Get Recharged

Posted on August 7, 2021 by pastorpstephens

I had planned on mowing the yard the other evening but when I went to get the mower out of the garage, I noticed that the battery was not charged.  I have an electric mower and I had forgotten to plug in the battery charger after the last time I mowed.  It takes a couple of hours to get re-charged, so, I plugged it in and did some other chores instead.  The situation reminded me of the importance of recharging our spiritual batteries regularly.  In Romans 15:13 Paul prays for the church to be charged up.  Paul writes:

Roman 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I like that reminder from God’s word.  For us to be who we have been called to be, for us to live like we have been called to live, we have to be charged up with the hope, the joy, the peace and the power of the Lord.  Are you charged up today?  Or is your spiritual battery running low?  If it’s running low, get plugged in and spend some time in God’s word, spend some time in prayer, and sing some songs of praise.  I know that if you do, the Lord will revive and recharge you.

Posted in Christianity, Church, Don't give up, Draw close to God, faith, God's Strength, religion, Romans 15:13 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Build Upon the Rock

Posted on July 31, 2021 by pastorpstephens

In chapel this week, we looked at a passage from Matthew.  In Matthew 7:24 – 27, Jesus tells a story about two kinds of people.  He speaks of one person who built their house on the sand and another who build his house upon a solid rock.  When a storm came, the house built on the sand could not withstand the wind and the waves.  It was destroyed.  The other house, the one built on the rock, was able to withstand the storm.  When the storm was over that house was still standing.

In our lives, we will face many storms and challenges.  There will be times of trouble and seasons of struggle when it seems like the winds and the waves are relentless.  Storms will come.  Christ promises that if will build our homes, our lives upon His word, then we will be able to endure these times of trouble and seasons of struggle.  Like the person who built his home on a solid foundation, when the storm is over, we will still be standing.

My prayer for you is that this week would be a good week.  I pray that all things will go smoothly and each day would be worry free.  But in the event that storms come, I pray that you would continue to stand firmly on God’s word, knowing that He is with you and that He will bring you through the storm.

Posted in A refuge, a stronghold, Build Upon the Rock, Christianity, Church, Draw close to God, Encouragement, faith, Faith during hard times | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feeding of the Five Thousand

Posted on July 24, 2021 by pastorpstephens

Next week in our chapel services, I will be sharing from Mark chapter 6.  This passage records for us how Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 by multiplying five loaves and two fish.  Jesus had been teaching and preaching all day to a large crowd.  When supper time rolled around the disciples asked the Lord to send the crow away into the nearby towns so that the crowd could get something to eat.  How surprised they must have been when Christ told His disciples that they should feed the crowd.  The disciples replied to His command, “We don’t have hardly anything to give them and we certainly can’t afford to buy enough sandwiches for a crowd this big!”  Christ urged His followers to see what resources they did have and to bring those resources to Him.  When the disciples brought forward five loaves and two fish, Christ took these meager resources, blessed them and miraculously used them to feed everyone – with 12 baskets of leftovers remaining after everyone had eaten!

I love this passage of scripture and the lessons it provides.  I love how it demonstrates to us the care and compassion of our Lord as well as His power and His provision  to meet our needs.   Just as He did with those first disciples, Christ also instructs us to be involved in meeting the needs of others.  He invites us to do hard things, impossible things – things we cannot ever do on our own.  But if we give ourselves to Him, if we place our meager resources into His hands, He will bless all that we bring to Him and miraculously use it bless others.

Posted in Christianity, Church, doing the right thing, faith, Help from God, Mark 6: 35 - 42 | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God is Able

Posted on July 17, 2021 by pastorpstephens

I was helping with a chapel service the other day at the hospital where I work and one of the songs we sang was “God is able.”  It was a beautiful song and a great reminder of the faith and trust that we can have in the Lord.  The song reminded me of the closing verses of chapter 3 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  Paul writes:

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

In this chapter, Paul reminds the church of the amazing grace of God the Father who sent His Son to be our Savior.  Paul speaks about the calling God has placed on his life to share the gospel, a calling he cannot do in his own power.  But Paul knows that God is able.  God is able to equip us and empower us to do all that He asks us to do.  Paul then offers up a prayer for the church.  He prays that they would be strengthened by the Lord to walk and work in faith.  Paul prays they would begin to grasp and experience the depths of love, care and compassion the Lord has for them.  Paul prays that the church would know that God is able…able to work in them and able to work through them in a far greater capacity than they could ever imagine.  Our God is able.  To Him be the glory now and forever and ever.  Amen.

Posted in Christianity, Church, Encouragement, encouraging others, Ephesians 3:20, faith, God will help you, God's Strength | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pass It On

Posted on July 10, 2021 by pastorpstephens

I was talking with someone a while back and they shared with me about a very difficult season they endured in the past.  This person testified the only way they survived that season was because the Lord brought them through it.  And while they acknowledged that their faith grew during that season, they said there was an even better result.  That difficult season taught them to have more empathy and show more grace to others who are in a difficult season.  As we spoke, I was reminded of Paul’s words to the church in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4,

2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I love that verse and I love the promise of God’s faithfulness.  Even in dark and difficult times, we can trust the Lord to walk with us, strengthen us and comfort us.  We can trust that He will bring us through those times.  And we can trust that the Lord will use those times to help us grow in our faith and prepare us to comfort others with the same comfort we have received from Him.  We truly serve a loving and gracious God.

