In the last message we looked at verses 1-3 of Ezekiel 1, noting God’s call of Ezekiel while he was in exile in Babylon. Ezekiel was among 10.000 Israelites captured in Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar and exiled to Babylon, where he sat by the Chebar River/Canal when God approaches him. He was 30 years old, the age when priests could begin their ministry, and on this day God calls Ezekiel to the ministry as a prophet. Ezekiel’s call was seen, heard, and felt, as the hand of the Lord fell upon him. What ensues in ch. 1 is one of the most dramatic scenes in all of the Bible, as Ezekiel sees visions of God’s glory. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

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We were pleased to welcome the new Executive Director for Hope Pregnancy Clinic, Jay Messenger, to our service today. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

By the time of Ezekiel, Israel's days of wine and roses had passed. She had flourished under David and Solomon, but had become a divided kingdom, with the northern tribes of Israel taken to captivity in Assyria, and a hundred years later the southern kingdom taken into captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel was a priest in the southern kingdom, taken along with 10,000 others to Babylon in 597BC. Ezekiel's message to God's people in captivity was that God's glory was departing from them due to their sin, but that one day in the future his glory would return. Our story begins with the call of the prophet. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

Our study this month is Dedicated: being Devoted to God. The first message was on being dedicated to God’s Word, then being dedicated to God’s Church, and last week being dedicated to God’s Service. Today, I want us to focus on what it means to be dedicated to God’s Honor. What does it mean for you and me, as God’s children, to be devoted to God, honoring God in the daily lives we live? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

Our study this month is Dedicated: being devoted to God. The first message was on being dedicated to God’s Word, and last week we looked at being dedicated to God’s Church. Today, I want us to focus on what it means to be dedicated to God’s Service. What does it mean for you and me, as God’s children, to be devoted to serving God and serving others? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

This January I want to talk about what it means to be “Dedicated” in our walk with Christ. Today, I want to encourage you to commit to joining me in 2026 to walk with Christ by being dedicated to God's church. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

This January I want to talk about what it means to be “Dedicated” in our walk with Christ, our work for Christ, our worship of Christ, and our witness for Christ. Today, I want to encourage you to commit to joining me in 2026 to walk with Christ by being dedicated to Bible reading. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

In our last study we looked at the Marks of Good Friends, where Paul reminded Timothy that good friends show up; they help when needed, and they warn you of danger. Those are the kinds of friends we need in life. Not perfect friends, because there are none, but good friends who stabilize our lives in this chaotic world. Paul had these kinds of friends, and he needed them. Today we will look at the final lines of 2 Timothy together and close this series on the Letters to Timothy. We’ve learned many lessons on what it means to leave your mark in this life, and today we will look at the final lesson: the Marks of Spiritual Confidence. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

For the last three Sundays we have been reading Scripture and lighting candles for Advent without much explanation. This morning I want to give some explanation to what we’ve been doing. Advent is the season of preparation for Christ's coming, his presence with us. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons

Building friendships is especially important for those who want to honor God, because God made us for relationships. Jesus taught the importance of loving others and then he lived it out before their eyes. He was called “the friend of sinners.” In today’s text, we see that Paul too became a man of many deep relationships. His friendships were vast and covered a great variety of men and women in his day. His parting thoughts in 2 Timothy 4 give us some lessons on the marks of good friends. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8j

Website https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons