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GET UP AND GO WITH A GOOD WORD
FROM PASTOR CHARLES STOKER
From the desk of Pastor Charles W. Stoker
Fantastic Friday January 23, 2009
Encourage the discouraged to encourage!
“We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14 (GW)
I love this verse and how the God’s Word translates it. Paul sets off and chain reaction by first saying “we encourage you”. He began by encouraging the discouraged to encourage.
The best way to cheer up is to give up!
Give up your position of discouragement by reaching out to someone who is weak or hurting. Find someone who is going through a problem similar to yours and life them up. As you walk in your gift as encourager you will find strength and joy through the ministry you are providing.
The Apostle Paul went on to say in 2 Corinthians 4:1 (GW) “We don't become discouraged, since God has given us this ministry through his mercy.” Think about it, “we don’t become discouraged”.
Paul had found a cure for discouragement and it was “this ministry”, what ministry, God’s “mercy”. These are the principles of the Kingdom. Jesus said to “give and it shall be given you”.
Give to someone else’ need and your need will be met.
Thankful Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
Watch your step!
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalm 37:23 (KJV)
I spoke at our Church last night on the subject of God’s plan and purpose for our life. Sometimes we miss the obvious while looking for that golden opportunity to do something really “big”. There is nothing wrong with preparing for the future and looking ahead to the dreams and vision we feel God has given each of us. There is a danger of becoming such a dreamer that we fall asleep on the opportunities that are presented from day to day.
It is important for us to know that God “orders” our steps and a “good” man pays attention to where and what God is doing with him moment to moment. Where we go and what we do is part of a chain or can create chain of reactions that are all part of God’s plan to restore, rebuild and supply what is needed to make life better.
Example; I wrote a few days ago about some damage done to my truck. I went by a body shop yesterday to get an estimate on the repairs. The owner of the business came out to meet with me and I could see from the look on his face that something was wrong so I asked him how he was doing. He said that it had been a really tough day. We went on talking about my truck and reached and agreement on the cost to repair it. I started to get in and pull away when I felt God “ordering” my steps, I ask the man if I could pray for him and I took his hand and right there in the middle of the parking lot of his body shop we begin to pray. It was obvious that God had touched him. He said “up till now I felt like there were more against me than for me but your prayer has made me to understand that God knows where I am and what I am going through and it feels really good”.
Wow, right place and the right time.
That’s what I am talking about and the rest of that verse say’s that there is “delight” in this way and I can testify that it is so true
Wonderful Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
“Our founding fathers were not Christians. They were deists, atheists, and agnostics.”
Wow! These are the words spoken a few days ago by a prominent pastor.
I am sending out this devotion a little late today because I wanted to watch the prayer service held in our Nation’s capital this morning. Several times in the prayer service I heard the Name of Jesus mentioned either by song, prayers or words spoken. I am a little confused and I believe many are.
Where do we stand? Are we a nation founded on Christians principles and the Bible or are we expanding our beliefs now to include other religions that do not accept Jesus Christ as the Savior and only begotten Son of God. What were the beliefs and intentions of our founding fathers?
John Hancock was a leading player in the Revolution. Hancock presided over the Second Continental Congress. He was the first governor of Massachusetts. It is interesting to note that Hancock’s signature is the largest on the Declaration of Independence.
On April 15th, 1775, just four days before the shot heard round the World Hancock wrote; “In circumstances dark as these, it becomes us, as Men and Christians, to reflect that, whilst every prudent Measure should be taken to ward off the impending Judgments.. “All confidence must be withheld from the Means we use; and reposed only on that GOD who rules in the Armies of Heaven, and without who’s Blessing the best human Counsels are but Foolishness--and all created Power Vanity. "It is the Happiness of his Church that, when the Powers of Earth and Hell combine against it...that the Throne of Grace is of the easiest access--and its Appeal thither is graciously invited by the Father of Mercies, who has assured it, that when his Children ask Bread he will not give them a Stone.... "RESOLVED, That it be, and hereby is recommended to the good People of this Colony of all Denominations, that THURSDAY the Eleventh Day of May next be set apart as a Day of Public Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer...to confess the sins...to implore the Forgiveness of all our Transgression...and a blessing on the Husbandry, Manufactures, and other lawful Employments of this People; and especially that the union of the American Colonies in Defense of their Rights (for hitherto we desire to thank Almighty GOD) may be preserved and confirmed....And that AMERICA may soon behold a gracious Interposition of Heaven."By Order of the [Massachusetts] Provincial Congress, John Hancock, President.”
From the words of one of our most prominent founding father we must once again as “Men and Christians “resolve to “prayer and fasting…to confess our sins…to implore the Forgiveness of all our Transgressions”. I want to encourage you to prayer for our Nation today. With a love for God and America we can get through this time of great hardship and return to Christian principles that made this Nation great.
Terrific Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Some folks are harder to love than others!
Isn’t it true? While here on Earth, Jesus began to teach a new way of living and a new way of loving. His message was a love of a different kind. Jesus said that the world taught that you should love those who love you but it was ok to hate those who hate you. Sound logical, hum? This mentality does not allow room for change. Hate breed’s hate and like a cancer it grows. Is there a cure? Does the fact that we don’t agree with someone mean that we “hate” him or her?
Jesus went on to say “ But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44 (GW). Like the song says “what the World needs now is love sweet love”.
Jesus loved us while were yet sinners. Now did that mean that Jesus agreed with our lifestyle, of course not? Did that mean he believed us, of course not. What it did mean was He believed in us and new we had the potential to change. Sinner’s sin but sinner can change, I know because the Lord changed me by His grace.
If God can change me then He can change anybody.
The walls that divide will never come down while we hate but love will break through.
All will not receive the love you show them and some will even persecute you for it but Jesus said to “pray for them”. Lets do that today. Lets offer love to all and pray for those who don’t receive it.
I love the new song that says "He is mighty to save, He is mighty to save".
Mighty Monday, January 19th, 2009
I have a dream!
These were the famous words of the late Martin Luther King as he stood at the Lincoln Memorial. I am not sure if Dr. King would be in complete agreement with what is going on in our Nation. I am not talking about politics and parties but morals and sinful, shameful lifestyles that are clearly against God’s law for living. American cannot continue mocking God and have God’s favor and prosperity much longer.
The handwriting is on the wall! America must rediscover its Christian’s values and lifelong commitment to the Word of God. In the speech that I mention above Dr. King used the words of Thomas Jefferson and I want to share with you the complete text Jefferson penned more than 200 years ago as he prayerfully and fearfully began writing the Declaration of Independence.
Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men and for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance upon the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
Here is the point I wish to make. Liberty cannot survive among men without its Divine connection. In the words of Jefferson himself we must have a “firm reliance upon the protection of Divine Providence”.
God’s plan for us it good and He does want us to enjoy liberty but we must not forget our Creator in our pursuit of happiness and laws created by governments must support the Word of our Creator, the Holy Bible. It is an irony that many America’s have turned a blind eye to the required connection between God and Liberty. Our sense of right and wrong come from the use of reason and common sense, but also from the Bible, which by faith was considered by our Founding Fathers to be inspired by the Holy Spirit of God; and not just from the mind or heart of man. Throughout Washington DC you will find engraved upon monument after monument words like “In God we Trust” or “May God bless America”.
Our Founding Fathers were believers in the God of the Bible and they put that faith into the Declaration of Independence, into our laws, into our national monuments, and into our culture and must be and accept as historical truth.
I want to challenge you today that prayer for our Nation must be a priority. Each day as you complete your devotions and study of God’s Word pray for our leaders and our Nation. I love America and am honored to preach the Word of God by television each week into every city in this Nation, I preach not just for change but for a return to the faith our forefathers had which made this Nation great.
Fantastic Friday, January 16th, 2009
We are His hands and feet!
1 Corinthians 12:27 (GW) You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it.
Several years ago Evon and I lived across the road from my grandparents. My granddad loved to garden and grew some of the biggest tomatoes you ever saw. I drove by their old place in Qulin Missouri a few weeks ago and was amazed at how small that garden spot was it used to seem so big. Granddad grew enough vegetables in that garden to feed a small army. When granddad got to the point that he was not physically able to run his garden tiller he would call across the road to our house and “invite” me over to help him.
We would start the old Troybilt tiller and I would head it down a row between the tomatoes and potatoes with granddad marching right behind me.
I can still hear him now, “ keep it right, slow down, make a turn, don’t get too close, easy boy, easy now”.
Keep in mind that the tiller is running usually without a muffler so granddad would be “shouting” out these commands.
I would get so nervous and flustered. One day I stopped and turned around and screamed “whose going to do this, me or you, if it’s me then go sit on the porch until I get done”. Granddad turned and walked away, head hanging and I felt so bad. I finished tilling the garden and walked over to the porch where granddad was setting. Nothing was said for a few minutes then granddad broke the silence with these words “son, I am sorry but you must understand I want the garden to do well but I am unable to do it, I need you to be my hands and my feet”.
We set there a few minutes and I got up and said “come on granddad let’s get this garden done right” went back out to the garden and started the tiller up and away I went with granddad right there behind me shouting and I was laughing all the way to the end. Granddad and I became a team that day. I would give a thousand dollars to hear his voice again.
The above text say’s that we are Christ's body; we are His hands and feet. He is calling you and me to His garden to do His work. Our purpose is to demonstrate His Kingdom each day. He has chosen to need us. He once told His disciples that He would no longer call them servants but partners because He would share His work with them and they would be a part of all He did. That has not changed today; we are a part of all He is doing. So let’s get off the porch and move forward with a smile as the Holy Spirit guides us.
Thankful Thursday, January 15, 2009
“In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:10)
I saw a bumper sticker today that read “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist”. I thought that was such a simple but profound way of putting it. Some of the stories I have heard about how we all got here are so “unbelievable”. It’s like they take a little piece of what the world believes and it becomes a good enough truth for them.
What the world defines as truth doesn’t even make sense in the way they explain it to me. God said it best when he spoke our world into motion and said these simple words “Let there be light!” It’s just so easy to believe it because of how simply it happened.
It just was. I can see it all coming together. God’s word is all that we can truly believe in and know for sure that it happened, Why you ask? Because we are all here right now.
Life can be hard sometimes when you lose your trust in man but let’s not let that cause us to lose trust in God also, we must believe in something, so let’s let that something be the Truth!
Put your trust and your hope in your Creater and God promises that your hope will not be cut off.
Wonderful Wednesday, January 14, 2009
God has a way of supplying us with everything need!
The story is told about a terrible 3 year drought in 2 Kings Chapter 17. Can you imagine what a three and a half year draught would do to our Nation's economy? But really when you look at the price of gasoline, rising cost of health care, unemployment, thousands of foreclosures and even the rising price of groceries you could say that we are in a pretty tough place right now.
It is during these times that our faith in God is put to the test. Keeping a good attitude and staying positive is so important to our testimony. It may come to a place where a miracle is required for us to continue.
In the chapter I mentioned at the beginning of this devotion the prophet Elijah had reached that very place. Elijah lived by the principles of putting God first.
Verse 5 says “So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook”.
Elijah did what God said do, went where God said go and stayed where God said to stay.
The place God put Elijah was a place of abundance and super natural provision. Where God led’s God feeds. We cannot afford to do things “our way” we must trust God and continue to put Him first in all our ways.
Can you imagine, ravens flying in with their daily delivery of bread and meat (vs. 6)? We serve the same God and He will take great pleasure in “showing up” and “strutting His stuff” in style to show that He is a God who can supply all our needs.
“And being fully persuaded that, what he promised, he was well able also to perform.” (Romans 4:21)
www.kindlethefire.com
I would like to invite you to click on the following address a view a short message about our weekly television broadcast “Kindle the Fire”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFhSnhaYGm4
Pastor Charles W. Stoker
Charles W. Stoker/ Pastor Hi-Way Tabernalce/ Cleveland Texas and Host of the weekly televions broadcast “Kindle the Fire”. www.kindlethefire.com
Life is Short, but Eternity Makes up for it. CWS
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Life is Short,
but Eternity
Makes up
for it.
CWS
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