The Lord will not Unfriend You

Posted on July 10, 2014 by pastorpstephens

I saw a friend the other day I had not seen or heard from in a while. After a few minutes of catching up my friend mentioned that they had not heard from me on Facebook in a while. Come to think of it I had not seen posts or pics from them in a long time either. When I got home that night I looked and they were no longer on my friends list. What happened? I know I didn’t delete my friend. Was my 5 year old phone on the frits? Did I as a 40 something…okay, okay, 50 something technologically challenged Baby Boomer accidentally delete my friend? Did one of my granddaughters do it as they randomly pushed buttons in search of a Curious George video? (I find I tend to blame the grandkids for unexplained things or mysterious disappearances kind of like we blame the cleaning people for everything at the office.) Or worse yet, did my friend delete me? Whatever the cause I sought to rectify the matter and I sent them a friend request as soon as I got home.

My situation with my friend made me reflect on my relationship with the Lord. I know that in my spiritual walk, in the newsfeed of my “Faithbook” there have been plenty of times that the Lord hasn’t heard from me. There have been seasons where I have not updated Him on my status, checked in, or simply thanked Him for His friendship. And just like the situation with my friend there have been times that it seems like I haven’t heard from Him in a while either.

I know that I am not the only one to ever feel some sort of disconnect. David spoke of something similar in Psalm 42. He cried out in verse 9, “Why have you forgotten me?” David felt disconnected and discouraged; he was in a season of despair. Yes, David felt despair but did not give in to despair. He continued to trust in the Lord and he reached out to the Lord. Despite his feelings, his faith told David that God never unfriends His people. David understood the truth of Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”  If you haven’t heard from the Lord in a while or if He hasn’t heard from you – reach out, reach up and reconnect! The Lord never forsakes or unfriends His people.

Posted in Christianity, Deut 31:6, faith, God, never cast out, Not forsaken, Psalm 42:9, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fourth of July – I’m Free!

Posted on July 4, 2014 by pastorpstephens

A man recently freed from prison danced down the street shouting, “I’m free, I’m free!” A small boy observed him and said, “So what, I’m four.”

Sometimes we fail to fully grasp and appreciate all that is included in the concept of living in freedom. We live in a great country. Oh it has its problems on that I cannot disagree. But we have the freedom to disagree. And we have the freedom to address the problems that concern us. Yes, we are free. It is a gift that should be appreciated and not taken for granted.

And let us not forget that we all have the freedom to worship as we please. If you know Christ as your Lord and Savior you have been set free from the penalty of sin; you have been reconciled unto God the Father. Not only that but you have also been set free from the power of sin in your life. What a precious gift we have been given! It is one that should definitely not be taken for granted. The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:16 (NASB) “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” Have a great Fourth of July and may God bless you and may God bless America.

Posted in 1 Peter 2:16, faith, Fourth of July, freedom, God, grandchildren | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Accountability Partners

Posted on July 2, 2014 by pastorpstephens

Accountability Partner  A couple of weeks ago when I was walking the granddaughters home after a visit,  the oldest one, Avery who is 4 years old stopped and surveyed all the leftover grass and dirt from my recent afternoon of mowing, edging and trimming.  I had simply run over it with the mower hoping to blow most of it away and was unsuccessful.  As she took in the scene she shook her head and said, “You need a leaf blower Pawpaw.  My daddy has one and he cleans up all that stuff real good.”  I sheepishly replied that Pawpaw would take care of it later that weekend.  Luckily for me a pretty good rain came that night and did the job for me.  Rain is always a blessing, isn’t it?

After all of the comments I have had from Avery recently on the yard, bird feeders and bird baths it seems that I have gained an accountability partner.  Accountability partners are good to have in all aspects of life, especially spiritually.  As brothers and sisters in Christ we are to help one another in our spiritual walk. We are to encourage and edify one another as we live out our faith.  When we notice that one of our brothers or sisters is struggling or falling short, we are expected to intervene.  God’s word tells us how to handle the situation.  Paul said in Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

Paul said it well.  It is not enough to just pray for the wayward brother, we are to go to them in love and gently try to restore them.  Additional instructions can also be found in Matthew 18 on how to handle these situations.  The bottom line is we all need to have accountability partners and we are all expected to be accountability partners.  I mowed and edged today and when I was done I used the shop vac like a leaf blower so that I could clean up the sidewalks.   I blew the debris into a couple of little piles and swept it up….well, most of it.  If you drive by the house you will see that I just blew some of it into the street.   Please don’t tell Avery…and please pray for me and I will pray for you.  Until next time, stay strong in the faith.

Posted in accountability partners, Christianity, Galatians 6:1, God, good advice, grandchildren | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Encouraging Word – Don’t Give Up

Posted on June 27, 2014 by pastorpstephens

I took off last Friday to repair the fence in the back yard.  A couple of panels had been blown over by a recent storm and one of the fence posts broke off just below ground level.  I did a quick, temporary fix to hold the fence up and keep the dogs in (one of them got out, you have to read last Sunday’s sermon to get that story) but I needed to put in a new fence post to fix the fence right.  Rather than pull up the old post and the concrete around it I decided to put in another post about a foot away and save some time and energy.  Friday would be the day.  I bought a new 8 foot tall post, several pickets, and a bag of ready mix concrete and I was ready to go when Friday rolled around.  I started digging about 8:30.  The digging came to a sudden teeth jarring stop about 10 seconds later when I hit something very solid.  I knew from previous experience it was a huge rock.  I scooted over another foot hoping that the rock was not that large.  I popped in the sharp shooter shovel and once again heard and felt the sound of caliche.  So much for saving time and energy.

I dug out the perimeter of the hole and then I started chipping away at the rock with a San Angelo bar.  A San Angelo bar is a 6 foot long metal bar with a point on one end and a straight edge on the other end.  It weighs about 35 pounds and it is the only way to chip through rock by hand.  You hold the bar straight up and down and you lift it up and bring it straight down on the rock chipping a small flake off of the rock and a little bit of cartilage off of every joint in your body…sometimes you lose a filling in your teeth.  It is a great tool.  After about 45 minutes of this fun I saw a crack in the rock!  I continued to work that area and the rock split in two!  I was able to widen the hole a little bit and I pulled out a section of rock just bigger than a football.  From there I was able to dig down further with the posthole digger so that I could set the post 24” deep.  From that point on, it was pretty easy.  Mix the concrete, set the pole level in the concrete – and in line with the fence and then come back later and nail the panels to the new post.   But I have to admit that getting past that rock was hard!  I felt like quitting a few times but I knew if I stayed after it and kept chipping away eventually I would get past that rock.

Maybe there are some things in your life that are difficult for you right now.  Maybe there are some obstacles that you have encountered that have made you want to give up on some things that you really know that you ought to complete.  Stay the course, complete the task.  While I was working to chip away at that rock I kept thinking of God’s word in Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”  Whatever task you are undertaking, let God give you encouragement.  Let God give you strength!  Let Him help you do the things that He has called you to do.  He will give you encouragement; He will give you instruction if you let Him.

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Small Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on June 20, 2014 by pastorpstephens

The other day at work in the break room I saw some small cherry tomatoes that someone had grown and brought for lunch.  Seeing those home grown cherry tomatoes reminded me of my grandfather.  He had a garden that he worked in and he grew all kinds of vegetables.  He loved to memorize poems and stories which he was quick to share with the grandkids and he could play the harmonica.  He was a very good baseball player and he loved to tell a good story.  He didn’t even mind telling a bad story.  He liked to laugh and enjoy life.  He was a good grandfather and I love him and I miss visiting with him and my grandmother.  I thought of all of those things because someone brought cherry tomatoes for lunch.  I’m glad they did!

Amazing that such a small visual cue can make one remember such noteworthy stuff.  Objects can do that for us; they can help us to memorialize important events and to remember and honor people we love.  One object that does that for me is the cross.  As Peter said in 1 Peter 2:24 “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness…”  The cross serves to remind me of the sacrifice given for me; it reminds me that while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me.  It reminds me that my Lord has plans and a purpose for me and I should not take His sacrifice lightly.  The crosses we wear should not be just mere jewelry, a piece of bling while we sing…No!  They should serve to remind us of one who came and lived a perfect, sinless life and gave that life on the cross for us!  They should serve to remind us of His great love for us…for He always stands ready to forgive the repentant heart even when we have fallen short in our love for Him.  Until next time, stay strong in the faith.

Posted in 1 Peter 2:24, Christianity, faith, God, religion, remembering Grandparents | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Father’s Day

Posted on June 15, 2014 by pastorpstephens

Happy Father’s Day!  Hope you have a great day and as we honor dads on this day, let us remember that God’s word says in Psalms 127:3-4

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”

Dads may we always be thankful and appreciative for these gifts God has bestowed upon us.  May we always be mindful of the stewardship that has been given to us.  Just as an archer has a great responsibility for the arrows placed in his care so too do we have a great responsibility.  We are to send out our children with purpose and direction.  We should seek out and recover those that have missed the mark so that they do not fall into the enemy’s hands.  We must treat our children like the gifts and treasures from the Most High God that they are.  Happy Father’s Days – yes, plural…Happy Father’s Days – may they be blessed with the strength, wisdom, purpose, discernment and grace that only God provides so that you can be a good steward of your gifts and blessings.

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Spiritual Growth

Posted on June 12, 2014 by pastorpstephens

I was blessed to visit with some friends this week that I had not seen in a few years. They were members at a church that I used to pastor in south Austin. It was great to catch up on old times. What really amazed me was how much their kids had changed during the last few years. They had grown and changed so much that I hardly recognized them. The growth and the changes were not just physical but each of them had special things going on in their lives. As I talked to each of these young people I learned about their special interests, their talents and the things that God was doing in their lives. It was great to see the growth and maturity that has been and is still taking place in the lives of the children of my friends.

Just as expect to see growth and maturity over the course of time in the lives of our children and those of our friends, our Heavenly Father has the same expectation for His children. These admonitions are found throughout His word. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:18 to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The author of Hebrews tells us in chapter 6:1 that we are to “press on to maturity.” Do you know Christ as your Lord and Savior? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ? I am not asking if you are perfect, we will all still have some struggles from time to time. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:15-16 that even he still wrestled with doing things he didn’t’ want to do and not doing the things he did want to do. If Paul struggled, we will struggle. But despite our struggles…are we prayerfully pressing on to maturity? That is the Lord’s desire for us. He desires that we grow. He desires that we mature. He desires that we become stronger in our walk. He desires that we walk with a little more grace, a little more wisdom, a little more maturity. If someone saw you who had not seen you in a while would they recognize that you had grown a little? Would they see that the Lord has been working in you and through you? If you don’t think they would, you can call on Him and He will begin to do a work today.

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On a Mission in Belize

Posted on June 2, 2014 by pastorpstephens

Recently a friend at work shared with me about her daughter’s missionary trip to Belize.  She went as part of a team from Oral Roberts University.  Most of their time was spent ministering to one family.  They helped to work on the family’s home, do some other tasks and share the gospel in a vacation bible school format.  Why spend so much time on just one family?  Well, this particular family has 12 children.  Yes, 12!  You would think that after a while that a couple would stop having children, especially if they were a couple of modest means.  But in this instance it is not an issue of ”having children” it is an issue of “receiving children.”  You see, this couple is from New York, they have been living in Belize for 15 years and though they are in their 60’s they have taken in several kids from other families in the surrounding area.  In that culture when a woman with a child has another child with a new father the new father often refuses to provide for any children that are not his.  This has not been an uncommon practice in the Caribbean where “child-shifting” has taken place over the years as children are sent to live with relatives when parents migrate or begin a relationship with another spouse.

In the area of Belize where these students were ministering, the unwanted children are often neglected and go without.  A simple google search will open your eyes and break your heart as you find that Belize is filled with children who reduced to begging on the streets just to survive.  This particular family in Belize has continued to grow because as women in the area around them have a child that their new husband will not feed, they bring that child to this family.  The women know the child will not be cast out from this family.  They know the child will be received, welcomed, fed and loved.

