As I write this I have just returned from Nashville and Greenville Tennessee. This is the area my wife and her family are from and Nashville is where I met and married Michelle. The reason we went was not the one we desired, Michelle's brother Eddie passed away at the young age of 43 and Michelle was asked to perform the service.
Eddie was a quiet unassuming young man who lived alone in Greenville in the house his grand father had been born in and that his great grand mother lived in until she passed away. Eddie was a young man of genius level intelligence, at times if your were not on your toes it could be difficult to hold a conversation, I am thankful that in the conversations we had sports were the main topic and I could hold my own. Eddie spent much of his time online with people from around the world discussing politics and happenings in the world, he also enjoyed discussing the various ways the universe could end with his father Gene "four biscuits" Cogburn. In short Eddie was a young man who had a very simple approach to life and to the best of my knowledge lived his life to the fullest extent he desired.
There was a bit of apprehension on my part as we approached Greenville Michelle's father was going to be present whom I had never met before, as we entered the house where we were to meet the family at, a quiet unassuming man stood and faced us and I heard Michelle say "Hi Daddy" they hugged each other and I heard him say "I love you" it was my turn I did not know rather to high five, shake hands or say "whats up?" before I could do anything he simply opened his arms and hugged me and said "Hi Philip, I love you" Need less to say over the next two days I got to know my father in law Gene Cogburn a lot better and I can say with no hesitation I love this man. It's funny we went there because our brother had died and in the end life was the result, the life of new relationships and the rekindling of old ones. Eddie you will be sorely missed, and I will try to keep a handle on Gene so I better start brushing up on my philosophy huh? Love you buddy.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
You Can
You Can.
When I was in the fifth grade I attended school in Fort Myers Florida at the Bible Baptist Christian School. It was a medium size school that still holds great memories for me, I played soccer, flag football, and was the lead character in the schools yearly theatrical production, good times, good times.
Along with the extracurricular activities I had going on, I of course had to apply myself to academics which was not my favorite thing to do, but the first day I knew this was going to be a different learning experience than I had ever had before, as I was seated for my first day of school I was introduced to my new teacher, Mr. Callan. From the very first minute I met Mr. Callan I liked him he was the first teacher that I felt like saw potential in me, he was very proper a complete gentleman at all times and had a love and compassion for his students that was rare then and even more rare today. Mr. Callan insisted on the proper use of grammar, you were never allowed to use contractions, if you were to say; aint, cant, dont, wont he would not answer you he insisted that you say; am not, can not, do not, will not etc. He also insisted that when asking if we could do something that we ask in the proper manner, if we were to say "can I go to the restroom" he would reply "you can" inferring that we were able but had ask the question in the wrong manner. If the question was asked in the correct manner "may I go to the restroom" his reply was "yes you may".
My point in relaying this to you is simple, when you wonder if you "can" over come, or if you "can" be successful, or if you can prosper this year, with apologies to my favorite teacher Mr. Callan YES YOU CAN!
When I was in the fifth grade I attended school in Fort Myers Florida at the Bible Baptist Christian School. It was a medium size school that still holds great memories for me, I played soccer, flag football, and was the lead character in the schools yearly theatrical production, good times, good times.
Along with the extracurricular activities I had going on, I of course had to apply myself to academics which was not my favorite thing to do, but the first day I knew this was going to be a different learning experience than I had ever had before, as I was seated for my first day of school I was introduced to my new teacher, Mr. Callan. From the very first minute I met Mr. Callan I liked him he was the first teacher that I felt like saw potential in me, he was very proper a complete gentleman at all times and had a love and compassion for his students that was rare then and even more rare today. Mr. Callan insisted on the proper use of grammar, you were never allowed to use contractions, if you were to say; aint, cant, dont, wont he would not answer you he insisted that you say; am not, can not, do not, will not etc. He also insisted that when asking if we could do something that we ask in the proper manner, if we were to say "can I go to the restroom" he would reply "you can" inferring that we were able but had ask the question in the wrong manner. If the question was asked in the correct manner "may I go to the restroom" his reply was "yes you may".
My point in relaying this to you is simple, when you wonder if you "can" over come, or if you "can" be successful, or if you can prosper this year, with apologies to my favorite teacher Mr. Callan YES YOU CAN!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Man
The old man is dead.
When my wife and I began in ministry we wanted to have a ministry that touched those who were and had been addicts of one form or another, rather is was alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. We wanted to have a ministry that made a difference in the lives of these people.
