Last week we had dinner with some friends and were discussing how in some countries young girls are being killed. Simply because they are female instead of male. In biblical times there were two distinct times when the first born males were being put to death. In the old Testament when Moses was born and the King of Egypt made a decree to thin out the Israelites in Exodus 1:15-16 “And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.” During that time the midwives wouldn’t obey the King because they feared God. Again when the baby Jesus was born 
Herod who was King wanted the child killed. Matthew 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.” 
Today in America we don’t just kill boys or just girls we kill children period. In 1973 the United States Supreme court passed a ruling that made it legal for women to abort a child in her third trimester. We have killed more children in this country than all the wars we have fought. Those who are so called pro-choice use the argument that a woman has the right to her own body, to choose. When the word of God clearly states, “We are not our own, we are bought with a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 
As a child of God we can’t approve of or applaud the taking of a life in any instant or reason. Whether in a place like China or Here in America. The sanctity of human life is precious. When Cain slew his brother Abel God asked him where is your brother? He replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Yet God told him the blood of your brother cries from the ground. If the blood of that one individual cries to God, imagine the blood of all the innocent babies cries to him. Many years ago while in my early 20′s and with my first wife we had an abortion which has been a constant reminder to me of the life that never was. That baby could have been the one who may have had a cure for a major disease. Even though God forgives us the memory never leaves you. Life is precious and I will never again take it for granted. Today celebrate life! Everyday is a gift from God.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ.

While waiting to see someone I’d known and worked with many years ago, I was observing how things operated at this High School I was visiting. I worked at a high school for about eight years, the memories of that experience returned. In my years of dealing with high school students I got to know a lot of their behavior around their peers. Peer pressure can cause teenagers to do things that they wouldn’t ordinarily do. That’s true in adults as well. The behavior of those I worked with during those years changed when around certain people. Have you ever noticed how people will act one way and when the boss enters the room they change completely? That seems to be the case with some Christians when around certain influences. Of course this shouldn’t be being that we should be the example. Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The bible says, “Let your light or Phos in the Greek meaning luminous, make shine. Or show Christ through you. This is a challenge especially in today’s society. How do you view yourself as a follower of Christ in the world? Are you luminous or just a good church goer?  
Do we see ourselves as a force that illuminates all that is around us? Notice that the light is based upon a life that is lived for those around us to see. According to Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org. 
In John 1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” His life was light when he walked the earth, therefore if we being Christlike must be light to those that are around us. In this life we will face times of difficulties where we feel like throwing in the towel but he is what we must hold onto the word of God for continued strength. 
Being around some pastors at times I find there is a sense of one wanting to one up the other. The question that is always asked is’ “How many people do you have?” As if the larger you are as a church the more successful you are. When this is not the reason that Christ has called any of us to pastor. We are to care for and train disciples for Christ not for ourselves. This the reason why Apostle Paul stayed out of the boasting business. 1 Corinthians 1:12-14, 17 ”Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” In other words we should boast in Christ not in who we are or what we perceived we have done. Our light (life) must shine Christ.
Paul understood this so he directed all to Christ as the Savior. Today let your life so shine of Christ so those around you will see.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ. 

Pastor Sam’s Weekly Blog
In looking at the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples I noticed the part where he says, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” This struck me as I want God to forgive me, but I must in turn be willing to forgive those who have wronged me. One year ago on January 8th a terrible tragedy happened in Tucson at a Safeway shopping plaza where six people were killed by a lone gunman and an Arizona Representative was severely wounded. In looking back on this incident how hard must it be for those who were there and were tormented by this, for them to forgive this gunman. We can all say we would forgive until we are face to face with death. I imagine it would be even more difficult had you lost a loved one as the Taylor’s who had their little girl murdered that day in Tucson. That would be almost unconscionable. It would be very hard to forgive in this incident. Yet we know what hatred and bitterness does to us. As someone whom I love dearly once said, “Unforgiveness and bitterness is like taking poison and waiting for the person you have not forgiven to die.” The only person dying is you. 
I’ve learned these lessons the hard way with the challenges we have faced trying to pastor people who have their own agendas. When people say how much they love you yet stab you in the back, we must practice forgiveness. As Christ told his disciples forgive and you will be forgiven. 
Matthew 18:21-34 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.” 
Today if someone has done you wrong practice forgiveness as Jesus has taught us to do.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

