December 15, 2024 Oftentimes when we think of the word joyful we think of someone who is happy, always smiling, and an “easy hang”. We don’t usually equate it to someone as being content or satisfied, particularly in Jesus and his grace. I think at Christmas we often don’t practice this kind of joy. We more often are running around going from spot …

December 8, 2024 God had promised to send a King, a descendant of King David, to reign on the throne of David forever. Jesus, a descendant of David, fulfilled that promise by coming to earth in human form. Following his ascension, he now reigns as King at the right hand of God the Father; his ministry as King is now focused on salvation (filling th…

December 1, 2024 Advent 2024 has arrived! As we journey toward Christmas and reflect on the first coming of our Lord and Savior, we will explore specific titles and roles that only Christ can fulfill. He is the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of Man, and the Son of God. We begin by examining what Scripture reveals about Him as the fulfill…

November 24, 2024 disobedience, a few remained faithful and devoted to Him. Where such love and faith existed, God’s blessing followed. Amidst one of the darkest times in Israel’s history, God provided the story of a man whose loyal, sacrificial love to a widow set the stage for His promise to be fulfilled—establishing a royal lineage that would ev…

November 17, 2024 Judges 17-21 contains stories that show Israel’s absolute collapse and abandonment of God. Chapters 17-18 focus on their spiritual failures while chapters 19-21 show their complete moral collapse. Central to each of these stories is the failure of the spiritual leaders, the Levites. The very ones who were supposed to embody and up…

November 10, 2024 If there was ever a person who served as a reflection of his generation it was Samson. He was a man who was set apart from birth for God’s special purposes. Set apart for holiness. Set apart for faithfulness. Set apart to deliver his people from evil. Yet, he chose his lustful and vengeful passions over his godly calling. The peop…

November 3, 2024 Virtually every religion on earth is a cause/effect situation. If I do “x”, my god will do “y”. In this kind of relationship, the condition-setter is in control. All false religions and forms of idolatry are an attempt by people to manipulate the terms of their spiritual life. The account of Jephthah in Judges 10:6-12:15 teaches us…

October 27, 2024 “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” is a familiar phrase to most American Christians. This phrase rings true for Gideon’s flawed legacy. Gideon displayed faith but was ultimately corrupted by his thirst for personal glory. After his death, the people of Israel turn away from the Lord again, and the narrator of Judges now tur…

October 20, 2024 Gideon is one of the more popular judges because of the symbols and stories that are attached to his time as a judge. We remember the fleece, the shrinking of his army, and how he goes from scared stiff guy to a conquering warrior. Gideon’s name means “great warrior,” and when we come to chapter 11 of Hebrews, we see his name mento…

October 13, 2024 Judges 5 is a "worship song" that traces God's providential and powerful involvement in the victory over the Canaanites. But it also sheds light on some crucial principles about how important it is to partner with God's Kingdom work in the world, right now. It has a bit to do with that "dangerous power" of choice we talked about ea…

October 6, 2024 Have you had times when the Lord called you to action yet you simply didn’t respond? Maybe it was a prompt to call someone or to share your faith with a family member. Not one of God’s people can claim a perfect record of responding, yet God’s record remains undefeated as He will always see His purpose fulfilled. If we, like Barak i…

September 29, 2024 TBC has launched a new theme for our Sunday morning kids ministry: TBC Kids Kingdom! As we gather for family worship, we will make their focus our focus to celebrate Jesus as our King of Kings. Come prepared with a heart of worship ready to lift up the Name of our King. May we never get over the majesty and awe of Jesus Christ ou…

September 22, 2024 The second cycle of Judges follows the same pattern established in the previous section: Israel's disobedience, God’s discipline through a foreign aggressor, Israel’s cry for help, and God’s response of sending a deliverer—this time, a left-handed man named Ehud. In a story filled with subterfuge, violence, and stomach-churning d…

September 15, 2024 Have you ever made a situation more complicated than it needed to be? The answer is yes. We have all done this. We get in our own way through thoughtless words and forgetful deeds. This disrupts our relationships and can even hinder our fellowship with God. Judges 2:6-3:6 provides the framework for the spiraling cycle of God’s ju…

September 8, 2024 The Book of Judges is a true story that tells truths about God and how He relates to His people. Our journey begins this week on a downward spiral which is bound to happen to any generation that drifts away from worshiping God and obeying Him alone. But a little compromise here and a little compromise there results in a trajectory…

September 1, 2024 To fully grasp the book of Judges, we must first look at the conclusion of the book of Joshua. Joshua was the epitome of a leader for God’s people, with his life defined by one word: courage. Following God’s Word, Joshua led the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land with unwavering bravery. Alongside Eleazar the priest, he …

August 18, 2024 Baptism is one of two ordinances practiced in the church (the other being communion). It is a symbol of the death of Christ for sins and His resurrection from the dead. As He died for our sins, we are "buried" with Him in baptism as a symbol that we who are in Christ have died to our sins. As He rose to new life, so we are raised to…

August 25, 2024 We will never outgrow our need for one another. As a church family, we are called to conform to the likeness of Christ. We do not (and cannot) do this in isolation. The aim to be like Jesus is lifelong. So there will always be a need for us to be a part of biblical community no matter our season of life. We will see from the Bible h…

August 11, 2024 AW Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” (from The Knowledge of the Holy) How is it possible for finite, limited beings to know and understand our Infinite and Limitless God? If it were not for God’s self-disclosure through Jesus Christ, it would be impossible. While w…

August 4, 2024 The mission of Tomball Bible Church is to glorify Jesus Christ by making mature disciples to reach the nations. This statement didn’t come out of thin air but rather is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, particularly in Ephesians 4:11-16. Paul is exhorting this body of believers to attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the…

July 28, 2024 We find ourselves once again in the turbulent waters of uncertainty as a nation. Peace and calm are hard to find as wave after wave of news reports and speculations roll over us. The Bible provides the help we need to navigate through life’s uncertainties. God has provided everything we need to remain anchored in Him and respond with …

July 21, 2024 In Acts 28:17-31, Paul fulfilled what he was called to do. When he arrived in Rome, he first sought out the Jewish leaders to share the hope of Christ as was his practice. Unable to go to a synagogue, Prisoner Paul invited the Jewish leaders to come to him. After most rejected his message that Jesus was the Hope of Israel, he turned h…

July 14, 2024 In Acts 28:1-16 Paul completed his voyage to Rome. After the shipwreck on Malta, Paul and the 275 other survivors were met with unusual kindness by the islanders. God preserved Paul’s life in front of them after he was unaffected by a viper’s bite (the second piece of evidence of Paul’s evidence in a Roman court). Our focus this week …

July 7, 2024 Every Christian is declared innocent before God by God. This is the beautiful, undeserved truth of the gospel message. In an amazing, 2-part account of Paul’s final sea voyage in Acts, we find Luke providing the first of two proofs of innocence that vindicate the Apostle Paul and his claims about Christianity before his accusers. In pa…

June 30, 2024 Communion (also known as The LORD’s Supper) is for Christians only. It is a small meal of bread and wine, which is primarily a solemn and joyous memorial celebration of Jesus’ death, and a reminder of His future return. It is a celebration filled with symbolism. Why do we celebrate communion? To remember Jesus’ death, proclaim Jesus’ …

Acts 25:13-26:32 contains Paul’s longest defense and testimony in the book of Acts. The anchor point of his testimony is that Jesus Christ is the light of salvation to everyone, everywhere. He told his testimony by openly declaring his sin(s) against Jesus and the Church, his conversion story when he encountered Christ, and his task to give to witn…

June 16, 2024 Well aware of his rights as a Jew, a Roman, and a citizen of God’s kingdom, Pau modeled godly citizenship. He faithfully demonstrated a first-allegiance to Christ that was applied to his rights of earthly citizenship. In many instances, Paul denied his rights for the sake of others he served. Other times, such as his appeal to appear …

June 9, 2024 Have you ever knowingly done the right thing only for the result to make things worse for yourself? It is understandable to expect good outcomes when good deeds are done. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes, not. As Christians, we can't assume that living righteously will result in an easier life. So how do we respond when faithfulness r…

June 2, 2024 Have you ever been unexpectedly hindered when just trying to get home? You have your intended destination. You know that if you can just get to where you’re going, it will be well with your soul! And then…life. We often get disrupted by outside forces that seem to just sweep us away like being carried away by a swift-moving current. Wh…

May 26, 2024 Paul returns to a second, volatile hearing before the Sanhedrin at the request of the Roman tribune, which leads to a sharp confrontation with the high priest before it descends into a violent dispute about the resurrection of the dead, spirits, and angels between the Pharisee and Sadducee factions. This leads the tribune to have soldi…

May 19, 2024 This is the first of two instances where the apostle Paul will tell God's story of redeeming him in the first person. In this account Paul recalls his former life and upbringing, he tells of his Damascus road experience, and what the Lord was doing in his life up to a point. What should leap off the page to you is that Paul has zero de…

May 12, 2024 After agreeing to the Elders’ request to join four Jewish Christians in completing an OT Nazarite purification, for the purpose of calming irate Jews in Jerusalem, a riot was instigated in the Temple courts by some Jews from Asia, who shouted accusations about Paul, alleging Paul was guilty of various heresies. They grabbed Paul, dragg…

May 5, 2024 Sometimes accusations are wrongfully made against us. This week’s text shows how the Apostle Paul was wrongfully accused by the Jewish community in Jerusalem of teaching that the Mosaic law was no longer to be followed. When Paul was made aware of these accusations, he stayed humble and abided by the church leader's wishes, yet did not …

April 28, 2024 As Paul arrived in Palestine at the end of his third missionary journey, he received stern warnings about what he would face if he entered Jerusalem. Fellow believers directed by the Spirit pleaded with him not to go. Yet, also being led by the Spirit, he pressed on to Jerusalem. This challenging passage contains much-needed truth fo…

April 21, 2024 Goodbyes are never easy, especially goodbyes that are permanent. The Apostle Paul gave and received numerous goodbyes throughout his ministry, yet the one that hit the hardest for him was his goodbye to the elders of the church in Ephesus. This passage is full of deep affection and care from Paul to this church and yet in it is also …

April 14, 2024 Acts 20:1-16 tells of Paul’s ministry in Philippi, Troas, and a pit stop in Asia before heading to Jerusalem. The passage shows us a glimpse of his pastoral and teaching ministry as he shared in Passover and taught the Scriptures diligently before he departed the area. (It was a killer Bible study!) Luke also provides the names of th…

April 7, 2024 The Church has an Enemy, and the two are in constant opposition. People are a common weapon manipulated by Satan who are used to undermine the Church. Acts 19 gives readers a glimpse into the hardships brought against the Church by those opposed to Jesus. Yet, despite Satan’s efforts to use people for his ends, God’s purpose was not s…

March 31, 2024 Christ Jesus has risen from the grave! Through the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, we have peace with God, freedom from the shackles of our sins, and the promise of eternal life. Because He lives, we too may live with resurrection power and hope. This is truly the greatest news there could ever be. Today, we celebrate and cheer …

March 14, 2024 "Peace on earth!" was declared by angels at the announcement of His birth. "Peace in heaven!" was declared by people at the announcement of His entry. Jesus Christ is the rightful King of Peace on earth and in heaven. As the people temporarily sang His praise, Christ wept knowing what was in their hearts as well as the future destruc…

March 17, 2024 Acts 19 is the story of God working in incredible ways in the city of Ephesus. Acts 19:11-20 is one of the wildest stories though in the Bible, dudes are just trying to make a buck doing some tricks and yet the Lord has “concern for his holy name” as the prophet Ezekiel would say. So God exalts himself by not allowing these exorcists…

March 10, 2024 Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Adventist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Episcopal, and Non-Denominational churches (just to name a few) are all around; each having its doctrinal and practical distinctives. Some even add cult groups such as Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness to the list of Christian denominations. How are we to know and test…

March 3, 2024 The 2nd mission trip finished out, with Paul leaving Silas and Timithy to lead the church in Corinth, and leaving Aquila and Priscilla to start a church in Ephesus, while Paul set sail to return for a respite at his home church in Antioch. Paul didn’t stay long, and soon after began the 3rd mission trip, heading west back to Ephesus, …

February 25, 2024 Paul’s ministry continues to Corinth where new ministry partners are found along with new believers and continued opposition to the Name of Christ. At the heart of Acts 18:1-17 is a vision Paul received from Jesus to not fear or be silent but to continue proclaiming the gospel trusting in God’s protection. God’s people are entrust…

February 18, 2024 Paul’s speech on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece is one of the most important sections in the book of Acts. With only Gentiles in his audience, Paul models presenting the good news of Jesus using words and images that would relate to his hearers. While the delivery method is different, the message is the same. All people everywhere ar…

February 11, 2024 Having rushed out of Thessalonica due to persecution, Paul and his companions travel to Berea in Macedonia. Here, they start, as was their custom, by preaching in the local synagogue. Instead of jealousy, as they ran into in Thessalonica, the Bereans were much more noble and examined the Scriptures that Paul taught. This sets an e…

February 4, 2024 The center point of this week’s passage is to establish the truth of the Christian faith based upon the evidence Paul and Luke provided the Thessalonians and the future readers of the book of Acts. The Christian faith is built upon the fulfilled promises and prophecies found in the Old Testament by Jesus and only Jesus. The Savior …

January 28, 2024 Paul and Silas continued to preach the Gospel in Philippi. While preaching in the streets, Paul exorcised a fortune-telling demon from a slave girl. The slave girl’s owners dragged Paul and Silas before the City Magistrates, who had them beaten with rods and thrown in jail. That night, God caused an earthquake, which opened the jai…

January 7, 2024 Redirection is all part of living a life of faith. Living by faith by definition is a life trusting in God’s guidance. God is the One who directs and redirects His people by His Spirit. This creates a challenge for us when we seem to be certain of His plan for us and then that plan changes. This week’s passage, Acts 16:6-10, sheds l…

Januray 21, 2024 Acts 16:11-15 shares the account of the first believer in modern-day Europe, Lydia. Ironically, Lydia came from the very place that God prevented Paul from going in his previous travels. Having left Asia, she moved to Philippi in Macedonia as a seller of purple cloths. A devout, God-fearing woman, Lydia heard the good news about Je…

January 7, 2024 Spurgeon wrote, “I tremble for a church whose continuance depends upon the talent and cleverness of one man. If he is removed, the whole thing will collapse; this is a wretched business.” TBC cannot and will not be about one man. For our church to last and have a lasting impact beyond this generation, we must raise, equip, and make …