Luke 4:14-15 (NKJV) "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all."
Coming out of a week dedicated to prayer and fasting is always exciting. We're excited in anticipation of how God will answer our prayers, strengthen our bodies, and direct our steps.
If you've been praying and fasting with us, don't forget that it's also a time of great, intense spiritual warfare. You'll recall when Jesus went to the wilderness for 40 days, the devil was right there, trying to tempt Jesus in three specific areas. After the temptations were resisted, it's said that Jesus returned to the area of Galilee in the power of the Spirit. That's just an awesome encouragement.
Keep your guard up this week as you seek to live out the beauty of obeying Jesus. Return to your normal week in the power of the Spirit.
Maybe you weren't able to join us last week; it's not too late. Set aside a day or a few days this week and devote them to prayer and fasting. You'll not only obey Scripture, but also set your life toward denying the flesh and feeding your spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor Ed
Response:
Amen, Amen, Amen. I believe that if you think long and hard about the fate of the ungodly and where they will spend eternity that should give you a consumed heart to reach them with the gospel. As it says in the Bible: Ezekiel 3:18 When I say to the wicked man you will surely die and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life that wicked man will die for his sin and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways he will die for his sin but you will have saved your soul.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Quest for the Perfect Church
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NKJV) "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
Some people are on the quest for the perfect church. Are you? I hope not.
Wait a minute, Pastor Ed, what do you mean you "hope not"? Shouldn't we be seeking out the perfect church? Shouldn't we be striving toward being the perfect church? Shouldn't we long to get back to the perfect days of the early church? No, No, and No. (By the way, there were no 'perfect' days of the early church.)
We should be longing for Jesus. We should be seeking to abide in Him. We should find our strength, sufficiency, and hope not in His church but in Him!
The church is not, and has not been perfect any where at any time. Why? Because people are involved; weak, flawed people make up His church. There are flaws in every church everywhere even if folks don't want to admit it. If we put our hope in a church, then we can look forward to great disappointment. But if we put our hope in Jesus, then even what disappointments we face in this life pale in comparison to the glory of His love for us.
Please, set your heart toward Jesus today. If you happen to be part of an imperfect church (all of us), then please pray for your church, for your pastors, for your leadership, and for your fellow believers. Thanks.
In His Love,
Pastor Ed
Response:
I wanted to thank you and commend you on this past weekends message. Very appropriate in the shadow of the anniversary of R v. W. I can honestly say that while I have only been a believer for 10 years now and a regular (weekly) Church attendee (CCA only since Sept. 09) after becoming a follower of Christ, I have, to date, never heard a Pastor speak on the topic. Since arriving in Aurora in 9/09 I immediately sought out a new Church family and CCA was recommended to me by my Sister and Brother-in-law, who are also members of CCA. I attended my first service the Sunday following my arrival in Aurora and saw no reason to continue searching for a Church in which to worship and fellowship, grow and minister. I have admired your passion for the Word of God and more so the teaching of it. The courage it must have taken to teach on such a socially "hot topic" in such a bold, yet compassionate manner was extraordinarily commendable. I also wish to add that I was one of a number of those that heard the message this weekend that were spoken to directly by you. As I too was confronted with the decision as a teenager in high school. The difference being... we chose to proceed with terminating the pregnancy. Not a day has gone by that I have not thought about that decision and been burdened by it. My child now would have been 24 years old. And the overwhelming relief I received when you referenced 2 Sam. 12:23 was a blessing of the most unexpected sort. Thank you for your love, your passion for the teaching of God's word and service to Him.
Some people are on the quest for the perfect church. Are you? I hope not.
Wait a minute, Pastor Ed, what do you mean you "hope not"? Shouldn't we be seeking out the perfect church? Shouldn't we be striving toward being the perfect church? Shouldn't we long to get back to the perfect days of the early church? No, No, and No. (By the way, there were no 'perfect' days of the early church.)
We should be longing for Jesus. We should be seeking to abide in Him. We should find our strength, sufficiency, and hope not in His church but in Him!
The church is not, and has not been perfect any where at any time. Why? Because people are involved; weak, flawed people make up His church. There are flaws in every church everywhere even if folks don't want to admit it. If we put our hope in a church, then we can look forward to great disappointment. But if we put our hope in Jesus, then even what disappointments we face in this life pale in comparison to the glory of His love for us.
Please, set your heart toward Jesus today. If you happen to be part of an imperfect church (all of us), then please pray for your church, for your pastors, for your leadership, and for your fellow believers. Thanks.
In His Love,
Pastor Ed
Response:
I wanted to thank you and commend you on this past weekends message. Very appropriate in the shadow of the anniversary of R v. W. I can honestly say that while I have only been a believer for 10 years now and a regular (weekly) Church attendee (CCA only since Sept. 09) after becoming a follower of Christ, I have, to date, never heard a Pastor speak on the topic. Since arriving in Aurora in 9/09 I immediately sought out a new Church family and CCA was recommended to me by my Sister and Brother-in-law, who are also members of CCA. I attended my first service the Sunday following my arrival in Aurora and saw no reason to continue searching for a Church in which to worship and fellowship, grow and minister. I have admired your passion for the Word of God and more so the teaching of it. The courage it must have taken to teach on such a socially "hot topic" in such a bold, yet compassionate manner was extraordinarily commendable. I also wish to add that I was one of a number of those that heard the message this weekend that were spoken to directly by you. As I too was confronted with the decision as a teenager in high school. The difference being... we chose to proceed with terminating the pregnancy. Not a day has gone by that I have not thought about that decision and been burdened by it. My child now would have been 24 years old. And the overwhelming relief I received when you referenced 2 Sam. 12:23 was a blessing of the most unexpected sort. Thank you for your love, your passion for the teaching of God's word and service to Him.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Getting Tired of Ministry
Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV) Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
We really want to stay as close to Jesus as possible. Action, even spiritual action, unless it's bathed in prayer can very easily become 'self-action.' There are a lot of people who get involved in what they believe to be 'ministry' when they truly weren't given that direction by the Lord. You may hear from time to time folks share, "I'm so burned out," or "Why isn't anyone helping me"? Of course, we can get tired in the ministry but getting tired of the ministry is a danger sign. Getting mad at others is another serious danger sign.
