Good afternoon everyone! I hope you are well and having a good week! I'm having a nice day and so far the week is good too!
Today, I come to you from a heart that is persevering. It's not easy in the battle, but it is for my good, and I write from this knowledge. I have found rich hope in the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58, and that is where I write from today.
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
In our time of struggle, we must begin with praise to God. God is so worthy of praise - He his holy, righteous, true, legitimate, glorious, and worthy. Today, I take time to remember how good our God is. We must remember this - and I urge you as well to remember how good God has been to you. Recount His faithfulness before Him and find hope. Trust in Him, no matter what is going on in your life. And through Him we will find the great victory.
Now, to the battle, we are called to stand firm. We cannot become lazy or relaxed with our temptations or transgressions; we must be constantly on-guard and prepared. This can be hard, but it is going to be worth it. Continue on. I write this as a reminder to myself, as I am wanting to be lazy and not push through things I'm going through, and I can't turn down or away from my Lord. I need Him and His help to be strong. I cannot ease away from what I must do, but must keep on!
As I recount this, I know the things done for Jesus are never done in vain. Paul reminds us of this. We have to trust, and keep going forward. He is faithful and will work for our good. I hope this small discourse blesses you all.
Love you all!
Brandon
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Great Omission
Hello everyone! It is a good morning - but it is super cold in my office! Uffda! So, I'm drinking lots of coffee today!
But besides that, it is a great day to be alive! There is an abundance of grace that God is shedding on me and He is speaking very clearly! It is beautiful.
Okay, so on to what I'm here to do - share about this book I'm reading. It is very good, to start off with. There have been lines that Willard has written that I'm very convicted by and want to challenge people I lead with. And I am challenged to.
The name of the book is called "The Great Omission" and in the first two chapters, I've learned about the urgency to be disciples. God has called us out from the old life we lived, but many people are not. They are attached to their old lives, even though they've "prayed the prayer." "Omission" refers to the lives that so many American Christians have decided to follow, and how many have bought into it. When Jesus left us, His last words was that we would be in the world teaching and making disciples. Somehow, we've left this out, and just decided to make converts. There is such a drastic difference, and we've forgotten that we are to not only be justified, but to be sanctified. This means we become like Christ - and that only happens through discipleship, through disciple and dedication. We cannot continue this way.
There are a few quotes that Willard makes in the opening chapters that I have been blown away by, so I'll share them with you now:
"What the 'church' - the disciples gathered - really needs is not more people, more money, better buildings or programs, more education, or more prestige." (pg. xiv)
"The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ-like and so dwelling in his 'faith and practice,' systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end." (pg. 7)
"...there is absolutely nothing in what Jesus himself or his early followers taught that suggests you can decide just to enjoy forgiveness at Jesus's expense and have nothing more to do with him." (pg. 13)
I realize right now I'm only giving you a taste from this book, but I'm learning as well! I hope you are encouraged as we look to this book a little more. God bless you today as you work or do whatever you do! Hope to share more with you soon!
Love you all.
Brandon
But besides that, it is a great day to be alive! There is an abundance of grace that God is shedding on me and He is speaking very clearly! It is beautiful.
Okay, so on to what I'm here to do - share about this book I'm reading. It is very good, to start off with. There have been lines that Willard has written that I'm very convicted by and want to challenge people I lead with. And I am challenged to.
The name of the book is called "The Great Omission" and in the first two chapters, I've learned about the urgency to be disciples. God has called us out from the old life we lived, but many people are not. They are attached to their old lives, even though they've "prayed the prayer." "Omission" refers to the lives that so many American Christians have decided to follow, and how many have bought into it. When Jesus left us, His last words was that we would be in the world teaching and making disciples. Somehow, we've left this out, and just decided to make converts. There is such a drastic difference, and we've forgotten that we are to not only be justified, but to be sanctified. This means we become like Christ - and that only happens through discipleship, through disciple and dedication. We cannot continue this way.
There are a few quotes that Willard makes in the opening chapters that I have been blown away by, so I'll share them with you now:
"What the 'church' - the disciples gathered - really needs is not more people, more money, better buildings or programs, more education, or more prestige." (pg. xiv)
"The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ-like and so dwelling in his 'faith and practice,' systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end." (pg. 7)
"...there is absolutely nothing in what Jesus himself or his early followers taught that suggests you can decide just to enjoy forgiveness at Jesus's expense and have nothing more to do with him." (pg. 13)
I realize right now I'm only giving you a taste from this book, but I'm learning as well! I hope you are encouraged as we look to this book a little more. God bless you today as you work or do whatever you do! Hope to share more with you soon!
Love you all.
Brandon
Monday, November 22, 2010
New read - "The Great Omission"
Hello all! Just a quick note that I have started a new book and will have thoughts for you very soon. The book is titled "The Great Omission" by renowned author Dallas Willard. I think it will be another great read and will really challenge me in my job. I hope what I can share from the book also challenges you to become disciples, followers after the true heart of our Jesus. I was blessed last night to read the first chapter and I believe that Willard will have much to say to speak to the Christian church on God's plan for us to fully embrace our role as disciples of Jesus.
So, be on the lookout for words and I pray they encourage and bless you all! Hope you have a wonderful night on this snowy evening! Spend some time with a great Christian read! God bless you all!
Love you!
Brandon
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
"A Call to Prayer" (part 2)
Good afternoon! I'm excited to share with you how my heart has been challenged over the past few days as I finished reading J.C. Ryle's "A Call to Prayer."
First off, I did finish this short book! And it was excellent. Throughout the second half of the book, Ryle really gets down to the short end of prayer - it's all about communing with God and growing in our relationship with Him. If we are not praying, we are not really living as He wants us to. I was personally challenged to "present all requests to God." Ryle posed to his readers that we can be a little apathetic in asking God to strategically place us. I couldn't have read this at a better time. Currently, my fiance and I are looking for home, and we had not been praying about this as much as we really should be. Reading this changed us. Ryle asks followers of Jesus to be asking Him where we will best serve Him and to seek out that wisdom. We need to be presenting to God our questions of where we should live, what we should be doing as for vocation, and how we can be used. God wants to use us for His will, but He longs for us to be acting in response to His calling on our lives! He knows best where He wants us and we have to listen to Him! Otherwise, we can miss out on something great for His glory and God has to work longer with us to fulfill something that could have easily been done before. I was very challenged to be asking God for wisdom in all the situations and circumstances I'm in.
Ryle finishes his discourses on our prayer life, continuing to pose the question: DO YOU PRAY? This is still not a simple question to answer, but he ends his book with a discourse to all people on the importance of prayer.
He first address those who do not pray or know God at all. He challenges them to begin to do so and to want to know God. The only way we can receive the salvation God so freely gives to us is by asking Him in prayer. How can we trust without coming to God and asking for His forgiveness? We cannot. The first writing is a call to come to the Lord and trust Him as Savior.
His second address is to those who are saved but don't pray. He exposes the lies and deceptions Satan has used to separate the beloved from God by moving them to not pray. He shows the ineffectiveness we have in our physical lives because we do not take care of our spiritual lives. There is a rich amount of wisdom in the lesson that Ryle teaches to unprayerful believers.
Lastly, Ryle encourages and strengthens the body. He urges those who pray to continue to do so and let the peace and joy of Jesus Christ continue to fill them. He blesses them to not give up but press on after the heart of God. He shows us how prayer is our lifeline and we cannot go without it. We need prayer to draw us to the Father and to heal our broken hearts.
This was a wonderful little book that shows God's heart for us to be in constant communion with Him. We cannot neglect our prayer lives, but must be adamant in seeking after the one who loves us so ferociously. And He loves us immensely! Our return of love comes through our prayers, petitions, and praises to Him! To Him be the Glory forever!
Jesus, you are the restorer and healer. You have given us so much and you fill our hearts with love! Thank you for using my brother, J.C. Ryle, to speak truth to all believers to be seeking you out. We are called to be in communion with you, and we so often neglect it. I'm sorry Father for the way I've turned from you when I knew what I needed most was you. And thank you for not condemning me, but waiting patiently on me. Forgive my trespass against you Lord and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Apart from you there is no God. Apart from you, I can do nothing of worth or of value. Show me Lord how I may glorify you in my life. Lord, I want you. I want your ways and I want to shine your light so abundantly. Be near to us Lord, shine forth your great glory, and lead us to your mighty heart! I weep much Lord, because I am loved much. And that weeping is to your glory and praise! I love you Jesus! Amen.
First off, I did finish this short book! And it was excellent. Throughout the second half of the book, Ryle really gets down to the short end of prayer - it's all about communing with God and growing in our relationship with Him. If we are not praying, we are not really living as He wants us to. I was personally challenged to "present all requests to God." Ryle posed to his readers that we can be a little apathetic in asking God to strategically place us. I couldn't have read this at a better time. Currently, my fiance and I are looking for home, and we had not been praying about this as much as we really should be. Reading this changed us. Ryle asks followers of Jesus to be asking Him where we will best serve Him and to seek out that wisdom. We need to be presenting to God our questions of where we should live, what we should be doing as for vocation, and how we can be used. God wants to use us for His will, but He longs for us to be acting in response to His calling on our lives! He knows best where He wants us and we have to listen to Him! Otherwise, we can miss out on something great for His glory and God has to work longer with us to fulfill something that could have easily been done before. I was very challenged to be asking God for wisdom in all the situations and circumstances I'm in.
Ryle finishes his discourses on our prayer life, continuing to pose the question: DO YOU PRAY? This is still not a simple question to answer, but he ends his book with a discourse to all people on the importance of prayer.
He first address those who do not pray or know God at all. He challenges them to begin to do so and to want to know God. The only way we can receive the salvation God so freely gives to us is by asking Him in prayer. How can we trust without coming to God and asking for His forgiveness? We cannot. The first writing is a call to come to the Lord and trust Him as Savior.
His second address is to those who are saved but don't pray. He exposes the lies and deceptions Satan has used to separate the beloved from God by moving them to not pray. He shows the ineffectiveness we have in our physical lives because we do not take care of our spiritual lives. There is a rich amount of wisdom in the lesson that Ryle teaches to unprayerful believers.
Lastly, Ryle encourages and strengthens the body. He urges those who pray to continue to do so and let the peace and joy of Jesus Christ continue to fill them. He blesses them to not give up but press on after the heart of God. He shows us how prayer is our lifeline and we cannot go without it. We need prayer to draw us to the Father and to heal our broken hearts.
This was a wonderful little book that shows God's heart for us to be in constant communion with Him. We cannot neglect our prayer lives, but must be adamant in seeking after the one who loves us so ferociously. And He loves us immensely! Our return of love comes through our prayers, petitions, and praises to Him! To Him be the Glory forever!
