Rescued (8/9/20)
If not for grace, life and faith would demand a sinless perfection from each one of us, which we are incapable of producing. The consequences of falling short would be devastating and eternal.
Jesus Christ is The Truth and Grace that rescues us from our reckless and futile attempts at holiness apart from Him. In Him is satisfied all demands and in Him we are declared righteous. In Christ we live pleasing unto our heavenly Father.
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus Christ is The Truth and Grace that rescues us from our reckless and futile attempts at holiness apart from Him. In Him is satisfied all demands and in Him we are declared righteous. In Christ we live pleasing unto our heavenly Father.
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not For Sale (8/8/20)
Personal integrity is not available at any price, regardless of the offer and no matter the claims of that which promise greater gain through its sale.
We belong to Christ and are kept in Him
Genesis 39, Matthew 4
We belong to Christ and are kept in Him
Genesis 39, Matthew 4
Self Rescue? (8/7/20)
Redemption is not the result of self rescue.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast
Simply a Mist (8/6/20)
We are simply a mist, dispersed and briefly carried upon the swift moving winds of time, bearing witness to that which is eternal, Christ in us the fragrance of heaven
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place
New Seasons (8/5/20)
Closing doors, Sunsets, and passing seasons are the book ends in God's flawless design to open doors, the next sunrise, and new seasons .
Zechariah 10:1 - Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.
Zechariah 10:1 - Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.
Galatians 5:22-24 (8/4/20)
Allow the Holy Spirit to make life's upsets fuel for growth rather than the rage of instability.
Don't Drink the Kool-Aid and Don't Pass it on to Others (8/3/20)
The power of influence is a sacred trust and a grave responsibility. We should be prayerful as to what we speak into the lives of others and we must be careful as to who and what we allow to be spoken into our lives.
May Jesus in us be our influence among others. May the Holy Spirit be the gatekeeper at all points of entry into our hearts and minds.
Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
May Jesus in us be our influence among others. May the Holy Spirit be the gatekeeper at all points of entry into our hearts and minds.
Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Our Last Day (8/2/20)
One day will be the last day for each one of us, the last day of this present journey. Some will speed toward that appointed day unaware of its dawning, the sunrise of a final morning. Others will move toward that day with sickness and pain testifying of its impending arrival. But regardless of how that day finds us, it is on its way.
Today is a gift, and tomorrow is an uncertainty. No matter what we plan or what we set into motion, one day will still and silence all earthly ambition. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may never arrive for us here.
Forgiveness must be given today. Reconciliation must put to rest the persistent estrangements that have stolen priceless conversations, laughter, and the abundance of life that comes through God’s gift of relationship. Restitution should be undertaken today as tomorrow may remove us from the place where such can be offered, leaving others to remember us to be of lesser character.
Jesus is a savior who calls us to Himself now. He will equip us with all that is needed to take care of today’s business. Death silences but it does not still the hearts of those aggrieved, whose lives would have been impacted by what we could have and should have done in the days before our last.
Luke 16:22 - The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
Today is a gift, and tomorrow is an uncertainty. No matter what we plan or what we set into motion, one day will still and silence all earthly ambition. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may never arrive for us here.
Forgiveness must be given today. Reconciliation must put to rest the persistent estrangements that have stolen priceless conversations, laughter, and the abundance of life that comes through God’s gift of relationship. Restitution should be undertaken today as tomorrow may remove us from the place where such can be offered, leaving others to remember us to be of lesser character.
Jesus is a savior who calls us to Himself now. He will equip us with all that is needed to take care of today’s business. Death silences but it does not still the hearts of those aggrieved, whose lives would have been impacted by what we could have and should have done in the days before our last.
Luke 16:22 - The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
A Vicious Animal (8/1/20)
There are no real cures for hatred apart from the love of Christ. A vicious animal, trained or abused to become such, even when restrained will remain a vicious animal. God help those who are nearby when it breaks free from its restraint.
Laws require enforcement in order to encourage and enforce civil accountability and order, but Laws cannot change the heart which is the source of all evil. A lawbreaker is one, first and foremost in heart and nothing externally can truly change that without internal transformation. The Law is necessary to restrain evil and yet evil will always lie in wait, because there is nothing apart from a change of heart that will destroy its stronghold on human conduct. Jesus alone transforms the heart!
America will not experience transformation apart from Christ. It will only suffer continued degradation, decay, and death, if it continues on its current course. Jesus is our Hope!
