By Pastor Eric
To reconcile is to restore to friendship or harmony. Another way of saying it is, to restore true relationship. This is what God did through Christ and the cross. He restored the relationship between man and Himself. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:18,19 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Notice that the Lord didn’t stop at reconciliation between Himself and mankind. He took it a step further and gave us a ministry of reconciliation. We are expected, through Christ in us, to restore relationships towards one another, our fellow man. It is through Him and not of ourselves that we can accomplish this. With all this being said, there is yet another area that must be dealt with. That area lies within the inner man. To reconcile with yourself about yourself. Yes we all have junk, baggage, stuff, whatever you want to call it. Sometimes our greatest challenge is with ourselves. We can’t truly reconcile with others when we haven’t done it for ourselves. How does that work, you might ask? There are a few simple steps. One is to know and understand that God loves you and has forgiven you of all sin. Secondly, recognize that you, in your own strength, cannot fix you. Only through Christ and His strength can you be fixed. Thirdly, is to know who you are in Christ. Be reconciled with God the Father, then yourself and others. Recognize the power that is in you to accomplish this.
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By Pastor Eric
“Prophecy” or “prophetic utterance” can easily be misunderstood. Prophecy is not speaking about someone’s past. It always concerns the present or future. Also, it must line up with God’s Word. Sometimes people in their zeal to be helpful or to be deep may say something out of line with what God says about it. For instance, having been told that the Lord wanted me to give them a certain amount of money. Well, if the Lord didn’t tell me to give it, He wouldn’t tell you to tell me how much to give. That doesn’t line up with 2Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Understand that under the old Covenant, only certain people could hear from God. They were the prophets of that day. If you needed to hear from God, you have to go to a prophet. In today’s Covenant, the prophet only confirms what the Lord is speaking to the inner-man. You may not have heard directly from the Lord, but when a person gives a prophetic word your inner or spirit-man will give witness to what they’re saying. 1John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Now don’t go around saying every person that speaks something you don’t like or agree with is a false prophet. A false prophet is one who speaks against Jesus Christ. One that says things that go against God’s word. Let’s not get discouraged here though. The Lord wants us to prophesy or speak His word. The prophetic voice is to encourage and build up those in the body of Christ. Look at 1Corinthians 14:31 “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.” This is something we should be doing on a regular basis. Be encouraged today to use your gifting. Allow God to use you through the gift of prophecy. By Pastor Eric
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
We’ve seen this verse so many times that we could just kind of gloss over it. Renew our minds by reading the Word. Let’s take a minute and really consider what is being said. Don’t be like the world, or secular humanist thinking. Carnality is another word for this. Being driven in our thought process by emotions, both good and bad. The world's view is very self-centered, "What’s in it for me?" Having a carnal mindset will not point you to truth or the will of God. The renewed mind is that of the mind of Christ. 1Corinthians 2:16 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.” Yes, we have the mind of Christ. We don’t need to work to get it, however we must recognize that His way of thinking is available to us. We can know what the will of The Father is. It doesn’t have to be a mystery to us. As we continue to study His Word and seek His voice, we will obtain a new and different way of thinking. His way of thinking. Ephesians 4:29 KJV, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
What are you allowing to come out of your mouth? Are you building people up or tearing them down? Are you flowing in grace or condemnation? There is a better way! Look at this same verse in the AMPC (Amplified Classic), it says “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.“ Wow! That sounds pretty harsh! Understand, it’s not law, but it is something we should all work on. Why? Foul, worthless speech doesn’t help anyone. Notice that this isn’t just talking about cuss words. Those words that are gossip, slanderous, or negative. You see where this is going? Idle, useless speech has no value and does not build anyone up. We are to be the voice of grace. David wrote in the book of Psalms 141:3, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Sometimes we need to practice the vocabulary of silence. Shut your mouth! Stop speaking evil, unhealthy, non-encouraging, unedifying words! We can show grace and build others up and make a big difference in the world around us! By Pastor Eric
Lately, I’ve noticed a trend. Not a good one. “I just can’t!” You’ve heard or read it, I’m sure. People just can’t stand (fill in the blank). This is not what the Word of God teaches us. Ephesians 6:13,14 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness”. It doesn’t say now that you’ve griped and complained, throw your hands in the air and shout, “I JUST CANT!” Yes, we all have challenges to our faith. That doesn’t mean we just give up. It’s not by our own strength or determination. Go up to verse 10 of that same chapter... “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” His Power, His Strength, His Might. Be encouraged! God loves you and His plan for you isn’t continual struggle. Stand on your faith and believe what His Word says! By Pastor Eric
I think that spring and fall have always been my favorite seasons of the year. They’re transitional times. In the spring, the days get a little longer and color starts come back around us. The autumn season is a cool down period when plants slow down and the weather isn’t too cold or hot. It’s the same in the Kingdom. Seasons in our lives change. Sometimes we go through transitions. At times you can sense a change coming. You may not understand it completely or know exactly what it is, but you know that things are different. One thing you can be sure of is that seasons continually change. Here’s what the Bible says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV. In the Amplified Bible, it says it like this, “There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven…” Everything has its season, an appointed time. What season are you in right now? Perhaps it’s a time of growing spiritually, or seeing the Word of God in a different light. Others may be in a period of great harvest. You may be in a challenging time right now, but don’t lose hope. The season will change just as sure as winter will turn to spring. Whatever season you’re in right now, take time to thank the Lord for what His Word promises. By Pastor Eric
The good news, the Gospel of our salvation. Isn’t this a great time of year?! A time to remember what and who Christmas is all about. Yes, we celebrate and enjoy seeing the lights and decorations in our homes and around town, but it is so much more than that. It’s a time to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior. Jesus, came to this earth in the form of a child to grow into the man that would be the sacrifice for all sin. John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” When He was born, the heavens rejoiced knowing that the unfathomable chasm between God and man had eradicated. We see this in Luke 2:13,14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” That’s the good news! No more divide between God and man, between our Father and us His children. We can now participate in the things of heaven right here on earth. That was the plan from the beginning. This Christmas season as we celebrate, take time to remember why it’s important. Also show the love of God through our actions, not just towards our families and friends, but the people we see around us. From Pastor Laura and myself, have a very Merry Christmas! By Pastor Eric
We know the Kingdom of God operates by faith. We have learned that the just shall live by faith, according to Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” We also know that faith requires a corresponding action. Faith without works is dead. Honor is a way to put faith into action. We say we have faith and we respect the man/woman of God that speaks into our lives, yet we miss the greater blessing by not honoring them. How? When we take that Word that has been spoken, that instruction for our own good and then disregard it. The Lord has placed spiritual authority in our lives to guide into the things of God. This is God’s honor system. 1 Samuel 2:30 "Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Also in Proverbs 3:9, 10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Moses ordained Joshua in Deuteronomy 34:9 “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.” Notice that the people honored Moses by listening to and obeying Joshua. This system has not changed. I know some say, “Well we have the Holy Spirit in us now so we don’t need anyone to tell us what to do.” Okay, let’s just see what the Word says. Hebrews 3:7 (Amplified) “Remember your leaders and superiors in authority [for it was they] who brought to you the Word of God. Observe attentively and consider their manner of living (the outcome of their well-spent lives) and imitate their faith (their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ, and their leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness).” And verse 17 “Obey your spiritual leaders and submit to them [continually recognizing their authority over you], for they are constantly keeping watch over your souls and guarding your spiritual welfare, as men who will have to render an account [of their trust]. [Do your part to] let them do this with gladness and not with sighing and groaning, for that would not be profitable to you [either].” We need to show honor, not only in words or finances or just works, which are all good, but from our hearts. If we dishonor those who have been given authority, we dishonor the One that sent them. Your pastors have been called into ministry by the Lord and sent/ordained by their man of God, or pastor. He was ordained by his pastor and so on. Now, if you do that which is dishonorable to your pastor, you are in turn doing the same to the one who sent him and ultimately dishonoring God. If you desire promotion in the Kingdom, then you must operate according to the Kingdom system. Just as in the military, when one honors the authority above him and does what is required, promotion will come. Stay connected to that authority just as Jesus did. He, Jesus, said if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. How? Jesus only said what the Father said, and only did what the Father did. We must realize that this also applies to us. I only do what the Father says in His Word and through the Holy Spirit. By Pastor Eric
Every society is held up by certain areas of influence. Some have called them “The Seven Mountains” or “Pillars of society.” These pillars are what uphold the culture. With what we see going on today, you can see the influences very clearly. The one that controls each pillar, control its influence on the culture. Please understand that there are spiritual controls behind the scenes. There is a spiritual battle over our great land and we will see a great victory. These pillars are not listed in order of importance and are not the exhaustive explanations. First, we have Family. The core of every successful culture is the family. When I say family, I mean father, mother, children, aunts, uncles, etc. Blood-related people along with those who have been adopted, too. You could say “traditional” family. This is a biblical principle that has and will never change. The family structure has been under attack especially during the past several decades. This is from the enemy just as it was in Genesis. Divide and conquer. Today, we see how secular humanists want to redefine the family. Telling women that a man is not needed in the home and same-sex relations are acceptable. Mark 10:7 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;” Faith is also a foundation or pillar that is necessary for society. Without faith, there are no common core values. Moral judgment and guidelines are thrown to the wind without a belief system. When society rejects faith, rejects God, it will fall into a death spiral. When we consider the abolishment of core values and rejection of God, we can understand why our culture is in such turmoil. In 1Samuel 8:7 “And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” You can see a direct correlation between pushing God out of public life and the degradation of the culture. Government is also a key pillar of any society. When the unjust control laws and regulations, you end up with a corrupt form of government. This is nothing new. Look at Psalm 2;1-3 (AMP) “Why are the nations in an uproar [in turmoil against God], And why do the people devise a vain and hopeless plot? The kings of the earth take their stand; And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and His Anointed (the Davidic King, the Messiah, the Christ), saying, “Let us break apart their [divine] bands [of restraint] And cast away their cords [of control] from us.” To paraphrase, we don’t want God or the Bible telling us how we ought to live. Media today is a huge influence on our culture today. This not only includes news outlets but also includes social media. When news is longer just relating facts about an event but injects opinions and slant, you end up with clouded information. Proverbs 26:22 ‘The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.’ And Proverbs 12:17 “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.” Looking at the Market-place as one of the pillars, we know that there must be a strong economy for people to flourish. When the market is open and free for all to participate, there is a robust economy and everyone in society benefits. You may be seeing a pattern here. The one that controls the pillar ultimately controls the influence on the culture. Entertainment, which also includes sports, in today’s society can make a huge impact on our culture. Movies, television, etc., depicting violence, promiscuity, vulgarity as the norm are all around us. Meanwhile, there are many uplifting and positive forms of entertainment. It’s not all bad, however, we must use discernment to weed out the good from the bad. Finally, there is the pillar of Education. Needles to say, when we educate our children and young adults we set the bar for the culture of the next generation. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” These seven pillars are influencing our culture on a daily basis. One, don’t allow yourself to be influenced by things that don’t line up with the word of God. Secondly seek the Lord about finding ways to become the ones that control these pillars. Always remember Luke 14:34 (ERV) [ Don’t Lose Your Influence ] “Salt is a good thing. But if the salt loses its salty taste, you can’t make it salty again.” |
Author Occasionally Pastors Eric and Laura will write as the Lord leads them. There may be prophetic words or insights and revelation that have come to them. They share these with the intention that someone would be blessed and encouraged or admonished, something we all need once in a while. Archives
May 2023
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