Comments on Beacon Light SDA - Annapolis, MD: Pastor's Page - Archive

Pastor's Page October 13, 2007732-668-5781 (cell) ...

2007-10-12T21:28:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page October 13, 2007
732-668-5781 (cell) 443-404-5114 (home) thirdangel2000@yahoo.com (email)

Be Encouraged My Beacon Light Family

Food for Thought: The church must arouse to action. The Spirit of God can never come in until she prepares the way. There should be earnest searching of heart. There should be united, persevering prayer, and through faith a claiming of the promises of God. There should be, not a clothing of the body with sackcloth, as in ancient times, but a deep humiliation of soul. We have not the first reason for self-congratulation and self-exaltation. We should humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. He will appear to comfort and bless the true seekers.
The work is before us; will we engage in it? We must work fast, we must go steadily forward. We must be preparing for the great day of the Lord. We have no time to lose, no time to be engaged in selfish purposes. The world is to be warned. What are we doing as individuals to bring the light before others? God has left to every man his work; every one has a part to act, and we cannot neglect this work except at the peril of our souls. E.G. White, 1 Selected Messages, pg. 126 (emphasis mine)

Pledges for Building: I trust you have put your commitments to prayer. I know that I have been praying over our pledge! Trust God to provide for you, perhaps like He did with Peter and the tax money that was due (Matthew 17:27). If we are faithful, and it is God's will, we will own that piece of property shortly. Remember they are due by December 15, 2007.

GET INVOLVED! - Prayer Ministry: Every great revival was preceded by prayer. Prayer is the most effective weapon we have in our spiritual arsenal. Elder Willie Coleman is spearheading our prayer ministry. Please see him or any of the elders if you want to be a part of this great prayer movement.

Sermon Synopsis: Living As One - How do married couples live as one? When we come from different backgrounds, we were raised differently, perhaps different religious perspectives how can we live as God intends for husbands and wives to live – as one? What does it require, what must change for us to live as one? What does it mean to be one and what does it look like? Husbands and wives are ready to be one?

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page October 6, 2007732-668-5781 (cell) 4...

2007-10-05T21:27:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page October 6, 2007
732-668-5781 (cell) 443-404-5114 (home) thirdangel2000@yahoo.com (email)

To My Beacon Light Family,
Pledges for Building: I trust you have put your commitments to prayer. I know that I have been praying over our pledge! Trust God to provide for you, perhaps like He did with Peter and the tax money that was due (Matthew 17:27). If we are faithful, and it is God's will, we will own that piece of property shortly. Remember they are due by December 15, 2007.

Wednesday Night Worship: Clear your calendar. Don't miss out. We are digging deeply into God's word, praying and being blessed each Wednesday night.

GET INVOLVED! - Prayer Ministry: Every great revival was preceded by prayer. Prayer is the most effective weapon we have in our spiritual arsenal. Elder Willie Coleman is spearheading our prayer ministry. Please see him or any of the elders if you want to be a part of this great prayer movement.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The nominating committee process has begun for this year. Please pray for them as they do their work. One of their goals is 100% participation, so you will be called. Please prayerfully consider your God-given talents and gifts and pledge to be faithful in using them to His glory this coming year.

Food for Thought: In On This Day by Carl D. Windsor, the page for Valentine's Day includes this anecdote: Even the most devoted couple will experience a stormy bout once in a while. A grandmother, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary, once told the secret of her long and happy marriage. �On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband's faults which, for the sake of our marriage, I would overlook,� she said. A guest asked the woman what some of the faults she had chosen to overlook were. The grandmother replied, �To tell you the truth, my dear, I never did get around to listing them. But whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, Lucky for him that's one of the ten!�

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page September 29, 2007732-668-5781 (cell...

2007-09-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page September 29, 2007
732-668-5781 (cell) 443-404-5114 (home) thirdangel2000@yahoo.com (email)

To My Beacon Light Family,
Fasting Final Thoughts: I pray the fast was spiritually beneficial for you. This was our first, but not our last fast as a community of faith. As we know, some things will not happen unless the church fasts and prays. If you have made a prayer partner during this fast, consider keeping that relationship. If this last week has seemed especially difficult remember that spiritual growth can be a difficult process. It was a pleasure to lead you through this time of spiritual growth and development and it is my prayer that the breakthrough that you were fasting for is or will soon become a reality in your life. Now that the fast is over, go back through your journal and see how God led you through these past 21days. I wanted to be there to end the fast with you this weekend, but a prior engagement has drawn me away. Please know that I will be praying for you and looking forward to seeing you very soon.
Even though the fast is over please do not stop praying for God's will to be done regarding the property next door. It is our desire to purchase it.

Pledges for Building: I trust you have put your commitments to prayer. I know that I have been praying over our pledge! Trust God to provide for you, perhaps like He did with Peter and the tax money that was due (Matthew 17:27). If we are faithful, and it is God's will, we will own that piece of property shortly. Remember they are due by December 15, 2007.

Sermon RECAP: Just a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T With the roles in society being reversed and confused, we need to look to scripture to redefine them. God has ordained the husband as the head of the home and the wife second-in-command, but not a second-class citizen. Women submit or respect their husbands by submitting to Christ, Letting their husband Lead and resuming their role as the second-in-command. Submission is not optional or conditional but mutual. Women desire love and men want respect. God has made marriage the conduit for receiving what we most want and desire.

Wednesday Night Worship: Clear your calendar. Don't miss out. We are digging deeply into God's word, praying and being blessed each Wednesday night.

GET INVOLVED! - Prayer Ministry: Every great revival was preceded by prayer. Prayer is the most effective weapon we have in our spiritual arsenal. Elder Willie Coleman is spearheading our prayer ministry. Please see him or any of the elders if you want to be a part of this great prayer movement.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The nominating committee process has begun for this year. Please pray for them as they do their work. One of their goals is 100% participation, so you will be called. Please prayerfully consider your God-given talents and gifts and pledge to be faithful in using them to His glory this coming year.

Food for Thought: A young man once studied violin under a world-renowned master. Eventually the time came for his first recital. Following each selection, despite the cheers of the crowd, the performer seemed dissatisfied. Even after the last number, with the shouts louder than ever, the talented violinist stood watching an old man in the balcony. Finally the elderly one smiled and nodded in approval. Immediately the young man relaxed and beamed with happiness. The applause of the crowd had meant nothing to him until he had first won the hearty approval of his famous teacher. So, too, the Christian must do all he does looking for God’s approval and in that be rewarded. Author Unknown

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page September 8, 2007To My Beacon Family...

2007-09-07T13:58:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page September 8, 2007
To My Beacon Family,

Property Purchase: Continue to keep this process in your thoughts, prayers and in your giving. Please remember the pledges we have made. If you have made a short-term pledge, please put it on your tithe envelope.
We need to raise $10,000 before we purchase the new property. We have about 90 days to get that done. We will all have to give until it hurts to get that done.

Food For Thought: The following excerpt comes after Spurgeon has discussed the creativity of thought exhibited by the four men who carried the palsied man to see Jesus (Mark 2:1-5). The world is constantly inventing; genius serves all the purposes of human desire: cannot faith invent too, and reach by some new means the outcasts who lie perishing around us? It was the presence of Jesus which excited victorious courage in the four bearers of the palsied man: is not the Lord among us now? Have we seen his face for ourselves this morning? Have we felt his healing power in our own souls? If so, then through door, through window, or through roof, let us, breaking through all impediments, labour to bring poor souls to Jesus. All means are good and decorous when faith and love are truly set on winning souls. If hunger for bread can break through stone walls, surely hunger for souls is not to be hindered in its efforts. O Lord, make us quick to suggest methods of reaching thy poor sin-sick ones, and bold to carry them out at all hazards. Taken from Charles Spurgeon's Evening & Morning Devotional for September 7 Morning.

Wednesday Night Worship: Our topic of discussion last week was Healing Relational Viruses, but this week I look forward to leading the discussion on Setting Healthy Relational Boundaries. A topic and study I believe will be very helpful.

Sermon Synopsis: I Can Love You Like That. Are you loving your wife God's way or are you loving her your way? This week talking to husbands and husbands-to-be we want to focus on the wife's needs in the marriage relationship, and yes she has needs. Here's a hint, your wife needs to know something that you probably take for granted that she already knows. She needs to know that she is first in your life ahead of everything (even football) except God. Husbands you are the heads of your homes and have the power to make your marriage a healing environment for your wives.

Why Do We Need to Fast? As you know, the 21-day fast begins tomorrow. And last week on the Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough handout you received, we have outlined some of the spiritual benefits associated with fasting, but let's summarize why we are entering this time of spiritual renewal.
Essentially, the purpose of this fasting period is to overcome some of our besetting sins, grow closer to Christ, build spiritual muscle and repair ruptured relationships. Quite frankly, there are things happening in some of our homes and lives that cannot be remedied with preaching or teaching. The experience of sacrifice through the discipline of fasting may be what God uses to bring peace in your home, or a new job or the solution to a difficult problem you have been struggling with or give you the strength you will need for a situation that is about to come. Just as the master said, some things will not be gotten the victory over until we are resigned to fast and pray (Matt. 17:21 paraphrase).