As I think of the love shown by this couple to the people around them I cannot help but reflect on how they are demonstrating the love of Christ found in John 6:37 where Jesus says “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. “  Christ promises that He will gladly receive those who humbly come to Him in need.  No matter what the circumstance, no matter what the past history, those who come to Him will never be cast out!  He will welcome them, feed them, and love them.  It is a blessing to see the love of Christ working in and through this family.  It is also a blessing to see the love of Christ working in and through the young people on mission.  The Bible says in Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”  I know that the help these students provided was a blessing to this family…and I know that they were blessed in doing so.  If you would like to be a blessing, pray for Belize, this family and other families in similar situations.  Pray for those who go on mission trips and serve in the name of Christ.  Consider going on mission yourself.  You don’t have to go far; there are ministry needs in your own backyard.  “Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

If you would like to know more about or help support future ORU missions go to www.oruoutreach.com.

Posted in Christianity, faith, God, Ministry in Belize, ministry work, missions, never cast out | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Memorial Day 2014

Posted on May 26, 2014 by pastorpstephens

“Greater love have no man,
Than he give his life for his friends.”
That’s the kind of sacrifice
Upon which our freedom depends.

The true heroes are not the athletes
Competing in arenas for a show,
It’s the men and women in uniform
Who go where others dare not go.

So as you relax this afternoon
And enjoy your Memorial Day
Don’t forget their sacrifice
And take some to pray

“Lord we thank you for those who have served
And for those who are serving today.
Comfort those who mourn,
And bless them all we pray.”

Posted in Christianity, faith, God, inspirational, John 15:13, Memorial Day, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

He Makes All Things New

Posted on May 23, 2014 by pastorpstephens

We got to babysit the granddaughters this week.  They are growing up fast.  They are 4 and 2 and it was their first time to have a sleepover.  Though I know they don’t drink sodas I could have sworn those kids were “jacked up on Mountain Dew.”  They have energy that never runs out.  We drew pictures, colored, watched Disney’s Frozen 15 times, played hide and seek, and did somersaults.  Okay, THEY did somersaults.  The last time Papaw did a somersault was when a lawn chair broke and though it was not pretty I did get a 9.7 from the Russian judge.  We had a great time and the only casualty all night was when Haley the 2 year old dropped a plastic sippy cup at while we were eating dinner.  The cup split all the way down the side.  As I cleaned up the mess and prepared to throw away the cup, Avery the 4 year old stopped me.  “No Papaw, don’t throw the cup away.  My daddy can fix it!”  I told it that it was broken and no good anymore and she pleaded with me.  “Really Papaw, my daddy can fix it.”  I tried again to explain to her that this cup was broken and would never work right again like it was intended to.  She stood her ground, “But my daddy has fixed things before.  He will put some tape on it and make just like new!”  I ultimately convinced her that we could not bind it with tape tight enough to keep it from leaking but I love the confidence she has in her father.

As Christians we should have the same confidence in our Heavenly Father.  Multiple passages come to my mind about how we frail, weak humans break as easily as a plastic sippy cup being knocked off of a dining room table. Many times we fear that we are broken beyond repair, no longer good, useful or desirable.  Sometimes we cast these same sentiments upon others thinking that no form of repair or rehabilitation would ever be able to make them whole and useful again.  I plead with you just as my granddaughter pleaded with me, “My Father can fix it!”  He tells us in Isaiah 61 that He is able to bind up the brokenhearted!  He tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that He is able to make all things new!  He tells us in Philippians 3:13 that we are able to forget what lies behind and push forward to what lies ahead!  Passage after passage declares the steadfast promise that nothing is so broken and no situation is so bad that our Heavenly Father cannot bring about renewal!  I know because I have seen my Father fix things before!  I have seen Him mend relationships, comfort those in distress, transform lives and bring about renewal.  He does all these things for those who enter into a personal, saving relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.

Posted in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Christianity, faith, God, inspirational, Isaiah 61, Philippians 3:13, religion, sippy cup | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment