Skip to main content

Not a LOT of sleep

Written by admin on . Posted in Blog. 4 Comments on Not a LOT of sleep

I woke up this morning at about 4:30 AM. For some strange reason my dog, BUSTER, thought a stray rabbit that he saw was worth waking up the entire neighborhood.

I immediately began to think about my schedule this week and that was the end of my night’s rest. It always seems that I book so many things into my life that I wake up one day and realize that I cannot possibly keep all these plates spinning at the same time.

It’s never a good thing to walk into one’s office NOT knowing where to start. So today, as in many days, I must begin with prayer — asking God for wisdom; asking God to help me remember HOW BIG HE IS and how small I am; praising God for all of 2008 and trusting in God for all of 2009; praising God for WHO He is and not because of WHAT He can do; remembering the flock that God has placed under my care; asking God to help me be a dedicated Man of God; begging for mercy for all the times I’ve blown it; singing the words to some of my favorite praise songs and even recalling some old hymns I used to sing as a boy; thinking of those who are dreaming big dreams and asking God that He would give them the desires of their heart.

I am asking God to provide financially for all the people that I know of that are hurting right now, for the protection and provision for my family and loved ones, for believers to feverishly seek and save that which is lost. I read today of a woman who died trying to rescue her dog. Lord, why can’t we be more diligent in rescuing the unborn child, or the man who does NOT know Christ?

Lord, help me today, every second of today. I cry out to You, for YOUR help, for YOUR guidance, for YOUR protection, for YOUR love and for YOUR purpose to be front and center. Thank you for helping me get through THIS DAY. I pray in JESUS’ name…. Amen!!!

Let’s ride

Written by admin on . Posted in Blog. 1 Comment on Let’s ride

I was scheduled to be gone this weekend… Phil Allen will be preaching at all the services THIS weekend at the Porter Ranch Campus. But I decided to do something to help our Westside Campus in Brentwood. I am going to preach just ONCE this weekend at 11:00 AM at the Wadsworth Theatre. I decided to invite all of my Harley Davidson friends. I started a group called “Pastor’s Posse,” and we get together and go riding from time to time, and this Sunday, I have invited all of them to go on a ride with me to church on the Westside.
Thinking about making this a YEARLY event…. smile….
We are going to meet at the Park and Ride at 9:45 AM on Porter Ranch Drive and the 118 freeway and then leave at 10:00 AM sharp to ride over the hill and arrive at the Wadsworth Theatre by 10:30 AM… Church starts at 11:00 AM. I will preach, then we are going to have lunch, and then ride PCH north…..
Please feel free to join us if you like.
Pray for our safety and pray that we are able to reach people for JESUS.

And then NEXT weekend, on the 10th and 11th, I will be introducing the 2009 theme to the entire church body. You won’t want to miss it!

Christ Bell

Written by admin on . Posted in Blog. 2 Comments on Christ Bell

CHRIST BELL

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God’s child (John 1:12)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17 )
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)
I am free from any! charge against me (Rom . 8:31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Ph il. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God’s temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God’s child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are!?

Keep this bell ringing…pass it on
‘The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you!
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace..’
Numbers 6:24-26

Iron Sharpening Iron

Written by admin on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Iron Sharpening Iron




Several years ago, it was brought to my attention that hundreds of small churches were closing their doors here in California, so I gathered a group of pastors from larger churches to put our heads together and think about what we could do to help the smaller churches. From this brain- storming meeting, we came up with the “Iron Sharpening Iron” gathering. We invited pastors from Bakersfield to San Diego, and usually, our annual meeting takes place in October.

I took some photos from just a few weeks ago. We spend the day providing round table discussions concerning modern issues that these pastors face, and then we serve them a delicious luncheon. We bring in an outside speaker (this year, it was Bob Russell) and then we give them a sack full of books, sermons, and illustrations. AND IT’S ALL FREE. THERE IS NO COST!!!

It truly is a day to JUST BLESS and ENCOURAGE the great men and women who lead our smaller churches. I praise God for those who serve faithfully, even though they often go unnoticed or unrecognized. I am also thankful that the Lord has so blessed this gathering of pastors.

Please pray that God would bless each of these men and women MIGHTILY!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Written by admin on . Posted in Blog. 2 Comments on Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!! I know that God has blessed so many of us, and as the Bible tells us, EVERY GOOD and PERFECT gift comes from above. God has been so good to us with our families, our country, our health and our salvation. Please take a moment and thank the LORD for his bountiful blessing. The LIST of what God had provided for us is UNENDING.

One thing I want to mention are all the BAPTISMS we had this past weekend. We have been preaching on prophecy as it relates to Jesus, specifically Matthew 24 and 25, which speak of the reality of Jesus returning soon. We are living in the “last” of the “last days,” and the sermons that we have recently preached have pointed us in the direction of being PREPARED for the imminent return of Christ.

My heart is encouraged that close to 50 people stepped forward last weekend. To me, that announces that people are heeding the sermons and are honestly preparing their hearts for the second coming.

As the Bible reminds us, the Lord is going to return like a “thief in the night,” at a time when no one expects. So let’s continue to work, serve, and live as though THIS COULD BE THE DAY.

And all God’s people said????? AMEN!!!