Pastor Bruce's Web Blog

I truly know that “church” has some negative connotations for many people.  And sometimes that’s for good reason. The church is an imperfect institution created by a perfect God. The church is made of people who are sinners saved by grace. It is made up of people who are trying to grow closer to God, but oftentimes fall short. It is is made up of leaders (Pastors) who need God’s mercies everyday, just like everyone else. No, it’s not perfect, but it is loved.

Christ loves the church…it is His body. He heads the church…not pastors, not church leaders, not the laity…it is Christ’s church.

Maybe you haven’t been to church for a long time because of something a pastor did…or another church member? The fact is…we all make mistakes. But we serve a perfect God who loves you…and would love you to be a part of His family.

I encourage you to give church another try…but don’t come looking at the people…come looking for God…it will make all the difference in the world.

PB

It’s been more than five months since my last blog…what’s up with that? It’s called life…you know what I mean? But I have decided to try this again, but with the intention of doing just one blog a week…I hopefully can handle that.

This coming Sunday I’m going to share the vision that I believe God is giving Mt. Pleasant Church. I don’t take this lightly as I understand that the only way this is going to work is if the congregation embraces this vision. I was once told that one way you know  you are leader is if you look back and someone is following.

I’m going to be asking the congregation  to follow me into the trenches as their pastor…to trust that I have prayed, studied, and listened to the voice of others and, most importantly, to the voice of the Holy Spirit. I truly believe that God can and will do great things through our church for the sake of His Kingdom. But I know we have to be committed to Him and to the vision, together.

If you happen to be reading this, I would just ask that you say a special prayer for our church this Sunday.

Thank You!

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

Through the prophet Isaiah, God made this declaration about himself: “Seek the Lord while he may be found…” (55: 6a).

Several years ago I did a sermon series entitled, “The God Hunt,” based on a book by Karen Mains. Simply put, “The God Hunt” was about seeking those ordinary moments when God intervenes in our lives with guidance, care and help. We live in a time when God can be found…He is still providing time for those who don’t know Him yet, personally, to get to know Him through Jesus.

But for those who already have that personal relationship there is also time to seek God on an everday basis as we grow to become more and more like Jesus. Do you take the time to look for God each day…To see Him in creation or in the sparkling eyes of an infant…or to see Him in a kind gesture from someone or in a life that has been transformed in a miraculous way.

Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work.” If we believe Jesus’ words, then God is always up to something. But are we too busy to notice or so self-indulged that we couldn’t see him if he were standing right in front of us.

My encouragment to you (and myself) is to hunt for God on a daily basis. He may be easier to find than we think…if we will just take the time to look.

Happy hunting!

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

I recently read the following: “I pray blessings. I will speak blessings. I choose to be a blessing.” Inherent in all the three of these statements is the variable of choice. Everyday we have the ability to choose our attitude, regardless of our circumstances. It’s not always easy to think about blessings when circumstances are difficult. But no one can dictate our attitude. Our decision to pray blessings, speak blessings and to be a blessing (to others) is up to us.

Peter, in his first letter to Jewish and Gentile Christians in Asia Minor, spoke about blessing.  In 1 Peter 3: 9 we find these words: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherent a blessing.” 

And not only our we promised a blessing when we treat circumstances with blessing, but it is also a reminder to us of the blessing we have received in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote of this in his letter to the church in Ephesus: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Eph. 1: 3)

We can bless, because we have been blessed!

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

Someone sent me this quote the other day: “Remember to never look down on anybody, unless you’re helping them up.” Those are wonderful words of wisdom. They remind me of a passage in Psalms, chapter 3, verse 3, that says: “But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”

I can’t begin to count the times the Lord has lifted me up when I’ve been down. He has done it through a miracle, through His Word, and through times of worship. But more often than not He has done it through a friend…another brother or sister in Christ.

What a gift…being lifted up when you are down! This is a gift we can’t keep for ourselves. We need to share this “lifting” with those that we know are struggling. I encourage you to pray this week for the Lord to bring someone to you that needs lifted up…He will if you pray for it!

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

When I was a kid I used to help out on my grandfather’s farm. I remember driving tractors up and down the farm lane. After lots of rain, ruts would develop and it was difficult to get out of them when you had to make a turn off the lane and into a field.

I think our spiritual lives sometimes develop ruts as well. We get stuck in a place where we don’t seem to be experiencing any spiritual growth. It is not a fun place to be. The Hebrew writer in chapter five of his letter gives a warning about complacency (or being stuck in a rut). He writes, “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (vss. 13-14).”

He goes on to say in chapter 6, verse 1, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…”

He was concerned with believers falling away from the faith, but I believe he also wanted them to get out of their spiritual rut. They were stuck on milk and now it was time for solid food. If you are in a spiritual rut, maybe it is time to go deeper into the Word of God and allow Him to bring you to a new spiritual level. And the more you are in God’s Word, the more you will learn about righteousness and that can only enhance your relationship with the Lord.

It’s hard to get out in the field to harvest, when you are stuck in a rut.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

During a recent youth outing that my daughter was a part of, I received a call from her telling me that the van they were traveling in was stuck on the edge of a ditch. And if they moved too much they could go over the edge! After catching my breath for a moment I tried to understand the situation a bit more and quickly realized I probably needed someone else’s perspective of the situation as well. My daughter does have a bit of flair for the dramatic.

So, having the cell number for the driver of the van, I called to get her perspective. As it turned out, one wheel was over the edge of a ditch, but their lives were not in peril and AAA was on their way to pull them out.

This situation reminded me how important perspective is in our lives…especially as Christians. When we have victory in Christ, our perspective of what life throws at us is much different than that of people who have little or no hope in their lives. We should be thankful each day for the salvation, hope and grace, we have in Jesus.

At least that’s my perspective.

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

For several weeks we’ve had an ant problem in our kitchen. I had tried a few different things to get rid of them but those things didn’t work. So on the recommendation of an employee at a local hardware store, I got some stuff that seems to be working. One of the products is a granular treatment you put along the base of the house. I did that, and then noticed yesterday, that hundreds of ants were each carrying a piece of this granular substance…presumbly back to the queen…ultimately leading to the death of the colony…at least that’s the plan!

Each ant was just following the crowd of other ants with no idea that it was to traveling a trail that would lead to its death. Unfortunately, we see this in our society today. People mindlessly following the culture, or a charasmatic leader, or way of life, that will ultimately lead to death.

Our only way to life is through Jesus. In many ways, following Jesus is going against the “crowd.” Following the crowd looks good, looks right, but it is wrong. The thief on the cross realized this just before he died…and Jesus promised him that he would be with Him in paradise.

Don’t let the crowd suck you in…go against the flow…go with Jesus!

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

The heat in Evansville the past three weeks has been unbelievable! But worse than that? The humidity. I went outside the other night and the heaviness of the air knocked me to the ground! Not really, but it makes for a better story. 

The humidity we’ve been experiencing reminds me of how ”heavy” life can be. Illness, unemployment, relationship issues, tragedy, etc., etc…simply put…that is how life can be this side of heaven. But Jesus told us in Matthew’s gospel that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. He wants us to cast all our cares on Him!

In otherwords, if ”it” is too “heavy”, let Jesus carry the load! 

Blessings!

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24

We’ve all seen them in stores…sample size products of shampoo, soap, shaving cream, etc. Companies like to provide samples (at a lesser cost) to get you to buy their product in a large quantity. It’s a way for us as consumers to try a product to see if we will like it (they are also handy for vacations).

As a Christians, we are samples for Jesus. Or at least, we can be. Jesus told his disciples, before He ascended into heaven (following His resurrection), that they would be his witnesses. Our lives should be a sample of Jesus. When people encounter us, they should want what we have: joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. We have those things because of Christ, who lives in us.

So I challenge you and me to be samples for Jesus…wherever we go…so people will want to have the real thing: Christ Himself!

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce, Jude 24