Bethel Baptist Church
A Ministry of Bethel Baptist Church 24600 Little Mack Avenue Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080 Service Times Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Morning Worship 6:00 pm - Evening Praise Service Wednesday 6:45 pm - Youth Group 6:45 pm - AWANA (During School Year) 7:00 pm - Bible Study & Prayer More Information about Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church [email protected] Pastor Robert Cosand
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Acts: Pay Attention to the Flock
09/07/2025
Acts: Pay Attention to the Flock
Scripture Reading: Acts 20:17-38 The account of Paul's exhortation to the elders of the church at Ephesus is one of the more moving stories in the Bible. It contains not only the evidence of Paul's love for his Ephesian brothers, but an insight into the ministry of the apostle. What we have here is a detailed description of what Paul did in serving Christ as well as the manner in which he accomplished his ministry. Two activities of ministry are presented in this passage … instruction and admonition. There is a central focus on teaching the Word of God (Acts 20:20,27,32), as Paul declares, "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." Second, Paul admonished the people in the church in Ephesus (20:31). This word involves counseling, encouraging, warning, advising. The manner in which Paul carried out the responsibilities of his office is highly instructive to us. He discharged the duties of his office with humility (20:19), tears (20:19,31), courage (20:19,20,27), diligence (20:31,34,35), self-sacrifice (20:22-24, 33-35), and seriousness (20:24). This passage is not simply a model for pastoral leadership … it is a model for every form of service in Christ's kingdom, both inside and outside the church … in all our activities, as people who have taken the name of Christ.
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Revelation: Sardis - Lifeless Formalism
08/31/2025
Revelation: Sardis - Lifeless Formalism
Scripture Reading: Revelation 3:1-6 The letter to the church at Sardis is the fourth letter of seven letters Christ spoke to these select churches. The problem in the church at Sardis was spiritual deadness, even though they appeared to the observer to be a church brimming with vitality. ". . . you have a name that you are alive, and you are dead" (Rev 3:1). This passage cuts to the very nature of spiritual life in a church. It is possible to have an external appearance of life through forms of worship and programs, while at the same time lack spiritual passion in the heart. God’s evaluation of a church (or a person) is not based on any external forms. It issues from the status of the heart. It is possible to sing songs without any earnest reality in the soul. It is possible to pray without any heartfelt humility or awe or longing. It is possible to go to church without any deep hunger to know God better. True worship is not something we can turn on once per week, like a light switch. Whatever our hearts are like during the week, that is what they are like on Sunday. If there is no thirsting after God on Tuesday, there will be no thirsting for Him on Sunday morning when the forms of worship are employed. Genuine worship is an overall perspective and passion of the soul. Sunday simply gives this passion corporate expression in a church service, but the longing after God is there quite independently of Sunday worship forms. If such spiritual yearning is not present within each of us, our church can look like it is alive, while all the time being dead.
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Revelation: Thyatira - Moral Impurity
08/24/2025
Revelation: Thyatira - Moral Impurity
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:18-29 Thyatira was not a magnificent city in antiquity and was relatively obscure compared to Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum. It was known for the manufacture of purple dyes and the making of cloth. In Acts 16, the first convert in Philippi was Lydia, a seller of purple fabrics, from the city of Thyatira (Acts 16:14). The commendation of the church in Thyatira is glowing and emphatic. “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first” (Rev 2:19). But there was a serious problem in the church. There was an influential woman (she is referred to as ‘Jezebel’ in Rev 2:20) who had encouraged some of the people in the church toward acts of immorality. The church was tolerating her and these practices. In spite of the sterling qualities within the church, its purity had been compromised. The church in America today faces the same struggle. Moral purity is increasingly difficult to maintain, due to blatant sexually-charged messages everywhere. Pornography is a multi-billion-dollar business in the US alone. Let us guard our heads and hearts, lest we compromise the church’s purity and effectiveness. Let us, like Job, make a covenant with our eyes so we will not dishonor God and we will not deaden our hearts by what we see (Job 31:1). “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psa 119:9).
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Revelation: Pergamum - Echoes of Balaam
08/18/2025
Revelation: Pergamum - Echoes of Balaam
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:12-17 The third church in the letters of Christ to the seven churches was in the city of Pergamum. Like Smyrna, it was a center for emperor worship. There was a temple dedicated to the worship of Augustus (and subsequent Caesars) in Pergamum as well as the renowned Altar of Zeus. Christ lauds the Christians in Pergamum for their willingness to suffer and display fidelity to the Christian faith. The problem in Pergamum was that although the Christians had publicly denounced idolatry, some of the people had privately allowed immorality (Rev 2:14) because of doctrinal corruption (Rev 2:15). Doctrinal corruption always leads to behavioral corruption. It is true of many Christians today. Some condemn public evil … abortion, pornography, same sex marriage … but allow subtle sins in their own lives , like lust, hatred, neglect of prayer. The allowance of subtle sins, often, results from haziness about Biblical doctrine. Wrong thinking always leads to wrong behavior. So many of our churches today need a revitalization of precise, deep-rooted, fervent truth in their programs. Biblical truth is being replaced today, in wholesale fashion and in the name of worship, by entertainment. While we stimulate our senses we are starving our souls. We need clear, demanding truth from the eternal Word of God. This is the only way our lives and our churches will remain pure light in the darkness. He who has an ear, let him hear.
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Revelation: Smyrna - Persecuted, Enduring
08/10/2025
Revelation: Smyrna - Persecuted, Enduring
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:8-11 Smyrna was a city of 200,000 people in the first century. It boasted a stadium, a library, and the largest public theater in Asia Minor. The sizable Jewish population and the high level of allegiance to the Roman state made it difficult to live in Smyrna as a Christian. The Jews, in particular, led the way in persecuting the Christians there. As a result of this persecution, many of the Christians in Smyrna had been rendered poor and were living in great poverty. Jesus said, "I know your tribulation and your poverty" (Rev 2:8). The letter written to Smyrna in Revelation 2 is one of two letters which does not contain any rebuke from the Lord (the letter to the church in Philadelphia was the other one). Instead, Christ praises the Christians in Smyrna for having a wealth of spirit that has nothing to do with money or possessions ("I know . . . your poverty, but you are rich"). And He reminds them that, in spite of severe persecution, there remains, for believers, an imperishable crown of life. The passage instructs us that true wealth is not material and, in fact, has nothing to do with money. We must cultivate the riches of the soul if we are to understand life at its deepest level. This passage also instructs us as to the glory of suffering for the sake of Christ. We must develop a Biblical perspective of suffering if we are to stand for the truth of God in a godless environment. Earthly suffering, borne with patience and hope, yields eternal fruit and an everlasting honor to the name of Christ.
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Revelation: Ephesus - Lost Passion
08/03/2025
Revelation: Ephesus - Lost Passion
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:1-7 In AD 61 or 62, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus. It eloquently plumbed the depths of salvation in Christ and called the Ephesians to zeal and truth. Some 30 years later the apostle John wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus as well, recorded in Revelation 2:1-7. John’s letter included a commendation of the church and a grave warning. The commendation was that the church had maintained doctrinal purity, exposing the error of false teachers (Rev 2:2). The warning was that the people had lost their first love (Rev 2:4) and no longer had a passion for the things that once stirred their hearts. One of the dangers facing the evangelical church in America is a loss of passion for the truth. In many conservative circles the struggle is not that we do not say the right things in our doctrinal statements. The problem often is that the things we affirm do not really have any power in our lives. We have sometimes maintained theologically accuracy, but have lost our love for spiritual truth. It is possible for our heads to be right while our hearts are cold. May the Spirit of God stir our hearts so that the things that we affirm doctrinally will affect the way that we live. May He fill our heads with great truths about Himself and may He inflame our hearts with love for Him and devotion to Him. And may He help us to strive to maintain not only purity in our doctrine, but purity in our lives.
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Revelation: The Majesty of Christ
07/28/2025
Revelation: The Majesty of Christ
Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:9-20 The description of Jesus Christ, given in the first chapter of Revelation, is one of the most majestic pictures of our Savior found in the Scriptures. The awesome imagery is taken mostly from Old Testament passages and is meant to evoke from us the same reaction that this vision produced in John. While banished to the island of Patmos, John had the wondrous visions recorded in the book of Revelation. In chapter 1:12-16, he sees Christ and he rehearses what he saw for us. The person John saw was "like the Son of Man" (Dan 7:13). He was dressed in a long robe (Dan 10:5; Exod 28:4) embroidered with gold, a garment of dignity, respect, and authority. His hair was white like wool (Dan 7:9; Prov 16:31), signifying honor (Lev 19:32) and eternity (Dan :9). His eyes were like a flame of fire (Dan 10:6; Rev 19:12), displaying judgment. His feet were like polished bronze (Dan 10:6), representing glory, strength, and stability. His voice was like the sound of torrential, rushing water (Dan 10:6), symbolic of majesty and power. Out of His mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword (Rev 19:15), representing judgment. When John saw this man … God the Son in all His glory … he fell at His feet, as if all the life had gone from him. Jesus tenderly touches John and assures him that he need not be afraid. Our response to Christ ought to be both profound awe, on the one hand, and heartfelt comfort and pleasure, on the other. We hear in His voice the roar of torrential waters … and the whisper of a still small voice. "Jesus, the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast . . ."
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Acts: Proclaim Jesus!
07/21/2025
Acts: Proclaim Jesus!
