Comments for Pastor Eric's Blog http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com ReConnect with Jesus Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:32:25 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric Day 3 by Dana Saller http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-day-3/#comment-60 Dana Saller Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:32:25 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=90#comment-60 Day 3 on what is emphasized.....alike or unlike.... "GATHERED OR SCATTERED" The fruit, when in "season" shall be gathered and will be used by God. I believe that God does use us for His will, in His perfect timing. He is faithful in providing fellowship with other believers, that we may be encouraged by one another, and as we know through His word, He is present when we are gathered together in His name. The chaff are the faithless, they are useless in growing the kingdom of God on this earth. They blow in in all directions, scattered by the wind. The fellowship they share is with the ungodly, who also tumble as weeds in the winds of destruction. Because the chaff are the hollow shells of the seed, they can not take root nor go on to grow in order to stand before the throne. How is God calling me to serve in this season of my life? Do I meditate on desiring to live in God's will and what that might mean as far as changing some, or all of the facets of my life as I presently know it? When I think I am not able or am not ready, do I trust God to watch over the details and direct my way? God blesses (prospers) the growth of His faithful servants. He gives living water to those planted in His word. Day 3
on what is emphasized…..alike or unlike….

“GATHERED OR SCATTERED”

The fruit, when in “season” shall be gathered and will be used by God. I believe that God does use us for His will, in His perfect timing. He is faithful in providing fellowship with other believers, that we may be encouraged by one another, and as we know through His word, He is present when we are gathered together in His name.

The chaff are the faithless, they are useless in growing the kingdom of God on this earth. They blow in in all directions, scattered by the wind. The fellowship they share is with the ungodly, who also tumble as weeds in the winds of destruction. Because the chaff are the hollow shells of the seed, they can not take root nor go on to grow in order to stand before the throne.

How is God calling me to serve in this season of my life?
Do I meditate on desiring to live in God’s will and what that might mean as far as changing some, or all of the facets of my life as I presently know it? When I think I am not able or am not ready, do I trust God to watch over the details and direct my way?

God blesses (prospers) the growth of His faithful servants. He gives living water to those planted in His word.

]]> Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric Day 2 by Craig Gervais http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-day-2/#comment-59 Craig Gervais Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:09:13 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-59 Thanks Dana, Bloging is new to me, I never considered that my brothers and sisters in the Lord might actually be part of the conversation. With that said, it seems to be the 80/20 thing. The 80 do not know what they are missing by being involved with an ongoing daily reading/consideration of God's Word. As Eric said just recently we will starve Spritually if we do not feed regularlly on His Word. The thing is we often do not recognize how emaciated we become because the world hides that fact. I know often I do not put enough effort into study/mediation/prayer/outreach etc., and I suffer for that because the fruit is lesser than it could/sould be. Eric or any pastor can only encourage the flock, but we to can encourage our fellow flock members to go deeper, get involved with him so they can taste fruit and want others to have the same expericene. It can become contagious when in season you/me/us see the lost come to Christ when we submit and are obedient to Him. Blessed is the man who delights in the Law Thanks Dana,

Bloging is new to me, I never considered that my brothers and sisters in the Lord might actually be part of the conversation.

With that said, it seems to be the 80/20 thing. The 80 do not know what they are missing by being involved with an ongoing daily reading/consideration of God’s Word. As Eric said just recently we will starve Spritually if we do not feed regularlly on His Word. The thing is we often do not recognize how emaciated we become because the world hides that fact. I know often I do not put enough effort into study/mediation/prayer/outreach etc., and I suffer for that because the fruit is lesser than it could/sould be.
Eric or any pastor can only encourage the flock, but we to can encourage our fellow flock members to go deeper, get involved with him so they can taste fruit and want others to have the same expericene. It can become contagious when in season you/me/us see the lost come to Christ when we submit and are obedient to Him.
Blessed is the man who delights in the Law

