The title "At All Times" comes from Psalm 34:1 where David writes, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Everything we do should be as unto the Lord. Worship is not just a Sunday activity, but a daily choice and a lifestyle. I aim to express my devotional life through this medium. God's activity is all around us, we just have to be aware of Him. I look forward to sharing how I experience God through my family, friends and ministry.
Hey followers. I will continue to post devotional thoughts on the At All Times blog. I am excited to announce an new blog I launched today called 3E+K Geocaching. The address is www.3eplusk.blogspot.com
Evan B. and Boy Scout Troop 342 are selling popcorn to help send them to camp. Incredibly, 70% of all sales will go directly to his troop. You can go to www.trails-end.com and place your order. Your order will ship right to your address. Before ordering, notice the green tab that says "You Are Supporting No OneChange" Click "Change" and enter Evan's Code....17713603 . Now it will read "You Are Supporting Evan B". Yea!!! He will get credit for all you purchase. Thank you for your support
Concert of the Ages at FBC Center - July 8, 2011
First Baptist Church of Center will kick off its “Concerts of the Ages” concert series with Jenna Lorick on Sunday, July 17th at 6 P.M. Jenna has a phenomenal voice and a heart for worship. Lorick has a new CD project entitled “Chosen Love” which will be available after the concert. She is asking for a minimum donation of $15. A love offering will also be given. 100 percent of the proceeds from the CD and love offering will go toward their international adoption and orphan care around the world. Jenna Lorick is the wife of Nathan Lorick, pastor of First Baptist Church, Malakoff, Texas. Don’t miss this event!
Upcoming “Concerts of the Ages”:
August 7: Trey Wilson
October 9: David’s Song
January 8 (2012): Zambian Vocal Group
Problems…everybody has them. I had a junior high school English teacher named Mrs. Wagner. She would often tell us we were "awfulizing". That was a manufactured word meaning one was making something bigger than it was. "Making a mountain out of a mole hill" is what my grandfather would have said.
I recently read a great quote on Twitter by Rick Warren. He said, "Worship is the antidote to worry.Focusing on God’s greatness shrinks problems.Don’t panic.Pray.”
When we focus on the problem, the problem grows out of proportion. We, in essence, magnify the problem to a size that is disproportionately larger than it is in reality. That is a common practice in the vacuum sales industry. They love to show a magnified photograph of a dust mite to strike fear in their potential clients. Who wouldn't shudder at the site of this creature? The dust mite!
This insect is called a mite for a reason. It is approximately 0.0016 in long and 0.0098 inches wide. It is barely visible under a magnifying glass with proper lighting and contrasting background. Like the vacuum salesman, Satan would like to blow our problems out of proportion and take our eyes off of Jesus.
The Bible offers the solution. We are to magnify the Lord. Here are a few examples.
O magnify the LORDwith me, And let us exalt His name together. –Psalm 34:3
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.–Psalm 69:30
He must increase, but I must decrease. -John 3:30
What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart on him? -Job 7:17
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.–Luke 1 :46-47
I love what the lyrics in the Chorus of "In the Presence of Jehovah" by Geron & Becky Davis say.
In the presence of Jehovah
God Almighty, Prince of Peace
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended
In the presence of the King.
We often sing this song in our church and I hope people don't get the false idea that our troubles literally vanish. The troubles are still there, but they diminish to their proper size when compared to our great God. Can we actually make an all-powerful and all-knowing God bigger? Isn't He already immeasurable? What happens when is magnify Him, is that our focus is on Him. We remember His power to save in the past and when we recognize that He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, we know that we can trust him with even our biggest troubles.
I have provided a great YouTube Video and lyrics to "Your Great Name" by Michael Neale and Krissy Nordhoff. It is presented by the worship team at Saddleback Church with soloist Natalie Grant. I bet your perspective of God's greatness will grow in you by the first verse. Enjoy!
