Bethesda Shalom

2 Chronicles 26:1-5 When God brings His people from one season into another, they must give careful attention and purposeful thought as to how they intend to meet this new environment.  I’ve come to learn over the years that change for some, while it ought to have been the best thing to have ever come their way; proved at last to be their undoing! A man can begin in the lowly shadows of obscurity, and behold as he rises through the ranks of success, he can find at last, he’s not the man he was at the first.  Success has gotten to his head; prosperity has clouded his vision, fogged his thinking, and corrupted his mind.  I find that a man needs to be on guard at all times, but none more so than in the midst of blessing.

Luke 9:51 Many are waiting upon God in the place of prayer, and one day, God is going to answer.  On the day of His answering, the day of waiting has come to end, and the time for action has now come!  Play the man Christian soldier, God shall not fail thee!!  When God says GO, it’s no time to procrastinate, it’s time to act!

Proverbs 29:25 When you’re standing at the crossroads of life and you don’t know what to do.  Far from being at a place of loss, the child of God is afforded an opportunity to enquire of the Lord.  “If any man lacks wisdom (James says), let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”.  Brothers and Sisters, in the presence of fear and uncertainty, will you enquire at the mouth of the Lord?  He has something to say about your circumstance if you would but seek Him, and when He speaks, be sure to obey, and He will lead you through!

Matthew 9:37-38 In November of last year, thousands of care workers up and down the UK were forced out of their jobs in a sector which as it stands is already facing a daunting shortage of more than 100,000 workers.  The care sector is not alone in this crisis.  The NHS is facing the same problem. According to the latest NHS figures, 85,000 of its staff have still not had a Covid vaccine and a further 40,000+ have only had the first of two required jabs.  All face immediate dismissal on 31st March on this year, from a sector which is also facing at present, a 100,000 staff shortfall.  But it’s not just healthcare.  Last month, the Education Secretary, called for ex-teachers to come out of retirement to help bridge the gap of staff illnesses in schools across the UK.  Staff shortages are spreading to almost every part of the economy, ranging from haulage to hospitality.  While this world’s workforce is in short supply, the Kingdom of Heaven’s workforce is also in the same.  If God was to put out an advertiseme

Acts 2:41-47 We live in a world where we’re continually told that change is good.  Whether it be the political sphere or the workplace environment; education or the arts — to remain constant and the same is deemed to be a failure. I remember as a teacher, working in secondary education, it was frowned upon if you stayed too long teaching in the same school.  It was an unspoken rule that every five years or so you were supposed to move on by means of promotion — climbing the career ladder of success, jumping from one school to another. I thank God Brethren, that some things in life are constant and never changing.  I thank God that He is unchanging in His nature and that His Holy Word is also unchanging.  In this sermon, we look at the four great unchanging pillars of the Church of Jesus Christ that ought to characterise its coming together in every generation – The Word of God, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers.    

Romans 6:1-14 What soldier is armed with an ornamental sword, to take to the field of battle?  Outwardly, it appears shiny behold, but when drawn from its sheath the soldier finds the blade is blunt!  So many Christians, arm themselves with the great positional statements of Holy Scripture, and yet when asked to see the evidence of such truths in the life of their experience, they are unable to furnish the proof. This sermon is a challenge calling for the rubber of our theology to meet the road of our experience! 

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Just this past week, I was enjoying a moment, reading a book when I came across a statement that beautifully ministered to my heart.  It involves a Pastor and a particular lady who came forward in one of his meetings.  I’ll allow the Pastor to tell it in his own words: “She was somewhat timid and quiet, and she brought with her another lady for moral support. She said, “Brother...would you please pray that I will be bold and confident?  I answered her request by saying “No. I will not.”  Oh, I said it in a loving and gentle way, and then I explained why.  I said, “Listen, God has given you a gift, and you don’t realize what that gift is.  The gift is weakness, and as long as you recognize your weakness, it will drive you to God.  But if I pray, and all of a sudden you have confidence and boldness in yourself, you will not need God’s help anymore.”  Two days later she came to me in that conference, took me by the hand, and said, “Brother...thank you.  Nobody has ever told me that my weakn

Acts 2:1-4 God’s ways are never discernable by sight!  So many desire that God would speak while the conditions appear favourable.  But this is not how it works.  While Sarah was yet barren, God said to Abraham, “I will make of thee a great nation” (Gen. 12:2).  While Elizabeth was yet barren and past the age of childbearing, the angel said to Zachariah, “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John” (Lk. 1:13).  This sermon is an encouragement and a call for the Body of Christ to place their trust in the God who cannot fail.  Delay is inevitable, but if God has spoken, He will surely bring it to pass.  Let us not lose heart, we serve a God of the suddenly.  Let us trust Him and as we trust Him, let us wait in hope for that which we do not yet see.  As we hope, let us also pray and prepare ourselves for the day of God’s sudden visitation!

Colossians 3:15 We live in a generation where a growing disregard for basic manners is fast becoming the norm.  One can teach a youngster the practice of good etiquette — “Don’t speak with your mouth full”, “Don’t interrupt a conversation”, “Knock before you enter” — the P’s and Q’s — yes please, no thank you, excuse me.  All of these we can and should teach our children; yet I find, for all our instructing regarding the letter of etiquette, we cannot impart the spirit of it.     The children of God ought to be the most grateful people on planet earth; yet, if I was to ask how much time is spent, in us thanking God for the gracious benefits bestowed upon us, the answer would be sorrowful.  This sermon is a teaching and exhortation to thanksgiving.  May you be challenged, changed, and edified.

Ephesians 4:1-6 This world that we presently call home; this fading temporary abode, is a world that stands fiercely divided.  Now, of course, I don’t refer to the physical landmass we call planet earth, I speak of the people who populate it.  On every hand as one beholds, one sees division and schism — person against person, tribe against tribe, kingdom against kingdom and, nation against nation.  Despite the efforts of global diplomacy and political treaties, there’s one thing that man will never legislate, and that is true lasting peace. While a world stands divided, the Church of Jesus Christ is called to be united!!  For what did our Lord Jesus pray in that great high priestly prayer on the eve of His crucifixion?  “That they all may be divided?”  No!! “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (Jn. 17:21).    

Jeremiah 12:1-5 The year was 1944 when the Communist party seized power in Romania.  Literally overnight, a million Russian troops poured onto the soil of Romania.  In what was heralded as the “freeing” of Romania, saw instead, women raped, shops looted, men robbed and murdered.  Christians were imprisoned, tortured, kidnapped, and murdered for possessing the same faith as you and I.  Romania, which had formerly been dubbed “the granary of Europe”, became a starvation camp.  Yet despite this, in the years leading up to this brutal persecution, God in His faithfulness had been preparing His people for the horrors of the Communist Regime through the afflictions of the Nazi backed “Iron Guard” who too persecuted Christians in the run-up to the Communist takeover of Romania.  A Christian Pastor, writing of his experiences during this said this: “My wife and I were arrested several times, beaten, and hauled before Nazi judges. The Nazi terror was great, but only a taste of what was to come under the Communists. My

Deuteronomy 8:1-6 Horatio Spafford was a Presbyterian layman from Chicago and was a successful lawyer and businessman. Humanly speaking, this man had everything going for him.  He loved the Lord and was happily married with five beautiful children.  However, things were about to take a drastic and sudden turn, in a series of events reminiscent of the life of Job.  Spafford had heavily invested in real estate along Lake Michigan’s shoreline but in the great Chicago Fire of 1871, he tragically lost everything!  If that wasn’t bad enough, shortly before this, he lost his only son to scarlet fever at the tender age of four.  With a grieving wife, Horatio Spafford decided to send her and their four daughters across to England where he planned imminently to join them.  In 1873, his family boarded the S.S Ville du Havre and set sail for England; but as the ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean, tragedy struck when the ship collided with another sea vessel.  Within just 12 minutes the ship had sunk taking the lives of 226

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 There is a war that has been raging for the last two-thousand years.  On one side stand the Saints of God — the army of the Church of Jesus Christ; and on the other side, principalities, and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places.  If one was to stop the average person in the street and to tell them of this mighty conflict, they would most likely laugh you to scorn.  Yet the child of God knows all too well, the reality of this mighty conflict. In this sermon, we seek to expose the varying methods of the assaults of the devil, in particular, his lying slanders through which he wages war against our minds.  I pray that this sermon will be of help to you in this battle.

Romans 5:20-21 I find increasingly of late that cardinal and principal doctrines of the Christian faith are being called into question, not (I might add) from those outside the fold, but on the contrary, from those who claim to be inside the fold.  Long established doctrines of the most immanent importance are simply being brushed aside and labelled as questionable.  One such doctrine that is being brushed aside as take it or leave it, is the doctrine of original sin.  The increasing denial of this doctrine among professing Christians is increasing and as believers, we must be absolutely clear about what this doctrine is and why it is a fundamental and non-negotiable element to our faith.

2 Peter 3:1-15 From way back when and from days of old, there have been scoffers and mockers that have made it their duty of responsibility to poke fun at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  “You Christians have been saying that Jesus is coming back since supposedly He left the first time!!” “Two thousand years have passed and where is the promise of His coming?”  “Grandad Mack said He was coming in his day and his relatives before him said exactly the same...where is He?  All things continue as they have from the beginning of time!!” You’d think that such people had read the Second Epistle of Peter for that’s exactly what he said they’d say! This sermon is an urgent call for preparation.  Jesus is coming back.  When He comes, will you be found of Him in peace? 

Pastor Jason Wright brings a thought-provoking and sobering word.  Much to chew upon and to take heed.

1 Peter 5:7 In 1740, Charles Wesley penned the words to the timeless hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”. Without question, he had in his mind the words of the sweet psalmist David when he fled from Saul in the cave. “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (Ps. 57:1). The first two verses of Wesley’s hymn read as follows: 1. Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly, while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high; hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past; safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last! 2. Other refuge have I none; hangs my helpless soul on thee; leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me. All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring; cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing. We are living in an age of mounting pressure, not least for the Christian. All around we are beset with

1 Peter 2:2-3 A lot can be gleaned from newborn babies that teach the children of God what it is to hunger and thirst. Peter, instructs believers, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). In the natural, newborn babes have an insatiable thirst and hunger for milk. Peter is saying that this ought to characterise the appetite of the believer in Christ! Have you an appetite for the Word of God? Have you strong cravings, not only to behold it but also to consume it? May God bring each one of us onto higher ground and revive in us an insatiable hunger for His Word.

Mark 10:46-52 Christianity is no passive religion.  You don’t get to be an idle bystander while others around you participate.  Each and every one of us is called to step into this arena of faith personally, and to walk with God for ourselves; to experience His covenant blessings, to taste of His goodness such that we can appeal to others first-hand (not on the basis of hearsay or another man’s testimony), and say, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Ps. 34:8). 

Ephesians 1:13-14 Seldom does the child of God really ponder the eternal treasure laid up for them in heaven.  In this sermon, we endeavour to set forth this blessed hope and in so doing, call the Christian to take his eyes from off this world and to put them on the eternal glory to come!