A God Gift

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 James 1:17

 Eighteen months ago, a lady from our church family came over to give me a gift.  She spent about an hour peeling and sticking down letters in fancy script on the wall above the crib where my newborn baby daughter slept.  The words?  James 1:17 from above.

I chose this verse because that is what I feel like my children are:  good and perfect gifts.  Well, maybe not perfect.  Yes, I can admit they aren’t perfect!

But good, yes!  I am especially enjoying my older daughter today.  Why?  Because today is her birthday!  Happy birthday, Laura!  I praise the LORD today for giving her to me 14 years ago!  (I can’t believe it!)

I have something more significant to praise God for today.  My daughter, born 14 years ago today, has been born again as well!

 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

 James 1:18

 I am watching this delightful young lady grow into a godly woman right before my eyes.  From the time I turned our bonus room into the garden of Eden with yards and yards of green tulle, until the day I watch her walk down the aisle wrapped from head to toe in yards of white tulle, I am counting on the Word of God do its work.

I thank you, God that I don’t have to do this parenting thing alone.  I am thankful for my daughter, but I am ultimately thankful for Your Word to help me train her up to be the woman of God You designed for her to be.

-bbm

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

 Proverbs 22:6

 

He is a Mighty and Jealous God

I John 5

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

ESV

 When the ark of God was captured by the Philistines during the time of the Judges, it was taken to Ashdod, where it was placed in the house of Dagon by the side of the idol Dagon. But on the next day, it was found that the idol was laying flat before the ark of the Lord. It was restored to its place; but on the following day Dagon again lay on the ground before the ark, this time with the head and both hands severed from the body and lying upon the threshold.

Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there to see the Philistine’s faces that 2^nd morning?  WOW!  The God that destroyed the idol of Dagon is the same God that we serve today.  He is a mighty God, and He is a jealous God.  He will not tolerate another sharing His glory!  Let that sink in and read the account of this event below.  Resolve in your heart to keep yourself from idols!  What might our idols look like today? -BP

 I Samuel 5:1-4

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.  When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.  And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.  And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

NKJV

Choose Yes or No

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the prophets(Acts 24:14).

The jury for Paul’s trial was composed of three rulers. As Paul faithfully testified to them of how Jesus fulfilled all the scriptures as Messiah, Felix, the governor, trembled; Festus hesitated, then resisted; King Agrippa was almost persuaded. All were brought to a point of decision, but none accepted Christ as their Savior. Little did they realize that it was not Paul, but themselves, who were on trial before the court of heaven. They had no idea that as they were pronouncing judgment upon Paul that it was their case being pleaded. In a way, Paul was their defense attorney. He was trying to get them to plead guilty and accept the mercy of the court of God. Jesus was waiting with their pardon. However, they didn’t receive it. Not because it was not offered, but because they rejected it. Could you imagine rejecting forgiveness and accepting a death sentence? It happens every minute of every day. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us(Heb. 2:3).

Each man had a different response. One was overwhelmed. Another held back. The last one decided to wait. However, they all made the same choice to reject Christ. And every decision has consequences. If you were on a plane that was crashing and they began handing out parachutes for jumping off, would deciding to wait be a decision with consequences? I believe the answer is yes. The time to choose is now. For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation(II Cor. 6:2).

It has often been said that it does not make any difference what one believes as long as he is sincere. But that statement is very misleading because our eternal destiny depends upon what we believe. God has provided the only way of salvation. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, took the death sentence for our sins. Neither is there salvation in any other(Acts 4:12). By praying and asking God to forgive your sins because Jesus already died for you, you will be born again into God’s eternal family. Believe in Jesus and His work on the cross that was done for you and for me!

-sbc.net devotion

And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure(1 John 3:3).

Thought for Today:

Each person must decide for himself either to accept Christ as Savior, or to reject Him; He cannot be ignored.

The Righteous Will Live by Faith

Habakkuk 1:1-3

The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.

    How long, LORD, must I call for help,

   but you do not listen?

Or cry out to you, “Violence!”

   but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice?

   Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

   there is strife, and conflict abounds.