Jesus, you are the restorer and healer. You have given us so much and you fill our hearts with love! Thank you for using my brother, J.C. Ryle, to speak truth to all believers to be seeking you out. We are called to be in communion with you, and we so often neglect it. I'm sorry Father for the way I've turned from you when I knew what I needed most was you. And thank you for not condemning me, but waiting patiently on me. Forgive my trespass against you Lord and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Apart from you there is no God. Apart from you, I can do nothing of worth or of value. Show me Lord how I may glorify you in my life. Lord, I want you. I want your ways and I want to shine your light so abundantly. Be near to us Lord, shine forth your great glory, and lead us to your mighty heart! I weep much Lord, because I am loved much. And that weeping is to your glory and praise! I love you Jesus! Amen.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I'm reading (and writing about it) once again
Hello everyone!
It has been far too long since I last was on the blog to share about my personal growth and development through reading. To be honest, I haven't been the best at reading since I started seminary. Now, I have been reading, but those books probably would not perk your curiosity! So, I've been justifying my reasons for not sharing with you as I had wanted to.
But all that is changing! I am finding such a rich, new deep love for reading and it is inspiring! The last book I read, which was "Immanuel's Veins" by Ted Dekker (an absolutely brilliant fiction tale - go read it!), really enriched my view on how much God deeply loves us and longs for us! He is yearning for us and paid such a redemptive price to give us new life in His Son Jesus, and we are set free in a new and beautiful way! God is so good!
But I don't want to just sit there for now! As much as I loved "Immanuel's Veins," that is not the book I'm going to share about. The book I recently started reading is called "A Call to Prayer" by J.C. Ryle. J.C. Ryle was an English bishop in the second half of the 19th Century. He had passion for people to know and love Jesus Christ in an intimate and personal way, and then to share that passion with others! He had much fervor for the Kingdom and is an example for us currently in the 21st Century.
So, I have now begun this wonderful little book on prayer. Why do we pray? Why should we pray? Does prayer do anything? These are all questions Ryle lays before the reader and answers. He also encourages us to move beyond simple, common rituals of prayer, but to actually be in communion with God. Over and over, he asks the simple, yet difficult question - "Do you pray?"
I ask now - do you pray? Prayer is such a necessary, yet often forgot tool that Christians neglect. We cannot just let our hearts be satisfied to say an easy prayer in the morning, move on, and then come back at night to another ritualistic prayer. We must be constant in our prayer. We must cover our lives in prayer and saturate ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a tool to just be in the presence of God. When we pray, we truly worship.
All this is what Ryle expounds on in his book. Now, I know the book is very short. I also can tell you that I'm only half - way through. But I encourage you to look for the next half of the book, and to explore this book yourself. I also have found a wonderful new gadget! It's Kindle for your PC. For those of us who cannot afford a Kindle, or any other reader for that matter, we can still access a bevy of books for a reasonable cost, all on our computer. It's a great resource and is a wonderful tool for myself. Go check it out and get some of these wonderful classic books for a cheap price or for free!
Love you all - and so I do pray. And I pray for you.
Jesus, Lord and Savior, thank you so much for being a wonderful God - a God we can call on, a God we can trust, and a God who loves us so much in return. Jesus, you cover us and you long for us to just be with you. We often forget this. Yet, we need to be reminded. Jesus, you never leave, you never forsake, yet you give wisdom through your Holy Spirit. And your Spirit is what I long for. It is what I long for all the people of this world to know. Lord, there is such rich abundance and comfort in you. You give the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you. Lord, be with all those who read this - and those who don't. Please be revealing yourself in mighty strength and glory to us. We need to see you. Come Lord, and renew us. Lord Jesus, thank you also for the example of a saint - thank you for J.C. Ryle and his example of deep faith to us all. We rejoice today in You and in the day You have given us. Be near us now. In Jesus' name. Amen.
It has been far too long since I last was on the blog to share about my personal growth and development through reading. To be honest, I haven't been the best at reading since I started seminary. Now, I have been reading, but those books probably would not perk your curiosity! So, I've been justifying my reasons for not sharing with you as I had wanted to.
But all that is changing! I am finding such a rich, new deep love for reading and it is inspiring! The last book I read, which was "Immanuel's Veins" by Ted Dekker (an absolutely brilliant fiction tale - go read it!), really enriched my view on how much God deeply loves us and longs for us! He is yearning for us and paid such a redemptive price to give us new life in His Son Jesus, and we are set free in a new and beautiful way! God is so good!
But I don't want to just sit there for now! As much as I loved "Immanuel's Veins," that is not the book I'm going to share about. The book I recently started reading is called "A Call to Prayer" by J.C. Ryle. J.C. Ryle was an English bishop in the second half of the 19th Century. He had passion for people to know and love Jesus Christ in an intimate and personal way, and then to share that passion with others! He had much fervor for the Kingdom and is an example for us currently in the 21st Century.
So, I have now begun this wonderful little book on prayer. Why do we pray? Why should we pray? Does prayer do anything? These are all questions Ryle lays before the reader and answers. He also encourages us to move beyond simple, common rituals of prayer, but to actually be in communion with God. Over and over, he asks the simple, yet difficult question - "Do you pray?"
I ask now - do you pray? Prayer is such a necessary, yet often forgot tool that Christians neglect. We cannot just let our hearts be satisfied to say an easy prayer in the morning, move on, and then come back at night to another ritualistic prayer. We must be constant in our prayer. We must cover our lives in prayer and saturate ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a tool to just be in the presence of God. When we pray, we truly worship.
All this is what Ryle expounds on in his book. Now, I know the book is very short. I also can tell you that I'm only half - way through. But I encourage you to look for the next half of the book, and to explore this book yourself. I also have found a wonderful new gadget! It's Kindle for your PC. For those of us who cannot afford a Kindle, or any other reader for that matter, we can still access a bevy of books for a reasonable cost, all on our computer. It's a great resource and is a wonderful tool for myself. Go check it out and get some of these wonderful classic books for a cheap price or for free!
Love you all - and so I do pray. And I pray for you.
Jesus, Lord and Savior, thank you so much for being a wonderful God - a God we can call on, a God we can trust, and a God who loves us so much in return. Jesus, you cover us and you long for us to just be with you. We often forget this. Yet, we need to be reminded. Jesus, you never leave, you never forsake, yet you give wisdom through your Holy Spirit. And your Spirit is what I long for. It is what I long for all the people of this world to know. Lord, there is such rich abundance and comfort in you. You give the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you. Lord, be with all those who read this - and those who don't. Please be revealing yourself in mighty strength and glory to us. We need to see you. Come Lord, and renew us. Lord Jesus, thank you also for the example of a saint - thank you for J.C. Ryle and his example of deep faith to us all. We rejoice today in You and in the day You have given us. Be near us now. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Big God by Britt Merrick
Hi everyone,
I hope you are well! I recently returned from Peru and it was a fantastic mission trip! I am so glad I went and it was a huge challenge and blessing to my faith. I wanted to share some of that here and why I have switched gears to the current book I'm reading.
While in Peru, God really showed me some great gifts. One was the gift I am given with each day. He created me and blessed me on that day to see that the people I was around are the people He wanted me to share that moment with. He created me to have this time on earth with other people all for His glorious purpose. I am meant for each moment and that is a huge blessing!
One other thing that I have been wrestling with my faith - or lack thereof. As I came back from Peru, I made a generalization about the people - many of whom this is true (but my mentor also helped me realize that it is not everyone that lives in a third - world country!) - that their faith is much richer and deeper than mine because they have to trust God. I know over and over I have heard it that we need to be dependent upon God, but for some reason it never sunk in until I got back to the U.S. I realized that I don't trust God the way I need to or the way He wants me to.
Wow, I suck.
And now, I'm going through a time of looking at what that dependence looks like in my life. How do I trust Him? How do I become the man I want to be for Him? How do I glorify Him with my life of trust?
God led me - and I say that on purpose - to this book. As I was putzing around Family Christian, I found one book that sounded very interesting. I was going to buy that book. As I was standing in the checkout line, I noticed this other book called "Big God" by a guy named Britt Merrick - never heard of him. There were a few good reviews on the book, so I thought I'd take a quick glance. Guess what the book is about? Deep faith in God based on trust! I set the other book down - which possibly may be the next book I talk about on here - and purchased "Big God."
That afternoon, I started reading it and was blown away. It is very well written. And want to know how it's helping me - it's making me ask more questions! It is challenging me to move from the spot I am stuck in and trust hard in the Savior.
What's even harder for me - the premise of the book is Hebrews 11 and each of the people in the chapter and their faith - is that everyone in Hebrews 11 was an Old Testament character! They believed and relied on a promise! A promise! I have the Savior here for me and they had a promise and had rich, intense faith in the Father. They trusted Him so much more than I feel I could and that upsets me! Uffda!
So, before I write all about this book, I'm going to tell you that I am half way through it and that I intend on finishing it once, and then reading it again. There is a study guide for free online that I plan on using as well.
I'm going to make this an even deeper learning experience for you all. I hope you join me on the road and learn lots! God is faithful and I know He will speak again - He already is! Let's grow together!
God's richest blessings to you all!
Brandon
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
"And He Dwelt Among Us" - chapter 4
A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite authors. He packs a powerful punch - and boy does he do so as in this book. So far, the book has been an exhortation on the first few verses of the Gospel of John, but all that is written points me directly to thinking all about Jesus Christ. And that is a good thing. That is a very good thing.
Chapter 4 turns us to John 1:11 which says "He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him." From the last post I put up, I wrote on the eternalness of Jesus. From here, Tozer moves on to speak of how Jesus created this world. And now, He steps into what He has created. Think about that for a moment - Jesus created everything, yet was separated from it. Only a creator could touch what they have made, but to enter into it - that is something only the Creator could enter.
And Tozer has us dwell on the idea of hope that produces. "He came" - wow. Look a little bit longer in that sentence. "He came to His own." That which He made and belonged to Him, He came to and longed to be with. What a beautiful picture of love that paints of Jesus to me!
Now, we know when Jesus came. The Jews were the chosen people at this time. They had the information of a messiah coming. They had the Old Testament Scriptures. And yet, when Jesus came, they did not recognize Him. How sad.
How much are we like the Jews? I'm afraid more than we would like to admit.
I'll save a little bit for you to check this book out and read for your own, but it speaks volumes of how wonderful Jesus is. And as we grow in our Christian faith, people of remembrance are who we are to become. We need to remember Jesus and draw near to Him!
Blessings and love to you all!
Brandon
Chapter 4 turns us to John 1:11 which says "He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him." From the last post I put up, I wrote on the eternalness of Jesus. From here, Tozer moves on to speak of how Jesus created this world. And now, He steps into what He has created. Think about that for a moment - Jesus created everything, yet was separated from it. Only a creator could touch what they have made, but to enter into it - that is something only the Creator could enter.
And Tozer has us dwell on the idea of hope that produces. "He came" - wow. Look a little bit longer in that sentence. "He came to His own." That which He made and belonged to Him, He came to and longed to be with. What a beautiful picture of love that paints of Jesus to me!
