Bethel Lutheran Church

Love in Action — July 31 – August 7, 2010

We are travelling to Tepic Mexico to Casa de Ninos orphanage to show God’s love to the children and the staff.

Pray for safety and good health, unity and patience among the group, good communication, joy and humility in serving, and for God’s love to be boldly shown in words and actions! Pray that the hearts of each child be soft and prepared for God’s love. Also, pray that God would watch over our families and protect them in our absence.

Dixie Johnson, Spencer Mast, Emma Hayhurst & Lynne Rustad

Sunday, July 18, 2010
Readings: Job 38:1-18, Romans 11:25-36, Matthew 11:25-30
Brace yourself!  There’s nothing like the feeling of muscles tensing and that held breath that accompanies bracing ourselves for something.  Job had to brace himself for God to speak to him and tell him the way it really was.  Listen as Pastor Seabaugh tells us the way it really is directly from the mouth of God.

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Week 46:  July 26-31
Psalm 48-82

GodSpeak readings for each day are listed below. Click the link to read the section and/or listen online. A discussion question is listed below for you to use in your GodSpeak group session or for discussion with others who are reading along.

Monday, July 26 Psalm 48-53  Read & Listen Online   (Click “Audio” link to listen)
1. What?s your favorite riddle? The psalmist presents a riddle in Psalm 49: Why should I fear when evil days come and the wicked surround us (verse 5)? What are his reasons for not fearing that he presents in the rest of the psalm? One answer to the riddle comes in Psalm 52:8. How would you state the psalmist’s answer of faith? What support do you find for your answer in Psalms 48-53 and elsewhere in Scripture?

Tuesday, July 27 Psalm 54-60  Read & Listen Online   (Click “Audio” link to listen)
2. Many people are weighed down by misfortunes – several serious health issues, broken relationships, job related difficulties – and the load seems to get heavier by the day. What difficulties weigh down people you know? David felt that he was surrounded by enemies and evildoers (See especially Psalm 59.). He was weighed down by his own sin. Which sections of Psalms 54–60 indicate that God was his source of strength and hope? Which verses give you hope and strength when you are surrounded by difficulties? (more…)

Week 42: Job 2-14

Click to listen to this week’s recorded GodSpeak discussion group!

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Monday, June 28 Job 2-3  Read & Listen Online   (Click “Audio” link to listen)
1. Explain Job’s words recorded in Job 2:10 in light of Hebrews 12:5–11.

Tuesday, June 29 Job 4-5  Read & Listen Online   (Click “Audio” link to listen)
2. Why do you think Christians sometimes face periods of hardship, illness, and disappointment with the same type of reasoning as Job’s friend Eliphaz explains in Job 4:3–8? (more…)

Church, Neighborhood and World
One of the things I love about our mission statement is that we specifically state where we intend to make disciples. It’s modeled after Acts 1:8 where Jesus tells his disciples “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Jerusalem = Church, Judea = Neighborhood, Samaria = World) Making disciples in the church is a challenge, but we have the benefit of already having disciples who are making disciples right here. Making disciples in the world is a challenge, but we have the benefit of missionaries like the Millers in Thailand who we can support with prayers and offerings. Making disciples in our neighborhood is a challenge that I think we struggle with the most. How do we reach out to our neighborhood to make disciples?

Integral, Valued and Transformational
I believe it has to be our mission to be an integral, valued, transformational member of our immediate community. (more…)

Check out Bethel’s August Newsletter!

August 2010

In this issue:
     1.  Neighborhood Survey Results
     2.  Vacation Bible School
     3.   Hong Kong Update from Luke Rustad