Christ in you, Christ through you!

Every Christian has the power of the Holy Spirit sealed within them. Not every Christian desires for the Holy Spirit to flow through them. Elon Musk was quoted saying, “Many people panic when they lose their phone charger, few people panic when they lose their dreams.” There should be a holy discontent when we are not experiencing heaven’s dream (will) of Christ flowing through us impacting our body and others. The simplicity of the gospel offends the world and even most Christians deny the power. How would we deny the power? It might not be what you think! It is not denying the natural or discounting the world’s medicine. It is not the absence of anything but the simple faith receiving of what Jesus already paid for.

I thought we already had all of Christ in us? We don’t need any addition, right? Faith in salvation from Christ, sealed you the first time and it worked. Exercising faith is what opens the rivers of living water inside you to impact the world for His kingdom. Remember everything in the gospel is simple but doesn’t mean God will do it for you. He is not trying to control you. This is why a fruit of His spirit is self-control.

Just think if I told you I bought the newest and greatest apple laptop for you at the nearest Best Buy. All you have to do is take the receipt and pick it up, it is paid for. Would you complain about the hassle and effort of having to stand in line to pick it up? Some would. Some might even pick it up and never open the laptop for what it is intended. Universal Salvation, which is a false religion, says God makes everyone take the laptop. No God loved the entire world and paid for their sins but without faith (receipt) in Jesus, salvation is not received. Then on top of that once the laptop (salvation) is received, there are so many benefits to learn and exercise your faith to receive. Some simple ways to exercise your faith with Christ through you is to receive communion. Many Christians will diligently take the recommended doctor’s pills for years but waiting for the manifestation of communion for a few weeks to heal their body is a hassle. Too simple for Jesus’ recommendation to work? Yep, the gospel is simple and a stumbling stone for the world who see themselves as wise.

Equipping Disciples of Jesus To Receive, Give, and Serve In Grace

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Evangelism or Demonic Entertainment?

When my wife finished her second year of Bible School, we discussed selling everything to travel and share the gospel as evangelists. Traveling the world and living out of only suitcases, before the age of twelve, I toured the majority of the U.S and Australia as an entertainer with the Texas Boys Choir. Also, during my childhood, I spent nearly three years on the mission field in Papua New Guinea. So needless to say, traveling was in my blood at a young age. The excitement of a new town or city was addicting. Our travels in entertainment led us to staying overnight at some of the richest hotels in Sydney, near the opera house, and missions brought us to some of the poorest villages in Papua New Guinea.

The idea that we could travel the world and be welcomed by strangers to share the gospel was so intoxicating, it had to be God right? That was our belief at the time. Why would we stay around our local community when the Bible says, “Go into all the world….” I mean those are Jesus’ words and we want to obedient, right? Let’s take a look at the words of Jesus to a man who possibly just received the greatest miracle of all time from Jesus. The man who was set free from demon possession…..

Mark 5:18-20 ESV¹⁸ As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. ¹⁹ And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

“Hang on Jesus, are you sure you want this guy going home? That’s where he got into this mess!” Was Jesus really saying, “don’t follow the signs and wonders with me to another land”, even though this guy would be the best billboard for miracles out of all the traveling disciples? Instead Jesus tells him to proclaim in his hometown the works of the Lord. “But……I thought there was no honor for prophets in their hometown?” Why would Jesus ask him to do something without honor? Maybe Jesus knew that the only honor the man needed was from His heavenly Father. What if the once demon possessed man had become a traveling evangelist with Jesus and then the honor of strangers would have been His source of identity? What if Jesus knew that traveling and loving strangers was easier than loving your neighbor and home town family. Religious spirits do not want us to be known relationally and stir up to desire honor from strangers to feel loved but Jesus desires us to be known and be content in every situation with His love, especially our home.

Over the next ten years of our marriage, the Lord began to unravel His heart not just for us but the people He entrusted us with. “Wait a minute, Jesus didn’t have a home and he traveled wherever the Holy Spirit led Him”. This is a true statement, but don’t forget that He spent three years discipling the same twelve men to do greater things than him. Evangelism without compassion and relationship can be demonic entertainment. The Apostle Paul also followed the three year approach of Jesus by building up disciples within the church relationally. Jesus was so known by His disciples relationally, He called them friends. When we have to leave our community to find contentment or leave discipleship that God entrusted us with, it may not be Jesus asking us to get in the boat. It may be our disobedience of desiring honor from strangers and our addiction to entertainment but calling it evangelism.

There Is No Honor For Pastors

I remember fighting the calling of God to be a pastor when I was 14 years old. I made an inner vow, “I will never be a pastor”. My father was my pastor when I was a child. He led me to the Lord and baptized me in the pacific ocean. During my teen years, he was deceived that divorce was the answer to his marriage problems. Growing up in high school, my house was often empty of parents. My mother worked two jobs and went to college full-time. When God reminded me, in my mid thirties, He called me to be a lead pastor, I couldn’t help but weep because I knew some of the sacrifice that was set before me. Today, I volunteer for one of the greatest churches as lead pastor for the last seven years but to say the journey sacrifice wasn’t difficult, would be lying.

Teachers, police officers, politicians, and pastors, just to name a few, are a target for “no honor” for serving their community. The history of these roles are tainted by the sins of the fathers of the past. All of these vocations are needed and many pay a sacrifice, to sustain in their community, for the sins of others in their field. As a teenager and the only man in the house, I paid the price for my father’s decision. I was the only one left in the home to receive the pain of my mother’s hurt from men and marriage. As a pastor, I have received the “no honor” from members coming in who have been hurt from other fathers and spiritual leaders. Sometimes I grieve I have responded in my own pain to their pain.

The reason I continue pastoring is not for the money or honor. Very few pastors I know lead churches for the money or honor (Yes, I know there are some that do). I volunteer as a lead pastor, the same reason I volunteered in the local church the past 20 years before becoming a lead pastor, because Jesus loves His bride. You see Jesus took all her mistakes, paid the price for her and calls her righteous. If I never pastor or volunteer I also know that God loves me and He is well pleased with me. This kind of love is what sustains me to constantly lead and hear the hurt of others and offer the hope of Jesus. The bride is worth investing in.

God has sustained this small local church in the last seven years through a global pandemic, through landlords forcing our congregation to relocate, through a partnering church pastor committing adultery and then divorcing. Those are just some of the things truly felt….to say there has been no sacrifice in leading a church through drama would be a tremendous lie. Many husbands and fathers are tempted to give up when the drama is high and the reward seems low. This is possibly the reason Paul said to early church believers, “you have 10,000 instructors in Christ, very few fathers” (1 Corinthians 4:15). Often we have heard from believers, “we don’t do drama” and they disappear down the street to hide from being known relationally. However, I see a glorious bride that is victorious, a family that is transparent, and a chosen generation relationally known in their drama, that is worth the blood of Jesus for her drama. Her beauty may not be revealed until Heaven but her beauty will be felt on the earth. All three of our teens love the local church and know that it has been a tremendous blessing to see God’s family stay together and do life even through drama. As of today, our family has been able to be the greatest financial support to help sustain our local church through our family real estate business. Why would someone pour their time and money into something that doesn’t return honor? Why don’t you ask the parent, teacher, police officer, politician, or pastor who feel truly honored and loved by Jesus.

Falling In Love Again!

Roller coasters are so fun-packed with excitement but always the first time on one is the scariest. Especially the ones that are in the dark, where you don’t know where you are going but then once I ride it the second time, I find it way more enjoyable. I want to begin with a question, “Why are roller coaster’s more enjoyable the second or third time around?” Is it possible that fear leaves once we know what to expect?

Did you know that God’s perfect love casts out fear? How does He often do that? He shows us in His word what to expect as believers!

