The Pastor's Pocket

The story of Job is familiar to most who have read the Bible.  Job suffered more losses than a lot of us will experience in a lifetime.  He lost his livelihood, his children, his health, his possessions, his house, and his friends turned against him. There came a point when there was no one left on which he could lean on.   It’s interesting to note that it was after Job had been abandoned by his friends, that the realization of his Redeemer’s faithfulness fell upon his desolate soul.  In Job 19:25, Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer liveth,”. He appreciated his relationship with God more, now that all his other relationships had let him down.   If you live a dedicated, godly life, you’re going to be deserted by someone sooner or later. But God will never desert you. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5b.   When God is all you have, you will discover He is all you need to press on.   Who is it in your life that...

  “Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” Romans 12:11b   Most pastors I talk to share with me the same struggle. That is, how to keep their people motivated. How to help them maintain a fervency in serving in their various ministries. I certainly don’t have the answer, as I struggle with the same thing. I know we are still suffering from the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. However, I witnessed this lack of fervency even before Covid.   Perhaps it is partly a fulfillment of Paul’s prophecy in 2 Timothy 3 where he said that God’s people would be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;” We seem to have no problem being fervent about a ball game, a race, or a theme park, but we struggle to be fervent in our service for the Lord. What can change that? Revival. Only when we are truly revived in our hearts and rearrange our priorities will we ever change. Our fervency will be restored when we understand what a privilege it is to serve the King of Kings.   I ha...

2 Corinthians 2:11 says, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Satan’s devices, his tricks, schemes and methods are many.    Anyone who has ever gone fishing knows that you use any kind of bait that will work to catch fish.   I enjoy fishing for bass.   I have all kinds of bait (lures) in my little tackle box.   If one lure is not successful in helping me catch a fish, I will try another. Satan is somewhat of a fisherman.   He has many ways in which to snare unsuspecting people.   We must be aware of his lures.   The devil is a deceiver, and his plan is to destroy our God-given purpose and to distract us from the will of God.   Here are some of the lures Satan has used successfully to ruin the testimony of many: The appeal of the world (II Timothy 4:10). Things, material possessions (Luke 12:15, Mark 10:21). Money, the hunger for wealth (I Timothy 6:7,10). Sexual temptation, seduction (Judges 16:4...

Psalm 50:14-15, “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”   Notice the three key words here: offer, pay, call.  “Offer unto God thanksgiving.”  Many times, we rush right into the throne room of God with our requests and fail to pause and praise Him and thank Him for His goodness, His faithfulness, His provision, and His kindness towards us.  We have so much to be thankful for and a lot to praise Him for every day.   We are to “ pay thy vows unto the most High:” The idea is to keep our promises.   To follow through with what we’ve promised to do.   Have we paid our tithes? Have we done what we said we would do in our relationships with others?   Then God says, “call upon me in the day of trouble:” Troubles, trials, and problems, are all a part of life.  No one is exempt from them, not even believers. But when they come, we are to c...

It all comes down to the individual.  If we want a better country, better churches, and better homes, then each of us, must take personal responsibility for the condition of our own heart before God.   When you study Psalm 51, you see the conversation of a man who is focused on the issues relating to one man – himself. David is coming clean before God.  He is dealing with his own stuff.  He is not blaming his family, his friends, or his environment.  He is just putting the sin, his own sin, out on the table, and claiming the cleansing and forgiveness that God Almighty freely offers to anyone who will be honest and humble with Him. Hosea 10:12 issues an urgent call and a promise, “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.” God will heal.  God will forgive. God will restore and revive.  It’s up to us to do our part.   We all know the ...

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”   Learning to wait on God to move or to answer our prayers requires absolute trust.  When we get ahead of God, we rob Him of an opportunity to prove His power and wisdom in our situations.  We must be patient and endure seasons of waiting at times.  Remember Hannah?  She so desperately wanted a child and pray she did, but God granted her desire in His own time.   Our flesh hates waiting, so we must crucify the flesh, trust God, and allow Him to move on His timetable, not ours. Waiting on God is not wasted time.  James 1:4 says, “Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  Waiting allows for our faith to grow, and as we develop in character and integrity, we will be ready to accept God’s will, whatever that may be. Waiting allows us to gather information to assess our options and to s...

We’ve never really given a problem over to God until we completely trust Him with the outcome. So much of our faith in prayer is tied to getting God to do what we think is best. We rejoice as long as God does what we ask or as long as God responds as we think He should.  But what if God has other plans? Is He any less faithful?   The truth is, God sometimes does have plans that differ from our own agenda.  As we pray, we must be willing to accept whatever He determines best.  That’s never easy, but it’s a place we must come to in our understanding of God.   The story is told in Daniel chapter 3 of the three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. A decree went out from the Babylonian king that everyone in the province was to bow down to the golden statue (an idol), and if anyone refused, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace.  I love the bold faith of these three men in verse 17 when they said that God is able to deliver them from the fiery f...

Whatsoever and whosoever. Both words indicate no limits and both words are used by our Lord in reference to prayer.   Mark 11:22-24, “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”   We know that without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Faith is more than believing God.  Devils believe and tremble.  Faith involves trust.  Faith is the magnet that draws God into our situations.  Jesus teaches us to exercise our faith and if we do, nothing will be impossible (Matthew 17:20).   What a bold confirmation to claim as we pray and cry out to God. ...

Prayer and a holy life are inter-connected.  They act and react with one another.  Neither can thrive alone. The church today is often powerless because of carnality, worldly influence, and sin within the lives of the redeemed.  The fact that there is so much sin in the church proves that we’re not praying enough or that we’re praying ineffectively or improperly. The danger for the modern-day church is ceaseless activity and lots of ministries, minus effective prayer. There must be a balance between the two.   God’s Word, in Hebrews 4:16, tell us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”.  We are to plead the blood, to pray in faith, and pray in Jesus’ name.  Prayer is not laying hold of God’s reluctance, but rather His willingness to respond, knowing that He will reward those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).    Consider the promises to those who pray:   Matthew 7:7-8, “A...

A life of prayer, marked by prayer, filled with prayer, is a sure sign of a true believer.  Just as an infant’s first sign of life is a cry, so the earliest sign of a person born again is to pray.  A common characteristic of all Christians is that they pray.  A common characteristic of the wicked is that they do not. Psalm 14:4 says, “The workers of iniquity call not upon the Lord”. Our first act of faith is to speak to the Lord because we have access to the throne of grace through the merits of the shed blood of Christ (Romans 5:2 and Ephesians 2:18).  Many Christians are failing in their prayer life. Is that true of you?   Neglecting to pray is neglecting to live one giant aspect of the Word, for so much of the Bible is about prayer.   How can we successfully live the Word and neglect our prayer life? How can a church congregation claim to be living the Word and fail to remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 21:13, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”. ...

In today’s devotional, I want to draw another parallel between the church and the game of football. We know that we have the ultimate playbook, the Bible. Most of us know the game plan, but we are failing to take that into the field and execute the will of our Heavenly Father. It’s nice to hear sermons and Sunday School lessons when we go to church, but we must absorb the truth of scripture and then act on it. Walk it out in our daily life. What good is it to have the playbook memorized and to know the game plan that will lead to victory, if we do not execute the plays?   The Word of God is the greatest accumulation of winning plays ever written, yet most Christians never study it, or even read it. Come on church – let’s get in the game. With all the evil invading our country, our communities, and our homes, we must know what the playbook says.   When playing football you can get injured and being a part of a church filled with people, you can be hurt by something someone ...

Most of you reading this devotional today have either attended a football game or watched one on television. Perhaps some of you have been on a team and have played on the field.   Today I want to draw some parallels between church and the game of football. Football is a contact sport. It can be brutal. Athletes run into each other on purpose and injuries occur frequently.   I believe the church has become soft. We assume we can fight the world, the flesh, the devil, and never be wounded. Too many people in the church are so easily offended by what someone says or does. Perhaps all of us need to toughen up. We are in the final minutes of the fourth quarter before our Lord returns. It’s only going to get harder to take a stand for Christ. Don’t give up, back up, or shut up. Your team needs you to be strong and courageous in these final hours.   Too many Christians today are content to stay in the locker room. To hide inside the walls of the church building when the g...

