The Pastor's Pocket

  We’re halfway through the year*, can you believe it?  Let’s do an audit, an introspective look at ourselves.  With the pressures of life as intense as they are, any of us can get out of balance.  We all have the potential to neglect what’s really important to us personally and to the Kingdom of God.  An audit, in the financial world is a thorough examination of the books, looking for balance between deposits and withdrawals.  A “life-audit” is similar. You take a hard look at the deposits and withdrawals of your time, your energy, your resources, activities, relationships.  If there are more withdrawals than deposits, you are operating your life “in the red”!  Sooner or later, something is going to break or fall apart – it may be you!  All of us have to know our limits.  Allowing too many withdrawals without making enough deposits leaves us empty, discouraged and exhausted.  One of the key strategies of the devil is to wear us down spiritually, emotionally, mentally or physically.  F

We’ve all experienced desperate moments. Those moments, sudden moments, when crying out to God is all we can do.   You remember when Peter walked on the water.  He did fine for a while.  Then the wind and waves kicked up.  Peter was afraid.  He lost his focus. He looked at the trouble and took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. The Bible says he cried, Lord, save me. It was a prayer of desperation. Immediately, the Lord stretched out his hand and caught him.  Jonah had a similar experience.  His desperate moment came from inside the belly of the whale. Jonah 2:2, “…I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” God responded to Jonah’s cry for help and was delivered.   Just as we who are fathers would respond to our child in serious trouble, God responds to our desperate cries. When we cry out to Him, we exhibit our faith in Him. Faith always stirs the heart of God. If you are feeling helpless, cry out

Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”   You cannot live the Christian life in your own strength, your own wisdom. It requires the power of Christ, a supernatural work of grace and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. When you study scriptures like the above verse in Galatians, you realize that It’s not you really, it’s Jesus living through you that results in a positive day to day manifestation of Christian attitudes and actions.   When you stop trying and start trusting, it changes everything. You must learn to trust Christ to do the work in you that makes you more like Him. The sooner you realize you can’t, but He can, the sooner you will rest your soul from the frustration of trying to live out the Christian life in your own strength. Memorize Galatians 2:20. Meditate on its meaning. You will

  We’re living in tough times, but we all have a choice; surrender to defeat or stand and fight back. James 4:7 instructs us to resist the devil. Resist means to offer resistance, to fight back, to stand against, to withstand.   The devil is the chief adversary of every Christian. He is our number one enemy. He is a liar, a murderer, a thief, and a deceiver. He is a loser and he’s going down. Do you want this enemy to succeed against you? Do you want to stand idly by while he ruins your world? Do want to see the devil discourage and defeat you? Do you want the adversary to rob you of what is rightfully yours? Friend, you must fight back.   Satan will use four distinct steps to take you out. (1) Desire: he will identify a sinful desire within you and will try to get you to fulfill it. (2) Doubt: he tries to get you to doubt the promises of God. (3) Deception: remember the devil is a liar. He places the thought in your head that it’s only a little sin, go ahead. A little sin is like

Most people worry too much. As I have said many times, why worry when you can pray.  The best thing we can do when something has us all tied up in knots is to give the problem to God.  He is much bigger, stronger, and wiser than we will ever be, and He can handle our fears.   King Hezekiah faced a tough situation.   The Assyrians were threatening God’s people, telling lies about him, and trying to convince the people that Hezekiah could not stand up to an impending invasion. When Hezekiah received the threatening letter, he went to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. (2 Kings 19:14)   God heard the King’s prayer. 2 Kings 19:35 tells us the angel of the Lord wiped out 185,000 of the enemy, defended the city and the Lord’s honor. What can we learn from this? Here are some wisdom tips to help you with your worries:   1.     Define your situation honestly and clearly.  A simple solution may present itself if you take the time to clearly define what it is you’re worried ab

