First Baptist Shreveport

Let’s start with what the Kingdom of God is not.  It is not any modern nation, not Republican or Democrat.  It is not Christian Nationalism. We don’t build, bring, or extend the Kingdom of God.  But instead: 

• Jesus’ coming brought the Kingdom of God
• The Kingdom of God starts small and spreads everywhere 
• The Kingdom of God is where God sets things right 
• The Kingdom of God is here… but it is also coming 
• The Kingdom of God is a...

There Was Darkness: Jesus’ Death and Burial

Weekly Devotional 6.30.2025

“Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn?…In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.” Amos 8:8-9

When Jesus was crucified, several cosmic events occurred that underscored the significance of that moment and helped those who witnessed it finally understand who...

June 22, 2025 - Dr. Jeff Raines

What is the Gospel? - Romans 1:1-7

What is the gospel?

In Greek gospel means good news and here in the book of Romans Paul is laying out this theology in a systematic way. So how does the gospel, this good news, come and how is it shared? According to N.T. Wright in his book, “Simply Good News”: 

1.  It comes to a historical context of need, despair/hopelessness. Jesus is the good news. He came into hist...

Mocking the King: Jesus’ Trial and Crucifixion

Weekly Devotional 6.23.2025

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” Galatians 3:13 

Towards the end of Jesus’s earthly ministry, the religious leaders’ plan was always to swiftly condemn and execute Him (Matt. 26:1-5). The late evening trial and false witnesses served as methods to expedite His...

Today we’re looking at a letter from Paul to the church in Corinth.  The Corinthian church was like a rebellious teenager- they thought they knew it all and that Paul wasn’t measuring up.  Corinth was a thriving metropolis and they thought highly of themselves.  They were very superficial- just like us.  We judge people for their looks and what they have.  We are image obsessed.  

It’s easy to lose heart and be discouraged, but...

My Betrayer is at Hand: Betrayal and Arrest

Weekly Devotional 6.16.2025

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 

This week, we look at Jesus’ betrayal. Judas doesn’t regard Jesus as the Lord, Messiah, or Savior, but merely a religious teacher. The Lord of Judas’ life is money and greed, not the person and ...

Today is a big day on the church calendar: Pentecost.  

There are two groups in Acts 2, the early days after the resurrection.  

The first group is the disciples of Jesus who were asking “What’s next?”  “Is this the end?”  Jesus tells them the timing of the end is not for them to know, but they are to be witnesses and to make disciples, to wait and to pray.  That is also our job as disciples of Jesus now!  

Pray for directio...

Your Will Be Done: The Garden of Gethsemane

Weekly Devotional 6.9.2025

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 5:30 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was so anguished by His impending betrayal, crucifixion, and death that He too began to sweat blood. The anguish and turmoil weren’t just about the physical pain and suffering that H...

Do you try to hide your scars?  None of us can get through life without them.  Today’s scripture prominently features the disciple Thomas- often known as doubting Thomas.  Thomas is a straightforward person, not prone to metaphor or flowery language.  Thomas wanted to see Jesus’ scars.  

Revelation 21:3-5 holds a promise- that the Lord will dwell with us, that He will wipe away tears and abolish death and make all things new.  

...

My Body and Blood: The Last Supper

Weekly Devotional 6.2.2025

“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’” Revelation 19:9

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He instituted the Lord’s Supper. This ordinance is still observed today and is a core part of our corporate worship. The Lord’s Supper is a new covenant meal whe...

Over and over in scripture, we are called to remember.  Remembering is essential to living well.  

 We MUST remember: 

• Who created us
• Who saved us
• Who holds our future

Joshua 4:4-7 

“…these stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”  

Remembering is essential for passing on faith.  We need to tell these stories again and again. How tragic would it be if we failed to tell our stories of faith!  It...

Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus

Weekly Devotional 5.26.2025

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21 

We all anticipate Jesus’ return, when He will return just as He left to consummate His kingdom and make all things new. Jesus teaches that His return will come at an unexpected time.  As we wait for Jesus’ seco...

We all love a good story. Today we have a story within a story as we look at the story of two very different characters:  Jarius and the bleeding woman.  

Jarius was an important man who knew the Jewish law and understood the risk of coming to Jesus.  He humbles himself, immediately displaying his faith. The bleeding woman would have been considered unclean and therefore would have been isolated.  She came to Jesus quietly, but both...

The Christian Life: United in Christ

Weekly Devotional 5.19.2025

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4

Our union with Jesus was established from eternity past and guaranteed for eternity future, ensuring our security in all matters of salvation, our hope as we reflect Jesus and become more like Him, and our joy as we shar...

What’s your impression of Mary in the Bible?  She has a major role in Jesus’ life for sure but is not mentioned by name in the Gospel of Mark or John, any of Paul’s letters or in the rest of the New Testament after the Book of Acts.  

Today, we’re looking at the example of Mary, Jesus’ mother- a mother and a disciple.  She’s a trailblazer for us in following Jesus.  

• When Gabriel appears to Mary, the angel tells her tha...

Pentecost: The Gift of the Holy Spirit 

Weekly Devotional 5.12.2025

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

Pentecost means “fiftieth," and was the day the Holy Spirit d...

In our text today, Paul is writing to Timothy, a younger brother in the faith. There are a number of imperative verbs in our passage - these are commands that Paul tells Timothy. 

FLEE - Run from what will trap you. Paul says to run away from false teaching. False teaching still affects us today. We have to be discerning of our spiritual teachers. We need to also flee from having our hearts set on money or wealth. Money is a fa...

Weekly Devotional 5.5.2025

Glorious Ascent: Jesus’ Exaltation as Lord 

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.” Revelation 1:7

We celebrate certain aspects of the person and work of Jesus, but sometimes overlook important topics. As Christians, we love to focus on the incarnation, Jesus’ life and ministry, His...

How do we give thanks for what God has done for us?  

We give thanks through the memories, for remembering what God has done for us.  
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Chris...