it makes a differance

Hey everyone I have not posted in a while.
I found a something of value to share today. It is a testimony about of a survivor of Abortion. You may ask how can that be, and i would say click and see!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=158348990848143


This is also a reminder to you during this time of the year. Your vote makes a difference.

The person you are voting for have your same values.
I encourage you don't just trust the good guy/girl will win. You need to get out and vote it truly makes a difference in what our future can be.

Scotty

What a weekend...

    WOW, this past weekend at Cowboy Fellowship was something else!  God is really moving in our church and great things are happening.  I believe that many more great things are in store for us as we finish out 2010 as well.  I have been overwhelmed and somewhat surprised at the response from this weekend's sermon.  I talk about this topic some in the discipleship work book I wrote called The Absolute Basics of Christianity. The lessons in the workbook on heaven and hell always generate a great deal of discussion.  But this week's sermon focused specifically on what happens when we die and it really spoke to many people. After church on Sunday I went to San Antonio to celebrate my grandmother's birthday and when I returned home my email box was already filled with messages about the sermon.  I posted it online, and within an hour emails from around the world started to come in as well, from people who subscribe to the podcast or download the messages.  Everyone wants to know what happens when you die, and it seems this message really helped people better understand that process.   If you missed it and you would like to listen to the sermon you can download it for free here. 
    I have also posted the transcripts from the first twelve messages from this series on the letter that was written to the Thessalonian church.  These transcripts are not really "publish ready" but I feel I should post them in case you want to go back and read the messages again or look at the scriptures one more time.  I hope to have the rest of the messages up within a week.  For now they are only located on my personal website www.pastorpete.org under the media section with the sermons. I will try to find time to post them on www.cowboyfellowship.org in the coming weeks.  If you would like to read the transcripts or listen to the sermons you can click here. Below are just a few of the comments I have received about this week's message entitled "The Dead, The Christ, and The Living Pt. 1."  I think next week's message will be just as enlightening as this one, if not more...

WOW was all I could say after today's sermon.  You and God... what a team!  Okay, here's the deal... as I think you probably know, my dad is and has been very sick for some time.  He has cancer and is in the last stages and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and is now at home and we are doing the best we can to care for him with the help of a Hospice team... Anyway, as you might imagine, your topic for a sermon today was very timely.  My dad had asked me last week what happens when you die...(She had a long conversation with her father then...) I asked him if he was going to go to heaven and he said he was.

                                                                                                                                  ---Texas

Pastor Pete, as you know my family and I walk into our village each week to listen to you message and teachings. This weeks message was exactly what we needed to hear.  Two weeks ago an elder in our church passed away and a great dispute has broken out here in our church over the issue you preached about today.  Your sermon answered the question in such a clear way, I would like to share this message with my church this Sunday, would you be so kind as to send me your sermon notes to reference as i preach next Sunday? Thank you for helping me I hope to meet you someday. 

                                                                                                                                 ---Niger Africa 

My wife died in Christ 96 days ago. Last night was the first time in 96 days that I did not cry myself to sleep. Peace has come upon me through your message. (They were married for 55+ years)

                                                                                                                                 --- Church Deacon, Lousiana 

Best sermon I have heard in my 83 years...

                                                    ---Kansas 

...Peace, hope, joy, and comfort I have them all because of what I just heard...

                                                                                                 ---London

I have waited 25 years to hear that message...now I am going to go listen to it again...

                                                                                                               ---Florida

You did a great job... what a strong message and good lesson!!!!!

                                                                               ---Texas

The Absolute Basics of Christianity

Hey everyone I wanted to let you know that the first volume of my discipleship book The Absolute Basics of Christianity is now available for purchase.  You can use the link below, or find it at amazon or barnesandnoble.com.  In the coming weeks it will slowly make its way onto other sites and into some stores.  Volume two will be out in 2-3 weeks sometime around the first of October.  A few weeks after that both volumes will be released in one super volume as well.  So feel free to purchase a copy of volume one (13 Lessons), or you can wait till the book with both volumes and all 26 lessons comes out in a few weeks.  If you enjoy the study please tell others about it and help me spread the word.

Pete

PS. we will have some copies for sale at the church but we will not have very many until the end of October due to the large size of our 101 class this fall. 

Top 10 Reasons To Be INVOLVED In Church

Top 10 Reasons To Be INVOLVED In Church
Pastor Pete

1. 
   
   Real Connection-The friendships and fellowship at a Christ centered church can't be found any other place in the world.
2. 
   
   Renewal-Being in God's house with God's people will renew you and help you prepare for another week.
3. 
   
   Equipping-A biblically centered church will help train and equip you to fulfill your God given purpose.
4. 
   
   Accountability-Its a good thing I promise!
5. 
   
   Perspective-Your earthly and eternal perspective is positively impacted when you are involved in your church.
6. 
   
   Worship-There is just something special about singing and learning with other believers.  It can't be replicated any other way other than being in church.
7. 
   
   Significance-Your life makes a greater impact when you share your talents and gifts with the church. We accomplish more together.
8. 
   
   Strength-The devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. When you join other belivers you become a much harder target to destroy.
9. 
   
   Encouragement-Life will naturally bring difficult seasons to everyone. When you are a part of the body of Christ having other believers help you through those rough times is priceless.
10. 
    
    Stability-Church involvement has been proven to decrease stress, worry, and fear.  In general those who are active in church tend to live more stable lives.

Sex Education

As promised we wanted to give all of the parents in our congregation some tools to help you deal with your children regarding the issue of sex. The staff at Cowboy Fellowship realizes that this is a difficult subject for both parents and children to discuss.  However, this is one of the most important topics for families today.  With the endless temptations and sexual myths that have invaded our society, we desperately need to help protect our children.  It is tempting to lock them in their rooms and seclude them from the world for 20-30 years (LOL) but of course that is not practical.  So instead the best way to protect them is to educate them on all the important issues of life including sex. This blog contains some helpful information, but don't forget that we (the staff) are always available and willing to help in any way we can.  Call on us if you need us.
My children are currently ages 2 years, and 6 weeks.  So needless to say we have not had to talk about sex much.  However, my two year old has started asking questions about his body parts, and why "daddy kisses momma" etc.  Research is showing that sex education needs to begin sooner, rather than later.  So here are some helpful hints that can be used at all ages with both boys and girls.

1. Use the Bible- The Bible speaks God's truth into our lives on all subject matters including sex.  Talk about sex with your children in the context of what God's word says on the subject, not what mom or dad say.  There are both positive and negative sexual examples in God's word and many teachable moments in common Biblical stories. So mom and dad this means that you need to read your Bible, so that when the time comes, you are able to incorporate God's word into your sex education program with your children. 
2. Be honest-  Of course judgment needs to be used when dealing with children of different ages.  But don't lie to your kids or make things up.  If you don't think your child needs to know that specific answer, just be honest and tell them that for now they don't need to know that but when the time comes you will help inform them. 
3. Be available- make sure your children understand that talking to you about sex is always ok.  Never make them feel like you are uninterested or unwilling to approach the subject.  If you do they will learn from their friends and their peers who they date.  No parent wants that. 
4. Be proactive- Don't wait for your children to bring the subject up, you are the parent and God has given you the responsibility to educate your kids.  Of course, younger children like my 2 year old, naturally ask many questions on all subjects.  But as kids grow older they will be less willing to approach difficult subjects such as sex with their parents. 
5. Be positive- Make sure that your children understand that God's moral standard of abstinence is a blessing not a curse.  Help them to see all of the benefits to following God's laws in all areas of their lives including sex. 
6. Be a role model- We must set a good example for our children to follow.  If we disobey God in this or any other area we should not be surprised when our children do as well.  If you have previously messed up confess your sins to God and your children (if it is appropriate at their age) and receive God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  Move on and set an example from then on that your children can follow.

