Tag Archives: Jesus

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart (Part 3)

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In order to help you understand why I am so thankful for the next person on my list I need to take you back to 1980.  I was sixteen years old, working at McDonalds, never missed a Sunday or Wednesday of church, and was already thinking about my future.  In particular, I was thinking about my wife!  I grew up in such a wonderful home with my parents that I couldn’t wait to have a family of my own.  So, at the age of sixteen I started praying for my wife.

At first, my prayers were as shallow as most boys my age, you know, I wanted her to be pretty, have blonde hair, blue eyes, and head over heals in love with me.  As the years began to add up and I was still single, my prayers began to change.  Oh, I still prayed for everything as before but I added that she needed to love Jesus, have a wonderful testimony, want to be on mission for the Lord, and once again be crazy about me. 

I would like to say I patiently waited for the woman who perfectly matched up to my prayers, unfortunately my fear of being alone was greater than my trust in God’s timing.  In spite of my impatience, God was faithful and continued to prepare the perfect wife for me. I had to wait thirteen years to finally meet her in my first New Testament class, but it was well worth the previous heart-break, loneliness, sadness, and seemingly unanswered prayers. I am so grateful for God’s wonderful gift of my wife Shirley. 

Because we were both college students and poorer than a church mouse we went to Subway for our first date.  We sat at a table drinking a soft-drink, eating chocolate chip cookies, and sharing our personal testimonies.  As she shared about her life before and after meeting Jesus I was stunned at how she was listing off all that I had prayed for over the last thirteen years.  It was during the time I had been praying for her that she became a Christian.  She had already been on two mission trips, one to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the other to Trinidad and Tobago. It was quite clear that night just how in love she was with Jesus.  It was so clear I convinced her marry me six months later.

Since we have been married she has taught me so much about God’s love.  Shirley loves me unconditionally in spite of all my idiosyncrasies.  I don’t have to perform, serve, or love her in any special way.  She just loves me!  She has a great desire to demonstrate her love of God by teaching others about Jesus.  She has taught toddlers, children, and youth Sunday School.  She has taught and led Children’s Choir, and has even been willing to do secretarial work for me as long as it wasn’t a permanent job.  Without a doubt I am the second man in her life; which is exactly what I was praying for all the way back in 1980.

So, today I wanted you to know how thankful I am for my wife.  She truly is an answer to prayer and a gift from my Father in heaven.  I love you Shirley!

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart (Part 2)

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Yesterday I shared with you how grateful I am for my LOBC church family.  Today, I want to talk about the two people who mean the world to me—my parents.

As far back as I can remember my parents have been teaching me about Jesus. Every evening we would turn off the T.V. and have a family time of Bible study and prayer.  They simply sat us down and read the Bible with my brother, sister, and I.  They made sure we understood that God’s love for us would never end and that He would meet all our needs.  After Bible study, we would say our prayers together.  My parents didn’t make us learn prayers that sounded all “churchy.”  They told us just to talk honestly to God sharing our needs, fears, concerns, but mostly to thank, praise, and worship Him.

Another lesson they taught me was responsibility.  I had chores that were my responsibility, and if I didn’t do them, they wouldn’t get done.  I was to complete my chores in the proper amount of time and with the right kind of attitude.  Trust me, it never paid to complain about my chores (I’ll let you figure out what happened when I complained).  My chores were also to be done to the best of my ability.  I was never allowed to do a job half-way.  In today’s standards all this may sound harsh, but they taught me lessons I am still applying today.  Everyday I try to do my best at my job; taking a sick day doesn’t happen unless I just can’t get out of bed.  I believe that my work is a direct reflection of my character, so I want everyone to know me by the work I do.  Besides, one of the Bible verses my parents taught me was Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it as to the Lord Jesus.”  If I am working for Him, He knows when I am slacking off!

I also learned about commitment from watching my parents.  They have been married for forty-eight years.  They made a commitment to God to love each other no matter what, and they have stuck with it.  They have had lots of difficulties throughout the years, but they never gave up.  Through financial struggles, sickness, family loss, crippling injuries, and even getting older they have managed to stay together and still love each other in spite of the difficulties.  Their commitment even stretched to them fulfilling a promise—they never backed out of a promise.  No matter how difficult, they always kept their word.

