Pastors need encouragement and hope. They need comradery and support. They need prayers and affirmation. They need community. They need people to believe in them. They need to know the truth and grace of the gospel. They need to know all the promises of God.

Many people have read about the tragedy that took place this last weekend when a pastor took his own life in California. He was depressed and discouraged. He was hurt and fatigued. He was attacked by the enemy and carrying a heavy weight. Our hearts break for him and his family. Our hearts are heavy for the reality of all of these difficulties and troubles which are present throughout our world. Many pastors are shaken because they know that no one is immune to depression and discouragement.

Pastors are human.

And all humans need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ which is able to heal, save and deliver.

I want to remind you that you are loved! I want you to remember now and always that God is for you. Please remember grace is free. God’s eternal and sufficient supply is available to all who ask, seek and knock. Please, please, please know that there is an eternal hope in Christ Jesus, a living hope, an anchor for our soul. Know that you are prayed for. Know that there are many, many people who care for you and are willing, ready and able to come alongside to help you. Let them. Invite them in. Let people in and always, always, always invite Christ to work afresh and anew in your heart, mind and spirit.

Pastors are human. We are limited like every other human, we face troubles like any other person and we have the opportunity to recieve from the Lord like every other human.

Remember too, that every human on the face of the earth may face these struggles at some time or another. Every person needs to know about the hope in the Lord and the promises He has made. So just as much as you wish that others would go out of their way to encourage you, please, please, please do the same: go out of your way to help and encourage others and pray for and with others. Both fellow pastors and your flock need you to be a preacher of God’s hope and righteousness.

I am praying for you.

You are loved.

God is for you!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

Today, you are the light of the world. Today, you are the salt of the earth. Today, the Spirit of Christ is with you. Right now, the Spirit of Jesus Christ is in you.

This is not true because you like the idea of it. It is not true because if makes you feel good. It is true because God said it was true of all who accept His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

This week may bring with it circumstances rife with both difficulty and opportunity. You may experience some really amazing “highs” and some debilitating “lows” And through it all God is faithful. And remember this: God Almighty is for you!

And on top of all that, God desires to and is working towards blessing you (showing His love), encouraging you (revealing His power), shaping you (making you Holy) and making your heart and life unshakeable in Him.

When we are unshakeable it doesn’t mean that we don’t have wind and waves swirling around, it does mean though that we can sleep on a pillow in the middle of the boat (with Jesus!) while the storm just keeps blowing.

Remember this too: as you receive God’s declaration and ordination of you as the salt and the light, and furthermore as you allow God to make your soul unshakeable (even bringing peace to your thoughts and emotions!) God will empower you to help others to know about and receive this same gift.

God not only desires that His ministers live as overcomers, but also that each and every one of His children would be anchored in Jesus and live victorious Spirit-filled lives.

So this week, please, please, please, get on your knees (physically if at all possible) and ask the Lord to lift burdens you weren’t meant to carry, quiet the voices that are not of Him and empower you to live and preach the unshakeable life of peace and victory in Jesus!

Christ is with you, Christ is in you!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

As leaders in the church, you and I are privy to seeing a lot of brokenness, pain, and heartache.

As leaders of God’s church we are on the front lines when people are brought into the spiritual emergency room.

And just like in a physical emergency room, things can get messy. When people have been in car accidents, or been shot or face horrific illnesses, the pains that they experience, the blood that flows and the tears that are shed can many times be too much for people to bear. But as servant leaders of God’s people we are called to carry this load so that others may know the love of our great Savior!

Sometimes the sheer messiness of helping hurting people can seem like something we don’t want to have any part of, and yet when the persons we help are made whole, it is all worth it.

When the people who have been in darkness, extreme pain and suffering, loneliness and rejection are loved and made whole by the grace and power of God we are reminded why we are spiritual ER doctors. So please in the midst of some of the difficulties in the world these days, please remember that after the healing takes place among the hurting people, the resultant health will be a testimony to God and we will literally shout His praise when we see the miracle of His power!

Let us keep working, keep serving, keep loving and keep praying and watch and see what God does in the Spiritual Emergency Room called The Church of Jesus Christ. I believe thousands will be saved, healed and delivered and the pain and suffering we endure along the way will all be worth it!

Christ is for us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

Who believes in you?

Who is constantly telling you that you will make it, you will overcome, you will prevail?

Who never stops believing in you despite your shortcomings and failures?

Who reminds you that all things are possible with God and that as His child, God is working everything in your life for God?

First, if you can’t think of someone who is that for you, I am so sorry. That must be lonely and difficult. Let’s work on getting you tied into someone who is your cheerleader and encourager. Send me a text (205-910-7050) or an email and let’s set up a time to talk on the phone or meet together in person. I will offer you the encouragement that I am able to and then we can pray and talk about how you can have a cheerleader in your life from now on.

Second, I want to remind you that the perfect and eternally faithful cheerleader is the Lord Jesus Christ. He never stops loving you and always lives to intercede for you. No matter what you do right or wrong, God loves you, rejoices in you, sings over you and cheers you on. Never forget that and don’t forget that He has given us the beautiful place of sweet communion in prayer and the Word in which He very tangibly cheers us on.

Lastly, stop and think about your spouse, your kids, your family and friends, and your flock. Who cheers them on? Who encourages them? Who do they know will always keep working that they may know all that is available to them and all that is possible for them? Make sure that you are that person to others and make sure that those in your care are encouraged and have a cheerleader in their life.

Please know that I am praying for you and that you are deeply and dearly loved

Christ is with us, Christ is in us

Mike J

We buy new stuff, set new goals and try new things. We try to turn over a “new page”, start a “new chapter in life” and try to become a “new me”. In all of this new stuff, we obviously have to let go of some of the old stuff. We need to quit certain things. So when is it okay to quit? And what should we quit?

I hope you and I have enough common sense that when we start something new it is actually something helpful. The truth is that is not always the case. Sometimes we start new things that hurt, distract or encumber. So here is something you and I need to fiercely hold to in all of life:

“Start new things according to what is true and helpful, quit things that are untrue and harmful”

It’s always okay to quit lying, cheating, and stealing. It’s always okay to quit lusting, envying and boasting. It is not only okay but necessary for you and me to quit sinning and pursuing selfish ambitions. God’s mercies are new every morning (all thanks and praise be to His holy name!). It is so wonderful to know that we can quit the harmful, sinful things of the past and that we can begin afresh and anew the helpful, life-giving things which God is calling us to.

I do however want to give you a warning.

You and I can’t ever quit pursuing God. We can’t quit learning about love. We can never stop pursuing holiness. There are a myriad of obstacles we will come up against and a thousand reasons to quit, but we simply can’t.

• After exactly how many failures should we quit trying to love like Jesus?
• After how many sins should we stop pursuing holiness?
• After how many mistakes should we give up on praying to God?
• After how many shortcomings should we stop walking with God towards Christlikeness and heaven?

You know immediately the answer to those questions: there is no number, no point at which we should quit those things! The enemy, the devil, would love to say you have done too much, gone too far, failed too much, come up too short, so you might as well quit. But you and I can’t and won’t!

Life is too short, eternity is too long and God’s love is too precious to ever quit running after what really matters.

Keep persevering. Keep calling out to God. Keep pressing into God’s loving embrace. Even with all our shortcomings, God loves us and invites us to take another step with Him!

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Hebrews 12:1b Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Dear Pastor,

Have you ever noticed that it’s the little things that seem to make your day?

You know, like the one single person who went out of their way to let you know that you messed up. Or the one little text that said “You are loved. I am proud of you”. Both of these are little things, and yet they both can have a big impact!

It seems that much of the time people are quick to repeat what they see and hear. In a world where Jesus reminded us that we would have trouble, it seems people are quick to repeat the little things of fear, doubt, worry, negativity, complaining, tearing-down, etc. And these little things stack up to a miserable life full of unbelief and defeat. Let us intend to live and speak and repeat the little things that are positive and full of love.

You and I have the power to redefine and reshape the world around us by a bunch of little things. If we are constantly saying and doing things with kindness, mercy, and grace, if we are regularly encouraging and building up, if we are consistently affirming and adding value to people, all of those little things can add up to a life and ministry of joy, peace, and victory!

This week, I encourage you to treasure the little acts of kindness and generosity that people express towards you. This week I encourage you to intentionally build a life of uncommon and unconditional love by sending a text, making a phone call, writing a letter, visiting someone, giving a gift, being an active listener, crying and laughing with people. Let these little things shape you and honor God even as you pour life into those around you.

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J