Blog https://www.edgewoodga.com Fri, 29 Mar 2024 02:09:11 -0400 http://churchplantmedia.com/ From Pastor Andy https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/a-word-from https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/a-word-from#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/a-word-from From Pastor Andy:
LORD SAVE US FROM OURSELVES:  A PRAYER FOR JUSTICE & PEACE

Ravi Zacharias, a great apologist and champion for the Christian faith passed away on May 19. He penned the following prayer on July 8, 2008 following tragic events in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Dallas which rocked our nation. His words of sorrow and hope were both timely and timeless and fit the need of our hour today.

andyblog

God, our heavenly Father, our minds go back to the day when Jesus knelt beside his beloved city and wept, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42).

We sense so deeply the same reality. We weep for our cities even as we bury our dead. The sound of gunfire is the grim sound of what has already shattered our relationships. We are witnesses of distrust, revenge, and anger. We see no one to lead us and guide us. To whom shall we go?

Our differences seem to lead us even farther apart. Oh, Lord of miracles, do what only you can do to save us from ourselves. Give us men and women who will lead us to reconciliation. Give us leaders who will bind us up to heal our wounds, not those who will only incite more hate.

Give us voices that will bring hope and not despair. Please comfort the bereaved and give humility to the ones who are resistant to your ways. Give us pause so that we might sit back for just a few moments to look to you before we look at our impulsive solutions.

We shed another’s blood when we are without answers. You shed your own blood as our only answer. We kill, buried in despair. You rise, giving us hope.

You told Peter to put back his sword and you restored the one wounded. That’s what we long for. A reprimand to the one who would injure and a healing within the one injured. God of miracles, please do it again. We need you. Our nation needs you. Our leaders need you. Many a home today will not have a loved one returning. Without you we have no hope. With you all things are possible—even for beauty to come out of ashes. We pray for the day of unarmed truth and unconditional love. Please answer our prayer.

In the name of Jesus your Son, our only Savior, we ask this. Amen.

 

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From Pastor Andy:
LORD SAVE US FROM OURSELVES:  A PRAYER FOR JUSTICE & PEACE

Ravi Zacharias, a great apologist and champion for the Christian faith passed away on May 19. He penned the following prayer on July 8, 2008 following tragic events in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Dallas which rocked our nation. His words of sorrow and hope were both timely and timeless and fit the need of our hour today.

andyblog

God, our heavenly Father, our minds go back to the day when Jesus knelt beside his beloved city and wept, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42).

We sense so deeply the same reality. We weep for our cities even as we bury our dead. The sound of gunfire is the grim sound of what has already shattered our relationships. We are witnesses of distrust, revenge, and anger. We see no one to lead us and guide us. To whom shall we go?

Our differences seem to lead us even farther apart. Oh, Lord of miracles, do what only you can do to save us from ourselves. Give us men and women who will lead us to reconciliation. Give us leaders who will bind us up to heal our wounds, not those who will only incite more hate.

Give us voices that will bring hope and not despair. Please comfort the bereaved and give humility to the ones who are resistant to your ways. Give us pause so that we might sit back for just a few moments to look to you before we look at our impulsive solutions.

We shed another’s blood when we are without answers. You shed your own blood as our only answer. We kill, buried in despair. You rise, giving us hope.

You told Peter to put back his sword and you restored the one wounded. That’s what we long for. A reprimand to the one who would injure and a healing within the one injured. God of miracles, please do it again. We need you. Our nation needs you. Our leaders need you. Many a home today will not have a loved one returning. Without you we have no hope. With you all things are possible—even for beauty to come out of ashes. We pray for the day of unarmed truth and unconditional love. Please answer our prayer.

In the name of Jesus your Son, our only Savior, we ask this. Amen.

 

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We're Still Here - 4/22/20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-still-here https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-still-here#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-still-here We're still here!

As we seem to be winding down from sheltering-in-place and can hope to get back to normalcy soon, please know the elders and staff of Edgewood Baptist continue to lift up in prayer you and your family. And, we look forward to returning to our regular fellowship time and ministries very soon.

From Jonathan Merritt ...

In 1776, John Newton wrote a letter to a Christian woman who, at one time, had been confined to her house for five years due to health problems. He says in part:

A sure effect of the grace of God is a desire and longing for gospel ordinances; and when they are afforded, they cannot be neglected without loss. But the Lord sees many souls who are dear to him, and whom He is training up in a growing [fitness] for his kingdom, who are by his providence so situated, that it is not in their power to attend upon gospel preaching; and perhaps they have seldom either Christian minister or Christian friend to assist or comfort them. Such a situation is a state of trial, but Jesus is all-sufficient, and He is always near.

