STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA A Monthly Publication of Bethesda Baptist Church December 30, 2015 BUSINESS MEETING: Wednesday, January 6th, 7 p.m. HAPPY … ! The Bethesda family has some congratulations this month! * Steve & Ellen have an anniversary on the 3rd * Brenda has a birthday on the 18th * Julie has a birthday on the 23rd Learn to Crochet! The ladies are meeting on Thursday, January 7th at the church to learn how to crochet! This time of fellowship will allow the ladies to crochet edges for dish cloths which will later be included in next year’s gift bags to Powell Terrace. If you want to learn how to crochet and have a great evening of fellowship, join us on January 7th at 6:30 p.m. as Glenda and Rachelle provide the instruction. January Bible Study During our Discipleship Training Hour on Sundays at 5 p.m. in January and February, Dennis leads us in our “January Bible Study”. This year our study is on the book of 2nd Corinthians and is entitled “The Church’s Ministry Handbook”. Join us this Sunday evening (January 3) as we begin our journey through this great book! The Luther Monthly From a sermon on Luke 2:21 preached by Martin Luther on New Year’s Day. ”So we see that the Scriptures in all places urge to faith, but only to faith in Christ. Therefore circumcision was not given by the law of Moses, nor to the fathers before Abraham, but to Abraham, to whom Christ, his seed, was promised for a blessing, so that the bodily circumcision might everywhere be in accord with the spiritual circumcision. Why then has it ceased, if that same faith in Christ, to which it points, still remains? The answer is, God has always, from the beginning of the world to the end, maintained one faith in Christ; but he has not given only one sign of it. If all the signs which refer to faith remained, who could keep them? But since faith is inward and invisible, God has foreshadowed it to men by many external signs, in order that they might be incited to believe as by many examples, and has permitted each to continue for its time. How many signs did Moses alone do in Egypt and in the wilderness, which have all passed away and lasted during their time, and still were all signs of faith? So when God promised to Abraham the blessings in his seed and gave to him a sign of it, namely circumcision, it could not exist by virtue of that promise longer than the fulfillment of the promise. But when Christ, the blessed seed, came, the promise was finished and fulfilled; it was no longer to be expected. Therefore the sign also necessarily was finished and fulfilled; why should it continue any longer, when the promise on which it depended was finished? But that which it signified, faith, remains always, whether the promise with its sign passes away or remains. Pastor’s Postscript A new year is upon us and, for many, another attempt at resolutions are underway. Most resolutions are broken before the end of January. Nevertheless, resolutions can be of great value, especially if one knows Christ and resolves to change their behavior to be in line with the will of God! Here are 4 simple resolutions for 2016: 1. Resolve to study the Word of God daily, at least for a few minutes. Reading the Bible through each year is a great objective. But, simply reading and meditating on small portions of the Bible each day is also a worthy goal. 2. Resolve to memorize more of the Word than you have in the past. Maybe you wish to set a specific number of verses (or books) you will memorize. I simply challenge you to increase the number of Scriptures you have stored in your heart & mind. 3. Resolve to join your brothers and sisters in worship each Sunday unless providentially hindered. Be present, sing, pray, give, and listen to the Word as often as you can. 4. Resolve to share the Gospel with the lost when the opportunities arise. I know that, for some, sharing Christ is an extremely difficult task. Nevertheless, God has called each of us to do so. Ask God to grant you the courage you need in 2016. May our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, bless you in 2016! May He also bless Bethesda Baptist Church! Pastor Bruce
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