Ken Pierpont's Blog, page 14
January 11, 2023
Bethel Men
Men, Following Jesus,
Helping Other Men Follow Jesus
January 11, 2023
Bethel Men’s Group Resumes Tonight
Bethel Men will meet in the Library tonight from 7-8 p.m.
We have some encouraging plans. Bring your “Sword” as my dad used to say.
November 20, 2022
Bethel Men will meet again on Deember 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the Bethel Library. Join us for a full, free breakfast on Saturday morning, December 2nd in the Bethel Fellowship Hall from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
November 9, 2022
After-meeting notes: Brothers. Tonight we talked about 1 John 1:5-10 and the power of confessing sin. I mentioned what we do when we are confronted with our sin and what we should do. Here are some notes on that. Great to see you all tonight. God is at work.
What Do You Do When You Are Confronted With Your Sin?
1.–When we are confronted with our sin we usually deny it. Hide it cover it.
2.–We tend to excuse it. We rationalize and “reason” out way out of it.
3.–We try to minimize it Call it “really stupid” confess only what is easily forgivable.
4.–We partially confess.We blame others and don’t take responsibility for it. Eve blamed the serpent. Adam blamed his wife.
5.–We feel remorse for it but don’t forsake it and hate it. (Why did God forgive David but not Esau?) (Hebrews 12:17; 2 Cor. 7:10) Grief over consequences vs. grief over broken relationship) (Psalm 51 “against thee and thee only have I sinned and done evil in Thy sight”Admit it but continue in it. Delay…
6.–What is the right response when we are confronted with the reality of our own sin? REPENT. It was the first command of Jesus. It was the first message of John the Baptist. It is the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven. There are models of penitent prayers in the Psalms. (Psa. 6; Psa. 25; Psa. 32; Psa. 38; Psa. 51; Psa. 102; Psa. 130; Psa. 143) “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whosoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13) But what do you do when the burden of guilt is too great to bear? When you have a revelation of your own depravity?
November 9, 2022
Greetings men. Bethel Men will meet this evening and every Wednesday evening in the Bethel Library (the room just to the right of the main stairs as you enter the east doors). We meet from 7 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We will take a break on Thanksgiving week (We will not meet Wednesday, November 23). We will not meet December 21 or 28 but we will continue beginning January 4, 2023.
Bring your Bible and a friend this evening.
November 1, 2022
Good brothers of Bethel and others. This morning I shared some material I called a “Holiness Hack.” Here I the notes I handed out and promised to include here.
The Principle of Imitation:
You will tend to become like
whoever you train yourself to admire
Who do you want to be like?
He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
Proverbs 13:20
Ultimately we want to be like Jesus, but we are “wired” to imitate others we can physically see. God intends for us to find others with admirable qualities of holiness and be like them.“He who walks with wise men will be wise…”
Galatians 4:19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me .Philippians 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example , and note those who so walk , as you have us for a pattern. Philippians 4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me , these do, and the God of peace will be with you.1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,2 Thessalonians 3:9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.1 Timothy 1:16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you , whose faith follow , considering the outcome of their conduct.1 Peter 5:3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; Acts 20:28-38 This is why older, godly Christians are so important in a Christian fellowship.Here is how the process works:
1. the behavior is modeled
2. the behavior is admired and imitated
3. I accept by faith that the behavior is God’s will
4. I trust the prompting/enabling power of the Holy Spirit
5. I repeat the behavior (Romans 6:18ff)
6. I continue over a prolonged period of time
7. I am among others who support the behavior
8. Over a period of time it becomes the behavior I deeply desire. (affections)
“…A companion of fools will be destroyed.”
Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully , For the way of the wicked leads them astray.Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “ Evil company corrupts good habits .”You don’t need many friends.
What kind of friends do you need?
1. You need friends who fear God and obey Him.
Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.
2. You need friends who refresh you in the things of the Lord. 2 Timothy 1:16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
3. You need friends who will stimulate you to love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…
Bethel Men
Men, Following Jesus,
Helping Others Follow Jesus.
October 26, 2022
This evening we talked and studied the scriptures about what it means to walk in the Spirit
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:18–25, ESV)
“Walking in the Spirit is continually obeying
–the impulses of the Spirit in
–the power of the Spirit which produces
–the fruit of the Spirit.”
When a man discovers his life filled with the works of the flesh, he should examine his heart and ask himself, “When did I ignore or disobey in impulse of the Spirit, a teaching of scripture, or the example of Jesus, which led to this?” He should then return to the area he left the path of obedience and obey in the power of the Spirit until it produces the fruit of the Spirit.
Walking and Treadmills
Photo by Leo CumingsI’ve been walking every day this winter. People who love me want me to buy a treadmill. Not a chance. I’m not going to do it. They want me to stay off the road. They are afraid I will get hit by a car and die. I’m afraid if I walk on a treadmill I will wish I was dead or perish of boredom.
I really don’t want a treadmill because I don’t walk for punishment, but for refreshment. Nothing about walking on the treadmill seems refreshing to me. You can’t hear the birdsongs on a treadmill. You can’t watch the sunrise in the basement. You can’t feel the chill of the wind in your face. The earth doesn’t rise and fall under your feet. It never spits rain or snow. On a treadmill in the basement you will not smell the freshness of rain or the coming of spring or the fragrance of burning wood. How sad would it be to live in a world without the fragrance of burning wood. You never pass a neighbor with a friendly greeting or another human out walking their dog.
I would much rather have a little hardship or adjustment or challenge than unbroken boredom. So I’ll put on my reflective vest and get my little flashlight and bundle up and see if I can get down to the corner where the only traffic is deer and wild turkeys and if I get hit by a car on the way there or back, at least you know I didn’t die of boredom.
P.S. For those of you who love me and want me to be safe, thank you. I love you too. For those of you who love treadmills, bless you. That is a matter of Christian freedom. 
Bittersweet Farm
January 9, 2023
A Sign of the End Times? | Bittersweet Farm Journal | January 11, 2023
[image error]
Signs of the Times?
When the children were small we lived in an old farmhouse on a dead-end road. To get home I would pass where you could see the house in a clearing from highway 36 and then double back on the dead-end road where the house was located. When I came home I would pass the clearing and beep my horn. The kids would usually be playing in the yard knowing I would be home soon. They would run or ride their bikes down the road to meet me. They are all grown up now and live in other places in Michigan or in other states. I don’t get to see them at the end of every day but I cherish the memory of their eagerness and unfiltered love.
I got to thinking about that this morning because recently a video has been going around on the internet with about the end times, the return of Christ, and the drying up of the Euphrates River. It got me thinking about the return of Christ. How much and how often do I look forward to the return of Christ? How eager am I to see him? Do I love to think about the Lord’s return? Do I love to talk about the Lord’s return? Are the many scriptures about the Lord’s return precious to me?
Paul wrote; “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8, ESV)
Christians should avoid discrediting their witness with end-times sensationalism or inappropriate speculation about end-time signs, but we should cultivate a deep love for Christ and his appearing. We all must always battle the temptation to fixate on things that won’t last and don’t matter over the things that will last forever and matter to God.
In a couple places the Scriptures predict the drying up of the Euphrates River. Recently this has been coming up in discussion because the water level in the Euphrates River is low right now. We should pay careful attention to these things and they should make us study the word carefully. We should avoid speculation and sensationalism, but we should also be careful not to be apathetic or indifferent about the return of Jesus.
It has been said that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament and that this teaching occupies one in every twenty-five verses from Matthew to Revelation
About the drying up of the Euphrates, I found a helpful article about this from a reliable, thoughtful source that answers Bible questions. Here is a link. I highly recommend it. It’s a quick read.
Bittersweet Farm
January 11, 2023
January 3, 2023
When You Are Tired of Trying (Ecc. 11:1-6) Video
When You Are Tired of Trying (Ecc. 11:1-6)
Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan
Pastor Ken Pierpont
January 1, 2023 AM
January 2, 2023
Who Will You Influence This Year? | January 3, 2023 | Bittersweet Farm Journal
In the film “It’s A Wonderful Life,” George Bailey felt like a failure and he determined to jump off a bridge so his family would have his life insurance benefits. God sends an angel who comes up with a plan. He shows George Bailey what it would have been like if he had never lived. He sees that his life touched many other lives… and when he does he desperately wants to live again… It’s powerful stuff. Only God knows how many people we influence in our lives.
Whose Life Will You Touch?
If you are a believer, a Jesus-follower you have the Holy Spirit living in you and you have been given a mission by Jesus to go and make disciples. At our church was say, “Follow Jesus and Help Others Follow Jesus.” You have an opportunity to touch so many other lives, to influence them spiritually… to lead them in the way of eternal life.
In order to help the people of our church to have a lasting spiritual influenence, I introduced a plan. It has four simple parts. Anyone can do it. It’s best to form a team and work to influence others for Christ as a team.
Here is a powerful plan to have a spiritual influence.
Pray. Pray for people who are far from God. Pray for what they want you to pray for. Pray for wisdom about what you can do to love them.
Love. The smallest act of love can be a powerful thing. Love them in a meaningful way.
Invite. Invite then to a Christian concert or even or church service or church function or Bible study. Invite the to breakfast or lunch or to your home. Invite them to take a walk or workout with you or attend a sports event.
Gospel Conversation. Engage them in gospel conversation. Ask them questions. Learn their story. Explore what they believe. Listen with your heart. Ask follow-up questions. Show genuine interest.
Every Saturday morning the Bethel elders meet to pray. Once a month we do business. Once a month we eat breakfast and pray with the men of Bethel. One of the things we do is share stories of our attempts at spiritual influence. Our goal is to follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus.
Who will you influence this year?
Bittersweet Farm
January 2, 2023
January 1, 2023
When You Are Tired of Trying (Ecc. 11:1-6
When You Are Tired of Trying (Ecc. 11:1-6)
Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan
January 1, 2023 AM
Ken Pierpont, Lead Pastor
December 26, 2022
Christmas in the Shadowlands | Bittersweet Farm Journal | December 25, 2022
Christmas Night 2022
Hope’s husband,Tim is a nurse. He worked today. Hope came to the Candlelight service last night and returned for the Christmas service today then she spent Christmas Day with us on Bittersweet Farm. The services were so beautiful. The Bethel people braved the cold and snow and wind and we had brass and bells and singers and organ and candles and all the Christmas things we love so much this time of year. After church we feasted well. Lois made a roast. A few minutes ago Hope drove away into the snowy night with Hazard and now the house is quiet again.
Tonight I want to share a true story I told as a part of my Christmas Eve service at Bethel last night. The message emphasised the longing for more that Christmas stirs up. I called it “Christmas in the Shadowlands.” I have added a link of the service at the end…
Last week I had a visitor in my study who told me a memorable story. He lived with his family in a summer cottage between two lakes that had been turned into rental home. He’s 70 now but he still has a very powerful memory of a sad Christmas when he was just seven years old.
His dad had too much to drink. Things got out of control. His dad mistreated his mother. He pulled a knife. Family members were called. Loud arguments began. He got his younger brothers and his younger sister away from the shouting. They hid away in a closet. Things got worse. The police were called. It took a while for them to get there. By the time they did his dad had settled some but the boy was still in hiding with his siblings. The police arrived and they told him he was going to have to spend the night in jail. He begged them to let him stay. He promised not to do anything violent. He told them, “It’s Christmas. Please don’t take me to jail.”
They said they had no choice. He was going to jail. The little boy could hear his father pleading in the next room. “If I have to go to jail tonight can I at least watch my children open their presents?”
The officers were merciful. “Alright, they said, get them out here.”
The children were afraid to come out of hiding. The little girl never did that night but the boy now 70 years old told me that he remembered, “We were all opening our Christmas gifts but we were weeping…” It was a sad, lingering Christmas memory. 63 years ago, but still the pain of the memory is vivid.
They were invited to a church and attended but they did not feel welcome so they never returned. A worker invited them to another church. They tried it. At that church they received a warm welcome and more than come to understand who Jesus is. For all their lives they had heard about Jesus. They knew about Jesus, but at that warm and welcoming, friendly church they came to know Jesus personally and they moved from Cultural Christianity to Personal Christianity. They celebrated their last, sad cultural Christmas and from then on they would celebrate the birthday of Jesus who they had come to know. He had forgiven them. He had transformed them.
The oldest boy drifted from following the Lord and exposed other truth claims but he found them false and empty. One day he met a woman who could not see, but had keep spiritual insight. He went with her to church. The old songs stirred up something deep within and soon he was back on the Jesus way.
Today he no longer celebrates a cultural Christmas. He is a fully-devoted follower of Jesus. In fact tonight he and that young lady who could not see but had keep spiritual insight. Well they are married and they sang for us tonight.
While you pass the light from the Christ candle to your neighbor may you know and never doubt that Jesus is the light of the world, our savior from sin, the one who will return to earth a King is his heavenly glory and bring goodwill to men, peace on earth and JOY to the World, forever.
For the final time this year
Merry Christmas from Bittersweet Farm
Christmas Day 2022
December 21, 2022
The Gospel According to Ruth (Ruth 4) Video
Series: Ruth, An Advent Drama
Sermon: The Gospel According to Ruth (Ruth 4)
Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan
December 17, 2022 AM
December 11, 2022
Trust God With the Details, Delays, and Complications. (Ruth 3) Video
Trust God With the Details, Delays, and Complication. (Ruth 3:1-18)
Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan
December 11, 2022 AM
Lead Pastor, Ken Pierpont
December 6, 2022
Put Yourself in the Place of Blessing (Ruth 2)Video
Put Yourself in the Place of Blessing (Ruth 2:1-23)
Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan
Ken Pierpont | Lead Pastor
December 4, 2022 AM
