Bethesda Shalom

1 Kings 18:21 The title of this morning's sermon is a very searching one; one that demands an honest and forthright answer.  It calls aloud to the lukewarm fence-sitter to get off the fence; it beckons the double-minded to depart from his unstable ways and to make a solid stand for Christ.  It pleads with those living in the murky shadows of the twilight dawn to step out into the morning light.  It forces one's hand if you like to make a decision — for me, or against me?  In or out? — HOW LONG HALT YE!!  If ever such a cry needed to be heard in the hour in which we live, it would be this cry.  If ever men were to be awakened out of their slumber so as to be brought to their senses, I can think of no better question that should be put to them than that which Elijah confronted the nation with in his day — HOW LONG HALT YE? 

Luke 18:1-8 Sometimes there's a delay in the place of answered prayer. This sermon explores some of the reasons why this may be the case. While waiting on God, we must never lose sight of His omnipotence. We ought always to intermingle with our prayers the faith of expectation!     

Acts 11:26 This sermon is an urgent call to discipleship.  May God both challenge you and encourage you to go on with Jesus, NO TURNING BACK!

Brother Ryan preaches the Word of God passionately, touching on the social and moral issues of the day with great poignancy. May the Lord minister to you through this sermon. For more sermons from Ryan, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@lastdayspulpitministry8796  

1 Corinthians 15:9-13 What kind of father fails ever to discipline his son? What kind of mother lets her children grow wild without ever pruning them? The world calls this love, but the Word of God says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes” (Prov. 13:24).   In this fourteenth and last teaching part in the Church series, we turn our attention to the topic of Church discipline.  When the Church gives the green light to professing believers living in willful sin, it fails to convey the correct message from God. God is not okay with His people sinning, and His Church need to communicate the same for the purity of the Body and the restoration of the sinner.     

Acts 20:28 Mention the word leadership today, and you're bound to be met with a mixture of varied responses ranging from the largely pessimistic to the nominally optimistic! Stick the word “Church” in front of “leadership” and any trace of optimism there was speedily vanishes away!!  Try as one may to dress things up and paint a positive picture, when many hear the words “Church leadership”, they are left with a bitter taste in their mouth!  I wish I could say that such ill feelings are misguided and misjudged, but I can't.  It is with good reason that Church Leadership over the last few decades has received such a bad rap.  In this 13th sermon part, we turn our attention to see what God has to say in His Word about Church leadership.  It's time to bring the standard back into leadership.  

Ephesians 4:11 There is a plague today that is infesting the Western Evangelical Church and greatly harming the Ekklesia.  It's this notion of individualism — that I can be a dismembered member of Christ's Body and still somehow function in ministry.  You'll search the pages of the New Testament in vain to find such a pattern!  In every place you see ministry, you will see members connected to the Body!!   The gifts are given to the BODY — a local assembly of committed individuals/believers.  Different gifts are given to different members within that local assembly for the profit of the whole BODY.  This whole idea that one can be dismembered from a local assembly and yet be serving in “ministry” is a farce, and nowhere is this travesty more seen than in the field of evangelism!! 

John 4:28 May the Lord bless you through His servant Jason.  There is something for everyone in this timely sermon.

1 Corinthians 12:31 The Church of Jesus Christ is first and foremost a spiritual body of believers who have had a supernatural encounter with the Living God, and through the new birth have been grafted into Christ's spiritual body.  Jesus Christ is the spiritual head, and from Him flows down to each member, every spiritual blessing and spiritual gift needed for the sound nourishment and spiritual growth of the entire body.  These spiritual gifts are not mere niceties that make for a cosy addition; instead, they are crucial components required for the spiritual building of Christ's Church.  In this eleventh teaching part, we examine the proper attitude that is required to excel in these gifts for the blessing of the Body.

