Steve Sikes Blog  

If you haven’t heard yet, our youngest daughter, Crystal, will be interning with the Pitman teens this summer!  Her first day “on the job” is May 18. 
Crystal is 22 and a student at Rochester College.  She has also worked two years as a Para-professional in an elementary school.
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Crystal has a heart for children and a heart for God.  Plus, she has a sense of humor!  Crystal’s always used words that “sound” close but don’t quite fit the situation. 
. My favorite humorous story along this line is the time Crystal was in the 3rd grade.  On this particular day, I drove to pick her up after school had been dismissed.  Crystal hopped in our GEO and without missing a beat said, “Dad, a terrible thing happened at school today!” 
. What thing? 
. “One of the boys in my classroom got sick and the teacher had to call his parents and they took him to the doctor!” 
. That is pretty bad, Crystal. 
. “But that’s not all, Dad.  Tomorrow they’re going to take him to the hospital and take out his INDEPENDENCE!” 
. I laughed till I cried, but my prayer this summer for Crystal, the teens and all of us, is – “God, take out our ‘INDEPENDENCE’ (Luke 9:23).” 
. GIGATT! 

I remember as a teenager going out the back door of our farm house at 5:30 am to feed the hogs, milk the cow and walk my show-calf.  I had to pass through the dining room to go outside, and many times that’s where I would see Mom… sitting at the dining room table with a lamp shining over her head reading her Bible before the sun’s rising.  I didn’t think so much about it then – it wasn’t an uncommon sight for me to see.  But now that “Polaroid picture” of Mom reading her Bible early in the morning goes across my mind quite often.
. Mom’s days were always full with: helping Dad with the secretarial work at the children’s home; being the home’s chorus director; being the children’s home barber of the 65 boys, including our family; being the mom of 13 children; etc.  Jam-packed days!  Yet, Mom still found time to start her mornings with reading and prayer.
. I’ve never met a more positive person and servant than my mother.  Her infamous line, when asking someone to join us for a meal or a place to sleep, has always been (as long as I can remember), “There’s always room for one more.”
. When I was preaching in Texas and going to graduate school at Abilene Christian University, I took Patti to a good old fashioned beef & beans country cookout with guitar music.  The proprietor of the establishment came over to our table and we began talking.  I discovered that at one time he had been a preacher and he discovered that I had grown up on a farm on the Texas/Oklahoma border.  He then began to share a story about the time he was in preaching school and had gone with a group to a town not too far from our farm to knock on doors and share the gospel.  He said on the way back home their car broke down and they walked to the nearest farm house.  I’ll let him tell the rest of the story in his own words…
. “We walked up to this farm house around 8:00 pm and knocked on the door.  When the door opened there was a mother holding a newborn baby in her arms surrounded by a whole passel of children of all different ages.  When we told them our car had broken down, up the road a piece, she invited us all in.  She and her husband fed us, gave us a place to sleep and helped us get our car fixed the next day.  I’ll always remember what this mother told us that night before we accepted her invitation to come in and spend the night, “Please stay with us.  There’s always room for one more.”
. I looked at that proprietor and said, “You stayed at my farm house!  That was my mother and my family at the door that night!”  (Mom had just returned home from the hospital with a newborn baby!)
. The older I get and the more I read my Bible, the more I realize that the heart of God can be summarized by Mom’s same words of hospitality, “There’s always room for one more!”  Listen how the apostles, John and Peter, describe God’s heart of redeeming hospitality:
. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
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Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers of hospitality! God’s arms are wide, His table is spread, and truly “There’s always room for one more!” God is good!  Mr. Steve
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Let’s play the “Who Am I” game again.  Are you ready?
. • I love mustard!
• I work as a kindergarten assistant
• I am a volunteer “Room Mom” at school
• I love to do face book
• I’m graduating this year with a B.A. in Literature
• I’m applying for grad school
• I’m a single mom 3 weeks out of every month
• My husband and I minister to the younger children at church
• I spearhead the 5th Sunday fellowship with my husband
• I’m married to a tug boat/ship’s captain
• I’m the mother of four very active boys
• My boys are into scouts, traveling sports, music lessons, etc.
. Okay, by now most of you have correctly surmised I’m talking about Andrea Olley.  Finishing up a college degree while being a full-time Mom of four boys, working a part-time job, and doing ministry are nothing to sneeze about!  This congregation has some amazing Moms in the Lord – Andrea Olley is one of them!
. Andrea, we are proud of you and congratulate you on your accomplishments.  Thank you for putting God first!  It shows!  God is good all the time!  Mr. Steve

