YOUR PRAYER LIFE - AND THE WILL OF GOD

Communication is always taking place between people, through making request, stating facts, offering apologies, asking questions or giving thanks for something. It is essential if we are to have strong and healthy relationships with one another. The same is true with our prayer life. In prayer we are communicating to God in adoration to Him, giving thanksgiving, making confession and supplication. That very act of communication is what cultivates and builds the strong relationships that we desire and need with each other and with God.

As long as we are in constant communication with others, we need not feel the isolation and loneliness that's found in being loners on an Island that we oftentimes can create and live on, for ourselves. While we may need the stimulating interaction with others to keep away the blues we don't necessarily have to have them. Our prayer life on the other hand is essential in the life of every believer. Without it a person can not even become a Christan. For the repented sinner must call on the name of the Lord for their salvation according to Romans 10:9-13. Prayer however, is not necessarily made with the mouth only....but with the heart. For it is with the heart's attitude that God judges us all. For example a person that can not speak can still pray. For their prayers are heard through their heart's intent.

Jesus himself says in Mark 14:38 that prayer was essential in having victory over satan. You see prayer appropriates the power we need to overcome the things that we need to overcome and live the life that He ask us to live obediently. As you read through the scriptures concerning the life and ministry of Christ, you will always see where He begins with prayer. He demonstrated that importance and the priority of prayer by His own example. When He began His ministry He prayed (Mark 1:35). Before selecting His disciples, He prayed (Luke 6:12). In the book of John He prayed before performing  miracles, before He ate, before He left His disciples, in preparation for His crucifixion, when He was in anguish, and while He hung on the cross in Luke and Mark. His entire life serves as an example of prayer.

Moved by Jesus' example of prayer in Luke 11, the disciples ask Him to teach them to pray. Jesus gave them a model prayer to go by; as He showed them how to pray. Jesus knew that God's power is released to every believer when by their faith, knowing and trusting, God's will as they make their request known to Him, that God would hear their prayer and answer them according to His will. So many times you will hear Jesus softly add to His prayers....not my will Father, but thou will be done! Jesus knew that He could ask what He would in faith, but it should always be tempered by the will of God.

The problem with many of our prayers is not that we ask too much or too often, but with wrong motives. James 4:3 reminds us of that. Effective prayer is always based upon a sincere desire for God's will to be done in and through a situation. When James and John wanted to call down fire on Samaria, it was not in God's superior wisdom to do so. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy path." When we trust in His will, then we lean on and acknowledge His Judgement, and then He shows us the way, or the reasons that He does what He does; and if He still does not give us exacts, then He gives us a peace to accept what we do not understand and it no longer matters!

Your prayer life is only a breath away from the fellowship and power that you need on a day to day basis, if you are a believer. For the believer that desires a deep fellowship with God, they must stay in and maintain regular communication with him. Seek Him while He may be found!

Loving you today!
Bren

Memorial Day 2011 - We Remember!

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday and is observed on the last Monday in the month of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates all U.S. soldiers who have died while in the military service.  It was first enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War. It was later extended after World War I to honor all Americans who have died in wars.

Many Americans observe this day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place every year in our nation’s capital as well as around the country in homes and small towns. Another tradition is to fly the United States flag at half-staff from dawn until noon.

This holiday began as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the civil war and by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, and later the average American  began  visiting the graves of the deceased soldiers,  whether they had served in the military or not. Through the years It has also become a long weekend devoted to family get-togethers, Shopping for special sales and fireworks, and even encourages trips to the beach and kick starts summer vacation.

While we celebrate this day in remembrance of America’s war dead, let us never forget the great cost and sacrifice that has been made in the lives of our fallen men, woman and their families, as we remember their contributions for our freedom!

Loving you and being thankful for the freedom to tell you that I do!

Bren

AUTHORITY

Since the day that the first man and woman ate the forbidden fruit, mankind has struggled with authority. Many want to have authority, but they do not want to be under it. Society has always resented being told what to do, how to live, how to act and how to treat each other. Yet, everyone for the most part wants to have a society that is ruled and governed by a set of standards that protect their rights while it encourages their freedoms. For the most part there can be a good balance when the authority in charge rules in favor of the people and not a particular agenda; especially if that agenda happens to support and build up the one in authority or leadership.