Acts 20:33-35 Does God bless His people financially?  ABSOLUTELY!!  But the immediate question that must arise following this answer is What for?  Why does God bless His people financially?  So that we might be a giving people!!  This attitude ought to be at the heart of our giving in the Church. 

Ephesians 5:19-21 So much of what is deemed as corporate worship today is so bereft of any substance!  Could it be that we lack so much zeal and passion in our worship because our theology is so meagre?  In other words, our view of God is so pathetically small?  Why worship God?  BECAUSE HE IS WORTHY!!!  Is that not a good place to start?  May God minister to you through this ninth sermon part in a series looking at the Church.

This sermon was preached at the West Midlands Messianic Testimony Rally 2025.  A look at the godly King Jehoshaphat with lessons applied.  https://www.messianictestimony.com/      

Acts 2:42 If one takes a cursory look through the first few chapters of the Book of Acts, one will see that prayer permeates its pages.  The Church of Jesus Christ was birthed in prayer and sustained in prayer!!  She was at her most radiant when she was found on bended knee.  She was never more clothed in grace than when she talked with her God!!!  That first Church of Pentecost Jerusalem knew something of the power of prayer that the Church today knows nothing of!!  This sermon is a call for the Church of Jesus Christ to return to the place of prayer and supplication. 

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Dr Egerton shares from his heart on the prayer of Jabez.  

Acts 2:42 As well as the Lord's Supper being a place of tremendous remembrance, it is also a place of immense self-examination.  In this teaching part, we rediscover the importance of the Lord's Supper and refute in part the false doctrine of transubstantiation. 

Hebrews 10:23-25 So many of the New Testament exhortations calling the child of God to humility and love, forbearance and kindness, forgiveness and patience can only be carried out if one is found in fellowship as part of a local assembly. God has designed the Church and placed you as a member to perfect you in sanctification. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron, and friction, when brought to the cross, begets holiness! 

Acts 2:42 The mindset of so many when coming to the house of God is WHAT AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF IT, when instead the mindset ought to be, WHAT ARE OTHERS GOING TO GET OUT OF ME!!  That's a different proposition altogether, and these sentiments lie at the root of true Christian fellowship!!  The Greek word for “fellowship” is the Word KOINONIA.  Being translated, it means a common sharing together/communion.  Koinonia is not one-way traffic; it involves mutual participation between two or more parties.  One can think of Koinonia as a bring and share!!  I'll bring the sandwiches and you bring the salad, I'll bring the rice and you bring the meat; I'll bring the drinks and you bring the cups!!  When we gather as the Body of Christ, it ought to resemble a picnic, and I don't just mean food.  I mean a sharing of one's life!!  Let us then see what Koinonia looked like in the first Church. 

Acts 2:42 Mention the word doctrine today in the vast majority of congregations up and down the length of this nation, and you will be met with suspicion on the one hand and scorn on the other. From my observations, the appetite of so many within the professing Church towards doctrine is like that of children towards sprouts!  Mom and Dad know that they're good for their little darlings, but their little darlings have no stomach for them!  Give us baked beans, fries, tomato ketchup and pizza, anything so long as it is not green!!  The Apostle Paul warned some 2000 years ago that this would become the heart's attitude of God's people towards sound doctrine. In this fourth sermon part, we examine the place of doctrine in the Church. 

Ephesians 4:1-6 Having laid the foundation for the unity of the Church in the previous sermon, we focus in this sermon on the functional unity of the Body.  Why so much division in the Body of Christ?  Why so much discord?  At the heart of the problem lies the root sin of pride.     

