Pastor Bob

Everyday is another chance to grow as an individual but…. we have to be willing to change. Change can be painful because we have to look at ourselves and quite frankly sometimes we what we see isn’t pretty. 

Today I was gazing at my life. I try to read the Bible daily of course but I read many other books because they can help me as well. J. Oswald Sanders has a wonderful book called Spiritual Leadership. Today in chapter 8 he peeled back the veneer of my life and exposed my weaknesses. One statement says, ” Many who drop out of ministry are sufficiently gifted, but have large areas of life floating free from the Holy Spirit’s control. Lazy and disorganized people never rise to true leadership.” (52) Ouch!! This makes me ask, “Lord am I undisciplined.” How can I improve.

 The thing that I discovered is that you may be disciplined next to everyone around you but are you doing all that God wanted you to do? That is a question that all of us need to allow God to answer for us. 

Have a great day. Pastor Bob

Recently, I have thought a great deal about why I am a Christian. Is it because I was raised in a Christian home? Definitely not!!! Was it because I had some great role model that convinced me that Jesus was the way? Not really. I wish I had had the advantage of living in a vibrant, loving, Christian home that provided guidance for me. But that didn’t happen. But somehow in the midst of my lostness, God found me. It didn’t happen overnight. I remember at age 13 somehow realizing that God was real. But it wasn’t until college that I found Jesus. Actually, He found me. I was the one that was lost.

In high school I attended church at the protestant services on the Air Force Base. I knew about Jesus but no one, I mean, no one told me that you must be born again. No one talked about a personal relationship with Jesus. I take that back, I did attend a Billy Graham gathering once to watch a movie, but it wasn’t until my junior year in college that I  accepted Jesus.

In Exodus 3, we read the story of the call of Moses. Moses was a reluctant leader. His first question to God was “Who am I?” Moses was asking the wrong question. “Who am I?” is about one’s talents and abilities. It focuses on skill and accomplishments that you have added to your list of things that make up you. The problem is that the question focuses only on what you can do and basically your limitations.

When you are trying to accomplish something “God-sized” you are never enough. The question for Moses should have been, “Whose am I?” This is a question of ownership. Who is your master? If the answer is you then you have big problems when you are trying to tackle a “God-sized” project. But if you belong to Jesus, then you are not limited by your abilities but enabled by God’s infinite resources and abilities. 

I understand the emphasize about finding out your talent and abilities so you can find out what field is best suited to your giftings. However, the more important question to answer is “Whose are you?” God bless you in your endeavors. 

It is so easy to become wrapped up in gift giving that we forget the greatest gift of all, God the Father sending His son to us. Take time this year to be thankful for God’s gift. Take time to be thankful for the opportunity we have in this country to share the gospel with others because many do not have the same freedom. I look forward to time spend this Christmas with friends and family. So much for which to be thankful. God bless you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Pastor Bob 

Every day I am challenged as I read the Word of God. The Book of Proverbs is like a piece of sand paper being applied to a rough piece of wood. It smooths out the rough places. Imagine being that piece of wood, in fact, we are that piece of wood. Here is one verse I read yesterday. Proverbs 17:27-28.

“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” 

Ouch!!! That sand paper hurts so good. I need to grow in God. Keep reading the Word and let God hurt you so good. Pastor Bob

In Numbers 11: 4-35, Moses is faced with an impossible situation. He has a rebellion on his hands because the people are unhappy with the menu and he feels powerless to meet the need. Moses complains to God and asks God to take his life. Did Moses care for his people? You bet. That is what is so devastating about complaining. It hurts the people closest to you. It hurts the people that have a vision for your life and that care for you. Here are a few of my thoughts on complaining. I am not casting stones against anyone because I have to examine myself first.

1. Complaining is based in fear and doubt and unbelief. It shrinks God down to smaller than the problem.

2. Complaining puts one in the realm of the flesh and not the Spirit.

3. Complaining focuses on the problem. Being thankful focuses on God.

4. Complaining sees why things are so bad. Thankfulness sees why things are so good.

5. Complaining is backward looking. Faith is forward looking.

6. Complaining sees problems. Faith sees the answers.

7. Complaining is contagious. Faith is courageous.

8. Complaining craves for something. Faith prayers for something.

9. Complaining spouts off. Faith sprouts up (towards God).

10. Complaining builds doubts. Speaking the word builds faith.

11. Complaining diminishes God’s provision. Thankfulness rejoices in God’s provision.

I hope this helps you. Praise God. Pastor Bob

The Hubble telescope provides scientists the opportunity to observe space with fresh eyes. Things that were impossible to see before can be viewed without the distractions that the atmosphere of the earth brings. That’s what prayer does. It opens our eyes to see things without the distractions of this world. Then we can see more clearly.

Once scientists saw the world through the Hubble telescope, they realized that space was much bigger than they thought. Measuring distance in light years proves grossly inadequate. The numbers describing the distances to the new found galaxies overwhelms the viewers with the size of the universe.

What does that mean to us? Our prayers open our eyes to the vastness of the universe and the greatness of our God who made the universe. Seeing our problems through the viewfinder of our prayers helps us to trust that God has the ability and the desire to answer our prayers. Keep praying and watch what our God does. Pastor Bob 

I had the privilege of going to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. What an inspiration it was to see the impossible become the possible. Sure there were tremendous problems to overcome and it took a long time, but the mission was accomplished.

For those that don’t remember, President Kennedy made the challenge for America that we would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. That was during a time when America was behind the Soviet Union and seemed to be unable to catch up. Failure after failure left America nestled in the nest of inferiority with little chance for change. But America joined together behind Kennedy and did the impossible. 

It was truly inspirational to see what man can do if he is unified. What can man do if he is unified behind God? How can God answer our prayers and change the direction of this country? Just as America felt defeated back in the sixties, American acts defeated today. We apologize for our faith instead of using it. We play instead of pray. It is time for a change. Join with me in a new commitment to pray. God Bless. Pastor Bob