New Years Eve

Tonight we will say goodbye to 2008....

We will be spending a couple of hours at the church and then later on with family....

To my blogger buddies....

May the Peace of God be with each of you and may you each find HIS blessing upon you in the coming months....

Blessings...

rks

Merry Christmas Officer

What did I do officer?

Were the ever so innocent words I asked the DPS guy at 1 a.m. this morning.....

70 in a 45 he replied...

I already knew....

Are you in a hurry?

Well sir I am staying at the La Quinta while I visit my folks for Christmas and my wife wanted bottled water and Redonia wanted coke and in this one horse town of Lufkin Texas I cannot find an open store....

These tickets are Tracie's fault....

Can I see you insurance card?

Actually officer my insurance card is in my briefcase back at the hotel with the thirsting to death girls and the reason it is in the briefcase is I have it in my wreck file since this car just got out of the shop after being rear ended before Thanksgiving while I was shopping for a new door for Tracie....

The wreck and these two tickets are Tracie's fault.....

Wait right here sir.....

Sign right here sir......

Sir you can contact the judge before January 5th to pay these tickets your wife just got you....

Thank you sir.....

Officer...

Can you tell me where to get bottled water tonight?

You can't he said as he walked back to his car....

Thank you sir.....

Merry Christmas Officer!

From Tracie and Me

Give Me a Living Jesus!

The phone rang and I heard the sweet voice of Sis Opal Keen crying on the line....

Brother Smith, they stole my Jesus!

Turns out that Sis Keen had a plastic nativity she had been using for years and somebody came by and stole parts of it from her yard....

The newspaper came out and she made the front page as she cried about her stolen Jesus.....

Only Sis Keen!!!!

This plastic Jesus caused me to think....

A Jesus that can be stored away in the shed for most of the year....

This Jesus who would need to be dusted off after an eleven month nap.....

This Jesus who is only needed at a convenient and fun time of the year.....

This Jesus that if stolen can be replaced down at Wal-Mart!!!

This is not the kind of Jesus that I need....

Rather....

Give me a living Jesus!!!!

A Jesus that cannot be stuffed in a box....

A Jesus that cannot be stuffed in the attic or shed.....

Give me a Jesus that invades my space....

Give me a Jesus that turns dark to light.....

Give me a Jesus that expects no less than my best....

Give me a Jesus that demands that I love others.....

Give me a Jesus that still hates sin but loves the sinner....

Give me a Jesus that did not stay in the manger....

Or grave!!!

Give me a Jesus who still speaks through His Word....

And HIS man.....

Give me a Jesus that still changes lives...

Give me a Jesus that changes circumstance....

Give me that Jesus that re-creates that which is flawed.....

Give me a miracle working Jesus....

Give me a Jesus that can save my family.....

Give me a Jesus that brings joy in the midst of storm....

Give me a living Jesus!!!

While others store theirs away next week.....

Let my Jesus be a well spring of living water issuing from my inner most being....

Let my Jesus have control of my life....

My Jesus can have control of me....

Some will be content this season with a plastic or plywood or blow up Jesus....

But not me....

Give Me A Living Jesus!!!!

Congrats Amy Baby!

Last Evening Amy Brown Weldon Stewart (she answers to all of those names) graduated from Sam Houston State University with a business and accounting degree.....

I am so proud of Amy!!!

Tagged the airhead by her classmates at Conroe Christian School she is showing us what airheads can do.....

As she walked across the stage a beautiful Pentecostal young lady I could not help but remember......

Remember the night she told me she was ready to be baptized....

Remember the days and nights spent with she and her friends and family.....

Remember the miracle of the new birth experience in her life.....

Remember he efforts to overcome sin and ugly things in her life.....

Remember the service before she made up her mind to live for God.....

Amy showed up that service with her hair freshly cut and dyed bright burgundy and a mucho short skirt on......

But I remember the victories, joys, and momentous moments that have made this fine young lady to be what she is today....

She married Jared a couple of years back and moved away.....

But invited Tracie and I to her commencement and party....

Amy may attend church elsewhere....

But I will always be her pastor.....

Congrats Amy Baby!!!

Pastor

My Buddy Frosty

This little guy has been in our foyer for nearly a month now.....

The girl has been in my heart and head for nearly 27 years.....

No Grinch Zone

It seems to me that the holiday season is filled with so much pressure.....

As a pastor I find myself so busy with life and helping others and even attending Christmas functions that I am simply on auto pilot....

For instance, the first Monday night of December we always attend a minister's banquet....

Mind you, this is the week after Thanksgiving and who has had time to shift gears for Christmas?

Then comes other banquets, parties, staff functions and so much work....

