Friday the 6th

2 Corinthians 12: 8-9

 

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

 

Paul is talking about the “thorn in his side” Do you have a thorn? I know I do. I have a thorn, and I have learned that that thorn is there, and needs to stay. Quit trying to pull it out! I have seen people who remove their thorn, or become so oblivious to their thorn that they forget it is there. They forget that they are servants to the Lord’s will, and begin to think they are only servants to themselves. You know……a little irritation can be a very good thing. Ask an oyster, without that little irritating grain of sand it could never produce a pearl. We are the same, beautiful works of the Lord come out of us, all it takes is a little time, a little pressure, and a little thorn.

 

The trick is to not let the thorn become so large that it destroys you. We need things in our life to keep us humble, things that will help us remember where we come from and what our goal is. I am often amazed when I see people come in to a large amount of money, you know what I am talking about, you have seen the stories on TV or in the paper. The first things most of them do is try to go out and buy happiness, they spend a fortune trying to rid themselves of the thorns in their life. They all end up the same way. Broke and bewildered. You cannot buy your way into happiness, it starts within, and it starts well before your life becomes easy. It starts when you learn to accept the thorn in your side. So rejoice over your thorn, be happy it is there, and remember the true goal in life. Stay true to yourself, and the Lord. Let Him worry about tomorrow, he already knows what is in store for you.

 

Peace,

Brian

no accusation

Colossians 1: 21-22

 

²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

 

The Lord sealed the deal! Through Christ’s death we all get a new lease on life. That is reason enough to celebrate, but it is not just a new life, it is a life that presents you without blemish, and free form accusation. Just like the sacrificial calf that the Israelites would search through their flock for, you have become the person that the Lord has been looking for. You are free to start the life you were meant to live.  A life of triumph, a life of grace, a life worthy to be called a life for the Lord.

 

Peace

Brian

 

 

 

Thursday the 5th

2 Corinthians 11:30

 

³⁰If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

 

This one verse goes against everything we learn today. From the time we are children we are taught that if you don’t “toot” your own horn no one else will. Here is a great reminder of just what we should be “tooting” our horns about. How weak we are, how little we can accomplish. You might think but look at all I have, look at all I have done. There is plenty to brag, and boast about; but to think that is to miss the point. We boast of our weakness because our strength, and our accomplishments do not come from us. All that we accomplish as Christians should be used to glorify the Lord. It is His strength that makes us strong, it is His wisdom that guides us, it is His Love that makes us whole. We can accomplish anything through Jesus Christ, who give us strength, but without him, we are just as weak as the next guy. Yes we can accomplish great things, but it is only when we acknowledge our weakness, our humanness, that we can open our hearts, and allow Christ to supercharge us with his strength. So brag loudly, brag daily, but brag about your weakness, give the credit for your strength to the Lord.

 

Peace,

Brian

the perfect creator and you

Colossians 1: 15-16

 

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

 

 

Christ is King!! He made all things, they were created by him, and they were created for him. What good news! News worth shouting form the mountain tops. Why is that such good news? Don’t you see? You were created by and for Christ! All that the Lord creates is the best. The Lord does not create OK stuff…..he only produces the best! When Christ turned water to wine at the wedding, it was not declared to be pretty good, it was not average….It was the best! You are no different than that wine. How could you not be the best? Did God not say let us create him in our likeness? Make today the day that you set down the burden you have been carrying, the insecurities, the pain. You were made by the perfect creator, in his likeness, strive to live your life not just getting by, but with the joy in your heart of knowing that the Lord knows your worth, you are very precious to him. Open your heart to the Lord, and let him fill it with all of the hope, and grace that he has to offer. Live your life with the Lord, and allow yourself to experience the Life the Lord has planned for you.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Wed. the 4th

2 Corinthians 11: 24-28

 

²⁴Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. ²⁷I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

 

Paul’s trials are often overlooked. People think of Paul as a great preacher, a wonderful Apostle, we read his letters, and find wisdom, justification, hope, and faith. What we seldom look at is what Paul endured yet still preached Christ crucified. This man endured so many hardships, yet the Word of God never left his heart, he preached on the run, he preached in chains, he preached after he was beaten, imprisoned, and on the brink of death. I read this passage, and I feel hope. I feel overwhelmed with the assurance that if the Lord will sustain a man through the darkest times, times that are so bad that some would pray for their own death, then how much more will he be present inside of me? Our lives, while complicated, are far and away better than Paul’s. Our strength in the Lord, our purpose should be all the more clear. We don’t have people chasing us to imprison us, or beat us……well most of us don’t! When we read this passage we should not just be thankful for our lives, but thankful for the time that we have available to profess the Word of God. Paul made a huge difference in peoples lives through all of his hardships, how much more of a difference can we make without the strain that he endured? I urge each of you to seize the time we are given! Reach out to those around you, any hardship that you get in return will be minimal when compared to Paul. Be fearless, trust in the Lord! When we stop to see all of the opportunity that we have to spread the word of God, the question is no longer what can I do? But look how much I can do!

 

Peace,

Brian

keep what you have

Philippians 3: 15-15

15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

 

Don’t give up what you already have worked for. We are striving for the true relationship with Jesus Christ. Along the way yes, questions will arise, faith will be tested. You might think differently at some point about God. Hanging a question mark on thing you believe to be true is a good think. It gives you a chance to not just have faith, but to understand your faith, and why you believe what you believe. Paul gives us the answer though, he points our that God will make the answer clear to you. Question prayerfully, ask God to show you the truth. But under no circumstance give up what you already have! In an attempt to examine your faith, do not throw your faith out the window.  In short, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! The Lord will give you the answers that you seek, he will guide you on the path. You will see the truth, the way and the light. Do not abandon what you have because you might think differently at some point. Use it as an opportunity to strengthen your faith, as you and the Lord walk the path together.

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

 

Tuesday the 3rd

2 Corinthians 11: 3-4

 

³But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

 

 

There is but one God, and there is but one Jesus Christ. The world will try to tell you different, the wild will put all types of other options before you, and tell you they are the same or better. The world will tweak Christ, or remove him from the picture all together. The Bible is a powerful tool. 1500 years in the making, written by over 40 different people. Universal in it’s message, constant, and unwavering in it’s content. You will find all of the answers you seek between it’s covers. You will find reassurance, strength, humility, faith, hope, righteousness, and grace contained inside. The Bible is not a story book, it is a manual for your life, and how to live it. Pick it up, breath in the Word of God. There is no deception there. You will not find contradictions, and half-truths as you find when you break into what the world lays at your feet. Inside you will fond the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As true and faithful as They were before creation, and steadfastly waiting for you to return to find God’s rest. Do not be deceived by the world today. The Lord will speak to your heart and show you the truth, Seek Him with all your Heart and you will find him. Knock and the door will be opened.  

 

Peace,

 

Brian