I have been teaching bible study and substance abuse class in the county adult detention center for 10 years now, around 2004 I encountered a man whose first name was Steve. When I met Steve his life was in a mess he had lost everything a man could lose including his marriage and family, no one trusted him any more he had burnt every bridge there was to burn he was hopeless and helpless to turn it around. One day he prayed with the chaplain and asked Jesus into his life, the change in his heart was immediate. Steve began coming to bible study every Thursday he would sit on the front row and weep over what God had done for him I would tell him "Steve your gonna have to sit in the back, you are tearing me up" with every class he grew became stronger.
The time came for Steve to leave county and serve a stretch in state prison, before he left he told me as soon as he was released the first place he was coming was to faithbuilders, I smiled and said "I will see you then" thinking inwardly I probably would never see him again, you see I hear this all the time and maybe 5 percent of the guys who say this follow up. Well a few months later I was sitting in my office when there was a knock on my door I got up and there stood Steve I hardly recognized him, but after a moment I knew who he was, he said "I told you I would come here first" that was over five years ago today Steve is our assistant head usher, runs our overcomers group, travels and ministers in our prison outreach, has graduated the first year of bible collegeand is as faithful as they come, everytime we see each other the question we ask is this "Aren't you glad we didn't get what we deserve?" Steve is truly a new man!
When my wife and I began in ministry we wanted to have a ministry that touched those who were and had been addicts of one form or another, rather is was alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. We wanted to have a ministry that made a difference in the lives of these people.
I have been teaching bible study and substance abuse class in the county adult detention center for 10 years now, around 2004 I encountered a man whose first name was Steve. When I met Steve his life was in a mess he had lost everything a man could lose including his marriage and family, no one trusted him any more he had burnt every bridge there was to burn he was hopeless and helpless to turn it around. One day he prayed with the chaplain and asked Jesus into his life, the change in his heart was immediate. Steve began coming to bible study every Thursday he would sit on the front row and weep over what God had done for him I would tell him "Steve your gonna have to sit in the back, you are tearing me up" with every class he grew became stronger.
The time came for Steve to leave county and serve a stretch in state prison, before he left he told me as soon as he was released the first place he was coming was to faithbuilders, I smiled and said "I will see you then" thinking inwardly I probably would never see him again, you see I hear this all the time and maybe 5 percent of the guys who say this follow up. Well a few months later I was sitting in my office when there was a knock on my door I got up and there stood Steve I hardly recognized him, but after a moment I knew who he was, he said "I told you I would come here first" that was over five years ago today Steve is our assistant head usher, runs our overcomers group, travels and ministers in our prison outreach, has graduated the first year of bible collegeand is as faithful as they come, everytime we see each other the question we ask is this "Aren't you glad we didn't get what we deserve?" Steve is truly a new man!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Spiritual Inheritance
Hello!
Early this morning around three in the morning I woke up for a moment and I had Colossians 1:12 running over in my spirit, it simply says this "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" I really did not think any more of it until I got our of bed and was getting into the Word I turned to this scripture and read it over a few times to let it soak into my spirit.
As I was doing this I asked the Lord "What is our inheritance" now many people may say well duh Pastor our inheritance is salvation, and to that I say salvation is certainly part of our inheritance but it is not all of it, our inheritance is all that God has promised us as believers. One part of our inheritance that really struck me this morning was the wisdom that has been given to us as believers. In Ephesians 1 Paul prayed that we would be filled with all the fullness of God and His wisdom and as I thought on this I heard this in my spirit, "wisdom is part of your inheritance" so I stopped right there and said out loud I receive my inheritance of wisdom right now in Jesus' name, there is no reason to not know what to do when we have the wisdom of God in our lives as part of our inheritance.
Determine today that you will walk in the inheritance Jesus left for you do not sell yourself short take it all, walk in it all it is yours!
Pastor Steele
Early this morning around three in the morning I woke up for a moment and I had Colossians 1:12 running over in my spirit, it simply says this "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" I really did not think any more of it until I got our of bed and was getting into the Word I turned to this scripture and read it over a few times to let it soak into my spirit.
As I was doing this I asked the Lord "What is our inheritance" now many people may say well duh Pastor our inheritance is salvation, and to that I say salvation is certainly part of our inheritance but it is not all of it, our inheritance is all that God has promised us as believers. One part of our inheritance that really struck me this morning was the wisdom that has been given to us as believers. In Ephesians 1 Paul prayed that we would be filled with all the fullness of God and His wisdom and as I thought on this I heard this in my spirit, "wisdom is part of your inheritance" so I stopped right there and said out loud I receive my inheritance of wisdom right now in Jesus' name, there is no reason to not know what to do when we have the wisdom of God in our lives as part of our inheritance.
Determine today that you will walk in the inheritance Jesus left for you do not sell yourself short take it all, walk in it all it is yours!
Pastor Steele
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