Escape urself Podcast

All I want for Christmas is…

In some ways, it seems impossible that Christmas is already here. In others, it seems like it would never get here. This will be a Christmas like many of us have never experienced before. Unfortunately, for many that is not good news.

All I want for Christmas is…

Every day people are longing, especially right now.  In your mind fill in the blank, “all I want for Christmas is _______.” Where does that take you? In this world, there are so many things to “want”! Maybe you just want some good news. Maybe you just want some normalcy. Maybe your desire is for something very specific, a new job or even a new car. Maybe all you want is protection for you and your family. Maybe it is something deeper. Maybe you are longing for inner peace. Maybe you are in need of a new beginning. Maybe to be free from an addiction or depression. This life is hard. No one denies that. These times that we are living in have made it even harder for many, maybe even you.

God all I want for Christmas is…

Each year at this time we get to refocus our eyes on the origin of our faith. The incredible plan that God put in place from before the creation of man. A plan that brought the hope of redemption, the hope of forgiveness, the hope of everlasting life and an eternity with our creator. A magnificent plan, a glorious plan that was carried out in the most humble, most unspectacular, inconsequential, seemingly irrelevant way it possibly could be.

God all I want for Christmas is…

Our God is Exactly what you need when you need Him and so much more!

Happy Thanksgiving to all who might read these words.  This is such a special day!   As we get to join together and give thanks to the Lord our God for all He has provided for us.  Not that we should not do that every day, but this time of year it just seems to be a bit more special.   On behalf of all of us here at Berea, thank you for all of your love and support throughout this difficult year.

Psalm 46:1  “God is our refuge and strength,  an ever-present help in trouble.”

To this same God, we lift up our praise.  To this same God, we offer thanksgiving for the infinite number of ways He blesses us each and every day.   This year has been tough.  But can you, will you step back and acknowledge the role that God has played in your life this year.   Has your faith in Him grown?  Have you seen His hand at work?  If you really cannot identify or see God at work in your life this year, take a moment right now and pray for God to reveal Himself.   He is with you!  For some reason, your eyes have been blinded to that reality.   Pain, suffering, illness, loss, confusion, can harden our hearts and keep our eyes from seeing the reality of God in us.   But the Spirit is moving right now to open those eyes, to loosen those chains, to forgive, to restore.  Will you receive that healing?

Our God is Exactly what you need when you need Him and so much more!

Berea Christian Church began in 1892. 128 years ago. It is impossible to count the number of lives that have been reached for Christ, the number of souls that have been won, the number of people helped. Not just here in Brazil, but the impact that the bride of Christ here has had around the entire world! If you stop and think about how God can and does use us to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth, it is truly miraculous!

We pray to never lose this desire. To never be distracted from our mission to be His witnesses in Brazil, in Clay County, in Indiana, the United States and yes to the ends of the Earth. Which by the way are much, much closer today than they were in the time of Jesus.

So, what does that look like in 2020? Come find out this Sunday about the missions that God has blessed us with the opportunity to support here at Berea as well as what you can do to join us.

If you would like to help us on November 29th collect an incredible gift for the missionaries we support then please click the link below!

https://bccbrazil.churchcenter.com/giving

This is the final week of our 40 days in the Word series. Now more than ever we need to have a desire to study God’s Word. Now more than ever we need to know how to study God’s word. Now more than ever we have to apply God’s Word, DO IT! LIVE IT! If you are a believer in Jesus you really do not have a choice.

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word then you’re really my followers...then you’re my disciples.” He didn’t say if you do it for 40 days and stop. He said if you continue in my word then you are my disciple. So, this week we are going to look at how to maintain a heart for God’s Word, how do you integrate God’s Word into every area of your life?

Our goal is to show you how to get the most out of the Word of God when you study and to learn how to apply it directly to your life!

Now more than ever we need to have a desire to study God’s Word. Now more than ever we need to know how to study God’s word. Now more than ever we have to apply God’s Word, DO IT! LIVE IT! If you are a believer in Jesus you really do not have a choice. This week we will look deeper into how to understand the meaning of a text.

You might have heard people say when you talk about God’s Word, that’s just your interpretation as if you can have an interpretation and I can have an interpretation and somebody else can have an interpretation and they’re all equally valid. That is not true.

The Bible, each verse in the Bible, has one and only one meaning. It may have multiple applications but it only has one interpretation. Multiple applications but only one meaning.  We will study John 15 together to see exactly what Jesus means as He talks about fruit. The means by which such fruit is produced. The result of producing fruit and the only way in which any follower of Jesus can produce fruit at all.

