Boasting?

2 Corinthians 10:17-18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[a] 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=2%20Corinthians%2010:17-18

August 18,2016

Boasting in the Lord!  I boast how He has kept me going all these years; during these times I have needed Him to get me through the tough places.  As I continue this walk through cancer, I boast all the more about how He has loved me through it all.  His patience and kindness have been present through out this time. His Grace given through Christ Jesus is abundant and never ceasing.  Back in 2009 I wrote a blog titled “Righteous Boasting” if you have time take a look at it.   Looks as though things have come full circle for me because I am now living what I wrote about 6 years and 1 month to the day.  I boast in my weakness and inability to continue on without Him each and every day.  I boast about His amazing Grace and how He has directed me to the right people to help me fight cancer.  Although I have been told I have a shortened life I boast in what He has done for me in this life.  I hope that you find peace in your day no matter what it brings you.  Live like you are loved because you are loved by God.

Peace and Agape Love,

Steve

Decisions Decisions Decisions!

Romans 14:8

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁸ For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014:8&version=NASB

 

August 17,2016

Living for the Lord or dying for the Lord; which is greater? In Philippians 1:21 Paul says: “²¹ for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”.  When you have stage 4 cancer your days are shortened greatly in some cases and for others not so much.  Friday I was given a number and it startled me.  So now what?  Do I keep on going through chemo therapy and living for Christ and doing His will or do I stop chemo and just live out what I have left living for Christ and then gain the promises of the Bible?  I have been giving this much thought and have had multiple conversations with the Lord and a few screaming matches with Him, but in the end I have discovered that it doesn’t matter what I do here as long as I do it for Him.  Don’t worry I have chosen to continue with chemo I have grandchildren that are going to need their Paw Paw to spoil them.

I read an interesting article the other day while I was having chemo from National Geographic about how archeologists have recently found a toe bone of a woman that had a large cancerous tumor on it that is supposedly 1.7 million years old.  The article quoted a statement from the South African Journal of Science that says “You can opt for the paleo diet, you can have as clean a living environment as you want, but the capacity for these diseases is ancient, and it’s within us regardless of what you do to yourselves.”  This is quoted by Edward Odes of the University of the Witwatersrand.  The article also states that, while modern lifestyles have increased the incidents of cancer, especially in industrialized countries, the triggers for the disease are embedded deep within the human evolutionary past.  Check the article at http://www.news.nationalgeographic.com  “Earliest Human Cancer Found in 1.7-Million-Year-Old Bone” by Mark Strauss published July 28, 2016

God alone knows the number of our days here on earth, not our diseases or cures; He knows the number of our days. It is by Him and through Him we have our life here on earth.

Peace and Agape Love,

Steve

Bible Gateway.com

Philippians 1:21

 

Rejoice!

Psalm 119:14

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies,
^[a] As much as in all riches.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119:14&version=NASB

8-16-2016

I am in my 3^rd year of walking with cancer and the first 2 were the worst of it.  I try and think about where I rejoiced and honestly I find it difficult to remember them.

Lord, forgive me for not rejoicing like I should, for not stepping out in faith daily as I should.  Lord I want to rejoice in you. I ask that you give me the strength and desires of your heart, that no matter what is put before me this day and every other day the rest of my life I will rejoice in your testimonies.  Jesus, my Salvation, I rejoice in you and what you have done for my family and me.  Lord You are greater than anything that is and will ever be.  Riches are worthless without you in the mix Lord. Life is worthless without you, so Lord give me life abundant in your ways and not mine.  Set my feet on the path of righteousness and steer me away from the things that are not of you.  I will rejoice. Amen!

Peace and Agape Love in Jesus,

Steve

No Fear

Psalm 46:1-2

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Psalm 46

To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of the sons of Korah, set to treble voices. A song.

¹ God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas,

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

August 11, 2016

God our Mighty and impenetrable God of love, faith and hope! Ever Present, Well proven!

