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9–When Dark Times Come (Daniel 1-7) The Big Picture–Audio

9–When Dark Times Come (Daniel 1-7) The Big Picture–Video

Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan

Ken Pierpont, Pastor

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Published on August 07, 2022 09:59

9–When Dark Times Come (Daniel 1-7) The Big Picture–Video

Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan

Ken Pierpont, Pastor

August 7, 2022 AM

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Published on August 07, 2022 09:53

Five Things To Do When A Loved One Strays

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ONE BEAT LEFT IN YOUR HEART

Five Practices to Follow When A Loved One Strays from Trust in God.

1—CONFESS any past wrongs and make them right. Keep your relationship very strong. Don’t turn away from them. Don’t react sinfully to their sinful actions. Don’t manifest any anger of any kind.

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1–2, ESV)

2–BE AN EXAMPLE of faithful Christian grace and living. Show them what it looks like.

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17, ESV)

3–PRAY without ceasing for them to think about things the way God wants them to think about things. Pray that God will bring into their path someone they admire that will speak the truth to them.

““But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:17–20, ESV)

4–LOVE them the way the Spirit directs you to love them and never quit not matter how hurt you feel with them or even angry. Be very creative. Love in a variety of ways. Love by listening even when what you hear is hard to take, even when you disagree.

“And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 22–23, ESV)

5—LISTEN. Speak or write words of counsel to them only when you are sure you are being led of the Spirit and they have shown a clear readiness, lest you further alienate them–Do not cast your pearls… you know…

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24–26, ESV)

DO THIS AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ONE BEAT LEFT IN YOUR HEART.

Eight Powerful Reasons to Improve Your Listening Skills

I recently read a biography of Eugene Peterson by Winn Collier. (A Burning In My Bones) Peterson was well-known for his words, especially his written words. He wrote books that will be in print for a long time. He wrote a very popular paraphrase of the Bible. You could say he was famous for his words, but those who knew him best would say that he was a very skilled listener. He was very slow to speak. He was very slow to give advice. He was a listener. He considered listening one of his most important pastoral skills.

Here are eight reasons listening is so powerful:

1—When you listen well you often diffuse anger. Prov. 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath…” Proverbs 29:11 — “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

2—When you listen well you communicate love. Phil. 2:3-5 “…love is patient, kind…”

3—When you listen well you show honor. 1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

4—When you listen well you learn. (Prov. 19:27) “Cease to hear instruction my son and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” (Prov. 2:1-4) You can learn while you are talking but you can’t learn without listening and attending. You just cannot learn without paying careful attention. In conversation, when I really want to learn. I try to ask questions and summarize. I don’t want to interrupt.

5—When you listen well you are equipped to guide, teach, and protect others. (Prov. 18:2) “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.” It can be useful to talk about yourself, but if you really want to teach or guide others, you have to listen to them and talk about them.

6—When you listen well you help and heal. Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.

7—When you listen well you can help others reconcile and resolve conflict. Peacemakers are good listeners. (Matthew 18:15-17) “If he does not listen…” (Phil. 2:4) not just his own interests, but the interests of others.

8—When you listen well you are prepared to share the gospel effectively. Listening gives you insight into a persons soul so you can see the cracks where the gospel goes in.

I always want to learn and grow and progress in faith, character, and virtue. Since I was a child I have been known to be verbal, but I want to be a skilled and loving listener. God helping me.

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Published on August 03, 2022 05:58

Bittersweet Farm Journal | August 1, 2022 | Who Needs You?

[Grand Niece Lottie]

They say it’s good to get outdoors. My doctor told me, “You need to get out and break a sweat every day.”

I said, “O I try to take a walk every day…”

He interrupted me. “You are not in your 80’s. You are in your 60’s. You need serious exercise and you need to lose weight. You don’t need to be on any medications, you need to get out and break a good sweat every day…”

Yipes. I was properly chastised and I got out my bike and rode the trail from Lime Lake to Concord. Soon I was riding the trail every day and increasing my mileage, and yes, breaking a good sweat every day. I’ve been riding over 100 miles a week for the full month of July. I have Lois out riding with me now.

Last night we loaded up our bikes and met Tim and Hope for a ride along the Huron River. It was a beautiful evening that ended with burgers in Dexter as the cool of night came on… But let me tell you what happened earlier…

Kyle

A young man named Kyle visited Bethel a few weeks ago. I greeted him at the door. I said, “Great to have you.”

He said, “This is my first time in church.”

“First time, at Bethel?”

“No,” he said, “This is the first time I have ever been to a church.”

Later in the week we met for coffee. He has been attending Bethel now. He brought a couple friends this week. He texted me to tell me that he has decided to follow Jesus. Imagine my joy.

Another young man named Bryan called the church and we’ve been meeting. We have talked for many hours about life and God and people and the message of the Bible. He’s been attending Bethel every week. He is a bright young man with promise and he listens attentively. Jerry, one of our faithful elders took Bryan to lunch last week and show him kindness and interest.

Mike is a young man who has come to Jesus lately. He attends Bethel faithfully. Jake, who began to follow Jesus through the Bethel Church. He brought Mike to me Sunday morning and said, “Hey, Mike needs to talk to you about some things…” We had a good talk Sunday about how to establish daily habits of prayer, Bible-reading, and witnessing. We talked about baptism. A couple years ago Jake invited Bre who was saved and baptized.

Ty Perry married my niece Elisabeth. (My youngest brother, Nathan’s oldest child). They have two children and they are with a ministry called Friends of Israel. Ty preached at Bethel Sunday morning and his little family walked in the door and captured our hearts.

We had a wonderful fellowship dinner after church with all the stuff–fried chicken, scalloped corn, and a whole huge table of sweet things. The room buzzed with people and the line for food went out the door. I watched the table where the young men sat. They ate heartily like young men do, including a trip to the big table of sweets. I told them that next time they should get to the dessert table immediately just to claim their favorite treats while the selection is still good. Folk from the church took turns sitting at their table and showing them kindness and interest. The young men were among the last to leave. Kyle send me a text yesterday afternoon to tell me he and his friends loved our church and all the friendly people.

Jen, one of our ladies who plays the piano like a house ‘afire, keeps treats in her desk drawer at school so he can listen to whatever is on the heart of kids and kids have a lot on their hearts these days, trying to untie the many knots of life…

Yesterday I went home from Bethel Church with my heart just full. Every time I thought about what happened at Bethel a big smile would light up my deepest soul. Yesterday God was at work at Bethel and I didn’t even preach. We met new friends who need us, young and old. We sang and ate together. We listened and laughed and talked, then we put away the tables and chairs, threw the trash away and cleaned the room, prayed with our loved ones and sent them on their way, then we went home for a long nap…

It was a good day. There are people out there who need us. Some of them are young. Some of them are old. Some of them have never had fried chicken and scalloped corn in a church fellowship hall. Some have never heard a big group of people sing joyful songs about Jesus and things ultimate and wonderful. Some are looking for love. Nobody gets too much love.

If you are a christian and you have not been going to church faithfully, I just want you to know you are missing a great opportunity to gather and worship and thank you One to whom you owe your very life and breath and soul. And you need to know there are people who really need you to take and interest in them and show them the love of Jesus. And would you please tell me where in the world else you can get free fried chicken, scalloped corn and unlimited desserts?

Bittersweet Farm
August 1 2022

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Published on August 01, 2022 03:32

When You Feel Like a Loser

Roger W. Thompson. We Stood Upon the Stars.

One of the books on my summer reading list is by Roger W. Thompson. Roger is not very good at fixing things. He was raised without a dad and only a distant memory of his grandfather who seemed to know how to do everything. He wants to be a good fisherman so he can teach his boys. He wants to be a skilled outdoorsman so he can arrange experiences with his sons. He wants to have a happy and fulfilled wife, but there are so many hours in the day and so much money in his wallet and he is all too aware of how inadequate he is at so many things.

On camping and fishing trips and family vacations his planning if often inadequate and his VW van breaks down and he is afraid his wife and kids can see how incompetent and how insecure his is. Even once in a while, out in the wild looking at a trout river or a mountain scape or a field of stars in the heavens, he gets his bearings and remembers that he is a child of God and the Holy Spirit lives in him and God’s plan is right on schedule and he is a part of it!

Sometimes I am guilty and ashamed.
Sometimes I am clumsy.
Sometimes I am undisciplined.
Sometimes I am selfish.
Sometimes I am not able to fix what needs to be fixed or do what need to be done or figure out what I need to know.
Sometimes things seem out of control.
Sometimes things happen to people I love that break my heart.
Sometimes I fail to plan ahead and end up where I shouldn’t be.

But when I read about the Ancient of Days, the Son of Man, and the Peaceful Kingdom that will never end I don’t feel defeated I feel like a prince with God. I don’t feel so much like a loser. My Bible tells me that I am more than a conquerer a superhero in Christ, even when it looks like I am lined up for the slaughter. I am an overcomer even when I feel defeated.

I was talking to an old pastor once. I said how are you doing? How are things going? He said, “Well it’s been a tough…. but the last inning has not been played yet and the final score is not in yet…”

You may think your life and your work are insignificant. You may feel like a loser… but you have a throne near the Throne and you have the word of life—eternal life–and you are on the winning team! You have an important mission. Praise be unto God. Make me a blessing to someone today!

Amen?

Bittersweet Farm
July 26, 2022