Synopsis
Weekly sermons from Pastor Rusty Guenther of First Baptist Blowing Rock.
Episodes
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"Modern Day Idols" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #23
05/08/2024 Duration: 38minIn this message we examine the dangerous influence that idols can have on our spiritual growth and relationship with God. We identify some modern-day idols that Christians struggle with and how to overcome them. From 1st John 5:20-21.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Victory over Any Sin is a Win" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #22
29/07/2024 Duration: 29minContinued discussion on how to overcome personal sin in our lives, including those secret sins that we think no one knows about. From 1st John 5:16-19Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Accountability Matters" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John # 21
22/07/2024 Duration: 35minAs John draws his letter to a close, he reminds the church and Christians the importance of accountability within the church and the importance of praying for one another. All of us struggle to overcome sin in our lives and John wants us to make sure we utilize the power of the local faith community in our struggles. From 1st John 5:16-19.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Never Know Until You Ask" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #20
16/07/2024 Duration: 35minIn this message we look at the importance, privilege and power of personal prayer in the lives of Christian. Prayer is the most underused weapon the Christian has available for dealing with the struggles of this life as well as developing a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. From 1st John 5:13-15. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"I Am Persuaded that He is Able" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #19
01/07/2024 Duration: 37minJohn tells us in 1st John 5:13 that the purpose of this letter was so that Christians could have assurance in eternal life. So that we could be confident in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have no doubts about what awaits us when we die. Yet, if you were to ask many in the church "If you were to die today, where would you go" you are likely to heave answers that start with "I hope" or "I think". John warns us that there is a vast difference between our hope and thinking and having confident assurance (knowing). So how can we know for sure? Join us as we discover that our assurance is not based on wishful thinking or hope but rather facts and faith! Why is it so important to John? Because your answer will affect every area of how you live your life. From 1st John 5:6-13. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Y
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"Overcoming the Dark Night" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #18
24/06/2024 Duration: 36minIn the 15th Century, a Christian Monk with the name Johnn of the Cross coined a phrase, "The Dark Night of the Soul" to describe those times in a Christians life when they face such struggle, difficulties and trials that they feel like God has abandoned them. If you live the Christian life long enough, you will probably face a "Dark Night". In today's message we examine those Dark Nights and how they happen, what they are like and how we can overcome them. From 1st John 5:4-5 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Outlast or Overcome?" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #17
17/06/2024 Duration: 35minWith all the changes that are taking place in our nation and culture as we move from our Judeo-Christian values where the traditional family is foundational towards a progressive postmodern, post Christian environment - what is the church and Christian's response supposed to be? Should we wait it out and hope for the best, or maybe disengage and strive to outlast what is happening with hopes that we might find our way back to "the good old days?" As worry, fear and anxiety grip Christian parents as they think about the future their children will inherit, what can the church do? Join us as we discuss our only choice and option as followers of Jesus Christ and how the promise of "overcome" lights the way forward. From 1st John 5:1-5.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or
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"I Chose Love" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #16
10/06/2024 Duration: 38minWe live in a culture where the word "love" has been hijacked by many groups and organizations as a means to justify any and all sorts of lifestyles and behaviors. This subjective view of love has, by its overuse, pretty much made the word undefinable. Yet, the Apostle John spends most of his gospel and a good section of his New Testament letters clearly defining love and in our passage for today from 1st John, he roots that definition in the fact that "God is Love"! What does that mean and why is it important for Christians to not only grasp this important truth, but to learn how we can give this same love away? How does the true, biblical definition of the Greek word for love, "Agape" help us make a stand in a culture where love means anything or everything or even nothing at all? Join us as we unpack this powerful message from 1st John 4:7-21 where John uses the word Agape 27 times to make sure we grasp this important "life-giving" truth. Thank you for listening to ou
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"Wonder Working Power" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #15
03/06/2024 Duration: 33minAs John continues to warn about False Teachers in 1st John 4, he builds on last week's passages on "testing the spirits" and comparing what is being taught about Jesus Christ with scripture, in this week's passages he adds the influence of the Holy Spirit. In this message we discuss how the "power" of the Holy Spirit allows us to overcome the influence of the world philosophies and discern truth from error. We also examine some common misunderstandings about what that "power" is and does in the life of a Christian. We also look at some rising false teachings that are integrating themselves into the church today like secular humanism, postmodernism, and the self-help and prosperity gospel movements. From 1st John 4:4-6.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com
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"Trust but Verify" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John # 14
28/05/2024 Duration: 39minThe Apostle John again warns of false teachers and false teachings in our passage for this message. Here he goes a step further than just warning but also gives some practical test to identify a false teacher and how we can know what they are teaching is unscriptural. Listen in to discover some tools we can use to protect ourselves, our families and our churches from these false teachers that seem to be growing more prevalent in the American church. From 1st John 4:1-3. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Dealing with our Doubts pt 2" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John # 13
