Blog / Vlog Archives - Presence Point®

Green Shoots

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Just as a plant needs sunlight, the proper temperature, moisture, air, and nutrients to thrive, we need the same as under-shepherds of our Savior. We need the Son, the Light of the World, along with the air He gives us to breath and the nutrients we find in the milk and the meat of His Word, to shepherd well.

The Lord’s Day

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We have much to learn from the Puritans. Their “strength of character and life lay in prayer and meditation,” as Arthur Bennett, editor of The Valley of Vision, has noted. These men and women of God clearly regarded these practices of utmost importance, believing that living prayer is the characteristic of genuine spirituality.

Where Have The Sheep Gone?

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There is more to healthy pastoring than mere striving and strategies; pastors must also treasure truth. It’s not clichéd for pastors to go back—again and again and again—to our gospel identity: We are at once sheep, servants, stewards, and shepherds.

Two baby lambs frolic in a field near their mother.

God Is Good

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Have you ever given consideration to when you actually do think God is good? Is it when He’s answered your prayer request with a “yes”? Is it when you’ve prayed the same prayer for years, with seemingly no result? God is good, but He’s not just good when the sheep in our lives are listening and following, when life is going our way, and when situations are easy. He’s also good even when – and maybe especially when – we’re in the midst of pain, in the middle of heartbreak, and facing great disappointment.

A wooden pier leads out to a beautiful lake sitting in front of mountains under a gorgeous horizon

On a Dock in Costa Rica

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I know that in this moment – on a dock in Costa Rica – Paul's prayer perfectly described what the experience did for me. This sheep felt the glorious, unlimited resources of the Father empower me with a remarkable inner strength and confidence for whatever is ahead. It deepened my roots in His strength, giving me the power needed to understand just a bit of how much He loves me, knows who I am – wherever I am – and that I will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes only from Him. The life and power needed to shepherd well the sheep He places in my path.

A baby holds flags and clings to his mom as she closes her eyes.

A War-Time Under-Shepherd

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This under-shepherd pastor is introducing one Ukrainian at a time to the Good Shepherd. As he hands out packages to those who come to the church, he shares the gospel. Earlier this week, in just a few hours, he handed out 300 packs of dried food and basic hygiene necessities. And then he offered these weary, worn, and frightened souls the Bread of Life.

A little girl runs while wearing a backpack.

A Missed Opportunity

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I’m sure the lesson here was much more for me than her. The reminder that unforeseen opportunities are around every corner. We simply need to be ready. Our hearts in tune to the Father’s. So that we can in fact, as under-shepherds – at the drop of a hat or the loss of a backpack – make the most of every opportunity.

A group of people sit at a table and hold their hands together in prayer.

An Evolution of Prayer

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It didn’t happen overnight. It was an evolution that began with a risk. One unadulterated, transparent, and authentic request for prayer. And, to date, it has deepened our spiritual journeys, developed an indescribable trust in the Father and each other, and allowed a Board room of like-minded men and women to partner together and shepherd well the journey of Youth for Christ USA.

A set of hands clasp in prayer while their owner sits near a patient in a hospital.

Salvageable

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I was immediately drawn to what my Savior did for me – how the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd viewed me and the state I was in. He endured torture. He suffered. He died. He spent three days separated from the Father. Because I was salvageable.

A crowd of hands hold their hands in the sky while doves fly overhead and a cross can be seen off in the distant sky.

From Woke To Awakened

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As shepherd parents, pastors, partners, supervisors, managers, lay leaders, Board members, and friends – repent and awaken to a new obedience to our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.

In Everything

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How can we possibly give thanks for everything when there is so much suffering and evil in our world?

A woman stands with her back turned and faces a gorgeous sunrise.

The Start Of The Day

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With my own experience in mind, I was intrigued when a colleague and friend shared a prayer that someone had recently passed on to him. As I read the attachment to his email, I knew within seconds that this prayer would be a new addition to my morning time with the Divine.