The greatest lesson I learned from my parents is to just be myself.  Mom and Dad never tried to act like someone they weren’t.  They have always been down-to-earth and were never ashamed of who they were.  They never looked down on others because they had less, nor did they envy others who had more.  They were always happy for those who were blessed with more and were willing to help those who had less.  They taught me that it is okay to be Bob Pittenger.

So today, I want to honor my mom and dad.  I am so thankful that in God’s divine plan He allowed me to be the son of Bob and Geri Pittenger!  Mom and Dad I love you and want to thank you for everything you have taught me over the years!

The Truth About Forgiveness

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When I talk to anyone about forgiveness I always tell them to read Colossians 3:12-13, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (ESV). Did you catch that, we are to forgive others as Christ Jesus the Lord has forgiven us.

Forgiving someone who has wronged us is not always the easiest thing to do.  We know Jesus expects us to follow His example of grace and mercy by forgiving others; however, there are times forgiveness is the last thing on our minds.

Why is forgiveness so difficult?  Dr Russell Moore answers this question in his blog entitled “What Forgiveness Is and Isn’t.” I hope this insightful article will help as you seek to show forth the forgiveness of Christ.  Click this link to read Dr. Moore’s blog.

What Are You Excited About?

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For those that are unaware, my son is seven years old and in the second grade.  He is a huge fan of the movies “Cars” and “Cars 2.”  As soon as he gets out of school today, he is going to buy a copy of the DVD “Cars 2.”  He has been marking days off the calendar, counting down to the release of the DVD.  He found out that some of his friends had not seen the movie, so he is going to have them over to watch it with him.

Now, having several seven-year-old boys at my house to watch a movie really isn’t that big of a deal; however, William decided they all need to stay the night.  He and mom have planned out the whole evening: make homemade pizzas, play games out in the backyard, and then the main event–WATCH THE MOVIE!  He is so excited about his friends getting to see his favorite movie.  I keep waiting for him to ask me if we can buy a copy for everyone that will be attending (at last count there are a total of eight boys from ages five to seven).

It is energizing to see his excitement to share something so important to him with his friends.  It is also a bit convicting when I compare it to my lack of communicating to my friends, family, or acquaintances those things which are so important to me.  What would happen if I spent as much time telling others of what is the most important thing in my life.  What if I invited them over to watch a movie that changed my life?  What if I bought them a copy of my favorite book? What if I told them the story of a man who saved my life? What would happen if I was as excited about Jesus as my son is about the movie “Cars 2?”

I am a pastor, and I spend a great deal of time studying, sharing, and imitating Jesus; however, I often wonder is this a job or a passion?  I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.  I love standing before people on Sundays and sharing from the overflow of what Jesus has taught me that week from the Bible.  I enjoying sitting down with someone and listening to their trials, troubles, and tribulations in order to help them find the right direction or just give them a comforting word from God’s Word.  I am thrilled to go door-to-door sharing the good news of Jesus with those who will listen.  I enjoy using the resources God has given me to help others in need.  Never-the-less, I never want people to get the impression that I am only doing this because it is my job.

Over the last few months I have been addressing this concern, to make sure that I am preaching, teaching, praying, sharing, and ministering from a heart that is overflowing with a love for Jesus–a heart that cannot wait to tell others of what Jesus has done in my life today.  A heart that wants everyone to experience a life-changing relationship with Jesus!  A heart consumed with the belief that there is no other away to the Father in heaven but by Jesus (the Jesus of the Holy Bible).  I want my excitement to be seen and heard.

Be Careful Who You Follow!

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As Christians today we need to be very careful of the people we follow in regard to Biblical teaching.  There are so many television and radio preachers today that are teaching bad theology.  There are those who are extremely popular regardless where they stand on key Biblical issues.  Then there are those like Dr. Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, who has a special way of clarifying even the most difficult subject.  His love for Christ, communicating the truth of Scripture, as well as fulfilling the great commission is evident in everything he says or writes.

Below is an article by Dr. Mohler in regard to Joel Osteen’s statement about Christianity and Mormonism.  I would encourage you to read this and share it with others.  These are trying times and we cannot allow ourselves to follow those who teach a strange Gospel.

“Does Joel Osteen Not Know, or Does He Not Care?” by Albert Mohler