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PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: It's time to mature as Christians

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

When a child enters this world, he or she is usually held close, cherished, and protected because they are so loved.

In spite of their ability to mature and grow, they will never be more uniquely human than the day they were born.

When a person, regardless of age, seeks forgiveness and experiences new birth, they are born as spiritual beings, children of the Heavenly Father. He will hold them close, cherish and protect that newborn Christian because they are so loved. 

As they mature in Christ, they learn to walk in His Spirit, talk in His Spirit and, occasionally, God the Father can get a favorable response out of us. 

So why do we consider others more spiritual or not as spiritual compared to ourselves?  I do not recall a conversation with anyone wondering why another person was more human than I!

Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 13: 11) stated the obvious: that as a child, he thought and acted on childish things. He stated that as a man, he put away childish things.

Perhaps we as Christians need to put away childish things and start acting like mature Christians.

In 2 Samuel: 12, David was fasting and praying for the life of the child born to him.  When he knew the child had died — because of his sin — he changed his clothes and went to worship God. 

When we have done wrong and God allows us to be corrected, our childish desire is to be mad at God and end up in a perpetual pity party.  It is a sign of maturity to take your correction, get up and put your boots on, and go worship God!

When times are rough, praise Him.  When He uses the word no, accept it.  When He and His Word tell you to react, do it.

Do not look at those around you as though they are some sort of spiritual superstar — they are not.

Learn their secret.  Pick up the Bible. Read it for yourself and let Him direct you!

You grew up by virtue of your life experiences; experience spiritual life as well.  You will not be rejected, and you are always loved.

Perhaps some day, He can get a favorable response from you.

Pastor Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: It's time to mature as Christians

PULPIT: Know when to say no — and yes

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Parents can say one word to send children into histrionics: “No."

The reason for denial doesn't matter; "no!” just stirs up feelings of rebellion. Even no's designed to keep us from harm are not well received — even as adults. It feels like someone is telling us what to do or, in this case, what not to do.

When Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) he knew his answer had to be “no.” If he had given in to the Devil, Jesus would have been disobedient and unfaithful to God.

Because of his faithfulness, he could say “yes” to so much more. He said “yes” to receiving children; to invitations to sit down for dinner and discussion with disreputable types; and to teaching those who desired to learn more about God.

Today, we say no to drugs because we have said yes to clean living. We say no to revenge; yes to forgiveness. We say no to temptation; yes to self-control.

As Lent continues, allow yourself some introspection. Learn how you may have compromised your fidelity to God.

And learn how to take a firmer stand so you can say “yes” to Him and “no” to the ways of the world.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PULPIT: Know when to say no — and yes

PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: Thoughts on Crestview's 'Secret Service'

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Many of you are apparently in the Secret Service for my Lord. 

The fact that I call you a Secret Service member means we have not heard your testimony.

I have to wonder if some in the church have doubted or even hurt you. 

Perhaps you have become jaded by some of the church's religious antics. It is really easy to relate to you on these two levels, for I have been there and done that. 

Take it from me, the only way the religious world will change is if you make a stand for God.

Being a pastor, I have become concerned for you, my friends. Matthew 5:16 says to allow our light to shine before men — an example of the goodness and love of God — that He may be glorified.

Also in Matthew 10:32 is a promise that if we will confess Him before men, He will confess of us to the Father. Don’t miss out on that great blessing! Get in church somewhere and be a blessing to someone else.

Why church?

For one, your strength and knowledge may be what another person may need to make it another day.  

Here's a humorous story: Preaching in a small church many years ago, I made up my mind that I would not accept an offering from any congregation.

After the service, a much older individual came up to me to give me a small token for the service.

In the middle of my argument of “preaching for God and not money,” he quickly grabbed my tie and tightened it up severely. As I was choking for a breath, he politely and, in a forced tone, told me that God had told him to bless me, and he was NOT going to let me rob him of his blessing! 

Please, do not rob others of the blessing of your presence and your wisdom.  

Find a good home and open your heart.  You may be able to help someone, and we just may be able to help you. 

May God bless.

Pastor Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: Thoughts on Crestview's 'Secret Service'

Forget the toys — Jesus is the ultimate Transformer

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

I have heard there will be another "Transformers" movie coming out in 2016. This will make No. 5.

These movies — about shape-shifting, alien robots that disguise themselves as automobiles and morph into flying, fighting, sentient super-machines — are popular.

It may be because Transformer toys were popular in the 1980s. Boys and girls who went crazy for Transformers are now dads and moms, eager to show their children how great it can be when a rusty tractor-trailer morphs into a superhero.

These Transformers are more than what meets the eye.

Similarly, Jesus is so much more than what many people give him credit for. They tend to transform Jesus into what they want, rather than accept him as he is.

Some attempt to turn Jesus into just "a friend." Some use him as an excuse to justify certain behavior.

Some turn Jesus into a kind, meek and mild person who doesn't have a backbone to stand up against evil.  

Some have turned him into a permissive sort who doesn't confront inappropriate behavior or challenge those who stray from the path he has set.

Some portray Jesus as a "spiritual genie" who — if you pray enough, believe enough, or just plain try hard enough — will grant your wish for some perceived need.

Some transform Jesus Christ into their idea of who he is or who he should be. They transform his words to support their particular side of an argument. They transform him into the champion of the crisis du jour.

But we cannot make Jesus into what we want him to be. Quite the opposite: Jesus transforms us. He takes the sins of the world in the same way a water filter takes impurities out of water, by absorbing and holding all that isn't clean, and giving back only what is clean.

Jesus has authority over everything in this world, whether human pride and ego want to acknowledge that or not. He is so much more than anyone could ever transform him into.

Jesus is so much more than what meets our eye. And we are so much more than what meets the eye. Don't lose sight of this.

In fact, when you focus on Jesus as being more than he is assumed to be, he reveals even more about himself.

How awesome is that?

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Forget the toys — Jesus is the ultimate Transformer

PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: Your day of refreshing will come

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

My favorite time of day is early in the morning, especially during the early spring time. To walk out to the garden with a cup of coffee in my hands just sets the day off right.

My Father likes to talk to me there. In the serenity of the early morning, I seem to be able to hear Him the clearest.

A few years back, I had walked out to my garden, and the greens were standing with outward-reaching leaves. I heard His voice sweetly say to me to observe those plants, for while I was silent, they worshipped Him.

As evidence of human activity became louder, the air became warmer. Those beautiful leaves slowly began to wilt under the warmth and, as the day progressed, they would wither in the heat. They did not die; they were just waiting for a refresher in the evening. 

I wonder, after hearing of more brothers in Christ being killed for their faith, just how much "heat" can we stand and still praise Him?

Can we not find time to enjoy His sweetness and praise Him now, so that we can still stand in the hot part of our persecution and trials?

These brothers in Egypt lost their lives, presumably for their faith. They made it through the heat, and are now refreshed in the King's presence.  

There are others; we do not hear of them.

You will see it and hear it more.

The Enemy has plans to destroy you. Know this: Your day of refreshing will come. Pray for others while you can, for you may need their prayers to endure to the end and become the overcomer that you were meant to be.

Pastor Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: Your day of refreshing will come

PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: A prophet or a donkey?

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Editor's Note: We're pleased to bring you Pastor's Perspective, with the Rev. Richard Helms of Miracle Acres Missions. Helms' inspirational column will appear in each Midweek Edition.

In the Bible, there is a story of a dialogue between a man called Balaam and his donkey.

This story, found in Numbers Chapter 22, brings up some interesting points. 

Allow me to open this story with a differing point of view: Let's not concentrate so much on what Balaam and the donkey talked about, but rather take it from the point of view of Balaam's servants. 

First, imagine the hilarity of observing their master trying to direct this animal down a path, and he is not doing so well — and then he gets angry and threatens to kill the donkey.

Finally, the donkey speaks!

While Balaam, in his anger, seems to take this in stride, the first response I would have had was probably to pass out right on the spot! A donkey, speaking? 

As the story plays out, an angel is revealed and a prophet, or seer, is corrected by the Lord God through the use of that lowly donkey.

Can you just picture the confusion in the servants' eyes, listening to the donkey speak so directly to their master? Perhaps they were wondering, "Which is the donkey, and which is the prophet?"

Our lives can also take this track, and we can find ourselves in situations where God must set us back on His path instead of our own. 

We may walk around, claiming to be a Christian, and yet our lives are filled with language and actions that do not display the love of Jesus. 

Looking around at the beauty of God's creation, we may look at our lives and wonder,  "Are we really children of the King, or are we just a donkey?"

Guard your testimony. Don't add to the confusion. Be the one who leads others down the right path. 

When you stand before Him on that judgment day,  can you be sure he used you to win others? 

Or perhaps, He had to send a donkey! 

May God bless you. 

Pastor Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Missions, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: A prophet or a donkey?

FROM THE PULPIT: Biblical heroes were humans, too

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Do you ever wish you could be like a hero in the Bible? There must have been something special about each of them, right?

Actually, no. Noah got drunk. Abraham lied to save his neck, even risking his wife's safety. Moses was a murderer. King David had an affair with a married woman, got her pregnant, and had her husband killed. Peter needed anger management classes.

Lent is here. These 40 days (minus Sundays) leading up to Easter are a time for introspection. It can be a raw, eye-opening experience. Shame, embarrassment, humiliation and disgrace cause many to hang their heads, fearing others will know what they are truly like.

But remember: No one is without sin.

When we accept we are broken and cannot fix ourselves, when we are remorseful and repentant, God will hear and not turn away our petition. God, in Jesus Christ, is the only one who can cleanse away our sins. And because of his Son, Jesus Christ, we are able to approach God to seek his mercy and forgiveness.

Ask God for the courage to acknowledge your sins before him. Ask him to wash you whiter than snow. When Easter arrives, you will have a much greater understanding of the sacrifice Jesus made for you on the cross.

Do you wish to be like a biblical hero? You already are.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Biblical heroes were humans, too

From the Pulpit: Here's how to fight unclean spirits

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Once, a man confronted Jesus with an unclean spirit.

He shouted, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”

Jesus said two things:

•He told the unclean spirit to be silent.

•He told the unclean spirit to come out of the man.

The voice and interruption from the unclean spirit first had to be silenced for several reasons. Its voice was loud and disruptive, it kept the people from being able to hear the teachings of Jesus, and because its intention was to distract the people in order to plant seeds of doubt regarding who Jesus was.

Jesus knew the plot of the unclean spirit and silenced it first off.

After Jesus silenced the unclean spirit, he commanded the spirit come out of the man. It was not something the spirit wanted to do. The spirit liked to use the man as a means to spew its wickedness. Give that up? Not easily. But the power of Jesus won, and the spirit left.

The modern mind typically balks at hearing about unclean or evil spirits. But they do exist, even today.

They mostly reveal themselves through hatred, jealousy, revenge, self-pity, timidity, arrogance, greed — the list continues.

Every person has an unclean spirit — or more than one — within them. Most just don’t like to acknowledge it.

Such an acknowledgement feels too ugly. It’s too uncomfortable.

It’s too embarrassing.

It’s too real.

So most people do nothing about it.

As a result, people get distracted from hearing Jesus Christ's voice, which encourages them to hear how much God loves them and how they can live for him.

Jesus wants the disruptive, destructive and distracting thoughts and behaviors to stop. He wants the unclean spirits within us to hear his command, “Stop talking. Come out of that person.”

When this is acknowledged, our Lord will help you heal.

Because of that healing, you will be able to hear and claim the deeper message he gives: “You are my beloved child. You are precious to me.”

Allow Jesus to mend you — heart, mind and soul. Hear his voice over the din of society, over the distractions of worries, over the messages that seek to destroy your faith.

He does this as an act of love, a love that is unmatched; a love that shines not only on Valentine’s Day, but every day of your life.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: From the Pulpit: Here's how to fight unclean spirits

FROM THE PULPIT: God wants the best for you

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

There's a story about an ill-tempered man who was sullen and silent at the breakfast table.

"How do you want your eggs cooked?" his wife asked gently.

"One fried and one scrambled," he answered gruffly.

When she placed the eggs before him, he was furious.

"What's wrong?" asked his wife.

"You fried the wrong egg," he snapped.

People like this seem to have a chip on their shoulder that keeps them from enjoying life, that keeps them from finding life's good things, and causes them to only see the downside of most, if not all, situations.

Perhaps you have heard a pessimist believes that life is a car wash, and he's on a bicycle. Or, a pessimist can look at the land of milk and honey and see only calories and cholesterol.

In the Bible, God told Jonah he wanted him to go to Nineveh to proclaim a message of repentance. Jonah did not want to do that, so he ran away. Jonah refused to do that because he had a prejudice against the Ninevites that ran to the very core of his being.

Jonah could not look beyond his interests and desires long enough to realize God had a greater plan. All he could see was God did not support his position, and decided God was on the wrong side. As a result, Jonah lost his faith in God.

For many, it is easy to lose faith in God when things don't go their way. During these times, they tend to think God is unjust, isn't listening to them, doesn't exist, or doesn't care. So they turn their back on God.

But when tragedy strikes, or a person finds himself or herself sinking into the depths of despair or fear, or they hit rock bottom, they realize, once again, that God is the center of their strength, their life's source.

That's what happened with Jonah. As he sank into the depths of the sea, he cried out to God. Jonah's eyes were opened to God's greatness as he prayed. God reached down to save his servant, his child, and lifted him up.

God will do the same for you. When it seems as though God may not have your best interest at heart, look again.

God sees the whole picture and will give you, absolutely, what is best for you.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: God wants the best for you

FROM THE PULPIT: 3 spiritual exercises to strengthen your faith

Written by archive on . Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Why do people sometimes feel the need to cheat?

Is it because they believe the ends justify the means, even at the risk of getting caught and discredited?

Perhaps they don’t want to do the hard work involved, or they want to gain an edge over the competition.

In the days leading up to tomorrow’s Super Bowl, news agencies have pointed out the latest scandal in professional football.

They are calling it “Deflategate.” The term stems from an allegation that the New England Patriots used underinflated footballs in a Jan. 18 championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Was someone cheating to win? That's the question on football fans' minds.

There is an old saying: “Cheaters never prosper.” Sure, there may be some short-term gain because of cheating, but in the long run it does not pay off. One simply just has to look at the disgrace that has come to numerous sports figures or financial "wizards” to recognize this.

This same concern can be true in matters of faith. Some people think they simply need to declare themselves a Christian, and that makes them one.

But this is a form of cheating.

Being a Christian is more than mere words or good intentions. Being a Christian requires making a complete commitment to God through Jesus Christ, which means giving yourself over to him completely.

There are no shortcuts to being a Christian. It takes hard work and discipline. Just as an athlete must continuously train to remain in peak shape, so must a Christian train daily to maintain spiritual strength.

Try these "exercises" to strengthen your relationship with God:

•Pray. Doing this provides one of the most intimate times with God imaginable.

In prayer, you let your love, needs and desires be made known to God. You intentionally remember the Lord and enjoy that important and intimate time with him.

•Study the Bible. You learn more about God’s activity in the world today by knowing how he has been active throughout all of history.

•Practice Christian principles. Talking badly about someone, taking something that is not yours, being jealous and being irresponsible do not build your faith.

But living the Golden Rule — “Do to others as you would have others do to you" — does help strengthen your faith.

The apostle Paul says, “Run in such a way that you may win the race.” In other words, live your life in such a way that you will be truly qualified to reach the ultimate goal — eternal life in heaven.

Don’t get disqualified.

When you give your heart completely to Jesus Christ, you will have a deep yearning to be honest in building and maintaining your relationship with him.

Don’t cheat. Keep yourself strong in faith.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview’s pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: 3 spiritual exercises to strengthen your faith

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