Bethany Primitive Baptist Church

MOUNTAIN VIEW–by Elder David Montgomery July 19, 2017

I am sure the von Trapp family wasn’t singing “Climb Every Mountain” as they went over the Alps to escape the Nazis. And even if they did, I don’t think they were smiling, while not even breaking a sweat with every hair in place. Years ago, I read an interview with Maria von Trapp and she said that particular scene in “The Sound of Music” was nowhere close to reality. Mountains get in our way and we must climb them. They represent life’s many challenges and sometimes we shrink back from them in fear. Never let fear stop you. Remember what Jesus said:

The Godly Tentmakers–Acquila and Prisicilla (From marchtozion.com)

There are many things the child of God will encounter that might cause him or her to want to give up and say, “What is the use?” That is just exactly what our mortal enemy, Satan,  desires for us to say. When these trying times come, it is best to cling to the promises of God in His word to regain initiative and continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. God’s people are not immune from trouble. As a matter of fact they are told they will have trouble because “man that is born of woman is of few days and is full of trouble.” There is a tremendous promise in God’s word when this occurs so let us cling to this as tenaciously as possible. “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7). A strong hold is something that is impenetrable and cannot be broken; the Lord surely fits that description. Trust in the Lord to see us through the day of trouble as Job did when he lost everything except his own life. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job 13:15)

There is a song that says “I will cling to the old rugged cross”; however, we shouldn’t cling to a wooden cross but to the one who hung on that cross to save us from our sins. The promises of God are “In Him yea, and Amen” so cling to the sure promises of God when inclined to give up. Remember that the Lord has promised to never leave us or forsake us, even though we may wonder, as did the Psalmist, is the mercy of the Lord clean gone forever? The apostle Paul had every reason to give up, considering all the trouble he encountered in serving the Lord and proclaiming the truth in Christ; however, he writes to the church at Corinth: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Cor. 10:13). Some people use this scripture to say that God will not lay on you any more than you can bear but that is not what Paul said. The word “suffer” here means to permit or leave alone, not cause. Cling to the promise of God in trying times and know that He will make a way of escape that we will be able to bear it. The way of escape is that “stronghold” that is once again impenetrable.

It is when we take our eyes off the Lord that we begin to sink in the waters of the world and are ready to drown. The apostle Peter was clinging to the promise of Jesus to “come” upon the water and he walked toward Jesus. When he took his eyes off Jesus and saw the boisterous wind that produced large waves of water, he begin to fear and sink into the water and cried, “Lord, save me.” (Matt. 14:30). Jesus immediately stretched forth His hand and caught him and said, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matt. 14:31). Peter failed to cling to the promise of Jesus by faith to come and to remember He upholds all things by the word of His power. His eyes are always over us as righteous recipients of the grace of God so our eyes should be on Him as we cling to the many promises of God.

We are taught in the scriptures that “men ought always to pray and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1). His ears are always open to the prayers of the righteous and He is that friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Friends (or so-called friends) forsake one another and even blood kinfolk may forsake but listen to this promise that is worth clinging to when we need it most: “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” (Psalm 27:10). He will take us up as Jesus did Peter when He caught him up out of the water. When we get to uppity (so to speak), the Lord can bring us down and when we are down, the Lord can lift us up so that our hope is renewed and we can proclaim with the prophet Jeremiah who was lamenting his situation: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24). Cling to His promises always!–June 23, 2017–Elder Larry Wise

Consider these five things as keys to having a blessed life as a servant of the Lord whether you are a father, mother or child. It seems so many are going in the opposite direction today but I pray that the Lord will grant repentance and a change of course. God will bless His people when they are obedient and honoring Him by following prescribed remedies found in the only standard we have, the Holy Bible. We know these things, I am sure, but sometimes we need our pure minds stirred up by way of remembrance.

1. Love Freely: We are commanded to love one another as Christ has loved us, and He loved and loves us freely by His grace. It is God that gave us grace to love freely and witness to us that we are born again children of God. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”  (I John 4:7).  God’s love is unconditional as there is nothing that we could do to merit His love. Love cannot be bought. If it could be bought it would not be true love. True love cannot be quenched nor bought and anything otherwise is condemned by God. Solomon said, “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” (Song Sol. 8:7)

2. Forgive Quickly:  No child of God does everything perfectly and must ask the Heavenly Father for forgiveness. No natural father does everything right and their children must learn to forgive them. Every son or daughter disobeys their parents and should ask for forgiveness but that would not necessarily eliminate the chastening hand. In all cases, we must be quick to forgive and not in a grudging way. Paul tells us, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32). Just as we should be swift to hear, we should be swift to forgive as it would save us from being delivered to the tormentors which Jesus promised to those who failed to forgive from the heart. (Matt. 18:34) We cannot expect God to forgive us if we do not exercise the same forgiveness to others.

3. Give Freely: We should give freely, but we cannot give anything that we do not possess. If we give of our time, it is because we have time. If we give of our love, it is because we have love. If we give of our money, it is because we have money. Who has blessed us to have all these things? Of course, it is the Lord of glory. Jesus commended the widow who cast in her two mites as being more than all the rest that had cast their abundance into the treasury. Perhaps they had cast grudgingly and not cheerfully as the Lord loves a cheerful giver. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (II Cor. 9:7)

4. Speak Truthfully: We do not have to teach our children to tell a lie as they come by that propensity in their human nature. We do have to teach them what is right and wrong and unless they speak truthfully, it is wrong; consequently, it is sinful in the eyes of God. The wicked are estranged from the womb and go forth as soon as they be born speaking lies. (Psalm 58:3) What does the Lord tell His children? “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” (Col. 3:9). It is no wonder that a prayer of David would be, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

5. Pray Faithfully:  This is just one of the avenues in which we are commanded to be faithful because Jesus is our faithful high priest who has reconciled us to God. Jesus faithfully prayed unto His Heavenly Father, not only for His children but also for Himself as well.  “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” (John 17:20).  “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:” (John 17:1).  We are told to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. It takes faithfulness to do this. If we don’t feel like praying, pray just the same as the Lord is well acquainted with our feelings. We will feel better and God will be honored.

These five things will lead to happiness for the child of God. Remember that happiness is not just being a happy go lucky individual. Happy in the scriptures means “blessed.” We know we should do these things, but are we doing what we know?  Jesus said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:17)–June 13, 2013–Elder Larry Wise

Bethany was indeed blessed with a Spirit filled Communion Meeting May 19-21-2017. We had excellence attendance with many visitors Friday and Saturday night and good singing with a great fish supper and all the extras on Saturday night. Elder Ronald Lawrence was blessed to bring two great messages on Friday and Saturday night. Friday night he spoke from Psalm 127:1 on except the Lord build the house, they that build it labor in vain. He showed how the “house of Israel” came into existence from Abraham and God bringing it forward through Isaac and Jacob and how it relates to the spiritual house of Israel, consisting of all the redeemed family of God. Saturday night he spoke from statement made by Balaam “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.” (Numb. 23:10). He took Jacob and his life and how he was loved by God even though a trickster and how we are all sons of Jacob in Christ. He showed what happens when the righteous die and their blessed state in the presence of the Lord as the soul and Spirit return to the Lord in heaven to await the resurrection.

Elder Lawrence is explaining his points of scripture of which the hand is a great help. Tie a preachers hands and he probably couldn’t preach a lick.

The meeting concluded Sunday with a sermons by Pastor Larry Wise on “I Believe” followed by a good communion service with partaking of the Lord’s Supper and the washing of the saints’ feet. It was a grand occasion as a few new members were participating for the first time. Fathers and sons washed feet, Mothers and daughters washed feet, biological brothers and sisters washed feet as well as spiritual brothers and sisters. Some songs were sung that added to the atmosphere. Here are just a few photo scenes from the communion with many more to follow later on the Communions page of the website:

Well, here we are again and it is another Mother’s Day. However, we should not approach it as something we just go through once a year and then forget. We should always be thankful and be in remembrance of our mothers. Just as we partake of the Lord’s Supper once a year in His remembrance, but that is not the only time we are to remember Him. That joyful task is to be done every day. Just as the Bible says “pray without ceasing” we are to remember without ceasing. This is not to say we pray audibly and our minds are constantly thinking about mothers, the Lord, or praying, but that is to be in our heart as a mind set. There are some things worth remembering and some things worth forgetting and Mothers, Fathers, and the Lord are worth remembering.

Here is a post from Mother’s day in May 2012 and the sentiments are the same and still worth meditating upon and worth remembering:

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 14, and we want to wish every mother of our church, community, and fellow Christians, a happy Mother’s Day filled with the blessings of the Lord. The joy of a mother holding the fruit of her womb in her arms after birth is a moment that will always live in her memory. The Lord opened up the womb of several women in the Bible to have this glorious experience, and then to train them up in the ways of the Lord. The Psalmist said, “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 113:9). Mothers have wiped many tears from the eyes of their children and prayed for them when they did not realize it. She comforted them many times and never has stopped praying for them, even when they are grown.  As the scriptures says, she is a joyful mother of children.

Just as the mother comforts her children, so does the Lord comfort His church. Isaiah tells us, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isa. 66:13). A true mother will not forsake the fruit of her womb., but a woman who just bore a child might forsake her child. Isaiah again tells us of this scenario but then contrasts it with the continual care of the Heavenly Father. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” (Isa. 49:15). Solomon said the price of a virtuous woman was far above rubies, and the heart of her children trust in her and call her blessed. This is the mother that will not forsake her child. Thank the Lord for all our mothers. Many have gone on to be with the Lord, but their memories are still etched in the mind and lives of those who survived them. Surely as the song “Precious Memories” declares, these memories ever flood our soul as old home scenes of our childhood and beyond are recalled and treasured.–May 13, 2017–Elder Larry Wise

WHAT DO WE DO?–By Elder David Montgomery–May 9, 2017

When Queen Esther resolved to go to the King uninvited which was against the law of Persia, she said this:

“So will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

Bethany will have its annual May Communion Meeting the 3rd weekend in May (May 19-21) with services beginning on Friday night, May 19, at 7:00 pm. Saturday night, May 20, at 6:30 pm preceded by supper at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, May 21, at 10:00 am with communion followed by lunch. Elder Ronald Lawrence, Nashville, TN is invited minister.

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1) “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (I Cor. 10:16)

The last day of April proved to be a most eventful day at Bethany. Amid a stormy morning in which a tornado was spotted close to the church and some county wind damage, the church was blessed to have John Taylor Wise come and ask to join the church when opportunity for members was presented. He stated he had been attending this church all his life and wanted to join and be a part of it. He was joyously received and baptized immediately thereafter. John had made it know unto his parents, Bro. Phillip Wise and Sis. Deanna Wise, that he wanted to join that Sunday and be baptized the same day. It being a 5th Sunday, Elder Rick Taylor was to preach that Sunday from Michie, TN and Bro. Larry at Michie. They switched preaching dates and Bro. Terry Wise drew the water for the baptism for the church was happy to make all these arrangements for one convicted enough to desire membership and immediate baptism.

There were many of his family who came to support him and witness his baptism and it was a happy occasion indeed. A great lunch followed the service and good fellowship to celebrate this great day of a young man taking up his cross to follow the Lord.

Modean Quarles and Winston Quarles

Sister Sandra Wise’s mother, Modean Quarles, passed away about 3:00 am the morning of April 19, 2017 after a three weeks stay in the hospital and the Sanctuary Hospice House where she died. It was a quick deterioration over the last few weeks due to Alzheimer’s disease complications. She is survived by four children, Sandra Wise, Cathy Quarles, Ronald Quarles, Debra Clayton. Funeral will be at Tutor Memorial Funeral Home in Pontotoc, MS on Friday, April 21, at 11:00 am with visitation from 10:00 am until time of the funeral. Also visitation from 5:00 till 8:00 pm at the Funeral home on Thursday, April 20. Burial in Glasgow cemetery at Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church, Randolph, MS.

Her son-in-law, Elder Larry Wise, and her grandsons, Elder Jonathan Wise and Elder David Wise will be officiating at the funeral. Be in prayer for the family as they mourn her passing. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” (Rev. 14:13)