Obviously, our social distancing pales in comparison to five years of poor health and isolation. But Newton’s words are still relevant for those of us who have been temporarily cut off from the church: 

  1. Consider that your desire to be with the church is evidence of God’s grace in you. A hunger for the Word and a love for God’s people are signs of life (1Pet 2:2; 1Jn 3:14). Dead men don’t desire these things. Praise God for proof of life!
  2. Commit yourself to regularly gathering with the church when this time has passed. Live streams, videos, and podcasts are poor substitutes for the greater grace we receive when we share the Word and the sacraments together. This trial should give us a settled conviction that “missing church” is a loss to our souls. Prioritize church attendance.
  3. Rest in the knowledge that, although we have been deprived of our fellowship, we have all we need in the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples it was to their advantage for him to leave and send the Holy Spirit in his place. Because God is good, this time may be His gift to lead us to greater reliance on the Spirit. Pray for fellowship with the Spirit. 

Until we meet again,

Jonathan Merritt
Associate Pastor, Education 

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We're still here!

As we seem to be winding down from sheltering-in-place and can hope to get back to normalcy soon, please know the elders and staff of Edgewood Baptist continue to lift up in prayer you and your family. And, we look forward to returning to our regular fellowship time and ministries very soon.

From Jonathan Merritt ...

In 1776, John Newton wrote a letter to a Christian woman who, at one time, had been confined to her house for five years due to health problems. He says in part:

A sure effect of the grace of God is a desire and longing for gospel ordinances; and when they are afforded, they cannot be neglected without loss. But the Lord sees many souls who are dear to him, and whom He is training up in a growing [fitness] for his kingdom, who are by his providence so situated, that it is not in their power to attend upon gospel preaching; and perhaps they have seldom either Christian minister or Christian friend to assist or comfort them. Such a situation is a state of trial, but Jesus is all-sufficient, and He is always near.

Obviously, our social distancing pales in comparison to five years of poor health and isolation. But Newton’s words are still relevant for those of us who have been temporarily cut off from the church: 

  1. Consider that your desire to be with the church is evidence of God’s grace in you. A hunger for the Word and a love for God’s people are signs of life (1Pet 2:2; 1Jn 3:14). Dead men don’t desire these things. Praise God for proof of life!
  2. Commit yourself to regularly gathering with the church when this time has passed. Live streams, videos, and podcasts are poor substitutes for the greater grace we receive when we share the Word and the sacraments together. This trial should give us a settled conviction that “missing church” is a loss to our souls. Prioritize church attendance.
  3. Rest in the knowledge that, although we have been deprived of our fellowship, we have all we need in the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples it was to their advantage for him to leave and send the Holy Spirit in his place. Because God is good, this time may be His gift to lead us to greater reliance on the Spirit. Pray for fellowship with the Spirit. 

Until we meet again,

Jonathan Merritt
Associate Pastor, Education 

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We're Here! - 4/16/20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-here- https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-here-#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/were-here- We're here!

Sheltering-in-place can be and has been a real challenge! Please know that the Edgewood Baptist staff and elders have been praying regularly for our church family and so look forward to returning
to live fellowship.

Let me share a good suggestion that came from Allan Beeber who is one of the missionaries our church supports. Alan has been a full-time missionary with CRU for many years and this is a great idea on how to utilize the time of isolation due to the COVID-19 virus to seek our Lord more deeply.

I take certain Scriptures and personalize them, post them in several places I see often in my home, read them over and over, and verbally praise God for the truths contained therein, as well as deal with areas His Spirit is zeroing on in may life. So for example, I’ve typed out Ephesians 1: 3-5 and made substitutions in the passage with personal pronouns, in the following way:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed ME with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose ME in Him before the foundation of the world, that I would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined ME to adoption A SON through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will …

Now, do that with verses 6-8 as well, then… read it back to yourself slowly. Savor the phrases and sometimes even words such as “chose me” or “kind intention.” If your heart does not lift up with praise, then perhaps you should check your pulse. Try it with other verses, especially the Psalms. And keep in mind, our heart attitude should be to “taste and see that the Lord is good." 

My love and prayers are with you.

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We're here!

Sheltering-in-place can be and has been a real challenge! Please know that the Edgewood Baptist staff and elders have been praying regularly for our church family and so look forward to returning
to live fellowship.

Let me share a good suggestion that came from Allan Beeber who is one of the missionaries our church supports. Alan has been a full-time missionary with CRU for many years and this is a great idea on how to utilize the time of isolation due to the COVID-19 virus to seek our Lord more deeply.

I take certain Scriptures and personalize them, post them in several places I see often in my home, read them over and over, and verbally praise God for the truths contained therein, as well as deal with areas His Spirit is zeroing on in may life. So for example, I’ve typed out Ephesians 1: 3-5 and made substitutions in the passage with personal pronouns, in the following way:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed ME with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose ME in Him before the foundation of the world, that I would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined ME to adoption A SON through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will …

Now, do that with verses 6-8 as well, then… read it back to yourself slowly. Savor the phrases and sometimes even words such as “chose me” or “kind intention.” If your heart does not lift up with praise, then perhaps you should check your pulse. Try it with other verses, especially the Psalms. And keep in mind, our heart attitude should be to “taste and see that the Lord is good." 

