Disciples Not Consumers

Psalms 61:7 (NKJV) He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

Even when I don't want to shop, stores are invading my email box with offers and advertisements designed to get me to buy. The pictures are always done in sunny places with happy people. If I just had that shirt. Wow, how happy I'd be. It's all false and fake. There's only one reason they would frame the shot the way they did, using the person they used, the way they did, with the angle they chose: to get me to buy! I notice things like that.

This all-consuming mentality of "consumerism" has invaded the church of Jesus Christ. Rather than prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit, church leaders are more interested in catchy phrases, intelligent marketing ideas, polished plagiarized sermons, and packaged church growth programs to bring more people into their buildings.

Please be careful, friend. We don't want to settle for the emptiness of man's ideas, baptized with Bible verses. We desire the Living God to move in and through us by the power and presence of His Holy Spirit! Away with such worldly nonsense.

Blessings,
Pastor Ed



The Truth in Living Color

Your new radio station is a real blessing to me and my family. I didn't know how exciting the Bible really was until I started listening to all of the teachers you guys have on. Don't stop the good work.

Always A Price To Pay

Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Things can be so fun and exciting that it's easy to forget that there is always a price to pay.

Take a day in the life of Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut. Don't know who he is? He's a competitive eater who recently won the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest at New York's Coney Island. He won hands down by eating 62 hot dogs in buns in just 10 minutes. He's the champion this year! What a feat! He made national headlines with just 10 minutes of competition.

How much did it cost him to win? Well, the price was free. He didn't have to purchase them. But the nutritional cost was staggering. Ready? That 10 minute binge on 62 hot dogs adds up to:

19,158 calories
1,246 grams of fat
2,170 grams of cholesterol
42,408 grams of sodium

Not too good for his body, that's for sure! What's true in the physical realm is true in the Spiritual realm. There is always a price to pay for our actions. Sometimes it's reaped as a benefit, but other times it's received as a consequence.

Pray for wisdom this week with the decisions that are before you and make those decisions unto Jesus, and Him alone.

By Grace,
Pastor Ed

The Truth in Living Color

I'm always amazed how the Lord works. I'm at a job now where my manager seems to have a pre-conceived notion about my skill-set, and I am constantly being yelled at for not doing things the correct way. I feel like I'm always messing up at everything in this job, and I can never do anything right, and I'm really just not getting the proper training from her that I need. This e-mail really shows me that I need to stop worrying about earthly training, and I should more focus on my spiritual training. I put far too much faith and concern into my job and employers, and I'm always disappointed. I need to learn to let it all go, and at least twice when I'm at work, or when I'm being verbally attacked by her, to just consult the Lord, and let Him handle it. Just like Hezekiah, I just need to show the Lord what's happening, and see how He works. Great message on the Holy Spirit this past Wednesday, by the way. So encouraging!

Good Friends

Leviticus 19:17-18 (NKJV) You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

It's good to be surrounded by friends. Men and women who love us is a great gift from our loving, Heavenly Father. Hanging out together, fellowshipping in the Lord together, enjoying a coffee (at the One Way Café of course, ha ha), and just enjoying the wonderful opportunities God has given us with one another is a blessing.

Sometimes, it's through friends that God brings a message to us that we don't necessarily want to hear. Are you really ready to receive correction or rebuke from your friend?

That's where things get tough and the ball starts rolling down hill, when a person shares something with us that hurts. Because open rebuke is better than concealed love (Proverbs 27:5), the rebukes and exhortations which come our way should be embraced as friends.

I know it's more comfortable for us to ignore a difficult situation or issue, as we hope (and hope) it will get better. But that's not love. Love says, "I care more about you growing and maturing than I care about what you think of me. If you think I'm not a nice guy, that's okay, if what I'm saying will provoke you to love and good works."

Proverbs 27:6 says that the wounds of a friend are faithful. Be open and ready to grow as you may come across difficult words and penetrating insights, sometimes, even from friends.

In Love,
Pastor Ed



The Truth in Living Color

Nothing is more precious than to hear a child praying. Specifically, when my grandsons pray. The last time I visited them in TX, (May and July) hearing my 9 year-old grandson pray and in the midst of his prayer, ask God to get me home safely, was just awesome. It brings tears to my eyes because, of course, I don't want to leave them there. My plan is to move there eventually when I retire...

It will be hard to leave Calvary Chapel Aurora. Thank God for computers! But I always say, what I have planned and what God has planned, may be two totally different things.

Imperfect

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Every now and then, as I'm reading through the Bible, I'm struck by how gracious God is in choosing us to serve Him. I know it's not a new or novel truth, but one that so encourages me.

Jesus didn't call perfect people to do His work. How could He? There aren't any. So Jesus uses people like us, with our many misunderstandings, our mixed motives, our weaknesses and failures; our humanity. Yet, before He uses us there is that transformation by His Spirit. He's constantly changing, shaping, and molding us from the inside out. Day by day, our lives are becoming more and more like Jesus.