Do you believe these things? You do? Then why not live in that belief? I refuse to live outside the Refuge and the Strength of our God who is the only one who can rescue me from this life.

Walking in cancer each and every day knowing that I am healed through Christ, I can walk without fear. Knowing I am not alone, because that is a recipe for disaster. I tried the alone thing for 13 years and it just doesn’t work my friends. In those 13 years I tried to substitute different worldly desires to fill in the gaps, but it just didn’t work and then cancer reared its ugliness. So now walking in refuge and strength; I do not live in fear of the outcome.

I hope today that you read this and know that God is who and what He says He is; that there is peace in Christ Jesus our Savior. God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present and well-proved help in trouble. So do not fear!

Peace and Agape Love,

Steve

Hairy Situation

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7 KJV

 

August 10, 2016

Good thing God has the hairs of my head numbered! Chemo has a tendency to make it all fall out, but I was pretty bald headed before I started mine.

We are worth so much to God, why would we think less of ourselves and allow ourselves to fall into despair thinking we are worthless? Living with cancer makes you wonder what you did to deserve being so sick and to think that we are worthless and God cannot use me.  I tell you His plans are so much more than anything we can fathom in our tiny finite minds; He can take all of the darkness and convert it to Light. Jesus our Savior loves us so much that He went through all of our pain and suffering Himself and has defeated death.  If you are like me, living and walking in cancer, the Lord can use this in you to bless others.  Take a moment to share your faith, so that others may see your faith and reach out to you to find that strength you have in Christ.  One life saved through Christ Jesus is worth more than anything this world can offer; anything you do here on earth for Him is rewarded with treasures that no man can take, no moth can destroy, and no rust can damage, eternally stored up for you in heaven for ever and ever, Amen.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Steve

 

Too Much

1 Corinthians 10:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ No temptation^[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, ^[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

August 9,2016

This is one of the many misquoted of scriptures of the Bible. So many use this in situations of suffering and trials instead of temptations as it is written.  As For myself; having to face cancer daily keeps me reading scripture again and again to seek out Christ truth, because I believe cancer is a lie and not of God.  If God never gives me more than I can handle, why do I need faith?  If He will not give me more than I can handle why should I even seek Him?  So when Jesus was being beaten, mocked, spit upon and hung on the cross, you’re trying to tell me God, who loves His Son, didn’t give Him more than He could handle?   If you and I ever have the pleasure to meet or cross paths in our day to day walk, never ever say to me or anyone else for that matter, that God will not give you more than you can handle!  He will and does because He wants us to grow faith in Him and Hope who is His Son Jesus Christ, He wants us to seek Him and walk with Him daily, all day long, every minute, and every second of our lives.

What is “too much?” Where is that line?  For some it is a thorn, for others it is near death experiences.  For me, it is cancer, chemo and all the discomfort that go along with it.  I used to think it was just a bad day or bad experience because I never really experienced “too much”; now I live faith and trusting the Lord everyday.  God has graciously put people in my path to help me seek Him.  My blessed wife and friends walk with me in faith as I journey through “too much” and they speak Truth into my life that I can continue to walk until the day comes the Lord takes this life and places my crown upon my head. (See yesterday’s post)

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Also, because He actively gives me more than I can handle that I will seek His face.

Peace and Agape Love,

Steve

Blog 01-09-2012

Monday

PRaP 01-09-2012

 

Another one from about 4 years ago still pertinent for today.

 

Monday

PRaP 1/14/08

 

“Promise?!”

 

What are you promised today?  According to the Bible we are not even promised our next breath. Look at this example:

 

 13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

 14Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

 16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

 18″Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘

 20″But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

 21″This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

 

See in that parable the rich fool thought he had control over tomorrow and yet he didn’t.  So what is promised to us?  For those who have faith in Jesus Christ will live eternally with Him in heaven, this is a trustworthy promise.  Jesus has promised us that we are heirs to the throne in which He sits.  This promise comes by faith.  Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.  Those of us that believe are adopted into the family of Abraham, grafted, if you will.  Like when we graft rose bushes or fruit trees together.  The cutting from the one put together with the other connected together become as one in the same root of the tree. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

 

Luke 12

 

Key Verse and what a great promise made by Jesus!:

Luke 12:8
“I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
Luke 12:7-9 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter)

 

Send your questions to us if you need help.  There is a link on our web site called “Ask The Pastor”.  We will answer all questions if you want an emailed reply be sure to include your email address.  Remember the only dumb question is the one not asked.

