BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
APRIL 4,20181 B5
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
Faith
More than meets the eye!
Recently I was invited to at
tend a luncheon event for cur
rent employees and retirees
of an organization for which 1
worked for nearly 28 years. As
1 began to anticipate reconnect
ing with past co-workers and
with meeting new ones as well,
1 reflected on how the many
years of my career were such
an integral part of God’s plan for
my life.
For starters, my job required
me to move away from home.
That may not Seem like a big deal
to you, but to a then 21-year-old
that who never been far beyond
the confines of his hometown,
to move to a place hundreds of
miles away where he knew no
one was for me a big deal! This
was somewhat intimidating and
frightening but God used that to
strengthen my faith and trust in
Him.
Secondly, this relocation and
major life change would serve
as a catalyst for me eventually
to meet my future wife to whom
I’ve been married to for thirty-
two years now! We have 2 amaz
ing children and 2 wonderful
grandchildren as a result of that
blessing!
Thirdly, it began a process of
growth and development of the
gifts, talents and abilities that
God had placed within me but
had laid dormant until specific
circumstances and opportuni-
Pastor
Jay Rivenbark
Be
Still
ties forced and allowed these
strengths to be utilized.
As my career advanced, it also
required numerous geographi-
cal relocations of
my family. Each
move also neces
sitated finding a
new church and
developing new
friends. The ex
posure to vari
ous churches, de
nominations and
opportunities to
serve within each
of them helped ta
broaden our hori
zons and Biblical
world view.
Each new location presented
new challenges and new oppor
tunities to grow and develop.
Many of the leadership, bud
geting, resource management,
public speaking and problem
solving skills that would be so
important in pastoring a church
were taught to me through the
years of employment and public
service to others.
Little did I realize God was us
ing my job and life experiences
to prepare me for what I am do
ing currently.
Fourthly, we have learned that
there are wonderful people ev
erywhere with whom we can de
velop relationships if we make
ourselves available to them.
Proverbs 18:24 reminds us that
a man who has friends must first
show himself friendly
Recently we have been look
ing at the life of Abraham who
was called to leave his home,
his family, and even his country
in order to follow God’s call on
his life and to experience the
promises of God that had been
made to him.
Too often we resist change
and are unwilling to leave be
hind things in our life in order
to pursue something better that
God has planned for us. Life is
short! Don’t settle for the famil
iar or the safe route.
Be like Abraham. Listen to
God’s call, move in obedience
and trust Him to lead you. Abra
ham’s decisions of obedience
would have huge consequences
and benefits that even affect us
as believers to this very day!
Galatians 3:29 puts it this way:
“If you belong to Christ, then you
are Abraham’s seed and heirs
according to the promise.’’
Just as the recent luncheon
did for me, occasionally we
need to look back at where we
have been, where we are now,
and where God wants to lead us.
It’s never too late to get started.
Pastor Jay Rivenbark is Pas
tor of Open Door Church - Bertie
Campus. He can be reached via
email at jay@visitopendoor.com.
The Lord is always with us
Whatever is going on around
us. He IS there.
The Word of God says in Deu
teronomy 31:6, “Be strong and
of good courage, do not fear nor
be afraid of them; for the Lord
your God, He is the One who
goes with you. He will not leave
you nor forsake you.”
Sometimes it may feel like we
are all alone and nobody seems
to care, but God is there all
along. Like in the book of Luke
when Jesus and the disciples
were in a boat in a storm.
Luke 8:22-25 says, “Now it
happened, on a certain day, that
He got into a boat with His dis
ciples. And said to them, “Let
us cross over to the other side
of the lake”. And they launched
out. But as they sailed He fell
asleep. And a windstorm came
down on the lake, and they were
filled with water, and were in
jeopardy. And they came to Him
and awoke Him, saying, “Master,
Master, we are perishing!
Then He arose and rebuked
the wind and the raging of the
water. And they ceased, and
there was a calm.”
We look at this story in scrip
ture and see that Jesus was
there for His disciples.
He was there when they got in
the boat. He was there when they
were sailing. He was there when
the storm was
raging, and He
was there when
they reached the
other side.
So Jesus was
there when ev
erything was go
ing great and He
was also there
when things were
really rough. You
may be going
~ through a rough
time, and it may
seem like nobody’s there.
It may even feel like when you
do pray your prayers just fall to
the ground and no one’s listen
ing.
The storm may be raging and
you feel like your boat is about
to sink. I want to tell you be of
good courage. He’s in the boat
with you! He does hear you. He
is listening!
I’m reminded of the story
in Daniel chapter 3 where the
The Rev.
Jason Johnson
Be
Still
king had the three Hebrew boys
thrown into the fiery furnace
and when he looked in saw four
men up walking around. The
king said in verse 25, “I see four
men loose, walking in the midst
of the fire; and they are not hurt,
and the form of the fourth is like
the Son of God.”
The Lord was with them even
in the fire. The Word says in
verse 27 that they saw these
men on whose bodies the fire
had no power; the hair of their
head was not singed nor were
their garments affected, and the
smell of fire was not on them.
Thank God He is there for us!
Even when the storm is raging
or we have to go through the
fire. He is there.
The devil may have meant
it for evil but God can turn it
around for good.
Remember be of good courage
He will never leave you nor will
He ever forsake you.
HE IS WITH YOU!
The Rev. Jason Johnson is Pas
tor of Freedom Fellowship of Ber
tie. He can be reached via email
at preachthecrossJJ@gmail.com.
Bible Trivia
Special Events
Church announcements are published each week in the
Bertie Ledger-Advance. The deadline to submit news items
for this listing is 10a.m. each Monday. Submissions may
be emailed to twhite@ncweeklies.com.
April 7
Missions Fundraiser
COLERAIN - The Women on Missions of Coieraio Baptist
Church wiii have a fundraiser on Saturday, Aprii 7 at The
Twice Around Shop.
The doors wiii open at 8 a.m.
Lunch wiii be served at 11 a.m. and wiii consist of hot
dogs, hamburgers, chips and sodas. Baked goods aiso wiii
be available for purchase.
The profits from the sale of items will go toward mis
sions to help people who have lost everything in a flood,
tornado or other disaster.
The Twice Around Shop is located on Winton Street in
Colerain.
April 8
7Ups
ROXOBEL - The Inspirational Choir will sponsor the “7‘
ups” at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 8 at Sandy Branch Missionary
Baptist-Church.
The church is located on N.C. 308 near the Northampton
County line.
The Interim Pastor, the Rev. W. Rob Lewis II, and con
gregation invite the public to attend.
April 8-11
Spring Revival Services
WINDSOR - Spring Revival Services are planned for April
8-11 at Ross Baptist Church.
Services will begin nightly at 7 p.m.
The guest speaker will be Dr. Matt Thomas, Director
of Camp Cale in Hertford. He wiii be joined by the Praise
Team of Access Point Church in Edenton on Sunday’s
Youth Night.
The church is located at 1020 Bull Hill Rd. in Windsor.
The Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Russeli, and congrega
tion invite the public to attend.
Aprii 15
Women’s Day
WINDSOR - Women’s Day wiii be observed at 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 15 at St. James Church of Christ (DOC).
Eldress Allle James will deliver the message. She will be
accompanied by the Smithwick Chapel Choir and congre
gation.
Dinner will be served following the service.
At 3 p.m., Eldress Maggie Mensah wiii be the speaker.
The St. James Choir will provide music.
The church is located at 326 U.S. 13-17 in Windsor.
The Pastor, Willie 0. Speller, and congregation invite the
public to attend.
April 21
Evening Prayer
ROXOBEL - Evening Prayer will be observed at 5 p.m.
SaturSay, April 21 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
Light refreshments wiii be served following the service.
The church is located at 206 W. Church St. in Roxobel.
The Rev. Canon Sonny Browne and congregation invite
the public to attend.
BY WILSON CASEY
1. Is the book of Sa
maria in the Old or
New Testament or nei
ther?
2. When he had a vi
sion, who said, “Not
so. Lord; for I have
never eaten any thing
that is common or un
clean”? Adam, Reuben,
Samson, Peter
3. From Acts 7, who
was the first person
martyred for his belief
in Jesus Christ? Apol-
los, John the Baptist,
Jehu, Stephen
ANSWERS: 1) Neither;
2) Peter; 3) Stephen;
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