From Pastor Tom - How To Handle Stress

Have you ever been under stress?  Have you ever felt that the pressures of life are too much?  I am sure that at one time or another all of us have. 

So here are some guidelines to help you handle stress:

1.  KNOW WHO YOU ARE

    This is the principle of identification.  This is critically important in stress management because if you don’t know who you are – you will let other people manipulate you and pressure you into being somebody you aren’t. A lot of stress in life results from our wearing masks, being unreal with others, living double lives, or trying to be somebody we’re not. 

    Here are some of the things I know about myself:  I am a father.  I am a husband.  I am a human being.  I am a follower of Christ.  I could go on – but you get the point.  Identify who you are and this will help you:

2.  KNOW WHO YOU’RE TRYING TO PLEASE

    You know you can’t please everybody, because just about the time you get one group pleased, another group gets mad at you.  Even God doesn’t please everybody, so it’s foolish to try to do something that even God doesn’t do!

    The Bible says if I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all the other necessary things of life will be added unto me (Matt. 6:33).  This means that if I focus on pleasing God, it will simplify my life.  I will always be doing the right thing regardless of what anybody else thinks.

3.  KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH

    Every day you either live by priorities or you live by pressures.  There is no other option.  You either decide what is important in your life or else you let other people tell you what is most important in your life.  You either live by priorities or you live by pressures.

    Having clear goals greatly simplifies life.  Spend a few minutes each day in prayer talking with God.  Look at your schedule for the day and decide, “Is this really the way I want to spend a day of my life?  Am I willing to exchange twenty-four hours of my life for these activities?”

4.  GIVE YOUR STRESS TO CHRIST

    Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30) 

    Christ did not say, “Come to Me and I will give you more guilt, more stress, and more worries!”  No – Jesus said, “I want to give you rest.  I am the Stress-Reliever.  When you get in harmony with Me – I will give you inner strength.”  So this final principle of stress management is: Give your stress to Christ.  You will never enjoy peace of mind until you have a relationship with the Prince of Peace.

Blessing,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - God Is Looking For Holy People

God is looking for people He can use.  He is looking for people He can bless.  He is looking for people He can trust.  He is looking for holy people and holy people are looking for Him.  Look at what the Bible says: 

                “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14 (HCSB)

Why won’t we see God if we don’t pursue peace and holiness?  Because God dwells in a place that is holy and He wants holy people around Him.  What does it mean to be holy?  Look at what the Bible says in Psalm twenty four:

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in His holy place?  The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully.”  Psalms 24:3-4 (HCSB) 

In this passage we find four characteristics of holy people:

1. They have clean hands.  “Clean hands” simply means that their conscious is clear.  Does it mean that they are perfect?  No!  None of us are perfect but – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9 (HCSB)  Our conscious can be clean because we have taken our sins to God.  

2.  They have pure hearts.  “Pure hearts” simply means living with pure motives.  In our private time we need to be saying, “God, examine my heart, clear off the impure and make my motives pure before You.”  The Bible says, “Cursed is the one who does the Lord’s business deceitfully.” Jeremiah 48:10 (HCSB)  We don’t have a pure heart when our motives are mixed.

3.  Their minds are set on what is true.  If we are not setting our minds on that which is false – we are setting our minds on what is true.  The Bible tells us to, “Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 (HCSB)  Those things that are above are pure, holy and true.

4.  They are honest.  Those who do not “swear deceitfully” are honest in their dealings.  When they give their word – they keep it.  The Bible says, “Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.”  Proverbs 10:6 (MSG) 

God loves those who are holy – who are seeking a holy life – who desire to be holy because He is holy.  How about you – are you seeking a holy life?  God is looking for Holy people.

May God Bless

Pastor Tom