Not to mention the $$$ pressure that is felt during the season....

But yesterday it happened.....

I got in the Christmas mood.......

A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to Santa requesting a new Blackberry and then even told her that I had hidden sufficient gift cards on her dresser so my new Blackberry shouldn't cost her/Santa anything.....

I saw Santa at church on Sunday night and reminded him of the letter I had written her......

Maybe it was the story of Christmas at the Christmas Program.....

Maybe it was the family I carried a card filled with money......

Maybe it is thinking about the 32 underprivileged kids that will receive 3 gifts each this Sunday....

Maybe it is because I know today Trent and I are going to be with some friends for lunch.....

It might be the freezing weather outside....

I am not certain exactly at what moment it happened.....

But the magic caught me.....

I am now ready for Christmas......

Get out of the way Grinch....

This is now the No Grinch Zone....

Have a great Christmas.....

rks

Monster Makers

I have been telling the little story for years of the Momma was watching the marching band go by in the parade....

Her Johny was the only one out of step but her perspective was to say this....

Looky there, the whole band is out of step but my Johny......

Come on now.....

How can the whole group but one be out of step?

I had somebody tell me one time that nobody understood their baby....

The baby was nearly grown.....

I have had parents tell me that their child was more mature than the other 12 year olds....

Why is it that the same baby that was too mature to stay in the nursery at 2 is too immature to attend youth functions at 13......

I had a classmate in Bible School who asked if he could skip the first two years of the curricula since he already knew all that would be taught those first two years......

He is in prison somewhere today.....

Come now and let us reason together.....

Few of us are prodigies....

Few of our kids are either...

Rather most of us are average folks with average kids who dirtied an average amount of diapers.....

That smell was not roses either.....

Let's get real.....

All of us must take the tests and must pass them.....

None of us are above what the rest must learn to do.....

Face reality....

The band is not out of step but rather the little sweet one.....

Why is this knowledge so hard for some to understand.....

The reality of life is this....

Those young people for whom exceptions are made for usually become monsters in life....

And if the whole band is made to keep step with Johny somebody is creating a monster.....

Johny was not a monster until somebody transformed him....

He was once a sweet little boy/girl that everybody used to love...

Blogger friend....

If the whole world smells bad today, I encourage you to make sure you have no Limburger cheese on your own mustache......

Blessings....

rks

Yesterday At Dusk

Three Fold Cord

A three fold cord is not quickly broken Ecc 4:12.......

Tis the case with good and evil.....

A man and his woman holding hands with their God is a cord that is not easily broken....

A church and its pastor holding hands with their God is a cord that is difficult to sever.....

But let just one of the three release their hold and difficulty arises.....

Tis the same with evil......

A three fold cord will not easily be broken.......

Adam and Eve walked daily with God and communed.....

Eve released the hand of the Lord to pick up the forbidden fruit.....

Adam also to receive the fruit from Eve.....

A three fold cord was broken......

Where are you Adam?

I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.....

Oh the tragedy of a broken cord......

The devil has used this divide and conquer tactic for a lifetime.....

Click on the chart below and see if you have ever seen this in operation......






















We release the hand of God and break the heavenly cord.....

Shame overcomes us and we feel naked.....

We allow fear to take over because want no one to see our nakedness or shame or vulnerability....

So we find ourselves in damage control mode.....

We try to control and manipulate circumstances and people around us so nobody will find out our nakedness or fear.....

Hence we create an ugly three fold cord that is not easily broken.....

I have tried to help people that were bound by yesterday's shame, today's fears and a lifetime of control and manipulation.....

It is like trying to nail jello to a tree......

It is nearly impossible to understand the person....

It is virtually impossible to get truth from them.....

It is so difficult to even get the same story twice from the one bound by the devil's three fold cord.....

They are so miserable and my head spins......

Here are some things that start the vicious cycle of shame, fear and control

• Ongoing Rejection – especially from early life
• Scape-Goat Syndrome - always being and taking blame as a child
• Physical Abuse – especially
• Neglect
• Violence
• Shame by association
• Sexual Abuse
• Failed dreams and vision
• Physical deformity
• Teen promiscuity
• Parental breakup

Four lifestyle behaviors that are coping mechanisms

1. Angry (Argumentative)
2. Condemnation & depression – cycle through low grade depression
3. Apologetic
4. Passivity

The person bound by the devils three fold cord mirrors the following behaviors

• Striving and Driving (Perfectionism) -Unrealistic expectations of self and family
• Religiosity – super spiritualism
• Truthfulness - he has tried to control the shame and fear for so long that whatever he says is truth and his reality

Who told you that you were naked asked the Lord....

Adam did you let go of my hand and take the forbidden?

My dear blogger friend.....

If you find yourself bound by the devil's cord of shame, fear and control please today let go of the control and fear and shame and take HIS hand and allow The Lord's three fold cord be restored.....

You, your family and HIM....

You, your church and HIM.....

You, your spouse and HIM......

Whatever you do, humble yourself and take his hand.....

Remember....

Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.....

SFC tendencies are pride in full bloom....

Release that pride and take HIS hand.....

Release that shame and hold HIS hand....

I am praying for you....

Blessings...

rks

Bishop at the staff party....

The pic speaks for itself.....

Bishop and I had to take a little timeout from all the paryting....

Tonight we were blessed to have the Danny Lewis family surprise us in our service......

Great friends.............

I Think I Like This....

4 p.m. Conroe Texas......

Houston is one of our Southern suburbs....

4 p.m. at the Kroger gas pumps.....

33 degrees.....

Sleet and snow......

I am shivering while the sleet and snow bounces off or my coat....

It is cold.....

4 p.m. miracle.....

I just filled up my car for $21.......

The snow and sleet made me very cold.....

But the $21 tank of gas sure warmed me back up!!!!

Blessings....

rks

First Chrismas Present of '08

Impact, the College & Career group here at CUPC made gift baskets tonight to give away this Christmas season....

David Weldon placed a special gift in my basket.....

I know he is very proud of this....

So am I.....

Thanks Bro Weldon and the entire rest of the group.....

Pastor

Male Bonding

The Bishop is now 8 weeks old

No Coffee @ Starbucks!!!

I told the barista guy I wanted a grande Pike's Place coffee and to leave room for cream.....

He looked embarrassed and then told me....

Sir this will sound crazy but we don't have any coffee today because we ran out of coffee filters....

He proceeded to tell me that he would give me anything for free on the menu as long as coffee was not required....

Hummmm........

No Coffee @ Starbucks.....

I wonder how many times someone visited CUPC and got the same response....

I wonder how many times the hopeless came and left without hope.....

I wonder how many times the depressed left depressed.....

How many times did the lonely leave lonely.....

The barista today told me he had plenty of coffee just not any thing for that coffee to flow through......

And there is never any shortage of HIS spirit or anointing....

Sadly sometimes there is a shortage of folks who will allow HIS spirit to flow through them.....

I pray the pulpit and pew of CUPC never runs short of people who have the Holy Spirit flowing in their lives.....

I could have hung around Starbucks for a little while today and the coffee would have been flowing nice and fresh but I did not have time.....

I wonder how many might have visited my church and hung around waiting for someone like me to allow HIM to flow through myself to them.....

I think I might need to go pray....

Blessings...

rks

Stand!!!

The last several days I have been pressed with this simple word...

Stand....

Paul encouraged the Ephesians when they had done everything they knew to do to Stand!!!

Moses facing the Red Sea an angry Pharaoh and a scared congregation said....

Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord......

More than once in this life of mine I have been overwhelmed with circumstance and I discovered that sometimes all I can do is.....

Stand!!!!

To my blogging buddies or church members or whomever might happen upon these simple words....

You are not alone....

Busyness might be helping you this time around....

Chatter and clatter isn't helping....

You might not know who to fight or which direction to turn....

In moments like this....

Stand!!!

And allow HIS work and process to unfold......

Put your foot firmly on the shaky ground you find yourself on....

Allow him to lead you to a rock that is higher....

Enjoy the journey he has chosen....

If he leads you to that rock surely you are Standing!!!

You might be shaky but you are Standing!!!

Hold HIS hand and Stand!!!

Blessings....

rks

Dangerous Decorating Day Demons

This pile of boxes and mess is where my recliner should be but the Decorating Demon is loose at our place.....

Tis a rough day around here....

Next door at Popsie and Grammy's I had to provide a little marriage counseling because the Decorator Demon is over there as well......





Look at this pile of "stuff" that I dare not get close too....

There are tables and tables and tables of this stuff where I normally sit and read or blog.....

This person pictured below is the person that I trod softly around today.....

She got me up early today and has made me go in the attic and drag all this stuff down.....

But I want the world to know that on this Dangerous Decorating Day I have maintained a good attitude and the Demons have been minimal....

Except over at Gram's and Popsie's......

But just wait til tonight....

The Demons will all be gone....

The lights will be twinkling....

All the Radko and Old World will be working their charm....

Christmas music will fill the dimly lit living room....

Tracie will be back....

And I will be more than happy to sit by her and hold her hand and tell her how pretty everything is and drink hot chocolate ......

And I will also be able to tell her how happy I am that she came back....

Because...

