"'If they really knew me, would they love me?' I think that's a human thing that we all ask ourselves. The amazing thing about God is that He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows you exactly as you are, and He loves you in spite of yourself."

 

Pastor Billy continues our series taking us through the book of Philippians and what it means to be truly "JoyFull". This week, we're in Philippians 2:19-30 where Paul gives us a little glimpse into who two of his friends as we look into what it means to be both a Godly friend and a friend of God.

"We've started to say 'What would Jesus do? Well, Jesus would do what I am doing!' Instead of 'What would Jesus do?' and asking ourselves 'How does that go against my flesh?' we've kind of twisted it up...We're not humbling ourselves. We're actually lifting ourselves up and attacking people with the very gospel name of Jesus."

 

Pastor David Baxley continues our series taking us through the book of Philippians by starting us into the first eleven verses of the second chapter.

"If we say we love God but hate our enemies, and we rejoice when they fall, where's the fruit of love? If we say that we have all the knowledge and discernment, but we cannot speak and reflect the heart of God to each other in conflict and differences, where is the fruit?"

 

Our series in the book of Philippians continues this week with Pastor David talking about why love is the most important thing, especially when it comes to using our knowledge and discernment.

"Even as he (King David) was going through the dark valley, he could say with confidence that it wasn't by accident because the shepherd had led him there. He doesn't have to carry on his own shoulders how he got there, or what he needs to do to fix the situation, or what he needs to do to correct it and change it. He doesn't have to try to take control of it. He knows the shepherd led him there, and the shepherd will lead him out."

 

Pastor David begins our mini-series in the Psalms by starting us arguably the most well-known psalm: Psalm 23.

"What would your marriage look like; what would your relationship with your siblings look like; what your relationship with co-workers look like; if just one person, if just you ordered your ladder this way? If just you thought of your wife as more important than you; Or if just one sibling thought 'I'm just here to serve my family'; Or just one co-worker decided 'Hey, everyone around me is more important than me'? What would that do to a marriage, what would that do to a relationship, what would that do to a family?"

 

Parker Rabe makes up his sermon we missed from a snow day on February 9th by taking us through 1 Peter 1:22-2:3, and the many powerful things we can find in that section of God's Word. 

"We focus so much on trying to be comfortable and preventing suffering, that it becomes our goal and our idol instead of our focus and our heart being on God and His glory, His will, His work in our lives, His plans, even if it means suffering."

 

This week, Pastor David Baxley continues our series going through 1 Peter, taking us into chapter 4, verses 12-19, which focuses on how we as believers should expect to suffer as Christ did.

"I am called by God's specific design to be one with my wife, and she is called by her specific design to be one with me. This is what sets marriage apart. This is where we begin to recognize that this is a sacred relationship that God joins together."

 

Pastor David Baxley dives into the second sermon on 1 Peter 3:1-7, which focuses on husbands and wives, and how God is calling them to be set apart from all others.

"We have a King who comes to us and says 'I want to give you life, and life abundantly. But, you know what? I have to be Lord."

 

Pastor Billy Hestand continues our series "Chosen to be Set Apart" by teaching on the true submission God has called us to from 1 Peter 2:13-25. Find out more about Bethany, and see other sermons on our website, bethanychurchlax.org

"God wants us to see that not only did he pay the ransom for us, but that before we were ever created, God knew we would rebel, he knew we would run away from our Father, he knew we would resist the calling he has on our lives. Before he ever created us, he said 'Jesus, I choose you to be the one that's going to eventually pay the ransom, in your blood, so they can be restored to relationship with me.' And Jesus willingly submitted to the plan of the Father."

 

Pastor David Baxley preaches to us from Gods Word on what it means to be set apart to obey God.

"We don't serve a God that's good with just Band-Aids. He wants to help you find healing. And here's where I believe you find it: we find it in rest in the fact that God is keeping us; that's he's watching over us; that he's got us. That's truly healing that we know the destination. You can hurt me, you can talk bad about me, but you know what? God's got me."

 

Pastor Billy Hestand begins our new series called "Chosen to be Set Apart" taking us through the book of 1 Peter, starting with the first seven verses.