 Do you ever get mad at the injustices that surround you?  I know that I do.  I long for unity everywhere; especially in churches.  Habakkuk lived at a time where he was burdened by his fellow Israelites partaking in violence and wrongdoing.  It says that he was surrounded by fighting and conflicts.  I talked to a relative today that was sharing with me that of how she had become discouraged by the operation of churches and the things that go on inside so much so that it was the reason she stopped going about twelve years ago.  She said that it seemed like every church she went to was commercialized or “fake”.  Oh…how that saddens me!

As I think about how frustrated I get with wrongdoing, and this coming from a weak sinner, I can only imagine how holy God must feel.  He is a God of justice and I am reminded that He will one day bring justice to fulfillment.

Habakkuk 2:2-4:

Then the LORD replied:

“Write down the revelation

and make it plain on tablets

so that a herald may run with it.

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it will certainly come

and will not delay.

“See, the enemy is puffed up;

his desires are not upright—

but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.”

 Even though I get mad at wickedness, at the same time, I look around and I see people getting to go on trips and vacations while I’ve been longing for a break.  It seems like some of the people around me that do not appear to follow after God with their lives, are better off.  Their lives seem to be care free as if they have no worries or struggles.  However, God’s Word tells us that the righteous will live…meaning will enjoy not only eternal life, but an abundant and victorious, blessed life.

The phrase that God used “the righteous person will live by faith” is repeated three times in the New Testament.  Each of these instances paints the picture of a true Christian.

Romans 1:17–For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

The first occurrence is talking about the gospel which is the power of God that brings salvation.

Galatians 3:11–Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

The second instance shows that salvation is by faith through grace and not by any works that we can do.

What spoke to me today was the last place that this phrase is used in the New Testament which speaks of the perseverance of a Christian through faith during trials so that our abundant life does not get ruined.  Let’s not shrink back from our faith or get discouraged, but let’s trust in God who knows what He is doing.

-RB

Hebrews 10:32-38a

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.  For,

 “In just a little while,

he who is coming will come

and will not delay.” 

And, “But my righteous one will live by faith.”

Watch Your Step

Judges 8:22-24:

The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”  But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.”  And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

The above scriptures show how the Israelites had asked Gideon to rule over them.  Now, why did they want Gideon to rule…a man who himself had claimed in Chapter 6 that his clan was the weakest of the tribe of Manasseh and that he was the least in his family?  That’s because he was a true IRONMAN.  The Midianites were oppressing the Israelites and numbered about 120,000 men.  However, God was with Gideon and God made him commander of a massive army of…300 men.  That’s right, Gideon led 300 men against the Midianites and defeated every single one.

After the Midianite victory, the Israelites admired Gideon.  He had earned their respect and honor.  Gideon acts humbly in declining the right to rule; however, look at what he does next in asking for the gold earrings from the plunder.

Judges 8:25-27:

 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it.  The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks.  Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

           He uses the earrings to make a gold ephod, which is the shape of a sacred garment.  This was a mistake because it says that Israel began prostituting themselves by worshipping it.  Matthew Henry states the following:  “However this might be honestly intended, and at first did little hurt, yet in process of time, (1.) Israel went a whoring after it, that is, they deserted God’s altar and priesthood, being fond of change, and prone to idolatry, and having some excuse for paying respect to this ephod, because so good a man as Gideon had set it up, and by degrees their respect to it grew more and more superstitious. Note, Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man.”

As proclaiming Christians, and as others see us walking in the ways of God and as others see God blessing our lives…we must be careful in our decisions.  We must seek God’s will on the small matters as well as the big.  Other people are watching and a wrong decision can lead many people down the wrong path.  Our actions do matter!

-RB

Ephesians 5:8-11: 

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Live by Faith…not Feelings

And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God(Acts 15:39-40).

Mark had left the ministry and returned home during the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. On the second missionary journey, Barnabas determined to take Mark (15:37), his cousin, with them, but Paul did not believe it was God’s Will.

Barnabas sharply disagreed with Paul’s position and returned with Mark to his former home on the island of Cyprus (4:36-37, compare 15:39). Paul then chose Silas to be his associate. It may seem difficult at times to separate from those with whom we are close. However, we must remember we are in service to our Lord. Even though they may be close friends or even family, that does not mean their discernment is God’s will at this time. We can’t let that be a hinderance to our ministry. God still has a work to be done. To accomplish His Will, God will sometimes take his servants in opposite directions. God is the great orchestrator of people and events. Love God enough to follow Him. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me(Matt. 10:37).

