In His Grip

How do you pursue your dreams when congenital muscular dystrophy threatens your independence? When you are born with muscular dystrophy, you face a life of muscles breaking down and unable to keep up with growth spurts. During a normal growth spurt, Tim’s spine curved so rapidly that without a full spinal fusion he would die. At fourteen years of age, Tim had a fourteen-hour surgery to straighten his spine. Tim describes how the post surgical excruciating pain led him to question God’s wisdom and love. He had to relearn to walk and cannot walk without assistance to this day. But instead of turning inward into a bitter, young man, Tim persevered through a year of pain and rehabilitation that helped him learn to walk with assistance. The recovery period gave him time to think through his goals of pursuing a life of purpose. His dream to attend a university away from home seemed impossible, but Tim persevered and successfully learned how to navigate the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while attending Drexel University. Tim successfully completed the “fast track” of  earning two degrees during the same time period: a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering and Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Rather than using his disability to open doors, he was determined to help people know him as a person, not as the student with a disability. In this transparent interview, Tim shares some of the ways he intentionally interacted with other students and school staff, as well as his own understanding of God’s purposes for his life.

In this message Dr. Betters unpacks the meaning of the Second Commandment, the law on worship. It is a description of how to approach our Holy God. The first commandment addresses idolatry in general. The second commandment addresses the use of relics and icons but it goes deeper into the heart of worship. How does a sinful man approach a Holy God? What are the prohibitions of worship? We don’t need a mediator, we need the provision of God Himself. God warns against any aids in worship and declares we don’t need them because He is enough - He is the Lord our God. Is there blessing that comes through biblical worship? Are there cursings for false worship? When we see God’s instructions, we recognize that it is imperative for us to understand God’s terms for worship.

In this message Dr. Betters unpacks the meaning of the Second Commandment, the law on worship. It is a description of how to approach our Holy God. The first commandment addresses idolatry in general. The second commandment addresses the use of relics and icons but it goes deeper into the heart of worship. How does a sinful man approach a Holy God? What are the prohibitions of worship? We don’t need a mediator, we need the provision of God Himself. God warns against any aids in worship and declares we don’t need them because He is enough - He is the Lord our God. Is there blessing that comes through biblical worship? Are there cursings for false worship? When we see God’s instructions, we recognize that it is imperative for us to understand God’s terms for worship.

God prohibits idol worship. God declares that the people of Israel must not imitate the behavior or lifestyle of the people who worship Molech and other idols. At first reading, we might think none of the specific warnings apply to us today. Yet, the parallels are clear. Molech worship tried to control the future by controlling the present through politics. Men sacrificed their own manhood, sacrificed their children in “the fire” and government controlled the people. In this message, Dr. Betters unpacks the similarities between this period in the history of Israel and the culture of today. God warned the Israelites to wipe out any false prophets. The false prophets He describes sound like the false prophets of today who encourage us to look inside of our own hearts for a spark of good and to embrace religion on man’s turns. These religions reduce God to man’s level. Such events are signposts of the Second Coming of Jesus.

God prohibits idol worship. God declares that the people of Israel must not imitate the behavior or lifestyle of the people who worship Molech and other idols. At first reading, we might think none of the specific warnings apply to us today. Yet, the parallels are clear. Molech worship tried to control the future by controlling the present through politics. Men sacrificed their own manhood, sacrificed their children in “the fire” and government controlled the people. In this message, Dr. Betters unpacks the similarities between this period in the history of Israel and the culture of today. God warned the Israelites to wipe out any false prophets. The false prophets He describes sound like the false prophets of today who encourage us to look inside of our own hearts for a spark of good and to embrace religion on man’s turns. These religions reduce God to man’s level. Such events are signposts of the Second Coming of Jesus.

