Elder Jeff Winfrey closed our Spring 2010 meeting by magnifying the ascension of Christ recorded in Acts 1:9: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” The cross is cruel, bloody, somber, sorrowful. The ascension is beautiful and encouraging to behold. We can experience that encouragement through participation in baptism, reflecting the death, burial, resurrection and rising of Christ.

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Elder Buddy Abernathy examines the phrase “the kingdom of God,” highlighting the different meanings of the phrase when it used in various contexts in scripture. In Daniel 4:34, the phrase refers to the entire created universe. Elsewhere, as in Matthew 13, the kingdom of God in Christ’s parable of the wheat and tares identifies God’s people in the world. In other passages we learn that the kingdom of God, His dominion, is within us if His Spirit lives in us.

It is this final sense, the most narrow sense, that we find application for our lives. If God’s kingdom is within us, we should act in ways that distinguish us from the world–as the wheat is distinguishable from the tares, though mixed among them. It is the local church, where God’s children congregate, that should be the most visible manifestation of God’s kingdom in this world.

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Elder Buddy Abernathy turns again to Psalm 128 to deliver a second message exhorting us to show our love for God by honoring Him with our reverence and obedience. When God’s people put their own comfort, pleasure, and convenience ahead of Him, they do not prosper. In Haggai 1:1-6 the children of Israel are found continually delaying the building of the temple. God told them that as a consequence, their labor would be unprofitable: “he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.” God provides for those who honor Him, and those who do not will find that no matter how much success they seem to attain, their needs and desires will outpace their means.

Elder Abernathy touches upon the proper role of a woman as keeper of the home, one way in which families show honor to God at a time when dual-income families have become a societal norm.

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Elder Jeff Winfrey turns to Psalm 107:23-25 to show that God can work through storms in the lives of His children. We are not in a position to know if a storm was caused by God or not, but the scriptures show that God most certainly can use the weather to work His will. Elder Winfrey examines three storms in scripture, each with a distinct application for us.

The beginning of this message requires an explanation for those who did not attend the meeting. Elder Winfrey delivered a message Saturday morning on how Christ satisfied God through His work on the cross. Saturday afternoon, a young brother visiting from another church was called to lead the final hymn and introduce the service in prayer. He chose Christ Satisfies as the hymn, and prayed that we would be satisfied in Christ. This curious turn of speech was remarkably similar to Elder Winfrey’s primary message from the morning service, although our visiting song leader had not been present then.

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Elder Jeff Winfrey preaches from Isaiah 53:11 when the prophet records that God would look on the suffering of Jesus and be satisfied. If God is satisfied with Jesus, should we not also be satisfied? Consider what Christ accomplished:

1. Substitution: He became sin
2. Satisfaction: He was a sufficient atonement
3. Redemption: He paid our debt and claimed us as His own
4. Reconciliation: He made peace with God on our behalf
5. Remission: Through Him we have forgiveness, and the consequences of sin are stayed
6. Cleansing: His righteousness is imputed to us in God’s sight
7. Justification: He declares us righteous before the judgment seat of God

The world will not satisfy God’s children, nor can God’s children satisfy Him apart from Christ. Neither may we be satisfied with ourselves, but must die daily to draw closer in fellowship to the one who satisfies our souls.

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Opening Psalm 128, Elder Buddy Abernathy delivers a message in two parts showing God’s children how to show their love of Him: by fearing Him and keeping His commandments. In this message, Elder Abernathy shows us from God’s word that the focus of our labor is not material gain, but God’s glory. The Lord will provide our needs if we seek Him first in our lives.

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Elder Buddy Abernathy exhorts us to be wary of our adversary, the devil. The scriptures tell us everything we need to know to resist him. We must resist, for our adversary seeks to destroy us. By studying God’s word, we can be prepared for Satan’s tactics. He first probes our knowledge of God’s word, then calls it into question and make us believe we are missing good things by adhering to the commandments of God. Let us be diligent students of the Word and encourage one another against the wiles of Satan.

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Elder Jeff Winfrey opened our Spring 2010 meeting on Friday evening by turning to Hebrews 12, emphasizing verse 3: “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Elder Winfrey illustrates those contradictions, tracing through scripture the occasions when Jesus received evil for good during His ministry. When Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead, the wicked sought to destroy Him.

As followers of Christ, we should be encouraged by His example to endure with patience what measure of opposition and contradiction comes our way because of our service to God. He has given us such a small span of time; may we use it to prove our love for such a wonderful Savior.

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Elder Steven Bloyd delivered the final message of Bethany’s 2009 Fall Meeting. In Ephesians 6 we read, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Elder Bloyd reminds us that we can honor our parents and grandparents all of our lives, and that many blessings attend this scriptural admonition.

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Elder Stan Lee lays out a clear defense of the biblical doctrine of eternal election and answers some common, opposing viewpoints. God’s sovereign predestination of His elect people is a stumbling block for many today in an age of self-will, but the bible clearly teaches that God chose His children before time began. His choice was based on His love for us, and was not based on our actions–rather, He chose us despite our sinful ways.

Does election exclude sinners who desire God but were not chosen? No, the desire for God is a fruit of the Spirit that He places in our hearts. Does election put only a small number in heaven? No, God’s Spirit is far more capable than the feeble voice of man and will always reach His children: no language barrier, no oppressive government, no adherence to false religion, no failed plan of man will keep one of God’s chosen from reaching glory.

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