Turning A Crisis Into An Opportunity

At some point in time, everyone will face a crisis.  That's just the way life is.  The test for us comes in how we respond to the adversity or crisis.  Our response will determine if the crisis destroys us or if we grow from it and become a better person.  I want to share with you the story of Joseph and the crisis's he faced.  Then I want to show you how to turn your crisis into an opportunity.

Seven Crisis's In The Life Of Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

• He was hated by his brothers.  Most of us would agree, that if all our siblings "hated" us it would be a definite adversity.  Yet this is the situation that Joseph found himself in.  It didn't help matters any that he told them they would one day "bow" down to him.
  
• He was thrown into a pit.  Angry with Joseph, his brothers threw him into a pit and left him to die.  They were going to leave him there with no food or water.  For most of us, our crisis seems like a "pit of despair." No way out.  But through it all Joseph was confident that God would deliver him because of the future God had promised.
• He was sold into slavery by his brothers.  While waiting for their older brother Reuben to return and deciding what to do with Joseph, his brothers saw a band of Ishmeelite slave traders and they sold Joseph into slavery and he ended up in Egypt.
• Forced to work as a slave for Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard.  As a slave Joseph learned many valuable skills while working for Potiphar.  Even in a crisis, you can learn new things and your character can be developed.
• Targeted for seduction by Potiphar's wife.  This was a critical point in Joseph's life.  Many would have given in to the advances of Potiphar's wife.  But Joseph stayed true to himself and to God and overcame  this crisis.
• He was sent to prison unjustly.  Potiphar's wife lied about Joseph and as a result Joseph was sent to prison.  But even in prison, Joseph found favor with the jail keeper and he was shown mercy and given charge over all the other prisoners.
• He was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream.  Because Joseph had an ability to interpret dreams he was asked to interpret one of Pharaoh's dreams.  Joseph told him that his dream meant there would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  He advise Pharaoh to put back grain during the years of abundance so there would be plenty in the years of famine.  Pharaoh was so impressed, that he put Joseph second in command!

How To Turn A Crisis Into An Opportunity

There are fifteen strategies you need to follow if you want to turn your current crisis into an opportunity.

1. Trust that God is working everything in your life for good. (Romans 8:28).
2. Believe that the Heavenly Father is in control.
3. Accept that the Lord's ways are higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
4. Refuse to make quick judgments during the crisis.  Don't have a knee jerk reaction.
5. Focus on the Father instead of the circumstances and meditate on the Scriptures.
6. Avoid dwelling on the pain.
7. Recall past crisis and the opportunities that followed.
8. Let go of anger immediately (Ephesians 4:26).
9. Submit to God's will.
10. Demonstrate a spirit of gratitude.
11. Determine to view the trial as a chance to see God at work.
12. Refuse to listen to unscriptural interpretations of the situation.
13. Remain in constant prayer listening to the Father for instructions.
14. Don't give in to fluctuating emotions.
15. Obey God and leave all the consequences up to Him.

What crisis are you facing today.  Be of good courage, your Heavenly Father has it all in control. Lean on Him for understanding and He will deliver you.

--Pastor Temple 

The Battle For Truth

Truth is one of the most powerful weapons we possess when dealing with the enemy. Unfortunately, in many cases, the truth has been replaced by lies from the devil.  Our culture is inundated with lies and falsehoods and those who refute the lies and falsehoods, by sharing the truth, are mocked and ridiculed as "extremists" and those who stand for the Bible and it's sound doctrine are labeled as legalistic.  The absence of truth has given the devil a real stronghold over people.  The Bible is full of scriptures that speak of the strong deception that will come upon the world in the last days and that it will even cause many to depart from the faith.

There are two areas God wants His truth securely established.  Those areas are in our own personal lives and in the church or Body of Christ.

1.  The Battle For Truth As A Weapon In Our Personal Life

If we are to stand we must gird ourselves with the truth and walk in the uncompromising truth of God's Word because Satan is sure to attack us with lies.  Ephesians 6:13 tells us: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  Walking in the truth of God's Word is one of the most powerful weapons we have against the enemy and his schemes.  Satan has nowhere to stand when he is confronted with the Truth of God's Word.

