Brian’s Quiet Time Thoughts.

Who is the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us? Everyone from Able to the most recent departed believer. They have all gone into heaven and eagerly await our arrival to join them in Heaven. We have people rooting for us. Paul may be cheering us on and praying for his fellow countrymen to find Jesus as he did on the road to Damascus. If we joined the family of God through the Billy Graham ministry then He is in our corner rooting us on in expectation of us joining him in heaven. We have their lives before us to read and study, to do what they did right, and not do what they got wrong.  We have to set our face toward the prized that is laid before us, heaven, so that even when we don’t see it, it is still our objective. The great cloud of witnesses has achieved their prize, but we have not got there. We still have this walk to endure. But with Heaven as our goal, it makes this life easier because we know that no matter the hardships we face here it will be worth it when we

Because death has no power over us, my dear brothers, let us be steadfast immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.  When we slack on doing the Lord’s work we begin to slip toward the world’s work. Satin’s greatest deception is that our work is not important. But know this for certain that God does see every act that is done in the name of Jesus, and He sees every act done for His kingdom and He sees every act positive or negative toward His anointed people.  “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me. Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple — I assure you: He will never lose his reward! ”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:40-42‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.

I am going to vary from my normal format and fill everyone in on what has been happening over the past few weeks and months.  About six months ago we decided to start selling our “perfect” house and move closer to our church. So we began to look. We found very few that would fit our needs of four bedrooms. We looked at a doctor’s house, a golf course house, two log cabins, and one foreclosed house. We decided to put an offer on the doctor’s house. It was rejected due to we had to sell our current home first. So we kept looking. And as other houses dropped off the list we began to look into the foreclosed house. Then as we were looking at one of the log cabins we found out that they were buying the doctor’s house. So the only house let was the foreclosed house. And if anyone knows anything about foreclosed houses they usually are a lot of work. So it became our project house.  In making our offer to the bank to buy the project house we wanted to include some repairs as contingencies to

Victory over sin only comes through Jesus. Victory over death only comes through Jesus. The way we obtain Victory over sin and death is by submitting to the Lordship Of Jesus. What does Lordship mean? Lordship is allowing Jesus to be your boss, your commander, and your owner. We need to submit to Jesus as Lord.  “for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:20‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1co.6.20.hcsb If I have been bough that means I have an owner. I then have to be obedient to my owner. Most of us will inevitably go to the thought of how we were taught the American slaveowners treated their slaves, but that is not the ownership I am talking about, but rather the way we become owned by our bosses as our jobs.  Jesus is not a cruel taskmaster that expects labor without rewarding us. He is a kind boss that will pay us. He expects a job well done but He also pays the highest wages. He paid the price for us now we must be willing servants.

For as long as there is sin there will be death.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rom.3.23.hcsb “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:23‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rom.6.23.hcsb Because everyone on the planet earth has sinned, death is waiting for them. And by the Law of God, we know what is sin.  “What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet. And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. The commandment that was meant for life resulted in death for me. For sin, seizing an opport

“He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭25:8‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/isa.25.8.hcsb “I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death. Death, where are your barbs? Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.” ‭‭Hosea‬ ‭13:14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/hos.13.14.hcsb When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be. Why because death will have no more victory over us and death will be abolished.  “Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭20:13-15‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rev.20.13-15.hcsb We often think of de

What is temporary must be clothed with what will be eternal lasting. The things for this world that are corruptible and mortal must be clothed with the things of Heaven that are incorruptible and immortal. We must be clothed with Christ. Our actions must be clothed according to the Word of God.  The thing about clothes it is meant to cover. Clothing that does not cover is useless. But When it comes to Jesus He is wanting to completely cover us. The more we walk with Him the more He covers us. The more He covers us the less of the corruptible is visible. He must increase and I must decrease.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.” ‭‭John‬ ‭3:30‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.3.30.hcsb “Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For everything that belongs to the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle — is not from the Father, but is from the world. And

I do believe Paul believed it could happen in his lifetime. But then every generation should believe that it could happen in their generation. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:16-18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/1th.4.16-18.hcsb  What are we talking about? We are talking about the resurrection of the dead on the last day. With a blast from a heavenly trumpet, Jesus will be allowed to reach down to earth and grab up His church, His bride. The dead in Christ will be grabbed first and then in the same second of time, the living church will be grabbed up too. And all at once, heaven will be filled with people who belong to Jesus, who have accepted

