound expression of divine love and mercy....

Thanksgiving is more than a cherished holiday on the calendar; it is a profound spiritual practice deeply rooted in Scripture. For Christians, the Thanksgiving holiday provides an opportunity to reflect on what the Bible teaches about thanksgiving and also how to tangibly apply that teaching in our homes. Here are seven biblical themes of thanksgiving and then seven practical ways to express thanksgiving during this season and throughout the year. Thanksgiving in Scripture 1. Thanksgiving for God’s Goodness Thanksgiving in Scripture is often a response to recognizing the goodness of God. From the opening chapters of Genesis, God’s creation reflects his generosity and provision. Humanity’s response should naturally be one of gratitude. The psalmist writes: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD,...

On October 31, much of our modern American culture will be focused on costumes and candy. The history and celebration of Halloween is complicated and controversial, but for Christians, especially Protestants (of which Baptists are included), we have something much more significant to celebrate every year on October 31. That date commemorates the start of the Protestant Reformation when, in 1517, Martin Luther, a German monk and theologian, posted his famous 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. His act ignited what would become a movement of profound theological and ecclesiastical reform, forever changing the landscape of Christianity and the world at large. Historical Context: Why Was Reform Necessary? By the late Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had become...

I distinctly remember a time during college when I was with an open-air evangelism team doing some street preaching in New York City. As I was doing my best to explain the gospel – both the bad news of sin, death, and hell, and also the good news of Jesus, salvation, and eternal life – I was interrupted by someone passing by. He yelled to me and the small crowd that was listening, “I’m not worried about going to hell, all my friends will be there too, it will be one big party.” Sadly, I don’t believe that perspective on hell is an anomaly. So many today have no fear of hell if they believe it even exists. It’s either considered to be not that bad, or it’s reserved for only the very worst of humanity, which everyone assumes doesn’t include them. The flippancy by which many...

Have you heard it said that someone is “too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly good”? Perhaps that’s true of someone, but I’ve never encountered that person. I think that the opposite is often the case for most of us. We don’t think enough about heavenly realities but instead focus too much on what we can see in the here and now. However, the Bible actually commands us to think about heaven. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.” Our ability to be maximally helpful here on earth now is connected to our efforts to think often and think rightly about heavenly realities. To help you “set your mind on things above,” here are seven words that you can remember. Each word answers a different question we often have about...

What Does Not Happen When You Die? There are so many future realities Christians are looking forward to in the afterlife, such as every tear being wiped away (Revelation 21:4), all sin and death being done away with (1 Corinthians 15:26), receiving our new bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-55), and seeing Jesus face-to-face (1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelation 22:4). Christians are right to put their hope in Christ and eagerly await all of those glorious future realities that God has promised will come to pass. But all those specific truths, among many others, will not actually come to pass when we die. They will not be our experience right away when we die. Those specific promises aren’t fulfilled until Jesus returns! Some believers will still be alive on the earth when Jesus returns (1...

Names mean something. They help you identify what you are looking for. I don’t go into Chick-Fil-A looking to eat a hamburger, because they clearly communicate in their name that they serve chicken. Churches also identify what kind of church they are by their names. Some churches don’t use the word “church” in their name, but identify as a “chapel” or a “fellowship” or simply “ministries.” Other church names have become so creative at times, that it’s hard to even tell they are a church. Some church plants or rebranding efforts have resulted in church names like “Reality”, “Refuge”, “Catalyst”, or “Oasis”. Our church, on the other hand, is unmistakable in identifying who we are with our name. We are the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. However, there are lots of other...