“You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught us much about kingdom living. He taught us kingdom values and priorities. He taught us true faith from earthly ritual. … Read more
Patience is not easy for most of us. For example, if a plane is delayed for a few minutes or maybe something did not happen exactly when or how we expected it to happen, we get impatient and frustrated about that situation. I have also heard people quit going to a particular church just because … Read more
In the opening line of Galatians 3, Paul asks them harshly why they have strayed from the truth. “You foolish Galatians!” he says, “Who has bewitched you?“ Throughout his letter to the Churches in Galatia we can see a different tone in Paul’s voice than we witness in his other letters. He is upset. Actually, … Read more
Has the comfort zone taken over our discipleship? Everyone has a comfort zone. It’s a natural part of life to be comfortable with certain things and uncomfortable with others. Here’s how Wikipedia defines comfort zone: “The comfort zone is a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set … Read more
It’s no wonder why we love to read Paul’s letters. We love to dive into the depth and the logic of Paul. We love his systematic approach to Law and Gospel. We love Paul’s passion and his steadfast adherence to the confession of Jesus Christ. Paul makes sense to us! In so many ways, Paul … Read more
Before the world began, God planned to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save us from our sin so that we can be His children. Our sin does not surprise God at all. He is not shocked when we fail, because He knew we would sin and His Son would … Read more
What is that collage of words just outside the youth room? When did that get there? What does it mean? Last fall the youth from our church and others took time during the EPIC Lock-In to paint a mural on the wall outside of the youth room. They wanted to paint a mural for the … Read more
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not once for all, but a continuous reality every day of our lives. Personally I find it very helpful to begin each day by committing it to my God, even before I get up from bed, thanking God that I belong to Him and that He knows what … Read more
Here at Bethel we believe that God has given us all a WaterLife. The idea is simple: through your baptism, God has given you a new life in Him that is marked by grace and forgiveness. We are freed to serve God with our life and resources! Part of that WaterLife is to be involved … Read more
There are few things that get me more excited than a baptism. Seriously, it’s thrilling. I find it especially exciting when I get to perform the baptism, but just witnessing someone’s new birth in the Triune name of God does it for me too. It’s such a deep reaction. It must be the Holy Spirit … Read more