In defending his cousin, Barnabas attempted to overrule the God-ordained leadership of Paul. He let personal feelings keep him from fulfilling his original calling as an associate of the Apostle Paul in the ministry of the Gospel (Acts 13:2).

After this event, Paul was the one who was recommended by the brethren, but we have no record of God’s blessing upon the ministry of Barnabas. We will find very quickly that being in God’s Will is what makes us worthy to build His Kingdom. God can’t use those who follow their own path rather than Him. Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me(Matt. 19:21).

Many today are no longer being used by God because their personal feelings were hurt and they quit because they disagree with some insignificant decision of God’s appointed leader. Often we miss God’s best for our lives because we make our own decisions without first consulting the Holy Spirit. Nothing can surpass the joy of being in the center of God’s perfect will.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be castaway(1 Cor. 9:27).

-sbc.net devotion

Thought for Today:

Do not live by thought or by your feelings, but by faith in God’s Word.

Make It Right

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite

But the stomach of the wicked is in need.

 Proverbs 13:25

 Are you a stress eater?

You know, this is the person who goes on an eating binge when stress comes their way.  I am this person.

I have been spending the past year really focusing on this issue.  I have found some very disturbing things as I’ve shined the light of God onto my heart and my stress eating.  I have found that instead of being satisfied, I have often been “in need.”  This is the place of emptiness and deep dissatisfaction.

Brandy, are you calling yourself “wicked”.  Yes.  And you may take the quotation marks off.  I am wicked.  I know this.  I might fool you from time to time, but I don’t fool me and I sure don’t fool God.

Now, don’t misunderstand me.  I am a believer.  I am saved.  I am forgiven.  The blood of Jesus is the reason.

BUT

I have come to realize that when I run to food instead of God, this is sin.  When I know it is sin and still continue to run to it, that makes me wicked.  You see, I define the word “sinner” to be someone who sins.   That would be all of us, right?   I define “wicked” as someone who sins all the while knowing exactly what they’re doing.

So, yesterday, the stress came.  There sat the left-over bucket of Fall Festival candy.  I don’t eat candy.  I don’t eat sugar.  I gave it up last May.  Yet, I chose to be wicked.

I lost count of the tootsie rolls I ate.

Now, come on, Brandy, eating tootsie rolls isn’t a sin.  Well, for you it might not be.  But for me, it is.  I made a commitment to God that I would bury the idols, and yesterday I dug them up again.  I bowed down to them and told them how they made me feel better in my stress.

I have tears in my eyes to think of this.  I am tempted to feel like a failure this morning as I think of my weakness.

BUT!!

I live by grace!  I live by this doctrine of repentance and forgiveness.  I live by the truth found in God’s Word that says His mercies are new every morning.  I have only got to confess my sin and ask for His forgiveness with a repentant heart.  This action washes me white as snow and makes me brand new for this new day.

I don’t know what your sin is.  I am banking on the fact that I am not alone in my wickedness.  Yours may look different, yes.  But it’s still something that needs to be met with a repentant heart and a confession.  If you don’t feel repentant, you must ask Almighty God to allow you to see your sin as He sees it, so that you can agree in confession with Him over it.

I challenge you today to do whatever you must to make things right.

-bbm

 

Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

 Romans 12:1

A Mother’s Prayer

 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another…”

When I was in Spotlight the other night we talked about mentoring young women and countering the secular world’s views. I couldn’t help but think of my own daughters, I have three. They are all out of the house now.  I had been walking in darkness while they were growing up. Oh sure, I was there for them; I dropped everything if one of my kids needed me. I was alert to anything that might be wrong in their lives. I drug them to church every Sunday, drag being the key word. We would take turns having Mom date nights. We would cook and joke and laugh together. I was always available to talk. I was interested in them and invested in their futures, or so I thought. I spent the better part of their lives fighting for them.

