“WILL THE REAL “your name here” PLEASE STAND UP”

Good morning. I would like to take a moment and extend my thoughts and prayers to any and all who may read this that have been touched in some way by the recent wave of tornadoes to come through our area. I want you to know that I, as are others, are praying for those of you who suffered the loss of loved ones and the loss of property. I pray God's hand of peace and comfort will rest upon you and that you will feel our prayers and love.

I am going to show my age a bit and tell you that today's topic reminds me of a TV game show that my grandmother use to watch and love called “Truth or Consequences”. The object of the game was to listen to 5 or 6 people make statements as to who they were and for you to try to decide which one was the person. As I grow older, I see this more and more in so many people today. We have “Christians” trying to fit into the world, and we have people who dress up all pretty and nice and come to church and trying to pass themselves off as Christians. Do you know some like I have mentioned? I know God has something to say on this issue, so let's take a look.

Psalms 4:3 says, “But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him.” Jeremiah 1:5 says, “"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Acts 20:32 says, “ So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, “ 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” John 17:14-18 says, “

14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”

You know preachers, pastors and others who stand on the word of God sometimes have to confront issues that the world would rather us not. 1 Corinthians 9:16 says, “woe is me, if I do not preach the gospel”. The issue above is one of those issues that others would rather be left alone. It is the issue of “posing”, it is the issue of giving into self and compromising your beliefs to allow yourself to “act” a certain way to fit in with those around you.

One instance of what I'm talking about is homosexuality. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say,”I was born like this”. God does not make mistakes. His word tells us that He made them both male and female and that the one is not to lay with his or her own kind. Homosexuality is a choice, unless you are calling God a liar.

I could say that I was born to kill people and because I feel that I was born to do this, I should be allowed to kill anytime I want. This statement is as absurd as is the first one. Both are choices we make and are considered habitual sins that will not be forgiven and will have to be answered for on the day of judgment.

The next group I must mention is the group who come to church on Sunday and act “Christ like” while at church, and then leave the church and as soon as they walk out the doors, they are as worldly as anyone. You know the kind I'm talking about, those who come to work on Monday and tell those “little lies” or those “little dirty jokes”. They gossip about everyone, complain about everything and always have a negative attitude. Then come Friday night, you'll find them out at the “club”, “just having fun”. You know who I'm talking about. They are the same ones you saw in church Sunday and they are the ones smoking, drinking, cussing up a storm, flirting with someone's wife or husband because they think the grass is greener on the other side. God's word tell us that “My sheep hear My voice”, and “if you love Me, you will keep My commandments”. God's word also tells us that we can tell a tree by it's fruit, a good tree will not bare bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bare good fruit.

Let me ask you a question. If you knew of a judge who worked in the courts where you live, and he or she was the “hang them high” type judge when it came to P.I.'s or D.U.I.'s and gave everyone who came in front of him or her the maximum sentence, but was seen leaving local bars under the influence, would you want that type of judge, or would you have any respect for them? This is why God has to maintain the measuring stick so high, so there is no question about His integrity. It is this type of hypocrisy that is causing the great falling away churches today are experiencing.

So, do you know who you are? Have you been acting like all those around you so long that you have lost your identity? Have you tried to blend in with the world so long that you have forgotten all about God? Have you forfeited the gifts, favor and blessings of God to make someone else happy? Are you so caught up and deafened by the world that you can no longer hear that still small voice of God?

Remember: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. And all we have to do is come back to Him and He will make all things better and right.

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. 

Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey

Associate Pastor

Bethel Baptist Church

“STORMS” “STORMS”

Good morning. I pray you all are doing well and this finds you wrapped in the arms of Jesus. It is a beautiful day and I am thankful God allowed me to see one more. Can you say that it is a beautiful day no matter what the weather outside is doing?

Today’s topic is something that we all are either in, has been in, or is going through now. I’m not talking about just the weather. I am talking about the storms of life. You know, the bank messes up your account and a check bounces. Or, you are all dressed up and on your way to work and you have a flat tire. Storms come in many shapes, sizes and categories. What is a storm for you may be nothing to me, and vise versa. Let’s take a moment to see how God’s Word encourages us.

John 16:33 say, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Matthew 14:24-32 says, ‘24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” Mark 4:37-41 says, “37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

So, what storms are you facing today? Are your storms so sever that they have you torn up inside and seeking for some place to just crawl into a hole?


We all have storms going on all around us. Our churches are experiencing a large reduction in attendance and this is causing great turmoil in the body of Christ. Families are facing the storms of financial issues; trust issues, relational issues as well as faith issues. Unemployment is at an all time high. People have not only lost their jobs, but they have lost their careers.


People are losing their homes, their insurance and their vehicles. Retirement funds that took years to build up have vanished in a seemingly matter of days.


Storms are all around us. God knew that we would face these and that is why He reminded us in His Word that in this world, we would have trouble and trails, but He has overcome this world, and if our faith and trust is in Him then we will overcome as well. We must always remember that we serve and are under the protection of a God that speaks to the wind, to the sea, to our neighbor, to our boss, to our vehicles and to us. There is nothing that God does not have control over, or is greater than He. We must remember to tell our storms how big our God is.


Have you ever been in a plane flying high above the land and looked out to see how small things are? Just imagine how much smaller the view looks from God’s height. What maybe a mountain to us, is nothing more than a bump to Him.


Remember: The next time a storm brews up, hand it over to the Lord and watch Him say, “Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid. Peace, be still.”


Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for you. 


Love in CHRIST.



Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

“CAN I HAVE A WORD?”

Good morning friends. I pray you are having a wonderful weekend and were not hampered be the frozen liquid that was coming into our area. We are showing the movie Courageous at church Sunday night and are praying that the weather does not keep people from coming.

Today’s topic is a real issue that is common with a lot of people. I want you to stop for just a moment and think about what you have talked about today. From the time you got up, until you went to sleep yesterday, what did you have to say? Do you ever think about what seems to be the most common topic of what you have to say from day to day? Are you the type that has a hard time starting a conversation? God’s word has an answer for everything we face in life and this is not an exception. Let’s be enlightened.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, “4 "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Romans 3:31 says “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” Matthew 12:36 says, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.” Titus 2:15 say, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

Well, now that you have had a bit of time to think about your recent conversations and read a few scriptures, what are you thinking about talking about now?

Why is it we can talk about the last few seasons of CSI, or Survivor or NCIS, like it is some common knowledge? We talk about sports and whom we are supporting and how bad the other teams are. We talk about politics and how bad the politicians are. We talk about our pets, our neighbors, the grass, our cars, the pot holes in the road, the traffic, our bosses, how bad our jobs are, our co-workers, our homes, the best movies we’ve been to lately, and the list goes on and on. But, when it comes to God, we are scared to death to open our mouths.

When it comes down to it, almost everything most of us spend so much time talking about has no eternal value. Think about it, when our time is up here on earth, and God calls us home, do you think God will ask us if we watched the last episode of CSI Miami? No. That would be ludicrous. What God will be asking us is, when I had you meet John, did you share Jesus with him. Or, did you pray over the lady who lived next door to you when she lost her husband? Did you take the lady down the road some groceries to help her feed her children? What about the single older man that lived across the street from you that needed a ride to the doctor, did you offer to take him? What about the man that worked with you suffering from loneliness, did you tell him that I, (God) loved him and am here for him?

How many opportunities can you think of over the past little bit were there, where you could have shared Jesus, the plan of salvation or what He has been doing in your life? What keeps you from doing this? Are you afraid of what others will think? Are you afraid of how others will treat you? Are you ashamed? Mark 8:38 warns us that if we are ashamed of Jesus and His words, then when He comes into His Father’s glory, He will be ashamed of us.