I Samuel 18 contrast those two types of authorities. One is a godless authority in which King Saul ruled. While Saul’s leadership did not start out being ungodly, it sadly deteriorated and ended up that way. David on the other hand ruled as a godly leader. While he too made mistakes during his time as King, for the most part he ruled his people with care and wisdom and he always repented when confronted by God for a wrong that he had committed. All authority originates with God according to Romans 13. The Bible also states in Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. That simply means that when a leader rules with godly discernment and wisdom, the people prosper and rejoice in good times. When a leader acts ungodly and unjust by the standards of God, the people will always suffer and live in despair. In the end, it will be God that judges those that take advantage of their power, for He judges the just and the unjust. Godly authority is to be reveared thereby in helping us to live right and protect our conscience, by not doing wrong, according to Romans 13.

David experienced firsthand how it was to serve and live under a godless authority and he became a remarkable teacher for us, in understanding our function in the context of both godless and godly authorities. Godless authority often times will suddenly reveal itself pretty quick. I Sam 18:6 tells us that after David’s victory over slaying the giant; the women led a precession through the city streets celebrating the great victory that David had won. They were singing and praising David for slaying more men than Saul. From that day on, Saul’s hatred only grew for David. The scriptures say that the next day, Saul was given over to an evil spirit…..David was being praise above Saul one day and on the very next day, (it was as if God had just stepped aside) Saul was given over mightily, to an evil spirit that pursued David’s death, from that point on. David had been loyal to Saul and never touched a hair on Saul’s head, yet because of Saul’s hatred and jealousy towards him, Saul pursued to kill his most loyal subject.

How does a man like Saul go from being a great King that led God’s people with promise, to reaching the point where he sought greatness a part from what God had already given him. His self indulgence of his own power and fame led him to have a perverted image of himself. Once instead of waiting on God to give His blessings through God’s priest, Saul took it upon himself the role of High Priest apart from God’s permission; and that was a huge mistake. A godly leader is not about being the final authority, but being able to submit to a higher authority. The same principle applies in understanding servitude. You must first learn to serve. There is a common factor in those two great abilities and it is humility. Without it, we are all empty Air Socks. We may look pretty on the outside, but we are hollow and empty inside, just blowing in the wind. The Centurion solider in the New Testament showed the kind of principle of authority that honors God. Upon reaching Jesus, he simply said to him, that Jesus only need to speak it and it would happen. He said “I too am a man under authority, I say to one go and he goes”….that solider understood his position. He understood the principle and power of authority.

Saul had to have his ego stroked and fed on a daily basis by those that were under him. He had even set up a monument to himself….as did David’s son Absalom. Godless leaders are driven by their ego. They do not understand the principle of mutual authority or community. They are driven by jealousy, which almost always turns to hatred. They seek praise and power for themselves and choose not share it with others. I read once where the A type leader that hires other A type leaders to work with them will accomplish and be more productive than those A type leaders who hires B and C type leaders to work with, because they do not want to share in the glory. Those leaders have a false sense of security in who they are and moreoften than not, have to have their ego's stroked. Any leader that wants to really be successful will do it on the shoulders of other people who will sharpen them and challenge them to be better. The ungodly leader will spend all their resources to secure their position than to build those that that around up. They are threatened by those that get equal praise and jealousy takes them over and in the end, they will loose the respect from others that they tried so hard to hold on to.

God allowed David through Saul’s persecution to learn the importance of genuine community and how by building up those that are around him makes for a better life for everyone; even those that wanted to stamp him out. In I Sam 21…David ended up in a cave with 400 people. Exiled from everyone that he loved. He ended up being a captain of a band of whacko’s, disgruntles and those that were mad at the world as well as those that society had rejected. It was though God had placed David at the Customer Service desk in the backcountry of nowhere to assist people by building them up and showing them that they had worth! He learned that by his own character he would draw men to himself, not by position or power but by being transparent and letting them see the real him.

Like David, God wants us to learn that we must be transparent with others wherever we are in whatever situation we may be in and who we really are. David had to learn that God was God in the wilderness just as He was in the palace, of Kings and kingdoms. The greatest teams are developed by those that are transparent ….When in Ziglag, those same dysfunctional men that lived in that cave with David became known as “David’s Mighty Men”. But they did not start out that way. For 10 years as those broken, dysfunctional men saw David’s humble and godly character, they learned that they could trust him… even unto death. They through David's wittness and love, were changed to forever become, might men!

You see, David was able to see beyond the moment…as he told Saul that the Lord would judge between the two of them and of course God did. David found great comfort in the wisdom of God as he searched his heart and the will of God as to what to do in his situations…..as he was hiding in the mountains among the goats and as an opportunity arose to kill Saul David refused, I Sam 24:5…his heart never faltered to what his task was about. Not to be the awesome leader that God allowed and helped him to become, but David understood the things of God on a level Saul never desired to know and understand; because Saul sought only to build himself up. In II Sam 1 David and his men wept as they heard the news of Saul’s death. They were broken because of what they saw in David as their leader. A great leader has to go ahead of the moment that they are in. They don’t do what seems best for the moment, but they think beyond the gratification of what they may want for that moment and seek the proper outcome for all. God built an incredible house through David and He desires to do that through us.

What is your circumstance this moment? Are you struggling with some type of authority right now? The Bible says that obedience is better than sacrifice. Do not allow your moments to cause you to be a victim but allow them to cause you to reach for victory over every circumstance. Through humility and love for others, you too can be the proper leader that the world needs more of!

Hold Fast,
Bren

HE IS THE LORD OF MY CANCER - TESTIMONTY

January 28, 2010 I went with a friend to the West Clinic for an appointment that she had. While I was there I talked to the person in charge of admissions, Ms. Etta. I asked Ms. Etta if she knew where I could get an MRI, I was past due for my routine check-up and was having symptoms but I didn‘t have insurance. She told me what I could do and where I could go. I took her advice and headed to the hospital‘s ER. I didn’t get an MRI; however, I did receive a CAT scan. The test results came back fine and I was on my way.

            After a few days I was feeling worse than ever and my mom knew I needed an MRI. She called the doctor Ms. Etta had suggested and they sent us back to the hospital for an MRI. Only when we got there they said they would see me but it was unlikely I would get an MRI because those aren’t administered in the ER. I began wondering why I was there if I wasn’t going to get an MRI and then the doctor came. We began to talk and I proceeded to tell him about my time in Honduras. I had only been back two and half months so it was still pretty fresh on my mind. I told him how I was sharing the gospel and what God was doing there but little did I know at the time he was a Muslim. It’s interesting how God set that up without either myself or the doctor knowing it was going to take place.

            That Muslim doctor was about to learn even more, about how God works. Unlikely as it was to get an MRI in the emergency room, God made sure that I was to have one. It “just so happened” that a slot opened up and a technician was on duty, who could read the results. I got the MRI and not long after returning to the room the doctor came in. The conversation was short and to the point. He simply said, “The tumor’s back.” Three little words carried a lot of weight especially since I went through the brain surgery experience five years earlier as a freshman in college. Now as a college graduate I would be facing it again.             

I was transported to another hospital, since the one that found the tumor didn’t have a neurology unit. While I was there my neurosurgeon came by to talk to me. Just as he came in the worship pastor from my church also arrived. My neurosurgeon told me the tumor came back in a different place and was more aggressive than the first one.  He said it was attached to two main arteries and would require a dangerous surgery to remove it. I asked if it carried the same risks as the first one and he told me the surgery held much greater risks than the first one did. That was a scary thought since the first one was suppose to leave me paralyzed, mental damaged, and going through chemo amongst other things. The doctor informed me that because of the great risks I really needed to go to another hospital like Baptist East, to receive interventional radiology. It was the best hospital around to get that procedure, but it was unlikely for me to get in since I had no insurance. The doctor left me with that and said he would make a few calls and let me know.

            What perfect timing for the worship pastor to walk in. He said as he was driving home God laid on his heart to drive a little further to the hospital. I was glad he obeyed. He was able to offer some much needed prayer for me and my family, as we had just receive all but good news. We prayed and about ten minutes after  the doctor had left, the phone rang and it was my doctor informing me that I would be leaving in the morning headed to Baptist East Hospital.  That was such a huge answer to the prayers that had only moments earlier gone out. God has such perfect timing and He is always sovereign. At that point I could not help but notice God and what He was doing. I quickly made it my prayer; that anyone who heard about what was happening to me would walk away, when it was over, and know without a doubt that God is the Lord.

            As I went to Baptist East I couldn’t help but joke about how Paul’s ministry was in prison and mine was in the Baptist East hospital. Five years earlier God saved me not just physically but spiritually in that hospital after a miraculous brain surgery. Now I was back and sharing Christ’s love like never before. On Monday morning, February 7, 2011, I scheduled for interventional radiology. After they gave me a list of risks, about ten times, and wheeled me to the wrong room saying first, “she needs to be in the other room in case something goes wrong” they began the first part of the procedure. They didn’t think they would be able to block any of the blood vessels when they started the procedure but afterwards they thought they might be able to get three. Again they told gave me a list of risks too many times before I signed the consent and with that they put me to sleep.  When I woke up the news was mixed. They had blocked the vessels to the tumor, but were skeptical about the surgery that had been scheduled for the next day.

            February 8, 2011, I went in for brain surgery for the second time in five years. All I wanted when I got out was to know that people saw God in all this and I wanted them to praise Him regardless of the outcome.  And how could they not; when once again He performed an amazing miracle. The neurosurgeon removed the tumor and began digging around my brain to try and get more from the source. I was given a pint of blood and titanium pieces to take home. Then I woke up in a quite dramatic fashion as I spent the ride to the ICU throwing up. But praise God I was fine! After a few long nights in ICU, I went to a room and then home. I didn’t spend much time at home before I was headed back to the hospital. My brain swelled and shifted some causing excruciating pain. I was placed back on steroids and the doctor watched me over the next week. The doctor told me all they could do is try to find the right dose of pain medicine. I wasn’t okay with that so I brought my case to God, after all He made my body. I trusted in Him to take away my painful nights and He did just that. My health continued improving and the body of Christ was coming together. People from all over the world were in prayer like-minded and for one purpose. “What an honor” I thought. God was using my situation to show all these people the power of prayer.  He was also revealing Himself to nonbelievers. How could I be anything but thankful?

            At the end of the week I was released and had the next month to heal before radiation. During that month God continued to work. God provided me with Medicaid insurance only two weeks after applying, a process that should take 3-6 months. Then when time did come for me to meet with the doctor for radiation God answered again. My doctor wants me to get gamma knife but the place in Memphis doesn’t take my insurance so it looked like I might not be able to get it. So I went back to the West Clinic where I started and Ms. Etta got me an appointment by the time I finished filling out the paper work; but not before I shared the miracle God did in my life with her. She is a believer herself and was encouraged by the story God gave me to share. In fact, when I went back to get my vitals checked she brought me people to witness to. Then on another visit she told me how she shared my story at her church and with her coworkers. One of those coworkers, Ms. Karen, came out to meet me. She told me how the story God gave me touched her life and she too was sharing it with others. What a privilege for me to play such small role, in a mighty work that God is doing.

            Another way God was working was news from the new doctor. He told me about a place in Jackson, Ms where I could get gamma knife treatment and he began working on getting me an appointment. Everything was lining up except one thing: the doctor in Jackson wanted me to get a few tests first. I had to get a post opp MRI and an ultrasound on my thyroid. The ultrasound came back and showed a spot; but the doctor thought it was normal, so no big deal. The MRI results showed a residual tumor, so I should have no problem qualifying for gamma knife treatment. In fact, I have a consultation April 15, 2011 to meet with a doctor in Jackson, MS to set it all up. The plan so far is to have treatment on the tumor and the area in which the tumors have been coming from. With confidence I can say, “God is always sovereign and I have no fear of what is to come… for I know whatever it will be... will not be outside His will; for He is THE Lord.”

A Humble & Greatful Nikki

THE LOADS OF LIFE

If ever there was a generation that felt life's load, it must surely be this one. The stress from the loads that many carry today seems to be at epidemic proportions. Many of those stresses are fuelled by a variety of different events that we're seeing taking place right across our globe. We live in a time where, due to opportunity and access we have more than we have ever had on all levels of life. We've more money, or at least more access to have more plastic money than ever before. We've better living conditions, our working conditions are much better than our parents. We've more holidays and leisure time than ever, yet there seems to be more strain, more stress, more striving and more struggling than ever, in people's lives. There is a consistent attitude of, “The more I get, the more I want”, and the more some get, the less contented and satisfied they seem to be. More than ever, hospitals and psychiatric wards are filled with people who have been wracked by anxiety, fear, striving with labors and burdens from the loads of life, and those burdens are causing more health care issues for people than ever before!   They are simply the loads of life, and we all carry them.