]]> Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric Day 3 by Craig Gervais http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-day-3/#comment-58 Craig Gervais Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:58:43 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=90#comment-58 The blessed are planted, I think firmly by the Living Water, does not look for advice or council from the foolish because they can recognize their council as useless - not based on the Glory of God and good of others. The blessed are watched over, they know they are because they love to be in His Word, and the Word tells us so. The ungodly are are blown about like someone on a wave in the ocean, directed by the ebb and flow of the world without any eternal direction, they are like steam out of a teapot, visable for less than a second and then gone, or like cotton candy, in the mouth and gone in an instant. We can only understand the blessings as we draw close to Him and in doing so He draws closer us. In turn I think we are planted deeper as the roots become more firmly attached to the source. Streams of water indicates that He is vibrant and active and not stagnant/motionless like a cistern can become. The living water keeps us wanting more because it becomes sweet and thus we meditate, study, read, live, desiring/hungering to know Him more through His revealed Word. The blessed are planted, I think firmly by the Living Water, does not look for advice or council from the foolish because they can recognize their council as useless – not based on the Glory of God and good of others. The blessed are watched over, they know they are because they love to be in His Word, and the Word tells us so.
The ungodly are are blown about like someone on a wave in the ocean, directed by the ebb and flow of the world without any eternal direction, they are like steam out of a teapot, visable for less than a second and then gone, or like cotton candy, in the mouth and gone in an instant.
We can only understand the blessings as we draw close to Him and in doing so He draws closer us. In turn I think we are planted deeper as the roots become more firmly attached to the source.
Streams of water indicates that He is vibrant and active and not stagnant/motionless like a cistern can become. The living water keeps us wanting more because it becomes sweet and thus we meditate, study, read, live, desiring/hungering to know Him more through His revealed Word.

]]> Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric Day 2 by Dana Saller http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-day-2/#comment-57 Dana Saller Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:24:14 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-57 Thanks Craig for your encouraging thoughts on Psalms 1. I loved your summary of the tree replanted in Eden, and the the thrill that God's word brings, and it is so thrilling! But I have ato ask myself, why do some not feel the thrill? As I was reading and dwelling on the scripture, it reminded me of a lesson we recently had at BSF. Vs ! says "blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked"...and goes on to say "but his delight is in the law of the Lord." But many of our Christian brothers and sisters do not know the laws of the Lord. we do not stop to realize whose counsel we do seek. Do we seek God first... or do we pick up the phone to ask a friend's opinion, or even the spiritual leaders of our church. Those may be very Godly people, but it is God's words and His laws we should be seeking first and foremost. Only then can we be sure the counsel we seek is of God. It is not fashionable in our culture, to speak of the "laws of God" because we love to dwell in the grace of Jesus and the freedom we have through His blood. And yes, we are grateful. But are we also grateful for the law. The law has become unpopular even in our church culture, where just a little sin is ok. To be honest with one another seeking the true counsel of God is painful. And some can not easily hear God's laws that bring the truths of wrong doing, myself included. When we love the Lord, it is hard to hear the counsel of His words "calling us out" so to speak. Even harder if it is coming from someone else. It pains us how the law is a mirror to our sin. Maybe some are offended. Which brings me back to the fact that the laws of God are not taught enough in our churches, because they should offend, only in a way that the fruit produced is a Godly sorrow. Indignance and belligerance to God are born of pride, but may be the result of a culture that is ignorant to the fullness of what his word including the law says. Knowing God's laws and commands and desiring to be in His will, take our desires out of the equation. Is that not lacking in our society today. How can we marvel in the freedom we have through the blood of the lamb. if we are not deeply convicted of the laws we can not keep, the sin and brokeness they bring, and how we can do nothing about them. To delight in His laws, are to see our flaws...hard to do in a "feel good" "it's all good" culture. I have concluded that the "thrill" of hearing God's words is gone for most, because they do not seek Him in His fullness, because it might be hard, or maybe they really just don't know, because teaching the law is also hard. God be with you, and God prosper you in whatever you do. Thanks Craig for your encouraging thoughts on Psalms 1. I loved your summary of the tree replanted in Eden, and the the thrill that God’s word brings, and it is so thrilling! But I have ato ask myself, why do some not feel the thrill? As I was reading and dwelling on the scripture, it reminded me of a lesson we recently had at BSF. Vs ! says “blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked”…and goes on to say “but his delight is in the law of the Lord.” But many of our Christian brothers and sisters do not know the laws of the Lord. we do not stop to realize whose counsel we do seek. Do we seek God first… or do we pick up the phone to ask a friend’s opinion, or even the spiritual leaders of our church. Those may be very Godly people, but it is God’s words and His laws we should be seeking first and foremost. Only then can we be sure the counsel we seek is of God. It is not fashionable in our culture, to speak of the “laws of God” because we love to dwell in the grace of Jesus and the freedom we have through His blood. And yes, we are grateful. But are we also grateful for the law.
The law has become unpopular even in our church culture, where just a little sin is ok. To be honest with one another seeking the true counsel of God is painful. And some can not easily hear God’s laws that bring the truths of wrong doing, myself included. When we love the Lord, it is hard to hear the counsel of His words “calling us out” so to speak. Even harder if it is coming from someone else. It pains us how the law is a mirror to our sin. Maybe some are offended. Which brings me back to the fact that the laws of God are not taught enough in our churches, because they should offend, only in a way that the fruit produced is a Godly sorrow. Indignance and belligerance to God are born of pride, but may be the result of a culture that is ignorant to the fullness of what his word including the law says. Knowing God’s laws and commands and desiring to be in His will, take our desires out of the equation. Is that not lacking in our society today. How can we marvel in the freedom we have through the blood of the lamb. if we are not deeply convicted of the laws we can not keep, the sin and brokeness they bring, and how we can do nothing about them. To delight in His laws, are to see our flaws…hard to do in a “feel good” “it’s all good” culture.
I have concluded that the “thrill” of hearing God’s words is gone for most, because they do not seek Him in His fullness, because it might be hard, or maybe they really just don’t know, because teaching the law is also hard.
God be with you, and God prosper you in whatever you do.

