The Pastor's Pocket

How strong is your desire for the will of God – His purpose and plan for your life? The proof of your desire is what you are willing to pursue. What dominates your thoughts? What receives your time and attention? Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”   In Mark chapter 5, the woman who was sick, wanted to be well. She pushed, she reached, and she received her miracle. In Mark chapter 10, the blind man really wanted to receive his sight. He cried out, and cried out again, from his desperation. He pursued and received his miracle.   Desires are like people. They are born, they grow, and they can die. We must learn to focus, to reach, to believe, and to embrace, the will of God. We demonstrate the strength of our desire to follow the Lord each day by what it is that we pursue. It never hurt

Revelation 21:5 says, “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. ”   Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a total makeover? You know, those before and after pictures? A brand new you? Well, a makeover on the outside does not guarantee a change on the inside. However, God really does change people. It happened to me many years ago when I surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. When God does His transforming work, it begins internally, and it is truly transforming. Consider with me just how God can bring about the all-new-you. It begins with the new birth (John 3:3). I’ve had one birth I can’t remember, and one I can’t forget. God can take the worst of sinners, and by His grace, make them a child of God, and birth in them eternal life. With a new birth comes a new nature. We are given a desire to love the Lord and to serve Him (2 Peter 1:4).   With this internal transformat

Joshua 4:6a says, “that this may be a sign among you…” Did you know there are over 130 monuments dedicated to something to remember in the USA?   We are all familiar with the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, and the Statue of Liberty in New York City. All of these, and many, many more, are designated as historic sites, so that future generations may not forget a person, a place, or an ideal. Perhaps you have visited such sites before. Some of the most memorable monuments were built to remember soldiers who gave their lives in wars. They fought to protect our freedoms in America.  They gave everything so we could live as free people.   Near Washington DC is the statue of the six soldiers planting the flag at Iwo Jima, dedicated by President Eisenhower in 1954. In Washington DC you find the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with the names of over 58,000 who were killed in that war, it was dedicated in 1982, and you can visit the World War II memorial. Of course, there

Jesus often told someone to do something that didn’t make sense, but they followed His instructions anyway and were blessed. Some even witnessed a miracle.   If we remember who God is – the Almighty – the Sovereign Lord of the universe, we should have no problem doing what He instructs us to do. Someone wrote a song several years ago that said, “If God said it, I believe it, and that settles it for me.” The fact is; if God says it, that settles it, whether you believe it or not.   FACT : The Bible is God’s infallible, inerrant Word. Why should we believe that? Because God said so (I Timothy 3:16). FACT : Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. Why should we believe that? Because Jesus said so (John 14:6) FACT : Lost sinners that reject Christ go to hell. Many say, “I can’t accept that.” Well, that is a fact because God said so (Matthew 23:33). FACT : Jesus is coming again. He said it himself, “ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; tha

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (I Peter 4:12-13)   Peter wrote his letter to Christians, many of whom were suffering through extreme ordeals. Some were engaged in desperate circumstances. Some were driven from their homes, and many were struggling just to survive, so Peter gave them hope. He encouraged them to look beyond their present condition and to rejoice even in the midst of their troubles.   Our troublesome situations today might not be the same as those first century believers, but the truth is, sooner or later we will all face troubles and trials along life’s journey. Here are some principles to remember: . Trials are common things. James 1:2 teaches us, it is when, not if, we encounter various trials. If you have no tro

Many Christians have gone along just fine for the Lord and then seemed to have lost sight of their goal. They got distracted. Broken focus is the cause of much discouragement and stumbling.  Are you 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 your focus so that you allow minor things to consume your time, your energy, and your attention.  Don’t let Satan have the victory.  Don’t allow yourself to get sidetracked. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Love Him, serve Him, hour by hour, day by day.   The Pastor’sPocket Pastor Bruce Freeman    

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” It’s true – God’s grace is sufficient for whatever we face. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  We, like Paul, must learn to glory in our infirmities, our weakness, so that the power of God may rest upon us. The Lord is our rock, our fortress, our shield, and our protection.   God’s grace is available for every heartache, every trial, every pain, every temptation, every problem known to man. His grace supports us through every storm and difficulty we face. So, praise God for His grace. No wonder we sing “Amazing Grace”.   ThePastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman  

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.   I have declared this many, many times, and it is so true; it’s not about us, it’s all about Him.   We have nothing to boast in, except in th

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 store, 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 of these things will hinder our walk with God if we don’t make an effort to stay in-touch with our Savior. Pay attention to your spiritual condition.  Feed your inner man every day.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:14-16, “for this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father”. He prayed that the Christians in Ephesus would be “strengthened by the Spirit in their inner

Trusting God, pleases God. 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 if 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. Just let go. Quit trying to control every situation yourself, 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    

We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by believing the promises of God. My friend, you cut yourself short if you accept anything less than God’s best for your life. Claim the promises of God. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen…” (2 Corinthians 1:20). They are for our generation as much as any other’s. Here are three things about God’s promises:   1.     What God does, reveals what He is.   When God makes a promise, He reveals His character. He is faithful, powerful, truthful, which means God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).   He has the power to bring to pass what He declares He will fulfill. 2.     God’s only pain is to be doubted, His only pleasure is to be believed.   God is pleased when we claim His promises and believe Him.   We grieve the heart of God when we act in unbelief or doubt His Word. 3.     What you believe determines what you overcome. Jesus asked the blind men in Matthew 9:28, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?”   They replied, “Y

Revelation 3:20 says, “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,”. Jesus is saying in this verse that He will come in if we will just open the door of our heart. He comes in to redeem, to save, and to change our lives forever.   God the Father sent heaven’s best for the world’s worst sinners. Jesus came to this earth to reconcile fallen man, to a Holy God. He accomplished this through the cross. He paid for our sins with His precious blood. The cross was the bridge to make a way for weary sinners to come home. Every time someone comes to Christ by faith, they become a new creature. Old things are passed away, and all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).   Has Jesus been knocking at the door of your heart? Stand, on this amazing promise; He will come in and fellowship with you. He promised!   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 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.  In Philippians 3:13-14, he said, “ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.? 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’

  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. There is only one thing th

Hebrews 10:25 says, “Exhorting one another”. The word “exhorting” means: to comfort, to entreat, to encourage, or 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 people that might need a little encouragement, then give it to them.   T

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 I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks…”. The same Paul who was criticized, beaten, thrown in prison, and suffered shipwreck, goes on to say in this same verse, “…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. To be grateful is a choice.  It’s an attitude we choose to manifest, and 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. When she was asked, how are you? she always responded with, “I’m thankful”. She passed away at the age of 93. Do you think she faced any trying circumstances in those 93 years? Of course she did, but her response was always the same, “I’m thankful”.   We simply cannot control everything we face in life.  Sometimes things go well for us, sometimes they don’t.  Life i

  A “shout out” to all of the Moms on this their special day! I’ll begin with a heartfelt “thank you” to the four Moms in my own life.   My Mother, who is in glory now, gave birth to me, raised me right and prayed faithfully for me every day when I was lost. The Kingsmen recorded a song years ago with these lyrics; “When Momma prayed, heaven paid attention”. That was so true of my Mom. God answered her prayers for me in October 1978 when I was saved and called to preach. Thank you, Mom, for your unconditional love. My Mother-in-law. She gave birth to my wife Cindy, who God had picked out for me. For forty-four years now she has been right by my side. Thank you, Lord, for providing the wife I needed.   My wife Cindy gave birth to our daughters, Marsha, and Mandy. What a Mom Cindy has been. I’ve watched her, up close, be the best example to our girls they could ever see. My daughter Marsha gave birth to our two grandchildren, Aaron, and Anna. Wow – what a blessing Aaron and Anna

You can never correct what you are unwilling to confront. Most people shy away from confrontation. It’s just seldom enjoyable. However, there can be no victory without a fight! The enemy must be confronted if the war is to be won. We human beings struggle with many things; anger, unforgiveness, pride, financial problems, family issues, laziness, attitude problems, declining morals in our culture, a nation adrift - the list is endless.  Perhaps our car is making a funny noise or something in our house needs attention, a leaky faucet, paint that is peeling, a roof that is leaking, a door that is squeaking. None of these things will ever be corrected or repaired if we are not willing to admit there is a problem.   I am amazed when I read of how Elijah confronted a wicked king named Ahab (I Kings 18).  The nation had been led into idolatry. The people had forsaken the Lord. Elijah confronted the problem and God gave him a great victory.   No matter what it is in your life that is causing y