I am afraid of that Dangerous Decorating Day Demon......

Blessings.....

rks.....

BTW......

Please pray for me after Tracie reads this blog....ha

And tonight I promise for the sake of my marriage I will post a real pretty pic of her Christmas tree.....

8 hours later....

As promised....

The pic of the Holy Christmas Arrangement....








FTR.....

If this post dissappears later today you will know that the DDDD is not happy with my loving comments...

rks

Family, Friends, Feast & Fellowship

Here it is 9 p.m. Thanksgiving evening......

I sit in my Lazy Boy recliner with the laptop and desk....

With my little grandpuppy Bishop asleep on my shoulders as I post.....

I rejoice in a great day....

We had a wonderful day with my family along with Wendell & Linda Elms as well as Dee Dee Cooley and her kids.....

Dee Dee is my newly adopted Thanksgiving sister since she has shown up the last couple of years for dinner....

Dee Dee I want the Blackberry Bold for Christmas since you are now in the family....

The Elms are true Christians and we always enjoy our times with them....

Food.......

No more need be said.....

But my daughter n law Calah passed muster with her cheesecake and potato whatchamacallit.....

The drive today with Tracie was very relaxing....

My siblings are always a joy to be with....

Mom & Dad you continue to be the greatest......

As I sit here and Bishop snores in my ear....

I feel a snore coming myself....

Truly we are blessed....

Blessings...

rks

Thanksgiving Mercies

Greetings to my blogosphere friends this Thanksgiving morning....

Truly I have much to be thankful for...

Tracie, you are the love of my life and I am truly thankful for you....

Redonia is my favorite.......

Trent is my favorite...

Calah is turning out to be my favorite and I am so thankful she took Trent off my hands....

I am proud of all three of you kids and rejoice that you walk in truth....

I am thankful for my parents and family who injected a love for the kingdom into me and for the heritage passed down.....

The home God has given Tracie and me is more than we deserve.....

CUPC continues to be my passion and those of you who comprise her mean more than blogs can say. I am deeply thankful for each of you......

Surely He has allowed His mercy in my life.....

The President in the pic above has granted clemency to the turkey....

This turkey (RKS that is) is not worthy of the grace HE has shared in my life.....

I am deeply thankful to HIM today for mercy....

For family....

For church....

Health and goodness.....

And each of you who follow this blog....

Surely goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life....

Therefore I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.....

Blessings....

rks

BTW....I must not forget my new little grandpuppy Bishop......

Be Content

My friend Mark Pryor has the following on his blog The Journey today.....

He that is discontented in one place will seldom be content in another. ~ Aesop

I have seen more than one good saint of God struggle with this....

Jacob the supplanter was never content....

He came out of his mother's womb grappling his twin's ankle and was never contented with his brother's blessings or even his father in law's flocks...

A personal experience years later with an angel left him crippled....

And changed......

Friend of mine, Paul said it this way....

Be content whatever condition you find yourself in....

Jealousy and envy only cause for heartache....

Accept yourself and your giftings and limitations for what they are and allow yourself to be all you can be for HIM....

You will be amazed with what he can do with you when you accept who you are.....

Blessings...

rks

The Day of "The Bishop"

Today, November 21, 2008....

The Bishop came to live at our house....

A follower of this blog read my secret desire and emailed me saying she was a breeder of poodles and had the perfect poodle for me.....

Thank you Debbie for this most wonderful gift....

She emailed me weekly about his progress and today Tracie and I drove to adopt our grandpuppy....

Bishop's first day in the ministry was a taxing one....

He left his cage of five black poodle puppy buddies and went straight to the hospital and then to the doctor's office and then by the rental car place and church....

Then a quick stop by the house where he met his new sister Redonia and then Bishop was off with us to pray with a family that will lose their baby soon if the Lord does not intervene....

Then Bishop went to Impact (college & career) for an outing and back to the church to check on the bible quizzers and now home....

As I began writing this Bishop was laying on my tummy while I typed on the laptop but has since moved and is snuggling on my shoulder behind my neck and is snoring....

Quite a first day for a six week old poodle puppy.....

The AKC papers will read, The Bishop Smith.....

Bishop will be the Puppy Pastor here at CUPC.....

Dewey Pounds a long time member of CUPC has been asking for Puppy Church for years and now his desire is a reality....

Bishop is completely black with three white spots on his chest and when I get his red collar he will look like a bishop in black suit, white shirt and red tie....

Fine Puppy Pastor Bishop will be.....

I intend to teach Bishop how to preach and take offerings......

Then when Bishop learns all his Poodle Puppy Pastor responsibilities....

I will teach him to blog.....

rks

The Young Reverend & Wife

Last evening the daughter n law Calah asked me why there was not a pic of her on my blog....

I was ashamed of myself....

I am proud of Trent & Calah....

They are serving here at CUPC in several capacities and will be going to meet the Texas District Board for credentials in 2009....

The hand of the Lord is upon them and this dad's heart is excited for their future....

Trent started preaching very young...

The first time was around 10 and as a young teenager he was asked to preach several times...

At 15 he spoke at a sectional rally and more invitations began to come....

At this point this dad said no more until you are ready.....

So from 15 to 21 I have not allowed him to preach here...

I did not want him to get caught up in developing a ministry before he had time to mature and develop himself....

Oh I know that in the time lapse he probably did not develop as much behind the pulpit as he could have....

Pastors would call and ask for him to preach and I never told Trent of the invitations...

But this preacher daddy wanted the lad to be able to make full proof of his ministry and to not let immaturity and normal teenage antics take away from his future...

He spoke for CUPC Sunday night while I was gone to the general conference...

I saw the video of it last week....

I am pleased with where he and his wife are today.....

But I am more excited for what I see him becoming as a man and minister....

I will never regret making him wait...

I will never regret not pushing him.....

However...

His submission to this process is the true secret of his future....

I am proud of you T & C.....

Dear Old Dad....

The God Syndrome

Yesterday the doctor looked at the beautiful child born with an extra chromosome…..

Doc told us that the child should not be here and we had no clue what would be happening in the next few days…

Then the good doctor offered revelation….

God is in control of this one and we will just have to wait and see what he chooses to do….

Bingo for the doctor…

Too many times I have observed physicians try to play God….

I’ve watched preachers do it too….

I had to learn a long time ago that I am not God and only God can handle some things…..

I had to be delivered from the God Syndrome….

Later in the day yesterday I listened and observed another young minister and his wife as they suffer with the symptoms of this spiritual disorder…..

I watched a pastor pronounce the blessings of God upon a sinful relationship that God could never bless….

I observed an aspiring minister think he was able to work miracles with church members who had chosen to become unsubmitted and refuse pastoral counsel…..

I have marveled when ministers excused and condoned sin….

I have been amazed when observing ministers strive to be lords over God’s heritage…

I have shaken my head in amazement as I observed ministers play God with people’s lives…

Those desiring ministry must be delivered of the God Syndrome…..

The nature of an Apostolic ministry places a Man of God in the position of having to speak for the Lord….

Sadly we get caught up in ourselves and speak for ourselves and declare it the Word of God…..

How can God bless what he cursed in his word?

And one more word on the subject…..

Too many ministry families have sat at home waiting on Dad to get over his self appointed God Syndrome and wish they got a smidgeon of the attention from Dad that the rest of the world gets…..

Been a many a PK lost because Dad thought he had to be God……

Blogger friend…..

May I humbly suggest that you measure yourself and actions against the Word of God….

Before you make decisions concerning someone’s life ask what does the Word of God say…..

And before you place your family on the sacrificial altar of ministry and watch them be consumed with your symptoms……

Please remember you are not God….

Do not play God…..

Instead…..

Humble yourself and allow Him to take away the symptoms….

And submit yourself to His will and look at yourself the way He does….

Whatever you do….

Do not allow yourself to be consumed with the God Syndrome…..

For the man who is seized with the God Syndrome more times than not loses his life and ministry to the same sins he played God with….

Blessings…

rks

Shortcuts, Detours & Dead-ends

My morning devotion led me to the passage in Matthew 20 where the mother of James and John presumptuously assumed her babies were worthy of more than they were....

Mom presumed her babies were above the other boys.....

And they should sit in the places of honor on either side of the Lord when he came to his kingdom....

The Lord was careful to tell Mom that the positions she was asking for her babies were not intended for them....

However He also included that because she was overly presumptuous that her boys would suffer persecution.....

But the matter did not stop there....

Rather this presumptuous naivety of a self centered mom would effect the boys negatively in that the other diciples would grow angry with her sons.....

The unfolding scenario is simply the overly aggressive desires of a presumptuous mom was going to cause undo suffering in her children later in life....

To compound the problem....

The mom's aggression was clothed in spiritual desires.....

Why do we parents become blind to the weakness of our own children....

Why do we parents become blind to our own weakness.....

Tracie and I had a personal rule while our kids were young....

The rules always applied to them and never never never would we ask for personal favors for Redonia or Trent....

We felt shortcuts in childhood only made for long detours in adulthood.....















My blogger friend....

The principle shared here is true for each of us....

Shortcuts are never shortcuts....

Rather dead ends....

That cause undo suffering in the future of those whom travelled them.....

