The Board Movie Trailer

This movie is an incredible tool to sharing the gospel message. It clearly and unashamedly shares the gospel message and does so in a powerful way. The night that it premiered at our local church, 13 individuals accepted the gift of salvation. Our church is planning to give every home in Brownsburg a copy of this film. Please pray with us as we seek to reach out to our community.

You can view the trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6hcXwUL5kE

If you wish to order a copy, or several copies for yourself and to give away, you can do so at the following website.

Bethesda Baptist Church

Let us be passionate about sharing the truth with those who are dying.

Adoption

Consider what picture the act of adoption paints for us regarding our relationship to Christ. Let it blow your mind.

True Love

I would dare say that true love is found, not in loving those who love us in return, but in loving those would return evil for our love. For this is the example of Christ loving us.

The Majesty of God

The wrote the poem below during a time in my life when God seemed distant and small. As I prayed and searched, I began to see the reason for why God seemed so far away. I had allowed the idol of media and fantasy to become so great in my life that God no longer seemed powerful, important, or significant. I share this poem as part of the journey that God has taken me upon.



“The Majesty of God”
By Michael Stitzel


As I run on the treadmill beneath me
With nothing but glass and street to see

I begin my day with prayer
Lifting each and every care

As I struggle to focus on what to say
And find nothing but pride getting in the way

I realize how shallow I sound
Distractions and noise abound.

In the midst of my prayer
My mind begins a lustful affair

I lust after significance and position
And after influence over every decision

I lust after fame and power
As I imagine my enemies cower

I lose myself in false realities
Those of Eragon, stargate, and other absurdities

I am the hero saving the day
Forging impossible paths and leading the way

I am the one who wields great might
And encourages others to stand and fight

Suddenly, I find myself alone again
Drawn by the chiming of the clock at ten

I feel empty at returning to reality
And wish the other world was a potentiality

I begin to wonder and think to the end
When I now remember what I was doing then

I apologize to my God and feel shame
Shame that I was so easily distracted by false fame.

I try to talk with Him some more
But am distracted by guilt galore

It is easier to try and ignore the guilt
So I retreated to the false world I’ve built

Awhile later, I return to try again
Still fighting between the things of God and men

And so the merry-go-round prayer cycle repeats
Over and over again as flesh and spirit competes

The battles leaves a dry and empty space
All joy from my salvation escapes

No desire is left to dwell on Christ
That is one adventure not worth the price

All sense of His majesty is gone
Cynicism and criticism is left to spawn

No more wonder at His mighty deeds
Only mighty warriors and their steeds

I traded the eternal and immortal
For the temoral and mortal

I exchanged the glory of mighty God
For the fading mist of man on sod

And so as I run on the belt under my feet
God begins to show me more than glass and street

I now see the blue expanse above
Filled with winged creatures like the dove

I now see the green vegetation below
That houses so many creatures as they grow

I suddenly see more than before then
And I am reminded of how God made them

“Ex Nilo,” Out of nothing He spoke them into being
In six days He created and gave meaning

It’s as of scales fell from my eyes
And I saw the world free of any guise

I fell to the knees of my heart
And pleaded forgivness and a fresh start

I felt the presence of my Lord fill me
False fantasies, lies, and flesh…let me be!

It was then that I felt true communion
Joy flooded me as I met Christ in reunion

I poured myself out to Him in prayer
Worshipping the power of his loving care

He was once more the warrior of warriors
The king of kings, the mighty destroyer

None other could contend with His might
Nor look upon Him or lose their sight

I finally began to understand how limited I am
And how tainted my view of “THE GREAT I AM”

I began to see that I don’t understand at all
How deeply affected I truly am by the fall

I began to see that I am truly blind
To God and his ways who is so loving and kind

I seek Him earnestly on my own
With my every fiber and bone

Yet still no more I come to see
And realize God must reveal Himself to me

I must depend on Him to grow
And rely upon Him for his character to be shown

I ask to be renewed and fresh sight to see
The world around me as intended to be

May the sight of God in creation
Be so powerful that I’m blown to tarnation

I want to hear the name of God spoken
And be so overwhelmed by its power that I am broken

And so, I come to my Lord with no more pretense
Determined to no more ride the fence

Desire for the things of God increasing
And for the things of man decreasing

As I end my time on the treadmill
I press stop and become completely still

I hear from God in a way that grips me
And I know that it is only the start of all He wants me to see.

Reflections at Christmas

Reflections at Christmas
December 2008
By Michael Stitzel

I wrote this one afternoon as I lay on the floor of my office. I realized that I had gotten so involved with reading Christian blogs, reading sermons, listening to podcasts, studying God’s word, and reflecting on truth that I had failed to “Be Still” and be with God. As I settled my mind and my heart before God, I began weeping over my sin and His Holiness. This poem was the expression of those thoughts and emotions.


I fall on my face and weep
Grief so deep, all I desire is sleep
I am all to aware how short I fall
Of breaking God’s Law, I am guilty of all

Your holiness, so perfect and pure
I could never attain, of this I am sure
Your justice demands compensation
Of which I have no hope of reconciliation.

Death and eternal punishment are on my statement
And I have nothing else to offer as payment
My fate seems sealed and sure
For my condition there seems to be no cure

My sin too great, my ability to small
The task is too enormous, I will surely fall
Grief and despair fill my bones, I cannot cope
I cry out, surely there must be some hope!

Then You reveal a secret so true
Of what You had always intended to do
You prepared Your own Son
To bear my sin, though He had none

Only the shed blood of One so perfect
The consequences of my sin could correct
So, the only One never to sin
Bore my sin, the victory to win

Choosing me, changing me
He drew me to Himself, His to be
“My Child” He exclaims in delight
As I enter the presence of His sight.

