Rob Patz: You can’t get there from here
Written by Staff on June 17, 2018 – 8:48 am -
Rob Patz: You can’t get there from here
2018 June SGNScoops Publisher’s Point by Rob Patz
In the world we live in, everyone has GPS on their phone, so you can always find your way. However, I’m sure you also have heard the statement… “you can’t get there from here.”
I think I have probably heard that statement 100 times as I’ve traveled over the years and been blessed with the opportunity to work in Christian ministry. There are many times I’ve stopped at a gas station or store and asked how do I get to such and such town, and on many occasions I’ve heard that phrase.
I heard it recently and it made me start to think about our lives and how we live. How many of us have heard that we can’t get to where we need to go from where we are. How many of us in our life have allowed the roadblocks – whether real or imagined – to block our path? How many times have you said in your own head, “I can’t get there from here?”
Rob Patz
As I look at my life, and as I come up to a significant birthday in a few months, if you would’ve asked me years ago if this is where I would be at this point in my life, I would’ve definitely said no. I’m one of those people that plans. I have ideas and goals, I make lists every day and I get excited about checking off things from my list when I’ve been able to accomplish things. This was not really where I planned to be.
That being said, we can create a plan but that isn’t always what God wants for us. God has a plan for you and for me and sometimes his plan is much different than what we think. I know, for me personally, that I have wondered how I would get to where I truly believe God wants me, from where I am at the moment. If we lean on our own understanding, we think we are never going to be able to accomplish the things that we believe God has for us to do.
Don’t misunderstand, I marvel at where God has taken me so far. He’s allowed me the opportunity to do the things that I have desired, and I am humbled by those things he has allowed me to do. However, being a person of lists and goals, I have not always done everything personally and in business that I wanted to do. In fact, there are times where I have missed the mark completely.
Recently, I was in the St. Louis airport and in my head I was thinking of all the things that I needed to accomplish. Some of those things seemed impossible at the time. There were things in my near future that I felt I couldn’t handle on my own.
June 2018 SGNScoops Magazine
Then I remembered the song, “God will make a way, when there seems to be no way…He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me…He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way…” (God Will Make A Way lyrics by Don Moen © Capitol Christian Music Group)
In the moment of an almost meltdown, I began to sing that song quietly to myself in the airport. I found comfort in the words of the song and I realized again that even when our natural man says you can’t get there from here, God says, “I will clear a way for you.”
I don’t know where you are today, I don’t know what things have not been fulfilled in your life, I don’t know what goals you haven’t seen come to fruition. But let me tell you that no matter where you are, God can make a way to where you need to be. So don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t get there from here.
Hey, I would love to see you in Vernon, Alabama, in September for an awesome weekend of gospel music. Vernon is an event I look forward to every year and I can’t wait for this year. Please make plans to join me and many great artists in Vernon, Alabama, September 7-8, at the Vernon City Auditorium.
Until next month, this is the Publisher’s Point for June 2018.
By Rob Patz
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Tags: Christian life, Destination, June 2018 SGNScoops Magazine, Publisher’s Point, rob patz
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Sail away with Rob Patz
Written by Staff on May 23, 2018 – 2:30 pm -
Sail away with Rob Patz
May 2018 SGNScoops Magazine Publisher’s Point by Rob Patz
Welcome to the month of May. I hope that you have had a fantastic spring to this point, and if you are a mother, I want to wish you a happy Mother’s Day, as I want to wish my mom a wonderful, blessed day as well.
My mom has always taught me that ‘nothing works unless you do.’ She also says a statement that I have taken to heart, which is: If you don’t act on your faith, God cannot move in your circumstance. Stop and think of that for minute. If you don’t take steps of faith, God cannot move.
Put it this way: If you were a captain of a sailboat and you wanted to sail across the inlet, you wouldn’t just untie your boat from the pier and sit there and hope that your boat will cross the inlet. The truth of the matter is, the captain has to have faith that with his action of unfurling the sail, the wind will carry him across. So if we look at our faith that way, it’s great to say we have faith, but if we don’t unfurl the sail of our faith, God cannot move us in the direction that we need to go.
Rob Patz
I have to be honest with you. I thought by this point in my life, I would have everything handled. I would be able to tell you exactly what every detail of my life was going to be like for the next 10 years.