Blessings...

rks

Miracles Happen

HIS miraculous power is still available......

Last week CUPC spent time in prayer and fasting in faith that the Lord would visit us with his greatness....

HE did not disappoint us....

But then he never does.....

One of Tracie's van kids got his finger pinched in a folding chair and was hurt pretty bad in Sunday School.....

Tracie was called out to check on him.....

The teacher said he saw bone and obviously the finger was broken.....

Tracie prayed and suddenly the little guy started wiggling his finger and said....

Jesus is in my finger!!!

From broken finger and exposed bone to a little wiggly finger that Jesus had taken residence in!!!

I continue to marvel at his amazing miraculous.....

We also prayed for a couple in the service who gave birth to a beautiful little girl this morning....

Sadly due to genetic disorder she is not expected to be with us long......

When the doctor came back to the room this afternoon and the family was still holding the little bundle he told them he was surprised the baby had not died yet.....

NIC nurse told the mom a few moments ago that she thought we just might have a take home baby!!!

We do not know the outcome of this little girls struggle with Edward's Syndrome yet.....

She has a long road in front of her if she even survives....

But we prayed for the mommy and daddy in the altar yesterday....

The daddy was speaking in tongues.....

The mommy soon will.....

And for now....

We hold the miraculous.....

Prayers.....

rks

I Watched a Miracle....

The week after hurricane Ike Pastor Greg Hord from Sanddusky Ohio emailed me and asked me to help facilitate his offering of $2k to a man or ministry in the Ike zone who had suffered....

I said yeah right and didn't pay a whole lot of attention even when Pastor Hord continued to ask me who he could help.....

Then last week I sat across the lunch table from a young man and heard the Lord tell me....

Do you remember that offering that Pastor Hord is trying to send you to give to someone?

Yes Lord.....

Get it for this young man......

Yes Lord....

So I emailed Bro Hord and he mailed me a check for $2k....

Tonight I had the joy of handing a $2k miracle check to a young man who had a tree fall in his house during the storm with no insurance....

His family has been severely misput over the last few weeks.....

The miracle was enroute for weeks before it was handed to the young man....

What a God....

What a miracle.....

I was blessed to watch it unfold and blessed even more to be the one to see the disbelief and tears and watch the young man call his wife and say....

Baby your not gonna believe this.....

After all of these years I still marvel at HOW God works and HOW He continues to remember those that feel forsaken and forgotten.....

Who could ever doubt him.....

Blessings...

rks

Life After The Church

Today I found myself remembering those that have drifted from the CUPC family and even the truth....

Today I wept for those we introduced to truth yet have chosen a different path.....

Then this evening I came across this cartoon.....

How does one adjust from a life in the truth to living outside the umbrella of HIS protection....

We once prayed a young person through that dealt with "voices" but a single trip to an Apostolic altar sent "them" away....

Then the wonderful young person chose to not walk in truth and the message came back to us that "the voices" were back and were having to learned to live with.....

How does one learn to live without the power of HIS spirit once they have been accustomed to it.....

Tonight I am stirred for the souls of the backslider....

Perchance you read this.....

Please remember this pastor is praying for you and will never give up on you.....

I pray that you find you back to the Father's house....

For we have kept a fatted calf and a robe ready for the celebration when you come to yourself and come home....

Prayers.....

Anatomy of a Miracle

In the beginning God....

HE always has been and will be.....

Created the heavens and the earth......

HIS creative power was there to do what he does best.....

And the earth....

The earth come out of his creative process...

Not some climatic collision of molecular destruction....

The earth had no form.....

Ah, the beginning ingredient of the miracle....

The thing that exists but has no form...

No structure...

A mess.....

And the earth was void...

Useless...

Without worth or value...

Void....

And darkness was upon the face of the deep....

Twas dark...

No light...

Scary....

Dark and deep...

A deep hole...

No way out...

The Anatomy of a Miracle...

No form, void, dark and deep.....

And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters....

HE begins to move...

When HE moves things change....

When HE moves things take on a new face....

When HE moves molecules snap to attention....

Uncreated creation created....

A move of God is the secret ingredient of a miracle....

We bring the mess....

HE moves....

The Anatomy of a Miracle....

Then God said let there be light and there was light....

The first words ever uttered by the Creator were...

Let there be...

The creative release of the eternal power of the living God...

Released into the cosmos the miraculous....

Let there be....

And there was.....

The Anatomy of a Miracle....

The man that "was" past tense blind said.....

A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

A life with no form, void and deep in darkness.....

And Jesus moved to make clay...

And Jesus ordered with creative authority for him to wash...

The Master rearranged the molecules of a dirt road and two dark eyes....

I once was blind but now I see!!!

Who is next???

The Anatomy of a Miracle....

Blessings...

rks

Expect a Miracle

This week!

I am determined that this Sunday be a day of a miracle!!!

CUPC has had a dry spell of the supernatural and new converts being born and I am ready to turn that around.....

Earlier today I called for prayer and fasting later in the week for the church family.....

I believe that this Sunday will be a day of deliverance and the miraculous....

Guests with needs have already committed to being in the morning service....

Financial needs will be met this week at CUPC.....

Healing of hearts and emotions....

CUPC family please join me in prayer and fasting and expectation....

The world is gloomy so God will shine brighter....

To my blogging friends....

Wherever you are I agree with you for the miraculous....

Whatever your need is HE is able!!!

Join us in prayer and fasting and faith and allow HIM to work his wonder for you.....

Blessings...

rks

No Man An Island

400 years ago John Donne penned these famous words....

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

They still ring true...

No man is an island unto himself....

We each are but a small part of a much larger picture....

We need each other...

After spending a few days away at the General Conference and then this week being at Texas Bible College...

I am reminded of our need for the body....

Isolation and loneliness are the greatest killers of Apostolic ministers...

We need each other...

Divide & Conquer is the age old tactic of our enemy....

But if I can get to a brother....

If a sister can connect with a sister.....

If one can put 1,000 to flight and 2 can put 10,000...

How many devils can a host of Apostolic ministers and their wives defeat....

We need each other....

I am thankful for the new unity I am sensing amid the United Pentecostal Church....

A united United Pentecostal Church is a guaranteed Maalox Moment for the devil....

Brothers & Sisters following this blog....

Reach out to another man or woman of God this week and unite with them....

We need each other...

Together we are better and stronger.....

Blessings...

rks

Golf Story

Golfers never lie.....

Yesterday Texas Bible College held its annual golf tournament benefiting the scholarship fund....

My team was myself,Bro. Gary Carter, Bro Pitts, Bro Nate Lawrence for the scramble....

Here's the unembellished story......

Diboll golf course hole #9 was the long drive hole....

Lawrence, Pitts and RKS chili dipped and Gary Carter got his first good drive of the day and setting the record for the contest.....

Pitts and I couldn't stand watching him sign the flag and move the marker so we drove back up to the tee box and bought $50 worth of mulligans and started driving until we beat Carter....

As he was moving the maker Pitts hit a ball that landed and rolled right by Carter as he walked....haha

Carter just looked and shook his head and kept walking and set the flag for Pitts.....hahaha

Then on the closest to the pin shot at #17 all four of us hit the ball three times and nobody was on the green.....

Ball number 13 was RKS and it sat down six foot from the pin!!!!!

The fairway looked like an Easter egg hunt!!!

I won!!!

Nothing like honest golf and $100 worth of mulligans....

But the good part was at the club house when the awards were passed out....

Pitts got a Callaway Heavenwood hybrid driver for the long shot....

I got a Odessy White Steel putter (pictured above) for the closest to the pin.....

The mulligan award was a hoot.....

Our team won the mulligan award ($100 no shame or pride) and so Pitts and I felt the Bro Carter had earned the award so we gave him the award....

A great big bag of used golf balls....hahahahahahahahh

I look forward to seeing the pic of me & Pitts holding out new clubs with cheesy smiles and Bro Carter holding his big bag of used golf balls......

Now for the putter....

I don't need it but Dad has a brand new Callaway driver that doesn't work for him and Dad likes my new putter.....


Please pray that my father will not be so stingy and will consent to trading his $300 driver for my $100 free putter......




That all said....

TBC is a wonderful institution and I appreciate what it has done for our family....

I trust that I can be a blessing back to the college....

Particularly I want to be a blessing to those men who selflessly serve there....

If you are a reader of this blog and want to be a blessing please consider blessing the men who serve there with an opportunity to minister or a good offering....

Blessings...

rks

TBC Alumni Event

This week I am in Lufkin Texas for the TBC alumni week and golf tournament....

Thursday night we attended the Alumni Banquet and saw many friends.......

Thursday early several of us met for a pre conference round of golf.....

Tomorrow we will participate in the TBC golf tournament that will raise money for TBC scholarships.....

Saturday morning we are praying about a post conference golf game....

We will wait and see how the Lord leads and blesses.......

Tracie and I sat down a year or so back and listed all our family members that had attended TBC and found the total to exceed 50....

What a heritage!