Part 10 In concluding this series on the Seventh-day Adventist Church, examination is given to some of the common heresies shared among the sister cults that emerged from the broader Adventist movement in the mid-nineteenth century, arising from the failed predictions of William Miller, including Jehovah's Witnesses and Christadelphians.  In this teaching, these common doctrinal heresies shall be explored and briefly refuted.   To wrap up this series, consideration shall be given to the different positions within Adventism, namely the traditionalists vs. the progressives.  Which side of the fence does the Adventist Church fall on today, and in the final analysis, is Seventh-day Adventism a cult? Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/10_Common_Cult_Heresies.pdf  

John 10:16 In this second part of the series, we explore the riches of the mystery of the Church of Jesus Christ.  That Gentiles should come to the knowledge of the Saviour was foretold by the Prophets of old.  But how it would be possible for Jew and Gentile to be united in one body in Messiah was a mystery hidden from ages past, but has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.  Come with us as we explore this fascinating mystery!

Part 9 It has been well said that the only distinctive doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment.  This doctrine lies at the heart of Adventism and is woven into the fabric of how the Adventist Church views atonement.  In short, the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment teaches that in 1844, Jesus Christ began a work of judgment, examining the records of all professing believers to determine their worthiness to obtain heaven.  When one asks what is the standard by which they shall be judged, the answer is returned, the law of God!  According to Ellen G. White:  “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.”   The doctrine of the Investigative Judgment is a damnable doctrine as it not only adds law to grace and works to faith, but it denies the finished work of the cross since it maintains that from 1844, Christ entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment, which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin (SDA Fundamental Belief 24). How can there be a final phase of atonement when Calvary WAS the final atonement?  We shall explore this at length in this teaching, along with the infamous Sanctuary doctrine. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/9_The_Investigative_Judgment.pdf  

Hebrews 10:24-25 We are living at a time in history where anything that is of long-standing tradition is being called into question.  Renewed calls go forth on every hand, calling for change.  Out with the old and in with the new is the resounding cry of this post-modernist generation.  Whether it's marriage, the family home, politics or education, that which once served our forefathers for eons is being re-examined in light of new-fangled philosophies offered by the so-called experts of our day.  Sadly, as one looks to the Church, it follows suit, having an insatiable itch for that which is new.  In an age where Church attendance in the West is in decline, and atheism, secularism, and New Age spirituality are on the rise, we are told that unless the Church becomes relevant to this youth-driven generation, then it will disappear from society and die from old age.   In this first part of a series examining the Church (Ekklesia), we seek to answer the question, “What” or “Who” is the Church of Jesus Christ?    

Part 8 When asking a well-versed Christian, “Is there anything forbidden for a Christian to eat?” they will immediately answer with a resounding “no,” then follow up with a few qualifying comments, turning to key passages in the New Testament, such as Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 and 10.  When the same question is asked to a Seventh-day Adventist, they will respond with a resounding “yes” before turning to key passages in the Old Testament, such as Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.  Who is right?  Both appeal to the Bible, yet only one can do so using the Bible as the sole authority for determining the truth.  Adventists are in a very precarious position since whether they admit it or not, in one hand they hold the Old Testament and in the other, the writings of Ellen G. White.  When asked what their source of authority is for determining all matters of faith and doctrine, they will respond by saying the Bible and God's infallible interpreter, the Spirit of Prophecy.   The purpose of this teaching is to examine what Seventh-day Adventists teach concerning diet and to see if it aligns with what the New Testament teaches.

Hebrews 12:1-2   Have you ever heard of an athlete on the field with a sack of potatoes bound to his back?  Why would an athlete be so foolish to do a thing like that?  It's unheard of, and yet, as I look around the stadium of Christendom, some believers are doing this very thing, and they wonder why they're out of spiritual breath a few laps into the race!  Brothers and Sisters, could it be that they're carrying too much weight?  This sermon is an exhortation to lay aside every weight and to run the race set before us!!