Scripture references: Matthew 4:18-19 and Luke 5:4   When Jesus called His first disciples by the sea of Galilee, they were fishermen. The scripture says that Jesus saw two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, casting their nets into the sea. He said to them “follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus was saying to them, follow me and I will teach you how to win souls.   Nothing is more important to the Lord than winning the lost to Christ. Fishermen by the sea of Galilee used large nets to catch fish. Let’s talk about the net for a moment. I borrowed a few thoughts from Dr. Adrian Rogers who is in glory now. He was a prince of a preacher. Pastored a great soul-winning church in Memphis, Tennessee.   First: “Cast the net diligently.”  We can’t lead anyone to the Lord if we don’t try – again and again.   Second: “Repair the net quickly.” As those men had learned years prior, if the net developed a breakage, the fish would break through and not be caught. The devil loves to cause

I John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.” These are the same avenues of temptation that Satan has used successfully against mankind for as long as men and women have been on the earth.  We must memorize them, recognize them, and realize that the devil attacks us through these same three areas.  Notice the verse says clearly that these are not “of the Father”.   The devil always attacks us from the outside, through our flesh, our senses, taste, touch, sight, or hearing. He tries to mess with our mind and our emotions which are part of our soul, leading us into sin. He used these avenues to entice Eve, in the garden. Genesis 3:6 says, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat , and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.”  

I n I Kings 18, we read about a famine during King Ahab’s reign.   For three and a half years, no rain fell upon the parched ground.   Cattle were dying. Crops wouldn’t grow. Wells dried up. It was a hard time for all living things to say the least. But God honored the prayers of Elijah, the prophet.   A miracle was on the way.   In our verses 41-45, Elijah told Ahab to get up, have a good meal, and prepare for a downpour.   After crying out to God on top of Mount Carmel, Elijah told his servant to go and look out over the sea.   The servant did as he was told, came back to Elijah and said, “There is nothing” (vs. 43).   Elijah said, “Go again seven times”.   Finally, after the seventh time of going and looking out over the sea, the servant returned and said he saw a little cloud about the size of “a man’s hand”.   Before you know it, there was a mighty rainstorm on the way (vs. 45).   I heard the story of an Olympic athlete named Beth.   She had to complete a 26 mile marathon in l

The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We have been created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). There is not another person in the entire world just like you. Your fingerprint is unique. Your voice is unique. There is no one exactly like you. Celebrate your distinction. Your significance in this world is not your similarity to others, but rather your distinction from others.   Our reward in life is determined by the problems we solve for others. People with health problems need a doctor. People with car problems need a mechanic. People with spiritual problems need a pastor. God will always bless us individually when we use our gifts, talents, abilities, and resources to help others in some way. Currents of favor begin to flow the moment we help meet a need in someone else’s life.   Israel needed a deliverer – God sent Moses. The armies of Israel needed a champion – God sent David. The church needed a “rock”, a foundation to help them grown – God sent Peter

There must be a transfer of Biblical truth from your head to your heart… The late, great 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 is in the Bible must get out of the Bible and into your life to affect you.   If the gospel ever gets past your ears and into your heart, it will change your life (2 Corinthians 5:17).  As a Christian you have probably heard many sermons and you may have learned a great deal of what is in the Bible. The issue for God is how much of it has affected your life.  What real difference has what you know to be true, made in your 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?

“…let us run with patience the race that is set before us”, 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 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, and comfort us as we travel along our journey.  Only the Christian can claim the mercy and forgiveness offered by the Good 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

When God saved me and called me to preach 44 years ago, I was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do next. A man, a total stranger, knelt to pray with me on that October Sunday morning.  He gave me words of wisdom that I’ve never forgotten.  He said, “Wherever God leads you, He feeds you”. This is true for me, for you, for anybody.  If God gives you an instruction, He will supply whatever you need to successfully carry out His will.  It’s like a divine umbrella that provides wisdom, grace, finances and protection.  If we do His will, He will provide.   The Lord told a blind man in John chapter 9, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.”  The man did as he was told, and he received his sight. A genuine miracle followed his obedience to an instruction.   God gave instructions to Joshua after Moses had died, to lead the people into the promise land. In Joshua chapter 1, the Lord promised him that He would be with him. He said, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (vs.5).   Friend, you can cou

“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to who tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour”, Romans 13:7.   The word honor means to highly esteem, to show respect, to value. There are some things God teaches us to honor. First and foremost, we are to honor the Lord. He in turn, promises to honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30). We are taught to honor His Word. We honor the Word of God when we live by its principles, and by obeying its instructions.   We are to honor God’s people. Every born-again believer is a brother and sister in God’s family, worthy of respect. God’s prophets are to be honored. Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, all who present the gospel to others. All of those are infallible people, but worthy of honor for the position they hold (I Timothy 5:17).   Those of old age are to be honored. They may be up in years, but they have lived long enough to teach us some things if we will listen (Leviticus 19:32). Parents are to be h

In reading Psalm 23, have you ever considered the meaning of the words, “Thou anointest my head with oil”, found in verse 5?  Remember; the writer of this Psalm, David, was a shepherd.  He knew well how to care for sheep. So as he writes these words, he draws on his own experiences to relate the good care of the Lord, our Shepherd, for His people.   A shepherd would anoint or rub oil on the sheep for two primary reasons: (1) To repel annoying insects.   If certain insects were allowed to deposit their eggs into the soft membrane of a sheep’s nose, they would drive the animal crazy.   The ewes would stop producing milk and the lambs would be hindered in their growth. So, the shepherd applied oil like repellent that kept the insects off of the sheep and kept the flock happy and at peace. (2) To heal wounds. A wound today could become tomorrow’s infection.   So, oil would be applied to scratches and cuts to fight disease and infection from spreading to other members of the flock.   In

“And we know that all things work together for to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”, Romans 8:28.   Do you know your purpose in life?  Everyone should know the answer to this question. How do you discover your purpose? Here are a few helpful hints:   Look within yourself . What moves you? What stirs you up inside? What excites you?  We know from reading Paul’s letters to the churches that it was the gospel that moved him to live as he did.  He said once to the Corinthians, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:16).   Look behind yourself . What has life taught you? What experiences have you had that lead you in the decisions you are making now?   Look around yourself . God always uses people around us to influence us.  Interact with the right people – it will lead you to the right destiny.   Look ahead of yourself . Do you have the faith to trust God with your future?  Helen Keller said, “The only thing that’s worse than being blin

We can easily sin against God by doing the wrong thing in our relationship with other people. Remember what Joseph said when tempted by Potiphar’s wife? “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”, Genesis 39:9. He knew that if he yielded to the temptation, he would be sinning against God.   Too many Christians block the flow of favor and blessing from God in their lives because they offend the Lord in their dealings with other people. Unanswered prayer, hindered worship, and lack of joy; these things and many other spiritual problems arise from relationship problems or sins against other people.   Let me ask a few soul searching questions.  Can you think of people you may have hurt or offended in some way?  Are you bitter or holding grudges against people that may have hurt you?  Are you involved in any improper relationship right now? Have you gotten too close to someone of the opposite sex at work? Do you avoid regular fellowship with your local church? Are yo

Understanding our new identity in Christ is critical to living a victorious and fulfilled life. The Bible makes it clear that we are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:1-9). There is nothing anyone can do to earn God’s wonderful gift of salvation. We simply open our hearts and by faith, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s cross. When we do, we become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The past is forgiven and forgotten. We are free to abide in Christ and to live following the principles He taught.   Let me illustrate it this way; when jumper cables are used to start a car that has a dead battery. The energy of the good battery flows through the cables to the dead battery and that battery becomes alive again.  Jesus died and came back to life with all the power necessary to jump start all of us who were dead in sin. The cable – the Holy Spirit – connects our dead spirit with Jesus’ victory over death. Our spirit is raised to walk in the newness of l