For the past two years, I have had a burning desire to be creative. That desire prompted me to start this blog. I enjoy writing devotionals and writing about random thoughts that I find interesting. For years I've wanted to write songs. I've written a few. One is a simple chorus called "Like A Dove". My wife is the only person who has ever heard it. Another, "He Holds the Key" came after a day of fasting and prayer. I pushed it aside and it was lost in a desk drawer for three years. When I found it, I threw it away. I wrote one for Kim on Valentine's Day called "The One". I sang it for a banquet at First Baptist Church in Nash, TX once. I started one when we were adopting Ethan that I need to complete. It is titled "Born of Our Hearts". There is something about writing a song that causes one to bare their soul. There is something very vulnerable about it and I suppose that is why I have kept my songs hidden.
This Christmas Kim gave me a book called The Craft of Christian Songwriting by Robert Sterling (published by Hal Leonard). I have a chapter and half left to read. What a great piece Mr. Sterling has written. I can't listen to a song without analyzing the form, rhyme scheme, and use of devices like simile and metaphore. Of course I have to give the play-by-play commentary of every song I hear on the radio. "Listen, Kim", I exclaimed, "here is the bridge!" Kim replied, "Can't you just listen to the song and enjoy it?" I now find myself carrying a "hook book" with me in case a sermon has a little gem buried within its message. I've even started practicing guitar again. I think Kim is getting tired of hearing me practice "Forever and Ever Amen"!
I look forward to nurturing the creative seed within me. I'm pretty raw right now. The fun is in the journey and I'm looking forward to a new challenge. My choir had better get ready because they will likely be my guinea pigs!
One of our deacons challenged me to have a promotion to have me dress as Elvis for a Wednesday night choir rehearsal if we could reach 45 on any given Sunday. We came close on Easter with 43, but no cigar. I enjoyed working with Rick editing this video!
Kim, Evan, Ethan, Eli (dog) and I embarked on an exciting journey on December 1st.That was moving day.It was a bittersweet experience leaving our friends, our house, a fruitful ministry, and the feeling of comfort that comes with familiarity.We were following a course that God had charted for us.We knew not what lay ahead, but we knew for certain we were in His perfect will and in His hand.
Kim’s parents and Larry and Pat Dodd came on two separate weekends to help us get settled in.It is amazing how quickly our house was transformed into a home.We are blessed to be living in a brand new rental home 10 miles south of Center, TX.Our house in Malakoff is on the market.We are trusting God will send us a buyer soon just as He did when we moved from Texarkana to Malakoff a few years ago.The house in Malakoff is a concern, but I am not worried about it oddly enough.
Center is a town of 5,678 in deep East Texas.Nacogdoches is 30 minutes to our southwest, Carthage is 30 minutes to our north and Shreveport is an hour to our northeast.We are only 15 minutes from the Louisiana border (Logansport).The economy is strong here as a natural gas boon has begun.Other employers include Tyson Foods (chickens), General Shelters (Texas’ largest portable building manufacturer), and Hallmark.
I have begun my ministry at First Baptist Church.My position is Minister of Music, Media, & Senior Adults.The choir is very good.They really like to be challenged with difficult musical selections.I’m working them hard, and they keep coming back for more.The choir is about 40 strong now and growing every week.The senior adult ministry is a real joy.We have about 20 who sing a half hour program at the nursing homes on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Mondays.We have a city wide meal and program on 3rd Mondays.Twenty are signed up to go to a Christian Conference in Branson, MO in April.
The Sunday morning worship service is beginning to take shape.I’ve been praying about the methods God wants me to use and waiting on His timing.I’ve become much more patient since I first entered the ministry.I now realize that I have entered into a new culture.I must adjust and meet our people where they are.Only then can I draw them in the direction god desires.A wise country preacher once advised me in saying, “You can’t push a rope.You have to draw it.”
I am thrilled to have our lives planted in this new ministry field.I believe this is the beginning of a great ministry.God’s hand is beginning to move and that is exciting.Please pray for us as we seek to please God as we minister to these sweet people.
