The Bible teaches more than one type of resurrection. From the resurrection of Christ to resurrections we can experience in a timely sense, we find various resurrections taught. On this past Easter Sunday, Brother Luke presents a timely message on Four Resurrections. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/03.31.24.Four_.Resurrection…

Preaching in parables was a teaching method that Jesus used. In some ways, parables were like a code designed to hide truth from some and reveal truth to others. It takes a spiritual mind to understand the truth of a parable. In this message, Brother Luke preaches about the purpose of parables. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03…

Good decision making is something we should all be interested in. For the child of God, there is a clear path to making decisions that honor God, especially in difficult times. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea preaches about what the Bible teaches on this subject. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03.24.24.Good_.Decision.M…

Born again children of God have the privilege of learning about Christ. From the moment of being quickened by the Spirit, we have an opportunity to learn more and more about our Savior. In this message, I look at how this works. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03.17.24.Learning.in_.the_.School.of_.Christ.Tim_.McCool.mp3 03.17…

The Book of Ephesians offers a perfect balance of doctrine and practice. The 1st 3 chapters are focused primarily on doctrine, and the last 3 on practical living. In this message, I look at the doctrine presented in the second chapter – how we are quickened, or born again. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03.13.24.Quickened.by…

A lot of different things may attract us to the church. It might be the friendliness of a congregation, congregational singing, or even the sharing of a meal at church. But many are drawn by a revelatory and often new understanding of salvation by grace alone. Whatever brings a child of God to the truth, it is the truth of God’s grace that keeps th…

God’s creation is amazing for many reasons. One reason is because the very design of certain created creatures, teaches us great lessons. In this message, Brother Luke presents how 4 of God’s creations teach us important and valuable lessons. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03.10.24.Creation.Teaches.Luke_.Hagler.mp3 03.10.24.…

It is easy to fall into the trap of constantly asking, “What’s wrong with people?” Although there may be times to ask that question, the real question is what Paul asked in Romans 7: What’s wrong with me? The way he looked at the conflict within – between the old human nature and the new spiritual nature – caused him to ask this question. In this m…

Self-Examination can be difficult. But it is very easy to examine others, while overlooking our own shortcomings. That is human nature. In this message, Brother Luke points out that when we fail to self-examine, and yet still criticize others, it is like swallowing a camel while straining at a gnat. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/20…

We often face such troubled times and darkness, until it is difficult to see that the Lord is there. But the Lord made a promise to His children in the book of Hebrews. In this message, I look at that promise. It reveals to us that even when we cannot see Him or feel Him, He is there. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/02.25.24.…

What does it mean to have a “good life?” The post-modern Christian culture would propose a very different definition of a good life, versus the word of God. In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at what it means for a child of God to experience a good life. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/02.25.24.A.Good_.Life_.McNeil.H…

When is the last time you heard about a sovereign God, who answers to no one, does as He please, and never has to ask our permission to save us? This is what I refer to as “Big God Theology.” In this message, I look at what God says about Himself in His word. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02.18.24.Big_.God_.Theology.Tim_.Mc…

In part 2 of the message on Romans 10, Brother Luke continues to look at the true context of this famous chapter. Was Paul making an offer of eternal salvation? Or was he showing how born-again children of God can exit the slavish prison of thinking their confession or work is what takes them to heaven? http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/upload…

It is very easy to feed our human nature. Sometimes we even create situations that set us up for temptation. Recognizing how easy this occurs is the first step to resisting. In this message, Brother Luke examines how we can resist feeding lust or temptation. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02.14.24.Lust_.Luke_.Hagler.mp3 02.1…

Darkness is everywhere today. The forces of Satan are coming at us in all areas of our lives. But darkness is not a new thing, it has been vexing God’s people for ages. In this message, I look at how darkness has come to the kingdom of God at different times, just as it is today. I hope it will encourage us to push back against the darkness we are …

Romans chapter 10 is often called the “Roman Road of Salvation”. When saying this, most are thinking about the way we get to heaven, or eternal salvation. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the true meaning of Romans 10, within the context of the Apostle’s Paul foundation laid in the previous 9 chapters. When viewed in this light, it becomes ve…

If required to buy a lifetime’s worth of gas when I turned 16, it would have broken me financially. Thankfully, we don’t have to do that. We get the gas we need as we go along. The Lord does this with us. When we think we are forsaken or forgotten, the Lord provides what we need as we go along. Whether it was manna in the desert or even the covenan…

