stanpavkovich

“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 remember as a child trying to remember how to get the correct spelling and vocabulary memorized for these two words so I could ace my tests.  For some reason I would always get them in reverse order with their actual meaning.  So I finally came up with a way for remembering how to keep them separate.  I love “dessert”!!!  To me it was always a double blessing to be able to have dessert after a meal or really at anytime during the day; at this point it is still my downfall (“I know, I know I’m working on it”).  So hence, I began to remember that the good things in life had double “s” and the dry, parched, cracked land somewhere far away from me only had one “s”.  I aced the test by the way.

But as I was pondering this blog I began to think how much is our spiritual life like this.  Do we want the double “s” or the single “s”.  Do we want dessert or desert.  I think all of us would say that if we could have it our way we would want to have dessert all the time and forget the desert.  We want the mountain top experiences with God all the time.  We get angry, rebellious, depressed or confused when we have to have the trials, failures, temptations or dry seasons of our lives.  Those times when even if we are trying really hard to do what’s right or to be on the mountain top and yet we find ourselves all dried up, cracked, broken.  I too have learned the hard way that my spiritual walk with God will have mountain top experiences as well as dry dusty deserts.  I’ve learned that I can grow in both seasons.

It’s kinda funny that God even used the ladies in bible study this morning to give me the conclusion to this blog.  One gal was sharing about another pastor that had spoken about “roots” and went on to tell the story that trees do not need watering.   If you water trees then their roots won’t have to grow to search for water.  If the roots have to search for water they will have to grow down deep into the earth.  During a drought the roots grow farther down into the earth to find its sustenance.  This is where the tree not only gets its water for survival but it causes the tree to be more stable in the strong winds and storms because the roots have grown so deep and are so grounded within its environment.  This is true for our spiritual lives as well.  We need to grow during the drought during the hard cracked seasons of our lives.  We need to let our roots grow deep into our faith and trust in our heavenly father during those times.  And yes we can shake our branches and dance in the wind when we are in the midst of the storms.  As for the mountain top times, well there just really isn’t anything better than dessert!!!

Ephesians 3:14-19

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

We all know that as a country, as individuals, and families we are going through some unchartered waters economically.
This past week I came across a great article written by John Piper, that I would like to share with you.
It gives some great insight and wisdom into the whys of what is going on and believe it or not some of the benefits that can come of it.
Here is some of what John writes…
God is sovereign over all things, he foresees them all, he causes or permits them all, and when he causes or permits something, he does so with purpose and design.
• The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)
• Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
• The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.” (Psalms 33:10)
• [The Lord] declares the end from the beginning . . . saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isaiah 46:10)
So none of the recessionary events have surprised the Lord. His purposes and designs are being fulfilled according to plan. And what I want to do is draw your attention to some of those purposes.
(Some of) God’s Purposes in This Recession
1. To Expose Sin and Bring Repentance
And this works both individually and socially.
At the bottom of every Christian heart—no matter how advanced in faith and godliness—there is the sediment of self-reliance. Then God shakes our lives, sometimes to the foundations, to show us our self-reliance and clean it out with a new, deeper reliance on him.
Socially, the recession reveals a host of sins that hurt people. The recent Ponzi schemes are one of the clearest examples. Promise people huge returns on their investment when there is nothing to invest in, then pay those returns with some of the next investments in nothing. And keep doing it for years, while you skim millions for yourself. Until a recession makes people want their investments back—and they don’t exist. Recessions have a wonderful power to expose that kind of deceit. What will it expose about you?
2. To Awaken Us to World Poverty
Recession hurts us. It imprisons us. What is God’s aim? That we would wake up. Does this recession bother us? If it bothers us, we should be bothered by the fact that millions always live in recession. Only live in recession.
One billion people do not have safe water to drink. Sixteen thousand children die every day from hunger related illnesses. Almost eighteen million children are orphaned in sub-Saharan Africa. Drought and malnutrition make them vulnerable to diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, conjunctivitis, and other water-borne illnesses.
3. To Relocate the Roots of Our Joy in His Grace, Rather Than in Our Goods
Here’s the clearest recessionary text about this in the Bible—2 Corinthians 8:1-2. It describes the roots of the joy of the Macedonian believers in their “recession.”
“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”
Verse 2 ends with a “wealth of generosity.” We want to be a generous people. Generous in every way. Where does it come from? From prosperity? No. Extreme poverty. “Their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of liberality.” This is why I call this a recessionary text. Here are people overflowing in generosity when the economic times are very bad.
Where then did the generosity come from if not from prosperity? From a supportive and sympathetic culture surrounding them? No. Verse 2 says they were in a “severe test of affliction.” That means they were being harassed. You can see what that looks like in Acts 17:5-9.
Where then did this wealth of generosity come form? Paul says it came from joy, abundance of joy. Verse 2: “Their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity.”
4. To Guard His Glory by Advancing His Saving Mission in the World Precisely When Human Resources Are Low
We see this all over the Bible. God does his great advancing work again and again when it looks least possible for us.
• He promises the heir when Abraham and Sarah are too old to have children.
• He splits the Red Sea when Israel is hopelessly trapped by Pharaoh’s army.
• He gives manna when there is no food in the wilderness.
• He stops the Jordan River when it’s time to take the land.
• When a city stands in the way, he makes the walls fall down.
• When the Midianites were as many as the sand of the sea, God whittled Gideon’s army down to 300 so God would get the glory for the victory.
• When Goliath defies the armies of the Lord, God sends a boy with a sling and five stones.
• When the Son of God is to come into the world, God calls a virgin to conceive.
• And when the mighty devil himself is to be defeated, a Lamb goes to the slaughter
5. To Bring His Church to Care for Her Hurting Members and Grow in Love
Buildings exist for people, not the other way around. May no effort to build ever keep us from caring for Christ’s followers. Acts 4:34 describes the early church: “There was not a needy person among them.” This is what the church does. Every member will have his needs met. God will test us to see if we are a church or a club.
To read this entire article “What is the Recession For?” or more from John Piper go to desiringGod.org
Be Blessed,
Pastor 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

