WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TODAY?

Anyone whoever did anything worth-while and stuck with it, is considered an Achiever. Jesus, the master teacher Himself gave us the formula in Matthew 24:13 when He said, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” There it is, plain and simple, the pay off, the reward, the achievement, that final accomplishment in some work towards a personal desire. In a recent study from a well know University, a five year survey was done on some of the top 20 performers in this country in various fields, including a wide range of successful athletes, sculptors, mathematicians, physicians, teachers, musicians, actors, scholars and chief executives. This study also included an interview with the families and teachers of these celebrated high achievers to try and find out what the common key in their success was. What they discovered was, that the mere drive and determination, not talent led them to their success. Imagine that! Just some plain old determination that fuels the will power of anyone that strikes out to do a thing and does not turn back! That reminds me of a woman in the Bible, whose faith was rewarded by her determination to have what she longed for, her health! In Mark chapter 5, "If I could just touch His clothes, I would be healed", that is what she told herself, this nameless bleeding woman who had traveled many miles, fueled by nothing but her faith. She had a bold plan. According to the Mosaic Law, a woman who was ceremonially unclean wasn't allowed to touch anyone, let alone the Son of God, yet desperation calls for desperate things. For 12 long years she had had this problem with loosing blood and it was causing her to be physically sick and even socially unacceptable. The Bibles says that the physicians of her time were unable to relieve her suffering. She spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she only grew worse. Most of us would have thrown ourselves in His path, begging Him to help us. Instead our bleeding sister quietly "came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak" Mark 5:27. By law, her touch would have made Him unclean. By grace, just the opposite happened. "Immediately her bleeding stopped" Mark 5:29 says. Without a word, a look, or a touch from Jesus, she was made whole simply by believing He could heal her...and daring to act on that belief. As her faith was rewarded her, she wasn't the only one who noticed. Jesus turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" Mark 5:30. At that point she and Jesus both knew that it had happened, her faith had healed her. Wow, how that scripture illustrates how sensitive Jesus is to our needs, that just a touch in faith to His garment will get His attention for us! How her heart must have pounded as she heard Him say, "Who touched me?". When the disciples pointed out to Jesus that there were many in the crowded street and everyone was touching and grabbing Him, Jesus kept looking around to see who it was that had touched Him with that kind of faith! He wasn't looking to accuse but to affirm. The same faith that empowered her to stretch out her hand now, gave her the strength to step forward. She "fell at his feet and trembling with fear, told him the whole truth" Mark 5:33. She risked everything, public humiliation, and maybe even possible punishment for her actions to explain her, confession of faith to Jesus. The true miracle in this story is about the faith she had, not what she did. Her determination was fueled by her faith. Her willingness to believe she could be well again, despite all evidence to the contrary, and do whatever it would take to get it. When she heard about the man Jesus who'd healed many who had various diseases in Mark 1:34, she made a beeline for Capernaum to see Him.  What is it that you want from Jesus today? When was the last time that you longed to touch the hem of His garment because you knew that only He has what you must have to be better, to be whole, to be free; whether it be physically, or spiritually? He will not disappoint you dear friend, but your faith will determine your answer. If you struggle with your faith; simply ask Him to help your weak faith and show you where your answer lies. And do everything in your power to trust and get to Him!

Loving on you today,

Bren

Changing Your Attitude

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. (I Thessalonians 5:18). This is one of many, many verses in Scripture that instructs us to give thanks, or be thankful. God knows that life is hard and dealing with life’s circumstances can deplete us of our energy as well as our kind attitudes, and that is why He gives so much instruction to help guide us through those tenacious times. There is nothing that touches our lives, that He has not already given a prescription to follow to help, in alleviating the pain and stresses that life brings us. So in our trying to maunder though those difficult times, let’s apply some practical lessons to change the way we look and deal with them and see for ourselves, how changing our views on them will change our entire outlook and drive us to a higher level, in living and walking through them. One of the reasons that we get so bent out of shape over our circumstances is because, it constitutes a change that may have to take place in us. A choice if you will, and this, can upset us. We get upset because, we do not like what we are confronted with and the answer to alleviate the problem may be, that change in our will or attitude will have to take place. You see, change is always connected to complaining; when the change goes against what we want to happen. It conflicts with our feeling of entitlement, for something. When we say things like, "I hate my job”, “I can't stand this house I live in”, “why can't I make more money”, “my spouse doesn't even try” or “I thought they were my friend?", you get the picture! Those feelings must be met with change and practice or you will stay in the rut of discouragement and gloom and doing so, very possibly will pull those around you down as well. We can change a bad attitude by choosing to change it, stretching ourselves to reach for something deeper within us, that is not always laying around on the surface of our expressions and attitudes.

As we do, we reap the benefits of our gratitude. What better time to start freshening up your thankful thinking, than the upcoming, Thanksgiving Holidays. As we do, our appreciation stimulates in us a sense of obligation. Not an externally imposed obligation, but a sense of obligation that arises naturally within us as we recognize how we have been supported and cared for and not only how we are should pay it back, but out of obedience to the Word of God. Your gratitude can be cultivated through your sincere self-reflection on having a choice. Our deepest sense of gratitude comes simply through grace, with the awareness that we have not earned it, nor do we deserve all that we've been given. The Lord gives grace to the humble and He can change us, if we will obey what He ask us to do, through our choices. Choose today, how you will respond to your life’s circumstances. Don’t wait for the trial to come, choose now what your plan will be and how you will respond. Learn to see your situations as God sees them and be very careful not to judge God by your own equations, of how and what you think about your circumstances, but always by what He has to say about them. Maybe today sweet Friend you are judging God because of what you think you know about Him and not what is the truth. Never equate the love of God for you, by what is happening in your life. But, know this: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. Romans 8:28.

Loving on you today Sweet Friend,

Bren

Make It A Muddy Puddles Kind Of Day

My granddaughter loves the animated Peppa Pig cartoon. If you are not familiar with Pep Pig, then you probably have no idea what a Muddy Puddles day is, so allow me a brief minute of your time to fill you in. Muddy Puddles, is any given day where children celebrate being a child. It’s become, kind of a way of life; I’m learning. It’s the idea of taking a bad, gloomy day and shifting it towards finding the fun in everything around you, and letting go of whatever it is that is causing your day to be bad or gloomy. A Muddy Puddles day encourages us to let go of our everyday stress and problems that can bind us to any kind of sadness or gloom. A Muddy Puddles day embodies the act of kids being kids, and adults remembering what it was like, being a kid.  While some of us may look at a rainy days as blue and sad, we have to make the choice and effort to turn those days around to our advantage and find the positive sunshine, even the fun, in them. Peppa Pig teaches us to never allow anything to steal our smile or dampened our spirits.

 

The celebration of this fun childhood inspirational idea is a therapeutic reprieve for parents, and an opportunity for our kids to have more fun while they still appreciate what it means. I’m learning from my precious little granddaughter, that there is a lot you can do with a muddy puddle, if you just put your mind to it. You can jump in it, dig, splash, splatter, make muddy art, and even just plain ole, sit down in the middle of it, if you feel like it. For the most part, most people do not like muddy puddles. They are a nuisance and bother, especially if you are not properly dressed to step in one. But today, I would like for you to see the muddy puddle from a learning perspective. As I mentioned, some people do not like muddy puddles. Some folks do not like rain at all. They feel that it hinders their plans, it prevents some kind of event from taking place in their day. It may even keep them in doors longer than they wanted to be. They just can’t seem to find anything good about them. This way of thinking puts me in mind of an Old Proverb that says, “Instead of complaining that the rose bush is full of thorns, be happy the thorn bush has roses.”. You see, it’s all in your perspective.

 

Many people who go through horrible circumstances find it very difficult to understand how other people who have gone through the same thing and come out with their sanity, and not marred with cynicism are able to do it. If a person is only looking at the negative outcome of a situation then they will be caught up in the whirlwind of it. Everything in life has its purpose and reason for being. If for no other reason God makes muddy puddles, he makes them for children to enjoy. And, for the adult, maybe they are reminders that with God, even what appears to be muddy in our lives can turn out to work for the good, if we embrace them as God tells us to according to Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. Once that reasoning is embraced, anyone can enjoy a muddy puddle, no matter their age.” In God’s hands, intended evil becomes eventual good. Joseph flourish in the midst of tragedy when he was placed in an old muddy puddle at the bottom of a well. He even told those who placed him there in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Nothing escapes God’s reach. Every government, king’s heart, weather pattern, and molecule that is in man, are at His command. As satan weaves his evil, destruction and despair into our lives, God can reweave them to our good according to His purpose. What muddy puddle are you in today sweet friend?

 

Loving on you today,

Bren

THE COST OF BEING CRITICAL

Few things will put us in a spiritual wilderness to wonder faster, than a critical spirit. A critical spirit zaps all the joy out of our spiritual walk and leaves us with a dry and dessert feeling, as we find ourselves wondering around trying to figure out exactly what happened to our peace and spiritual joy. Like a slow toxic poison, it digs down deep within us and spreads through our heart and into our minds until we become cynical and downright, an “ugly person”. The consequences of our critical attitudes begin to show up and often times, others notice them in us before we do. God warns us about being critical, because He loves us and wants to protect us from the awful consequences that He knows will take place in our lives if we do not take His advice. For He knows far better than we do, that we will fall in to the “emotional roller coaster effect”, that being critical always brings into our lives. If, it is our desire as a child of God, to walk with Him, then we must be more mindful of what we say to and about others, by taking the higher ground and keeping our mouths closed and our hearts under the submission and Lordship of Jesus Christ. How we treat others, or see things from God’s perspective and not our own. Maybe we would do better to vent in prayer, than to vent to others with our sad discourses of how we may feel in a situation. I have never really seen a situation get better, over someone venting in the flesh. But I have however, seen the devastation it has reeked in the lives of people who continue, to never learn to adhere to the warnings found in the scripture, to remain silent and let the Lord do the vindicating on everyone’s behalf. God is at work in our life. He is elbow deep in trying to help us. We should be ever thankful for that, and our gratitude to Him for it, is to surrender to His chisel in what He wants to accomplish in us. Complaining is not just a habit that we work on kicking, but a perspective and frame of mind that we strive to change. Our feeling as though we are living in a wilderness comes from the fact that we turn from all that we’ve received and focus on what we still want or need. You don’t stop complaining by taping your mouth, but by replacing those complaints with words of gratitude to God. Focus on those things that draw you to God and not what turns you away from Him. Are you finding it hard to be thankful for your job right now? If so, call up someone who is looking for a job. Are you being critical of people that are on your last nerve? The Scripture tells us to pray for them and be kind to them, are you doing that, or lashing out hateful venom over your situation to them or maybe others concerning them? Being grateful and kind are not simple courtesies that we offer to God and others. It’s way more than that! It’s outright obedience to the Word of God. Ingratitude will take you nowhere. Having an attitude of gratitude reflects to God and others that your heart is crucified to pride and selfishness. Being grateful is seeing yourself as a benefactor of someone else’s grace and your humility is the healthy soil that nourishes that grace and keeps your light reflecting Him, who you call, “Heavenly Father”. Philippians 2:14-15 14. Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15. that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world...

 

Loving on you today,

Bren

 

HOW TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO ARE FEARFUL OF DYING

 

I am in no way an expert on dealing with death bed salvations, but it has been my experience, that very few folks seek God when they are dying. While you may think they do, they don’t! What they do seek however, is a temporary peace in the process of their dying.  They want to let go of their fear and embrace their death no matter how they have lived or what they have believed up to that point. As a Christian, I am bound by Scripture to lead them to the One that offers not only temporary, but eternal peace. The peace that surpasses all their worries and understanding. But for so many, by the point of dying, they have passed God up so many times in their lives, they no longer realize that it is still the craving for God that they are seeking, even though it is peace that they are wanting. I have however, dealt with people who struggle with finding that peace and when I have shared with them that asking Christ to come into their hearts will satisfy and bring them peace, many have said that it is too late for them or have some other sad discourse to share. It is heart breaking! While some may think that it's best and most important to respect that person’s wishes, I find myself wanting to and have at times, beg them to invite Christ into their hearts. But you know, even with death knocking at the door, some people refuse God’s offer for salvation. For some, like the thief on the cross who slandered Jesus, instead of asking for mercy, like the other thief that begged Jesus to remember him; some people will still refuse the grace of God even upon their death. While we cannot change that, we can offer God’s love to them, His compassion and encourage them with what we do know. For what we do not know is if they have passed the opportunity to open the door that had once been knocked at by the Son of God to come in and sup with them. But they will know. We must always be willing to offer to them the bread of life and allow them to make that decision.  Before Christ came in to my heart, I had hope that was based on wishful thinking. When Christ came in to my life, my hope was changed to peaceful satisfaction and is now steady. My hope now provides me with the eternal peace that my heart longed for before I came to Christ. Before Christ, my hope was based out of fear. You see, fear always replaces Hope. Fear from the unknown, fear from things that scare us. By asking someone what they are afraid of, may bring about an honest discussion of their fears and can help you know better how to comfort them.

From a biblical perspective the moment you are born, you are simultaneously dying and will eventually do so. Life only exists because of death, and death exists because of life, they are polar opposites of the same thing, one can’t exist without the other. The problem is that when we cling to life, we then become afraid of death. Being diagnosed with a terminal illness can be very traumatic. But sometimes, the comments that we try and offer in an effort to offer comfort, can be equally distressing. The truth is, many of us just don't know what to say to a loved one or friend who may be facing their mortality. But in trying to find the right things to say, it is essential to understand the seeker, the person seeking comfort, before you try to find out what it is they are seeking. Is that person seeking peace with God or are they simply seeking peace to die? Are they struggling over leaving loved ones that they are concerned for, knowing that they will no longer be alive to take care of or be of help to? Find out what exactly it is their fear stems from and go from there. But remember,  the best thing to do for someone who may be facing death, is to allow them to guide your conversations and actions responding to them with honest answers. God did not make every person a counselor, but He did give every human being a heart that can show tenderness and compassion if they so choose to show it. They may just need a friend to walk with them through the dying process. It is not your responsibility to give them peace, only God can do that. But they must be willing to receive His peace on His terms and accept the things they have no control over. Some people live their whole life fighting against God and they are never able to get rest apart from letting whatever it is that they are angry about go. The reality is that, whatever fulfillment we are searching for, is available to us in the very moments that God convicts the heart to receive Him in. It is the first and last freedom that God gives us as humans. We have the choice to choose Him and have eternal peace or to choose eternity without Him. That is the free choice God has given to every man and woman. Yet, the scriptures are clear in 2 Corinthians 6:2 that, “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.” While we may not know what that time or hour is for others, it is always our job to offer and ask. A person will respond to God in times that we may not understand. If we can help to bring peace to those who hurt and are far away from God, then I say we make great effort to do so. For who is to say that that dear one may be allowed to enter eternity with nothing to show, but their death bed testimony. Keep offering hope as long as you can. When someone quits clinging to life as their eternal hope and accepts the way God is speaking to them, they go beyond their fear and realize the scripture is right when Jesus said in the book of John,  that He is the life and no man comes to the Father but by and through Him.

Loving on you today,

Bren

THE PRODIGAL'S BROTHER

Whenever we hear a parable from the scriptures, we compare ourselves to each of the characters in the story, in order to see what similarities we have with them. In the story of the Prodigal Son, a man had two sons. The younger son had a dissatisfaction, a longing for something and so he tried to satisfy it by going as far away from his father as he could go, to live his life as loose as he wanted to live. The unfortunate thing is that the further he was from his father, the more difficult it was to reach out to him for help. As a matter of fact, in order to reach his father again, he had to turn around and go back the way he had come. This is how it is when we are far from our Father, the farther we are, the more difficult it is for us to hear his voice when He speaks to us. The father did not go in search of the younger son. The son had to make the decision himself to come back. If the father had gone in search of the younger son, more than likely he would not have been fully ready to repent and he would have resented his father’s effort. The son had to make the decision himself and he did, “I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:18). That is a decision we all have to make, to leave the illusions of happiness that the world offers us and go to our Father. If we follow the illusions of false happiness with which the world tries to seduce us we will end up with the pigs in the pigpen. Upon seeing his wayward son returning, the father leaves the house, ignoring any dignity that others may have felt he had, to embrace a beloved son’s return home. That is what love offers. He withheld no pride for his son’s return. I am sure each of us can see some similarities between the younger son in the parable and ourselves and even see ourselves in the father as his happiness returned and joy once again filled his heart.

