Bethesda Shalom

Romans 3:1-18 When one surveys the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, one cannot escape the sheer volume of passages and verses that speak of a future blessing for Israel.  They cry forth from every page...God has not cast off His covenanted people Israel!!  In answer to the scathing indictment against him in chapter 2, the Jew sought to exploit this truth in an attempt to hold God to account by insisting that whatever wrong they did on their part, God would remain integral to His Word in keeping covenant with them.  In this fifth teaching part we see how Paul blasts this faulty reasoning out of the water bringing the Jews back to the fundamental truth of his argument, namely that both Jew and Gentile are fully deserving of the righteous judgment of God!!      

Romans 2:17-29 Having mounted a case against the self-righteous man and having concluded that both Jew and Gentile stand condemned before a holy God, Paul now turns his attention in particular to the religious Jew who rested in the law though he kept it not!   The Jew made his boast in his creed and pedigree, in the receiving of the law, in the external rite of circumcision.  Paul would have none of it and seeks to pull the rug of religious pride from under his feet and to lay bare his hypocrisy.  Say not we have Abraham to our father, say not we are they to whom the law came, say not we have the seal of God upon us through circumcision; does your life match up with the reality of what these things contain?  This sermon is a challenging message for search to be made as to the genuineness of our confession of religion that our lives might match our profession of faith! 

2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul delivers a very simple but yet profound message on the need for us as Christians to remain in a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  What does it mean to walk with Jesus?  How do we as Christians walk with Jesus?  Paul endeavours with the help of God to provide many thought provoking answers to these questions and more.  May the Lord bless you as you listen/watch this rich sermon. This sermon was preached at the 2016 Wolverhampton CMFI Fellowship Day.

2 Chronicles 18 Jim brings a very needful word about the absolute need to put ourselves in the place where we can hear from God.  This is a very heart stirring message that places the responsibility firmly in our lap.  What is the state and condition of our hearts?  Are we in the place where we can hear from God? This sermon was preached at the 2016 Wolverhampton CMFI Fellowship Day.

Romans 2:1-16 Jesus reserved some of His most chiding words for the religious hypocrites.  Content to dwell in their self-righteousness, to sit in the seat of judgment against others yet failing to see that by that same judgment they themselves were condemned!!  Against such, Paul lays down the case and when he’s finished getting done, the righteousness of the self-righteousness is reduced to dust and ashes!!  To the Jew seeking to justify himself in the sight of God, he has been weighed and found wanting!  To the Gentile he too has been tried by the law written on his heart and has been found wanting.  Paul concludes all men under sin and announces the coming day of wrath when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ!! This sermon is a very powerful exhortation to cast aside self-righteousness and to cast oneself upon the righteousness provided in Jesus Christ!!

Romans 1:13-32 The Apostle Paul's heart was that he might come to preach the gospel to those at Rome.  Whilst many today desire to draw in a crowd, Paul was not interested in doctoring the gospel to accomplish such means.  Whilst many today are ashamed of the foolishness of preaching, Paul desired to preach nothing less for he knew that the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ was the power of God unto salvation to all who would believe. Just as the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, so also is the terrifying wrath of God revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.  When a people decides to cast off the knowledge of God and to give the worship and glory owing to God, to another, God gives man over to his own wicked lustful heart and in removing His restraint, man begins a horrifying downward spiral into moral depravity.  This sermon is awake up call to a nation under the wrath of God!!

Romans 1:1-12 Though the book of Romans was not the first epistle to be written, yet it finds itself first among the New Testament epistles.  When we consider the great depth of its theological content and practical application, it’s hardly any surprise why we find it first in position among the epistles.  By all accounts, this epistle stands as a giant!  If all the epistles can be rightly called mountains, the book of Romans stands as Mount Everest among them.  In this first part of a sermon series working through the book of Romans, we explore Paul’s mighty calling and the awesome possibilities of the grace of God working though his yielded life.  We look too at the power of prayer and the desperate need in our generation for prayer to be revived in the lives of God’s people for the spiritual well-being and prosperity of the Saints. 

Genesis 3:1-7 There seems to be within some sectors of the Christian Church, two opposing views when it comes to spiritual warfare.  On one extreme there exists those who deny that there is such a devil at work in the earth today and on the other, those who blame the devil for absolutely everything!  Surely the Bible presents a middle ground, not overstating his power whilst at the same time not minimising his potential influence in the life of the believer.  Through the account given of the fall of man, this message seeks to shed light on the nature of Satan and his approach in seeking to ensnare the souls of men.  This sermon is a sober warning and a caution to Christians not to spend too long in talk with the devil for one does so to the peril of his own soul!!    

Luke 8:7 Never in the history of mankind have we ever been able to achieve more in in a single 24 hour day than we do in the age in which we live.  What previous generations would have taken a week to accomplish, we can accomplish in mere hours.  Yet, though man has much time free, he has no time free, for the time he would have free he fills with the pursuit of obtaining more.  With the more come much anxiety!! Anxiety is a foe of any man but in particular it is a foe of the Christian which if embraced will render one’s life unfruitful and barren!  This sermon looks at the parable of the sower and in particular the application of the parable as it relates the peril of anxiety.  A strong exhortation is given via a very practical message that we as Christians might break through in the area of faith and prayer to lay hold on the peace of God in the midst of the temptation to worry.

Hebrews 12:1-13 Is there any among you that is without the pain and sorrow that accompany trials and afflictions?  What is your response when such trials and afflictions come to press you out of measure?  For many, their immediate response is why me?  If God loves me, why would He allow such affliction to come into my life?  Oh!  Dear Brethren, don’t tarry long in conversation with that old serpent; well our Lord did say of him “he is a liar, and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44).  Nay, in such moments of doubt, we must bring underneath that sinking sand, the sure foundation of God’s Word which cries aloud; it’s because God loves me why he allows trials and afflictions to come into my life!! In this sermon, three key aspects of God’s chastening are brought out.  Firstly, God chastens His children in retributive disciple in order that they might turn back to Him.  Secondly, God chastens His children in corrective discipline that they might resemble more His image and character.  Thirdly, God chastens His children i

David through the Scriptures shows that everyone who God calls to be His children have to follow the journey of the chosen.  All who God calls to labour in His work must undergo a series of episodes, without which there can be no hope of service in the work of the Kingdom.  Through the life of four men – Joseph, Moses, David and Paul – David shows that all were mightily used of God because all went through God’s pattern!  They were called, had a preview of ministry, were then demoted, and went through a wilderness before then being promoted.  This message is a great encouragement for all who perhaps felt that they were once called, but have not seen the full fruit of that calling.

In this sermon teaching, David seeks to bring out the truth contained in the parable of the ten virgins.  At first glance, one may think that the five foolish virgins were ignorant of their required responsibility to ensure that they brought oil in their vessels.  However, as you will see, their ignorance was a purposeful ignorance, based on a slothfulness and disobedience, resulting in their entrance into the marriage feast being denied!!

David expounds on a topic that is very dear to his heart concerning the gospel of the Kingdom.  David is clear to point out that the gospel of the Kingdom is not the gospel of the Church, nor is it the gospel of salvation. Prepare to have your minds stretched as David digs into the Word of God.  As all good Bereans, the ownness is on us after we have heard, to then search the Holy Scriptures!!

David expounds on two very important parables; the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.  The exhortation that David brings is delivered in grace and compassion, yet is clear and absolute...if we don't forgive those who have sinned against us, then God will not forgive us who have sinned against Him!!

1 Kings 17:1-16 We are living in incredibly difficult times and difficult times call for times of encouragement!! Biblical encouragement is not airy fairy sentimentalism but rather is rooted and grounded on the steadfast faithfulness of a God who is able to sustain and provide for His people in times of great need!! You don’t need me to tell you that we are living in times of great famine. The preaching and teaching of truth is seldom to be heard in our land. Yet…the same God who was able to keep His people in the wilderness for 40 years, providing them fresh manna morning by morning is able to also feed His people! The same God who commanded the ravens to feed His faithful servant Elijah is the same God who will also feed us in the time of famine!! This sermon is an exhortation to God’s Saints and a testimonial to the faithful mercies of a covenant keeping God who though He leads us into the wilderness, is able to sustain His beloved children.

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 The great and fundamental weakness of our make-up is that we are human – prone to discouragement, fears and doubts; afflicted with short-sightedness, so often powerless to change tomorrow!  Yet, there is One who has never known defeat nor tasted of failure, One who is never worried by tomorrow for He is Lord of the past, present and future!  To you who have tasted of the kindness of His mercies and have known and experienced His covenant keeping faithfulness in times of trouble, why so often in times of difficulty do you so soon forget His past deliverances? Thus this sermon is a word of encouragement to all who have a testimony, to raise up memorials unto the Lord!!  Dear Brethren, a memorial serves a purpose – it is something by which the memory of a person or an event is kept alive!  God’s past mercies serve as a ground of hope and confidence for the present and future and the memorial brings those past deliverances to remembrance!!  

2 Corinthians 11:2 Before ever there was the bond of parent and child, of brother and sister, there was the bond of husband and wife.  There exists no closer and more sacred a bond than that of holy matrimony.  In like manner, there is then no greater act of treachery and betrayal than when a spouse takes themselves and joins themselves to another lover.  This sermon sheds Biblical light on spiritual adultery.  Drawing from the example of Israel, one sees the broken heart of a loving husband who is jealous for His bride.  He it was that betrothed her to Himself when no none else desired her; He it was that caused her to flourish in beauty, yet with that beauty she took herself and committed whoredom on every high hill and under every green tree, committing spiritual adultery with gods of stone and wood, alliancing herself with the kings of other nations.  Yet, this is not only the picture of an Old Testament Israel; sadly it is the picture of many who profess Jesus Christ whose hearts are in this world!  Paul

1 John 3:18-24 Many who profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour struggle with finding assurance of their salvation.  Though they sit week in and week out in Churches up and down the length and breadth of the country, there remains a question that will not go away; am I truly saved?  In answering this question, this sermon seeks not to crop the branches but to lay the axe at the root by exploring the question, what is true biblical faith?  Many have the fanciful idea that faith is static, a mental ascent to a series of facts that they know nothing of in reality in their own lives.  My brethren, faith walks!!  The apostle John his first epistle, furnishes us with weighty words which address the struggle that so many have in finding assurance of their salvation.  “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” (1 Jn 3:18-19).  In other words, assurance and obedience are inextric

Luke 12:47-48 For the Christian, their testimony is simple; light has shone into darkness!  Yet for many, though they name the name of Christ, they choose wilfully to remain in darkness and plead ignorance is bliss!  Whilst happy to rest in religion, they will not come to the light lest their evil deeds should be exposed.  For those sitting under the sound of true preaching, no such excuse can be made; the light of God Word has shone into darkness and one must now choose what to do with that light, to embrace it or to suppress it!! This sermon is an earnest plea for all who have received light, to walk in the knowledge of that light, for to whom much is given, much is required and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.  Dear soul, with the light that has already been given to you, to what degree are you walking in that light?

2 Corinthians 9 For many Christians, there is much confusion and scepticism surrounding the issue of money; as soon as one hears the word, the backs of God’s people go up and rightly so!!  There are it seems more crooks and charlatans inside the professing Church than there are in any institute on planet earth – the majority of which have disguised themselves as pastors whose vocation it is to milk and fleece the sheep for whom Christ died!!  This combined with the false prosperity gospel of greed and the Old Testament law of tithing, the topic of money has left an indelible blight on the Church of Jesus Christ!!  Yet in the midst of this great confusion speaks a man by the name of Apostle Paul; a breath of fresh air amidst a cloud of pollution!!  Paul coveted no man’s silver, freely he had received and freely he gave his life to serve and minster to the Brethren, working with his with own hands night and  day to provide for his own needs that he might not be chargeable to the Brethren. What does the New Test