Matthew 15:18-19 - But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts -murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Laws require enforcement in order to encourage and enforce civil accountability and order, but Laws cannot change the heart which is the source of all evil. A lawbreaker is one, first and foremost in heart and nothing externally can truly change that without internal transformation. The Law is necessary to restrain evil and yet evil will always lie in wait, because there is nothing apart from a change of heart that will destroy its stronghold on human conduct. Jesus alone transforms the heart!
America will not experience transformation apart from Christ. It will only suffer continued degradation, decay, and death, if it continues on its current course. Jesus is our Hope!
Matthew 15:18-19 - But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts -murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Lawlessness (7/31/20)
Some believe that lawlessness is an effective tool wielded in the advancement of some greater cause. But unfortunately the folly of such a conclusion misses out on the basic fact that the cause is lost in the abject darkness of lawlessness. There is one coming who will be the embodiment of lawlessness and it is not Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 - Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. …
2 Thessalonians 2:3 - Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. …
Tainted Wells (7/30/20)
If there is anything positive in view of the wanton disregard for
others that has overtaken so many, may it be the critical
example to those whose eyes are opened enough to
see what we become when we drink from tainted wells
rather than from living springs.
Jeremiah 2:13
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
others that has overtaken so many, may it be the critical
example to those whose eyes are opened enough to
see what we become when we drink from tainted wells
rather than from living springs.
Jeremiah 2:13
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
In Christ (7/29/20)
In Christ we are blessed, but the release of that which is greater into our lives requires faith and faithfulness on our part. Divine increase is not released into poor stewardship, recklessness, greed, or disobedience. Blessings may include material increase but the deeper blessedness is health of spirit and mind and a deepening fellowship with and worship of the Lord from whom all blessings flow.
Matthew 5:1-10
Matthew 5:1-10
CHRIST IN AMERICA (7/25/20)
Christ is not the product of America. He is its only Hope and His blood is its only cure and His resurrection is its only source of real transformation.
Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
NOT BUILT UPON THE RUINS (7/24/20)
The life lived in Christ is not built upon the ruins of past failure and heartache. It is established upon the revelation of none other than Jesus Christ Himself. In Him we are whole. We are free and we are eternally established upon His righteousness.
Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
SOLD (7/23/20)
My heart and my mind are not for sale. They have been purchased at a greater price than any potential buyer could ever afford.
1 Corinthians 7:22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.
1 Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,
1 Corinthians 7:22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.
1 Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,
HEAVENS'S WORD: THE KINGDOM CONSTITUTION (7/22/20)
The Word of God is the Divinely inspired and infallible Constitution for all things pertaining to life and faith in Christ.
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
NOT ROME (7/21/20)
Contrary to the expectations among those who lauded Jesus upon his entrance into Jerusalem, He did not come to wage war against earthly empires but to destroy evil, the power of death, and to introduce His Father's everlasting kingdom.
In the end, Jesus takes all. The mission of the church is centered in His finished Work.
Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
In the end, Jesus takes all. The mission of the church is centered in His finished Work.
Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
A NOTE TO OUR LORD'S CHURCH (7/20/20)
Dear Beloved,
Greetings in the matchless name of Jesus! We commend your evident love for Jesus and your dedication to His work. We are grateful and deeply humbled before our Lord to serve Bethel in His season.
There is only one enemy and He is not part of God's family. He is a divider with the aspirations to conquer. He is defeated. During this season we may not always understand one another and at times we will form very different perspectives from one another. Both of those things are fine. But we are called to love one another and to maintain a gospel perspective of life, relationship and ministry. We have no weapon formed against us that can touch the church that is unified in Christ and is focused on the purpose that it has been raised up for. We have no clear view of that which God has purposed for us apart from a life changing revelation of grace and truth and love. None of those are in short supply in God's household.
We will prayerfully set our minds and hearts on maintaining a Holy Spirit focus upon that which our Heavenly Father has set before us, not giving breath to the flames that would drive anyone away from Our Lord's call. The world is dying apart from Jesus and the church has been called and equipped to be Kingdom ambassadors. Beginning with the example of our Lord, may we as your pastors walk in Love and true honor toward you each and all.
Lord, we bow before you that we may not focus more on the mountain than on the mountain mover, nor choose judgment over mercy. We are His servants and yours beloved of God. His love for you must be evident in all that we say or do. Nothing else is worthy of His name.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Greetings in the matchless name of Jesus! We commend your evident love for Jesus and your dedication to His work. We are grateful and deeply humbled before our Lord to serve Bethel in His season.
