Honesty and Revelation

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” ⁴⁸Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ⁴⁹Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1:47-49

How is it that Nathanael received the truth about Jesus so readily, when all Israel failed to recognize their Messiah?  It was because Nathanael possessed the grace of integrity, which Jesus immediately recognized and acknowledged – “...an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”  This was a man who was honest with himself and others, a straight-shooter, one who meant what he said and said what he meant.  Jesus commended him for his truthfulness, because it made the way for him to see the Son of God.

Total honesty is an essential trait of God’s children.  When we embrace any deception or dishonesty, we may see Jesus, but not as Lord and King.  The longer we refuse to accept the truth about ourselves, the longer it takes for us to recognize Christ as the Master of our lives.  We will never find our true identity in what others say about us, or even what we say about ourselves.  But immediately when the Lord speaks the truth about us and we receive it, we are set free to see Him for who He is.  God can only reveal Himself to those of us who speak the truth about ourselves in our hearts (Psalm 15:2). 

The Lord shows us what is wrong in us, because He loves us as our Father; and He wants us to repent and be cleansed, so we can enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him.  He shows us what’s right in us, because it confirms His hand upon us, and assures us He’s shaping us in the image of Jesus.  God becomes real to us when we are real with Him.  May we all be “real” like Nathanael – so God can truly reveal Himself to us!   

Dear Family:

A few years ago, I heard Foursquare Evangelist Jean Darnell share a dream she had.  To the best of my recollection, it went like this:

Jean had been taken up to heaven and was given a tour.  While she marveled at the immaculate beauty and awesome wonder of the place, her attention was drawn to an angel sitting alongside the gold-paved street with his back to her.  When she walked up to him, he had a deeply pensive, perplexed expression, and she wondered what this glorious, amazing angel could possibly be so troubled about.  Just then, he turned around and looked at her and asked,

                "What time is it?"

Jean immediately woke up. Every bit as perplexed as the angel, she said in her heart,

                "Lord that was a rather dumb question the angel asked me!"

The Lord quickly answered back,

"Looking at the way most of you Christians are living, the angel is rightly wondering do you all really know what time it is!!"

It's almost cliché to say, "Jesus is coming back soon."   And it's all too rare to find a believer or church living as if they're actually expecting Him.  Do the lives we live individually and collectively reflect the earnest conviction that Jesus could appear today?  Take a moment to bring to mind the issues that have occupied your thoughts this past week.  Can you truly say you've been concerned with God's agenda?  I hope so.

It is my deepest desire to see souls saved, but I also long to see those who name Christ as Savior living for Him with reckless abandon. When people meet or fellowship with us, let them find the sweet fragrance of God's active presence in all we say and do.  When they tell others about us, let them be able to say we are  people who speak the truth, feed the poor, visit the sick and imprisoned, pray fervently and continuously, and love all men in Jesus Christ.  Let us live and work like a church that has much to do and only a little while to do it.  After all, we do know what time it is . . . it’s time to we live completely for Jesus!

Love,

Pastor Eric

WE ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, and it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct the other way...”

From “A Tale of Two Cities”, by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens’ words refer to the volatile days of 1775, but they also could be spoken of the present day.  Perhaps you feel it the “best of times and the worst of times” in your life.  Things may be going very well, but there are some stiff challenges - great spiritual victories but perplexing difficulties - feelings of being closer to a God than ever before, yet days of feeling like a spiritual failure.  Can you identify?  I believe you can.

            You are the light of the world.  (Matt 5:14)   

Being close to Jesus means living in the light - and being the light in the world is not all that easy, because he light of His perfection reveals all our imperfections – even our innermost thoughts!  Also, His light will bring out all manner of things about those around you – the good, the bad, and the ugly!  Now that can be uncomfortable. It’s hard living in the Light! 

Whatever you do, be determined to walk in the light by walking closely with Jesus Christ, even when it is uncomfortable.  Jesus taught His disciples that apart from total dependence on Him, they could do nothing productive!  Staying close to the Him keeps us encouraged, focused, and fruitful in spite of life’s discomforts and contradictions.

