Two of the men of our church have gone home to be with their Lord. Here are the details of their "Homegoing Services":
Bruce Andress -
Visitations:
6:00PM to 7:00PM on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at Lighthouse Baptist Church,1842 Otts Chapel Rd. Newark, De 19702
7:00PM at Lighthouse Baptist Church, on Monday, December 28th, 2009
Cemetery: Tuesday Morning
Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery
2465 Chesapeake City Road
Bear, DE 19701 (map/driving directions)
Bill Mason:
Visitations:
6:00PM to 8:00PM on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at Strano & Feeley Family Funeral Home
11:30AM to 12:30PM on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at Lighthouse Baptist Church,
Services:
12:30PM at Lighthouse Baptist Church, on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Cemetery: (following the Service)
Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery
2465 Chesapeake City Road
Bear, DE 19701
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
A Lonely Grandmother
The first adult that I ever led to Jesus was a lonely lady at a Nursing Home. Many of you know the story of me returning several years later and finding her not only bearing fruit, but leading a ladies Bible study.
Many older people at Retirement Centers are very lonely and desirous for someone who will simply talk or sing to them. Many have no one to talk to on a daily basis. A bright, new face would be such a blessing to them at Christmas.
This Friday night, you can be a part of the Churchman's Village Retirement Center Caroling activity. Lighthousers will meet at the Center at 7pm. I know Gary Fornwalt and the regulars would really appreciate some help in ministering to these dear older folks.
Because of flu scares, you need to be at least 12 years old to go.
You could be a great blessing to a total stranger this Christmas!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Concerning God's Use of Our Lives
Rom 12:3-6
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school.
They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming; in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying, and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn, so that he [became] only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that — except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.
The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed "charley horses" from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and a D in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing classes he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there. . . .
The point of the story is obvious. Like the animals, every person has his own special but limited set of capabilities. Trying to operate outside those capabilities produces frustration, discouragement, guilt feelings, mediocrity, and ultimate defeat. We fulfill our calling when we function according to God's sovereign design for us.
(from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2005.)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school.
They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming; in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying, and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn, so that he [became] only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that — except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.
The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed "charley horses" from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and a D in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing classes he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there. . . .
The point of the story is obvious. Like the animals, every person has his own special but limited set of capabilities. Trying to operate outside those capabilities produces frustration, discouragement, guilt feelings, mediocrity, and ultimate defeat. We fulfill our calling when we function according to God's sovereign design for us.
(from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2005.)
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Life Isn't Fair
Hi Carmella!....sorry, couldn't resist.
*Some have inquired about the New Post that only says "Hi Gary". Things got very busy last month and I couln't post much on the Pastor's Heart. During that time, Gary Fornwalt pestered me about posting, posting, posting (nag), and so I posted the "Hi Gary" just to irritate him in Christian love.
Hopefully the smoke is clearing and I will post some for the enjoyment and hopefully enrichment of our loyal readers.
*Some have inquired about the New Post that only says "Hi Gary". Things got very busy last month and I couln't post much on the Pastor's Heart. During that time, Gary Fornwalt pestered me about posting, posting, posting (nag), and so I posted the "Hi Gary" just to irritate him in Christian love.
Hopefully the smoke is clearing and I will post some for the enjoyment and hopefully enrichment of our loyal readers.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Back Deck
I am sorry I have not posted for a while. Things have been busy for everyone over Thanksgiving. I do hope all of you Lighthousers are continuing to apply those things you have leaned in the Revival services to your life.
I want to continue my Childhood Home Blogging until I say all that I want to say. You can refer to the previous blogs for pictures of the back of our house and specifically the view of the "Deck".
My earliest memories of the deck off the back of our house was when there was no deck. The deck extends out of our family room and can be accesses through double glass sliding doors and a door off the kitchen. Before my parents built the deck, the doors off the second floor family room simply exited to thin air. My parents only opened them when the screen was closed and safe for my toddling around.
I suppose some skeptic among you would argue that I could not remember falling through that door at such a young age, but the vivid fear of falling through that open sliding door still haunts me. Someone had forgotten to close the screen and I fell to the ground some 8 feet below.
This was not nearly my only fall. I suffered a serious concussion when I fell down the stairs of a friend's farmhouse as a young toddler. I also have been struck in the head by sharp and heavy objects propelled by my older brother on several occasions. All of this explains much of my erratic behavior.
Some time after I had fallen from the sliding door my father added what we called "the redwood deck". I really don't know why it was called that because it was simply pine lumber painted a rusty red color. I don't believe my father used pressure treated lumber at the beginning because it seemed we rebuilt the deck every few years. It always had rotten boards that needed to be replaced.
In my younger teen years, my brother and I made a sport of jumping off of the deck to the ground. This was a 12 foot leap from the top rail. As I got older and braver, I found I could hurdle the top rail while running and leap off the deck touching only one hand to the wood. Even then, my mother warned us of knee problems when we got old.
From that deck we used to throw corn cobs and spent watermelon rinds to the creek. It took a serious arm to get one over the bank and into the water.
My sister Tonia had a joke going with a fellow in the church. She would joke about his shoe size, and he her weight. One day he visited our home and we all went out to the back deck. Once more, the rotting lumber showed its integrity and my sister's foot went straight through the floor. The joke of course was that this guy had proved that Tonia's weight had caused her to break through the deck.
Under the deck, on the far side toward our neighbors the Grahams, my mother grew mint tea. Mint tea is wild and requires an acquired taste. Once or twice a summer, my mother would pick the leaves and make the tea. It tasted VERY minty and I guess I might even like it if I had some today.
My mother had a green hammock on its own legs on the deck most of my childhood years. It was made of canvass and had a little pillow. You can still purchase these types of hammocks now-a-days. I used to lay on that hammock and dream it was my boat and the deck was the water. I had to be very careful lest I capsize and fall into the shark-infested ocean.
Now, our "redwood deck" has been replaced by a beautiful two tiered pressure treated stained deck. The lower level is a circle that extends out into the yard. No one as far as I know has fallen through it yet.
I want to continue my Childhood Home Blogging until I say all that I want to say. You can refer to the previous blogs for pictures of the back of our house and specifically the view of the "Deck".
My earliest memories of the deck off the back of our house was when there was no deck. The deck extends out of our family room and can be accesses through double glass sliding doors and a door off the kitchen. Before my parents built the deck, the doors off the second floor family room simply exited to thin air. My parents only opened them when the screen was closed and safe for my toddling around.
I suppose some skeptic among you would argue that I could not remember falling through that door at such a young age, but the vivid fear of falling through that open sliding door still haunts me. Someone had forgotten to close the screen and I fell to the ground some 8 feet below.
This was not nearly my only fall. I suffered a serious concussion when I fell down the stairs of a friend's farmhouse as a young toddler. I also have been struck in the head by sharp and heavy objects propelled by my older brother on several occasions. All of this explains much of my erratic behavior.
Some time after I had fallen from the sliding door my father added what we called "the redwood deck". I really don't know why it was called that because it was simply pine lumber painted a rusty red color. I don't believe my father used pressure treated lumber at the beginning because it seemed we rebuilt the deck every few years. It always had rotten boards that needed to be replaced.
In my younger teen years, my brother and I made a sport of jumping off of the deck to the ground. This was a 12 foot leap from the top rail. As I got older and braver, I found I could hurdle the top rail while running and leap off the deck touching only one hand to the wood. Even then, my mother warned us of knee problems when we got old.
From that deck we used to throw corn cobs and spent watermelon rinds to the creek. It took a serious arm to get one over the bank and into the water.
My sister Tonia had a joke going with a fellow in the church. She would joke about his shoe size, and he her weight. One day he visited our home and we all went out to the back deck. Once more, the rotting lumber showed its integrity and my sister's foot went straight through the floor. The joke of course was that this guy had proved that Tonia's weight had caused her to break through the deck.
Under the deck, on the far side toward our neighbors the Grahams, my mother grew mint tea. Mint tea is wild and requires an acquired taste. Once or twice a summer, my mother would pick the leaves and make the tea. It tasted VERY minty and I guess I might even like it if I had some today.
My mother had a green hammock on its own legs on the deck most of my childhood years. It was made of canvass and had a little pillow. You can still purchase these types of hammocks now-a-days. I used to lay on that hammock and dream it was my boat and the deck was the water. I had to be very careful lest I capsize and fall into the shark-infested ocean.
Now, our "redwood deck" has been replaced by a beautiful two tiered pressure treated stained deck. The lower level is a circle that extends out into the yard. No one as far as I know has fallen through it yet.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Our Backyard
This is the view of the back of my childhood home. My father was the first to purchase property in that strip of land on Dughill Rd. He bought three parcels and eventually sold the two others to our adjoining neighbors to build houses on. At that time, we all went to the same American Baptist Church. The parsonage of the church was built two parcels from us. After a few years, the Lord showed my parents that this church did not honor the Lord and they moved on when I was just a tyke.
The backyard of my home afforded all the entertainment of my youth. It is a 3/4 acre lot and we had plenty of room in the back to play soccer, Ghost in the Graveyard, archery, and many other great games. The back left wall served as both a soccer kicking wall and a baseball backstop. I remember one day that we found some toads and so from that baseball backstop we pitched them into the air and sent them screaming with one swing of the bat the 60 or so feet to the creek.
When I was younger, each side of the yard had 2 parallel trees that served as goals for either soccer or football. My brother and Pastor's son Craig would come over and shoot archery in the yard. They would set up hay bails and shoot their compound bows. One day, after watching the variety show "That's Incredible", my brother and Craig thought the could mimic the show with some trick shooting. Ray would lay down in front of the hay bail and Craig would shoot the target only inches above him. They also got the bright idea that they could shoot arrows at each other and catch them. This lasted only a few shots as they almost killed each other. Another archery idea they had came from the Dukes of Hazard. They poured the bb's out of 12 gauge shotgun shells and then placed the shell upside down on the end of their arrow. All that was left was the primer and powder wad. They then shot the arrow at a huge rock we used to have at the edge of the creek. When the arrow hit, it made a tremendous BANG and shot right back at them. They decided that this too could kill them, so they stopped.
The focal point of the backyard was definitely the high rope swing tied from a 40 foot limb of the Sycamore tree. We used that swing for so many childhood games. It always served as "base" during tag. We used it so much that it always had a 4 or 5 foot dirt bare place underneath of it. My dad changed the rope to that swing every few years. It was a neighborhood event when it happened. Dad had devised a method of getting the rope that high by tying it first to a ball-peened hammer. He would through the hammer over the limb, and then my a series of ingenious throws tie the two ropes at just the right distance to come down and be attached to the seat. For my sister's wedding in our backyard, Dad purchased special white rope that was beautiful. He would drill two holes of course for the seat and tie a knot below the board. A very important step was melting the ends of the rope so it would not fray over time. Mom would not have liked that look at all.
A fun thing we like to do with that swing was sit someone on it and then twist up the 40 feet of rope. They would rise, rise, rise as we twisted them and then spin with furious speed as they unwound. If you were in the seat, you could get more speed by simply leaning forward. When the ride finished, the rider would hop off and stagger around drunkenly. It was great fun. I never remember anyone throwing up from the ride, but I sure remember many who could not walk for several minutes.
My father has always been meticulous about his lawn in that yard. Originally, when we built the house, my parents raked the yard for rocks for several months before seeding it. They also "rolled" the yard several times a year with a large water-filled roller that we had for many years. My father religiously fertilizes, and today that lawn is softer than most carpets with zero weeds. It is great to visit and romp around with the grandchildren or simply lay on and look up at the sky through the large boughs of the Sycamore tree.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Rock Garden
My mother always kept a "rock garden" on the sloping side of my childhood home. I assume it was called a rock garden because of the large rocks that bordered the garden and also separated the large collection of plants within.
In my early years I remember the top of the rock garden being a steady row of orange/brown Iris flowers against the house. Each end of season, my mother would faithfully cut away the plants to allow the bulbs to send up new growth in the spring. One year, I really wanted to help my mother. A friend of mine had just purchased a new invention that hardly anyone possessed: a weed eater. As I saw my friend cutting down weeds with that orange electric Black and Decker weed eater, I thought of all the time I could save my mother if I got him to cut down the Iris plants. I was a good boy and I explained the contraption. She hesitantly agreed and came to watch progress in action. As the string began to spin on that weed eater, the Iris' choppings began to fly like a blender without a lid. It was as if we were in the middle of a tornado of juicy plant shreds. My mother lost her sanctification and we were barely able to escape with the weed eater and our lives.
Another rock garden story fills my mind...Our neighbor to the left was a mean man. He was rather well-to-do and didn't seem to like kids at all. His wife was very nice though and we tried to be kind to her when we could. Our next door neighbors to our right had two girls a bit older than me. The younger, Tina and I decided that it would be a nice thing for us to put some Iris flowers from my mother's rock garden in a vase and leave them anonymously at the front door of our mean neighbor. So, me (being a good boy) asked my mother first if we could do it. She of course said "yes" and thought it was a good gesture. The problem was that I didn't understand horticulture. I found a large vase, dug the Iris plants up (bulbs and all) and put a large handful in front of our neighbors house. My mother was sore at me for several days that she had lost those good bulbs.
I found a very nice garder snake one time in that rock garden. I kept it for a while in a large glass canning jar. One day, to my surprise, that snake vomited itself up. I don't know how to describe it to this day. I don't know if it was shedding it's skin or what. All I know is, it opened it's mouth wide and vomited it's entire body out of its mouth. I was so freaked out that I dumped the snake out and ran away with only the willies.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
My Childhood Home
"I will look to the hills from whence cometh my help..."
I often speak of my childhood home in West Virginia. Even to this day, I draw strength from those hills. I am invigorated when I deeply breath in the air of the hollow where I was born.
My parents built our home the year that I came into this world. It was the only house that I ever knew. I thought it might be fun to share some photos and stories with you of this sacred place.
A road barely two cars wide runs up a hollow called "Dug hill". I do not know whether the two hills on opposite sides of this road were indeed "dug out", but the hollow is only separated by the road, a strip of land perhaps 3/4 acre wide, and a beautiful creek.
These are the elements that cause years of precious memories to flood through my veins. I hope to share a few with you.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Pastors in Prison
Yesterday was a tremendous day for our Pastors. We spent the day from morning till night in Howard Young Prison and then Smyrna.
We go into the prisons along with the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. This time there were 7 of us that went in. We go in teams back into the prison "pods". Pods are like 20 cells or so enclosed in a big common area with wooden picnic tables, a TV up on the wall, shower stalls enclosed only by a hinged 1/2 door, a common sink, and that's about it. The common area is about 35ft x 35ft or so.
We pass through the prison halls and come to each pod that is accessed by metal doors from the hallway. You bang on the door and are "buzzed" through to a very small hallway and then buzzed through by 2 officers per pod into the common area.
Some guys are willing to talk and some are not. The Muslim men are generally unwilling to talk. Yesterday, I found myself doing a lot of "pastoring" to men who had already received Christ. There seems to be little discipling to these men. There is little spiritual growth and these men quickly fall into the 2 Peter 1 scenario of those that are saved, but are barren and unfruitful and eventually become "blind" and "forget" they were purged from their sin. Eventually, this leads to them getting back into sin and returning to jail again.
I am reminded at how important discipleship is after salvation. I do not doubt that most of these men that I spoke to are indeed "born again". In several cases, I tried to talk them out of their hope in Christ and they would not be swayed. They were not confused in the least that their hope for salvation lay only in the substitutionary death of Christ.
In Smyrna, we are always thrilled with the electricity of the service. These men come with great joy, smiles, and heartfelt singing. Soul-felt choruses ring the air with truths of how much we "need the Lord".
We three Pastors sang "The Unclouded Day" and many of the men rose to their feet with claps of rejoicing. Brother Jeff Cassell (the guy from Sunday Night at LBC) from Rock of Ages preached a sermon about Achan "What's in Your Tent". He bellowed out the truths of Achan's Eyes, Heart, and Action that hid his sin. The message was primarily to the many believers that Chaplain Pennel and our Missionary Tim Heald have discipled for many years. When the invitation was given, weeping men filled the altar confessing sin and crying out for help from the Lord to amputate sin from their lives.
Oh, what a joy it would be if the people of Lighthouse would be serious about their sin in this manner. We may be tempted to look at these men as "big sinners" - I would ask you today who read this blog, "What is hidden in the tent of your life?". What is in your mind, your cell phone, your Internet history, your radio, your language, your reading? Oh that God would bring a stirring to us as He did last night.
I prayed with one dear man who was one of the first to come to the altar. He was weeping and I asked what what I could pray for. Very broken, he said, "just pray for freedom". He spoke not of his incarceration, but the incarceration of besetting sin of an honest saint of God.
Another man came up to me after the service. He was a nice young white man who was in earnest. He would be released soon and asked if he would be welcome at our church. I told him sincerely that we would do everything we could to help him spiritually when he was released. He then told me something that shocked me. He told me that he had been sent a letter from a very well known Independent Baptist Church in lower Delaware. Though he was repentant and broken, the letter stated that they didn't want him any longer in the church. They stated "they didn't want his influence there". I could certainly understand this if it was church discipline, but it was not. It was the response of a Christian without compassion, blind in their own self-righteousness without realization of the depths of their own depravity without God's Grace.
I plan to contact the Pastor to find the source of this letter. The Pastor was not there when letter was sent. We must never have this tone at LBC. I told the Rock of Ages men to send us every man they could who was released from Prison and thirsted after the Lord. It is our great privilege to serve these broken princes of the most high God.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
It was a great blessing to be in the prisons. We got to our homes after 11pm last night and each of us knew that we had spent a very long day exclusively in the service of our Noble Master. Good Stuff.
We go into the prisons along with the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. This time there were 7 of us that went in. We go in teams back into the prison "pods". Pods are like 20 cells or so enclosed in a big common area with wooden picnic tables, a TV up on the wall, shower stalls enclosed only by a hinged 1/2 door, a common sink, and that's about it. The common area is about 35ft x 35ft or so.
We pass through the prison halls and come to each pod that is accessed by metal doors from the hallway. You bang on the door and are "buzzed" through to a very small hallway and then buzzed through by 2 officers per pod into the common area.
Some guys are willing to talk and some are not. The Muslim men are generally unwilling to talk. Yesterday, I found myself doing a lot of "pastoring" to men who had already received Christ. There seems to be little discipling to these men. There is little spiritual growth and these men quickly fall into the 2 Peter 1 scenario of those that are saved, but are barren and unfruitful and eventually become "blind" and "forget" they were purged from their sin. Eventually, this leads to them getting back into sin and returning to jail again.
I am reminded at how important discipleship is after salvation. I do not doubt that most of these men that I spoke to are indeed "born again". In several cases, I tried to talk them out of their hope in Christ and they would not be swayed. They were not confused in the least that their hope for salvation lay only in the substitutionary death of Christ.
In Smyrna, we are always thrilled with the electricity of the service. These men come with great joy, smiles, and heartfelt singing. Soul-felt choruses ring the air with truths of how much we "need the Lord".
We three Pastors sang "The Unclouded Day" and many of the men rose to their feet with claps of rejoicing. Brother Jeff Cassell (the guy from Sunday Night at LBC) from Rock of Ages preached a sermon about Achan "What's in Your Tent". He bellowed out the truths of Achan's Eyes, Heart, and Action that hid his sin. The message was primarily to the many believers that Chaplain Pennel and our Missionary Tim Heald have discipled for many years. When the invitation was given, weeping men filled the altar confessing sin and crying out for help from the Lord to amputate sin from their lives.
Oh, what a joy it would be if the people of Lighthouse would be serious about their sin in this manner. We may be tempted to look at these men as "big sinners" - I would ask you today who read this blog, "What is hidden in the tent of your life?". What is in your mind, your cell phone, your Internet history, your radio, your language, your reading? Oh that God would bring a stirring to us as He did last night.
I prayed with one dear man who was one of the first to come to the altar. He was weeping and I asked what what I could pray for. Very broken, he said, "just pray for freedom". He spoke not of his incarceration, but the incarceration of besetting sin of an honest saint of God.
Another man came up to me after the service. He was a nice young white man who was in earnest. He would be released soon and asked if he would be welcome at our church. I told him sincerely that we would do everything we could to help him spiritually when he was released. He then told me something that shocked me. He told me that he had been sent a letter from a very well known Independent Baptist Church in lower Delaware. Though he was repentant and broken, the letter stated that they didn't want him any longer in the church. They stated "they didn't want his influence there". I could certainly understand this if it was church discipline, but it was not. It was the response of a Christian without compassion, blind in their own self-righteousness without realization of the depths of their own depravity without God's Grace.
I plan to contact the Pastor to find the source of this letter. The Pastor was not there when letter was sent. We must never have this tone at LBC. I told the Rock of Ages men to send us every man they could who was released from Prison and thirsted after the Lord. It is our great privilege to serve these broken princes of the most high God.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
It was a great blessing to be in the prisons. We got to our homes after 11pm last night and each of us knew that we had spent a very long day exclusively in the service of our Noble Master. Good Stuff.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Bobby Ogden Funeral
Bobby Ogden's funeral will be held at The Potter's Field on Thursday Sept. 10th at 1pm.
Pastor Dave Persinger from Pleasantville Baptist will be conducting the funeral.
Potter's Field can be accessed from the Southbound lane of Rt. 13 coming from Wilmington. It is the turn beyond the State Hospital before Highway 295. It is the same turn as the Women's Correctional Facility.
The 1pm service will be at the graveside and those attending need to park at the Women's Correctional Facility and walk through the gates to Potter's Field.
Pastor Dave Persinger from Pleasantville Baptist will be conducting the funeral.
Potter's Field can be accessed from the Southbound lane of Rt. 13 coming from Wilmington. It is the turn beyond the State Hospital before Highway 295. It is the same turn as the Women's Correctional Facility.
The 1pm service will be at the graveside and those attending need to park at the Women's Correctional Facility and walk through the gates to Potter's Field.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Ministry Photography
I want to thank David Baker for doing some ministry related photography. I needed a Ministry Photo of our family for an upcoming preaching engangement, so I asked David to take some photos on the church property. David would like to consider being a professional photographer. He has been blessed with a professional grade camera and a studio quality portrait printer that his grandfather bought for him. He is available to LBC families for events as well. This is the time to use him, in five years, you won't be able to afford him!
The Haven of Rest
Hello All! Here is a recent email received from the mother of one of our missionaries:
Hi Pastor Witmer,
You probably don't remember me but I'm Missionary Sergio Robles' mother-in-law. I just wanted to take this opportunity to "Thank-You" and your church for the missionary home that you make available to your missionaries and their families while they're in the area. The "Haven of Rest", what a fitting name indeed. My daughter and her family enjoys that home whenever they're in the area. My granddaughter, Kyla Rose, refers to if as the "Gopher House", because last summer while they were staying there, there was a family of gophers that they enjoyed watching. Now whenever she knows they're on their way there she says,
"We're on our way to the "Gopher House" , Grandma!!!! I don't think you know what a blessing it always is to them!!!! They're so looking forward to getting there again next week. We've visited them while they were there and it's a lovely place.
Thank you and your church for being such a blessing to my "special " missionaries, let alone the many others.
Mrs. Kim Pagan
Saturday, August 22, 2009
MEN'S BUILDING PRAYER
Calling all LBC Men!
Don't forget: Tonight (Saturday) at 6:30pm is the last summer building prayer meeting for men.
This is NOT a service, but rather a concentrated and extended time to ask the Lord to provide the details and finances of our new building. We usually pray about an hour.
God said "Call unto me, and I will answer thee......."
We take Him at His Word !
Don't forget: Tonight (Saturday) at 6:30pm is the last summer building prayer meeting for men.
This is NOT a service, but rather a concentrated and extended time to ask the Lord to provide the details and finances of our new building. We usually pray about an hour.
God said "Call unto me, and I will answer thee......."
We take Him at His Word !
Friday, August 21, 2009
Full Heart
My heart is full this morning from God's work among us. It was my pleasure last night to spend time with one of our men who has seen the Lord reach down in grace and work tremendously in his life. Together we drove up to Grace Baptist Church in Bridesburg, Philly. We heard Pastor Jay Muholland preach his midweek service (Thurs.)and our hearts were lifted to courage as he spoke on faith out of Hebrews 11.
He preached that faith moves forward under the leadership of God into blind territory. It trusts that God is leading and trusts Him for the outcome. The Holy Spirit worked in my heart at "walking by faith" means picking up your foot and putting it down into a dark spot that you cannot see. I feel this way sometimes with especially the finances of the building, yet through God's working hand in the life of this man and so many others at LBC, God impresses me to lead forward with a place to expand the ability to help people spiritually.
Two times in the last few months I have been under hard preaching that spoke directly to me that our new building is God's Will. I have come away rejoicing though the spot that we put down our feet is not clear. Who among us is sufficient in himself to give enough to see it done? Yet - that is not the point. God can and will do His will, HIS WAY.
We have before us the harvest field of New Castle County and immediately Elkton on our boarder. There are thousands of souls that are damned for hell, backslidden Christians, hurting believers that need a Lighthouse. God has made my heart full that with humility and exalting only HIM, we must be that Lighthouse.
Can you see them coming? Unsaved and hurt people that need a Word?...if you can't see them coming, you haven't looked around you presently in our services...they are already coming to hear...and there are many, many more on the way...
He preached that faith moves forward under the leadership of God into blind territory. It trusts that God is leading and trusts Him for the outcome. The Holy Spirit worked in my heart at "walking by faith" means picking up your foot and putting it down into a dark spot that you cannot see. I feel this way sometimes with especially the finances of the building, yet through God's working hand in the life of this man and so many others at LBC, God impresses me to lead forward with a place to expand the ability to help people spiritually.
Two times in the last few months I have been under hard preaching that spoke directly to me that our new building is God's Will. I have come away rejoicing though the spot that we put down our feet is not clear. Who among us is sufficient in himself to give enough to see it done? Yet - that is not the point. God can and will do His will, HIS WAY.
We have before us the harvest field of New Castle County and immediately Elkton on our boarder. There are thousands of souls that are damned for hell, backslidden Christians, hurting believers that need a Lighthouse. God has made my heart full that with humility and exalting only HIM, we must be that Lighthouse.
Can you see them coming? Unsaved and hurt people that need a Word?...if you can't see them coming, you haven't looked around you presently in our services...they are already coming to hear...and there are many, many more on the way...
Monday, August 17, 2009
Showers of Blessing
What a tremendous Lord's Day it was yesterday at LBC! It just seemed like people were "rejoicing in the Lord" (as Dara sang:) and had hearts wide-open to worship and hear from God.
I praise only the Lord for a lady who was greatly burdened and received Christ after the service.
The man who gained assurance of his salvation last week has made arrangements to be baptized as soon as possible. He is thrilled to be under the Word and walking with the Lord.
The Lord was working in many Christian's hearts as well. Amen....Good Stuff.
The "Favorite Hymns Night" was very uplifting and joined us in a great choir of worship to our Lord.