Bethel Baptist Church is pleased this Sunday to host Stephan and Ginger Jordan. The Jordans are transitioning from their previous decades long ministry in the Phillipines to a new opportunity with Ethnos360:
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Revelation: A Kingdom Of Priests
07/14/2025
Revelation: A Kingdom Of Priests
Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:5,6 What glories are contained in the description of the people of God, to whom the book of Revelation is expressly written. In Revelation 1:5,6, we have a declaration of what Jesus has done for those who belong to Him … and some results of what He has done. John reminds believers that Christ "loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood." Because of His love for us, Christ has set us free from the penalty we deserve for our sins. This He did by His substitutionary death. The just died for the unjust that He might "bring us to God" (1 Pet 3:18). In this marvelous work Christ has made us 'a kingdom' and 'priests'. John Calvin says that we are "associates of His kingdom and partakers of His priesthood." As priests we are representatives of God in the world, commissioned to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9). Further, as priests we are to "offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 2:5). The living of our lives ought to be a daily, perpetual honor to the God whose name we proclaim. Paul says we are to be 'living sacrifices' in Romans 12:1. "He chose us, when he could find nothing in us but filth and vileness; he makes his peculiar possession from worthless dregs; he confers the honor of the priesthood on the profane; he brings the vassals of Satan, of sin, and of death, to the enjoyment of royal liberty" (Calvin, New Testament Commentaries, 12:266).
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Revelation: The Ruler of Kings on Earth
06/30/2025
Revelation: The Ruler of Kings on Earth
Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:1-8 From the first line in the book of Revelation, John exalts Christ. Then, in the first chapter, he describes Christ in majestic terms. Christ is the "faithful witness" … the "firstborn from the dead" … the "ruler of the kings on earth" (Rev 1:5). Christ loves us and has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests. This prompts John's heart and pen to surge into a doxology … "to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (Rev 1:5). The words "I am the Alpha and the Omega" in Revelation 1:8 are words from God the Father. But those same words are echoed by Christ in Revelation 22:13. To say that Christ is the ruler of kings on earth is to declare His sovereignty, by which He governs everything that rulers do. "Kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations" (Psa 22:27). "The heart of the king is in the hand of the LORD . . . he turns it wherever he will" (Prov 21:1). "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand" (Prov 19:21). To say that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega is to declare His eternality and self-existence. Our response before Christ should be reverential fear and ecstatic delight and thankful adoration. "There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due" (Jer 10:6-7).
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Revelation: To Him be Glory and Dominion
06/23/2025
Revelation: To Him be Glory and Dominion
Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:1-8 This marvelous book, with which the New Testament (and the Bible) ends, is what its name implies. It is the revealing, uncovering, displaying of the person of Jesus Christ, in all His glory. Though some of the details in Revelation, presented in the form of symbolism, are not always well-defined, the overall message of the book is clear. This book is the prophecy of the end of human history. The end of the age culminates with the second coming of Christ, the final judgment of all things, and the eternal state of all creation. John wrote this book "to the seven churches that are in Asia" (1:4). The number 'seven', occurring over 50 times in Revelation, seems to represent fullness or completeness, and so these seven churches are representative of the universal church of Christ in all ages. The first chapter of Revelation contains an extended, glorious description of Christ. It is so rich and comprehensive, John Walvoord wrote, "If no more had been written than that contained in this introductory portion of chapter 1, it would have constituted a tremendous restatement of the person and work of Christ such as found in no comparable section of Scripture" (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 40). The book displays the ultimate and final victory of God over Satan … and righteousness over evil … and heaven over hell. To know that human history is moving according to an inexorable divine plan keeps us from deadening pessimism and works in our souls a calm and hope in the face of every earthly turmoil and heartache.
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2 Samuel: David's Final Song
06/16/2025
2 Samuel: David's Final Song
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-7 What people say while they are dying is very significant. They don’t talk about the weather or the stock market or the game on television. They talk about eternal matters. David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” wrote a song just before he died. The book of Psalms contains 73 Psalms bearing David’s name, but this song is found only in the book of 2 Samuel. The content of this song is highly instructive for us. This poem does not contain the ruminations of an old king as he looks back on bygone days of glory and the excitement of “the good old days.” This song is an account of the majesty of the infinite God. David lauds what God had done in his life, namely to take David from the shepherd’s field and place him on the throne of Israel and inspire him to write sacred Scripture for the ages (2 Sam 23:1). But outshining the glory of what God had done for David during his life is what God would do through David, long after he was gone. God would raise up a King who would rule in perfect righteousness and the fear of God (2 Sam 23:2-5). In contrast, the unrighteous, God will “thrust away like thorns” which are worthless (2 Sam 23:6,7). How full are our hearts when we consider the majesty of God both in what He has done in our lives and, even more wondrous, in what He will do in the ages to come . . . because of Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf! Do we not declare, with David, that this King is the source of “all our salvation and all our desire” (2 Sam 23:5)? Let us meditate on our Lord until we can honestly say it.
