Eternal Harvest Church Prayer is our first resource
NOT our last!
Continued on next page.
December 26-06
And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for ever.--1 John 2:17
This scripture taken in context with what is
above in 1 John 2:12-16, will clearly show us a "NEW
YEAR'S RESOLUTION" we need to commit to our minds and
hearts forever. You see the writer of this book, John,
is reminding us that our sins are forgiven in Jesus'
name.
Those of us who have been in the faith
anytime at all knows who authored our Salvation and
those who are newcomers find Joy in the Victory of
overcoming the evil one.--Verses 12-14. Then John
reminds us again about what the world offers and why we
should avoid those enticing offers from satan. You see,
from verse 17 it says, ". . .but he that doeth the
will of God abideth for ever."
Because of my
teaching in public school, I have trained my eyes and
ears to see and hear, in writings and verbal statements,
those things which speak of comparing/contrasting items.
When a person compares something, we are talking of
comparing at least two items--also with contrasting
something, we contrast at least two items--that's a law
of the inner teachings of English (are you happy English
teachers that I remembered?)
We must remember
that when we compare two things, we are stating or
looking how the two things are alike. When we contrast
two things, we are stating or looking how the two things
are different. So it is with John here--the word "but"
in verse 17 clearly refers to contrasting at least two
things. What are those two things? He that doeth the
will of God abideth for ever--AND--he that doeth NOT the
will of God WILL NOT abide for ever. So, we know what
happens to the one who does the will of God--that one
goes to a place called Heaven-for ever and ever. By
using what we know about comparing/contrasting, we also
know what happens to the one who does NOT the will of
God--that one goes to a place called Hell. Hell is real.
It is a place to avoid. WE don't want to go there,
because once we are there--there is no
return--forever--for eternity!
I love what this
same verse says in the Message version of the Bible.
"Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's
goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the
Father. Practically everything that goes on in the
world--wanting your own way, wanting everything for
yourself, wanting to appear important--has nothing to do
with the Father. It just isolates you from
Him.
The world and all its wanting, wanting,
wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God
wants is set for eternity. I know many of you feel
that New Year Resolutions are made to be broken, but I
can't forget one I made--six years ago--in a church not
far from here. I, like so many others, had made many
resolutions in my lifetime--I was going to quit
drinking, I was going to quit smoking, I was going to
lose weight, I was going to be better to my wife and
family, but I found out, like so many others, that I
would break them as fast as I made them.
I found
out when I made a commitment to the Father, and I boldly
put my life out on display where many of my church
family would hold me accountable, I felt assured, within
myself, that this was one resolution I was determined to
carry out. And for six beautiful, wonderful years, God
has taken me places in Him that I couldn't have even
imagined.
I challenge you to make this your New
Year's Resolution to find God's will in your life. The
discovery process is wonderful--I propose that you use
the keys to help find God's perfect will in your life.
Have a wonderful, Christ-filled--Holy Ghost-controlled
day, Pastor C
12-25-06
Acts
8:5-24 5--Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6--And the
people with one accord gave heed unto those things which
Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he
did. 7--For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice,
came out of many that were possessed with them: and many
taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8--And there was great joy in that city. 9--But there
was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the
same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of
Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10--To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the
greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11--And to him they had regard, because that of long
time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 12--But when
they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the
kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women. 13--Then Simon himself
believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued
with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and
signs which were done. 14--Now when the apostles which
were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15--Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that
they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16--(For as yet he
was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17--Then laid they their
hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 18--And
when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19--Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever
I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20--But
Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased
with money. 21--Thou hast neither part nor lot in this
matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22--Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray
God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be
forgiven thee. 23--For I perceive that thou art in the
gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24--Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD
for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken
come upon me. .
Good Morning, As I was
reading this morning, I came across this passage of
scripture. I know it is a long one, but if you would
bear with me, and read the entire portion, then I
believe and pray The Holy Spirit will make it more clear
to us. You see, many people are under the impression,
through false teaching, or by false intentions, that The
Holy Spirit is something magical, something we can work
for, something we can obtain by some physical means.
Contrary to this way of thinking, The Holy Spirit is a
gift, freely given by God, to those who ask for
it!
Simon, according to the word, became a
believer. His sins were forgiven by the same Heavenly
Father, who has forgiven you your sins. But, his
background, the teaching he had been taught for so many
years before his "re-birth", had come back to influence
this new life in Christ.
How many times do we
allow the old traditions of our religious backgrounds to
influence our behavior in the House of God? "Well,
Pastor C, my daddy believed this way, My momma believed
this--My grandpa did it this way!" I know--I know--I've
heard it before--Even though, in recent times, I have
allowed the Holy Spirit complete control of my life, my
thoughts, my actions, I was once influenced by false
teachings. The Holy Spirit is teaching me marvelous
things, destroying the false teachings of years and
years of ingrained learning.
I have seen people
on their death beds completely healed. I have seen
medical, spiritual, emotional, and financial miracles
through the Holy Ghost's intervention. No! Money cannot
buy this gift! You won't find it at your local Wal-Mart
or Sam's Store. You cannot bid on it on EBay. You won't
be able to find it in the pages of your Bible, either.
In other words, you cannot rely on just reading about it
to "make" it happen.
You can receive knowledge
about the Holy Spirit and a lot of other things in God's
Word, but you are not going to receive it, unless you do
it God's way! Just ask Him! That's His Way! You've got
to want it! You've got to be desperate for Him! You've
got to ask Him!
As Phillip, Peter, and John
ministered to Simon, The Holy Spirit revealed to the
Pastors that Simon was full of bitterness and captive to
sin. This is why the Holy Spirit was not evident in
Simon's life. He had not asked for God to fill Him. He
thought he could purchase this most desirable gift. His
false teaching had stopped the flow of the Holy Spirit
in his life. While the Word doesn't really go into
detail as to what happened in Simon's life from then
on--I am encouraged by the next verse--24--Then answered
Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none
of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. Like
I said, nothing is mention further about Simon--but this
was a great start to a life-time filled with the Holy
Spirit, doing the Will of the Father.
How about
you? Bombarded by traditions and religion? Allow the
Holy Spirit to teach you, to "clean" that closet--you
know the one--that inner place where no light has
entered in years. I'm sure the cockroaches are getting
pretty big in there. Maybe it's time to use GOD'S
VERSION OF "RAID"--THE HOLY GHOST! Merry Christmas,
Pastor C