Now, we know when Jesus came. The Jews were the chosen people at this time. They had the information of a messiah coming. They had the Old Testament Scriptures. And yet, when Jesus came, they did not recognize Him. How sad.
How much are we like the Jews? I'm afraid more than we would like to admit.
I'll save a little bit for you to check this book out and read for your own, but it speaks volumes of how wonderful Jesus is. And as we grow in our Christian faith, people of remembrance are who we are to become. We need to remember Jesus and draw near to Him!
Blessings and love to you all!
Brandon
Monday, March 22, 2010
"And He Dwelt Among Us" - chapter 2
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." - John 1:1-2
Have you ever thought of a time when there wasn't "time?" A.W. Tozer calls us to that point - where there was no existence except the beautiful reality of God.
Take a moment, before Jesus walked this earth, before Jeremiah proclaimed judgment, before Moses was given the commandments, before Abraham was given the promise, before Adam and Eve were in the garden - God was. God has always been.
Tozer points us to this viewpoint, and it takes a lot to think of a time when there wasn't time. It is hard to think of those times alone! But that is where this Scripture leads us.
Tozer writes that as we look at this verse, when it says "the beginning" he refers this to when time started. So, when time started, God already was. And "the Word" - Jesus Christ, as we know - was with God and He was God. He is God!
How powerful to know that in Jesus existed the eternal God, who has no beginning and no end! How powerful it is to think about this and fathom that He is eternal! That means that no one can kill Him and no one can overcome Him because He is beyond the temporary and is not bound to time in any way. That is not true of anyone else in all creation - which is why we are creation - because we are created. Not so with God.
And that is power! That allows me to know that trusting in God Almighty I am protected and encompassed by One who cannot be overcome! When I lay my life down in surrender to Him alone, I am also eternal kept. We who trust in Him are eternally kept! Think about that - YOU ARE ETERNALLY KEPT BY THE MAKER OF ALL THINGS BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL! And He does not go back on any thing! You are His now for eternity!!! HALLELUJAH!
Are you excited by that news?!? I AM!
Praise belongs to the Holy and Almighty God who has protected us in His everlasting salvation!
"Holy God, You are worthy of all praise! You are eternal, almighty, wonderful, and awesome! How can we ever know the depths of your rich love for us? You draw near to us and teach us your ways and show us that in you lies eternity. This eternity was shown and revealed to us only by your gracious Son Jesus Christ and what He fulfilled for us on the Cross. How wonderful to know that we have a Savior who loves us so powerfully and relentlessly. You are God and You are for me. Thank you God! You never let me go and you love me. Thank you for the rich love you powerfully display all the days of my life. Your grace will be my joy and I long to only reflect you all my life! Glory and praise alone belong to you my Savior! I love you. In your powerful name I offer this praise and prayer. Amen."
Have you ever thought of a time when there wasn't "time?" A.W. Tozer calls us to that point - where there was no existence except the beautiful reality of God.
Take a moment, before Jesus walked this earth, before Jeremiah proclaimed judgment, before Moses was given the commandments, before Abraham was given the promise, before Adam and Eve were in the garden - God was. God has always been.
Tozer points us to this viewpoint, and it takes a lot to think of a time when there wasn't time. It is hard to think of those times alone! But that is where this Scripture leads us.
Tozer writes that as we look at this verse, when it says "the beginning" he refers this to when time started. So, when time started, God already was. And "the Word" - Jesus Christ, as we know - was with God and He was God. He is God!
How powerful to know that in Jesus existed the eternal God, who has no beginning and no end! How powerful it is to think about this and fathom that He is eternal! That means that no one can kill Him and no one can overcome Him because He is beyond the temporary and is not bound to time in any way. That is not true of anyone else in all creation - which is why we are creation - because we are created. Not so with God.
And that is power! That allows me to know that trusting in God Almighty I am protected and encompassed by One who cannot be overcome! When I lay my life down in surrender to Him alone, I am also eternal kept. We who trust in Him are eternally kept! Think about that - YOU ARE ETERNALLY KEPT BY THE MAKER OF ALL THINGS BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL! And He does not go back on any thing! You are His now for eternity!!! HALLELUJAH!
Are you excited by that news?!? I AM!
Praise belongs to the Holy and Almighty God who has protected us in His everlasting salvation!
"Holy God, You are worthy of all praise! You are eternal, almighty, wonderful, and awesome! How can we ever know the depths of your rich love for us? You draw near to us and teach us your ways and show us that in you lies eternity. This eternity was shown and revealed to us only by your gracious Son Jesus Christ and what He fulfilled for us on the Cross. How wonderful to know that we have a Savior who loves us so powerfully and relentlessly. You are God and You are for me. Thank you God! You never let me go and you love me. Thank you for the rich love you powerfully display all the days of my life. Your grace will be my joy and I long to only reflect you all my life! Glory and praise alone belong to you my Savior! I love you. In your powerful name I offer this praise and prayer. Amen."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Letters to God
This is going to be one awesome and inspiring movie! Wow!
I finished the book last night, and I must say, the book ends in an unsatisfying way. I wanted the story to be developed more and it wasn't. I wanted more of Tyler's letters, and was left short. I wanted so much more development!!!
Which leads me to believe that the movie will have that! I sincerely hope it does.
There are many tender moments in this book and I could see it displayed on the screen. And so, this is my recommendation: see the movie! You will be impressed, but this book will not add much more to what you will expect to see in the movie.
Moving on, I picked up a new book today and it looks great! It's called "And He Dwelt Among Us" by A.W. Tozer and it should be the perfect book for this time of Easter as it focuses on how Jesus became a man like His brothers and really helps look at Jesus Christ the man. Plus - Tozer rocks! Really - any of His books are excellent reads!
