The Pastor's Pocket

  On our way to and from church for the past six months, we drive through a construction zone where they are building a new road. It’s a major project and at this point you can’t tell how and where it will one day reach completion. There are a lot of earth-moving bulldozers, dump trucks, and a lot of other machinery moving all over the place. At this point, only the architects and engineers really know how it will eventually come together to become a major highway. It’s like that with our lives. Sometimes we go through trials, pass through the fires of hardship, and we wonder how it all fits together in God’s ultimate plan for us. The Apostle John wrote in I John 3:2, “It doth not yet appear what we shall be…” In other words, right now, only the Divine Architect knows how it all fits together, but this much we do know; He does have a purpose and plan. John goes on to say in that same verse, “…when He shall appear, we shall be like Him”. One day, we will come to the completion phase...

   Jesus is “the people’s Savior” Remember the angel that announced the birth of Christ and the message of “good tidings of great joy”? That angel also said, “which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10). God sent His Son into the world to benefit the entire human race–all races, all creeds, tribes and tongues–including people just like you and me. Jesus came to all people, not to condemn, but to save people from all continents, from every direction, from all backgrounds, and from all ages. To reach all people, He had to become one of the people, yet without sin. This is the essence of the redemption story. Jesus truly is the people’s Savior. Jesus died for all people (I John 2:2). The cross reaches out to all! The empty tomb offers hope, salvation, restoration and eternal life for all people. Provision has been made for all, but of course all do not come to Him! Why not? Unbelief; many simply will not believe. They will not receive the gift that Jesus offers. However, the script...

  “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18a Christian maturity does not come easily. If it did, everybody would attain it. The sad truth is, the majority of those who claim to be saved will never reach their full potential in Christ. Why not? Perhaps I could offer a few observations. First of all, there is resistance that every believer will face in the endeavor to grow. When seeds develop into small sprouts they will have to push up through the soil in order to begin the process towards maturity. It’s not easy. Some never make it. It’s the same way with a young Christian. Today’s ungodly culture is not conducive to spiritual growth. Secondly, there is of course, the adversary of every believer, Satan himself, who will hinder, discourage, intimidate, and oppose the growth process. Why, because a mature, well-grounded Christian poses a threat to him and his objectives. The devil’s opposition to the growth of any Christian is just one...

   The number of saints who are not on the battlefield for Christ is a great tragedy of modern Christendom. Far too many Christians are (spiritually speaking) still in the playpen, they are still in the nursery. Within every church there are large numbers of saints that have never reached spiritual maturity. They’ve been saved, they attend church, but they have never progressed beyond spiritual infancy. The apostles faced this same problem in the early churches of the first century (Hebrews 5:12-6:3). They urged the saints to press on and to grow beyond the elementary foundation of their faith. What a huge difference it would make if Christians like this would move beyond the playpen and develop into rock-solid soldiers for Christ! What are some of the characteristics of babies? They are somewhat selfish, impatient, and they crave attention. They cry a lot, and are dependent on someone else to meet their needs. Spiritual babies have the same characteristics. They’re selfish, a...

   Just do the right thing! Contrary to what many people believe today, there are absolutes in life. Some things are wrong and will always be wrong. Some things are right and will always be right. For example, the Bible says, “honor thy father and thy mother”. It’s always right to do so. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”. It’s always wrong to lie and to deceive. There are always choices in life. We make choices every day. The challenge is to choose to do right. To do the right thing requires courage and moral fortitude, but it has its rewards. Dr. Laura, a radio talk show host who takes calls from listeners, often ends a conversation with these words, “now, just go do the right thing”. I like that. Doing the right thing may not always be easy or even popular, but it makes the most sense. Read the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37–50. Joseph had a tough time. His brothers sold him into slavery. Potiphar’s wife lied about his actions and had him impri...

  Scripture tells us that Christ loves His church and gave Himself for it (Ephesians 5:25b). If Jesus love the church, then we who are saved should love it too. I have had the privilege of serving as a Pastor for many years. Serving Jesus through serving His church has been the great joy of my Chrisitan life. It’s been a labor of love. I’m going to say something here that may sound strange to some of you, I have never had a church. None of the churches that I have pastored were mine. Every one of them were the Lord’s, and they still are. God called me to shepherd His flock, His people (Psalm 100:3). I have met many people through the years who have soured on the church. They have given up on the church, and even declared they don’t need the church. That saddens me and I’m sure it grieves the heart of God. Jesus gave His life for the church, shed His blood for the church, and He loves His church. If Jesus loved the church, His bride, enough to die for her, then I will love her too. ...

  We’ve all just come through the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. And for many, the holidays are somewhat painful, primarily because a loved one is missing from their life.  A family member or close friend, who either died of natural causes, or perhaps was suddenly taken because of a tragedy of some kind.  I read of a minister who tragically lost a son in a horrific auto accident days before Christmas some years ago. For this man of God and his wife, the holidays are particularly painful.  Another woman shared that in a short time, she lost her father, mother and two of her brothers in unexpected and tragic ways (one through suicide).  To say the least the holidays have never been the same for her.  Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:13 that no temptation hath taken us but such as “is common to man”.  In other words, everyone goes through “testing seasons”. Everybody; Christians included, face trials and storms in their lives.  ...

