The Road Less Traveled...One of a Lack of Understanding

The Road Less Traveled...One of a Lack of Understanding 

by David Brenneman 

As I sit n have read what was in my reading plan...something different dawned on me after reading in 1 Samuel when the Philistines are about to attack Israel and the lords of the Philistines don't want him there. What I now understood about this decision was certainly from the Spirit.

Before this particular battle and afterwards David refused to reach forth his hand against King Saul because "he's the Lord’s anointed". David didn't see nor understand this battle from the Lord Jesus Christ's perspective.  

Which we too are prone to do. The Lord didn't want David to have any part of His judgment against King Saul. Had he been there his hands would have been against King Saul. 

Right above our fireplace mantel is one of those decorative pieces you get from places like Hobby Lobby. " Take the road less traveled."

In reading these two pieces, I was lead to a particular Scripture passage. 

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14.

Narrow road, narrow gate...the way isn't big. It's not for everyone.  

Many today believe that Jesus is going to save everyone who ever lived. It's His teachings on this that tell a different story.  

There's not going to be everyone saved, just those who've truly received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone. Just those people who know that Jesus is the forgiver of their sins and is the Leader of their lives.

These are those traveling the narrow road. The road is wide that leads to destruction...also to be understood as Hell.

We often are going to be in a position, a place, where we don't understand the why's of what we are going through. A year ago this week I most certainly was in this place. Was doing exactly as told and found myself unemployed and wondering how it happened. Wondering why it happened.  

My memory isn't like my brother's. He can remember details and can review books he read in the years before.  

Yet the Spirit brings to remembrance those times and places where it was the Lord who spared, who provided, who lead us through uncertain or just plain difficult times.  

In Psalms 23 we read of what He makes us do. Leads us beside still waters. Makes us lie down in green pastures. Restores our soul. 

In all that...likely without understanding. 

Those who are saved in Christ Jesus are on this narrow road. We walk this way with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Guided by His Spirit.  

This is perfectly corresponding to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.

We don't always know, or better still, need to know in the moment what the Lord is doing. We probably wouldn't fully understand.  

Ours is to trust and obey. 

Ours is to be lead and to do.

Ours is to walk this narrow way...His way...believing that Jesus has the best in mind for us.  

In soon-to-be King David's life...he was kept from reaching out against the Lord's anointed even by proxy. 

In our lives we're kept from things in life in the same way and allowed to endure other things all without understanding. This is where we're not to lean on our own understanding.  

While not everyone will be saved...we're to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We're to continue on in telling others about Jesus and the way to be saved.  

We don't know nor could understand when Jesus is to return. We are to live each day as if today were that day.  

The narrow way is to be walked with Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  

So if you're going through a season of not understanding, you're in good company...and it's ok. We have as our Savior the One who does and that makes everything alright. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

A Thief in the Night or in the Day

A Thief in the Night or in the Day

by David Brenneman 

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:3-18.

A very much taught to all in the early Church is to be living lives in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God". 

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25.

In pretty much every book of the New Testament we can find something to stir up by way of reminder to live our lives in case today or even tonight were when Jesus would return. 

As I was reading these last few days something else seemed to be connecting with these thoughts on the return of Jesus. John the Baptist stated that he must decrease and Jesus must increase. More of those thoughts we covered a short time ago concerning less of us in our lives and more of Jesus to be seen in us. The transformed life. 

We indeed have a life ahead of us as long as we're breathing. Question is in who's eyes will it look or actually be considered successful? Ours or God's?

When, never 'if', we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives before Him...who will be seen as the one glorified, Jesus or us?  

If it's us...we're in trouble...because it will seriously diminish the crown of righteousness that we are to give back to Jesus for all He's done for us.

Daily, temptations arise, to draw us away from living a life representing Christ to this world.  

Daily, we can be caught off guard, and a God provided moment to glorify Him is missed. 

Daily, we can miss opportunities that the Spirit is bringing into our lives to bring us closer to Christ. 

Remember: after we come to Christ for salvation the work being done in us is our sanctification. We are either going to be transformed or we're going to fight the transformation. We are either going to willingly grow in Christ or we will hinder that by living selfishly in our flesh.

Something that I am finding, after the drastic change in my life a year ago, is to learn to say no to things that I normally wasn't giving a second thought to.

There's never been a person who's saved, who's ever seen regret at pursuing a greater life in Christ over their own personal desires. 

Never. 

Are you satisfied with how you will look when you stand before Jesus?

Isn't there more you can be doing to let there be less of you and more of Jesus for yourself and the world to see?

Move away from evening television and move towards more dedicated time in God's Word. 

Move away from other things and towards a more personal time in prayer with your Savior Jesus Christ. 

Move with the Spirit more. Listening for His promptings rather than dismissing them.

Ask your Father in Heaven what it is He's wanting you to really be doing for Him then ask the Spirit, in Jesus's Name, to empower you to do it.

These are the things that will bring glory to God, in Christ Jesus, and not ourselves. 

Jesus is returning. 

Pursue a life in godliness in Christ Jesus that shows the world this promise is true and that you really believe it. 

Live a life that glorifies Jesus and less of one that glorifies you.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

"Be Ready, I am Coming"

"Be Ready, I am Coming"
by David Brenneman

Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming." Luke 12:40

Mike Yardley had just left his network's studios when his city
began to shake. As the ground convulsed, a cloud of dust
rose all around. Pieces of the city center of Christchurch, New
Zealand, were raining down on the sidewalks. Looking back at
his news building, Yardley saw nothing but dust. The building had
collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake, killing seventeen of
his colleagues. "My heart has been torn by the unwieldy weight of grief," he said, "as I reflect on 17 much-loved workmates who
I will never share a TV studio with again."
     Jesus warned of an increasing number of earthquakes, along with famines and pestilences, as we grow closer to His return. We may see all these disasters today and marvel at the state of the world. But we shouldn't fear. We should take these things as reminders to be watching, waiting, and praying. We
should be ready!

The world is in trouble, but Jesus came to rescue us from its final consequences." ERWIN LUTZER
- Walking with God, Dr. David Jeremiah.

My Dear Reader...From the days of old God made the promise that the Messiah would come.  Not just a single prophecy regarding this but hundreds.  All of which culminated in the night of His Earthly birth in a little town in Bethlehem.  Further, these whom wrote the Old Testament at the leading of the Spirit, told of what kind of life this Savior, this Messiah, would lead.  The prophecies also spoke to His sufferings and crucifixion.

All of these came true in the person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus died a horrific death in the place of sinful man and not only that, but arose 3 days later conquering sin, death and the grave.  More promises kept.

Now, He sits at the right hand of the  Father in Heaven.  Awaiting that moment when His Father says its time. 

There's many millions of people who have died in Christ who are there right now awaiting that moment as well, who have been worshipping Jesus since they've left this world. 

The same Scriptures that were and are completely accurate about Jesus being the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the risen Messiah, are also telling us all who remain in this present age that He will return to reclaim His Church.

In the letters to the Thessalonians in practically every chapter there's references made to remind them of the promised return of Jesus Christ.

These promises will be kept.  God isn't willing that any should perish but that all might be saved.

This message is for all who are still at that place where they've not decided, not chosen, the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins.

This is a limited time opportunity. 

You see, the return of Jesus Christ is directly tied to the completion of the Church of Jesus Christ. 

When that last person who comes to Christ is saved, then that's it.

That day could be today, could be tomorrow, could be days, weeks, months in the future. 

Jesus spoke of what the days would be like when He is going to come back.  Civilization hadn't developed to the point of seeing those things happen...but we live in those days now.

My Dear Reader if you have not yet received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins...the offer is still on the table.

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.

You have enough faith to come to Christ if you so choose. 

Look at perhaps the most famous of verses in the Bible in a more personal way.

For God so loved YOU that He gave His only begotten Son so that if YOU believe in Him YOU will not perish but have everlasting life.

You were on His mind when He was on the cross.  Yes YOU.

Jesus needs to be the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life or you will never see Heaven. 

Hell is the only other destination.  Jesus Himself spoke of what awaits those who reject His free gift of salvation.

My hope and prayer for all who are lead by God to find this blog is for people either to come to Christ for salvation or if they have been saved that they might return to Him and be restored.

In and of myself I am nobody special.  In Christ, because of what He did, I am among the saved in Christ Jesus.  I am among the beloved of the Father in Heaven.  I have been forgiven, washed clean from my sins and I do await that day when there's a shout that will call me out of this world to forever be with Jesus my Savior and my Lord.

Before you today is both eternal death and eternal life.  Forever with Jesus or forever separated from Jesus.  Forever with Jesus is beyond our imagination for the level of joy that awaits.  Forever separated from Jesus will be the complete opposite, an eternity in painful torment, paying for sin. A place repeatedly mentioned in the Scriptures as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Another way to look at gnashing of teeth is to consider people you may see who are raging against something or someone.  In this Biblical sense it's to do with them raging against the judgment of God that they're in that horrific place.

You, while you yet live in this world, have the opportunity to receive the free gift of salvation, you read of what to do earlier. 

No one knows the day nor the hour of Jesus coming back but the reality is He is GOING to come back.

You choose your destination by your choice of accepting or rejecting Jesus.  Once you leave this world that choice is sealed.  Never to be changed again.  No do overs. 

If you have more questions, please feel free to call (330) 264-9459 and ask for help to know more about Jesus or text JESUS to that number.  There's people who will gladly explain things and show you how to be saved.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.  
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
www.lockman.org

Was Your Appointment Optional?

Was Your Appointment Optional?

by David Brenneman 

"My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend;" Proverbs 7:1-4.

For those who claim the Name of Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior...do you consider your meetings with Him as optional? If you can fit Him in? If this will happen you'll talk to Him? Do you consider the Word of God as suggestions rather than commands and promises? Is prayer something you only think about when food is put before you? Is prayer only for you that which you engage in when disaster strikes? When something fearful is on the horizon?

Do you understand the definition of diligence? It's first defined as steady, earnest, and energetic effort : persistent and careful hard work. Legally it is the attention, effort, and care legally expected or required of a person.

How are you, as a Believer in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, claiming He is the Leader of your life, in your diligence to obey His Word? How are you in making whatever is His priority your priority? The workmanship He is doing in your life is NOT Him giving you your hearts desires to go do whatever you want to be doing. His workmanship is that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them.

We cannot live a transformed life if we aren't being diligent in prayer and the Word of God. 

We cannot take up our own cross and follow Him if we are not obeying in denying ourselves first. Jesus said "Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26.

The passage where Jesus also said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit." does NOT say as well "when you aren't busy and can fit Him in".

Consider this path of growing in Christ: "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8.

Peter, through the Spirit’s direction, is not making suggestions here. Here He is giving words by way of command.  

Yes it's going to mean changes in my life and your life.  

Yes it's going to mean possibly losing sleep to keep your commitment to your time with Jesus.

Yes it's going to mean making appointments to talk with Jesus and doing all you can to make it to those appointed times because of who Jesus is and what He's supposed to mean to us.

Yes it's going to mean saying no to others and other things.  

A possible newsflash for some: your life is not supposed to be what it was PLUS Jesus.  

Your new life in Christ is you putting off the old and putting on Christ. 

Your walk with Jesus is to be above all else. Your times of talking with Jesus are supposed to be persistent and personal. 

With all diligence.

From Dr. David Jeremiah's notes: Diligence • 2 Peter 1:5 

In the Greek, diligence describes strenuously giving yourself to something, fully committing to an activity without concern for the cost, going to extravagant lengths to complete a goal. It was used in Greek literature to describe the extraordinary commitment of a citizen to his or her civic duties. In our day, diligence might call to mind an athlete's sweat-producing efforts to strain toward a goal and become a champion. Diligence is what motivates sprinters to come around the bend toward the finish tape, exerting every muscle when

it seems their bodies have nothing left to give.

     When Peter urges us to give "all diligence," he does not teach salvation by works; he means

we should make Christ and His kingdom our focus, putting all our efforts into running the race He has set before us (1 Cor. 9:24). Bishop

J. C. Ryle wrote: "l would just as soon expect a farmer to prosper in his business who contented

himself with sowing his fields and never looking at them until the harvest as to expect a believer

to gain much holiness who has not been diligent about his Bible reading,...his prayers, and...the use of his Sundays."

How much are you really valuing the salvation you have in Christ?

Are you spiritually lethargic or spiritually growing? Not as seen from your perspective but what we read in 2 Peter.

Why is it most people are more concerned about upsetting or offending other people by missing appointments than they are about missing time talking to Jesus?

Are you one of them? Will you find time for this or that special event but not for talking with Jesus? Will you carve out a few hours for a movie but not for learning from your Bible?  

Your Bible isn't just a troubleshooting manual after things go wrong, it's a manual for daily living that will help you before there is trouble. 

Your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ isn't a butler or guy upstairs to meet your every wish.  

His goal is to make us more like Himself.  

To take someone off the street and turn them into a world class runner requires that person to make significant changes in their life to accomplish that goal. It means meeting with trainers and coaches when those trainers and coaches say it's time to meet.  

We are to run the race set before us. We're in the race that the Spirit has us entered in. We are to give of our best as unto the Lord.  

This is going to require our making sacrifices to achieve what He says we are to achieve. 

Make your appointments with your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ and keep them. 

Make your training in righteousness your ambition not your option. 

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

An then you will be applying all diligence.  

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Who's Opinion Matters?

Who's Opinion Matters?

by David Brenneman 

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

     A deep inner cause of anxiety that many people wrestle with comes from a desire to prove themselves- especially to others.

The things they do for acceptance seem unending-the ways they

dress, change their appearance, buy houses they can't afford, act

out, engage in illicit activities, strive for power, and seek out social

status. And they do it all because they are concerned about what

others think. They are constantly worrying about how they stack

up, so they work harder with longer hours and overschedule their

lives in an effort to impress others with their productivity and performance-or at least to satisfy their own internal need for success.

     Is this you? Understand that Jesus tells you that all that truly

matters is your heavenly Father's opinion about who you are. If

He approves of you, that's all the endorsement you need. He gives

you your identity and an inner beauty that far surpasses anything

related to what you might wear, own, drive, or live in. As for per-

formance, what more does your heavenly Father expect than that

you do your best? You are responsible to work wholeheartedly in obedience to Him, honoring Him with whatever you do.

Jesus, thank You for always accepting me. Help me to

embrace my identity in You. Amen

-Trusting God with Today, Dr. Charles Stanley. 

Worldly opinion, whether it's in the grand scheme or our own tiny bit of the world, seems to matter way too much to too many people. 

Getting that plaque from YouTube. 

Getting that next promotion.

Getting to be the one caught on video doing that next heroic deed.

For some already somewhat elevated theirs is how do they keep what they've achieved?

It's taken too much of my own life to get to a place where the opinions of people are nowhere near where they used to be.  

As Dr. Stanley wrote all too often we're striving for approval from others. 

We who are in Christ should be living in the truth that we are His approved. 

We don't need the praise and approval of others when our Father in Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit already do.

There really is a peace that passes all understanding when we let go of that particular type of stress. 

It's much easier to live life without that false sense of pressure upon the mind and heart. 

All that I need to be sure of is that my walk with my Savior is where it's supposed to be. That I give of my best as unto the Lord. That I love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul and spirit. That I love my neighbor as myself.  

Statistics are nice and all but they don't define us. We should never apply the world's standards of success to success in the eyes of God. 

My continual thought concerning even this blog is to praise God for what He's done and is doing with it. Those statistics aren't mine they're His. It's entirely what He's doing with it. 

Our lives are not our own, we were bought with a price, the shed blood of Jesus Christ. What we do in the body is to be as unto the Lord. So the results should be of that caliber. Our obedience should speak volumes without saying a word. 

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." Colossians 4:5-6.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly." Proverbs 15:1-2.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:29-32.

We live with these things in mind...we shouldn't be concerned with what others think about us. 

Any plaques, awards, certificates, crowds, none of these things will matter when we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives. 

How we lived, what we did for Jesus, these are the things that will matter. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Where's Your Heart?

Where's Your Heart?

by David Brenneman 

The fall of Saul and the Rise of David is something to look closer at. 

Saul allowed fears to take hold of him when he should have been living a life full in the Lord. He was anointed, had even known the Spirit of the Lord upon him, even known the joy and wonder of prophesying with the prophets. Yet ran in fear when the time was approaching to be publicly ushered in as King at the Lord's command. He knew he was the chosen of God yet when you really look, he rejected Jesus's purpose for him.  

David, on the other hand, the man we later read to be "a man after God's own heart" fear was not something he remotely dealt with. You can tell from his demeanor, his bearing, his countenance as it were, that he spent a lot of time with the Lord in prayer and in practice.

When push came to shove, the man who stood head and shoulders above the people of Israel shrank back in fear when the new Lord’s anointed, much smaller in appearance stood up and had no regard for their common enemy and knew that his Lord would win the day. That Goliath would fall. That nobody was going to get away with taunting the armies of the living God while David was around.

I imagine that Saul's problems just kept compounding because jealousy took over, envy took over. Probably had countless times of "that should have been me" thoughts. 

While he was yet king, David never once considered a path of thinking to supplant Saul as King. Even knowing that the Lord had made him King instead. He wouldn't be so presumptuous to judge and execute in the Lord's place.

Saul's downfall actually isn't so dissimilar to Judas Iscariot. There was no real root of a true relationship with Jesus. While Saul knew the words, knew much, he had no relationship with the Lord as David did. He never saw all that the Lord did in Saul's life as being wrought in God. You can see that he attributes it to fortune or luck or coincidence. You can see that he knew not what a man in his day should have known about the Word of God. He let fears of losing his status among the people mean more to him than his obedience to God. 

How often are we one or the other? 

How often are we more interested in the value that the world puts on status than we are in valuing a right real relationship with Jesus?

How often is fear, envy, jealousy, really what's driving us rather than being at peace with the Lord Jesus in where He's chosen our lives to be and what our lives are in Christ?

Likes, follow's, subscribe's mean nothing in God's economy. Being the most popular means nothing in God's economy.  

A beautiful thing to me is that the success of this blog isn't in my hands...and I am immensely grateful that it isn't. My daily thought at looking at the statistics on it is my looking at what Jesus is doing with it, where He's taking it, how He's drawing people to it.

Our lives in Christ are just that. His life lived through us. He should be the popular one. He should be who is seen in our lives. He should be, not us.

My friend's statement while praying still rings solidly true in my mind "Lord, let there be less of me and more of you in my life".

David knew the power of God because he recognized God in his life and he was thankful, grateful, loved the Lord his God because of recognizing the Lord's love for him.

Saul missed it all. Just as Judas missed it all.  

Is your relationship with Jesus worth your everything as it was with David?

Are you or have you convinced yourself that what you're pursuing in life is really what you think God wants of you? Bigger question is did you ask Jesus first before embark on what you have pursued in life?  

Envy, jealousy, bitterness, anger, should never be among our battles if our hearts are where they should be with Jesus. 

We shouldn't be caught up in the status game of the world. Being popular shouldn't be a concern for the Believer in Christ.  

We should seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Then see what it is He has in mind for us to be doing with regards to how He has blessed us with our particular spiritual gifts or gifts. These things are what's right and true for us. Never what the world values as important or necessary.  

It's ONLY what we're appropriately doing for the Lord that will matter on that day we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives before Him. Not what we did for ourselves that had no bearing on what we were called to be doing in Christ for Christ. 

Where's your heart? Is what are you looking to in order to find happiness and love? Are you even aware of yourself enough to see if you're pursuing what the Spirit desires for you? Are you spiritually aware of your surroundings and what spiritual battles really are? Jesus was and it showed in His teaching His Disciples...and He commanded them to teach others all that He commanded them. 

Beware of being popular among men and women when you've sacrificed your position before the Lord. 

Your desires should first be rooted in living for Jesus in all that you do. Your desires should include craving more about Jesus. Your wants should be in learning more about Jesus not more about worthless things and popular people.  

I am actually grieved and disappointed in myself in that there's much, way too much, worthless knowledge in my head that will never help me in my walk with Jesus. Things about science fiction things from television and movies.  

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Has Jesus Changed? No. Has Man?

Has Jesus Changed? No. Has Man?

by David Brenneman 

"Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22.

"But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13.

"Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:7-8.

What we do and why we do are probably among the more important things we consider in our daily lives.  

What should be ever more to the top of the list of considerations is that Jesus is indeed the same, yesterday, today and forever. When considering the span of time between Saul's almost immediate fall after becoming Israel's first King up to what Jesus told the Pharisees...it shows that God hasn't changed.  

People in our world love to try to show how mankind has grown, has improved.  

Yet in a moment, not even as quickly as the twinkling of an eye that's coming, lives are changed. 

A simple storm that doesn't have a lot of punch being just strong enough to topple a tree onto a car or house. A day of high winds causes a drought. 2 minutes from a home and a life-threatening accident occurs. 

Yet in all that and more Jesus hasn't changed. People don't realize the enormity of what's really coming with the Rapture of the Church. Jesus made His promise to return for His Bride the Church and He will keep His promise just like all the others written in the Scriptures. All the promises that generations of Believers have seen coming true all because Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. 

With this in mind, my Dear Reader, do not be lulled into a false sense of security about life. As the Scriptures also state (paraphrasing) while the world is getting all hung up on peace and safety disaster is going to come.  

If what I understand of the Old Testament prophesies is true...all of the electronic things we are holding so dear to life and living could be shut down in an instant at or after the Rapture of the Church.

Jesus was serious about all He said to both the Disciples and all whom He taught. Proving in His life that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  

Jesus foretold of the Temple destruction and it happened. Told Paul what all he would endure for Jesus and it happened. Told Peter what he should both expect and do with the Gentiles and it happened. Scriptures foretold of the rebirth of the nation of Israel and it happened. Hundreds of prophesies concerning the life of Jesus were written and came true. 

If we accept and believe these things, what manner of Christians ought we to be?  

Are we interested in the things of God that are for our benefit and growth in Christ only on a Sunday morning or are we laying aside every encumbrance and running the race set before us?

Are we finding satisfaction and joy in these offerings of the world through television, internet, streaming, games, movies, AI, books, world travel, sports, but aren't giving our hearts wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ?

Are we doing our best as unto the Lord in all that we do or are we seeking first our kingdom rather than His? Convinced that the two can be one in the same?  

We either follow Jesus first and foremost or we follow ourselves. 

We either truly believe that the Word of God is fit for every day of our lives or we don't. 

We either really do believe the promises of God or we treat them like advice and don't take them seriously. 

We either do believe all the Scriptures say about Jesus or we pick n choose. 

"He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

We live in a world immersed in temptations to sway the minds of humanity in pretty much every conceivable way. We are to "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16.

We are His Ambassadors in this fallen world...are we believing and acting like it?

Or are we pursuing our own agenda hoping it aligns with His?

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Not a suggestion. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Not a suggestion. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself. Not suggestions. 

We don't live a life in Christ that's based on suggestions but on the promises of God because we have this assurance that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org