Keys and locks of Prayer

At new Heights we have been going through the 10 keys and 10 locks of prayer from the Kendricks book that was generated surrounding the movie war room. Even though I've been through these 20 pieces previously I have really enjoyed going through them with the church. The input of passionate people in the room as we puzzle out these topics and how God uses them to glorify Himself and to support us, has been amazing. 

I reflect now on how there is almost nothing as encouraging to a pastor as when a growing believer in their congregation asks significant questions about how they can apply the lesson being taught to their own lives. 

I'm not a huge fan of bread and butter anymore. Of course I really enjoy it when the bread is homemade or substantive. However, when the bread is that sugar-packed, block-store variety, even if I enjoy the taste, all I can think about is how they take everything good out of it to pasteurize it and then add vitamins back in that are less digestible and the whole mess is packed with a bunch of useless calories delivered via sugar. For a moment, I begin to think I am living in the matrix and the bread is not real. 

The bread is a lie. (I'm not sure how many will get this reference.)

So, I'm not that big on bread and butter anymore. 

Bread and butter used to be a staple. 

So, to say this is my bread and butter used to mean, the thing is a pillar to me. The thing is essential and it makes me generally better. In my life at least, bread and butter has lost this position. But now that I've spent a couple of paragraphs on explaining what bread and butter could be, I'm pretty sure you will understand the following statement. 

Congregation members genuinely and aggressively interacting with the lesson is a pastor's bread and butter. It doesn't pay my bills but it pumps me up in a way that nothing else can. 

On days when I could give up. And I suppose that's many days...

On days when I could give up, thoughts of congregation members or even visitors being radically transformed by God's grace as they interact with lesson that God is using me to teach, sustain me. 

Do I need it? Has God not called me to continue regardless of how people respond? Why, yes indeed. He has called me to continue regardless of my own feelings. 

But He is a good god. I sense his love in the encouragement that comes from a congregation member or a visitor delving deep into the truths of God. I am reminded that God is a life changer. He is a gentle and yet mighty, a holy and just, and yet gracious, giver of good gifts 

So, what I am saying is that it occurs to me that one of the great gifts that God gives to pastors, the gift that fills up sails....is the gift of a congregation member exhibiting a desire to grow that goes beyond just showing up. 

Don't get me started talking about showing up. My feelings on that topic may be heard loud and clear in a lesson I taught entitled, Don't Stay Home.. You can listen to it on rss.com or on Alexa or Siri but neither of them are very good at finding a specific episode from our audio program which is about 250 episodes long. The easiest way to find it would probably be in a life4Toledo app or maybe by searching it on Google. 

To share a synopsis here would make this blog even longer. Or, would it?

Thank you Jesus. 

P. Daniel Stevenson
Pastor New Heights Fellowship
Director Southside Life Station
419.469.0270
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Spies in the hills

Joshua's Spies used their provision to bring their insight to encourage the Israelites and in particular Joshua. Here's last Sunday's sermon. Sermon

Cheerleading flying vs. lifting

Contrary to popular opinion, I think it is actually more prone to injury to be a lifter than to be a flier. This is because lifters are in the way when fliers start to fall and the good ones do what they can to cushion the blow. When people you are supporting start to fall they can take you down with them and the more committed you are to protecting them the more likely you are to get hurt. Also, the less you are paying attention the more likely both are to get hurt.

Wait for it...Wait for it...

Life is just like that (There it is.) People should be lifting each other up. We should be dependant on one another. When one starts to fall it should be a dangerous moment for all involved. You should care enough to lift and you should know that you are taking a chance in doing so.

This is love that a man lay down his life for his friend.

Fliers can't fly without lifters and lifters wouldn't be what they are without someone to lift. They are interdependent. Now some people develop unhealthy relationships with people because the other person can not stand on their own and they want to feel good about having to help that person on the time. This is called codependency and this is not what I am talking about. We should lift each other up because it is the right thing to do. Considering the concerns of others more than our own....

However, it is somewhat assumed that fliers can stand up on their own and that lifters who lift them would be foolish to hold them high in the air if their abilities did not warrant it. It's better for some folks to keep their feet on the ground. These folks should lift as often as they can.

What's that you say? What if a person isn't a cheerleader? What if they didn't enlist to be a lifter or a flier.

Well, sorry. You were born into the human race and that means you are (or at least you should be) a cheerleader for someone. if you are not, you had better start developing some relationships before you waist too many days. There is no place for selfishness.

Moral of the story: Lift someone today. Don't hold them higher than they want to go. Lift them correctly. Be alert. Be caring. Be ready. If someone you are lifting starts to "fall" be aware you might get hurt.

Understand, that's the way it's supposed to be.

Pastor Dan
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org