Never tire

2Tessalonians 3: 11-13

 

¹¹We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. ¹²Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. ¹³And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

 

The ever loving busy body, responsible for more pain, grief, and unconstructive labor than any person that you will meet. We all know them, and we don’t know what to do about them. We get a glimpse into a good plan of action here in this scripture. Most importantly, never tire of doing what is right! Simply put, you cannot combat a busybody by becoming a busybody. Nothing is gained by “getting down to their level”. Many find it easier to return hat for hate, gossip for gossip. The ever famous line….”oh yeah, well do you know what they did?” When we perpetuate the gossip, we perpetuate the problem. Instead of being a part of the solution, we have become the person that we did not want to be in the first place. It is easy to feel slighted by a busybody, it is easy to let their insecurities spill over into your life, and create self-doubt within you. Have faith in the Lord, and never tire of doing what is right. Remember compassion, remember love; remember that Christ overcame the world, overcame death, not through force, not by coercion. Christ overcame death, with love, faith, grace. You will always have to contend with the busybody, no family, no church, no community is perfect. Don’t fight fire with fire; never tire of doing what is right. Live with love in your heart, live with the light of the Lord burning brightly within you. Live as the child of God that you are.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Tuesday the 31st

Galatians 5: 22-23

 

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

 

I spend a lot of time talking about how we should not be bound by the law. Law protects us from sin, but does little to give us salvation. When we lead our lives with the fruit of the Spirit the laws are meaningless…..not because we can break them and it is alright…..but because the fruit of the Spirit keeps us well above any law. When you live for love, peace, joy….with patience, goodness, and faithfulness….when you practice gentleness, and self-control….there is not law for these behaviors. There is only Christ. So many people today live just well enough to get by. They look at the law and think that if no laws are broken then they are doing well……however it is when we lose sight of the laws, when we turn our focus to Christ that we can see the laws for what they are, chains that keep us from focusing on God. Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. When we apply these principles to our world we allow ourselves to experience the true Spirit of the Trinity. A heart absent of malice, judgment, and anger, is a heart that has plenty of room for all of the good that the Lord wants to fill your life with. I will not try and tell you that it is an easy task, it is not by any means. Many people will tell you that it is not worth the time, effort ands energy….I want to promise you that not only is it worth it, but your life will improve so much that you will not believe that you ever lived any other way. Choose to live for the Lord, choose to rout out the “old ways” do not get so focused on the law that you miss the opportunity that is right before you, the opportunity to know, love, and walk with the Lord. Live a life free of the law, and full of the love of Christ. As Paul tells us, there is not law for that!  

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

pass it on

2 Thessalonians 2: 15

 

¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

 

This teaching is as important now as it was back then, if not more so. Today there is an undeniable assault to keep Christianity in the background of our society. Now more than ever we should all be vigilant to keep the teachings of Christ in the spotlight. Let us not forget that our struggle in our lives is a struggle of finding, walking, keeping, Christ in our lives, and the lives of those around us. Do not let yourself become muted by the world that tells you that it is offensive to profess the teachings of Christ. Stand firm, and boldly profess that love, grace, peace, and comfort that is Jesus Christ. Hold your head high, and let the world know that you follow Christ, not the trends of the politically correct society. Turning your back on Christ in an attempt to appease the masses might make for an easy life here, but we all will be held accountable in the end. That is not meant to be a threat or some form of coercion. Christ came for all and He gave each of us an opportunity. What choice you make is up to you, but do not fool yourself, the person who makes it to Church on Sunday, but hides in the shadows during the week will have to justify themselves just the same as you and I. Hold on to the word, but remember to pass it on, don’t hold it in!

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Monday the 30th

Galatians: 5: 16

 

¹⁶So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

 

Live by the Spirit. When we look to ourselves, and the power of the Spirit that lives in each of us, we will find the strength to overcome our hardships. We will find the confidence to head out into uncharted waters, and live our lives as examples of the Love of Christ. It is not a promise of an easy path; the promise does not come with a pass from adversity. You will be tempted, you will come up against what in some cases looks like impossible situations where anyone would stumble, however as Paul reminds us here if we live by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires. We may experience the pull, we might be able to relate to the hardship, but we will remain victorious in our walk with Christ if we remember to rely on the Holy Spirit that resides in each of us. Be strong, be brave, be courageous, find the strength, comfort, protection, and love that comes with living a life led by the Lord. You will find yourself victorious!

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

 

Live fully

 

2 Thessalonians 2: 7

 

⁷For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

 

 

On some level we all live in a bubble. We go through life with blinders on. Sure, some have bigger blinders than others, but more often than not we see what we want to see, not what is the full reality of the world around us. Maybe it is too much to process, or the feeling of insecurity that comes with fully acknowledging all of the hate, and lawlessness in the world is too much to handle….whatever the case we must work to remove those blinders. Paul puts it well here when he calls it the secret power of lawlessness. Typically lawlessness does not come busting through the door, it creeps in under the door jamb, it looks for a cracked window….it comes in quietly and tries to take over. We might not know the day or the hour that the Lord will return ,but you can be certain of when sin and lawlessness will show up….today. Today tomorrow, the day after that……it does not take a day off, so we cannot either! Do not be afraid to take off your blinders, live in the fullness of the world, so that you might not only fully see the blessings of the Lord, but that you might also easily see the lawlessness that is trying to creep into your life. The Lord will protect you, he will never forsake you, but there is much out there that will try to convince you that is not true. Live fearlessly, live fully, and make it a point to live fully awake, and with your eyes wide open.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Friday the 27th

Galatians 5: 13-14

 

¹³You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. ¹⁴The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

 

Freedom is a wonderful thing. As one living in the closest thing to a free country in the world we can all appreciate that concept. But just as Paul warned so long ago, we too must be very aware of what we are doing with that freedom. Are we using our freedom to serve one another, or are we using it to enslave each other? We love being free, but so often that freedom is obtained at the expense of others. No I am not talking about our Government, I am talking about in our personal lives. We get the concept of freedom, as it applies to us, but we fall short of extending that freedom to others. We have no problem doing what we want to do, but seem to become quite perturbed when others fall outside of our neat little box we have labeled freedom. We should love one another not because we are all exactly alike, but because we are not! The Lord does not want or need drones; it is our individuality that allows us to become the living body of Christ. We cannot all be the hands, or the head. That means the each of us will function a little differently. We all serve the same God, we all live to follow in the footsteps of Christ, just because one person might be a little different than you does not mean that you get to beat them into conformity. We should each examine ourselves first, then look to others. If we are all on the same path, then we should rejoice and support each other’s uniqueness, not pick and back bite at each other. If we are spending our time hitting on each other, then we are wasting time that could be used to spread the word of the Lord. So let us each strive to love each other, flaws and all.

 

Peace,

 

Brian

Trust, and comfort

2 Thessalonians 1: 6-7

 

⁶God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you ⁷and give relief to you who are troubled,…

 

Anger, fear, resentment, despair….We spend so much of our life dealing with these emotions, they are worthless emotions, that do nothing more than steal our happiness. We let these emotions sap our strength, and rule our lives because we forget one of the most important truths about the Lord. He is a just God, he will repay those who cause his people grief. We do not have to let these people continue to rule our emotions. When we try to rectify the situation on our own, or worse when we carry the pain around with us, we allow these people to continue hurting us long after they have left our presence. This is why the Lord makes the promise of repaying those that oppose his people. We do not have to waste our lives on these empty emotions. God is just! Rely on him to repay the wrong, and then turn to him for comfort. I know that I am guilty of looking to other things for comfort in this life, but the last half of this scripture is just as important as the first. The Lord will give you rest, He will give you shelter, and comfort. Trust in him, turn to Him for your comfort, you will find peace, love, and rest; things that will never be found in anything of this world. So let the Lord repay those that wrong you, and turn to him for your comfort. He is a just God, a faithful God, and a loving God.

 

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Thursday the 26th

Galatians 5: 28

 

²⁸Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

 

Don’t we live on promises today? Promises of a better life by getting that raise, if we just work a little harder, the promise of the bonus if we just get that extra sale….the promise of fidelity in our relationships if we just give our spouse the things they want to make them happy……the promise of freedom, as long as we will submit to the Government. We have no problem placing our trust in promises that will never be fully filled, or will never make us whole. We give our trust to these things so freely, yet so many of us will not live for the one promise that counts….the promise of the New Covenant, the promise that is Jesus Christ. It pains my heart to see so many live their life on the hope of this world, I constantly see people meet with failure, despair, and hopelessness because they live for the wrong promise. Free your mind, and the rest will follow, break the cycle of living for empty promises. Live for the promise of eternity, place your trust, and faith in the promise, hope, and love of Christ. The rest will take care of itself with much less effort from you. Folks, we are all important, but we are not as important as we like to think we are as individuals. When we gather as a group of believers at the cross of Christ, when we join hands in the faith of the promise, then not only are we fulfilling part of our commission, but we are unstoppable. Live for the true promise, live, not for this life, but for eternity.

 

Peace,

Brian

You have to try

1 Thessalonians 5: 14-15

 

¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

 

Warn, encourage, help, be patient……Funny how we seem to be so much better at the opposite of each of these! We let people fall into the traps that we clearly see around us, we tear down others to promote ourselves, we turn our backs on our brothers, lest they get the credit for our work, and we do not have the time of day for anyone other than ourselves! I know I am not the only person who reads the Bible……so how are so many of us missing these very simple, very plain truths on how we should treat each other? I am in no way saying we should be perfect, even Paul tells us that we should always TRY to be kind to each other…..but if we are putting forth the effort, shouldn’t we see more kindness than indifference? We are all human, we will make mistakes, but we cannot let that keep us from trying. We cannot use the excuse that it is to hard, or that it takes to much effort. We have to persevere for the Lord, we have to make the effort, we have to TRY! Indifference or turning a blind eye is the same as inflicting the pain ourselves. We are better than that! You have to set your mind each day on the Lord. Remember why we are here…..and if you are thinking to yourself right now that the reason is to get a bigger house or paycheck…….sorry that would be the wrong answer! We are here for each other, we are here to be living examples of Christ, we may not be the best examples, we might miss the mark, but we are the only living examples that are here for people to see; so we have to try. Think of these actions each morning, warn, encourage, help, and be patient, then try to put the first on your list. Yes you might fall short, we all do from time to time……but we have to try.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Wed the 25th

Galatians 4: 15

 

¹⁵What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

 

The first time Paul came to the Galatians he was sick. During that first trip the people were so filled with the love of Christ that they would have done anything to assist Paul…..even given their own eyes. Yet now he hears that the fire has cooled, so he asks what happened to all of your joy? This is the same thing that happens to many of us, so I ask you, what has happened to your joy? Have you fanned the flames of your joy to the point of consuming you, or have you, like the Galatians, let the outside world cool your soul to a bed of embers? It is easy to be filled with a sense of purpose, and be burning for the Lord when you first come to Him. Yet as the months and years go by it is easy to let the day to day of your life wear you down. One morning you wake up, and you find that you are back close to where you started. You have allowed your joy to be stolen. You are right back to kicking rocks down the road and wondering why you are here.

 

Only one person has control over your joy, and that is you. You decide the heights of your flame, or the coolness of your bed of coals. You make the choice everyday when you get it….will you live for yourself, or live for the Lord. I encourage everyone to live for the Lord. Put him first in your life, and you will see your joy return. Search Him out in prayer, knock the dust off your bible, and find where he belongs not jus tin your life over all, but in every moment of your day! You will get your Joy back, you will find that the harder you go after the Lord, the more He will reveal to you!

 

Peace,

Brian

Be alert, and aware

1 Thessalonians 5: 2-3

 

²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

 

I am not wanting to dwell on the end times, as much as being aware of the times we are living in, and us being aware of the world around us. Paul uses the pregnant woman’s onset of labor, as an image to show how quickly the day of the Lord will arrive. I could not think of a better image than a pregnant woman to make this point because….well ….she knows she is pregnant. She is quite aware of her condition, and she knows at some point the labor pains are coming. So we should live with that mentality. We know the world we live in, we should stay aware of all of the traps and pitfalls. While we live our lives out as living examples of God’s love, we must stay awake, for it is the sleeping person that will fall into the pit, or step into the snare. As I often say, you do not have to give up on God for the devil to win…..all you have to do is nod off for a little while! So stay alert. The accessibility to sin is everywhere, it always has been and it always will be. The world will even try to lull you to sleep with the gentle lullaby of indifference. Stay alert each and every day, live your life, as the shining light that the Lord has intended, do not let that light become dimmed. We all know too well the world we live in, so live like the pregnant woman…..aware of your situation, and preparing everyday as if tomorrow might be delivery day!

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

 

Tuesday the 23rd

Galatians 4: 4-5

 

⁴But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

 

 

We are heirs to the kingdom of the Lord. Let that sink in for a moment. We are no longer bound by the laws that held down our ancestors; we are free men and women. Free to live our lives for the glory of the Lord. No longer bound by the old Covenant, but freed by the New! We are no longer viewed as servants to the Lord, through our relationship with Christ we are now friends….siblings to Christ, and children to God! All we have to do is take the reins, and leave the chains behind. Go hard after God, quit listening to the world around you that would have you stay a slave to this world. We are the Children of God, let our lives reflect the Glory that our Father deserves.

 

Peace,

Brian

Wed the 18th

I hope you all have a good week. I am heading out to go camping, so I might not be able to post again until Monday. Be blessed and have a great weekend!!

 

Galatians 3:26-29

 

 ²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

 

We are truly all one body in Christ, may we celebrate it daily, and let our lives be living examples of Christ’s love!

 

Peace,

Brian

Tuesday the 17th

Happy St. Patrick’s day!

 

Galatians 3: 24-25

 

²⁴So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

 

Faith is what will lead us home. Like the Galatians many people today have become weighted down with the law. They spend their day trying to be the “good Christian” As if their works, and their money will leverage them a spot in heaven! The cornerstone to our faith is Jesus Christ. It is faith in Him….in his life, death, and resurrection, that justifies us. Our actions must be founded in faith, all of your time, money, effort, and struggle will be fruitless if it is not carried out in faith, Faith in Christ, and faith in the promise of everlasting life that we received from Christ through His defeat of death. The law binds us to sin, Christ frees us for eternity. The law has not been abolished, but it has been fulfilled. Give thanks and praise to the Lord for the gift that has been given freely to each of us, and live a life of faith. Faith will fill the hollowness, it will light the dark path, Faith will guide you like a column of smoke in the day, and a pillar of fire at night. Start your life with a faith in Christ, and then move forward from there. Make your works, works of faith; make your life an expression of that faith.

 

Peace,

Brian

Making the most of it

Colossians 4: 5-6

 

⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

 

I heard a statement this weekend that caught me off guard. “Do you know the number one cause of people turning to Atheism? Christians!” I found that statement offensive at first, until I thought on it a little while. I think Paul would have understood that statement as soon as it was spoken. In this passage he is urging the Colossians to make the most of every opportunity when it comes to outsiders, but many of us do not do that do we? Many of us use the opportunity to show off our knowledge, or spout lengthy lists of do’s and don’ts. Worse than that some talk a good game yet go out and do the exact opposite. When you think about it, you can see how someone new to the faith would see these actions as deterrents. Could you imagine believing in a God that loves, that is accepting, yet its members are anything but! We should all take a step back and look at ourselves from time to time. Look with the eyes of someone with no knowledge of the Lord. Are we making the most of each opportunity? Are we spreading the Love that the Lord shows us? Or are we busy making Atheists out of the lost?