There is only one enemy and He is not part of God's family. He is a divider with the aspirations to conquer. He is defeated. During this season we may not always understand one another and at times we will form very different perspectives from one another. Both of those things are fine. But we are called to love one another and to maintain a gospel perspective of life, relationship and ministry. We have no weapon formed against us that can touch the church that is unified in Christ and is focused on the purpose that it has been raised up for. We have no clear view of that which God has purposed for us apart from a life changing revelation of grace and truth and love. None of those are in short supply in God's household.
We will prayerfully set our minds and hearts on maintaining a Holy Spirit focus upon that which our Heavenly Father has set before us, not giving breath to the flames that would drive anyone away from Our Lord's call. The world is dying apart from Jesus and the church has been called and equipped to be Kingdom ambassadors. Beginning with the example of our Lord, may we as your pastors walk in Love and true honor toward you each and all.
Lord, we bow before you that we may not focus more on the mountain than on the mountain mover, nor choose judgment over mercy. We are His servants and yours beloved of God. His love for you must be evident in all that we say or do. Nothing else is worthy of His name.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Seasons and Places (7/18/20)
The roads of life that course within the will of God takes us through different places for different seasons, with others of redemption's birth and at the end of it all when life is complete the stewarded time of each life lived in Christ will be rested at His feet.
1 Peter 5
2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
1 Peter 5
2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
NO (7/14/20)
May God's church renounce political correctness and moral accommodation which sacrifice principled commitment to scriptural authority on the altar of public approval and social consensus. May it not bow at the altar of conformity to lesser things in or outside of the church. God has purposed that His people be transformed by His Word and not conformed to the image of godlessness. There is no such thing as convenient truth. We will stand before our creator so we must not bow at the altar of corruption.
Romans 12:1-2
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Peace (7/10/20)
A-day without conspiracy theories, strife or politics, what would that look like?
Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
THE DEVIL WENT DOWN.....BUT NOT TO GEORGIA (7/9/20)
The fallen nature is always open to suggestions favorable to its own deification. Consequently, it seeks to usurp Divine authority and unseat the One who is unimpeachably enthroned above all.
The ambition is accompanied with a loud thud.
ISAIAH 14:12-15
12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 43:11 - I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.
The ambition is accompanied with a loud thud.
ISAIAH 14:12-15
12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 43:11 - I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.
Invest in Others (7/8/20)
Among the blessings that this great nation enjoys is the investment of those who selflessly and tirelessly serve the interests of everyday people regardless of race or creed. May we lift our voices in intercession on behalf of those who are placed In harm's Way as they put the well-being of others first. We lift them before the Lord in prayer today and may we lift our voices to them in gratitude and with appreciation.
FALSE ADVERTISING (7/6/20)
Hell boasts of and promises unrestrained and unending hedonistic indulgence.
No one has come forward to offer first hand corroboration of such claims.
Be sure to read the not so fine print.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
No one has come forward to offer first hand corroboration of such claims.
Be sure to read the not so fine print.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Light (7/3/20)
The Shadow Holds No Harm
When the small and innocuous shadow that appears so far removed, no longer rests upon a distant sky, but in menacing strength, it's darkest pall is cast upon the hastening approach of the journey's end, know this, - for those in Christ - darkness will become light, death will become life, and faith will become sight.
Jesus Christ is our Light, our Life and our Promise.. Philippians 1:21: Psalm 23:4.
When the small and innocuous shadow that appears so far removed, no longer rests upon a distant sky, but in menacing strength, it's darkest pall is cast upon the hastening approach of the journey's end, know this, - for those in Christ - darkness will become light, death will become life, and faith will become sight.
Jesus Christ is our Light, our Life and our Promise.. Philippians 1:21: Psalm 23:4.
Truth (7/2/20)
An actor playing a role once famously said, "You can't handle the truth."
Truth isn't something that we resort to when it favors our point of view. Its pain produces character in the lives of those whose desire for personal refinement is greater than the confidence of careless or selective ignorance. The Lord always provides the Grace needed when the truth is not convenient.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.
Truth isn't something that we resort to when it favors our point of view. Its pain produces character in the lives of those whose desire for personal refinement is greater than the confidence of careless or selective ignorance. The Lord always provides the Grace needed when the truth is not convenient.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.