STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA
A Weekly Publication of Bethesda Baptist Church
June 16, 2014
NEW MEMBERS!
Welcome to our newest members, Georgia and Glenda! Here is the information for your church directory:
Glenda Averett
1248 Shirley Ridge Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63304
636-441-2476
Georgia Baggett
1284 Shirley Ridge Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63304
636-441-2118
Upcoming Activities
1. Bethesda Academy, Monday, 6:30 p.m.
2. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
3. Sunday School, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
5. Discipleship Training (“The Attributes of God”), Sunday, 5 p.m.
Coming Sunday…
Yesterday we looked at “Prayer and the Gospel”. Next Sunday we examine Romans 1:11-15, “Preaching the Gospel”.
“Those things for which you are thankful tells you and others what you believe is really important in life.”
Spurgeon Speaks
“God has beloved ones in the darkest parts of the earth! There is all the more reason for them to be saints because they are surrounded by sinners. They must have had true faith, or they could not have confessed Christ between the jaws of a lion, for they lived in Rome, with Nero hunting after Christians as if they had been wild beasts! And yet they were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.”
5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship
Plan on joining us for our next 5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship. Bring a snack, a drink, and any questions you may have on June 29 and we will meet at 6 p.m. Even better, come at 5 p.m. for Discipleship Training and remain for our Fellowship!
New Additions to Our Church Library
* Another sermon by John MacArthur on CD entitled: “The Truth About False Disciplies”
“God, by His providence, regulates all that takes place. There is nothing with which Christians should be more habitually impressed than that God is the disposer of all events.”
Robert Haldane
* Cynthia has requested special prayer. She is struggling with her fluid levels.
Sermon Seconds
Verse 10 of yesterday’s text has an interesting phrase. The ESV renders it “… somehow by God’s will I may now at last …”. In the original Paul uses 4 simple words to convey his emotions on his desire to travel to Rome. The King James captures these words very well: “…if by any means now at length…” You can almost sense Paul’s yearning and hope that God will permit him to finally travel to Rome.
Those of you who know early church history know that Paul DOES finally make it to Rome: as a PRISONER! He travels there in chains by ship which is shipwrecked. Once there he is kept in prison for 2 years. A few years later he will return to Rome once again arrested and, finally, executed for his witness for Christ!
Pastor’s Postscript
To all who planned, organized, and brought to pass our church picnic, THANK YOU! It was a wonderful time on a wonderful day with wonderful people!
We welcome Georgia and Glenda to our church family! In the past 2 months three new members have joined Bethesda and they all live on the same street! (Perhaps we should rename Bethesda to Shirley Ridge Baptist!).
The Academy will restart tonight (Monday) with a close examination of the book of Revelation. This will not be a brief excursion so bring your Bible, your notebook, and your pen and prepare for an exciting journey.
I also encourage those members who do not normally attend our Wednesday evening service to make every effort to do so. We spend 15 minutes in Bible study and then commit the remaining 30-45 minutes for prayer. Presently our Bible study has been focusing on various Bible characters who are not mentioned very often in the Scriptures. Come out and look with us at the characteristics of these individuals. Perhaps you’ll find a character quality which might benefit your spiritual growth.
We are, once again, revising our deacon family ministry list given our new members. The list should be ready following our July Deacons’ meeting. Also, our church directory is being revised with a target publication date of August 1. If you have directory updates, please let the pastor know as soon as possible.
Lastly, anybody interested in learning Greek? It’s been a couple of years since our last class and I am open to doing another one. Or, if you are very brave, we could try and learn some Hebrew!
Praise our Lord for all the blessings He has poured out on each of us. And praise the Lord for the blessing of Bethesda Baptist Church!
May your life bring glory and honor and praise to Christ throughout this coming week.
Pastor Bruce