In Genesis 32:24-32 the Patriarch Jacob has an encounter with an Angel in which they find themselves in a wrestling match. Jacob says to his night time visitor, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.” And there you have it. Many times in our prayers we won’t persevere in […]
“America and the rest of the world will before the end of the year 2000 experience a great spiritual awakening! And this revival will spark the greatest spiritual harvest in the history of the Church.” – Bill Bright, CO-FOUNDER OF CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST, INTERNATIONAL …If my people who are called by my name humble […]
For the last 18 years of TheCall, we have mobilized thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to 40-Day fasts in […]
“As the Creator is greater than which he has created, so is the power wielded by the Christian through fasting and prayer greater than that wielded by the atomic scientist.” – Franklin Hall I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, […]
By God’s grace I am beginning the Jesus Fast with Lou Engle and others today. Our friends from Virginia came to visit and Jackie and I didn’t think it would be appropriate to be fasting while our friends were “feasting” celebrating my birthday. (duh?) All that said I will be sending you Lou Engle’s updates […]
Luke 21:24 “They will fall by the mouth and the edge of the sword and will be led away as captives to and among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (completed).” This Scripture is referring to the siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. in which the Temple […]
Luke 24:9-11 And having returned from the tomb, they reported all these things [taken together] to the eleven apostles and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who reported these things to the apostles.But these reports seemed to the men […]
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. A. W. Tozer prophesied years ago when he said: “Until self-effacing men return again to spiritual leadership, we may expect […]
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace. 1 Chronicles 15-16 records David’s desire to bring the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol […]
1 Chronicles 16:1 “So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.” Two things you notice from this passage. First is that they brought the Ark, and second, who were the “they?” […]
1 Chronicles 16:4 “He appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to celebrate [by calling to mind], thanking and praising the Lord, the God of Israel” Ministering to the Lord. Now there’s a concept that’s out of this world -literally and figuratively. Several months ago our church’s mother’s day out program […]
2 Chronicles 15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to yearn for Him with all their heart’s desire and with all their soul; Where did they go to look for God? Many scholars suggest that the covenant that was birthed from this passage actually aided in the […]
Oswald Chambers reminds us of what should be happening as we seek God through fasting and prayer: our death. Jesus and the devil have one thing in common – they’re both out to kill us. Have you truly identified with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, and Lord? It’s all about control […]
Mark 4:10, 34 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable… And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. Oswald Chambers has the following insights worth noting: Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains […]
Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God! I just wanted to let our church family know that of the 9 Affinity Groups six of the nine have been committed […]
More from Dr. Bill Bright on Fasting: Expect Results If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence (John 14:21). The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in […]
Once again I choose to defer to the wisdom of Dr. Bill Bright to be our guide regarding fasting: Your time of fasting and prayer has come. You are abstaining from all solid foods and have begun to seek the Lord. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider: Avoid drugs, even natural herbal drugs and […]
The following is taken from Dr. Bill Bright, former Campus Crusade leader, who has fasted for 40 days or more: How you begin and conduct your fast will largely determine your success. By following these seven basic steps to fasting, you will make your time with the Lord more meaningful and spiritually rewarding. STEP 1: […]
When Jesus was asked a question on the subject of fasting as recorded in Matthew 9, he answered in a way that God’s people should well understand. He used a wedding metaphor: Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we […]
Genesis 22:9 “When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there; then he laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on the wood.” Oswald Chambers: This event is a picture of the mistake we make in thinking that the […]
Just wanted to update our Bethany Church Family that Kristy Whittington’s Surgery went well. She is resting at her house with her Dad, and step Mom, while Lauren nurtures her back to health. Thank you for praying! Just got an update on Kim Kiker. She is out of surgery and recovering. The Doctor said, She […]
In 2005 John Mark McMillan wrote and released the song, “How He Loves” and thousands were divided over one verse in the song: “So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,..” Awakening imaginations to the idea of kissing Jesus. How wrong and weird is that? Yet it shines light on something lurking just beneath […]
Has Everyone Made a Reminder Card Like This?
I trust that following last Sunday’s message everyone has had the opportunity to edit and rewrite their personal testimony. Until this week our challenges have been to see people the way God sees them, loving them from an eternal perspective. The other was to seek to obey the Lord in the area of sharing your […]
The Third commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the days of “Your Mama” jokes? Yo mama’s so stupid…She stared at a cup of orange juice for 12 hours because it said “concentrate.” Yo mama’s so ugly…She threw a boomerang and it refused to come back. Yo mama’s so fat…When […]
Pastor Chuck Smith: Life exists on two planes: the vertical and the horizontal. The vertical axis on which your life revolves is your relationship with God. The horizontal is your relationship with others. There is a fixed center point so that if the vertical axis is out of line, your life is doomed to become […]
There was an old song from the band Chicago Transit Authority back in 1969 titled, “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” There’s a line in the lyrics that says: “People runnin’ everywhere, Don’t know where to go, Don’t know where I am, Can’t see past the next step, Don’t have time to think […]
It is my great pleasure to introduce a new staff member to Bethany Church: Lincoln Lawing has accepted an invitation to work with our youth part-time beginning September 5. His efforts will be focused primarily on Wednesday evening ministry with youth until the new year when he completes a prior ministry commitment with another church. Please be in prayer […]
Colossians 2:6-7 “So then just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.” Today Jackie’s heart and mine overflow with thankfulness as we think on how God has blessed us with the staff, […]
1 Timothy 2:8 I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, ….without anger or quarreling or resentment or doubt [in their minds], ….lifting up holy hands. People are having face lifts, neck lifts, chin lifts, forehead lifts, mid-face lifts, eye lid lifts, lower face lifts, mini face lifts, to their bodies. But what about […]