Now, I want you to think about the people you spend the most time talking to and ask yourself, “are they saved?” I’m not saying that you have to be spending 24/7 talking about nothing but God, I’m just saying we should be devoting more time sharing God, His love for us all and be as bold, open and as eager to speak about God as we are about everything else. When it comes down to it, don’t you want everyone you come into contact with to go to heaven? The only Jesus they may ever hear of or see is the one they see in you.

Remember: The next time you have an opportunity to have a word with someone, try sharing the Word of God.

Until next time, please pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. 

Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey

Associate Pastor

Bethel Baptist Church

“UNANSWERED PRAYERS”

Good morning to everyone. I pray that you had a wonderful weekend and am pumped and ready to face the new week with courage and boldness. Just think, with God in us, what power can match us or hold us down.

Today, I want to talk about prayers. What are some of the things you pray about? When you pray, do you really expect an answer? How is your prayer life? Do you pray about small things, big things or everything? The Bible has much to say about this issue so let’s take a look at some of these scriptures.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Matthew 6:8 says, “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” Matthew 7:7-8 says, “7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 18:19-20 says, “19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 21:22 says, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” John 14:12-14 says, “"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” James 1:6 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 4:2-3 says, “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.1 John 3:22 says, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” 1 John 5:14 says, “14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

So, how is your prayer life? How often do you pray? Do you really believe in the power of prayer? Did you know that in the 66 Psalm that we are told that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, God WILL NOT HEAR us? Have you ever prayed for something for a long time and felt like you were never answered? Or maybe have you prayed for something to work out one way or the other, and the problem did just the opposite? Did you feel that God was not listening? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us we are to “pray” without ceasing.

So, what are we to get from all of this information? First and foremost, the very first prayer God is waiting for is for our prayer for salvation, and if we make that prayer with a sincere, repentive heart, He is sure to forgive us and that prayer will be answered on the spot. If we have made that prayer and you are now a child of the King, then we have a 24/7 straight line to the Savior of this world. But, we have to remember that the Bible tells us that if we regard iniquity in our hearts God will not hear us. Maybe you have been praying for things that just haven’t happened. Could it be that you have some sin between you and God that is preventing you from receiving an answer?

Prayer was never meant to be some big complicated mathematical equation. After salvation, prayer really is as easy as 1,2,3. 1> Get right with God. Do your best to seek Him and live a life of obedience. 2> Ask God to remove any sin that maybe between you and Him. 3> Then pray in His will, expecting something to happen. Remember the scripture above says “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think”. I can think of a lot. Prayer is just a conversation between two people. Don’t make it more than that.

When you pray, you should remember that prayers are answered in one of three ways: 1> Yes. 2> No and 3> Not right now. Sometimes it is His will to give you what you ask for when you ask for it. Other times He says no because He knows what is best for us. And sometimes, the answer comes at a later time when He knows it will be better for us. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like there is no one on the other end of the prayer line. Just ask God if there is some sin standing between you and Him, and if so, confess it and walk on. If sin is not the problem, then have faith and know that God is at work and will answer when He is ready, and in the way that is best for us.

Remember: The next time you feel you have unanswered prayers, re-evaluate, it maybe that He answered in a way you didn’t expect and you just missed it.

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. 

Love in CHRIST

Brian Hanvey

Associate Pastor

Bethel Baptist Church

“SEPARATED”

Good morning to everyone. Last week the sun was shinning and the weather was warm and this week it is cold and dreary, but either way, it is the day the Lord has made and we are to rejoice in it. I am thankful to be able to see one more day and that the Lord allowed me to be in His house and around His people.

Our pastor preached on separation today and this has sparked some thought on my part and the topic for our devotion this week. What do you think of when you think about separation? Is it always a bad thing to be separated? Are we to be lonely during a separation? What does God expect of us when He says we are to be separated?

