Comments for Dr. Chris Stephens http://drchrisstephens.com Senior Pastor of Faith Promise Church, Knoxville, TN Tue, 22 May 2012 02:37:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Empty Nesters! by Jim Brophy http://drchrisstephens.com/empty-nesters/#comment-2828 Jim Brophy Tue, 22 May 2012 02:37:27 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8271#comment-2828 PC, we are now empty nesters as well and my daughter Kelly will be getting married in 1 month, it is all kind of hitting us at once. Kathy is having a more challenging time than I am with no kids around but we do have 2 dogs to keep us company!!!! We feel like we tried our best and then rely on God to do the rest. Great message tonite too. Love ya PC. PC, we are now empty nesters as well and my daughter Kelly will be getting married in 1 month, it is all kind of hitting us at once. Kathy is having a more challenging time than I am with no kids around but we do have 2 dogs to keep us company!!!! We feel like we tried our best and then rely on God to do the rest. Great message tonite too. Love ya PC.

]]> Comment on Empty Nesters! by Susan http://drchrisstephens.com/empty-nesters/#comment-2827 Susan Mon, 21 May 2012 22:40:41 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8271#comment-2827 Thanks for sharing your thoughts Pastor Chris...You and Michele have done an awesome job in parenting, and you should feel proud of yourselves for being devoted to God, your children and bringing folks to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ... and I know there is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done...But God delights in all you and Michele have done for Him and raising your children...Because you are humble enough and disciplined enough to be given a gift to accomplish much in this world for Him...You feel his grace, and know it would not have been possible with out God enabling and sustaining you and your ministry...Always loved this quote from Elvis..." I believe the key to happiness is: someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to." and Lucille Ball said "You see much more of your children after they leave home" Lol, probably true...You and Michele are going to be awesome grandparents...and will delight in them...You have much to look forward too, and many great memories to look back on...God bless your Journey Pastor Chris...Hugs Brother Chris, and THANK YOU for bringing me closer to Christ :-) Thanks for sharing your thoughts Pastor Chris…You and Michele have done an awesome job in parenting, and you should feel proud of yourselves for being devoted to God, your children and bringing folks to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ… and I know there is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done…But God delights in all you and Michele have done for Him and raising your children…Because you are humble enough and disciplined enough to be given a gift to accomplish much in this world for Him…You feel his grace, and know it would not have been possible with out God enabling and sustaining you and your ministry…Always loved this quote from Elvis…” I believe the key to happiness is: someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.” and Lucille Ball said “You see much more of your children after they leave home” Lol, probably true…You and Michele are going to be awesome grandparents…and will delight in them…You have much to look forward too, and many great memories to look back on…God bless your Journey Pastor Chris…Hugs Brother Chris, and THANK YOU for bringing me closer to Christ :-)

]]> Comment on Empty Nesters! by Mike Biddle http://drchrisstephens.com/empty-nesters/#comment-2826 Mike Biddle Mon, 21 May 2012 22:06:39 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8271#comment-2826 Thanks for sharing that Pastor! I was thinking in the past few weeks about how both of my grandparents lived until they were almost 90 years old. That means that Lord willing I could be 89 and my son would be 63! Wild to think about that perspective. I've invested a lot of time with my son, I want to have a life long relationship with him, and that is something that some parents don't really have in today's world because they put many other things first before their kids when they were younger. Mike Thanks for sharing that Pastor! I was thinking in the past few weeks about how both of my grandparents lived until they were almost 90 years old. That means that Lord willing I could be 89 and my son would be 63! Wild to think about that perspective.

I’ve invested a lot of time with my son, I want to have a life long relationship with him, and that is something that some parents don’t really have in today’s world because they put many other things first before their kids when they were younger.

Mike

]]> Comment on God: Pain or Pleasure? by sabrina http://drchrisstephens.com/god-pain-or-pleasure/#comment-2825 sabrina Sun, 20 May 2012 02:59:44 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8268#comment-2825 I get this. I love to give. I Love to search out and find answers....personal answers in His Word. I know the pleasure of it. I also know how the flesh throws every possible distraction to these two very dear things to me. The pleasure I have grown to recognise is in the relationship of both. It is not in the recognition but in the belonging. When I give in any way, I know I have made a differance and someone else is encouraged. To give means also "to give up" and flesh can always be selfish. Painful. But it can't compare to the good giving brings and the enrichment that floods my soul when I know I have given someone else what Jesus has given me even when I didn't ask or deserve His kindness mercy and grace alike. I learn to love as He loved. When I find that the Voice of God speaks directly to me in encouragement and chastisment alike. I have had the favourable mercy of God shine on me in correction and see it as the most beautiful voice of God that speaks as a Father directing His child in correction. The flesh says pain, yet the spirit says I belong, I am loved ie....Pleasure. He has shown me a way to believe in what is truly pleasure in a fallen world and that is belonging to Him. It is eternal, something that can not be shaken no matter what. Encouragment challenges me to rise above all the other voices that have said I am second best. Not good enough. Less than. Not worthy. A failure. His encouragement means work in this fallen world and yes flesh says pain. BUT.....spirit, connected to God says that I can and that I will finish the race and that His encouragement is pleasure of "the water to dry ground kind." Pastor you always say you want to hear, "well done good and faithful." That is the Voice of The Father that I as well as all His kids Find pleasure in hearing. I believe we hear it in His constant guiding encouragement and also in His chastising when we miss the mark. Yet He always speaks, even when our flesh tries to distract saying painful. He says that is the assignment we ask for wanting to believe, as we seek Him out. He will speak and we will do, no matter how hard, we ask to see pleasure in doing His will. Whatever the flesh assigns, the Spirit helps us understand the truths of pleasure. His wiring is perfect. I get this. I love to give. I Love to search out and find answers….personal answers in His Word. I know the pleasure of it. I also know how the flesh throws every possible distraction to these two very dear things to me.

The pleasure I have grown to recognise is in the relationship of both. It is not in the recognition but in the belonging.

When I give in any way, I know I have made a differance and someone else is encouraged. To give means also “to give up” and flesh can always be selfish. Painful. But it can’t compare to the good giving brings and the enrichment that floods my soul when I know I have given someone else what Jesus has given me even when I didn’t ask or deserve His kindness mercy and grace alike. I learn to love as He loved.

When I find that the Voice of God speaks directly to me in encouragement and chastisment alike. I have had the favourable mercy of God shine on me in correction and see it as the most beautiful voice of God that speaks as a Father directing His child in correction. The flesh says pain, yet the spirit says I belong, I am loved ie….Pleasure. He has shown me a way to believe in what is truly pleasure in a fallen world and that is belonging to Him. It is eternal, something that can not be shaken no matter what.

Encouragment challenges me to rise above all the other voices that have said I am second best. Not good enough. Less than. Not worthy. A failure.

His encouragement means work in this fallen world and yes flesh says pain.
BUT…..spirit, connected to God says that I can and that I will finish the race and that His encouragement is pleasure of “the water to dry ground kind.”

Pastor you always say you want to hear, “well done good and faithful.” That is the Voice of The Father that I as well as all His kids Find pleasure in hearing. I believe we hear it in His constant guiding encouragement and also in His chastising when we miss the mark. Yet He always speaks, even when our flesh tries to distract saying painful. He says that is the assignment we ask for wanting to believe, as we seek Him out. He will speak and we will do, no matter how hard, we ask to see pleasure in doing His will. Whatever the flesh assigns, the Spirit helps us understand the truths of pleasure. His wiring is perfect.

]]> Comment on God: Pain or Pleasure? by Jim Craig http://drchrisstephens.com/god-pain-or-pleasure/#comment-2820 Jim Craig Sat, 12 May 2012 12:05:38 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8268#comment-2820 One aspect I was thinking about is assigning the category we call "work." Spiritual disciplines can be considered a form of work, but this could apply to our job or working around the house, among other forms of work. How you approach working is a big deal. If I am tired, or busy doing something else I want to do instead, work is pain. But if I have the privilege of working at something with my God-given talents and spiritual gifts, and I can sense the benefit, I derive pleasure from working. The same work can be pleasure or pain. Thanks for your insights on this blog. One aspect I was thinking about is assigning the category we call “work.”
Spiritual disciplines can be considered a form of work, but this could
apply to our job or working around the house, among other forms of work.
How you approach working is a big deal.

If I am tired, or busy doing something else I want to do instead, work is
pain.
But if I have the privilege of working at something with my God-given
talents and spiritual gifts, and I can sense the benefit, I derive
pleasure from working. The same work can be pleasure or pain.

Thanks for your insights on this blog.

]]> Comment on God: Pain or Pleasure? by Phyllis Samuelson http://drchrisstephens.com/god-pain-or-pleasure/#comment-2819 Phyllis Samuelson Fri, 11 May 2012 16:54:29 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8268#comment-2819 Great food for thought. Thank you, Pastor Great food for thought. Thank you, Pastor

]]> Comment on Raising Up Next Generation Leaders by Shyista Leslie http://drchrisstephens.com/raising-up-next-generation-leaders/#comment-2817 Shyista Leslie Wed, 09 May 2012 15:38:10 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8251#comment-2817 That is good news. I remember growing up when the elderly would discipline the younger children. They would even call the parents of the childre to tell them what happened. Now the older generation is doing the same thing as the younger, so in result the younger generation doesn't listen. It doesn't mean that it is right, but if you are doing what I am doing then why should there be any change. Lord help all generations know that we need you to live holy and righteous. Thanks for sharing. (we all have work to do) The harvest is plentiful. No labours! That is good news. I remember growing up when the elderly would discipline the younger children. They would even call the parents of the childre to tell them what happened. Now the older generation is doing the same thing as the younger, so in result the younger generation doesn’t listen. It doesn’t mean that it is right, but if you are doing what I am doing then why should there be any change. Lord help all generations know that we need you to live holy and righteous. Thanks for sharing. (we all have work to do) The harvest is plentiful. No labours!

]]> Comment on How Long Can The Leader Feel The Pulse? by Heather Duncan http://drchrisstephens.com/how-long-can-the-leader-feel-the-pulse/#comment-2813 Heather Duncan Tue, 01 May 2012 08:59:36 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8221#comment-2813 Thank you for sharing this with us, Pastor Chris. I faithfully pray for you, your precious family, your biblical teachings, your convicting messages, and our church family. Thank you for your desire to push us as members of the body of Christ to step out in faith! Thank you for reminding us of God's promises and compassion! Thank you for encouraging us to continually search our hearts and motives! Thank you for teaching us how to discern God's will from our own. Stay strong in your passion and conviction. For those of us just beginning to learn how to step out in faith, we need your testimony and example. May God continue to grant you favor and wisdom as you work to do His will. Many blessings! Heather Thank you for sharing this with us, Pastor Chris. I faithfully pray for you, your precious family, your biblical teachings, your convicting messages, and our church family. Thank you for your desire to push us as members of the body of Christ to step out in faith! Thank you for reminding us of God’s promises and compassion! Thank you for encouraging us to continually search our hearts and motives! Thank you for teaching us how to discern God’s will from our own. Stay strong in your passion and conviction. For those of us just beginning to learn how to step out in faith, we need your testimony and example. May God continue to grant you favor and wisdom as you work to do His will.
Many blessings!
Heather

]]> Comment on How Often Do You Look In The Mirror? by Frustrated Student http://drchrisstephens.com/how-often-do-you-look-in-the-mirror/#comment-2803 Frustrated Student Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:08:35 +0000 http://www.drchrisstephens.com/blog/?p=2126#comment-2803 Ugh...here I was, browsing the internet for sources for my speech on how often we look in the mirror...and I finally find something that might be helpful....guess I got trolled.. :( Ugh…here I was, browsing the internet for sources for my speech on how often we look in the mirror…and I finally find something that might be helpful….guess I got trolled.. :(

]]> Comment on The Weekend AFTER Easter! by Emily http://drchrisstephens.com/the-weekend-after-easter/#comment-2802 Emily Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:51:44 +0000 http://drchrisstephens.com/?p=8157#comment-2802 I like it Cindy!! I like it Cindy!!

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