What do I fast from? During the fast we are encouraged to fast from all of the items on the list. I will be. But if you are not ready for that, choose one or several and remain true to what you choose to fast from.

BeaconLightSda.org: Have you checked it out yet? If you have offer suggestions and assistance on making it even better. If not, what are you waiting for? If you have internet access give the site a whirl.

Parents: Are you having bible studies with your children? We have provided the books, we need you, your children need you to take the time and lead them to Jesus. If you are keep up the good work, if not, please begin. If you need a book please let me or Urian or Lashonda know so we can get the lessons for you.

Have your children finished the bible studies? Let us know.

Talk to me. If there are things in the letter or any other questions or concerns that you have please let me know. 732-668-5781 (c) 443-404-5114 (h) thirdangel2000@yahoo.com (email)

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page August 11, 2007Hello Beacon Light Fa...

2007-08-31T23:34:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page August 11, 2007

Hello Beacon Light Family,

This week we are venturing out into new waters. As I mentioned during prayer meeting, I have realized that we have lost sight of the pillars of Christian faith. When it comes to spiritual matters, it appears that we have lost our appetite. It appears that we have arrived at the point where we would rather have “church” than encounter God. We would rather have an experience that an encounter. This is not specific to Beacon Light , but to Christianity in general. As Adventists we understand this to be Laodicea's primary problem. Living in the last days before Jesus returns we knew this spiritual murkiness would happen, but we never thought it would happen to us.

Our prayer meeting attendance bears out our spiritual condition. We are just launching into a study on Christian Community and I believe along with the elders that these studies are not only important but vital to our spiritual growth. Please do not neglect Wednesday night worship.

To address this spiritual problem head on, we are preaching a series entitled “Getting the Hell Out.” The title may be provocative, but I don't feel that it is far from where we are. Knowingly or unknowingly we have allowed hell to creep in around and into us and our families. What do I mean? We have “let hell into our lives” by:

● complacency

● lack of an encounter with God

● lack of focus on Him

● taking God for granted

● neglecting our spiritual responsibilities

● falling in love with this world and the things of this world

● not guarding the avenues of the soul

Sermon Synopsis: A Desperate Encounter. Thist week we will discuss Jacob wrestling with God. The primary point of this sermon is that we have exchanged a life changing encounter with God for an experience at church. We look for power in our lives, but as we saw in Jacob's story it was not until he was desperate and then wrestled with God all night long that he was blessed, protected and given a new name. If we were to look at our lives are we desperate enough for God to show up? Are we desperate enough to pray through the night for God's blessings and His will? Or are we just happy to “have church”? Desperate worship and desperate worshipers demand an encounter and are never satisfied with just an experience.

Spiritual Cleansing

Moving in lockstep with the Sermon series we are addressing, the elders and I have discussed and decided that we need a spiritual cleansing. So we are announcing a 21-day fast. The purpose of the fast is to get us in a position where we can hear God, where he can show us individually and collectively where were have missed the mark and how we should move forward from here. The fast is to begin September 8, 2008 and end September 29, 2008 with an Agape feast after service. We will give you more information on how to fast and what you can fast from later.

Congratulations to Our Graduates Again!

God Bless,

Pastor Arrington

Fasting for A Spiritual BreakthroughIt has been br...

2007-08-31T23:27:00.000-04:00

Fasting for A Spiritual Breakthrough
It has been brought to my attention that we may need more information on the fast, what it will look like, day-to-day, the purpose and other details. I am glad this was brought to my attention before we entered the fast, so I could provide it for you. I would like to discuss the spiritual benefits, the type of fast and the day-to-day sacrifice of the fast. We are Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough!

The Type of Fast: We will be going through a 21-day Disciple's Fast. The purpose of this type of fast is “loose the bands of wickedness” (Isa. 58:3) – freeing ourselves and others from addictions to sin. Key Verse: “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21 KJV) Jesus cast a demon from a boy whom the disciples had failed to help. Apparently they had not taken seriously enough the way Satan had his claws set in the youth. The implication is that Jesus' disciples could have performed this exorcism had they been willing to undergo the discipline of fasting.

Some of the spiritual benefits of the fast are:
1. Primary means of restoration. Humbling ourselves by fasting (Ps:35:13) opens the way for the Holy Spirit to do his special work of revival in us.
2. Fasting provides more time to pray & seek God's presence, and to repent, because we are more focused on the Lord.
3. The Holy Spirit uses fasting to reveal our true spiritual condition, leading to brokenness, repentance and character change that allows Him to work in an unusual and powerful way.
4. We become better able to understand truth... “One point at a time was made the subject of investigation. The scriptures were opened with a sense of awe. Often we fasted, that we might be better fitted to understand the truth.” (Review & Herald, July 26, 1892)
5. Fasting inspires determination to accept God's revealed plan for our lives.
6. Fasting reduces the power of self so that the Holy Spirit can do a more intense work in us.
7. Fasting transforms prayer into a richer, deeper and more personal experience. “It is in the order of God that those who bear responsibilities should often meet together to counsel with one another, and to pray earnestly for that wisdom which He alone can impart. Talk less; much precious time is lost in talk that brings no light. Let brethern unit in fasting and prayer for wisdom that God has promised to supply liberally” (Gospel Workers, p. 417)

Day-to-Day Fasting:
For 21 full days you are encouraged to fast from the following:
● Sweets (cakes, pastries, pies, cookies, sodas and sweet drinks)
● All meats (chicken, fish, beef, turkey, etc.)
● Coffee and caffeinated teas and sodas
● Secular TV programming with the exception of the news.
● Theater Movies and forms of similar entertainment.
● Video Entertainment (video games, etc.)

NOTE: Many of the things that you will sacrifice during this fast will allow your mind and body to be cleared and purified in order to give yourself more fully to this season of intensely seek the face of God. Full 24-hour food fast from 4:00 p.m. on Mondays until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. Details will be provided in the Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough packet you will receive Children’s Fast details will also be in the Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough packet that you will receive.

The Spiritual Breakthrough packet that you will receive will contain:
● The daily prayer targets
● A corresponding biblical text
● A prayer for the day
● Space for notes/journaling
● All of the information above

The packets will be available @ church on September 8, 2007, our kickoff Sabbath. I hope this information helps. Please ask if you need more information.

Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page September 1, 2007To My Beacon Family...

2007-08-31T23:25:00.001-04:00

Pastor's Page September 1, 2007
To My Beacon Family,
Wednesday Night Worship: Last Wednesday Night we studied the Going Beyond Superficiality which is needed in our church and every church. This week we will discuss Healing Relational Viruses. Don't miss out!

Sermon Recap: The Weapons of Our Warfare. We discussed the reality of the spiritual war that we are engaged in and how that must affect our lives. We underscored the fact that many of us are not wrestling and are not warring. In truth many of us are naked on the battlefield, without armor, weapons or a clue. The urgency of the message was that we are in the last days and if we are to experience any power in our Christian walk, if we are to realize any victory in our daily lives, if we are to be ready when Jesus comes, we must put on our armor, pick up our weapons and fight!

BeaconLightSda.org: Did you know we have a website? Did you know that we have a BLOG? What's a BLOG you say... it is a community building tool (as we are using it) where we can ask questions and get answers. Where we can share what's going on in our lives. Thanks Willie for your dedication to making the website a success. We are also looking forward to using our website in the future to receive tithes and offerings. You should check out our website as soon as you can.

Property Purchase: We are working with the conference to obtain a loan, but it is slow going. There has been some positive response from the family selling the property they are willing to work with us on the purchase. Praise God. This is not a dead issue. Please continue to keep this in your prayers as we move forward.

Parents: Are you having bible studies with your children? We have provided the books, we need you, your children need you to take the time and lead them to Jesus. If you are keep up the good work, if not, please begin. If you need a book please let me or Urian or Lashonda know so we can get the lessons for you. Have your children finished the bible studies? Let us know.

Talk to me. If there are things in the letter or any other questions or concerns that you have
please let me know. 732-668-5781 (c) 443-404-5114 (h) thirdangel2000@yahoo.com (email)

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page August 25, 2007Hello Beacon Light Fa...

2007-08-31T23:25:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page August 25, 2007
Hello Beacon Light Family,
Here's something I read this week.
One Sunday morning a man walked into our morning service with an obscene word printed on his T-shirt. That wasn’t easy for many to tolerate. As I heard later, when people stood to sing the first hymn, many couldn’t get their minds off his shirt.
But as inappropriate as wearing that shirt was, it was important that we accepted that man in that condition. When the church requires that people clean up their lives, dress, and act a certain way before we will love them, we lose the respect of our culture.
So I remind our congregation that Jesus showed compassion to a maniac living naked among the tombs. Christ cared about him just as he was. So anything above nakedness ought to be acceptable dress code in our midst.
How would you respond? What would you have said? What do you think?
Excerpt taken from Growing your church through evangelism and outreach. 1996 (1st ed.). Library of Christian leadership (36). Nashville. Tenn.: Moorings.