 

PEACE and AGAPE LOVE, Pastor, Dad, DJ Dude

 

From The Desk Of:

Pastor Stephen Eldridge

c2C    http://www.c2cministry.org

 

If this is a blessing to you please pass it on. 

 

Got Jesus?

Matthew 7:7-8                 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

 

 

Blog 01-03-2012

Tuesday

PRaP 1/3/2012

 

This was a PRaP written 4 years ago and is still pertinent today.  Just change the dates and you are good to go.

 

Thursday

PRaP 1/3/08

 

“Have You Made Your New Years Restitution?”

 

What is this guy talking about?  Doesn’t he mean “Resolution”?  Nope I mean “Restitution”.  The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. 

 

If you set a New Years Resolution the likelihood of you actually following through was well 1 in a million.  I know there are some of you over achievers out there that nailed it but the majority failed in the first quarter.  Now rather than making a new resolution it is now restitution because of the failure of the previous year.

 

The number one new years restitution is getting in shape and losing weight.  We set these unrealistic goals for ourselves and setup to fail in three months.  Well it is time to stop the madness and quit making New Years Restitution and make some realistic “Resolutions”.  Now in contrast to Biblical knowledge a resolution is a fast from something and when we fast it is because we are seeking spiritual wisdom on something.  Well those of us that have a few pounds to lose would be seeking wisdom in how not to eat so much or how to safely exercise without hurting our bodies further.  Thing is we have to do it in small chunks and then build up from those.  Set small easy to attain goals for the first three months of the year and then gradually add a little more and you will find that you will not be making restitution for a failure in 2009.

 

There are 14 scriptures in the NIV that are related to “restitution” in which all are in the Old Testament, and NONE for “resolution”.  Now there’s something to think about.  If you look up “fast” or “fasting” there are 47 results which some will be just the word fast as in moving fast but the majority of them are on the fasting we are looking for.  Here are the scriptures for today taken from Matthew 6:

 

Fasting

 16″When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

 19″Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 22″The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 24″No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Do Not Worry

 25″Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]?

 28″And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

Key Verse:

Matthew 6:16
[ Fasting ] “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:15-17 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter)

 

 

Send your questions to us if you need help.  There is a link on our web site called “Ask The Pastor”.  We will answer all questions live on our weekly Ask The Pastor program on Saturday nights from 8-10 PM and if you want an emailed reply be sure to include your email address.  Remember the only dumb question is the one not asked.

 

PEACE and AGAPE LOVE, Pastor, Dad, DJ Dude

 

From The Desk Of:

Pastor Stephen Eldridge

c2C    http://www.c2cministry.org

 

If this is a blessing to you please pass it on. 

 

Got Jesus?

Matthew 7:7-8                 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

 

 

You can go to http://www.c2cministry.org/Bible for the links to each days Bible chapters.

Past sermons and special programs are now available on our web site FREE of charge, no money required http://www.c2cministry.org/sermons.htm.  If you have someone you know that does not speak English we now have teachings in about 13 different languages, FREE of charge, no credit card required, no money down zero per month.  Go to http://www.c2cministry.org/worldwide.htm  Also past PRaP’s are being loaded on our web site http://www.c2cministry.org/PRaP/ starting from 6-11-05 to present or on our blog.

Blog 12-22-2011

Here is a blast from the past that holds true today.  I originally wrote this in 2008 and I was on clean up today and found this on a CD and as I read it I found it important to repeat.

