The Pastor's Pocket

On our way to and from church, we drive through a construction zone where they are building a new highway. 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 of His plan, a...

A lack of genuine holiness is the predominate reason God withholds His awesome power in our lives. When we pray and God does not respond, we need to consider the reason why. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” Isaiah 59:1-2 says, Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” God has not gone deaf, but there may be an underlying problem and it’s not with Him, it is with you and me.   God is serious about how we deal with sin. If we fail to confess sin our prayer life will be hindered. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” The word confess means that we agree with God about our sin and admit we have sinned. When we say to Him, we failed to obey and we are sorry, ...

“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for Thee”. Psalm 25:21   Waiting seems difficult, useless, and even impossible to do, but it does have a significant role to play in our development and growth process.   This generation is one of rush, rush, hurry, hurry.  I believe one of Satan’s tactics is to speed us up, bypassing the blessing that comes with lingering in the presence of God.  We must learn to enjoy the now, to savor the present moment.  After all, it has taken us a lifetime to get here.   Yesterday is in the tomb, tomorrow is in the womb. Today, this moment, is all we have.  So why do we find it so hard to wait on the Lord if that’s what He instructs us to do?  I have made many a blunder by failing to wait on God.  Pushing through my agenda seldom works out.    Here are some tips to help you and I wait on the Lord: (1) Waiting is hurry’s enemy.  Patience brings power, vision, motivation, and perseveran...

All doctors agree that stress levels in today’s society are extremely high. Pressure, if not processed correctly can affect us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The Lord never designed us to bear all burdens, that’s why He tells us in I Peter 5:7, “Cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” If we commit our ways to Him, He will sustain us.   There are many pressures we face in life. The pressure to conform, to attain, to meet schedules, to measure up, to finish, to perform, to be something or do something. These can all lead to stress. So how do we overcome the temptation to give in to the pressures we face. Here are some stress busters that will help us: (1) Depend on the Lord for the strength and grace you need. (2) Pray in times of distress, anytime, anywhere. (3) Accept the things you cannot change. (4) Work at changing the things within your control to change. (5) Learn to release your anxiety to the Lord. (6) Simply refuse to let the pressures cont...

Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth”. Put salt on any kind of food and it will change how that food tastes. Salt has an influence. Notice that Jesus said, “salt of the earth.” That goes way beyond our own church family. Jesus would have us influence those beyond the walls of our church.   It’s time we all reevaluate our level of saltiness. How much influence do we have on those who desperately need to be touched by the love of Jesus? Many in this world need salvation. We can’t reach them all, but we can reach some, with our influence, sharing our testimony, giving them the gospel – good news.   Here is a test of your level of influence: 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?   Might our influence in this world be that of loving, giving, praying, and...

The ministry of intercessory prayer is a powerful thing.  When we pray for someone, in essence, we are touching God with one hand while reaching out to the one we are praying for with the other.   Think about that when you pray for someone who is not saved. They are lost in their sin and far from God. When you pray for them, you intercede on their behalf. You are going before God in faith, praying for their salvation. The Bible tells us that the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving sinner so that they are unable to see the glorious light of the gospel message (2 Corinthians 4:4).   We must always be active in the ministry of intercessory prayer.   Paul was a great intercessor. In most every letter he writes, he tells the believer he is praying for them.  Although he was separated from them at the time, he knew he could minister to them through intercessory prayer.  What joy and encouragement it must have been to those believers to kno...

Do we really need the Church? Many people ask that question today. People who claim to be Christians conclude the Church is irrelevant to their faith. They say they can worship God anywhere. Although that reasoning may seem sound, it isn’t.   Here are some solid reasons why every Christian needs the church: (1) The local church holds us accountable. (2) We need other Christians to keep us on track. (3) We need encouragement from our church family when disaster or crisis strikes in our lives. (4) We must be challenged by other believers to keep the faith. (5) We need to be fed spiritual food by pastors and teachers.   Keep in mind these comparisons: Like sheep who tend to get caught in thickets, we sometimes find ourselves in trouble. Like a puzzle, we need all of the pieces to complement each other and complete the puzzle. Like babies who cannot raise themselves, we need to be nurtured through the growing process. Like one log, who by itself, can on...

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks.”  At first glance this seems impossible.  How can we possibly give thanks to God in everything and in every situation? The truth is there is a huge benefit for any of us who learn, by faith, to be grateful.  It’s an attitude that we must develop if we are ever to become grounded believers.  Being thankful helps us focus on God rather than our circumstances.   It is no test of faith to rejoice and shout when the sun is shining and when all is well.  We must learn to be thankful when all is not so well.  That’s faith.  It’s the example of Paul and Silas in Acts 16 who were in prison.  They were uncertain of what the next day might bring, and yet the scriptures tell us that at midnight, they were praying and singing praises to God.  They were giving thanks to the Lord who held them in His care.    Here is my challenge for you today: when your world turns upside down, thank God...

