January 7, 2010

 We're in the process of changing web programs, and expect to be down for about 2 weeks.  Please check back for our new, improved, interactive web design.  Until then, may our Lord hold you to Himself and give you joy with His Family.

Now the God of peace, who resurrected from the dead our Lord Jesus, who is the great shepherd of us His sheep (because of the blood of the everlasting covenant...His blood), make you perfect in every good work, so that you do His will, as He works in you the things that are pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ. 

To Him, our Lord Jesus, be glory for ever & ever!  (Hebrews 13:20-21, paraphased)

                                            

January 4, 2010

Thank you, Tim Bowes, for joining our fellowship last Sunday morning & sharing what God laid on your heart.  Jason & Joel, welcome home!!

The Ethiopia Team is up & running.  Three things are happening simultaneously!  Coming up on Wednesday (January 6) at 7:15 (just after the Bible Study) is an all-church prayer time devoted to our work in Ethiopia.  And then next Sunday (January 10) is a chili luncheon to raise some of the funds needed.  And finally, we're having a Scarf Drive.

 

Never heard of a Scarf Drive?  It's gathering up as many brightly-colored scarves of all sizes as we can find.  The Ethiopian women love scarves!  And we will use these scarves to say "thank you" to the women who cook for our Team in July.  So empty your drawers, check your attic & barns, visit the thrift store, ask your neighbors....and bring in as many scarfs as you can find!

Contact Cindi Jacobs, Lynette Carver or Leigh Humphries for any questions on these Ethiopia events.

And while we're on the topic of international outreach, don't forget the Lottie Moon collection.  It's still open.  Just mark your offering envelope "Lottie Moon" and our Treasurer will see that it gets to the IMB for the Lord's work abroad.  See Jerry Thompson for questions.

And while we're on the topic of local outreach, our first big Rebuilding Hope project is coming up soon.  Have your appliances to the church by 4:00 pm next Friday (January 15); the truck pulls out at 5pm and the crew returns about 8:30pm on Saturday (January 16).  See Marshall Humphries or Matt Clinard for questions.

January 1, 2010

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Last Sunday we had 3 very special musical events.

  First, Leanna Johnson played a composition that she herself composed!  It was 3 songs in one, starting & ending with Mary did you Know?  I loved the way she blended the historical fact of Jesus' birth with the historical fact of His resurrection...and the personal implications of those facts.  "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know, I KNOW(!), He holds the future....and Life is worth the living, just because He lives."   Those are good words to remember on the eve of a new year.

    The second great musical event was the inauguration of our Bell Choir.  The bells were donated by Bill Jones, and in the providence of God, Bill was called Home just days before they were inaugurated.  As they played the bells, I kept thinking what beautiful picture this choir was of the Body of Christ.  Each person was in charge of a bell (but I think Woody was in charge of 4 or 5!).  Each person had to carefully follow music, tapping out the time, and play their bell when it was the correct time.  And if all the players followed the music and complied with the music, counting beats together, then the result was a beautiful song of praise to the living Savior!

The members of the Bell Choir each had unique bells, but they were firmly united in Timing, in Purpose & in Authority.  So it is with the members of the Body of Christ!  We each have responsibility for at least one bell....one spiritual gift, one special ability, one unique role.  And if we will follow the music notes...the word of God.... & the correct timing...the Spirit of God as He applies the word of God...then the result will be complete harmony and perfect song of praise to the Living Savior, the Good Shepherd, the Lord of the Body.

Thank you, Bethel Hill Bell Choir, for this reminder!  May we each play our bells in the Body this year in submission to the Spirit & the Word of God.

            

  The third great musical event on Sunday was our Vocal Choir's Christmas Contata.  The original date of this concert was snowed out, as the whole countryside became frozen in winter spendor.  Decked out in red & white, this group of singers reminded us not only of the birth, but of the Life that flows to us from that birth. 

Sue Smith, David Moffitt & Johnathan Crumpton wrote my favorite song: Come to Deliver Me.  Yes!  That is the whole purpose of the birth of Jesus....He was come to deliver ME!  As the choir sang, the words melted into my heart & mind.  It was like savoring a perfectly cooked slice of prime rib!

  "Your tiny hands set the stars in the heavens. Your cry brought day from the night.  Your tender eyes saw the dawn of creation.  Your fragile breath gave me life.....  My only hope, a helpless Babe who alone has the power to save...Come to deliver me.  Come to redeem my life, to wash me white as snow....Gone, all my sin & shame!  Gone!  Forever praise Your name....Love forsaking a throne, embracing a rugged tree, come to deliver me.  Your tiny hands will be pierced for my healing.  You'll cry out "Father, forgive."  Your tender eyes must see how much I need You, with Your final breath I will live....My only hope, my ransom paid by the One who is Mighty to Save. ...  Come to deliver me.....  You see the darkness that covers my soul and the chains that have capture my heart.  You see the cross where my debt will be canceled, and still, here You are...still, here You are....come to deliever me....Come to deliever ME!

Amazing!  He came for ME!  (and for You)   Have you let Him take you by the Hand to lead you Home to the Father?

December 28, 2009

Calling all youth associated with the Hill...family, friends & foes!  Youth Winter Retreat is coming up quick!  This is the last week to get your reservation in.  Cost is $60 for the 3-day weekend of Friday, January 15 thru Sunday, January 17.  We'll be "camping" in cabins at Oak Hill in Granville County.  Call Joel Bradsher or Jennifer Phillips for questions, concerns, issues.  (This is a great way to use all that Christmas money you were given :)  The focus will be on God in Creation.   The New Age slant of television, the evolutionary slant of school textbooks, and the popular abuse of Nature all run contrary to our God.  He has a lot to say about Himself through what He has made.  And we are the richer if we understand what He is saying.  So join us for a great weekend camping out!

Our Winter Quarter Sunday School classes are in full session.  We have 4 "adult" classes, but we have many "non-adult" attendees....why divide the Body where Christ doesn't divide ?

  Chris Jacobs is teaching prophecy from the Old Testament.  There are two main reasons for this study: 1) the fulfillment of very-specific prophecies over thousands of years is one of the many things that sets our Scriptures apart from the books of other religions, and 2) like Paul, we need to reason with people on the fulfillment of these prophecies, to help them embrace  Jesus as Christ, the Savior.

     Woody Jacobs is continuing from his class on prophecy last summer, with a change in emphasis.  He is asking the question "So what?"  During their times together they are discussing "What difference does all this prophecy about the future make in my life today?"  "How should I be living, if I know that this & this & this is coming up in God's plan for the future?"   Good questions!  Join the gang to get in on the discussion! 

(Incidentally, it's reported that several years ago Woody asked Jason to take care of his dog in case the Rapture occurred...so living in light of prophecy has been on Woody's heart for a long time!)

        Jason & Molly Evans are guiding the men and women senior classes (but younger folk are allowed in :)   During January they are getting into the Scriptures on such topics as Time Management, Injustice in the World, Stuff/Materialism, Work issues, and during February they will take on the battle for the mind...how we think & the role of our mindset in Life.  These class rooms are usually full, but they'll be happy to squeeze another place for YOU!

In all of these classes, the comradery, the sharing, the burden-bearing, the rejoicing....all of these things are rich!  Classes run 10:00-10:45.     If you have any questions, please email us at grace@bethelhillbaptistchurch.org ....or call Jeannie Rogers, our much-loved superintendent.

Quote from Sunday: (actually, it's a song of praise we sang)

Give thanks to the Lord, our God & King....His love endures forever!

For He is good, He is above all things....His love endures forever!

With a mighty hand & outstretched arm, His love endures forever!

For the life that's been reborn, His love endures forever!

FOREVER....GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!

FOREVER.....GOD IS STRONG!!!!

FOREVER....GOD IS WITH US!!!!

FOREVER, AND EVER

FOREVER

 

                                     

"And Jesus came & spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.  Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit....teaching them to obaserve all things that I have commanded you:  and know this....I am with you always, even unto the end of the world"  (Matthew 28:19-20)

December 21, 2009

If He kept His word and came the first time.....He will keep His word and come the second time.  Are you ready for Him?

December 15, 2009

  Joel Bradsher has been teaching a series on Developing a Christian World View.  He's been swimming in deep water, showing how to reconcile happenings in the world (& our lives) with the teaching of Scripture.

One evening the discussion was on Evil.  Joel asked the question: How can a loving, all-powerful God (such as the Scriptures teach) co-exist with Evil, and allow all the things that Evil produces in terms of human heartache?

We discussed many answers to this question, but two things in particular stuck in my head.  First, the question: which requires more love & power... to stop Evil or to turn Evil into Good?  Second, the caution: we are so finite... passing judgment now is like giving a verdict with only half the evidence.

Joel showed many examples of God's love & power in bringing Good out of Evil...Joseph is a classic example.  Consider Job & the prophets.  Consider all the persecution of the early believers in the book of Acts.

            

Another example is what happened just after the Wise Men visited...the slaughtering of innocent children on order of King Herod.  His jealousy & paranoia cost the lives of little children, and left mothers & fathers screaming in the streets of the sleepy town of Bethlehem.

What good came from this?  I can think of several things:

• Prophecy was fulfilled, giving greater testimony for those searching for salvation
• Each mother & father had an opportunity to choose to trust the character of God in the midst of their agony, thereby showing to others the faithfulness of God
• The testimony of Mary & Joseph about their flight to Egypt was affirmed, giving strength to the claim of Jesus as the promised Messiah
• The hatred of Rome and Roman rulers caused the general population to look harder for their Messiah, preparing hearts for John the Baptist's preaching & Jesus' ministry.

Yes, what Herod did was wicked, and it caused great pain.  But if we are willing to look for it, we will see the Good produced by a loving, powerful God.  There is no doubt that the mothers & fathers crying in the streets for their children was real, and likely they were tempted to judge God in their agony.  But their judgment did not take into account the whole story...a story that continues today as people continue to consider the claims of Jesus. 

Unbelievers and scoffers might accuse us of pulling at straws & playing mind games to find Good in Evil.  But they forget that the Good is just as real as the Evil.  We cannot validate the one without being open to the other.  As Christians, because of our faith in the God of the Scriptures, we need not be afraid of either reality.

Evil did not stop with Herod.  It is in our world today.  Read the front page, and many interior pages, of any newspaper, and we  see crime after crime, political fraud, religious manipulation, immorality, wrongs of all sorts against innocent people.

And look at our own personal situations.  At this moment many of us are agonizing because of Evil in our personal lives.  Despite the seasonal call to "Be Merry", the pain is real.  One such person, having viewed the horror of Lincoln's War (1862-1865), which killed more Americans than almost all other wars combined, wrote this carol in 1867:

December 11, 2009

Christmas gifts…. These days people are running here & there to buy gifts for people that are expecting to receive gifts. Excepting close family, most of these gifts are calculated according to social expectations. Part of the calculation is the price: it must be equal to or greater than what is expected by the receiver or on-lookers. Part of the calculation is the gift that will be given in return, or the gift that was given last year: it must be equal to or greater in value than these. Part of the calculation is the social obligation of the receiver and the on-lookers: unless this obligation is met there will be a disruption in the relationships, and sometimes it takes years to overcome the negligence of one Christmas gift.

                           

Ask any Christian celebating Christmas, and they will say “We give gifts at Christmas because the Wise Men brought gifts.”  But what do the Scriptures say about the gifts of the Wise Men? The recording is in Matthew 2:1-12. As to the gifts the Scriptures say: “And when they saw the star, they were very, very happy. And when they came in the house, (remember, this was when Jesus was a toddler; it was not at the stable of the inn when he was first born, despite most manger scenes), they saw the young child (Jesus) with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”

Note first that it had taken the Wise Men quite some time to reach Jesus. The star had appeared at his birth, but they traveled such a long distance, probably in caravan, by camel, accompanied by a small army of helpers….it was not until Jesus was a toddler (about 1-3 years of age) that they actually arrived in His presence.

The privilege of honoring the King consumed their whole lives for these years of travel. It was inconvenient to them. They parted with their families, their comforts, their safety zones in order to honor the King. It required sacrifice on their part to act upon the knowledge given to them through the special star.

Second, notice that first they worshiped the King. They sacrificed their pride, their own honor as Wise Men. They humbled themselves before a small child! Educated, wealthy, high-society men that they were….yet they bowed before a small child! And they did this publicly, before their servants, before Mary.

Third, they gave gifts, treasures, valuables to the small child. They impoverished themselves in order to honor the King. They didn’t give that which was incidental, that which was left-over, that which was convenient. They gave of their core wealth.

Fourth, they gave to the King…not to each other, not even to Mary & Joseph. The Scriptures state clearly “unto him”, meaning “unto Jesus”.

Lastly, the foundation to all of the actions of the Wise Men was their recognition of Jesus as KING. It was because of their fundamental belief in His Kingship that they were inconvenienced in traveling, that they risked their lives with Herod, that they worshiped & they gave.

         

Now, what lessons do we learn from Scripture?

• The focus is on the King, so much so that we must be willing to be inconvenienced, to give up comforts, to risk our well-being. He is worthy of our time, our energy, our dedication. The focus is not on tradition, society’s expectations, or family requirements.

• Worship of the King must precede gifts to the King. Worship always involves the sacrifice of our pride, our self-sufficiency, our ego. Worship is putting ourselves on His altar. And that worship must be public, for all to see that in our lives He alone is God, He alone is Master, He alone is King.

• As King, He is worthy of gifts that impoverish us, that come from our core wealth. To give to Him only from the fringes of ourselves and our wealth is to dishonor Him; it is a slap in His face, because it says to Him “You are valued only to this degree”. Note that this “core wealth” is not only financial wealth, but the wealth of our human strength, our intellect & ability, our time. “Core wealth” is the most priced portion, the most guarded segment.

• Our gifts are to HIM. Giving gifts to those who don’t need them, or to those who are able to repay us with other gifts, or to those who expect them as a matter of routine is not giving gifts to HIM. Also, giving to 501c3 charitable organizations so that we can get a tax-deduction is not giving to HIM.   How do we know when we are giving to HIM?  By checking our motivation...is there a sense, an awareness of potential benefit to ourselves in the giving? 

When we give of our time, our abilities, our money, our possessions to the poor, the down-&-out, the homeless, the orphaned, the single mother, the unemployed, those in undeveloped lands….and we give these things with joy, eyes fixed upon the King, expecting absolutely nothing in return…then we have given gold, frankincense and myrrh along with the Wise Men.

• Recognition of Jesus as King is the foundation of everything. Is He really King, Authority, Lawmaker, Judge in our lives?? When the Wise Men worshiped Jesus, he was just a small child. But they had their eyes on the future, when His appointment by God as King would be a reality. The same is true for us today. Jesus is absent from our world today…but He has been appointed King, Judge, Authority by God. Will we be like the Wise Men and recognize God’s appointment now, before all of Creation is forced to bow the knee to Him, before He steps up to the Judge’s seat to pass judgment on us?

We have looked at the Scriptures. We have considered its teaching for our lives this Christmas. Now the only thing that remains is this: Will we obey the teaching of Scriptures, or will we continue the pattern set by a godless, materialistic, peer-oriented Society? Will we honor the King as He is worthy, with a view to His future, or will we continue to throw Him only the scraps, the left-overs, the fringes of our blessed lives?      

December 6, 2009

Lately I've been sewing a lot.  I realize this is a lost art, so let me explain how it is done.  I buy a pattern that I think will fit my body.  Then I cut out the fabric, making adjustments where I doubt the pattern's accuracy.  Then I sew it together, usually following the directions.  Then I try it on & stand in from of the mirror.

Now, standing in front of a mirror is not the same thing as living Life.  So after everything is completed, I do a trial wear of the dress.  For 1 or 2 days I see how the dress does while getting in & out of the car, walking up & down steps, sitting in chairs, bending over to kiss the grandkids.  The whole time I critiquing the dress to see how it fits with my life.

Almost invariably I take out the sewing machine again & make some adjustments to the dress.  This final touch makes it work with my life.

Many people approach salvation like that.  They look at all the salvation plans out there...the Buddhist's plan, the Hindu plan, the plan of their parents (not their stated plan, but the plan by which they live), the scientist's plan, the teachings of Society at large....there are OODLES of claims of salvation.  Some plans even say there is no need for a plan, that Man has the essence of goodness within himself.  Some say "Why have a plan for something that will not happen?  Death is just going to sleep; there is no Heaven or Hell."

After looking around these people pick the plan that they think will fit their situation & temprament, much like I choose a pattern.  Then they adjust those parts of the plan that they think need adjusting.  Then they look at themselves in the mirror....but they don't finally, fully accept the plan until they've checked to be sure that it fits their lifestyle.

You see, the average person is thinking that the salvation plan must be changed to fit their lifestyle, not the other way around.

But the Jesus Salvation Plan is unlike any other.  It is not man-made, and therefore becomes null & void if it is altered.  Like new electronics: the warranty becomes null & void if the customer starts to re-arrange it.

The Jesus Salvation Plan is simple: trust, believe, put BOTH feet on, sit down on, rest your soul in, sign on the dotted line with Jesus.   And exactly what do we trust, believe, rest our soul upon?  That Jesus is the one & only mediator between a holy Judge and a sinful person, that as mediator He satisfied the Judge thru His voluntary death, and that the Judge showed His acceptance of Jesus' mediation by raising Him from the dead.

Are both your feet on Jesus?  Or do you have one foot in your good deeds, your church-going, your charitable giving, your Christian parents or grandparents?  (Do a pride check to answer this question.  If we have pride in any other these other things, then we are resting upon them for our spiritual safety.)

The Jesus Salvation Plan is a one-size fits all.  It's the same plan for all peoples, from all generations, all cultures, all economic strata.  The reason His one plan perfectly fits all these different kinds of people is that His Plan is not something we put on, but something we wear inside.  It changes us from the inside out.  In fact, it changes us into the perfect image of Jesus Himself!

Done any sewing lately? As you are shopping for clothes during this holiday season, consider what you are wearing for your soul.  Is it something you have chosen & altered to fit your lifestyle, or is it Jesus, worn on the inside, unaltered, a perfect fit for you and totally acceptable to the Judge.

                           

November 27, 2009

This week many homes have turned into places of joyful celebration as families gathered for the Thanksgiving Dinner.  Women-folk joined forces, making up recipes that have been in the family for generations, catering to favorites, planning details. 

In our home, I have always pulled out the fine china.  It's usually a 2-day preparation, activity that is not "work" but a joyful offering of love to my family & others who join us.  I "live" for the moment when I invite the family to come to the table, and then I watch them enjoy what I have prepared.

                                       

This year, as I was preparing,  I was thinking a lot about the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  In Revelation 19:5-9, we're given a little glimpse of this great celebration.  The Apostle John writes:

And a voice came out of the throne, saying  "Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great!"   And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying  "Alleluia!  For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!  Let us be glad & rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready."  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean & white: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Several things stand out about this passage. 

1) The "Lamb" is the Lamb of God, Jesus, the One who was offered as God's sacrifice for us.  Even on the great day of celebration, at the height of His honor as the bridegroom, He is still known by His willing sacrifice.  We think of Heaven as being a place where all earthly ugliness will be forgot...but the ugliness of  His sacrifice will never be forgot!

2) "His wife" is the saints...that's an old-timey word for His earthly followers, His disciples, those who have obeyed Him during their earthly existence...average people who have loved Jesus enough to obey Him. (It is not that special category of people as determined by church officials.) 

Imagine such a position of intimacy with the Lamb that we are like His wife!  For those of us committed to the Lamb, our day of complete intimacy with Him is coming.

3) The wife coming to this great feast meal in Heaven is dressed up in fine linen.  She's decked out with elegance  & purity & honor.  She presents herself in a manner fitting for a Bride of the Lamb.  And what is her dress?  It is all the works of righteousness she has done on earth.  I wonder if the Apostle John was remembering what he wrote in John 6:27, where Jesus says to the people around Him..."Don't work for things that perish.  Work for things that don't perish, that stay with you for eternity."   Righteous works don't make us His bride, but they prepare us for the Feast of Intimacy with Him.  

("Righteous works" means anything...ANYTHING...that is done in His power, to please Him, in accordance with His character.  It does not mean a super-duper, special category of activity like lighting candles, giving money, feeding the poor, attending church services, singing in the choir,  etc.   Beware of  separatist thinking.  Look at the life of Jesus & make a note of His "righteous works"...ordinary things like encouraging the children, comforting grievers, talking to outcast folk.  Jesus' way is always a holistic way, without the usual categories that belong to man-made religions.)

4) Hidden in this passage, but clearly stated in other passages in the Scriptures, is the idea that God Himself is dressing His Bride in righteous works.  What I mean is that even as we give our wills to live in obedience to Jesus, we are keenly aware that it is His Spirit within us that empowers us to live that way.  If we will yield our wills, then He will do the rest!  So no praise comes to the Bride...it all belongs to the Groom and the Father of the Groom.

As I was preparing our Thanksgiving Dinner, I was enjoying the preparations, and anticipating the moment when my family would approach the table I'd prepared.   I've thought about the Father preparing the Table of Intimacy for His Son, the Lamb.  What will be served at that Table?  Will it be a round table, or a square one?   What is the pattern on Heaven's china?

But a greater question is this: Am I busy about my preparation for His Dinner?  Am I decking myself with fine linen?  Am I focused on living each moment of Life in His light, His power, His way?  Am I surrendering my will to His as a matter of lifestyle? 

In our throw-away culture, we are so used to sloppiness....sloppy dress, sloppy eating, sloppy time management, sloppy education....everything is "casual".  May the Lord give us a sense of that great, wonderful, elegant Feast of the Lamb that He's preparing....and may we respond by giving diligence to our own preparedness for that feast.  Personally, I want to sit as close to the Lamb as possible at that Feast....and only those richly dressed are worthy of that position.

                        

November 18, 2009

The other day I was walking to the mailbox, and I noticed something about the field beside me.  Through the tall grass was clear evidence that someone or something had passed that way.  The grass was bent over, molded by the activity.  At some time in the not-too-distant past a moving object had encountered a stationary object, and things had changed.

                                      

I immediately thought of Life.  As I walk through this Life, touching others, is there a change that is effected?  With my unskilled eyes and dull nose, I could not tell what had passed in the grass, but if my dog were to come that way, her nose would quickly pick up the scent left on the bent grass.

Have I left a "scent" of Christ on those whom I have touched this past week?  Do others notice that scent and have knowledge of Him?

Two weeks ago we had about 75 young people travel the trail on the Hill.  Along the trail were stations.  The theme of the stations was "Tearing Down Strongholds"; Stevie Melton organized it with the help of many others.  At each station, the young people had the opportunity to stop and smell the scent left by someone from the previous generation.  One person smelled of the Stronghold of alcohol, another of reckless driving, another of drug addiction.  It was an evening of serious thinking and considering...not only of the Stronghold, but also of the One can release us from the Stronghold. 

In II Corinthians chapter 10, verses 3-5, the Apostle Paul discussed the Strongholds that were wreaking the lives of the Corinthian believers.  The city of Corinth was a decadent society...not unlike ours here in USA.  Sexual impurity, alcoholism, temple rituals, intellectual decadence...these were ruining the lives of people, and when they came to Christ, they brought the thought-life of their society into their Christian life.

Paul lays it out straight: we're in a war, but not a physical war....we're in a mental war.  We have to re-train our thought patterns according to Truth.  We must put away erroneous thinking, societal lies, imaginations.  And we must discipline our thoughts to be according to Truth as He has shown us in the Scriptures.  Embracing the Truth means living the Life of Obedience to that Truth.  We cannot give mental consent alone...we must give muscle consent!

As those young people encountered the Truth of some strongholds, they each had to decide in their own hearts if they would embrace the Truth that is being told them.  They had to "smell" those who have passed this way before, and they had to act on that "smell".

It is my prayer that as the weeks and months pass, and as opportunities come, that each young person will seize the day, and re-train their thinking according to Truth.  And in that disciplined thought life, they will cement a life of Obedience to the One who owns them and who has already destroyed the Strongholds, buying our liberty, on the Cross.

(Pictures to follow)

November 14, 2009

Like any family, those on the Hill have times & activities that are only for Family, and times & activities that are for touching those outside the Family.  I've been thinking about this alot this week.  Sometimes we separate church budget & activities according to Home and Missions (meaning foreign soil), but perhaps it's better to separate according to Outreach and In-House.