2012! it’s a new year, it’s a new day! 
We have never faced this day before. 2011 is gone we can look back and reflect on it, but we cannot relive it. There was some great victories and some disappointing defeats. Our lives will ever be changed by the events of 2011. Today we encounter this new day with great anticipation. I for one am looking for God’s blessings to increase in my life. He told us in Isaiah 43:18, 19 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” God is doing a new thing! We will not see it if we are hung up on the past. Our task is to look past the now and what happened yesterday and to tomorrow. 
Our year was filled with many interesting things occurring. We started the year in a new building and ended the year in a classroom, having stopped at our home for three Sundays. We have had some people leave us and some to join us. Even this past Sunday I found out about a plot that was conceived by our former worship leader and the keyboard player where they planned and went to work for another church contacting the pastor a month before I knew of their plan. These professional church people as I call them are in the ministry for the money. I found out that the pastor whom they were all going to play for was in on this at the beginning and never called me to inform me of their betrayal. I’ve  felt like giving up on many occasions, never more than when I found all this out yet we have persevered on in spite of the circumstances. About three weeks ago I had come to the end of my rope and told God this was it wasn’t going to put me and my family through this any longer. I said to God, if I had to start this church and go through what we’ve gone through the last two years and my time was up I didn’t want to miss his leading. I was through! Tammy and I had discussed it on a Sunday morning right before service. God as he does, spoke to us directly during the service and told. us we were not done we were just beginning. He went on to say we could not look at things as if they were a failure. That was hard to do as things appeared that way. Yet God has a way of showing us that things aren’t as bad as they might seem. Looking back on 2011 I will take somethings away that I’ve learned that has changed me for the better. I look forward as we embark upon 2012 with greater anticipation than I have ever. I know God has some things in store for us that will blow our minds. I’m reminded of Psalm 40 where he says, He has brought me up out of a horrible pit and gave me a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many will see it.” God will show himself through us this year. Many will see it and know it is God. 

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ. 

In writing this blog each week I had planned on releasing a book based on these writings. This reminds me of a great novel I once read called “Of Mice and Men” a great book written by John Steinbeck in 1937. A novel based on the best laid schemes of mice and men which go awry. We plan and scheme in life as to what are going to do but God always has a say in the matter. 1 Corinthians 4:19 “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.” We never know what will happen and when it will happen in our lives. The Apostle Paul would write to the cities he would visit and there were times he planned to make a trip and he would get detained. He learned to write if the Lord permits. 
We too must practice this as we don’t know what tomorrow will bring for any of us. I may plan many things in this life but if God doesn’t allow it won’t come to past.  
The story, “Of Mice and Men” is representative of a time in the 1920′s when two men had a great relationship, friendship without it being about anything other than that. These two characters Lennie and George dreamed of a life on a farm as ranch hands earning enough money to someday, as soon as they managed to save enough money, they will buy a farm together and, as Lennie puts it, “live off the fatta the lan’.” They will grow their own food, raise livestock, and keep rabbits, which Lennie will tend. This familiar story cheers both of them up. As happens in life things didn’t go as they planned. How many times in our lives things didn’t go as we planned them? I have learned that nothing works the way I plan it. Especially in the Kingdom of God! My choice of how things will tend to go does not go that way often. Just as with Lennie and George things have a way of going awry, plans for us don’t seem to line up just as we planned it. 
In the end the story of Lennie and George ended in tragedy with Lennie dreaming of that beautiful place the farm they had planned to buy together. George being humane shot Lennie in the back of the head in order to save him from his fate of being hung. This story is typical of how the plans we make can often be deceptive. Only what we  do for Christ will make a difference.
We are headed for another new year 2012. Many of us have big plans for this new year. Don’t be surprised if those plans change out of necessity. God wants you and I to seek his counsel with where we are going in this life of ours. Today as we embark on our journey, take heart the road ahead is not what it seems. There are some bumps and curves ahead.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

I love to read the comics each day. In the funny pages you see real life drawn about. From time to time I will clip a comic out and give it to my wife. This particular comic strip will remind me of how my girls act sometimes. It’s true that life imitates the arts. We see television shows that remind us of situations we go through. Only when we deal with things, it’s not so funny. But it should be! If we could lighten up and realize it’s never as serious as we make it out to be. When we look back on that situation we have a tendency to look back with laughter. It’s funny after the fact but it is never so funny when are in that situation. But, we make more out of it than we should.
Things have a way of working out. How many times have you or I had something that we were facing and that thing seemed so overwhelming that you didn’t want to face it, yet it came and it was no big deal. Most of the time we make more out of our situations than we ought. God surely takes care of us continually. That is a large part of the reason he says in Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,” When our bank account runs low and it seems as if there is not enough to pay our bills panic seems to hit us. If we could be like Beetle Bailey and not have a care in the world. 
This is the way God intended us to live. When he created man in the beginning he gave him everything he needed without any cares. Because Adam sinned we took on things God never intended us to suffer. As a child of God we must get back to that place of the garden existence where we allow our heavenly Father to care for us. Now I am aware of the time of year where we stress out with shopping and spending for Christmas. But we must be at peace for he is the reason for the season. And he is the Prince of Peace! 
One of my favorite television shows of all time is “Seinfield” a show about nothing. Where they made fun of everyday things that happen. If they were to write a show based on your life would it be about all the stress you live with daily or the joy of waking up each day and facing some great and interesting challenges? 
Today is a new day! It’s like no other day we’ve ever lived before. We must face today and live our life as we face new and exciting challenges today. We are about to embark on another new year. It is a year that none of us have faced before. We must enter this new year with a different mindset than this past year. If we could go into this year facing each day as life in the funny pages  where our care is not in life itself but the life we have in Christ. It’s a new day! 

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ. 

I was talking with a fellow pastor, a friend last week. We were speaking with one another concerning the trend we both have noticed. There seems to be in almost every church an unsettleness in people. They can’t seem to be happy or satisfied in the church they attend. This got me to research the word of God were I found were Apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3,4 “For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.” (NET) 
Upon reading this text I began to think about how so many people are not planted in any church but they go from one place to another. When we read the word of God and see these things it seems strange when we they start to happen. Yet it has been written about over 2000 years ago. When we planted the church in Laveen two years ago I never imagined what we would encounter. God has blessed us to have some great relationships with those we pastor. Yet along the way there have been those who came into our lives briefly and moved on elsewhere. I cannot help but to wonder why there is this unsettleness in people. I for one grew up in a church from the time I was a child until I was a young adult about 21 years of age. In that time there was very little movement of people from one church to another. Loyalty is a rare quality today. We have examples of not staying in jobs, sports, churches, etc…. It’s not like it once was where you went to one store, stayed banking at one bank, and your children attended one school. 
Our society is so transient today in everything. So it’s no wonder it’s that way in the church. As I write this I myself have gone through a lot of transition in my own life in the last few years. This is the fabric of the world we live in today. Everything must change nothing stays the same. This is the one reason we must learn the term  ”flexibility.” We must be flexible in everything we do or we will break. I had a tie pin that I was wearing that was crooked. I tried to straighten it out but when I pulled it to one side it broke. There was no flexibility in that pin. We are much the same, when we are off course and a pastor or leader will try to help us by nudging us back on course we break. Which leads us back to 2 Timothy 4 where Paul talks about people will not be able to tolerate sound teaching. The inability to be flexible causes so many to leave churches today. We disagree with one or two things and we’re out of there! We can learn to be flexible so that when things happen we can bend but not break. 