Leviticus 20:26 says, “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” Numbers 16:9 says, “Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;” Romans 1:1 says, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God” John 17:13-20 says, “13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;” 2 Timothy 2:20-21 says, “20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” Hebrews 2:11 says, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

Separated. Does that word scare you? For many it does. Just the mere thought of being alone or by oneself, scares the daylights out of some people. When we read God’s word, we see God instructing His children to be sanctified, separated.

Does God expect us to be all alone? No. God’s word is teaching us to be separated from the world and all that is unholy. We are to congregate in fellowship with other believers in Christ. God doesn’t expect us to hold up in some closet and avoid the world, that would be unrealistic and God knows that.

We should live a life that if we were arrested for being a Christian, there would be enough evidence to completely convict us in a court of law. There should be no doubt about where we stand. This means if you are standing by the water cooler and someone starts to tell an off color joke, you either try to stop them or you walk away. If you are at the copier and someone tries to share a little gossip with you, you tell him or her you don’t want to hear that mess. If you are flipping through the TV channels and you see someone half dressed or worse, you don’t stop and fantasies, you move on. If you are on the Internet and something pops up inappropriate, you X out of it.

How ashamed would you be, if your pastor came to your house and turned on your computer and researched your history? What if he were to look through all your movie collection? What if he looked at your cable and or phone bill and your text messages?

You may say, “What difference can I make?”. Well one man was separated for you and His name was Jesus. All those who followed Him and swore allegiance to Him abandoned him. Even His Father had to turn away for a moment, but He allowed Himself to be separated and sanctified for you and for me. So, one person can make a difference. You may say, “I’m not Jesus”, and that is true, but God used Moses to lead thousands out of Egypt. You may say, “I’m not Moses”, and this is true, but God is using me to share this with you. Just think What God can do through you, if you will allow Him to sanctify you and separate you for a holy purpose

Remember: Separated and sanctified may mean you are set apart from the world, but it means you are closer to the maker of the world.

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other and me, as I continue to pray for each of you.

Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey

Associate Pastor

Bethel Baptist Church

“I’M NOT HURTING ANYBODY”

Good morning. As I write this today, I can sit here and look outside my front door and see beautiful blue skies and the sun shinning so bright. It is giving me this false sense of spring time and warm weather. If I am not careful, I will catch spring fever. But not everyone feels this way. Some, during this time of year, deal with severe depression. On which side of the scales, (happy or sad) do you rest upon?

This weeks topic is one that all of us have said at one time or another, and I’m sure you know someone who either has or does make the same claim. “I’m not hurting anybody”. Have you ever heard someone say, “it’s my life”? Well, what makes it, our life? Did we create ourselves? Do we give ourselves breath? Did we wake up one morning and program our hearts to beat and our lungs to breath, our legs to walk and our arms to move? What about our attitudes, do you think they matter? When others are around you, would they say you were positive to be around or negative? Does it really matter?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 says, “16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” Ephesians 4:29-32 says, “29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” Mark 9:41-42 says, “41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. 42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”

“I’m not hurting anybody”. Some do not care about themselves and have convinced themselves that the way they live and the way they treat others is of no effect. Have you ever walked up to a pond, or a lake, and the surface of the water appear to be perfectly smooth? Have you ever taken a rock and tried to skip it across the water, or just thrown a rock in it? If you have done this, did you notice how the ripples seemed to continue to roll until they reached the water’s edge? You may say, “well I don’t see what relevance pond ripples has to my attitude and my life”. Let me try to express my point like this. Have you ever been in a boat and had a barge or houseboat come by and throw those big waves at your little boat? Those big waves can sometimes sink smaller boats, if they are not navigated properly.

Our lives, and our attitudes have an effect on those around us. Whether we want to admit it or not. We try to tell ourselves and others that this is not true, because we don’t want to feel any guilt, but none the less, it is true. Have you ever had a bag of potatoes that had one bad potato in it, and the next thing you know, it has made all the potatoes around it bad? We can have the same effect on those we come into contact with as well.

Do you know someone who is always down, his or her glass is always half empty? You know the type I’m speaking of. The kind that if you have a cold, they have pneumonia. If you have had a rough week, they have had a terrible week. If you are having a little trouble just making ends meet, they are worse off because they had to go to Shoneys instead of O’Charleys. These types of people tend to bring others down with them.

As a child of Christ, we are not going to have perfect days or a perfect life, but we are going to have someone with us to see us through the hard times. Because of this, it is our duty to show others the positive difference Christ makes in our lives and let some of the happy in us rub off on those around us.

We can be a sour puss and make all those around us sour pusses, and grieve the Holy Spirit, or we can be excited and happy to have Jesus in our lives and know that the trials and valleys we face down here cannot compare to the heaven God has made for us. Which way have you been influencing those around you, and will you continue to influence them the same way from now on?
Remember: The next time you think, or hear someone say, “I’m not hurting anybody”, that you are somebody that may be hurting.

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you.

Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

“A FRIEND”

Good morning. We are at the beginning of another week. Another week to be alive, to get excited to see what God is going to do in us and through us. I pray as you start this week off, you were able to be in church yesterday and received a full tank of the Holy Spirit and put on the whole armor of God’s protection so that you are ready to face whatever may come.

We had our monthly men’s prayer breakfast on Saturday, that along with the movie Courageous on my mind, has inspired this weeks topic. Let me ask you a few questions, and before you answer, I want you to stop and think for just a moment and really give some thought before you answer. What is a true “friend”? How many friends do you have and are they listed in some sort of good, better or best list? Are you a true friend? To how many people are you a true friend? God’s word has something to say that should help us out some on the issue.

John 15:13-18 says, “13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 11:11 says, “These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." James 2:23 says, “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.” James 4:4 says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

So, with the scriptures mentioned, and the questions listed above, what answers have you come up with? What does someone have to do, to be a friend to you? Are you the type that looks to see what they can get out of someone before you are their friend? Are you the type of person that only wants to hear someone agree with you and go along with you in whatever you say so there is no friction? Are you the type of friend that wants a friend to speak to you honestly?

If you were holding a “friend fair”, looking for some new friends, what would the requirements be to become a friend of yours? Would it matter what they wore, where they lived, how much money they made, who they hung out with, how they wore their hair, who their friends were, what color they are, if they belong to the right clubs, if they smoked or not or how they talked? Would they have to go through some kind of probation period to see if it was going to work out before you made up your mind? Would you be swayed by special favors they could or would do for you?

I have ask you all these questions and provoked you to thought to make this point. God created us to be His workmanship, His servants and to have fellowship with us. Then, He went on to go as far as to call us His friends, and then to die for His friends.

Now, I want you to think about the questions above and how you answered them. Then, I want you to think about what you have done for Jesus today, this week, month, year or with your life. Now, knowing what it takes to be a friend of yours, I want to ask you, have you met your own qualifications to be a friend with Jesus? Have you been and done all that a friend should be and do, to qualify yourself as a friend of Jesus? If someone treated you, as you have treated Jesus, would you still be their friend?

Remember: It is a honor and privilege to be called a friend of The Creator of everything. Knowing what you know now, will you work harder at being the friend to God, that you expect others to be, so they can be a friend of yours?

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you.

Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

“ANCHORED FOR LIFE, OR JUST HELD DOWN?”

Let me start off by saying good morning to everyone. I want to thank those of you who pray, call and visit, Donna and I. I also do not want to neglect to give praise to where it belongs for being able to be at church one more Sunday and having the ability to bring one more devotion, and that praise belongs to my Lord and Savior, who sees me through second by second of each day.


What would it take to shake your world? Are you the type that only believes what they can see, hear, touch, feel or smell? Have you ever stopped to think just how grounded in God you were? Do you have the relationship that is "required", and the knowledge and wisdom needed to be fully anchored in and to God, or are you just held down by a few misinterpreted verses and a lot of speculation? Do you really know the difference in these two questions? I am not trying to question the salvation of anyone or treat you like children, but I learned a long time ago not to "think" I know the answers to these questions. I am trying to make sure that you know that you know, the difference, because the difference is as real and as important as where we will spend eternity, heaven or hell.


In the book of Acts we read how Paul began his 2000 mile trip to Rome from Caesarea. To avoid the open seas, the ship followed the coastline. At Myra, Paul was put on a vessel bound for Italy. It arrived with difficulty at Cnidus, then went to Crete, landing at the port of Fair Havens. The next stop was Phoenix, but the ship was blown south around the island of Cauda, then drifted for two weeks until it was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. In chapter 28 of Acts we read how the residents of this island built a fire for the wet survivors of the swim from the shipwrecked boat to the shore. Paul gathered wood for the fire and in doing so, was bit by a deadly snake. Those who saw this "knew" Paul would surely die. When Paul shook off the snake and continued as if nothing had happened, the witnesses again "knew" Paul was a god. But Paul had a relationship with The God of the angel that had appeared to him on the boat before the shipwreck, in chapter 27, that had told Paul, "Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What's more, God in His goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you. So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as He said." Paul was anchored to the God who can. Not held down by the gods who cannot.


Many of us are like the residents of this island. We have seen something amazing, or been told something astonishing, and because so-in-so said it, or did it, it has to be so. We will stand in line at the super market and read the National Enquire and talk for days about what we read and how it has to be true, but we don't want to pick up God's Word and read it, because it is just unbelievable. We have time to read the newspaper from cover to cover, catch the news for the forth or fifth time today, do a crossword puzzle, play a video game and everyone knows we cannot miss an episode of CSI, but we would rather have a root canal than read God's Word, (which is how God primarily speaks to us today) for even 30 minutes a day. We know just enough to be held down by "religion", but are not anchored in the God of life when the real storms come along.


My point is this, if you have not weathered storms in life yet, they are coming. If you are in a storm now, call on God for help. And if all is well for you, I guarantee you know someone in a storm or that has just been through one that could use your brotherly or sisterly love and support to help them through. If all is going well for you, it is the best time for you to do some growing in the faith to prepare you for a storm, yours or someone else's. John 16:33 says, "I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." If you do not have this peace, you should ask yourself if you are anchored in God, or just held down by man's rules, rhetoric and false teaching.


Remember: Knowing the difference of being anchored to THE ROCK, and being held down and back by the rock of sin, is the difference between heaven and hell.


Until next time, please pray for each other and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. 


Love in CHRIST,


Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

"COME HOME"

Good morning everyone. I pray your year is starting off great and that it only gets better as time goes on. Once again, I would like to encourage any of you that desire to, to post comments, thoughts or replies to these, as you feel lead to do so. I welcome your input as to what you feel God is trying to say to you through these. You may also submit prayer request or concerns either publicly through these devotions, or privately through email or personal messages.

This weeks topic was inspired through a visit with a sister in Christ during our fellowship time at church Sunday morning. During our short meeting, she told me she had been out church for some time and had been meaning to come back and thought coming back on the first day of a new year was a good time to start back. I also think of all the soldiers that have come home recently and the ones coming home. Then I think about those who are so filled with pride, that wish they were home, but just cannot make themselves swallow that pride and take the first step. Then I think of those who are in nursing homes and hospitals and wish they could come home, but never will see their earthly homes again. While all of this is rolling around in my mind, I cannot stop thinking about the parable of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:10-20 says, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." 11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ' 20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

 

This story, of the prodigal son, has to be one of the best in the Bible. This parable is one of the best comparisons to our relationship with Christ as I think you will find.

A parable can be defined as a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.

This parable relates to all of us at some point and time in our lives. The picture is of a man who love his sons and wanted to please them. When the one thought he knew what was best for himself and ask for his portion of the wealth, the father, unconditionally gave to his son that for which he ask and allowed his son to leave and go down the path he chose. When things didn’t work out like he thought they would, he spent time in great despair. Then once he swallowed his pride and made the first step in coming back home, his dad, who had been anticipating his return, ran to him, and welcomed him home.

