Around the Table

2012-01-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

Today marked my last official day of serving in the Bethel Hill community at BHBC. The Father has moved me and the family to a ministry closer to our immediate community. Though I will not meet with them weekly, they remain my affectionate family. We will work side by side for the faith of the gospel regardless of our immediate locale. Though much can be said of them, of one thing I amcertain - they love one another and such testifies to their faith in the gospel.

2012-01-29T04:05:00.000-08:00

My rendering of Philippians 1:27, "Only live as good citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel of Christ, in order that whether I come and see you or remain where I am, I hear these things concerning you, that you remain steadfast in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side in the faith of the gospel." Paul accentuated the necessity of being unified in the gospel. In a corporate society that accentuates productivity and success at all costs, the pursuit of every believer must be unity through humility. As soldiers of the Christ we must strive together, work together, serve together to further the kingdom. We must not pursue selfish ambitions, but rather live selfless lives working unanimously for the King. Our steadfast faith in the gospel and our unified efforts in face of staunch opposition testifies to the greatness and eternality of the gospel message.

2012-01-15T03:47:00.000-08:00

Loving God with the mind is indeed a task greater than I alone can handle, I must depend upon "He who is greater than me." My goal to learn German and to research the interaction between Worldview and Biblical Theology is sure to prove to be a daunting task. Do I pursue these endeavors for greater accolades? Do I pursue them for financial gain? No indeed, I pursue them out of a desire to love God with my mind and to further the gospel. May God keep my heart aimed at His glory!

2011-12-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

A hearty thanks to Mama B for my Zucchini Bread, a gift given to me for completing seminary this week. My belly will indeed appreciate your precious gift :)

Nigu and Caleb

2011-12-17T09:19:00.001-08:00

Congrats on finishing your first semester of seminary at Southeastern Seminary brother Nigussie! I am certain that our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia eagerly await the day you complete your educational task and return to train them in the Word. However, we are overly joyed that you are here with us. One day Caleb (pictured above with Nigu) will have the wonderful opportunity to meet you on Ethiopian soil, God willing.

Knowing for Confronting

2011-12-16T04:13:00.001-08:00

The believer who is unaware of the "the way people think" around him or of their cultural philosophical surroundings, lames his/her ability to speak the gospel message clearly and powerfully. As Francis Schaeffer stated so eloquently concerning the necessity of knowing the way the surrounding culture thinks, the Christian must "understand what confronts him antagonistically in his own moment of history; otherwise he simply becomes a useless museum piece and not a living warrior for Jesus Christ." (In The God Who is There)

"Mission Madness"

2011-09-16T04:53:00.000-07:00

Each time I meet with our India missions team I leave with a greater fervor and passion to reach the nations and live blamelessly. This morning we discussed Philippians 1:19-20 in which Paul states his commitment to magnify Christ whether he lives or dies - "whether in life or in death." We were reminded this morning from Philippians to fix our easily deterred/ distracted hearts on Jesus. The gospel must be central to our lives - no distractions allowed :) The team encourages me with their passion to follow Christ to the ends of the earth (India) that others may know Christ. Even though they are aware of the dangers and the rough setting into which they will enter, they are not deterred but rather excited. Having 14 and 15 year old young adult men and women sharing in a desire to reach the unreached inspires me to live faithfully for the gospel. Though having much homework and many other commitments, they are making every effort to read the required material and meet regularly to plan - I am absolutely proud of their faithfulness to meet and work towards accomplishing what is required. By the way, a Shout Out to Lendon Jacobs for finishing "Five Who Changed the World" by Danny Aiken - you go bro! And to Makayla, Kelsey, Bailey, and Brittney for moving ahead :) I have been blessed with a great team of young adults that are gifted in diverse areas and are using their gifts so purposefully for the gospel.

The preeminence of the gospel

2011-09-13T03:44:00.000-07:00

Criticism often characterizes my attitude toward methods and motives of preaching other than what I deem to be Biblical methods or motives. While I agree that there are some methods that should be "done away with" and selfish motives that need squashing, the fact is a critical, negative attitude is not the proper response, but rather, an attitude of rejoicing in that the gospel is being preached. Competitive preaching, writing, and teaching often characterizes the pulpit and bookstores of the SBC, which, should not be; however, I will rejoice in that the gospel is being preached, that Christ is being proclaimed. While I vow not to be a part of such practices and aims, I also vow to rejoice in that Christ is being preached, nations are being reached, and lives are being changed. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, argued for unity around the gospel through humility; however, he did not stop at verbal exhortation, but, continued through lifestyle exhortation by living out what he proclaimed. Though some were preaching with selfish ambition and impure motives in a manner that aimed at his (Paul's demise), Paul rejoiced that the gospel, Christ, was being proclaimed. The gospel possessed the place of preeminence in Paul's life. He was unconcerned of his own recognition. He cared not for high worldly honors. He longed for Christ to be known even if such cost him his reputation and/or life.

To India and Beyond!

2011-08-27T14:07:00.001-07:00

Aiming to reach the nations with the good news of Jesus Christ, Lendon Jacobs, Makayla Maloney, Brittney Melton, Bailey Jacobs, Kelsey Pleasants, Jason Evans, and myself have been led by the Spirit to travel to India next summer. Our desire is to serve along side the local church in reaching the surrounding tribes with the gospel. Hopefully we will have about 7-9 more join us.
According to The Joshua Project , 90.8% of India's population remains unreached with the gospel! WOW! I must say that I am uber-thrilled that the above students/young adults chose to travel to India due to the great need there of the gospel. O, that God would use such insignificant people such as I to proclaim the most significant message to all the world for His glory.

Mission Project - phase 1

2011-08-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the many pictures taken at Miss Bea Russell's house last week. Young adults from out missions team at BHBC pressure washed Miss Bea's house. This is stage one of our mission project on her home as she has much work to be done. Miss Bea is a joyful paraplegic that has welcomed our desire to serve her. I pray that we will be an encouragement to her as she is already a great encouragement to us.

