Dear Church Family,

It’s time for …

Mid-Summer Random Thoughts by Pastor Lane

He who is slow to anger has great understanding. Proverbs 14:29

We had triple digits in Sunday School this past Sunday – in the middle of July! I can’t help but believe God is up to something!

The Braves are the best team in baseball right now! Which, as odd as it sounds, actually concerns me a little bit come postseason.

If a man says something in the middle of the forest, and his wife is not there to hear him, is he still wrong?

A saint is a person whose life makes it easier to believe in God. Who do you know like that?

Why is forgiveness so difficult? What are people afraid of if they actually forgive?

I used to have a handle on life, but then it broke.

I wonder if Savannah is the weed capitol of the world. Yard weeds, I mean. Not marij….. nevermind.

Now to God our Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:20

Beverly Purcell is a real workhorse for IBC. I’m thankful for her.

If you can buy a person’s friendship, it’s not worth it.

I miss my dad. If you have a dad, call him today.

When we worry, we believe more in our problems than in God’s promises.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather….. not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

What did Jonah think about those 3 days?

Want to send a panic wave through your pastor? Start a sentence off with, “Hey preacher, I have a Bible question for you …”

We in the church sure have watered down what it means to be an “active” church member, if we believe at all in God’s Word (Hebrews 10:25).

I was wondering why the frisbee kept getting bigger and bigger, and then it hit me….

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. Proverbs 26:4

See you Sunday!
Pastor Lane

Dear Church Family,

I filled out a form the other day that required me to put the date on it. It felt so strange as I wrote “2023.” I thought, “Already?!” I mean, I just got used to writing 2022! But alas, like it or not, a new year has come.

Now it’s usually at this point that pastors and preachers like to use this opportunity to quote Paul’s famous forward-thinking words, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3-13-14). And I’m no exception. I believe we, especially in the church, live too much in the past, expecting to reclaim some long-ago glory that we thought existed “back then.” And Paul demolishes such foolery by telling us to live the day-to-day with where we’re headed in the future in mind, not how things were in the past. Many people and churches never progress because they’re enamored with how things used to be. It’s a death sentence for a church and often for the joy that’s supposed to be ours in Christ.

But nowhere does the Bible tell us to forget the past. In fact, God tells us vividly to remember the past. Again, we can’t live there nor make decisions that focus on recapturing it – that’s just foolish. But we must certainly reflect upon the past in healthy ways. Here are 5 ways to healthily reflect on 2022, whether you consider it a good year or a not-so-good year.

Learn from it. Let’s be honest. You made some good decisions last year, and you made some really bad, maybe even sinful, decisions. That’s life in a fallen world. Honestly evaluate what you got right and what you got wrong. Don’t hold back. Now learn from them and make even better ones 2023.

Thank God for it. We have much to be thankful for! If you look back at 2022, take a few minutes and think of

all the blessings that He showered on you. Look, even if last year was what you would call a bad year, you still received much. The grace of God is always in overdrive. Be sure to thank God for it. If nothing else, you made it through the year.

You overcame it. That brings me to the next point. You may have been severely beaten up by 2022. Hit by

disasters, tragedy, heartache, loneliness, depression, and a host of other tools of Satan. And honestly, maybe you didn’t even handle it that well. But listen, you made it! By the grace of God, you walked into 2023. All that the devil threw at you, and guess what, you’re still here! That’s no small feat. As the old praise song goes, “We will overcome through the blood of the Lamb.” Praise God!

This too shall pass. Another word to those who limped into 2023. 12:01 on January 1, 2023 should be a bright illustration for you who are struggling. Everything passes. And just like the years will pass, so too will your walk in the valley. Hang on. Trust God. Lean on Him. A new dawn is breaking.

Share it. Find a way to capture 2022. In print. In pictures. Whatever. Tell of the highlights of the year. Talk about the struggles. Note God’s faithfulness through it all. Not only will your captured history be fun for you to look back on in years to come, it will be so invaluable to the generations that follow you!

Happy 2023!
See you Sunday!
Pastor Lane

Dear Church Family,

First Kings 22 tells the story of the beginning of the end of evil King Ahab’s life and reign. He’s preparing to go to war with Aram for the third time, but this time he gets some unexpected help. King Jehoshaphat of the southern kingdom of Judah unwisely (2 Chronicles 19:2) offers to join forces with Ahab and Israel to help secure victory. Though Jehoshaphat’s involvement with Ahab was ill-advised, at least he knew better than to go into battle without first securing the Lord’s favor (see I Samuel 23:1-4; II Samuel 2:1). So here’s how the exchange between the two kings goes as they begin the search for God’s blessing.

5 Jehoshaphat also said to Ahab, “But first we should ask if this is the Lord’s will.”

6 Ahab called about four hundred prophets together and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?” They answered, “Go, because the Lord will hand them over to you.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here? Let’s ask him what we should do.”

8 Then King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one other prophet. We could ask the Lord through him, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me, but something bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

As the story goes, sure enough as Ahab predicted, Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, told them they should not go into battle. He warned them that if they did, Ahab would die and, despite having joined forces, the Israel/Judah coalition would be defeated. Because they didn’t like the answer, they ignored it and went into battle anyway. And guess what: Micaiah was right. Aram won the battle decisively. Further, Ahab’s reign and life came to shameful end.

While there’s a myriad of lessons to be learned here, let me point out just a few that I pray will help you in some way in the near future:

• There are many voices out there that claim to be prophetic. Especially with the internet literally at your fingertips, you’ll run into numerous opinions. They will often be certified and respected. They will be loud. They will be convincing. And most of all, they will speak for the majority. None of that in any way means that they are right.
• There will always be someone who will tell you what you want to hear. Our inclination is to keep scrolling for opinions until we find one that suits us – you know, that agrees with us. The problem with this comes when it solidifies the wrong beliefs, actions, direction, or attitude that God is trying to save us from. Remember Paul’s warning to Timothy about this exact thing (II Timothy 4:3-4).
• There will be times when you will have to choose between what is right and what is popular. Ahab HATED Micaiah. Why? Because he kept doing the wrong thing? No, exactly the opposite. Because Micaiah insisted on doing and saying what was right.
• Popular or not, God’s Word will always be proven right. You may be tempted to go in a direction that seems successful or wise or right or normal or the list goes on. But my friends, if it goes against God’s Word, the consequences will be tragic. God and His Word has never been proven wrong. Don’t be foolish enough to think that you’ll do so now.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Lane