“Now the Lord had said to Abram…” (Genesis 12:1). Abraham had somehow developed the ability to hear God’s voice. I am intrigued by that. Remember, this was at a time when there were no prophets and Abraham had no scripture to go by.  This man had nothing else to turn to for guidance and yet he heard God speak and he obeyed. He was being called to leave his livelihood, his home, his security. He was asked to leave his comfort zone and he did just that. I believe Abraham had developed a close relationship with the Lord, which, by the way, takes time. No wonder he discerned that God was speaking to him.   This hearing from God is not something others can do for us. We must have such a relationship that we hear the Lord speak and know it is Him. Nothing increases our confidence like hearing from God ourselves.   One other thing that strikes me in Genesis 12; Abraham was fairly wealthy when God called him. But the instruction from God was not, stay where you are and I will ble...

You know, those annoying bumps, usually found in parks, shopping centers, hospitals, etc. Most of us, if we’re honest, don’t like them, but they do serve a purpose. They slow us down.   If we had our way, we would always choose smooth sailing. We would never get sick, never experience disappointments, disruptions, trials, trouble, or have any problems in our life. The truth is, we live in an imperfect world where many bumps will come our way. God works His purpose and plan through those bumps.   Three words come to mind: In John 15, Jesus speaks of pruning . In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul mentions suffering . The writer of Hebrews in chapter 12 talks about chastening .  All these things tend to make us better people and more productive soldiers of the cross. Pruning makes a bush stronger and healthier. Suffering allows God’s strength to be manifested. Chastening leads to godliness and obedience.   Thank the Lord for the bumps. For through the bumps in life come blessings....

“He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” I John 5:12   If you are like me, you did not realize all that you received from God when you got saved. Yes, we received eternal life when we trusted Christ, but with trusting Christ, we got so much more. Let me remind you of some things included in the salvation package: forgiveness, redemption, freedom, access to the throne, power over sin and Satan, the mind of Christ, your name in the Book of Life, heaven when you die, a place at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and many other benefits. When you have Jesus, you have everything.   The story is told of a wealthy man whose son tragically died. A friend painted a portrait of the boy which was added to the rest of the father’s art collection that was worth millions of dollars. An auction was held after the father passed away and his entire art collection was up for sale. A big crowd gathered to bid on various pieces of art. Most overlooked th...

In 2 Timothy chapter two, the Apostle Paul has been teaching about godly living. He urged the believers to be strong in the Lord, providing instructions for effective service in the Kingdom of God.  He uses an interesting phrase in verse 26, “the snare of the devil”.   Most of us know what a snare is. It’s a trap, a noose of some kind, used by hunters or trappers to catch an animal.  It is used here by Paul in a metaphorical sense to refer to something that our adversary, the devil, plants in our path to hinder us in some way.   Let’s consider some of these snares that Satan has used effectively against God’s people: (1) The snare of PRIDE. Remember, it was the sin of pride that led to Lucifer’s downfall (Isaiah 14). Pride has been one of Satan’s most useful snares. We can begin to think we are so spiritual that sin cannot touch us. We can begin to think we are better than everyone else. Proverbs 16:18 says, “pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before...

I think you would agree with me, clothing is important. Wearing the right garments or clothing for the right occasion does make a difference. We wouldn’t send our children out to play in 90-degree heat with a heavy coat on. We wouldn’t head off to work in short sleeves if it was 28 degrees and snowing. Would we ever see a football player on the field wearing a Sunday suit?   The Bible has a lot to say about clothing. The Lord is clothed in majesty and strength (Psalm 93:1). In Revelation 19, the saints are described in majesty, “clothed in fine linen, clean and white”. In Genesis 3:21, speaking of Adam and Eve, the Bibles says that God “clothed” them. In Luke 15, the best robe was put on the prodigal son who had returned home. Isaiah 61:10 speaks of the robe of righteousness. There are many other scriptures that deal with garments of clothing.   In Isaiah 61:3, the “garment of praise” is used in a spiritual sense to teach God’s people that the Lord was going to turn their heav...