2011-06-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

I am at present studying 1 John 2:15-17 in which John exhorts the reader, the believer to "Stop loving the world!" Such a notion sounds easy enough; however, the application of such a command requires parting with one's sinful self. Our fleshly desires must be parted with, we must radically separate ourselves from that which seems natural to us, though truly unnatural from a Biblical perspective. I am constantly confronting my sinful desires as I consider this demanding text. Joel loves to be entertained. Joel loves to eat as much as he can stand. And the list can goes on. Though we are sinful, through the indwelling of the Spirit we have the power as believers to "set our mind on things above." We must position the strength of our love to be aimed at the Father and his kingdom. The kingdom agenda must be primary in the life of the believer. Consider the life of Jesus. In Matthew 4:1-11 Matthew records the great temptation of our Lord; however, Jesus overcame by the Word of God. His mind, His "meat" was to do the will of God. We must, as John argues overall, follow the example of our Lord - participating in the will of God - investing in that which is eternal. One can enjoy the pleasures of the world for a lifetime; however, one cannot enjoy them for eternity - they are fleeting, temporary, and non-beneficial overall. The positive imperative here - Start loving the Father! In Him, in Christ will one find eternal satisfaction, pleasure, and overall fulfillment (1 Jn. 1:4).

2011-06-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

To my surprise Kimberly was picking some fresh squash from the garden as I was blogging :) Makes me hungry :)

2011-06-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

Kimberly's squash is nearly ready to pick and cook - yeehaw - aint nothing like some fried squash for this ole county boy's belly in the evening after a long day of work. In fact, my dear wife cooked us some from her dad's garden last night. What a wonderful and tasteful creation the Father has supplied for us.
Our little farmers first carrot :) Nathan planted, watered, plucked, and then consumed it. Yes, a little early but he was really excited to see and taste the fruits of his labor (though his face in this picture does not reveal such).

Summer Reading

2011-05-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

The summer months between seminary semesters provides me the opportunity to read more broadly on a subject I previously study or to read in other areas of great interests. The first read for the summer is Redeeming Science by Vern Poythress. I myself am not a trained scientists; however, I am interested in how such reveals the majesty of God. Often Science, as a discipline, is seen as hostile to Christianity; however, the discipline truly displays the greatness and wisdom of the God I serve. Poythress deals with this subject specifically in his book - a topic I am looking forward to better understanding. Other reading I desire to accomplish this summer are books for my upcoming Greek Syntax and Exegesis class (a topic I am growing more interested in). I have much Greek reviewing to do :) as the past semester in school overwhelmed me. Further reading includes the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I hope to finish the series once again - hopefully aiding an otherwise "uncreative mind" in how to creatively communicate the Christian Worldview to children - specifically mine.

2010-10-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

I am convinced more each week that my family joins for "family worship" that we are training our children to contemplate the transcendent - namely God Himself. We passionately desire to train them to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and thus to serve Him with every ounce of their being by reaching the nations with the gospel. Yes, you read it right - our desire is to not train them to "get all they can" from this world, but rather to live expectantly and sacrificially for the next - the eternal Kingdom of God. Our desire is to not train children who find significance in "higher education", "highly profitable jobs", or a "fat bank account" but rather to train them to expend all of their resources to reach the nations with the good news of Jesus Christ. Where do I believe this begins? In the home where the Scriptures are taught and obeyed. We just finished family worship which time encouraged, challenged, and reminded me to be faithful and consistent in training them to love and serve the living God, Jesus Christ by weekly, yea daily pointing them to Him.

New Horizons

2010-10-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

"Art" a word that has struck me as awkward and uninteresting for the most of my life. I am neither "artistic" in the widely held definition of such, nor am I "creative" in the widely held definition of such. However, having to take "Christian Faith and the Arts" as SEBTS this semester, my Father has opened my eyes to the necessity and pleasure of participating in the Arts. In fact, His Creation is a work of art as we gaze upon the beauty and design of His world. He created us to be "creators" in a sense for we take part in pro-creation (having children - giving life). We take part in designing and building culture. The list and this blog could go on; however, my point here is to entice fellow followers of Jesus to recognize the necessity and pleasure of participating in the arts. Though you may be like me - not a gifted painter, writer, etc. - you and I can enjoy the art of others as well as encourage them to use their giftedness to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in creative ways. What are your thoughts on this matter?

2010-04-07T03:00:00.001-07:00

An encouraging, challenging, motivating, and edifying article concerning Kingdom Christians verses Church Christians can be found here.

Quote of the day

2010-03-30T03:39:00.000-07:00

"If a man is growing large in wealth, nothing but constant giving can keep him from growing small in soul." - J Campbell White, Business man who articulated the vision for the Layman's Missionary Movement. The church of America must be intentional in allocating their resources, as many as they are, for reaching the nations with the gospel.

The Problem and Power of Pain and Persecution part 3

2010-03-24T05:05:00.000-07:00

A question that often arises in the conversation of Evil is, "why does God allow innocent children to suffer?" There are many and diverse responses to such a question; however, the purpose of this post is to supply the responses of Mrs. Becky Lynn Black who I recently interviewed concerning the Problem of Evil. Her response provided a "why" the suffering as well as how God can and does respond to such suffering. Mrs. Becky stated that children suffer for the same reason that adults suffer, the consequences of sin. Consequences which may or may not be directly related to their sin, but rather, a consequence of sin in the world. Such reminded me that the choices we each make in our world effects others in our world. Mrs. Becky experienced such suffering as a young child in an Ethiopian Boarding school. The suffering she endured was not a consequence of her own choices but rather the choices of those to whom her care was entrusted (at the boarding school). Mrs. Becky Lynn stated that though she experienced much emotional pain from the suffering incurred at the school, suffering which affected her for many years, she learned that "God has the power and desire to turn the evil and suffering on its head in order to implant strength and endurance for overcoming." She further added that He turns the evil and suffering into a "song of victory." How victorious you may ask? As I write this post Mrs. Becky Lynn and Brother Dave are in Ethiopia teaching and training our brothers and sisters in the gospel for further indigenous ministry. Due to the suffering at the school, Mrs. Becky Lynn would not return to Ethiopia for many years; however, after being encouraged by her sister to return, she now travels to Ethiopia multiple times a year and spends her life, even while in the States, pouring her heart into the Ethiopian people for the glory of God and the furtherance of the gospel. What was intended for evil and brought much suffering, God turned it on its head and is now using for His glory! Though children may suffer, God can use the suffering for His glory.

