Bethel Christian Center

12.11.22 Sunday Service

"A kind of moral relativism has taken over. Nothing is really wrong. If I have a good reason to do it, it's not sin." That is the modem attitude toward the righteousness of God. I get the impression that the church in our day avoids at all costs the idea of sin and guilt and therefore tries to entertain lost sinners into heaven. However, there is no escaping the fact that when God became flesh so He could be with us He did so in order to "save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Will Pounds (c) 2006

One of the traditions of the Christmas season is the giving of Gifts. This tradition can be traced to the original nativity when the wise men came and brought gifts as part of their worship of the Christ child. Then there is St. Nicholas who was a priest around 300 AD and was known for his generosity and would slip coins in the shoes of children when they left them out. Unfortunately, in our over commercialized nation the idea of giving gifts and Santa Clause has replaced the real meaning of this season. Nevertheless, we love to give gifts to our loved ones, especially our children and our heavenly father is no exception.

The Gospel of Christ means new creation. The old is passing away and the new has begun in each believer who places their faith in Christ Jesus. Making all things new means a new body-and a new soul. We get a taste of new creation now by means of the Holy Spirit working through God's word. The Spirit is conforming us to the image of the Son, making us new creatures whose desire is to love God and others. This is God's transforming work in us. Today we will look at four ways in which God will make all things new.

Little is accomplished in leaving a field to itself. Left to itself after years of baking in the heat of the sun the field will become hard. The same is true in the heart of man. Left to itself little will be accomplished. In refusing to break up the ground of our heart on a regular basis will result in our heart hardening to that which God desires to do. Have we regular basis experienced barrenness in our lives? A heart that is not humble is like fallow-ground, untilled. It is unfruitful, overgrown with thorns and weeds, and if not renewed with grace, the rain and sunshine are lost upon it. It is time once again to look into our hearts, and to accept the plow of God's Word and Spirit.

11.06.22 Sunday Service

Following a confrontation with religious leaders, Jesus leaves Capemaum and heads north to the Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon along the Mediterranean Sea. That He sought a residence in which to stay, in hopes that no one could find Him, indicates that the purpose of our Lord was to seek some rest from the pressing multitudes and debates that He had encountered (Mark 7:24). A Syrophoenician woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. We will look at the many obstacles she had to overcome and the display of faith she exhibited.

Paul prays two prayers for the Ephesians. A prayer of enlightenment - 1: 15-23, and a prayer of enablement - 3: 14-21. In his second prayer he prays for the Holy Spirit's power to fi II every believer, and that the inner person might know spiritual strength. The purpose of Ephesians is to equip, empower, and mature God's people that we would extend Christ's victory over evil (Ephesians 3: I 0-20; 6: 12 -20).

At creation, God formed mankind in His image and likeness. Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden, sin entered the world and deformed God's image in mankind. Now through Christ's redemption on the cross, God's plan is to reform His image in His children, bringing us into conformity with the image of His Son by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

10.10.22 Sunday Service

At creation, God formed mankind in His image and likeness. Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden, sin entered the world and deformed God's image in mankind. Now through Christ's redemption on the cross, God's plan is to reform His image in His children, bringing us into conformity with the image of His Son by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

The story of the rich man and Lazarus Is one of the most sobering parables in the bible. The reality of our choices on earth, where we place our trust and the realities of heaven and hell are more vividly stated here than anywhere in the bible.

Divine healing has become a very controversial subject in the church On one extreme are those that believe that miracles ceased with the deaths of the Apostle. On the other extreme are those that believe faith is the absolute in demanding healing from God. Let us examine the matter delicately as some face uncertain futures lest God intervenes.

9.11.22 Sunday Service

Being born again ultimately is the process of being transformed from death to eternal life. The process of moving from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. It is embracing, and accepting the foundational truth of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, died on the cross, was buried, but rose again three days later. By this He paid the ultimate price for our sin once and for all so that we might be saved from eternal damnation. Jesus explains this process in His conversation with Nicodemus.

In Corinth Paul met a couple named Priscilla and Aquila. The three of them built tents together to earn a living. After about a year and a half, Paul, Priscilla and Aquila traveled to the city of Ephesus together. Priscilla and Aquila stayed on in Ephesus to make tents and tell people about Jesus while Paul returned to Antioch. A great teacher named Apollos came to Ephesus; Priscilla and Aquila, after hearing him, invited him to their house and explained to him the "way of God more accurately." Apollos was grateful and went on to Corinth where he continued to share the good news of Jesus.

Moses Choudary from India speaks at Bethel

David Smith encourages us that God is active and that we should wait on Him, expecting to hear His voice and measure it with the Scripture.

The dove often symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and in studying the Biblical background about the dove, we can see why this symbol was chosen and we are reminded of the Holy Spirit's qualities. The first emblem under which we see the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is the dove descending upon the head of Jesus at His baptism on the banks of the Jordan.

One of the biggest reasons for the condition of the American Christian today is spiritual immaturity. After instructing the believers on the fellowship of the brethren, walking in the light and dealing with sin, John deals with the stages of spiritual growth. Unfortunately, many followers of Christ never mature much past the point of salvation. We will take a look at the stages of growth and their characteristics.