1 John 4:15-18

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

How does God cast out fear with you as a believer in Jesus? He shows you what to expect in the future, the day of judgement, for you to have confidence in His love! The Father shows you how it’s going to end with your time on earth and His thoughts toward you. As Jesus is so also are you in this world! Is the Father pleased with Jesus? Then He is pleased with you! Does Jesus carry favor with the Father? Then so do you!

In the natural, if we knew that we could apply for any job and get it, I think we would apply ourself to some really great paying jobs. Why? We would have confidence in the future that we would receive the job. Well, in the kingdom, this is the only job where the end pay is the same regardless of the hours you put in. “That’s blasphemy!” you might be thinking. No, that’s grace! The religious people struggled with the stories of Jesus and the parable of the workers getting paid the same. “Brandon, are you saying Christians can just do nothing after getting saved and get to heaven?” Only in our western culture do we make everything about “getting to heaven”.All who call upon the name of Jesus will be saved. Getting birthed into Eternal life is knowing the Father and Son. When we know the King, we become all about His kingdom and will on earth from a place of identity, not for a place of identity.

Falling in love with Jesus again is to be intentional to know His thoughts toward you and others. When I married my wife 23 years ago and said “I do”, from that point on I couldn’t get any more married. I could, however, get to know her more, date her weekly, and support her dreams. When we don’t “feel in love” we have to recognize the roller coaster of our feelings and make every effort to pursue each other. My wife and I are intentional to still dream and talk about, “the ending”, growing old together. With our walk with Jesus ,we could fill up on so many worldly things and find that we aren’t even hungry to know His thoughts about others or think He is only there to serve us. The answer is to be intentional to know His goodness , meditate on the ending He showed you and other Christians to have confidence in His love. As Jesus is, so are you in this world!

Equipping Disciples of Jesus To Receive, Give and Serve In Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

What Good Works Did He Place Inside You?

When I was nine years old I went to summer camp near Cripple Creek Colorado. For three years in a row we would stop and mine for gold. I never found gold despite trying for hours and paying to do so. My friends and I had some laughs getting our hands dirty and maybe each other a little wet by the creek. It sure would have been a lot more laughs and rewarding if we had struck gold. What I learned the most in those summer camps is doing things together can be rewarding to my soul if never financially rewarding to my bank account.

Did you know that you and I were wired for good works and God was preparing for this before we were created. Your soul is hardwired for you to walk in good works. There is gold (desire for good works) hidden in you. Not to be saved from a result of your work but God did create you in Christ for good works. There are two questions in life that possibly need to be answered by everyone. Number one: “What does God think of you?” And number two: “What good works did He place inside you?” The purpose of good works is to serve others but many people don’t know even where to begin. There are mainly three areas in your life that can fuel your decisions for good works that you may not know about. Number One is Passion: What can you do for hours that brings energy to your soul? Number Two is Pain: What pain have you experienced that if you could change the world from that one thing, you would do that? And Number Three is Proficiency. What area have multiple people told you that you are highly skilled in?

When Christians try to do good works that they are not hard wired for, they often burn out quickly or worse, do it with a bad attitude. However, when these three areas collide, Passion, Pain, and Proficiency you will often find a spiritual marathon runner determined to keep their eyes on Jesus. A kingdom vision with a healthy pace to finish the race in good works and focused on Jesus. Feel free to take a moment and ask the Lord now about these 3 areas in your life that help define your wiring for good works. Anticipate His kingdom vision for you becoming clearer and clearer.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Hebrews 12:1 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

*photo chart credit to calibrate 360 (Discover Your Purpose)….

How To Have Kingdom Vision

My daughters first bike was not put together when it came in the box from the store. So as a father who was rarely handy with tools, I was a little nervous that I might put her surprise bicycle together poorly. The morning of her birthday I decided to ride the bike myself in my neighborhood to “test” it out. I imagine my neighbors thought I was crazy as they were looking out their window at a thirty year old man riding a five year old’s bike. I rode that little girl’s pink bike down my street and back, making sure the handle bars were steady and the brakes were sufficient.