Psalm 37:23-24, Hebrews 11:8-10   As Christians, day by day, we sojourn through this life longing and looking for a city. We are on our way home.   It’s a tragedy that so many Christians do not seem to enjoy the journey, even though the Bible clearly says in Psalm 37:23, “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord”. If the Lord is by us every step of the way, we should enjoy each day. Hebrews 13:5b gives us a wonderful promise; “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Too many people endure the journey, and they miss a lot of God’s blessing along the way.   When the Israelites left Egypt and entered the wilderness, it is obvious they did not enjoy their journey to the promised land. Over and over, we read how they grumbled and complained, even though they were protected and cared for. They found some excuse to whine and complain. They were a lot like people today, always complaining about the weather. It’s too hot or too cold, too wet, or too dr...

We know the Holy Spirit helps us pray through our weakness (Romans 8:26), but prayer in the Holy Ghost is prevailing prayer because it is under His direction, according to His divine purpose, and therefore certain of an answer.   It is cooperating with the will of God and therefore always victorious.   Jude 20: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,”   E.M. Bounds has stated that our prayers must be such “…that hell feels the ponderous stroke of our tongue, until the gates of difficulty are opened, and until the mountain of obstacle removed,"   Our prayers need the power of Pentecost found in the book of Acts.    The first century Christians had power with God, and it was reflected in their praying.   What was the key?   They were filled with the Holy Ghost?   We too must seek to be filled.   We mus...

If your life was measured by DONATION rather than DURATION, how would you be remembered?   The story is found in Mark 14:3-9. It’s about a woman and her alabaster box of expensive perfume. She entered a house where Jesus was, and  broke open the container,  pouring the content all over the Lord. While others complained about her extravagant act of worship, Jesus commended her. I’m stuck on the last sentence in Jesus’ remarks: “this that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” In other words, she would be remembered for what she gave.   Friends, this is profound. Most of us think our lives are measured by how long we live. According to Jesus, our lives are measured by how much give. How much we give in proportion to what we have to give. In Mark 14:8, Jesus said, “she hath done what she could.”   Let’s re-evaluate our lives according to this standard. Let’s ask ourselves; how do we want our lives to be measured – to be remembered? The Pastor’s Po...

Where do you want to be five years from now? Ten years from now? Where do you want to spend eternity? Wherever you are in your life right now, determine to pursue God, to pursue the will of God. It can change everything. Forty-four years ago, I was lost, living in sin in Charlotte, North Carolina, headed nowhere. My life was empty. But one Sunday morning in 1978, my wife and I visited a church, only because we knew going to church on Sunday was the right thing to do. But God knew why I was there. He had given the Preacher just the message I needed. I ran to the altar during the invitation and got saved. I fell in love with Jesus and today my life is fulfilling. I have a purpose here on earth and I know heaven will be my eternal home.   When you accept God’s will for your life and determine to obey Him, it changes everything. God wants you to be saved, restored, fully and wholly reconciled to Him. He wants you to live in harmony with Him and with others.   Are you open to what ...

The incredible potential or scope that is possible through prayer is beyond what most of us can imagine.   In Matthew 7:7, Jesus said, “Ask and ye shall receive”, and in Matthew 21:22 he said, “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” All things is all-inclusive and all-comprehensive and can only be granted by God Himself.  I could ask something from you that you simply could not provide.  You have neither the means nor maybe even the will to provide.  But with God “all things” are possible (Matthew 19:26).   Consider another promise given to us in Matthew 18:19, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.”  Only God could put Himself in a covenant so binding, for only God could fulfill such a promise that might include any and all requests.   Whether you are praying alone, or with other believers, approach the throne of grace...

I want to encourage you to look up the scriptures that are referenced in today’s Pastor’s Pocket.   Prayer puts God to work.  At the same time God puts prayer to work.  God has ordained prayer as the one force that moves Him to act in our earthly affairs.   Consider how Jesus committed Himself to the power of prayer in Mark 11:24, John 14:13, 15:16 and 16:23. Is it not an incredible thing that God moves in our situations, but only as we pray and cry out to Him.  Look at Psalm 116:1-2, Psalm 130:1-2, Psalm 138:3, Psalm 144:1-2 and Psalm 142.  Is it not obvious that prayer that is vocal makes a difference?   Remember Daniel and his crisis moment in Daniel chapter 6?  A royal statute declared if any man be found praying to any other god besides King Darius, they would be thrown into a den of hungry lions.  What did Daniel do in verse 10?  He prayed three times a day just as was his habit and gave thanks to the true and living God.  God...