Holding on Before it's Time

Holding on Before it's Time 

by David Brenneman 

We have a world in which we live that preaches and teaches going after whatever is on our mind, on our hearts, often without regard to the consequences.   If people don't support you then they are to be canceled. Ignored. 

Throughout human history mankind has always found that living for self, apart from a right relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, ends in futility.  Nothing we would strive after lasts.  Nothing we think we want is what we had in mind.  All the sacrifices of the people left behind, possibly stepped on, or over to get what we think we want were for naught.  

Justification is the path we take.  We justify our position, our thinking, our reasoning.  I have seen people manufacture facts to fit their justification. 

Have seen people literally take others apart in order to justify what they themselves have done. 

There's also things like grabbing ahold of something before God says it's time to do so.   The destination is likely indeed in the future of the individual but the timing isn't right.  Defenses go up, justification sets in.  

Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;" gets thrown out the airlock.  

We, again, are in a world that says "I want what I want, when I want it!".

This world is not ours, who are in Christ Jesus. 

Our life, according to Colossians 3, is with Jesus. 

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4.

Always accompanying the revelation that people aren't living life the way they ought to, in having it revealed that they are indeed getting ahead of God, is redirected rage, anger, bitterness, tearing people down, justification of why their choices are right.  Essentially a temper tantrum. 

Unbelievers have them as well as Believers.  They just don't like to see it that way.  The truth is Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  The truth, that is Jesus, is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  Our reasoning is irrelevant. Our choosing to justify our position is actually sin.  Our choosing our path our way instead of submitting to the will of God for you is sin.  James 4:17 "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin."

I have even seen people literally insist that they are obeying God in their selfish decisions!  That God's blessing them so it must be right. If we sin in even one aspect, we sin in all.  If we're not showing the character of Christ in us we are showing ourselves. The highest priority of the Spirit in regards to the life of the Believer is our sanctification.  Nothing else is a priority. Not even our personal happiness. 

I used to know people who were heavy book readers about various things in regards to supposed Godly things...looking back I can see it was to justify their disobedience.  They could quote all kinds of authors but they were not quoting THE Author and the Perfector of their faith. 

Fear is one of Satan's things with Believers.  Fear of loss.  Fear that they won't ever get something back if they don't latch on now. Fear that they, interestingly enough, will miss God's blessings if they don't do this or that!

God's not going to dangle a blessing for any of His children and yank it away at the last minute.  

We should never put our wants and desires before the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. Period. Exclamation point. 

If we are at all engaging anger, rage, justification, or any such thing, those are your warning signs.  If you feel the need to defend your position then you already are on the wrong side, wrong path.  If something is from God, truly from God, there's no need to defend it. Praise will accompany it. Joy will surround it. Peace will accompany it. Nobody will have been left behind in the Lord. 

So many people who claim to be Christians immerse themselves in so much "God stuff" to keep from acknowledging that they are disobedient in an area of life to justify their life's choices. 

They are literally trying to convince God that He needs to take into account all that they are doing for Him and to not look behind the door of their heart to that one thing they don't want Him to acknowledge as a sin problem. 

Lives are often left in ruin by Believers because of a single selfish act.  Not completely destroyed but in ruin.  They have even attacked or tried to malign other Believers to keep from saying God is right and they are wrong. 

This feeling in this here this now is more important to them than realizing they will be spending eternity with the same people.  Some would rather convince themselves that their opposition isn't saved so that they feel better about themselves. 

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4.

Our life in Christ is to be our most important thing to us because it's the most important thing to Jesus for us. 

Things come and things go. Life isn't about things. Life is about living for Jesus in all that we do. Striving to please Him in all that we do. 

So what that we must let go of a dream or a desire.  It may yet be God's will for it to come again, it may not.  Our sanctification is the priority not our happiness. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

God: I cannot

God: I cannot 

by David Brenneman 

In the book of Genesis, there's the post flood story of Noah's sons.  In this we read that after the actions of one of his sons, and Noah understood what he'd done to him. Rather than curse him, it was his son's children who bore that punishment. Why?  Because Noah's 3 son's and their wives were blessed by God.  He could not curse those whom the Lord Jesus had blessed. 

