The Pastor's Pocket

  “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name forever.” Psalm 34:3 Magnify the Lord…how do we do that?  God is already “huge” in every way.  He is greater in His wisdom, His power; nothing is too hard for Him!  The idea is to expand our thinking about Him.  For example, when you put something under a microscope and then look at it, it’s not that what you’re observing through the microscope is actually any larger, but it appears bigger to you because of the lens. The truth is, our God is Great; truly Awesome and Glorious; and it’s time we saw Him “bigger” in our mind and in our spirit.  He’s bigger than your problem, bigger than the Doctor’s report, bigger than your enemies, bigger than your burdens, bigger than your financial troubles, bigger than your pain, bigger than your failures, and yes, bigger than your sin (Romans 5:20). Learn to see God bigger than anything or anyone and it will lift your heavy heart and increase your faith! The Pastor’s...

  Our God is an awesome God! Has anyone reminded you of this truth lately? I Chronicles 29:11-13 says, “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” David penned these words after God’s people had freely given a huge offering for the temple.  He was overwhelmed by the generosity of His people and their love for the Lord, and yet, the King knew it was God who was responsible for this offering and so he offered up praise to Him.  “It’s not about us, it’s all about Him”?  I have declared this many, many times, and it is so true.  We have nothing to bo...

  There’s no doubt about it, we live today at a frantic pace.  Our whole culture seems caught up in the life-in-the-fast-lane.  It is like everybody has A.D.D.!  The danger though is that we are so busy, we don’t take time to slow down and listen for God’s “small still voice”. Rare is the Christian or the Church that takes the time to seek God’s face.  I’m always somewhat stunned when I read God’s message to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3.  When He repeatedly says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”. How can we hear what God is trying to say to us if there is so much noise and busyness in our lives and His voice is drowned out? Jesus was one of the busiest people who ever lived!  He constantly had people approaching Him with their problems, sicknesses and disease, and yet He often withdrew to quiet places to get alone with His Father (Luke 5:16, Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46). If Jesus saw the need to slow down a...

  We all have a life to live out, and we must take responsibility for the way we choose to live it.  Influences come from all directions; family, friends, the media, etc.  But in the end, we are all accountable for how we live our lives (Romans 14:12). We who know Christ as our Savior, often stumble and fall, but we have a Shepherd (John 10:11).  One who seeks to guide us, protect us and comfort us as we travel along our journey.  Only the Christian can claim the mercy and forgiveness offered by the Shepherd to those who fall. What is the alternative to the Christian life and the journey of faith?  It is not pretty! It is a crowded path, a path of darkness (John 3:19). A path that is filled with peril and danger and at any time the unbeliever can step into eternity without Christ. You have a choice! You can go with God and enjoy a path of blessing, unconditional love and forgiveness, or you can go it on your own, walk in darkness, and risk stumbling into a ...

  Are you moving forward in your faith? Unless we make a conscious effort to keep growing in our faith and moving forward in the Lord, we have a tendency to drift, stagnate, weaken, and even grow complacent and lazy. In the natural world, if you buy a nice bunch of bananas at the grocery story, bring them home and put them on the kitchen counter, if you haven’t eaten those bananas in several days, take a good look at them and what do you see?  It’s a reality we can’t ignore. Things left to themselves tend to go downhill. For every Christian there are spiritual forces at work to weaken us.  The pressures of life, the attacks of Satan, the forces of this world system, all these things will hinder our walk with God if we don’t make an effort to stay “fresh” and in-touch with our Savior. Pay attention to your spiritual condition!  Feed your “inner man” this week.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:14-16, “for this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father”. He prayed that the C...