Alright, enough for now! God bless you all!
Brandon
I finished the book last night, and I must say, the book ends in an unsatisfying way. I wanted the story to be developed more and it wasn't. I wanted more of Tyler's letters, and was left short. I wanted so much more development!!!
Which leads me to believe that the movie will have that! I sincerely hope it does.
There are many tender moments in this book and I could see it displayed on the screen. And so, this is my recommendation: see the movie! You will be impressed, but this book will not add much more to what you will expect to see in the movie.
Moving on, I picked up a new book today and it looks great! It's called "And He Dwelt Among Us" by A.W. Tozer and it should be the perfect book for this time of Easter as it focuses on how Jesus became a man like His brothers and really helps look at Jesus Christ the man. Plus - Tozer rocks! Really - any of His books are excellent reads!
Alright, enough for now! God bless you all!
Brandon
Monday, March 15, 2010
Letters to God
I knew it!
This book is breaking my heart.
The story is about a young boy named Tyler who ends up getting a rare form of brain cancer called Medulloblastoma. Throughout the book we learn of Tyler's battle and his heart for God. What a story to read. It breaks my heart.
And yet...there is a joy and hope to this story. It is challenging in how it causes me to think of my reaction in the place of Tyler. Tyler has a love for God that I can't understand. And why? I want to know and I sit and continue to read, wondering why my love for God is not this deep. Certainly it is true of the faith of young children - how wonderful it truly is.
I'm learning about myself in this fiction novel. I'm learning about my trust in God and my faithfulness to Him.
Throughout the book, Tyler writes simple letters to God. I won't give any of it away - but Tyler's prayers are so simple and yet state the true nature of his relationship with Jesus. I am challenged to return to simple prayer and to love God fearlessly.
Now, the book has a few flaws - one, it is predictable and two, there are parts of the development that are inept. There could be so much more depth to the story if these pieces would have been explored!!! But I won't throw it out. However, I do want it to be longer!
Learning about ourselves, taking a look at where we stand with God, and growing that relationship is vital to what is in us. This book is showing me to look at that - and I strongly encourage so many of you to read this one and find out more. It is a very quick read, but I promise, it is satisfying.
God's blessings to you!
Brandon
This book is breaking my heart.
The story is about a young boy named Tyler who ends up getting a rare form of brain cancer called Medulloblastoma. Throughout the book we learn of Tyler's battle and his heart for God. What a story to read. It breaks my heart.
And yet...there is a joy and hope to this story. It is challenging in how it causes me to think of my reaction in the place of Tyler. Tyler has a love for God that I can't understand. And why? I want to know and I sit and continue to read, wondering why my love for God is not this deep. Certainly it is true of the faith of young children - how wonderful it truly is.
I'm learning about myself in this fiction novel. I'm learning about my trust in God and my faithfulness to Him.
Throughout the book, Tyler writes simple letters to God. I won't give any of it away - but Tyler's prayers are so simple and yet state the true nature of his relationship with Jesus. I am challenged to return to simple prayer and to love God fearlessly.
Now, the book has a few flaws - one, it is predictable and two, there are parts of the development that are inept. There could be so much more depth to the story if these pieces would have been explored!!! But I won't throw it out. However, I do want it to be longer!
Learning about ourselves, taking a look at where we stand with God, and growing that relationship is vital to what is in us. This book is showing me to look at that - and I strongly encourage so many of you to read this one and find out more. It is a very quick read, but I promise, it is satisfying.
God's blessings to you!
Brandon
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Letters to God - a new read
I recently picked up a new book because the title very much interested me. It was a novel titled "Letters to God." Now, I'm not a huge fan of reading fiction, but this one greatly interested me.
The story, so far, is about a family that is struggling to make it through in their faith after the father is killed in drunken driving accident. It is sad, but there is great triumph that occurs. I'm excited to see where the story is headed.
This book is also to become a major motion picture, which has me excited as well! It has begun as a wonderful read so far, and I will let you know soon. I feel like this book is going to break my heart though...
Until later, God's blessings to you all!
Brandon
The Truth of the Cross - chapters 7 -10
Hello all!
What a powerful, wonderful little book this was! I finished it yesterday and I was greatly affected by it. I learned a lot from Dr. R.C. Sproul about my need for a Savior and the cross.
The last few chapters looked on a few different roles that Jesus played - the suffering servant being one of them. I also enjoyed learning about Dr. Sproul's thoughts on "limited atonement."
These are powerful things to be talking about and learning. I do believe in limited atonement and the way Dr. Sproul presented it was very good and refreshing. Basically, Jesus saves believers, not everyone in this world. If you are a believer, you believe Jesus has saved you. That is the gist of limited atonement.
This is brief, I realize, but I want to tease you to learn a few things about how wonderful an act Jesus did to save us. His redemption lasts and it gives us firm believe that we are saved and can pursue after God with reckless abandon. I pray that you would think about picking up this book and seeing for yourself. It is a wonderful read!
God bless!
Brandon
What a powerful, wonderful little book this was! I finished it yesterday and I was greatly affected by it. I learned a lot from Dr. R.C. Sproul about my need for a Savior and the cross.
The last few chapters looked on a few different roles that Jesus played - the suffering servant being one of them. I also enjoyed learning about Dr. Sproul's thoughts on "limited atonement."
These are powerful things to be talking about and learning. I do believe in limited atonement and the way Dr. Sproul presented it was very good and refreshing. Basically, Jesus saves believers, not everyone in this world. If you are a believer, you believe Jesus has saved you. That is the gist of limited atonement.