In all the years of struggling and strife of King David, while King Saul was pursuing him, David would not reach out his hand against Saul.  He refused to do anything towards the one whom the Lord Jesus had blessed.  He could not because of the blessing of God on Saul. 

In recent days, these two individuals and incidents, have come to mind in a more personal and more direct way to me. 

I had spoken of how I was going to pray about someone and it took until yesterday for a response to that prayer to return to me.  People can go on all they want about how God doesn't speak to them, but I assure you, my Dear Reader, He does if we have ears to hear. 

Quite clearly I was told "Those whom I have blessed I cannot curse. Those whom I have cursed will not be blessed.".  

God cannot do anything against His own nature.  He cannot do anything that harms His own Name.  He will not bring condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Scripture says clearly that there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

We also read of how a prophet was called upon to curse Israel.  In this story the same thoughts are revealed. God will not curse those who have been blessed by God. 

When we are in Christ we are blessed. 

Something that came by a thread of connection was just what can happen in the minds of people who desire such.  The Spirit teaches us all things but, we must be fully connected to the Spirit to be taught by Him.  When intentional disobedience is at work that full connection isn't going to happen.  

What keeps returning to me is the concept of what's said in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer."

It is certainly the listening to and receiving of the things of demons, their doctrines as it were, that lead people astray to angrily attack Believers.  

"On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him." 1 John 2:8-10.

Note it says that they say they're in the Light.  They claim to be Christians. They claim to be Christ-followers. 

This does indeed go with what I know that I have been told.  He will not curse whom He has blessed and will not bless who's been cursed.

Willful disobedience will twist and distort the thinking of people. The general next step is to find like-minded people and or writings to back what they now think they believe.  

The Truth, that is Jesus, cannot go against Himself.  He cannot. 

Our prayers are to be for what He says is right and true.  Our prayers are to be for the edification of others and ourselves. We are to never push the reasoning that we want what we want regardless of what God says.  

So in all this, I have not continued to pray as I thought was the direction to go.  It's been Proverbs that's been shedding light on life. I am making a concerted effort to keep reading through Proverbs every 31 days. A chapter a day.  

The whole thing of Doctrines of demons...they are found on television in the mouths of very worldly popular people.  Many would disagree but it's not my call, the Spirit reveals who are His and who are not.  Jesus said His sheep know His voice.  Books are written almost daily filled with demonic messages. Movies are laced with demonic messages. So-called television preachers spew demonic messages.  

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.  Wisdom and knowledge of God is only found in the Word of God.  We aren't to add to or take away from it.  We aren't to seek our own welfare but rather the welfare of others.  If our brother stumbles we are to be there to lift him up, support him, get him on his feet and back on his way to a right relationship with Jesus.  No less.

Pray without ceasing yes...pray what is right and true for certain.  Pray what God is wanting, not what we want. We obey in everything or we are really disobedient in all. 

Obey God and leave the consequences to Him.  Bless those whom He's blessed. 

God will not destroy what He considers His workmanship.  He, as the psalmist wrote, is training those who are in Christ for their days ahead. David was a man after God's own heart.  David would not reach out against Saul.

The prayers of a righteous man can accomplish much...as long as it is in agreement with the Lord in what is prayed.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

Life in Christ Must be More than Head Knowledge

Life in Christ Must be More than Head Knowledge 

by David Brenneman 

Many years ago I knew a man who's ambition to read spiritual books and materials actually got him in a load of trouble.   

To the Church of God, what some call the Universal Church, there's only one book that matters, the only that has the words of life, that's the Bible.  

A friend, years and years ago, often quoted a particular man who had lived many decades ago and had been a pastor.  In remembering the truth taught to me that my Bible is to be held above all other commentaries etc, I sought another friends input on gaining a collection of that man's commentaries.  

A month ago now I received a Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.  Realized that God had wanted me to follow another friends path of a chapter a day in Proverbs.  So that's what I have been doing. Currently am repeating that pln as 31 days have elapsed.  In his opening comments to the book of Proverbs Dr. Jeremiah says that the original language word for wisdom is the word "skill".  Skill is what you learn in doing something.  

We can easily find self-help books, webinars, podcasts, television shows from many "popular" people.  While these MIGHT be ok to supplement your walk with Jesus, adding to your own local Church, they should not replace your local Church. 

We need the skill, the wisdom, of God and to be straight up blunt, there's a lot of false teachers in this world.  Sadly they hide in plain sight on purported Christian networks.  Again, it's not on me to name names, but it's on every single Believer to not take any man of God's word at face value.  We are supposed to be in the Word ourselves to see if what they say is entirely true from the only true source, the Word of God.

Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  Deception is is game.  Twisting the thoughts of men and women everywhere to believe what isn't true. 

Suffice to say there some extremely popular television "evangelists" who have a very very rude awakening coming from Jesus for misleading billions of people.  

When the Bible says something that we should do, then that's it, end of story. It's not on anyone to create excuses or exceptions.  

When the Bible says something that offends people, then it's doing what it's supposed to be doing, bringing conviction concerning sin. 

When we ignore it, twist it, to get what makes us happy in life, we are in fact sinning. 

We can, like the man I used to know, be buried in head knowledge about Jesus, about this spiritual matter or that. 

None of it matters in light of becoming more like Christ Jesus.  Period. Exclamation point. 

It grieves the Spirit when people read what they want to from the Word of God for their own purposes.  When people justify the bitterness of their souls to justify their life's choices in living how they are.  When people falsely accuse others in anger without having all the facts. 

What's equally bad is people who live in truthful disobedience and immerse themselves in everything they can on this or that Spiritual "teaching" in order to not address what God's still specifically telling them they need to and ought to be doing.

God's Word is clear. It's not complicated in the basics.  We harbor bitterness and anger, it will always hinder or even block our relationship with Jesus Christ. No book or teaching by anyone, anywhere, overrides that truth.  We can potentially do everything "right" but if we are disobedient in one area we are disobedient in everything.  The Spirit isn't going to move us forward until we address what He says, no matter what anyone on any platform preaches or teaches. 

Head knowledge does not save anyone. 

Demons have way more head knowledge about God than all of humanity combined. 

Head knowledge has never saved one single person.  It's the conviction of the Spirit that brings repentance that leads to salvation in Christ Jesus. The Spirit saves. Once the work of the Spirit in salvation happens, since we had nothing to do with it, it cannot be undone.  We are then supposed to be seeking men of God who preach and teach the Word of God in truth.  The original language for Pastor, Elder, Teacher is only in the male description.  Never in the female description.  Timothy was the first Pastor. The teaching he received from Paul was to be perpetuated throughout the centuries until the return of Jesus Christ. 

The passage about knowing people by their fruits...it's a truth of God. It's reliable. 

Can be received with all confidence better than taking it to the bank.  

Public opinion, popularist teaching, does not negate one single truth from God's Word.  If anything, any person, teaches does not exactly line up with the Word of God, they are a deceiever, a false prophets or false teacher.  

Many people who claim to be Christians rage at other.  This isn't from the teaching from my Bible for sure.  

Many people who claim to be Christians refuse the truth that God shows them and instead try to warp the word of God to fit their lives. 

Many people who claim to be Christians aren't living out their true purpose in this life because they have decided they aren't going to listen to God anyway.  They will immerse themselves in every other teaching by countless means and people but will not receive what the Spirit says is truth.

When we all stand before Jesus, only His words will matter in reviewing our lives. 

Not any books by any authors other than those who were inspired by God to write the 66 that make up the Word of God. 

If indeed God's speaking to you and you go out to find people telling you what you want to hear rather than accepting what the Spirit is telling you...you...my Dear Reader are blatantly sinning. 

