Bittersweet Farm

Bittersweet Farm

A Post-Election Letter to My Church (November 2020)

Filed Under: Bethel Church-Jackson

A POST-ELECTION LETTER TO THE FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF BETHEL CHURCH:

What kind of world will our grandchildren inherit?

This week it is clear that America is divided almost right down the middle. Almost everyone in the world agrees on one thing, though. 2020 has been a nightmare.

There are wars all over the earth. Around the world, persecution against Christians is increasing. Here in America resentment against evangelicals may be higher than any of us remember. We are living through a worldwide plague. There is violence in the streets. There is an epidemic of fear, depression, and anxiety. Every church in America has had to navigate decisions and divisions never before experienced. What is going on?

Some claim earthquakes and hurricanes are more frequent and more intense. These things remind us of biblical passages. Are these things a judgement from God? Are they a warning from God? Are these signs that Jesus will return soon? Sometimes people ask me; “Are we living in the end times now?”

This year things have happened that have never happened before on a scale none of us have ever seen. I often wonder, “What kind of world will our grandchildren inherit?” What will become of America? What is the mission of the church in times like these? How should I live, what should I do, who can I believe?

Does This Remind You of Anything? God knew that the things we are going through would trigger our memories. God knew that biblical prophecies and apocalyptic events would spring into our minds when He allowed these events to occur. “This” is not “That” yet–but God knew “This” would remind us of “That.” Any knowledgeable Christian and many with just a vague understanding of end-time prophecies would see a similarity in what is happening now to what is described in the prophetic literature of the Bible.

We want to avoid sensationalism, speculation, and sentimentality when it comes to heaven and end-time prophecy, but we were also warned not to be discouraged or go to sleep. The Scripture challenges us to be awake, aware, and sober.
Revelation!

I have taken this as a reminder and a challenge to pick up my Bible and refresh my knowledge of Revelation. I have taken this as a stimulant to renew my affection for Christ in the light of our epic times. I have taken this as a warning to stay awake and be prayerful and ready for whatever God requires of me.

Back in January we began teaching, preaching, and worshipping our way through the Revelation. We took a break when we went to the roof this spring and summer, but now we are back and have concluded preaching through the letters to the churches and the events of chapter 4 and 5, the Throne of God, the Seven Sealed Scroll, and the Slain Lamb.
This week we reach chapter 6–The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I believe the next thirteen chapters (6-18) describe in detail things that will happen on earth in the future before the return of Christ in power and in glory. Our plan is to explain and apply and worship our way through these truths taking a break during Advent and returning to Revelation at the first of the year. The plan is to teach clear to the end of the book, week by week, one chapter at a time.

The early church preached from Revelation more than any other book. Now we are much closer to Christ’s return. In our generation , the land of Israel has become the center of world attention–the Middle-East a powder keg of turmoil and upheaval that affects the whole world. God’s people today should know and love this book.

Let’s see what God has to say in the Apocalypse–the Unveiling–the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Join us in-person or on-line at 9:30 am or 11:00 am Sunday.

 

Ken Pierpont-Lead Pastor, Bethel Church in Jackson

Bittersweet Farm

Bittersweet Farm Journal (Number 95) Excuses to be Outdoors

Filed Under: Bittersweet Farm, Current Thoughts

The Northern Tip of the Lower Peninsula

Last week I drove way up into northern Michigan to preach for a Men’s Retreat. Downstate most of the forests were bright yellow. In northern Michigan, orange seemed to be the dominant color. In that part of Michigan there are larger hills ribboned by winding roads bisecting woods and lakes and an occasional view of the Great Lake–Lake Michigan. It made for a wonderful color tour. I made a mental note not to go alone if I am invited back. The experience was too good not to share with someone.

I was a little cold when I got in so I turned up the heat a tad to drive away the chill. In the morning the worship leader (Matt Smith) asked, “Were you warm enough last night?”

I said, “Yes, I was very comfortable,” then it occured to me that the speakers quarters are a duplex. He and his family were in the other apartment and I had the thermostat in my apartment. I did a little reading while munching on my pumpkin creme pie from Mac’s, forgot to turn down the heat, crawled into bed, and fairly passed out. They were young and athletic and warm blooded, so I’m afraid they were a little warm in the night, variously opening windows and crying out to God for mercy. To his credit Matt still had a heart of praise in the morning and a great sense of humor and he led worship very well. It was wonderful to sing with the men.

The retreat was at Pleasant Valley Bible Camp. Steve and Naomi Sponable run Pleasant Valley with the help of a dedicated staff. They do a great job. The fellowship was good and the men seemed to have a hunger for the word. The retreat was well-attended. I was a little frustrated that almost everyone there stopped at an all-you-can-eat fish fry at a restaurant in Bellaire on Friday night before they got to camp. I didn’t get the memo. I believe the place no one told me about was called Toonies. I made sure to appeal to their collective conscience about it in every single session so I don’t think it will happen again. I should admit that on Saturday night they grilled up some wonderful steaks. It was harder to keep the men awake in the evening session, but worth it. I brought my books including my latest; “Between the Fires” and almost completely sold out of all five of my books by Sunday morning.

If you get a chance to go the Men’s Retreat at Pleasant Lake, go. It’s one of Michigan’s good places, where people love the Lord and his word and they love each other and feed you well. If you go on Friday night be sure to find your way to Toonies–they say it’s good. I would have no idea personally, because no one told me about it.

Excuses to Be Outdoors

In Michigan, clearing leaves is a good excuse to be out under the open sky in October. On a good day geese will flyover the farm winging their way to warmer places in a big moving “V” shape high in the sky, honking as they go. (I understand they migrate at about 3,000 feet up). You might smell the fragrance of the first wood fires of the season on a cold morning. You can watch the pageant of leaves blowing down and dancing in the ground in the wind. This year the colors have been vivid. Lady bugs were everywhere yesterday, as if they were desperately trying to find shelter ahead of the front that brought weather thirty degrees colder. I think it was close to freezing last night on Bittersweet Farm. Big Ten football returned today so I quit early to indulge in the autumn ritual of munching an apple and watching a game.

This evening we are almost exactly a week away from November. The sky is clear. A few minutes ago I walked out and looked up into the night sky. The moon is waxing, bright through branches which are starting to bare. By next Saturday night the moon will be full out over Bittersweet Farm… the Blue Moon. I hope the sky will be clear and I will catch the dark forms of geese passing across the face of the blue October moon.

“When I consider the heavens…
the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you have ordained…”

Bittersweet Farm
October 24, 2020

One of Everything

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

The other night Lois needed some things from the Dollar Store. I agreed to drive and planned to sit in the car and make a phone call while she shopped. When we got there we realized that she had come away from home without her mask.
She dispatched me to do her shopping with a list and her debit card. After an heroic search I was able to find the things she wanted and made my way to the line.

A young man with a family was stocking up on snacks. He appeared to be planning to purchase one of everything. I chuckled and asked him. “Where’s the party? You have one of everything there.”

He laughed and said, “It’s movie night at our house. I’m hungry.”

We arrived at the checkout at the same time. “You go first, he said, “I have one of everything.”

I went first but when she totaled up my purchases I realized that I had left my phone and wallet in the car and I did not know the password for Lois’s card.

“O, no. I’m sorry,” I said to the guy in line behind me with one of everything. “I don’t have my password.”

“Hey, let me pay for that. Go ahead. You don’t have to pay me back. Just pay it forward. No, please. Go ahead. I got this. It’s no big deal. Pay it forward.”

He paid. I went to the car and grabbed my wallet and paid him back with cash. “Thanks,” He said. “Have a great evening.”

I hope he had a good night. I’m sure he did. It was movie night at his house and he was a good dude… and he had one of every kind of snack in the entire store.

You have to wear a mask everywhere these days, but you don’t have to be crabby. Pick out a good movie. Grab plenty of snacks. Help out your fellow man. We’re gunna’ be OK. Oh, and when somebody does something nice for you thank them warmly and remember to pay it forward.

Bittersweet Farm
October 2020

Bittersweet Farm Journal (Number 94) Colder Soon

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

Greetings, Friends from out on Bittersweet Farm.

Andrea, my niece, is just a few days older than our youngest daughter Hope. She visited Bethel and we invited her to lunch.

We went for a drive out into the countryside after lunch in search of fresh apple cider, and maybe fresh donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar. Most of all it was a pretext for enjoying an autumn day—just being together.

It is the time of year that the sun sets too soon and the shortening days and the on-coming cold in this part of the world make you want to get out into the colorful countryside a flannel shirt. Fresh cider, warm sunshine, sweet donuts, and people you love—they take the edge off the dread of winter.

The first place we stopped was teaming with people. We said, “We’ll come back on a week day, when it’s not so busy.” We know a smaller place, even farther out in the country. We drove out there the back way. The cider was cold and sweet. The donuts were fresh. We probably ate too many. The conversation was lively. We took the long way home. It as good to be together. We saw Andrea off and our hearts were warm.

Saturday I drove out to South Litchfield to celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday. Jim is a year older than me. He’s the kind of guy who always wants you to stay. When I arrived and my sister saw me she ran—ran, I tell you, to the car to greet me. At our age we don’t run around a lot. It was an autumn Saturday family gathering. She put a glass of cider in my hand. When I left everyone stood and waved until my car was out of site. I took the backroads home slowly savoring every mile.

It will be colder soon but when I think of my big sister running to greet me and the whole family all standing in the yard waving goodbye it makes my heart warm.

It’s October in Michigan. Check your antifreeze, prep the storm windows, replace the furnace filter, clean your gutters, and—by all means—look around for people to love. They are everywhere you turn.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12, ESV)

Bittersweet Farm
October 6, 2020

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