In the ministry that God has called you, serving the way God has called you, in the power that God has given you, will yield wonderful spiritual results. Although you may get tired in the ministry, you won't find yourself despising serving Jesus. Instead, you'll enjoy the peace and joy of Jesus.
It's when I start to do things that I'm not supposed to do, that I start to get weary and bummed out. But when I am doing the things that God has called me to do, the way He's shown me to do them, it's wonderful.
If you're weary, bummed out, and on the verge of burn out: stop. Step back in prayer and ask God to reveal His will, His ways, and His power anew and afresh to you. That's a prayer He'll answer!
In Him,
Pastor Ed
Response:
Your e-mail was very informative to me. Thank you. On a different note, I want to sincerely thank you and your staff at Calvary for your prayers. I have submitted a number of prayer requests about my son's situation. Because of your prayers (after 3 years of homelessness) he has secured a warm, safe, permanent place to live and is on the way to getting his life in order. He continues to await determination for social security (mental and physical impairments) but at least the constant struggle for a place to live has been overcome. I cannot thank you and your staff enough for your continuing prayers and thoughts. God does work miracles!!!!!
We really want to stay as close to Jesus as possible. Action, even spiritual action, unless it's bathed in prayer can very easily become 'self-action.' There are a lot of people who get involved in what they believe to be 'ministry' when they truly weren't given that direction by the Lord. You may hear from time to time folks share, "I'm so burned out," or "Why isn't anyone helping me"? Of course, we can get tired in the ministry but getting tired of the ministry is a danger sign. Getting mad at others is another serious danger sign.
In the ministry that God has called you, serving the way God has called you, in the power that God has given you, will yield wonderful spiritual results. Although you may get tired in the ministry, you won't find yourself despising serving Jesus. Instead, you'll enjoy the peace and joy of Jesus.
It's when I start to do things that I'm not supposed to do, that I start to get weary and bummed out. But when I am doing the things that God has called me to do, the way He's shown me to do them, it's wonderful.
If you're weary, bummed out, and on the verge of burn out: stop. Step back in prayer and ask God to reveal His will, His ways, and His power anew and afresh to you. That's a prayer He'll answer!
In Him,
Pastor Ed
Response:
Your e-mail was very informative to me. Thank you. On a different note, I want to sincerely thank you and your staff at Calvary for your prayers. I have submitted a number of prayer requests about my son's situation. Because of your prayers (after 3 years of homelessness) he has secured a warm, safe, permanent place to live and is on the way to getting his life in order. He continues to await determination for social security (mental and physical impairments) but at least the constant struggle for a place to live has been overcome. I cannot thank you and your staff enough for your continuing prayers and thoughts. God does work miracles!!!!!
God Uses Our Disappointments
James 1:3 (NLT) For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Many of us know Kay Arthur by the Inductive Bible Study ministry God has entrusted to her care and oversight. She has been used in mighty ways helping 1000s learn how to study the Bible for themselves.
Did you know that this powerful ministry was actually born out of great disappointment? Kay contracted a serious heart infection while serving on the mission field in Mexico. Her sickness was so severe; it forced her to return home. "I felt like a failure," she wrote. "Depression set in until I cried 'Father, whatever you want.'"
"It would be several years before I'd see how He'd use those formative years of study in Mexico to prepare me to write inductive Bible studies that would eventually reach fifty-two countries."
"My disappointments aren't over," Kay admits. "Pain and trials are almost constant companions, but never enemies. They drive me into His sovereign arms. There He takes my disappointments and works everything together for the good."
Trusting God,
Pastor Ed
Response:
Very good! Many years ago I can remember when I will call it the spirit of loneliness overwhelmed me and I asked the Lord to completely fill that empty place in my heart and ever since then I have not been lonely. He meets every need we have and I do love him so much for all that he has done for me and continues to do. Most of all for my salvation and peace of mind! Thanks for all you do for us in sharing the wisdom that the Lord has given you. I pray for the Lord to bless you and your family abundantly every day! Love, because He Lives!
Many of us know Kay Arthur by the Inductive Bible Study ministry God has entrusted to her care and oversight. She has been used in mighty ways helping 1000s learn how to study the Bible for themselves.
Did you know that this powerful ministry was actually born out of great disappointment? Kay contracted a serious heart infection while serving on the mission field in Mexico. Her sickness was so severe; it forced her to return home. "I felt like a failure," she wrote. "Depression set in until I cried 'Father, whatever you want.'"
"It would be several years before I'd see how He'd use those formative years of study in Mexico to prepare me to write inductive Bible studies that would eventually reach fifty-two countries."
"My disappointments aren't over," Kay admits. "Pain and trials are almost constant companions, but never enemies. They drive me into His sovereign arms. There He takes my disappointments and works everything together for the good."
Trusting God,
Pastor Ed
Response:
Very good! Many years ago I can remember when I will call it the spirit of loneliness overwhelmed me and I asked the Lord to completely fill that empty place in my heart and ever since then I have not been lonely. He meets every need we have and I do love him so much for all that he has done for me and continues to do. Most of all for my salvation and peace of mind! Thanks for all you do for us in sharing the wisdom that the Lord has given you. I pray for the Lord to bless you and your family abundantly every day! Love, because He Lives!
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