"How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!...."
I praise only the Lord for a lady who was greatly burdened and received Christ after the service.
The man who gained assurance of his salvation last week has made arrangements to be baptized as soon as possible. He is thrilled to be under the Word and walking with the Lord.
The Lord was working in many Christian's hearts as well. Amen....Good Stuff.
The "Favorite Hymns Night" was very uplifting and joined us in a great choir of worship to our Lord.
"How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!...."
Monday, August 3, 2009
The Pritts
Dear LBC Congregation,
We praise the Lord together with the Pritts that they have finally settled on a house. This is a great answer to prayer in our economic times and has come with much patience and effort.
It is a very special occasion because it allows our Music Pastor to put down roots in Delaware. I remember when the Valiantes purchased their first home here and the stability it brought to their lives and their position at Lighthouse.
The Pritts are renovating their new home with hopes of moving in around August 15th. Several men have volunteered to help and are presently painting, cleaning, laying floors, etc. If you are willing to help them, please speak to Pastor Pritt.
We are told in Scripture to minister physically to those who minister spiritually to us. 1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Let’s show them how much we appreciate their family and tremendous ministry at Lighthouse!
Pastor Witmer
We praise the Lord together with the Pritts that they have finally settled on a house. This is a great answer to prayer in our economic times and has come with much patience and effort.
It is a very special occasion because it allows our Music Pastor to put down roots in Delaware. I remember when the Valiantes purchased their first home here and the stability it brought to their lives and their position at Lighthouse.
The Pritts are renovating their new home with hopes of moving in around August 15th. Several men have volunteered to help and are presently painting, cleaning, laying floors, etc. If you are willing to help them, please speak to Pastor Pritt.
We are told in Scripture to minister physically to those who minister spiritually to us. 1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Let’s show them how much we appreciate their family and tremendous ministry at Lighthouse!
Pastor Witmer
Friday, July 10, 2009
Safeway Response
Please read Safeway's response to our petitioning against their homosexual posters: You can click on the letter to make it larger.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Baby is Here!
Emma Lynn was born at 11:57am. She is 8lbs. 5oz. - 20 1/2 inches. She has plenty of dark hair.
Amy is doing wonderfully. We checked into the hospital at about 6am and obviously delivered less than 6 hours later! Amen, and thanks for all your prayers!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Show and More
With the hubbub of expecting a new Witmer baby, I did not blog any final comments about the John Watson Show. I don't want to belabor the event, but do want to say a few things to close it out:
#1. Praise the Lord for giving calmness and boldness in answer to many of our prayers.
#2. Thank each of you who called in and listened. It was a great encouragement to hear the voices of the "LBC family".
#3. There have been several positive results of our stand and the show including God's Word and Gospel being heard by thousands of people; visitors that heard the show coming to LBC; three local business owners that called or stopped by to pledge their support of our stand; the cooperation of fundamental churches together; etc.
#4. Surprisingly, we have not had too much backlash from our stand. We had only one negative email and one anonymous letter.
Well, that concludes that chapter in our lives, but does not conclude the call to stand publicly for what God says. A week or so ago, my daughter was given a book as a gift from the local library for reading so many books this summer. It is a program to reward reading. You guessed it, the "teen" book featured a gay man as one of its characters. Amazing...this Gay Agenda runs wide across many spans of influence.
Let us not grow weary in the work of love, send the Light...send the Light !
#1. Praise the Lord for giving calmness and boldness in answer to many of our prayers.
#2. Thank each of you who called in and listened. It was a great encouragement to hear the voices of the "LBC family".
#3. There have been several positive results of our stand and the show including God's Word and Gospel being heard by thousands of people; visitors that heard the show coming to LBC; three local business owners that called or stopped by to pledge their support of our stand; the cooperation of fundamental churches together; etc.
#4. Surprisingly, we have not had too much backlash from our stand. We had only one negative email and one anonymous letter.
Well, that concludes that chapter in our lives, but does not conclude the call to stand publicly for what God says. A week or so ago, my daughter was given a book as a gift from the local library for reading so many books this summer. It is a program to reward reading. You guessed it, the "teen" book featured a gay man as one of its characters. Amazing...this Gay Agenda runs wide across many spans of influence.
Let us not grow weary in the work of love, send the Light...send the Light !
Friday, June 19, 2009
John Watson Show
I would ask your prayers for a quiet heart, clear mind, boldness, Biblical Answers, etc. this Monday morning on the John Watson show (WILM 1450 AM 9am)
The discussion will be the Lighthouse protest of Safeway's promotion of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.
I want to make clear to you that this battle must not be for the purpose of publicity or self promotion in anyway. It may be tempting to seek attention, but that is not what the purpose is. With as little or as much voice as the Lord gives us, we must declare that homosexuality is an offense and sin against Almighty God. The Bible says in Leviticus that it is an abomination. Romans 1 says it it is vile affection and against nature. I Timothy 1:9-10 says places homosexuality among the worst sins to be realized. Jude 1:7 reminds us of Sodom and Gomorrah and that eternal fire is awaiting homosexuals who will not repent.
All sinners including Tobe Witmer need to repent. I praise the Lord for that day 29 years ago. God will forgive any sinner that will repent and come to Christ.
If we are all sinners, why do we publicly stand against homosexuality? Gay and Lesbianism bears with it special judgment of God. This is a heinous sin that God judged by fire from heaven. This sin attacks the very core of God's picture of Christ and the church in marriage. Do you realize that this is Satan's greater plan? To distort marriage is to distort Ephesians 5 and the beautiful picture that Christ the Groom gave himself for His bride (the saved).
Do you realize that the average lifespan of a homosexual man is somewhere between 43 and a few years older? (this statistic is disputed, but the danger and premature death of homosexuality cannot be denied)
Please pray that this opportunity will be used to the greatest glory for God and for His Christ. May the Lord receive glory and a clear picture of His holy judgment bring fear to repentance for every person listening - gay or straight.
Please consider the Bible that condemns homosexuality is the Bible that our Presidents take their oath upon, endowed us by our Creator with "certain unalienable rights, teaches us "In God We Trust", and is the basis of many of the laws of this great United States. The words of Congressman Forbes of Virginia couldn't be more true.
The discussion will be the Lighthouse protest of Safeway's promotion of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.
I want to make clear to you that this battle must not be for the purpose of publicity or self promotion in anyway. It may be tempting to seek attention, but that is not what the purpose is. With as little or as much voice as the Lord gives us, we must declare that homosexuality is an offense and sin against Almighty God. The Bible says in Leviticus that it is an abomination. Romans 1 says it it is vile affection and against nature. I Timothy 1:9-10 says places homosexuality among the worst sins to be realized. Jude 1:7 reminds us of Sodom and Gomorrah and that eternal fire is awaiting homosexuals who will not repent.
All sinners including Tobe Witmer need to repent. I praise the Lord for that day 29 years ago. God will forgive any sinner that will repent and come to Christ.
If we are all sinners, why do we publicly stand against homosexuality? Gay and Lesbianism bears with it special judgment of God. This is a heinous sin that God judged by fire from heaven. This sin attacks the very core of God's picture of Christ and the church in marriage. Do you realize that this is Satan's greater plan? To distort marriage is to distort Ephesians 5 and the beautiful picture that Christ the Groom gave himself for His bride (the saved).
Do you realize that the average lifespan of a homosexual man is somewhere between 43 and a few years older? (this statistic is disputed, but the danger and premature death of homosexuality cannot be denied)
Please pray that this opportunity will be used to the greatest glory for God and for His Christ. May the Lord receive glory and a clear picture of His holy judgment bring fear to repentance for every person listening - gay or straight.
Please consider the Bible that condemns homosexuality is the Bible that our Presidents take their oath upon, endowed us by our Creator with "certain unalienable rights, teaches us "In God We Trust", and is the basis of many of the laws of this great United States. The words of Congressman Forbes of Virginia couldn't be more true.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
"That's YOUR opinion"
Today, one of our members sent me an American Family Alert that Safeway Grocery stores (including Genardis) were displaying large posters celbrating Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.
I was driving by our Safeway beside K-Mart in Bear and decided to see for myself. Low and behold as I entered the store, there it was on the right at floor level. It was about a 2ft.x 2ft. poster exalting Gay and Lesbian Heritage.
Now, a situation like this demands a decision: either I get mad and ignore Safeway's blatant support of perversion, or I stand for God, holiness, family, America, and all that is right. I suppose I could just fume and preach at church about it and let it at that; however, that will not change one thing. Christians must be publicly vocal against homosexual perversion or your grandchildren will have a Lesbian President.
I calmly went to the information desk and addressed the Assistant Manager, asking him if he was the Manager on Duty. I then told him that the Gay and Lesbian sign was extreemly offensive to me and my family. I told him that homosexuality used to be against the law in our country and that it was wrong and immoral. He told me that "That is your opinion". I told him that Safeway would lose business over this and that the majority of our country was not Gay or Lesbian. He told me that his company (Safeway) was proud of the Gays and Lesbians. I ended the conversation by telling him that homosexuality was wrong.
I am asking every Christian who reads this to complain to Safeway.
The Website: www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/Comments#iframetop
The local Bear store phone number: (ask for a manager) (302) 834-4830
Boycotting is the least we should do.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Willow Creek Confession
www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11558438/page1/
Lighthouse Baptist Church was founded in part because a group of grounded believers said no to their church participating in the Willow Creek Movement. If you are not familiar with this movement, it is/was the "Seeker-Sensitive" model of reaching people. They sure did reach people. Mega Churches grew up in many places.
Now, after a mult-year study of the results of this "Seeker-sensitive" approach, a book has been released admitting that a great mistake was made. Willow Creek is full of people who don't know their Bibles and are questionable disciples of Jesus Christ.
I would encourage you to really think through the gimmicks that are being used to "reach" people for the Lord. It is not gimmicks that REALLY reach people, it is the plodding of preaching, soul winning, discipling, teaching, and a Biblical local church. Numbers and crowds are not the goal. We need to wash ourselves of the foolishness of "churching" for numbers. As Willow Creek is now seeing, it leads to places of mistakes.
Lighthouse Baptist Church was founded in part because a group of grounded believers said no to their church participating in the Willow Creek Movement. If you are not familiar with this movement, it is/was the "Seeker-Sensitive" model of reaching people. They sure did reach people. Mega Churches grew up in many places.
Now, after a mult-year study of the results of this "Seeker-sensitive" approach, a book has been released admitting that a great mistake was made. Willow Creek is full of people who don't know their Bibles and are questionable disciples of Jesus Christ.
I would encourage you to really think through the gimmicks that are being used to "reach" people for the Lord. It is not gimmicks that REALLY reach people, it is the plodding of preaching, soul winning, discipling, teaching, and a Biblical local church. Numbers and crowds are not the goal. We need to wash ourselves of the foolishness of "churching" for numbers. As Willow Creek is now seeing, it leads to places of mistakes.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Speak Up Christians!
Though we don't make it "the main thing" at LBC, I believe that we should continue as individual believers and sometimes as a church group to be very vocal in our world against the immorality around us. Christ wants us to be salt in light in this vile world. I am speaking of boycotting, picketing, letters to the editor, radio, phone calls, signing petitions, etc.
You will remember that I encouraged you to join the American Family Association to boycott McDonalds to withdraw from the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. They did withdraw after Christian's all over the country pressured them. AFA is encouraging companies to remain neutral in these moral fights.
Pepsico Corporation (Pepsi, Frito Lay, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Gatorade) has become a very outspoken leader in the corporate world for the Homosexual agenda. This includes financial support, diversity training to workers, fringe benefits to gay partners, membership in the Gay Chamber of Commerce, open homosexual commercials on TV, ads in Out Magazine, etc.
I want you to read the letter that I sent to them via their General Contact site at www.pepsico.com :
Dear Pepsico,
I want Pepsico to know that I will be boycotting your company and encouraging everyone to do so until you become neutral on the homosexual agenda.
Stop giving advertising money to Out Magazine (Homosexual Pornography). Stop supporting Gay Pride day. Stop running ads encouraging homosexual activity. Withdraw from the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Other companies have become neutral: Ford, McDonalds, etc. Follow their example of an American Company that does not push agendas that offend a very large segment of Conservative Americans. We drink soft drinks also.
Tobe Witmer
In addition to writing this letter, I called the Pepsi Consumer Hotline and expressed my boycott until they become neutral on the Homosexual agenda. 1-866-626-0633
I ask the Christians of LBC to speak up and not be silent on the terrible moral state of our Country. We prevailed with McDonalds and we can influence Pepsi. We are definitely fighting a losing battle, but shame on the Christian who will not fight for the Word of God. We are to occupy until the Victor Comes in the Clouds with a rod of iron to set all things right. "Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to God?...Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word." - Isaac Watts
Here is the American Family Association information on the issue:
Take Action!
• Call PepsiCo's Board of Directors Concern Line at 1-866-626-0633 and tell the board of directors that you are boycotting PepsiCo and asking others to do the same. If there is no answer or you get a recording, stay on the line until a live operator comes on.
• Sign the Boycott Pepsi Pledge. After signing the pledge, please call Pepsi (914-253-2000 or 1-800-433-2652) and tell the company you will boycott its products until it stops promoting the homosexual agenda.
• Call the Pepsi bottler nearest you and ask it to stop supporting the homosexual agenda.
• Pepsi’s products include Pepsi soft drinks, Frito-Lay chips and snacks (800-352-4477), Quaker Oats (800-367-6287), Tropicana (800-237-7799) and Gatorade (800-884-2867).
• Print the Boycott Pepsi Pledge and distribute it.
• Forward this e-mail to your friends and family so they will know about Pepsi’s support of the homosexual agenda. Millions of people are not aware of Pepsi’s support of homosexual organizations.
You will remember that I encouraged you to join the American Family Association to boycott McDonalds to withdraw from the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. They did withdraw after Christian's all over the country pressured them. AFA is encouraging companies to remain neutral in these moral fights.
Pepsico Corporation (Pepsi, Frito Lay, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Gatorade) has become a very outspoken leader in the corporate world for the Homosexual agenda. This includes financial support, diversity training to workers, fringe benefits to gay partners, membership in the Gay Chamber of Commerce, open homosexual commercials on TV, ads in Out Magazine, etc.
I want you to read the letter that I sent to them via their General Contact site at www.pepsico.com :
Dear Pepsico,
I want Pepsico to know that I will be boycotting your company and encouraging everyone to do so until you become neutral on the homosexual agenda.
Stop giving advertising money to Out Magazine (Homosexual Pornography). Stop supporting Gay Pride day. Stop running ads encouraging homosexual activity. Withdraw from the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Other companies have become neutral: Ford, McDonalds, etc. Follow their example of an American Company that does not push agendas that offend a very large segment of Conservative Americans. We drink soft drinks also.
Tobe Witmer
In addition to writing this letter, I called the Pepsi Consumer Hotline and expressed my boycott until they become neutral on the Homosexual agenda. 1-866-626-0633
I ask the Christians of LBC to speak up and not be silent on the terrible moral state of our Country. We prevailed with McDonalds and we can influence Pepsi. We are definitely fighting a losing battle, but shame on the Christian who will not fight for the Word of God. We are to occupy until the Victor Comes in the Clouds with a rod of iron to set all things right. "Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to God?...Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word." - Isaac Watts
Here is the American Family Association information on the issue:
Take Action!
• Call PepsiCo's Board of Directors Concern Line at 1-866-626-0633 and tell the board of directors that you are boycotting PepsiCo and asking others to do the same. If there is no answer or you get a recording, stay on the line until a live operator comes on.
• Sign the Boycott Pepsi Pledge. After signing the pledge, please call Pepsi (914-253-2000 or 1-800-433-2652) and tell the company you will boycott its products until it stops promoting the homosexual agenda.
• Call the Pepsi bottler nearest you and ask it to stop supporting the homosexual agenda.
• Pepsi’s products include Pepsi soft drinks, Frito-Lay chips and snacks (800-352-4477), Quaker Oats (800-367-6287), Tropicana (800-237-7799) and Gatorade (800-884-2867).
• Print the Boycott Pepsi Pledge and distribute it.
• Forward this e-mail to your friends and family so they will know about Pepsi’s support of the homosexual agenda. Millions of people are not aware of Pepsi’s support of homosexual organizations.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Vacation 3
Hello to all in Lighthouse land. We are on our return voyage home and have stopped through Morgantown, WV to avoid a Hotel charge halfway. (hey, I believe in honesty)
Anyhow, this is the first that we have had reliable internet and I was watching some things that Brian Mensch as uploaded to the website. (Yes, I am missing our church)...Anyhow - Wow!! What a great job Josh French and Kelley Evans did on the Penny Whistle and Piano - -what a wonderful reminder that the Lord leads us like a shepherd. It was also nice to see the reminder on Memorial Day that "All Across the Country, the Country needs the Cross" --- that is certainly true of America.
As you see in the picture - I had some Fishing Fortune with the help of Mr. Powell's borrowed lures.
Well, we will be back in Delaware tomorrow night, so be sure to stop by our house and help us unload and unpack! ttfn
PW
Monday, May 25, 2009
On Vacation 2
Well, I finally got around to writing the second installment in our vacation series.
The drive to Chincoteague was a couple of hundred miles. Going regular highway speed, we should have gotten there in maybe 2 1/2 hours or so...however, both Mapquest and TomTom kept saying longer. There is a certain torturous value to seeing 60 miles to your destination and driving 1 1/2 hours and still no destination.
I guess it is the stop and go of that particular Route that winds through towns, etc. This actually was good for Amy as she needed to stop periodically because of the pregnancy. We were able to hit a real nice Goodwill and peruse other people's junk for 30 minutes or so. Also, we made an excursion off the road to find a "Case Knife Store" for the boys who enjoy whittling and other dangerous things that boys do with knives. Andrew has quite a nice collection of knives and Daniel is well on his way. We have only had one minor accident with a minor wound last year on vacation. It healed.
The Island of Chincoteague and Assateague (sp?) are very nice. There is a good balance between tourism shops and wilderness adventure. There is also a very nice beach that is big enough (long enough) to get alone. We were here preseason, so the people were minimal and the ocean was ours to enjoy.
The Atlantic was brutally cold and only Abbie and Andrew spent extended time in it. Abbie seems to have a "polar bear" ability to endure such numbing temperatures. I went in for a minute and literally went numb all over. brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
We were overjoyed to find out that NASA was launching a Rocket from their Wallop Facility which is beside the Island. We went out to the shore and watched the rocket soar into the sky. The children were delighted as were we.
Well, this week will find us in Amy's Parent's cabin in Fancy Gap, Va. It is a beautiful little place tucked away off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is in a Golf Course community, in the woods with its own fishing Pond. Mr. Powell "hooked" me up with some promising lures to snag large mouth bass. I have caught only a few, but know from the experiences of others that they lurk in the pond.
We will also enjoy Antiquing, perhaps a trip to Pilot Mountain (Andy Griffith Show), a trip into Galax for some good BBQ, hiking through the woods, and quiet reading on the deck of the cabin. There is also a "Game Center" not far away with Arcade, Laser tag, etc. for the kids. Oh....I failed to mention the llama farm. Nice llama...
Amy's folks have a golf cart so we generally scoot around the golf course and area in joyful glee.
Well, that's enough for now. I am supposed to exercise with Abbie, so see you later! Don't know if installment 3 will be written. Poor internet access at the cabin.
PW
The drive to Chincoteague was a couple of hundred miles. Going regular highway speed, we should have gotten there in maybe 2 1/2 hours or so...however, both Mapquest and TomTom kept saying longer. There is a certain torturous value to seeing 60 miles to your destination and driving 1 1/2 hours and still no destination.
I guess it is the stop and go of that particular Route that winds through towns, etc. This actually was good for Amy as she needed to stop periodically because of the pregnancy. We were able to hit a real nice Goodwill and peruse other people's junk for 30 minutes or so. Also, we made an excursion off the road to find a "Case Knife Store" for the boys who enjoy whittling and other dangerous things that boys do with knives. Andrew has quite a nice collection of knives and Daniel is well on his way. We have only had one minor accident with a minor wound last year on vacation. It healed.
The Island of Chincoteague and Assateague (sp?) are very nice. There is a good balance between tourism shops and wilderness adventure. There is also a very nice beach that is big enough (long enough) to get alone. We were here preseason, so the people were minimal and the ocean was ours to enjoy.
The Atlantic was brutally cold and only Abbie and Andrew spent extended time in it. Abbie seems to have a "polar bear" ability to endure such numbing temperatures. I went in for a minute and literally went numb all over. brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
We were overjoyed to find out that NASA was launching a Rocket from their Wallop Facility which is beside the Island. We went out to the shore and watched the rocket soar into the sky. The children were delighted as were we.
Well, this week will find us in Amy's Parent's cabin in Fancy Gap, Va. It is a beautiful little place tucked away off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is in a Golf Course community, in the woods with its own fishing Pond. Mr. Powell "hooked" me up with some promising lures to snag large mouth bass. I have caught only a few, but know from the experiences of others that they lurk in the pond.
We will also enjoy Antiquing, perhaps a trip to Pilot Mountain (Andy Griffith Show), a trip into Galax for some good BBQ, hiking through the woods, and quiet reading on the deck of the cabin. There is also a "Game Center" not far away with Arcade, Laser tag, etc. for the kids. Oh....I failed to mention the llama farm. Nice llama...
Amy's folks have a golf cart so we generally scoot around the golf course and area in joyful glee.
Well, that's enough for now. I am supposed to exercise with Abbie, so see you later! Don't know if installment 3 will be written. Poor internet access at the cabin.
PW
Saturday, May 23, 2009
On Vacation 1
Packing up for vacation can be a dangerous experience. In our home, packing begins a few days before the actual trip when the suitcases are pulled up from storage and Amy begins to layout the children’s clothes.
I must admit, my packing is much easier than hers. The older children pack themselves and Amy checks what they have chosen giving instruction along the way. Ellie, of course is given the task to pack a “toy backpack”. This year I found Ellie on her floor crying as she had three “toy backpacks” around her unable to stuff her blankie in any of them for lack of space. She still so sweetly mispronounces the word “bag” as “bay-ug”.
Amy works from a master list that she created years ago that has everything neatly listed that she and the family will need. I work “buffet” style, walking around the room, thinking about what I want to pack returning several times to the same drawers and closet. My one “strangety” is putting everything in my toiletry bag the night before instead of waiting till morning. This includes things I will use the next morning. I guess I am afraid I will leave something behind, so there is a higher chance of taking it if it is already in the bag.
There is a longstanding "frictionous" point the morning that we leave. It seems to me that it takes hours to actually pull out of the driveway. I feel like Amy decides to spring clean the morning we leave for vacation. Of course, the truth is that she is being thorough so the family will not forget anything. I just think of all those cars that are getting ahead of me on the highway. One very disciplined habit that Amy has is leaving the house clean so we return to a neat home from vacation…..OH THIS KILLS ME !!! She obviously is the more mature of our relationship.
I help her and she actually writes down jobs for each of the kids to do on that morning. I do big stuff and actually pack the car……but my packing philosophy provides for the biggest suitcases to go first, which of course are the last things Amy finishes before we leave. Ugggh.
I normally am at the point of losing it when I physically pick up each of the kids and buckle them into the car….I don’t care how large my children are getting, road rage gives a man supernatural strength. So there we are, car (now truck) running waiting on Amy to actually lock the door and buckle in. I remember one year getting so tense waiting for her to get in the van that I barked at her asking what took her so long… she honestly replied that I had forgot some personal items and I felt about an inch tall.
So we all get buckled in. We have a ritual of Amy putting the second car into the driveway and then we all pray together for safety. Driving out of the development is rough because Amy is scanning her memory to think of items she has forgotten. I am trying to make it to the highway to make up lost time. As we add children I think we would do very hard to make it out of the driveway by 9am. (And this getting up at 6-6:30am!) Although I am bearing honesty in these lines, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Amy that is the brains of organizing everything from the children’s clothing to the food we take.
This year, packing was a delight with our new (to us) Suburban. We struggled over this decision, but now it is a no-brainer to us. Somewhere between 3-5 children a Suburban makes a lot of sense. There is tons of room for packing, tons of room for growing children to move around, and let’s face it – tons of fun to drive this “beast”. I like to “kid” about all the hybrids I run over.
Well, that is packing…stay tuned for Vacation 2 – “the 180 miles and 4 ½ hours to Chincoteague Island”
I must admit, my packing is much easier than hers. The older children pack themselves and Amy checks what they have chosen giving instruction along the way. Ellie, of course is given the task to pack a “toy backpack”. This year I found Ellie on her floor crying as she had three “toy backpacks” around her unable to stuff her blankie in any of them for lack of space. She still so sweetly mispronounces the word “bag” as “bay-ug”.
Amy works from a master list that she created years ago that has everything neatly listed that she and the family will need. I work “buffet” style, walking around the room, thinking about what I want to pack returning several times to the same drawers and closet. My one “strangety” is putting everything in my toiletry bag the night before instead of waiting till morning. This includes things I will use the next morning. I guess I am afraid I will leave something behind, so there is a higher chance of taking it if it is already in the bag.
There is a longstanding "frictionous" point the morning that we leave. It seems to me that it takes hours to actually pull out of the driveway. I feel like Amy decides to spring clean the morning we leave for vacation. Of course, the truth is that she is being thorough so the family will not forget anything. I just think of all those cars that are getting ahead of me on the highway. One very disciplined habit that Amy has is leaving the house clean so we return to a neat home from vacation…..OH THIS KILLS ME !!! She obviously is the more mature of our relationship.
I help her and she actually writes down jobs for each of the kids to do on that morning. I do big stuff and actually pack the car……but my packing philosophy provides for the biggest suitcases to go first, which of course are the last things Amy finishes before we leave. Ugggh.
I normally am at the point of losing it when I physically pick up each of the kids and buckle them into the car….I don’t care how large my children are getting, road rage gives a man supernatural strength. So there we are, car (now truck) running waiting on Amy to actually lock the door and buckle in. I remember one year getting so tense waiting for her to get in the van that I barked at her asking what took her so long… she honestly replied that I had forgot some personal items and I felt about an inch tall.
So we all get buckled in. We have a ritual of Amy putting the second car into the driveway and then we all pray together for safety. Driving out of the development is rough because Amy is scanning her memory to think of items she has forgotten. I am trying to make it to the highway to make up lost time. As we add children I think we would do very hard to make it out of the driveway by 9am. (And this getting up at 6-6:30am!) Although I am bearing honesty in these lines, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Amy that is the brains of organizing everything from the children’s clothing to the food we take.
This year, packing was a delight with our new (to us) Suburban. We struggled over this decision, but now it is a no-brainer to us. Somewhere between 3-5 children a Suburban makes a lot of sense. There is tons of room for packing, tons of room for growing children to move around, and let’s face it – tons of fun to drive this “beast”. I like to “kid” about all the hybrids I run over.
Well, that is packing…stay tuned for Vacation 2 – “the 180 miles and 4 ½ hours to Chincoteague Island”
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Answer To Prayer!
