July 29, 2015

STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA
A Monthly Publication of
Bethesda Baptist Church

July 29, 2015

Upcoming Activities

* Roller Skating Fellowship:  Let’s meet at Great Skate in St. Peters on Saturday, August 8 for two hours of fellowship!  We have the rink from 5:15-7:15 p.m. that evening.  Even if you do not intend to skate, come out, watch the others skate, and share some Christian fellowship!
* Business Meeting:  Our monthly meeting is on Wednesday, August 12 beginning at 7 p.m.
* Rascals Game:  Join your Bethesda family at T. R. Hughes Field as manager Steve Brook leads the River City Rascals against the Lake Erie Crushers on Saturday, August 29 at 6:35 p.m.

HAPPY … !

Here are the celebrations among our membership in August!

Happy Birthday to:

* Lacey Mueller on the 22nd
* Isabel Mueller on the 29th
* Zachary Mueller on the 31st

BUSINESS MEETING:  Wednesday, August 12, 7 p.m.

The Luther Monthly

Writing on Muslims (Turks) and Islam, Luther had the following to say:

“The Turk wants to put his Muhammad in the place of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, for the Turk blasphemes him and asserts that Christ is no true Son of  God and that Muhammad is a greater prophet than he. … We are fighting that  the Turk may not put his devilish filth and the blasphemous Muhammad in the place of our dear Lord, Jesus Christ. That is the real reason and serious  purpose for which we now fight, die, or live. Therefore we are fighting a just  war against the Turk and are Christ’s holy saints and will die a blessed death.”
Martin Luther

THANK YOU to Everyone Who Contributed to Our Backpack Collection!

“It is the Word from whence you had your life.  That’s the immortal seed of the Word by which you are begotten.  If your souls are begotten to God, it was by the Word.  I appeal to you, either you are begotten again or not.  IF you are begotten, it is the Word that has begotten you, and it is that which is the object of your faith, for your souls, and eternal estate.  Surely that must be reverenced by you.”
Jeremiah Burroughs

Pastor’s Postscript

In the July 14th edition of the Pathway, Dennis Fletcher published a cartoon which grabbed my attention.  It shows two of the framers of our Constitution discussing a dream Franklin, Washington, and Hamilton each had the evening before.  The dream contained 3 individuals apparently screaming their stance on different issues:

* “I will determine if I’m Male or Female!”
* “I will determine if I’m Black or White!”  (her shirt reads “NAACP”)
* “I will determine what’s moral and immoral!” (his shirt, with rainbow sleeves and neckline, reads “Marry Whoever You Luv!”)

Humans love to be in control.  Many believe they can be or do whatever they choose to be or do.  But that philosophy belongs to one living in a Fantasyland.  In reality, we don’t have that much control over the affairs of life.  For example, consider your birth.  You had no say if you would be born.  You had no say when you would be born, who would be your parents, the country of your birth, the wealth of your family at your birth.  And those are only a few aspects of your birth over which you had no control.

This is true of our gender.  You may call yourself a male even if you are a female.  But that does not change who you are.  You may undergo multiple surgeries, be injected with tons of hormones, and change your name but your internal structure, which comes from God, still reveals your true gender.  Gender selection is out of your hands no matter what you think or say or do.  God made us male or female.

This is also true concerning your race.  A white man can not be changed into a black man or vice versa no matter what one tries to do.  It is absolute foolishness to believe one can call themselves a black female when they were born a white male.  Common sense tells us so, our genetic structure tells us so, and God tells us so.

Finally, while man, via governments, may determine the laws which govern his behavior living within an earthly nation, the only true morality is that which has been established by the only perfect moral lawgiver in the universe:  God.  When a nation establishes its moral laws based upon God’s moral law, then society is better off.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Our country has lost its way.  If you claim one cannot pick their own gender, then you are considered to be a hater.  If you claim one cannot select their own race, then you are considered to be a hater.  And if you do not believe men may marry men and women may marry women, you are a hater.  That is the nature of our society today.  Political correctness says we must understand those seeking their “true” gender or race and accept what they decide.  We must permit homosexuals to marry.  Those who do not bow are deemed wicked, evil, racist, bigoted, and hateful.

Unless God does a great work of revival throughout our land, the situation will only get worse.  And that means each of us who confess the name of Jesus are going to be faced with choices sooner or later.  I know of Christian county clerks who have resigned their position because they cannot, in good conscience, grant marriage licenses to homosexuals.  This is only the beginning.