   Oh the power and potential of our words! Words matter. It’s been said that “words are cheap”. Think again. Words launch wars. Words destroy credibility. Words can lead to broken homes. In James 3:2-10, it warns us of the destructive power of our words. It even declares, “The tongue can no man tame...” Only through the power of the Holy Spirit, can we learn to “master” our mouth. Words are like matches. They can ignite a raging forest fire of strife, hate, resentment, and confusion. However, they can also create hope, unlock faith, encourage, and motivate. What we say and how we say it matters. It matters a lot. Our words reveal our character. They tell others what kind of person we are. Words reveal what is in the heart. As a Pastor for many years, I’ve witnessed words destroy marriages, ruin relationships, and even cause division in the church. On the other hand, I’ve noticed how words can calm a tense situation, conquer discouragement, and even unlock forgiveness, leading...

   You can rise above adversity In this “dog-eat-dog” world we live in, it seems there are always people around to push you down. Besides that, we have an adversary, the devil, who wants to push you into a valley and keep you there. Remember the story of the man who had some kind of infirmity for 38 years? In John chapter 5 we are told he and many others sat beside the pool of Bethesda WAITING for someone to come along and place them in the pool. Jesus came by and said, “Wilt thou be made whole?” In other words, do you WANT to be healed? And then He said to the man, “Rise, take up your bed and walk”. I am also reminded of Joseph in the Old Testament who was sold into slavery by his brothers and yet Joseph, in spite of his mistreatment, rose to greatness in Egypt. The Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph”. By faith and with great patience, Joseph knew the Lord would see him through his season of adversity. Here is something t remember: If you remain faithful to God, He can rea...

   Have you ever considered your body a “tool” for righteousness? That’s what the Apostle Paul teaches us to believe, and for good reason! “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:12-13 (I encourage you to read Romans 6 in its entirety.) Most of us have never fully appreciated the awesome benefits of being “in Christ”. As Christians, we are to walk (live daily) in the newness of life provided for us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. As new-born believers, we, by our position in Christ, are “dead to sin” (Romans 6:2). What’s that mean? It means sin is no longer our master. We are not under its power any longer. We are free to live with the power of God giving us victory at each and every temptation. Verse 11...

  Here in the last chapter of the Bible, there is another reference to service unto the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. The context of course, is eternity and what we, as God’s children will do for eternity. We will serve our Redeemer forever. Do you find that strange? So many have the idea that heaven is nothing more than an eternal nap, where we rest in our hammock while the angels fan over us. No so! When Jesus called His disciples, He said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). He called them to serve. He had things for them to do in His Kingdom. I strongly believe that a call to salvation, is a call to Christian service. We should be busy for the Master, executing His will, just a Jesus came to earth to do the will of His Father. Obviously, we not all called nor all gifted to do the same thing (I Corinthians 12:27-29), but whatever, wherever, or to whomever you are called to serve – do it heartily, with all your might because this is just d...

   The Cross Intersects Heaven and Hell You can’t bypass it, you can’t go around it. It confronts us all on the journey of life. Sooner or later we must come by way of the cross. To reject what Jesus did at Calvary, to reject the payment in full for your sin debt secured at the cross, is to “punch your ticket” for hell. To accept what Jesus accomplished on the cross and to receive the pardon He offers is to guarantee your place in heaven. The one thing you cannot do is remain neutral. The cross is the heart of the gospel. All of history hinges on the event that occurred 2000 years ago just outside Jerusalem. It’s what really matters. If you take away the covenants, take away baptism, take away the golden rule and even some other doctrines, you might still have a religion–but relationship with God would be impossible were it not for the cross, the blood of Jesus, and the sacrifice of Christ. History has despised it, burned it, gold-plated it, trashed it, ridiculed it, and some ...

   It’s a New Year, but we serve the same God! Aren’t you glad that though things are rapidly changing all around us, our God never does? (Malachi 3:6)  In Joshua chapter 3, the Israelites were at the bank of the Jordan River.  They were about to “cross over” and enter the land of promise, the land flowing with milk and honey, pomegranates, figs, grapes, and all kinds of things to enjoy.  Yes, they would face new challenges.  The fortified city of Jericho was just across the river and a lot of other unknowns and uncertainties (vs.4), but they would find the grace of God to be sufficient for their every need.  They were reminded that the same God who was with Moses, would stand strong for them also.  The same God who had brought them out of Egypt, would bring them out of the wilderness and into the promised land.  The same God who had performed a miracle at the Red Sea, would now perform a miracle and part the waters of Jordan.  Friend, h...

  Go For God!! This is a phrase I have said in many messages and to a lot of individuals over the years. As a new year begins on the calendar, we open a new chapter in our lives! We can put last year’s failures behind us, under the blood, and begin writing a new chapter. That’s exciting! So what will a new year bring our way? New challenges to be sure... Perhaps the Lord will return in 2023! Whatever we encounter, we can rest in the promises of God’s grace. As the Lord told Joshua as he entered a new frontier, “be strong and of good courage...” (Joshua 1:6); we can run with the strength that God will provide us. “Let us not grow weary in well doing...” (Galatians 6:9). Let’s keep running the race set before us, pray fervently, and stay after souls! What is written in this new chapter called 2023 is up to you and I. So determine to make this new year a great one, a blessed one, a happy one. We can’t control everything that will come our way, but we can control our attitude and our e...