I am praising the Lord tonight and all day long about the meeting with DelDot this morning.
Several weeks ago, DelDot had limited our Building Plan to one entrance off of Otts Chapel Rd. Our Engineer was happy that we got this 4 motion entrance/exit. After prayer and agreement from the Deacons and Building Team, we asked for a meeting to appeal the decision. We did not know what this may bring, and had been warned not to "stir the pot". However, I felt deeply that a frontal entrance was important to our project.
I praise the Lord that DelDot understood our reasons and agreed to the Old Baltimore Pike entrance. All that is left of the issue is for the Engineer to draw it up and address the engineering details.
We praise the Lord. This is a direct answer to prayer and evidence of the good hand of our God that is the giver of all good gifts.
Several weeks ago, DelDot had limited our Building Plan to one entrance off of Otts Chapel Rd. Our Engineer was happy that we got this 4 motion entrance/exit. After prayer and agreement from the Deacons and Building Team, we asked for a meeting to appeal the decision. We did not know what this may bring, and had been warned not to "stir the pot". However, I felt deeply that a frontal entrance was important to our project.
I praise the Lord that DelDot understood our reasons and agreed to the Old Baltimore Pike entrance. All that is left of the issue is for the Engineer to draw it up and address the engineering details.
We praise the Lord. This is a direct answer to prayer and evidence of the good hand of our God that is the giver of all good gifts.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
S________
Amy and I met a very nice lady today named S______. This lady has just moved here from Texas and her husband is a contractor in Iraq. She was a dear sister in the Lord and she shared her testimony with joy and praise to the Lord.
She has 3 children. An older teen boy and twin 16 month olds. Wow. She had 6 miscarriages after her first boy and finally told the Lord she would stop trying to have children. Through a surprise pregnancy, God gave her twins. A beautiful boy and girl. Amen.
She doesn't have a church yet and lives near LBC. She was excited to be invited to our services and we ended our meeting in park with prayer together. One of the last things she told us was she was headed for Kmart and stopped at the Park on a whim. She was so glad she stopped and so were we.
Praise you Lord for saving people and allowing us to fellowship together! How happy heaven will be...
She has 3 children. An older teen boy and twin 16 month olds. Wow. She had 6 miscarriages after her first boy and finally told the Lord she would stop trying to have children. Through a surprise pregnancy, God gave her twins. A beautiful boy and girl. Amen.
She doesn't have a church yet and lives near LBC. She was excited to be invited to our services and we ended our meeting in park with prayer together. One of the last things she told us was she was headed for Kmart and stopped at the Park on a whim. She was so glad she stopped and so were we.
Praise you Lord for saving people and allowing us to fellowship together! How happy heaven will be...
Praising and Learning
I am just praising the Lord tonight for His direction and care for our family. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I come to decisions that take faith I am fearful. I seem to forget that the Lord has directly guided us so many times, and He WILL do it again.
Sometimes, I chalk God's guiding up to coincidence. That is lack of faith. I am learning through experience that there is no logical way to explain away how many times the Lord has provided for and directed our family.
We have recently been praying for an issue that took a lot of faith. There was turmoil, the temptation of doubt, the fear of being alone in the decision, the disappointment of an unexpected turn, etc. -- but the Lord guided us and we are sure that we trusted Him in the decision.
I am learning that trusting the Lord may go against what you think you want or should get at the beginning. God often may choose a decision for you that you don't want. You may not understand why God guides a certain way and you may even be disappointed. But, were you wanting your own way or the best way? Were you wanting your will or His will? Trusting God means going His direction with the assurance that where He is leading is better. No matter what, in the end, whether you see it or not, His way is better. This is faith.
I know that God speaks to us through His Word. My decisions must be based on some Biblical principle. Some times, that principle may simply be James 1 prayer for wisdom. When we pray this way and we don't have a verse to rest on, we must believe the Lord has given us the wisdom to make the decision. We can make the decision in assurance and not look back in regret or fear.
At my last Master's class, I debated with a Pastor at my BJU class about discerning God's Will by "feeling". You cannot trust your "feelings". You shouldn't make decisions primarily based on "feelings". People who base their decisions on "omens" and "feelings" regularly make unwise decisions that may even conflict with principles in Scripture and Godly counsel. This is wrong....... However, I concede that God does assure His will to us sometimes through a "peace" that is hard to explain. Sometimes, it is the experience of many believers to know in their hearts exactly what the Lord wants them to do. I do not doubt this as long as it "run through" the filter of God's Word. I do not find this is my case often in decisions. Some of the best decisions I have made have been raw faith without much "peace".
When I have a large decision to make, I nearly always read Proverbs. I usually just open Proverbs and read several chapters to get my mind thinking as God's. Sometimes there are principles from verses that directly apply to what I am trying to decide. Sometimes it just quiets my heart and gets me thinking like God to ponder the Proverbs. In all cases, it is good.
We have the promise of Scripture that the Lord will direct our paths "if we acknowledge Him". I am working on "liking" that at the beginning of something that seems to go wrong as well as at the end. God can be trusted. I am learning.
Sometimes, I chalk God's guiding up to coincidence. That is lack of faith. I am learning through experience that there is no logical way to explain away how many times the Lord has provided for and directed our family.
We have recently been praying for an issue that took a lot of faith. There was turmoil, the temptation of doubt, the fear of being alone in the decision, the disappointment of an unexpected turn, etc. -- but the Lord guided us and we are sure that we trusted Him in the decision.
I am learning that trusting the Lord may go against what you think you want or should get at the beginning. God often may choose a decision for you that you don't want. You may not understand why God guides a certain way and you may even be disappointed. But, were you wanting your own way or the best way? Were you wanting your will or His will? Trusting God means going His direction with the assurance that where He is leading is better. No matter what, in the end, whether you see it or not, His way is better. This is faith.
I know that God speaks to us through His Word. My decisions must be based on some Biblical principle. Some times, that principle may simply be James 1 prayer for wisdom. When we pray this way and we don't have a verse to rest on, we must believe the Lord has given us the wisdom to make the decision. We can make the decision in assurance and not look back in regret or fear.
At my last Master's class, I debated with a Pastor at my BJU class about discerning God's Will by "feeling". You cannot trust your "feelings". You shouldn't make decisions primarily based on "feelings". People who base their decisions on "omens" and "feelings" regularly make unwise decisions that may even conflict with principles in Scripture and Godly counsel. This is wrong....... However, I concede that God does assure His will to us sometimes through a "peace" that is hard to explain. Sometimes, it is the experience of many believers to know in their hearts exactly what the Lord wants them to do. I do not doubt this as long as it "run through" the filter of God's Word. I do not find this is my case often in decisions. Some of the best decisions I have made have been raw faith without much "peace".
When I have a large decision to make, I nearly always read Proverbs. I usually just open Proverbs and read several chapters to get my mind thinking as God's. Sometimes there are principles from verses that directly apply to what I am trying to decide. Sometimes it just quiets my heart and gets me thinking like God to ponder the Proverbs. In all cases, it is good.
We have the promise of Scripture that the Lord will direct our paths "if we acknowledge Him". I am working on "liking" that at the beginning of something that seems to go wrong as well as at the end. God can be trusted. I am learning.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Call Senator, Congressman
Presently (today), the Hate-Crime bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives. With the support of 30 Republicans along with Democrats, this new bill includes crimes against Gays as a hate-crime.
The problem with this of course is 2 fold: the singling out of protection for a group that's identity is an abomination against the Lord and this bill will be the justification of silencing Pastors who preach against Homosexuality.
We need not wonder if Pastoral Censor will come. In Canada and England, outspoken anti-gay Speakers have been arrested for their words. (see CBNNews.com) This had nothing to do with actions, but rather the preaching against homosexuality.
I would like to encourage you to call you U.S. Senator and Congressman. A KIND SECRETARY WILL ANSWER THE PHONE AND YOU JUST TELL HER YOU ARE AGAINST THE HATE-CRIMES BILL. IT IS VERY EASY AND SIMPLE. I just called all the numbers and it was not uncomfortable at all.
Delaware)
Sen. Ted Kaufman (302) 573-6345 or (302) 424-8090
Sen. Carper (302) 573-6291
(Maryland)
Maryland Senators of the 111th Congress
Cardin, Benjamin L. - (D - MD) Class I
509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4524
Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
horizontal line
Mikulski, Barbara A. - (D - MD) Class III
503 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4654
Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/Contact/contact.cfm
Delaware Congressman Mike Castle:
Washington Office
1233 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
p: 202.225.4165
f: 202.225.2291
The problem with this of course is 2 fold: the singling out of protection for a group that's identity is an abomination against the Lord and this bill will be the justification of silencing Pastors who preach against Homosexuality.
We need not wonder if Pastoral Censor will come. In Canada and England, outspoken anti-gay Speakers have been arrested for their words. (see CBNNews.com) This had nothing to do with actions, but rather the preaching against homosexuality.
I would like to encourage you to call you U.S. Senator and Congressman. A KIND SECRETARY WILL ANSWER THE PHONE AND YOU JUST TELL HER YOU ARE AGAINST THE HATE-CRIMES BILL. IT IS VERY EASY AND SIMPLE. I just called all the numbers and it was not uncomfortable at all.
Delaware)
Sen. Ted Kaufman (302) 573-6345 or (302) 424-8090
Sen. Carper (302) 573-6291
(Maryland)
Maryland Senators of the 111th Congress
Cardin, Benjamin L. - (D - MD) Class I
509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4524
Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
horizontal line
Mikulski, Barbara A. - (D - MD) Class III
503 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4654
Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/Contact/contact.cfm
Delaware Congressman Mike Castle:
Washington Office
1233 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
p: 202.225.4165
f: 202.225.2291
Strange American Times?
1 Peter 4:12-14
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
This morning, I was listening to Andrew's homeschooling DVD with him and this verse was being discussed in his Bible Class.
With all of the Christian bashing, the political correct Gay Marriage happenings, the threat to preachers of hate-crime preaching, etc., this verse speaks to the attitude that we must have. We are definitely approaching days of discrimination and probably persecution as Bible-standing Christians.
Some Christians are not handling this well. They love their country and are terribly upset that we are going this direction. It is true that we must stand very vocally against the sins of our country; however, to live "upset" each day is not right. The Lord told us that these days would come and that we should "rejoice" that we are partakers of Christ's sufferings. We are looked down upon because we identify with Christ, His Word, for God's truth.
Another aspect of this is the President Obama bashing that I hear from the mouths of believers. For one thing, just because he is President does not mean that he is personally responsible for ALL LIBERAL AGENDAS right now. For another - bashing your government is sinful. In II Peter 2 we are told of False Teachers that they would despise government. Also, God reasons there that even the angels do not bring accusations against dignities (government leaders), yet false teachers would bash them openly. We must not act like these false teachers. We can stand against sin without ugly words toward our President. God ordained that man and the angels won't speak against him - who are you to bash God's ordained?
I ask you to consider the right attitude in these days. As a Pastor, I must find the ground where I can stand for the things of the Lord with the right attitude from the pulpit. I must be serious and vocal against the sin of our country, but within my heart rejoicing that we are suffering for the cause of Jesus. The I Peter passage above says that God is glorified when I happily suffer. Will you glorify the Lord this way and refuse to allow the terrible sins of our country to rob your happiness to be identified with Christ?
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
This morning, I was listening to Andrew's homeschooling DVD with him and this verse was being discussed in his Bible Class.
With all of the Christian bashing, the political correct Gay Marriage happenings, the threat to preachers of hate-crime preaching, etc., this verse speaks to the attitude that we must have. We are definitely approaching days of discrimination and probably persecution as Bible-standing Christians.
Some Christians are not handling this well. They love their country and are terribly upset that we are going this direction. It is true that we must stand very vocally against the sins of our country; however, to live "upset" each day is not right. The Lord told us that these days would come and that we should "rejoice" that we are partakers of Christ's sufferings. We are looked down upon because we identify with Christ, His Word, for God's truth.
Another aspect of this is the President Obama bashing that I hear from the mouths of believers. For one thing, just because he is President does not mean that he is personally responsible for ALL LIBERAL AGENDAS right now. For another - bashing your government is sinful. In II Peter 2 we are told of False Teachers that they would despise government. Also, God reasons there that even the angels do not bring accusations against dignities (government leaders), yet false teachers would bash them openly. We must not act like these false teachers. We can stand against sin without ugly words toward our President. God ordained that man and the angels won't speak against him - who are you to bash God's ordained?
I ask you to consider the right attitude in these days. As a Pastor, I must find the ground where I can stand for the things of the Lord with the right attitude from the pulpit. I must be serious and vocal against the sin of our country, but within my heart rejoicing that we are suffering for the cause of Jesus. The I Peter passage above says that God is glorified when I happily suffer. Will you glorify the Lord this way and refuse to allow the terrible sins of our country to rob your happiness to be identified with Christ?
Monday, April 13, 2009
He is Risen Indeed
I praise the Lord for the opportunity to make much of Jesus Christ yesterday at "Bread of Life" (the Resurrection Cantata)
It was a great blessing to think of the music, drama, and then see those things in John 6 from our Bibles.
I praise the Lord for those that called upon the Lord to save them. The increase is God's business and we praise Him for working.
I was also so very excited about the response of our people by involvement, attendance, interest, etc. The 2 Cantata's back to back was a bit of an experiment I should think. We did not know who would come to what, but it was important to Pastor Pritt that everyone be there "in person" and not in the video overflow. I was amazed in the 9am service as the auditorium filled to capacity. Then, we prepared the choir and all for the shock of emptiness in the second service....but.....low and behold, there we where at about 70% I guess in the second service. I am told that there were a lot of visitors. I did meet some of them, but with the rush, could not make my normal "rounds".
