chadwickivester

Dr. Dwight Easler (aka pastorinthewoods to the SBCBloggosphere) is the guest preacher for our Spring revival.

(Dr. Dwight Easler & chadwick)

Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, he grew up only 4 miles from his wife of 12 years Tabitha R Easler. He was saved when he was 10 years old in Fairview Baptist Church under the ministry of Bill Metters. He accepted the call to preach when he was a teenager and began making plans to attend a college that could train him for teh ministry. He graduated from Gardner Webb Unisversity in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Religion with a minor in History. In July 1995, Dwight and Tabitha moved to Wake Forest, North Carolina to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He graduated in December 1997 with a Masters of Divinity with Biblical Languages. In April 1998 he moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina to pastor Eureka Bapstist Church where he pastored until May 2004. During that time 2 children were born. Seth was born September 17, 1999 and Matthew was born March 25, 2002. In May of 2004 he answered the call to pastor Corinth Baptist Church in Gaffney, South Carolina. During his tenure there God has blessed him with another child Benjamin Easler born November, 24, 2004. He graduated in December 2007 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Administration. Dwight is an expository preacher who seeks to equip the Saints for the work of ministry, encourage the church, and call the lost to salvation.

My notes are limited because I was tuned-in to the messages; my soul was fed and encouraged greatly. Here are some of the highlights:

Yesterday morning, Dr. Easler preached from Isaiah 40:25-3, “Three Ways to be Restored by God.

1. We must acknowledge that we have doubted God’s character and power (know experientially God’s sovereignty) (V28).
2. We must accept the truth about ourselves (we are all weak, even on our best days) (V30).
3. We must embrace the promises of God (V31).

Last night, Dr. Easler preached from 1 Kings 19:1-18, “Four Reasons Elijah was Discouraged.”

1. We can be discouraged when our faith is replaced by fear:
   1. One minute, Elijah was experiencing the spectacular on Mt. Carmel, and the next minute, he was running for his life from Jezebel.
   2. Fear causes you to think unclearly (anything that causes you to fear can be your Jezebel).
2. We can be discouraged when we are self-centered: (Elijah became self-centered rather than God-centered):
   1. God still cares . . . even when we are focus on ourselves.(V7)
   2. Notice how many times Elijah mentioned “I.”
   3. “Self-pity can be properly defined by the worship of our ‘wounds.’” (many people cannot move forward in their lives because they focus on past wounds: (I just cannot go to church any more because ’so and so’ hurt my feelings.”)
   4. We become discouraged when we are self-centered.
3. We become discouraged when we expect the spectacular to be the normal:
   1. God was not in the spectacular but in the “still small voice.”
   2. The Lord is with us when we have mountain-top experiences . . . He is also with us when things are silent.
   3. God doesn’t always speak in the speak in the spectacular . . . “He speaks through the quiet routine of obedience.” (This is His prevalent way of speaking.
4. We become discouraged when we forget God’s sovereignty.
   1. Discouragement discredits the work of God.
   2. God said “God and turn,” . . .  “Get up and go!” . . . anoint Hazael . . . anoit Jehu  . . . anoint Elisha! (God was showing Elijah that Elijah was not as important as he thought he was . . . Elijah was not the most important!
   3. God was showing Elijah that he could be replaced!  . . . Elisha would be the one chosen by God to finish what Elijah had started!
   4. No one is irreplaceable! (Dr. Easler stated that if he died on his way back home from the revival services that his church could find another pastor to take his place.)
   5. God is the Supreme Ruler of the Universe.
   6. Elijah thought he was the only obedient servant the Lord had to use.
   7. God corrected Elijah, He basically stated, “Elijah, you are not the only servant I have . . .  there are 7000 more faithful servants that you don’t even know about!
   8. We can serve God on a daily basis by knowing He is in control!
   9. Christian (from Pilgrim’s Progress) carried his burden on his back . . . he carried it until he finally left it at the foot of the cross!
   10. We must leave our burdens and sins, also, at the foot of the cross!

Selah,

chadwick