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2 Samuel: Pride in Numbers
06/09/2025
2 Samuel: Pride in Numbers
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 24 - (1 Chronicles 21) We know David for his great victories and songs . . . and for his great sins. One rather obscure passage about one of David’s sins is 2 Samuel 24 (repeated in 1 Chr 21). David wanted to number his army, but not for the usual reason, which was to fight a war. It seems that David simply wanted to see how many men he had for personal delight (2 Sam 24:3). What he did, displeased the Lord (1 Chr 21:7) and God severely judged the people of Israel (2 Sam 25:15-17). One lesson we can draw from this story is that it warns us not to take pleasure in our strength or victories apart from our delight being firmly and centrally rooted in our God. We can delight in our bank accounts or in the value of our house or in the longevity of our lives or in the attendance in our church or in the number of missionaries we support . . . and find more pleasure in these things than we do in the Giver of these things. We are so programmed to evaluate everything in terms of numbers that we have the tendency to feed our delight more on our accomplishments than on the excellencies of Christ. The subtleties of pride are particularly beguiling when it comes to us in this way. A second lesson from this story is drawn from the fact that this sin of David’s pride does not appear to be a “youthful indiscretion.” That this story is found in 2 Samuel 24 indicates that this grievous sin was committed near the end of his reign and life. To be older is no automatic safeguard against sin. We must be ever vigilant, even ruthless, to guard our hearts against pride or greed or lust or sharp tongues. “Your word I have hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psa 119:11).
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2 Samuel: A Rock And A Lamp
06/02/2025
2 Samuel: A Rock And A Lamp
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 22 (Psalm 18) Someone once said, “There are two main things we need to learn . . . how to live and how to die.” Having conquered the fear of death, in Christ, sometimes it is life which defeats us . . . namely the multiplied sorrows, sicknesses, emotional turmoil, losses, anxieties we all experience. David knew the strains of life intimately. In his song in 2 Samuel 22:5,6 he describes his trouble in the following way . . . “waves of death ... torrents of destruction … cords of Sheol … snares of death." David’s experience was filled with heartache. But this song, which is virtually repeated verbatim in Psalm 18, is not a song of despair. It is a hymn of joy and strength. There are many images presented in this song of strength, but two of them are particularly comforting. It is the idea that the Lord is our ‘rock’ and our ‘lamp’. When David calls God his ‘rock’ (2 Sam 22:2,3,32,47), it is a term implying refuge. For many years, David hid in the caves as he ran from his enemies. To hide in the rocks of Palestine meant safety. David understood, as we must, that God, alone, is security. He is our rock. A second image in this wonderful song (and there are more images) is the idea that God is our ‘lamp’ (2 Sam 22:29). The reality of this figure of speech is that God is our guide, showing us the way to live. He enlightens the darkness of doubt and confusion and spiritual ignorance. May the Lord deeply teach us that Christ, alone, is our security that we might know safety in our souls. And may we learn that Christ, alone, is our light, that we may have understanding as we live our days.
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1 Chronicles: The Glory of the Temple
05/26/2025
1 Chronicles: The Glory of the Temple
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:10-20 Near the end of his reign, King David desired to build a temple for the Lord. For 400 years, since the exodus from Egypt, the central place of worship in Israel had been the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a tent which the Jews carried through the wilderness. Now David wanted to build a permanent structure as the main place of worship for Israel. His desire was denied by God. David could make the plans, but could not be the builder of the temple because his reign had been characterized by the bloodshed of war (1 Chr 28:2-6). David’s son, Solomon, whose name means ‘peace’, would be the builder. Though David was not allowed to build the temple, before he died he laid elaborate plans, including the personnel to oversee and care for the temple and its activities. There were 38,000 Levites to oversee the operation of the temple, caring for everything from singing to counting money to baking bread for the Table of Showbread in the Holy Place (cf. 1 Chr 23-27). When David had finished preparations, he addressed the people and Solomon (1 Chr 28) and prayed a stirring prayer in 1 Chronicles 29. In David’s prayer, we see a reflection of the purpose for the temple. First, it was to be a reminder to the people of the person of God and so David lauds the character of God in his prayer . . . God’s greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty (1 Chr 29:10-13). Second, the temple was to be a reminder of the necessity of humility before the Lord and obedience to Him (1 Chr 29:14-19). Churches exist today, whether they have buildings or not, to reflect to our world the matchless glories of God and the pleasure of worshipping him in holiness and wonder and joy.