If you’re one of that kind of people, my hat’s off to you. But my life, which I have to say I am blessed to live, has had more turns in it and more changes than I ever could have imagined. I am so fortunate to realize that God is writing my history each day. Sometimes my story is much different then I would have imagined it to be, but every day I get up excited, realizing that my new story is even better than what I could have imagined.
I know many of us struggle with finding out where God wants us, or where he’s leading us. Many of us have watched relationships disintegrate, or jobs disappear, and we sit there wondering what the future holds. Now I’ll tell you this: If your life is the sailboat and you are the captain, it is time for you to untie your boat from the pier, unfurl your sail, and let God breathe into your situation. So many of us are worried to really, truly, pray God‘s will for our life, when in reality, if we do that, God will set us on the course to the other side of the inlet.
May 2018 SGNScoops Magazine
Hey, I want to make this your special invitation to join me for Creekside 2018 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This year, I am coming expecting a blessing, as we have C.T. Townsend preaching for us.
Also, if you would like to subscribe to the print newspaper that we put out each month, you can contact me, and I can help you with your subscription. rob@sgnscoops.com
Until next month, this is the Publisher’s Point.
READ The latest PDF Version Of SGNScoops Magazine here.
Download The latest PDF Version Of SGNScoops Magazine HERE
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Listen Online To The Best In Todays Gospel Music HERE
Tags: Christian life, gospel music, rob patz, SGNScoops Magazine
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Q&A with Coach G.F. Watkins Author of “Test Me: The Malachi Mystery”
Written by Staff on May 17, 2018 – 2:24 pm -
G.F. Watkins
Q: What prompted you to write the book “Test Me”?
A: I read a study in Barna Research that said only 4% of Christians actually tithe. But in Malachi 3, God clearly says that those who give a tithe will receive His provision and protection. I’ve been tithing for over three decades, and I have seen God do incredible things in my life. While I was a pastor, I would counsel with people who were struggling with various problems in their lives and I began to ask them, “Do you tithe?” The answer was almost always no, and I began to see a correlation. If we are not tithing, we are not under protection and provision which basically means we are choosing to be under a curse. People say they are crucified with Christ yet their actions don’t represent that fact. Everyone has the ability to tithe because whether you make a lot of money or very little, the tithe is a percentage, not an amount. God will always move through the people that love Him. God has hidden a mystery in Malachi, not from the people of God, but for the people of God. I talk to so many pastors who say they don’t have enough provision for their vision. Yet, the provision for the work of the church is contained in the Holy tithe. Tithing is like a thermometer. You can tell where you are with God by your willingness to give.
Q&A with Coach G.F. Watkins
Author of “Test Me: The Malachi Mystery”
Q: Why is tithing a neglected subject?
A: If it is not taught it won’t be practiced. The atheist magician Penn Jillette tells the story of a businessman who handed him a bible one time. Penn said that if Christians truly believed what they say they believe—that without Jesus people are going to hell— then they should be shouting that from the rooftops. In the same way, if a pastor believes the word of God and yet does not inform his congregation about the whole of the bible, including the importance of tithing, they are missing the boat. I understand a lot of people have abused giving. That turns me off too. But we’ve thrown the baby out with the bath water when it comes to tithing.
Q: What d0 you believe would happen in the United States if all Christians tithed?
A: Let’s do some simple math. The median U.S. household income is $53,647. If we take the number of professing Christians in America, which Gallup says is 75%, it would equal 243 million people. Let’s divide that by 3 to calculate the correct family ratio and we get 81 million Christian families. If we multiple 81 million by the average income, then we have an annual combined Christian income in the U.S. of approximately $4.35 trillion dollars. Divide this by 10 for the tithe, and we see $435 Billion dollars that should be in the American Christian storehouse. No offerings, just the tithe! The total cost to eradicate world hunger is $30 Billion. The total cost to eradicate homelessness in the U.S. is $20 Billion. We should still have $385 Billion to solve other problems each year. If we feed people and make sure everyone has a home, do you think they might be open to the gospel? God’s strategy works. This is how God designed his Word to win the world.
A: We have presented this book and program in several churches over the past few months, ranging from 140 to 4000 members. Some churches doubled their tithing in just the first week. We have seen a 30 to 90% increase of people tithing in each instance. If 100% of people tithe, you never need an offering. Everything a church would need, they will get from the Holy tithe. According to Malachi 2:7, the pastor is supposed to teach his flock what God says because most people are simply ignorant of God’s ways. What we are trying to do is come along beside pastors and offer them the tools they need to educate their congregations. The results have been astounding to date.