The Word of God is the Gold Standard for living life in Christ.  Godly men sure can write or speak or preach the word of God in truth, but those words ought to always be checked with the Gold Standard. 

If we disobey in one area we are disobedient in all.  It matters not how immersed we are in even Bible studies or lectures or seminars or podcasts, streaming, whatever is out there.  If anything is different than the Word of God it is a false teaching.  

Jesus is the last word.  His is the only word that matters. That gives life. 

God says that if we intentionally hold or harbor sin in our hearts He will not hear our prayers.  Doesn't matter what any popular so-called preacher says. That's what the Gold Standard says.

God defines what is sin, man does not. The Gold Standard tells what hinders a right relationship with Jesus. It's been true of every single person who has ever lived. Has never changed. 

God's list of people who will never inherit the Kingdom of God is still as true today as it has been since the world was created.  

God's Word on the truth that if we do not forgive others He will not forgive us, still stands by the Gold Standard.  Doesn't matter how we try to justify our position. Doesn't matter who preaches otherwise. 

God's Word on what the fruits of the Spirit are hasn't changed. Likewise the fruits of unrighteousness are likewise still the same.  Bitterness, anger, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, malice, abusive speech.  We are not God in that we fully understand the aspects of righteous anger. 

We are to be holy as He is holy.  The only true definition of that is only through the Gold Standard.  

Our lives and purpose in this point in human history isn't for us to receive all that we wanted out of life after coming to Christ.  It's for us to recognize and receive the whole counsel of God, the Truth, into our hearts and minds to grow with respect to salvation. The work of Jesus Christ is our sanctification. Not our happiness. If the Spirit wanted us to be happy He would have left every single Believer to go on living their own way. 

Great deception is a herald of the days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. 

Deception is at our literal fingertips.  

The extremely sad truth is after the Rapture of the Church the churches across the world will still be filled with deceived people.  They were those, much like today, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie. 

Personally, I have followed some advice to me and indeed I limit what materials enter my mind.  

My conviction, at least my prayer is this, is that I would only be rooted and grounded in the Word of God.  I might seek clarification from truly Godly men but, my daily sustenance Spiritually, is only the Word of God.  Personally, I limit myself to primarily Dr. John C. Whitcomb, Dr. Herman Hoyt, Dr. James Boyer, Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. David Jeremiah and Dr. John MacArthur.  My personal opinion on the others on the various platforms I will keep to myself but you probably already know what I think of them by this list. 

Vast amounts of head knowledge about God does not replace or represent a life of obedience to Jesus.  

We need to show the world Jesus Christ and nothing else.  It's only found in the Gold Standard, the Bible. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

Regarding Life, He is Our Example

Regarding Life, He is Our Example 

by David Brenneman 

"As Newborn Babes Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,  like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,  you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.  Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." 1 Peter 2:1-12.

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25.

It's oh so easy to go with the flow of the world.  To seek retribution. To seek our thoughts on what constitutes justice. To stand up for self before we defend or stand up for others.  To leave others behind for sake of self.  

Jesus did none of these things. 

It's easy to to consider those in our lives as this or that, yet we don't question the truthfulness and the spiritual integrity of those on the web or television.  False teachers are found more easily on supposed Christian networks just as they are in the buildings we walk into.  Not going to name names here.  Suffice to say God will demand an accounting of such men and especially women who have mislead millions.  

We, in Christ, have a responsibility to set aside our own personal thoughts and feelings and ideas on what the Christian life is supposed to be about. 

All too often those opening comments to 1 Peter 2 are prevalent in the mouths of supposed Believers in Christ Jesus.  Malice, slander, bitterness, anger that stays beyond the sun going down.  The abandonment of what covenant relationships that the Lord Jesus Christ says are true and important.  The making optional a life in Christ.  The justification of self.  

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25.

Let's put that in bold so it stands out better.  (Sorry to those on Facebook because it doesn't allow formatting.)

Yesterday I shared with many on Facebook what Dr. Charles Stanley said in his Life Principles Daily Bible on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  

We are immersed in a society that is moving ever more quickly towards that tipping point of the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul spoke about.  Selfish people who are pretty much experts on doing whatever is right in their own eyes.  Canceling those who disagree. Canceling those who have done them wrong.  

Hate to break it to everyone but canceling people is a sin. 

The will of God for all in Christ Jesus is our sanctification.  That's also what we just read a second time.  Our purpose is to live as an example of Jesus Christ. 

What are you doing in your life, in your desires, your dreams, that are not in alignment with growing in Christ Jesus?

What are you doing that isn't preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?

What are you doing to live out the purpose for which you were born in this here this now?

We are to know people by their fruits. Are your fruits spoiled fruit?  Selfish living is a spoiled fruit. It tops the list of what people will be like. Lovers of self.  Forget everything and everyone else as long as I get what I want.  

We are to know people by their fruits, but we are not to cast them aside.  Jesus didn't and we shouldn't.  We shouldn't be setting ourselves up as judge, jury and executioner.  Jesus is the only Righteous Judge.  We do not have the right or position to decide who is or isn't going to Heaven.  The overarching theme of the New Testament is to Love God, love people.  No excuses or exceptions. No list of reasons why this person or that deserves this or that from us.  

We are not suggested, we are commanded to love one another as Christ loved us.

Period.  

We are told to not take what others say at face value, but to compare it with the Word of God to see if it is so.  The only truth is the truth of God's word. Jesus is the Way, the Truth  and the Life.  We are not.  

My Dear Reader when your thoughts flow, when words form and come from your mouth, do they reflect a life in Christ or is it laced with bitterness, anger, strife, course jesting, malice, or anything else listed in Scripture that we aren't to be party to in Christ?  There are no excuses acceptable in the Word of God for embracing such behavior.  Those are the deeds of our old self. Paul wrote to put off that old self and put on Christ.  

Obey Christ Jesus and leave the consequences to Him.  No excuses or exceptions.  Just as Jesus did while He was on this Earth when His Father sent Him here.  

No if's and's or but's.  We are to take up our own cross and follow Him.  We are crucified with Christ. 

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20. 

In Thessalonians we are warned about false teachers, false prophets.  People who have influenced and infiltrated the Church of God.  People who are certainly wolves in sheep’s clothing. Both women and men.  Deception is rampant on social media, cable, satellite, the internet concerning what a life is supposed to be lived like.  This won't be popular but there are no Apostles anywhere anymore. There are no women preachers. To support such things is not to hold to the God of the Bible.  Read it for yourself.  Dig into the Word of God and you will see for yourself. Study it, go back to the original language. Take God's word for it and not mine. 

What are you filling your mind and heart with?  If it isn't God's will for you then you're wasting the time on this Earth that you were given. 

Let go of the pains, the hurts, of this life. Leaving them at the feet of Jesus to deal with. Trust the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself.  No if's, and's or but's.  No room for I can't's. Jesus did, we can.  

Jesus keeps no account of wrong's to those who ask for forgiveness. We should not either.  Jesus loves us at our best and at our worst. We should go and do likewise. 

Our example is Christ.  

You who claim to be saved in Christ Jesus, do you sound like Jesus in your speech, love and your conduct?  

If Jesus is your Savior and Lord you are sinning if you are intentionally living in any other way.  We all sin in other ways, but to be intentional makes it worse.  We WILL be asked by Jesus why we were intentionally living contrary to His teaching and purpose for us. 

Live your life as God intended for you. 

You who are in Christ are to show Christ to a fallen world.  People look at you they should see the hope, the grace, the mercy of Jesus Christ. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

Our Perceptions vs Our Reality

Our Perceptions vs Our Reality
by David Brenneman

In our lives we ought to always be aware of the perceptions of people in regards to our choices and decisions.  We may indeed not have done anything inappropriate, but the perceptions of others might make it seem as though we had. 

Likewise our lives, in Christ, aren't ours to live our way.  Invariably those prayers we pray will change us as well as the person or people we pray for.  

Jacob was distressed an in his distress prayed concerning his brother Esau. The result was that both of them were changed.

"Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’ ” Genesis 32:9-12

Daily, we are to lay down our own will, and in its place put what Jesus desires for us.

"And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23.

God isn't interested in our personal happiness over His workmanship in us, which is our sanctification.  He, as He wrote in Romans at the hand of Paul, is transforming our lives.  

It's quite humorous to see or hear stories of people saying what they will or won't do. Of where they will or won't go.  Never once considering that the lives they live in the flesh isn't theirs to live. 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20.  

This here this now is not some random occurrence in human history for us to be here living a life.  What we do before others either turns them towards a life in Christ or it turns them away.  

People who are Christians ought to have the mind of Christ if only at least in part.

It's heartbreaking to Jesus to see Christians give Him a bad name.  That they aren't living a life submitted to Him.  That their own cross sits and isn't carried by the one He died for.  That their own will matters more than the lives they could be changing or could be leading to Him.

Sadly it seems that the One whom is truly often forgotten about the most is in fact Jesus.  

The One whom gave His all on the altar to save humanity is often the One most neglected.  

Does your heart reflect the heart of Christ Jesus or is it solely yours?  Are the fruits of the Spirit alive in you and increasing or does the fruits of self? 

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." Ephesians 4:31.

We are often the worst at being truthful about ourselves. 

When the fruits of self are yours and increasing, you will grow more and more distant from the righteous life that God desires for you.  When all you do is harbor anger, hate, bitterness, that's all that will come out of you. 

"Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." Matthew 5:23-24.

We live in a disposable culture. Everything about people from before birth to their end is seen as something to be tossed when it no longer holds value to self.  Everything that God cherished and built into the human existence is now devalued and canceled.  

"So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Galatians 5:16-25.

A life given to Christ should reflect Christ. The character of Christ is the work of the Spirit in each who calls Him Savior and Lord.  

Why oh why do so many Believer's treat other Believers the way that they do?  Only the Spirit knows who belongs to Christ and who isn't. The mind of Christ is seeking the will of His Father, not His own.  

We ought to always seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Seeking first means to lay aside ourselves, our wants and desires.  

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21.

If we would just live a life wholly surrounded to Christ, oh the difference that would be.  

I  know that I am a long way from being fully sanctified in Christ, but looking back I can see how far the Spirit has brought me.  Laying aside self willingly is when the greatest changes in me happened.  I don't want people to see me, I am hoping they would see Christ in me.  I have a lot of shame in my life from those times when the fruits of bitterness and anger defined me.  

My Dear Reader, it's always best to not even go down the road of anger and bitterness because when, not if, the Spirit rips that out of you it's going to be painful. 

Being right before Jesus is the only place to be.   If we're angry, bitter, spiteful, towards others, He says He will NOT hear our prayers.  If we are keeping track of wrong's, that's another barrier between ourselves and God.  

If our perception of life isn't what the Spirit desires for us, we're living the wrong life. It does not matter what good we think we are doing in all other areas of life.  Disobedience in any small way is disobedience in all. 

My Friend, how can you say that you have the mind of Christ when you're consumed with only seeing the faults in other's?  That their wrong's are so much that you cannot forgive?  Is that the mind of Christ?  Is that a true perception of the reality in which you live?   

"If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20.

Perception is everything.  What people perceive is what's their reality.  I have often been told that.  If you do not walk by the Spirit, then you are carrying out the desire of the flesh.  If you aren't walking by the Spirit your perceptions are wrong about your life.  

What are you doing to walk in a manner worthy of your calling in Christ Jesus?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

Cry Out

Cry Out

By David Brenneman 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 NASB1995

Cry out?  Personally, I do not know if those in the Old Testament truly cried out to the Lord Jesus or if that is a description of the intensity of their fervor in praying.  But even so...we read of what Jesus said about prayer.

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matthew 6:6-8.

Jesus said specifically not to use meaningless repetition.  No droning of your words. No speaking without thinking essentially. 

On my own heart this week and the several to come are some very heavy things.  I am reminded of what the Spirit is saying to remember "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28 NASB1995

It's not that I have anxiety over these days and weeks, it's that the uncertainty of how to figure out how and what to do that are more than a bit stressful. 

Several teachers of God to me, point to the same practice and or principle to me.  Regardless of what the eye sees, or the ear hears, remember what all that God has brought you through.  That those things were not problems to God but situations. 

So many people give up on relationships, on situations, on anything that they are NOT viewing with respect to the things that God values. They are putting thoughts, emotions, feelings, ahead of Spiritual truths in Christ Jesus.  They've outlined what will and won't happen and their words and or actions do not align with the Bible.   

Praying with emotion.  Praying with sincerity of heart.  Praying for whatever Jesus values rather than from our own hurts or bruises is what we are to do.  We often are very defensive when praying and don't realize it.  Note the prayer time of Ananias.  He was indeed a bit apprehensive while praying and it showed.  But he didn't do what Jesus's Earthly father did n express doubts and any hint of disobedience.  

We are not going to be privy to everything. 

We aren't even going to know things on a need to know basis.  That's not how God works. 

We are to trust and obey. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Which by His definition means the broken, battered, bruised, wounded parts too.  Why?  Because we are His workmanship.  

Our hope rests on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. We have but one to be trusting in and my Dear Reader, you are indeed sinning if that person is you. 

King of our hearts is what Jesus is to be.

Ruler of our hearts is who is to be.

We may make all kinds of prayers and petitions to Him, but in the end, it's ALWAYS to be His will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven.  

We do not stand firm on anything but the truth of the Word of God.  Not on any desires or feelings we may have about anyone or anything.  When it makes absolutely no sense and when it might make a sliver of sense or no sense at all. 

There's nothing, not even our staunch knowing or unknown disobedience, that can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus.  

If we're met with silence in our prayer times...dig deeper as to why.  Fervent prayer.  The fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much it says in the Bible.  

Prayer with sincerity of heart. 

Prayer with no doubts in the heart. 

Prayer that isn't limiting God from our hearts.  

Prayer that is only a list of what's acceptable to us in our lives and those of others is NOT acceptable to Jesus.

I know that God does cause all things to work together for good for me.  But my obedience is the key that unlocks that.

Not partial obedience, not conditional obedience.  Complete obedience. 

No matter how we are treated we are to display the character of Christ to others. 

How do you know that in doing so that you won't cause them to return to Jesus?  Truth is, you don't know, and you won't know unless you obey Jesus in all things. 

The right words spoken at the right time unlock many hearts to God.  That cross shaped key that was used to unlock yours is what unlocks everyone's. 

Nothing that we face in life is a surprise to my Savior.  It is daily unknowns to me, but not to my Savior. 

I cannot place my desires for a better life ahead of what Jesus, through His Spirit, desire for me to be and to me to be doing. 

I cannot stand firm in anything but the Word of God.  Not my wishes not my desires.  Satan can even manipulate our thinking to leave even others behind in favor of a supposed better life in Christ.  If in even a single detail of any plans we have violate a single area of God's word then it's not from God.  If it causes even 1 sin to happen. If it causes anything that God has said in regards to covenants to be broken. Then we were not hearing from God.  

I know not what today or this week holds for me.  I make very few plans because my days are to be spent doing whatever God puts before me to be doing.  Not my will to be done but His. Whether or not it brings happiness and joy is irrelevant.  God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  Good as defined by God, not defined by human beings.  We often make that grave mistake of assigning human definitions to words that are in the Bible that don't come close to the scope that God means.  It's why prayer should be part of your reading time.  Ask the Spirit to tell you what He meant in writing it.

Crying out to God.  It's a good thing. 

Pouring out your heart to Jesus is another way to say it. 

He wants sincerity of heart.  Wants us to want what He wants...so that the world sees our lives and glorifies our Father in Heaven. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation 

Put on Christ

Put on Christ 

by David Brenneman 

"Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him." Psalms 103:13 NASB1995

We're going to face challenges in relationships.  God desires Godly relationships and thus Satan is diametrically opposed to them.  

Satan will use carefully crafted arguments against what God is in favor of.  He IS the great Deceiver.  He IS a liar and the father of lies.  

Take great care that personal thoughts and feelings do not get in the way of the righteous life that God desires for you.

We can and often are our own worst enemy in regards to relationships.  We do not have the mind of Christ at times to discern what's truly going on.  We also can be consumed with the here and now in regards to pain, disappointment, hurt feelings, etc. rather than keeping our eyes on Jesus and displaying the character of Christ regardless. 

Jesus never promised that life would be everything we want it to be.  Jesus never said that what we want was going to happen the way we think it ought to be like.  

Jesus said that those who seek to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer affliction.  It's part of what it takes to be sanctified.

We shouldn't run from what Jesus directs us to.  

Not saying it ever is easy, but it's always worth it.  

Every single thought and emotion you have is influenced by your sin nature.  Protecting self can be the wrong thing to do if indeed God's saying to hang on because He's not done yet.  

Do you know that the turmoil of the children of Israel in Egypt, even with all they went through to leave Egypt, they ONLY left on the EXACT day that was predetermined over 400 years earlier?

They were convinced that the world was ending, that their struggles and pains were the end of it all...had they remembered the Word of the Lord, they would have known that it was going to be alright.

We can easily get into a fight or flight mode.  We realize not that WHAT God is putting us through is for our benefit.  Our training in righteousness.  Our having our old self removed so that the new in Christ shines through.  Pain, suffering, loss, are going to be part of that.  

We don't do enough as Believers to try to seek out God's help in discerning truth from falsehood.  We jump to that particular conclusion that fits our feelings and emotions.  We try to make the lie stretch to fit the truth we want rather than what God wants. 

Some of the worst words out of a Believers mouth are on what they say they will not do in regards to other Believers. 

Some of the worst plans made by Believers are those made that are contrary to the will of God.  As servants of God, we hear and are to obey.  We are not to talk back to our Master to telk Him how it's going to be.  That's what disobedience is.

More than one Old Testament prophet was directed by the Lord Jesus to live lives that certainly were, from the world's point of view, unreasonable. 

We are going to face life that appears to be unreasonable.  It's only unreasonable because we do not know enough of the mind of Christ to make a true understanding happen in our minds. We are not God in knowing every possible outcome.  We do not often remember that these current difficulties are not even a blip on the radar of eternity.  We do not often remember that when it's sadly Believers vs Believers that we are impacting the view of Christ to unbelievers.  We are not remembering that these same Believers will be with us for all eternity.  

The character of Christ should take precedence over our will and plan for ourselves.  

It used to be a popular saying of what would Jesus do?  In many circles that was made fun of.  But the reality is a certainty.  

Would Jesus treat others the way we are?

Would Jesus dismiss others like we do?

Would Jesus put self before others like we have?

Would Jesus show great love and compassion whereas we have not?

Would other people see Jesus in us as we interact with troubled Believers?  

Deeds done in our bodies for Jesus.  That's what we will give an account of. 

Will your life be so full of record keeping of wrong's of others that the Christ-like deeds won't be seen?

Will you be asked by Jesus why you didn't obey?   Why you didn't show Him, His love, His grace, His mercy that we received to a troubled Believer?  Why your life had more of living for self in it than living for Him in it?  That you did more to look after yourself than those people whom He brought to you to influence for Him?

When the world looks at what you are wearing, do they see you or do they see Jesus?  Put off the old self and it's practices, put on Christ.  

What good would it ever achieve in your life to get only what you wanted out of life if it's at the cost of the life of another that your influence could have helped back toward Jesus?  Set your mind on things above and not on the things that are of this world.  Even if it hurts for a season. 

Jesus sees you as worth it. 

Jesus sees those in your life as worth it. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation