Take the First Step and Then Press On

Posted on September 15, 2022 by pastorpstephens


In our chapel class this week we have been talking about goals and challenges and how God can equip us and empower us to reach the goals and plans He has for us. There are lots of good quotes which encourage us to work toward our goals and execute on our plans. I like this reminder from Martin Luther King, Jr. which says, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Sometimes the goals we set, the plans we make, and the hills we need to climb seem so big and challenging we may find ourselves hesitant to even get started. Faced with such goals and challenges, it is important to just take that first step. And then take the next one and the next. You’ll be amazed at where perseverance will take you. I think this the perspective Paul had in regard to sanctification and conforming to the image of Christ. Paul writes to the church:

Philippians 4:13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Conforming to the image of Christ, living in a way that honors God and points others to Him through our words and deeds is our goal as Christians. And it can be a big hill to climb. It can be challenging, but don’t let the challenge keep you from moving forward. For although it is challenging, it is rewarding. Take the first step. Invite Christ into your life as Lord and Savior. And after taking the first step, take the next. And then take the next. Press on. God will always help us to do whatever He asks us to do.

Posted in Christianity, Do Your Best, Don't stop, faith, Philippians 4:13 | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living with Purpose

Posted on August 12, 2022 by pastorpstephens

What Should I Do?

A man woke up one morning and as he lay in bed,
A certain question kept running through his head,
“If everyone has a purpose as some say we do,
Then what is mine? I haven’t a clue.”

He got up, got dressed and headed out for the day,
But the question still haunted him each step of the way.
It was on his mind as he helped a neighbor cross the street,
And as he said “hello” and “God bless you” to everyone he would meet.

All day while he wrestled with that question that was stuck in his mind,
He continued to demonstrate grace and speak words that were kind.
Still, a sinister thought began to grow in his head,
“If I don’t have a purpose, I should have just stayed in bed!”

As he retired for the night, he considered the day had been lost,
Until suddenly he remembered the people whose paths he had crossed.
He had been so worried about his purpose that all the while,
He failed to appreciate each laugh and each smile.

Finally, it struck him, and he began to understand,
That one’s purpose doesn’t always have to be so big and so grand.
Great things can be accomplished every single day,
Just by being kind to others as we go on our way.

You’ll meet some people who feel like they’re on their last mile,
And they can be strengthened by your kind words and your smile.
So don’t worry so much about your purpose or what you should do,
Just go out and love others as Christ has loved you.

Posted in Do Your Best, encouraging others, Ephesians 4:32, faith, Filled with Grace, God's comfort, Poem, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stay on Track

Posted on August 5, 2022 by pastorpstephens

I love the wisdom and truth of Psalm 37, especially verses 3 and 4. The psalm begins with a reminder not to fret over wrongdoers. Do not let someone who is determined to act wrong rob you of your peace. Don’t let someone who is doing bad keep you from doing good. Keep your focus on the Lord. Trust in Him, do good, and cultivate your faith. Cultivation takes time and attention. But as we see in verse 4 and throughout the remainder of this psalm, tending to our walk with Christ is always a rewarding experience.

Posted in Abundant life, Christianity, Church, Don't give up, faith, God will help you, Psalm 37:3-4 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Sad Song

Posted on May 25, 2022 by pastorpstephens

In the wake of the tragic and senseless loss of life yesterday in Uvalde, I have been overwhelmed by various emotions – sorrow and sadness and anger and outrage.  There is so much that needs to be done, so much that needs to change, and so much that needs to be said.  And this morning, I just don’t have the words to express all those emotions.  As I drove to work, I listened to some sad songs, I prayed, and I cried.   I have been trying to capture some of my thoughts and put them in writing, but I am still not there.

A Sad Song

Sometimes I need a sad song,
When things are all bottled up inside,
I can’t begin to express my thoughts
until after I’ve already cried.

Sometimes I need a sad song,
Just to get me through the day
Sometimes I need a sad song
When I don’t know what to say.

So forgive me if I’m not myself,
I may not tell you what’s wrong
Right now I just need a little bit of time,
So I can sing a few more sad songs.

May God bless you and the people you love, and may God comfort and strengthen the people of Uvalde.

Posted in Encouragement, faith, Faith during hard times, Grief, Grieving Together, Poem, poetry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hold Fast to What is Good

Posted on May 7, 2022 by pastorpstephens

My wife and I have always had dachshunds in our home. We have raised them with our children, and some might say we raised them like our children! About 35 years ago, we lived in a house with huge oak trees in the backyard. Our yard was home to a lot of squirrels and our dogs loved to chase those squirrels. Every day when I would get home from work, our dogs would greet me, dancing and jumping around my feet. Which is cute, however, one of them dribbled as he danced. Which is not so cute, because he danced a lot. To avoid this situation, when I would get home, I would immediately say, “Go get the squirrel!” Those dogs’ ears would perk up and they would fly out the doggie door, burst into the backyard barking, looking for squirrels to chase. It didn’t take long for the dogs to make a habit out of chasing squirrels as soon as I walked in the door, even without any prompting from me. I would walk in and before I could put down my briefcase – off they would go!

It’s been more than 30 years since we moved away from that house and none of our other houses have ever had any trees in the backyard. Two generations of our faithful little fur-babies have come and gone. When I get home from work today and open the door, I will be greeted by the two little doxies we have now. They will come up to me, wag their tails for a few seconds and then they burst out the doggie door into the backyard barking like crazy trying to chase squirrels. But the thing is, these dogs have never even seen a squirrel. We don’t have any squirrels in our yard, we don’t even have any trees! But they do it because that’s what dogs in our house have always done.

I said all that to say this, one of the greatest opportunities for personal development lies in recognizing and assessing our patterns of behavior. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:21

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything; and hold fast what is good.

It is good to reflect and ask ourselves if our habits, our actions, and our attitudes adding value. If they are, then let’s repeat them. Let’s hold fast to what is good. But if our habits, our actions, and our attitudes aren’t adding value, if they are detrimental to our wellbeing and our relationships, then maybe it’s time to make some changes and stop chasing squirrels.

Posted in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Give it your best, Relationships, religion, weenie dogs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Loving Others

Posted on May 1, 2022 by pastorpstephens

In our chapel services this week, one of our focuses has been on the way we treat other people and the instruction to love our neighbors as ourselves.  During our discussion time, we have explored several bible verses which encourage us in this endeavor.  One of my all-time favorite bible verses which provides some detailed instructions on what this will look like in our lives is found in Ephesians 4:31 – 32.  Paul writes to the church:

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

I love the wisdom and counsel of this verse.  I love the fact that it speaks to some behaviors and attitudes which we need to avoid and it also lists some behaviors and attitudes that we should be engaged in on a daily basis.  Our Heavenly Father does not want our lives to be characterized and marred with anger, ugly words, and bitterness.   Our Heavenly Father desires that our lives be characterized by kindness, forgiveness, and compassion.  We are called and commanded to love and forgive others, just as God through Christ has loved and forgiven us.  Being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving is not just a great way to be, it is a great way to declare and demonstrate God’s love to others.

Posted in Be kind tenderhearted, Christianity, Church, Ephesians 4:31, Ephesians 4:32 | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Easter Morning Prayer

Posted on April 17, 2022 by pastorpstephens

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful day.  We thank thank you for the sunlight and the warmth it brings.  We thank you most of all for your Son, Jesus Christ, the light of the world.  As our Lord and Savior, He warms our hearts and lights our path.  We thank you for the peace He brings to our lives and for the strength He gives to our spirit.  

We are mindful that not everyone is experiencing His peace and strength today.  Some do not yet know Him or the comfort He brings.  Others do know Him, but they find themselves desperately clinging to Him as they face persecution, tragedy and loss today.  May we reach out to them all, extending help and hope just as Christ has reached out and extended help and hope to us.   May we be beacons of lights and ambassadors of the saving grace that Christ so freely offers.   May we prove to be your faithful servants in all that we do.  Strengthen us in our faith.  Help us to honor the sacrifice of our Risen Lord.  In His name we pray.  Amen. 
Posted in Church, Easter, Happy Easter, prayer | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As I Prayed

Posted on April 8, 2022 by pastorpstephens

 

This week, a group of friends and I went on a prayer and meditation walk in a local church garden. After a time of much prayer, I started noticing and really appreciating all of the beautiful things around me. Here is a poem I wrote that morning during the walk.

As I Prayed

I saw a red bud tree putting out new leaves
Its days of blooming were passing by,
I saw a blue jay leave its nest
Taking flight in the morning sky.

I saw many things of wonder and beauty
Which readily caught my eye
But then I noticed some other things
That I had been passing by.

I saw a moth resting in the grass
Drying its wings from the morning dew
And I saw the tiniest of purple flowers
As I stopped to tie my shoe.

I saw the handiwork of our Creator
Displayed in so many ways
And I pray I will continue to notice all His beauty
As I go about my day.

Posted in Choose to be happy, Christianity, Church, Filled with Grace, Poem, poetry, prayer, Seeing God's Beauty | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Right Choices

Posted on March 19, 2022 by pastorpstephens


This week, I have been praying for some friends who have some decisions to make concerning school, jobs, and things of that nature. I have prayed for the Lord to lead them and guide them and help them make the “right” decisions. As I prayed for God to guide them and illuminate their path, a certain Bible passage came to my mind. In Genesis 2:15-17, the Lord placed Adam in the Garden and set a clear boundary in regard to the tree of knowledge but otherwise gave Adam many other options. “From any other tree in the garden you may freely eat” the Lord said. This passage reminds me that as long as we follow the boundaries the Lord has provided, we still have great liberty in regard to other choices we make.

And yet sometimes, we struggle with making choices and moving forward because we fear we will make the wrong choice.  We get stuck. We fear that we will displease the Lord and disrupt His plan, so we do nothing, or we hesitate until certain opportunities are lost. I think it is good to be reminded that when the Lord sets the table and places some godly options before us, He can bless whatever path we take. When we remain faithful to His word and walk within the counsel of His word, there is no wrong path, no wrong choice. We can move forward without worrying about displeasing Him or disrupting His plan. “From any other tree, you may freely eat.”

I pray that you will have a good week. I pray that you will know the depth of the love that God has for you. And I pray that God will strengthen you, encourage you, and help you to move forward with the godly choices He has placed before you.

Posted in doing the right thing, God has a plan for you, God will lead you, good choices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sing to the Lord

Posted on March 5, 2022 by pastorpstephens

In one of our chapel classes this week , our lesson was centered on Psalm 95:1 – 2. It is one of my favorites. The psalmist writes:

Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.

This psalm is attributed to King David who had a gift for writing songs which praise the Lord. David invites the reader to worship the Lord with him. As part of our chapel service, we went around the room and shared with others the names of some of our favorite songs and hymns. A couple of people even sang portions of theirs. During our discussion, we all agreed that some songs are harder to sing than others. Some notes are hard for some of us to hit. Some of us haven’t hit a note yet. At least, I haven’t. I am so glad the Lord invites us to make a joyful noise to Him. Making noise the kind of singing I do best!

Just as we all agreed that some songs are hard to sing, we also agreed that on some days it can be hard to sing. Some days we feel downcast and discouraged. Some days we feel just feel tired and out of sorts and we don’t feel like singing at all. I have found that those days when it is hard to sing are the days when I need to sing the most. Lifting up a song in those days helps me change my perspective. Lifting up a song on those days helps me lean on the rock of my salvation. Lifting up a song on those days allows the Lord to strengthen me. My prayer for you is that today, no matter what kind of day it is, you will take the time to sing and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Posted in a good day, Being Blessed, Being Thankful, Christianity, Church, Draw close to God, faith, Psalm 95:1 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment