Welcome To The Rodeo

When things get tough look for the help that God will send

Today we’re taking a look at dealing with despair. Sometimes I think I must be losing my mind, pain is son intense, the hurt is so deep, I wonder if even God can help be in my time of despair?

Eventually I realize that despair is something not unique to me, a lot of us feel despair, we feel desperate in our lives, things just don’t go right, we break up with someone we thought was special, we lose our jobs and have no idea where we’re going to get money to support our family…so what do we do?

1. Put God First Haggai 1:6, 9
2. Never, ever stop talking to Him in prayer 2nd Samuel 22:7
3. Don’t overlook the help that God WILL send, yes He always sends out, He sends an answer John 11:4
4. And then do what we do the very best we can, don’t half-step through life Galatians 6:4-5

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Don't let bitterness make a monkey out of you

Last week we talked about dealing with rejection, and one of the by-products of being rejected is a feeling of bitterness.

If left untreated that bitterness can and will grow until it consumes us, so it’s important that we somehow figure out how to let it go and how to deal with it. You’re not going to get better by pretending that it doesn’t exist and you’re not going to get better by letting the person or persons who caused it keep using you for their own purposes and keep hurting you.

So how do you deal with it? Well the answer is in Luke 17:3-10 and that’s what we’re talking about today – Welcome To The Rodeo

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I'm getting tired of being rejected

At some point in time we all get rejected. Maybe it’s in a relationship (just happened to me – heard the dreaded words – can’t we just be friends?), maybe it’s a job you’ve applied for, whatever it is, at some point we will probably get rejected.

So when we are rejected how do we handle it, first we get hurt and we feel lost PSALM 10:1 then we get Angry and we need to control it JAMES 1:19-20, then we feel depressed – we’re all alone with noone to depend on ISAIAH 53:3, but there is always that one constant, that one person who will never, ever reject us. We can reject Him, but he will always take us back if we ask Him to ROMANS 8:38-39

Enjoy the show and Welcome To The Rodeo and if you need to talk email me

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Let God get between you and your problems

In this week’s message we take a look at protection. Why does it seem like God doesn’t protect us or does He. I mean we get sick, we have breakups in our marriages, we feel lonely, we feel depressed, we despair, we doubt, we get overwhelmed, so what’s the deal?

Is it us and how we perceive things? And what do you mean He never promised us a rose garden here on this earth?

We look at Psalm 31:19-24 and Psalm 17:6-15

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Once You Have Ahold, Never Let Go

Hope is such an important part, such an important thing, in each and every one of our lives that it’s a vital cog in what makes us go as human beings.  Hope is defined as the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.………

We have often talked about the daily struggles that we face in life, and how we can deal with those pressures, we face today.  We know that we can overcome them because we are Christians.  We know that no matter how bad we feel, God can make us feel better.  We maintain hope.  We keep hope in our lives.

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People often ask me, “Well, what can I do when things just seem so hopeless?” You know, we have talked about depression, and we’ve talked about suicide, and suicide is often an act born of depression.  We lose all hope.  We are hopeless.  You feel hopelessness engulf you, and it takes over your life.  It becomes the over-riding thing that takes over your life.  You don’t see any other answers.

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There were six houses of religion in a small Texas town: The Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church , the Catholic Church, the Jewish Synagogue and a Cowboy Church. Each church and Synagogue was overrun with pesky squirrels.

One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will..

In The Baptist Church the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistery.. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistery and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many there the next week

The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in a position t o harm any of God’s creation.. So, they humanely trapped the Squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

The Catholic Church came up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Easter. Not much was heard about the Jewish Synagogue, but they took one squirrel and had a short service with him called circumcision and they haven’t seen a squirrel on the property since.

And finally – At the Cowboy Church, three people pulled out pistols and shot all but one squirrel, and the dog got that one. The service continued without interruption.

Choose your position carefully

In this week’s episode we’ll take a look at how our decisions can make for some sleepless nights and can also have some serious and severe consequences.  Our scripture is from the book of Daniel chapter 6.

Three sets of characters, lots of choices and pressures, much like we face every day…

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On June 27 we had the last broadcast of our radio program ‘the Cowboy Gospel Hour’.  I had been doing the program for 5 years and decided to move the messages to this medium, and even though I knew we could reach more people with the Word, it was still tough to say goodbye.

So I began to think about how we deal with goodbye and today’s message takes on that subject, because you see at some time in each and everyone of our lives, we’re going to have to say goodbye to someone.  Either a person we love will pass on, a relationship will end, a job will change, something at sometime will necessitate us saying goodbye and it’s important that we know how to deal with both the loss and the act.

I hope you enjoy the message, God Bless

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With the faith of Job in his heart and lost strays on his mind, Hank sees the maverick called “Fear”.  The cowboy pastor knows this renegade must be overpowered before its damage becomes severe and permanent.

You can't run from everything

We all face fear.  At times, fear motivates us.  At times, fear paralyzes us.

You know you can’t face this.  But when you turn that fear into prayer, you are going to find you can do it!  Pray with a thankful heart, and pray with all of your heart.

We are told in the book of Philippians 4:6, 7

“Be anxious for nothing.  But in everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving let your request be known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.”

Be anxious for nothing.  Make your request known to God.  This is home for me.

Recently I was at the Extreme Bull Riding competition, and a young bull rider, Jarred Ford, was on the short-go.  He came out of the chute and had a good strong ride, but, toward the end, he began to slip.  But he didn’t leave his ride.  His spur caught in the rigging.  You could hear the fear in the crowd as the bull spun around with Jarrod not able to get off.  The bull tossed him around like a rag doll.  No doubt about it, he was in danger of severe injury or worse.

Jarrod is one of those new breed of Christian cowboys, and I later asked him what was going through his mind while it was happening.  He said that the funniest thing, the strangest thing, was in that moment, he just decided to pray.  He put it into God’s hands.

“As I look back on it,” he said, “what better time is there to pray?  And I couldn’t believe I was so calm; praying to God to take care of me; to help me out.”

“Peace of God surpasses all understanding and will guard your hearts and minds.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us:

“Be strong and of good courage.  Do not fear nor be afraid of them.  For the Lord our God goes with you.  He is the one who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

He will be there for us.  Do not be afraid.  We have heard it in the Psalms.

“Though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil.  I fear nothing because God walks with me.”

We learn in Deuteronomy 31:7 that Moses called Joshua and said to him, “In the sight of all Israel, for you must go with his people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them.  And you shall cause them to inherit it.  And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you.  He will be with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear nor be dismayed.  He will be with you.”

You cannot let fear guide you.  You cannot let fear drive you.  You cannot let fear be your sole motivator.

Hopefully the words in today’s message can help you let God help you erase you fears.

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