The United States is more like Babylon than Jerusalem today and we are Daniel and the Hebrew children in exile.  Will you eat the food the pagans provide or only eat the bread of life?  Will you bow to their idols or face the fiery furnace?  Will you yield to their religious restrictions or will you continue to bow your head in public and pray to the one true God, knowing the den of lions is ready for you?

Now is the time to prepare for the trials to come.  Stay in the Word.  Draw close to God in prayer.  Take advantage of the time and opportunities available to hear God’s Word preached and taught and to share with your brothers and sisters.  Memorize His Word.  Follow closer to Christ each day.  Do so now for when the trial comes it will be too late to prepare.

May Christ be more real to you today than He was yesterday.  May His Word be more clear today than it was yesterday.

God bless you and keep you!

August 5, 2013

Urgent Prayer Requests

* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Pete & Brenda, grieving over loss of her father; their health
* Brazel family
* Mueller family, especially Alicia
* Marilynn Norvell
* Aaron Wordlaw and his arthritis
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Rachelle in California
* Our church and need for revival

Upcoming Activities

1. Bible Study (Brief Books) & Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2. Men’s Breakfast & Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
3. Church Council Meeting, Saturday, 9 a.m.
4. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
5. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
6. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m.

Deacon Elections

Deacon nomination forms are now available.  You may nominate more than one man to fill the only deacon position opening at the end of the year by (1) writing your nominations on a piece of paper (2) signing your paper, and (3) handing it to one of the deacons or the pastor.  Nominations are open through Sunday, September 6.  We will vote to fill that position in early October.

Sermon Extras

Of the Thessalonians, Paul says they “accepted” the Word not as “the word of Men but as what it really is, the word of God”.  The word “accepted” means “to welcome” as I described in the message yesterday.  Paul writes this word in a way implying a decisive event.  The Thessalonians welcomed the Word.  They grabbed hold of it once and for all.  They have received it as the Word of God and that conviction remains with them.

But Paul doesn’t just describe the impact of the Word upon them in this one time event.  He then continues by adding “it is truly the word of God, which also continually energizes (works) in you, in the believing ones” (my translation).  Paul’s statement is true for the believer only.  The Word is constantly energizing the believer for its author, the Holy Spirit, dwells within us.  It is a work which began when the Word was received (regeneration, new birth, i.e., when you were saved) and continues to work each and every day.

I like the remarks of John Jewell, Bishop of Salisbury, who lived from 1522-1571:

“If there be any, in whom it worketh not this effect, if there be any which (though they hear it) believe it not, nor are thereby renewed in their minds; it is a token, that they have not received the love of the truth of the Gospel; they despise the word of salvation, and it shall judge them in that day.”

May those of us who profess Jesus as Lord see the working of God’s Word in our lives every day!

Statement of Faith

Bethesda’s statement of faith is “The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message” and may be read at http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfmcomparison.asp.  Here is article 13:

XIII. Stewardship

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.

“(The Word) is the voice of God—the very breath, so to speak, of His infinite essence—in itself, therefore, a higher, more Divine thing, than any product of creative power.”  
John Lillie

Other Items to Note

1.  We are collecting diapers and wet wipes for Lacey Mueller who is expecting her first child in September.  If you can help, please place your contribution in the box on the table in the foyer sometime this month.  Lacey is the daughter of Jeff Mueller.

2.  The “prayer stars” are available on the board in the foyer.  Please take one (or more) home and attach them to your refrigerator.  Then, every time you see the family name on the star during the week, take a moment to prayer for that family.  Bring the star back to church on the following Sunday, attach it to the board, and take a different star for the next week.

Let’s keep one another in prayer at all times!

Pastor’s Postscripts

I don’t believe there was any better place to be yesterday at 10:30 a.m. than in the auditorium of Bethesda Baptist Church!  What a terrific time of worship and what a wonderful presence of the Spirit!

A reminder to our men to bring their breakfast (McDonald’s is always a good choice though some may prefer Chick-Fil-A!) on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. for a brief time of fellowship and study.  We’ll continue our examination of Dr. Whitney’s book.  And, if you do not have a copy of the book, do not let that keep you away.  Our time is an informal one and you are very welcome to join us!

And to our church council members, we need you present at 9 a.m. this Saturday to discuss upcoming events including Thanksgiving and Christmas.  If you are a council member and unable to be there Saturday, please have someone take your place.

Praise God for all He has done in, with, and by our church!  See you next Sunday, if not sooner, with my Bible in hand.