]]> Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric Day 2 by Craig Gervais http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-day-2/#comment-56 Craig Gervais Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:02:52 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-56 This Psalm takes about two ways to live. Either it is a godly one which we can see is blessed or it is not and leads to eternal death. We chew on God's Word or we ignore it. We soak in the "moisture" of God's Word or we choose to try to grow in the desolate desert. We are tossed around, buffeted by the world, or we put our roots down deep next to the Living Water of His Word, confidant we are continually sustained by that Water. So what does a blessed child of God do? According to this Psalm the blessed person happy and that comes from delighting in God's Word. That means to be blessed one must feed on it regularly, like Eric said Sunday. A Sunday feeding of God's Word which is just a small part of Pastor's prep time given out in 30 or so minutes, can not sustain the soul to a vibrancy that it needs to be fruitful. To be fruitful we have to give away what we learn to the lost. This needs to be a team effort as Jesus directed - Go make disciples. We can prosper by planting seeds. or culivating or outrite evangelism. In this the one planted close to the water (Jesus) delights. Those planted close to the living Water then do not, indeed, do not want to seek ungodly advice, or hang with with people who are in the midst of sin, not walking on their path, but trying to redirect them to the delight of the One who will and does bless eternally. The Message puts Psalm 1 like this: 1How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. 2-3 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. 4-5 You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust—Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. 6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row. I have to ask myself how often do I mediate on His Word or thought gleaned from it and then apply it to my life so as to bear fresh fruit thoughout the days of every month/season? This Psalm takes about two ways to live. Either it is a godly one which we can see is blessed or it is not and leads to eternal death. We chew on God’s Word or we ignore it. We soak in the “moisture” of God’s Word or we choose to try to grow in the desolate desert. We are tossed around, buffeted by the world, or we put our roots down deep next to the Living Water of His Word, confidant we are continually sustained by that Water.