So, now you understand why so many perplexing issues are at hand.  You’ve begun to “walk in the Light” and to be a light.  Sometimes that light reveals unpleasant things in and around you. But Jesus will never bring anything to light without giving you the grace to deal with it.  Be encouraged, and face life on God’s terms.  Whatever you do, don’t go back into darkness and sin.  Ask God to give you His supernatural power to bear the hard times, and let the light that resonates from you reveal Jesus to everyone around you.  Remember, you are the light of the world, and He is the light in you!

Love,

Your pastor and God’s servant,

Eric

The Call to Integrity

Integrity is a wonderful thing, though it’s all too rare even among Christians today. We need to understand and heed God’s high calling to the perfect and blameless life. When the Word of God is given the prominent place in our lives it deserves, the standard set in the scripture becomes our measuring rod for personal integrity. You and I can’t live a life of integrity in our own strength, and we’ll admit that if we’re honest with ourselves. But, the Good News is the Holy Spirit dwells in us to make us people of the highest biblical character. Integrity is a wonderful thing, though it’s all too rare even among Christians today. We need to understand and heed God’s high calling to the perfect and blameless life. When the Word of God is given the prominent place in our lives it deserves, the standard set in the scripture becomes our measuring rod for personal integrity. You and I can’t live a life of integrity in our own strength, and we’ll admit that if we’re honest with ourselves. But, the Good News is the Holy Spirit dwells in us to make us people of the highest biblical character.


Righteousness, uprightness, and trustworthiness are the attributes the Bible ascribes to a person of integrity. Examine these excerpts from Psalm 15:
v. 1,2 “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell on your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart…”
v. 3b “…does [no] evil to his neighbor…”
v. 4b “…he who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (or, one who
keeps his word even when it hurts).
v. 5b “…nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things
shall never be moved.”


Wow! This man or woman God describes “shall never be moved.” That speaks of the solid, unshakable faith and character the Holy Spirit develops in those who are determined to live open and transparent lives before God and His people. This chapter also speaks of abiding in God’s tabernacle and dwelling on His holy hill. What a beautiful picture of intimacy with God, and this picture is one He is painting for all who strive to live and love honestly.


The Lord calls you and me to be people of spotless integrity. We may not find many examples of integrity in the media or even in our personal relationships and travels. But the less regard for truth we witness in the world, the greater the witness of Jesus Christ in us becomes. What IS important is that we find integrity when we look in the mirror! The mirror I’m speaking of is the Word of God. You see, when we read God’s Word, Christ is revealed, and so are we. All that the Word exposes leads to us beg Christ to help us, then he imparts His Spirit and integrity to us.


So let’s be true to the One who leads us into all truth. He IS the truth, and that truth lives in us, truly making us men and women of integrity.


Love and peace,
Pastor Eric

Pride

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  Psalm 139:23, 24

Satan is not our most dangerous enemy, because he can only operate where we allow.  When we walk in intimacy and obedience to Christ, the demons have little or nothing in us to work with.  Not even the world, with all its temptations and pleasures can touch us, because we have overcome the world in Christ!  No, our greatest enemy is not in hell or the world system of things  . . . our greatest enemy is pride!

Pride is the most dangerous of sins, because it is completely blind to itself.  Pride plans, acts, and thinks without considering the Lord.  It is a bold affront to Him, and we're all guilty of it -- yet it is so subtle that we rarely detect it or confess it. Pride distorts our self-concept, props us up, puffs us up, and makes us believe things of ourselves and others that are not true. It makes us think of ourselves first and last, it takes and demands more credit than it deserves, and it talks about itself more than it should.  Pride doesn't respond to correction very well.  I'm sure each of us can immediately point to at least one person who fits this description.  The proof that we are blind to our own pride is we didn't point to ourselves.

Remember, children of God are called to be as wise as serpents, and that wisdom begins with knowing God and understanding ourselves. Nothing but the searchlight of the Holy Spirit and the mirror of the word of God can reveal these things to us, and we suffer with pride to the degree that we ignore what they show us.

    

Perhaps you know all this already, and it's not for you.  Then again, maybe that might be your . . .

Love and perfect peace,

Pastor Eric

When the Spirit Speaks


Matthew 10:18-20

¹⁸ "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

 Luke 12:11, 12

¹¹ "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. ¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

 The Holy Spirit does not simply prepare us for the trials and difficulties in our lives – He is that preparation. The Bible consistently teaches us the necessity of preparedness, and we do not always have time to get ourselves ready, but we must already (and always) be prepared. In other words, preparedness is a state of being for the Christian. It is a mistake to think God is using today just to prepare us for tomorrow, for Jesus says in Matthew 6:25-33,

²⁵ "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁸ So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

 Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised to any of us, so today is of paramount importance, and we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit right now! God is most pleased when we are ready to hear and speak God’s Word today, and the Holy Spirit will speak through in the moment of trial and glorify the Lord no matter the circumstance. As God’s children, we can rightly judge our maturity by the immediacy of our witness and how seamlessly the Lord is glorified by our words when we are under duress. Therefore, we do not worry about tomorrow and its troubles, nor do we wonder if we will stand or falter. Our walk is a moment by moment adventure, and we can be sure the God who is with us today will be with tomorrow! Remember Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Blessings and peace,

Pastor Eric

Quietness and Confidence

 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)

Being quiet and still is often the wisest thing you and I can do. Wisdom dictates we humble ourselves before the One Who knows all - “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Yet, we find that the most difficult thing to do – to just be quiet. That is because the love of God has not yet been perfected in us, and we have much to learn about the ways of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s church, there is such a temptation to run to and fro, to chase every new idea and “revelation,” and to listen to and embrace “truth” from an endless number of teachers. We live in the “Facebook” generation where we easily grant access to our ears and hearts, often without even considering the fact that our time and attention should belong exclusively to our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Beloved, we are to be like a tree planted by the rivers of water (Psalm 1:3). God’s supply to his children is often unseen, underground, and dispensed in the secret place of prayer and intimate fellowship. – then, we are consistently nourished by the never-ceasing provision of a Holy God, Who dwells within where no one sees. We possess a boldness rooted firmly in an ever-increasing belief that God never fails, never gets weary, and is always good to His children. That confidence is our hiding place, and the secret place found only by those who rest in Him. So, be still, my friend, and know that He is God.

Love and peace beyond understanding,

Pastor Eric

What is God Trying to Teach Me Anyhow??

Do you ever wonder why there seems to be an ever-increasing level of stress and pressure in your life?  I do.  In fact I’ve coined a new term for this condition – I call it “stressure.”  I don’t always know what causes it, and I don’t always know where to find relief from it.  But I do know God allows it in my life, and therefore, there must be a reason and a purpose for it. 

In my opinion, one of the most amazing passages in the scriptures is Hebrew 5:5-8.  When we study and appreciate these verses, they will generate a deep sense of awe and reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ, and it will help us better understand the will of God in this stressure we’re experiencing.   It says:

 “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest…Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”  

Jesus humbled Himself that He might become our High Priest. He glorified God by receiving His sufferings willingly and submitting His will to His Father.  What a remarkable relationship they shared - so much so that the death of the Son brought glory and praise to the Father.  Could the Lord be calling us to die to ourselves as Jesus did?  Perhaps the Lord allows just enough stressure in our lives to drive us to our knees with tears and cries of brokenness and submission.  It may feel like defeat, but the child of God prays to our Father who is able to save us from death and bring joy for every tear we shed.  And truly, the Lord is glorified by the wonderful service you render to Him and the saints in spite your sufferings!

Another astonishing phrase in this passage is:

“…though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered.”

It never dawned on me that Jesus had things to learn.  I always assumed because He was God in flesh, He knew everything.  Yet the scriptures teach He emptied Himself of the privileges of His deity, and became like us in every way, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus humbled Himself to the lowly status of a child, student, and servant – and the method the Father used to train and mature Him was suffering.  Only then was He able to receive the mantle of High Priest, which was the Father’s purpose for Him.

I point these things out that we might realize the marvelous hand of God in our lives even in things that hurt and things we don’t like or understand.  When we begin to view our sufferings in light the eternal weight of glory God has for us, we are able to endure them with a joy that confounds the world around us. Most importantly, we give pleasure and glory to God when we trust Him with our lives through every season and circumstance.  So smile – the more stressure the more proud the Father is when we humble ourselves, and the more it makes us like Jesus!

Love and blessings,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series Part 16

Esther series – pt. 16

Pastor Eric A. Green

And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.” The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet. And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”⁷ Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.” Esther 5:4-8 (NLT)

Esther is now the central figure in the drama swirling around her. She is standing at the crossroads of her peoples’ destiny, and her next move would mean salvation or genocide. What an overwhelming burden the Lord allowed to be laid on her slim shoulders! She never asked for this, never saw it coming, never tried to place herself in the history books – but here she is, and her response to the stark realities of her times would pave the way for the future of an entire nation.

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the confluence of life’s circumstances? Where do you go when the weight of difficulties and crushing realities threaten to extinguish your hopes and dreams? How do you spell r-e-l-i-e-f? In Psalm 61:1-3 David says,

“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.” (NKJV)

Each step Esther took from this point forward had life-and-death ramifications for her and the Jewish nation, and she could not afford even the slightest misstep. The most important decision she made was to fast, pray, and wait for divine guidance from her God. Mostly, she needed to be wise and shrewd. I call shrewdness the “razor’s edge of wisdom”. It is the attribute necessary to deal with demonic forces and their strategies – Jesus call these strategies “the gates of hell” (Matthew 16:18). David says in 2 Samuel 22: 26-28,

"With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; ²⁷ with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. ²⁸ You will save the humble people; but Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.

The Hamans in our lives are bent on destruction and confusion, as in Esther’s story, and the weapons she successfully employed are the same ones available to us today. Nations, kings, governors and armies are simply bit players in God’s ultimate plan of redemption, and one faithful saint, like Esther, can wield more power than all the forces of darkness combined.  So as we go to the Lord with our trials, remember, Romans 8:31 says,

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Be encouraged. The same God that walked with Esther walks with you!

Love and perfect peace,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 15

Pastor Eric A. Green

 

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.  I and my maidens also will fast in the same way.  And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.  Esther 4:15-17

Up to this point, Esther followed the explicit directions of Mordecai, and she found favor with the king through obedience to the instructions of the eunuchs assigned to her.  What a picture of humility before exaltation! We often want exaltation before humility, but it never works like that in the kingdom.  God can only lift up the standard of Jesus Christ where we first lay down our rights.

Esther understood this. Now we see a new order of things:  So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther commanded him . . . (v. 17)

Esther is giving the orders now, and Mordecai is glad to follow them.  She has been promoted, and circumstances demand she step into the role of leader with all its joys and risks – and at the moment, there are more risks than joy!  Esther was going to have to step beyond the royal protocol and come into the king’s presence without a summons, a move that could cost her life.  She didn’t have to do it, but she chose to do it. She valued the lives of those she led more than her own.  What an awesome display of Christ-likeness.

In our desire to be successful, we don’t often consider price of spiritual promotion.  Jesus gave His life for us, Paul gave his, Peter, and so on.  The question now comes to us, what is the price we are willing to pay for the exaltation we seek from God?  Promotion is a two-sided coin, and we often choose to look at “heads” and ignore the “tails.”  So beloved, be careful to walk in obedience and humility today, because that will build the character needed to weather the storms you are sure to face once you are truly promoted! Think about it.

Love and understanding,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 14

Pastor Eric A. Green

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape more than all the Jews.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish.  And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”    Esther 4:13,14

Every biblical imperative has a turning point, and that point can be capsulated in one word – “if”.  Esther stood at the crossroads of her life and the lives of her people, and her purpose would only be realized if she obeyed the voice of Mordecai. 