If you're experiencing the strains of life,  and if perhaps you have even been striving to do better, but seem to always be failing, and don’t know what else to do. Maybe you've been striving in religion, by trying to keep some kind of dogmatic hold of some kind of faith or ritual, and you feel miserable because you just can't ever reach the mark. Maybe your problem is that you've no peace of mind, tranquility in your heart has eluded you because of fears, maybe even doubt about this life and eternity, maybe questions that you can't get answered. You may be even at this present moment feeling like you are momentarily sinking under the burden of guilt for things that you've done in the past? Maybe your heart is broken because of the hurts of others that have been inflicted upon you. Whatever it is, whatever your specific situation is today, you are simply under the load of life, and you feel it oh so heavily. My friend, may I remind you that we all feel that load at times. For you are not alone. Remember that!

In the Kingdom of God, we are to look at our situation through the eyes of faith, not our fleshy eyes but with our spiritual eyes. Now understand this…it is very important,  in order for it to help…to see with spiritual eyes, we must first, have our eyes opened spiritually. After they are opened, we are allowed to view life from God’s perspective. If, after God shows us the thing that we must see and what we are  to do about it, and then we are unwilling to correct it, then our load becomes heavier and more troublesome. If we respond properly, the burden is placed on Him and He carries it for us as we are able to walk in peace. If however, we choose to ignore what He shows us, then I can assure you that those burdens will only increase until we get to the proper breaking point needed to reveal whatever needs to be revealed.

There is only so much we can do in our day in, day out living. Whether it is in the workplace, our homes, with family and friends, or in the church. The need is always going to be great, or at least feel that way if they are important to us. I am constantly being reminded that  as I feel overwhelmed that there is so much to do and seemingly so little time to do it.

Sometimes a simple choice to let others help can alleviate some strains on us. Someone once asked this question: Which is the less stressful person, the one who can do the work of ten people, or the one who can get ten people to work? More than likely it is the latter one. For this is a person who has learned to delegate the task and gives others (and this is so very import) the freedom to do it. Some people are great at telling other what to do….but they insist on them doing the work the way the one who is delegating it wants it to be done. Now in some cases that may be alright. But in most, I have found that the whole point is allowing others to use their own God given abilities to be creative as well as being used in the process of taking burdens off others. Sometimes, we are simply our own enemy.

We must ask ourselves it we are contributing to our own burdens or the burdens that we are placing on others?  Simply put, are we adding to the weight of the task; or are we helping to lighten the load for ourselves as well as others. We might even say it this way…..are we being an asset or a liability.

There are days that I don’t know what to do first, answer my emails, work a spreadsheet, file important documents, call my daughters to remind them that I love them and am praying for their day, read my Bible, do to the laundry, decide what to fix for dinner, plan a Bible Study, have a fellowship in my home…? But the most important thing that I want to do, is to be at peace and not be overwhelmed throughout my day….and I have found, that when I put God first above all the other stuff…..then I take peace with me as I go through those moments of frustrations and loads that life will surly dump on me throughout my day.

Matthew 11:28 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". These very words that Jesus spoke show us something that is universal. The pressures and problems that confronted the people of His day… are unchanging through the centuries. Things that happened centuries ago are still happening today.

If you feel that you can't carry your load much longer, you can't bear it much farther. May I remind you that there is a place for you to find rest, and that place may be somewhere in your life that you need to let something go. You may need to take a dip into the Word of God and find that the answers to your questions lie in the pages of that family Bible that has collected more dust than the shelf that it now rest upon.

Maybe you need to pray a simply prayer of repentance asking the One who longs to bear your burdens for you to come into your life and open your spiritual eyes that you may no longer see from your perspective but from His. Maybe you need to turn from something….we are told to take His yoke for it is not heavy….that means simply to do it His way and stop trying to do it ours…..you and I don't need any more instructions on how to get to God….we need only pray and seek Him who is waiting for us to come.

Hold Fast today my Friend…..don’t you give up!

Loving You,

Bren