How was your summer?  It’s hard to imagine it is almost over for most.  I am grateful for a fruitful season of ministry.  With the summer I made a decision to step away from blogging for a few months.  With Fall right around the corner, God has renewed my passion for several things including blogging.  Check back this week as I share a series on the value of blessing your children as a parent.  Blessings.

A few weekends ago, I shared about the spiritual significance of Bethel in Genesis 28.  Here are few reminders about Bethel:

• Genesis 12:8 one of the first places Abraham worshipped God.
• In Genesis 35 Jacob returns to Bethel to worship God.
• In the time of the Judges (Judges 20) the Israelites kept the Ark of the Covenant at Bethel and came there to inquire of the Lord.
• When King Jeroboam reigned, Bethel became a center of idolatry (1 Kings 12,13). So in Scripture we find several prophets Jeremiah, Amos, and Hosea all denouncing Bethel bc of idolatry there.
• When Josiah broke down the altar of Bethel revival flowed.
• Bethel itself was destroyed in the great fire of 540 BC

Bethel indeed holds much significance as a spiritual place.  But we must always remember, we don’t worship a place… we worship God. Many of us have special places where we tend to encounter the Lord… It is good to return to these places of spiritual significance but remember it’s not the place but the powerful presence of the Lord that makes the place significant.

• Bartlett Baptist Church gymnasium – as a fifth grader I placed my trust in Jesus Christ through a Spirit Express basketball camp.
• Bartlett Baptist Church chapel – as a sixth grader I followed Christ in baptism and went public with my faith.
• Ellendale Baptist Church sanctuary – where I confirmed God’s call to vocational ministry and preached my first sermon (scary!).
• Zellwood Corn Festival - where I met my wife for the first time.
• Trinity Baptist Church sanctuary – where we were married.
• Baptist Hospital East in memphis – where our daughter was born.
• Faith Baptist Church sanctuary – the place of my ordination to gospel ministry.
• Westside Baptist Church – where our daughter trusted Christ and I had the honor of baptizing her as a follower of Jesus.

And every week I sense the presence of the Lord at both West Bradenton and North River!  What an awesome thing the presence of the Lord is!

How about you?  Take a moment a share at least one place of spiritual significance in your life!