The “if” principle is true for every saint.  You see, the blood of the precious Lamb of God saves us in order that we live righteously before God and the world.  We must declare His praises boldly and take the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world so that others may come into the heavenly family.  Our Christianity must be lived “out loud” so every creature can hear and be saved.  But this can only happen through us if we embrace the strict, costly terms of discipleship. 

Remember, Jesus told the rich young ruler,
“ If you want to be perfect, go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  (Matthew 19:21)

Perhaps we preachers ought to read our congregations the small print in our “contract” with God.  This and every other invitation to walk with Jesus is preceded by “if”.  The Lord is seeking those who no longer count their own lives and aspirations dear, only His will. The pursuit of our destiny, empowerment, riches, and wealth are one day going to be tested by our willingness to lay them all down for “the least of these”.

Esther had to decide whether she was simply a Jew by birth (a fact that was still hidden), or was she a Jew in spirit. If Esther’s relationship with God was a peripheral fact, she would not feel the compulsion to put her life on the line or to intercede for her people.  But if she was related to God and her people in the spirit, she had no choice but to sacrifice her life for their sakes. 

What was true of Esther is true for us.  I pray that God doesn’t have to bring deliverance from another source, but that you and I will hear the Holy Spirit’s plea for us to lay down our prerogatives, our pursuits, and our very own lives. If we do, we will find life for many others and ourselves as well . . .  just as Esther did. 

Love and blessings,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 13

Pastor Eric A. Green

And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews.  He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction , which was given to Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.  So Hatach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 

Esther 4:7-9

Then Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him a command for Mordecai:

"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live.  Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days."

Esther 4:11

Esther's ascension to the throne was not an isolated event, but it was connected to the divine plan of God.  Are you aware that there is a divine reason for you being where you are? We are most often so caught up in the day-to-day that we miss divine appointments with regularity.  Are we taking full advantage of the opportunity to be the "salt of the earth" right where we live and work?  Like Esther, your blessings are not isolated events, but God's way of putting us "in play" in His enterprises.

Esther was elevated to the dazzling height of royalty, and she was set for life.  As long as she played the role of Queen Esther in a way acceptable to the king, life was as good as it could be for any young woman.  She, like any of us, would have loved to kick back and enjoy the blessings God had given her, and live a very nice life doing very nice deeds from her very nice position.  Only it was not to be - life has a way of messing up our nice and cozy plans!

Esther would have to take her life in her hands in order to help her people, and though she was reluctant to do so, she did.  She learned and displayed one of the primary lessons in ministry – self-sacrifice.  You see, we never learn to serve others as the Lord wills until we stop counting what it costs us.  As long as we worry about who will give us credit, how tired we are, or how much we have to put out, we will be of no use to God.  True ministry is never a matter of our convenience.  It always costs us something, perhaps even our lives.

Jesus puts it like this:

"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."  John 12:24

He promises that if we forget about ourselves and emulate Him, our laid-down lives will be a pathway for many to live and prosper in the goodness of God.  And remember, God has a wonderful way of raising us up wherever we voluntarily lay our lives (and our rights) down for Him. Pray about it.

Love and perfect peace,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 12

Pastor Eric A. Green

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed bitterly.   Esther 4:1

As we established earlier, Mordecai is a type of the Holy Spirit, and he knew the Jews were in dire straits.  His heart was broken over the anguish of his people, and his response was demonstrative.  Everyone who observed him understood clearly this man was in deep distress, and his distress brought him to the king’s gate.  So the Holy Spirit grieves over the anguish of God’s children, and His intercession brings Him to the Father, praying on our behalf in utterances that can’t even be spoken.  Romans 8:26, 27 says:

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Sprit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

There needs to be a little more “Mordecai” in us. In a culture where Christians are looking for the blessings and prosperity of God, we can’t ignore the ministry of “sackcloth and ashes” that rattles the King’s gates.  If we are not careful, we will miss out on the opportunity to call on the Lord to save the lost, heal the sick, and feed the hungry.  But we have the Spirit, and when we kneel, He rises up to pray through us and for us!  So, let’s embrace the heart and work of intercession, because the world is in mortal danger from the “Hamans” seeking to rob, kill, and destroy those God loves.  

Remember, your prayers change things.  And it’s doubtful that God does anything significant apart from those prayers! 

Love and peace,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 11

Pastor Eric A. Green

Then Haman said to King Ahasueras, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws.   Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, I will pay then thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, enemy of the Jews.  And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with as seems good to you.”   Esther 3:8-11

I thank God for the life of worship and freedom He has made available to me through His Son, Jesus Christ.  I also thank Him for the Holy Spirit who sanctifies me, sets me apart, and makes God known to all through me.  But even as the Lord has called me His friend, His presence in my life makes the world and it’s god my enemy, and my life is often filled with the trials that all who love God must endure.

This Esther passage brings up an interesting question.  The Jews worshiped God in such a distinct way that evil, pagan people saw their very existence as a threat.  Haman was able to convince the king to rubberstamp his genocidal plans to destroy the people of God, because he presented their devotion to Jehovah as antagonistic to their allegiance to the king.  Does that sound familiar?  In today's USA, the mere mention of Jesus Christ is considered an offense to the “rights” of others, and any reference to the Word of God in the public arena is sure to be challenged as an attempt to force our beliefs on others.

By all means, we must be wise and discrete in our walk of faith, for we cannot and should not be heavy-handed with others in matters of faith and conscience.  That’s not what Jesus did.  But, if we live boldly and fully for Him, the demons and the people they use will set their hearts on our demise, as Haman did the Jews.  My question to you is this – are you living a life that exalts Christ and makes the devils tremble?  Are they afraid of your prayers and your praises?  Is your life a light to those living in darkness all around you?  Do people see the gentleness and sweetness of Christ when they see you?  Are you a peacemaker, a friend of God and men?  If being a Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you?  Are our sufferings the sufferings of Christ or consequences of our own disobedience? 

These are sobering questions we need to consider more often than we do.

Love and peace,

Pastor Eric

Esther Series – part 10 

Pastor Eric A. Green

After these things King Ahasueras promoted Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all princes who were with him.  And all the king’s servant who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him.  But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.  The king’s servants who were within the gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?”

Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.  When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath.  But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai.  Instead Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasueras – the people of Mordecai.   Esther 3:1-6

God is setting the scene in a great play of redemption for His people, and the main actors are Mordecai, Esther, Haman, and King Ahasueras.  The Jews are in captivity, dispersed throughout the kingdom of their conqueror – and because they are God’s people, distinct from all others, their worship draws the disdainful eye of the “gods” of the land.  Satan, the invisible antagonist, sees an excellent opportunity to deal a crushing, genocidal blow to the plan and people of God by destroying the lineage of the promised Messiah. 

A conflict of cosmic proportions is brewing in the Book of Esther, and the same is true in our day.  Satan (Haman) still hates God’s people, both the Jews and the Church.  Witness the historical record of attempts to exterminate the Jews, and the present efforts to persecute the Church and remove even the mention of God from public discourse.   Today, it is considered an offense to display scripture references in government offices or to say, “Merry Christmas.” There is even a present litigious attempt to remove the phrase “under God” from the pledge of allegiance.  Can you sense the spirit of Haman lurking and plotting against God-fearing people who refuse to bow down at the shrine of worldliness?

Friends, our firm determination to be a distinct, peculiar people who are set apart for the worship of the Lord Jesus makes us a target for the powers, principalities, and spiritual wickedness that hold sway over this world.  But the Lord Who protects us knows all, and He has assured the desired end to all our trials.  There may be a Haman in your life that seems to have all the power.  He (or she) may well be plotting your demise, but the Word of God says:
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.  The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.  The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and the needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.  Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.   Psalm 37:12-15

I pray you remember the Lord is your strong tower, your shield, and your God.  If He is for you, who of any consequence can be against you?  May the Lord make you able to stand against the wiles of Satan, and He will make you wiser and shrewder than those the serpent has sent to harm you.  Remember that no matter how difficult the present may seem, and we know who wins in the end! 

Love and perfect peace,

Pastor Eric