Just before Jesus was arrested and crucified, He gave His disciples some of the most powerful promises about intercessory prayer ever given. John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Found in that verse is a big “IF” to the promise of answered prayer.    In John 15, the Lord Jesus is stressing the value of relationship. Abide in Him and His words abide in you. What does it mean to abide? It has to do with connection. Jesus tells us in verse 5 that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Just as a vine is connected to a branch, we must be connected to the Lord. If you do not truly know the Lord, you cannot claim the promise in the last part of verse 7. “ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”   Relationship with Jesus implies that you get power, comfort, wisdom; everything you need from Him.  If you are not “in Him” you are ineligible for the answer to your prayer.   When J...

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” I John 5:4-5   A victorious Christian is a person who is consistently upbeat and enthusiastic. They are people who intrigue the world and are a testimony to the lost person that Jesus does give joy and gladness.   Perhaps you are thinking to yourself, is it possible to be a consistently happy person? Is it possible to be an upbeat person in a down world? Can someone really be positive in the negative environment we all live in?   The answer is yes.   We can have victory, we can overcome, regardless of past failures, bad family situations, financial woes and other troubles and trials, but we need a conquering faith to pull it off.   We must first stop dwelling on all the negative things around us and focus on all we have in Christ. Secondly, we must l...

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name forever.” Psalm 34:3 How do we magnify the Lord? He is already bigger in every way. He is greater in His wisdom and 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, awesome, and glorious. It’s time that we see Him bigger in our mind and in our spirit.  He is bigger than your problem, the doctor’s report, your enemies, your burdens, your financial troubles, and your pain. He is bigger than your failures, and yes, bigger than your sin (Romans 5:20).   Magnify the Lord! Learn to see Him as bigger than anything or anyone. It will lift your heavy heart and increase your faith.   The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman ...

We learn to pray by praying. Books are fine, lessons are helpful, but nothing helps us learn to pray like praying.   I’ve been preaching for over 40 years now.   Yes, I studied homiletics (the art of preaching) in Bible college, but I must say I’ve learned most by just preaching repeatedly, sermon after sermon.   I’ve been told more than a few times, “if you keep preaching, you’re going to get the hang of it one of these days.”   Pilots are not made in the classroom; they are made in the air.   Flying time or flight time makes a good pilot.   It’s facing various weather conditions, learning to adapt to the various challenges of flying the airplane – that’s how good pilots are made.   Do you remember taking Drivers Education in school?  You can only get so much from books or an instructor.  You must get behind the wheel, that’s where you learn to drive on the highway.  You learn to drive by driving.  This concept is true for most any...

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 and James 4:4).   If we’ve trusted Jesus as our Savior, our eternal home is heaven. We are pilgrims just passing through.   We are aliens, strangers to this present, evil world system.   As Christians it’s quite senseless to spend so much time trying to have-it-all here and now when 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 materia...

In the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we are provided with a glimpse into the events that unfold just before Christ returns to the earth for the second time.  The Apocalypse, or the unveiling, is all about the glorious return of our Lord.  It shows us the final scenes, the events that precede the King of Kings’ return to judge the earth, take His rightful earthly throne and rule for 1000 years.  When will the final curtain go up and the final scene come to pass?   Consider a panorama of history in this context: Scene 1 began with creation, the Garden of Eden, and ran through the Old Testament era. It ended with the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Scene 2 began with the first arrival of the Son of God and runs through the New Testament era. The age in which we are all now living. Scene 3 begins with Christ’s second arrival. It will run through the end of the Millennium and the beginning of eternity.   The stage is now b...

Genuine prayer is birthed out of genuine need.  If all we do is say to ourselves, “I ought to pray”, it won’t provide the necessary motivation.  We will pray little, our prayers are little, and they’re ineffective.  We must be driven to pray out of heart-felt need.   Remember the woman with a daughter who was demon-possessed?   The story is told in Matthew 15:21-28.  Verse 22 tells us she cried out, she pleaded with the Lord to have mercy. Nothing grips our hearts like one of our children being seriously ill or injured, so we can only imagine this mother’s anguish over the condition of her daughter.  When Jesus does not answer her, she goes begging His disciples, “she crieth after us” (verse 23).  She is desperate. That’s why she cries out like she does.  No one had to tell this woman she needs to pray. Her cries were born out of heart-felt need.  The story has a happy ending.  Jesus honored her faith and completely healed her ...

Has it ever occurred to you that God launched the Christian church, not on good singing, not on good preaching, but through a prayer meeting?  It’s true. Read these passages of scripture: Luke 24:49 and 53, Acts 1:12-14 and Acts 2:1-47.   Don’t get me wrong, we need good singing and good preaching, but Jesus never said His house is to be called the house of great music, or His house is to be called the house of preaching. He did say, “My house shall be called the house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13).   Isn’t it true that if you ask the average church member to tell you something about their church you would hear something like: We have the best music. Or, we have good preaching. Some may say they have the best teachers. Not many say their church prays well, or that prayer is what makes their church a great church.   Today, we get all excited about our attendance numbers, our offerings, our music, our youth programs, our huge sanctuaries, but is that really the thing that...

Heaven is a real place, occupied by real people – redeemed people. At this very moment, they are moving about, enjoying all that heaven has to offer.   Heaven is a place of perfection. Everything about it is perfect because it was created by a perfect God. Sin cannot touch it and hate cannot abide there. Storms cannot invade its atmosphere. Everyone there is happy all the time. It’s a place of perfect beauty. There are no weeds, no polluted streams, no dead flowers, or trees. The atmosphere is perfect all the time.   The residents never tire or grow old. Bodies never get sick or sustain injuries. It’s a place of no fear, no suffering, no chaos, no pain, no death.   Heaven is this and so much more. Although I have never been there, I know the Way. Do you want to go with me? Read John 14:2-6. Then believe it!   The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

Matthew 4:18-22 Living the Christian life requires periodic adjustments.   Remember when Jesus called His first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John?   They were living their lives, minding their own business, until Jesus met them and said, “Follow me”.   This call from the Lord required a major adjustment in their life. They made the adjustment without delay.   No excuses. No arguments.   As the disciples began to follow Christ, they soon learned it was not about them, but rather about Jesus, and His purpose and plan for the Kingdom of God.   As time passed, they observed His example. They listened and learned from the Master. Eventually, they were sent out to minister (Matthew 10:5-8). This ministering required major adjustments in their lives.   As we live the Christian life and learn the Word of God, the Lord, through the mentorship ministry of His Holy Spirit guides us along, dealing with our hearts and renewing our minds. He confronts o...

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.” In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said, “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”   “All things” is all-inclusive, 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 can include any, and all, requests. When you approach the throne of grace, pray boldly. Remember: you are asking the only One...

The Bible provides us with very little regarding the boyhood days of Jesus. But in Luke 2:41-50, Luke shares this story of when Jesus was 12 years old.   Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph had left for the journey home. They didn’t realize He wasn’t with them. After a three-day search, where did they find Him? In the temple, sitting among the teachers of the Old Testament, listening, and asking questions. The Bible says that everyone that heard Him were astonished, amazed at His level of understanding about the scriptures. When Mary and Joseph found Him, they too were amazed that He was in this setting and asked Him why He did not leave with them. The answer He gave left them puzzled. He said to them, “wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”. Verse 50 says, “And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.”   I find this story to be quite remarkable. That priority number one for the 12-year-old Jesus would be in the temple, teachi...

Taking the truth of God’s Word seriously, making it personal, and applying it to our lives makes a difference in how God deals with us.  When we obey God, when we humble ourselves, push aside our own agendas and get involved in God’s agenda, He rewards us.  If we ignore His purpose or rebel against His commandments and instructions, we suffer the consequences. We must remember this principle: Your reaction to the Word of God, determines God’s reaction to you.  When you demonstrate respect for His Word, obey His Word and live His Word, you reap the benefits of a blessed life. When you ignore truth, reject truth, or don’t apply God’s Word to your life, you pay the price of your disobedience (Proverbs 13:13). Deuteronomy chapter 28 reveals this truth: obey and be blessed, disobey, and suffer.  Whatever is revealed in the scriptures, we are to do.   I think the struggle we sometimes have is that to obey God we have to make adjustments.  We must change our ways....

Genuine prayer is birthed out of genuine need.  If all we do is say to ourselves, “I ought to pray”, it won’t provide the necessary motivation.  We will pray little, our prayers are little, and they’re ineffective.  We must be driven to pray out of heart-felt need.   Remember the woman with a daughter who was demon-possessed?   The story is told in Matthew 15:21-28.  Verse 22 tells us she cried out, she pleaded with the Lord to have mercy. Nothing grips our hearts like one of our children being seriously ill or injured, so we can only imagine this mother’s anguish over the condition of her daughter.  When Jesus does not answer her, she goes begging His disciples, “she crieth after us” (verse 23).  She is desperate. That’s why she cries out like she does.  No one had to tell this woman she needs to pray. Her cries were born out of heart-felt need.  The story has a happy ending.  Jesus honored her faith and completely healed her ...

Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”   The Apostle Paul was a soldier of the cross. He was engaged in a battle for the souls of men, and he knew it.   As he closes his letter to the saints at Ephesus, he reminds them that they too were engaged in the war between good and evil. This warfare is spiritual in nature, and it is an ongoing struggle. If you are a Christian, you are aligned with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that alone guarantees your victory. However, you must be prepared daily for the battles that will come your way.   Do not underestimate your enemy. Satan and his evil army will be relentless in the effort to defeat you. Paul says, “we wrestle”, it’s a strong word, it involves struggle and energy, so we must be deliberate, and just as relentless as our opponent. Is your armor on today?   The Pasto...