Our goal is to show you how to get the most out of the Word of God when you study and to learn how to apply it directly to your life!

Can you believe it is November already? There was a time when 2020 was crawling by. But the pace has certainly picked up! We hope that believers will unite in prayer for the week ahead. We have faith that God is in control and His Will will be done.  God has blessed us with an incredible country to live in. As believers, we must take advantage of that freedom to share the love of Jesus with anyone that will listen.

This week we will continue our journey to learn how to study the Word of God together as the Body of Christ. This message is desperately needed today. Look at the week ahead. Consider all the possible outcomes. Now more than ever we need to have a desire to study God’s Word. Now more than ever we need to know how to study God’s word, but then we have to apply it, DO IT! LIVE IT! If you are a believer in Jesus you really do not have a choice.

One thing this series and our small group discussions have really revealed to me is how poorly the church has taught the people of God how to study His Word. We have been faithful to teach the Word, but have not always done a good job of teaching individuals how to study the Word of God for themselves. We are always challenging believers to read, and to study, to have a personal quit time with God. But we haven’t shared with them some methods, strategies, specific ways to get started, to maintain and get the most out of those opportunities. That is why I am so grateful that God has given us this series. He is opening so many of your hearts and minds to the opportunity that has always been before us. We have had access to the Word of God our whole lives. But maybe now we can begin to take full advantage of it! To become the men and women of God that He desires. To love and lead those around us to Jesus. To help the Body of Christ grow deep into the Word and wide as we reach out to our community with the love and teachings of Jesus put into action!

Our goal today is to show you how to get the most out of the Word of God when you study.

This week we will continue our journey to learn how to study the Word of God together as the Body of Christ. The Bible is the most read book, most translated, even the best-selling book in history. But how do we see what God wants us to see?

Have you ever thought this: “I just never get anything out of the Bible. When I read it seems boring, dry. I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t know what the big deal about it is. I just don’t know what I am supposed to see?” If you’ve ever felt that way then this would be a great weekend to come to church. We are going to look at how God wants to open His Word up to you and how you can start seeing what God wants you to see. This is the process of illumination

What is illumination? Letting the Holy Spirit show us the meaning of God’s Word and how it applies to my life. The brighter the light of the Spirit on the Word, the more clearly we will be able to see what God wants us to see.

This week we will continue our journey to study the Word of God together as the Body of Christ. The Bible is the most read book, most translated, even the best-selling book in history. But how does the Living Word of God change us?

We are going to look at seven specific ways God wants to change your life with his Word. Seven changes that God will bring about if you will invest your life in His Word. God’s Word is alive and active. The Word of God has the ability to cut right to the heart of the issue. The Word of God has the ability to point out what’s wrong in my life, what needs to be corrected in my life and what I need in my life. It’s not a skill saw, it’s not a chain saw. It’s like a surgeon’s scalpel or today maybe more like a laser. God’s Word can do the fine work that needs to be done in my life. It’s exactly what I need.

This week will continue on a 7-week journey to study the Word of God together as the Body of Christ. The Bible is the most read book, most translated, even the best-selling book in history. But why is it the considered Word of God? How do we know it is the Word of God?

This week we will look at 7 reasons that you can trust the Word of God. If you are a believer you must know why you trust God’s Word. People will ask you, what will you say? If you are a skeptic, you have every right to ask what makes the Bible special. Why should you believe such a book is anything more than words on a page? Our prayer is that the Spirit of God will reveal to you the truth behind this incredible work of God.

40 Days in the Word…

This week will begin a 7-week journey to study the Word of God together as the Body of Christ. Along this journey, we will be looking at how to build our life on the Bible. Why can I trust the Bible? How should God’s Word change us? How do we see what God wants us to see in His Word? How do we study a specific Bible passage and understanding the meaning of the text? Then lastly, how can we integrate God’s Word into our everyday lives?

There has never been a better time to refocus on the Word of God than right now. The world seems to be in constant chaos. Disease, social unrest, political turmoil, and more seem to be leading so many to a place of fear and uncertainty.  But there is a place to turn. There is a truth to be known. There is a foundation that one can build their life on that is unshakable and absolute. We all need this foundation…

We pray that you will consider joining us one Sunday in Brazil Indiana @ Berea Christian Church! So many have had to remain isolated and alone during these difficult times. If you are able it would be a blessing to see you Sunday at 10:00 A.M.. If you cannot attend in person then please join us online.

You can view the service live on our website

https://bccbrazil.org