Brian’s Quiet Time Thoughts.

God’s grace is misunderstood by most people. It is not given to us to stop excelling toward God but it is given to us to motivate us toward God. Because God loves us so much He wants the best for us so then he gives us something we really don’t deserve.  Mercy is related to grace but it is the opposite. God holds back something we deserve so that we are not overtaken by it.  Grace is given to us to be effective in us. Paul did not misuse the Grace given to him but understood that it was given to produce something in his life and He allowed it. And then He worked toward achieving what it was given for. Because of His past, He relied on Grace to motivate him to press on in this life. His past haunted him but he kept the faith, he was determined to finish the race called life. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/2ti.4.7.hcsb “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving

Being Paul was never easy but He continued to preach the Gospel of God and was an example of Christian living. He had to deal with the punishment of God for persecuting the Church and the persecution of the world for being a Christian. “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”  But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name! ” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:13-16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/act.9.13-16.hcsb “Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, near death many times. Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans. Once I was stoned by my enemies. Three tim

Jesus did not visit Saul during the days leading up to Pentecost, but roughly a year later. Paul was the man chosen by God to take His message out to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. We have no record of Jesus and Paul crossing paths, but after Jesus’ death, Paul found a passion, fire, and determination to persecute the church and have several Christians killed. God love the passion Paul had, but he was directing it in the wrong direction. So God appeared to him on the road to Damascus.  “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ”  “Who are You, Lord? ” he said.  “I

Why is it important to know that Jesus appeared to Peter, the apostles, 500 believers, James, and all the apostles? This gives almost 600 eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. If you have 600 people witness the same thing you will be able to draw up a lot of details to get an accurate picture of something. The town of Jerusalem could not escape someone talking about it within the first 40 days till the day of Pentecost.  At the same time, a lie was spreading through the Roman Empire and Jerusalem. A lie that was made up by the spiritual leaders of Israel. “After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money and told them, “Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping.’ If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will deal with him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been spread among Jewish people to this day.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭

How did Paul learn the gospel? How did he get saved? Most of us know the story, but for these who do not here, you go. “Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ” “Who are You, Lord? ” he said. “I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,” He replied. “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:4-6, 17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/act.9.4-6,17.hcsb I believe Saul, later God changed his name to Paul, heard the gospel through some of his Christian prisoners. But God appeared to him directly to present the gospel. Between the time of God talking to him on the road to Damascus and Ananias healing his eyesight He was praying and I do believe God was ta

God’s response to the gospel is to save us. Those who seek Him find Him.  Is God required to save us because we once received the gospel? ‘If you hold to the message I proclaimed to you.” Would the opposite be true? You are also not saved by it, if you do not hold to the message I proclaimed to you. For sure, if we never accepted the gospel we will never be saved. But what if we accepted it and now no longer believe it, is God required to save us? I don’t think so. If you don’t want to be saved God will not make you be saved, but He leaves our free will up to us to decide our eternal destination. If we accept Jesus He will accept us into His eternal dwelling. If we reject Jesus the Devil will not so warmly welcome us into his eternal dwelling. We are made to live forever and we will spend it in either Heaven or Hell. “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish — ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, w

We will get into the Gospel in verses 3-5 but Today I want to focus on the three responses of the Gospel, The three things we must do with the gospel. First, we must receive it. We have to accept it to be true and then we must declare it into our lives.  “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rom.10.9-10.hcsb Second, we must take our stand on it. If we do not stand on it we will follow the world who wants to believe the Jesus was just a man like us.  “Therefore the Lord God said: “Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable. And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level.” Hail will sweep away the false refuge,

The evil in the world wants to conquer us to be ineffective for God, but we must be determined to live for God no matter what. Every Christian will go through 4 seasons of life.  The first season is the spring season. This is the season we experience when we get saved. All the old dead stuff from winter is cast aside to make room for new growth. This season is filled with new life in Christ. In spring it is easy to serve God. The second season will be Summer. This is the mountain top experience with God. it is filled with lots of faith but little growth. during this season we have the feeling of a “super Christian”, God can do anything through and in me. During summer it is also easy to serve God. The season after summer is fall. It is a season of preparation. It is the time we are storing up for winter. But also during this time, we are experiencing a lot of fruit. our ministry is growing and we can see God moving in the lives of people around us. In Fall it is easy to serve God. Who

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25:21-22‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/pro.25.21-22.hcsb This message is repeated four times here in chapter 12. Vs 17 Do not repay evil for evil. Vs.13 Share with the saints in their needs. And verse 21 Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good. Be nice to all people including to but limited to the brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, those who intend us harm, our enemies, those who plot evil toward us. So how does being nice to our enemies heap burning coals on their heads? That would either portray that we don’t see their attacks as hostile or we are unaffected by their attacks. They want us to get mad and lash back at them, but by being nice to them we are doing exactly the opposite. They will begin to think about the kindness shown to the them. And will not be able to escape the tho

“Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay. In time their foot will slip, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.” The Lord will indeed vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one is left — slave or free.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32:35-36‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/deu.32.35-36.hcsb God has promised to vindicate His people, but if we take actions into our own hands we push God aside and tell Him I got this. But God is better at vindicating us than we are. The only problem becomes are we willing to trust God to do what He has said He will do! That is easy to say yes and much harder to do. We want to repay after one mistreatment or maybe two, but God may vindicate after 1,000 mistreatments. But He loves His kids and He does not want us to be miserable and He will repay!  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com

Paul is not saying to please everyone to maintain peace. For we cannot please both god and men. “For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/gal.1.10.hcsb We cannot be people who half-hearted toward people and half-hearted toward God. Either we will neglect God or Hate people. Rather, we are to love God with all that we are and love people the same way we would love ourselves.  “He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/mat.22.37-40.hcsb So how do we live at peace with everyone? There are attitudes and actions we can control, but we can

God does not want us to wrong someone because they wronged us. In fact, God does not what us to wrong anyone, but to love everyone. We must do our part if we have wronged someone to make amends. If we know someone has something against us we are to reconcile to them before our gifts are received at church. “So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:23-24‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/mat.5.23-24.hcsb What would our churches look like if one Sunday before the praise and worship started the Pastor stood up and declared that we would not be having church until everyone reconciled to those who have a fault against anyone in the congregation? Inside the church and outside the church! The First thing to happen would be that there would be a bunch of repenting inside the church

Be in agreement with one another. To agree or not to agree? Well, to stay in line with God we would all have to agree on a few things. -Jesus is the only way to God. -The Bible is the inspirited true word of God and no other book can stand up to or against the Bible. -God the Father, God to the Son Jesus, and God the Spirit the Holy Spirit are always in agreement.  So if we disagree on any of these points one of us must change. If we disagree on anything and the Bible is clear on it one of us must change. If we disagree on a subject and the Bible is silent then we must seek God and be humble enough to submit to God’s direction and come to an agreement. So to disagree would be to either not stand on what the Bible has to say or to stand opposed to God and what He has said. So to disagree really for a long time would not be good for any believer. But for a short time until we learn the truth is beneficial to us so that we may conform our will to the will of God.  “I am no longer in the w

Brother, I feel your pain. I feel your joy. I feel your hurt. I feel your relief. I am here for you. Now let me in.  How many of us have been one of these two people, either the one hurting or the one feeling the hurt? We may not have gone through the same thing, but we can relate. If we can’t then we must tap into God who has.  No way, God has never experienced this kind of rejection! Yes, he has and more. You know those first two people in the garden of Eden? Yea, Adam and Eve. They rejected God by disobeying one of God’s three commands. Command 1, be fruitful, and multiply on the earth. Kept! Command 2 eat of any tree in the garden. Kept! Do not eat from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Not kept! And by doing so they rejected God as god and replaced him with the serpent. The only two people who God had made just rejected Him and cursed every generation after.  Well, But God has never lost someone like I lost my ___________? Yes, he has. He lost His Son Jesus for three day

Our tongue has power. It can be used for blessing. It can be used for cursing. It all depends on what we want our listeners to hear. I would rather hear blessings. So why should I spill out curses toward others? Our persecutors want us to be cursed but we should want them to hear blessings. The easy thing would be to curse them back but then we only stoop down to their level.  “Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26:4-5‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/pro.26.4-5.hcsb “Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:21‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/pro.18.21.hcsb A story is told of a pastor who asked God, “Can I use curse words when I preach?”  God replied, “ If you feel it is required.” “Thanks God,” came his reply. As he preached he began to use some curse words to drive his point hom

Paul lays out 9 ways to show family affection from verses 10 through 13. Today we will wrap up numbers 8 and 9. Number 8, share with the saints in their needs. If you have the means to help a need in the life of a Christian do it. The early church sold all their worldly possessions to give to the church. So that no one was in need. Today we often hold back stuff because it is ours. We give less than 10% of our money to the church. In this way, we are not helping meet the needs of fellow saints. A family shares their things to help fill needs in each other’s lives. “This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need — how can God’s love reside in him?” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1jn.3.16-17.hcsb “When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedoni

Paul lays out 9 ways to show family affection from verse 10 through 13 The fifth way we are to show family affection is to rejoice in hope. When we are rejoicing in hope we build up the family. When we are miserable in hopelessness we discourage the family. The goal is not to bring everyone down to our level of despair but to bring everyone up to the level of hope in Jesus. No matter what we have against us we have someone in us who is for us and then we will always have something to be thankful for. “You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1jn.4.4.hcsb “Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1th.5.16-18.hcsb The sixth way we are to show family affection is to be patient in affliction. Affliction can take on t

‬‬Paul lays out 8 ways to show family affection from verse 10 through 13 The second way to show family affection is to not lack diligence. What is diligence? Careful and persistent work or effort (copied from Google Dictionary). Pay attention to what you are doing. Whether you are at home, work, or hanging out with friends your conduct will influence other people. It will influence your kids, your spouse, your co-workers, young Christians, and other people watching your life to see if what you say is true in your life.  “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men,” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/col.3.23.hcsb “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1co.10.31.hcsb “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them — this is the Law and the Prophets.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:12‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www

Paul lays out 8 ways to show family affection from verse 10 through 13 The first way to show family affection is by showing honor. Not just showing honor but outdo one another in showing honor. Have a family contest to show honor. We may compete in many ways to win the top prize, but how many of us would compete to show honor to those whom honor is due? Most every year our church has pastor appreciation Sunday. And each ministry does it’s best to show honor to the pastor. From the kids' ministry to make cards the week before, or to the elders giving a special thank you gift, or to the church giving a paid vacation to give them a break. Often someone will head up a video to celebrate the accomplishments of the Pastor this year. It almost seems like a contest to see who can outdo in showing honor to the pastor. Most of the time my wife will do an excellent job representing the kid's ministry and the ladies' ministry while I stumble through for the men’s ministry.  What would

This is where the world has gotten it wrong. They want to take brotherly love and make it an erotic love. They point to David and Jonathan and say that they loved each other as a man should love His wife. But their love was like brothers than a spouse.  “When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭20:41‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1sa.20.41.hcsb it is perfectly normal to have a best friend that you are close enough to cry and hug, but it is not ok to be romantically attached to them as you would a wife or husband. There is a couple at a church we attended that the wife was a hugger and she told us why. When her family gets together you must hug everyone on your way in the door and you must hug everyone that comes in after you. then on your way out you hug everyone before you leave and s

What is hypocrisy? the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform (copied from Google Dictionary). Loving evil while claiming to love good. Preaching hard against a certain sin while loving it at the same time. Claiming to love God while loving the world’s pleasures.  To the outsider looking into our lives, we may look like hypocrites. We live in a fallen world while living with a fallen nature inside of us. But to God who sees the motives of the heart. He sees either a person who is trying to live for Him or someone who is not. We can look the part of a Christian on the outside, but are we a Christian on the inside? How do we know what sins are? God has been very clear on this topic, while the church has begun to make it a muddy mess.  “And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, gree

Jesus is righteous! Those who do what is righteous is acting under the direction of Jesus. So therefore whoever is doing righteous acts is righteous.  “Should I pray for Peter?” Yes, this would be a righteous act. The devil is not telling you to pray but trying to talk you out of it. “Should I go visit Mary and Martha to encourage them?” Yes, the devil may tell you to visit Judas because he knows they will drag you back into sin, but God is directing you to Mary and Martha because you will encourage them and they will encourage you. “Should I bless Timothy with this money?” Yes, by giving your money away you are sowing your seed into God’s kingdom. By keeping your money for yourself you are sowing your money into you. These and many other righteous acts are not self-centered but rather others-focused.  “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the S

B-SHOC’s songs “6:11 armor,” says it this way “if you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready,” B-SHOC is a hip hop artist that is a favorite among our kid's ministry. “6:11 Armor” is one of my favorites.   Jesus says it this way: “Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15:4-8‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.15.4-8.hcsb We do not know when Jesus will return. He is compared to a thief in t

The anointing this church or pastor had was able to teach then the truth and it was true.  Today we have skeptics in our church that want to discount anointings from God and call them a lie. And we have some people who are trying to operate in an anointing that is not there and they are faking it. But that does not mean that God’s anointing is not false or fake, but it is real and it is true. Just make sure that you are operating under the power of the Holy Spirit and not under your own flesh. Is there a difference between anointing and acting under a baptism?  First, let us look at two baptisms that are found in our Bible.  John’s baptism is the act of being submerged in water as a sign of your devotion to God for the repentance of sins. “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.1.4.hcsb And Jesus’ baptism is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which comes after the baptism o

What things? Do not love the world or the things of this world, verses 15-17. The antichrist does not belong to us, verses 18-23. Cling to eternal life, verses 24-26. Why does John need to write these things? Because all these things are what can distract us from the gospel of Jesus.  The world wants us to conform to their standards and be ineffective for Jesus. The antichrists what us to tone down the blood of Jesus and include “many ways” to God. Eternal life is our main objective for living this life now. “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rom.12.1-2.hcsb “Adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever w

So how many times did John write in his gospel about eternal life? 21 “so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” ‭‭John‬ ‭3:15-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.3.15-17.hcsb “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” ‭‭John‬ ‭3:36‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.3.36.hcsb “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again — ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.” ‭‭John‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.4.14.hcsb “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months