This is brief, I realize, but I want to tease you to learn a few things about how wonderful an act Jesus did to save us. His redemption lasts and it gives us firm believe that we are saved and can pursue after God with reckless abandon. I pray that you would think about picking up this book and seeing for yourself. It is a wonderful read!
God bless!
Brandon
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The Truth of the Cross - update, chapters 3 - 6
Hello everyone,
Wow! That is all I have to say.
Dr. Sproul is challenging me in how I look at the Cross and how much I need a Savior. Just looking at why Jesus was needed to be made like His brothers BLOWS ME AWAY. Wow!
I'm just going to mainly share from chapter 6 today because it made me look at the Cross in such a new way. In this chapter, Dr. Sproul looks at why Jesus needed to become a human, and why He needed to live a whole life instead of just going to the Cross immediately. It rocks me to the core to think of what His life obedience means for me.
Jesus not only paid the penalty for my sins - which I could never do - He also showed me to live. Dr. Sproul looks at our need to be righteous before God and not just justified. When Christ took my place He did justify me, but He also transferred His righteousness to me. Let that thought sink into your mind. It will swallow you.
This has been the best book I have ever read on the Cross and our need for salvation and rescuing (not to say that I have read many...I haven't!). This book will help you see the Savior in such a wonderful light and it will help your walk!
I cannot wait to see what else Dr. Sproul has to show me about Christ and I am excited to continue to be taught and shown.
God's blessings to you all!
Brandon
Wow! That is all I have to say.
Dr. Sproul is challenging me in how I look at the Cross and how much I need a Savior. Just looking at why Jesus was needed to be made like His brothers BLOWS ME AWAY. Wow!
I'm just going to mainly share from chapter 6 today because it made me look at the Cross in such a new way. In this chapter, Dr. Sproul looks at why Jesus needed to become a human, and why He needed to live a whole life instead of just going to the Cross immediately. It rocks me to the core to think of what His life obedience means for me.
Jesus not only paid the penalty for my sins - which I could never do - He also showed me to live. Dr. Sproul looks at our need to be righteous before God and not just justified. When Christ took my place He did justify me, but He also transferred His righteousness to me. Let that thought sink into your mind. It will swallow you.
This has been the best book I have ever read on the Cross and our need for salvation and rescuing (not to say that I have read many...I haven't!). This book will help you see the Savior in such a wonderful light and it will help your walk!
I cannot wait to see what else Dr. Sproul has to show me about Christ and I am excited to continue to be taught and shown.
God's blessings to you all!
Brandon
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
"The Truth of the Cross" - Chapter 2
When you think of God, does His justice first come to mind? Or is He a God of mercy, forgiveness, or love? And Jesus - why did He have to die? Couldn't God have provided forgiveness for us in another way? He is God after all.
God's justice is where R.C. Sproul begins his treatment of the Cross. As we learned in the last chapter, there is a need for atonement based out of the reality of sin. Justice had to come about because of sin.
Sproul begins the chapter having readers look at exactly why Christ had to come to the world. Many people consider God's mercy or His love the reason, but if the thought is dwelt upon, we see that His justice is why we needed a Savior. Sin is utterly disgusting to God - it is not like Him in ANY regard. It is the antithesis of His character. And we, as humans, have sin. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10b "There is none righteous, no, not one."(NKJV) We are guilty - no matter if we are ignorant of the fact or not. The Bible tells us also that we have inherited this from Adam, as Romans 5:18a shows us, "So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone..."(HCSB)
Taking into account a Biblical mindset, Sproul takes us to the Old Testament. With this in mind, it's good to expose the Jewish mindset of how the Bible was written. Now, traditional Jewish minds equate justice and righteousness together. Looking at God, for God to be a righteous God, He must be a just God as well. This is true of how the Bible was written and how our mindset is to be. Sin is unrighteous - we can look at this any number of ways, but it ends up wrong. So, we are wrong and God is right. And God cannot overlook that sin - it must be taken care of. Since we are not able to take care of this on our own, we need a provision. Therefore, if God wanted a relationship with us, either, He had to punish us, or provide a way for His wrath to be satisfied, and be atoned for.
Jesus Christ is the satisfaction of God's wrath. We will continue to learn more about this in the future chapters, but God's justice is something not to be taken lightly. Dwelling on this, He is a God that is to be feared; we cannot completely overlook this aspect of His character. That is why repentance is so imperative as well to our faith. We can trust Christ for our salvation because He did it all for us on the Cross.
I hope you are enjoying learning along with me. I am enjoying this book so far and seeing that it is a great exposition and reminding me how utterly important the Cross is.
God bless!
God's justice is where R.C. Sproul begins his treatment of the Cross. As we learned in the last chapter, there is a need for atonement based out of the reality of sin. Justice had to come about because of sin.
Sproul begins the chapter having readers look at exactly why Christ had to come to the world. Many people consider God's mercy or His love the reason, but if the thought is dwelt upon, we see that His justice is why we needed a Savior. Sin is utterly disgusting to God - it is not like Him in ANY regard. It is the antithesis of His character. And we, as humans, have sin. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10b "There is none righteous, no, not one."(NKJV) We are guilty - no matter if we are ignorant of the fact or not. The Bible tells us also that we have inherited this from Adam, as Romans 5:18a shows us, "So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone..."(HCSB)
Taking into account a Biblical mindset, Sproul takes us to the Old Testament. With this in mind, it's good to expose the Jewish mindset of how the Bible was written. Now, traditional Jewish minds equate justice and righteousness together. Looking at God, for God to be a righteous God, He must be a just God as well. This is true of how the Bible was written and how our mindset is to be. Sin is unrighteous - we can look at this any number of ways, but it ends up wrong. So, we are wrong and God is right. And God cannot overlook that sin - it must be taken care of. Since we are not able to take care of this on our own, we need a provision. Therefore, if God wanted a relationship with us, either, He had to punish us, or provide a way for His wrath to be satisfied, and be atoned for.