John 2:1-11 Some say that being a Christian is complicated.  However, it is we who complicate matters.  Mary the mother of Jesus summed up the secret of following the Lord when in her last recorded words she said, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it" (Jn. 2:5)  

Part 7 As one combs the pages of the New Testament Epistles, one will find that nine of the ten commandments written on tablets of stone are also explicitly prohibited by the New Testament writers except for one, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8).   Ironically, the only commandment of the ten, not brought across into the new, is the commandment which Seventh-day Adventists major on the most. To understand why the Seventh-day Adventist Church places such emphasis on the seventh day, one has to first understand the emphasis placed upon this day by its prophet, Ellen G. White.  In this teaching, we shall take an in-depth look at what Mrs White and the Adventist Church teach regarding the continuing biding nature of the Sabbath and ask ourselves whether it is the same as what the Bible teaches. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/7_Should_Christians__Keep_the_Sabbath.pdf  

Mark 11:1-9 Brother Stephen from the Lifeboat Fellowship bears the burden of the Lord with a message of challenge, conviction and hope!  Whom the Lord sets free is free indeed!!

Part 6 According to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, love for Jesus Christ is manifested by one's obedience to the Ten Commandments; without obedience to these commandments, no man shall enter the kingdom of heaven. The goal of this teaching is to establish what commandments Jesus had in mind when He said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love” (Jn. 15:10). In addition to answering this question, consideration shall be given to arguments raised by Seventh-day Adventists to support their claim for the continuing binding nature of the Ten Commandments.  Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/6_Answering_Adventist_Arguments_for_Law.pdf  

Hebrews 4:14-16 So much of contemporary Christianity is built on hype, but the problem with hype is that it gets you nowhere because hype has no foundation.  God has given us three-quarters of a million words of solid text upon which to base our confidence so that our faith is not found flapping in the wind.  In this sermon, we consider Jesus as our High Priest and the promise that is given us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find help in times of need.

Exodus 15:11 If ever there was an aspect of God's character that desperately needs to be rediscovered among the ranks of Evangelicalism in our day, it is the holiness of God!! We've lost the fear of God in the house of God because we've no comprehension of the holiness of God!  We've grown accustomed to the familiar because we've lost the sense of reverence and awe in the handling of the things of God.   Can I remind you that the God with whom we have to do is HOLY?  He does not fall into the category of the common — He CAN'T!  He's totally and utterly removed from every created thing in the universe, including the universe itself, because He's altogether of a different KIND!!  Humans belong to the humans kind and animals, the animal kind; there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars — there is the glory of the angelic host, and then there is the glory of God!!!  Tell me, what other “kind” can we place in the category of God?  HE EXISTS IN A CATEGORY ALL OF HIS OWN!!!  “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Ex. 15:11). 

Part 4 The question that has plagued the Church of Jesus Christ for the duration of its 2000-year history is the question that shall be answered in this teaching.  The oldest heresy in Christianity was not the denial of the deity of Christ. The oldest heresy can be traced to the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Acts, to a sect of men who came down from Judea to the Gentile congregations of Antioch and the surrounding regions, who began teaching the Christians that Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved (Acts 15:1).  Thank God that this question was not left open for proceeding generations to play guess-work.  The answer to the question; Is the Law of Moses binding upon Christians?, was answered conclusively 2000 years ago in the first council of Jerusalem, and its conclusions have been set out in that 15th chapter of Acts.  One would think that this evidence would be enough to turn any law-seeking believer away from such pursuit and to guide them back to safety.  The fact remains, some 2000 years on, the question: Is the Law of Moses binding upon Christians?  For some, it is a resounding yes!  Leading the way in this is the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which for more than 160 years has promoted the continuing binding nature of the Law upon all.      Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/4_Is_the_Law_Binding_Upon_Christians.pdf

Psalm 23 There are times when God calls His people to pass through the valley.  Passing through the valley of the shadow of death is never easy but can I say with absolute conviction, that Jesus hasn't left you to walk alone!!  The final words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew are these: “… and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Mt. 28:20).  It's one thing knowing this with the head, but it's another thing intermingling this truth with faith!!  Many people have a head full of knowledge but a heart void of experience!  This sermon is a challenge to the Body of Christ for vital reality in the realm of faith and to experience the fullness of the grace of God.

Part 3 Ellen G. White had over 2000 visions during her lifetime and the content of those visions resulted in over 100,000 pages of writings which the Seventh-day Adventist Church consider to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and a continuing and authoritative source of truth. Ellen White claimed that her visions and writings were not simply expressions of her ideas, but originated from God. What do you call a prophet who prophesies things that don't come to pass?  What do you call someone who steals from others' works while trying to pass them off as writings inspired by God?  In this teaching, further investigation is given to Mrs White's prophecies and writings to determine whether or not she was a prophet called by God.    Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/3_Was_Ellen_G_White_a_Prophet.pdf  

Part 2 The Seventh-day Adventist Church arose out of the Great Millerite Disappointment of 1844.  The nineteenth century saw a literal explosion in the number of cults and religious groups springing up in the United States. Early on in Adventist history, Ellen G. White stamped her mark as a prophet, claiming to receive visions from God which guided and shaped the movement. Without Ellen G. White, there is no Seventh-day Adventism.  In this teaching we take a look at the early beginnings of Seventh-day Adventism and in particular, the nature of Mrs White's visions and the substance of her writings.  What does make of someone who teaches others one thing regarding the eating of meat, while at the same time eating meat herself?  I shall allow the evidence to speak for itself. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/2_Ellen_G_White_and_Adventist_History.pdf  

Philippians 2:19-24 This sermon is an urgent call to Christian love!   The clip following the sermon is from a message called "Something is wrong" by itinerate preacher Richard Owen Roberts of International Awakening Ministries.

Part 1 In 2023, the Seventh-day Adventist Church saw more additions to its membership than any year since its founding in 1863.  In 1961 the Seventh-day Adventist Church had a global membership of about a million.  Today they have a membership of more than 22.7 million, meeting in more than 100,000 Churches, spanning some 215 countries worldwide.  Without question, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the fastest-growing organisations in the world vastly outnumbering the global membership of Jehovah's Witnesses. When one goes to the official website of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to look at their statement of ‘Fundamental Beliefs'; upon first glance, one finds nothing of real concern.  They believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, substitutionary atonement and salvation by faith as a gift of God's grace.  However, Seventh-day Adventists are adept at saying one thing out of one side of their mouth while taking it back out of the other.  In continuing to explore what else is included in their Fundamental Beliefs, emerging cracks begin to appear, which when further investigated reveal a rupture in the foundations!  In this introductory teaching, we shall discover what Seventh-day Adventists believe and why they are classified as a cult. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/1_An_Introduction_to_Seventh_day_Adventism.pdf  

1 Peter 1:13-16 J. C. Ryle was the 1st Anglican Bishop of Liverpool.  In his classic book titled, “Holiness”, he wrote the words.  “He who supposes that Jesus Christ only lived and died and rose again in order to provide justification and forgiveness of sins for His people, has yet much to learn. Whether he knows it or not, he is dishonouring our blessed Lord, and making Him only a half Saviour. The Lord Jesus has undertaken everything that His people's souls require; not only to deliver them from the guilt of their sins by His atoning death, but from the dominion of their sins, by placing in their hearts the Holy Spirit; not only to justify them, but also to sanctify them”.  In this second and final sermon part, we examine the command to holiness and the means to holiness.  As we move from the classroom of theory onto the field of experience, may the Lord bless you!

Exodus 39:30-31   Whenever the topic of holiness is brought up in the company of Christians, it is guaranteed to provoke one of two responses, either uneasiness or delight!  Now granted, those feelings of uneasiness may be down to the fact that a professing believer is not living as they ought; maybe they are living in secret sin and know that by preaching such a topic as holiness, they will be disturbed.  Then, there are those who love Jesus dearly, but have been scarred by those who preached to them a form of holiness “so-called” which was nothing more than evangelical legalism!  As we approach this sacred subject, rather than jump straight into the practical, I want to begin with the concept!  So many err in their understanding of holiness because they fail to comprehend what holiness even is. Let us then first understand what holiness is. 

Luke 15:1-2 If one was to stop you and to ask, “What is God like?”, I wonder what answer you'd give?  What attribute would come first to mind?  Would it be God's holiness or omnipotence?  His omniscience or His omnipresence?  You ask me, “What is God like?”. What attribute comes first to mind when thinking about His person?  I return my answer at once; GOD IS LOVE!   Without question, this is His crowning attribute without which we would all be damned forever. In this sermon, we look at the heart of God our heavenly Father.  May the Lord bless and encourage you.

Romans 8:14 There's one feature of the Holy Spirit's leading that I've learned from experience, one that is widely attested to in the Sacred record, and that is the spontaneity of His leading!!! When the Holy Spirit speaks to His people and desires to lead them, it will always require faith to respond!!   In the moment of suddenness, we are given a window of time to obey.  #1. We must recognise the voice of the Holy Spirit, #2. We must be willing to sacrifice, #3. We must step out in faith!! 

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 It is the earnest desire, to lay before you the certain and definite hope of the Christian. Assurances like this cannot be found in this world due to its transient state of temporariness. Search high and low, with diligence and scrutiny, but O man, your search will be in vain. When Adam fell through willful disobedience, mankind was plunged into sin and death. God in His infinite love and mercy has sought to reverse this curse in redeeming a people back unto Himself through His beloved Son. In this sermon, we set forth the first and second installment of this most glorious work and consider what will be when Our Blessed Saviour appears in glory to change these vile bodies so as to be fashioned like unto His!

1 Kings 17:1-6 It's not until you step out of a situation, that looking back, you're able to see it really for it was! When you're in a smoke-filled room, it's hard to see the smoke, but exit the room and peer back in through the glass and you'll be astonished at how you ever could have been in such an environment and not have. As I look around and survey the spiritual landscape of the nation, I have to conclude that we are living in the midst of a spiritual famine that few are even aware we're in. Churches are closing by the week of and the British landscape is changing. Brethren, it is my conviction that unless God in His mercy sends another revival —an awakening, the likes of which this nation has not witnessed since the days of Wesley, the flickering light of present-day Christianity may soon be extinguished from these British Isles. Now I acknowledge that God will always have a remnant—7000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal, but Brother/Sister, where is the grief over the fact that the city once set on a hill has been removed, and the candle which once stood on a candlestick has been placed under a bushel! This sermon is a heart-cry, for another heaven-sent revival and a warning to those who have been placed in sound fellowships at this present time of famine, to not forsake where God has placed them, but to be grateful for the bread He has provided.

Psalm 32:1-5 If we are to move forward in our walk with Jesus in the year ahead, we must learn to deal honestly with God as His Spirit comes in searching power to discover the true nature of our hearts. William Gurnall that old Puritan put it well when he said, “Sincerity is that property to which pardoning mercy is annexed.  True, indeed, it is that Christ covers all our sins and failings; but it is only the sincere soul over which he will cast his skirt”. C.H. Spurgeon said, “The lesson from the whole is this: be honest. Sinner, may God make you honest. Do not deceive yourself. Make a clean breast of it before God. Have an honest religion, or have none at all. Have a religion of the heart, or else have none. Put aside the mere vestment and garment of piety, and let your soul be right within. Be honest”.  This sermon calls for a frank and full confession so that we might receive full forgiveness! 

Proverbs 22:3 It's one thing for an unsaved man to be a fool, but for a Christian to be counted as a fool?  It's a great shame and a reproach and ought never to be!  He has the internal light of the Holy Spirit and the external light of the Word!  This sermon is an exhortation to the acquisition of wisdom. “O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart” (Prov. 8:5). 

Judges 8:29-35 If there's one thing to take away from history, it's that good things never last!!  If this is true of history in general, it is certainly true of revival history.  Where the blessing of God has been poured out upon a people in special seasons of refreshing, it seems only ever to be short-lived before alas the tide of evil comes back in and the people return to bathe again in the insidious waters of iniquity.  While the man of God was alive, the people served the LORD, but when Gideon was taken out of the way, the “...children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god” (vs. 33).  They went from revival to ruin in a single generation!  They went back to the pool of vomit from which God delivered them.  My dear people, I wish I could say that this was an isolated phenomenon never to be repeated, but even in my short life as a Christian, I have seen so many return again to feast upon the mess from which Christ delivered them only years prior!  They forget what life was like in the prison of sin, they forget the chains that bound them and the cruelties that attended their path!  In this final sermon part, looking at the life of Gideon, a warning is sounded for God's children to keep themselves from idols!

Part 13 Every cult without exception denies the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  Although they may utilise concepts such as grace and faith, what is written outside the box is never what's inside.  In the world of cults, grace becomes synonymous with payment because when everything has been said and done, the cult member is working to earn salvation.  At the very best Jesus died on the cross to give mankind the possibility of obtaining salvation.  He has merely opened the narrow gate but now it's left to those who would obtain it to labour.  It is for this reason that whether Jehovah's Witness or Seventh-day Adventist; whether Mormon or Roman Catholic, when the question is put to them; “If you die tonight, do you have 100% assurance that you are saved”?  The answer that one will be met with again and again is; “I can't say for sure, it's up to God”.  With this one simple question and the answer returned, the futility of the cult's works-based system of salvation is revealed for what it is, vanity of vanities!!   There is a world of difference between what the Bible teaches about how a man is saved, and what the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society teaches.  In this final teaching part, these differences shall be discovered and the way of truth exposed. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/13_The_Way_of_Salvation.pdf

Judges 8:22-28 The secret to obtaining heaven's revival blessing; the key to unlocking heaven's grace is humility. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6).  But when God exalts a man, it's then when things have the potential to go desperately wrong.  My greatest fear is not this side of the victory, it's what happens on the other side — after God has given the victory.  In this first of two sermons, we examine the warning against making idols of God's blessings.

Part 12 Anyone who has had any interaction with a Jehovah's Witness will know that it doesn't take long for the topic of the 144,000 to arise.  There is almost an obsession with this number.  In sharing personal testimony with the Witness at the door of how one came to be a child of God by grace through faith – the adoption as children, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly calling and the heavenly hope, one will discover upon the face of the Witness a look of pity.  “Oh, they say, you're talking about the 144,000, not the great crowd It's the 140,000 who have the heavenly hope, the great crowd have only an earthly hope!  Only 144,000 have been adopted as children. Theirs is the seal of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly calling, to them alone belongs the heavenly hope!” If one has never heard these sentiments expressed, one may be taken aback!  “The great crowd? 144,000? I remember reading somewhere in Revelation about a great crowd that no man could number in Revelation Chapter 7.  But if my memory serves me right, they were standing before the throne of God in heaven?  If they have an earthly hope as you say, what are they doing in heaven?  Regarding the 144,000; Revelation 7, says that they are literal Israelites and Revelation 14 that they are virgins.  Are these the 144,000 that you refer to with the heavenly hope?  I'm confused!!”  In this teaching, all shall be revealed and brought into the light of God's Word. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/12_The_144000.pdf

Judges 8:4-28 Following the awesome victory that God gave into the hands of Gideon His servant – 135,000 Midianites lay dead.  Not content with this victory over the host, Midian pursued the 15,000 that remained and slew them dead.  The two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, were the last two enemies to be destroyed. This sermon is a plea from God for the same zeal to be enacted on behalf of His people toward sin.  We must deal thoroughly and decisively with sin in our lives until every last Midianite is slain.  Let us heed the command of God and go up to the fight in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.