Is there more than one way to heaven? Do we believe what the Bible says about salvation, that there is only one way to Heaven? How do we know for sure that the Bible’s way of salvation is true? No matter what your religion, it requires faith. The Christian’s faith is rooted in the Bible alone, not the Koran, the Watchtower publications, the writings of the Hindu faith, or any other writings. We do not believe in a salvation by works. By faith, we trust the way of God’s Word, that He alone is God. Once more, Dr. Betters takes us to the Book of Deuteronomy to unpack what it means to trust and worship God alone and better understanding what idols we might be embracing that exist in our own cultures. God warned the Israelites not to engage in witchcraft or occult practices, declaring that anyone who did these things was detestable to the Lord. God calls on His people to holiness. The worship of Molech is atheistic and worships man as the center of the world, not God. God’s Word warns us to recognize that such worship seems harmless but a part of Satan’s strategy to destroy the people of Jesus. Molech worship lives today. Once more, we know that such holiness is impossible and we need Jesus.

Is there more than one way to heaven? Do we believe what the Bible says about salvation, that there is only one way to Heaven? How do we know for sure that the Bible’s way of salvation is true? No matter what your religion, it requires faith. The Christian’s faith is rooted in the Bible alone, not the Koran, the Watchtower publications, the writings of the Hindu faith, or any other writings. We do not believe in a salvation by works. By faith, we trust the way of God’s Word, that He alone is God. Once more, Dr. Betters takes us to the Book of Deuteronomy to unpack what it means to trust and worship God alone and better understanding what idols we might be embracing that exist in our own cultures. God warned the Israelites not to engage in witchcraft or occult practices, declaring that anyone who did these things was detestable to the Lord. God calls on His people to holiness. The worship of Molech is atheistic and worships man as the center of the world, not God. God’s Word warns us to recognize that such worship seems harmless but a part of Satan’s strategy to destroy the people of Jesus. Molech worship lives today. Once more, we know that such holiness is impossible and we need Jesus.

Why did God bring Israel to Mt. Sinai and announce that He was about to give them the Law? Why does the Law exist? Exodus 20 is a recitation of the Law and the Book of Deuteronomy explains the Law. Dr. Betters teaches that there are at least four reasons for the Law, starting with the desire of God’s heart that we learn the fear of God and as we do, we will be prompted to obedience and that obedience to God will open up the way of experiencing God’s best. The Law is designed to channel God’s best into our hearts. Second, God gives us the Law to produce a godly “seed.” According to Romans the Law is given to show us that we are a lost people, to stir within us that we cannot keep the Law, that God is a Holy God and that we need Jesus. Rather than hopelessness, the Law is a precious gift. The Law was put into place to lead us to Jesus and experience God’s grace. The Law is grace. In this message, Dr. Betters unpacks the meaning of the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before me.

Why did God bring Israel to Mt. Sinai and announce that He was about to give them the Law? Why does the Law exist? Exodus 20 is a recitation of the Law and the Book of Deuteronomy explains the Law. Dr. Betters teaches that there are at least four reasons for the Law, starting with the desire of God’s heart that we learn the fear of God and as we do, we will be prompted to obedience and that obedience to God will open up the way of experiencing God’s best. The Law is designed to channel God’s best into our hearts. Second, God gives us the Law to produce a godly “seed.” According to Romans the Law is given to show us that we are a lost people, to stir within us that we cannot keep the Law, that God is a Holy God and that we need Jesus. Rather than hopelessness, the Law is a precious gift. The Law was put into place to lead us to Jesus and experience God’s grace. The Law is grace. In this message, Dr. Betters unpacks the meaning of the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before me.

In this message Dr. Betters continues a study of the incredible and awesome history of the Covenants. All of the history of the Israelites has reached a great climax. They have traveled three months since their exodus from Egypt. They stand in front of Mt. Sinai, a part of Mt. Horeb. Moses goes up the mountain to meet with God. God reminds Moses that He has stood underneath the Israelites, ready to catch them if they fall. In this sacred moment, God unwraps the promises of the Covenant and paints a picture of the identify of the children of Israel as His precious nation. Dr. Betters shows how this passage is a picture of the freedom we have today in keeping with the promises God made to Moses in this moment. In this message we see the awesome beauty of the history of the Covenant promises of God and that we are the fulfillment and recipients of that Covenant of Redemption.