What's That Behind You?

Some people say that you should not look behind you. "Don't look back, you're not going that way." But, I disagree. I believe in learning from what's back there. But, more importantly, the things pursuing you, sometimes stalking you from your past can dictate your present actions, and future outcomes.

So, what do you see when you look back? Do you see your past failures, or mistakes. Maybe, your past sins, or sins committed against you. Do you find yourself holding on to the pain of transgressions, abuses, failed relationships, crimes, hardships, addictions? Why?  Here's what a life with Christ at the center promises is following (behind) you:

Psalm 23:6 (NKJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me- All the days of my life" 

It's hard to forgive those who've hurt you, harder still sometimes to forgive yourself. But, God forgave you; if you earnestly asked for forgiveness. You should forgive yourself too, and extend forgiveness. His mercy endures forever. Goodness and mercy are following you for all the days of your life. That's forever! 

Live free from your past mistakes. And, live free from the inflicted pain from others. Ask God for forgiveness right now, forgive those who've hurt you, turn away from (stop) your sins, love again, and take the posture that comes with liberty. Don't live a life of condemnation because of what you've done, or what was done to you. Don't allow mistakes to shackle you to your past. Those chains, if allowed, can keep you from fellowship with the Father. 

So, when I look back I don't see my past failures. I see Goodness and Mercy following me! Hallelujah. I don't see the slip ups, mess ups, stumbles, betrayal, backstabbings, or backsliding. I see His Goodness, and I see His Mercy - following ME!  What do you see?

I love you, and I'm praying for your freedom!

~Pastor Erroyl

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Being the Standard, Living for God

In this day and age, one of the hardest things to do is live. Living for convictions, standards, and morals is a difficult thing. It's not easy to tell your loved ones no: No we can't wear clothes like that, no we can't watch that TV show, no we don't listen to that kind of music, no we do not celebrate that, no we can't watch that movie... But that's what Christians are called to do. How often do we placate to our children, and show less of Christ and spread the myths and images of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny? Do we celebrate the evils of Halloween, look away and say it's only good fun? Do we dress just like, act just like, and subsequently look just like non-believers. 

We are called to be different, we are called to be the standard by which sinners can see the holiness, power, and love of Christ. If we look just like the world, then why should the world want Christ? We have to be a standard. A "standard" in the bible is a banner, figurehead, or flag atop a pole that announces the oncoming king's army. If we are the standard for our King, what does the flag of our life say we stand for? We must be intentional in the way we live, and for whom we live. 

I love you, and I'm praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl
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Transformed? New Creature? Have you jumped in?

John: 21  (you will have to read the entire chapter before this post will make total sense..)

So, the Bible talks about us being new creatures, having new birth, all things being new, etc. in other words, transformed and/or transfigured.

What evidence is there that we are transformed? We cannot assume just because a person goes to church, or attends a weekly Bible study, etc. that they are truly transformed. Just because we walk with Jesus for any length of time, does it automatically mean that our life will truly reflect that we are new creatures?

Here in the book of John we see the disciples; they have been with Jesus for the length of his Earthly ministry.  They witnessed his ministry, miracles, death, burial and, resurrection. By the time we get to Chapter 21 of John they have seen him twice after his death. Yet, here they are not out spreading the good news. But rather, they are fishing. They are back to doing what they did before knowing Christ. They have allowed something to return them to their former lives. 

Think about that. They had been with Jesus for two years, they had seen blind men's eyes opened, they had seen lame men walk again, multitudes fed, Lazarus raised from the dead yet they went back to their normal lives. Maybe it was grief, maybe they felt they had some sort of mass hallucinative experience, and didn't actually see Jesus two times after the work on the cross was finished.  Maybe that's why the Scripture says they didn't dare to ask.. Is that us? Even after being with Christ, after witnessing His power, after seeing a person delivered from alcohol, drugs, abusive situations we still allow something to draw us back to our former selves. 

I ask the question again, what evidence is there? In this chapter of the Bible, there is a portion that we as preachers call "The Restoration of Peter". This is the scene where Jesus asked Peter three times if he loves Him. But, immediately before that we see that John recognizes the man on the shore as Jesus. Peter jumped into the water and swims toward him (are you excited enough to plunge all the way in towards Jesus?). I firmly believe that Peter was guilt ridden, and could not start the ministry that Jesus placed in him until he had released his guilt. (is that a revelation for you? Are you holding onto something that is preventing you from fulfilling the mission that Jesus has given you?)

I believe it was not until this restoration that the disciples were truly transformed. The very next chapter, and book of the Bible is Acts. (Acts of the Apostles) Peter starts off on fire immediately after he is restored by Jesus, and by chapter 2 of Acts, Peter was preaching to a great multitude and 5000 people were saved. This is when they began to do what Jesus had instructed them to do. Evidence of their transformation was when they stopped being who they were, and transformed into who they were supposed to be.
And that is also true for us. 

I Love you, and I am praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl

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Why do they hate me?

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why do they hate me?"

The obvious answer is, the hated Jesus; you look like Him, so they hate you. And that's certainly true, but let's look more closely. Digging deeper... In Romans 2, Paul explains why we are ill-equipped to judge. He states that this is because we are participants in sin. Our vision is skewed and warped. Therefore any judgment we give will be skewed and warped as well. God's judgment is just. Utterly and completely just. Paul then asks do you hate God's riches because it leads to repentance? Understanding that God's judgement for the righteous results in riches, long suffering, and forbearance. In other words, the result is God's favor. 

So they hate you, despite having all the world could offer, because they long for what God offers. But, they refuse to give up the world and accept God, because He demands repentance. Repentance means to 'turn from'. He requires that those who receive His favor, turn from the world, and towards Him. 

Keep being the example, and reflecting Christ's light so they see His works in you. They might be changed!!!

I love you, and I am praying for you.

~Pastor Erroyl
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Presenting Truth

Proverbs 3:3-4 NKJV
[3] Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, [4] And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

We live in a world where people want right, without truth. Even if someone does not believe that something is true, that doesn't make it so. You might not believe that Your average-looking, spending neighbor is a a millionaire, but that doesn't make it any less true (smile). Just like some people will not believe that Jesus is THE Truth, doesn't make it any less true. They want to be right, they want to live right, and they want lives that are right, but they will reject truth. Or, they will try to accept parts of the truth. But, they reject the harder parts of the truth. That's why you will hear many people talk about God, but not Jesus! They will talk of being spiitual, but not about faith. They will talk about giving, but rarely about sacrifice. 

Solomon tells us in this Proverb, that by wearing Truth and Mercy, bound to our necks, and written in our hearts, that we will gain favor in the sight of God. Notice that if something is bound to your neck it cannot be easily removed, likewise if something is written on your heart. 

As we go out and minister to people, yes we must present the truth, but at the same time we must have mercy for their ignorance of the truth.
That's a very difficult thing to do. It can certainly be frustrating when people are constantly requiring new mercy from us as finite beings. So, how do we do this? Go back to that Proverb and look at the verse 5. Hallelujah!

-SALT

Chosen by God

    A friend of mine expressed that she felt like she was often the second choice. She didn't think that she was the first choice for her job, and she heard that her husband wasn't the first choice for his work in ministry. She felt like it was a recurring theme in her life.

    I encouraged her to remember King Saul (from book of 1 Sam 10) was the king the people wanted. He was perfect in the eyes of man. He was tall, and good looking. God chose David. As the youngest he was considered the lowliest of his family, and the most unqualified by man's standards. 

  God has very different things that He looks for when He choses a person. So, if you've found yourself thinking that you were not the first choice by man, remember that God chose you for His purposes. He makes NO mistakes and qualifies YOU to do what He commissioned you to do. He has placed you (planted you) where you are for a reason. You might be second-best in the eyes of men, but you are the apple of God's eye!
   So.....whose opinion do you value? The people who wanted the Good-looking, coward for a king and rejected Jehovah.. Or The Great I Am??

  I love you, and I am praying for you...
~Pastor Erroyl

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Purposing Life

In John 21 We find Peter, a disciple of Jesus, about to go fishing. At first glance you might think, "well, there's nothing wrong with going fishing. Peter had to eat." The issue is not what he was doing, but rather what he was not doing. Peter was not fulfilling his purpose in life. He went back to what was comfortable to him (Peter was a professional fisherman up until he started to follow Jesus). Further troubling, is that this occurs after twice seeing the resurrected Jesus. 

For us: How often do we slip back into our old lives of comfort and sin, even after an encounter (or two) with Jesus? When there's a physical, worldly pull on us do we ignore our calling, and revert to the old person we used to be; back to our old lives? Do we stop fishing for men, and resume fishing for...fish? Do We subvert from spiritual back to Physical.. 

Later in this chapter, beginning at verse 15, we have what's known as "The Restoration of Peter." This is where Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him three times. Let's look at Jesus' command to Peter here. He says, if you love me.. then "feed my sheep".. in other words, if you say that you love me, then why are you NOT what I made you to be? I said, I'd make you a fisher of men, and I did.. So what are you doing outside of your purpose?

God has made us all with a purpose. Let us not slip back into old habits, old lives, and old ways... We have had encounters with The Lord Jesus. He has changed us, and we need to live in the purpose for which we were fashioned! If He has made you a singer, sing! A writer, write! A teacher, teach! An usher, greet, guide, and smile!

I love you, and I am praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl
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