Tag Archives: God’s will

Circumcise the Heart



The Commander of the LORD’s armies appears to Joshua and commands Joshua to remove his shoes for he stands on holy ground. This consecration had already begun as Joshua prepared the sons of Israel to have their hearts circumcised so that they would love the LORD and love one another as God commanded.  We need the same work of God in our hearts that we would always be sensitive to God’s working to prune us to life.

Joshua 5:1-15

Taught Sunday morning, March 24, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Fellowship with Lord



Acts 2:41-42 tells us what the followers of Christ did steadfastly – learning the teachings of the apostles, fellowship together, Communion, and prayer. Acts 20:6-13 gives us a vignette of a church in a town called Troas (or Troy) doing those four things on the first day of the week with a special guest, the traveling teacher, Paul the Apostle. We can learn much from this gathering as told by the eyewitness who occasionally traveled with Paul for this journey.

Acts 2:41-42 and Acts 20:6-14

Taught Sunday morning, February 18, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Take the Cup



God received glory through the Son who received glory from the Father. But in the middle of this is an ugly cross.  And Jesus resolutely accepted the cup of wrath handed to Him.  But being human, Jesus still felt the sorrow and turmoil of making the decision to endure the pain and suffering.  But as our Savior, He did not sin and obeyed the plan of God.  And as our Lord, He calls us to follow Him through the cross to the crown.

John 18:1-11 and Matthew 26:36-42

Taught Sunday morning, October 22, 2023 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Wages or Gift



Paul uses an analogy that he says is imperfect but still communicates an essential lesson for us. We have been set free from sin as a slave-master whose wages are corruption, shame, and death. Now that we belong to Christ, why would someone want to still want to work a second job for sin? Sin still pays corruption, shame, and death. Instead, we should work wholehearted for Christ who doesn’t just give us wages but He gifts us right-living, holiness, and eternal life.

Romans 6:23

Taught Sunday morning, May 7, 2023 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Know your Shepherd



For a few minutes, we look at what is hopefully a very familiar passage of Scripture – Psalm 23.  The hope is that each of us growing increasingly familiar with not only Psalm 23 but also with the LORD, the Shepherd of Psalm 23.  Then when the trying times comes, we already have depth with the One who cares for our souls.

Psalm 23

Taught Sunday morning, April 30, 2023 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


The Justice of God



Justice is a core value of who God is. It is deplorable to Him when injustice takes place – both the punishment of good and the promotion of wickedness. Yet last week we saw that none of us are good. We all have sinned and enjoyed it, guilty before a righteous God. Thankfully mercy is also a core value. God the Father and God the Son orchestrated a plan before time in order to remain righteous and just while also rescuing sinful humans from sin in order to give them righteousness.

Proverbs 17:15 and Romans 3:21-26

Taught Sunday morning, February 26, 2023 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Do you know what you are sowing?



We are sowing our money, time, and energy into something constantly. And we will reap what we sow those resources into. How much of it will be of eternal worth? And how much of it will be regrettable later? We need to think about investing some of our money, time, and energy into things that are everlasting – God and souls.

Galatians 6:6-10

Taught Sunday morning, September 18, 2022 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Fruit of Holy Spirit



In contrast to the works of the sinful fleshly nature, abiding in Christ through walking in the Spirit produces fruit that is consistent with God’s character and modeled by Christ. We choose whether to crucify the old nature and walk in the Spirit, but it is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit.

Galatians 5:22-26

Taught Sunday morning, September 4, 2022 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Faithful to Pray



Persecution begins again for the church in Jerusalem. And this time, the first of the apostles is executed for his testimony of Jesus. And Peter is arrested and scheduled to be executed next. The church does not give up on praying to God. God answers prayers. He brought James home to be with him, a faithful witness. God delivered Peter from prison, in a way unexpected by the prayer meeting at Mary’s house. Don’t give up on praying to our Father. But trust the results to Him.

Acts 12:1-19 and Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:7

Taught Sunday morning, May 29, 2022 by Brad D Harris
(forgive the weak audio)

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Mission of God



Jesus accomplished His mission objectives of making disciples, defeating the enemies of sin, devil, and death, as well as preparing His followers to continue to kingdom work. They were to not worry about times and events, but to testify of the risen King and make disciples, starting in Jerusalem and expanding from there. The Book of Acts is about the Holy Spirit empowering them to expand His kingdom. Let’s go!

Acts 1:1-14

Taught Sunday morning, March 20, 2022 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!