Spiritual Cleansing: Please begin preparing yourself for our 21-day fast will be September 8-29, 2008. Prepare by asking the Holy Spirit to start showing you your areas of spiritual immaturity, your areas of private need and your behavior and lifestyle choices that are not pleasing to Him. Why ask the Holy Spirit, because it is His job to “convict the world of sin, and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8) We do not want to go into the fast unprepared because it is possible to fast incorrectly and emerge from your fast virtually unchanged.

What is Fasting? Four points for this installment.
1. Fasting can be done incorrectly and without spiritual benefit. Remember the Scribes and Pharisees fasted once and sometimes twice per week. But their fasts did not draw them closer to God. They fasted so that others could know how holy they were, for bragging rights, not so they could know God's mind or His will for their lives.
2. Fasting must be done with prayer. The sacrifice that we make during the fast should act as an alarm clock for prayer. When we want to eat, watch TV, play a game, or do whatever we have sacrificed for the fast, that desire should send us to prayer and bible study.
3. If your fast is from TV or some other time consuming habit, use that new found time during your fast to memorize scripture. Quick tip: Read it out loud 7 times and then recite it 7 times and you should have it memorized. If not do it 7 times more.
4. Finally, the purpose of the fast is two fold: firstly, to make a personal sacrifice to demonstrate to God the seriousness with which you approach what you are praying for and secondly to clear some of the clutter out of your head so that you can hear God.

Wednesday Night Worship: Last Wednesday Night the topic was Counting the Cost of Community. I heard it was a wonderful discussion. I look forward to leading out in the discussion this week and we will be on chapter 3 of our book focusing on Moving Beyond Superficiality. Please make time to be here for this worship encounter.

Sermon Synopsis: The Weapons of Our Warfare. We are all “on the battlefield for the lord”, but are we all fighting? We have heard testimonies from the long ago and far away, but what victories are we experiencing in our here and now? Are we surrendered to God? Are we naked on the battlefield? Have we grown so accustomed to defeat that we don't believe that victory is possible? Will we continue on in a defeated Christian experience or are we willing to take the victory that is already assured? The real question is are you ready to put on your armor, pick up your weapons and fight?!
God Bless,
Pastor Arrington

Pastor's Page August 18, 2007Hello Beacon Light Fa...

2007-08-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

Pastor's Page August 18, 2007
Hello Beacon Light Family,

Next week will will continue our series “Getting the Hell Out.” As we stated before some of the ways we have let “the hell” into our lives are through:
● complacency
● lack of an encounter with God
● lack of focus on Him
● taking God for granted
● neglecting our spiritual responsibilities
● falling in love with this world and the things of this world
● not guarding the avenues of the soul

Prayer meeting is the lift that helps us get through the week. It acts as a slingshot to get us through to Sabbath. Please do not excuse yourself from Wednesday Night Worship as we continue our study on Christian Community.

Sermon Recap: A Desperate Encounter. Last week we spoke on Jacob wrestling with God. The primary point of that sermon was that we have exchanged a life changing encounter with God for an experience at church. We look for power in our lives, but as we saw in Jacob's story it was not until he was desperate and then wrestled with God all night long that he was blessed, protected and given a new name. If we were to look at our lives are we desperate enough for God to show up? Are we desperate enough to pray through the night for God's blessings and His will? Or are we just happy to “have church”? Desperate worship and desperate worshipers demand an encounter and are never satisfied with just an experience.

Spiritual Cleansing: Our 21-day fast will be September 8-29, 2008. I look forward to this being a time of spiritual renewal and revival and healing for us individually and as a church collectively.

What is Fasting? Three points for this installment.
1. Fasting doesn't have to be from food. It can be from anything that you really enjoy. It could be from TV, movies, video games, anything that would be a sacrifice. Most biblical fasts are from food, but Paul does allude to married couples fasting from sexual intimacy for limited periods of time. (1 Cor. 7:4-5)
2. If you fast from TV or some non-food item should be kept for the full 21-days, but a food fast can be kept for a 6 or 12 hour period, based on your ability and health and during the other 18 or 12 hours you eat lightly. And the fasting hours shouldn't count nighttime or sleeping hours.
3. The purpose of the fast is two fold: firstly, to make a personal sacrifice to demonstrate to God the seriousness with which you approach what you are praying for and secondly to clear some of the clutter out of your head so that you can hear God.

By the way, last Sabbath was wonderful. I enjoyed ministering with you. I trust that the breakthroughs that began at the end of the service are continuing even now. Also, it was wonderful to spend some time with you away from church at Demarrco and Joni's new home.

God Bless,
Pastor Arrington