Shepastor: “Don’t Allow Regret to Ruin Your Life…”

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3: 13-14, NIV

Regret can be a heavy thing. Many live their lives under the weight of mistakes, missed opportunities, words spoken, unfortunate decisions, etc. But one thing is for sure, you cannot change the past. Some spend their lives looking in the rear view mirror. The “rear view mirrors” of life are small in comparison to the “wide windshield.” Although you may be living with the consequences of bad choices, God still has a big bright future ahead for you.

We serve a forgiving God, a loving God, a healing God, a restoring God. We ALL have made mistakes. Ask the Lord to forgive you. He is faithful and just to do just that! Ask the Lord to help you to forgive yourself. It will be difficult, if not impossible to take hold of all that the Lord has in your future if you do not.

Understand that others that may have been harmed by your past decisions may not be so quick to forgive you. In a genuine spirit, as much as is possible, do what is in your power to bring restoration and then release them to God. There are some fractures that only the Lord can repair. Know that God has a goal for you to pursue, a “prize” for you to win.

You cannot fulfill your life’s purpose looking backwards. Don't allow regret to ruin your life. By faith, keep moving forward. Keep “pressing towards the mark.” Accept God’s forgiveness and forgive yourself.
Greater is coming…

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "Freedom..." A poem written by Pastor Chris Smith

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36, KJV

Freedom…
By Pastor Chris Smith, written for the occasion of the AJC Global Community Seder, Thursday, April 14th, 2016

Whether the African slave drug across the chilly waters of the cruel Atlantic, bound by chains, forced to lie in her own refuse and vomit, down, down in the splintered belly of brutal slave ship…

Or the Jewish descendent of Joseph, shackled, beaten and abused, forced to make bricks without straw… in a land by a Pharaoh that knew him not…
Or whether the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free…

Freedom is the inhaling of the air, the expanding of the lung, the release of the exhale to do and to be and to become all that God has created one to be without the encumbrances of hatred, the ignorance of “isms” and the brutality of boxes too small to hold the brilliance of beauty, creativity and love.

Freedom is the head though bloodied refuses to be bowed…Freedom…is the voice that speaks despite the oppression that seeks to press it into silence…FREEDOM…the heart that beats and swells with compassion though mean spirit actions abound FREEDOM…is God’s gift to humanity though portioned out like meal by oppressors to those desperately waiting at the mill of justice.

Yet there is a FREEDOM that cannot, that will not be contained by prisons and shackles and bars…there is a FREEDOM, like hope, that springs eternal in the human breast, that FREEDOM that declares with audacity, “I will rise again.” …That FREEDOM that demands FREEDOM to be free, released for all to breathe.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "Scatter Your Seed in Faith..."

The Parable of the Growing Seed
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4: 26-29, NIV

This rarely quoted parable found in the Gospel of Mark packs a powerful message. Here Jesus is explaining further what the Kingdom of God is like. In previous verses, Jesus tells the very familiar story about the “sower” and various kinds of soils. As a pastor, I have always found great encouragement in those verses. At times we (pastors/leaders) can “beat up on ourselves,” because the seeds we have been prayerfully, painstakingly sowing appear to produce such minimal fruit. Interestingly, Jesus’ emphasis is not placed upon the sower, but the soil…the parable of the sower…”

But in this subsequent parable, Jesus further emphasizes the relationship between “the Kingdom of God” and the seed scattered upon the ground. Jesus says, “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain…”

As humans we tend to take too much credit either way…when the “seeds” don’t seem to grow, we tend to blame ourselves. When the seeds blossom and flourish, particularly in the church, we tend to attribute it to some great work that we’ve done and others have not. But Jesus says, “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain…”

We really don’t know how God causes the “seed” of His Word, the “seed of love,” the “seed of faithfulness,” to grow in the hearts of people. We cannot take credit either way…we don’t know how! We are simply called to “scatter the seed.”

If you are discouraged, pray for the faith to continue to scatter the seed. Remember, God controls the harvest. If you are experiencing abundant growth, in humility realize that it’s not you or your great programs, but it’s God’s seed, God’s soil, God’s harvest. We don’t know how. We are simply called by faith to scatter the seed. Be encouraged seed sower, God will see to it… “first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head…" As soon as the grain is ripe, God will put the sickle to it. He alone knows when it's harvest time.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: “Sometimes We Need to Change Our Prayers…”

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16, KJV

“The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avail much…” We have embraced, quoted, and used as a fire brand this verse…a verse of victory and triumph in prayer. But have you ever considered that at times, our “effective prayers,” may effectively block our blessings?

God hears and honors the prayers of His children. Our prayers, however, may be the very thing that stands in the way of a new and different path. Sometimes we are praying for the very thing that we need to release…the very thing that we need to let go…the very thing that we need to turn away from.

Sometimes our focus is wrong, our vision is short, our request is shallow. Some might argue that God will not then answer or grant those prayer requests. I beg to differ. At times, God allows us to remain in our proverbial “prayer box” until we see the stagnation created by those intense but misdirected prayers.

Are you praying for something to be revived when God really wants to put it to rest? Are you praying for some relationship to be reinvigorated when God wants you to walk away? Are you praying for some particular door to come open when the Lord is waiting for you to go in a different direction?

Sometimes we need to change our prayers. Are your own prayers blocking your blessings, your progress, your “new day?” Prayer is powerful indeed. May we ask the Lord to give us wisdom and guidance in how we direct those prayers for ourselves and for others.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "Give Us This Day..."

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11, NIV

"Give us this day our daily bread," is a simple phrase couched within the "Model Prayer." Jesus gave these words as part of a prayer he taught, when the disciples asked him to teach them how to pray. Although simple, this short phrase is VERY profound. While many simply consider these words with regard to physical food, I believe Jesus was speaking of something much greater.

As humans, one of our greatest dilemmas is that we cannot see the future. We can dream, dread, plan, ignore, consider and prepare, in some ways, for the future. But we cannot see or know the future. In our great quest for this knowledge, some have resorted to consulting "sooth sayers," psychics, and cards with special symbols. Sometimes, the Lord in His grace and mercy shows us "glimpses" of the future through dreams and the whispers of His precious Holy Spirit. He has refrained, however, from giving us the "blow by blow" details. Jesus himself said, "I have much to tell you, but you cannot bear it now..." (John 6:12). Jesus knows that if he tells us too much too soon, we would not be able to handle or absorb the contents.

Jesus knows that if we knew somethings...some hurdles we'd have to cross, some sorrows we'd have to bare, some tragedies we'd have to face, some triumphs we'd ultimately win...that we would not press forward and cultivate the faith he desires that we have. Our faith pleases the Lord. Our perseverance, hope and trust develop our "spirit being" and character. Therefore, the Lord has taught us to simply pray, "Give us this day our daily bread."

We have today. Tomorrow is not promised. May we in wisdom seek the Lord's bread daily. Knowing that His sustenance is enough.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org