If you want even more information about this subject I would recommend that you visit the area of Focus on the Family's website which deals with this specific issue.  I would also recommend that all parents read Bringing Up Boys, and Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson. He has many other resources and books available regarding children as well.  If you want to view all of them you can click on his name above. 
Once again please know that we are praying for you and we desire to help you in this and all areas concerning your family.  If there is anything we can do please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sex in the church...

From the beginning of the Christian faith, sex has been a major issue in the church.  Many either fail to, or refuse to, recognize that this uncomfortable subject has great consequences when it comes to our faith and our effectiveness with the gospel.  In the history of the church there have been several major world wide church councils.  The council of Jerusalem which met around 50 AD was forced to deal with the issue of sex because sexual immorality had become an issue for the believers of the early church. While this was not the main focus of the council of Jerusalem they did say the following.

Acts 15:20 NIV Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

Sexual immorality like it or not has been a part of the church since it's origin.  This constant battle rages in the flesh of both men and women who must "learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable" (1 Thessalonians 4:4 NIV).  When we pretend that sexual sins are not a temptation that the devil uses against Christians, we open ourselves and our churches to an even grater extent and become more vulnerable to such attacks.  However, when we deal with the issue openly, biblically, and honestly, we find freedom, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and hope of a better future in the arms of our loving savior.  May God give each believer and each church the boldness necessary to confront the sexual sins of our day as the Apostles did in theirs. Below are some verses that show not only how prevalent sexual immorality was in the early church, but also how boldly the Apostles confronted such sin.

Some people like to squelch the debate by saying "all the church does is judge me! :-("   Rest assured this debate has never been about personal judgment against individuals.  Instead it is about the judgment that comes with all sin. We must speak the truth in love, in our efforts to help one another become all that God has created us to be.  While sexual sin is listed in all of the scriptures below, note that many other sins are as well.  Furthermore, all sins carry the same punishment of death according to God's word (Romans 6:23).  Sexual sins are not any worse than any other.  The problem is many today preach against deceit, hatred, idolatry, rage, drunkenness, and greed.  Far fewer however are willing to stand against sexual immorality.  While this is an uncomfortable subject it is necessary that we stand together and defeat this evil once and for all. If you struggle with this issue and would like to receive accountability and help to defeat this issue in your life please email us.  Of course your confidentiality will be respected.    

Ephesians 5:3–20 NIV   But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:19–26 NIV the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

1 Corinthians 5:1–5 NIV It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 6:9–20 NIV Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 “Everything is permissible for me” — but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” — but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food” — but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Sex, Sanctification, & Salvation…1 Thessalonians 4:3–8

   Yesterday in church we discussed 1 Thess. 4:3-8 which deals with the moral standards that God sets forth for His people regarding sex.  As promised I wanted to give you a little more background on the sexual climate that the people of Thessalonica found themselves in as they read this letter from Paul.  We did not have time yesterday to discuss the context of these words as much as I would have preferred so below I have included an excerpt from John MacArthur's commentary on the subject.  I would also encourage you to read the sermon transcripts from two messages he preached on this same passage if you have the time.  They are entitled Abstaining from Sexual Sin--Part 1 and Part 2.  In the coming days additional information will be posted to this blog on how to talk to your children about sex.

The following observations come from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary

                 Since the 1960s, when the modern sexual revolution really accelerated, Western society has had fewer and fewer rules governing sexual attitudes and behaviors. Freedom of sexual expression has in many ways become the cultural god that rules over all the other idolatrous gods of postmodern culture. People want the right, for themselves and others, to express their sexual desires at any cost, even if that means aborting the unwanted child resulting from a sexual union or risking a sexually transmitted disease.

