Dr. Chris Stephens

Hey Friends,

My heart is a little heavy as I write this blog. I watch people every day miss their potential. I see gifts and talents in them they refuse to see. So many sit on the sidelines because they don’t think they have what it takes to get in the game. It is a lie from Lucifer. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

This weekend I am completing a series called GAME OVER. It is a series on the five building blocks we use for core members at Faith Promise: Saved, Baptized, Giving, Growing (in a group), and Serving. This weekend the topic is serving. Pastor Josh did some digging for me. The result is that on any given week at Faith Promise less than 1 in 4 serve in any way in the Body of God, the Church. Wow, it was like a gut punch. I guess ignorance really is bliss.

Why do so many not serve? Why do so many settle for the sidelines? Where is the heart of a champion that should be predominant in the Church of the living God? We are all only as strong as what it takes to stop us. What would stop you from serving and growing into all God placed in you? Where is the desire to press on to all we can be? The Scripture sure calls us to it.

Where are you today in your journey with Jesus? Are you pressing on to maturity, to the high call? Are you in the game making a difference for Jesus? If not why not?

When you got saved you received a new heart, the heart of a champion. All you need right now is in you. God put it there. Don’t sit on the sideline when you can be a champion for His Kingdom. You are a winner and you must, by faith, press forward. What an exciting journey!

Just a thought.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

Are you full of joy? I mean, right now are you full of the joy of the Lord? Christ followers should be marked by extreme joy. Jesus said in John 16:22 “…No one will take your joy from you.” Do you believe what the Lord said? I do! So, then how are so many Christ followers without real joy? Nobody took it, they gave it away! Since we all believe the Bible we all have to agree if we do not have joy, it is our own faults and we gave it away.

More than 50 times in the Word we are told to rejoice in difficult circumstances. We are not to be controlled by circumstances as the world is. As a matter of fact Nehemiah 8:10 records, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” If you are feeling weak right now, have you given away your joy? Who do we give it to? Satan, the world, circumstances, or do we just let negative people steal it? They really don’t steal it, we just give it away.

Jesus wants you to walk today with His joy. He has richly supplied all you need. Psalm 16: “In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy.” Are you walking in His presence? Are you surrendered and controlled by His Spirit? Release the burdens of this world. He said, “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.”

Satan will always put a sourpuss in your life to ruin your day, if you allow it! You have the ultimate control over the joy in your life. Let it loose. Let the Word loose. Speak to the joy in your life and let it bubble up into a raging river.

The Apostle Paul said he had, “Learned the secret of being content in whatever circumstances he found himself in.” Can you say that? You can, if the joy of the Lord is your strength and not how good your circumstances are.

I love you and I pray in the name of Jesus that you are so full of joy it leaks on everyone that you come into contact with. Most people really want to be around someone who spills joy on them. Let it be you!

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

P.S.  If you would like to see my interview on The Harvest show yesterday, click here.  Thank you, Lord, for the open door!

Hey Friends,

We all know that the Lord can open any door! As anyone who reads this blog knows, I wrote a book called, The Plan of Your Life. My plan was to let Faith Promise have the first shot at the first printing. Now I am trying to go wider and get the word out.

This is the plan as I have it now, or the doors the Lord has opened for me:

• Monday, January 30, at 2:00 pm EST, I will be interviewed on KAJN radio in Southwest Louisiana.
• Tuesday, January 31, at 9:00 am EST, I will be on the Harvest Show in South Bend, Indiana to be interviewed. (This show will be replayed at 9:00 pm EST that evening and at 2:00 am on February 1)
• Tuesday, March 13, I will be on the Daystar Christian Network in Dallas for an interview.
• Hallerin Hilton Hill radio show is lining up an interview.
• I am sending copies to about 100 pastors and Christian leaders with whom I have a relationship. I am praying that many will help get the word out and even help sell a case of 36 books.

I hope this is only the beginning. Please pray with me for the right doors to open. The Word says, God opens doors no man can open…”

I’ll bet everyone reading this blog needs the Lord to open a door! Let’s pray for each other. We also need to help each other. If you know a way I could get the word out on the book please let me know. You have already given some great promotional ideas and I am grateful. Let us know how we can help you. We are a team and as such, we need to be in each other’s corner.

I really believe that my book can help anyone who reads it. It will be used by the Lord to help believers achieve their full potential.

Thanks for your help and prayers.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

We live in a world where almost everyone is crying, “IT IS NOT FAIR!” In many situations life is not fair. Fair is not a biblical concept. People usually cry, “NOT FAIR,” when they think someone has gotten more than them and they want what you have. It seems to be hard-wired into our DNA.  Virtually every child uses this tactic to get what he or she wants. We have all done it and seen it.

When it comes to the favor and blessings of God, it is not fair. He gives it out as He sees fit and He is, after all, GOD. So, of course He can. Deuteronomy 28:2 says, “All the blessings shall come and overtake you.” God loves to bless His kids. And we love to be blessed, Amen?

