Prayer Requests
* Jon Bounds, illness
* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s father, mother, and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours
* Dan, health concerns
* Marilynn Norvell
* Gene Schulze
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
* Our church and need for revival
Upcoming Activities
1. Women’s Ministry Packing Soldiers’ Boxes, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. AT THE WALKERS.
2. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
3. Deacons’ Meeting, Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.
4. Men’s Breakfast and Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
5. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
6. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
7. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m.
“Repentance is to leave
The Sins we loved before,
And show that we in earnest grieve,
By doing so no more.”
Ministry to Soldiers
Ladies, you will meet this Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Walkers home to pack the boxes for the American soldiers in Afghanistan. There will be Taco Soup for any who are hungry. If you would like to bring anything else to share, feel free to do so.
If you need directions, please call the pastor or Debbie.
Bethesda Church Directory
REMINDER: Church directories are available on the table near the door in the foyer. Please take one for your home. If you see any mistakes, please contact the pastor and let him know what needs to be changed.
Sermon Extras
In verse 19, Peter calls on his audience to repent and turn back (or away) “that your sins may be blotted out”. The word translated “blotted out” means to “wipe off or out of”. It was common in the 1st century for one’s debts to be tracked by making a notation on a wax tablet. When your debt was paid, the blunt end of the stylus was use to flatten out (blot out, wipe away) your debt on the tablet.
When we truly repent of our sins and turn from our sins to Christ and holiness, God blots our debt off the divine ledger. Praise God, your debt is gone!
Questions from the Sermon: I’ve decided to add this section to the “Sermon Extras” article each week. Here are a couple of questions relative to Sunday’s message.
1. What is the primary role of a prophet?
2. How does Jesus Christ fill the role of a prophet?
3. What is unique about Christ’s role as prophet compared to all the Old Testament prophets?
Christmas Party
The Bethesda Christmas Party will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 21. Please plan on joining us for snacks, games, fellowship, and caroling.
Men’s Breakfast
The men will meet this Saturday morning at 8 a.m. for breakfast and our book study. We will cover chapter 11 in Whitney’s book on “Journaling”. Even if you have not been reading Whitney’s book, bring your breakfast and join us this Saturday!
Christmas Eve Service
Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year so our Christmas Eve service is scheduled for Tuesday, December 24 at 6 p.m. Please join us for this brief but inspiring time of worship as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
“I once heard it told
Of a prophet who foretold
Many words which were bold
Yet did not live to be old.
You see, the words that he said
Failed and filled him with dread.
So folks threw stones on his head
And now ‘the prophet’ lies very dead!”
Pastor’s Postscripts
Christmas carols are back! Hallelujah! I love singing Christmas hymns since they are so filled with Jesus and the message of the Gospel.
I trust you are using your Week of Prayer guide from yesterday’s bulletin and praying for the missionaries mentioned in that handout. Each of us is a missionary, commanded by God to take the Gospel to all nations. Some are led by God to remote lands to fulfill that commandment such as those listed in the prayer guide. Surely those of us who are brothers in Christ yet remain in their homeland can pray for those called to minister in foreign lands.
Furthermore, we can assist the efforts of these fellow missionaries not only by our prayers but also by our giving. I am not begging or demanding anyone to contribute to financially supporting these missionaries. But I do exhort you to seek the Lord and His wisdom when it comes to this offering. If He leads you to give financially then be obedient. All the money given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goes directly to supporting the work of international missions.
And, while we are discussing missions, I encourage each of you to ask the Lord how you might minister in His behalf through our church next year. If you sense the Lord leading you into service in a particular area, please contact the Nominating Committee (Sandy and Debbie) and/or me and let us know.
May the Lord bless your endeavors this week in spreading His Gospel!