Q: You have done a lot of work in men’s ministry and wrote a book called “The Alpha Male and the Women who Get Them”. Talk about what you have learned working with men.
A: Edwin Louis Cole is considered the father of the Christian men’s movement, and I was privileged to have him as my mentor. His book “Maximized Manhood” rocked my world. In churches today, the ratio is usually 80% female and 20% male. Yet we know that when a mom is the first to be saved in a family, the chance the rest of the family will be saved is 13%. But when the father is first to be saved, the percentage increase to 95%. We teach men to be “Alpha Males” ——men who take responsibility, grow up, and lead their families. If a man loves God he will always love his wife. If we know our roles, we can reach our goals.
Q: You make some controversial statements about ADHD in “The Alpha Male” book. Talk about that.
A: I come from a family of educators and have a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology. Testing in our schools for hyperactivity or ADHD is biased and based on what current trends determine to be “normal.” The fact is the majority of teachers in elementary schools are female. They classify young men as ADHD and they are often medicated with drugs like Risperdal which causes female breast growth in young men. We are literally medicating masculinity out of our young men. As a former high school football coach and having a father that coached as well, I watched his remedy for ADHD on a daily basis. When young boys wouldn’t sit still in class, the teachers would send them to Coach Watkins’ office. Dad would take the boys outside and make them run and do bear crawls. Once they were able to extinguish a little testosterone, they were able to go back to the classroom and focus. And yes, they were a little winded and sweaty.
A: If you want people to change they have to go deep. When men are in a group together, and a woman walks in, they shut down. The same dynamic also happens in a group of women. There has to be trust in a group of men. Instead of having a normal Wednesday night service, we do church for men on Wednesdays and church for women on Tuesdays, and have had great results. Our meetings begin over a meal, and then we start talking about the evening’s subject such as courage, sexual integrity, being a better husband, fatherhood, how to be a leader, etc. We have over 1oo men each week at our church and many groups that meet monthly outside of church. Many of the churches we coach now host their own Man Church.
Q: What would you say is the most important concept for men to understand?
A: Men need to understand who they are. Genesis 1:28 says that God created man to subdue it and have dominion over it. In God’s perfect world, He made man to rule and reign with Him on earth while He is the Lord of Heaven. When man sinned, the keys to this earth were handed to Satan and man gave up his authority to Satan. Nothing on earth was contrary to God until sin entered into the equation. We were created to rule, yet most men don’t know that. Dr Cole used to say being male is a matter of birth, but being a man is matter of choice. Heroes act on a need greater than themselves. We need more men willing to sacrifice themselves and become heroes to their families and communities. Affirmation is a father’s most powerful tool. Men need their fathers’ affirmations in order to reach their destiny.
Q: Talk about the Jordan Ranch and how it came about.
A: As a pastor of a large church for many years, I became frustrated when I noticed that, although we were gaining membership, people were not growing in Christ. We decided to go on an “Encounter God” weekend, and it was life-altering. It is 3 days of intensive ministry about the delivering power of the cross. And just like Jesus took twelve men to the cross and then He left, I have watched men bring needles, condoms, cocaine, pot, whiskey —things they brought with them not knowing what the weekend would bring— and they laid them at the cross. It became so popular with our church that small retreat centers couldn’t hold us anymore. I felt like the Lord said we need to build a facility to not only accommodate our church, but many other churches and organizations. We wanted Jordan Ranch to be an excellent place of refuge and retreat for people. In the past 9 years we have hosted all kinds of groups at this $10 million dollar, 65,000 square foot rustic elegance retreat center that sits on 86 acres. With 23 rooms, the ranch can accommodate groups as small as two and as large as 73. Our dining room and conference room can seat up to 120 guests, and our executive chef cooks everything on-site with a variety of menu choices. Chick-Fil-A’s Winshape Foundation has partnered with us to offer a retreat free of charge for high school coaches in Texas. We have an annual Intense Men gathering which is the largest campout in Texas with over 1600 men attending this year. We believe in top-down ministry in everything we do—training leaders to train others. Churches send their kids off to summer camp, but then they come back to dysfunctional leadership. If we can get the leadership in our churches and in our families correct, everything else will fall into place.
About G.F. Watkins:
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Tags: Christian life, church, G.F. Watkins, gospel music, tithing
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Fayth Lore of the Lore Family talks about a Mother’s Love
Written by Staff on May 12, 2018 – 12:05 pm -
Fayth Lore and the Lore Family
When you’re a little girl, you watch your mother with the intent of being just like her. She’s what makes you love people a bit deeper. She’s what makes your home look and smell good, and she’s the epitome of God’s love. Little boys go to their mother for care and concern and live with the expectation that she can make anything better again. Their mother is who shows them love in the first place.
If God blesses you with a mother, or someone who treated you like their own, He has blessed you with something that will last a lifetime. Mothers deserve more than just a day to recognize them, but take a moment today, or two, and wrap those arms around your mother or the special lady in your life and remind her of the love she has given you.
Fayth Lore and her mom, Sandy
Fayth Lore of the Lore Family truly knows the leadership and guidance of having a special mother. I asked Fayth the following questions, to which you can feel the reality of their relationship, and the love and respect she holds for her mother.
What do you admire most about your mother?
“There are so many things that I admire about my mother. It’s hard to pick just one. Anyone who knows Sandy Lore knows that she loves God, and she loves her family. Mom isn’t the type of person who just lives for Jesus on Sundays and on stage. She lives for Him each day and behind the scenes when nobody’s watching. One thing I have always appreciated about my mother is that she is as real as they come. She’s not a fake person. She sincerely cares about people and hurts when they hurt. I’ve watched her talk to individuals after concerts and later write their name down on her prayer board that she prays over daily. She is a woman of faith.
“She is absolutely hilarious when you get to know her and extremely sarcastic, but she’s never been afraid to let me see her hard days. She’s allowed me to be her best friend, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I share pretty much every detail of my life with my mother, because I have confidence in her discrepancy, advice and love. She’s always told me that she loves me, but she’s never shied away from telling me when I’m wrong. She is the epitome of class, but she knows how to cut up and have a good time.”
What is it like singing on stage with your mother?
“It is something special to have the opportunity to sing with my family on stage. Not very many young women get that chance. We’re a pretty normal, average family. We all drive each other crazy, but that’s what makes road trips so fun. Hah. We say that we’re like a three-ring circus, and it’s probably true. In the end, I know that family is the most precious possession that God has given me on this side of Heaven. I wouldn’t trade singing next to my crazy bunch, for the world.
“At our latest teen girl conference, True Purpose Girls Conference 2017, Mom and I both caught eyes while singing a duet together on one of our latest songs, “Many Sparrows” (written by Marcia Henry). Looking each other in the eye, we both began to tear up. Later, we discussed what was running through our minds as we caught eyes, and we discovered that we were thinking the same thing. The lyrics say, “You are worth more than many sparrows. It’s important that you know, God knows exactly where you are. And you, don’t be afraid about tomorrow. For no matter where you go, God goes. He is looking out for many sparrows.” Running through both of our minds was the thought of how special the other person is. The quality time that I get to spend with my mom every weekend, I’m sure I take for granted many of times. But, I will never forget our special moments that God gives us.”
Of all the amazing traits your mother has, what do you feel is her best?
“Her hazel eyes. She does have beautiful eyes, but in all seriousness, my mom has a pure heart. Like I said, she is just real with people. When people come to her with questions or prayer requests, she always tries to sympathize with them and takes time to listen. If there is an issue, she’s not very good at sweeping it under the rug. She believes in getting things into the light, because the truth will set you free. We always say that if someone is going to get hurt or sick in the family, it will be mom. We say it’s because she’s the most spiritual one of the four of us, and Satan is trying to take her out. But, she has full faith in the power of God. She’s not afraid to pray about anything and believe what she’s praying for.”
What trait(s) does your mother possess that you hope to exemplify one day for yourself?
“Her faith and her class. Mom and Dad both grew up at the same church, up the holler. We’re country as cornbread as they say. Maybe not that country, but we do live in Southern Ohio. My mother is a classy woman, and she believes in taking care of yourself and looking your best. But, she also showed Samuel and I how to make Indian War paint with river water and river rock. She’d smear it on our cheeks when we were younger, and we’d pretend like we were Indians. I hope to have her sincerity and faith someday. I tend to be too analytical and downcast about situations or goals. But, when Mom claims something in Jesus’ name, she believes it wholeheartedly.”
