Blog Archives

Happy Thanksgiving!

11/22/2012

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving in America. It is a wonderful day to celebrate the goodness of God in our lives and offer thanksgiving unto Him for all that He has done for us. These have been difficult times for most in America, but even in the midst of our perceived difficulty, we are still the most blessed people upon the face of the earth. Even the most deprived Americans are rich by the standards of most in the world.

It is easy to focus on the material blessings we all enjoy at a time like this, and I am not advocating that we shouldn't be thankful for the things that God has allowed us to enjoy. I am blessed beyond measure and I am very thankful for all that God has given me in this life. We must be careful that we don't overlook the most important blessing of all: the privilege and opportunity to have a personal, redeeming relationship with Christ our Lord. Of all that I am thankful for, I am most thankful for my salvation and the opportunity to enjoy daily fellowship with my Lord and Redeemer! We may enjoy many material blessings, but they are all temporal. One day we will leave all that we have acquired in this life behind. The gift of salvation is eternal. That is the most important aspect of life.

I trust you know Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. If so, take some time to worship Him today and offer thanksgiving for all He has done for you. I am thankful for the cross of Calvary. I am thankful for the empty tomb. I am thankful for the promise of our Lord's return. I am thankful that I know Him, and more importantly, He knows me!

Preacher Chris

Great First Year

11/15/2012

It has been a little over a year ago that I began work on Pulpit Pages. I can tell you that the Lord has blessed this effort beyond anything I could have imagined. Our first year saw over 15,000 visitors to Pulpit Pages. Those visits included all 50 states within the United States and 100 other countries around the world.

These are not impressive numbers by the standards of other sites, but I am humbled by the global outreach the Lord has provided through the internet ministry of Pulpit Pages. I have talked on the phone with many in the United States and corresponded through email with many others, some of which were in foreign countries.

I had debated whether or not to share this information publicly. I certainly do not want to appear proud or arrogant, but I do rejoice in the goodness of our Lord. I pray that the site has been a blessing to those who have visited with us, and that God will continue to use it for His glory. Anytime we can get the Word of God and the message of the Gospel out to others, it is well worth the effort.

I would love to hear from you if Pulpit Pages has been a help to you in any way. I am excited as I look forward with anticipation to what the Lord has in store for us in the future. Please pray for the ministry, as I need the continued help and guidance of the Lord.

Preacher Chris

Pondering the Word

11/7/2012

We heard another anointed message this evening. Brother Tony preached from Luke 8: 40-56. This is a very familiar passage for most of us, dealing with the sickness, and eventual death of Jairus' daughter. It is an account that reveals the troubles and trials that we all face. Being a Christian does not make us immune to difficulties and adversity. My pastor used to say, "Trouble is something everybody has and nobody wants."

As the passage continues, Jairus runs into a delay in his desires as the woman with the issue of blood comes to Jesus and He takes the time to meet her needs as well. Brother Tony said Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" The disciples responded, "We don't know." Jarius was saying, "Let's Go!!"

Brother Tony then brought out something that is very plain, but I had failed to see. Notice:

Luke 8:49
While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

While Jairus was waiting on Jesus to deal with the woman, word came that his daughter had died. It seemed as if it was now too late. Jesus had tarried too long and his hopes for healing had been shattered. No doubt he felt the temptation to tell Jesus to forget about it; there was no need to go any further because his daughter was now dead.

Many times that will be the case with us as well. Just prior to the Lord doing something astonishing in our lives, we will be tempted to give up. We will be tempted to take our eyes off Jesus and focus on the circumstances. If we aren't careful, we will buy into the lie that there is no need to go any further; it's too late now.

How many times do you think we have missed a real blessing because we gave up just before the Lord was ready to answer our prayer and meet our need? How many churches have missed a great move of God because they abandoned their commitment, just about the time the Lord was ready to do a great work among them?

I sure don't want to be guilty of giving up or giving out just before a move of God. I am convinced that God is on the verge of doing something special in our lives at Fellowship. I want to be committed to walking with Jesus, keeping my focus on Him, until He does something astonishing for us. He did that for Jairus and He can do it for us as well.