When Jesus brought kingdom vision to the earth, He was amazing in showing the power of God’s love in miracles to the earth. Had Jesus stopped there by only doing the miracles Himself, the kingdom would not have advanced forward so we could enjoy it today. Jesus had kingdom vision of the future of His disciples doing greater things than Him. Did you know Jesus had you in mind as the “joy” set before Him to endure the cross? Jesus always had vision for the future that drove Him to love. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two to minister the kingdom on earth as He had showed them to do Himself. Kingdom vision always has a plan to invest in the next generation to do greater things than them.

Without daily Kingdom vision, contentment is elusive and our life will be a breeding ground for anxiety. Did you know that I received greater joy watching my daughter ride her bike for the first time than riding my bike for the first time myself? Can you imagine if I never let my daughter ride her bike but chose to ride it myself? There are grown adults that are spiritually responsible to disciple no one. Just riding their own bike, isolated by themselves (or worse a children’s bike), and wondering why they are anxious in life. Kingdom vision takes the last thing Jesus told us before ascending into Heaven to heart, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, (Matthew 28:19)”

But what if you didn’t have a father to teach you to ride a bike? Can we be real? This is where so many Christians in the faith were not discipled by the generation before them so they repeat the insecurity pattern of holding tightly their spiritual gifts. Insecurity struggles to rejoice when the young people are discovering their gifts because maybe they never received a time of parental rejoicing for themselves. A generational curse of poor fathering and mothering can either be our identity or we can look to Jesus who became our curse and receive kingdom vision lessons from Him. Jesus is always supplying vision for those hungry to receive!

John 14:12-14 NKJ¹² “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Sow Generously Reap Generously

My youngest son loved candy growing up and several times a year I would give him a bag of candy to share with his older brother and sister. I was intentional by teaching him to have a heart of generosity. The first few times, he would try to sneak away and eat the entire bag without sharing any. He didn’t pay for the candy, so technically it belonged to me and I entrusted him with it. The Bible says that as believers, we are purchased at a price. We no longer live but Christ lives in us. That means that everything that is ours belongs to God and the great news, everything that belongs to God belongs to us. 

When my son ate the entire bag of candy and didn’t share with his siblings, selfishness took control of his decisions. Selfishness can be a daily trial,  the answer is for every believer to renew their mind to who God is for them. Eternal life is knowing who the Father and Son is for you today.  You can experience eternal life now, here on earth by having relationship with our generous Heavenly Father. If your earthly father was not generous, it is highly likely the enemy wants you to continue to identify with that kind of behavior and poverty mentality. Poverty declares that God is not trust worthy to meet your needs. Poverty declares generosity as foolishness and devours what was intended for sowing. It takes zero faith to use every resource we earn for our own family provision. It takes great faith to set aside weekly a generous gift for His kingdom. This gift is a seed to be planted. God promises to replenish the seed and the reward is the growth and harvest of His kingdom. 

Are you standing in faith in Jesus, setting His seed aside for sowing or are you eating His seed out of fear?

Do you believe that Jesus provides your needs according to His riches?

Ask the Lord today for faith to see your provision as He sees it. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NKJ

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJ

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 

Teaching Kids To Be Filled With Holy Spirit

When I was 17 years old, my house was often empty. I was raised, in my teens, by a single mom who worked two jobs and went to college full time. One evening by myself, I lay on the carpet in my room at 17 years old with snot bubbles and a tear soaked floor. I had spent the last hour singing to Jesus and then this wave of comfort impacted my soul. The joy overtook my emotions and I began to laugh in joy for what seemed the longest time by myself and Jesus. This moment in my personal time of needed comfort was the result of singing from my heart to the Lord.

When my kids were six, four and two years old, they had a ton of energy, especially if you told them it was time for bed. My wife was really amazing at holding them when they were babies and she would sing over them. Then, when they were toddlers, it seemed more my opportunity to sing to them. Anybody remember Little House on the Prairie, when the dad would play the violin and the kids would sit on the floor and listen? Yeah….that wasn’t us. It looked like a 80s WWF wrestling match with the kids literally doing sprints in circles around the room and jumping from their beds to bed. I spent several years with my guitar just singing over them how much God loves them and they never seemed in the natural to care as much I did.

Fast forward and my teens now are in college and high school. I can hear them in the house singing in their personal quiet time with Jesus. My kids know the Holy Spirit will never leave them. They know they were sealed with the fullness of the Holy Spirit the moment they believed in Jesus. They value singing to Jesus and others not because they are talented, not to receive the Holy Spirit, but because they value being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-19 NKJ  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Ephesians 5:13 NKJ ¹³ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

From Drowning To Walking

“Never receive swimming lessons from someone drowning”, I told my son who was way too young to understand at the time that I wasn’t just talking about the neighborhood pool. In this life there will be many tribulations and opportunities to feel like we are drowning but Jesus said be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. Jesus is the greatest teacher of not just avoiding drowning but teaches the best swimming lessons of all, walking on the water. The apostle Paul said there would be fire and (judgment day) trials that reveal things we didn’t choose to build and learn from Jesus. The greek words for judgement day is not the same as the Day everyone will stand before God in Heaven and give account. What “judgment day” in the greek in 1 Corinthians 3 does mean is that there will be trials of fire on earth.

When we go through a trial of fire, all the things we built on wood, hay and straw will burn up. All the things we built on gold, silver, jewels are “fireproof” and will remain. Building on wood, hay or straw represents the natural man. Scripture after scripture interprets wood, hay and grass as man and humanity. Gold, silver and precious jewels represent the kingdom of Heaven. Heaven’s foundation is gold and the Bible mentions that gold is good in the second chapter of Genesis. Gold is mentioned 417 times in the Bible and represents God’s love. The mercy seat was ordered by God to be made with pure gold. The ark of the covenant was made of acacia wood (represents the humanity of Jesus) and covered in gold. The lamp stands (churches) in Revelation were pure solid gold. Why is it important to build things on gold, silver and precious jewels from Jesus? Because the fire is coming and it’s not a matter of “if” it’s a matter of “when” the trials reveal what we built on, our natural humanity will not last. What we build on Jesus and His love, the work will remain and be our reward.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NKJ ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. ¹² Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. ¹³ But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. ¹⁴ If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss.

Matthew 14:25-32 NKJ Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! it is I; do not be afraid.”²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” ²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

It Is Finished (Day 21)

“It is finished”, was the end of the sin of mankind dividing us from God. Sinners ran to Jesus, while on the earth, because He was the fullness of grace upon grace and the answer to their sin. God’s plan was to return authority and mankind’s (Adam’s) freedom to love Him back in perfect relationship. The Old Covenant was transactional, if you were obedient to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength then He would bless and protect you and your land and forgive your sins. The new covenant reveals Jesus loving you with all His heart, soul, mind and strength and His blessings are based on His obedience and strength received by faith. John the Baptist shouted out to anyone who would listen that Jesus is the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. The good news is that God is not counting the world’s sins against them. The consequence of sin’s separation from God does not exist in heaven where the entire world is invited and Christians, by faith in Jesus, are now seated in Heavenly places. “It is finished”, shouts aloud that believers are no longer slaves to sin, free to be filled with His spirit, responding in love to God by choosing to love one another.

The wine given to Jesus was sour and what a beautiful picture that Jesus received it so our relationship will never sour with Him. God is well pleased with you before you ever do anything for Him. Just like the windows of heaven opened and the Father told His son that He is well pleased before He started His ministry and did any miracles. Jesus love for you is just like the Father loves Jesus and you are well pleasing in eyes!

Grab your Bible and communion and receive the elements of communion by faith today!

John 19:29-30 NKJ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

John 15:9 ^NLT “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.