Some of you may not know this, but at one time, during my long hair days, I was a Christian musician who played bass guitar for a couple of bands. Because of that, Christian music is somewhat one of my passions. So I thought, I would share with you my top 10 all time favorite songs. Remember to turn off the music at the bottom of this page before you start watching the videos. #1 Larry Norman. Many consider him to be the father of Christian Rock and Roll. I had the opportunity to be in the band that opened for him at Easthill Church in Gresham Oregon. #2 Keith Green. By far one of the most influential musicians in my own life spiritually. He was a prophetic voice to the church that was taken way too young in my opinion. #3 Randy Stonehill. A true songwriter and who was able to put to music, songs of the heart. #4 Resurrection (Rez) band. One of the first Christian metal bands. I saw them in concert in 1980. We packed 8 guys in a 63 Nova SS. 3 in the front. 3 in … [more]

Many of us have heard the term "Greasy Grace". This is usually used in a derogatory manner when depicting people who are focused on sin, especially other people's sin, talk of others who seem to not be as concerned about a certain problem or lifestyle. It is especially used by those that I would put in the more legalistic camp of our large and very diverse Christian family. You see, although I struggle daily with some of the things that uptight and hard nosed people do, I accept them as part of my family. Those from the holiness movement, or fundamentalist movements, are still loved, accepted, and forgiven by the same Jesus as I am. He has adopted them into His family. And the reason I am able to do this is because of "Greasy Grace" Let me share why. We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” No matter if you are a legalist, a liberal, or as myself, a balding man on a quest for the radical middle, we are all saved the same way, By grac… [more]

Have you ever had times where you do not seem to grow? That your spiritual life seems stagnant? That there is no joy, no peace, no contentment? The reason why so many believers make no progress in their spiritual life is either because they do not walk in God’s will or because they do not know how to walk in God’s will. They have in their mind so many thoughts, each seeming to be God’s will, that they cannot discern what is the right walk. Due to their not walking according to the will of God, their spiritual lives remain stagnant. For those that do not want to walk in the will of God, I would just like to remind you of this. You were bought with a price. The price was the precious blood of Jesus falling to the ground on Golgotha's hill. Remember how much He loved you. How much He walked in God's will for you. That love if understood should set you on the path to start wanting to walk in God's will. For the rest of us, that struggle to know what God's will really is, conside… [more]

Recently I had a discussion with someone from a church that has made it a doctrine that certain practices and manifestations of the Holy Spirit are meant to be kept in special believers meetings. I understand why they came up with this doctrine but for the life of me cannot understand how they biblically justify it. It takes a major twisting of 1 Corinthians 14 to even come to a shred of justification for this belief. However I do understand why they do it. A couple of weeks after I gave my life to Jesus, I had an experience with the Holy Spirit, that set me down a path of being open to supernatural things happening. I had read the book by Hal Lindsey entitled "Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth. In which he devoted a chapter to what he called "the tongues movement". Well I was so ignorant and naive, that I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. So I asked a friend. What I didn't know was my friends dad was the pastor in the Foursquare denomination. (a traditional pentecos… [more]

Does anyone remember the old song we used to sing years ago. "I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back. Today as I reminisce about my life and about the path I have been on. I think to myself. "My I had no idea what the pledge to follow Jesus would bring in my life or where it would lead me. In a very real since I made that pledge in spiritual and human naivety. But you know what? I am glad I did. When I made that pledge, I did not know that my first car that was my baby would be vandalized because of my faith. I did not know that I would be ridiculed in high school. I did not know that I would have to make hard decisions about family, jobs, hours I work, and women. Yet all those things happened. And yet, I am still glad I made that pledge. Do you want to know why? Because in spite of all that I have walked through in life. Knowing Jesus does not compare. He has been my friend for years when no o… [more]

Recently I had an event in my life that that has brought me to my knees once again, dealing with emotional pain. As I told my church when I first was being considered to be their pastor, I am not perfect, and I have had a past and a story that is not typical of a pastoral candidate. (Click here to read my story) but I would always be open and transparent about what Jesus is doing and overcoming in my life. Well to the reader's of Taber's Truths, I give the same pledge. I am not perfect, nor in all honesty, is that a goal of mine. I think the pursuit of perfection is both folly and vanity. But what I will give is authentic and transparent insights in how Jesus works through and in me. This article is one of those things. Because I know I have some readers who are attached to this story, I am going to speak in some generalities. I do not want to hurt them, nor do I want to talk bad about anyone. We get enough negative input in our lives without having someone heap more up on us. My dea… [more]

I have been around long enough now to have seen many fads come and go within the church. Does anybody remember backward masking? TBN got all worked up about it and I wonder how many contributions they received for "Defending the Faith". Pfffft! All it got was a bunch of non-thinkers to listen to Led Zeppelin! I could hear the devil frontwards, I didn't need to listen to him backwards! Which brings me to the subject of this article. Recently there has been another fad going across the church. Renaming who we are. Instead of "Christian" we are now Christ Followers. Ok! Hmmmm, I am not sure I am going to buy into this one either. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing inherently evil or immoral about using the words "Christ Follower" but...... There is something wrong with the whole mentality behind it.Once again we are faced with whether or not people will accept us. We continue to get our focus on whether the world accepts us or not. All in the hopes of winning more people supposedly. Bu… [more]

Over the last few years I have heard from various church leaders that we need to re-evaluate how we "do" church. That what we are doing is not working. Every time I hear that I cringe. It has the wrong focus. Mark 9:35 "And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” We do not need to re-evaluate how we "do" church, we just need to start "being" the church, and let the methods work out themselves with people who are sincere about letting Jesus be Himself in their lives. Doing church is methodology centered. Being the Church is Christ Centered. Doing church is institutionally centered on getting people to come to a particular place. Being the church is centered on getting people into their communities. I was not called to attract people to a building, to manage programs, or be a PR man. I was called to train people to serve. "Eph. 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, s… [more]

The searing emotional pain. The numbness that comes over your soul. The uncontrollable anger. The despair, depression, and bleakness that permeates everything you do. These are just a few of the things that I experienced after divorce. Nothing seems normal. Everything is turned on its head.   Even though I felt alone, I was not alone. Millions of people experience the same things that I did. But did that matter to me at the time? Heck no! I wandered and groped my way along trying to find my way out of the maze that was my shattered life. In fact if it was not for the grace of God sending me a dear pastor/brother/friend from the other end of the theological spectrum, I am not sure where I would be today. God has a very unique sense of humor. He sent a Southern Baptist pastor to minister grace to a broken Pentecostal pastor.   Please allow me to share with you some of the things I learned that helped me get to the place where there truly is life after divorce.   Wh… [more]

Many of you I am sure, has seen the movie, "The Passion of The Christ". And as this is Good Friday so I thought I would take a moment to talk about The Passionate Jesus. You see, from my perspective, the passion of Good Friday, is a direct result of passion Jesus had throughout His life. You do not all of a sudden become passionate. So let's take a look at some of the things He was passionate about. He was passionate about people! If you will recall, the religious and hardnosed hypocrites of the day complained that He hung out with tax collectors and sinners. In Matthew chapter 11 it says "18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” It was more important to Jesus to hang with the people than it was to look righteou… [more]

Every morning now, I get up and put the coffee on. (I haven't figured out how to program the coffee maker yet) I begin my day by praying, “God, what would you like to speak through me to those you are bringing by this blog”. Sometimes I get a clear impression and other times nada. However this morning I sensed that He just wanted to spend time with us. That He wants us to learn how to be His friend.  A friend of God So many times we approach our relationship with God from a standpoint of "What do you want me to do now God?" We are so focused on doing, which is not a bad thing in itself, that we forget to just be his friends. Remember Abraham? James 2:23 "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God." Do you ever just spend time with a friend because you like to hang out with them? Having no agenda, no purpose, and no goal but just to spend time with… [more]

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Of all the 10 commandments, (not suggestions) this is one I have wrestled with in life a lot. Not because my mother acts dishonorably in any way, (Major disclaimer here in case she ever reads this!), but because I have had to work through this for my kids’ sake and how they deal with their mother. Again I am not casting judgment upon her either, but anytime you deal with a broken family, you have to deal with how to encourage your kids to have relationship with the other parent, not allow your own hurt and bitterness to influence them, and yet how also to teach them what to do if that parent is not behaving in a godly fashion. These are just a few of the things I have learned. I hope they help you! Always encourage and support your kids in their love for their mother and father! If you do not do this, then you are actually inflicting wounds upon their heart… [more]

I am writing this post my friends to encourage you that no matter what you have gone through in life, God still wants to use you in mighty and powerful ways. No, you may not be the next Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, but then again you may!, but you are still a valid vessel that can be used by God to good things! Romans 11:29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. You may say, oh but you don't know what I have done. The mistakes I have made, the sins I have committed. Honestly, I don't want to know. I do know this. God throws them as far as the east is from the west, into the sea of forgetfulness. You might say, but I am divorced, or I have fallen away from Jesus, or I hate too many people, or I can't speak good, ect. All of these things have been faced by others and God still used them. I always tell people, if God used Balaam's donkey, then He can use me! God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. That means us people! We truly are the foolish things. … [more]

Once again we are at the Easter Season. And once again I see and hear the same old drivel time and time again. Goddess of fertility, Easter bunnies, colored eggs, blah, blah, blah, blah, BLAH! My gosh people, do we have to strain this gnat again?  Any modicum of research will tell you that yes, the word Easter comes from the goddess of fertility, and that some of our traditions come from pagan beliefs, but so does putting flowers on a grave and I don't see anyone balking at that! But the FACT remains. Christ died on Good Friday, and rose again on what we call Easter Sunday. The Bible is absolutely clear about that fact, and the fact that it happened right after Passover. So the word Easter may come from pagan origins, but the fact of Easter, comes directly from God Himself.  I have a real problem with heresy hunters. I question their motives and I have huge concerns about their fruit. What is their motive? Fear mongering, making people of weak foundations concerned that somehow … [more]

Recently I have been evaluating what things are important in the kingdom of God and when it is time to be faithful in the little things. So many times we go through life having our focus skewed by this world, by trials and tribulations, or by unconsecrated desires for things that are either not in God's plan for our life, or things that we are not ready for, or it is not time yet for us to have. I know many times I have been sidetracked by these types of things. So I evaluate on a regular basis, what are truly kingdom priorities and what are not. This passage shows one of those kingdom priorities that we sometimes get out of whack. Now to me there are 2 main points I look at in the passage below. Being faithful in the little things, and our motivation as to why we are or are not faithful in those things. "Luke 19:11. The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin rig… [more]

All through life's journey, we get disappointed by people. They tell us that they will do something and they don't, or they behave in ways that bring harm to you or themselves or people you love. They do dumb things. Just today I shared with my church the need to have patience and forbearance. (An old word that means to put up, and endure). I am also keenly aware that disappointment is not a 1 way street. It is not just people who disappoint us, but we also at times disappoint other people. In fact, if the truth be known, we do it more times than any of us would like to admit. We can all be big fat donkeys at times. Stubborn and self willed. But what do you do when people disappoint you? Jesus said in Luke's gospel chapter 17 that is impossible that no offenses should come. So the issue is not how to prevent yourself from being disappointed but instead what do you do when those disappointments come along your ways. Here are some questions to ask yourself when you have been disa… [more]

There have been many times in my life where I have been desperate for love but now I have a plaque at my door as I leave my home from someone I respect although they come from a completely different Christian tradition of worship than I come from. It reads, "It is impossible in this life to do great things. It is only possible to do small things with great love." The quote is from Mother Teresa and I placed it at my door to remind me each day of this truth. You see no longer am I desperate to receive love, I am desperate to give love. We live in a society that has become fragmented. I am amazed at how many people are estranged from family, both by distance and by pain. Although I admire and believe in self sufficiency, I have also come to realize as I have gotten older, that we have a desperate need for one another. No man or woman is an island. How can you do little things with great love if you have nobody in your life to express that love too? If we are to be His people, th… [more]

Have you ever been accused of being stubborn? I have on more than one occasion. Many times it was not a good thing, but sometimes it pays off! I remember when I was in my mid 20's and I was just itching to start using my education and talents and try my shot at being a pastor. I had many men tell me that I was too young. No one would listen to me. That I needed to sit and see how the church world worked more. Well I stubbornly didn't listen and at the age of 28 I started a church in a warehouse. God honored that stubbornness. At age 40 I had another experience that stubbornness paid off. After going through the heartache of divorce, and being single again. I decided once again that God was nudging me back into the pulpit. I was told that no one would accept, let alone extend a call to a single and divorced man to pastor a church. I did not listen. And it paid off. I sit here in Pine Haven pastoring the best church I have ever pastored. And about the same time, age 40, I was told … [more]

Recently I have found myself in a position to evaluate my life and decide to walk on water about my future. I have had to decide what things are really important to me. What things reflect who I really am and what things are things that were what I was. I have had to look both at my priorities and look at my goals in life and see if they both matched. I had to decide if I was going to learn to walk on water with Jesus  For me, as a servant of Jesus, my goals are pretty simple. I want to be used by Him to do what He has both called and enabled me to do. I want to be fruitful. I want to see the lives of people changed, especially those that have been hurt and wounded by the tragedies in life and by those who call themselves Christians but who do not understand that mercy triumphs over judgment. Yet to do this I have had to step out of the proverbial boat and listen to the voice of Jesus who says come and walk on water towards me.  I had to evaluate if the amount of time I was spen… [more]

Recently the people close to me have dramatically increased. Not only with being appointed as Pastor of the church I serve, but also because I am soon to be married and add 5 kids plus spouses and 6 grand kids with another on the way. For a guy who grew up as an only child, this at times seems very overwhelming. For a guy who lacked solid father figures until he was in college, I scratch my head and think "God you must have the wrong guy!" However a couple of principles I use in life have already paid off in tackling such a daunting task. To me they are really simple and come from what a mentor of mine used to say "The book". Please allow me to share them with you. Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. I put it this way. Don't react, but listen, observe and ask questions. I have found over the years that people of good will, when they behave in ways that are not their norm, usually do so, not because they decided to tie one on, or sow wild oats ect. They are doin… [more]