John 3:16 is probably the most well known verse in the Bible. It is also possibly the most misunderstood. In this message, Brother Luke takes up this popular verse, and presents an accurate view of what it means. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02.04.24.John_.3.16.Luke_.Hagler.mp3 02.04.24.John.3.16.Luke.Hagler…

As believers in salvation by grace alone, we often hear the question – Why do you preach if you believe God does all the saving? This question presumes that the gospel is a part of saving us eternally. But that is not the purpose of the gospel. In this message, Brother Luke answers the question about why we preach. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-co…

In this message, Brother McNeil Honea looks at modern day sorcery, or trickery. Even though it may not look exactly like it once did, deception and trickery are the tools of Satan even today. We must be aware of the ways in which we can be tricked into believing things that aren’t true. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/01.28.2…

In this message, I look at how we can cultivate our faith. God is the giver of faith, and sadly, it often takes some amazing providence from God to cause us to grow in our faith towards Him. But whether we see some great miracle, or if we just look at Who He is, it should cause us to strengthen and increase our trust in Him. http://www.bethlehempbc…

In this message, I continue to look at what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Previously I examined what it does not look like, in the examples of Lot and Job’s miserable comforters. Now I begin to look at how we nurture and encourage what Christ refers to as His wife. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/01.21…

When Jesus told the bed-ridden man to take up his bed and walk, it was because Jesus had already done something to him. This is a beautiful picture of God’s mercy. First, He gives spiritual life to a wretched sinner, and then commands them to obey Him. It is not the other way around. In this message, Brother Luke demonstrates how we receive life fi…

The Church of Christ is described as a body and as the wife of Christ. This week I focus on what it means to nurture and encourage the body of Christ. Rather than thinking about an ecclesiastical, untouchable term, I look at how we nurture and encourage the people that make up the body of Christ. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/…

According to the scripture, being born again is a “must” for the child of God. The question is – how does it happen? Do we do something to contribute to it? The answer is no. Just as we do not contribute to our natural birth, neither do we contribute to our spiritual birth. In this message, Brother Luke looks at the glorious truth of being born aga…

The Bible provides a lot of information about the fool. There are very stark lessons about the consequences of being associated with a Biblical fool or with the wise. In this message Brother Luke looks at several ways a fool can be identified. From their attitude to their emotions, a fool can be identified. The first step begins with a look in the …

On the first Sunday of 2024, my thoughts were stirred towards the church of God. Among the descriptions of God’s church, the Lord refers to His church as a body, a bride and a family. And He is the Creator of the physical body, the very first bride and even the initial governing authority – the family. In this message, I look at these beautiful des…

Asking how much someone weighs is normally an inappropriate question, especially to females! In this message, though, I ask that question in a different way. If the burdens we carry that weigh us down were physical and visible to all, how much would we weigh? There are so many carrying such heavy burdens. Thankfully, the Word of God speaks directly…

In the ongoing series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Luke looks at another “hot topic”. Did Christ’s sacrifice atone for the sins of all people in general, or did He atone specifically for the sins of His chosen. The scripture answers this very plainly, that Christ atoned for the sins of His people, and not an open-ended number that made s…

In this message from Christmas Eve, I look at one of the foundational beliefs in Christianity. This is what I call a “no brainer”. Or at least it was until the recent times. The virgin birth was prophesied beginning in the Garden of Eden after the fall, and additional, detailed information about the “seed of the woman” was given thousands of years …

The word “save” occurs many times in the New Testament. Most of the time, it is not referring to eternal salvation, but to timely deliverances. Recently in the series on David, I spoke about the untimely demise of King Saul, and how he made shipwreck of his life because of his terrible decisions. His rebellion against God even led to the death of h…

If the topic of election comes up nowadays, most would probably respond that they voted or didn’t vote. But when it comes to the Bible, election is a completely different subject. In the word of God, this refers to God’s sovereign act of picking or choosing His people. In the series on the basics of our salvation, Brother Lukes takes up this often …

The end of Saul’s life is one of the most tragic in the Bible. In Saul’s death, we see the sad reality of a child of God who habitually rebelled against God until the Lord refused to intervene any longer. I hope this stands as a vivid lesson to us, that we should continue to humble ourselves, examine ourselves and beg God to continue to have mercy …

We all have times of reflection. Especially in tragedies or difficulties, we are confronted with our circumstances and reflect. David had a moment like this in a place he never should have been – the land of the Philistines. In the life of David series, I come to an epoch moment for David. He went to war against the will of God, almost went to war …

In this message Brother Luke continues a series on the basics of our beliefs. Having begun with the authority of God’s word and continued with the sovereignty of God, now this message focuses on the depravity of man. When Adam sinned in the garden, did he become mostly good with a little bit of bad within? Or did he become mostly bad with a little …

In this message, I look at the 2nd thing that kept David focused during times of great distress. As he was continually pursued by Saul and betrayed by his own kin, David focused on his faith in God and worshipping the Lord. In this broken world where we are continually harassed and pursued by Satan, we can experience victory in these two things jus…

One of the major hurdles to overcome in understanding salvation by grace, is the sovereignty of God. God’s children usually agree that God is sovereign in general terms. But when we get into the details of His sovereign authority to choose whomever He will to receive salvation, this is when it becomes more difficult to digest. In this message, Brot…

In the Life of David series, I come to the 19th recorded time that Saul tried to destroy David. How could a person make it through that much trauma? It is likely that 10 years have now passed since David faced off with Goliath. In this message, I begin to look at what enabled David to make it through such troubled times. http://www.bethlehempbc.org…

What is the basis for our beliefs? Some use their experience, or feelings, or science – the list can go on. If we let the word of God be the authority on which we base our beliefs, it is life changing. In this message, Brother Luke begins a series on what we believe. And the starting point for our beliefs must be the authority of God’s word. http:/…

In the life of David series, we come to the death of 2 great men, who were great for very different reasons. I Samuel 25 opens with the death of the great man Samuel – last of the Judges, arguably one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. The chapter closes with the death of another great man – Nabal. But Nabal was only great in the sense …

Forbearance is not a common word today. For the child of God, it should be. Forbearance means to hold back, or to put up with. The opposite of forbearance is to express intolerance towards another. In a time when churches seem to be crumbling everywhere, Brother Luke preaches a needed message about how we should practice forbearance, for the sake o…

In the life of David series, I come to an amazing account of providence. Urged on by his own men to kill Saul, David is faced with getting ahead of God’s will, and possibly committing a horrible crime. Instead, David chooses to stand on the promises of God and overcome evil with good. This is a pattern for all of God’s children to follow. http://ww…

Sometimes encouragement comes from the most unusual sources. David experienced that firsthand while he was on the run from Saul. In this message, I look at how Saul’s own son Jonathan, came to encourage David. It took great effort and personal risk for Jonathan to do this, and we should follow this kind of example in how we encourage each other. ht…

The word “gospel” means good news. A great majority of the tactics used in the religious world are scare tactics. But that is not good news. The gospel should never be something that strikes fear in the heart of a child of God but should be good news. In this message, Brother Luke warns about such scare tactics. http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-conte…

There are decrees of God that no power can prevent. But there are countless possibilities that we all face when making decisions in our lives, and God knows them all. Thankfully our eternal salvation is a not a possibility, but a reality. As God’s children, we should be seeking the best possibilities for our lives. David experienced this when he wa…

If I told you the dumbest thing I had ever done was smarter than the smartest thing you ever did – you would feel insulted. But God’s word tells us that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. And if God’s “foolishness” is wiser than the wisest man, wouldn’t it be better to listen to God? In this message, Brother Luke shows how doin…

David the king goes from running scared and acting like a madman, to hiding in a cave and eventually a forest. In both instances we find David penning beautiful, Holy Spirit-inspired psalms of praise. He was literally hiding, but he was also hiding in the praises of God. This is a lesson for us when we are running scared. The Lord is always praisew…

Lord Lead Me On http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LordLead.Me_.On_.mp3 O When Shall I See Jesus http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/O.When_.Shall_.I.See_.Jesus_.mp3 When I Go Home http://www.bethlehempbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/When.I.Go_.Home_.mp3 Cast Down But Not Destroyed http://www.bethlehempbc.or…

In the final message of the Anniversary meeting, Lic. Tim Lawrence, who is a member of Bethel PBC in Nashville, TN, preaches about God remembering us. We often forget things on a daily basis. We can even forget about the Lord at times. But it is comforting to know that the Lord will never forget us – He remembers His covenant and His children. http…

In the 2nd message of the anniversary meeting, Elder Danny Wisner, pastor of Irwinville PBC in Irwinville, GA, preaches a message about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. Taking an often-misunderstood section of scripture, Bro. Danny brings out the clear teaching on this subject – that all of the 10 represent children of God. http://www.bethlehempbc.org…