                  Several obvious tenets constitute the world’s immoral, unscriptural outlook regarding sex. First, people are basically good and all but the most heinous activities should be tolerated. Therefore, virtually any kind of consensual sexual activity is good (except for child molestation), especially if one views sex as merely a way to personal gratification. Second, since sexual activity is only a biological function (cf. 1 Cor. 6:13), it is normal and necessary to engage in it without placing on it any moral restrictions. Third, since “casual” sex is just another form of fun and pleasure, it is permissible to enjoy sexual activity recreationally any time with any consenting partner. Fourth, fulfilling one’s sexual desire is a major goal in life, more important than developing meaningful personal relationships. Fifth, instant gratification is more important than delayed satisfaction. Therefore, having premarital sex is legitimate and preferable to waiting until marriage to have sex. Sixth, enjoyable sexual intercourse is the most important factor in establishing a good marital relationship. Therefore, the early stage of every romantic relationship should include sex. The couple should live together to determine sexual compatibility and fulfillment before they marry.

                  Christians understand that those are the dogmas of society’s permissive sexual outlook. The apostle Paul could have recognized the same tendencies in his day because, if anything, the utterly pagan Greco-Roman culture he ministered in was more sexually perverse and debauched than contemporary Western culture, which for centuries has had the beneficial influence of Christianity on its institutions. Thessalonica was part of that debased Greco-Roman culture. The city was rife with such sinful practices as fornication, adultery, homosexuality (including pedophilia), transvestism (men dressing like women), and a wide variety of pornographic and erotic perversions, all done with a seared conscience and society’s acceptance, hence with little or no accompanying shame or guilt. Unlike people in Western nations today, the Thessalonians grew up with no Christian tradition to support laws and standards that forbid the grosser manifestations of immorality. Pagan Greek society apparently did not have civil laws to prohibit immoral behavior.

                  Further contributing to the sexually permissive environment in Thessalonica was the influence of the mystery religions that advocated ritual prostitution. They taught that if a follower engaged with a temple prostitute, he would be communing transcendentally with the deity the prostitute represented. For example, the Temple of Aphrodite on the Corinthian acropolis employed one thousand priestesses who were essentially religious prostitutes. Thus people did not consider fornication and adultery illegal or immoral; the idolatrous religions actually condoned them.

                  For the Thessalonians, then, sexual sin was more customary and more tolerated than it is even by today’s standards. That reality provides a clearer perspective of Paul’s ministry at Thessalonica. When he, Silas, and Timothy planted the church there, they rescued people out of that pornographic society. Many of those new converts, who had lived in immorality, no doubt had mistresses, and many of the women likely engaged in harlotry. Their rather sudden entrance into the kingdom of God required the Thessalonians to break with their pagan background. That requirement presented them with strong challenges—old habits and the pressures from a wicked culture would seek to draw them away from their new life and back to the old. Paul, as their pastor, was concerned enough to begin the exhortation portion of this epistle with commands regarding immoral conduct.

                  Though the surrounding culture continually lowered its moral standards, the Thessalonians could not lower theirs. Paul’s requirement that the Thessalonian believers abstain from sexual sin did not involve a relative morality; it encompassed an absolute standard. Such an unambiguous command, however, did not single out—the way Paul would with the Corinthians—specific groups or individuals within the church who were committing certain sins (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1–13). But that lack of specificity in no way mitigated Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians’ purity. That this general, preventive exhortation to sexual morality began his list of practical instructions in the final two chapters of 1 Thessalonians highlights Paul’s major concern for sexual fidelity in Thessalonica. With this background in mind, one can examine this passage by asking three questions: What kind of sexual conduct does God require? How can a believer be sexually moral? Why should a believer be sexually moral?^[1]

---

^[1]John MacArthur, 1–2 Thessalonians, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 2002), 101.

 

So you want to grow...

Several people have recently asked me to recommend websites and other free resources that can assist them in growing and going deeper in God's word.  Like most ministers, I use Bible software for my personal study.  However, such software can be very expensive, and while a great investment for full time ministers who use it for hours each day, it is really not practical or needed for most Christians.  With that said, here are some resources that you might find useful.

Paid Software:

1. Bible Navigator-  For under $20 you get a very good Bible software program.  The problem is that you will have to buy many of the translations, commentaries, and other resources that you want.  Basically they sell you the program and then you get to build your own personal library by purchasing books and Bible translations.  This is great because you don't have to pay for a bunch of stuff you won't use, and  you can buy additional resources over time.  Before I started using MAC's this was the program I had on my windows computer.  This program will only work on the window's platform. 
2. Accordance- If you own a MAC this is for you.  Personally this is the program I am currently using.  They have many different pricing levels ranging from $99 to $600 for your primary package.  Of course the more you pay the more you get in the way of commentaries, Bible translations, and other resources.  Like most other software programs you can add additional resources to build your custom library over time.  They also have a FREE trial version, if you would like to test drive it before you buy.  
3. Logos- Logos has primarily been for windows users although they are currently developing a version for MAC as well.  Personally I have never used Logos as my primary study platform because the MAC version that I tried was not that good.  However, for windows users this seems to be the preferred software.  It starts at around $149 and goes up to $4,200 depending on how much you want in your package.  There are many great features about this product, however it is one of the most expensive programs of it's kind on the market today.
4. There are several other programs like Bible Works, Esword, and Quick Verse that are reportedly very good programs as well, however I have not personally used them enough to recommend them.

      This is the bottom line, if you are going to purchase one of these programs, do your research, and make sure you are getting something that you need, and can use. Look at each product realistically and evaluate it based on your needs.  If possible test drive the software or find someone who owns it already and see if they will sit down with you and show you how it works.
      The better option might be to use online resources that are FREE.  Below is a list of available FREE resources that you can find on the web.  These sites will do most of what the programs mentioned above will, the downside is you may have to visit multiple sites to find what you are looking for.  With the programs above all the info is at the tips of your fingers.  

FREE Resources:

1. Biblestudytools.com- This is probably as close to an all in one FREE Bible study resource that will be very similar to what you can get with a paid program.  This site makes money with the advertisements that you have to look at while you are doing your research.  But this is a very complete resource, you can view many translations of the Bible, see cross references, make personal notes, highlight, print, email, even post stuff on Facebook or twitter.  The downside is they use older commentaries that are public domain, and of course you can only choose from the 7-10 choices they give you.  However for the price of FREE you can't complain to much.  I have used this site some and enjoy it, but for someone who spends hours each day researching scriptures it is just to slow and bulky for me personally.  However for the lay member who desires to double check something the pastor said, or prepare a bit extra for next weeks Bible study, or make personal notes they can use in the future about different scriptures this site is really good.   
2. Biblegateway.com- This is a free service for reading and researching Scripture online--all in the language or translation of your choice! They provide advanced tools you can use to search the Bible by keywords or verse, as well as other tools to enhance your study of the Bible.
3. Biblos.com- This site has so much information on it.  The downside is you can easily be overwhelmed when visiting the site.  Once you learn how to navigate through it to find the information you are looking for this site will become an amazing resource.  You will find, time lines, commentaries, outlines, interlinear translations, pictures, and much more on this site.
4. Blueletterbible.org- Here is how they describe themselves.  "Our mission is to facilitate in-depth study of God's Word through an on-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith."  What I like most about this site is it's simplicity.  When you search a scripture for example, these six little buttons come up next to the scripture you searched.  From there you can easily access commentaries, and much more about the passage.
5. Bible.com- is a site that encompasses various translations, languages, scriptures, studies, and dynamic Biblical based content. Our online Christian Community offers visitors a place to gather, learn, interact, and share the Bible’s teachings. Website users can access a host of tools, news, articles, and products pertaining to the Bible - presented in an interesting, captivating and engaging way. Our Site covers such areas as kids, family, culture, and more based upon Biblical principles.

These websites can also be found on www.cowboyfellowship.org, and www.pastorpete.org in the additional links section.  If you have questions please let myself or any of our staff know and we will be glad to help you find the best solution for you to be able to mature, and grow as you study God's word.