The Pentecostals of Santa Fe

Time is your most precious possession.  Do you spend it on what matters most?

“Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will stomp on the pearls, then turn around and attack you.” Matthew 7:6 (CEB) 

One of the most irreplaceable, valuable things we possess is our time. We cannot go out and buy more time, we cannot go into the kitchen and whip up a couple of extra hours. And yet time is one of the things we squander the most easily.

We waste time, we spend time doing things that sap our energy. If someone asked you to give them money, you might decline, but when they ask you for your time, how do you respond? There’s nothing wrong with giving someone your time, but I have often been sucked into commitments I should have avoided by thinking—well, it’s only a few hours of my time. I forget time is a pearl of great price.

This odd saying of Jesus forces us to consider: what are the holy things I possess? What are my pearls—the things I value most, the things that are rare and precious to me? My stuff is not holy. My possessions are not my pearls. But the hours I have each day—these are precious.

As my children get older, and move toward independence, I realize I do not get these days to do over. When other people try to demand those pearls from me, sometimes the most holy thing I can do is refuse. One of the more countercultural ways I spend time with my family is to take a weekly Sabbath.

The Bible tells us the Sabbath is to be kept holy. Those precious hours, when I set aside my work and busyness to focus on my relationships with God and my family—they are pearls. In order to protect them, I sometimes have to say no to the requests of others. I think Jesus would approve.

Faith Step: What do you need to say no to in order to protect the holy things in your life? Think particularly of your schedule—have you thrown your pearls before pigs?

Article by Keri Wyatt Kent, Chicago, Illinois, as appeared in Mornings with Jesus

Interesting Read

The Story is familiar. Moses sent 12 spies to investigate what needed to be done to take the Promised Land. When they returned from their trip, 10 spies spoke words of unbelief. The children of Israel listened to them more than the two men who said they were well able to take the land. The 10 spies were negative and filled with unbelief. They believe what they saw, more than what God had promised them.

In order to take the world we must cleanse our mind of negative thinking. Our attitude is crucial in conquering, The mind must be cleansed from anything that is connected to unbelief.

Paul wrote, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5). The mind of Christ! What we feed the mind will determine what we are. Understanding this should cause us to be extremely careful, for our mind is like a computer: what you enter into it determines its performance. Thus our meditations are critical. What the ear hears, what the eyes sees, what we read, the music that is listened to, anything that affects the mind needs to be critiqued.

“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8). Whoever you run with will influence the way you think.

We are the product of our environment. Every one must selective of their choice of friends. Who you run with will rub off on you. Negative conversations produce negative thoughts. Paul said, “Bring every thought into captivity.”

What discussions go on between you and your friends, even preacher friends, will determine your performance. To discuss negative situations, bad things that happen to people, even people that do bad things, is not edifying. There is a time and place to deal with the failures of men, but to dwell and linger on negatives will adversely affect you. One cannot expect to have and fruitful and productive ministry dwelling in such a negative atmosphere. There is plenty of doom and gloom if one looks for it. However, it will keep the church from living in a growth mold and hinder revival! It is imperative to control our minds in order for us to go forward.

As the children of Israel listened to the wrong voices, so can we if we are not careful. If one listens to those who are anti-revivalists, those who say the church is not what it used to be, it’s going down, such notions will keep you from the Promised Land.

Kenneth F. Haney

Don’t do things on purpose, do things IN purpose…. Pastor Custer

Don’t do things on purpose, do things IN purpose…. Pastor Custer

The worst disappointment is disappointment in yourself. That is the reason we blame everything on someone or something else. If we acknowledge it is our own fault we must be the one to address it.

But sometimes you are placed in a corner with no-one else to blame. It is at these times we hurt the most, withdraw the farthest, and struggle the hardest.

It can destroy you if you let it, but it can also rebuild you if you let it.

Pastor Custer