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2 Samuel: Sin's Bitter End
05/18/2025
2 Samuel: Sin's Bitter End
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 18 When David gave way to his lust for Bathsheba and his pride to cover his act through murder, there were some things he had not considered, namely the long term consequences of sin. Sinning against the living God is a more serious matter than we usually think it is and the dark effects of sin are both sure and destructive. David’s sin had terrible effects that he had not considered in the passions of his heart. First, his sin had an effect on God’s name. “. . . by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme . . .” (2 Sam 12:14). Second, his sin had an effect on others: Bathsheba, Uriah, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom. God told David of these results when He said, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (2 Sam 12:10). Third, David’s sin had a long term, destructive effect on himself. In 2 Samuel 18 we see David in utter anguish and sorrow over the death of his son Absalom, 12 years after his sin with Bathsheba. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son! . . . And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Sam 18:33; 19:4). Let us take to heart the stern warnings in the Bible concerning sin’s consequences. “He who sows iniquity will reap vanity” (Prov 22:8). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7).
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Psalm 3: Salvation Belongs to the Lord
05/11/2025
Psalm 3: Salvation Belongs to the Lord
Scripture Reading: Psalm 3 (2 Samuel 13-16) Sometimes we can read the stories behind our hymns, like the loss of Horatio Spafford’s four daughters before he wrote “It Is Well With My Soul.” The stories enrich our understanding of these songs. One of the things that makes Psalm 3 interesting is the superscription before verse 1, which tells us the background behind the Psalm. It reads “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.” The story is found in 2 Samuel 13-16 and it is the heartbreaking account of rape, revenge, and an extremely strained relationship between David and his son Absalom. It was strained to the point that Absalom orchestrated a coup to take the throne of Israel for himself, in opposition to his own father. As a result of this treasonous conspiracy David is forced to flee his own throne and country, running for his life from his own flesh and blood. His cry to God in this terrible circumstance is recorded in Psalm 3. David’s strength and hope lies in (1) the nature of God (Psa 3:3), who is a deliverer and comforter; (2) the faithfulness of God in the past, when God answered David’s prayers (Psa 3:4); and (3) the reign of God over this situation (Psa 3:8; cf. 2 Sam 15:25,26; 16:11,12). The result of this consideration in David’s heart was courage and the shattering of the grip of fear. “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people” (Psa 3:6). This Psalm is a great encouragement to us as we face difficulties of every kind. Let us not live in fear. Let us learn to say, as George Whitefield said, "We are immortal until our work is done."
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2 Samuel: God Defends His Name
05/04/2025
2 Samuel: God Defends His Name
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:26-31 With the daily reports of warfare in almost every corner of the world, we may not expect or desire to come to the Bible and read about wars. But the stories of Old Testament Israel are filled with accounts of the fierce fighting between the Israelites and their enemies. This is especially true of the reign of King David, who was described as a “man of war” (1 Chron 28:3). 2 Samuel 12:26-31 describes the battles between Israel and the Ammonites. It was the Ammonites that Israel was fighting when David committed his sin of adultery (2 Sam 11:1). One question for us is this: what are we to learn for our own lives from Old Testament passages like this, recounting the wars of Israel? One truth revealed in this passage is the faithfulness of God to His promises. He had promised, "By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies" (2 Sam 3:18). God’s promises and warnings are all true and utterly reliable. God’s faithfulness to His word is illustrated in this passage. Second, God’s holiness and justice are revealed in this passage. The Ammonites were a detestable, idolatrous people. Their main god was Molech (or Moloch or Milcom) and people offered their children as sacrifices to this god (Lev 18:21; 20:1-5; 2 Kgs 23:10). So when the Israelites defeated the Ammonites in war, this was God’s judgment on the wickedness of these idolaters. God used war as an instrument of His justice. These Old Testament stories have relevance to us in that they reveal attributes of the living God who never changes. This is the same God who reigns over his world today. Let us come to know Him and rejoice.
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Romans 3: Not Even One
04/27/2025
Romans 3: Not Even One
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:9-20 This paragraph in Romans forms the climax of the argument of the first major section of the book. The thrust of the first section of Romans is that the entire human race stands guilty before a holy God. The pagan man is guilty (Rom 1:18-32); the moral man is guilty (Rom 2:1-16); the Jewish man is guilty (Rom 2:17-29). What we have in Romans 3:10-20 is a string of Old Testament quotations which, in unambiguous statements, concludes that every human being stands guilty before God’s awesome judgment. "None is righteous, no, not one; . . . no one does good, not even one" (Rom 3:10,12). So overwhelming is God’s evidence of our rebellion that this passage asserts that on judgment day every tongue will be silent and every mouth closed (Rom 3:19). The guilty will not have a valid defense to offer the Judge. The implications of this section in Romans are far reaching. If we take this passage to heart and see ourselves in its assertions, it shatters our self-righteous tendencies and works in our hearts a deep humility. It drives us to Christ in passionate devotion and love and delight because of His provision for our helpless lives and souls. The mercy of God in Christ is all the more sweet in light of our desperately sinful hearts. Let us run to Jesus for His mercy and His righteousness. He is our only hope in the great day of judgment.
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John 11: Lazarus, Come Out!