This is the story of how God loves us. We are His children and like the prodigal, we think we know what is best for us and have sought what we think we are due from God. God has given us everything we have and allowed us to go down whatever path we choose. For most of us, we have made many wrong choices and lost so much of what God has blessed us with. Now we sit in need and want. We have this giant lump in our throats that is pride and we cannot seem to swallow it down and just come home. BUT, when we do, all we have to do is take that first step of faith, an act of repentance, and God being the loving Father He is, is waiting, anticipating our return, and when He sees us from a far, coming towards Him, He runs to us and welcomes us home.

Remember: This is not our home. We have to make a choice as to where home will be. Then we have to live like that is where we want to be. SMOKING,,,,OR NON-SMOKING SECTION??? Please, come home.

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

“CONTRITE”

Good morning to one and all. I pray you had a wonderful holiday weekend, that it was a safe one and that you were able to spend time with God and your family. I would like to wish you luck on keeping any and all resolutions you have made for the New Year.


Contrite,,,,,,,,,,,,, without a dictionary, could you give the meaning for this word? I have been looking at different translations of the Bible lately and trying to study this word. At the same time, I’m noticing an almost numb feeling being displayed by those of us that claim to be children of God. That has driven me to this weeks topic.


We read the Bible, if we read it at all, like it is just another book. It doesn't matter if there are words we don't really understand, after all we did God a favor by even picking it up. It doesn't really matter if we don't get the point, we read our 5 verses like we promised. We attend church, if at all, like it is some sort of a PTA meeting. It doesn't matter if our minds were wandering about lunch, the ride home, work later or what the so and so's were wearing, at least we were there. We drive down the road and see beggars on the side of the street and mutter something like, "why don't they just get a job". We drive another block or two and see a group of teenagers and think something like, "look at those gang members". We look around us at the things we have and want to pat ourselves on the back for all the rewards we have due to our hard work. We hear of car accidents and the first thing we want to know is "who's at fault", not if everyone is alright or not. We hear of someone's house burning down or a tornado blowing it down and the first thing that comes to mind for most is, "I'm glad that didn't happen to me".


All of this sounds so depressing, but it is so very real. If you are honest, I would say that each of us have felt some of the ways I mentioned and or said some of the things mentioned above within the last few days. We have become numb to the Word of God. When was the last time you read John 3:16, a passage most of the reading world knows, and cried over the sacrifice God made? We read things like this in the Bible and nothing happens to us. We are not moved. What has happened to us? Have we forgotten how important we are to God? Have we forgotten that the Bible is real, that the stories and accounts recorded really happened? Or is it that we don't believe or care?


You, along with every other person born from Adam, to the future second coming of Christ, are precious to God.


Luke 12: 6-7 says, 6"What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows."


So we know that we are important to God, but do we know that our attitude is important to God as well?


Micah 6:8 says, “No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”


Did you see God's Word says, "requires"? God requires us to do right, love mercy and walk humbly with Him.


Isaiah 57:15 says, "The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: "I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts."


One definition for contrite is "Broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God; humbly and thoroughly penitent.


Psalms 34:18 says, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit."


What does all of this mean? We need to remember how to be humble, broken and caring. We need to remember to live our lives knowing we deserve hell, but because of God's Son's death and resurrection we will get heaven, IF we are His. We need to lose the words, "I've got my pride" from our vocabulary and learn how to say I am sorry, or it was my fault. We need to do right and love mercy. We need to help others whenever and wherever we can. We need to weep for the lost and all the evil going on in this world and do our part to be part of the solution, (sharing the plan of salvation and encouraging brothers and sisters), instead of being part of the problem.


Remember, we are to be a light, in a world filled with darkness. If you are stumbling over others, it may be that they cannot see and you need to turn on the light with a contrite spirit. Read God's Word and seek understanding.
　
Until next time, pray for each other and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in CHRIST,


Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church