 We must learn to trust God with everything, even when what He’s doing doesn’t make sense to us.  Trusting Him brings Him great pleasure! Abraham followed God not knowing where he was going. Hannah waited on God’s timing, not knowing when her baby would come.  Mary expected a miracle not knowing how it would come about. Joseph trusted God’s purpose, not knowing why things happened as they did. God wants to be in control of every area of our lives it we will just let him.  Many Christians have not learned to trust God with their money, so they don’t tithe.  Some believers fail to trust the Lord in their relationships, so they push and try to manipulate people in their life. Let’s just LET GO! Quit trying to control every situation and let God work His sovereign plan.  It’s His purpose that matters! Trust the Lord my friend, and remember this: nothing under His control is ever out of control. The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

  Satan hates finishers! He loves quitters however. This is why we must determine to be faithful believers and complete the things God calls us to do.  If the devil can discourage us and influence us to give up on the things God has assigned us to do, the tasks will go unfinished. Consider this; Jesus was a finisher (John 19:30, 17:4, Hebrews 12:2). The Apostle Paul was a finisher (2 Timothy 4:7).  These examples encourage us and help us realize that even though the temptation to quit on God is always there, we can complete the tasks that the Lord has given us. No matter where you are in your Christian journey; near the beginning of your walk with God, near the end, or somewhere in the middle; determine to be a finisher!  Work hard, run well, and never, ever, ever, ever give up.  The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

  If you are a Christian, you have an invisible target on your back! The Bible speaks of the “fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16).  The devil perceives you as a threat, the culture considers you irrelevant and sometimes even family and friends think you stand in the way of their own agenda.  Jesus even warned us, “the world hateth you” (John 15:19). But why do I say the target is on your back? Because Paul said we wear the “shield of faith”.  A shield is always held in front of the soldier.  God has provided all the spiritual armor we need to defeat the oncoming attacks of our enemies.  The only one place that is ever exposed is our back side. This is why you must confront the forces of evil head-on.  Stand firm in your faith. Confront your problems. Face-up to the enemy.  Live for God. Do the will of God. Never turn your back on your opponent and God will give you the victory (I Corinthians 15:57-58). The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Free...

  Broken focus is the cause of much discouragement and stumbling. How many Christians have you known who were going along just fine for the Lord and then seemed to lose sight of their goal?  They got distracted and discouraged.  Are you a Christian living with a broken focus? Peter wrote in I Peter 2:21 that Christ “…leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps”.  As long as we stay focused and follow in the steps of Jesus we will be happy, fruitful, and productive believers.  Christ taught us to keep our focus when He said, “seek ye first the kingdom of God…” Matthew 6:33. Remember this, my friend: Satan’s goal is to “break our focus” so that we allow minor things to consume our time, our energy, and our attention.  Don’t let it happen!  Just keep on loving Jesus, serving Jesus, hour by hour, day by day. Don’t allow yourself to get “sidetracked” by the little things. The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

  We share this planet with other people.  As long as we live, we will interact with people, so remember this; no relationship in your life is insignificant. The Apostle Paul discussed how we need each other in I Corinthians 12:21, “the eye cannot say to the hand I have not need of thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have not need of you.” Using a comparison to the human body, he illustrated how inter-connected we really are.  Each of us has knowledge, talent and skills that others can benefit from. We cannot succeed in a society which ignores the potential of its people, and it’s the same in the Church.  So guard your friendships within your Church. Cherish them. You need them and they need you! By the way, make the effort to establish new friendships within your Church.  Everyone benefits in the long run.  Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that has friends must show himself friendly…” The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

  When you replay the past, you poison the present.  Perhaps this is why Jesus once said, “No man, having put his hand to the plow looking back , is fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). We must all keep pressing forward in our journey, forgetting the failures of the past.  Our focus must always be to press on as did the Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:13-14).  Every Christian has experienced heartaches, sorrows and setbacks in his or her life, but we must not dwell on those things.  Why? Because focusing our attention on the past only drains our energy that is needed for the present challenge. Keep pressing on my friend.  What you are willing to walk away from determines what God will bring you to. The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

 As Christians, we’re destined for something much better than what this world has to offer!  As the old song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through, my treasure is laid up somewhere beyond the blue…And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” The Bible tells us our time on earth is brief (Psalm 103:15 / James 4:4).  If we’ve trusted Jesus as our Savior, our eternal home is heaven.  Therefore we are seen as pilgrims just passing through here.  We are aliens, strangers to this present, evil world system. Isn’t it silly? We spend so much time trying to “have it all” here and now, when in reality we already have it all “in Christ”.  Abundant life that Jesus told us about doesn’t have anything to do with having an abundance of things.  It has to do with the quality of life we possess with all the spiritual riches that come from knowing Christ. God warns us not to love this world.  We must never get too attached to “stuff”....

