Seasoning the Season

What did Jesus mean when he said we are the salt of the earth?

1. He meant it as a command - we ARE to be salt in the earth.
2. He meant for us to enrich the earth and be enriching to those we share our lives with. More speaking and less talking.
3. He meant for us to preserve others by proclaiming truth in love.

By being the salt of the earth we become change agents for his love.

So many times Christians go to the “salt factory” known as Church only to store their saltiness in giant salt storage buildings. We were not called to be the Salt of the Church.

The power of our Christian lives and testimony lies in our ability to be different and distinct from the world. Do we blend into the world or are we different in our approach to life?

Is the world seasoning Christians or is it the other way around? Politically correct folks have lost their salt!

This Christmas Season...be a difference maker. Be a change agent.

Right thinking,

Pastor Steve

Eternal Light

Eternal Light is out there somewhere, but it’s a hard concept to grasp.

It's hard to understand or describe something we haven’t experienced.

But we can look forward to Eternal Light. Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:11 that “because we are looking forward to this eternal light or eternal glory that we should make our lifestyle focused on living Godly and right”

CS Lewis said, “It is because Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one.”

We have an obligation to live our lives with an eternal perspective.

There are some things we probably wouldn't do or say if we lived today in LIGHT of eternity.

Know that the promise of eternal light is for you. Make it personal!

Be effective in this life and walk in love today.

When we walk in love, we show the Light of Jesus.

Right thinking,

Pastor Steve

Revealed Light

Why is revelation necessary?

Couldn't God just download to us a complete understanding of his Word and instill in us a desire to worship and obey him?

Sure, He could have programmed us to praise but all he would have is robotic servants.

Because we aren't programmed at the factory...we need revelation. The Bible says some knowledge is still hidden and needs to be revealed. We don’t know what we don’t know.

Consider the first time we heard the message of the kingdom of God. We progressed from an understanding of living toward an ultimate destination of heaven...to a REVEALED understanding that we can partake of heaven, while living on the earth. We can live an abundant life in Jesus!!!

“I come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.”

As the “Kingdom of God” message was revealed to us as “right thinking, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” ...our beliefs changed. Decisions are the fruit of beliefs. Outcomes are the result of decisions. Godly outcomes develop from Godly beliefs.

God's wisdom “confounds the wise.” Those who walk in the dark are often confused. It’s hard to find True North in pitch black.

Intimacy with God is highly dependent on our intimacy with His Word. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The Word ushers light into our personal darkness. “Here a little, there a little.”

Right Thinking,

Pastor Steve

Parable of the Banquet Table

Do you struggle with Kingdom Living? Is it hard to think right and live in peace and joy?

We all know that there are only two kingdoms. So, if I manage to yank myself out of the Kingdom of God with stinkin’ thinkin’...there’s only one other kingdom available for me. And I don’t want to spend one minute in the Kingdom of Darkness.

The Parable the Great Banquet is a parable of Kingdom Living. This parable suggests it is possible to have a feast at the banquet table in this life. Don't wait to celebrate and live a joy-filled life once you get to heaven, live a life of joy today! Jesus said, “I come that you might have life and that you may have it more abundantly.”

Are you living an abundant life? Really think about it. Abundant???

This parable should remind us that Christianity is not about what happens to you when you die, it is about the quality of your life on Earth. Better Outcomes!!!

We all need to LOSE THE EXCUSES we have for not living in the kingdom of God here on earth. Excuses are a condition of the heart, ask God to remove excuses of any kind from your vocabulary.

Enter His presence and understand who He is, what He says about you, and what He wants for you.

Let's think right and connect with one another at the banquet table of abundant living.

The Kingdom of God is within you!

Right thinking,

Pastor Steve

Parable of Humility

Have you ever suffered from the disease of I-itis?

It’s an easy disease to get. The main symptom is a preoccupation with yourself and a self absorbed attitude in your heart of what you want and desire.

If you look through the Bible, you’ll see story after story that features the theme. The only cure for it is humility and a holy commitment to honor others above yourself.

Jesus knew this when he gave a parable of humility to those at a dinner party he was attending. What caught his eyes were those who gravitated toward the places of honor at the table, instead of selecting lesser seats.

It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t believe in receiving honor, he knew that honor from man was as temporary as the summer wind. True honor means having humility and with humility comes honor from God.

Humility even means replacing your self confidence with God’s holy confidence. It means thinking more highly of others than yourself and living life with the goal of serving others.

That’s what Jesus was trying to drive home to the people at this gathering. He was giving a call to humility and taking us to a higher calling in Him.

This week, seek God and ask Him to help you to walk in mature humility in your daily life. Begin to honor others above yourself and see what happens.

I believe you’ll experience blessings like never before. You’ll find the freedom that comes with serving others and humbling yourself in your heart.

Just imagine what would happen in Bixby if everyone gave honor.

Seek humility and watch how God begins to honor you.

Love,

Pastor Steve

Parable of the Tenant

The first question that needs to be answered in a study of parables is the same question asked by the disciples of Jesus.

“Why do you teach in parables?”

The answer Jesus gave his disciples is that those who seek him earnestly will be rewarded with fresh anointing. Scripture confounds the wise. Knowledge is good for building a religion...not so much for building a relationship. Jesus is always interested in building relationships and will continue to teach people who want a relationship with him.

In Matthew 21:33-40, Jesus tells the Parable of the Tenants. The tenants do not want to abide by the agreement (covenant) they made (cut) with the landowner to share the harvest. They wanted to keep everything for themselves. The tenants even beat or killed the landowner’s servants and murdered his son when the landowner sent them to the harvest to collect his portion.

I believe Jesus taught this parable so He could teach us three critical truths about His kingdom and the steps to gaining His blessings through His covenant relationship with us.

Love God (the Landowner) with all our hearts and minds. He is the one who gives us breath and every good thing in life that we enjoy. Love God and honor Him.

We produce fruit by loving one another. Through love we spread the LIGHT of Jesus to our community.

Give back to God what is already His. God’s kingdom works on the powerful principle of sowing and reaping. Bring God your First-fruits.

Remember, ducks weren’t created to simply waddle through life from pond to pond. God gave them wings to fly. When ducks take flight, they produce the fruit God intended for them.

God gave you special gifts and talents to help you produce fruit in the vineyard God created for you.

This is your year of great possibilities.

Trust God. Waddle less. Fly more.

Love,

Pastor Steve

Celebrate Freedom from Fear

How many times did Jesus tell his disciples not to be afraid?

It seems to have happened quite often. The disciples had a habit of giving into fearful emotion and letting it hijack the efficacy of their faith walk in Him.

Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid because He wanted them to be effective in their earthly ministry and have the abundant life that He came to give them.

He knew it all started with a critical reliance on Him. The disciples had to die to themselves to overcome the spiritual fear that was in their hearts.

I believe we can live a life free from fear today, but only if we renew our minds in Christ and become 100 percent reliant on God in our lives.

Fear is an emotion of our mind. Overcoming it means renewing our mind through the power of His presence and steadfastly walking in His love.

Yes, some fear is healthy and can keep you safe. As Proverbs 27:12 says, "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." A healthy sense of fear can be a sign from God to help you stay on the right path and avoid danger.

However, some fear is like a spiritual snakebite. It can paralyze you and keep you from doing the things you could or should do. The disciples experienced this paralyzing fear in their lives and struggled, until they learned to fully rely on God.

This week as we recall the celebrations of Independence Day, make a commitment to declare independence from fear.

Become dependent on Jesus for your daily bread and please, do not be afraid.

Love,

Pastor Steve

P.S. I want to thank everyone involved with “Feeding Families for the Fourth” Outreach this past weekend. It was a tremendous blessing to many families and we are so blessed to have had the opportunity to touch the community in this way. May you continue to be blessed for your obedience and experience the joy of God’s love today. Thanks to all who gave, served or prayed! You are the Church.

Learning Made Whole Blog

Are you closer to God today than you were last year at this time? Are you healthier, wealthier today versus last year? Are you happier?

If your answers to these questions are no, then maybe you're not learning from the lessons in your life. Learning impacts our beliefs at the point where we make our daily decisions. If our beliefs don’t change according to what we learn in life, then how will our decisions produce a positive outcome?

The reality is if you don’t make changes based on your learning…then the quality of your decisions will show it…and so will the outcomes in your life. We all need to learn that there is a vast difference between knowledge and learning. "Knowledge puffeth up." Learning causes change to occur in our life.

Consider King David in the Old Testament. David knew God and understood His precepts. Sadly, David, a man after God's own heart, struggled to learn. After David sinned with Bathsheba, he prayed in Psalm 51:10, "create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." David asked God to show him how to learn because his sinful nature was clearly getting in the way of his spiritual growth. He cried out to God with a strong heart seeking change.

Maybe you're like David and need a fresh touch from God to help you to learn and create true change in your life. Maybe you need a breakthrough that will help you apply your understanding to know God in a new and intimate way.

Whatever the case, I want you to know, your learning can be made whole through God’s fresh anointing today. Walk in the light of His Word and seek His face.

Flee from darkness and seek FRESH anointing from God today. "Here a little, there a little, precept upon precept, line upon line.

Stay out of the shade!

Love,

Pastor Steve

Being or Dissing?

In our study of Corinthians, Paul taught the church that most of their problems were caused by lack of respect. It was a pleasure for me to teach about respect on this past Mother's Day. Learning respect in our home is the key to developing respect in our work, relationships and certainly our church.

I challenge you to go to any grocery store, mall or playground and see if you think respect is being taught in homes today. Not only do children often not respect their own parents, they show little respect for authority of any type in their lives.

We could fill up a notebook of excuses on why kids behave the way they do, but the fact is…children must be taught to respect. Respect is a matter of being. You have to choose to be respectful.

It's no surprise that honoring your father and mother was written as one of the 10 commandments in Exodus 20. It’s a tenet of God’s law because it’s so vital to the family unit as a whole. Respecting our parents is a critical part of showing our honor to God.

Saints, we have to lead the next generation by example. We have to give those in our lives the respect due them, with our hearts, because of who they are and because God has placed them in our lives.

Respect begins in the home, and it begins with our parents. This week surrounding Mother's Day, show respect to your mother and the mothers in your life with your listening, your words and with your actions.

Appreciate every moment you've had with her, and go make more opportunities to demonstrate your love.

I have one more week in our study of the Letters to the Corinthians. Our next series is titled "Scrambled Eggs." I'll tell you more about it in Church Sunday.

Be blessed this week as you are BEING respectful.

Love,

Pastor Steve

A Path to Patience…

Have you ever prayed, “Lord give me patience…right now”?

Wouldn't it be nice if it worked that way? It would except for the fact we’d all be spoiled brats if it did.

Whether you are a new believer or have been walking with the Lord for a while, sooner or later you learn that God’s timing is often not ours.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” It’s that proper time that requires our patience the most, but it can also benefit us the most.

We need to believe the things we think about and long for will come to pass. The word God gave us, the vision we have, the dream we have, the desire in our hearts that we’ve been hanging onto for years will bear fruit…if we’re willing to rest in Him. Remember the scripture, God will not be mocked; we will reap what we have sown.

Would it hurt any of us to be more patient? Oh sure it may hurt our flesh. I tend to get antsy a four way stop signs. But, does it really hurt us that badly to wait? Of course not, in fact, it could benefit us in more ways than we can imagine.

If we became more patient as a people, we would become a better father, mother, husband, wife, student, leader, child of God. Say this to yourself: A path of patience leads to a perfect outcome. Now, say it again.

You will never question an outcome of the Lord if you are on a path of patience. As a person led by the spirit, when you stay on a path of patience you can rejoice and celebrate knowing you can expect a PERFECT outcome!

Who doesn’t want to see better outcomes for their life? Staying on a path of patience will enable you to receive perfect, Godly outcomes.

You can do it; you can become more patient.

Love,

Pastor Steve