I did miss the evening service I must confess, and though there were many very good reasons that we did not have it, we will revisit it in our thinking next year. I just know that no matter the fact that I am preaching, the evening service lends to a very good and wonderful Lord's Day of Worship each Sunday.
Well, much love to all and grace and peace from our Lord Jesus and His Father: Jehovah. (Read I Peter 1) :)
It was a great blessing to think of the music, drama, and then see those things in John 6 from our Bibles.
I praise the Lord for those that called upon the Lord to save them. The increase is God's business and we praise Him for working.
I was also so very excited about the response of our people by involvement, attendance, interest, etc. The 2 Cantata's back to back was a bit of an experiment I should think. We did not know who would come to what, but it was important to Pastor Pritt that everyone be there "in person" and not in the video overflow. I was amazed in the 9am service as the auditorium filled to capacity. Then, we prepared the choir and all for the shock of emptiness in the second service....but.....low and behold, there we where at about 70% I guess in the second service. I am told that there were a lot of visitors. I did meet some of them, but with the rush, could not make my normal "rounds".
I did miss the evening service I must confess, and though there were many very good reasons that we did not have it, we will revisit it in our thinking next year. I just know that no matter the fact that I am preaching, the evening service lends to a very good and wonderful Lord's Day of Worship each Sunday.
Well, much love to all and grace and peace from our Lord Jesus and His Father: Jehovah. (Read I Peter 1) :)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Rick Warren
This past Monday night on Larry King Live, Pastor Rick Warren disavowed support of the marriage protection amendment and said that he had apologized to his homosexual friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHPIhI5WDM8
Rick is the celebrated pastor of the Saddleback Church and the author of The Purpose Driven Life. I want to explain to you the road that would lead a self-proclaimed Bible-believing Evangelical to become friendly with the Gay and Lesbian Community:
Pastor Rick and present "New Evangelicals" (now Old-Evangelicals) believe in removing walls of doctrine or division that may keep believers or potential believers apart. New-Evangelicals arrive at their place of compromise by trying to have a "loving" welcome of sinners that calls them to Jesus. That sounds terrific but neglects both Prophets, Jesus, John the Baptist, Disciples, and Apostles continual preaching of Repentance from the abomination of personal sin.
Warren appears in Aids Concerts to raise money for the Aids Agenda. Warren publicly apologizes for believers who say that Aids is God's Plague on sin (Larry King Live). The disconnect here that has brought Warren to a place where he forgets Sodom and Gomorrah, forgets Romans 1:26-27, etc. is the Armenian view that man's salvation is of the greatest value in the universe. This view is willing to go to the "nth" degree to see a soul saved, even if it means removing all offensiveness toward sinners from our Bible. They want to "love" people into salvation instead of exposing the truth that they are hopeless sinners that must repent and THEN turn to the love of God through Jesus Christ.
We must understand that even in Salvation, CHRIST, not man is the central figure. God's character of holiness cannot be compromised to make sinners feel more comfortable so that they "may feel like" receiving Christ. This view places an unbiblical sales presentation on the gospel that aims to persuade the lost to come to Christ by kind arguments, fads, and acts that turns the gospel into a trendy product that appeals to everyone. A man does not need a Savior until he knows that he is drowning in the wages of his own sin. This is what the law taught as a schoolmaster. A sinner must realize he falls short of the glory of God before he is converted. He must by the Word, God's grace, and God's calling be brought to repentance of his sins before God. A homosexual cannot be saved unless he is told from Scripture that his sin must be admitted and forsaken before God at the moment of salvation. He cannot repent without the power of God, and his repenting is not an act of reforming before the Lord can save him. Repentance is an acknowledgment and willingness of the mind to abandon sin at the moment of salvation.
This slippy road does not even include Rick Warren's quest for popularity and world prominence. I cannot judge his heart motives on that, but I certainly can view his fruit.
It is obvious to you now that I totally reject and condemn Rick Warren's compromising stand. His compromise and form of evangelism perverts the gospel and keeps people from true salvation. This is not "loving the lost" - this is blinding the lost to their sin and their offensiveness to a perfect Creator. This form of evangelism removes the need for Christ's atonement at God's hand. It removes the meaning of our sin's being laid upon Christ. It creates a mighty congregation of those "sold" into Christianity with marketing techniques without being Born-Again.
I compel true believers that read this to reject any Pastor that is clearly standing against the Scriptures. Our examples are Preachers of old that went against the grain of political correctness and were even martyred for that. The Prophets and Apostles preached strongly against sin. Roger Williams, John Huss, Martin Luther, Lester Roloff, Billy Sunday, Charles Spurgeon, Gypsy Smith, Bob Jones, Monk Parker, George Whitefield, Conrad Grebel, etc. all stood and preached stongly against sin. Warren stated on one of his several Larry King appearances that he certainly did not equate marriage with pedophilia or incest. REALLY RICK? You cannot call homosexuality perversion?!??
We have sunk to an all time low spirituality in our Country . Rick Warren would say that he was a Fundamentalist in the sense of believing the Fundamentals of the faith. He would certainly say he believed the same major doctrine as Lighthouse Baptist Church. A Fundamental Pastor apologizing for opposing Homosexual Marriage. This is only equaled this month by our President informing the world that we are no longer only a Christian nation.
Amazing. Listen for the Trumpet or the Police coming to drag believers away!
PW
Rick is the celebrated pastor of the Saddleback Church and the author of The Purpose Driven Life. I want to explain to you the road that would lead a self-proclaimed Bible-believing Evangelical to become friendly with the Gay and Lesbian Community:
Pastor Rick and present "New Evangelicals" (now Old-Evangelicals) believe in removing walls of doctrine or division that may keep believers or potential believers apart. New-Evangelicals arrive at their place of compromise by trying to have a "loving" welcome of sinners that calls them to Jesus. That sounds terrific but neglects both Prophets, Jesus, John the Baptist, Disciples, and Apostles continual preaching of Repentance from the abomination of personal sin.
Warren appears in Aids Concerts to raise money for the Aids Agenda. Warren publicly apologizes for believers who say that Aids is God's Plague on sin (Larry King Live). The disconnect here that has brought Warren to a place where he forgets Sodom and Gomorrah, forgets Romans 1:26-27, etc. is the Armenian view that man's salvation is of the greatest value in the universe. This view is willing to go to the "nth" degree to see a soul saved, even if it means removing all offensiveness toward sinners from our Bible. They want to "love" people into salvation instead of exposing the truth that they are hopeless sinners that must repent and THEN turn to the love of God through Jesus Christ.
We must understand that even in Salvation, CHRIST, not man is the central figure. God's character of holiness cannot be compromised to make sinners feel more comfortable so that they "may feel like" receiving Christ. This view places an unbiblical sales presentation on the gospel that aims to persuade the lost to come to Christ by kind arguments, fads, and acts that turns the gospel into a trendy product that appeals to everyone. A man does not need a Savior until he knows that he is drowning in the wages of his own sin. This is what the law taught as a schoolmaster. A sinner must realize he falls short of the glory of God before he is converted. He must by the Word, God's grace, and God's calling be brought to repentance of his sins before God. A homosexual cannot be saved unless he is told from Scripture that his sin must be admitted and forsaken before God at the moment of salvation. He cannot repent without the power of God, and his repenting is not an act of reforming before the Lord can save him. Repentance is an acknowledgment and willingness of the mind to abandon sin at the moment of salvation.
This slippy road does not even include Rick Warren's quest for popularity and world prominence. I cannot judge his heart motives on that, but I certainly can view his fruit.
It is obvious to you now that I totally reject and condemn Rick Warren's compromising stand. His compromise and form of evangelism perverts the gospel and keeps people from true salvation. This is not "loving the lost" - this is blinding the lost to their sin and their offensiveness to a perfect Creator. This form of evangelism removes the need for Christ's atonement at God's hand. It removes the meaning of our sin's being laid upon Christ. It creates a mighty congregation of those "sold" into Christianity with marketing techniques without being Born-Again.
I compel true believers that read this to reject any Pastor that is clearly standing against the Scriptures. Our examples are Preachers of old that went against the grain of political correctness and were even martyred for that. The Prophets and Apostles preached strongly against sin. Roger Williams, John Huss, Martin Luther, Lester Roloff, Billy Sunday, Charles Spurgeon, Gypsy Smith, Bob Jones, Monk Parker, George Whitefield, Conrad Grebel, etc. all stood and preached stongly against sin. Warren stated on one of his several Larry King appearances that he certainly did not equate marriage with pedophilia or incest. REALLY RICK? You cannot call homosexuality perversion?!??
We have sunk to an all time low spirituality in our Country . Rick Warren would say that he was a Fundamentalist in the sense of believing the Fundamentals of the faith. He would certainly say he believed the same major doctrine as Lighthouse Baptist Church. A Fundamental Pastor apologizing for opposing Homosexual Marriage. This is only equaled this month by our President informing the world that we are no longer only a Christian nation.
Amazing. Listen for the Trumpet or the Police coming to drag believers away!
PW
Kuler or Color Website 2.0
Would you like to have an input in the new color scheme of our "soon to launch" Website 2.0? We would like to know the preferences of those who use our website.
You can help choose the main color scheme by doing the following:
1. Go to www.kuler.adobe.com
2. Type in the Search field "lbc"
3. You will see 4 color palettes pop up for lbc that you can choose from.
4. Choose the color palette that you like most.
5. Email the name of your choice to me at pastor@lbcde.org
Thanks for voting !
PW
You can help choose the main color scheme by doing the following:
1. Go to www.kuler.adobe.com
2. Type in the Search field "lbc"
3. You will see 4 color palettes pop up for lbc that you can choose from.
4. Choose the color palette that you like most.
5. Email the name of your choice to me at pastor@lbcde.org
Thanks for voting !
PW
Faith Promise Giving
I praise the Lord for the tremendous response to the Faith Promise Commitment. We are at almost $87,000!
Pastor Barber (our Conference speaker)called the other day and was so excited at the great response. Please begin giving your new Commitment immediately.
We will be voting on the new missionaries (the Ruleys and van Reijns) on April 19th. We are excited to expand our Missions' Vision further into Brazil and the Netherlands.
Pray for our Easter service to be powerful. Pray that the Sermon would work with the Cantata to touch people's hearts in a great way.
I hope each of you are rejoicing and praising the Lord today...remember, Jesus came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly.
PW
Pastor Barber (our Conference speaker)called the other day and was so excited at the great response. Please begin giving your new Commitment immediately.
We will be voting on the new missionaries (the Ruleys and van Reijns) on April 19th. We are excited to expand our Missions' Vision further into Brazil and the Netherlands.
Pray for our Easter service to be powerful. Pray that the Sermon would work with the Cantata to touch people's hearts in a great way.
I hope each of you are rejoicing and praising the Lord today...remember, Jesus came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly.
PW
Friday, March 27, 2009
Missions and Prison
Hello Lighthousers !!!!
We have enjoyed a really good Mission's Conference with Bob Barker, the Ruley's, Jim Wright, the van Reijns, and the Wilsons.
I don't know about you, but it was a real encouragement and challenge to me. I was continually hit with the love and grace of God and how it is our joy, duty, and responsibility to spread it here in Newark and abroad to the world.
I was challenged by Bob Barker's church of 160 or so people giving over $180,000 to missions each year. The people (and their wallets) have really caught a glimpse of worldwide evangelism, and we must also. Don't forget this coming Sunday, first thing, we will pass the offering plates to turn in our small blue card for our Faith Promise Commitments. I am excited that we will exceed what we have given before.
On another note - the three Pastors spent yesterday in Howard Young and Smyrna Prisons. In the morning and afternoon, we went into the cell pod areas and gave the gospel man by man. I was surprised to meet some true believers that needed some "Pastoring" about inner sin struggles of their life. Pray for Marcus, James, and Donald.
Also, we were able to lead a man named Ivan to Christ. He will be released in April and we have asked him to come to Lighthouse. Pray that he will come and experience the love of the true body of Christ that is no respecter of persons.
In the evening, we held a service in the Prison at Smyrna. This is a huge facility with 3300 men I believe. We had about 150+ at the service. The Rock of Ages Evangelist told us that Chaplain Pennel and Tim Heald do a great job of evangelism and discipleship and that we would have predominately saved men. When the men arrived, they began with a choir singing heartily a wonderful chorus of "Your gonna' need Jesus". I very deeply realized that this was a church. An assembly of believers under a Pastoral Chaplain. It was good for us to see.
We preached from Romans 6 about victory over sin after salvation. Many men connected and responded to begin struggling with the mindset of "not paying the old landlord of sin anymore". They seemed to realize that they vicariously died with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with Him. That sin was not the defeating master anymore. They were alive to yield their members as instruments of righteousness.
Although the room was predominately Born again, 3 men came forward to accept Christ as Savior. It was a glory time. Pastor Pritt ended the night singing acapella "Stand up, Stand up for Jesus".
Overall, it was a tremendous time that allowed us to put into practice the preaching of the week.
We look forward to Sunday and being again together with our local gathering of the family of God.
PW
We have enjoyed a really good Mission's Conference with Bob Barker, the Ruley's, Jim Wright, the van Reijns, and the Wilsons.
I don't know about you, but it was a real encouragement and challenge to me. I was continually hit with the love and grace of God and how it is our joy, duty, and responsibility to spread it here in Newark and abroad to the world.
