Bethel Christian Center

There are 3 institutions that have been ordained by God; the family, the church, and the government and without a doubt, satan has worked overtime on the family. God's design of one man and one woman is still the standard for a healthy stable home for raising children and for a stable society. However, we have watched that break down exponentially fast over the last few decades and we now have children running the home rather than the parents. This lack of respect for parental authority has now spilled over into our schools and the streets where we expect teachers and police to clean up the mess that has been made.

There is no doubt that today in the United States there is very little regard for the idea of the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship unto God. We will see how over the years that Sunday has become just another day to stay home, work, have recreation or play sports. Although the strict observance that was required of Israel under the old covenant does not apply today as Paul states in Colossians 2:16. The principle of rest and a day set aside (Holy) to worship and remember God and all he has done is still beneficial to us today. "He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities." Benjamin Franklin

In view of the second coming of the Lord, there are four snares to guard against: Indifference, Negligence, Self-righteous, and Indolence, found in Matthew 24 and 25. Today we will look at the snare of indifference. Indifference: A lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern for something or someone. We are living in a society when indifference and heartlessness has become normative. The church is characterized by its indifference and getting too comfortable in its culture and success. "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein

There is nothing that identifies a person more clearly than their name. The same can be said of God. Within the name of God is all of his attributes. We live in a world where people are quick to defend their name against attack or false hoods but do not hesitate to take the name of the most high God in vain. You can hardly watch a movie today that they do not throw in a GD where it appears just to defame the name of God. However, we will see as we look at all the implications of the commandment, there are many ways in which we do not revere the name as we should.

I think it no coincidence that the first 2 commandments given by God concern our allegiance to him. The keeping or violation of all the other commandments hinge on these two. There is always something in our lives competing for our affection. The question for all of us is that do we have God in his proper place within our hearts and lives. When we do, we can accept the concept of "I am therefore you shall". Certainly, since we have no wooden statues or images in our home that we bow down to, we have no concern with the second commandment. However, when you begin to explore the implication of worshipping the right God in the wrong manner, we begin to see that we may not be so free from the second commandment.

As we look around at our society today we see the result of neglecting God's perfect law. In this age of grace we do not hear much about the Ten commandments even in the church unless it is in a political conversation about how they should still be in the schools or in the courthouse. Although, I do not disagree with that notion, the reality is that they would have much more effect on our culture if they were in our hearts and lived as such. The prophet Jeremiah told us that in the new covenant that God would put his law in our minds and write them on our hearts. Jer. 31:33. In this study we will take a fresh look at God's perfect law and see that as the Psalmist wrote, the law of the Lord is perfect , converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. Ps. 19:7

Even though the world scene looks as if God has been on an extended vacation, David shows us that God's plans have not failed and shall not fail. Everything is under His sovereign control and He will ultimately triumph in His ordained time. Thus, David appeals to the rebellious nations to bow before the Almighty God while they still have time. In Psalm 2, the wicked meditates (NASB = "devising," NIV = "plot"; same Hebrew word) on how to cast off the rule of God. Steven J. Cole Psalm 2 is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament.

The great British preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote: "Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when, upon his knees, he comes face to face with God." One of the greatest encouragements to pray or the greatest display of our need for prayer is the fact of Jesus' private prayer. Throughout His life on earth, Jesus seized the opportunity to be alone with the Father, praying in secret. Jesus invites us to join Him in His secret place. May we not allow present-day distractions to stop us from spending time alone with God.

When reading the Psalms, you will come upon the word "Selah." While there are different interpretations of the word, one interpretation of "Selah" is "pause and reflect." Most scholars think Selah speaks of a pause to meditate on the words just spoken. The new year seems like the perfect time to pause and reflect. To reflect on God, rest, and worship. To reflect on what has happened over the last year. To reflect on what God is doing and what God is going to do. Selah appears 74 times in the Old Testament -- 71 times in the Psalms and 3 times in Habakkuk. "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit queitly in a room alone." --Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

The parables in Luke 15 were given in response to the criticism of the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus had received sinners and even ate with them. Jesus had made it clear that He came to save sinners (Luke 19:10). Jesus saw what these sinners really were: lost sheep who needed a shepherd; lost coins who had value and needed to be put into circulation; lost sons who needed to be in fellowship with the father.

Many Christmas sermons focus on the WHO of the Christmas story and the wonderful lessons of Joseph, Mary, Shepherds, and the Baby Jesus and the other inspiring characters of the Christmas story. Other sermons emphasize the WHEN, the coming of Jesus foretold through the prophets, the times in which he was born. The HOW of Christmas, the virgin birth, the flight to Egypt, the search of Herod, the worship of the Magi. WHERE involves Bethlehem, Egypt, Jerusalem, and Israel. But this morning we will look at the all-important question, WHY?

What better way is there to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord than to meet Him at the Table? The Word took on flesh and dwelt among us; at the Table, we pray for ordinary bread and wine to take on Spirit and become for us the body and blood of Christ.

A Sermon Tribute to this Christmas Song written by Dave Clark, Mark Harris, Dan Koch

When you ask anybody if things are getting better or worse in society, they have no hesitation in saying things are getting worse. This simple perspective is backed up by what we see described in scripture, and our society’s tendency to become more and more fractured through the prevalence of individually personalized technology and media. Can we expect things to improve through governmental systems or what we see on instagram and facebook? We can hope and can optimistically look to be salt and light, but without God’s faithful remnant building back that foundation of family that God established, we will not see the type of change that will last. Even if you have been without a strong family, Christ is the beginning of all things new, and with you things can be reset going forward! Thankfully, we are all ministers of reconciliation!

This passage teaches that we have been delivered, that we are being delivered, and that someday we will be delivered. Paul knew that God's work in our lives happens in three different verb tenses. God works in us past, present, and future.

11.7.21 Sunday Service Ralph Thompson encourages us all to be an active kingdom witness! For more information about Emergency Chaplains, visit: http://EChap.org

Simple sermon, though some parts of it may be difficult to swallow!

Got a shovel? Got some empty vessels?

Sunday Service 10.17.21

Our life (time, talent and treasure) is a seed. Where we choose to plant our seed determines the growth that will be produced in our lives. Some people choose to sow their lives into other ground, like work or sports, and as time goes by, they wonder why they have less and less time to spend with their family and are even more in debt than ever before. That is because they are sowing their seed into other ground and not into God's kingdom (His House).