The Pastor's Pocket

“I made a covenant with my eyes…” Job 31:1.   Never gaze at something that does not belong in your future, either some-thing, some-one or some place.  Our adversary, the devil, can use these to break our focus upon the Lord and His purpose for our lives.   Many a good Christian have been side-tracked from the faith by coveting things that God never intended to be in their future.  This is why it is so very important that we guard our eyes.  What we look at long enough, we desire (Genesis 3:6).  What desires are fed and cultivated, lead to pursuit.   The Psalmist wrote, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…” (Psalm 101:3a).  David, a man after God’s own heart, knew there were just some things that should not be coveted.   There are some PEOPLE that don’t belong in your future.  In Proverbs, Solomon warned his sons to stay clear of fools.  Be warned of your association with angry people, carnal people, lazy people, and deceitf...

“And he cometh unto his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What could ye not watch with Me one hour?   Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41   If we want a happy home, a successful church, and a nation that honors God, it will take fervent prayer by God’s people who are passionate about the Lord and have a burden. We must    pray-the-price.   Every genuine revival I know anything about was first bathed in prayer.   Jesus asked his disciples if they could not pray with Him one hour. That convicts me, challenges me, and hopefully it does you too.   There are 24 hours 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).   Think about it – you and I are on His prayer list right now. Pray...

AMERICA – a nation born in freedom. Did you know that Almighty God endorses the concept of freedom? It’s true.   Salvation delivers us from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:11).   We are taught to stand in the liberty that is provided by Christ (Galatians 5:1)   At the Second Coming of Christ to earth, we will be freed from the curse of sin and death (Romans 8:21).   Enjoy the privileges you have by living in a free country today and thank God for the USA! The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing unto this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” (I Timothy 6:6-7)   I have a riddle for you: People worry about me, get twisted up in knots over me, stay awake at night thinking about me, wish they had more of me, never have enough of me, trade away their integrity to get me, stew, scheme and steal to get me, envy those who have more of me than they do, seldom just give me away, trade me for the strangest things, and then, just leave me behind they die. Who am I? Money.   Our attitude about money says volumes about us. It must not rule our lives. In the verse above, Paul says, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” How many contented people do you know? Probably very few. We live in a very materialistic culture which pressures us to pursue more stuff. But money never satisfies. No matter how much of it we attain, we always want more of it. If we give our lives to it, we will come up empty....

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” (Job 19:25).   The story of Job is very familiar to those who have ever read the Bible. In one day, Job suffered more loss than most of us will ever experience in a lifetime. He lost his livelihood, his children, his possessions, his health, his house, and his friends turned against him. It was hard for Job to make sense of it all. One thing Job did know for sure. He knew his Redeemer was alive. This reality fell upon Job’s soul like a burst of morning light. Some things we will never know or figure out, but this one thing we do know, we know that Jesus, our Redeemer lives, and that He will one day, once again, stand upon the earth. Rest in this truth today my friend; Jesus is coming back again. This I know, and that’s enough.     The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman  

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a stress-free life? Answer: It sure would. But consider the flowers that will never bloom without first pressing through the soil. Without pressure, none of us will ever reach our full potential as tried and tested human beings.   Back in my Bible College days, I was in my early twenties. My schedule was very hectic. I was married. Cindy and I had our first child. I was working 40 plus hours a week and taking 14-16 semester hours of college courses. I began classes at 7:30 am, left school for work around 2 pm, worked every night until 9 pm, and worked every Saturday. Sundays were full of ministry at church. I look back and wonder how I didn’t pass out from exhaustion. But that stressful season prepared me for other stressful seasons to come. I guess there is no such thing as a stress-free life. We all have challenges of some kind, and they just keep coming.   Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I wi...

  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 dow...