I appreciate every person who has contributed to the legacy of Texas Bible College and our family.....

rks

Post Election Email to CUPC

Dear Church Family,

The election has come and gone. Some are disappointed and others happy. Such is the case with politics. Should the Lord choose to await his return, we will all see another election cycle. Early this morning I blogged my initial thoughts concerning the events in our nation yesterday and last evening. For those interested, A New President

Tanya Bumgartner sent us this note earlier today. As you know she is married to Eddie who is a physician and they reside in Chicago. Tanya is also a Russian citizen with a permanent residency here in the USA. I share it with you.

Tatyana said...
I am very disappointed with America's choice.... but you are right, Sis. Smith, life will go on. I live a block away Grant Park in Chicago, where Obama had his party. Although Eddie and I did not physically go there, we could hear the fans' voices on the 27th floor of our apartment. It brought tears to my eyes to realize that 250,000 people outside were dancing and screaming for what they thought was hope... It brought tears to my eyes that they look for hope in the wrong place. I know they will be disappointed to substitute God and conservative values for the person they have elected. He cannot give us hope. Conservatives are such a minority in the city of Chicago and I know what they will be thinking today - criticizing us as those who "cling to religion". But they did it in the time of Jesus, even when He was on the cross, asking Him to save Himself if He was God. I know there will be disappointed because people are looking for hope in the wrong place... I pray that when the disappointment comes, this country will turn back to God.I pray for the Republican Party today. I am not a US citizen and could not vote but I am a republican in my views. And I pray that the Republican Party stands up for our conservative values more so than they have these last few years. The time for compromise is gone. Tanya

I simply wish to remind you that whomever is our leader
· The Lord sets them in position
· We as christians and citizens must remain christian
· We must pray for our country regardless of those who lead
· The church is HIS and HIS alone and we will continue to pursue him with our whole hearts
· Lastly HIS power, grace and mercy are still available to all who ask

Please understand my note today is not for or against a candidate but rather to remind each of us that indeed Jesus Christ is Lord of all and that if he is not Lord of All then HE is not Lord at all. I look forward to seeing each of you tonight in service.

Blessings…pastor

A New President

President Barack Obama....

America gets its new president!

I personally am very disappointed with this turn of events.....

While we do not really know who this new President is or will be.......

The United States of America is still the greatest country in the history of the world.....

I believe the Lord sets up kings and takes them down....

HE has allowed this President-elect to be.....

While I personally looked forward to a President McCain and Vice President Palin....

We trust the Lord for He is in control of all things....

He is still God no matter who is President....

He sits on the Throne regardless of who sits in the White House....

This pastor will continue to preach faith, revival and miracles....

This pastor will continue to call sin sin.....

This pastor will rejoice with the birth of new babes in Christ....

We must remember....

Though we are in this present world....

We are not of this world.....

We are but sojourners in search of a city whose builder and maker is God.....

We seek a kingdom far above this temporal world....

While presidents come and presidents go....

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever......

We must never forget that HE is forever in control....

But do not forget...

If this president leads us away from traditional judeo christian values and closer toward the endtime....

Then that is the will of God as well.....

Do not despair.....

Maybe you and I will soon pray....

Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings...

rks

Call To Prayer

Tomorrow marks election day for our great country.....

We are faced with a decision that will impact the lives of our children for decades....

My personal feelings are Barack Obama is bad for the American way.....

John McCain is a good man but would not be in the race had not he chosen Governor Palin to be his VP....

Sarah Palin though gives those that are conservative and christian hope for the future.....

Please remember that the Lord sets up kings and takes them down.....

Mr Obama will set the stage for endtime events that are unthinkable in this country....

Sarah Palin on the other hand is probably a Modern Day Esther that will grant us a reprieve for a season.....

Please join me in prayer for the election of the next leaders of the United States of America.....

Prayers....

rks

So today CUPC rented out 7 Acres Park for a social....

You know the kind of place that has petting zoo, cook out area, putt putt, horse shoes etc.....

Did I mention the zip line.....

OK the pastor had to be a good sport and be a leader and promote unity and good will for the good saints....

So I did the zip line a few times......

Then came the football game....

Since the pastor was in the mood to continue promoting unity and brotherly love I played football.....

Can somebody say TACKLE......

How about 2 touchdowns, 8 receptions, one fumble recovery for the pastor.....

Did I say tackle.....

And did I tell you I tackled a burned out stump....

Or rather the stump tackled the pastor....

Tracie was not too happy about the condition of the brand new britches she bought yesterday.....

Tackle football for this 47 year old pastor was not wise....

Now sitting back in my recliner I feel like the football pictured above....

I feel like I have been the tackle dummy for a high school football team......

I hurt in places that you are not supposed to hurt....

BTW.....

Nobody would tackle the pastor out of respect....

What kind of pain would I be in if I had actually been tackled.....

Blessings...

rks