If we look at the Bethel Hill calendar just for last week & next week, what do we find?

In OutReach, we are reaching for those outside the Family thru....

1) Shoeboxes...these are due in the Fellowship Hall this Sunday, November 22.  Include a card of faith or note of encouragement.  If you wrap it, the top & the bottom must be wrapped separately.  Sandy McCoy is coordinating this outreach for us.  The boxes will go to little children in difficult situations.  Just a few weeks ago Mr. Hermann gave testimony to how one of these shoeboxes revolutionized his life in post-war Germany, bringing hope to a little boy surrounded by devastation.  As you put together your box, pray for the young child who will receive your box, that he/she will see Jesus' love in your box.

2) Rebuilding Hope...coming up this Sunday we'll be introduced to this ministry of touching families thru practical help.  It is similar to Habitat for Humanity.  They will bring a trailer to collect unused appliances, and they will talk about hands-on help that we can do to show the love of Jesus to those caught in woeful circumstances of fire, flooding, theivery, poverty, etc.

3) Awana...each Sunday afternoon children "from the outside" come to the Hill for several hours of fun, warmth, love & teaching about Jesus.  Cindi Jacobs coordinates this outreach.  Last year 7 young ones yielded their lives to the Lord Jesus!  We've just completed a new arena for the Awana Games.  Why?  So that we can touch more lives for Him!

4) Puppet Team...each Monday this group of young people gathers to practice.  Margaret Kiser guides them, along with many able helpers.  They practice, practice, practice.  Why?  So that they can clearly tell the story of Jesus and His love outside the church....in parks, in festivals, amongst hurting people in the byways of Life.  Their songs are poignant and hit right to the core of the issue.  "Jesus loves you, and He's waiting for you!"

5) Ethiopia Team...this week starts the Orientation sessions.  Our church is joining with 6 other churches, sending about 25 people to Ethiopia in July 2010.  Yes, that's a long way off, but there is much work to be done in order to be well prepared.  Although the Team goes to Ethiopia, the effect of the Team is right here at home, as members speak in our public schools, to community groups, in newspaper interviews, to co-workers.  This is not just "foreign missions"...this is "home missions".

6) Nursing Home Visitation...  Nora Pixley bravely leads this group to the nursing homes in our area.  Every month they enter the halls of the lonely & abandoned to remind the dear ones that they are not abandoned by the One who loves them.  His presence is real.  He knows every need, and He is sufficient to meet every need.  Drawing them to Himself...that's what it's about!

7) Women's Jail Visitation... Gail Collie heads this work.  Every month they enter a place that most people avoid like the plague.  Why?  Because women who need Jesus live there!  Just a couple weeks ago Gail gave testimony of the effect of this outreach.  Now the women themselves have organized a Bible Study.  New Life is being found in the Saviour!  Hurts are being soothed by Him!  Hope is coming alive again because of His presence! 

8) Mission Kidz Club... This is a club by kids for mission (aka, "outreach").  They just had a garage sale that netted $375 for outreach.  Next on the calendar is leaf-raking for the elderly.  Working for others...that's what it's all about.  Working with Love!

9) Spontaneous Doings... The above items are those "organized" in our Family.  But every week there are small & personal doings of outreach to those outside our Family who need Jesus....wood cuttings, meals to sickly ones, raking leaves for the elderly, babysitting for the single mother, passing cash to needy ones, etc.  This go "unreported".  But the Lord knows each endeavor, and He sees to the results.

So there we have it.... 9 (NINE) regular, focused outreach activities in our Family on the Hill. And those are only the ones that I've thought of....I'm sure there are more that I've missed!

And what about In-House activities?

1) Sunday morning events...church, SundaySchool & Choir/Music are focused on Family.  Visitors are certainly welcome, but the focus is family issues & relationships.  Jason Evans,  Jeanne Rogers, and Barbara Monteque coordinate this time.

2) Senior Banquet and JOY Club events... These are happy fellowship times on a more casual basis.  The Senior Banquet is tonight at 5:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  What makes a senior?  I guess anyone who feels like a senior!  So if you feel that you qualify, come on out!  You won't be rejected on the basis of your age :)  The outing to the lace factory in Oxford has been postponed to next week (due to the recent stormy weather).  Contact Joni & Dudley Dawson for details.

3) Mid-week Bible Study... Each Wednesday evening a group of us gather for in-depth Bible Study.  At the moment Joel Bradsher is leading us thru a series on a Christian World View...how a Christian thinks about happenings in the world.

4) Spontaneous Doings...yep!  We have spontaneous doings in-house also!  Those phone calls, those times of sitting in each other's kitchen or on the front porch, sharing the chores of Life, taking meals to the sickly, cards of encouragement.  These are family things that don't get announced in the bulletin, but are very real & effective.

So the conclusion of the matter: Our family on the Hill has twice as many Outreach activities as In-House activities.  That's a sign of a healthy church!

         

                 

November 6, 2009

The internet is a wealth of information.  This past week I was hit with the H1N1 flu.  And my research about the details of this flu showed up some startling facts:

1) A person with the flu is contagious for 24 hours BEFORE symptoms show up.

2) Wearing a mask is not proven to protection.

3) No one agrees to exactly when a person stops being contagious.

Now, hold those three facts in your mind, and turn in your Bible to Ephesians 2:19-22:

Now, therefore, you aren't strangers and foreigners any more. 
                But you are fellow-citizens with the other believers, and you belong to the household of God.  You are 'built" upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the main cornerstone of the building.  

And in them/Him, all the building (all believers) is perfectly joined together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord.  You yourselves are also built together for a living place of God through His holy Spirit.

This passage is teaching about the relationship of believers on the Hill to each other.  It compares our relationship with each other to a building.

But not any old building.  Sure, every building has a foundation.  The foundation provides stability to the whole structure.  As long as the walls are correctly related to the foundation, there is stability & strength.  But the second that the walls become independent of the foundation, incorrectly aligned, shifting ever so slightly...then the whole building is vulnerable to any storm, to water damage, to deterioration.

At Bethel Hill, our strength as a church is directly tied to our alignment with the "apostles, prophets and the Lord Jesus"....this is just another way of saying, "the word of God".  Whatever our programs, whatever our financial priorities, whatever our focus points.....the strength of our congregation lies in our alignment with the programs, priorities & focus points of the Word of God.  

We must always be coming back to this issue.  Are we aligned squarely with the prophets, apostles and Lord Jesus.....or are we aligned with society, fads, personalities or emotions?

But the thing that makes this building different is the way the walls are built.  Often when people teach from this passage they add a little blurb about us being the bricks and Jesus being the mortar that holds the bricks.  But this is not what this passage teaches!

Jesus is the cornerstone, not the mortar.  Although it sounds nice, it is not truth.

Just before I came down with the flu, a friend & I were discussing this passage.  And he pointed out something very important.  The stones that form the walls of the Holy Temple that is indwelt by the Spirit (ie. the church) are "fitly/perfectly joined together".  Suddenly I had a flash back to the ancient buildings.  I've stood at the Parthanon in Athens; I've joined the many at the "Wailing Wall" of the old Temple in Jerusalem; I've crawled through the tunnels of the great pyramids in Egypt; I've climbed the steps of the ancient pyramids of the Incas & Mayas in Central America. 

And they all have one thing in common.....the stones were not joined by mortar!  No, each stone was laboriously cut, scraped & fine tuned until it fit perfectly with the stone beside, on top, and underneath it!  

Much, much work went into the perfect alignment of these stones!  And perhaps because there was no mortar, these massive feats of architecture have survived the test of Time.

This is a picture of the Lord's building His church.  He takes each of us stones, and He chisels and shapes us to be a perfect fit in our place in His building.

But you see, it hurts to be changed so that we fit with those around us in the church!  And what often happens is this: we get our feelings hurt because something didn't go our way, or someone's smile was a little crooked, or the music was a little off, or someone took our seat on the pew, or...(you fill in the blank).  Instead of allowing the Lord Jesus through His Spirit and the Word to chisel and shape us, we scream "foul!" and we either try to ramrod our idea of things, or else we leave the party!

Remember the facts about the flu?  They are like our church.  The only way that is a guarantee not to get sick/hurt is to completely & permanently not have any contact with another person. 

But if we are to have any measure of Life in the Body, we must have contact with the people in the Body.  And we might get "sick" even before we realize the danger.  And we can't wear a "mask" to protect ourselves.  And we will continue to be contagious with our own shortcomings & sins long after the symptoms have disappeared; in fact, no one really knows when we are safe to be around.

This is a long entry.  Let me sum it up with these facts:

1) God joins us stones in His building by chipping away at us.  His goal is that we fit perfectly with each other, but this means that His skillful Hands must remove our pride, our lack of faith, our lack of love, our ignorance, our petty-ness, our emotionalism, our.....(you fill in the blank).

2) When you rub against another stone in His building why not surrender to the Spirit's chipping away in your life?  It's much better that running away, or trying to bully the situation .  Be patient.  Surrender to His Hand.  And then watch the end result of perfect unity & strength!

3) Wearing a mask doesn't help in church.  You'll still get rubbed the wrong way in some matter....it's just a matter of time.   Let the Spirit give you the courage to remove the mask and trust His love in the midst of His people.  And then go the next step to trust His Hand in shaping you (& others) to fit perfectly together.

4) Remember the purpose of the building is not the happiness of the stones that compose the walls!  No!  The purpose of the Building is an habitation, a HOLY dwelling place, for the Living God.  The church is much bigger that us!  We are nothing in the eternal scope of things.  So let us bear that in mind.

Question: Are you willing to be chipped & shaped by a loving master-builder?  Am I?  Only when we surrender to His Hand and His Purpose will we be made strong to accomplish our purpose as a church.   

                                           

October 31, 2009

Today the Mission Kidz take over the Hill.  They're on the move!  Working for the Kingdom...doing what they can do...setting us an example in word & deed.  Already, they've touched the life of a 12-year-old girl named Azufg in India.  Now they are raising funds for missions.  In November & December, they touch the lives of elderly as they rake leaves and visit nursing homes. 

Like I said, they're on the move!  Some to the Hill today, 7:30-12:00.  Get your Christmas presents.  Fill you cupboards.  Find that special something you've been looking for.

And at the same time, join the missions outreach of these young people. 

Fact is, in our denomination, only 2 cents of every dollar put in the offering plate ends up serving the Lord Jesus abroad.  Only 2 cents!  (The SBC lags way behind the CMA denomination, which puts 13 cents for every dollar to work abroad.) 

Today, we can change that figure on the Hill.  Thanks to our Mission Kids!

October 24, 2009

As I write the rain has begun to fall.  It is 7:45am...I awoke to the gentle sound of pitter-patter on the roof.  Such a sweet, pleasant sound!

The rain is falling gently...washing the dust & grime from the earth, satisfying thirsty plants, refreshing animals, cleaning the air.

Reminds me of the Father's Love for us.   It is His Love that cleans the grime of our souls, that satisfies our inner thirst, that refreshes our spirit, that renews the breath of life within us.

The last rain I experienced was in Texas.  It had been raining for hours before we even noticed!  The large brick house and the composite roof insulated us.

But here on the farm, our home is clapboard and the roof is tin.  The windows are large, and we delight to look outside.

How much these 2 houses are like us people.  What is your "housing" like today?  Are you wrapped up in thick insulation, so that you don't even know His Love is flowing down all around you?   Or are you connected to the world around you, so that you readily see His Hand?

I pray that today you will remove those things that insulate you against His Love, and allow yourself to experience the reality of His Love for you.  His Love is safe.  It is gentle.  And it is falling all around you....washing away the grime, satisfying thirst, refreshing lagging spirits and renewing the breath of Life within.   Will you stop & embrace it?

                                                                                             

October 20, 2009

Spontaneity.  What a wonderful word!  It means the ability to be spontaneous, which means "proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external constraint".  It's a word that goes with   "Family".  And under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it produces a wonderful, meaningful, holistic meeting  time.  Many times our modern churches have lost this quality...everything is programed, pre-planned to the 'nth degree, allotted  exact minutes....like a formal play in the downtown opera house.  Come in, sit down, read the program, listen, get up, walk out discussing the program & where to go to eat.

Not so at Bethel Hill Baptist Church!  The counsel of the Scriptures regarding meetings is share together...food, teaching, counsel, issues, joys, Life.  And that sharing cannot be done if everything is so highly structured that we can't "breath" the Holy Spirit's working in our lives.

Of course, the sharing is more than a group counselling session!  It's not your typical AA or group therapy time!  No, it is a sharing that is flowing from the work of the Holy Spirit in our individual lives.  As such, it is godly, holy, orderly, balanced, respectful, gracious...like Him!

The tone for our time was set with our songs "Here I am to Worship" (that's the focus of our whole life!) and "Oh, Lord, You're BEAUTIFUL!.....Your Face is all I see!  And when Your eyes are on this child, Your grace abounds in me!"

How can we be silent when His grace is upon us?  How can we be dull bumps on a log when we see His glory?  It is impossible!

Spontaneous expression of His wonder abounded on Sunday morning at the Hill.  First, Leanna & Nathan abounded at the piano & organ; then Dave & Nathan took over abounding in the guitar & gut bucket.  Then Leigh & Lynette abounded with the Ethiopian celebration trill!

What an event that was!  As we were all singing "Victory in Jesus...My Savior, Forever!  He sought me, and He bought me...with He redeeming blood!.  He loved me 'ere I knew Him, and now all my love is due Him!  He plunged me to Victory, beneath His cleansing blood!"

Suddenly, like a high descant rising from Earth to Heaven, came the Celebration Trill.  In Ethiopia this is commonly done.  It is a high-pitched, fast movement of the tongue against the hard pallet of the mouth.  And if often arises in Ethiopia worship services, or when a guest has arrived, or when good news has been received.  One or two people start, and then others take it up....and before long it fills the place as a great expression of joy!

Leigh (brave, Spirit-led woman that she is) started it, then Lynette...and soon Cindi, Molly & BeckyLynn joined in...and perhaps there were others also.  Of course, Jason had to explain all about it to the folks who hadn't been to Ethiopia. (He was afraid it might frighten our visitors...)  Next time, everyone will be prepared to join in!  To my knowledge, this is the first time an American congregation of the Lord has celebrated His joy with an Ethiopian celebration trill.  I wonder what other things we can gain from our Ethiopian brethren!

After recooperation from that spontaneity, we had a special time with one of our deacons,   Paul & his wife Amanda.  Yes, we got it backward....we should have heard his testimony before voting (like the Scriptures say), but better late then never! His favorite verses are Psalm 18:28, Psalm 37:34, Isaiah 55:6 and Mark 11:23-25.  And his prayer every day is that he would have the strength, courage & wisdom to be able to witness of Jesus' Life.  He praised the Lord for those elders in the congregation that had impacted his life for Christ and His Church...Mary Jacobs, Tommy Brandon (see Sept 30 blog for interview), and others.  The Lord's work flows from generation to generation, each faithful in its time frame, to work for the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus!

Then we got a very special testimony about shoe boxes from Herman.  He told of receiving his first shoe box 65 years ago in war-torn Germany.  He described opening the box to find pens, paper, tooth brush & paste, soap.  And His response was "This isn't a shoe box.  This is a CARE BOX...because someone in America cares for me."   God delights to use the small ordinary things of Life to impact others with a realization of His love!  As we gather our shoe boxes this year, let's pray for the little child who will receive the box.

Finally, BeckyLynn spoke of the goodness of the Lord Jesus.  Though weak from a recent chemo treatment, she stood to give Him the praise that is rightly due Him....for His blessing upon the Texas trip with meetings & strength, for His blessing upon the Ethiopia work with the provision of an ambulance vehicle & water reservoir system for the clinic, for His power in her own life through the prayers & love of others.  Spontaneous applause was raised to the Lord of Heaven for His great goodness!    

Spontaneity.

   Family. 

Jesus' active life in us. 

Holy Spirit-directed relationships.

                 That's what it's all about at the Hill.  Praise God for His Life in us!     

                                 

      

              

        

             

         

                      

October 17, 2009

The past 2 weeks Dave & BeckyLynn Black have been traveling in the Houston-Dallas corridor of Texas.  Their purpose? To share the glory of the Lord Jesus as seen in His work in Ethiopia.  Bethel Hill Baptist Church has been a large part of that work.  In fact, it was the faith of Jason Evans that spurred the Blacks to begin the work of the Galana Clinic in Burji.

Not too long before the Black's departure, Jason began teaching from the book of Acts.  The message of the first chapter of Acts dovetails perfectly with the trip to Texas.

In Acts chapter one, we find the disciples asking some key questions... 

                        "Who are we?  Who will lead us?  What is our function now?"  

Jesus, their leader, friend, Master, had been crucified and risen.  They had seen Him, talked with Him, eaten with Him.  Now they all stood on the hillside saying 'good-bye' as He was preparing to leave them.

Their questions were real.  They were in a sort of identity crisis.  So much unexpected had happened, yet it made perfect sense as they searched the Scriptures.  But now what?

Jesus had come.  Jesus had gone.  Jesus had promised to come again.....

                                        .But what do we do in the meantime?

Each recording of the Gospel of Jesus Christ closes with this statement: His came for a purpose....now the Gospel must go to all nations, to every people group, to every creature!

The book of Acts is the sequel to the Gospel as recorded by Luke.  It was written to an educated man named Theophilus, and it assumed that Theophilus already was familiar with the Gospel recording.  In the first few verses of Acts, Luke summarizes the life of Jesus.  With each generation of mankind, we must hear, know, learn the Word of God, so that we can remain in the Faith....this challenge has come to us at the Hill.  The Challenge is to understand who we are and how we are to do what we do.  How will we as a church on the Hill be led, with Jesus now gone to Heaven?  He is there; we are here.  How will we be led as a church, as His body, as His people?

The answer is simple: Jesus is still going to lead us, and He will lead through the Holy Spirit that He sent.  The Holy Spirit will teach us through the Scriptures, He will convict and guide us, and we must develop a discerning of His leading.

We are like those first disciples.  We are asking the same questions.  And the book of Acts gives us the answer to those questions.

You see, God has always had a redemptive plan.  And His plan has been revealed to Man in stages...we call this "progressive revelation."  (I call is "Smart Revelation".  Can you imagine His telling us the whole plan at the very beginning, in the Garden....we would not have been able to handle all that information.  Instead, we got pieces of information, and we coupled that information with faith in the character of God to complete what was still unknown to us.)

Remember after Jesus' resurrection when Jesus fell in with 2 men walking home from Jerusalem?  This is recorded in Luke 24:18-27.  For hours of walking, Jesus laid out all the Scriptures, all the progressive revelation to that point in history, to show how He was the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.   Then starting in Luke 24:44 Jesus repeated this explanation to his other disciples gathered in Jerusalem. 

"God has always had a plan to redeem and rescue people.  God has no other person to look to except Jesus."   And now, in God's plan, His purpose for us is to carry this story of redemption & rescue to all the nations!

Jason summarized: "We are the ones whom He is leading to take His plan to the nations and to our neighbors!"  This is our role in His plan.

The disciples at first thought His plan involved the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel.  Jesus didn't rebuke them for this idea, but He gently told them not to get distracted with earthly kingdoms.  Don't waste energy thinking about that!  The focus is not on earthly kingdoms; the focus is on the Gospel getting to the people of all nations. (Do we need to take this to heed as we consider our emphasis upon our Americanism?)

Salvation, Rescue, Healing, Redemption....this is available only in the Name of Jesus....not in the name of a country, a political party, an economic system, a military, or a world leader.  It is only available int he Name of JESUS!

How do we get that Name to the people of all nations?  Jason showed 2 'methodologies' from this first chapter of Acts.

1) Look to Jesus....His deeds and His teaching.  The Holy Spirit ALWAYS leads us in complete accordance with the deeds & teachings of Jesus!  As the disciples gathered that first time after Jesus' return to Heaven, Peter reminded them: "The Scriptures have to be fulfilled!"  We must look to the Scripture to know how we are to be.  And so they found in the Scriptures the instructions about choosing a replacement for the Betrayer Judas.  "Let another take his office", it read in the Psalms.  Then they looked for the framework of the decision: someone who had been with Jesus the whole time from John's baptism to the resurrection.  After identifying these men, they prayed, prayed, prayed.  They followed the example of Jesus: He prayed before choosing His 12 disciples, and now they were praying before choosing the replacement.   Can you see the link between the disciples first official act as the Church and the Scriptures, coupled with the deeds & teaching of Jesus? 

Today, we must do no differently.  We must always start first with the Scriptures...not denominational guidelines, not tradition, not personalities, not personal preferences & emotions.  We must look first to the Scriptures for clear instructions, and then we must look to the life of Jesus for our model of implementing those Scriptures.

2) Let the Holy Spirit guide in specific application of the Scriptures.  In Acts 1:24, the disciples prayed "Lord, show us which man YOU have chosen!  Lord, you know all hearts; You know what we do not know.  Show us whom you have chosen for this work."

You see, Jesus actually had never left His church!  Although He is now residing in Heaven, acting on our behalf before the Father, He is also present with us in the form of His Spirit.  So He is still ACTIVELY guiding His church in the fulfillment of His instructions to take the Gospel to all the people of the world.

"Bethel Hill Baptist Church, we are a part of God's redemptive plan for the 21st Century.  We've got to re-discover how God is leading His people to be witnesses about who Jesus is!  Jesus is still INTIMATELY involved in His church!  We have the Scriptures, Jesus' works, Jesus teaching, and the Holy Spirit's guidance."

So we have no excuse for missing the boat!  The Father's work is continuing in the world...us Hillions cannot be sitting on the sidelines, caught up in our own little worlds.  We must be about the Father's business.  We must be actively pursuing the people we can contact with the message of the Gospel!

So....Do you yourself know Jesus?  You cannot tell what you do not know yourself!

And....Do you know what He is asking of you?  Will you be a steady, diligent, faithful, reliable witness of His work in your life?  Do you know the Scriptures well, so that you can lean on them for guidance?  Are you familiar with the lifestyle and teaching of Jesus, so you can model your own lifestyle after His? Are you listening to the Holy Spirit?  (He does not speak loudly; He does not beat us over the head....His voice is calm, quiet, distinct.  Those who listen patiently will hear, but those who are rushing ahead will miss His instructions. )

In the words of an ancient hymn:

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

Jason's concluding words hit the nail on the head: 

              "A church that does not take God's plan of salvation to the              Nations fails to be a church of Jesus Christ"

Wow!  That deserves a 2nd read:

                 "A church that does not take God's plan of salvation to the          Nations fails to be a church of Jesus Christ."

May the Lord Jesus, our Senior Pastor, impress this upon the heart of every person in our Bethel Hill family!

October 6, 2009

 How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure!

That He would give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father's son forsaken///

As wounds which mar the Chosen One, bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross, my guilt upon His shoulders!

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished.

His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything...no gifts, no power, no wisdom.

BUT  I WILL BOAST IN JESUS CHRIST...HIS DEATH & RESURRECTION!

Why should I gain from His reward?  I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom!

The Father's Love is the reason we can have a HomeComing.

September  30, 2009

With our HomeComing celebration coming up, let's visit with Mr. Brandon. He's serving as the chair of the HomeComing Committee.  And he is possibly the oldest one in our Family, being a ripe 88 years of age.  I got his story while sitting with him & his wife Martha in their living room.

                                                  I asked him how long he'd been at our fellowship, and he responded "all my life."  And that is almost literally true.  He is one of 8 children.  I don't know if you say he's 2nd or 3rd from the end, because the last babies were a set of twins!  His daddy was a share-cropper, and when Mr. Brandon was very young, the family moved across the state line from Virginia.  Today, this can be accomplished in just a few short minutes, but in those days of horse & buggy, it was a big change.  So they left off their home church in Virginia, and they joined up with the closest fellowship, called Bethel Hill Baptist Church.

One thing I was impressed about in talking with Mr. Brandon is the way, in his family, the boundaries between denominations hasn't affected a unified worship of the Savior.  You see, Mr. Brandon's daddy had been baptized in the Methodist church, so he never "officially" joined the Baptist church...but he was busy serving & supporting its work just the same! ("My daddy quit school.  He never finished 5th grade.  But he could read the Bible!  He knew more about the Bible than I'll ever know!")  And Mr. Brandon's father-in-law was a Presbyterian minister; but since they lived just across the street from the Hill, he was the regular Sunday School teacher at the Hill for many, many years! 

