Be Cheerful!!!

In the book the "Greatest Salesman in the World", one of the scrolls tells the salesman to greet each day with joy. I recently spoke to a salesman who swears by that particular book to help them become a success. He was touting what great advice it is to meet the day with. Paul in his letters echoed the same sentiment, only he expanded it out by saying, "Be Cheerful no matter what, pray all the time; thank God, no matter what happens." MSG 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17. As I read those words my first fleshly thought was "wow, easy for a super apostle to say, but as I paused and let the Holy Spirit work, I realized that "That was a hard thing to say, based on what Paul had to go through in spreading the gospel." Prison, beatings, shipwrecks, being bitten by a snake, and all the other things that would normally cause a person to quit, he just kept going. 

What caused him to be cheerful no matter what, the secret to this is found in where he looked during the entire ordeal. Throughout his ministry Paul would reference the cross as the centerpoint of his message. He would look at what Christ endured and thought this is nothing compared to that so, he remained cheerful. That being said, as we go through life with our disappointments, (the gap between our expectations and our reality), sickness, and the other curve balls life throws at us, we need simply to remind ourselves that Christ suffered that and much worse on our behalf, so cheer up, we aren't being publicly executed, for all the world to see! 

Allow this truth to make its way into your spirit, God is watching over me, Christ lives in me, I am clothed in the Spirit, so no matter what happens I'm not alone, not powerless, and not without a companion to help me speak directly to the Father and the Father can speak directly back!!! So why not be cheerful, knowing to whom I belong and what He is capable of!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you. CHEER UP!!!

Eric

What to do with the Bible?

The best selling book of all time, is probably also the most misused of all time. I'm not talking about the Tom Sawyer, or the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I'm talking about the Bible. People use the Bible to justify so many things some are accurate and others well, not so much. Which leads me to today's question, what do I as a believer do with the Bible?

The first thing I recommend is to find a version you can read and understand, some are translations, meaning they strive to do a word for word understanding of the texts. Some are interpretations, meaning they put the text into an understandable format for you to grasp the concepts over the actual meaning of each word. When I study I have several versions of both out to compare, my reasoning is that I want to understand the words on the page as I depend on the Holy Spirit to make the meaning clear and applicable to my life. John 5:39 tells us that as we search or pore over the scriptures they point to Christ and His identity.

Secondly, as you read allow the Spirit to speak directly to your heart and teach you what and how to apply what you have read to your own life. Too many believers only read and believe what the pastor/teacher at their church tells them, or their tradition teaches without actually searching the scriptures for the actual teachings of the Word. It is the Word that helps us conform to the revealed image of Christ. Jesus told the Sadducees that "Your mistake is that you don't know the scriptures, and you don't know the power of God." (Matthew 22:29 NLT). They had asked Him a question hoping to trip Him up, and He called them on it.

So read the scriptures for yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply them, seek out teachers that view scriptures the same way and depend on the Holy Spirit and not tradition to frame their understanding of the scriptures. Remember as you read three things should start to occur in your life.
1. As you study the Spirit will help you move beyond head knowledge but to a deeper comprehension of what the Word is saying to your life.
2. As you begin comprehending your life should start conforming to the Word, as the two images begin to match.
3. As your life begins to become more Christ-like and less religious, your life will begin to communicate the changes as the Spirit gets a deeper hold in your life the Spiritual Fruit will begin to manifest and suddenly being a Christian becomes a true lifestyle of joy and peace and not a religious drudgery that has infected the church today.

I hope this gives you food for thought, email me if you ever have any questions and I'll help anyway can. 

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you. 
Eric 

Where do I go to give up?

When I was in undergraduate one of my professors always put a cartoon on the screen before beginning lecture. One day in the middle of the semester he put up a Peanuts cartoon. Seated behind her psychiatric desk Lucy waited to dispense her 5 cents worth of wisdom. Charlie Brown sat down depressed and asked her a question I would dare say we have all asked at one time. "Where do I go to give up?" Sound familiar, have you ever just plopped down in your chair, or on the ground or wherever you found yourself and asked that very question.
A few years ago, I tried bringing my dream to pass without checking the timing of my Father, can we say epic failure. I wasn't in the place I needed to be spiritually, nor was I surrounded by people who had the same vision I did, and the last piece missing was a support network for my own emotional and spiritual needs. The result FAILURE, and hurt people. Walking away from that failure I found myself like the men on the Emmaus road in Luke 24. They were hurt, confused, wondering if they had just missed the will of the Father, were they deceived by Christ, He was dead, and they were just depressed. I could so relate to that feeling.
Although their feelings lasted but a moment, mine lasted for 4 years, as I wandered around like a lost pup, hurt, dazed and confused thinking that I had destroyed that dream, hurt the Father and others beyond repair, so I settled into the feelings that this was all there was. Then God sent me a wake up call, and reminded me that like the Prodigal son, I was His, and that forgiveness was only a prayer away. I didn't need to hear that call twice, and I returned home and found His love and forgiveness was more than I had even preached about earlier. He healed issues in my life that I had struggled with for years, and I experienced His power in a way I had never known.
Then the issue of the dream came up again. My pastor preached on 1 Corinthians 7:23-24. He reminded me I was called by grace, I had been chosen. Secondly he said live in your calling. "Get hold of your unlikely dreams and go after them." I thought easy for you to say, you didn't fail to the degree I did, and as publicly.
That is until I read the text in Luke. Christ reminded the men that He had to suffer and die to bring about their salvation and enter into His glory. The Spirit, spoke softly to me and reminded me that the path I walked wasn't a surprise to the Father, and that the experiences I had gotten there was part of my education, so that I could truly do that I was called to do.
I know I spent a lot of time on my background, but I wonder if you can relate? Has God given you a dream, or put something special in you and the enemy has convinced you it will never happen. Can I be transparent with you, DON'T GIVE IN!!! Be reminded that if Christ started a work in you He will complete that work. We don't get to give up in this army, like the Marines, Christ won't leave a solider behind to be captured and tortured by the enemy, but He will bring us to Himself, and heal us and make us the soldiers He called us to be, until we get to go home and rest for all eternity.

I'll be praying for you and I hope you are praying for me. Please leave me comments to know if this has helped, or send me your prayer requests to pastorstansberry@gmail.com.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

Adopted

In December of 1970, two unsuspecting parents adopted a premature, hyperactive baby because they wanted a son. I know you already have guessed it was me, but that I is why I can identify with the concepts that Paul looks at in Ephesians 1:4-5 "Even before He made the world, God LOVED us and CHOSE us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to ADOPT us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Christ Jesus." (NLT) I put three words in all caps to "Shout" to get you to notice them.

First notice that God loved us. In this crazy world that we live in so many people have this idea that God is sitting in Heaven waiting on them to screw up so He can punish them. That He sees their problems and just looks away, however nothing can be farther from the truth. He loves us so much that even before creation, He had a plan to show us His love in a way that would forever prove that we matter. When I was in junior high (I know I'm old), I struggled with this idea of being loved, because I really didn't fit in, and the picture I had of God, growing up in the churches I was drug to, painted God that wanted everyone to be the same, and I couldn't make that happen. It has only been a recent revelation to me that God loves me just as I am, because of the second word CHOSE!

God CHOSE me to be His child!!! He saw everything I would ever do, say and be and in spite of that He still wanted me to be in His family. I have had many people come and go in my live and many I felt like were my family, only to find that they didn't see me the same way, I was convenient to them, and served their purpose at that moment. When I disappointed them, or in someway didn't please them, they simply cut me loose and wanted nothing else to do with me. NOT SO WITH MY FATHER, He kept His eye on me, He loved me, and was always right there, even when I was clearly in the wrong, but because He CHOSE me, He wouldn't let me get to far from Him, and when I thought I went to far, HE reached out and pulled me back to Himself and reminded me of the third word, ADOPT!

