Podcasts about real christians

Text: Esther 9-10Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) May 10, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 8:1-17Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) May 3, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 6:1-14Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit:https://www.wearebethany.comTHIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) April 19, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 5:1-14Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) April 12, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

In an age where artificial intelligence can mimic voices and create convincing forgeries, we face a profound spiritual question: how do we know our faith in Christ is real? This exploration of 1 John invites us into a journey of assurance, grounding our relationship with Jesus in historical reality and present fellowship. The letter opens with the powerful testimony of eyewitnesses who heard, saw, studied, and touched the incarnate Word of life. Jesus was not a myth or ethereal spirit but fully God who became fully human, walking among us in flesh and blood. This historical reality matters deeply because it means we can have a genuine, personal relationship with the living Christ right now. The purpose of this proclamation is fellowship—not mere association or knowing facts about God, but a deeply shared life with the Father and the Son. This fellowship brings complete joy and transforms how we live. Walking in the light means our sin is exposed, but instead of condemnation, we find continuous cleansing through Christ's blood. Real Christians do not claim sinlessness but practice ongoing confession, turning from darkness and running home to God. We have an advocate, Jesus the righteous, whose atoning sacrifice is sufficient for the whole world. The assurance we seek is not found in our perfection but in His finished work and faithful presence.

Happy Easter Sunday! Join us in diving deeper into Jesus' death and resurrection and how it applies to our lives today!Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) April 5, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Title: Unconditional Trust Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 FCF: We often struggle trusting God unconditionally. Prop: Because God's will for us is to trust Him unconditionally, we must trust His leadings regardless of our circumstances. Scripture Intro: LSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible staring in verse 16. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. As we've pointed out, and as our sign out front has said and the sides for this series have shown – the first letter to the Thessalonians is tied together by the three cardinal Christian virtues of faith, love, and hope. In fact, we have seen Paul talk about all three of these virtues in various ways since the beginning of the book. And since he began chapter 4, he has analyzed faith, love, hope, then hope again, then back to love, and today he will get back one more time to their faith. Thoroughout the letter he has spoken about their work of faith and how their faith was not shaken even though they were afflicted. He talked about how the word of God is at work in them because they believe and are continuing to believe. He did say that their faith needs to be completed but as it is, they already have a faith that is working since they know and trust God's commands and walk in order to please Him. They do this because they know that setting aside His commands is not setting aside man's traditions… but God Himself. So today, Paul will do what he can to complete their faith. Paul will give them 8 more commands all designed to illustrate what trusting God, without condition, really looks like. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Faithful Father, You are worthy of our unconditional trust. You are all powerful. You are all knowing. You are all good. You are all loving. You are Holy. You are Just. You… are Sovereign. Because of who You are, we can and indeed we must trust You without reservation. But we are weak Lord. And our trust is feeble. We ask that You would use Your Word and Your Spirit's power to show us today how we can trust You. Teach us Lord from this, Your holy word. We pray this in Jesus', The Word's name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “What is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?” Augustine of Hippo “Belief is not faith without evidence but commitment without reservation.” Leighton Ford “Faith is an activity of the whole soul bringing into movement the intellect, the emotions, and the will, and anything less than this is not biblical faith.” Iain Inglis [Slide 3] “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace. It is so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther “Faith, to put it simply, is the conviction that God does not tell lies.” Frank Retief “What is faith but obedience to the commands of Christ?” Salvianus “Faith is reason at rest in God.” C.H. Spurgeon “Faith is self-surrender to the great Physician leaving of our case in His hands. But it is also the taking of His prescriptions and the active following of His directions.” Augustus H. Strong These thoughts summarize what we will see today in the text of scripture. Let's look. I.) God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally, so we must always live in light of God's sovereignty. (16-18) a. [Slide 4] 16 - Rejoice always; i. Paul begins this next set of exhortations with three commands using 7 Greek words. ii. The first two words, are rejoice always. iii. Paul exhorts his readers, who are experiencing affliction from unbelievers around them, to rejoice. iv. What does it mean to rejoice? v. The word rejoice comes from the word for joy. It means to be glad, to be joyful. vi. Joy is one of those words that looking outside the scriptures won't actually help us understand it any better. vii. The Dictionary definition of the word is simply a feeling of great happiness or pleasure. 1. But when we pull such a definition back into the text, it is difficult to imagine that Paul would be commanding the Thessalonians to govern their own feelings to the extent that they are greatly happy…always. 2. Emotions are reactions and are rarely stable. For Paul to demand that people be emotionally, greatly happy all the time, seems a little farfetched. 3. It further disconnects us from clear teachings that tell us to mourn for our brothers and sisters who are hurting, and the example of Christ who wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. 4. Was Jesus greatly happy at this moment? Can you be happy and mourn at the same time? viii. But when we assess the greater context of the scriptures and note how biblical writers use the word joy, we come to a starkly different definition of the word entirely. ix. Biblical joy is gladness that transcends earthly circumstances, bad or good. To the extent that a believer can experience true joy even when they are unhappy. x. If I were to create a definition of my own based on the biblical data, it would be the following: 1. [Slide 5] Biblical joy is gladness and contentment rooted in a pure trust in God's sovereign hand to work all things for the good of the believer and His own glory. 2. Joy then is not an emotion at all. Rather it is a state of being that is rooted in trusting what God has promised. 3. Indeed, Paul lists joy as a fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians, indicating to us that joy actually comes from God and not from ourselves. xi. So having joy is part of our interior transformation as we are conformed to Christ. xii. When we insert this definition back into Paul's command here, we see that he commands them to rejoice always because he is confident that they are the elect of God. He saw the gospel come to them in power and he has heard of their example and their enduring faith. xiii. Therefore, to expect them to be joyful in every circumstance, is to expect them to live as though they are a true believer. xiv. Which brings us to the inescapable, albeit uncomfortable conclusion… xv. Real Christians are expected to rejoice always. xvi. To the extent that if a person claims to be a Christian and has lost their joy… we can't encourage them without also investigating whether or not they are true believers? xvii. Paul continues… b. [Slide 6] 17 - pray without ceasing; i. Though we translate this in three words, the Greek command is still only two. ii. We could translate it, “pray unceasingly” if we wanted to maintain the word count. iii. Just as joy is related to trusting God– so also is prayer. iv. Spending unending hours in prayer to a god you don't believe is able to do what you ask of him or is not good enough to give you what is best for you – would be a foolish activity for anyone. v. Old Testament prophets poke fun at pagan worshippers sending prayer toward their dead gods who cannot of their own power or will give anything to those who worship them. vi. And so, we must pray in faith, believing that God is good and rewards those who diligently seek Him. vii. Many people know this verse. It is only 3 words after all. viii. But I should point out that the word unceasingly can also be rendered incessantly or resolutely. ix. It is difficult to know whether Paul intends that they should be frequently praying or if they should be fervently praying, or both. x. Logic tells us that if we were constantly praying it may be difficult for us to accomplish much else. xi. But since I don't think that is a real concern for many in this room – I cannot dismiss the likelihood that Paul does refer to frequency of prayer here. xii. Generally speaking, the more you trust someone, the more you speak to them. And with the God of the Universe – the more you trust Him, not only the more you pray, but even the content of your prayers encompasses every area of life. Not simply praying for big wants – but even praying to praise Him. To thank Him. To commune with Him. xiii. Therefore, I must conclude that both frequency and fervency are validated in the scriptures. We must be a people of prayer. xiv. But I would wager that this is, more than likely, a glaring deficiency in most of the people in this room today. xv. We ought to pray first and act second. But so often we act first… and most of the time our first action is to worry and fret. And then down the line…maybe… and occasionally we also pray. xvi. One more exhortation before Paul breaks to give us a doctrinal foundation for them… c. [Slide 7] 18 - in everything give thanks, i. Three words in Greek. ii. So, we must rejoice always, pray always, and certainly we must also always be giving thanks. iii. If faith is a cardinal Christian virtue, then thankfulness is a necessary outcome for all who have faith. iv. How can you believe all that is reported to us in the gospel and the scriptures, how can you believe all that God says about Himself and us in His Word, how could anyone truly trust God and not be thankful? v. Yet some of the most complaining, grumbling, dissatisfied people I know… go to churches every Sunday and call themselves Christians. vi. If we truly trust God – there is never a reason to be ungrateful. Why? vii. Because we are always NOT getting what we deserve! ALWAYS! viii. Therefore, not only must faith produce perpetual rejoicing and incessant prayer… it must also produce unconditional thanksgiving. That in all states we find ourselves in – we are thankful to God for His promises that all things work together for good to those who love Him. ix. Finally, Paul undergirds all these exhortations with truth… d. [Slide 8] for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. i. Faith is not believing a list of facts. ii. Faith is trusting God so much that His will for you becomes reality. iii. God's will for His people – those who truly believe – is to be a people who always rejoice, incessantly pray, and are giving thanks in all circumstances. iv. But notice that none of this would be possible if we were not… in Christ. v. How are we in Christ? vi. By Faith alone we are united to Christ. vii. If we believe, we work out our faith in fear and trembling knowing that God provides the will and the power to do what He desires of us. e. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Once again, we are forced to look at the broader context to find the doctrinal foundation upon which Paul places these three commands. He hasn't left us rudderless though. He clearly states that God's will for those in Christ Jesus are to do these three things. This certainly points to the fact that these Thessalonians are trusting God's commands and desirous to do as He wills for them, which is nothing more than the working out of genuine saving faith. God's will of course, is for His children to trust Him unconditionally. And Paul points out three commands that apply that truth in every situation we face in life. We must rejoice, pray, and give thanks, always. Our circumstances do not determine how we live… Because our God is the same regardless of our circumstances. Our faith is not placed on our circumstances… It is only in God and His Word. May God's word be true and all else be a liar. Transition: [Slide 10 (blank)] But Paul is not done issuing commands. He has given three which consider what it means to trust God unconditionally in light of all of life's circumstances. Paul will now follow up with 5 more commands, still considering how we must trust God unconditionally, but with a different emphasis. Let's look. II.) God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally, so we must believe and obey His instruction. (19-22) a. [Slide 11] 19 - Do not quench the Spirit; i. Immediately we are struck with a different formation of the commands given. ii. Not two words but four in the Greek. And one of them… is “not”. iii. So, this is not a command to do something, it is a command to not do something. iv. Some scholars insist that Paul is saying to stop doing this… but that force is not necessary here. We need not assume that this is happening in the Thessalonian church. It is possible – but it could just as easily be a warning ahead of this temptation. v. We also see a slight change in the nature of the command. vi. Paul is not pointing to characteristics or attributes that should be in a believer and how they should conduct themselves. vii. Now he seems to be pointing to something else entirely. viii. But the doctrinal underpinnings are still the same. ix. Because they are working out their faith – because they trust the Lord, because they are looking at His commands and doing them – which is what genuine faith is – there are at least two things that they must not do. x. First, they must not quench the Spirit. xi. Spirit here, because it is preceded by the article, seems to indicate that this is talking about the Third person of the Godhead. xii. If he were talking about the inner man, we might expect Paul to say do not quench your spirit. Instead, he says, the Spirit. xiii. To quench is literally to extinguish, to stifle, as if putting out a flame. xiv. But adding up the definitions of these words does not actually help us to arrive directly at what Paul means. xv. What does it mean to quench the Spirit? xvi. Let me tell you that scholars are quite divided over this. xvii. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to go into all of the options, so let me just tell you what I think quench the Spirit means and if you really want to know the other options, you can join us on Thursday night and we can discuss all the other available options. 1. Quenching of the Spirit is the ignoring or refusing to listen to the Spirit's leading. a. The Spirit primarily leads us through the Word of God. b. The Spirit also leads us through the wise counsel of other believers. c. The Spirit also leads us through providence and even our own desires. 2. So, to stifle the Spirit would be to ignore or refuse His leading upon our lives. 3. What are some of the things the Spirit does to lead or guide us? a. The Spirit illuminates the scriptures to us. Which are able to make us wise and rebuke, reprove, correct, and instruct us in righteousness so that we are equipped for every good work. (1 Cor 2:14; 2 Tim 3:15-17) b. The Spirit convicts us of sin. (John 16:8) c. The Spirit guides us to all truth and reminds us of what the Lord Jesus taught. (John 6:13) d. The Spirit also gave visions and leadings and directions to the apostles throughout the book of Acts. 4. What are some examples of quenching the Spirit? a. Walking away from the study of the scripture and determining not to believe or do what the Spirit has clearly revealed. b. Ignoring counsel from various spiritually mature believers who are saying essentially the same thing – so that you can do what you want. c. Ignoring or refusing subtle impulses to do good and God honoring things. d. While it may be true that not all voices that whisper to you are God's Spirit… i. Certainly, a demon or your flesh would not advise you to share the gospel with someone on the side of the road, right? ii. Certainly, a demon or your flesh would not advise you to help a widow or orphan in their distress, right? iii. Certainly, a demon or your flesh is not whispering for you to drop everything and pray for someone, right? e. [Slide 12] We must listen closely and obey the Spirit's leading in our lives. Again, this happens PRIMARILY through His illuminating the scriptures to us. xviii. A person who trusts God unconditionally will listen for and obey the leading and direction of the Spirit on their lives. xix. This command then, is generally pointing to the Spirit's leading… but then Paul gets specific. b. [Slide 13] 20 - do not despise prophecies, i. This point then, is actually a subpoint of what it means not to quench the Spirit. Why? ii. One way that the Spirit clearly leads us is through the preached Word of God. iii. Before we go on to talk about what this means, we need to go down a rather large rabbit trail in order to address how another branch of Christendom misapplies this command. iv. Some in the charismatic movement have used this verse to legitimize and even push back against those who would be critical of their claim at having received new revelation from God. v. I think a fair treatment of this text actually does lend itself to their interpretation. Now before you throw tomatoes or burn me at the stake let me explain. 1. Paul wrote this in the early AD 50s. 2. The New Testament canon is not complete yet. 3. In fact, the only books written up to this point are James and Galatians. That's it. 4. For the next 40 years, the New Testament will continue to be written by Paul himself along with Luke, Matthew, Mark, John, James, an unknown writer of Hebrews, Peter and Jude. vi. So, Paul telling the Thessalonians not to despise prophesies is absolutely telling them not to despise God's Word coming in new revelation both concerning what has already been written and what has yet to come. vii. But there are two pieces of information that cut against the Charismatic's claim that this verse should prevent people from despising their prophesies. 