Bethany Primitive Baptist Church

Happy New Year 2018 to each and everyone and may God bless with His goodness and mercy throughout the year. Our prayer for you this year and every year is what Aaron was told as to how to bless the people: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:  The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:  The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numb. 6:24-26). What greater things could anyone enjoy during 2018 more than these six things: 1) To be blessed 2) To be kept 3) To have His face shine upon you 4) To have His gracious presence 5) To have His countenance lifted upon you 6) to have His peace. There are 365 days in the year and we pray the Lord will bless you with these six things each day; however, we know that Satan is always ready to rob us of the joys of our salvation. If we aren’t blessed with all six things experimentally in our lives each day, we know that we shall be blessed with all six things in glory after awhile.

There isn’t a single human that knows what the year may have in store but we serve a God who does know. Elder Michael Gowens gives quote from someone in one of his sermons that states; “Never be afraid to trust an UNKNOWN future to a KNOWN God.” The future on earth is not known by anyone but we aren’t in the dark about God as He is KNOWN by His born again children of God. We can trust God to give us strength day by day because he is faithful. “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). God has never broken a promise and never will but we are fleshly individuals at times and doubt if God will come to our rescue. Jesus said that the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. God doesn’t gives us a week’s supply of grace at once but we are taught to pray “Give us day by day our daily bread.” This breeds continual trust in a KNOWN God who has everything is His storehouse that His people need.

Even though there are 365 days in the year, no two days are alike as each one has its own unique characteristics. When our hope seems dim as the dawn arises, we can remember the promise of God given by Jeremiah who also felt his hope had disappeared. He was made to declare, ” 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.” (Lamentations 3:23). The mercies and compassions of the Lord are NEW every day even though that mercy may bring the same blessing we enjoyed the day before: however, we need it today as we cannot use yesterday’s mercy today. The scripture says that “today is the day of salvation.” The scripture also says to take up our cross DAILY and follow the Lord through self-denial and commit our ways to the Lord.

This is what happens to those who TRUST the Lord, DELIGHT in the Lord, and COMMIT their way unto the Lord. “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. ” (Palm 37:3-5) May we all be blessed to follow this recipe for happiness each day during 2018.–January 1 2018–Elder Larry Wise

This is a partial repeat of a prior Thanksgiving post but still good to meditate upon and as a Thanksgiving sacrifice it is all centered around the greatest sacrifice of all; that being the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of His people. The sacrifices of thanksgiving are also a sweet smelling savour in the nostrils of God just as the sacrifice of Christ which is the greatest example of love that ever transpired. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Eph. 5:2). Thanksgiving is more than Black Friday sales and feasting on a turkey or ham. May we all ask ourselves what we are thankful for and it shouldn’t be hard to come up with something. Consider this thought posted by Elder David Wise as you read the following: “I read a devotional today that asked the question, “What if God only blessed you today with what you thanked Him for yesterday?” What a sobering and convicting question, and I’m afraid I won’t get too many blessings today if that were the case!” We always get better than we deserve.

This is the week of the observance of the Thanksgiving holiday that is usually identified with Turkey and Dressing and football games along with gatherings of family and friends. There is more to Thanksgiving than those things. We are told in scripture, especially is the Psalms, to praise the Lord for His wonderful works toward the children of men. This is done with sacrifice and that is really what the word “thanksgiving” means; however, how many of us realize that thanksgiving is a sacrifice?

The Psalmist identifies praising the Lord for His wonderful works with the sacrifice of thanksgiving. “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” (Psalm 107:22). The servant that had been loosed from his bonds declared what he needed to do for this blessing: “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:17). True thanksgiving involves sacrifice. It is not the sacrifice of animals but it is the sacrifice of self to the will of God. We are told to present our bodices as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. We are told to deny self and take up our cross  and follow Christ and this involves daily sacrifice and not just a Sunday morning worship service for an hour and a half.

Jonah disobeyed the will of God and found himself in the belly of a whale but it was there that he learned much about thanksgiving as a sacrifice. He said, “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2:9). Everyone knows, or should, that Jonah said “salvation is of the Lord” but how many connect it with the sacrifice of thanksgiving which Jonah said he would do with his voice which of itself is a sacrifice as the tongue is an unruly member which no man can tame. Paul writes concerning thanksgiving as a sacrifice: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Heb. 13:15-16).

Let us verbally express our thanksgiving but let it be more than just saying thanks over a meal. Thanksgiving is a way of life; it is the way of an abundant life of joy and peace and it all revolves around the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!–November 22, 2017–Elder Larry Wise

The church has set Sunday after church, November 26, to assemble the fruit baskets for the shut-ins and the needy. There will be a pizza lunch served that day and the baskets assembled at that time. If members have someone they would like to have a fruit basket, let someone know at the day of the assembly or put their names on a notebook in the vestibule. Those who receive these baskets seem to enjoy receiving them, whether or not they use them or not, knowing that someone was thinking of them. We should all count our blessings which in reality cannot be counted. The scripture says that God always takes recognition of the smallest deeds regardless if not recognized by fellow men. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Heb. 6:10) “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col. 3:17)–November 20, 2017–Elder Larry Wise

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE–Elder David Montgomery October 17, 2017

The Apostle Paul wrote that we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices. If we believe this then we must acknowledge that Satan is real and he wants to mess with us and get us to follow him. That’s what he’s always wanted. He’s wanted this since the Garden of Eden. Here’s what he’ll do to get you:

Bethany was blessed with a Spirit filled meeting Sept. 8-10 with Elder Ricky Harcrow from Fort Payne, AL. Friday night we had a good singing but not quite as many attending as usual on a Friday night but still an excellent congregation with good singing and a great sermon from Heb. 9: 26 on One Sacrifice For Sins by the man, Christ Jesus. Sacrifices of the Old Testament were many but they could never take away sin but the one sacrifice of Jesus did what they could not do.

Saturday was blessed with excellent weather and really good attendance for a Saturday morning service with many visitors and once again had excellent singing, prayers and outstanding sermon by Brother Harcrow on Benefits In Christ from Psalm 107:2. How blessed we are to have so many benefits; many of which we never are aware. We had a great lunch prepared by the sisters and then Saturday night we enjoyed a good fish and chicken supper with many other dishes to suit the appetite of any one. Good attendance was manifest again with good singing and prayer and another Spirit filled sermon by Brother Harcrow on Unfrustrated Grace from Gal. 2:20-21. “I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain.”

Elder Harcrow was able to stay through Sunday and we had good singing and an enlightening sermon by Brother Harcrow on Mount of Transfiguration as Peter, James and John saw Jesus’ countenance changed and talking with Moses and Elias and illustrating how experience is the most effective teacher but not necessarily the best. Peter remembered this experience the rest of his life and I am sure James and John did also.

You can find more pictures under Annual Meetings Page with September 2017 drop down selection.

BLOOMING, IN HARD TIMES …….
On the morning of 9-11-11, as I pulled out of my driveway and was headed to the worship services at my little church, my eyes caught sight of my neighbors house, where the concrete foundation of her house met with the concrete of her driveway, I saw, to my amazement, a most beautiful and healthy flower in full bloom. It not only had healthy stems and leaves but showed several lovely blooms all over the plant. I paused and said to my son, “Oh, Justin, Look at the beautiful flower, growing in the concrete! It is not only thriving, but look, it is blooming abundantly!”

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