2010-03-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Though having just risen from the dead and appeared to His followers in His resurrected body, the purpose and message of Jesus remained the same - the Kingdom of God. Luke writes in Acts 1:3, "to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." How fixed our Lord was on proclaiming the gospel, the kingdom of God. The rule of God in ones heart, the kingdom of God, is indeed GOOD NEWS! I am no longer under the sway of the Evil One, but rather under the rulership of the Righteous One. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain - worthy of what you might ask - worthy of my expending all my energies and resources for His kingdom work. O that I expend every ounce of my being for His kingdom work, the reaching of the nations with the gospel.

2010-03-13T13:16:00.000-08:00

Upon reading a portion of J. Hudson Taylor's "The Call to Service", I was challenged by this powerful quote: "I believe we are all in danger of accumulating - it may be from thoughtlessness, or from pressure of occupation - things which would be useful to others, while not needed by ourselves, and the retention of which entails loss of blessing. If the whole resources of the Church of God (meaning the body of Christ not the specific denomination) were well utilized, how much more might be accomplished! How many poor might be fed and naked clothed, and to how may of those as yet unreached the Gospel might be carried!" (emphasis mine). There is no way around the fact that Christians, including myself, accumulate unneeded materials consuming funds that could be invested into the eternal work of the Gospel. I am reminded of the words of our Lord, "Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21). Such leads me to ask the question, are our hearts truly fixed on fulfilling the Great Commission? Are our hearts truly gripped by the gospel?

2010-03-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

I tried something new and fresh (well at least for our church culture) at Bible Study tonight. We each spent individual time reading Philippians 1:27-2:11 and considering Paul's instruction to the church at Philippi. After having read and meditated for a few moments, we all shared what we understood the text to mean as far as how the church should function. Amazingly we all understood Paul saying the same thing - strive TOGETHER in the gospel. We, as the body, are to be unified under one purpose - the gospel - all else, as brother Ed Johnson stated, is minor. The gospel should shape our lives in such a fashion that our conduct, our way of life, invites persecution from the outside world. Our petty, misplaced, selfish ambitions within the body must end and we must, together with one mind and one spirit, pursue the gospel - fulfill the Great Commission. The gospel must shape every decision we make in our individual lives and in the greater body of Christ. The church may understand the gospel propositionally; however, I am convinced that I and the majority of the church have failed to allow the gospel to shape all of our lives - all of our decisions. We must be EXTREMIST when it comes to obedience to the gospel and obeying the Great Commission.

The Problem and Power of Pain and Persecution part 2

2010-03-10T03:05:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I recently had the opportunity to interview Mrs. Becky Lynn Black concerning the problem of evil. Mrs. Becky Lynn is a sister in Christ who in recent days has been treated for cancer and has written some challenging and encouraging articles on pain and suffering from a Christian perspective which can be found here. Due to time and length I will share one question and response per post.

I asked Mrs. Becky "what do you think makes certain human choices, such as murder, rape and even slander evil?" Mrs. Becky Lynn emphatically answered that God determines the standard by which men must live which is opposed to the popular opinion that ones society creates the standard. She asserted that breaking the standard set by God is evil and brings consequences which in essence is suffering. I was somewhat surprised by Mrs. Becky's response for most would hold that something is evil because it brings suffering; however, Mrs. Becky held that something is evil because it defies the standard of God, which by the way is a biblical and thus proper response.

Suffering in itself is not always an evil; for, one who is incarcerated for murder or rape suffers rightly due to their own evil decisions. In fact, the suffering then is "good" due to its protecting society from the one who insist on harming others and can have a corrective effect on the one incarcerated. God has placed value on human life by creating them in His image; furthermore, God loves mankind so much so that He gave His own Son to reconcile man to Himself. Therefore, one who attempts to deface and/ or destroy the innocent through murder, rape, slander, etc. has rebelled against God resulting in his deserving punishment for his evil decisions.

2010-03-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

Excellent challenge from brother Dave Black, you can find the article here , on living a life focused on the Mission of the Great Commission. How difficult to sacrifice the comforts we are so accustomed too in order to reach the unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks brother Dave for the word of edification.

2010-03-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday was wood cutting day at the Clayton Farm. Thanks to the Wood Cutting ministry at Bethel Hill Baptist Church my grandfather is well prepared to beat the cold for the rest of the winter and has a good start for next season. Man I love being a part of the family of God! Saturday was a great time of mutual edification and encouragement as men gathered to meet a need while enjoying Christian fellowship. Thanks Brothers!

Danny, I always knew you had some monkey in ya!!!

Thanks to our great organizers trees fell and firewood was gathered. Thanks Marshall and Chris!

The Mighty Woodsman - Marshall Humphries.

Nope, that is not an older model of me that is my Dad attempting to give instructions to my uncle on pulling the tree in the desired direction.

Randall, not many men can work hard and look sharp doing it, but you the man.

2010-03-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

The family and I had a great visit at Rosewood Farms Thursday during which time I interviewed Mrs. Becky Lynn Black on the "problem of evil" and brother Dave read to Nathan. the questions and answers of our interview will be posted later tomorrow when my migraine has subsided.

