Surfing and God

I got out of work earlier today and decided to spend some time on the pier,( I am in Huntington Beach California), I watched as the surfers were just sitting on their surfboards waiting for the perfect wave. Some waves came up, but maybe they were to small. Other waves came up and still no takers. Another wave came up and I do not know what the difference between that wave and the others were, I swear they all looked the same, but a couple of surfers tried and stopped to get up. I watched for a while and to no success got to see anybody really catch a wave and surf.

Well I know that the thoughts crossing some of my readers minds is that what does surfing have to do with my faith. Well let me try I believe that alot of Christians do that sitting around waiting for the perfect blessing or the perfect time to share the gospel. But there will never be a perfect time for either. Isn’t that like saying I am not interested in becoming a christian right now because the time is not right.

Is the time ever right. We need to step up and do what Jesus Christ said to do in the great commission, Spread the gospel, we can not spread the gospel by sitting around and waiting for the perfect time/wave. Perfection will never be here until Christ returns.

So I challenge all of us to start spreading the gospel and stop waiting for the perfect wave or the perfect time. IT WILL NOT COME!!!!!!!!!!! Step out of your box and share the love of God with someone. Look on line for witnessing tools. The best way to share is to tell them what Jesus Christ has done for you and where he delivered you from.

Be Blessed

Pastor Rick

Witnessing

Hello All,

I want to share a little story with everyone. I am in Costa Mesa California on business. I was sitting on the couch in my hotel room the other day. The phone rang and when I answered it the man on the other end asked if this was Pastor Rick, I said yes and then he started telling me who he was.

He said Pastor Rick you may not know me but we worked together when you were working in Fort Lauderdale last year. He reminded me of how he was strung out on drugs and sleeping around with women. His life was spiraling out of control. He continued to tell that he wanted to thank me for sharing the Gospel Of Jesus Christ with him because last year On July 4th. It was such a blessing. He also said the reason he called was that he came across my business card and felt God tugging at his heart to call me.

The reason I am sharing this with you is that no matter how frustrated you may get in telling people about Jesus Christ and God’s love. Keep the faith realizing that not every seed that we plant is a seed that not a seed we sow. I believe that God really blessed me with Chris calling me back. I was blessed by his call. But you know what when we all get to heaven we will figure out whom made it and whom did not.

Keep the faith and keep spreading the word.

In Christ,

Pastor Rick

Blessing Others

Let me tell you today I am still on a spiritual high from yesterday(refer to yesterdays blog). we had a hectic but awesome worship team practice tonight. I am just blown away by my church family. No matter what is going on every pulls together and makes it happen.

That’s what family is about I tell my girls all the time….did I mention that I tell them all the time, that they need to be close and stay that way because when mom and dad are in glory with Jesus as far as family goes they will only have each other. I have to change that speech because what about the church family, the body of Christ that we are supposed to lean on and be able to depend on.

I can’t remember the preacher I was listening to on the radio today but he told a story here it is:

I lady got a note from Jesus saying I am coming over for dinner and I will be there at 7pm, the lady having no food fit for Jesus in the house ran off to the grocery store. She ran in bought all the food she would need to feed Jesus. On the way out of the store there was a family asking for food and they were living in their car, she took compassion on them and gave them all the food. Running back inside she bought a few things and ran back to her car. In the way home there was a lady underneath the overpass, it was raining and very cold. The lady pulled over got out of her car and gave the lady her coat. By now she is frantic because she is just getting home and it is almost 7pm. She said well Jesus will just have to eat what I can whip up quickly. At 7pm she saw a note on the counter, it was from Jesus it said thanks for the dinner and the warm coat.

I wrote all that to say can you identify someone in your own congregation that needs something and you do have the means to help them. Why aren’t we helping our own church family to survive. I was fortunate enough to watch some of Dave Ramsey Town Hall of Hope tonight, it was awesome I would like to Quote Dave on 2 things #1 “52% of single mothers live BELOW the poverty Line” #2 ” You wanna help someone in need help a single mother”

Go to the bible and read the story of the Good Samartian, remember the moral of the lesson is the most unlikely person is your neighbor.

I challenge you to reach out to someone in your church family and in the community to help out in need. Do as Jesus did and Serve without expectations of reward. If you do this you will be blessed beyond belief.

What a Great Day!!!!!

What a great day today was. My girls had a great day and were well behaved.(Praise God). I was kinda of a lazy bum today and I did not get much accomplished, much to my wife’s dismay. But she still loves me…I hope……I asked her right now as I am typing and she said she does. But worship service was great tonight, the message Pastor Larry on excellence was well excellent. I got the privilege to Pray with someone at the altar that received Christ as his Saviour just so happened that I married him and his wife 4 years ago. He blessed me more than you or he could know just by his words, He said Pastor Rick you have been with me on the 2 most important days of my life. A blessing of the Holy Spirit that was I tell you.

I love G-ds ability to give us gentle nudges to remind us that we are doing and going the right way. I was on such a Holy Ghost high after church tonight I did not want to leave. It was awesome. So my brothers and sisters in faith keep doing what you are foing and know that G-d apperciates what you do. If we pay attention to all around us we will get that nudge telling us that we are getting it.

Bless you all for everything that you do for G-d and to further the Kingdom.

Thoughts for The Day

I am traveling today, I am in Fort Lauderdale Fl. working big meeting with the higher ups. Gonna be a long day tomorrow. But that aside I went out to dinner tonight, Chinese buffet I could eat Chinese food everyday if my wife would let me, but she won’t so I can but dream….LOL. I was reading my bible while eating and I was looking around at all the people. I noticed all of our different shapes, sizes and other differences that we each have making each of us Unique.

As I was pondering this I started thinking what do we do with our uniqueness that God gives all of us. I believe that we need to look inside of us for the qualities that God has bestowed on us. How can we reach more people with it. I consider myself a funny guy with a quirky sense of humor, with a good singing voice. When I sing I do it every where and I mean everywhere ask my girls they disown me in Publix and Walmart. When people comment I invite them to church or tell them that God gave it to me gotta use it.

I also am a good listener and God has gifted me to be a good counselor, we need to be aware when God is giving us an opportunity to minister to someone. Today someone was talking to me and telling me what a shambles their life is and that there is nothing for them to stay around for, no one cares. They expressed a void in their life that can not be filled. Someone came to where we were talking and needed me to take care of something, I never was able to finish our conversation. Satan is at work to KEEP US from talking to those in need. Satan wants to prevent us from sharing hope with the hopeless, love with those who need it, kindness to those who think there is none in the world. I will pray that this person does not die before I or someone else can share the gospel with them. I pray that God gives me the chance to talk to them again.

I pray that we all use every gift and moment that God gives us to tell of his sacrifice for us. Thanks for listening to my rambles, pray for my safe journey home.

In Christ,

Pastor Rick

Does Jesus Really Know?

Have you ever been sharing your testimony with someone or maybe just telling someone that is hurting that Jesus loves  and knows what they are going thru. Can you think of a time before you came to know Jesus and someone was telling you of his love for you. Did you believe them? Did you have questions? or Did you ask the one question that everyone does? How does Jesus know what I am feeling or going thru right now.

That is a real good question, I mean how does he know. How can Jesus Christ now how bad I have it now? How does Jesus know about lusting, greed or any thing that I may face today. If he was so perfect how can he know? Before I came to know Jesus Christ I was the same way. But the answer to this age old question is in the bible. It looks us in the face and we have probably read it hundred times and never realized it.

Luke Chapter 4 : 13 says AFTER THE DEVIL HAD FINISHED “EVERY” TEMPTATION , HE DEPARTED HIM FOR A TIME

So the answer is he knows because when he was in the desert facing the devil he faced them all. So there is the answer. It is in his infallible word and it is written so it is so.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Rick

So Difficult

1 Timothy 2

Simple Faith and Plain Truth

   From the Message Translation

   ^{4 -7}He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth

I love using www.bible.com it is a great resource and saves a lot of typing when blogging.:)

I came across this scripture when I was writing a word of encouragement in a bible I was giving away. I remembered the girl that I was talking to the day before( see the unworthy post) and the story she shared with me of the people talking to her for an hour and then saying she was saved.

You know we should be able to tell someone about the gospel in just a few minutes. I mean of course you want to learn something about them and their situation. When I came across this scripture in the MESSAGE BIBLE..I went wow by simple faith and plain truth…mmmmm Could God have laid it out for us to say SIMPLE FAITH and PLAIN TRUTH is how to do it.

Why when people go to present the gospel they make it so long and drawn out. If we take for ever to present the gospel to someone they might and could lose int rest. So when presenting the gospel do what Timothy said tell them about SIMPLE FAITH and PLAIN TRUTH.

Found out to day I do need surgery so pray for me and the slicer guy…I mean surgeon…lol