 

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Monday the 16th

Galatians 2: 17             

 

¹⁸If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.

 

There is no doubt that when we turn to Christ we destroy our old lives. Ties are severed, friendships are lost, and new ones formed. Our old life is laid to waste, and we start to rebuild, but what is it that we are rebuilding? Our new lives are lives dedicated not to the law, but to faith in Christ; yet we humans have a bad habit of picking up the old pieces and trying to make a “new” building out of the old materials. We need to bring in a bulldozer, and remove the debris field of our old lives! Christ gives us all the materials that we need to rebuild. When we use the new material of love, compassion, faith, hope, and peace, we build a structure that is worth to offer to the Lord. Do not be tempted to pick up the old bricks of self-righteousness, deception, and self-faith. You might think that the old materials are still useable, but you will find they will taint your entire building. Clear your soul of you old life, rebuild on the foundation that will never falter; the foundation that can withstand life’s strongest, fiercest storms, the foundation of Jesus Christ.

 

Peace,

Brian

Friday the 13th

Galatians 2: 14

 

¹⁴When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

 

It is comforting to know that even shortly after the death and resurrection of Christ men of strong faith felt conflicted sometimes. 2000 years later it is an emotion that we all deal with. At some point in our lives, some more often than others, we struggle with our faith, and our old lives. We worry about what others think; we worry about how we will be accepted by people, especially those that have known us for a while. It is my prayer that each of us has a “Paul” in our lives that can be there to point it out when we lose our bearings. On the other side of the coin, each of us has a duty to our brother to be their “Paul”. When we see our friends, or family drifting back into old habits, or back in to an old lifestyle, we should not throw up our hands and say oh well! We must have the conviction, the faith, and the courage to stand up to them and help them see the light.

 

If you find yourself feeling lost, maybe slipping, or more worried about your earthly relationships, than your relationship with Christ……find you Paul, find that rock in your life that the Lord has put next to you. We all have them, lean on them when you need them. If you see a friend in trouble reach out with faith and love, don’t recoil in fear of rejection. We are here for each other, we depend on each other to make up the body of Christ here on Earth. Don’t let yourself, or your friends be tempted into that comfort zone of your past life and traditions. Vow to move forward, no matter the cost. We were not promised an easy path, just a path that leads to salvation. It is always easier to return to the old life. Remember:  be strong, and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1: 9)

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

 

morals in an immoral world

Colossians 3: 12-14

 

¹²Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 

Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, which one of these things are touted today as good qualities; I will tell you, outside of church, not one! The business world, the “real” world, so many people talk about, has no room for these traits. I have even had people tell me that you cannot conduct daily business with true morals any more! I have to disagree. As a man who exists in both worlds, I can tell you that I have tried every path I could find, before finally finding the way! There is a path, it can be hard to find sometimes, and once it is found it can be hard to walk, but that path is lined with the traits Paul mentions. As I say often, you have to be willing to be third! Oh I know that many will tell you that taking on those traits will leave you open for disappointment. They will tell you that people will take advantage of you, and exploit your weakness…….don’t they do that now? You can live your life with these values, and of course you cannot forget to seal it all with love. I know it sounds hard to believe, but hey everyone believed the world was flat, not because they had knowledge of it, but because that is what everyone told them! Give it a try; make it a point to live these values. Guess what, the money will still be there, the deals will still be made, and battles will still be won and lost. I know from personal experience that life does get better, you find that you like yourself more, you feel good about your life instead of feeling like you have to justify it. It is an ongoing process, I often wonder how far I will make it, there are days where it is tiring, and I want to give up, but Faith will pull us through. So live to be third, people will see it as an example to follow, and then we can start to move toward true unity.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Thursday the 12th

Galatians 2: 6

 

⁶As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message.

 

Have you ever got a piece of tape stuck to the bottom of your shoe? You don’t notice it at first, then you look down and you have picked up all kinds of trash! Well our lives are just like that! We have to pay attention to what we pick up along the way! Just like Paul says here, we also need to make sure that what we pick up adds to our message, not takes away. People will always come in to your life that want to contribute something….we all have something to give….We have to be on guard for what we take and what we leave. Paul makes a good pint here about external appearances, don’t be fooled by them. They might have flash they might have a great pedigree, they might have a lot of people lined up behind them touting their achievements. Remember it is not the outside that counts. All of the education in the world is not needed by the person who is called by Christ to profess the word, the same can be said for money, social status and the like. It might make him a better speaker, it might look good hanging on the wall, people might like him, or he might have money to burn,  but the Lord speaks through your heart, not through your external possessions. Just the same the person who has all of those things, but preaches out of self-interest, or uses the Word of God for personal gain…..well all of those external things will not help them when it counts. The Lord sees us from the inside out, so clothe yourself accordingly, dress your soul in the Lord, make your heart a beautifully decorated temple for the Lord, don’t worry to much about the outside, the clothes do not make the man, the heart does!

 

Peace,

Brian

You are better than that

Colossians 3:5

 

⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

 

We know that we are at our best when we are walking with, or after the Lord, yet there always seems to be something trying to drag us down. As if an unexplainable force is holding a string, pulling you backwards. You can call it what you want, habit, desire, the devil….You have to identify that problem and cut it loose. I know all to well that is easier said than done, however it is something that must be dealt with. Not because it is “bad” or sinful, not because someone is looking over your shoulder and telling you that you have to change….do it because you know that you are better than that…..whatever it is that is dragging on you, you are better than that problem. You are no longer the same person you were, and that means that you have to not just let go of things, but you have to start to see yourself for what you are. A brother or sister of Christ, you are a new life! A life that searches for hope, and faith, not despair, and pain. In our old lives we lived for pain…..I know that might not sound quite right, or might not be the way some see it, but if you look at your life before Christ entered it, you will see that the things you were chasing brought more pain, and disappointment, than it brought happiness. Maybe you are still lost in your chase, content to chase the things of this temporary world that will surely fall away, and leave you empty at some point. Maybe you have allowed the Lord into your life, but you are still chasing after empty dreams……take a long look at where you are at….are you happy? Do you feel complete, do you feel whole?  Look for the things in your life that are causing you pain, be honest with yourself, is the chase for the new car, or the next one night stand, going to give you the feeling of love that you are looking for? Will your chase for money ever have a finish line? I can promise you, at the end of the day, or the next morning when you wake up, that same haunting feeling will still fill your soul. Reach out to the Lord, and start cutting away your earthly nature, you are better than that. Let Christ in….allow him to be your foundation, you will feel what complete acceptance, and love really is. When you build on a foundation of the Lord, you house will stand any storm. You will find that the race for worldly things is a race that cannot be won, but with Christ all things are possible.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Wed the 1th

Galatians: 1: 16-17

 

¹⁶to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

 

Folks, we do not live for the approval of anyone other than the Lord. That is a bold statement, but a trustworthy saying none the less. When we are called to do something for the Lord, we do not need group consensus, or group therapy. We do not need the advice, or approval of anyone. Many will not understand your actions, many might think less of you because you have “left the heard” , but know this one cold hard truth…….the Lord is our light, our strength, our rock, and our way. If you want to know where you are going, then ask the Lord, not the guy sitting next to you. There are people here in this world that will do everything they can to drag you down, they will do it with a smile on their face, and a song on their lips. You answer to the Lord. He is the authority, and it is His plan that matters in your life. Don’t let the world drag you down, don’t listen to the people who would tell you that you can’t or you shouldn’t. We have to live in this world, but we do not have to be “of” it. The Lord will speak to your heart, follow it where He leads. Live with your heart, love with your heart, and fight with your heart. There is great risk, but much greater reward!

 

Peace,

Brian

Give yourself permission

Colossians 2: 20

 

²⁰Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules

 

Many today call themselves Christian, yet try to apply all of the rules of society on to the faith. Christ does not need an earthly jury, the rules that have been written by men to control other men do not apply. Christ has given each of us a new life, and a new set of instructions. Directions that include, love, compassion, faith, grace…..when you strive to reach those laws you find that you do not have to worry about falling below the laws of man. The laws of this world save you from sin, the laws of the Lord, save you from death, and grant eternal life. Break yourself free form the world, and all of it’s chains. Refuse to accept the viewpoint of the world that you have a place, and you have to stay in that little box. We all belong with the Lord, Children of God, and brothers, and sisters of Christ. The path to get there will be easy to see, it will have the footprints of Christ already laid down for us to follow. Give yourself permission to become what you were intended, a child of Light, then let that light shine for all to see. God blessed you before you were born, all that is holding you back is you.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

 

Tuesday the 10th

2 Corinthians 13:14

 

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

 

What else could you ask for in life? Grace, love and fellowship. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That is a full complete life. If you have those three things, there is nothing else that you could need. You have what you need and everything else is secondary. Don’t let the world convince you any differently. Do you feel like you don’t have Grace, love, and fellowship, I would almost promise you that it is because you are missing one, if not a couple of them in your life. Many might find it hard to believe that life can be that good, just by counting on those three things, but it can. The struggle is to set down the things you have been convinced you need more. Turn off the TV, the computers, the radio, set the cell phones down, and let yourself spend some time with the Lord. He is there, he is waiting. Let the Lord take a hold of your heart, and your life. Honestly give yourself to him. There you will find the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We are all works in progress, don’t let the noise of today slow down the construction site.

 

Peace,

Brian

all the same

Colossians 2: 16-17

 

¹⁶Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

 

 

Many Churches, and more to the point, many church members have done a great job at excluding people, not because of Christ’s teachings, but because of the traditions of Men. Reality is found in Christ, not in other men! We judge many things in life using our own life as a measuring stick. Do not let that worldly view spill over into your spiritual life. There is but one truth, and that is Christ. He has laid out the truth for all to see, yet many will try to “tweak” it for their own ends. Know that you are a child of God, you are not bound by earthly judgment. Do not let others look down on you because of trivial matters that have nothing to do with your relationship with Christ. In the end it is that relationship that will decide your fate. Do not judge others for actions that the Lord does not judge. When you do, you will have to answer for that judgment. Who are we sinners to hold judgment out to others, are we all not sinners? There is room for improvement in all of our lives. The sinner, and the saint, all start at the same place; no matter your current position, do not forget that our goal is compassion, and love. Not exclusion, and hate. Let your heart be filled with Love, when you live your life with love as the goal, you will find the peace, and joy, that comes when you walk with the Lord.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Monday the 9th

2 Corinthians 13:5

 

⁵Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—

 

Did you know that the best way to find out if your are on the right path is found right inside of you? You can compare yourselves to others, you can read as many self help books as you can find, but you will never find a more clear, perfect understanding of where you are at, and where you need to be, than when you examine yourself. No one knows you better than the Lord, and he will provide you with the insight needed to stay, or get back on the right track. Open your hearts, and bend a knee, if you come to the Lord with the intention of testing yourself, he will guide you. He will provide more depth, understanding, compassion, love, and grace, than any of us deserve. Oprah, Tom Cruise, Madonna, and all of their spiritual advisers are chasing after your wallet not you soul. You will never find another person in this world who will be as open and honest with you…..as you! Turn to the one that helps, turn to the One that will give eternal life, turn to the one true god……With Him you will find the answers to the test, with Him, you will find salvation.

 

Peace,

Brian