Back in the Grind

21 Aug

School has begun!!  And for the first time in 16 years, I do not have a student in Florence School District 1 schools!! YIPPEEEE!!!  Now I won’t get 40 calls a week from their PhoneTree.  But, I digress …

Another summer has come and gone.  The older I get, the quicker they fly by.  We in Florence begin another school year and things start cranking back up all over town.  And, especially at Ebenezer.  But I wonder:  Will this be just another year??  Do we hop back into the same groove and do another year on autopilot??  What does He want US to change?  To improve?  To DO this school year?

I think hopping back into the same groove every year has another name, and that name is RUT.  And, seriously, do we want to find ourselves in the same ruts of life that can entrap us, that stunt our growth, and force us in the same directions and towards the same habits??  Do you REALLY think that’s what God wants for you?

God really wants what is best for you.  That means He wants you to be in a growing and vibrant relationship with HIm.  He wants you to FOLLOW HIM, and if we are truly following Him, He is constantly using us to plow new ground.  God seldom puts us in a rut… When we find ourselves in one, it is usually because of our own hands.

We all might be back in the grind of yet ANOTHER school year, but don’t let it force you into a rut.  Pursue a FRESH relationship with God TODAY.  And EVERYDAY.  And if you are in Florence and you need help with that, come see me at Ebenezer!!

God knows EXACTLY what we need

19 Aug

Here is a story about God and His wisdom, foresight, and provision:

About three or four months ago, Ed and I were talking and decided to invite Dawn Smith Jordan to lead us in worship this Sunday.  We thought it would be a nice finale to our summer of worship in the FLC, and something our teachers would enjoy as we recognized them at the beginning of the school year.  Little did we know …

If you are familiar with Dawn and her testimony, you know the story about her younger sister, Shari.  Those of us who lived in South Carolina will never forget the story of a young girl, about to start her senior year of high school, kidnapped at the mailbox in front of her family home and later murdered.  If you haven’t heard this testimony, my advice is to invite her to your church!!  Her information is at www.dawnsmithjordan.com

Anyway, little did we know that a family in our church would have young adult son who would be killed this week. That we would begin to walk a long, difficult path with no immediately clear answers and just a family … One of OUR FAMILY … carrying a burden that all parents hope they never have to carry.  Little did we know three months ago that God was making a divine appointment for this past Sunday. Dawn didn’t even know about any of this.  She just stood up, did what God led her to do, and all of the sudden HE WAS AT WORK!!

One of the things we love about Dawn is that she doesn’t just come do a concert, she ministers!!  Yesterday, LITERALLY … She met with the family afterward to pray for them and encourage them.  But I am more thankful that she is obedient, even in sharing the pain of such a lifechanging event.

God knows EXACTLY what we need.  This is not a cliche … This is REALITY for those who follow Him!!

Unfortunately …

12 Aug

In the last three days, two younger men I knew have lost their lives.  One to an accident and one to something that was not.  In the process of all of this, families and friends are in shock.  “Why?” doesn’t even seem to be an adequate question.  What now??

Death is indiscriminate.  We seldom ever know why and it is hard for us to be comfortable with this.  Sometimes there are no answers, and we like answers.  We want to know.  Some of the hardest times we will face in life will be times like these, where there might be no answers.

In both cases, all we can do is rest in the knowledge that these men had confessed Christ as their Savior.  Sometimes that just has to be enough …

And He is enough.  Praying for two families right now.  Join me.

Today’s sermon: A Wise and Faithful Servant

11 Aug

The Wise and Faithful Servant from Ebenezer BC on Vimeo.

The morning after the morning after …

5 Aug

Here I sit:  Nursing a knee that I actually hurt before I left for Honduras.  It is a little better today, but Dr Connor tells me I need to rest it, ice it, and take plenty of Ibuprofen.  I kept forgetting the ice until last night, but it made such a difference I won’t forget it again!!

I could blog all kinds of details about Honduras, but it would look just like last year…  Many of the same impressions are still in my heart.  I saw God work in ways that can only be explained by His hands.  I met people who have such a strong love for Him and faith in Him that it puts me to shame.  He gave me opportunities for which I am unworthy and incomplete, and He filled in all of the gaps to make them work.  God really does bless us far beyond what we deserve!!

There were a few things that really stood out on this trip:

  • The anxiety of the first trip was gone!  I was really able to slow down and take it all in this time.  Really able to enjoy the moments.  I didn’t even take a watch because in Honduras, that wouldn’t matter anyway!!
  • It really meant the world to me to have my family on this trip.  That wouldn’t have been possible without the kindness of a couple of church members who basically paid for Krissy and Drew.  I am very appreciative for that!!!  And what meant the world to me was watching my wife and kids see it all firsthand and allow God to work through them.  This will go down as one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever seen in my life!!
  • The opportunities I had to pour into the lives of other pastors and the chance to preach in a church that our team built a few years ago meant so much to me that I cannot even put it into words.  In every way, God was there and His presence was powerful.  Again, I am so thankful.
  • BIBLES … Yes, I personally was able to distribute around 300 Bibles and we gave more than double that number to other churches.  And their love for God’s word is contagious and passionate.

Where does it all go from here??  I KNOW I plan to go back.  Even if I have to hobble across the country again, because it was all worth it!!

My Big Ol Honduran Vacation

5 Aug

My Big Ol Honduras Vacation from Ebenezer BC on Vimeo.

The Future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades

22 Jul

From where I sit, the future is EXTREMELY BRIGHT for those who follow the Lord!!  If you really believe Psalm 46, then once again we KNOW there is nothing to fear for those who follow God.  Those who make His will and His word a priority in their lives WILL FACE CHALLENGES, but none of these challenges are any match for our Mighty God!

As I prepare to visit Honduras and spend time with churches who really place God above ALL in their daily lives, I covet that same heart for Ebenezer.  We live in a world that works to separate us from God and actively (and aggressively) seeks to push God to the outside of the mainstream.  What the world doesn’t realize is that Jesus talked about “the mainstream” in Matthew 7:13 when He said “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” (NIV)

I believe with all my heart that God is calling Florence, SC, back to Him.  And it starts at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the hearts of BELIEVERS.  And it spreads from there!!  As I pray and think about the next few weeks and months, I pray that we are not only up to the challenge, but that we will step up and follow Him with ALL THAT WE ARE.

Be Still and KNOW

21 Jul

Be Still and KNOW from Ebenezer BC on Vimeo.

Backsliding??

17 Jul

What an old school term … But relevant for today.

In the devotional I received today from the Blackaby Spiritual Leadership Network was this:

Backsliding is a common term in the church. It usually refers to people who do not attend services regularly as they once did. But of course, there is far more to it than that.

Backsliding means our heart and devotion for Christ have declined in their fervency. It signifies that something has been lost. We are not in the same place with God we once were.

There can be innumerable explanations and excuses for this. “I have been so busy lately!” “I don’t care for the pastor’s preaching.” “I don’t feel like I fit in.” “I am taking a little break.” But the truth is, our heart has turned away from our God.

The remedy to backsliding is to return to God. God has not gone anywhere! We have! So it is our response that is crucial. Thankfully, God not only welcomes us back, but He urges us to come.

Does any of this seem familiar??  Awesome thoughts that were too good not to share.  If you want more information about the Blackaby SLN, check them out here:  http://www.blackaby.net/sli/sln/

Purpose WITHIN the Church

15 Jul

In a little over a week, I have a tremendous privilege waiting for me in Honduras:  I will have an opportunity or two to sit down with pastors and talk about what God is doing in their midst.  I am NOT an expert, but we will share about vision … about developing leaders … about Biblical authority … and about anything else that is on their hearts.  And it all leads to PURPOSE.

When I read The Purpose Driven Church (by Rick Warren), it was an eye-opening experience for me.  Proverbs 29:18 says “Without vision, people perish.”  Without a God-given purpose, the CHURCH is in danger of perishing right before our eyes!!  HOW do we discover our purpose as a church??  SEEK GOD’S FACE and ASK HIM!!  We (the ministerial staff of EBC) have been doing this lately.  Spending time together and apart seeking God’s face and asking Him what HE wants to accomplish with Ebenezer.  When we look at where He is at work, it’s not hard to see:  Children’s ministry, Youth ministry, families, the TONS of lost people within the shadow of our steeple.  Ebenezer has much to do and we are constantly seeking His guidance to prioritize how to accomplish His will.

How about you?  Where do YOU fit in?  Have you ever considered that the purpose of the church defines itself as each of US find OUR purpose in His kingdom??  As we do the will of God in our lives, the purpose of the church will be accomplished.  God WILL give us the vision, but we must do His will for each of us to accomplish that vision.  This all hinges on YOU … and ME.

Will we accomplish His will??  That remains to be seen …. But I sure hope so!!

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →