Day Fifty Seven - Things I am Thankful For!

Everyday we put God's work in our lives on display. To often "Christianity" is packaged to the outside world as if it's easy. Yet following Christ is the hardest thing you will ever do, however without question it's the most rewarding. Jesus describes it as...the abundant life!

What's that look like? It's a life packed full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And everyday God wants to deposit a little bit more into us.

First Samuel 12:24 (NLT) tells us, "But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve Him. Think of all the wonderful things He has done for you"!

My list today includes:
God, you've been a faithful source of strength to me.
God, you've been by my side through every high and low point of my life.
God, you've been extremely patient with me.
God, you've blessed my days with the promise of hope.
God, you have helped me face new challenges successfully.
God, you've helped me redeem the time allotted to me.
God, you've surrounded me with some of the most remarkable co-laborers anyone could have.
God, you have blessed my life with spectacular splashes of joy!
God, you have given to me some unbelievable opportunities.
God, you have let me experience the accomplishment of helping transform lives.
God, you have blessed my life with practical wisdom.

Hardly a day goes by that God doesn't astonish me by providing substantial blessings in my life! How about you? Share your comments of gratitude for the remarkable blessings God has rained down on you! I can't wait to read them!

Day Fifty Six- Right On Time!

Do you ever feel that God is late? Or that He is ignoring you? He seems to be moving in the lives of your closest friends while your needs and prayers are being unmet. Join us tonight as we look at how God is never late. He's always on time. He knows what our needs are, what challenges we are facing, and what lies ahead of us in our future. Whether your circumstances are stormy or filled with sunshine... God is always at work! I want to encourage you not to miss tonight's front porch Bible study, you will experience an incredible casual and interactive atmosphere, great teaching (from yours truly),more importantly God's Word will leave an imprint on you that will help you face today's difficulties as well as tomorrows decisions! I hope to see you tonight!

Also don't forget that if you would like to be a part of this weekends Water Baptism Celebration be sure to contact the church office at 440.842.9600 or you can sign up at the Information Booth in the main foyer. If you have already made the decision to participate be sure to invite your friends and family to join in the celebration! This could be the perfect opportunity to include people who haven't been to church in a long time. The celebration begins right after the very first chorus on Sunday. You don't want to miss the first five minutes of this unique service!

Special Message from PR

Special Message from Pastor Russ aka PR from russell debord on Vimeo.
Click on video above to listen to a very special message. We hope to see everyone next Sunday March 1st. to personally take a moment and express our appreciation and love to each individual. We also want to take advantage of the opportunity to say goodbye to each person during the reception that will follow our morning worship service.

Day Fifty Three - The Value of Time

A lot of people stay busy but they aren't productive. Do you know what it takes to get the most out of your day?

We measure the value of time by how we spend it. "How was church today?" A friend asks. "Wonderful", you respond. "I had a great time." In another instance your spouse inquires about how your recent job interview went, "Terrible" you reply. "It was a complete waste of time." It's a safe bet that if you spent a day doing something that energized you or that produced a desired result, you felt the day was good. On the other hand, if you spent the good part of a day doing something you didn't enjoy or didn't produce a desired outcome, you probably felt the day was a loss.

Pay close attention to this interpretation of "Psalm 23" by Marcia Hornok from Todd Duncan's book entitled "Time Traps" . . .

"The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.
It makes me lie down only when exhausted.
It leads me to deep depression, it hounds my soul.
It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activity's sake.
Even though I run frantically from task to task,
I will never get it all done, for my "ideal" is with me.
Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.
They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.
They anoint my head with migraines, my in-basket overflows.
Surely fatigue and time pressure shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration forever."

Who wants to live in the "bonds of frustration forever"? We all experience guilt when we waste time and delight when we spend it well. Time is both wonderful and horrible. It's wonderful because it holds so much possibility. It can be enjoyed and spent with family, close friends, or in doing some activity that brings pleasure and a sense of fulfilment. Theres no better way to waste time than to dwell upon the past. We must all learn from our failures and mistakes and not agonize over the things we cannot change.

Having been born and raised in Indiana, basketball is huge sport in the Hoosier State. Here in Ohio, they put footballs in a boy's baby crib . . . in Indiana it's a basketball! I played a lot of basketball with my friends growing up and for a couple years I made the team at Southeastern College. It's a game momentum, and if things aren't going so good, the coach would often call a "time out" to change that momentum. In sports, time management is crucial, it helps you keep your priorities straight. As the clock runs down you find yourself literally racing against time. To be successful you must remain alert, focused, and disciplined.

As a Christian we must do the same. Time can be our most important resource. Take for example ten minutes . You and I can do so much in ten minutes. Yet ten minutes once gone . . . is gone for good. Ten minutes represents a piece of you. Divide yourself into ten minute segments and try to sacrifice as few of them as possible in meaningless activity.

In the next ten minutes what could you do that would bring enjoyment or a sense of accomplishment into your life? You could spend it in prayer, calling a friend, writing a letter, or reading a chapter or two in your Bible, or do some other meaningful activity . Take a moment and leave me your comments and suggestions or better yet, let me know what you accomplished in a ten minute time span.

Day Fifty of 2009-Newcomers Luncheon

On Sunday March 8th Bethel Temple will host another "Newcomers Lunch" immediately after the 10:30 am service in the Fireside Room. This luncheon is open to any of our recent guests that have attended our services and who desire to find out more about our church, staff, and look further into getting involved. Lunch and childcare will be provided free of charge. If you are interested please contact Pastor Dale Klaehn at dklaehn@bethel-temple.com or call the church office at 440-842-9600.

It's our desire to provide meaningful opportunities that will help and inspire people about Bethel Temple. You will enjoy meeting and making new friends with others who are "kickin the tires" and checking out what makes Bethel Temple such a great church!

Day Forty Nine- Water Baptism Opportunity

Our second water baptism service of 2009 will take place on Sunday March 1st. A couple of individuals have approached me and asked to be baptised prior to my departure and so we are offering this opportunity to everyone! Consider taking the next step in your journey with Christ by publicly acknowledging your decision to follow Christ!

Our worship team will open with one of our favorite songs and then we're going to move right into our baptism service. Trust me. You don't want to miss the first five minutes of the service!

A class will be conducted on that day during the Sunday School hour to discuss the significance and meaning of baptism. Important information for certificates will be gathered and complete instructions will be shared with each participant. Please remember to bring with you towels and appropriate clothing to be baptised in. To sign up for this baptism you may choose to contact the church office 440-842-9600, drop us an email at secretary@bethel-temple.com or sign the registration list located at the information center in the main foyer.

I came across this the other day so I thought I'd share it...What's the one thing you could do right now that would transform this day for someone else? Who would you call? Who could you email? Who could you surprise? Who could you pray for? Whatever it is, do it right now.

Day Forty Eight - Seeking Wisdom!

In his outstanding book "The Divine Mentor" Wayne Cordeiro records the following statement that someone said to him, "The secret of growing in divine wisdom is to come to God stupid. Tell Him you don't know a thing. Tell Him you need to know how to think, how to tie your shoes, how to win friends and influence anybody!" " With that kind of heart, God does His best work. When He is looking for receptacles of divine wisdom, He looks for "PHDs" those who are poor, hungry, and desperate!'

Nothing you and I may acquire, earn, or achieve in this life is as valuable as wisdom. The individual who walks in wisdom experiences God's presence, power, and wonderful boundless approval.

Life will be much more amazing with God's guidance involved in our decision making, relationships and experiences. When a person possess wisdom, he or she sees life from a different perspective. Wisdom is having God inside. It's seeing circumstances and people, with God whispering instructions to you.

Today, I find myself seeking wisdom as I aim for just one more step forward. May all of us make it a point to pray . . . . "Lord, Please Give Us Your Wisdom."

Day FortySix - Sunday Reflections

I’m standing with Leah Page at the end of our service this morning (Just after she received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit). It was definitely a different day at Bethel Temple the word “incredible” comes to mind!!!! Once again we watched God continue to unveil His awesome power throughout our church. I was totally blown away by what He accomplished. Several were filled with a new language from heaven; while numerous others were renewed and refreshed by the Spirit. We concluded our teaching series “Words – Learning to Speak Wisely”. I pray that these messages have a continued positive impact on your life. Remember that there is much power in our words. Allowing the Holy Spirit to have control of our tongue is a vital decision that will have positive results!

Have you considered inviting someone to come with you next weekend? You should. I believe Bethel temple is poised to experience something unexplainable in Cuyahoga County. You can feel it and I believe we will all be thrilled by what God is going to do through us as 2009 continues to unfold. Have a blessed and great week!

Day Forty

I am a most blessed individual. For 43 years I have known the love, joy, hope, presence and power of Christ in my life. I could have no greater blessing!

Each morning I continue to wake up exuberant about the divine calling God has placed on my life. I "get to" do what I love most. What a tremendous blessing it has been to serve here at Bethel Temple. What you may not fully know is how much you all have contributed to my life. Your feedback, encouragement and consistent love has been so appreciated. You all mean so very much to Shari and I.

This past Sunday will be one of those days I'll always remember in ministry. People are searching for answers and we have it! We must stay focused on the vision God has given us to reach people who are far away from Him. We had numerous first-time guests in the morning service and just about every one of them came because someone personally invited them. Don't you love how God is using Bethel Temple to change lives? Heaven is ecstatic over the 5 individuals who made life changing decisions to include Christ in their lives!!

During these first few weeks of 2009 God has accomplished more than we ever thought possible and the great part about it is, He is just getting started! Don't let up for a moment. Keep to the task at hand and we will have much to rejoice and praise God for! I have been so blessed to lead such a wonderful church family!

Day Thirty-Seven - "Coffee Club Bible Study" @ 7:00PM Tonight!

I am convinced that an emphasis on God's Word will restore health and vitality to any church. We must remain committed to study and apply the scriptures into our lives.

So many Christ followers possess huge amounts of Bible knowledge but their lifestyles show application of none of it. Interaction with God's Word means to handle it, hold it, make use of it, and become familiar with it. your Bible should become your personal friend.

Nothing has more power to change a life or mend a broken heart like the Word of God. If your dealing with issues and area's of your life, family and relationships that are out of alignment then I'd like to ask you to open your heart towards the powerful Word of God. Join with me for an hour of spiritual refreshing and small group interaction this evening at 7:00 PM. Our "Coffee Club Bible study" meets at Borders Bookstore on Route 82 across from the Strongsville-South Park Mall.

See ya'll there!