04/20/2025
John 11: Lazarus, Come Out!
Scripture Reading: John 11:17-44 One of the most memorable of Jesus' miracles is His raising Lazarus from the dead. And the story includes one of Jesus' most magnificent declarations … "I am the resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25). Certainly, this display of authority and power is meant to be an encouragement to believers, reminding them of their own resurrection one day. In addition to the idea of resurrection, the stunning promise of John 11:26 both takes our breath away and takes away our fear of death … "Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." Of course, Jesus is not saying that Christians will never die physically, but that they will never taste the reality of spiritual death, namely separation from God. Upon physical death, believers go from the present reality of life to the unimaginable reality of living in the very presence of God. The emotions of Jesus are on display in this account. Not only do we read about Jesus weeping (Jn 11:35), but also of a deep indignation within the heart of Jesus. Twice we read of Jesus being "deeply moved" (Jn 11:33,38). The meaning of the verb probably implies anger and indignation. The old Princeton theologian, B. B. Warfield, said it this way: "It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death, and who has come into the world to destroy. His soul is held by rage: and he advances to the tomb in Calvin's words 'as a champion who prepares for conflict'" (Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ, 117). Christ defeats the enemy death, and we are freed, forever, from fearing this destructive foe. Let our joy be full and our courage unshakable.
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2 Samuel: When God Says No
04/13/2025
2 Samuel: When God Says No
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:13-21 In 2 Samuel 12:13, David heard the words he longed to hear more than any other words ... ”The LORD has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” This statement is a display of the indescribable mercy of God. But the next verse is a display of the holiness of God. In order to demonstrate that sin carries consequences and that God is a God of justice, David heard the following words ... “However, because by this deed [adultery] you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die" (2 Sam 12:14). When his son became ill, David prayed and fasted for 7 days, pleading with God for the life of his child. But God did not answer his petition. Or perhaps we should that God did answer David’s request and His answer was ‘no’. Sometimes God says ‘no’ to our requests. God said ‘no’ to Moses’ request to see His glory (Exod 33:18). In profound discouragement and depression, both Elijah and Jonah prayed for God to take their lives and He refused (1 Kgs 19:4; Jonah 4:8). Paul prayed for the removal of his “thorn in the flesh” and God said ‘no’ (2 Cor 12:7-9). When God says no to our petitions, we must remember that His answer is good (because God is good) and right (because God is righteous) and wise (because God is omniscient). For Christians, because they have escaped God’s wrath as His children, everything God does in their lives rises out of His love, even the pain He brings to their lives. To understand these things is to learn to hope in God when He says ‘no’ and to live with greater contentment and peace.
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Psalm 32: The Glory of God's Forgiveness
04/06/2025
Psalm 32: The Glory of God's Forgiveness
Scripture Reading: Psalm 32 It is not a pleasant task to look at ourselves as we really are. It is so difficult to do it honestly that, in fact, we usually do not do it at all, except when we are forced to. Our natural tendency is to deny anything within ourselves that is uncomplimentary. But confession of the darkness of our hearts is absolutely necessary. It is not only necessary for emotional health (even secular psychiatrists would tell us that), but for spiritual life. There is no forgiveness with the living God unless there is a sincere acknowledgment of sinfulness and a willingness to turn from that sin. When there is true repentance before God, there is forgiveness. And this forgiveness is the basis for all joy. Sin is the fundamental problem of the human heart and until it is dealt with properly, there can be no lasting joy. Psalm 32 is one of the confession Psalms of David. In it we see a description of a heart tortured by unconfessed sin and the restoration of joy based on humble confession before God and His merciful forgiveness. It is said that the great 4th century theologian, Augustine (AD 354 - 430), used to weep when he read the 32nd Psalm and had its verses written on the wall beside his death bed. It would serve us well, now, to remember that when we face death, the only thing that will matter is whether or not we are forgiven by the living God. "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psa 32:1).
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2 Samuel: The Destruction of Lust
03/30/2025
2 Samuel: The Destruction of Lust
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11, 12 The story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah cries out to us with great warning. If David, the man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), could get to the place in his life that he was capable of such blatant and rebellious sinning, then none of us is immune to the lure of lust and hatred. We tend to think that we will never be guilty of something like adultery or murder, but we all struggle with lust and hatred. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “I say to you, that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28) and “. . . whoever says 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire (Mt 5:22). The difference between lust and adultery and the difference between hatred and murder is not a difference of kind. It is only a difference of degree. To compare lust with adultery is not to compare an apple to an orange … it is to compare an apple seed to an apple. When God looks at the lustful heart He sees adultery in seed form. The key to breaking the power of lust over our hearts (or any other sin) is to replace lust with a greater pleasure … and that greater delight is God Himself. It is the power of a superior satisfaction. When the soul drinks at the fountain of infinite pleasure (God), it stops thirsting for sin. Once the heart tastes the goodness of God, it is no longer satisfied with lesser delights … and sin’s power is broken.
