The Whisper Test

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Rich Stevenson

whisper test This morning as I was walking in to church to put the final touches on my sermon, I ran into our worship leader.  He said:  “Do you want to hear the most freeing truth of all?  There is absolutely nothing I can do, good or bad, that will change God’s heart of love for me!  He is love, that will never change.” Continue reading →

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A Heart that’s Hot for Souls

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Rich Stevenson

Burning heartMy first year in ministry was in a little Methodist church in Sharptown, NJ.  It was one of the most fruitful years of my life.  Here’s why…

After a Sunday service, a precious elderly woman came to me and handed me a browned and fragile piece of paper.  She said:  “The Lord told me that I have carried this long enough and that I should give it to you now.” 

When I opened it, I found these words:

Lord lay some soul upon my heart, and love that soul through me

May I bravely do my part, to win that soul for Thee

Give to me Your love for souls, for lost and wandering sheep

That I may see the multitudes, and weep as Thou didst weep

Help me to see the tragic plight, of those far off in sin

Help me to pray, help me to go, to bring the wandering in

O fire of love, O flame divine, make Thy abode in me

Burn in my life, burn evermore, til I burn out for Thee

From off the altar of Thy heart, Take Thou some flaming coal

Touch my life and give me Lord, a heart that’s hot for souls

I spent the next year reading through the Bible with this prayer:  “Give me a heart that’s hot for souls as I study Your Word.”

I was amazed at how the Scripture opened up to me.  I saw things I had never seen before.  The Holy Spirit sealed in me that year that we have a Father who is unwilling that ANY of His little ones perish!

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Do You Have Some Fish?

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Rich Stevenson

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in John 21. Peter had been fishing all night without catching any fish. From the beach, Jesus instructed Peter to cast the net on the other side of the boat.
Peter caught 156 Fish!
When Peter got the fish to shore, he saw that Jesus already had fish cooking.
How did Jesus get His fish?
fishI think He just needed a frying pan and his index finger. He commanded those fish to jump right out of the ocean into his frying pan!
Jesus looked over at Peter’s fish and said,
“What do you have there? Do you have some fish? Why don’t you bring some of yours and put it with mine. We’ll eat together.”
I love that! Jesus didn’t need their fish, but he let them mix what they had with what He had.
To me that has become an illustration of ministry. He doesn’t need anything that we have. But He lets us use our meager gifts and invites us to let them mix with all that He has so that people can be fed.
Jesus is awesome!

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The Fruit of Repentance

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Rich Stevenson

fruitHow long should you repent?
Until it has run its course in you. The full course of repentance involves producing the fruit of repentance. (Matthew 3:8) Keep repenting of pride until you see humility. Keep repenting of selfishness until you see love and generosity. Keep repenting of immorality until you see purity. Don’t just repent for your sins, repent that you are a sinner. Remember, although Satan seeks to destroy you, Jesus is praying that your faith may not fail. If you will doggedly hold on to that kernel of faith, Jesus will win!

“The eye cannot see, nor can the tongue tell
Nor can the heart imagine
How many paths and methods I have
Solely for love
To lead them back to grace
So that my truth may be realized in them.”

 

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footprintsOne night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, “What have we here?
Those prints are large and round and neat.
But Lord, they are too big for feet.”

“My child,” he said in somber tones,
“For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up.
And there I dropped you on your butt.”

Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand.

Anonymous Author

 

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Rich Stevenson | Leave a comment