Preacher's Space

Invest!

tommyestes — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:30:34 +0000

My scripture reading came from Matthew 25:14-30. This is a wonderful truth that speaks on the subject of investing. Investing in the Kingdom of Heaven! Jesus shared a parable of a man going on a journey and called upon his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

As you further read into this parable, Jesus said when the man came home he found 2 of the three servants invested in the talents doubling what was given him and they were praised! The third didn’t invest and the man was disappointed in him and the talent was taken away from him.

Application: God wants us to invest! Invest in our character (who you are and who God knows you can be). Not only in character but, as members of HSMBC. How will a lost world hear the Word of God if we will not invest in them? I am challenged to be an investor today. Our church is to invest; Never to lose focus by hording God’s Word and never take an interest in the souls who need Jesus around us.

I am so thankful to be the pastor of a church that will invest. Invest in souls and invest in teaching and making disciples. This weekend we experienced Scripture! Jesus said that if we would have the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Because HSMBC is a church that will invest – God Blessed.

Prayer – Father, thank you for your Word! It is so true and wonderful to experience. Thank you for the challenges you give us to be good stewards for you and help me lead your church to continue to be investors for you. It is my desire to please you and only you! I want to hear you say – Well done my good and faithful servant! In the sweetest name under and in heaven I pray- the name of Jesus… Amen.

Hope you enjoy this video of you investing for the Kingdom of Heaven!

Feb 9, 2008!

tommyestes — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:09:05 +0000

We did it! God is good! Wow! My heart is rejoicing! You guys are awesome!

Today we celebrated abstinence with over 300 in attendance. There were 250 teens with us there to join in the celebration and out of those teens 160 commitments were made. Jonathan Evans and Tricia Anderson did a wonderful job challenging and encouraging the next generation of leaders in our church and churches.

Thank you for all of your help, you guys made everything work like clock work. I love you guys. I truly am thankful to be your pastor.

Spiritual Journal Matthew 22:36-40

tommyestes — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:57:22 +0000

Today in my Bible reading, Jesus was being questioned by-Pharisees. As they were trying to tempt Jesus they asked him. Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said unto them, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And he second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Oh what a wonderful truth! You know, I love bragging on my wife and kids – why? Because I love them! This portion of God’s truth reminded me of the Commission that Jesus gave us that is to share the good news of redemption with every person. But I am convinced that the Great Commission can not be accomplished until we nail down the Great Commandment. Love the Lord thy God with all of my heart, soul and mind. When I love God like I should, sharing Jesus with my neighbor won’t be a burden or a chore. It will be as natural as bragging on my wife and kids. What a feeling it is to love God, especially when I think about everything He has done for me on the cross of Calvary!

Oh Father! Thank you for loving me… A Sinner! You came and died for me on the cross and rose again just like you said you would just so I could be forgiven. For this, I love you so much. I love you for your Word and how you speak to me through it. I love you for my relationship with you and how you make me feel valuable when the world discourages me. Father, I want to share Jesus with someone today, not because you’ve commanded me to or asked me to. Lord, I want to share Jesus with my neighbor because I love you… I pray this in the sweetest name in and under heaven - Jesus! Amen.

Theme Verse

tommyestes — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:43:32 +0000

Just wanted to share the theme verse for Celebration Abstinence. It’s 1 Timothy 4:12

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ESV

My prayer is these teens will not let the world and culture despise their youth, but step up and be a generation by setting an example for other Christians in their youth group to follow Christ in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

Take time this week and make this a concern in your prayer life.

Father, Thank you for another opportunity to serve you! How great and marvalous you are. Lord, next week as these teens make their way to East TX to celebrate abstinence, I pray that you will be honored and glorified. Don’t let this be a day for us, let it be a day of commitment to step out on faith and lead a next generation to purity. In Jesus name… Amen.

Spiritual Journal

tommyestes — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:19:43 +0000

Psalm 16:5-6 – LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. The boundry lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

As I meditate this morning on this passage; I reflect on my life as how it was with out Christ as my LORD. I can remember how misriable I was and how my life was going no where! My cup was empty. Finally, when I gave up my boundry lines and asked for forgivness and accepted Christ as my King, I began to feel life. I never dreamed in a million years that God would call me to preach and be the pastor of the best church in the world! Indeed Christ is my cup and I strive to honor Him – He is my blessing!

Father, thank you for not giving up on me! Thank you for your spirit of grace and mercy that encouraged me to lower my boundry lines so I could see me how you see me. Thank you for saving my life. Help me today to experiance your blessings as you fill my life with your love. In Jesus name… Amen.

Waiting Time…

tommyestes — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:54:29 +0000

Genesis 41:14 – Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh.

I love reading the story of Joseph. He was a man that had his share of life’s lemons. But yet, God was still with him. No matter the circumstance or nor how bad situations got, God was still with Joseph. He was forgotten about for over 13 years and now through God’s refining process, Joseph was about to emerge. I read this to remind my life that is no different than Joseph. When I go through a trial – God may not fix it by Friday, but He is still with me. With God… Waiting time is not waisted time.

Father, thank you for troubled grace. In your plan for my life I will see trials. Some intend them for the bad, but you intend them for the good. Your grace refines my life to become more like your Son – Jesus Christ. When I go through trials in life, help me not to respond with frustration and forgive me when I do. Help me to experience your peace so that I might hear you say, “Waiting time is not waisted time, when I am in control.” In Jesus name… Amen.

Interesting…

tommyestes — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:34:55 +0000

This was on CNN on how the unchurched around us view Christians… You can read more about this research here.

http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/01/new_research_on_the_unchurched.html

The Flu

tommyestes — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:09:51 +0000

Lets keep everyone in Hughes Springs in our prayers! As far as I can tell - Everyone has the flu!

Hero’s

tommyestes — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:37:18 +0000

Everyone has hero’s of faith in their lives. This is a picture of one of my hero’s of faith. He’s a wonderful author, speaker and encourager to me: Dr. Johnny Hunt.

This is another picture of one of my friends, encourager and hero of the faith. Dr Fred Lowery and his wife Leigh with Jill and me.

Refreshed

tommyestes — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:23:31 +0000

Today, Jill and I returned from a retreat that you guys sent us on in Toledo Bend at the Cypress Bend Resort in Many, LA. What a great time to relax and reflect on ministry. I was so encouraged to be around some of my mentors and hero’s ; Dr. Fred Lowery and Dr. Johnny Hunt.

There were lessons on relationships, insecure leaders – a ministry headache and the pastor and his resume (spiritual resume). Let me give you some one and two liners that I thought were great!

- If your community is growing and your church is not growing, it is either plateauing or declining.

- The reason why we think our people have become pathetic is because we (preachers) have become pathetic in our preaching. We need to be on FIRE!

- There is no greater need in your life than to stay close and clean.

- We want change without change. When the pain of staying the same becomes greater than staying the same – you’ll change.

- The question isn’t is it contemporary or traditional it’s: IS IT BIBLICAL?