Tag Archives: obedience

Purpose in the Wilderness



The children of Israel refused to trust God and questioned His love, preferring instead to die in the wilderness than enter the promised land. So the LORD gave them death in the wilderness for the next forty years. But God had other purposes for the wilderness for the children of those generations of rebels. His mercy may not always feel like mercy, if we learn the lessons of the wilderness, we are prepared for our promised land of heaven.

Numbers 14:26-38
Colossians 3:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 John 3:2-3

Taught Sunday morning, October 31, 2021 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 now 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 Place for His Presence



Following the spiritual disaster with the golden calf idol, Moses successfully intercedes for the nation to still have the presence of God in their midst. They chose the presence of God over the promised land without Him. Yet there was still the task of preparing a place for God’s presence to be with them, according to His specifications. The focus shifts to the nation as a whole in giving and Spirit empowered craftsmen (men and women) to obey the LORD’s instructions to build the tabernacle.

Exodus 35 – 40

Taught Sunday morning, October 3, 2021 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 now 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!


Repent for More



The children of Israel had broken the covenant of love and broken the heart of God with their traitorous turn with the golden calf. Moses had successfully pleaded with God to turn away His wrath. But the people would need to turn from their sinful attitude if they wanted God to still be in their presence. That turning is called “repentance.” And it’s kind of a big deal.  But it is the path to a closer vision of God.

Exodus 33:1-6 and Luke 3:1-14

Taught Sunday morning, September 5, 2021 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 now 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!


Practicing the Preaching



First a review of the Ten Commands. Have you got them memorized by now? But knowing them by heart is only the first step. You won’t do what you don’t know. The big step is being one who does the commands. And because we fall short, thankfully Christ practiced them perfectly.

Exodus 24:1-8 and James 1:21-25

Taught Sunday morning, August 22, 2021 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 now 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!


Love Your Neighbor



Jesus summed up all the Law and Prophets into two commands: Love God and love your neighbor (Matt 22:35-40). And for some reason, this can be more convicting than the individual commands He gave at Sinai. And the last few months and especially the last week has revealed in town hall meetings that even Christians fail miserably with the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 5:43-48

Taught Sunday morning, August 15, 2021 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 now 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!


Valuable Parents



Ten Commands from the LORD. The middle is the command to honor your mother and father. The Spirit through Paul repeats and elaborates on this command in his letter to the Ephesians. Minor children obey. Adult children honor. Parents lead children to Christ. To model Christ as He modeled God the Father is an impossible assignment. But He gives grace and His Spirit with His commands to those who believe.

Ephesians 6:1-4

Taught Sunday morning, August 1, 2021 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 now 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!


Jesus is our Sabbath



The Sabbath reminds us of the Creation Ideal. The Sabbath reminds us of our redemption. The Sabbath reminds us of the Eternal Hope. The Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The pastor of Hebrews challenges his readers to not miss out on this opportunity to participate by faith in God’s gift of rest in Jesus Christ. There is no other rest.  Not today.  Not for eternity.

Hebrews 4:1-10

Taught Sunday morning, July 18, 2021 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 now 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!


God Comes First



We start our series on the 10 Commandments. And the first commands are that God comes first, in everything. First in our allegiance, loyalty, and love – God has liberated His people to be their Protection, Provider, and Guide. And nothing else (money, person, ideology, nor state) can do what He has already done. Thus He deserves no competition for our attention.

Exodus 20:1-7

Taught Sunday morning, July 4, 2021 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 now 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!


A Holy Nation



The LORD rescued the children of Israel from slavery and darkness. But that rescue was to bring them into relationship with the Living God. People need protection, provision, and guidance, and the LORD would provide that in order to bless them. And His blessing would include making them His own special people who would reveal Him to the nations around them as a kingdom of priests. This pattern is repeated through Christ in the new covenant. Christians are to be a peculiar people from all nations to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests, serving God.

Exodus 19:1-9 and 1 Peter 2:9-10

Taught Sunday morning, June 27, 2021 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 now 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!


Continue Steadfastly



Peter spoke to the crowd in Jerusalem that gathered to discover the meaning of the wind and fire. His message was that the Messiah whom they had crucified had risen from the dead (as promised by God) and now ascended to the right hand of the Father in triumph. Now was the time to repent and believe the testimony. Many chose to do just that, proclaiming their faith in the Messiah with baptism. But louder still was their changed life. Steadfastly, they continued to learn from the apostles and in fellowship with the believers. They ate together and prayed together.

Acts 2:44-46

Taught Sunday morning, June 6, 2021 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 now 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!