2.  The Battle For Truth In The Church

God has chosen the church to be the place from which His truth flows.  The church of Jesus Christ has been guilty of compromising and watering down the truth of God's Word to make it more acceptable to society.  As a result there is a battle that is raging in the church today over truth.  This battle includes whether or not the Scripture is divinely inspired and whether Jesus was really God manifest in the flesh.  There are others, but these two are of utmost importance.  What does the church have to do in order to live free from Satan's deceptions and lies?  I believe there are "truths" that we must embrace if we are to win this battle.

• We Must Accept The Entirety Of God's Word As His Truth.  We can't pick and chose what parts of the Bible we want to believe as truth.  It is all truth!  2 Timothy 3:16 validates this: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
• We Must Rightly Divide The Word Of Truth.  2 Timothy 2:15 gives us instruction that we are to approach the interpretation of God's Word without personal preferences. Unfortunately there are those who twist the scriptures to make them say anything they want to say.  When reading and interpreting the Bible it must be taken in context!  As one person stated "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text." All scripture must be examined in light of the whole and we should allow the scripture to interpret itself.
• The Word Of Truth Must Take Precedence Over Experience.  One of the disturbing trends I see happening in the church today, is that there is more of a focus on experiences than sound doctrine. This is especially evident in the Charismatic churches.  Don't misunderstand me, relating experiences is fine, but they must be based on "sound doctrine" as taught in the Word of God.  God's Word must be the final authority.
• We Must Have A Love For The Truth Of God's Word.  David walked in faith and victory throughout most of his life because he had a genuine love and appreciation for God's Word. David declared that "I rejoice at thy Word as one that findeth great spoil."  Do you have a genuine love for the truth of God's Word?"

Being a part of a local church that is Bible centered and adheres to God's Word of Truth give us a strong foundation to walk in the truth that God so desires for us.  We must all take personal responsibility for walking in the truth of God's Word.  Are you ready to take up the "battle for the truth?"

--Pastor Temple

Spiritual Baggage

If you have ever traveled on an airplane, you know the hassle of having to deal with baggage!  It can be very frustrating and taxing on your patience.  However, have you ever stopped to consider how the intangible baggage of past experiences or personal sin hinders your journey with Christ? Hebrews 12:1-3 compares the Christian life to a race and encourages us to "lay aside" those things that block our progress.

Hebrews 12:1 uses two different words to describe those things that slow us down and create obstacles in our lives.  These two words are "hindrances" and "sins."  The first one I want to deal with is hindrances.

Hindrances

A hindrance is anything that keeps us from effectively living the Christian life.  A hindrance doesn't necessarily have to be a sin.  It can even be something that is "good."  Although hindrances come in many forms here is a list of some of the most common ones that people have to deal with.

• A poor self-image.  Negative comments can cause us to doubt our value.  When we listen to what the world says about us rather than what God (the One who made us) says about us it will lead to a poor self-image.
• An attitude of defeatism.  If we think we are beaten by our circumstances, we will never try!
• Feelings of rejection.  Being devalued by others is painful and leaves us feeling unworthy.
• A fear of failure.  When we allow fear to hinder us, we miss out on many wonderful opportunities that God has for us.
• A lack of self-control.  If we can't control our impulses, we are easily persuaded and led off track.
• A negative attitude.  Pessimism has a negative impact on our work and our relationships.
• Indecision.  An inability to make decisions prevents us from progressing.

Sin

The other word used in Hebrews 12:1 is sin.  The writer speaks of the "sin which so easily entangles us."  The Bible informs us that a man who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Hebrews 12:1 is referring to a specific sin, one that is a primary area of weakness in our life that we must continually guard against.  It is the sin that ensnares us and divides our mind and hinders our relationship with others and with God.

Sins That Can Weigh Us Down

Here are some of the sins that will weigh us down:

• Unforgiveness.  When we can't let go of past hurts, it damages us and hinders our relationships with God.
• A critical spirit.  If all we do is criticize, we can hurt others and ourselves.
• A jealous spirit.  If we always desire what others have, we are never happy with ourselves.
• Greed.  A desire for more causes us to hurt others to get what we want.
• Pride.  God hates it when we are conceited about our social standing, possessions, or looks.
• Lust.  When love is replaced by lust, our desire is out of control.
• Unbelief.  Although we may claim to believe the Bible, too often we are unwilling to trust in God to provide for our needs.
• Anger.  Perpetual anger robs us of happiness.
• Bitterness.  This is a poison that prevents us from giving and receiving love.
• Idolatry.  Whatever we place before God is an idol.

