Prayer & Fasting Afterward

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.

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.

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!!!!!

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!

Ten Years of Ministry

Psalm 36:5 (NKJV) "Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."

Every December God takes us down memory lane to show and remind us of His great faithfulness. Why December? Well, He definitely shows us His faithfulness throughout the year, but the birthday of Calvary Chapel Aurora falls on December 26th, and so around this time we're all thinking about what God has done over the years.

This past Wednesday night, we enjoyed a service together rejoicing over the faithfulness of God and all that Jesus has done and desires to do here at Calvary. My pastor, Jeff Johnson of Calvary Chapel Downey, was here to share in the Word and we debuted our 10-year anniversary video (click here to watch it:http://vimeo.com/8101054). The video chronicles the story of our fellowship and includes some great pictures along with some encouragements from a few of the pastors that have invested spiritually in us.

Use this time to remind yourself that God is at work in your life - big time. You have a spiritual birthday of sorts as God plucked you out the miry clay and set your feet on a solid Rock.

Take time to rejoice in His faithfulness today. You'll be glad you did!

In Him,
Pastor Ed

RESPONSE:
This is the first fast that I have ever done that is longer then "skipping a meal" or maybe one day. It has been a very tough year, there have been many blessings, but emotionally, physically, and spiritually in most aspects of my life this has been a very tough year. I purposed in my mind I would commit to a full fast, and believe that God's grace would be sufficient as I would go through this experience to see "how strong is my flesh" and also to take some time to mourn the loss one of the biggest spiritual influences and advocates in my life who passed away October 29th...my mom.

During my fast God revealed that He wants me to rely on Him for things that only through His spirit living in and through me, would I be able to reach some degree of peace, comfort, and joy. However, no sooner than I began to understand and experience some of this during the fast, when the fast ended. I mean that night and the next morning wouldn't you know it, I was tempted immediately with a barrage of all the items that God was revealing to me that He was working through me for His purpose. I continue to battle and rely on Him, but now with the understanding of the fast and a little taste of what our Lord and Savior went through I am more purposeful and more focused not to give up and to run a strong race.

Thanks for the challenge...I think. I was participating in the nightly events through the internet in hotel rooms. It was great that I could do the singing and participate in the virtual prayer groups, but one thing was missing...I was not able to participate in communion. Then it hit me, I could ask the concierge if I could get a little cracker and a small amount of juice and he brought out Carr's Entertainment Cracker Collection.

REFRESHed!

Philemon 1:20 (NKJV) Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; RPhilemon 1:20 (NKJV) Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; REFRESH my heart in the Lord.

REFRESHed is how I’m feeling after the first few days of this week. This past Monday through Wednesday, we enjoyed lots of fun, a few laughs, many tears, and tons of encouragement with over 300 servants from around the region at our first annual Calvary Aurora REFRESH conference. It wasn’t a normal or usual conference, but one filled with testimonies and worship and prayer with a little goofiness added in.

Those of us that serve the Lord need a time to gain perspective every now and then. The ministry can become so hectic and demanding, that it’s easy to lose perspective of Who it is that we serve and why it is that we serve. The answer is Jesus! Jesus Himself said that He came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life.

That’s really where my week ends today. My heart is set on service and giving. I know things get tough. I know things have been pretty tough for me lately. But in Jesus, it’s all worth it. It’s all worth it to see folks built up and edified in Jesus. It’s so worth it to see folks growing in grace

Bottom line: It’s so worth it!

REFRESHed in Jesus,

Pastor Ed

RESPONSES: (I know it’s a little longer than usual, but please read.)

Hi Guys, I just wanted to put out a quick praise report for the REFRESH Conference we just attended at CC Aurora. It was great!...and truly a refreshment for myself and the peeps from our church that were able to attend. So my desire for years has been to get folks to commute to a CC conference, so that they can get a better handle on our roots and philosophy of ministry (Yes, they have read distinctives and watched Venture of Faith)...and after many years of prodding, they went! We are not a big church, a couple hundred adults and hundred kids on a Sunday morning, but Jesus miraculously moved on 15 of our people to make the normal 6.5 hour trek down to the Denver area. I say normal 6.5 hours, because this trip took almost 10 hours due to some very early crummy weather this year in the travel area. Not a complaint from any of them, and the road trip provided some wonderful fellowship. After attending this conference, every one of these precious people said they were profoundly impacted by the vulnerability and honesty of the pastors and servants that shared over these 3 days. They were able to mingle and make great friendships with the over 300 CC servants who attended. A major principle that these people walked away with was, that now, they have a much, much better handle on why CC does what it does and why we do it. THE major principle they walked away with was that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and working mightily through those that desire Him to. As a pastor in an outpost Calvary, it certainly brought some more street credibility to our movement and to our church, and that goes a long way in not having to constantly defend the simplicity of the way we do things. For the peeps personally, I could see the Holy Spirit's humility and brokenness having their way in these folks hearts, and the excitement that resulted from this investment of their time. I asked if they would like to attend another CC leadership conference soon, and all of them said YES!

It wasn't your typical main session after main session and workshop after workshop conference, which I, being the consummate type-A really enjoy too, but this was more along the lines of what Pastor Mike MacIntosh does with the "Huddle" every year. It's very relational and yet powerfully life changing. I can't encourage you enough to hound Pastor Ed to make those DVD's available to ya as soon as possible. The DVD's will not be able to convey even 50% of the overall environment, but you'll get a taste of why I'm so excited about the impact that I am trusting the Lord will do throughout the entire church as a result of being a part of this conference. Many thanks to Pastor Ed Taylor and the rest of you pastors who make opportunities like this available to the rest of us smaller CC's. I know that putting one of these together is a huge amount of effort, and in this case, I would imagine that for the minimal registration fee of $20 for 3 days (including giving every person a very styling REFRESH t-shirt), CC Aurora didn't even break even on recouping their total expenditure, but the treasures their team stored up in heaven is immeasurable. Again my brothers, I encourage you to get the DVD's, and plan on attending the next one...if the Lord tarries in His coming.

Godly Imitation

1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NKJV) And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit...

When we think of the word "imitation" we automatically think of someone faking it, or pretending to be someone they are not, or someone who plays games just to slide by and fool people. This type of imitation in the church leads a person toward hypocrisy. When Paul commends the believers that they became followers (literally from the original language: imitators or copiers) of the Lord and his ministry team, he wasn't commending hypocrisy but rather commending their desire to follow good examples!

I thank God for the godly men and women He has put in my life so that I might follow their lead spiritually. We have the Old Testament Saints and the New Testament Believers as examples. We have godly men and women in our lives, in this church, and in our family who stand as beacons of spiritual dependence! And most wonderfully, we have Jesus Christ to follow and imitate!

I'm reminded of Hebrews 12:1-2, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." When we do this we see our imitation of Jesus turning into being an example ourselves! That's what happens when you imitate a strong, healthy, spiritually mature believer; you become an example yourself.

I love this little poem I stumbled across: "The Gospel is written a chapter a day, by the deeds that you do and the words that you say. Men read what you say whether faithless or true. Say, what is the Gospel according to you?"

In His Great Love,
Pastor Ed

RESPONSE:
I just wanted to thank you! Saturday night you came up to me and asked me if I was ok I told you I was ok and you asked if I was sure and I just started crying and told you that my husband left and we are going through a divorce. I was so amazed that you came up to me and then prayed with me about him and his decisions. Sunday he and I had a talk for the first time. It didn't go the way I had hoped but I did get a lot out of it and before he left he didn't say that there isn't a way this can work out, he said he would kick it around. That was the biggest sign of hope I have had in 11 weeks. When he left and gave me his ring I felt a peace about myself - no panic. God has been with me the whole way and he told me my husband is coming home. It has been a tough climb but I believe I am almost to the top of that mountain. That is another funny thing, I never could understand people when they say the Lord spoke to them and I always wanted it and could not understand why I couldn't hear Him. I was also one of those that thought if I went to church I was saved. Since he left God speaks to me all the time and shows me signs and I have been saved for real. The other thing God has put on my heart is for me and my children to be there next summer for the water baptism and we will. I am so amazed now that my eyes, ears and heart are wide open. Coming to church is so different now, it is so amazing. Please continue to pray for us, I hope and pray after my husband comes home that I will be able to get him to come to church with me. Thank you again!