 

Now I would like to turn to the character of the elder son in the parable. I believe that many of us can relate to him as well. The elder son, despite the fact that he was with his father all those years, was shocked when he heard that his father was throwing a party for his brother that had thrown his life away, squandered his inheritance and caused heartache in the family. Not to mention the extra work that was put on his back because of his idiot brother’s selfishness. Is that a good enough picture? In spite of all that had happened, the older brother still didn’t know or understand his father’s heart; maybe the servants understood his father better. But he just could not find the resolve to forgive and be happy over his brother’s repentance. Maybe because the brother had not stayed awake at night prying over the prodigal brother. Maybe his pain had not reached down in his soul as his father’s pain had. Apparently, through it all, the elder son had never felt accepted, appreciated or loved by his father. Maybe that was part of his problem. You see he had placed his value for himself as well as his younger brother on his work and own efforts. He made the efforts, his brother did not. So his resentment towards his younger brother was really pointing to a deeper wound; he did not feel loved. The older son had no real relationship with his father. He was distant and aloof. He was like the Pharisees and scribes who complained about Jesus’ ministry to sinners in Luke 15:2. For years the older son had done the right thing but, with the wrong attitude. “Lo these many years I have served you”  he said in Luke 15: 29 to his father.

 

The elder son refused to recognize his brother as his brother as he stated, “this son of yours” in Luke 15:30. The elder son could very well have been called the prodigal who stayed at home. For he was also wayward, but his waywardness is more difficult to see because it is so easily overlooked because of his halfhearted faithfulness. So the parable serves as a story of about a loving father that seemed to have two prodigal sons, one left the home while the other stayed at home, yet his heart was far from his father. If only the brother could see his own faults as God saw them, maybe he would be a little more forgiving. If he understood that his father’s love was never based upon either of his son’s ability or work ethic, maybe then he would have understood that nothing he did or did not do could earn his father’s love. Because his father’s love was rooted in race and mercy for his children, just as God’s love is for us. In spite of what we may feel about God’s love, we can never earn it. We can only accept it for ourselves no matter what we have done and accept that He forgives others in the same way and we are to be happy over that! Only Jesus, the sinless one, could have known the depth of the story that He was telling and was able to have drawn such a picture of God’s deep love for us. Notice what the father says to the elder son “All that is mine is yours” in verse 31. I think that is the most beautiful statement in the parable. Our heavenly Father keeps opening his arms to us also and saying “All that is mine is yours.” What more could we want of God. For it is already ours and when we stand before Him it will all be revealed to us!

Hold Fast,

Bren

THE PRODIGAL'S FATHER

The parable of the Prodigal Son is a story about God’s redemptive grace and mercy and of His unconditional love and forgiveness to His children. In the story the Prodigal Son, the father also played an important role, for the father represents God the Father, in how God’s love for us goes beyond the boundaries of how we treat Him. The father’s heart was broken as his son chose to throw his life and future away on what the father knew was a decision that his young son had made in his flesh. Luke 15:11 speaks of the son’s request for his part of his future inheritance. Can you envision the disappointment of this father? He had worked hard all his life to build up a future for his family and had hope to be able to turn over the family business to them one day when he was at the right age to retire. But, because of his son’s uncalculated  decision, there they were, in the most heartbreaking situation a parent could be. A situation that could destroy any hopes of the future that the father had planned, dreamed and worked so hard to attain for his sons. There his youngest son was, asking for his inheritance before it was time. An inheritance that had not been earned, but yet had been promised and provided, by a loving father. The father could have refuse him, but that is not what happened. While, no doubt those thoughts went through his mind of saying no. His young son may go away on his own, destitute and bound for disaster, but he loved him and knew that sometimes a child must learn through those hard times and making by mistakes, they simply learn the right way to go. So, after weighing the advantages and disadvantages like any wise father, he calculated what was his son’s part was, and gave him the value of it, all the time, hoping and praying in his heart that the son would reconsider before he regretted what he was about to do. But he did not reconsider, Luke 15:13 says,  “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” Towards the end of the story, the young son had a change of heart and mind and came back to his rightful place in his home amongst his family. He returned to the father begging for his forgiveness and acknowledging his sin and wrong choices.  He came back with nothing to offer, for he had squandered his entire inheritance yet, the father received him with joy and celebration, restoring him to his place in the family. The prodigal’s father had been watching and waiting for his son to return. Day after day, he watched and he waited and on the day that the father saw his son approaching, (indicating that he had been watching for him), he ran to him and embraced him with open arms. He did not wait for the son to get to the front yard, but far off he saw his beloved son and took off to go and meet him and bring him back home where he belonged. Just as God the Father does His children when they come back to Him, the prodigal’s father showed that His love was unconditional for his son as well. Like the prodigal’s father, God loves us when we have wondered off to the far country of wrongdoing. Like the prodigal’s father, God accepts us back into the family and restores us to our position in the body of Christ. The prodigal son’s father wanted the rest of his family to be happy as well. He even told his older son in Luke 15:32 “…this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found”. God too wants His children to be happy when our spiritual siblings return from the far place. Like the Prodigal’s brother, I wonder if God’s children respond in the same way as did the Prodigal’s brother?

 

Hold Fast,

Bren

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PRODIGAL SON

Though this is a short story, it is packed full of helpful insights in so many areas of our lives. For we all were or are prodigal children, in some form or another. In the story of the prodigal son, we see a young man that got freed up, then he got fired up and then he got fed up. Join me in this devotion, as we look inside the head and heart of this young prodigal and consider his thoughts and words at various stages of his reckless thinking, which led to reckless living, and his eventual repentance, as he returned to his father for mercy and forgiveness.

When at first we meet him in Luke 15:11-12, he had reached a point in his life where he was simply, fed up with his current life’s situation. We know that he was fed up at that point because Jesus continues to pour out the young lad’s sad discourse in the verses of chapter 15. His life at home must have been pretty predictable, so routine, so ordinary, so boring. But that was all going to change, because he had decided that he would take the plunge and ask his father for his part of his future inheritance and hit the road to freedom and leisure to a better life. A life of partying, good times and just all around fun living without any sensor ship, so he thought!

As the verses later reveal, the father gave in to his son’s request and in verse 13 not long after he got his inheritance, the son got all his personal belongings and took off to a distant country. He did not stay in town or close by his father’s house, I’m talking, he split, he got out of town! He got as far away as his legs and money could take him. Finally, He was free! Free to do as he pleased. There was no one, to tell him what to do! He was so free without any reigns of control.

Verse 13 however, reveals that he squandered his wealth on his new freedom. He was so free, yet it cost him all that he had. Isn’t that just like sin, It take us further than we want to go, cost us more than we want to pay and keeps us longer than we want to stay. Verses 14-16 tell us that, “….there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything”. He could not believe it, from parties to a pigsty. The more he thought about it the more fired up he became over his situation. He had reached the point that he never believed he could reach, he never dreamed it, but it was real, he was at a final low. He would have never thought, that pig slop could look so tasty. But it did.

There in the stench of pig mud and pig manure, he began to think. As he considered his situation, his thoughts began to go back to the life that he remembered growing up. A life that he had been willing to sacrifice so that he could enjoy a little fun. His friends now disgusted him and in fact, he disgust himself and he became fed up over the pickle that he had gotten himself in to. He suddenly went from a man who bought drinks, threw parties and had girlfriends to a man with nothing. An empty pocketbook has given some real wisdom to many a would be prodigals over the years and he was no different.

When he came to his senses over his situation,  he did not blame his father; he did not blame his employer or friends who would not sympathize with his condition, he accepted the responsibility for his own actions. He knew that his father was a man of mercy, and decided to appeal to that mercy as he went back home to make things right. Little did he know, that His loving father had been waiting on him to return.

Today friend, if you are in a similar situation and you know it’s because the more you’ve consumed, the hungrier you’ve become. The more you drink, the thirstier you get. The more pleasure that you seek, the sadder you get. Guilt has hollowed out and drying up your heart and now nothing satisfies you anymore. Do you feel it? Can you sense it? Well then, just admit it and run to your Heavenly Father for forgiveness. He is waiting!

 

Loving on you today sweet friend!

Bren

 

EASTER AND BELIEF PART 2

While the word "Easter" does not appear in the Bible and no early church celebrations of Christ's resurrection are mentioned in Scripture itself. Easter, like Christmas, is a tradition that developed later in church history for the children of God to remember and celebrate what Jesus did for the world through His birth, His death and His resurrection. In later years, the resurrection of Jesus was celebrated in the spring for centuries in Christendom before the word "Easter" was even adopted as a label for this occasion. The word itself is derived from an Old German root, ostern, for dawn or east, which is the time and place of the rising sun. This makes sense as a reason why a day commemorating Jesus’ resurrection would have begun to be called "Easter." Some Critics take issue because the Word "Easter" is derived from the name of a Germanic goddess of spring, Eastre. An English monk, Venerable Bede, who lived in the eighth century, made this view popular. However, this idea is not at all certain. In any case, even if the word "Easter" was associated with an ancient false goddess, it does not mean we cannot use the word today. We have many words in the English language that were connected with ancient false gods. For example, the word "cereal" comes from the name of an ancient goddess of agriculture, Ceres. The word "cloth" comes from Clotho, a spinster goddess who was said to spin the thread of life. The word "hymn" is thought to come from a god of marriage, Hymen, and in ancient times meant any song offered in praise or honor of a god or gods. But when we use "hymn" in church services we mean a song sung in praise of the one true God. When we use the word "cereal" we’re not thinking of a goddess much less, worshipping it, but of fruit loops or corn flakes. Cloth is a material used to make clothes to us and has nothing to do with a goddess, Clotho.

 

In the Old Testament God gave the Jews festivals in order to remind them of important experiences, days and events that they had been through. The festival of Trumpets is an example of how God transformed many pagan customs into a form of worship devoted to Him. The festival of Trumpets came on the new moon of the seventh month. The Jews even had a new moon celebration with the blowing of trumpets in Psalm 81:3. Yet, the moon was regularly worshipped as a god or goddess in other cultures. That’s where we get the name for "Monday." It was the day set aside in honor of the moon. If we were to apply the reasoning some people use to call the Easter celebration "pagan" to Israel’s worship system, which God gave them, we would be falsely painting a picture of paganism. Even the sun, universally worshipped as a god by pagan cultures, is used in Scripture to symbolize an aspect of Jesus’ glory. Luke called him "the rising sun" Luke 1:78. Jesus is also called the "bright Morning Star" in Scripture Revelation 22:16. God can use symbols misappropriated by pagans and transform them for his own use, and for acceptable worship. God transformed those institutions for his use just as he transformed pagan sacrificial and priestly systems for his use. He meant them to be transformed as vehicles for godly worship and Christians do the same thing with their worship on Easter. Today, on Easter Sunday, Christians believe and worship Jesus Christ and Him alone, and what a joyous occasion for us to celebrate!

Hold Fast,

Bren

EASTER AND BELIEF PART 1

I love Easter, but today because of what I believe about Christ and His resurrection, it has a deeper meaning. When I was 10 years old I walked an isle prompted by a preacher’s message to receive a baptism that I did not understand. It was a fun experience, but nothing in me changed. When I was 13 years old, I ask Christ into my life, yet my life never changed. That decision too, was prompted by a number of firry conversations that my uncle had had with me out of the book of Revelation.  Still, I continued to do the same old things that I had been doing, until God began to stir in me at the age of 18, the gospel of the cross and opened my spiritual eyes through the Truth that He had been placing in my heart from committed soul winners that had been sharing the gospel with me over a period of time. Upon His opening up my eyes, to the truth that had been shared with me, for the first time in my life, I really understood the difference between, having a head knowledge about who Christ was and what it was exactly, He did on the cross. Once I understood that clearly, I personally embraced it by receiving it, as the precious gift that it is. Luke 24:45-47 says this,  “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Once I got my salvation right, I was then properly baptized. Where before, it was like having the cart before the horse.

 

You see, like myself, many people make some sort of decision about Christ, but their decisions are based on what they believe about God, as mine were and not what His Word says about Him. In John 3:16 you will find this, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not parish, but have everlasting life.” You see many people misunderstand what that verse is saying. The word believeth does not apply to a person who believes in Jesus in his head or mind alone. Satan himself believes that, yet he will never be saved. Hitler believed in Christ, many people believe in Christ, yet have never been born again. That word believeth is and should always be paired with other verses in the scripture that speak of salvation. You must always understand the Bible as a whole and not dig out the verses you want and come up with your own interpretation, that was what I was doing. I thought, “if I just believed in Jesus”, then I was good to go, by what John 3:16 said, and that made me born again, so I thought! Besides, John 3:16 said nothing about being baptized. Theologically, I was just a mess! Yet, God broke through all my messed up thinking about Him and brought the light of His Truth to overshadow my way of thinking in order to see His. He looked at my heart and knew that I was trying to get to Him. As He stood at the door of my heart knocking, with His help, I was able to open my heart up and allow Him to come in. The greatest decision I have ever made. Your belief is most important to your salvation, but it must involve more than a head knowledge about Christ. It must come from the heart, not merely the head.

 

Happy Easter Sweet Friends,
Bren

EASTER AND THE BLOOD

Blood may only be an after-thought for some of us, as we celebrate this upcoming Easter holiday. Because, Easter is not a time to celebrate the past, but the future. The Children of God will begin to reflect and meditate on the resurrection and not the cross as well as their future beyond the grave; for that is what Easter provides those that are in Christ. Yet, without the cross, without the shedding of the blood and death of Christ, there would be no resurrection. While the resurrection is just as important, we should never forget the cross, the passageway to death and the grave. The cross provided for us all, the only solution to our greatest problem, which was a sin problem. The resurrection promises us that because He rose from the grave, those that are in Him will as well. Like me my friend, you were born into a fallen world, resigned to participate in a degenerate existence with no hope of recovery on our own. The pain of sin and death immediately attached itself to our life and put into perpetual motion the ravages of death, each day drawing us closer to our eternal demise. Our own wills had separated us from God and was our greatest enemy. It had sealed our fate as long as we chose to continue on the path without Christ and continue to walk in sin. Apart from the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus Christ, we were doomed. But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, going about doing wrong,  not caring about Him or his ways, Christ died for us according to the scriptures, paraphrasing Romans 5:8. He took the beating that we deserved. His hands and feet bear our scars. His side bleed godly blood that had the power to set all mankind free to walk away from the life that they are living in and become new again. When I realized this and decided that the life that I was living was a life of sin and un-generated disgust. I realized that the best that I had to offer God, was as a filthy rag to His Holy nature. Yet for many years I struggled in the same deception that all men and women struggle in. Though many refuse to see their sin as God sees it, for me, my greatest problem is now solved!

 

Once I saw my sin and my ways as God saw them, I realized my need for the salvation that He was offering. How about you sweet friend? Can you too say, that at the point of surrendering your life to God, your biggest problem has been solved? Do you too understand and agree with why I am thankful for the blood that purchased me; or would you have to admit that you cannot see a difference in your life from the time before you say you came to Christ and afterwards. Has there been a change? Some people struggle with that question because they don’t really see a difference. Maybe you were a good person and have a hard time seeing your sin as God does. May I tell you that God’s Word declares that the best that you can do or offer Him, is as a filthy rag according to Isaiah 64:6. Maybe you might need to stop comparing yourself to all the so-called hypercritics and bad folks that you compare yourself with and compare yourself to what God sees and knows you to be. I John 1:9 tell us that, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Maybe sweet friend it is because while you have a wonderful head knowledge about God and you believe that Jesus came to earth to die, you have never really committed your life to Him by repentance. By having a holy sorrow for your sin and wanting to change. As Easter approaches, I am mindful of what it cost God to give His only Son, that He should suffer and die for someone like me, but He did, and I know it! Because I no longer bear the burden of having such a great problem any longer. Problem solved! How about you sweet friend? Can you celebrate this Easter knowing that because of His blood that covers your sins through believing and repenting, you can rejoice that you will be a part of the great resurrection that is to come? I sure hope so! Loving on you today!

 

FINDING YOUR WAY OUT OF YOUR PIT

Typically my life just peters along, at its usual predictable pace, until all of a sudden, “wham” it hits me. My motivation drops to an almost zilch and I’m stuck in another pit, wondering when I will find my way out of yet, another one. Another slump, another pit. I’ve been here before, many times and I am very familiar with the emotional disconnect of a pit. In the darkness of pits there is sadness, sometimes despair, alienation, gloom and fear, the worst is fear. For with fear comes the deep concern of not being able to get out again. Upon watching the new movie, “Risen”, I was reminded how the Disciples felt after Jesus died on the cross. At first, most all of them ran away. They too found themselves in a slump of sorts. Disconnected, alienated from the one whom they had put their hope in, despair, gloom and even fear as they sat down and wondered which way, they would now turn. You see, their slumps as well as ours, are so often caused by feelings of misplacement or a loss of something, self-disgust and even boredom. When our relationship or walk with Christ is tainted or not what it once was, we become disconnected and misplaced and we find ourselves in a slump or pit. When this happens, don’t make it harder on yourself than it needs to be. They become harder, when we are not prepared for them. If we are not prepared when they hit, we can easily resign ourselves to a feeling of disconnect somewhere. Sometimes, when we are the middle of a slump, pit or whatever you may be calling yours these days, its easy to consider them to be personal penance for something that we have done. The Disciples were feeling downcast because of their shame and lack of faith during a time of crises.  Sometimes it can happen when we deliberately walk away from truth. But not all times as Jeremiah found himself in Jeremiah 38 as he was sinking down. Low ground always sinks. Sometimes little slumps can come into our lives and leave us with a low level dullness that colors our whole world a kind of grey. They are decidedly pervasive and can leave us with an all-consuming lack of motivation and joy and can lasts for a short or indefinite period of time, as it did with the disciples. It will be up to us and us only to crawl out of those dark slumps and pits and into the light, where we can see and think more clearly. At some point or another, you and I will cross paths with a slump. You may have a limited supply of “personal motivation” and “will power” and the longer you stay and struggle in it, the more strenuous the task of coming out of it will be. When those reserves run low it can be difficult to even start a task, let alone complete one. That is why it is so important to be prepared for when they come and to stay connected to the power source that will keep you energized in the Truth. The one thing that will send you into a slump quicker than anything thing else is negative thinking against what you know is God’s truth. No matter where negative thoughts begin, they will always spill over into every other part of your life if allowed. The scripture teaches us clearly to stay away from that way of thinking (stinking thinking). “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.  “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:” Proverbs 23:7a. It does not matter how you got there, be in pushed in, slipped or jumped in. There is always a way out. Reach for the light by reaching for the Truth in what God is telling you, and do it His way. I just came out of a slump! I did it by doing exactly what I am encouraging you to do. I was prepared, I had been there before. I knew what it was going to take. I was willing to do it God’s way! I’m free, I’m out!

 

Hold Fast,

Bren

Encouraging The Sick And Brokenhearted

The most important attitude that we can impart to someone who is sick or troubled in life is simply, our own hope. Proverbs 18:14 says this concerning someone who is sick or has a crushed spirit, “The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed? Romans 15:13 says this about hope, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. God’s Word teaches us that hope is something that we cannot see, but it’s biblical foundation is reflected in our faith in God and not our circumstances. Hope then is the antidote for despair. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” It is our faith that enables us to have hope. Acts of kindness is a another way to encourage someone who may be sick or downhearted as in Acts 2:42, “ They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers”.

 

The early Christians are our role models. Bringing someone in need a prepared meal, praying with them, reading the Bible to them and sharing good conversation are all very encouraging. Another way to encourage them is to remind them not to focus on the future of all the, “what ifs” and “maybes”, but to stay focused on today, moment by moment seeking God for their healing and the will of God to be revealed to them through their situation. Matthew 6:33-34 tells us this, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Jesus Himself, said not to worry about the future! We are all terminal beings, no one lives forever and everyone has trials and tribulations. Encourage them to focus on today, doing the right things and making the best out of their current situation. God designed each of us with a kind of survival instinct and wants us to have a nature that is optimistic and hopeful. Those who have it enjoy a better quality of life, do more good for others and often live longer. The book of Job teaches many lessons, including what not to assume or say if we want to encourage someone. Job's suffering was so devastating it is hard to imagine. Satan killed all of Job's children and most of his servants and caused him to lose all his possessions.

 

Later he was personally afflicted with a terrible disease that caused painful boils all over his body. Of all Job's supposed friends, it appears that only three and a fourth one later on in the story, cared enough to visit Job and spend considerable time with him to "mourn with him, and to comfort him" in Job 2:11. But Job understandably complained that they were "miserable comforters" in 16:2 and said, "How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?" in 19:2. These three friends seemingly had good intentions to give comfort and advice to Job, but they had mistakenly assumed that Job's suffering was God's punishment for disobeying His laws. They also assumed in their wrong theology, that God always rewards good and punishes evil in this life, with no exceptions. They saw no purpose for suffering other than retribution and punishment. So in spite of their possible good intentions, Job's three friends primarily gave him added mental and emotional distress. So I would conclude that we should be very careful before we try and analyze someone’s illness. The Bible has much to say about the power of words. It's sad that Job's friends were using their words to discourage instead of encourage. After all, "The tongue of the wise promotes health" Prov 12:18 and, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life" Prov. 15:4. May we all continue to grow in understanding about how to be effective helpers and encouragers in this new year!

