Quick blog

Today was in fact a very very long day. So much happened though that I'm excited to write about. However tomorrow is another long day and this morning started at 0445.

I'll jot down topics I want to write about so I can remember though.

• The word darkness in the Greek and how it confirms the impeccabilty of the Christ.

• Not So Extreme Mission Work update

• Javen's upcoming birthday

• Ministry / Life Balance

God bless,

Pastor Eric

NSX Meeting Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a long day for me. I have to be downtown at 0545, then it is off to try and get things set up and ready for the Go Team meeting for the Not So Extreme missionary project tomorrow night.

Lots of online stuff to do. Also I've got a ton of things to research and do before my meeting on Wednesday with Pastor Wayne.

And I've still got to update the website.

Please pray for me, this will be a busy busy week.

Also, I need to do a study on the word darkness.. I'll explain later but it is more proof of the impeccability of the Christ.

God bless!

Pastor Eric

hurting hearts

Lord God, I have a friend who I just got off the phone with that is hurting so very bad. She is at the "jumping off place". She called me, but is crying out to You! Please touch her heart Lord God. Please wrap Your arms around her and comfort her as only You can.

For those of you who read this blog, please pray for my friend, her name is unimportant at this point, God knows who she is. Just please pray for her.

God bless,

Pastor Eric

The key to understanding peccability vs. impeccability

Never base your theology on one passage of Scripture.. however when looking at the whole of Scripture it is ok to have a key verse to support something that is clearly outlined.

The key verse to understanding peccability vs. impeccability is found in the book of James 1:13. The word is aperiazo it literally means that Jesus could not be tempted as we understand temptation.

Jesus was not able to sin as opposed to able not to sin. This is where I stand.

God bless,

Pastor Eric

Fellowship beginnings

Some people have asked me...

"How will you start the fellowship? What will you do?" My answer has always been the same..

"It is not MY fellowship and I will hopefully simply get out of His way and make myself useful to Him in His purpose."

Folks, I'm really not concerned or worried about how things will come about. I know that I simply need to be faithful to do as He has called me to do, without exception and without excuse.

Today as I was studying the difference between dokimazo and periazo I met a young man named Cassidy.

He was actually doing his own thing as I was studying, and right before he was about to leave, he simply asked... "Are you a minister?"

That simple question led to a fantastic and encouraging albeit too short discussion about Christ and what BTF is all about.

I really enjoyed my conversation with him and we exchanged information. He seemed genuinely interested in BTF and asked me to make sure that we included him when we started our fellowship.

He is a student of medicine (natural) and has studied the Scriptures.. I really look forward to getting to know him more. If you are reading this Cassidy, I really hope to spend more time with you getting to know you... let me know how I can pray for you. You have my contact information!

Let me just say that God will bring about this fellowship because HE has called it into being. Thank you Lord for bringing your servants like Cassidy to my attention. May we all serve you as our King in a way that is pleasing to You!

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For those of you interested in the word study.. here is a brief bit on what I've been looking at tonight:

Dokimazo: To try, prove, discern, distinguish, approve. It has the notion of proving a thing whether it is worthy or not.

Metaphorically, to make trial of, put to the proof, examine, e.g., by fire.

Spoken with reference to God meaning to put to the proof, i.e., to tempt, which is equivalent to periazo to tempt, BUT WITH THE MEANING OF to try or test (when referring to God)

Dokimazo to prove to bring forth the good in us or to make us good., is at times contrasted with periazo which is to tempt to make us fall.

Dokimazo could not be used of Satan since he never wants us to experience God's approval.

Rather Satan always tempts (periazei) to make us fall.

Periazo: To try, to prove in either a good or bad sense, tempt, test by soliciting to sin. Of persons, to tempt, prove, put to the test.

In a good sense it is used in order to ascertain the character, views, or feelings of someone (Matt 22:35, Mark 12:28, Mark 12:34, John 6:6, Revelation 2:2)

In a bad sense with ill intent (Mark 8:11, 10:2, 12:15, Luke11:16, 20:23, John 8:6) Hence by implication to try one's virtue, tempt, solicit to sin (Galatians 6:1, James 1:13 -14, Revelation 2:10).

Especially by Satan (Matthew 4:1, Matthew 4:3, Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 Thessalonians 3:5) Keep in mind Satan always tempts to show someone unapproved. Satan is actually called ho periazon (the tempter) Matt 4:3

My study on this topic continues... God bless,

Pastor Eric

able not to sin, not able to sin

When discussing the character and nature of the Christ today with my mentor we brought up the topic of whether or not Christ was "able not to sin (peccability)" or "not able to sin (impeccability)

While good and godly men disagree on this issue, my mentor clearly sides on impeccability or the understanding that it was impossible for Christ to sin.

Some assert that this means that He was in fact not tempted as we are. But the argument from Scripture is that the word for tempted as used in the Greek is not the word that we would commonly understand in English.

Cannon William Friedric Farrar asserted that the Christ was in fact Peccable or "Able not to sin" meaning that He was in fact tempted as we understand temptation.

Ultimately Christ is God and God cannot be tempted. I fully intend on investigating this issue in more depth as I too continue to learn and love my Savior Jesus the Christ more and more each day.

Do you pursue the Lord Jesus with all of your being? Do you get your theology from men or from the Word of God?

There is only one authority.. and it is not my mentor, nor is it Cannon Farrar or any other man.. rather it is the revelation of God in His Holy Word!

Let us seek Him with all that we have....

God bless,

Pastor Eric

NSX Team / Bibles / Site

Today I sent off the Needs Assesment that was done on Jane's family to the NSX Team. We have also put out there that we are willing to take on another family if they need us to.

We have been blessed with such an amazing group, that we will see what happens during the week we are called to do the "makeover"

I've been very blessed to get to know our team members. I look forward to more fellowship with them as time goes on.

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Looks as though BTF has received our Bibles that we ordered. 20 copies of the ESV. How exciting! It is simply great to see things starting to come together! It is a time staking process but we are patient and blessed. Thank you Lord for your continued provision!

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Still waiting to figure out how to transfer our original site from one host to the other. The original host is saying they have done everything they need to do to release it. The new host says they can't access it. I'm sure both are sincere in their communication... but one of them must be in error.

I just pray that God will take care of this in a manner that will bless the fellowship and glorify Him.

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My meeting with Pastor Wayne is tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited to continue my mentoring with him..

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Last but not least, please pray for my daughter Arianna and my son Darius, both have a fever and they could use prayer!

God bless,

Pastor Eric