Houston's First Baptist Church

Peter's water-walking experience in Matthew 14 reveals three essential steps of discipleship. First, new steps and first steps are always the hardest, whether it's following Jesus initially or taking steps of obedience like generous giving. Second, we must stay focused on Christ rather than life's storms and distractions. When Peter looked at the wind and waves instead of Jesus, he began to sink. Third, when we falter, our loving Savior immediately reaches out to rescue us, just as Jesus caught Peter when he cried out for help. The result of this divine rescue is worship and deeper faith.

The feeding of the 5,000 reveals how God's mathematics work differently than ours. When Jesus received news of John the Baptist's death, He moved from grief to compassion, seeing the crowd's needs despite His own pain. The disciples only had five barley loaves and two fish from a boy's lunch, but Jesus multiplied this humble offering to feed thousands with twelve baskets left over. This miracle teaches us that God doesn't need our abundance to work miracles - He specializes in taking small, faithful offerings and creating extraordinary impact. The key is surrendering what we have right now, not waiting for better circumstances or more resources.

Executive Pastor, Dr. Stephen Trammell, shares that the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 reveals how believers can live meaningfully while anticipating Christ's return. God entrusts each person with resources according to their abilities, expecting faithful stewardship rather than fearful inaction. Two servants doubled their investments through wise action, while one buried his talent out of fear and misunderstanding of his master's character. Faithfulness requires both faith and action across all areas of life - finances, relationships, health, and spiritual growth. God will reward those who prove faithful during this time between Christ's first and second coming. Your belief determines where you spend eternity, but your behavior determines how you spend eternity.

Jesus gave us 15 signs in Matthew 24 to indicate His return is approaching, but no one knows the exact timing except the Father. These signs, like birth pains, will increase in frequency and intensity. The key isn't knowing when He's coming, but being ready when He does. Jesus contrasts two types of servants: the faithful one who puts God first and serves others while waiting, and the careless one who becomes self-centered and destructive. True readiness means living with purposeful preparation, not fear, and being faithful in daily responsibilities while anticipating Christ's return with joy.

Biblical prophecy reveals specific signs that indicate Christ's return is approaching, including widespread deception, wars, natural disasters, persecution of Christians, and the cooling of love among believers. Jesus described these signs as labor pains that intensify over time, culminating in a seven-year period called the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist will rise as a false peacemaker before demanding worship, and Christ will return visibly and victoriously. Israel's rebirth as a nation in 1948 represents a significant prophetic milestone. Rather than trying to predict dates, believers should focus on being ready for His return through salvation and faithful living.