What Sins And Hindrances Will Do

Like runners in a race, we must remove anything that slows us down.  If we refuse, we'll find that those things will:

• Distract us.
• Divide our minds and send us off track.
• Drain our energy.
• Slow our pace.
• Cause us to stumble.

The Solution

There are eight actions we can take to rid ourselves of spiritual baggage.

1. Admit to the Lord that we have a hindrance in our life.
2. Acknowledge the sin that so easily besets us.
3. Take responsibility for the baggage, no matter where it come from.
4. Make a definite decision to deal with it.
5. Lay it aside because it doesn't fit us as Christ's followers.
6. Rely on Christ's strength to put it down and walk away (Philippians 4:13).  God knows its hindering us, and He doesn't want it in our lives.
7. Know the Lord will enable us to lay it aside.
8. Understand it is discipline that determines the outcome of our decisions and destiny.

The Lord has planned the best race for each of us.  However, we can't win and fulfill His plan until every hindrance is laid aside.  We don't have to carry baggage and continue failing in our efforts to overcome the sins in our lives.  God will set us free if we'll believe Him and by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, make a conscious choice to do away with whatever is displeasing to Him.

What are the hindrances or sin in your life that you need to turn over to God?

--Pastor Temple

The Importance Of A Vision (Part 3)

Bethel's God given vision is simple.  It is all about Outreach, Evangelism, Pastoral Care, Discipling, and Training.  I want to cover some aspects of our vision that are necessary for it to be effective.

1.  How A Vision Grows

The principles of a vision and how we arrive at the vision don't change.  But the methods of how

we accomplish the vision can and should change as necessary.  For example, forty years ago Training would not have involved electronic media as we know it today.  It would have been done face to face in a classroom maybe with a VHS tape and a TV.  However today with the proliferation of the internet and computers, a lot of training can be accomplished online via video and audio in the comfort of peoples homes.  The principles don't change, but the methods do.

2.  Workers/Leaders Are Our Greatest Need

Followers of Christ, activating their call and gift, is the greatest resource to fulfilling the vision.  It doesn't matter how big your facility is or how many ministries are needed to take care of the people, just know that nothing will happen without a sufficient number of workers and leaders. Jesus himself said the "harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37).  Everyone wants a church that has all the benefits and that can take care of them and their needs, but few want to ever get involved.  The greatest challenge you have before you is the decision to get involved.

3.  Things To Know In Carrying Out The Vision

There are two important principles we need to understand if we are to carry out the vision:

• Every Believer Is A Minister.  Unfortunately too many believers view ministry as "Here am I Lord send Bill or Cathy!"  Many don't want to fulfill their role in the Kingdom.  It is the responsibility for every believer to be involved in outreach, evangelism, pastoral care, discipling, and training.  Every believer can do the supernatural (Mark 16:15-20).
• Every Believer Is To Do The Works Of Jesus.  In John 14:12 Jesus says "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  What did Jesus do?  He preached the gospel to the poor, he healed the broken hearted, He preached deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and set free them that are bruised, and preached the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19).  You and I are charged to do the same thing.

4.  What We Must Commit To In Carrying Out The Vision

There are fives areas where we must be absolutely committed if the vision is to be fulfilled:

• Prayer -- We should commit to pray for the harvest, pray for our national and local leaders, pray for one another in the church, pray for the leadership and ministries of the church and pray that your love would abound to all people.  Commit to pray for people more than you complain about people!
• Attendance -- Fellowship of the believers is vital.  We need each other for spiritual growth. Hebrews 10:25 informs us to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together..."  Whether it is in a home like the early church or if it is in a church building we must commit ourselves to fellowship with other believers.
• Involvement -- Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.  Do the work of the ministry. Don't sit back and expect others to do it.  You need to get involved doing what God has called you to do.
• Finances -- Let's face it, everything cost money.  Finances are extremely important to the ability of the church to fulfill it's vision.  Malachi 3:10 tells us to bring the tithe into the storehouse.  Jesus instructs us to "give and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38).  And Paul informed the Corinthians about the principle of sowing and reaping.  When we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully.  It takes money and God has blessed you and I to give.
• Witnessing -- Every believer has to commit to being a witness.  We are all responsible for the fulfillment of the "Great Commission" to "go and teach and make disciples..."  How committed are you to fulfilling this command?