I do have a very good relationship with my two oldest girls. My relationship with my youngest daughter is a work in progress; I am letting God lead me with that one. They all want to be just like me, even my youngest (I nearly fainted when I heard that). That statement, however, is what I am most afraid of; I don’t want them to be like the old me.  I can’t go back and undo or re-teach those lessons. But…

I can mentor my own daughters now, at this season in their lives, through Gods grace and for His glory. I can be a better role model for my girls. I can show them I have value and they have value because God said so, “we are fearfully and wonderfully made”. I never thought much of myself (throughout my life), I know they picked up on that and internalized it, just as they learned many other secular views on life. With the grace of God, for with God all things are possible, these lessons can be unlearned. My girls can embrace a happiness and peace they never knew possible as they grow in The Word. That is my new prayer for them. My prayer for myself is wisdom.

-MES

Colossians 3:16
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Generational Impact

3 John 4

Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

ASV

 I glanced over at him….he was beaming as he listened to the sermon.  The sermon was hard hitting as Bro George preached about the Tale of Two Men: Agrippa and Abram.  I thought to myself, “what an incredible privilege; God, may you be so gracious to allow me to sit one day under the preaching of one of my own sons at 72 years old.”  No… I’m not talking about listening to my sons preach when I am 72, I’m talking about listening to my sons preach when they are 72!

Tonight, Bro L.C. Warren introduced our Spotlight preacher, his son George ,who is 72 years old!  Bro. L.C. is in his mid 90’s now.  He is a hero of the faith to me.  He is one of my mentors.  God has richly blessed Bro. L.C. because of his faithfulness.  His son George has recently surrendered to the call of preaching on his life… at 72 years old!  Whether you are 12 or 42 or 72 or 92, give it all to Jesus!  He is the source of life and the key to abundant and eternal life!  Will you live today as if the decisions that you make have generational impact?  Why?  Because they do!

-BP

Prov. 10:1a

A wise son makes a glad father

ASV

Mentoring

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ²that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Titus 2:1-5

 I’ll be honest.  I have recently been thinking about mentoring.  I was able to teach a few weeks ago from the passage of Ruth and the story of Naomi.  We’re all familiar with the story, but when preparing to teach, a new idea crept into my head.  I shared it with the ladies and actually jumped up and down from my excitement of the discovery.

The story is a happily ever after.  Boaz buys the land, marries Ruth, and has a baby son to carry on the line:  the line of Jesus Christ Himself!  Anyway, I got to thinking about Ruth’s new life with Boaz.  We know of Naomi as her mother-in-law, but when she married Boaz, she got a new MIL…guess who?  Rahab!  You remember her from Joshua.  She was the prostitute that was running the inn the two spies hid in.  She was rescued through the battle of Jericho and joined up with the Israelites.  Somewhere along the way she married some guy named Salmon.  (I’ve often had the romantic notion that he was one of the spies that rescued her.  He was either a warrior or a fisherman.  Badumbump.)  Rahab and Salmon had a baby…you got it!  Boaz was his name.

So why share all this?  And what could be so earth shattering as to make me jump in excitement?  I’ll tell you.  Ruth had to learn a new way of life.  She was in a new culture; she had a new family, and a ton of new ways.  She must have been feeling a bit overwhelmed!  But God had already paved the way.

You see, years ago, there was another young woman.  She found herself in a new culture, she had a new husband, and she needed to learn some new ways.  She was none other than Rahab, the prostitute.  Wasn’t it cool the way God linked up these two Gentile women to have such a close relationship in this period of history?

That’s the way God is.  He links up certain people to have relationships.  Rahab would have been the older, wiser woman to lead Ruth into this new life of faith and monotheism.  Ruth would have looked to Rahab for many things.  How do I cook the food Boaz likes?  How do you discipline children here in Bethlehem?  What are the traditions we should have as an Israelite family?

Ruth would not have known these things.  She needed a teacher, a mentor, if you will.  And God gave her not one, but two:  Naomi and Rahab.  Scripture doesn’t mention the latter relationship, but I believe Titus caught a picture of how it might have been in our New Testament.

³The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Titus 2:3-5

 What about you?  Are you a Rahab to someone?  An older woman who leads the way?  Or are you a Ruth?  A younger woman who needs to learn the godly way to run your home and your life?  Ask God to show you.  I think I’m actually both right now in my life!

Yes, I’ve been thinking about mentoring.  What about you?

-bbm

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹²teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14