Archive for Spiritual Fruit
HOPE
Posted by: | CommentsHope is such a big word…Hope is something we all want…but hope is at its greatest when we have moments of despair and desperately turn to God. This past week I have relived somethings that I would rather forget. I cannot reveal the content but I can speak in generalities. People and situations came my way this week that resurfaced some deep pain. Although I did not want to deal with them, I did. I turned to God and stood by the truth. Throughout the week God has given me strength and even hope about what a dismal experience of betrayal and deception that seems to linger to this day. God has given me Hope that He can help me rise above the hurt, slander, falsehood, and persecution. God has shown that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake…once again God has taught me that hope in trying times must come through trust in Him. He has also given me the Hope that know matter what He will protect my character and someday all things will be clearly seen for what they are…the truth has and will always set us free.
Thank you God for a Hope that is a true Hope that only you can give.
Things that make you go hum!
Posted by: | CommentsRecently I sat down and reviewed my minsitry. I thought about the things that make me go HUM!
In my ministry I have always been honest with myself and God. Those who know me know that I am a person of integrity and that I have strong convictions. As a preacher I really try to be in the midst of God’s people delivering His Word with power, conviction, confidence and boldness! I do not believe there is any room to mix up words or water things down when it comes to the Word of God…that is just me!
Although I should not be surprised or hurt when people don’t like this or have issues with my ministry I must confess it still makes me go hum! I began my pastoral minsitry in 1997 as a youth pastor and have been the church pastor of two churches. Throughout those experiences I have ran into people who have viewed my ministry has either condeming or compelling. Most have chosen the later. Most view my preaching and minsitry as refreshing, Christ exalting and God focued. They like that I edify the body of Christ through both encouragment and rebuke at times. It is refreshing to see people who are spiritually uplifted and those who truly yield themselves to the teachings of Christ.
However, the thing that makes me go hum the most is the opposite side. How can the vast majority be moved by my preaching…even when I admit the topic may be strong, and someone else see it totally opposite? It baffles me how God’s people can question the Word of God or question the autority of God? It blows me away that people will not yeild themselves to the teachings of God!
I realize I should not feel this way. God tells pastors to be prepared for this. Some prophets will be rejected. Some messages will convict. Some messages need to be preached and God is looking for a few men of God who will have the boldness to preach His truths. What I have learned is that I do just that! As a result some will reject that…even Christians will reject that message!
I have learned that I have to leave the results to God…that does not mean the things people say or do does not hurt…I am human! It does hurt when a family leaves or when someone says my message was condeming…even when the truth was spoken in love out of conviction. It does concern me when someone walks away with the wrong idea or rejects God’s truth. But I trust that God is in that moment. Only He can change someones heart…but the Word of God is one way in which He does that…so I preach to transform by the power of God.
Loving People
Posted by: | CommentsThese past couple of weeks have been challenging for me as a pastor, but very rewarding. I have had a lot of opportunities to love people for Jesus. Some throught the loss of a loved one, others in the hospital, some through marriage issues and others through conflict. Loving people is rewarding but exhausting. But I just wanted everyone to know that when you love someone and see God move through that love it is an awesome feeling!
Peace
Posted by: | CommentsToday during my quite time the Lord taught me something as if for the first time. The topic was about God’s peace. Isn’t peace something we all want in life? Isn’t the peace of God something to behold? I beleive so! In fact the moments I have experienced God’s supernatural peace defy explanation…because His Peace cannot be explained or understood. It can only be grasped by a believer and follower of Christ.
However, what about everyday life. This is where I struggle. Peace moment by moment. Or having peace with people who are causing problems or making life and ministry difficult. How about having people with people who reject the peace you are trying to bring. That steals my peace. But GOd taught me somethings today that I want to write down in their rawest form. SO please realize this is fresh and not well developed but it is making peace in my heart right now so I want to share it.
God’s peace is with every believer. We must understand the Jesus is the Prince of Peace. All peace must ultimately God from Him! There will be circumastances and people that will try and steal are peace so we have to learn how to respond.
I will only speak about people right now…for it seems in my life that it has been the hurt that others have caused me in my life that most often steals my peace. SUre there have been some circumstances and even sometimes things that I have done (sin) that have stolen my peace and caused me pain. But for now God is speaking to me on how to minister PEACE when dealing with others.
First, brining peace to others is GOd’s business. We cannot make someone accept our message of peace. As a pastor I often talk to people and try to help them have peace. Many times my attempts are rejected. What God has taught me is this…I am only a messenger.
Second, God has also taught me that if someone is unwilling to accept the message of teh King and His Kingdom it is not my fault. No matter how aggressive or how earnestly I want to convince someone about the Word of God and the path of the Everlasting, if they refuse to listen and apply it I am wasting air. SO I have to be receptive as to whether or not someone is willing to listen the message of Peace (Truth, Way and Life).
Third, WHen you enter a home or a situation Jesus taught His disciples to say, "My Peace I leave with You" However, if they reject your peace it returns to you and you leave. That is it. You walk away.
Fourth, as you walk away you wipe the dust off your feet. WOW! That sounds harsh…even non peaceful. But Jesus is not saying be mean. He is saying don’t let them steal your peace. If they don’t want peace that is their heart problem. Take your peace back and wipe of the dust and move on.
THese concepts may sound simple above. Okay, I can do that. If someone rejects my message of peace I can wipe off the dust off my feet and move on. Yet, for me it is difficult. As a pastor I love people so deeply and care for them. It hurts me to see them hurt. It hurts me worse to see them loose peace or to continue in sin. It hurts me even more when I come with the message of peace from God’s word and they refuse to listen or heed to it! It hurts when they believe things that are not biblical and they continue in their ways refusing to attempt they are wrong.
The truth is I believe so deeply in the WOrd that I want to share that with everyone. I want everyone to walk witht under the peace of the Prince of Peace. The thing I have to learn to do is to take my peace back adn wipe off the dust.
SO guess what! I am going to try this principle that our Lord the Prince of peace taught! I am going to minister by saying, "May my peace be upon you." If the peace of the King and Kingdom that I bring is rejected I am going to learn not to spin my wheels so to speak…but to take my peace back and wipe the dust off my feet. This does not mean I won’t care. It means that until someone is ready to hear the truth and accept God’s ways, I am not going to loose my peace.
May the Lord of Peace be upon you.
PC