Jesus Christ is the satisfaction of God's wrath. We will continue to learn more about this in the future chapters, but God's justice is something not to be taken lightly. Dwelling on this, He is a God that is to be feared; we cannot completely overlook this aspect of His character. That is why repentance is so imperative as well to our faith. We can trust Christ for our salvation because He did it all for us on the Cross.
I hope you are enjoying learning along with me. I am enjoying this book so far and seeing that it is a great exposition and reminding me how utterly important the Cross is.
God bless!
Monday, February 22, 2010
"The Truth of the Cross" - Chapter 1
"Our need for salvation is not a paramount concern."
The cross of Jesus Christ has become common. It is merely a symbol and of little significance in this day and age. Why is that? Why have we made something so wonderful mean so little.
Dr. R.C. Sproul begins "The Truth of the Cross" by examining what this magnificent item has meant for the the faith of true believers and how it stands to be proclaimed in this day and time.
The chapter begins with a look at logos throughout the world. The world is full of them! In America, the most popular logo are the golden arches of McDonald's. Aside from whether this is right or wrong, it is still recognizable. Just as the Cross is with Christianity. It represents something significant to us!
Jumping into the profundity of the Cross, Sproul challenges us to really look at the Cross. When we look at the Cross, we are looking at "the essence of the ministry of Jesus." By looking at the Cross, we not only see "the central point of importance," but we bring emphasis to the work of Christ. The Cross is what He was born for, and why we live today. The Cross, and the atonement that took place on it, should be of utmost concern to all Christians. This is what we needed and what only He can provide for us.
But the need for atonement has been diminished. While talks of its importance have ranged over the years, it is becoming, once again, an increasingly heated topic of debate. How important is atonement to you?
We live in a time where reconciliation of our sins has become a misplaced thought. "People are not concerned about an atonement!" states Sproul. And all because we've forgotten about the holiness of God.
The time has come where knowledge of what Jesus did on the Cross needs to be made known! And that is a challenge for you and me to step up our game - to be the people God has called us to be, by speaking about Jesus to this lost and broken world.
We need the Cross - each and every single one of us. Sproul states it so aptly, "If you take away the Cross as an atoning act, you take away Christianity." This world needs Jesus. Over the next few chapters, we will take a deeper look at what the Cross completely accomplished and I pray it's significance will be of even greater value to you as you follow along with me.
God's blessings to you all!
Brandon
The cross of Jesus Christ has become common. It is merely a symbol and of little significance in this day and age. Why is that? Why have we made something so wonderful mean so little.
Dr. R.C. Sproul begins "The Truth of the Cross" by examining what this magnificent item has meant for the the faith of true believers and how it stands to be proclaimed in this day and time.
The chapter begins with a look at logos throughout the world. The world is full of them! In America, the most popular logo are the golden arches of McDonald's. Aside from whether this is right or wrong, it is still recognizable. Just as the Cross is with Christianity. It represents something significant to us!
Jumping into the profundity of the Cross, Sproul challenges us to really look at the Cross. When we look at the Cross, we are looking at "the essence of the ministry of Jesus." By looking at the Cross, we not only see "the central point of importance," but we bring emphasis to the work of Christ. The Cross is what He was born for, and why we live today. The Cross, and the atonement that took place on it, should be of utmost concern to all Christians. This is what we needed and what only He can provide for us.
But the need for atonement has been diminished. While talks of its importance have ranged over the years, it is becoming, once again, an increasingly heated topic of debate. How important is atonement to you?
We live in a time where reconciliation of our sins has become a misplaced thought. "People are not concerned about an atonement!" states Sproul. And all because we've forgotten about the holiness of God.
The time has come where knowledge of what Jesus did on the Cross needs to be made known! And that is a challenge for you and me to step up our game - to be the people God has called us to be, by speaking about Jesus to this lost and broken world.
We need the Cross - each and every single one of us. Sproul states it so aptly, "If you take away the Cross as an atoning act, you take away Christianity." This world needs Jesus. Over the next few chapters, we will take a deeper look at what the Cross completely accomplished and I pray it's significance will be of even greater value to you as you follow along with me.
God's blessings to you all!
Brandon
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Truth of the Cross
Hello everyone,
And I am blogging once again. This will be a site where I open up about the things I'm reading about and learning. So, it will keep me constantly reading, but it will also challenge me to be sharing my thoughts on the chapter. Sometimes, which I can guarantee, I will have a lot to say and sometimes, I won't have much. But in the process, we can all learn together. The book that will first be up here is called "The Truth of the Cross" by R.C. Sproul. I hope it is a great read and what we can learn benefits us all!
Brandon
And I am blogging once again. This will be a site where I open up about the things I'm reading about and learning. So, it will keep me constantly reading, but it will also challenge me to be sharing my thoughts on the chapter. Sometimes, which I can guarantee, I will have a lot to say and sometimes, I won't have much. But in the process, we can all learn together. The book that will first be up here is called "The Truth of the Cross" by R.C. Sproul. I hope it is a great read and what we can learn benefits us all!
Brandon
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