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2 Samuel: A God-Centered Heart
03/23/2025
2 Samuel: A God-Centered Heart
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-29 (also 1 Chr 17:16-27) David’s response to God’s promise to make a name and a house for David is very instructive to us. David knew God had promised that an everlasting king and kingdom would come from David’s descendants (2 Sam 7:19) and his reaction to this promise is worth our consideration. The first lesson for us is that David knew the ultimate reason that God had made this promise . . . and he cites that reason several times in this prayer: ... because of your promise (2 Sam 7:21) ... to redeem to be his people (2 Sam 7:23) ... to make a name for himself (2 Sam 7:23) ... for yourself (2 Sam 7:23,24) ... that your name may be magnified (2 Sam 7:26) David recognized what we see elsewhere in the Bible, namely, that God does everything He does for His eternal honor, as an overflow of His infinite glory. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Rom 11:36). (Also see verses on the other side of this sheet) David’s reaction to the God-centeredness of God’s promise is to be profoundly humbled and to be deeply satisfied. David’s humility is immediately obvious . . . "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?" (2 Sam 7:18). And David’s satisfaction in God is seen in the conclusion to His prayer . . . “Now therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you" (2 Sam 7:29). Being saturated with a God-centered heart is the fountain of humility and contentment and joy and hope. To understand and love the idea that we are here for God’s everlasting honor is to understand life at its deepest level . . . and it is to be truly satisfied. Verses that show God’s passion for His glory He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace . . . (Eph 1:4-6). Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory (Isa 43:6,7). I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, even I, am the one who blots out your transgressions for My own sake (Isa 43:25). Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Psa 23:3). For my name's sake I defer My wrath, and for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another (Isa 48:9-11). Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you (Jn 17:1). Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16). For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14).
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Jesus: The Hope of the Nations
03/16/2025
Jesus: The Hope of the Nations
Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:14-21 It is easy for individual churches to become so absorbed in their own local programs that the idea of missions plays a secondary, and not very important, role. After all, the programs of any church (Sunday School, children's groups, youth work, music, women's and men's groups, building maintenance) take a great deal of effort on the part of many people if they are going to be effective. This is all well and good and absolutely necessary for the health of any congregation. But we must not forget that the ministry of a church has twofocuses. The inward focus is that we care for each other, through teaching and friendships and mutual encouragement. The outward focus is to care for those outside the church, including those who live in the far ends of the earth. We are moved by world evangelization (and local evangelization) when we consider our personal relationship to Jesus and when we consider who Christ is to the nations, globally. Personally, He is the tender lover of our souls. He does not run roughshod over our fragile hearts. He cares for us in our brokenness and comforts us in our weaknesses (Mt 12:20). On a global scale, Jesus is the hope of the nations. "And in His name the Gentiles will hope" (Mt 12:21). In Isaiah 49:6, God declares that to redeem Israel alone is too small a thing. The Father says to the Son, "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." This is the wondrous purpose for missions ... universal and eternal glory for God.
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Daniel: The Sovereignty of God in the Humbling of the King
03/09/2025
Daniel: The Sovereignty of God in the Humbling of the King
Scripture Reading: Daniel 4 King Nebuchadnezzar was the sovereign king who conquered the remaining kingdom of Israel in 605 B.C. (some 120 years after the northern 10 tribes had already been conquered by Assyria). Tempted to boast in his own strength and military conquests, Nebuchadnezzar had grown arrogant. God sends him a dream with urgent significance for his life, but the king (with all the wise men of Babylon) can’t understand the meaning and thus calls on Daniel to interpret the dream for him. In time, the dream comes true and Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by the sickness of insanity, from which he recovers only after he acknowledges the sovereign reign of the Most High God of Israel. So today, our pride can blind us from seeing our own faults and the ultimate sources of our blessings. Pride blinds us to our own temporality or limitations and to the grandeur and eternality of God. There’s only room for one person to be on the saddle of your life: if you’re calling all the shots, there’s no room for God. Today we need a new vision—Nebuchadnezzar’s vision—of the eternal sovereignty and glory of God. Replace your self-confidence with God-confidence (not me, my worth, my rights, my kingdom but God: God’s worth, God’s ability to work in this situation, God’s kingdom.) His works are true and faithful (whereas I’m tempted to lie, sugar-coat, exaggerate, tell half the story.) I can’t always keep my word; I can’t always fulfill my responsibilities. God can. He does. His ways are just: I’ve failed and sinned, but all his ways are just: both when he gives and when he takes away, as Job said, blessed be His name. He can humble the proud. C.S. Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” - If you’re thinking “I’m horrible”, or “I’m ugly” and always harshly criticizing yourself, that’s not humility: you’re still thinking of “YOU”. Want to change? Admit you’re proud, and ask God for grace to change and grow. James 4:6 “God resists the proud and he gives grace to the humble.”