Posted in 2 Corinthians 1:3, Christianity, Don't give up, encouraging others, faith, God will help you, God's comfort | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Beautiful Reflection

Posted on June 28, 2021 by pastorpstephens

I love pictures of a calm, serene lake reflecting the beautiful and majestic scenery that surrounds it.  In such pictures, the calmer the water, the more beautiful the reflection.  I believe the same principle holds true for us spiritually.  The more calm and serene our spirit, the better we can reflect the beauty and majesty of the Lord.

Perhaps today your spirit is far from being calm and serene.  Perhaps today the waters of your life are troubled and tossed about.  If so, this would be a good day to turn to the One who can still the waters and quiet the storm.  Allow Him to calm your spirit so that you can once again reflect His beauty and majesty.

Posted in ambassadors, Christianity, Church, faith, Faith during hard times, God's Peace, God's Strength, reflection of the Lord | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lord Bless My Family

Posted on May 21, 2021 by pastorpstephens

Lord bless my family,
Be with them today;
Walk close beside them,
Lead them on their way.
Hold their hand in every valley,
Help them climb each hill;
Guide them and protect them,
Help them do Your will.

And while You’re watching over them,
Please keep Your Hand on me,
Help me be the person
That You have called me to be.
Don’t let me ever forget
That my strength comes from above,
May I ever praise You,
For Your mercy, grace and love.

So as we walk along life’s path,
And become distracted by things in our land,
May we remember that You are with us,
That you are always holding our hand.
For the power that binds us together,
Is not based on our strength or what we do,
The power that unites us and keeps us close,
Forever resides in You.

Posted in Being Blessed, Christianity, Church, Count Your Blessings, Draw close to God, Encouragement, faith, family, following Christ, God Answers Prayer, Poem, poetry, prayer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taking Flight

Posted on May 17, 2021 by pastorpstephens

Today I have been reflecting on a quote from Maya Angelou.  She says, “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

I love that quote and I think that is a great reminder for all of us.  We love butterflies.  We marvel and offer praise when someone is at that stage in their life where vibrant colors are shining and they can take flight easily and effortlessly each and every day.  We acknowledge the beauty of those moments and of those people.  We esteem the butterflies of this world.

But in the midst of that beauty, we often fail to acknowledge the transformation that took place in someone’s life.  We fail to properly esteem the changes, the struggle, and the time spent inching their way along day by day until finally, they made it to that season of transition.  Too often I fear, we fail to appreciate and esteem the caterpillars.  We fail to appreciate and acknowledge that everyone is a work in progress.  We fail to recognize that there is beauty and potential in everyone we meet, not just the ones who shine bright and fly.

Today, I hope that you will shine bright.  I pray that you will fly easily and effortlessly.  And I pray that God will bless you with the capacity to see the worth and value of others, not just those who shine bright and fly easily but also those who are still a work in progress.

Posted in can't go on, Christianity, Church, Encouragement, Give it your best, God is doing a new thing, God's Strength | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Power of Proper Thinking

Posted on April 29, 2021 by pastorpstephens

This week, the power of positive thinking and how it shapes our planning, our efforts and our expectations has been on my mind.  I have had a lot of coaches over the years who have shared their favorite quotes and impressed upon me the benefits of positive thinking and believing that you can succeed.  One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Henry Ford.  He is reported to have said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”  In other words, our attitudes and our presuppositions really impact the success or failure of the endeavors we undertake and the dreams we pursue.  If we are expecting success, then we will push through some obstacles and seasons of difficulty that otherwise would have made us give up.   In Proverbs 23:7, Solomon said it like this:

Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”

Both of these guys had it right.  It is true; our thoughts and our attitudes really do shape how much effort we place into our tasks and as a result, our thoughts and attitudes impact the results.  Thoughts, whether positive or negative can become self-fulfilling prophecies.   How we think we can shape our desire to persevere, our willingness to keep going and push through obstacles and setbacks in life.  But positive thinking alone isn’t enough.  We need to have proper thinking.  I love the counsel found in Joshua 1:8

Joshua 1:8  “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

It’s not positive thinking that makes all the difference; what we need is proper thinking based on the principles and precepts found in God’s word.  That’s the key to perseverance.  That’s the key to overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

My prayer for you today, is that you would dream big, think positively and properly and persevere in everything you do.   I pray that you would let God and His word direct your thinking and your actions.  I pray that you would let God equip you and empower you for all the tasks that He sets before you.  May God bless you and keep you.

Posted in Abundant life, Church, Do Your Best, Don't give up, faith, God's Strength, God's Word, inspirational, Joshua 1:8, religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This is the Day

Posted on April 9, 2021 by pastorpstephens

One of my dad’s expressions that has stuck with me over the years is “Wherever you are, be there.”  He said it in the context of playing basketball or baseball.  He was trying to encourage me to stay focused, to stay in the game and not dwell on the last shot I missed or the last time at bat when I struck out.  “If you think too much about what just happened or worry too much about what might happen, then you won’t be a part of what’s happening now.”

I’m grateful for those times of playing catch or shooting baskets in the driveway with my dad.  I’m even more grateful for the words of advice and encouragement.  “Wherever you are, be there.”  Yesterday is in the past and tomorrow may not get here.  If we focus too much on either one of those days, we’ll miss out on what’s happening right here, right now on this day.

My prayer for you is that you will embrace today.  Yes, we should learn from the mistakes of yesterday.  And yes, we should plan for tomorrow but we should never let yesterday or tomorrow keep us from focusing on today.  Wherever you are, be there.

Posted in Christianity, Church, Do not dwell on the past, Do Your Best, God loves you, Rejoice | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment