Facebook

     I haven't posted anything here in a long time, because honestly I became frustrated with this when you couldn't leave a comment.  I have been on facebook for quite a while now and I really enjoy being able to follow individuals lives, find old friends or just see what people will put out there in the open, but today I almost decided to get off of it because of something that really upset me.
     Do people not realize that thousands of people other than your "friends" see what is posted?  A young man posted something very thought provoking and I thought it was well thought out, then bam people (I suppose his friends because they read it) begin to correct him publicly.  Why is it that we as Christian feel the need to "publicly" correct people?  If you disagree, why can't you send that person a message privately?  I feel to put a comment out there publicly like that brings shame to the kingdom of God.  It is not only Christians that read this stuff but nonbelievers also.  No wonder they don't want anything to do with our "religion" because we are so canabolistic and even pompas enough to consume each other publicly.
     Most of the time these "corrections" are vain attempts to show superiority which is exactly what the Pharisee's and Saducee's did to Jesus.  Yes if someone is in error the Bible tells us to bring correction but go to that person first and do it privately and you should make sure you heart is in order before you do.  If pride is the motive to bring correction then you are in more error than they are.  Remember what you momma told you when you were a child concerning post on Facebook "If you can't say something nice about someone then don't say anything at all."  Jesus said with a humble heart to bring correction and really examine if Jesus has set you up as judge and jury on post.  Have you prayed before confronting or are you letting you "religion" show itself?
     It truly breaks my heart to see the amount of "trash talking" that goes on in such a public areana as Facebook and I believe it is just another way the enemy has figured out how to take a break and not have to attack us because we are doing a pretty good job of it on each other.
     Be blessed today and know that there will come "false prophets", but no where does it say we are to go looking for them.  Spend that energy on those who really need to and want to here the gospel not on the spiritual leeches that rob your of your spiritiual energy.  Be blessed and know what Paul said, "We are epistles being read by all men."
Working Until He Comes,
Pastor Robert Mattingly, Jr.

It seems that we all believe that we serve a big God but we think for some reason that the devil is bigger.  Oh we don't say it but everyday we watch the news, we read the paper or we listen to people and there is a certain amount of fear that rises up within us.  The Bible says we wrestle not against flesh and blood but we seem to think we can solve the problems in our life in a "flesh and blood" manner.  God has given us the ultimate tool of prayer to combat these problems, yet most of us only use it when it is absolutely necessary, when we have done all we can do or when the situation is so out of control that we are about to drown in the problem.  Even Jesus would go to the mountain to pray but not "OH GOD HELP ME PRAYERS" but preventative prayers.  Even in Gethsemane it was a preventative prayer, "Father, if there be any way that this cup can pass from me."  He saw what was coming and he prayed preventative.  Unfortunatly we tend to wait until the lid has blown off the pot to try to clean up the mess, when God is saying, "Pray before the storm, even when you can't see the clouds, and I will give you the rest and peace you need in the middle of the storm."  The same storm that destroys your neighbors house is the same storm that brings rain to grow your flowers.  So do as Paul said "Pray without ceasing" and I promise you (because the Bible says so) that life will be, at worse case scenerio, easier to handle and at best the storms will blow around you and even though you saw the dark clouds, maybe saw lightening and heard the thunder of the approaching storm it just "somehow" blows around you and you are left with nothing but sunshine.  Pray today against the things yet unseen tomorrow.  Lord I pray that everyone reading this has a heart and ear for you and that the storms of life will be averted because of the preventative prayers we pray today.

     I must admit that pastoring has to be the most rewarding thing in the world.  Gayle and I had the priviledge of going to hear a great speaker in Ken Freeman last night, but that's not what made it special.  We had over 50 people that put their lives on hold for an evening and went to hear Ken Freeman speak.  As I sat there and looked at all of our people worshipping God without reservation and with a whole heart I must admit I swelled up with pride (the good kind).  We were at an outdoor event, it was raining off and on, there were over 2000 people there and these people just went after God.
     I just took there and took it all in as I realized what God had done in each of these individuals lives.  Four years ago none of them would have been there and I have nine guys who I am discipling and seven of them were there leading the way and I think of where they were just four (or less) years ago just humbles me beyond belief. 
     I have had the priviledge in my life to have some high positions in companies, made more money, influenced probably more people on a daily basis and by the world's standards had more success.  The feeling of accomplishment last night as I watched Josh "get it"  and know that in some small way I had a hand in that.  To see individuals that had no self-confidence four years ago stand there infront of 2000 people with eyes closed and hands lifted praising God with everything that is within them was breath taking, 
     I know that God is up to something BIG and I know He always runs to hungry and despreate people and I stood there last night with people that were starving to death for more of God and it excited me beyond belief.  I am so thankful for the church that God has given me and how blessed I am to get to put into their lives not just things that will make them a bettter person but will give them the tools and weapons to reak havoc on the kingdom of the enemy.  May God continually challege us to pursue Him with everything that is within us and let us be satisfied but never content.
     I read a statistic that said in America 1500 pastors a month leave the ministry.  I believe it but I don't understand it because what greater compliment could the creator of the universe give someone than to entrust "the love of His life" His creation to another creation to oversee.  It gets tiring at times and challenging at times but if you keep your eyes on Jesus then all that petty stuff will go right by you and you will never see it. 
     I love being a pastor and I love the people God has given me and we are not going to quit giving everything we have until ALL have been won into the kingdom.  Be Blessed.
Working Until He Comes,
Pastor Robert

It truly amazes me that so many people in our country have such little knowledge of God and the Bible. I know I shouldn't be surprised because for the last twenty or thirty years the world has been working feverishly to delete God out of everything.
This is the same thing that Pharaoh did to the Children of Israel. When Moses came to Pharaoh and said, "God says let my people go." Pharaoh said, "Who is this God that I should obey him?" The nation of Egypt had tried so had to push "God" out of everything, but remember that God brought the people of Israel out of Egypt and they plundered Egypt.
In this nation that I love so dearly we are seeing more and more them saying, "Who is this God that we should obey Him?" and do you think God is going to treat this nation any different than He did Egypt? I don't think so, but in the middle of it as you see the plagues that came on Egypt, the nation of Israel only had to endure a small portion of it and none of the loss of life plagues as long as they obeyed God.
Today their are so many people attending our churches and are really good people but don't have a clue what God requires of them. I had someone ask me the other day, "You mean there are more than the 10 commandments I have to obey?" "Are they all together or are they all spread out throughout the Bible?" I just tried to help her understand that serving God is not a list but a attitude. Many people are basing their eternity on what someone else has told them or what they think and unfortunately a lot of them are wrong.
Wouldn't it be a shame to attend church a long time and miss heaven because you wouldn't look it up yourself, wouldn't ask questions or just trusted that what you were hearing was true. My word for you today is "KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHY YOU BELIEVE IT." The Bible warns us that the very elect will be deceived if it is possible so make it impossible to be deceived. Dig it out of the Word of God and plant it deep in your heart.
Heaven and earth will pass away but my Word will NEVER pass away.
Working Until He Comes,
Pastor Robert

Isn't it interesting that people always have an answer to your problems but can't solve their own. We live in a world that is void of responsibility. Everyone is always looking to blame someone else so they don't have to take responsibility for their own actions. God warns us that in the end times man would worship the creation rather than the Creator and that is exactly what is happening today. There is a abundance of self worship (the creation) that says it has to be someone else's fault and a lack of response to the Creator. When we look at ourselves through the Creator's eyes then we have to see how small we really are and how great He really is. This is the double-edged sword because in seeing how small we are we must recognize our faults and failures, but in seeing how great He is we realize the enormity of His forgiveness and grace. The world seems to be going to "hell in a hand basket" but don't forget that the Bible tells us that where sin does abound, grace all the more abounds. So matter how bad it gets God and His love and mercy is greater. We have a tendency to compare God and the devil but don't forget that the devil is a created being and no matter how bad he gets he can never be as bad as God is good. Be encouraged because the Creator of EVERYTHING is on our side and we are going to win this thing called life.

First Day

Welcome to Pastor Robert's blog. The reason I started this blogging is to share some extended thoughts that I have from time to time. I am so thankful that I get to pastor great people that encourage me and lift me up. In this world today it seems that things are getting further and further away from godly things and this troubles me greatly because Jesus is still that answer regardless of the problem or situation. The problem I see today is that we live in such a microwave, instant, can't wait for the coffee to heat up world that we think that's the way God is. Because a situation cause us pain we feel that it needs a instant answer. We have sprays and ointments and pills that will "instantly" stop the pain, but in reality all they do is mask the pain. When it wears off the pain returns and we have to apply again or take it again. Well the truth is that when we go to God with a pain He wants to take it away completely not just mask it.
It is funny that many times it takes us weeks, months or even years to get ourselves into the situation that causes the pain but if God won't snap His fingers and make it go away instantly then He's not going to. My advise today is "wait" I know it is painful and I know it is hard but I have found that when I wait on God's timing and trust Him that looking back it was and is always better. Be blessed today.
Working Until He Comes,
Pastor Robert

I am new at this and trying very hard to get up to speed so be patient with me, please.
Working Until He Comes,"
Pastor Robert