Denominations are man-made groupings.  There will be no Baptists, Methodists, Calvinists, Orthodox, Presbyterians, etc. in Heaven.  We'll be our true selves there...wholly & completely His children!

Anyway, Mr. Brandon "officially" joined the Hill congregation at age 11.  He grew up on the farm, finished high school and began work at the Collins & Aikman upholstery plant.  Eventually he went into business with his brother in upholstery.  Mr. Brandon did the woodwork & marketing, while his brother did the upholstering.  Everything was self-taught.  (Today, when you visit him in their home, you'll see samples of his wood-working skill....beautiful work!!)

Of course, the war came.  And Mr. Brandon joined up in the Navy.  He was a gunner on a tanker that carried aviation fuel all over the globe.  He never saw any 'action', but he went through the Panama Canal once and the Suez Canal SEVEN times!  (I've only been through it 3 times, on freighters carrying missionaries to Africa.)

                                       

After the war, Mr. Brandon got married & settled down.  His family home was taken by an energy company, so they settled into Mrs. Brandon's family home.  Over the years, God chose not to give them children, but He showered them with nieces & nephews....and the children at Bethel Hill.

One of his favorite traditions at the Hill is the Christmas Eve tradition of giving little sacks of goodies to the children.  This tradition began during the Great Depression.  People didn't have money for gifts; times were hard.  But on Christmas Eve, after the service, the children were sent home with an apple, an orange, some nuts, a few raisons, "even a sugar plum with the vine still attached."  On rare occasions they even got a piece of candy!

Times have changed; today our children are overflowing with goodies.  An apple or some nuts means nothing to them.  But we keep up the tradition, as a sort of remembrance of the days of difficulty in which the Lord remained faithful.  And it is a good reminder to us who feel that Life has passed us by...no matter how difficult our circumstance, there is ALWAYS something we can give!

Since Mr. Brandon's home is within earshot of the church, I thought he would be a good one to tell us about the physical development of the campus.  "The first church was a T-shape clapboard.  It didn't have a front door!"  What?!?!  No front door to a church??

That's right...the doors were on the ends of the "T".  The Sunday School 'rooms' were in the front; iron rods were placed & curtains were drawn to make the rooms....then the curtains were pulled back for the service.  There was a pop-belly wood stove for heat.  "At that time architecture didn't mean that much and we didn't travel around, so we didn't how other churches were.  I know don't if this was a common construction or not."

Well, for me, it was a first.....a church with no front door!

The 2nd church building fixed that problem.  It stayed T-shaped & clapboard, with the popbelly stove, but a  door was added to the front & it was beautified with stain glass windows.  This renovation was done just before the war, in the late 1930s.  (Incidentally, those same stained-glass windows are still in our building today!)

The church of today was done in the 1960s.  Originally there was no steeple; that was added when it was expanded to include the Fellowship Hall.  The original 'Fellowship Hall' was where the kitchen is now.  And 15 years ago, the bathrooms were expanded & updated.  During the parking lot update, they cut down a tree.....inside was a piece of metal...it was the old hitching ring for the horses that brought the early folk to the Hill!  (Maybe the horses of Mr. Brandon's father were attached to that ring!)

         

So much for the physical house on the Hill.  What about the spiritual house?

Mr. Brandon taught Sunday School for 28 years here.  "I can't teach," he responded when the Nominating Committee (of which he was chair) asked him.  "Well, I'll try it for 1 year.  But keep that in mind & be prepared with a teacher for next year."  Twenty-eight year later, when his eyesight was failing, he taught his last time.  Yes, tears were shed his last Sunday, but now his students are teaching! (including Woody Jacobs).  And in recent years, he's heard from former students far & wide...."Thank you for investing in me", they all say.

One thing I was impressed about Mr. Brandon the Teacher...he was involved in the lives of his students.  "I'd carry them places!  We'd put a bale of straw in the back of my truck & go to Stone River park to swim, or into Durham to do Christmas shopping.  They would do what I asked them to do.  On New Year's Eve we always spent the night at church, playing games all night; after breakfast in the morning, we'd go home."  Many, many are the influences in the Lord's church, either at Bethel Hill or in transplanted congregations, because of Mr. Brandon's investment of himself in these young lives...teaching them the Scriptures & living out the Gospel before them.

"My prayer is that the church can continue to grow, not only in size but in spiritual growth.  And that we can all be together, having unity.  I'm for missions; our church has always been for missions.  And we have to keep the church here strong too."

The elders in our congregation are gems...precious pieces, without price, valuable.  Their sweet smiles, gentle hands and warm hearts radiate with all that is good in grandparents.  The Lord has brought them through challenges that have tempered their perspective on Life and given them a sweet confidence in the trustworthiness of our Lord.

        So I asked Mr. Brandon for his word of advice.  To the young people he wants to say  this: "Try to listen to people who are trying to help you.  I look back & remember Sunday School teachers I had, and I appreciate what they did for me."    To the adults he wants to say this: "Listen to & accept the advice from older people about priorities, etc."

His favorite verse is Matthew 6:33:  "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things (clothes, food, etc) will be added to you."

That's a good verse....even for those of us less than 88 years old!

September 26, 2009

Amazing that 2 weeks has passed since updating this blog.  No, I have not died :)  But I've been disabled by the chemo treatment.  Please forgive me.  I'll try to do better.

Last Sunday we voted to accept the Mission/Vision Statement as printed below.  In the coming months, I hope that this blog will share some of how God is enabling us to live out the Statement.  To have a piece of neatly-written words or philosophy means nothing; it is the doing of the words, the living of the philosophy that counts for something.  The Apostle James said the same thing: "Don't be just hearers of the Word of God....BE DOERS!"

The new roof is on the Fellowship Hall...just in time for the rainy wintry season of the year.  We'll post pictures as soon as they are available.  A big thank you to all who came out & helped!  To the supply people, the organizing people, the nailers, the movers, the cookers, the cleaner-uppers.  God knows your work.  He knows what you sacrificed (family time, aches/pains, accident exposure, leisure time, etc), and He will reward you according to your sacrifice and your attitude while working.  I Corinthians 13 says that service without love, knowledge without love, expertise without love is nothing.  Knowing our family at Bethel Hill, there was much love in the labor of the rooftop. (See September 5th blog)

AWANA has gotten off to a good start.  Our Fall Sunday School classes are in full swing.  The July 2010 Ethiopia Team is beginning to be formed.  Lots is happening at the Hill and through the people on the Hill.

The next big thing coming up is HomeComing.  In only 2 weeks, on Sunday, October 11.

Homecoming.  What does that mean?  I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in the rural South, it's a big event.  It's like a big family reunion.  Anyone ever associated with a church comes back to the church for a special time of reconnection and remembering.  Newcomers often feel overwhelmed & lost, but old-timers are riding high.  Usually the festivities involve an updated history book, the return of former pastors, media presentations, a special "dinner on the ground". 

Here at the Hill, Mr. Brandon has been our Homecoming Chairman.  A couple weeks ago I met with him in his home, and he pulled out old history books of the church.  That interview will be featured on this blog in the coming days.

But getting back to the idea of Homecoming....  I can't help but think of my garden.  This year I planted a "winter" garden.  It's full of beets, collards, brocculi, spinach...the kinds of things that like cooler weather.  They are very rich in nutrients & are wonderful on the table in the dead of winter.

  Unlike the seeds for summer gardens, the seeds of these kinds of crops are teeny-tiny!!!!  They are so tiny that it's hard to see them.  (We distributed some of these seeds to the people in Alaba, Ethiopia a couple years ago....the Muslim farmers fought over them, very carefully counting out each little seed.)

All that to say, it is very difficult to plant the seeds the proper distance apart for the full plant.  So thinning, thinning & more thinning is required.  And when it's possible, I always transplant rather than thin.  By transplanting the little plant, I move it from an over-crowded area to a less crowded area, so that in the end both areas have an abundant of full-grown, productive plants.

Now the idea of thinning (pulling up sweet, innocent little plants & discarding them) seems cruel.  And the trauma of transplant is cruel.  After all, those plants have developed a close friendship, they support each other, they've always been together....and then I go uprooting them!

  (Crowded beets & brussel sprouts)                                      (the process of transplanting for greater productivity)

So what does all of this have to do with HomeComing?  As I was transplanting a few weeks ago, I was thinking of the Lord's church.  His church is about people who are using their lives to follow Jesus.  His church is not bounded by geography, culture, language, history.  It is bounded by the Gospel only.  And the end result of the Gospel, the purpose of His church, is to produce fruit for the Kingdom....honor & glory to Him through lives of obedience & faith & love & trust.

People being people, we must meet & relate at locations.  Hence we have this "church" and that "church".  And sometimes our "church" gets too crowded for the area.  There is not enough space for us to grow to full plants, with maximum production for the Kingdom.  Like the little crowded plants, we lean too much on each other for support, we fight with each other for the nutrients of the soil, we become dead even before we become alive as the "strong ones" out-live the "weak ones".  The "weak ones" die away over time, suffocated because of over-crowding.

Just before His return to Heaven, Jesus said to His followers: "Take the message I've given you to every person in the world.  Teach them to follow Me."  His mandate to His followers was a working mandate, not a comfort-&-leisure mandate.   He didn't say "I've given you life...now just sit back & enjoy the Life I've given you."

But did the early followers do as Jesus said?  Not initially.  Sure, they preached in Jerusalem...and many believed.  But many who had come to Jerusalem for the Jewish festivals decided to stay put & sit back & enjoy this new Fellowship; resident believers sold their lands & possessions to fund those who settled in.

It wasn't until God sent persecution that the followers got serious about Jesus' mandate.  When He forced them off their duffers, they moved out & went to serious work, telling people all over the globe about the Gospel.  They had to be separated a bit in order to be fruitful.

In essence, God was "transplanting" His followers from over-crowded areas to less-crowded areas.....so that the end result will be healthier, more productive plants for the Kingdom.

                                  

We don't like to be transplanted.  We don't like to move to new areas.  We want our comforts.  We like our traditions. How much better to submit to transplanting than to be forced into it by the Lord's "persecution".

Transplanting is a necessary part of a healthy local fellowship.  And HomeComing is our way of calling back the transplanted ones, so that we can share testimonies...of what God has done in the home church as well as what God has done in the transplanted areas.  Too often HomeComing degenerates into a long series of cute stories about the past.  I'm already praying that our Lord will help us to see His Hand in the past as well as the future.

I wonder what Heaven was like at Jesus' HomeComing.......

                                       

September 11, 2009

For an awesome worship experience, check this out!  You'll never read Hebrews the same!  www.youthministrygeek.com/2009/08/hebrews-meets-star-wars/  

From time to time we "revisit" our Mission & Vision Statement.  Unlike the Scriptures, this statement needs to be "updated" to reflect current language and ministry thrust.  It is our way of taking the teaching of Scripture & personalizing it to Bethel Hill, as the Holy Spirit has impressed us.  The Statement was recently updated; we discussed this in our meetings, but soon we'll be voting on the updated language & thrust.

So take time to prayerfully review the Statement below, so you will be ready to vote as the Spirit directs you.

MISSION  STATEMENT

"Our mission is to take the whole Gospel to the whole world."

Bethel Hill Baptist church exists to glorify God by equipping the whole family of God to understand and obey Christ's commission to take the whole Gospel to the whole world.

VISION STATEMENT

"Our vision is to live as committed followers of Jesus and to share His Gospel with the whole world through word and deed by....."

1. Exhorting the family of God to love God and others as Christ commands.

2. Equipping the family of God to channel their unique spiritual gifts to serve one another, the community and the world, so that every member would see every relationship as an opportunity to share the Gospel and encouarge lifestyles obedient to Christ's teachings.

3. Educating the family of God in sound doctrine through regular teaching and preaching of the Scriptures.

4. Encouraging the family of God to understand that the authentic life of faith includes gathering together corporately and is lived out daily in our public and private "inter-relationships" with one another.

5. Encouraging the family of God to see worship as an internal value system that involves channeling our offerings, our time and our talents towards the kingdom of God (i.e. singing, serving, teaching one another, in  the home workplace and school).

6. Edifying the family of God to be diligent to love one another, maintain unity, and pursue peace with all mankind.

September 8, 2009

AWANA is getting ready to burst forth on our little hill.  (AWANA is a children's program; the acronym stands for "Approved Workmen are not Ashamed.")

Last evening I caught up with Cindi Jacobs, the Commander of our AWANA program.

                                       

BHBC: Cindi, thank you for taking time to visit with me.  We're sitting here in your home...it's only a stone's throw from the church, huh!  Tell me about your family.

Cindi: My husband is Woody.  He's worked at Progress Energy for 25 years.  I've worked at Bethel Hill Charter School in Administration for 9 years.  Our 2 children Abigail (10) and Lendon (12) live with us, and our other son Caleb is in college.

BHBC: Tell us about how you came to Bethel Hill and what you've been doing in the Body.

Cindi: Woody brought me to Bethel Hill; he's been coming all his life!  At the beginning, I was involved in Vacation Bible School, first as a helper & then as the director.   I've also taught the Adult Ladies Sunday School for 6 or 7 years, but now I've recently moved to teaching a children's class.  My heart is really in working with the adults in Sunday School, but the need was for a children's teacher.  I enjoy leading & teaching adults because this makes me do deeper in my own life (into the Scriptures).

BHBC: And I know that you've been enjoying Molly's Women's Bible Study on the life of Esther on Monday evenings.  And you've been to Ethiopia twice with our teams. You're a busy lady!....a family to care for, work outside the home, regular involvement in church life.   How did it come that you got involved in AWANA?

Cindi: This is the 7th year that we've had AWANA at Bethel Hill.  Each year I've helped...I started helping with the games.  This is the 3rd year that I've been Commander.  It takes lots of people to help in the different aspects of the program, and this year we've been abundantly blessed with helpers!  God has been very good to us in giving us so many adults who delight to work with our children!

BHBC: Why are you the Commander?

  Cindi: I have a passion to see young children come to know Jesus as Savior, and I was in AWANA as a child.  The AWANA program was meaningful to me as a child, and I want the kids at our church & in the area to have that same experience.   Another thing that God has laid on my heart is this: children are raised in church but are often departing when they become adults.   I want that to be different for our kids.  I want them to stay active, committed, enjoying church when they become adults.

BHBC: Tell me more about the AWANA program.

Cindi: We have 4 groups of children.  The Puggles are the really little ones; they are 1-2 years old.  The Cubbies are ages 3 & 4 (Pre-kindergarten).  The Sparks are kindergarten, first & second graders.  And the T&T clubbers are in 3rd, 4th & 5th grades.

BHBC: "T&T"?

Cindi: Yes.  That stands for Truth & Training.  The focus of the AWANA is two-proned.  Each clubber has a weekly assignment memorizing the Bible & learning the meaning of the verses.  Side-by-side with this Bible learning are practical projects in demonstrating love to God and others.   We really desire to bring in kids from the general area, to share Jesus with them and to help them learn His way.  Each clubber receives his own book, and as he works his way thru the book, learning the verses and doing the projects, he will earn jewels & awards.  In addition to the book projects, we have lots of game fun together.  In AWANA, we play games that you will never see elsewhere.  We have an "AWANA CIRCLE"; it's a special place for our games.  At Bethel HIll we've just revamped our Circle & it's really nice having a full-sized new game floor! So it's lots of fun!

BHBC: Yes, I remember the AWANA Olympics held last spring.  It was good old-fashioned competition with very unique games!  One thing that was a blessing to me was to watch how many, many men we have involved in the games!  Bethel Hill is blessed to have strong men who are dedicated to the Family here.  On another note, I've noticed that there are supplies and uniforms in the AWANA program. Is there a cost to join as a clubber?

Cindi:  Like most clubs out there, there is a small cost.  This is $25/yr for the first clubber, $40/yr for 2 clubbers in a family, and a maximum of $50/yr per family.  This helps us pay for the vests & T-shirt uniforms, the items needed for games, each clubber's book, the award pins & jewels, snacks, etc.

BHBC: Tell us about how a clubber can get involved & join AWANA at Bethel Hill.

Cindi: This Sunday, September 13, we are having our first meeting.  It's an informational meeting, designed to introduce AWANA to parents & take registrations.  We'll start at 3:00pm, and finish with a pizza supper.  Last year our AWANA time was an hour later; this year we're trying the 3-5pm time slot.

BHBC: So anyone even remotely interested in joining this great program and getting their kids involved should be at the meeting.  Cindi, as we close our time together, do you have any message that you want to share to this years Clubbers and Parents?

Cindi:  To the Clubbers, I'd like to say this: I want you to learn, and grow in Jesus, and then teach others about Jesus.  To the Parents of the Clubbers, I'd like to say: Your role is very important.  We ask you to be supportive of your Clubber, helping them with memory verses & activities, getting them to Club on time, helping them with their uniform, etc.  And if we can help you in any way, Parent, please contact me.

BHBC:  Thank you, Cindi, for taking this time to share your heart and the AWANA program. 

Let's all pray for the workers, the Clubbers and the Parents this year...that our Lord will show Himself & that His glory will shine thru the memory verses, the snacks, the Bible stories, the games, and every other aspect of this program.

      In other children's ministry news, Joni Dawson & Nora Pixley are starting up a Mission Club for Kids.  This group of kids will meet 4-6 times in a year. They will focus on mission outreach both local & foreign.  The first meeting is Wednesday afternoon, Sept 16, 1-4 pm in the Fellowship Hall.  The outings & ministry times will be according to the calendar of the Bethel Hill Charter School, focusing on those days of vacation, early release, etc.  A yellow registration sheet was given to all children; if you didn't get yours, please call Joni at 336-597-2063.

Treasurer Jerry Thompson has prepared a financial statement of the past year (2008-9). You can pick up a copy in the foyer.

Do ideas matter?   The way you think drives the way you live!   If you are on a quest for Truth, so that your living is vibrant & stable, then come join us for our 13-week study on Developing a Christian World View.  Wednesday evenings at 6:30.  Joel Bradsher will be the teacher.

The Men's Conference is coming up soon.  There are only 15 empty rooms left.  If you'd like to reserve your bed, contact Jason.

It's not too early to begin preparations for the Ethiopia Trip in July, 2010.  If you are interested in being a part of this, plan to join us for a simply lunch and introductory meeting on Sunday, Sept 20.  Bring $3/person to cover the cost of the lunch.

Prayer items from the Prayer Sunday School class:

Roan's friend...for salvation as he's dying from cancer; Roan & Sandy's family...lost everything after unemployment; Nora's neice...health issues; Rick's brother...salvation/Gospel discussions; BeckyLynn's friend...salvation; Dave & BeckyLynn...chemo treatments starting, trip to Texas for Ethiopia work; Chris..thanks for Mrs. Wood's good stewardship of ministry things.

For other prayer things, see the "Service Opportunities" list.

September 5, 2009            

                                               READING....ROOFING....AND LOVE

Continuing on with my report of Sunday's Family Time, here are some quotes:

"Jesus is worthy of praise.  He is the ONLY One we worship today" (Molly Evans)

"Lord, we just want to bless Your Name!  And thank you!  ...   Help us to stay close to You.  Help us to stay in Your Word, to have a prayer life.  We know, Lord, if we're going to be doing Your will, we've gotta be close to ya. Give us that desire." (Wood Jacobs' prayer)

"Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us." (Apostle John, as quoted by   Betty Lapsley before playing 'There is a Redeemer' on her flute.)

Quotes from Jason's sermon on I John 3:18:

¹¹This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ¹²Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. ¹³Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ¹⁵Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

    ¹⁶This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. ¹⁷If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? ¹⁸Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

"In Philippians, Paul wrote: 'I pray that your love may ABOUND more & more!'  We can grow in Love, but it's going to become an issue of prayer, an issue of faith, and an issue of obedience."

"The joy is in the journey.  I have no idea what Tomorrow faces...but at Bethel Hill Baptist Church I want to do my best to always keep before you, and before me: How can we learn to love out loud?"

"I've gone through 'Evangelism Explosion' and 'Roman's Road', but one of the GREATEST WAYS for us to be an evangelistic church is for us to love radically!"

"It is Love that endures forever.  It is Love that changes people!  And that is what we're after....genuine, authentic, selfless, sacrificial obedience!  (pause)  But who's our model?  JESUS IS OUR MODEL!"

"Don't be like Cain; be like Christ!  And what was Christ like?  Christ was selfless.  Christ willingly sacrificed Himself for the world.  Christ was obedient to the Father's will.  If we are going to learn to love out loud, we've got to learn to look to Jesus & see how radical his love is!  I'm overwhelmed at how RADICAL His love is!  I don't understand it; I can't comprehend it!  The only thing I know is that I lay down my life as a living sacrifice, allowing God to work through me in a way that only He can!"

"Have you lived long enough to know that Love is not just a feeling?  It's not just an emotion.  Have you live long enough to know that love is not just saying 'I love you'?  Christ is calling us, His people, to do something that is IMPOSSIBLE in our own strength, and is only possible when HE IS IN US & WORKING THROUGH US!!!!   He is calling us to love with such a selfless, serving, sacrificial Love as He Himself has modeled for us.   We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers!"

                        

Jason shared the story of James, his Ethiopian translator.  Going to the war-like, aggressive Guji Tribe with the Gospel, Jason & Dave Black needed a translator.  James stepped forward to meet that need.  He knew it was dangerous.  He knew the Guji people absolutely hate the Burji people.  He knew he was Burji....but he also knew his skill in language was needed for the Gospel.  And he was willing to risk his live, placing it into the hands of His Lord Jesus, for the sake of the Gospel and the needs of his brothers Jason & Dave.

For 5 days these 3 men trekked amongst the Guji people, preaching, sitting & talking, eating & sleeping with them, showing the Jesus Film in their language, giving them seed for their next crop.  They were being Jesus to these Guji people.

    

As dozens of the Guji men gathered with their guns & spears & large knives to wage war against against the Burji people once more, these three quietly slipped back into Burji territory.  In due time Jason & Dave returned with our Ethiopia Team back to America, but James remained behind.

Then the warnings began.  "Watch out!  We're going to get you."  "We are going to kill you."  "We hate you."   He left Burji territory & tried to hide in a big city far to the north; from that  city he sent an urgent email to Dave.  "The (the Gujis) are hunting me."  

Two days later he was found dead on his bed.

His life was Love in action.  His life reflected the selfless, sacrificial, need-oriented,  obedience-driven love of the Lord Jesus.  And today we honor James for being Jesus to us!

       

James was not the first to show such supernatural love, nor will he be the last.  Far, far to the north of Burji, at the opposite end of Ethiopia, a young man, the same age as James, was beaten on the road just a few days ago.  As they were beating him, they were saying to him "Don't preach about Jesus any more!"  But as they drew their knife to slash his throat, God Himself sent soldiers along that same road, and the gangsters fled.

"This is nothing compared to the work of Jesus!" the young evangelist told the Christians who came to comfort & encourage him.  You see, there is no suffering that can quench the joy of living, of sacrificing, of serving Jesus!

James & this young evangelist had learned to love out loud.  Today James is in Heaven with His Lord; Eunetu continues to go out to love those in northern Ethiopia.  And both are challenging us to also follow the Savior.  Both are challenging us to Love Out Loud!

Such love cannot be possible without Christ living within us.  Jesus said very clearly "Without Me, you can do NOTHING!"  We must "abide in" (live in, connect with, draw continuously from) the resurrected Jesus Christ in order to have the strength to love His way...with abandonment to the needs of others in obedience to the Father.

And we cannot abide in Christ without being in the Scriptures!  We cannot explain it, but somehow the Scriptures flow through us, empowering us, clarifying our understanding, opening eyes to needs, purifying motives, producing the courage to sacrifice self. 

Different people have different ways of being in the Scriptures.  Some start at Genesis and read all the way through sequentially to Revelation.  Others do Book Studies, picking a book of the Bible to study in detail before going to another book.  Others read chapters of the Bible according to organized plans.

  One such reading plan is produced by the American Bible Society.  At Bethel Hill we're gotten some copies of this plan, and they are available to you for your Scripture reading.  The plan is titled "Called to be Free".  Each month focuses on a different aspect of our freedom in Christ.  This month (September) is "Called to be Free to Grow in God's Wisdom"; selected readings come from the Psalms, I Corinthians, James, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

How do we get the most of our Bible-reading time?

1. Set aside time on a daily basis.  It will not happen unless it is planned, and usually the first time of the day is best.

2. Find a quiet place, away from the TV/radio, away from family, away from distractions.  In that quiet place, we must learn to discipline our thoughts to focus on the reading & mediate on its meaning.

3. Always begin with prayer.  The Scriptures cannot be understood without the Lord Himself opening our eyes to understand them.

4. Read the passage several times &think about what it means.  We must ask ourselves questions about it, mull it over, digest it.  God's ways are not our ways.  It is like learning a whole new language about Life; we have to think "outside the box" in order to understand the Kingdom of God.

5. Commit ourselves to OBEY whatever the Lord shows through the reading.  Without obedience all is lost.  Without obedience, He will not reveal more things.  Without obedience, no spiritual growth has taken place.

On Sunday, Joel read the passage earmarked for the day from this plan....it was wonderful!

Each one of us has our own life situations where we can be hands & feet of Jesus, acting out His love through selfless service to the needs of others. As Jason put it , "God, by His Spirit, directs our love.  No all of us are like Gail Collie, going to the Women's Prison on Wednesday nights."

But we ALL must be learning to love out loud....it is the way of the Savior to whom we belong.

In fact, coming up in mid-September is an opportunity for us to group together, linking arms to meet a need of the brethren.  Our Fellowship Hall meets many needs....family meals, AWANA, Sunday School, Greek class, etc.,etc.,etc.   And the roof is leaking.

Should we divert tons of money to hire "professional" roofers, or should we all pitch in, helping each other meet this need? 

Knowing our Family, the men in charge of this decision have set aside Friday & Saturday, Sept 18 & 19, for getting this job done.  So, if God has made your arm strong enough to drive a nail, has give you a measure of strength in your legs, has blessed you with roofing nails & a hammer, has given you the gift of encouragement, and has given you these hours in the day, come join your brothers for a rip-roaring good time of working & loving! 

Friday, Sept 18, the fun starts at 1:00pm with tearing off the current roof.

Then it continues on Saturday, Sept 19, at 6:00am....yes, that is 6:00am!...to lay the new roof.

"No greater love has a man than this...that he lay down his life for his brothers."  This is what the Scriptures say.  And here is a golden opportunity to obey those Scriptures.  Come, "lay down your life" (your money, your time, your skill, your aches/pains) for the need of your brothers (& sisters).  Call Danny Chambers at 336-599-0076 or Marshall Humphries at 919-690-0909 if you have any questions.

ALERT...ALERT!  Don't forget....Starting with tomorrow, we are back to our "normal" Sunday schedule.  Coffee at 9:45, Sunday School at 10:00 and Main Service at 11:00.

                                                         SEE YOU THEN!

  

August 31, 2009

Wow!  What a day!  If you were not with the Family at Bethel Hill on Sunday, you REALLY missed something!  How does one capture into words the joy, the satisfaction, the "getting filled up", the warmth, the cuddly-ness, the energizing.....of oddles of brothers & sisters for hours under one roof?

It's just indescribable!

There were many things about Sunday morning that screamed "Glory to God"!

       

            

For one, Betty Lapsley travelled from Texas to Bethel Hill to play her flute for the Lord.  (Well, really, she came to help her daughter, but being the Spirit-led, flowing congregation that we are, we welcomed her participation with us.)  Our official, corporate worship opened with her playing "Amazing Grace", without accompaniment.  The flute carried over the congregation, melody lines floating up to the rafters, as we were caught up in the thoughts of the song....

August 21, 2009

Let's go back to Eighth Grade Earth Science class....  The moon is just dead rock, barren, lifeless.  It rotates around the earth.  The sun is vibrant, radiating energy, strong. The planets rotate around the sun.  The moon has no glory of it's own; it simply reflects the glory of the sun.  It has no power of its own; it simply mirrors the power of the sun.  But as it connects with the sun, it affects the earth in major ways;  oceans, crop life, animal behavior, human mental & physical conditions, weather patterns all are influenced by the quality of the moon.

At times the earth steps in between the moon and the sun.  The moon then becomes lifeless, dark, without effect.  Life on earth continues, but without influence from the moon.

                               

Two days ago I got up early and was enjoying my time with the Lord on the front porch.  The earth was just waking up.  My porch faces east.  The sky was just beginning to lighten in color...soft pink, delicate yellow.  The tall pine trees were black against the sky.  Some clouds drifted.

And as I was taking in the scene, my eyes caught sight of the moon.  A teeny, tiny, itzy, bitzy little sliver of light!  It was curved, like a special sewing needle.  Hardly noticeable in the night sky!

And I thought to myself, "Lord, am I like that moon?  Has the earth, the culture around me, my American issues, world concerns stepped between me & You?  Do I have so little effect upon the world around me?"

You see, we cannot influence the world around us unless and until the earth's system of values, operations, happenings stop getting between us and the Son.  Unlike the natural system which runs automatically, we have a choice.  We can, by our will, remove the earth's interference, so that we can fully glorify the Son and reflect Him to the earth.  Only then will we have the power to influence happenings on earth.  The way to change our society is not through legislation, marches, petitions or drives; it is through reflecting the Son.  And that reflection starts with submitting to the authority of Scripture....obedience!

O Lord, have Your way with us!  Unimpeded... complete...  thorough... without fighting!  Create in us the desire to surrender to You and to stop allowing the worldview of Society around us to shape our relationship with You!  Make us to reflect the Son!........Amen.

I worship You, Almighty God!

There is none like You!

I worship You, O Prince of Peace!

That is what I want to do.

I give You praise, for You are my Righteousness.

I worship You, Almighty God!

There is none like You!

August 19, 2009

                                           "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."                         

In modern language, this statement of the Apostle James means....hey!  Prayer counts!  The open, honest, fervent prayer of those right with God has astounding effect!

James was known as the Apostle with camel knees....he spent so much time on his knees in prayer, he began to look like a knotty-kneed camel!

At the Hill, we've been in fervent prayer over some situations.  Joni Dawson, BeckyLynn Black and Jason Evans shared special prayer needs, and gave public praise to the Lord Jesus for His faithful provision in very difficult situations.

Let's continue to pray for God's protection & provision on Joni & Dudley's little granddaughter, on the mother of Jason Evans, and on BeckyLynn Black. Also, let's lift up Dylan Collie recooperating from an accident, Cameron Collie's friend mourning his father, Nora's neice adjusting to a handicapped infant, Roan's dying friend....so many concerns this side of Heaven.  But  Miss Mary reminded us of the truth of James' letter to the early believers as she read from James 5:16-18, and she has called a special prayer meeting today, August 19, at 6:30pm.  Of course, you don't need to be present to pray, but there is a special blessing as we pray side-by-side.  Will you join us?

"Lord, keep me in Your will, so I won't be in Your way"

There is some interest in a blood drive on our campus.  We must have 40 people sign up.  If this is of interest to you, please contact Nancy Wood: lenanwood@aol.com or 336-597-5487.

                                        

Can you believe the 2nd annual Men's Conference is coming up??  There is a special discounted price for those men who sign up before September 1st.  For more details, contact Jason Evans at evans@esinc.net or 336-597-4819.

During August we are taking special offerings to supplement our Lottie Moon collection in December.  To participate, please put your check into an envelope & label it "SBC Mission Offering." 

Coming up next Sunday, August 23, is a Parents-&-Youth hot dog lunch.  This is a time to get re-aquainted, review the whys/wherefores of the youth church activities, hear your concerns, and distribute logistic information.  So, all you parents of youth, please stay around after church to eat hot dogs with the Phillips & the Bradshers, along with the best youth in the state of North Carolina!

              

Starting the first Wednesday in September, we'll be going every which direction!  Joel Bradsher will teach a class on developing a Christian world view, while Jason takes folk to visit other folk!  If you would like to be involved in the visiting party, please let Jason know; it will ease his logistics :)   Let him know when you can go with him, and also who would appreciate a visit.  What a wonderful time of visiting on home turf!

"I am of the deep conviction that the church is not centered around the pastor, but around Christ."....  Jason Evans, Sunday, August 16, 2009.  While our "pastor" Jason Evans, and our "assistant pastor" Joel Bradsher were gone, did we call another "professional" speaker, did we panic to find someone "out there" who could speak, did we look for someone "trained in ministry", did we look to see how much money was in the "speaker fees" category of the budget?  No, no, no.  We just looked into the congregation that God has provided for men who had integrity & who knew the Scriptures & who were eager to serve!  There are plenty of those men in our midst.  Thank you, Chris Jacobs, Jason Hatley & Paul Bentley, for doing what God made you to do. Thank you for glorifying Him by using your gifts in the Body!  We love & honor you!

On the other hand, it's time for everyone to come home!  The beach is now closed to the Jacobs family, the mountains are off limits, Camp Fitch is done for another year, long-distance family members have been seen.....now let's focus on the work at hand for the next year.  Awana, Puppet Team, choirs, new Sunday School classes...these are all starting up again.

Speaking of Sunday School, our new quarter starts on September 6th.  In the adult sections, the Mens & Women's classes will continue in the quarterlies, Chris Jacobs will continue teaching (no, not in Philemon, but on the topic of prayer), and his brother Woody Jacobs will start a class on Bible prophecy.  Also, Jason Evans is ready to do a "New Members' class" for anyone who is new to our fellowship & who wants to know what makes us tick; give him a call if you're interested in this class.

We dedicated some time during the Sunday meeting to recognize the Sunday School teachers of our children & youth.  What a special bunch!  They asked for special prayer for the following:

• that their actions, words & deeds might be in agreement

• the home life of the children

• that God would give them a desire for learning

• that the children would be equipped for Life

As this quarter winds down in Sunday School, have you taken time to express your thanks to your teacher and Miss Jean as the Director?  Thankfulness is becoming; it is an attractive quality.  And who should know better than a Christian how to be thankful? Don't let the Evil One steal away this joy....call your teacher today!  And then pray for your teacher & thank God for him/her.

   

Welcome, Roan & Sandy Clayton!  We're glad the Lord Jesus has added you to our local Body.  We're eager to work, cry, pray, rejoice, share, give & minister with you for the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom!  Sandy shared with us that last Sunday was her 4th year of healing from a massive stroke! God has not only healed her physically, but has given her new life spiritually.

As Roan taught in our class on Sunday, the Bible teaches there are four types of people.  Classified according to their spiritual life, according to I Corinthians 2-3, there are

1) the 'natural' people (those who are just like the rest of society,  natural, unchanged, bumbling along Life's road)

2) the 'babes' (those who are newly established with Christ; they are just learning about Life)

3) the 'growing, maturing' Christians (who are in the Word, strengthening their spiritual muscles, digesting heavy thoughts, working Life out in obedience)

4) the 'carnal' persons (those who should know better, but they're living their lives in self-centeredness instead of Christ-centeredness; they are like adults having 2-yearr-old temper tantrums, constantly complaining, stubborn in spirit, wallowing in self-pity, lazy)

So what makes us the people we should be as Christians? It is a choice to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  As He convicts, as He corrects, as He teaches....let's respond.  Let's work, pray, learn, minister under His control, totally surrendered in obedience & submission.  Only then will we become strong in faith, able to handle what Life throws our way.  The ships are anchored BEFORE the storm comes; it's almost impossible to anchor them during the storm.  If we make surrender our lifestyle, then the storms of Life have a settled-ness about them; the winds may howl, the waves crash, but our spirit is anchored!

Are you anchored?  Or are you drifting as a 'natural', a 'babe', or a carnal/immature person?

August  16, 2009

Please forgive the delay in updating.  For details on why, you can visit daveblackonline.com    

        

As I write this, the sun is not yet up on this Sunday morning.  I'm looking forward to being with my brothers & sisters, are you?  How I hope that you are not willing to settle for "fast food" in the spiritual department!

Recently I saw a billboard highlighting the desirability of losing weight.  Of course, our culture worships the slim person and elevates him/her as being healthy.  It is true that extra weight carries many unhealthy 'side effects'....the strain on the heart, the wear on the joints, the seditary lifestyle with thromboses & progressive weakness, etc.  Our bodies would thank us if we lost those pounds.

What we need, though, is not a focus on slim-ness, but a focus on productivity.  A little-known scientific fact is that muscle weighs more than fat.  Yes!  If you take a cup of beef muscle, and you compare it with a cup of beef fat, you will find that the muscle weighs more.

So if we simply try to 'lose weight', we are not necessarily better off.  Instead, we need to 'build muscle'.  In the process of building muscle, we increase metabolism, our hunger-meter gets recalibrated, our vision moves outward to the work that we want to do....and the next time we step on the scale, we discover that we have lost weight!

Is there a parallel with spiritual health?  Is a 'slim' spirit the goal, or is a 'productive' spirit the goal?  If we are simply digesting spiritual fast food, on the go with Life's busy-ness, accommodating only the taste buds, unwilling to do the work of real food....then we will become spiritually obese.  We will be unable to move, without stamina, without enthusiasm for Kingdom work.  We will be content to be comfortable!

So, let us focus on productivity.  Let us be active for the Lord.  Let us eat healthy spiritual food, digging for the rich things in Scripture.  Let us discipline ourselves to the things necessary for spiritual life.

And in the end, we will be SO much happier.  We will be confident in Him.  We will be encouraging to others.  We will be ALIVE!

This week two from our community were buried.  Mrs. Lurline Peed was one of our special 'grandmothers.'  After an extended illness, the Lord took her home.  We are saddened at her departure, but we know she is with the Savior.

The other from our community was taken while serving in Afganistan.  Private Richard K. Jones belonged to our sister church Providence Baptist.  He is the first person from our county to be killed in action since the Vietnam War.  A private jet brought his body home, and many lined Hwy 501 to pay their last respects.  WRAL covered the news in detail; you can visit the report at http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5754883/

August 5, 2009

O, Come!  Let's sing unto the Lord!  Let's make a JOYFUL noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let's come before His presence with THANKSGIVING, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms!

(Why?)  Because the Lord is a GREAT GOD, and a great King above all gods!  In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is also His.  The sea is His; He made it!  And His hands formed the continents.

O, Come! let us worship and bow down...Let's kneel before the Lord our maker.

For HE is our God; and we are the people of HIS pasture, and the sheep of His hand. 

(Today, if you will hear His voice, don't harden your heart against Him, as the Israelites did in the wilderness.  For decades they wandered, without rest, as they fought God's purpose for them.  Learn from their example & surrender to God as God, as Maker, as Savior, as Lord, as Supplier/sustainer).

Psalm 95:1-7 (8-11)

August 2, 2009

Chris Jacobs is now moving at the speed of light through the book of Philemon...well, maybe at the speed of sound.  He's in verse 23!  There are 25 verses in the book.  Think he'll finish by the end of the Sunday School quarter?

                             

Seriously, it is so refreshing to walk slowly & leisurely through the meadows of the Lord in the Scriptures.  Today, the item of discussion was the idea of living by faith, as demonstrated in the life of Epaphras.  Living the life of Faith is inextricably tied to the Scriptures; it is founded in the Word of God.  We cannot live this Life without knowing the Scriptures. 

Secondly, it is helpful to have others around us also living the Life, but as Chris to powerfully said, we don't NEED that....we already have the life of Jesus as an example & model.

Thirdly, the life of Faith is ALWAYS tied to actions.  It is taking those steps that God wants us to take, that push us beyond our comfort zone, where we are forced to trust the Word, and the character of the God whose Word it is!

What a Life!  May God lead us more & more into this Life!                              

Excerpt from J.O.Y. News, August edition:

A man in Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country.  He started by flying to San Francisco and working east from there.  Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and making notes.  He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued with a sign, which read "Calls: $10,000 a minute."  Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. 

The pastor answered that this golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to heaven and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God.

The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way.  As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and around the United States, he found more phones with the same sign and the same answer from each pastor.

Finally, he arrived in Bethel Hill, North Carolina.  Upon entering a church there, he saw the usual golden telephone, but THIS time, the sign read "Calls: 35 cents."

Fascinated, he asked to talk to the pastor.  "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but in the other churches, the cost was $10,000 a minute.  You sign reads only 35 cents a call!  Why?"

The pastor, smiling broadly, replied, "Son, you're in Bethel Hill, North Carolina now...and it's a local call."

In other J.O.Y. news, the ice cream ministry to the folks at Morton Manor last week was a great blessing as 8, including grandchildren, piled on the ice cream.  Next visit to shut-ins in Roxboro is scheduled for 9:30am on Wednesday, August 12 and Wednesday, September 9th.  Call Nora Pixley for details.

Several J.O.Y. Fun-N-Fellowship Trips are scheduled; contact Joni Dawson at 336-597-2063 for details:

Saturday, September 19 to Bedford, VA for a D-Day memorial

Thursday, October 8 to Hinnant Vineyards (you-pick grapes)

Thursday, November 12 to Oxford (lace factory & antique shopping)

How's your garden doing?  This is the time of harvest.  It's a time of keeping on keeping on; every day, or every other day, going to again pick the vegetables & fruits.  Long passed are the gorgeous spring days when the earth was young & strength was plentiful.  Now it is hot, and humid, and buggy.  Gnats & flies swarm around, keeping company in the picking.

Long gone is the enthusiasm & joy over the first little baby beans, or the miniature squashes, or the thrill of finding that hidden cucumber.  Now it's just another vegetable that needs pickin'.  "Not another one!  Lord, WHY do you keep giving more beans, and squash, and tomatoes?  Don't You know that my freezer is full?  Don't you know that no one wants any more vegetables as gifts?  Can't you understand that we're tired of eating these things?"

And all the work of the harvest.  Hunting for the produce.  The leaves are so big & abundant.  The vines have grown 2 miles long!  The cucumber plants are taking over the whole farm!  But do the vegetables stand out nice & easy to pick? No...I have to bend over, move the leaves this way & that, searching, looking, watching out for worms & bees.  Why didn't God make the vegetables to just jump up & display themselves.  Why do I have to LOOK for the harvest?

Every year at this time these thoughts wrestle in my brain.  The "romance" of a garden is gone.  Harvest in my garden doesn't match the cute, clean, healthy scene of harvest in Country magazine. 

This is real life.  It's about character.  About perseverance.  About faithfulness.  About diligence.  It's about stewardship.

And how much it parallels spiritual harvest.  We often talk about planting & watering in spiritual work.  Recently we even discussed weeds in cultivating spiritual life.  But what about harvest?

As with vegetables, we first must know what we are looking for.  No one goes into a garden to collect a harvest without first knowing what kind of vegetable is ready for harvest.

In a spiritual harvest, we're looking for persons who are "ripe" for a connection with God, who are ready to be used of God, who have grown to the point of being willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others.  As we "plant seeds" of Truth, speaking a word here & there as we go about our days....as we "water" those plantings with good works & encouragement & tenderness.....as we "weed," removing obstacles to spiritual growth......so let us look for the "harvest."  Let us EXPECT God to give us spiritual fruit, to give us people who hunger for Him, to create in those with whom we connect a longing for surrender to Jesus. 

There are different kinds of vegetables, and so there are different kinds of spiritual harvest.....a divorcee here, a young child there, an elderly widower over yonder, a young person next door....but they all look like Jesus!  The Spirit of God takes our labor and He does His work (as only He can) to re-create human beings in the likeness of the Son!

THAT is spiritual harvest!

Are you looking for it?

                          

July 29, 2009

Yesterday three Bethel Hillions did Ethiopia missions without leaving North Carolina soil!  Yes!  And one of these three hasn't even been born yet!

How can that be, you ask?  Thousands of years ago little John the Baptist, not yet born, gave glory to the Lord Jesus.  And yesterday, the unborn baby girl of Kimberly and Joel Bradsher gave glory to the Lord Jesus.  This baby girl, Kimberly and BeckyLynn Black traveled to an OB/GYN clinic in Raleigh to test out the new ultrasound machine that has been given to "our" clinic in southern Ethiopia!

                          

Baby Girl Bradsher laid in absolutely the best possible position, so that the ultrasound tech could teach BeckyLynn how to operate the machine.  You see, BeckyLynn must teach the clinic staff in Ethiopia.  There are no schools for ultrasound technology in the entire country of Ethiopia, and probably not even on the entire continent of Africa!  In fact, we're guessing that there are may be only 5 ultrasound machines (at max, 10) in the entire country of Ethiopia.

And by the grace of God, and the generosity of a clinic in Raleigh, one of those machines will be placed at our little clinic in Burji, Ethiopia!  As this report is written, we are arranging for a good check-up and transportation of the machine.  And we're praying for God to send a bonafide ultrasound technician with us for our next trip in July, 2010.

Will you praise God with us for this machine?  Will you bless the clinic staff in Raleigh who have been so generous to our little clinic in Burji?  Will you follow the example of Baby Girl and Kimberly Bradsher...and use whatever you can for the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus?

Added to our prayer list this week are the following:

William Evans, who is in the hospital with a stroke

David Long, who is recovering from a heart condition

Lurleen Peed, who continue to be unresponsive

Thank you for your prayers for Dave Black; he is recovering well from the malaria.  Please support the Meesie family as they mourn the loss in their family.  See "Service Opportunities" for a complete list of those requesting prayer support.  As you pray, if God lays it upon your heart, send them a card, an email, or call them up on the phone.

        

                                                                       

Numerical Trivia in the past 2 weeks...25 youth attended Youth Camp; 1 youth made a decision to yield to Jesus as Savior & Lord; 30 adults helped in VBS; 60-70 children attended each night of VBS; 200 attended the closing program of VBS

Non-Numerical Trivia in the past 2 weeks...Kimberly Bradsher almost went into premature labor when a snake landed on her at Camp; one of the church leaders from Burji, Ethiopia (Oshe.."Oh-shay") has had malaria the same time that our Dave Black has had it...they call it "sympathy fevers".

Our sister church Ca-Vel is just down the road.  This church has shared our work in Ethiopia, and we have gotten together with them many times.  This coming-up Sunday, August 2, the Ca-Vel believers are celebrating 75 years as a local congregation.  Not only have they existed for 75 years, but they have been faithful to the Gospel and the Kingdom.  At the annual Personality Festival in Roxboro on Saturday, August 29, Ca-Vel will have a booth with baked goods; their goal is to raise money for the clinic vehicle and raise awareness of what God is doing in Ethiopia. 

The Lord Jesus has only ONE Kingdom.  Although we meet in different locations, in different times zones, in different cultures, in different languages....we are one in the Gospel and the Word and the Spirit. 

So take time to pray for the Ca-Vel believers, our brothers & sisters, and share their joy and work in the Kingdom.

 

                                      

Coming up at Bethel HIll this Sunday is our communion time (otherwise called "The Lord's Supper").  The early church had this remembrance every time they met, and they included it as part of their "covered dish" meals.  Over the centuries we have reduced this special time to a little grape juice & a small cracker once a quarter.  Still, in our hearts, we can joyfully celebrate the death & resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and maybe one day we will return to celebrating the "old fashioned" way, like the Apostles and the original disciples did. 

Further reading: Luke 22:7-12; Acts 2:42 & 20:7; I Corinthians 10:16-17 & 11:17-34.

In just a few days, on Saturday, August 1, all the youth & their families are invited to the home of Michael & Kim Lowery, for an old-fashioned summertime event....fun, fellowship, food.  Call Joel Bradsher for questions: 336-503-1011 or email him at joelbradsher@gmail.com.

Monday nights are getting back to full swing on the Hill: Greek-for-Dummies Class resumes, Women's Bible class continues, and Puppet Practice starts up again.  Call Dave Black (434-374-0492), Molly Evans (336-597-4819) or Margaret Kiser (336-599-3605) for questions about these events.

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness...and all these things shall be added to you."  This is a promise straight from the lips of the Lord Jesus.  Read it for yourself in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 6.  Jesus & Matthew are sitting on a hillside with oodles of other people.  They are in a natural amphitheater, so the voice of Jesus carries a long distance.  He is discussing real-life issues with real people.  He's talking about genuine righteousness...not the superficial, man-made kind, but the real thing.  He's talking about talking  with God...not the formula, rehearsed-from-prefabricated words, but the real thing.  He's talking about relationships...not the sweep-under-the-rug, put-on-a-happy-face kind, but the real thing.  And He's talking about dreams, desires, goals, agendas, hopes & aspirations...not the kind that disappear into thin air like steam coming off boiling water, but the real thing. 

And He sums it all up with this counsel:  "Seek...look for..aim for...focus on..strive toward...prioritize...put first the Kingdom of God & His righteousness."

What is the Kingdom of God?  In the past 100 years, as nations have moved toward democratic, socialist, communist, or facist forms of government, the "kingdom" way of governance has almost disappeared.

 

But we still have some nations with kingdom government.  For example, in the Pacific Ocean is a group of islands that are grouped together into one government, and they have been a kingdom for a long time. Captain Cook visited there in 1773.  It is called the Kingdom of Tonga. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonga.

The last state to join The United States of America was the Kingdom of Hawaii before federal troops surrounded the Queen; she abdicated her throne and the Kingdom of Hawaii became the Territory of Hawaii.  (It was still a territory when Dave Black was born there in 1952.)

The key characteristic of a kingdom government is that there is ONE person who sets the rules for the nation.  That person (King or Queen) has complete, ultimate, comprehensive authority.  There are no "individual rights"; each citizen is "owned" by the King/Queen.  This ownership right of the King/Queen extends to every aspect of the citizen...his time, home, ability, possessions, money.  And each citizen has the duty to honor, obey, glorify the King/Queen.

If we talk about the Kingdom of God (as Jesus, John the Baptist and the Apostles did), we are not talking about a "territory" that is bound by geography; we are talking about a "territory" that is bound by a common relationship to the Gospel.  All persons who have declared & embraced Jesus as Lord, as Savior, as Redeemer are included as citizens in the "Kingdom of God."  And all citizens in this Kingdom are "owned" by King Jesus; they have no "individual rights."  Whatever King Jesus wants, He gets...without questions, without argument, without restraint. 

King Jesus has complete, ultimate, comprehensive authority in the Kingdom of God.

(Why do I refer to Jesus as the "King" in the Kingdom of God?  Because God has placed all authority into His hands.  This was done at the resurrection.  Read Matthew's Gospel again...the last chapter, verse 18.)

As Jesus sat with those people on that hillside, He said "Seek first the Kingdom of God & His righteousness."  Don't get sidetracked with cultural issues, the American Dream, religiousity, church-ianity.   Make His Kingdom your priority, your focus, your heart-throb....and then all that you are concerned about will be addressed by the King.  You won't need to worry about food, clothes, economic stability.  The King cares for His citizens; He knows our needs.  He will provide the needs of His people.  There is no need to worry about those things; the King can easily handle them!  They are His responsibility.  He is faithful to His faithful citizens.

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness

And all these things shall be added unto you!

Allelu, Alleluya!

As we gathered on Sunday morning, we sang this chorus together.  And it has been food for meditation these past days.  Am I prioritizing to be a good citizen of His Kingdom?  Does my life reflect His laws?  Does my attitude show respect & honor to Him as my authority?

Or am I being sidetracked by the culture around me, the earthly 'government', the little daily issues that rob me of enjoying my eternal citizenship?

May God help us to see His Kingdom, to focus on His Righteousness and to live to the King!

July 25, 2009

Malaria.  The mere word sends shivers and mental concoctions of African jungles.  One of our Ethiopia Team came back with this, courtesy of a mosquito.  Despite the best precautions, the Lord saw fit to allow malaria, but in His graciousness He allowed the mildest form.  After five days at UNC Hospital, Dave Black is back at home.  We are rejoicing not only at his recovery, but also that the Gospel and Kingdom witness has gone through the halls of UNC Hospital.  May the Lord bring the witness to good fruition in the hearts of those who have heard.

While Dave was laid up, the halls of Bethel Hill were rip-roaring with Crocks and other wildlife of the swamps.  (No mosquitos, though!)   Many young people came from our community to enjoy Vacation Bible School in the swamps.  Susan Henderson wrote:

I would love to thank all the people that helped at VBS from the bottom of my heart. (All together there were around thirty people.) When I first started this new adventure of mine, I did not think I could pull it off. Well, I was right. I did not pull this off. My Lord and Savior did. He heard my prayers and all of the other prayers that went up to him and thru the people of Bethel Hill Baptist Church, I feel like VBS was a winner. I know that I made some mistakes, but that is o.k. because I intend to use that as a way of learning and try not to make the same mistakes next year. There were so many volunteers to help, sometimes I had to really think of where to put them. I would also like to thank my pastor, Jason Evans, because he believed in me. My favorite part of VBS was the God Sightings. Each child was given a neon green bracelet and told to wear it everyday as a reminder to see something that God has given us. Before the end of the week one of the volunteers (Laura Irby) came to me and told me that on the way home her little son (Tyler) started yelling "Mama, Mama, there's Jesus". She asked him "where, where?" and he said "up in the sky". So she looked and the clouds were in a shape of Jesus on the cross. To me that says the Tyler was thinking of Jesus and saw his own special God Sighting. It made all of the hard work worth my while. So to every one that helped me, I send you a very big THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU! Praise God that I know people like the ones at BHBC and to God goes all the glory.

Your sister in Christ,

Susan Henderson

(Pictures are coming; until then, visit Jason's site at jasonmolly3.wordpress.com)

July 17, 2009

We thoroughly enjoyed our Georgians last weekend!  We got 5 girls from the youth choir, and as we got acquainted, some neat things happened.  For one, we discovered that one of the girls is a daughter of someone we have never met, but with whom we've had many email and phone conversations about the work in Ethiopia!  Two of our girls were from Korea, and it just so happens that my husband has been to Korea many, many times, and his Korean students often bring him Korean food.  So we had some Korean BBQ beef and some  Kimchee on hand for these two girls.  What are the chances of that happening without a providential God??!! 

Did the time invested in preparation, facilitating and clean-up count for eternity?  To the extent that we did it with a heart focused on Christ, it counted.  And to the extent that we used every moment to listen to the Spirit in conversations & interaction, it counted. 

We pray that the very short time these girls had with us in our home has impacted them to love & serve the Lord in purity & holiness, increasingly mindful of His love, His faithfulness & His sacrifice for them.

                   

How's your "wall" doing?  Like Nehemiah, we're all assigned some sort of project for the Lord.  Maybe it's raising children, maybe it's working in a difficult, ungodly environment, maybe it's doing VBS or some other 'ministry'.  Whatever it is, one thing is guaranteed: there will be obstacles.

The question is: are these obstacles showing us to turn around & go back, or are they meant to be overcome as we press on in the job?   Tough question.  Many times we face this situation: to go back or to go forward.  One or the other.  Can't sit on the fence; Death reigns on the fence.  Gotta go one way or the other.

Nehemiah faced this exact situation in building his wall.  He had felt it was an assignment from God; it was in his heart to do; it seemed like a divine opportunity.  Yet here came obstacles.  Big obstacles.  Obstacles that refused to go away.  Overwhelming obstacles.  Life was suddenly difficult in the Lord's service.

He was now alone.  He had made it to Jerusalem with the military guard of the King, but they had all returned home.  He was far from the "protection" of the King.  The work looms large in front of him; it seems like a very big task.

And then came the obstacles.  What to do?

From Nehemiah 2:9-20, Jason discussed 4 things that helped Nehemiah in deciding the issue.  And these 4 things help us today.  Should we go back (quit), or should we plough forward in the midst of challenges & obstacles?

1. Consider the Biblical Factor.  The Scriptures say clearly  "do" and "don't do".  Don't be envious.  Don't be covetous.  Don't lust.  Don't sin in anger.  Don't lie.  Don't backbite (slander).  Don't even gossip.  Don't commit sexual sin. Don't even defraud (tease) each other through immodesty, joking, frivolous talk.  Don't worship anything except the Living God, not money, not career, not family, not another person, not TV shows or sports teams.

Often we neglect these clear instructions.  Sometimes we do so by accident; we just get sidetracked.  Sometime we purposefully choose to disregard them.  Either way, the consequence is obstacles in our life.

So if the obstacle we are facing is due to going against the clear instruction of Scripture, we need to change direction.  (In the old days, this changing of direction was called "repentance".) 

But if there is no known violation of Scripture, then don't change direction; keep pursuing the building of your wall.

2. Consider the Spiritual Factor.  The Scriptures are clear about those of us who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus, who have yielded our lives to His control, who have embraced His plan of salvation belong to His family.  At the time of our decision on this matter, He puts His Holy Spirit within us.  The purpose of that Spirit is to remind us (of Christ's teaching), to teach us (thru the Scriptures), to convict us (of sin), and to guide us (in the application of the Scriptures to our personal life).

The Spirit guides us with little impressions, with nudging, with a clear sense of "do this".  To the "outsider" this seems weird, but to the child of God, it is perfectly normal. 

I remember Prince Charles discussing his mother Queen Elizabeth.  He said, "All I had to do was see a little something in her eye, and I knew I was being corrected."  Those around the Queen who were not her children probably missed the whole communication.  But her son Charles knew what her look meant.

And it's the same way with God's children.  He's given us His word, the Scriptures, which are clear, but He also guides us with His Spirit.  The Spirit impresses us in the application of the Scriptures.  Often times, it is not until AFTER we have obeyed the impression of the Spirit that we realize the truth of His nudging.  I could give instance after instance, and so could many Christians who have walked with the Lord a long time. 

During times of obstacles, His Word is to be obeyed (the Biblical Factor), and His Spirit is to be obeyed (the Spiritual Factor).  So if the Spirit nudged you toward this job for Him, then obey the Spirit, regardless of the obstacles.

3. Consider the Body Factor.  God's children are not mavericks, each living on an island unto themselves.  No, we are placed together, for mutual love, sharing, encouragement, correction, stimulation, etc.  We're a connected family.

And like any family, sometimes the other members of the family see things & are able to confirm (or negate) something happening in a member's life.  They can correct a wrong self-assessment; often in times of obstacles our self-assessment skills get screwy (that's a BeckyLynn word)....we get out of kilter. 

But the Body, our siblings in the Family, can help us to see things correctly.  They can affirm, or negate, our perception of ourselves & the situation.

Question: how can we consider the Body Factor if we are distant from the Body?  Connecting only on Sunday mornings doesn't cut it...it's too structured on Sunday mornings.  Times of genuine, in-depth connection are brief.  We have to connect during the week, by phone, by email, by visit...and when we connect, it must be a spiritual connection.  A simple social connection doesn't cut it!  We must connect as siblings within the Lord's family, for the purpose of body life, for the expansion of His Kingdom within our individual lives.  Too often we allow connections to disintegrate into simple social chitchat.  This is a strategy of the Evil One that we must guard against!

So, let your spiritual siblings function as siblings.  Listen to them, consider what they say.  They are not the Spirit or the Father, but especially the spiritual ones can help a lot in assessing obstacles in the project assigned to you by God.

4. Remember the Divine Opportunity Factor.  You know, there is a difference between projects of the Living God, and projects of some social club or humanitarian group or civic organization.  The Spirit of God working alongside us is one of the differences.

When the LIving God, our Father, assigns us a job for the Kingdom, obstacles will come...that is a guarantee.  However, there is another thing that will come: the supernatural power of God Himself.

"God can over-rule so that people are are able to move beyond what they normally could do...things open up supernaturally."  (Jason Evans, on July 5, 2009 in the Nehemiah Sunday School class).

The Divine Factor is simply this: whatever the obstacle, God is bigger, more powerful, more wise, more capable. 

So, consider the Biblical Factor, consider the Spirit Factor, consider the BodyLife Factor....but remember the certainty of the Divine Opportunity Factor.   If everything lines up with His will, disregard the obstacles and focus on His ability to overcome the obstacles.

As Nehemiah was making his midnight survey of the obstacles of his wall, he was alone and praying "God show me how to do this."   He did his homework, he made his plans, he committed himself to obedience, he linked arms with his spiritual siblings.  But in the end, he and his partners said "The God of Heaven, He will prosper us."

The Apostle Paul said something similar...."I worked hard...but God made it happen."

So, my beloved in the Lord, how's your wall?  Got any obstacles?  Check your alignment with the do's & dont's of Scripture.  Listen to the Spirit's direction.  Connect with your spiritual siblings.   Remember the supernatural ability of God to handle the obstacles. 

And keep on working!  For the glory of the Lord Jesus & His Kingdom!

    

July  9, 2009

Comin' up in just a few days we'll have 60 Georgians arrive at the Hill.  These are members of the youth choir of West Acres Baptist Church.  They're on their way back from Canada and are stopping en route to be with us.  Although this was short notice, already 40 of these have places in homes of some Hillions.  We still need 20 beds, so if you have a bed in your home, please contact Jason Evans at 336-597-4819.  They will arrive the evening of Saturday, July 11 and they will share our morning time on Sunday, July 12.  Keep them in your prayers as they finish up their tour, and remember their drivers for road safety.

Our young people are at camp this week....25 of them!  Be sure to be praying for the Lord to open their eyes to Him, and for them to respond to Him with surrender.

Susan Henderson is reporting that she has basically all the supplies and personnel that she needs for VBS.  Do you realize how amazing this is!  It's still 2 weeks off, but we're already fully staffed!  Thank you to everyone who has helped.  And now let us focus on being faithful to the end!  Let's finish the job well!  And ask the Lord to accomplish His purposes during these days.

Starting August 19, thirteen Wednesday evenings will be devoted to a discussion of "Forming a Christian World View".  What on earth is that, you ask?  Well, a "world view" is a lense through which world happenings are viewed.  It's a personal "formula" for interpreting what is happening around us.  It's how we decide what is important, what's connected together, why such-&-such happened, etc.

Everyone has a world view.  It's formed in us as we mature, whether we realize it or not.

The question is, do we as Christians have a CHRISTIAN world view?  Do we interpret the events around us according to our Christianity?  Does the Bible influence our perspective on things?

A Christian world view is a world view that is tempered, adjusted, managed according to the Scriptures.  For 13 weeks Joel & Jason will be taking us to "visit" things in Scripture that should affect our world view, so that we will learn to thinking "more Christianly" about Life.

So mark it on your calendar now.  Thirteen weeks, starting Wednesday, August 19 in the Fellowship Hill.  Call Jason for questions .. 336-597-4819 or email evans@esinc.net.

Ice cream, anyone??  Nora Pixley is taking a group of us (along with our ice cream) to Morton Manor.  This is not too far from the Hill and is home to a number of precious seniors.  Date is next Thursday, July 16, at 2:00pm.  Call her for directions: 336-599-4586.

Lurleen Peed has been added to our prayer list.

Nancy & Lee Wood want to say "thank you" to everyone for your expressions of love. Lee's doing great!

Anyone wanting advance registration for VBS can pick up a card & give it to Susan; this will make the first day easier (for everyone).

Remember, we're on Summer Hours.  Sunday School starts at 9:00 and 'church' at 10:00.

Have you been thinking about it?  God's love, I mean.  Jason & Joel have been doing a series on Sunday mornings they call "The Great Pursuit of Love."  Last Sunday Jason spoke from  the book of I John.  This letter was written by John, a close disciple of Jesus'.  In fact, they were so close that John called himself, "The disciple whom Jesus kept on loving."

Perhaps it was because they were so close relationally that John wrote so much about love.

Jason pointed out "The World cannot do what we have been asked to do."  Those who do not belong to Jesus have no power to love with a mature, holy, strong, clean love; they will always fall short.  But those who know Jesus personally, and who live close to Him (as John did), have power to love as He loves.  Before we receive the ability to love, we must 1) be born again, so that the supernatural gift of His Spirit can reside in us and 2) direct our heart & mind toward that Spirit, so that we do not quench/stifle His working in us.  It is through the power of the Spirit of God in us that we are able to love as He loves.

All love originates with God.  And He has demonstrated His love in many ways, primarily His Son Jesus Christ.  What are the characteristics of His love?  sending...reaching...self-less ...forgiving...redeeming...active...pro-active...need-oriented...appropriate...communicative...  The list goes on.

Can we have a love that goes beyond the issues that separate us?  Can we have a love that goes beyond our closest friends?  Can we have a love that bridges differences in our background, personalities, dreams?

Yes!  Our love comes from ONE source (God Himself), through ONE medium (His Spirit), following ONE example (Christ), but in DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS.  We will not all express our love as the Father did in sending Christ for us, but we must all express our love in some manner that is appropriate and need-oriented.

We need God to mature our love, to perfect it, to purify it, to grow it.  Is this your prayer as it was Jason's?  How are you continuing on with the sermon topic?  Maybe the Spirit is nudging you to reach out to someone you've been avoiding.  Maybe the Spirit is pricking you when your tone of voice, or words, or attitude is less that loving.

For myself, I've begun a study of the Gospel of John.  I want to look harder at the life of Jesus for the Father's love.  What did it look like?  What were it's characteristics?  I'm really looking forward to this study!

July 4, 2009

Meditations of a Gardener....  Yesterday morning the air was crisp & fresh; we had received a little rain during the night & the world was alive with vigor.  So I headed out to the back yard to work on things, including weeding.  As I worked, my mind went to Mark 4...the parable of Jesus about gardening.  Jesus said that His Kingdom is like gardening, and He described 4 planting situations. 

   Sometimes we plant seeds, but the birds take them away before they sprout.  Absolutely nothing is accomplished, and much investment  of time and money is lost.  What local farmer doesn't have a hate-relationship with the crows who eat his corn seed!  The farmer tries everything...scare-crows, plastic bags flapping in the wind, dogs...but those crows are persistent! 

Jesus compared this to the Evil One.  As soon as a person hears a seed of Truth about the Lord, His plan of salvation, His love...along comes the Evil One to snatch it away.  "No, you are not loved! How could anyone love you..especially if he knows you!" he shouts.  "Come on! How can your soul be secured because Someone died long ago...it doesn't make sense!"    "You're a good person; you haven't done anything really wrong.  Besides, you've got good intentions.  God will excuse your little short-comings.  You don't really need to yield completely to Him.  He doesn't really need to take over your WHOLE life!"

And so the little lies go, stealing away the Truth to which we've been exposed.  Not even giving a chance for God's life to grow in us.  The Evil One is a master crow!  He'll steal the seed of Truth in a heart-beat!

   Jesus said that sometimes we plant seeds, they sprout, they look beautiful, we have great hopes....but the next morning they are dead!  What happened?  It's what didn't happen that caused the death of the plant!  It didn't get a root system established.

This happens all the time!  Look at the huge number of people who get all excited about the Truth of God, they are happy for the first time in their lives, they can now sleep at night from the peace they've found from forgiven sins, they get baptized & join a fellowship.   Wow! Life is Great!!! 

Then suddenly they are back to their old dead life.  Drudgery, depression, mundane-ness, isolation.  Dead.  That's what they are...spiritually dead.

What happened?  They didn't establish a spiritual root system.  Life is in the roots.  Every gardener knows that!  Take away the roots, damage the roots, suffocate the roots...and the plant dies!

You see, to consider the seed of Truth, to accept it & sprout new life isn't enough...not in the long term...not to bear fruit.

We need roots.  We need to have a healthy inner life, where we are soaking up spiritual nutrition.

So how are your roots doing? Are you stretching for the nutrition that's available in the Savior? Are you drinking of the spiritual water the Spirit of God gives? Are you spiritually eating & drinking so that your life can be maintained over Time?  The hot sun of difficult circumstance, Life's trials, misunderstanding, etc., is coming....and only those of us who have developed a root system will survive spiritually.

The third plant situation Jesus discussed is found in Mark 4:7 & 18-19....those plants living amongst weeds.  Jesus referenced "cares of the world" weeds, the "deceitfulness of riches" weeds, and "lusts of other things" weeds. As I weeded yesterday, I was thinking much about these spiritual weeds.  I noticed the weeds in my garden and compared them to Jesus' teaching. 

   The weeds in my garden are sneaky little things!  They grow when no one is looking.  They just quietly establish themselves without fanfare.  And once established, they are never happy with their territory...they are always trying to expand more & more!  

How do they expand?  Well, some of them try to camouflage themselves;  they figure that if they look like the vegetable plants then maybe I won't notice them!  This is a lot like good works, humanitarian things, charitable works, church work.  Anything "good" can be camouflaged to look like the Kingdom of God.  Of course, it's not....unless it is done strictly in the power of the Spirit of God, according to the Word of God, and solely for the glory of the Lord Jesus.   But many, many well-intentioned folk have allowed the Kingdom in their lives to be crowded out by "good" things.

If we want the Kingdom to be established in our lives, we must remove the "good" weeds...those things that look legitimate, but are really counterfeits.

   Other weeds, frankly, are beautiful!  As I approach these weeds, I can just hear them:  "She won't pull me, because I'm so beautiful!  She'll enjoy my flowers...and I'm her favorite color!  She'll see that I have validity in my own right.  She wouldn't dare remove something like me that is contributing to the beauty of her garden!"

Many times I fall for that reasoning!  I think to myself that something so beautiful must not be a weed.  Surely, a weed would look like a weed.

Isn't it like that in Life.  What beautiful, gracious, sweet things do we allow in our lives that are not a part of the the Kingdom?  Sports, art, education, financial security, casual visiting....and you can probably think of other things.  All of these have "beauty" and "purpose" in their own right. 

The danger comes in this fact: although they have a right to existence, they take away from the Kingdom in our lives.

There is only so much space in the ground; beautiful weeds cannot co-exist with vegetable plants.  And the same is true in our spiritual lives.  There are only 24 hours in a day; we have only so much energy.  Choices must be made.  If we devote our time & energy to beautiful weeds, then we cannot devote our time & energy to the Kingdom of Jesus.

It's that simple.

Jesus said it a different way.  "You cannot serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will serve the one and not the other."

It's a matter of logistics.  We can't have beautiful weeds in the garden of our lives without paying a price in terms of productivity for the Kingdom.

  The last weed that I was impressed with is the "stickery" weed.  It is the weed that is covered with leaves that itch as soon as they are touched, or with thorns that pierce my hands.  These weeds stand there and actually defy me to remove them!

Do you have any of these weeds in your life?  Hard things....drugs, alcohol, pornography, foul language, soup operas, computer addiction, anger, gossip, gambling, sports addiction...the list goes on.  These weeds in our lives challenge us: "Remove me if you dare!  I'll make your life really hurt if you even try!"

One thing I've learned about these types of weeds....grab them by the root!  Yes!  Remove a smidgeon of the dirt at the base of the plant, then get a firm grip around the root head, and pull!  Not only does the plant not hurt my hand (as much, anyway), but the root also comes up, so it's less likely to re-emerge in the future.

So if you  have a "stickery" weed (& we all do), take it by the root, get a firm grip, and in the power of the Spirit, pull it out!

Before leaving this discussion of weeds, let me share one little secret: it's easier to pull the weeds after a gentle rain.  When the ground is hard & dry, the work is much more difficult.  But when the rain has softened the soil, the weeds come up rather easy.  It's still work, mind you.  But the work is made easier; the weeds yield quicker.

When the Spirit of God is moving us, wooing us, speaking to us....it is easier to deal with the weeds.  Don't let the times of His "rain" pass without spiritual productivity.  When our spirit, our will, our stubbornness has been softened by His Spirit, we need to get to work in removing those weeds.  We'll be more productive and the work will be easier.

Life in a garden is never stagnant.  We are deluded by the Evil One if we think otherwise.  It is one of his favorite lies!  The weed of pornography expands to acting out what we have seen & violating trusting relationships.  The weed of sports addiction expands to a lifestyle of laziness & pleasure-slavery.  The weed of soap operas expands to an attitude of casualness towards sin.  Each weed expands, and the garden is soon ruined.

So whether you have stickery weeds, beautiful weeds or camouflage weeds in your life today, they need to be removed.  Ask God to help you identify them, and send you His Spirit's help to soften the soil, so that they can be removed more efficiently.  You'll be the better for it!

  

The last planting situation Jesus describes is the successful garden....one filled with fruit.  What fruit is He talking about?  My mind goes to the Apostle Paul's discussion of fruit in Galatians chapter 5.  In verses22-23 he writes:  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness/humility & self-control".  

These are the characteristics of the Savior, our Lord Jesus.  As we remove the weeds, as we develop a good root system, as we refuse to allow the Evil One to remove the Truth from us.....then He Himself will be produced in us, and cause us to be health to others.  And thereby the Kingdom is expanded.

            He is replicated in us...this is the end result of good spiritual gardening.

Recommended reading: Galatians 5:16-23, Galatians 6:7-9, Mark 4:1-20

- - - - -    - - - - -    - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -   - - - - -

In other news, Youth Camp is next week.  We have 25 young people going.  They'll be sticking it out in primitive environs...no air-conditioning, no swimming pools, etc.  Just simple cabins and a creek.  If they use their imagination, they might feel like they're in Ethiopia :)   

Be in prayer for them...for physical safety, relational sweetness and especially spiritual growth.  Plead with our Lord at the Throne for Him to reveal Himself to them, and for them to respond with abandonment to His love and claim on their lives.

                                            

   

In Greek class on Monday night, the die-hard students are continuing to digest verb tenses.  So far, the present, the future, the imperfect, the perfect and the aorist tenses have been learned.  Now they're looking at the passive & middle voices of these tenses.

"So what!?!" you might be exclaiming.  Well, let me give you some "so what" answers ....

In I Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul states the Gospel:  "Christ died...was buried... rose again...and was seen".  The first & third components are the core....He died and rose again; these two facts are "according to the Scriptures"..they were prophesied long before Christ.  The 2nd and 4th components are proofs of the other two.  In other words, the reason He was buried is because He died, and the proof He rose again is that He was seen by many witnesses.

In the original writing of this letter, Paul used the aorist tense for "died", "buried" and "seen"; this tense simply says "it happened"...it doesn't say anything about the manner or implications of its happening.  Most of the verbs in the New Testament are aorist verbs.

But he used the perfect passive tense for "rose".  This change in tense says to the reader "Sit up & pay attention!"   Literally, this means "He was raised, and He is still raised today".  

Wow!  God raised Him and He's still raised today!  What other person do you know in history whom God raised is still raised today?  Every other person that He raised eventually died like all the rest of mankind.   Except our Savior!  He was raised & is still raised today!

Dave Black pointed out another "so what" from the crucifixion of Christ.  Remember, how Jesus prayed "Father, forgive them" as He was dying?  Well, the Greek verb tense is imperfect....this means Jesus kept on saying, over & over & over again, "Father, forgive them...Father, forgive them....Father, forgive them".  The account of His death has a whole new "color" when we realize that Jesus didn't say it just once, but He kept pleading with the Father for His forgiveness of those killing Him.

And the Apostle John used the imperfect tense.  In our English Bibles it is translated, "the disciple whom Jesus loved", but in the Greek it is "the disciple whom Jesus kept on loving!

And today, He is still loving!  Loving you...and loving me.  He keeps on loving.  Faithfulness is His nature!  He keeps on loving us!  Aren't you glad?

Do you know His love?  Do you live in the warmth of His love?

I truly hope so!

June 30, 2009

  My appreciation and awe of Danny Chambers increases by the month!  International Plumber & Electrician, Facility Manager, Veteran Missionary, Frisby Champion....and now Drama King! (Danny won't talk about his aching back, though!  See Jason's Ethiopia Chapter Book at http:/jasonmolly3.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/ethiopia-2009-the-chapter-book/,  chapter 24. )

Seriously, if you were to ask him, I have no doubt that his primary claim to fame is that he is the recipient of the wonderful love of the Lord Jesus!  Every time I hear Danny pray or share his testimony, he emphasizes the joy of forgiveness from sins!  If you don't yet know his story, ask him!

He unveiled his talent for drama at the 50s Party on Sunday evening.  And by his side was his beautiful wife Faye; what a pair they make! The evening started with a show of antique cars...and Faye made sure they showed their best!

    

The Fellowship Hall was turned into a 50s Diner, completed with soda bar.  Louie was a show-stopper in his git-up.  And get a hold of Miss Ella!.  What a hoot!!!

                

Our special thanks to the cast who put on the production, including Joni & her Babydoll!

       

                                       

From time to time we at Bethel Hill say "What happens on the Hill, stays on the Hill"....but some things are too choice to keep to ourselves :)   Enjoy the pictures!  (Visit Jason's blog for more pictures   http:/jasonmolly3.wordpress.com

The Summer Women's Bible Study Class started last night!  About 30-35 women gathered to study the book of Esther.  Molly Evans is leading the class, using a study course by Beth Moore.  It's not too late to join the group & get your own study materials.  Class meets at 7:00pm for a good hour.  Call Molly at 336-599-4814 or email her at mevans@esinc.net if you have any questions about the class.

 

         

What's in a list?  The things needed for Vacation Bible School coming up in a few weeks.

fishing worms (not real ones!),

fishing vest,

queen-sized old bed sheets,

goofy shoes (like funny bedroom slippers, old boots, etc.), 

backpacks,

corks for cane fishing poles,

3 pieces of 3" PVC piping,

laundry baskets,

large trash bags,

old newpapers

Contact Susan Henderson if you have any of these things we can use the week of July 19.  Her phone is 336-599-0050.

June 26, 2009

    "Share your things, Johnny!"

Remember when your mom used to remind you over & over again to share what you had?  Growing up in Ethiopia, I didn't have much in the way of toys, but we still heard it!

God has blessed all of us so abundantly!  No matter how little we think we have, in reality we have MUCH more than many, many people!  And Father God is always saying to us "Share your things, Johnny!"

I've been studying through I Peter, and this morning, I skipped ahead to chapter 4.  Verses 8-10 jumped off the pages at me.  "And above all things, have fervent charity (love) amongst yourselves: for charity covers the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man has received a gift (from God), even so he should use the gift for another, as a good steward of the abundant grace of God."

The Lord blessed me with several reminders from this passage:

1) In the midst of many sins & short-comings, Love covers, redeems, smooths-out, heals.

2) "Hospitality" means "sharing", and we are to share with others what we have... without a grudging attitude, without reservation, without hesitation.

3) Why do we share freely with others? Because we have received freely, without grudge, without reservation, without hesitation....this is the way that God has given to us.

The more we share (show love), the more we reflect that we understand our place before God (as receivers of His hospitality), and the more we demonstrate good stewardship of what He's given to us.

 

Hospitality takes many forms.  When we share our time, our expertise, our belongings, our homes....these are all forms of hospitality.  It is not limited to having people in our homes.

There are some at the Hill who have "the gift" of hospitality; this means that they have an extra measure of interest, desire, heart-throb to share with others, and they have a sort of intuitive sense of how to share so that others are completely comfortable with their sharing. 

But the Scriptures teach that all who know Jesus will have a lifestyle of sharing; it's just the way the Christian life flows.  Jesus was hospitable, so we are hospitable!

Some ministry opportunities are regular happenings...the monthly nursing home visitation, the weekly Sunday School class, the periodic Puppet Team programs, etc.  But some ministry opportunities are rare.

One of these rare opportunities is coming up.  And this website is giving you first notice, so you can grab the opportunity!  I'm guessing only about 10 homes will get to participate, so you need to grab the opportunity while you can!

            

On Sunday, July 12th (only 3 Sundays away), a fantastic youth choir is stopping at the Hill.  They are from West Acres Baptist Church in Georgia, and they are going to Canada for a music ministry tour...and going right by us!  They have consented to stop & share their gift of music with us, and we have eagerly accepted responsibility for their needs while they are with us. 

This is just like the "old" days.  The Body of Christ doesn't depend upon hotels and restaurants run by non-Christians for the care of each other!  When Family comes, we bring them into our homes & feed them at our tables!  What a GREAT expression of the unity that we have in Christ!  The bond we have in Christ is much, much thicker than any blood bond, or national bond, or commonality bond! 

Forty youth and 20 adults (60 people!!!) are coming, and we get to care for them as our brothers & sisters in Christ!  What a great privilege!  We'll pick them up on Saturday, July 11 (afternoon/evening when they arrive), take them to our homes, enjoy fellowship with them one-on-one, put them to bed, feed them on Sunday morning, and then bring them back to church for the meeting on Sunday morning.

So, spiffy the spare bedroom, pull out the inflatable mattress, move yourself into the living room & give up your bed...do whatever you need to do to grab this opportunity for service & blessing!  If you can make space for at least 2 in your home, send us an email at grace@BethelHillBaptistChurch.org, or contact Jason Evans at 336-599-4814 or evans@esinc.net.   Let us know if you how many you can take and any limitations (sex, etc.). 

And prepare yourself for the joy that comes with sharing!

June 22, 2009

Tonight the great Greek-for-Dummies class resumes with Dave Black.  Folk from all over the area gather 7-9pm to learn how to read the New Testament in the language in which God wrote it!  What a reward is waiting for those who complete the class!

Starting NEXT Monday night, June 29, Molly Evans will be teaching a Women's Bible Study on the book of Esther.  This is for all women, spiritual sisters of Queen Esther.  The class is simultaneous with the Puppet Practice, so we encourage especially those moms whose children are at Puppet Practice to join Molly.  Contact her at 336-599-4814 or mevans@esinc.net for details.

On the lighter side, the JOY 50s party in coming up this Sunday.  Have you found your poodle skirt or saddle shoes?  If not, come on out anyway!  The fun will start at 4:00pm in the church parking lot where we get to goggle over some antique cars!  Then we'll move inside to the Fellowship Hall for food, games & out-right laughing fun!  If you've got some old pictures from your high school days in the 50s, let Joni know; her phone is 336-597-2063.

In other news, we've begun collecting the Baby Bottles.  If you forgot last Sunday, please bring your bottle this Sunday.  You can leave it at a collection spot in either the foyer to the "sanctuary" or the foyer to the Fellowship Hall.  Contact Dolores Johnson for questions, 336-599-1425.

In your prayer time with the Lord, please remember the Rogers family & the Collie family as they adjust to recent deaths in the family.  Also,  Chad Phillips has asked us to pray for his friend, Mr. Moe, who is in serious condition at Chapel Hill hospital.  Don't forget the military folk of our family; things are continuing to be challenging in the Middle East, and these precious ones need our prayers for the Lord's protection; may this time prove to be spiritually profitable in their lives.  See the extended prayer list in the "Service Opportunities" section of this website.

What else do you discuss with the Lord in your prayer time?  Is there a particular heart burden you keep bringing to the Lord?  So.....what do we do while we're praying?  That was the discussion focus in the Nehemiah class on Sunday.  For 4 long months Nehemiah prayed to the Lord about his desire to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and bring some dignity as well as function back to the city that meant so much to him as a Jew in captivity.  The books of Ezra & Nehemiah are one book in the Jewish "Bible".  In Ezra, the petition to rebuild the wall had been denied by the King.  Nehemiah knew this.  As he prayed, he waited.  But waiting is not  passive.  In chapter two, we see 3 things that Nehemiah was busy doing while he was waiting.

1) He remained faithful in the tasks at hand.  Every day he got up & went to work as the King's cup-bearer.  He was wise not to "change in the dark what God had shown him in the light".... during his time of prayer & waiting Nehemiah continued to be faithful at the post where God had placed him.  If you are doubting, questioning, wondering and confused, sometimes the only way through the situation is to go forward...to keep on keeping on, to be faithful in Life as it is at the moment.

2) He surrendered to God's working during the time of waiting.  In fact, he was watching for that working.  Sometimes the waiting period is because God has to do a work in us, sometimes in others, sometimes in circumstances.  God is not idle during our waiting; He is working.  Nehemiah 'kept the air clear' between him and God, and he watched for the working of God.

3) He used the waiting time to plan, to brainstorm, to figure logistics.  There is no disconnect between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.   We cannot simply "dump" all requests & concerns on God; there is a place for our function as human beings, using the mind & skills that He has given.  Nehemiah used these 4 months of praying to also plan for the project of rebuilding the Wall; he wanted to be ready if/when God opened the door.  There is a saying "Pray as if it all depends on God, and work as if it all depends on you."  When the King asked Nehemiah about his desire, he had only a split second to answer....a little sliver of Time to walk through the door God had opened.  And because of his planning & figuring, he was able to give the King a very concise answer and move forward with the King's blessing.  So, we must use our minds to calculate logistics while we are waiting for God to answer our prayer.

Next week Nehemiah's story continues, and we'll discuss Principles of a Successful Mission.  Personally, I'm enjoying the class, and find myself thinking alot about the work in Ethiopia.  I invite you to join us for your own 'mission' work.  As Jason said in class, "Prayer is a priority in ANY undertaking we do.  You may never build a wall in Jerusalem.  That's not the issue.  But God is calling you to do SOMETHING!"   Yes, we all have SOMETHING to do that pushes us beyond our limits.  And we need the story & example of Nehemiah to help us do our SOMETHING!

June  18, 2009

   “Make us to love one another with Christ-like love.” This was the opening prayer in our Sunday meeting.

Joel spoke from I John 4:10-13. Jesus said “The world (Society) will know who I am by your love.”…not by your church service, not by your offering, not by your declaration…but by your love.

We might call ourselves “Christian” because of our church membership, or church attendance, or our "profession of faith’, or our signed commitment card, or our  walking an aisle, or ….

But Christ’s stamp of authenticity is LOVE. Isn’t it time we threw away the other stamps?

Christ’s love is an un-worldly love. It is supernatural. It is “clean”, holy, pure. It is not in any way tainted by sin. Society’s ‘love’, marketed by Hollywood and permeating all levels of our life, is tarnished by sin….flirting, immodesty, manipulative, deceptive, self-serving, unfaithful, flippant promises, etc.

From this passage in I John, Joel showed us 3 things about this love:

1) We have a MANDATE to love (v 7,11)

To be born of God is to have His nature placed within us. And His nature is to love! We cannot belong to Him without loving others! These two things are inseparable. Just like we cannot experience the sun without knowing light, so we cannot experience God without knowing love! To experience God as His child is to have a natural overflow of His love for others.

The early followers of Jesus were so clear in their love for each other, it caught the attention of secular writers. “Look how they love one another! They are even prepared to die for one another!”

Today in modern America, maybe we are not required to physically die for our brothers & sisters, but we must die in other ways. We must die to our time, our energy, our agendas…for the welfare & needs of our brothers & sisters in Christ.

2) We have a MODEL of love (v. 9-10). These verses describe God’s love for us. Note some key words….

“He gave”…love is proactive, intentional surrender of something that belongs to us
“His son”…love is surrendering that which is most precious to us
“for our sin”…love is need-oriented, compassionate, sensitive

In summary, God surrendered His most precious possession to meet our need.

When His nature is within us, our love will be like His love. We will willingly, proactively, compassionately surrender the time, energy, possessions, agendas that mean much to us, so that the needs of others will be met. This is God-love!

On what basis does God show love to us? Because of our good looks? Our good works? Our wealth? Our standing in society? Our intellect? Our family history?

In the words of both Woody & Joel, “if that was His basis for love, I’d be out of the loop.” If God had even one small criteria for His love, we would all be excluded. But He has no pre-qualifications! His love is open to all people!

And so is our love when it is flowing from His nature within us. There is no prejudice in His love. It is consistent, strong, faithful to all people.

Now, not all people respond to His love….but He keeps on loving. Aren’t you glad for His faithfulness? Where would we be without His faithful love?

So, let us love as He loves….to all people, without prejudice, without pre-qualification, without condition, without concern for response. Let us give what we hold precious to meet the needs of those around us.

3) We have a MORAL OBLIGATION to love (v. 12-13) The message of the Gospel has been placed in our hands. And the best way to preach this message is through a lifestyle of love! Preaching is done mostly with our lives, not with our mouths.

We might declare to our neighbors that we are “Christian” because of our signing a card, walking an isle, writing a check, etc. But the only way they know for sure that we are “Christian” is when we live with supernatural love.

“Jesus has put in their heads that they are brothers…” This is what someone wrote about the early Christians. The author witnessed the sacrificial sharing between believers, and it was beyond his comprehension. Their new identity was mind-boggling!

                           

When others look at us, is their mind boggled? Do they have difficulty processing the love they see in our lifestyle? You see, Sunday and Wednesday meetings are just a small scratch in the Christian life. Real Life takes place on Monday afternoon, and Tuesday evening, and Thursday at lunchtime, and Saturday morning.  Is the nature of God, His love, flowing through us during these times?

This is the lesson of I John 4:10-13….we have a mandate to love, a model to love, and a moral obligation to love. And all of this will work out in our lives as we experience the nature of God in us. Jesus’ stamp of authenticity as a “Christian” is this: we have His love for one another.

What’s stamped on your life?

   In other news…....Susan Henderson has begun to gather her army of helpers for Vacation Bible School in July.  She gave public testimony to what God is doing in her life through this project.  This is the first time she has organized VBS.  She has claimed Proverbs 3:5-6 as her guide:  Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Don't lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.  Her testimony: God has changed my confusion into a "straight road", settling her mind & heart for the task ahead.  To God be the glory!  All of this is HIS work, and He will supply all that is needed at every level!

            
  
Speaking of what is needed, Susan's put together a list of supplies that are needed...fishing items, plumbing stuff, etc...and it is posted in the foyer of the Fellowship Hall.  Chances are that some of these things are in your garage, or attic, or barn....and if they could speak, they would say "Please, take me to church for Vacation Bible School.  I am eager to be used in ministry."  So check the list & then bring in the items needed.

Some folk have already signed up with Susan to help.  Next Sunday she's posting a list of vacancies.  Call her at 336-599-0050 to join the Team!  God's Kingdom is not suffering an economic downturn!  For double- and triple-digit return on investment, put your investment in His work, according to His program!  You'll reap the rewards both now & for all eternity!

Two special Wednesday evenings are coming up....June 24 and July 4...at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall.  These evenings we'll be discussing & digesting the "Mission & Vision Statement".  This statement isn't of biblical proportions, but it is a simple way of helping us to focus our energies on the things of the Kingdom.  It's a way of synthesizing 66 books into one page :)   The Statement was handed out several weeks ago, so we've had some time to think about it.  Come these two Wednesdays to explore it more fully.

  Woody & Cindi Jacobs are inviting all youth & their families to their home this coming-up Saturday, June 20, at 5:00 for supper & Bible Study.  That's what you call integration!  Youth & Family....it's the way God intended it to be!  Call them at 336-599-2423 for any questions.


Dave Black made it back safely from Ethiopia...the last of the Team to arrive back.

And now Jason, Molly & Company have gone on vacation.  If you have anything that needs special attention this week, please contact Joel or one of the elders.  Or contact any brother or sister at the Hill.  There is no heirarchy in the Body...we're all ministers through the power of the Holy Spirit.  What a wonderful way to do Kingdom work!  Society doesn't understand how we function, but that's OK.

Baby Bottles are due back this Sunday, June 21st (Father's Day).  Fill 'em to the brim, then bring 'em in!  (How's that for poetry?)

  "I love EVERYONE!"  Said Mama Mary after the service...."Except the Devil!"   And she means it!

June 15, 2009

Maybe it seems like 'forever' since this site was updated.  No, I haven't left he country again :)   Here's the reason:

 

                         

Nolan Elijah Black was born at 2:35am on Thursday morning, June 11, 2009.  Blessed parents are Nathan & Jessica Black.  And very-thankful grandparents are Dave & BeckyLynn Black.  The miracle of Life is awesome!  Not just the holding of a little baby, but the amazing-ness of the birth itself!

As our birth adventure unfolded and we moved Jessie to UNC for medical intervention, I stood before the Throne, not only pleading for His grace, protection & strength, but also overflowing with thankfulness for His blessing of medical care.  Just 5 days before this birth I had stood at a small clinic in southern Ethiopia.  This clinic is the ONLY option for medical assistance within a full-day's walk, and it is a 6-hour drive from a hospital that provides only basic care (that's assuming a vehicle can be found for transportation).

The quality of care available at UNC was stunning!  And it stood in sharp contrast to the quality of care available to the dear people in Burji, Ethiopia!

          

Why had God allowed little Nolan Elijah to be born where a UNC-type facility was available?  Was it because his parents are more holy, or more wealthy, or the right color?  Was it because his country is ruled by democracy, or capitalism, or was founded for freedom?

                              Why?                           Why?                              Why?

As I have been in an eerie shock over the contrast between Burji and UNC, this question has been shouting at my heart.  And I have come to only one answer.

                            Grace.                       Pure Grace.                Simple Grace.

But for the grace of God, little Nolan Elijah would have been born in Burji, Ethiopia....to parents who had no options...in a society shrouded in ignorance of medical issues...in an economy stifled by poverty.  Frequently women in Burji die in the last stages of labor.  Sometimes they are on the road, trying to get to help.  Sometimes they are in their huts, surrounded by family wringing their hands, frustrated at their inability to help the struggling, exhausted, dying woman. 

Many, many times the baby dies...and another little grave dots the countryside.

                         

My dear brothers & sisters, let us NEVER take the blessings of the Lord for granted.  Let us NEVER lift our hearts in pride.  Flippancy & Pride have no place in the heart of one who knows the Living God!  We cannot have a correct understanding of our place in the Universe and simultaneously have Pride & Flippancy in our heart.

Let us train our hearts to thankfulness and appreciation.  My grandmother lived to be 105 years old.  She witnessed the spiritual deterioration of our country.  One day I asked her, Grandmommee, what is the greatest sin of America?  I expected her to recite some of the horrible sins that occur regularly all around us...adultery, abortion, murder, child abuse, hate.

Her answer surprised me.  "We forgot to be thankful."

Nothing in us requires the Lord of the Universe to give us safety, or blessing, or comfort.  It is purely by his GRACE that we are as we are...in a country that is relatively safe, that is abundantly blessed, and that is overflowing with medical expertise for the average person.

I ask myself, Why did He not bless Burji as He has blessed America?  The answer I have is this: so that we in America can know even more blessing....the blessing of sharing, of giving, of compassionate living.

Jesus said, "It is  more blessed to give than to receive." Do we believe this? 

The tendency is to:

               a) hoard what we have, worried that the day will come when we will need it,

               b) excuse our non-involvement, spiritualizing that something must be terribly wrong with a society (or person) because God has allowed such poverty & tragedy, or

               c) escape the issue, turning our minds & hearts to other "more important" things, like softball or making another buck.

****The tendency to take credit to ourselves for His Grace,  and the tendency to judge another person's condition apart from His Grace is over-whelming. ****  

The whole time we are in this mode, the Lord Jesus is quietly, gently calling to us ....

                                            "Will you give as I have given to you?"

And so the question remains:  Will we give to others as He has given to us?  Look at the Baby Bottle, look at the confused neighbor down the road, look at the Ethiopians in Burji....and hear Him asking:

                                          "Will you give as I have given to you?"

June 8, 2009

The Ethiopia Team returned safely on Saturday. Have you seen them? Are they walking a straight line yet? Their ministry was exhaustive to the point of physical sickness, but in their weariness they can hear the Lord’s summary  “Well done, my good and FAITHFUL servants.” They pushed beyond comfort & beyond weariness to finish the work, and by your prayers they were able to continue in spite of their weakness.

Each of the 4 team members gave a brief summary on Sunday. Ed & Danny worked together to install plumbing (3 sinks, hot & cold water, 2 French drains) at the Galana Clinic. They accomplished this in 3 days, then moved to the Bible School in Soyama Town to install electric lights & outlets for the dormitory & library. Their final day in Burji, they returned to the Clinic to install a thick, wall-to-wall rubberized mat on the floor in all the rooms. They worked as a great team! Ed’s biggest challenge was lack of sleep; most of the time the electricity to Burji was cut off, so his c-pap couldn’t work. But God was faithful to give him the sleep he needed for the work at hand.  The next time you see Ed, ask him how his feathers are!

                   

        

     
Danny was really in his element this trip. If you remember, last time he went to Ethiopia, he worked with the children. This time, we kept all the frisbies away from him! I wish you could have seen him in the plumbing store in Addis Ababa….it took 5 hours to get the supplies and to learn a new way of connecting the piping pieces!

Jason taught a Men’s Bible Conference on the book of I Timothy. About 50 men attended. Several things kept the men from coming…it is the time of year when they (manually) remove the weeds from their fields, and also many were “in the bush," standing guard over their homes. The Gujis were attacking villages, stealing cattle & injuring people. This required many men to spend day & night on guard duty.

After the conference, Jason painted the interior of the clinic. He made history in Burji. As one elder told us “We always paint by thinning with water, but we have heard that Jason painted without thinning. This is the first time in Burji such painting has been done. We have seen that it looks very good. We have learned something new!” Although Jason was nicknamed “Sorry Painter” by Ed & Danny, he is called “Expert Painter” by the Ethiopians. In 2 ½ days he (along with many helpers) painted all 7 rooms. The walls & ceiling were so porous that one room soaked up 3 gallons! Miraculously, God provided the additional paint we needed to complete the job. Now the walls & ceiling of the clinic are a beautiful enamel white and the doors & windows are a bright turquoise blue enamel.

