Just A Thought 07-31-2009

Married with children? Welcome to the world of ministry!  This is your first opportunity to be a minister.  It’s not Mister Jones it is Minister Jones to your family. Just a thought.

Blog 07-31-2009

Friday

PRaP 07-31-2009

 

“Your First Ministry”

 

How’s your “First Ministry” going?  Many of you are scratching your heads wondering when you started a ministry?  Well the day you got married your ministry began.  The day you had children is the day you added new members to your ministry.  As a child you were a member of your parents Fist Ministry and were being trained up for your ministry.  As ministries go some fail and some are successful and some that fail can end up branching off into two First Ministries if God so allows.  As a child you could be brought up in two First Ministries just like my kids are and I was.  My parents First Ministry failed but my mom married again and they began a new ministry and this one was successful if you ask me.  Even though there were flaws as in all ministries of men I came out of it ok.  I had to relearn things and had to break some bad habits but all in all if I hadn’t gone through what I went through I wouldn’t be the man of God He wants me to be.  Dad’s those small simple things you do for your kids are the ones that they will remember the most.  If you say you will be at their game then be there.  If you tell your daughter you will be at the dance recital then you better be there.  Even if you are running late and the game or the program has already started you better be there and do everything you can to make eye contact with your child.  Those are the moments in their lives that they will remember for their entire lives.  If your parents didn’t do those things for you then it is time for you to break the chain and begin a new thing with your kids.  Men a simple “I Love You” and a hug means the world to your kids as well as to your wife.  Mom’s we know you love your kids and spend most of your time with them especially in their younger days but your hubby needs an occasional pinch, poke, and tickle too.

 

Hebrews 2

 

Key Verse:

Hebrews 2:11
Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
Hebrews 2:10-12 (in Context) Hebrews 2 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless you,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-30-2009

Thursday

PRaP 07-30-2009

 

“Do You Remember Him?”

 

Do you remember Him he was killed so that we could live.  Do you remember Grace?  He was killed that we would have Grace.  Do you remember Love.  He was killed that we may have Love.  Do you remember Peace?  He was killed that we may live in Peace.  Do you remember Healing?  He was killed that we could have Healing.  Do you remember Kindness?  He was killed that we would have Kindness.  Do you remember the Teacher?  He was killed that we would have Knowledge.  Do you remember Hope?  He was killed that we would have Hope.  Do you remember death?  It was defeated.  Do you remember Jesus?  He rose from the dead and defeated death that we could live through Him and have hope for eternity.

 

Romans 6

 

Key Verse:

Romans 6:9
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
Romans 6:8-10 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-29-2009

Wednesday

PRaP 07-29-2009

 

“I Love You THHHIIIISSSSSS Much And More!”

 

Have you every done that with your kids?  Stretch out your arms as wide as you can and tell them that you love them tttthhhhiiiiisssssss much and more?  If you haven’t what you waiting for?  I bet you get a big hug.  Well even though we love that much I want you to picture this.  We all know that Jesus takes our sin and sends it as far as the east is from the west?  Well that means His arms reach that far and you know what?  Jesus loves us that much and more.  Want to run up and give Him a hug?  I know I do.  And you know what else?  You can give Him that hug right now!  What you waiting for?

 

Psalm 103, Matthew 24

 

Key Verses:

Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:11-13 (in Context) Psalm 103 (Whole Chapter)

 

Matthew 24:27
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:26-28 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless You,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-28-2009

Tuesday

PRaP 07-28-2009

 

“Forgiveness”

 

You know what this is a tough thing to do.  Forgiving someone that has hurt you in the past.  I know what the Bible says but my flesh keeps telling me the opposite.  Telling me that that person is going to hurt again and that they can’t be trusted.  When the phone rings your skin crawls so you don’t answer the phone and they leave a message telling that they really need to talk to you.  I know, “OH MAN!”.  I am not going to talk to that so and so they hurt me and I am not ready for this.  Well maybe it’s time?  Maybe it is time to go talk to Daddy about it?

 

I am in a place of forgiveness today.  Seeking the guidance of God for His plan and asking for peace in the place that I am.  I can tell you for sure that I am nervous about being hurt again but I need to trust that God will intervene where needed.  I trust Him to guide me through this process of forgiving because what the person did hurt bad.  Being wrongly accused and treated with disrespect in a time that was of God and to be shunned as I was didn’t set well with me.  Fortunately this person saw that God was using me to bless them and understands that because of what they did the blessing slowly slipped away.

 

I will always stand firm in what I believe and who I am in Christ and that as long as I have breath of life in me that Jesus Christ will be my only authority above me other than what He has but in place before me.  The Holy Spirit of God guides my movement and He sends me to places that others will not go because of fear or the lack of Truth in them.  He sends me places to reveal Truth and accountability of the leadership of where I am sent, and I am so thankful to be used as a tool for Truth.

 

Forgiveness!  Come stand with me and breath in the fresh air of that which only God has the Power to reveal.  In Jesus Name Amen.  There are 116 places to choose from in the NIV Bible to read about forgiving.  The first is: Genesis 50:17 and the last is: 1 John 2:12 but we are going to PRaP:

 

Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-16 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-27-2009

Monday

PRaP 07-27-2009

 

“Did You Know?”

 

Did you know that when you go out to help people that they will ask what organization you are with?  Do you know what the answer should be?  Did you find out the needs of the homeless people before you went to “help” them?  Did you know that the majority of homeless especially down here in the south have plenty of clothes and have other needs?  Most people don’t know this but most homeless will sell the coats and blankets that you give them so that they can get bus fare.  Did you know that there are lots of orphanages in the United States that need help?  Did you know that anyone can go to a retirement home and volunteer?  Do you know what Jesus says about all these things?

 

To answer the first question, every person you help on the street normally the first question from them will be what organization are you from because of the fact that the Church has made it a business.  The answer to that question is, “I am not here because of an organization, I am here as the feet of Jesus and the hands of Jesus and maybe even the voice of Jesus”  Then sit and listen to them and as you are listening keep the prayer going in your mind for that person.  You should check with your local Salvation Army , Star of Hope or other mission that helps the homeless and ask them what the needs are of the people who come in seeking refuge.  I can tell you from past experience they need bus tokens or bus or train passes so that they can get around town to get food and shelter and maybe even jobs.  The only time you should be handing out blankets and clothes are in the winter months.  Do not take a coat to people when it is 110 degrees outside that is the last thing they need and remember they have no place to store this stuff.  Search your heart and ask questions in your local community about orphanages and nursing homes in your area.  It is time to take care of the needy in our own back yard.  You feel a calling to ministry it is as close as your downtown area or the nearest busy intersection.  Stop giving them money and start giving them hope.  The majority of homeless that panhandle make more money than you and me and will never get off the streets and many are mentally ill so all you can do is pray for their healing.  But there are some out there that are just down on their luck so to speak and just need a leg up.  If you give a man a fish he will eat today, but if you teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime.  The poor you will always have and we are to take care of the orphans and widows.  What role do you play?  Do you know?

 

James 1

 

Key Verse:

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:26-27 (in Context) James 1 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-24-2009

Friday

PRaP 07-24-2009

 

“What Is The Sharpest Thing In The World?”

 

At bedtime last night after prayers that is the question my youngest asked.  Now let me warn you now that the next part has much testosterone and hormone induced comments so if you are sensitive to those words or are a girly kind of girl you may want to just skip to the scriptures at the end.

 

For out of the blue I hear bellowing from the living room downstairs “Your farts are the sharpest dude!”, and of course the rebuttal (pardon the pun) was, “No my farts are not a thing I mean something solid!”, and I will stop at that part now because you know when two little boys get going it gets somewhat crude.  So I told my youngest that since diamonds were the hardest known substance I am guessing it has to do with diamonds and he smiled and said a diamond tipped cutting blade.  You may be wondering where all this is leading and many of you already know but I am going to tell you anyway. 

 

After I tucked away the little one for the night I began to explain to the older that actually the sharpest thing on earth is the human tongue it is a double edged sword that can cut so deep the wound could not heal and that the tongue could be used to heal as well as hurt.  It can be used to send praise to God and in the same breath send cursing, It would do us good to tame the tongue that is in our mouth so that we can share peace and healing words not that we should never use it to teach and sometimes even to tear down but we must be sure that when we take something down we use that same tongue to build back up and to glorify God and even though this is likely impossible for us to do, we can through the Holy Spirit of God.  This is why I anoint my lips and ask God not to allow any evil to pass through them each morning.

 

There are so many good places to PRaP here and I will give you a few of my favorites.

 

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:5-7 (in Context) Proverbs 22 (Whole Chapter)

1 Timothy 4:7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
1 Timothy 4:6-8 (in Context) 1 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)

Luke 6:40
A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Luke 6:39-41 (in Context) Luke 6 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 35:28
My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
Psalm 35:27-28 (in Context) Psalm 35 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
Psalm 37:29-31 (in Context) Psalm 37 (Whole Chapter)

James 3:1
[ Taming the Tongue ] Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
James 3:1-3 (in Context) James 3 (Whole Chapter)

James 3:5
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
James 3:4-6 (in Context) James 3 (Whole Chapter)

James 3:6
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
James 3:5-7 (in Context) James 3 (Whole Chapter)

James 3:8
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:7-9 (in Context) James 3 (Whole Chapter)

James 3:9
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
James 3:8-10 (in Context) James 3 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-23-2009

Thursday

PRaP 07-23-2009

 

“No One Is Righteous!”

 

Not a single person who walks this Earth can call themselves righteous.  You may commit righteous acts and you may speak a righteous word but you are no more righteous than me.  You can call yourself righteous all you want but when you take your last breath who then will worship your self proclaimed righteousness when you are before the Righteous One?  I tell you no one will be there!  You can walk the walk and talk the talk but the heart tells the story.  If you walk the walk and talk the talk but your heart is hardened there is no righteousness within.  Therefore making you unrighteous.  Let’s read Romans 3:9-20:

⁹What shall we conclude then? Are we any better^[b]? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. ¹⁰As it is written:
   ”There is no one righteous, not even one;
    ¹¹there is no one who understands,
      no one who seeks God.
 ¹²All have turned away,
      they have together become worthless;
   there is no one who does good,
      not even one.”^[c]
 13“Their throats are open graves;
      their tongues practice deceit.”^[d]
   ”The poison of vipers is on their lips.”^{[e]
    14}“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”^[f]
 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
    ¹⁶ruin and misery mark their ways,
 ¹⁷and the way of peace they do not know.”^{[g]
    18}“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”^[h]

 ¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

 

Now that we have become conscious of sin what’s next?  Well we need to seek forgiveness of sin through Christ!

 

Romans 3

 

Key Verse

Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:19-21 (in Context) Romans 3 (Whole Chapter)

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Blog 07-22-2009

Wednesday

PRaP 07-22-2009

 

“Suffering”

 

Is pain and suffering of God?  Psalm 119:153 says:

 

“Look upon my suffering and deliver me…”

 

Here let’s look at the whole thing:

153 Look upon my suffering and deliver me,
       for I have not forgotten your law.

 154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
       preserve my life according to your promise.

 155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
       for they do not seek out your decrees.

 156 Your compassion is great, O LORD;
       preserve my life according to your laws.

 157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
       but I have not turned from your statutes.

 158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
       for they do not obey your word.

 159 See how I love your precepts;
       preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

 160 All your words are true;
       all your righteous laws are eternal.

 

I do not think the LORD wants us to suffer.  That is why He gives us a way out of our sin.  Our sin is our suffering for the most part and yet I know we suffer from illness and loss and yet it leads back to sin.  We continue to hold on to the Truth that God has given so that our suffering will be limited.  As long as we walk on this earth there will be suffering in one form or another.  But we can hold these things to our heart knowing that God knows the suffering we go through for He came to Earth and felt our pain through His Son Jesus Christ our only Salvation.  Look for it, ask for it and it will be given without question.

 

Psalm 119  Lamentations 1

 

Key Verses:

Psalm 119:153
[ r Resh ] Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.
Psalm 119:152-154 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

 

Lamentations 1:18
“The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against his command. Listen, all you peoples; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into exile.
Lamentations 1:17-19 (in Context) Lamentations 1 (Whole Chapter)

 

Jesus Bless,

Pastor Steve

Just A Thought 07-21-2009

If you could put time in a bottle, nahhhhhhh, I like it the way God has it now.  That way I can’t go backwards and keep making the same mistakes over and over again.  I think God knew what He was doing.  Just a thought.