My love and prayers are with you.

]]>
An Unusual Time - 4/28/20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/an-unusual-time---4-28-20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/an-unusual-time---4-28-20#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/an-unusual-time---4-28-20 From Andy Johnston ...

During this unusual time, a scripture verse that has given me strength is Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth." As I call and speak to people on a daily basis, I leave them with this verse! Psalm 46 encourages us to find hope and to trust in our Maker. He is in control.  

As I reflect on the last two months, yes, they have been very discouraging,
however, they have also have been very encouraging! My family has eaten more meals together around the table. We actually know our neighbors now. Our family has morning devotionals. And, I have connected with more church members and spoken with some I haven't talked to in quite a while. I am sure most of you could give examples of your families as well. Before this time of quarantine, our family was being pulled in all different directions. We honestly did not have time to spend with each other, much less think! I am praising God for revealing our need to SLOW DOWN, BE STILL, and KNOW that He is the God of the universe! I do not take lightly this virus, but I want to give thanks in all circumstances as God's word tells us to do. Once this virus passes, I pray all of God's people would pull back from our busy lives, and remember why we are here! 

"God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.Ephesians 1:9-10 

In His service,  
Andy Johnston

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From Andy Johnston ...

During this unusual time, a scripture verse that has given me strength is Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth." As I call and speak to people on a daily basis, I leave them with this verse! Psalm 46 encourages us to find hope and to trust in our Maker. He is in control.  

As I reflect on the last two months, yes, they have been very discouraging,
however, they have also have been very encouraging! My family has eaten more meals together around the table. We actually know our neighbors now. Our family has morning devotionals. And, I have connected with more church members and spoken with some I haven't talked to in quite a while. I am sure most of you could give examples of your families as well. Before this time of quarantine, our family was being pulled in all different directions. We honestly did not have time to spend with each other, much less think! I am praising God for revealing our need to SLOW DOWN, BE STILL, and KNOW that He is the God of the universe! I do not take lightly this virus, but I want to give thanks in all circumstances as God's word tells us to do. Once this virus passes, I pray all of God's people would pull back from our busy lives, and remember why we are here! 

"God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.Ephesians 1:9-10 

In His service,  
Andy Johnston

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Finding Rest In Christ - 5/6/20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/finding-rest-in-christ-5-6-20 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/finding-rest-in-christ-5-6-20#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.edgewoodga.com/blog/post/finding-rest-in-christ-5-6-20 From Jonathan Wilson ...

jonwilblog

Hey everybody,

    I pray everyone is doing well and finding rest and peace in Christ during these bizarre and uncertain times. It's easy to get caught in the flow of depression, hysteria, and confusion of the world around us. It reminds me of the passage in Mark 4:35-41. In the midst of the storm, when everyone else is in panic, we find Jesus asleep on a cushion. He's not asleep because He does not care. He's not asleep because He was overwhelmed by the storm and shutdown. He was asleep because He was not concerned by the storm. We see Jesus' concern lie in the behavior of the disciples in the face of the storm.  Jesus rebukes the storm causing it to stop and then questions the disciple’s faith.

    We cannot control the storm, but Christ can. We can control how we react to the storm and find rest in Christ. In this current storm we are facing are we behaving as if we believe Christ is in control? Not knowing how bad the storm will be or how long it will last can put our faith to the test, but it does not test Christ. Christ did not start the storm, but He ended it. Even as I'm typing this, I can hear a familiar voice singing "the anchor holds in spite of the storm" which is an awesome reminder of how we get encouragement through trials by surrounding ourselves with Godly influence.  Let's set our minds on Christ, being a beacon of light to those around us in hopes of guiding others to Him.

Jonathan Wilson
Youth Minister

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From Jonathan Wilson ...

jonwilblog

Hey everybody,

    I pray everyone is doing well and finding rest and peace in Christ during these bizarre and uncertain times. It's easy to get caught in the flow of depression, hysteria, and confusion of the world around us. It reminds me of the passage in Mark 4:35-41. In the midst of the storm, when everyone else is in panic, we find Jesus asleep on a cushion. He's not asleep because He does not care. He's not asleep because He was overwhelmed by the storm and shutdown. He was asleep because He was not concerned by the storm. We see Jesus' concern lie in the behavior of the disciples in the face of the storm.  Jesus rebukes the storm causing it to stop and then questions the disciple’s faith.

    We cannot control the storm, but Christ can. We can control how we react to the storm and find rest in Christ. In this current storm we are facing are we behaving as if we believe Christ is in control? Not knowing how bad the storm will be or how long it will last can put our faith to the test, but it does not test Christ. Christ did not start the storm, but He ended it. Even as I'm typing this, I can hear a familiar voice singing "the anchor holds in spite of the storm" which is an awesome reminder of how we get encouragement through trials by surrounding ourselves with Godly influence.  Let's set our minds on Christ, being a beacon of light to those around us in hopes of guiding others to Him.

Jonathan Wilson
Youth Minister

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