The Problem and Power of Pain and Persecution

2010-03-06T04:27:00.001-08:00

The existence of evil is purported to be the greatest problem for the theist belief in the existence of an all good, all loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God. The adherers, atheists and agnostics, would hold that either logically or evidentially the existence of evil proves that God does not exist. However, we as believers know that an all-knowing, all-powerful, all good, and all-loving God does indeed exist. In fact, we know that due to His sovereignty He is not only aware of the evil that exist but also uses the evil that exist for His own glory (arguments for which this particular post will not supply at this time). In an attempt to understand how another brother or sister in Christ views this particular "problem", I interviewed Miss Becky Lynn Black who not only in her recent battle with cancer but also in her days as a child and young adult she faced some "evils" that could have raised doubts in her heart concerning God's existence; however, I discovered that such pain and suffering only caused her to think more deeply and trust more fully in His character. Over the next few days I will post the pre-prepared questions of the interview as well as her responses to the questions in hopes that brothers and sisters in Christ may be encouraged and edified to be faithful in times of unexplained pain and suffering holding fast to the greatness of the character of God the Father.

2010-03-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

Great reminder from Chad Owen Brand and David E. Hankins in One Sacred Effort that "the early church was centrifugal - spinning out missionaries with all possible speed..." So the questions arises in my mind - WHAT HAS HAPPENED? I am aware that we as Baptist send out missionaries; however, considering the amount of Baptist churches and members compared to the amount of Baptist missionaries (I speak here of those supported as "full-time" and those who are self-supported "full-time") our track record is devastating.

2010-02-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

Conjointly reading Acts and Colossians, the question arises in my heart tonight- "Is Christ preeminent over my possessions?" Reading Acts 2:4-47 and Acts 4:32-37 I am reminded of how the newly redeemed and Spirit filled community responded to each others needs - total annihilation of self-seeking motives and ownership. This community sold land and possessions to meet the needs of others in the redeemed community. Though there are some who sacrifice to meet the needs of others, do we truly place possessions on the altar of sacrifice for the needs of the redeemed community? Does our giving alter our lavish lifestyles? Is He truly preeminent over my possessions?

2010-02-20T07:53:00.000-08:00

I remain fascinated by the unintelligent i.e. idiotic statements made by those who are praised by the world and interviewed by the media. Elton John recently claimed that Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man", you can find the interview here, a conclusion which is obviously shaped by his own world-view and lifestyle (a vocal and popular homosexual) rather than historical and biblical evidence. His statement of "super-intelligence" is ironically "super-unintelligent" for it ignores the teachings of Jesus. Why is such important to the Christian life? Christians must be diligent to know the Scriptures and allow the Scriptures to shape their lives rather than fall into the "Elton John fallacy" of interpreting Jesus in a manner that is contrary to the teachings of Scripture, a fallacy that I often find myself and other believers falling prey to. Practice the Anabaptists and Reformers method of allowing the Scriptures to shape your life rather than your specific tradition or worldview, that may be unbiblical and unhistorical. Be people of the Book, the Scriptures! Be a good Berean (Acts 17) that you may not make unintelligent statements about the King of Glory.

2010-02-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

For all you philosophy lovers, Dr. William Lane Craig, one of today's foremost Christian apologist, has written an article concerning arguments for the existence of God. Great read if you are interested in a summarily way of defending the existence of God against today's New Atheist. You can read the article by going here.

2010-02-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

O that the gospel may not only permeate every ounce of my being, but also rule every area of my life. My God grant me the grace to live for the gospel in such a manner that I attract others to its glorious message.

2010-02-08T16:21:00.001-08:00

Thanks to my brother Cameron Collie I was reminded yesterday of that God's family, The Church, extends beyond the local body. He encountered a ministry situation in his life as an "Earth Mover" that allowed him to provide his services for free. When the owner asked why he was doing the job for free that he could rightly charge for, he responded by stating that God's family were to minister to one another regardless of what local body they attended. He stated with precious tears in his eyes, "that is what the church, not just your local church, but the church is supposed to do, that is how it is suppose to operate." O that we would love one another in the manner daily that the world may see Jesus! What a "Barnabas" is in our midst! Thanks Cam for a much needed reminder about the gospel.

2010-02-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

I just read an article on the LA Times website entitled "A Superbowl ad we can do without" which disparages the pro-life commercial purchased by Focus on the Family to be played on CBS during Superbowl XLIV. The commercial recounts the story of Tim Tebow's, Florida Gators star quarterback, birth. Tim was conceived while his parents were missionaries in the Philippines during which time his mom became sick and the doctors encouraged her to abort Tim. However, due to her Christian convictions she declined, Tim was born, and a football star with a love for the gospel was born. Quite likely if the commercial advertised pro-choice such controversy would not arise; however, in a society that is highly darwinian, life is devalued and thus abortion is accepted as the norm. Praises to Tim and his family for utilizing his influence to communicate the value of human life during quite possibly the most watched program of all time.

While reading the article I held my 3 month old daughter, Rachel Dawn Bradsher, and praised God for allowing me the privilege of sharing in His creative work in this world. The Father reminded me to use the influence He has given me over my children and others to make His name "famous". He has given me children for His glory to proclaim His gospel to all the nations. Though my children may never be on television, personally I could care less if they ever were, my desire is to train them to live fully for the kingdom of God utilizing all their influence to proclaim His name. The way I see it, pro-creation provides me with the opportunity to train missionaries that may be sent out into a world desperate for the gospel. Why be pro-life? Because God is pro-life and because I can be involved in His creative work and His redemptive work. I commend Tim Tebow for utilizing his influence to promote life in the face of great opposition, in like manner, I challenge all Believers to be pro-life and to be Fruitful and multiply in order to be a part of God's creative and redemptive work.

2010-02-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

The all-consuming attractiveness of the preeminence of Jesus Christ in the Christian life is key to fulfilling the Great Commission. Unless Christ becomes preeminent among His people, the church will fail to fulfill what God has graciously allowed us to partake of. We must make Christ famous in all the nations; however, we will not make Him famous among other nations if He is not preeminent in our lives. May God stir the hearts of His people to be consumed with the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ!

2010-02-02T03:37:00.000-08:00

A few challenging statements from the great devotionalist Oswald Chambers: "God makes broken bread and poured out wine to please Himself." When God grips your heart, "Beware of competitors when God grips you."

2010-02-02T03:31:00.000-08:00

Reading Acts 3&4 this morning has reminded me that God's sovereign power over disease manifested through His apostles ultimately paved the way for His glory to be shown through the preaching of the gospel. The apostles did not use the instance to earn fame or fortune, name or recognition but rather to proclaim the great and glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. What followed up this display of God's power in chapter 3 & 4 - persecution and rebuke from religious leaders. What followed up the persecution and rebuke - prayer by the believers to boldly preach the gospel, unlike today's scheming Christians who attempt to plan around the persecution bringing Christ in from some obtuse angle, the Christians prayed for boldness and showed their faith by continuing to publicly preach the gospel. What followed all this - a description of the intense love and intimacy among the brethren in Acts 4:32-36. WOW what a series of events describing the growth of the NT church.

2010-01-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning at the "Hill" (Bethel Hill Baptist Church) was encouraging and edifying from the start of Sunday School to the departure of the last brother and sister to leave. Many shared how the Father either provided for them or provided through them this week in both large and small amounts. God is indeed the provider of all our needs according to His riches in glory. Matthew 6:33-34 seemed to be the unplanned yet mutual theme of today, just like the Spirit to work so specifically in the life of His people, as some read the passage directly while others testified to the living out of the passage in everyday life. Living daily with a Kingdom Agenda opens the door for believers to both minister and be ministered to for His glory. May God ever testify to Himself in the manner that He testified to Himself today at the Hill called Bethel Hill.

Value of Life

2010-01-23T05:44:00.000-08:00

Check out this reminder of the sanctity and value of human life - 99 Balloons. In a culture that is submerged with Naturalistic Evolutionary nonsensical doctrine that undermines the speciality that God placed upon human life, we need to be reminded of the beauty and value of human life as well as the joy of being involved in God's creative work by being pro-creative (i.e having children).

2010-01-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

Reading 2 Peter again this morning reminds me of the importance of doctrine. Belief shapes practice, doctrine drives living. Doxology and praxy go hand in glove. In 2 Peter the false teachers doubted the truthfulness of Scripture thus they doubted the Second and Judgmental coming of Jesus Christ; therefore, their lives were morally corrupt. Their lack of belief in accountability motivated them to live morally loose lives - for why care if no one is keeping record and there is no judgment to come. However, Peter reminds the believers of his and our time that the validity of the Scriptures confirmed the truthfulness of Judgment Day thus believers must live in reality that Christ is soon returning to Judge the world. My thought, don't be so foolish to think that what you believe does not shape how you live. True belief in the gospel will result in a life lived after the gospel. Likewise, one who lives contrary to the gospel does not truly believe the gospel.

Reading verses "Reading"

2009-10-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Carefully reading and meditating on Acts 2:42-47 this afternoon has reminded me of the difference between reading for reading sake and reading intentionally to understand the meaning of the text. The former type of reading the Scriptures may be informative and should be done regularly in order to provide an overall continuous look at the Story of God - the whole counsel of God. However, the later must be done for transformation. When one reads a specific text for the purpose of uncovering and understanding the meaning, one is confronted by the Holy Spirit in a more specific and heart transforming manner. I am guilty of practicing the former type of reading at the expense of neglecting the later type of reading on days that I am busy with HVAC work, etc. However, I am committing today to allow the later to trump the former on days that time is limited by work. May God use the "reading" of His Scriptures to transform my heart for His glory.

The Putridity of the Righteous faltering

2009-08-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

"A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well" Proverbs 25:26. What powerful language concerning the putridness of the righteous man who falters morally before the wicked. Such does not seem to speak of times of weakness but rather a lifestyle one attempted to hide that eventually was revealed. Though forgiveness is ever available to the righteous man, his morally faltering before the wicked may eclipse his testimony for the gospel. Consider David, a man after God's own heart, who faltered morally. Though forgiveness was granted at his act of repentance, great consequences ensued. Yes, God can restore and heal - hallelujah! - however, the moral faltering of the righteous man brings great and wide spreading putridity. May God protect me from faltering before the wicked by preserving me in the private areas of life. O that my life may be Kingdom - Gospel - Christ - driven for His Glory.

2009-04-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

"Suffer" - a word that painfully leaves the lips of many individuals. No one enjoys or looks forward to suffering for suffering is closely asociated with pain which is despised and rejected by humankind - and rightfully so for God created us to enjoy life. However despised such may be, suffering is also closely associated with the glory of God. In fact God is glorified in the rightful suffering of His people. The Apostle Peter writes to believers concerning the persecution they are experiencing due to their righteous conduct. In his words of encouragement and exhortation he states, "if you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." Peter goes on to state that God is glorified in their suffering. He then later states that "if anyone suffers as a Christian (one who lives in a manner that reflects the righteousness of Christ not just one who merely attaches themselves to the Christian religion), let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." Why should we glory in suffering? Becuse such suffering, as far as I can tell, proclaims the gospel in a world that is opposed to the gospel. The persecution occurs due to the worlds hatred for Christ whom believers reflect in character and conduct. 1 Peter is in step with the whole of Scripture for one finds that throughout Scripture those who obeyed God, those who lived for Christ suffered - the Prophets to the Apostles all suffered because of their association with the gospel. My struggle is - why do I not suffer more? Not that I am to pursue the suffering, but rather I should expect the suffering.

2009-03-29T03:21:00.000-07:00

I have been reminded by Scripture of the importance of teachable moments in family life. After having delivered Israel out of Egypt God commands the people of Israel, through Moses, to practice the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the practice of "setting apart" the first born of every animal, etc. in the nation of Israel after they enter Canaan land (Exodus 13). The purpose of the Feast and the "setting apart" was remembrance of God's great deliverance - Israel out of the bondage Egypt. The Feast and the "setting apart" also provided the parents an opportunity to teach their children, as they became curious as to the yearly practice of such, of God's great work of deliverance. The parents obedience in these practices and their teaching the purpose of these practices cultivated faith in the hearts of their children - an appreciation and love for God. The same is true in the life of the church. We are to practice Communion (The Lord's Supper) and Baptism, not just as a ritual, but rather as a remembrance of God's delivering us from the bondage of sin and the ultimate judgment of sin through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Such should also be a teaching moment in life of the church family, teaching the younger ones of God's great deliverance that they too may enjoy His fellowship forever. So, do not be ignorant concerning the purpose of Baptism and the Lord's Supper that we may be diligent to teach others of the Great Deliverance of God.

2009-02-17T04:32:00.000-08:00

I am reminded this morning that it is not the amount per se that you give to the kingdom, but rather, the heart of giving that is important. Jesus speaks of the poor widow who put more in the "treasury" our modern day offering, than the rich. The amount she gave was "two mites" which were worth a fraction of a penny a piece; however, Jesus states that this was her "whole livelihood" whereas the rich may have given more in quantity, out of their abundance, she gave from her poverty, all she had. The concern of the Christian should be "am I giving my all" does Christ own the whole of me or anly part of me. The poor widows giving of all her living testify to her surrendered heart in all things. Her faith in Christ, in God was revealed by the amount of her giving - "all of her living". How do I measure up? How do you measure up? Am I merely giving from my riches or am I giving my all? The requirement of God is everything.

2009-02-16T04:56:00.000-08:00

I have been encouraged this morning through Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." Having many responsibilities, such as, seminary homework, ministry at BHBC, and HVAC work, I struggle planning out my days and sticking to a schedule. In fact I often feel like I am in a whirlwind - most people can relate. However, I am encouraged with the truth that ultimately the Lord directs my steps. Such is not an excuse to be lazy in planning out my days and weeks but rather making my plans resting in the Father to direct my steps. I am not to be anxious about my days but rather ever trusting in His guiding hand, not to fulfill my plans, but rather, use me to fulfill His plans. I am challenged by the fact that I am to think ahead and plan oute my days for His glory but all the time being confident that He will direct my paths. That said I am off to study Hebrew today, service the units at the church, study the Scriptures, and call some fellow believers to encourage them.

2009-01-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Reading the works of Jonathan Edwards and considering the parable of the soils in Mark 4:13-20 I am reminded of the false allusion that many have concerning salvation. There are many and varied responses to the gospel; however, emotional or not, a proper response to the gospel is full surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord that results in a life of bearing spiritual fruit (Mark 4:20). In this last verse of the parable in Mark 4, Jesus simply states that the good soil, the soil that truly believes the gospel, bears fruit. What seems to be missing? Any reference to emotion, etc. though an emotional experience when believing the gospel is not wrong or bad in itself, the emotional experience is no proof of conversion. The "good soil" according to Jesus, hears, believes, and bears fruit. Bearing spiritual fruit which is seen in longevity and endurance in the Christian life testifies to one's true conversion experience. Conversion nor the bearing of fruit is a work performed by the believer, but rather, a work performed in the believer. Time testifies to the internal structure of an individual. Praise the everlasting and ever merciful God for His work of grace in our lives.

2009-01-18T14:21:00.000-08:00

I just arrived home from West Virginia, i.e. Winterplace, preaching/ teaching a Ski/ Discipleship retreat for a youth group from Jacksonville, Fla. Our focus this weekend was cultivating and sustaining a passion for the gospel. We first looked at why the Apostle Paul possessed such a passion for the gospel and then we looked at how we as believers can cultivate and sustain a passion for the gospel. I say this to comment that I am continually amazed at how preparing to teach others cahllenges my own hearr for I find myself often growing lacksadasical concerning the study of Scripture and the preaching of the gospel. If for no other reason, I preapared and preached this weekend in order for God to do a work in my own heart. May He forever fuel the fire in my heart for the gospel. May He strengthen me to expend all that I am for the sake of the gospel.

That all the nations may praise Him!

Joel Bradsher

Great article

2009-01-17T15:57:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post a link to a great article on ecclesiology by Brother Dave Alan Black. He also has a great website which includes scholarly articles written by himself. Praying that God will challenge your heart and mine concerning the gospel and the church.

http://www.daveblackonline.com/developing_a_biblical.htm

Books that challenge the heart

2009-01-17T15:02:00.001-08:00

I am currently reading a book by Michael Green entitled "Thirty Years That Changed the World" written on the books of Acts surveying the life of the early church. Green has challenged me more than ever to look at the practices of the early church and how such can be applied to the church in our generation. I look forward to the rest of the book; however, I will say two things for now. 1) the church in our generation in the United States must re-evaluate how we function amongst ourselves. 2) Thirty Years That Changed the World would be profitable for ever family member of the church to read. More later on specifics. For now, I am back to preaching in WV to students from Jacksonville, Fla. concerning possessing a passion for the gospel - May God stir all our hearts for the nations.

