Pastors Insights

The 1D40 Journey

2010-01-21T15:02:00.003-06:00

I had someone call me recently and say, "Pastor I just don't know what I am supposed to do in life."
This person continued, "it seems there is no joy and I just feel useless."
It is so important that we realize that Life is all about the Journey!
Who we meet, the relationships that we develop and how we influence those around us.
We have been placed on this planet for a purpose, and there is no greater purpose than helping those who are in need and pointing them to a real Savior! If we live this life without helping someone who is hurting and pointing them to Jesus - then we have missed our entire reason for being here!
There are people in need all around us, they may be at our work, at our school campuses, at the store where we shop, or maybe at our churches.
I challenge you to look around you, to allow God to open your eyes to those in need. If you will - You will make yourself available to Him and you will find yourself being used by Him!
I have found a truth in life, its very simple but very true!
Boats are made to sail!
Airplanes are made to fly!
And you were created to be a vessel for Him to use!
Listen to me: when you are being used by Him, you become fulfilled, because you are being used for what you are created for! Mary said, let it be unto me according to your word! She became a carrier of life!
When Jesus came he came with a purpose, Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have life more abundantly. He also said, come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest!
Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, comforted the hurting and fed the hungry!
Jesus said, "the works that I do, you will do also and greater works than these shall you do!
Jesus came and in One Day Changed the World for others!
I urge you to live the 1D40 Journey. When you do you wont feel useless but rather you will be used by Him!
1D40 = One Day For Others! Let it be unto me according to your word, help me to be a carrier of life!
Live and be a blessing, because if you will - you yourself will be blessed!

The Joys of Fasting!

2010-01-11T11:47:00.000-06:00

The Joys of Fasting??? Are you crazy, a Joy????? How can Fasting be a Joy????, especially when you fast for 21 days? What is fasting anyway?
These are great questions, and I am glad you asked!
To find the answers to these questions we need to do an inward examination.

First of all; (Sincerely ask yourself these questions)
Am I as close to God as what I can be?
Am I in need of a closer intimate walk with the Lord?
Do I desire to hear His voice more frequently, and clearer than what I can hear right now?
Are there things in my life that I would like to overcome?
Are there bondage's that have developed in my life, that I would like to be free from?
Is there a dream inside of me that only God can bring forth?
Is there someone that I know that needs salvation?
Is there any bitterness in my life?
Are there relationships in my life that are not what they should be?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then: This fast is for you!!!!

First of all what is a fast???
Simply stated: Biblical Fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose!

It is that simple!

Some may decide to do a full fast - that is liquids only - you establish the number of days.
Some may decide to do a partial fast - from sun up to sundown.
Some may decide to fast a certain number of meals during the day, it is your choice, your free will enacted for the purpose of spiritual growth!

God is pleased when His people seek Him more than anything else!
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart!
That scripture follows Jeremiah 29:11 Where God said, For I know the thoughts that I have toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope.

Do you desire to know God's direction for your life? Seek Him! Fast and Pray! When we seek for Him with all of our heart we will find Him!

God gave me a word recently, He said For I will restore health to you, and Heal you of all your wounds!

Our God is the Healer of our lives, He is the healer of our emotions, He is the healer of our hurts, and past failures!

Those relationships that are in need of healing, God can bring healing, but it first starts in our own lives!

Fasting causes us to be more keenly aware of His presence and His will for our lives!
We begin to empty ourselves of ourselves and joyfully take on His attributes;
Forgiveness
Love
Compassion for others!

Isaiah 58:6 states: Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens, To let oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
The word oppressed can be translated - Broken
There are so many people all around us who are broken in spirit and bound by sin!
Fasting can be a tool for freeing those who are broken and bound!

Oh the Joys of Fasting!
Those Joys are revealed when we see those who we are praying for set free!
Those Joys are revealed as we begin to walk with God on a more personal and intimate level! Those Joys are revealed as we begin to experience the compassion, love and forgiveness of God demostrated in real ways toward those he loves, the outcasts and rejected by society and religious self righteous people!

Fasting is not about becoming self - righteous it is becoming the hands and feet of Christ!
Isaiah 58:7 Is not the fast that I have chosen to;
Share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Verse 8 Says; Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you;
The Glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Verse 9. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer!

So I invite you to Join us in this fast and together lets not just see more of God but lets experience more of God!

And as we experience Him we will experience His Joy!

Mountain Climbing Faith

2009-10-22T09:09:00.003-06:00

We all know that faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. But the question is; are we still moving forward in our faith until we reach the summit?
You know that place where we actually see what we are believing for.

Far to many people settle for a resting place halfway up the mountain without ever reaching the top. God designed you to be a climber, to continue on, to not give up. It is easy to get comfortable in a place that does not require us to challenge our flesh. So again the question is, have you received that which God has placed in your heart, that which you are praying and believing for? Has the vision that God placed in your heart been fulfilled? Are you still believing or have you just kind of given up? I challenge you to put on your boots, get back up and start climbing! There are heights that you have not yet reached, and there are views that you have not yet seen! They can only be seen as you ascend up the mountain of faith. Many times Jesus went up the mountain, those who went with him received revelation that those who stayed behind never received.

Climb higher with God, don't sit down until you reach the top, the view that you will see, will take your breath away! And you will know that it was worth all of the struggle that you faced.

The things that we presently see are temporal, but the things which are not seen, (I'M still climbing) are eternal!

Having a bad day? There is a better day coming!

2008-03-25T14:05:00.003-06:00

It was a stormy Friday

But Resurrection Sunday is Coming!

Mark 15:1 IT WAS FRIDAY
The story of the crucifixion is probably the most repeated and familiar story of the Bible. The image of the cross is an ongoing, vivid, reminder of the events that happened that day beginning in Jerusalem and ending on a hill called Calvary.

If you would have been there you would have said it was a terrible day, it was an awful day, you see those things took place on a Friday, but Sunday is coming. IT WAS FRIDAY when Jesus was taken to Pilate and tried before the Roman Jurisdiction, false witnesses were brought forth. You see IT WAS FRIDAY and Pilate could find nothing to charge Jesus with, but the crowd persuaded him to hand him over.

Give us Barabbas, whose name means “Son of a liar and murderer”,
the crowd that day chose between the “Son of a liar and murderer” and the Son of God.
And they chose Barabbas!
Oh listen to me; It was Friday and Pilate looked at Jesus and the crowd, they were demanding the crucifixion of Christ, desiring to please the crowd more than to do what was right he washed his hands of Jesus and the case.
You see that was Friday but Sunday is coming!Maybe it is Friday for you, maybe you have been falsely accused, maybe someone has told lies about you.
Maybe you’re being lied to, you have been told that you are no good, that you are worthless, maybe you are feeling unloved and unwanted.Oh listen to me; Maybe it is Friday for you, But take heart, because SUNDAY IS surely COMING.

IT WAS FRIDAY
You see if you cant see past Friday, you will not be able to have victory.
Listen to me you are only seeing a part of the picture, if you cant get past Friday there is no hope for you!
Judas, seeing he had betrayed innocent blood, does not think that God can forgive him beyond his sin, He cannot see pass the Friday of his life, so he hangs himself.
Those who were his friends just looked the other way, putting the blame on him.

You see you cant allow the Friday to stay, you’ve got to realize that today things may be going bad but listen to me, Sunday is coming!

You see, IT WAS FRIDAY when Jesus is taken aside and beaten.
The cat of nine tails, coated in sheep’s blood, with nails and other sharp objects to bite into the skin of Jesus.
39 times that soldier’s whip tore into the flesh of Jesus, turning his flesh to raw hamburger meat.
Then they took him and hit him, and mocked him.
You see, That was Friday, oh but it doesn’t end there you see Sunday is coming.Maybe you’re going through a tough time, your friends seem to have turned on you. You’ve been beaten up mentally or emotionally.
Maybe Some People are making fun of you, taking opportunity to jab you with sharp cutting words, leaving you emotionally or mentally scarred.
Oh listen to me; IT MAY BE FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY IS COMING!

IT WAS FRIDAY
The soldiers wove a crown of thorns, they were Jubian thorns, which were hard as nails, and they beat them down on the head Jesus.
They placed the cross on his shoulders and made him carry it up the Via Delarosa, the steepest street in Jerusalem.
The crowd jeered and mocked him, some of the soldiers pulled his beard from his face.
Isaiah tells us that his features were so badly beaten, that he was beyond recognition.
He stumbled and fell carrying the cross up the hill, he was so weary - the soldiers made Simon the Cyrene carry the cross.
Maybe it is Friday for you too, maybe it’s the pressures of the job.
Or maybe things are not the way they should be at home and it’s wearing you down.
Maybe its worries of bad health of some one you love, or maybe you have recently lost a loved one.
Maybe it’s financial burdens, or maybe it’s your own health and the pain and suffering has taken your joy. Oh it may be FRIDAY, but SUNDAY IS COMING!

IT WAS FRIDAY And darkness covered the city, Jesus was on the cross, hanging between two thieves.
This should have been the brightest time of the day, it was 12:00 noon, but instead it was the darkest hour!
The soldiers below him were gambling for his clothing, the crowd jeered at him,
he saved others let him save himself.
It was Friday, he was hanging between two thieves - and one of the thieves mocked him but the other one says “Remember me when you come to your throne.”
Oh listen to me;
It was Friday and Jesus cries out “My God MY God why have you forsaken me?”

It was Friday and Jesus experiences for the first time in his life separation from the Father.

It was Friday and Jesus says “it is finished, Father into your hands I commit my Spirit”
The curtain in the Temple is torn in two.
It was Friday and Jesus died,
Are you surrounded by darkness, does it seem like you are all alone, take heart, that is the way it was for Jesus that Friday, Oh but listen to me; that was Friday, BUT SUNDAY IS COMING.

It was Friday when they took him from the cross and laid him in a borrowed tomb.
It was Friday when they sealed that tomb with a Roman seal, and placed a guard of soldiers at the tomb.

It was Friday when the disciples were saddened and distraught;
it was Friday when Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus found themselves crying!
And maybe you are experiencing a Friday in your life?
It was Friday, But Sunday is coming.
Maybe you are troubled, overcome with stress, overcome with worries, distraught and dejected?
Maybe you are all alone, your self esteem may be at an all time low?

Do you feel the walls closing in around you like there is no way out?
That must have been the way Jesus felt like that stormy Friday.

Oh listen to me; Jesus said that troubles are going to come!
He said the trials would come!
But He also said, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the World!
You see Jesus has become our resurrection Sunday!
Don't be caught in the Fridays of life!
You've got to Know that Sunday is coming!

The Gospel that isn't!

2008-02-23T17:14:00.003-06:00

The power of the Cross is real and brings transformation. My concern with so many churches today is the message that isn't!
2 Cor. 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For many Pastors who claim to be truly concerned about their people, opt out of preaching about the cross, saying that we should steer away from anything that is negative. But the Cross is the central message of the entire Bible. To do away with the Cross is to do away with the transformative power of the Gospel.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Paul said for I am not ashamed of the Gospel; for it is the power of God.... if the Apostle Paul was not ashamed neither should we be..... To be politically correct for the sake of bringing in numbers was not God's plan at all. If all God wanted was numbers he could perform some miracle and the numbers would be there. The problem with that is all people want then is entertainment not enrichment and certainly not change!
The cross is the central theme of the Gospel that brings real transformation! Jesus said unless we are willing to deny ourselves and take up are cross daily we cannot be His disciple!
So I ask you today has there been real change in your life?
The Gospel is good news, well how can this be good news you ask?
How can it be good news to deny ourselves and pick up our cross?
Because in order to live we must first die. Before a grain of wheat can produce life it must be planted into the soil and die!
Jesus Christ paid the physical death for our sins we must follow him in our spiritual walk, denying ourselves and picking up that cross and following Him! That is where the good news comes in because there is a new birth that takes place within the believer, His life is now visible in the believers life. We now have the joy and peace of God within in a real transforming way!
This real transformation only comes one way and that is through the power of the Cross!
So as far as this Pastor is concerned the message has not changed, the Cross is still powerful and transforming today!
2 Cor. 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
2 Cor. 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Beware of the false teachings that are coming in the form of truth but does not point to the Cross! For without the Cross there is no truth!

Giving our ALL for the Kingdom

2007-07-05T08:40:00.000-06:00

In Matthew 25 Jesus is having a discussion with his disciples concerning the end of time.
But before we can look at what he is telling the disciples we need to look at the heart of Jesus!
Actually it starts in Matthew 23, He is heavy hearted for the children of Israel, the Bible gives account in Matthew 23:37-39 that he was very saddened. Then in the beginning of Matthew 24 he walks out of the temple. When He left, God left because they had rejected the Messiah. God will not stay where He is not welcome!
In our life we need to be careful not to reject the Messiah, His leading, His caring, His instruction. Life is full of business, family events, and self indulgences. If we are not careful we will want a Jesus that will fit our schedule, our lifestyle, our desires, and we will reject the real Messiah!
That is precisely what the Jews did! They wanted a king to come and set up a royal throne right then, so THEY could have prominence and position. They wanted to tell the world, "look at us!"
They had very selfish motivation. Jesus came to draw all men unto him! He told his disciples to declare the Kingdom of God has come!
What is the Kingdom of God? Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
The Jews were looking for a tangible kingdom, Jesus came bringing a spiritual Kingdom!
Because of their insistence for a tangible Kingdom Jesus was saddened and left!
Jesus will not stay where He is not welcome!
So what is our motivation, the intent of our heart, the real reason we live for Him?
Jesus talks in Matthew 24 and 25 about the last days there would be many false Christ!
What is he saying? There would be many in the last days with a false gospel!
And there will be many that will go in the wrong direction because they desire a false messiah, one who will give them what they want right now!
Oh listen to me! God does here and answer prayer, and he does take care of His Children. But don't be caught up in something that is fictitious offering you a tangible kingdom now, position now, prominence now! If our focus is on ourselves then we are following the wrong voice!
It is not about us it is about Him and them!
Jesus came and gave the ultimate sacrifice so that all me could be saved!
Our life has been given to us as a gift, not for ourselves but for others!
Lets live our life for the Kingdom, giving our all for Him!

Successful Living!

2007-05-30T13:36:00.000-06:00

Everyone wants to be successful!

But how do we maintain a successful life in a world full of emotional ups and downs, unplanned pitfalls, devastating storms, and oh yes and I must include rising fuel costs!

Jesus said;
John 16:33 In the world you will have tribulation; (Trials and Test) but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."NKJV

Jesus said that we would experience rough times, but He also promised that we could maintain a level of victory regardless of what was happening in the world. Jesus said My peace I leave with you, not as the world gives, another words His peace comes from deep within! Not from the outside in, but from the inside out!

So how do we get His peace within? I am so glad you asked!
In order to live in that peace we must experience that peace and we must have that peace deep within! So what produces peace?

Jesus said;
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."NKJV

It was the words that Jesus spoke that produced peace!
And His word gives the victory over circumstances that sometimes makes a surprising uprising in our lives.
It is through His word that we are able to live a continued successful life.
Josh 1:8-9This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.NKJV

Whenever God speaks of success in scripture, He relates it to the continuous inner activity of meditation.

Ps 1:2-32 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,And in His law he meditates day and night.3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,That brings forth its fruit in its season,Whose leaf also shall not wither;And whatever he does shall prosper.NKJV

God does not promise success for memorizing scripture, but He does promise success for anyone who will meditate in His Word day and night!

Another words if His Word is in us, then that which is in us will produce life, and bring a positive affect upon that which is outside of us.

This doesn't mean that you will never experience difficulty, but He does promise that His peace through His word will bring you through the difficulty.
And He also promises that your success will be visible to others;

1 Tim 4:15-16Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.NKJV

Revival

2007-04-11T10:39:00.000-06:00

What is revival?
Revival is nothing more and nothing less than God's Arrival. My heart cry is to live in His presence. We seem to lose our intimacy in life because of life itself. We become self indulgent, self satisfying, self pleasure seekers. We have adopted a seeker friendly attitude where we seek to please self more than we desire to please God!
John said it best, "He must increase and I must decrease." We must seek Him with all of our heart and we will find Him when we do! He has promised us that! My challenge to you is to take 30 minutes and Seek Him! Lay aside other priorities TODAY and Seek Him! If we really want Him, we will Seek Him. For a heart goes after what the heart desires! I must Seek Him!

Pastor Buck

Jesus, Where are you?

2007-02-12T12:44:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had a time when you wondered if God was anywhere at all? Or if he even cared about you? The disciples who walked with Jesus day in and day out for over 2 years of the 3 1/2 year ministry, found themselves feeling like that.
They were doing what Jesus had told them to do, but still they found themselves in difficulty. Have you ever felt that way?
The disciples were told by Jesus to set sail, and go to the other side of the Lake.
Jesus went down below and found a nice place to rest and fell asleep.
While Jesus was asleep, the disciples found themselves in the midst of a horrendous storm. The waves were overtaking the boat, so much that they were taking in more water than they could bail out.
Have you ever been there?
More bills coming in than you can pay off?
Problems overtaking you, relationships falling apart, and in the midst of it all you wonder, "Jesus where are you?".
There are times in life when it seems that all is lost, that there is no hope, and that the ship is sinking.
When we are in this crisis, there is one thing we must remember; if Jesus is on board the vessel will not sink.
Creation can not kill the creator!
We must know that our hope, our rest, and our peace is in HIM!
He is our peace! He is our hope, and in HIM we find rest!
Question; Did Jesus know that the storm would occur?
Does God know everything?
Yes He does! He is all knowing!
Jesus knew that the disciples would face a larger storm in the future, so he was preparing them, using a small storm to develop their faith.
What larger storm would they face?
Jesus knew that there would be a time when the disciples faith would be shaken because he was destined for the cross.
They would have to stand without His physical presence.
He wanted them to mature, grow and be able to handle the obstacles of life.
When the storm occurs, Jesus is not abandoning you, he is there.
He wants you to know that your trust must be in HIM regardless of the storms around us.
Jesus where are you? He is with you, trust him and you will see!
For we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal!

Power to Change

2007-01-27T11:36:00.000-06:00

Everyone is wanting to change. People are having plastic surgery, liposuction, face lifts, etc.. people are caught up in exercise and dieting, because they have seen some commercial depicting a very skinny man or woman who does not have an ounce of fat on their body selling some new diet plan or exercise machine saying just 30 minutes a day and you will look like this in 6 months.
Oh please.........
And the sad part is that many people fall prey to these schemes only to find out that their now new expensive hardware makes a pretty good clothes rack.
But why do we fall prey?
Because there is something on the inside of you that wants to be better than what you are!
Now that is not necessarily a bad thing, but the question is to what are you comparing and how do you hope to get real joy and happiness. Will it be getting those abs or losing 10 pounds, is that the source of true happiness?
Don't misunderstand me, eating healthy and exercise is very important, but that is not the source of happiness.
Some people think that appearance will make us happier. Oh if I could only look like so and so.
This stems from and an attitude of dissatisfaction.
If we reject God's basic design in making us, it may be difficult to put confidence in the designer for other areas of our life.
The Bible says; For we are His workmanship... Ephesians 2:10, and Psalms 139:14 states; I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.
The change that brings happiness is not change on the outside, but rather change on the inside.
I had a sister come up to me at church and told me that in the middle of the night God had spoken a word to her, and she saw the word vividly; ALCHEMY.
Now she didn't know what the word meant or even if it was a word. So she began some research; alchemy is the attempt to change base metals into gold. It was a medieval philosophy that tried to bring change through transmutation.
Now please understand me; Change is Good if we are changing to be more like him! But the power to bring that change can only come through the power of the cross.
You and I should be changing every day of our lives, but it cannot be a futile attempt to take the old metal and change it into Gold. It does not take transmutation, it takes TRANSFORMATION.
Transmutation - a change, or the process of changing, from one form, substance, nature, or state to another
Transformation - a complete change, usually into something with an improved appearance or usefulness.
In order for us to be completely changed we must die! There is no real change without the cross!
Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead in Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Romans 6:6-8
The Power to Change comes from not adding to this old man but rather seeing this old man die!

In HIM
Pastor Buck

Can you feel His breath?

2007-01-16T11:55:00.000-06:00

What a great service we had Sunday! God is doing great things! This weekend we are believing to be even better, we are now in our 8th day of the 21 day fast and God is answering prayer and changing lives. We are seeing a freshness of His Spirit upon His people, deeper intimacy and High expectancy. The Buzz - We are soooo close! That Buzz has more significance than just referring to being in the new building. We are getting closer and closer to God. The message Last Sunday - The Kingdom has come! Really, He has come, and desires to be closer than ever before in all of our lives. Sometimes I can feel His breath He seems so close. He is motioning us to come closer than we ever have! He said, you will find me when you search for me with all of your heart.

Find Him Today!
Pastor Buck

Just Talking

2007-01-13T22:08:00.000-06:00

We are so close to getting into our new facility, it is soooo exciting. I just met with Chris and Joe, & man these guys are pumped. They came to help set up a drum set for Zack that Janice and I had bought, and all they could talk about was, WE ARE SO CLOSE!
That is the BUZZ! WE ARE SO CLOSE!
Oh yeah, about the part of setting up a drum set for Zack, I am talking about in our home, (in our used to be quiet home), so please pray for us. We too are changing for Kingdom Purposes if you know what I mean.

We Love You All
Pastor

Pastors Insights

2007-01-11T12:58:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone

I thought you might like to know what is on the heart of your Pastor. The church has begun the 21 day fast, we are now on our fourth day, and God is already beginning to do wonderful things. We have seen miracles in healings, Doctors cant explain what is happening, but we know that prayer changes things.
Right now it is almost 11:00 A.M. I have had two prayer meetings this morning, I have met with the workers to get things moving on the new building. I have had one distress call so far this morning for someone who is in need of help. We have already got the ball rolling with thier employer and help for living. God is sooo gooood! And we are so blessed!

We are Blessed

2007-01-11T11:09:00.000-06:00

Message