Mornings with Pastor H - the blog

Genesis 50:12-13

bearingchrist — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:55:54 +0000

Genesis 50:12-13 (NLT) So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them. They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried him… Genesis 50:25 (NLT)Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.”
Like father like son. Abraham started the trend by buying a field with a cave to bury one of his wives. Jacob, Abraham’s grandson desired to be buried in Canaan, the land that God had promised the descendants of Abraham. Jacob lived in Canaan until a few years before his death. He was literally “hauled off” to Egypt and lived there until his death. His family took his body across the Jordan and laid him to rest. When Joseph died, he demanded his sons to make sure his bones were taken back to the land of God. This would not take place until Moses led the people of Israel from Egypt, but Joseph did get what he wanted.
I don’t know anything more wonderful than the positive influence of Christian parents over their children. My generation was proud to be like dad even to the make of his car or his choice of ball teams. I’ve watched people as they walked with their parents and the similarity is scary. But there is nothing so incredible as the desire to love God because they are not disappointed in the God of their parents. My prayer often is that my kids and their families will want to serve God and that I will never give them reason not to want to.

Proverbs 4:25-27

bearingchrist — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:15:21 +0000

Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT) Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
I have often said that if I were diagnosed by an expert I would find that I have an attention deficit disorder. Now some of you raise an eyebrow of pity for me and wonder if I should be medicated. May I lay your concerns to rest? I’m okay. It just makes it a little harder for me to focus more than 30 seconds. You know, I’ve thought about it when I watch some Christians in their relationship with the Lord. They’re in and out, up and down, here today and gone tomorrow, happy with Jesus and then… well you know what I’m saying. They have A. D. D. in their spiritual life. It takes more effort for them to walk straight and stay connected, but the writer of the passage above gives us a menu to overcoming a wobbly walk.
Look straight ahead. Wayne Cordeiro said if you look at the guard rail, you’ll end up hitting it. The ball player doesn’t look at where he’s going before the catch or he will miss the catch. You can’t have multiple goals if you plan to hit a target. Fix your eyes on what lies before you. Don’t look back to your mistakes and disappointments or they will determine your path ahead. Your feet will follow your eyes. Crooked rows are developed by looking back. I deal with my ADD by rising early with time with the Lord and the last thing I do each evening the same. If I check out the plan for the course early I have a better chance of completing the course. Though easily distracted the boundaries are set by that TAWG (Time Alone With God).

Genesis 35:11

bearingchrist — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:11:07 +0000

Genesis 35:11 (NLT) Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai-’God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants!

How can we arouse our faith and have a fresh, stirring experience with God? First we need a renewed revelation of God, the Almighty God (El Shaddai). Abram needed it and so did Jacob. Abram needed to know God was capable of doing something so incredible that an ALL Mighty power cold carry it out. Jacob needed to have confirmation that the things started could be finished through a power bigger than himself, a God who could do anything. El Shaddai is a Hebrew word that means that God is all mighty. It stresses the power of God and the sufficiency of God. He has the power to meet needs no matter how great the needs are.
He is enough and more. He does things exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or even think. We cannot comprehend how big He is. Do you have an image of God that is much too human-size? Is your god too normal? Is he too busy or too prejudiced or too unforgiving or too picky? Then you need a revelation of an Almighty God today. That’s what Jacob needed to take him to the next level and so do we.

Genesis 32:22-24

bearingchrist — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:08:35 +0000

Genesis 32:22-24 (NLT) During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.
Years have passed since Jacob left his angry brother behind. Jacob and his mother had worked together to do God’s work and the act had embittered Esau, the older brother. Jacob got really busy down in the country of his mother’s people. He had found a wife(s) and had become very successful. He was skilled in breeding farm animals and his success had created a bit of division with his wife’s siblings. So Jacob is moving again.
On Jacob’s way to a new destiny, he hears that his older and embittered brother is on his way to meet him. He finally did what he should have done years before, he got alone with God and in the night wrestled with an angel or Christ until he was willing to confess who he really was. We might be doing great but we can “cover up” a stinking nature only so long. We have to meet ourselves face to face and declare who we really are before we can go on in confidence to face our real fears. Jacob confessed that he was “Jacob” that meant he was crooked and everything he had gained up to this point was through conniving and manipulation.
Are you tired of hiding behind a façade? Are you ready to face your real person so you can finally just say it like it really is without having to make the next story bigger than the last? The feeling of just living with yourself and who God made you is powerfully fulfilling.

Psalm 10:16-18

bearingchrist — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:15:17 +0000

Psalm 10:16-18 (NLT) The LORD is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.
I recently heard someone say that the Old Testament is old and out of date for our times. The stories are only stories and we should only preach the New Testament. Can you imagine how much of our preaching would be cut out? The creation truth, the wonderful encouragement we receive from the Psalms, the incredible wisdom from Proverbs, the love story from Song of Solomon, the family difficulties, the wonderful story of David and Goliath and on and on. The prophecies about the Lord Jesus were validated with fulfillment in the New Testament recordings. How could we know the significance of the cross if we had no collection of the prophecy of Isaiah 53, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… the chastisement of our peace is upon Him and with His stripes we are healed…”
The Old and New testaments compliment each other and without either, you only get a part truth. I was encouraged by my devotional reading from the Psalm above. WOW! In the Old Testament, I understand the person of the Father. In the NT I understand the Persons of Christ and the Holy Spirit. I want to know the whole deal – How about you?

Proverbs 3:1

bearingchrist — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:07:57 +0000

Proverbs 3:1 (NLT) My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart.
Proverbs is full of wisdom and instruction on how to obtain it. One year I read it through twelve times by reading a chapter each day. In our through the Bible plan, today we read the third chapter. I want to write on the whole chapter but don’t have space. Take time to read slowly through chapter 3. Notice the topics – Store what is said in Proverbs in your heart. Hang out with loyalty and kindness and you’ll find favor with people and God. Trust the Lord with all your heart and seek His will so He will put your feet on the right path. Don’t think you’re smart enough do it on your own. Honor the Lord with your wealth, actually the best, the cream of the crop of everything you produce, then He will fill your barns. Accept discipline because that is a loving friend or father’s way to help you. Seek the mind of God because His wisdom is far more precious and fulfilling than precious rubies, gold or any other satisfying thing or person.
This is a chapter that could be a daily prayer outline for you. I hope I have wet your appetite to read this chapter and follow through with a daily time with God. Ricky told me that 2011 was his first year through the entire Bible and “It has given me a better understanding of where we all come from, more understanding of how real God is, and it has made me want to obey His word no matter how hard it can be at times. I personally don’t like reading, but putting forth the extra effort to read it has given God a chance to speak to me…” Great job Ricky.

Matthew 7:19-20

bearingchrist — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:51:44 +0000

As I was greeting people when they left yesterday, someone commented that I quoted scriptures that he read in his morning devotions. He is reading the same one year reading plan from the YouVersion.com one year reading plan. If you haven’t begun your new year reading plan, it’s early enough to get started. Some of you followed with me last year. The whole nation of Israeli leaders came together and stood for hours as the book of the law was read in an open gathering. Upon finishing they all fell – in unison – on their face and worshipped the Lord. The more of us who reading the same plan, the more our thoughts unite us.
I am excited about the 90 days of prayer with those of you who signed on at the end of the service yesterday. As soon as I get to the office this morning, I will organize the email addresses. I will email the first prayer outline, and then we will be off and running. I will keep the e-votion and the prayer network separate.
Think on this – Matthew 7:19-20 (NLT) So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Merry Christmas

bearingchrist — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:04:27 +0000

Judy and I were invited to stop by the Herrick’s last night to see the decorated trees in their home. WOW! It was a tour that I’ll remember for a while. There was a “cat tree,” a “girl tree,” a “boy tree,” and lights and music and so many dolls of angels, nutcrackers, clauses (Mr and Mrs) and lights. I felt like a kid all over again – but it doesn’t take much to bring that out of me this time of year.
What was really neat is when I got ready to leave Ann handed me a bag and asked me to open a number of gifts. I unwrapped – guess what? – plastic ties, bungee cords, chocolate candy, and other items that she had heard me include in my messages of recent. It was simple, but it made my day. I thought how often we go out of the way to spend extravagantly to get the approval of someone we love, but it’s the simple things that make us laugh and isn’t that what we are really trying to do with our presents – make someone have a little joy?
My wish for you this weekend is that you and your family will enjoy a lot of laughs – belly laughs – and when everyone has returned home and the lights are turned out you and your loved one will say – WOW!
Judy and I wish you a wonderful celebration of the best gift of all, the birth of the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11

bearingchrist — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:09:37 +0000

We studied last night from Hebrews 11 about Abraham’s steady faith. When God spoke to him, he obeyed without hesitation. He is Israel’s hero throughout scripture and even today. Obviously God was pleased with him because his name is plastered all through Old and New Testament. He wasn’t perfect but he was obedient. It got him in the list of Jesus’ family heritage (Matthew 1:1) and in the faithful believers’ hall of fame in Hebrews 11.
I wonder if Mary ever dreamed that her name would be so popular when she was a little girl. The Lord was/is great for taking people of insignificance and settng them up for fame (or shall I say familiarity) making them household names. There are manger scenes all over the Christian world that portray a mother holding a child. With all of this honor and prestige, she remained humble and in the shadows. Very few times is she seen out front. But this we know she believed her Son was the Savior of the world. She didn’t know how, but secrets from the angel of the Lord let her in on the big secret.
You could be the key to something renown taking place if you will remain faithful in the little things. I pray that God will bless you and your family this Christmas season.

Micah 4

bearingchrist — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:07:56 +0000

In the previous chapter Micah predicted the devastating judgment that was to fall on Jerusalem and Samaria due to their determined rebellion not to live to please God. God sent word through Micah that Israel would be flattened and crops would be planted where building stood (3:12). But in Micah 4, it’s a different message. (4:1; CEV) In the future, the mountain with the LORD’S temple will be the highest of all. It will reach above the hills, and every nation will rush to it.
No matter the plans of Iran with its nuclear capabilities, Jerusalem will be the center of attention when Christ returns to the earth. After failed attempts of nations to flatten Jerusalem, she will survive and be the capital of not only Israel, but the ruling throne for the world. Jesus will rule the WORLD from Jerusalem. If God chooses to deal with His people He can, but if others mess with His people He will crush them. Same with you and me. No weapon that is formed against us will prosper. I stand on that promise this morning and celebrate the gift of light to a dark world. This time of year my lights shine in the yard, but the light of eternity shines brighter than any noon day sun.