What I seem to be seeing in so many is that we are embarrassed by the blessings. You look around and you seem to be the brunt of blessing others are not receiving, so you try to hide them, ashamed of them. Do you think this honors God? Probably not! We need to brag on God and His mighty Hand of favor and blessings. Psalm 118:23: “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Don’t you marvel at all the Lord does in your life?

Psalm 35:27-28: “…And let them say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.’ And my tongue shall declare your righteousness and your praise all day long.”

We are supposed to brag on what He does in our lives, NOT and NEVER be ashamed!!! The blessings of God on our lives draw people to Him. Some, to be sure, will be jealous, critical or angry at your blessings. So what?!? Don’t allow others to ruin or squelch all the Lord is doing. Remember, He is the Blesser and He is to be bragged upon.

If you refuse to rejoice in all the Lord does in your life because you are embarrassed, think He might stop the flow??? Your real friends will rejoice with you as God blesses.

Many times I have been in meetings with other pastors and I refused to brag on what God was doing. Usually the theme of the meetings was doom and gloom. I hesitated to talk about all the Lord was doing and how the church was growing. I was holding back on God!!!

Tell your story to others and give God the glory! He will use it for you and in them.

Do you feel His favor falling on you?

Love ya and be blessed,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

Let’s be honest, we all get discouraged. Life can throw some serious stuff at us and it is easy to let negativity and defeat take over. At those times in life we all need someone to step in and encourage us, but what do you do when no one is there to help you? How do you get yourself out of the funk and defeat? You have to do it alone!

That is exactly what King David did when he was in this kind of spot! The Scripture says: “He strengthened himself in the Lord.” This is one of his greatest attributes. This is how he was so successful in loving God and leading the nation of Israel in difficult times.

One day he and his men came home from work and it was gone! EVERYTHING WAS GONE. Their families, flocks, herds-everything they owned and loved. They all cried out in anguish and defeat. Then they turned on David and said, “Let’s stone him.” That is what I call a bad day! There was no one there to encourage David; remember his wives and kids were gone as well. Everyone was prepared to take their frustrations and anger out on him. He was the leader. Ever felt like David?

That is when it says, “David strengthened himself in the Lord.” If there is no one else to encourage you then you have to do it yourself, just like David did.

Step one: CHANGE THE CHANNEL. All he hears, feels, and sees is negative, doom and gloom, and no hope for victory. No one saw any hope to make this right or to turn things around. He had to stop listening to them. It is O.K., you can change the channel.

Step two: Remember past victories. Remember when God came through in your life and moved to help you. Trust He will do it again. Rehearse how God had moved in and how much He cares. Block out the negative people around you or they will eventually stone you.

Step three: Take charge. David stood up and said let’s go get our families back, we have won before and we will win again. He did, and they not only got their families back, but they got even more than they had before.

For some of you reading this blog you need to change the channel from defeat to victory. Start by encouraging yourself. Time for the channel of victory. Remember all God has done. Think of His great power. Bask in His Word and in His ability. Quit cursing yourself with negative self-talk and start strengthening yourself in the Lord.

Are you ready to rally to victory? All winners encourage themselves. You are a winner.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

When was the last time you laughed? I mean a long belly laugh that left tears running down your cheeks? The Bible says: “Laughter does good like a medicine.” I love to laugh. I’m pretty sure that Lucifer loathes laughter. “Why?” you ask. Because laughter releases joy and it shows him that you are not going to be defeated. God said He would, “prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies.” We can have a feast and fun no matter what the enemy does.

“Laughter is a great addition to any home. The enemy cannot stand the sound of joyful laughter. He cannot stand the sound of husbands and wives and family members having fun together. He wants there to be so much strife, tension, and pressure that we never have any joy in our homes.” The joy of the Lord is our strength.

What does it sound like in your home? Does it sound like heaven or hell? Is the Holy Spirit comfortable in your home? I love what Joel Osteen said about laughter: “When one of our sinks clogs up at home, I buy some Drano, pour it down the drain, and wait fifteen minutes. When I come back, the sink is unclogged. Laughter works like Drano. It cleans out whatever is clogging our lives. When you laugh regularly it’s just like you are cleaning out those pipes. The instructions on the Drano bottle say to use it on a regular basis to keep the pipes free and clear. The same holds true with laughter. Pour it in, whenever you can. Find the humor in everyday moments. Make laughter a life-style choice. Welcome joy into your home as a permanent resident. Job 8:21 says, ‘He will yet fill your mouth with laughter.’ God’s dream is for you to be filled with laughter. He gave laughter the power to heal your body, soothe your spirits, attract admirers, and mend your relationships.”

Are you down? Learn to laugh. Learn to laugh at yourself and your circumstances and you will take defeat and discouragement out of the hands of Lucifer to harm you.