  I came across a tragic story about some mountain climbers who had scaled a mountain and were on their way down.  They came to a very steep place, so they roped themselves together and were lowering themselves off a cliff when their rope broke.  They fell to their deaths. An investigation led to the reason for the tragedy.  They were not using genuine Alpine rope.  You see, Alpine rope has a red strand running through it. It’s guaranteed not to break.  Most mountain climbers in Switzerland use it.  For some strange reason, these climbers were not using the Alpine rope and it cost them their lives. When I read that story, my mind went to the “red”, precious blood of Jesus that guarantees salvation. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold…but with the precious blood of Christ…” (I Peter 1:18-19).  Going to church, claiming your own good works, reading the Bible, etc. won’t get you into heaven. Ther...

  “Exhorting one another…” Hebrews 10:25 Paul uses the word “exhorting” (Greek: parakaleo).  It means to comfort, to entreat or to encourage, to stir. When we see someone who needs encouragement, we should give it to them. Why? Because a lot of people are discouraged, their hearts are broken because of any number of things. They may have problems of all sorts, troubles that may be weighing them down.  Someone once said, “more people die of broken hearts than swelled heads”.  I think that’s true – don’t you? A little boy once said, “Come on Dad, let’s play catch.  I’ll throw the ball and you can shout ‘WOW’!”  It’s important to encourage others.  Lots of professional athletes, when they were young, had someone who encouraged them and believed in them.  We should never give up trying to exhort people, trying to help them along life’s pathway.  Most folks will make progress if they have somebody, anybody, who encourages them a little. Look for p...

  What a way to live! It’s not as easy as it may seem though.  Being thankful, even in the most trying circumstances, is a choice we must learn to make. Paul wrote “in everything give thanks…” Who wrote that? Yes; Paul. The same Paul who was beaten, criticized, thrown in prison, suffered shipwreck, hunger and many other harsh life experiences he probably never wrote about.  He goes on to say in this same verse, “…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). To be grateful is a choice!  It’s an attitude we choose to manifest. But whenever we decide to be thankful, we are in the will of God. There was a dear lady who would come occasionally with family to the church I was pastoring, who, when she was asked, “how are you?” always responded with “I’m thankful”. She just recently passed away at the age of 93. Do you think she faced trying circumstances in those 93 years? Of course she did, but her response was always the same, “I’m...

 Every relationship in life must be tested… Jesus said something in the Gospel of Luke that we need to think about; “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you…” (Luke 6:26).  If we are living a godly life, we are going to be criticized for it. The fact is; we should have a few enemies. If we have the mind of Christ and the heart of compassion the scriptures clearly teach we should have; we want to help people, we want to reach out to people. However, every relationship in our life (outside of our family) should be tested. In other words, are we really succeeding in lifting them up or are they dragging us down? God instructed the Israelites that those you let remain, “…shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell” (Numbers 33:55).  Obviously there were reasons why God required His people to separate themselves from some of the people around them. You must discern those who belong in your past. Sometimes you...

  God’s “commandments are not grievous”. I John 5:3 In other words, they are not difficult to obey for those who love the Lord. Christianity is not just dos and don’ts. However, they are in the Bible for our benefit.  God knows that certain boundaries are needed for our well-being. Moral, physical, and spiritual boundaries are given so that we might live full and abundant lives. The truth is, when we put God first, we are happier.  When we follow the restrictions found in God’s Word, the quality of our life is much better overall.  The Book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom ready to be harvested.  It also is full of dos and don’ts.  For example: don’t envy the wicked (24:1), don’t try to get even with people (24:29), don’t boast of tomorrow (27:1), don’t brag or praise yourself (27:2), do fear the Lord (24:21), do love your enemy (25:21), do discipline your children (29:17).  Proverbs contains a host of other instructions that indicate your wisdom if y...

  All of us have a race to run! Hebrews 12:1 We all have a life to live out, and we must take responsibility for the way we choose to live it.  Influences come from all directions; family, friends, the media, etc. But in the end, we’re all accountable for how we live our lives (Romans 14:12). We who know Christ as our Savior often stumble and fall, but we have a Shepherd (John 10:11).  One who seeks to guide us, protect us, and comfort us as we travel along on our journey.  Only the Christian can claim the mercy and forgiveness offered by the Shepherd to those who fall. What is the alternative to the Christian life and the journey of faith?  It’s not pretty!  It’s a crowded path.  A path of darkness (John 3:19), filled with peril and danger and at any time, the unbeliever can step into eternity without Christ. You have a choice!  You can go with God and enjoy a path of blessing, unconditional love and forgiveness, or you can go it on your own, wal...

  D.L. Moody once said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, the Bible was given to change our life.” In other words, what’s IN the Bible must GET OUT of the Bible and INTO your life in order to affect you.  There must be a transfer of Biblical truth from your head to your heart. If the Gospel ever gets past your ears and into your heart, it will change your life (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Many Christians have heard a ton of sermons and they may have learned a great deal of what’s in the Bible, the issue for God is how much of it has affected our lives.  What real difference has what we know to be true made in our daily routine? Since you’ve become a follower of Christ, are you more loving, kind, sensitive to the Spirit, compassionate, discerning, faithful, committed, active, involved, giving, aware of other’s needs, and interested in God’s will?  Are you less hateful, proud, boastful, covetous, critical, selfish, negative, carnal, stubborn or envious...

  “Ye are the salt of the earth...” (Matthew 5:13) So how salty are we? Jesus compared us who are saved to salt. Put salt on any kind of food and it will change how it tastes. Salt has influence, wouldn’t you agree? Those of us who attend church on a regular basis can grow complacent toward the needs of those on the outside. Yet Jesus plainly said, “Ye are the salt of the earth...” That is profound! The whole “earth”–that goes way beyond our own church family. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus would have us to influence those beyond the walls of our own church. Here is a little guide you can use to measure how salty you are: Do you believe in the potential of others?Do you serve those who can’t serve you? Do you love those who don’t love you back? Do you give to others expecting nothing in return? Do you reach out to anyone outside of your own church family? It’s time we all reevaluate our level of saltiness. How much influence do we have on those who desperately need to be ...

  God deserves all the glory for anything we accomplish! Acts 12:23, Revelation 4 and 5 The Bible consistently warns us not to think too highly of what we do because God alone deserves the glory for whatever we become or attain. We live in a society that ascribes way too much glory to men. Athletes that can hit home runs, drive a golf ball 300 yards, win races, or simply run fast; make millions of dollars and are made out to be idols and heroes. Successful businessmen who make the top fifty “Forbes” list, glory in their financial clout and even in the Church we often see too much pride and think we have need of nothing. On the average Sunday in America there are more people in stadiums, arenas and race tracks than there are in churches. The only one deserving of glory and worship is God! No athlete, politician, musician or minister anywhere, could accomplish anything were it not for the Almighty that gives them their breath to breathe. Sure, we’ve gone to the moon, split the atom, ...

  Happy Mother’s Day! Today, I give a hearty “shout out” to all of the Moms, especially my own, who is 90 years young now and still going strong. One of seven children, my Mother was raised in a Christian home. There were two boys and five girls; a musical family. They all played instruments and sang. In fact, back in the 30s, they travelled all over, singing in churches, at civic clubs and reunions. My birth was a difficult one, and during that time, my Mother dedicated me to the Lord, praying that God would someday use her son. When I gave my heart to Christ and was called to preach at age 21, I guess she was the happiest mother in the world! I put my Mom through many sleepless nights, but because of her faithful intercession on my behalf, I am serving God today, 35 years now, preaching the gospel. Don’t you feel you have the best Mom in the world? I guess we all feel that way. It’s a tough job raising children. Perhaps your Mom has passed on; keep her memory alive. If your Mothe...

  Only God Never Changes (Malachi 3:6) Everything else in your life and mine changes. Nothing stays the same. The weather, our bodies, the company you work for, the church you attend, your marriage, your children, the country you live in, the town where you reside; all of these things and a hundred more go through changes. It’s part of life. We all tend to resist change, we are comfortable when things stay the same. But life teaches us that change occurs–it just does. Christians seem resistant to change as much as anyone else. When change occurs for the better, we need to accept it, even embrace it!  I’ve been around people that long for “the good ol’ days”. But life on earth brings change and some of it is an improvement over the old. For example, would you really want to return to the days without air conditioning? I doubt it. How about trading your car in for a horse and buggy? I doubt you would go for that either. Don’t decry change my friend. Like it or not, it will affec...

  The great prophet Isaiah once spoke those words. What is involved in saying that? It means; all I have Lord, I place at your disposal. Perhaps you think you have nothing to offer the Almighty, but how can you think that if you are created in the image of God? Hear me friend, when you give to God what you have, He gives to you what He has! Power, wisdom, discernment, His anointing, gifts, talent; it all comes freely your way when you give yourself to Him. Too many Christians are convinced they don’t have anything to offer to the Kingdom. Benjamin Franklin, remember him from History Class? “Old Ben” had less than 2 years of formal education and yet he founded America’s first library. At age 30, he started the first fire department. At age 36, he designed a heating stove that is still used to this day. At age 40, he harnessed the power of electricity. At age 45, he launched the nation’s first university, and at age 79, he invented bifocals. He was an economist, a philosopher, a dipl...

  There is a powerful lesson about prayer in Exodus 17:8-16. Verse 8 says, “Then came Amalek...” These bands of raiders in the desert were the Israelites first adversaries in the wilderness after they left Egypt. The Amalekites were descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:12). They attacked Israel from the rear and were a thorn in their side for many years to come. Amalekites could represent any number of things: problems, troubles, adversaries, headaches–anything that drives us crazy! Joshua was instructed to gather men to fight while Moses went up on top of a hill to pray and intercede for them. Aaron and Hur went with him. As it turned out, the real battle was not with those fighting in the desert, but rather with the intercessors on the mountain. God gave the victory while Moses prayed and Aaron and Hur held up his arms. Why does it take us so long to learn that intercessory prayer is far more important than organization, programs, armies, money, or even education? There is nothing mor...

  The highest level an athlete can attain in just about any sport is Pro (professional). Huge numbers of people play a sport in high school. Very few however, ever make it to the professional level. For example; in baseball, if an athlete is good enough in high school, he may go onto the college level. He may be noticed and sign with a team that sends him to the minor league level. Eventually, if he works hard and develops his skills, he may make it to the “Big Leagues”. Only a handful ever make it that far. In golf, only 2% of all the people around the world who play the game will ever attain the professional level and actually make a living playing golf. In the Christian life, it is the desire of God for every believer to reach full maturity. This requires effort and growth. Ephesians 1:4 says, “...that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” To attain this goal, we must “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Deve...

  “Brethren, pray for us.” (I Thessalonians 5:25) Someone once said, “There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him”. When we lift one another up to God in prayer, love grows in our hearts for each other; and that’s a good thing! Have you wondered, as I have, how people can feel lonely and feel like no one cares in the midst of this age of technology? Communication is enhanced, yet there are folks with all kinds of technological devices who are still lonely. I guess it is a humbling thing to ask someone to pray for us, and yet that is exactly what the Apostle Paul asked of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Could it be we are too proud to ask? Are we too private to draw others into our world by asking them to “...pray for us”? Let us pray for one another. Love for one another always grows where prayer for one another is a common thing. The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

  Behind great accomplihsments are great people! In Daniel 11:32, the Bible says, “but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits”. The word “exploits” means great things, unusual things or extraordinary things. How do great things and extraordinary things get done? They get done by great people. Notice the verse says, “the people who do know their God shall be strong”. Strength or inner fortitude comes from an intimate knowledge of the Almighty. As we grow in our relationship with the Lord and we really get to know Him, we grow in strength and creativity. Nothing can stop us from great accomplishments. It’s amazing what we can do when we put our mind to it. Determination, hard work, perseverance, desire; all these things grow inside of us the tighter we get with the Lord. The sky is the limit for anyone who will pursue an intimate knowledge of the Holy One. Question: Is God great? Is God the Creator? Answer: YES! Well get this–you and I are made in His image...