Weekly Encouragement
Good Wednesday Everyone,
Weekly blessings to all. What a blessed Lord’s Day we had at Bethel Baptist. We experienced a wonderful Sunday morning, then we shared a moving deacon ordination in the evening. Thank you to all who made our ordination service so special. We are so blessed to have four new deacons within our fellowship. A special thanks to pastors Rick Marshal and Neal Hughs who shared God’s word with us and challenged us. So much is ahead for Bethel Baptist. We will always listen to God, follow His way, and share His truth faithfully together. In the coming months we will be challenged to take steps of faith for the future of our fellowship. Bethel Baptist, be ready to watch God work before our very eyes.
At Bethel Baptist we have begun a new sermon series entitled “Functional Faith”. One of the most functional and faithful persons in all the Bible was the prophet, Elisha. We will spend the next few weeks exploring the faithful life of Elisha. This Lord’s Day we saw Elisha’s backstory, and his unquenchable desire to serve the Lord. The faith of Elisha was seen by God, and God placed Elijah as the mentor to Elisha the servant. We receive in Scripture only brief details of the ministry of Elijah and Elisha together. The most profound glimpse was when Elijah was miraculously taken into heaven by God, and Elisha sees this happen. For Elisha, for every Christian, and for every Christian Church following and obeying God: The source of our faith is always God and God alone. Christians do not combine God with something else in order to thrive in this world. We depend upon nothing else and nothing more than the presence of God in our lives to satisfy our faith. As we live God grows, strengthens, and transforms our faith, and God makes us into the men and women He intends for us to be.
This coming Lord’s Day, we will recognize how faith in God creates an undeniable “visibility” in the surrounding culture. Following Jesus Christ makes us highly visible amongst the people with whom we associate, at the places we work daily, wherever we happen to be, and within the community and country in which we live. Christians do not intentionally “look” different. As Christians, we do not all wear a recognizable uniform, hairstyles, nor are we required to wear a universal symbol upon our body to advertise we are followers of Jesus Christ. But make no mistake, our faith thrusts us into positions of high visibility in the culture. The world sees us as, “going to church all the time.” We are described as, “super-religious.” People around us believe, “we don’t even let our children watch television.” Some around us believe, “we read our Bible every day.” Wouldn’t it be awesome if the world was right about us. People “see” many things in our lives because our faith makes us seen.
In Elisha’s day, no one was more visible than he and the prophets of God. The culture surrounding Elisha, and the other prophets and followers of God was extremely evil, idolatrous, and openly pagan. But Elisha’s ministry had a tremendous impact upon individuals. Christians are not called to change the world. Christians are called to reach people for Jesus Christ. This is why Christians are always seen wherever they are.
Wherever and whenever, Christians are present in any culture you will also find the presence of evil. This was profoundly true in the life of Elisha, and it is no different for you. Here’s why. God intentionally places every one of us into our society, then He expects and empowers our faith to function properly. God is the source of our faith and God is always with us. Therefore, the Christian’s visibility in this culture allows us to engage evil directly. Christians must not shrink away, not compromise our beliefs, and we must tell the truth to strike against evil with God’s power. The presence of evil in today’s culture profoundly impacts how people think, what people believe is right, and what people worship. Christinas cannot disengage from the culture. The presence and the reality of evil intends to stop us from reaching people, talking with people, inviting people, and visiting people. As Christinas we are fighting for the souls of the lost, “They just don’t know it yet!” The culture must see Christians working for the lost, speaking the truth, and living faithfully. The visibility you have as a Christian is extremely powerful. Use it genuinely, humbly, and lovingly to help those in the culture who are lost. Bethel Baptist is a place where God can be found, received, and brought into every aspect of one’s life. Let your faith function this week. Invite someone to our fellowship at Bethel Baptist Church.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Michael
