So many things….

I have been so busy the last few days. I find myself racing around and constantly thinking about what I need to do. It is in these moments I feel like I’m being tested. I’m being tested on my resolve to seek God daily. Over the last week I feel God walking with me all the time. Right now I can feel His presence in ways I have not felt in a long time.

I am so grateful for this because I feel I need Him the most right now. Tomorrow is Marie’s funeral and I have barely had time to think about what I am going to say. I actually look forward to seeing a lot of old familiar faces from Northside Baptist. The people at Northside Baptist are some of the most amazing people I have ever known.

Leaving Northside and watching the old church close its doors was one of the hardest things I have had to do. It’s a story I will have to share on the site someday. Bottom line I wouldn’t be a pastor without Northside and its people. FBC Rocklin has been so gracious to Sharon and Me, it has been overwhelming. At times I feel as if I could never live up to the thier expectations.

How do you pastor people? When you look at all that is involved and how you affect lives in profound ways…it scares me to death. I know I can never do it on my own. It can only be done through the spirit. So tonight I am asking for your prayers. Pray for me as I oversee the funeral for one of God’s children. Pray for me and all the other pastors who everyday face the challenge of pastoring God’s people.

-ps

Daily Reading: Lev 18, 19 Matt 27:32-66

Remember if you follow the plan above…you will have read the entire Bible in a year.

Crucified…

In today’s reading we find ourselves at the mock trial of Jesus. The innocent Son of God stands before the chief priest and elders and is condemned to die. At the sight of being handed over to Pilate, Judas the betrayer hangs himself.

Making no reply in front of Pilate, Jesus is put in front of the crowd. They are to choose to release Jesus Barabbas a well known prisoner, a life long criminal….or Jesus who is called the Messiah.

The crowd chooses to release the criminal and crucify the innocent Messiah, Jesus. Even Pilate, a hardened Roman washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood, he said. “It is your responsibility! Matthew 27:24

All the people answered….”His blood is on us and on our children!”

What would have you done in the crowd? I have often thought I would have shouted for Christ to be released…but would I. Surrounded with the crowd…would I too be swept away in the moment?

Much too my dismay, I know I would have shouted crucify Him…because for many years I lived my life the way I wanted to…and Jesus would have simply been in the way…

It amazes me how we chose the criminal over the innocent and pure…how we choose sin over righteousness…self over Christ…

This morning picture yourself in the crowd…what are you shouting today?

Verse 26 simply reads “Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified….

In your life have you released the criminal and crucified the Messiah or have you crucified the criminal and released the Messiah….

-ps

Daily Reading: Lev 15-17 Mat 27:1-31

Small World….

Today I was looking at who was reading this blog. Because I have to tell you I was thinking “what’s the point.” It doesn’t seem to be accomplishing much. After all I’m busy with life, church, school….

I came across a blog (http://missyohmissy.blogspot.com/) where Diane had read this blog and God had spoken to her and she decided to turn her life back over to God. When I was reading it I was floored! I couldn’t believe what I had read.

I gave a big thank you to the Lord above, for encouraging me and others through this medium. But isn’t this what it’s all about…people sharing their stories, their testimonies about what Jesus is doing in our lives…about the relationship together. This life can be so hard and it is truly lived through community. Jesus was all about building a community of faith, body of believers who would be one in purpose and direction. One body united through Christ himself, changing the world through one person at a time.

We all have a role to play, each of us have our own unique stories to share with others. A story about God who became flesh, who humbled himself to the point where the thought of being God was impossible. Humbled He carried the sins of the world to the cross. He also carried our shame and disgrace, our weakness, along with our sin….and He nailed it to the cross. From there He would remember it no more, forever to be forgotten on the wood of the cross. Now He wants us to believe in what He did and put our trust, our faith in Him and Him alone.

By doing so He wants to clean us up, wipe away our tears and heal our broken hearts. What an awesome God we serve. There is now like Him, He is indescribable, there are no bounds to His love for us!

Thank you Lord for changing lives! Thank you Lord for forgiving sin, thank you Lord for your infinite grace and mercy!

-ps

Daily Reading: Lev 14 Matt 26:55-75

What a Week…

I have had one of those weeks. It has flown by and I have hit lows and highs. Monday I was feeling low about preaching without spirit Sunday. I saw David Crowder and got spend time with brothers…and even better with my son Jacob. I was with Marie to the end. I preached a message with the spirit where some rededicated thier lives to Christ.

What was different from last week…this week I learned to depend on God in ways I never imagined. I found Christ in living and with the dieing. I learned how precious life is and how life without Christ means nothing. I love being a Christian, I love the fact I get to share Him with the world.

I went and visited Bill in the hospital tonight. He has followed Christ for 43 years and it shows. He had shoulder surgery and being well seasoned will have trouble adapting to life with one arm for the next few months. I shared the message I preached this morning and we started talking about the love of Jesus and how he takes care of us. I watched a tear roll down his cheek as he expressed through personal experience the Jesus he knew and loved.

I bring this up because afterwards I went to a book store and bought more books which will again get me in trouble. In the middle of the Christian shelves in the religion section of the store was a book called the “God Delusion”. It is a book wrote by an atheist and it was strategically place at eye level right in the middle of Christian living. It was also in the agnostic and atheist section…but some one who worked the section was making a point. At first it made me angry…and then it hit me how sad it is. How the person who did this thought they where helping people, by leading people to scientific enlightenment. But if they had seen the Jesus I know and have grown so close to this week…something to pray about.

-ps

Live...

One of favorite my albums is “A Collision” By David Crowder Band. It is an incredible work of art. Its one of the few “WOW” albums I have heard. What I mean is after listening to this album I went “WOW!” One of the songs they sing is called “My Joy” read these words…

And He set me on fire And I am burning alive With His breath in my lungs I am coming undone And I cannot hold it in and remain composed Love’s taken over me and so I propose the letting myself go I am letting myself go You are my joy

The meaning behind the song according to Crowder is this:

'Be quiet. Put your hand on your chest. Feel your beating heart. You are alive. ..........live.' - David Crowder

Life is a precious gift from God….I am thinking of Marie this morning and she lived! She enjoyed what God had given her. When you came in contact with her you came alive, because of what was in her. Her joy spilt over and touched everyone who was around her. She was this way in and out of hospitals…while she was unable to move and do the things we take for granted everyday. No matter how bad it got for her, her joy grew! The lyrics above say it all, You are my joy…Jesus was the source of her joy…

Be quiet. Put your hand on your chest. Feel your beating heart. You are alive. ..........live.

Be someone who is a joy…let the world know your source of joy…Jesus

Live…….live……live……live……live……..

Thank you Lord for being my source of joy….help me live it!
And thank you for Marie….

-ps

Give us our Daily Bread…

How many times have you read this "Give us our daily bread" and associated it with food or provisions? I did for years and years until just a few days ago. I was given a book to read from my senior pastor. The book is old and is called “The Necessity of Prayer” by E.M. Bounds.

There is one thought that has jumped out at me and it hit hard, one of those “Holy Spirit Sledgehammer” moments*(see note at bottom). Now follow this train of thought.

“As every day demands its bread, so everyday demands prayer. No amount of praying done today will be sufficient for tomorrows praying.”

If you need to read the previous line a few time and let its words sink deep into you cerebral cortex--please do so. The thought we need to dependant on God daily. What a concept right…its so obvious it hurts. Let me let Mr. Bounds explain:

“True prayers are born out of the present trials and present needs. Bread is for today is enough. Bread given for today is the strongest pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. Victory today is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused on the present. We must trust God today and leave tomorrow entirely with Him. The present is ours; the future belongs to God. Prayer is the task and duty of each new days—daily prayers for daily needs.”

That is rich! Now would be the time to read that again…you see if your struggling with something and you think I can never get through this…I will never be free…Lord take this from me forever!...God says one day at a time. Pray for today…daily prayers for daily needs….

You see by doing so you will build a daily trust…and a daily faith…

God wants us day by day…to pray and rely on Him…

Amazing isn’t it…so simple…so here is what we are going to do…pray for our daily needs…take God one day at a time. Join me and lets see what happens. If you start to experience victory...please let me know. Email or comment...I think we need to share more victories in Jesus...

-ps

Daily reading: Lev 7, 8, 9, Matt 25:31-46

* “Holy Spirit Sledgehammer” defined: Maybe your nothing like me and I pray you are not. But I often times have to be hit over the head with an oversized hammer by the Holy Spirit to get my attention. I equate this with a thought so profound I am forever changed. It is usually something that has been right in front of my eyes and God has to say “look…” I’ll leave the rest to you imagination.

** You might have detected a level of sarcasm in this post…you are correct I feel foolish. I feel incredibly stupid not to have discovered this concept much earlier in my life, I am a work in progress.

Len Again….

Len asked me continue the line of thought from yesterday. Which is around this line: Where is God during our burdens…does he care if we are going through pain and suffering. Here are some verses I have drawn strength from in the past.