20/05/2024 Duration: 40minThis message continues our look at 1st John 3:19-24 and the issue of doubts. So many struggle with the assurance of their salvation and in this letter, the Apostle John explains how we can find security in our relationship with God. We break down why it is so important to recognize and utilize the privilege we have to approach God with worship and our prayer request as well as what it means to have God dwelling inside of the Christian with the Holy Spirit. Part 2 of the message from May 12, 2024.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Dealing with our Doubts pt 1" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John # 12
13/05/2024 Duration: 32minWhile most of 1st John is written to differentiate between those who "claim to be believers" or "say they believe" versus true believers in Jesus Christ, it also gives us some "test" to help those who are struggling with doubts about their faith to find some assurance. Most of those tests are taught in general terms like "Walking in the Light", "Love your brother" or "hate the world" but in our passage for this morning John gives three biblical truths that directly address doubt and finding peace when it comes to knowing where you stand in your relationship with God. In this message we only address the first truth, "Jesus Christ is greater than your sin" and examine how that impacts our doubts and struggles. We also discuss the idea of "deconstructing your faith" and the dangers of relying on emotions and feelings when it comes to your relationship with God. From 1st John 3:19-20. The other 2 truths will be in next week's me
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"Resetting the Defaults" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #11
06/05/2024 Duration: 37minAll of us have defaults, they are what we fall back on when called to react to something unexpected. They are part of our old nature, who we were before we became Christians and if we are not careful, they can hinder our relationship with God and with others. So how do we change those defaults and which ones should be a priority? Join us as we examine the command for Christians to love others and how that struggle might require some new default settings. 1st John 3:11-18.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"With Grace, Does Sin Even Matter?" Back to the Basics Series #10
29/04/2024 Duration: 38minOne of the debates that plagued the early church and continues through today is the issue of sin and how it affects the life of a Christian. Early church cults taught that since we are under grace and forgiven, it doesn't matter if we sin, and we should not worry about it - this came to be known as "antinomian" thought and was considered heresy by the early church fathers. Yet, we still see it creeping into the church today. Paul addresses this issue in Romans 6 and in our study from 1st John, the Apostle John will deal with it in our passage for this morning. John looks at it from the standpoint of how our attitude and response to sin will always reveal our true nature. Join us to discover how we can have a proper perspective on sin and the danger it poses to the Christians life. From 1st John 3: 4-10. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our
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"The Power and Privilege of a Name" Back to the Basics Series #9
22/04/2024 Duration: 38minWhat does the Apostle John mean when he uses the term "child of God" to describe those who are Christ followers? You hear people say we are "all God's children" but is that scriptural? In our passage for this message John unpacks the power, privilege and responsivities that come with that name and how it impacts our personal identity. He is drawn to this discussion through his focus on the unexplainable love that God has for his children. From 1st John 2:28-3:3.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"The Antichrist are Already Here!" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #8
15/04/2024 Duration: 44minThis message examines the warning about false teachers that have infiltrated the early church and are causing division and distractions. These "anti-Christ", as John calls them, are dangerous and need to be exposed and confronted. John gives us 3 ways to expose these false teachers and 3 ways we can protect ourselves from their deception. From 1st John 2: 18-27. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Distractions that Destroy" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #7
08/04/2024 Duration: 40minIn this message we examine certain "worldly" distractions that can hinder, harm and diminish our personal relationship with God and how to overcome them. From 1st John 2:12-17. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"How Hope Shines Through" Easter 2024
02/04/2024 Duration: 26minA look at how the resurrection of Jesus Christ influences every area of a Christian's life, not just eternity. We discuss how hopeless the world would be without the empty tomb and a risen savior! From 1st Corinthians 15. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"Why Do We Call it 'Good'?" Holy Week Message 2024
25/03/2024 Duration: 31minA message on "Good Friday" and the meaning and message of the Cross. This message examines the deceleration of Jesus on the cross "My God, My God, why has thou Forsaken me?" and how it relates to Psalms 22. From Matthew 27:45-46, Psalms 22. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715
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"The Most Basic of Basics" Back to the Basics Series from 1st John #6
18/03/2024 Duration: 40minHow can you tell if someone is a Christian or not? That has been a struggle from the beginning as false teachers and teaching began to invade the church. That is why the Apostle John in 1st John uses phrases like "you may claim" "if you say" as if to indicate that there were a lot of people in those early churches claiming to be followers of Christ but were not. Since then, generations of Christians have tried to find identifying markers for a disciple of Jesus - most centered around eternal identifying markers that focus on certain behavior (pray a prayer, baptism, church membership, good and sincere people) or lack of behaviors (don't do certain things that we have deemed bad behavior). Unfortunately, you can do or not do all of those things and still not be a Christian. Lucky for us Jesus identified one true trait that will allow the world to know that we are his followers. Listen in as we unpack this trait and why it sounds so simple can be incredibly difficult to walk out in our