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Happy and Blessed

10/10/2012

I have enjoyed a blessed week thus far serving the Lord. I finished my part of the Revival efforts at Lebanon Baptist in Taylorsville, North Carolina last night. There was a wonderful spirit in the services each night and I had great liberty to preach. It was good to be back in my home county again, seeing friends and family that I don't get to see often. Please pray for Brother Eddie Jolly and the fine folks at Lebanon as they will continue in Revival services through Thursday evening.

I am looking forward to the services at Fellowship this evening. I always enjoy opportunities to preach in revival meetings, but there is no place like home. I love to gather with God's people at Fellowship. Our Wednesday evening Bible studies are special times, gathering around the Word of God and discovering the wonderful, timeless truths we are given in Scripture. Lord willing, we will be finishing up Nehemiah Chapter 9 today. The study through Nehemiah has been wonderful.

I hope you all have a blessed day and a great midweek service. Take a moment to consider the abundant blessings we enjoy and breathe a prayer for your Wednesday evening service.

Preacher Chris

Great Start at Lebanon Baptist

10/8/2012

I was privileged to preach in revival services last night at Lebanon Baptist Church in Taylorsville, NC. Brother Eddie Jolly is the pastor and a close friend. The service was well attended, and most important of all, the Lord met with us. There was a great spirit in the service last night and I enjoyed good liberty while preaching.

Their revival efforts run through Thursday of this week. I will be with them through Tuesday evening. The services begin at 7:00 each evening. Pray for the meeting and I know that Brother Eddie and the fine folks at Lebanon would encoruage anyone to attend any of their services.

I trust you will have a blessed day. May I challenge you to tell someone about Jesus today! He is the One the world needs to hear of. He is the only way of salvation and mankind's only hope!

Preacher Chris

Burdened for our Generation

10/5/2012

Unless you live with very limited access to society and news sources, I am certain that you are aware that we are in the midst of a presidential campaign year. We are all aware of the difficulty our nation has endured for many years now. The average home is bringing home less money per week, and has experienced their total net worth face a significant decline. Many estimate, at least financially, people were better off 25 years ago than they are now.

The candidates, on every level, claim to have the answers for the many problems we face. They seek to convince the voter to put their trust in them, and everything will get better. I am not belittling the democratic process we have in America. I am thankful to live in a land that enjoys freedom. (I fear that many of our freedoms are slowly being eroded away, but that is another topic.) We are blessed to have the privilege of casting a ballot in favor of the candidate of our choice.

The troubling issue I see in the attitudes and actions of many is they truly believe that selecting the right man for the White House will somehow solve the problems we are experiencing in America. The majority of Americans are only concerned with the economic or social issues we face. I understand that a lot of Americans are facing very difficult times. I have been blessed and cannot imagine the pain of losing my home to foreclosure. I understand the burden families face when one or both parents lose their jobs and their income is suddenly decreased dramatically. Many today are having to make tough choices due to the circumstances of our day.

These are all issues that we should be concerned about, seeking to improve our economy and society for the better. However, these are not the most pressing issues America faces. I know many would disagree, but I am convinced that more than we need gas prices below $2 a gallon at the pump, more than we need unemployment rates at 2 or 3%, more than we need our economy turned around, we need a spiritual awakening in our land. The spiritual decay in America is the most alarming issue we face. Politicians do not have the answers or the ability to provide what we need. We need revival to sweep our land.

I hope you realize that revival will only come through the church. It is foolish for the church to complain about the spiritual climate in America while she is unwilling to seek the Lord herself. We need a heart of repentance and an overwhelming desire to draw nigh unto the Lord. Spiritual change and renewal will only come when the church realizes the urgent need we face. We as God's people must be willing to make an open and honest assessment of where we are spiritually and seek the Lord accordingly.

If we don't see that very soon, I fear that we may never experience it again. I am deeply concerned about much that is going within our land. This is a spiritual battle, and it is time for the church to get right with the Lord and take a stand for truth and righteousness. Revival among the church is our only hope. This great nation was founded upon biblical principles. Our commitment to the Word of God brought the blessing and provision of God. We cannot expect God to heal our land when the majority live as if they have no desire for His will or His ways. I have always said that one of the greatest forms of judgment the Lord can render is giving a people what they want. The sad part is, when we get what we wanted, we will not want what we desired.

I believe that we need to pray for America; we need to pray for those who serve in places of authority. However, we must not neglect the spiritual needs we face. May we pray that God will search our hearts, revealing the iniquity in our lives, and create a right spirit within us!

Preacher Chris

I am Chris Benfield, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Boonville, NC. Here you will find some of my thoughts, particularly relating to the church and serving our Lord.

Happy and Blessed

Great Start at Lebanon Baptist

Burdened for our Generation

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