Blog Posts - Berkshire Hills Baptist Church

09.11.2023 - Pretenders vs True Believers

9/11/2023

2 Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Difficult, perilous times are coming when being a believer is going to be hard. It will be hard to truly be a believer in a world of lies. We know in other countries there are some very hateful and hurtful evil governments and that many believers are worshipping in secret. When you're an open believer, things are going to get tough. Now I know many will say that things aren't bad for Christians now. Not as bad as other countries, I'll agree. But there's not as much openness to accept Christians and Christianity as there was several years ago in the United States. Perilous times are going to come.

The worst part of this coming persecution is that there will be those who say that they're Christians, that they believe on Christ. But it will be a lie, a falsehood. Their true colors will come forth and we can see it today. Look at the many churches today and the things that they accept within their churches that God calls sin. You can understand what the apostle is telling us here. Sad that you have to look out to be aware and, as he says, sometimes even avoid those who say that they're Christians because they can cause you to fall yourself.

Over the next week, we’ll look at what these pretenders look like; but no matter what happens in the world, don’t despair! Take comfort in the scriptural solution:

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.

Click here for the complete message.

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Complete blog series:
1. Pretenders vs True Believers
2. Pretenders who Blaspheme
3. What if I’m a Pretend Christian?

09.08.2023 - What Workmen do to be Pure, Part 2

9/8/2023

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Even though yesterday’s devotion gave a lot to avoid, a person is complete when they follow what is right and holy. To be a good workman, we must do the right thing; 2 Timothy 2:22 lists four ways to be pure.

Faith. We are exhorted to have faith. Sometimes, especially amid trials, it's hard to say, "Lord, I trust you. I don't know how, but I have faith you're going to handle this." If we desire to be honorable vessels, we need this faith. No matter what happens, we must always trust God. “I'm doing, Lord, what you tell me to do.” And it may not turn out the way we want it, but it will always turn out the way he planned when we follow him.

Love. That's simple. Jesus' last command is "Love one another." You cannot be a workman for God if you don't have love for one another. Unless you care about other people, you can't truly be a workman for God.

Peace. This is inner contentment that could be described as joy. Joy is the inner feeling that everything's going to be alright. It’s not happiness. Many are preaching 'Have faith and you’ll be happy'. The Bible doesn't teach a lot about ‘happy’, but it teaches a lot about joy. Happiness is based on conditions. When you hit your thumb with a hammer, you may not be happy. But you can be joyful that even if you failed in your response, you haven’t lost your relationship with God.

Follow Those with a Pure Heart
Hang out with those "that called on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Tim 2:22) This a key. Not only should we stay away from those who will cause us to fall, but stay with those who lift us up and believe as we do. Many a believer have fallen because they ran with the wrong crowd. Attend all the services of your local, Bible-believing church such as Sunday School, church, and afternoon and evening services throughout the week.

Ultimately, God wants us to live pure holy lives. He wants us to serve him and obey His will. And there’s no better way to do so than with people who believe the way you believe, who love the Lord out of a pure heart.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.

Click here for the complete message.

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09.07.2023 - What Workmen Do to be Pure, Part 1 ...

9/7/2023

2 Tim 2:21 .. be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

It doesn’t matter if a workman for God is an earthen vessel (behind-the-scenes work), or a gold vessel (public ministry). They not only want to represent God, they want to be honorable for God’s work. They purge themselves of impurity, they count themselves as holy, and they flee the lusts of this world.

First, workmen purge themselves from dishonor. You purge yourself of people, places, or habits that cause you to stumble. Be careful of false teachers, of past places of ill repute, or of sinful habits and strongholds that try to get a hold of your life. When you purge yourself from them, then you can become a vessel unto honor that is valuable to God to use.

Next, workmen realize they are ‘sanctified’, which is a fancy word that means ‘set apart’ solely for God’s use. At salvation, we are sanctified when we are born again. But every day, we grow in sanctification by following the Lord. We may not be perfect; we might not get excited about serving God as much as we should because of the details and problems of life. Sometimes we forget about God. Remember, He's always there so we can pray and ask him to help us live in continual victory.

Finally, workmen of God flee youthful lusts. Don’t just flee sexual temptation; flee pride that says you know it all; flee peer pressure that says you can do it all; flee materialism that says you can have it all! Don’t follow the crowd, especially if it’s headed in the wrong direction. Don’t get a ‘big head’ and don’t be overly impressed by your own spirituality. Many churches have failed because of pastors, leaders, or church members who thought they were better than everyone else and could get away with sins that ‘normal’ people couldn’t get away with. No. It doesn’t matter if you're a pastor or a pew sitter. We're all children of God. We're all expected to live in holiness.

Remember, however, that Christianity is not a list of ‘do nots'. It’s a lifestyle that encompasses not just negatives, but many positives. In tomorrow’s devotional, we’ll look at what we should follow. If you have never trusted Christ, will you trust Him today? If you have trusted Him, are you always ever pursuing Him with a fully devoted heart for the Lord?

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.

Click here for the complete message.

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09.04.2023 - Work for the Lord in private or public!

9/4/2023

1 Cor 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

1 Timothy 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Those who consider themselves a worker for the Lord need not worry about whether their work is public or private. What matters is, if you find out where the Lord wants you, keep serving him there. Make sure your motives for working for him are pure, and that you truly are working for God and not for your own goals or hidden motives. Otherwise, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, no matter how hard you have been laboring thinking you’re serving Jesus, God will know the purity of your heart and reward you accordingly.

Paul says some workmen are like ‘silver and gold’ vessels, and some are like ‘earthen’ vessels. Now, let me explain. In the kitchen of a fancy house, there are wooden bowls and wooden cups that are used to do all the work. The ‘everyday’ crockery is used to make the mashed potatoes or cut the meat. They're not really fancy, but they get the job done.

But once those mashed taters are made in that wooden bowl and everything looks good, they're put into a silver bowl to be served to the master of the house. You see that silver bowl is just for serving. But it didn't do any of the ‘behind the scenes’ preparation. It's still doing work, what it's designed to do.

So too, you might be called to do the preparation, the behind-the-scenes work (the earthen vessels); or, you may be gifted for the presentation part of the work (the gold and silver vessels). Some of us have gifts in which everybody gets to see how we use them. Others have gifts that are done behind the scenes which nobody gets to see. But you know what? They are all important in God's house! He wants to use all of us, regardless of what our gift is, regardless of whether we’re a silver, gold, wooden, or earthen vessel.

No one in God’s church is better or worse than another, we are all valuable to him whether he gives us a lot or a little to do. The point is to be prepared to do the work. Our devotions this week will help us in this preparation.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.

Click here for the complete message.

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09.01.2023 - One Thing is Most Important

9/1/2023

2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Ephesians 1:13, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation ... "

Colossians 1:5, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, wherein ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel ..."

The main goal of the Christian life, after we are saved, is not worship. The day you were born again, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within you. Your sins were forgiven. You know you're going to heaven. Why doesn't God take you to heaven then and there? Because he has a plan for you here. What is the number one plan for every believer? Evangelism. Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ that those who repent and accept Him as Savior can be saved! When you get to heaven, you don't need to share the gospel because all in heaven are already redeemed.

Some people say we are to pursue truth academically while we’re here on earth; but the word ‘study’ in Greek actually means - do your due diligence to show yourself approved unto God.

Some people say we're here to worship God. We are, but that's not the primary purpose because we'll be able to worship God in heaven. Some say we’re here to serve him. While that's true, that's not the primary thing either because we can do that in heaven. The primary purpose of why we’re left here on earth is summed up in one word: evangelism. Sharing the word of God.

Part of evangelism is ‘rightly dividing’ the word of truth. It infers the old days when one would make a new road or prepare the way for an important dignitary. John the Baptist, for instance, prepared the way of Jesus when He first came to minister to people. He prepared for the arrival of Christ.

Even though Jesus already arrived once, He is arriving again soon at a time unknown to us. That is why we must all be preaching, proclaiming, or sharing the Gospel. Some people like to get wrapped up in theological discussions that avoid the main topic; that’s not the primary goal. The primary goal is always to swing the conversation back to “are you ready to meet God?” The primary thing is to make that straight path back to the gospel. No matter what the unbeliever may be asking you, bring it around to eternal matters as soon as you can. Lord Jesus, help us to see lost souls all around us; we want to be used by you to change their eternal destiny!

