Pastor Steve Flockhart

The Sky Is Falling

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:09:14 +0000

Henny Penny, also known as Chicken Little is a fable about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end. I’m sure you are familiar with the phrase, “the sky is falling.” After an acorn falls on Henny Penny, the chicken decides that he must spread the message that the sky is falling.

This story is passed down in our culture as a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is coming.

If you watch the news, you know that 90% of it is all negative. If you listen to most people’s conversations about their families or jobs or the state of the economy, it is usually “doom and gloom”.

“One bad apple spoils the whole bunch” seems to be true in every situation. One negative person can under mind the culture of an organization or the atmosphere of a family. Chicken Little people create fear and paranoia along with all kinds of other negative emotions. If you view life as survival, then you will only survive. If you have a scarce mentality, then you will always lack. If you describe everything in your life as negative, then you are a depressed person. Are you a Chicken Little? Do you go around proclaiming the message that the sky is falling? Maybe you only proclaim it to yourself…if that’s the case, then that is why you are in the condition that you are in right now! Stop all of your “stinking thinking”! Stop all of the negative talk! Start declaring that God is God! My God is faithful! “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Start believing in yourself. God has given you a dream; a purpose; a high calling. Get on with it! Stop listening to the naysayers and Chicken Littles and start listening to the God who loves you and has a special plan for your life! The sky isn’t falling! You are not going under! The sky isn’t even the limit and you’re moving in the direction that God has for you! Stop being Chicken Little!

Rethink Possible

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:27:31 +0000

Napoleon said that “impossible is found only in the dictionary of fools.”

Jesus said, “nothing is impossible with God.”

If you watch any kind of television, then I am sure you have seen the AT&T commercials. AT&T has challenged us to re think ‘possible.’ The idea behind their marketing campaign is to help us discover that technology has made that which was once impossible, possible. They tell us to re think possible. AT&T tells us to “expand our boundaries of can’t” “to see what’s on the other side of ‘too far,’” “outsmart can’t,” “put a restriction on limits,” and then they leave us with a reminder that “before it could be done, it couldn’t.”

There is no question technology has caused us to “Rethink Possible.” Who would have imagined 20 years ago that we could have a device that fits in the palm of our hands that allows us to communicate to the world with the touch of a button? They tried to re think possible…and have greatly succeeded!

As you think about your life and the dreams you possess, or maybe once possessed, you too need to re think possible…maybe you think, “I’m not good enough, I’m not skilled enough, I don’t have enough resources, nobody will support me or believe in me, I’ve made too many mistakes in my life, or I don’t have what it takes.”

Basically, you think it’s impossible. Excuses keep you from the life you desire most. Setbacks and failures paralyze you in fear and prevent you from trying. So you sit, you wish, and you never dare. Consequently, you miss out on what could be because the belief of what should be has been drowned out by what you perceive is the hopeless despair of what is.

What is it right now that you are facing in your life that you have attached the word, “impossible” in front of? Maybe it’s a job situation, maybe it’s a family situation or maybe it’s something in your church.

Today, I want you to have more faith than AT&T, more faith than Apple, more faith than Microsoft…today, I want you to believe the impossible because we serve a God that spoke the word into nothing and made everything!

NOTHING is impossible for Him!

We Have An Assignment

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:00:11 +0000

Let’s Celebrate!

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:39:13 +0000

God is doing some amazing things at New Season Church and we should celebrate!

The world celebrates more than the church and that’s just not right. We have so much more to celebrate! A Super bowl win is awesome, winning a Grammy is amazing but those things are temporary. A life changed by the power of God is eternal!

In Luke, chapter 15, Jesus went out of His way to teach us to celebrate over just one person repenting. We should be celebrating more!

So far in the first seven weeks of 2012, we have seen:

18 people publicly recommitting their lives to Christ

34 people joining New Season

70 people signing up to serve at New Season and going through training

45 people trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior…that NEVER gets old!

