{"id":3431,"date":"2024-09-21T13:46:21","date_gmt":"2024-09-21T13:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=3431"},"modified":"2024-10-05T15:11:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-05T15:11:10","slug":"22-september-2024-when-life-is-bitter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=3431","title":{"rendered":"22 September 2024: When life is bitter &#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:29% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"391\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2798 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219.png 391w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219-300x261.png 300w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219-24x21.png 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219-36x31.png 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230219-48x42.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 391px) 100vw, 391px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-090a7876-6b6f-475f-bd24-2fdf9d5343ad\"><strong>Bethel Baptist Church<br>Worship Service @ Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-090a7876-6b6f-475f-bd24-2fdf9d5343ad\"><strong>22 September 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=3426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"15\" height=\"10\" class=\"wp-image-1006\" style=\"width: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow.png 120w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-24x16.png 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-36x24.png 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-48x32.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 15px) 100vw, 15px\" \/> <strong>Previous Service<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=3444\"><strong>Next Service<\/strong> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"15\" height=\"10\" class=\"wp-image-1007\" style=\"width: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow.png 120w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-24x16.png 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-36x24.png 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-48x32.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 15px) 100vw, 15px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Welcome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f8e9c8\"><em>\u201cNo matter what difficulties we face, His grace and love never fail. He heals, restores, and blesses us.\u201d<\/em><br><br>Stella<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Worship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"King of Kings, Majesty\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/y5VutCGsVXE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><sup>Songwriter: Jarrod Cooper<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Word<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201cCall me Mara\u201d (Ruth 1:20)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u2018<\/strong>Mara\u2019 means \u2018bitter\u2019 and Naomi claimed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi [\u2018Pleasant\u2019\/\u2019Lovely\u2019]? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Ruth 1:20, 21<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was a settled belief on her part for earlier she had told her two daughters-in-law,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord\u2019s hand has turned against me!\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite>Ruth 1:13<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more we think about it there are so many examples in Scripture of <em>\u201cbitterness before blessing.\u201d<\/em> The whole story of Joseph and what he went through before finally,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father\u2019s household \u2026 God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. <\/p>\n<cite>Gen. 41:51-52<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And think of all the years of slavery even <em>\u201cbricks without straw\u201d<\/em> for the people of Israel (Exodus 5), before finally the Lord freed them from 400 years of slavery. When Jesus says, <em>\u201cApart from me you can do nothing\u201d<\/em> (John 15:5), do we have to come to the place of \u2018nothing\u2019 before we realise this? When God says to Paul, <em>\u201cMy grace is sufficient for you\u201d<\/em> (2 Cor. 12:9), was it when Paul was very strong, or very weak?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For when I am weak, then I am strong. <\/p>\n<cite>2 Cor. 12:10<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How many barren women have been signally used by God after years of barrenness? And look what the Lord expects of them in their barrenness, to<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sing \u2026 burst into song, and shout for joy. <\/p>\n<cite>Isaiah 54:1<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">God Almighty, (\u2018El Shaddai\u2019) was<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f8e9c8\"><em>\u201cassociated \u2026 with God\u2019s cosmic rulership\u201d<\/em><br><br>Robert Hubbard<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">and by nature was great and mysterious but ultimately the One in whom we should dwell and find rest (Ps. 91:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Naomi is so focussed on her troubles and keeps emphasising her \u201cempty\u201d state. Yet, positively, she has not attributed these events to chance but everything is from God,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f8e9c8\"><em>\u201cIn her view, there was no other force in the universe.\u201d <\/em><br><br>Robert Hubbard<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others have similarly accused the Almighty e.g., Moses \u2013 Ex. 5:22; Num. 11:11; Elijah \u2013 1 Kings 17:20; and yet such were preludes to great blessing. And don\u2019t we see this time and time again, in the Scriptures and in life (see what Hannah went through before the great blessing of giving birth to Samuel 1 Sam. 1:1-20). Is this the result of living in a fallen, sinful, broken world in which real travail in prayer and in life has to take place to bring about the sovereign purposes of God? Also, are we able to rejoice in the Lord and praise Him continually through it all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Quote of the week<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f8e9c8\"><em>\u201cA religion that is small enough for our understanding would not be big enough for our needs.\u201d<\/em><br><br>Corrie ten Boom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Verse of the week<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. <\/p>\n<cite>Ps. 91:1<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Let\u2019s Pray<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heavenly Father, in our walk with You there are things that we don\u2019t understand about the why\u2019s and where-fore\u2019s of it all. In such times help us to trust in You, not with blind faith, but with faith in our precious Lord, Saviour, and Friend who sees all, and all things, Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome \u201cNo matter what difficulties we face, His grace and love never fail. He heals, restores, and blesses us.\u201d Stella Worship Word \u201cCall me Mara\u201d (Ruth 1:20) \u2018Mara\u2019 means \u2018bitter\u2019 and Naomi claimed: &#8220;The Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call &#8230; <a title=\"22 September 2024: When life is bitter &#8230;\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=3431\" aria-label=\"Read more about 22 September 2024: When life is bitter &#8230;\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3431","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3431"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3448,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3431\/revisions\/3448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}