Leviticus 2:11 "No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fire." Imagine yourself walking past the prodigal son sitting in the pigpen. (Luke 15:11-24) You look at him and see him salivating for the pigs' food. Believing that it is good to show kindness, you give him money to buy food for himself. That is human kindness which says, "I am a Christian. I should be kind, good and forgiving." Such human sweetness or kindness may be likened to honey. Interestingly, while we elevate it, God tells His people not to bring Him a grain offering with honey in it. The grain offering speaks of Jesus' life on earth. Not mixing honey in the grain offering speaks of how the compassion and goodness we see in Jesus during His earthly ministry were all divine. There was no "honey" of human goodness that is tainted with human weakness. In retrospect, the worst thing one could do for the prodigal son was to give him money when he was in the pigpen. Not only would he not have gone home, but what the Lord was doing in his heart would also have been spoiled. This is what happens when we go by the goodness of our human hearts instead of the goodness of God in our hearts, which is directed by His love, wisdom and perfect timing. My friend, God does not want you to be moved by what you see but by His Mighty Holy Spirit. There were many needy folks surrounding Jesus during His time on earth.. But He did not heal every sick person around Him, feed every hungry stomach he passed or raised all who were dead. Isaiah 11:2-3 tells us that the Lord was not moved by what He saw or heard. He was moved ony by the Spirit. You too have the Holy Spirit in you. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Be moved by Him. Follow the peace that He puts within your spirit to do or refrain from doing something. That peace is the peace of God. Acting on that peace will cause God to be exalted, and His divine goodness and kindness to really be a blessing to you and others! Our focus is on God Almighty...Not anymore or anything else! God Loves You and I Love You! Pastor Erwin
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Moved By The Holy Spirit, Not Human Honey
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Bay Camp Encounter: Kingdom Come
We'd like to invite you to join us for an awesome summer youth camp at Bay Camp Encounter: Kingdom Come on July 10-13 at Mission Springs Conference Center, Scotts Valley, California! Message me for more details!
bayencounter.posterous.com
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Getting Filled With All The Fullness Of God!
"to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."-- Ephesians 3:19
We would all like to experience more health, prosperity and success in our lives. God, being God, has all of these things, won't you agree? So to be full of God is to be full of health, prosperity and success. But how does one become full of God?
In the past, I was told that to be "filled with all the fullness of God", I had to fast a certain number of days, pray a certain number of hours and speak in tongues incessantly! I am not belittling fasting, praying or speaking in tongues, but to be filled with all the fullness of God is not about what you do. It is not even about your love for Christ. It is actually about knowing the love of Christ! No one ever told me that if I knew how much God loves me and focused on His love for me, I would be full of Him.
When God made you, he designed you to run at optimal level when you are filled with His love, like a car that runs at its best when it is filled with the right kind of fuel or gasoline. When you realize how much God loves you and you feed on His love for you, you will supernaturally filled with the fullness of God.
And to be full of God is to be full of everything God is to you and has for you. To be full of God is to come to a place of life, health, peace, prosperity -- total wellness.
Also, when you are conscious of how much God loves you and you become filled with the fullness of God, what follows is the next verse -- God doing exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think, according to the power that works in you. (Ephesians 3:20) You will experience the tremendous blessing of God exploding in your life! You will become a blessing magnet!
So as God's beloved, continue to be nourished by His love for you, and experience more health, prosperiety and success in your life! Don't live in lack and affliction...you and I serve a most-loving God...and Jesus is Jehovah Jireh...Jehovah Rapha...Jehovah Nissi!
God Loves You and I Love You!
Pastor Erwin
Friday, June 3, 2011
Kairos: The Appointed Time
Hello everyone:
If you're looking for the Kairos: The Appointed Time podcast, we're happy to announce that it's on their own website. Catch new episodes live on Vokle.com and join in on the discussion every Wednesday night at 8:00pm PDT. Follow the link: bit.ly/bcekairos
Each Wednesday episode of Kairos: The Appointed Time is recorded and is accessable for download every Saturday after airing at:
kairospodcast.posterous.com
You can catch past episodes on our archive page.
If you have any questions, comments or topic ideas you'd like for us to discuss on future episodes, email us at: kairospodcast@gmail.com
Or give us a voice comment at (415) 689-3916
Looking forward in hearing from you. Take care and have a blessed day!
-Bay Camp Encounter Ministries
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Jesus Wore The Crown Of Thorns For You
"And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head..."-- John 19:2
If hard work is the formula for prosperity, then everyone who works hard should be prosperous. Bt this is certainly not the case. Many people who work very hard are still poor!
I am not advocating laziness. What I am saying is that working hard by the sweat of your brow is ot how God's prosperity comes. In fact, if you have to work overtime all the time and are stressed out, you are probably operating under the curse.
What curse is that? It is the curse: "In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread..." (Genesis 3:19). And it refers to the stress, struggle and anxieties that come with working hard an yet producing little. Now, work itself is not a curse since God gave Adam work before the fall - Adam was to tend the garden of Eden. It was only after he sinned that the land was cursed and it brought forth thorns, and man had to toil to eat of it. (Genesis 3:17-18)
But praise God, Jesus wore the thorns of His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. he wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don't have to be worried and stressed out day and night like people of the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the worries and stress. (Matthew 6:31-33)
Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus' head typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace of mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and toook your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteosness!
Today, don't labor and toil like the people of the world. Instead, expect to see the blessings of God come into your life without blood, sweat and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you! So, don't sweat it! Just do your part...with joy, gladness and with cheer...Giving thanks and praise to Jesus Christ!
God Loves You and I Love You!
Pastor Erwin
Jesus Wore The Crown Of Thorns For You
"And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head..."-- John 19:2
If hard work is the formula for prosperity, then everyone who works hard should be prosperous. Bt this is certainly not the case. Many people who work very hard are still poor!
I am not advocating laziness. What I am saying is that working hard by the sweat of your brow is ot how God's prosperity comes. In fact, if you have to work overtime all the time and are stressed out, you are probably operating under the curse.
What curse is that? It is the curse: "In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread..." (Genesis 3:19). And it refers to the stress, struggle and anxieties that come with working hard an yet producing little. Now, work itself is not a curse since God gave Adam work before the fall - Adam was to tend the garden of Eden. It was only after he sinned that the land was cursed and it brought forth thorns, and man had to toil to eat of it. (Genesis 3:17-18)
But praise God, Jesus wore the thorns of His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. he wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don't have to be worried and stressed out day and night like people of the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the worries and stress. (Matthew 6:31-33)
Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus' head typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace of mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and toook your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteosness!
Today, don't labor and toil like the people of the world. Instead, expect to see the blessings of God come into your life without blood, sweat and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you! So, don't sweat it! Just do your part...with joy, gladness and with cheer...Giving thanks and praise to Jesus Christ!
God Loves You and I Love You!
Pastor Erwin