New Season Church, we have reasons to celebrate! Let’s rejoice over what God has done and let’s bring people who are not believers to church on Sunday so that we can celebrate some more!

Take Action

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:26:18 +0000

President John F. Kennedy said, “there are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.”

When you and I stop talking about action and start taking action, things will start to change. If you take action, you get an effect; if you don’t take action, you also get an effect. The question is, are you getting the effects you want?

Do you want things to just happen to you or do you want to make things happen? If you are tired of making excuses as to why you are _______________________ (you fill in this blank) and you are ready to see real change in your life, then you are going to have to move from a passive position and start being aggressive, start taking action.

The first thing we need to do is take responsibility. You are responsible for your actions so quit blaming everything and everyone.

Do something about your current reality. The “reasons” we give are just a nice way of giving excuses. When you travel down the road of blame, you get farther from where you want to be. Stop and change directions and take action! Until you take ownership of your life, you will always live chasing your dream instead of accomplishing it.

Today, I want to encourage you to take action…make that call, write that letter, send that email, start that project…just do it! Starting is half the battle. Go ahead and make your move. Take the actions necessary for a better life.

It’s your move!

Be A Grateful Person

admin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:39:47 +0000

Have you noticed when you concentrate on what you don’t have, what you DO have is never enough. When you live to consume or live for yourself, you are never happy or satisfied. Selfish people really don’t win in the long run. We must give of ourselves and extend beyond our personal interests. We must be givers, not takers; contributors, not consumers. It’s found in the Bible and it’s one of those laws of the universe where sharing, caring and giving trumps self centered narcissism and selfishness every time.
Be that person who invests in others, not the one who always looks out for “number one.” We must live with an attitude of gratitude. It is impossible to be negative while we are giving thanks. Seeds of discontentment don’t grow in a grateful heart. Gratitude is not a feeling, it’s a muscle and it needs a workout everyday.

If you attend a church without fear of arrest, torture, or death
you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change on a dish some place,
you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep
you are richer than 75% of the world.

Love is in the air

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:41:21 +0000

There is no doubt many couples will be going out on a date to celebrate Valentine’s Day tonight or this weekend. Cards will be exchanged, candy and flowers will be given and well…hopefully other things to follow.

Today, I want to share four things with the ladies and five things with the men to make every day special like Valentine’s Day.

Ladies:

1. Feed Your Man’s Ego
Men have extremely fragile egos that make them feel they must always be right and they must always be in control. Ladies, make it a point to tell him you respect him and admire him. Seek his advice! Feed his ego.

2. Enjoy recreational activities together
Ecclesiastes 9:9 says, “enjoy life with your wife.” Remember men are doers – they pursue action, They are task oriented. Find something that you both enjoy and do it together. If you luck out like me, your wife will like sports!

3. Look your best
Men are stimulated by what they see. Your man is visual so get all dolled up for him!

4. Enjoy sex often
You read that right! Read Proverbs 5:19 and I Corinthians 7: 3-6. Enough said!

Men:

1. Date your wife weekly
Dating must be a priority. It can be a lunch date, an evening out, a movie, dinner, etc… The point is, just make sure you take your wife out, just the two of you once a week. Dating will be a major factor in deepening your relationship.

2. Talk to her
Men need to learn to be better conversationalists. Speak up – ask her how her day was, really be interested in it. Make sure you listen well and make eye contact. Communication is vital in any marriage.

3. Provide for her physically and emotionally
The number one need for a woman is security. She wants financial security. I know there are tough times and I know that many men are depressed over their job situations. Do whatever it takes to provide! Also know that she needs emotional support. Emotional support is the cement that holds everything together.

4. Plan trips away
I know that money is tight. I know we are all busy but you must not miss this one. A change of scenery and the thought and time it takes to plan will do wonders for your marriage and there are other benefits as well.

5. Show her, don’t just tell her
Most women’s love language is you doing something. Take some action, words mean very little when they’re not backed up with action. Whatever it is that she needs you to do…taking out the garbage, “honey do” list…whatever that is, do it! Show her the love and she will show you the love.

Make these things a lifestyle and everyday will be Valentine’s Day. Let me hear from some of you couples and I will be giving away my marriage series CDs at the end of the week to a lucky winner!

It’s All About A Relationship

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:30:32 +0000

Personal Growth – Part II

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:51:20 +0000

Yesterday I wrote about how important it is for you to have a personal growth plan. I shared different things to help get you started. Let’s finish today with some more insights and an accountability plan.

1. Set aside a time for growth:
What are you willing to give up in order to grow? A little television, Facebook time, a nap, some extra sleep? Emerson was right when he said, “for everything you gain, you give up something.” Let me encourage you to get rid of your excuses as to why you are not growing and set a specific time aside to grow.

2. Grow with someone:
Find someone or a group of people who have the same goal for personal growth that you have and start the journey together. It will provide the needed accountability. You will build great relationships. You will learn and increase your knowledge and a shared vision will be accomplished. We all need a “Paul” in our lives, someone who is ahead of us; a “Timothy”, someone we can bring along and a “Barnabas”, someone who can encourage us along the way. Find someone to grow with.

3. Get a Plan for Growth:
Here is my plan, yours will be different. Adapt, change, modify – the bottom line is, get a plan! A plan is better than no plan!

1. I pray daily to be intimate with God.
I read daily to grow in my devotional life and personal life.
I think daily of what I’ve learned and I use it, apply it.

Every week I …..

1. I listen to broaden my perspective. (Ipod, internet)
2. I evaluate and practice in order to see the Big Picture.
3. I plan out the next week.

Every month I ……

1. Call my mentor
2. Evaluate my progress.
3. Plan other growth opportunities.

Every quarter I ……

1. Go to a Seminar – training (Growth opportunities)
2. Evaluate my progress
3. Talk to people who are success in an area I’m weak in or interested in.

Every year I ……

1. Evaluate where I’m at in every area.
2. Make new goals.

The greatest journey you will ever take is a journey of personal growth. I hope to see you on the road!

Personal Growth – Part 1

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:16 +0000

About 15 years ago, I was really challenged to have a personal growth plan. I knew that growth has to be an intentional act because it doesn’t happen by accident. Unfortunately, many people believe that just showing up on Sundays or reading a magazine article occasionally will be enough to grow them.

The Bible says in Luke 2:52, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” If the Son of God acknowledges the need to grow and takes action, then I am confident that it is a must for you and me.

If you are tired of being in the same place or of coasting and drifting inconsistently, then you need a personal growth plan. The first thing we need to do is to stop looking out the window and start looking in the mirror. We must start with ourselves.

The biggest problem we have is with US. It is you! Stop blaming your spouse, your job or your crazy schedule. You are your own worst enemy. I love this poem called Your Competitor:

Your Competitor

An enemy I had, whose face I stoutly strove to know,

For hard he dogged my steps unseen, wherever I did go.

My plans he balked, my aims he foiled, he blocked my onward way.

When for some lofty goal I toiled, he grimly said to me, Nay.

One night I seized him and held him fast, from him the veil did draw,

I looked upon his face at last, and lo…..myself I saw!

Wow, how true is that!

The second thing that we need to do is to understand that growth is a process not an event.

To allow true growth to begin, we must make the choice to start growing now. It’s easy to talk about it and have big intentions but action must be taken.

Napoleon Hill said, “It’s not what you are going to do, but it’s what you are doing now that counts.”
Sadly, many people do not have the intestinal fortitude to start growing. They would rather be satisfied in the growth of others than getting to climb new heights for themselves.

Tomorrow I will walk you through a step by step process to help you grow. I really don’t think there is anything more important to you spiritually, mentally, emotionally or professionally than to be on a personal growth plan.