One of the most amazing conversions in scripture is the salvation of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9). After his amazing encounter with the Lord, he became Paul the Apostle, the great missionary to the Gentile people of his day. From one who persecuted Christians, to someone who embraced Christ Himself. Paul became a Christian after doing everything he could to stop the spread of Christianity.   No one, no matter how messed-up they may be, is beyond the reach of the Almighty. I, at one point in my life had no interest in spiritual things, no interest in God’s plan for my life.  I was blinded to the truth of the Gospel, addicted to this world and on the road to destruction, but I was not beyond the reach of God’s mercy.  His mercy is greater than our mess.   Perhaps you are bound by sin, chasing fame and fortune, living for self and have no interest in what God can do for you. Perhaps you are unsaved, backslidden, rebellious, or calloused toward the things of God. If you will stop running from H

In Matthew 26:40, Jesus said to His disciples, “What, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray”.   “One hour” – that convicts me, it challenges me. There are 24 hours in each day. Can we not find one hour to get alone with God and talk to Him? The scriptures teach us that Jesus, at this present moment, is in heaven, making intercession in prayer for us (Hebrews 7:25). You and I are on His “prayer list” right now. He prayed while here on earth and continues to pray in heaven. Every genuine revival I know anything about was first bathed in prayer. If we want happy homes, successful churches, and a nation that honors God, we must pray. I’m challenging you to make time to pray. Pursue a ministry of prayer. The rewards are incredible.   The Pastor’sPocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

Psalm 31:1, “In thee, O L ORD , do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.”   As a boy, my dad would sometimes let me sit in his lap and steer the car on the way home from the Post Office. This was before power steering; it was a 1960 Chevrolet. I would do well until we met a car or a truck. Then I would panic! Dad’s instruction to me was this, “Just watch your side of the road son, stay in your lane.”  Whenever I would start to lose it, dad would take the wheel.   If Jesus has never had control of the wheel in your life, give it to Him. Your soul, your career, your marriage; yield everything to His control. Avoid the temptation to take the wheel yourself when life gets rough. If you think you can handle it all by yourself, you’re wrong. Confess, every day, “Lord, take the wheel.  I don’t have the wisdom to tackle all that I might face today.” Pray , ask for His guidance to help you stay in your lane. Trust the Lord, moment by moment, as the day goes

In yesterday’s Pastor’s Pocket, I pointed out reasons why so many Christians never reach maturity, never reach their full potential in Christ.   In review, here they are: There is resistance that every believer will face in the endeavor to grow. The adversary of every believer, Satan. The nature of the Christian life itself is not one of ease.  These obstacles are real, making it difficult to develop and grow, but they can be overcome.   It begins with a desire .   Every new-born believer must want to grow.   I have observed many people new in the faith and wondered, do they care?   Do they want to grow up or are they content to stay in infancy?   Babies get lots of attention. Just look around after church services conclude on Sundays and where is all the attention? You guessed it – where the babies are. Find a rather large group of people and most likely you’ll find an infant in the middle. The truth is, some infant Christians get addicted to attention.   It’s nice to get attentio

2 Peter 3:18a says, “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 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 Chris

I heard it once said, “bitterness is the poison you swallow, while hoping the other person dies.” Bitterness can be very destructive; harmful physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.   We must deal with it, conquer it, and get victory over it, or it will destroy us. A lot of things happen to us inside our bodies when bitterness is allowed to set up in our soul.   Job expressed bitterness of soul as he tried to cope with all that he was experiencing (Job 7:11, 10:1).   Carrying around bitterness, anger, and frustration can leave us an emotional wreck.   Spiritually, it can ruin our walk with God and affect other relationships in our life.   No wonder Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:31, “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you”.   I have watched many people through the years be overcome with bitterness.   It’s sad.   Disappointments can be hard to overcome.   We’ve all had to face disappointments in life, but disappointment can grow . I