1. First, the list of those who had yet to write their books in the New Testament, to which Paul is referring, is a rather elite list made up of either apostles or those who are intimately connected to the apostles. a. This boils down to how the church is apostolic. b. The Nicaean creed states that there is one holy catholic and apostolic church. c. As we've stated before, catholic simply means universal and is not actually referring to the denomination of Roman Catholicism. d. But some denominations believe that for this creed to be true there must be a succession of apostleship. e. Meaning that when one apostle dies, another must take their place. f. And the church must continue to submit to the teachings of that apostle as if they were teachings from Christ Himself. g. However, this view is wrong on every point. h. It is not true that the creed insists this be so, nor is it true that the scriptures teach that there is a succession of the apostleship, nor is it true that what the apostles taught ought to be unconditionally accepted as Jesus' words. i. The creed merely insists that the church is apostolic. Meaning it is formed upon the teachings of the apostles. This actually cuts against the succession of apostleship and new revelation since the creed implies that this teaching is already established and set by the time of the creed's writing. ii. As for apostolic succession, when Judas Iscariot was being replaced, there were some key qualifications that they looked for in his replacement. First, that they were a follower of Christ and second that they were able to bear witness to the risen Christ having seen Him after His resurrection. 1. Some might say, “yes but Paul never saw the risen Christ except in a vision, and James and Barnabas were never commissioned by Jesus yet they inherited the title, apostle.” 2. This is actually proving my point. What about Luke, Stephen, Apollos, Pricilla, Aquilla, Phillip, Mark, Timothy, Titus, or any number of other named and influential people in the New Testament that are NOT given the title apostle? 3. And where do the scriptures indicate to us that Paul, James, and Barnabas replaced dead members of the original 12? 4. The fact of the matter is – that the scriptures do not indicate that to us at all. 5. Clearly apostleship was something only gifted to a select few for a specific purpose. 6. Meaning what? 7. There are no apostles today nor was it ever God's intention to continue the apostolic office. 8. There is no one alive that we must listen to as if the very words they spoke were directly from God. 9. Instead, the bible becomes our final authority. viii. So that is the first item that the Charismatics must square with if they are to use this verse… ix. So, what does this command mean for us if we have no new revelation coming to us? x. Well, prophesy does not ONLY include the prediction of the future or new revelation. xi. All you have to do is go back to the Old Testament and read two or three of the minor prophets. Eventually you come to realize that they not only say similar things, but that most of what they are saying is referring back to what God has already said. xii. So just like walking away from the study of the scriptures, ignoring what the Spirit revealed, would be quenching the Spirit so also walking out of a sermon dismantling everything that was said and ignoring or refusing to obey what is clearly from God… is despising prophesy. xiii. Those who truly trust the Lord listen to the Spirit and also those whom God has gifted and anointed to preach His Word. xiv. But I said before that there are two pieces of information that cut against the Charismatics' claim, and that even the apostles did not expect people to unconditionally believe what they taught as Jesus' words. Let me prove this by going to verse 21. c. [Slide 13] 21 - but examine all things; i. Even Paul himself did not expect unconditional trust in what he preached to everyone. ii. When the Bereans took what he said and sought the scriptures to test it – they were not rebuked for their action. iii. Indeed, in Galatians Paul concedes that even if he would come and teach a different gospel, that they should not listen to him. iv. So, the apostles did not lean on their own authority or revelation but only on what Christ had given. v. And to that end – all teaching and all leadings must be examined. They must be tested. vi. When you study the scriptures… do not lean on your own understanding. vii. Every week I test what I think the text says against what Christians have thought the text said for the last 2000 years. And you know what sometimes, even in this sermon… I had to alter what I think. Why? Because no one else thinks it. viii. This isn't an echo chamber – this is preserving the doctrines that have been handed down to us from Christ to His apostles and now to us by God's preserved Word. ix. We must strive to examine all teachings and leadings. x. And therefore, we are right to look suspiciously on those who claim to have a new Word from the Lord. Not just because we believe that doesn't happen… but also because it is right to examine everything that is said. xi. Then what do we do with them? d. [Slide 14] hold fast to that which is good; i. If they are good teachings… if they conform to what Christ has said and what the whole of the scriptures reveal. ii. If the leadings are from the Spirit of God and directing us in paths of righteousness. iii. If the preacher expounds the text and reveals what God has clearly said… iv. Then we must hold fast to that which is good. v. We must cling tightly to what has been shown to be God's Word and the Spirit's clear leading. vi. But what if after examination, it doesn't seem to be what God has revealed? e. [Slide 15] 22 - abstain from every form of evil. i. We must cast aside everything that is evil. ii. If it is not of God – then who else could it be from? It is either of Satan or of men. iii. If it is of Satan, then it is evil. iv. If it is of men, then it could be amoral… or it could be evil. v. So, if we determine that what is being whispered in our ear, or preached from the pulpit, is contradictory to what God has taught in the scriptures… we must abstain or keep away from, be distant from it. vi. Flee it. vii. Now some translations say “abstain from every appearance of evil.” This is one potential meaning for this word. viii. The implication would be that everything that even appears to be evil should be fled from. ix. Preachers have, for years, bound the consciences of Christians by the misuse of this verse. x. You shouldn't have ear buds in because it might appear to others that you are listening to bad music. You must not go to the movie theater because it may appear that you are going to a trashy movie. You must not go into a bar or restaurant with a bar because it may appear that you are going to get drunk. xi. However, when we look at this in the context of this passage and the rest of the scriptures, we cannot allow this interpretation to stand. 1. Paul is clearly talking about prophesies and not Christian lifestyles. 2. So, if this word means appearances, a more accurate interpretation would be that when we cannot conclusively prove something is contradictory to God's Word, but it seems off or new or something we've never heard before… we should keep away from it until it becomes clearer. 3. This was essentially Gamaliel's wise advice concerning the Jesus sect. He said to the Sanhedrin that if it is from men, it will die out but if it is from God they don't want to be caught opposing it. So, he advocated releasing Peter and John and waiting to see what happens. 4. When a teaching seems odd but does not directly contradict the scriptures – we should keep away from it and wait it out. xii. However, there is good reason to NOT interpret the word as “appearances” and rather as “kinds” or “forms” as most modern translations render it. xiii. In this Paul is teaching that when we find a teaching that contradicts what God has already said, and is therefore evil, we must abstain from it or keep away from it – regardless of what form that evil teaching takes. xiv. Even evil teaching that does not directly impact the gospel of Jesus Christ but still contradicts what God has said… must be abstained from or fled. xv. One example of this might be the teaching that Christians are not permitted to marry. They must remain celibate. This does not directly impact the gospel – but it is still a doctrine that must be rejected and fled from. f. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: Paul strives to help the Thessalonians work out their faith by completing what is lacking in it. They must trust God unconditionally and to do that they must believe and obey His instruction. We too must obey God's leadings and instructions through His Spirit. We must be sure not to stifle or despise what He teaches us and instead listen and obey. Certainly, we must test to make sure that these things are from God and if not, we must flee them. But all that is from God we must hear and heed. This is trusting God unconditionally. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that informs and corrects our beliefs and guides and shapes our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 17] The Thessalonians have been elected by God and are working out their faith by knowing and trusting in God's commands to the extent that they walk in them. Therefore, Paul gives them 8 exhortations here to help them continue to trust God unconditionally. The first three deal with how they should carry themselves in all of life's circumstances. If they truly trust God unconditionally, they will always rejoice, they will incessantly pray, and they will continue to give thanks regardless of the circumstances. The next five commands reveal how they should trust God by hearing and heeding His instructions and leadings. They should not quench the Holy Spirit or despise prophesies but should examine all teachings and hold fast to that which is good and keep away from evil teachings in all forms. But how do these exhortations press against us today? How can we apply this specifically to us? 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally. a. Why was man created? b. Why did God choose to save some and unite them with His Son? c. The bible isn't silent. Man in general was created to glorify God. And the elect of God are saved so that for all eternity we will glorify God for His grace. d. God is not only the creator, He is all powerful, He is all knowing, and He cannot be told no, His will cannot be thwarted. His decrees cannot be undone. e. What does that mean? f. God always gets what He has willed. g. This doesn't mean that God never allows men to disobey Him. But it does mean that somehow man's disobedience is actually part of God's will for the world. It contributes to His ultimate plan for His creation. h. Why am I pointing out all these things? i. Mostly to show that it is absolutely foolish for anyone who claims to be God's child, to doubt Him. j. God is wholly worthy of our absolute, explicit, and unconditional trust. What He has promised, He will do. What He has decreed, will be. k. Not one single molecule in all of creation is able to alter His decrees or His will. l. If you believe in this God, if you are united to Christ by faith – then nothing should be able to shake our trust in this God. m. But talk is cheap isn't it. And trust is not just lip-service. n. What does unconditional trust in God mean for our lives? 2.) [Slide 19] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop allowing our circumstances to dictate how we live. a. Paul commands the Thessalonians to always rejoice, incessantly pray, and give thanks in all circumstances. b. In other words – what we are currently experiencing in life should have absolutely no bearing on how we respond. Why? c. Because we are not trusting in our circumstances going the way we want them to. We are trusting in a God who is in absolute control over all things, to the extent that even if everything around us is burning to the ground – we can rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Because God has not changed! d. But friends, people who call themselves Christians are often some of the most negative, joyless, anxious fearful, complaining, bunch of malcontents that you have ever met. e. God forbid this be true of us! Let it never be CBC! f. The first thing we must recognize regarding all of this, is that this is primarily a faith issue and NOT a behavioral issue. g. The sermon today is NOT telling you to buck up, say your prayers, and count your blessings. h. The sermon today is challenging you to get a better picture of the All powerful, all knowing, All good, all loving, Holy and Perfect God, who rules the whole of His creation, and who cannot be thwarted in anything He has determined to do, who cannot lie, and always keeps His promises. i. My friends – FAITH is the issue here. j. Why are you negative? Why are you joyless? Because you don't trust God. That why. k. Why are you anxious? Why do you fear? Because you don't trust God. l. Why do you complain? Why aren't you content? Because you don't trust God. m. Don't go home and try to be more joyful, or set your alarms to pray every hour, or build a habit of giving thanks WITHOUT FIRST… reflecting on the character and nature of this Holy God we serve! n. For when you get a good look at who God is… I'd wager that joy, prayer, and thanksgiving will be all the more achievable to us. For how can we not trust this God unconditionally? How can we not rejoice, when this God has got us? How can we not pray, when this God invites us into His throne room? How can we not be thankful, when this God has promised our good in all things? o. But trusting God is not just about our lifestyles – it is about listening for His leading… 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must listen for God's leading and instruction and obey it. a. Part of trusting God is hearing and heeding His direction upon our lives. b. Perhaps you've played the game where you and a partner work together to get through a maze. The catch? One of you is blindfolded, and the other is not. c. Listening to your partner's commands comes down to trust. Do you trust them to lead you safely through the maze. d. Although a crude example, this is a picture of what it means to trust God unconditionally. e. He has given us His Spirit. f. His work, among other things, is to guide and lead us into the paths of righteousness. He reveals the truth to us and convicts us of sin. He leads us and directs us to wisdom helping us to know God's will for our lives. g. We must let the Spirit burn in us. We must not douse Him by refusing to obey His leading. h. Instead, we must listen. We must heed what He shows us in God's Word, or through wise counsel, or through promptings. i. But one other aspect of this is that we must listen and heed the preaching of the Word of God too. The Spirit of God speaks through the preached word of God. Not that all that preacher says is the Spirit speaking – but that the Spirit actively impresses upon believer's hearts, God's guidance and conviction through the preached Word. j. So love preaching that hurts. Love preaching that is faithful in expositing the Word of God. Love preaching that pokes and pushes, that destroys and builds up, that edifies and encourages, that spurs and leads. k. Of course we must test everything. l. And in order to truly test everything – we must be well-versed in the teachings of the scriptures. We must be catechized. m. But if it is from God – cling to it like oxygen. n. If not, flee it like the plague. o. But again, all this comes down to whether or not you trust the Lord. p. Trust in God means listening for His leading and following it. q. If you don't… stop claiming you trust Him. 4.) [Slide 21] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God's Sovereignty is not just about salvation – it is the basis for our unconditional trust. a. I've said it before, and I'll say it again… the beauty of the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty is not actually in the doctrines of salvation. b. I certainly hold to that and if you don't – you should keep searching the scriptures… because it is absolutely true. c. But the beauty of this doctrine is actually that is serves as the basis for our unconditional trust. d. If something can undo God's promises or His will… then we can never really trust God. e. God promises that all things work together for our good – but if someone uses their free will to sin, and God has no control over their free will, and that person takes something from us… how could we ever imagine that this is for our good? How could God guarantee that it is for our good if He couldn't stop them from doing it? f. But if God is in absolute control, even over the wills of men, and allowed this person to take something from us – we can still rest assured that God is working it out for our good. g. God's sovereignty over everything is the only sure foundation we have to trust Him without condition. h. In fact, if God isn't actually in control of everything – we probably shouldn't trust Him unconditionally. Because He is making promises He cannot keep. i. But take comfort in the fact that God is in absolute control. And thus, all His promises to us – are certain. 5.) [Slide 22] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The world is confused by people who are always joyful, always praying, always thankful, and always living their life by an ancient book that still speaks to them. But maybe you've moved from confusion… to longing. a. Let me tell you the world is not always rejoicing. There is so much depression and despair in the world, and I don't see it changing any time soon. b. We can't accuse the world of always praying either. Oh sure someone will comment, thoughts and prayers, but the dirty little secret is that most of the time their thoughts and prayers, occurred right then in the message they sent you. c. No, the world is generally an anxious place. Last year alone the world collectively spent around 23 billion dollars on anxiety and depression treatments. 5 billion of that was in the United States alone. d. It is clear that rather than rejoicing or praying to a God who is faithful – the world prefers to live in depression, fear and worry and pay people money to try to get them out. e. And no the world is anything but a thankful place. Everyone is complaining about something. Everyone is discontent about something. No one is happy with what they have. They are always looking for one more dollar. One more car. One more job. f. But perhaps you know Christians who seem like they are always rejoicing. Instead of worrying and fretting they are always praying and trusting the God they pray to. Perhaps you know a Christian who, rather than always looking for what more they can get, they are always thankful and content with what they have. g. To most people – that is really strange. Most people see someone like that as… slightly off their rocker. h. But maybe you are starting to see that this is what trusting in the Living God does to people? i. And maybe… you want that too. j. I'd love to introduce you to our God who is worthy of unconditional trust. Talk to me, or to another Elder before you leave today. Let me close with a Palm Sunday prayer by the church father Ephriam The Syrian. Praise him who comes, and is to come! Hosanna to the Father's mighty Son, here and in the highest. Praise him who once humbled himself in love to save our human race. Praise him for his Father's boundless grace! Who would not stop to see and wonder at how low your love bent down? A donkey once carried you, here on the earth. You, in your might and holiness! And in your pity for us, you serve and bless our fallen race. This day is joy-filled for all creation. My glad soul will sing a song of praise, and wave branches of thanksgiving that were once just palm branches, thrown in front of you by children. Now we own your hidden majesty, and we cry with those children: Hosanna to the Son of David! And in the name of this Son of David, God's people say… Amen! Benediction: May the Lord guide you always; May you be like a well-watered garden, Like a spring whose waters never fail. When you cry for help, may the Lord always say, 'Here am I' Until we meet again… go in peace.

The Iranian propaganda machine—propped up by the left, media and some on the insane right—is in full swing. Plus, the left intentionally misrepresents a pastor's wish for a born-again Christian life for James Talarico, a heretic.

Text: Genesis 5:22-24Join us as we hear from our dear friend and church leader in Kenya, Pastor James Muteti about walking with God!Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) March 22, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 4:1-17Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) March 15, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 2:19-3:15Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comTHIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) March 8, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Luke 24:13-35Today we dive into Luke with Pastor Buddy!Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) March 1, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 2:1-18Esther is perhaps the most unique and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book and learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) February 22, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Esther 1Esther is perhaps the most salacious, unique, and controversial books in all of the Bible. It's one of only two books named after women. It is full of moral failure, ambiguity, and less-than-savory heroes. And it never mentions the name of God once. Yet it is an important book that tells an important piece of God's redemptive history. Join us for this series as we dive into this popular and provocative book as we learn about God' work in our lives (and Esther's) – even when it's not always evident on the surface.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service ofBethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) February 15, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Why Real Christians Love Sermon 18:57

Text: Acts 16:11-15, 40To kick off the new year we are talking about resolutions and what it means to be people of resolve. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON IS AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING ON MOST PODCAST PLATFORMS: SPOTIFY (https://open.spotify.com/show/2Czqvlik7qBOoBOkASu5CW?si=d87CjjuTQdeIL5pYQ1QugA) APPLE PODCASTS/iTUNES (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bethany-baptist-church/id1519315447) AMAZON MUSIC (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad218fa5-7792-48e6-acee-fe5f66c7bdd6/We-Are-Bethany) ALEXA (say "Alexa, Play 'We Are Bethany' Podcasts") GOOGLE PODCASTS (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTYyNzY2LnJzcw==) PANDORA (PANDORA (https://www.pandora.com/podcast/we-are-bethany/PC:33191)iHEART RADIO (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-we-are-bethany-68457035/)  And several other platforms as well. Just search for "We Are Bethany Podcasts" Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) February 8, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Psalm 91Today Pastor Roger Wall leads us in worship in the study of the "high expectation psalm": Psalm 91. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) January 18, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: 2 Peter 1:16-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17To kick off the new year we are talking about resolutions and what it means to be people of resolve. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) January 11, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Sermon from Sunday, January 11, 2026by Rev. Dr. Michael L. Pfleger, Senior PastorThe Faith Community of St. Sabina

Text: Deuteronomy 8To kick off the new year we are talking about resolutions and what it means to be people of resolve. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) January 4, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text:  2 Peter 1:19-2, Matthew 2:6, 2:12-23Today Bub Hayes leads us in the study of Biblical prophesy.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) December 28, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Join us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus with scripture reading, story time for kids, and worship!Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit:https://www.wearebethany.comTHIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) December 23, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Luke 2:21-38Christmas is easily the most popular yet underestimated holiday in the Christian calendar. In one breath, it's easy to say that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, but in the next be completely unmoved by why the events around His birth matter for us in everyday life. So what is Christmas truly all about and why does it matter in our lives today? Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) December 21, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: 1 Timothy 2:5, Luke 1:38, 2:26-55, 11:27-28Christmas is easily the most popular yet underestimated holiday in the Christian calendar. In one breath, it's easy to say that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, but in the next be completely unmoved by why the events around His birth matter for us in everyday life. So what is Christmas truly all about and why does it matter in our lives today? Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) December 7, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Genesis 3:1-7, Luke 2:1-7 Christmas is easily the most popular yet underestimated holiday in the Christian calendar. In one breath, it's easy to say that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, but in the next be completely unmoved by why the events around His birth matter for us in everyday life. So what is Christmas truly all about and why does it matter in our lives today? Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) November 30, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 5:13-20This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) November 23, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 5:1-12This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) November 16, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 4:4-17This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) November 9, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 3:13-4:3This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) November 2, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 3:1-12This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) October 26, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