Our God can give us laughter in the midst of pain and problems.

Just a thought.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

Everybody needs a cheerleader. Most of us would not be where we are today if someone had not been in our corner cheering us on. Who was it for you?

For Henry Ford it was Thomas Edison. “The pioneering automaker was introduced to Edison as ‘the man trying to build a car that ran on gasoline.’ When Edison heard this, his face lit up. He slammed his fist on the table and said, ‘You’ve got it. A car that has its own power plant; that’s a brilliant idea.’ Up to this point, Henry Ford had dealt with many naysayers and discouragers. He had just about convinced himself to give up, but along came Edison and spoke faith into him. That was a turning point in Henry Ford’s life. ‘I thought I had a good idea, but I started to doubt myself,’ he once said. ‘Then came along one of the greatest minds that’s ever lived and gave me his complete approval.’  A simple vote of confidence helped launch the automotive industry. We don’t realize the power we hold.”

Any of us can be like Edison and be a cheerleader for someone else. We all need people to believe in us. When Jesus called His disciples he did not focus on their faults, but on their potential. Cheerleaders are always looking for, praying for, and hoping for the best in others. The Bible says, “Encourage each other…”

I’m sure you have heard the story of the principal that called in three of his teachers and told them they were the best teachers in the county. They were going to be given the most gifted kids in the school. At the end of the year those teachers had gotten those kids 30% farther than the rest of the kids.

The principal called the teachers in at the end of the year and told the teachers the truth. The kids you taught this year were chosen at random. They were not the most gifted kids. The teachers said that was O.K. because they were the best teachers. The principal had to confess that they were also chosen at random. They got farther because they thought they could.

Most of us rise to the expectations of those around us cheering us on. Who is in your corner? Whose corner are you in? Are you raising the expectations of those around you? “The power of life and death is in the tongue.”

Use your tongue for positive and not negative. Be an encourager not a discourager. You can be a cheerleader and God will use your words.

Just a thought.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

Do you have a trained eye? I read this cute story in a great book, Every Day a Friday:

A couple moved into a new neighborhood, and one morning while they were eating breakfast the wife looked out the window and saw her neighbor hanging wash on the line to dry. She noticed the wash was dingy and dirty. She said to her husband, “That neighbor lady doesn’t know how to wash. Her clothes aren’t clean. I wonder if she’s using any detergent?” Day after day went by and she would make the same comments: “I can’t believe the neighbor doesn’t know how to wash. I can’t believe they wear those dingy-looking clothes.” A few weeks later the woman looked out the window and the clothes were as clean and bright as could be. She was so surprised. She called her husband in and said, “Look, honey, I can’t believe it. She finally learned how to wash. I wonder what happened?” The husband smiled and said, “Honey, I got up early this morning and cleaned our window.”

It is easy to have a critical eye. It is easy to see everyone’s faults and problems. If you want to help people you need to train your eye to see the good in the people you know. Train yourself to see the strengths and to see people doing good things and celebrate those. There are enough people whose outlook is poisoned by a critical spirit. Don’t be one of those people.

You be the encourager. You be the one who finds the good in people. You be the one who points out the positive and you will be the one people want to be around, and you will help people more than you can ever know. Time to wash the windows of our souls and change our own outlooks. Jesus said, “Don’t try to take the speck out of your brother’s eye and forget the log in your own eye.”

No matter who you meet during your day you can find something positive to say. Let’s try to see people through the eyes of Jesus.

Just a thought.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris

Hey Friends,

I’m so excited! We had just less than 4,500 this weekend at Faith Promise. That is a non-production weekend record! Thank you, Jesus. The pace is set for 2012 at the Church. It will be our best year yet in Jesus Name.

I ask you to pray for the 10 PRAYER GOALS we believe God has given us:

1. 500 New Core Members. We are going to stop using the word member and use the word Core. The core is who we can count on. Is that you? This question Christ asked often.
2. 400 Baptisms. This is the greatest miracle we are asking for.
3. 300 Total Adult Small Groups.
4. Launching of the North Knox Campus. Pray for Pastor Mike and Kandice and the launch team.
5. 20/20/20/  = 20,000 hours we are going to give in serving the East TN area for Jesus, 20 mission trips and 20 partners we are going to minister with.
6. 2,000,000 given in the Miracle Offering
7. 18% increase in General Budget Giving.
8. 774 New Servants serving Jesus in His Body the Church. Time for hundreds to step up the the Next Level.
9. 4700 in Average Attendance for 2012.
10. Leadership Development Track Initiated.

This is a huge list. It will require we all pray and participate. This cannot be done by a few but by our whole body. I am counting on you to do your part. I believe God will use each of us like never before. Faith is a great journey and adventure. I can’t wait to see how the Lord will use you. Stand strong and believe with me for the favor, blessings, and presence of God to cover us like a blanket.

Love ya,

Pastor Chris