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

A week or two ago I went to visit my uncle who is my dad’s brother in a convalescence home. He has dementia, upon arriving to see him I expected to talk with him about the past and how he was doing presently. I wasn’t prepared for what I encountered, he did not know who I was and couldn’t carry on any type of conversation whatsoever. He is 78 years old yet he looked as if he was 98 years of age. He was confined to a wheelchair and in a lot of pain from his arthritic hip. I was shocked to see him like this. I immediately remembered the man I knew for so much of my life as being a successful business owner, who was strong and worked hard his entire life. Who also partied heavily as well. Seeing him like this reminded me of the passage of scripture in Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” My uncle didn’t come to serve God until much later in his life. He like so many others wasted his years in the world. At some point we all get older, (if we live long enough) we all hope that we will age gracefully. There are times we wither away slowly. While we have the strength and clarity of our minds we must serve God to the best of our abilities. Doing what he has instructed us to do. I had lunch with my spiritual father last week. He was telling me that he doesn’t do what he once did in ministry but he still ministers the gospel. He said, “we can’t go back and recapture the past it is gone we must live in the here and now.” Those were words of wisdom. Today is the day we must be about our Father’s business, yesterday is gone we can look back and reminisce where we came from, but we can’t dwell on the good ole days. I hated seeing the man I love in that state but such is life sometimes. My task is to do what I know God is telling me to do while I still can. Today we must make history for tomorrow. Yesterday is in the past, today is the day we live in! 

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

Last week I was picking my wife up from work when I was told by the parking attendant that there was a large puddle of what looked like oil under our van. As I was leaving I looked under the hood where I saw some leaking of fluid. Not knowing where it was coming from I called my buddy at the dealership where we take our van to be serviced. I told him I would need to bring it in immediately. As we drove to the shop the engine light came on and it started smoking so we got off the freeway pulled into a Quikstop parking area where the vehicle had leaked most of what turned out to be transmission fluid on the ground where we had parked. I called my friend and he stated that he would have the vehicle picked up and brought to the dealership and that he would pick us up. Of course my mind immediately went to the worst scenario which was the engine had run out of oil and seized up. Or the transmission was gone. All of these options costing thousands of dollars. As I wrote a month or two ago my wife had been rear ended and pushed into another vehicle and we had gotten it fixed. My service advisor friend said this may be a result of the accident, that there might have been more damage. Now this was three days before Thanksgiving and the same day I had published my blog on being thankful. I am reminded of the scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you.”
When my van was fixed it turned out that there was a transmission hose that had a large hole in it which caused all the fluid to drain from the car. The cost was zero, Praise God! God is always blessing us even the things we consider small. That in our case was a huge blessing as we were not in a position at that point to spend on a new engine or transmission. God knows exactly where we are and as such blesses us with what we need. I can never understand nor figure out why things happen to us but God on the other hand is always faithful. My life for the last two years have not been easy since we stepped on our own with the church. I’ve seen God do some miraculous things in that time. There were many times I felt I couldn’t go on, but it has been in those times that he has continued to see us through. I don’t know what tomorrow may bring but I know each day he is with us and is providing our daily bread. The Disciples asked Jesus to teach us to pray. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
As we take each day we must remember to pray as he taught us to pray. Being thankful for everything he does each day in our lives.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

We come to the time of year once again where we celebrate another Thanksgiving day. We gather with family and friends and eat turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie. We watch football and eat to much. It’s a great time of year. But we have thanksgiving day every single of our lives. God has blessed us with so much. We have life, health and strength in our bodies. We wake up each day in our right minds and we have food and clothes to wear. We are so blessed to live in the United States of America. There are so many people in this world who don’t have a place to live or clothes to wear. They don’t get regular meals to eat. Take a place like Haiti for example, there are so many people living there who don’t have the basic necessities of life yet they are thankful. When we look at where we are in life we have so much to be thankful for. God loves us so much that he provides everything we have need of. I am thankful for my wife and my children and the church he has allowed me to shepherd. In addition God has blessed me with a home to live in as well as provision. Thanksgiving is about the goodness of our God and all he continues to do for us. 
What if God didn’t provide anything else for us? Would he still be worthy of thanks and praise? What if he did not meet our needs as he says in Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory; by Christ Jesus.” We live in the greatest country in the world. A land of opportunity for all. There was a time in America where not all people were treated the same. But so much has changed where we all have equal chance to prosper. Yes we have much to thank and praise God for. 
As Americans we enjoy the freedom to choose! Our choices can lead us down the road of bad decisions. It is those choices that get us in trouble and we expect God to get us out of that trouble. Thank God he never gives up on and he never leaves us. David said in Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” God loves us and cares about all that we go thought even if it’s of our own making. He may allow us to deal with that thing a lot longer than we desire but his love allows us to go through because he is building endurance in us. So have so much to be thankful for today and everyday.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