It's time we get off the sideline and get into the game!  Make your commitment today to get involved in fulfilling the vision of outreach, evangelism, pastoral care, discipling, and training.  Ask yourself, what can I do to get involved and help fulfill the vision?

-- Pastor Temple

The Importance Of A Vision (Part 2)

Any successful endeavor requires a vision and for the vision to be effective, it must be: 1) God driven, 2) individual, and 3) corporate.  In other words a local may have a corporate vision, but for the vision to be fulfilled, it has to implemented by individuals.  Each person must embrace the vision.  It is my firm belief, that God intends great things for His church, especially for those with a willingness to work the vision.

What A Vision Needs

There are four qualities to any vision:

1.  A vision needs specific action or steps in how to accomplish it.  Without the action to go with the vision, our efforts will be futile.  Vision without action is meaningless!

2.  A vision needs faith.  Faith in the power of the gospel and faith in the power of the Lord to prepare us and empower us for service.

3.  A vision needs boldness.  Boldness was a virtue displayed by the early Christians.  They had boldness to speak the Word of God no matter what the consequences.  We need that same boldness to speak what we know is the truth but to do it in a spirit of love.

4.  A vision need persistence.  Too often we give up just before the fruition of the vision.  It's important that we not lose heart because we shall reap in due time (Galatians 6:9).  Many visions are never realized because someone gave up too soon.

What Bethel's Vision Is All About

Bethel Church Choctaw has a five fold vision that God gave when the church was started.

1.  Outreach

Outreach is very crucial to the growth of the local church.  The church must have a vision to reach out into the community and world in obedience to the Great Commission.  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  It is our responsibility to do the same.

2.  Evangelism

Similar to outreach, evangelism is what God has called us to do...evangelize the world!  This  isn't a task for just one person, but the entire Body of Christ.  With each person doing their part this great task can be accomplished.

3.  Pastoral Care

This is an area to is too often neglected in the local church, but pastoral care is extremely important for people of every local church.  It encompasses counseling, home visits, caring for people in time of death and other needs.

4.  Discipling

A disciple is a follower of Christ who is able to give direction to new followers as well as encouragement, involvement, and fellowship.  Discipleship is a way of life.

5.  Training

The final part of Bethel's vision is that of training.  The local church is under the mandate of God to train its people for service.  Strong leadership comes through training not teaching alone. Leadership must be developed, monitored, matured through discipline and seasoned with love, it doesn't just develop on its own. (2 Timothy 2:1-7).

So that's the vision! Now, what are you going to do with the vision?  It's your job to discover where you fit in!  God want's to involve you in reaching the world.  If Bethel is the place for you, then join with us and find your God given direction.  If it's not, then find another community of believers you can join with to help fulfill God's plan for the salvation of the world!

-- Pastor Temple

Your Words Matter

Today's post is a guest post from Bethel Church Associate Pastor Keith Fife.

"Sticks and stones my break my bones but names will never hurt me!"  As children we have all recited those words to someone who may have called us a name or said something ugly about us. Unfortunately, that little saying isn't true.  Calling people names, and speaking words of anger, ill will, and even hate does hurt people.

The Apostle Paul told the believers at Colosse to "Let your conversation (speech) be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6). Our conversation or speech means exactly what is sounds like it means: any word uttered by a living person!  It is anything reported in speech or conversation.  According to Paul, as a believer, our speech should have two qualities:

1.  Full of grace:  Grace is that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: It is a "grace of speech."  When we talk and converse with others our words should be words of delight, charm, and grace. Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful (good) for building others up according to their need that it may benefit those who listen.”  Unwholesome talk is the opposite of graceful talk.  Unwholesome is that which is identified as: 1) rotten, putrefied; 2) corrupted by one and no longer fit for use, worn out; 3) of poor quality, bad, unfit for use, worthless.  Our conversation should never be "unfit" and "rotten."  It should always be full of grace!