So, on my face I lay and weep
Knowing Your Laws I can never fully keep
Although, in my heart, I desire to please You
And to obey and give You thanks in all I do

I weep that I rejoice when Christ was born
And when He came to earth to bear scorn
For by coming to face death for me
I have hope that Your child I can be
But the cost of that great hope was high
And Your only Son to death You had to resign

I’m sorry that it cost so great a price
I’m sorry that my joy is your grief
I’m sorry that my sin caused such pain

Thank You for the grief and pain You endured
Hope and joy are mine; from sin’s power I am cured
Thank You for willingly paying the cost
To save an enemy and sinner who was lost

I rejoice this Christmas season, more than ever before at the remembrance of Christ’s birth. It is the greatest and only gift I actually need.

Praise You God in Heaven. The Giver of Hope, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation

Romans 1:16-17

16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith.

Paul's purpose statement...his life statement can be found here. This is a powerful statement that should not be ignored! This speaks loudly to the authority, importance, purpose, and power of the Word of God!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel..."

Paul was not embarrassed by the Gospel of Christ. He did not feel like he had to hide it or lie about it. Here is the reason why:

"...because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."

Power - Greek word Dunamis - Power, especially inherent (existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute) power. All the words derived that are derived from the base, Duna, have the basic meaning which stresses the factuality of the ability to do something.

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God for salvation. Inherent in the gospel of Christ, is the power by which God saves sinners. Inherent in the message, is the power to save. It is the only message, written or verbal, in all time that can claim this power. This is the message of life for all who will hear and receive it. Everyone who receives salvation (Greek - Soteria; to save, deliverance, preservation), does so through the power of the gospel. I once asked the question if man could get saved without ever hearing the word of God, the gospel message. I questioned this from Romans 10:17 that said that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Connecting that to this passage, I believe that it is impossible for man to get saved without hearing the gospel message. They are condemned already because of their sin and because creation clearly reveals the presence of God. Yet, without hearing the message, they cannot be saved.

The reason that this is the power of God for salvation is because in it, the righteousness (Greek - Dikaiosune; justice or righteousness. God's uprightness or standard to which man is expected to conform.) of God is revealed (Literally to remove a veil or covering to reveal something that was hidden) from faith to faith.

What does this phrase "...from faith to faith" mean? I believe it to mean that from saving faith to obedient faith in Christian living. He follows this statement up with the quotation from Habakkuk 2:4 - "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Once we have accepted the gift of salvation by faith (which God gives to us), we are then to live the remainder of our lives by faith (which God gives to us) in obedience to Him. The gospel of Christ is the power of God to accomplish both of these things. Righteousness comes by faith and leads to great faith and obedience in Christ.

God, how little I value Your Word. How little I cherish it! It is the power by which man is given Your gift of salvation and I choose XBOX, netflix, movies, novels, food, and sleep before it. Nothing else I own has such power, authority, and purpose. Forgive me for choosing meaningless,powerless,purposeless things over Your precious word!

Ancient Word

Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God's own heart
Oh, let the Ancient words impart.

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home.

CHORUS:
Ancient words ever true
Changing me, and changing you.
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age.
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God's own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart.

CHORUS x4

We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

God is Everywhere

I have missed portraits of God around me because I have stopped looking. As I look around me, God is beginning to show me examples and portraits of Himself everywhere. For example:

Marriage - I know that I said I was going to post my thoughts on this matter in about a week or so, but I cannot wait. Marriage is an incredible picture of our relationship with God. So often, we approach our relationship to God with a formula, a series of steps, an empty dry approach to "knowing" God. If I approached my wife n the same way, I would get slapped. A marriage is a relationship in which you get to know each other through experiencing life together. The same is true of God. I would never know God as well as I do if it were not for the circumstances of life that I have gone through. I would not get to know God better without going through a variety of circumstances both good and bad. Marriage is supposed to be a daily reminder our how we are to approach God, how we are to know God. It is to be a picture of our responsibility and role of relating to God. Yet, I miss this every day.

Adoption - An incredible picture of what God has done for us. Yet, when I look at adoption, I am not reminded of what God has done for me. I simply see a practice established in order to help needy children. God wants this to be a picture of what He has done for me as His child. He has taken me from the depth of despair, depravity, sin, and hopelessness and clothed me with the finest garments of righteousness, wiping away my guilt, my sin, my deserved punishment. If He had stopped there, it would be been enough. But no, He went on to prepare a place for me in His mansion in Heaven and to make me a co-heir with Christ, His Son, who died in my place. No way! There is no way that I deserve that kind of treatment. I pray that I never look at adoption again. Perhaps I will even consider adoption for my fourth child in order to keep this reminder in front of me.

Children - What an incredible picture. As I go through each day, I look at what my children put me through! :) I even commented the other day that I now understand what I put my parents through. On a much grander scale, I now am beginning to understand but I put my Heavenly Father through on a daily basis. I am nothing more than a mere immature child at heart. But, as I parent and love my kids, I am reminded of God's love and faithfulness to me. Children are to be a constant reminder of our relationship to God. How often I miss this.

Nature - As I watch the animals eat and thrive. As I watch the rain feed the earth. As I watch crops being harvested. As I watch the storms blow. All of it, is a reminder to me of how powerful and in control God is. How often I am driving down the road and fail to notice God. How often I watch the storms amazed at its power and fail to credit God with the glory. How often I miss God.

All of life truly is about God. From beginning to end. Nothing else matters. Everything points to God and to God alone. Why do I fail to see this? Why do I refuse to credit God where He is due? Why do I not see? God forgive me. Open my eyes to see and my heart to receive. Paint me a vivid and clear picture of you that will forever be burned on my heart!