Posted on

December 2, 2013

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!

Posted on

November 18, 2013

Urgent Prayer Requests

* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s mother and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours (plus Rachelle is under the weather)
* Julie at Mizzou plus problems with ex-boyfriend.
* Dan, health concerns
* Marilynn Norvell
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Our church and need for revival

Upcoming Activities

1.  Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer
Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2.  Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
including the Lord’s Supper.
4. NO Discipleship Training this Sunday.

Concerning the sanctification and preservation of believers, John Owen wrote the following:

“If He (God) doth it not, none other can do it. … He doth it of Himself, from His own grace; by Himself, of His own power; for Himself, of His own glory.”

Ministry to Afghan Soldiers

The women’s ministry is doing a project involving sending items to Afghan soldiers.  Since there will be more than one box, we expect the postage to be costly.  We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to participate in the mailing of these boxes.  If you wish to contribute, please write “postage” on your check or envelope and drop it into the offering during the next two Sundays.  Thank you for helping us bless these soldiers.

Also, we will be including homemade cookies.  If you would like to bake some cookies (any kind) to include in these boxes, give them to Debbie by December 1st.  We will also be including letters, cards, and pictures drawn by the children to thank them for their service!

Upcoming Facility Changes

In case you did not notice, our church sign is gone!  Several of our members spent their Sunday afternoon a week ago removing the sign in preparation for our new sign scheduled to arrive at the end of the month.  We thank those who took the time to remove the old sign.

Also, Harry and Audrey are donating an organ and piano to the church.  Some of the men are working on moving these new instruments from their present home in Chesterfield to our auditorium.  Thank you, Harry and Audrey, for your gift.  And thank you to all the men involved in moving these instruments!
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification. … For God has not called us for impurity but in holiness.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3,7

Sermon Extras

“… may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

For centuries this verse has played a significant role in the discussion of man’s being.  Is man a two part being composed of a body and soul (or spirit)?  Is man a three part being composed of a body, soul, and spirit?  The theological term for stating man is a two part being is “dichotomy”.  Similarly, “trichotomy” views man as a three part being.  Obviously, verse 23 appears to teach a trichotomous nature for man.

Without getting into a lengthy debate in our newsletter, there are other possible interpretations of Paul’s words in this verse.  Here are three of the more popular ones.

1.  Man is, indeed, a trichotomy.
2.  Paul is describing the nature of a believer in v. 23, men who have a body & soul (like all men).  But believers also have the spirit of God.
3.  Paul is making a general statement to refer to the entire nature of man.  It would be like you and me describing something about ourselves by saying “from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet”.  Hopefully we are more than head and feet!

In the context of 1 Thessalonians, I believe view 3 above is the more reasonable understanding of the phrase.  Paul is telling us that his request is for those believers, in every part of their being, be sanctified and preserved by God.

Ultimately, whether you are a dichotomous or trichotomous supporter on the nature of man, we can agree man has a material part and an immaterial part.  When God sanctifies and preserves us, he preserves both parts completely!

Hallelujah!

Nominating Committee

Let each of us use the gifts and abilities the Lord has given us to serve Him through our church next year!  How would the Lord have you serve Him?  Contact the Nominating Committee (Sandy Brandel and Debbie Walker) and let them know.

Thanksgiving Fellowship

Join us this Sunday morning after worship for our  Thanksgiving Fellowship potluck dinner!  The church is providing all the meat so, bring a side and dessert (and yourself) and enjoy a time of giving thanks to our God for all of His man blessings!

Pastor’s Postscripts

We’ve completed 1 Thessalonians and will begin 2 Thessalonians in January.  In the meantime, Sunday will find us in the book of Revelation.  Please pray for me as I prepare for a message I have entitled “Worthy are You!”  God is indeed worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving!

May Christ be glorified in your life and ministry this week!