How many of you remember the "Decade of Harvest"? I sure do. The Assembly of God had declared the years 1990 - 2000 as the Decade of Harvest. To reach the lost for Jesus Christ. I was one of those who were lost. By this time my wife and I had been married about 8 years. Two kids and alot of bad habits that we had picked up from living an ungodly life. Sometime in mid 1992 I remember standing on the porch of my wife's parents house and telling her that I could sense something was getting ready to change in our lives. Duh! The Lord was working on us. You see, she had started going to church with her mom to the Bridgeport Assembly of God a few months before. Occasionally I would go with her, and we literally walked into the Decade of Harvest. On February 14th, 1993 Brother Rick Stratton was preaching a revival service at Bridgeport AG, and we we went with her folks. Sorry Rick, I don't remember a word of the sermon, but I remember what the Holy Spirit was doing in my heart during the sermon. I remember wondering why I wasn't feeling the Lord prompt me to go forward, when I told Him that if He wanted me I was ready. And 45 minutes later I got up from the altar and my life was change for Good.
You see Jesus told Nicodemus that "unless a man is born of the water, and of the Spirit"; that night I was born of the Spirit when I accepted Christ. 4 weeks later on our 8th anniversary my wife accepted Christ, in May at a Royal Rangers camp out my son accepted Him, and August 17th of that year, my daughter accepted Christ. I declared then, and I declare now "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".
Alot has happened since then. The path, that God has taken us from then until now and onto what He has planned next has been amazingly wonderful.
Let me encourage you that if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior, tell him "I am ready" and enjoy your own journey.
Blessings.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Proverbs 22: 6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from
it.
At the age of 17 I talked my parents into signing for me to go to Army Basic Training. I quit High School, got my GED and turned 18 in boot camp. I had a lot of growing up to do. After 3 months of misery at Fort Leonard Wood, MO I was assigned to Ft. Steward, GA and later for 2 years in Germany. What I find remarkable, looking back, is that during that time of living away from everything familiar to me. Family, friends, home etc., the only thing that remained familiar was God. I remember that even during my most rebellious time, there was never a night that I put my head to the pillow without praying. Even when I didn't think God was listening.
I remember when I was a child my mom kneeling by the bed with me to teach me those familiar words "now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep". Those words may not seem like much, but hundreds of times when I was laying in my bunk or in a cold wet tent in some miserable army camp; lonely and homesick, hating my life because I was stuck so far away from everything I loved, I would say those words to God that mom taught me, and there come a peace. A peace that defied my understanding, but supplied me a rest that got me through the moment.
I spent almost 5 years away that time. I have been places and done things that would have shamed and terrified my parents if they would have known the details. I wasn't dumb enough to tell them.
But through it all, God remained a faithful steady friend, that never left my side..
I learned later in life that Jesus told us "I will never leave you nor forsake you". Even before I read it, God cared so much for me He showed it.
Just before she went to be with Jesus in 2006, I had a chance to spend some private moments with my mother. We knew she wouldn't be in this world much longer. Private words and thoughts were expressed between us that no one will ever know but me, her and God. As she closed here eyes to rest. I held her hand and prayed for her the way she had taught me to so many years before.
Parents, let me encourage you to teach your kids to pray, you will never know know when and where they will be when they need it.
Until next time.....
Andy
At the age of 17 I talked my parents into signing for me to go to Army Basic Training. I quit High School, got my GED and turned 18 in boot camp. I had a lot of growing up to do. After 3 months of misery at Fort Leonard Wood, MO I was assigned to Ft. Steward, GA and later for 2 years in Germany. What I find remarkable, looking back, is that during that time of living away from everything familiar to me. Family, friends, home etc., the only thing that remained familiar was God. I remember that even during my most rebellious time, there was never a night that I put my head to the pillow without praying. Even when I didn't think God was listening.
I remember when I was a child my mom kneeling by the bed with me to teach me those familiar words "now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep". Those words may not seem like much, but hundreds of times when I was laying in my bunk or in a cold wet tent in some miserable army camp; lonely and homesick, hating my life because I was stuck so far away from everything I loved, I would say those words to God that mom taught me, and there come a peace. A peace that defied my understanding, but supplied me a rest that got me through the moment.
I spent almost 5 years away that time. I have been places and done things that would have shamed and terrified my parents if they would have known the details. I wasn't dumb enough to tell them.
But through it all, God remained a faithful steady friend, that never left my side..
I learned later in life that Jesus told us "I will never leave you nor forsake you". Even before I read it, God cared so much for me He showed it.
Just before she went to be with Jesus in 2006, I had a chance to spend some private moments with my mother. We knew she wouldn't be in this world much longer. Private words and thoughts were expressed between us that no one will ever know but me, her and God. As she closed here eyes to rest. I held her hand and prayed for her the way she had taught me to so many years before.
Parents, let me encourage you to teach your kids to pray, you will never know know when and where they will be when they need it.
Until next time.....
Andy
Saturday, June 30, 2012
The Journey Begins
I think back to my childhood with Christian Parents, Christian Grand Parents, Christian Neighbors... and I sometimes get a little discouraged about the world we live in today. And then I think; I am a Christian Parent, a Christian Grand Parent, and a Christian neighbor to those around me. So whats the problem?
When I was very young I remember my mom and dad taking us kids to church. No matter what, we went to church. Maybe they didn't realize it then, but that godly foundation they were laying in our lives served to give us the strength we would need to survive our formulative years.
Don't you like that word "formulative" in my case that is another word for the years I was doing STUPID things that I was taught not to do. The problem as I see it in today's world, is that the children aren't being taught right from wrong. We were! And I thank God and my parents, grandparents, and neighbors for teaching me.
Friend, you may not think your having much of an impact on the people around you, or that it is a big thing when you are working with a bunch of roudy two and three year olds in Sunday School. But let me tell you my story.
After years of going the wrong way fast, God blessed me in spite of my stupidity, and gave me my beautiful wife of 27 years now. I didn't deserve her then, and don't now, but she is my gift from God. On our wedding day, on March 23rd, 1985 I recieved a card from a lady who had been my Sunday School teacher when I was about 2 or 3. Honestly, I didn't remember the story she told me, but I certainly do now. In a precious hand written note that I still have to this day she shared a memory of a day in Sunday School when she was teaching a simple lesson. She said that the topic of the lesson was sin in our lives, and how sin in our lives is kind of like weeds in a garden, they need to be removed by the hand of the Master Gardner. She said I came to her that morning and told her I had sin in my heart and wanted it removed, and she prayed with me.
My point is this. God uses simple people to do eternal things. Mrs. Thacker touched my heart with a memory she held dear in her heart, that I had long forgotten.
Let me encourage you today, no matter what it is that God has you doing, do it with all your heart. Whether you are a Sunday School teacher, a Pastor, a pianist, or if you are the person who cleans the church. Do it with passion and love for the Father. You don't know how many lives are being touched right now because of you. But God knows.
I am greatful for my godly heritage, even though for years I lived anything but a godly life. It was that foundation, that I was able to stand on, when at the age of 32 Christ called my name and I said "Yes Lord, I recieve you as my Savior and King"
Be encouraged today God loves you far more than you could ever imagine. Oh, you say there are weeds in your garden! Then let the Master Gardner remove them and watch how the Fruit of the Holy Spirit will flourish in your life.
Until Next Time:
When I was very young I remember my mom and dad taking us kids to church. No matter what, we went to church. Maybe they didn't realize it then, but that godly foundation they were laying in our lives served to give us the strength we would need to survive our formulative years.
Don't you like that word "formulative" in my case that is another word for the years I was doing STUPID things that I was taught not to do. The problem as I see it in today's world, is that the children aren't being taught right from wrong. We were! And I thank God and my parents, grandparents, and neighbors for teaching me.
Friend, you may not think your having much of an impact on the people around you, or that it is a big thing when you are working with a bunch of roudy two and three year olds in Sunday School. But let me tell you my story.
After years of going the wrong way fast, God blessed me in spite of my stupidity, and gave me my beautiful wife of 27 years now. I didn't deserve her then, and don't now, but she is my gift from God. On our wedding day, on March 23rd, 1985 I recieved a card from a lady who had been my Sunday School teacher when I was about 2 or 3. Honestly, I didn't remember the story she told me, but I certainly do now. In a precious hand written note that I still have to this day she shared a memory of a day in Sunday School when she was teaching a simple lesson. She said that the topic of the lesson was sin in our lives, and how sin in our lives is kind of like weeds in a garden, they need to be removed by the hand of the Master Gardner. She said I came to her that morning and told her I had sin in my heart and wanted it removed, and she prayed with me.
My point is this. God uses simple people to do eternal things. Mrs. Thacker touched my heart with a memory she held dear in her heart, that I had long forgotten.
Let me encourage you today, no matter what it is that God has you doing, do it with all your heart. Whether you are a Sunday School teacher, a Pastor, a pianist, or if you are the person who cleans the church. Do it with passion and love for the Father. You don't know how many lives are being touched right now because of you. But God knows.
I am greatful for my godly heritage, even though for years I lived anything but a godly life. It was that foundation, that I was able to stand on, when at the age of 32 Christ called my name and I said "Yes Lord, I recieve you as my Savior and King"
Be encouraged today God loves you far more than you could ever imagine. Oh, you say there are weeds in your garden! Then let the Master Gardner remove them and watch how the Fruit of the Holy Spirit will flourish in your life.
Until Next Time:
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I
do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on
toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14
Thoughts & Memories from a Pastor's Heart
I'm going to start something new on here. I intend to start sharing some thoughts, triumps, failures, and other milestones Roberta and I have experienced in our Christian walk. We have seen some tremendous victories over the years. All of which, happened when we decided to do things God's Way. Some of our "stories" may be boring to you, but I hope you will draw encouragement from seeing how God worked in our lives. Feedback is welcome.http://facebook.com/andy.fyffe
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