In this era when politics and Christian identity are so tightly wrapped around one another, it's common to see people arguing that the people across the aisle aren't “real” Christians—because of what or who they support or defend. But is this division between Christians helpful, or even true? What if they ARE real Christians—and they are our responsibility? Launching points for this discussion include a recent Substack by Tim Whitaker (The New Evangelicals), entitled “Stop Saying They Aren't Real Christians,” Katherine Stewart's book “Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy,” and Zach Lambert's “Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing.” ***** Special thanks to our sponsors at Quoir, publishers of The Quollective. The Quollective isn't just another media platform. It's a grassroots,  justice-fueled toolbox for people who want to change the world—and still laugh while doing it. ---- Use promo code radicallove for 10% off a yearly subscription—that's a savings of 20% off the monthly price.  Go to thequollective.com and let's build a post-fascist future together.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Text: James 2:14-26This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) October 12, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Christians, real Christians, know and understand salvation, the incredible salvation experience, when they have met and believed in Jesus Christ.Real Christians know the experience of forgiveness of sin, the soul and character-changing encounter with the crucifixion, the body and blood of our Lord.Real Christians know how important, vital and life-changing PRAYER is, communion with God Almighty every day.Real Christians study Scripture, the Bible, Old and New Testaments, to learn, to grow, and to show themselves approved unto God work men and women who are never ashamed of the Gospel and their incredible spiritual experiences.Real Christians grow, understand, and are thrilled with the challenges and opportunities of THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.But even real Christians may not know the necessity, the meaning of this extremely important Biblical command:I WILL MEDITATE ON YOUR PRECEPTS. (TEACHINGS, COMMANDMENTS, LAWS, AND GRACE, AMONG OTHERS)Of all the Christians verities, the marvelous act of meditation may be the one most misunderstood or neglected. But Psalm 119:15 implores us to never forget to meditate daily, DAILY! There is no day too busy not to take time to:MEDITATE ON HIS PRECEPTS.Meditation, real meditation, as the process begins, is difficult. For some, it is very difficult. It requires an environment of:COMPLETE QUIET.Spurgeon urges and indicates that meditation, real meditation, can only occur when one enters the so-called CLOSET where there is complete quiet, perhaps darkness, an environment without distraction, noise, and certainly other people. There is an environment where one is alone and only with the company of THE HOLY SPIRIT, and with the presence of our Lord. It becomes the perfect QUIET TIME, away from everyone and everything.It is in that precious environment of SOLITUDE AND SILENCE that one, that every true Christian believer, can really hear and absorb the presence of:THE HOLY SPIRIT.It is only there that this indispensable CHRISTIAN HELPER and Comforter can make His presence known.It is only in that quiet time that real Christian growth and especially understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel can be revealed. It is only there, in the closet, that there can occur the work of the Holy Spirit which includes:ILLUMINTATIONENLIGHTENMENTINSTRUCTIONSINTERPRETATIONINSPIRATIONThose incredible spiritual experiences can only occur when the believer is completely open, and then the Spirit bear's witness. The mind stands still, a tabula rasa readiness (a completely open and empty mind). All worldly thoughts are postponed, the heart opens wide, and the believer signals ready for the working of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is more difficult, but nothing is more worthwhile, NOTHING!Then one begins the next process, difficult, but necessary and oh-so-valuable, that completely open time when the believer:WAITS ON THE LORD.There is no agenda. The believer brings nothing spiritually or mentally into the closet but lays the soul bare before the Lord and waits, WAITS, on the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit. To understand the value, to learn patience, to learn how to wait, to empty the mind, and no matter how intellectual, really learn the deep, mysterious, and incredible truths of the Gospel. It is a discipline which takes time, practice, and constant experimentation. But no Christian experience is complete unless a believer learns how to practice and derive the benefits of:MEDITATION.And the incredible strengthening process of:WAITING ON THE LORD.Done right, then comes the work of the Holy Spirit. That work illuminates, educates, instructs, and, perhaps most importantly, interprets and inspires every believer, like nothing else and no other experience can. Meditation is the process of deep and rich:SPIRITUAL DIGESTION.The meditation experience alone can produce those rich and vital spiritual vitamins, the most important spiritual digestion of anything in the Christian journey.It takes time, quality time, daily time, no day is too busy to set aside quality time for the partnership and the workings of the Holy Spirit in meditation. There is no believer or any day which can not provide:30 MINUTESor more of quality time all alone IN THE CLOSET with the Holy Spirit. If a Christian sincerely wishes to grow in the things of the Gospel and our Lord, the goal should be the setting aside of that quality time, perhaps a minimum of 30 minutes:EVERY DAY.Then, a believer can rightly ASK, and, in that environment, there comes the Scriptural promise that such asking will be answered:ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE ANSWERS.Meditation, real meditation, is not easy. It takes practice, time, trial and error, and patience, careful love, and patience in this cell phone age. But there is no spiritual experience, Christian experience, in the journey of faith, which is more worthwhile or more necessary if one, any believer, no matter how busy, sincerely desires to experience in this life all that our Lord and the Holy Spirit has promised to all true believers. As with prayer and thanksgiving, MEDITATION should be an essential part of the Christian journey and experience:EVERY DAY!

Rev. Dennis Ebert - Missions 2025 - Luke 10:25-37

Text: James 1:13-25This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) September 28, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Are you living a faith so quiet that people who know you best would be shocked to discover you're a Christian? Do you mistake political arguments for gospel proclamation, confusing cultural battles with the call of Christ? This convicting message confronts the stark reality that most American Christians face zero persecution - not because we're blessed, but because our faith is invisible. Discover why Jesus promised persecution to His followers, why we should actually pray for it, and what it reveals about whether our faith is genuine or just comfortable lip service.

Text: James 1:13-25This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) September 21, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: James 1:1-12This series we will be diving into the Book of James to learn the relationship faith and obedience have with one another. Faith is more than a hopeful optimism – it's a commitment of trust and dedication that reveals itself in our daily steps of obedience. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) September 14, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Colossians 3:12-17This series takes a dive into what it looks like to long for and grow in spiritual maturity in a world that longs to avoid, ignore, or adjust the Truth and reality of Jesus and the Christian faith. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) August 31, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Colossians 2:16-3:10This series takes a dive into what it looks like to long for and grow in spiritual maturity in a world that longs to avoid, ignore, or adjust the Truth and reality of Jesus and the Christian faith. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) August 24, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Text: Colossians 2:6-14This series takes a dive into what it looks like to long for and grow in spiritual maturity in a world that longs to avoid, ignore, or adjust the Truth and reality of Jesus and the Christian faith. Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comTHIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) August 17, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Will the real Christians please stand up? This week, we're getting to the bottom of a very divisive issue. In a world where people in different sects of Christianity are constantly drawing lines in the sand, and declaring who counts as a "real Christian", can we look to the Bible itself to help us determine the truth? Or will the Dans just muddy the waters again? In the second half of our show, we'll talk about the sons of God. Not the son, the sons. Plural. Who are these divine beings? And why are they looking at the human women like that? ---- For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠      Follow us on the various social media places: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have you ordered Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible Says So⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ yet??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Galatians 5:24-26 Bonus Episode with Jeff Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcast You're the reason we can all do this together! Discuss the episode here Music by Jeff Foote

Genuine repentance doesn't fade after an emotional moment—it keeps bearing fruit in an ongoing life of obedience, surrender, and spiritual renewal (Ac. 26:20; Mt. 3:8; Col. 2:6). Real Christians keep repenting, because grace not only forgives but fuels a lifelong pursuit of holiness.