Hold Fast,

Bren

WHAT SIN ARE YOU CLOAKING?

 

 

 

This morning as I went before the Lord, one of the things that was revealed to me concerning sin in my life was the fact that I was harboring criticism in my heart. Criticism that I had been cloaking as petty issues. I find that often times when the Lord has revealed to me an area of sin in my life, if I am not careful, I can easily skip over them as petty and use them as reasons of excusing myself instead of doing the radical invasive surgery on my heart that is needed. My natural tendency is to rationalize which often times leads to excusing myself, which leads to no change and I wonder why nothing changes. Oh how I pray, that the Lord will help me to be different and not pretend that nothing is wrong in my heart. For if I do, the old nature in me will grow stronger and make it harder the next time I want to be real and transparent with the Lord. I pray that He will open my eyes to see the things in my heart, that breaks His heart and keeps His grace from overflowing in mine. I must do the nessacary heart surgery needed to cut out every inkling of pride that keeps me from total surrender. He is so good and merciful to keep lingering over me and because of that, I choose to die to my pride and embrace His life in me. What are you struggling with today my friend? Are you cloaking deeper issues in your life with petty questions and answers? Is your criticism, jealousy, bitterness, envy or resentment only a covering for an unforgiving heart? Things can spill out of us that on a better day, when we are walking with the Lord and focused on what is right, we would never choose to say, think or do. However, when we choose to embrace sin in our lives, we are actually exalting ourselves over others and the Lord. It takes the focus off ourselves and can give us a false impression that we are right and others are wrong. It is not wrong when we notice areas in the lives of others where there is room for growth and their personal dynamics can improve. But if your heart is humble, loving and willing to look past their personal flaws, you will have a decidedly different approach in your dealing with and judging their shortcomings. You will find that through the proper love for them, you will begin to cover them with prayer and aggressively encourage them with the kindness that God offers and shows us. Critical words spring from a critical heart. How’s your heart today?  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”. Ephesians 4:31-32

 
Hold Fast,

Bren

WHAT NEEDS MORE ATTENTION

 

Often times we can appear to be all right in the general sense of our walk with Christ. But more often than not, there are still areas that need some attention. Those areas in which we are careless and lazy and not as mindful to as other areas that we do not struggle in. The little things, those petty sins, we might call them. These are the remnants of our carnal nature that always fights for control and will always lead us to being careless. I feel sure that my personal carelessness is an insult to God's Holy Spirit that lives in me, as a child of God. I also know this from what the Word of God teaches as well as my own personal experience. When I grieve the Holy Spirit, I have a strong sense within me that lets me know that something is not right and beckons me to search until I figure out what is wrong. God will allow nothing to escape. Our lives are under His scrutiny. He sees over every detail until He has finished His good and perfect will in us. The outcome will be up to us, as to how and what we allow Him to do in us and through us. If we will not change or rectify that thing that God has His finger on in our lives, He will continue to bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. He never tires, until we have learned the lesson that He is teaching us. His great and only purpose is, to produce His finished product. With the most persistent patience, God will bring us back to that one particular point. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us that one thing that is not entirely right in our lives. Today, I am pressing forward to find that thing in me that is not entirely right. How about you sweet friend? "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;" Joel 2:12 "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:4

Hold Fast,

Bren

THE POWER TO SERVE AND LIVE

The scripture tells us that a person inherits God’s Divine nature at the moment they choose to come to Christ and repent of their sins. That is what being born again is all about. It is about the old life that was lived to please the carnal nature going away and inheriting the new nature that God gives them the moment they come to Him with a repented heart. This new nature causes the new believer to seek and strive to be more like God. They begin to look at their choices and decisions with a greater magnification of the consequences to their actions as to how they will reap from their choices, as well as how their decisions will bring honor or dishonor to the One who now lives within them. The effort that must take place, in the life of the Christian from that point on is, an effort of diligence, as they concentrate more on forming godly habits and working on a deeper, personal relationship with God, in their lives. 

None of us are naturally born or even supernaturally born with character; so we must work towards forming our character by how we choose to live. Nor, are we born with habits. We have to form them as well. Our expectations and love for God, is something that should lead us to a greater walk and commitment to His calling and choices for us. But, those expectations should never replace, the common stuff of ordinary life that exhibits the marvel of His grace and mercy.  One of the great hindrances in our spiritual life is when we look to the big things to do for God and forget to serve Him in the small things.  Remember that, "Jesus…took a towel,…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.” And this is how we are to serve and live as well.     

There are times when there will be no illuminations, no great vision or thrill, but just the daily ins and outs around our common task. Routine is often times God’s way of saving us, between our times of inspiration. We should not expect God to always give us His thrilling moments, but learn to live in the domain of drudgery by and through His power in us. The smallest details in which we obey, has all the omnipotent power of God’s grace behind it. If I do my duty, not for duty’s sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience and trusting Him is the whole superb grace of God in me. Nothing thrills me more than to hear that God is speaking to precious souls through the efforts of my encouragement. 

The thing about encouragement, is that it works both ways and works its best, when God gets the glory! Thank you sweet friends for taking the time to visit with me each week through the written word. I love each one of you and want nothing more than for you to experience and make contact with the Lord, in any moment that you may be experiencing discouragement. Keep running the race, no matter how hard it becomes and remember; though we are constantly being sleighed, yet will we serve Him. He is cleaning out in us that which keeps us from knowing and walking with Him on a Higher level. He is worthy, look to Him!

Loving on you today,

Bren