God cannot be around corruption. But by the Blood of Jesus, we are cleansed from our corruption. Just as the blood from the sheep and goats cleansed the Israelites for one year. So does the Blood of Jesus but not for one year but for the rest of our life. The Blood of Jesus is not something to take lightly but with great respect. Jesus paid the price for us to join Him in Heaven. What can separate us from that kind of love? Nothing but the unwillingness to repent. Where there is sin God’s grace toward us abounds but that is not a freedom to sin but should be a compelling force to clean up our lives. God extends his grace toward us but we should not have to use it. “Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For

Here is a news flash for everyone. We look like Adam. He was made in the image of God and we continue to look like him. He was not created like the caveman that the scientific community wants us to believe he evolved from, but He was made to stand upright with an equally portioned body as we have. He was made at the beginning with all the different genetic information that makes us all different. He was made with all kinds of intelligence far beyond what we know now. We were born to bear the image of Adam. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:26-27‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/gen.1.26-27.hcsb But then something happened that changed Adam from the image of God into the hollow shell that we see th

Are we earthly-minded or heavenly minded? If we are earthly minded then we will be people who are of the dust. If we are heavenly minded then we will be people who are of heaven. “So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/col.3.1-4.hcsb If your confused about what is heaven or what is dust then ask your self this question; “Does this action glorify Jesus?” If it glorifies Jesus then it is the right action. If it does not then you are fulfilling a desire of your flesh. And if you are fulfilling a desire of your flesh then it is of dust with no lasting reward, but shame.  “So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now

The first man was Adam. He was created by God on the sixth day in the likeness of God. God also created all the land-dwelling animals. Adam was formed out of the dust of the ground and God-breathed His breath into Adam’s lungs and Adam became a living being. Also on the sixth day, God formed Eve out of Adam’s rib because among the animals not one was suitable for a companion for Adam. And then sometime after the 7th day  Adam and his wife decided that becoming “like God” was more pleasing than obeying God. So they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and had to begin to work for their food. (Genesis 1:26 - 3:24) The second man was born from a virgin because He has to be born of God and not of an earthly father. So that He could be not born with His father’s sins, but with His father’s glory. He was the son of God and walked the perfect life and became the first of many brothers in God. He was the only one born of God the rest of us are adopted back into God’s family.  Adam

The natural, physical, body it first. We are born with it. But then we start receiving our spiritual body little by little until God raises us up on the last day. Then we will receive our full spiritual body.  As we grow up in God He does not replace our natural hand with a spiritual hand, but changes and removes the desires and passions of our flesh into passion and desires to please Him. God has His hands full changing all of us into the likeness of Jesus. But He is willing and able to change us if we are willing to let Him. “For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:19-20‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/gal.2.19-20.hcsb “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this

“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/gen.2.7.hcsb Through Adam, we inherit our sinful nature and our flesh, but through Jesus, the last Adam, we inherit a living Spirit and the right to be called sons and daughters of God. “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.” ‭‭John‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.1.12-13.hcsb “After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” ‭‭John‬ ‭20:22‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.20.22.hcsb “As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, son of Heli,...son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:23, 38‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ http

At the resurrection of the dead, each one will be raised to their own splendor. Just as each star has a different splendor than all the others so it will be for those who are raised from the dead during Jesus’ second coming.  The splendor we will acquire will not be for pride but will be for God.  “the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4:10-11‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/72/rev.4.10-11.hcsb We will not want to hang on to our accomplishments for God but will willingly give it back to Him. We will have an attitude of servitude because God’s glory will overpower anything that we feel we could boast about.  We were born into a corrupted body but we will be raised to a new life in an incorruptible body

So what makes our sun unique to all the other stars. We do. That is not to say that we are to the soul existence of the sun, but that God has chosen to place this planet earth next to our sun in the exact location to give life and heat and cold to our planet. The expert star people have found very few other solar systems with a small planet as close to the sun as we are. They typically find a large planet really close to the sun. And if that was the case for our solar system that planet would block some of the sun’s light and heat from reaching our planet when they are closely lined up. A quick read form the Nasa website told me this morning that around half of the solar system has only one sun. And our sun is average in size. God has made our sun special for us.  https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sun-compare/en/ So what makes our moon special? it is different from the sun in the way it does not make its own light but it reflects the light of the sun. Like us Christians, we do not make our o