Monday

PRaP 5/12/08

 

“Alien”

 

Do you ever feel that way? You go to an event and feel like you are the only one that doesn’t fit in? What is really weird is when you feel that way amongst so call brothers and sisters in Christ. You walk in and you listen in on conversations of others and all they seem to be talking about is their house or their car or how much money they are investing in this and that and women are talking about the latest sale at the shoe factory or the makeup counter and they are doing this at church. I know that as we grow spiritually that the worldly things seem to be further than ever from our minds but I sometimes also wonder if maybe there is a point that just maybe we can take that too far? Am I set apart so far as to not be able to relate with people my own age and worst of all with the same belief system I have. When I think of this I can only imagine how Christ felt. He, the Perfect sacrifice for the world was so set apart you wonder how he ever had any friends. He related better with sinners, non-believers, prostitutes, and tax collectors. I find myself being pulled further away from “Christians” in my own age group because they seem to be so wrapped up in the world they have lost sight of Christ. Maybe I am missing something here? Christ got along with everyone except the leaders of the Jewish people who denied His existence, well they denied Him being the Christ. But the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:11; “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” I guess this is what it means to live by faith. Hebrews 11:13 “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” When you are at a party are you the alien? When you admit to being a virgin are you laughed at and called weird? When you refuse to follow the culture of this world do you feel alone? You’re in good company and you’re not alone. The Bible says that we should live as a peculiar people not like the world. Try and find that balance that you can be all things to all people in order that you may help lead a few to Jesus, whom they cannot see.

 

Hebrews 11

 

Key Verse:

Hebrews 11:40
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Hebrews 11:39-40 (in Context) Hebrews 11 (Whole Chapter)

 

Week 20 for those of you doing the Bible in 52 weeks program, http://www.c2cministry.org/Bible

 

Send your questions to us if you need help. There is a link on our web site called “Ask The Pastor”. We will answer all questions live on our weekly Ask The Pastor program on Saturday nights from 8-10 PM and if you want an emailed reply be sure to include your email address. Remember the only dumb question is the one not asked. All names are kept confidential unless you say it is ok.

 

 

PEACE and AGAPE LOVE, Pastor, Dad, DJ Dude

 

From The Desk Of:

Pastor Stephen Eldridge

steve@c2cministry.org

c2C http://www.c2cministry.org

 

Got Jesus?

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Blog 12-21-2011

Wednesday

PRaP 12-21-2011

 

“Wisdom” part 13 of 31

Proverbs 13

 

“Spare the rod spoil the child” Proverbs 13:24 is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible.  There is nothing in that verse that even looks like it says this.  Here let’s look at several versions of this scripture

 

NIV: Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
   but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

NAS: He who ^(A)withholds his ^[a]rod hates his son,
But he who loves him ^[b](B)disciplines him diligently

NLT: Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.
      Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

KJV: He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

NKJ: He who spares his rod hates his son,
      But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

 

Hmmmm, none of these versions say spare the rod spoil the child do they?

 

It is not easy for a loving parent to discipline a child, but it is necessary.  The greatest responsibility God gives parents is the nurture and guidance of their children.  Lack of discipline puts parents love in question because it shows a lack of concern for the character development of their children.  Disciplining children averts long range disaster.  Without correction, children grow up with no clear understanding of right and wrong and with little direction to their lives.  Don’t be afraid to discipline your children.  It is an act of love.  Remember, however, that your efforts cannot make your children wise; they can only encourage your children to seek God’s wisdom above all else!  Also this doesn’t give you permission to beat your children with a stick into submission either but a swat across the backside with an open hand can be used to get their attention if they are about to hurt themselves or someone else.  Many parents out there beat themselves up because they have tried to discipline their children but their children didn’t accept the discipline.  Don’t beat yourself up for their foolishness for it will only bring their own personal downfall in life. Stay true to God’s plan and it will go well with you.  Continue to discipline them when they need it as God has told us to do and when they reach the age of accountability it will be upon their heads and not yours.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve