Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Shepastor: "Pre-Registration Begins May 1, 2012 for the Empowering and Encouraging Women in Ministry Conference!"
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Shepastor: “Speaking Those Things That Be Not As Though They Were”
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Romans 4:17 KJV
In, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Harlem Renaissance writer, Zora Neale Hurston declared,
Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing, until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men. Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. They then act and do things accordingly.
Although the late Ms. Hurston suggested that for women, “the dream is truth – they act and do things accordingly,” I have observed that many, like men, stand on the banks of the proverbial waters and experience dreams being “mocked to death by Time.”
When our dreams die, God has another option that can rescue us from resignation. We can exchange our grief and disappointment for God’s vision for our lives. The same God that took nothing, made something and called it “good,” can take the “nothingness,” the emptiness, the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the disappointment, the dreams dead and or deferred and replace them with His vision for you.
God can take the “be nots” of our journey (even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were) and restore life. The chasm of grief and disappointment can be so broad and deep that believing God for a quickening feels impossible.
Push past perceived impossibilities and pursue God’s vision for you. God is able to “speak those things that be not as though they were” over your life. Resist the temptation to resign from faith, hope, dreams and aspirations. Walk into your new reality. Accept those things you cannot change, reclaim the courage to change the things that you can and ask God for the wisdom to know the difference. Swim with the tide of God’s flow for you. Soon, God’s dreams and vision for you will become the desire and fulfillment of your heart.
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Shepastor: “Processing Anger at God: Reflections upon the documentary, ‘God I’m Angry,’ featuring Dr. Julie Exline, Associate Professor of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University”
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” A faithless heretic did not utter these words. Jesus, quoting the Psalmist David (Psalm 22:1) spoke them as He hung on the cross at Calvary (Mark 15:34). While there is a difference between feelings of abandonment and anger, often for humans, one can lead to the other.
Many have been taught that it is inappropriate and even sinful to question God. For some, it is close to blasphemy to express anger towards God. Therefore, individuals suffering tragedies, extreme pain, agony and disappointment are frequently made to feel guilty if they raise questions or express feelings of hostility towards God who has all power in His hands. Honestly speaking, it can take years for individuals to move from anger and disillusionment to an attitude of faith that embraces Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Daunted by internal inquiries such as, “Lord, why did you allow this to happen to me?” “What purpose did this tragedy serve?” “Why Lord, did you not use your power to prevent this from happening,” some have even left their faith, finding no solace from “the faithful.” Shallow theology cannot bare the harsh realities of suffering. The people of faith must acknowledge and assist the suffering as they struggle to process anger at God.
With clarity, honesty and humility, Dr. Julie Exline, Associate Professor of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio explores the difficult issue of anger at God. In the CBC Radio Documentary, God I'm Angry, Dr. Exline, a Christian Psychologist, along with several other individuals from the Jewish and Muslim faith communities takes a look at faithful indignation, and the connection between fury and belief. The documentary is prepared and presented by Frank Faulk.
This week, Shepastor invites you to listen and prayerfully consider the importance of helping individuals to process and not repress issues of anger and their relationship with God. If you are wrestling with questions about your own circumstances and God's role in the mix, listen with an open heart, go before God's presence and honestly state your case. God will meet you there.
Click on the link below:
http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/documentaries/2012/04/08/god-im-angry/
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Shepastor: “Hindrances to Healing: An Era of Few Nathans”
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful., Proverbs 27:6 (KJV)
1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,
“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
2“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
3“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
4“Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 6“He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
7Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. II Samuel 12: 1-7 (NASB)
Even men and women after God’s own heart can become blind to their own destructive and sinful behaviors. According to the scriptures, David was one such man. The same David that slew Goliath, spared Saul’s life on two occasions and praised God with all of his heart also became an adulterer, schemer, user and murderer. David, however, had something (or someone) going for him that many leaders don’t have today. David had a Nathan.
Verse 7 of II Samuel 12 declares,
7Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul
We only hear of the prophet Nathan in relationship to this passage of scripture. God used Nathan to call David to accountability when his power and authority apparently blinded him. David could easily see the injustice, cruelty and oppression committed against the individual in Nathan’s story. He was astonished, however, when Nathan boldly declared, “You are the man!”
In order for Nathan to confront David, several things had to be clear in his mind:
(1) Nathan had to fear God above man. The fact that God was sending Nathan to confront a king did not deter him from obeying God’s dictate. Nathan had to settle it within himself that no consequence rendered by the king would compare to the repercussions if he disobeyed the Lord.
(2) Nathan did not use David’s glorious record to justify present behaviors. Nathan did not ignore, deny or cover David’s ugly and destructive actions. He did not view speaking truth to power as antithetical to love, appreciation and support.
(3) Nathan trusted that truth would ultimately strengthen and heal David. Without Nathan’s obedient confrontation, David may never have acknowledged his grievous transgressions and been cleansed of his sins.
We could learn a lot from Nathan’s example. So often, the fear of loss of position, a place in the “inner circle,” and “favor of a king or queen” trumps speaking the truth. Sometimes, a lack of confrontation or even acknowledgement that wrongs are being committed has nothing to do with position. It can be a blatant disregard and insensitivity. Sadly, those in positions of power avoid being called to accountability by misusing, abusing and oppressing those who appear to have no voice.
Since individuals with a voice (and some level of perceived influence) are least likely to be effected by a duplicitous leader, they deny, ignore or even protect a leader gone awry. If a bruised, broken, and oppressed individual dares to speak up and share their grievances or injustices committed against them, the response is swift and strong. Frequently they are castigated, maligned and ostracized for having the audacity to speak against such an “upright and wonderful” leader!
As a result, men and women who once were valiant, humble, beautiful, and faithful witnesses of the most high God become drunk with the wine of the world and obsessed with the power and position, given to them by the Lord. They have no one who says to them, “You are the Man/Woman!” While human eyes may look the other way or look the same way and proclaim a false reality, God, “who sits high and looks low” sees all. The Lord is still on the side of the oppressed, whether they be in the church, the community, the Nation or the world. In His due season, all will be revealed.
The Lord, however is still calling for Nathans – men and women who will fear God above the reproach of people, men and women who realize that sin is no respecter of persons, men and women who understand that all of us have the unfortunate capacity to do evil, no matter how stellar our record. God is calling for more Nathans – individuals who will speak truth to power, understanding that speaking truth is not antithetical to love, loyalty, appreciation or thankfulness, but speaking truth, is love.
Through Nathan’s faithfulness, David was called to accountability and convicted to write one of the most powerful psalms of the Bible, Psalm 51. David was pricked to the heart, cried out to God for forgiveness and provided a tremendous portrait of what true repentance looks like.
If we want to promote health and healing in our churches, in our communities, in our Nation and in our world, let us pray for and if appropriate be a Nathan.
During this Holy Week, may we reflect upon both Nathan and David and listen for God’s message to us through each one.
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until Next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Shepastor: “You’ll know better next time”
10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.Pressing on Toward the Goal 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, 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, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 10-14 NIV
The other day as I was coming out of the grocery store, I saw a young mother with her two children. One was sitting in the grocery cart and the other was standing over the side of the cart sobbing. The mother was comforting him concerning a bad decision he’d made. With a gentle tone and a reassuring voice she said, “Honey, everybody makes mistakes. You’ll know better next time.”
As I listened to that mother, I thought about how much it hurts when we realize that we’ve made a bad choice, gone in the wrong direction or made a mess of something. The mother’s words were wise, encouraging and relayed a profound message: we all make mistakes, but learn from what you’ve done and press on! Weep for a moment, but don’t stay there. If you have made a mess, ask for God’s guidance and wisdom to clean it up and then turn the rest over to Him.
You cannot change the past. You can, however, move wisely into the future. Learn the valuable lessons of the valley classroom and determine not to repeat a grade. Press toward the mark of God’s high calling upon your life. Release the guilt, release, the shame, release the sorrow. Turn it over to Jesus. He will make everything all right. Press toward the mark of God’s high calling upon your life. The dash between life and death is too short to dwell in regret and defeat too long.
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday
In faith, hope and perseverance,
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Shepastor: “Speak Until Justice Wakes”…For Trayvon Martin
If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteousness do? (Psalm 11:3)
In 2012, we in America are still wrestling with issues of racism. Foundations are being destroyed: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” “One Nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” These concepts are a part of our foundation. The foundation, however, is being destroyed. Stereotypes, ignorance, intolerance and hatred are all contributors to the fragmentation of our unity. Upon what do we stand? If we continue to attempt to stand upon a broken and jagged foundation, we will all be destroyed.
Recently our Nation experienced one more painful example of our brokenness –the murder of a beautiful, young man, Trayvon Martin. According to news reports, Trayvon was unarmed, carrying a can of tea, a bag of skittles and was on his way home. A neighborhood vigilante determined that Trayvon was “suspicious looking,” followed, confronted and ultimately shot him in the chest and killed him. Below is the moving plea of his family to demand justice. Read on and prayerfully consider joining the voices who will speak until justice wakes…
Why This Is Important
On February 26, our son Trayvon Martin was shot and killed as he walked to a family member's home from a convenience store where he had just bought some candy. He was only 17 years-old. Trayvon's killer, George Zimmerman, admitted to police that he shot Trayvon in the chest. Zimmerman, the community's self appointed "neighborhood watch leader," called the police to report a suspicious person when he saw Travyon, a young black man, walking from the store. But Zimmerman still hasn't been charged for murdering our son.
Trayvon was our hero. At the age 9, Trayvon pulled his father from a burning kitchen, saving his life. He loved sports and horseback riding. At only 17 he had a bright future ahead of him with dreams of attending college and becoming an aviation mechanic. Now that’s all gone.
When Zimmerman reported Trayvon to the police, they told him not to confront him. But he did anyway. All we know about what happened next is that our 17 year-old son, who was completely unarmed, was shot and killed.
It's been nearly two weeks and the Sanford Police have refused to arrest George Zimmerman. In their public statements, they even go so far as to stand up for the killer - saying he's "a college grad" who took a class in criminal justice.
Please join us in calling on Norman Wolfinger, Florida's 18th District State's Attorney, to investigate my son's murder and prosecute George Zimmerman for the shooting and killing of Trayvon Martin. End Quote.
If you would like to join me along with thousands of other individuals who would like to see justice served, please visit the link below, sign the petition and stand for Trayvon.
http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin#
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Shepastor: A Special Lenten Reflection, “ Turning Around”
Every year somewhere between the February and March, the Christian Church observes the season known as, Lent. Originally, Lent was a time of preparation for Easter baptism. Those preparing to be baptized would fast and pray. The climax of the season came with an all-night vigil of Easter Even with baptism, confirmation and celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. Lent also was a time for all members of the church community to repent of and mourn for sin. The forty weekdays of Lent represent the time Jesus spent in the wilderness during His Temptation. According to Matthew and Luke, He fasted for forty days.
During Lent, the church of today continues to focus upon the themes of repentance, forgiveness and restoration. A few weeks back we observed Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The ashes are made from the burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday. In the Christian Tradition, the ashes are blessed and then the pastor, using the ashes, makes the sign of the cross upon the foreheads of the repentant. The ashes symbolize repentance. The idea comes from the Old Testament times when mourners clothed themselves in sackcloth and sprinkled their heads and faces with dust or ashes.
Job said, “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). Jesus declared, “Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Siden, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Information obtained from, Symbols of Church Seasons & Days, by John Bradner)
While the ashes symbolize repentance, let us remember that outward symbols without inward transformation is unacceptable in the sight of God. To repent means to literally, “turn around,” or to “turn back.” In today’s Shepastor, we reflect upon a Christian writer’s message regarding going in God’s direction. Read on and be blessed…
Turning Around…
We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. We have all seen this when doing arithmetic. When I have started a sum the wrong way, the sooner I admit this and go back and start over again, the faster I shall get on. There is nothing progressive about being pigheaded and refusing to admit a mistake. And I think if you look at the present state of the world, it is pretty plain that humanity has been making some big mistakes. We are on the wrong road. And if that is so, we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on. End Quote
There is no shame in turning around, if that is what is necessary to get us moving forward in the right direction. Do you need to turn around? Do you hear the Lord speaking and saying, “Turn back my child, that is not the plan I have for you.” Don’t allow pride and the fear of human reprisal or judgment to block you from God’s best. If you are headed down the wrong road, obey God, return to “that place” where you first heard God’s message. God will restore, renew, refill, recharge and advance your life and ministry – praise His holy name!
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday
In faith, hope and perseverance,
Pastor Chris
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