stanpavkovich

I read this story about grace that I want to pass on to you….

“This is a true story. Two guys in a church, Paul and William decided that they really wanted to become godly men. So they started meeting with one another to pray and encourage one another; they even set goals for themselves and their behavior, and then were accountable to the other one. Paul decided he wanted to break his habit of using profanity. He decided he was going to put five dollars in the offering for every time he swore during the week. In order to stay accountable, he would tell William how many times he’d failed. The first week cost Paul $100.

However, Paul didn’t stop his swearing. In fact, while he improved somewhat over the next couple weeks, he really wasn’t having the success he wanted and was losing a lot of hard-earned cash.
After the fourth week, William told Paul he had decided that the deal needed to be changed for the coming week, but he wasn’t going to tell Paul how it would change. He just said, “Trust me. It will cost you both less and more.”
When they met the following Sunday before worship, Paul admitted he’d failed again. William put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Paul, I told you this was going to cost you both less and more. It’s called grace.”
William took out his checkbook, and made out a check to the church, leaving the amount blank.

He gave the check to Paul and said, “Your sin still costs, but for you it’s free. Just fill in the numbers. And next week there will be more grace.”
William’s grace cost him $55 the first week; the second only cost him $20. There was no third week. Paul couldn’t bear to see what his sin was costing his friend, so he quit sinning.

Someone said, “Grace is something that costs the one who receives it nothing, but costs the one who gives it everything.”

When you really begin to grasp the grace and love of God… you can’t help but to want to give your life to Him.

I am very well aware of my past… And I am overwhelmed with the love, mercy and acceptance He has shown me. It is there for you as well simply receive it.

Be Blessed,

Stan

I cannot get away from My Utmost for His Highest devotional book….it has been a great source of strength and encouragement over the years in my life. If you don’t have a copy I would encourage you to pick one up or check it out on the link at the bottom of this blog but here is today’s reading I wanted to pass on to you…

“Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” Luke 24:26
Our Lord’s Cross is the gateway into His life: His Resurrection means that He has power now to convey His life to me. When I am born again from above, I receive from the Risen Lord His very life.
Our Lord’s Resurrection destiny is to bring “many sons unto glory.” The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. We are never in the relationship to God that the Son of God is in; but we are brought by the Son into the relation of sonship. When Our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life, to a life He did not live before He was incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before; and His resurrection means for us that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we shall have a body like unto His glorious body, but we can know now the efficacy of His resurrection and walk in newness of life. “I would know Him in the power of His resurrection.”
As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” “Holy Spirit” is the experimental name for Eternal Life working in human beings here and now. The Holy Spirit is the Deity in proceeding power Who applies the Atonement to our experience. Thank God it is gloriously and majestically true that the Holy Ghost can work in us the very nature of Jesus if we will obey Him.

http://www.myutmost.org/04/0407.html

This past weekend at our Easter services we had an individual give his testimony of coming out of a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol addiction…and a statement he made has stuck with me – he said ….”Make no mistake I would never trade my new life in Christ for my old life” he experienced the real deal and if you haven’t, you can experience the real deal by surrendering your life to Christ.

Be Blessed,
Stan

“When God Ran”, I love that old song! It tells a little different story than what the title would presume. It talks about God running straight for us, taking us in His arms holding our heads to His chest proclaiming how happy He is that we came home to Him and offers us forgiveness.

Someone asked the other day if God actually walks away from us or “takes a break from us”… my response was; No ~ the bible has many verses on the subject~ such as “I will never leave you nor forsake you” , “I am with you always, yea even til the end of the earth”. He tells us He will be with us in the bad times as well as the good times. I know as a parent and even as a grandparent the love that I have for my kids and grandkids is so strong that I would never abandon them in their time of need. How much greater love does the “Father” have for us that He laid down His life for us. I have a hard time believing that a love so great would walk away from us even in the good time. When my kids or grandkids are having a great time doing something, I WANT to be there. I don’t see it as a time to walk away and just let them celebrate on their own. Just like when my kids are going through a hard time, I want to be there for them as well; not just ignore their pain and leave them stranded until times are happy and good again.

I think that sometimes we may not feel God’s presence or we don’t get the answers we want or perhaps no answers at all and we feel like God has deserted us or walked away from us. Perhaps we can’t feel His presence because we’ve been too busy, noisy, or preoccupied with our lives that we haven’t focused enough on Him to feel His presence or to hear His answers. Maybe, just maybe it’s US doing the walking away from or deserting and not HIM. Could it be that He is actually standing there waiting for us to turn around and run back to Him so that He can run to us. What an amazing thought!!!!

One sure fire way to know ~ turn towards God and start running with all your might towards Him and see what happens. He won’t let you down, He is standing there ready with his arms opened wide just for YOU!!!
One other old song that is appropriate for closing this thought is, “Soul be still, my… soul be still and know that… HE… is GOD!!!!!

May your running be full of pure JOY as you run after HIM… God Bless

I ran across a very moving story that John Trent, the President of StrongFamilies.com and the Center for Strong Families shared in an article.

A true story that  illustrates in a very real way, the power of our words. The Bible says that the power of life and death are found in the tongue.

Mary had grown up knowing that she was different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children who teased her non-stop about her misshaped lip, crooked nose, and garbled speech. With all the teasing, Mary grew up hating the fact that she was “different”. She was convinced that no one, outside her family, could ever love her … until she entered Mrs. Leonard’s class.

Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face, and shiny brown hair. While everyone in her class liked her, Mary came to love Mrs. Leonard. In the 1950′s, it was common for teachers to give their children an annual hearing test. However, in Mary’s case, in addition to her cleft palate, she was barely able to hear out of one ear. Determined not to let the other children have another “difference” to point out, she would cheat on the test each year. The “whisper test” was given by having a child walk to the classroom door, turn sideways, close one ear with a finger, and then repeat something, which the teacher whispered. Mary turned her bad ear towards her teacher and pretended to cover her good ear. She knew that teachers would often say things like, “The sky is blue,” or “What color are your shoes?” But not on that day. Surely, God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard’s mouth that changed Mary’s life forever. When the “Whisper test” came, Mary heard the words: “I wish you were my little girl.”

That was a God moment for Mary… It was the turning point in her life …to know she was loved and valued…  Those 7 words began to change her life.

God wants to change our life as well.

But many times because of sins we committed and poor choices we have made… often times we feel like we can’t have a relationship with God…

That God no longer loves us or He has given up on us. But nothing can be farther from the truth.

To those who are crippled by sin or enslaved to things you know are not pleasing to God…
He says, “I wish you were my son” or “I wish you were my daughter.”

Remember what the book of James tells us draw close to God and He will draw close to you.

Isaiah 43:4 “You are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you… ”

Be Blessed,
Stan

This week I wanted to share with you a video that I came across. It’s a perfect illustration of a life radically transformed by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please click on this link to view the video http://www.youtube.com/illbehonest

Be Blessed,

Stan

I’ve started reading a book that I just can’t put down. It’s called “The Lost Boy” A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family.

The book is the incredible story of a child’s rescue and journey out of a very destructive, dangerous and dysfunctional home.

The rescue was only the beginning.

Finding love, healing, acceptance and a family that would take him in would be the new obstacles he would have to face. Along with learning and understanding that he truly has a new life.

As I have read the book it struck me just how many parallels there are with this story and our Christian walk.

Even after he was delivered from this horrible family situation and placed in a place of safety far from the reaches of his former family he continued to live in fear.

He had to steal food to survive before his rescue, yet fear continued to drive him to do the same thing in his new environment even though all his needs were provided for.

He always wondered if he measured up with others around him. He blamed himself for problems people were having around him. He was tempted to go back to the abusive family life he was rescued you out of.

How many of us have questioned if we are truly free from our past? Or wonder if we can really and truly experience a new life in God.

This weekend we hit that head on….You will not want to miss it as we look at how God brings about change in our life. If you can’t make it make sure you listen to it on our website.

Be Blessed,

Stan

It was one of the very first to show a blended family. What’s interesting is that it really wasn’t all that huge a hit back when it came out in the early 70′s. It only lasted 5 years and did not receive great ratings. But it became very popular from the 80′s on. There were several Brady reunions and a Brady Bunch movie was made in 1995(with new actors because the 70′s versions were too old) The movie was such a hit that a Brady sequel was made in 1996 and another one entitled: The Brady Bunch in the White House in 2002.

Why is it more popular now than went it first came out? Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of The Brady Bunch, answered it this way. “My idea for the sitcom was to show a blended family but there just weren’t that many in the early 70′s. But starting in the 80′s remarriage became the “norm” and so seeing a blended family with all it’s challenges made the “Brady’s” a hit! My idea was just a little before it’s time.”

He’s right. The make-up of the American family has changed dramatically into today’s society. One of the change agents is the high divorce rate. The overall divorce rate still is around 50%. However, remarriages now make up 46% of all weddings in America and the divorce rate among remarriages, is around 60%. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin predicted that those who remarry a second or third time will have a divorce rate of closer to 70%. A huge part of this problem for those who remarry is the incredible challenges that face step-families.

So, as we continue our series on how to “Fireproof” our relationships – This weekend an expert in the field, Robbie Goss will address the challenges of a modern family. If you are dealing with a step-family situation or you know someone who is, dial into this message. Robbie Goss who is a family therapist provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues that face step-families.