 This weekend at Church of the Cross will be one of excitement and fun.  Immediately following our second service we will be having a church-wide picnic on our campus with plenty of food and games for the kids.  It will be a great time to meet new friends and get caught up with your old ones!

But before the cookout we have a great service planned for you. This week Tiffany Crawford – the newest member of our ministry team, will be sharing with us about “Family Ties” and dealing with the relationships between children and their parents. We are happy to welcome Tiffany as the newest member of our ministry team, and we believe that with her experience in Children’s Ministry and overseeing DivorceCare for Kids as well as being a Licensed Belief Therapist she will help us in our efforts to minister to families both in our church and our community.  Tiffany will be working part-time in Children’s Ministry through the end of the year, and then God willing will come on full-time at the beginning of 2009

In 1995 the Discovery space shuttle was grounded.
It wasn’t grounded because of funding. It wasn’t grounded because of a major technology problem.

It was grounded because of a woodpecker.

A whole group of woodpeckers found out the exterior fuel tank had this foaming on them. And they loved to peck that foam away.

But that foam was to protect those tanks and if the foam is not there the tanks can over heat.

It becomes a fire hazard.

So the whole project is grounded by a woodpecker.

Here’s what I think when it comes to relationships…

That it isn’t just the big things that hurt our relationships, but the reality is that most of the time it is the little woodpeckers that hurt our relationship.

This week at COTC we will learn to be alert to things, even the little things that can come into our marriage and ground our marriage. It is a message that can be applied to all relationships regardless of marital status.

If you’re married you’ll receive some practical helps to protect your marriage…

If you’re single you might be married in the future or God may give you the opportunity to help someone, who is about to make a poor decision that will effect their marriage and their family.

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.

I am excited about our Fireproof series, not just because the movie was great, but because the focus is on relationships.

Relationships are a part of everyone’s life like it or not and it can be one of the most overlooked and abused areas of our lives.

We invest in our careers; we invest in our hobbies – why shouldn’t we invest in the most important part of our lives? Our relationships.

The Fireproof series is designed to give you the tools to help you have fulfilling relationships in your life. We will be dealing with blended families, marriages, parenting, and all relationships in general.

If you are checking us out, checking God out, or if you have a committed relationship with Christ, I encourage you to stick with us through the series. Don’t just listen or fill in the blanks, but ask yourself – What I can take home from this? What is something that I can begin to apply to my life right now? What do I want God to do in my life?

If you have questions about God, relationships or need someone to listen – I am here.

Stan Pavkovich