Print Release – Sometimes, Church Hurts

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015 / danny777 / Leave a comment

I am excited to announce that the print version of my new book, Sometimes, Church Hurts is now available on Amazon. You can get your copy here. It is selling on Amazon for $9.89 and if you by the book, you can get the Kindle version for 99 cents. You can read the full description of the book at the end of this article.

I am excited about this project finally being released. I believe that God will use this book to not only heal wounded Christians but also, bring a greater unity in His church. In my 19 years of pastoring, I have witnessed many people hurt by other believers. Some became bitter, others stayed wounded for years, while many fell away from church. This book shares my burden for a unified church as well as healthy Christians walking in forgiveness and peace. I pray that it will be a blessing to you.

My devotional book Thoughts for the Journey is still free on Kindle for the rest of the day. The price on the paperback has dropped to $9.99 if you are interested. Click here to grab a copy.

I would appreciate it if you would share this on social media and help me get the word out.

Sometimes, Church Hurts book description

Have you had a Christian friend turn on you? Has your church experience been tainted by painful relationships with other believers?

When Jesus instituted His church nearly 2,000 years ago, He declared that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. While the enemy has never been able to overcome the church of Jesus Christ, he has still presented many challenges to it. Though the church was birthed in unity, division has marred many houses of worship. The reason? The church is centered on relationships and relationships can have problems. The church has been aptly described as a family, yet every family has its struggles and so it is with the family of God. Anytime there are problems in church, people get hurt.

Out of a burden for today’s church, Danny Cheney seeks to make you aware of the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. Drawing on nearly two decades of pastoral experience, he gives insight into how to find healing from church hurts. Having pastored three churches that had been through major division, Danny has seen first-hand the wounds that believers endure in the House of God. Through these experiences, he has found that the Scriptures give us all the answers to the problems churches and believers face. In Sometimes, Church Hurts, you will discover truths that will help you heal fractured relationships while also finding healing for your deepest wounds. This honest and challenging book addresses the issues that many churches and believers face today and helps us realize, Sometimes, Church Hurts.

It’s A Decision

October 15, 2014 / danny777 / Leave a comment

Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide

In the strife of truth or falsehood
For the good or evil side.

But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low

And every man decideth
Which way his soul shall go.

-James Russell Lowell-

Legacy

May 1, 2014 / danny777 / Leave a comment

“He reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and to no one’s sorrow, departed.” II Chronicles 21:20

Will you be missed when you are gone? Are you leaving a legacy or will anyone be sad when you pass away?

I know this sounds like a cruel question, but I only intend to provoke thought. What am I doing with my life that is affecting others for the good, so that I will be missed when I am gone? Imagine being a king for 8 years and no one being sad when you died. Jehoram had eight years to make a difference in the kingdom but lived contrary to God’s ways. The result in the end was a painful death and no one caring that he died.

Our lives are short and we must leave a mark on the world in which we live. If we are not doing something to impact those around us, we will slip into eternity unnoticed. The endeavor of our lives should be to touch as many lives as we can and leave a legacy behind us. Beginning with our family, our church, our neighborhood and our world.

I challenge you, decide today, to begin living different! Live passionately for others! Give your life away and see what God can do through you. In the end, you will be missed!

Together, let’s make a difference in the world we live. Let’s join together and touch the lives of those around us.

Happy 20th To A Man of God

April 29, 2014 / danny777 / Leave a comment

Happy 20th To A Man of God

Sonya and I are blessed to be the parents of such a fine man. God has called him and set him apart for His work. He has grown into a man of God. Josh is a great youth pastor and loves each of those in his ministry. Even more, he is a great son who loves his family. We thank God for Josh everyday. Every parent should have a kid as easy to raise as this guy. Happy birthday, Son! We are proud of you!

Encourager or Fire-Fighter

April 28, 2014 / danny777 / Leave a comment

Are you an encourager or a fire fighter?

Years ago, after watching the old Disney Classic, Third Man on the Mountain, our son Josh asked about being a rock climber

“Are you going to do this with me, Dad?” was his heart felt question.

I replied that it would take a lot of training in order to prepare ourselves for that type of adventure. “Well, wake me up at five every morning and WE will start exercising.”

I then replied, “In our neck of the woods there aren’t any places to climb rocks. The only hills we have are overpasses.” (We lived in Southeast Texas at the time.)

“Well, I am going to do it any way.” was his reply. I finally concluded the conversation by saying that we would find a place around there that we could do some rock climbing.

The dreams of a ten year old boy cannot be easily quenched. All it took was viewing a movie about rock climbing to spark his interest in the sport. A dream was planted in his heart. A dream that had him pretending that our backyard oak tree was the Citadel in the Swiss Alps. The dream took precedence over logic, but isn’t that what dreaming is all about?

All too often people let their dreams die because no one will encourage them but rather their fire is put out. Many people never try anything for God because someone told them that they couldn’t do it. What dream have you laid down?

What we need in the body of Christ is encouragers, not firefighters. People who will fan the flames of the dreamer and encourage them to go for it. Our young people need to hear us telling them to dream of being all they can be for Christ.

Firefighters are usually those who have no dreams or have let their dreams die. An encourager is someone who believes that anything can be accomplished. Many a church is not flourishing today because the fire has long been put out. Dreamers are cast aside as people that are crazy. Dreamers are people that intimidate those who cower at the obstacles. All dreamers need to accomplish their task, is an encourager.

It was said of Barnabas, “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” (Acts 11:23)

Could it be that some are not following the Lord today because their God dreams were not encouraged? Note that Barnabas encouraged them that they should continue with purpose of heart.

Parents, encourage your children to dream big. Christians, encourage fellow believers to pursue the things that God has laid on their hearts even if it seems impossible to you.

What’s On The Inside

April 23, 2014 / danny777 / Leave a comment

What’s on the inside?

Often when you look at something from the outside you can determine what is on the inside. If you look at a Mercedes Benz from the outside, you know the interior is going to look good on the inside.

I remember going to a nice two story mansion years ago; it was in the nicest part of Pasadena, Texas in the River Oaks Addition. It must have cost, a million dollars. From the outside it was gorgeous. Pillars lined the front with large windows all around the house. It was a dream house. When we went inside, we had the shock of our lives, there was barely any furniture and nothing hung on the walls. They had bought too much house and could not afford to furnish the inside.

This is often how we do with our lives. We fix up our bodies; keeping in shape, dressing nice, making ourselves look the best outwardly, but what about inside? How come we do not take as much care of our inside?

The Psalmist prayed, “Cleanse me from secret faults.” (Psalm 19:12)

We sometimes have faults that no one but God can see. We are notorious for sweeping our sins under the rug while keeping the rug vacuumed. Maybe we should clean out from under the rug first and then take care of the rug itself.

Child of God, we must take extreme care that we do not harbor secret faults. The eyes of the Lord are every where. He sees even the deep crevices of the heart. Ask the Lord to search your heart and when he reveals the secret faults, ask for forgiveness and clean them up.