Tag: anointing

  • Letter #27–Remember Your Source

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         I need to call and check on that new couple who visited last weekend.  There’s a board meeting tonight at 7pm.  Someone from the thrift store called and wanted to know if we can do the bicycles for kids again.  The HVAC company is coming at 9:30 this morning.  Family will be visiting sometime tomorrow.  And tomorrow night is Bible Study and I haven’t finished the lesson.  The elders need guidance on making out the framework for the new by-laws.  The kids have practices every day during the school break.  Someone posted a vicious remark about our youth program last night.

         AAAHHHHGGGG!!!!!!

         Ever want to just scream about how complicated, demanding and simply exhausting life as a pastor can be?  Well, you’re in good company.  We’ve all had that over-worked, over-extended, over-scheduled, over-everything feeling.  A pastor’s life is much more than preaching, teaching and visiting the sick.  And sometimes that “much more stuff” falls right in your lap.

         What do you do when that happens?  I encourage you to remember your source. 

         Your source is not people, although God does use people to help with all the multi-tasking.  Your source is not denominational groups, although they can provide training and encouragement.  Your source is not your education, private study or your degrees hanging on the wall.

         Your source is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  This is your source.  This is your source for your calling and anointing.  This is your source for needed wisdom.  This is your source for inspiration.  This is your source for provision and protection and promises.  God is your source.

        Satan tries to get you to think you’re in this on your own and that you will fail. He will try to get you to think you don’t know enough or don’t have enough or can’t do enough to get your job done effectively.  And he is correct.  You don’t know enough by yourself.  You don’t have enough by yourself.  You can’t do enough by yourself. 

         But Satan does not have the last say in what your life will accomplish, nor does he have the last say in who you are.  He definitely does not have the last word in declaring who your source is.  Only God can have that last word.  And God says He is your source.

         Remember that God created you and called you and anointed you while you were still in your mother’s womb.  Remember that Jesus left the glories of heaven to come to this earth and sacrifice His life so you can be forgiven.  Remember that the Holy Spirit dwells in you and is your Comforter and Guide.  Remember that you have been empowered to spread the good news about Jesus.  Remember that Jesus has already defeated the forces of evil.  Remember that your King is coming again to receive you to Himself so that where He is, you may be also.  Remember that!

         Do you need wisdom?  Ask your source for it.  Do you need calmness in your spirit?  Ask your source for it.  Do you need help in a relationship?  Ask your source for the help.  Do you need healing in your body, mind, emotions or spirit?  Ask your source for His healing touch.  Do you need a new zeal for God?  Ask your source to renew you.

         Close your eyes, count to ten and remember your source.

         Take a deep breath and remember your source!

         REMEMBER YOUR SOURCE!  (I’m aware this is shouting, but maybe I need to shout to get your attention today.)

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #8–Seasons

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         In the course of a year, we experience seasons as the weather changes from one general type of weather to the next.  The dormancy of Winter yields to the vibrancy of Spring.  Then the growth of Summer produces the harvest of Fall.  We continually experience these changes of seasons because God set all that into motion at creation.

         In addition to weather patterns, life has a way of flowing through seasons, too.  Childhood is referred to as the Spring of life, our working years as the Summer, retirement as the Fall and finally old age and Winter.  If we look around us, we’ll see that there are seasons in almost every aspect of life.  Some seasons are brief and some are lengthy.

         Do you remember how Moses was initially raised in the education and knowledge of Egyptian royalty?  Then he learned how to watch over and guide sheep.  Finally, God sent him to lead Israel out of Egypt.  Do you remember how long each of those seasons was in his life?  That’s right—forty years.  Those were long seasons, weren’t they.

         In my own life I’ve had some short seasons.  My first pastorate was two years.  I’ve also had some long seasons.  My wife Kathy and I became the managers of a Christian campground in April of 1993 and remained there in that ministry until the end of September of 2020.  That was a much longer season.

         During the seasons I have experienced, I realized God was teaching me some things I would need later in life.  Those lessons were expanded in succeeding years as I learned more about life and the various ministries into which I was directed by God.  He was always in control, guiding me and teaching me more about living as a disciple of Jesus.  God was preparing me in each season to deal with life and ministry in the next one.

         Jesus pulled together a small group of people and prepared them for about three years so they could enter their next season.  He taught them.  He demonstrated how to minister.  He told them how to pray.  He gave them the example they were to follow.  Then He sent them abroad into their next season.

         God is doing the same thing in your life.  Look back on where you were when you started your journey of faith.  Have you grown in faith?  Have you gained more knowledge and understanding about Jesus?  Are you better able to fulfill your calling from God today than you were when you first felt that call?  Can you see where God brought you along from one season of life into the next and into the next?

         Here’s the exciting part of this letter—there’s another season coming, and you’re being prepared for it right now.  God knows exactly what He wants you to do next, and He’s getting you ready for that something.  He’s teaching you, strengthening you, moulding you and anointing you for your next season. 

         God is getting you ready, just like He got Moses ready.  Jesus is preparing you, just like He prepared those original disciples.  Every trial, success, failure or achievement has been arranged to prepare you for the next season.  Every lesson learned, every gift sent, every moment of anointing by the Holy Spirit has been designed to get you ready for your next season.

         Get ready.  A new, exciting, potential-filled season is coming.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor