Stephen F. Smith's Blog – March 2009 Archive (9)

Lord Heal Us All of Silent Frustration! I heard Bishop Jakes preach a message in the early 90's called Silent Frustration. He used the older brother from the parable of The Prodigal Son as the basis for the message. He noted that for all of the mistakes that the prodigal son made, there was a brother that stayed at home, but while staying at home this brother was suffering from silent frustration. Are many in this day silently frustrated? While everyone thinks that things are peachy king with… Continue

Lifestyles of the Rich and the Churchy? I was the transportation coordinator several years back for the late Bishop G. E. Patterson in the late 90's and early in this decade. During that time it was my responsibility to coordinate the safe arrival of Bishop Patterson's guests. Whether these were household names, or just those who where those that were endeared to Bishop Patterson that few others knew. I can say that I have met most of the big names on the Christian Circuit during this time.… Continue

In the social networking world where it seems that everyone has a social networking profile somewhere, there is a line that is often used to describe one's relationships, or one's availability. All over the social networking world regardless of what site one is on, you will see the moniker "It's Complicated"! There are scores of these all over the Web! Our relationships seem to be under attack. This isn't just a case of lovesick lovers, but there are many families that have squabbles over the… Continue

Premature Obituaries? The Return of the Living Dead? Isn’t it amazing how some in life will count one out in a heartbeat? There always seems to be someone who is carrying a tally card of who’s going to make it in life. There are scores of people all over this world that have found themselves counted out in this literal boxing match called life. Has the enemy and the ills of this world made many of us unable to answer the bell? Have we gone down for much longer than a standing eight count? Has… Continue

Torn Between Two Worlds? Torn Between Two Lovers? This is a challenging time as it relates to those of us who claim to be called of the Lord! It is becoming increasingly difficult to find those who ascribe to all of the tenets of the faith. We are now living in a day where it seems many want to mix this or that with the Gospel! Amazingly, one can now find those who were once thought and seen as those who were rooted, grounded, and anchored in the faith starting to waffle all over the place.The… Continue

No More Nervous Moments! It is incredible in the day in which we live to know that there are so many fighting a war on a daily basis with their nerves. This is the age of the prescription drug, Dr. Phil, and any of a number of remedies for the shot nerves of many in this age. My message to those of you that are battling with nerves, twitches, and feeling things crawling on you is that the tormenting fear of the enemy is a trick from the pit!



Some of you are the most beautiful and… Continue

Summa Cum Laude From the School of Hard Knocks! With Honors from the University of Adversity! With all due respect to those who matriculated with honors from the many prestigious institutions in our land, there are scores more that have triumphed over Hell and High Water to Make It! There is a remnant that has overcome bad breaks, and hard times to succeed! For those of us that fit this description, I am proclaiming today as the Awards and Honors Day for you! Some of us didn’t graduate Summa… Continue

Can't Sleep Until I Mess Someone Else Up? There is a passage of scripture in the Wisdom Literature of the Bible that amazingly resonates with what my cousin and I had discussed for years when we were running the streets. While we were out there we often discussed that there were people that literally stayed up all night plotting on others. We used to say that they would be up plotting while others are sleeping. Well we didn't know as heathens then, that we were all over the Word of God in that… Continue

I have always been an individual that has loved to see others feel good about themselves. I have never enjoyed seeing others going through tough times. I am just not one that enjoys or relishes seeing others hurt. It is not like I am living in some Nirvana or Utopia where I don't feel any pain at all on a weekly basis, but I can withstand any enemy onslaught when I know that those around me are feeling well. Since time and chance will come to all men, one must be mature enough to know that… Continue