When a child is adopted their past is wiped out and they are given a new identity. It wasn't until I was 21 that I found out that my birth mother had given me a name, but when my parents adopted me they had that name changed and a legal document, made me their son, their heir, their family, not only to them, but to their entire family, it was if I was natural born. This is what excites me, when I came to Christ, through His blood I was adopted into His family. He is my brother, and the creator of the entire Universe, the Ancient of Days, is my Father. He loves me when I do good, and He corrects me when I mess up. I have had a real change and revelation in this area, that has changed my beliefs somewhat on things, but it has made my relationship stronger with the Father.

If you have days where you feel low, alone or just unworthy I want you to remind yourself of these words. Tell the enemy that I am Loved, I was Chosen and I am Adopted, by the Creator of the Universe through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and because of that I am His child and He will take care of me, and hold me in my darkest hour.  Remind the enemy to whom you belong and watch victory begin to manifest.

Let's join together in prayer for each other, and allow the Holy Spirit to make us into the family He wants us to be, not divided but united!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

A personal note

On May 24, I was relieved of a profession, I had been in for over 25 years in various places and positions. In September I accepted a position completely different from anything I have ever done before. It was the only open door, so I stepped through. Being honest here I am in October in worse financial shape than I have ever been, and to be honest I am pretty worried. I know that as a believer I'm not to be worried or scared, but I am human and I have all the human responsibilities. As I started pouring tea for my pity party, the Lord took me to the Sermon on the Mount to remind me of a couple of things. I want to share them with you.
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope With less of you there is more of God and his rule. You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. " (Matthew 5:3-4 The Message)

I will admit that both these verses spoke directly to me, and my situation. Today I can freely admit I am at the end of my rope, I have tied a knot and I am holding on for dear life. When you are at the bottom there is only one way to look and that is up. Psalms 123 gives us three things to do in these situations. First when looking up, be Alert to the Father's voice. Secondly, when looking up, be Attending to the Father's presence. Thirdly, when looking up, be Awaiting the Father's move on your behalf.

Look at the next verse, it says I'm blessed when I lose what is most dear to me. Now to be fair, my job isn't my most dear possession, but it is physical need, and the absence of it creates stress not only on me but my family, both current and former. I know that each of these verses are for me and you during our most testing times, but I believe in being real, I'm scared and I guess I am asking all of you to join me in prayer for this situation, as I join in prayer for yours. I believe if we all join together in prayer, holding each other up we will see victories in every situation.

Grace and peace be multiplied to all of you.
Eric

The Calendar

Over the past few months people have been using the calendar and things happening as way to point to the return of Christ, like He is awaiting a further sign. That sign was given when Israel became a nation, and the majority of Bible scholars actually agree on that one sign. That being said, Paul had to address the same issues 2,000 years ago to a church in 1st Thessalonians.
"Times and dates are not important. God is not going to post is to a calendar" 5:1-3 (MSG) So why are we so interested in date setting and the like, well its our way of trying to be ready while not being ready.
If we had known when Kennedy was going to be killed, would we not have changed his route, or increased security. What about any other invasion, tragedy or other major event if we had foreknowledge of the event, would we not have prepared and done what was necessary to prevent the situation, the answer is YES of course!!!
So then, if we knew the exact date of the Lord's return might we all behave and live a little different, for some the answer is a resounding yes!!!!! That is why we should not attempt to figure out the date of the return of Christ, but live each moment as if it is today. Why because we would treat each other differently, saint and sinner, wanting everyone to be ready for the return. We would live closer to His teachings and refrain from silly controversies, and things that divide the church. We would live in a way to bring glory to His name, so that at any moment we can hear His voice.
Yet the church lives today in a manner that indicates we really don't believe He is coming back. Why do I say that? Well we are still fighting racism in the church, judging and condemning people based on things that aren't as important as their soul. Jesus came to save the world, not lead everyone into condemnation, yet our message today is more condemnation, than love and whosoever will may come.
Friends, let commit to live every moment as if its the last on this plane of living. Whether we go by rapture or grave, lets live in a way that would draw people to Christ and His kingdom, not turn them off to the love he offers all.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

Get Prepared

Exodus 19:10-19 gives the story of Moses preparing Israel to receive the 10 Commandments from God. They were told to clean their garments, prepare their inner being for the meeting and told where they would meet God. Why? In an age where worship starts at 11ish, and we come to worship as if we are going to the beach, or ballpark, I am left to wonder where is the wonder and awe of our time with the Father.

Let me apply this to the natural, if you have a job, you are required to be on time, and yet in our meeting with the God of the universe keeping the appointment is a struggle to say the least. Secondly, most jobs have a sort of dress code, (I'm not saying coat and tie for men and LOOOOONNNGG dresses for the women, saw that enough growing up in legalism) but at least in a way that shows respect for our Savior and High Priest and His/Our Father.

Thirdly, we should come into worship prepared to hear from the Father, and ready to lift our hands in worship, yet sadly many see worship has a formality like let's sing so the preacher can preach and we can go get on about our Sunday! Is is any wonder so many are turning away from Christianity and looking at other religions.

How do we fix this, as with anything start at home with your private time. Every day I set an appointment to meet with God. I get dressed and start the appointment as sacred time, turn off the phone, and get ready to meet with my Father. That means I have a time and a place, doesn't have to be at home, can be anywhere you can get time with Him. Secondly, come with a spirit of worship. If that means singing, listening to worship music or just closing your eyes and speaking the psalms, just worship. Thirdly, pray as you read the word of God. He will open the scriptures up to you in a new way, teaching you and helping to conform you to the image of His Son. Then learn to listen to what the Spirit is saying to you. "Are your ears awake? Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches." (Revelation 2:11 MSG)

As this becomes your practice daily, it will spill over into public worship. What we do in private good or bad eventually makes it way into our public life in some form. God always comes to a prepared atmosphere! I can only speak for how it has changed my public worship, and deepened my understanding of the Word, I believe if it can work for a hard-headed screw-up the way I have been in the past, and change me, setting me free from things I had struggled with for years, I believe it will work for anyone!!!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

Enter into

In the book of Hebrews the author focuses on the rebellion in the wilderness with the children of Israel. Particularly the reaction of the report of the spies in the land. Notice the report. "We went to the land to which you sent us and, Oh! It does flow with milk and honey. Just look at this fruit." Numbers 13:27 (The Message) They all had the same report, God had brought them to where He said He would and it had what He said it would have. All should have been, "Ok, lets do this." However, the largest word in the our language reared its ugly head. BUT look at the remainder of their report.

"The only thing is that the people who live there are fierce, their cities are huge and well fortified. Worse yet, we saw descendants of the giant Anak. Amalekites are spread out in the Negev, Hittities, Jebusites, and Amorites hold the hill country; and the Cannanites are established on the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan." Numbers 13:28-29 (The Message)

See what happened there? Rather than focusing on what God has already accomplished they focused on the problems set before them. When God brings us to a place He has prepared, He simply wants us to go in by faith and trust Him. Recently, I have had a MAJOR career shift and I can see the fingerprints of the divine all over it. I see what He has promised I can have and what He will do! Yet I could focus on all the challenges that I am faced with in this new endeavor. There are fortified cities (fear), giants (obstacles), and different enemies all ready to cut me down.

For the most part the 10 spies in this instance are well meaning family members, and friends who only see the negatives not only in this situation, but in the majority of life as a whole. There were 2 who saw things in a different light.
"Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses and said, "Let's go up and take the land-now. We can do it!" What a different attitude, let's do it now, we can do this! His faith will follow him well into his 80's when he gets to take the mountain promised to him by Moses. I need to focus on the mountains God has already helped me conquer, the enemies He has already vanquished, and the things He has already promised to me as His adopted son.

What about you, where has God brought you to in your journey and wants you to possess? What do you see? Are you focused on the obstacles, or are you looking at the Author and the Finisher of your faith? Let me encourage you today, you can do this. Ephesians 1:3-8 tells us who we are in Christ. We are chosen, adopted, favored, redeemed, forgiven, and blessed. Take that promise, step into the Jordan, and POSSES the promised land and let God fight the battles!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

Filled, Growing and Giving

Paul was always praying for the churches he helped found, and in his letters we can see his heart expressed to the believers as they navigated in this new faith. The letter to the Colossians is no exception. Look at verses 9-14 of chapter
  "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (NKJV)

I want to look at a few things in this text that should be a great benefit to the believer. First he wants them filled with two important things. He wants them filled with the knowledge of His will and filled with wisdom and understanding. The word will in the Greek means desire, do it would be accurate to say that we should be filled with the knowledge of what God desires, both for the world and for us personally. Tie with that being filled with wisdom and understanding to know how to accomplish the things his will (desires) teach and ask of us.

Why does Paul want that? Notice the next few verses, the key is growth. He wants growth in three key areas, fruit, knowledge and strength. He wants the believers to bear much spiritual fruit so that others will see the hand of God in their lives. He wants their knowledge of scripture, the Christian Life and all other areas to show real growth. From this growth comes the ability to gain strength to fight the warfare we are involved in.

Lastly, he wants them to give thanks, the thanks comes from the filling and the growth. We are to give thanks that we share in the inheritance of the saints, give thanks for our transfer from death to life, and that we have been redeemed by Christ. In other words be thankful for ALL that God has done in our lives as He has moved us into a new place of living!!

There is so much more good stuff in these verses that this only scratches the surface, read and pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you and help you be filled, grow, and give thanks.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric

Use you eyes.

In my high school years I was in Marching band, and our director was influenced by the Drum Corps of DCI, so that meant our shows were like treading water, blowing up an air mattress, while doing geometry in our heads. We depended on our eyes to keep us in our position throughout the 7 1/2 minute show. On another note, I was skinny in high school just saying. Today in my devotion, the Spirit reminded me of this concept while I was reading the book of Proverbs. In Proverbs 4:25 in the Message it reads like this, "Keep your eyes straight ahead, ignore all the sideshow distractions. Watch your step and the road will stretch out smooth before you." The Amplified adds the word "with fixed purpose" and I found this very applicable to the world I find myself in as God is growing me as a person.

I want to share with you the things I find in this text that applies across the board regardless of where we are in our walk, or even in our secular jobs. First, focus on where you are going, or fix your eyes on your target. As believers, our gaze should stay fixed on Jesus and who He is to us. Remember Peter could walk on the water as long as he looked at Christ, looks away and down he goes. My goal in life should be to live in a way that pleases and honors God, He will take care of the other stuff, remember Jesus promised us that.

Secondly, don't allow the enemy to get us distracted with his sideshow antics. This means don't allow circumstances, problems, or other things to get our eyes off the one who has all power. When the storm is howling, keep your eyes on Jesus, when the doctor says no hope, look at Jesus, when the world around you is shaking and falling apart, keep your eyes on Jesus, He is unshakable. Don't let the enemy tell you otherwise, or get your eyes looking elsewhere.

Lastly, let God be the director of the journey. We had to trust that our director had written the marching drill so we wouldn't collide with each other, and we would end up where we were supposed to by "marching to the form not the mark". We have a Savior, a Father and a Guide we can trust to get us through the storms, and eventually to Heaven itself, all we have to do is keep our eyes on Him, listen to the Spirit's voice to guide us, and trust God's promises. I know that sounds so easy, and I suppose it should be, but as we are all humans cursed since Eden, we struggle with allowing the world we cannot see control the world we can see. However, if we are keeping our eyes on the Cross of Christ as our road sign, looking for His soon return, it becomes easier as it becomes our habit.

Grace and peace be to all of you.
Father in the name of Jesus, help me to keep my eyes focused on you, no matter what the enemy throws at me. Let my life be like Paul's a testimony of your provision and power in all circumstance. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Eric