Romans 1:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James and Paul echo the same thought. Suffering is a part of life, there is no way around it. It is impossible to escape its wake. But how we handle these times determines where we put our trust. See suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; character, hope…

See there comes a time in a trial where we are asked the question who do we trust. In the middle of watching someone we love dieing or when we are going through a physical battle ourselves…who do we trust. Do we trust ourselves or doctors or….do you trust God.

Do you trust God when all else has failed…when there is no where else to turn…do you trust him. In a time of death…facing the unknown and the uncertain…do you trust God, is he going to be faithful?

It’s easy to trust God when all is going well in our lives…in fact most of us would say we hardly think of God during the good times…it’s only when things turn for the worst do we turn to God or blame him for our misfortunes.

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For me these verses hold the key…we are more than conquerors and nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord…God is faithful! So no matter what we face we can know God is with us, helping us through…he never leaves our side. Knowing this should give us great confidence…So it makes sense when James says, “I consider it joy when faced with trials. See he wasn’t crazy…just confident in God’s faithfulness. But we can never get to where James was, if we don’t face trials…

Len I hope this further helps you.

-ps

Len Asks a Question....

Steve (dude..)

I think I asked you awhile ago but I don't remember the answer. When people say God doesn't give you more than you can handle (you know, the old footprints in the sand thing), is that just a guess, or is that something from the bible??


1Co 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

This the verse you are talking about. It is primarily dealing with temptation. God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities and he always provides an escape. Which is great if you really think about...But you also need to take into account God sovereignty and love for you. You are going to face tough times (Jesus said "for when the flood come" Luke 6:48) not so much temptation...but he never leaves you or forsakes you.

Remember Paul also said "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

Good stuff there dude...chew on that one awhile...

Thank you Len for emailing a question...

-ps

Daily Reading: Exodus 39:40 Matthew 24:1-22

P.S. Crowder Countdown T-2 Days

I am going to see David Crowder Band Thursday night...can't wait....

Thank you Len for the question. Also if your visiting the site and you have a question email it to me and I'll post and answer to the best of my humble ability.

Talked to Moses Like a Friend....

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
Exodus 33:11 (NASB)

Moses would post a guard…Joshua…and go into the tent and talk to God. In fact Moses was “at home” talking to God. He had a great deal of confidence and courage interceding for the people. Imagine you have a question for God, you go to Moses and he goes inside the tent and ask God your question. They talk awhile and Moses comes out with your answer.

Now jump today…we have Christ himself who intercedes for us! We can approach God ourselves with confidence, Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The big idea around this passage is Moses was “at home” in this tent talking to God. God wants us to feel totally at home when we are praying to him. He wants us to talk to him openly and plainly. He longs to hear from his children.

Also he wants to hear your problems, he cares enough to listen. So no matter what the situation, you matter to him. You don’t need a tent or a guard. Where ever you find yourself you can pray.

I love this passage, because it shows the character of God and the privilege we now have through Christ. We don’t need another person interceding for us…we can go directly to God himself.

The last and probably the most important point is God talked to Moses like a friend…friendships require time together. It is only after many conversation, difficult times, and good times…would you call someone a real friend. There are a lot of other ingredients you would throw in there as well…loyalty, trust worthy, loving…etc

A friend would be someone who is still around when everyone else has bailed out…that is what God is all about. We can always have faith in his faithfulness…

God is great…

-ps

Good Man...

Yesterday I attended the funeral of Fred Patterson, age 71. Fred was a security guard and while I was in the Air Force he did some contract work for our unit. I use to go and sit and talk to Fred while he was doing his escort duties, were he always would get me laughing. I enjoyed seeing him just walking up to the site. This is the effect he had on every person he came in contact with.

His boss (also and older gentlemen) or I should say partner worked with me in providing the escorts I needed and he knew I was leaving the Air Force soon to pastor. I hadn’t seen him in about six month or so and at the funeral he didn’t recognize me, I guess it was the beard and the few pounds…

But at the second glance his eyes filled with tears and he buried his head in my chest weeping…I put my arms around him and held like a father holding his son.

“Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

The Bible says we are to carry on another’s burdens and I thank God I was there for just that moment to be someone he could feel comfortable enough to grieve.

Life is a gift and we never know when and or where we are going to be called home. The only guarantee we do have is we will die. I thank God for putting Fred in my life; I hope at the end of my life someone will say the same about me.

God bless and remember to give thanks for this precious gift called life…

-ps