Luke 8:56
And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Preacher Chris

Meeting is Going Well

11/7/2012

Our fall revival meeting is going well. Brother Tony Daniels has been faithful to preach the Word each evening. I am thankful for men who will follow the leadership of the Lord and preach. We have been challenged in our walk with the Lord, exhorted to abandon sin and draw nigh to Christ. I am looking forward to what Brother Tony has been given to share with us this evening.

Our choir has done an excellent job exalting the Lord in song, as have those who have brought special music for us to enjoy and worship the Lord. Our youth choir is scheduled to sing this evening and I look forward to hearing them lift up our Lord and Savior as they sing.

The services have been well attended. We have not set any records, but our folk have been faithful to attend and I appreciate them for that. We are scheduled to continue through tomorrow evening. If you are in the area, please come by and worship the Lord with us.

Preacher Chris

Fall Meeting at Fellowship

11/3/2012

I am looking forward to the services we have planned for the coming week. We will begin revival services tomorrow night at 6:00pm. The services are scheduled to run through Thursday evening, beginning at 7:00pm. Brother Tony Daniels, Pastor of White Plains Baptist Church in Hiddenite, NC will be preaching each evening. Brother Tony is a gifted Bible preacher and a good friend. I know that the Lord will use the services to help us this week if we'll only open our hearts to receive what He has in store.

Please pray for the services this week. If you are in the area, we would love to have you attend any of our services. I will try to post updates this week concerning the meeting.

Preacher Chris

When you Get it, will you Want it?

11/1/2012

Today I am like many in that I am pondering the future of our great nation. Regardless of what the liberals claim, America was founded upon biblical principles. Our founding fathers believed in the Lord and were committed to seeking Him in prayer and guidance. They were well aware that God had provided the strength and resources needed to become a free nation. They were unashamed in their acknowledgement of the Lord, as well as their dependence upon Him.

For generations God was given His rightful place in society. Worship of the Lord and study of His Word were encouraged, not shunned or mocked. That is not to say that all were believers, but America was a Christian nation without apology.

Somewhere in our recent past we began to drift from the foundation upon which we were built. Society became less tolerant of public displays that represented the Lord or any reference to His Word. The leadership in America began to give into the voices of the minority, further limiting the mention of Jesus Christ in the public setting. Rather than looking to the Bible for wisdom and the Lord for direction, they became increasingly influenced by the philosophies of the so called great minds of the modern era.

We may choose to deny it, but the church is not completely innocent in this spiritual departure either. It seems that we have slowly given into the voices as well. Many today are unwilling to take a biblical stand for fear of offending someone that doesn't share that view. Worship of the Lord has been traded for an attempt to please society and fill the pews. We have traded the glory and power of God in a futile effort to appeal to an increasingly godless society. Preachers and pastors have also fallen prey to this line of thinking. The truth of the Gospel and the depravity of mankind is no longer heard from the average pulpit in America. Many are preaching in an effort to appease the audience rather than glorifying the Lord and pointing lost sinners to Him. Rather than being a beneficial influence on the world, we have allowed the world to become a detrimental influence on the church.

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of some very difficult times. It seems as if everyone has found someone to blame our troubles on. (Sadly we never look within; we always place the blame somewhere else.) Many feel as if they know what the solution is and who would best lead us out of this mess, particularly in an election year such as this one.

I know that my views are in an increasingly smaller minority, but I firmly believe that the Lord has given America the desires of her heart. She has rejected Him in every way imaginable, and even in some that are unthinkable, and God has given us what we want. One of the greatest forms of judgment is to allow a people to have what they want. The problem is, most of the time when they get what they wanted, they realize what they wanted was not what they needed. When we get what we want, will we want what we got? I sincerely doubt that we will.

Consider Psalm 106: 13-15

They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: [14] But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. [15] And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

This is in reference to the wilderness wanderings. God had blessed them, leading them toward the Promised Land, providing all their needs, and yet they were unhappy. They forgot the Lord, refused to heed His counsel, and lusted for the things that pleased the flesh. God granted their request, but it came at a heavy price. He sent leanness to their souls. They traded the power of God for pleasure. I am certain they didn't want what they requested when they got it, but it was too late.

I fear that we too are facing the same scenario. Many have an idea of what their perfect world would be, but it will be far from what they really want when they get it. We need to get earnest with the Lord, completely committed to Him, and seek His face for direction and healing in our land. I fear if we don't soon seek the Lord, judgment will come.

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.