Are all difficulties a direct result of Satanic attack?

I was recently asked a very good question that I wanted to post here.

Hi Pastor Todd!!
so i have a question. I have been noticing lately that a lot of ppl attribute just about anything negative in their lives to the devil. Sickness, heartache, trials...etc... I know that there are times when things are a direct attack from the enemy but i was wondering when did we adopt the idea that "everything" was one? and then is that a biblical based belief?

I'll give you a simple answer then I will give a deeper explanation. When something negative happens there are many different emotions or thoughts that we could have. The right way of thinking about this, is to ask God what He is wanting us to understand about His character or about our character. If it is a tragedy, a consequence, an accident, illness, mishap or forgotten set of keys. All things should be funneled through the intimate, unique and powerful relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Ok so maybe that wasn't quite as simple as I thought...but here's the meat of the answer.

James 1 tells us that the testing of our faith works to make us complete...not lacking anything. So here in the very infancy of trouble suggests that God is at work in all situations to make us more like Christ. There are verses such as Romans 8:38-39 that tell us that nothing is more powerful in our lives than God's love for us. So, regardless of the circumstance surrounding how or why the trial occurs, the response should still remain the same.

We do know as in the example of Job or Paul's thorn that at times Satan's agents are at work around us. Satan is not omnipresent so, he can only be in one place at one time...granted, he could move really fast from place to place, but he most likely is focused on much more important people/areas in the world than what we'll ever deal with. However, the agents of Satan are alive and at work.

Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives has conquered Satan and death. But Satan and his agents are going to do everything they can to bring us down with them...they already know their destiny. But God promises to make all things work together for those who are seeking and striving for Him. In the end...Satan's agents may be at work, but God's power is greater...and God is always trying to teach us something new in each situation.

So, if it means my faith will be strengthened then I have hope even in the darkest struggle or trial in life...because my hope is in Christ who already purchased my pardon and given me eternal life.

Ultimately if we were to blame anyone it would be Adam & Eve. Because through them sin entered the world and all pain, suffering, trials and death. So, there may be times when something is a direct result of an agent of Satan, however, most of what we deal with in life is a result of sin in the world and/or sin in our lives. We are failed beings in need of a Savior!

Prayer for Veteran's Day

Ok, it's been quite a long time since I posted. I wrote a prayer yesterday for our prayer meeting. Our emphasis was on our veterans, since it was Veterans Day.

Veteran’s Day Prayer – November 11, 2009
Todd Hitchcock

We acknowledge today, Heavenly Father, your protection, blessing and divine movement throughout the young history of the United States of America. Under your guidance and through your will we have been blessed beyond all we could ask or imagine. We pray your continued presence and power on our nation. We humbly submit our failings and our sin. We ask for your mercy, for grace and forgiveness. We pray, “God bless America.”

Since the founding of our nation, “conceived in liberty,” countless men and women have stepped forward to defend our country and many others from aggressors in a commitment to liberate those held captive, spiritually and physically.

We ask for your blessing on all those who have served in our armed forces. We ask for healing through the power of your Holy Spirit for the veterans who have been wounded, in body and soul.

We especially pray for the men and women, who daily come home with injured bodies and traumatized spirits. Bring peace to them and we pray they would find the Price of Peace.

Heavenly Father, in appreciation we pray for the selfless sacrifice of these veterans and of their families. Help us to remember them, to pray for them, and to care for them. We pray for consolation to every veteran’s family with your unfailing love.

Thank you, O God, for your gifts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and for a nation that is the land of the free and the home of the brave! May we fight to keep these rights available to us all.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Am I really HATEFUL?

Yesterday, the House of Representatives, (who are they representing?) Voted 249-275 to pass the Hate Crimes Bill. Now, I for one will stand with anyone who is being silenced for what they believe, even I don't necessarily agree with them. Why? Because in the United States of America we have freedom of speech. I do understand that freedom of speech does not necessitate anything being said at anytime. We all know the old adage, we can't yell, "FIRE!" in a crowded movie theater, that would be a misuse of freedom.

The problem with this bill is not that we need to protect people from being hateful. The problem with this bill is that it is protecting on the one hand and silencing on the other. There are already plenty of laws in place to protect people. The Hate Crime Bill moves from actual crimes against another to ideology in which the government deems to be too inflammatory. This would include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Imagine you are passing through the airport. Your child is in desperate need to use the restroom. There is no longer any protection as to specific use of facilities by gender association. Is it wrong to say that I don't want grown men using the same restroom in which my young daughters need to use? Am I really being hateful by not wanting to expose that potential to my children? If pedophiles are raised to be allowed "equal rights." How does this scenario radically change my options?

I don't know how to imbed a video to this blog, so here is a Fox News report that you have to view!

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Blog/Default.aspx?id=518786

The book of Romans is a fabulous book centered around the grace of God. ALL are fallen (sinful) and ALL are in need of the free gift of God through salvation. But, in the opening chapter of Romans, Paul describes God's invisible qualities, His divine nature and eternal power as being self evident to all mankind. Included in this section is a list of abandoning what is natural as well as the things that lead to a depraved mind. Included in this section is a clear teaching that homosexuality is a sin and as with ALL sexual sin there are unique consequences attached to them.

Am I being hateful to believe that what the Bible says is true? According to this Hate Crimes Bill, yes I am. Because of the vagueness of this bill, and of the intentional denial of protecting the actual words contained in the Bible, as a pastor I could be arrested and convicted of at least 5 felonies for simply stating what the Bible says. All our lives we have told our children that only "bad people" go to jail.

Perhaps the greatest thing that could ever happen to American Christianity is whole scale coordinated persecution. The thought does not bring me any kind of personal comfort. But if it causes God's Kingdom to grow, then that's what matters most in the light of eternity.

My heart and my mind realizes that we have failed tremendously as Christians and as a church to reaching a lost world for Christ...and by this I don't mean we need to start a new "evangelistic" process. What we failed in is the other side of the gospel. We neglected the poor in Spirit, we neglected the hurting, the widow, the criminal, and the list goes on. As a result, we are viewed as arrogant, self-serving and hypocritical. Why? Because we have taken the truth of Christ to a hurting world and neglected the loving hand and powerful resources of God and not generously given them away.

Now, I am not throwing judgment...if anything I am as guilty as anyone else. But this is where we have failed, and I for one have spent much time asking God to forgive me and to lead me according to the WHOLE Gospel of Christ. So, the response is, what are we going to do differently? What do we need to rethink? How can we change the perception that we don't care about anything else but our religious ideology? Are we more concerned that we convince others to think as we do, or are we concerned that they are lost, dying and destined to live for eternity in hell? Jesus came to save the lost...not to change ideology. Guess what...the Holy Spirit will change ideology once a persons life is TRANSFORMED!!! Praise God!

We need to love all people through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to stand up and allow God's truth to not be silenced. What are we going to do about it?

Stewardship Series

Ok, so Philippians 4:19 tells us that God will meet our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. What exactly does that mean? Is God going to just magically clean up all our messes? We want to give special, precious gifts to our children, and God is no different. But I don't just give them anything at anytime.

The key phrase in this verse is "in Christ Jesus." John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the "Word." If we are in Christ Jesus we are in the Word. Living according to the Word is a requirement of God meeting our needs. According to doesn't mean anything at anytime, although God does have the capacity to knock our socks off, even when we don't deserve it.

So, next time you are in need...make sure you are living according to the Word.

The whole section of teaching prior to this verse is intently focused on living a life fully and completely reliant on God. We work out our salvation, we don't work for our salvation!

Whew, I can't wait for Sunday!

Please add to these thoughts by commenting. Maybe I'll use something you add to one of the upcoming messages.

PRAYER Series

Prayer really is an unnatural action. The notion of reliance on another, unseen being flys in the face of our personal value of self-reliance. However, for many, we have come to a place in our lives, at least, where at a point of desperate crisis, we have called out to God. Hopefully, for some, this action has become a lifestyle habit.

Wherever you are in the process, prayer is the most essential aspect of a follower of Christ. Beginning in the month of January, we will be focusing on prayer. Join in the preparation by commenting on your thoughts regarding prayer.

When you think of prayer, what comes to mind? Have you had any questions regarding prayer? When you try to pray what happens? How has prayer helped you in a crisis? Has prayer become so real to you that you could never let it go? Have you wondered how prayer really works? Have you wondered how you are supposed to pray?

Questions regarding a Biblical foundation for marriage-

Greetings-

Thanks for stopping by. This past Sunday we took a look at God's view of marriage through His communication of the issue in the Bible. In preparation for next Sunday's message if you have any additional questions or have heard any compelling ideas regarding this issue please post below. I would like to take time this upcoming Sunday, Nov. 2 to address any of these questions.

God Is Good...

Todd.