So what does a blessed child of God do? According to this Psalm the blessed person happy and that comes from delighting in God’s Word. That means to be blessed one must feed on it regularly, like Eric said Sunday. A Sunday feeding of God’s Word which is just a small part of Pastor’s prep time given out in 30 or so minutes, can not sustain the soul to a vibrancy that it needs to be fruitful. To be fruitful we have to give away what we learn to the lost. This needs to be a team effort as Jesus directed – Go make disciples. We can prosper by planting seeds. or culivating or outrite evangelism. In this the one planted close to the water (Jesus) delights.
Those planted close to the living Water then do not, indeed, do not want to seek ungodly advice, or hang with with people who are in the midst of sin, not walking on their path, but trying to redirect them to the delight of the One who will and does bless eternally.

The Message puts Psalm 1 like this:
1How well God must like you— you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon, you don’t slink along Dead-End Road, you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College. 2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You’re a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. 4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust—Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. 6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row.

I have to ask myself how often do I mediate on His Word or thought gleaned from it and then apply it to my life so as to bear fresh fruit thoughout the days of every month/season?

]]> Comment on Bible Study with Pastor Eric – Psalm 1 by Craig Gervais http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/bible-study-with-pastor-eric-psalm-1/#comment-55 Craig Gervais Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:09:56 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=79#comment-55 Some observations from Psalm 1 Those who obey the Law of the Lord are: Blessed, Do not mock the Lord nor His Law, Ponder His Word throughout the day, Produce fruit, Stay nurished in His Word Are watched over by Him Those who choose not to are: Those who follow evil advice, Not blessed, Mock Him, Have no eternal worth, Will not experience life to the full, Are, dead in thier sins, Their ways are doomed to perish Some observations from Psalm 1
Those who obey the Law of the Lord are:
Blessed,
Do not mock the Lord nor His Law,
Ponder His Word throughout the day,
Produce fruit,
Stay nurished in His Word
Are watched over by Him

Those who choose not to are:
Those who follow evil advice,
Not blessed,
Mock Him,
Have no eternal worth,
Will not experience life to the full,
Are, dead in thier sins,
Their ways are doomed to perish

]]> Comment on Hope by pastorericcook http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/hope/#comment-51 pastorericcook Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:45:51 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=55#comment-51 Thanks for your comment Jordan! Have a Blessed Christmas celebrating the Birth of Our Savior and all that God has given us. Thanks for your comment Jordan! Have a Blessed Christmas celebrating the Birth of Our Savior and all that God has given us.

]]> Comment on Hope by spinnakerjksc http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/hope/#comment-50 spinnakerjksc Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:10:40 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=55#comment-50 You're right, Hope is definitely at the root of all healing, including the Spiritual healing we obtain through a relationship with God. Without God, there is no Hope. And without Hope, what's the point? Jordan www.theriverjordan.net You’re right, Hope is definitely at the root of all healing, including the Spiritual healing we obtain through a relationship with God. Without God, there is no Hope. And without Hope, what’s the point?

Jordan
http://www.theriverjordan.net

]]> Comment on Play Your Position by craig gervais http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/play-your-position/#comment-40 craig gervais Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:28:09 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=24#comment-40 I like the thought of the people and not the building being the church. Give me dirty floors if it means salvation even unto one. That is the business the Lord left to us afterall. I like the thought of the people and not the building being the church. Give me dirty floors if it means salvation even unto one. That is the business the Lord left to us afterall.

]]> Comment on Leadership Smack by MIke Judge http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/leadership-smack/#comment-18 MIke Judge Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:24:01 +0000 http://pastorericcook.wordpress.com/?p=23#comment-18 Thanks for being faithful to communicating over and over gain the vision and the heart of Know Grow GO. I look forward to your post. Mike Thanks for being faithful to communicating over and over gain the vision and the heart of Know Grow GO. I look forward to your post.

Mike

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