November 29, 2011 ~ It Will Come Back to You...

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest"
Exodus 14:14

TODAY'S WORD:

My friends in life, we're always going to have critics. We'll always have difficult people who try to upset us and steal our peace and joy. I see it every day in our businesses, schools and yes even in churches but, you don't have to respond to every critic that crosses your path. You and I can decide to take the high road and let God fight our battles for us.

Sometimes, no matter what you say or do, there are people who aren't going to accept you. They just don't want to be at peace with you. In fact, when Jesus sent out His disciples to certain homes, He told them to always speak peace over those homes. And then He said, in effect, "If they don't receive the peace that you're offering, then it will come back to you."  I'm not sure how you take that but that tells me, if you will do your best to be at peace with people, even if they won't take your peace, the good news is that peace will just come back to you. You'll not only get your peace, but you'll get their share as well! That's double for your trouble!

Selah people' and friends I remind you today that when you do the right thing no matter what is happening, God sees it and rewards it. So choose peace today throw it out there and walk in the blessing He has for you! If we do this in His name we can truly be a blessing for others and that blessing will return to us.

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, I choose to hold my peace. I choose to do the right thing even when the wrong thing is happening. I trust that You are fighting my battles for me. I give You all the honor and praise and choose to walk in peace today in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 23, 2011 ~ The Position of Power...

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense"
Proverbs 19:11

TODAY'S WORD:

Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn't work out, or someone was rude to you at the work, home or school. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour, and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences, but even though we can't always control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. I heard somebody once say, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond."

We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God's favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we planned. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power.

Selah people' and friends if you get stressed because you got off schedule or upset because your child wouldn't eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, you are giving away your power. I see this happen daily. I challenge us all to instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so we can live in peace and enjoy the day as a blessing God prepared for you!

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me. I look forward to today knowing that You are with me and leading me in victory in Jesus' name! Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 21, 2011 ~ God-Given Dreams…

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure"
Proverbs 16:9

TODAY'S WORD:

Oftentimes as children, we have dreams for the future, dreams of being ball players and actresses, super heroes and firemen. But most of the time, they end up just being wishful thinking. As we get older, we grow out of them. It's good to play and have dreams as children, but when we grow up, we have to know the difference between a God-given dream and a wish. I remember when I was a little boy growing up in Little River, Texas and going to Academy school that was K-12, I dreamed of playing football and being the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. That was definitely a fantasy!

Beyond our wishes and fantasies though, we all have dreams placed inside of us by the Creator of the universe God. In fact, the Latin word for "desire" means "from the Father." One way to tell if a dream is really from God is that the desire won't go away. You may have had it for years, but you still can't let it go. In fact, you may have tried to let it go, but it won't let go of you. When I first received my call into ministry I tried to ignore it and serve in other positions other than pastor. I even went to my mentor, friend and pastor at that time Rev Neal Wingfield and asked him what I should do he shared that if there was any way I could get out of it with a clear conscious between me and God then it was not HIS will.

Selah people' and friends today, I encourage you to search your heart and allow those God-given dreams that are inside you to surface. He placed those desires inside of you for a purpose, and He's going to use them to direct you into the destiny He has in store for you!

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, thank You for the dreams and desires You've placed within me. I submit those dreams to You and ask that You direct my steps. Search my heart and make my thoughts agreeable to Your Word and to Your plan for me in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 17, 2011 ~ Stir Up Your Dreams

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you..."
(2 Timothy 1:6, NKJ)

TODAY'S WORD:

Do you need some freshness in your life today? You may simply need to stir up what God has placed on the inside of you. Stir up those gifts, stir up those dreams, stir up those talents inside. Start stretching yourself. You were created to be a dreamer and pursue the desires God has placed in your heart.

The scripture tells us that without vision, people perish. If you don't have a dream or vision for your life, you're not really going to reach your fullest potential. Maybe at one time you had a dream, but you went through some disappointments or setbacks. Things didn't turn out the way you planned. But here's a key: when one dream dies, dream another dream. Just because it didn't work out the way you had it planned doesn't mean that God doesn't have another plan. I can tell you first hand that our plan and God's are not always mapped out the same way, but He will get you where He wants you to go willingly or not.

Selah people' and friends you cannot allow one disappointment or even a series of disappointments to convince you that your dream is over. It's time to dig in your heels and hold on to the promises in your heart. Stir up those God-given dreams today and watch Him pour out His favor and blessing upon you and fulfill every desire in your heart!

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, I come humbly to You. I give You my past, my disappointments, my brokenness. Fill me with Your hope and expectation and give me the dreams and desires that You have in store for my life in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 16, 2011 ~ No Reply Necessary…

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, 'Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?' But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge — to the great amazement of the governor"
(Matthew 27:12–14, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:

I had a man ask me what I thought about two men he named, but I didn't know much about them and I'd never spent much time with them to really know them. So I just replied, "I'm sorry. I don't really know them." He began to laugh and thought that was so funny. I asked him, "Well, you tell me who are they?"

He said, "Patrick, they are two of your most outspoken critics. They're always talking about you." "Don't you ever just want to snap and put them in their place?"

You see my friends he couldn't believe that I didn't have something bad to say about either of them. In my spiritual walk and through life lessons I've learned over the last 42 years I've learned that you can't waste your time engaging in conflicts that don't matter. There will always be critics. There will always be naysayers, but we have to follow the example of Jesus. When He was falsely accused, He didn't try to defend Himself. He gave no reply to the charges against Him.

Selah people' and friends remember, the critics cannot keep you from your destiny. They don't define who you are. They don't determine your worth and value. You are a child of the Most High God. The Creator of the universe breathed life into you. As a believer in Jesus, you are crowned with favor. Turn away from accusing voices so you can focus on the destiny God has prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father, today I cling to You because You are my defender! I choose to turn away from accusing voices. I choose to turn away from petty conflicts. I look to You knowing that You are leading and guiding me in paths of victory in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 15, 2011 ~ Know When to Turn Away...

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word"
Psalm 119:37

TODAY'S WORD:

You have to be very selective about what you give your time and attention to in order to live the life of victory God has promised. You have to recognize which thoughts to ignore, which comments to ignore, and sometimes, which people to ignore. Every "battle" that comes across your path is not a battle that you're supposed to fight. Many battles are simply distractions to try to lure you off course. If that battle is not between you and your God-given destiny, it's a battle you should ignore.

Many people get thrown off course because they are always trying to straighten everyone else out or win their approval. If that's your focus, you are wasting valuable time and energy that you should be using to pursue your dreams. Turn away from that distraction! You don't need the approval of everyone around you; you only need God's approval!

Selah people' and friends, it's very freeing when you realize you don't have to fight every battle. You don't have to straighten people out. You don't have to pay somebody back. Instead, focus on what matters; focus on God and His Word so you will live in peace and happiness every day of your life!

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father, thank You for ordering my steps. Thank You for planning good things for me. Help me to discern the things I should ignore. Help me to avoid distractions as I focus my heart and mind on You today in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

Barton College Disciples' Day 2011 & Lock-in this weekend!

November 14, 2011 ~ The Way?

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

" 'how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' "
John 14:5–6

TODAY'S WORD:

Do you need direction in your life today? Not only is Jesus the Way to life in eternity, but Jesus is the way to everything you need in this life here on earth. Do you need to know the way out of debt? Look to the Father through Jesus. Do you need to know the way to having better relationships...the way to overcome an addiction...to live in peace and joy? Last night we had the pleasure of carrying a group of 21 from Grantham to Judgement House in Goldsboro, NC at the First Church. The message was clear that Jesus is our only way and our only hope and that we are not promised tomorrow. Are you ready to meet your maker? Are you certain you way is right and that you and your family will be OK for eternity. When you know Jesus, you know the Way!

Selah people' and friends no matter what you are facing today, no matter what challenges or obstacles are in your life, He will make a way for you even when you don't see how. God loves you so much that He wants to strengthen and empower you to live in total victory.

That's why He sent His Son, Jesus, to this earth — to show you the way to live an abundant life! Open your heart today and receive all that God has given you through Jesus. His is the way, and He made a way for you to live in victory in every area of your life!

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to show me the way. I receive Your truth and commit my heart to You. I invite You into every area of my being and choose to follow You all the days of my life, in Jesus' name! Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 11, 2011 ~ The Promises of Peace…

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people..."
Psalm 85:8

TODAY'S WORD:

No matter what is going on in your life right now, the Lord promises that you can have peace. It doesn't matter what's happening in the economy, in your relationships, at school or at the office; nothing in this world can take His peace from you. But notice the first part of this verse — we have to do our part. We have to listen to what He tells us to do.

You may be thinking to yourself, "God doesn't speak to me." But once you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you become His. The Bible says that you are His sheep, and you can hear His voice, and the voice of a stranger you will not follow.

Selah people' and friends the Lord speaks in many ways. First of all, He speaks through the Word of God. But sometimes He speaks through the encouragement of a friend, or through a song you hear on the radio or your iPod, perhaps shared of Facebook, Twitter or YouTube or even in the beauty of nature. Sometimes it's a simple "knowing" deep down on the inside of you in your spirit. If you aren't sure how God speaks to you, ask Him to teach you. Pray for him to reveal His vision for you. Open your heart and be willing to hear His voice. Take off the earmuffs and pull out the earplugs that allow us to turn a deaf ear. As you take time to be still and listen to Him, He will speak. He will reveal Himself to you and give you peace all the days of your life.

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise of peace. Today, I open my heart to You and ask that You teach me to hear Your voice clearly. I will listen, I will obey, and I will walk in Your ways, in Jesus' name. Amen."

In Christ service,

Patrick

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com

November 8, 2011 ~ Way of the Righteous...

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth"

Isaiah 26:7

TODAY'S WORD:

Being righteous means that we are in right standing with Almighty God. It's a very powerful, spiritual position. When we choose Jesus, we choose righteousness. But, we have to make the decision to live righteously each and every day.

Righteous living is simply following God's ways. It is the evidence that we have faith in Him. When we follow God commands, it proves that we believe Him. It keeps our faith alive because faith without action is dead or useless. Not only that, righteous living keeps us growing in God and closes the door to the enemy. It makes our prayers powerful and effective. When we honor God and His Word above all else, it pleases Him, and He promises to make our way smooth. When it is always about just us and our own desires things tend to be much bumpier.

Selah people' and friends today, take time to search your mind and heart. Be determined to live, think, speak and act the way God does! Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any areas that need adjusting. Let His righteousness flow through you today so you can keep your faith alive and move forward into the abundant life He has for you.

OUR PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father in heaven, I commit to You every area of my life — my mind, my will and my emotions. Reveal to me anything that isn't pleasing to You. Show me Your ways so that I can walk with You and live righteously all the days of my life and show me the areas I need to work on and improve upon to be all you call me to be, in Jesus' name. Amen."

Your brother in Christ,

Patrick

"Which way is God directing you?"

Rev Patrick Muston, Senior Pastor

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com