The Fathers love

2008-10-22T08:08:00.001-07:00

What love the Father has shown to us by predesting us - choosing us before the world was ever created - to be adopted by Him. He chose us and adopted us into His family without any effort on our part. We have part in all that God owns - hence everything- thus our inheritance is far beyond our imagination. Why then do we as believers spend 75 - 95% of our time concerning ourselves with the temporal whether than spending 100% of our time on the eternal?

non-existence into existence

2008-04-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

How awe inspiring is the universe in which we live. I was reminded last night of the vastness of our universe as I watched the show 60 Minutes give a report on NASA and its future plans to "build cities" on other planets as well as travel to Mars. Even with all their research and fancy equipment, man is limited as to how far he can travel within in our own universe much less the universes that exist beyond our own. Yet, with the spoken Word of God, our universe and the universes yet to be discovered, that which was non-existent became existent. WOW! From nothing to something at the mere spoken word of God. Psalm 33:8-9 states "Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." Each morning we awake to the beauty of the goodness of God as He has given us creation as a testimony to His power and authority over "nothing - meaning that which is non-existent (brain strainer) and everything." How awe inspiring to witness the goodness and majesty of God each morning anew. Though evil exist and at times can overwhelm and distract our minds, let not evil eclipse the goodness and majesty of God as has been and continues to be displayed by creation.

Source of Sending

2007-11-22T04:38:00.001-08:00

God has indeed commissioned the church to preach the gospel to all nations, which, by nature demands that the church be constantly sending forth missionaries to foreign lands and un-churched states, meaning states that desperately need gospel preaching churches. However, this great and daunting task, though being accomplished in part, remains weak as compared to the possibilities afforded to the church through Almighty and Sovereign God. He desires to send forth laborers into the field of harvest if only His people would commit themselves to praying for His intervention. The church lacks in the area of sending forth missionaries for the church is relying upon her financial ability to send missionaries rather than depending upon He who owns a cattle on a thousand hills. E.M. Bounds once wrote, "It is the business if the home church to do the praying. It is the Lord's business to call and send forth laborers." The Lord is indeed able to call and able to send; therefore, one must conclude that the failure to send more missionaries rest in the lives of prayer-less churches. Bounds also stated, " the scarcity of missionaries argues a non-praying church. It is all right to send trained men to the foreign field, but first of all they must be God-sent" which presupposes the need for churches to pray "the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:38). As one practitioner once said, "this is were the rubber meets the road." The church has allowed the culture around her to influence how she operates concerning the sending forth of missionaries and preachers of the gospel. She rest her abilities in finances rather than in her praying. The church merely does what she thinks she can do rather than what she can do through Her Lord who is indeed the Lord of the harvest. Who He calls and sends He will provide the necessary finances to accomplish His will. He neither lacks funds nor power to send forth laborers. You may ask, "what then do I do?" To which I would answer, repent, as I have had to do, of my lack of praying for the Lord to mightily save and send forth laborers. When our churches spend as much time praying for the Lord to call and send forth laborers as they do for physical healing and financial blessing, etc. then we would experience a great uprising in the church of willing souls to enter the field for the glory of God. E.M. Bounds saids it best that despite our modern outlook "the one great need in the modern missionary movement is intercessors." May God burn in my heart and yours the burden to pray that God would send forth missionaries to preach the gospel for His glory, as well as, a willingness to go if He so calls.

Christian Pursuit 2

2007-09-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

"There is something in life worse than failure, succeeding in those things which God does not care about." This statement made by Dr. David Black has truly caused me to reconsider my pursuits in life. The Scripture that comes to mind reinforcing this statement is Matthew 16:26 which states, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" How tragic the day will be when many believers will stand before God having pursued in life that which was unimportant to God. The pursuit of the Christian life is of a vastly different nature than that of the world. Prior to this statement Christ said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:24-25). Our pursuit should be to glorify God for our chief end is His glory. Unpacking this truth takes a lifetime and more; however, the broad application we can make is that our lives should revolve around growing in the knowledge of Christ and making Him known. We work in order to make the Lord Jesus known, not to strive for a life full of luxuries and comforts. Happiness for the believer is not discovered in owning boats, cars, homes, recognition, large bank accounts, etc. but rather in making Christ known to all peoples. Pursue those things that are important to God! I would rather have lived a life with many failures in a pursuit to please God than to have lived a life of success in what does not matter to Him. May God change my heart to this end.

Compromise

2007-08-21T05:06:00.001-07:00

I am reminded this morning of the ease of compromise. Compromising one's convictions and/or commitments to the Lord can occur easily and quickly if he/she does not continually keep guard of their heart. I for one have found that compromising my covenants with Him in the, what we would call, "small areas" of my life happen quickly and easily. The danger in such is that compromising in the "small areas" of life only lead to greater compromise if not repented of quickly and sincerely. Compromising hinders one from continuing the pursuit of holiness for in the pursuit of holiness every area of life is significant. Most recently a close friend shared with me that he destroyed his computer, literally took a hammer to his laptop, and disconnected the internet from his home due to the continued temptation to compromise the covenant he has made with God with his eyes, not to set before them any impure thing. Radical? Yes!! Just the kind of radical actions we need to take in our pursuit of holiness in order to become what our Lord desires us to become. Am I telling you to destroy your computer or your TV - not necessarily; however, what I am saying is that it is high time we as believers stop compromising and justifying why we sin and start being radical about our pursuit of holiness.

JT
www.investministries.org

Christian pursuit

2007-08-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

E.M. Bounds, a saint of past years, reminded me this morning that God's work "is nothing short of holiness of heart and life" in His people. However, believers have lost their passion for God's holiness resulting in a lack of power in their spiritual life. This lack of passion and power is directly linked to the lack of intimacy believers have with God Himself. We have so filled our lives with activities within the church and outside the church that we no longer have time to be alone with God Himself. The church attempts to manufacture the work of God with busyness when in essence His work is accomplished through prayer that focuses upon God's purposes. I confess that in my own life prayer, intimacy with God, is often crowded by various other activities or needless responsibilities. Though I hate to admit it, television can often become a great distraction in my life. This mindless activity accomplishes nothing but can become a mere distraction from spending intimate time with Christ, the Holy One. Paul the apostle lived by the standard that though some things may not be sin, they are not useful to the Christian life. Be assured that I am not making a case against television, but more so against all that distracts the pursuit of holiness in our lives. Peter restated an Old Testament command by God in 1 Peter 1:15-16, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' "We as believers are to Be Holy and as Bounds stated one must be holy before he can do holy things. Being holy comes only through spending time with He who is holy by spending time in His Word and in prayer without such one cannot become holy and therefore cannot become holy in conduct or lifestyle. As Charles Wesley once said, "there is much of the spirit of the world in their [believers] hearts, so their is much conformity of the world in their lives. They ought to be bright and shining lights, but they neither burn nor shine." We as believers have forgotten that God's work is that of holiness in heart and life; therefore, we must commit ourselves to setting aside all that hinders this work of God and pray fervently for His work of holiness to take place in our lives. Many of you will agree that sin is rampant, even amongst believers. Many will agree that we need revival; however, the question is what are you doing to bring revival? Are you pursuing holiness in your own life? Are you fervently praying for God to cleanse your own life? Or are you spending much time praying for those things that are just "general blessings" as Charles Wesley would say? I submit that is we as believers are serious about impacting our generation of complacency and compromise then we must be serious about pursuing holiness!
In His Grip of Grace,
Joel

Precious

2007-07-31T19:15:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt as if you were unimportant? Have you ever felt unloved or unrecognized by those who you deem important or popular? Well, join the club. We have all had feelings of being unimportant and unrecognized. I have indeed had my share of being picked on and ignored by those who considered themselves more important or greater in status than me which left me at times feeling a lot less than "precious" to most people. Anyhow, I have found it fascinating in the few years of ministry I have served that even those who society may consider an "idol" whether it be in our local school, work place, church, TV, etc. feel less than precious at times if not all the time. That's right that girl you think has it all together, is likely to have the same feeling of insecurity and worthlessness that you do. This fact supports the assertion that security, confidence, and "preciousness" is not found in the above mentioned items nor anything else this old cruel and deceptive world has to offer. This feeling of being unaccepted, unloved, or worthless leads many to depression which leads some to cutting, others to drugs, and still others to sexual immorality in order to escape their depression or lack of worthlessness. If indeed you feel worthless, I have great news! There is One to whom you are very "precious." Who is that you ask? Well, I am glad you asked! Psalm 139:13-14 states "For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mothers womb. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are your works, And that my soul knows very well." You are PRECIOUS in the eyes of God. So precious and valuable that He weaved you in your mothers womb - stitch by stitch He created you in a protective environment. He took great care in creating you to be you so be you! To reinforce my point, 2 Samuel 22:20 states, "He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me." What a thought God finds pleasure in His people! Though David wrote this many moons ago God is not a respecter of persons - He delights in His children for they are PRECIOUS to Him! One last thing, you are so precious to Him that He desires to fellowship with you which was made possible through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ] that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Now that should knock your socks off and make you feel "precious" that God loved you so much that He sacrificed His Son in order that you may have fellowship with Him. Hope you enjoy! For further insight on having fellowship with God go to www.investministries.org and click on the "spiritual help" page. Out.

Security

2007-07-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

Over past few months the subject of "security" has captivated my mind. We live in a society which holds that security is found through relationships with others, a large bank account (which leaves some of us with no security :) ), the United States, jobs, and the list could go on. However, true security can be found in a Person, namely Jesus Christ. He alone promises safety and security as well as provision in the midst of life's most devastating circumstances. There can be no greater security than knowing that one will never be separated from the very one who supplies security. The list contained above of other pursuits of security are all temporary in some form or fashion. The bank may be robbed and the money never found. The economy could suddenly crash, such as has happened in history with the Great Depression. Relationships with others can only supply a certain amount of security and besides that death is certain for all, as well as, the reality that people will fail you at times and trust can be broken. Again the list could go on and we could find holes in each supposed blanket of security; however, the blanket of security that our Lord Jesus Christ provides is one that is eternal and without waiver. God, through the Person of Jesus Christ, provides security that no robber can still, no disease can corrupt, no storm can destroy, even death itself cannot remove the security that Jesus Christ provides for those who believe on His name. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28- "An we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; ans whom He justified, these He also glorified." Paul stated in this passage that God called, justified, and glorified (past tense) those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Glorified is in the past tense due to the fact that God will complete what He has started - you will be glorified no if, ands, or buts - rest assured if God said promised it, it will come to pass. So let come what may God will finish what He has started in you (Philippians 1:6). Following this statement Paul's makes a defense for our security in Christ starting in verse 35-39 he states, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness (persecution in context of that culture), or peril, or sword? AS it is written [in the Old Testament]; 'For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor and other created shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Can you see the Paul's reasoning form Romans 8:28 - all things work together - good circumstances, bad circumstances, horrible circumstances - always conforming you to the image of likeness of Jesus Christ our Great God and Savior. Knowing this purpose remember that nothing you encounter in this life - not even death itself can remove the security that you have in Jesus Christ! He is our security; therefore, let come what may we will be more than victors - we don't merely win the war, but we are awarded all the benefits that comes with overcoming the enemy. Is your security in Christ?

God's Supply

2007-07-21T19:56:00.001-07:00

God's comprehension of my needs are above my finite understanding. He supplies in abundance ahead of time in order to supply all that I need when I need it. I have learned this weekend, as we have began construction on a new room for our forthcoming child, that my great God and Savior places people in your life to meet your every need. Though I spent the weekend at home alone, through a family member, Brad Horner, and a close friend, Mike Whitt, the Lord provided a backhoe and a Bobcat with a concrete hammer for me to destroy a concrete pad in order to begin leveling the ground for the addition. Sounds simple, however, 3 days ago I only wondered how I would complete this great task alone. God is faithful to supply all we need according to His riches! All the earth is His and we must not forget that no need is to small for Him to forget nor no need to large for His supply. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!