Tags: Christian life, family, Fayth Lore, gospel music, Lore Family, Mothers Day, Sarah Murray
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David Staton asks: Who are You?
Written by Staff on May 6, 2018 – 5:00 pm -
David Staton asks: Who are you?
I have often said that if we as Christians could ever really grasp what happened on the cross, it would rock our world and change everything. Our impact on those around us and the results of our lives would be drastically different.
Have you ever wondered why the turning point for any championship sports team is the coaching staff? The leadership provided by the coach does not change the physical limitations of the team, but they do change the mental limitations.
A great coach makes his team realize who they are and who they can be. When a coach is successful in doing this, the results are amazing. The players become more than members of the team, or someone who just wears the uniform … they become champions. They win.
The apostle Paul compared our Christian life to a sport. We all play, but the goal is to keep your eyes on what’s ahead and finish well. We all finish, but some finish well.
Billy Graham finished well. My dad finished well. If heaven is your only goal, then one could say that we all win, but I believe that when we receive Christ, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the deepest part of who we are, we get way more than just a ticket to heaven. I believe – because scripture teaches it – that we receive power.
In fact, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us. Do we really grasp what that means? I don’t think we do.
Why do I think this? I don’t see much power, transformation, earth-quaking, mountain-moving, hell-shaking results from the majority that wear the team uniform. I don’t see much winning. This frustrates me.
David Staton and family
As a matter of fact, it frustrated me to the point that I wanted a coach. If the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of me, then I don’t want to cross the finish line worn out, defeated, clinging to my ticket to heaven. I want to finish strong. I want to win.
That means I had to expand my thinking outside of denominational barriers and absorb truth. I turned to scripture and prayer and God has sent coaches into my life that have convinced me that I can access that power. I can win.
2 Corinthians 5:21 reads, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
I have two beautiful daughters. Katherine is 10, and Grace is 15. Both have chosen to follow Christ and are saved, but for kids today, life is tough.
Peer pressure today is ending lives. Suicide, death from that first time trying drugs, and having sex even before your body is fully matured … that’s what kids today wake up with every morning.
When my girls were saved, I explained to them exactly how God made them (spirit, soul, and body), and explained to them what happened when they surrendered their lives to Christ. I’m amazed that you rarely hear this taught in most churches, but it is foundational to understanding who we are.
They memorized 2 Corinthians 5:21 and now every morning before they go to school, I ask them, “Do you know who you are?” They reply out loud, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”
The other night, Grace told me that since she has been declaring that out loud every morning, something has happened. She went on to tell me that when she is about to make a choice, no matter how big or small, something inside her lets her know which one is the right choice and which one is the wrong choice. She told me that making a wrong choice is now gut-wrenching.
David Staton
So what happened? Rather than letting her behavior determine who she is, she is letting her identity determine her behavior. She is beginning to realize exactly who dwells in her spirit, and who she is because of it. Declaring it every morning makes her more and more aware.
There are only two times when we are not a threat to the enemy. There are only two times when we are not in the race – before we start (before we are a Christian) and after we cross the finish line (in Heaven).
What happens in between those two times is when we are in the game.
Run the race, don’t just wear the uniform. Make a difference. Win. Finish well.
April 2018 SGNScoops Magazine
By David Staton
David Staton is a regular contributor to SGNScoops Magazine.
Can You Handle It: Who Are YOU? was published April 2018 in SGNScoops Magazine
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Tags: Christian life, David Staton, finish well, gospel music, sgnscoops
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Zach Williams, Easter, and Finding Your Now
Written by Staff on March 29, 2018 – 12:49 pm -
March 2018 SGNScoops Magazine
Editor’s Last Word by Lorraine Walker for March 2018 SGNScoops Magazine
I heard the birds singing louder than the traffic noise this morning, and I knew that spring must be just around the corner. The month of March is full of possibilities as I watch the bulbs start to send up their green leaves, and the rabbits come out of hibernation to try and feast on those sprouts. It makes me begin to wonder what new things the Lord wants me to do as I come out of my own winter hibernation. Is there something new for all of us this month, this week, or even today?
Let’s all look at the chains that may be preventing us from attempting something different. Those chains may be fear, or indecision, or perceived inability, holding us down. Maybe we need to listen to Zach Williams’ “Chain Breaker” one more time. That is one of my favorite songs right now, whether it is Triumphant or Gaither Vocal Band or Steve Ladd or Williams himself performing it. I confess that I have played Williams’ and Triumphant’s CDs until they have been worn thin. I may be the only person in the world still purchasing full CDs, but then, I still have boxes of cassette tapes as well. However, I digress.
When the idea was born to feature Williams on the cover of this issue, I was delighted. The writer of this hit is a Grammy Award winner, and his song has been covered by many artists from many different branches of Christian music. I am so glad that Justin McLeod was able to chat with this singer/songwriter, and I hope that you enjoyed every feature in our diverse look at what is happening in the world of Christian music.
Moving to the genre of Christian country music, artist Jonathan Dale said something in my interview with him that has resonated with me ever since. He was talking about his new release, “This Is Your Now.” He wants this generation to be aware that the time is now to do what you are called to do, not wait for another day, week, or year. We all need to look at this moment as our time, as we may not have another moment.
The writer Paul told his readers in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” He was quoting the prophet Isaiah from the Old Testament in Isaiah 49:8. The Bible is filled with the thread of urgency, reminding us time and again that our life here on earth is but a short blip in the eternal timeline. Where you spend the rest of your life depends on what you do now. Have you made the decision that Dr. Billy Graham probably preached thousands of times in his lifetime? Have you accepted the salvation of the Lord, put your trust in Him and given your life to Him?
Lorraine Walker, editor of SGNScoops Magazine
Truly, “This Is Your Now.” You may never have another chance to make that decision. And if you have been walking with the Lord, what has He been urging you to do with your life, that thing that has caused you to procrastinate? You have said to yourself that you would wait until you had a break in your job stress, or perhaps until you acquired a job, or until you were wiser in your knowledge of scripture, or until whatever has been happening in your life had passed.
What better time than spring, than Easter, than today to reach hold of the hand of God and allow Him to lead you into a new land?
God spoke to Isaiah and said through him, “Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing. Now, it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18, 19)
Thanks so much for reading SGNScoops Magazine. If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to email me at lorraine@sgnscoops.com. I hope to see you at some gospel music event this year.
Do that new thing today. This truly is your now.
By Lorraine Walker
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Tags: Christian life, Easter, Lorraine Walker, Zach Williams
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Rob Patz asks if You are Missing the Mark
Written by Staff on February 28, 2018 – 5:10 pm -
February 2018 SGNScoops Magazine. Publisher’s Point by Rob Patz
Publisher’s Point by Rob Patz
Welcome to the February edition of the Publisher’s Point. So how was the first month of the year? Did you complete everything you wanted to accomplish? Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions? Are you on the path to a successful 2018?
Okay, right now is a moment of transparency. To be completely honest with you, I haven’t kept either of my resolutions. One was to exercise. Now, I’m not saying I haven’t exercised at all, but I haven’t exercised with any consistency.
I blew the other resolution too. I was going to be more organized. Yeah, that one hasn’t worked out too great either. In fact, I probably will lose this Publisher’s Point at least once before it actually makes the magazine. If that doesn’t make you laugh, nothing will.
Sometimes in life, we set standards and goals for ourselves, both of which are sometimes not attainable. I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive for high standards, or for lofty goals … far from it. I think we should always dream bigger than we can imagine, because we serve a God who wants us to set goals that are beyond our normal beliefs.
However, I do want to talk about something that has been weighing on my heart, and that is missing the mark when you set goals and standards. I’ll be honest with you … over the last month, I have struggled with my own self-worth. They say, in life, you can be your worst critic, and there have been times when I have questioned my own decisions. I’m not saying we shouldn’t question our own decisions. Again, this is something that we need to pray about.
When I wrote last month’s Publisher’s Point, I didn’t realize how the words that God had given me would come to such life, when I said, “2018 is a new year and new you.” As I have watched circumstances and events unfold in my own life over the last 30 days, it has made me realize that I may miss the mark I have set for myself.
Rob Patz with Mark Trammell, Nick Trammell and Pat Barker
I sometimes struggle to even see the mark, but I know that God is with me. I know that He cares very much for me and for what I’m doing, but He hasn’t brought me to this point to leave me. I do know that He alone is who I should focus on.
For so much of our life, we want to set these great and grandiose New Year’s resolutions. Please listen to me … I do think that we should all set goals. I think we should have things that we want to accomplish, because without goals – especially written down – we will never accomplish anything. But what I’m saying is that our first and foremost thing in life should be to immerse ourselves in what Jesus wants.
This month, I want to encourage you to know that if you are a Christian, you serve a God who is closer than a brother and who sees everything that you’re doing. He knows what you’re striving for. He knows that, at times, you’re going to miss the mark that you have set. Remember, He may not make the goal that you believe you should reach.
He is the God of grace, the God of love, and the God of peace. He loves you regardless of what you are striving for and wants you to make His goals your standard for your life this year.
Make plans to join me in Oxford, Ala., from March 1-3.We are going to have an awesome time. God is going to move, and we believe that lives will be changed. See you then.
Until next month, this is the Publisher’s Point.
By Rob Patz
First published by SGNScoops Magazine in February 2018
Tags: Christian life, gospel music, rob patz, sgnscoops
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Lorraine Walker asks: What are Your Spiritual Goals for 2018?
Written by Staff on February 6, 2018 – 8:36 am -
Lorraine Walker, Editor of SGNScoops Magazine, asks about your spiritual goals for January 2018
SGNScoops Magazine: Editor’s Last Word by Lorraine Walker for January 2018
Happy New Year. I trust everyone had a good holiday season. For those whose December was a time of sorrow, I understand and pray that this new year will bring encouragement and joy from our Lord.
Here at SGNScoops, we like to highlight an up-and-coming gospel music artist every year on our January cover. The Jordan Family Band is a great new family group that everyone seems to be talking about.
I first became aware of them by catching videos on Facebook by Randa Jordan. It was just her and her piano, and it was so real and heartfelt, as well as being accomplished and skillfully presented, that I kept looking for her when I went online. Then, her family joined her, and I wondered what rock I’d been hiding under that I wasn’t aware of the Jordan Family Band until then. Seriously, if you haven’t heard them yet, find them on Facebook, and they will touch your heart. Be watching for them to climb the charts in 2018.
It is also nice to hear some new year’s resolutions by gospel artists and to think about our own goal-setting. As we consider the year ahead at SGNScoops, we would like to have your input. Who would you like us to feature? Is there a story or film or book you would like us to cover? Please send me an email with your suggestions at lorraine@sgnscoops.com.
Taking stock of your personal life is also good at any time, not just at the beginning of the year. Most people mention their physical goals, but what about your spiritual goals? It’s a good time to pray about God’s direction.
What are your spiritual goals for 2018?
Perhaps He is urging you to reach out to your neighbor this year, to find a missionary to support, or to dare to walk more closely to the light of His glory. I think we as a society are becoming more aware of religious persecution, but what some may not realize is that Christians are persecuted and martyred around the world. The tide against us is growing higher all the time, as is evidenced by daily news reports. The closer you walk with the Lord, the more this tide will grow, but a life with Jesus is worth it all.
If the new year appears to be filled with the same difficulties that you have faced in the past, remember that the Lord knows and wants to help you along the road you have to walk. Remember that He is building character in you. Romans 5:1-5 (NIVUK) “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Be courageous in 2018
Trust God to be your source of peace and hope in 2018. Happy New Year.
Questions? Comments? Email me at lorraine@sgnscoops.com
By Lorraine Walker
First published by SGNScoops Magazine in January 2018.
Lorraine Walker
Tags: Christian life, God, gospel music, Jesus, Lorraine Walker, SGNScoops Magazine, Spiritual Goals
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The Stray captures the heart in a big way
Written by Staff on January 16, 2018 – 11:10 am -
The Stray
Sometimes God answers prayer in the most unusual way. Sometimes hardships and family crises become just the catalyst needed to make a change. And sometimes help comes from the most unlikely place. In “THE STRAY,” help for the Davis’, a family on the brink of falling apart, arrives in the form of Pluto, a stray dog who saves their lives—literally.
When one of the Davis kids prays for a dog, Pluto, a stray, shows up and makes himself at home with the struggling family. Mitch Davis, a workaholic father, seems unsure about taking on a pet, but when Pluto—“the Wonderdog,” they lovingly call him—manages to save one child and bring companionship to another, he can’t help but agree to keep him. But Pluto is not only a guard dog, he’s a guardian angel. While on a camping trip, Pluto the Wonderdog saves Mitch’s life during a freak lightning storm, and the act changes the Davis family forever. “He was the answer to problems we didn’t know we had,” someone explains in the film.
Based on the incredible true story of Hollywood producer Mitch Davis (The Other Side of Heaven) and starring Michael Cassidy (Argo, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Sarah Lancaster (Everwood, The Judge), “THE STRAY” is a film for all audiences and illustrates how the unconditional love of a pet can change your life and how important the love of and making time for family are. The film also received the Dove Family Approved seal for its portrayal of positive values. “Although The Stray reflects my personal story, I know there are countless families across America who could say the same thing about a pet that greatly impacted them with its unconditional love—which is why I hope families will see this film together,” Davis explained, adamant that audiences understand that God can work through the most unlikely circumstances.
Though it took a shock from God for Davis to learn, he hopes families who see the film together will come away knowing that “Families are what life’s all about. Families are hard, but they’re by far the most important thing,” in life. For the Davis’, Pluto helped them learn this lesson. “Pluto was a dog, but in our family he was an angel. He showed up in answer to prayer at a time when our family needed something, and we didn’t quite know what we needed,” Davis described. “Pluto gave us our lives back. We saved the dog, and then the dog saved us.” In the film, Davis ruminates to Pluto while staring at the stars in the sky, “We’re awfully small, aren’t we boy? Or maybe we’re just a part of something awfully big.” For the Davis family, Pluto was both.
THE STRAY released October 6, 2017 via Pure Flix. Visit THE STRAY movie website at www.TheStrayResources.com and follow THE STRAY movie on Facebook and Twitter and follow the conversation at #TheStray.
Reviewed by Suzanne Mason. Special to SGNScoops.
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Tags: Christian life, family friendly films, Michael Cassidy, Pure Flix, Sarah Lancaster, The Stray
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Christmas Challenge by Rob Patz
Written by Staff on December 17, 2017 – 5:34 am -
Publisher’s Point for Christmas and December 2017 by Rob Patz
‘Tis the season. I wonder how many times this year I will actually say that, and I wonder how many people really understand what we celebrate during the season. As Christians, we celebrate the fact that God saw such a need that He would send His only son, knowing full well that His son would die on a cross.
I have to say that there are times where I forget to take in the full impact of what Christmas really means. We all get so busy sharing the holiday with family and friends that we forget the impact of a baby being born in a manger. No, we as modern-day humans don’t understand what a manger really is. A manger wasn’t a softly made bed like the paintings that we see. They say it was hewn out of stone and probably was very rustic. It’s difficult to think that the savior of the world was born under such conditions.
That should make us all reevaluate how we look at the holidays. I’m not saying you should take down your tree, and I’m not saying you should stop buying gifts, I’m just saying that maybe this year, during the holiday, you should sit down and read the Christmas story and reflect on the magnitude of this perfect gift, which we truly celebrate.
‘During the holiday season …’ – that way I can work Thanksgiving in as well, since I’m writing to you before Thanksgiving – I spend a lot of time reflecting on life. I think we all do. Like everyone, I miss family during this time of year. There are those that have gone on before us, those who we don’t have the opportunity to call or see during the holidays, and then we have those who have – with time – drifted out of our lives. This includes my family as much as those that are close friends. During this time of year, I often wonder what they’re doing, or how they are. I usually take a few minutes, especially on Thanksgiving, to pray for them.
As you read this, for most of you, Christmas is in full swing. My family and I enjoy this time of year immensely. It’s an opportunity to not only look forward, but to look back at the past year.
This was a year full of changes and challenges. As someone who embraces change, some of the changes were good … some of them, not so much. As far as challenges, like everyone, I had different sets of challenges, but with challenges, we know we are moving forward. As much as we embrace change, we should also learn to embrace challenges.
What challenges are laid before you, and what does God have for you to do within that challenge? I learned that over this past year that sometimes God is creating the challenge to strengthen us. I recently heard a pastor say that without challenges we will see no growth, for in the challenge God creates in us the wisdom to move forward. I believe this year I have learned and gained new wisdom.
Rob Patz
I’m going close this year’s Publishers Point by challenging you to pray not only for our magazine, but for your church, your neighbors, and your family. I pray that this year you take time to specifically pray for each. I believe that 2018 is going to be full of new blessings.
God has amazing things for you and for me. It’s time to stop looking at the negative. I’m going to preach this throughout 2018 … stop dwelling on the bad things and start praising God for the good things.
As I close this, I want to wish you all the best during the holidays, from my family to yours. I love you all.
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Tags: Christian life, christmas, rob patz, SGNScoops Magazine
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