  

BeckyLynn was the general facilitator of the Team…lining up workers, getting supplies, organizing schedules, etc. Additionally, she taught a Women’s Bible Conference on God’s plan for women down thru the ages. And she did many administrative things at the clinic. Days at the clinic, working around the painters, plumbers and floor-layers, were hectic but productive. Amber Nichols, from Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Wilkesboro, NC, joined the Bethel Hillions as a nurse. In the USA she is a surgical nurse, and at the Galana Clinic, she actually did surgery!

     

                                     Galana Clinic in Burji District, Southern Ethiopia

 

 

         

                                               All done for the sake of the Gospel!

One of the highlights of the trip was the 2-day visit to a village in the Konso District that lies west of the Burji District. This area has very few churches, so the Burji church is targeting mission/church-planting here. It was a LONG & strenuous drive there (about 6 hours with 3 stuck-in-mud events). One time we were very fearful of the safety of our driver & the vehicle, but God brought us through. The church in the village was ecstatic when we arrived. We thought Burji was the end of the earth, but now we know that Gemete Benea village is the end of the earth! What an encouragement our visit was to these dear brothers & sisters in Christ!

      

      

As the believers from Gemete Benea village came to greet us, they carried a sign that read "Welcome Strangers.  Who shall separate us from the Lord of Christ?" (Romans 8)

  

Thirty people recited the 9 Bible passages required to receive their own Bible.  Some of them recited John 3 and John 14 in drama form.  This was the first time that Danny got to give the Bibles.

Returning from Burji, we met with the organization that is drilling the well for the clinic. Please continue to pray for this operation, that a big rig will be provided to drill through the rock.

Over the next weeks, please continue to pray for the Ethiopia Team. It will take awhile for them to re-cooperate physically, emotionally & spiritually. As Jason mentioned on Sunday, NOW is the time to do good to those who need it! We must not procrastinate. The Ethiopia Team used their vacation days for doing good, and they pushed themselves to the limit in their service. May we follow their example in our work for our neighbors and those around us. Let us lay ourselves out for those in need, both here and in Ethiopia. Let us be the hands & feet of Jesus!

                                             JULY, 2010                                                                            

The next Team trip to Ethiopia is planned for July, 2010. Plans are very tentative at this point, but we are thinking to take about 15-20 from various churches in the Roxboro area, possibly including families with children. If your heart is being tugged toward the Ethiopia work, be in prayer about the possibility of joining the next team. Initial discussion meetings will be held in September.

Dave Black remains in Ethiopia this week. He is teaching the book of Philippians to new believers within the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Please keep him in your prayers.  (By the way, Tuesday, June 9, is his birthday!)

Wednesday, June 10, is Nursing Home Visitation day. Meet at Roxboro Nursing Home at 9:30. Call Nora Pixley for details, 336-599-4586.

If you’ve been on vacation, our Sunday meetings are now on summer hours. So don’t miss out…come at 8:45 for coffee, 9:00 for Sunday School, and 10:00 for congregational meeting.

Coming up in 3 Sundays is the JOY 50s party….June 28 at 5:30 in the Fellowship Hall.

Susan Henderson is putting together our Vacation Bible School this summer. She’s looking for people on the Hill who love Jesus and who love children. I know there are plenty who fall into that category! So if you are in town July 19-24, please call Susan to join the team. You’ll be the richer for it!  Her phone is 336-599-0050.

Our treasurer Jerry Thompson has completed an excellent report of our financial situation for this fiscal year (starting Sept, 2008). The report is available in the foyer. Contact him at if you have any questions.  336-599-8039.

Father’s Day is coming up! What’s that got to do with Baby Bottles? Well, we’re collecting the Baby Bottles for the Roxboro Pregnancy Support Center on that Sunday. So bring your Bottle (filled with cash, coins or checks) on Sunday, June 21st. And as you fill your Bottle, pray for those who will be helped through your love gift. Pray for babies, mamas, papas and grandparents…that our Lord Jesus will be glorified in their lives. Call Dolores Johnson for any questions/concerns, 336-599-1425.

New to our prayer list: Lee Wood, Margaret Seate, Bob Willkins and Tommy Brandon.  Why not drop them a card or give them a phone call?  Contact our church secretary, Nancy Wood, if you need contact information; her phone is 336-597-5487 & email is lenanwood@aol.com.

Our Greek for Dummies class resumes in 2 weeks...on Monday, June 22.  Use this time to refreshen up and firm up.  Soon we'll be reading our Greek New Testament, if we presevere!

Did you get the right answer to Noah & Abram's age difference?  Abram was 10 generations later than Noah, but in those days people lived so long, he was 58 years old when Noah died!  The Scriptures say that both Abram's father & grandfather worshipped idols...so where did Abram learn to love & obey the true & living God?  From his 8th great-grandfather!

So, grandparents...take your job seriously!  You have MUCH influence over the next generations!  Use that influence for the true & living God!

                                     

     

May 28, 2009

It’s that time of year again! Graduation! Congrats to our Hillions graduating from college: Faye Chambers, Samantha Henderson, Margaret Kiser and Julie Powell. You might be interested to know that three of them are from the same family! Yes! Margaret & Julie are co-aunts to Samantha (whom we affectionately call ‘Sam’). Faye’s claim to fame is that her husband Danny is in Ethiopia now. So we’re all going in circles these days.

Speaking of circles, the JOY 50s party date has been changed to Sunday, June 28…they needed one more day to find their poodle skirts & saddle shoes. “Now, which barn did I store those things in?”

In other circles, it’s time to move around our Sunday School classes. Well, sort of. The men’s & women’s classes will continue in the Lifeway Curriculum quarterly; Gail Collie will teach the women’s class and Woody Jacobs will guide the men’s discussion. Chris Jacobs will continue to move along at his leisurely (but rich) pace through the book of Philemon; maybe by the next quarter he’ll be in chapter two. :)   Jason Evans will return from Ethiopia to teach a class, going through the book of Nehemiah. (Wonder if Jason will get the wall rebuilt around Jerusalem before Chris returns Onesimus to Philemon! If that happens, you’ll hear about it right here! So keep this website on your ‘Favorites’ listing for breaking news.) These new classes will start on May 31st.

How’s your Baby Bottle? We’re half way to Father’s Day when these bottles are collected & returned to the Pregnancy Support Center in Roxboro. So they should be at least half full of silver dollars by now. If you happen to be short of silver dollars, just put in a check or two  Every penny goes to pay the utility bills & purchase supplies to help those in our community. See how we’re doing local missions while we’re doing foreign missions…just as the Lord Jesus wants. Everyone has their place in the Kingdom, and to Him goes all the glory!

Now here’s a question for you. You know Abraham in the Old Testament; he was the 8th-great-grandson of Noah. The question is: how old was Abram when Noah died?

                               A) Noah had died long before Abram was born.

                               B) He was 11 years old when Noah died.

                              C) He was 58 years old when Noah died.

Do your research & let’s see who gets the answer! You can email me your answer at grace@bethelhillbaptistchurch.org

The Ethiopia Team is busy right now. In the southern region of Burji, Jason Evans, Dave Black & BeckyLynn Black are teaching away at various Bible conferences. Ed Johnson & Danny Chambers are working on the clinic & Bible school, putting in plumbing & electrical wiring. Be sure to keep them daily in your prayers. See the prayer itinerary at http://daveblackonline.com for details.

Thanks to Joel Bradsher for manning the website while BeckyLynn is in Ethiopia.

Don’t forget: New Sunday hours, starting Sunday, June 7th. This will be the first Sunday back for the Team; they might still be operating on Ethiopia time. But the rest of us can do it right! Coffee at 8:45, Sunday School at 9:00, Main meeting at 10:00. Times together are important times. Only when we’re together as a family can we encourage each other in love & good works, as the Scriptures tell us to do. So come prepared to encourage others & to be encouraged yourself! Don’t be fooled into thinking you can go it alone in the Christian life…we can’t..not even a little bit alone! We need each other, and others need us.

That’s the way the Father put His family together. 

May 23, 2009

The testimony of every person involved in the Ethiopia ministry,

whether going or holding the ropes at home:

                                

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand .

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live .

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ .

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand .

AMEN!

May 20, 2009

What's happenin' exactly 64 hours from this moment? Or, as Karson Evans counts, what's happenin' after 3 sleeps? Or as Jessie Black counts, what's happenin' after 3 nights & a wake-up?  At precisely 11:00am, Saturday morning, four Bethel Hillions will be checking in their luggage at the United Airlines counter at Raleigh Durham International Airport, bound for Ethiopia.  A fifth Hillion will be arriving in Ethiopia as these 4 are taking off.  So please keep Dave & BeckyLynn Black, Ed Johnson, Danny Chambers & Jason Evans in special prayer over the next 3 weeks.  If God is willing, 4 will return on Saturday afternoon, June 6th at 1:40pm, and Dave will return on Saturday evening, June 13th.  For a full itinerary and day-by-day prayer guide, go to https://daveblackonline.com

        

   REMEMBER OUR  TEAM AND THEIR ETHIOPIAN COUNTER-PARTS.

         

Have you remembered?  Sunday morning, while the Ethiopia team is flying at 35,000 feet above sea level over the Sahara desert in Egyptian airspace, the rest of the Body will be meeting at 10:00 for a special morning.  No Sunday School, but the all-together meeting starts at 10:00.  Afterwards, there will be a wonderful hot-dog lunch, sponsored by our Youth who want to say "Thank you" to everyone for their love & support.  The hot dogs & fixin's are on the Youth, but everyone's invited to bring a dessert.  When the Youth reach college age they're allowed to make desserts :) 

In other news, the first annual reunion of the Men's Conference last Fall is being held on Saturday, June 6th, at Hyco Park, Shelter #2.  Everyone's gathering there at 11:00am.  Please bring a drink and some dessert to share. (I guess the men are allowed to make desserts.)  Don't worry about the other food...there'll be plenty.  Men, bring your families for a good time.  Contact  John Sabat at 336-317-4250 for questions, comments, encouragement, RSVP....or for any reason at all.  Just call him!

    

The JOY Club is determined not to be outdone by the Men's Conference Reunion.  Their 50s party is coming up.  Here's the scoop:

                             Saturday, June 27th, 5-7pm

                            "Get your saddle shoes, poodle skirts, roll up your blue jeans,

                            and stroll down memory lane with J.O.Y. 50's party at Bethel Hill

                             Fellowship Hall.  Come and enjoy dinner, games and

                             entertainment with lots of fun for all."

May 15, 2009

Jason asks...How's your Baby Bottle?  Feed it all you can during the next 4 weeks.  And don't forget, the Baby takes bills and checks as well as change :)

Kenneth Bowes has been added to our prayer list.  See Service Opportunities page for full listing of prayer needs.

Today I discovered a new lie from the Evil One. Exam #2 is coming up in our Greek-for-Dummies class. None of us taking this class are doing it for the grade. The grade is irrelevant. This is a class for lay people, those who just want to be able to read the New Testament in the language in which God wrote it. The class started 4 months ago with about 50 gung-ho students. From all walks of life, we had our eyes on the prize!

But as the weeks have passed those who still have their eyes on the prize have dwindled to 15-20. Some of us in the class are hanging by our fingernails. Life has brought illness, moving, overtime at work, family crises & many other challenges. But the Greek class has continued every Monday evening.

And now we are being tempted by a lie. The Evil One is saying “Surely you will receive the Reward without the work! The challenges you’ve had are perfectly understandable. Surely a just & merciful God would not withhold the reward of reading the Greek New Testament just because other things have kept you from investing in Greek studies.”

I am reminded of I Peter 1:17-19:  "Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your (transitory) lives here on earth in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

Also, Galatians 6:7-9 follows this idea....   "Don't be deceived.  God is not mocked.  For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.  If he sows to his flesh (temporal, earthly things), then he'll real corrupted, temporal things.  But if he sows to the Spirit (following the Spirit's values), he will of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  Let's not get weary in doing good; in due season, at the right time, we'll reap good things. But we must not faint & quit." (my paraphrase)

Much-loved brothers & sisters, let us not be deceived. Our Father does not grade “on the curve.” His rewards of joy, peace, guidance this side of Heaven, and crowns & leadership positions in Eternity, are for those who diligently pursue Him. DILIGENTLY pursue Him.

Our society lives on excuses. “Something came up…” “Sorry for the inconvenience….” “I thought I could, but I just can’t”….

But our Father, the Almighty God, the Judge & Rewarder of Mankind, isn’t affected by these excuses. It matters not that we have been traumatized in life, or our finances are tight, or our health is poor. Excuses are irrelevant.

Why are Life’s circumstances irrelevant when it comes to living His way & gaining His reward? Because of the Holy Spirit. The fact of the Holy Spirit living in us neutralizes all the handicaps in our lives.

So we are without excuse. If we fail to get a reward (in this life or in eternity), it is our own doing. We cannot blame it upon an “unkind” or “unsympathetic” or “unloving” God.

So let us pay attention. Let us not believe the lie of the Evil One. God is no respecter of persons. He rewards justly, according to our works. And it is the Holy Spirit within us that gives us the power to do the works needed for the reward.

Let us press on for the reward He wants to give us….in our families, in the Body, in our friendships, in our attitudes, in our marriages, in our world.

And, fellow Greek student, let’s study with all our might….so we can read our New Testaments together!

        Μὴ πλανᾶσθε, θεὸς οὐ μυκτηρίζεται: ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει:

                               

Recommended readings: Colossians 3:1-17; Matthew 16:24-28; Revelation 22:12-16;       Luke 12:16-53

May 12, 2009

What's special about today?  It's my birthday...and my sister's (4 years later).

What's special about tomorrow?  It's the day folk go from the Hill to the nursing homes of Roxboro.  God has put Nora Pixley in our Body.  Have you noticed the gift of compassion and helps that God has put into her?  And she uses that gift partly in organizing our monthly trips to these homes.  God has blessed our country that we have these facilities to help us care for the elderly.  But not even the best facility can provide for all the emotional & spiritual needs of its residents.  If you have ever gone to visit these dear folk, you know what a GREAT blessing is received as well as given!  So if you need a blessing tomorrow morning, join Nora & the Hill folk at 9:30 at Roxboro Nursing Home.  From there, you'll go to Cambridge Hills, and then end up at Golden Corral for lunch.  Call Nora at 336-599-4586 for directions or questions.  And then put it on your calendar for next month...it's always the 2nd Wednesday of the month.

Garrison Hatley has a message for all his mommies at the Hill.

                                     

Does Stacey have too much time on her hands?  Should we ask the Lord for a sister for Garrison?  Inquiring minds want to know.

May  11, 2009

Highlights from  Mother’s Day on the Hill…

Mary Beth Fuller sang a wonderful solo for us. Men moved a big chair up to the podium, and in stocking feet she climbed up.   She sang a prayer of rejoicing to God.  It was wonderful both in music and in thought. “May all I do glorify Your Name. That’s the reason You made me.” A good reminder for all of us. It’s so easy to get side-tracked, deluded into thinking that our creation by Him was for our own purposes, our own happiness, our own exaltation. But we were made to glorify, reflect, mirror, raise up Him!

      Thank you, Mary Beth!

Jason asked some unusual questions about the mothers present. For the first time in my life, I got to raise my hand that I was a grandmother :)   I was a little late on the draw, but the hand got up!

Mrs. Brandon won the honor of being the only great-grandmother who had great-grandchildren present in our meeting. What a woman of honor she is! “The woman who fears the Lord….SHE shall be praised!” (Proverbs 31:30)…not the beautiful woman, not the gifted woman, not the wealthy woman…but the godly woman has praise that lasts through the years.

          

Jason spoke from the book of Exodus, chapter two. This is a familiar story about the birthing of Moses, and the challenge that his parents had with him. They were living in a godless, antagonistic society, under a ruler who was determined to murder. Although our government (thankfully) isn’t ordering the execution of children, we do live in a godless, antagonistic society. It is antagonistic against holiness and people who seriously want to follow the Lord Jesus.

Jason pointed out 4 things we can learn from the example of Moses’ parents:

1. By faith, we must protect our children from a godless generation. We don’t need to fear godlessness. We don’t need to feel like we have to be pushed by the ungodliness around us. We don’t have to be pressured by our culture to dress, to talk, to school, to act according to its standard; we can choose to follow the standard of holiness set by our Father.

So….don’t allow people to cause you to fear, cave in, submit to their idea. Instead, intentionally choose to live in all areas of life according to God’s standard. He’s given pretty clear instructions on our behavior. And as parents, we must actively protect our children from the godless behavior of the culture as it is shown in the things our children watch, how they dress, who their friends are, how we school them, etc.

2. By faith, we must surrender our children to the sovereign care of God. For 3 months Moses’ mother did everything she could to protect Moses, but eventually she had to let go, and let God care for her son. A modern-day equivalent of Moses’ mom is Irena Sendler, as she saved thousands of Jewish babies from the Nazi regime. She could have saved more, except that the Jewish mothers were not willing to yield their babies to her care. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irena_Sendler

Raising our children is a DIVINE assignment. We have to surrender them at an early age. And we have to surrender them over & over & over again…on a daily basis…to fight against our natural tendency to claim ownership & autonomy.

So…surrender your children today, and tomorrow & the day after. Only the Lord who made them can keep them sufficiently for the trials of this Life.

3. By faith, we must use our time with our children wisely. Maybe we only have 3 years, or 12 years, or 18 years with our child. Whatever time He gives to us must be used wisely, effectively, focus’dly (how do you like that word?). We are raising them to release them; we must keep the end in mind and grab each day, each moment, to shape them for that end.

So…don’t let the moments disappear. Take the spontaneous times as they come; watch for them & grab them for His purposes in your parenting. And shape your schedule to garner hours with your children so that you can impact them for the Savior.

4. By faith we know that parenting is Kingdom work. The world system, our society, the media say that parenting is a burden, a negative cash flow, a hassle, an impingement on our adult liberties, a no-win commitment.  Our society might say a child or two is a feather in our cap because it proves virility, but it does not validate the work of raising children.

God says differently. He says that every moment we are investing in our children is work for the Kingdom. Not only is our investment helping that child himself toward godly living, but we never know how that child will impact the next generation, and the next one after that.   We could tell story after story of children in the past who were touched by adults who took time to teach them of the Gospel & the Savior; these children grew up to influence thousands for Him, reshaping nations & governments. Think of DL Moody, Billy Graham, Augustine, and many others in history.

So…do not allow the Evil One to delude you into thinking that your time & energy is wasted on your children…or any other children.  Believe the God of Abram, Isaac & Jacob….He is faithful to the generations, using faithful parents as His workmen…so that His Kingdom is established in each generation.


In practical application, Jason challenged us with some questions:

1. what choices do our children see us making? Remember, Moses is not the only child in this story. His sister Miriam was watching…watching, listening, learning…as her parents made their choices in difficult, godless circumstances. What conversations are our children hearing as we do things about our homes, as we drive in our cars? What do they see us doing with our free time? Do they see faithfulness to God as we make our choices with our money, our time, our relationships?

2. Parents of grown children, are we still involved in our children & grandchildren? Don’t disengage…gently “push” into their lives. If some things need to be dealt with to open the relationship, then deal with those things. Ask forgiveness. Seek reconciliation. Seek peace. Children need grandparents, and often the grandparents have a pivotal role, (PIVOTAL role!), in the faith and spiritual development of a child…no matter the age of that child. So use your maturity, your sweetness, your special “grandparent freedom” to influence your grandchildren for the Savior & His way.

3. How’s it going to turn out? We don’t know! That’s why everything is “by faith.” We trust Him to work our His purposes through our obedience.

This is a good time to have a parent conference…Mommy & Daddy & the Lord Jesus.

Don’t quench the Spirit in this area. The life of your child might depend upon it!

May  9, 2009

Mother's Day.  It conjures up many thoughts & emotions.  For some, it means painful memories.  For others, it embodies sweet times of fellowship.  For some in our community, it means a new journey filled with uncertainties, insecurity, confusion and fear.  Decisions must be made.  Support must be found. 

And for such mothers, the Pregnancy Support Center was founded.  It is the practical out-working of Christian living...helping those in need.  Helping in the Name of Jesus. 

And who is doing the helping?  Men are volunteering maintenance expertise, older women are sitting & holding the new mother, people are bringing supplies, others are writing checks to cover utility bills.

It takes all kinds of people doing all kinds of work to help those in need.

From Mother's Day to Father's Day we at Bethel Hill help gather funds for the financial needs of the Center.  This is done in a creative way.  Instead of passing the offering plates, we pass Baby Bottles!  Yes!  We just put our offering into Baby Bottles...sometimes coins, sometimes bills, sometimes checks....it all goes down the chute!

At the Hill we have many people involved in helping the ministry of this Center.  Dolores Johnson has been kind enough to write something about the Center for our website.

                                           

                             PREGNANCY SUPPORT CENTER (PSC)

I am a volunteer at the Pregnancy Support Center and a member of its Board of Directors. As I go there to offer my services, I am reminded of how good God is and how He provides for His work to be carried out. Before the Center opened its doors a little over two years ago, we were facing a building void of furnishings. But wait, God provided a building to house the Pregnancy Center. Certainly He was capable of providing the paint, desk, tables, file cabinets, chairs, sofas, and everything else that was needed to open the doors for service to the community.

Watching that happen was an amazing experience as, by word-of-mouth, people who had a heart for the unborn baby and for mothers in a crisis pregnancy, heard of our needs and appeared at our door with just what was needed. Time and time again, those involved in the ministry experience the joy of seeing first hand God's graciousness in using His people as hands and feet to give of themselves through prayer, volunteering, donating items, or giving monetary gifts.

The heartbeat of the ministry is to share the love of Jesus Christ with each woman who walks through the doors seeking for help. Because people care and are willing to give, that is exactly what is happening in that little building that houses our local Pregnancy Support Center.

For those of you who have never visited the Center, I encourage you to go by for a visit. You will have the opportunity to meet the wonderful director and administrative assistant that God has provided and also see what a great work is taking place there through God's provisions.

The Center is gearing up for its annual Baby Bottle Drive fundraiser. Because of my involvement there, I understand the tremendous importance of this event. PSC has no government funding, therefore, full support comes from God's people. The money received from individuals and churches provide for the day-to-day operation of the Center.

Once again, Bethel Hill has one hundred empty baby bottles that need to be filled. I encourage each person that takes bottles home to prayerfully consider what God would have them give. In the past, the dear people at Bethel Hill have given generously, and we at PSC are so very grateful. Please do so again this year, and may God bless you for your support of this ministry.

Thanking Him and thanking you,

Dolores Johnson  

The address for the Center is 750 Martin Street.  It's near the Leasburg Rd -Burlington Rd junction.  Phone is 336-597-2811.  I'm sure Dolores would be happy to give you a personal tour.

So as you process your own Mother's Day recollections, remember those mothers in special need in our community.  Pray for them.  Help them through your gifts & time & abilities.  And visit them.  You'll be the richer for it!

May 6, 2009

Part IV.... The 10 Commandments for Dealing with the Trial of Depression... that in all things, at all times, our Lord God might receive glory to Himself through us.

1. Thou shalt keep thy God, as God. Thou shalt affirm Him as creator, as sustainer, as guide, and as judge. Thou shalt not look to other people, programs or pills for that which can only be supplied by God. Thou shalt acknowledge only God as essential to Life. 

Exodus 20:1, Psalm 11:3, Colossians 2:9-10

2. Thou shalt discipline thy thinking to remember the good things that the Lord thy God has done for thee. Thou shalt discipline thy tongue to give Him thanks for those things, and to give testimony to others of His goodness to you in the past.

Philippians 4:8, Ephesians 4:17-5:20

3. Thou shalt choose to put thy confidence in God for the present & future days of thy life. Thou shalt make this choice with thy will, regardless of thy emotions.

Psalm 42:11, I Peter 5:6-10

4. Thou shalt remember God’s unwavering, steadfast love for thee.

Romans 8:28-39, John 3:16, Ephesians 3:17-19

5. Thou shalt ask the Lord, thy God, for deliverance from this time of trial, and then thou shalt submit thyself to His instructions for deliverance. Thou shalt pursue His way of deliverance as recorded in His Scriptures and as given in wisdom by older, mature, holy people.

James 1:2-8 & 21-25, Psalm 22

6. Thou shalt rest in the Lord thy God’s ability to hold you and to keep you for His purposes. Thou shalt not question His nature or character, but rather trust/rest in Him to be faithful to Himself in keeping you.

Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 26:3-4

7. Thou shalt develop a lifestyle of prevention. According to the instructions of Scripture, thou shalt a) guard thyself from exposure to ungodliness, b) monitor thy physical status & surroundings, c) curb destructive relationships, and d) train thy thoughts toward the Lord at all times.

Galatians 2:20 & 6:7-8, Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 6:10-18

8. Thou shalt help thy brothers & sisters in the Lord’s Family by living open, honest, sincere lives of faith & by “one-anothering” each other. Thou shalt accept and give ministry to thy Family as directed by the Father.

I Corinthians 12-14, I Peter 1:14-23

9. Thou shalt not disdain nor shun thy brother or sister going through the trial of depression; rather, thou shalt fulfill thy responsibility to guard his/her soul from the Evil One through tough love, Truth, prayer & comfort.

Galatians 6:1-2, I Thessalonians 5:11-26

10. Thou shalt not withdraw thyself from thy spiritual Family, nor avoid prayer & the Scriptures, during thy time of this trial; rather, thou shalt deal honestly with God and thy Family during this time, so that together we might bring thee through this time without sin. Furthermore, thou shalt not play the game of Martyr during thy time of trial, but rather thou shalt bear thy responsibility for the victory in thy time of depression.

Galatians 5:13-6:2, Ephesians 3:14-4:16

May 4, 2009

Eighteen days & a wake-up....til 5 people from the Hill and 4 people from Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Wilkesboro, NC depart for Ethiopia.

What are they thinking about these days?  Read for yourself:  (scroll down to May 2 & 3)

jasonmolly3.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/ethiopia-3-weeks-from-today/

http://www.daveblackonline.com/blog.htm

• Are you praying for them? 
  
• Are you praying for their families?
  
• Are you praying for the Ethiopian side of the Team?
  

May 1, 2009

Part III….Family Dynamics during times of Depression

   

We are Family at Bethel Hill. The Family of God. He is our Father, and we are all brothers & sisters. As with any family, each member has responsibility for their own life, and yet we also bear responsibility for each other. Keeping this balance in mind, here are 4 things that have come to mind from the Scriptures about family dealings during time of depression.

1. Personal responsibility: Prevention is better than Cure. Each of us has a responsibility of prevention. Depression is not a sin, but it can lead to sin. The Evil One delights to tempt us with depression, so that we become weak & fall into sin. And sometimes our behavior, our lifestyle choices, our thought patterns open the door wide to the Evil One. It is like we issue him an open invitation: “Come into my life & tempt me to become depressed. Come, tempt me with weakness & ineffectiveness.”

Here are four ways to stamp “return to Sender” on his invitations:

a. Avoid exposure to filth. How much to you and I allow ourselves to be exposed to worldly filth….soap operas, talk shows, dirty jokes at work, romance novels, dirty websites, sloppy music, worldly radio stations. Our society is full of filth. And every exposure becomes permanently lodged in our brain. It becomes food for depression.

Jesus said, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” This has been paraphrased: A man is not what he thinks, but what he thinks, he is.

The Father of our family said “Be holy, because I am holy.” We have an obligation to Him and to each other to keep ourselves away from the filth of this world. We wimp out with the question, “What’s wrong with it?” But the proof should not be the wrong in it, but the right in it. The Apostle Paul learned to ask himself, “What’s right with it?” (See I Corinthians 6 for a testimony of his journey to this standard.)

Let’s use the life God’s given us, and the brain He’s given, and the time He’s given for pure things. When we delete filth from our life, we help to close the door on the Evil One in the area of depression.

b. Check  physical condition & surroundings. The Evil One knows that when we are tired, sick, over-committed, out of shape, etc….this weakens our spiritual strength and makes us vulnerable to his wicked suggestions. We must pay attention to good management of the body He given us. Extended times of sleep deprivation/fatigue, sickness, poor exercise, overweight, junk food ingestion, schedule tension…..all these things will drain our spirits as well as our bodies. Also, we must know the medicines we are taking; depression is a common side-effect of many modern medicines. We must work with our doctor to reduce, discontinue or change medicines opening this door to the Evil One.

And be aware of the effect of  surroundings upon the spirit. A home or office or workshop that is in constant disarray, that is muddled confusion, that is inefficient…these drain the spirit. So keep surroundings picked up & orderly.  Remember, God is a God of order; His way is calm efficiency, and we do good to follow His example.

We all have excuses why we live lives wracked with poor self-discipline; it’s part of the American way . But there are consequences…the Evil One can use these things to lead us to depression and then to sin. And the Father is not glorified. So let’s help each other “raise the bar” for holiness by cleaning up our bodies & physical surroundings.

c. Curb destructive relationships. Wow! What was that?!

We have this erroneous idea that all relationships should be maintained closely, especially blood family ones. But what did Jesus say about relationships? He said that our true family is composed of those who are hearing & doing the will of the Father. We need to have the guts to call things as they are! We need honesty in our relationships…both with God and with others. Are we REALLY committed to the Lord Jesus? If so, then it will show in our choice of close relationships.

For the sake of guarding our souls from the Evil One, we must limit/delete time with people who are ungodly in their talk & lifestyle. When the Apostle talked about laying aside every weight that drags us down, so that we can focus on God’s way, he meant EVERY weight. And sometimes people can be a weight. He didn’t mean never talk to ungodly people…both he & Jesus dealt with ungodly people. But their close friends & those with whom they spent most of their time were ones who shared a passion to follow the Father in holy living.

d. Train thoughts toward the Lord. There are many instructions to us about daily living. And some are “always” instructions. “Always rejoice in the Lord.” “Always pray.” “Always be thankful.” These “always” instructions can be summarized to “Always be focused on the Lord.” When we focus on Him, we will naturally pray, rejoice, give thanks. And when we’re focused on the Lord moment by moment as we go about our daily activities, the Evil One has a more difficult time getting to us.

This is a habit that we must develop. Ask Him to help you in this regard & learn the joy of living in His constant presence.

Recommended readings: Matthew 15:16-20 & 16:24-27; I Corinthians 6:9-14; Philippians 4:8-9; Galatians 6:7-8; I Corinthians 9:23-27; Matthew 12:47-50, Hebrews 12:1-3; Philippians 4:4-7; I Thessalonians 5:16-23; I Peter 1:3-16

2. Corporate Responsibility: Living Openly, in Community, with Family. Don’t settle for Sunday get-togethers as the extent of your Family dealings. Christianity isn’t just for Sundays! We are connected for eternity…why not start to live it now? The more we are connected in active, dynamic relationship, the more we can protect & influence each other for Kingdom purposes.

a. Remember, depression is never listed as a sin. It is a temptation, a trial, a testing. It is not a sin, but it can entice us to sin. So we do not need to hold our brothers & sisters going through this trial as if they have something evil & wicked in them. No, we must support them in this trial, just as we support those going through other types of trials.

b. We must live “honestly” “sincerely” “openly” in our life of faith. This does not mean we let is all hang out, without self-constraint. But it does mean that we avoid hypocrisy like the plague! Transparency & Hypocrisy are opposites. Only lives of transparent, honest faith can encourage & help others.

I’ve thought that public figures coping with private issues are a good example to us in the church. When these people stop trying to hide their alcoholism, or drug addiction, or breast cancer….then they are able to receive the encouragement of others, and they are able to be an encouragement.

So it is with us. We must not be afraid to acknowledge our trials & temptations. This opens the door to the encouragement, counsel, help of our Family, and it also opens the door to our helping others.

It starts with honest, sincere faith.

c. Scripture is full of “one-another” passages. In helping each other, we must one-another each other. Pray for one another; caution one another; help one another; share with one another; teach one another…the list goes on & on. Family living is dynamic living. We are always doing these things for others, and receiving these things from others.

During times of depression, we tend to emotionally close ourselves off. We throw away demonstrations of love; we reject affirming statements. But if the Family members are obedient to Christ, we will push our love, His love, onto the depressed person. We always should be coming back with Truth…and part of Truth is the constancy of Love, the strength of Love, the victory of Love.

The more we one-another at the Hill, the stronger we will be against the Evil One who seeks to destroy us one by one. The more we obey God’s plan for us, the greater we will corporately know His strength.

Recommended readings: I Thessalonians 5:8-15; Galatians 5:13-6:2; I Peter 1:17-2:10; Ephesians 4:1-16

3. Personal Responsibility during a Depression. Are you going through the trial/temptation of depression?  Is the Evil One after you in this regard?  Then, don't just sit there...do your part for the victory.

a. Don’t deny, run, hide from your Family. Part of the Evil One’s routine tempting is to influence us to think that it is unsafe, or we are undesired, in the Family when we are depressed. This is a lie.

Don’t play Hide-&-Seek. Don’t build a fortress mentality. No walls are needed with your brothers & sisters. Love is flowing. Love is tough. The Father is here amongst us. Jesus is maturing all of us. Resist the urge to separate from Family just when you need us most.

b. Don’t play martyr. No need to seek attention & sympathy, as if you are dying from a terminal illness. No need to wallow in despair. No need to roll over & let everyone tickle your tummy. There is work to do! God knows what He is allowing, and you have work to do in the midst of the trial & temptation. Focus on being faithful & strong in the midst of the trial; focus on doing the doings of the Kingdom.

And remember, we don’t get browny points with God for being in the trial, only for being victorious through the trial.

c. Bear your responsibility. Follow the 5 points that Jason outlined from Psalm 42-43 (see previous post). Allow Love to be demonstrated towards you. Accept Truth from the Scriptures & your Family. Discipline your thought life. Look to the Savior of your life.

Recommended readings: Psalm 42-43, Matthew 19:27-20:16;Hebrews 13; James 1:12-27

5. Keep God, God... as standard-setter, as sustainer, as teacher, as judge. The temptation in the time of depression is to look to others, or a routine, or a drug to bail us out.

But only Jesus is the Source of Life. All Life comes from Him. Only Jesus is able to Sustain. Only Jesus has all wisdom to guide reliably. Only Jesus’ judgment is the judgment that counts.

The place of prayer & the Bible should never be skimped during depressive times. If He uses another person (mate, friend, child) to strengthen you, guide you, help you during depression, then give Him the praise…but don’t make that person a god. Don’t cling to them as if your life depended upon it! Only God is God. Any substitute will eventually fail. And great will be the fall thereof!

Recommended readings: Galatians 6:1-16; I Thessalonians 4:1-12, 5:5-24; Colossians 3:1-17; I Corinthians 4:1-5

      

April  29, 2009

Babies galore in the Family at the Hill!!!  Two more came yesterday!  Isn't our God good??

Congratulations to Joni & Dudley Dawson on their new grand-daughter Abigail Grace.  She came in at 9 pounds, 5 ounces, measuring 20 inches.  Her grand entrance was about 7:30 yesterday morning.

Alan & Jenny Eggleston are rejoicing over their little bundle, who also arrived yesterday!  Baker weighed in at 5 pound, 8.9 ounces and measured 19.5 inches.  Mama, Papa & Baby are doing fine.

Speaking of new life, don't you just stop in your tracks this time of year...flowers popping out, new leaves on the trees, baby goats & cows & people everywhere.  This morning I was listening to BBN on the radio (92.5 FM), and the old hymn came on..."I sing the mighty power of God".  As the words of the hymn filled the car while I was driving, my heart welled up with praise for our Creator God.  Surely, He is worthy of our praise!

Though written by Isaac Newton almost 300 years ago, the truth this hymn carries is relevant to today.  May God grant us eyes to see!

                                                                 

So make the time to examine a small flower, revel in a new tender leaf, enjoy a baby's babbling....and praise the Power, the Wisdom, the Goodness and the Presence of God in your life!

April 28, 2009

Time out for Family news....

                                 

Have you seen him yet?  Have you hugged him and kissed him and said "welcome to the World?"   I'm talking about the newest grand-baby of Ed & Dolores Johnson (and the newest nephew of Leanna Johnson).  Here are the stats....

                 Caleb Johnson White
                              7 pounds, 14 ounces (good size!)
                                              Born Sunday, April 26, at 11:30am (only 2 days ago!)

Don't we have a wonderful Lord who delights to give us Life??  His spiritual life and His physical life.

And just as He gave little Caleb at the right moment, so He took our Tom Humphries Home at just the right moment.  Leigh Humphries (Tom's daughter-in-law) has written something in honor of this life God gave.  As you read, rejoice over His goodness.

                                      
                                                     The Life of Tom “PaPa” Humphries

Mr. Tom Humphries was born on September 1, 1929. He was married to Lavern B. Humphries for 52 years. He fathered 4 children, Carolyn H. Gibson, Danny Humphries, Mary Leigh H. Massey, and Marshall Humphries. He has 6 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.

Mr. Humphries grew up in the Bethel Hill Community and was an active life-long member of Bethel Hill Baptist Church. He loved his church and church family. During his years of service, he was an ordained deacon, choir member, and also served on various committees. He was a 1947 graduate of Bethel Hill High School and a member of the Bethel Hill Ruritan Club for many years.

He attended the Danville Technical Institute in Virginia for two years and received his certification in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. During his years in the work force, he was employed with Bradsher Heating and AC Company and then Doug Whitt’s Heating and Air.
He was a Korean War Veteran and served two years active duty in the position of PFC first line defense in Company A 30th Infantry Regiment. He was wounded and received the distinguished Purple Heart Award. After active duty, he served two years in the Army Reserve with Battery C 113th FA BN NCNG.

During his retirement, Mr. Humphries was a strong family man. He was very active in the grandchildren’s lives. He would spend days with his daughter in law assisting her with Thomas. He would feed him, dress him and get him to the babysitter. Thomas laughs at the stories about “PaPa” putting his diaper on backwards. We all laugh at it but the fact that he was willing to help out and this is what we appreciated.

Also, during his retirement he worked several different pick up jobs. At the ripe age of 70 he helped roof houses. He also made chimney caps for a lot of chimneys in the surrounding area. He was very talented in bending sheet metal. His fingers were proof of that.
Mr. Humphries loved the church. And he knew what it took to get to heaven. On his death bed he spent time witnessing to family and friends. He was sure of his salvation and wanted to be sure that all his loved ones and friends knew Jesus as their personal savior.

“PaPa”….We love you and miss you so much!! We will see you on the other side of the cross one day.
                                    .........submitted by Leigh Humphries    



In other news, the vote of our Family was to go to "Summer Hours" for our Sunday meetings.  So, all Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor will have new times.  This means Sunday, June 7 until Sunday, September 6.   The coffee pot will be ready (usually accompanied by some donuts or coffee cake or fruit) at 8:45; Sunday School classes will start at 9:00, and our main meeting will start at 10:00.

Finishing time will be at 12:00...or maybe 2:00...or maybe...Just kidding!  You were sweating, huh!  Actually, if we were in Ethiopia, or most other parts of the world, the meeting would end when it ended...no one watching the clock.  But this is western culture, huh!  And here we live by clocks, for better or for worse.  But if Jason or Joel go past 11:00, we won't complain here at Bethel HIll.  They're probably going over because the announcements were longer than usual, or the offering took forever, or we so enjoyed a song that we sang all umpteen verses :) 

 Won't it be wonderful in Heaven without clocks...just praise, praise, praise!  I wonder if it was difficult for Jesus to adjust to living under Time when He came to earth as our Savior.  From eternity past He had no days or nights; He lived above the sun.  Then He put Himself under their influence.  Another aspect of His "missionary" life, bringing the Gospel to us.  Another sacrifice.

By the way, the race is on in the Greek Class on Monday nights.  Ed Johnson, Jason Evans, Chris Jacobs and BeckyLynn Black are neck-and-neck in quiz scores.

                                                               

Actually, I don't know exactly what the other scores are.  All I know is last night, Ed was rocking a new grand-baby, Jason was at the ball field,  Chris was AWOL, and only BeckyLynn scored a perfect 100!  What's so news-worthy about this?  It shows that Life is made up of people!  Isn't it wonderful to see our people nourishing other people?  Ed caring for his family, Jason bonding with his kids, Chris busy with his family, and even BeckyLynn was bringing food for the other students in class.  So it's not about grades...it's about ministry...at different levels, in different ways...but always PEOPLE!  Greek is meant to be a tool....for people to minister to people.  We're in lesson 10 this week.  Then comes Lesson 11.  Then Exam #2 on Monday, May 18...just days before we leave for Ethiopia.  We'll have a month break for Ethiopia, and resume with review & Lesson 12 on Monday, June 22. 

April 26, 2009

Part II…Dealing with Depression: Hormonal & Oppressive Causes

Life is Fragile. We are fragile. If we think we are strong, we are deluded. In a split second any of us could lose our sanity, or lose our families, or lose our health. In the last week two people yielded to the Evil One’s temptation & committed suicide. One was a 41-yr-old man, CEO of a large corporation, found dead in his home from an overdose of alcohol and drugs. One was a 21-yr-old young lady, found dead in the local back yard of a friend. But for the grace of God holding us, you & I could have been either of those persons.

As I have reflected on Jason’s sermon, it seems to me that there are 3 causes of depression:

• circumstances (or fall-out from circumstances),
  

• hormonal/medicinal imbalances,
  

• and Satanic oppression.                                                                                                                

The 2nd and 3rd reasons for depression were not covered specifically by Jason in dealing with these Psalms. But it has been my observation & experience that they are very real. And dealing with them is perhaps more of a challenge (because they don’t induce the sympathy of others as much as circumstantial depression). But, praise God, we have His guidance for handling hormonal/medicinal depression and Satanic oppression as well as for handling circumstantial depression.

                                                    

Much of that guidance is in the example of Jesus. He was fully human. There is no doubt that he suffered emotionally as well as physically & spiritually during His time on earth. We have a detailed record of His last days. Here we see Him in utter anguish, desperate, alone. During His time in the Garden, He openly acknowledged His turmoil. “Please, Father, let me be excused from this part of Your plan. It hurts! ….” Could we say this was ‘circumstantial depression’? He knew the betrayal, the beatings, the humiliation was coming. Like the psalmist before Him, he conquered circumstantial depression according Jason’s points in Psalm 42-43. He acknowledged His Father as essential to Life, He disciplined His thinking to good remembrances, He chose to put His confidence in His Father’s faithfulness, He remembered the Father’s love, and He submitted Himself again to the Father’s instructions. Read Jesus’ prayer in John 17 & Matthew 26:36-44, and see if these aspects are not there.
But what about hormonal and oppressive depressions?

Today, many people suffer periods of hormonal imbalances. How many women have dealt with the “Baby Blues” (post-partum depression) or PMS or menopausal unsettledness. Men also suffer from hormonal imbalances. And it is commonly known that depression is a side-effect of the chemical medicines we take. How many suicides have been blamed on medicine!

Did Jesus also suffer depression from hormonal issues? Let’s look at His last days. He went from Thursday morning to Friday afternoon (when He died) with no sleep. In addition to the strain of sleep deprivation, His body was racked with pain. There is no record that He was given food or drink during all those hours. Wouldn’t such a huge onslaught to the body cause “imbalance” & threaten depression? Of course, He didn’t have time to write down His feelings or to communicate them to anyone. But being fully human, there is little doubt in my mind that His emotions suffered deeply because of what His body was enduring.

And at the end, the Devil Himself oppressed Jesus. There are times in Life when the Evil One really gets in our face, and we feel cut off from the Father. (Of course, our sins will cut us from His fellowship, but that is not what I’m discussing here.) Sometimes, even when we are living obedient lives, the Evil One is allowed by the Father to get close to us. We have the details of a time when this occurred in Job’s live. And we have details of when this occurred in Jesus life….both at the Cross and thru His friend Peter. Satan stepped between Jesus & the Father, such that Jesus cried out “My Father, My Father….Daddy, Daddy…why have you forsaken me??” Can you sense His despair?

For both the hormonal and the Satanic-oppression causes of depression, we should follow the 5 points Jason listed from the Psalms. But it is also important that we simply REST in His ability to carry us, to hold us, to keep us from falling. Hormonal & Oppressive depressions are difficult to get a handle on; they are illusive, unlike circumstantial depressions. Let us rest in the Truth that He knows all things; He has a handle on these depressions. They are not illusive with Him. And He is fully able to keep us for His purposes. The only question that remains is, will we allow Him to hold us, sustain us, keep us sane.

“Father, into Your Hands I commend my spirit.” This was Jesus’ response. And it should be our response. Yes, we go through the steps that stewardship requires of us in managing our circumstances & hormones & spiritual openness with God. But in the end, we yield to His ability to hold us. We live by faith in His character.

And in that resting/yielding/faith/trust/confidence, a peace & joy comes even in the midst of the assault…because we know that the victory is guaranteed, and the day of His possession is coming.

And in the end, He will accomplish His purposes in us and through us….for His own glory. Only let us say with Jesus, “Not my will, but Thine be done. Into Your Hand I commend my spirit.”

Recommended reading: Job 1; Psalms 55, 61, 69-70 & 73; Matthew 26-27; Luke 22-23; John 16-19; Mark 14-15; Hebrews 12

April 23, 2009

Part I…DEALING  WITH  DEPRESSION.

    Discovering Fresh Hope in Times of Difficulty. This was the title of Jason’s message to us on Sunday. It came from Psalms 42 & 43. In our society, we often turn to psychology or a pill to deal with the stressors of life. External circumstances…job, finances, marital issues, relationships, health…all of these can negatively impact our internal sense of balance & emotional stability. So where do you turn when you find yourself struggling with feelings of depression?

Psalms 42 & 43 were written anonymously by someone undergoing a time in his life of great discouragement. He was isolated, alone. He was taunted, hated, belittled. He was suffering verbal & physical abuse. He was surrounded by ungodly, unjust, deceitful people. It looks like maybe he was getting death threats. Life was difficult! Life was distressing! Life was desperate!

Though he lived thousands of years ago, his natural response was the same as ours. He was filled with depression, crying day & night, anguish in his heart. He felt like he was drowning in despair. He felt forsaken by God. He was longing for everything that is Home.

Is depression only for non-Christians? There is an erroneous idea presented by some that when we come to Christ and cast ourselves upon Him, then all of Life becomes a wonderful flower garden. Troubles disappear, and only happiness follows us. But this is a lie. In fact, we can look at the life of many godly people in the Scriptures, and see that they experienced depression. Sometimes it was a haunting disability that plagued them continually. Sometimes it came in bursts. The Apostle Paul, the prophet Jeremiah, King David, wise King Solomon…these are just a few of those who loved God & served Him & knew Him intimately. Yet they all struggled with feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, discouragement, abandonment; they all struggled with depression.

So our idea that to be spiritual is to always be happy, giddy, free-spirited & light-hearted is from the Evil One. It is the Evil One that wants to put us under bondage, and he sometimes uses misunderstanding about the Christian life to accomplish his purposes.

God does not remove our feelings when we become believers in His Son. (Like all of Creation, our feelings are tainted by sin & are under the curse until He returns to complete His work of redemption.) But He changes our ability to respond to our feelings. Now we have His own Spirit within us to help us deal with this aspect of our humanity. In these 2 psalms we get an honest picture of a healthy way to respond to depression.

In Psalm 42-43, God lays out some very good counsel. Jason brought out 5 points on God’s way for us to deal with depression.

1. Acknowledge the Source of help. Look to God as the ESSENTIAL source of Life. Often, when depressed or troubled, we are deluded into believing that if we just change our mate, our job, our location, our friends…if we just get something new, then our problem will be solved. But we must remember that only God is the source of Life. Our mates, our jobs, our friendships cannot give to us the essence of Life; they are peripheral, but God Himself is central & essential.

The depressed author of the psalm put it this way: “Just like the distressed deer running through the earth is longing, panting, desperate for water…so I am longing, panting, desperate for the Lord God.” Perhaps the deer is running from a forest fire; perhaps he is living through a time of drought; perhaps he is sick with fever. Whatever the cause, his whole being has one focus: water. And so it is with us. Perhaps we are struggling with the side-effects of medicine, perhaps we are dragged down with nagging poor health, perhaps we are drowning in financial disorder, perhaps we are emotionally battered by a poor relationship, perhaps we are being pounded by the Enemy of our souls. Whatever the cause of our depression, our life is hid in God alone. And it is to Him that we must run.

So, resist the urge to run from Him, to avoid His people, to throw away His Word. He alone is the essential ingredient to Life. All of Life flows from Him, and in His Hand is healing, comfort, remedy.