On Christian Suffering

We were discussing John Piper's lesson in our Crosswalk Sunday School class this morning. Well, I think I can illustrate a point I have just learned while working in my yard, trimming bushes.

A white-face hornet did not like me working around in the place where he has his home, so he dive bombed me and flew down into the cuff of my garden glove, quick as a flash and stung me on my wrist, 1/4 in. from my radial artery!

Needless to say: "It H-U-R-T"! Not as much as somebody who is suffering in the extreme sense of the word, with a chronic, debilitating illness or anything, but it does hurt, just the same.

The point of my story is that I got hurt because "I was around in the place where he has his home"--I was "trespassing", so to speak.

I must now thank God for providing me such an apt lesson today. The lesson to me: "There are consequences for every action we take" but God will give me His grace if I recognize my mistakes and promise to try not to repeat them again.

Marthann

Small Group Bible Studies

May 23, 2010
David Ashcraft

I don’t know about you but weekends like the Lay Ministry weekend we are concluding get me pumped up, enthused and ready to be more effective in completing the calling that God has for me. But, the enthusiasm wears off. Sometimes, I run out of gas. I don’t plan to run out, but I don’t refill the tank as I should. Filling my spiritual gas tank requires Bible study - small group Bible study, prayer and association with fellow Christians on a routine, regular and ongoing basis.

Several times during the Lay Ministry teaching sessions, Don Taft and or Bob Foy encouraged us to continue small group Bible studies and even recommended a couple of studies for us to consider. Don also coupled the being a Christian with doing the work of a Christian and with prayer.

Do you remember the advice Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-20
"But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."

We all learned this passage as, “all scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

How do we shape up and put into practice that which we learn so that we do what God has called us to do?

The What’s Coming Up Planning Committee for Lay Ministry Weekend was charged with brainstorming ideas to organize our discipleship activities and link them with on-going programs and activities. What’s available and ahead of us for Bethlehem in small groups and opportunities to apply what we learn in the small groups?

• Sunday School. Small group studies are available throughout the year - we call them Sunday School - all kinds of classes for every age group, studying a variety of resources. And all based on the Bible as the ultimate resource. If you are not in Sunday School, visit a class next Sunday. If you don’t like the class you are in or want to study another topic, change classes. If there isn’t a class for your age group or status, start one. Get involved in Sunday School.

• Special Purpose. Ad hoc, small group training sessions are schedule for specific purposes throughout the year. Last Sunday afternoon there were several training sessions for VBS workers and our pastor recently completed a small group Bible study for deacons. There was a class for new believers in the children’s area not long ago.
  
  
• Bethlehem Small Group Bible Studies. Our small group Bible studies typically follow the traditional school calendar. Once again, they will resume when the fall semester begins. Here is a brief summary of thoughts and input from some of you thus far:

1. Form coordinating committee for Disciple training
a. Plan the small group studies 18-24 months in advance
b. Coordinate with other training and ministry activities such as Sunday School, Church Renewal Weekends, VBS, Mission Trips Repeat courses as needed.
c. Obtain input from congregation and leadership for courses to be offered.
d. Offer courses at times other than Sunday evening to satisfy demand
e. Encourage small number (10) per class
f. Repeat courses as needed

2. Determine the core subject areas that will be offered each semester. For example:
a. Introduction to the Christian Walk
i. Christianity 101
ii. This is Bethlehem
iii. What Baptists Believe
iv. The Four Christian Disciplines
b. Preparation for Service
i. Role of the Deacon
ii. Teaching Sunday School
c. Christian Disciplines
i. Prayer
ii. Evangelism
iii. How to study the Bible
iv. Spiritual Gifts
d. Offer courses that are attractive to all groupings of adults
i. Men
ii. Women
iii. Couples
iv. Marriage
v. Parenting
e. Others
i. Finances
ii. Healthy lifestyle

• Church Renewal. The next weekend in the church renewal series is Workplace Evangelism. It begins where this weekend stopped by identifying the different types of calling for a Christian and examining how our spiritual gifts can be used in each of those callings to build up the church. T
  
  
• Application Opportunities. During the summer months, there are opportunities to put into practice things we have learned in the small groups – VBS, mission trips and family vacations.

Small groups of 10 -15 people praying together, studying God’s word together and applying what is learned will accomplish mush for God. For me, the small group Bible studies are an important part of keeping my spiritual saw sharp.

Our Praises Please God

Friday, May 14, 2010

God Smiles When We Praise by Rick Warren

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) Few things feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it too. He smiles when we express our adoration and gratitude to him. Noah's life brought pleasure to God because he lived with a heart of praise and thanksgiving. Noah's first act after surviving the flood was to express his thanks to God by offering a sacrifice (Genesis 8:20). We praise God for who he is and we thank God for what he has done (Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 116:17). David said, "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord" (Psalm 69:30-31 NIV). An amazing thing happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy! My mother loved to cook for me. Even after I married Kay, when we would visit my parents, Mom prepared incredible home-cooked feasts. One of her great pleasures in life was watching us kids eat and enjoy what she prepared. The more we enjoyed eating it, the more enjoyment it gave her. But we also enjoyed pleasing Mom by expressing our enjoyment of her meal. It worked both ways. As I would eat the great meal, I would rave about it and praise my mother. I intended not only to enjoy the food but to please my mother. Everyone was happy. Worship works both ways too. We enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings him joy—but it also increases our joy. The book of Psalms says, "The righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence; they are happy and shout for joy" (Psalm 68:3 TEV).

Joy another viewpoint

Wednesday, May 12 We have been talking in bible study about joy - what brings God joy and what brings us joy. I have copied a note from Greg Laurie below that talks about bringing God joy. Enjoy today. Print

What Brings God Joy Give us each day the food we need. —Luke 11:3 Why is it that this all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent God who created the entire universe would care for you and me? As Job said, "What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?" (Job 7:17). Why would God care about our needs—even our wants? Why would He commit himself to providing our daily bread? Many reasons could be cited, but I will throw out one that is significant: because He loves you. And guess what? He loves to bless you. Our God is generous. He is not stingy. God loves to bless you. Jesus said, "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Yet He taught us to pray, "Give us each day the food we need" (Luke 11:3). Notice Jesus did not say, "Give us each month the food we need," or "Give us each year the food we need." Otherwise, we probably would call on Him only monthly or yearly. Instead, God arranges things in such a way so that we must depend on Him on adaily basis. But another thing we acknowledge when we pray, "Give us each day the food we need," is that everything we have comes from God. Of course you can work hard. You can save and invest wisely. And you can buy your own food and clothes and pay for your house or your car or whatever else. But here is what you need to remember: it all came to you from God, no matter what. Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us, "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful. . . . " The point is to acknowledge that everything you have comes from God. Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org

We Can't Live Without Friends

May 8, 2010

It's a beautiful day outside. The birds were singing early and a nice breeze was blowing.

I was thinking about several church friends that I haven't seen in a while as I was reading through several daily devotionals and read the May 8 email from rick Warren. He made the statement, "Many people assume all that is needed for spiritual growth is Bible study and prayer. But some issues in life will never be changed by Bible study or prayer alone. God uses people. He wants us to grow together." I know rick is right in my case. I need the fellowship with fellow Christians -their encouragement when I fail and their love when I am down. John says in his leter, we know that we are Christians because we love one another.

So on Sunday, go to church. Participate in Bible Study. Not only for yourself but because others depend on you for their growth. And God wants us to worship Him.

Children: A Blessing? A Burden?

I read the Rainey's comments on children and how they are a blessing to us. We all feel that way from the start, when we first find out we are going to have a child. We are blissfully unaware that it is a lifetime commitment we are undertaking by having a child.

Ours are adults now, and I probably worry as much now as I did about them when they were small. And, yes, I confess I sometimes feel that they are a burden. I realize after reading the comments by the Rainey's that God intended for them to be a blessing to us always, just as our spouses are supposed to be.

Maybe I'll pray for God to show me how I could be a blessing to them today? -- Marthann

Children

May 1, 2010David Ashcraft
I hope you have had a good week. Mine has been busy with travel and serious medical issues in our extended family and our 'business" family. But once again God has demonstrated his love and comfort, his greatness and his mercy. Sunday's Bible study is about God's love and the importance of the His word - the Bible, in understanding His plan for us and for growing our faith.
The marriage enrichment seminar at Bethlehem-Knightdale last weekend referenced Barbara and Dennis Rainey several times. They publish a daily devotional for couples, Moments with You, and I have copied their devotional for today below. There is a link at the end of the post to the Family Life website for those interested in receiving the daily email.

A Burden or a Blessing?

Psalm 127:3,5
Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Many parents today feel like kids are a burden. That's not what the Bible calls them. It doesn't say, "Behold, children are a burden of the Lord," or "Burdened is the man whose quiver is full of them."

Our views have become distorted. What we see as a burden, God sees as a blessing. Some of us need to knock the windows out of our corrupted views and let the Spirit of God come into our homes and refresh our hearts and minds so we can see clearly again that children are a blessing.

Don't get me wrong. Barbara and I will be the first to tell you we are in process with our children. We have failed many times. And I have been so frustrated, after exhausting all rational reasoning, all reward systems and all "biblical approaches," that the only thing left for me to do was yell, throw a box of Kleenexes at the floor, slam the door and walk out-just like my kids do. Which just convinces me that one of God's greatest purposes for parents is to bring us face-to-face with our own depravity.

We want life to be easy, or at least bearable. And when children make our lives difficult, we begin to feel they are burdens. But we fail to realize what God makes clear-our children are gifts from God. God has given us our children for His glory and our good.

When I speak at our FamilyLife Marriage Conferences, I'm always struck by how surprised couples are when I explain that our mates are gifts from God. Why are they so astounded? Don't they know our God? He wants to bless us. He's out for our best interests!

In the same way, you need to receive your children as gifts from God. If you do, your whole attitude will change. No longer will you try to change your kids... no longer will you consider them burdens. Instead, you'll view them as true blessings from God entrusted to you.

Prayer: With your mate, acknowledge your children as gifts from God.

Discuss: How do you view your children - as burdens or blessings?

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