Don't lose heart today, friend. God is using you. God is changing you. God is not finished with you. Trust Him!

By Grace,
Pastor Ed



The Truth in Living Color

You know, I think it is awesome that you ask people to respond to you when you send out these e-mails. You might not know it, but I think that might mean a lot to people -- it does to me. So thanks! I can only imagine how many people these e-mails actually go to. I am sure your inbox runneth over.

Reaching Our World

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

God's strategy for reaching people with the Good News of Jesus is profoundly simple.

#1 - Saturate Jerusalem.
Our Jerusalem, or home base, is Aurora and the surrounding cities in the Denver Metro area.

#2 - Saturate Judea/Samaria.
Our Judea and Samaria is the state of Colorado, expanding throughout the United States, and to Mexico and Canada on the North American continent.

#3 - Saturate The Earth.
Our 'ends of the earth' are literally every tribe, tongue, and nation on every square inch of this planet.

#4 - Go back to #1 and repeat!

Save yourself thousands of dollars in seminars, books, and such. Start living and sharing the gospel at home. Spread out a little. Pray about going around the world.

By Grace,
Pastor Ed



The Truth in Living Color

I have found that I'm more calm and relaxed when I forgive, and I listen to my sister talk about how she won't forgive our mother for the past. My sister works herself up with down-right hatred. I get along with my mother and she has apologized for the past, but my sister and her family miss out on many family functions, and her grandchildren are missing out on their great-grandmother. This hurts my mother dearly, because my sister won't forgive. Forgiveness is the key, it's easier than not forgiving.

It's Appointed Once

Hebrews 9:27-28 (NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, sso Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

David Murdock is spending (wasting) the billions of dollars (yes, billions) he's accumulated over his lifetime on trying to live to the ripe old age of 125. Thus far, he's spent over $500 million building a massive research campus in North Carolina in order to explore his conviction that the key to longer life is a low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruit, and antioxidants. Though he's quick to try to convince you of his ideas, he doesn't mind if you don't listen. "That's okay," he says. "You'll go before me."

I was a little bummed after reading the article. Here's a guy that is obviously successful and health conscious, trying to squeeze out another 20 years of his life, giving no attention to his spiritual life -- to eternity. Even if he does live to 125 years of age, he will still have lived exactly as many years as God has ordained... and then the judgment.

It's sensible, my friend, to take care of your body, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Eating right is simply wise. Exercise, the Bible says, profits a little. Being a bad steward of our bodies is not God's will for our lives.

Remember this today: "Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Jesus will last!"

In His Love,
Pastor Ed


The Truth in Living Color

My dear pastor, I have been praying for a way to talk to one of our children and his wife about problems in their marriage. There is so much they need to see about forgiveness. God has answered my prayer by your eNote message yesterday. God is so good!

The Bride of Christ

Acts 20:29-30 (NKJV) For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

I love the Church of Jesus Christ. I love our church! What a precious gift God has given to us, His Church, this fellowship family. There isn't anything that even comes close to the church on the earth today. There never has been and there never will be.

Some might respond, "Wait a minute Pastor, hold your horses. I was hurt in the church. I was let down by the church. I was left out, not included. I don't love the church. I don't love my church."

Let's be careful not to cloud the glorious truth of God's church with our own feelings, emotions, and opinions. I've been hurt in church, too. As a matter of fact, the deepest wounds I've ever experienced in my entire life have happened to me in God's church, by people who claimed to be following Jesus at the time, and whom I trusted and love dearly.

Pain, sorrow, and heartache are tools in the Master's toolbox to help us trust Him more, and trust man less (James 1). I don't want to focus on the pain that I might have felt, but instead I want to focus on the hope of Heaven, Jesus Christ. I want to be used to be a help in the church, not a hindrance. I want to make a difference for Jesus in His church on the earth.

I invite you to join me.

I love the Church of Jesus Christ. I love our church! What a precious gift God has given to us, His Church, this fellowship family. There isn't anything that even comes close to the church on the earth today. There never has been and there never will be.

By Grace,
Pastor Ed


The Truth in Living Color

Thank you so much, Pastor Ed, for always encouraging us to rise above mediocrity and to turn from sin. It's not always easy, but by the grace of God and an obedient Spirit, we can all go down that "other street."

I really enjoyed this "autobiography...;" it was right on target and it spoke straight to my heart and to my mind. I believe it will join another scripture verse that the Spirit of God often brings to mind: "Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." It's completely clear; it's direct; it's God's command - plain and simple.

Keep bringing on the conviction, God, and you too, Pastor Ed! God bless you and thank you for caring for the flock as you do. You're genuine, the real deal, and that is truly appreciated.