In today’s devotion, we look at two men from the Bible. Two men with great potential, but with extremely different last chapters of their lives.   Sampson: a man with tremendous potential, but something happened that hurt him deeply and filled him with bitterness. That bitterness led him down the road of self-destruction (Read Judges, chapters 14 – 16).   It’s been said that life is five percent what happens to us, and ninety-five percent how we respond to those things. All of us have potential to live productive and fulfilling lives for the cause of Christ. It’s what we do with the incidents that come our way, the negative experiences, the pain, or the hurt, that can write the final chapters of our lives. We can choose to be driven by bitterness, fear, anger, or guilt, or we can receive the forgiveness offered by the Lord and start anew with a fresh start. Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Simon Peter: He denied Jesus three times.

Do you believe in “divine connections”? I do . These are people that God purposely puts in our path to help us, instruct us, to protect us, to warn us, or even promote us.  If we are paying attention, we’ll learn to recognize these people for what they are.   When we read the story of Joseph, it seems he had to deal with one bad break after another.   Hated by his jealous brothers, he was sold into slavery and eventually found himself in Egypt.   While there, God put people in his life who were capable of promoting him, and before he knew it, he was living in the palace, second in command only, to the Pharaoh.   The man from Ethiopia in Acts 8 needed someone to help him interpret the scriptures.  God sent Philip to him, who helped him understand what he was reading.  Philip was the “divine connection” the man needed. The Good Samaritan was the connection for the man in need.   None of us would have made it this far in life without people that God sent our way to help motivate us, teach

  In Matthew 17:5 the scripture says, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him”. In other words, listen to and heed the words of Jesus. Who we listen to matters a great deal. Who we lend our ears to, can affect our attitudes, our actions, the decisions we make, the life we live.   There are many examples in the Bible of people listening to the wrong voices.   Eve listened to the wrong voice in the garden, and it resulted in a monumental failure. Israel listened to the wrong voices (the ten spies), and many of them died in the wilderness, never reaching the promised land. Sampson listened to the wrong voice (Delilah) and suffered for it. Jonah wouldn’t listen to God, and he wound up spending some time in whale university.   Obviously listening to God has advantages. Noah listened to God and was spared from the flood. Abraham listened to God and was blessed beyond measure. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John listened to Jesus when He called them to follow Him,

If everyone was perfect, the Church would not be needed or necessary. Ministries would be useless because there would be no one with flaws, problems, issues, or hang-ups. Well, we live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. All around us are people struggling with sin, some are bruised and broken, flawed and frustrated, battered and bitter, critical and confused, discouraged and disillusioned, hungry or hopeless. Perhaps you are in one of these categories. The truth is, we all need a Savior, and we all need the Church.   The Apostle Paul strongly believed this when he wrote his letters to Timothy and Titus. He described difficult situations and mentioned all kinds of people with all kinds of problems, but he knew things could change. Paul also knew these men could be agents of change, so he instructed them to preach the Word to those who were ignorant of God’s wisdom. (I Timothy 4:11-16, 6:17-19, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Titus 1:4-5, Titus 1:10-12.   The need for Christian min

Psalm 119:133 says, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. ” The Psalmist makes a profound and practical request. He wanted his daily life to be lived according to the principles of holy scripture so that no act of rebellion, no sinful desire, would have dominion over his daily decisions. What a prayer. What a desire. What a request.   Have you ever prayed this? Lord, order my steps in your Word. It’s a wonderful way to begin your day, to begin your week. Learn this little verse. Commit it to memory. It will serve you well as you go about your day. Let God’s Word guide you in decision making, the things you do, the places you go, and remember: each step you take matters to the Lord.   The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman  

Nehemiah 2:18b says, “ So they strengthened their hands for this good work”. You might remember the story of Nehemiah; a man mightily used by God to challenge His people to “rise up and build”. God put it in Nehemiah’s heart to rebuild the walls around his beloved city, Jerusalem, after it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Nehemiah knew he could not accomplish this great task by himself. He needed helpers, workers, and laborers to complete the work. With Nehemiah’s vision, burden, desire, determination, and many who were committed to seeing this project through, the walls were completely restored in 52 days.   Any church, any ministry, needs people who will labor for Christ. Folks who will apply their time and their energies in pushing the Kingdom of God forward. I love to see people with a servant’s heart, who will pitch in and labor for the Master. Are you one of those people?   Remember Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians? He commended them for their “work of faith and labo