Do you need encouragement today? The word encourage is used 40 times in the Scriptures and is focused on encouragement within the body of Christ in the Church. What is encouragement? Am I encouraged? Do I encourage others? Where do I get it and where do I give it? What's the role of the church in encouraging the body? Great questions that need answers. We will look at this vital part of the body of Christ in the church so be encouraged.

Each week Bethel's interim pastor, Dwain Camp, sits down with the staff to spend 5 minutes in the Scripture together. This time has been deeply beneficial for us and we thought we'd share this time with you, too. Consequently, weeks in which Dwain is in town, we intend to record/produce a weekly video devotional from his devotional with the staff.

Today's devotional focuses on Proverbs 4:1-9. There's an active involvement on the part of the individual to acquire wisdom. Solomon states that the beginning of wisdom is the rule to get it. Once again, wisdom is personified in this passage as a bride to be embraced, to be treasured, to be brought close and to be treated tenderly with value.

The account of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb is more than a story from the Bible, but a reality that bears eternal weight and significance for every person that's ever existed - for the Hebrews 4,000 years before the incarnation of Christ to us today in the 21st century. The Lord demands payment for our sins, and not through the sacrifice of bulls or goats, but of the Lamb of God, the only begotten Son of God - Jesus Christ.

As this is Palm Sunday we will meditate on the account of our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and of his cleansing of the Temple. We will look in turn at what the disciples, crowds, children, and chief priest and scribes were doing, and then turn to see what Jesus was doing and how that's a challenge to us today. To do this we need to look back at the prophecy of this event in Zechariah 9.

An in-depth study of The Parable of the Prodigal Son by Dr. Peter Williams.

A King is born in a small town, yet only a select few notice. They travel thousands of miles to bring him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and to give him the worship that he is due. Yet all aren't happy to hear of his birth. The plot of Matthew's gospel begins to thicken as magi from the far East, illegitimate kings, and divinely inspired moving stars all point us to the arrival of a very special child. Come let us study the word of God to behold the glory of the King who came to save!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast

Bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray;

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off my heart was free;

I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

Amazing love! How can it be

That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

-And Can It Be That I Should Gain, Charles Wesley, 1738

Our King was born in a majestic fashion. Matthew continues his prologue with the birth of our of a Savior named Jesus Christ. Born of a virgin and raised by a righteous man, this scene in the redemptive story directs our attention to the Sovereign God who has been unraveling a master plan as He sends the Son to save his people from their sins. Let us behold the Glory of this masterful God who came to save us!

While we cannot "see" faith, we can see the evidence of a genuine faith. The Apostle John writes his first letter to give assurance of salvation those who have believed in Christ. Indeed, those who trust in Christ will demonstrate His presence in their lives as they "walk in the light," that is, as they walk in daily fellowship with Christ.

Matthew's Gospel serves as a transition from the Old Testament to the New and he begins it with a genealogy of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. As we study the characters and look at the history of our Savior's ancestors, he came from a checkered background to say the least. Yet the bloodline of our King shows us something about the nature of the God we serve and worship. Let us engage the text for we must behold His glory in order to worship Him with opened eyes.