About twenty-nine years ago, Jeff Walling stayed in Patti’s and my apartment and did a youth rally over the phone.  The next day he spoke at our own youth/college seminar.  During one of his talks, he mentioned his “7P’s of Dating” – boundaries to help young people remain sexually pure.  Over the years I’ve added a few more to make the following 10 P’s of Dating: 
. • Plan – Plan your dates to lessen temptations
• Pure—Keep your dates pure in every way
• Parental Approval – Make sure the person you date would be approved by godly parents
• Periodic – don’t date someone again and again, night after night – too much familiarity leads to temptation
• Pray – pray with your date before you go out; if they don’t pray – you’ve probably selected the wrong date
• Proud – date in such a way that you can be proud of how you handled yourself
• Public – date in public places.  Highly consider double-dating and group dating over couple dating
• Punctual – pick up and return your date on time
• Polite – treat your date with politeness and common courtesies (i.e. opening the door; saying please; etc.)
• Prisoner – “DATE A PRISONER” of the Lord/a slave to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:1-3).
. God, You are good…lead us not into temptation. Mr. Steve

Why does God need anyone’s forgiveness???  God is perfect; He can’t even lie (Titus 1:2)!  He never manipulates His people or tempt s them to sin (James 1:13).  God is indeed good all the time and all the time God is good!  So, I ask again – why does a holy God need anyone’s forgiveness?
. Several weeks ago I presented a lesson on forgiveness.  We looked at “4 Truths about 4giveness”: 
. 1)It’s not easy to lay aside someone’s sin against us;
2)Laying aside other’s sin against us helps keep Satan from getting a foothold in our heart;
3)It’s best for us to lay aside sin;
4)Forgiveness and trust are not the same!  Forgiveness is given; trust is earned.
. I ended the lesson by asking two questions:
. 1) Can I be saved if I am unforgiven (Acts 2:36-40)?
2) Can I be saved if I am unforgiving (Matthew 6:14-15)? 
. The answer to both of these questions is a resounding “NO!”
. But how many of us, like the psalmist, have cried out in pain and frustration, “God, why did You abandon me?”  “Why didn’t You:  listen to my prayers; save my loved one; protect my child; take away the disease…”  I’m guilty.
Feelings and faith can go in opposite directions, especially in moments of great turmoil and tragedy.  Who gets the blame?  Not Satan, the deceiver and father of lies and manipulator of evil…. but a good and gracious Heavenly Father!  Isn’t it time to forgive God and release our mistaken feelings?  God is good all the time!  Mr. Steve

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In my office I have a sign that reads, “Wise men still seek Him!”  Amen!  I believe it! 
. Who are they?
. 1.  Wise Man #1: This brother just started a Bible study at his workplace; he already had a prayer time going!  He also just completed a ten-week study of the Gospel of Luke at a local High School (a continuing education class entitled: Spiritual Growth)!  This wise man is one of our prayer-warrior deacons and continues to be extremely active in our senior saint’s ministry, especially in reaching out to our neighbors living at Parke Place – an assisted living facility.
. 2. Wise Man #2: This wise man (who is also one of our deacons) was greatly influenced by wise man #1!  In turn, this brother went to his supervisor and asked permission to begin a time of noon prayer at his work place.  His answer was yes!  Thank You, Lord!  Last week was his first meeting with anyone wanting to just come together and pray.  This brother has a heart to preach, evangelize and reach out to others; he heads our feeding the homeless ministry.  He is also active in our men’s leadership class and regularly brings one of his co-workers to class.
3.  Wise Man #3; this wise man ministers each Sunday with wise man #1!  He prepares Sunday morning lessons at Parke Place, greets and meets as many as he can at both of our Sunday morning services and helps out whenever needed!  He and his wife definitely have the gift of giving!  Just two weeks ago, this brother called a couple he had missed seeing on a Sunday morning.  During their conversation, they shared with him that they were studying the book of Job.  This brother went straight-way to the local Christian bookstore and purchased two study books on Job and delivered them to their house!  He did the same with two of our young people baptized last month by giving them each a brand new study Bible as a gift!
. Who are these three wise men?  Jay Schneider, Kareem Rutledge and Doc Kistler!  Yes.  It is true – WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM! God is good all the time!  Mr. Steve
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Usually I don’t give a preview of next Sunday’s bulletin, but I am today!  I’m working on a front page article entitled   “3 Wise Men.”  However, I would like to talk about a 4th wise man – Dan Cooper!
. I am so proud of Dan Cooper!  Dan has consistently put himself second, third or last, whatever was needed to Glorify God and get the Good News out!  Just his working on a Masters Degree for ten years (while deeply involved in ministry) tells you where this brother’s heart is!  As you know, Dan has the unique work ethic of doing three or four things at once while keeping an open door policy!  He continues to model leadership “Jesus style.”
. I’ve read Dan’s thesis, a couple of times.  It is filled with wisdom, insight, encouragement, hurts and helps.  Dan’s paper will make a significant difference with churches that want to grow and break the “200 barrier” – or for that matter, the “400 barrier!”  I’m glad Dan’s writing has taken him as long as it has; God will use his experiences over the last ten years to teach and encourage so many others!  Go God!  Thanks for gifting Dan with wisdom, heart and perseverance!  GIGATTAATTGIG!  Mr. Steve
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Jordan Luke, our oldest child of four, was born on April 5, 1981.  We just celebrated his 28th birthday last Sunday.  I was 28 when Jordan was born and now he is becoming a father for the first time at the same age. 
. When Jordan was four years-old, our little family took a trip to Ann Arbor, MI where I was going to officiate a wedding.  However, we had only gone a couple of miles before Jordan exclaimed, “Dad, I can’t get my seat belt to work.”
. I pulled off the road, opened up the back door of the minivan and leaned over to help Jordan with his seat belt.  Sure enough it was stuck and wouldn’t extend out of its sleeve.  I worked with it for about 5 minutes before Jordan said, “Dad, we haven’t prayed for God to fix it.”  My heart sank.  My son truly believed that God could do anything!  I did too… up to a point, but I knew I didn’t have “seat belt faith” so I said, “OK, son – you pray.”  Jordan prayed and then reached over and clicked his seat belt on like it was brand new! 
. Over the last 28 years I have learned so much about God through the faith of my children.  That’s just one of the reasons I’m looking forward to having grandchildren – I still have so much to learn!  GIGATT!  Mr. Steve