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Remember This, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:8-19.

Click here for the complete message.

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08.30.2023 - Victorious Suffering

8/30/2023

2 Timothy 2:11-12 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live ...

For God’s people, there is a victory to be gained, sometimes through suffering. For believers, we need to remember who we are. Just like Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again, Scripture tells us that we are dead in sins, and now [present reality] we are living in him. You are no longer living in sin, you are alive in Christ! Just like Jesus was raised from the dead, we have been also raised to the newness of Christ’s life. Our bodies may not be glorified until the trumpet sounds, but we are new creatures by our new birth and we should live that way.

But today’s scripture verses remind us that living in victory does not exempt us from suffering. Just like Christ suffered, sometimes believers will suffer too. Unlike the so-called word of faith or charismatic TV preachers that teach we can live a life of no problems, we know the Bible reminds us again and again that living for Christ will sometimes bring about suffering, rejection from former friends, or hardships.

Look at the suffering Christ went through. His family and friends rejected him. They tried to run him out of town. He was arrested falsely, beaten, and hung on the cross. If our Lord could suffer for his faithfulness, we may also suffer for our faithfulness. Rejoice in the good things that God has given you, but don’t be surprised if suffering comes. Be encouraged. Though you suffer, you will one day reign with Jesus in all His glory. Though now we suffer for a moment, we will reign with Him and receive the ultimate comfort. Do right because it’s the right thing to do; you will be rewarded for your faithfulness.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Remember This, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:8-19.

Click here for the complete message.

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08.28.2023 - Who is Jesus?

8/28/2023

2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Looking at our world today, it may be evident to some that the devil is winning. If he is, it’s a short victory because God will ultimately be victorious. There have always been those, however, who have wanted to take the word of God and teach it a little differently and interpret it incorrectly to lead people astray. This happens because people take words out of context or don’t read all of the Bible (just portions that they agree with). When it comes to understanding the Gospel of Christ, we must remember exactly who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

Before anything else, we need to remember who Jesus is. The scripture for today says he is of the seed of David. For Jews and all the world, this means he is the long awaited Messiah. Old Testament passages speak of Him sitting on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). Yes, He was a Jew; but he is also the Messiah. This means He is the one that was sent so that we can have forgiveness of sins. He was given for the whole world.

Some people say, 'Well, Jesus is just a good teacher.' He is, but he's more than that. He's our Savior, he's the promised Messiah. And, secondly, he was raised from the dead. The resurrection is the part that leads us to understand the good news. Think about it. How could He be raised from the dead unless he died? And if He died, why did He die? Jesus Christ died on the cross according to the Scripture; He shed His blood and was buried according to the Scriptures. He was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures. Why? So all those who have faith in Him and what He did for them would have eternal life!

The gospel is that God offers forgiveness of sin and a home in heaven if we simply believe in Christ as our own Savior.

So, always remember who Jesus is. He’s not just a great moral teacher; He’s the Messiah, the one whom was raised from the dead, and the one who died in your place so that He could grant us an open door to live with God forever. Believe in Him today.

If we can help you with this decision, please email us here.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Remember This, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:8-19.

Click here for the complete message.

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08.25.2023 - Get Ready to Plant the Seed!

8/25/2023

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. - 1 Corinthians 3:6

The farmer works hard, and he works smart. The time spent in the winter is all in preparation for spring and summer work. They don’t immediately plant seeds on unprepared soil. Farmers have to understand the weather. They have to understand rain cycles, dry cycles, when it's going to snow, and when it's going to be cold. They also have to understand which soil won't handle the best seed. They have to understand when to plant, and later when the crop is in the perfect position to pick it. A lot of thought goes into having a successful harvest.

As a believer, we should be like farmers. No, the crop is not corn, wheat, or barley. Instead, the crop that we sow is the seed of the word of God. And just like a farmer, we should know the soil we're planting in and the right time to plant the seed.