2.  Seasoned with salt:  Seasoned means:  1) to prepare or arrange, with respect to food. 2) to season and make savory.  Just like we spend time preparing to cook food so that it will taste good, we should also “prepare” what we are going to say so that it may "sound" good and be "received" well.  Unfortunately, too many people shoot from the lip! when it comes to their words. The words come into their head and right out their mouth.  Think about what you are saying.  Is it helping? Is it building up?  Is it beneficial?  Does it meet someone’s need?  Take the time to prepare and arrange your words so that it makes the situation better and more tasty if you will.

The purpose of salt is to keep things from rotting and becoming putrid.  Seasoning our words with salt, will make the situation better and keep it from deteriorating and rotting.  Let’s face it, salt just makes green beans taste better!  Our speech should make things taste better not bitter!

The Purpose of Our Speech

"To know how to answer everyone."  1 Peter 3:15-16:  “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”  If anyone is going to be ashamed let it be those who speak slander against you, and not the other way around.

Our words do matter!  Be careful with your words, use them to help and build up rather than to destroy and tear down!

--Keith Fife
keithfife.com

When Opportunities Appear

From the moment we receive Jesus, until we see Him face to face, our lives are filled with opportunities and should be characterized by excitement and adventure!  This is accomplished through the Lord's continual invitation for us to draw closer to Him and to participate with Him in touching the lives of others.  God wants us to be wise in our decision making and alert to opportunities that He provides.  There are seven areas that God provides opportunity for us to make a difference.

1.  To Share.  In John 6:1-14 a small boy "shared" his lunch with Jesus and as a result of what he gave, it was multiplied and thousands were fed.  Just like this little boy, you and I will rarely anticipate how God wants to use us.  So watch for opportunities to experience the joy of giving.

2.  To Serve The Lord.  Jesus called Peter to leave his successful fishing business and embark on a risky new venture of being His disciple (Matthew 4:18-20).  Because he stepped out in faith, God used him in powerful ways to help establish the early church.  Likewise, we can be confident that no matter how unqualified we feel, the Lord will always enable us to walk through the doors He opens.

3.  To Grow In Relationship With Christ.  Mary, the sister of Martha, wisely chose to listen to Jesus' teachings instead of being overly concerned with meal preparations (Luke 10:38-42).  We should never let unnecessary busyness rob us of our chance to know the Savior better.

4.  To Help Others.  In Luke 5:17-26 the paralytic's friends were determined to help their friend. And as a result they had the joy of seeing their friend not only healed but also saved from his sins. We, too, must be willing to do whatever God asks of us, even if helping others involves pressing through a challenge.

5.  To Witness For Jesus.  When Paul was in jail he had the opportunity to witness to the jailer and as a result the jailer and his entire household was saved.  We too, must be willing to do whatever God asks of us, even if helping others involves pressing through a challenge (Acts 17:22-34).

6.  To Understand Who Jesus Is.  Zacchaeus' life was transformed when he determined to understand who Jesus really was and Jesus reached out to him and went to his home.  Don't let other people or difficult circumstances discourage you from responding to the opportunities God sends your way (Luke 19:1-10).

7.  To Receive Salvation.  A rich young ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life.  Knowing that the man's wealth was a stumbling block to his faith, the Lord answered that he should sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.  Unfortunately, the ruler chose not to heed Jesus' instruction and missed his chance at salvation.  The wisest choice anyone can make is to receive eternal life through Jesus Christ.  There is no greater thrill than to have a vibrant, personal relationship with the Make of the universe! (Mark 10:17-22).

What opportunities has the Lord set before you today?  Did He bring to mind someone who needs to hear the gospel, despite your fears of what that person might think?  Or maybe your compassionate Father is asking you to endure a circumstance He knows will bring about good, but one that also carries with it a measure of difficulty.

Regardless of what God prompts you to do, my prayer is that you will realize the promise and excitement of the Christian life as you walk carefully, make wise decisions, and lay hold of the opportunities before you.

Pastor Temple