There is someone in my past that told half-truths about me as if they were full-truths, and seemingly went about with the aim to discredit me in front of a large number of people.  What was I to do?
. Years ago, when I was 27 something similar happened.  I remember going to my Dad in tears asking for his advice.  I had never had anything like this happen to me before – someone spreading rumors that were untrue but were being believed by some.  My Dad listened patiently and then asked, “Steve, are you praying daily for those who are spreading these rumors?  If you don’t, you’ll end up harvesting a bitter root that will negatively affect your relationship with Christ and compromise your effectiveness in ministry.”  My Dad went on to say, “Steve, you cannot go around defending yourself.  It will never work.  People are going to believe what they want to believe.  You’ve got to just let it go, keep going forward and forgive.”
. I took Dad’s advice and over the next two years prayed daily (by name) for those who had sought me harm.  First I prayed for God to forgive them, and then I prayed again and again for God to allow me to forgive them!  Complete forgiveness eventually took place – first in my mind (by decision) and later in my heart (by emotion).  Ahhhh – forgiveness is one of God’s greatest gifts; I know because I’m forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15)!  God is good.  Mr. Steve
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For 1 and ½ years I’ve had one NJ license plate on my truck.  That’s all I needed in Indiana and Nebraska where we’d lived before!  When the DMV handed me my new license plate to put on my truck – I put it on.  When the police stopped me (twice) in the past month for only having one license plate, I told them my “assumed’ truth: “I was only given one tag last year.”
. Then last Sunday, Dan Cooper made a comment to me on how “thick” my truck’s license plate was.  Sure enough, when we looked it was really two plates stuck together!
. Have you ever assumed anything and been fooled?  Have you ever assumed someone understood what you had said or done, only to find out the opposite?!  In relationships, assuming is a bad word.  Listen, ask questions, share, communicate – quit assuming you already know the answer!  What you’ve assumed about the other person may not be the truth at all.
. This is all easier to say than to do; ask my wife, Patti!  After 35 plus years of marriage, I still (once a week or so) fall into the trap of assuming that Patti and I are on the same page in our thinking when in reality we may be at opposite ends of the spectrum! 
. The skill of not assuming (via listening, asking questions, and sharing thoughts) is another way we can FIREPROOF our relationships!  God is good, and I’m driving legal!  Mr. Steve
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They were both freshmen in college – he was 18, she was 17.  She asked him to go with her to her club banquet.  He accepted but first asked his older brother to take her out on a date to “check her out.” 
. Even with his big brother’s approval, he was more than a little nervous.  It was his first date ever and he didn’t know what to say – so he didn’t say much.  After the banquet was over, he took her bowling.  She beat him both games.  S-T-R-I-K-E ONE!
. Several weeks later he asked her to his club social.  She accepted and months later they double-dated to see the hit movie, “Love Story.”  After the movie, they went back to a locked car with the keys still in the ignition.  One policeman and two hours later, they returned to the college dorm where they each got demerits for missing curfew.  (Sorry, Dear.)  S-T-R-I-K-E TWO!!
. She wanted to get married; he wanted to play sports.  She wanted to rear a family; he wanted to raise a few head of cattle.  She wanted commitment; he wanted space!  She wanted to be loved, listened to, understood, honored, valued, cherished…; like I said, he wanted space!  S-T-R-I-K-E THREE!!!
. Being patient, kind, serving, forgiving, and respectful with someone quite different from you is difficult.  However, the LOVE OF THE LORD can not only resurrect “STRIKE THREE” relationships, but make them FIREPROOFED, too! 
. Thank You, God, for my last 38 and ½ years with Patti Klein Sikes!!  You are good!
. GIGATTAATTGIG!!!!!  

It was Tuesday morning and I had just gotten through praying with my brothers in Dan’s office.  Chuck Olley, a brother in Christ and a tug boat Captain, was a part of our Tuesday morning prayer time.  Afterwards, Chuck and I talked a little about his tug boat recovering the plane motor from the Hudson a little over a month ago and one thing led to another.
. I got to thinking, this week, about boats and anchors and went back to a book I have read several times called “Anchor Man” by Steve Farrar.  In one chapter, Farrar gives 50 coaching tips to parents (especially men) on how to coach your children.  Here are twelve of his “FIREPROOF” coaching tips:
. 1. Coach them how to pray.
2. Coach them that the most important book in all the world is the Bible.
3. Coach your sons that men protect women.
4. Coach them ahead of time how to handle pornography.
5. Coach your daughters that there are two kinds of beauty – outside and inside – and that inside is more important to you and God.
6. Coach them to do a job right – the first time.
7. Coach your son to be a gentleman and coach your daughter to be a lady.
8. Coach them that motherhood is the most important job in the world and definitely more important than a career.
9. Coach them to love people and use things – instead of the other way around.
10. Coach them that Daddy will never leave Mommy.
11. Coach them that there is nothing they could ever do that would make you stop loving them.
12. Coach them that there is nothing they could ever do that would make God stop loving them.
. Anchor your kids in the Lord! 
. God is good all the time.
. GIGATTAATTGIG!!!! 

