Surrender

I am addicted. Addicted to the Holy Spirit and as I reflect on how much I want to be like Jesus I realize just how unlike Him I am. The desire is there and so is the truth of His word. I made a list of things God has changed in my life. It's a good long list. Then I started another list of things God needs to work on in me still, this list is longer then the good list. This woke me up to the reality that I have not really picked up my cross to follow Jesus. Small sacrifices were made but pure vulnerability to the Holy Spirit has not been made by me. The stuff I don't think about made the "need to change" list. Stuff like jealousy, unforgivness, being critical, stubbornness. I don't immediately find myself living in these things but they are there. Little influences from the cultures of the world and the church. Yep, I said it, even the church. All the unbiblical  hubbub of traditions and you should look this way, or dress that way , sit, stand, be still, shout, it's all a bunch of garbage if in your heart you are not being vulnerable to the Holy Spirit and valuing His purpose and direction for your life. These unbiblical influences from the world and the church will continue to permeate your thoughts and actions until you have completely and without reservation make the choice to die to everything except Jesus. I'm a broken man and Jesus I need you to make me whole. I SURRENDER!! 

Are you Accountable? Titus

The question of accountability comes up at the place I fellowship often. In fact, I get called out often from the men and leaders in my life for not being consistent and various other Patrickism's. I'm not one to stay focused on things very long. It is my personality and desire to find the next challenge and cool thing to be a part of. However, when it comes to being held accountable my radical desires and personality don't fit very well with the consistency of accountability. Sometimes it is important to stop and make sure I have my motives and gaze set upon Jesus in all I am doing in this busy life. That is where the accountability comes in and says "Patrick stop and focus". I am thankful for my accountability partners that I have in my life from the Lord. Even though I'm still all over the place there is one area that is more consistent then any other in my life because of the accountability from my leadership, and that is my devotion, desire and intimacy with my King Jesus. 

Titus is a book of encouragement to a church leader by a church leader to hold the people in the body of Christ accountable. So, the question to you is, "are you being held accountable"? Who is asking you the hard questions that make you squirm in your chair and blush with embarrassment? Who? Is it your Pastor? Is it your mentor? We (believers) have been commissioned by God to be pure and have a pure heart and not be a believer in word only but in deed. Titus 1:15-16.  Those that claim to know God and deny Him by the way they live are anything but saved. Accountability challenges us to obedience. When we are called to account for our disobedience it should move us toward the cross of Christ and repentance, so that God can empower us through his Holy Spirit to be obedient to the point of death if need be for the name of Christ. So, again, are you accountable? To who? If you don't have a person in your life trully holding you accountable, one that will ask you the same questions Jesus is asking you through His word, then you are blind to having your heart made like that of Jesus'. I know if someone is accountable or not because their life screams Jesus. Their is an intimacy and sacrifice of life and time by that person to spend time with Jesus everyday at the expense of sleep, family, personal time, work, etc. everything else takes a backseat in life to time spent with Jesus.

Well that is a nice philosophy on how to live for Jesus Pastor Patrick but I live in the real world and have to work and take care of family and look after the interest of my future. Yes that is the worlds way of doing things. Do you spend time, real time, with Jesus everyday? If you are doing nothing but making excuses as to why you don't have time then you don't have time not to spend time with Jesus. Before you blink it will be to late and life is over. Accountability will make sure you are on the straight and narrow road that Jesus said you must be on. 

Read the short book of Titus and have a very blessed day

Pastor Patrick

1 Timothy 5

The heart of family is also the heart of Jesus. The first half of this chapter is about exactly that. We are to take care of eachother. Kids and grandkids have been mandated by God to care for their elderly parents and if the elderly person has no immediate family we, the church, are to assume this responsibility. I don't know about you but I don't see a whole lot of this going on personally in the church. We just send them to the government now. This is not to be and must stop even if it hurts people.  

The last half of the chapter tells us we need to pay our pastors and leaders in the church. Also, clarifies some church discipline. I hope your day is as blessed as mine has been.

Pastor Patrick

1 Timothy 4

We get a big time warning right out of the gate here in chapter 4 of 1 Timothy. A warning about Christians confusing spiritism with spirituality and abstenance or self denial a means to godliness leading to a departure from the faith by these Christians.  My friends depriving yourself will never be a means to spiritual maturity, yet we see this kind of stuff going on all the time. If that bowl of ice cream or that ribeye steak wrapped in bacon is received with thanksgiving it becomes an act of worship. Do not think that you can make yourself more spiritual or holy by self deprivation. It is God who makes you and I holy. Not going to the gym or eating only meat and veggies. Though these things have some value as stated in verse 8 it is more important to train ourselves for Godliness vs7. 

There was a pope that died and went to heaven and he checked in with the angel at the front desk, then proceeded to go into the library and study all the books. Then the angel heard this loud scream. When he found the pope and asked him what was wrong he exclaimed "it's an R, it's an R, it's says celebrate." 

Pastor Patrick

Psalm 27

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" You know, you probably don't have an army encamped against you. Nor do you have enemies looking to kill you. David was facing some serious trials in his life and he could have gotten all depressed and went to the doctor to get some pills to help him be happier and not think about all the bad stuff happening in his life. But no! David turns to God for his refuge and looks to the uncreated Creator for his peace and joy.

Where is your safe place? Is it in a bottle of wine or pills? It is common place in our society to fall prey to the worlds way of handling the pain and discomfort of life. We need to lift our voices to heaven with shouts of praise when the pressure of life starts looking a little bleak. We should be asking God to show us His ways and lead us on His path. There is victory for all that concerns you in worship. You and I can have a peaceful breakthrough to walk in joy and have peace in our lives through worship. 

So as life tries to throw you a curve ball today; catch it and throw it back. Start praising and worshiping God with a shout. Let our enemies know that our God is bigger then them.

Pastor Patrick

1 Timothy 3

The heart of the person that wants to be a leader in God's church "desires a noble task" Paul says to Timothy. Here is chapter 3 we get the qualities that we should be looking for in our Pastors and leaders. Do you desire to be a leader in the church? This is the place to start that self examination. 

Most of us that live here in the United States like to exercise our rights. "I have the right to say what I think". Well, this may be true; however, when you seek to become a leader in the church ultimately you give up your rights to self. It's not about you anymore but about those you have chosen to serve. Pastors and leaders in the church must surrender their heart (free will) to God and exercise His rights in their lives as well as fight for God's rights in the lives of the church body as well.

We no longer have the right to run around town and wreek havoc like we have been for so long. How would you like to call your pastor on night because your at the hospital with a loved one and he or she is unable to come to the hospital because they have had to much to drink. How would that go over? Not well. So to be a leader in the church you can't be a drunkard. You must be above reproach. And, your spouse as well. Yes!!! Your spouse can disqualify you from the position if they are not above reproach as well. 

You are called to discipleship and to be a minister of the gospel if you believe in Jesus. Take a minute and ask yourself if you have really counted the cost of complete surrender to His will. Anything less then total surrender will not fly for long.

Pastor Patrick

Doctrine

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Matthew 23:23-24

I find it amusing that Jesus is constantly slapping around the Pharisees and challenging there life long passion and culture. These guys were bullies by every definition. They used the word of God as there very own justification to put undue stress and judgement onto people. All done in the name of God of course. 

We see this kind of doctrinal abuse at times in the church today. People become critical and judgementall of those that are not as strong as they are in the Lord. Within the church it can be very tempting to focus your attention on others and not within. Scripture gets twisted to meet the beliefs and agenda of the individual instead of the individual conforming to the truth of scripture. We must be on guard in this matter and never give in to the temptation to put doctrine over people. 

Gods priority is people and has given us his word to help us draw closer to God and his plan of salvation, justification and sanctification among many other important doctrines that are important to a life in Christ. The doctrine of Christ is the missing link in the church. We must embrace the centrality of Christ and His motives in everything. 

Pastor Patrick