Sunday afternoon

Well Sunday is never just another morning started with bland worship. We are very fortunate at ERC and blessed by the worship service of music which is where we can pour out our gratitude of a thankful heart and one that is surrendered to growing closer to our Lord and Saviour. And than the pouring in came when, Pastor Bill brought part two of the two part series "firm footing in a falling economy"... The economy has brought on instabilty in jobs, housing, investments.. Last week In Luke 11 we read "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples", when you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, Give us this day our daily bread..... Pastor Bill, telling us that hallowed means "to be made sacred, to be holy" that the Lord puts his name on us, do we wear it well... do we trust him that his kingdom must be first and that he will provide us our daily bread? with no worries, no fear, no anxieties. God is commanding us to ask for our daily bread, and he promises to answer us.

Today Pastor Bill read from scripture: Acts 14: 21-22 "strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God". WHAT? it's actually in the bible that life won't be easy... Yep, that in order for us to lean in to the Lord, we will be challenged, and built up in our souls by the trials of hardships. That we MUST go through them, not around them in order to mature. Have you ever just felt that your always facing the same thing over and over again... Are you needing to face up to a wall that you prefer to go around doing the same thing, but than the wall just keeps appearing... Is it time to face it, rather than be bloodied by running into it? Can you not see the new thing he is doing? YOU CAN see the kingdom of God while here on earth in our homes, our families, our relationships, our work, our ministry when we are strong in our faith? Pastor Harold also encouraged us that "hard times are heavenly times, for God to work in us and teach us" - that refiners fire of taking away that which hinders us in life from experiencing Gods best..
http://www.erc.la/ and you can always hear any sunday sermon.