The Continuing Debt of Love from Ebenezer BC on Vimeo.
Update on our Youth Pastor Search
20 NovEbenezerites:
Hope this blog entry finds you doing well. And PRAYING. Many folks are getting antsy and asking questions about our search for a Youth Pastor. I wanted to give you a brief update and encourage you to continue to pray!!
Personnel Team, the ministry team responsible for seeking our next Youth Pastor, has been hard at work on this project. We are receiving resumes, reviewing them, and we’ve even had some initial discussion with a few candidates. And, quite frankly, we are in serious prayer that God will lead us to the right person. And He hasn’t done this yet!!
I know there are some that believe the best thing we could do is find a qualified candidate and get them in here PRONTO. But, timing is a key in all of this. God’s timing is THE key. We would make a tremendous mistake if we just filled the position. It is time to wait on the Lord … we might not even have the resume of the right person yet!!
So, pray for us!! Encourage your youth and pray for them!! There have been a couple of bumps in the road. Do your part to help hold it all together!!
People of God
19 NovSometimes it can be so easy to focus on the things that don’t go well in life and take the best things for granted . This is due to our worldly nature, that is always peeking through and trying to be dominant in our hearts and lives. Today, I am thankful for people who often are taken for granted. People of God, who really try to live His way and pursue His will. And I am thankful to be surrounded by them!!
These are the people who:
- Trust God during the good times and the bad times
- Jump in and just do what God has called them to do
- Seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, and allow Him to place everything else in order
- Put God first in all areas of their lives
- Remember their commitments to Him and consider it an honor to fulfill them
This list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Today, I’m taking a moment to focus on them and all they do at Ebenezer, and in my circles of family and friends. And I am thankful God has surrounded me with them!!
Guilty
15 Nov“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9, NIV
I was talking to a friend this week about the past. Funny thing about the past: Often we can look back and see times when we failed God, perhaps in major ways for long periods of time. In the verse quoted above, John reminded us that God will forgive our sins!! In Psalm 103:12, we are told:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12, NIV
God FORGIVES and God REMOVES. When guilt from the past creeps in, that is the work of Satan. He will constantly remind us that we are imperfect. That we have sinned. That we are guilty. And, he is right!! And all thanks and praise to God, because He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins. And His payment is complete and total. When God forgives, He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west, which is an immeasurable distance.
So, as for our guilt, give it up!! KNOW that you are forgiven if you’ve asked God to forgive you!! Believe God’s promise is TRUE!!
To borrow a saying from a bumper sticker I once saw, next time Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!!
Lagniappe
14 NovLagniappe is a small gift, given to a customer by a vendor at the time of purchase. You aren’t buying anything from me by reading this, and I’m not really giving you anything valuable. Just a little insight into how my mind works, I guess … So, if you continue reading ….
One of the self-imposed rules of this blog is to be careful. Try to avoid stepping on land mines when I can. There are times when I am really not at liberty to blog what is on my mind, because it would get me in trouble. As a pastor, that is more than okay. There are times when I just can’t. So, today I will blog a little about my trivial side!!!
When I broke my arms, one of the first things we did is get a subscription to Netflix (since I was going to be home a lot and needed something to occupy my mind). And I still love it!! Not as much for movies as for old TV sh0ws. The latest show I am back into is Magnum, P.I.
When I was a kid, I never missed it!! It was a quality show, just enough humor and just enough drama to really keep you hooked. Magnum’s producer, Donald Bellisario, is the executive producer of NCIS and that might explain my Tuesday at 8:00 addiction. He also produced Airwolf, Black Sheep Squadron, and the one I really didn’t get into, JAG. I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with Magnum and look forward to watching all 8 seasons as time allows.
Until then, if you see me riding around Florence in a red Ferrari and with fake moustache, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a Detroit Tigers hat, ask no questions … I’m just looking for Rick and TC.
Love vs. Anger
12 NovWhat ever happened to working issues out peacefully within the Body of Christ? Paul wrote VOLUMES about this. Jesus taught that the measure of forgiveness we use on others will be the measure used on us. If we cannot forgive… If we cannot have mercy… Then I wonder how much mercy we will receive?
Just like the Children of Israel, we at times can be as peaceful and loving as anyone and then something happens. It could be anything really…. A fuse trips and its on!! Sometimes it is truly warranted. Sometimes it is not.
Conflict is never easy. But as long as people are different, it is inevitable. And I’ve watched this time and time again: When you approach conflict as the New Testament teaches, it will always pay off for you. When you try your best to remain in God’s will, even in conflict, He will reward you.
Test and see that God is true to those who live for Him!!
Maybe we need to rely on God more?
7 NovElection day. The day Americans go out and exercise the power of democracy. And there usually is one winner and one loser in each race. Some of the races are bigger … some are smaller … ALL ARE IMPORTANT!
I watched local races, state races, national races. MOST of them came out the way I wanted them to!! Over the past few months, I’ve watched a long-time friend (Willard Dorriety) work hard, pray, and eventually WIN a seat on the Florence County Council. And I don’t think anyone could do a better job! But with him, I have the advantage of KNOWING him, so my support and faith in his integrity has solid experience to go by …
I do not know Tom Rice. He was elected to serve in the newly-created US House District 7. I did try to research, read about him, talk to people who know him. My best HOPE is that he will represent our area well.
I do not know Mitt Romney, but I did feel he represented my values and beliefs more than the other candidate. Rick Warren reminded us in a tweet from a day or two ago that he personally had spent time with both candidates, and neither one claimed to be an evangelical Christian. So, neither candidate would come close to MIRRORING my beliefs. But the President defeated Mitt Romney for a second term.
What do ALL of these and many other races have in common??
Do you give up??
WE NEED TO PRAY. All of those elected yesterday are HUMAN. Fallible. Imperfect. And they ALL need our prayer!! It might be easier to encourage and stay in touch with a man who is a faithful member of my church, but I need to pray for those others in charge with as much fervor. I may or may not agree with their platforms and beliefs, but I still MUST pray for them.
Seriously, we cannot put our hope in a man or woman who holds a political office. Maybe in some ways God is reminding us that HE ALONE is worthy???
It’s time to help!!
6 NovWe in South Carolina have seen our share of hurricanes and tropical storms. We know what it is like to need help, and we’ve received it at times. My heart swelled at the outpouring for Hurricane Katrina years ago when we at Ebenezer sent multiple teams down to the Gulf Coast to help with recovery.
Well, this little storm named Sandy rocked the northeast US last week, and the time is here again to help!! I know it was only a category 1 hurricane, but the cluster of storms with it did as much damage as the hurricane. This massive storm hit an area of our nation that is not usually prepared for hurricane activity. Many people have great needs, and we are in a place to help in small ways that can make a HUGE difference!!
We’ve heard stories and rumors of help being refused by unions. Some of those are true, and some have proven to be untrue. But those stories do not relieve us of our responsibility to answer God’s call and help in whatever way we are able!!
I am asking you to PRAY. If God leads you to help, bring some of the following items to Ebenezer by MONDAY, November 12. The Red Cross listed these items as items of need:
Diapers, baby wipes, baby powder, formula, non perishable food, blankets, batteries, pet food, clothing, cleaning supplies.
Some of the guys from the South Carolina Baptist Convention Disaster Relief team also recommended we consider small gas cans. Many people in these areas do not have gas operated appliances and therefore no gas cans (no safe way to transport gas to generators).
Pray. If God leads you to help, please do!! We are trying to secure a big truck for this load of help, but right now we could fit all of it into a Honda Odyssey van. Let’s really push to fill a BIG TRUCK UP!!!
One Pastor's Perspective 