Weekly Encouragment
Good Wednesday Everyone,
Weekly blessings to you. The rain fell on us all week and God’s blessings with it. This is the last week for VBS preparations. Bethel: we are ready. Some of us will help. And some of us will teach. But all of us must pray for God’s VBS. We need to pray for those children who will come. The children will tell their families about Jesus, what they have learned, and about our church. Although most of the children who will attend VBS are from Bethel’s congregation, there will be some, many we hope, who are not. Let us be encouraging, welcoming, and most of all let us love genuinely the people who come. We begin VBS on Monday, June 19th at 6:00 PM. Parents: If you remain at Bethel as your child attends there is something for you. We will meet in the sanctuary for a time of prayer and encouragement. On our social media we will have a promotional flyer with registration link containing all you need.
https://www.myvbs.org/bethelbaptistchurchftd/
For all who attended the Lord’s Supper service Sunday, thank you for such a meaningful service. The Lord’s Supper is a perfect way to begin, correct, and enhance our relationship with Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper connects the Passover feast to our Christian faith, and the Lord’s Supper completes what God intended Passover to mean for those who follow and love Him. Thank you all again.
This coming Lord’s Day, we will complete the celebration of our parents as Bethel Baptist recognizes our fathers. If you recall: Last month we celebrated our mother’s and those special women in our lives. Daniel came to the point in his service to King Nebuchadnezzar where pride crept into the heart of the king. It took a godly man, like Daniel to impact King Nebuchadnezzar’s life for the good and to bring him to the truth about God. Most godly relationships do not take place at work, but through our godly mothers showing us who God is. Showing us what God can do. And showing us what God says. On Mother’s Day we saw how a godly mother can change another person.
This Father’s Day we will see how the life of a godly father can strengthen a person. God uses people directly and indirectly to influence our lives. The greatest influencer of our lives is God, and God’s greatest title is not, king, ruler, or sir; It is “Father”. None of us had the perfect father, and none of us are the perfect father. Those before us did the best with what they had. And today, we fathers are doing the best with what we have. If you feel you are not doing your best. If you feel you are falling short in your responsibilities. If you feel that something is missing in your heart. What your are missing is a healthy relationship with your Heavenly Father.
This Lord’s Day, we will see what Daniel, a political leader to many, and the spiritual father to God’s people had to say about them. Daniel’s actions are beyond reproach. Daniel’s character is unimpeachable. Daniel’s wisdom is proven. Therefore, we must listen to Daniel. Daniel’s life is an incredible parallel to our lives in the times we live. Daniel was called to serve God in a pagan working environment. So are we!! We cannot throw up our hands in defeat when the pagan world refuses to stop doing pagan things. We cannot react improperly (ungodly) when the pagan world is motivated by greed and power. We cannot stop praying when the pagan world refuses our prayers.
Here's why. God Himself is responsible for the world. You are not. You can’t handle the world. No one can. Many have tried, and all have failed miserably. God, through His wisdom, gives us divine responsibility for the individual souls of people. As your pastor, I am not called to do what you are called to do. As members of Bethel Baptist Church, you may not be called to do what others are doing. You are called, and you are divinely responsible to do what God has direct you to do. The beauty of Christian fellowship is that so many of our brothers and sisters are called to complete the same things. God has sent us all the help we need, and its right in front of us. We can be assured, if God is calling one of us, He is certainly calling more of us to do the same thing for His Kingdom.
This week if you’re a father – Bring your family to Bethel Baptist. Tell him, “This is all I want for Father’s Day.” If your father is still with us, or if there is a special father figure in your life – Bring this man to church. Tell him, “This is what I want for you this Father’s Day.” We all want godly things. We all want to be godly people. We all WANT godly blessings. The truth is most of these people, “They just don’t know it yet!!” Bethel Baptist won’t convince them. Good preaching will not change them. Meaningful hymns and songs won’t fix them. But God will change them, and He will be at Bethel Baptist Church this Sunday morning.
In Christ,
Pastor Michael
