Veteran's Day Prayer

Please join me in prayer for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and civilians who are deployed in harms way today.

Veteran's Day Prayer from Rick Pina on Vimeo.

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice from Rick Pina on Vimeo.

(Prov 21:3 CEV) Doing what is right and fair pleases the LORD more than an offering.

Here Solomon teaches us the importance of obedience and righteousness before God. Someone asked me: “Do people go to church to be righteous?” I replied, “No, but righteous people go to church.” They continued: “Do people forgive to be righteous?” I replied, “No, but righteous people forgive.” They asked me one more… “Do people give money to be righteous?” I replied, “No, but righteous people support ministry.” What is the common theme of that line of questioning? It is that some people make the mistake of thinking that something they do (externally) for God is more important than the internal condition of their heart. The Father does not want your stuff, He wants you! You may perform lots of religious rituals, but it means nothing to the Father if He does not have your willing submission, obedience, and worship.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse is powerful, it reads: “Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to GOD than religious performance.” The Father is not interested in your ritualistic practices if your heart is not right before Him. Our Lord is looking to be your Lord; a personal Lord who is either Lord OF all or He is not Lord AT all. And not just with outward performances, but with pure hands and a clean heart.

This reminds me of king Saul and the critical mistake he made when he got too big in his own eyes. Saul got to the point where he thought he could disregard what God instructed him to do. Saul did just that and when the Lord’s anger was kindled against him. The Lord sent the prophet Samuel to rebuke Saul. Samuel said, “When the LORD sent you on this mission, he told you to wipe out those worthless Amalekites. Why didn't you listen to the LORD? Why did you keep the animals and make him angry?” The Lord had given Saul explicit instructions kill the Amalekites and everything they had. However, Saul decided to do something else with a portion of the spoils. This is how Saul replied to Samuel: "But I did listen to the LORD! He sent me on a mission, and I went. I captured King Agag and destroyed his nation. All the animals were going to be destroyed anyway. That's why the army brought the best sheep and cattle to Gilgal as sacrifices to the LORD your God.” Did you catch that? All the animals were supposed to be killed immediately, but Saul decided to make an elaborate offering, with the animals, to God – to the same God that had already told him what to do. Samuel responded: "Tell me, does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn't want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him. Rebelling against God or disobeying him because you are proud is just as bad as worshiping idols or asking them for advice. You refused to do what God told you, so God has decided that you can't be king” (see 1st Samuel 15:18-23).

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Sacrifices (or offerings) are not bribes to make God overlook our character flaws.
2. We can't buy God’s favor or attempt to exchange good behavior in one area for bad behavior in another.
3. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for explaining to me the importance of obedience and submission to You. I don’t take my relationship with You lightly. I know that I am Your son and You are my loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father, but I will never disrespect You by taking Your position in my life lightly. While You are my Father, You are also my Lord, and I will willingly and humbly submit to You as such. I offer sacrifices and offerings, not in an attempt to cover anything up, but rather as a form of clear worship. I come to You with clean hands and a pure heart. I want to be naked, open, and unashamed before You. Because I am committed to full obedience, I and positive that You are committed to using me for Your glory! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Your True Self

Only God knows your true self. Let Him expose your true you to you, so that you can develop into all the He would have you to be.

True Self from Rick Pina on Vimeo.

Endless Possibilities!!!!

John said, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1st John 3:1,2).

Do you realize that you are a SON and not a SERVANT or a SLAVE?  Once you truly realize that you are SON of God, the possibilities are endless!  Take your limits off of our LIMITLESS God!

Endless Possibilities from Rick Pina on Vimeo.

The Amazing Grace of God

Do you really understand how Amazing God's grace is? I could have NEVER earned salvation... neither could you. Watch this video. Let's talk about it.

Happy Resurrection Sunday

This is my Resurrection Sunday message - from me to you.  Enjoy :-).

Resurrection Sunday VLOG from Rick Pina on Vimeo.

The Power of the Resurrection

Paul said, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1^st Cor 15:14).  The resurrection means everything to us!

This week is commonly known as “Holy Week.”  During Holy Week we celebrate the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Since I only have two (work) days left before Resurrection Sunday, I will just focus on the resurrection.  But before we get too deep in the subject matter, let me at least a few things about celebrating “Easter” vs. “The Resurrection.”  This upcoming Sunday children all over the United States will go on extensive searches through fields of grass, with their best clothes on, looking for colored eggs.  They will call this “Easter,” and while it may be fun for the kids and seen harmless to many, to me, it makes a mockery of the event that separates Christianity from all other world religions.  I call this upcoming Sunday morning Resurrection Sunday, because it has nothing to do with Peter Cotton tail, or bunnies, or eggs, or pretty colors.  Resurrection Sunday has everything do with celebrating Jesus and how He conquered satan, hell and the grave by conquering death, so that we could do the same.

Mark records the events following Jesus’ death and burial: “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Solome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body…  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  "Don't be alarmed," he said.  “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here” (Mark 16:1-6).  Have you ever taken the time to ponder the fact that we, as Christians, are the only people on the planet who serve a God who lived on the earth, died, and yet still lives?  We serve a living Savior – Jesus is His name!  That’s Good News!  That empty tomb gives Christians all over the world the spring in our step.  That empty tomb is the fuel in our fire, the air in our lungs, and the wind beneath our wings!  Without the empty tomb there is no Christianity.  Without the empty tomb we have no hope.  Without the empty tomb our message is just a story. 

Over the nearly 2,000 years since many have tried to discredit and discount the validity of Jesus’ Resurrection, but the truth lives on.  As Dr. Charlie Parmer (one of my mentors) once said, “The most telling affirmation of the validity of His literal Resurrection was and is the dramatic change that it produced in the lives of those followers.  From the weak, wavering, faltering, denying group of fishermen, tax collectors, etc.; the twelve plus the others became the most zealous, faithful, dynamic group who ever lived.  They literally became burning evangels for the cause of Christ; and they totally turned the world upside down for Him over the next 71 plus years.  They were condemned, threatened, imprisoned, beaten, and commanded to be silent; but they just got right back out on the streets and just started preaching Jesus again – alive by Promise, dead by Purpose, Resurrected by (God's) Power, and reigning for our good Measure and Pleasure!"

So what does this mean to you?  A few things:

1.  It means that Jesus’ victory over death liberates us to reign over death as well.  Jesus took the sting out of death and He took victory from the grave (1^st Cor 15:55).

2.  It means that Christianity is the only religion with a living Savior.  The prophet Mohammed died and remained dead.  Siddhartha, the man who came to be known as “the Buddha,” died and remained dead.  Mahatma Gandhi died and remained dead.  The same could be said for EVERY other religious figure.  Jesus conquered satan, hell and the grave with the Resurrection!

3.  It means that to be a Christian you must have a personal encounter with the Christ!  You can be a Muslim without ever meeting Mohammed, you can be a Buddhist without ever meeting Buddha, but if you are going to be a Christian you have to meet Christ for yourself!

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for sending Jesus to die so that I could live.  I live for Him, in Him, with Him, and through Him.  It is in You Father that I live, and move, and have my being.  Jesus’ victory over death means that death has no victory over me.  I am dead to self, alive to Christ, and I know that I will live forever in You and with You.  I love you with all my heart and I live for You all my days.  Help me to share Your love, Your light, and Your Resurrecting power with others today!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.