Genuine repentance doesn't fade after an emotional moment—it keeps bearing fruit in an ongoing life of obedience, surrender, and spiritual renewal (Ac. 26:20; Mt. 3:8; Col. 2:6). Real Christians keep repenting, because grace not only forgives but fuels a lifelong pursuit of holiness.

Text: Ephesians 4:1-16In this mini-series we will examine what community looks and what it means to build Jesus' Church together.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) July 13, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

In this episode of Uncommon Sense, we're talking about Tucker Carlson's highly discussed interview with Senator Ted Cruz. I'll be sharing my honest thoughts on how it went, why I think Tucker came out ahead, and what this kind of bold, unscripted, and unapologetically frank conversation means for the future of political discourse (spoiler: I'm all for it).We'll go into why I support constructive confrontation—yes, even when it gets "mean" and uncomfortable. The Founding Fathers didn't tiptoe around the truth, so why should we? They debated passionately because the stakes were high. The polite punditry act is wearing thin, and people are tired of political puppets mouthing safe lines. They're craving what we saw here: real conviction, real disagreement, and real questions.We'll cover why I believe Tucker won this exchange: from his biblical literacy to his serious concerns about foreign lobbying groups like AIPAC having a hand in U.S. policy. Ted got visibly nervous when pressed about Scripture, about Israel, and about U.S. involvement in a possible war with Iran. And the question still lingers: Why are we only now suddenly being pushed to act, when Trump was reportedly targeted by Iran two years ago?Most importantly, we'll reflect on Tucker's question—a theological one with deep political ramifications: Who is the real Israel according to God? Is it the modern state that does not believe Jesus is Lord and historically has required a denial of Christ for Jewish returnees? Or is it the true church—those who belong to Christ?I'll share my belief unapologetically: Israel is the body of believers in Jesus Christ. Not those who reject Him. Not those who crucified Him. That's a hard truth, but a necessary one in these last days when clarity very much matters.Faith shouldn't be a popularity contest.--https://www.thebrandsunday.com/products/the-bible-study-physical?srsltid=AfmBOorwAVEYslTlOGA-36_bHHjruNDOebEKWQ6M2115NZZwL8WG_ali

In this episode of Uncommon Sense, we're talking about Tucker Carlson's highly discussed interview with Senator Ted Cruz. I'll be sharing my honest thoughts on how it went, why I think Tucker came out ahead, and what this kind of bold, unscripted, and unapologetically frank conversation means for the future of political discourse (spoiler: I'm all for it).We'll go into why I support constructive confrontation—yes, even when it gets "mean" and uncomfortable. The Founding Fathers didn't tiptoe around the truth, so why should we? They debated passionately because the stakes were high. The polite punditry act is wearing thin, and people are tired of political puppets mouthing safe lines. They're craving what we saw here: real conviction, real disagreement, and real questions.We'll cover why I believe Tucker won this exchange: from his biblical literacy to his serious concerns about foreign lobbying groups like AIPAC having a hand in U.S. policy. Ted got visibly nervous when pressed about Scripture, about Israel, and about U.S. involvement in a possible war with Iran. And the question still lingers: Why are we only now suddenly being pushed to act, when Trump was reportedly targeted by Iran two years ago?Most importantly, we'll reflect on Tucker's question—a theological one with deep political ramifications: Who is the real Israel according to God? Is it the modern state that does not believe Jesus is Lord and historically has required a denial of Christ for Jewish returnees? Or is it the true church—those who belong to Christ?I'll share my belief unapologetically: Israel is the body of believers in Jesus Christ. Not those who reject Him. Not those who crucified Him. That's a hard truth, but a necessary one in these last days when clarity very much matters.Faith shouldn't be a popularity contest.--https://www.thebrandsunday.com/products/the-bible-study-physical?srsltid=AfmBOorwAVEYslTlOGA-36_bHHjruNDOebEKWQ6M2115NZZwL8WG_ali

Text: Mark 1:9-15Missions Month is a time where we revisit and remember the promise and responsibility of the Gospel in the lives of others. The Gospel is a message that is both to be modeled in lifestyle and shared with words. This month we will look at the different ways our church invests itself in missions locally and globally, and spend time growing in our understanding of missions and the Gospel.Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) June 15, 2025Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

Send us a text(REPRISE) For a second time, Ken welcomes Rev. Ben Cremer to the podcast for Season 5. Ken starts by thanking Ben for that first interview, "Myths We Believe," which is far and away the most downloaded podcast of Ken's more than 300 episodes (exceeding the former first-place interview with Kristin Kobes Du Mez). Ben is a prolific author, just finishing up the manuscript of his first book. He has a big audience for his newsletter, which is delivered weekly on Sunday mornings. He calls it "Into The Gray." It's a resource of books, podcasts, and then a thoughtful essay of his own around important issues of the day. Ken chose three to discuss on this podcast - first, "A Troubling Conversation" highlighting the commonly held doctrine of Total Depravity. The second contemplates the common default answer when Christians encounter those who hold opposite views. They'll say, "Well, they aren't REAL Christians." The third addresses a spiritual discipline that is widely ignored in the traditions both Ben and Ken grew up in - lament. Ben brings fresh, sometimes provocative thinking to all three issues. Ken predicts that this conversation will be another that breaks records. SHOW NOTESSupport the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you! Ken's Substack Page The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com