There is a game I have not played in years called “Hide and Seek” – but I remember playing it when I was younger.  I remember the anticipation of almost being found; I was sure the person looking for me could hear my heart beating out of my chest and /or hear my deafening breathing.  But then there were times I wanted to be found!  As a young parent, I connected with my small children when we would play this game and I would hear my youngest daughter say, “I’m over here, Daddy!  Come find me!”
. Last night at Lee Smith’s funeral viewing, I had a déjà vu “Hide and Seek” moment.  Lee Smith’s granddaughter, Ashley, showed me a card she had written to her “Poppy” and placed in his hand in the casket.  She opened up the card and let me see her future wedding picture and then allowed me the honor of reading what she had written to Lee.  “I’ve been somewhere looking for you today” were words that jumped out at me.
. Ever since Ashley was little, these were precious words her grandpa would say to her – in person, over the phone, on a card – and that she in return would say back: “I’ve been looking somewhere for you today.”
. These words reminded me of two things: 1) My memories of playing Hide and Seek with my friends growing up, and my little children; and 2) God’s words of comfort through His prophet Jeremiah to a people heading for 70 years of captivity:  “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD,’ plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  And I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD,’ and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD,’ and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’”  Jeremiah 29:11-14
. We all need a future and a hope…especially when we realize calamity is coming or we are already in the middle of it!
. HOPE: Praying to the Lord, knowing He is listening!
. HOPE: Seeking the Lord, and finding Him!
. HOPE: Being restored and gathered; NOW THAT’S SOME FUTURE!
. GIGATTAATTGIG!!!!!

I Heard the Ocean Roar!
. I will never hear the roar of the ocean the same again!  Last Saturday I officiated an outdoor wedding on Amelia Island, Florida, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  Earlier that morning I had opened my hotel room’s sliding glass door to bask in the beauty and expanse of God’s ocean and hear its roar. 
. I had my Bible open, contemplating the upcoming wedding ceremony and was moved to read Jeremiah 31:35, “Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the LORD of hosts is His name.”
. Have you read Jeremiah 31 lately?  It will stir your soul.  It reveals a God who promises to fill priests’ souls with abundance and have a people satisfied with His goodness (Jeremiah 31:14)!  This is a chapter prophesying great sorrow and yet even greater joy!  God is faithful!  He promises to restore peace, hope, honor and gladness on His people.  He reveals the coming of a new covenant – a covenant of victory, of heart and relationship.  Years later, the Hebrew writer (a fan of Jeremiah’s) word-paints the blood of our Lord powerfully flowing through this covenant, empowering both forgiveness of sins and God’s non-remembrance of our sins committed against Him!
. And then I heard the ocean roar again and knew God’s promises are awesome and true.  God Is Good All The Time And Al The Time God Is Good - GIGATTAATTGIG!!!!
. GIGATTAATTGIG

When I was a teenager, there was a family that would come over to our house to visit.  They had several young children (more than three) who could destroy a house in just a matter of minutes.  I’m not proud of it, but my brothers and sisters and I had a name for them – “The H.W.’s” (Home Wreckers)!
. I distinctly remember one night shortly after the H.W.’s arrival to our house.  I walked around the corner into a bedroom and witnessed one of our “young guests” putting the pronged end of a fork into an electrical outlet.  Almost simultaneously I saw a puff of black smoke emit from the outlet, heard a loud crackling sound of electricity and witnessed a young electrician running down the hall screaming bloody murder! 

Paul exhorts us to put down our “electrical forks” and be spiritual HOME BUILDERS NOT HOME WRECKERS when he says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). 

God Is Good All The Time And All The Time God Is Good!—- GIGATTAATTGIG!
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