With some people when you talk to them and want to share the word of God, their heart may need some plowing first. When their heart is ready, plant the seed. Sometimes, we don't get to see that seed germinate. Just like the Bible says, some plant the seed, some water, some get to see the harvest. But our job is to plant seed (tell others about the gospel). Sometimes we get to water it, sometimes we get to see the harvest. But just like a farmer, we have to understand that there's a lot of preparation. Sometimes there's a lot of waiting.

One ministry recommends that if it is difficult to talk about spiritual matters with strangers or even friends, ask a neutral question like “have you ever thought about the afterlife?” Sometimes that can get a conversation going in the right direction to determine if now is a good time to plow, water, or harvest. No matter what, let us get the gospel to the world by being a careful farmer for the Lord.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Consider Your Role, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann.

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08.23.2023 - Run to Win an Eternal Prize

8/23/2023

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
2 Timothy 2:5

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Paul liked sporting events. He referred a lot to running a race or enduring a marathon. You can learn from athletes who strive for “masteries”; if you want to run a successful race as a believer, you must run according to God’s rules and ways. The prize is a good conscience for having done your best, and future rewards for service - all for the love of the Savior!

First, you must understand your goal. From 1st Corinthians 9:24, Paul says “run that ye may obtain” an incorruptible crown. This means that the shiny things we strive for in this life are nothing in comparison to the rewards God has for us. There's a prize at the end of the race. Know what that prize is. What are you running through life to obtain? Fame? Glory? Money? Worldly comfort? That's a corruptible crown. Or are you running for an Incorruptible Crown, that crown of rejoicing, that crown of righteousness?

Second, know what you are racing for. Just like an athlete, what do they race for? They race for that crown or reward at the end of the race tack. They practice, knowing that's their end destination - the finish line!

How many people enter a race so they can place second? Third? Do people think third out of 14 is good enough? No, we enter the race because we want to win. And that's what Paul says. When you enter the Christian race, you realize there's a goal line and your goal is to finish the race strongly. "He said I've run the course, I finished my race. There's laid up for me a crown of righteousness." (2 Tim 4:6-8)

What about you? Are you running to get earthly rewards in this life? The world will have you think their plans are the most important goal in the world. But don’t listen to them; there is only one race that matters: running a race that is well pleasing to God, showing true Christ-like love toward our neighbor, and increasing in godliness and holiness. Run to win!

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Consider Your Role, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann.

Click here for the complete message.

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08.21.2023 - As a Believer, You are a Soldier in War

8/21/2023

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

In case, you didn't know this, we are in spiritual war. All believers have been entrusted by Jesus Christ to be spiritual warriors. You enlisted when you turned your back on the old life of sin and turned toward Christ for eternal life. Some people, however, have not fulfilled their purpose. Just like in a real army, you may be assigned to different places and you’re expected to fulfill an important role within that command; Jesus Christ is our loving but firm commanding officer and we seek to do what he asks of us to be a good soldier and a good witness to those around us.

Ephesians 6:11-12 informs us that we must put on the spiritual armor of God to withstand spiritual battles; the more our faith grows, the more Satan will try to tear us down and try to convince us to defect.

One way he does this is by trying to get us to be entangled in the affairs of this life. That's the thing that gets to us sometimes. We get so caught up in daily living that we lose track of why God has left us in this world. In Luke chapter 8, when Jesus talked about the parable of the sower, one of the seeds fell among thorns. They are described as “they which when they had heard go forth and are choked with the cares and riches and pleasure of this world and bring no fruit to perfection."

This week, let’s challenge ourselves not to get entangled with the cares, pleasures, or riches of this world. This week, let’s challenge ourselves to go back to weekly church attendance (unless we are unable to take care of our family without working on Sunday) and get back to daily devotions. These core basics help train us for the battle ahead.

This devotional has been adapted from the message, Consider Your Role, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann.

Click here for the complete message.

Click here if we can pray for you.

Pastor Doug Mann

A graduate from Baptist Bible College East in Boston, MA, Pastor Doug Mann also received his Doctorate in ministry from Bethany Divinity School in Dothan, Alabama.

Peter Markavage

A graduate from both Baptist Bible College East in Boston, MA and Luther Rice Seminary in Lithonia, Georgia - Dcn Peter Markavage takes the weekly messages and transforms them into semi daily blog posts.

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