Archive for the ‘Pastor’s Blog’ Category

So often in our society we have gotten used to the idea of instant everything.  Many of us (that are old enough, or have parents that are old enough) still remember the old time poppers for popcorn that you had to put oil and the popcorn in and wait for what seemed like forever for it to begin popping and before it was ready.  But now we simply put a minute and thirty seconds on the microwave and instant popcorn is hot and ready to be devoured.  And unfortunately, some of our prayer lives resemble the same mentality, meaning we throw up instant popcorn prayers which are mostly a laundry list for what we want God to do and in what timing we need it done.  But when is the last time that we just sat and listened to what the Almighty had to say?  Of course this would require that we turn off the radio, our cell phones, the laptop, and the television so that we can have a time with God that is uninterrupted and focused specifically on Him. 

But more important than just the fact that we are busy I think leads to this popcorn mentality of prayer.  I think that we have lost the true understanding of what forgiveness is.  Read this definition that Oswald Chambers gives us of forgiveness: 

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.

We also forget why God hates sin, we assume that it is because it separates us from Him, or because it makes us unholy but those are only aspects of that hate.  And I know that you know that everything in history and everything in the Bible is about Jesus (especially if you are part of the Berean Church because I tell you that constantly) so why would sin be any different.  If you remember it is that very nature and act (The sin nature & sins that we commit) that sent His one and only Son to the Cross to die.  He had to bear the punishment for all of that sin so that we could be restored into a right relationship with the Father.

So, based upon that understanding and if you take a second and really think about the miracle that forgiveness is don’t you think the Majestic God that we serve deserves more than a minute and thirty seconds?

God Bless ~ Pastor Tyler

My beautiful wife has many habits that I have found out about during our 11 years of marriage.  One, for instance is that she is fanatical about organization and labels everything if it stays in one place to long.   Two, she cleans while she talks on the phone.  Now this one is especially interesting because she doesn’t realize that she is doing it so things just get put up and then you have to go hunt to find them.  But the one that I really love is the fact that she puts scripture all over the house on index cards, rocking chairs, the refrigerator, the window sills, and even the stool in the kids bathroom.  Well this is the one that struck me tonight as I was helping to put the kids to bed.  She wrote Exodus 14:13 which states:

“…Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today…”

Now this is the stool that they stand on while brushing their teeth, washing their hands, or brushing their hair so they see and read that everyday (multiple times a day.)  And think about the wisdom in that verse, how many times do we as believers think God is moving to slow or that He has overlooked us and so we step out on our own and screw things up because we got ahead of God.  How many times can we look back on situations and say “WOW, God had it planned perfectly from the get go” like we are surprised by the fact that He had perfect timing.  We need to remember that He is a sovereign God and that He is just waiting for us to stand still and have FAITH in Him.  His Word tells us that it will not come back void and so if it says that He will rescue us each day then we should simply stand still and wait for Him to move.  So thank you Krystal for surrounding the kids and I with scripture in our home, and for having a heart that searches God’s Word for wisdom and strength.

God Bless ~ Pastor Tyler

Well I know that Jesus does. After Peter denied him 3 times Jesus met him on the beach for a breakfast and a time of reconciliation. Jesus wants us to not only be reconciled with one another but also with Him. After Peter’s denials we read in the book of John that Jesus comes to Peter and after having breakfast begins to question Peter about his love for Him. Peter of course says that he loves Jesus all 3 times that Jesus asks but the teaching ends with well then “Follow Me”. And this may seem simple but it is the hardest thing that we as humans will ever do. And if not careful we can end up in a set of religious acts thinking that this is what makes us holy, when it is really that time on the beach allowing Christ to permeate us with His holiness, His love, and His righteousness. I pray that you too are spending time with Jesus on the beach each day allowing Him to instruct, whittle, and mold your life as only He can do.

Yesterday evening I received a phone call that a good friend and Christian brother Ed Schlittler had passed away yesterday unexpectedly.  Ed and Fran have been at our church since before we started and have always been huge supports of our evangelism outreach walks.  We at 2MHDs want to send our love to Fran, Mike, and Michelle and the rest of the family as well.  I heard a song this morning that made me think of Fran and so I wanted to share it with you all and her.  The lyrics are from a Natalie Grant song and they are:

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We’d be held

So Fran, Mike, and Michelle  this is what if feels like to be held, God promises that He will be with us through all things. 

Nahum 1:7 (English Standard Version)
⁷The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

We as Eden Community Church will be with you through every step of this journey.  We have great hope and joy in the knowledge that brother Ed loved Jesus and is now with Him worshiping and finding out what true healing and true peace is about.  We love you!

God Bless ~ Pastor Tyler