I was challenged by Bob Barker's church of 160 or so people giving over $180,000 to missions each year. The people (and their wallets) have really caught a glimpse of worldwide evangelism, and we must also. Don't forget this coming Sunday, first thing, we will pass the offering plates to turn in our small blue card for our Faith Promise Commitments. I am excited that we will exceed what we have given before.
On another note - the three Pastors spent yesterday in Howard Young and Smyrna Prisons. In the morning and afternoon, we went into the cell pod areas and gave the gospel man by man. I was surprised to meet some true believers that needed some "Pastoring" about inner sin struggles of their life. Pray for Marcus, James, and Donald.
Also, we were able to lead a man named Ivan to Christ. He will be released in April and we have asked him to come to Lighthouse. Pray that he will come and experience the love of the true body of Christ that is no respecter of persons.
In the evening, we held a service in the Prison at Smyrna. This is a huge facility with 3300 men I believe. We had about 150+ at the service. The Rock of Ages Evangelist told us that Chaplain Pennel and Tim Heald do a great job of evangelism and discipleship and that we would have predominately saved men. When the men arrived, they began with a choir singing heartily a wonderful chorus of "Your gonna' need Jesus". I very deeply realized that this was a church. An assembly of believers under a Pastoral Chaplain. It was good for us to see.
We preached from Romans 6 about victory over sin after salvation. Many men connected and responded to begin struggling with the mindset of "not paying the old landlord of sin anymore". They seemed to realize that they vicariously died with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with Him. That sin was not the defeating master anymore. They were alive to yield their members as instruments of righteousness.
Although the room was predominately Born again, 3 men came forward to accept Christ as Savior. It was a glory time. Pastor Pritt ended the night singing acapella "Stand up, Stand up for Jesus".
Overall, it was a tremendous time that allowed us to put into practice the preaching of the week.
We look forward to Sunday and being again together with our local gathering of the family of God.
PW
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Help Middletown
From Pastor Ed Lasko - Middletown Baptist Church:
Middletown Baptist Church is facing a new crisis with DelDOT. We have been informed of another change in the Green North + Spur Road of Route 301. The information can be found at http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/us301/. We are concerned because this will directly affect our church. The overpass will come along the tree line to the right of our new auditorium.
I have attached a petition that we have asked our church members and community to sign. We have asked DelDOT to reconsider this option. We feel the Green North + Spur Road will have a negative impact on our church and that DelDOT should implement the option that the public chose as best: Green North with Armstrong Corner Road option2A and spur road option 3B. We are opposed to any "new changes" that are being introduced! Could you please put out copies of the petition and ask your congregation to sign?
We need to receive the completed petitions by March 31. You can fax them to (302) 378-2443 or mail them to Middletown Baptist Church, 419 Armstrong Corner Road, Middletown,DE 19709.
Thank you for your efforts on the behalf of our church.
In Christ,
Dr. Edward J. Lasko, Sr.,Senior Pastor
Middletown Baptist Church
419 Armstrong Corner Road
Middletown, DE 19709
Middletown Baptist Church is facing a new crisis with DelDOT. We have been informed of another change in the Green North + Spur Road of Route 301. The information can be found at http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/us301/. We are concerned because this will directly affect our church. The overpass will come along the tree line to the right of our new auditorium.
I have attached a petition that we have asked our church members and community to sign. We have asked DelDOT to reconsider this option. We feel the Green North + Spur Road will have a negative impact on our church and that DelDOT should implement the option that the public chose as best: Green North with Armstrong Corner Road option2A and spur road option 3B. We are opposed to any "new changes" that are being introduced! Could you please put out copies of the petition and ask your congregation to sign?
We need to receive the completed petitions by March 31. You can fax them to (302) 378-2443 or mail them to Middletown Baptist Church, 419 Armstrong Corner Road, Middletown,DE 19709.
Thank you for your efforts on the behalf of our church.
In Christ,
Dr. Edward J. Lasko, Sr.,Senior Pastor
Middletown Baptist Church
419 Armstrong Corner Road
Middletown, DE 19709
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Mr. Heald Funeral
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Debbie and Roselda Heald in the loss of Paul Heald.
Services are this Friday at Strano Feeley Funeral home.
10am - Visitation
11am - Service
Private Interment
Please contact Deacons Rich Simpson or Jack Miller with desires to help the family.
Services are this Friday at Strano Feeley Funeral home.
10am - Visitation
11am - Service
Private Interment
Please contact Deacons Rich Simpson or Jack Miller with desires to help the family.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Laughing in the Tent
Thoughts of Sarah and Sunday morning's sermon have come to me often lately. I can't get over the thought of Abraham and Sarah's immediate disbelief and then their ultimate strong faith. I praise the Lord for His patience in that process of rebuke and change in our lives. We need to take our faithlessness to the woodshed.
I can almost see the preincarnate Lord Jesus arguing with Sarah and concluding "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?" This question is a powerful statement coming from One who knew. Somehow, the devil has convinced us that we are not Sarah. We cannot see the hand of the Lord. He does not work through the natural and supernatural to control our lives.
I do not advocate that you search for the miraculous. There is nothing more spiritual about the miraculous than the natural work of God in your life. Like Sarah, we must surrender our wills to what God wants, and He will do in us His will regardless of probabilities, impossibilities, or any obstacles.
I cannot help but apply this to our new building. God has raised up this church, and through many obstacles, improbabilities, and struggles we stand where we are today. We are blessed beyond measure as a young church. And God has naturally by His will brought people and overflowed our facilities. He has put it in my heart, and the heart of the Leaders of our church and much of the Congregation to build this new auditorium. It has been a process of faith. God has rewarded with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised, the Sears property purchased, a great team of Engineer and Builder, a great Building Team, a beautiful design, etc. etc.
Now we are in view of getting the Permits from County by the Fall of this year. All that will stop us from building then will be having enough money. Last night we met with our Builder (Nowland) and were told that since our last estimate in 2007 building costs have gone up around 11%. Though the sagging economy has lowered costs some, this is still a valid increase. The preparation, excavation, landscaping of the site have risen to over a million dollars themselves. The building itself is about 1.6 million. With all other amounts, estimates for a turn-key project are hovering at 3 million dollars.
The Lord gently rebukes the thought of us raising enough money for a healthy downpayment to get the mortgage payment of this 3 million affordable. I hear Him say "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
We must do the natural of sacrificial giving and allow God to decide when to do the miraculous. He knows our need, He has heard our prayers, we follow Him in faith, and wait on His timing. We must do our part and follow by giving and prayer. We wait on Him to do the "too hard" part.
PW
I can almost see the preincarnate Lord Jesus arguing with Sarah and concluding "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?" This question is a powerful statement coming from One who knew. Somehow, the devil has convinced us that we are not Sarah. We cannot see the hand of the Lord. He does not work through the natural and supernatural to control our lives.
I do not advocate that you search for the miraculous. There is nothing more spiritual about the miraculous than the natural work of God in your life. Like Sarah, we must surrender our wills to what God wants, and He will do in us His will regardless of probabilities, impossibilities, or any obstacles.
I cannot help but apply this to our new building. God has raised up this church, and through many obstacles, improbabilities, and struggles we stand where we are today. We are blessed beyond measure as a young church. And God has naturally by His will brought people and overflowed our facilities. He has put it in my heart, and the heart of the Leaders of our church and much of the Congregation to build this new auditorium. It has been a process of faith. God has rewarded with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised, the Sears property purchased, a great team of Engineer and Builder, a great Building Team, a beautiful design, etc. etc.
Now we are in view of getting the Permits from County by the Fall of this year. All that will stop us from building then will be having enough money. Last night we met with our Builder (Nowland) and were told that since our last estimate in 2007 building costs have gone up around 11%. Though the sagging economy has lowered costs some, this is still a valid increase. The preparation, excavation, landscaping of the site have risen to over a million dollars themselves. The building itself is about 1.6 million. With all other amounts, estimates for a turn-key project are hovering at 3 million dollars.
The Lord gently rebukes the thought of us raising enough money for a healthy downpayment to get the mortgage payment of this 3 million affordable. I hear Him say "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
We must do the natural of sacrificial giving and allow God to decide when to do the miraculous. He knows our need, He has heard our prayers, we follow Him in faith, and wait on His timing. We must do our part and follow by giving and prayer. We wait on Him to do the "too hard" part.
PW
Monday, March 9, 2009
A Button Message to the World
Hello World !
One of the amazing things that we have observed about our website is the fact that we get "hits" from dozens of U.S. States and many different countries. Some of the countries of course represent our missionaries, but many do not.
Our website is viewed regularly by people outside our area viewing sermons, music, or just watching what is going on at Lighthouse. We praise the Lord for this ! Our webmaster, Brian Mensch, has worked very hard at incorporating new ideas, navigation, design, etc. into our website. We are currently working on a "2.0" edition that will give the website a complete overhaul into a more simple, beautiful, streamline website. A neat fact about our website comes if you simply Google "Lighthouse Baptist Church". All over the world, our website is the #2 listing for Lighthouse Baptist Church. This is pretty amazing. The website is responsible for bringing several of our new people to Lighthouse. We praise the Lord only for the tool the site has been to the entire World.
Well, World...we would like you to consider giving back if our ministry has been a spiritual blessing to you. As many of you know, we are building a new 15,000 sq. foot auditorium. This is a true need, not a luxury. We have been overflowing our current building for a few years now. With the help of a video building overflow, we average over 260 in an auditorium of 211! Our people line up down the hall for the bathrooms, and we fill each current room with classes. Our parking lot overflows into grass, surrounding driveways, etc. Praise the Lord for this problem, but it is a problem none the less!
You can help us....you will notice a new yellow "Donate" button on the main page of our website under the picture of our new building. If we have ministered to you, we ask you to help us with our ministry. It is exciting to see people from dozens of States and Countries accessing our church ministry, and we ask you to consider returning the blessing.
May the Lord bless our ministry as WE BLESS HIM. Please do not feel indebted to give, we simply give you the opportunity.
PW
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Mincy Worship
I cannot say how much I enjoyed and truly Worshiped the Lord at the Sacred Concert on Sunday night. Dave Mincy is a fellow who puts his whole heart into his music, yet avoids the Contemporary trap of lust of the flesh, eyes, pride of life. Pray for him as he plunges forward into the blind will of God with his music. He confided that he feels much like blind Noah right now.
Can you see the difference in his music and what is offered to you at the Christian bookstore right now? His music is "Contemporary" in that it is up-to-date, yet is not rocky, sensual, or self serving -- Rather, it is God centered, self revealing, and doctrinally pregnant. He is not seeking fame, fortune, or popularity - He is ministering in local churches like ours.
We need to understand that we sing the "old hymns" because of their tremendous doctrine, God focus, and "singability" for our worship. We do not sing them because there is something more sacred about the time period in which they were written, or the music styles from that period. Praise songs from Mainstream Contemporary "artists" today are puddle songs (very shallow). They are focused on self experience and God doing something to me. They are also written to be marketed as a business for the greatest return with secular (unbelievers) music labels, attention, and respect. Mincy's songs are wonderfully transparent about our own sin and God's amazing Character, grace, and majesty.
I surely hope that more present day Pastors, Music Pastors, and believers will write new songs that can be sung in churches to add to our wonderful hymns. The idea of new hymns from Godly people that are far from the "sensual world" is a GOOD THING.
We praise the Lord for Who He is and how Great He is in all His Ways -- He Is God! Do yourself a spiritual favor and go to "What's New", or "Special Music" in this website and watch the video from some of the concert -- I would recommend "You are God" and "God's Plan".
PW
Can you see the difference in his music and what is offered to you at the Christian bookstore right now? His music is "Contemporary" in that it is up-to-date, yet is not rocky, sensual, or self serving -- Rather, it is God centered, self revealing, and doctrinally pregnant. He is not seeking fame, fortune, or popularity - He is ministering in local churches like ours.
We need to understand that we sing the "old hymns" because of their tremendous doctrine, God focus, and "singability" for our worship. We do not sing them because there is something more sacred about the time period in which they were written, or the music styles from that period. Praise songs from Mainstream Contemporary "artists" today are puddle songs (very shallow). They are focused on self experience and God doing something to me. They are also written to be marketed as a business for the greatest return with secular (unbelievers) music labels, attention, and respect. Mincy's songs are wonderfully transparent about our own sin and God's amazing Character, grace, and majesty.
I surely hope that more present day Pastors, Music Pastors, and believers will write new songs that can be sung in churches to add to our wonderful hymns. The idea of new hymns from Godly people that are far from the "sensual world" is a GOOD THING.
We praise the Lord for Who He is and how Great He is in all His Ways -- He Is God! Do yourself a spiritual favor and go to "What's New", or "Special Music" in this website and watch the video from some of the concert -- I would recommend "You are God" and "God's Plan".
PW
Monday, February 16, 2009
Eons
It may seem to you eons since I wrote last. It has been a month. No special reason for the delay other than my laptop hard drive failing and having to get a new HD in it. This of course meant that all my settings, programs, etc. were gone. Praise the Lord my personal files and sermons were saved! (my programs were not saved, but some of them were under deep conviction)
This has been a great month at LBC. WOW - the BJU music ministry team was a huge blessing yesterday, weren't they? I was so excited how transparent and ministering they were. In the afternoon when we took them to eat, I found them to be the same way. We have never had a group that was so interested in our church and our ministry. Usually, the college kids are young and don't really seem interested. But this group was very special. My heart was ministered to greatly by the S.S. message and Audrey's testimony (violin girl). I could feel the pain of her journey with God.
I want you to know that the Lord is working in the hearts of several individuals behind the scenes. Praise the Lord for this strange thing called Sanctification. He actually purifies the redeemed sinner as a process before we see Him face to face. How unsearchable are His ways!
Well, that's about it -- you did a great job at the Polar Bear Offering - near 25,000 now. We still need to pray for "Big Bucks" and give the best we can. We were informed that we will save on reduced cost of steel, labor, etc. - but the challenges of our sitework have added a huge amount to those costs. I would type how much "huge" is, but I can't bring myself to look at it. We are having a budget meeting with our Builder sometime soon to look at the updated costs. We knew all along that the longer we take to build, the more building costs would rise. Every building site has unique challenges that push costs. Our challenges are the underground storm water management system, the replacement of trees from previous owner, and the work we will need to do on the new entrances.
In all these things, God is faithful! He has an exact plan for this, and I hold fast to "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." We have walked with Him to the Union Hall, to the Warehouse, to 1842 Otts Chapel, and now to where He leads. I don't say this as a cliche'---I really believe it, and it keeps my heart calm when I see the big costs of the new building with all the "zeros" behind it. God has a plan for Lighthouse, it is not a "dice-shoot". God is directing our steps. We know this because He said it. Now we act on it, and expect the reward. Hebrews 11:6.
PW
This has been a great month at LBC. WOW - the BJU music ministry team was a huge blessing yesterday, weren't they? I was so excited how transparent and ministering they were. In the afternoon when we took them to eat, I found them to be the same way. We have never had a group that was so interested in our church and our ministry. Usually, the college kids are young and don't really seem interested. But this group was very special. My heart was ministered to greatly by the S.S. message and Audrey's testimony (violin girl). I could feel the pain of her journey with God.
I want you to know that the Lord is working in the hearts of several individuals behind the scenes. Praise the Lord for this strange thing called Sanctification. He actually purifies the redeemed sinner as a process before we see Him face to face. How unsearchable are His ways!
Well, that's about it -- you did a great job at the Polar Bear Offering - near 25,000 now. We still need to pray for "Big Bucks" and give the best we can. We were informed that we will save on reduced cost of steel, labor, etc. - but the challenges of our sitework have added a huge amount to those costs. I would type how much "huge" is, but I can't bring myself to look at it. We are having a budget meeting with our Builder sometime soon to look at the updated costs. We knew all along that the longer we take to build, the more building costs would rise. Every building site has unique challenges that push costs. Our challenges are the underground storm water management system, the replacement of trees from previous owner, and the work we will need to do on the new entrances.
In all these things, God is faithful! He has an exact plan for this, and I hold fast to "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." We have walked with Him to the Union Hall, to the Warehouse, to 1842 Otts Chapel, and now to where He leads. I don't say this as a cliche'---I really believe it, and it keeps my heart calm when I see the big costs of the new building with all the "zeros" behind it. God has a plan for Lighthouse, it is not a "dice-shoot". God is directing our steps. We know this because He said it. Now we act on it, and expect the reward. Hebrews 11:6.
PW
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Prayer Meeting
In reading for my Winter class, I came upon this quote by Charles H. Spurgeon in his sermon: "Ask and Have":
"As to the congregational prayer, the gathering together in what we call our prayer-meetings, is there not a falling off? In many cases the prayer-meeting is despised, and looked down upon as a sort of second-rate gathering. There are members of churches who are never present, and it does not prick their consciences that they stay away. Some congregations mix up the prayer=meeting with a lecture, so as to hold only one service in the week. I read the other day an excuse for all this: it is said that people are better at home, attending to family concerns. This is idle talk, for who among us wishes people to neglect their domestic concerns? It will be found that those attend to their own concerns best who are diligence to get everything in order, so that they may go out to assemblies for worship. Negligence of the house of God is often an index of negligence of their own houses. They are not bringing there children to Christ, I am persuaded, or they would bring them up to the services. Anyhow, the prayers of the church measure its prosperity. If we restrain prayer we restrain the blessing. Our true success a churches can only be had by asking it of the Lord. Are we not prepared to reform and amend in this matter?"
Updates on Past and Present Things
Hello Lighthousers! (ANNUAL MEETING THIS SUNDAY NIGHT)
I wanted to briefly bring you up to date on a few things:
1. Thank you for your patience for the Memorial and In Honor Display. A year ago, we took dedications of $500.00 in Memory of those gone on before us, and In Honor of those we respect that are still living. For many months, I worked with a professional Memorial Display Company to design a nice display. After much red tape, very expensive quotes, and dissatisfaction,etc. - I abandoned the idea for a much better one. By the end of February you will see a beautiful display in our auditorium on the piano side/lobby wall. It is gorgeous, so be ready to be pleased :) Those of you who would like to give a gift to the Building Fund in Memorial, or Honor -- there is still time, and places will be available after the display is up. We will also be offering a larger, second Tier of Memorial/Honor at the $1000.00 level. Past donors may upgrade their Memorials. Please see a staff member for details.
2. The 6:30pm Prayer Meeting start has been a Kick-off success. We have dismissed the service at or before 7:45pm. Folks have enjoyed the new format and there has been much fellowship following. It is our continual goal through 2009 to grow that mid-week service to fill the auditorium.
Please pray for my family as we will be traveling this coming Monday to South Carolina for my annual Master's Degree block class. I am somewhere near 1/2 way completed with the degree. (Actually PV may beat me earning his!) This year, in lieu of the Pastor's missions trip (interrupted by baby #5) - I will be taking the full 2 weeks of class. I will be missing only one Sunday and will see you again Sunday, Feb. 1st.
Well, see you this Sunday!
I wanted to briefly bring you up to date on a few things:
1. Thank you for your patience for the Memorial and In Honor Display. A year ago, we took dedications of $500.00 in Memory of those gone on before us, and In Honor of those we respect that are still living. For many months, I worked with a professional Memorial Display Company to design a nice display. After much red tape, very expensive quotes, and dissatisfaction,etc. - I abandoned the idea for a much better one. By the end of February you will see a beautiful display in our auditorium on the piano side/lobby wall. It is gorgeous, so be ready to be pleased :) Those of you who would like to give a gift to the Building Fund in Memorial, or Honor -- there is still time, and places will be available after the display is up. We will also be offering a larger, second Tier of Memorial/Honor at the $1000.00 level. Past donors may upgrade their Memorials. Please see a staff member for details.
2. The 6:30pm Prayer Meeting start has been a Kick-off success. We have dismissed the service at or before 7:45pm. Folks have enjoyed the new format and there has been much fellowship following. It is our continual goal through 2009 to grow that mid-week service to fill the auditorium.
Please pray for my family as we will be traveling this coming Monday to South Carolina for my annual Master's Degree block class. I am somewhere near 1/2 way completed with the degree. (Actually PV may beat me earning his!) This year, in lieu of the Pastor's missions trip (interrupted by baby #5) - I will be taking the full 2 weeks of class. I will be missing only one Sunday and will see you again Sunday, Feb. 1st.
Well, see you this Sunday!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The House of Prayer: 6:30pm
I have announced that it will be a goal in 2009 at LBC to build our Prayer Meeting. We have taken several steps to make this service more accessible and functional to our people. Now please don't think this is a seeker-sensitive move! :) You know that I am very opposed to trading Biblical direction for men's opinions. However, there is certainly liberty with our services to make them more accessible to our people and still keep them Biblical.
There are several families that have indicated that they would come to the Prayer Meeting if they were able to be home earlier. There were only a few that reported an earlier service would keep them from coming. Most that come already to the service said they would not be affected either way. Since our King's Kids service has always been at 6:30pm, beginning tonight we will be starting our Adult Prayer Meeting at the same time. We will try to keep the service around 1 hr. and 15 minutes. This will allow for fellowship, Teen choir, etc. after the service before the King's Kids dismiss at 8:15pm. Here are some of the elements we are incorporating each Wednesday Prayer Meeting:
1. Missionary Spotlight-(a short time that highlights one of our Missionaries)
2. Occasional specials- we will occasionally allow our children to minister to us.
3. Preaching/Teaching- we are currently teaching an advanced Bible Series entitled: Handbook for Discipleship.
4. Prayer- We will continue to have a concentrated time of prayer at the end of our service; sometimes in groups, sometimes by the leading of a few men, sometimes in pairs.
I do pray that the Lord will graciously move many hearts to come to Pray. Consider please the following strong thought, and I hope to see you tonight:
Jesus never said, My house is a house of Missions. He never said, My house is a house of Sunday School. He did say, My house is a house of Prayer. Abandon Missions and Sunday School before neglecting the Prayer Meeting.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Missionary Need
Some of you know one of our Missionaries, Gary Cowley. Gary is a guy who was saved out of a very rebellious background and used of the Lord to preach in Prisons for Rock of Ages Prison Ministry.
He has undergone some serious medical issues lately including heart attack, etc. Gary lives literally on a shoe-string budget. He lives with his mother and if my memory serves me right is less that 50% supported of what he really needs -- but, he keeps on preaching and serving God. Gary considers Lighthouse his "church away from church" and has many close friends here including Carmella P., the Ellsworths, Scott J., etc.
Gary presently has a need of around $650.00 for some medical supplies that his insurance won't cover.
If you would like to help him, just put a check in the regular LBC offering with "Gary Cowley gift" in the memo. All funds will go directly to him.
Gary is the Lord's Servant...giving to him is giving to the Lord.
PW
Friday, January 2, 2009
In Appreciation
I rarely take this blog to speak of so personal a subject, but I think I need to do it, so I am. (that's deep)
This week has been particularly rough for our faithful Office Manager Jeff. I know that most members don't realize the scope of Jeff's job and therefore fail to appreciate his responsibilities and help him in them. There are too many things he does to list them, so I'm not going to even try; but I will tell you, if it deals with paper, display, activities, events, facility, etc....he's involved. It should be known however, that he is one of the driving forces for organization and "system flow" of our church. That means that things run smoothly mostly because of Jeff behind the scenes. This week the Main Office Computer (which is less than a year old) crashed without resolution. This of course is his main tool of service. Though we have an internal backup storage hard drive, nearly a month's worth of work died in a second. All of the Annual Report work was there. We are trying to retrieve these files through a professional computer Guru. Needless to say, this hit Jeff pretty hard.
Jeff and Jess also clean the buildings as a separate agreement that began while we were in the warehouse. When someone "trashes" the building, it directly impacts their workload. They use this ministry of cleaning to employ different teens from time to time to help the teens and mentor them. I say these things so we as a congregation can appreciate and respect their efforts.
Here are a few things you can do to show your appreciation to his ministry to LBC:
1. Never call him at home. He does NOT work for LBC at home, he works during office hours. Spread the word, because people do call him at home.
2. Use the office folder in the lobby when possible to request things, return things, etc. instead of going up to him at church. He likes to worship also. I understand some things are unavoidable, but be respectful of his family's desire to also worship while at church. Call him in the office during the week for business.
3. Clean up after yourself in the church, class, bathrooms, etc.
4. Thank him for all he does. Bring him vegetables. He a non-red-meat-eater.
5. When you ask to borrow stuff through him(chairs/tables), bring it back when he asks you to, or when you promise. Most people do not bring things back on time.
6. Send him an encouraging email: officemanager@lbcde.org
7. Never call him a Secretary, though he serves as mine. He is "Appreciated Administration" all the way.
Thanks, this will make for a better church experience for you also. I sure do like our staff...we should Praise the Lord.
Happy New Year again!
p.s. My Dad has not had a seizure since I returned and he and Mom are on their 50th Anniversary Cruise beginning tomorrow! Amen, thank you Lord.
This week has been particularly rough for our faithful Office Manager Jeff. I know that most members don't realize the scope of Jeff's job and therefore fail to appreciate his responsibilities and help him in them. There are too many things he does to list them, so I'm not going to even try; but I will tell you, if it deals with paper, display, activities, events, facility, etc....he's involved. It should be known however, that he is one of the driving forces for organization and "system flow" of our church. That means that things run smoothly mostly because of Jeff behind the scenes. This week the Main Office Computer (which is less than a year old) crashed without resolution. This of course is his main tool of service. Though we have an internal backup storage hard drive, nearly a month's worth of work died in a second. All of the Annual Report work was there. We are trying to retrieve these files through a professional computer Guru. Needless to say, this hit Jeff pretty hard.
Jeff and Jess also clean the buildings as a separate agreement that began while we were in the warehouse. When someone "trashes" the building, it directly impacts their workload. They use this ministry of cleaning to employ different teens from time to time to help the teens and mentor them. I say these things so we as a congregation can appreciate and respect their efforts.
Here are a few things you can do to show your appreciation to his ministry to LBC:
1. Never call him at home. He does NOT work for LBC at home, he works during office hours. Spread the word, because people do call him at home.
2. Use the office folder in the lobby when possible to request things, return things, etc. instead of going up to him at church. He likes to worship also. I understand some things are unavoidable, but be respectful of his family's desire to also worship while at church. Call him in the office during the week for business.
3. Clean up after yourself in the church, class, bathrooms, etc.
4. Thank him for all he does. Bring him vegetables. He a non-red-meat-eater.
5. When you ask to borrow stuff through him(chairs/tables), bring it back when he asks you to, or when you promise. Most people do not bring things back on time.
6. Send him an encouraging email: officemanager@lbcde.org
7. Never call him a Secretary, though he serves as mine. He is "Appreciated Administration" all the way.
Thanks, this will make for a better church experience for you also. I sure do like our staff...we should Praise the Lord.
Happy New Year again!
p.s. My Dad has not had a seizure since I returned and he and Mom are on their 50th Anniversary Cruise beginning tomorrow! Amen, thank you Lord.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
We had a tremendous time at the New Years Family Fellowship! Pretty good turnout, great food, fellowship, preaching, singing, Film, praying, etc. ! Thanks to all !
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