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1 Chronicles: God's Awesome Holiness
03/02/2025
1 Chronicles: God's Awesome Holiness
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 13 (also 2 Samuel 6:1-11) One of the first things David did after he became king (following the death of Saul) was to move the Ark of the Covenant from the little village of Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem. The ark of God was the most sacred item in all Israel, representing the very presence of an almighty and holy God. It was a box, approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, 2 feet high, and made of wood and overlaid with gold. It had a golden cover with cherubim over it. For over 60 years the ark had been neglected and now David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem and make it, again, the center of worship. During the transporting of the ark, on a cart drawn by oxen, the animals stumbled and the cart began to tip. One of the men supervising the task, Uzzah, reached out to steady it and was immediately struck dead by God. The story illustrates the awesome holiness of the living God. When the wicked stand before God, He is a consuming fire and the wicked are condemned. Our reaction of surprise to the story of Uzzah demonstrates that our understanding of the holiness of God is far too superficial and man centered. The idea that God is holy means that He is: ... (1) set apart from His creation and utterly unique - Hosea 11:9; Exod 15:11; 1 Sam 2:2. Our response ought to be a trembling reverence - Exod 3:3-6. ... (2) set apart from what is sinful - Hab 1:12,13; Job 34:10; 1 Jn 1:5. Our response ought to be a shameful confession - Isa 6:1-5. The holy Ark of the Covenant was defiled more by the touch of the sinful hand of Uzzah than it ever would have been by falling into the dirt of Judah.
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1 Samuel: Grief and Grace
02/23/2025
1 Samuel: Grief and Grace
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 30:1-8 Everyone draws strength from somewhere outside themselves. The poet was right when he said, "No man is an island." Situations confront us every day that demand a wisdom and strength beyond the resources of our own mind and heart. Some people turn to horoscopes for help … or psychics. Others read the usually-shallow and always-oversimplified advice in self-help books. Some take pills to help them deal with trouble. Many people try to bury their pain beneath an avalanche of amusements. In a raid by the Amalekites, David’s wives were kidnapped along with the capture of the wives and children of his men. David and his men wept until they could not weep anymore (1 Sam 30:4). In response to this calamity, David did what people of deep faith do … he turned to the living God. "David strengthened Himself in the LORD his God . . . David inquired of the LORD" (1 Sam 30:6,8). We must seek the same God David sought. In all our heartaches, we must fly to Him for mercy and strength. The power of God is infinite … the mercy of God is unfailing … and the promises of God are utterly reliable. "This is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us over death" (Psa 48:14). "But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (Jn 16:13). "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).
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1 Samuel: Sterling Character
02/16/2025
1 Samuel: Sterling Character
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 29 One unlikely, but effective, strategy David used when running from Saul was to live in a Philistine city. David fled to Gath and lived there, serving the king of Gath, Achish, for 16 months (1 Sam 27:6). He even fought battles for Achish (1 Sam 27:8-12) against the Amalekites. When it came time to fight the Israelites, the Philistine commanders were suspicious of David’s loyalties (1 Sam 29:4,5). David was not allowed to go to battle against Israel, but before sending him back to Gath, Achish defended David in glowing terms - "I have found no fault in him to this day" (1 Sam 29:3) … "you have been honest … I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day" (1 Sam 29:6) … " I know you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God" (1 Sam 29:9). These are extraordinary declarations from a sworn enemy of Israel. Gath was the city that Goliath was from (1 Sam 17:4). We are all called on to conduct ourselves with such sterling character that even our enemies, in honesty, must admit our integrity. The reason this is so important is not our own popularity, but the honor of our God. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). The way we progress in righteousness is to delight ourselves in God, looking into His perfect righteousness. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:18). To become more righteous is the result of the merciful discipline of our heavenly Father. "For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Heb 12:11).
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1 Chronicles: A Heart of Sacrifice
02/09/2025
1 Chronicles: A Heart of Sacrifice
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:18-27 Following David’s sin of proudly taking an unnecessary census in Israel (1 Chr 21:1-17), God sent a pestilence on the land in judgment. When David repented of his sin, he desired to offer God a sacrifice of contrition. When King David came to the appointed place, the owner of the land, Ornan, offered to give it to him. But David made a telling declaration . . . “King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will buy them for full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing’” (1 Chr 21:24). David was not willing to give God anything that was not a sacrifice to him. It is a significant principle for us to follow. Christianity, among other things, is a life of sacrifice. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Lk 9:23). To follow Christ means sacrificing our time. "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5;15,16). It means sacrificing our energy. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor 4:8,9). It means sacrificing our money for the sake of the kingdom of Christ. "Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. . . . For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Cor 9:7,12). Following Christ means being willing to sacrifice our very life in His cause. "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mk 8:35).
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