In this short excerpt from a journal entry by the late priest Henri Nouwen, the author describes the need to make a significant change to his life during a very difficult period in his ministry. Nouwen senses the need to have a wilderness experience, free from the daily routines and busyness of modern life: You […]
Two paddleboats left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges made, and a race ensued. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through […]
We are told that when John Huss was arrested and informed that he would be burned to death for his faith, he purposely practiced holding his hand over fire to prepare for his final test. He burned himself in preparation. He wanted to be faithful to the end. The question I would like to explore […]
Sunday many of you responded to the call to seek God to catch fire through His Spirit. As a testimony to your desire to take off your old way of walking in order to turn to see God, and catch fire from the Burning Man – Jesus, you placed your shoes on the altar, praying […]
Chuck Colson in his book, Kingdoms In Conflict, wrote: Have you not heard of the madman who lit a lamp in the bright morning and went to the marketplace crying ceaselessly, “I seek God! I seek God!” There were many among those standing there who didn’t believe in God so he made them laugh. “Is […]
Once John Maxwell’s leadership word for the day was Warrior. He said that a warrior is best defined as the character, William Wallace from ‘Braveheart’. Wallace had a cause that he was so committed to that he was willing to die for it. In essence that is a warrior. His life’s cause earned him the […]
Before the days of natural gas grills the majority of us simply stacked charcoal briquettes in the form of a blackened Mayan pyramid. This was followed by liberally dousing the “steps” of the pyramid with copious amounts of lighter fluid. Opening a box of Penley Strike Anywhere Matches, or Ohio Blue Tip Matches, we retrieved […]
By the year 2030 30% of the inhabitants of Sub-Saharan Africa will have the highest rate of undernourishment in the world. In the documentary, The Most Dangerous Ways To School, Massai children, ages 4-11, are recorded as having walked from 10-20 kilometers (6-12 miles), one way – each day, in order to attend school. Many […]
When Jesus was filled with the Spirit following His Baptism He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to pray and fast in preparation for the launching of the Kingdom of God. You could say that he went outside the camp. Question is, What does this phrase mean and how does it apply to […]
Ephesians. 3:18-19 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without […]
Revelation 3:17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing… When we are hungry we recognize we are so by our stomachs alerting us to the fact our body needs fuel. This usually comes in the form of pains, tiredness, low blood sugar, and inappropriate noises […]
John 5:19 Now it was on the Sabbath day that Jesus mixed the mud and opened the man’s eyes. You have heard the idiomatic saying, “don’t be a stick in the mud,” which refers to someone who is considered boring, due to unpopular or outdated beliefs. Oswald Chambers writes: “One of the greatest hindrances in coming to Jesus is the excuse of our own temperament, (personality). We […]
Have you ever been hiking through the woods and couldn’t wait to get to the next clearing? Have you ever seen a mountain you just had to climb? Then you may have been experiencing what some would call “wanderlust.” Wanderlust is defined as a strong desire to wander or travel the world and can be expressed […]
Ezekiel 47:6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. How deep are you spiritually? Our depth or lack thereof is simply the result of “spiritual reality.” Oswald Chamber states: “If you realize you are lacking, it is because you […]
Luke 5:4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Yesterday’s message challenged us to launch out into the deep of the unknown but how many will let loose of the dock and leave the harbor of comfort, and security? This morning […]
Essential is defined as absolutely necessary; indispensable; pertaining to or constituting the essence of a thing; noting or containing an essence of a plant, drug, etc. being such by its very nature or in the highest sense; Many of us winced when our governor deemed alcohol and abortions essential, but not church. Yet we must […]
C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity: Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we […]
Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed (Dt. 16:16 AMPC) Tomorrow night we are going to celebrate Pentecost […]
Good morning Bethany Church family! I just wanted to send out a thank you to everyone who has brought or bought meals for our family following the birth of our grandson. We have eaten really well. (I’ve gained back the weight from the fast) As you can tell from the picture above he is growing […]
This week is our Love Life week of prayer and fasting. Today we specifically pray and fast for the Lord of Hosts (Angelic Armies) to bring an end to the abortion industries abuse of women’s bodies, shedding of innocent blood, and the marketing of body parts from aborted fetuses. If you haven’t done so – […]
1 Peter 4:17 For the time [has arrived] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will [be] the end of those who do not respect or believe orobey the good news (the Gospel) of God? Through the stay at home orders of our state governors, and social distancing we […]
Romans 5:5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. (AMPC) What’s your opinion of God? What’s your opinion of Jesus, His Word and His promises? Do your words of praise match your opinions of Jesus and His […]
Isa. 56:7 These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Just a quick note to let you all know that God’s […]
1 Kings 18:24, 36-39 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the One Who answers by fire, let Him be God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the […]
John 14:9 Jesus replied, Have I been with all of you for so long a time, and do you not recognize and know Me yet, Philip? (AMPC) You’ve heard the phrase, “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades!” Horseshoes is a popular game where points are scored by tossing a horseshoe close to a stake 40 […]
Isa. 56:7 These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Just a quick note to let you all know that God’s […]
John 3:1-5 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most […]
Luke 10:39-42 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at [k]Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And […]
“Organized missionary work and world evangelism as we know it today really did not exist in the western world until God lit a fire in the hearts of the Moravians through the ‘watch of the Lord.’ It was no accident that God restored the fire on the altar first, and then ignited a passion for […]
To God be the glory! Great things He has done!So loved He the world that He gave us His Son;Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,And opened the life-gate that all may go in.Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice!Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice!O […]
